Advent 2024: Sacred Times

More than 700 years before Jesus, a prophet and a king held a meeting in the city of Jerusalem. With the probability of war on their doorstep, Isaiah was sent to king Ahaz with a message of protection and promise. In the promise, the king was told that a sign would be given: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” This was the Original Immanuel.But what did all this mean so long ago? And how does it connect to the advent of God’s Messiah, Jesus? This is what I explore in this message titled “The Original Immanuel.” This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredthoughts.substack.com/subscribe

Today we have entered into a new year as the people of God. The page was turned to the season of Advent, a time of anticipation, waiting and longing for Christ to come.Some 15 years ago, I was drawn into the liturgical church calendar. I never thought I’d be, but I was, thanks in part to the work of Jamie Smith in his Desiring the Kingdom. I began to finally understand it as a rhythmic story, telling both Christ’s and the church’s story.I encourage you to watch this short video below to help explain what the church calendar is all about. You’ll hear it within my Advent message, but it might be good to view the video. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredthoughts.substack.com/subscribe

On Monday, I was able to host Mandy Smith on the Sacred Thoughts podcast. She is a pastor, author and all around amazing human being. Her most recent book is Confessions of an Amateur Saint. Though an Australian national, she has lived in the both the UK and the US (being an American citizen as well). With that, we not only discussed her new book, but, having now returned to Australia a couple of years ago, I asked her for some reflections on American Christianity as compared with Australian Christianity. You can check out more of her work at thewayistheway.org.In this podcast episode, I’ll tell you how you may be able to win a FREE copy of Mandy’s new book. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredthoughts.substack.com/subscribe

Today I was able to host Marlena Graves on the Sacred Thoughts podcast. She is a professor, author and speaker. Her most recently authored work is Bearing God: Living A Christ-Formed Life in Uncharted Waters. What is particularly of interest is Marlena’s Puerto Rican heritage, and how that has shaped her life and the work that she’s involved in. I also took time to ask her about the recent disparaging comments about Puerto Rico at the Trump rally in Madison Square Garden. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredthoughts.substack.com/subscribe

Today I was able to host Karen Swallow Prior on the podcast. She is a writer, professor and world-traveler. Her most recently authored work is The Evangelical Imagination, which we discuss in the first half of the episode. I then go on to ask Karen about her painful and trying experiences over the last handful of years, particularly in her work at Liberty University, within the Southern Baptist Convention, and also at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredthoughts.substack.com/subscribe

Yesterday I was able to host Dr. Léon Van Ommen on the podcast. He is Senior Lecturer in Practical Theology at the University of Aberdeen. Léon is also Co-Director for the Centre for Autism and Theology at Aberdeen. On this episode we looked at the aspects of disability and autism, and how that relates to our theological understanding. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredthoughts.substack.com/subscribe

Yesterday I was able to host Becky Castle Miller on the podcast. She is a PhD student at Wheaton where her research looks at emotions and discipleship in the Gospel of Luke. She is also an emotional health coach. With my own work in emotional health, I’ve been looking forward to this one!You can follow her work at her Substack site as well as her videos on Instagram (@wholeemotion). This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredthoughts.substack.com/subscribe

Yesterday I was able to host Andrew Perriman on the podcast. He is a New Testament theologian, lecturer at London School of Theology, has written multiple books, and has been part of a church planting network called Communitas International.On the show we discuss what is known as the narrative-historical method when it comes to interpreting the Scriptures. It will be a great challenge to our typical evangelical approach, but one I think is worth chewing over in order to better read the Bible.Just as a note, the language gets very technical from a theological standpoint.You can check out Andrew’s work at www.postost.net. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredthoughts.substack.com/subscribe

Over my years of teaching in higher education, I have developed plenty of course content – on world religions, Old Testament, New Testament, leadership development, ministry, mission, and other related topics.With that, I wanted to start posting some of that content, which will show up as videos here, but also posting as audio content on the Sacred Thoughts podcast.This first video is free, meaning it is accessible any and all. However, moving forward, the video teachings will only be available to paid subscribers. It’s a fairly small amount – $5 per month or $50 for the year. With that, I hope you’ll consider supporting the work that I do at Sacred Thoughts.In all, I hope you’ll watch / listen to this first video: An Introduction to Religion.Sacred Thoughts is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredthoughts.substack.com/subscribe

For my second episode, I offer some thoughts on recent news in the state of Louisiana – a new law has been signed into place that requires the 10 Commandments to be displayed in public school classrooms. I also connect this recent news to the topic of my first episode on “The Church in Exile.” This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sacredthoughts.substack.com/subscribe