If you’ve ever wondered how pastors get from a text in Scripture to a finished sermon, this one’s for you. Part spiritual discipline and part stewardship, the process of understanding and then proclaiming the message of Scripture is much more involved than an introductory class on homiletics might suggest. Special guest and “friend of the pod” Luke Le Duc joins Mark in the studio to explore the secrets of sermon prep.
They haven’t read much farther than the introduction, but that doesn’t stop Mark and Cameron from discussing the new book Biblical Critical Theory, by Christopher Watkin. In this episode, they walk through some of the introductory concepts that make this such a promising text, and discuss how it might redeem critical theory and refresh worldview studies all at once.
Cameron has read Eugene Vodolazkin’s novel Laurus twice already, while Mark hasn’t managed to get past the first fifty pages. In this episode, they compare notes on the book, sharing what resonated (and what didn’t). They also discuss the relationship of a writer’s theology to his fiction, and talk about how reading someone else’s attempt to theologize in prose can shape one’s own efforts.
History is all too often one of those subjects we either ignore, or twist to support our culture war objectives. In this episode, Mark and Cameron ask whether there is a third option. How can the study of history help in our formation as thinkers — and yes, as believers. Is the past a trap we can never escape, or does it point a way forward if only we pay better attention?
As “good things run wild” at Grace, we’re faced with some welcome challenges, including the need to be good stewards of growth. In this episode, Cameron quizzes Mark about the vision of Grace and its practical application when it comes to finding solutions to our need for more space to worship. While we cannot always realize our vision immediately, it helps to have the end in mind as we figure out strategies to get there.
Due to blizzard conditions, Grace has been forced to cancel our Ash Wednesday service. But we’ve learned that when life gives you lemons, you can squeeze out a podcast. In this episode, Mark is joined by Rev. Luke Le Duc for a discussion of Grace’s Ash Wednesday liturgy. They also talk about the different between Advent longing and the “bright sadness” of the season of Lent. We hope this conversation will make for a helpful start to the season.
While Cameron vacations on the beaches of Florida, Mark soldiers on! This time, he’s joined by Delta David Gier, music director of what Alex Ross in The New Yorker called “one of America’s boldest orchestras,” the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra. Mark asks David about faith and music, and they talk about the work of Crescendo North America, a professional organization for Christian classical and jazz musicians.
Picking up from last week’s discussion of parables, this episode takes on the question of narrative, storytelling, and fiction. Does the fact that Jesus teaches in parables tell us anything about the value of literature? Should we avoid reading made-up stories in favor of factual books, or are there truths that can only be grasped by way of fiction? Mark and Cameron tackle these questions and more.
The parables of Jesus are often cited in contemporary discussions about storytelling, narrative theology, and even learning styles. But when the disciples ask Jesus in Matthew 13 why he teaches this way, his explanation takes us in a very different direction. In this episode, Mark and Cameron lay a foundation for interpreting the parables of Matthew 13 in light of the rationale Jesus gives.
Throughout the history of the Church, there has been a tension between the life of the mind and the life of action, between people focused on knowing the truth deeply and people focused on practicing it. In this episode, Cameron and Mark explore the limits of knowledge and ask whether knowing too much can become an obstacle to faith.
In this episode, Mark and Cameron take on a difficult topic: literal hell. The Bible says less about heaven and hell than you might expect — and a lot of what it teaches comes to us in the form of analogy, where things that are too wonderful (or too terrible) for the human mind are revealed through comparison to what we do understand. But if we’re going to pass down the faith once for all delivered to the saints, the Bible’s teaching about final judgment is something we need to address.
THE COMMENTARY is a weekly conversation about vision, worship, and life at Grace Presbyterian Church.
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Feel like you don’t have enough time for the things that really matter? You’re not alone. Most of us have a sense that time is passing too quickly, that we’re missing out — a feeling made worse by images all around us of other people having a meaningful time. In this episode, Cameron and Mark discuss the tension between two Greek concepts — kairos and chronos — to find out how we can recover some of our lost time.
Scripture compares believers in Christ to strangers and exiles, people whose home is not in this world or this time. What does it mean to be an exile, though? Apathy, alienation, and powerlessness are all associated with this idea … but what about hope? In this episode, Mark and Cameron think through the implications of the exile metaphor for Christian life.
Christmas Day falls on a Sunday this year, which has led to a debate on the Internet about canceling church services. At Grace, we’ll be meeting for worship this Sunday. In this episode, Mark and Cameron discuss why this is — and try to unpack the assumptions about holidays and worship that make the dispute so illuminating.
There is no square inch over which Christ does not declare his sovereignty — including social media! In this episode, Mark and Cameron confront the double standard that allows us to treat people decently when we’re face to face but abominably when we’re on the internet. Before you post another angry rant, let’s think about how to stay Christian on social media.
Who would you be willing to throw under the bus for the greater good? Who could we get rid of to enjoy a more united, more harmonious community? Who would you be willing to trade to accomplish something you really believe in? Questions like this sound pretty abhorrent in the abstract … but in our everyday lives, we entertain them more often than we’d like to admit. This is Human Sacrifice — not in the literal sense, but metaphorically — and in this episode we discuss the way Jesus confronts the many ways we devalue the people all around us.
“What are you thankful for? Have you counted your many blessings and named them one by one?” These are the inevitable questions whenever the Thanksgiving holiday rolls around, and for many of us, they spark an uncomfortable realization: that we do not feel as grateful as we should. In this episode, we approach the topic of gratitude from the perspective of those who struggle with it. Where does gratitude come from? What are the obstacles in its way? And is there anything an ingrate can do to cultivate a greater sense of thankfulness?
In Matthew 11, Jesus hints at the unfolding mystery of divine election — a timely topic for Mark, who is writing a devotional on Ephesians 1.4 at the moment. In this episode, Cameron asks Mark about the doctrine of election and predestination. Is it an inexplicable puzzle better left unexplored? Why does the Bible teach these things in the first place? And how should we feel about the idea of God choosing us?
