Well friends, this is the Sunday we begin our journey onto A Path Called Compelling. I have been so excited to share this with you and the time is finally here. But let me give you a little background on why I feel so passionate about this series.
You see, you don't need to be a sociologist or have studied census data to know that Christianity in the West faces trying times. Young people are walking away from the faith, older congregations are just barely holding on, and any church that is managing to grow is doing so by transfer growth. Everyone knows that religious affiliation is in decline.
To make matters worse, the Christian faith, once looked upon by our culture with indifference, is now viewed with suspicion. In Canada alone, the Church has suffered from being a willing partner in our residential school system, clergy sex and power scandals, partisan politics, and resistance to COVID-19 safety measures. This new reality for the Christian faith in the US and Canada means trends in decline are not likely to reverse course anytime soon.
This strange new world for faith can provoke intense emotions among those trying to hang onto faith. There is fear and anxiety over Christianity's fate, and anger and resentment over how the Christian faith has been used to hurt others. There is also confusion about how to reimagine our faith for this time. We know that how we understand and live out our faith must change.
In previous generations, the Church sought to convert unbelievers through rational argumentation. Those efforts largely failed, and in the cultural milieu of suspicion and religious pluralism, no one wants to be converted, especially by losing an argument.
What I hope to do throughout the course of this series is offer a bold and new apologetic for the Christian faith. Rather than attempt to demonstrate how the Christian faith is right, what I hope to do is give us a stunning portrait of the Christian life that feels compelling. I want to help us discover a faith that feels more like an adventure, a way of life, or that road trip you have always wanted to take, because I am convinced that being compelled by something will always be more potent than being converted to something.
And so, this series is my attempt to offer a map, compass, and guide to help us navigate our way into a brighter and better future. I hope this series can help us recover faith from the shame and scandals of the Church. I hope it might be a rallying cry for a new generation of Jesus followers and a companion for weary travelers already on the path. So, from now until Easter, I hope to act the role of part expedition guide, part raconteur, part pastor, part seasoned park ranger, helping us get lost in stories and wisdom about a terrain and trail we thought we knew, but know we need to rediscover.
A Costly Peace (S11 Episode29)
Dead Man Walking (S11 Episode28)
Prison Break (S11 Episode27)
Shipwrecked (S11 Episode26)
Of Place and Prison (S11 Episode25)
A Modest Proposal for Ending the Marriage Wars (S11 Episode 24)
Death of the Couple (S11 Episode23)
Questions of Marriage (S11 Episode22)
Howling: When God, Wolves & Humans Laugh (S11 Episode21)
Tongues of Fire (S11 Episode20)
The Girls with the Red Balloon (S11 Episode19)
A Failure of Imagination (S11 Episode18)
Pablo Escobar's Hippopotamuses (S11 Episode17)
What We Have Lost (S11 Episode16)
Of Caves and Christmas (S11 Episode15) CHRISTMAS EVE
Shock & Awe (S11 Episode14)
Home But Never Home (S11 Episode13)
Wilderness Exile (S11 Episode12)
Life in Exile (S11 Episode11)
Strengthening our Eyes - Part 2 (S11 Episode10)
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Life After Ministry
Cast The Word
Let Me Be Frank | Bishop Frank Caggiano’s Podcast | Diocese of Bridgeport, CT
The Bible Recap
The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)