Adventures in GraceAdventures in Grace

The Hidden Story of Mary: What the Western Church Never Told Me

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Sun, 17 Aug 2025 22:28:41 +0000

The Silence That Shaped My Faith For decades, I walked through the halls of Western Christianity with a profound ignorance that I didn’t even know I possessed. Like many Protestants, I had been raised on a steady diet of Scripture alone, tradition dismissed, and anything that smacked of “Catholicism” viewed with suspicion. The early church […]

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Imagination: 7 Ways to Transform Your Spiritual Reality

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 21:45:23 +0000

In the quiet moments of reflection, have you ever wondered why some people seem to trust God so effortlessly while others struggle? Perhaps the answer lies not in intellectual understanding but in something more fundamental to human experience—our imagination. The ancient text of Isaiah 26:3 provides a fascinating insight: “The steadfast of mind you will […]

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Beyond the Pearly Gates: Rediscovering Christian Hope for a Renewed World

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 01:17:42 +0000

Introduction: Where Did Our Hope Go? For many Christians today, the ultimate hope boils down to one thing: going to heaven when they die. We picture souls ascending, leaving behind the troubles of this world for eternal bliss. But has this always been the central focus? A deep dive into Christian history and scripture reveals […]

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What is “grace”?

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 01:51:24 +0000

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The Strength in Our Weakness: Why God Uses Failures

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 04:11:28 +0000

How God Approaches Human Failures The Bible often surprises us with its paradoxes, turning our expectations upside down. One of these is the way God approaches human failure—not as something to be avoided at all costs but as the raw material for His purposes. This is illustrated vividly in Luke 18, where Jesus shares a parable about […]

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#087 – Un-Christlike Images of God (A More Christlike God – Pt 3 of 16)

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 16:04:29 +0000

This week we look into the second chapter of Brad Jersak’s book “A More Christlike God.” This chapter is entitled “Un-Christlike Images of God”. Be sure to pick up the book and get into deeper study! We turn our attention this week to four types of un-Christlike images of God that are prevalent in the […]

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#086 – What is God Like? (A More Christlike God – Pt 2 of 16)

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Sun, 14 Apr 2019 02:34:23 +0000

This week we look into the first chapter of Brad Jersak’s book “A More Christlike God.” This chapter is entitled “What is God Like?”. Be sure to pick up the book and get into deeper study! How can we know what God is truly like? There are so many different views of God … even […]

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#085 – Brad Jersak Interview (A More Christlike God – Pt 1 of 16)

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Sun, 07 Apr 2019 20:34:59 +0000

This week we begin a brand new study of Brad Jersak’s book “A More Christlike God.” This is an amazing book that is a good followup to our study from last month. Be sure to pick up the book and get into deeper study! I had the amazing opportunity to interview Brad recently. We get […]

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#084 – Revelation & Prophecy (Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God – Pt 5 of 5)

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Mon, 01 Apr 2019 00:33:32 +0000

This week we look into the issue of prophecy and in particular, the book of Revelation. How do the imagery of a “violent God” in them coincide with the God of love we see in Jesus? This is the conclusion of our study of Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God by Brian Zahnd […]

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#083 – Hell … and How to Get There (Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God – Pt 4 of 5)

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Mon, 01 Apr 2019 00:24:04 +0000

This week we look into the issue of “hell” What is this, and what do the words for “hell” mean in the original languages? This is a continuation of our study of Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God by Brian Zahnd looking into the issue of how Jesus is the ultimate revelation of […]

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#082 – Crucified God (Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God – Pt 3 of 5)

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 22 Mar 2019 15:44:54 +0000

This week we look into the issue of “Who killed Jesus?” Was it really God the Father that demanded His death?! Or do we see the entire Trinity involved in bringing salvation to mankind? This is a continuation of our study of Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God by Brian Zahnd looking into […]

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#081 – Just Like Jesus (Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God – Pt 2 of 5)

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 15 Mar 2019 19:21:00 +0000

This week we start looking at Brian Zahnd’s book in detail! We begin our study of Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God by Brian Zahnd looking into the issue of how Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God. Be sure to pick up the book and get into deeper study! Click to Listen […]

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#080 – Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God (Brian Zahnd Interview) – Pt 1 of 5

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 15 Mar 2019 19:13:32 +0000

This week we are back with FULL podcast episodes! We begin our study of Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God by Brian Zahnd. Be sure to pick up the book and get into deeper study! Click to Listen For a free worksheet/guide on this study, please click here. “Sinners in the Hands of a […]

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#079 – Back to the Adventure

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Wed, 06 Mar 2019 17:27:43 +0000

After nearly two years, I have returned back to podcasting! In this episode, I talk about why I quit podcasting, what I was doing, and why I decided to return to podcasting. You can listen to the episode below!

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#078 – Christianese (Hamartia/Sin – Pt 2) – Pt 2 [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Sat, 18 Jun 2016 15:48:13 +0000

Hamartia … this is the original Greek word for “sin.” Last week we started discussing what this word really meant back in ancient times. We saw this didn’t mean “breaking rules” but simply a mistake by which a person would tragically miss their purpose. This was used by Aristotle in many of his stories. Of […]

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#077 – Christianese (Sin – Pt 1) – Pt 1 [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 27 May 2016 14:00:32 +0000

One of my biggest pet-peeves in the modern church is how we pick up a language that we don’t understand. We use funny words that we never used before … words like sin, faith, prayer, holiness … and we really don’t understand them at all. If you are like me, we are never really told […]

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#076 – The Shack (The Ending) – Pt 12 [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 06 May 2016 15:13:39 +0000

And now the ending … We have covered many interesting issues in our study on The Shack. In this episode, we conclude our study by going through (quickly) through the last 5 chapters of the book. How will the story end? How will Mack now approach his life after this amazing encounter with the Holy […]

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#075 – The Shack (Chp. 13 – A Meeting of Hearts) – Pt 11 [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 17:27:38 +0000

A Meeting of Hearts … Mack and Papa talked about his reunion with Missy through the waterfall and suddenly Mack thought of Missy’s favorite legend of the Indian princess whose death over the waterfall saved her people – was it for him that Missy had to die? Papa said that his ability to work good […]

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#074 – The Shack (Chp. 12 – In the Belly of the Beasts) – Pt 10 [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 08 Apr 2016 16:01:06 +0000

In the Belly of the Beasts … As Jesus and Mack head back across the water, Mack confides that he has always been troubled by the idea of Missy all alone with her abductor. Jesus explains that she wasn’t alone; he was with her the whole time and that as they talked she gained great […]

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#073 – The Shack (Chp. 11 – Here Comes Da Judge) – Pt 9 [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Thu, 24 Mar 2016 01:37:39 +0000

Jesus sent Mack into a dark cave where he met this beautiful woman who is the judge. As she and Mack talked, it surfaced hat he didn’t think that God truly loved all his kids, or Missy wouldn’t have been murdered; in light of that, she asked Mack to take her place and be the […]

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Can You Hear Me Now?! … Special Announcement

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Sat, 06 Feb 2016 15:25:54 +0000

This is a special announcement for the podcast. Just a quick update on what has been happening and making sure everything is working properly in my system. I have had numerous problems of late with the site … from malware shutdowns … to podcasts not showing up … to Bluehost crashing … I think everything […]

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#072 – The Shack (Chp. 10 – Walk on Water) – Pt 8 [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Tue, 26 Jan 2016 05:42:55 +0000

Mack’s walk with Jesus quickly becomes a test to see if Mack trusts Jesus.Heading off down the dock, Jesus walks past all the boats, not stopping until he reaches the end. Mack is thinking that it’s awfully cold for a swim and a long way to the other side of the lake, but he’s game […]

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#071 – The Shack (Chp. 9 – The Garden) – Pt 7 [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Wed, 23 Dec 2015 12:57:29 +0000

Mack’s next encounter is with Sarayu whom he has decided is the Holy Spirit … in the garden of his soul. She is gentle, somewhat ethereal, but also down-to-earth in her gardener clothes. She is delighted at Mack’s assessment of her garden as “chaotic,” although she assures him that her garden isn’t just a mess of […]

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#070 – The Shack (Chp. 8 – A Breakfast of Champions) – Pt 6 [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 06:07:17 +0000

Over breakfast, Mack discusses with Jesus, Sarayu and Papa the hierarchy of the Trinity, only to learn there isn’t one. They are in a circle of relationship and choose to serve each other above themselves. In perfect unity there is no need for authority. This transitions to a discussion about how God works in the […]

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#069 – The Shack (Chp. 7 – God on the Dock) – Pt 5 [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Sat, 28 Nov 2015 18:20:35 +0000

Mack’s introduction to the three holy beings continues and he is delighted to watch the relationship among them. Each one seems to have a particular message and so their conversations with each other take on a different tone. As they begin to share what they have to teach him Mack is overjoyed at the holy […]

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#068 – The Shack (Chp. 6 – A Piece of Pi) – Pt 4 [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Mon, 16 Nov 2015 04:11:26 +0000

Meeting the three beings in the shack evokes a number of emotions in Mack. First is relief that the note was not sent by the murderer so he will not need his gun. Next is wonder at the strange creatures who are obviously holy; in fact, Mack is quickly convinced that he is in the presence […]

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#067 – The Shack (Pt 3: Chps. 1-5) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Sun, 08 Nov 2015 19:43:30 +0000

We pick up our study of the Shack this week. In previous weeks, we discussed our purpose in studying the book, as well as how the story is a metaphor for what happened in the author’s life. This week, we discuss the backdrop of the story … the introduction of Mack, as well as how […]

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#066 – The Return [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 02:53:17 +0000

I’m back! After a VERY long absence, I decided to return to podcasting. Where have I been? What have I been up to? What is the future of the show? Hear all about it! Click to Listen “The Return” Show Notes No Show Notes for this week. “The Return” Episode Resources No resources for […]

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#065 – The Real Story: The Shack (Pt 2) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 04:31:21 +0000

We’ve talked in general about The Shack and why we are studying the fictional book. In this episode, I want to get the author’s perspective of his side of the story. Knowing why an author wrote the book is a huge benefit to understanding the book. Once we understand this, we have a better grasp […]

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#064 – The Shack (Pt 1) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 19:11:08 +0000

I’ve wanted to talk about The Shack for quite some time. The first time I read this book, it healed me of so many wounds in my life. We start up a study of the book, followed by Baxter Kruger’s book on the theology of The Shack But before we begin, I want to talk […]

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#063 – Renewing the Mind [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 20:54:26 +0000

We end our study (for now) on the issue of self-worth and why we struggle in life. In this episode, I want to hit upon the topic of renewing the mind. What is this? Can we detail it to make it practical and get away from “religious answers” on this? I detail a lot of my […]

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#062 – Flesh: The Whacky Computer Analogy [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 19:57:01 +0000

I’ve always struggled with why I struggled after salvation. And I’ve equally struggled with a good analogy for how I saw truth now. In this episode, I share one of my own whacky analogies … a whacky computer analogy … of who we are in Christ and what our flesh is. I have posted the […]

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#061 – Bill Gillham: Structuring Flesh Patterns [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 21:02:41 +0000

Bill Gillham has been a great influence on me in my understanding of “flesh.” I thought it would be good to hear him explain it in a rare teaching by Bill that I don’t believe is available anywhere. Last week we discussed what “flesh” patterns are. This week we hear from Bill Gillham about the structuring of […]

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#060 – Flesh Patterns [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Sun, 28 Dec 2014 02:03:02 +0000

In our study of self-worth and significance in God, we started last episode to look at the issue of why we struggle. Why is basing our identity upon what God says about us SO difficult? The reason is because of the flesh. Last week we discussed what the Bible means by the word “flesh.” This week […]

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#059 – Flesh [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 16:55:51 +0000

In our study of self-worth and significance in God, we want to now turn to the issue of why we struggle. Why is basing our identity upon what God says about us SO difficult? The reason is because of the flesh. But here we get into trouble. What is the “flesh” that the Bible talks […]

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#058 – Forgiveness [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 05 Dec 2014 17:21:05 +0000

To find true healing in our lives, we must learn to deal with past hurts. This is all part of the journey into significance based on God. There is a lot of confusion in Christian circles about what forgiveness is about. In its simplest definition, it means to “divorce” the other person. Click to Listen […]

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#057 – Healing [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 12:24:02 +0000

To find true healing in our lives, we often have to go through brokenness. This is all part of the journey into significance based on God. In this episode, I play a special interview by Paul Young (who wrote The Shack) as he describes his “shack” and his healing in God. Click to Listen “Healing” […]

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#056 – Journey into Love [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 20:19:10 +0000

Finding our significance in God is a journey … a journey into love. This isn’t an instance of love … this is a journey. That means we work this out, step by step, in real life. We have spent several weeks talking about the problem in the fall of man and The Lie. Now I […]

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#055 – Toxic Love [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 21:27:25 +0000

Toxic love, unhealthy relationship, toxic relationship, and bad relationship are all different names for the same thing as I see it. Toxic love is a sickness in the hearts of the participants. It is a union of unhealthy and needy individuals. It is a parasite of the human spirit. It uses another person’s weakened spirit […]

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#054 – Fallen Results [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 23:08:14 +0000

The fact that man has believed The Lie and fallen results in chaos in his life … he no longer knows who he is … he is divorced from any value he had, since his relationship with God was to be the fullest expression of his worth. Today, at the end of the twentieth century, […]

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#053 – The Lie [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Sat, 25 Oct 2014 19:25:14 +0000

To understand the goal of salvation, we must look at the original creation. In so doing, we run across “The Lie” … not just any old lie, but The Lie which is the foundation of all our problems. This Lie is not a call to atheism, but of independence … that we would live out […]

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#052 – Father God vs Daddy God [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 17 Oct 2014 18:14:37 +0000

Father God? Or Daddy God? A listener recently wrote me and mentioned how they had their “father’s shadow” looming over their lives as they dealt with their self-worth. I can relate. Being raised without a dad, and even having some disturbing encounters with him at an early age, I struggled with seeing God as my […]

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#051 – The Significance Journey [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 04:28:50 +0000

The Significance Journey … to learn a new self-worth based on what God says about you isn’t easy. We’ve built up years of “stinkin thinkin” that just doesn’t go away over night. The lie of the fall in the Garden of Eden was that man could live independently from God, govern his own life, control […]

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#050 – Fear of Failure & God’s Solution [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 22:13:23 +0000

Last week we discussed the Performance Trap part of the Lie in the fall of man: Self-worth = My performance + Others’ Opinions. But we left with the problem, and not the solution. In this episode we return to this topic and talk about God’s solution to this problem. On what basis are we supposed to […]

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The Wrath of God – Part I (Orge)

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Thu, 02 Oct 2014 01:39:22 +0000

One thing that trips a lot of people up, especially those who really see the revelation that God is love, is the idea of wrath. What are we to make of the wrath of God? Again and again, our English language fails us. The pictures of an angry God who seems to take great delight […]

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#049 – The Performance Trap [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Sun, 28 Sep 2014 00:18:06 +0000

Back in episode 5 and 6 of Adventures in Grace, we started doing a series on self-worth and significance that we never returned to. In this episode we return to this topic and talk about the Fear of Failure … or the Performance Trap. Click to Listen “Performance Trap” Show Notes In this episode, I […]

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#048 – The Future of Adventures in Grace [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 00:49:27 +0000

Before we begin our next study, I wanted to talk about some of the recent happenings in my life. I also want to ask your help with the Podcast. I would love to hear from you with a short survey to know what you have liked, and what topics you would like to hear in […]

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#047 – Rules, Vices, and Self in Western Worldview (Western Eyes Pt 5) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Mon, 15 Sep 2014 03:23:26 +0000

This week we finish up our study on the Western Worldview by looking at the issues of rules, vices, and self. There’s no way around the fact that our cultural and historical contexts supply us with habits of mind that lead us to read the Bible differently than Christians in other cultural and historical contexts. […]

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#046 – Brandon Obrien Interview (Western Eyes Pt 4) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Mon, 08 Sep 2014 01:20:28 +0000

Before we end our studies on mindsets and spirituality, I ran across an interview with Brandon Obrien (one of the authors of the book). In this episode, we listen to some of this interview. Next week, we will conclude our study on this topic and then move on to some new topics. Click to Listen […]

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#045 – Individuals & Time (Western Eyes Pt 3) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 03:24:13 +0000

Our second look at cultural influences on our faith deals with the issues of individuals & time. There’s no way around the fact that our cultural and historical contexts supply us with habits of mind that lead us to read the Bible differently than Christians in other cultural and historical contexts. Click to Listen “Individuals […]

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#044 – Religious Traditions (Western Eyes Pt 2) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Sat, 23 Aug 2014 01:10:03 +0000

Our first look at the “lens” which can distort our understanding of Scripture is religious traditions … particularly in the areas of mores, race, and language. There’s no way around the fact that our cultural and historical contexts supply us with habits of mind that lead us to read the Bible differently than Christians in […]

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#043 – Worldview (Western Eyes Pt 1) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 15 Aug 2014 16:55:07 +0000

Becoming aware of our cultural assumptions … or worldview … and how they influence our reading of Scripture are important first steps beyond the paralysis of self-doubt and toward a faithful reading and application of the Bible. There’s no way around the fact that our cultural and historical contexts supply us with habits of mind […]

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#042 – SPECIAL – Imagination Destination – Malcolm Smith [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Thu, 07 Aug 2014 16:49:05 +0000

I have a special treat for you this week. While I was researching for an upcoming series on the Song of Solomon, I came across a RARE message Malcolm gave that I don’t believe is available for purchase today! This is not available anywhere! This is a very long message though. Just over one hour! In […]

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#041 – Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright (Pt 16 – The Future is Now) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 01 Aug 2014 16:34:59 +0000

In the final section of this concluding chapter, we consider the basic disciplines of Christian spirituality, the disciplines through which the church is nourished for this space-time-matter mission of justice, beauty, and evangelism. These are themselves best understood in the context of the surprising hope, the hope that is rooted in Jesus’s resurrection and that reaches […]

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#040 – Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright (Pt 15 – Future Now Pt 1) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 25 Jul 2014 18:50:21 +0000

So how can we learn to live as wide-awake people, as Easter people? Here I have some bracing suggestions to make. I have come to believe that many churches simply throw Easter away year by year; and I want to plead that we rethink how we do it so as to help each other, as […]

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#039 – Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright (Pt 14 – Missions Historically) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 23:18:26 +0000

If today’s, and tomorrow’s, church is to engage in this kind of mission, seeking both to implement the achievement of Jesus and his resurrection and thereby to anticipate the final renewal of all things, it must itself be renewed, resourced, and reshaped for this mission. What will this look like? What about missions historically in […]

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#038 – Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright (Pt 13 – Building for the Kingdom) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 11 Jul 2014 22:01:13 +0000

Many people, faced with the challenge to work for God’s kingdom in the present, will at once object. “Doesn’t that sound,” they will ask, “as though you’re trying to build God’s kingdom by your own efforts?” Well, if it does sound like that, I’m sorry. It wasn’t meant like that. Perhaps some further clarification is […]

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#037 – Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright (Pt 12 – Rethinking Salvation) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 04 Jul 2014 16:28:51 +0000

We have now reached the point where we must ask: So what? Is all this talk about God’s ultimate future, about “life after life after death,” simply a matter of tidying up our beliefs about what will happen in the very end, or does it have any practical consequences here and now? Is it simply […]

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#036 – Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright (Pt 11 – Purgatory and Hell) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 27 Jun 2014 22:16:53 +0000

Before the sixteenth century most Western Christians thought of the church as divided into three parts. First there was the church triumphant, consisting of the saints, the holy souls, who had already arrived at the beatific vision of God. Officially they were still awaiting the final resurrection, but increasingly that wasn’t emphasized, and in many […]

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#035 – Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright (Pt 10 – Bodily Resurrection) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Sat, 21 Jun 2014 04:28:12 +0000

As we saw in the first two chapters, there is no agreement in the church today about what happens to people when they die. Not surprisingly, therefore, there is also confusion in the wider, non-Christian world not only about the fate of the dead but also about what Christians are supposed to believe on the […]

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#034 – Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright (Pt 9 – Second Coming) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Thu, 12 Jun 2014 16:33:32 +0000

The second coming of Jesus … or better the “presencing” of Jesus physically back in our time/space … has greatly confused the modern church. Two episodes ago, we sketched the big picture of cosmic redemption that the New Testament invites us to make our own. God will redeem the whole universe; Jesus’ resurrection is the beginning […]

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#033 – Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright (Pt 8 – Ascension) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 18:34:11 +0000

Belief that Jesus of Nazareth has been raised from the dead is closely linked in the New Testament with the belief that he has been taken into heaven, where, in the words of the psalm, he has been seated at the right hand of God. In fact, some kind of belief in Jesus’s ascension has […]

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#032 – Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright (Pt 7 – Resurrection Special) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 30 May 2014 21:57:48 +0000

On this episode, we want to do another deep-dive into the issue of “resurrection.” I recently uncovered a rare-TV episode by N.T. Wright where he talks at length about resurrection. I play an edited version of this show in the podcast. You can also watch the entire show in the links below. Click to Listen […]

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#031 – Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright (Pt 6 – New Creation) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 23 May 2014 21:16:12 +0000

The early Christians did not believe in progress. They did not think the world was getting better and better under its own steam—or even under the steady influence of God. They knew God had to do something fresh to put it to rights. But neither did they believe that the world was getting worse and worse […]

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#030 – Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright (Pt 5 – Optimism and Negativity) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Sat, 17 May 2014 05:00:32 +0000

When we look at the contemporary world and church, we discover great confusion about future hope but that when we look at the early Christians, we find not just faith but a very precise and specific faith, both about Jesus and his resurrection and about the future life that God had promised to all his […]

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#029 – Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright (Pt 4 – Resurrection) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 09 May 2014 23:55:23 +0000

If the disciples simply saw, or thought they saw, someone they took to be Jesus, that would not by itself have generated the stories we have. Everyone in the ancient world took it for granted that people sometimes had strange experiences involving encounters with the dead, particularly the recently dead. They knew at least as […]

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#028 – Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright (Pt 3 – Early Christian Hope in its Historical Setting) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Sat, 03 May 2014 01:24:03 +0000

The ancient world—with the exception of the Jews—was adamant that dead people did not rise again; and the Jews did not believe that anyone had done so or that anyone would do so all by themselves in advance of the general resurrection. But the early church had a much different message. But even when we’ve […]

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#027 – Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright (Pt 2 – Puzzled About Paradise) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 23:05:31 +0000

Not only is the world at large confused about death, but most in the Christian world as well. There are many people “puzzled about Paradise.” What is “heaven” and isn’t the “kingdom of heaven” just another way of saying the same thing? What is this thing called “Paradise” and how has the Church so radically […]

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#026 – Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright (Pt 1 – Intro) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Sat, 19 Apr 2014 02:50:26 +0000

What are we waiting for? And what are we going to do about it in the meantime? What is the “blessed hope” for a Christian? What is “heaven” all about, and is our hope simply a matter of “going to heaven when we die”? Or is there something more than some of us have been […]

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#025 – Friend of God (Blood Covenant Pt 18) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 11 Apr 2014 22:36:27 +0000

It is the covenant that fulfills the longing of God, granting men and women the gift of His life so that in this present time they live the life of the age to come. This gift makes them His children, giving them the unspeakable privilege of enjoying intimate friendship with Him. If the heart of […]

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#024 – People of the Spirit (Blood Covenant Pt 17) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 03:41:15 +0000

The New Testament knows nothing of an isolated believer living in a private relationship to God. Each individual believer is joined to Christ and therefore to His body, the people of God. The covenant is not with us as individuals but with the “people” who are in Christ, with whom the covenant is made. We […]

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#023 – How to Walk in the Spirit (Blood Covenant Pt 16) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 28 Mar 2014 20:35:18 +0000

But how does this actually work out in life? How do we live from Christ our lives day by day? We have seen that the believer stepping out of the baptismal waters is in a new world in Christ, with new potential that he or she has never known before. Limitations known in the old […]

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#022 – Summation of the Christian Life (Blood Covenant Pt 15) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 15:57:20 +0000

The Christian life may be summed as the consciousness that He lives within us, and we draw upon His infinite life in every situation we find ourselves in. This means that as we grow in Christ and become mature, we will have an increasing sense of our own weakness that we might no longer trust […]

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#021 – Breath of God (Blood Covenant Pt 14) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 02:29:04 +0000

In understanding the covenant, there are two phrases that are of supreme importance. The first is the expression “in Christ”; it is a phrase that indicates that we are vitally in and part of the historical events that took place, and it is a phrase that indicates that by the Holy Spirit, we have actually […]

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#020 – Sins Remembered No More (Blood Covenant Pt 13) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Sun, 09 Mar 2014 21:58:48 +0000

We have seen that Jesus lived and died as our representative; therefore, the men and women who believe are participators and sharers in all that He suffered, endured, and earned. On the cross, He stood as us not in some monstrous pretend game but in awful, agonizing reality. We were truly there in Him and […]

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#019 – Covenant Meal (Blood Covenant Pt 12) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Sat, 01 Mar 2014 02:50:47 +0000

We gather with our people—this company of lost prodigals now found, forgiven, made new, and crazy with joy at the thought of His love—to worship and give Him thanks. In our gathering and encouraging one another, the Spirit is present, establishing us in the reality and causing the unreality to increasingly be seen for what […]

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#018 – Entering the Covenant (Blood Covenant Pt 11) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 01:43:08 +0000

The covenant, above everything else, means union, the coming together of two parties to make a functional one. In the making of the old human covenants, the parties took each other’s name to indicate that they were united as one. But in the new covenant we do not merely take His name, but His Spirit […]

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#017 – The Oath of God (Blood Covenant Pt 10) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Sat, 15 Feb 2014 05:23:24 +0000

We have taken note that covenants in Bible times were sealed with an oath taken by both of the parties to the covenant. Their taking oaths and calling on God to be their witness was the guarantee of the covenant. In the new covenant that God makes with us, He swears by Himself; He is […]

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#016 – SPECIAL – Jesus and the Pharisees (Blood Covenant Pt 9) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 20:44:49 +0000

I have a special treat for you this week. While I was researching Chp 9 of Malcolm Smith’s Power of the Blood Covenant, I came across a RARE message Malcolm gave nearly 25 years ago! This is not available anywhere! This is a very long message though. Just over one hour! Malcolm loves to talk!! But […]

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#015 – The Blood of God (Blood Covenant Pt 8) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 31 Jan 2014 19:13:27 +0000

We have seen that a covenant in Bible times was a matter of life and death. This was underscored throughout the ritual by the death of the covenant animal, the oath taken by the two parties, and the shedding of their own blood, which flowed down their arms as they swore to keep the covenant […]

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#014 – The Story of Mephibosheth (Blood Covenant Pt 7) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 20:02:50 +0000

The making of the new covenant is foreshadowed in many of the Old Testament stories. We must remember that they are records of actual events that took place in the lives of real people in Israel. They are helpful signposts that anticipate and point the way to what Jesus would do. They are not meant […]

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#013 – The Covenant Representative (Blood Covenant Pt 6) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 12:00:51 +0000

God has a radical agenda of love! He reaches to every man and woman to reconcile us to Himself, to include us in the circle of His intimate friends, and to return each one of us to the reason for our creation. How does He achieve this goal of totally transforming the man or woman […]

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#012 – The Core of Covenant (Blood Covenant Pt 5) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 20:56:12 +0000

Behind the covenant that He makes is the core of His heart, which is infinite love, best understood among men as hesed. As we would not have the rays of the sun if there were no sun, so there would be no covenant if God were not the molten core of infinite and unconditional love! […]

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#011 – The Lovingkindness of God (Blood Covenant Pt 4) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 03 Jan 2014 20:35:02 +0000

The Bible knows nothing of abstract discussions of covenant. Rather, what we see is covenant in action. So, often you will see words such as mercy or lovingkindess more than the word covenant, as these are words of covenant-in-action. The Hebrew word is hesed. The very heart of hesed is passionate love, pursuit, strength, and steadfastness. In this […]

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#010 – World of the Living Dead (Blood Covenant Pt 3) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 20 Dec 2013 17:52:56 +0000

We were created for covenant union with God, to be in the circle of His friends. We are made in His image and in His likeness, uniquely fitted to interact with Him in love. This is the meaning of our existence: to live by the life of God, enjoying the privilege of being His friends. […]

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#009 – How Covenant is Made (Blood Covenant Pt 2) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 13 Dec 2013 15:39:37 +0000

When we learn all the components of how covenant is made, it will give us a new Bible. Among the Arabs to this very day is the saying “Blood is thicker than milk,” meaning that those bound by the blood of covenant are held in a stronger bond than those who have drunk of the same […]

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#008 – Blood Covenant Pt 1: What’s Missing? [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 14:01:05 +0000

We cannot avoid the blood covenant. It faces us either directly or by implication in every story and miracle of the Scriptures. The unbelievable news of the Gospel is that God has entered into blood covenant with us, as us, and has pledged Himself to bless us within certain carefully defined promises. He has in […]

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#007 – Your Life as a Journey [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 17:28:53 +0000

Seeing your life as a journey can make a huge difference in your life. In this episode, we break apart Proverbs 3:5 … a verse everyone knows … but have we REALLY seen the power in this verse? The Bible looks at life in terms of journeys. “In all your journeys…” In all the roads […]

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#006 – Believing the Lie (Search for Self-Worth) [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 17:17:40 +0000

In this episode, we cover the 2nd part of the Search for Self-Worth. In particular, we discuss how we got into the mess we are in today … mid-life crises, poor self esteem, the madness of searching for significance, … To understand this, we must go back to the beginning … to our original parents […]

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Ask N.T. Wright #001 – Paul and his view of end-times

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 23:06:31 +0000

Question: “Did Paul’s eschatological expectations change over time? In other words, why does Paul seem to stress resurrection in his earlier writings, and then favor a sort of afterlife with Christ in his later writings?” The answer from N. T. Wright: “On the question of Paul’s eschatological expectations: Paul’s letters cover a great many topics, […]

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#005 – Search for Self-Worth [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 15 Nov 2013 20:49:19 +0000

We return to the issue of our value and worth. Man’s need to find significance and purpose can lead to continual failure. In this episode, we look at the idea of our search for significance. This is based on a talk I recently gave on the topic. Click to Listen “Search for Self-Worth” Show Notes […]

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#004 – Identity, New Creation, and Stinkin’ Thinkin’ [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 18:50:57 +0000

Who are you? What is your identity? If you look into a “spiritual mirror” as it talks about in the book of James … who do you see? We are a brand new creature in Christ. Not just an “upgraded model” but something radically different. But do we see ourselves this way? Or do we […]

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#003 – God Loves Failures [Podcast]

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 17:28:34 +0000

Why do we feel the pressure to be “perfect” before we will believe that God truly loves us? Haven’t we realized that God loves failures? That our failures do not sway Him in anyway? It is time to make a shift … to see God more as our parent than as our judge. Listen as […]

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#002 – Spiritual Exhaustion and Burnout: Why Being Good Isn’t Good Enough

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 20:27:40 +0000

Spiritual burnout … when I say Spiritual burnout I’m talking about being mentally and emotionally exhausted in your faith. You are fatigued, or frustrated. You feel let down, or tired. And very afraid to let others know how you feel. If we were honest, we would be saying, “I don’t feel the Christian life works. […]

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#001 – Introduction to Adventures in Grace

bbvaughn@bellsouth.net — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 02:54:58 +0000

In this episode of Adventures in Grace, I introduce the purpose and passion behind the Podcast. In this episode, I share about the purpose of this podcast as well as my story. There is a brief teaching on knowing God as Papa or Daddy near the end. Click to Listen Your Feedback If you have […]

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