PODCASTS

Tag: #FAMILYLIFENEWS

Inside Out – Finding Unity, We are Agents of Grace – 08/23/23

Inside Out – Finding Unity, We are Agents of Grace – 08/23/23

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 13:45 — 18.9MB)

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Bridging divides — and loving as Jesus loved — amid this era of conflict, in the church and in the culture:

“Strive actively for peace”

Conflict over presidential politics and pandemic precautions revealed the substantial divisions between Christians that we live with today. “The divisions that we’re seeing in the American church—the conversations—are not different than the ones that are happening in the world. Every institution is going through this,” says pastor and author Daniel Darling. “But as Christians we have an opportunity to model something different. That Jesus said that the world would know that we are His by the way we love each other.”  

Darling writes about which things should divide us — and which things should not — in his new book Agents of Grace.  

“I think part of that is understanding the things that we need to contend for, right?” he asks. “Paul says to Timothy ‘fight the good fight.’ And then there are other things that are important but not ultimate, right? He also tells Timothy, later in 2 Timothy, to avoid stupid and foolish questions.” We should be able to live in unity with believers who differ with us on the less important choices that are part of living as a Christian. If there’s going to be division, it should only be to defend what’s essential to the Gospel.   

“I think we have that upside down a little bit,” Darling says, “and we’ve succumbed to the sort of divisiveness of the spirit of the age.” 

So how do we learn to bridge divides and love as Jesus loved? One way, Darling suggests, is to choose not to assume bad motives on the part of believers we disagree with. Another way is to faithfully hold on to our friends, even when we disagree with them.  “These are hard and tumultuous times, and the more that we hang on to our friendships, the more that we love our brothers and sisters, the more we can do together. I think the Enemy—Satan—really wants to divide Christians and get us distracted so that we can’t fulfill the mission of God,” Darling says. 

That said, Darling sees many reasons to hold onto hope for the Church.  “God is active and alive today. We should ask ourselves, ‘What is God up to? What is God doing? What is He about to do in the world? And how do we join Him?’” 

Learn more about Daniel Darling here and here. 

Family Life Interview: Christian comedian Jeff Allen – part 1 – 08/22/23

Family Life Interview: Christian comedian Jeff Allen – part 1 – 08/22/23

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 5:57 — 13.6MB)

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Comedian Jeff Allen has been honing his craft on the stand-up comedy circuit, on television, and in corporate and faith-based settings.

He works to keep his funny business “clean”, but in this exclusive Family Life interview, Allen acknowledges his life was messy, prior to his conversion to be a follower of Jesus Christ.

In this feature, he tells our Mark Webster about his Chicago upbriging, the work of creating comedy, and how faith reshaped his life.

Click this link for a video of some of Jeff’s comedy highlights.

(He is credited with coining the phrase “Happy wife…Happy life.”)

Our conversation with Jeff Allen aired across three consecutive Tuesdays during the Family Life Noon Report, on our live stream and on the radio.

 

Hear the full Family Life Interview with Jeff Allen:

From the News Podcasts page, you can listen, download, share or subscribe to any of your favorite Family Life features, podcasts, the Noon Report, and the 5 O’Clock Report.

Missions Pulse – Friends in Action – 08/21/23

Missions Pulse – Friends in Action – 08/21/23

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 5:15 — 7.2MB)

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Blue collar workers are putting their God-given talents to work, in God-inspired service.

Friends in Action International makes that kind of life-changing activity happen in many places. Executive Director Matt Durkee gives Family Life insights into how Friends in Action makes construction work happen in places where infrastructure needs are significant. This, he says, brings stability to places which have been unstable. Durkee also tells how FIA supports long-term global mission workers.

Friends in Action, a Pennsylvania-based global ministry, describes its front-line mission work as “moving earth to reveal heaven”.

Staycation – Griffis Sculpture Park – 08/18/23

Staycation – Griffis Sculpture Park – 08/18/23

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 7:32 — 10.4MB)

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It’s “Staycation Destinations” on Family Life

A World War II soldier carried art supplies with him onto battlefields. When he could, he painted to find balance amid the violence around him. After his return home in western New York, Larry Griffis Jr. felt a tug between his budding career running a family business, and fulfilling his inner calling to be an artist. In this Family Life News Feature, you will hear how the choice he made led to an outdoor sculpture museum near East Otto, New York.

The Griffis Sculpture Park offers a unique collection of large steel sculptures, by Griffis and other nationally- and internationally-renown artists. As the founder’s granddaughter Nila Griffis Lampman tells us, this is an incredibly opportune day trip for anyone, but especially for families with young children. Unlike many art museums where young children might be bored (“don’t run…”, “don’t touch…”) this sculpture park encourages young guests to climb on giant animal sculptures and more. It’s all outdoors, with room to walk, play and picnic. Hiking trails connect the 250+ pieces throughout the 450-acre park.

Lampman tells the fascinating story of her grandfather’s life journey, artistic discoveries, and his philosophy on making the results of creative endeavors accessible to children.

Griffis Sculpture Park is in Cattaraugus County, about halfway between Buffalo and Salamanca on Route 219. (The park’s annual Summer Festival is Sunday afternoon, August 20, 2023. Night Lights happen selected weekends in September and October)

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“Staycation Destinations” is our weekly summer series, broadcast each Friday at noon on the radio and online, then posted to our News Podcasts page. Each offers a radio tour of a unique site in Pennsylvania or New York, close to home, relatively inexpensive, and good for a potential day trip or longer visit.

Each weekend, we also give you a “Sidetrip Suggestion” another place in our two states which stands out in a unique, quirky, or enlivening way.

Eckley Miners’ Village at Weatherly, Pennsylvania, offers a free walking tour (dawn to dusk) where you can stroll into the 19th Century at what was said to the largest concentration of anthracite coal in the world. Historic buildings show what a company town of the era looked like. A state commission oversees the attraction, and a museum and guided tours are scheduled. This is about 25 miles south of Wilkes-Barre, not far from the I-80 / I-81 interchange.

Faith Under Fire – Coach Joe is back with his football team – 08/17/23

Faith Under Fire – Coach Joe is back with his football team – 08/17/23

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 5:32 — 7.6MB)

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“Faith Under Fire”

Joe Kennedy became a high school assistant football coach at Bremerton High School, as a part of a strengthening Christian faith and a deep sense of calling. After personal prayers on the field after games, later some students and fans would join him at the 50-yard-line.

After he was suspended and eventually fired because the school did not want him promoting religion, an eight-year legal battle followed. This spring, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that his First Amendment rights to “free exercise of religion” superceded the school’s contention that a school employee could not promote a specific religion (the First Amendment’s “establishment” clause).

This week as the fall football season begins, “Coach Joe” and his faith and his team are drawing new coverage from Seattle-area and national media, Family Life revisits an interview we had with Kennedy when he came to New York State on a speaking tour. 

More about Joe Kennedy’s life, faith, ministry and sense of calling is available here.

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