Kingdom Now

Psychologists, counselors, so-called "experts," and even social media seem determined to define "healthy relationships." What do they look like, and how do we identify one? In our season 3 finale, join Apostle Lee Ann Marino and guests Minister Nik Lewis and Teacher-in-Training Charlie Reep (all from Sanctuary International Fellowship Tabernacle - SIFT) for a discussion about relationships, whether or not they shoul...

Setting boundaries is an often difficult part of our spiritual lives. Many struggle to find healthy boundaries, not realizing that our model for boundary establishment is God Himself. Join Apostle Lee Ann Marino for this special live teaching delivered in February 2022 at Sanctuary International Fellowship Tabernacle - SIFT (Charlotte, NC) and learn all about why boundaries are an important part of Christian spirituality. (Intro an...

Popular Evangelical Christian movements advocate Christian infiltration into every aspect of societal living - especially governmental alliance and positioning. They do this under the guise of bringing the Kingdom of God to manifest. Is this an accurate view of God's Kingdom work? Join Apostle Lee Ann Marino for this special live teaching delivered via Zoom for Jesus People of Asheville, NC (Pastor Tom Cash) about the Kingdom o...

Many read the Bible and find parts of it contradictory. Perhaps there is no greater question raised than that of the seeming difference between God's representation in the Old Testament vs. the New Testament. Is the Bible about two gods, or is there something more for us to examine? Join Apostle Lee Ann Marino for a conversation about divine representation in the Old and New Testaments - and why discerning this question is abou...

Fundamentalist Christianity. Scientology. Unification Church. Hare Krishnas. Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Buddhafield. It seems like everywhere we look today, someone is accusing a religious group of being a cult. What defines a cult, and how do we distinguish cult dynamics from that of other groups? Using Lifton's eight points of thought reform, Apostle Lee Ann Marino discusses just what makes cu...

Most Christians love to discuss doctrine. When does our faith become about more than doctrine, and what do we find next? Why is community important to our faith, and how does it help us grow? Join Apostle Lee Ann Marino live at Sanctuary International Fellowship Tabernacle - SIFT for a teaching on community: why it's important, how we recognize it, and why its essential for Christians. (Intro and conclusion track provided by Da...

Honest, ordinary conversations have the power to change lives - and this is no different. Featuring a conversation from Sanctuary International Fellowship Tabernacle - SIFT, join Apostle Lee Ann Marino and Sanctuary members Minister Nik Lewis, Teacher-in-Training Charlie Reep, and Pastor Angie Littlefair for a conversation about things they all wish those who do not support the queer community would know - and why being heard is so...

The issue of homosexual - and by extension, queer - inclusion within the church often descends into argument, usually with the Bible cited as  the source for exclusion. What does the Bible say about these specific matters, and how should they be understood? In this second of a two-part episode, join Apostle Lee Ann Marino as she discusses the new "clobber passages" that often relate to trans and gender issues in light of th...

The issue of homosexual - and by extension, queer - inclusion within the church often descends into argument, usually with the Bible cited as the source for exclusion. What does the Bible say about these specific matters, and how should they be understood? In this first of a two-part episode, join Apostle Lee Ann Marino as she discusses the traditional "clobber passages" of Genesis 19:1-38, Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13,...

Discussions about diet culture and its impact on children aren't new. Many are unaware, however, that diet culture has a prominent place within modern Christianity, often running alongside purity culture. What are the long-term ramifications of mixing the idea of "perfect thinness" with spiritual perfection - and how can such be overcome? In this episode, join Apostle Lee Ann Marino and guests Teacher-in-Training Charli...

The concept of ordination often confounds those who think it sets a minister above others, rather than confirming the gift God has placed within an individual to lead in the church. In this episode, join Apostle Lee Ann Marino for a discussion about ordination, what it means, and its relevance, complete with a special clip from a live message on ordination delivered in Asheville, North Carolina for the New Era School of Theology an...

Hot yoga. Goat yoga. Kundalini yoga. Hatha yoga. Bikram yoga. It takes a simple walk through a shopping plaza or in a downtown location to see the myriad of yoga classes, forms, and instructors in modern society. Where does yoga come from? Is it as esoteric, mystical, and "spiritual" as many think it is? In this episode, join Apostle Lee Ann Marino and guest Aaron Joy (a practicing Hindu and life-long historian) for a discu...

When people genuinely ask us spiritual questions, what is our response - and what should it be? Do we immediately find reasons to judge someone and stop the process, or do we do what God asks of us, and love our neighbor by building the Kingdom of God? In this live episode recorded for Jesus People of Asheville (Pastor Tom Cash), Apostle Lee Ann Marino looks at Acts 8 and the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch to ask the ques...

Numerous studies have discovered ways the internet has changed the way we receive information, communicate, and process social interactions. This is true nowhere more than the world of dating. Anyone who has used the internet to meet other people, especially for dating, can verify what a terrible experience it can be. In this episode, join Apostle Lee Ann Marino for a "how-to-guide" on navigating the complicated world of on...

Many don't realize the impact of walking into a twelve-step meeting and starting the journey with a single statement of realization: "Hi, I'm [insert name] and I'm an addict." What are the twelve steps and why are they important to those who seek recovery in a healthy way? Join Apostle Lee Ann Marino and guest Pastor Angie Littlefair as they explore their identities as "Lee Ann M." and "Angie L."...

Think the Christian life is one exciting moment after another? What about those periods where life isn't fabulous, but leaves you feeling more "meh?" Join  Apostle Dr. Lee Ann Marino and guest Julie Harvey for a personal discussion, including reflective insights, about why "meh" is an essential part of our spiritual journeys. (Intro and conclusion track provided by DanoSongs, www.danosongs.com.)

Sometimes we don't have a lot to bring to the table - we just have a little. Does our "little" - little actions, little amounts, little things - matter? Join Apostle Dr. Lee Ann Marino in a live Zoom recorded message for Jesus People Arts and Worship Center of Asheville, North Carolina (Pastor Tom Cash) for a special message on why little things matter in our lives. (Intro and conclusion track provided by DanoSongs, www...

Specific subsets of Christianity have been bellowing the call, "The end is nigh!" for decades. Are they right? Where did a"last days mania" come from, and what should we understand about the "end of the world?" Join Apostle Dr. Lee Ann Marino for a brief history on the modern "end of the world" and what Scripture means when it talks about "the last days." (Intro and conclusion track provided ...

Sometimes spiritual things - especially the call of God - are made to sound like a scene from a Disney movie...complete with fantasy-like fun and animation. What is the call of God really like? Join Apostle Dr. Lee Ann Marino and returning guest Minister Nik Lewis for a conversation about the call of God: the good, the bad, and the complicated. (Intro and conclusion track provided by DanoSongs, www.danosongs.com.)