Jacqui Lewis shares how a fierce love that starts with loving ourselves well will change the world. We are fully who we are–fully human–when we realize that we belong to each other. Everyone’s success depends on everyone’s success. So we are called to love one another as we love ourselves.

Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis is a public theologian and the senior minister at the multicultural Middle Collegiate Church in Manhattan. She’s appeared on CBS, CNN, PBS, ABC and more. She’s written several books, including the just-released Fierce Love–which is a kind of manifesto for offering a healing antidote to our divided culture.

We all have questions about faith. Sometimes those questions are so burning that they start a proverbial fire that threatens to burn our whole system of belief down. Brian Zahnd joins the podcast to share about the ways God is revealed through both the fire and the daily workings of life.

Brian Zahnd is the founder and lead pastor of Word of Life Church, a non-denominational Christian congregation in Saint Joseph, Missouri. Brian and his wife, Peri, founded the church in 1981. Brian is probably more widely known as the author of several books, including, Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God, Water to Wine, A Farewell To Mars, Beauty Will Save the World, and his most recent work, as of this recording, is When Everything’s on Fire. This book helps our modern, skeptical minds move from deconstructing belief to reconstructing faith.

What is God doing when bad things happen? In this episode, we discuss this question and the place of hope in the midst of our messy lives with Bishop Jake Owensby.

Hope is not merely wishful thinking. Hope digs deeper and moves us in a way that wishful thinking cannot. There is hope because we act in hope. And we’ll see that because there is hope, there is a movement of the Divine.

Jake Owensby is the Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Western Louisiana. Author of five books on everyday spirituality, a speaker, and a retreat leader, Jake focuses on helping people discover meaning and purpose in their own lives. His most recent book is Looking for God in Messy Places.

Feeling a bit disconnected? Utilizing a reading plan helps us connect in community and feel connected to the Divine.

In this episode, Pierce and Ryan outline simple plans, note the benefits of investing in reading scripture, and offer a special invitation!

One of the marks of monastic communities is that they establish a rhythm of life that calls attention to the holy. 

Sister Joan Chittister, who is herself part of a Benedictine monastic community, has translated a number of these practices into everyday life for us. You may have heard of Sister Joan–she’s a well-known activist and has made a couple of appearances alongside Oprah Winfrey. She’s also authored 60 books and has won numerous awards. We’re talking with her about her recent release: The Monastic Heart: 50 Simple Practices for a Contemplative and Fulfilling Life.

Why did Jesus say some of the things he said? What do we make of these tough teachings today? Amy-Jill Levine provides some tools for processing.

Do we need to sell everything we own? Must we hate our mothers and fathers? At different points in his ministry, Jesus suggested to some people they do those very things. What tools can employ to make sense of those teachings today?

That video game you’ve sunk the last 7 nights into might be teaching you something about faith and connection. Rev. David Petty joins the Compass Podcast to share the story of the digital outreach community, CrossFire: Faith+Gaming. Rev. Petty points to the intersection of faith, gaming and community.

Visit the community at CrossFireCast.com

Douglas McKelvey details his motivation and process for crafting liturgical prayers for everyday events. Making coffee, changing a diaper, mourning the loss of a dog… these are prompts for prayer. Liturgical prayer offers words for the mundane and emotional moments when our own words fail us.

Doug McKelvey is the author of the Every Moment Holy series, collections of liturgical prayers for everyday life.

Find out more about Doug at www.dougmckelvey.com

Check out books and downloadable liturgies at www.everymomentholy.com

Reverend Shannon Karafanda shares #HolyMischief, a movement inspiring acts of disruption based in love.

It seems that the more kindness we show towards others, the more connected we feel towards them. So when we get stuck in cycles of negativity, or feeling like the world is against us, or feeling like everyone around us is getting on our last nerve, we’re well served by serving somebody else through an act of kindness.

Shannon is a professional Holy Mischief Maker helping others to engage in the mysterious disruption of love in action. She is an Executive Pastor at Peachtree United Methodist Church in Georgia and has a doctoral degree in transformational leadership.

Your breathing reflects the very name of God. Rev. Brian Tillman reminds us that God is present in the very breath we take. And then reminds us that injustice is mistreating all those who speak the name of God. Imagine what happens when people breathe the name of God while standing for justice.

To see the video upon which this episode is based: https://youtu.be/iCRg5a8DJBE