The Practice Podcast

Eugene Peterson wrote, "Most Christians for most of the Christian centuries have learned to pray by praying the Psalms. The Hebrews, with several centuries of a head start on us in matters of prayer and worship, provided us with this prayer book that gives us a language adequate for responding to the God who speaks to us." In this series, we will consider how the Psalms teach us to worship and pray. The Psalms are a rich array of reflections on God's character, power, love, and activity in the world. They are also reflections of what it means for us to know, trust, and follow God. Written within the collection of Psalms, are words of praise, cries of help, expressions of anguish and of joy. How do we see our lives reflected in the words of the Psalms? How do the Psalms lead us to a deeper understanding of God enriching our worship of Him? How do the Psalms inform and guide us as we pray?  This week, we practiced a rhythm of listening and responding to the faith and trust we find in Psalm 46.

Eugene Peterson wrote, "Most Christians for most of the Christian centuries have learned to pray by praying the Psalms. The Hebrews, with several centuries of a head start on us in matters of prayer and worship, provided us with this prayer book that gives us a language adequate for responding to the God who speaks to us." In this series, we will consider how the Psalms teach us to worship and pray. The Psalms are a rich array of reflections on God's character, power, love, and activity in the world. They are also reflections of what it means for us to know, trust, and follow God. Written within the collection of Psalms, are words of praise, cries of help, expressions of anguish and of joy. How do we see our lives reflected in the words of the Psalms? How do the Psalms lead us to a deeper understanding of God enriching our worship of Him? How do the Psalms inform and guide us as we pray?  This Sunday, Cheryl You invites us to consider the intersection of sorrow and joy found in Psalm 126.

Eugene Peterson wrote, "Most Christians for most of the Christian centuries have learned to pray by praying the Psalms. The Hebrews, with several centuries of a head start on us in matters of prayer and worship, provided us with this prayer book that gives us a language adequate for responding to the God who speaks to us." In this series, we will consider how the Psalms teach us to worship and pray. The Psalms are a rich array of reflections on God's character, power, love, and activity in the world. They are also reflections of what it means for us to know, trust, and follow God. Written within the collection of Psalms, are words of praise, cries of help, expressions of anguish and of joy. How do we see our lives reflected in the words of the Psalms? How do the Psalms lead us to a deeper understanding of God enriching our worship of Him? How do the Psalms inform and guide us as we pray? This week, Warren Anderson explores the Psalms' exhortation to 'sing a new song' and invites us to consider how congregational singing shapes our spiritual formation.

Eugene Peterson wrote, "Most Christians for most of the Christian centuries have learned to pray by praying the Psalms. The Hebrews, with several centuries of a head start on us in matters of prayer and worship, provided us with this prayer book that gives us a language adequate for responding to the God who speaks to us." In this series, we will consider how the Psalms teach us to worship and pray. The Psalms are a rich array of reflections on God's character, power, love, and activity in the world. They are also reflections of what it means for us to know, trust, and follow God. Written within the collection of Psalms, are words of praise, cries of help, expressions of anguish and of joy. How do we see our lives reflected in the words of the Psalms? How do the Psalms lead us to a deeper understanding of God enriching our worship of Him? How do the Psalms inform and guide us as we pray? This week, Christy Davis explores grief and grieving through the lens of Psalm 88. Note: Some of the lyrics from this week's song meditation might be difficult to hear clearly so we have included them here: Psalm 88 by Poor Bishop Hooper oh god of my salvation  i cry out day and night may my prayer come now before you would you listen to my cry for my soul is full of troubles and death it draws near with no strength i'm like the slain in the grave whom you no longer remember  darkness is my only friend in the darkest places and the deeps your wrath lies heavy upon me you have overwhelmed me with your waves i am trapped and i cannot escape my eyes grow dim in sorrow every day i call to you lord i open up my hands do you work wonders for the dead do departed rise to praise you does your love come from the grave are your wonders known in abbadon or good where those forget? darkness is my only friend oh why do you hide your face from me close to my demise since i was a kid your wrath your assaults all surrounding i suffer your horrors i'm desperate darkness is my only friend

Eugene Peterson wrote, "Most Christians for most of the Christian centuries have learned to pray by praying the Psalms. The Hebrews, with several centuries of a head start on us in matters of prayer and worship, provided us with this prayer book that gives us a language adequate for responding to the God who speaks to us." In this series, we will consider how the Psalms teach us to worship and pray. The Psalms are a rich array of reflections on God's character, power, love, and activity in the world. They are also reflections of what it means for us to know, trust, and follow God. Written within the collection of Psalms, are words of praise, cries of help, expressions of anguish and of joy. How do we see our lives reflected in the words of the Psalms? How do the Psalms lead us to a deeper understanding of God enriching our worship of Him? How do the Psalms inform and guide us as we pray? Chris Griffith joins this week to shepherd us through Psalm 23.

Eugene Peterson wrote, "Most Christians for most of the Christian centuries have learned to pray by praying the Psalms. The Hebrews, with several centuries of a head start on us in matters of prayer and worship, provided us with this prayer book that gives us a language adequate for responding to the God who speaks to us." In this series, we will consider how the Psalms teach us to worship and pray. The Psalms are a rich array of reflections on God's character, power, love, and activity in the world. They are also reflections of what it means for us to know, trust, and follow God. Written within the collection of Psalms, are words of praise, cries of help, expressions of anguish and of joy. How do we see our lives reflected in the words of the Psalms? How do the Psalms lead us to a deeper understanding of God enriching our worship of Him? How do the Psalms inform and guide us as we pray? This Week, Erin Lonard explores the themes of Psalm 34. Note: The Practice for this week included a community conversation. That conversation can be found on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/live/QWds_wApcW8?si=UY1xanRYqel0xGpA&t=3465

Paul encouraged the Christians in Corinth by writing, "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good." (1 Corinthians 12:4-7) In this series, we will be exploring how each of us are gifted to serve in God's kingdom. We will reflect on spiritual gifts. How do spiritual gifts enable us to join in the work of the Holy Spirit in the world? Guided by the two motifs: Prophet, Priest, and King and the 5-Fold Ministry Paul details in his letter to the Ephesians, we are invited to consider what spiritual gifts we identify with and how those gifts influence the way we join with the Spirit's kingdom work in the world today. This week, Rebecca Moss invites to consider Ephesians 4:7-16 and the ways in whch God gives us as gifts to one another.

Paul encouraged the Christians in Corinth by writing, "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good." (1 Corinthians 12:4-7) In this series, we will be exploring how each of us are gifted to serve in God's kingdom. We will reflect on spiritual gifts. How do spiritual gifts enable us to join in the work of the Holy Spirit in the world? Guided by the two motifs: Prophet, Priest, and King and the 5-Fold Ministry Paul details in his letter to the Ephesians, we are invited to consider what spiritual gifts we identify with and how those gifts influence the way we join with the Spirit's kingdom work in the world today. This week, Casey Tygrett guides us through Paul's words about unity and spiritual gifts to the Church in Rome.

Paul encouraged the Christians in Corinth by writing, "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good." (1 Corinthians 12:4-7) In this series, we will be exploring how each of us are gifted to serve in God's kingdom. We will reflect on spiritual gifts. How do spiritual gifts enable us to join in the work of the Holy Spirit in the world? Guided by the two motifs: Prophet, Priest, and King and the 5-Fold Ministry Paul details in his letter to the Ephesians, we are invited to consider what spiritual gifts we identify with and how those gifts influence the way we join with the Spirit's kingdom work in the world today. This week, Gail Donahue explores Paul's teaching on spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11.

Jesus's resurrection from the dead that first Easter morning changed everything. He began his ministry by announcing the arrival of the kingdom of God, and in his death and resurrection he defeated the powers of sin. Yet, we still live in a world consumed by darkness. We suffer, we grieve, we lose hope. The kingdom of God is a present reality for us now, but not all of God's promises have been fulfilled. We live in the tension of the "already, but not yet." In this series, we will be exploring the time between Jesus's resurrection and Pentecost, in some traditions called Eastertide.  We will consider how these stories and experiences inform our lives as we continue to live in the reality of God's kingdom having arrived, yet not in its fullness. How are the different stories reflected in our own lives? What do these stories teach us about living in the "already, but not yet" tension? This week, Jason Hitchcock recounts the story of Pentecost and invites us to consider how we might communicate the Gospel to those whom God has prepared to encounter it. For additional resources, visit our website.

Jesus's resurrection from the dead that first Easter morning changed everything. He began his ministry by announcing the arrival of the kingdom of God, and in his death and resurrection he defeated the powers of sin. Yet, we still live in a world consumed by darkness. We suffer, we grieve, we lose hope. The kingdom of God is a present reality for us now, but not all of God's promises have been fulfilled. We live in the tension of the "already, but not yet." In this series, we will be exploring the time between Jesus's resurrection and Pentecost, in some traditions called Eastertide.  We will consider how these stories and experiences inform our lives as we continue to live in the reality of God's kingdom having arrived, yet not in its fullness. How are the different stories reflected in our own lives? What do these stories teach us about living in the "already, but not yet" tension? This week, Bill Donahue examines the story for Jesus's ascension and explores what that event means for our world, our faith communities and our individual lives. For additional resources, visit our website.

Jesus's resurrection from the dead that first Easter morning changed everything. He began his ministry by announcing the arrival of the kingdom of God, and in his death and resurrection he defeated the powers of sin. Yet, we still live in a world consumed by darkness. We suffer, we grieve, we lose hope. The kingdom of God is a present reality for us now, but not all of God's promises have been fulfilled. We live in the tension of the "already, but not yet." In this series, we will be exploring the time between Jesus's resurrection and Pentecost, in some traditions called Eastertide.  We will consider how these stories and experiences inform our lives as we continue to live in the reality of God's kingdom having arrived, yet not in its fullness. How are the different stories reflected in our own lives? What do these stories teach us about living in the "already, but not yet" tension? This week, Tim Gombis draws our attention to the end of the Gospel of Matthew and reexamines the final command that Jesus gives to his disciples. For additional resources, visit our website.

Jesus's resurrection from the dead that first Easter morning changed everything. He began his ministry by announcing the arrival of the kingdom of God, and in his death and resurrection he defeated the powers of sin. Yet, we still live in a world consumed by darkness. We suffer, we grieve, we lose hope. The kingdom of God is a present reality for us now, but not all of God's promises have been fulfilled. We live in the tension of the "already, but not yet." In this series, we will be exploring the time between Jesus's resurrection and Pentecost, in some traditions called Eastertide.  We will consider how these stories and experiences inform our lives as we continue to live in the reality of God's kingdom having arrived, yet not in its fullness. How are the different stories reflected in our own lives? What do these stories teach us about living in the "already, but not yet" tension? This week, Nicole Howe explored the interaction between Jesus and Peter on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. How might Jesus want to enter into our stories, healing our wounds and inviting us to 'love our way into love'? For additional resources, visit our website.

Jesus's resurrection from the dead that first Easter morning changed everything. He began his ministry by announcing the arrival of the kingdom of God, and in his death and resurrection he defeated the powers of sin. Yet, we still live in a world consumed by darkness. We suffer, we grieve, we lose hope. The kingdom of God is a present reality for us now, but not all of God's promises have been fulfilled. We live in the tension of the "already, but not yet." In this series, we will be exploring the time between Jesus's resurrection and Pentecost, in some traditions called Eastertide.  We will consider how these stories and experiences inform our lives as we continue to live in the reality of God's kingdom having arrived, yet not in its fullness. How are the different stories reflected in our own lives? What do these stories teach us about living in the "already, but not yet" tension? This week, Joan Kelley led us through the story the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, exploring how Jesus meets us in the times when things do not go as 'we had hoped'. How might we encounter the Risen Christ as we look for him in our everyday lives? For additional resources, visit our website. If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

Jesus's resurrection from the dead that first Easter morning changed everything. He began his ministry by announcing the arrival of the kingdom of God, and in his death and resurrection he defeated the powers of sin. Yet, we still live in a world consumed by darkness. We suffer, we grieve, we lose hope. The kingdom of God is a present reality for us now, but not all of God's promises have been fulfilled. We live in the tension of the "already, but not yet." In this series, we will be exploring the time between Jesus's resurrection and Pentecost, in some traditions called Eastertide.  We will consider how these stories and experiences inform our lives as we continue to live in the reality of God's kingdom having arrived, yet not in its fullness. How are the different stories reflected in our own lives? What do these stories teach us about living in the "already, but not yet" tension? This week, Rebecca Moss explored how our doubts can be an invitation to an authentic, resilient faith in Jesus. We looked at the story of Thomas, in the Gospel of John, and how Thomas's doubts and later profession of faith help us understand our own doubts and uncertainties as we live in the tension of the "already, but not yet" reality of God's kingdom. The life of faith is an invitational one, able to hold a space for our believing and our questioning and doubts.  For additional resources, visit our website. If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

Alleluia! Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! This week we remember and celebrate Christ's victory over death when he rose from the tomb that first Easter morning.  This week, Jason led us through the story of Mary Magdalen at the tomb, encountering the risen Jesus. Mary, initially, does not recognize him because she had a limited picture of Jesus as the Messiah. Jason invited us to consider, what gets in our way of recognizing Jesus in our own lives?  When we encounter grief, pain, loss, unfulfilled expectations or when our days simply feel like we are "living on the verge of tears," Mary's story reminds us that God is very present with us. We are invited to look for Jesus in our grief, sorrow and disappointments.  If you are interested in the guides we shared in the gathering, you can find them here: Breath Prayer Scripture Memorization Examen If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

C.S. Lewis once said that our ideas about God are not "divine ideas." As much as we'd like to believe that our views of God are always biblical, we all bring assumptions and default beliefs to the table through our lived experience. Our culture, relationships, childhood hurts, and even our churches can all wrongly influence and shape our beliefs about who God is – often without us even realizing it. Rather than following  the one, true God, we end up worshiping a God shaped by our own experiences.  In this series, we'll examine some common default views of God many of us carry – often unconsciously – and ask whether they tell the whole story. We'll invite God to shatter some of these false images to make way for a clearer view. And as we do, we'll pray to be reshaped into the kinds of people who don't project our fears onto God but rather reflect God's wisdom and ways into the world.   This week, we considered how we respond once we have recognized our default pictures of God. How can we move toward God so our pictures can be re-formed and grounded in a truer, more beautiful picture of who God actually is? If you are interested in the guides we shared in the gathering, you can find them here: Breath Prayer Scripture Memorization Examen If you would like to practice a reflection on our pictures of God here is one we did in Practice Tables  For additional resources, visit our website. If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

C.S. Lewis once said that our ideas about God are not "divine ideas." As much as we'd like to believe that our views of God are always biblical, we all bring assumptions and default beliefs to the table through our lived experience. Our culture, relationships, childhood hurts, and even our churches can all wrongly influence and shape our beliefs about who God is – often without us even realizing it. Rather than following  the one, true God, we end up worshiping a God shaped by our own experiences.  In this series, we'll examine some common default views of God many of us carry – often unconsciously – and ask whether they tell the whole story. We'll invite God to shatter some of these false images to make way for a clearer view. And as we do, we'll pray to be reshaped into the kinds of people who don't project our fears onto God but rather reflect God's wisdom and ways into the world.   This week, we explored the role of expereinces, emotions, and explanations in our default pictures of God. How do they shape meaning in our lives and impact the way we relate to God? If you would like to practice a reflection on our pictures of God here is one we did in Practice Tables  If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

C.S. Lewis once said that our ideas about God are not "divine ideas." As much as we'd like to believe that our views of God are always biblical, we all bring assumptions and default beliefs to the table through our lived experience. Our culture, relationships, childhood hurts, and even our churches can all wrongly influence and shape our beliefs about who God is – often without us even realizing it. Rather than following  the one, true God, we end up worshiping a God shaped by our own experiences.  In this series, we'll examine some common default views of God many of us carry – often unconsciously – and ask whether they tell the whole story. We'll invite God to shatter some of these false images to make way for a clearer view. And as we do, we'll pray to be reshaped into the kinds of people who don't project our fears onto God but rather reflect God's wisdom and ways into the world.   This week, we considered how our stated beliefs about God can differ from the default beliefs that drive our actions and relationship with God.  If you would like to practice a reflection on our pictures of God here is one we did in Practice Tables  If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

The music, scripture, prayers, teaching, and practice of our liturgy tells a story about who we are and what we believe. Liturgy forms us, but it is not meant to stay within the walls of a Sunday service. The story we rehearse together is meant to be lived out in the ordinary moments of our lives. So, it is good to remember why we do what we do and consider if our liturgy is forming us to become more like Jesus. We are not called merely to rehearse the liturgy. We are called to live it. In this series, we will explore how the liturgy we practice together shapes us. We will take a closer look at elements of our worship gatherings and ask what kind of story they are inviting us into. Then we will consider how we might live out that story in the small moments of our everyday lives – so we may be formed by Jesus to be like Jesus for the sake of the world. This week, we considered the practice of confession. Recognizing how confession is a practice of surrender which free us to live in the truth of our identities as God's beloved children. If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

The music, scripture, prayers, teaching, and practice of our liturgy tells a story about who we are and what we believe. Liturgy forms us, but it is not meant to stay within the walls of a Sunday service. The story we rehearse together is meant to be lived out in the ordinary moments of our lives. So, it is good to remember why we do what we do and consider if our liturgy is forming us to become more like Jesus. We are not called merely to rehearse the liturgy. We are called to live it. In this series, we will explore how the liturgy we practice together shapes us. We will take a closer look at elements of our worship gatherings and ask what kind of story they are inviting us into. Then we will consider how we might live out that story in the small moments of our everyday lives – so we may be formed by Jesus to be like Jesus for the sake of the world. This week, we explored three questions about liturgy. Why do we intermingle prayers and scripture with song? How does this form of worship help us show up as we are with one another? How does it recalibrate us to the way of Jesus and remind us of who God is and what God has done? If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

The music, scripture, prayers, teaching, and practice of our liturgy tells a story about who we are and what we believe. Liturgy forms us, but it is not meant to stay within the walls of a Sunday service. The story we rehearse together is meant to be lived out in the ordinary moments of our lives. So, it is good to remember why we do what we do and consider if our liturgy is forming us to become more like Jesus. We are not called merely to rehearse the liturgy. We are called to live it. In this series, we will explore how the liturgy we practice together shapes us. We will take a closer look at elements of our worship gatherings and ask what kind of story they are inviting us into. Then we will consider how we might live out that story in the small moments of our everyday lives – so we may be formed by Jesus to be like Jesus for the sake of the world. This week, we considered the invitation of generosity. We explored the radical love and grace of God, and how our identity as children of a generous God invites us to embody that generosity to the world. If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

We live in a world that prioritizes the tangible and practical, but what if there were practices that opened us to another way of seeing the world? What if God is inviting us to kingdom lives, encountering and walking in God's loving and active presence in all things? The sacraments are an invitation to do just that. In these holy practices, the kingdom of heaven breaks into our world in a tangible way. God is profoundly present in the most ordinary elements of water, bread, and juice. Baptism and communion are more than mere symbols. They are a visible sign of God's active presence in all things. They are a mysterious place where we encounter God's grace. And they invite us into an intimate relationship as they embody God's sacred, loyal love to creation and our commitment to find ourselves in God's salvation story. In this series, we will explore a sacramental way of life and walk intentionally through the waters of baptism and sit at the banquet feast of God's holy communion table. This week, we consider the central practice of all our gatherings, the communion table.  If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

We live in a world that prioritizes the tangible and practical, but what if there were practices that opened us to another way of seeing the world? What if God is inviting us to kingdom lives, encountering and walking in God's loving and active presence in all things? The sacraments are an invitation to do just that. In these holy practices, the kingdom of heaven breaks into our world in a tangible way. God is profoundly present in the most ordinary elements of water, bread, and juice. Baptism and communion are more than mere symbols. They are a visible sign of God's active presence in all things. They are a mysterious place where we encounter God's grace. And they invite us into an intimate relationship as they embody God's sacred, loyal love to creation and our commitment to find ourselves in God's salvation story. In this series, we will explore a sacramental way of life and walk intentionally through the waters of baptism and sit at the banquet feast of God's holy communion table. This week, we explored our doctrine of baptism. We shared how we as a community view this sacrament and then practiced in our very first baptism service!  If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

We live in a world that prioritizes the tangible and practical, but what if there were practices that opened us to another way of seeing the world? What if God is inviting us to kingdom lives, encountering and walking in God's loving and active presence in all things? The sacraments are an invitation to do just that. In these holy practices, the kingdom of heaven breaks into our world in a tangible way. God is profoundly present in the most ordinary elements of water, bread, and juice. Baptism and communion are more than mere symbols. They are a visible sign of God's active presence in all things. They are a mysterious place where we encounter God's grace. And they invite us into an intimate relationship as they embody God's sacred, loyal love to creation and our commitment to find ourselves in God's salvation story. In this series, we will explore a sacramental way of life and walk intentionally through the waters of baptism and sit at the banquet feast of God's holy communion table. This week, we considered the tremendous love of God incarnate in Jesus. If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14) Since the very beginning, God's dream has been to dwell with His creation— to walk with us, to speak with us, to share life with humanity. During Advent, we remember the God of the universe who broke into the human story with a tangible, in-the-flesh presence—entering our world to rescue and restore us to this original vision of Immanuel, God with us. In this series, we'll explore how Jesus brings hope, peace, joy, and love into the everyday places of our living, breathing lives. Through the practice of Immanuel Journaling, we will learn to recognize his nearness and listen for the ways we are invited to embody God's presence in the world. This week, we considered the tremendous love of God incarnate in Jesus. If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14) Since the very beginning, God's dream has been to dwell with His creation— to walk with us, to speak with us, to share life with humanity. During Advent, we remember the God of the universe who broke into the human story with a tangible, in-the-flesh presence—entering our world to rescue and restore us to this original vision of Immanuel, God with us. In this series, we'll explore how Jesus brings hope, peace, joy, and love into the everyday places of our living, breathing lives. Through the practice of Immanuel Journaling, we will learn to recognize his nearness and listen for the ways we are invited to embody God's presence in the world. This week, we considered the invitation to a kingdom joy that is relational, responsive, resilient, and reconciling. If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14) Since the very beginning, God's dream has been to dwell with His creation— to walk with us, to speak with us, to share life with humanity. During Advent, we remember the God of the universe who broke into the human story with a tangible, in-the-flesh presence—entering our world to rescue and restore us to this original vision of Immanuel, God with us. In this series, we'll explore how Jesus brings hope, peace, joy, and love into the everyday places of our living, breathing lives. Through the practice of Immanuel Journaling, we will learn to recognize his nearness and listen for the ways we are invited to embody God's presence in the world. This week, We considered the invitation to recieve the peace of wholeness and restoration offered in Jesus, so that we might join the Spirit bringing wholeness and restoration to this broken world. If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14) Since the very beginning, God's dream has been to dwell with His creation— to walk with us, to speak with us, to share life with humanity. During Advent, we remember the God of the universe who broke into the human story with a tangible, in-the-flesh presence—entering our world to rescue and restore us to this original vision of Immanuel, God with us. In this series, we'll explore how Jesus brings hope, peace, joy, and love into the everyday places of our living, breathing lives. Through the practice of Immanuel Journaling, we will learn to recognize his nearness and listen for the ways we are invited to embody God's presence in the world. This week, We considered the invitation of scripture to find our hope in our relationship with Jesus. If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

During his ministry, Jesus repeatedly referred to himself as the Bread of Life. His words would have stirred echoes of the Torah: "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." Just as bread sustains the body, the words of the LORD nourish the soul. Yet, Jesus's teachings were not always easy to digest. His words could be unsettling and paradigm-shifting, turning long-held beliefs on their heads. Some who heard him turned away. But Simon Peter recognized the truth. When others left, he confessed, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" In this series, we will dive deep into one of Jesus's most famous teachings, the Sermon on the Mount. We will consider how these words of life nourish us, even as they challenge us, and how we might apply them to our lived stories today. This week, we considered Jesus's teaching about the narrow and wide roads. If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

During his ministry, Jesus repeatedly referred to himself as the Bread of Life. His words would have stirred echoes of the Torah: "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." Just as bread sustains the body, the words of the LORD nourish the soul. Yet, Jesus's teachings were not always easy to digest. His words could be unsettling and paradigm-shifting, turning long-held beliefs on their heads. Some who heard him turned away. But Simon Peter recognized the truth. When others left, he confessed, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" In this series, we will dive deep into one of Jesus's most famous teachings, the Sermon on the Mount. We will consider how these words of life nourish us, even as they challenge us, and how we might apply them to our lived stories today. This week, we considered Jesus's invitation to a genuine personal relationship with the Lord on prayer. If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

During his ministry, Jesus repeatedly referred to himself as the Bread of Life. His words would have stirred echoes of the Torah: "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." Just as bread sustains the body, the words of the LORD nourish the soul. Yet, Jesus's teachings were not always easy to digest. His words could be unsettling and paradigm-shifting, turning long-held beliefs on their heads. Some who heard him turned away. But Simon Peter recognized the truth. When others left, he confessed, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" In this series, we will dive deep into one of Jesus's most famous teachings, the Sermon on the Mount. We will consider how these words of life nourish us, even as they challenge us, and how we might apply them to our lived stories today. This week, we considered the oft quoted but hard to understanding teaching of Jesus concerning judging. How does this teaching invite us to a life of humility, and what practice does Jesus invite us into to cultivate kingdom humility in our lives? If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

During his ministry, Jesus repeatedly referred to himself as the Bread of Life. His words would have stirred echoes of the Torah: "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." Just as bread sustains the body, the words of the LORD nourish the soul. Yet, Jesus's teachings were not always easy to digest. His words could be unsettling and paradigm-shifting, turning long-held beliefs on their heads. Some who heard him turned away. But Simon Peter recognized the truth. When others left, he confessed, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" In this series, we will dive deep into one of Jesus's most famous teachings, the Sermon on the Mount. We will consider how these words of life nourish us, even as they challenge us, and how we might apply them to our lived stories today. This week, Mike Erre invited us to consider how Jesus' illuminates the difference between an abundance mindset and a scarcity mindset. Rather than living split between what we treasure and what we possess, Jesus' invitation allows us to live with our whole hearts. Having faith in Christ will not make us immune to losing what we enjoy, but our faith in Christ should actively disciple us away from anything we make of ultimate importance above his kingdom life. If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team.

During his ministry, Jesus repeatedly referred to himself as the Bread of Life. His words would have stirred echoes of the Torah: "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." Just as bread sustains the body, the words of the LORD nourish the soul. Yet, Jesus's teachings were not always easy to digest. His words could be unsettling and paradigm-shifting, turning long-held beliefs on their heads. Some who heard him turned away. But Simon Peter recognized the truth. When others left, he confessed, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" In this series, we will dive deep into one of Jesus's most famous teachings, the Sermon on the Mount. We will consider how these words of life nourish us, even as they challenge us, and how we might apply them to our lived stories today. This week, we listened to Jesus's critique of the Pharisee's righteousness practices of almsgiving, prayer, and fasting, and we considered our own practices. Are our practices training us in the love of God and neighbor, or are we training in the love of self? If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

This is a reflective prayer practice that helps us respond to the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 5:43-48 to love our enemies. Here we specifically apply Jesus's teaching to our political enemies. How can we humbly recognize where we might be wrong? How can we acknowledge the virtue on those with whom we disagree, and how can we--with the help of Jesus--see those on the "other side" as beloved bearers of God's image? This practice flows from Justin Giboney's teaching on 10.05.2025 and practices offered by the AND Campaign. If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

During his ministry, Jesus repeatedly referred to himself as the Bread of Life. His words would have stirred echoes of the Torah: "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." Just as bread sustains the body, the words of the LORD nourish the soul. Yet, Jesus's teachings were not always easy to digest. His words could be unsettling and paradigm-shifting, turning long-held beliefs on their heads. Some who heard him turned away. But Simon Peter recognized the truth. When others left, he confessed, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" In this series, we will dive deep into one of Jesus's most famous teachings, the Sermon on the Mount. We will consider how these words of life nourish us, even as they challenge us, and how we might apply them to our lived stories today. This week, Justin Giboney challenged us to pursue, find, and embody a love supreme, and to walk in the indescriminate love of God that extends to all people, even our enemies. If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

During his ministry, Jesus repeatedly referred to himself as the Bread of Life. His words would have stirred echoes of the Torah: "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." Just as bread sustains the body, the words of the LORD nourish the soul. Yet, Jesus's teachings were not always easy to digest. His words could be unsettling and paradigm-shifting, turning long-held beliefs on their heads. Some who heard him turned away. But Simon Peter recognized the truth. When others left, he confessed, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" In this series, we will dive deep into one of Jesus's most famous teachings, the Sermon on the Mount. We will consider how these words of life nourish us, even as they challenge us, and how we might apply them to our lived stories today. This week, Jason walked us through Jesus' teaching on the Law. He reminded us that the Torah is not a set of legal rules, rather it is a vision for how to live into an entirely new Kingdom. The grace of the gospel isn't to set us free from obeying hard teachings, it is to give us a new heart so we might obey with our full selves. Jesus came to give us to transform us from the inside out. If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

During his ministry, Jesus repeatedly referred to himself as the Bread of Life. His words would have stirred echoes of the Torah: "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." Just as bread sustains the body, the words of the LORD nourish the soul. Yet, Jesus's teachings were not always easy to digest. His words could be unsettling and paradigm-shifting, turning long-held beliefs on their heads. Some who heard him turned away. But Simon Peter recognized the truth. When others left, he confessed, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" In this series, we will dive deep into one of Jesus's most famous teachings, the Sermon on the Mount. We will consider how these words of life nourish us, even as they challenge us, and how we might apply them to our lived stories today. Dostoyevsky once said that "beauty will save the world." This week, Rick Callahan invited us to consider how Jesus' call to be Salt and Light echoes the call for Christians to fill the world with Truth, Goodness, and Beauty. While many of us find it easy to focus on the first two, it's not always clear where Beauty fits in. Rick helped us explore how doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God (Micah 6:8) can make the world a more beautiful place, helping us live into Jesus' command to be Salt and Light in a world desperate for healing and transformation. If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

During his ministry, Jesus repeatedly referred to himself as the Bread of Life. His words would have stirred echoes of the Torah: "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." Just as bread sustains the body, the words of the LORD nourish the soul. Yet, Jesus's teachings were not always easy to digest. His words could be unsettling and paradigm-shifting, turning long-held beliefs on their heads. Some who heard him turned away. But Simon Peter recognized the truth. When others left, he confessed, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" In this series, we will dive deep into one of Jesus's most famous teachings, the Sermon on the Mount. We will consider how these words of life nourish us, even as they challenge us, and how we might apply them to our lived stories today. This week, Rebecca Moss led us in an exploration of Jesus' upside-down vision of the kingdom through the opening words of the Sermon on the Mount. How might the "Beatitudes" invite us into a deeper understanding of true flourishing and challenge us to believe in goodness, even when it leaves us vulnerable?   If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

Parables are a significant part of Jesus's teaching. These brilliant stories paint a picture of life in the kingdom, teaching us about God, ourselves, and the Lord's presence and activity in the world. But they are not easy. Rather than give us simple platitudes and truisms, Jesus challenges us with parables. They are intended to draw us in. Jesus wants us to wrestle with them, to walk around with, meditate and have conversations about them. In this series, we will dig into the context of parables from Luke's Gospel. We will consider the picture Jesus is painting of God's kingdom, and we will engage these stories through the spiritual practice of visio divina (with some original art from our community). This week, we contemplated the Good Samaritan. Nicole invited us to consider how inheriting eternal life is not a transactional box to check, but an ongoing invitation to love.  We practiced visio divina together with this painting. If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

Parables are a significant part of Jesus's teaching. These brilliant stories paint a picture of life in the kingdom, teaching us about God, ourselves, and the Lord's presence and activity in the world. But they are not easy. Rather than give us simple platitudes and truisms, Jesus challenges us with parables. They are intended to draw us in. Jesus wants us to wrestle with them, to walk around with, meditate and have conversations about them. In this series, we will dig into the context of parables from Luke's Gospel. We will consider the picture Jesus is painting of God's kingdom, and we will engage these stories through the spiritual practice of visio divina (with some original art from our community). This week, we contemplated the parables of the mustard seed and the yeast. These parables remind us of the slow, unexpected, often hidden work of God's kingdom in the world, and they extend an invitation of hope. We can know that even in the bleakest of times, God is present and working. Even in the trials, we can lean into God and be formed to be like Jesus.  We practiced visio divina together with this painting (and artist note) from the artist Dawn Haecker. If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

Parables are a significant part of Jesus's teaching. These brilliant stories paint a picture of life in the kingdom, teaching us about God, ourselves, and the Lord's presence and activity in the world. But they are not easy. Rather than give us simple platitudes and truisms, Jesus challenges us with parables. They are intended to draw us in. Jesus wants us to wrestle with them, to walk around with, meditate and have conversations about them. In this series, we will dig into the context of parables from Luke's Gospel. We will consider the picture Jesus is painting of God's kingdom, and we will engage these stories through the spiritual practice of visio divina (with some original art from our community). This week, we examined a parable that is often misunderstood, the parable of the widow and the unjust judge. Hitch helped us to consider its framing around prayer, the parable's focus on injustice, and the question of faith. In the end, we are reminded of "how much more" our Father in heaven will give to his children who dwell in the kingdom. We practiced visio divina together with this paining from the artist Ronnie Farmer Jr. If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

Parables are a significant part of Jesus's teaching. These brilliant stories paint a picture of life in the kingdom, teaching us about God, ourselves, and the Lord's presence and activity in the world. But they are not easy. Rather than give us simple platitudes and truisms, Jesus challenges us with parables. They are intended to draw us in. Jesus wants us to wrestle with them, to walk around with, meditate and have conversations about them. In this series, we will dig into the context of parables from Luke's Gospel. We will consider the picture Jesus is painting of God's kingdom, and we will engage these stories through the spiritual practice of visio divina (with some original art from our community). This week, we explored the Parable of the Minas (Talents). Ruth invited us to consider the questions this parable invites us to ask. Do we trust our King, Jesus? Do we know who he is, and do we trust he will do what he says? We practiced visio divina together with this painting from Grace Pouch. If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

Parables are a significant part of Jesus's teaching. These brilliant stories paint a picture of life in the kingdom, teaching us about God, ourselves, and the Lord's presence and activity in the world. But they are not easy. Rather than give us simple platitudes and truisms, Jesus challenges us with parables. They are intended to draw us in. Jesus wants us to wrestle with them, to walk around with, meditate and have conversations about them. In this series, we will dig into the context of parables from Luke's Gospel. We will consider the picture Jesus is painting of God's kingdom, and we will engage these stories through the spiritual practice of visio divina (with some original art from our community). This week, we explored the Parable of the Sower. Our new friend, Bethany Tippin, invited us to consider the soils, and the invitation to yield to the wise and generous love of God. We practiced visio divina together with this painting from Bethany. If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

Parables are a significant part of Jesus's teaching. These brilliant stories paint a picture of life in the kingdom, teaching us about God, ourselves, and the Lord's presence and activity in the world. But they are not easy. Rather than give us simple platitudes and truisms, Jesus challenges us with parables. They are intended to draw us in. Jesus wants us to wrestle with them, to walk around with, meditate and have conversations about them. In this series, we will dig into the context of parables from Luke's Gospel. We will consider the picture Jesus is painting of God's kingdom, and we will engage these stories through the spiritual practice of visio divina (with some original art from our community). This week, we considered the Parable of the Great Banquet. How does this party demonstrate the incredible grace of God and invite us to respond? And where do we see ourselves in this story? How do we want to imagine ourselves in God's kingdom but when it comes down to it, we want little to do with it? As Dr. Burge asked, how do we say yes to God but refuse to show up? If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

Parables are a significant part of Jesus's teaching. These brilliant stories paint a picture of life in the kingdom, teaching us about God, ourselves, and the Lord's presence and activity in the world. But they are not easy. Rather than give us simple platitudes and truisms, Jesus challenges us with parables. They are intended to draw us in. Jesus wants us to wrestle with them, to walk around with, meditate and have conversations about them. In this series, we will dig into the context of parables from Luke's Gospel. We will consider the picture Jesus is painting of God's kingdom, and we will engage these stories through the spiritual practice of visio divina (with some original art from our community). This week, we considered the Parable of the Lost Sons and invited the Holy Spirit to teach us the "merciful wideness of God's Fatherly love." How is God calling us to let go and embrace the compassionate parent this parable shows God to be? If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

At the heart of the gospel is a story of Christ's redeeming work. How we understand this story impacts who we understand God to be, how we see ourselves, and how we relate with God. In this series, we will consider what Jesus accomplishes in his life, death, and resurrection, and we will seek to live in the fullness Christ's atoning work. This week, we reflected on the atonement story that invites us to consider the life of Jesus in addition to his death and resurrection. How does the heart of God expressed in Christ invite us to be formed by God to live a cruciform life like Jesus? This practice is a part of our series, Stories of Atonement. If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

At the heart of the gospel is a story of Christ's redeeming work. How we understand this story impacts who we understand God to be, how we see ourselves, and how we relate with God. In this series, we will consider what Jesus accomplishes in his life, death, and resurrection, and we will seek to live in the fullness Christ's atoning work. This week, we reflected on the atonement story that invites us to consider the life of Jesus in addition to his death and resurrection. How does the heart of God expressed in Christ invite us to be formed by God to live a cruciform life like Jesus? If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

At the heart of the gospel is a story of Christ's redeeming work. How we understand this story impacts who we understand God to be, how we see ourselves, and how we relate with God. In this series, we will consider what Jesus accomplishes in his life, death, and resurrection, and we will seek to live in the fullness Christ's atoning work. This week, we reflected on a story of atonement grounded in Christ's victory. How have we expereinced Christ's victory in our lives, and how do we long to live more deeply in his victory of sin, death, and the evil one?  This practice is a part of our series, Stories of Atonement. If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

At the heart of the gospel is a story of Christ's redeeming work. How we understand this story impacts who we understand God to be, how we see ourselves, and how we relate with God. In this series, we will consider what Jesus accomplishes in his life, death, and resurrection, and we will seek to live in the fullness Christ's atoning work. This week, we considered the Orthodox story of atonement. Jesus in his life, death, and resurrection is victorious over the evil one. This story invites us to consider God's great love which leads to the Lord: Offering forgiveness without the need for payment. Providing a path from healing from the sickness caused by sin. Going through death into Hades to defeat the evil one, and Giving himself in sacrifice to seal a new covenant and offer us union with God. If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team. If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/