The Practice Podcast

In this recurring series, we are walking in the story of scripture, noticing the intricate way God’s story is woven together and shines a light on our own stories. Last year we began our journey walking in the beginning (Genesis 1-11), the blessing (Genesis 12-50), the exodus, the wilderness, and the Promised Land. If you missed the previous series, you can check out the links above.

In this series, we will explore the period of the kings from Saul through the fall of the Northern Kingdom and Judah. We will notice how the stories of these kings echo all the way back to the garden. How do the Israelites and their kings respond to that choice to submit to the reign and rule of Yahweh or choose what is right in their own eyes? And how might we see our own stories reflected in the story of scripture?

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Aristotle said the purpose of politics is to create a people who are better than they would be without it. Politics has a way of shaping how we see ourselves, how we see others, and how we should live in the world. Have you noticed how this is parallel to the task of the gospel? This journey of faith creates us to be someone better than we would be without Jesus. Jesus shapes how we see ourselves, how we see others, and how we should live in the world. Is it any wonder our political activity has gotten so bound up in our understanding of the gospel?

In fact, our partisanship and faith have become so wrapped up together, that it is like one big ball of tangled string. They influence one another in various ways (some helpful and some not), and often times it is hard to tell where one begins and the other ends. This month, we will be crafting experiments together. These experiments will center on how we engage politics and how we are being formed by politics. Together we will notice what strings in this tangled mess the Holy Spirit is drawing to our attention, and we will intentionally practice ways of untangling that thread. How can we seek to be formed in the way of God's kingdom and bring that to bear on politics rather than allowing politics to shape how we view the kingdom?

We continued our experiments this week exposing the partisan liturgy of tribalism, reflecting on the ways we are tempted to find our identity in a political party or position. Then, we considered the counter-formational liturgy of humble service. What if our political activity followed the way of Jesus and humble service?

You can find the handout for crafting an experiments here.

For additional resources, please visit our website.

Resources for Navigating This Political Season

If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team.

If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/

This resource includes three prayers: one for morning, another for midday (11:42), and the last for evening (15:42). The prayers will follow a consistent pattern each week with new scriptures every day. In this series, we focus on the Sermon on the Mount. How might Jesus form us as we soak in this important teaching for three month.

http://practicetribe.com/daily-office/

This resource includes three prayers: one for morning, another for midday (11:42), and the last for evening (15:42). The prayers will follow a consistent pattern each week with new scriptures every day. In this series, we focus on the Sermon on the Mount. How might Jesus form us as we soak in this important teaching for three month.

http://practicetribe.com/daily-office/

Forgiveness is a foundational characteristic of God's kingdom. We understand this easily when we consider our own forgiveness, but how often do we recognize this is also true of our forgiving one another? This month, we seek to respond to God's invitation to forgive as we have been forgiven.

We began our journey exploring the parable of the unmerciful servant in Matthew 18. Jesus teaches us in this parable how radical forgiveness is a fundamental characteristic of God's kingdom.

For some additional resources, please visit our website.

If The Practice Church is your home community, please join the Core Team.

If The Practice Church has been meaningful to your journey, would you consider a tax-deductible gift? You can give at https://thepracticechurch.com/give/