Podcasts about Advent

It's just Andrew and Frank to kick off the new year, which means fewer voices and even less structure. Andrew spent the break in Arkansas, proving once again that Christmas travel builds character… or at least patience. Frank preached at a local church in that strange, timeless week between Christmas and New Year's, then jumped right back in yesterday by launching a brand-new vision series at Lakeview. Oh, and somewhere in the middle of all that officially came off staff at Lakeview. Because January waits for no one.At Safety Harbor, Andrew restarted the Gospel of John after a five-week Christmas and Advent pause, which feels a bit like trying to remember where you left off in a really long Netflix series. We spend some time recapping Advent, Christmas services, lessons learned, and what it feels like to go from “Silent Night” straight back into ordinary time.It's the first episode of the year, full of reflection, reset energy, and the quiet realization that ministry does not actually slow down just because the calendar flips.

1 Peter 1:11:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia...John 1:35-421:35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).Luke 5:1-115:1 On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, 2 and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

This is a special episode of For the Good of the Public, cross-posted with "Conversing with Mark Labberton." https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conversing-with-mark-labberton/id1161564408 Can joy be anything but denial in a rage-filled public life? Michael Wear joins Mark Labberton to reframe politics through the kingdom logic of hope, agency, and practices of silence and solitude. As 2025 closes amid political discord, we might all ask whether joy can be real in public life—without denial, escapism, or contempt. "… Joy is a pervasive and constant sense of wellbeing." In this conversation, Michael Wear and Mark Labberton reflect on joy, hope, responsibility, and agency amid a reaction-driven politics. Together they discuss the realism of Advent; the limits of our control; how kingdom imagination reframes anger; hope beyond outcomes, dignity under threat, and practices (including silence and solitude) that restore clarity. About Michael Wear Michael Wear is the Founder, President, and CEO of the Center for Christianity and Public Life, a nonpartisan nonprofit that contends for the credibility of Christian resources in public life, for the public good. He has served for more than a decade as a trusted advisor to civic and religious leaders on faith and public life, including as a presidential campaign and White House staffer. He is the author of The Spirit of Our Politics: Spiritual Formation and the Renovation of Public Life and Reclaiming Hope: Lessons Learned in the Obama White House About the Future of Faith in America. Learn more and follow at https://www.michaelwear.com. Helpful Links and Resources Michael Wear, The Spirit of Our Politics https://www.zondervan.com/9780310367239/the-spirit-of-our-politics/ Michael Wear, Reclaiming Hope https://www.thomasnelson.com/9780718082338/reclaiming-hope/ Center for Christianity and Public Life https://www.ccpubliclife.org/ A National Call to Silence and Solitude https://www.silenceandsolitude.org/ Dallas Willard: "Personal Soul Care" https://dwillard.org/resources/articles/personal-soul-care Howard Thurman, Jesus and the Disinherited https://www.beacon.org/Jesus-and-the-Disinherited-P1781.aspx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nat and Linny are back. It's a chance to chat over the last few weeks, and look forward through the January blues with a bit of sunshine and silliness. Enjoy! xx Please subscribe, follow, and leave a review. xxx You can find us in all places here; ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podfollow.com/lifewithnat/view⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We're on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/lifewithnatpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Nat's insta: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@natcass1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Marc's insta: ⁠@camera_marc⁠ Neice's insta: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@natsnieces⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Tony's insta: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@tonycass68⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Linny's insta: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@auntielinny.lwn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ MORE LIVE SHOW! 07/02/2026 Brighton, The Forge ⁠TICKETS⁠ 08/02/2026 Newcastle upon Tyne, The Stand ⁠TICKETS⁠ 25/02/2026 Folkestone, Quarterhouse ⁠TICKETS⁠ 28/02/2026 Colchester, Arts Centre ⁠TICKETS⁠ 07/03/2026 Manchester, Fairfield Social Club ⁠TICKETS⁠ 22/03/2026 Leeds, The Wardrobe ⁠TICKETS⁠ 29/03/2026 Bristol, The Gaffe - ⁠TICKETS⁠ Book Club: November's book - All Together for Christmas by Sarah Morgan & December's book (optional extra for the speedy readers) - A Heart for Christmas: Advent Romance by Sophie Jomain Nat's solo chats - any rants always welcome!  Scraping the Barrel - SCAN AND SHOP VIRGIN NO LONGER! Bonce vs list! - Are you a list maker? Always collecting for Nostalgia Fest! What's brewing with the Nieces - are we all skipping the end of summer, all of autumn and going straight to Christmas - Nat's door is! Group chat ettiquette & pranks. Nice Lorraines… get in touch! Advent calendars & gift recommendations v. welcome! Things we're nagging with Linny about - More lateness stories and some cleaning questions, please! The Tony talks chatter - Keep your DIY questions coming, also open to some saucy two paragraph stories for Tony to read out at the Southend show - think cheeky postcards (both in tone and length)! Can we make Tony an influencer and get him any freebies?  TBC Cultural differences ep - inspired by Linny's Mediterranean heritage and her & Ellia's Italian trip, we'd love to hear about the cultural differences you've noticed between the UK and basically ANYWHERE else!  A 'Keep It Light Media' Production Sales, advertising, and general enquiries: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hello@keepitlightmedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, as we begin a new year, we are also beginning a new message series. On the Christian calendar, the year begins with Advent and Christmas. Next comes Epiphany, a season that focuses on Jesus being made known to the world. In this series we'll explore the stories associated with this season, and also other stories of “Epiphany moments” in the Bible. This week Josh introduces the idea of Epiphany and invites us to see God as a verb, not just a noun. ⛪️ To learn more about who we are and what we do, visit https://gracepointe.net/about-us

We wrap up our Advent series by looking at the hymn O Holy Night. Though it was written by unexpected authors, it beautifully proclaims the reality that on this most holy night, our Savior came to earth.

In this message from Luke 17:1–19, we walk step by step with Jesus and discover what genuine discipleship looks like in everyday life. As we return to the Gospels following Advent, Jesus invites us to examine faith that walks, forgiveness that releases, service that humbles, and gratitude that returns. Jesus teaches us that: • Offenses will come, but we must guard our influence so we never become a stumbling block to another's faith. • Forgiveness is not optional, even when it's costly—because grace frees us from bitterness. • Faith isn't about quantity, but about who our faith rests in—even mustard-seed faith can uproot deep roots of resentment. • Serving God is not about entitlement, but joyful obedience flowing from already being accepted in Christ. The chapter culminates in the powerful story of the ten lepers—ten healed, but only one who returned in gratitude. While many received physical healing, only one experienced something greater: salvation. Gratitude turned healing into relationship. This message reminds us that: • Obedience often comes before the miracle • Grace is received, not earned • True worship flows from gratitude, not convenience • Faith that saves is faith that returns to Jesus As we journey toward Easter, this teaching calls us to live as forgiven people—quick to forgive, willing to obey, eager to serve, and always returning in gratitude to the feet of Jesus. “Your faith has saved you.” Sermon Date: January 4, 2026 Speaker: Pastor Landon Churchill ComeToFreedom.com

In Part 4 of our Advent series entitled Lo(w) and Behold, Pastor David teaches through Zechariah's song in Luke 1:66-80.Today's Message Text: Luke 1:66-80 Thanks for listening in to The Ridge's Sunday Audio podcast! Although we hope you are greatly blessed by listening to this message, we also believe it's important to belong to a local body of believers. If you live in our area, we would love to worship with you on Sunday mornings at 8:00a, 9:30a, or 11:15a!

God's promises--and His love!

The Reverend James Hawkey explores the gifts the Magi brought to Jesus, and asks what we might lay at Christ's feet in this new year.     This reflection for the Feast of the Epiphany is the last of a series of reflections from the seasons of Advent and Christmas. To explore other reflections from the season, visit our website at www.westminster-abbey.org/christmas/

Pastor Andrew continues our advent study as he preaches on Zechariah 9:9. 

Synopsis: The Logos became flesh that he might be “bruisable” and taste death for everyone, thereby destroying the power of death, the devil and serve as a merciful and faithful high priest to His restored humanity. Sermon Text: Hebrews 2:5-18

NADAR'S BALLOON AND THE BIRTH OF PHOTOGRAPHY Colleague Anika Burgess, Flashes of Brilliance. In 1863, the photographer Nadar undertook a perilous ascent in a giant balloon to fund experiments for heavier-than-air flight, illustrating the adventurous spirit required of early photographers. This era began with Daguerre's 1839 introduction of the daguerreotype, a process involving highly dangerous chemicals like mercury and iodine to create unique, mirror-like images on copper plates. Pioneers risked their lives using explosive materials to capture reality with unprecedented clarity and permanence. NUMBER 1 1870 siege of the Paris Commune.

Nelson finishes our Advent sermon series, "God of All Comfort", with a sermon from Revelation 22:1-5. (December 28, 2025)

Advent has brought us to the birth of Christ, the celebration of Christ with us, but even after his arrival the Scriptures tell us that all is still not as it should be.   Christ has come, and He will come again, but we still live with the reality of suffering. The Scriptures call us to usher in the kingdom of God with our beautiful, suffering Savior. We don't live for an ideal experience, we live for a person - in joy and in suffering. We know that faith pleases God so we do not shrink back when suffering comes. Our true joy comes from communion with him.  There is always beauty to be found, because Christ has made himself available to us.

Matthew 25:31-46 Part VI of the Advent Sermon Series "Once Upon an Advent" Sermon by the Rev. Ben Brannan from the First Sunday of Christmas, December 28, 2025. "There is a temptation to sentimentalize the Christmas season—to wrap it in nostalgia and soft lighting and comforting music. But Jesus won't let us do that because Christmas has consequences. Christmas, at its heart, is the declaration that God has chosen to be found not in power, but in presence. Not in domination, but in dignity. Not in abstraction, but in flesh and blood. If God has truly taken on human flesh, then every human body matters. Every person is an image bearer. Every life carries divine weight. "The Word became flesh—and that flesh looks like you and me and the neighbor who needs help today. This is not an easy truth. It disrupts our assumptions about who is deserving and who is not. It challenges the narratives we tell ourselves about poverty, incarceration, addiction, immigration, and illness. Jesus does not ask us to decide whether the person who is hungry earned their hunger or the person in prisoner earned their sentence. He simply says, 'That's where I am.'" Read the manuscripts of our latest sermons at: https://www.spres.org/worship/sermons/

“There is a mysterious interplay between silence and time. Waiting in silence is the essential condition for experiencing the passage of time as gift, not as a threat.” — Thomas Merton For some, the holiday season overflows with activity and expectation; for others, it highlights a sense of introspection and quiet. Both can be comforting, and both can feel overwhelming. How we experience time — whether in busyness or in stillness — has the potential to create within us a sense of constriction or expansion. In these contrasting experiences, the spaces in between invite us to know the place within ourselves that is always luminous, forever undiminished, and eternally revealing Divine perfection. Here, in the quiet center of our being, Divine Love is not something we reach for but something that meets us. In this Advent week of Love, we remember that this inner spaciousness is often the quiet doorway through which Love reveals itself — not through circumstance, but through Presence.

In Unity, Advent is a season of inner preparation--not about waiting for something outside of us to change, but about awakening to the divine light already present within. The talk will explore Advent as a living, personal journey of transformation: how moments of breakdown can become sacred doorways to hope, faith, joy, and love when we turn inward and choose conscious change.

Pastor Jordan finishes our Advent season with a Christmas Eve message about Love.

Peter Herbeck is the Vice President and Director of Missions for Renewal Ministries. Peter oversees the work of lay mission teams throughout the world who work to equip Catholic lay people, bishops, priests, and religious to respond to Blessed Pope John Paul II's call for a new evangelization. He has traveled extensively in the U.S., Canada, Africa, and Eastern Europe for the past thirty years, assisting and training local churches in proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ and ministering through the exercise of spiritual gifts.  In this episode, Peter continues his reflections on the Season of Advent, as well as the coming of Christ at Christmas.Fire On the Earth Airs weekdays at 5am and 2pm Pacific Time go to Spiritfilledevents.com you can also get our free app for your Android and Apple devices. Search Spirit Filled Radio to access our radio app. Support the show

In this episode, Conor and Ben chat about Advent of Code 2025 Day 2 and 3!Link to Episode 267 on WebsiteDiscuss this episode, leave a comment, or ask a question (on GitHub)SocialsADSP: The Podcast: TwitterConor Hoekstra: LinkTree / BioBen Deane: Twitter | BlueSkyShow NotesDate Recorded: 2025-12-22Date Released: 2026-01-02Advent of Code 2025Day 2 ProblemDay 3 ProblemC++23 std::views::chunkchunk Hoogle TranslateBQN fn.ChunkBQN ↕ (windows)Ben's Day 3 AoC 2025 in C++Ben's Day 6 AoC 2025 in Pythontranspose Hoogle TranslateConor's Day 2 AoC 2025 in BQNConor's Day 3 AoC 2025 in BQNConor's Day 6 AoC 2025 in BQNIntro Song InfoMiss You by Sarah Jansen https://soundcloud.com/sarahjansenmusicCreative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream: http://bit.ly/l-miss-youMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/iYYxnasvfx8

Pastor Mike Nafziger  Sermon: Love  Passages: John 3:16, Deuteronomy 7:7-8, John 25:13-15  Series: Advent 2025  December 21, 2025

4th Sunday of Advent

Judge faith by the neighbor who gets help, not the hype of our politics. Episcopal deacon Gerri Endicott shows how preaching turns into rides, meals, and quiet care. She explains why she leads with “I follow Jesus,” a simple line that lowers walls and points to a Person, not a brand. Judge faith by the neighbor who gets help, not the volume of our politics.  Craig and Gerri test faith by its fruit. They sort out what happens when Christianity gets pulled into national politics. Gratitude for a country is good; loyalty belongs to Jesus. Gerri also names a pre-Advent practice from her church's calendar that helps her community rehearse that loyalty (Christ the King). Not every church observes it, but the posture fits anywhere. Try this week: serve one neighbor, tell the truth with kindness, pray for an enemy by name, choose presence over outrage. If you want a public faith that looks like Jesus, start here. Their conversation digs into: What a deacon does: service over stage, church facing outward. “I follow Jesus” language that lowers walls. Christian nationalism vs. the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5–7). Christ the King (her practice): a simple loyalty reset. Nations (peoples) vs. modern countries—why words matter. Presence over outrage: small acts, kept promises, steady love.

Mary's Magnificat reveals a God who topples the powerful and lifts the lowly. This is Exodus again, oppressive systems overturned and dignity restored. Advent isn't sentimental; it's a radical reordering of power. In this episode, we explore the holy reversal at the heart of Mary's song.

Student Ministry Lead Adam Jensen calls us to see that the Living God has drawn near to us and ask how will we approach Him?

New Year, same Nat and Tony! Why would we change something so perfect? Well, we're talking resolutions anyway, and whether there's a better option than throwing all that pressure on ourselves. Happy New Year! Enjoy! xx Big shoutout to The Book Nook and their subscription service ⁠⁠⁠https://www.booknookshop.co.uk/⁠⁠⁠ Please subscribe, follow, and leave a review. xxx You can find us in all places here; ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podfollow.com/lifewithnat/view⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We're on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/lifewithnatpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Nat's insta: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@natcass1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Neice's insta: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@natsnieces⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Tony's insta: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@tonycass68⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Linny's insta: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@auntielinny.lwn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ THE BIG CHRISTMAS LIVE SHOW 7th December ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- claphamgrand.com/event/live-with-nat-at-christmas/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Book Club: November's book - All Together for Christmas by Sarah Morgan & December's book (optional extra for the speedy readers) - A Heart for Christmas: Advent Romance by Sophie Jomain Nat's solo chats - any rants always welcome!  Scraping the Barrel - SCAN AND SHOP VIRGIN NO LONGER! Bonce vs list! - Are you a list maker? Always collecting for Nostalgia Fest! What's brewing with the Nieces - Group chat ettiquette & pranks. Nice Lorraines… get in touch! Advent calendars & gift recommendations v. welcome! Things we're nagging with Linny about - More lateness stories and some cleaning questions, please! The Tony talks chatter - Keep your DIY questions coming. Can we make Tony an influencer and get him any freebies?  TBC Cultural differences ep - inspired by Linny's Mediterranean heritage and her & Ellia's Italian trip, we'd love to hear about the cultural differences you've noticed between the UK and basically ANYWHERE else!  A 'Keep It Light Media' Production Sales, advertising, and general enquiries: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hello@keepitlightmedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This message concludes our Advent series by challenging us to move beyond tradition and reflection into real-life application. Through the theme “Hearers & Doers,” we explore the birth and early life of Jesus and how Scripture calls us not just to hear God's Word, but to live it out daily. As Advent ends and a new year begins, this message invites us to practice hope, peace, joy, love, and Christlikeness in tangible ways. ———————————————————————————————Gather your church essentials here for notes, prayer, events, etc:https://nbcc.com/church-essentialsConnect with us on Social Media:Instagram: instagram.com/nbccnorcoTikTok: tiktok.com/@nbccnorcoFacebook: facebook.com/nbccnorcoYouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6S-3n9PVnXm8zSPHAYVyGwWebsite: https://www.nbcc.com/----------------------------------------If you have any prayer requests or questions, please message us on our social media or send us an email at nbcc@nbcc.com. Don't forget to rate and subscribe to the podcast!----------------------------------------Join us in person, Sunday's at 8:30am, 10am, & 11:30amhttps://goo.gl/maps/PEe1rzXWKBv

What is our ultimate Christian hope? This Advent, as in Advents past, Zack sketches some of the answers to this question. This week, he focuses on what our hope for Sabbath Rest means.

What is our ultimate Christian hope? This Advent, as in Advents past, Zack sketches some of the answers to this question. This week, he focuses on how God intends to go beyond even restoring to fullness all that He had created.

Our world tells us that love should always be easy and stress-free, but is it possible that God's love for us—true love—could lead to disruption and discomfort? In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses love, the theme of Advent's fourth week. We have a variety of mistaken notions about love, but we can go to God's Word to understand the truth about this topic. Pastor Allen teaches from three stories—humanity's fall in the Garden of Eden, Jesus' birth in Bethlehem, and Jesus' death on the cross—to show how our Lord's best for us can often look like boundaries, disappointment, and hardship. But through our obedience and by His love, God will faithfully transform us into something better.

The mystery of Advent speaks to that waiting. Not just the waiting for a holiday, but that longing for something more, something better than this we currently inhabit. A world made new. The good news of the gospel is that we can wait with confidence, because that's the world promised in Jesus Christ.   Throughout the season, we explore the Servant Songs of the Book of Isaiah and the unique way they point us to the Messiah who has come in Jesus and is coming again to make all things new, fulfilling the deepest longing of our hearts.   Our prayer is that as we do, Jesus will meet us in our weakness and our waiting – our longing! — and together we will discover afresh the God who is both with us and for us.   Recorded December 24, 2025 Lead Pastor Caleb Click Oak Mountain Presbyterian Church Birmingham, AL

The mystery of Advent speaks to that waiting. Not just the waiting for a holiday, but that longing for something more, something better than this we currently inhabit. A world made new. The good news of the gospel is that we can wait with confidence, because that's the world promised in Jesus Christ.   Throughout the season, we explore the Servant Songs of the Book of Isaiah and the unique way they point us to the Messiah who has come in Jesus and is coming again to make all things new, fulfilling the deepest longing of our hearts.   Our prayer is that as we do, Jesus will meet us in our weakness and our waiting – our longing! — and together we will discover afresh the God who is both with us and for us.   Sermon recorded December 21, 2025 Lead Pastor Caleb Click Oak Mountain Presbyterian Church Birmingham, AL

In this episode, we finish our Advent journey in Jonah 4:1-11. In this chapter, we have an opportunity to see Jonah's response to God's mercy on Nineveh. Together we discuss Jonah's feelings of resentment towards both Nineveh and God, and how God uses the circumstances around Jonah to hold up a mirror to Jonah, functioning to expose Jonah's heart and working towards transformation into God's likeness. From this we identified that when we direct our focus and attention to Jesus, in the midst of our pain and hurt, He can help us move beyond that pain as we open up the space for Jesus to fill us with His hope, peace, joy, and love, regardless of what has happened to us.

Part of the “Embracing the Unknown” seasonNew Year's Eve reflection: closing Advent with “fear not,” hope in the waiting, and fearless faith for 2026.  Holly unpacks Luke 1:37, the centuries of anticipation before the manger, and how God meets us in the in-between — turning long waits into deeper trust in His goodness and sovereignty.Key moments:  - The “Even If / Even When” list for hard seasons  - Hopeful expectation as the bridge between promise and fulfillment  - A gentle “fear not” for every heart stepping into the unknown of a new year  Plus: the top struggles Christian women are facing in 2026 and an invitation to share what's on your heart for the year ahead.Here's your Fearless Faith Tip as we turn the page:Tonight, before the ball drops or the clock strikes midnight, write down one “fear not” promise you're carrying into 2026.Mine is Luke 1:37 — “For nothing will be impossible with God.”Put it on your phone lock screen, your mirror, your planner.Let it be the first thing you see every morning of the new year.And hey — stick around to the very end of this episode.I've got some exciting news to share about what's coming in 2026.You're going to want to hear it.

In this encore of our first ever podcast episode, Susie Larson shares personal stories and practical encouragement from her Advent devotional Prepare Him Room, including how intentional practices like fasting can reorient our hearts during Advent, the importance of stewarding our perspective in a noisy culture, and how seasons of suffering and health challenges have shaped her understanding of what it means to truly prepare room for Jesus. With honesty, humor (including a memorable Christmas tree mishap), and hope, Susie offers a final word of encouragement for anyone longing to experience the deeper joy of Christmas—not by doing more, but by making room for the One who comes to meet us.

The world wants Christmas without Christ.Noise without silence.Consumption without conversion.In this episode of The Manly Catholic, James is joined by Fr. Dom for a direct, unapologetic conversation on Advent, Christmas, and why Catholic men must reclaim the liturgical calendar from a culture that hijacks it every year.Advent was never meant to be sentimental. It was penitential. It demanded prayer, fasting, discipline, and preparation. Historically, it was forty days for a reason. In this episode, Fr. Dominic breaks down what Advent actually is, why it was shortened, and how consumerism has stripped Catholic men of spiritual readiness.The discussion moves straight to the battlefield. The manger is not a decoration. It is a sermon. The wood of the trough points to the wood of the Cross. The swaddling clothes point to the tomb. The shepherds reveal the power of simple faith. Christmas is not comfort. It is confrontation.St. Joseph is held up as the model Catholic man. Silent. Obedient. Strong. Disciplined. A guardian who moves when God commands and protects his family without hesitation. This episode makes it clear: families collapse when men abdicate leadership, and cultures rot when fathers refuse to lead.This is not nostalgia. This is formation.Men are challenged to reject the secular calendar, slow down, embrace prayer and fasting, and intentionally lead their homes through Advent and Christmas the way the Church intended. Satan thrives on distraction, disorder, and passivity. The antidote is disciplined, obedient, sacrificial masculinity.If you are tired of shallow faith, distracted homes, and soft leadership, this episode is your call to act.Challenge Issued in the EpisodeReclaim Advent. Strip your life down. Reject consumerism. Commit to prayer, fasting, and discipline. Lead your household intentionally through the liturgical calendar, not the secular one.Products, Sponsors, and References MentionedMystic Monk CoffeeHarmel Academy of the TradesSt. Joseph as the model of masculine leadershipSt. Francis of Assisi and the first NativityThe Advent wreath and the liturgical calendarEarly Church teaching on Advent and Christmas3 Powerful Quotes from the Episode“Christmas doesn't start until Christmas Day. If you miss Advent, you miss the grace God wants to give you once a year.”“Satan does not want you to remember who you are, where you come from, or the traditions that keep families strong.”“If men lived disciplined virtue like St. Joseph, the culture would collapse overnight and rebuild itself rightly.”1 Immediate Takeaway for MenCreate order through discipline. Choose one concrete act of Advent penance or fasting and lead your home in it without negotiation. Masculine leadership begins with obedience to God.

In this final week of Advent on Christmas Eve, we light the center "Christ Candle" symbolizing the light that has come into the world through Jesus Christ! Jesus has gone to the Father to prepare a home for us. Will we now receive Him?

Our attitudes and outlooks can impact our lives significantly, so maintaining our God-given joy is essential. But how do we maintain joy? In this sermon covering the third week of Advent, Pastor Allen Jackson shares three steps we can take to keep our joy intact, and he teaches about the impacts joy has on perseverance, especially through suffering. Like hope that needs a foundation to rest on, joy requires upkeep, and we can practice that through familiarity with God's Word, listening to God's voice, and being in godly community. Holidays can be painful, but we can have lasting joy even through suffering, because our joy is made complete through our willingness to persevere in faith.

Today’s Topics: 1) Here are the meanings of 11 common Advent and Christmas terms that you might not already know! https://www.churchpop.com/meanings-of-christmas-words-you-never-understood/ 2) The ox and the ass on Christmas 3) Christmas was our “D” day: Christ came to save us and take back that which was stolen by the devil https://jesseromero.com/blog/my-reflection-christmas 4) The untold story of the Pope behind the Christmas Truce of 1914 https://www.churchpop.com/the-untold-story-of-the-pope-behind-the-famous-christmas-truce-of-1914/

In Week Five of our Advent to Epiphany series, we focus on Saint Joseph, Head of the Holy Family, and the reality of responding to God when life feels anything but calm. Using the story of the Flight into Egypt, this episode explores what it looks like to hear God's voice in the middle of fear, disruption, and uncertainty—and still move forward.We talk honestly about the tension between wanting peace and feeling overwhelmed, the discomfort of prayer, and the challenge of trusting God when we don't feel ready or capable. Saint Joseph doesn't say much in Scripture, but his actions show us how to lead, protect, and surrender—one faithful step at a time.If you've ever felt like you're not enough, unsure of the next move, or stretched beyond your comfort zone, this conversation is for you.Scripture Focus Matthew 2:13–15, 19–23HighlightsResponding to God instead of the noise around usWhy discomfort might be a sign we're actually listeningTrusting God with what He's placed in front of us—family, faith, and daily responsibilities..............................

Today’s Topics: 1) Here are the meanings of 11 common Advent and Christmas terms that you might not already know! https://www.churchpop.com/meanings-of-christmas-words-you-never-understood/ 2) The ox and the ass on Christmas 3) Christmas was our “D” day: Christ came to save us and take back that which was stolen by the devil https://jesseromero.com/blog/my-reflection-christmas 4) The untold story of the Pope behind the Christmas Truce of 1914 https://www.churchpop.com/the-untold-story-of-the-pope-behind-the-famous-christmas-truce-of-1914/

Can joy be anything but denial in a rage-filled public life? Michael Wear joins Mark Labberton to reframe politics through the kingdom logic of hope, agency, and practices of silence and solitude. As 2025 closes amid political discord, we might all ask whether joy can be real in public life—without denial, escapism, or contempt. "… Joy is a pervasive and constant sense of wellbeing." In this conversation, Michael Wear and Mark Labberton reflect on joy, hope, responsibility, and agency amid a reaction-driven politics. Together they discuss the realism of Advent; the limits of our control; how kingdom imagination reframes anger; hope beyond outcomes, dignity under threat, and practices (including silence and solitude) that restore clarity. Episode Highlights "Joy is a pervasive and constant sense of wellbeing. … Joy is not a technique to then get people to do what you want them to do." "God's Kingdom is the range of his effective will." " Someone whose hope is rightly placed sees that a dignity denying culture does not have the final say." "Our will is effective and those things in which our will is not effective." "The pattern of domination and violence is an old one." About Michael Wear Michael Wear is the Founder, President, and CEO of the Center for Christianity and Public Life, a nonpartisan nonprofit that contends for the credibility of Christian resources in public life, for the public good. He has served for more than a decade as a trusted advisor to civic and religious leaders on faith and public life, including as a presidential campaign and White House staffer. He is the author of The Spirit of Our Politics: Spiritual Formation and the Renovation of Public Life and Reclaiming Hope: Lessons Learned in the Obama White House About the Future of Faith in America. Learn more and follow at https://www.michaelwear.com. Helpful Links and Resources Michael Wear, The Spirit of Our Politics https://www.zondervan.com/9780310367239/the-spirit-of-our-politics/ Michael Wear, Reclaiming Hope https://www.thomasnelson.com/9780718082338/reclaiming-hope/ Center for Christianity and Public Life https://www.ccpubliclife.org/ A National Call to Silence and Solitude https://www.silenceandsolitude.org/ Dallas Willard: "Personal Soul Care" https://dwillard.org/resources/articles/personal-soul-care Howard Thurman, Jesus and the Disinherited https://www.beacon.org/Jesus-and-the-Disinherited-P1781.aspx Show Notes End of 2025, cusp of Christmas; fraught public moment; joy as the lynchpin for faithful presence in politics and public life Joy held with pain, suffering, complexity Refusing denial while trusting a God who relentlessly pursues the world in love and hope Joy intertwined with hope, responsibility, agency Where does responsibility end and faithful agency begin? "Willard would say joy is a pervasive and constant sense of wellbeing." " It is very difficult to have joy if you are taking responsibility for things that are not your responsibility." Public life as joyless space; lacking imagination for joy amid provocation, antagonism, and constant political showmanship "If there are places in our life where we can't conceive of joy, it's a problem with our view of God." Misplaced responsibility, misplaced hope; joy collapses when taking on burdens that aren't ours and treating agency as ultimate "God's kingdom is the range of his effective will." "We each have our own little kingdoms … where what we say to be done is done." Politics reveals limits; a clarity about what we can do, what we can't do, and what we must import into the rest of life "Our will is effective, and there are things in which our will is not effective." "Faithfulness is not the ability to determine a righteous outcome … to everything in which our lives touch." False responsibility, obscured agency Are we taking charge of what isn't ours while ignoring the real choices we do have? "That's a recipe for joylessness." Poked and prodded by provocations; entertainment, antagonisms, and helplessness normalize reaction and justify complicity Anger as political fuel Many assume that raising your voice is the only faithful posture inside the public arena. "I've had people respond to me: 'How am I going to get anything done in politics without anger?'" "Political imagination has been taken over by a political logic as opposed to a kingdom logic." Relearning responsibility and agency; hope not grounded in our effectiveness, but in what God is doing beyond our reach. "Ultimate hope lies outside of the range of our effective will." "It is in that realm in which we are perfectly safe." Hope is for a life that pervades all things. "So when your hope is in the right place, you can hope for a whole range of things." " Someone whose hope is rightly placed sees that a dignity denying culture does not have the final say." Hope and joy "when your back is against the wall" Allen Temple Baptist Church: Joy at the margins of culture Fannie Lou Hamer Howard Thurman, Jesus and the Disinherited First Presbyterian Church in Evanston, IL Michael Wear, The Spirit of Our Politics Psalm 23 as distress-psalm: Enemies are still present, yet God leads beside still waters and cares most in greatest distress. "Take off the old self with its practices and put on the new self." "Put on Christ now in a way that will affect everything around us." Herod: The paranoid leader Advent into Christmastide—what it means to dwelling in Emmanuel "This is why the incarnation is such an extraordinarily important cornerstone: It's that God enters in through Jesus into our world, in a world in which, yes, there may be great praises in heaven and on earth from those who understand something at least of who he is and what he's there to do. But it also lands him in a world of immediate physical and familial vulnerability of political and social, if not military, violence." Are we protected from vulnerability, or living in precarity? The pattern of domination and violence Refusing forgetfulness as 2026 approaches with fresh pressures and fresh calling. National call to silence and solitude; disinvesting from reactionary instincts to engage the world with renewed vision and clarity. silenceandsolitude.org "Silence and solitude… can infuse your public activity with right vision and right clarity." #MichaelWear #MarkLabberton #ChristianPublicLife #ChristianPolitics #SpiritualFormation #Joy #Advent #SilenceAndSolitude #Hope #PublicWitness Production Credits Conversing is produced and distributed in partnership with Comment Magazine and Fuller Seminary.  

The most important word in salvation is little and easy to miss. What could happen if we lived it?

He comes to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their father.

Mary knows! Her Son, the Key of David is coming. Does He have permission to unlock you into new freedom?

In our next-to-last episode of 2025, Tim, Jon, and BibleProject CEO, Steve Atkinson, review all the resources we released this year, while reflecting on the bigger worldwide movement of people reading the Bible as a unified story that leads to Jesus. The guys then share about some of what's coming up next for BibleProject in 2026.TIMESTAMPSGratitude for Our Mission (0:00-4:08)New “One Story That Leads to Jesus” Reading Plan (4:08-9:01)A Year Studying Themes From Exodus (9:01-16:15)How the Bible Was Formed and the Deuterocanon / Apocrypha (16:15-17:53)The Bigger Movement of Reading the Bible as One Story (17:53-27:34)2025 Classroom Releases (27:34-30:02)2025 Updates to the BibleProject App (30:02-31:58)Ten Years of the BibleProject Podcast (31:58-33:09)What Are We Releasing in 2026? (33:09-38:38)Gratitude for Our Volunteers, Prayer Team, and Patrons (38:38-45:01)OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPTView this episode's official transcript.REFERENCED RESOURCESSubscribe to the “One Story That Leads to Jesus” annual reading plan on The Bible App by YouVersion.Check out our 2025 collections of resources! Each has a video, podcast series, scholar-written guide, reading plan, and group study.The MountainThe Exodus WayRedemptionThe WildernessListen to the 2025 podcast series How the Bible Was Formed.Watch the 2025 overview video series on The Deuterocanon / Apocrypha.Listen to the 2025 Advent podcast series.Check out OneStory, a creative nonprofit that develops free Bible studies, lessons, and homeschool curricula—all featuring BibleProject resources.See how Streetlights has localized BibleProject videos for their audience.Watch or listen to the final installment of our Genesis Classroom series, Joseph. Also check out the second installment of the Gospel of Matthew Classroom series, The Messianic Torah, which focuses on the Sermon on the Mount.Download the BibleProject App from the iOS App Store or Android Google Play Store.SHOW MUSICBibleProject theme song by TENTS SHOW CREDITSProduction of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Tyler Bailey is our supervising engineer, who also edited today's episode and provided the sound design and mix. JB Witty writes the show notes. Our host and creative director is Jon Collins, and our lead scholar is Tim Mackie. Special thanks to our guest, Steve Atkinson.Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's the last episode of 2025! Join Raechel and Amanda as they reflect on the final week of our Advent 2025 study and the whole of 2025. What a year it's been, and we are so grateful you've been along for the journey!Open your Bibles with us this week! This episode corresponds to Week 5 of She Reads Truth's Advent 2025 reading plan. You can read with the She Reads Truth community on our site, in our app, or with our Advent 2025: Tidings of Comfort and Joy printed or digital Daily Reading Guide.She Reads Truth on Instagram & FacebookRaechel Myers on InstagramAmanda Bible Williams on Instagram*If you purchase something through our links, She Reads Truth may earn an affiliate commission.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Magellan AI - https://docsend.com/view/5vdvbdx7cr4tikmyPodscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy

The True Story Behind Zurvan - The Demon From The Novel, "Advent of Evil"In Persian Mithraism, there was a deity associated with time and fate. His followers celebrated him during mid-winter festivals — festivals that reached their peak on December 24th. In the novel Advent of Evil, that deity appears as a demon who operates through a cursed advent calendar, enforcing strict rules: one door opened every day, no skipping, no ignoring. Break the rules, and there are consequences. Researchers tracing the object's history in the novel found it connected to a spirit board, a serial killer, a Christmas Eve fire, and thirty years of patient waiting. How much of the demon Zurvan has any basis in actual ancient mythology — and was there ever a real entity behind the fiction? We'll examine what archaeologists found on clay tablets dating back over three thousand years.CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = The Demon In The Advent Calendar00:05:13.171 = Show Open00:06:33.462 = A Thousand Years of Sacrifice00:18:20.446 = *** The Lion-Headed God In The Vatican00:41:40.408 = *** Kill Them All01:05:08.640 = *** The God Who Doesn't Care01:12:21.326 = Show Close*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad breakPRINT VERSION to READ or SHARE (Includes Sources):https://weirddarkness.com/zurvan=====(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: December 27, 2025EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/zurvanABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all things strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold cases, conspiracy theories, and more. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “20 Best Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a blend of “Coast to Coast AM”, “The Twilight Zone”, “Unsolved Mysteries”, and “In Search Of”.DISCLAIMER: Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.#WeirdDarkness #AncientMythology #PersianMythology #Zoroastrianism #ChristmasOrigins #OccultHistory #AncientDemons #DarkHistory #MysteryReligions #WinterSolstice #Zurvan #AdventOfEvil