Graceful Christianity by Dr. Kevin Thomas
Check out our weekly sermons as I push back against many prevailing church attitudes and offer a fresh glimpse at following Christ.Share your comments at kthomas@forestlakeumc.org.
Episodes
Three are three classic fear responses: fight, flight, or freeze. Perhaps for us people of faith, there should be a fourth response--community. It doesn't fit with the alliteration, but it does fit with our story. What if we allowed fearful times to be catalyst for community? What if danger drove us together? In fearful times, we choose love, and perfect love casts out fear.
Many of us have deconstructed the faith of our youth. It can be a liberating but scary thing. Is it still safe to believe? Is there anything to believe in? John the Baptist had some of those same questions. Jesus answered them in a way that offers us hope.
Sometimes religious people stigmatize those facing mental health challenges and addiction, either blaming them or accusing them of a lack of faith. Those stigmas harm people, beautiful people created in God's image. We choose to embrace people as they journey on the long walk through mental heath issues and addiction. Church should be a place that supports healing.
This message deals with the difficult topic of suicide. Too often the church either remains silent about suicide, or it shows up with toxic theologies to shame people about suicide. It is tragic, but it is not an "unpardonable sin." It should not be a source of shame for loved ones. In this message I try to offer hope, healing, and prevention.
The holidays are quickly approaching. For many of us, they will be "the most wonderful time of the year," but for many others, they will be the loneliest time of the year. While the world parties, many of our neighbors will experience isolation. We can make a difference. We are only well when our neighbors are well. Let's dedicate ourselves to expanding loving community during this season.
As we celebrate All Saints Sunday, we remember loved ones who have gone before us. We never really "get over" grief. We don't leave loved ones behind. Today we'll talk about how they move forward with us, encouraging us as we go.
We are experiencing times of trouble, but "there will be an answer. Let it be!" This message confronts the challenging circumstances of our time by offering both a calm assurance that God has not forgotten us and a call to action to defiantly represent God's love and joy in a world that has forgotten both.
For centuries, we've used the Bible to hurt women. But when we use the Bible to hurt people, we're reading it wrong. Jesus came to liberate us. This message encourages us to liberate ourselves for the religious misogyny that has already done far too much harm.
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