WildWords: Sermons from Wildwood Mennonite Church

"Endarken: /ɛnˈdɑːkə̆n/  1)To render dark or darker. 2) To obscure, to obfuscate; to confound. For example, 'The preacher went on and on about "endarkenment" and by the end of the sermon I was thoroughly obfuscated!'" The spiritual path is often described as a journey towards enlightenment--so why is Jesus calling Nicodemus further down the path into darkness? #LightsOut4Lent

What's under the carefully cultivated image you project on social media? What would happen if you peeled off that mask to look inside? Let's join Jesus and the Devil in the wilderness to find out! Also, the preacher throws some major shade at George Lucas. #nomakeup #ComeToTheDarkSide

What does it mean to read the Bible with our "bodies"--our physical presence, our instincts and intuitions, our "guts"? In theory, this approach can shift the Bible from an ancient document to a living, active one, an experience in which we take part here and now. This sermon takes a final look at the Matthew 14 story of Jesus and Peter walking on water, this time through a guided meditation that invites us into the story.

Remember Roxette's classic "Listen To Your Heart"? Excellent advice for Bible reading! Also, this service features lots of drama and the preacher encourages you to watch Netflix and read romance novels. Listen to "Unwrapping the Bible: Part 3" #allthefeels

You know that time when Jesus and Peter went for a walk on a lake in the middle of the storm? Yeah...cool story, bro. Is it possible to read the Bible with our brains fully engaged? #ProfessorHeikman #oldskool

You've heard the Parable of the Talents, right--two faithful, productive servants and one lazy coward who buries the boss's money? WRONG! Listen here to learn the shocking truth! (Hint: turns out that the boss is a jerk!) 8 of 10 after-church conversations say this is going to blow your mind!

Do we still read our Bibles and find it meaningful? What is the value of story and how do our stories and the Bible’s stories inform our lives? What difference does our approach to the Bible make? What is God’s role – and where is that helicopter-parent God we sometimes think we are looking for? Are we, perhaps, free to doubt and to question – to wrestle with God – as we take up the challenge to find our place in God’s story?

Living Sacrifice, anyone? No, we're not talking about the Christian death metal band (yes of course that's a real thing!) We're talking about what it means to live out the meaning behind the system of ritual sacrifice that dominated the culture(s) of Jesus' day (see: Romans 12:1-2). Come for the history lesson, stay for the rich spiritual metaphor. #hotinhere #sorrynotvegan

Cleanup on aisle 6! Is there a better end for the messes we've made than mopping up the aftermath and pretending they never happened? Not that you've ever made any mistakes, but you might want to check out the finale of "What Do We Do With What We've Done?" anyway. You know, for a friend...

Are we there yet? This business of waiting for Christmas can be a tiresome affair, and yet waiting itself can be a beneficial spiritual discipline. Joseph learned he was a player in God’s story. As God’s story continues, are we willing to jump in and play the part written for us?