Podcasts about post christian nation

Is your vote a tool for change or simply participation in a corrupt system? Do you feel a tension between engaging with a broken world and protecting your faith from its influence? This episode of Found (the second in the "Faith in Politics" series) grapples with these very questions as hosts Linda Tokar and Brandon Bathauer explore the idea of "separation as faithfulness." Discover why a growing number of Christians are choosing to disengage from the political sphere, citing reasons like distrust in candidates, a sense of powerlessness, and concern about the world's corrupting influence. Through insightful analysis of recent studies and statistics, the hosts unpack the motivations behind this perspective and what it means to live faithfully in a world that often feels at odds with Christian values.Journey through the history of Christianity and discover how groups like the Essenes, monastic movements, and Anabaptists embraced separation as a means of preserving their faith. Explore the writings of influential thinkers like Menno Simons, John Howard Yoder, Rod Dreher, and C. Kavin Rowe, and see how their ideas have shaped the modern understanding of this approach. The hosts examine key biblical passages that both support and challenge the idea of separation, sparking a thought-provoking discussion about the role of Christians in the public square. Is withdrawing from the world the best way to protect one's faith and live according to Christ's teachings, or is there a path to engage meaningfully without being corrupted?Suggested Resources for further study:Menno Simons: A good starting point is The Complete Writings of Menno Simons translated by Leonard Verduin.John Howard Yoder: His most famous work is The Politics of Jesus, which explores pacifism and Christian engagement in the world.Rod Dreher: His book The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation advocates for building resilient Christian communities in response to a perceived decline in Western culture.C. Kavin Rowe: The World Upside Down: Reading Acts in the Graeco-Roman Age examines the early Church's response to Roman power and provides a framework for understanding Christian witness in a challenging world.For updates on important events, visit https://saddleback.com/found and join the Found community! For any questions, email us at formation@saddleback.com .

In this episode of "Way of the Hermit," David and Gene dive down the rabbit hole, into the world of Gnosticism and its connection to Freemasonry. They explore how Gnostic teachings, once considered heretical, were driven underground and lay buried for centuries until their rediscovery in the 20th century. They discuss the core principles of Gnosticism, emphasizing its focus on direct inner knowledge of the divine (gnosis) rather than adherence to dogma or external rules.The episode traces the historical suppression of Gnostic ideas by early Christian literalists and examines key figures in Gnostic thought, including Simon Magus, Philo of Alexandria, and G.R.S. Mead. David and Gene highlight the significance of the Nag Hammadi texts discovered in 1945, which provided unprecedented insights into Gnostic Christianity. They also explore the symbolic interpretations of religious and Masonic stories, arguing that these allegories contain deeper truths about human consciousness and spiritual awakening.The discussion draws intriguing parallels between Gnostic concepts and Masonic symbolism, suggesting that Freemasonry is perhaps a form of Gnosticism. They propose that the three degrees of the Masonic Blue Lodge, as well as the Masonic quest for the “Lost Word”, the three names of God and three temples in the Scottish Rite, correspond to the three stages of Gnostic awakening.Deep Dive:Nag Hammadi's Gnostic RevelationsChapters:01:15 Introduction01:36 Gnosticism04:02 Masonry is Gnosticism06:33 The Key to the Mysteries09:56 Church of the Antichrist13:19 Simon Magus15:49 Philo of Alexandria18:05 G.R.S. Mead21:21 Nag Hammadi24:45 ConclusionsResources:The Gnostics: The First Christian Heretics by Sean MartinJesus and the Lost Goddess: The Secret Teachings of the Original Christians by Tim Freke & Peter GandyNovo Clavis Esoterika by Timothy HoganGnostic Religion in Antiquity by Roelof van den BroekPistis Sophia: The Gnostic Tradition of Mary Magdalene, Jesus, and His Disciples by G.R.S. MeadFragments Of A Faith Forgotten by G.R.S. MeadCorpus Hermeticum by G.R.S. MeadSimon Magus: The Gnostic Magician by G.R.S. MeadGnostic John the Baptizer by G.R.S. MeadGnosticism: New Light on the Ancient Tradition of Inner Knowing by Stephan A. HoellerThe American Religion: The Emergence of the Post-Christian Nation by Harold BloomThe Gnostic Gospels by Elaine PagelsGod is a Verb by David Cooper

How do we build communities of collaboration and care? Are our communities in the West in crisis? What are the “common objects of love” that we share, and how do we—average Christians who care—seek those out and build on them?We were delighted to talk with Jake Meador on some of these questions, which he touches on in his first book, In Search of the Common Good. Join us as we consider different angles on the practices we engage with that can change the imagination of our time.Jake Meador (jakemeador.com) is a writer, speaker, and editor from Lincoln, Nebraska. He writes about place, politics, culture, and the ways that Christian faith speaks to all of the various questions that those topics raise. He also wrote a thesis on Kwame Nkrumah, a mid-20th century Ghanaian politician. He's the author of two books, In Search of the Common Good: Christian Fidelity in a Fractured World and What Are Christians For?: Life Together at the End of the World. He serves as the editor-in-chief at Mere Orthodoxy (mereorthodoxy.com), a contributing editor with Plough magazine, and a board member with the Davenant Institute.Timestamps(02:23) A crisis of common life(10:21) Example: Declining birth rates as a social problem(19:07) Practical recs: asking for help, offering home(29:04) The historical church on property rights(34:16) Practices for communities: caught, not taught(38:22) Roots we don't choose(44:23) Identity is particular; Christianity is still bigger(47:31) Who's on the land, who's good for the land?(01:03:48) OK but we gotta talk about Kwame Nkrumah. Wild.Links and References in This EpisodeYa'll. Jake is a well-read man. We got a long list of books for your perusing pleasure (and easier searching).* Strangers in a Strange Land: Living the Catholic Faith in a Post-Christian World, Archbishop Charles J. Chaput (2017)* The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation, Rod Dreher (2017)* Resurrecting the Idea of Christian Society, R. R. Reno (2016)* The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America, George Packer (2014)* Out of the Ashes: Rebuilding American Culture, Anthony Esolen (2017)* Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, Robert Putnam (2000)* Nancy Pearcey (author)* Kirkpatrick Sale (author)* Remaking the World: How 1776 Created the Post-Christian West, Andrew Wilson (2023)* Wendell Berry (author)—I don't even know what to tell you, he's written a lot.* Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution, Carl Trueman (2020)* Why Marx Was Right, Terry Eagleton (2018)* An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States, Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz (2015)* Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants, Robin Wall Kimmerer (2015* Pope Francis on a “throwaway” society (article link)* John Paul II on a “culture of death” (Evangelium Vitae (1995))* The Cold War and the Color Line: American Race Relations in the Global Arena, Thomas Borstelmann (2003)—And here are some additional resources or terms mentioned in this episode, not a resource, exactly, but it might make this conversation searchable/accessible to global listeners:L'Abri is a “Christian residential study center ministry”Several theologians, church fathers, and theorists talked about property rights: John Calvin, St. Basil of Caesarea in Cappadocia, John Locke, and Emil Brunner on “the inner infinity of God's law”.If you like this podcast, please consider…→ Sharing feedback or questions! www.podpage.com/communion-shalom/contact→ Supporting us on Patreon! patreon.com/communionandshalom→ Following us on Instagram! @communionandshalom—CreditsCreators and Hosts: David Frank, TJ EspinozaAudio Engineer: Carl Swenson (www.carlswensonmusic.com)Podcast Manager: Elena This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit communionshalom.substack.com

Meganets: How Digital Forces Beyond Our Control Commandeer Our Daily Lives and Inner Realities by: David B. Auerbach The Robot's Rebellion: Finding Meaning in the Age of Darwin by: Keith E. Stanovich Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World by: John Vaillant Persian Fire The First World Empire and the Battle for the West by: Tom Holland Submission by: Michel Houellebecq The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation by: Rod Dreher Great Emergence: How Christianity is Changing and Why by: Phyllis Tickle Investigating the Book of Mormon Witnesses by: Richard Lloyd Anderson

Not many of us associate discipline, commitment, and obedience with joy and freedom—but today's guest, Pamela Patnode, knows that these things lead to flourishing and joy in the Christian life. When we live according to God's design by loving Him and others, we experience true life. Listen in and let Pamela's testimony encourage you to cultivate a life of commitment to the Lord.     Doubts and hard questions are a welcome part of the Christian life. But many young Christians today are being encouraged to “deconstruct” their faith. To help the Church offer a better way to those who are deconstructing, Alisa Childers and Tim Barnett have written The Deconstruction of Christianity. They define what deconstruction really is, why it's appealing to so many, and why it's harmful. They also equip us to love those who are deconstructing by welcoming the hard questions while also upholding truth. This month, get a copy of The Deconstruction of Christianity by giving a gift of any amount to the Colson Center at colsoncenter.org/swdeconstruction  St. Paul Seminary  Catholic School Leadership Program  You Are What You Love by James K. Smith  Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis  Benedictine Daily Prayer: A Short Breviary  The Road to Eternal Life: Reflections on the Prologue of the Rule of St. Benedict by Fr. Michael Casey   The Magnificat Prayer Booklet  Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions by Arthur Bennett (Editor)  The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis  The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation by Rod Dreher   The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer  Wisdom from the Psalms by Dr. Peter Kreeft  How to Think Like Shakespeare: Lessons from a Renaissance Education by Scott Newstock  If you've listened for a while, you've probably heard me talk about the Colson Fellows program and what a transformational experience it has been in my life and the lives of many fellow believers. The Colson Fellows program was designed for men and women with full, busy lives. The program combines theological, spiritual, and worldview formation through a carefully curated combination of readings, daily devotions, live webinars, and monthly meetings with your peers. Interesting but wondering if you have the time or what it takes to complete the program? I assure you, it's well worth your investment and has been completed by many women in all stages and seasons of life. Interested in learning more? You can explore the program and submit an application at colsonfellows.org.  The Strong Women Podcast is a product of the Colson Center which equips Christians to live out their faith with clarity, confidence, and courage in this cultural moment. Through commentaries, podcasts, videos, and more, we help Christians better understand what's happening in the world, and champion what is true and good wherever God has called them.  Learn more about the Colson Center here: https://www.colsoncenter.org/   Visit our website and sign up for our email list so that you can stay up to date on what we are doing here and also receive our monthly journal: https://www.colsoncenter.org/strong-women Join Strong Women on Social Media:   https://www.facebook.com/StrongWomenCC  https://www.facebook.com/groups/strongwomencommunitycc/  https://www.instagram.com/strongwomencc/  https://linktr.ee/strongwomencc 

In a most anticipated podcast mashup, C. Jay Engel and Andrew Isker of the Contra Mundum podcast join Josh and Timon to unpack the latest updates on the Texas border crisis, the future of politics on the right, and how to combat the left.    #Texas #Border #Immigration #BorderCrisis #Politics #UnitedStates #Right #Left   Show Notes:  Contra Mundum on Apple Podcasts Amazon.com: The Boniface Option: A Strategy For Christian Counteroffensive in a Post-Christian Nation: 9798857501955: Isker, Andrew: Books Contra Mordor | C.Jay Engel | Substack   ––––––   Follow American Reformer across Social Media: X / Twitter – https://www.twitter.com/amreformer Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/AmericanReformer/ Website – https://americanreformer.org/   Promote a vigorous Christian approach to the cultural challenges of our day, by donating to The American Reformer: https://americanreformer.org/donate/   Follow Us on Twitter: Josh Abbotoy – https://twitter.com/Byzness Timon Cline – https://twitter.com/tlloydcline   The American Reformer Podcast is  hosted by Josh Abbotoy and Timon Cline, recorded remotely in the United States, and edited by Jared Cummings.   Subscribe to our Podcast, "The American Reformer" Get our RSS Feed – https://americanreformerpodcast.podbean.com/ Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-american-reformer-podcast/id1677193347 Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/1V2dH5vhfogPIv0X8ux9Gm?si=a19db9dc271c4ce5

In these secular times, Christmas is ever in danger of being hijacked by the fairy-lit glitz of advertising and consumerism. Christians often find themselves dragged into alternative versions of Christmas which bear little connection to the Christian story. But while Christians rightly lament the problem of worldly materialism, are there also dangers that we also miss something vital about the “material” nature of what Christmas actually is, at heart? How might we remain both holy and merry at Christmas? How might we enjoy good gifts with gratitude without being sucked into a self-indulgent vortex? And what does Andy Bannister refuse to have in his lounge …? Find out in this special episode of Pod of the Gaps! RESOURCES: - C.S. Lewis, “Xmas and Christmas: A Lost Chapter From Herodotus” (1954) - Douglas Wilson, "God Rest Ye Merry: Why Christmas Is the Foundation for Everything" (2012) - Andrew Isker, "The Boniface Option: A Strategy for Christian Counter-Offensive in a Post-Christian Nation" (2023) **** Pod of the Gaps is a listener supported podcast! If you enjoy the show, please help cover our costs. Your support helps cover our hosting fees, books, and the occasional coffee! If you enjoy our mix of wit and wisdom, please help us keep the show going and support us for a small amount at https://www.patreon.com/wkop ****

In this conversation with Pastor Andrew Isker, we discuss his latest book “The Boniface Option.” Andrew's book provides an alternative thesis to Rod Dreher's “The Benedict Option,” proposing that instead of retreating, Christians must learn to confront the idols of our day. We explore the concept of bugmen and what it will take to reach them with the gospel. We also examine the madness that surrounds us and why Christians can take heart because Christ has overcome the world. Support the show!! - https://www.patreon.com/chasedavisBook - bonifaceoption.comnews.gab.comContra Mundum Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/contra-mundum/id1671830867Twitter - https://twitter.com/BonifaceOptionSupport the showSign up for the Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/chasedavisFollow Full Proof Theology on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fullprooftheology/Follow Full Proof Theology on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fullprooftheology/

I've been talking about being jealousable, about how jealousability itself is an argument, and have referred to the Lord's blessings as the key. There's more to say about all of those in Romans 11:13-15. The subtitle for all these messages (now up to part 3) has been “The Blessed Option.” But what is the “Blessed Option”?Rod Dreher published a book in 2017 called _The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation_. (The men read Dreher's follow up, _Live by Lies_, in Men to Men a couple years ago.) Benedict was a 5th-6th century monk; our Omnibus students read his _Rule of Saint Benedict_ to get an idea of how monks were to conduct themselves in a monastery. The basic gist of the Benedict “option” is that the culture is already lost, and Christians should be separating themselves and building institutional bunkers so that when civilization collapses we will have preserved the faith and our culture in order to come out from our shelters and rebuild. The image on the front cover of the book is of Mont-Saint Michel, a tide-*island* in northern France, an isolated and self-contained society. Preserving has a place. But not long after that some others started to argue for “The Boniface Option.” Boniface was a Benedictine monk turned missionary who took the gospel throughout Europe in the 8th century. The story is that that Boniface came to a group of pagans worshipping Thor's Oak, and they believed that if you touched it Thor would kill you with a lightening bolt for your desecration. Bonficae chopped it down and they repented and were baptized in Christ's name. Though he was martyred for his faith years later without putting up a fight, those who prefer the Boniface Option are less about preservation and more about pressing forward; they aren't necessarily looking for a fight but they aren't running from one either. That's good too, right? All are yours. And not to be too third-wayism about it, why not *the Blessed Option*? By grace through faith we build communities because Jesus is Lord, by grace through faith we battle strongholds and destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). We father sons to respect their fathers so that our sons would also pursue and enjoy fatherhood. We pray against and vote against and laugh at those who make laws against the parents who don't want their boys to believe gender lies. We're blessed to worship the Lord Jesus as an assembly on Sundays, and we're blessed to boldly announce that Jesus is Lord in the public square. The blessings are God's *riches* to us, salvation riches that are felt in soul and that come out our fingers; we present our bodies as living sacrifices. These riches include individual *and* group, even world, assets. These God-given riches are God-ordained means to “make Israel jealous” (Romans 11:11), and this kind of jealousy over blessings moves the Jews to believe for salvation. Their jealousy is not the end state, but a call to faith. We'll see that again in verses 13-15.Paul denies that Israel has stumbled to a final fall, and shows the sequence of how Israel's rejection of Christ led to the salvation of Gentiles leading to the Israel's jealousy and then full reconciliation to Christ for amplified riches for all. We saw an argumentative denial (11a), an argumentative sequence (11b), and an argumentative amplification (12). There are a couple more parts to the argument in verses 13-15. What does Paul do about this in light of God's covenant word to Israel? He magnifies jealousability.# An Argumentative Strategy (verses 13-14)While Paul's argument has been applicable to Jews with questions as well as to any Gentiles paying attention, he addresses Gentiles directly. > Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. (Romans 11:13–14 ESV)Why call them out? First because they are a special concern of his. Paul was *the* **apostle to the Gentiles**. Paul had been saved to preach salvation to the Gentiles. The Lord told Ananias to go heal Saul/Paul, and after Ananias balked, the Lord said that Paul was “a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15). When Paul told his conversion testimony to King Agrippa, Paul said that the Lord told him:> “I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” (Acts 26:16–18 ESV)Peter was the apostle to the Jews, Paul to the Gentiles. So he addresses the Gentiles in the Roman church with a sense of responsibility, but responsibility for their jealousability. He wanted the Gentiles to see his efforts as a pattern for them. Provoking jealousy was conscious conduct; **I magnify my ministry** (τὴν διακονίαν μου δοξάζω). The **magnify** is the same Greek word from which we get *doxology*. Paul praised his work of blessing-bringing so as to show it to be great. There was no embarrassment, but intention. And it's an odd way to say it if all he meant was that Gentiles were praying the prayer. He was deliberately seeking to provoke jealousy by pointing out God's salvation blessings. It was a strategic argument, **in order to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them.** The “my fellow Jews” is actually “my (own) flesh.” I get that people wonder whether Jewish DNA can be isolated, and what about those who have some percentage of Jewish blood in their ancestry. Especially for us, 20 centuries after Paul, and who knows how many more centuries of possible confusion there could be before these promises are fulfilled. But the Lord knows, and if He can and does raised the dead, He can and will be able to gather Israel. Paul thought his ministry would provoke **some**, while anticipating the *fulness* (τὸ πλήρωμα, verse 12) later, that “*all* Israel will be saved” (verse 26).What would make them jealous about his ministry? A ministry that resulted in the sort of blessings that Israel was looking to the Lord for, as found in the Old Testament, as sung in Psalms. They could be called “Deuteronomic blessings” (a term Doug Wilson uses), the kind that come when God's people obey Him.These blessings are found in every thumb's width, all the spheres, from center to circumferences. I gave a variety of specific examples last Sunday, but add to that list medicine and healthcare, words, wood work, wine and whiskey, beer and books, received in thanks and employed in the name of the Lord. To the degree that these are comprehensive blessings, visible among the nations, it's no distraction to see more Gentiles coming in. Actually, this ministry will extend “until the fulness of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25), an elect number who will be saved, and *then* “all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26).Election to salvation (chapter 9) makes no contradiction with jealousable arguments (chapter 11). Conversion to the true God, confession that Jesus is Lord (chapter 10), consecration as living sacrifices (chapter 12), standing out from those conformed to the world. It is our transformation that is jealousable. # An Argumentative Renaissance (verse 15)In verse 12 he had the “if this, then how much more that” argument from lesser to the greater. He comes back to a similar pattern. > For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? (Romans 11:15 ESV)The contrast is between rejection and acceptance. They stumbled over the Stone, they did not receive Jesus as Lord. That led to the gospel going out to the nations, **the reconciliation of the world**, not that every individual person without exception would believe, but that tribe, tongue, or language does not limit the kinds of people who receive salvation blessings. This will be true and glorious diversity. As in verse 12, the riches would be amplified at Israel's full inclusion, so Israel's **acceptance** will be like **life from the dead**. While it could be taken as individual regeneration, and while it certainly includes that, the argument is for something more. It is an argumentative renaissance.Of course “The” Renaissance is the revival of art and literature and original sources in the 14th-16th centuries. But it comes from the French *re-* ‘back, again' + *naissance* ‘birth'. It is to be born again, like life after death. And thinking about that broad movement in history a few centuries ago might give us a small idea to what life from the dead will look like in the future. Or consider the imagery in Ezekiel 37:1-14. A valley full of dry bones, that come together, sinews and flesh returned, covered with skin, and given *breath* “that they may live” (verse 9). “These bones are the whole house of Israel” (verse 11). Thus says the LORD God: “I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land” (verse 14). Salvation, riches, *more*, reconciliation, *more*, life from the dead; “a blessing far surpassing in its proportions anything that previously obtained in the unfolding of God's counsel” (Murray).# ConclusionThe lack of specific strategies spelled out, but under the full certainty of fulfillment, says, 1) think about it, and 2) go for it. See Romans 12, 13, and 14-15. Think about the blessings that cause others to ask us about our hope as in 1 Peter 3:15.The world will be transformed as if made alive from the dead. How we *live by faith*, founding new things in Jesus' name, or go down fighting in Jesus' name. This is the *blessed option*, magnifying His greatness and His goodness to us unto the whole earth being filled with His glory.----------## ChargePaul described the self-indulgent widow as “dead even while she lives” (1 Timothy 5:6). To *live* while you live is then not self-indulgent, but finding pleasure in the promises of God to bless the work of your hands (Psalm 90:17). To have life from the dead means fruitfulness for others. Make much/magnify all your work in Jesus' name.## Benediction:> His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. (2 Peter 1:3–4, ESV)

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Season 3 Episode 9

Two Mikes Aaron Renn Christians Uniting To Confront A Post Christian Nation by

Join the conversation as Matt and John talk about Mere Evangelism part 4, summer reads, and Greg Oden 0:00- Intro 3:45- sports 11:43- Mere Evangelism  16:40- summer reads 34:00- today in sports history 37:24- one thing Sloat Thomas Kidd, Thomas Jefferson a Biograhpy of Spirit and Flesh https://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Jefferson-Biography-Spirit-Flesh/dp/0300250061/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1FMO1PQIHRPQN&keywords=thomas+jefferson+kidd&qid=1656337905&sprefix=thomas+jefferson+kidd%2Caps%2C86&sr=8-1 Cicero, The Good Life, https://www.amazon.com/Good-Life-Penguin-Classics/dp/0140442448/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=cicero+the+good+life&qid=1656338003&sprefix=cicero+the+good%2Caps%2C72&sr=8-1   Suetonius The Twelve Caesars https://www.amazon.com/Twelve-Caesars-Suetonius/dp/1781394423/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=12+caesars&qid=1656338092&sprefix=12+cae%2Caps%2C85&sr=8-4 Chris Herring, Blood in the Garden: The Flagrant History of the 1990 New York Knicks https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Garden-Flagrant-History-Knicks/dp/1982132116/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2TJ0DVHVDYQ10&keywords=blood+in+the+garden&qid=1656338170&sprefix=blood+in+the+garden%2Caps%2C84&sr=8-1 Doc T.D. Alexander, Face to Face with God: A Biblical Theology of Christ as Priest and Mediator  (ESBT) → https://www.amazon.com/Face-God-Biblical-Theology-Essential/dp/0830842950/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3TFBKWOMIW408&keywords=alexander+face+to+face&qid=1656185581&sprefix=alexander+face+to+face%2Caps%2C101&sr=8-1 D.A. Carson and John Woodbridge, Letters Along the Way: From a Senior Saint to a Junior Saint → https://www.amazon.com/Letters-Along-Way-Senior-Junior-ebook/dp/B09SBQXDC6/ref=sr_1_4?crid=13RPA5AX3XHIH&keywords=carson+woodbridge+letters&qid=1656185552&sprefix=carson+woodbridge+letter%2Caps%2C98&sr=8-4 Rod Dreher, The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation → https://www.amazon.com/Benedict-Option-Strategy-Christians-Post-Christian/dp/0735213305/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1656185383&sr=8-1 Ryan P. Burge, 20 Myths about Religon and Politics in America → https://www.amazon.com/Myths-about-Religion-Politics-America/dp/1506482015/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1656185506&sr=8-1

The Freedom First Network is sponsored by the explosive new book by Robert F Kennedy Jr. The Real Anthony Fauci: Bill Gates, Big Pharma, and the Global War on Democracy and Public Health. Help the Freedom First Network by ordering this book today from this tracking link at https://amzn.to/36D0LLg"People don't remember that Jesus was as smart a man as ever lived. No one ever got the better of him in a discussion or debate." Those words are from the Two Mikes' guest Aaron Renn, who has formed an association called American Reformer, which is intended to find a way to reunite America's now divided Evangelical community and restore the formerly pivotal role which Christianity played in American society. The quotation above is one of the keys to success -- listen, understand, and take to heart what Jesus said and did. Mr. Renn argues that this will not be an easy task, as Christianity now faces a society that is overwhelmingly negative toward Christians, a contempt so strong that Christians often get unfair -- at times ugly and discriminatory treatment -- in the workplace, the public square, and educational institutions. Mr. Renn says that is time for Christians to restudy their faith and come to a fuller, more adult understanding of the words of Jesus, the Bible, and their faith. It will require believers to move away from comfortable or trendy religious practices, beliefs, ceremonies, as well as the "bad teaching and approaches" that are meant to avoid controversy and fill pews, and get back to the much harder and only path to heaven that Jesus said existed, and which He described as the "narrow road."--Aaron Renn's website is https://aaronrenn.substack.com- Our Gold Guy - Talk to IRA about whether investing in gold is right for you. Let them know that the Two Mikes sent you at http://ourgoldguy.com- EMP Shield at this link only use the $50 off discount code of twomikes https://www.empshield.com/?coupon=twomikes-- My Pillow - Support a true Patriot in Mike Lindell by ordering pillows and sheets. Use Promo Code TWOMIKES by calling 800-797-8492

Noel and Doug Bursch about why social media divides us and how followers of Jesus can show the world a better way. Here are a few links from this episode: Douglas Bursch Posting Peace: Why Social Media Divides Us and What We Can Do About It Fairly Spiritual Fool's Talk: Recovering the Art of Christian Persuasion The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation

What did God tell Ezekiel when He commissioned him to be a prophet? What does it mean when someone says they are deconstructing their faith? And what did Ezekiel's nation have in common with America today? You'll find out today on the Cross References podcast. 6:30 - verses 1-2, the Holy Spirit's empowerment   11:50 - verses 3-5, a rebellious nation   21:45 - what is deconstruction?   31:05 - verses 6-7, overcoming resistance   36:25 - recap and closing thoughts   If you want to get in touch with us, drop us an email to crossreferencespodcast@gmail.com Hosted by Luke Taylor

The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self, Carl Trueman - AmazonYou Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit, James K. A. Smith - AmazonThe Benedictine Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation, Rod Dreher - AmazonLive Not By Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents, Rod Dreher - AmazonTB2F Telegram Channel

Message

On today's encore presentation of Mortification of Spin the dynamic duo becomes a trio, as a third pessimist—that is, a third realist—joins in. Rod Dreher is an American writer and editor, culture critic, and the author of several books, including The Benedict Option and the freshly released Live Not By Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents. Rod's book is a wakeup call for Christians about ideas that have become prevalent in American society…notions already adopted in other countries that have proven to be a threat to civil liberties.  Is there still hope to turn from what he calls “soft totalitarianism”? What's the course of action for Christians to preserve the faith in such an intolerant society, where words and actions are becoming highly surveilled and dealt with “accordingly?” Live Not By Lies is timely and absolutely relevant for Christian dissidents. You can't afford to miss this conversation! Show Notes ·The American Conservative ·The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation by Rod Dreher

In this episode we discuss The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation by Rod Dreher. Next time we'll discuss Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion by Sam Harris.

In this episode we discuss On Decline: Stagnation, Nostalgia, and Why Every Year is the Worst One Ever by Andrew Potter. Next time we'll discuss The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation by Rod Dreher.

The New Benedictines In 2017, author Rod Dreher wrote The Benedict Option: a Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation. I'm not really a fan of Dreher. I find his writing to be whiny, his personality to be grating, and his claim to be a conservative to be dubious. One of my close friends refers to him seamlessly as The Insufferable Rod Dreher. I concur. That said, I recommend The Benedict Option. I have also heard very good things about his latest offering, Live Not By Lies: a Manual for Christian Dissidents. In fact, Fr. Eckardt wrote about it recently. When The Benedict Option came out, it was largely misunderstood by a lot of people in the LCMS. Some thought it was a kind of silver-bullet step-by-step program (proof of the LCMS's tyranny of the bureaucracy). Others rolled their eyes at the idea of Christian community as an attempt to turn us into the Amish or a monastic community. Of course, many of these same moqueurs lived on a seminary campus for three years, immersed in the Bible, confessions, and patristic writings, with lives ordered by the centrality of the worship schedule of the chapel, study, time spent making lifelong bonds of brotherhood with seminarians and their families, and living a countercultural Logocentric and cruciform life, embracing biblical heteronormativity, an exclusively-male clergy, the order of creation in the family, and submission to the Word of God - not to mention putting on a black shirt with a white collar that confesses before the world that we who pursue this life are set apart from the world. Seminary professors essentially live the Benedict Option, as their very homes, neighborhoods, employment, and day to day life are lived out in a tightly-knit Christian community that extends beyond the three years of campus life that is lived by the students. And this sense of community is a boon to both our professors and their students, which is to say, to our future pastors who are being formed for service. Dreher came up with the title The Benedict Option based on philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre's book After Virtue: a Study in Moral Theory, in which the author calls to mind the lifestyle of Christians living in the days of the Roman Empire's collapse - who essentially safeguarded and restarted civilization around the Rule of St. Benedict and the idea of Christian communities springing up in concentric circles around these Benedictine centers of Christian civilization, learning, worship, and community. In After Virtue, MacIntyre says that we in the present age are awaiting “another—doubtless very different—St. Benedict.” Dreher explains: Today, a new post-Christian barbarism reigns. Many believers are blind to it, and their churches are too weak to resist. Politics offers little help in this spiritual crisis. What is needed is the Benedict Option, a strategy that draws on the authority of Scripture and the wisdom of the ancient church. The goal: to embrace exile from the mainstream culture and construct a resilient counterculture. And so, he suggests that Christians should be more intentional about seeking out the likeminded, especially within the household of faith. He calls upon us to be more hospitable with one another, sharing our lives, withdrawing from the corrupted institutions of the world, and creating our own infrastructures (which is what our Lutheran forbears did by instituting parochial schools that taught the faith instead of undermining it). And contrary to some straw-man responses, Dreher is not suggesting political quietism or sticking our heads in the sand. He is not advocating a complete severance from the world, or a surrender from the idea of being salt and light. So stop typing that comment now, girlfriend. I know you're out there. This is hardly radical or new. We Lutherans have a strong heritage of this very thing. But we, alas, as we became more Americanized, we desired to become “like everyone else” - not unlike the Israelites in 1 Sam 8. And as the culture continues to degenerate, as Christians become increasingly marginalized - we would do well to be more proactive in how we live our lives, go about our work, raise our children, and contribute to civilization. We don't know what the future holds. We may be facing centuries of a new dark age followed by the return of Christ when the Church may dwindle to a handful of people, or there may be a great backlash in our time that restores a sense of virtue to western society and the world. We just don't know. But we do need to live in the here and now, in a world where Biblical Christianity is increasingly identified with hatred, where the idea that the freedom of religion is a preeminent natural right is increasingly seen as a retrograde and dangerous superstition, where the normal family is recast as evil, where deviancy is normalized, where there are now second- and third- generations of people in our country who have no idea who Jesus is, what the Bible is, or what the Church is. The abortion holocaust continues to rage, gender extremists are gaining ground every day, and our history is being rewritten by Neo-Orwellians. All of the major institutions of society, public and private sector alike, are increasingly pressuring conformity to a jackbooted antichristian agenda in the Gramscian juggernaut “march through the institutions “. It is becoming a problem as to how our children should be educated, for whom should they work, how they will find faithful spouses, and how much of the world's entertainment they should ingest. One trend that I have seen over the past several weeks is heartening. I have run into a large number of the laity - mostly young couples - who are making life decisions based on where they can find a faithful congregation. This is not how things were when I was growing up. We went to school, and we got jobs. If the best pay and opportunity for advancement took us out of state, away from family, and even to a place where there were no faithful churches - so be it. We had to “make a living.” Our jobs were the top priority. Early in my ministry, I had a young parishioner who nailed his dream job in another state. Some time after expressing his uncontainable excitement, he finally got around to asking me what church he should attend. Sadly, there was none anywhere nearby that I could recommend. The state he was moving to was a confessional wasteland. When I reported this to him and to his mother, they were utterly crestfallen. But he was not crestfallen enough to change his plans, not enough to decline the job. It reminded me of the tragic passage of the rich young man in Matt 19:16-22, who, upon being called to follow Jesus, “went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” I too fell for this temptation in my twenties. I took a job with zero consideration about church attendance. In time, God pushed me around like a piece on a chessboard, and somehow, I ended up in the office of the holy ministry in spite of myself. I'm still scratching my head, but gratefully. By contrast, I am finding more and more people who are deliberately and proactively moving to cities and towns that have solid, liturgical, confessional congregations and pastors. And I have also met people who have turned down lucrative work based on the lack of a church community to join. And in one sense, I think Covid-19 had a small silver lining to it: it has diminished the importance of physical location to one's employment. Homeschooling has also made it possible for children to be educated anywhere. More and more people are able to work from home or run businesses over the Internet. I have met numerous Christian people, living in these gray and latter days, who see how important belonging to a faithful Christian community is to them and to their children - who in some cases have not yet even been conceived. And it is not only young couples ordering their lives around the locus of altar, font, and pulpit instead of salary, benefits, and ambition. Retired people, and even the middle aged are now more likely than ever to be willing to pull up the stakes, sell the home, and seek out a likeminded community of brothers and sisters in Christ. And this is really what the Benedict Option is all about. The days are long over when we could essentially locate anywhere, find a faithful confessional Lutheran church and a parochial school nearby, a church that uses the hymnal and worships according to the liturgy, one with a faithful pastor who handles the Word of God rightly - whether at the altar, in the pulpit, or while giving private pastoral care. And as our society has disintegrated, so too has the unity of our churches. One must now be discerning in deciding at what altar to commune and where one's children will be born again of water and the Spirit. And as we have all learned in the aftermath of the coronavirus, even introverts like me need community. After all, the Greek word for Church means “assembly.” And this doesn't happen by Zoom or by simply calling oneself a Lutheran without having a congregation to be a part of. My hat is off to our faithful laity who have made the kingdom their top priority. This is something that we pastors should encourage and exhort our parishioners to. And for all of the bashing of the Benedict Option, that's really all that it is.

Highlights:  “We are seeing nothing less than a return to not just religiosity but distinctively conservative religiosity and it’s changing the political world order.” “Scholars have noticed, in many respects, the secular liberal is in a strange way disappearing off the face of the planet because demographically they stopped more or less having children.”   “You can be sure they are disappearing and we are growing.”Timestamps:       [03:30] Dr. Steve’s passion and why he’s doing what he’s doing [06:08] On the resurgence of faith and conservative Christian around the world and the pivotal role of Africa and Eastern Central Europe [09:00] How we conservatives have to behave instead of giving up [10:00] How scholars have noticed that the secular liberal is disappearing  [13:17] Why we need to build a parallel society Resources: Limited Time Offer! Get your copy of my book RETURN OF CHRISTENDOM at a 50% DISCOUNT Here: https://roc.turleytalks.com/order-roc-nowShall the Religious Inherit the Earth?: Demography and Politics in the Twenty-first Century by Eric KaufmannThe Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation by Rod DreherEvaluate your cybersecurity today with Graybeard Security! Book your personal security analysis by using the Dark Web Scanner for FREE at turleytalks.graybeardsecurity.ioGet Hemp Fusion’s sleep supplement with 25% OFF plus 10 FREE travel packs of Hemp Fusion’s stress products using the code ‘WINNING’ at  hempfusion.comJoin us for our NEW CONSERVATIVE PATRIOT LIVE Benefit Conference April 16-17 from the comfort of your OWN HOME! Seating is LIMITED so DON’T WAIT! Get your EARLY BIRD Registration Special here: https://conferences.turleytalks.com/details21597Become a Turley Talks Insiders Club Member: https://insidersclub.turleytalks.com/welcomeThank you for taking the time to listen to this episode.  If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and/or leave a review.Do you want to be a part of the podcast and be our sponsor? Click here to partner with us and defy liberal culture!If you would like to get lots of articles on conservative trends make sure to LIKE Dr. Steve Turley’s Facebook Page and sign-up for the 'New Conservative Age Rising' Email Alerts. 

The United States Congress finally passed another COVID stimulus package. Its stated goal is to help the American people negatively impacted by the effects of the novel coronavirus. Yet when a financial aid package totals nearly $1 trillion, we whose families and friends have been hurting financially this year because of the government-mandated throttling of our livelihoods can be forgiven for balking at each man, woman, and child getting only $600 while the lion's share of the monies go to special interests and foreign countries. On a more personal note, I worked about 24-hours total in my first two days of Christmas vacation. It is well with my soul, and all that working gave me an opportunity to finish two books in my audiobook queue. Caesar's Legion: The Epic Saga of Julius Caesar's Elite Tenth Legion and the Armies of Rome, by Stephen Dando-Collins The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation, by Rod Dreher --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/garrett-ashley-mullet/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/garrett-ashley-mullet/support

What to Read Wednesdays comes at you every other Wednesday and is your one stop for reading, watching and listening recommendations from your favorite library staff members!  This week's episode features recommendations from podcast host Annie, Mark at Powell, Jenny from Outreach, & Kristen from Orange! Books recommended include Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan, The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation by Rod Dreher and The Electric Hotel by Dominic Smith.  Read more recommendations here: https://libraryaware.com/279157  Email us with book recommendations, suggestions, & feedback at whattoread@delawarelibrary.org

Dr. Tom Curran launches the new liturgical year pondering the question: What is God resolved to do this year? Tom references the book The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation by Rod Dreher, plays the movie trailer for PRAY and talks about some ‘recovered’ practices in the Curran family. The post December 2 –The Winter before a New Springtime! Old Things Made New This Advent appeared first on My Catholic Faith Ministries.

In the last days of the election campaign, the culture war erupted over sexuality, religion and even hell. But in America it’s been raging for decades. A battle-scarred survivor has some advice on calming things down. Best-selling author Rod Dreher joined the program earlier this year.

Amid declining church attendance, and cultural storms, do Americans still take faith seriously? "We're a no longer deeply Christian country that is not yet post-Christian and is still heavily influenced by Christianity," says Ross Douthat, a New York Times columnist and author. We also cover the following stories:House Democrats release a new impeachment report.President Trump has a strained exchange with French President Macron.Facing charges over his use of campaign dollars, Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., pleads guilty.The Daily Signal podcast is available on Ricochet, iTunes, Pippa, Google Play, or Stitcher. All of our podcasts can be found at DailySignal.com/podcasts. If you like what you hear, please leave a review. You can also leave us a message at 202-608-6205 or write us at letters@dailysignal.com. Enjoy the show! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Upside of Living in a Post-Christian Nation.

Summary:The God of the Universe, literally kneels to wash the filthy crud off his disciples' feet. This is one of the most shocking and scandalous texts in all of Scripture. Then Jesus says, "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet." At the end of that scene, Jesus says in John 13:34-35 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”We are called to love one another humbly, selflessly, practically, in such a way, that our tangible love serves as one of the most powerful apologetics for a watching world that desperately longs for the same love.Audio Transcript:This media has been made available by Mosaic Boston Church. If you'd like to check out more resources, learn about Mosaic Boston and our neighborhood churches, or donate to this ministry, please visit Mosaicboston.com.Good morning. Welcome to Mosaic Church. My name is Jan. I'm one of the pastors here at Mosaic. And if you're new or if you're visiting, we're so glad you're here. And we'd love to connect with you if you'd like to connect with us, and we do that officially through the connection card, and the worship guide if you filled out legibly. You can either toss it into the offering basket when it comes around after, or redeem it at the Welcome Center for a little gift that we prepared for you.We also have an app that you can download in the App Store or Google Play, where you can keep up to date with what's going on Mosaic. The sermons are in their community, community group discussions, and then also there's a connection card in there as well. With that said, would you please pray with me over the preaching of God's Word.Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift that is to gather as your people. And LORD, we pray that you continue to work in our hearts, a powerful work of humility. LORD, let us not just understand the gospel theoretically or just with our minds, let us understand the gospel with our hearts. Well, what does it mean that the God of the universe stooped so low as to become one of us, stoop so low as to meet our greatest need on the cross by dying for us instead of us, in our place, and coming back to life through the resurrection.We thank you, LORD, that you didn't just give us an example of how to love you, embodied love. You didn't just teach us words of love, you showed us the greatest act of love, the greatest sacrifice. You came to serve our greatest need, and then with that you meet all of our other needs, and show us that you want us after we accept the Gospel to now also meet the needs of our brothers and sisters, fellow Christians, and also our neighbors. And you showed us that we never graduate beyond meeting tangible needs. And you showed us this graphically by washing the feet of your disciples, and you told us, “Go and do likewise.”So remind us today of the basics, and let us master the basics, never graduate beyond the basics; never think that we no longer need grace, no longer need to extend grace. And Holy Spirit, come to the space, work deep, work in our hearts, and make us a people who are radically, sacrificially loving as we serve one another and as we serve our neighbor. We pray this in Christ's name. Amen.If you're new at Mosaic, last Sunday we held our annual vision sermon, our value sermon; Love. Jesus. Simple. This is what Mosaic is all about. And today, we're going to talk about how that practically manifest itself through service. That's what we're going to do today.Next week, we're starting a brand new sermon series that we're calling Tough and Tender: Developing Resilience for Life. We're excited about the sermon of Jesus Christ, the Lion of Judah, and the Lamb of God, both tough and tender. We live in a city that does toughen us up at the expense of our tenderness, so we need both. And also, we live in a culture where many of us are too tender when it comes to the tough subjects of life.So we're going to talk about the balance, that Jesus wants us to be both confident, knowing who we are in Christ, that our identity is rooted in him; and also humbled by the fact that the God of the universe stooped down to serve us and make us his.Today, we're talking about, Love. Jesus. Simple, how it manifests itself practically that we are called to sacrifice and serve, just like Jesus did. We want to love. What does love mean? Love means to sacrifice, specifically tangibly.Rod Dreher is a senior editor of The American Conservative. Two years ago, he wrote this book called The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation. And in it, this is what he says. He says, “The culture has so de-censored Christianity socially, and politically and in all different ways. It's so hard to be a Christian in our current American culture, we need a different strategy.“The idea is a serious Christian conservative can no longer live business-as-usual lives in America, that we have to develop creative communal solutions to help us hold on to our faith and our values, in a world growing even more hostile to them. We'd have to choose to make a decisive leap into a truly counter-cultural way of living Christianity, or we would doom our children and our children's children to assimilation.”I understand what he's saying, and I feel the heart behind his argument. The heart is, “Hey, the culture is overwhelming the church.” And unless we go back and figure out exactly what we believe, unless we're rooted in the Gospel, in our traditions, in our Christian faith, orthodox historic Christianity; unless we do that, we won't have a counterculture with which to curb the stave off the water.And he's saying, a lot of us, we see the floodwaters of culture change coming, and instead of piling up sand bags to keep the flood at bay of the culture change, he said we need to build an arc and we need to retreat, and we need to build strong communities, just like St. Benedict did. St. Benedict of Nursia, the early medieval monk. He retreated to the forest after Rome's fall. And I understand what he's saying, because he wants us to remain Christian.And I also understand how difficult it is to remain a Christian when everyone around you isn't. I understand that difficulty. I understand the temptation to go where there are more Christians, where it's easier to remain a Christian. However, Jesus Christ did not call us to be monks, he called us to be missionaries. He said, “I want you to be a city set on a hill, in order to shine the light of the Gospel.”So instead of heading to the hills, as he says metaphorically or literally, we need to remain, and perhaps even as missionaries called to advance the Gospel, go in the darkest places of the world, and be rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ. And we need the cleansing effect of the Gospel to continue sanctify us even when the world around us wants to sully us with sin of the culture.My other big problem with what he's saying is this, that it can create an isolation mentality. And it's so tempting in our individualistic American culture. We already as Christians have this idea of having a personal relationship with Christ, which translates into having a private relationship with Christ. Therefore, we bifurcate between our private life, pietistic, spirituality and our public life. I don't think that's what the Lord is calling us to.Therefore, how does this work itself out? Many of you church as just the place you go to. Many of you church as just like going to the movies. And this was actually a bigger problem for us when, for three years, we met at the Regal movie theater in Fenway. I had to tell people all the time, like, “Church is different than just going to the movies.”How often do you go to the movies? When something really good is playing. When you walk into the theater, you find a spot as far away from anyone as possible. As you walk in, you give people a head nod, I acknowledge that you exist. And then you go to your seat, you take your popcorn, and you just enjoy the show. As soon as it's done, you're out and you don't want to talk to anybody.Unfortunately, a lot of people view church like that. So maybe we don't withdraw to the mountains, but we withdraw to our personal lives. This is where my Christianity is. Jesus does not call us to do that. Jesus calls us to be on mission. He calls us to live out our faith. How does it practically? He calls us to serve. As Jesus Christ served you, serve one another. By this, the world will know that you are my disciples because of the love that you have for one another.Many of you church as a last option. And if that's why you're here because life is just falling apart, we're glad you're here, we want to minister to you. But I would submit to you, that it's much more effective to invest in church, invest in community, invest in relationships before you try to draw dividends, and we do that just through serving one another.The text for our time in the Word, today, is John 13:1-17. This is the night before Jesus Christ was crucified. And before he's crucified, instead of thinking about his own needs that he's about to experience unimaginable suffering, at the Last Supper he serves as disciples, and he serves them by washing their feet. Would you look at the text with me? John 13:1-17.Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper.He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.”Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”And when he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I've done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. And if I then, your Lord and Teacher have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is the messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these, blessed are you if you do them.This is the reading of God's holy, inerrant, infallible, authoritative Word. May He write these eternal truths upon our hearts. Three points to frame up our time together. We're going to look at the God who washes his feet, then we'll talk about receiving that washing, and then in return to extend that washing to one another.First of all, the God who washes feet. How is Christianity different? What makes Christianity different from any of the other world religions and it does stand in a league all its own? This is what makes Christianity different. We worship a god who kneels. We worship a god who gets on his knees to wash the filth off the feet of his disciples. That's what makes Christianity different. God comes to us. He makes us clean. He provides a means for us to be purified, healed.All the other religions say, “You need to purify yourself, cleanse yourself, and then you will be accepted.” Christianity says, “No, because of Christ's work of purification on the cross, all you need to do is accept it. And that's what makes you acceptable, just receiving the gift.”Romans 4:5. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.We're not saved through our works; not even our works of cleansing ourselves, we're saved through the cleansing, salvific gospel of Jesus Christ. This foot-washing took place when? During the Passover. This is crucial. Why? This is the Last Supper that's taking place during the Passover. During the Passover, what was celebrated? The celebration was that the angel of death is coming, and the only thing that can save you from the angel of death is the blood of the lamb painted over your doorway.And Jesus Christ comes, and he is the ultimate Passover lamb, who takes away the sin of the world; slain to spare us from God's judgment. And we need to accept that sacrifice by grace through faith, so to speak, paint the doorway of our heart with the blood of Jesus Christ, so that we do not experience the judgment that we deserve for our sins. And we see that everything Jesus does here is motivated by love.John 13:1. Before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.So he loved them to the very moment of his death. And he also loved them completely; completely and up to the end, even though he's facing the most horrible suffering imaginable, he's not thinking of his own needs, he's thinking of his disciples needs. Who are these disciples? Were they faithful to the end as he was to them? No. Did they love him to the end like he loved them to the end? No. And here, we see that he's actually washing the fee of Judas, the one who betrayed him and sold him.In John 13:26. Jesus answered, “It is he whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.Before the Lord's Supper, before saying, “This is the one who's betraying me,” he washed Judas' feet. And Jesus already knew that his disciples were going to deny him, that Peter was going to betray him. Still, he washed their feet. They didn't deserve it, that's the point, just like we didn't deserve the work of Christ on the cross as he poured out his blood to cleanse us.John 13:3. Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper, laid aside his outer garments, taking a towel, tied it around his waist, then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.I love how verse three reminds us of who this is who's about to do what he's about to do. This is the Son of God, who gave up the glory of being in heaven to come down to live with us in the incarnation. And he didn't just come live with us, he didn't just experience all of the human experience, what he does, that he goes in and he actually serves his disciples by washing their dirty feet.Here's why this is important. As you progress in Christianity and as you progress in your career, there's two temptations. The temptation is, I have grown beyond meeting people's practical needs. Here's how the practical works. You get an education, and then you work for a few years in your career, you're like, “I know how much my hour is worth. My hourly charge is $600 an hour.” Not mine. I'm saying some of you.And you're like, “Any work that I do outside of my job, if it's under that, I'm going to outsource it.” And there's this temptation to outsource all of the basic stuff in our lives, and there's an app for absolutely everything you can imagine, just to outsource everything. And that mindset, it creeps into like the practical relational stuff as well.I've got four daughters. The youngest is two. The oldest is 11. 11 years I've been a father. I've got a PhD-and-a-half in fatherhood in everything that that entails, including changing diapers. And as I was changing a diaper this week, I'm like, “Man, I wish I had an app for this.” Like I wish someone would just come and do. I just want to... “Get that done.”And in the church we see this as well, where it's like, I've been a Christian long enough, I don't need to be doing X, Y, and Z. I'm so glad that God did not do that. I'm so glad that God wasn't tempted to outsource meeting our greatest need. By the way, he couldn't; he was the only one who could meet that.So we see this incredible humility, that the same God who upholds the universe, who holds everything together as Colossians 1 says, that the one who tells the angelic host what to do, this same God humbly gets on his knees and washes the dirty, filthy feet of 12 undeserving disciples.And I don't need to get into the graphic details of how their feet were a lot dirtier and nastier than our feet. I'll just say two words; no indoor plumbing and animals on the streets, and everybody walked everywhere. They walked on those streets, they walk into that house, and they expect someone to wash their feet. They're looking around and no one's doing it, there's no servant here; it's just Jesus and the disciples. And Jesus gets down and washes their... By the way, he's on his knees. I think this is important.It doesn't say that he's on his knees, but you can't do what he did without getting on your knees. You can't just wash someone else's feet by stooping over. You got to get down and you got to get your hands dirty. This is important, that the God of the universe gets on his knees. He humbles himself to the point where he kneels before us to meet our need.The shepherds when they heard that Jesus was coming, they were on their knees. The Magi when they brought treasures to Christ to honor him were on their knees. Peter when he realizes that he is in the presence of the Son of God gets on his knees. The woman who snuck into Simon the Pharisee's house in order to wash Jesus' feet from the alabaster jar, she gets on her feet.In just a few hours, Pilate's soldiers who placed the crown of thorns on Jesus' head gave him a shepherd staff as his “scepter”, and they beat him to a bloody pulp. Then they got on his knees in mocking worship, crying out, “This is the King of the Jews. Hours before that, Jesus gets on his knees, holds out his hands, and with his hands; the same hands with which he fashioned the same feet that he's about to wash, he cleanses the filth and the dirt.By the way, the progression of this text is the same progression as Philippians 2:5-11. And there's a parallel between these two texts.Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.In the same way that Jesus rose from the throne next to God the Father and came down, he rose from his chair and he laid aside his garments of glory, and he laid aside his garments in the same way that he took on this towel; he took on, clothed himself in humility, girded himself with a towel that did a servant's lowly job. And by the way, that's whose job this was. This is a job for the lowliest of the servants. Friends didn't wash friends' feet. There is no example in all of ancient literature of a superior washing the feet of an inferior.And Jesus pours water into a basin in the same way that a few hours later has his blood will be poured out in order to cleanse us from the grime of our hearts, the guilt, and the defilement. And after he washed his disciples' feet, he wipes them. And what does he do? He takes his garments back up, and he sits at the table in the same way that Jesus Christ after his resurrection ascends to the right hand of God, the Father, and resumes his place in glory.In verse 31 of John 13, toward the end of the chapter, it says that what Jesus did here, it uses a very interesting word to describe his service. It uses the word glory. Verse 31. When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once.Jesus, how are you glorifying the Father? Jesus, how are you glorifying yourself? In John 12:32, the verse prior to our verse, we see a hint. Jesus answered them. He said, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”When Jesus talks about glorifying his name, glorifying the name of the Father, glorify and the Holy Spirit, he's talking about the service. He's talking about the sacrifice that's at the heart of the cross. Jesus was glorified through the cross. Jesus glorified the name of the Father through the cross. And this is absolutely counterintuitive, because the cross is the opposite of glory. The cross is the epitome of humiliation. The cross is the epitome of shame. There's no worse way to die than to be stripped, to be flogged, to be scorched, to be given a splintered cross to carry, to be nailed to that splintered cross, and then hung up as a public spectacle to everyone, a spectacle of humiliation.And Jesus says, “This is the way that I'm going to glorify God the Father. Why? Because what does it mean to glorify God? It means to magnify his attributes. It means to show people what God is like. Then at the cross, we see what God is like. God is love. We see Christ on the cross, the Son of God saying, “This is how much I love you.” And we also see his justice, the justice of God, that that's what it took for our sins to be forgiven. Justice had to be paid; justice and love merging together at the cross. Love and grace shine forth.Hebrews 1:3. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. And after making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on High.So what he did with his disciples' feet is a picture, it's a metaphor, an analogy of what he's ultimately going to do on the cross. In the same way that he washed his disciples' feet, he's saying, “I'm going to the cross in order to provide purification for the greatest filth,” the filter of our hearts, the filth of our sin.Now, what do we need to do with that? And God does command that we do something with that. This isn't just theory. This isn't just theology to stimulate us intellectually. Christ says, if this is true and it is, he proved it through his resurrection, then we are to respond. If he provided a means for our hearts to be cleansed, we are to receive that cleansing. And we see that in this point to receiving the washing, we see that the story stops abruptly when Jesus comes to wash Peter's feet.In John 13:6. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” And the pronouns here are emphatic, showing Peter's utter shock. Look at Jesus' response, and it's fascinating.Verse seven. Jesus answered him, “What I'm doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head.” And Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.”By the way, this is the way that Jesus communicates. I remember I had a preaching professor in seminary who said, “If you're not clear, then that wasn't a good sermon.” And my response to him was, “Have you ever read Jesus' sermons?” Like texts like this where it's like multilayered communication, like multidimensional.What's going on here is that Jesus, as he's having a conversation with Peter, and it's a physical, tangible act of service, but it's also a metaphor for what he's doing on the cross. As he's doing the washing, he talks about two different meanings of the washing. “I'm washing your feet, which is a sign of washing your heart, but there's two ways that I wash the heart. The first is justification where I wash you. I wash you from the guilt of your sin and you're washed forever. The second is the washing of sanctification.”So in our salvation process, there's three categories that every single Christian needs to know. Justification is the moment that you believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you've repented of your sins. You are washed completely of the shame, and guilt and the condemnation. Justification; you're justified, “I have been saved.”Now begins the process of sanctification, where the Lord, day by day cleanses us from any remnant or vestige of sin. And when we die, we get a glorified body, no sin, and we will live in an embodied future in the new heavens and the new earth. We'll be glorifying God and rejoicing forever.This is what he's talking about here. So first, he says, “Peter, if you don't receive my washing, if you don't receive my purification, you have no part of me.” Unless Jesus is your Passover lamb, unless you have applied his blood by grace through faith to your sins, you are under the curse of death. You were separated from God. “So accept it,” he says. And that's why he says in verse 8, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”But then there's a second understanding of the washing. The first is washing of water regeneration. That's Titus 3:5. The second is the blood of Jesus cleanses us, continues to cleanse us from sin. That's 1 John 1:7. The first is all washing of regeneration. The second is that the Lord cleanses us as we walk in this world, and as our souls get sullied with the dirt of the culture around us.Jesus doesn't tell us to retreat into the mountains, metaphorically or literally, he tells us to follow the way, follow the path, be missionaries in this world; missionaries, not monks. And as we walk in this dirty world, our feet get dirty, our souls get dirty on a daily basis. And you know what I'm talking about; things you see, things you think, and it's coming at us at just a breakneck speed, so we need the once for all cleansing, but then we also need the ongoing application of that cleansing, and that's what Jesus is talking about.John 13:10. Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but now every one of you.And that's where he's talking about Judas. Here, he's talking about the fact that the gospel isn't the way that we just become a Christian. The gospel is also the way we continue in the faith. You enter the Kingdom of God; you start a relationship with God by trusting him through the gospel. Then you take every step by continually being washed by his grace.2 Timothy 2:1. You then my child be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus. At first glance, Peter's refusal when he says, “Jesus, you're not washing my feet,” at first glance, it sounds a very humble. And actually if I were there, I'd probably do the same thing. Like, “No, no, no. I'm good, Jesus. My feet are nasty.”I actually, whenever I come to someone's house and they're like, “You got to take your shoes off,” this is a house where you got to take your shoes off, I'm like, “No, you don't want me to do that.” I carry an extra pair of socks with me, just in case. I want to be a good neighbor. You know what I'm saying? It was like, “No.” It sounds almost like, “Jesus, I don't want you to get into my filth. I don't want you to get into my mess. What if you see something else there?”It looks like it's humble, but it actually stems from pride. Here's what I mean. Peter wasn't comfortable with just accepting something from Jesus without reciprocating, you know what I'm saying? Like when someone gives you a birthday present and you're like, “I didn't know we were on that level relationally. Now I got to figure out how much this cost, and I got to figure out when your birthday is, and I got to I got to reciprocate.”That's what's going on here. Where if, Jesus, if I receive this, then you can call me to do whatever you want to call me to do. And that's part of how the Gospel works. Like Jesus paid it all, he can ask you to do whatever, like all to him I owe. Like, “We'd rather pay for the salvation,” or like, “Jesus, I'll accept as a loan, and then I'll pay it back with interest.” And part of it is because we want to take credit for our own cleansing process, our own salvation process, or our own healing process. And Jesus says, “No, you can't pay back salvation. You can't earn salvation.”All of our righteousness is as filthy rags. Holy Scripture says, the only thing we can actually offer God is our dirty feet, which is a symbol of our dirty hearts, and pride often masks itself under humility.In verse eight, Peter say, “You shall never wash my feet.” “Jesus, you can wash them to the other disciples' feet. They definitely need some cleansing. Their feet really stink. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like them or like you, not like me.” It's sounds humble but it's very prideful. The reason why Jesus did this, I don't even think it's about the feet. It's the whole of like, to receive grace, you need humility. Like sit there, rest, and know that I am God and I will cleanse you. That takes so much humility.And Peter is actually embarrassed by Jesus doing this. It seems beneath his dignity to have the God of the universe come so close, get so tender and wash filth that that's so close. Pride sometimes drives us to serve Christ. And any service we render Christ should always stem from gratitude, not from pride. Not, Jesus, look, I've received this free gift, but now I'm going to repay. That's a prideful mindset.Romans 6:23. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. So have you been humbled by receiving this washing? If not, what's in the way? And I'll tell you what's in the way. You know, it's in the way, it's pride. I find this text so important. Before we get into serving others, this is where we got to start, because you can serve others out of pride and you can serve others out of wrong motivation, but we got to get started here. Is your heart humbled by the cross? Does God's love cause you to hate sin? Does God's love motivate you with love so much so that you are willing to serve others?This is crucial in our city in particular. I've lived in the city for 10 years, and in my whole time, I have never met a humble person. Never. I've met a lot of self-righteous people. I've met a lot of pretentious people. I've met a lot of arrogant. I'm right there with you. There's not one humble human being. Some people are growing in humility. That's the only difference. We need to grow in humility. And we do that by receiving washing every day. Lord, cleanse me. Lord, wash me. I need your gospel. And then as we do that, we have the grace to then extend washing to others.Jesus says in verse 14, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I've given you an example that you also should do just as I have done to you.” What does he mean, literally? No, of course not. Some churches do take this to mean literally. They actually have foot washing ceremonies and kicked that around at Mosaic, grow the church one way or another. No, that would never work here.And by the way, when churches do that, you're not really washing dirty feet. Because if I knew that a foot-washing ceremony is coming up at church, I'm going to get my first pedicure ever. Ever. I'm going to make things easier.Now, what he's talking about is meeting practical needs of people in several different categories. And I'll just give you a few examples. And this is the way we truly love one another by meeting practical needs. And this is why we can't retreat. This is why we have remain where we are and reach the people around us, love the people around us, so that the watching world sees us love one another.Jesus didn't say, “Go and make monastic communities where you're loving one another, washing each other's feet where no one sees that.” He says, “I want you loving each other here now, so that the unbelieving world sees it.” That's John 13:34, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another just as I have loved you,” in the context, washed your feet, “You also are to love one another. By this, all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.”This is one of our greatest apologetics to the unbelieving world, that this is a community of people that loves one another practically. What do I mean by washing each other's feet? I mean, practical service. We'll get there. It starts with realizing that we live in close proximity with one another. There's always relational gunk. There's always relational dirt, filth, whatever, stuff that accumulates. And how do we deal with that? We need to forgive.The blood of Jesus cleanses us by procuring forgiveness. Jesus said, “I cleanse you,” therefore, “And I forgive you.” So the way that we wash one another's feet, spiritually speaking, is we forgive one another when people sin against us. Assumption, they will sin against us because we're living in such close proximity with one another in community, where we need to extend forgiveness. And the great parable of this where Jesus tells a parable of a guy who owes the king 10,000 talent debt, and this is 150,000 years of wages for a working person.They guy can't pay it back. The king forgives him. That guy then who's forgiven goes and finds a guy who owes him 100 days of wages; 150,000, 100 days of wages, and starts choking him out and says, “If you don't pay me back, I'm going to send you to prison.” The king hears about that and he's not happy. And the point is that God has forgiven us an incalculable debt. How can we not... how can but forgive others?Another way that we wash each other's feet, metaphorically, is correction. We live in close proximity. We see other people's sins. We see their mistakes. We see their folly. And God commands us to call one another out, to speak truth to one another lovingly. This is so counter-cultural. We are so non-confrontational, personally; online, different story. But personally, we don't want to... like live and let live. Like, “I don't want to know.” Scripture says, if you love one another, you speak truth in love. It's washing of the crud of this world through the word. We speak the word to one another.Ephesians 5:26, talking about Jesus, “...that he might sanctify her,” the church, “having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word.” We received Jesus' graceful correction, and that gives us power to then extend graceful correction and receive graceful correction. Those are all aspects of foot washing. Galatians 6:1. Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you be tempted.So forgiveness, correction, and practically just serving one another. When you see someone's practical needs as brothers and sisters, we are to meet those practical needs, however that looks. And when you've received the Lord's serving you, you can serve others from the right motives and with the right expectations.Right motive is, I'm not trying to get something from you. And with the right expectations, even if I don't get a thank you, I'm still going to do this because Jesus Christ commands me to. And it requires less focused on our own rights and needs, and more on others.Generosity is another example. When we recognize that God has given us everything, it frees you to give generously. 1 Corinthians 4:7. For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it? Matthew 10:8b. You received without paying, give without pay. 2 Corinthians 9:8. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.And then the final practical way before we close out with explaining why those little cards are in front of you and why the greeters were extra emphatic in making sure you got a bulletin today. We'll get there. Refreshment. When you come home after an exhausting day, and there's nothing more refreshing than washing up. There's a spiritual sense in like we get exhausted in the Christian life. Living the Christian life, in particular in a place like Boston, it's hard.And we need to encourage one another, and we do that by refreshing one another with God's Word. And that's done with time. That's done with margin in your life, where you have time for other people, where you can sit with them, and listen and speak a positive word of encouragement to their life.Even St Paul, the great Apostle needed this. 1 Corinthians 16:17. I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence, for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such people.What does it mean to refresh another spirit? I don't know. But after you're done spending time, they're like, “Duh. That was great. I feel so much better. I feel so I feel refreshed. I feel encouraged. There's something there.” Philemon 7. For I've derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.Why do we serve at Mosaic? We serve at Mosaic, and we talk about service at Mosaic because it's more blessed to give than to receive. It's more blessed to bless than to be blessed. It's more blessed to serve than to be served. It actually is really good for you.Health professionals have been telling this for a while. The BMC Public Health cohort studies, it took 40 papers that selected five randomized controlled trials and 17 cohort studies. And one of the things that they said was that when you serve other people, when you volunteer, when you give up your time, up your energy, what happens is, it actually has favorable effects on your health. It lowers depression, increases life satisfaction, and actually lowers the risk of mortality, but... big caveat, you actually have to love the people that you're serving. That's the big caveat.And this is Dr. Michael Poulin, professor of psychology, University of Buffalo. He says, “Helping appears to only be good for you if you really care about those you're helping.” In two separate studies, he says, “I found that volunteering on behalf of strangers also weakens the link between stress and health, but only for volunteers who have generally positive views of other people. In other words, helping may be good for you specifically to the extent you're likely to experience compassion for those you help.”So here's the practical side of everything we just talked about. Obviously, wash one other feet. You do as Jesus did. Here's how we do it practically at Mosaic as a church body. We are a church plant, meaning we don't own our building, we're brand new church. So everything that you see that happens here is setup and teared down. This church is run by an army of incredible volunteers, and has been from the beginning. One of the reasons why we service practically, we just need people to serve. The second reason is it reminds us of what the Lord calls us to.In the hustle and bustle of the crazy speed and pace of the city, sometimes we forget. So what I talk about when you serve at Mosaic, I talk about it as a recalibration, where it's like, “Oh yeah, the Lord called me to serve. Oh yeah, the Lord called me wash feet. Oh yeah, the Lord called me to do as he did.” So that's one of the reasons why we call people to serve at Mosaic.The second just really practical reason is Jesus told us to. And the third is that this church just can't run apart from volunteers. The average church in America engages 43% of their attenders in some volunteer role. Average church in the US, 43% of attenders serve. The top 10% of churches engage 72% of their attenders. Pretty good. Where's Mosaic at? If you don't count kids, which I'm not that comfortable with because I think our kids need to be serving, we're at 60%, which is pretty good. That's pretty good. We're still not magna cum laude. We're still not up there in the top 10%, so there's room for growth.But here's why that statistic isn't really accurate. Because a lot of our volunteers, volunteer in multiple roles. So if you count unique volunteers, it's only 46% of attenders; barely above the average of 43%. And Mosaic Boston, we don't like being average. I mean, you know what average is? Average is like a 2.5 GPA. Average is like C. That's not us.I believe in you. I think we can get into that top 10% this year. And we have multiple needs. I'm going to read off the needs. If the Lord leads you to serve at this church, the way that we'd love to follow up with you is fill out the card that's in front of you. It's either in the pew or in the worship guide, and you can toss it in the offering basket when it comes around.Here's where we have some needs. In terms of our music ministry, our band by the way is incredible, is so gifted. Before I say the needs, let me just say, you hear the level of music here that we have been gifted with. So if you are at that level. This is important to say because there is like a try-out process. And if you try it out and you don't make it, don't get mad at me. I'm not even there. And we still love you. And there's other ways to serve. We need to female singers. We need three guitarists, two basses, two drummers, and two keyboard players.For the morning greeting team, we need 12 new volunteers. The greeting team is the really happy, energetic looking people. So if you are an extrovert or can fake it, we'd love for you to sign up. And I know in this city, those people... like you guys are unicorns. So we need 12 unicorns for the greeting team.Morning setup, we need six new volunteers. By the way, set up is incredible time to just get your cardio in on a Sunday morning. You just get here, you got to carry stuff, so you're welcome. Morning tear down, we need eight new volunteers. Evening Service, our 5:00 PM, we need greeters and tear down, accommodation of 10 new volunteers. Morning security, we need 12 new volunteers.For the Mosaic teens ministry, we have a thriving teens ministry. We need three volunteers in the morning, and four in the evening, so seven total. Mini Mosaic, we need four front-table greeters, and then for flexible floaters. I think that's people who can do absolutely everything; so the Julian Edelman of service.And then the video slide team, we need some volunteers. And then also community groups and community group hosts, we need hosts and leaders, co-leaders. So if you're interested in that, if you're blessed with the spiritual gift of a living room, that would be helpful.So with that all said, you can respond on that little card, be like, “Yeah, I want to practically serve and help out the church. Even if I'm here for like a year, even if I'm here for six months, I want to invest while I'm here in order to see the kingdom of God expand.” With that said, would you please pray with me over the conclusion of the preaching of God's Word?Lord, we thank you for this church. I thank you Jesus that you promise to build your church and that the gates of hell will not overcome it. I thank you for every single person who has sacrificially invested in this church by giving time, and treasure, and talent. And I pray that you draw many more to serve and continue to fill our hearts with this incredible love, and spirit of generosity and sacrifice, so much so that we're willing to wash one another's feet, however that may look. I pray all this in Christ's name. Amen.

This week we speak to American author Rod Dreher. Rod wrote the book The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation and speaks to Shane about the radical new vision for the future of Christianity.

#581 Hat tip: Rod Dreher, The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation

Raising Christian children in a post-Christian nation

Raising Christian children in a post-Christian nation

If you love listening to Unorthodox every week, please consider making a donation to keep us going for another hundred episodes. We put together a bunch of fun gifts for donors, from tote bags to studio visits to a cocktail party with Mark, Liel, and Stephanie. We’re #blessed with three Jewish guests this week: Leah Gottfried, Jessica Schechter, and Danny Hoffman, the team behind the popular web series 'Soon By You,' which depicts the dating drama of young, modern Orthodox Manhattanites. They tell us about their worst dates, how they differ from their on-screen personas, and the relationship roadblocks specific to the observant community, like disagreement about making aliyah. Our gentile of the week is Rod Dreher, senior editor at The American Conservative and the author of The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation. He tells us why we would all be better off living in cloistered communities given the fragmentation and atomization of religious life in America today, and poses an interesting question for us: whether we believe Jewish culture can endure without religion. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, behind-the-scenes photos, and more! Email us at Unorthodox@tabletmag.com—we may read your note on air. Follow us on Twitter: @tabletmag, @markopp1, @liel, and @stuffism. This episode is brought to you by Harry’s. Get a free trial shave set, valued at $13, when you sign up at harrys.com/unorthodox. Music: "Mikveh Bath" by Golem "If You Could See Her" by John Kander and Fred Ebb, from the Cabaret Original Soundtrack "Money (Instrumental)" by Pink Floyd "Thoroughly Modern Millie" by Jeanine Tesori and Dick Scanlan, from the film Thoroughly Modern Millie "Wishin' and Hopin'" by Nancy Sinatra Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Anita Schamber's coaching career began more than 20 years ago with World Vision International. Anita has coached organizational, training and coaching leaders from 22 different countries on four continents. She holds a doctoral degree from Vanderbilt University, a master's degree in counseling from the University of Illinois and is a Commissioned Minister for Volunteers of the Northern Rockies. She is also an instructor at the Institute for Life Coach Training. Anita's current focus in coaching is on working with women in the third-third of life to turn "retirement" into "refirement." She is married to KR, a retired PGA golf pro. They have a blended family of six adult children, 12 grandchildren, and at least two dogs. What You Will Learn About Coaching:   What coaching really is. The difference between coaching, consulting and counseling. How coaching can help you "do what you are" and align your life plans with God's plan for you. Why coaching works when talking to friends, family and colleagues does not. The role of coaching in performance management. The different types of coaching available today (i.e., executive, business, pastoral, life, wellness, career, college prep, women in mid-life, calling/purpose and many other types of coaching). Accreditation organizations for certification and the difference training and certification can make in your experience of coaching as a client. Specific courses, tools and books that can help you discover and live your purpose. What coaching for spiritual development is and how you might benefit from it. How the Holy Spirit participates in the coaching practice including examples of what that might look like. Why the societal statement "you can do anything you want to do" is not true. Where to take courses to develop your own coaching skills. How the experience of "deep listening" is missing from the faith experience and how to fix that problem. How you, your business and employees might benefit from coaching. The difference between praying and giving God a to-do list and praying to align your will with His (AKA the redesigning of faith to fit us). Coaching Resources Mentioned:   Book: Becoming a Professional Life Coach by Patrick Williams and Diane S. Melendez on Amazon Non-directive, Rogerian counseling article from Psychology Today:  https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/what-doesnt-kill-us/201408/what-is-non-directive-therapy World Vision International:  http://www.wvi.org/ Book:  Life Keys on Amazon "Motivated Abilities" - Anita mentioned this and referred to a unnamed author. I did some research and found this inventory based on the book:  https://arthurfmiller.com/about/sima/ The Institute for Life Coach Training:  http://www.lifecoachtraining.com/ Courses taught by Anita at the Institute for Life Coach Training:  http://www.lifecoachtraining.com/search/results/search&keywords=anita+schamber/ Coaching for Clergy website:  http://coaching4clergy.com/ Life Maps life purpose/calling discovery program:  https://www.onelifemaps.com/ Book:  The Benedict Option - A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation by Rob Dreher Video of Rob Dreher explaining the basic tenets of his book:  https://youtu.be/VbItNogEOx4 Daniel Henderson's book Transforming Prayer:  How Everything Changes When You Seek God's Face Where to Find Anita Online:   Send her an email at anitaschamber at gmail dot com Take one of her courses at the Institute for Life Coach Training:  http://www.lifecoachtraining.com/search/results/search&keywords=anita+schamber/

In this special edition of The Christian Outlook, Dr. Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, sits down with author Rod Dreher to talk about his new book, “The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation.” Dr. Mohler's wide-ranging interview with Dreher covers the magnitude of the political and cultural changes we are witnessing in America. Dreher is calling upon Christians to return to the first principles of the faith as militant secularism is on the rise and the culture is increasingly hostile toward the religious liberties of Christians.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Author and senior editor of The American Conservative, Rod Dreher, joined Teer & Jason do discuss his new book, "The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation".

Author and senior editor of The American Conservative, Rod Dreher, joined Teer & Jason do discuss his new book, "The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation".

We discuss a new book, The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation. Take a listen and let us know if you agree or disagree with the premise of the book.

Rod Dreher’s The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation has certainly emerged as the most talked-about religious book of 2017. There is a widely-felt instinct that something has gone rather deeply wrong with the culture and that classical Christianity, at least in the West, is in a bit of a mess. So, do we need the Benedict Option now? In this episode, Bishop Robert Barron discusses the upsides and the pitfalls of employing the Benedict option during these difficult times.

Rod Dreher’s The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation has certainly emerged as the most talked-about religious book of 2017. There is a widely-felt instinct that something has gone rather deeply wrong with the culture and that classical Christianity, at least in the West, is in a bit of a mess. So, do we need the Benedict Option now? In this episode, Bishop Robert Barron discusses the upsides and the pitfalls of employing the Benedict option during these difficult times. The listener question wonders how Christians should engage the political arena. Topics Discussed 0:17  - Introduction, New announcement regarding Pivotal Players: Volume 2. 3:42 - Has something gone terribly wrong in our society? 4:36 - What are Bishop Barron's thoughts on the Benedict Option as a proposal? 6:30 - Who was Saint Benedict and how can he help solve our modern problems? 8:50 - How is Noah's Ark a good symbol for the Benedict Option? 11:23 - What is the identity/relevance dilemma? 13:55 - How does St. John Paul II relate to the Benedict Option? 18:10 - Should the Church pull back on political engagement? 22:05 - Should Christians pull out of society and live in separate communities? 24:30 - Is homeschooling the best option for Christian children? 28:15 - Should we avoid occupations that will force us to compromise our values? 31:20 - Should we avoid technology as Christians? 34:33 - Question from listener: Should Christians be active in the political arena? Bonus Resources Videos Democracy and a Nation that Trusts God Reflections on Shocking Abortion Numbers Reflections on the Hookup Culture Reflections on the Childfree Life Porn and the Curse of Total Sexual Freedom DVD's CATHOLICISM: The Pivotal Players (Word on Fire) CATHOLICISM series (Word On Fire) Faith Clips (Word On Fire)  Articles    "How St. Benedict Reshaped the Culture" (Father Steve Grunow) "The Benedict Option and the Identity/Relevance Dilemma" (Bishop Barron) "A Secular Europe and the Mission of the Church" (Bishop Barron) Books The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation by Rod Dreher The Priority of Christ by Bishop Barron The Strangest Way by Bishop Barron Study Program  The Mystery of God: Who God Is and Why He Matters (Bishop Barron) CATHOLICISM: The Pivotal Players Study Guide (Word on Fire) Websites Word On Fire (Bishop Barron) DailyCatholicGospel.com (Bishop Barron) Find bonus links and resources for this episode at http://WordOnFireShow.com and, again, be sure to submit your questions at http://AskBishopBarron.

In this special edition of The Christian Outlook, Dr. Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, sits down with author Rod Dreher to talk about his new book, “The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation.” Dr. Mohler's wide-ranging interview with Dreher covers the magnitude of the political and cultural changes we are witnessing in America. Dreher is calling upon Christians to return to the first principles of the faith as militant secularism is on the rise and the culture is increasingly hostile toward the religious liberties of Christians.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are a post Christian nation. But do not blame these on the Government. After all, The Government is, Of the people, By the people and For the people and the people have decided that God is not important any more but their own selfish desires are. PEOPLE wake up: Get into the Word Of God and learn the doctrines of God so you can teach the truth of God and then we can experience the Glory of GOD!

Many sociologist believe that America is headed toward becoming a post-Christian nation, much like what Europe experienced in the past 50 years. As the culture and morals of our nation change, how is the church to respond? How can we carry out the great commission and still stand up for our convictions and values? Do we really even know why we believe what we say we believe? Can we back it up with scripture and explain it in a manner that allows room for grace, mercy and love? Join us for this new series that will examine many of the culture changes we are encountering as well as looking at some of the popular "hot button" issues as we explore why we believe what we believe and what that means moving forward in a possible hostile environment. This Message is an introduction and lays the foundation for the series. From 1 Peter 3:13-17, Matthew 5:10-16.

Pastor Tom discusses practices employed by people of faith in times past in order to preserve their ways of life in hostile secular cultures.

Pastor Tom discusses practices employed by people of faith in times past in order to preserve their ways of life in hostile secular cultures.

Today on the show Adam McNutt and I discuss the culture in which we live. We discuss how Christ has been tossed out of many places where he was once honored as well as the results of that choice, Is there hope? Listen for an encouraging answer!

Today on the show Adam McNutt and I discuss the culture in which we live. We discuss how Christ has been tossed out of many places where he was once honored as well as the results of that choice, Is there hope? Listen for an encouraging answer!