The Table Church DC: Recent Episodes
The Table Church DC
We believe if we thoughtfully and authentically follow Jesus, we’ll end up with a faith that is oriented towards love, inclusion, and justice.
We're told constantly to level up, hustle harder, and become the best version of ourselves. But what if this relentless pursuit of self-optimization is actually keeping us from the peace and purpose we're seeking? In a culture that treats exhaustion as a status symbol and measures worth by productivity, many of us are burning out while chasing an impossible standard of perfection.
This sermon by Pastor Heidi Mills explores an ancient alternative to our modern obsession with doing more and being better. Through the lens of a profound moment in Jesus's life, we'll discover how creating space for rest, practicing presence, and embracing our imperfections might be the real path to transformation—not the kind that comes from grinding harder, but the kind that happens when we finally stop trying to optimize ourselves into oblivion.
Whether you're drowning in your to-do list, feeling guilty about not doing enough, or just exhausted from trying to upgrade every aspect of your life, this might offer a different way forward.
What happens when the faith you grew up with doesn't have room for who you're becoming? Pastor Heidi Mills shares her personal story of moving from conservative Christianity's rigid expectations to discovering her queer identity at age 30. She explores how religious spaces often force people into narrow boxes that prevent authentic self-discovery.
Through her own experience of questioning, deconstructing, and ultimately embracing her sexuality, Heidi demonstrates how supportive communities can create space for people to explore their true selves without shame or judgment. Her story reveals how stepping outside familiar boundaries—even when it costs relationships—can lead to greater freedom and self-acceptance.
Whether you're questioning your own identity, supporting someone who is, or wondering how faith and sexuality intersect, this honest conversation offers hope that there are communities where everyone can belong exactly as they are.
Growing up queer in religious spaces often means inheriting a legacy of shame—being told your identity is incompatible with God's love. But what if the very questions that expose our shame could lead us back to belonging?
In this Pride Sunday sermon, Antonio Ingram explores how the Genesis story of Adam and Eve offers a surprising framework for understanding queer identity and faith. Drawing on the concept of "chosen family" familiar to many LGBTQ+ folks, he reframes our relationship with the divine not as one of exile and hiding, but as adoption into a family where shame has no place. This isn't about sanitizing faith or ignoring harm done by religious institutions—it's about reclaiming a spiritual heritage that says you belong, exactly as you are.
Whether you're questioning, affirming, or somewhere in between, discover how ancient texts speak to modern struggles for dignity and belonging.
Our society has become eerily comfortable with hiding disabled bodies and experiences from view. With 25% of people living with disabilities, why do we make them invisible in our communities and even in our religious spaces? This sermon examines how ableism functions as a system that ranks bodies and assigns worth based on constructed notions of "normalcy."
Drawing from Luke 14, we explore Jesus's radical invitation to center marginalized bodies at the table. What if disability isn't something to be fixed, but an identity to be honored? What if our task isn't to worry about our own seat at the table, but instead to become "table setters" who create spaces where everyone belongs as they are? The banquet of new creation has plenty of room—and the house isn't full until everyone is present.
What if being "fixed" isn't the point? In this sermon, Matt explores how our narrow definitions of "normal" actually prevent collective liberation. Through the biblical story of Jacob, who received both a blessing and a permanent disability in the same divine encounter, we're challenged to question our assumptions about healing and wholeness.
One in four Americans experiences disability, yet our churches and communities often approach disability as something to overcome rather than embrace. Discover how shifting from a medical model to a social model of disability might transform not just how we see disability, but how we understand God's vision for humanity. What if heaven includes wheelchairs, hearing aids, and all the beautiful diversity of human bodies?
What if disability isn't something to be "fixed," but rather a divine aspect of human diversity? In this candid conversation, Pastor Tonetta leads a community panel with Madison, Udim, and Gwyth as they challenge conventional religious narratives about disability. They discuss how churches often miss the mark by connecting disability with sin or promising its erasure in heaven. The panelists share their personal experiences with ableism, from bizarre healing prayers to everyday access barriers, while offering practical ways for everyone to resist harmful narratives. Whether you're disabled, neurodivergent, or simply want to understand how to create more inclusive spaces, this episode offers fresh perspectives on how disability intersects with spirituality, justice, and genuine community. Hearing these stories will change how you think about bodies, accessibility, and what it truly means to be made in God's image.
What if disability isn't something to "overcome" but a source of wisdom and creativity? Dr. Amy Kenny flips the script on ableism with humor and insight, showing how disability appears throughout scripture and nature—not as punishment but as divine design. From God's "wheelchair" in Ezekiel to Jesus keeping his scars after resurrection, she reveals how accessibility isn't charity—it's justice. Whether you're disabled, know someone who is, or just want to build more inclusive communities, this talk offers practical wisdom for seeing the sacred in all bodies.
Anthony Parrott tackles the question we're all asking: How do we find hope when the world feels like it's burning? Through the unexpected story of discouraged friends going fishing after a crisis, this sermon explores how meaning often shows up in the most ordinary moments—like breakfast on a beach. For anyone feeling overwhelmed by global crises, personal failures, or the daily struggle to keep going, this Easter message offers a fresh perspective on how small acts of community and care can become radical responses to empire and despair. Recorded April 20, 2025.
In a city that often feels like the Capitol from The Hunger Games, how do we maintain our humanity and agency? Pastor Heidi Mills explores what Jesus' radical entrance into Jerusalem teaches us about confronting systems of power without becoming what we oppose. Perfect for anyone tired of feeling like a pawn in someone else's game, searching for ways to create meaningful change in a world that prioritizes power over justice. Drawing parallels between ancient Jerusalem and modern DC, this sermon offers four practical strategies for living with purpose in the shadow of empire.
In the final installment of the Sacred Self-Care series, we tackle that voice in your head that never stops criticizing you. If your inner dialogue sounds like someone you'd never want to be friends with, this episode is for you. Learn why researchers say self-flagellation is actually self-defeating, and discover practical ways to replace harsh self-talk with self-compassion. Perfect for anyone who apologizes too much, feels perpetually inadequate, or struggles with the "should monster" that keeps you in a cycle of burnout. Because let's face it—you can't fight for justice in the world while waging war against yourself.
Former wrestler turned preacher Trevor Wentt breaks down why suppressing your feelings isn't the answer. Through personal stories of depression and King David's intense emotional expressions, he offers a practical 5-step approach to understanding your emotions as valuable signals rather than inconvenient obstacles. Whether you're struggling with anxiety, can't identify what you're feeling, or just want better emotional intelligence, this talk provides actionable strategies for using emotions as guides to what you actually need. Perfect for anyone who's ever been told to "stop being so emotional" or "just get over it."
In a culture that often tells us to suppress our emotions, what if they're actually trying to tell us something important? In this refreshingly honest conversation, Shae Washington unpacks how our emotions—even the uncomfortable ones—serve a purpose in our lives. Drawing inspiration from Pixar's "Inside Out" and challenging the messaging many of us received growing up ("boys don't cry," "happiness is a choice"), this talk offers practical wisdom for recognizing what your feelings might be signaling about your needs. Whether you've been told anxiety means you lack faith or that sadness should be overcome quickly, this episode provides a framework for treating your emotional life with respect rather than suspicion. Plus, stick around for an adorably instructive "feelings fashion show" from the kids that perfectly demonstrates why children might be our best teachers when it comes to emotional honesty.
In a world that constantly tells us our bodies need fixing, this sermon explores what it means to truly accept yourself as "your own best thing." Drawing from Toni Morrison's novel Beloved and the ritual of communion, Pastor Tonetta challenges the false division between mind and body that costs us connection, joy, and presence. Discover how reclaiming your body as holy space can be an act of resistance against systems that try to define your worth through appearance. Whether you're wrestling with body image, seeking a healthier relationship with yourself, or curious about how embodiment connects to justice, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective on what it means to be fully human in a society obsessed with perfection.
Feel like meditation might help your anxiety but been told it's not compatible with Christianity? In this episode, Anthony traces Christian meditation back to its ancient roots, explaining how desert monks used contemplative practices as resistance against empire and power. He breaks down four practical meditation techniques you can try today: Centering Prayer, Breath Prayer, Lectio Divina, and Imaginative Prayer. Learn how these practices can actually reshape your brain while connecting you with a tradition older than you might have realized. Perfect for stressed millennials trying to reconnect with spirituality in an authentic way.
In a culture that valorizes productivity and constant connection, taking time for yourself can feel selfish or indulgent—especially for those committed to social justice. But what if rest isn't just a reward for hard work, but the foundation that makes meaningful work possible? In this episode, Pastor Anthony challenges our workaholic mindset by exploring what Genesis, the prophets, and even Jesus have to say about rest. Plus, he opens up about his own recent struggle with anxiety and the hard lesson that none of us—not even pastors—are exempt from needing care. Whether you're feeling overwhelmed or just need permission to take a break, this candid conversation offers a refreshing alternative to the "grind til you die" mentality.
"It is the dance we are fighting for." In this series opener, we explore why radical self-care matters in a world that feels increasingly chaotic. Through stories of bubble baths, borrowed wisdom from LGBTQ+ activists who "buried friends in the morning and danced all night," and a fresh take on ancient scripture, this episode challenges the notion that suffering equals goodness. We dive into Dr. Shaniqua Walker Barnes' concept of Sacred Self-Care and why refusing to be scapegoated is not just personal wellness—it's political rebellion. A timely conversation for anyone wondering how to stay human in dehumanizing times.
Growing up, many of us learned that Christianity was about escaping this world for heaven and following the one narrow path to God. But what if we've misunderstood Jesus's message? In this eye-opening talk, Pastor Anthony Parrott explores how Jesus redefined God's "house," challenged religious exclusivity, and revealed a divine love that works more like gravity than a gatekeeper. Whether you're deconstructing your faith or just questioning traditional interpretations, this fresh perspective on John 14 offers a more beautiful and expansive way of understanding God's presence in our world today.
What happens when the spaces meant to welcome us become spaces we need to leave? Drawing from Jamar Tisby's #LeaveLoud movement and "The Color Purple," this episode dives into the complex dynamics of leaving religious institutions, toxic workplaces, and communities that no longer serve us. We explore a fresh take on an ancient story about standing in your truth, even when facing pushback from authority figures. Whether you're contemplating a major life transition or processing past spiritual trauma, this conversation offers a framework for understanding that sometimes, leaving isn't just okay - it's sacred. No guilt trips, no clichés - just honest talk about finding your way forward.
What happens when the typical answers don't cut it anymore? Daniel Dixon gets real about finding new ways forward in uncertain times. Through the lens of MLK's final writings, ancient wisdom, and DC's rich history of community organizing, Daniel explores how we might create spaces that sustain us - whether that's dance clubs that become HIV/AIDS care centers or faith communities reimagining what's possible. A candid conversation about burnout, resistance, and choosing community over chaos.
What if our exhaustion isn't actually about personal failure, but about systems designed to keep us drained? In this fresh take on the story of Jesus and the woman at the well, Pastor Anthony explores how we can find rest and renewal even in times that feel overwhelming. Drawing unexpected insights from an ancient text, he challenges traditional interpretations and asks what it means to resist scarcity mindsets in our modern world.
What does personal transformation have to do with social justice? Matt breaks down one of the most misunderstood conversations in the Bible - the late-night meeting between Jesus and Nicodemus. Beyond the religious clichés, this chat gets real about shame, authenticity, and finding your place in movements for change. Perfect for anyone trying to figure out how to make a difference without losing themselves in the process.
What do a braided whip, property damage, and divine anger have in common? Co-pastor Tonetta weaves together Audre Lorde's philosophy, personal reflections on queerness and race, and a radically different take on Jesus clearing the temple. This episode dives into what authentic resistance looks like, why being "well-mannered" isn't always virtuous, and how disruption can be an act of love. Perfect for anyone looking to bridge their spiritual life with their commitment to justice, or who's ever wished they could channel their inner "that girl" energy for good.
From potential disaster to unexpected abundance - the wedding at Cana gets a contemporary examination that speaks to anyone who's ever faced a moment of crisis. Bekki Fahrer weaves together ancient wedding customs, family dynamics, and divine partnership to explore how we move from shame to celebration. She challenges listeners to imagine new possibilities even in seemingly hopeless situations. This episode is especially relevant for those interested in progressive theology, social justice, and finding hope in difficult times.
Keywords: progressive christianity, spirituality, social justice, abundance, wedding at cana, crisis management, hope, transformation, divine partnership
Length: 42 minutes
What if the pressure of New Year's resolutions and fresh starts is missing the point entirely? In this thoughtful exploration of John's Gospel, Rev. Tonetta Landis-Aina challenges our understanding of new beginnings and what it means to truly believe. Drawing from John O'Donohue's poetry, pop culture references like Good Will Hunting, and ancient wisdom, this talk invites us to move beyond mere observation into genuine participation in our spiritual lives. Perfect for anyone wrestling with faith, cynicism, and the desire for authentic change in their lives.
From The Table Church in Washington, DC - a community cultivating authentic belonging and following in the prophetic, thoughtful, and radical way of Jesus.
What happens when we cling too tightly to what we think we deserve? In this thought-provoking exploration of the Christmas narrative, we examine how Joseph's radical choice to give up his social standing challenges our modern instincts about power, privilege, and entitlement. From billionaires to turn signals, this sermon weaves together pop culture references, ancient texts, and contemporary social commentary to offer a fresh perspective on what it means to love others in a world obsessed with self-preservation.
Drawing on insights from bell hooks, Jewish mysticism, and an unexpectedly relevant deep-dive into TV Tropes, we explore how letting go of our "I deserve" mentality might be the key to creating the world we actually want to live in.
Perfect for anyone wrestling with questions about privilege, social change, and what ancient wisdom might have to say about modern problems.
In this moving sermon from The Table Church DC, Heidi explores how to authentically engage with joy without ignoring the world's pain and darkness. Through Mary Oliver's poetry and the revolutionary words of Mary of Nazareth, she unpacks how small moments of delight can fuel resistance and hope. Perfect for anyone struggling to balance awareness of injustice with the need to stay sustained and nourished in the work of creating a better world.
Drawing on her experiences as a woman in ministry and someone who struggles with traditional holiday expectations, Heidi offers a fresh perspective on the Magnificat and what it means to embrace joy as an act of prophetic imagination. This sermon weaves together contemporary poetry, progressive theology, and practical wisdom for finding light in difficult times.
In this compelling meditation on joy during difficult times, elder Shae Washington weaves together Nikki Giovanni's radical poetry with Mary's subversive Magnificat. Through fresh interpretations of these revolutionary texts, Washington explores how marginalized voices throughout history have claimed joy as an act of resistance. Drawing on personal stories, historical context, and contemporary struggles, she challenges us to see joy not as an emotion dependent on circumstances, but as a posture of hope and defiance in the face of empire. Part of The Table Church's "Poetry of Advent" series examining sacred and secular poetry as spiritual practice.
Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction
3:45 Nikki Giovanni's Poetry of Black Joy
8:30 Mary's Magnificat as Revolutionary Text
15:20 Joy as Resistance in Modern Context
21:00 Three Keys to Finding Joy
26:30 Closing Reflection and Song
Advent #Poetry #Faith #Resistance #Joy #NikkiGiovanni #Spirituality #ProgressiveChristianity
From reciting Langston Hughes in second grade to exploring the wilderness with John the Baptist, Rev. Tonetta Landis-Aina of The Table Church shares a fresh perspective on finding peace through poetry. Through the works of Lucille Clifton, Mary Oliver, and Ann Porter, she weaves together childhood memories, artistic wisdom, and ancient spiritual truths. This message invites viewers to experience both the sweetness and difficulty of life as paths to authentic transformation. A timely reflection for anyone seeking to reconnect with wonder and meaning in our complex world. Join The Table Church DC in discovering how poetry can help us see the sacred in everyday moments.
In a world designed to hijack our attention, what happens when we deliberately choose where to focus? Through stories ranging from an Alaskan gas station attendant to Tolkien's Middle-earth, Pastor Anthony Parrott explores how paying attention can be an act of rebellion and hope. Drawing on Mary Oliver's poetry and ancient wisdom, this talk challenges us to notice both beauty and injustice in our daily lives. Perfect for anyone feeling overwhelmed by the noise of modern life or searching for meaning in cycles of change.
Recorded at The Table Church in Washington, DC on the first Sunday of Advent 2024.
Topics covered:
- The countercultural practice of paying attention
- How noticing small details can lead to life-changing moments
- Finding hope beyond immediate circumstances
- The cyclical nature of history and change
- Practical ways to stay alert in a distracted world
Mindfulness #Hope #Progressive #Faith #Spirituality #DCChurch #PayingAttention #MaryOliver #Tolkien
What if Jesus' words about "storing treasures in heaven" weren't about the afterlife at all? In this message, Pastor Anthony Parrott explores Luke 12:32-34, challenging us to rethink our understanding of fear, generosity, and what it means to build alternative economies as a church community. Learn how addressing our fears head-on and embracing God's abundance can lead to revolutionary generosity and justice-centered community building.
What is church? In this debut episode of LOAM, co-pastors Tonetta Landis-Aina and Anthony Parrott explore the essence, tensions, and beauty of Christian community. From underground churches in Yemen to food pantries in Iowa, they unpack personal experiences that have shaped their understanding of what makes church...church.
Key Conversations
- The "isness" of church: Beyond programs and buildings
- Church as a fellowship of difference
- The power of marginality in Christian community
- Tension between institutional structures and authentic relationships
- Multi-generational community as "burning bushes"
Featured Quotes & References
- Eugene Peterson on the "ontological church"
- C.S. Lewis's Screwtape Letters on the visible vs. invisible church
- Dr. Willie James Jennings's commentary on Acts
- Jamar Tisby on the Civil Rights Movement as America's third Great Awakening
- Dallas Willard: "Your system is perfectly tuned to get the results you're getting"
Scripture Referenced:
- Ephesians 2 (God's household)
- Acts 1-2 (Birth of the church)
Questions for Reflection:
1. What experiences have shaped your understanding of church?
2. How do you navigate the tension between church as institution and church as community?
3. Where do you see "burning bushes" in your faith community?
Follow LOAM:
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Got thoughts or questions about this episode? We'd love to hear from you: podcast@loam.fm
In this opening message of our "Future With Hope" series, Pastor Tonetta unpacks Jeremiah 29 - a passage often reduced to an inspirational quote but actually written to people in exile. Through examining the original context and drawing modern parallels, she explores how God's promises of hope often come in unexpected ways and unexpected places. Featuring an elder panel discussion about The Table Church's vision for the future, this message challenges us to embrace both present faithfulness and future hope, even when we feel displaced from what's familiar.
In this conclusion to our "Shadowboxing" series, Pastor Tonetta Landis-Aina explores the Book of Daniel's apocalyptic visions and their relevance to our modern struggles. Through the lens of Daniel's dreams, she offers a profound meditation on remaining human in the face of systemic injustice, the power of imagination in resistance, and finding hope in times that feel apocalyptic. Rather than interpreting the dreams of empire, she challenges us to dream our own dreams of justice and renewal.
Pastor Anthony Parrott tackles the reality of death and loss, revealing how authentic grief and defiant hope can—and must—coexist. Drawing from Scripture and contemporary poetry, discover why hope isn't a delicate bird, but a resilient sewer rat that refuses to let death have the final word.
Why do bad things happen if God is good? Journey through biblical history to discover how our understanding of Satan transformed from a divine legal prosecutor to the ruler of this world's broken systems. Learn how the Bible's view of evil evolved, from ancient chaos monsters to the familiar adversary we know today. This eye-opening sermon challenges both fundamentalist and modernist views, revealing how spiritual warfare isn't just about demons and exorcisms - it's about creating communities of justice, forgiveness, and radical inclusion. Perfect for anyone wondering about the nature of evil, the role of Satan in modern life, and how we can meaningfully resist darkness in today's world.
Shadowboxing: Unmasking the Monsters Within In this episode of the sermon series 'Shadowboxing: Confronting the Monsters Within,' we explore the concept of the 'false self' and the inner 'monster' through personal anecdotes and literary references like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. By delving into the Bible story of Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob, and Esau from Genesis 27:1-20, we uncover the masks we wear to navigate life's challenges and seek acceptance. Insights from Christian psychologist David Benner and the Enneagram help us differentiate the false self from our true God-given identity. The sermon concludes with reflections on autumn's symbolism of letting go, inspired by Lucille Clifton's poem, 'The Lesson of the Falling Leaves.'
00:00 A Memorable Mistake in London
03:06 Facing Fears and Cultural Monsters
06:43 Exploring the Monster Within
07:29 The Tale of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
11:09 The False Self and Genesis 27
15:54 Setting the Stage: Isaac's Prayer and Rebecca's Revelation
16:20 Jacob and Esau: The Struggle Begins
17:12 The Shrewdness of Rebecca and Jacob
18:43 The Deception Unfolds: Jacob's Mask
20:12 The Consequences of Deception
20:45 Reflecting on Identity and the False Self
21:56 Understanding the False Self in Christian Context
22:46 Personal Journey: Confronting the False Self
23:34 The Enneagram and Self-Discovery
25:34 Jacob's Transformation: From Supplanter to Israel
27:00 The Struggle of Marginalized Identities
28:11 The Spiritual Journey: Losing the Self to Find the Self
28:55 Confronting Our Fears: The Lesson of the Falling Leaves
Join us as we kick off our exciting new series with a twist—Tonetta wanted to have some fun, so we’re diving into a horror movie theme! 🧟♂️ But don’t worry, even if you’re not a fan of the creepy and spooky (like me), there’s something profound waiting for you.
In this message, we explore the concept of zombies—not just as monsters in movies but as a metaphor for areas in our lives where we might feel like the “undead.” We tackle questions like:
•Why don’t we like zombies?
•How can staying in the closet or suppressing our true selves make us feel lifeless?
•What does it mean to lose our identity, culture, or autonomy?
We delve into John 12:23-26, where Jesus talks about a grain of wheat needing to die to produce much fruit. This powerful passage challenges us to consider what it means to “die to self” in a way that leads to true, abundant life.
🌱 Key Points:
1.Loss of Identity (Enmeshment): Breaking free from societal pressures that force us to hide who we truly are.
2.Loss of Culture (Assimilation): Resisting the pull to abandon our heritage and uniqueness.
3.Loss of Autonomy (Subjugation): Overcoming environments that demand blind obedience at the expense of our freedom.
But it doesn’t stop there! We discuss the concept of Death as Rebirth, focusing on:
•Dying to Individualism: Moving beyond self-centered living.
•Dying to Kyriarchy: Confronting oppressive systems (yes, we explain what “kyriarchy” means!).
•Dying to Independence: Embracing interdependence and community.
💡 Highlights:
•An insightful reading from C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity on finding your true self through surrender.
•A reflection on Galatians 5:13: Using our freedom to serve one another in love.
•Understanding that to be truly alive, we must engage in collective liberation and authentic community.
We wrap up with a thought-provoking conclusion inspired by Kierkegaard’s idea of the “half dose”—challenging us to fully commit to this transformative journey.
👉 Don’t miss this opportunity to explore how embracing certain “deaths” in our lives can lead us to genuine, vibrant living.
🔔 Subscribe to our channel for more messages in this series and join the conversation in the comments below!
Keywords: Zombies, John 12:23-26, Dying to Self, True Life, Authenticity, Kyriarchy, Individualism, Community, C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, Sermon Series, Spiritual Growth, Christianity, Faith Journey, Collective Liberation
This sermon delves into the themes of patience, growth, and the transformative power of trusting in the slow work of God. Through the writings of Teilhard de Chardin and insights from the book 'Slow Church,' the sermon challenges cultural obsessions with speed, prompting the pursuit of a deeper, more intentional Christian community. Exploring the concept of 'North Star' communities, the sermon highlights the significance of being a liberating church, drawing from historical examples like the desert monks of North Africa and the hush harbors of enslaved African Americans. Emphasizing rootedness, love, and communal growth, the sermon is part of a larger series on the 'Marks of a Liberating Church.'
00:00 Opening Prayer and Reflection
01:29 The Slow Work of God
02:54 Introduction to Slow Church
04:24 Marks of a Liberating Church
06:08 The North Star Community
10:35 Imitating God and Love
20:10 Rootedness and Growth
24:53 Broadcasting the Gospel
27:19 Reflection and Communion
In this heartfelt sermon, Trevor Wentt delves into the essence of a liberating church by drawing on the black spiritual 'All God's Children Got Shoes' and exploring its resonance with 1 Corinthians 12:4-11. Wendt emphasizes the importance of recognizing and utilizing our diverse spiritual gifts for the common good, promoting equality, dignity, and communal purpose. With references to modern cultural icons like 'My Hero Academia' and personal stories of faith communities on the margins, this sermon invokes a powerful call to action for creating communities of connection and dismantling structures of oppression.
00:00 Introduction to the Series
00:25 Welcoming Trevor Wendt
01:32 Anime and Power Dynamics
03:40 Exploring Spiritual Gifts
07:22 Understanding the Triadic Formula
12:26 The Common Good and Spiritual Gifts
17:28 Dignity for All
23:36 You Are Enough
28:22 Call to Action
Embracing Unspeakable Joy Amidst Trauma In this sermon, our Co-Director of Community Formation Antonio Ingram explores the concept of 'unspeakable joy' that transcends circumstances and finds its root in faith in a victorious risen Christ. He discusses the challenges of experiencing genuine joy amidst trauma, using personal anecdotes and biblical examples, particularly focusing on the figure of Miriam in Exodus. Antonio also reflects on the experiences of the Pentecostal Black Church and how unspeakable joy served as a means of liberation for African Americans. The message highlights the importance of choosing to invite God's presence into our pain and using worship as a way to encounter divine joy that defies reason and logic.
00:00 Introduction to Unspeakable Joy
01:04 Personal Story of Loss and False Joy
02:34 Historical Context and the Black Church
06:34 The Story of Miriam in Exodus
10:30 Miriam's Prophetic Joy and Modern Parallels
12:48 The Power of Worship in Pain
15:13 Conclusion and Prayer
Welcome to Greenhouse a new groups curriculum for The Table Church. This is the audio version. You can find the PDF of Stage 1 Week 1 here: PDF Link
Reclaiming Romans: Examining God's Story Beyond Sin Management
Join Pastor Anthony from The Table Church as he delves into the complexities of understanding the Book of Romans. In this enlightening sermon, he contrasts traditional interpretations focused on individual sin and salvation mechanisms with a broader context of systemic issues and the power of Jesus. Through exploring the current and historical societal challenges faced by those under oppressive systems, Anthony aims to reclaim Romans as a gospel proclaiming peace and wholeness for all creation. Tune in for insightful discussions on Biblical narratives and the urgent need to read these scriptures through a lens that addresses both ancient and modern struggles.
Unveiling God's Multiplicity Through a Mother's Struggle - A Different Mother's Day Sermon
In this unique Mother's Day sermon, the speaker departs from their usual polished style due to recovering from illness, to deeply explore the multifaceted concept of God across gender. Reflecting on the story of a relentless Canaanite mother from the Bible, the sermon delves into themes of struggle, sass, and solidarity, emphasizing the broader and often complex interpretations of motherhood. The discussion extends to examining metaphors for God, and how different biblical texts portray similar stories with variations. The sermon is a call to recognize and appreciate all forms of mothering, urging a celebration of the revolutionary work done by mothers of all kinds.
Join Anthony as he steps in to conclude the Deuteronomy and mission series, discussing the paradoxes within the book and their relevance to modern-day evangelism. Anthony emphasizes non-coercive mission as an expression of authentic Christianity, addressing how the church can navigate historical and personal challenges associated with evangelism. He encourages participatory discussion on reimagining mission and evangelism, aligned with the church’s vision of collective liberation and renewal. The episode also touches on the significance of community involvement in events like Pride and the importance of embodying a more beautiful gospel.
Pastor Tonetta delivers the fourth sermon in the series Rethinking the Promised Land: Deuteronomy and the Mission of God.
Deut. 17:14-20; 18:9-21
Toochi continues the series, Rethinking the Promised Land: Deuteronomy and the Mission of God. She discusses how mission calls us to fulfill the greatest commandment.
Pastor Anthony begins a new five-part series titled, Rethinking the Promised Land: Deuteronomy and the Mission of God.
Death can make us all uncomfortable. Grief can make us sad, angry, and frustrated. Those closest to Jesus abandoned and denied him at the time of His death. Even though He was dying for them. Jesus welcomed the grieving and spent time with them. Pastor Anthony explains how pushing past our own discomfort helps us grow closer to others and might just lead us to encounter Jesus.
Aligning with the our value of Revolutionary Justice, Daniel preaches about how we're called to turn away from anti-Semitism.
Pastor Anthony helps to explain the history of Christian Zionism and the connection and impact it still has today. This complex topic deserves our attention and care as we work to live out a more beautiful gospel.
Genesis 11: 1-9
Through the story of the Tower of Babel, Heidi helps to reveal human tendencies and the warnings we can take as we discuss the ideologies we’re stealing away from as a church. The Tower of Babel becomes a metaphor for the structures of supremacy that we build in a modern world. Heidi quotes Sam Killermann in giving examples of Christian privilege. Even if we don’t think about them, we can still benefit from the systems in our country where Christianity is embedded.
Naming Christian supremacy requires us to confront our own relationship with power. Heidi then shows us how we can use this story to repair and make meaningful changes to dismantle the tower of Christian supremacy. God deliberately creates all the languages in the world which is a powerful image of God creating and celebrating diversity.
Sam Killermann’s Christian Privilege Checklist
https://projecthumanities.asu.edu/christian-privilege-checklist
As we enter the Lent season, Pastor Tonetta begins a new series, Forgive Us: Repentance and Repair. The first sermon gives us practical instructions for making amends with those we have harmed, understanding that to grow in maturity in Christ we also need to grow in maturity in repentance. This topic can be hard because many have been taught that the underlying cause for repentance is sin. Learning to look at repentance as restorative and not punitive, Tonetta walks us through one framework for true repair with others.
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Naming and owning harm
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Starting to change
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Restitution and accepting consequences
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Apology
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Making different choices
"If you believe that you can damage believe that you can fix. If you believe that you can damage believe that you can heal. If you believe that there is damage in our world believe that you can help repair it. And if you believe that there is damage in our world believe that our God is a God of healing and restoration." - Rebbe Nachman
Tonetta continues the discussion around the qualities of a liberating church and guides us through the idea of sankofa - an Adinkra symbol in traditional Akan art which represents that “it is not taboo to go back and fetch what is at risk of being left behind.”
Discern together with Tonetta and members of the black affinity group, Lisa, Anselm, and Antonio, as they discuss intersections between sankofa and religion.
Join us for a powerful sermon reflection as we delve into the significance of Black History Month and what it means for our spiritual journey. Despite battling illness, Pastor Tonetta brings a message of hope and liberation, drawing on the rich history of hush harbors and the resilience of the enslaved Africans who sought solace and freedom in their faith practices away from the oppressive gaze of the plantation.
In this sermon, we explore the intersection of Christianity, colonialism, and the quest for a liberative faith community. We discuss how the models of church given to us by Western Christianity need to be reexamined and how we can learn from the courageous examples set by those who came before us.
As we reflect on the marks of a liberating church and the importance of "stealing away" from dominant oppressive systems, we are reminded of the transformative power of worship and community in hidden spaces. This message challenges us to consider how we can embody the spirit of the hush harbors in our own lives and faith communities.
Questions for reflection are posed, inviting us to engage in meaningful discussion about our own journeys toward liberation and solidarity with the marginalized. This is a call to embrace a different model of church—one that is rooted in justice, equality, and the radical love of Jesus.
Join us for this thought-provoking and inspiring reflection as we honor Black History Month and seek a path toward a more liberating and inclusive faith experience.
Join us for a transformative sermon that explores the profound connection between liturgy and our everyday lives. Discover how the rituals and routines we engage in can become sacred acts that shape our faith, our relationships, and our impact on the world. This message draws from Romans 12:1-2 to reveal how liturgy is not just a formal church practice but an invitation to live out our faith with intention and purpose in every moment.
Chapter Breaks:
00:00 - Introduction: The Work of the People
02:15 - Chapter 1: Embracing Our Full Selves in Worship
05:30 - Chapter 2: The Power of Communal Rituals
10:45 - Chapter 3: Everyday Acts as Liturgy
15:00 - Chapter 4: Personal Reflections on Community and Loss
20:25 - Chapter 5: How Habits Shape Our Lives and Faith
25:40 - Chapter 6: Finding God in the Mundane
30:55 - Conclusion: A Prayer for Daily Awareness
Whether you're taking out the trash or sitting in the pews, this sermon will inspire you to see the holy in the ordinary and to bring your whole self to God. Tune in to uncover the beauty of living liturgy in your life.
Matt Collinson delivers a message on liturgy through the example of communion. Liturgy (a form according to which public religious worship, especially Christian worship, is conducted) calls us into an active expression of faith and to imitate Christ in our lives. Liturgy unites us around the world as Christians. The act of breaking bread and lifting a cup is universal and unites the body of Christ across time and space. It’s an enduring tradition that connects us through the history of the church. Early Christians all sat at the same table and ate the same food. The church was meant to be a place where people could meet God together. Everyone needs it and everyone gets it and that’s a powerful analogy of God’s grace and we embody that when we receive these tangible elements. God’s love is open and welcome to all.
What music does to people in a group setting is a measurable phenomenon. It’s a physical action. What you sing together can stick with you long after the sermon is over. Worship is ultimately about connection; connection to one another and connection to God. Worship has a formational aspect and as we connect to the divine, it shapes how we will be formed.
Invitation: Worship a God that’s worthy of worship.
Challenge: Worship with other people.
Pastor Anthony begins a new series where we delve into not only what we're against but also, what we're for. This series will examine how we can let go of the worst of our religion without giving up on Jesus. In the first sermon looking at Luke 9:23-26, Anthony breaks down the concept of discipleship into four main points:
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Discipleship is not an invitation to lose or forfeit yourself.
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Discipleship is an invitation to ruin your life in order to save it.
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Discipleship is an invitation to wholeness.
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Discipleship is an invitation to a vision of a radically different society.
Looking at discipleship this way, it is about growth, healing, transformation, and how it calls us to challenge societal norms and expectations. Discipleship also calls us to deny certain things in our lives and embrace others. Join us as we dive deeper into the meaning of discipleship and how it can transform our lives and society. Let's challenge ourselves, ask the hard questions, and seek the answers together. What needs to be denied? What needs to be healed?
Pastor Anthony concludes the series "A Weary World Rejoices" and preaches about radical hospitality, the Last Supper, and the birth of Jesus. Looking at the connection of the kataluma (translation: the guest room) we see how making room helps a weary world to rejoice.
On the third Sunday of Advent, Pastor Tonetta looks at Luke 1 and examines not just how but why a weary world rejoices.
Sunday, December 10, 2023. Anthony Parrott This passage describes the encounters between Mary and Elizabeth, who are both experiencing unusual pregnancies. Elizabeth initially hides herself in seclusion, possibly out of guilt or feelings of unworthiness. Mary, on the other hand, is confused and unsure about the angel's announcement. However, despite their different reactions, both women find joy and connection in each other's presence. The passage emphasizes the importance of finding joy and connection in the midst of pain and weariness. It also highlights the significance of relationships and community in bringing people out of isolation and into joy. Ultimately, joy is seen as an act of resistance against despair and a way to overcome the challenges and suffering of the world.
As we enter the season of Advent we begin a new series "A Weary World Rejoices". Looking at the story of Zechariah in Luke, Erin examines how it's possible to acknowledge and honor our feelings in order to find hope and joy.
Sunday, December 10, 2023
This sermon describes the encounters between Mary and Elizabeth, who are both experiencing unusual pregnancies. Elizabeth initially hides herself in seclusion, possibly out of guilt or feelings of unworthiness. Mary, on the other hand, is confused and unsure about the angel's announcement. However, despite their different reactions, both women find joy and connection in each other's presence. The sermon emphasizes the importance of finding joy and connection in the midst of pain and weariness. It also highlights the significance of relationships and community in bringing people out of isolation and into joy. Ultimately, joy is seen as an act of resistance against despair and a way to overcome the challenges and suffering of the world.
During Babylonian exile Ezekiel has a vision of a river flowing from God's temple. While most of us will never experience physical exile we can relate to Ezekiel on levels of sexual orientation, group oppression, or sense of exile from the church. Pastor Tonetta examines Ezekiel 47:1-12 and looks at how God can be present in the midst of trauma.
I. Introduction
- Background information on the church in Ephesus and the reason for Timothy being sent there
- Reflection on the importance of church and the question of why we attend
II. The Church as Wounded Healers
- Pope Francis' reflection on the church as a field hospital after battle
- Questioning whether we sometimes forget our role as wounded healers
- Importance of church being about more than just superficial aspects
III. Humility in Spiritual and Practical Lives
- Examination of 1 Timothy 6:6-8 emphasizing the call to humility
- The idea that we enter and leave the world the same way, focusing on our humanity
- The mantra that having bread on the table and shoes on our feet is enough
IV. The Road to Ruin and Destruction
- Discussion on the lust for money and its potential consequences
- Balancing the desire for financial stability with the call to humility
- Consideration of those who struggle with finding work and financial stability
V. Jesus' Teachings on Money and Worry
- Connection to the Gospel of Matthew and Jesus' teachings
- Examination of Matthew 6:24 and the impossibility of serving both God and money
- Analysis of the Lord's Prayer and the emphasis on daily bread
- Jesus' teachings on fasting and the dangers of seeking recognition
- Jesus' words on worry and the importance of trusting in God
VI. Conclusion
- Reflection on the cultural context of Jesus' teachings and their relevance today
- Identification of pitfalls to watch out for, such as the lust for money
- Encouragement to pursue humility and trust in God's provision
November 19, 2023 - Pastor Tonetta takes a fresh look at Luke 16: 1-13, the story of a rich man who has a manager that is squandering his property.
In the final sermon of the series, Our Holy Habits, Pastor Anthony shows the importance of restorative play. Throughout The Bible rest is set into the rhythms of life. "Learn the unforced rhythms of grace."
Pastors Anthony and Tonetta welcome Natalie in an interview-style sermon about what it means to be rooted in improvisation. They look at examples of improvisation in The Bible and Jesus' life and how we can embody some basic rules of improv to create a more beloved community.
In the third part of the series Pastor Anthony looks at Jesus welcoming little children to come to him and welcomes their curiosity. Explore how relentless curiosity is integral to radical friendship and revolutionary justice.
In the second sermon of this series Pastor Tonetta discusses practical ideas of what it means to be a church today and how to become an alternative community genuinely grounded in revolutionary justice.
What did reconciliation look like to Jesus? How do we intentionally practice liberation within our own communities? Shae Washington, an elder at the Table Church, continues to look at the book of Jonah and how we can work towards freedom for all.
I. Introduction
A. Reference to a confrontational moment in the book "The Color Purple"
B. Celie's curse to her abuser Albert
C. Importance of addressing the perspective of people of color in discussions of intercultural church and beloved community
II. Temptation to focus only on the impact on white people in conversations about intercultural church
A. Lack of space to discuss the experiences of people of color
B. Personal experience of attending a panel discussion on conversion therapy and the need for separate conversations
C. Feeling excluded from conversations on race and justice
III. Concern for the discipleship needs of people of color in an intercultural church
A. Danger of allowing their formation to require more work than others
B. Preaching team's commitment to reflect the congregation's diverse needs in preaching series and scripture choices
IV. Exploring challenges of beloved community from the perspective of cultural margins
A. Introduction to the book of Jonah as an extended metaphor
B. Summary of Jonah's disobedience and attempt to escape God's call
C. Jonah's deeper loyalty to his own people and the tension between loyalty and the vision of God
V. Personal reflection on the tension between loyalty to cultural identity and loyalty to the vision of God
A. Experience at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference
B. Conflicted feelings about the primary identity, Christian or cultural
C. Comparison to Jonah's dilemma and the fear of being labeled a sellout
VI. Conclusion
As Table Church relaunches a morning service in Northeast D.C. Pastor Anthony talks about what it means to be successful as a church. What would it look like if God were to show up? Jesus' life and teachings are reviewed in Matthew to examine this question.
This week, Pastors Tonetta and Anthony delve deeper into the themes of justice and revolution explored in last week's sermon. Join us as we continue the conversation on Revolutionary Justice, questioning the concept of a "transient church," and exploring the challenges of embracing true revolution. In these thought-provoking discussions, we unravel why being revolutionary is harder than it seems and discover the unique roles each of us can play in the pursuit of justice. Tune in to gain new perspectives, challenge your beliefs, and find inspiration to make a difference in the world.
Pastor Tonetta begins a new 5-part series, Our Holy Habits. This series will center around the two questions - what is the world we are invited to build together and what are the values we need to embody to lean into that kind of world? Radical Friendship looks at the way we need to draw into habits of friendship with God, others, ourselves and all of Creation through the story of Ruth.
Every once in a great while, preachers have more to say than what can get out in one sermon. This week, Anthony asks Tonetta to go deeper on what The Table's value of "Rooted Friendship" means.
Sermons at The Table
The Book of Ruth
Johnlock
The final sermon in the series on how to be human: a jubilee spirituality for all of us. Matt talks about sabbath rest and how it is a crucial part of our humanity and how it guides us towards embracing a spirituality of jubilee.
Come look at Luke 18 in a different light. Join Heidi as she looks at the parable of the pharisee and the tax collector and how they embody Jubilee spirituality. If you think one of them is better than the other, it's a trap.
Whether we are poor, blind, imprisoned or oppressed - we are all invited to Jesus’ party. We are all invited to the table. Join Toochi as we continue to look at the book of Luke and how hospitality and humility go hand in hand when we’re living with Jubilee spirituality.
What would it look like if we lived our lives in a way that welcomes Jubilee? How would it benefit others around us? Join Topher as we continue our series in Luke and see Jesus send out the 72 disciples.
In Luke 12 Jesus tells his disciples not to worry about what they will eat or drink or how they will clothe themselves but to have faith for God knows our needs. Join Erin as we look at this text and learn how to bridge the gap between the worries of our daily lives and the jubilee that the Creator desires for us.
Elder Daniel continues the series in Luke and looks at how Jesus teaches and embodies a spirituality grounded in liberation. Jubilee spirituality is meant to be shared with more than just yourself and it directly counteracts the desire to keep good news and keep goodness to yourself and to people like you.
The Table Church begins it's summer series about how to be a good person when the world is on fire. How do we avoid the temptation of trying to be super human or living as subhuman in the midst of all the tragedy and pain? What does a Christian spirituality look like where the day-to-day can re-humanize us? What kinds of shrewd practices do we need to undergird such a subversive spirituality?
Join us as we continue to discuss sexuality, the divine and the erotic and how that intersects with all members of the church community.
Join us as we continue our discussion on faith and sexuality with Daniel, an elder at The Table Church.
Join Pastor Tonetta as we begin a new series about the intersection of sexuality and the divine.
Join us as we celebrate our 10 year anniversary and hear from Co-Pastors Anthony and Tonetta.
Join Pastor Tonetta as she talks about the relational base for a life steeped in friendship with God.
Sunday, May 7, 2023. What is prayer when we don't believe our prayers make any difference? What is prayer when we aren't transformed by friendship with God? Pastor Tonetta introduces us to what it is to set all of our systematic theology aside (for a moment) in order to have a moment with God.
Sunday, April 30, 2023. This year, we are hosting "Theology Cafés," questioning the default of white, male theology. We are blessed to have Dr. Grace Ji-Sum Kim provide a teaching for us.
Dr. Kim was born in Korea, educated in Canada, and now teaches at Earlham School of Religion in Indiana. She has written over 21 books, including Healing Our Broken Humanity: Practices for Revitalizing the Church and Renewing the World, Reimaging Spirit: Wind, Breath, and Vibration, The Grace of Sophia: A Korean North American’s Women’s Christology, and as well as the book my small group is currently readingInvisible: Theology and Experience of Asian American Women.
Sermon from Sunday, April 23, 2023. The Table Church. Preached by Bekki Fahrer. Part of our "Practicing Resurrection" Series.
Sunday, April 16, 2023. Preacher: Anthony Parrott.
The good news: we can heal from trauma!
The bad news: abuse and trauma can make the things that can bring healing seem bad.
It is a clinically proven fact that the one thing that can help someone heal from abuse, neglect, or trauma is relationship.
In foster and adoptive world, where I come from, children that suffer neglect or abuse begin to fear all forms of relationship.
So we end up in paradox. We want to feel close to God. Community, small groups, prayer, Bible study worship, meditation can help. But now they taste like food-poisioning chorizo.
Easter Sunday, April 9, 2023. Preacher: Anthony Parrott. Before the resurrection, the Gospels set the scene: disbelief, doubt, grief, fear, and lament.
Your hard emotions aren't keeping you from God. In fact, they are the very thing that may lead to your encounter with the Divine.
Sunday, March 5, 2023. Preacher: Anthony Parrott
We kick off our 5-week series on Lamentations during the Lenten season. Pastor Anthony starts us off with an exploration of the historical context of Lamentations, as well as explores why it seems like so many pastors and churches seem to think that having negative feelings isn't okay.
Sunday, February 26, 2023. Preacher: Anthony Parrott. Jesus was not a centrist. He did not command us to not make enemies. We need to be able to name our enmities in order to overcome them.
Sunday, February 12, 2023.
This year we're introducing Theology Cafe. We're going to start questioning the default by looking at the wide variety of other ways of constructing our theology. Everyone does theology. Even the statement, "I don't need theology," is a form of theology.
Our plan for 2023 is to every few months take a look at a different lens and experience of theology. Feminist, Asian American Women, Queer, Latinx, and Indigenous Theology. This month, in light of Black History Month, we're taking a look at Black Theology.
In each Theology cafe, we're going to invite a practitioner and scholar of the week's theme to share with us.
Today, we have a pre-recorded video by Dr. Adam Clark of Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH. He currently serves as co-chair of the Black Theology Group at the American Academy of Religion and actively publishes in the area of black theology and black religion and participates in social justice groups. He is committed to the idea that theological education in the twenty-first century must function as a counter-story—one that equips us to read against the grain of the dominant culture and inspires one to live into the dictum of St. Ignatius, of going forth "to set the world on fire."
Sunday, February 5, 2023. How do we care for families with kids? How do we care for people without partners or children? And how do children show us the way? Erin Byrne tells us how!
Sunday, January 29, 2023. Have you been told that God must separate Themself from you because of your sin? Or that you needed to hide some significant part of yourself because it was unacceptable to God? That breaks attachment, and makes us feel like we must always be worried if our relationship with God is "good." The good news, though, is God's love for us truly is conditional. And that when Jesus asks us to rest, it's with no strings attached.
Sunday, January 22, 2023. It's far to easy to intellectualize our faith to the point where we lose all sense of magic or mystery. What it would be like to, like Moses, notice a burning bush and actually turn aside to pay attention to it. And believe that God may turn Their attention to us as well.
Pastor Anthony compares the story of the Magi with 4 key questions from the book "Four Thousand Weeks" by Oliver Burkeman.
Where in your life or your work are you currently pursuing comfort, when what's called for is a little discomfort?
In what ways have you yet to accept the fact that you are who you are, not the person you think you ought to be?
In which areas of life are you still holding back until you feel like you know what you're doing?
How would you spend your days differently if you didn't care so much about seeing your actions reach fruition?
Pastors Tonetta Landis-Aina and Anthony Parrott discuss the implications of Paul Nixon's book Multi. We talk a bit about our own experience with multi-spaces, the challenges we've faced, and why we think it's all worth it.
If you want to be part of discussions like these, you can jump-in month-by-month with our Learning Cohort.
Hannah and Mary's songs. The Magnificat. Feeling joy when things are hard. And who's a cousin to who?
Sunday, December 4, 2022, the Second Week of Advent. Pastor Tonetta Landis-Aina. On the second Sunday of Advent, we look at Mark 1:1-8, thinking about peace, dreaming, and preparing the way for the coming of God.
Hope is not just fanciful optimism. It requires us to name what is wrong, to prepare for what is right, and to act to make it happen. Taking a look at Luke 2 and the stories of Anna and Simeon, Meg Clark, sharing her own story of living with depression, explores how to get "ready, set, go" with hope.
Sunday, November 6, 2022. Preacher: Heidi Mills. Heidi teaches us 5 principles of developing shalom in our communities and economics.
Tonetta thinks about lingering on the porch, Anthony questions the coded language of choosing a school, and they both agree that Anthony's ego needs an adjudgment.
This is the first episode in Pastor Tonetta and Pastor Anthony's series talking through the topics of The Table's Learning Cohort.
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Chocolate City
Join the Learning Cohort
The Scandal of Particularity
This Here Flesh
Sunday, October 23, 2022. Preacher: Anthony Parrott. We take a look at the story of the widow's mite in Luke 21. Is she an example to follow? Or an example of a vicious religious system set to devour?
Sunday, October 16, 2022. Preachers Anthony Parrott and Tonetta Landis-Aina.
The Bible has plenty to say to those in the community of faith about the handling of money, possessions, and wealth. Unfortunately, churches often find themselves either being silent on the issue of money, addressing money only as it relates to giving, or speaking about money in ways that feel coercive. The goal of this sermon series is to address money, possessions, and wealth as a wider issue of discipleship – namely, in the context of the communal economics grounded in Sabbath to which we are all called. In addition, we also want to be forthright about some of The Table’s Church’s financial needs, opportunities for investment, and overall philosophy of giving. October, November, and December are the traditional months when many organizations ramp up their giving campaigns. Moreover, the holiday season is often a time of unreflective spending and consumption for many Americans. In light of those realities, the goal of this series is to encourage deliberation about spending, giving, investing, and handling possessions in ways that, rather than being coercive, move us toward the alternative economics that we find repeatedly embedded in the biblical narratives.
Week 3 Why Is Eternal Hell the Majority View? It didn't used to be.
6 Theological Schools In the first 4 centuries of Christianity, there were six known theological schools that taught three views of Hell.
- Alexandria, Antioch, Caesarea, and Edessa taught Universal Reconciliation
- Ephesus taught Annihilationism
- Rome (and Carthage/Hippo) taught Eternal Conscious Torment
Augustine Ambrose (340-397) hugely influenced Augustine.
Ambrose held to Origen's views on apakatastasis.
Augustine (354-430). One of the most important theologians in history.
Most known for his fight against "Pelagianism," which Augustine mistakenly thought Origen was the cause of.
Augustine didn't know Greek, or at least vey little. He therefore misunderstands that the one Latin word aeternus translated both Greek words aidios and aiwnios.
The Orthodox Faith - Volume IV - Spirituality - The Kingdom of Heaven - Heaven and Hell
Some Troubling Texts 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9
6 For after all it is only right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted, along with us, when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, dealing out retribution ("exacting justice") to those who do not know God, and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 These people will pay the penalty of eternal destruction ("ruin in the Age"), away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes to be glorified among His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—because our testimony to you was believed.
Authorship of 2 Thessalonians is debated
Assuming it is Paul, it must still be put in the context of the rest of Paul's words ("every knee bow, every tongue confess"; "all will be made alive in Christ.")
Eternal = aionios, so "otherworldly destruction" or "destruction of the age."
Destruction ≠ Annihilation. Cf. 1 Corinthians 5:5. Destruction in the LXX is often prelude to restoration. "You will be utterly destroyed...and then I will restore you!"
David Bentley Hart's translation, "They will pay the just reparation of ruin in the Age."
Revelation Question about the Millennium: people will still reject Jesus even after 1,000 years of his reign. How likely is it that everyone would eventually turn to Jesus and stay there?
- Various views on Millennium and Revelation in general. One view is "amillennium," which is the idea that the millennium is happening right now, i.e. "The Church Age."
- Satan is already defeated and bound. (John 12:31, 16:11)
- Christians already reign with Christ. (Colossians 3:1-3)
- Therefore this is not about a future were "perfect people fall." But rather a description of something that happens towards the end of time.
- Even assuming a futurist millennial position, the millennial is not synonymous with the new heavens and the new earth.
What Is Our Future?
The critical consensus is that the New Testament contains, for the most part, two kinds of language about the last judgment:
1) One that seems to portend the final destruction of the wicked at the threshold of the restored creation in the Age to Come and
2) Another that seems clearly to promise universal salvation. The question...is which of these two kinds of language can better explain the other?
The former, after all, if the destruction of the reprobate is understood simply as total annihilation, would seem to reduce the latter to vacuous hyperbole.
The latter, however, can conceivably explain the former in terms of a harsh purification that destroys the sinful self, but only for the sake of the resurrection of the redeemed creature. (DBH)
Some Theological Arguments and Conclusions Hell does not take God seriously enough
The belief that a God of infinite intellect, justice, love, and power would condemn rational beings to a state of endless suffering, or would allow them to condemn themselves on account of their own delusion, pain, and anger, is probably worse than merely scandalous. It may be the single most horrid notion the religious imagination has ever entertained, and the most irrational and spiritually corrosive picture of existence possible.
— DBH
“Love your enemies…be perfect as your father is perfect.”
The irresoluble contradiction at the very core of the now dominant understanding of Christian confession is that the faith commands us to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind and our neighbours as ourselves, while also enjoining us to believe in the reality of an eternal hell; we cannot possibly do both of these things at once.
— DBH
Hell does not take Heaven seriously enough.
If the hypothesis were offered us of a world in which ... millions [should be] kept permanently happy on the one simple condition that a certain lost soul on the far-off edge of things should lead a life of lonely torture, what except a sceptical and independent sort of emotion can it be which would make us immediately feel, even though an impulse arose within us to clutch at the happiness so offered, how hideous a thing would be its enjoyment when deliberately accepted as the fruit of such a bargain?” — William James
Hell does not take sin seriously enough. Hell does not take Jesus’ atoning work seriously enough. Resources Articles The obscenity of belief in an eternal hell - ABC Religion & Ethics
Sunday, October 2, 2022. Preacher Tonetta Landis-Aina. We continue our series on Faithful Presence: A Theology of Place by exploring what it means to be awake to God's presence in our particular city. We also reconstruct a more contextual understanding of Jeremiah 29 and what that means for us.
Sunday, September 25, 2022. Preacher: Tonetta Landis-Aina. Freshly returned from parental leave, Pastor Tonetta introduces us to the biblical theme of "city."
Sunday, September 18, 2022. Preacher: Christopher Anderson.
As we as a community continue to come together, drawing in as members of Resurrection City and Table Church into one body, we also have to begin to think again about the city around us. Who are we called to help? Who is welcome at this table? If we are going to be a anti-racist, fully inclusive, radical community, then we need to also lean into the idea that we are called to reconnect with the people, places and land around us. It’ll take a leaning in to the neighbors around us, each of us committing to meet others in and outside our church community, doing our own work of learning the history of DC, and getting involved. Not just as a ‘fix it’, but involved in friendship and communion in the lives of those who live around us.
Sunday, September 11, 2022. Preacher: Anthony Parrott. We launch a new series today on the Theology of Place. Place is often an invisible reality to American Westerners who often have little connection to land and geography. We move, we leave, we move again. How do think through these issues as Christ followers?
A few months ago, a sermon got interrupted due to a medical emergency. But that sermon is finally out as a bonus episode in our podcast feed! Pastor Anthony explains how the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures regularly and routinely use feminine language for God — and we should too!
Sunday, August 28, 2022. Preacher Anthony Parrott. 1 Corinthians 15 states, "As in Adam all died, so in Christ all will be made live." What does this mean for the future of all humanity? We explore the ideas behind Universal Reconciliation, that God ultimately will be victorious in Their desire to save us all.
Sunday, September 21, 2022. Preacher Anthony Parrott. After exploring what beliefs are even for, Pastor Anthony preaches on 1 Corinthians 15 and the hope of all creation.
Sunday, August 14, 2022. Guest Preacher Mira Sawlani-Joyner.
I believe that God intentionally chose to be birthed by an unwed, teenage girl to place a mirror to our own prejudices about women…
I believe God intentionally chose to be born as a refugee…
Cole Arthur Riley in This Here Flesh, “We need other people to see our own face- to bear witness to their beauty and truth.”
Sunday, August 7, 2022. Preacher: Erin Byrne. Erin shows us how the two stories of Genesis 1 and 2 intentionally paint different pictures and tell different—but complementary—stories about creation. We also learn about the connections between Revelation and Genesis, and God's desire for New Creation.
Sunday, July 31, 2022. Preacher: Richard Kelley. What is the one thing we can know for sure about God? If that one thing is true, if affects everything else.
Sunday, July 24, 2022. Preacher: Heidi Mills. We explore the mystery of the Trinity and how it impacts our faith.
Sunday, July 17, 2022. Preacher: Rev. Tonetta Landis-Aina. Pastor Tonetta explores divine revelation and how we know anything about God.
Series: A More Beautiful Gospel Title: The Gospel In Chairs
Date: July 10, 2022
Preacher: Anthony Parrott, MDiv
Description This sermon is based off of the sermon of the same name by pastor and scholar Brad Jersak. It kicks off our new series as we explore the beliefs of Christianity and The Table Church. We begin with an exploration of two ways to tell the Gospel story. One is the legal-courtroom model where God is fundamentally against us. The other is the Therapeutic-Hospital model, where God is fundamentally for us.
Sunday, July 3, 2022. Pastors Tonetta Landis-Aina and Anthony Parrott share on the vision of Revelation 7 and how The Table is working to carry out that vision.
Sunday, June 12, 2022. Preacher Pastor Tonetta Landis-Aina. Being called together as a community of the Spirit meaans being called to convert not just once but repeatedly.
If you are the one on the underside of power, speaking up on behalf of yourself or your group is not wrong. It’s not complaining. It’s the right thing to do.
If you are the one holding the power, we get to imitate the way of Jesus by giving away power and privilege.
Sunday, May 1, 2022. Preachers Tonetta Landis-Aina and Anthony Parrott. In this team sermon, Pastors Tonetta and Anthony explore the implications of the Spirit falling on the first Christians and the fact that the sign of that was tongues—speaking different languages. What implications does this have for how we understand diversity, culture, and race?
How is the church to balance the calling to both stay and to go? What does it mean to receive power from the Holy Spirit? How do we think about the Spirit’s role in the creation and maintenance of the church as well as in our own individual spiritual journeys?
Sunday, April 17, 2022. Preacher: Anthony Parrott. There are two kinds of faith. One is toothless and dangerous. One is tangible and can heal the world.
Sunday, April 3, 2022. Preacher: Anthony Parrott. Words and phrases change meaning over time. "Forgiveness of Sin" is a phrase that has dramatically been shrunk in scope and meaning since it's use in Scripture. We explore the earth-changing implications of this phrase and contrast them to the privatized, individualistic meaning it has today.
From Sunday, March 27, 2022. Preacher Lexi Mairone preaches on the "Song of the Sea" in Exodus 15. Celebration is a discipline, a form of resistance, and an invitation to joy.
Sunday, March 20, 2022. Preacher Erin Byrne. This week we’re continuing our series on the story of the Exodus, digging into what it means to think of God as a deliverer. Last week, Pastor Tonetta gave us the context that at the time of today’s story, the Israelites are living as slaves in Egypt. Many of them are brickmakers, building homes and temples and pyramids for the Egyptians, their oppressors. For a few chapters now, our Israelite heroes Moses and his brother Aaron have been going back and forth to the Pharaoh, the Egyptian ruler, asking him, famously, to “Let my people go.” Pharaoh responds, “Who is this God, that I should heed them and let Israel go? I do not know your God, and I will not let Israel go. .
Praying the questions of Jesus * Resource: 50 Ways to Pray
Lectio Divina Lectio Divina is one of the great treasures of the Christian tradition of prayer. It means Divine Reading, which is reading the book we believe to be divinely inspired. This tradition of prayer flows out of a Hebrew method of studying the Scriptures which was an interactive interpretation of the Scriptures by means of the free use of the text to explore its inner meaning. It was part of the devotional practice of the Jews in the days of Jesus.
Lectio Divina is the most traditional way of cultivating friendship with Christ. It is a way of listening to the texts of scripture as if we were in conversation with Christ and He was suggesting the topics of conversation. It is listening with the “ear” of the heart. The daily encounter with Christ and reflection on His Word leads beyond mere acquaintanceship to an attitude of friendship, trust and love.
Lectio Divina and Bible Study Bible Study is the reading of the scriptures for information and an understanding of the context of the passage. It provides a solid conceptual background for the practice of Lectio Divina. Lectio Divina is a reflective reading of scripture. It is a method of prayer that leads us into the deeper meaning of scripture and the transformation of our lives. A contemplative reading of the Scriptures is compatible with well-grounded interpretation of the Bible.
Guidelines for Lectio Divina Moment One: Lectio. Read the Scripture
Read passage as slowly as you can. Listen with the “ear of your heart.” What phrase, sentence or even single word stands out to you? Begin to repeat that phrase, sentence or one word over and over, allowing it to settle deeply in your heart. And then read the passage slowly at least two more times, stopping to consider certain phrases or words or questions that may arise.
Pause to write down that word or phrase, and any reflections you may have at this point.
Moment Two: Meditatio. Reflect.
Read the passage yet again, but now attempt to place yourself into the story or passage. Place yourself as one the characters within the story. Or simply imagine that the words on the page are words that you yourself are speaking to God. Use your senses. If you were a character, would you be seeing, touching, tasting, hearing, smelling? What emotions would be rising up within you? Reflect on and relish the words, thoughts, and feelings. Let them resound in your heart. Let an attitude of quiet receptiveness permeate the prayer time. Be attentive to what speaks to your heart.
Again, pause to write down what you may be thinking or feeling at this point.
Moment Three: Oratio. Pray.
Speak to God as you continue to listen to a phrase, sentence or word. A prayer of praise, thanksgiving or petition may arise. It may arise out of the emotions or feeling you’re having as you consider the passage.
Once again, it may be appropriate to write down a prayer.
Moment Four: Contemplatio. Rest in God.
Simply “be with” God’s presence as you open yourself to a deeper hearing of the Word of God. Sit in silence, allowing the choppy waves of your soul to come to place of stillness and rest. If you feel drawn back to the scriptures, follow the lead of the Spirit.
Praying the Hours https://www.amazon.com/Divine-HoursTM-Pocket-Phyllis-Tickle-ebook/dp/B000S1LX16/ref=sr_1_5?crid=25IULSM74GI79&keywords=divine+hours+phyllis+tickle&qid=1647446976&s=digital-text&sprefix=divine+hours%2Cdigital-text%2C79&sr=1-5&pldnSite=1
Writing Psalms Other Resources https://pray-as-you-go.org/
https://www.harrypottersacredtext.com/resources
Translations I Use
- NRSV
- NIV (2011 or TNIV)
- CEB
- NASB (2021)
Avoid
- ESV
- KJV
- The Living Bible
Special
- The Message
- First Nations Version
- John 3:16 "The Great Spirit loves this world of human beings so deeply he gave us his Son―the only Son who fully represents him.** All who trust in him and his way will not come to a bad end, but will have the life of the world to come that never fades―full of beauty and harmony. Creator did not send his Son to decide against the people of this world, but to set them free from the worthless ways of the world."
- Single Author Translations
Study bibles * Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible * CEB Study Bible * Africana Study Bible (OT) * True to Our Native Land (NT) * Oxford and Harper Collins Annotated Study Bibles * Jewish Study Bible & Jewish Annotated New Testament
Avoid
- Study Bibles from Someone's Name or Face on Them
Online Tools BibleGateway.com Plus $40 / year
- Best Tools on Bible Gateway
- NIV or NRSV Cultural Background Study Bible
- NIV Application Commentary
- Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary of the New Testament
- Mounce's Complete Expository Dictionary
- New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology
- Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary
- Mounce's Interlinear
Surveys * A Survey of the Old Testament (Hill & Walton) * A Survey of the New Testament (Gundry) * Toward Decentering the New Testament (Mitzi J. Smith, Yung Suk Kim)
If you want to understand a verse you need to understand it's
- Genre
- Book
- Audience and Context
- Chapter
- Paragraph
Single Volume Commentaries https://www.amazon.com/Womens-Bible-Commentary-Third-Revised/dp/066423707X
https://www.amazon.com/Queer-Bible-Commentary-Deryn-Guest/dp/0334054427/?pldnSite=1
https://www.amazon.com/Peoples-Companion-Bible-Curtiss-Deyoung/dp/0800697022?pldnSite=1
https://www.amazon.com/Voices-Margin-Interpreting-Bible-World-ebook/dp/B00U7XTRT0/?pldnSite=1
Disarming Bible Bombs Trauma How did Trauma affect the writing of Scripture?
Story of Audrey reading Battle of Jericho How to respond, internally and to others, to the concept of "the Bible clearly says...." * Probably a hint that a more nuanced conversation isn't in the cards at the moment * Go up one level: recognize that people have said, "The Bible clearly says" in contradictory ways; which then means maybe it's not as "clear" as we thought * If Jesus were to confront this passage what would He say? "You've heard it said; I say unto you..."
What to do when you run into a verse, passage that gives a strong response; what tools, not just backing off * Name the internal feelings and emotions; identify the strong response or trauma * If Jesus were to confront this passage what would He say. "You've heard it said; I say unto you..."
Exodus 5 shows us two worlds with entirely opposed organizing ideas. Is there hope for the healthier one to prevail?
Sunday, March 6, 2022. We take a look at Moses' encounters with God and how God wants to free us from misconceptions about God.
Small actions, done with great love, can make all the difference. Sometimes, I’m convinced that those small actions, taken faithfully day after day, by each and every one of us, is the only thing that has ever managed to change the world, to bend the universe toward justice and righteousness. Any action that says, “You are not alone,” is a sign of new life springing out from old ground. Any time we care for ourselves, we are breathing new life into these old bones. Any time we stand up to a person of authority and say “Enough is enough” to the culture of death, that is new life. When we work together to protect the least of these, the marginalized, the oppressed, the outsiders, the persecuted, that is a form of rebirth. It is life springing forth from death. Let us together become people who bring forth life, not death.
Sunday, February 20, 2022. Preacher: Anthony Parrott. Exodus is the origin story of all other stories of liberation, salvation, and freedom. In it we find ourselves and the possibility of the beautiful future that God is pulling us into.
In this session we put on two specific lens to read Scripture. The Cruciform lens and the Liberation lens. We then use these to take a look at two specific passages: Genesis 16 (the mistreatment of Hagar) and Mark 7 (the Syrophoenecian Woman).
Sunday, February 13, 2022. Preacher: Tonetta Landis-Aina. As we begin a new series on the book of Exodus, thinking about salvation and liberation, Pastor Tonetta grounds us in the most important part of any sort of work that will matter: REST.
In this session, we explore the different "interpretive" lenses we put on when we read Scripture
Sunday, February 6, 2022. Pastor Tonetta continues our look into the story of Jesus and Legion. It's a story that lays the foundation of understanding why decolonizing is a deeply Jesus-centered work.
In this session we explore the ways that ancient Christians and other cultures have read Scripture. We talk about The Great Tradition (capital T), and also the great traditions (little t), and how they ought to influence the conclusions we come to when reading the Bible.
Class Notes here: https://www.craft.do/s/gCwpHcMBSYPKv6
Sunday, January 30, 2022. Preacher: Anthony Parrott. Every aspect of our society has both concrete and invisible realities that need to be named. Scripture calls these realities The Powers. Jesus heals us from The Powers that corrupt us and our world and sets us a mission to do the same.
Click here for the full sermon notes
This week we explore the idea of inerrancy, where the Bible came from, and what are "the originals."
Full show notes here: https://www.craft.do/s/H4tK6utydxtize
Sunday, January 23, 2022. Preacher: Meg Clark. Jesus' family comes looking for him, thinking he has lost his mind. Jesus, like so many of us, is offered the opportunity to find a new kind of family, one that he is not born into, but chooses.
In this week's session, we introduce what we're up to and share the metaphors that have helped us understand what the Bible even is.
"If we believe we can be inferior to another, that mean we believe we can be superior to another."
This Sunday we were honored to have Itzbeth Menjívar and Kristin Kumpf host a virtual Teach-In in honor of MLK Jr Day. We talked about re-imagining power and making the move from Allyship to Solidarity.
Sunday, January 2, 2022. Preacher: Anthony Parrott. Jesus is asked why he's letting his disciples break the sabbath. In his answer, he shows us a key principle in how to understand Scripture.
Why did Jesus come? How will His arrival save the world? We explore Mary's radical prophecy and song in Luke 1 to answer these questions. Sunday, December 19, 2021. Preacher: Anthony Parrott
Pastor Richard preaches on the hope we have in the Gospel — a hope that isn't just flimsy optimism, but the courage to imagine a more just and beautiful world. Sunday, December 12, 2021. Preacher: Pastor Richard Kelley
Sunday, December 5, 2021. Preacher: Tonetta Landis-Aina. Pastor Tonetta speaks on the harm dualistic binaries have caused, their origins, and how the story of the Incarnation breaks through.
Jesus' call extends to those I would not call. Jesus' call will make the ritually pure uncomfortable. Grace is most effective for those who know they need it. Sunday, November 14, 2021. Preacher: Anthony Parrott
Sunday, November 7, 2021. Preacher: Heidi Mills. In this story, Jesus redefines what healing is and what healing is for. Healing happens within community. Healing reminds us of our identity and our worth in God's sight. Healing restores us to a new way of living in the world.
Sunday, November 7, 2021. Preacher: Lexi Mairone. In Jesus, we see the God who forgives. Forgiveness is not only a central characteristic of God’s nature, but it is the singular grace that enables God’s people to have fellowship with God. Forgiveness is how we are reconciled back to God and invited to join God once again in the renewal of all things.
Sunday, October 31, 2021. Preacher: Anthony Parrott. This Sunday we talk about the step before translating the Bible. We talk about why Jesus gets angry — and we can too. And we briefly talk about "investing" in people isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Mark 1:35-39 Resistance Resistance is refusing to be defined by the powers that want to take hold of us.
Capitalism. Toxic Family or Social Systems. Addiction or Compulsion. Inner and Outer Voices and Pressure.
"Healthy boundaries are a form of rest." —Tricia Hersey (The Nap Ministry)
“We must not confuse the command to love with the disease to please.” ― Lysa TerKeurst
“Whenever you say yes to something, there is less of you for something else. Make sure your yes is worth the less.” ― Lysa TerKeurst
(Non) Reactivity Self-Differentiation is the ability to separate your emotions and actions from the emotions and actions of others.
It's different from detachment. Detachment is the inability to care about someone else's emotions. Self-differentiation is the ability to not let someone else's emotional state define yours.
Non-Anxious Presence. First, you must be present. This is not the same as avoidance. Second, deciding to not add anxiety to anxious situation. Not the same as denial. But rather, the choice to not add to or pass along anxiety.
Non-Reactivity and Non-Judgment. To be able to respond instead of react. To thoughtfully consider, instead of instinctually knee-jerk.
Rhythms Disciplines are activities within our power that enable us to accomplish what we cannot do by direct effort. The effect of discipline is to enable us to do what needs to be done when it needs to be done. (Dallas Willard)
Solitude is choosing to step free from human relationships for a lengthy period of time, in isolation or anonymity, to make room for occupation of our lives by God. It is to do nothing and not try to make anything happen. It is the primary spiritual discipline which enables us to learn other disciplines
Silence completes solitude. It is not an absence but a presence, a positive reality, in which we experience in quiet or are in a place with only natural sounds.
Mark 1:29-34 Simon's Mother In Law - yes Simon is married (this is later referenced in 1 Corinthians, that the apostles wives and family traveled with them)
Sick with a fever - of course, couldn't go to synagogue. This was not because of the germ theory of disease. This was because of impurity, uncleanness. Perhaps inability; but even if she had been physically able, she would not allowed to go by the community.
Jesus' response - physical touch. To touch those that society had deemed unclean.
Jesus has contagious purity.
Why did the woman serve? Because serving is the sign of being a disciple, in the way of Jesus Her serving is not about her being a woman and therefore being put back in her rightful place.
Though, it is slight about being a woman, because women were not permitted to be disciples of a rabbi. They are not the people to whom you would be expected to look for an example of discipleship. But it is the woman who ends up being the example to which to follow.
How do we know? Because there are only 3 examples in the whole of Mark's Gospel of people who serve.
1) The angels, who serve Jesus in the desert after his temptation. 2) This woman. 3) And Jesus Himself. "The Son of Man did not come into the world to be served, but to serve."
Messianic secret (why does Jesus tell demons to be silent)
Main Idea: The extraordinary kingdom of God is enacted through radical acts of hospitality and restoration.
In a more subtle way than the possession in our passage today, each of us too can be possessed by the initially small, subtle toe holds we allow evil to gain in our day-to-day life (e.g. anger, envy, grudges, us v. them politics, etc.).
Our long journey, our very personal collaboration with God, to be more Christ-like is a long-term, gradual, non-linear exorcism/healing in slow motion.
Preacher: Heidi Mills
Main Idea: Jesus' ministry of the Kingdom of God was about disrupting the unjust social order for the sake of creating a new social order.
"Kairos time is the right or opportune time. It is a decisive moment in history that potentially has far-reaching impact. It is often a chaotic period, a time of crisis. However, it is through the chaos and crisis that God is fully present, disrupting things as they are and providing an opportunity to a new future--God's future. -- "Kairos time is, therefore, a time pregnant with infinite possibilities for new life. Kairos time is God's time. It is a time bursting forth with God's call to a new way of living in the world." Kelly Douglas Brown, Stand Your Ground: Black Bodies and the Justice of God.
Jesus disrupted the fishermen in the middle of their ordinary lives... so they can be a part of what Jesus doing.
The disciples don't know what the end result of this disruption will be, but they make the decision to follow anyway.
Pray: God, how are you disrupting my life, and what am I called to do or become in response?
Preacher: Richard Kelley
1) God’s purpose is clear: to call us an others into God’s story
2) God sees worth in everyone
3) God is not calling us to a new career; God is calling us to a new identity.
"The claim of a God bigger than those who worship him, more gracious, more generous, more hospitable than they are, is at the core of what Jesus calls the good news, or the gospel, and it ought to be good news that God is bigger than we are." Reverend Peter Gomes
Mark 1:9-13 The Baptism of Jesus Main Idea God arrived in the person of Jesus to 1) Launch the New Creation; 2) show us what God is really like; and 3) to tell us how God really feels about us.
New Creation * Genesis 1 + Separation of waters (where chaos lives) + Living among the wild animals + Spirit brooding above the waters * Genesis 6—7 + Heavens broke open + Noah among the animals + 40 Days/Nights + Sign of New Creation is a dove
Jesus' Baptism
- heavens are rent open
- Spirit descends like a dove
- Jesus in the wilderness 40 days
- With the wild animals
What God Is Like * Isaiah 64, "Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down." And then the rest of the chapter is about judgment * Everything from here on shows us what it looks like for God to show up and render judgment
How God Feels About Us * Isaiah 42 - song of the suffering servant. "This is my son..." * God says this to Jesus (notice the Trinity) * God is saying this to you too
Mark 1:2-8 Something Old Opening Example: Favorite book/movie franchises?
Question: What do we do with the Old Testament? Particularly the God of the OT? (Note: "Hebrew/Jewish Scriptures," "First Testament," "Old Testament" all refer to Genesis—Malichi)
Marcion tried to answer this question by saying that the God of the OT was a different god than the God revealed in Christ. Therefore Christians should reject OT.
Smacks of anti-semitism. Marcion wanted a Christinaity, "Untrammeled and undefiled by association with Judaism."
But then we meet the opening of the book of Mark. "The beginning of the Gospel" begins with — the Old Testament.
"Isaiah" quote is actually 3 Old Testament quotes. First Malachi 3:1,
"Look, I am sending my messenger who will clear/prepare the path before me; Then suddenty the Lord (Yahweh) whom you are seeking will come to his temple." (God is going to come on the scene; but first a messenger).
Which it self is a quote from Exodus 23 at Mt. Sinai, "I'm about to send a messenger/angel in front of you to guard you on your way and bring you to a place I've made ready."
And a quote from Isaiah 40, "A voice one calling, 'In the wilderness prepare the way for Yahweh; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain shall become level, the rugged plaes a plain. And the glory of Yahweh will be revealed, all all people will see it together." (Which just a few verses later is the passage we talked about last week..."Tell the good news...here is your God!")
Application: Jesus and NT is unintelligible without the OT.
Something New Just because there's continuity with what came before doesn't mean something new isn't happening.
In the stories of the first horseless carriages, the investors and inventors were ridiculed because what they were doing was "just a fad" or just a novelty. Cars were just doing the same thing horses had done for centuries. And horses were a lot easier to care for.
John (and, we'll see, Jesus) had continuity with the past; but something brand new was happening as well.
- Wilderness. All the best stories happen in the wilderness. Wilderness was the place where God did new things. Red Sea, Sinai. Expectation was high that the messiah would show up in the wilderness to start the revolution.
- Baptism. This is what happened to Gentile converters to Judaism. John is doing it to Jews.
- Elijah. Same description as 2 Kings 1:8. And the expectation that Elijah would come back. "Look, I am sending Elijah the prophet to you, before the great and terrifyin day of the Lord arrives."
Application: Reducing Jesus down to a "nice moral teacher" is an insult to what John proclaimed and the first Christians believed.
Requires a Change of Direction John's message was to change direction.
- We think of repentance as negative. But it simply means to change direction.
- Repent is bit preachy. Christianeze. But, you know, we like it when people repent. Repentance can save lives. When people change their minds. (Gay marriage moved from being allowed in one state to all 50 from 2004-2015. One study showed that "Repentance" from banning gay marriage meant 134,000 fewer teens attempted suicide each year).
- Which, we also think of repentance and forgiveness of sins as an individual thing. And it can be. But it's also a community thing; a as-a-people thing. So, as we get closer to the death of Jesus, and we talk about "forgiveness of sins," remember that we're talking about a "nation-being-brought-of-an-exile" thing; not a "go-to-heaven-when-you-die, now-god-can-stand-to-be-around-you-thing."
But here's the thing about repentance and forgiveness: Grace has little effect on those who feel they have no need of it.
Sunday, September 12, 2021. We begin a new series on the life of Jesus and the Gospel of Mark. We dive in deep on the opening verse of the gospel. It reveals to us that the Gospel is Political; the Gospel is News; and the Gospel is Good.
Read the full sermon notes by clicking here.
Pastor Anthony concludes our Race & Justice series. We talk about the need for starting the process over again, because it's not a one and done thing.
Lexi Mairone from The Table Church's preaching cohort preaches on how we must begin the conversation of "submission" in the right place.
Pastor Anthony teaches on how passages from Ephesians 6 and Colossians 3 have been misused. Did Paul really not have a problem with slavery? Or have we surrendered interpretation of the Bible to... people who really shouldn't be interpreting the Bible?
Heidi Mills from The Table Church's preaching cohort breaks down the context and language of a passage that's been used to harm women in the church.
Meg Clark from The Table Church's preaching cohort teaches out of Romans 1 about LBGTQ+ inclusion.
Pastor Anthony kicks off a new series on understanding what Paul means when he says things that sound sexist, racist, or otherwise problematic.
Bekki Fahrer preaches on Pentecost Sunday and concludes our sermon series by talking about Pentecost and the Holy Spirit being poured out on ALL people.
Pastor Anthony teaches about when the early church has to decide who gets to belong in Acts 15.
Pastor Raimon Jackson preaches from the story of Stephen (Acts 6-7). The apostles thought they were above serving tables and pass the buck to deacons like Stephen. Stephen, however, gets to step into God's role for him as a prophet and evangelist.
Matt Collinson, Edward Mar, and Tim Cody from The Table Church's preaching cohort teach out of Luke 24 on the resurrection and doubt.
Pastor Anthony preaches on Easter Sunday about the resurrection and the women who were by Jesus' side in Luke 24.
Pastor Anthony preaches on Palm Sunday about the atonement and the cross out of Romans 5.
Lexi Mairone and Meg Clark from The Table Church's preaching cohort continue our series and preach out of Luke 18-19.
Pastor Anthony takes us through an extended, bonus teaching and explanation of the concept of hell.
Pastor Anthony continues our series following the journey of Jesus to the cross and teaches out of Luke 16.
Anna Alcaro, Erin Byrne, and Heidi Mills continue the series from The Table Church's preaching cohort and teach out of Luke 15.
Anselm Beach and Skyler Showell kick off our series in the book of Luke and teach on the Parable of the Good Samaritan and Jesus' visit to Mary and Martha.
Pastor Anthony concludes our series, The Healing Love of Jesus, by discussing Luke 9:37-45.
Pastor Anthony guides us through Luke 7:1-17 in week three of The Healing Love of Jesus.
Pastor Anthony guides us through Luke 6:1-16 as he discusses the various parts of a faith-filled life: the up, in, and out.
Over the next several weeks through Easter, we will journey together through the gospel of Luke. In this message, Pastor Anthony begins our series "The Healing Love of Jesus" by discussing the Great Invitation in Luke 5:1-11.
Pastor Anthony continues our Why Bother series in the aftermath of the insurrection in Washington, DC.
Pastor Anthony begins a new series on why following Jesus is still worth it and preaches out of 1 Corinthians.
In our final sermon of 2020, Pastor Anthony explores the revolutionary nature of Mary's song.
Pastor Angela preaches from Isaiah during the third week of Advent. She teaches about how reimagining God's purpose for our lives is for all of us.
The Table Church's preaching cohort continues our Advent sermon series and teaches out of Joel chapter 2.
Our preaching cohort kicks off our Advent series and teaches about Daniel and the lion's den.
Pastor Anthony answers questions about what the Bible says about the end of the world and the role that we play.
Pastor Anthony starts our new series and teaches about how what we think about the end affects how we think and what we do today.
Pastor Anthony finishes our series "The Church of Us vs. Them" by teaching about how over the years even the church itself has been used to create enemies.
Pastor Anthony continues in our series about being caught up in the enemy-making machine by teaching about how people can use the Good News as a banner rather something that heals and saves.
Pastor Anthony preaches out of 2 Timothy and takes a look at how we can avoid division by refusing to use the story of the Bible as a weapon, instead staying faithful to the story and the storyteller.
Pastor Anthony kicks off a new series, "The Church of Us vs. Them," teaching out of 1 Corinthians.
Pastor Anthony teaches from the story of Elijah about how we can respond when we are in the valley and it feels like our lives are falling apart.
In the final week of our sermon series about The Table Church's values, Pastor Anthony talks about how taking celebration seriously reflects God's heart.
Joe Riffe speaks about how people who call The Table Church home are reflecting God's heart by living generously.
In the third week in our series on The Table Church's mission, Pastor Anthony teaches about pursuing excellence.
Pastor Richard teaches about loving people and how it's part of the mission of The Table Church.
Lead Pastor Anthony Parrott talks about John 3:1-5. What does it mean to be born of "water and the Spirit?" What does baptism have to do with the Kingdom of God and New Creation?
Pastor Anthony continues our series on why we gather, looks at the sociology of gathering in groups, and teaches about how the early church gathered in 1 Corinthians.
Pastor Anthony concludes this series teaching about the importance of loving everyone well and building relationships with consensual correction -- and how doing so can help change the world for the better.
Pastor Anthony teaches about the importance of being high invitation in our relationships with each other.
Pastor Anthony begins our next sermon series, (Don't) Be A Jerk, and talks about how we often want things to change, but we aren't sure how. He teaches us about how Jesus approached this in Luke 4:16-30, and the importance of being both high invitation and high challenge.
Pastor Anthony finishes our series in Job by teaching us how God needs our cooperation. God doesn't need us in order for God to act. The uncontrolling love of God empowers and inspires us to love, but it cannot force us.
Pastor Anthony teaches on healing and some of the common questions people have amid suffering: Why doesn't God heal more often? Is healing a matter of having enough faith? Why are some healed and others aren't? We see how God is always at work and always loving.
Pastor Anthony talks about how God is with us in our pain -- and how if we believe in an unfeeling, uncaring and unmovable God, how that might negatively shape our actions in the world.
Pastor Anthony kicks off our series on Job and talks about why the story is intentionally unsatisfying.
In this year's Easter service, Pastor Anthony tells us the story in John 21:1-13 when Jesus appears to his disciples on the Sea of Galilee. He teaches us about how Jesus will meet us in the mundane and will turn the mundane into the miraculous.
On Palm Sunday, Pastor Anthony leads us in our final teaching from Into the Wilderness by taking a look at The Transfiguration and the Cross, and how The Transfiguration reveals God's intention for every human being.
In his first sermon at The Table Church, Pastor Anthony starts the second part of our Into the Wilderness series focused on the transfiguration in Matthew 17:1-8.
In the third week of our into the Wilderness series, Pastor Richard discusses the temptation of ambition in Matthew 4:8-11.
Pastor Angela discusses affirmation as one of the main temptations Jesus faces in Matthew 4:5-7 during the second week of our Into the Wilderness series during the Lenten season.
Bekki Fahrer begins our news series, Into the Wilderness, as we begin the Lenten season and learn of Jesus' time in the wilderness. In Matthew 4:1-4, the devil tempts Jesus by targeting his appetite. Appetite is a holy and God-given function, but we must be weary of it's twisted, dark side as well.
Pastor Jessica finishes our First Things First series by discussing what it takes to put God first in our lives with intentionality and consistency. We do this by creating a plan, having support, and following through with trust in God's ways over the world's ways.
Pastor Jessica walks us through the challenges presented to us in scripture when it comes to seeking God first with all we have. From tithing to sacrificial giving, we cover what scripture has to say about generosity and why God made us to be generous people.
Pastor Jessica begins our new series, First Things First, where we discuss how to seek God first with all we’ve been entrusted, while navigating the demands of life and this hectic world we live in. This week we begin by identifying the competition. We all want to honor God and put him first in our lives, but something is stopping us. What is it? Before we can successfully put God first, we have to figure out what is competing for our time, money, relationships, and resources.
Pastor Raimon continues our Prepare the Way series by discussing the life of John The Baptist. We learn about both the prophetic birth and life of the one who would prepare the way for Jesus the Messiah. We travel through John's message of baptismal and repentance and learn of how John has the privilege of baptizing Jesus. We are challenged to a year of committed time towards building our relationship with Jesus in order to live into our true calling. Through our relationship we are lead into baptism of the Holy Spirit, aligned with God, separated from our sin, and set on a path to our true purpose.
Pastor Richard continues our Prepare the Way series by discussing Jesus' time at the temple as a boy. We learn that Jesus was not afraid to ask questions but embraced them, and spent time listening, learning, and seeking to understand as he gained wisdom that would lead to his ministry on earth. We're called to do the same: listen, learn, ask questions, and repeat.
Pastor Jessica opens up our new series Prepare the Way: Jesus' Early Years where we will explore the period of scripture between Jesus’ birth and the start of his ministry on earth. As we explore the beginning of Jesus’ life on earth and the preparations for his ministry, we will learn how to prepare ourselves as well, for a new year of ministry, of living in faith, and living into our calling as followers of Jesus. We begin by looking at Jesus' interaction with Old Testament law as well as the stories of Simeon and Anna. As we enter a new year, it is through developing our intimacy with God and communing with the Holy Spirit that we can truly find peace that endures.
Pastor Jessica delivers our Christmas Eve message by diving into the story of Mary. By saying Yes! to the unconventional, to God's timing, and to God's love, we prepare ourselves to be changed by the tiny baby born into our world many years ago, Emmanuel, God With Us.
Bekki Fahrer talks about how Elizabeth’s story shows us that God is with us in celebration as well as we remember God’s love and it causes us to celebrate. Having a child during Elizabeth’s old age had to have been a painful and scary process. Despite this, Elizabeth chooses joy in knowing God had heard her prayers for a son, and chosen her and Zechariah to give birth to John, Jesus’ cousin, who would prepare the way for Jesus’ coming.
Most of us make plans for how we want our personal and professional lives to go. But when life doesn’t go according to plan, we can be thrown into confusion, frustration, and we often feel far from God. Joe Riffe discusses how God is with us in these confusing seasons of life.
Pastor Angela discusses how throughout Scripture God uses the lowly, the poor, the unlikely, the vulnerable, and the foreigner to do his good work. While society may shut these voices down, it’s God who takes the time to appear to them, comfort them, give them purpose, and call them loved.
Pastor Raimon begins our series, Emmanuel: God With Us, by diving in to Zechariah's story and how God is with us even in our disbelief and doubts. For even in our disbelief, we can have hope in the future God has planned for us.
Bekki Fahrer discusses how the process of rebuilding our faith isn't complete until the community we are a part of reclaims God's promises. Rebuilding can't happen alone, but within authentic community.
Pastor Angela talks about the ability to see the temple when there are ruins surrounding us.
Pastor Jessica discusses the reality of opposition from the enemy. When we're rebuilding around God's promises, there is always risk of the enemy opposing the good work we're doing. By discussing the opposition the Jews faced in Ezra 4, we learn how to be prepared for opposition in our daily lives.
Pastor Richard discusses Ezra 3 and how the process of rebuilding must start at the altar. In order to reclaim God’s promises over our lives, we must first commit to worship and seeking relationship with God above all else.
Pastor Jessica kicks off our series on Ezra and the promises from God in Scripture for when people are in the process of rebuilding. She dives into the book of Ezra, where the Jewish people reclaimed God's promises for their life as he brought them out of exile and back into a faith-filled temple and faith-filled community.
Pastor Angela finishes up our series on Silent Sermons by discussing the narrative of shame that we preach to ourselves. By choosing to expose our shame, replace it with truth, and repeat, we can walk confidently in our God-given identity of God's unconditional love.
Bekki Fahrer shares how the silent sermon of low self-worth can hold us captive and be reinforced by society, the church, and well-meaning individuals. By dissecting the Greek and Hebrew narratives around identity in scripture, she directs us to understand the worth and belovedness we have in Christ.
Pastor Jessica discussed the silent sermon of fear and how we can overcome this dominant voice in our life by identifying the source, surrounding ourselves with biblical truths, and redirecting our attention toward worship.
Pastor Angela launched us into our new series, Silent Sermons, where we will discuss how the messages we preach to ourselves predict how we live our lives and the health of our futures. Angela discussed how jealousy and envy produce dominant narratives in our lives, and what we can do to combat their power.
Pastor Jessica concludes our Habits of Grace series by discussing the faith-forming practice of loving others like Jesus loved. She examines what it looks like to speak in love, steward in love, and serve in love with Jesus as our guide.
Bekki Fahrer discusses how making ourselves open to God at work in our lives is core to a healthy faith life. God is Person who wants a relationship with us. Yet, we would often prefer a god we can manipulate and control. Our preference for control may be why Christians frequently have a reputation for focusing on rules; rules clearly show who is doing well and who isn’t. Yet, God invites us into the unpredictability of true relationship with him and with others.
Pastor Richard discusses how we can receive direction from God and align His agenda with our lives. Hearing God isn’t as mysterious as it might sound because God is always at work in our lives, and He has always communicated with His people. God will use whatever mechanism He wants to speak to us, but Scripture is the primary way that the Holy Spirit opens us up to God.
Pastor Jessica discusses how releasing control to God is imperative to a healthy faith life. It is through surrendering our own agendas, desires, and needs to God where we find freedom and the immense love of the God who wants to carry our burdens and lead us through this world.
Pastor Angela kicks off our new sermon series titled Habits of Grace: Rhythms that Sustain + Transform Us. Pastor Angela discusses how worship is the core to a healthy faith, where we can come in full abandonment before the Lord and complete practices that lead to pure praise and devotion.
Pastor Jessica concludes our series on the book of James by highlighting the responsibilities of the congregation as taught in James and discussing the power of prayer within community.
Pastor Angela discusses how we must release control and trust in God's sovereignty, acknowledging the seeds God is planting in our lives and living with expectant hearts and open hands.
Pastor Richard discusses how faith is practical resulting in Godly speech, wisdom, and right relationships.
Bekki discusses how by accepting the word of God as truth, it transforms us and grows our faith. This includes actionable instruction (which produces works).
Pastor Raimon gives an introduction to our new series on the book of James and discusses how faith, even in the midst of trials, produces perseverance and makes us whole.
Pastor Kevin delivers his last sermon at The Table Church and covers the final piece of our mission statement: joining God in the renewal of all things.
Pastor Jessica dives into what it means to be an authentic followers of Jesus and how we can foster a community where authenticity can grow and flourish.
Bekki Fahrer discusses what it means to be a thoughtful followers of Jesus, never settling for easy answers, but being diligent about seeking to know God, scripture, and each other more deeply.
Pastor Kevin explores the story of the woman caught in adultery and encourages us to move beyond our typecast.
Pastor Kevin explores a pivotal meeting that takes place under the cover of darkness and in the process stumbles on one of the most well known verses in the whole Bible.
Pastor Kevin continues our series Journey With Jesus by exploring the back story that leads the first followers of Jesus to take a next step.
Pastor Kevin continues our series Journey With Jesus by exploring the temptation of Jesus and how it relates to our own temptations.
Pastor Kevin looks at the Christmas story and what it has to say to us about fear, cynicism and joy. (Audio complications removed the first five minutes of the sermon)
Pastor Angela explores the topic of peace and helped us understand that peace is a destination instead of a dwelling.
Bekki Fahrer one of the elders at The Table, kicks off this advent season with a powerful message on hope.
Pastor Kevin ends our Blank Slate series by exploring the beginning of the Jesus movement.
Pastor Kevin continues our series Blank Slate by exploring one of the central tenants of the Christian faith.
Pastor Kevin explores the intersection of rules and religion through by looking at the Ten Commandments.
Pastor Kevin looks at the story of Abrhama and how his interaction with God under the desert sky touches on one of our deepest questions.
Pastor Kevin continues our series Blank Slate by exploring sin through the eyes of Jesus. What if we've misunderstood sin our whole life?
Pastor Kevin begins a new series that asks what if we started faith from scratch -- what if we had a blank slate?
Pastor Kevin explores a famous story from the Old Testament and a question from God that can help us get to the heart of worry.
Pastor Kevin kicks off a series entiteld Why Worry? by exploring what Jesus words on worry have to say to us in the 21st century.
Pastor Kevin ends our series to the churches in Revelation by exploring Jesus words to the church in Laodicea.
Pastor Angela explores the Letter to the Church in Philadlephia and how perfect love casts out fear.
One of The Table's elders, Bekki Fahrer, explores the letter to the church in Thyatira and what it has to say to us today.
Pastor Kevin ends our series on David by asking a sobering question: What do we do when our dreams can’t come true?
Pastor Kevin continues our series on the life of David by exploring how we excerise power.
Pastor Kevin explores the story of David and Abigail and calls us to a better way to respond when we're mistreated.
Pastor Kevin kicks off a new series on the life of King David by exploring what set him apart from everyone else.
Pastor Angela delivers a challenge for us all to have our own personal pentecost moment.
Pastor Kevin explores what it means to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and encourages us to discover all that God has for our us in our spiritual journey.
Pastor Kevin contiues our series exploring the gifts of the Spirit and how they relate to our life and ministry.
Pastor Kevin kicks off a new seires by exploring the role of the Holy Spirit in our life.
Pastor Richard continues the theme of our Easter sermon by looking at honestly at the scars we carry.
Pastor Charla continues in our series Practicing the Way of Jesus by exploring the impact of teaching and practice on our spiritual journey.
Pastor Kevin explores Jesus life and actions and invites us to become the people who do the things that Jesus did.
Pastor Kevin continues our series on Practicing the Way of Jesus by exploring how we change.
Pastor Rasool Berry kicks off our Lenten series by exploring the overlap between race and the Gospel.
As we conclude our Sweep Right series, Pastor Angela offers a bold call to not allow shame to seperate us from God and others.
Jonathan Martin continues our Swipe Right series by exploring the radical and somewhat surprise words of Paul in regards to marriage, relationships and identity.
Pastor Kevin moves from exploring the myths told by the church to exploring myths told by the culture.
Pastor Angela concludes our Advent series on waiting by exploring 1 Thesolonians 5 and how it relates to joy in the waiting.
Pastor Kevin begins bringing the Year of Biblical literarcy to a close by exploring the Inclusive Paul.
Pastor Kevin ends our series on living a generous life by providing pratical steps to redictor our priorities.
Pastor Kevin continues our series on generosity by exploring the myth of consumption and providing us a new way to think about our possessions using one of Jesus most famous parables.
Pastor Kevin kicks off a series on generosity by exploring the myths of giving and generosity.
Pastor Kevin explores the powerful words of hope Jesus speaks to those of us who feel God relates to us from a place of condemnation.
Pastor Kevin explores one of the most famous stories in the Bible and the scandalous and challenging message it has for us today.
Pastor Kevin continues our series on the Character of Christ, by exploring how Jesus reveals our spiritual blindness using John 9 as a guide.
Pastor Kevin kicks off a mini-series on the character of Jesus by exploring discipleship through an ancient lens.
Using the words of Paul, Pastor Kevin challenges us to pray first in whatever situation we face.
Alli McGill, the founder of Lazarus Ministries, explores how we can love our neighbors like Jesus.
Pastor Richard kicks off our series the Art of Neigboring by exploring what it means to take the greatest command seriously.
Jonathan Martin delivers a powerful response to the hearting events in Charlottsville using Mark 3 and says, "America is in need of an exorcism of a 400 year old principality named white supremacy."
Bekki Fahrer continues our series on Daniel by exploring what it means to be philosophers, artists and citizens of the city.
Pastor Kevin continues our series on being a creative minority, by exploring the soft influence of the worlds we inhabit. Learn how Daniel resolves to to resist teh subtle seduction of Babylon.
Pastor Richard continues our series on being a Creative Minority using Daniel 2 as a guide on how to avoid the allure of civil religion.
Pastor Kevin begins a new series on living as exiles using The Book of Daniel as our guide.
Devin Chesney explores lament through his own story and through the Book of Lamentations in the Old Testament.
Charla Everhart Lum explores the Book of Ecclesiastes and the message it has for us about finding meaning in life.
Pastor Kevin explores the ancient wisdom of Proverbs and asks what it says to us today in our information obsessed world.
On Baptism Sunday, Pastor Kevin walks the church through its core values and then ends with a giant greek word that continues speaking to all of us today.
Pastor Raimon shares the story of Esther and the choices she had to make for the sake of justice.
Pastor Angela leads us through Deborah's story -- one of the great influencers of the Bible who chose to show up faithful.
Devin Chesney continues our mini series on the Prophets as he leads us through the book of Micah.
Jenna Cobb continues in our series A Year of Biblical Literacy by exploring the story of Hosea and Gomer.
Richard Kelley introduces us to our next sub-series in A Year of Biblical Literacy by exploring the Prophets.
Pastor Kevin continues in our seires the Symbols of Christ by exploring the most conterversial topic in history of The Table.
Caleb Schut welcomes us into the waters of baptism. please not there are technical diffculities at the end of the recording.
Through the lens of Judges, Pastor Kevin explores a question that has the power to impact the course of your life.
Pastor Kevin contiues the Year of Biblically Literacy by exploring the story of Gideon and the word of hope this story offers us all.
Pastor Kevin begins a mini series on the Book of Judges and begins with one of the most disturbing stories in all the Bible.
Pastor Kevin continues his series on the Story of God by exploring how the Kingdom spreads through a Spirit empowered community.
Pastor Angela continues A Year of Biblical Literacy by diving into the redemptive power of Jesus as part of the Story of God. Jesus was the King that Israel was waiting for. While Israel wanted a king, they also wanted to rule the new kingdom. But they couldn't have both and neither can we.
Pastor Kevin continues in our series the Story of God by exploring Israel's promise and what this means for us today.
Jonathan Martin continues in our series a Year of Biblical Literacy by exploring The Fall. But, in a way that only Jonathan can do, he flips our understanding of the Fall on its head.
Pastor Kevin continues our series a Year of Biblical Literacry by looking at the Story of God in six acts. This week, we kick off the series by exploring Creation through the lens of Genesis 1 and 2.
Pastor Kevin kicks off The Year of Biblical Literacy by exploring problems with the Bible and calling us to a more faithful engagement with these ancient words.
The beginning of advent calls us to ourselves. It calls us to identify the areas of our lives we've been sleeping walking though and beckons us to come alive with our coming Christ. Pastor Angela kicks off our Advent 2016 series.
Advent, week one, sleeper, wake up?
Pastor Kevin concludes our series by exploring the one quality that makes it easier to practice abundance.
Pastor Kevin continues our series Practicing Abundance by exploring how our calendars shape who we're becoming.
Jesus redefines what it means to be a rule follower. The rule book is tossed and the bar is raised all at the same time. The question becomes, what does LOVE require?
The Jesus model centers on the YOU beside YOU. It’s less complicated, but far more demanding. We judge our relationship with God, by judging our relationship with our neighbor.
Our consciences have been shaped by a version of Christianity that reflects a blend of the temple model and the Jesus movement.
Letting go of the past ideas is hard to do. But, Paul believed that mixing and matching was a bad idea. It’s all or nothing.
Jesus brings an end to the temple model of religion. Religion built on: sacred places, sacred texts, and sacred people who serve as the gate keepers.