We're moving! You can find us on most popular streaming platforms such as Spotify, and Apple Podcasts under the name "Beatitudes Radio". Catch us on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4n2r4Jvlrxvp9fu1hcOf5b

Jesus said, "Blessed are the merciful." Of all the Beatitudes from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, this is the only one that is truly reciprocal. Yet it’s this very quality of mercy that draws into question a person’s motive for compassion and kindness. Is demonstrating or showing mercy to another individual done out of a genuine sense of goodwill, or is it more obligatory? If it is more from a sense of obligation, does a person have the right to demand mercy? Join us as we continue our worship series on the eight Beatitudes from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Today, Pastor Tony Minear, Ph.D. explores mercy and its power to be the great equalizer when offered and received. Christianity seems to impose time constraints on God’s mercy, but there is moral equity to be gained now simply by showing one another mercy from our inner circle outward. What will you do this week to extend mercy to another human being in your circle or even to yourself?    Recorded live at Beatitudes Church in Phoenix, AZ on 10/31/21   Preaching: Rev. Tony Minear, Ph.D.   Scripture: Matt 5:7; Prov 14:21  Reading: “The quality of mercy is not strained” from William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice  Scripture Reader: Janelle Tapphorn    If you like what you hear, consider donating at:   https://beatitudeschurch.org/donate/

In the 21st century, we do not have a lack of food. Food insecurity does exist in America, but 39% of those living with food insecurity are obese. Why? Perhaps, the problem is simply the ineffectual distribution of food to the masses. Or could it be the food industry wants you to believe that hunger is a virtue, so you’ll continue to consume more sugar, salt, and fatty foods in quantity. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness/justice." Was Jesus talking about hunger literally or spiritually? Join us as we continue our worship series on the eight Beatitudes from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Today, Pastor Tony Minear, Ph.D. explores hunger and our response to it. Do we have a moral responsibility to live out this Beatitude? And, if so, how? Listen and discover the one metric the food industry doesn’t want you to know about. Are we getting in our own way of living out the Beatitude by focusing on the wrong outcome?    Recorded live at Beatitudes Church in Phoenix, AZ on 10/24/21   Preaching: Rev. Tony Minear, Ph.D.   Video Referenced: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhsJpwadOBI    If you like what you hear, consider donating at:   https://beatitudeschurch.org/donate/

Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek, the humble and the gentle...for they will inherit the earth." Meekness, gentleness, and humility are all notable traits. Unfortunately, it's those very traits that are often exploited by the boastful and belligerent. So, the question is, what kind of shape will the world be in when they inherit it? This Sunday, we continue our worship series on the eight Beatitudes from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Pastor Tony Minear, Ph.D. explores and compares what it meant to be meek in a first century Christian perspective to today’s 21st century definition. If you think meekness is passivity and submissiveness, listen and discover the power it possesses as a catalyst for self-discipline and choice. You have this power. Will you use it as a force for good?    Recorded live at Beatitudes Church in Phoenix, AZ on 10/17/21   Preaching: Rev. Tony Minear, Ph.D.   Scripture: Psalm 37:8-11  Scripture Reader: Janelle Tapphorn     If you like what you hear, consider donating at:   https://beatitudeschurch.org/donate/

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” A lofty notion considering the countless number of definitions of what it means to be "pure in heart". Throughout the centuries, Christians can't seem to agree on the meaning of this Beatitude. Is it a measure of one's devotion to God, or of one's internal character? Perhaps it's our intentionality in living life like Jesus? This Sunday, Pastor Tony Minear, Ph.D. unpacks this Beatitude and its unique insight for our lives. Listen and learn three conventional ways of looking at the meaning of this Beatitude. Then discover a new way of seeing God expressed in humanity. With Jesus as the starting point, you’ll find your own unique tone for life and what it truly means to be PURE in heart.    Recorded live at Beatitudes Church in Phoenix, AZ on 10/05/21   Preaching: Rev. Tony Minear, Ph.D.   Scripture: Psalm 24:1-6  Scripture Reader: Janelle Tapphorn     If you like what you hear, consider donating at:   https://beatitudeschurch.org/donate/

A new sermon series begins! Join us as we begin a fascinating study of the eight Beatitudes or blessings recounted by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount and depicted through the eight new paintings by artist, Julie Frye, recently installed on the south wall of our worship space. This week we'll explore the first of eight Beatitudes, "Blessed are the poor in spirit."     What exactly makes a person "poor"? Is it a lack of humility before God, a scarcity of spirituality, or to literally be financially bereft? The gospels of Matthew and Luke differ from one another textually by two specific words, in spirit. Luke's text excludes this modifier altogether. Why? Today, Pastor Tony Minear, Ph.D. explores the evolution of what it means to be “poor” from the time of Jesus to today. Listen and learn how behavior is governed and discover the shift that has occurred from a culture of guilt—where self-worth is derived internally—to a culture of shame in which self-worth comes from external validation. If you think that social media is completely to blame, think again. We all need a “North Star.” When you reflect on your own shortcomings or limitations, which version of "poor" resonates and guides you?      Recorded live at Beatitudes Church in Phoenix, AZ on 10/03/21   Preaching: Rev. Tony Minear, Ph.D.   Scripture: James 2:5-6  Scripture Reader: Janelle Tapphorn     If you like what you hear, consider donating at:   https://beatitudeschurch.org/donate/

Ever hear your inner voice chiding you to bite your tongue, don’t say a word!? Temptation convinces, cajoles, or even threatens us into inaction. But when, if ever, is temptation good? Should we routinely pray "Lead us not into temptation" or is greater self-reflection the antidote? Today, Pastor Tony Minear, Ph.D. wraps up his sermon series on the Lord’s Prayer and explores the meaning behind this line. Listen and discover the Bible’s rich heritage of a dualistic God actively imposing good and evil on humanity. Do we still consider God responsible today for both calamity and shalom in the world? Or is it time to rethink our passivity when trials come and discover the opportunity for self-awareness and growth that can occur when we let go of always playing the victim? Perhaps, there is freedom in reframing difficult challenges as tests to better see into ourselves and quiet that inner reproaching dialogue. Are you ready to transform The Lord’s Prayer?    Recorded live at Beatitudes Church in Phoenix, AZ on 09/26/21   Preaching: Rev. Tony Minear, Ph.D.   1st Reading: Excerpt from “Human Rites” by Hannah Ward and Jennifer Wild  Scripture: James 1:12-14  Scripture Reader: Janelle Tapphorn     If you like what you hear, consider donating at:   https://beatitudeschurch.org/donate/

"Forgive Us Our Debts." Forgive us our what?? Author Jon Bloom asks, "Ever find yourself reciting The Lord's Prayer outside of your home church and things usually go pretty smoothly till you get to the fourth line? Some will say 'forgive us our debts,' some will say 'trespasses,' and others will say 'sins'."    So, which is it? If it is "debt," is it a financial debt or a moral debt? Was Jesus speaking literally or figuratively, or was he simply expounding on the idea of forgiveness, no matter the phrase? What exactly should we keep in mind while praying? Join us today as Pastor Tony Minear, Ph.D. continues his sermon series on the Lord’s Prayer and explores the meaning behind this line.    Listen and discover the similarity of today’s economic system to that of the 1st century, and the consequences of taking this line figuratively given that one in seven individuals in the U.S. today live at or below the poverty line. Forgiveness of debt. As followers of Jesus, what could that look like for us today, and how do we do it?     Recorded live at Beatitudes Church in Phoenix, AZ on 09/19/21   Preaching: Rev. Tony Minear, Ph.D.   Scripture: Matthew 6:14-15  Scripture Reader: Janelle Tapphorn     If you like what you hear, consider donating at:   https://beatitudeschurch.org/donate/

"Give us this day our daily bread." An appropriate petition for the Israelites wandering in the wilderness hungry for manna during their 40-year exodus, but what does it mean for society today? The majority of households in the U.S. today (about 75%) live above the poverty level and do not experience food insecurity. As a nation of abundance and far removed from a third world status, what does it mean for us today to pray "give us this day our daily bread"? Today’s message from Pastor Tony Minear, Ph.D. explores this idea and how our nation has bought into a scarcity mindset. Listen and discover the original Greek meaning and order of the text for this line of The Lord’s Prayer. It’s not what you might think. When we frame our lives from a space of scarcity, we miss the point entirely and our neighbors become our competitors. Let’s reframe it as having the right portion, and it will always be enough.     Recorded live at Beatitudes Church in Phoenix, AZ on 09/12/21   Preaching: Rev. Tony Minear, Ph.D.   Scripture: Prov 30:8 & 9; Exodus 16:9-18  Scripture Reader: Janelle Tapphorn     If you like what you hear, consider donating at:   https://beatitudeschurch.org/donate/

"Perhaps no other words flow so freely from the lips of well-intentioned people as the phrase 'the will of God.' God is blamed for so much! – Bishop John Shelby Spong.     Last week we explored Jesus’ vision of the kingdom of God and how it begins with ourselves. Can we also apply that same vision here when it comes to ‘the will of God’? Afterall, ‘the will of God’ is quite ambiguous. Can we recognize ‘the will of God’? Can we separate it from our own desires, or should we? Today we invite you to listen as Pastor Tony Minear, Ph.D. explores the third line of The Lord’s Prayer: ‘Your Will be Done on Earth’. Most Christians long for the GPS coordinates to ‘God’s will’ as guide for our life’s journey; life would be easier to navigate for sure. But what if we began to see that the power may reside within us? And, perhaps, within that self-reliance, we discover that we merely need a compass to direct our course in the general direction and flow of the divine instead of blaming God? Would your view of God shift? Would you trust yourself more?    Recorded live at Beatitudes Church in Phoenix, AZ on 09/05/21   Preaching: Rev. Tony Minear, Ph.D.   Scripture: Matt 12:46-50  Scripture Reader: Janelle Tapphorn     If you like what you hear, consider donating at:   https://beatitudeschurch.org/donate/