Gravity Commons Podcast

We talked with Rob Dixon about his new book, Allies in Ministry, which provides a practical, research-based pathway for men who desire to support women in ministry but may feel uncertain about how to act or worried about doing the wrong thing, because for women and men to thrive equally in ministry, the church needs male allies who are committed to supporting women in their callings.

Rob Dixon (DIS, Fuller Theological Seminary) is the author of Together in Ministry: Women and Men in Flourishing Partnerships and the coauthor with his wife, Amy, of the picture book Penny Preaches. In addition to serving on InterVarsity Christian Fellowship staff for almost thirty years, he teaches at Fuller Theological Seminary and Fresno Pacific University."

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We talked with professor and author James McGrath about how the process of deconstruction can be a starting point for something new, and lead to building a more expansive faith, which is what he addresses in his book Beyond Deconstruction: Building a More Expansive Faith. You can connect with James on his blog: https://patheos.com/blogs/religionprof.

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We talked with musician, composer, and liturgical theologian Richard Bruxvoort Colligan about the rich, complicated life reflected in the Psalms of the Hebrew Bible—150 stories from a people passionate and honest about the complexities of human experience, and how we can be transformed by reengaging with the Psalms on their own terms. Richard is the author of Dangerous Songs: The Psalms and a Gloriously Disrupted Life.

Richard Bruxvoort Colligan is a musician and a student of the Psalms. He has an MA in theology and the arts from United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities and a DMin in grief work from Eden Seminary. An indie musician for over 30 years, he has composed and published 100s of songs for the wider church, including community songs for all the psalms. He lives in Strawberry Point, Iowa, and serves as director of spiritual formation at Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Rochester, MN.

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We talked with pastor and author Tomy Cummins about what to do when someone you love admits that they're drowning in anxiety, depression, or thoughts of suicide. Most of us care deeply but feel unprepared, afraid of saying the wrong thing or making things worse. His new book Shepherds of The Mind: Caring Like Christ in an age of Silent Suffering equips ordinary people to respond with compassion, gentleness, and hope.

Tomy A. Cummins is a pastor, communicator, author, and mental health advocate. With over two decades of ministry experience, his work integrates scripture with evidence-based practices, shaped by training in Youth and Teen Mental Health First Aid, safeTALK, ASIST, Soul Shop, and QPRT suicide risk detection. Tomy is passionate about helping everyday followers of Jesus become a healing presence rooted in a life deeply connected to the Good Shepherd. He lives in Colorado with his wife Mendy, their two children (Laney and Judah), and an extremely affectionate golden doodle named Sir Chester Chauntavious Chewingston Esquire—Chewie for short. Tomy enjoys spending time with his family, reading, cycling, disc golf, birdwatching, smoking briskets, and cheering for the Oklahoma City Thunder like they can hear him from 600 miles away. You can connect with Tomy and his work on his website https://www.tomycummins.com/

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What is “Ordinary Time” in the Christian calendar, and why is it called “ordinary” if it’s still spiritually significant? How can we practice rhythms of faith and stay spiritually grounded during the quieter seasons of life? Christy, Ben, and Matt discuss.

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What is Pentecost, and why is it such an important moment in Christianity? What was the significance of the disciples speaking in different languages in Acts 2? How do different Christian traditions and cultures celebrate Pentecost today? Ben, Christy, and Matt discuss these questions and more!

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What is the Ascension of Jesus, and how does the theology of the ascension matter? How did the Ascension change the disciples’ understanding of Jesus and their mission? Join Matt, Ben, and Christy to hear their answers to these questions and more.

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Ben and Christy welcome Matt back to the podcast after the sabbatical; Matt reflects on his time away.

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We’re continuing our mini-series with Dr. Paul Penley about his book, What Jesus Meant: How Ancient Conversations Redefine Jesus’ Message. In this series, we talk about how we often misunderstand what Jesus meant because we don’t realize that he was participating in and responding to ancient conversations we don’t have immediate access to. Today’s topic: Jesus versus the Greek Gods.

Dr. Paul Penley is a New Testament scholar and former Bible professor at the college and seminary level. Paul writes books to share academic research insights which redefine our understanding of the Bible, but normally get lost in technical journals at graduate libraries. He loves seeing readers freed from the misdirection and disillusionment caused by bad Bible interpretation. Dr. Penley studied Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic on his journey to better understanding Scripture in undergraduate and post-graduate degrees. He studied biblical history on site in Israel, Egypt, Turkey and Greece and then picked up German and French while completing a Ph.D. from Trinity’s Divinity School. He has presented his original biblical and historical research in college courses and national scholars’ meetings, at Shabbat school and church retreats, at Bible conference centers and small groups.

Connect with Gravity Commons:

• Leave us a message or ask a question about this or any other episode and we’ll answer it on a future episode.
• Join the Gravity Community to interact with other listeners, and get our list of curated links each week to all things edifying and interesting.

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We’re continuing our mini-series with Dr. Paul Penley about his book, What Jesus Meant: How Ancient Conversations Redefine Jesus’ Message. In this series, we talk about how we often misunderstand what Jesus meant because we don’t realize that he was participating in and responding to ancient conversations we don’t have immediate access to. Today’s topic: Jesus versus the Apocalyptics.

Dr. Paul Penley is a New Testament scholar and former Bible professor at the college and seminary level. Paul writes books to share academic research insights which redefine our understanding of the Bible, but normally get lost in technical journals at graduate libraries. He loves seeing readers freed from the misdirection and disillusionment caused by bad Bible interpretation. Dr. Penley studied Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic on his journey to better understanding Scripture in undergraduate and post-graduate degrees. He studied biblical history on site in Israel, Egypt, Turkey and Greece and then picked up German and French while completing a Ph.D. from Trinity’s Divinity School. He has presented his original biblical and historical research in college courses and national scholars’ meetings, at Shabbat school and church retreats, at Bible conference centers and small groups.

Connect with Gravity Commons:

• Leave us a message or ask a question about this or any other episode and we’ll answer it on a future episode.
• Join the Gravity Community to interact with other listeners, and get our list of curated links each week to all things edifying and interesting.

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