23: You Belong With Me

12/23/21 • 63 min

On today’s show, Chong and Dan commemorate an important milestone - after 10 years, Dan has completed bible college! The main topic of our show is “belonging”. We reflect on what is special about this word - it is passive (we don’t “do” it), and it is always in relation to something or someone else. Belonging is also a core part of our identity. Therefore it is no surprise that in our individualistic culture, there is a “crisis” of both belonging and identity. What is the “solution”? Dan boldly claims that true belonging cannot be fulfilled by this world, but rather granted by God.
Music by: Julian Wan

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Show notes
Dan finished bible college! (1:54)

Reflections and quick-fire questions
Huge personal lesson: everyone is walking their own path, you cannot plan for life

Meditations on belonging (7:11)

You can’t “do” belonging
You belong only in relation to other things - family, place, nation, etc.
To belong is a fundamental aspect of human identity
To belong is to have an obligation to others

The modern crisis of belonging (26:00)

(Young) people who are lost - we all feel it
Self-sabotage - showing up is hard, so we don’t do it, therefore sacrificing our long-term identity
External obstacles in modern life

What is the solution? (45:46)

We can’t get belonging just by trying harder
Dan gets preachy - only Christianity offers true belonging through a God who sent his son into the world to find us

Conclusion (56:06)

Parable of the Prodigal Son - belonging that is lost and found again, by grace
Merry Christmas - please tell a friend about our show and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts :)

Connect with us

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ingoodfaithfm
Twitter - https://twitter.com/ingoodfaithfm
Email - [email protected]

Show notes
Dan finished bible college! (1:54)

Reflections and quick-fire questions
Huge personal lesson: everyone is walking their own path, you cannot plan for life

Meditations on belonging (7:11)

You can’t “do” belonging
You belong only in relation to other things - family, place, nation, etc.
To belong is a fundamental aspect of human identity
To belong is to have an obligation to others

The modern crisis of belonging (26:00)

(Young) people who are lost - we all feel it
Self-sabotage - showing up is hard, so we don’t do it, therefore sacrificing our long-term identity
External obstacles in modern life

What is the solution? (45:46)

We can’t get belonging just by trying harder
Dan gets preachy - only Christianity offers true belonging through a God who sent his son into the world to find us

Conclusion (56:06)

Parable of the Prodigal Son - belonging that is lost and found again, by grace
Merry Christmas - please tell a friend about our show and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts :)

Previous Episode

22: Know Yourself

On today’s show, Chong and Dan begin with some special news (which explains why we're a bit late with this one). We then reflect a little bit more on the topic of slack, which really resonated with our listeners. From there, we delve into the practical matter of "knowing yourself" - how do you know how you are going? Dan and Chong discuss four sources of information:

What your body tells you
What your mind tells you
What your conscience tells you
What others tell you

NOTE: We are conducting a short survey to better understand and serve our listeners. Please access the survey here: http://tinyurl.com/IGFsurvey2021 Thanks very much for your help!
Connect with us

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Email - [email protected]

Show notes
We’re back! (3:19)

Follow-up: thank you to our listeners for the Slack episode reception
Chong’s reflections on slack in the era of three kids

Knowing yourself (11:22)

General vibe in listener feedback and culture that we’re not going so well
How do you know how you are going?

There’s a Name for the Blah You’re Feeling: It’s Called Languishing
What your body tells you (17:05)

We are embodied beings - signals include tiredness, pain and hunger
Look after your own body, and show grace to the physical state of others

What your mind tells you (28:10)

What does your mind dwell on
Worry and anxiety - looking to the past (“if only”) and the future (“what if”)
The inner voice / core beliefs

What your conscience tells you (44:08)

Your moral sense of right or wrong
Like pain - don’t ignore your conscience, it might be telling you something important!

What others tell you (55:16)

Valuable because we can have our own blinders
Requires giving people permission and willingness to be vulnerable

Conclusion (1:03:32)

Stop hiding, stop running, stop covering up - be real with how you are going
It’s OK to not be OK
Honour your body
Don’t neglect your relationships (A faithful friend, who can find?)
Go deeper - what are your core beliefs?

Next Episode

24: The Experience Machine

On today’s show, Chong and Dan plants the flag on a topic that is looming large on the horizon: the metaverse. We begin by exploring how previous technologies have transformed society and worship, including automobiles (leading to megachurches) and smartphones (leading to Instavangelists). The metaverse looks like the next “big thing”. What is it, and why should people (including Christians) care about it? Drawing on a Gospel Coalition article, we critically examine the metaverse through three lenses: (i) identity, (ii) physicality and (iii) limits, and call for more wisdom in how people interact with the metaverse.
Music by: Julian Wan
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Twitter - https://twitter.com/ingoodfaithfm
Email - [email protected]

Show notes
Technology and worship (1:31)

What do McDonalds, Walmart and megachurches have in common?
What do Instagram, Uber and Airbnb have in common?
Automobiles and smartphones have profoundly shaped society and worship

What is the metaverse (10:42)

TL;DR - The metaverse is an extension of the internet where we interact inside digital worlds
Recent developments - Facebook/Meta rebrand, Web3 technologies, VR and AR

Framework for the Metaverse
Meta-thinking about the problem (19:58)

“Traditionalists” - cautious with new tech; characterised by the Jurassic Park quote: just because you could, doesn’t mean you should
“Progressivists” - excited by new tech; it is good to push boundaries and do new things
IGF approach - use new tech thoughtfully, give thanks for the good, think critically about the downsides

How to Prepare for the Metaverse

Consideration 1: Identity (26:56)

“What happens when we identify more with a virtual version of ourselves than with our real selves?”
As Christians, celebrate our received identity that is given by God

Consideration 2: Physicality (35:57)

“It will be easy to begin to see the infinite possibilities of our virtual world and bodies as better and more real than the physical world”
As Christians, resist constant digital connection; intentionally disconnect to be physically present with others

Consideration 3: Limits (43:32)

“The metaverse will present us with the opportunity to experience glimpses of power only God has” - omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent
As Christians, embrace God-given limits - including on who we are, where we live, and what we know

Conclusion (58:05)

Robert Nozick’s Experience Machine and the Matrix - “plugging in” was seen as a bad thing; that is not the case today
The metaverse is about the normalisation of “plugging in”
We need to seek wisdom and ask the right questions

Wikipedia: Experience machine