Are there angels or spirits that are responsible for cities, towns, and regions? When John is commanded, “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write…” what does that mean? Does it mean a real angel? Are there other passages of scripture that can inform our thinking? Join us as we dive into the weirder side of theology and then let us know what you think!

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Books Mentioned on the Podcast:

Boyd, Gregory A. God at War: The Bible and Spiritual Conflict (https://a.co/d/d2KKkGX)

Lewis, C.S. That Hideous Strength (Space Trilogy, Book 3) (https://www.amazon.com/dp/0743234928/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_1NNJCG5DFP0X0KANRKBM)

Peretti, Frank E. This Present Darkness (https://a.co/d/bWZpSQL)

Boring. Unspiritual. Unimportant. Drudgery. These may be words that many of us would associate with church administration. But what if we thought differently about the less glamorous parts of running a church? What if godly character, wisdom, and prayerfulness were just as needed in these areas as anywhere else in ministry? Join us on this episode to discuss the intersection of spiritual formation and church administration. And let us know how you think this impacts your churches and your particular work.

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Should we use the divine name? Josh from Oregon makes a case that we should consider doing so. Of course, we want to be sure not to use God’s name in vain. But what did God mean by that in the first place? Come join the conversation and then let us know what you think!

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Listening is harder than it seems. Join us this week as Josh from Missouri talks through some of the keys to listening that he has learned and developed as a professional mental health coach. We believe this conversation will be both challenging and rewarding. But let us know what you think!

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Psalm 19 begins with famous lines about the heavens declaring the splendor of the Lord. But the Psalm goes on to talk about much, much more. In fact, the Psalm can be seen in three parts: praise for creation, praise for God’s law, and a searching prayer of petition. How do these things fit together? Join us as we dive headlong into the richness of this psalm.

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Books Mentioned on the Podcast:

Eliot, T. S. Four Quartets: A Poem (https://a.co/d/cCaA0X0)

Guite, Malcolm. David's Crown: Sounding the Psalms (https://a.co/d/25ccGk8)

Following up on last week’s discussion about acquiring the character necessary to qualify biblically as a pastor or elder, we search the bookshelves for tried and true experts to guide our way. We discuss many different authors that have wise counsel on how to grow in Christ. In addition, we’ve noted each of the books below for you to reference. And we invite you to join in this conversation and help us fill out a well-rounded bookshelf.

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Books Mentioned on the Podcast:

Barton, Ruth Haley. Sacred Rhythms: Arranging Our Lives for Spiritual Transformation (https://a.co/d/giaN9vo)

Barton, Ruth Haley. Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership: Seeking God in the Crucible of Ministry (https://a.co/d/0IT9uYq)

Burgess, John P. A Pastoral Rule for Today: Reviving an Ancient Practice (https://a.co/d/eRPIk4L)

Foster, Richard J. Learning Humility: A Year of Searching for a Vanishing Virtue (https://a.co/d/gWgXfUZ)

Foster, Richard J. Streams of Living Water: Celebrating the Great Traditions of Christian Faith (https://a.co/d/6S5cpqt)

Hawkins, Greg L. and Cally Parkinson. Move: What 1,000 Churches Reveal about Spiritual Growth (https://a.co/d/0hXW6ke)

Lewis, C. S. The Last Battle (https://a.co/d/1MxYIwD)

Mulholland Jr., M. Robert. Invitation to a Journey: A Road Map for Spiritual Formation (https://a.co/d/71g0TJn)

Peterson, Eugene. The Contemplative Pastor: Returning to the Art of Spiritual Direction (https://a.co/d/c4Rewzp)

Pope Gregory I. The Book of Pastoral Rule (https://a.co/d/ijB3Q7n)

Saucy, Robert. Minding the Heart: The Way of Spiritual Transformation (https://a.co/d/0NEkm2z)

Teresa of Avila. The Interior Castle (https://a.co/d/h5ku222)

Thompson, Curt. Anatomy of the Soul: Surprising Connections Between Neuroscience and Spiritual Practices that Can Transform Your Life and Relationships (https://a.co/d/gZZYuch)

Thune, Robert H. Gospel Eldership: Equipping a New Generation of Servant Leaders (https://a.co/d/cF5yiFS)

Volf, Miroslav. Exclusion and Embrace, Revised and Updated: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation (https://a.co/d/5MXIt5I)

Willard, Dallas. Renovation of the Heart (https://a.co/d/6blBSjy)

Previous Episodes of our Podcast Mentioned on the Podcast

E41 - Book Talk - The Contemplative Pastor (https://pod.fo/e/16e37e)

Paul makes it clear that Elders are held to a particularly high standard. But if we have identified a potential elder, how can we help them to achieve this high standard. And how can we recognize whether or not someone actually meets these qualifications? It’s a high bar that all to often goes unmet in our churches – sometimes with disastrous consequences. So how do we get this right? Come join the conversation and let us know your thoughts.

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Books Mentioned on the Podcast:

Strobel, Kyle. Coe, John. Where Prayer Becomes Real: How Honesty with God Transforms Your Soul (https://a.co/d/j1q8CmE)

Thune, Robert H. Gospel Eldership: Equipping a New Generation of Servant Leaders (https://a.co/d/cF5yiFS)

The Psalms are written from a variety of perspectives and human experiences. The great Psalm 23 can be taken at face value about the goodness of God. But what about the Psalms that talk about God’s abandonment or his fierce anger? Are those also true of God? If not, how can we have a consistent way of judging what is true and what isn’t? And better yet, how do we go about praying the Psalms since they represent such a wide variety of perspectives and experiences? Come join us for this conversation and let us know what you think!

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