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During today's conversation on Back Porch Theology, we're going to honestly explore how Christians can do better caring about and caring for the precious people who are leaving mainstream churches. It's a given that some are walking away from communities of faith for sinful reasons but what about the saints who are leaving our sanctuaries because they've been deeply betrayed by a spiritual leader or they simply can't reconcile the Jesus of Scripture - who hugged lepers, welcomed outliers, and compassionately advocated for the poor - with the sociology of the affluent, seemingly inwardly focused congregation they were raised in. Pastor and modern theologian, Dr. A.J. Swoboda made this wise and gracious observation about some who are leaving the church: they have tasted Jesus, and rigid religion has proven to be a poor substitute. Before we go any further, I want to state what I hope is blatantly obvious here at Back Porch Theology and that is: we are passionately, unashamedly, enthusiastically PRO-CHURCH. Dr. Howard pastors a local church in Dillon, CO and Allison and I are life-long church girls. All three of us have spent a good chunk of our lives serving on church staffs or parachurch ministries. We wholeheartedly believe the Christian church is one of the main means of grace our Creator Redeemer uses to accomplish His kingdom purposes. We also believe the Bible is crystal clear regarding how important it is for God's people to gather on a regular basis as a community of faith for centralized worship, corporate prayer, biblical instruction, water baptism, relational encouragement, and to celebrate the sacrament of communion. But, and this is a big but, we also think Christ-followers can do a much better job of caring for and listening to the men, women and teenagers who are leaving our churches for reasons that should give us pause - mainly, that sometimes our corporate gatherings of faith no longer resemble the Savior we're singing about or the wholistically redemptive message of the Bible we profess to base our belief system on. Not everyone who walks away from a local church is an angry rebel or a selfish prodigal or a divisive opponent, much less a dangerous heretic. Some sheep are hurt and scared and lonely and they thought they'd get closer to the Good Shepherd if they joined our herd, but unfortunately their wounds have gotten worse, as a result of hanging out with us and they don't feel like they have any other option except to limp away to a less painful pasture. If someone you love has walked away from church disappointed, disillusioned, and is quite possibly in a season of deconstruction we believe today's conversation can help you maintain a genuine relationship with them as they sort out what they believe to be true about God, even if they pull away from church for the time being. And based on the some of the excruciatingly honest emails we've received here at BPT, we understand that some of you - who purely by the grace of God trust our motley crew enough to hang out on the proverbial porch with us - are nursing fresh wounds from a bad church experience. Please know that you're especially weighty on our hearts today. We've prayed that Holy Spirit will use this conversation to bring you a tangible sense of His comfort. That it will serve to remind you that while Christ followers are notably flawed, Jesus - our incarnate Savior - was without sin, not a man that He could lie or change His mind, according to the Old Testament book of Numbers. Yes, human love is conditional, but God's love is unconditional and immutable - it doesn't change. He is not fickle He is perfectly faithful. Although some of you might feel cruelly judged or completely forsaken by a particular church or cadre of Christians, our Creator Redeemer will never leave or forsake His Beloved. According to the Psalms, the God who breathed our universe into existence inclines His ear to listen to you...your words matter to Him. So do your wounds. He really is close to the brokenhearted. So please grab your Bible and a cup of coffee, or hot chocolate, or apple cider, or a matcha latte - although I don't get the appeal of those, because they taste like lawn clippings to me! - and come hang out on the porch with us. We're really, really glad you're here today.
In this episode, Christine Caine will empower you to be an agent of peace tovthose around you. Being a peacemaker is something we're instructed to do in Scripture, but we often find it is easier said than done. It requires trusting the goodness and the timing of God. So often, we run ahead of God in our frustration of waiting for Him to come through for us. But God has not forgotten one of us. He sees each of us. He knows and cares for us in all things and will fill us with His peace no matter the circumstance if we ask for it. This episode will equip you not only to walk in faith and trust in God's timing but also to be filled with the peace of God so you can carry it to others. Get your free Episode Reflection Guide here.
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Christine Caine is a speaker, activist, and best-selling author. She and her husband, Nick, founded the anti-human trafficking organization The A21 Campaign. They also founded Propel Women, an initiative that is dedicated to coming alongside women all over the globe to activate their God-given purpose. Each week she brings you a Gospel-centered message filled with Biblical truths that will equip and empower you to step into the life God has for you.
Hello friend. Thanks for joining me on the Encouraging Word Podcast.
We're tackling a new topic today. For the next few weeks we'll be talking about living a God-centered life. Now that might sound simple, but living a God-centered life means not living a me-centered life. Not quite so easy, but with God as our helper, it's possible.
Hello, my friend. I hope you're having a good day. 1 Corinthians 13:7 says, "Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things." God calls us to walk out sacrificial love. I pray this message encourages you.
In this episode, Christine Caine will empower you to lean deeper into God's presence to fuel you as you pursue the calling He's placed on your life. So many things in our life are depleting us, not fueling us. They've left us feeling like we've lost our edge like we're no longer capable of fulfilling our calling. We find ourselves striving to keep going, to keep having an impact, only to feel like we're not making a difference. But the truth is that striving won't get us there - relying on God's power is what will get us there. This episode will equip you to tap into God's presence in your life so you can get your edge back and walk confidently in your calling. Get your free Episode Reflection Guide here.
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Christine Caine is a speaker, activist, and best-selling author. She and her husband, Nick, founded the anti-human trafficking organization The A21 Campaign. They also founded Propel Women, an initiative that is dedicated to coming alongside women all over the globe to activate their God-given purpose. Each week she brings you a Gospel-centered message filled with Biblical truths that will equip and empower you to step into the life God has for you.
In this episode, Dr. Sarita Lyons joins Christine Caine on the Propel Women podcast to talk about what it means to be a "church girl" as a black woman. In this episode you will be encouraged that God's word is relevant in any and every corner of discovering your purpose, identity and calling. Dr. Sarita will empower you to face the particular spiritual challenges and opportunities you face in the culture and context God has placed you.
Show Notes:
Loving the Local Church
"We should love what Christ loves and we should hate what Christ hates. And one of the things Christ does not hate is the local church."
Context Matters
This focus is needed for black believers to understand their calling and for all believers to acknowledge that cultural context follows God's biblical pattern. "Black segments of the world are saying Christianity is a white man's religion. You need someone like me who has walked a mile in a black woman's shoes to say no, Jesus came to die for everyone."
Unexpected Idols and Unidentified Prophets
Over time, God used faithful witnesses to chip away at Dr. Sarita's idolatry. She encourages us not to underestimate the impact that our small moments of witness might have. "We accomplish more in prayer than we think. God is not weak. God is not slow. And, God is not late."
Follow @drsaritalyons on Instagram and get your own copy of Church Girl.
Follow Christine @ChristineCaine
Get your FREE reflection guide for journaling prompts or use it as a discussion guide with your community at PropelWomen.org/Podcast.
Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode, and don't forget to leave a review! See you next week on the Propel Women Life & Leadership Podcast.
You can connect with us further at PropelWomen.org or on Instagram, Facebook, X, and Threads @PropelWomen. We can't wait to hang out with you in your car, during your workout, or wherever you listen to podcasts!
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Propel Women is an initiative of Equip & Empower Ministries founded by Christine Caine.
We EMPOWER women with biblical wisdom and encouragement, EQUIP women with practical training and education, and MOBILIZE women by providing hands-on leadership opportunities.
No matter where a woman has influence - in an office, in her community, at home with her family, or in ministry - Propel is driven by a calling to equip and mobilize women to become effective co-laborers with Christ and make a difference within their unique spheres of influence.
Levi and Jennie Lusko sit down with worship leader Kim Walker-Smith for an inspiring conversation about faith, resilience, and transformation. Kim shares deeply personal stories about her journey, the challenges of her youth, and her path to becoming a celebrated worship leader. They dive into her Montana lifestyle, upcoming music, and her stepfather's meaningful role in shaping her spiritual life. If you want encouragement and a reminder of the power of worship, this episode is for you!
Connect with us on social!
Kim: @kimwalkersmith
Levi: @levilusko
Jennie: @jennielusko
Fresh Life Church: @freshlife
[Links]
Get the 5 Gallon Bucket: https://bit.ly/sdl4sHY
Get the Lusketeer Sticker: https://bit.ly/sdl4sHY
Kim on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/48WSSNb
Kim's Website: https://bit.ly/3NXl9sX
The Good Roads Movement: freshlife.church/goodroads
Lusketeer Mission Trip: https://bit.ly/4dH8NzT
Subscribe for more exclusive content: https://levilusko.com/hitl-subscribe
Want to be on the next Q&A episode? Send us your questions! https://bit.ly/3RonhJI
Time Stamps
01:07 - Moving to Montana
08:32 - Fly Fishing & Family
20:53 - From Banker to Worship Leader
30:29 - Finding Faith After Trauma
46:24 - A Final Song for Her Stepfather
