Bridgetown Audio Podcast

Part 2 of the series "Scripture", as part of Practicing the Way. All humans beings live by a story, a narrative by which we make sense of the big questions of life – who are we? Why are we here? What’s wrong? How do we fix it? The story we live in, is the story we live out. It comes as no surprise that most of the Bible is narrative, and that together it tells a unified story that leads us to Jesus. Scripture functions as an alternative story to the many narratives of our soul and society, and calls us to live in alignment with the real, true story of God’s world.

Part 1 of the series "Scripture", as part of Practicing the Way. In our intro teaching to the scripture practice, we approach the Bible not as critics and defenders, but as apprentices of Jesus. We explore the idea that posture is more important than technique in reading the Bible. It’s less about information and more about our spiritual formation. When read with the right heart posture, that of openness and yieldedness to God, scripture becomes one of the primary means by which the Spirit of Jesus forms us into the people we were always meant to be.

Listen to an interview with Pete Scazzero, founder of New Life Fellowship Church in Queens, New York, and founder of Emotionally Healthy Discipleship, a groundbreaking ministry that transform churches through multiplying deeply changed disciples and leaders. He is also the author of a number of bestselling books, including The Emotionally Healthy Leader and Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. Along with his wife, Geri, he is also the author of The Emotionally Healthy Discipleship Course that is being used by churches around the world.

In this passage, Jesus encounters a Canaanite woman looking for mercy. Instead of compassion and help, she’s met with silence and a cold shoulder. Yet, she persists and in a bizarre turn of events, Jesus changes his mind and heals her daughter.

Jesus constantly frustrated the religious leaders of his day by challenging their legalistic adherence to the Scriptures. Today Jesus frustrates his modern-day disciples by challenging any hesitation to take the Scriptures seriously. 

Taught by Josh Porter of Van City Church

At Christmas, apprentices of Jesus celebrate his first coming. We tell the story of the manger; a story we know well. But often it is that reality that keeps us from truly experiencing its message. The story of the manger is about much more than a baby being born; it is a story of promises fulfilled, darkness being overcome, and peace having the final word.

Part 8 of the series "Unhurrying with a Rule of Life", as part of Practicing the Way. This week we continue our two-part teaching on joy as we explore the question, How do we become more joyful? We have far more agency than we realize when it comes to living a happy life. With that agency comes responsibility before God to “rejoice.” We do this through the spiritual discipline of celebration.

Part 7 of the series "Unhurrying with a Rule of Life", as part of Practicing the Way. The twentieth century spiritual director Evelyne Underhill once said, “The spirit of Joy and the spirit of Hurry cannot live in the same house.” In part one of this two-part teaching, we explore a biblical theology of joy, and all the ways it is incompatible with hurry.

Our annual lecture on shopping habits and how they affect human rights and the environment. Taught by Josh Porter of Van City Church.

Part 6 of the series "Unhurrying with a Rule of Life", as part of Practicing the Way. Most of us live with low-grade fatigue, depression, stress, and a feeling of chronic burnout that rarely goes away. Tired is the new normal. The concept of margin – the space between our load and our limits – is alien in a secular world that is obsessed with time and efficiency, but has no vision of eternity. In this teaching we explore a biblical theology of limits, as well as the practice of simplicity as a way to live within our God-given limits and become people of love.