Have you ever wondered how different cultures approach spiritual truth?

Noks Shabalala shares her journey from ancestral worship in South Africa to Christian faith, offering fresh cultural perspectives on boldly communicating gospel truth with love rather than diplomatic politeness. Her multicultural background and direct communication style challenge listeners to prioritize mission over tradition and make the gospel accessible to everyone.

• South African culture values direct, straightforward communication compared to American diplomatic politeness
• Ancestral worship creates mediators between people and God, requiring sacrifices and rituals that keep people in spiritual bondage
• Jesus modeled bold truth-telling with love, not prioritizing human approval over God's mission
• Colonization damaged gospel reception when those introducing Jesus also perpetrated abuse
• Churches risk becoming gatekeepers rather than gateways when they hoard theological resources instead of sharing them widely
• The gospel must transcend cultural barriers while maintaining its transformative truth
• Heaven will contain people from every nation, tribe and tongue - not just those who match our cultural or theological profile

Through meaningful interviews and heartfelt conversations, Friar Time, hosted by Fr....

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What if the entire Bible tells one cohesive story—and you're invited to play a part in it? Dr. Michael Goheen, author of "The Drama of Scripture," unpacks how understanding Scripture as a unified narrative transforms our spiritual lives and missional purpose. This narrative understanding transforms our approach to Scripture, vocation, and our role in God's kingdom.

• The Missio Dei describes God's unfolding plan to renew creation that was broken in the fall
• God's mission moves from one family to all families, one nation to all nations, one place to the ends of the earth
• Understanding the Bible as one story gives proper meaning to individual biblical passages
• The church's role is to embody God's blessing and knowledge for the sake of all nations
• Luther's view of baptism as daily drowning the old self and rising to new life remains relevant today
• Luther's understanding of vocation challenges false divisions between sacred and secular work
• Sin fundamentally curves us inward when we were designed to be curved outward toward God and others
• The resurrection inaugurates the new creation where all aspects of creation will be restored and perfected
• Our final hope isn't escaping to heaven but resurrected bodies in a renewed creation
• The biblical story invites our participation as it continues to unfold until Christ returns

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Through meaningful interviews and heartfelt conversations, Friar Time, hosted by Fr....

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

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Have you ever considered that God's questions might reveal more about you than your answers reveal about Him? When the Creator of the universe asks "Where are you?" or "Why do you doubt?" He's inviting us into something far deeper than a theological exercise.

Charessa Koontz joins the podcast to discuss her new book "The 17 Questions of God and the Impact on Your Life Today," exploring how divine questions transform our spiritual journey. The number 17 holds special significance for her family, connecting biblical narratives with personal experiences of loss and restoration.

• God's first question "Where are you?" invites honest confession rather than hiding in shame
• The question "Where have you come from and where are you going?" challenges us to examine our past and future with intentionality
• Theology of beauty connects to theology of place—creating spaces that orient us toward God
• Grief has become increasingly isolated in our culture, with fewer community rituals to process loss together
• Doubt isn't sinful but can lead to deeper faith when it creates curiosity that drives us toward truth
• Jesus asking Peter "Do you love me?" demonstrates how restoration follows failure through love
• The book features illustrations by Koontz's 12-year-old daughter Charity, making it truly a family project

Find "The 17 Questions of God" on Amazon or visit Charessa's website where you'll also discover her new sermon journals designed to help you engage with what God wants you to know, believe, and do each week.

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Through meaningful interviews and heartfelt conversations, Friar Time, hosted by Fr....

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Support the show

Watch Us On Youtube!