Podcasts about duke divinity

Today's conversation is with Dr. Grant Wacker -- academic and author, and distinguished professor emeritus at Duke Divinity. His studies have focused on American Christian History, particularly on Pentecostalism and American culture. Today, we are talking to him about the Pentecostal life, and also what we might learn from the significant ministry of Billy Graham about how to do evangelism in the 21st century. Dr. Wacker has written two books on that topic – America's Pastor: Billy Graham and the Shaping of a Nation, and One Soul at a Time: The Story of Billy Graham.

“Gathering of the Manna,” James Tissot (1896-1902), The Jewish Museum, New York City I just finished the best class at Duke Divinity, “Old Testament and Leadership” taught by Dr. Ellen Davis and Dr. Sarah Musser. In addition to challenging readings and wonderful guest speakers, I realized that most of my religious life had been spent learning about the New Testament even though it is only 25% of the whole Bible and has about 5,000 words compared to 12,000. In our last class session we were sharing how our coursework in the Old Testament may have transformed our way of thinking, or how it might change our ministry in the future. All of the twenty students had poignant comments, but one from an Episcopal Priest, Rev. Emily Rowell has stuck with me for these past weeks. The intense study of the Old Testament had resonated with her about how we should talk about sufficiency rather than abundance. I started thinking how it would change my life if I started thinking more about having enough rather than having more. “Abundance” originated in 14th century France with the stem of abundans meaning overflowing, or full. Those terms seem different to me. If I have a cup of coffee that is “full”, it is up to the top of the rim, but if it is “overflowing”, it burns my hand when I try to pick it up to drink. I would like to think that I lead my life to “fullness” by having enough, but not more than I need. At the very least, anything that I possess to excess, I should consider sharing with those who have less. During the pandemic, I didn't want to be in crowds and was avoiding stores. I found myself ordering a case of dish soap from Amazon or Costco. Living alone meant that many items I ordered lasted more than a year. I still can't pass up a sale on 72 rolls of toilet paper. The pandemic has subsided, and the supply chain seems more reliable, but I still haven't shaken this idea that I need more of everything. My pantry is full and even the dogs have more toys than they can play with in a month. This Advent season, I'm going to be studying the Old Testament and dwelling with the Israelites when they were wandering in the wilderness. God told them that he would supply enough “manna” for them each day, except on the sixth day when he would double their supply (so they could enjoy a Sabbath rest). If they gathered more than they needed for a single day, it became “wormy and rotten” (Exodus 16). I want to gather only exactly what I need for sufficiency, knowing that any overabundance will become rotten in the eyes of the Lord. Blessings, my friend, Agatha

DateOctober 13, 2024SynopsisIn this sermon from Duke Divinity intern Victoria Pannullo, we enter into the parable of the wedding banquet (Matthew 22:1–14) and explore what it means to be invited, welcomed, and clothed in compassion and kindness as we approach God's table. This message invites those who feel excluded or out of place to see themselves as cherished guests in God's kingdom, learning to clothe themselves in humility, love, and forgiveness. It will resonate with anyone grappling with belonging and identity, reminding us to release our judgments, embrace our welcome, and live into the generosity of God's invitation.ReferencesScripture: Matthew 22:1–14About The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. We're also posting good stuff on Facebook, Threads, and Instagram, too. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.

In this week's study, I continue in Chapter 21 with verses 10 to 12. Before I get into the study, I talk about Joe Biden nominating his 12th LBGTQ judge to the Philadelphia Federal Court. Also I talk about an article title “Has God Changed His Mind on Homosexuality?” A book written by Richard Hays, professor of New Testament at Duke Divinity and his son Christopher who is professor of Old Testament at Fuller Seminary. Then I talk about Kamala Harris where she once boasted of 'behind the scenes' work to get 'every' trans inmate access to gender surgeries during her bid for the 2019 Democratic President campaign In our last study we finished up with verse 9, where John is visited once again by one of the angels of bowl judgments showing John the bride, the Lambs wife. We see this angel come to John and begin to show his that Yahweh has finally and completely dealt with the devil and all his evil forces. And Yahweh has even created a new world for his people. 10.   And he carried me away in the spirit = Gave him a vision of the city; seemed to place him where he could have a clear view of it as it came down from heaven. To a great and high mountain = The elevation, and the unobstructed range of view, gave him an opportunity to behold it in its glory11   John's description of the New Jerusalem seems to be in three parts. First, in Revelation 21:11-14, he describes the city as he saw it from a distance). Then he approached the city and the angel measured it. That gave John the opportunity to examine the city's walls and gates more closely. Finally, it seems that John entered the city. Revelation 21:22 to 22:5 describes what John saw inside the city. Everything that John saw there was beautiful, precious and wonderful. It shone with the glory of Yahweh, which was like a bright light. John could recognize Yahweh's glory; he had a previous experience of that glory. Having the glory of Yahweh = A glory or splendor such as became the dwelling place of Yahweh. And her light = In verse 23 it is said that “the glory of Yahweh did lighten it.” That is, it was made light by the visible symbol of the Deity - the “Shekinah.”  The word here rendered “light” - φωστὴρ  phōstēr - occurs nowhere else in the New Testament except in Philp. 2:15. It means, properly, a light, a lightgiver, and means commonly a “window.” It is used here to denote the brightness or shining of the divine glory, as supplying the place of the sun, or of a window.Like unto a stone most precious = A stone of the richest or most costly nature.Even like a jasper stone = On the jasper. It is used there for the same purpose as here, to illustrate the majesty and glory of Yahweh.Clear as crystal = Pellucid (allowing the maximum passage of light, as glass) or stunning like crystal.  The stone is essentially quartz, and the word “crystal” here is used to show that the form of it referred to by John was clear and bright 12.   And had a wall great and high = Ancient cities were always surrounded with walls for protection, and John represents this as enclosed in the usual manner. The word “great” means that it was thick and strong. And had twelve gates = Three on each side. The number of the gates corresponds to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and to the number of the apostles. Twelve = Denotes  Governmental perfection.  It is the number of factor of all numbers connected with government:  whether by Tribes or Apostles, or in measurements of time, or in things which have to do with government in the heavens and the earth.And at the gates twelve angels = Stationed there as guards to the New Jerusalem. And names written thereon = On the gates.Have any questions? Feel free to email me; keitner2024@outlook.com 

How can we practically and sincerely help people address some of the confusion and divisiveness around politics in our local churches and communities? In this week's conversation on FrontStage BackStage, host Jason Daye is joined by Curtis Chang. Curtis is a public theologian and former pastor. He currently serves as a senior fellow at Fuller Theological Seminary and as a consulting faculty member at Duke Divinity. Curtis, along with two of his colleagues, are the founders of The After Party Project. Curtis's most recent book is entitled The After Party. Together, Curtis and Jason explore how pastors who might be hesitant to address politics because of potential blowback or fallout can help their people reframe politics in a healthy way as they focus on Jesus. Curtis also shares some insights and some examples of how people from different political views have been able to find common ground through spiritual formation as they grow as disciples and grow in Christ-likeness.Dig deeper into this conversation: Find the free Weekly Toolkit, including the Ministry Leaders Growth Guide, all resource links, and more, at http://PastorServe.org/networkSome key takeaways from this conversation:Curtis Chang on the importance of redirecting attention from specific political issues to a deeper consideration of spiritual values and ethical conduct: "We're not trying to tell people how to vote on the what, we're trying to recenter people on a fidelity to Jesus, on the how."Curtis Chang the significance of maintaining both hope and humility in life: "What we're called to is to be high in hope and humility."Curtis Chang on the anticipation and celebration of Jesus's return and the restoration of all things: "It's going to be a party when Jesus comes and restores all things…. The true party that comes after all human political parties."----------------Looking to dig more deeply into this topic and conversation? FrontStage BackStage is much more than another church leadership show, it is a complete resource to help you and your ministry leaders grow. Every week we go the extra mile and create a free toolkit so you and your ministry team can dive deeper into the topic that is discussed.Visit http://PastorServe.org/network to find the Weekly Toolkit, including the Ministry Leaders Growth Guide. Our team pulls key insights and quotes from every conversation with our guests. We also create engaging questions for you and your team to consider and process, providing space for you to reflect on how each episode's topic relates to your unique church context. Use these questions in your staff meetings, or other settings, to guide your conversation as you invest in the growth of your ministry leaders. Love well, live well, & lead well Complimentary Coaching Session for Pastors http://PastorServe.org/freesession Follow PastorServe LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram | FacebookConnect with Jason Daye LinkedIn | Instagram...

Executive Director Mark Ramsey speaks with Elise Erikson Barrett (ECFPL, Leadership Education at Duke Divinity) about being equipped to talk about money faithfully, the mixed blessing of multi-vocational ministry, and the importance of healthy evaluation processes.

Rev. Dr. Dave Odom, who leads Leadership Education at Duke Divinity, works with hundreds of congregations and leaders from multiple faith traditions across the country. As such, he has a unique vantage point to view the realities of the church and what is needed for leaders today. In this week's podcast episode, Dave shares that a new kind of support is needed for the work of ministry today – specifically, catalytic leaders and organizations (even congregations!) who are discovering and supporting leaders and ministries doing God's transformative work in the world. Catalysts multiply the witness! May this conversation be catalytic in your work. May it spark a new imagination and perhaps a new collaboration that multiplies your impact. If it does, we hope you'll let us know. Email us, share with friends, leave us a review. Thanks for listening!In this conversation, you'll hear:The challenges of polarization in the church today and what leaders can do.What catalytic leadership is and why is it so important.Why being a healthy church is not the point.A story about a congregation that gives Dave hope for the church. About Dave Odom Rev. Dr. Dave Odom joined Duke Divinity School in August 2007 to launch Leadership Education at Duke Divinity and now oversees all of its programs and publications, including Faith & Leadership. He regularly teaches and facilitates events and both writes and solicits content for Faith & Leadership. Since 2014, he has directed Alban at Duke Divinity School.In addition, Odom supervises select initiatives at Duke Divinity School, where he serves as an associate dean and consulting professor. He teaches courses on strategy and leadership along with consulting on program and staff development.Before coming to Duke, Odom was the founder and president of the Center for Congregational Health in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, which supported healthy communities of faith through consultation, leadership development, interim ministry training and vocational discernment.For more than 20 years, he has been active in the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. He is an ordained Baptist pastor and graduate of Furman University, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Princeton Theological Seminary.To learn more about Leadership Education, visit their website: https://leadership.divinity.duke.edu/To view videos of podcast episodes, please go to the Igniting Imagination YouTube.Subscribe to our Learning and Innovation emails here. We send emails about each episode and include additional related resources related to the episode's topic. We know your inbox is inundated these days, we aim to send you content that is inspiring, innovative, and impactful for your life and ministry.If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts / iTunes?To view videos of podcast episodes, please go to the Igniting Imagination YouTube.

President Oaks shared in his most recent General Conference address that a distinct doctrine the restored gospel offers is in the definition of Heaven. The binary “heaven and hell” doesn't resonate with us because we are taught that Heaven will be exactly what we want it to be! God wants us to be happy and to be in a place where we are comfortable. So let's chat about this doctrine and the happy news that comes with it!   Kathryn is joined in this episode by contributor Melinda Brown. Mindy describes her perfect day as playing with her grandbabies, exploring along the beach, digging into a new book, and eating lots of scrumptious treats, definitely with frosting. She is getting her master's degree at Duke Divinity school.   Don't forget to follow us on Instagram! Order your General Conference Journal Edition today and follow along with Magnify as you study the words of the leaders!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

image from wayhomestudio on Freepik I'm in the M.Div. program at Duke Divinity and this term I've chosen by personal focus to be on Simplicity as a spiritual discipline. Last week I looked at “Simplicity of Time”, wanting to return my relationship with time to a place of holiness. In reviewing Guenther's chapter on simplicity, I kept coming back to her comment, “do I really need to know what the weather is going to be like in Berlin, today?” I realized how much time I spend each day checking my phone for information that may be important, but not to me. I check the weather multiple times a day, even when it is clear, and I always want to see what my friends are up to on Facebook and Instagram. I've tried a few things last week to check my phone usage and I estimate I've saved at least one hour per day! That hour has been a time of rest/relaxation that I haven't had in a long time. I'm planning to keep at it again this week to see if I can make it permanent. I realized also that I pick up my phone when I'm bored, or when I'm faced with some difficult homework assignment that I'm trying to avoid. Asking myself why I keep picking up my phone is important also in breaking those bad habits I've acquired. This is what I will be focusing on this week.I subscribe to a number of notifications of retail vendors that I frequent because I like to know when they have sales. But instead of clicking on the REI email each time just to “see if there is anything I need”, I'm first going to ask, “Is there anything I need from REI?” If the answer is “No,” I'm going to delete the email without going to their website to look at the sale items. I'm going to unsubscribe from all notifications for vendors that I didn't subscribe to (I'm sure someone sold my information as I didn't sign up for all these notices). Although it takes time to unsubscribe, I think it will save time in the long run.I'm only going to check the weather once each morning, unless there is a significant storm predicted for the area. Throughout the day, I can look out the window as I contemplate creation and figure out the weather.I'm only going to check Facebook and Instagram each evening. (This should save me a lot of time). Why do I feel like I need to know everything about my friends the minute that it happens? I'm going to eliminate multi-tasking as much as feasible. When I'm listening to music, I'm going to listen to music. When I'm writing a homework paper, I'm going to write. When I'm watching a movie, I'm going to watch the movie. When I eat dinner, I'm going to eat dinner. My life for a number of years has been structured around constantly trying to “get caught up”. I am much more productive and efficient when I can concentrate on one task and not let my mind wonder. I'll be back next week to share with you how it goes. I had great feedback last week as one of my readers suggested that we should make time each day for some “Sabbath”. I'm incorporating that into this week's plan, too! Blessings, my friendAgatha

The Holiness of Time, SSJE.org Margaret Guenther in her book, The Practice of Prayer, says that simplicity calls for a “radical trust that does not come easily.” I'm glad to hear that it's not second nature; I've been trying to lead a more simple life for decades. I either fail miserably or seem to have success for awhile and then slip back into bad habits. Maybe I'm looking at simplicity from the wrong point of view. Guenther talks about attempts to return to nature by growing her own food and pumping water from her yard. I agree that it may be simple, but for me it is also impractical. There are things that I'm good at but relying on the earth totally for my subsistence is not one of them. My focus this term in my Formation for Ministry class at Duke Divinity is Simplicity. It seems like it should be easy, but instead it is really hard. Perhaps if I take it slower over the next 8 weeks, I'll have a better chance of figuring out what Simplicity really is and how it can provide me with freedom in my life. One area that Guenther discusses is simplicity in time. She concedes that our lives and the lives of our families have become tightly scheduled to a degree unthinkable even a generation ago. But I still have 24 hours each day, just like everyone else. Guenther recommends returning to the intentionality of Sabbath even if we can't manage a full 24-hours at one time. She talks about how we waste considerable time joylessly leaving the television on after our favorite program is over or reading the news for more than we need. She asks, “does it really matter to me what the weather is like in Berlin, today?” I am guilty as charged. This week, I plan to make a few changes toward an intentional Sabbath:1. I'll go to bed and arise at approximately the same time each day.2. I'll keep a time diary and log my “Sabbath time”, even if it is only in 1 hour increments. Tracking my Sabbath time may help me see where I can be more intentional.3. I'll schedule regular in-office hours for my part-time job at church.4. At least once per day, I'll schedule 15 minutes of Sabbath time in my calendar. I'll let you know how it goes as I make progress toward simplifying my time and returning time to a place of holiness in my life. I'm interested in your comments, too. How have you been able to simplify your life in the area of time? Blessings, my friend,Agatha

Scripture: Mark 1:1-14 Nina Balmaceda provided the sermon this Sunday. Nina is on the faculty at Duke Divinity and president of the Peace and Hope International. She and her family are active at RMC. In the context of John the Baptist baptizing Jesus, Nina shared about the history of baptism and its relevance for us today.

Today on the show, Brian Daniel chats with Lifeway's own, Zac Workun about trends in Student Discipleship. Zac Workun serves as the Student Ministry Training Specialist for Lifeway. Zac is one of the co-founders of Youth Ministry Booster, Lifeway Students' collaboration and training network. He has served the local church in various youth ministry roles for over 15 years. He is a graduate of OBU with degrees in business management and religion and received his Master of Divinity from Duke Divinity with a certificate of Baptist Studies. Zac and his wife Karen have two wild boys—Isaiah & Gideon. Zac is an Okie, black coffee drinker, comic book nerd and an Enneagram 7. On Saturdays you can find him brunching outside or chasing toddlers across a playground. Connect with Zac on Instagram: @zacworkun

And Also with You is hosted by two young women Episcopal priests, moms, and deconstructing Christians, The Rev. Laura Di Panfilo and The Rev. Lizzie McManus-Dail. Neither one of us grew up Episcopalian and yet both of us have found a home in this faith ... and we know how disorienting it can be for people who are new to liturgical Christianity or who have never known there was another, faith-full way to follow Christ. Enter: And Also with You! Like what you hear? We'd love your support on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/AndAlsoWithYouPodcastThere's all kinds of perks including un-aired live episodes, Zoom retreats, and mailbag episodes for our Patreons! Keep up with us on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/andalsowithyoupodcast/ More about Father Lizzie:https://www.instagram.com/rev.lizzie/https://www.tiktok.com/@rev.lizzieJubilee Episcopal Church in Austin, TX More about Mother Laura: https://www.instagram.com/laura.peaches/https://www.tiktok.com/@mother_peachesSt. Paul's Episcopal Church in Pittsburgh, PA Theme music:"On Our Own Again" by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue). New episodes drop Mondays at 7am EST/6am CST! 

[00:00:00] Whitney Martin: We were talking about this with my son the other day, he had heard a Malcolm Gladwell podcast that said you have to have 10,000 hours to really do well on something. John and I started to talk to him about that, that looks like maybe four years, being in a role, a professional role, eight hours a day, five days a week. And I think that probably rings true in a fundraising position. It takes about three to four years to really get up and rolling, getting to know the landscape, the mission, and the important people that will support the work that you're doing. ++++++++++++++++++++++ [00:00:44] Tommy Thomas: Any time I question the value of all the time I spend conducting candidate research on LinkedIn, all I have to do is remember how I met our guest today. I was conducting a search for a major donor rep, and the position was located in the Carolinas or Virginia. So, I was looking for a seasoned professional who lived in that area. And one of the names that came from the research was Whitney Martin. On paper, she seemed like a solid candidate, so I contacted her. As it turned out, the overnight travel component of the job was a bit much for her and her family's season of life, so she passed on the opportunity. But as I do with every strong candidate I meet, I added her to the JobfitMatters database, and we've remained in touch. Whitney took her undergraduate degree in French and International Studies from UNC Chapel Hill and her Master's in Modern Foreign Language Instruction from Boston University. As you might imagine, she's fluent in French and has more than a passing proficiency in Spanish. She recently joined the Advancement Team at Duke Divinity School. Prior to this, she was Senior Director of Development for Duke Health Development and Alumni Affairs. Whitney, welcome to NextGen Nonprofit Leadership. [00:01:56] Whitney Martin: Thank you, Tommy. It is such a privilege to know you, and thank you for such a kind introduction. [00:02:03] Tommy Thomas: I think I'm remembering right from our conversations a year or two ago, but there was a time in your life when you thought you might be wearing Auburn burnt orange and navy blue instead of Carolina blue.  Is there a short story there? [00:02:16] Whitney Martin: That's exactly right. I even think I said War Eagle to you. And I know Toomer's well, even had a shirt from there, but you're right. As a child, growing up in Charlotte, I was thinking about spreading my wings and heading out of North Carolina and Auburn was one of those schools that I saw a couple of the graduates from my high school attend and thought, let me go check that out, until my parents made me drive the entire way from Charlotte to Auburn. Did I realize that's a little too far? I think they had that in the back of their minds that, let's show her how far it really is. But I still have a fondness for Auburn and love watching their football games. [00:03:04] Tommy Thomas: Take me back into your childhood. You grew up in Charlotte. What was it like? [00:03:09] Whitney Martin: It was a great place to live. We had a wonderful community, our church community, wonderful schools to attend. At that time, there was a lot of desire to make sure that there was diversity in our schools, and so during that time in my life, I was actually taking a bus an hour from my home to uptown Charlotte to attend elementary school so that I could be with people from all walks of life. And that value was instilled at an early age by my parents and my community. And in that respect, I think it was a great place to grow and learn and really try to figure out how to be in the world, but also how to care for others in our community. So it was great. [00:03:57] Tommy Thomas: What do you think may be the greatest gift your parents gave you? [00:04:01] Whitney Martin: Gosh, the greatest gift. I think trying to create an opportunity for me to develop a worldview and understand what generosity looks like, of time being relational and also providing resources to those who need it. They were always very generous. And I think that was one of the best gifts that they gave me. [00:04:27] Tommy Thomas:  How did you get into foreign languages? [00:04:31] Whitney Martin: Gosh, I had a really challenging French teacher in high school at East Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte. She was so challenging that I actually fell in love with the language and decided during my time at UNC Chapel Hill that I wanted to expand that worldview, get out of my comfort zone. That's always been a theme in my life, and so I had an opportunity to study abroad and was able to really get excited about the language in a new way. And after that experience in my sophomore year, I decided to make sure that was one of my majors in college. [00:05:10] Tommy Thomas: And where does the international studies piece come in? [00:05:13] Whitney Martin: My husband laughs at this, but there was a test called the Grammar Slammer that was required to get into the communications school at UNC, and I could not pass the Grammar Slammer, ironically, if it were in French, perhaps I could have, but that pivot was at the same time I did the study abroad opportunity. And so once I started to see there are other options for a degree at UNC, I realized, okay, what is something that is interdisciplinary in nature that pulls history, poli sci, languages, and gives me some flexibility to explore? And that was actually the most flexible major at UNC at that time and so I was one of the first students to actually get that degree at UNC. [00:06:06] Tommy Thomas: So what's something that people are always surprised to learn about you? [00:06:11] Whitney Martin: That's a good question. Whenever we do an icebreaker and somebody says, what is the funniest job you've ever had, some people might not guess that I've had, I actually was a hot dog temperature tester at Fenway Park while I was a grad student at Boston. So that might be something that somebody would be surprised that I had found myself doing. [00:06:37] Tommy Thomas: How did you get to Boston? [00:06:40] Whitney Martin: There were two really great teaching programs that I thought would be a great fit for me and that was the University of Florida and Boston University. I visited both locations and ultimately decided on Boston.  The city really was attractive and I met with the faculty and really thrived in that environment. They knew all of their students and really took the time to develop relationships with their students and help them and so that's ultimately how I ended up in Boston. ++++++++++++++ [00:07:17] Tommy Thomas: So how does somebody with all this language skill and knowledge get into fundraising? [00:07:22] Whitney Martin: That's a great question. I think the nature of language learners or, even in my case, I became not only a language learner, but a teacher, is that ability to want to translate, desires to be a good listener, tries to be relational with the language, and also a connector. And so I think those values and those skills that I had on the language side were very valuable as I moved into the fundraising side. I rely on those skills and tools every day as a fundraiser. So that's the way I would describe it, but it is unusual.  [00:08:04] Tommy Thomas: What was your first foray into fundraising? [00:08:07] Whitney Martin: This was a great opportunity back at UNC. I found myself leaving Boston and coming back to North Carolina to get married to my husband. And so, when I landed at Chapel Hill, I reached out to my network, and it happened to produce an opportunity to work in the humanities - a program called Carolina Performing Arts. Emil Kang was my supervisor at that time, and he was really trying to get a huge program off the ground at UNC. It was a very expansive interdisciplinary program to incorporate the arts into campus life in a new way. And so, donors kept calling and saying we want to meet you, we want to talk to you, we have some ideas. And he would pass the phone to me and say, can you just take care of this? Or can you talk to these people and figure out a way to get them engaged? And so, I felt very comfortable talking to these individuals and, connecting them, being the bridge to the larger vision. And that's really how I landed in fundraising. [00:09:18] Tommy Thomas: Who's played the biggest role in mentoring you in fundraising? And was that formal or informal? [00:09:25] Whitney Martin: And I have to say that is probably the most important piece to my career in fundraising. I think Rob Parker, who after I left Carolina Performing Arts, I realized, oh, this is an area I really enjoy, and I love academic higher ed. I wanted to get further into that, so Rob Parker hired me at UNC to be a major gift officer for the UNC Arts and Sciences Foundation. He really trained me formally but then also he has kept in touch with me over the years over 15 years. He'll check in with me and give me advice or he's my source to check in with him as well. So I'd say Rob Parker and then so many others. Donors have also been that for me too. [00:10:14] Tommy Thomas: So how has the donor mentored you? [00:10:18] Whitney Martin: There have been several donors that have really asked me questions about, how can they partner. How can they serve? I didn't always know the answer to how to plug them in appropriately. And my goal was always fundraising. And really trying to refine my role in those relationships was always a learning experience. But I have a couple of donors that have always kept in touch no matter where I went and wanted to make sure that I was being successful and challenging me and asking me questions and I think they also are great stakeholders, as we develop relationships with them. [00:11:06] Tommy Thomas: Give me some words and phrases to describe a great chief development officer, or in your case, a great boss. [00:11:14] Whitney Martin:  I think about that a lot because I always think about the people who have mentored me, but also how can I pay that forward because I would love to be that for someone else. Having a nurturing presence and being president is what stands out to me as attributes of a great Chief Development Officer And I think that the goal is to get mentored and then you pass that along. So, I think the most important perhaps is just being relational and being able to care in a nurturing way, and nurturing looks different for everybody. But I think having a nurturing presence and being present is what stands out to me as a great chief development officer. They're showing up for their donors. They're showing up for those that they supervise. And really just making sure that you have everything in your toolbox that you need and challenging you to perhaps improve or shape those areas that you might not be as equipped to do. [00:12:26] Tommy Thomas: You've seen people probably come and go, although you're still a young professional fundraiser. You've been around a little bit. What causes people to wash out? [00:12:37] Whitney Martin: A loss of being mission-focused. In today's environment, metrics are huge and that can overshadow the missional aspect of the work.  If you can't connect the donor with the mission, there is potential for burnout. Maybe the mission is not clear anymore. Maybe in our environment right now, metrics are such a big piece and sometimes I think that overshadows the missional aspect of our work because I think our work is to connect the donor with the mission and have an impact. If you're not connected to that, then you do wash out, you do get burned out. And I think losing that relationship with a mentor or a guide who can be a sounding board and draw you back to the mission is important too. So, it's easy. It happens all the time, but I think that's the key is to keep that connection to the mission strong. [00:13:31] Tommy Thomas: What have you and your husband learned about a two-parent working household? [00:13:38] Whitney Martin: Oh my goodness. I have to say, I think we've accepted that it's challenging and not perfect, right? That it's going to be changing as our children grow, as we grow as individuals, and as our professional lives grow. And I think we debunked the myth of this idea of having a balance. You hear that all the time. Oh, I need a work-life balance. And for us, it was always a myth. It's more or less, what are we prioritizing as a family? And sometimes we did great at doing that. Sometimes we've messed up. But I think for us, communication has been key. Keeping a calendar, and a schedule. Taking breaks. That might be that John needs a break, I need a break. Brene Brown likened it to percentages, and so that you as a couple bring 200%. And there are days that she would show up and say to her husband, I have 25%. And so that meant that her husband had to make up a hundred and seventy-five percent. John and I look for resources like that to really affirm what we're trying to accomplish, but also tools that keep that communication going, [00:15:01] Tommy Thomas: Going back to the fundraising, maybe some of the nuts and bolts, and this may not be a fair question because you're not a Chief Development Officer, but you probably have some notions. What do you think is a reasonable expectation for the amount of time it takes a major donor rep to learn the field, begin to cover their expenses, and be a net asset to the organization? [00:15:21] Whitney Martin: We were talking about this with my son the other day, he had heard a Malcolm Gladwell podcast that said you have to have 10,000 hours to really do well on something. And John and I started to talk to him about that, that looks like maybe four years, being in a role, a professional role eight hours a day, five days a week. And I think that probably rings true in a fundraising position. It takes about three to four years to really get up and rolling, getting to know the landscape, the mission, and the important people who will support the work that you're doing. [00:16:01] Tommy Thomas: What's the hardest part for you major donor reps? [00:16:07] Whitney Martin: I think it's trying to do two things simultaneously. Really getting to know the mission and the people who do the core business, in our circumstances, who are the students receiving scholarships? Who are the faculty that are teaching? And I think the second, at the same time, is developing relationships with donors, the key stakeholders who have been giving or are new, and holding both of those at one time can be tricky. And so I think you have to be comfortable in that dynamic and know that at some point you will become the expert, you'll be the bridge that really helps the donor create impact. But I think sometimes that discomfort lasts for a while. And so I think sometimes people get discouraged and might leave before they reach that third year or that fourth year of really the fruit of their hard work. ++++++++++++++++++ [00:17:21] Tommy Thomas: You mentioned, I guess in a conversation we had a couple of weeks ago, the difference between the relatively fast pace of raising money in a medical community versus the relatively slow pace of working back in the academy. Can you unpack that? [00:17:38] Whitney Martin: Yes, it's so interesting the culture at Duke Medicine and then at Duke Divinity and I think you know, in the medical side, the pace, there's urgency in health care, helping someone who received a diagnosis redeem that in some way by using their philanthropy to impact others downstream. There's an urgency there. On the academic side, while there is an urgency to make sure that our professors and students are equipped and cared for, there's a longer road map that we can be on. I think for me, trying to develop relationships that are not as transactional, but transformative to the mission. I'm enjoying at Duke Divinity the opportunity to have a little bit more of a road to do that. We did that a lot on the health side, but the pace was just more urgent because of the nature of the health care system and diseases that we were dealing with the same, that they're similar in that there's this urgency to heal, right? Heal our communities through healthcare or equipping leaders who graduate from the Divinity School to go out and heal others in the community. They're the same in that way, but the pace and the nature is different for me in making that transition. [00:19:19] Tommy Thomas: My friend Jeff Jowdy wrote an article called Mastering the In-Person Fundraising Ask. And he makes a statement, the role of the person making the ask is to get closure on a conversation that's been occurring over many months, if not years. Can you take us into maybe one of those kinds of experiences you've had, obviously without breaking any confidences of the donor, but take us into a long-term ask. [00:19:47] Whitney Martin: Yes I love that quote. It's so true, and it really names this idea of having a transactional relationship versus a transformational one, right? If it happens over a month, that might be transactional. If it takes months and years, there's a transformation that can occur. And that's where I get really excited. Inviting donors to have an impact and not just make a deposit in an annual fund account. One example, and this happens to be on the health side, was an opportunity to fundraise for an ALS professorship. There's a dynamic physician Dr. Rick Bedlack, who started and runs the Duke ALS Clinic, and he had a group of very generous donors who had been giving to research for ALS. And then there were some new donors that wanted to make an impact and it turns out that the priority was we need someone to be dedicated 100 percent to research and training and equipping new ALS doctors in the future. Duke did not have someone dedicated 100 percent to that mission. And so all of these donors who had that urgent need to make an impact because of their diagnosis came together and I think that these were conversations that we'd been having for a while with some of our previous donors. And the new donors that came along said, we want to help you get to that challenge. We want to raise the 3.5 million to help you get there. And so that invitation really invited people who were complete strangers and had a new focus that they came together to do. And it actually happened over about two years and there were even peer solicitations. Donors who had been giving challenged the new donors. The new donors challenged the ones who had been giving. And in the end, we had about five to six. And then we had another group of individuals that gave a good amount as well. So, it was a very meaningful effort and in the end was very successful, and now that person is appointed. It is Rick Bedlack and he's in that role now. It's very exciting to watch what they were able to accomplish together. [00:22:29] Tommy Thomas: One of the people that I wanted to interview in my podcast but I didn't get to was the late Peb Jackson of Young Life. And I read one of the tributes that someone said about Peb. The person making the tribute commented one day, he asked Peb something like, “How do you know if you'll be a good fundraiser?” Peb's response was, “Do people enjoy being around you?” [00:22:52] Whitney Martin: I love Peb. I remember being at a Young Life conference and he and his wife came, and it was like they were famous in the crowd. Everybody wanted to talk to them. I love that quote. I think he's exactly right.  You absolutely have to be relational. You have to be a good fundraiser, in my mind, or a chief development officer, you have to be motivated to have and care for relationships with others. And development is just relational at its heart and its core. There are often times when I don't perhaps have the same perspective as a donor, but we certainly can find a place to enjoy being around each other and enjoy making an impact on the mission. When I've interviewed individuals who might be interested in this role, the first thing I ask is, are you relational? And tell me a good story about a relationship that you have. Not how do you do your work in the database or how do you make an ask because a lot of that develops over years of investment, right? So yeah, I think that's a wonderful quote from Peb Jackson. [00:24:10] Tommy Thomas: So let me close this out with a little bit of a lightning round. These may or may not have longer answers. I'll let you decide that. I get this idea from Alan Alda's podcast and he always closes out with seven questions having to do with communication. I haven't quite got the number seven nailed down and I'm not sure what all mine relate to quite yet, but I'm working on that. What is one small act of kindness that you were shown that you'll never forget? [00:24:38] Whitney Martin: Oh, gosh, lightning rounds are hard for me. Generosity of time. Being able to sit with me. And show up in a way that just was able to listen. Generosity of time. [00:24:55] Tommy Thomas: What's the best compliment anybody's ever paid you? [00:25:00] Whitney Martin: That I take the time to have a deep relationship with someone. [00:25:08] Tommy Thomas: If you could go back in time and tell a younger version of yourself one thing, what would you say? [00:25:14] Whitney Martin: Don't stress. Life will come and it will be beautiful. [00:25:22] Tommy Thomas: If you're sitting beside a total stranger at a dinner party and you want to have a meaningful conversation, how do you start? [00:25:30] Whitney Martin: I always say, tell me about XYZ. I want to hear what they have to say. So, tell me about it. [00:25:41] Tommy Thomas: What's the most adventurous thing you've ever done? Aside from being a hot dog tester. [00:25:48] Whitney Martin: Exactly. I actually went on a mission trip to Kenya and that was a very formative experience but felt crazy at the time. I was 19, so can't believe my parents let me go. [00:26:02] Tommy Thomas: What do you think is the greatest invention of your lifetime? [00:26:07] Whitney Martin: Oh, I think it's social media, but gosh, I wouldn't call it great. But technology has just soared since I graduated from college. [00:26:20] Tommy Thomas:   If you could meet any historical figure and ask them only one question, who would it be, and what would you ask? [00:26:30] Whitney Martin: I've always wanted to meet Amelia Earhart, and I've always wanted to know her story and why she wanted to do what she did. And I've always wanted to know what happened to her.  [00:26:45] Tommy Thomas: Any parting words of counsel you would give to rising fundraisers? [00:26:54] Whitney Martin: I would say, take the time to relish the discomfort of those early days. And just, find a great mentor. Find a great mentor. That can be someone who's a peer or someone who's been in the field for a while. ++++++++++++++++++++ [00:27:14] Tommy Thomas: I'm grateful to Whitney for being our guest today. We've had several seasoned fundraisers as guests in the past. So I thought it was time to have a younger development professional. This conversation with Whitney turned out so good that I planned to have a couple of additional younger professionals as guests in the future. Although Whitney has been in the fundraising field for 15-plus years, she's still learning and growing. I hope that our younger listeners can learn from her candor and this conversation.  Join us next week as we continue our journey to make the nonprofit sector more effective and sustainable. ++++++++++++++++   Links & Resources JobfitMatters Website Next Gen Nonprofit Leadership with Tommy Thomas   Connect tthomas@jobfitmatters.com Follow Tommy on LinkedIn

One of God's greatest gifts to us is friendships, especially what our guest Rev. Dr. Victoria White calls “holy friendships.” These are the friendships that not only make life more enjoyable and more creative, but they are also core to who we are and who we become. They are “mutual and sacred relationships formed in God's love,” and they help us be who God designs us to be. She gives us permission to drop the idea that we have to be hyper-productive lone rangers in the world and calls us to spend more time with our friends. She points out that even Jesus depended on the diversity and friendship of his disciples for his ministry. We are excited for you to hear this conversation on the life-giving importance of holy friendship. Listen with a friend over coffee!Quotations"Our society has commodified friendship and developed it into something that can be consumed. The church offers a real opportunity for us to cultivate the conditions for more authentic, more mutual, more holy relationships that help form us into the people God is creating us to be."Rev. Dr. Victoria White"My holy friends are going to do that for me because they know that my work matters; they know that what I am doing contributes to the way that I am bearing witness to God's work in this world."Rev. Dr. Victoria White"You know you're in a holy friendship when you can be uber confident and unashamedly yourself."Rev. Dr. Victoria WhiteWe discuss:The different forms that holy friendships can take and how they can impact various aspects of life. (6:00)The power of friendship in forming disciples and the importance of cultivating authentic relationships in the church. (11:39)The positive impact of spending time with friends on energy, creativity, and overall performance in various aspects of life. (16:00)The significance of mutual respect, covenant, and conversation in friendships, especially in the face of inequality and social issues. (29:44)Exploring the connection between holy friendships and institutions, highlighting the need for friendships among institutions. (34:03)About Victoria Atkinson White is the managing director of grants at Leadership Education at Duke Divinity. In this role, she encourages traditioned innovation among Christian institutions and their leaders. For eight years, Victoria was a chaplain at the 900-resident Westminster Canterbury Community in Richmond, Virginia. Before that, she worked as minister to alumni at the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond. Victoria is a graduate of Duke Divinity School, Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond and Rhodes College. She is an ordained minister affiliated with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.Victoria is author of Holy Friendships: Nurturing Relationships That Sustain Pastors and Leaders, a book about how pastors and Christian institutional leaders serve more creatively, effectively, and joyfully when they feel supported and art of an intimate community of colleagues and friends who care about their personal and professional wellbeing.Show NotesVictoria Atkinson White is the managing director of grants at

This week I'm excited to have another return conversation with a longtime friend, and an amazing biblical scholar and author, Dr. Brent Strawn. Brent was actually my very first guest when I launched this podcast a couple of years ago, and I always learn new things when I get together with Brent and talk about the Old Testament. Brent is the D. Moody Smith Distinguished Professor of Old Testament (and Professor of Law) at Duke Divinity School and Duke University School of Law.  He's a grad of Point Loma Nazarene University and he did his MDiv and PhD at Princeton Theological Seminary. He's taught for several years now at Asbury Theological Seminary, Emory University's Candler School of Theology, and now Duke Divinity. He's written several books and over two hundred and fifty articles, chapters, reference works and reviews, and he served as both a translator and editor for the Common English Bible. Just this week it was announced that he has won a National Endowment for the Humanities grant for a project to create the first critical, eclectic edition of the Hebrew Psalter. This work will bring in all kinds of new resources into work on the Psalms – including the Dead Sea Scrolls. Our conversation today centers on his most recent book The Incomparable God: Readings in Biblical Theology (published by Eerdmans). This book is actually the bringing together of 18 of Brent's unpublished essays (and a couple of original chapters for the book), put together and edited by a couple of Brent's former students. The essays cover topics like the complex portrayal of God in Genesis, God's mercy in Exodus, the poetic description of God in the Psalms, the Trinity in both testaments, the integration of faith and scholarship, and (my favorite) an amazing reflection on the story of Elisha and the bears. It's a great book and really an honor for Brent to have former students already doing this kind of work on his behalf. I always love talking with my friend Brent, and I think you will love this conversation also.

As science continues to learn more about psychedelic substances and their use becomes more mainstream for both recreational and therapeutic applications, what do the church and faith leaders need to know? In this episode Joe and Jenny chat with Kaleb Graves, a recent Duke Divinity graduate who is researching and exploring the intersections of psychedelic use and Christianity. CONTENT WARNING: Kaleb talks frankly about his own experiences with psychedelics and their usefulness for people experiencing suicidal ideation, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and a number of other physical and psychological disorders. To learn more about Kaleb and Psychedelic Theology: Psychedelic Theology Podcast: https://psychedelictheology.podbean.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090081741922 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psychedelic_theology/  

What God most wants for us, says Duke Divinity professor Norman Wirzba, is that we be flourishing together, that we live in communion, and that in our sharing of life with each other, we can experience God's love. Norman shares why nurturing the world changes our lens from consumer to carer, and why asking, “How do we build more beauty in the world?” is a question most worthy of our attention.   Quotes “How can we build more beauty in this world? How can we cultivate goodness in our neighborhoods? Because when we have that goodness and that beauty, our lives are so much better. We can experience the joy that God has always wanted for creatures.” - Norman Wirzba “God is constantly active, nurturing and feeding and protecting and celebrating a beautiful world, a good world. And we should learn to do the same thing.” - Norman Wirzba   Guest's Links Norman Wirzba's Instagram Norman Wirzba's Facebook Norman Wirzba's Twitter Norman Wirzba's Website   Resources Mentioned in This Episode Duke Divinity School   Connect with Sally Lloyd-Jones Jesus Storybook Bible Facebook Jesus Storybook Bible Instagram  Sally's website Sally's Facebook Sally's Instagram   *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media*  

Presian Renee Burroughs earned her ThD at Duke Divinity School and currently teaches at the Wake Forest University School of Divinity, where she is also a fellow of Wake Forest's Center for Energy, Environment and Sustainability. She is the author of “Creation's Slavery and Liberation: Paul's Letter to Rome in the Face of Imperial and Industrial Agriculture” (Cascade, 2022). In this standalone interview, Presian talks about her experience as a Duke Divinity student, the apostle Paul, applying Pauline scholarship to the church context, the role of creation in Paul's writing, and what Paul's ecological ethic might mean for industrial agriculture and the food system in America today. COUPON CODE: Use code "PRESIAN23" at checkout for 40% off Dr. Burroughs' Wipf and Stock books: Creation's Slavery and Liberation: Paul's Letter to Rome in the Face of Imperial and Industrial Agriculture: https://wipfandstock.com/9781725294875/creations-slavery-and-liberation/ Practicing with Paul: Reflections on Paul and the Practices of Ministry in Honor of Susan G. Eastman: https://wipfandstock.com/9781532601040/practicing-with-paul/ * (Coupon code is good through 4/25/2023.) *   PODCAST LINKS: Blog post: [coming soon] Presian's website: https://presianburroughs.com/   CONNECT: Website: https://wipfandstock.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/wipfandstock Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wipfandstock Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wipfandstock/   SOURCES MENTIONED: Burroughs, Presian Renee. Creation's Slavery and Liberation: Paul's Letter to Rome in the Face of Imperial and Industrial Agriculture. ———, ed. Practicing with Paul: Reflections on Paul and the Practices of Ministry in Honor of Susan G. Eastman. Martyn, J. Louis. Galatians. The Anchor Bible.   OUTLINE: (01:35) – Coffee, OJ, water, chai latte (02:56) – “Narrowly evangelical” to “broader evangelicalism” (06:44) – Grappling with the inspiration of Scripture (09:01) – Life at Duke Divinity (13:01) – Authentically Christian professors (17:34) – Pauline scholarship and the church: overlapping complexities (23:48) – Paul and the not-so-uniform church (27:20) – Honoring Susan Eastman (31:44) – Scripture's story of creation and science's story of earth (35:33) – Paul and politics (43:35) – Creation in Paul's thought (47:11) – Humanity and creation: dominion or servant leadership? (51:03) – Deforestation in ancient Rome (55:16) – Eco-ethical principles in Paul's writing (01:03:15) – Applying Paul's ecological ethic to America's food system (01:10:02) – Compost, food co-ops, and more beans (less meat)

One of my favorite classes that I ever took as a student was a 16th century Reformation class at Milligan College my sophomore year (30 years ago this fall). We met once a week for three hours, I think it was on Thursday evenings. I started that semester in a 1/4" thick plastic brace that went from my neck to my pelvis due to a fractured vertebrae that the brace was intended to stabilize. The injury is significant to the story because I broke my back near the end of my freshman year while playing baseball for the Buffaloes, and when I went home for the summer, I couldn't work or do much of anything due to the pain and numbness. I got a ridiculous brace, and all my friends got jobs. I was at home, and got so bored of watching VHS tapes of “Home Improvement” that in desperation I decided to...*read a book*. Tucked into some bookshelves full of English literature, my mom had a couple books that caught my eye: _The Sovereignty of God_ by A. W. Pink, and _The Five Points of Calvinisms: Defined, Defended, and Documented_. I was in trouble the rest of the summer. By the time I got back to Milligan I had learned about God's sovereignty in salvation. The doctrines of grace answered questions I'd had and it reinvigorated my biblical studies. I started talking to fellow students at Milligan, I soon after started a small Bible study of about six, and we went through verse after verse about man's sinfulness and God's election and Christ's atonement and the Spirit's regeneration and the hope of perseverance unto eternal life. Around campus I started getting labeled as a false teacher, a false prophet, David Koresh, and one girl called me the antichrist. Another acquaintance pleaded with me to stop this Bible study and, when I said I didn't think I would, he said a group of students were going to gather outside my room the following Friday night and pray that God would cast the devil out of my soul. I said, "Thanks! Because if the devil is in there, I don't want him to be!”It was that same fall semester when I was taking the Reformation class. Dr. Craig Farmer was a graduate of the Duke Divinity school, and had I stayed at Milligan I'm sure I would have encountered difficulties with some of his beliefs. But he was a Calvinist on the down low. And after some weeks of reading Erasmus complaining about the Pope, we got to reading Erasmus complaining about predestination. We read _On the Freedom of the Will_ (*De Libero Arbitrio*). But we read it in a copy that was followed by Martin Luther's _On the Bondage of the Will_ (*De Servo Arbitrio*).Erasmus presents a sympathetic position to how a lot of Christians feel today. Erasmus was especially concerned that some of these things shouldn't be put as a burden upon "lay" Christians, the regular, non-academic theologians. In the preface he writes:> For there are some secret places in the Holy Scriptures into which God has not wished us to penetrate more deeply…. (38). Moreover, some things there are of such a kind that, even if they were true, and might be known, it would not be proper to prostitute them before common ears. (40) Some things for this reason are harmful because they are not expedient, as wine for a fevered patient. Similarly, such matters might allowably have been treated in discussion in the learned world, or even in the theological schools, although I should not think even this to be expedient save with restraint. (41-42)Erasmus was sure that it would lead to misunderstandings and misrepresentations of God, even to an increase of impiety among weak men as well as to division among believers. You could come in the house (of Scripture), but there were a lot of rooms that would be off limits unless you had special training, and even then, best to stay out. Luther gave no quarter to Erasmus, and all the Reformers were driven to attack any who would keep God's Word from the people. Among many choice responses about why God's Word is so good for us, Luther wrote:> For if I am ignorant of what, how far, and how much I can and may do in relation to God, it will be equally uncertain and unknown to me, what, how far, and how much God can and may do in me, although it is God who works everything in everyone (1 Corinthians 12:6). But when the works and power of God are unknown, I do not know God Himself, and God is unknown, I cannot worship, praise, thank, and serve God, since I do not know how much I ought to attribute to myself and how much to God. (117)This makes Erasmus' plea, as virtuous and humble as he presents it, full of pride. Does God know what He revealed? Does God need us to edit what He's said, to protect His people from certain parts of His Word? By no means! Should we do our best to rightly handle the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15)? Of course. Should teachers be careful because they are going to be judged with greater strictness (James 3:1)? Absolutely. Is refusing to read, teach, and exhort from, any part of inspired Scripture more honoring to God who spoke it (2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:21)? By no means!> "What remedy then is there for the godly? Must they avoid every thought of predestination? By no means: for as the Holy Spirit has taught us nothing but what it behoves us to know, the knowledge of this would no doubt be useful, provided it be confined to the word of God." (—John Calvin, _Commentary on Romans_)_ We want to read the Word, preach the Word, receive and believe the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27). I'm fine with nicknames that attempt to summarize what we find. I've often thought that it's a mercy that whoever acronym-ized the doctrines of grace gave us TULIP, a beautiful flower, rather than something such as BRICK or BLADE or BLUDGEON. Because we are talking about God's emphasis on *mercy*. He is sovereign over all, and all His attributes are infinitely excellent. But He reveals that some make others stand out more. His righteousness is His commitment to the glory of His name, and while we learn to fear Him for His forgiveness (Psalm 130:4), His forgiveness is that much more significant because of His omniscience (Psalm 130:3) and because He is holy, holy, holy (Isaiah 6:3). So even in Romans 9, and especially in Romans 9:19-23, His righteous wrath makes His righteous mercy even more outstanding, and it is His mercy that we ought to marvel at most. I've spent a long time getting back to the paragraph because it's fine to take a couple weeks to look at these truths. If you love them already, lingering probably doesn't frustrate. If you don't love them already, there are any number of reasons, including maybe having heard distorted accounts or not attending to the passage itself. We want to see what's here before we complain about all the other things. # Question: How is God fair? (verse 19)Among those who've been around (and around and around) in these conversations about God's sovereignty, there is a common, and commendable push back about how the greater scandal is not that God judges anyone but that God forgives anyone. And from one angle, that is true. None of us have ever not sinned. We all sinned in Adam, we all sin—as in we want, intend, and commit to disobey. We *mean it* when we do evil. We all deserve death. The rotten tree produces rotten fruit and is rightly identified by the fruit. If we got what we "deserved" there could be no justification. “Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous” (1 Peter 3:18), but that isn't *fair*. We tend to minimize how much mercy was required in the blood of Christ so that God "might be just and justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus" (Romans 3:26).In Romans 9 we certainly ought to be fired up about Isaac and Jacob and the elect-elect in Israel that got mercy. They weren't entitled their election, the did not deserve God's compassion or love. *But* that is *not* the complaint Paul raises and responds to starting in verse 19.> You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” (Romans 9:19 ESV)The problem is **fault**, the problem is "blame." The problem isn't undeserved mercy, the problem here is (what looks like) undeserved judgment. Okay, fault *for what*? The most recent character in context is Pharaoh, providing an example of those who God chose not to show mercy, after Ishmael and Esau. The final inference in verse 18 says that God "has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills." Is mercy unconditional and hardening conditional? Many commentators think so. > “His hardening always presupposes sin and is always part of the punishment of sin.” (Leon Morris)> “It must be borne in mind that Paul is not now dealing with God's sovereign rights over men as men but over men as sinners. …[Sovereign hardenings] presupposes sin and ill-desert. It would be exegetically indefensible to abstract verse 21 and its teaching from these presupposed conditions.” (John Murray)So this is a question of whether God is righteous to let sinners have more of the sin that they already have shown that they want? But if we're dealing with God's response to unrighteousness than why would we ask how He finds fault? He found unrighteousness, that's how He found fault. If He finds fault first, then He finds a condition for hardening. When the motive condition is met in a man, God's motive is off the hook. Isn't this partly why Paul didn't leave the Isaac over Ishmael example by itself? There was something obviously lesser about Ishmael. There was no difference between Jacob and Esau that we could see *or that God was looking for* according to human standards. > “If the difference had been based on works, Paul would have to no purpose mentioned this question respecting the unrighteousness of God, no suspicion could have been entertained concerning it if God dealt with every one according to his merit.” (John Calvin)Of course we should be careful on this ground because God “neither is nor can be the author or approver of sin.” (Westminster Confession of Faith, 5:4) And James 1:13-14 make clear that God is not tempted with evil and tempts no one. But is He sovereign over sin and evil in any way? And if judgment/wrath is *only* based on man's fault, what is the purpose of this paragraph? # ConclusionPaul's answers, or at least his responses, come in the next verses. We are pots, and the Potter has all the power to make pots into what He wants (20-21). We are pots, and the Potter has ultimate purpose (22-23), which ultimately is to make known the riches of His glory for vessels of mercy. God did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us that He could also graciously make us conquering sheep (Romans 8:32, 36-37).----------## ChargeBecause God has a great purpose, He sent His Son to suffer and die for us. Because God has a great purpose, He calls you who have been given eternal life in Christ to come alongside one another and be a blessing to each other. The Potter has made you a vessel for honorable use, so live as a pot for His great purpose. ## Benediction:> For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:9–11, ESV)

Jackson McNeece and Dr. Mark Turman discuss the bioethics of euthanasia, why our culture has begun to accept physician-assisted suicide, and what the Bible says about “pulling the plug” on people on life support.    Show notes:    Jackson McNeece begins by explaining biomedical ethics, giving the state of the modern debate and culture's view on euthanasia, and how Christians should react (2:52).  They move to define terms like physician-assisted suicide, active and passive euthanasia, and “letting die” (10:10). They talk about why people are choosing physician-assisted suicide in such large numbers (20:44).  Then, they discuss “brain death” and persistent vegetative states, comas, heroic measures, life support, and how to treat people with these conditions (26:45).  They talk about biblical dualistic versus holistic views on the soul and body, and why it's important to talk to loved ones about death and dying (36:43). If the holistic view is correct, how should we treat comatose patients? Can Christians ever “pull the plug” on a dying loved one (41:42)?  They end by considering why the disabled community is so against physician-assisted suicide and why Christians should never take their own lives (56:39).    Resources and further reading:   “What does the Bible say about euthanasia?” Dr. Jim Denison “What does the Bible say about suicide?” Dr. Jim Denison “6 topics in biomedical ethics every Christian should be concerned about” Jackson McNeece “No Other Options: Newly revealed documents depict a Canadian euthanasia regime that efficiently ushers the vulnerable to a “beautiful” death.” Alexander Raikin “Will Euthanasia Be Secular or Sacred?” Ross Douthat “What Euthanasia Has Done to Canada” Ross Douthat “Having suicidal thoughts? Call or text 988” Mark Legg   About the host   Mark Turman, DMin, is the executive director of Denison Forum. He received his DMin from Truett at Baylor and previously served as lead pastor of Crosspoint Church.    About the guest    Jackson McNeece is a Master of Divinity student from Oklahoma City, OK. In May of 2021, Jackson graduated from Baylor University with a degree in Medical Humanities. Throughout his studies at Baylor, he developed an intense curiosity for medical ethics, particularly within a healthcare setting. While studying at Duke Divinity, Jackson hopes to continue to cultivate his fascination with medical ethics, learn to ground medical ethics within a theological context, and develop an understanding of what it means to serve in a pastoral capacity in medicine.

Another Week, even more Woke Nonsense! We will be going through all of the wildest woke stories this week: Duke Divinity claims God is Queer, Duke University Press' Wild New Book, Cambridge endorses Trans Jesus, a Museum with no Artifacts, Lamar Odom accuses a NBA Mascot of Racism, and a Pharma Heiress gets saved from the Woke Cult! WE POST DAILY! If you don't see us, check our other socials. If you got a favorite, we are most likely on it! Our Link Tree has all of our Socials! - https://allmylinks.com/robisright

Yazmin Spearman is a third-year MDiv candidate at Duke Divinity. She defines herself as a human, creative writer, and preacher. This episode was previously recorded in the summer of 2021. Due to my study abroad plans, Kiki's Korner was interrupted. Please enjoy this powerful conversation on intersectionality, critical race theory, womanism, the Black Church, and social movements. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/kimani-francois/support

1. Seth continues his review of Matthew 15 examining Jesus wanting to feed a crowd.2. Seth responds to a listener submission about using church buildings.3. Seth debuts a new segment,

In this episode of Church is Changing, host Paul Nixon interviews Elaine Heath, former dean of Duke Divinity school, author/expert on neo-monasticism and Abbess of Spring Forest Farm in North Carolina. This conversation offers great insight into the contours of the emerging 21st century church.

As pastors and ministry leaders, we feel called to support and care for others. Yet oftentimes, we do not accept that same support and care for ourselves. In this week's conversation on FrontStage BackStage, host Jason Daye is joined by Dr. Thad Austin. Thad is a senior director at the Ormond Center at Duke Divinity, and he and his team have completed a research study looking at caring for pastors and ministry leaders. Today, Thad and Jason look at some of the theological and biblical underpinnings of caring for clergy, as well as some of the roadblocks that hinder ministry leaders from accepting the care that can help their lives and ministries thrive.Dig deeper into this conversation: Find the free Weekly Toolkit, including the Ministry Leaders Growth Guide, all resource links, and more at http://PastorServe.org/networkSome key takeaways from this conversation:Thad Austin on the source of some of the problems we are facing today in the Church: "One of the reasons why we have some of the problems we have in the church is because people are pulling not from a place of fullness and abundance, but instead, from a very, very dry place."Thad Austin on the importance of the backstage, or personal well-being, of ministry leaders: "It's really important to think about the front stage kind of persona, and the way that that sometimes, if it's not backed up by a deep spiritual well, that it actually creates a disingenuous form of ministry. This is the reason why Jesus took time away. This is the reason why he called for his disciples to take time away."Thad Austin on the long-standing tradition of supporting ministry leaders: "The way that we support religious leaders today is actually something that's very, very old, and it's a continuation of a long narrative that stretches all through the Early Church, through the Reformation era, to the modern-day experience."-------Looking to dig more deeply into this topic and conversation? FrontStage BackStage is much more than another church leadership show, it is a complete resource to help you and your ministry leaders grow. Every week we go the extra mile and create a free toolkit so you and your ministry team can dive deeper into the topic that is discussed.Visit http://PastorServe.org/network to find the entire Weekly Toolkit, including the Ministry Leaders Growth Guide (Our team pulls key insights and quotes from every conversation with our amazing guests. We also create engaging questions for you and your team to consider and process, providing space for you to reflect on how that episode's topic relates to your unique church context. Use these questions in your regular staff meetings, or other settings, to guide your conversation as you invest in the growth of your ministry leaders.)Love well, live well, and lead well --------Complimentary 1-hour Coaching Session for Pastors http://PastorServe.org/freesessionFollow PastorServe LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Connect with Jason Daye LinkedIn | Instagram 

Breaking out of one chapter of life and breaking into the next. Join Alana, Emmy, and Meg as they break out of senior year of college and into corporate America. They're figuring out “adulting” one step at a time, from North Carolina sports to TV in the Big Apple to social media in a remote space. Today, Al Dean Jr. joins our hosts to share his college experience and his transition into Duke University's Divinity School. Hear from the best friends turned co-hosts every Tuesday. Follow us on social media on Instagram at @thebreakoutpodcast and TikTok at @TheBreakoutPodcast.

While the Covid-19 pandemic forced many churches to join the digital revolution, many have failed to accept the "Great Digital Commission." Believing that embracing social media can be a catalyst for church growth and transformation, Caleb Lines joins to the show to talk about the importance of evaluating vision and mission, why branding is more than just trendy graphics, and why not everything you do at your church needs to be replicated online also. Rev. Dr. Caleb J. Lines is Senior Minister of University Christian Church in San Diego. Additionally, he is the Co-Executive Director of Progressive Christianity.org and is the Co-Host of the podcast The Moonshine Jesus Show. Caleb has a passion for pursuing social justice for the marginalized, demonstrating the Good News of God's radically inclusive love, and proclaiming a relevant message for today's ever-changing world. Caleb is the author of The Great Digital Commission: Embracing Social Media for Church Growth and Transformation His writing has been featured in The Nation Magazine, Disciples News Service, Chalice Press, The Christian Left, The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, The Center for Prophetic Imagination, the Convergence Leadership Project, and Sojourners. Caleb has a D.Min from Duke Divinity and a M.Div from Yale.  The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.

Kori joins and talks about her journey in caring for herself and what it has meant at various points in her life and ministry. Now she uses her journey to help others as she looks to continue to gain education in clergy health, and how she can mentor clergy in their own wholistic self-care journeys. Ordained elder in VA, serving in Chapel Hill, NC. I graduated from Duke Divinity in 2012, and for the last decade have served in higher ed at Duke and in churches in Durham and Chapel Hill. My health journey really began in 2011. I decided as I finished seminary, I wanted to make my physical health a priority. I managed to maintain a hundred pound weightloss for the last decade through better nutrition and activity (even through the birth of two kids). I also found myself passionate about helping clergy find rhythms of self-care that would contribute to well being for the whole self. That passion led me to work with the Clergy Health Institute through Pfeiffer University beginning in 2016. I am currently pursuing certification as a health coach, but I think health covers the whole person-mental, social, spiritual, vocational, financial, and physical. https://instagram.com/revkorirobins (@revkorirobins on Instagram) https://www.pfeiffer.edu/clergy-health-institute/ (Pfeiffer Clergy Health Institute) Don't forget to join our Active Faith Community on Facebook to share your journey and encourage and support others in their active journeys as well. https://www.facebook.com/groups/999882660818141 (Active Faith Facebook Community) Find us @activefaithpod on Facebook and Instagram Support me and this podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/runninrev (https://www.patreon.com/runninrev) Connect with Andrew: https://linktr.ee/runninrev (https://linktr.ee/runninrev) Background Music from Yevhen Lokhmatov, 'Race For Glory' http://www.melodyloops.com/tracks/race-for-glory/ (www.melodyloops.com/tracks/race-for-glory/) Granted permission to use this Music by Melody Loops and its licensees, including Andrew Ware.

Becky Harling has a degree in Biblical Literature and is a sought-after speaker and Bible teacher at women’s conferences and retreats across the country. She is also the author of, 'The Extraordinary Power of Praise.' Becky joined Tom and Tabi as they worked through audio from the event, and shed some much needed scriptural light on the Duke Divinity Pride worship service that took place earlier this year on the campus of Duke University.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A worship service co-hosted by Duke Divinity School and the Duke Divinity Pride student organization invited students to praise the “great queer one. We want to affirm everyone to be who they truly are,” second year Master of Divinity student Caroline Camp began. “To step into the holy one’s fire that burns away all that says we are not good enough and refines us by the Pentecostal fire to be who exactly the great queer one calls us to be." Join the conversation as Tom and Tabi unpack what they hear, as they listen to the audio recording of the opening remarks from this event.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Man Talk, with your Hosts Will Hardy and Roy Jones Jr. This week, the discussion turns to Duke Divinity students claim that God is queer. Our ministry is devoted to breaking down the walls of race and denomination so that men, who are disciples of Christ, may come together to worship as one body

On today's program, Kanakuk Kamps face new scrutiny over its handling of sex abuse cases.  And Liberty University faces a federal investigation over its handling of sexual assault.  Also on today's programs, Duke Divinity students pray to a “queer god” and conservative Methodists form a separate denomination.  We begin today with news that Jacksonville, Florida's Celebration Church has been kicked out of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. I want to mention again that a couple of the stories we talked about today – the Kanakuk story and the Life360 Church story – came from reader tips.  That happens just about every week.  If you have a story you'd like us to cover, or a ministry that you think needs a closer look, please email us.  Our email is info@ministrywatch.com.  That will come directly to my desk, and we'll take it from there. And, finally, a reminder that you can help the program by leaving us a rating on your podcast app.  The more ratings we get, the easier it is for others to find us.  It's a quick, easy, and free way you can support MinistryWatch. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth.  Writers who contributed to today's program include Anne Stych, Kim Roberts, Hannah Dreyfus, Hope Rawlson, Emily McFarlan Miller, Steve Rabey, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren. Special thanks to ProPublica and Juicy Ecumenism—the blog of The Institute on Religion & Democracy—for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, Kanakuk Kamps face new scrutiny over its handling of sex abuse cases.  And Liberty University faces a federal investigation over its handling of sexual assault.  Also on today's programs, Duke Divinity students pray to a “queer god” and conservative Methodists form a separate denomination.  We begin today with news that Jacksonville, Florida's Celebration Church has been kicked out of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. I want to mention again that a couple of the stories we talked about today – the Kanakuk story and the Life360 Church story – came from reader tips.  That happens just about every week.  If you have a story you'd like us to cover, or a ministry that you think needs a closer look, please email us.  Our email is info@155.138.219.249.  That will come directly to my desk, and we'll take it from there. And, finally, a reminder that you can help the program by leaving us a rating on your podcast app.  The more ratings we get, the easier it is for others to find us.  It's a quick, easy, and free way you can support MinistryWatch. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth.  Writers who contributed to today's program include Anne Stych, Kim Roberts, Hannah Dreyfus, Hope Rawlson, Emily McFarlan Miller, Steve Rabey, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren. Special thanks to ProPublica and Juicy Ecumenism—the blog of The Institute on Religion & Democracy—for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

  In This Episode, We Talk About: The doctrine of horizontal atonement, reconciliation, and salvation. Beliefs and traditions of the early church and early church fathers. The Biblical basis behind cosmic powers and demonic forces. Cross-cultural and multi-ethnic unity in the church and how it honors and glorifies God. Resources & Links: Follow Mission ONE on Instagram | @partnerwithmissionone   Learn more on mission1.org  Show Notes: Do you know how to honor God in a unifying, fulfilling way? Our guest today is Kristin Caynor, a researcher working on the Ephesians 2 Gospel Project! Kristin has her MTS from Duke Divinity and is currently working on her PhD at Trinity College as she dedicates her life to serving the global church the best way she can. She will be sharing her knowledge of Biblical text as we examine Ephesians 2 and its doctrine to horizontal atonement and salvation. We will discuss the beliefs and traditions of the early church in comparison to the modern church as we take a look at the text from the early church fathers' eyes.   Then, it's time to explore the Biblical basis behind cosmic and demonic powers at play in our world. We also talk about unity within the church and embracing a multi-cultural doctrine to bring glory to God. Why has Ephesians 2 been overlooked for so long? How does culture and context play a big role in how we interpret scripture today? What did the first 300 years of the church look like, and what has changed since then? By the end of this episode, you'll be able to see an oft-overlooked text in a new light and new appreciation, so you can bring glory to God in a whole new way! 00:00 Say hello to researcher Kristin Caynor working on the Ephesians 2 Gospel Project! 02:20 What is the Ephesians 2 Gospel Project? 04:55 Examining the horizontal reconciliation in Ephesians 2:14-16. 06:40 What is significant about this collective reconciliation? 09:50 How did the early church fathers view this text?  10:50 How did Kristin get involved in the Gospel Project? 13:20 Why do you think this text was overlooked for so long? How is the Project helping people to see it in a new perspective? 15:10 What did the first 300 years of the early church look like? 19:25 Why do we think differently about salvation compared to the early church fathers? 22:40 How has our culture affected the way we view and read the text of Ephesians 2? 24:15 Extrapolating the reconciliation of the Jews and gentiles. 28:10 What did slavery look like in the early church? 30:30 How did Gregory of Nyssa view slavery? 35:40 What scriptures tell us about the cosmic powers? 38:50 What is the Biblical basis behind demonic forces? 41:40 The mystery of the gospel. 43:30 How does God show his glory in Ephesians 2? 46:20 What do the early church fathers have to say about this? 51:10 How does disunity in the church dishonor God? 54:20 What do you hope people take away from this episode?

We just had to go over some of the hilarious comments from the video we mentioned in Episode 065! Enjoy some laughs today! 

We just had to go over some of the hilarious comments from the video we mentioned in Episode 065! Enjoy some laughs today! 

Kaitlyn Schiess is a writer and author who's studying for her doctorate in political theology, ethics and biblical interpretation at Duke Divinity School and has earned her ThM in systematic theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. In 2020, Kaitlyn's book The Liturgy of Politics: Spiritual Formation for the Sake of Our Neighbor created quite a stir. She has also written about theology, politics, and culture in outlets such as Christianity Today, The New York Times, Sojourners, several other national publications and is rather prolific on Twitter! We cover a lot of ground in this conversation. Part of Kaitlyn's journey that is unique is that not a lot of people start out at Liberty Univ. for undergrad and then end up at Duke Divinity for their doctoral work. It was interesting to hear Kaitlyn's thoughts about where many of her Liberty classmates stand in terms of politics and theology today. We also talked about "What story am I buying into?" and how our paradigms affect how we interpret what's happening in the world. We went on to assess some of the problems that ail our culture in the church and more broadly, and we explore prescriptions of how we might be able to move forward. https://kaitlynschiess.com/ https://twitter.com/KaitlynSchiess https://www.instagram.com/kaitlynschiess/ https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780830848300

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. In this month's episode of the Grace for the Future podcast, Bishop Leonard Fairley and his guests are Rev. Jason Villegas and Eliza Love. Rev. Villegas is an ordained Elder in the North Carolina Annual Conference, serving Murfreesboro UMC and also on the Conference task force on reimagining youth ministry and the Hispanic Latino Committee. Eliza Love is in the candidacy process in the Kentucky Annual Conference and is in her second year at Duke Divinity school working on her Master of Divinity degree. On this episode of Grace for the Future, Bishop Fairley and his guests look at what it means to sing that Hosanna of how grateful we are for God's grace. How does gratitude for God's grace manifest itself in our lives? Join us for this month's episode of Grace for the Future!

Curtis Chang, consulting faculty at Duke Divinity school and host of the Good Faith Podcast, joins Amy Fritz for a conversation about grief and hopelessness.This episode kicks off a season focusing on grief. Kat Wilkins and Emily Snook also share some of their own stories of grief.Kat Wilkins: [00:01:55]Emily Snook: [00:05:46]Curtis Chang: [00:08:28]Subversions of the Gospel story: [00:15:44]The tension of being in the middle of the story: [00:18:17]Grief is critical to hope: [00:23:04]Grieving is deeply biblical: [00:27:00]Deconstructing in the Bible: [00:30:50]The heart of Christian hope: [00:38:55]Resources:Good Faith PodcastUntangled Faith NewsletterPatreon membership communityFind us here:Twitter:Amy FritzUntangled FaithInstagram:Amy FritzUntangled FaithWebsite:Untangled FaithSupport the show (https://buymeacoffee.com/untangledfaith)

Episode:  We’re thrilled to introduce our first episode of In Parallel, a new podcast that explores biblical and contemporary poetry. Our first episode is a poetic reflection on Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 […] The post Introducing In Parallel with Brent Strawn – Ecclesiastes 3 first appeared on OnScript.

Pastor, teacher and author Rev. Dr. Jason Byassee joins host Dr. James Howell on today's episode of Maybe I'm Amazed. Rev. Byassee has deep ties to North Carolina, having studied at Davidson College and Duke Divinity, and having spent several years as the senior pastor at Boone UMC. James and Jason's conversation covers many theological and concepts. Jason speaks about how God appears to groups of three people as if they were one, and why it matters. James and Jason address some of the misconceptions surrounding the Holy Spirit. Finally, James asks Jason about discovering his purpose and mission in ministry.

The Gospel is a claim about who God is and what God is up to. The Church's role in embodying the Gospel means that we meet each other in community. Intergenerational community is one of the vital aspects of a healthy church environment. What does it mean to be part of a “church family?” How can the Church serve each generation within its community, bringing people together in unity?Chris and Eddie are joined by Reverend Dr. Will Willimon, Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry at Duke Divinity School and former Bishop of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church. Willimon's experience as a professor has informed his perspective on the ongoing vocational questions we ask at many different stages of life. They talk about cultural idols, what the Gospel looks like in a college or university setting, and the problems and pressures that American Christianity faces.Follow Will Willimon on the web:https://willwillimon.comAging: Growing Old in the Church by Will WillimonCheck out Will Willimon's other books and publications here:https://willwillimon.com/writing/ Stanley Hauerwas and Will Willimon on the dangers of providing pastoral care Follow Will Willimon on social media:https://www.facebook.com/WillWillimonhttps://twitter.com/willimontweets 

When we're struck by unexpected suffering, we ask question after question attempting to find meaning in the midst of our pain. We wonder why this diagnosis, disaster, or death had to happen to us or someone we love. We wonder if God is really good. We wonder if it's possible to live within our reality and still have hope, joy, and peace. Though these questions are important, our human nature lends itself toward the comfort of ignorance and flimsy optimism. What are the cultural scripts that dictate our understanding of pain and suffering?  How can we come alongside one another through both the highs and lows? Chris and Eddie are joined by Kate Bowler, author of No Cure for Being Human, professor at Duke Divinity School and host of the podcast, Everything Happens. After receiving an unexpected cancer diagnosis at the age of 35, Kate began to observe that the world does not offer a safe space for people in pain. Her move from crisis to chronic has led her to asking deeper questions about faith, God, and human suffering. She talks to Eddie and Chris about the gift of presence, the absurdity of life, a robustly Christian account of time, and the many ways we try to make meaning out of everything.Follow Kate Bowler on the web:https://katebowler.com Order No Cure for Being Human here:https://katebowler.com/no-cure-for-being-human/ Order Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I've Loved here:https://katebowler.com/everything-happens-for-a-reason-2/ Listen to Kate Bowler's podcast Everything Happens here:https://katebowler.com/podcasts/ Follow Kate Bowler on social media:https://www.facebook.com/katecbowler https://www.instagram.com/katecbowler/ https://twitter.com/katecbowler Kate Bowler on YouTubeKate Bowler on Goodreads  

OnScript is launching a new podcast! Welcome to On Verse, a podcast that explores the intersections of biblical and contemporary poetry. This podcast is hosted by Brent Strawn of Duke Divinity School, and is produced by Keith Willis. Season 1 launches soon! The post Special Announcement! On Verse first appeared on OnScript.

God's creation is a direct reflection of God's glory, and Christians are called to be faithful stewards of the earth. While global issues of climate and environment can seem out of reach, our local communities give us space to learn and take action in small and large ways. How can we partner with our creator to build a better, more sustainable living environment? What simple, practical changes can we make to responsibly care for our local communities and our world?Chris and Eddie are joined by Ellen F. Davis, professor at Duke Divinity School and author of Scripture, Culture, and Agriculture: An Agrarian Reading of the Bible. An Old Testament scholar with deep wisdom about our ecological crisis, Davis views the land we've inherited as kin and a covenant partner. She speaks to our call to serve and preserve the land out of honor and love for what God has given us. Davis challenges us to hold onto a hope that is not just a passive, sunny optimism, but a collective vision of goodness and wholeness driven by human agency and creativity.Resources:Learn more about Ellen Davis here:https://divinity.duke.edu/faculty/ellen-davisOrder Scripture, Culture, and Agriculture: An Agrarian Reading of the Bible hereCheck out all books by Ellen Davis here

In this episode, Kenny talks with Anthony McCool about his experiences as an apostolic in the world of academia. Pastor Anthony is a product of Apostolic Christian School in Knoxville, TN. His journey through the higher education includes stops at The University of Tennessee, Penn State, Duke Divinity, and Sofia University in Bulgaria. The discussion covers how he personally navigated through deep and sometimes dangerous waters and returned home with a zeal for the house and work of the Lord. He's a gentlemen and a scholar, but Kenny is lucky enough to call him friend. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kenny-chessor/message

Many pastors are wrestling with questions about women's ordination. The question has pressed on minds even more urgently since Easter, when Saddleback Church ordained three women as pastors. On today's podcast, Greg Surratt sits down with Sharon Hodde Miller to talk about her own journey into ministry, particularly about discovering her teaching gifts and growing into openness about serving as a pastor. Sharon has an MDiv from Duke Divinity and a PhD from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, where she studied issues of women and calling. She's also the author of two books, Free of Me: Why Life is Better When It's Not About You and Nice: Why We Love to Be Liked and How God Calls Us to More. Sharon and Greg explore her story, how she embraced her calling as a preacher and teacher, and broader questions about women's roles in ministry. Produced by Greg Surratt and Mike Cosper Edited and Mixed by Cosper Productions For more info visit www.pastorscollective.com

Episode: Trees are people too! While this claim may come as a surprise to many listeners, it’s familiar territory for biblical authors. Trees, mountains, skies, plants … all of these bear […] The post Mari Joerstad – The Hebrew Bible and Environmental Ethics first appeared on OnScript.

In this Holy Week episode, Chris and Eddie are joined by Kavin Rowe, author of Christianity's Surprise: A Sure and Certain Hope. After 20 years of scriptural immersion as the George Washington Ivey Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Duke Divinity School, Rowe began to discern the growing significance of Christianity's groundbreaking impact when it first entered the world. His book evokes the lost sense of the explosive power at the heart of Christian story, detailing the new hope and fresh vision that brushes up against the familiarity of scripture. Christianity's Surprise draws readers closer to an understanding of Christianity as a gift from God, a never-ending mystery filled with a robust, joyful sense of surprise.Rowe discusses the missing sense of imagination in American Christianity, how God's promises for the future reach into the present, the interconnectedness of humanity, and how Christian institutions have evolved over time. Rowe's insight in this conversation offers encouragement to all who need hope and who are longing to rediscover the heart of Christianity. It ushers in a refreshing perspective on the life-giving power of hope.Check out Kavin Rowe's book Christianity's Surprise here:https://www.abingdonpress.com/product/9781791008208/ Learn more about Kavin Rowe here:https://divinity.duke.edu/faculty/c-kavin-rowe