Brad and Casey sit down with Tim Hood, the President of Shepherd's Staff - a missions facilitating organization dedicated to supporting and equipping local churches to send their own members as missionaries.
Tim talks about his experience on the mission field and his ordinary evangelism efforts here at home, including one of the most important aspects of evangelism that often gets overlooked: prayer.
While the gospel message doesn’t change, the presentation must. In this episode, Brad and Casey discuss three critical pivots that we need to make for our evangelism to be more effective and compelling in this cultural moment.
What comes to mind when you think of evangelism? In this episode Brad and Casey make the case that evangelism is non-negotiable for the follower of Jesus AND that our methods of evangelism should be compelling and faithful.
Neil is naturally wired for justice. Casey leans toward mercy. How do we navigate relationships when our friend/spouse/parent/coworker is more oriented towards a different default position than we are?
This interview will help you navigate practicing justice + mercy in your everyday life.
In this episode, Brad and Casey explore the pitfalls of a “justice” Gospel AND the pitfalls of a gospel with no implications for justice in our world.
How can we more fully embrace our role as citizens of a New Kingdom? Listen to find out.
Life with Jesus is less about 'balance' and more about fullness. Mercy & Justice are fundamental aspects of the Gospel. Being a people who live out a Gospel Culture means practicing Mercy & Justice in our everyday lives.
The "AND" of Mercy AND Justice is critical to understanding and applying this essential discipleship practice. Listen as Brad and Casey unpack what mercy & justice are and how they relate to each other.
In a new feature on the Practicing the Practices Podcast, Casey & Brad interview an “Apprentice of Jesus” who models the practice we’re focusing on. In our first Practice Interview, we welcome Brent Crenshaw, known by those around him as a “servant”. Brent will answer our 5 Big Questions and help us imagine how we can all live a “Life of Service.”
Yes, a Life of Service means picking up your “cross”. But it is also the doorway into the good life. In this episode, Brad & Casey unpack some of the supposing emotional and physical benefits of serving. Plus, we’ll help you reimagine where and how you should serve.
The Way of Jesus is the way of service. "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
A life of service is one of the most counter-culture, upside-down, "against-the-grain" aspects of the Way of Jesus. This practice flies in the face of modern philosophy. And yet, is one of the aspects of Jesus’ life that EVERYONE loves.
Can men and women be friends? The answer for followers of Jesus must be yes. Yet, in a broken, over-sexualized, post #MeToo world – a vision for healthy male/female friendships is hard to come by. Often, it seems the cultural structures of the day put men and women against one another as adversaries.
Casey and Brad share from their own experience about the possibility and principles needed for Jesus-honoring friendship and partnership between men and women. This extended episode is a frank and honest conversation about a more hopeful way forward.
What is Spiritual Friendship? Brad and Casey dig deeper into this vision for Spiritual Friendship, and suggest key practices for building, maintaining, and growing meaningful, spiritual friendships
Books referenced:
Find Your People: Building Deep Community in a Lonely World by Jennie Allen
As we grow older, friendship gets more difficult. Work, family, and community responsibilities can make connecting with people on a friendship level challenging. Data suggests that we are in the middle of a loneliness epidemic.
Yet, the Way of Jesus is meant to be followed in Community. We NEED Spiritual Friends. So what can we do about this problem? Brad & Casey unpack a path forward over the next few episodes.
Brad and Casey tease out what to expect in Season 3 of Practicing the Practices.
Forgiveness is a practice that needs to be cultivated. There are phases and steps to consider as we embrace the Grace of God needed to offer and receive forgiveness. In season two's final episode, Casey and Brad discuss HOW we can forgive, step by step.
Forgiveness plays a crucial role in our journey of following Jesus. Our world is tainted by sin and shame, where relationships are frequently marred by hurt, betrayal, and sorrow. Throughout the Scriptures, God's Word urges us to let go of our desire to hold others accountable for their wrongs against us. This practice is exemplified best in the life of Jesus, who, when faced with sin, didn't ignore or seek revenge but chose the path of profound grace: forgiveness.
In episode 212, Brad & Casey discuss the role of Repentance in a healthy "Koinonia." The Gospel offers a vision for transformation in the Christian life. Repentance is a key part of the change process. The ultimate goal of repentance is to bring about restoration - not only with God, but with one another.
To revive the ancient practice of confession, we must cultivate an environment where confession is encouraged by how it is received. In other words, we cultivate an atmosphere where people want to confess their sins, struggles, and sadness because it is received in such a way that it generates healing, freedom, and fellowship.
In episode 211 Brad & Casey break down a few practical principles for being on the receiving end of confession.
Brad and Casey continue unpacking the practice of confession by discussing WHAT and HOW to bring confession to bear. These practical principles will serve as guides and wise guidelines for practicing confession in healthy - God-honoring ways.
One of the most essential elements of the Christian life AND the life of a church is the practice of confession. Sadly, confession is a lost art in many of our lives and frankly, most churches.
In episode 209 Brad and Casey discuss WHY confession is so critical to life in the Way of Jesus.
Few words conjure up as much negative emotion as "submission". At the same time, few concepts are more central to the Way of Jesus and developing a healthy "Koinonia". In this episode, Brad and Casey unpack what healthy, Jesus-saturated submission is in our everyday life.