a Church Podcast

Shakespeare said in King Lear that “Jesters do oft prove to be prophets.”  If we can see the humor in the story of JONAH getting swallowed by a fish, we are closer to seeing the truth.  This isn't true in the sense of historical accuracy, but true in the deeper sense of revealing what is hidden below the surface. Support the show

The season of LENT is about 6 weeks where we are intentionally invited to lean into the more difficult and complex parts of life.   We lean into the limits of our humanity on Ash Wednesday.  We move toward the darkness in hopes of finding the light.  And the story of JONAH invites us to go beyond the surface to what is more substantial and real.   Support the show

It seems obvious that this is a story about greed.  But what if in fixating on behavior, we miss the abundance of God?  Join us to hear from our guest preacher, Zac Luben, Director of Graduate Student Ministry at Pepperdine University.   Support the show

Once you see the arrow in the Fedex logo you can't unsee it.  And in the Bible, once you see judgement or punishment it's hard to unsee it.  But today we're going to do our best to unsee what we have projected onto Jesus.   Support the show

When Jesus talks about God's house having many rooms, was he really talking about a McMansion in the sky?   Support the show

Sometimes things break and there’s nothing good about that experience.  Sometimes the breaking gives way to grace.   And to make things more complicated, sometimes things break that need to break.  As Jesus washes his disciples feet, things are breaking in more than one way. Support the show

Mary pours out an entire bottle of perfume and breaks all the rules.  But Jesus' reminds us that God doesn't require right belief or action in exchange for love and acceptance.  Instead Mary reminds us to look beyond the price of things to the greater meaning and the greater cost.    Support the show

Shepherds (in the Bible) are people in positions of power who are supposed to reflect God's caring presence by guiding, feeding and protecting the people.  But that doesn't always work out well, because people in positions of power tend to prioritize their own comfort and control.  This is why God essentially says, "Fine, I'll do it.  I'll be the good shepherd." Suppo...

Seeing and not seeing can be a meaningful spiritual metaphor.  But anytime we assume that "those people" cannot see, we find ourselves in greater darkness.  Anytime we assume that we are the only ones who can see, the world is cast into greater darkness.  Jesus, however, shines a light into the darkness so that we might see with the clarity of God's wide and inclusive love.  Support...

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.  Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that." - Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Support the show

Our most meaningful spiritual metaphors are often influences by our environment.  So light shining into the darkness makes a lot of sense in the middle of cold dark winters.  And water means a lot on those summer days that are hot and dry.  So during a celebration that remembers God's people wandering through the desert, Jesus says, "let anyone who is thirsty come to me."      Suppo...

The wise travelers  bring three gifts for Jesus.  This Christmas their story invites us to consider what gifts we might bring to help reflect Jesus' way of love in the world.   Support the show

The little town of Bethlehem is like the ironic comic book character who loves the hero but misses the hero in disguise.  The people have been waiting for God to come to make things right, but miss Jesus because there's no room in the inn.  That's how we tell the story at least, but what if we're wrong?  What if the people of Bethlehem actually show us what really matters at Christm...

What does it mean that Jesus will be born into a world that is being counted by the empire?   And what does it mean for us, in this Christmas season, to discover what counts or what matters? Support the show

What happens when the voice of the male religious leader is put on mute?  What happens when Christmas comes to turn our world upside down?  What voices will we hear? Support the show

Mary's favorite song inspired her to sing of a Christmas world turned upside down.  The might are brought down and those on the bottom are lifted up.  Support the show

The disciples said to Jesus, "This is a hard teaching.  Who can accept it?"  Seriously Jesus, this metaphor is really gross!  What are we supposed to do with this who body and blood of Jesus thing?   Support the show

It's entirely my fault that our kids are picky eaters.  And while being picky can be irritating, perhaps what Christianity needs most these days are picky readers of the Bible.     Support the show

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