Speaker: Jeff Jarvis

The ability to learn information and recall it on demand is a coveted skill, rewarded in almost every academic and vocational setting. It can make school a breeze and impress almost anyone. But in the spiritual world, it’s not so much about what you know.

In spirituality, one’s ability to learn knowledge is only made valuable when combined with another critical skill set. In fact, without this other skill set, experiencing ninja-level spirituality becomes almost impossible.

This Sunday, we’re going to explore “Integration”. It is, arguably, one of the most useful and needed practices for the spiritual journey.

To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate

Speaker: Vince Klassen

Sure, Sensei James says, ‘Don’t be angry—it’ll make your Christmas better.’ Thanks for that groundbreaking insight (note the sarcasm)! We all know anger doesn’t help—but the real question is, how do we stop being angry? Angry at others? Angry at ourselves?

That’s the heart of the matter, isn’t it?

Join us at the gym as we dig into fresh perspectives and timeless wisdom on managing anger—because understanding how to not get angry just might transform your holidays and your life.

To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate

Speaker: Trevor Dreher

We’re in the middle of our ‘Spiritual Ninja’ series, where we’re sharing the skillsets of ‘Spiritual Ninjas’ so that we can all be better in our own everyday life.

As we really enter into the Christmas season (this Sunday is December 1st already!), how can we be our best selves this holiday season? The Christmas season is typically very busy (frantic, downright crazy) for many people. That may make it hard to be at our best, ironically, just when we’re interacting with so many people we care about. And this week is kinda funny because we’re going to be talking a lot about the importance of ‘I’. As the Mike Tyson quote alludes, the person that may get forgotten about this holiday season is you – ‘I’. What can we do to ensure everyone has a better holiday season, you included?

Join us this week as we help get your – ‘I’ – tuned up and ready for the holidays.

To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate

Speaker: Vince Klassen

We live in a world that often feels like it’s spiraling into chaos. Wars rage on every level—between nations, within our families, and even inside ourselves. These battles cost us dearly, leaving wounds that ripple out to everyone around us.

But what if there’s another way? What if there’s a spiritual practice—a posture, a set of skills—that could serve as The Antidote to War? A way to break free from the cycle of hurt feelings, endless stewing, and the years lost to unresolved conflict and grudges?

This week at the Spiritual Gym, Sensei James is showing us how to become Spiritual Ninjas. These are people who let their spirituality shape their every move, navigating life with grace, clarity, and a remarkable ability to avoid war altogether.

If you’re feeling the weight of conflict in your life—or you know someone who is—this is your chance to learn tools that can transform how you approach every relationship, including the one with yourself. Come as you are, and invite a friend. Peace begins with us.

To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate

Speaker: Jeff Jarvis

You don’t have to look hard to find stories of relational turmoil, addiction, financial ruin and emotional pain that resulted from pleasure-seeking gone awry. Which is likely why we’re warned in many spiritual traditions of the dangers of chasing one’s desires too blindly. Buddhism sees desire as a primary source of suffering. Within the Judeo/Christian tradition, four of the seven deadly sins (envy, gluttony, greed, and lust) are centred around one’s desires. It’s hard to deny that these things that can bring so much pleasure in life, can have a dark side.

This week in the gym, we’re thinking deeply about our relationship with our desires and ways to avoid the pitfalls that are so common.

To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate

Speaker: Vince Klassen

At the core of all meaningful relationships lies conversation—a dynamic exchange between two or more people, where we delve into the richness of our differences and similarities. It’s about understanding motivations, confronting fears, and ultimately creating a shared space where everyone thrives—a true “We” that is good for everyone involved.

Yet, how often do we find conversations falling short? Too frequently, they become one-sided, weaponized, or driven by individual agendas, leaving many feeling unheard and disconnected. So how can we cultivate the art of conversation in a way that uplifts everyone involved, enhancing our lives and deepening our connections? That uses our understanding to uplift our lives and the lives around us.

Join us this week as we explore the essential skills that transform conversations into bridges of understanding, allowing us to be the neighbors everyone wishes for. Together, let’s unlock the power of dialogue that fosters genuine connection and enriches our shared experience. Lets learn to be a force of Love in the world.

To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate

Speaker: Vince Klassen

In our final week exploring How to Know a Person by David Brooks, we’ll dive into how truly seeing someone—deeply and with compassion—can become a profound spiritual practice.

How can we use this art of connection to engage in the sacred work of “Taking Water”—healing and transforming the world around us?

Brooks, one of our modern prophets, aligns with one of our spiritual traditions that reminds us the key to making a difference outside of us starts within. When we commit to becoming the healthiest versions of ourselves, we unlock our potential to bring lasting peace and change to the world around us.

Join us this week as we explore the power of seeing and being seen, and how this simple act can ripple out to create a better world. Bring a friend and grab coffee after to share your reflections on this transformative message.

To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate

Speaker: Jeff Jarvis

It’s surprising how much you can get to know someone by just hanging out with them. Not asking probing, soul-level questions, but just playing or doing mundane stuff together. Author David Brooks calls this casual style of interaction, “Accompaniment”.

When you combine this kind of interaction with a few key behaviors it can be a potent way to get to know someone and make them feel seen.

This Sunday, we’ll explore the special ingredients of accompaniment that skillful illuminators use all the time to understand and know others. Why don’t you invite a friend or your kids for an inspiring gym session that will be sure to provoke some thought and great conversations?

To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate

Speaker: Jeff Jarvis

We all likely know someone who has a knack for making people feel seen and valuable. I shared last week about a youth leader named Brian who could do it so effectively. Author David Brooks calls these kinds of people “Illuminators”. They have a way of noticing things in our lives that we want noticed. Whether to celebrate, to laugh, even to mourn with us. It’s a wonderful gift that can be given. Some do it so instinctively that they hardly have to think about it, while for many of us, it isn’t easy. The good news is that all of us can learn to be greater illuminators. This week I’m going to share some of their key competencies.

Invite a friend and join us this Sunday in the gym as we explore a potent way to take relational water to our world.

To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate

Speaker: Jeff Jarvis

There’s a profound idea, a metaphor, that has captivated us: the notion that within each of us, there exists a spark of the divine. Can you imagine how different our interactions would feel if we could see something sacred reflected in the faces of those we encountered every day?

Sadly, that isn’t a common occurrence. Though we live in one of the most connected ages in human history, never before have so many felt so unseen and unheard and misunderstood – invisible to those around them.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll embark on a journey to master the art of deep seeing and knowing those around us. This is more than just an intention—it’s a skill to be cultivated. Together, we will learn how to perceive each other more profoundly and perhaps even spot the divine in our neighbor’s eyes.

We’ll see you in the gym this Sunday.

Image and design by @‌shannonhutchisonphoto @beyondourimage

How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen

To donate to this podcast and support the making of more of these please visit www.friendschurch.ca/donate