Spark Cast

Conversation around our recent sermons, in addition to thoughts about our current body politic, and whether or not the Way of Jesus is political. Send comments, thoughts, and questions to [email protected]

In a world where some are clamoring for power, and the expression of that power through oppression, and even buildings, the Good News comes to those who identify themselves as citizens of a different kind of Kingdom. This Kingdom, and this Lord at first appears to be defeated. But in the crucifixion of Jesus, we see that he is actually being enthroned. This Kingdom does not come by sword, nor by blood, but by a life sacrificed for the world, to save it, to redeem it, to transform it into one that runs on love. And so when we say, "Jesus is Lord," we are declaring that "Caesar is not."

In an effort to make Spark Cast even better in 2017, we're adding new content which will be in conversation with all of you, our Spark Family! Send in your thoughts, feedback, questions, recommendations, etc., to [email protected]!

Have you ever drawn a picture of God? While not physically, we all actually have images of God in our minds. And throughout history, people have been making depictions of God, both concrete and abstract, that communicate something about what we believe about the deity. The Good News of Jesus speaks directly to this, declaring that regardless of the philosophical arguments we may have about "God," the God of the Gospel is Love.

We forget that the Good News was forged in the fires of agony. While there's much more than what is presented here, this talk surveys a few of the wars and tragedies that the early Jews and Christians faced throughout the years. This humanity forms the context from which the good news took shape and form.

This podcast begins our series on "the Gospel," the "good news" of Jesus. We start by simply asking the question, What is news? What is the nature of news? And by asking, we discover that news is value neutral; that the same news can be good for one, but bad for another. We hope this is good news, for you.

Hello to all of our podcast listeners, near and far. Thank you for being Spark! And, a benediction for this Christmas season.

Optimism and pessimism are both forms of distorted reality. The Biblical story offers neither. It does not play with our emotions. Rather, it stars darkness right in the face, and says, "You exist, but you will not be exalted. You persist, but you will not persuade." In this final installment of our H5 series, we consider the Christmas story's approach to darkness which is not to ignore it, nor to succumb to it. Rather, it is to see the emerging possibilities through new life being born in the midst of the darkness.