Does “Church as Family” convey an unrealistic portrait of the church, leading people to believe they will encounter loyal, committed, honorable brothers and sisters, perpetuating disillusionment and hurt if they don’t? Would we better serve people to gently adjust their expectations to level with the messy, dysfunctional family that seems to match their experience? Trevin Wax considers these questions in an article recently posted on The Gospel Coalition.Hunter and Autumn comment on the article and suggest that expectations of the church are best when leveled with Jesus’ and the Apostles’ depictions of the family of God rather than with our own disappointing experiences.

Jesus spoke of His followers, the inhabitants of the kingdom of God, in familial terms. Being connected to Christ implies a simultaneous connection to members of His body, whom He calls family. This new family is distinct, marked by a fullness not found in the kingdoms of the world. This new family grows together in distinct expressions of kingdom life and is characterized by the corporate rhythms of generosity, community, worship, and commitment to God and each other.In part four of this four-part series of conversations, Andy and Autumn discuss the biblical understanding of membership and its relevance to the modern local church.

Jesus spoke of His followers, the inhabitants of the kingdom of God, in familial terms. Being connected to Christ necessarily implies a simultaneous connection to members of His body, whom He calls family. This new family is distinct, marked by a fullness not found in the kingdoms of the world. This new family grows together in distinct expressions of kingdom life and is characterized by the corporate rhythms of generosity, community, worship, and commitment to God and each other.In part three of this four-part series of conversations, Hunter and Autumn discuss the habit of weekly corporate worship. Gathered worship allows us to experience the fullness of the family of God and is a means of ordinary grace, yet making space in our lives for weekly corporate worship can be challenging. Hunter and Autumn identify five mindsets that discourage participation in worship and respond to each one.

Jesus spoke of His followers, the inhabitants of the kingdom of God, in familial terms. Being connected to Christ necessarily implies a simultaneous connection to members of His body, whom He calls family. This new family is distinct, marked by a fullness not found in the kingdoms of the world. This new family grows together in distinct expressions of kingdom life and is marked by the corporate rhythms of generosity, community, worship, and commitment to God and each other.In part two of this four-part series of conversations, Hunter, Andy, and Autumn discuss the current sermon series and the way in which this new family cultivates a unique community.Resources mentioned in this episode:"Life Together" by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Jesus spoke of His followers, the inhabitants of the kingdom of God, in familial terms. Connection to Christ results in connection to His body, which he also calls His family. This new family is distinct, marked by a fullness not found in the kingdoms of the world. This new family grows together in distinct expressions of kingdom life and is marked by the corporate rhythms of generosity, community, worship, and commitment to God and each other.In part one of this four-part series of conversations, Hunter and Autumn discuss the current sermon series and the corporate practice of generosity that marks the family of God.Resources mentioned in this episode:First To The Lord (2019 sermon series)

Regular, personal time with God spent in Scripture and in prayer connects us relationally to our Father and allows us to experience His presence. Building the habit of daily life with God requires a regular time and a regular plan. Hunter and Autumn discuss how to craft a plan to connect with God personally, and they share their own anticipated Bible reading, Bible study, and prayer plans for 2024.

Hunter and Autumn share some of the books that challenged, informed, encouraged, inspired, and delighted them during 2023.--Spiritual Life--Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation by Collin Hansen (AG & HB)Outgrowing the Ingrown Church by Jack Miller (HB)--Theology and Bible--The Genesis of Gender: A Christian Theory by Abigail Favale (AG & HB)Love Thy Body by Nancy Pearcey (AG)--Biography and History--The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill, Volume 1: Visions of Glory by William Manchester (HB)The Reformation as Renewal: Retrieving the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church by Matthew Barrett (HB)--General Interest--10x is Easier than 2x: How World Class Entrepreneurs Achieve More by Doing Less by Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy (HB)The Art of Loading Brush by Wendell Berry (AG)--General Interest On Helping Us Understand the Modern, Western Culture in Which We Live--Conservatism: A Rediscovery by Yoram Hazony (HB)The Air We Breathe: How We All Came to Believe in Freedom, Kindness, Progress, and Equality by Glen Scrivener (AG - Apologetics / Evangelism)Remaking the World: How 1776 Created the Post-Christian West by Andrew Wilson (HB)Strange New World: How Thinkers and Activists Redefined Identity and Sparked the Sexual Revolution by Carl Trueman (AG)--General Interest On Sexuality and Gender--The Case Against the Sexual Revolution by Louise Perry (AG)Feminism Against Progress by Mary Harrington (AG)--Children’s Literature--A Little More Beautiful: The Story of a Garden (picture book) by Sarah Mackenzie, illustrated by Breezy Brookshire (AG)Hotel Oscar Mike Echo (middle-grade novel) by Linda MacKillop (AG)The Lost Tales of Sir Galahad, a compilation of stories by various authors (AG)--Fiction and Literature--Finding Time Again: In Search of Lost Time, Volume 7 by Marcel Proust (HB - Content Warning)A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle (AG)The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James (HB)

Family gatherings, holiday parties, music about joy and peace, and images of smiling people holding gifts fill the days leading up to Christmas. And yet, “all is merry and bright” rings hollow for many people experiencing grief and loss during this season. In religious communities, we sometimes jump directly to the “hope” portion of the story without lingering in the waiting, the longing, and the loss woven into the story of Christ’s birth.Dave and Emily join Autumn to encourage those suffering, exhort those walking with sufferers, and discuss how Christmas uniquely welcomes in all who are grieving.Resources mentioned in this episode:“Every Moment Holy, Volume II: Death, Grief, and Hope" by Douglas Kaine McKelvey

Adam and Autumn discuss the music that characterizes the season of Advent and examine its purpose and central themes. The songs of Advent give us language to live out of the past reality of God’s promises fulfilled in Christ’s first coming and look toward the future hope of Christ’s second coming. The songs of Advent encourage us to prepare our hearts for the coming King and invite us into the waiting and longing experienced by the people of God throughout history.