The Word Made Fresh

What does it mean for a church—or a life—to grow? In this episode of The Word Made Fresh, we kick off a new series: “How Our Garden Grows.” Using the metaphor of gardening, we explore what it looks like to plant seeds, tend the soil, and cultivate something meaningful—not just for now, but for generations we may never see. This isn’t strategic planning as usual. It’s something more alive. More flexible. More human. We talk about:

• Why rigid plans don’t work in a changing world
• How gardening and parenting teach us adaptability
• What it means to “use what you’ve got”
• The role of play, creativity, and curiosity in church life
• Why the soil—our spiritual grounding—matters more than we think

This series is rooted in real questions facing real communities:
How do we grow something lasting in uncertain times?
What are we planting now—and who is it for? Whether you’re part of a church or just trying to make sense of your own growth, this conversation is for you.

This week, Riverside Church welcomes Rev. Brandan Robertson — author, activist, and theologian — for a special Pride Eve conversation ahead of his May 31st sermon, "Just As I Am."

In this preview, Brandan shares what to expect from his message rooted in Isaiah 56, where the prophet envisions a world where eunuchs — the sexual and gender minorities of the ancient world — are not just welcomed but given "a monument and a name better than sons and daughters." It's a text that reframes Pride Month not just as a celebration for LGBTQ+ people, but as an invitation for everyone to step out of their closets of fear and conformity.

We talk about:
• Why conformity is antithetical to the Gospel
• The surprising connection between Isaiah 56 and the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts
• What it means to show up fully and authentically as a spiritual practice
• How Brandan writes sermons (spoiler: stream of consciousness)
• Why Pride Month is for straight and cisgender people too

Rev. Brandan Robertson is the author of multiple books on faith, sexuality, and justice, and a leading voice in progressive Christianity.

Join us Sunday, May 31st — Worship at 11AM ET (in-person & online), followed by a conversation on Queer & Christian at 1:30PM ET.

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Pentecost isn’t quiet. It’s not calm. And it’s definitely not controlled. In Acts 2, the Spirit shows up like fire and wind—loud, disruptive, and impossible to ignore. But what if that’s the point? This week, we explore what it means to be gathered together in all our differences, to be pushed beyond comfort, and to remember that the Spirit doesn’t belong to us—we’re invited to move with it.

What does it look like to practice faith the way a dancer practices technique? In this week's conversation, Rev. Jim Keat sits down with Rev. Adriene Thorne to explore Philippians 2 — home of the ancient Christ Hymn — and discover that Paul isn't asking us to believe the right things. He's asking us to move the right way.

With dancers in worship, a community annual meeting on the horizon, and the wisdom of the studio floor, Rev. Adriene helps us see that imitating Christ is less about doctrine and more about the daily, embodied practice of showing up with humility, forgiveness, and love — until it becomes as natural as breathing.

What does it mean to be the church when nobody is doing it perfectly? This week on The Word Made Fresh, Rev. Jim Keat sits down with Dr. Jillian Langford to explore Philippians 1—a deeply personal letter from Paul written while in prison… and yet filled with joy, gratitude, and a surprising claim: “What does it matter? Just that Christ is proclaimed.” But does it really not matter how Christ is proclaimed? Together, Jim and Jillian wrestle with:

• What koinonia (community/partnership) really means
• How the early church embraced imperfection
• Whether harmful theologies can still produce good fruit
• The tension between discernment and judgment
• What it looks like to be formed by a faith you’ve outgrown

This is an honest, nuanced conversation about faith, formation, and the messy beauty of community. 👉 Join us for worship, open Bible study, and virtual coffee hour to keep the conversation going. #Philippians #ProgressiveChristianity #FaithDeconstruction #ChurchCommunity #BibleStudy

What if faith wasn’t about proving you’re right—but staying curious?

This week on The Word Made Fresh, Rev. Adriene and Rev. Jim explore Acts 17, where Paul finds himself in Athens surrounded by unfamiliar beliefs, practices, and altars—including one to an “unknown god.”

Instead of condemning or correcting, Paul does something unexpected:
He affirms.
He connects.
He gets curious.

In a world shaped by division, certainty, and the need to win, this conversation imagines a different way of engaging across difference—one rooted in humility, openness, and mutual transformation.

They also wrestle with:
• What it means to embody faith (not just think it)
• How other traditions can deepen—not threaten—our own
• Whether the real “conversion” in this story might be Paul himself

And maybe most importantly: What kind of God are we proclaiming if that God fits neatly inside our own box?

A few weeks after Easter, we return to the pulpit with a challenging and deeply honest conversation about Acts 16—the story of Paul, Silas, and a slave girl.

But what if we’ve been reading this story wrong?

Instead of focusing on Paul and Silas, Rev. Adriene Thorne invites us to center the unnamed enslaved girl—her exploitation, her “liberation,” and the unsettling question: what actually happened to her next?

This episode wrestles with:
• When “doing good” can still cause harm
• The cost of liberation without long-term care
• How power, gender, and class shape whose stories matter
• Why the church struggles with suffering, lament, and complexity
• The danger of turning every hardship into a neat redemption story

This is not a feel-good sermon preview. It’s an invitation to sit in the tension, ask harder questions, and develop a deeper, more honest faith.

Because sometimes suffering isn’t redemptive.

Sometimes it’s just suffering.
And maybe the work of the church is learning how to stay present in it—together.

What does Acts 2 have to do with Earth Day?

In this episode of The Word Made Fresh Rev. Jim sits down with Rev. Derrick Weston—pastor, author, and leader with Creation Justice Ministries—to explore a bold and timely sermon: “Recruiting Terrorists.”

This conversation dives into the idea of ecological conversion—a transformation of faith that moves beyond belief into action. Why has the church often stayed silent on environmental justice? What happens when faith challenges systems of power, profit, and exploitation? And how do we expand our understanding of “neighbor” to include not just people, but the planet itself?

From Pentecost and mass transformation in Acts 2 to modern climate crisis realities, this episode challenges Christians to rethink what it means to follow Jesus in a world facing environmental collapse.

You’ll explore:
• Why environmental justice is a core faith issue
• The danger of “comfortable” justice that doesn’t disrupt systems
• How climate change is already impacting everyday life
• The theological roots of ecological responsibility
• What true conversion looks like today

If you’ve ever wondered how faith connects to climate, justice, and real-world action—this conversation is for you.

What happens after Easter?

In this episode of The Word Made Fresh, Rev. Jim Keat sits down with Rev. Mira Sawlani-Joyner to explore John 20:19–31, where the disciples are hiding behind locked doors, afraid of what comes next—even after the resurrection.

Sound familiar?

In a world filled with fear, uncertainty, political tension, and exhaustion, this conversation wrestles honestly with what it means to believe in resurrection when everything still feels fragile. From the disciples’ fear to Thomas’ doubt, from Mary’s witness to modern-day survival, this episode invites us to consider:
• What do we do when fear makes us shut the door?
• Why is doubt part of faith—not the opposite of it?
• What does it mean to say “we’re still here” in a world that feels overwhelming?
• How can we step back and see the bigger picture of our shared humanity?

This is not a polished, easy Easter message. It’s real, grounded, and deeply hopeful.

Because resurrection isn’t just something that happened—it’s something we’re still living into.

👉 Join us as we reflect on faith, fear, survival, and the courage to keep showing up.

Easter is almost here—but what if resurrection isn’t just something that happened… or something we celebrate once a year?

In this episode of The Word Made Fresh, Rev. Adriene Thorne and Jim Keat explore what it means to reimagine resurrection—not as a distant miracle, but as a lived, embodied reality. From Holy Week practices like foot washing and Tenebrae, to the power of imagination, forgiveness, and joy, this conversation invites you to see Easter in a whole new way.

What if resurrection is about more than the empty tomb?

What if it’s about how we live, what we imagine, and how we love—every single day?

✨ Topics include:

• Why Easter isn’t just the “finish line” of Lent
• The role of the body in faith and worship
• Reimagining resurrection in everyday life
• How imagination shapes forgiveness and possibility
• Creating meaningful, embodied worship experiences

Whether you’re a lifelong Christian, a curious skeptic, or just looking for hope in a heavy world—this conversation is for you.

👉 Join us for Holy Week and Easter at Riverside Church (in person or online)
👉 Subscribe for weekly conversations on the lectionary and lived faith

#Easter #Resurrection #HolyWeek #ProgressiveChristianity #FaithInPractice #TheWordMadeFresh