In this episode, co-hosts Dr. David Pocta and Hannah Desouza delve into the rich tapestry of ancestry, genealogies, and God's grand narrative from Genesis to Revelation. Drawing on personal experiences with ancestry DNA, they explore the significance of origin stories against the backdrop of God's grand vision.  

They trace the narrative through the 1189 chapters of the Bible, exploring the tension between divine intent and human free will. The episode concludes with an anticipation of deep dives into Genesis and Biblical Theology in future episodes.

Topics Discussed:

Quotes:

“So that's what genealogies do for us, right? They help us understand where we come from, our culture.” –Dr. David Pocta 

“I love this idea of bookends, kind of the opening chapters, genesis and these final chapters of Revelation and that continuity there, so that we know where we've started and where we're ending.” – Hannah Desouza

“This is probably a good place for us to end today is how Jesus really was the fulfillment of all those things and even all these things we've started talking about today.” – Dr. David Pocta

Links:

Dr. David Pocta

Hannah DeSouza

Slideshow

In this podcast episode, hosts Dr. David Pocta and Hannah Desouza introduce listeners to Christian spirituality, comparing it to a spectrum much like sports, with varying players, rules, and complexities. The duo takes a deep dive into the concept of hermeneutics, shedding light on the significance of love as a lens through which the Bible is interpreted. 

The episode delves into the history of Christianity, highlighting moments of deviation, and discusses how personal context, culture, and identity shape our spiritual lives. The hosts also discuss challenging spiritual experiences, like the 'dark nights of the soul', and inspire listeners to immerse deeper into the kingdom of God.

Topics Discussed:

Quotes:

“I think when you say spiritual but not religious, it can also lose some of the value of what spirituality is, and so I think it will be good for us to really process this.” – Dr. David Pocta

“So this could be seen all over scripture then, whether it's our life in Christ, life in the spirit, life in the kingdom, or the church discipleship, I guess all those relationships show our spirituality.” – Hannah Desouza

“Now when we talk about Christian spirituality again, we have to begin with where the most important commands, the most important entry points, what matters more than anything else.” – Dr. David Pocta

“To hear that idea of, yes, the power be taken away and given to someone, well, the kingdom of God will be taken away and given to someone that produces its fruit. That's a really radical statement.” – Hannah Desouza

In this podcast episode, hosts Dr. David Pocta and Hannah Desouza introduce listeners to Christian spirituality, comparing it to a spectrum much like sports, with varying players, rules, and complexities. The duo takes a deep dive into the concept of hermeneutics, shedding light on the significance of love as a lens through which the Bible is interpreted. 

The episode delves into the history of Christianity, highlighting moments of deviation, and discusses how personal context, culture, and identity shape our spiritual lives. The hosts also discuss challenging spiritual experiences, like the 'dark nights of the soul', and inspire listeners to immerse deeper into the kingdom of God.

Topics Discussed:

Quotes:

“I think when you say spiritual but not religious, it can also lose some of the value of what spirituality is, and so I think it will be good for us to really process this.” – Dr. David Pocta

“So this could be seen all over scripture then, whether it's our life in Christ, life in the spirit, life in the kingdom, or the church discipleship, I guess all those relationships show our spirituality.” – Hannah Desouza

“Now when we talk about Christian spirituality again, we have to begin with where the most important commands, the most important entry points, what matters more than anything else.” – Dr. David Pocta

“To hear that idea of, yes, the power be taken away and given to someone, well, the kingdom of God will be taken away and given to someone that produces its fruit. That's a really radical statement.” – Hannah Desouza

Links:

David Pocta

Hannah Desouza

Powerpoint Presentation 

In this episode of Thread, co-hosts Hannah Desousa and Dr. David Pocta delve into the transformative power of storytelling and its profound connection to spirituality and faith. With insights from renowned authors like Sarah Clarkson, Brad Kel, and Sandra Richter, they unpack the narrative tapestry of the Bible, exploring how it shapes our understanding of God, ourselves, and the world around us. 

The episode highlights the significant role of narrative as the driving genre of Scripture, the framing role of didactic literature, and the significance of the hymns of the Bible in telling Israel's history. The episode is a profound exploration of the transformative power of storytelling in shaping our spirituality and faith.

Topics Discussed:

Quotes:

“But there's way more to our story than just our conversion and one of the things I hope that people get out of this podcast is seeing the need to tell more of their story.” – David 

“I think it's important talking about genre, because, of course, knowing the genre of a book affects the way we read it or what we expect it to tell us.” –Hannah 

“I always like the example of you when you pick up a story that says once upon a time, it automatically sets rules.” –David 

“There's an element of love even in that, in the choice that's given to us.” –Hannah 

Links:

Dr. David Pocta

Hannah DeSouza

PowerPoint Presentation

In this episode of Thread, co-hosts Hannah Desousa and Dr. David Pocta delve into the transformative power of storytelling and its profound connection to spirituality and faith. With insights from renowned authors like Sarah Clarkson, Brad Kel, and Sandra Richter, they unpack the narrative tapestry of the Bible, exploring how it shapes our understanding of God, ourselves, and the world around us. 

The episode highlights the significant role of narrative as the driving genre of Scripture, the framing role of didactic literature, and the significance of the hymns of the Bible in telling Israel's history. The episode is a profound exploration of the transformative power of storytelling in shaping our spirituality and faith.

Topics Discussed:

Quotes:

“But there's way more to our story than just our conversion and one of the things I hope that people get out of this podcast is seeing the need to tell more of their story.” – David 

“I think it's important talking about genre, because, of course, knowing the genre of a book affects the way we read it or what we expect it to tell us.” –Hannah 

“I always like the example of you when you pick up a story that says once upon a time, it automatically sets rules.” –David 

“There's an element of love even in that, in the choice that's given to us.” –Hannah 

Links:

Dr. David Pocta

Hannah DeSouza

PowerPoint Presentation

In this episode of The Thread podcast, Dr. David Pocta and Hannah Desouza delve into the complex topic of our perception of God, examining how formative experiences and spiritual leadership shape our image of him. The discussion begins with an analysis of familial and experiential influences before progressing to strategies for building a healthy image of God that is also dynamic and challenging. 

Hannah and David discuss insights from the wisdom of others, contextualized scripture, and literature. Emphasizing the importance of contemplation and enjoyment of God's presence, they explore how immersion in nature and creativity can reorient our spiritual journey and the role relationships play in shaping our image of God.

Topics Discussed:

Resources:

Dr. David Pocta

Hannah DeSouza

Slides

In this episode of The Thread podcast, Dr. David Pocta and Hannah Desouza delve into the complex topic of our perception of God, examining how formative experiences and spiritual leadership shape our image of him. The discussion begins with an analysis of familial and experiential influences before progressing to strategies for building a healthy image of God that is also dynamic and challenging. 

Hannah and David discuss insights from the wisdom of others, contextualized scripture, and literature. Emphasizing the importance of contemplation and enjoyment of God's presence, they explore how immersion in nature and creativity can reorient our spiritual journey and the role relationships play in shaping our image of God.

Topics Discussed:

Resources:

Dr. David Pocta

Hannah DeSouza

Slides

In this introductory episode of Thread, co-hosts Hannah Desouza and Dr. David Pocta share their diverse spiritual narratives. Hannah recounts her journey from being raised by ministers in London. Dr. Pocta, on the other hand, shares his transformation from a troubled youth to finding spiritual direction. Through their stories and conversations on spirituality, deconstruction, and reconstruction, they hope to help listeners discover their own place in God's grand story.

Topics Discussed: 

Quotes:

“So, in other words, I studied the struggle, I studied the wilderness.” – David Pocta

“And right now our plan – again don't hold us to these things – but we're intending to is to release an episode each week and our first four episodes will be foundational to the series. – Hannah Desouza

“Our hope is that you, the listeners, will see and understand God's love and beauty surrounding you, weaving you into this story, especially through the trials and suffering that we all go through.” – David Pocta

Links:

Dr. David Pocta

Hannah Desouza

In this introductory episode of Thread, co-hosts Hannah Desouza and Dr. David Pocta share their diverse spiritual narratives. Hannah recounts her journey from being raised by ministers in London. Dr. Pocta, on the other hand, shares his transformation from a troubled youth to finding spiritual direction. Through their stories and conversations on spirituality, deconstruction, and reconstruction, they hope to help listeners discover their own place in God's grand story.

Topics Discussed: 

Quotes:

“So, in other words, I studied the struggle, I studied the wilderness.” – David Pocta

“And right now our plan – again don't hold us to these things – but we're intending to is to release an episode each week and our first four episodes will be foundational to the series. – Hannah Desouza

“Our hope is that you, the listeners, will see and understand God's love and beauty surrounding you, weaving you into this story, especially through the trials and suffering that we all go through.” – David Pocta

Links:

Dr. David Pocta

Hannah Desouza

Thread is a podcast about finding our place in God's story. We invite you to follow along with Dr. David Pocta and Hannah DeSouza as they guide us on a journey through the Bible, exploring how the biblical narrative can transform and inspire us to live a life of fullness in Christ.

We're more than just a podcast. Check out www.ThreadPodcast.org for resources that can help integrate Thread into your life and the life of your church.