For a long time, therapy has been taboo among Christians. There was a belief - both spoken and unspoken - that you can’t “have Jesus and a therapist.” But you can!! And therapist Julie Hall is here to help us understand why. She brilliantly untangles some of the myths many Christians encounter around therapy and helps demystify it a bit. Julie also shares some of her own story of her first experience with therapy, as well as how she moved from her career in the fast-paced tech world into the slo...
Aug 09, 2021•54 min
Welcome back! We sure have missed you all and are so excited to be jumping into our new series on relationships! Britney and Kelsey have been best friends since college and have weathered a lot of life together, especially as Britney prepares to welcome two beautiful twins into the world in addition to her toddler! They got together for this first episode in our series about relationships to talk about all things friendship - including asking for help, making friends as adults, what is most mean...
Aug 02, 2021•1 hr 3 min
Minister Blyth Barnow went to seminary to learn how to hold spiritual space for the communities she comes from. People deemed “too much” for the church. Too difficult, too poor, too “addicted”, too queer, too sexual, too political. These are the people who raised her. These are the people who taught her about the sacred. Now Blyth is a harm reduction specialist who is here to talk with us about the intersection of harm reduction and Christian faith. For her, harm reduction is a spiritual practic...
Jun 23, 2021•59 min
We are wrapping up this Sermon On The Mount series that we've started! This is our second to last Monday episode before our month long break! When we come back our interviews will be focusing towards relationships and faith.
Jun 21, 2021•16 min
When Rev. April Casperson and Pastor Kelsey first sat down, Rev. April asked the question, “Can the overwhelmingly white church be redeemed from racism?” We flipped the script and Kelsey asked April that very question in this episode! We dig into the intersectionality of race and the church, as well as all other aspects of diversity and inclusion. As Rev. April tells us, diversity is not just about race - it is about any difference that makes a difference. What Rev. April brings forth is a sense...
Jun 16, 2021•49 min
Did you know that the opposite of judgement is curiosity? You know those moments when someone cuts you off on the freeway and your immediate reaction is to call them a jerk? What if the next time you're on the road you turn it into a curiosity, why are they cutting you off? Are they running to the hospital? Are they late to pick up their child from the sitter? It will help you to take the log out of your eye, but know that. No matter what. God loves you, and knows who you are. God created us, an...
Jun 14, 2021•11 min
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit. - Psalm 34:18 Rev. Jonathan Barker has become known around southeast Wisconsin as a pastor with a heart for justice and caring for God's beloved creation. He regularly fasts for climate justice, he has played a large part in advocating for justice for Jacob Blake in Kenosha, WI, and, as pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Kenosha, WI he plays a large part in the organization, Grace Welcome Center that serves clients deeply im...
Jun 09, 2021•49 min
This week we discuss something that we all can relate to - worry. It's easy to get wrapped up in our day to day worry, about our loved ones, about finances, about jobs. But we need to remember one simple thing. God knows our needs, cares for us, loves us, and remembers us.
Jun 07, 2021•17 min
Everybody loves happy mail! You know, the things that come via snail mail that just bring you a whole lot of joy. It's not junk mail or bills, but something that fills your heart and reminds you of the goodness of life. Today we are chatting with Rev. Ruth Hetland, the creator of ConseCrate Subscription Box. It's a box specifically curated for ministers (though all people are welcome to sign up for one!). Ruth created ConseCrate boxes to specifically encourage, celebrate, delight, inspire, and a...
Jun 02, 2021•39 min
This week we dig into what treasure we will be leaving behind. Not in the materialistic way, but in the way of our legacy.
May 31, 2021•17 min
The Rev. Jonathan Favors-Grimes is a native of Atlanta, Ga where he resides with his family. Jonathan's ministry first began in the Methodist (AME) Church but now has an Ecumenical status. Jonathan has been a Pastor, Chaplain, and Church planter. Prior to being a minister, Jonathan is also a Certified Teacher having taught ESL, English, and Science. His studies consist of Full Sail University , Bethel University , and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary . During his leisure time, Jonathan enjoys...
May 26, 2021•47 min
This week we untangle prayer. Prayer is something that can be intimidating to some, but at the end of the day everything we do can be prayer. Whether you pray through dancing, pray through cooking or baking, pray through a walk around your block. There is no right or wrong way to pray, God is with you always and knows what is on your heart. God hears you. God is with you.
May 24, 2021•15 min
Heather Lea Kenison is founder and CEO of Women in Youth Ministry. What started as a small Facebook group to support and connect women in youth ministry has grown to a community of over 3,000 people. Heather is here with us today to share what it's like to "lead like a girl" and come alongside other women in ministry. If you are a woman doing youth ministry, be sure to get connected to the Women in Youth Ministry Facebook Group | Blog | Podcast , | and Website ! . . . Heather Lea Kenison serves ...
May 19, 2021•50 min
We are continuing our Sermon On The Mount Series and digging into more commandments and untangling the theology around them. This week is a reminder that we are ALL made in God's image. Even those we deem our enemies.
May 17, 2021•20 min
A few months ago, we asked what topics you wanted to hear about. What were your theological questions? What are you wrestling with and wondering about? One of the responses we received was about Judas. Did he act out of his own volition? Or was God guiding his decisions? We are so excited to have Rev. Jack Perkins Davidson (who, in his words, has "strong opinions" on this topic!) here with us today! Buckle up, because we'll be using our imaginations, getting curious, and really wrestling with th...
May 12, 2021•52 min
Continue digging into The Sermon On The Mount with us. This week we dive into scripture that can be harmful, if read the wrong way. We discuss some controversial issues in this one - particularly Jesus' statements on anger, adultery, and divorce.
May 10, 2021•25 min
“The question isn’t are you praying, but what will you do after saying amen?” - Emelda De Coteau. Being a Christian isn’t just about the fact that we believe in Christ; it is about how we embody that faith in our daily lives. Our guests today are co-hosts of the podcast Pray with Our Feet which uplifts the intersection of progressive Christian faith and social justice / activism. They are passionate about what it truly means to live out our faith. . . . Emelda De Coteau leads Pray with Our Feet ...
May 05, 2021•54 min
You are the salt of the Earth. God has called you to bring out the God flavor of the world. By just being you, you are fulfilling God's purpose for you. Salt, and light, can not not be salt (sorry for the double negative). And just like salt and like, you can not not be you. And that's exactly how God wants it to be.
May 03, 2021•10 min
One of the most popular questions I get asked is, "Can I practice yoga as a Christian?" The short answer: YES! There is of course much more to it than that, but my friend and beloved yoga teacher, Johanna Burke , is here today to help us untangle this question. In this episode, we dive deep into the history of yoga and its roots in India. Johanna teaches us about how yoga is not just asana, or "physical practice," but a way of being; not unlike our Christian faith. While yoga itself is not a rel...
Apr 28, 2021•49 min
Blessings are all around us, but if we're not careful, the theology behind the blessings can do more harm than good. Today we take a deep dive into Matthew 5:1-12 and really dissect the Beatitudes. We look at how the blessing isn't in the suffering, but in the way that God shows up and redeems our suffering. Join us: open your mind, open your heart, and fill your cup with a little Gospel.
Apr 26, 2021•27 min
Calling all arts lovers - especially dancers - this one is for you! But it is also for anyone who has a passion that has fallen away because they “need to be an adult.” Rev. Julie Hoplamazian is here to talk to us about her work with Faith on Pointe; a ministry that lives at the intersection of ballet and theology. She is here to offer us a good word about the connection between our bodies and spirits, as well as the way that arts can provide an inroad for the Spirit. Through her work with Faith...
Apr 21, 2021•44 min
This message is a reminder that even when we fall, even when we doubt, even when we don't feel as though we are well equipped - you have been called by God. God has your back. You don't have to be perfect, you don't have to know the answers to everything. God will always have your back.
Apr 19, 2021•16 min
How do we survive in the aftermath of tragedy? Where do we find or experience hope when it seems like all hope is lost? In her book, The Night Lake, and in this interview, Liz Tichenor walks us through the tremendous loss she experienced - losing her newborn son just forty days into his life, less than a year and a half after she lost her mom to suicide. As an Episcopal Priest, how could she possibly preach the “Good News” of the Gospel in the midst of so much tragedy? None of us are strangers t...
Apr 14, 2021•55 min
If you've been a listener for any period of time, this message will not come as a surprise to you. You are full heartedly loved by God. There is nothing that you can do, to change that.
Apr 12, 2021•16 min
Alleluia, Christ is risen! There is resurrection all around us, if we choose to see it. Even in the small things, like a rainbow breaking through the clouds, or thousands of flowers blooming in a field of mud. And the mystery of it all is that it happens in the dark.
Apr 05, 2021•16 min
As we dive into Holy Week, let's remember what this season of Lent is about. In the story Pastor Kelsey reads this week the people lay down palms for Jesus to walk on, in celebration and in an act of love to make the path for him softer. This week, take the time to lay down palms for your neighbors. Resource noted in this episode: The Spark Story Bible In honor of Holy Week, we will not be releasing an interview this week. See see you next Monday!...
Mar 29, 2021•17 min
Kara has always asked the big questions - looking for connections to our world and the way people interact. Through her experiences in human services, working with youth and in ministry, she quickly recognized most of her time was spent helping people reframe stories they’ve told themselves about sex and relationships. She is the CEO and Founder of Reframing Our Stories . In 2015, Kara created Grace Unbound, a resource for teaching comprehensive sexual health without the shame or guilt, but with...
Mar 24, 2021•47 min
Today we dive into a passage that has so many aspects to it for different circumstances in ones life. Whether you're in a season of doubt, and unable to look at Jesus for guidance, or you're in a season of needing rest. This one is for you. Remember, you do not need to reach out to God when you are in a season of doubt. For God has got you, God loves you. He will bring you back in the boat. But the question is, do you have the courage to get out of the boat?
Mar 22, 2021•16 min
While living in St Louis, Missouri, Elle Dowd’s heart was transformed. Michael Brown, a black man, had been gunned down by a white police officer and Elle found herself at the front lines of protests. In the weeks and months following Brown’s death, Elle experience just a fraction of the broken system she was speaking out against - from rubber bullets to tear gas. In the midst of it all, God softened her heart and fueled her fire. In the wake of the uprising, Elle committed herself fully and com...
Mar 17, 2021•53 min
It has been a year since pandemic started. This has not been an easy year, it has been a year of loss and grief. We all have felt it in one way or another. So take this moment to hear words from God, a reminder to be still and know.
Mar 15, 2021•9 min
