An Impersonal Relationship with God

Posted on Monday, September 6th, 2010 [7 Comments]

Posted in Experiences in Church/Christianity, Questioning/Doubt/Authenticity

As Joy started asking questions about faith she was told that she was heading down a slippery slope. Joy’s response: How can you have a personal relationship with God if you don’t ask questions in that relationship?

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A Vacation from Beliefs

Posted on Monday, August 30th, 2010 [4 Comments]

Posted in Beliefism, Other Religions

As Nick Fiedler was packing for a yearlong trip around the world, he decided to leave his beliefs at home. He found that this allowed him to experience other cultures with an open mind.

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The Hopeful Skeptic

Posted on Monday, August 23rd, 2010 [25 Comments]

Posted in Labels, Questioning/Doubt/Authenticity

Nick Fiedler decided to drop the Christian label and pick up one that better defined his spirituality: Hopeful Skeptic.

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An Outsider’s Difficult Choice

Posted on Monday, August 16th, 2010 [7 Comments]

Posted in Abortion, Insiders Relating to Outsiders

All but one of Klarisa’s Christian friends abandoned her after she decided to get an abortion. The other friend stuck with her even though she disagreed with the decision.

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Emperor Arcadia

Posted on Monday, August 9th, 2010 [9 Comments]

Posted in Insiders Relating to Outsiders, Service

This story, told by Mark Scandrette, illustrates the question: “Is an act of love only significant because of the change it produces in another person or can the meaning be in the act itself?”

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The Box or The Carrot

Posted on Monday, August 2nd, 2010 [4 Comments]

Posted in Who God is

Is understanding God more like a box or a carrot on a stick? Kevin Potter explorers these two metaphors and how they relate to understanding God.

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God is [fill in the blank].

Posted on Monday, July 26th, 2010 [23 Comments]

Posted in Who God is

Everybody has a different idea of what God looks like. In this clip, people on the street tell us what they think.

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God Created in the Image of Man

Posted on Monday, July 19th, 2010 [17 Comments]

Posted in Who God is

How much do our experiences and relationships in life affect our understanding of God? In this clip, Elaine Hamilton talks about how theology can be separated into intellectual theology and emotional theology.

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Just Say Yes

Posted on Monday, May 24th, 2010 [5 Comments]

Posted in Insiders Relating to Outsiders, Other Religions

Improv comedy taught Susan Isaacs a better way to respond to her friends with different religious backgrounds. Instead of denying their experiences, she began to participate in their story.

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How Much Heresy Does God Tolerate?

Posted on Monday, May 17th, 2010 [13 Comments]

Posted in Division, Heresy

After meeting some Christians with differing beliefs, Dave wonders, “How much heresy does God tolerate?”

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Brothel Home Makeover

Posted on Monday, May 10th, 2010 [11 Comments]

Posted in Insiders Relating to Outsiders, Sexuality

Strip Church in Las Vegas offers “home makeovers” for Nevada brothels. While brightening up living conditions, they hope to show God’s love through their actions.

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Your Shirt is Green

Posted on Monday, May 3rd, 2010 [27 Comments]

Posted in Insiders Relating to Outsiders, Who God is

Darin grew tired of trying to convince others to believe the way he did. His realization: What if God looks differently to different people?

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The Woman at the Mosque

Posted on Monday, April 26th, 2010 [5 Comments]

Posted in Faith, Insiders Relating to Outsiders, Other Religions

Leeana didn’t understand what it meant to desire God until she talked with a woman in a mosque. Moving beyond differences allowed Leeana to find great value and truth in what the woman had to share.

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Reaching Out to Neighbors Different From Us

Posted on Monday, April 12th, 2010 [8 Comments]

Posted in Insiders Relating to Outsiders, Service

Jesus said to “love your neighbor as yourself”, but what if your neighbor is different than you? In this clip, Tim and Jenny Turner talk about how they’ve responded to two couples in their neighborhood; one couple is gay, the other couple has beliefs very different than their own.

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Tithing Without Generosity

Posted on Monday, March 22nd, 2010 [15 Comments]

Posted in Experiences in Church/Christianity, Tithing

Todd Hunter has been tithing for 32 years, but it has never really impacted his life. What would it look like to “repractice” this discipline so that it fosters a heart of generosity?

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In the Middle of Change

Posted on Monday, March 15th, 2010 [8 Comments]

Posted in Experiences in Church/Christianity, Infidelity, Questioning/Doubt/Authenticity

How do you respond when someone you know is in a messy situation? Elaine Hamilton, author of Church on the Couch, tells the story of how she responded when she found out a friend was having an affair.

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Embracing the Mess

Posted on Monday, March 8th, 2010 [9 Comments]

Posted in Experiences in Church/Christianity, Questioning/Doubt/Authenticity

Elaine Hamilton thinks the first step toward creating real community is telling the truth. But authenticity isn’t always easy.

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Church as an Art Museum

Posted on Monday, March 1st, 2010 [9 Comments]

Posted in Church Institution, Questioning/Doubt/Authenticity

Artists leave museums inspired to make art. Mark Scandrette, author of the book Soul Graffiti, wonders if church inspires people to contribute to the ongoing story.

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Missing Half of What God Has to Say

Posted on Monday, February 22nd, 2010 [22 Comments]

Posted in Equality, Experiences in Church/Christianity, Gender Equality

“If power is just held by males in the evangelical church, we’re missing out on half of what God has to say.” In this clip, Rose Madrid-Swetman talks about her experiences as a female pastor.

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Guerrilla Lovers

Posted on Monday, February 15th, 2010 [27 Comments]

Posted in Insiders Relating to Outsiders

Vince Antonucci, author of the book Guerrilla Lovers, doesn’t think shock and awe tactics work anymore in Evangelism. His solution: wear them out with love.

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