Spirituality For Ordinary People

  • Autor: Vários
  • Narrador: Vários
  • Editor: Podcast
  • Duración: 102:19:15
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Sinopsis

Tips, guidance, and practical advice for how to live out and keep the life in your relationship with with God.

Episodios

  • The Examen in Times of Difficulty or Darkness

    22/04/2019 Duración: 29min

    In this episode of the Spirituality for Ordinary Podcast your host, Matt Brough, begins with J. Dana Trent, author of One Breath At A Time: A Skeptic’s Guide to Meditation. The second half of their conversation will feature in the next episode. Most of this conversation goes over whether the Examen is helpful when you have days that are high stress or anxiety producing. For an overview of the Examen, you may want to go back to Episode 1 of Season 2 - The Examen in a NutshellVisit J. Dana Trent’s Website for more about her.  Follow Spirituality for Ordinary People on Instagram Subscribe: iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn Radio | Google Play This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mattbrough.substack.com

  • The Examen as a Way To Get Off Autopilot

    02/04/2019 Duración: 24min

     In this episode of the Spirituality for Ordinary Podcast your host, Matt Brough, has a conversation with Jen Ostash-Gooch about their individual experiences of the Examen. They open up a conversation about a number of topics: how the Examen allows awareness of what God might be doing in life.how the Examen helps us to not simply drift through life.how the Examen helps us to stay in the moment and focus on what you are doing.How our experience of community being changed because of the practice of the Examen? For an overview of the Examen, you may want to go back to Episode 1 of Season 2 - The Examen in a Nutshell    Follow Spirituality for Ordinary People on Instagram Subscribe: iTunes | Stitcher | TuneIn Radio | Google Play  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mattbrough.substack.com

  • Staying Focused While Praying The Examen

    20/03/2019 Duración: 31min

    In this episode of the Spirituality for Ordinary Podcast your host, Matt Brough, goes over the five steps in practice of the Examen and shares about his own ups and downs in trying to stay focused for a 10 to 20 minute time of prayer. For an overview of the Examen, you may want to go back to Episode 1 of Season 2 - The Examen in a Nutshell Episode 2 covers... The temptation to just not do it or not try it. We can sometimes believe that any prayer practice (in this case The Examen) won't actually make any difference and so we rationalize not doing it. We are also "busy," and so cannot "find the time." How can we resist these tendencies and actually stop for 10 to 20 minutes for prayer that may actually have life-giving or life-transforming possibilities? Musch of this episode is about the difficulty with focus. Matt shares about how he is always racing ahead to the future in his prayer time and how the Examen is reminding him to stay in the day. Matt is someone who likes to make plans and set goals, and so the

  • The Examen in a Nutshell

    14/03/2019 Duración: 24min

    This is the first episode of Season 2 of the Spirituality for Ordinary People Podcast and we are about to shift the focus in a big way. For this season, we are focusing completely on a single spiritual practice - The Examen. Below is a modified version of the Examen, a prayer practice developed by Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556). This way of going through the Examen is outlined in the book A Simple Life-Changing Prayer: Discovering the Power of St. Ignatius Loyola's Examen by Jim Manney. The text below is from chapter 1 “the examen in a nutshell” The examen is a method of reviewing your day in the presence of God. It's actually an attitude more than a method, a time set aside for thankful reflection on where God is in your everyday life. It has five steps, which most people take more or less in order, and it usually takes 15 to 20 minutes per day. Here it is in a nutshell: Ask God for light. I want to look at my day with God's eyes, not merely my own.Give thanks. The day I have just lived is a gift from God. B

  • Austin Fischer | Doubt, the Problem of Evil, and the Bigger Problem of Stuff

    15/01/2019 Duración: 50min

     "Doubt is only a problem if certainty is the expectation."—Austin Fischer Episode 70 of Spirituality for Ordinary People features an interview with Austin Fischer. Austin is the Teaching Pastor at Vista Community Church. His latest book is called Faith in the Shadows: Finding Christ in the Midst of Doubt Key Learnings Everyone has doubts. "The problem of evil" is a cold, rational way to talk about our doubts around the pain and suffering in the world. When we face real suffering it brings a crisis, because we have trouble squaring a God of infinite goodness with the amount of evil in the world. Moving away from faith often happens because we hear nothing from God for very long periods of time. This may be more a perceived "hearing nothing" than what God is really up to. Modern Science can still pose problems for Christians. Augustine is a great source to go to for how we understand the relationship between faith and science. He noted that when science and scripture appear to be in conflict, then the best thi

  • J. Dana Trent | A Skeptics Guide to Christian Meditation

    02/01/2019 Duración: 54min

    "Meditation is intentional about holding the space for listening for God's still small voice."—J. Dana Trent Episode 69 of Spirituality for Ordinary People features another interview with J. Dana Trent.  Dana was on episode 67 speaking about the practice of Sabbath, and this time she is back sharing about Christian Meditation. She is a graduate of Duke Divinity School and professor of World Religions and Critical Thinking at Wake Tech Community College. An ordained Baptist minister and former hospital chaplain, her work has appeared on Time.com, and in Religion News Service, Sojourners, Religion Dispatches, and The Christian Century. Key Learnings The word "meditation" is in scripture. It means "to ponder," "to reflect." Prayer is about talking to God, Meditation is about listening. It is about holding space to listen for the still, small voice of God. Meditation has physiological benefits, including the body's ability to calm itself. Things to Think About What can you do to create space to breathe and listen

  • Phileena Heuertz | Contemplation, Action, and Knowing God

    18/12/2018 Duración: 46min

    "I knew all this stuff about God but I was lacking in terms of how much I knew God in my personhood, in my lived experience..."—Phileena Heuertz Episode 68 of Spirituality for Ordinary People features an interview with Phileena Heuertz.  Phileena has spent her life in social justice work among the world’s poor. A member of the New Friar movement, for nearly 20 years she and her husband Chris served with Word Made Flesh in more than 70 countries building community among victims of human trafficking, survivors of HIV and AIDS, abandoned children and child soldiers and war brides. Author, spiritual director, yoga instructor, public speaker and retreat guide, Phileena is passionate about spirituality and making the world a better place. Key Learnings There is a deep connection between Contemplative Spirituality and being socially engaged. Sometimes you have to let your dog out, even when considering the deepest of issues. As one becomes more and more connected to God it implies a greater connection to others. We

  • J. Dana Trent | For Sabbath's Sake

    11/12/2018 Duración: 55min

    "It's that one day a week that shapes the remaining six..."—J. Dana Trent Episode 67 of Spirituality for Ordinary People features an interview with J. Dana Trent.  J. Dana Trent is a graduate of Duke Divinity School and professor of World Religions and Critical Thinking at Wake Tech Community College. An ordained Baptist minister and former hospital chaplain, her work has appeared on Time.com, and in Religion News Service, Sojourners, Religion Dispatches, and The Christian Century. Key Learnings Sabbath is not ordinary time. Sabbath is about stepping out of paying the bills, doing errands, shopping, etc. and stepping into meaning-making, being closer to God, connecting to community. Sabbath is a privilege. It is no longer a right in American/Canadian culture  God takes time away from creating to be in awe of the creation. When we take time to be in awe of creation a few things happen: we rest, we become more worshipful, we connect with community. There is a tradition of the visit of the Sabbath Queen visiting

  • Manuel Luz | From False Self to True Praise

    04/12/2018 Duración: 01h46s

    "Beauty is a form of truth that God uses to display His glory. Imagination allows us to tap into that again - to see God through beauty."—Manuel LuzEpisode 66 of Spirituality for Ordinary People features an interview with Manuel Luz. An aerospace engineer by day jazz/pop musician by night, Manuel Luz was called to be a worship pastor 18 years ago. He continues playing gigs, has combined engineering and music in surprising ways (inventing a new musical instrument), and serves at Oak Hills Church in Folsom, California.Key LearningsThe importance of being yourself (being authentic) in the context of worship, and how this must be modeled by worship leadership.Beauty is a form of truth that must not be discounted. Imagination (which is part of the intellect) is a primary way in to appreciate, understand, and recognize the truth of God.Worshipping in the pronouns - pay attention to what are the operative pronouns in the songs being sung in worship. We need a balance of songs where we sing to God ("You"), about God

  • Taking a Break for November

    08/11/2018 Duración: 14min

    Matt Brough explains why there won't be any new episodes of Spirituality for Ordinary People coming out in November. He needs a bit of a buffer time as he adjusts to his new role working as the Program Coordinator for the New Worshipping Communities Initiative (Cyclical PCC) for his denomination. The role is half-time, and he will be staying on as pastor of Prairie Presbyterian Church on a half-time basis as well. Listen in as he explains the approach to starting new Churches and how it is a deeply spiritual process focussed on discerning what the Holy Spirit is up to. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mattbrough.substack.com

  • Imagination, Story, and Hope

    23/10/2018 Duración: 36min

    In Episode 65 of the Spirituality for Ordinary Podcast we revisit two old interviews with children's authors S.D. Smith and Laura Alary who speak about the importance of imagination, ritual, story, and how we need to inspire hope. Matt Brough also shares a bit about his own fiction writing for children, and reads from Laura Alary's new children's Bible, titled Read, Wonder, Listen.LinksMatt Brough's Del Ryder Fantasy Adventure SeriesS.D. Smith and his Green Ember SeriesRead, Wonder, Listen by Laura Alara  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mattbrough.substack.com

  • Darryl Dash | Building Habits for Spiritual Growth

    01/10/2018 Duración: 53min

    "Habits can be a tool, a means to an end, or they can become a distraction if we're not careful because they're not the point—God is the point—they're only there to help us pursue God."—Darryl DashEpisode 64 of Spirituality for Ordinary People features an interview with Darryl Dash. Darryl is a pastor and church planter in Toronto with over 25 years of ministry experience, and author of How to Grow: Applying the Gospel to All of Life. He serves as pastor of Liberty Grace Church and also helps equip church planters with FEB Central. Together with his wife, Charlene, he founded Gospel for Life, an online resource designed to help people grow.Key LearningsThe gospel needs to be central to our daily living. "Self-help Christianity" (i.e. "just try harder) is the opposite of living with the gospel at the center of life.It is possible that half of our life runs on "auto-pilot."We will do better at connecting with God if we can develop habitual routines - things that we don't need to think about or figure out in the

  • Grant Vissers | Calling and Character

    25/09/2018 Duración: 50min

    "It's not depth, it's not breadth, it's not knowledge... it's can you be consistent in your time spent with Jesus?"—Grant VissersEpisode 63 of Spirituality for Ordinary People features an interview with Grant Vissers. Grant is a pastor at St. Paul's Leaksdale Church, a writer, blogger, and host of the Young Church Leaders Podcast.Key LearningsWhen trying to figure out a calling, a vocation, or a next step, listen to the people around you, but make sure that the ones you are listening to have earned the right to speak into your life."Competency will only take you as far as character will allow." — Carey NeiuwhofBeing called into community is a spiritual practice!There is no one who has the perfect/right spiritual guidebook or practice.Physical health impacts emotional health and each impact spiritual healthThings to Think AboutWhat is the place of desire and/or fear in discerning calling, vocation, or taking a next step?What habits are you cultivating that will allow you to run the race well into the future?Sp

  • Michelle Van Loon | Born to Wander

    18/09/2018 Duración: 52min

    "There is a part of discipleship that always leaves us in motion, even if we've lived in the same place our entire lives"—Michelle Van LoonEpisode 62 of Spirituality for Ordinary People features an interview with Michelle Van Loon. Since coming to faith in Christ at the tail end of the Jesus Movement, Michelle’s Jewish heritage, spiritual hunger, and storyteller's sensibilities have shaped her faith journey and informed her writing. She is the author of five books and a regular contributor to Christianity Today's women's blog, In Touch magazine, and is the co-founder of www.ThePerennialGen.com, a website for midlife women and men.Key LearningsThe vocational questions of early adulthood change as we move into the second half of life, moving more toward questions of character."A pilgrim is formed by the question 'do I trust God?'"Every time there is an exile in Scripture it is meant to transform us. "Exile is never the destination, pilgrimage is.""Moral pilgrimage" is the exterior way that we are living out our

  • Ross Lockhart | Beyond Snakes and Shamrocks

    11/09/2018 Duración: 58min

    "The Celtic Christian tradition is not what I would call 'I need a hug theology.' It's deeply grounded in the revelation of Father, Son, and Spirit..."—Ross LockhartEpisode 61 of Spirituality for Ordinary People features an interview with Dr. Ross Lockhart. Ross is Associate Professor and Director of the Centre for Missional Leadership at St. Andrew’s Hall.  Ross serves as the Presbyterian Director of Denominational Formation at Vancouver School of Theology as well as an Adjunct Professor of Homiletics at St. Mark’s College, UBC. He also teaches regularly at Regent College.Key LearningsLooking at how faithful witness happened in a pre-Christian culture might help us understand how to witness today in a post-Christian culture.Things to Think AboutLockhart quotes Maggie Dawn stating, "The hardest pilgrimage is sitting still and going inside yourself." How do you respond?How might we be courageous in our proclamation understanding that sometimes "no" might be the answer?Spiritual Practices Discussed in this Epis

  • Jonathan Merritt | The Fading of Spiritual Language

    14/08/2018 Duración: 50min

    "Only about 13% of Christians 'speak God' about once a week... that's shocking! Because we say we love God, we say we love faith, but we don't talk about faith..."—Jonathan MerrittEpisode 60 of Spirituality for Ordinary People features an interview with Jonathan Merritt. Jonathan Merritt is an award-winning writer on religion, culture, and politics. He currently serves as a contributing writer for The Atlantic and contributing editor for The Week.  Jonathan has published more than 3500 articles in respected outlets such as The New York Times, USA Today, Buzzfeed, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. As a respected voice, he regularly contributes commentary to television, print, and radio news outlets and has been interviewed by ABC World News, NPR, CNN, PBS, MSNBC, Fox News, and CBS’ “60 Minutes.”Jonathan's latest book is Learning to Speak God From Scratch: Why Sacred Words Are Vanishing--and How We Can Revive Them. In it, he argues that Spiritual or Religious Language is fading from use. He went to th

  • Grace Ji-Sun Kim | Healing Our Broken Humanity

    31/07/2018 Duración: 01h03min

    "Fearing one another, hating one another, not welcoming one another... We have to somehow overcome and see what Christ has done when Jesus walked on earth. He didn't build walls, he broke them down..."—Grace Ji-Sun KimEpisode 59 of Spirituality for Ordinary People features an interview with Dr. Grace Ji-Sun Kim. Grace is Associate Professor of Theology at Earlham School of Religion and is the author of over 15 books. Her latest include...  Healing Our Broken Humanity, co-written with Graham Hill, The Homebrewed Christianity Guide to the Holy Spirit.Key LearningsCommunity, society, family is so important when looking at our brokenness, sin, and need for repentance and change.The initial steps toward healing a broken humanity are for local communities of faith, to begin with being convicted of, acknowledging, and lamenting our own sin and our participation in sin.There are four stages to repentance (it is a process!): conviction, contrition, commitment, and change.Things to Think AboutWhat community are you a p

  • Amos Smith - Be Still and Listen

    17/07/2018 Duración: 53min

    Click here and Enter for a chance to win a copy of Amos Smith's latest book, Be Still and Listen"Augustine said that people try to fill that God-shaped hole in the brothel, in the bar, with their spouse, but nothing really satisfies, gives a deep sense of fulfillment and purpose, like a direct experience of God's presence.  "—Amos SmithEpisode 58 of Spirituality for Ordinary People features an interview Amos Smith. Amos writes at his website about Recovering Christianity's Mystic Roots and is the author of Healing The Divide: Recovering Christianity’s Mystic Roots and BE STILL AND LISTEN: Experience the Presence of God in Your Life.Key LearningsHaving 40 minutes a day for silence and centering prayer, though counter-cultural, ought not be unusual for Christians. Indeed, it is not unusual for the Eastern Church.Mystics can sometimes be branded as either "deranged" or dangerous to the establishment.Time away for silence is vital for a deepening relationship with God in Christ.Spending regular and extended time

  • Rachel Schmoyer | Reading Hard Parts of the Bible - a Bible Study on Malachi 1:1-5

    26/06/2018 Duración: 55min

    "It was amazing to me that in this hard part of scriputre, there were things we could immediately apply."—Rachel SchmoyerEpisode 57 of Spirituality for Ordinary People features Rachel Schmoyer. Rachel has a website called "Read the Hard Parts" which focusses on looking at some of the most difficult passages in Scripture and looks to discover what truth we might glean.Rather than the usual interview format, Rachel and I do an essentially unplanned Bible Study on Malachi 1:1-5:1 The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel through Malachi.2 “I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have You loved us?” “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob; 3 but I have hated Esau, and I have made his mountains a desolation and appointed his inheritance for the jackals of the wilderness.” 4 Though Edom says, “We have been beaten down, but we will return and build up the ruins”; thus says the Lord of hosts, “They may build, but I will tear down; and men will call them the wicked ter

  • Alicia Brummeler | Everywhere God

    20/06/2018 Duración: 44min

    "When I look beyond my own circumstances and catch these other glimmers of how God is moving and acting in the world and in other peoples' lives, then I realize He is here with me..."—Alicia BrummelerEpisode 56 of Spirituality for Ordinary People features an interview with Alicia Brummeler. In it, we focus on her book, Everywhere God: Exploring the Ordinary Places. We discuss encountering God in when spiritually adrift, having or not having tangible experiences of God, encountering God in rituals, encountering God in literature.Key LearningsHaving friends who sit with, pray with, or are present with you are so important.Universalizing spiritual experience, particularly for others, in times of dryness, is not helpful.Things to Think AboutDo we trust that God is, in fact, at work even when we don't seem to experience God?Spiritual Practices Discussed in this EpisodeJournalingReading through the PsalmsBeing OutsideEating together with familyReadingLinks and Resources:Alicia Brummeler's websiteEverywhere God: Exp

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