Faithelement Conversations

Woman Wisdom

For the session to be discussed on June 12, 2022

Proverbs 8: 1-4, 22-31

David Cassady

Daniel Glaze

David Adams

Bert Montgomery

Today’s text is from Proverbs, contrasting two women — one who seduces toward death and one who beckons toward life, as wisdom. Bert Montgomery says, “we cannot understand the woman of chapter 8 without understanding the woman of chapter 7.” We discuss wisdom, some practices that can lead toward wisdom, and more.

Learn more about our team.

Notes

* Try our small group curriculum! New subscribers can enjoy a completely free month of the premium edition of FaithElement!

Show and Tell

For the session to be discussed on June 5, 2022

John 14:8-17

David Cassady

Nikki Hardeman

David Adams

For this Pentecost Sunday episode, we discuss our calling to follow the work of the Spirit in our lives, our churches, and our communities. What does that look like in 2022? We discuss David Adams’ comment, “Heaven is what you get when love becomes personal policy.”

Learn more about our team.

Notes

* Try our small group curriculum! New subscribers can enjoy a completely free month of the premium edition of FaithElement!

Coming Soon

For the session to be discussed on May 29, 2022

Revelation 22:12-21

David Cassady

Nikki Hardeman

David Adams

Today we discuss the ending of Revelation, considering the sort of world John see’s both as ultimately arriving, and toward which we are all called to work toward right now.

Learn more about our team.

Notes

* Try our small group curriculum! New subscribers can enjoy a completely free month of the premium edition of FaithElement!

A City Without A Temple

For the session to be discussed on May 22, 2022

Revelation 21:10-22:5

David Cassady

Nikki Hardeman

Bert Montgomery

Daniel Glaze

John paints a picture of a new Jerusalem where there is “abundance without opulence” (Glaze) and where the streets are paved with gold, but not the sort of gold we fight over. We explore the many ways this text helps us God’s vision for how this world could be.

Learn more about our team.

Notes

* David reads a portion of Martin Luther King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.”

* Try our small group curriculum! New subscribers can enjoy a completely free month of the premium edition of FaithElement!

Picturing Hope

For the session to be discussed on May 15, 2022

Revelation 21:1-6

David Cassady

Nikki Hardeman

Bert Montgomery

Daniel Glaze

John writes the book of Revelation from a prison cell. Unable to speak directly to the oppression of Roman rule, he uses symbolic language. Written to his Christian friends being persecuted, John paints a picture of a new heaven and a new earth where things are made right – and where God affects our world. We discuss the messiness of hope as well as the need for hope in our present world — for it is still full of oppression and suffering.

Learn more about our team.

Notes

* Try our small group curriculum! New subscribers can enjoy a completely free month of the premium edition of FaithElement!

Tear Free

For the session to be discussed on May 8, 2022

Revelation 7:9-17

David Cassady

Nikki Hardeman

David Adams

Crystal Shepherd

Still in the book of Revelation, we discuss the ways the core message of the book – that the hope of the poor and oppressed is in Christ, not the powers of this world – is often overlooked by those who interpret Revelation as a scary book foretelling end times. We talk about the many ways scripture is often used to scare people.

Learn more about our team.

Notes

* In closing David Cassady refers to this sermon by Dr. Claudio Carvalhaes. There’s a song also included on this webpage (note that the sermon begins at 51:58 in the video).

* Try our small group curriculum! New subscribers can enjoy a completely free month of the premium edition of FaithElement!

Worthiness

For the session to be discussed on May 1, 2022

Revelation 5:11-14

David Cassady

Nikki Hardeman

David Adams

Crystal Shepherd

Continuing our journey in the book of Revelation, we are confronted by how Revelation teaches us to live, even as we are challenged by the many Caesars of this world. Recognizing that Jesus is the only one worthy to be worshipped, we pondered how worship might be more a part of the fabric of our lives.

Learn more about our team.

Notes

* Try our small group curriculum! New subscribers can enjoy a completely free month of the premium edition of FaithElement!

A Timely Word of Hope

For the session to be discussed on April 24, 2022

Revelation 1:4-8

David Cassady

David Adams

Daniel Glaze

Bert Montgomery

We begin a series of sessions in the book of Revelation. Daniel helps us become oriented to the book by reminding us that we are not the intended audience — John wrote this for seven poor churches in Asia facing persecution from Rome. How does this help us better interpret this often misunderstood text? Given the state of our world, might we find fresh hope from Revelation?

Learn more about our team.

Notes

* Link to Black national anthem: https://youtu.be/pabu6PSt8sI

* Link to scene Lord of the Rings scene Bert mentions: https://youtu.be/pjAAC13al9s

* Try our small group curriculum! New subscribers can enjoy a completely free month of the premium edition of FaithElement!

Women of Mystery

For the session to be discussed on April 17, 2022

Luke 24:1-12

David Cassady

David Adams

Daniel Glaze

Bert Montgomery

This Easter episode has us revisiting a key Easter passage and discussing what it might mean to not just believe the resurrection happened… but to believe that we can live differently knowing the warped and broken parts of our lives can find resurrection. What might it mean to live as resurrection people?

Learn more about our team.

Notes

* In his closing comments, David Cassady reads from Nadia Boltz Weber’s writing named, “What’s New is Often Messy”.

* Try our small group curriculum! New subscribers can enjoy a completely free month of the premium edition of FaithElement!

Working It Out

For the session to be discussed on April 10, 2022

Philippians 2:1-13

Nikki Hardeman

David Adams

Bert Montgomery

For this Palm Sunday text, we discuss a text (considered a hymn) that has been used to end calls for change and fairness, all in the name of unity. Can we interpret this text, written by Paul, within the teachings of Jesus? Perhaps then we can truly find the kind of unity that Jesus intended. “Are we being united with thos in power or those who are without power” (Bert).

Learn more about our team.

Notes

* Try our small group curriculum! New subscribers can enjoy a completely free month of the premium edition of FaithElement!