Things Above: Recent Episodes
Apprentice Institute
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above Conversation with Aundi Kolber about her book, “Try Softer: A Fresh Approach to Move Us out of Anxiety, Stress, and Survival Mode–and into a Life of Connection and Joy.”
Aundi Kolber believes that we don’t have to white-knuckle our way through life. In her debut book, Try Softer, she’ll show us how God specifically designed our bodies and minds to work together to process our stories and work through obstacles. Through the latest psychology, practical clinical exercises, and her own personal story, Aundi equips and empowers us to connect us to our truest self and truly live. This is the “try softer” life.
In Try Softer, you’ll learn how to:
- Know and set emotional and relational boundaries
- Make sense of the difficult experiences you’ve had
- Identify your attachment style―and how that affects your relationships today
- Move through emotions rather than get stuck by them
- Grow in self-compassion and talk back to your inner critic
Trying softer is sacred work. And while it won’t be perfect or easy, it will be worth it. Because this is what we were made for: a living, breathing, moving, feeling, connected, beautifully incarnational life.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Integrate Like Jesus
2. Your Project
3. Live By The Spirit
4. Conversation with Michael Stewart Robb
5. False Frames
The post Conversation with Aundi Kolber appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above in this episode is, “Integrate Like Jesus.” This week, James follows up on his previous episode, discussing God’s deep longing for us. Smith explains the four modes of being we live in: family, work, play, and entertainment. He describes how Jesus engaged in each of these modes and why they are essential.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Your Project
2. Live By The Spirit
3. Conversation with Michael Stewart Robb
4. False Frames
5. Everything Okay Forever
The post Integrate Like Jesus appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is “pay attention to your project.” In this episode, James addresses some big questions about the project of our life and why it’s so important we understand what a spiritually fulfilling life looks like.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Live By The Spirit
2. Conversation with Michael Stewart Robb
3. False Frames
4. Everything Okay Forever
5. Awe Filled Appreciation
The post Your Project appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought for this week is, “Live By The Spirit.” In this episode, James quotes several passages from C.S. Lewis’s book Mere Christianity to help explain his thought.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Conversation with Michael Stewart Robb
2. False Frames
3. Everything Okay Forever
4. Awe Filled Appreciation
5. Conversation with Ian Morgan Cron
The post Live By The Spirit appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with author Michael Stewart Robb about his book, “The Kingdom Among Us: The Gospel According to Dallas Willard.”
Despite perennial attraction to his teachings, Dallas Willard’s theology has not been easy for his readers and colleagues to figure out or piece together. His approach to theology was an odd one. His five bestselling books on the Christian life were a “side job” to his quiet career as a professional philosopher.
To what, if not to his profession, can one attribute the lasting attraction of his books? On one hand, it is Willard’s rhetorical skill and his cross-disciplinary knowledge–philosophical, psychological, biblical–regarding the central issues of human life. But more importantly, his books all proclaim a gospel which in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries can be especially hard to hear. Willard spoke of this gospel in biblical terms, “the gospel of the kingdom,” a gospel of spiritual living.
The Kingdom Among Us presents a comprehensive account of that gospel.But it is much more than mere interpretation. By examining both Willard’s writings and hundreds of hours of audio recordings, Michael Stewart Robb both recovers and expands Willard’s theological vision.
The book will help long time readers of Willard’s books make sense of his position in professional theology and philosophy. Robb’s reconstruction of a gospel of spiritual living will help scholars, theologians, and philosophers make sense of Willard’s “side job.” But all readers will encounter in these pages the most complete picture available of one of the giants of modern Christian spirituality.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. False Frames
2. Everything Okay Forever
3. Awe Filled Appreciation
4. Conversation with Ian Morgan Cron
5. Solitude
The post Conversation with Michael Stewart Robb appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode, James Bryan Smith’s thought from above is, “Find freedom from the false frames.” This week, James talks about three false narratives that he had to change in his life. Smith uses the image of a frame to help explain his thought from above.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Everything Okay Forever
2. Awe Filled Appreciation
3. Conversation with Ian Morgan Cron
4. Solitude
5. Trusting and Training
The post False Frames appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “Jesus makes everything okay forever.” In this episode, James discusses a recently-read book titled “The Thing That Would Make Everything Okay Forever: Transcendence, Psychedelics, and Jesus Christ.” The author, Ashley Lande, wrote this to describe her book:
For years, psychedelics were my religion.
All I ever wanted was The Thing That Would Make Everything Okay Forever, the panacea, the cure for what plagued me. From those first moments when I tasted the earthy pulp of a psilocybin mushroom, it was love. Psychedelics were my sacrament. They shot me into cathedral vaults. The promise of eternal life through chemicals glittered seductively, but hid a yawning abyss.
The Thing That Would Make Everything Okay Forever tells my story of psychedelic devastation and spiritual rescue. It chronicles my trajectory from acid enthusiast to soul-weary druggie to psychedelic refugee. I finally found The Thing That Would Make Everything Okay Forever―in the last place I thought to look.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Awe Filled Appreciation
2. Conversation with Ian Morgan Cron
3. Solitude
4. Trusting and Training
5. Conversation with Alison Cook
The post Everything Okay Forever appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above today is, “Practice Awe-Filled Appreciation.” In this episode, James teaches us the spiritual practice of Awe-Filled Appreciation. James gives five examples of why this practice is helpful and how to do it independently.
Related Episodes:
1. Solitude
2. Solitude
3. Trusting and Training
4. Conversation with Alison Cook
5. Two Kinds of Faith
The post Awe Filled Appreciation appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above Conversation with Ian Morgan Cron about his latest book, “The Fix.”
We all suffer from a sense of spiritual homelessness–a feeling that we’re not fully at home in the world. To cope with our painful feelings and life traumas, we search for quick “fixes” that eventually become habitual, self-destructive behaviors that ultimately create more problems than they solve.
As a person in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction, Ian Cron is no stranger to these destructive habits. It wasn’t until he embraced the Twelve Steps that he found true freedom. He knows from personal experience that Twelve Step recovery is more than just a life-saving strategy for guiding substance users into sobriety. Everybody is addicted to something to numb the discomfort of living in a messed-up world, he says, but the good news is that if you committedly “work the steps,” you will eventually have a vital spiritual awakening that will give you an entirely new and radically beautiful orientation toward the life God has for you.
If you long for sustainable healing and joy amid life’s messiness, The Fix invites you to:
- Journey step-by-step through a spiritual curriculum that has helped millions overcome trauma, pain, and brokenness for over eight decades
- Understand how the Twelve Steps can be a transformative tool not only for people with chemical or behavioral addictions but for anyone who wants to move beyond self-help to a spiritual awakening
- Catch yourself in the act of self-sabotaging behaviors and understand how each day is a new opportunity to trade in self-willed reformation for grace-powered transformation
“My original subtitle for this book–Twelve Steps to Unscrewing Your Screwed-Up Life–was a little over the top,” Ian comments. “But anyone who has ever fallen for a quick fix (like drugs, alcohol, porn, overeating, work, religion, people-pleasing, and more) knows firsthand how our self-prescribed treatment plans derail us. They might not be as visible as empty bottles stashed inside a desk drawer, but they are just as life-complicating and soul-crushing.”
With his characteristic wit and transparent self-disclosure, Ian guides us in learning how to work each of the Twelve Steps so we will finally be given a “new pair of glasses” through which we will be able to see ourselves, others, and the world in a startlingly new way–and ultimately take hold of the freedom God has been waiting to give us all along.
Related Episodes:
1. Solitude
2. Trusting and Training
3. Conversation with Alison Cook
4. Two Kinds of Faith
5. Michael Cusick Sacred Attachment
The post Conversation with Ian Morgan Cron appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “Solitude is the furnace of the soul.” In this episode, James talks about temptation and how we can deal with it through the practice of solitude.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Trusting and Training
2. Conversation with Alison Cook
3. Two Kinds of Faith
4. Michael Cusick Sacred Attachment
5. All Things New
The post Solitude appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode, James Bryan Smith’s thought from above is, “quit trying, start trusting, and begin training.” Smith explains why we need to quit relying on our efforts to live a Christian life and start trusting in the grace of Jesus to help us live out our faith. Once we move from trying to trusting, […]
The post Trusting and Training appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with author, Alison Cook on her latest book, Boundaries for Your Soul: How to Turn Your Overwhelming Thoughts and Feelings into Your Greatest Allies. Boundaries for Your Soul includes relatable anecdotes, helpful exercises, an engaging quiz, and opportunities for personal reflection. Gathering the wisdom from the authors’ […]
The post Conversation with Alison Cook appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “We need two kinds of faith.” In this episode, Smith talks about the two kinds of faith we need to have as defined by the author C.S. Lewis. Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here! Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree […]
The post Two Kinds of Faith appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above Conversation with author Michael J. Cusick about his book, Sacred Attachment. Michael will be a plenary speaker at The Apprentice Gathering 2025, register here! Michael John Cusick voices the questions and contradictions that are inherently part of living an authentic spiritual faith. With raw honesty and vulnerability, he […]
The post Michael Cusick Sacred Attachment appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode, James Bryan Smith’s thought from above is, “Jesus makes all things new.” To help explain his thought from above, James references the book “On the Incarnation” by Athanasius of Alexandria. Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here! Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University! […]
The post All Things New appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode, James Bryan Smith’s thought from above is, “Do you know your name?” James’s thought from above comes from one of the unspoken sermons by George MacDonald. Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here! Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University! Related Episodes: 1. Conversation […]
The post Know Your Name appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
Matt Johnson returns for part two of the conversation with James Bryan Smith. In this episode, Smith and Johnson continue their conversation about the research on spiritual growth. Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here! Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University! Related Episodes: 1. Conversation with […]
The post Conversation with Matt Johnson Part Two appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with spiritual director and friend Matt Johnson. James and Matt have a conversation about the research they are conducting together about what happens to people who experience significant spiritual growth. In this episode, they talk about James’ triangle of transformation from The Good and Beautiful series. Interested […]
The post Conversation with Matt Johnson appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “Take your gratitude to the next level.” In this episode, James gives us two practices we can do to give thanks to God. Smith explains both practices in detail and gives examples of how we can do them. Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? […]
The post Gratitude appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “Let nothing disturb you.” In this episode, Smith recites a prayer from St. Teresa of Avila. James goes through the prayer and explains what we can learn from the prayer in order to help us not be disturbed by difficult times in our lives.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Talk With God
2. Talk to God
3. Gentle and Mighty
4. Different with Jesus
5. Walking with Jesus
The post Let Nothing Disturb You appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above in this episode is, “God wants to talk with you.” Following up from his previous episode, Smith talks about how we can talk with God when we pray. Smith gives some examples from the Lord’s prayer and Psalm twenty-three to help explain his thought from above.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Talk to God
2. Gentle and Mighty
3. Different with Jesus
4. Walking with Jesus
5. Weight of Glory
The post Talk With God appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “God wants you to talk to him.” In this episode, James discusses the Lord’s Prayer. Smith explains how he uses the prayer, goes through each verse, and discusses the importance of each verse. Listen here or anywhere you get your podcasts.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Gentle and Mighty
2. Different with Jesus
3. Walking with Jesus
4. Weight of Glory
5. Conversation with Ken Shigematsu
The post Talk to God appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “Jesus is gentle and he is mighty, he is good, but he isn’t safe.” In this episode, Smith talks about how Jesus is the lamb of God and also the lion of Judah. James explains how Jesus is gentle and mighty, how he has seen it in his own life and in the scriptures.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Different with Jesus
2. Walking with Jesus
3. Weight of Glory
4. Conversation with Ken Shigematsu
5. Glorious Morning and Evening Part Two
The post Gentle and Mighty appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above in this episode is, “There will be suffering in life, but it is different with Jesus.” In this episode, James talks about how we all experience suffering in our lives, but we experience it differently when we are apprentices of Jesus. Smith talks about how his walk with Jesus has helped him through times of suffering and gives a few examples of those trying times.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Walking with Jesus
2. Weight of Glory
3. Conversation with Ken Shigematsu
4. Glorious Morning and Evening Part Two
5. Glorious Morning and Evening Part One
The post Different with Jesus appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above in this episode is, “Walking with Jesus is the greatest of all adventures.” Smith starts the episode by talking about the day he chose to give his life to Jesus. He then talks about how we all can join in on the greatest of all adventures by choosing to walk with Jesus.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Weight of Glory
2. Conversation with Ken Shigematsu
3. Glorious Morning and Evening Part Two
4. Glorious Morning and Evening Part One
5. Two Minute Morning
The post Walking with Jesus appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “Are you preparing for your weight of glory?” In this episode, James discusses the essay by C.S. Lewis, “The Weight of Glory.” Smith uses verses 16 through 18 from 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 to help explain his thought from above.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Conversation with Ken Shigematsu
2. Glorious Morning and Evening Part Two
3. Glorious Morning and Evening Part One
4. Two Minute Morning
5. The End In Mind
The post Weight of Glory appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with author Ken Shigematsu about his book, “Now I Become Myself.” Drawing on a rich variety of personal experience, Scripture, spiritual formation classics, psychology, and relational neuroscience; award-winning author and pastor Ken Shigematsu shows how a deep, experiential encounter with the love of God can heal us of our shame, make us whole again, and inspire us to fulfill our purpose by making a faithful contribution to the world.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Glorious Morning and Evening Part Two
2. Glorious Morning and Evening Part One
3. Two Minute Morning
4. The End In Mind
5. Open Hand
The post Conversation with Ken Shigematsu appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “Have a glorious morning and evening.” This is the second part of the two-part episode. Smith discusses the spiritual practice of examen. He expands on this practice and talks about a time in his life when it came into play.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Glorious Morning and Evening Part One
2. Two Minute Morning
3. The End In Mind
4. Open Hand
5. Conversation with John Mark Comer Part Two
The post Glorious Morning and Evening Part Two appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “Have a glorious morning and evening.” In this two-part episode, Smith discusses his spiritual practice, “the two-minute morning.” He expands on this practice and gives more insight into how it can be helpful and why it is important.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Two Minute Morning
2. The End In Mind
3. Open Hand
4. Conversation with John Mark Comer Part Two
5. Our Greatest Opportunity
The post Glorious Morning and Evening Part One appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above Conversation with author John Mark Comer about his book, “Practicing The Way.”
We are constantly being formed by the world around us. To be formed by Jesus will require us to become his apprentice.
To live by what the first Christian disciples called a Rule of Life—a set of practices and relational rhythms that slow us down and open up space in our daily lives for God to do what only God can do—transforms the deepest parts of us to become like him.
This introduction to spiritual formation is full of John Mark Comer’s trademark mix of theological substance and cultural insight as well as practical wisdom on developing your own Rule of Life.
These ancient practices have much to offer us. By learning to rearrange our days, we can follow the Way of Jesus. We can be with him. Become like him. And do as he did.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. The End In Mind
2. Open Hand
3. Conversation with AJ Swoboda Part Three
4. Our Greatest Opportunity
5. Conversation with Brian Zahnd Part Three
The post Conversation with John Mark Comer Part Two appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode, James Bryan Smith’s thought from above is, “Begin with the end in mind.” Smith explains his thought from above by talking about his two mentors John Wesley and Dallas Willard. James illustrates his thought from above with a story about a friend and his understanding of Christian spiritual formation.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Open Hand
2. Conversation with AJ Swoboda Part Three
3. Our Greatest Opportunity
4. Conversation with Brian Zahnd Part Three
5. Two Minute Morning
The post The End In Mind appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “Live life with an open hand.” In this episode, Smith discusses one of his favorite prayers, “The Serenity Prayer.” James talks about the meaning behind prayer and how we can use it in our time with God.
The Serenity Prayer:
“God grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
As it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make things right
If I surrender to His Will;
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life
And supremely happy with Him
Forever and ever in the next.
Amen”.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Conversation with AJ Swoboda Part Three
2. Our Greatest Opportunity
3. Conversation with Brian Zahnd Part Three
4. Two Minute Morning
5. Conversation With Emily P. Freeman Part Four
The post Open Hand appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above Conversation with author A.J. Swoboda about his book, The Gift of Thorns. Today’s follower of Jesus exists at a moment in history when our desires, longings, and wants are being weaponized against us by cultural, spiritual, and relational forces. “Follow your heart” and “You do you” has become our moment’s mantras. The result, for too many, is feeling torn asunder by the raging desires within. What do we do with our desire? What about our unwanted desires? And how do we cultivate desires which bring life and freedom and lead to Christ? The Gift of Thorns, by A. J. Swoboda, addresses these questions and more.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Our Greatest Opportunity
2. Conversation with Brian Zahnd Part Three
3. Two Minute Morning
4. Conversation With Emily P. Freeman Part Four
5. Grieving with Hope
The post Conversation with AJ Swoboda Part Three appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith asks, what is the greatest opportunity you have ever been given? In this episode, James explores this question and explains that our greatest opportunity is to follow Jesus. Smith explains that we have been invited to a relationship with Jesus and how it is the greatest opportunity we have been offered.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Conversation with Brian Zahnd Part Three
2. Two Minute Morning
3. Conversation With Emily P. Freeman Part Four
4. Grieving with Hope
5. Breath Prayer
The post Our Greatest Opportunity appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with author Brian Zahnd about his book, “The Wood Between the Worlds.”
Everything about the gospel message leads to the cross, and proceeds from the cross. In fact, within the narrative of Scripture, the crucifixion of Jesus is literally the crux of the story—the axis upon which the biblical story turns. But it would be a mistake to think we could sum up the significance of the crucifixion in a tidy sentence or two. That kind of thinking only insulates us from the magnificence of what God has done. In our ongoing quest to make meaning of the cross, we need to recognize that this conversation will never conclude—that there is always something more to be said.
Brian Zahnd reminds us that the meaning of the cross is multifaceted and should touch every aspect of our lives. Just as gazing through the eyepiece of a kaleidoscope reveals a new geometric image with every turn, Zahnd helps us see that there are infinite ways to behold the cross of Christ as the beautiful form that saves the world. The Wood Between the Worlds is an invitation to encounter the cross of Christ anew.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Two Minute Morning
2. Conversation With Emily P. Freeman Part Four
3. Grieving with Hope
4. Breath Prayer
5. Conversation with Farrell Mason
The post Conversation with Brian Zahnd Part Three appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith gives his second spiritual practice for 2024, called the two-minute morning. In this episode, James explains how to do this practice and why he feels it helps him set his mind on Things Above.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Conversation With Emily P. Freeman Part Four
2. Grieving with Hope
3. Breath Prayer
4. Conversation with Farrell Mason
5. Glory, Grace and Truth
The post Two Minute Morning appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above Conversation with author and friend Emily P. Freeman. James interviews Emily on her upcoming book, “How to Walk into a Room.” The book will be released in March 2024.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Grieving with Hope
2. Breath Prayer
3. Conversation with Farrell Mason
4. Glory, Grace and Truth
5. Our Soul & Relationships
The post Conversation With Emily P. Freeman Part Four appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode, James Bryan Smith talks about how we can experience grieving with hope. James opens the episode by talking about what he considers to be his favorite book that he has written, Room of Marvels. Smith reads the foreword of Room of Marvels, written by Dallas Willard, to help further explain how we can experience grieving with hope.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Breath Prayer
2. Conversation with Farrell Mason
3. Glory, Grace and Truth
4. Our Soul & Relationships
5. Conversation with Casey Tygrett Part Three
The post Grieving with Hope appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith starts the new year with an episode about a spiritual discipline he enjoys called breath prayer. In this episode, James explains what breath prayer is, and gives several examples of how to practice the soul training exercise yourself.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Conversation with Farrell Mason
2. Glory, Grace and Truth
3. Our Soul & Relationships
4. Conversation with Casey Tygrett Part Three
5. Longing To Be Loved
The post Breath Prayer appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with author Farrell Mason on her latest book, “Soulfull: A Weekly Devotional to Nourish the Mind, Body, and Spirit” Farrell Mason speaks to the universal human experience: navigating relationships, coping with change, rebounding from a setback or loss, finding peace, and prioritizing food, fellowship, faith, and regular […]
The post Conversation with Farrell Mason appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “Jesus is God’s Glory, Grace and Truth.” This is the 4th episode of the series of episodes on the longings of our soul. In this episode, James explains the connection between beauty, goodness, and truth and how they relate to our soul. Interested in donating to […]
The post Glory, Grace and Truth appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “Our souls long for relationships.” Over the last three episodes, James has been discussing the longings of our souls. In this episode, Smith talks about five of the final ten longings of our soul. Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here! Learn more […]
The post Our Soul & Relationships appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with author and spiritual director Casey Tygrett. James and Casey discuss Casey’s latest book, “The Gift of Restlessness.” Casey emphasizes that restlessness is a sign that we must move up, move on, or move out. Working within the prayerful tradition of writers like Henri Nouwen and Barbara […]
The post Conversation with Casey Tygrett Part Three appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode, James Bryan Smith’s thought from above is, “We all long to be loved.” Smith picks up where he left off the last episode, talking about the longings of our souls. In this episode, James talks about three more longings of our souls: the need to be wanted, the need to be loved […]
The post Longing To Be Loved appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is “Your spirituality is what you do with your longings.” Smith is starting a four-part-episode series about spirituality and our souls. In this episode, James examines the relationship between our spirituality and the longings of our souls. Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here! […]
The post Spirituality & Longings appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with author and publisher Jeff Crosby. James and Jeff discuss Jeff’s book, “The Language of the Soul: Meeting God in the Longings of Our Hearts.” For over fifteen years, writer Jeff Crosby has been searching for a language of the soul–a way to articulate our deepest longings. […]
The post Conversation with Jeff Crosby appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “Everything turns on the turn.” In this episode, James explains the meaning behind this thought from above, which he learned from Ann Voskamp. He talks about the three ways we turn when faced with difficult situations in life. Smith closes the episode with a spiritual practice that he encourages you to try. The practice is to work through these three statements:
- I will let go of ______ (You fill in the blank)
- What are you carrying? What is troubling you? What are you afraid of or anxious about?
- I am grateful for ______ (You fill in the blank)
- Name the blessings in your life (friends, family, job, health, etc…)
- I will focus on ______ (You fill in the blank)
- What is on your agenda today? How can you live fully into it? How can you bring Christ into what you are doing today? How can you live “cruciform” today?
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Greatest Treasure
2. Conversation with Ann Voskamp
3. The Emotional Life
4. The Good Life
5. Conversation with Ruth Haley Barton
The post The Turn appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “Christ is your greatest treasure.” Following up on his first two episodes of season six, James continues to explain what it means to live a good life. In this episode, Smith talks about six areas of our life that he believes are essential to living a […]
The post Greatest Treasure appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above Conversation with author Ann Voskamp about her book, “Waymaker: Finding the Way to the Life You’ve Always Dreamed Of.” Ann Voskamp is a Canadian author, blogger, and memoirist on themes of Christian women’s spirituality and the author of multiple books, including the New York Times bestseller, “One Thousand […]
The post Conversation with Ann Voskamp appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode, James Bryan Smith’s thought from above is, “The good life is a deep, passionate, and emotional life.” Following up on the previous episode about the good life, Smith talks about the importance of our emotions concerning living the good life. James explains how our emotions are a crucial part of our life […]
The post The Emotional Life appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode, James Bryan Smith’s thought from above is, “The good life is the obedient life.” Smith begins the episode by discussing a class he teaches at Friends University called The Good Life. In the class, he asked his students about the age-old question, what is the good life? In this episode, Smith explains […]
The post The Good Life appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with Ruth Haley Barton. In this episode, James and Ruth discuss her book, “Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest: From Sabbath to Sabbatical and Back Again” In her book, Ruth offers hard-won wisdom and practical steps for developing rhythms of work and rest that bring life—to us […]
The post Conversation with Ruth Haley Barton appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “You can have an Abba experience.” Smith opens the episode with the question, what is the one thing you think God most wants for you? He gives a few different answers to his question but ultimately says that what Jesus wants most for us is to […]
The post Abba Experience appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “we need the church.” In this episode, James talks about the impact of attending church and why we need it. To help illustrate his thought from above, Smith references two songs written by Rich Mullins; “Sometimes by Step” and “Creed.”
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Conversation with Trevor Hudson
2. Perfect Peace
3. Doubting Thomas
4. Conversation with Seth & Heather Thompson Day
5. King & Kingdom
The post We Need The Church appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above Conversation with long-time friend and author Trevor Hudson. In this episode, James asks Trevor questions about his upcoming book, “Seeking God-Finding Another Kind of Life with St Ignatius and Dallas Willard.” Trevor is the author of over 22 books and has worked with Renovaré International Institute for Christian Spiritual Formation, the Dallas Willard Center for Christian Spiritual Formation, and the Jesuit Institute in South Africa.
Learn more about Trevor here!
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Perfect Peace
2. Doubting Thomas
3. Conversation with Seth & Heather Thompson Day
4. King & Kingdom
5. Trust Without Reservation
The post Conversation with Trevor Hudson appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “your portion is perfect peace.” In this episode, James talks about times when we struggle with our faith and what we can do during those times. Smith recalls a song that helps to explain his thought from above called, Christ Abides by Eliza King.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Doubting Thomas
2. Conversation with Seth & Heather Thompson Day
3. King & Kingdom
4. Trust Without Reservation
5. Rhythms of Grace
The post Perfect Peace appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “Our doubts do not trouble Jesus.” In this episode, James talks about the disciple known as “Doubting Thomas,” and explains why we should not think of Thomas in a negative way.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Conversation with Seth & Heather Thompson Day
2. King & Kingdom
3. Trust Without Reservation
4. Rhythms of Grace
5. Conversation with Richard Foster
The post Doubting Thomas appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above Conversation with Seth & Heather Thompson Day. James talks with Seth and Heather about their co-authored book, “I’ll See You Tomorrow.” You can learn more about Seth and Heather on their website here.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Trust Without Reservation
2. Rhythms of Grace
3. Conversation with Richard Foster
4. God is Glorious
5. King & Kingdom
The post Conversation with Seth & Heather Thompson Day appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “As is the king, so is the kingdom.” In this episode, James talks about Holy Week, how Jesus came to defeat death for good, and a leader’s impact on their followers.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Trust Without Reservation
2. Rhythms of Grace
3. Conversation with Richard Foster
4. God is Glorious
5. Magnificent Mission
The post King & Kingdom appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “faith is trust without reservation.” In this episode, James explains that faith is an extension of knowledge based on knowledge. Smith illustrates his thought from above by referencing Moses’s story and struggles.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Rhythms of Grace
2. Conversation with Richard Foster
3. God is Glorious
4. Magnificent Mission
5. Conversation with AJ Swoboda Part Two
The post Trust Without Reservation appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “learn the unforced rhythms of grace.” In this episode, James discusses four questions that Dallas Willard says all humans must ask and should answer. The first question is, what is real? The second question is, who is truly well off? The third question is, who is a truly good person? The fourth question is, how does one become a good person?
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Conversation with Richard Foster
2. God is Glorious
3. Magnificent Mission
4. Conversation with AJ Swoboda Part Two
5. With God Life
The post Rhythms of Grace appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with Richard Foster. James and Richard have been good friends for over 40 years. In this episode, James talks with Richard about his latest book, “Learning Humility.” Brenda Quinn joined Richard for this conversation as she helped Richard with the writing process for this book.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. God is Glorious
2. Magnificent Mission
3. Conversation with AJ Swoboda Part Two
4. With God Life
5. The Best Gift
The post Conversation with Richard Foster appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is God is Glorious. In this episode, James talks about a recent challenge he gave himself.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Magnificent Mission
2. Conversation with AJ Swoboda Part Two
3. With God Life
4. The Best Gift
5. Conversation with Matt Tebbe and Ben Sternke
The post God is Glorious appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above in this episode is, we are all on a magnificent mission. This week James discusses what Dallas Willard calls the “Great Ommission” and the Great “Commission.” In this episode, James explains how we are all called to be apprentices of Jesus and what that means for us.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Conversation with AJ Swoboda Part Two
2. With God Life
3. The Best Gift
4. Conversation with Matt Tebbe and Ben Sternke
5. You are Called
The post Magnificent Mission appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a second Things Above conversation with AJ Swoboda. James interviews AJ on his latest book, “After Doubt.” Learn more about AJ on his website here!
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. The Best Gift
2. Conversation with Matt Tebbe and Ben Sternke
3. You are Called
4. With God Life
5. Conversation with James Bryan Smith
The post Conversation with AJ Swoboda Part Two appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “the kingdom of God is the with-God life.” James opens the episode with a story about a time he was a teaching assistant for Dallas Willard. Dallas asked the class the question, what is the gospel? In the episode, Smith explains the gospel and how we can live into the gospel now.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. The Best Gift
2. Conversation with Matt Tebbe and Ben Sternke
3. You are Called
4. Sacred Story
5. Conversation with James Bryan Smith
The post With God Life appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “Give the best gift you can give.” In light of the advent season, Smith gives us an example of the best gift we can give someone. James says the best we can give is not something money can buy. To help explain his thought from above, Smith gives us a prayer practice that he uses.
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. Conversation with Matt Tebbe and Ben Sternke
2. You are Called
3. Sacred Story
4. Conversation with James Bryan Smith
5. Made for God
The post The Best Gift appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with Matt Tebbe and Ben Sternke about their latest book, Having the Mind of Christ: Eight Axioms to Cultivate a Robust Faith.
Matt and Ben are the cofounders of Gravity Leadership, located in Indiana. Matt and Ben co-authored “Having the Mind of Christ” and it addresses one of the common pitfalls we see in the most well-intentioned discipleship efforts: a focus on practices rather than doing the deeper work of learning a new paradigm. Before our spiritual practices will yield good fruit, they must be integrated with a new paradigm: a new way of seeing God, ourselves, and the world.
Learn more about Matt, Ben, and Gravity Leadership here!
Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here!
Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University!
Related Episodes:
1. You are Called
2. Sacred Story
3. Conversation with James Bryan Smith
4. Made for God
5. Masterpiece
The post Conversation with Matt Tebbe and Ben Sternke appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “you are called.” In this episode, James talks about vocational calling and its impact on our life. Many have felt they are called to a specific job, while others may have never felt that calling. Smith explains how no matter the vocation or the calling, we […]
The post You are Called appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “you have a sacred story.” In this episode, James explains how we all have an origin story that has shaped us into the person we are today. In our origin story, we encounter trauma, and Smith explains the difference between what he calls “small t” trauma […]
The post Sacred Story appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode, James Bryan Smith is interviewed by his friend Dr. Jeff Bjorck to ask James questions about his latest book, “The Good and Beautiful You.” Dr. Bjorck is a licensed psychiatrist and a lifelong friend of James. Jeff helped Jim during the writing process for “The Good and Beautiful You” and has also […]
The post Conversation with James Bryan Smith appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “you are made for God.” James begins the episode explaining why we have a longing for the “more than.” To help explain his thought from above, Smith gives two examples from his life where he experienced the closeness of God. To close the episode, James explains […]
The post Made for God appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this episode is; you are God’s masterpiece. Following his last episode, Smith talks about our significance to God. Smith continues to expose the false narratives we have about God and counters them with his thought from above through examples in our daily lives. James closes the episode with a […]
The post Masterpiece appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above in this episode is, “you are significant.” Smith explains how many of us struggle with the narrative that we are not enough. To help illustrate his thought from above, James tells us two stories that show us why we are more than enough in God’s eyes. Interested in donating […]
The post You Are Significant appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above in this episode is; Jesus is the answer. Smith opens the episode with a couple of questions that many people have about God. The first question is, does God really love me? The second question is, what is God like? James explains how Jesus is the answer to both of […]
The post Jesus is the Answer appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above Conversation with Gem Fadling. In This episode, James and Gem discuss her latest book, “Hold That Thought: Sorting Through the Voices in Our Heads.” Gem Fadling, CLC, is a founding partner of Unhurried Living, Inc., a non-profit that trains people to rest deeper, live fuller and lead better. […]
The post Conversation with Gem Fadling appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
Curt Thompson M.D. is back for part two of his Things Above conversation with James Bryan Smith. In this episode, James asks Curt questions regarding his books, “The Soul of Desire” and “The Soul of Shame.” Psychiatrist, speaker, and author Curt Thompson connects our intrinsic desire to be known with the need to tell truer stories […]
The post Conversation with Curt Thompson Part Two appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In episode two of season five, James Bryan Smith opens the episode with Colossians 2:6. A key word in this verse is “walk” Smith explains what Paul means in this verse through a story from his high school track team. James closes the episode with 10 things about who we are in Christ, from his […]
The post Walk appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
Season five of the Things Above podcast has arrived! To start off the new season James Bryan Smith shares a story to explain how God doesn’t call the qualified but rather God qualifies the called. Smith closes the episode by explaining how grace is opposed to earning not effort. When we receive grace we must […]
The post Called appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode, James Bryan Smith’s thought from above is, “You must live the exchanged life.” Smith opens the episode by telling us that we are all saints. He goes on to explain how we are saints and how we can live into that identity each day. James closes the episode with a story about […]
The post Exchanged appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with Angela Gorrell about her latest book, “The Gravity of Joy.” Dr. Angela Williams Gorrell joined Baylor’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary in Fall 2019 as Assistant Professor of Practical Theology. Prior to joining the faculty at Baylor University, she was an Associate Research Scholar at the […]
The post Conversation with Angela Gorrell appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “You are dedicated.” In this episode, James recounts a story in which he was fasting to help explain his thought from above. Smith closes the episode by telling us we are saints and we have been made holy. We are dedicated by God and dedicated to […]
The post Dedicated appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode, James Bryan Smith thought from above is, “there are benefits to doubt.” Smith gives us three reasons to explain why there are benefits to doubt in our faith. The first reason is doubt allows you to make your faith truly yours. The second benefit is doubt helps faith take root. His third […]
The post Doubt appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with Dr. Amy Bragg Carey. Amy is the fourteenth president of Friends University and is currently in her seventh year as president. She previously served as vice president for institutional advancement at the University of Northwestern in St. Paul, Minn. She brings to Friends a strong background […]
The post Conversation with Amy Bragg Carey appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, Jesus is Lord. Smith opens the episode with a reading of Colossians chapter three to help illustrate his thought from above. To close the episode, James reads a passage from Dr. Scot McKnights commentary on Colossians. Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here! […]
The post Jesus Is Lord appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith talks about two kinds of love, “gift love” and “need love.” In this episode Smith’s thought from above is, to love one another just as Jesus has loved us. “Need Love”, is a kind of longing love much like romantic love. “Gift Love” is God’s love, it doesn’t need anything in return. […]
The post Gift Love appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with Dr. Michael Wise. Michael Wise is an internationally recognized expert on the Dead Sea Scrolls. He frequently lectures on the Dead Sea Scrolls from coast to coast. Dr. Wise is ordained as a minister in the Evangelical Free Church and regularly teaches adult Sunday School classes. […]
The post Conversation with Michael Wise appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above comes from Saint John of Kronstadt. In this episode, James reads an excerpt from the writings of Saint John of Kronstadt. Smith uses this passage to help us look for traces of mercy. Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here! Related Episodes: 1. Trifle 2. Conversation […]
The post Kronstadt appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above in this episode is, don’t trifle with our God. Smith recounts a story where Dallas Willard asked him a question that he could not answer. The question was, does God ever let us get away with anything? James goes on to explain why we want a God who is […]
The post Trifle appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with author and speaker Marlena Graves. James asks Marlena about her latest book, “The Way Up Is Down” and why she wrote the book. Marlena is a writer, deep thinker, and speaker who is passionate about the eternal implications of our life in God. She is a […]
The post Conversation with Marlena Graves appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is; The way of Jesus is Both And.” In this episode, James tells a story about his one message, the grace of God. To help explain his thought from above, Jim states that grace is God’s action in our lives. Smith gives two stories to help further […]
The post Both And appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode, James Bryan Smith tells us how we can experience an authentic change in our spiritual life. He begins the episode with a quote from 2nd Corinthians chapter three verse eighteen. Smith uses this verse to help explain how we are able to see the glory of God through Jesus. James closes the […]
The post Authentic Change appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with Brian Zahnd. Jim and Brian talk about his latest book, “When Everything’s on Fire.” Jim asks Brian why he wrote this book and both discuss the impact of secularism in society today. James asks Brian a series of questions to help explain why we need this […]
The post Conversation with Brian Zahnd Part 2 appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above in this episode is, “everything is a gift.” To help illustrate his thought from above, Smith tells the story of Alexander Hamilton. James goes on to further explain his thought from above with a passage from Will Smith’s memoir. Smith closes the episode restating his thought from above and […]
The post Everything is a Gift appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above in this episode is, “can I be a witness?” Smith gets his thought from above from a book he read by his friend Angela Gorrell. In the book, Angela explains two important ideas about helping others grieve the loss of a loved one. Smith closes the episode with a […]
The post Witness appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with Curt Thompson about his latest book “The Soul of Desire.” Curt Thompson MD, is a psychiatrist, speaker, and author. Inspired by deep compassion for others and informed from a Christian perspective, Curt shares fresh insights and practical applications for developing more authentic relationships and fully experiencing […]
The post Conversation with Curt Thompson appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above is, “God can.” Smith learned this from his late great teacher, Ray Anderson while in seminary. In this episode, James explains his thought from above in greater detail. To help explain his thought from above he adds on a few more words. God has, God can, and God will. […]
The post God Can appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above in this episode is, “God is on your side.” Smith starts off the episode with a story about Eugene Peterson and his son. James continues the episode with another story about his friend Trevor. Both of these stories help explain Smith’s “thought from above” and reinforce the idea that […]
The post God is on Your Side appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
The thought from above in this episode is, “the soul knows best.” James Bryan Smith opens this episode with Psalm 25 to help explain his thought from above. Throughout the episode, Smith gives us definitions of the soul versus the self. To conclude the episode, James recalls a story about John Wesley where he experiences […]
The post The Soul Knows Best appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
The thought from above in this episode is, kingdom obedience brings kingdom abundance. James Bryan Smith explains how we can have kingdom abundance through kingdom obedience. Smith gives us his definition of grace, which is God’s action in our lives. James gives us examples of how we can experience kingdom obedience in order to have […]
The post Kingdom Abundance appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with Dr. Jeff Bjorck. Dr. Bjorck is a pianist, composer, and arranger with six solo piano albums to his credit. In addition, he is also a clinical psychologist and professor of psychology. In this episode, James and Jeff talk about ways we can care for ourselves during […]
The post Conversation with Dr. Jeff Bjorck appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above in this episode is, “create a vision for life.” Smith’s thought from above comes his mentor Dallas Willard. Dallas taught Jim about many things but one of the most important was his teaching on creating a vision for your life. Listen below or anywhere you subscribe to your podcasts. […]
The post Create A Vision For Life appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode James Bryan Smith’s thought from above is, “take leaps with faith.” In this episode James defines faith as “an extension of knowledge based on knowledge.” To help illustrate his thought from above, Smith tells the story of the beggar Bartimaeus. Related Episodes: 1. Be Happy for God 2. Look for the Glory 3. Know Your […]
The post Leaps with Faith appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with Philip Yancey. Philip is one of the best-selling contemporary Christian authors. In this episode, Jim interviews Philip on his memoir “Where the Light Fell.” Jim and Philip discuss the book as well as the moments in Philips’s life that changed his faith forever. Related Episodes: 1. Conversation […]
The post Conversation with Philip Yancey appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode, James Bryan Smith’s thought from above is; be happy for God. Smith quotes from the book, “The Divine Conspiracy” by Dallas Willard to help explain his thought from above. James points out that we should seek out beauty in our everyday life. When we do this we will start to feel a […]
The post Be Happy for God appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is; Look for the Glory. Smith opens the episode with a story about a photograph he saw in Australia back in 2017. This photo reminded Jim of Psalm 119 and how it can help us to see the glory of God. James defines glory as the combination […]
The post Look for the Glory appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with author Sarah Clarkson. In this episode, James and Sarah discuss her book “This Beautiful Truth.” In This Beautiful Truth, Sarah shares her own encounters with beauty in the midst of her decade-long struggle with mental illness, depression, and doubt. She paints a compelling picture of the […]
The post Conversation with Sarah Clarkson appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
The thought from above in this episode is, know your enemy. James Bryan Smith explains how the enemy (the devil) tries to deceive us and what we can do to defend ourselves from him. Smith quotes from Ephesians 6:11-17 to talk about the armor of God. James talks about each piece of armor listed in […]
The post Know Your Enemy appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
The thought from above this week is, sin is slop. In this episode, James Bryan Smith gives us two ways to help us win the battle against sin. The first is to stay focused on God, and the second is to see sin for what it is. Smith uses the story of David and Bathsheeba […]
The post Sin is Slop appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above Conversation with Bruce McNicol and Robby Angle. Smith asks both guests questions about their work with Trueface, and the book “The Cure.” Both Bruce and Robby will be teaching at The Apprentice Gathering 2021. Learn more and register here! Guest Biographies: Bruce McNicol: Bruce is co-contributor with Dallas […]
The post Conversation with Bruce McNicol and Robby Angle appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In the second episode of season four, for the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith thought from above is; “you are blessed.” Smith begins the episode with a story about his new puppy Wesley. The thought from above came to Jim through his experience of adopting and training Wesley. Smith quotes Ephesians 1: 3-7 to […]
The post You are Blessed appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
Season 4 has arrived! James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week focuses on soul wellness. Smith opens the episode by saying we have a soul, and it is very needy. In the episode, James announces he finished the 4th book in “The Good and Beautiful” series. The book will be titled “The Good and […]
The post Soul Wellness appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above Conversation with Casey Tygrett. Casey is back for his second appearance on the Things Above podcast. In this episode, Casey and James talk about the impact the pandemic has had on us now that we have been dealing with it for over a year. They discuss the importance […]
The post Conversation with Casey Tygrett Part 2 appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above Conversation with Dorothy Greco. In this episode James and Dorothy discuss her latest book, “Marriage in the Middle.” Dorothy is the author of Making Marriage Beautiful and Marriage in the Middle. Her work has appeared in Christianity Today, Missio Alliance, MOPs, Relevant Magazine, and many other publications. She […]
The post Conversation with Dorothy Greco appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above in this episode is, “You are wanted by the Trinity.” In this episode Smith explains the importance of understanding the Trinity. Understanding the Trinity informs us that God wants to be in relationship with us. To help explain his thought, James quotes Dallas Willard “The advantage of believing in […]
The post Wanted by the Trinity appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
Today’s thought from above is this: God is greater than our hearts. In this episode James Bryan Smith unpacks his thought from above with a story from his childhood. Smith explains the importance of understanding our identity in order to get over our own shame. When we realize that our identity is formed with Jesus […]
The post God is Greater Than Our Hearts appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above Conversation with Dr. Scot McKnight. In this episode James talks with Scot about his latest book “A Church Called Tov” which he co-authored with his daughter Laura Barringer. Scot will be speaking at The Apprentice Gathering 2021, learn more here. Scot McKnight Bio: McKnight, author or editor of […]
The post Conversation with Scot McKnight appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above in this episode is: “You are already there.” Over the last several episodes; 101, 103, 104, and 106, we have been been unpacking some of the key aspects of what it means that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God. Smith goes on to explain that Jesus […]
The post Already There appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
Over the last several episodes we have been examining the powerful truths that come from the fact that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God. In episode 101 we talked about how God is exactly like Jesus. Episode 103 focused on the thought that Jesus is holding all things together. In episode 104 […]
The post Praying with Jesus appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with Susie Larson. In this episode James talks with Susie about 3 of her 17 books, “Your Beautiful Purpose”, “Prevail”, and “Fully Alive.” Throughout the episode Susie and Jim both talk about the struggles we go through in our relationship with God. They talk about the importance […]
The post Conversation with Susie Larson appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode James Bryan Smith’s thought from above is: “Jesus perfected you forever.” Over the last few episodes James has been teaching about what it means that Jesus sat down at the right hand of God. James opens the episode by reading from Hebrews 10:12-14. In this passage we see that the priest has […]
The post Perfect Forever appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
The thought from above in this episode is: “Jesus Upholds You.” James Bryan Smith opens the episode with a passage from Hebrews 1:3. “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down […]
The post Jesus Upholds You appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith and Kyle Strobel sit down for a Things Above conversation. In this episode, James goes through a series of questions regarding Kyle’s latest book (Co-Authored with John Coe) called “When Prayer Becomes Real.” James and Kyle discuss how we can learn to pray without ceasing, and delight in the experience of being […]
The post Conversation with Kyle Strobel appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode James Bryan Smith’s thought from above is, Jesus is God exactly. Smith opens this episode with a passage from Hebrews 1:3. “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat […]
The post Jesus is God Exactly appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
How do we increase grace? As we learned in episode 98, grace is God’s action in our lives. James Bryan Smith explains how we can increase the grace of God in our lives through spiritual disciplines. Richard Foster was the first person to explain to James about the spiritual disciplines. The spiritual disciplines (prayer, solitude, […]
The post Increase Grace appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
Our guest for this episode is, Fr. Richard Rohr. Richard is a Franciscan priest of the New Mexico Province. He is the founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation and academic dean of the CAC’s Living School. An internationally recognized author and spiritual leader, Fr. Richard teaches primarily on incarnational mysticism, nondual consciousness, and […]
The post Conversation with Richard Rohr appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
The thought from above in this episode is: “Create Space for Grace.” James Bryan Smith continues with his key ideas that are essential to Christian spiritual formation. These last five episodes are foundational for what this podcast is all about, setting our mind on things above. Smith begins the episode by explaining the importance of […]
The post Create Space for Grace appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith’s thought from above for this episode is: “say no to say yes.” James learned this thought from above while under the tutelage of Richard Foster. Richard explained to James that whenever we say yes to something, we are also saying no to other things. Foster continued to explain to Jim that typically […]
The post Say No to Say Yes appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith and John Mark Comer have a Things Above conversation! In this episode James and John talk about a multitude of topics including; sexuality, theology, spiritual formation and more. Smith and Comer both explain the impact and importance of spiritual practices and how we can integrate them into our daily lives. Both James […]
The post Conversation with John Mark Comer appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode, James Bryan Smith’s thought from above is: “Keep it simple, saint.” We are a few weeks into the new year and many of us have a new year’s resolution. Smith points out that 95% of all new year’s resolutions are broken by the end of January. This is an alarming fact but […]
The post Keep it Simple appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
The thought from above in this episode is: “Give thanks in all circumstances.” Following up on his last episode, James Bryan Smith takes a deeper dive into appreciative thinking vs depreciative thinking. He begins with a quote from Adrian van Kaam to help explain his thought from above. “The way we look at our lives […]
The post Give Thanks appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
The thought from above for this episode is: “Rejoice always.” James Bryan Smith takes a deep dive into the works of theologian and priest Adrian von Kaam, to help explain his thought from above. In this episode, James explains the difference between appreciative thinking and depreciative thinking and how we can avoid the latter to […]
The post Rejoice Always appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
Emily P. Freeman is back for her third Things Above Conversation! In this episode, James and Emily have a series of questions they ask each other about podcasting, spiritual formation, and life during the pandemic. Emily was able to be in the studio for this conversation because of her new teaching position at Friends University. […]
The post Conversation with Emily P. Freeman Part 3 appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with Cindy Bunch about her book “Be Kind to Yourself.” During their discussion they talk about the importance of spiritual direction and the impact of social media in our lives. Do you have a favorite spiritual practice? Cindy and James give their top three spiritual practices and […]
The post Conversation with Cindy Bunch appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith is very excited to announce the republished and expanded edition of his book “Room of Marvels.” In this episode James tells us the story of how “Room of Marvels” came to be and how it helped him deal with the death and grief in his life. He also offers this thought from […]
The post Inside Our Room of Marvels appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
The thought from above this week is, “you are destined for glory.” James Bryan Smith opens the episode with a quote from the movie “Jerry Maguire” where Jerry yells, “show me the money!” Smith explains the meaning behind the quote and how it is actually a cry for authenticity and connection and not for money. […]
The post Destined for Glory appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with author and priest, Tish Harrison Warren. James and Tish discuss a multitude of topics around their books including, liturgy, spiritual formation, and more! Tish Harrison Warren is a priest in the Anglican Church in North America. She has worked in ministry settings for […]
The post Conversation with Tish Harrison Warren appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
“In difficult times you should always carry something beautiful in your mind.” – Blaise Pascal At some point in our life we ask ourselves the question, Who am I? We can spend our whole lives trying to solve this question and still never feel satisfied with the answer. In this episode, James Bryan Smith gives […]
The post Who Am I appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith opens this episode with a story about the first church he served in as a youth pastor to help explain this thought from above. We are all different but we are one. The church had just gone through a split due to a disagreement among the members. Smith asked his mentor, Dallas […]
The post Different but One appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this Things Above episode, James Bryan Smith has a conversation with Carolyn Arends. Carolyn has released 12 albums and is the author of 3 critically-acclaimed books. 15 of Arends’ songs have become top 10 radio singles on the Canadian pop and US Christian charts. Arends has earned 2 Dove Awards, 3 Juno Nominations, and was […]
The post Conversation with Carolyn Arends appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
“The vision that you glorify in your mind, the ideal that you enthrone in your heart – this you will build your life by, and this you will become.” – James Allen The thought from above for this episode is, “you are designed for a divine destiny.” James opens up the episode talking about the […]
The post Divine Destiny appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
Our thought from above in this episode is, “faith shines best in darkness.” James Bryan Smith tells us the story about one of his students who was struggling with her faith, just before heading off to Seminary. This student was experiencing, what Smith would call, a dark night of the soul. James goes on to […]
The post Faith shines best in Darkness appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with Michael John Cusick. In this episode, they discuss a multitude of topics all related to the soul. How do we understand our soul and how do we help to restore it? Michael is a Licensed Professional Counselor, spiritual director, speaker, and author of two books including […]
The post Conversation with Michael John Cusick appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
The thought from above in this episode is: “God doesn’t call the qualified, God qualifies the called.” James Bryan Smith explains the thought from above in detail through his own experiences, and from others in the bible. Smith begins the episode talking about an experience he had as a student at Friends University in his […]
The post Qualifies the Called appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith begins season three of the things above podcast with this thought from above: “we are indebted to hope.” In this episode James talks about our life through the spirit in the passage in Romans 8. As he goes through the passage, Smith explains how we have been adopted into the family of […]
The post Indebted to Hope appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith gives a commentary on his three favorite conversations from season two of the Things Above podcast. In this episode we share a snippet from three conversation episodes. The three featured episodes are with authors, William Paul Young, Natasha Sistrunk Robinson, and A.J. Swoboda. After each episode James gives us a commentary on […]
The post Season Two Greatest Hits appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
You were made for beauty, goodness and truth. James Bryan Smith begins the episode talking about the three transcendentals; beauty, goodness and truth. Plato said, beauty is one of the transcendental forms because it stands above the actual form. They are higher forms and thus they help us to transcend ourselves when we encounter them. […]
The post Beauty, Goodness and Truth appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
This week on the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith has a conversation with his long time friend Juanita Rasmus. Juanita is a pastor, Spiritual Director, and contemplative with a passion for seeing people transform into being their best selves in our world. Juanita co-leads the St. John’s Church in Downtown Houston with her husband, […]
The post Conversation with Juanita Rasmus appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
We all need Jesus with skin. This may sound odd but in fact it is very true. In this episode James Bryan Smith explains how he experienced the love of Jesus through an unexpected disaster with his neighbor. While living in their first home, James and his wife Meghan experienced a problem many new homeowners […]
The post Jesus with Skin appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with Dave Mullins. Dave is a speaker, teacher, writer, musician and recently co-producer of the movie “Ragamuffin,” David Mullins seeks to use these gifts to take the simple, life-changing word of God’s love to both the lost and to those in the Church who […]
The post Conversation with Dave Mullins appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this Things Above podcast episode, James Bryan Smith give this thought from above: “We are saved by His life.” In 1992 James and his friend and fellow pastor Jeff Gannon, attend a conference in Maryland about how to understand the gospel. This conference would be one of the most impactful gatherings the two had […]
The post Saved by His Life appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
We are in a season of lament. As we struggle to cope with all the problems the coronavirus has brought, we need a way to ease our suffering. In this episode James Bryan Smith explains how we can use the Psalms to help us deal with our pain. Smith explains how the Psalms provide us […]
The post Season of Lament appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
As we continue to navigate through the coronavirus pandemic, James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with Natasha Sistrunk Robinson. In this episode they discuss Natasha’s latest book as well as the difficulties that come with cultural biases in our communities. Natasha Sistrunk Robinson is an international speaker, leadership consultant, diversity and mentoring coach […]
The post Conversation with Natasha Sistrunk Robinson appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In Romans 12:2 Paul writes, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.” We can be transformed by the renewing of our minds. and that is what we do this […]
The post God is in This appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode James Bryan Smith has a Things Above Conversation with Bill Gaultiere. James and Bill discuss the importance of soul care, especially at a time when we are struggling with a global pandemic. Bill is a Psychologist (PhD; PSY12036 in CA) and pastor/mentor to pastors. He writes and speaks to thousands of people […]
The post Conversation with Bill Gaultiere appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
“For those alive in the kingdom of God, the world we live in is a perfectly safe place to be.” – Dallas Willard Life throws us many unexpected things, and we are now living in a time of uncertainty. None of us had planned for the virus to spread this rapidly. It is easy to […]
The post Certainty in a Good Future appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a Things Above Conversation with his friend and fellow podcast host, Shane Blackshear. Shane is a Jesus follower, blogger, speaker & host of the podcast Seminary Dropout. The Seminary Dropout podcast features interviews with Christian authors, leaders, and thinkers where they discuss a multitude of topics around Christianity and current events. […]
The post Conversation with Shane Blackshear appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
The thought from above in this episode is: “We know our sin in relation to Him.” Sin is a very difficult topic to talk about. One of the most important things we can do is to think about how we understand it. We tend to be subjective to our own sin but objective towards the […]
The post How to See Sin appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
“What repeatedly enters your mind and occupies your mind, eventually shapes your mind, and will ultimately express itself in what you do and who you become” – John Ortberg The Thought From Above in this episode is: “Remember you are dust.” As we continue in the season of Lent we need to be reminded of […]
The post Remember You Are Dust appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode, James Bryan Smith has a Things Above Conversation with longtime friend and author Richella Parham. She is the author of Mythical Me: Finding Freedom from Constant Comparison, published by InterVarsity Press (October 2019) and of the Renovaré resource A Spiritual Formation Primer. Her online home is Imparting Grace; her physical home is […]
The post Conversation with Richella Parham appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith begins this episode by sharing a story from Deuteronomy 30:15-19. In this passage, Moses offers some powerful words at the end of his farewell address. Moses essentially says: I have told you about God’s commands and, at the center of them all, is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind […]
The post Commanded to Thrive appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith gives this thought from above: “God is happy about you.” When Jim’s son Jacob was around 7 years old he asked him a question that brought tears to Jim’s eyes. Jacob walked up to his dad and asked, “Are you happy about me?” While […]
The post Brighter Than the Sun appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
James Bryan Smith has a conversation with Derwin Gray about our identity in Christ and how we can learn to love and see ourselves the same way God does. Labels you have internalized and apply to yourself every day. Labels like Afraid. Or Addict. Orphan. Damaged Goods. Failure. Maybe even Religious. These labels might be […]
The post Conversation with Derwin Gray appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
The thought from above in this episode is: “You don’t have to make it happen.” In the summer of his junior year, James attended an elite basketball camp where he learned a very valuable lesson about the grace of God. At the end of the camp was an all-star game that you had to be […]
The post Grace of God appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
What will the future be like? Will it be good? What will happen to us at the end of lives? These are questions we all want an answer to. Deep down we desire a future for ourselves and others that is good. But how do we know that in the end it will be good? […]
The post Roots in the Future appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this “Things Above Conversation” James Bryan Smith chats with Casey Tygrett. Casey is the host of the “otherWISE” podcast, a place for gathering wise conversations about living well on the journey with Jesus. He holds both a Master of Divinity degree and a Doctor of Ministry in Spiritual Formation degree from Lincoln Christian Seminary. He […]
The post Conversation with Casey Tygrett appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
The “Thought from Above” for this episode is: “No more silly superstitions.” In a previous podcast James spoke about how worry is essentially superstition. We think by worrying we will actually have an effect on a situation we are concerned about. For example, when we worry about something and then that something does not happen, […]
The post Superstition appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
The “Thought from Above” in this episode is: Include Jesus in all of your relationships. The relationships we have in our lives are amazing but also challenging. There are times where we want the other person in the relationship to make a change in their life. Even if we are well meaning in our advice, […]
The post Brother’s Keeper appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode, James Bryan Smith sits down with A.J. Swoboda for a Things Above Conversation. A.J. is the author of “Subversive Sabbath” which was Christianity Today’s Spiritual formation book of the year. This book pioneers a creative path to an alternative way of existing. Combining creative storytelling, pastoral sensitivity, practical insight, and relevant academic […]
The post Conversation with A.J. Swoboda appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
The thought from above for this episode is: Remember the Door. In this episode, James Bryan Smith recites a poem by Samuel M. Shoemaker titled, “So I Stand By The Door” Smith uses the poem to help explain his thought from above and how we too can, stand by the door for others. The poem […]
The post Remember the Door appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
The thought from above for this episode is: Faith is acting on what you believe. James uses a story about the Prussian missionary George Mueller to help explain this week’s thought from above. George was crossing the Atlantic in August 1877 when his ship ran into thick fog. He explained to the captain that he […]
The post Act of Faith appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode James Bryan Smith sits down for a Things Above Conversation with author Jan Johnson. James and Jan have known each other for many years and both were mentored by Dallas Willard. Jan is a a writer, speaker and spiritual director who has degrees in biblical studies and Christian spirituality. She has written […]
The post Conversation with Jan Johnson appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In episode 51 titled “Adversity can be a Blessing” James Bryan Smith tells the story of his friend Tim’s biking accident. Tim’s story of healing is an amazing one but there is even more to this story. A few months after his accident, while Tim was driving home from church, he noticed a pair of […]
The post Open Your Eyes appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
“When the clock of one’s own crisis strikes, the hour for believing in the benevolence of a greater mystery is near” (Adrian van Kaam) We all go through our lives and encounter times of adversity. In this Things Above episode, James Bryan Smith shares a story of a close friend who suffered a terrible injury […]
The post Adversity can be a Blessing appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this Things Above episode, James Bryan Smith explains the concept of a spiritual mirror. Smith learned about the phrase “spiritual mirror” from George Macdonald, a great Scottish writer and preacher in the 19th century. James quotes from Macdonald’s book Creation in Christ to help explain the concept of the spiritual mirror. “When we think […]
The post Spiritual Mirror appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
Josh Larsen sits down with James Bryan Smith for a “Things Above Conversation” about Josh’s latest book “Movies are Prayers.” Josh is the co-host of the radio show and podcast Filmspotting, author of Movies Are Prayers, and editor and film critic at Think Christian, a website exploring faith and pop culture. He’s been writing and speaking about movies […]
The post Conversation with Josh Larsen appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
Anger and worry are two emotions we deal with on a daily basis. We worry because we feel like it will help us to fix whatever problem we are dealing with. We use anger to make others behave as we want but in the long haul, it is destructive. In this episode, James Bryan Smith […]
The post Jesus Holds Everything Together appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this Things Above conversation, James Bryan Smith interviews William Paul Young. Paul is best known for his book The Shack which has sold over a million copies. Young is a native of Alberta, Canada and now lives in Washington with his wife Kim. He is also the author of The Crossroads, Eve and Lies […]
The post Conversation with William Paul Young appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
Discovering our identity can be a lifelong journey. We all want to know who we are. In this episode, James Bryan Smith explains how our journey towards self-discovery is found in the invitation to be with Jesus. If we are to discover who we truly are, we must do so through discovering Jesus’ call to […]
The post Your Identity is in the Invitation appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this Things Above Conversation, James Bryan Smith interviews author Emily P. Freeman about her latest book, The Next Right Thing. People average 35,000 daily decisions. Some of those decisions can really wear us down, which leads to the problem of chronic hesitation and decision fatigue. Emily’s book helps the reader make decisions with clarity, […]
The post Conversation with Emily P. Freeman Part 2 appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
It’s not abnormal for people to wonder, where is God? Maybe life isn’t turning out the way you hoped. You’ve lost a job or a loved one or your sense of purpose. And this causes us to feel alone, or at least very distant from God. If you feel distant from God, it begs the […]
The post Already Present appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In the latest Things Above conversation, James Bryan Smith talks with Jen Pollock Michel about her latest book, Surprised by Paradox. Among many things, they explore the depths of topics, such as paradox, awe, certainty, mystery, and calling. They even share a couple of jokes about a paradox that you won’t want to miss. Surprised […]
The post Conversation with Jen Pollock Michel appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode, James Bryan Smith explains this glorious thought: “Christ plus nothing equals everything.” Jim goes on to explain that when we allow other things in our life to take the place of “nothing” in the formula it will not equal everything. Key Verses include (1 Cor. 2:3-5) (1 Cor. 13: 1-3) Related episodes: […]
The post Christ Plus Nothing Equals Everything appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
Temptation can lead to real problems. In this episode of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith discusses the nature of temptation, then offers and unpacks six facts about temptation that can help you overcome it. 1. Everybody is tempted. 2. God is not the one tempting us. 3. Temptation itself is not sin. 4. […]
The post Overcoming Temptation appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith continues a conversation with Chris Huertz about the Enneagram by exploring the holy ideas and virtues of each type. These components offer a map to our soul. Holy ideas are the first truths we have to tell ourselves. Virtues are our unobstructed views of […]
The post Conversation with Chris Heuertz Part 2 appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
If patience is a virtue, why are we in such a hurry? When it comes to our faith, this can be really frustrating. In this episode of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith discusses our frequently unmet expectations when it comes to spiritual growth and how we can understand God’s timing in our lives. […]
The post Practicing Patience appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
People tend to rely on their own effort in times of need – physically, emotionally, and spiritually. For some reason, praying to Jesus is often a last resort. In this episode of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith discusses our common approach to problems and offers a much better way of dealing with them […]
The post Moved to Pray appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
It is safe to say that no one likes pain. In fact, when we experience pain, most of us do all we can to remedy it. In this episode of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith says that, while pain is not something anyone wants, pain is a necessary part of life. Pain alerts […]
The post The Gift of Pain appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith talks about a time when he saw a bumper sticker that read, “Fishing is my life.” After giving this some thought, Jim surmised this man believed his source of existence is fishing itself. This was not hyperbole. It was a statement of being. The […]
The post Source of Life appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode, James Bryan Smith sits down with speaker and author Chris Heuertz, for a Things Above Conversation. Chris and his wife Phileena served with the Word Made Flesh community for nearly 20 years, working for women and children victimized by human traffickers in the commercial sex industry. His vocation has taken him to over […]
The post Things Above Conversation with Chris Heuertz appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
Why do bad things happen to good people? Does God cause Suffering? In this episode, James Bryan Smith unpacks the passage from Luke 13: 1-9 to help find an answer to these questions. During his time in seminary, James met a man named Ben who taught him a valuable story about the grace and mercy […]
The post Second Chances appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
The thought from above for this episode is: we are wired for worship. In this episode James Bryan smith unpacks a sermon from his long time friend John Ortberg. Smith explains that we have become so jaded to the joys and wonders of our life that we have nearly lost the capacity to say wow. […]
The post Wired for Worship appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith offers this thought from above: God is the most joyous being in the universe. Unfortunately, this seldom enters our minds. Instead, we imagine that God is mad about everything. This false narrative is influenced by a gospel narrative that tells us Jesus took our […]
The post God’s Joyous Being appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
Are you satisfied with your prayer life? In this episode James Bryan Smith explains this glorious thought: Jesus is praying for you. Smith references Hebrews 7:25, Romans 8:34, and 1st John 2:1 to help explain this glorious thought. He goes on to explain that Jesus is taking our prayers and sanctifying them. The pressure is […]
The post Jesus is Praying for You appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
How can we understand beauty through the lens of Jesus? In episode 30 of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith sits down for a conversation with pastor Brian Zahnd, who has authored books, such as ‘Water to Wine,’ ‘Beauty Will Save the World’ and his latest work, ‘Postcards from Babylon.’ Jim and Brian draw […]
The post Things Above Conversation with Brian Zahnd appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
Our external behaviors, actions and accomplishments are what much of the world uses to judge us. In many cases, outsiders’ opinions shape our identity. In this episode of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith explores the unhealthy ways our identity is shaped and offers another way to understand our identity – a life that […]
The post Identity appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
What does “blessed” mean and how do we know if a person is “blessed”? In this episode of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith unpacks Psalm 1 and the blessed life. It turns out, the blessed person is someone who is under God’s blessing, in which God affirms this condition. It also means happy […]
The post Blessed appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode, James Bryan Smith explains the difference between guilt and shame. Shame is feeling bad about who we are. Guilt, in contrast, is feeling bad about what we have done. Guilt can be healthy because it allows us to make amends or change our behavior. However, shame is always bad. Smith explains that […]
The post Guilt versus Shame appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
People have a tendency to fear God largely because of our sins. At the heart of our fear lies the narrative that our unfaithfulness to God makes us unlovable by God. This is nothing new for humanity. Ancient Israel struggled with this same fear. In this episode of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith […]
The post Greater Than Our Sins appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode, James Bryan Smith has a conversation with author and pastor Greg Boyd about the transformational process of “mind discipleship.” Greg also describes his childhood journey and the struggles he faced at home and at church. Ultimately, this was very healing, as he moved from deep feelings of helplessness and hopelessness to an […]
The post Things Above Conversation 5 appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode James Bryan Smith explains this glorious thought: You are God’s beloved even in your worst moments. The world we live in today is based on comparison, Smith explains that when we live into this culture of comparison we begin to reject ourselves. We begin to think that we are not good enough […]
The post God’s Beloved appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
Our daily activity sometimes causes us to miss the best moments in life. We get lost in our thoughts and fail to see God who is in our midst. In this episode of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith shares a heavenly thought: Be mindful that God is with you in all you do. […]
The post Be Mindful appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
Have you discovered that worrying is a healthy way to deal with the future? Yah, me neither. Jesus has something better in mind. In this episode of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith tells us that worrying does nothing positive for us. However, it does come with several negative consequences. Jesus teaches us that […]
The post Worry appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode of the Things above podcast, James Bryan Smith chats with author and pastor J.R. Briggs about a glorious thought that changed the trajectory of his life. Briggs offers a two-fold answer. First, it was the present availability of the kingdom of God and eternal living. The second thought centers on what it […]
The post Things Above Conversation 4 appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
What is the true meaning of Christmas? In this episode of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith shares about growing up in the Methodist Church and the influence John Wesley had on his life. Interestingly enough, Richard Foster was the one who pointed Jim to Wesley’s writings and sermons. If he were alive today, […]
The post Second Birth appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
The events of our world can be troubling – leading to fear, anxiety and panic. In this episode of the Things above podcast, James Bryan Smith asks, “Is our world governed by fear? Is our fate decided by a roll of the dice?” The short answer is no – because we live in the strong […]
The post The Last Word appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
Is it possible for God to overcome our shame? In this episode of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith tells the story of how the great Christian writer, Simone Weil, came to faith simply by reading a poem written by George Herbert, entitled “Love III.” This is what Herbert wrote: Love bade me welcome. […]
The post Shame appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
Many Christians are living into a shrunken, incomplete gospel that leads to sin management. To be sure, our relationship with God was severed by sin. But our sin problem is only a part of the issue. In this episode of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith looks at our sin problem and offers, perhaps […]
The post Desiring God appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
As humans, we all experience problems and trials. Not just the small things, like spilling our coffee or forgetting to reply to our mom’s text message. We experience big problems, such as prolonged illness and career struggles. What trials are you facing right now? Are you in need of protection? In this episode of the […]
The post Christ is All Around Us appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
How do you understand the kingdom of God, Jesus’ gospel and salvation? In episode 15 of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith sits down for a conversation with pastor and author Brian Zahnd who, many years ago, experienced a growing discontent with the version of Christianity he knew and was living. Then he stumbled […]
The post Things Above Conversation 3 appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
What can a Martin guitar, autographed by music legend Eric Clapton, teach us about God? In this episode of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith continues his story about one of the greatest gifts ever given to him and the epiphanies that came through it. So what can an expensive guitar teach us about […]
The post Epiphanies From a Guitar Part 2 appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
Is giving truly better than receiving? Most of the time, the answer is yes. But sometimes receiving can be a life-changing experience too. In this episode, James Bryan Smith tells of how the gift of a valuable, limited-edition guitar helped him understand that we are people of sacred worth. When receiving something of great value, […]
The post Epiphanies From a Guitar Part 1 appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In Episode 12 of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith offers a glorious thought on the power of forgiveness. The reason we should forgive is to be healed and the means of understanding that is that we are forgiven in Christ. The Apostle Paul instructed the church in Colossae to forgive one another as […]
The post Forgiveness: The Way to Freedom appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
God’s love is revealed in beauty. Because of that, beauty is a large part of our spiritual journey. In episode 11 of Things Above, James Bryan Smith invites you to rethink how you understand beauty. Drawing from the wisdom of people like Thomas Aquinas, Hans Urs von Balthasar, John O’Donohue and Simone Weil, we discover […]
The post Seeing Beauty appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In episode 10 of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith interviews pastor and author John Ortberg about his latest book, “Eternity is Now in Session.” In addition to recalling a humorous story of their first speaking engagement together in 1988, Jim and John discuss the impact that Dallas Willard’s writings and personal friendship had […]
The post Things Above Conversation 2 appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
God is real. And God’s love for us is also real. But how do we really know God loves us? In Episode 09 of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith tells us the only thing that is credible is love. Our faith is not built on an argument or logic, but by what God, […]
The post God’s Love appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
The incarnation of God is both a mysterious and wondrous event to ponder. In Episode 08 of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith gives thought to Jesus Christ, who was fully divine and fully human. Have you ever noticed how little was written about Jesus’s childhood in Scripture? What was normal life like for […]
The post The Mystery of the Incarnation appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
By setting our minds on things above, we can live a Godward life and, as the Apostle Paul says, walk in the Spirit. This is a powerful way of living. If someone were to ask you about a passage in Scripture that offers the best depiction of life in the kingdom, what would you say? […]
The post Living Godward appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
Every one of us has experienced “hope” of some kind. We hope to marry the right person, we hope our kids live long and healthy lives, we hope our favorite baseball team wins the World Series. Yet there is a big difference between worldly hope and Christian hope. Hope is not wishful thinking about the […]
The post Hope appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In our very first Things Above Conversation, James Bryan Smith interviews Emily P. Freeman about finding God in our everyday lives and the nearness of the kingdom. They discuss the impact of the her book “Simply Tuesday” and her recent experience at Friends University. If you are interested in learning more about Emily check out […]
The post Things Above Conversation 1 appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In our fourth episode, James Bryan Smith explains how eternal life does not begin after you die. It begins in this life and it includes an interactive relationship with God. Related episodes: 1. Source of Life 2. The Gift of Pain 3. Moved to Pray 4. Practicing Patience 5. Overcoming Temptation
The post Eternal Life Now appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
The finality of the cross is only half the story. In this episode, James Bryan Smith shares the rest of the story, which includes the secret to overcoming sin. That is, the power of the resurrected Christ in us and through us. Related episodes: 1. Conversation with Chris Heuertz Part 2 2. Overcoming Temptation 3. […]
The post Forgiven to be Filled appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
In this episode, James Bryan Smith discusses how false narratives of sin and salvation damage our spiritual lives and how to change those narratives through the lens of the cross. Related episodes: 1. Wired for Worship 2. Source of Life 3. The Gift of Pain 4. Moved to Pray 5. Practicing Patience
The post Finality of the Cross appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
Welcome to episode 01 of the “Things Above” podcast. In this episode, James Bryan Smith states that we are one in whom Christ dwells and delights. He unpacks this “power narrative” by connecting it to our value as a result of Christ dwelling in us. Related episodes: 1. Second Birth 2. Things Above Conversation with […]
The post Episode 01 appeared first on Apprentice Institute.
Welcome to the pilot episode of the “Things Above” podcast hosted by James Bryan Smith! This is a podcast for “mind discipleship.” It is for those who want to set their minds on “things above” (Col. 3:2). Each week James Bryan Smith will offer a glorious thought—something good and beautiful and true, something excellent and […]
The post Episode 00 appeared first on Apprentice Institute.