Ginghamsburg Church Podcast

If you’ve been around Ginghamsburg Church for any length of time, chances are you’ve experienced Dan Bracken’s work—even if you didn’t know it at the time. From the powerful videos capturing our mission in places like Louisiana, Beirut, and South Sudan, to the graphics and stories that frame our worship each week, Dan’s fingerprints are everywhere. He’s our Communications Director, a creative force, and above all, a man on mission.

But Dan’s story didn’t begin behind a camera. It began with a youth group in Lexington, Kentucky, and a desire to make a difference for people he loved.

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When someone tells their stories of how God has worked and continues to work in their lives it speaks to our hearts. We begin to feel a connection to them and see them in a new light. It is with that truth in mind that we created  "People of the 'Burg."  It's our hope that you will get to know your neighbor, see a member of the church family in a new light and possibly find unity in your struggles and faith.  

Sincerely, The Blog Team

Dan Bracken, John Jung, Kate Johnsen & Sarah Hardin

Daily Bread

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Your Kingdom Come

When Jesus prayed 'your Kingdom come,' he was showing that God's kingdom was a much different one than the kingdom of humanity. The kingdom of God is one of love, servanthood, and humility. Jesus not only taught his disciples, and us, to pray for God's kingdom to come. He also showed us how to live with our hearts and lives focused on making God's kingdom a reality in our communities. As we learn to pray for God's kingdom to come in our lives, we'll find we're aligning with the heart of God. This changes us and will change the world around us.

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To the One Above

To many, God can feel impersonal and distant. But in reality, God is the exact opposite. God is deeply personal and as close as we will allow God to become in our lives. God wants to be in a relationships with us, the way a parent is deeply connected with their children. Jesus teaches the disciples, and us, that prayer is a deeply personal conversation. We can approach the creator of the universe as easily as we can approach our parents. We're not praying to some distant overseer who doesn't care about our lives. Instead, we are praying to someone who wants to know us and love us.

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Tamar

Sometimes a story carries such weight that it leaves us speechless. This week's campfire story is one of these stories. Tamar was a daughter of King David, but her half-brother destroyed her life. She was helpless, voiceless, and humiliated. So many people live with this terrible reality every day. Rather than ignoring these stories, we can learn to listen, grieve and change. We all have voices and privilege we can use to help those around us who are helpless and powerless. Yes, it means doing difficult things. Yes, it means having uncomfortable conversations. But ultimately when we speak up for those in need, God steps in and changes everything. God ultimately creates beauty out of brokenness, and sometimes God uses us to make that happen.

Warning: This sermon deals with sexual violence and may be upsetting to some. If you are dealing with the aftermath of sexual violence and need help visit ginghamsburg.org/recovery or call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1.800.656.HOPE.

In this heartfelt episode of People of the 'Burg, Pastor Sarah sits down with Todd Shiverdecker to explore his faith journey, his deep roots in church life, and the powerful role community has played in shaping his walk with Christ.

Todd’s story begins in a small United Methodist church where his grandmother—his spiritual rock—instilled in him the importance of faith. Though his church attendance varied through the years, it wasn’t until he and his wife Donna found their home at Ginghamsburg Church that his faith truly deepened.

Mephibosheth

Everyone feels like they don't fit in. It can happen in many ways and places: on a team, in a social group, or even at work. We desire to feel like we belong. Mephibosheth was a man in the Bible who was an outcast for multiple reasons - his family history and a disability both prevented him from finding a place to belong. But his story is like our story. He was shown grace, kindness and love, which resulted in Mephibosheth finding his place. God has the exact same plan in place for us - to welcome us in with love, grace and kindness. Each one of us is a child of the King.

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Abigail

Everyone loves the fairytale, where the beautiful girl shows kindness, love and grace to the coldhearted beast of a man and by the end he changes, they fall in love, and live happily ever after. Sounds perfect, right? But life isn't like a fairytale. How do you find joy when your relationship is cold and difficult? How do you live with peace when there's constant turmoil? The answer is by keeping our attention fixed on the Lord. As we look at the story of Abigail, we'll see how her heart, wisdom, and quick action changed the lives of many people around her.

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Meet Sarah. From age 11 to the age of 18, Sarah was essentially taking care of herself, and also her mentally ill mother. Her mother, in her illness, had taken up some odd and expensive projects, and she ultimately blew through her inheritance. Sarah and her mother became destitute. Then her mother was institutionalized in Sarah’s senior year of high school. Sarah was at that point living alone in a house with no electricity. “I was just lost” Sarah said.

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