All Things

Your identity (noun) will be shaped by what you identify (verb) with. If your actions will play an role in shaping who you are (and they will), this episode tries to help you identify with Christ.

We all know what it's like to feel like we are not being true to who we really are. In this episode we talk about how we attach our identities to things that create a False Self, how we can recognize get in better touch with the parts of ourselves the False Self covers over, and let those hidden parts of ourselves be known and loved.

We wrap up our series on the Shema prayer by reflecting on the call to "love our neighbor as ourlselves."  Support us on Patreon HERE! To find more about our ministry and apprenticeship programs, visit https://shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland Music by Julius Obregon, Jr.

In this episode we talk about the part of the Shema that calls us to love God with all our "strength." How can we love God with all of our strength? Listen to find out as we reflect on how the Shema invites us into loving action through our work, our effort, and our body.  Support us on Patreon HERE! To find more about our ministry and apprenticeship programs, visit https://shemasd.org

This episode we talk about the part of the Shema that calls us to love God with all our "mind." What is the mind, and how can we love God with it?  Support us on Patreon HERE! To find more about our ministry and apprenticeship programs, visit https://shemasd.org

This episode we talk about the part of the Shema that calls us to love God with all our "soul." What is the soul, and how can we love God with it?  Support us on Patreon HERE! To find more about our ministry and apprenticeship programs, visit https://shemasd.org

We continue our series on the "Shema" (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) by unpacking the different aspects of our self that are called to love God: the heart, soul, mind, and strength. In this episode, we focus on what it means to love God with all of our heart.  Support us on Patreon HERE! To find more about our ministry and apprenticeship programs, visit https://shemasd.org

In this episode, we continue our series on the "Shema" (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) by unpacking what it means to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Support us on Patreon HERE! To find more about our ministry and apprenticeship programs, visit https://shemasd.org

In this episode, we continue our series on the "Shema" (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) by unpacking what it means for God to be "one" and how this prayer calls us to live in harmony with God and one another. Support us on Patreon HERE! To find more about our ministry and apprenticeship programs, visit https://shemasd.org

In this series we unpack the Shema prayer and why we find it so central to the gospel that we've named our ministry after it. This conversation focuses on the invitation that begins the prayer– "Hear, O Israel" and how the shema prayer invites us to live attentively.  Support us on Patreon HERE! To find more about our ministry and apprenticeship programs, visit https://shemasd.org

In this series we explore what's behind the Shema prayer ("You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength... and your neighbor as yourself") and why it's so central to our identity that we chose to name our ministry after it.  Support us on Patreon HERE! To find more about our ministry and apprenticeship programs, visit https://shemasd.org  

We wrap up the series by talking with Zach Wertish, a local creative pastor and one of Shema's apprentices. In our conversation, Zach shares how 1-on-1 mentorship and the practice of silence has allowed him to experience a greater sense of purpose even in his daily task list. Support us on Patreon HERE! To find more about our ministry and apprenticeship programs, visit https://shemasd.org  

This time we talk about why we need Christian community to practice habits that align with the Gospel, and how the monastery offers us a fuller picture of what true "community"looks like. Support us on Patreon HERE! To find more about our ministry and apprenticeship programs, visit https://shemasd.org

This episode, we're excited to feature our friend Dr. Brad Kelle, whose recent work on the phenomenon of “moral injury” offers us great insight on how to better identify and repair the erosion of trust between the community and the Church.   Dr. Kelle is a professor of Old Testament and Hebrew in the School of Theology and Christian Ministry at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, CA. You can support his work by ordering his latest book called The Bible and Moral Injury: Reading Scripture Alongside War's Unseen Wounds HERE or at most major book retailers. __________________________________________________ Support us on Patreon HERE! To find more about our ministry and apprenticeship programs, visit https://shemasd.org

In this conversation, we explore how we can imagine a better way forward for the Church to address the problem of misaligned habits undercutting the Gospel. What do our habits tell us about our deepest longings, and how can we re-direct these towards Christ?  Support us on Patreon HERE! To find more about our ministry and apprenticeship programs, visit https://shemasd.org

Why are so many people leaving the Church? Why are so many refusing looking to it in the first place? In the following episodes, the Shema team explores this question in depth as a way of opening up the conversation towards what we hope the solution could be.  Support us on Patreon HERE! To find more about our ministry and apprenticeship programs, visit https://shemasd.org  

To wrap up our series on the Desert mothers and fathers, we wanted to feature one of Shema's apprentices (https://shemasd.org/apprenticeship-program) to tell the story of her own “desert season”. Danielle shares about how her experience of healing from burnout led to a deep appreciation for the monastic tradition. Support us on Patreon HERE! https://shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland and Kevin Portillo Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr.

This week we reflect on the following saying from St. Martin of Braga: A brother asked an old man, "What shall I do for my sins?" He replied, "He who desires to be free from his sins shall be freed from them by weeping, and he who wishes to build virtues in himself will build them by weeping. Even the Scriptures are composed of mourning, for our fathers said to their disciples, Wail. There is no other way to life except this.” Support us on Patreon HERE! https://shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland and Kevin Portillo Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr.

This week we reflect on the following saying from Amma Syncletica: Amma Syncletica said, “There are many who live in the mountains and behave as if they were in the town, and they are wasting their time. It is possible to be a solitary in one's mind while living in a crowd, and it is possible for one who is a solitary to live in the crowd of personal thoughts.” Support us on Patreon HERE! https://shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland and Kevin Portillo Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr.

This week we reflect on the following saying from Abba Lot: “Abba Lot went to see Abba Joseph and said to him, “Abba, as far as I can say, I do my little office, I read my psalms, I fast a little bit, I pray and I meditate, I live in peace with others as far as I can, I purify my thoughts. Tell me, Father, what else, what more can I do?” Then the old man, Abba Joseph, stood up, stretched out his hands toward heaven, and his fingers became like ten lamps of fire, and he said to him, “If you will, you can become all flame.” Support us on Patreon HERE! https://shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland and Kevin Portillo Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr.

In this conversation, we dwell on the saying of the desert father Amma Poemen– "Abba Poemen said about Abba Pior that every single day he made a fresh beginning." Support us on Patreon HERE! https://shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland and Kevin Portillo Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr.

In this conversation, we dwell on the saying of the desert mother Amma Theodora, who says: “Let us strive to enter by the narrow gate. Just as the trees, if they have not stood before the winter's storms cannot bear fruit, so it is with us; this present age is a storm and it is only through many trials and temptations that we can obtain an inheritance in the kingdom of heaven.” Support us on Patreon HERE!  https://shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland and Kevin Portillo Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr.    

The Desert Fathers and Mothers were the leaders of the monastic communities that formed in Egypt around the 3rd century. This series, we meditate on the teachings and stories left behind by these "abbas" and "ammas" as a way to glean wisdom from their lives of faith. In this first conversation, we dwell on the saying of Abba Moses where he tells a young monk seeking wisdom, "Go and sit in your cell, your cell will teach you everything." Support us on Patreon HERE!  https://shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland and Kevin Portillo Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr.

This time we chat with an author named Jay Aedo about his recent children's book series "Conscious Bible Stories" and explore the way stories form and engage our imagination across different backgrounds. To learn more about Jay and his work go to https://consciousbiblestories.com/. Music by Julius Obregon, Jr.  Support us on Patreon HERE!  https://shemasd.org  

This time we explore what St. Oscar Romero's life and teachings have to tell us about what it means to become a saint ourselves.   Support us on Patreon HERE!  https://shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland and Kevin Portillo Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr.

This time we look at how St. Oscar Romero can help everyone better resist even apocalyptic evil by thinking and acting with the end in mind. Support us on Patreon HERE!  https://shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland and Kevin Portillo Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr.

This time we look at how St. Oscar Romero can help us better understand what it means to be saved and what true salvation has to do with works. Support us on Patreon HERE!  https://shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland and Kevin Portillo Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr.

This time we explore how Oscar Romero can help us consider the possibility that Jesus is still very much present in the daily realities of our time and place, and if we can't see this, it might just be that we're not looking in the right places. Support us on Patreon HERE!  https://shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland and Kevin Portillo Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr.

This time we explore how Oscar Romero can help us consider the possibility that Jesus is still very much present in the daily realities of our time and place, and if we can't see this, it might just be that we're not looking in the right places. Support us on Patreon HERE!  https://shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland and Kevin Portillo Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr.

This time we look at how St. Oscar Romero allows us to think of something like simple human words actually speaking of a transcendent God, and how this also shows not just preacher, but all Christians how to do the work of speaking of God without engaging in manipulation. Support us on Patreon HERE!  https://shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland and Kevin Portillo Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr.

We want to take this time to thank you and to let you know how you can support the show moving forward. While we'll still be releasing bi-weekly episodes of All Things, we've decided to open a Patreon page where you can sign up for one of three subscription options. Any option you pick will grant you the following perks: 1-week early episode access and a download of our bi-weekly meditations (which will be subscriber-only from now on). You can sign up at patreon.com/shemasd starting this Monday 9/5. Stay tuned for the first official episode of our upcoming series on Óscar Romero this Monday!

This time we introduce to you St. Oscar Romero. Over the course of this series we will look at what he shows is possible in Christ, by the Spirit, and in this world in the areas of communication, community, and liberation. https://shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland and Kevin Portillo  Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr. Full transcript here

Today we're excited to share the audio recording of a sermon preached by our very own Wilson Ryland, co-host of "All Things" and director of Shema Center for Christian Formation. Special thanks to Coastline Church for sharing this audio recording with us. This sermon was preached at Coastline back in March 2022, and the accompanying video can be found on their website here.

In this week's bonus mini-episode, we introduce and walk you through a practice that can integrate some of the key points of Benedict's monastic wisdom with your practice of time management. https://shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland   Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr.

This time we see how St. Benedict might inspire us to invest enough time and energy in one place to see something beautiful happen there. We're excited to have Nathan Oates as a guest of the podcast for this episode, where he shares great stories and insights about his time living at a monastery-- more of which can be found in his book "Stability: How an ancient monastic practice can restore our relationships, churches, and communities." https://shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland   Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr.

This time we see how St. Benedict's leadership might help bring clarity in our chaotic and uncertain world. https://shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr.

This time we look at how Benedict & his Rule can help us see the deep connection between discipline and grace. https://shemasd.org Script by Kevin Portillo and Wilson Ryland Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr.

This time we look at how Benedict's Rule can help us experience a true rest that fuels fuller life and work. https://shemasd.org Script by Mark Bunnell and Wilson Ryland Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr.

This time we look at how St. Benedict and his rule can help us explore the depths of our souls and the world and even come to know God through our work. https://shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr.

This episode we talk about the centrality of prayer and the Psalms in Benedict's vision for the renewal of the Church. Transcript for the Benedictine Office prayer at the end can be found in the link below. https://shemasd.org/transcripts/benedict-prayer Script by Wilson Ryland Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr.

This upcoming series we're looking at St. Benedict and his Rule, to see how it is still providing a way for human flourishing in difficult environments.  As an introductory episode to the upcoming series, we're reprising our "Christians You Should Know" format to take a look at St. Benedict's life leading up to his Rule. In doing so, we examine the shaping of the soul that shaped so many souls. www.shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr.

For this episode, we take an extended conversation to explore the implications of the Reformation on the Church's relationship to art and aesthetics. www.shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr. You can find Brad Gregory's book, The Unintended Reformation here or here.  

On this episode we watch a vice get re-narrated into a virtue that then made us a lot of money... and what it all cost us. www.shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr. You can find Brad Gregory's book, The Unintended Reformation here or here.

This time we talk about how it became nearly impossible for us to reason together about moral issues. www.shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr. You can find Brad Gregory's book, The Unintended Reformation here or here.

This time, we talk about the gap between our aspirations for "community" and the unfortunate reality of our loneliness epidemic. www.shemasd.org Script by Mark Bunnell and Wilson Ryland Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr. You can find Brad Gregory's book, The Unintended Reformation here or here.

This episode we look at how the idea of a contemplative monk and a knowledge-producing scientist came to be seen as incompatible opposites.  www.shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr. You can find Brad Gregory's book, The Unintended Reformation here or here.

This episode, we look at how the fumbling of a healthy academic debate about God unintentionally helped fragment our world. www.shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr. You can find Brad Gregory's book, The Unintended Reformation here or here.

In this series we will look into the distant past to see how a famous Religious movement unintentionally helped marginalize God and fragment our contemporary lives.  www.shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr. You can find Brad Gregory's book, The Unintended Reformation here or here.  

In order to take a quick pause on podcast production for the winter holidays, we're re-releasing an episode from our "Dictionary of Faith" series about the word "God."  Tune back in on 1/10 for our new season. www.shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr.

This time, we meet a man who's approach to interpreting the Scriptures has shaped our faith for centuries. His approach, known as the "rule of faith", still serves as a key for us today as we seek to interpret and understand the scriptures, especially the difficult parts of the Bible. www.shemasd.org Script by Mark Bunnell and Wilson Ryland Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr.  

This time we talked about how Christians have faces other public health crises, and in them, become like Christ, and come to see God. www.shemasd.org Script by Wilson Ryland Original Score by Julius Obregon Jr.