bread church

By breadReligion & Spirituality Christianity

bread church episodes

January 23, 2023 Calling: Jesus the pastor.
The term ‘pastor’ is Latin for poimén (poy-mane') meaning shepherd. The
mixed imagery around Shepherds included symbolism for leaders and rulers.
Moses is said to have led God’s people out of Egypt “like a flock”.
Elsewhere, the Prophet Jeremiah attacks leaders who have mismanaged God’s
flock and led the people astray. From writings in the Ancient Near East to
Greek epics, shepherds were a common figure for rulers. But among God’s
people, it wasn’t so much about ruling, it was about caring. When Jesus
arrived he was moved with compassion for a helpless and troubled people who
had no shepherd. He comes to be the good, perfectly ideal, and beautiful
shepherd that we all need. He pastors us with personal care, intimate
knowledge, and wise guidance. We belong to Jesus the Chief Shepherd from
whom we learn how to exercise our pastoral calling. As we give ourselves
over to God’s good shepherding, his care and compassion drive us into the
fullness of life in him.
By Raul Sandoval
35 min
January 22, 2023 Calling: Jesus the Pastor
The term ‘pastor’ is Latin for poimén (poy-mane') meaning shepherd. The
mixed imagery around Shepherds included symbolism for leaders and rulers.
Moses is said to have led God’s people out of Egypt “like a flock”.
Elsewhere, the Prophet Jeremiah attacks leaders who have mismanaged God’s
flock and led the people astray. From writings in the Ancient Near East to
Greek epics, shepherds were a common figure for rulers. But among God’s
people, it wasn’t so much about ruling, it was about caring. When Jesus
arrived he was moved with compassion for a helpless and troubled people who
had no shepherd. He comes to be the good, perfectly ideal, and beautiful
shepherd that we all need. He pastors us with personal care, intimate
knowledge, and wise guidance. We belong to Jesus the Chief Shepherd from
whom we learn how to exercise our pastoral calling. As we give ourselves
over to God’s good shepherding, his care and compassion drive us into the
fullness of life in him.
35 min
January 16, 2023 Calling: Jesus the apostle.
The word apostle derives from a greek word simply meaning ’sent out
person’. In the first century Roman world it meant more than being a
messenger, it connoted authority. An apostle was someone who spoke and
acted on behalf of someone with power. As Christians we are all sent out,
but those with an apostolic calling are those who tend to spend their lives
breaking new ground, or planting churches, or starting fresh initiatives.
They are the entrepreneurs of the church. Jesus was the archetypal sent
one. His mission, as emphatically displayed at his Transfiguration, was to
bring heaven and earth together. This is the mission of every apostle
following Jesus. No less, no more. No less because the Christian faith is
not about patiently waiting to escape this world and get to heaven. No
more, because it is not about forcibly imposing God’s rule on the world. It
is about continuing Jesus' mission to heal the sick, set the oppressed
free, and proclaim the age of God’s goodness. To do this we need conviction
- this comes from the assurance of our Father, our friends, and the Holy
Spirit. In his power we can carry on, in part, the apostolic work of Jesus
and see heaven come to earth.
By Ed Flint
50 min
January 15, 2023 Calling: Jesus the Apostle
The word apostle derives from a greek word simply meaning ’sent out
person’. In the first century Roman world it meant more than being a
messenger, it connoted authority. An apostle was someone who spoke and
acted on behalf of someone with power. As Christians we are all sent out,
but those with an apostolic calling are those who tend to spend their lives
breaking new ground, or planting churches, or starting fresh initiatives.
They are the entrepreneurs of the church. Jesus was the archetypal sent
one. His mission, as emphatically displayed at his Transfiguration, was to
bring heaven and earth together. This is the mission of every apostle
following Jesus. No less, no more. No less because the Christian faith is
not about patiently waiting to escape this world and get to heaven. No
more, because it is not about forcibly imposing God’s rule on the world. It
is about continuing Jesus' mission to heal the sick, set the oppressed
free, and proclaim the age of God’s goodness. To do this we need conviction
- this comes from the assurance of our Father, our friends, and the Holy
Spirit. In his power we can carry on, in part, the apostolic work of Jesus
and see heaven come to earth.
50 min
January 09, 2023 Calling: Jesus the evangelist.
The word evangelism derives from the greek word Evangelion - Good news. So
an evangelist is someone who brings news. Evangelists are not primarily
teaching, and they are not primarily prophesying, they are primarily
announcing - that’s what you do with news. So if, for instance you tell
someone who doesn’t yet believe that they are going to burn in the fiery
fires of hell you are not evangelizing, because that is not good news.
That’s bad news. If you teach someone who doesn’t yet believe about
Christian sexual ethics that is also not evangelizing, because that is
teaching. To evangelize is to announce something wonderful - Jesus. It’s as
simple as that. Today we consider a couple of times Jesus does exactly that
- announce himself to a world in need.
By Ed Flint
44 min
January 08, 2023 Calling: Jesus the Evangelist
The word evangelism derives from the greek word Evangelion - Good news. So
an evangelist is someone who brings news. Evangelists are not primarily
teaching, and they are not primarily prophesying, they are primarily
announcing - that’s what you do with news. So if, for instance you tell
someone who doesn’t yet believe that they are going to burn in the fiery
fires of hell you are not evangelizing, because that is not good news.
That’s bad news. If you teach someone who doesn’t yet believe about
Christian sexual ethics that is also not evangelizing, because that is
teaching. To evangelize is to announce something wonderful - Jesus. It’s as
simple as that. Today we consider a couple of times Jesus does exactly that
- announce himself to a world in need.
44 min
December 19, 2022 Advent: Destined for joy.
The announcement of Jesus’ arrival comes to an unlikely group: the
shepherds. This rag-tag group were often looked down on, forgotten, and
considered to be far from religious or noble. Yet the greatest announcement
in the history of the world comes to them, not to the rich and powerful but
to the lowly shepherds. It suggests to us that God hasn’t forgotten the
least of us – to him, we are unforgettable. We are favored, not forgotten
by the Messiah who ushers in the age of favor and forgiveness. When we
grasp it, it causes joy in us to overflow. Joy that sustains in hardship.
Joy that is rooted in God’s faithfulness. We were destined for joy.
By Raul Sandval
36 min
December 18, 2022 Advent: Destined for Joy
The announcement of Jesus’ arrival comes to an unlikely group: the
shepherds. This rag-tag group were often looked down on, forgotten, and
considered to be far from religious or noble. Yet the greatest announcement
in the history of the world comes to them, not to the rich and powerful but
to the lowly shepherds. It suggests to us that God hasn’t forgotten the
least of us – to him, we are unforgettable. We are favored, not forgotten
by the Messiah who ushers in the age of favor and forgiveness. When we
grasp it, it causes joy in us to overflow. Joy that sustains in hardship.
Joy that is rooted in God’s faithfulness. We were destined for joy.
36 min
December 12, 2022 Advent: God with us.
When we’re able to strip back the overly-familiar parts of the story of
Christmas it reveals the heart of the Christian faith. Something isn’t
quite right with us and our world. We’re not always the people we want to
be. And we’ve not always treated ourselves, other people and our world as
we should. As silly as it may sound, is not our recent entertainment of
going ‘full on goblin mode’, at least in part an admittance that everything
else we’ve tried to bring happiness and self-actualisation hasn’t quite got
us to where we want to go? Christmas says what we’re in need of is not
something from within us, but something from without. It’s the story of God
coming in search of his people. He’s come to love us into full existence.
It’s only when we know his love revealed in the person of his Son Jesus
that we won’t want to ever be anyone else again. And it’s his love that
lifts us up into healing, forgiveness, purpose and meaning. He it is who
we’re looking for. It’s why we celebrate. We’re not alone. God is with us.
By Ed Flint
20 min
December 11, 2022 Advent: God with Us
When we’re able to strip back the overly-familiar parts of the story of
Christmas it reveals the heart of the Christian faith. Something isn’t
quite right with us and our world. We’re not always the people we want to
be. And we’ve not always treated ourselves, other people and our world as
we should. As silly as it may sound, is not our recent entertainment of
going ‘full on goblin mode’, at least in part an admittance that everything
else we’ve tried to bring happiness and self-actualisation hasn’t quite got
us to where we want to go? Christmas says what we’re in need of is not
something from within us, but something from without. It’s the story of God
coming in search of his people. He’s come to love us into full existence.
It’s only when we know his love revealed in the person of his Son Jesus
that we won’t want to ever be anyone else again. And it’s his love that
lifts us up into healing, forgiveness, purpose and meaning. He it is who
we’re looking for. It’s why we celebrate. We’re not alone. God is with us.
20 min