Sermons & Such - Haven Berkeley Faith Community

What does it take to speak when everyone around you is saying something else? In this teaching from Haven’s recurring Everyday Heroes series, we meet Micaiah, a little-known prophet who refuses to echo the 400 voices telling King Ahab what he wants to hear.

As the Collective Care in Uncaring Times series comes to a close, this teaching invites us to consider what collective care looks like when we look beyond the immediate moment. Reflecting on Corinthians and Revelation, we explore the idea that we are invited to collaborate with the Divine in building communities and a world that can outlast us. Even when disappointment, loss, and uncertainty make it difficult to imagine a hopeful future, we can continue the work of nurturing, repairing, and renewing what has been entrusted to us. Looking ahead, then, becomes an act of hope, humility, and collective care. Review Leah’s notes here and listen to or watch the teaching below. Collective Care Looks Ahead (August 16, 2026) Leah Martens

Teaching Team Speaker Sylvia Williams continues Haven’s Collective Care in Uncaring Times series by exploring Jesus’ command to “love one another and asking what it looks like for a church to become known by its love. Drawing from the stories of John and the Book of Ruth, Sylvia reflects on the power of accompaniment, generosity, hospitality, and community across differences. Drawing from her own experiences of finding belonging in small group community and practical examples from Haven’s own life together, she reminds us that love is most visible in the everyday ways we show up for one another.Review Sylvia’s notes here and listen to or watch the teaching below. They Will Know You Are My Disciples By Your Love (August 2, 2026) Sylvia Williams

Continuing Haven’s series, Collective Care in Uncaring Times, Leah explores what it means to pursue repair in a world increasingly shaped by disconnection and relationship rupture.

In this teaching, Leah continues Haven’s series, Collective Care in Uncaring Times, exploring how truth-telling is an essential act of collective care.

Continuing this season’s series, Collective Care in Uncaring Times, Leah explores what Jesus meant when he spoke of God as Abba, a nurturing parent whose character is defined by compassion, generosity, and care.

In this compelling Pride Sunday teaching, speaker Jenny Kwan explores the intersection of psychology, spirituality, and social exclusion through the provocative claim that “disgust is not the voice of God.”

In this deeply personal and theologically grounded teaching, guest speaker luca reflects on burnout, trauma, interdependence, and the spiritual damage caused by cultures of endless productivity and self-sufficiency.

In this opening teaching for Haven’s new series, “Collective Care in Uncaring Times,” Leah explores how communities of compassion can resist the hostility, isolation, and exhaustion of the modern world.

Guest speaker Remi Shores (they/them) reflects on the Emmaus road story in Gospel of Luke, exploring what it means to live in a story whose ending we can not yet see.

In Resurrection Amidst Fear, Leah wrestles with the tension between the Easter proclamation and the very real fear shaping our world today. Grounded in Matthew’s resurrection account, she highlights how the women at the tomb experience both fear and great joy, revealing that resurrection does not eliminate fear but transforms how we live within it.

In this Lenten teaching inspired by the Tell Me Something Good series from A Sanctified Art, our guest Speaker Sylvia reflects on three healing stories from the Gospel of Mark and what they reveal about care, community, and justice.

In this week of the Tell Me Something Good series, we explore the story of the woman who anoints Jesus’ feet in Luke 7. While others judge her past and her presence, Jesus recognizes her act as a profound expression of love and gratitude.

In this opening teaching of the Tell Me Something Good series, Leah exploresJesus’ parable of the Great Banquet and what it reveals about the heart of God’s Kin-Dom.

In this teaching from the Everyday Heroes series, Leah turns to the story of Rahab to explore courage, faith, and resistance from the margins.

In this new series, Everyday Heroes, Leah invites us to look beyond biblical “heroes” we already know and toward the quiet courage of everyday people who resist violence and preserve life. Centering the story of the midwives Shiphrah and Puah in Exodus, the sermon explores how faithfulness can take the form of moral courage, sacred skill, and strategic resistance.

In this final Sunday of Advent, Pastor Leah reflects on how love calls us to move through fear and into solidarity.

In this Advent message, Leah explores what it means to practice hope when life veers off the path we thought it “should” follow.

In the final instalment of Adulting in Faith, Pastor Leah explores what it means to grow into mature, justice-oriented faith through the practice of solidarity.

What does it mean to keep growing in faith once we’ve already “grown up”? In this teaching, Pastor Leah invites us to explore “centered-set” spiritually: a faith not defined by boundaries of who’s in or out, but by our collective movement toward the Divine center of love and justice.

In this third installment of Adulting in Faith, Leah leads a trauma-informed and deeply honest conversation about money, faith, and what it means to mature spiritually through our use of resources.

In this timely teaching from the Adulting in Faith series, Pastor Leah addresses how we can mature in our faith while living through escalating violence and division.

In the opening message of the Adulting in Faith series, Leah explores what it means to grow up spiritually, both as individuals and as a community.

Guest speaker Sylvia invites us to wrestle with one of the most difficult and often overlooked stories in scripture: the unnamed concubine in Judges 19.

Guest speaker luca offers a gospel-infused reimagining of self-care, one rooted not in consumerism or productivity, but in sacred rest and shared belovedness.

In this Pentecost teaching, Leah wraps up the Earthly Empire and Divine Kin-dom series by tracing the Spirit’s liberating work across Scripture, history, and today.

In this powerful teaching, Leah explores what true greatness looks like in the Divine Kin-dom, contrasting it with the domination and hierarchy of empire. Drawing from the gospel of Mark, she unpacks two parallel stories where Jesus flips the script on greatness, calling his followers to service, humility, and care for the most vulnerable.

In this storytelling-centered teaching, Leah weaves together three profound “scar stories” to explore how resurrection, resilience, and healing often show up bearing the marks of suffering. She begins with the familiar post-Easter story of Jesus inviting Thomas to touch his wounds, reminding us that Divine transformation doesn’t erase our pain, but honors it.

This Easter, Leah invites us to see resurrection not just as personal salvation, but as a profound act of resistance to Empire. In a time when powerful voices long for modern-day Caesars, Leah contrasts Ancient Rome with the Divine Kin-dom Jesus proclaimed: a vision built not on domination but on relational connection and justice.

In this teaching of the “Earthly Empire and Divine Kin-dom” series, Leah walks us through the last, harrowing chapter of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life: his work in the German resistance, his arrest, and his ultimate execution. Amidst moral ambiguity and deep suffering, Bonhoeffer never stopped seeking Christ’s presence in the complexity of real life.

In this next teaching on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Leah explores his leadership in the Confessing Church and his efforts to disciple Christian resistance in Nazi Germany. She shares how Bonhoeffer trained young pastors in an underground seminary, centering their faith on intentional community and the radical teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount.

As Lent begins, Leah launches a special series within “Earthly Empire & Divine Kin-dom,” focusing on the life and resistance of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. She examines how Bonhoeffer’s time in New York—studying at Union Theological Seminary, worshiping at Abyssinian Baptist Church, and confronting American racism—transformed his understanding of Jesus and justice.

In this next installment of the “Empire and Kin-dom” series, Leah examines how resistance stories have shaped movements for justice and survival.

Leah launches the “Earthly Empire and Divine Kin-dom” series by exploring the stark contrast between earthly power and God’s vision for community.

In this powerful reflection, Leah draws upon the prophetic legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to inspire “A Time of Sacred Preparation.”

In this Epiphany teaching, Leah explores the Divine revelations in the story of Jesus’ baptism and how they resonate today.

Leah kicks off Advent with a reflective teaching on the theme “You Are a Blessing.”

In this closing teaching of the “Hurt to Whole” series, Leah introduces the concept of post-traumatic growth (PTG), the remarkable capacity of the human spirit to find resilience and even transformation after trauma.

In this insightful teaching, Leah delves into the significance of sharing our untold stories as part of the “Hurt to Whole” series.

In this special service, Leah bridges the themes of the “Hurt to Whole” series with Caleb’s renaming ceremony, highlighting the profound concept of embodiment.

Join Leah as she leads us into the transformative new “Hurt to Whole” series, where she explores the deep connections between trauma, healing, and spirituality. Reflecting on her father’s experience with PTSD and her own year-long study of trauma care, she sheds light on how trauma affects our bodies, minds, and relationships. In this session, Leah tackles essential questions such as what trauma is, how it shows up, and how being trauma-informed can shape our spiritual communities. With compassion and insight, she also connects Jesus’ ministry to modern trauma care, offering pathways for healing and hope. Discover how we, too, can move from hurt to whole.Review Leah’s notes here and listen to or watch the teaching below. Exploring Trauma and Healing Leah Martens

Join Leah as she concludes the "Sacred Sources" series with a captivating look at biblical interpretation. Drawing inspiration from the Greek god Hermes, Leah introduces us to the art and science of hermeneutics – the practice of deriving meaning from texts. She expertly guides us through various interpretive lenses used throughout history, from early Jewish and Christian approaches to modern liberation and feminist theologies. Leah then turns our attention to Jesus' own interpretive key, found in Matthew 22:34-40, which emphasizes love as the central tenet of faith. This enlightening teaching equips us with valuable insights for reading scripture through a lens of love, encouraging a deeper and more nuanced engagement with the Bible. Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your biblical understanding and enrich your faith journey.Review Leah’s notes here and listen to or watch the teaching below. Reading Through Love Leah Martens

In this Sunday’s teaching, Leah starts off with a light-hearted anecdote involving a text message mix-up during an airport pick-up, highlighting the generational differences in communication. This sets the stage for a deeper exploration of the New Testament Epistles, a collection of letters that hold significant value in the Christian tradition. We delve into the context in which these letters were written, their intended audience, and the practice of pseudepigraphy, which sometimes complicates authorship. The message encourages us to discern which teachings in these ancient texts are relevant to our modern faith journey, particularly as we examine the universally accepted Pauline Epistle to the Philippians. Through this, we aim to find timeless lessons that continue to inspire and guide us today. Someone Else's Mail Leah Martens

In today’s teaching, Leah unpacks the complexities of the New Testament Gospels as part of the summer series, “Sacred Sources.” During seminary, many students face a pivotal moment when they realize the Bible’s formation is more complex than previously imagined. This often leads to a crisis of faith, but it can also lead to a more mature and nuanced understanding of these sacred texts. In this teaching, Leah explores what the Gospels are, how they came to be, and their significance. While the Gospels aren’t eyewitness accounts or direct transcripts of Jesus’ words, they are powerful, faith-driven narratives that offer us a profound connection to Jesus. By understanding the historical and literary context of these texts, we can approach them with fresh eyes and deeper reverence, finding new ways to connect with the life and teachings of Jesus.Review Leah’s notes here and listen to or watch the teaching below. The Gospel Truths Leah Martens

Discover the captivating story of the Bedouin shepherds whose curiosity in 1947 unearthed one of the most profound archaeological discoveries of our time: the Dead Sea Scrolls. Join Leah as she continues her “Sacred Sources” series, delving into these ancient texts, exploring their significance and how they shape our understanding of faith today.Review Leah’s notes here and listen to or watch the teaching below. Making Meaning with the Hebrew Bible Leah Martens

Discover the transformative power of scripture in two poignant stories that span decades. From a freshman’s eye-opening Bible study experience to the unsettling rise of Christian nationalism, these tales explore how the Bible can inspire faith and compassion while also being misused to entrench bigotry and power. Join Pastor Leah on a journey through “Sacred Sources,” where she delves into the ancient, diverse, and sometimes ambiguous texts of the Bible, and learn how to reclaim its wisdom for a more just and loving world.Review Leah’s notes here and listen to or watch the teaching below.(And to watch the video mentioned at the end of Leah’s teaching, click this YouTube link.) It's Our Bible, Too (July 7th, 2024) Leah Martens

Join Pastor Leah as she delves into the intersection of spirituality and mental health through the lens of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). This teaching unpacks the "Wise Mind" concept, highlighting how Jesus embodied this balance of emotion and reason in his actions and teachings. Through relatable anecdotes and biblical stories, Leah explorse practical DBT skills like mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Discover how these tools can help us stay grounded, connected, and focused on what truly matters in challenging times. Tune in for an enriching journey towards deeper wisdom and spiritual resilience.Review Leah’s notes here and listen to or watch the teaching below. Finding Wisdom (June 16th, 2024) Leah Martens

Step into a journey of discovery with Lead Pastor Leah as she shares a heartwarming anecdote about her daughter's profound insight that reshaped her perception of God. Set against the backdrop of Pride Month, Leah leads us into the realm of Queer Theology, unraveling its significance in navigating complex aspects of faith and identity. Through the lens of author Patrick Cheng's nuanced definitions and author Mihee Kim-Kort's insightful perspectives, Leah invites us to explore the multifaceted meanings of queerness and its potential impact on our spirituality. Don't miss this opportunity to engage in a dialogue that challenges conventions and fosters a deeper understanding of ourselves and the Divine.Review Leah’s notes here and listen to or watch the teaching below. <div class="sqs-audio-embed" data-design-style="minimal" data-show-download="false" data-file-location="" data-url="" data-asset-url="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54a725b7e4b03d35acc7bbf7/t/6662ba4255e9fe35392707a7/1756942010833/2+june+2024+teaching+only.mp3" data-title=""What can stand in the way?" Insights from Queer Theology (June 2nd, 2024)" data-author="Leah Martens" data-length-in-milli-seconds="2590000" data-no-file="No File" data-untitled="Untitled"> "What can stand in the way?" Insights from Queer Theology (June 2nd, 2024) Leah Martens

Embark on a transformative journey of spiritual exploration with this Sunday’s enlightening discourse. Inspired by personal encounters and sacred sites like the Temple Mount, our guest speaker invites you to transcend the confines of singular belief systems and embrace the richness of spiritual diversity.Delve into "omnism," advocating respect for all religions, fostering appreciation for diverse beliefs. Challenge traditional boundaries, exploring dangers of misinterpretation and urging curiosity. Discover Hindu philosophy's wisdom in diverse spiritual approaches through "Ishta Devata" and interconnectedness. Reflect on parallels between quantum entanglement and spiritual interconnectedness.Join us on a journey of discovery and enlightenment, where open hearts and open minds pave the way for a more inclusive and harmonious world. Embrace the boundless potential of spiritual growth and interconnectedness, as we honour the richness and diversity of belief systems that shape our collective journey toward truth and enlightenment.Review luca’s notes here and listen to or watch the teaching below. Embracing the Spectrum of Belief: Understanding and Appreciating Diversity in Spiritual Thought lux

Embark on a soul-stirring exploration with Leah as she ventures into the depths of theodicy, seeking to unravel the tangled threads of suffering and faith. Reflecting on poignant personal moments and insights gleaned from her studies, Leah guides listeners through four thought-provoking models that grapple with the age-old question: where is God in the midst of suffering? From the traditional notion of "God's Plan" to the contemporary perspectives of divine empathy and human agency, each model offers a unique lens through which to view life's complexities.Drawing from theological giants like John Calvin to contemporary thinkers like Thomas Oord, Leah navigates the intricacies of faith with grace and candor. Through poignant anecdotes and scholarly reflections, she invites listeners to ponder their own experiences of suffering and the ways in which they encounter the divine in the midst of life's storms.As Leah shares her own evolving journey through the maze of theodicy, she offers not answers, but an invitation to wrestle with the profound mysteries of existence. Ultimately, she reminds us of the enduring hope that threads through our tradition—a hope that one day, all tears will be wiped away, and a new order of peace and wholeness will dawn.Join Leah on this transformative exploration, and discover where your own path intersects with the eternal questions of faith, suffering, and redemption.Review Leah’s notes here and listen to or watch the teaching below. Navigating the Maze: God & Suffering (May 5th, 2024) Leah Martens