Highest Power: Church + State Ep80: How Advent Helps Us Process the Darkness in the News Today, with Marc Schelske
Dec 4, 2025
Mark Schelsky, Pastor of Bridge City Community Church, explores how Advent can help process today's troubling news. He discusses the appeal of liturgy and how ancient Christian voices can reshape modern faith. Mark connects the Advent theme of hope with recognizing systemic darkness while honoring marginalized voices. He redefines Advent as a period of honest reflection rather than just a countdown to Christmas, advocating for compassion and transformation inspired by Isaiah's call to care. This conversation is a timely reminder of hope amidst societal challenges.
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Liturgy Reclaims Deep Church Roots
- Many who shift from evangelicalism to progressive Christianity seek the deep rootedness of liturgy and church history.
- Liturgy reconnects them to a 2000-year theological conversation they were previously denied.
Cycle Trumps Short Sermon Series
- The church calendar repeatedly retells Jesus' story so worshipers can grasp it over time instead of relying on short topical sermon series.
- This cyclical telling fosters deeper formation through repetition, not programmatic fixes.
Name Systems, Don’t Offload Morality
- Name systemic problems instead of outsourcing morality solely to individual change.
- Resist claiming personal innocence when policies and systems carry moral responsibility.