J.S. Park - The Way Everlasting Podcast: Recent Episodes
J.S. Park
Welcome to The Way Everlasting Podcast. Messages from J.S. Park. Find my blog at jsparkblog.com or jspark3000.tumblr.com
Spoken Word, given to Yale University Students in CT. About the three fateful days from Jesus's crucifixion to resurrection, told from the viewpoint of a modern day disciple. 1-21-18
Marriage can be extremely difficult work. Here are three daily habits which I strive to practice (imperfectly with much stumbling) in marriage. Also, how Christian faith becomes practical in our relationships.
This video is slightly adapted from my viral post "3 Lessons I Learned Instantly In My First Week of Marriage (That I’ll Need For Life)" - https://jsparkblog.com/2015/03/17/3-lessons-i-learned-instantly-in-my-first-week-of-marriage-that-ill-need-for-life/
Watch this on YouTube: https://youtu.be/v7IZgpTKeOY
Everyone loves the idea of love and forgiveness—but do the abused need to "love and forgive" their abuser?
Here's my quick take on boundaries and self-care for the abused and traumatized. Watch this on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTgtEu5InBo
A romanticized culture of hyper-compassion easily leads to fatigue, disillusionment, and secondhand trauma, especially when we attempt to love those beyond our limits. I also share on trying to help those with mental illness, and the ugly reality that many of us are in over our heads and need to refer to professional help.
My post on love, abuse, and trauma: https://jsparkblog.com/2017/01/09/does-love-and-forgiveness-apply-to-abuse-and-trauma/
About my journey from atheism to faith, and how our historical impulse for religion points to the hidden story of humanity.
I also engage with Yuval Noah Harari's "Sapiens" and his take on religious metafictions. Watch this on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hc9uQCOEj3o
Agree or disagree? I'd love to hear from you.
For my seminar and Q&A "Jesus for Atheists," click here: http://traffic.libsyn.com/thewayeverlasting/JS_Park_-_Atheist_Workshop_Boston_2-18-17.mp3
Different political opinions can end a friendship—but should they?
How politics, faith, and friendship can fit together. Watch this on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhn4UPDvXHI
My post on politics, which was published on the front page of Wordpress:
https://jsparkblog.com/2017/03/06/when-do-politics-decide-friendship/
As a lifelong fighter of depression, here's what I've found helpful (and not helpful) in our dialogue. Watch this on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xggg6xFObIE
My book on fighting depression: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073TX15LB/
1 Kings 18-19. The story of Elijah. Through discouragement, distress, and depression: how God speaks to us and how we speak to one another. As a lifelong sufferer of depression, this is hugely personal for me. "The sudden mental replay in the shower and the late-night regret twitch, the one common denial from every patient in the hospital, when you just need a hamburger and a really long nap, the hidden fear of men getting honest, the panic moment when someone sees your text messages and photos, how Yoda finally got through to Luke Skywalker, and Elijah versus depression versus the world." 4-17-16
A Spoken Word performance: a modern re-telling about the three fateful days of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, and how the chaos of the cross turned into beautiful death-defying glory. (Audio clip by Gungor, "We Will Run") 12-8-13
1 Samuel 17. How David and Goliath shows us true strength amidst our worst weakness. Preached at the Navigators Winter Conference. "The overwhelming statistical ultimatums of TED Talks, the time my 160 lb brother destroyed a 250 lb challenger in an MMA match, our hyper-mania in trying to go viral, play-by-play breakdown through the ultimate cage match between David and Goliath, a time travel interview with little boy David, how true strength is shaped in behind-the-scenes in background nowhere-ness, how I first started dating my wife through AIM messenger, and how God can work through a box full of pizza." 2-18-17
*Note: Details in stories have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.
A workshop on atheism and faith, from a former atheist. At the Navigators Winter Conference. "A theological remix of Yuval Noah Harari's Sapiens, when you reduce money and marriage and government all the way down to the bottom, trying to find the non-contingent objective truth of 'just really,' when the transcendent existential panic kicks down the front door of your guts at 3am, the two things I hear on every deathbed, dismantling the zeitgeist of Us vs. Them dichotomy, giving up magical formulas for faith, un-weaponizing the cultural warfare of religion, and the scary moment when you bring a friend to church for the first time." 2-18-17
Matthew 7 and 18. About judging, rebuke, why we go to church, and confronting your friend with the truth. CCF Retreat 2 of 4. "That secret low-key grudge-hate against a fellow church member, the extremely painful (and necessary) peeling of accountability, the danger of isolating ourselves by echoing yes-men and self-affirming flattery, Jesus's graphic pictures of digging in your eyeball, the weird crazy arranged marriage of church, and four phrases we can use daily to heal one another." 11-5-16
Matthew 17. Our rest and resolve through demands and darkness. CCF Retreat 3 of 4. "The two things I hear on every deathbed in the hospital, how over 700 people answered the question, 'What is the greatest universal human desire?', how Jesus answers our marriage proposal, when we can finally stop being crushed by demands and deadlines, how faith is like a long-distance relationship, how God solves for both our lukewarmness and legalism, Seven Powerful Truths if the Gospel is True, and the Gospel according to Han Solo." 11-5-16
John 1. How to live our faith authentically in the real world. CCF Retreat 4 of 4. "The time I overheard a couple have the most dramatic break-up ever, what flirtation and 'romantic chemistry' is really about, the problem with trying to be the protagonist of your own story, seeing your name in the dedication section of a book, and the one question that every Christian can ask ourselves in every room we enter." 11-6-16
A seminar that I gave in San Jose, CA about the truths and myths of dating & relationships within both the church-culture & pop-culture. 2 Timothy 2. "The time I overheard a couple have their final knock-down drag-out fight, my absolutely favorite type of scene in the movies, what everyone really wants in the hospital, dating theology from Taylor Swift, when God looks at you through the ceiling, and Christianity according to a cologne sample." December 27th, 2015
Acts 2:42-47. Preached at CCF in Gainesville, FL. On the difficult messy work of giving grace. "My time at the mental institution with drug addicts and sex addicts and recovering mental patients, the awkward harrowing nerve-racking experience of bringing your friend to church (and it happens to be sacrifice-a-live-animal day), the cringe-inducing moment when the preacher goes political, finding out what percentage of the church is actually God's intention, the recent trend of movies where bad guys are not really bad but have a tragic back-story, what saying 'I do' really means, that time I fought a pastor in a parking lot, and sculpting a real eye-to-eye face-to-face friendship over coffee." 7-18-14
John 3:30. Preached at CCF in Gainesville. About our itchy eternal longing for heart-swelling value and worthiness. "My first audition for a TV show, the secret second language we use to fight for attention in every room, our crazy scrambling for a social media fanbase, when we become demon-possessed in rush hour traffic, our Main Character Syndrome, what I plan to do at my kid's first junior football game, and the absolutely face-melting moment when Jesus returns with a flaming sword ripping the sky open." 7-31-15
Mark 4. Two words that we quickly avoid but desperately need for growth, healing, and wholeness, for our relationships, churches, politics, and faith. "When you see someone else's kid misbehaving in public, the most unappealing things about Christianity for Christians, thinking the sermon is for the guy in the next row, tracing the theme of water and chaos through ancient history and Scripture, and how Jesus's war cry obliterated our worldly warfare." 3-6-16
Isaiah 6. How the holiness of God irrevocably changes us in two ground-shaking ways. "The two things I hear at every deathbed in the hospital, my body's crazy involuntary response when I flew over the Grand Canyon, every instance of the Bible characters seeing God and falling over crying, the unseen thankless art of raising children, how to live generously with zero guarantees, and a letter from Belize." 3-20-16
Acts 9. How killer Saul became Apostle Paul and got his first unlikely roommate, the disciple Ananias. "Adopting my abused dog Rosco and rehabilitating him, how an African-American musician befriended and changed a KKK leader, why I agree with the Elder Brother against the Prodigal Son, the impossibility of outgrowing your nickname and time-stamped hometown past, the one frustrating difficult person that never changes, how the back-row of punk kids at church completely humbled me, and the freedom of finally becoming the kind of person that loves no matter what." 4-24-16
Matthew 17. When we're crushed by deadlines, demands, and disorder, we need both the rest and resolve to get through. "That moment of exhaustion when you sigh for a long time before you walk through the door, the burn-out check-out from school and marriage and career, the strange beauty of enjoying something you can't pay for with nothing to offer, the greatest miracle Jesus ever pulled, faith as a long-distance relationship, a word for both perfectionists and slackers, and the one crucial question they ask you at a car accident." 7-17-16
Jeremiah 29. Exploring one of the most misinterpreted passages in the Bible about pain and perseverance. "The after-wedding shock of discovering your spouse is a stranger, when you take a test with lowered expectations to feel good about a bad grade, how 200 respondents answered whether Depression was a Choice or a Disease, life lessons from a tough plucky foster kid, and enduring the Saturday between the Cross and Resurrection." 6-26-16
Romans 7-8. A message preached to Yale students about the relevance and reason of Christianity. Part 1 of 3: How the Gospel uniquely differs from every other kind of motivation.
"A meta-deconstruction of the Sunday church service, how to bomb a TEDTalk, the last two things I hear from dying patients in the hospital, the haunting of l’esprit de l’escalier, de-romanticizing adoption, the list of my flaws I gave to my wife before we started dating, and how a nine-year-old showed me the heart of Christianity." 1-30-16
Luke 15. A message preached to Yale students about the relevance and reason of Christianity. Part 2 of 3: How the Gospel solves for two universal human problems and the greatest human need.
"How to tell an alien about the human race, conclusions about humanity after a survey with 700 replies, the instant anxiety when you walk into a crowded room, the itchy self-conscious moment when someone is slightly more talented at 'my thing,' that loopy moment at night with your best friend when you start confessing everything, two universal human problems and our greatest human need, and the absolutely most important linchpin verse in the Bible." 1-30-16
Exodus 14, 20. A message preached to Yale students about the relevance and reason of Christianity. Part 3 of 3: How the Gospel compels us into action, neither by guilt nor religion, but deliverance.
"How long it actually should've taken the Israelites to get to Canaan from Egypt (not forty years), the moment right after the wedding, how the grace of my first pastor completely tenderized and galvanized me, the Christian life beyond 'overcoming-sin,' and seeing God in the Philippines and a homeless shelter." 1-31-16
Mark 9. The Transfiguration. Preached in Gainesville, FL. What it really means to be "on fire for God" and how to endure the dry desert valley. "Walking with kids and pigs through huts on the islands of the Philippines, the moment when Jesus dropped his flesh-suit and flexed his total divine glory with laserbeams out his mouth, how long-distance dating is like faith, and finding God in the homeless shelter." 10-25-15
Mark 16:13-19. The church can be crazy: but she is still God's idea to be a force for good in the world. "That very nervous moment when you bring a friend to church and you see the weirdness of Sunday service, how I reply when someone tells me that the church is full of hypocrites, how the friction of colliding with our disagreements can turn us into fully polished people, that time a church lady hit my car in the parking lot and ran, and my very first pastor loving me from hateful atheism to unexpected faith." 8-17-14
Jeremiah 29:11. When God says He won't harm you, that's a weird way to start a promise. "Finding Jesus for three easy payments of $9.99, the mathematical impossibility of soulmates, the surprising difficulty of planning for a wedding, fighting against our natural inclination to fight against God, how martial arts teaches us about reacting to the trials of life, and how every Unresolved Tension will meet Happily Ever After." 4-25-14
An audio preview of my book "Mad About God: When We Over-Spiritualize Pain and Turn Tragedy Into a Lesson," about persevering through pain and suffering.
Preface 1 - I Don't Have It All Figured Out, and That's Okay
Preface 2 - Perpetually Skeptical: Screaming Through The Red Sea
Preface 1 is about our crazy need to connect pain with a lesson.
Preface 2 is about the constant, uncomfortable doubts about the existence and goodness of God.
http://www.amazon.com/Mad-About-God/dp/0692390472/
1 Kings 18-19. Series: Snapshots: Men & Women of the Bible. Part 1. Facing the up-and-down craziness of life. "That one time I went to audition for a show on Nickelodeon when I was seven, that discouraging word that sticks in your brain all week, those giddy midnight conversations when you expose your crazy self (and regret it in the morning), preparing a speech in case your marriage proposal is answered with 'no,' when all you really need is a nap, and the mind-blowing reveal that someone has been praying for you the whole time." 5-25-14
Genesis 37-50. Series: Snapshots: Men & Women of the Bible. Part 7. Persevering through pain. "How to read a book in ten seconds (by turning to the first and last page of the book), how painful moments always become the best stories but never in the moment, that time my dad was nearly executed by firing squad in the Vietnam War, the awful cliches that spiritualize pain into lessons, the vivid wild wonderfully heartbreaking tale of Joseph and his brothers, the single linchpin verse that brings together the whole Bible, and how to put down the baggage of an old hurt in your next season of life." 8-8-14
Judges 6-7. Series: Snapshots: Men & Women of the Bible. Part 5. God calls you who you could be, into greatness by His grace. "Outlandish auction bids for celebrity-owned items including Justin Bieber's hair, my brother the totally unsuspecting MMA jujitsu fighter, the anxious fear of small-town gossip when you try to step it up, tough advice for my future daughter, how the church ought to be like a bunch of cheerleaders, my first pre-marriage counseling, and the words that you've secretly wanted to hear your whole life." 7-13-14
Matthew 28:18-20. Preached in Huntsville, Alabama. Making disciples is messy. "When Jesus uppercuts drug addicts, the hyper-spiritual attitude in the awkward Bible study, that time I was Baker Act'ed and put in the mental hospital, and what separates the church from every other place in the world." 5-12-13
Psalm 42:1-5. Guest sermon at Refuge Full Gospel. How to handle the constant loop of your inner-voice. "My ultimate social fantasy daydream when I run for political office, growing up in the same town with the same labels, imagining that back room of rumors about you, the epidemic called Main Character Syndrome, when you crush someone with a false hologram version of them, and when God replaces your lungs." 11-15-13
John 15. We tend to do Christian things around God but not with Him. "When the preacher says 'don’t be like' that one evil terrible guy Bill, how to know for sure you've instantly encountered the face-melting presence of God, how I found Jesus at a homeless ministry, and the icky moment after you confess all your weird stuff to your friend." 12-20-13
1 John 3. That impossible itch of trying to be better than we are. "When you get older and your body stops listening to your brain, when you think you've made spiritual progress but then you cuss out someone in traffic, that slobbery screaming moment on the phone when you vent everything, how far you'd go for a million dollars, and the crazy anxious fear of raising a human baby." 11-19-13
Psalm 73, Joshua 24:15. To be a countercultural force for the common good. "The increasingly halfway lazy sloppiness of cutting corners in our non-committed culture, playing around with the numbers on our tax returns, when it looks like cheaters and troublemakers are more successful than honest upstanding citizens, fighting against the mob mentality of gossip, and the 3% rule of changing the world." 3-7-14
An interview with Sam Won of Pusuit NYC while I was in NJ to speak at a revival.
We talk about finding a safe space of honesty in the church, the journey from atheism to faith, the pitfalls of blogging & going viral, how to toil behind the scenes, and how I’ve been connecting with God lately.
A seminar on dating and relationships given to a wonderful ministry of college students and young adults in Gainesville FL. Some of the content is from my new book on relationships called The Christianese Dating Culture.
Some things I talk about are: The romantic theology of Taylor Swift, that time I overheard a girlfriend catching her boyfriend with another woman, two soldiers at war gossiping about the Kardashians, the best Christian pick-up line ever, the gritty raw painful sweaty work of theater actors and ballerinas, the difference between "Saving Private Ryan" and "The Hurt Locker," three directions that every relationship takes, if my fiancé gained 200 lbs, the scary anxious fear of marriage proposal and possibly hearing "Nope," and a Q&A Session including the truth about "wives submitting" and how to find "The One."
1 Corinthians 13, Mark 15. The difficult gut-wrencing power of grace. "That one time I saw a cop chasing a half-naked man in the middle of the street at night, the icky feeling of constantly defending yourself around nitpicky people, the one tiny innocuous statement your pastor makes in a sermon that makes you leave the church, that awful stomach sickness when you know someone hates your guts, and how God sees two tiny people on earth finally reconciling." 5-23-14
John 3:30. Breaking down the phrase glorifying God, and why it's the most important thing we could do with our lives. "Our Christianese church-language that we never question, when you walk into a crowded room and you suddenly hear the desperate clawing fight for validation, the Main Character Syndrome when we treat everyone like supporting props for the Movie of Me, the insane frothing monster we become in rush hour traffic, the overarching meta-narrative of the Bible in one rushing swoop, how to anonymously donate a kidney, and when Jesus finally returns with 100 million angels at the final conclusion of the universe." 8-10-14
1 Kings 11:1-13. Series: Life of David. Part 7. Idolatry, addiction, and freedom. "The unfortunate trashy creepiness of singing competitions, when Asians hate other Asians of a different Asian nation, Four Types of Idols that enslave us, when I find out someone doesn't like me, that moment the preacher tells you to throw away all your stuff, and the only true heart surgery that breaks free of addiction into victory." 2-23-14
1 Kings 2:1-12. Series: Life of David. Part 6. Staying faithful in the everyday ordinary grind of life. "The last secret technique of a dying karate master on his deathbed, when a gigantic six-foot twelve-year-old jock protected me in sixth grade, how Barney the dinosaur saved my next door neighbors, how Chaos Theory and the butterfly effect reveals the tapestry of God's Story in the world, and how a mean internet comment drove me to a slobbery broken down mess." 2-16-14
2 Samuel 11-12. Series: Life of David. Part 5. Breaking free requires an ugly honesty. "Getting stabbed without knowing it, exposing rigged carnival games, that one time I was cured by Cuban food, when a girl is convinced she really loves that guy, and creating a culture of slobbery honesty in church." 2-9-14
1 Samuel 24, 26. Series: Life of David. Part 4. Your small everyday decisions preach a bigger story. "How a man with cancer will stay in touch with her daughter through her lunchbox, what you think of when you hear Steve Jobs, Adolf Hitler, and Superman, the best movie quote of all time from Gladiator, David's bedtime stories with Solomon, and when someone seems like they're succeeding without God." 2-2-14
1 Samuel 23. Series: Life of David. Part 3. What God says about friendship. "When your friend plays a song for you right in front of you with all the awkward eye contact, Four Cornerstones of a Foundation for Friendship, spreading false rumors about an itchy butt, when your friend tells a story again for the fiftieth time, and punching jealousy in the face." 1-26-14
1 Samuel 17. Series: Life of David. Part 2. Human Warfare versus Weapons of Grace. "Why everyone loves the underdog, Ip Man multi-punches Goliath, your natural instinctual reaction when someone slaps you in the face, the way we assume the life of a homeless guy, and the Real Giant in this story (it's not Goliath)." 1-19-14
1 Samuel 16:7. Series: Life of David. Part 1. You might feel like a nobody: and that's a good thing. "If you were to grade yourself on a scale of 1 to 100, how three judges at a beauty pageant can destroy the dreams of women, an awkward interview with the young King David, trying to show up your high school bullies at a talk show, and the beautiful sound of a really terrible praise team." 1-12-14
2 Timothy 2:22. Preached at Refuge Full Gospel. About dating, relationships, and matters more important. "Before the dating talk: a prayer for Ferguson and Iraq and Israel and Robin Williams; the mistake we make when we focus on the methods & techniques of Christian dating, the way we hyper-romanticize mission trips and marriage, important questions to ask before pursuing our feelings and emotions, theological wisdom from Taylor Swift, how to share oxygen when you're drowning underwater, and going after the absolute greatest adventure of our lives together." 8-15-14
Genesis 29. Series: Snapshots: Men & Women of the Bible. Part 6. Freedom from the fear of people. "The uncomfortable story about that one Thanksgiving dinner where my entire family fist-fought each other and moved out, lessons from the somewhat unethical Solomon Asch Conformity Experiment, the two toxic ways we're trapped by people-pleasing, when churches uphold a triumphalist self-affirming theology of 'hate-the-haters,' when a child gives you a cute drawing but it's terrible, and the only who's ever got your back for all time." 7-27-14
John 20. Series: Snapshots: Men & Women of the Bible. Part 4. Acceptance of the unfit misfit. "My 72 hours inside a mental institution, the two opposite and equally false judgments we make about everyone in the room, that moment when you imitate the guy you don't like with the crazy evil villain voice, if the Gospel of Jesus were re-written as an Epic Greek Myth with rippling muscles, and loving enough to find those cockroaches in your friend's bed." 7-6-14
Luke 19:1-10. Series: Snapshots: Men & Women of the Bible. Part 3. Freedom from the labels that enslave us. "The Permanent Time-Stamped Label when you grow up in the same town long enough, your reaction when a five year old calls himself stupid, that time I got the embarrassing price check for hemorrhoid cream on the intercom, treating a prostitute like a lady for one night, eating pasta so good that it ruins all pasta, and pushing back the flurry of voices to grab God's one true calling for you." 6-8-14
Luke 10:38-42. Series: Snapshots: Men & Women of the Bible. Part 2. Breaking through constant distractions. "When your brain goes off on a bizarre obscure thought-train, writing term papers before the existence of Wikipedia, four studies on the mind-warping effects of social media, the dehumanizing psychology behind flirtation, the secret competition of elaborate marriage proposals to get the most views on YouTube, and the simplicity of getting to know someone for who they are." 6-1-14
John 15. Series: The Names of God. Part 2. The unthinkable truth that God is your friend. "How to pick groomsmen for your wedding, when your friend sees you flip out and melt down and all your slobbery mess, bringing a big dude to a schoolyard fight to get your back, who Jesus would sit next to at church, how to destroy your enemies (spoiler: turn them into friends), that brave moment when you try to make a joke in a crowd and it falls dead, and good news for the awkward introverted shy kid in all of us." 3-9-14
Luke 15. Series: The Names of God. Part 1. God our Father wants His kids to get along. "My dramatic shift from wild rebellious living to judgmental critical religion, how our God is an awesome dad in Heaven who enjoys His kids, that moment at 3am when you wonder how you ever got into this, the Only Two Types of People in the world divided right down the middle, and that time my dad pulled a Jedi and rescued my brother from drowning." 3-2-14
Mark 15. Series: Mark the Cosmic Journey. Part 9. The last 12 hours of Jesus's life. "That explosive ugly moment on the reality show when the celebrity flips out, that time Jesus did a Jedi force push on the Roman soldiers, committing adultery against God, the pasta that ruins all other pasta, and how God punches tragedy in the face." 12-15-13
Mark 12:41-44. Series: Mark the Cosmic Journey. Part 8. Real love will cost you. "How children responded to the question: What is love?, the false Hollywood hormonal emotional pseudo-romance, when a baby congratulates his parents, how church is like a rough rock tumbler, when an entire Hillsong audience walks past a homeless guy, and how to give away $10,000." 12-1-13
Mark 12:1-12. Series: Mark, the Cosmic Journey. Part 7. The wrath of God and your last day on earth. "Where we'll be a million years from now, when you use a toilet brush to brush your teeth, that time I dodged a bullet to my stomach, the most hardcore quote by Francis Chan ever, and writing your will every day." 11-17-13
Mark 8-9. Series: Mark, the Cosmic Journey. Part 6. For strugglers and dry seasons, there is grace. "All the crazy intense work that goes into the Wedding Day, the false spiritually high emotionalism of self-topping church, Jesus shoots lightning out his face, those Israelites who screamed the whole way through the Red Sea, and struggling faith-weaklings like me." 11-10-13
Mark 14. Series: Mark, the Cosmic Journey. Part 5. The life of Peter, and how a guy like him gives hope for us. "That late night regret-twitch before you go to sleep, managing the crazy person inside you that jumps out and messes up everything, the consistently inconsistent spiritual walk, Peter goes nuts and cuts a dude, how grace is like $20, and breaking the labels that you've been raised with." 11-3-13
Mark 7. Series: Mark, the Cosmic Journey. Part 4. Faith vs. Religion. "That one time my mama whipped me for redecorating everything with gray paint, the forbidden ice cream in the freezer, the crushing moral paradigm of Good Advice, when you tell cancer patients to just 'think positive,' and Straight A Jesus." 10-27-13
Mark 5:1-20. Series: Mark, The Cosmic Journey. Part 3. "When the Bible becomes a horror movie soap opera, the truth behind demon possession and spinning heads, Jesus versus Breaking Bad, that moment after an insane argument in your home when you have to start apologizing to closed doors, and that time I called all my ex-girlfriends to say I was wrong about everything." 10-13-13
Mark 2:13-17. Series: Mark, The Cosmic Journey. Part 2. Jesus calls the not-good-enough. "The day I saw a pastor at the strip club, the life and times of Matthew Levi the hardcore playboy, that awkward moment at the club when the houselights turn on, Jesus versus the Pharisees in a Freestyle Battle Throwdown, and the first step in leaving behind the slavery of sin." 10-6-13
Mark 1. Series: Mark, the Cosmic Journey. Part 1. Why we can believe, even amidst intense doubts. "That moment when you think all this church-faith-Bible stuff is just a crazy lie, what we would look like if our words were weapons, the day God punched the stars and ripped a hole in the sky, 17 reasons why I still like you, and long-distance phone calls with God." 9-29-13
John 3:25-30. Faith Struggle. Part 6. What it means to glorify God. "Sixth grade heartbreak by bullies and boyhood crushes, the art of story-topping and joke-killing, when athletes thank God in an interview, falling off the Grand Canyon, and Jesus at the end of the world." 9-22-13
John 4. Faith Struggle. Part 5. What you're really about. "That time my dad (a 9th degree black belt) put a sword to a dude's throat, black holes and wormholes and time travel, using self-pity as a permission slip for craziness, finally asking why we ever need to do homework, and a Spoken Word performance." 9-15-13
Romans 8:31-39. Faith Struggle. Part 4. The anxiety of getting approval and acceptance. "Waiting for 'likes' on your Facebook profile picture, the desperate race of 'Validate Me,' when YOLO used to be popular, that time I didn't get stabbed, deciding who gets thrown off a boat to save the others, and what to do when the whole world hates your guts." 9-1-13
2 Samuel 11-12. From PAPC in Seattle. The Joy of Following God. Part 6. Total honesty. "Finding out later to your dismay that you've been stabbed, when you don't really need prayer but just a nap and a snack, how King David is not so good at the math, Four Words That Could Save Your Life, how to cheat your taxes the Christian way, and finding your Nathan." 8-25-13
John 4. From PAPC in Seattle. The Joy of Following God. Part 5. What satisfies the burn in our heart. "How to respond when you're held at gunpoint, the romantic sitcom-tragedy of the Woman at the Well, the one lie that Self-Pity whispers in your ear, that infinite bottomless itch in our souls, and a Spoken Word performance." 8-23-13
Ephesians 2:1-10. From PAPC in Seattle. The Joy of Following God. Part 4. Given life to give life. "Deciding the last thoughts on your deathbed, life lessons from hamburgers, The Greatest But of the Bible, how we grade funerals, and when other Christians think you're too Christian." 8-23-13
Titus 2:11-14, 1 Timothy 1:12-17. From PAPC in Seattle. The Joy of Following God. Part 3. Grace is our safety and motivation. "Those Christian Horror Stories that scare you into religion, balancing the contradictory tension of God's grace and God's wrath, the first sermon I ever heard, and how an African tribe punishes their criminals with love." 8-23-13
Hosea 6:1-3. From PAPC in Seattle. The Joy of Following God. Part 2. The joyful pain of obedience. "The mom who clotheslined her troublemaking kid in the neck, the one guy who always creeper-stalks girls, a generation raised on tacos, the death of porn addiction, and the Gospel according to your piano teacher." 8-22-13
John 15:9-17. From PAPC in Seattle. The Joy of Following God. Part 1. What our faith comes down to. "That weird feeling when you wonder if the church is what God really had in mind, the only time I ever caught a football, the toxic explosion when the church culture mixes with Asian culture, sharing those awkward embarrassing life-moments during a sleepover, the God who sneezes, and the dad you always wanted." 8-22-13
1 John 3:1-3, Romans 7. Series: Faith Struggle. Part 3. The anxiety of never being enough. "The first time you exercise in a long time (and the horrible pain the next morning), the one sin that no Christian would ever admit, God the Cosmic Cheerleader, being made of both dust and stars, actively seeking a rebuke gut-punch, and when God brags about you." 8-11-13
Hosea 1-3. Series: Faith Struggle. Part 2. Motivated by grace or by guilt. "What church service looks like to an atheist outsider, why Jesus loves everyone except Bill, manipulative preacher tactics and guilt-trips, the prophet Hosea as a Korean Drama, how my first pastor uppercut my stubborn heart with grace, and how grace wrecks both the prideful and those in pain." 8-4-13
John 13:34. Series: Faith Struggle. Part 1. Love is easy until you try it. "Three Reasons why it's so hard to love people, when pastors get road rage, why God has commands for sex and money, Jesus breaking Judas's toe, and God ripping off the roof of your church." 7-28-13
Philippians 3:12-16. From the Refuge FG Retreat. Going all in for God. "The power to edit your own life-movie, God's Script vs. the Devil's Script, wanting to slap an old friend who is still living like a kid, Four Obstacles That Stop Us From Total Passion For God, why the Christian life is not just beating sin, how to raise $20,000 to fight human trafficking, and sitting in a theater with Jesus watching a replay of your life." 7-10-13 (The first half of the audio is slightly distorted because of the rain outside.)
John 3:25-30. Preached at Refuge Full Gospel. To glorify God: the most important thing you can do with your life. "The one awkward guy who always kills the joke, that time in sixth grade I told the prettiest girl in school that I liked her, the alien's criticism of our TV shows, two sure-fire ways to glorify God, a spoken word performance, and that moment Jesus comes back with a sword out his face and his head on fire." 5-31-13
John 15:9-17. Preached in Huntsville, Alabama. Jesus is not only Savior, Lord, and King — but also our brother and friend. "The time my dad saved my brother from drowning on a tricycle, my one conclusion from visiting 14 churches in two months, how the homeless helped me love Jesus, that time Jesus busted a drug ring, and the greatest Christian I ever met." 5-12-13
Quitting porn addiction. Part Four: Your Brain On Porn. The science of porn addiction, three things that porn does to your brain, rewiring your brain cells, a clip from the TED Conference, fighting a Taco Bell culture, and a response to an anonymous hate mail. 18 minutes. 4-21-13
Ephesians 4:26, Philippians 2. Preached at Full Gospel Church of Tampa FL. Victory over (and through) anger. "Yelling at old people in traffic, why Jesus flipped tables at a megachurch, the only difference between a superhero and supervillain, airlifting a spoiled kid to Somalia, how to instantly stop lust and any other emotion, and the heartbreaking story of Gina." 3-1-13
Quitting porn addiction. Answering three anonymous questions about how to quit. "Throwing away your laptop, running out of the house, finding your specific calling, and real one-on-one discipleship." 12 minutes. 2-20-13
The Christian's first week in quitting porn addiction. The second after you fall to temptation, dealing with triggers, breaking cycles of guilt, and the self-aware confidence. 7 minutes. 2-9-13
The Christian's first week in quitting porn addiction. Expecting withdrawal symptoms, making porn-appointments, Christianese cover-ups, getting gritty with God, and the first step forward with a friend. 12 minutes. 2-8-13
Proverbs 4. A short seven minute sermon preached at The Bridge in Chicago, a ministry that serves ex-convicts, gang members, and those recovering from addiction. The topic: Listening to advice. 1-15-13
1 Kings 18-19. Preached at Full Gospel of Tampa FL. Keeping faith in the craziness. "Looking in the mirror at your dang sexy self, the time I tried out for a Nickelodeon TV show, the Endless Audition we call life, feeling forced to say 'Praise God' to keep up the Christianese, the first step to quitting porn, the paranoia of wondering if that person 'likes you,' how to preach to yourself, and the best wedding kiss of all time." 1-18-13
Mark 8-9. Winter Retreat 2012. 3 of 4. Meeting God. "How to speak legit Chinese from fortune cookies, the bizarre weirdness of hanging out with Jesus, finding your prayer corner, how our faith is like a long-distance relationship with God, praying under a streetlight in the dark, and the unforgettable mountaintop experience that defines you." 12-27-12
Ephesians 2:1-10. Winter Retreat 2012. 1 of 4. When you know there is more. "The Opening Skit: Two Line Vocabulary, the life story of our brother Daehan, the sudden existential panic-crisis at 3 am, having a God-moment in the strip club, trying to hook you up with Jesus, the time I threw a trashcan through the window, and building a bridge over the Niagara Falls with a kite and a string." 12-26-12
Romans 7-8. Winter Retreat 2012. 2 of 4. Our lifelong struggle. "The secret struggle of every Christian, the pretentious preacher who sounds like a gym coach, imitating someone's voice to make them sound stupid, telling your 5 year old daughter to lose 15 lbs before you can love her, hoping in public that the mom disciplines her kids right on the spot, and overcoming sickness and asthma to win the black belt championship." 12-27-12
Luke 19. Winter Retreat 2012. 4 of 4. Our great purpose. "The greatest need of the homeless (it's not what you think), how a buffet made me give $10,000, the crazy lady who hit my car and ran, and the moment you finally feel like a Christian." 12-28-12
1 John 5. Series: Real Life Christian. Part 7. When all is lost, it's not over. "The 7 Most Common Questions about the Christian life, the real Deus Ex Machina, why you shouldn't be afraid of roaches, putting the lion back in a lion, and Apostle John's final words." 12-16-12
1 John 4. Series: Real Life Christian. Part 6. He loves so we love. "The time I got in a fight with a homeless guy on the street, Three Obstacles to Loving People, how to treat your friend with a broken thumb, what to say when your husband or wife comes home late, and loving the weird and impossible." 11-25-12
1 John 4:1-6. Series: Real Life Christian. Part 5. Discerning, then doing. "The Four Levels of human conversation, meeting an actual thoughtful person with real thoughts in their head, the day I discovered time travel, how William Wilberforce is like Peter Parker, when a town fought the Nazis and rescued more Jews than their own population, to be the one guy who actually speaks up for truth, and Peter with his red ruby slippers versus the Storm." 11-18-12
1 John 3. Series: Real Life Christian. Part 4. The Infinite Gap between ideal and reality. "When you exercise again and feel the Gap between what your body WANTS to do and what it CAN'T do, the constant awkward icky discomfort with yourself, sympathizing with Cain, the infamous dilemma of getting a million dollars with the condition of one person dying, and hearing those words, 'I'm proud of you.'" 11-11-12
1 John 2:12-29. Series: Real Life Christian. Part 3. This world ain't it. "Thinking that high school is the last place in the world, the fleeting demands of college/career/marriage/kids/retirement, losing God by Monday at 3pm, the academic oppression of Asian-American Culture, what to do with words like swag, total freedom from what people think about you, and worshiping at the black church Memorial Brown on 22nd Ave." 10-28-12
1 John 2:1-9. Series: Real Life Christian. Part 2. Why do we follow God's commands? "The time I almost beat a kid on the street with my baseball bat named Otis, Twelve Ways to Ruin Your Children, what we do with Old Testament commands, the embarrassment of failed Martial Arts demonstrations, and how to know God without knowing Him." 10-21-12
1 John 1:1-2:2. Series: Real Life Christian. Part 1. What is a Christian? "The time I saw a pastor at the strip club, the Five Landmarks of an Authentic Christian, the hidden assumption when someone asks, 'You go to church?', throwing out your Rehearsed Cover Story, owning 100% of the 1% of your responsibility, and tell-all midnight conversations with best friends." 10-14-12
Matthew 21. Preached at CCF in Gainesville, FL. How the Christian life really is. "The Stutter-Start-Stop Pattern of the Everyday Christian, the lazy preacher tactics of Guilt/Fear/Shame, how church can be like a bad relationship, when the preacher says penis, and actually hanging out with the Real Jesus." 9-14-12
John 13. Miami Revival. To love like Jesus. "Sixth grade crushes and bullies, the revenge you plan when you're rich and famous, how to sell yourself short of God's Glory, Kanye West's amazing Twitter, breaking Judas' toe, a real life moment over coffee, and how rush hour makes you demon-possessed." 8-10-12
Mark 2, 10, John 8. Lake Yale Retreat 2012. Part 3 of 4. Why do we follow God? "When the preacher tells you not to be like that filthy pagan loser Bill, if Jesus and the Pharisees had a freestyle battle, if my future-wife gained 250 lbs, the Laotians questioning Jesus stilling the storm, and Before-Jesus/After-Jesus." 7-4-12
John 4. Lake Yale Retreat 2012. Part 1 of 4. Our infinite thirst; the infinite God. "When my dad nearly killed a dude with a samurai sword, your three options when a gun is pulled on your head, the crying kid at VBS, and when a pug explodes from overeating." 7-2-12
Isaiah 53. Lake Yale Retreat 2012. Part 2 of 4. Freedom from ourselves. "The hopes and dreams of our brother Kyle, having your name in the 'Acknowledgements' of a book, ordering the steak with a side of lobster, the threats we yell out the car window, and biblical lessons from The Avengers." 7-3-12
Acts 2:42-47. Lake Yale Retreat 2012. Part 4 of 4. Honesty and compassion. "How the church is a bunch of jagged deformed rocks, why calling out hypocrites is hypocrisy, trying not to flinch when someone unloads a crazy confession, and brotherhood in the ghetto versus the church." 7-4-12
John 13:34-35. Alabama Revival, Part 4. Love is a command. "Giving $400,000 and 40% of your life away, if I had to wash the feet of Judas, how God is seen through you, and how Jesus spoke brutally honest truth in love." 5-13-12
Philippians 3:12-16. Alabama Revival, Part 3. Taking hold of Christ's calling, for real. "The opposite of sinning (it's not not-sinning), Apostle Paul's Rocky-comeback from a rock in the face, how to make the most of YOLO, and the American slaughter pen of Sweet Tomatoes." 5-12-12
Isaiah 40. Alabama Revival, Part 2. The overweight bigness of God. "The missing whale from Sea World, God doing a cannonball in the swimming pool, falling off a cliff in the Grand Canyon, and Over-Dramatizing Five Seconds of Your Life." 5-12-12
Ephesians 2:1-10. Alabama Revival, Part 1. God the hero saves us from us for Him. "Ordering Kung Pao chicken against your will, blinging out your dump truck with diamonds, trading in trinkets and toys for truth and Jesus, and life lessons from Burger Monger." 5-11-12
When we become a super-spiritual transformed church at the expense of God's Dirty Discipling Mission. The disconnect between Internal Prayer-Praise-Scripture and External Going-Making-Giving. Nine minutes. 3-6-12
How I'm giving away half my income.
For more: The Way Everlasting Blog
Genesis 42-50. Series: God Is In Your Face. He's got this. Part 7. "Almost driving into a cop and the guy he’s chasing, taking things Out Of Context, preaching the whole Bible, the War Cry of Our Generation, and the EKG heart monitor of our lives." 2-26-12
Gen. 37-41. Series: God Is In Your Face. Rising above it. Part 6. "How my friend broke someone's arm on the street, the size of the dog in the fight, the trials of Jeremy Lin, the passive Asian, the Cost of Compassion, and How To Donate $10,000." 2-19-12
Genesis 32-33. Series: God Is In Your Face. God never stops pursuing you. Part 5. "The amazing baby who can do no wrong, the awkward joke-killer, the Embarrassing Meltdown, and how celery and an Angry Birds doll shows us God’s painful grace." 2-12-12
Genesis 6-9. Series: God Is In Your Face. His grace is His wrath. Part 4. "The nicer older brother who snaps and loses it, the Doomsday Clock, what's more scary than following God, growing up off the boat, and your Life Sentence."1-29-12
Genesis 3. Series: God Is In Your Face. How it really is. Part 3. "Epic road rage dancing, being caught on YouTube in your worst moment, Trying Hard To Be Good versus Just-Good-Enough, and having the ear of God." 1-22-12
Genesis 2:15. Series: God Is In Your Face. We are on mission for Christ. Part 2. "The boring Pre-Life before your (so-called) exciting Real Life, our specifically designed framework, the Gospel Package, and old school Nintendo games." 1-15-12
Genesis 1:26-27. Series: God Is In Your Face. You are His image. Part 1. "The Epic Beginning of Human History, the Burden to Love God's Ideas, trying to imagine your teacher having a private life, waking up from the bad dream of life, and our True Selves." 1-8-12
Romans 8. Dayspring Winter Retreat. Absolute love and authority. 3 of 4."The bizarre world of X-Factor, the creepy girl who idolized me, in the passenger seat of life, and what it’s like to be the worst preacher in the history of preaching." Dec. 20, 2011
1 Kings 2:1-4. Dayspring Winter Retreat. Joy and pain with God. 4 of 4. "The wonderfully weird life of David, the secret sinful lives of our Bible heroes, the Starfox barrel roll, how sin makes you stupid, and the abusive love of parents." Dec. 21, 2011
Isaiah 55. Dayspring Winter Retreat. Simply knowing and embracing God. 1 of 4. "Saving the four year old child in traffic, Psychological-Advantage-Theology, planking for God, and Jacob the bass guitar player." Dec. 19 2011
Phil 2:1-18. Dayspring Winter Retreat. The lies we buy. 2 of 4. "The most opportunistic generation for selfishness, having Chick-Fil-A withdrawal, and a dance floor where everybody's doing the robot by themselves." Dec. 20, 2011
The repercussions of the Reformed movement, hating on the religious, and why I was called a lying witch abortionist. Eight minutes. September 29th, 2011.
Having a crisis of faith, and why it's a good thing. Eight minutes of rambling. September 23rd, 2011
1 Samuel 17. Only God gets to say who I am. Preached at the iPraise Revival. "Learning Chinese from fortune cookies, the cosmic metanarrative of Jersey Shore, how a man loves a woman, and The Dream Of Jesus Saving The World." June 17th, 2011.
Matt. 5. Series: The Upside Down Life. To be salt and light. 4 of 4."The Russian ex-government agent Mr. Z, random conversations at Starbucks, the Four Salt-Stoppers, and seeing in Pitch Black." May 6th, 2011.
Matt. 5. Series: Upside-Down Life. God calls us to restore the broken. 3 of 4. "Almost crashing into a texting driver while texting, the perfect tapestry of reality woven in harmony, the town that spoke sign language, and when to expect haters." April 29th, 2011
John 11. Guest speaking at King's Avenue Church. On Heaven and Hell. "Heaven: six pack abs, PS3, the perfect boyfriend, looking better than the girl you can’t stand. Hell: bad skin, bad hair, unpopularity, and a couple extra lbs. Jesus says no." Apr 21, 2011.
Matthew 5:5-7. Series: The Upside Down Life. How to hunger for God's righteousness. 2 of 4. "When your friend tries to get you into his favorite band, the personal trainer who looks like Donkey Kong, and how to get fat on God’s Word." April 15th, 2011.
Bite-sized wisdom in less than ten minutes. The rebuke, a difficult biblical mandate that no one likes to do but is necessary. How to righteously rebuke: four stories of how it went down. Some failures and victories. April 14th, 2011.
Matthew 5:1-5. Series: The Upside Down Life. Daily choose the City of Man or Kingdom of God. 1 of 4. "Peter’s samurai katana, Jesus’ first political campaign speech, and the Beatitudes according to Forrest Gump." April 8th, 2011.
Bite-sized wisdom in eight minutes. The rebuke, a difficult biblical mandate that no one likes to do but is necessary. How to righteously rebuke: the Holy Spirit's role, how to handle a harsh reaction, and what to do if you're graciously received. April 6th, 2011.
Bite-sized wisdom, less than ten minutes long. The rebuke, a difficult biblical mandate that no one likes to do but is necessary. How to righteously rebuke: the motives, approach, goal, and fall-out. March 30th, 2011.
John 12. Series: The Twelve Who Knew Him. Jesus' ministry ends, and begins. 5 of 5. "Credit card felony for two large pizzas, when TV good guys become bad guys into good guys again, and the total senseless chaos of the cross." March 13th, 2011.
Mark 2. Series: The Twelve Who Knew Him. Jesus casts out a vision for more. 4 of 5. "Jesus catching a hit man’s bullets, when 100 people try to lead the dance on a stage, and telling a little baby to get a job." March 6th, 2011.
John 1, 6. Series: The Twelve Who Knew Him. The over-thinker and the racist; how Jesus broke them. 3 of 5. "Being the smartest one on a planet of idiots, the one who takes forever to order at a restaurant, and the worst philosophy class ever." Feb 27, 2011
Luke 9. Series: The Twelve Who Knew Him. Love and truth are sacrifice at the price of the cross. 2 of 5. "How to stop a child from beating up his little brother, the Evil Love over a cute little baby, and the hard truth from 'I Am Legend.'" Feb 20th 2011.
Luke 5. Series: The Twelve Who Knew Him. God works in the craziest and the quietest of us. 1 of 5. "A slice of world history around the time of Jesus, the Five Fails of Peter, and the unstoppable force of a power duo." February 13th, 2011.
Hosea 6:1-3. Revival is empowered by the right picture of God. "Warning labels on toilet brushes, the Greatest Itch In Human History, the unofficial cop, and standing before God at the end of time." November 26th, 2010.
1 Kings 11. By God's power can break free of idols. Preached at Centerpoint Christian Fellowship (CCF) of Gainesville, FL. "A woman's role in the kitchen, shaking my milkshake, and exchanging God for a chicken leg." November 19th, 2010.
1 Corinthians 12. Guest Speaker Ross Henderson. We are the united body of Christ. "Relevant last words, curling 400 lbs, and the value of suffering together." November 26th, 2010.
Rob Connelly has been a member of New Light Church for over five years. He is an incredibly gifted graphic artist who has made numerous posters and promotions for our ministry, as well as for small and big businesses. He heads our drama team and is an all around awesome brother in Christ.
Check out his work here! http://www.heyitsrob.com/
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