Look for Self-Sacrificial Love Everywhere, in Everything - Vince Brackett

Self-sacrificial love is incredible. So many of the books and movies and tv shows that grab us are proof that it touches something deep in the human heart. The 40 days of Lent, which turn our attention to Jesus’ self-sacrificial love, are a wonderful time to lean into this. Vince suggests that, yes, in the age of the internet, there are more inputs than ever before to make us feel despair, but there are also more inputs than ever before to see Jesus through the story portrayals (and real-life examples) of self-sacrificial all around us.

John, 1 CorinthiansVincent BrackettApril 2, 2019Lent 2019Comment

On Being Both Courageous & Humble (Instead Of Silent) - Kyle Hanawalt

When you hear or see something that strikes you as racist, sexist, classist, homophobic, Islamophobic, or cruel in any way, do you feel tempted to just be silent, for fear of discomfort? Or do you feel ready to speak up, but you’re not sure how? Jesus was never silent, and when he spoke up, he’s described as being “full of grace and truth”, or, we might say, “full of humility and courage”. Kyle offers some ideas on how we might pursue that balance.

JohnVincent BrackettNovember 13, 2018Comment

3 Perspectives on the Relationship Between Faith & Politics - Vince Brackett

The American Religious Right’s conflation of faith and partisan politics has been bad for the country and for faith... But, while Vince used to feel the best response to that was to strive to pursue an politically neutral faith (“both sides are equally bad/good when it comes to the model of Jesus”), he now feels that to be just as unsatisfactory... so what now?

1 Corinthians, John, Matthew, Micah, PsalmsVincent BrackettNovember 5, 2018Comment

We Need Connection More Than We Need Answers - Kyle Hanawalt

This is one of the most true-feeling phrases we’ve come to discover in our experiences following Jesus and trying to put one foot in front of the other in life. Kyle shares about the life-change he’s experienced leaning into the way the Eastern Orthodox church has historically taught people how to pray and approach life, and how that’s different (in a good way) from what a Western American like him is used to.

Ecclesiastes, JohnVincent BrackettOctober 2, 2018Comment

Death & Resurrection: The Shape Of Life - Vince Brackett

From the hero’s journey of Harry Potter to the natural world of seasons and plant life to how all people grow and experience life-change, the pattern of loss & renewal — or, on Jesus’ terms, death & resurrection — shows up again and again in life. Vince take us through examples from his own life, tells us about crying listening to a podcast about Harry Potter, and suggests ways we might find Jesus an incredible companion in the losses we’re experiencing right now.

JohnVincent BrackettAugust 27, 2018Comment

Contemplative Prayer

This week we learned about and tried our hands at contemplative prayer, from one of the foremost experts on it: Fr. Richard Rohr (in video form). This kind of prayer is not about solving problems, making judgments, answering questions, or processing stresses. It’s about — in Fr. Rohr’s words — “a long, loving look at the Real” of our lives.

Mark, Matthew, Luke, JohnVincent BrackettMay 29, 2018Comment

Bad & Good Authority - Vince Brackett

What’s the difference between bad authority and good authority? Fake news and journalistic integrity? Misappropriation of the Bible and appropriate use of the Bible? It’s the difference between unquestioned authority and interactive authority. Vince unpacks this difference by looking at some personal stories, an episode from the life of Jesus, and the broad brushstrokes of church history.

John, MarkVincent BrackettApril 30, 2018Leave Bad Faith. Find Good Faith.Comment

Experiencing Unconditional Love Changes Everything - Kyle Hanawalt

In a jumble of plenty of negative experiences with church, there has been a noteworthy thread through Kyle's life of experiences of feeling unconditional loved by something outside of himself. What has that taught him? What can that teach us?

Galatians, John, 1 John, PsalmsVincent BrackettOctober 31, 2017Why this mattersComment