Jason Clark's Blog, page 15

Flipping Tables

Flipping Tables

 

 

 

 

In Jesus’ day, the way you got right with God and stayed connected with your community was to go to the temple and present an animal as an offering. The priests would take your lamb or bird, sacrifice it to God on your behalf, and voila, you were again in right standing with God and your community.

That is a simple explanation of the sacrificial system, but it cuts to the quick. And yes, it’s a very transactional system, and many Christians still participate in the religious spirit behind it today.

Have you ever had a can of Coke confiscated on the way into Disney World? Yeah, neither have I. But I’ve heard it happens, and it’s understandable. A can of Coke purchased outside Disney World costs less than a dollar. However, inside the park, a can of Coke goes for $10,000 or something like that. It’s extortion, but we pay it because, I don’t know, we’re on vacation, I guess.

I bring it up because that’s what was taking place on the way into the temple grounds—not the vacation but the extortion. And because of it, there’s a famous story about Jesus, a whip, and flipped tables.

You see, you couldn’t bring your own Coke into the park with you. Instead, you had to buy your beverage inside the park from the vendors—except the temple priests weren’t selling soft drinks. Rather, they sold the birds or lambs worshipers would need to offer as sacrifices so they could be in right standing with God and their community. Essentially, you could get a bird or lamb for a buck outside the temple, but they cost like $10,000 inside.

Yeah, the priests were price-gouging souls—extortion of the spirit, highway robbery in the name of God. The religion of separation is good business—and really disgusting.

Father, forgive us, for we know not what we do.

The religious leaders were exploiting the vulnerabilities and inequalities of the people they were supposed to serve. It was an injustice, and Jesus was outraged. So, He spent the whole day braiding a whip. Then, Jesus and His disciples went to the temple grounds where He drove the moneylenders—those religious money-grubbing, hypocrisy-ridden, rock-throwing, abusive leaders—out of the temple grounds. And as He drove them out, He flipped over the tables they had used to receive payment.

Thus, the term, table-flipping.

And I tell this story because I’ve been sharing the non-punishing good news long enough to run up against retribution preachers who leverage Jesus, a whip, and flipped tables to support their cruel and punishing theology.

But this story wasn’t about that one-time Jesus participated in punishing violence. There were no reports of anyone struck or injured—just hurt pride and offended ego as Jesus responded to the religious abuse of authority and confronted one more injustice in a sin-counting world oppressed by injustice.

Jesus knew well the injustice of separation, us or them, oppressed and oppressor. Jesus knew the injustice for the orphan and the widow, the injustice of sickness and death, divorce, disconnection, poverty, inequality, slavery, and war—the injustice of lack; tables needed to be flipped!

And Jesus knew the cost of flipping tables—that only a “greater love that lays down one’s life for one’s friend” saves, sets free, restores, and makes us whole. You see, Greater Love is the justice that has both the authority and power to reconcile the world.

So, Jesus flipped tables—not in the spirit of retribution but as a revelation of reconciling love. Jesus flipped tables in the authority of, “Father, forgive them; they know not what they do.” Jesus flipped tables in the power of “God in Christ, reconciling…oppressed and oppressor.” 1 Jesus was outraged by injustice, so He flipped tables in the justice of a “Love (that) keeps no record of wrongs.” 2

As a young man, I loved to be outraged, especially if it involved flipping tables. It was invigorating to call out hypocrisy, and it was easy to do. It’s everywhere!

But as I grow surer in love and mature in childlike faith, I’m learning that if I’m unwilling to lay down my life for the person on the other side of the table, I am not releasing justice. I am just noise pollution.

Paul said it this way “…If I do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.” 3

We can do all kinds of stuff for God in the name of justice, but if we’re not willing to engage in other-centered, self-giving love for those on the other side of the table, we’re not part of a solution, we’re a reaction and, therefore, a part of the problem.

Another way to say it—if we’re not willing to participate in reconciliation when we flip tables, then we’re participating in punishment. And that’s not justice; it’s just revenge passed down the generations.

When we flip tables outside of other-centered, self-giving love, all we do is make equal and opposite messes. When we flip tables in the spirit of retribution, we participate in the dualistic narrative of good and evil and evil and evil…

Father, forgive us, for we know not what we do…

1 John 15:13

2 1 Corinthians 13:5

3 1 Corinthians 13:1

 

This article is excerpted from my book, Leaving and Finding Jesus
Order Now At AMAZON.COM

ORDER NOW! Jason Clark is a bestselling storyteller who writes to reveal the transforming kindness of the love of God. He and his wife, Karen, live in North Carolina with their three children, Madeleine, Ethan, and Eva. FollowFollowFollowFollowFollowFollowFollowFollow JOIN OUR MAILING LIST GIVE TO A FAMILY STORY YOU ALSO MIGHT LIKE… When I Am Weak, I Am Strong

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LOGAN BARONE / THE MYSTERY IN YOU

Logan Barone The Mystery In You

 

 

 

 

 

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Please rate, review, share, and subscribe!

For more on Pete
Website: www.loganbarone.com

Podcast intro and outro music by Wilde Assembly

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www.rivercharlotte.com

FollowFollowFollow Jason Clark is a writer, speaker, and lead communicator at A Family Story ministries. His mission is to encourage sons and daughters to grow sure in the love of an always-good heavenly Father. He and his wife, Karen, live in North Carolina with their three children.

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The post LOGAN BARONE / THE MYSTERY IN YOU appeared first on A Family Story.

My Hermeneutic

My Hermeneutic

 

 

 

 

When I write, I hope to present ideas in a conversational tone as though we’re connecting over a good cup of coffee with a little Baileys, a generous amount of cream, and Karen’s berry rhubarb pie. I like to make suggestions through storytelling and what-if questions, but I’ve been told that on occasion, maybe, you know, every once in a while, I could just state my conclusions plainly.

When it comes to hermeneutics, the method by which we interpret Scripture, this is me making it plain.

Jesus, greater love, is my hermeneutic.

I approach the “word of God” in search of Jesus, the “Word Who Became Flesh.”

Jesus is the whole revelation of what God is like, and the cross is the clearest way to know Him and how He feels about us.

God has always been like Jesus, whether we knew it or not. That’s true today and was true for our Old and New Testament brothers and sisters.

The Apostle Paul put it this way, “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” 1 I share that same resolve in all things, including my approach to Scripture.

Now, here are some what-ifs.

What if any belief about the nature of God that contradicts cruciform love, even if it’s biblical, is untrue?

What if Scripture is an inspired collection of books that reveals how poorly humanity has thought about God in light of how good Jesus revealed God truly is?

What if the whole point of the Book is to empower deeper revelation of reconciling love, a greater discovery of the Truth that sets us free, and an awakening to our union in Christ?

What if we were meant to search Scripture so we might recognize the “Word Who Became Flesh” in every person standing before us?

What if we can know our hermeneutic is true based on if we love God, our neighbor, and ourselves more? I’m thankful to my friend Randal Worley for that thought. 2

For me, interpreting Scripture is not rocket science; it’s relational theology 101. But what did you expect from me? I’m a relational theologian with a Map reading learning disability. I am not educated enough to give you anything other than another what-if:

What if even our approach to Scripture is about a Love who laid His life down for His friends?

As a relational fella, all I can tell ya is, the more confident I become in reconciling love, the less hard stuff wrestling I do with the Book.

All I can tell ya is, if you’re intent on wrestling with hard stuff, make sure it’s about your systematic methods and current lack of understanding and not about your certainty that God requires child sacrifice.

All I can tell ya is, like Abraham, we can navigate our hard stuff understanding by placing our faith in a reconciling love that raises the dead to life.

In my experience, when cruciform love is the lens through which we know God, resurrection life is always the revelation, and there is no hard stuff in Scripture.

1 1 Corinthians 2:3

2 Mark 12:30-31

 

This article is excerpted from my book, Leaving and Finding Jesus
Order Now At AMAZON.COM

ORDER NOW! Jason Clark is a bestselling storyteller who writes to reveal the transforming kindness of the love of God. He and his wife, Karen, live in North Carolina with their three children, Madeleine, Ethan, and Eva. FollowFollowFollowFollowFollowFollowFollowFollow JOIN OUR MAILING LIST GIVE TO A FAMILY STORY YOU ALSO MIGHT LIKE… How to Be Transformed

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I interrupted again, “I’m not looking for what you know, here,” I said, pointing to my head. “When is the last time you experienced to the core of your being His unquestionable pleasure, His joy, His overwhelming love for you, here?” I pointed to my heart.

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“You know, I could control you, Ethan. I could force, manipulate or straight up shame you into obedience, you’re only ten. I can make him behave. But someday my boy, you will be a man and beyond my ability to control. But more importantly son, I don’t want to control you, I want you to control yourself. I want you to value freedom as the Holy Spirit does. Do you understand?”

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PETE SCHELLER / DANCING WITH WISDOM

Pete Scheller Dancing With Wisdom

 

 

 

 

 

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“For too long the image and understanding of God, the One Jesus called “Abba”, has been hidden from view or distorted beyond recognition. The unspoken cry of sons and daughters all over the world is ‘Give us our Dad back!’”

A renewed mind, western wisdom vs. God’s wisdom, theology in relational terms, and above all, a Father who doesn’t just love us, He really likes us; in this conversation, Pete Scheller shares from his new book, Dancing with Wisdom. The guys dive deep into the Father nature of God and laugh along the way.

Please rate, review, share, and subscribe!

For more on Pete
Website: www.heartmindspirit.net

 

Podcast intro and outro music by Wilde Assembly

Derek Turner Follower of Jesus, in love with @sarahjturner, father to @caro.turn & @kaaatters, owner of Milo, pastor @rivercharlotte. Amazed by Grace
www.rivercharlotte.com

FollowFollowFollow Jason Clark is a writer, speaker, and lead communicator at A Family Story ministries. His mission is to encourage sons and daughters to grow sure in the love of an always-good heavenly Father. He and his wife, Karen, live in North Carolina with their three children.

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The Wages of Sin… in Context

The Wages of Sin… In Context

 

 

 

 

 

Romans 6:23 begins, “the wages of sin is death…” and then counters it with, “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus.”

Often, I’ve heard that first part of the verse thrown at people as a threat; completely void of its context. And context is everything. And the context for this verse is incredibly liberating, empowering, and truly good news.

If you read Romans 5 and 6, fully, you’ll find there’s zero mention of humanity making some sort of choice or decision. Why? Because the context is the complete works of Christ.

“…the wages of sin is death, but God’s free gift is eternal life in Jesus…”

This scripture is often taught as though Paul was giving us a choice; as though we can invite Jesus into our hearts and make Him the Lord of our lives, or we can go to hell, where we will experience eternal conscious torment, and there will be torture, and there will be flames.

But that’s not what Paul wrote. There is no such context.

What if “the wages of sin is death” is announcing the inherent consequences of sinful actions and what they will produce in this life, as opposed to saying if we sin, we deserve torment?

Remember, it says “death;” not “everlasting life while being tortured in fire,” it says “death.”

I challenge you to read Romans 5 and 6. Read what Paul was actually writing. See how he contrasts universal humanity “in Adam” with universal humanity “in Christ” as a result of the complete work of Jesus on behalf of all of humanity

What if there isn’t a judicial system in family?

Let me ask that again.

What if…there isn’t a judicial system…in FAMILY?

What if His name really is Abba, and He is a Father and Physician? What if He is not a judge and we are not in some courtroom accused of crimes and misdemeanors? What if He is not a Master, and we are not His subjects and servants? What if we – humanity – are his children, sons and daughters of the living God; sons and daughters of heaven and eternity and glory?

What if the atonement – what happened at the cross – was totally void of violence from the Father altogether? What if it really was a victory over the Satan, sin and death, and an unveiling of His heart; as well as Him healing us of the delusions we’ve created and been deceived by… all of which, manifested death in our lives and in the earth.

What if Jesus came to reverse the trajectory in order to bring on earth as it is in heaven.

What if we’ve been looking at this completely through the wrong lens.

The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God (for all of humanity) is eternal life in Christ.

That is a conclusive statement.

It is finished… behold, I make all things new! (See John 19:30 and Rev 21:5)

He’s better than you’ve been taught.

Michael McElyea is a husband and a father; a guy who left evangelical church leadership to go on a journey with Jesus; just a man trying to follow Jesus. He lives in MD with his family.

For more on Micahel
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The Uprising

 

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RUSTY & ERIN PLEUNE / CREATING A CULTURE OF CONNECTION IN MARRIAGE

Rusty & Erin Pleune Creating A Culture Of Connection In Marriages

 

 

 

 

 

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Hope, healing, intimacy, unconditional love, and acceptance; in this conversation, Rusty and Erin Pleune talk about the intentional steps they took to create a culture of connection in their marriage and how they now help couples do the same. They also dove into their journey of discovering community and deeper faith as they lean into the goodness of God.

Please rate, review, share, and subscribe!

For more about Rusty & Erin & Making A Way
Website: www.makingawaymarriage.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/makingawaymarriage

Podcast intro and outro music by Wilde Assembly

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www.rivercharlotte.com

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Matt Chandler, pastor, and writer, recently used the phrase “a sexy fad” when describing the deconstruction movement. Derek and Jason highlight his statement to dive into the nature of their own de/ and reconstruction. This podcast dives into sin, grace, reconciliation, and God’s love for all His kids, the church deep and wide. Ultimately, the guys kick off season three embracing Rom 8:38-29 That nothing… “will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Read More KAREN SWALLOW PRIOR / LIFE, LITERATURE, & GOD

by A Family Story | April 27, 2022 | Crisis of Identity, Faith, God Is Not In Control, Hell, Rethinking God Podcast, Rethinking God with Tacos / Season three, Sin, The Fathers Love | 0 Comments

Karen Swallow Prior is a Reader, Writer, and Professor. In that order, which was discussed in this conversation along with the power of language, the Word becoming flesh, the connection of imagination with logic and reason, empathy, trauma, the theodicy of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and love being the center of our conversations. Karen also shares about getting hit by a literal bus and how she grew in her understanding that her life is in God’s hands.

Read More MATTHEW HESTER / GOD WAS PLEASED TO REVEAL HIS SON IN ME

by A Family Story | March 17, 2021 | Faith, Interview, Intimacy, Leadership, Rethinking God Podcast, Rethinking God with Tacos / Season Two, The Fathers Love | 0 Comments

Mystery, faith, salvation and awaking to Christ’s likeness within us, adoption and sonship, being in the family, discovering the Word in scripture, and living from union, we discuss this and more with Matthew Hester in a passionate conversation around the love of God. Matthew is an author, pastor of Dominion Church (Greer SC), and founder of Hester Ministries and Present Truth Academy.

Read More SETH DAHL / SPIRIT LED FAMILIES

by A Family Story | April 22, 2023 | Faith, Intimacy, Marriage, Miracles, Parenting, Relationship, Rethinking God Podcast, Rethinking God with Tacos / Season Four, The Fathers Love | 0 Comments

“I tell parents ‘You become the theology your kids believe” Engaging our kid’s imaginations, learning to recognize God’s voice, and encountering His love, life, joy, and friendship; in this conversation, Seth Dahl shares stories of transformation and gives insight into Spirit-led parenting. The guys talk about a good God and the journey into trust, intimacy, and union in the context of parenting.

Read More THE CROSS with DEREK TURNER & JASON CLARK

by A Family Story | January 6, 2021 | Crisis of Identity, Faith, God Is Not In Control, Intimacy, Leadership, Relationship, Rethinking God Podcast, Rethinking God with Tacos / Season Two, The Fathers Love | 3 Comments

In this first episode of season two, Jason and new host Derek Turner dive into the wonder of what Jesus revealed about our Father and humanity through the cross and resurrection.

Read More

The post My Hermeneutic appeared first on A Family Story.

The Slave/Master Paradigm Within The Church

The Slave/Master Paradigm Within The Church

 

 

 

 

Excerpted from my book, Leaving and Finding Jesus

Maybe the most significant issues in the church today stem from Christian servants who don’t know friendship. I think much of the Deconstruction movement has been birthed in institutions led by Older Brothers who slave down the road of lack.

Many of our leaders are wholly invested in the paradigm of slaves and masters; they approach obedience as a transactional obligation and thus live and preach a hierarchal, controlling, and punishing Father/Master message. Just like the Older Brother, they are convinced they know the heart and motivations of our Father, the thoughts and plans of the Master. But as Jesus told us, “…a servant doesn’t know what his master is thinking or planning,” He only tells that stuff to His friends— “for everything that I learned from my Father, I have made known to you.” (1)

Sadly, much of the church is full of behavior-focused, sin-counting, Older Brothers—slaving servants waxing eloquent on the master’s thoughts and plans while participating in dualism, nationalism, liberalism, moralism, wokeism, and a thousand other obligations outside of friendship.

Sadly, the world has been inundated with slaving Older Brother Christians—diligent servants, calling the master, “dad,” while preaching a punishing message that conflicts with His heart of reconciliation for all our brothers and sisters—slaving servants who interpret Scripture outside of friendship and present the gospel outside of Greater Love.

Dear friends, let’s stop participating in the hierarchal paradigm of masters and slaves; let’s stop giving ear to slaving Older Brothers who don’t know what our Father “is thinking and planning.” That way lies striving, disillusionment, trauma, and broken trust.

How can we recognize when we are participating in the Slave-Master paradigm? Here are five earmarks:

Our interpretation of Love isn’t cruciform—self-giving, other-centered.We leverage Scripture to measure some vast separation between God and humanity.We justify cruelty in the name of righteousness and holiness.We participate in, and propagate, hierarchy and exclusion in the name of love.We perceive and present punishment as justice.

And we can identify slaving Older Brother leaders using the same criteria.

If we want to know our Father’s heart, it can best be discovered on the Emmaus Road with friends as we humbly steward the burning. Jesus’ disciple, John, revealed the measureless depth of this burning heart friendship when, in his gospel, he referenced himself three times as “the one Jesus loved.”(2)

We are all “the one Jesus loves.” That’s how Greater Love works.

The fact is, Jesus calls every one of us “friend”—we are all the one He loves. And the more we surrender to this Greater Love friendship, the more we awaken to our Father’s reconciling heart. In this heart-to-heart connection, serving comes naturally, and obedience is a fruit rather than an obligation.

In friendship, we discover the high-water mark of Christian faith is measureless reconciling love. In friendship, our lives become surrendered expressions of Greater Love, and that’s the definition of Christian maturity.

Servant friends are people moving closer to reconciliation with each step they take. Christian maturity is developed as we revel in our friendship with Jesus.

1 John 15:15 NIV & MSG
2 John 13:23

This article is excerpted from my book, Leaving and Finding Jesus
Order Now At AMAZON.COM

ORDER NOW! Jason Clark is a bestselling storyteller who writes to reveal the transforming kindness of the love of God. He and his wife, Karen, live in North Carolina with their three children, Madeleine, Ethan, and Eva. FollowFollowFollowFollowFollowFollowFollowFollow JOIN OUR MAILING LIST GIVE TO A FAMILY STORY YOU ALSO MIGHT LIKE… Repent! The Kingdom of God is Within You

by Jason Clark | March 25, 2020 | Articles, Faith, Leadership, Life, Popular | 2 Comments

Yes, repent! Change the way you think until “righteousness, peace, and joy” are your reality; until the confidence of “on earth as it is in heaven” is your perspective; until you sense the arms of your kind and loving Father enveloping you and you grow sure in His nature to work all things to our good.

Read More BISHOP JAMIE ENGLEHART / MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS

by A Family Story | March 8, 2023 | Faith, Intimacy, Relationship, Rethinking God Podcast, Rethinking God with Tacos / Season Four, Sin, The Fathers Love, Writing | 1 Comment

Lucifer and the devil, God, and control, union vs. separation, awakening to Light, Life, and Love, and approaching scripture through sonship; in this conversation, Bishop Jamie Englehart breaks down myths for truth and sheds light on many of our religious misconceptions that have been built upon separation.

Jamie’s understanding of the Kingdom of God, the New Covenant, and the heart of the Father is evident in every word he speaks.

Read More JASON GRIMSLEY / CROSS STITCHED

by A Family Story | November 30, 2022 | Faith, Interview, Life, Rethinking God Podcast, Rethinking God with Tacos / Season three | 0 Comments

“Whether I’m high or low, in heaven or hell, nothing can ever separate me from God’s love.” Jason dives into a memoir he helped his friend, baseball legend, Jason Grimsley, write. They guys talk about Jason’s wild and unbelievable life. This conversation is part storytelling, part revelation, and all testimony of the love of God.

Jason shares about several hardships he’s faced, including a botched suicide attempt and the near destruction of his marriage. The guys shared insights and wisdom for the highs and lows of life. And all along the way, they highlighted the message of the book. Cross Stitched displays the very real and present love of God and the abundant life He offers us when we surrender to Him.

Read More If Then The Light Within You

by Jason Clark | August 4, 2022 | Articles, Books, Faith, Hell, Leadership | 0 Comments

After Jesus tells us about how important our perception of God is, how the eye is the gateway to wholeness or brokenness, He says something amazing and often overlooked.

“If then the LIGHT WITHIN YOU is darkness…”

It seems our perception doesn’t change the nature of light nor its inhabitation. Even if we perceive the light within us as darkness, it remains light and remains within us. if there is no separation between us and God, then the question isn’t, “Is the light within us?” it’s, “How do we perceive it?”

Read More DALE HOWIE / UNSPOKEN SERMONS ON THE GOOD NEWS OF INCLUSION

by A Family Story | June 23, 2021 | Interview, Intimacy, Life, Prayer, Rethinking God Podcast, Rethinking God with Tacos / Season Two, The Fathers Love | 3 Comments

Paraphrasing the sermons of George MacDonald, Dale Howie shares his sometimes painful, often beautiful, journey of awakening to the irreducible truth of life discovered in relationship. He speaks to grace, our common Fatherhood, our inclusion in Christ’s life, death and resurrection, our union, and the wonder of our humanity. A humble storyteller and relational theologian, Dale speaks as a father on behalf of Our Father, who loves all His children with a reconciling love.

Read More STEVE MCVEY/ BEYOND AN ANGRY GOD

by A Family Story | July 15, 2020 | Faith, God Is Not In Control, Interview, Life, Rethinking God with Tacos / Season One | 3 Comments

Scandalous multifaced fathomless grace, restorative justice, redeemed identity, our union with Abba Father and intimacy with our Triune God barely scratches the surface of this 40-minute power-packed interview with Dr. Steve McVey.

Read More

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SCHLYCE JIMENEZ / THE PATH

Schlyce Jimenez The Path

 

 

 

 

 

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God to Schlyce: “You never rebelled from me; you rebelled from a version of me that was never me…” Identity, the illusion of separation, trauma triggers and healing, how to hear the voice of God, experiencing the joy and wonder of continual fellowship with God; in this conversation, Schlyce Jimenez shares about her faith journey and her book, The Path. The Path helps readers discover how their life would be different if they could know the Father like Jesus did. You can learn more about Schlyce at www.schlyce.com

“The meaning of life is to find your gift, and the purpose of life is to give it away.” – Pablo Picasso

Please rate, review, share, and subscribe!

For more on Schlyce
Website: www.schlyce.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/schlycej
Twitter: www.twitter.com/schlyce

 

Podcast intro and outro music by Wilde Assembly

Derek Turner Follower of Jesus, in love with @sarahjturner, father to @caro.turn & @kaaatters, owner of Milo, pastor @rivercharlotte. Amazed by Grace
www.rivercharlotte.com

FollowFollowFollow Jason Clark is a writer, speaker, and lead communicator at A Family Story ministries. His mission is to encourage sons and daughters to grow sure in the love of an always-good heavenly Father. He and his wife, Karen, live in North Carolina with their three children.

FollowFollowFollowFollowFollow JOIN OUR MAILING LIST GIVE TO A FAMILY STORY BUY NOW! YOU ALSO MIGHT LIKE… DOUG CREW / WHAT DOES LOVE LOOK LIKE RIGHT NOW?

by A Family Story | March 24, 2021 | Faith, Intimacy, Leadership, Rethinking God Podcast, Rethinking God with Tacos / Season Two, The Fathers Love | 0 Comments

Navigating through loss with a good God, experiencing the presence of God as a loving Father, loving our neighbor, democrat and republican, and love answering every question that aches in the heart of humanity, Doug Crew shares on these subjects and more with insight and grace. Doug is the executive leader of Shiloh Place Ministries and a good friend of the podcast.

Read More THE CROSS with DEREK TURNER & JASON CLARK

by A Family Story | January 6, 2021 | Crisis of Identity, Faith, God Is Not In Control, Intimacy, Leadership, Relationship, Rethinking God Podcast, Rethinking God with Tacos / Season Two, The Fathers Love | 3 Comments

In this first episode of season two, Jason and new host Derek Turner dive into the wonder of what Jesus revealed about our Father and humanity through the cross and resurrection.

Read More HAROLD & LINDA EBERLE / THE NEW APOSTOLIC REFORMATION

by A Family Story | March 10, 2021 | Faith, Interview, Intimacy, Leadership, Rethinking God Podcast, Rethinking God with Tacos / Season Two, Sin, The Fathers Love | 4 Comments

Harold and Linda Eberle share about the catalytic love of God that is transforming our western understanding of the church. They speak on victorious mindsets, kingdom thinking, the myth of separation, reconciliation through the death of Jesus, and salvation through his life; plus old elephants! This is a power packed interview full of profound insight.

Read More THOMAS JAY OORD / GOD CAN’T

by A Family Story | January 13, 2021 | Crisis of Identity, Faith, God Is Not In Control, Intimacy, Leadership, Relationship, Rethinking God Podcast, Rethinking God with Tacos / Season Two, The Fathers Love | 2 Comments

“Given that we start with God’s power…we end up giving God the kind of capabilities that make God culpable; in other words, morally responsible for not only causing but allowing bad things…I think there are good biblical reasons to object to that standard view of Gods power.” Thomas Jay Oord

Read More JUSTIN STUMVOLL / LOVE IS THE KEY

by A Family Story | June 8, 2022 | Crisis of Identity, Faith, God Is Not In Control, Hell, Rethinking God Podcast, Rethinking God with Tacos / Season three, Sin, The Fathers Love | 3 Comments

Justin Stumvoll is a speaker, teacher, and life consultant who knows the kindness of God and loves to create space for individuals to find healing so they can be their most authentic selves Just dives into Love being the key to helping folks walk through the gritty, vulnerable and real approach to transformation. This was a fast-paced conversation where the guy’s traded stories about the reconciling nature of God; they talked about punishment, self-judgment, reconciliation, justice, sin, grace, freedom from addiction, and more. This podcast is bursting with the kindness of God that transforms the world.

Read More BISHOP JAMIE ENGLEHART / MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS

by A Family Story | March 8, 2023 | Faith, Intimacy, Relationship, Rethinking God Podcast, Rethinking God with Tacos / Season Four, Sin, The Fathers Love, Writing | 1 Comment

Lucifer and the devil, God, and control, union vs. separation, awakening to Light, Life, and Love, and approaching scripture through sonship; in this conversation, Bishop Jamie Englehart breaks down myths for truth and sheds light on many of our religious misconceptions that have been built upon separation.

Jamie’s understanding of the Kingdom of God, the New Covenant, and the heart of the Father is evident in every word he speaks.

Read More

The post The Slave/Master Paradigm Within The Church appeared first on A Family Story.

SETH DAHL / SPIRIT LED FAMILIES

Seth Dahl Spirit Led Families

 

 

 

 

 

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“I tell parents ‘You become the theology your kids believe” Engaging our kid’s imaginations, learning to recognize God’s voice, and encountering His love, life, joy, and friendship; in this conversation, Seth Dahl shares stories of transformation and gives insight into Spirit-led parenting. The guys talk about a good God and the journey into trust, intimacy, and union in the context of parenting.

Please rate, review, share, and subscribe!

For more on Seth Dahl
Spirit Led Families: www.spiritledfamilies.world
Instagram: www.instagram.com/sethdahl

 

Podcast intro and outro music by Wilde Assembly

Derek Turner Follower of Jesus, in love with @sarahjturner, father to @caro.turn & @kaaatters, owner of Milo, pastor @rivercharlotte. Amazed by Grace
www.rivercharlotte.com

FollowFollowFollow Jason Clark is a writer, speaker, and lead communicator at A Family Story ministries. His mission is to encourage sons and daughters to grow sure in the love of an always-good heavenly Father. He and his wife, Karen, live in North Carolina with their three children.

FollowFollowFollowFollowFollow JOIN OUR MAILING LIST GIVE TO A FAMILY STORY BUY NOW! YOU ALSO MIGHT LIKE… ALLEN ARNOLD / CHAOS CAN’T

by A Family Story | January 27, 2021 | Art, Crisis of Identity, Faith, Intimacy, Leadership, Rethinking God Podcast, Rethinking God with Tacos / Season Two, The Fathers Love | 1 Comment

God creates order from disorder and we have been invited to co-create with Him. In the midst of chaos, “we associate peace with answers. God associates peace with Union.”

Read More LEIF HETLAND / THE LOVE AWAKENING

by A Family Story | July 6, 2022 | Crisis of Identity, Faith, Intimacy, Miracles, Popular, Prayer, Rethinking God Podcast, Rethinking God with Tacos / Season three, The Fathers Love | 0 Comments

In this conversation Leif, Mark Appleyard, and Jason dive into Leif’s new book, The Love Awakening. Through personal stories, the guys discuss the powerful, supernatural Baptism of Love that breaks off shame, affirms identity, and reveals the unconditional love of the Father. This is a life-giving conversation around union, evangelism, and the miraculous.

Read More THERE IS NO “US OR THEM” AT THE CROSS

by A Family Story | September 15, 2022 | Faith, Interview, Leadership, Life, Rethinking God Podcast, Rethinking God with Tacos / Season three | 3 Comments

This podcast highlights Jason’s book, Leaving and finding Jesus, where he writes about his deconstructing faith journey. The book is Jason’s Emmaus Road discovery of a love that is reconciling all creation; a journey where he’s awakening to a burning heart while leaving every Jesus who won’t lay His life down for His friends. 

Read More SCOTT CROWDER / LEARNING TO BE PRESENT

by A Family Story | April 13, 2022 | Dreaming, Faith, Friends, Leadership, Music, Rethinking God Podcast, Rethinking God with Tacos / Season three | 2 Comments

Scott Crowder is a pastor, singer-songwriter, and one of Jason’s closest friends. The guys dive into their love for the church, about learning how to be present with God, ourselves, each other, and our community. Scott talks about creating church cultures that practice the fruits of the Spirit, learning to lead ourselves and others in seasons of joy and sorrow, that “success” isn’t about numbers, cool fads, or being ‘front runners,’ it’s discovered in community.

Read More BRIAN SIMMONS / THE PASSION TRANSLATION

by A Family Story | May 19, 2021 | Faith, Interview, Intimacy, Leadership, Life, Popular, Rethinking God Podcast, Rethinking God with Tacos / Season Two | 2 Comments

“The bible, minus love, equals false teaching, false living, and fosters an anger in the soul of man.” Brian Simmons, author of The Passion Translation, talks about approaching scripture with a love theology, the oppressive impact of hyper literalism, women in ministry, equality, union, Jesus’ humanity inside the Trinity, the finished work of the cross, and the passionate, powerful, transforming love of God.

Read More DALE HOWIE / UNSPOKEN SERMONS ON THE GOOD NEWS OF INCLUSION

by A Family Story | June 23, 2021 | Interview, Intimacy, Life, Prayer, Rethinking God Podcast, Rethinking God with Tacos / Season Two, The Fathers Love | 3 Comments

Paraphrasing the sermons of George MacDonald, Dale Howie shares his sometimes painful, often beautiful, journey of awakening to the irreducible truth of life discovered in relationship. He speaks to grace, our common Fatherhood, our inclusion in Christ’s life, death and resurrection, our union, and the wonder of our humanity. A humble storyteller and relational theologian, Dale speaks as a father on behalf of Our Father, who loves all His children with a reconciling love.

Read More

The post SETH DAHL / SPIRIT LED FAMILIES appeared first on A Family Story.

A Hard Teaching?

A Hard Teaching?  

 

 

 

“Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.” That visceral word picture capped a message Jesus gave to a large crowd of followers. (10)

On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” “This is the hard stuff,” they thought.

But it wasn’t the hard stuff—just the opposite. It was a prophetic invitation to communion, a description of our participation in union, an invitation to consume and embody Christ within us. The words Jesus spoke, as He went on to explain, were “full of Spirit and life!” (11)  The disciples just didn’t understand them—yet.

Jesus’ message revealed how Measureless Love reconciles and restores all humanity to Himself. Jesus’ words contained an invitation for the disciples to leave their limiting certainties and lean into faith. It was an invitation to engage with the Emmaus Road burning that cries out from deep within, “We knew eternal life in our hearts even when our heads heard cannibalism.”

“Does this offend you?” the Emmaus Road Jesus asked His disciples. For many, it did, and understandably so. “From this time, many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed Him.

‘You do not want to leave too, do you?’ Jesus asked the Twelve.

Simon Peter answered, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that You are the Holy One of God.’” (12)

How had Peter and the remaining disciples come to believe that Jesus was the Holy One of God? That’s a good question.

In hindsight, we know their belief wasn’t extra-biblical, but neither, at that moment, could they have referenced chapter and verse. So, they hadn’t “come to believe” based on their current understanding of Scripture—nor was it because Jesus broke down His systematic theology. There was no biblical exegesis, just the Word Who Became Flesh speaking to burning hearts.

This was not an exercise in literal inerrancy. Rather, this was about faith. The disciples had come to believe and know that Jesus was the Holy One of God because, in the context of relationship, they recognized eternal life as the nuclear explosion burning within them when The Word Made Flesh spoke to them.

“You have the words of eternal life,” Peter said, trusting a measureless love that transcends dimensions of time and space, as well as finite understanding. Because they stewarded the burning, the disciples were not put off by their inability to understand Jesus’ offensive words.

They had “come to believe” God was better than their best understanding and current biblical interpretation.

It’s called faith.

This faith is discovered in the One who laid His life down for His friends, and this burning is the only way we can know God and truly interpret Scripture.

When our experiences and understanding seem like hard stuff, cruciform love and resurrection life can be trusted. And where we can trust, we don’t have to understand.

“…Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you….” There was literal error in Jesus’ words, but because the disciples were in a maturing relationship with Greater Love, even though they literally heard Jesus preach cannibalism, their hearts knew Jesus wasn’t preaching cannibalism…

 

This article is excerpted from my book, Leaving and Finding Jesus
Order Now At AMAZON.COM

ORDER NOW! Jason Clark is a bestselling storyteller who writes to reveal the transforming kindness of the love of God. He and his wife, Karen, live in North Carolina with their three children, Madeleine, Ethan, and Eva. FollowFollowFollowFollowFollowFollowFollowFollow JOIN OUR MAILING LIST GIVE TO A FAMILY STORY YOU ALSO MIGHT LIKE… THOMAS JAY OORD / GOD CAN’T

by A Family Story | January 13, 2021 | Crisis of Identity, Faith, God Is Not In Control, Intimacy, Leadership, Relationship, Rethinking God Podcast, Rethinking God with Tacos / Season Two, The Fathers Love | 2 Comments

“Given that we start with God’s power…we end up giving God the kind of capabilities that make God culpable; in other words, morally responsible for not only causing but allowing bad things…I think there are good biblical reasons to object to that standard view of Gods power.” Thomas Jay Oord

Read More Put Your Sword Away

by Jason Clark | October 17, 2018 | Articles, Crisis of Identity, Faith, Film, Life | 0 Comments

Peter believed Jesus’ kingdom on earth would need swords and men willing to use them. It would require sacrifice, the willingness to die for Jesus, and also, the willingness to kill for Jesus…

Read More You Can’t Get There From Here

by Jason Clark | April 14, 2022 | Articles, Books, Crisis of Identity, Dreaming, Faith, Intimacy, Leaving and Finding Jesus, Popular, The Fathers Love | 0 Comments

“What am I still lacking?”That question cuts to the heart of the matter. And I imagine Jesus was thrilled by it. It’s a humdinger, a recognition that even though the young man kept all of the commandments, something was missing…

Read More PETER HIETT / WHAT ABOUT HELL?

by A Family Story | March 2, 2022 | Articles, Faith, God Is Not In Control, Interview, Life, Rethinking God Podcast, Rethinking God with Tacos / Season three, The Fathers Love | 0 Comments

The goodness of God but hell, atonement but hell, reformation but hell, scripture but hell, Calvinism but hell; in this podcast Peter Hiett describes hell as “Satan’s big but.” In this conversation Peter walks us through the story of our own creation, the goodness of God’s reconciling love, the relational kindness of a God who encounters, sets free and transforms.

Peter describes a God who delights in His creation, a God who destroys what is evil, creates what is good, and invites us to observe our own creation in Christ Jesus.

Read More Carrots and Lasers

by A Family Story | July 30, 2020 | Articles, Faith, Intimacy | 2 Comments

While I think the prophetic has a noble and appropriate place, I think we are too easily led astray from the joy that is “today.”

Read More NAEEM FAZAL / REIMAGINING GOD

by A Family Story | June 30, 2021 | Interview, Intimacy, Life, Prayer, Rethinking God Podcast, Rethinking God with Tacos / Season Two, The Fathers Love | 5 Comments

Naeem Fazal, founding pastor of Mosaic Church, and author of Ex-Muslim, talks about deconstruction or reimaging God. Naeem talks about the importance of being able to recognize God outside of our personal context, how to view sin, how to approach scripture, and a beautiful gospel that’s not just about a Jesus who saves but about a Jesus who is restoring humanity and all creation.

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The post A Hard Teaching? appeared first on A Family Story.