Tag Archives: Church history

Reconsidering Prayer (part 3)

As we’re rethinking prayer as opening ourselves to truth and freedom, we turn now to some of the foundations of the practice.  We are easily distracted by small truths and by lesser concerns, to the point that we suffocate out the big thoughts, the life-making thoughts that transform us into Divine likeness.

So we begin look at the prayers of the desert fathers and mothers, and the prayers of the ancient Celts. Continue reading

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Don’t Waste Your Time Going to Church (part 3)

We’re looking at the exercises we’ve been doing together on Sundays for centuries and centuries. As anything we do for an extend period, they can become rote, and we can begin to practice them without understanding or without a vested interest.

So we’re thinking together about the ancient practices, the ancient spiritual exercises.

Today, we think about the radicalized version of hospitality practiced in the first few centuries of the church, and how it served as political and social dissent against the norms of Roman society. Continue reading

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Good Power vs. Bad: Humility

In this second installment of our lesson on Good Power, we look first at how necessary humility is to exercising good power, and second, how we develop humility in our souls. Continue reading

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Introducing our 2009 Meditation Practicum (part 2)

In 2009, NRCC is embarking on a one-year experiment in integrating the ancient Christian contemplative practices into our lives. This “Meditation Practicum” will be three 11-week sessions of learning, practicing, and supporting one another. Today’s message gives some introductory practicum to our experiment. It’s worth a listen even if you’re not at NRCC. Continue reading

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Introducing our 2009 Meditation Practicum (part 1)

In 2009, NRCC is embarking on a one-year experiment in integrating the ancient Christian contemplative practices into our lives. This “Meditation Practicum” will be three 11-week sessions of learning, practicing, and supporting one another. Today’s message gives some context to our experiment. It’s worth a listen even if you’re not at NRCC. Continue reading

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Another Story About Stewards: Luke 12 – Rich Farmer

by Doug Hammack [Download MP3]

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Did We Get Jesus All Wrong? (The Unjust Steward 2)

by Doug Hammack [Download MP3] In this lesson we look at two parables, Jesus’ parable of “The Unjust Steward” (improperly named, we’ll conclude), and Doug’s parable of Fred the Goldfish.  The point of both is to ask ourselves if the … Continue reading

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Did We Get Jesus All Wrong? (The Unjust Steward 1)

by Doug Hammack [Download MP3] In this lesson we look at two parables, Jesus’ parable of “The Unjust Steward” (improperly named, we’ll conclude), and Doug’s parable of Fred the Goldfish.  The point of both is to ask ourselves if the … Continue reading

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Sin’s Just Not That Big A Deal (Scandalous!) part 2

by Doug Hammack [Download MP3]

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Awakened to the Dance: Settle For Nothing Less

by Doug Hammack Add synopsis [Download MP3]

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