Redeemer Connect

Pastors Sam and Caleb are back to discuss the intersection of Christ and Culture! We hope that you join us for good conversation and how to see the good news and hope of Jesus in all things.

Pastors Sam and Caleb share an update on The Table podcast about what we've been learning and our thoughts on the current state of our culture and the future of this podcast. Grab a drink, pull up a seat and join Sam and Caleb at The Table as we talk about The Table. https://linktr.ee/thetablepodcast

This episode is a throwback to an episode Pastors Sam and Caleb recorded along with special guest, Pastor Tim, for a conversation on why Holy Week seems to be such a big deal for some Christians. Isn't Easter all that really matters? What's with Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday? What are these days all about and why do we seem to set apart this week specifically? Do you have any memories from past Holy Weeks that have stood out to you? On this episode, we have a conversation as well as answer questions from the Facebook Live video we did simultaneously. With everything said, we know that God works all things out for good and that Jesus is reigning on the throne! In the end, everything is going to be ok. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we talk about celebrating Holy Week.

We're doing a throwback to the first ever episode we recorded on this podcast. We had the blessing of talking with Dr. Bob Kolb about the most difficult topic of life--Why do we suffer in this world? Why is there pain and brokenness in the world? If God is so good, why does he allow such suffering to take place? It seems like the headlines always include shootings, crime, and death. Is there any hope in the world? Is God going to do something about all this brokenness? Join Pastors Sam and Caleb as they talk with Dr. Bob Kolb, professor emeritus of Systematic Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, about topics including Theodicy, the school shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL and Free Will. We learn that the cross of Jesus is the best and only answer to the problem of suffering and that only through it, do we have hope in what is to come. Questions? Email the hosts, podcast@redeemerconnect.com

Pastors Sam and Caleb return to the original focus of this podcast: "The intersection of Christ and culture". Today, we focus on the topic of Cancel Culture. Cancel Culture is everywhere these days. Where does it come from? Is there good to it or just bad? How do we prevent ourselves being cancelled? How do we respond to being cancelled? Does the church ever cancel anyone? We mention the 8th Commandment and Luther's explanation and our call to "use our honor to cover the shame of our neighbor." Grab a drink, pull up a seat and join Sam and Caleb at The Table as we talk about Cancel Culture. https://linktr.ee/thetablepodcast

Pastors Sam and Caleb return to the original focus of this podcast: "The intersection of Christ and culture". Today, we focus on the topic of Honor | Shame Culture. Sam and Caleb are joined by Emily Belvery, from Mission of Christ Network, a network that prepares missionaries to spread the gospel of Jesus. Typically, America has been a culture of Guilt | Innocence. Either you are guilty or innocent with right and wrong being black and white. However, with recent trends in the generations, it appears that we are shifting toward a culture of Honor | Shame. The underlying theme is for us to remain in places of honor with "our people" and to avoid bring shame to ourselves and "the crew" that we're part of. We also see a culture of Fear | Power, however, this is less prominent in western civilization. With all that said, how does the lens of Honor | Shame change the way we understand the good news of Jesus? How can we speak the gospel of Jesus taking our shame and replacing it with His honor? Grab a drink, pull up a seat and join Sam and Caleb at The Table as we talk about Honor | Shame Culture and how Jesus replaces our Shame with His Honor. https://linktr.ee/thetablepodcast

Pastors Sam and Caleb return to the original focus of this podcast: "The intersection of Christ and culture". Today, we focus on the topic of Moralistic Therapeutic Deism. God created and orders the world and watches over life on earth. God wants people to be good, nice and fair to each other. The goal of life is to be happy and feel good about oneself. God doesn't need to be involved in one's life except when needed to resolve a problem. Good people go to heaven when they die. These are the beliefs of MTD. They sound good right? So what's wrong with them? Grab a drink, pull up a seat and join Sam and Caleb at The Table as we talk about Moralistic Therapeutic Deism and feeling good, being happy. https://linktr.ee/thetablepodcast

Pastors Sam and Caleb return to the original focus of this podcast: "The intersection of Christ and culture". Today, we focus on the topic of Nihilism in Part 2. If everything has lost meaning and value, what is life worth anymore? Can you be Christian and be a nihilist? Everything is assigned a value and everything is competing with other values, so where does that leave us with things like church, faith and Jesus? How do we respond to people who say "This is my truth?" Is there anything that can give insight or meaning into our story? What about Ecclesiastes when it says that everything is meaningless? Grab a drink, pull up a seat and join Sam and Caleb at The Table as we talk about Nihilism and the Story of Everything.

Pastors Sam and Caleb return to the original focus of this podcast: "The intersection of Christ and culture". Today, we focus on the topic of Nihilism. If everything has lost meaning and value, what is life worth anymore? Can you be Christian and be a nihilist? Everything is assigned a value and everything is competing with other values, so where does that leave us with things like church, faith and Jesus? How do we respond to people who say "This is my truth?" Is there anything that can give insight or meaning into our story? What about Ecclesiastes when it says that everything is meaningless? Grab a drink, pull up a seat and join Sam and Caleb at The Table as we talk about Nihilism and the Story of Everything.

On today's episode, Pastors Sam and Caleb discuss "The Big Day", one of Sam's favorite things about Christmas. We discuss our own traditions around Christmas Eve and Christmas Day when we were growing up in Florida and Arizona and how things changed after we got married and how they changed even more when we became pastors. We focus heavily on traditions and expectations surrounding "The Big Day" and what makes Christmas, Christmas. We hope that this season on the podcast gets you excited about the coming of Jesus at Christmas! So pull up a seat and join us at The Table as we talk about "The Big Day". On Season 9 of The Table, Pastors Sam and Caleb pick their "Mount Rushmore of Christmas". In other words, Sam picked two of his favorite things about Christmas and Caleb picked two of his. Together, they are objectively the four best things about Christmas (in their subjective opinions).

On today's episode, Pastors Sam and Caleb discuss "Christmas Decorations", one of Caleb's favorite things about Christmas. We discuss how Christmas decorations tell a story and convey a message and Sam encourages us to consider the message that our decorations are giving. We discuss if decorations are actually essential to Christmas or not. We then go on to talk about some of the decorations in our own homes and our favorites. We hope that this season on the podcast gets you excited about the coming of Jesus at Christmas! So pull up a seat and join us at The Table as we talk about "Christmas Decorations". On Season 9 of The Table, Pastors Sam and Caleb pick their "Mount Rushmore of Christmas". In other words, Sam picked two of his favorite things about Christmas and Caleb picked two of his. Together, they are objectively the four best things about Christmas (in their subjective opinions).

On today's episode, Pastors Sam and Caleb discuss "Christmas Movies", one of Sam's favorite things about Christmas. We discuss how Christmas movies show us what Christmas is "supposed to look like" and how Christmas movies are forming and shaping our expectations of Christmas for both good and bad. We talk about White Christmas, The Santa Clause, Elf and Home Alone. We hope that this season on the podcast gets you excited about the coming of Jesus at Christmas! So pull up a seat and join us at The Table as we talk about "Christmas Movies". On Season 9 of The Table, Pastors Sam and Caleb pick their "Mount Rushmore of Christmas". In other words, Sam picked two of his favorite things about Christmas and Caleb picked two of his. Together, they are objectively the four best things about Christmas (in their subjective opinions).

On today's episode, Pastors Sam and Caleb discuss "Christmas Music", one of Caleb's favorite things about Christmas. We discuss how Christmas music is full of both nostalgia and hope and how the lyrics we sing about the birth and coming of Jesus is our story. We talk about the best Christmas artists of all time like Andy Williams, Bing Crosby, Manheim Steamroller, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como and more. Christmas songs include White Christmas and O Come, O Come Emmanuel. We hope that this season on the podcast gets you excited about the coming of Jesus at Christmas! So pull up a seat and join us at The Table as we talk about "Christmas Music". On Season 9 of The Table, Pastors Sam and Caleb pick their "Mount Rushmore of Christmas". In other words, Sam picked two of his favorite things about Christmas and Caleb picked two of his. Together, they are objectively the four best things about Christmas (in their subjective opinions).

On this episode, Pastors Sam and Caleb preview Season 9 of The Table. On this season, we pick our "Mount Rushmore of Christmas". In other words, Sam picked two of his favorite things about Christmas and Caleb picked two of his. Together, they are objectively the four best things about Christmas (in their subjective opinions). One episode will be released each week of the Advent season, with four total episodes released altogether leading up to Christmas week. Join us each week at The Table as we get in the Christmas spirit and talk about nostalgia, hope, and the birth of the Savior of the World!

Join Pastors Sam and Caleb as we begin Season 8 of The Table. This season we're focusing on 3 topics: Suicide, Grief, and Counseling. With all that has happened in the past year and a half, we think it's vitally important to discuss these deep topics. We will be joined by a guest for all 3 episodes of this season and we pray that you will be blessed by their wisdom. On this episode, Pastors Sam and Caleb are joined by guest, Darci Larrarte. Darci has a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Philosophy from Shorter College and a Master of Arts is in Counseling from Colorado Christian University. She is a member of the American Counseling Association and the Colorado Counseling Association. Darci also attends Redeemer Lutheran Church (our church) and has an office two doors down from Caleb. On today's episode, we discuss the topic of Counseling. We discuss what a counseling session looks like and who needs counseling. Darci shares what her style of counseling is and offers encouragement to seek out a counselor. She also shares what she sees as the current state of counseling, post-2020. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we begin Season 8 of our podcast and our focus on Counseling.

Join Pastors Sam and Caleb as we begin Season 8 of The Table. This season we're focusing on 3 topics: Suicide, Grief, and Counseling. With all that has happened in the past year and a half, we think it's vitally important to discuss these deep topics. We will be joined by a guest for all 3 episodes of this season and we pray that you will be blessed by their wisdom. On this episode, Pastors Sam and Caleb are joined by guest, Shelly Schwalm. Shelley serves as University Ministry Associate as a part of the CSP Ministry team where she works directly with student discipleship and leadership, spiritual care, and contributes to chapel coordination and leadership. She also has an MFA in Creative Writing. On today's episode, we discuss the deep topic of Grief. We go over common misconceptions and stigmas around this topic, as well as how to grieve. There are so many things that we need permission to grieve and God gives it to us. We are invited to bring everything to Him because He can handle it. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we begin Season 8 of our podcast and our focus on Grief. Grief Resources: Centering Prayers on Redeemer Connects App Psalm 13 Psalm 21 Griefs and Graces Instagram Facebook Every Moment Holy

Join Pastors Sam and Caleb as we begin Season 8 of The Table. This season we're focusing on 3 topics: Suicide, Grief, and Counseling. With all that has happened in the past year and a half, we think it's vitally important to discuss these deep topics. We will be joined by a guest for all 3 episodes of this season and we pray that you will be blessed by their wisdom. On this episode, Pastors Sam and Caleb are joined by guest, Christ Bassett, LMFT. Chris began seeing clients in 1998 and has worked with families, couples, children and individuals who are interested in becoming healthier individuals. Following her Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Child Development from Western Washington University, she received her Master's Degree in Marriage & Family Therapy from George Fox University in Oregon. On today's episode, we discuss the deep topic of Suicide. We go over common misconceptions and stigmas around this topic, as well as proper language to use. Chris walks us through the QPR method when talking with someone who seems suicidal. Pastor Caleb and Pastor Sam share their own experiences with suicide. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we begin Season 8 of our podcast and our focus on Suicide. Suicide Resources: Lighthouse Christian Counseling SummitStone 970-494-4200 National Suicide Hotline 800-273-8255 Text: 741741 911

Join Pastors Sam and Caleb as we continue Season 7 of The Table. Our theme will be "Book Club" and we will read and discuss 7 total books every other week during the summer months. We would love for you to purchase any or all of the books and read along with us in preparation for our discussion on that particular book. On Part 2 of today's episode, we continue our conversation on "Till We Have Faces" by C.S. Lewis. We briefly describe the book, what we liked, what we didn't like and what we will takeaway going forward from the book. Topics include: Disordered Loves, Possession, Suffering, Where is Jesus?, C.S. Lewis, Myth vs. Allegory and Our Story. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we continue Season 7 of our podcast and our focus on "Till We Have Faces". For all things "The Table", https://tapbiolink.com/thetable

Join Pastors Sam and Caleb as we continue Season 7 of The Table. Our theme will be "Book Club" and we will read and discuss 7 total books every other week during the summer months. We would love for you to purchase any or all of the books and read along with us in preparation for our discussion on that particular book. On Part 1 of today's episode, we begin our conversation on "Till We Have Faces" by C.S. Lewis. We briefly describe the book, what we liked, what we didn't like and what we will takeaway going forward from the book. Topics include: Disordered Loves, Possession, Suffering, Where is Jesus?, C.S. Lewis, Myth vs. Allegory and Our Story. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we continue Season 7 of our podcast and our focus on "Till We Have Faces". For all things "The Table", https://tapbiolink.com/thetable

Join Pastors Sam and Caleb as we continue Season 7 of The Table. Our theme will be "Book Club" and we will read and discuss 7 total books every other week during the summer months. We would love for you to purchase any or all of the books and read along with us in preparation for our discussion on that particular book. On Part 2 of today's episode, we continue our conversation on "Get Your Life Back" by John Eldredge. We briefly describe the book, what we liked, what we didn't like and what we will takeaway going forward from the book. Topics include: Soul Care, Benevolent Detachment, Transitions, Memories, Soul Callouses & Spiritual Disciplines. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we continue Season 7 of our podcast and our focus on "Get Your Life Back". For all things "The Table", https://tapbiolink.com/thetable

Join Pastors Sam and Caleb as we continue Season 7 of The Table. Our theme will be "Book Club" and we will read and discuss 7 total books every other week during the summer months. We would love for you to purchase any or all of the books and read along with us in preparation for our discussion on that particular book. On Part 1 of today's episode, we begin our conversation on "Get Your Life Back" by John Eldredge. We briefly describe the book, what we liked, what we didn't like and what we will takeaway going forward from the book. Topics include: Soul Care, Benevolent Detachment, Transitions, Memories, Soul Callouses & Spiritual Disciplines. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we continue Season 7 of our podcast and our focus on "Get Your Life Back". For all things "The Table", https://tapbiolink.com/thetable

Join Pastors Sam and Caleb as we continue Season 7 of The Table. Our theme will be "Book Club" and we will read and discuss 7 total books every other week during the summer months. We would love for you to purchase any or all of the books and read along with us in preparation for our discussion on that particular book. On Part 1 of today's episode, we begin our conversation on "A Tale of Three Kings" by Gene Edwards. We briefly describe the book, what we liked, what we didn't like and what we will takeaway going forward from the book. Topics include: Leadership, Kings, Throwing Spears, Rebellion, Saul, David, Absalom, & Doing what's right. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we continue Season 7 of our podcast and our focus on "A Tale of Three Kings". For all things "The Table", https://tapbiolink.com/thetable

Join Pastors Sam and Caleb as we continue Season 7 of The Table. Our theme will be "Book Club" and we will read and discuss 7 total books every other week during the summer months. We would love for you to purchase any or all of the books and read along with us in preparation for our discussion on that particular book. On Part 2 of today's episode, we continue our conversation on "A Tale of Three Kings" by Gene Edwards. We briefly describe the book, what we liked, what we didn't like and what we will takeaway going forward from the book. Topics include: Leadership, Kings, Throwing Spears, Rebellion, Saul, David, Absalom, & Doing what's right. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we continue Season 7 of our podcast and our focus on "A Tale of Three Kings". For all things "The Table", https://tapbiolink.com/thetable

Join Pastors Sam and Caleb as we continue Season 7 of The Table. Our theme will be "Book Club" and we will read and discuss 7 total books every other week during the summer months. We would love for you to purchase any or all of the books and read along with us in preparation for our discussion on that particular book. On Part 2 of today's episode, we continue our conversation on "Crossing Wires: Making Sense of Technology, Transhumanism, and Christian Identity" by Dr. Joel Oesch. We are also joined for the third time on The Table podcast, by the author himself! We briefly describe the book, what we liked, what we didn't like and what we will takeaway going forward from the book. Topics include: Transhumanism, the Myth of Progress, Posture vs. Answers, Questions to ask, and a wide variety of technology. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we continue Season 7 of our podcast and our focus on "Crossing Wires". For all things "The Table", https://tapbiolink.com/thetable

Join Pastors Sam and Caleb as we continue Season 7 of The Table. Our theme will be "Book Club" and we will read and discuss 7 total books every other week during the summer months. We would love for you to purchase any or all of the books and read along with us in preparation for our discussion on that particular book. On Part 1 of today's episode, we begin our conversation on "Crossing Wires: Making Sense of Technology, Transhumanism, and Christian Identity" by Dr. Joel Oesch. We are also joined for the third time on The Table podcast, by the author himself! We briefly describe the book, what we liked, what we didn't like and what we will takeaway going forward from the book. Topics include: Transhumanism, the Myth of Progress, Posture vs. Answers, Questions to ask, and a wide variety of technology. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we continue Season 7 of our podcast and our focus on "Crossing Wires". For all things "The Table", https://tapbiolink.com/thetable

Join Pastors Sam and Caleb as we continue Season 7 of The Table. Our theme will be "Book Club" and we will read and discuss 7 total books every other week during the summer months. We would love for you to purchase any or all of the books and read along with us in preparation for our discussion on that particular book. On Part 2 of today's episode, we continue our conversation on "The Gospel Comes With A House Key" by Rosaria Butterfield. We briefly describe the book, what we liked, what we didn't like and what we will takeaway going forward from the book. Topics include: Radically Ordinary Hospitality, Danger, Burdens, Safety and Refuge, Vulnerability, Being Yourself, and Dinner Tables. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we continue Season 7 of our podcast and our focus on "The Gospel Comes With A House Key". For all things "The Table", https://tapbiolink.com/thetable

Join Pastors Sam and Caleb as we continue Season 7 of The Table. Our theme will be "Book Club" and we will read and discuss 7 total books every other week during the summer months. We would love for you to purchase any or all of the books and read along with us in preparation for our discussion on that particular book. On Part 1 of today's episode, we begin our conversation on "The Gospel Comes With A House Key" by Rosaria Butterfield. We briefly describe the book, what we liked, what we didn't like and what we will takeaway going forward from the book. Topics include: Radically Ordinary Hospitality, Danger, Burdens, Safety and Refuge, Vulnerability, Being Yourself, and Dinner Tables. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we continue Season 7 of our podcast and our focus on "The Gospel Comes With A House Key". For all things "The Table", https://tapbiolink.com/thetable

Pastor Caleb provides a schedule update and shares a new resource on our Redeemer Connects mobile app, called Centering Prayer. If you don't want to download our app, you can see the centering prayers here: https://subsplash.com/redeemerlutheranchurch-c/media/li/+hk8yt9x We'll be back to our Book Club talks on July 8!

Join Pastors Sam and Caleb as we continue Season 7 of The Table. Our theme will be "Book Club" and we will read and discuss 7 total books every other week during the summer months. We would love for you to purchase any or all of the books and read along with us in preparation for our discussion on that particular book. On Part 3 of today's episode, we continue our conversation on "You Are What You Love" by James K.A. Smith. We briefly describe the book, what we liked, what we didn't like and what we will takeaway going forward from the book. What you might notice with there being 3 parts to this episode is that we love this book. Listen and find out why! Topics include: Habits, Liturgy, Formation, Loves, Who Are We Becoming. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we continue Season 7 of our podcast and our focus on "You Are What You Love". For all things "The Table", https://tapbiolink.com/thetable

Join Pastors Sam and Caleb as we continue Season 7 of The Table. Our theme will be "Book Club" and we will read and discuss 7 total books every other week during the summer months. We would love for you to purchase any or all of the books and read along with us in preparation for our discussion on that particular book. On Part 2 of today's episode, we continue our conversation on "You Are What You Love" by James K.A. Smith. We briefly describe the book, what we liked, what we didn't like and what we will takeaway going forward from the book. What you might notice with there being 3 parts to this episode is that we love this book. Listen and find out why! Topics include: Habits, Liturgy, Formation, Loves, Who Are We Becoming. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we continue Season 7 of our podcast and our focus on "You Are What You Love". For all things "The Table", https://tapbiolink.com/thetable

Join Pastors Sam and Caleb as we continue Season 7 of The Table. Our theme will be "Book Club" and we will read and discuss 7 total books every other week during the summer months. We would love for you to purchase any or all of the books and read along with us in preparation for our discussion on that particular book. On Part 1 of today's episode, we discuss "You Are What You Love" by James K.A. Smith. We briefly describe the book, what we liked, what we didn't like and what we will takeaway going forward from the book. What you might notice with there being 3 parts to this episode is that we love this book. Listen and find out why! Topics include: Habits, Liturgy, Formation, Loves, Who Are We Becoming. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we continue Season 7 of our podcast and our focus on "You Are What You Love". For all things "The Table", https://tapbiolink.com/thetable

Join Pastors Sam and Caleb as we begin Season 7 of The Table. Our theme will be "Book Club" and we will read and discuss 7 total books every other week during the summer months. We would love for you to purchase any or all of the books and read along with us in preparation for our discussion on that particular book. On Part 2 of today's episode, we discuss Emotionally Healthy Discipleship by Peter Scazzero. We briefly describe the book, what we liked, what we didn't like and what we will takeaway going forward from the book. Topics include: Success, Vulnerability & Weakness, Recognizing our Limits, the Enneagram and Spiritual Run-off. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we begin Season 7 of our podcast and our focus on "Emotionally Healthy Discipleship".

Join Pastors Sam and Caleb as we begin Season 7 of The Table. Our theme will be "Book Club" and we will read and discuss 7 total books every other week during the summer months. We would love for you to purchase any or all of the books and read along with us in preparation for our discussion on that particular book. On Part 1 of today's episode, we discuss Emotionally Healthy Discipleship by Peter Scazzero. We briefly describe the book, what we liked, what we didn't like and what we will takeaway going forward from the book. Topics include: Success, Vulnerability & Weakness, Recognizing our Limits, the Enneagram and Spiritual Run-off. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we begin Season 7 of our podcast and our focus on "Emotionally Healthy Discipleship".

Join Pastors Sam and Caleb as we preview the upcoming Season 7 of The Table. Our theme will be "Book Club" and we will read and discuss 7 total books every other week during the summer months. We would love for you to purchase any or all of the books and read along with us in preparation for our discussion on that particular book. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we preview Season 7 of our podcast and our focus on "Book Club."

Welcome back to The Table Podcast on the Redeemer Connect Channel! This season, join Pastors Caleb and Sam as we wrap up our all-church book read, "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry" by John Mark Comer. In this episode, we wrap up and debrief our Spiritual Disciplines and JMC's book. We talk about how we've been changed and what we want to carry forward from this series and these practices. We hope that you will join us in continuing to regularly practice the Spiritual Disciplines. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we close out Season 6 of our podcast and our focus on Spiritual Disciplines and "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry" by John Mark Comer.

Welcome back to The Table Podcast on the Redeemer Connect Channel! This season, join Pastors Caleb and Sam as we discuss our all-church book read, "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry" by John Mark Comer. In this episode, we talk about "Slowing". Slowing might summarize the entire premise of the book. Taking the time to unrush and unhurry to be able to delight in all that God is offering. To become more aware of the eternal presence of our Heavenly Father with us. But in a world that is constantly rushed, how do we even do this? We're addicted to the speed so how do we quit? So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we discuss our final spiritual discipline of Slowing and "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry" by John Mark Comer.

Welcome back to The Table Podcast on the Redeemer Connect Channel! This season, join Pastors Caleb and Sam as we discuss our all-church book read, "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry" by John Mark Comer. In this episode, we talk about "Simplicity". Simplicity might be the most counter discipline to "The Way of America". Our culture and country is all about materialism--to the point that we might not even recognize it's pervasiveness around us. It is just a way of life. But Jesus shows us a better way and his way involves Simplicity. But what is Simplicity? Am I just supposed to get rid of everything I own? What deeper longings and desires does the invitation to Simplicity speak to? So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we discuss Simplicity and "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry" by John Mark Comer.

Welcome back to The Table Podcast on the Redeemer Connect Channel! This season, join Pastors Caleb and Sam as we discuss our all-church book read, "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry" by John Mark Comer. In this episode, we talk about "Silence". Silence is so hard for us to find because we are constantly surrounded by noise. This very podcast that you will listen to is noise. All the noise we listen to contributes to the life of distraction that we are living. The voices and noice that we expose ourselves to drowns out the voice of God. But if we do practice Silence, what will we hear from God? What would Silence look like in my life? So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we discuss Silence and "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry" by John Mark Comer.

Welcome back to The Table Podcast on the Redeemer Connect Channel! This season, join Pastors Caleb and Sam as we discuss our all-church book read, "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry" by John Mark Comer. In this episode, we talk about "Solitude". While it seems ironic and counter-intuitive, especially to the life of a Christian, there are actually many blessings that God offers to us in Solitude. In Solitude, the distractions and definitions and demands of others fade away so that we may experience what God has for us. But why should I seek Solitude when Christianity is all about community? What can I expect from God in my Solitude? What would Solitude even look like in my life? So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we discuss Sabbath and "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry" by John Mark Comer.

This is a re-post of our Sermons+ podcast that includes answers to our text-in questions as well as Pastor Sam's sermon on Sabbath from the summer of 2019. We are posting this as a resource for episode 046 on Sabbath and "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry". Sermon: A Long Long Time Ago God Rested Preacher: Pastor Sam Sessa Text: Genesis 2:1-2 and Mark 2:23-3:6 Text-In Questions: 1) Is there a special day of the week that is considered the Sabbath? Saturday, Sunday, Wednesday, etc. Or is the Sabbath the 7th day? 2) Does the Sabbath have to be a weekend day (especially if you're clergy or a health care worker)? If not, does it have to be the same day of the week...ie, every Wednesday to make it the 7th day? Or can you select a day each week as your "personal Sabbath"? 3) Why do we worship on Sunday instead of Saturday? 4) Are ministers exempt from working on the Sabbath? 5) A very devout Jewish (reformed I think) colleague once told me that the the current meaning of the Hebrew word for day used in Genesis is a 24 hour day but the meaning when Genesis was written was different. What do you think? My first thought is Peter's thousand year statement. 6) In your sermon you said that Sabbath is a gift from God. Yet it is in the 10 Commandments. Are the 10 Commandments laws that we follow or gifts? They don't feel like gifts. 7) How can I change my internal rhythm to a Sabbath rhythm?

Welcome back to The Table Podcast on the Redeemer Connect Channel! This season, join Pastors Caleb and Sam as we discuss our all-church book read, "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry" by John Mark Comer. In this episode, we talk about "Sabbath" and the blessing that God offers to us in this spiritual discipline. Even though it is common for our regular weekly rhythms to include a day off, is that actually the same as a Sabbath? God includes a commandment to keep the Sabbath holy. How do we do that and what can a Sabbath even look like? Sabbath is a gift from God that He offers to us regardless of how our week went and whether or not we accomplished and accumulated everything we planned on. It is a time to delight in God and rest in His delight of us. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we discuss Sabbath and "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry" by John Mark Comer.

Welcome back to The Table Podcast on the Redeemer Connect Channel! This season, join Pastors Caleb and Sam as we discuss our all-church book read, "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry" by John Mark Comer. In this episode, we talk about "The Solution" that Jesus offers to our lives of busyness, hurry, dog-eat-dog, nose-to-the-grindstone. He shows us a different way of living that follows his own life and lifestyle through what is commonly known as the Spiritual Disciplines. Sabbath, Solitude, Silence, Simplicity and Slowing. That's the solution that we'll discuss in this episode. Be sure to listen to Part 1 first, where we discuss "The Problem." So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we discuss "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry" by John Mark Comer.

Welcome back to The Table Podcast on the Redeemer Connect Channel! This season, join Pastors Caleb and Sam as we discuss our all-church book read, "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry" by John Mark Comer. In this episode, we talk about "The Problem" of our lives of busyness, hurry, dog-eat-dog, nose-to-the-grindstone. We aren't experiencing the abundant life and rest that Jesus offers to us and invites us into. That's the problem that we'll discuss in this episode. Be sure to listen to Part 2 where we discuss "The Solution." So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we discuss "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry" by John Mark Comer.

You're grabbing drinks with a friend when they say to you, "I'm just still so torn up about all the racial tension and everything that's been going on in our country. I know that I should do something about it, but I don't even know where to start." How do you respond, regardless of your viewpoints on the situation? Join Pastors Caleb and Sam and special guests, Josh Salzberg and Pastor Matt Gonzalez from Lutherans for Racial Justice, as they discuss racial justice around the table. Where do you even start? What is actually meant by "justice"? Is it different or the same as "biblical justice"? How does Jesus demonstrate how to act and what to do in our current climate and how do we continue to follow him even when it's difficult and divisive? With everything said, we know that God works all things out for good and that Jesus is reigning on the throne! In the end, everything is going to be ok. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we discuss racial justice.

When it comes to politics, we typically focus more on what divides us over what unites us. Unfortunately, we tend to do the same in our churches. But because of what Jesus has done for us, we have one big thing, the most important thing, in common. And this commonality in Jesus unites us much more than the division that comes from politics. We are so much more than just our political party affiliation. We ask the questions: How should I vote? What should we spend our time doing? How should I interact with other Christians who are not in the same party as I am? In this podcast, Pastors Sam and Caleb and special guest, Pastor Scott, talk about politics and political identity. Topics include Two Kingdom Theology, power politics, Avengers: Infinity War, environment, abortion, government size, NFL players kneeling for the anthem and the polarization of parties. So grab a drink, pull up a seat and join us at The Table as we talk about Political Identity.   Mentions: Wholly Citizens Book Resident Aliens Book Dietrich Bonhoeffer Biography    Questions? Email the hosts podcast@redeemerconnect.com

We all have a story to tell about our journey of faith. Where we've been, where we are and where we're going. We often end up in a very different place than we imagined. Wherever God has brought us, we have great opportunities to share that story in creative ways. Join Pastors Caleb and Sam and special guest, Grammy-nominated Christian Rap Artist Flame, as they discuss story and Flame's journey into faith and from Calvinism to Lutheranism. What was it that attracted and intrigued him to and about Lutheranism to the point of even attending Concordia Seminary, St. Louis? How does Lutheranism shape his music and the way he sees the world? With everything said, we know that God works all things out for good and that Jesus is reigning on the throne! In the end, everything is going to be ok. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we discuss story and chat with Flame.

You're sitting around the table for family dinner when all of a sudden, Uncle Jim blurts out that anyone who doesn't vote Donald Trump for president in 2020 is an idiot. How do you respond? If you disagree, do you even try and begin a conversation? Join Pastor Sam and special guest, Dr. Joel Biermann from Concordia Seminary St. Louis as they discuss politics around the table. How should a Christian be in our current polarized political sphere? Is there a right way to vote as a Christian? Why do Christians actually have a responsibility to vote? With everything said, we know that God works all things out for good and that Jesus is reigning on the throne! In the end, everything is going to be ok. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we discuss the importance of politics in the civil life of a Christian.

You're at a family dinner when your sister suddenly says, "Trump better get re-elected. If he doesn't, we're going to have so many immigrants moving back to our country and it's been so much better since Trump closed our borders." How do you respond, regardless of your political affiliation? Join Pastors Caleb and Sam and special guest, Abi Tesfaye from Concordia University Texas, as they discuss immigrants around the table. How should our faith shape the way we view immigrants who are coming in to our country? How does our own history of immigration determine the way we see other immigrants? How do we value cultural differences and uniqueness while still seeking to be shaped into the image of Jesus? With everything said, we know that God works all things out for good and that Jesus is reigning on the throne! In the end, everything is going to be ok. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we discuss immigrants.

You and a friend are meeting for lunch. As you're eating and chatting, your friend asks if you watched the Vice Presidential debate the other night. After you say that you did, in fact, watch it, they say: "It's about time women have a chance to serve in the Executive Branch of the Government! We've come so far with gender equality in our world." How do you respond? Is your response different if it was a man vs. a woman who made the comment? Join Pastors Caleb and Sam and special guest, Stephanie Jones from LINC Bay Area, as they discuss gender equality around the table. Are men and women actually equal in our country? Is there still work to be done? When will we actually "arrive" at the goal? God created men and women different on purpose, but which are the differences to celebrate and which are the ones that create a sense of inequality? With everything said, we know that God works all things out for good and that Jesus is reigning on the throne! In the end, everything is going to be ok. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we discuss gender equality.

You're grabbing drinks with a friend after work when all of a sudden, they say, "If I could put my mind into a robot to live forever, I totally would. One day soon, I'm going to be able to fly around like a cyborg or like Iron Man!" How do you respond? Do you just write them off as a little too lost in the comic book or superhero world? In fact, will these things ever actually be possible? Join Pastors Caleb and Sam and special return guest, Dr. Joel Oesch from Concordia University Irvine, for Part 2 of this episode, as they discuss transhumanism around the table. Will there be a day soon when we can "upload" our minds into a computer or robot to, essentially, live forever? Are technological advances to our bodies ways to just improve our human lives or to enhance them? What, in fact, actually makes someone human? Will there be a day when the option is to remain "limited" by our humanity or to improve our lives by surpassing the limits of our humanity? With everything said, we know that God works all things out for good and that Jesus is reigning on the throne! In the end, everything is going to be ok. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we discuss transhumanism and the reality that it's coming, in fact, is already here.

You're grabbing drinks with a friend after work when all of a sudden, they say, "If I could put my mind into a robot to live forever, I totally would. One day soon, I'm going to be able to fly around like a cyborg or like Iron Man!" How do you respond? Do you just write them off as a little too lost in the comic book or superhero world? In fact, will these things ever actually be possible? Join Pastors Caleb and Sam and special return guest, Dr. Joel Oesch from Concordia University Irvine, for Part 1 of this episode, as they discuss transhumanism around the table. Will there be a day soon when we can "upload" our minds into a computer or robot to, essentially, live forever? Are technological advances to our bodies ways to just improve our human lives or to enhance them? What, in fact, actually makes someone human? Will there be a day when the option is to remain "limited" by our humanity or to improve our lives by surpassing the limits of our humanity? With everything said, we know that God works all things out for good and that Jesus is reigning on the throne! In the end, everything is going to be ok. So grab a drink and pull up a chair as we discuss transhumanism and the reality that it's coming, in fact, is already here.