As we come to the end of Isaiah's prophecies we see that God calls His people to look forward to restoration and take hope in His deliverance.

God repeatedly calls His people to living the good life with Him rather than relying on other who would strip away their freedom.

We live in a world that is becoming increasingly violent.  Or is it that we're just hearing more about it?  Either way, violence has become so normative that it seems to be an accepted way of dealing with disagreements rather than tolerance, conversation, and an exchange of ideas.  Join Scott and Mike this week as they discuss how our faith pushes back against a culture of violence.

Recent studies have confirmed what people have known centuries, nature is good for you! Not just because it feels peaceful but because being in nature actually produces physiological changes in our brains. Scott and Mike talk about the implications of this for our spiritual lives and how retreats in nature has always been a deeply critical need for us and was even something Jesus did regularly.

When Isaiah looks ahead to the Savior, he is looking towards a new plan, he's looking towards a restored people, a restored kingdom, and restored lives.  The coming Messiah would not restore a nation, he would restore all things back to the original intent.

Is Christianity a religion or is it more than that? Scott and Mike take a look at what religion is, what makes people religious, and whether or not Christians are supposed to be religious.

We reference this article by Ryan Burge at the beginning of the conversation: https://www.graphsaboutreligion.com/p/what-does-it-mean-to-be-religious

Isaiah looks ahead to a time when one would come who did all that Israel was supposed to do.  He provides a path towards inhabiting the world as it was always meant to be.

Isaiah 40-48

We live in a polarized culture, a time when there of clear divisions and angry rhetoric on both sides of the political spectrum.  But there is a way for followers of Christ to rise above the rhetoric and represent his kingdom well.  This week Mike and Scott discuss the book, The Spirit of Our Politics, and how it offers a path away from the chaos and towards peace. 

Narcissism is a huge issue in churches all over the world and is at the root of spiritual abuse and manipulation.  This week Scott and Mike discuss the book When Narcissism Comes to Church and how this book helps in identifying the culture that nurtures narcissism and some movement towards healing.