The Black Sheep Christian

PJ Wehry is the Co-Creator of Wehry Dads. Together we talk about kids, family, and the history of women in pants. Join in for a good laugh.

What is a person? What rights does a person have? What does abortion have to do with robots? Join us as talk through these simple but complicated questions.

For the past decade, it has been a tough time to be alive. Recessions, pandemics, and wars have left many people feeling hopeless and powerless. But Brian Russell has found that there is something we can do to help ourselves in these difficult times: sitting quietly with God. In his book Centering Prayer: How Sitting Quietly in God's Presence Can Change Your Life, Brian shares his experience of discovering the power of centering prayer--a form of silent contemplation that focuses the mind on God--and how it helped him overcome obstacles he had previously considered insurmountable. If you're looking for a way to find peace during challenging times, this book may be just what you need.

Dr. Kimya Nuru Dennis is a different approach to diversity training. Join us for a unique and authentic 365 Diversity experience. Dr. Dennis is an experienced educator who will leave you with an understanding of how to make change in your own life as well as in the world.

The world is full of interesting stories. Rick has been on a lifelong journey of discovery, and now he would love to share his journey with you. On a mission to share the true meaning of God's grace Rick Chromey's story is one of hidden hope and divine intervention which led him to a life of fulfillment in Christ. A cultural historian, an edutrainer Rick takes time to teach us a lesson that is not written in any book.

The Rev Dr. Marcia Ledford civil rights attorney lends us her expertise is what the bible says about LGBTQ. Emailmarcia@miptm.com Websitehttps://www.politicaltheologymatters.com Media Resourceshttps://www.politicaltheologymatters.com/media The Rev. Dr. Marcia Ledford's bloghttps://www.politicaltheologymatters.com/blog Harvard Implicit Bias Testing (on numerous topics) https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/education.html Civil Discourse Training offered via The Episcopal Church         For Individuals: https://www.churchnext.tv/library/instruments-of-peace-a-guide-to-civil-discourse/109671/about/         For Groups: https://www.churchnext.tv/library/instruments-of-peace-a-guide-to-civil-discourse/109671/about/ A Spirituality of Resistance Great resource for the spirituality of resistance. Roger writes about creation care, but the concepts are applicable to any issue. The spirituality of resistance involves doing the inner work to discover what your passions are. Then you join with others sharing these common goals to work for justice and the greater good. https://www.amazon.com/How-Think-Theologically-Howard-Stone/dp/0800699327?asin=0800699327&revisionId=&format=4&depth=1 Be sure to get the latest (third, I think) edition of this wonderful book. It's about understanding our “embedded” theology, that which we grew up absorbing and believing,  As we grow up and grow in faith, we often realize that what we're taught often doesn't relate to our life. The authors, Stone and Duke are seminary professors. They do a great job writing about how we are all theologians, whether we have a bunch of letters after our names or not. That's because we all must navigate our society, current events, and or daily life as people of faith. This is a great book for “evangelicals” and those who are “deconstructing” their faith. Family Acceptance Project (Resources for LGBTQ youth, families, and caregivers) https://familyproject.sfsu.edu Several publications are available by giving your email address and zip code The Saint Helena Psalter (Church Publishing, 2004) Inclusive language version of the 150 Psalms found in the Bible Excellent text for LGBTQ populations Links for LGBTQ people of faith LGBTQ Resources from The Episcopal Church https://www.episcopalchurch.org/who-we-are/lgbtq/organizations/  The Human Rights Campaign (interfaith resources) https://www.hrc.org/resources/faith-resoures The National LGBTQ Task Force Creating an inclusive and welcoming church:http://www.welcomingresources.org/communityorg.htm: Anti-Human Trafficking National Hotlinehttps://humantraffickinghotline.org

Author of the book Revelation and mental health advocate Bobi Gentry Goodwin offers her wisdom. We talk about her new book Revelation. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Hours: Available 24 hours. Languages: English, Spanish. 1-800-273-8255

God, Sex and love. I have an open dialogue with author of The Juice: 30 Day Bible Study Journal Miracle Sims. We talk about the good, the bad and the ugly with sex in relationships and how it's viewed in society.

0:41 Roger Butts intro 2.49 Activists against the death penalty 4:59 Working as a hospital chaplain during COVID 9:13 Where is God in all of this 11.21 Nobody can explain what COVID means to a family 13.29 Asking the right question in Seeds of Devotion 15:37 Prayers and seeds of devotion 17:45 Prayers are like meditation 19:53 What is traffic like in Dayton 22:01 Beauty and Seeds of Devotion 24:09 Arriving to something better 26:17 Say hi to your anger 30:33 Whatever comes your way welcome it 32.41 Who wants a new family 34:49 Jesus never gets angry at the marginalized 39:05 Every story is a gospel may you know you are surrounded by love 41:13 Their carrots are ready Seeds of devotion conclusion

Show Notes 2:44 feelings come through one funnel 3:50 get those feelings out 5:42 God says I need you to pay attention  7:20 hear my thoughts 8:26 going to the therapist and Bible study 10:02 God I release that baggage that I am not responsible for 11:50 disservice to your testimony 13:56 filter our lives 14:38 be 100 with yourself 18:16 understand where it came from 21:32 soul healing journey 22:18 George Floyd 24:36 expecting your assignment whether you want it or not 26:52 the more you relate to God 28:10 you know the air is there you cannot see it 28:44 how you feel once you accept your assignment 30:44 why does God pick the most unqualified people 32:24 how we respond 33:24 love yourself as much as God loves you 35:38 the prescription is in the dirt 36:00 www.fatimac.com 36:10 Crushing the elephants webinar

Fatima Oliver interview show notes The Prescription is in the Dirt/Webinar on May 15th 04:24 Growing up together in separate ways 08:16 How normal you became 10:30 Hurt & Pain that was caused 14:42 Who's fault is it 16:16 This is not my fault 17:69 A Peak into their brokenness 19:26 I love my mother 19:56 Everyone's path to healing 20:44 I am working to be free 22:56 We are different yet so similar  24:56 Steps to being free 27:74 Allow yourself to feel 28:18 Early Life 31:26 Feeling never expire The Prescription is in the dirt/Webinar on May 15th

Branch Isole - https://www.manaopublishing.com/ Branch Isole YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzN66BkAUAemYX76Smnn0GA

1:55 Story about Branch Isole 6:35 What is the favorite bible verse 9:08 Walking with God is a choice 10:55 "Even Christians Stumble and Fall," the book  14:42 How do I not get wrapped up with money  21:30 Rationalizing our choices rationalizing are consequences  22:25 Reward and punishment  23:15 Stewardship  26:06 Satan's goals  26:23 The new Christian  29:01 Why Satan doesn't care about the nonbeliever  34:01 We are children of God  35:28 Suffering  37:45 The whole choice  43:42 The dividing point for the Christian  46:28 Lord lets us learn in little steps  46:52 Definition of a Christian  50:10 Your truth  56:10 Free well  1:00:00 Why we are here 1:03:00 Conclusion 

Jesus Campa Show Notes   0:08 Intro 0:22 Intro of Speaker Jesus Campa 1:25 Jesus' family life 5:17 The deep end - Jesus rises above negativity 8:05 The Black Sheep in Law Enforcement 8:59 Shift in the atmosphere of Law Enforcement 10:43 Law Enforcement - resistance to change 12:05 Experience in law enforcement as a minority 15:25 No Colors No Labels Imitative 19:39 The wants of law enforcement 25:18 What will change law enforcement 27:18 Unmaking Leadership - the book 32;19 Listening - what to take action on 34:38 How leaders handle criticism  38:41 Redemption with Jesus' family

God gave his one and only Son. Before that God had already given us so much. What are we to do with these gifts? What should we think of Easter? Let's talk about this. Click to listen.

As Black Sheep we naturally rebel against the norm. Our cause is to change our world for the better. What happens when one go against God? Sadly the consequence are not pleasant. How does one stop themselves from going against God?

Boundaries & Relationships the two hardest things in life. Why do we have them? What is the point?

Loving one self is easier said than done. We are destroying ourselves from the inside out because we are focusing on the areas in our lives that are lacking. What does God see in us anyway? What is he looking for? Let us find out.

Has someone hurt you? How do you move forward? Forgiving is hard to do. Why should we forgive.

I hope you had a safe Valentine's Day. I will not talk about how to make your marriage stronger, or how to have a healthy relationship. There is enough of that message going around today. Plus, I am trying to work on my own relationship. I am not ready to give out advise. To keep with the theme of love I chosen to talk about 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.    In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NIV) it is written… 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. It is easy to love what you want to love. Such as family, friends, pets, objects. It is easy to admire stories of sacrifice for love. Examples of that is Jesus dying on the cross for our sins, movies like Titanic, The Avengers. Paul takes us further. Our actions should match our heart. When we show love, we should do it in a way that we will not get anything back. We are not seeking for anything in return. The God Samaritan in Luke 10:25 is an example of loving someone outside of your comfort zone. A priest and a Levite pass by a wounded man. The wounded man appeared to be dead because he was beaten so badly. The priest and the Levite pass by the man. They were worried about what they would or would not get for helping. That is “self-seeking.” The Samaritan in today's terms means good. Back then a Samaritan was an enemy of the Jews. An enemy helps his opponent. He stepped out of his comfort zone to help someone. The priest who knows better did not do.  Love is easy when it is on our own terms. What God judges us on is the hard stuff. The uncomfortable stuff. Jesus did not want to die on the cross. Who does? He was beaten, mocked, abused, abandoned. He prayed to his father asking him if he can get out of it. Jesus did not perform a miracle on himself. That would have been self-seeking. Jesus died on the cross so we can live. He died on the cross because he loved us.  Paul writes 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. Meaning once God's plan is complete all that will remain is love. Heaven is love. Can we all get outside of ourselves to love our differences. God loves our differences. We should also.   

How to listen to God   Last week I spoke about perfection and how toxic it is. As a solution I spoke about listening to God to become a better you. How do you listen to God? This man lives up top and he barely speaks sometimes, or most times depending on your relationship. As a Christ follower I wish God would just speak like any other person. Communicate to me like a GPS, take a left, or turn right. Your destination is 500 feet. It does not quite work like that. Today I have 3 simples to dos to listen to God better. I want to begin by saying this is a journey. This will take time. As your relationship grows in Christ so will you are hearing. Before we get started this week's bible verse is simple Romans 10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. Let us get started.   First- Read your bible. To know God is to spend time with God. Just like any relationship the more time you spend with someone the more you learn the more you know. By reading your bible you will learn what he likes and dislikes. Having that knowledge will help you when you need him most because by knowing God you will know what decision to make to please him. Please read your bible.   Second- Just be quiet. God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason. As powerful as he his he is not going to interrupt you as you are having your moment. God has no worldly ambitions he just wants you. He is willing to wait for you to get done or pay attention to him. Once you calm down, be still by opening your heart, mind and soul God will work his magic.   Lastly- Be patient- This is going to take time. Remember you are growing your relationship with God. You will mess up and you will get it right. It is all part of the journey.    As a bonus tip. Find a mentor, a pastor, a Christ minded person or people you enjoy being with. Through your journey God at some point will speak through your group to help you navigate this thing called life.   My name is Ashley please read your bible.

It is clear that the culture of the church is changing. What is happening? Why is it happening? How can we fix this?

How to Pray Effectively Prayer should not be an exercise but a way of life. Prayer is our 24/7 direct connection with God. As these times do you seem challenging prayer can offer peace is there a right way to pray how does one pray?    Adoration- praise God. Confession - forgive me. Thanksgiving - thanking God blessings. Supplication - request for yourself and others    Adoration starts your prayers by praising God. This is a moment to worship him acknowledge his power and his greatness. Take time to realize what is central point of power.  Confession is asking the Lord for forgiveness. This is acknowledging that you have fallen short period expressed that you will do better next time. Thanksgiving is thanking the Lord for his work in your life. Supplication now you can ask God what is on your heart. We normally throw demand or wish to God. As if we are in control when God is in control.   What you should keep in mind is this prayer structure. Your prayers do not need to follow this format. If you notice the first 2 steps is about God. Praising him thanking him and letting him know that you have fallen short period bottom line God wants to hear from you. Your prayer does not need to be complex or fancy. Just start.   Instagram: @bkshepchristian  Twitter: @bkshepchristian Facebook: The Black Sheep Christian  Website: www.theblacksheepchristian.org    This is available in PDF on www.theblacksheepchristian.org 

What is our purpose? This is a loaded question that is more simpler than what we make it.

The Problem with Hillsong Church Leadership Introduction I was having a conversation with my best friend from college and we talked about megachurches. The conversation shifted to churches that have too much money which end up hurting their members in the end because of pride and selfishness. Hillsong is an example of a church with too much. Having too much money and fame resulted in hurting their members. The reason why we had this conversation is the economy reveals the have and have nots. Is the church doing enough to help God's people? The church should be a sanctuary for the have nots. When church leaders have too much can they serve effectively?  Hillsong I admit I enjoyed Hillsong's music long before I learned the church. Music from Young and Free and Hillsong Worship have played on the radio for years. I downloaded a few of their songs. I must confess I never heard of this Australian megachurch till pastor Carl Lentz was fired this November. I did some digging to figure out what is going on? First and foremost, I am not bashing the church. I am calling out the leadership. It appears they have forgotten God's vision.  What Concerns Me Sexual abuse, slave labor are allegations that is plaguing the church. The slave labor is what I will be focusing on due to recent reports. There are verified stories, social media groups of people who have been taken advantage of at Hillsong. What I have learned are Pastors is being “honored,” by having a “flock of unpaid laborers.” This is my first criticism. A Pastor's mission is to serve not to be served. The Bible is plagued with this messaging. In Matthew 4:9 Satan tried to tempt Jesus. He wanted Jesus to serve himself, be selfish. It does not matter if Jesus deserved a meal, or all the kingdoms of the world. Jesus serves God and God did not need for his son to indulge.  Humble Yourselves Another the concern that I have is that the church leadership lacks accountability AKA humbling themselves. People make mistakes. How we handle and resolve the situation is what defines us. The leadership is focused on protecting themselves and not God's people. This hurts the church community and most importantly their relationship with God. Their salvation is at risk because the leaderships selfishness.  I Pray I pray the church can get themselves together. It appears they offer great services to their communities. But too much money, too much fame clouds the mind. Satan tried to tempt Jesus to serve himself. If he were successful Jesus would not have saved us. We would not have been giving a second chance for eternal life in heaven. Pastors not saving people is the tragedy. 

Introduction The general sense is that 2020 was a crappy year. We need to stop calling 2020 a hard year. This year should be viewed as an opportunity to learn, heal, and grow. Everyone has a hard year. Many of us have experienced going through a year alone. What makes 2020 special is that this year provided us an opportunity to openly talk about the fears and struggles together. Instead of hiding it, instead of dismissing someone's pain we all should have learned something as a society, as a community.  How to Move Forward  The question now is how we should move forward. It is ok if you did not accomplish your goals. You are not alone because a lot of people are in the same position as you are. We should start by reflecting what was accomplished. Whether you planned it or not write it down and celebrate your win(s) this year. Examples of this can be adjusting to remote work or school. Changing your business model to prepare for the pandemic. It can also be reaching out to family or friends. The win can be big and small.  Turn Your Attention To The Coming Year Write your goals down. Pick up to three to focus on this year. You do not want to overwhelm yourself with having more goals. Make a timeline. For example, if you plan to lose 20 pounds, plan to lose 5 pounds by February and 10 pounds by March. This action should help you create a reasonable plan for you to stay focused.  Have an Anchor A ship anchor keeps a ship from floating away. To have an anchor is to have a reminder to ground you. Whether it is a friend to exercise with, a task journal, or a picture of what you want to achieve. Find your anchor to keep your plans in plan and in focus.  Reward Yourself This is a marathon not a sprint. Reward yourself when needed. You know when you need a break, and you know if you are cheating yourself. Feel proud about your journey.    Please read your bible and until next time…later. URL https://blog.feedspot.com/black_christian_podcasts/

The four myths about Christmas  Myth #1 Christmas is not the most important holiday. Easter has more religious significance than Christmas. Scripture speaks more about the promise of eternal life. Christmas is the season opener and Easter is the main act.  Myth #2 Jesus was born on December 25th. Historians believe that Jesus could have been born in the summer but unfortunately Jesus was not born on December 25th. Historians believe by celebrating Christmas on Easter it is the Christian reaction to the Roman Pagan holiday. This makes a lot of sense because Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Christmas are all celebrated in December. The Romans are having their party and the Christians will have their own party at the same time.  Myth #3 Jesus was the only child. Jesus had brothers and sisters or half brothers and sisters in the book of Luke it is written “Your mother and brothers are standing outside wanting to see you.” In the book of Mark, it is written “Are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us?” Jesus was part of a blended family.  Myth #4 war on Christmas marry Xmas son believe is an attempt to remove Christ from Christmas. The 1st letter in the Greek word for Christ is CHI. In the Roman alphabet CHI is represented by the symbol X. The X is part of a language in Greek and Roman. In America, the X has a racist history. Slaves and former slaves, those who could not read or write would need to sign legal paperwork with an X. The war on Christmas could be a reaction that is based on America's racist past. Happy Holidays is offending to some. Holy is in the word Holidays. God is still a part of the phrase we are just using a different word.  I want to thank Feedspot for rating the black sheep Christian podcast the top 25 black Christian podcasts. Feedspot where you can read your favorite blogs, podcasts, news, websites, YouTube channels and RSS feeds from one spot check out feet spot. I want to thank Feedspot for this special honor. I am on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook my website theblacksheepchristian.org. I hope you enjoy and have a safe Christmas despite the circumstances please read your Bible and until next time later.  URL https://blog.feedspot.com/black_christian_podcasts/

Jesus is the reason We have a season to celebrate Christmas. The image of Jesus is a sticky conversation to say the least what is little known but highly documented is the origin story of the image Jesus.  We are going to explore the history of the image of Jesus. Special thanks to feed spot the black sheep Christian podcast was ranked up 25 black Christian podcast Feedspot where you can read your favorite blocks, podcast, news, websites, YouTube channels an RSS feeds from one place. Things feed spots where you can get everything from one spot. You can find me on Instagram, Twitter, website theblacksheepchristian.org next week we will talk about the four myths about Christmas.  URL https://blog.feedspot.com/black_christian_podcasts/

I will be reviewing an article I read from The Atlantic called "The Evangelical Reckoning Begins," This interview with a megachurch North Point Community Church pastor Andy Stanley reflects how the election, administration affected the church.

Disney hit show "The Mandalorian," will takes us on a journey with the main character Din Djorin or the Mandalorian in the discovery of other religions. What will this show teach us about living with different religious views.

Doctrine of Discovery is important document in history. At a time when Christopher Columbus was discovering the world this doctrine gave permission to promote genocide and dehumanization of native people. What was the church thinking at the time? What is the church doing today? What can we do to pressure the church and government to change?

Psalms 37 reminds us that Jesus is still with and justice will be served

Pope Francis made a powerful statement that is at the heart of Black Sheep issue.

Anxiety levels are raising this month. How can stay sane? I touch on mental health and excepting our differences in moving forward.

2020 is a storm for many. It's important to have an anchor as you weather the storm.

Living a rock is not a bad idea this year. How can we breath.

2020 is the year of Plan B,C, D etc. Is our Plan God's Plan? Is Plan B a term that God uses?

How to deal with stubborn people

Hiding under a rock seems to be the safest place to hide these days. We should remember that God has overcome.

Social media has given us so much. Cats, babies and cancel culture. We can connect to regions of the world that was not possible 20 years ago. Social media has allowed us to connect in ways we could never have imagined. Families can connect with each other across borders. People can learn about cultures outside their own while learning something about themselves. The dark side of this connectivity is shown deeply.

Tomorrow is not promised so why should you waste your time talking to a brick wall.

We are facing difficult times. There are people who were called to a profession, gift, job become experts to serve the people. The people that I am referring to are health experts. We rely on them when we get sick, cancer or concern about a rash. Why are we disputing them? Why are we fighting them? Today I am going to read John 8. John 8 is about Jesus dealing with the same accusations that the healthcare system is facing today. How Jesus reacts to the backlash is quite surprising that requires some thought. Before we begin, this week's bible verse is John 8:32 “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Jesus is the physical example of what God wants us to be. In Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus says love is the greatest and most important command. Love your neighbor as yourself. The solution to all the world's problems has been answered. War, loneliness, poverty, crime will cease to exist if we love. Why are we not following our example?

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wastland. -Isaiah 43:19-19 NIV

This episode explores the rejection felt from the church in 1 Peter 2. Respect everyone, and love the family of believers.