Podcasts about accidental saints finding god

Every day of our lives, we are writing our story. Sometimes the story comes out the way we plan it and sometimes it's something altogether different. The thing is that we don't write our story alone. It is added to by the people we encounter and with whom we journey. Some of those “co-writers” become like saints to us. That's right, ordinary people can do or say ordinary things that become extraordinary influences in our lives... even if we don't recognize it in the moment. It's important that we don't underestimate the power of story, or the power of others to influence our stories. As we come close to the celebration of All Saints Day, a time for remembering and honoring the “saints” in our lives, this episode of Awaken to God's Presence leads listeners through a time of story remembering that focuses on the saints with whom they have journeyed. Sources referenced in this episode: Nadia Bolz-Weber, Accidental Saints: Finding God in All the Wrong People, (New York: Convergent Books, 2015), p 7. Rev. Aurelia Davilla Pratt, https://allianceofbaptists.org/all-saints-day-curiosity-and-the-importance-of-stories/, Nov 1 2023. Download TranscriptThanks for listening to Project Zion Podcast!Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!Intro and Outro music used with permission: “For Everyone Born,” Community of Christ Sings #285. Music © 2006 Brian Mann, admin. General Board of Global Ministries t/a GBGMusik, 458 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30308. copyright@umcmission.org “The Trees of the Field,” Community of Christ Sings # 645, Music © 1975 Stuart Dauerman, Lillenas Publishing Company (admin. Music Services). All music for this episode was performed by Dr. Jan Kraybill, and produced by Chad Godfrey. NOTE: The series that make up the Project Zion Podcast explore the unique spiritual and theological gifts Community of Christ offers for today's world. Although Project Zion Podcast is a Ministry of Community of Christ. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those speaking and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community of Christ.

Welcome to season 7 of The Collective Table Podcast, Sermon Podcast Hour! During this season Rev. Chelsea, Dana and Rev. Claire are going to interview some of our favorite preachers about a sermon they have given. These sermons will be following the lectionary calendar from Epiphany all the way until Easter. In the various episodes, not only will you hear clips from the sermon and you will also hear the follow-up conversation with the preacher! On today's episode, Dana & Rev. Claire are joined by Nadia-Bolz Weber to discuss a reflection she gave on Epiphany. Listen to or read Nadia's Epiphany reflection here: https://thecorners.substack.com/p/epiphany#details Nadia is an ordained Lutheran pastor (ELCA), the founder of House for All Sinners & Saints in Denver, CO, and a NYT best-selling author - some of her works include Pastrix: The Cranky, Beautiful Faith of a Sinner & Saint, Accidental Saints: Finding God in All the Wrong People, and Shameless: A Sexual Reformation. Follow Nadia on Instagram @sarcasticlutheran, and visit her LinkTree to learn more about what she is up to: https://linktr.ee/NadiaBolzWeber.

Steve zeigt dir heute “Kaffee und Kosmos” – ein kurzes Ritual für einen guten Kaffee, ein paar Minuten Stille und hoffentlich eine Begegnung mit Gott und dir selbst. Nützliche Links zur Episode und das Kleingedruckte: Auf Instagram ist Steve als @rev.stev unterwegs. Für mehr Alltagsrituale solltest du auf jeden Fall sein Buch Rituale für Hipster, Heilige und alles Dazwischen lesen. Außerdem empfiehlt er zum Thema folgende Bücher: Nadia Bolz-Weber. Pastrix: The Cranky, Beautiful Faith of a Sinner & Saint. Nadia Bolz-Weber. Accidental Saints: Finding God in All the Wrong People. Rachel Held-Evans. Searching for Sunday. John Mark Comer. The ruthless elimination of Hurry. Steves Podcast “The Preacher and the Teacher” kannst du bei Spotify, iTunes & Co. hören. Aaron Niequist. The Eternal Current. WaterBrook, 2018. Falls du Kontakt mit anderen auf der Reise in die Wildnis suchst, solltest du mal beim Netzwerk @freikirchen.ausstieg oder bei @glaubensweite vorbeischauen. Den Podcast findest du bei Instagram unter @strichpunkt.pod Musik: “Reverie” by Scott Buckley Copyright: strich;punkt 2022

Bisher habe ich mich mit Menschen unterhalten, die mit Kirche und Glauben aufgewachsen sind, bevor sie ihre Geschichte hinterfragt und Dinge verändert haben. Mein heutiger Gast hat das Gegenteil erlebt: Er kam durch die Konfiunterricht mit Glauben und Kirche in Kontakt und damit eine besondere Außensicht auf Themen, die für so viele von uns mit schmerzhaften Erinnerungen verbunden sind. Dennoch sind ihm schwere Zeiten nicht fremd und erzählt heute offen darüber und warum regelmäßiges Gin Tonic trinken lebensrettend sein kann. Herzlich Willkommen, Steve Kennedy Henkel! Nützliche Links zur Episode und das Kleingedruckte: Auf Instagram ist Steve als @rev.stev unterwegs. Für mehr Alltagsrituale solltest du auf jeden Fall sein Buch Rituale für Hipster, Heilige und alles Dazwischen lesen. Außerdem empfiehlt er zum Thema folgende Bücher: Nadia Bolz-Weber. Pastrix: The Cranky, Beautiful Faith of a Sinner & Saint. Nadia Bolz-Weber. Accidental Saints: Finding God in All the Wrong People. Rachel Held-Evans. Searching for Sunday. John Mark Comer. The ruthless elimination of Hurry. Steves Podcast “The Preacher and the Teacher” kannst du bei Spotify, iTunes & Co. hören. Aaron Niequist. The Eternal Current. WaterBrook, 2018. Falls du Kontakt mit anderen auf der Reise in die Wildnis suchst, solltest du mal beim Netzwerk @freikirchen.ausstieg oder bei @glaubensweite vorbeischauen. Den Podcast findest du bei Instagram unter @strichpunkt.pod Musik: “Levity” by Johny Grimes Copyright: strich;punkt 2022

Today we're talking all about "church people" and the wide range of ways that church people are described and perceived today. Here are some resources I hope will help you to no longer "go to church" but instead to "be church" both inside and outside of church walls. 1. the art I referenced from Scott Erickson (the chapel in an hourglass) on his Instagram account - follow Scott today! 2. Podcast: More Than Small Talk - How to be a Friend When Life Hurts 3. Podcast: Human Hope - How to Have Healthy Hard Conversations With People You Disagree With 4. Podcast: That Sounds Fun - Francis Chan 5. Podcast: Be The Bridge with Latasha Morrison 6. Be The Bridge: Pursuing God's Heart for Racial Reconciliation, by Latasha Morrison 7. Accidental Saints: Finding God in All the Wrong People, by Nadia Bolz-Weber 8. Song: May You Find a Light, by The Brilliance 9. Song: We Are One, by Ginny Owens 10. Song: Oceans (Where Feet May Fail), by Hillsong 11. Journal prompts: Who have been the "church people" in my life who have brought me closer to relationship with God? What did they do/say that impacted me? Who are the "church people" who have pushed me away from relationship with God? Is there a particular instance I can remember? How can I process the pain of this experience? How can I make my heart more hospitable to others today? In what ways can I learn or adjust in order to love people better? Where are my potential blind spots? As I look at my church community, how is God leading me to make us more joyful, friendly, inclusive, and spirit-filled? PS- An anthem for Being Church, no matter whether or where we "go to church". Let's go love the world like Jesus does.

“God, please help me not be an asshole, is about as common a prayer as I pray in my life.“Nadia Bolz-WeberToday we continue my exploration of faith with one of the most fascinating spiritual leaders in America today — a Lutheran pastor and public theologian dedicated to redefining how we think about church, practice religion, ritualize divinity, and cultivate community.But her latest concentration, and the focus of today's conversation, is reforming religion's antiquated, sexist ideas about sex, gender and our bodies – and all the pain, guilt and shame they provoke — to reclaim our sexuality and boldly begin anew.You see, Nadia Bolz-Weber is no ordinary pastor.Standing six-foot-one, this heavily tattooed former drug addict rocks the collar with bright red lipstick, fancies serious custom-made jewelry (her rings and belt buckles are off the hook) and swears like a sailor. Confusing matters more, she's also very much a traditionalist – a fearless and deeply reverent pastor for America's outsiders with intrepid beliefs about what “church” can and should be for the seekers among us.For eleven years, Nadia served as the founding pastor of House for All Sinners and Saints, a colorful and eclectic, all-comers welcome congregation she started in 2007 with just eight members in her living room in Denver.She is also a three-time New York Times bestselling author. Pastrix: The Cranky, Beautiful Faith of a Sinner & Saint*, is her prayer-and-profanity laden narrative about an unconventional life of faith. Accidental Saints: Finding God in All the Wrong People* recounts her religious but not-so-spiritual path and perspective. Her newest book, Shameless A Sexual Reformation*, unleashes her critical eye, her sharp pen, and her vulnerable but hopeful soul on the caustic, fear-riddled, and religiously inspired messages about sex that have fed our shame.I first laid eyes on Nadia when she took the stage at The Nantucket Project to interview Lance Armstrong. Her opening line? “So, I see from my notes that you took some drugs you weren't supposed to and then you lied about it? OMG. I did that shit SO MANY TIMES!”The crowd erupted. Instantly, I was hooked.Later that same weekend I witnessed Nadia deliver a sermon unlike anything I had ever experienced in church or otherwise. Wrapt by her charisma and compelled by her unapologetically honest message, I knew immediately I had to get her on the podcast.Growing up fundamentalist, at 12 she was diagnosed with Graves' disease, a thyroid-related autoimmune disorder that caused her eyes to literally bug out of their sockets. Socially ostracized, rage and cynicism led a descent into drugs and alcohol. In 1991, a 12-step program ultimately lit her path back to faith — and the church she ultimately founded to create a home for those who have never felt home.Today we explore Nadia's amazing story, set against the backdrop of her current focus: reforming Christianity’s historically to... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On this Sunday, we get to experience something that seldom seems to happen on a Sunday.  We get to experience the Feast Day of Epiphany.  You see, the day of Epiphany is one of those fixed days in the church calendar which usually seems to fall on a week day and not so much on a Sunday.  Therefore, we rarely get this gospel reading in the Sunday lectionary.  But this year, the day of Epiphany is actually today, so we get this marvelous reading from Matthew’s gospel.  The word “Epiphany” refers to something “made manifest” or “revealed.” When you come up with a brilliant idea, you might say that you’ve had an “epiphany moment.”  Today, the word “Epiphany” communicates to us the “showing forth” or “the revelation” of Christ in the world.  Epiphany takes its themes from the journey of a group of pagan magi who left familiar territory to find the Christ child and explore this child’s authenticity for themselves.  And, as Barbara Brown Taylor says “today’s [reading] from Matthew offers a rare opportunity to rescue the magi from their fixed places in the annual Christmas pageant and restore them to their biblical roles as key witnesses to both the threat and promise of the Christ child”: the threat and the promise that comes with God entering into the world, the threat and the promise that comes with the light of Christ being revealed to the world. (Feasting on the Word, Year C, Volume 1, p. 213).  To further emphasize the importance of the needed “rescue” of this story, I would like for you to think about the opening hymn we first sang and what has probably always been your understanding of today’s reading.  Now, let’s take a realistic look at Matthew’s account.  The story of these wise men is only found in the gospel of Matthew.  And, Matthew does not say that there are three wise men, nor does he call them kings.  Lutheran pastor, Nadia Bolz-Weber, writes, “We Three Kings of Orient Are…Not in the Bible!” She says, “Three kings from the Orient bringing gifts to Jesus in a manger is a charming story, but it’s not actually the one we find in the Bible. A closer reading of Matthew shows that we have no idea how many people were there, and we don’t know how far east they came from. Was it the Orient? Was it New Jersey?... And most importantly, they were definitely not kings…..They were Magi, as in magicians, and not the cute kind you hire for your kid’s birthday party. Yet history made them out to be kings, maybe because the reality that they were magicians is too distasteful, since no one really wants the weird fortune-teller lady from the circus with her scarves and crystal balls to be the first to discover the birth of our Lord. So, the story has been nicened up into an idealized picture of multicultural diplomacy. But the Epiphany story of Herod and his infanticide reveals a God who has entered our world as it actually exists, and not as the world we often wish it would be.”  In Matthew, the emphasis is on the universality of Jesus’ mission, entering into the deep brokenness of this world. Among Matthew’s Jewish community, they were finding it difficult to accept that God came for all, and not just a few. They were clinging to the idea that if you want to follow Jesus, to be one of his disciples, you had to first be a Jew.  And if you were male, then you had to be circumcised; then if you were to become Christian, you had to continue to fulfill all the rules of the law.  So, Matthew, right at the onset, includes this unusual story.   And, this is the mystery – that God, this infant King, is now revealed to all nations, and God has come to transform all of human history, all peoples of all times.  The wise men represented in today’s gospel reading, who came to seek the baby, were the epitome of Gentile idolatry and religious hocus-pocus. They were not models of religious piety. They were magicians, astronomers, star-gazers, pseudo-scientists, fortune-tellers, horoscope fanatics; but Matthew makes them the heroes in his first story following the Savior's birth. The wise men should not be there. They are heretics. They don't worship the right God. They are the wrong race, the wrong denomination, the wrong religion. They don't know how to worship correctly.  Certainly, they give the child gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, but those are elements used in their magic. They would have been much better models of unbelief and false trust than models of faith, trust and worship.  But, Matthew wants to make it very clear that Jesus came for all people in this very broken world and that is why these wise men are found in this gospel. That should give us pause as we continue to share God’s inclusive love with all others and practice hospitality and welcome. In her book Accidental Saints – Finding God in All the Wrong People, Nadia Bolz-Weber tells of this remarkable experience she faced on the Sunday after Christmas in 2012.  Christmas that year was not an ordinary Christmas.  It was the year that Adam Lanza decided to get up and kill his mother, then go to Sandy Hook Elementary School and kill 26 students and teachers, then commit suicide.  And, on the Sunday after Christmas, a Sunday many clergy take off as I did last week, Nadia knew it was a Sunday when she really had to preach and proclaim the Good News of the living Word.  She had to preach to give people hope and light in the midst of their hopelessness and darkness. On that Sunday, even though it was not yet Epiphany, Nadia chose today’s gospel reading for her sermon.  As she began to prepare, she knew she wanted to talk about the unexpected gift of Jesus Christ, who God sends into the world for people just like the wise men, for people just like you and me. She also wanted to make it clear that the violence and evil spirit of King Herod is just like what we have in our world today. But it is this world that God chose for God’s fragile child Son to live in. God takes the risk for God’s Son to become flesh and blood and dwell in this kind of world. As she planned with her staff for worship, she decided during the prayers of the people that she would read the names of Adam’s victims and their ages. And after each reading, there would be a bell that rang out, much like we do on All Saint’s Sunday. The staff all agreed that would be a great idea.  But, it was her intern who spoke up saying, “Shouldn’t Adam’s name be added to the list?” She said, “Oh NO!” There was no way she was going to include him. This young intern continued to press her on this.  She knew he was right, but she couldn’t make herself go there.  Yet, she kept hearing him ask, “Nadia, wouldn’t God want this?” She finally gave-in shouting, “Fine!  But, I want it to be known that I am in opposition to God’s grace!”  His response was, “I am sure God is hurt!” (Accidental Saints – Finding God in All the Wrong People; by Nadia Bolz-Weber; Convergent Books; 2015)  And, there it was! She had almost forgotten the most important part of the message. God not only sent his Son into the violent and faithless world to live in it but also to save it! God comes into the world and shines a brilliant star for all people…the wise men and the ordinary people like you and me. But here is the extremely hard part, God also comes into the world for the Herods, the Adam Lanzas, the terrorists, even for our enemies!  For every single one of us, God comes to shine a light that no darkness will overcome. It is how we accept and share that light that matters. And as Christians (dog gone it!), we have to share and reflect that light.           So, on that Sunday, Nadia read the names. As she came to the last one, she reached down into the very core of her being and with all her strength said, “And in obedience to God’s command to love the enemy and pray for those who persecute us” and then she uttered “Adam Lanza.” The final bell rang. (Accidental Saints – Finding God in All the Wrong People; by Nadia Bolz-Weber; Convergent Books; 2015; p. 74)           God enters a world that is deeply broken and definitely not filled with peace but enters a world that is deeply loved by God, a world that God finds worthy of saving, and the love of Christ is revealed.  The wise men who journeyed to Bethlehem exposed God’s intention and desire to welcome all into the joy of God’s presence.  May we continue to be transformed and reflect the light of such inclusive love.

Raghu sits down with Lutheran pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber for a heartwarming conversation about the emphasis of grace at the heart of the Lutheran tradition and breaking the cycle of harm with forgiveness.Find show notes and resources: beherenownetwork.com/mindrolling-ep-264-nadia-bolz-weber/ Nadia Bolz-Weber is the founding pastor of House for All Sinners and Saints in Denver, Colorado. She is the author of the New York Times bestseller Accidental Saints: Finding God in All the Wrong People, as well as Salvation on the Small Screen? 24 Hours of Christian Television and the New York Times bestselling theological memoir, Pastrix: the Cranky, Beautiful Faith of a Sinner & Saint.

This week, Suzanne speaks with long time friend Nadia Bolz-Weber who is a 8 on the Enneagram. Nadia Bolz Weber is the founding pastor of House for All Sinners and Saints in Denver, Colorado. She is the author of the New York Times bestseller Accidental Saints: Finding God in All the Wrong People​.

Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber and the Revd Richard Coles speak about finding God in all the wrong people and places. Chaired by Canon Mark Oakley, part of the Adult Learning programming at St Paul's Cathedral, London.

Pastor Keith Anderson preaches on how God's grace happens in unexpected ways and through unlikely people—inspired by Nadia Bolz-Weber's book, Accidental Saints: Finding God in All the Wrong People