Theology on Mission

1st Hand Perspective of Christians in Gaza

Cultivating Communities of Wounded Healers

The constraints of the spiritual life, practiced in the community, are what set us free. Practicing spiritual disciplines can seem difficult, especially when we undertake them as isolated individuals. But we were never meant to practice them alone. Jared Patrick Boyd reveals how the constraints practiced in Christian community shape us into the way of Christ. He re-anchors the practices of constraint within the ascetic tradition of monasticism, religious orders, and the early church fathers. Boyd writes, "The constraints of a rule of life are what make life together, lived for one another, possible. A rule of life is not meant to be primarily personal, but communal. It's not primarily meant to guide my life. It is meant to describe our way of life together." Constraint is the practice of learning to pay deeper attention to the things in our inner world that prevent us from progressing in the school of love. Discover a deep conversation on freedom and constraint with six core practices of constraint that can form in us a greater freedom to be and become people who love as God loves. Enter into this vision with your local community (in small groups, church leadership teams, or families), and learn to make greater room to experience the love of God. Grab your copy of Finding Freedom in Constraint: https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Freedom-Constraint-Reimagining-Disciplines/dp/1514004313

We aren't always honest about how difficult normal human life is. For the majority of people, sorrow, despair, anxiety, and mental illness are everyday experiences. While we have made tremendous advancements in therapy and psychiatry, the burden of living still comes down to mundane choices that we each must make―like the daily choice to get out of bed. In this deeply personal essay, Alan Noble considers the unique burden of everyday life in the modern world. Sometimes, he writes, the choice to carry on amid great suffering―to simply get out of bed―is itself a powerful witness to the goodness of life, and of God. Purchase Your Copy of On Getting Out of Bed: https://www.ivpress.com/on-getting-out-of-bed 

How did Jesus interact and weld power?   In this thought-provoking episode of Theology on Mission Podcast, we dive deep into this riveting theological discussion with our special guest, Matt Tebbe. Matt Tebbe, a theologian and author of "Having the Mind of Christ," brings his unique insights to the table as we delve into the polarizing topic of 'power' as seen in theological perspectives. We grapple with intriguing questions regarding the nature of power, the difference between worldly and godly power, and the implications of these two distinct forms of power in various social and cultural contexts. Building on the foundation of our previous discussions, we continue our exploration of power in the context of Jesus' life and teachings. We ponder over the transformative power of Jesus, examining different biblical narratives where Jesus interacts with societal norms and challenges power structures. Matt presents his interpretation of how Jesus used power to promote justice and love. He discusses 'power redistribution' and describes how Jesus navigated balancing power dynamics through love. Contrary to redistributing worldly power, Dave Fitch argues that Jesus entered spaces, disrupted the worldly power, and permitted a new power - the power of the Kingdom - to work. Despite the disagreements and differences, this conversation provides an enriching understanding of how differently we reckon with power, providing a path towards addressing power issues that many face in faith establishments. Learn more about Matt Tebbe’s Gravity Commons organization at https://gravitycommons.com/community/ and The Table at https://www.thetableindy.org/