JR.'s Sermons

All I Want for Christmas is You

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 12:00:00 +0000

"All I Want for Christmas is You" is the best-selling Christmas song of all time. At its heart is a vulnerability that's essential to the Christmas season. Hope requires risk, an admission that where we are is not where we want to be. How can we choose to be vulnerable as we approach Christmas?

Last Christmas

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Have you noticed Christmas decorations seem to be going up earlier and earlier? First it was Thanksgiving... now Halloween is in danger of getting swallowed up by Kris Kringle! But with a world so full of war, plague and division, is it any wonder we want to throw up Christmas Cheer like a shield? Can you blame us for wanting a garland-strewn respite? But is it possible that, by closing ourselves off from the pain in the world, we miss the truly liberating power of Christmas?

Baby, It's Cold Outside

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 3 Dec 2023 12:00:00 +0000

During the Christmas season, we celebrate God coming to earth. In a world marked by violence, division and bigotry, God's arrival means a big shake up. Are we sure we're ready for God's arrival? If not, how can we prepare?

Curiosity (2023)

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 26 Nov 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Christians aren't known for being curious. Why would we be, when we have a monopoly on truth? But that attitude is at odds with the God who created our universe and invited us to explore. It's at odds with the God who calls us to welcome the stranger and go into the whole world. What does a church that cultivates curiosity look like? How does prioritizing curiosity shape our mission and engagement with the world around us?

Change (2023)

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 19 Nov 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Nobody likes change, but it's inevitable. And for people of faith, change is good. We're called to embrace change so radical the only word for it is resurrection. So how can we take change seriously - in our own lives, in our congregation and in our world?

Collective Liberation (2023)

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 12 Nov 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Even though diversity has become a buzz word, it's hard to find any organization that takes it seriously - especially churches. What does it look like to take diversity seriously? The radical truth is that none of us is free until all of us is free. So how can we chase that together as a church?

Friendship (2023)

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 5 Nov 2023 12:00:00 +0000

We're in the midst of a loneliness epidemic, and far too often, churches are part of the problem. How can that be, when Jesus insists that he made us his friends? What does it mean for a church to take friendship seriously, particularly in the midst of a culture dying to connect?

The Road Ahead

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 29 Oct 2023 12:00:00 +0000

There's no way around it: change is traumatic. That the change is good doesn't alter the reality that it's really hard. Paul's paradigm-shifting transformation on the road to Damascus illustrates the pain and joy of following God's radical call to something new. How does faith enable us to follow God faithfully into the unknown?

Out of the Box

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Sometimes, it's God's old thing that keeps us from participating in God's new thing. What do we do when faithfulness gets in the way of being faithful? Jesus warned his followers that the days of God's temple were numbered because God was up to something new. How can we hold the past lightly so we can lean into God's new thing?

All Hands on Deck

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 15 Oct 2023 12:00:00 +0000

We live in a professionalized culture - we're more likely to leave every job to the paid expert than we are to do them ourselves. But when it comes to building God's new thing, this isn't something we can leave to professionals. Nehemiah shows us that we all have a part to play in God's work. How can we discern what our part is? Where do we weigh in?

Plan B

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 1 Oct 2023 12:00:00 +0000

What do we do when life doesn't go the way we thought? People of faith try our best to follow God's will, but that's not a guarantee life is going to go our way. Joseph shows us what faithfulness looks like when Plan A goes off the rails.

The Longest Walk

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 24 Sep 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Nobody loves change, but change doesn't ask our permission to happen. So when change comes, how can we engage it faithfully? It all begins by being willing to leave what's been and trust that God is leading us into the future. Do we have the courage to take that first, longest step?

Who Would Jesus Boycott?

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 17 Sep 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Social media promises to connect us, but we've seen throughout this series how technology can harm as easily as heal. How do we discern what wise use of these technologies look like? How can we be sure technology is serving our faith journey, and not the other way around?

Who Would Jesus Cancel?

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 10 Sep 2023 12:00:00 +0000

In the wake of #metoo, everyone is afraid of Cancel Culture. No one is immune, from celebrities to pastors. While some see this as justice, others see a dangerous mob, accountable to no one. How should people of faith engage cancel culture? What does redemption look like for those who have wronged others? How can we offer grace without compromising truth?

The Almighty Algorithms

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 3 Sep 2023 12:00:00 +0000

What's the harm in scrolling through social media, reading or watching whatever comes across our screens? We know in the abstract that tech companies use algorithms to determine what we see, but how often do we ask what those algorithms - and the companies who write them - want? How do these algorithms shape our spirituality? And how can we take responsibility for our feeds?

Chat JesusPT

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 27 Aug 2023 12:00:00 +0000

It's easy to vilify the latest technology, but how do we really know if the latest gadget, app or trend is holy or not? What could the Bible possibly have to say about technologies two millennia younger than its writings? How do we learn to think theologically about smartphones, laptops, social media and everything else?

What's Wrong with Superhero Movies?

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 12:00:00 +0000

There's no bigger box-office draw than a superhero movie. Why do we love these stories so much? What does that say about us? Is there a limit to the good superhero movies can do? And what does any of that have to do with our calling as a people of God?

What do We do when Law & Love Collide?

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 13 Aug 2023 12:00:00 +0000

In a perfect world, our call to love God would never conflict with our call to love our neighbors. But our world is complex, and too often, we find ourselves torn between a desire to be holy and a desire to love. How do we untangle this tension that leaves us in knots? What do we do when these two forces collide?

Why Does God Hate Hercules?

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 6 Aug 2023 12:00:00 +0000

What does it mean to be 'holy'? In the ancient world, that meant 'set apart' or 'special'. God calls those who follow God to be a 'holy people'. So how are we set apart? Much of the ancient imagery is wrapped up in blood sacrifice, demigods and... dietary restrictions? What does all that mean for us today? How can we be holy as God calls us to be?

Is Hell Forever?

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 30 Jul 2023 12:00:00 +0000

If someone dies without knowing Jesus, they go to Hell. Hell is a punishment for sin. Many churches describe Hell as "eternal conscious torment". How is that just? How can eternal torment be a fair punishment for even a lifetime of sin? Could it be that we've gotten Hell wrong? Could there be hope even in the depths of Hell?

What Happens to People Who Never Hear About Jesus?

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 12:00:00 +0000

We're told that unless you accept Jesus as your savior, you go to Hell. But what about the countless people around the world who died without ever hearing about Jesus? Or those who were introduced to him at the end of a conqueror's sword? How can God be loving if those people go to Hell? How can God be just if they're punished for something they couldn't help?

Why Did God Have to Kill His Son?

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 16 Jul 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Why did Jesus die on the Cross? Did God really kill Jesus because he was angry at us? These questions point to the heart of God's character, and many of us are afraid of the answer. But when we understand how the Bible talks about God's wrath, we see the Cross not as an angry God defending his own reputation, but rather as the one who created and loves us saving us from ourselves.

What is the Unpardonable Sin?

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 9 Jul 2023 12:00:00 +0000

God loves us, and God is quick to forgive. Unless we commit the unpardonable sin. What does it mean to 'blaspheme the Holy Spirit'? Why is that the sin God considers unforgivable? How can that be if God's love is unending?

Who Goes to Hell?

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 2 Jul 2023 12:00:00 +0000

We say God is Love but what about Hell? Do people who don't know God really get tortured for all eternity? If someone prays right before they die, are they safe no matter what? How is that fair when good people who never heard about God suffer forever? Is it possible we've got Hell all wrong? How could Hell actually be good news?

How Do I Forgive the Church?

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 25 Jun 2023 12:00:00 +0000

The Church is supposed to be a spiritual family that is assembled around Jesus to offer his love to the world. But far too often, churches are the source of deep trauma. We know Jesus calls us to love our enemies, but what do we do when our enemy is the Church? How do we love the ones who hurt us in the name of Jesus?

How Do I Find Peace?

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 18 Jun 2023 12:00:00 +0000

We hear that God brings joy and peace. But if we're honest, we don't often experience those feelings. Does that mean we're lacking in some essential way? That we need to try harder? Be better? No - joy and peace aren't emotions. They're a state of being that flows out of God's own character. So what does it look like for us to experience them?

Is the Bible Inspired?

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 12:00:00 +0000

What does it mean to say the Bible is the "inspired Word of God"? How do we know the Bible is trustworthy? After all, it's a library of more than sixty books by dozens of authors written and compiled over the course of centuries. Doesn't that make it less reliable? Not for those of us at Catalyst - the human component of Scripture is a feature, not a bug. What makes the Bible inspired is that it's fully divine and fully human.

How Do We Know God?

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 4 Jun 2023 12:00:00 +0000

How do we know who God is? After all, there are dozens of religions who all make competing claims about God's nature. God has revealed themselves to us through God's actions in human history. From the Exodus to Jesus himself, God shows themselves to be a liberator. God rescues us from injustice and oppression. God works for the flourishing of all of us!

Wade in the Water

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 28 May 2023 12:00:00 +0000

What does it mean for us that the Holy Spirit is alive around and within us? On Pentecost, the birthday of the Church, we're exploring one of Jesus' stranger word pictures. It all has to do with an ancient festival, the Dead Sea and of course the book of Revelation. Hey... it's our birthday, so we have to party!

Good Code

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 21 May 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Jesus prays that God will make us one the same way Jesus and the Father are one. What does this oneness look like? Think of us all like lines of computer code. We're all different, and all have different roles to play. Oneness doesn't mean uniformity; it means we're all working together to execute God's mission of liberation in our world!

Good Trouble

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 14 May 2023 11:00:00 +0000

What do we do when the right thing is wrong? Ever since Jesus was executed by Rome as a political criminal, Christians have often found our commitment to God's Kingdom at odds with the nations and cultures in which we live. What are we supposed to do when we're in way over our heads?

Your Temple is a Body

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 7 May 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Everyone knows you should follow Jesus so you can go to heaven when you die... and get a mansion, if we're to believe the songs! But would you be surprised to know that Jesus never promises us mansions? And... it's not even really about what happens when we die. No, when we crack Jesus' code, we realize he's promising something much more immediate - and much better!

A Leader You Can Trust

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 06:00:00 +0000

How do we know what God is doing? With so many opinions in the world, it's hard to know who to trust. But who would know better than... God? After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to a family on a road trip, and he showed them who he really is - who God really is. How can we see what they saw? How can we trust who God says God is?

Code on the Road

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 23 Apr 2023 11:00:00 +0000

What is God up to? Specifically, if we're looking for where God is at work in the world, what are we looking for? In the wake of Jesus' resurrection, his followers struggled to understand how his death and resurrection fulfilled God's promises. Cue one epic road trip where Jesus himself takes some very special followers through a whirlwind of the Hebrew scriptures, reframing how they understood everything God is about through Jesus. What does that mean for us in 2023?

Fear & Peace

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 16 Apr 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Misunderstandings cause a lot of friction in our lives. But bad communication isn't always the culprit - sometimes we just don't know how to use the right language. Could the same be true of faith, too? Is it possible that God is speaking to us in a way we can learn to hear, a way that's accessible and transformative for humanity? What does that sound like?

The Magic Number is 8

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 9 Apr 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Easter is more than a celebration of that thing (Jesus coming back to life!) that happened that one time (2,000 years ago). It's liberation - the beginning of a new reality that hides in plain sight. Jesus, the resurrected one, is the key to learning to discern this new reality. So just remember... if you want to find God hiding in plain sight, the magic number is 8.

Just Play the Hits

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 2 Apr 2023 11:00:00 +0000

We all bring expectations with us into relationships, and not having them met can be a source of real pain and conflict. Palm Sunday illustrates how Jesus refused to meet the expectations of anyone - not Rome, not the leaders in Jerusalem, not the pilgrims with whom he traveled. In fact, it was their refusal to see Jesus for who he is - and not who they wanted him to be - that led all these groups to conspire to crucify him. How can we learn from their failure to be very careful to align ourselves with Jesus' agenda, and not the other way around?

When God Fails Us

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 26 Mar 2023 11:00:00 +0000

In our most honest moments, we recall times God has let us down. Prayers unanswered, illnesses unhealed, relationships not mended. We wonder, in those times, what the point of faith is. Why follow God if God does not (cannot?) keep us from harm, from grief. Jesus' approach to Lazarus' tomb reveals much about the God who does not leave us in our grief - even as we hope for something better.

God Goggles

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 19 Mar 2023 11:00:00 +0000

What makes a good leader? A good boss? A good partner? A good Christian? In a world with so many competing ideas of what's worth imitating, it can be hard to know what God's way is. The stories of King David's anointing and Jesus' healing of a man born blind remind us that God's values are upside down from the culture around us. So how can we be sure we're seeing things God's way?

Afraid to Ask

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 12 Mar 2023 11:00:00 +0000

How often do you ask God for what you want? For a lot of us, even the idea sounds wrong - as though we're annoying the greatest being in the universe, making ourselves a burden to the one who has far more important things on their plate. But Jesus reminds us that God cares deeply about our needs and is aware of them even before we voice them. So... what are we afraid of? What's holding us back for asking for good gifts from our creator?

Reflections

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 5 Mar 2023 11:00:00 +0000

God created us to reflect God's love to the world around us. What keeps us from faithfully reflecting God's love? And how can we reconnect to God so we can once again show the world the same love we receive from God?

Boundaries

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 26 Feb 2023 11:00:00 +0000

How often do we associate religion with a list of don'ts? These prohibitions often seem to be the heart of religious life. But this first Sunday of Lent reminds us that God created us primarily for permission. God created us for freedom - and an essential component of real freedom is boundaries. How do God's prohibitions orient us toward the true freedom God created us for?

Ash Wednesday 2023

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 19:00:00 +0000

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, our journey with Jesus to the cross. This year, our series is called Broken Promises. We're exploring the covenants God has made with God's people. How have our spiritual ancestors broken those covenants - and how have we? And most importantly, how has Jesus been faithful - to God and to us?

Prepare to Be Changed

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 19 Feb 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Despite the popular depictions, spiritual transformation is a process - more a journey than a singular experience. That being the case, how do we prepare well for a journey of transformation? What do we need to do to ensure we're ready for the change that's ahead of us?

Songs of Resistance

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 12 Feb 2023 11:00:00 +0000

A faithful people lives in solidarity with the vulnerable. But what if we've already been living unjust lives? What if we've spent years ignoring the vulnerable? Moses' final speech to Israel reminds us that with God, it's never too late to be righteous. So how do we seek justice in our time and place?

Not So Fast!

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 5 Feb 2023 11:00:00 +0000

For a lot of folks, the heart of religion is spiritual practices like reading scripture or fasting. But God didn't create us just to watch us do tasks. Practices aren't the heart of faith - relationship is. What happens when our social relationships are unbalanced? What are the consequences for our faith? And how does God call us to heal that imbalance?

Old Time Religion

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 29 Jan 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Where do we find Jesus today? According to Jesus, we find him among the outcast and marginal. And that's not a new idea - even for Jesus. Real religion, old time religion, the way God created us to be, looks like being a people who lives in solidarity with those who fall through the cracks in our society. So where do we find those people today? After all... that's where we'll find Jesus!

Black Jesus

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 22 Jan 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Religion is far too often nothing but platitudes. How many times have you heard, "God has a plan," or "It is what it is"? No wonder Marx called religion "the opiate of the masses!" But, at least for the prophet Isaiah, religion wasn't meant to pacify. Rather, God's arrival among us is meant to wake us up. No wonder God shows up among the marginalized, those most badly in need of justice! If we're going to find Jesus, we're going to find him among those who are most vulnerable.

Riding God's Coattails

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 15 Jan 2023 11:37:00 +0000

It's easy to feel like we're not doing enough - especially when it comes to faith. Are we praying enough, serving enough, giving enough? Isaiah's Servant knows how that feels, which is why they remind us that what matters isn't our ability or performance. Our faithfulness is made possible because of God's work in our world. So how can we rest in God's faithfulness - especially when we feel too small to accomplish God's calling?

Superman Messiah

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 8 Jan 2023 10:00:00 +0000

We love the idea that Jesus saves us from sin. But what does he save us for? What if Jesus' life is as important as his death? We kick off our new series by exploring how Jesus' death frees us to live Jesus' life. He shows us how to live, and dies so we can live like him. Let's begin the new year by igniting our faith like never before!

The Christmas Grinch

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 1 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000

There's one person in the Christmas story we don't like to talk about - the guy who tried to kill Jesus, and in the process visited an atrocity on the families of Bethlehem. That's right: Herod the Great, the original Christmas Grinch. But is it possible we have more in common with Herod than we might think? Is it possible that we're grinchier than we realize? Join us for New Year's Day (and the 8th day of Christmas) as we explore how we can begin our new year taking our call to follow Jesus more seriously!

The 2022 Christmas Special

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 25 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Everyone's favorite morning show returns. JR. and Nathan in the Morning! celebrates our third annual Christmas special by welcoming special guests Kathy Khang and Jose Humphreys. Light is one of the most beloved Christmas themes. But our world has racialized that metaphor, equating light (skin) with good and dark (skin) with evil. How should we engage this theme in a way that enables this beloved tradition to bring life and flourishing to all of us?

If Only in My Dreams

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 18 Dec 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Christmas is a season of new life, of impossible possibility. Joseph illustrates for us the sort of faith that finds hope in the most unlikely places. As we approach Christmas, how can we attend to the Holy Spirit, particularly in those least likely places?

John Had a Point - I'll Be Home for Christmas

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 11 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

We're about to the time in the Advent season when the Christmas cheer begins to feel oppressive. After all, we know the world isn't really characterized by peace on earth or goodwill to all peoples. We might relate to John the Baptizer, who, after preparing the people for Jesus' ministry, found himself in prison. What do we make of Jesus' mysterious response to John? How do John and Jesus help us navigate the tension inherent in the Christmas season?

An Advent Carol - I'll Be Home for Christmas

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 4 Dec 2022 12:00:00 +0000

This time of year, nobody wants to be Scrooge. But the ba-humbug spirit is sneakier than we might think. John the Baptizer appears to us this year as the three spirits of Advent past, present and future to remind us what it looks like to be God's faithful people. Today, the question is: are we preparing ourselves for Jesus' arrival?

Home is Where God's Heart Is - I'll Be Home for Christmas

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Ever feel like the world's ending? What comes to mind when you think of the apocalypse? Fire and brimstone? Sun blocked out and moon turning to blood? Bad news... right? Wrong. Somewhere along the way, we picked up the idea that God is going to abandon the world and take us all away. But that's wrong! The good news is that God loves the world - and home is where God's heart is. What does it look like for us to love the world the way God does?

Curiosity - Table Settings

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 20 Nov 2022 12:00:00 +0000

'Curiosity' is not a word we associate with churches. Churches are more often known for quieting questions and insisting we 'just have faith.' But curiosity is a virtue - the most faithful people in Scripture were often curious. That's a good thing because God is bigger than any box we make, and when we choose to be curious, we often discover God in new and surprising ways. What does it look like for Catalyst to value curiosity?

Transformation - Table Settings

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 13 Nov 2022 12:00:00 +0000

What does it take to become more like Jesus? The process of change for a Christian can take a long time, and it's not very glamorous. It's a lot like BBQ, actually. What can we learn from the process of "low and slow"? How can our faith flourish as deliciously as a perfectly smoked, 20-hour brisket?

Diversity - Table Settings

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 6 Nov 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Diversity is a buzzword these days, and it's not something churches are particularly known for. So what does it mean for a church to say we value diversity? Why does God care about diversity? And how does pursuing diversity help us know God - and heal the world - better?

Friendship - Table Settings

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 30 Oct 2022 12:00:00 +0000

At Catalyst, we believe that Friendship is the heart of Jesus’ good news. What does that mean? Friendship with God invites us to go beyond hospitality to seeking friendship outside our own spaces. What does that mean for us - both as individuals and as a church? PLUS: we’ll hear from our Mexico team about how they discovered friendship in Chihuahua!

On Being a Black Sheep Church - Black Sheep

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 23 Oct 2022 12:00:00 +0000

What does it mean to be a Black Sheep church? How can we be faithful in a culture that doesn't fit? We review our time with Jeremiah, and hear one last promise. The call is overwhelming, so it's a good thing the God who calls us is even bigger!

How We Learn to Listen - Black Sheep

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 9 Oct 2022 12:00:00 +0000

How do we NOT feel overwhelmed when facing the evils of the world? No wonder we have a tendency to silence or ignore those suffering - especially when we're powerless to help. Jeremiah teaches us that in times of great crisis maybe what we need to do is be silent and learn to lament. Because lamenting teaches us how to hear the voices of the crushed and marginalized. Lamentation is our pathway back to the people God created us and calls us to be!

Sabbath Revolution - Black Sheep

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 2 Oct 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Sabbath is one of those old-fashioned ideas we don't pay attention to much these days. After all, who can really afford to take a whole day off from life? In Jeremiah's day, the people's failure to keep Sabbath was the signal fire that they were faithless. Why is Sabbath so important? And what does it look like to keep Sabbath in our (way too) busy world? How is Sabbath an act of revolution?

No Fast, No Feast - Black Sheep

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 25 Sep 2022 12:00:00 +0000

You know that "This is Fine" Dog? It's a pretty good representation of God's people in Jeremiah's day - and maybe in ours too. That's why God told Jeremiah not to attend funerals or weddings. God refused to go along with business as usual in the face of the people's unfaithfulness. What does 'no fast, no feast' look like for God's faithful people today?

Lying in Our Shame - Black Sheep

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 18 Sep 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Everyone knows that God loves us. So... why is it so hard to receive that love? What is the path to freedom from the guilt, shame and fear that keep us trapped in idolatrous ways of life?

Leaky Raincatchers - Black Sheep

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 12:00:00 +0000

No one worries about idols anymore. Which is weird because the prophets warned about them all the time. Why should we still heed their warnings today? What, exactly, IS an idol? And what does any of this have to do with raincatchers that leak?

What Makes a Prophet? - Black Sheep

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 4 Sep 2022 12:00:00 +0000

What is a prophet? Contrary to popular imagination, prophets in the Bible weren't fortune tellers. God called prophets to tell the truth about God's people, to hold up a mirror to the people. What does that look like today?

One Big (Magical) Family - La Familia Madrigal's Handy Dandy Guide to Spiritual Transformation

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 28 Aug 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Throughout the summer, we’ve see how differently we all experience the world, and how different our paths to healing can be. Such a variety can be overwhelming – sort of like Mirabel’s big opening number. As we bring this series to a close, let’s remember a core, simple truth: no matter who we are, we belong. We’re all part of the family God has created here at Catalyst!

Camilo the Enthusiast - Enneagram 7 - La Familia Madrigal's Handy Dandy Guide to Spiritual Transformation

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 21 Aug 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Did we save the best for last? Maybe so... Enneagram 7s are the life of every party. Sevens love life and want to live it to the fullest - just like Camilo in Encanto. But life isn't all fun and games - so what does it take for Sevens to slow down and be present to the hard parts of life, too?

Bruno the Loyalist - Enneagram 6 - La Familia Madrigal's Handy Dandy Guide to Spiritual Transformation

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 14 Aug 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Do you have a friend who worries constantly? Who's aware of every possible danger - most you'd never considered? You might know an Enneagram 6. While they sometimes sound like Chicken Little, 6s are called Loyalists because they're the most steady, reliable people you've ever met. What's the path to health for these 6s? How do the rest of us make space for them to flourish? Brace yourself... for answers, we're going to have to talk about Bruno!

Dolores the Investigator - Enneagram 5 - La Familia Madrigal's Handy Dandy Guide to Spiritual Transformation

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 7 Aug 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Do you know someone who's got a sharp eye for details? Someone who tends to fade into the background, but doesn't miss anything? Someone who has only so much energy for social interactions? They might be an Enneagram Five. These Investigators are a model of curiosity and intelligence. How can they learn to operate not out of scarcity and fear, but abundance and faith? And how do the rest of us help them flourish?

Pepa the Romantic - Enneagram 4 - La Familia Madrigal's Handy Dandy Guide to Spiritual Transformation

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 31 Jul 2022 12:00:00 +0000

You know those creative types? The suffering artist, that person who seems to have this deep well of emotions the rest of us only dabble in? You know an Enneagram 4, and like Encanto's Tia Pepa, they can be both nourishing and overwhelming. How do we keep from getting blown away by these Romantics' wild emotions? And what's their path to flourishing?

Luisa the Performer - Enneagram 3 - La Familia Madrigal's Handy Dandy Guide to Spiritual Transformation

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 24 Jul 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Do you know a person who seems to have an extra four hours in their day? That go-to person to get anything - and everything! - done? That magnetic personality who puts the Oh! in Overachieving - they're an Enneagram 3. And just like Encanto's Luisa, there's a lot going on under the surface that we don't see. So how can we help these workaholics find flourishing?

Julieta the Helper - Enneagram 2 - La Familia Madrigal's Handy Dandy Guide to Spiritual Transformation

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 17 Jul 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Who doesn't love a helping hand? A thoughtful present at just the right time? But nothing can turn those gifts sour faster than finding out they come with strings attached. If you've been on the receiving end of an underhanded offering, then you might know an Enneagram 2. But if you know a healthy 2 - like Encanto's Mama Julieta, then you know the balm of healing and harbor they provide. So how can we identify the Twos in our midst? What is their path to wholeness? And how do the rest of us help them flourish?

Isabela the Perfectionist - Enneagram 1 - La Familia Madrigal's Handy Dandy Guide to Spiritual Transformation

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 10 Jul 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Do you know that person whose standards are higher than anyone else you know? They have a drive to excel that the rest of us find intimidating. And yeah... they can be a little judgy. What we don't realize is that these Perfectionists reserve their harshest judgments for... themselves. So what's the path to flourishing for an Enneagram 1? And how can the rest of us love them well?

Mirabel the Peacemaker - Enneagram 9 - La Familia Madrigal's Handy Dandy Guide to Spiritual Transformation

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 3 Jul 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Do you know someone who feels like a warm plate of chocolate chip cookies? Maybe you know someone who's gentle, kind and filled with care for everyone around them. They're probably an Enneagram 9 - the Peacemaker. What makes 9s special? What is their path to flourishing? And how can the rest of us learn from them and support them?

Abuela the Challenger - Enneagram 8 - La Familia Madrigal's Handy Dandy Guide to Spiritual Transformation

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 26 Jun 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Do you know someone who is a little prickly, who has a tough exterior and a strong sense of justice? A person who stands up for the little guy, but also has a tendency to steamroll people? Then you might know an Eight. Abuela, the matriarch of la familia Madrigal, illustrates how Eights can be a potent force for good when they're healthy, but cause a lot of damage when they get off track. So how can Eights be open to the Spirit? And how do the rest of us love the Eights in our lives well?

Encanto and the Enneagram - La Familia Madrigal's Handy Dandy Guide to Spiritual Transformation

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 19 Jun 2022 12:00:00 +0000

ENCANTO is one of the most popular movies in recent memories. It's packed with spiritual truth - and each character offers us a picture of the possibility of transformation. This summer, we're diving into Encanto using the Enneagram - an ancient guide to spiritual growth - to help us look more like Jesus and love more like him too!

Cthulhu and the Trinity - re:Connected

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 12 Jun 2022 12:00:00 +0000

There’s a popular notion that all religions are different paths to the same destination. But when we explore different faith systems, we find each understands the nature of god(s) and reality very differently. Christians believe God is Trinity – a paradox that points to a deep truth at the heart of reality: God is love, and love is the most essential, powerful force in the universe!

Jesus in the World - re:Connected

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 5 Jun 2022 12:00:00 +0000

When it comes to people who aren't Christians, the Church doesn't have a great track record. Far too often we imagine we're taking Jesus to people who don't know him. But Paul's encounter with the Athenians illustrates a powerful truth: God is already present among all the peoples of the world. Because God loves the whole world. How can we join God where the Holy Spirit is already at work?

The Gift of the Holy Spirit - re:Connected

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 29 May 2022 12:00:00 +0000

The Church is more than a social club, more than a collection of vested interests. The Church is Jesus’ visible presence in our world. What makes the difference is the Holy Spirit – God who lives within and among us. Join us as we celebrate what it means that the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is living within us, empowering us to be present to our world.

Evangelizing the Church? - re:Connected

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 22 May 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Not everyone who claims to be a Christian is following Jesus. That’s scary to admit, but it’s been true since the earliest days of the Church. What should our response be to those who claim Christianity but don’t look like our Christ? We turn to Peter’s words to his contemporaries in Acts 3 for a surprisingly grace-filled and truth-filled message of invitation and hope.

What Makes a Good Follower? - re:Connected

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 15 May 2022 12:00:00 +0000

What makes a good convert to Christianity? Too often the church pursues wealth, fame and power. But as Paul's experiences in Thessalonica and Berea illustrate that it's not those markers of cultural success and acclaim we're used to admiring. Rather, what makes a good disciple is one who is curious and faith-filled. How do we spot that today?

Saved for the World - re:Connected

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 1 May 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Far too often, we view faith as something that separates us from the world. We become judgmental, condescending, celebrating when we prosper and they don't. But as the book of Acts shows us, God saves us for the sake of the world. What does a faith look like that turns to the world to embrace, rather than condemn?

Grounded in Worship - re:Connected

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 24 Apr 2022 12:00:00 +0000

What's the point of Sunday church? Why get together in a room, sing songs and listen to someone talk? And why do that weekly? Believe it or not, gathering regularly with our spiritual family is key to flourishing in our faith. Why is that? Let's let the early church show us.

The Truth about Easter - re:Connected

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 17 Apr 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Who would lie about Jesus coming back from the dead? Lots of people, as it turns out. What's at stake in Jesus' resurrection? And how do those stakes still matter today?

God is Not an American - God is Not...

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 10 Apr 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Love of country can morph into nationalism - putting our country before everything else. Believing we're chosen, that God loves us more than anyone else. Palm Sunday reminds us that Jesus is not on our side - rather, he invites us to follow him, to be on HIS side. How does following Jesus free us to love our country truly as well?

God is Not a White Man - God is Not...

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 3 Apr 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Christianity has a long history of oppressing both women and peoples of color - often using the Bible to justify it. But Jesus is the God who freed the Hebrew slaves, who comforted the Exiles, who appointed a woman as the first apostle and preacher. What does a faith that rejects misogyny and racism look like? How can we affirm that God is not a white man?

God is Not a Family Man - God is Not...

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 27 Mar 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Today’s churches are often built around and center the nuclear family - Dad, Mom, Wally and the Beav. Why is that? Jesus was single. So was Paul. And the so-called ‘traditional family’ didn’t exist until the last century. How can we avoid creating an idol out of the family? What is God’s vision for family? And how is that vision good for all of us, no matter what our families look like?

God is Not Ignoring History - God is Not...

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 20 Mar 2022 12:00:00 +0000

What do you think when you hear the word ‘reparations’? A political movement? A threat to the status quo? As God outlines in the book of Numbers, reparations are an integral part of the process of forgiveness and reconciliation. What do reparations look like in our individual lives? And how can we be a voice for just reparations in our culture?

God is Not a Capitalist - God is Not...

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 13 Mar 2022 12:00:00 +0000

US economics is based on principles of making profit and supply and demand. But does the invisible hand that guides the market belong to God? Elijah's encounter with a widow illustrates that God does not live in a world of scarcity. So as God's people, we can reject any system that insists on my success over your failure.

God is Not You - God is Not...

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 6 Mar 2022 12:00:00 +0000

There are few things we value more than our individualism. But the early church identified pride as the root sin. Why is individualism so dangerous? And how can we resist the temptation to set ourselves up as gods?

Back to Reality - Deep Breath

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 27 Feb 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Who ever wants to come back from vacation? Or go to the office on Monday? Or leave any of those places where we feel free to be most fully ourselves? Jesus shows us that God invites us into these spaces not to hide, but to receive strength and courage to take Jesus' love to the world.

Truth and Reconciliation - Deep Breath

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 20 Feb 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Over the last several years, we've all experienced strained and broken relationships. What is the faith-filled path forward in these relationships? How do we create space for forgiveness and reconciliation? Joseph's reunion with his brothers illustrates how we can seek real healing.

Spiritual Practices - Deep Breath

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 12:00:00 +0000

How do we prepare for the work God calls us to? Spiritual practices create space for the Holy Spirit to work in us. They are not self-care, but joining with God for healing and restoration!

A Political Church - Deep Breath

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 6 Feb 2022 12:00:00 +0000

One of the biggest complaints about churches today is that we're too political. What we mean though, is that churches are too partisan. Because God calls us to love our neighbors the same way we love ourselves and our families - and that's a political act. So how can we be political without becoming partisan? Isaiah's vision of God's throne room is good news for anyone who's sick and tired of politics as usual.

What is My Calling? - Deep Breath

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 30 Jan 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Most of us struggle to hear God's call. Isn't that something reserved for preachers and prophets? But God calls each of us. And God calls ALL of us. Our calling is something for good - not just our own good, but the good of our community, and of the world around us. So what is God's call for us?

The Importance of Being Together - Deep Breath

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 12:00:00 +0000

It's pretty hard these days to muster the energy to worship. Whether it's an ongoing weariness with virtual, guilt over feeling defeated and exhausted or a more general malaise, just showing up feels like a miracle. Would it surprise you to know that experience is common? And that it's a sign that the best place for us to be is... in worship together?

Naming Trauma - Deep Breath

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 16 Jan 2022 12:00:00 +0000

We don't like to admit we're hurting. We want to present ourselves as strong, competent, able to shoulder the burdens of life. But a strong facade actually keeps us from healing. Naming our pain, our trauma, is essential to healing. Our pain matters to God. Our trauma matters to God. Naming it is how we learn to hope.

God in Solidarity with Us - Deep Breath

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 9 Jan 2022 12:00:00 +0000

As the pandemic wears on, more and more of us experience a deep sense of loneliness. At the beginning of this new year, how can we find God present with us in a way that doesn't ask us to ignore that pain? How does God's solidarity with us actually speak to this deep sense of isolation so many of us carry right now?

New Year's Blues - O Christmas Tree

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 2 Jan 2022 12:00:00 +0000

As we prepare for the new year, what should we be looking for God to do? How is God calling us to be faithful in the year ahead, especially as we struggle with an ongoing pandemic?

Presents! - O Christmas Tree

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 26 Dec 2021 12:00:00 +0000

Aren’t presents the best part of Christmas? There’s something powerful about these tangible expressions of our love for each other. That points us to the power Christmas: Jesus’ incarnation. God became human, gave us the gift of his physical presence among us. But don’t take our word for it. Let’s hear from a woman named Hannah, who understood the revolutionary power of gifts more than 3,000 years ago!

Pilgrimage - Proximity Warning

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 24 Nov 2019 12:00:00 +0000

There are ways we just can't know God when we stay in our comfort zones. Jesus invites us to follow him out of the places we call home to discover the new and surprising ways we can grow in our faith when we dare to leave.

Pilgrim - Catalyst Together

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 25 Nov 2018 12:00:00 +0000

Churches often approach serving as an opportunity to take Jesus to people who don’t know him. But Scripture insists that God is always ahead of us, already at work. How can we learn to approach serving as pilgrims, looking for where God is already at work?

Pivotal Circumstances - 5 Things God Uses to Grow Your Faith

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 28 Oct 2018 12:00:00 +0000

Big changes, painful loss and other significant events often test our faith. How can God be good if we're suffering? But God is at work in the midst of those painful places to bring us to trust, and to grow our faith.

Personal Service - 5 Things God Uses to Grow Your Faith

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 21 Oct 2018 12:00:00 +0000

When we see a need, we often think, "Oh, someone should help!" One of the biggest barriers to us stepping up is our own anxiety. But what if those are opportunities to grow in our faith? What if God is inviting us to step out and serve?

Private Disciplines - 5 Things God Uses to Grow Your Faith

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 14 Oct 2018 12:00:00 +0000

Most of us groan when we hear the word 'discipline' - especially when it comes to faith. Spiritual disciplines seem so often like chores we have to do to earn God's favor. But God invites us into these disciplines to create space for us to discover the Holy Spirit at work in our lives, and grow our faith.

Providential Relationships - 5 Things God Uses to Grow Your Faith

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 7 Oct 2018 12:00:00 +0000

We have all encountered people who impacted our faith - for better and for worse. Relationships are important - and inevitable. How can we be wise about our relationships? How can we be intentional both to see how God is working and to be ready to partner with God?

Practical Teaching - 5 Things God Uses to Grow Your Faith

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 30 Sep 2018 12:00:00 +0000

Something big happens in our faith with God's story becomes our story. Practical teaching helps us see that we can trust God in our everyday lives. Because Jesus tells us there's a big difference between knowing about God and actually following God. So how do we learn to listen to God speaking in our daily lives?

A Life of Big Faith - 5 Things God Uses to Grow Your Faith

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 23 Sep 2018 12:00:00 +0000

What would your life look like if you had a faith that was deep and unshakable? How do we get that sort of faith? Faith isn't about obedience as much as it's about trust - and we can learn to trust God when we learn to see God at work in our lives.

Love God with All Your Strength - [w]hole redux

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 16 Sep 2018 12:00:00 +0000

Most of us feel as though we just don't have enough. But God calls us to be faithful with what we have - to use whatever influence, power, money or means we have as gifts from God to invest in the world around us. What does it look like to love God with all of our means?

Love God with All Your Mind - [w]hole redux

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 9 Sep 2018 12:00:00 +0000

We struggle to discern God's will, as though it is a deep mystery. But learning to see the world from God's perspective is how we love God with our minds. To learn to see "upside down", we immerse ourselves in the Scriptures. They provide a God's-eye view of the world, of our neighbors and of us. God's will is not difficult to discern. God wants us to see from God's point of view.

Love God with All Your Soul - [w]hole redux

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 2 Sep 2018 12:00:00 +0000

We are bad at drawing healthy boundaries. We give and give and give until we have nothing left to offer anyone. Neither God nor our neighbors get our best. The practice of Sabbath helps us learn to say No, to live within the healthy boundaries God created us for.

Love God with All Your Heart

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 26 Aug 2018 12:00:00 +0000

We're told to "Follow our hearts," but we know desires can be destructive. How do we know the difference between desires that bring life and those that lead to hurt? Jesus invites us to love God with all our hearts, and discovering what he meant by that gives us the key. When we allow the Spirit to order our desires, we find the path to a fully human life!

How to Forgive - The Way, Way Back

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 19 Aug 2018 12:00:00 +0000

We think of forgiveness as something we do with another person. But what happens when the other person isn't willing - or able - to reconcile? How can we find freedom from what was done to us? Joseph's story ends with a new world made possible by forgiveness and hope.

Faith in the Pit - The Way, Way Back

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 12 Aug 2018 12:00:00 +0000

God’s Dream is inevitable, but it’s not always easy to achieve. How do we stay faithful to God even when we’re in the pits? Joseph’s journey to Pharaoh’s court illustrates a life of integrity and faithful hope in a God who is always with us and working – even in the pit!

The Dreamkillers - The Way, Way Back

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 5 Aug 2018 12:00:00 +0000

Dreamers are prophets - people who help us see the future God is calling us to make a reality. How do we resist God's Dream? And how can we be sure we're all-in?

Wrestling the Angel - The Way, Way Back

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 12:00:00 +0000

It's easy to find God in the good moments. But we struggle to find God in the bad places. Why is wrestling with the rough patches worth it? And what good news is there for those of us who feel like life has us in a chokehold?

How to Lose - The Way, Way Back

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 22 Jul 2018 12:00:00 +0000

Have you ever won a battle but lost a war? Maybe you got the upper hand in an argument but lost the relationship. Or landed the deal at the expense of a colleague. Or got your way but caused an alienation that’s ongoing to this day. We’re often too short-sighted, and allow the wrong priorities to cloud our judgment. Jacob’s 20-year feud with his uncle Laban shows us the fruit of that kind of conflict. How can we seek God’s grace and affirm the dignity of everyone we meet?

Friends in Low Places - The Way, Way Back

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 15 Jul 2018 12:00:00 +0000

We all know what it feels like to hit rock bottom. But we struggle to imagine that God knows what it feels like too. We can’t believe that God is with us in those low times of our lives. Jacob’s encounter with God at Bethel is a powerful proclamation that we are never outside of God’s love. God is the best friend we could ask for – especially when we’re in low places.

Mother Knows Best - The Way, Way Back

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 8 Jul 2018 12:00:00 +0000

We've all be stuck as the person who doesn't get a say. That can make it hard to be faithful to God. How do we follow God's will when we're not calling the shots? The story of Rebekah and her two sons, Jacob and Esau, is the story of a woman with no authority who found a way to be faithful to God. What can we learn from her example?

Incredibly Ordinary - The Way, Way Back

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 1 Jul 2018 12:00:00 +0000

It's hard to read the stories of God's amazing miracles and not wonder, "Where's mine?" A lot of us feel less like Abraham and more like his servant - the one who never saw the action. But his story of connecting Isaac and Rebekah is a powerful reminder that when we only look for God in the miraculous, we miss God at work in the mundane.

We Can Be Held Responsible - The Way, Way Back

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 24 Jun 2018 12:00:00 +0000

We like to think we're not responsible for anyone but ourselves. But God has called us to be priests - we represent God to the world. That has real stakes when we do it badly, as Abraham found out when he lied to Abimelech about the identity of his wife, Sarah. How do we find grace when we've failed to represent God to the world well?

The Stranger God - The Way, Way Back

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 17 Jun 2018 12:00:00 +0000

Why do strangers make us so uncomfortable? Abraham's strange encounter with God in Genesis 18 offers a picture of hospitality that's radical and challengings: our hospitality is an act of worship. God often comes to us as a stranger because we have something to learn from these strangers. How can we learn to worship through our welcome?

The Longest Walk - The Way, Way Back

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 10 Jun 2018 12:00:00 +0000

Change is always scary. No matter how dysfunctional our 'normal' is, it still feels like home to us. But God loves us too much to leave us in our sin and pain. Jesus invites us to go somewhere new with him. But to do that, we have to leave. We see a model of faithful leaving in the story of Abram's call. He left without a plan... only a promise of God's presence.

God Is... Father - Monday Messiah

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 3 Jun 2018 12:00:00 +0000

What does it mean to be a good father? And what do we do if we have bad fathers? In John's Gospel, Jesus teaches us what fatherhood looks like - and why it matters that God is our father, whether we're fathers or not.

God Is... Son - Monday Messiah

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 27 May 2018 12:00:00 +0000

Too often, we pit Jesus against God, as though they're playing good cop/bad cop with us. We end up afraid to reach out to God, afraid to pray. But John shows us that Jesus IS God, that he invites us into the interior life of God - a place where perfect love casts out all our fear!

God Is... Holy Spirit - Monday Messiah

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 20 May 2018 12:00:00 +0000

Many of us are afraid to share the good news about Jesus because we don't think our stories are interesting or remarkable. But John's introduction to the Holy Spirit reminds us that what makes our story good news is that God has brought us to life - and that's worth sharing!

Unicorn Whisperers - Monday Messiah

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 13 May 2018 12:00:00 +0000

We live in a world that teaches us to hide our true selves. Maybe we’re afraid of being seen. Or maybe we’re ashamed of our pasts. Or we got hurt the last time we put ourselves out there. Whatever the reason, we hide. But Jesus comes as the light of the world, to illumine our dark places with the infinite love of God. How does his light transform us?

Remaining in Love - Monday Messiah

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 6 May 2018 12:00:00 +0000

No one wants to admit it, but we're all really bad at being loved. Our inability to receive love poisons all our relationships. How can we learn to remain in Jesus' love so that we can share love with the world around us? What does it look like to remain in the true vine?

The True Vine - Monday Messiah

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 29 Apr 2018 12:00:00 +0000

We live in a mechanized world. The buzz words of the day are 'productivity' and 'efficiency'. But we're not machines - we're organic, flesh and blood. Jesus calls us to be not productive, but fruitful. What's the difference? And how can learning to remain connected to the vine of Jesus help us avoid total burn out?

The Good Shepherd - Monday Messiah

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 22 Apr 2018 12:00:00 +0000

Karl Marx famously claimed that religion was the ‘opiate of the masses’. He meant what we know – religion can be a powerful means of controlling people. This was as true in Jesus’ day as it is in ours. How can we learn to spot religious manipulation? And what tools do we have available to us to learn to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd, Jesus himself?

More than Magic Tricks - Monday Messiah

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 15 Apr 2018 12:00:00 +0000

Why do you follow Jesus? Many of us follow because we want Jesus to change our circumstances, to work a miracle in our jobs, families or bodies. But Jesus’ aim isn’t to improve our lives. Rather, he seeks to invite us into something new. If we look to Jesus simply to prop up the life we already have, we won’t follow him all the way to the Cross.

A Defense of the Faith - Monday Messiah

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 8 Apr 2018 12:00:00 +0000

Does the idea of fighting about religion make you nervous? Of course it does! But we’re so often taught that we have to defend our faith against people who don’t believe. After all, Jesus himself said, “I am the Way”. But what if Jesus’ words weren’t a line in the sand, but an invitation to life? How can we find a better way to engage our non-believing neighbors with vulnerability and love?

Who Broke Our Calendar? - Monday Messiah

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 1 Apr 2018 12:00:00 +0000

Do you ever feel like your calendar is broken? Like you wish you had the power to add hours, days or even weeks to your schedule? When did our lives get so out of control? And who is running our calendars? On this Easter Sunday, we celebrate the God who took control of time by raising Jesus from the dead. How does his resurrection free us to take control of our lives, to live in the freedom Jesus gives us?

Good Friday 2018 - The Devil in the Details

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Fri, 30 Mar 2018 12:00:00 +0000

John tells us the light of Christ shines in darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. So as Christ's light nears the Cross, why do the various players in the story turn from his light? How do WE turn away from the light today?

Puppy Faith - The Devil in the Details

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 25 Mar 2018 12:00:00 +0000

What happens when God disappoints us? It happens to every person of faith eventually – we come to realize that God isn’t here to be part of our story, to fit into our agendas. Palm Sunday is a warning sign: that disappointment can lead to us abandoning God (or crucifying him!). How can we learn to let God be God and sweep us up into HIS story – a story of new life and transformation?

Seeds of Resistance - The Devil in the Details

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 18 Mar 2018 12:00:00 +0000

When we confront the big evils of the world like racism or school violence, we often feel paralyzed. What can we do in the face of these behemoths it’s easy to label ‘demonic’? It’s counterintuitive, but Jesus calls us to small, consistent acts of faithfulness. His death casts out the evils of the world, so we are called not to be effective but faithful, trusting that his power is at work in our small acts of love.

For Goodness Snakes - The Devil in the Details

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 11 Mar 2018 12:00:00 +0000

What is the goal of faith? Is it safety? Is it a sense of control? Prestige and position? These were in Nicodemus’ mind when he sought out Jesus. But Jesus’ words to him are confounding: Jesus will become a snake, lifted up for the world to see. How does this image challenge our ideas of who God is and what God wants from us? How can Jesus-the-snake invite us to become more loving, more present in our world?

Spring Cleaning - The Devil in the Details

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 4 Mar 2018 12:00:00 +0000

Does anyone these days feel like they have margin in their lives? Space in their schedules, in their finances? We tend to live at 100%, with no space to listen for God, no room to engage God’s calling on our lives. How can we make space for God to organize and orient our lives?

Satanic Religion - The Devil in the Details

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 25 Feb 2018 12:00:00 +0000

We're told to look for the devil in drugs, sex and rock n roll. But if we're to believe Jesus, religion can distract us from God. The only solution to satanic religion is to follow Jesus to the cross.

Into the Wilderness - The Devil in the Details

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 18 Feb 2018 12:00:00 +0000

Living in the wilderness takes extra preparation. So too, if we're going to enter into the season of Lent, we need to prepare. God is going to do something powerful in our midst. Will we be ready for it? Will we be prepared?

Ash Wednesday 2018 - The Devil in the Details

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 12:00:00 +0000

Ash Wednesday begins Lent, a season of corporate prayer and fasting. But Jesus instructed us to do those things in private. So how can we do them together?

Which Rules do We Have to Follow? - Ask Better Questions

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 11 Feb 2018 12:00:00 +0000

Most religions have a god who's confined to a mountain - high above the world with special people who can only access the gods on special days. But when God became human in Jesus, God left the mountain once and for all to live among us. This means that Jesus is with us everyday, everywhere we go!

Am I Right? - Ask Better Questions

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 4 Feb 2018 12:00:00 +0000

Disagreement is tough - in the church as everywhere else in life. How do we engage people we disagree with - especially when we're so sure we're right? Paul tells the Corinthian church that "right" is the wrong framework. Unless we disagree on a foundation of love, we're headed for disaster. How do we pursue unity above all else?

Who Knows God's Will Best? - Ask Better Questions

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 28 Jan 2018 12:00:00 +0000

Knowledge is power, and we can be tempted to hold ourselves above others when we have more understanding or experience. In 1 Corinthians 8, Paul takes a simple question about eating meat and turns it into a discussion of loving community.

What if the Grass is Greener Over There? - Ask Better Questions

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 21 Jan 2018 12:00:00 +0000

What would you do if you learned the world was ending next week? Our answers to that question reveal our ‘happiness gap’ – how far we are from the life we really want. The Corinthian Christians asked Paul whether they should marry given the trials of their culture and the immanent return (they think!) of Jesus. Paul’s advice to them is to be content where they are. Rather than focusing on the greener grass over there, we should focus on what God is calling us to right where we are.

Where's the Line? - Ask Better Questions

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 14 Jan 2018 12:00:00 +0000

Our culture values personal freedom above all else. We’re not the first to do so – the Corinthians did too. But the Apostle Paul challenges personal freedom as the highest value, observing that when what matters most is my desires, I become a slave to those desires. Instead, Paul insists personal freedom must submit to the law of Love. We belong to each other.

Are You All In? - Ask Better Questions

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 7 Jan 2018 12:00:00 +0000

As Epiphany begins, we ask the question, “What does it look like for God to live with us?” Paul’s encounter with the Ephesians in the book of Acts demonstrates that it’s possible to be a Christian but missing out on the life God has called us to. Baptism reminds us that God has not only saved us from our sin, but also saved us for his work of restoration in the world. What does it look like for you to be all-in?

New Hope for a New Year - To Be Continued

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 31 Dec 2017 12:00:00 +0000

Christmas is such an intimate celebration – a time to gather with friends and family – that we often forget the global sweep of the story. But two often-overlooked encounters with the infant Jesus remind us of God’s faithfulness – not only to us, but to the whole world! As we look toward a new year, how can we be filled with hope at what God will do?

Christmas Eve - To Be Continued

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 24 Dec 2017 12:00:00 +0000

Traditions are a beloved part of our Christmas celebrations – from lights and trees to Santa and gift-giving. Changes to holiday traditions can be hard, but change is the one constant of the Christmas story. How can we find Christ present in the center of our traditions, no matter what they look like this year?

The Light of Christmas - To Be Continued

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 17 Dec 2017 12:00:00 +0000

Who doesn't love Christmas lights? Light is one of the central images of the Christmas season, but sometimes we forget what the light points to: that the darkness of sin is coming to an end. That God is up to something new. That WE are called to be that light in the world! As we prepare for Christmas, what does it look like for us to shine the light of God's hope into the world?

The Comfort of Repentance - To Be Continued

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 10 Dec 2017 12:00:00 +0000

How does our preparation for the Christmas season cause us to miss Christ? Often, our lives become cluttered with busyness and sin that keep us from seeing the God who comes to us at Christmas. Both Isaiah and John the Baptist invite us to prepare a path for God in our lives. They insist a call to repent is a comfort for us! How is repentance a sign of God’s comfort during a busy holiday season?

Superman Messiah - To Be Continued

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 3 Dec 2017 12:00:00 +0000

How often in our preparations for Christmas do we forget to prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ? While the prophet Isaiah prays that God will tear open the heavens and come to us, Jesus instead comes humbly, in ways we least expect. How can we be alert and attentive this Advent season so we don't miss when Jesus comes among us?

The End of Lament - Good Grief

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 26 Nov 2017 12:00:00 +0000

In times of trauma and grief, it feels like all the structures that keep our lives stable have been stripped away. But as we enter into the process of Lament, those structures begin to reemerge. It’s not daylight yet, but we can begin to sense that the long night of our grief is ending. Hope draws us together and invites those voices who have long been silenced to be front and center.

Dust in My Mouth - Good Grief

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 12 Nov 2017 12:00:00 +0000

When do we stop praying for healing? What does solidarity look like with those who are hurting? Artist and theologian Katie Fisher shares from Lamentations 3. Putting dust in our mouths is at once an act of solidarity and a declaration of hope.

When God Gets Angry - Good Grief

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 5 Nov 2017 12:00:00 +0000

What does it look like when God gets angry at us? Lamentations illustrates that God's anger is God giving us what we want - life apart from God. How can we learn to see God's anger as an aspect of God's love - and an invitation to life?

Sitting with Grief - Good Grief

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 29 Oct 2017 12:00:00 +0000

Grief is uncomfortable. In the face of tragedy, no words are sufficient to salve our pain. Yet in the face of others’ pain, we find ourselves offering platitudes and speaking for God so we can avoid their pain. But Lamentations 1 is a funeral dirge. We hear the woman’s honest, unflinching cries of pain and see the prophet join her, offering nothing but his presence. How can we learn to be honest about pain so we can begin the process of reorientation?

What Lament Looks Like - Good Grief

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 22 Oct 2017 12:00:00 +0000

We avoid pain and grief as much as possible. When faced with someone else's grief, we avoid or offer platitudes. But the book of Lamentations invites us to sit with grief, to enter into the prophetic process of Lament. In this series, we'll explore how to grieve and how to be a friend to the grieving. Ultimately, we'll see how the process of lament invites us to be agents of healing in the larger world.

Satan - Empathy for the Devil

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 15 Oct 2017 12:00:00 +0000

We struggle to offer grace to people we feel don’t deserve it – which is, ironically, exactly who needs grace. Uncovering the true biblical origins of Satan helps us come face to face with this graceless impulse. It turns out, refusing to extend grace to others is what makes us truly Satanic. How can we choose to be a grace-filled people?

Judas - Empathy for the Devil

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 8 Oct 2017 12:00:00 +0000

We tend to end up in echo chambers, surrounded by people who look and think a lot like us. The danger of this is that we don’t learn how to be challenged. The spiritual consequence is that we end up missing God – imagining God in our own image rather than learning to let God challenge us. Judas illustrates the reason we need to learn to be vulnerable, to open ourselves to strange friendships.

Jezebel - Empathy for the Devil

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 1 Oct 2017 12:00:00 +0000

We work to strike a healthy balance between faith, family, work and all the other elements of our lives. But Jezebel's story shows us that God doesn't ask for balance; God asks for allegiance. How can we seek God first - and why is that good for everything else in our lives?

Herodias - Empathy for the Devil

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Fri, 22 Sep 2017 12:00:00 +0000

How do you resolve conflict? Chances are, however you approach a fight, you learned it from your family. Our families shape us for good and for ill. Herodias, the Evil Queen of Jesus’ day, illustrates for us the cost of generational sin. How can we overcome the sins we inherit from our families? And how can we leave a legacy of life for those who come after us?

Delilah - Empathy for the Devil

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 17 Sep 2017 12:00:00 +0000

What does it look like for Christians to be different from the world? Too often, we treat religion as a brand – one more optional lifestyle for people to choose from. But the story of Delilah and Samson illustrates how following God’s counter-cultural way becomes an invitation for those outside the Church – and life for us, too.

Cain - Empathy for the Devil

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 10 Sep 2017 12:00:00 +0000

What makes you angry? We seldom stop to think about the cause of our anger - particularly whether that cause is justified or not. But we learn from the story of Cain, the first murderer, that anger can be an invitation to slow down and find life before we lash out and do something we'll regret.

I Believe in Life Everlasting - Believe

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 3 Sep 2017 12:00:00 +0000

If we know the end of the story, we know how to live in the middle. We conclude our series on the Apostle's Creed by exploring how each of the statements in the Creed shape us. How do they help us live now as a people who will live with God forever? How can we begin now reverse engineering our lives to flourish as God intended?

I Believe in the Resurrection of the Body - Believe

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 27 Aug 2017 12:00:00 +0000

How we think about the afterlife shapes how we live today. Christians confess we believe our bodies will be raised. What implications does this have for how we live in the here and now? What does this mean for how we treat the world and each other?

I Believe in the Forgiveness of Sin - Believe

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 20 Aug 2017 12:00:00 +0000

Forgiveness is difficult – both as an internal experience and as an external movement to restore the social relationship that’s been broken. But to be the Church is to insist on forgiveness as essential to a fully human life. The journey of forgiveness is fueled by confession – an honest accounting of where we are before God. What does it take for us to be a people who insists on forgiveness?

I Believe in the Holy Catholic Church - Believe

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 13 Aug 2017 12:00:00 +0000

What does it mean to be a Church? Church isn't a building - it's the people of God, all over the world and across time. How do we be part of the Church? When we find our place as part of the universal, worldwide church it grounds us in how we can be a source of life and hope for our immediate community.

I Believe in the Holy Spirit - Believe

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 6 Aug 2017 12:00:00 +0000

We’re deeply skeptical that people can ever really change. But God promised to make us into new creations. The Holy Spirit is the one who transforms us, who brings real and lasting change. A church who believes in the Holy Spirit is a church that holds space for people to encounter the Spirit. We trust and celebrate as the Spirit brings new life.

Jesus Will Return to Judge the Living and the Dead - Believe

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 30 Jul 2017 12:00:00 +0000

'Apocalypse' is a scary word - it conjures images of death and destruction at the end of the world. But the Church has long anticipated Jesus' return as Good News. How can we understand Jesus' return such that it helps us understand how we can live today?

Jesus Rose from the Dead on the Third Day - Believe

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 12:00:00 +0000

Too often, religion is about a new program - seven steps to a deeper faith or four tips to transform your marriage. But the reason Jesus came to earth was because we can't improve ourselves. We're lost under the power of sin. The good news is that his resurrection offers us something better than self-improvement. We have been given the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. How can we learn to wait and notice where the Spirit is at work in our daily lives?

Jesus Descended to Hell - Believe

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 16 Jul 2017 12:00:00 +0000

Fear keeps us from risking, from being vulnerable. But confessing that Jesus descended to Hell is an announcement that the power of Death is broken, and that the way of risk and vulnerability truly does lead to life. We can follow Jesus even to the grave, trusting in his resurrection power to bring life where we risk.

Jesus was Born of a Virgin and Suffered - Believe

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 2 Jul 2017 12:00:00 +0000

When we fail, we want to shrug our shoulders and insist we're 'only human'. Human means limited, doomed to let people down. But Jesus' incarnation invites us to consider that we might be meant for more than we could've imagined.

Jesus Christ, God's Only Son - Believe

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 25 Jun 2017 12:00:00 +0000

Awe: we've all experienced it. Those moments under the stars when time slows down. The joy of a child's love. Moments when the sacred seems to burst into our everyday lives. These moments are Jesus, God's Son, inviting us to join in God's life. They're good for us, and we should seek them out more often. How can we find that life?

God the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth - Believe

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 18 Jun 2017 12:00:00 +0000

Hopelessness has taken root in our culture. Many of us wonder if life truly has any meaning at all. The Apostle's Creed opens by affirming that God is the creator. This is not a scientific claim, but an insistence that each of us matters, that we all have a purpose.

I Believe - Believe

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 11 Jun 2017 12:00:00 +0000

For many, belief is the beginning of a relationship with God. But many others struggle with knowing what Christians actually believe. Many more have doubts and questions that are not easily quieted. Is belief really a barrier to a relationship with God? Or can we learn to follow as we learn to believe? Can believe be an invitation to a deeper trust in the God who wants to help our unbelief?

Don't Hold Your Breath - Strangers in a Strange Land

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 4 Jun 2017 12:00:00 +0000

How long can you go without breathing? A minute? Two? Five? We can't do much unless we breathe... and Pentecost reminds us that the Spirit is God's breath in us. How can we take time to breathe in God's Spirit so that we have the power to do what God calls us to in this world?

Star Trek - Strangers in a Strange Land

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 28 May 2017 12:00:00 +0000

We tend to quit when relationships get hard – that’s because truly intimate, life-changing relationships take a lot of work. How can we embrace the pain of true community for the sake of our own faith, the faith of others in our community, and ultimately, the faith of our world?

The Act of Killing - Strangers in a Strange Land

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 21 May 2017 12:00:00 +0000

In the face of unspeakable evils in the world, how can we respond? Peter challenged early Christians to remain faithful to live out the story of Jesus. How does that make a difference? How can the Jesus story lived out in our lives be a path of resistance? And how does the resurrection make that resistance possible?

Star Wars - Strangers in a Strange Land

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 14 May 2017 12:00:00 +0000

If The Force Awakens is criticized for anything, it’s for being too similar to the older Star Wars films. But we’re living in an age of nostalgia. Perhaps because our world is in such turmoil, we crave the familiar stability of old stories. So too, when Peter is helping suffering Christians understand God’s call, he frames their stories in the larger story of what God has been doing since the beginning. How can knowing the whole story of God help us thrive today?

The Matrix - Strangers in a Strange Land

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 7 May 2017 12:00:00 +0000

Religion far too often is a tool of oppression. People in power often uses biblical texts to justify their oppression. We explore one of these texts in 1 Peter and see that the text was originally meant for liberation. Then we explore how we can hear the text today in a way that calls us to work for justice in our every day lives.

2001: A Space Odyssey - Strangers in a Strange Land

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 30 Apr 2017 12:00:00 +0000

2001 embodies the myth of progress in its iconic opening sequence: technology will ultimately save us. But Peter reminds the early Church that they are saved not by their own efforts, but by what God has done for them through Jesus. The practice of Sabbath teaches us to say no to the god of Progress and rest in the life God invites us to.

Wall-E - Strangers in a Strange Land

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 23 Apr 2017 12:00:00 +0000

Much sci-fi is about the promise of a pain-free life. But Wall-E points out that a pain-free life might not actually lead to our flourishing. Peter opens his letter to suffering Christians by reframing how they understand the pain they’re experiencing. He invites them to see their pain as an invitation into Jesus’ crucifixion. He illustrates how God works through pain to make us whole.

To Serve Man - Strangers in a Strange Land

jrforasteros@gmail.com (JR. Forasteros) — Sun, 16 Apr 2017 12:00:00 +0000

Easter celebrates Jesus' resurrection, his victory over death, and our invitation to new life. But in a world where there's no such thing as a free lunch, how can we trust that God really wants best for us? A classic Twilight Zone episode and a Ke$ha song help us see exactly why the resurrection proves God is good and worthy of our trust!