Know God

How did Jesus live out his own teachings? This question is addressed with a meditative guide designed for the week before Easter - “Holy Week.” We read from Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount” and from a few moments during the last week of his life found in the gospels. It’s a meditation to help each one of us see Jesus’ way of life.

Five readings are provided that may be listened to consecutively as a whole “hour of prayer,” or ...

Listen in on this third episode on AWE - the anticipation of awe at the end of time. Awe comes from a spiritual experience - wrestling with life and death. 
A focus on apocalyptic scenarios misses the essence of the renewal of all things in the future. We may expect to be more impressed with the physicality of end times rather than the inner experience, and in the spirit realm. 
The awe at the end of times  is a future base...

The science of awe took off with the Apollo 8 mission of 1968. This episode explores the intersection of scientific research and biblical narrative as we consider the amazing benefits of the experience of AWE!
You’ve likely seen the iconic photo “Earthrise” taken by the crew of Apollo 8. For the first time humans saw their blue home planet rising above the forbidding lunar horizon. Awe enveloped them as this view of Earth chang...

Community Context is the third podcast in the CONTEXT series. Community context involves slowing down, reading details, connecting dots, and giving attention to the street signs of our local communities.
Listen to our conversation about, “How can I become a good neighbor?”

Many people don’t know their communities, and their communities don’t know them. Many people are sitting in their house; they don't know their...

Relational Context is about finding opportunities to develop stronger connections with others. Sometimes referred to as relational intelligence,  we describe how it takes trust, authentic love, as well as a commitment to a “not ‘on the clock’ kind of time with others. As a God-created facet of humanity, to not possess relational intelligence is to experience something clouding it, blocking it, veiling it, or to simply be afraid of ...

CONTEXT informs translation and core principles of the Bible. In this episode the translation of the Greek word lambano as  “take” or “receive” is covered in detail. Context is shown to be key to determining translation. It even has implications for how we view Jesus Christ. Key passages highlight this significance.
Gain new insight in the significance of “receive versus take” as we discuss passages, including Philippians 2:5-8...

What is the impact of rivalry? Can I feed rivalry and competition outside of my church life and not work counter to the environment of the church? Rivalry impacts behavior not only in athletics and business, but also in recreation, education, church, and politics. We discuss that the opposite of  rivalry is be a teammate. Insights into the impact of rivalry will come from history, and biblical passages, including Galatians 5:16-21,...

Why is this podcast called, “Know God”? The vision of Jesus was that we can know God. It’s reciprocal. God knows us; we know God. The hope that one can know God, to intimately have an experience in relationship with the Creator of the universe, is an incredibly high goal, but is exactly what we believe each person can have.
We take an approach of giving tools and lenses to people who are searching. Knowing God is so much bigger...

How can I recognize when a church may be off track, out of kilter? Here’s a resource outlining characteristics of a church in good shape. This is the 4th and final episode on church as the visible Christian presence in a society or community.
We give our take on 6 biblical metaphors describing a healthy and authentic church. These metaphors are like snapshots of a church. What does it look like? How does it function? When is it...

When someone says I’m going to give church a try the next question is, “Which church?” Here’s a resource to make one aware of the factors that may help make that decision. This is Part 3 of the series on church.

Churches are diverse. Many nuances make individual congregations unique. Here are some musings on the style of churches. How the church feels when I walk in the door. How it plays out in relationships. We discuss the impact ...

In this deep dive into Christian denominations we hope to create pathways of understanding. We dive deep into background issues that make denominations different from each other. Many nuances make church denominations and congregations unique. Understanding these can only enhance understanding among believers. Our season 1 podcast, “5 Principles of Interpretation” answering, “How do you build your faith from the core out?” is a goo...

Church experience can have a lot of negatives, still, in this podcast we talk about how one life can make a difference in the lives of other people in this environment we call the church. Meet Mary, who when her church closed said to herself, “I decided to pick up my faith one more time and find a new church.” Find out why and how she made church life better for many.  
We could get so hung up on the details of the structure or...

The ideal “to never stop praying” has fed a misconception that the most heartfelt practice of prayer is impromptu, extemporaneous, or conversational.

Mindful prayer IS in the moment, yet that does not mean that the words of my prayer must always be without forethought. Impromptu prayers can leave us with fewer and fewer words to speak to God. This approach to prayer may become just as repetitive as any prepared or memorized prayers....

Let’s talk dirt and plants, “nature” and mindfulness, and spiritual experience. It’s common to think that nature has little to do with Christian spirituality. We discuss ways we can be in the elements and experience God - to know him better. Knowing our elemental composition may lead us to engage fully in life. Listen in as Tony, Sandy and Micah share personal ways they connect to nature. The last 10 minutes includes an exploration...

Meditations with pace, rhythm, and cadence can strengthen the practice of mindfulness. Words or phrases that help one to be in the moment rather than in the future lead to the best practice in mindfulness. Find passages to coincide with your circumstances such as:

• Meditations of inner serenity; 
• Meditations of personal or spiritual growth;
• Meditations of community. 

Mindfulness is a fundamental practice to let good dwell in on...

What's the big deal about mindfulness? Why bother? Many are drawn to mindfulness through the desperation of their anxiety. Others are looking for a competitive edge in the workplace. Some practice it to be one in reality. Some Christians pursue mindfulness to attain a holiness of life and others to know God. Explore reasons to practice mindfulness with us in this podcast. Passages include Psalms 131 and 46. 

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