Podcasts about presbyterian

Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost; Sermon based on Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18 and John 6:56-60, 66-69. Preached at The First Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn (https://linktr.ee/firstchurchbrooklyn). Podcast subscription is available at https://cutt.ly/fpcb-sermons or Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/4ccZPt6)....This item belongs to: audio/first-church-brooklyn-sermons.This item has files of the following types: Archive BitTorrent, Columbia Peaks, Item Tile, Metadata, PNG, Spectrogram, VBR MP3

James 5:12-20. From the "The Letter of James" sermon series. Preached by Jody Killingsworth.

Martin Wagner August 31, 2025 Faith Presbyterian Church Birmingham, AL BulletinThank you for listening! Please visit us at www.faith-pca.org.

Sandy Prouty, Minister of Children and Families

Title: The Sower's SongSpeaker: Mason HarmonScripture: Psalm 126Date: Aug 31, 2025

Clint and Wendy, hosts of the Spiritual Cake podcast, explored the origins and meanings of various Christian denominations, including Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, and others, discussing their governance structures and beliefs. They examined different religious practices and traditions across denominations, including methods of worship, leadership structures, and approaches to spirituality. The hosts concluded by discussing the role of religion in society, human behavior, and the podcast's mission to provide diverse perspectives on spirituality and religious beliefs.

Pastor Bobby Schuller teaches on the three treasures revealed when we open our spiritual eyes. Experience the growth and transformation that comes from embracing both the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit, with today's message: “The Greatest Hindrance to Hearing God's Voice.”

Lord Alderdice is a former leader of the Alliance Party in Northern Ireland who still sits in the House of Lords. He has a background steeped in Presbyterian in Northern Ireland but resigned from the church in 2018. Having heard about allegations of bullying and harassment within the Presbyterian Church, he commissioned a dossier outlining the experiences of some whose claims included being falsely accused of inappropriate sexual relationships, being subjected to kangaroo court style systems as well as being shunned and gaslighted. Sunday Life journalist Angela Davison is joined by Lord John Alderdice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor talks with Elizabeth Hinson-Hasty, a professor at Union Presbyterian Seminary in North Carolina and author of the new book Authentic Christian Freedom: Deconstructing the American Gospel of Liberty. She discusses issues of Christian ethics, liberty, fundamentalism, ministry, and seminary education. Note: Don't forget to subscribe to our award-winning e-newsletter A Public Witness that helps you make sense of faith, culture, and politics. And preorder the forthcoming book by Brian Kaylor, The Bible According to Christian Nationalists: Exploiting Scripture for Political Power.

Rev. Dr. Dewey Williams, Guest Preacher

Finding Authentic Christian Worship: A Journey Through History, Tradition, and FaithThe search for authentic Christian worship often begins with a simple but profound question: “Is this how the apostles worshipped?”In this special Cloud of Witnesses (https://www.patreon.com/c/CloudofWitnesses) mini-episode, our guest hosts, Ben and Ashley Langlois—Ben known online as Orthodox Luigi—invite us into their personal journey of wrestling with that very question. As a husband-and-wife team, their perspectives bring a unique richness to the conversation: Ben shares from his theological study and exploration of history, while Ashley offers a heartfelt and distinctly feminine perspective on what it means to seek beauty, meaning, and belonging within the Body of Christ.Raised in contemporary Protestant settings, they began to sense subtle but growing tensions during worship: as guitars played, lights dimmed, and emotions ran high, they couldn't shake the feeling that something essential was missing. Were coffee shops, branded merchandise, and high-energy worship experiences truly what Christ intended for His Church?This questioning sparked a spiritual journey that led them through seven different churches, eventually settling for online services when no physical community seemed to reflect the fullness they longed for. Along the way, family connections played an important role. Brothers who were exploring Catholic and Orthodox traditions introduced Ben and Ashley to writings from the Church Fathers and early Christian practices that challenged many modern assumptions.Some discoveries were unexpected—like learning that Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli, leaders of the Protestant Reformation, all practiced infant baptism, a tradition many evangelical churches have set aside. For Ashley, these realizations opened new questions about how faith traditions shape the spiritual life of families and the formative role of women in the Church.Their journey eventually brought them to a Presbyterian congregation that offered what they call “pseudo-tradition”—wooden pews, touches of liturgy, and references to early writers. Yet, as Ashley shares, there was still a lingering sense of longing: the beauty was there, but the roots felt incomplete. Exploring historically grounded Protestant traditions like Anglicanism and Lutheranism only deepened this tension, as they often discovered a paradox—churches with the richest liturgical practices frequently embraced the most progressive theology, raising concerns about spiritual and doctrinal stability.Through prayer, study, and reflection, Ben and Ashley's path eventually led them to Eastern Orthodoxy, where they encountered a faith deeply rooted in apostolic succession, ancient liturgies, and a vision of salvation as a lifelong journey of transformation in Christ. Ashley speaks to how Orthodoxy's reverence, beauty, and communal worship resonated with her desire for a faith that engages not just the mind, but the heart and the senses—inviting the whole person into relationship with God.This is more than a story about leaving one church for another—it's about the deeper longing many Christians feel today: to encounter something enduring, rooted, and unchanging in a rapidly shifting world.Entire uncut, unedited conversation between Ben and Ashley available now on our Patreon!Visit Cloud of Witnesses Radio: https://cloudofwitnessesradio.com/ Questions about Orthodoxy? Please check out our friends at Ghost of Byzantium Discord server: https://discord.gg/JDJDQw6tdhPlease prayerfully consider supporting Cloud of Witnesses Radio: https://www.patreon.com/c/CloudofWitnessesFind Cloud of Witnesses Radio on Instagram, X.com, Facebook, and TikTok. Please leave a comment with your thoughts!

August 24, 2025 - Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost Scripture: Acts 17:16-34 Sermon: Hannah Landgraf Moment for Mission: Faith & Grace Garden View the full worship service on YouTube sermon_audio_2025-08-24.mp3File Size: 24390 kbFile Type: mp3Download File [...]

#21 in our series, "The Book of Romans: A Theology of Hope"

This week, we continue the deep-dive into the human condition, into Paul's argument that we are all under sin. Philip helps us to see that these words are meant to...

James 5:7-11. From the "The Letter of James" sermon series. Preached by Stephen Baker.

Jason Sterling August 24, 2025 Faith Presbyterian Church Birmingham, AL BulletinThank you for listening! Please visit us at www.faith-pca.org.

Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Parables of the Kingdom in the Gospel of MatthewMatthew 18:21-35 (ESV)21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.' 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”Sermon OutlineJesus invites us into a way of life marked by forgiveness (v21), which both challenges and frees us.1. A Heart Unchanged by Mercyv26-27 “the servant fell on his knees… out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.”vv29-30 “So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded… He refused…” vv32-33 “I forgave you… should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?'”2. Jesus' Concern for the Heartv28 “he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.'”v35 “So also my heavenly Father will do… if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” 3. A Heart in Forgivenessv22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.v25 And since he could not pay,Prayer of ConfessionAlmighty and most merciful Father, if you kept a record of sins, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness. We need forgiveness for all our sins, including our failure to appreciate your generosity and mercy to us. We have taken for granted the cost at which forgiveness comes to us. We have been vengeful people, desiring to hurt and punish. We justify ourselves, thinking we are judges who operate only in the realm of righteousness. We have not recognized the harm we have been doing to ourselves and the unintended consequences to others. Forgive and free us from these and all our sins. Cleanse us from the harms done to us and from all the lingering effects of them. Show us the heart of Jesus so we become people of great humility, joy and peace. May we give to the world as we receive from him, so that our lives bring you delight and honor to his name. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhy is forgiveness important?Why is forgiveness so hard? What makes forgiving others difficult for you?What is the connection between receiving mercy and becoming someone who is merciful? What prohibits us from being deeply transformed by the generosity shown to us?What does Jesus mean when he says we must forgive “from the heart”?What can you do when you are finding it difficult to forgive? How can you protect yourself when you forgive someone who isn't changing? Is the gospel affecting you deeply? As you walk with God, are you growing in gratitude, humility, wisdom, joy, etc.? What habits or practices could help you connect more with God?How can you process your life more fully with God? How can Jesus Christ be a help, strength and healer to you?

Lauren J. McFeaters preaches on Luke 7:11-17. August 24, 2025.

Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost; Sermon based on Romans 4:16-25. Preached at The First Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn (https://linktr.ee/firstchurchbrooklyn). Podcast subscription is available at https://cutt.ly/fpcb-sermons or Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/4ccZPt6), Spotify, Amazon, Audible, Po....This item belongs to: audio/first-church-brooklyn-sermons.This item has files of the following types: Archive BitTorrent, Columbia Peaks, Item Tile, Metadata, PNG, Spectrogram, VBR MP3

Sunday Worship August 24th, 2025   “Bold” Acts 5:17-42 Rev. Tyler Dirks   Sermon Audio   Sermon Outline: How Scared Should We Be? How Sneaky & Satirical Is God? How Bold Can We Be? Reflection Questions: When was a time you truly felt like someone was ‘out to get you'? Did this person(s) have influence, […] The post Bold appeared first on East Charlotte Pres.

You're listening to the Two Rivers PCA church podcast. We are a family of faith gathering around God's redeeming love, growing in the grace of Jesus Christ, and going to serve our neighbors.For more information, visit us at tworiverspca.org.

Title: What Worship is LikeSpeaker: Ransom KentScripture: Psalm 145Date: Aug 24, 2025

The Life and Times of Joseph 7 Genesis: 42:28Uddingston Park United Free Church Rev Wm Bruce McDowall24th August 2025

Pastor Bobby Schuller teaches that our spirit, reborn in Christ, should guide us, while our soul—our will, intellect, and emotions—must come under the spirit's authority. Discover how to open the eyes and ears of your heart with today's message: “The Lord's Inheritance.”

August 18, 2025 JOHN M. OTIS,ordained Presbyterian minister, author,publisher, & campus evangelist @ theUniversity of Georgia through Trium-phant Gospel Ministries, who willaddress: “WHAT CONSTITUTES BIBLICALMASCULINITY?: NEITHER MILQUE-TOAST NOR MACHO” Subscribe: Listen:

#20 in our series, "The Book of Romans: A Theology of Hope"

In this episode, host Jean Geran speaks with guest historian Michael Rutz about the historical experience of British Protestant dissenters in the 18th and 19th centuries. Drawing from his book The British Zion: Congregationalism, Politics and Empire, 1790–1850, Dr. Rutz explores how dissenting Christian communities navigated issues of religious liberty, education, social activism, and citizenship under an Anglican state church.

Rev. Mark E. Fowler from the @tanenbaumcenter joins us this week and discusses his journey from a Presbyterian upbringing to […] The post Exploring Interfaith with Reverend Mark E. Fowler appeared first on Queer Theology.

James 5:1-7a. From the "The Letter of James" sermon series. Preached by Jody Killingsworth.

Jason Sterling August 17, 2025 Faith Presbyterian Church Birmingham, AL BulletinThank you for listening! Please visit us at www.faith-pca.org.

Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Parables of the Kingdom in the Gospel of MatthewMatthew 13:24-30, 36-43 (ESV)24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?' 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.' So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?' 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”'”36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.Sermon OutlineJesus orients us to thrive as we follow him through a world with suffering.1. God's Agendav24“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field”v28 “An enemy has done this”, v39 “the devil” v29 “lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat”2. God's Patiencev30 “Let both grow together until the harvest”v39 “The harvest is the end of the age”3. God's Wisdomv26 “So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also”v41-43 “they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers… Then the righteous will shine…”Prayer of ConfessionOur Father: we are attuned to our own sufferings, yet ignorant of what it is like to be a holy God who governs our corrupt world. We have questioned your goodness and ability. We are guilty of the slander of those who think they know better than you. We admit our weakness and inability to face the challenges of this world honorably. We confess we have done what we should not, sometimes unaware of the damage we are doing, and sometimes with disregard for it. Forgive all our sins. Grant us grace to accept the things we cannot change, courage to change the things which should be changed, and wisdom to distinguish one from the other. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat are some ways you respond to suffering? What forms of suffering are most difficult for you?What are your thoughts about God when suffering? Why is it important to not lose sight of positive goals (things you aim to do or accomplish) when challenges arise? When you look at social and political discourse today, where do you see forces that aim to move too quickly into complex issues? What trends or patterns do you observe in recent years?Why is patience valuable when dealing with challenges? How is patience different from passivity or avoidance?What is needed to be able to accept limitations and also be proactive about positive change? What skills do you need to develop to be able to make progress in areas where the radical change or the goal you want is not likely?What comfort or help comes from knowing that the God of Christianity is not removed from suffering?What are some convictions to hold to, or expectations to clarify, that will help orient you so that as you face difficulties in life you can make progress and have protection?

Tenth Sunday after Pentecost; Sermon based on Galatians 5:13-6:2. Preached at The First Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn (https://linktr.ee/firstchurchbrooklyn). Podcast subscription is available at https://cutt.ly/fpcb-sermons or Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/4ccZPt6), Spotify, Amazon, Audible, P....This item belongs to: audio/first-church-brooklyn-sermons.This item has files of the following types: Archive BitTorrent, Columbia Peaks, Item Tile, Metadata, PNG, Spectrogram, VBR MP3

Sunday Worship August 17th, 2025   “Esse Quam Videri” Acts 5:1-16 Rev. Tyler Dirks   Sermon Audio   Sermon Outline: Honestly Honor Reflection Questions: In what ways do you ardently want to seem, but you don't actually want to be? (e.g. patient, repentant). When was a time you got called out? (see Matthew 16:23; Luke […] The post Esse Quam Videri appeared first on East Charlotte Pres.

August 17, 2025 Pastor Nathan Lee Psalm 129

Rev. Dr. Lorraine Leist, Associate Pastor

Returning to Peace Luke 12:49-56 8/17/2025 Rev. Alan Brehm PhD Hickman Presbyterian Church

You're listening to the Two Rivers PCA church podcast. We are a family of faith gathering around God's redeeming love, growing in the grace of Jesus Christ, and going to serve our neighbors.For more information, visit us at tworiverspca.org.

Title: Reflect and RespondSpeaker: Ransom KentScripture: Psalm 139Date: Aug 17, 2025

Pastor Bobby Schuller teaches on opening the eyes of your heart to see the spiritual truths that guide us to a holy life. See beyond the natural world and live a life of faith and righteousness by setting your mind on things above, with today's message: “Open the Eyes of Your Heart.”

Send us a textThis week Greg sat down with Peter Demos. Peter is a Restauranteur, Author, and Podcast Host. They discussed the New Trans Theology and its impact on the family, church, and government. They also got into when its ok for christian civil disobedience. Enjoy!  Covenant Real Estate: "Confidence from Contract to Close" Facebook: Dead Men Walking PodcastYoutube: Dead Men Walking PodcastInstagram: @DeadMenWalkingPodcastTwitter X: @RealDMWPodcastExclusive Content: PubTV App

#19 in our series, "The Book of Romans: A Theology of Hope"

How does the son of a Presbyterian minister end up winning a Pulitzer Prize for a distorted newspaper column that is read by many? Well, in Dave Berry's new book “Class Clown: The Memoirs of a Professional Wiseass: How I Went 77 Years Without Growing Up” he provides the details.“Class Clown” isn't your regular memoir; it is a celebration of life rich with humor, joy, absurdity, and sadness.

James 4:11-17. From the "The Letter of James" sermon series. Preached by Jody Killingsworth.

Jason Sterling August 10, 2025 Faith Presbyterian Church Birmingham, AL BulletinThank you for listening! Please visit us at www.faith-pca.org.

Joel Webbon and Dr. Stephen Wolfe discuss the concept of cultural Christianity, particularly within the context of Baptist and Presbyterian perspectives. They explore the dichotomy of views on cultural Christianity, highlighting its potential benefits, such as preparing individuals for faith and fostering a more virtuous society.The conversation also addresses concerns about nominal Christianity and the surprisingly positive role of “hypocrisy” in a society, ultimately advocating for the beneficial influence of Christian culture on laws and customs.The episode concludes with a reflection on the law as a tutor that guides individuals towards faith and virtue.

Episode Summary: Being busy is a drug for most people. We believe that busyness is a badge of honor, that constant activity is good, and that productivity (whatever that means), makes us worthwhile. People like to talk about being busy all the time, but oftentimes their relationships suffer. So often we sleepwalk through our days, but there is a tremendous gift in practicing awareness in this present moment. In a culture that gives accolades for business and achievement, we run the risk of forgetting how to be present. Scripture reminds us to “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10) but how often do we willingly slow down? My guest, Courtney Ellis and I talk about how to be present in the moment and reap the benefits. Quotables from the episode: What would it look like to love my actual neighbors? What would it look like to press into this particular church? What would it look like to make our kids' schools our schools and really put our feet on the ground and help in all the ways that we can? And so this book came out of that desire that my husband and I had and that commitment we made before God to really try to live into the ministry of stability as long as he called us to. That's a big change after moving six times in six years. It is, it is. You learn some bad habits when you move a lot. Friends in the military, friends who have to move a lot and they say, yeah, you pick up some bad habits. So, we had to unlearn a lot of bad habits. You talk about leaning in and being present. So, what are some practical ways that we can choose to be present in the moment? And then what are some of the benefits? There are so many small, beautiful ways we can choose to be present. Often the easiest one is just to keep your phone in your pocket or your purse because it's fascinating. You'll be at the grocery store, and you see people standing in line and you can time it. People will stand in line patiently for about 30 seconds and then the hand goes down and the phone is out. And it's not that they're being impatient, but might as well use the time to do the word or scroll Facebook or whatever it is. And so, part of this, practicing this attentiveness toward God and being present in the moment is simply resisting that urge to do the easiest thing which is to pull out technology and distract ourselves. Sit near a window and just take a few minutes and observe what you see and it's almost like your soul is the shaken up snow globe and as you sit all of that snow starts to settle and you may hear from God, you may hear things in your own heart that you've been kind of stuffing down and as you're present to yourself, present to what you see around you, present to the Lord, beautiful things can happen. When we can make decisions in our lives ahead of time and leave them closed, it opens up our minds to new possibilities. It gives us new energy. And that's the difference between kind of leaving or living poised to leave and living planning to stay. And God may call us to go tomorrow, but today, if that decision is closed, we have all of these possibilities in front of us that we can turn our full attention to without already being fatigued. You refer to limits as a God -given grace. What do you mean by that? I don't like it. I'm going to start with that. I don't either. Talk about that for a minute. Yes. I want to be infinite. I want to keep going. I want to keep running. But limits ultimately are a grace and they're a reminder to us of our creatureliness that we are part of God's creation. We are not God. Even small things like coming to the end of a day and needing to go to sleep is a reminder of the limits God has set in our days, in our world, in our life. Multiple times a day we have to stop and eat. And that's an intentional creation of God. God could have created us to not need food. God could have created us to eat once a year. But these intentional checks and balances in our lives are an opportunity to practice dependence on God, to understand that our finitude is not burden, but it's grace, even if we are not always able to receive it in that way. Why do you call yourself an achievement addict and what does this have to do with learning to take a Sabbath rest? Yes, I would imagine I'm talking to another achievement addict here on the show. It takes one to know one. Yeah, I, especially early on in my life, that was where I would receive a lot of praise and adulation. And so I really grew into this. I am what I do. And if I've done enough in a day, I can feel good about myself, you know, when my husband and I compare notes at the end of the day and he'll say, "How was your day?" I still will most often jump to, "Well, I got a lot done and I feel really good about that." It's like, "Do you? Okay, let's talk about that. And there's nothing wrong with achievement, there's nothing wrong with being a driven person. But where you encounter some difficulty is when that becomes your identity. So, on a day where I'm ill, on a day where, you know, the kids didn't cooperate, on a day where something unexpected got thrown on my plate ministry -wise, does that mean I'm less of a person because I didn't check off my list? No, it doesn't. It means that God is the God of interruptions and God is the God of limitations. There's great grace in realizing that we are, you know, the old cliche, we're human beings, we're not human doings. and God has created us that way out of love and care and grace so we can rest at the end of the day even while leaving things undone. And that is the message of Sabbath is that once-a-week God commands doesn't invite doesn't suggest God commands that we rest from our labors and not because everything is done not because everything is polished and finished. And I love what Eugene Peterson, wonderful Presbyterian author has to say about Sabbath, which is that if you work with your mind, you should Sabbath with your hands. So, there should be worship, but also, you know, often my husband is out in the garden on Sabbath because that allows his mind to rest. But if you work with your hands, you should Sabbath with your mind. Busyness keeps us from stability and stability is what healthy people and a healthy society desperately needs. The United States has traditionally been one of the most mobile countries in the world with the average American moving about eleven times in their lifetimes. By contrast, Europeans move about four times. Busyness and the transitory nature of our lives and jobs means fewer deep connections with others. Fostering community is some of the toughest, most painful work we engage in. Being present means that we deliberately choose stability. In a world marked by transience, envy, and rootlessness, committing to stay put is a radical, unusual act. Transience threatens to dull our awareness of God. While stability may not always be our choice (like with a job relocation), it is something to be sought after. Remembering to pay attention can be the trickiest spiritual practice of all. Being present is about choices: setting aside time to rest (Sabbath) but also setting aside distractions (like technology). Sabbath is not a gift to you because you've achieved enough. It's actually a gift so that you will rest from your achievement and that's hard. In fact, you write remembering to pay attention can be the trickiest spiritual practice of to hack that a little think in many ways, those are the two primary spiritual disciplines, but what I'm learning is the older I get that the fundamental spiritual practice for all of us is learning to pay attention, to pay attention to God, to pay attention to our neighbor, to pay attention to what God is stirring up in our own souls, to pay attention to what God's stirring up in our broader culture. A lot of it comes back to those practices of noticing and being present with people. This is what Jesus did so well. Jesus was present with people who were very different than he was, people who had been wearing t -shirts with slogans that he did not agree with. And he did that by simply being present with people, by sharing meals with them, by having conversations, by noticing, he meets the woman at the well and through the power of the Holy Spirit, he knows things about her that we wouldn't have known, but we can notice, and we can love as Jesus loved. And so in building community, some of the best tools we have are not going on 100 miles an hour so we can pause at the mailbox and say, "Hey, how was your day?" So we can notice the person in the grocery store check-out line. So, it's slowing down and then practicing that same attentiveness, that spiritual practice of noticing with people. A big percentage of our listeners and viewers are dealing with pain, whether it's physical pain, it's emotional pain, relational pain, or even spiritual pain. So how can we learn to find God's presence in the present moment in the midst of our pain? What a good question. I think the first thing I'd say is sometimes you need to escape the pain a little bit and that's okay. Sometimes what you need are six episodes of the Great British Baking Show and God honors that and God blesses that. God doesn't always force us to face down our pain every minute of every day. So, it's kind of two feet of walking, we face it and then we take a breather, we take a rest, we take a nap. But I think the surprising thing, and we read this so often throughout the journey of Scripture, is that in those most painful moments, we find an intimacy with God that we don't find any other time. I would want to leave them with the gentle permission to slow down, to look up and look around, and to see what grace, God has strewn right in your path, right in front of you. It's easy to look for greener pastures. It's easy to lean into the dissatisfaction that our culture showcases all around us, but truly God has strewn our world with such delight. We slow down and start to look up. It's ours for the taking if we will slow down and be present in the moment. Scripture References: Matthew 5:34 We are warned not to “be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.” Matthew 24:42-44 “… keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” Jeremiah 29:7 “Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” Recommended Resources: Present: The Gift of Being All In, Right Where You Are by Courtney Sacred Scars: Resting in God’s Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted by Dr. Michelle Bengtson The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner AWSA 2024 Golden Scroll Christian Living Book of the Year and the 2024 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in the Christian Living and Non-Fiction categories YouVersion 5-Day Devotional Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises from God to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, AWSA Member of the Year, winner of the AWSA 2023 Inspirational Gift Book of the Year Award, the 2024 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in the Devotional category, the 2023 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in four categories, and the Christian Literary Awards Henri Award for Devotionals YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 1 YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 2 Revive & Thrive Women’s Online Conference Revive & Thrive Summit 2 Trusting God through Cancer Summit 1 Trusting God through Cancer Summit 2 Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the AWSA 2020 Best Christian Living Book First Place, the first place winner for the Best Christian Living Book, the 2020 Carolina Christian Writer’s Conference Contest winner for nonfiction, and winner of the 2021 Christian Literary Award’s Reader’s Choice Award in all four categories for which it was nominated (Non-Fiction Victorious Living, Christian Living Day By Day, Inspirational Breaking Free and Testimonial Justified by Grace categories.) YouVersion Bible Reading Plan for Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Free Study Guide Free PDF Resource: How to Fight Fearful/Anxious Thoughts and Win Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Henri and Reader’s Choice Award Hope Prevails Bible Study by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award Free Webinar: Help for When You’re Feeling Blue Social Media Links for Host and Guest: Connect with Courtney Ellis: Website / Facebook / Instagram / X For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book Sacred Scars / Order Book The Hem of His Garment / Order Book Today is Going to be a Good Day / Order Book Breaking Anxiety’s Grip / Order Book Hope Prevails / Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter (@DrMBengtson) / LinkedIn / Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube / Podcast on Apple Guest: After six moves in as many years, Courtney Ellis found herself longing for the stability of one place. Her new book Present: The Gift of Being All In, Right Where You Are explores God’s call to be present, cultivating community and contentment right where we are. Courtney is a graduate of Wheaton College and Princeton Seminary. She trained to be an English lit professor before following God’s call to full-time ministry. She and her husband, Daryl, have three children and live in southern California where they pastor. Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Presbytery is the corporate expression of a “council of elders” affirming the calling and direction of faithful members of the house. At Mercy Culture, this is accomplished through prophetic ministry from seasoned leaders, specifically our apostolic elders and pastors. “Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders (Presbyterian) laid their hands on you.”  — 1 Timothy 4:14  Presbytery at East Fort Worth was led by Pastor Will Ford, Pastor Dehavilland Ford and Pastor Chris Donald.

Presbytery is the corporate expression of a “council of elders” affirming the calling and direction of faithful members of the house. At Mercy Culture, this is accomplished through prophetic ministry from seasoned leaders, specifically our apostolic elders and pastors. “Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders (Presbyterian) laid their hands on you.”  — 1 Timothy 4:14  Presbytery at East Fort Worth was led by Pastor Will Ford, Pastor Dehavilland Ford and Pastor Chris Donald.