Crazy Faith Talk

As pastors Erica, Sarah, and Steve continue to explore the sacrament of Holy Baptism, this time we'll look at how Christian practice has developed, deepened, changed, and grown over the centuries. Along the way, we'll pick up questions from throughout Christian history about the how, when, and why of baptism, things like: does it matter how much water is used when I'm baptized? Do

In our new series exploring the sacraments, baptism and Holy Communion, pastors Erica, Sarah, and Steve are tracing these essential Christian practices from their rootings in the teaching and institution of Jesus through the present day. Today we'll look at the New Testament as a bridge between Jesus' own baptism by John in the river Jordan and the many forms, modes, and practices

In a new series for Eastertide, pastors Erica, Sarah, and Steve will take a deeper dive into the sacraments: what they are, what they do, and why they matter. Our series begins with a look at baptism--in particular, with Jesus' baptism in the river Jordan by John. What is Jesus doing in the water there if he doesn't have any sins to "repent" of? Where did the idea of baptism come f

In this final episode of our Lenten series for 2024, pastors Sarah, Erica, and Steve explore one final temptation the church faces--the lure of being the saviors ourselves, rather than pointing to Jesus as Savior. Sometimes it's the way we want to conflate "faith in Jesus" with "being a card-carrying member of our congregation." And sometimes it's the impulse for MY church to have

In their ongoing series for Lent 2024, pastors Erica, Sarah, and Steve continue to look at temptations the church faces in our modern-day experience. And this time we'll explore the temptation to fall for prosperity theology, or what is sometimes called the "health-and-wealth-gospel." And we'll see what's missing in this approach to the faith, as tempting and popular as it might be

As we continue our Lenten series exploring the different kinds of temptations the church faces, pastors Erica, Sarah, and Steve take a look at the powerful temptation to become judgmental. In the pursuit of holiness, we can end up being "holier-than-thou." In the pursuit of righteousness, we soemtimes fall prey to being self-righteous. And in the name of holding one another account

As we look continue our series for Lent 2024, pastors Erica, Sarah, and Steve keep looking at modern-day temptations that the church faces in our own mission and work, and how they might echo the temptations Jesus faced in his own forty days in the wilderness. And this time we'll explore the temptation to chase after attention, popularity, and the latest trend, all in the name of b

This Lent, pastors Erica, Sarah, and Steve are taking a look at ways the worldwide community of Jesus, the church, face temptations today, and how they echo the temptations Jesus faced in the wilderness story as well as throughout his whole ministry and public life. Today, we'll look at one of the most obvious connections to Jesus' encounter with Satan in the wilderness--the tempta

In a new series for Lent this year, pastors Erica, Sarah, and Steve are going to be looking at some of the major ways the community of Jesus' followers, the church, may be tempted away from the path and way of Jesus. We'll be exploring things like the temptation for the church to wield governmental or political power, the temptation to sell out to what is trendy, and the temptation

In this final episode of our series, "Books That Shaped Our Ministry," pastors Erica, Steve, and Sarah offer a reading list of a few other titles that we have each found helpful, provocative, or useful in our ministry lives, and we commend them to you for your reading as well. Listen in for an introduction to each of these books and see what might pique your interest: The Epic of E