Lisa Harper's Back Porch Theology

Today on the Back Porch, we have a special treat for you as we’re sharing a session from Kerygma this past year. Rev. Dr. Nicole Massie Martin, Chief Operating Officer at Christianity Today and founder of Soulfire International Ministries, unpacks “God’s inconvenient promises.” Through the Shunammite woman’s story, she shows how God’s unexpected healing brings shalom and how trusting His presence leads to lasting peace and restoration. You won’t want to miss this message, so grab your favorite beverage and your Bible, and join us on the porch!

During today’s conversation on the porch, Lisa, Allison, and Dr. Brian Litfin unpack the Nicene Creed, emphasizing the Trinity’s unity, the power of the resurrection, and the role of the Holy Spirit. Dr. Litfin contrasts the gospel’s hope with pagan despair, giving historical and cultural insight into Christ’s victory over sin, death, and Satan. You might be asking - How does this all apply to us today? Listen in as we discuss – right here on the porch!

Today’s conversation on Back Porch Theology is one of the best we’ve had in a while because it’s basically a dissertation on why play and celebration should be a part of every Christ-follower’s spiritual formation plan!  While there’s no single verse proving that our Savior laughed and played during His earthly life and ministry, there are a plethora of passages that imply it like the literary. The Bible proves over and over again that Christoformity – being shaped like Jesus – isn’t always supposed to be serious and somber. Being playful can be every bit as spiritual as being prayerful.  Today’s going to be a fun day on the porch y’all, so you might want to bring a caffeinated drink, a yummy snack, and your Bible. And try to talk one of your small group friends who thinks spiritual maturity and grumpiness are congruent into hanging out with us too, because we’re going to expose that myth as being biblically indefensible! Thanks for carving the time out of your day to be with us – we love getting to spend these moments on the porch with you.

During today’s conversation on Back Porch Theology, Alli and I are tip-toeing carefully into foreign territory because we’re talking about the massive benefit of having moments when we’re not talking!  C.S. Lewis wrote extensively about the value of solitary moments and considered silence to be a powerful force for spiritual transformation – he described it as a strategic way to get closer to God.  It’s going to be a good day on the porch, y’all – whether you’re a saint of few words or a gabber like us – so please pour yourself a mug of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate, grab your Bible, and pull up a chair. We’re so glad we get to spend this time leaning more fully into the love of God with you.

Today’s conversation on Back Porch Theology we’re talking about the spiritual discipline of fasting – the willingness to forgo food, or social media, or some other physical or emotional comfort in order to focus more of our attention and affection on God.  One of my favorite ancient theologians, Thomas A’Kempis, wrote this in his classic book “The Imitation of Christ”: True peace of heart therefore is found by resisting our passions, not by obeying them. Our Savior is the only One who can master us without abusing us. And sometimes, allowing ourselves to feel physical hunger pains is what prompts us to lean more fully into Jesus to satisfy the spiritual hunger in our hearts and minds.  We’re diving in pretty deep today y’all, so please grab a tall glass of something refreshing, along with your Bible and a notebook or sticky pad and come hang out on the porch with us. We’re so grateful we get to spend this time with you.

Today’s conversation on Back Porch Theology is the first in a 4-part series exploring the biblical foundations of “Spiritual Formation.”  There are lots of strong opinions regarding which practices in particular should be included in a classic spiritual formation plan, but we’re only going to cover a couple here on BPT, beginning with table fellowship. Have you ever noticed how often Jesus gathered around a table with His friends and disciples and shared a meal?  The Gospels include as many depictions of our Savior eating as it does Him praying! Frankly, sharing meals and worshipping God are synergistic throughout the Bible. Please grab your favorite beverage, a couple of snacks, and your Bible then come prop your feet up on the porch with us. We’re really glad you’re here!

Today’s conversation on the porch is a highlight reel of the theological topics that have garnered the most response from y’all. Things like how the gap between our formal theology and our functional becomes a seedbed of hypocrisy. We’re also going to talk about how the Bible is much more about “we” than “me” and how community is the most effective hermeneutic of the Gospel – in other words, we formulate our understanding of who our Creator Redeemer is largely through the lens of community. Which reminds me, the only reason Alli, Dr. Howard and I get to do this podcast is because you choose to pull your chairs up to the proverbial porch with us – thank you. We’re so grateful for this community of faith and it is such a joy to get to dive deeply into the Word of God and lean more fully into the love of God with y’all. So, you know the drill: grab a cup of coffee  and your Bible – and come prop your feet up on the porch with us. We’re really glad you’re here.

Today’s conversation is a first on Back Porch Theology because we’ve chosen three highlights from the entire library of our previous 188 podcasts and put them together in a special Best-Views-From-the-Porch episode that we hope not only puts a smile on your fact but helps you lean more fully into the unconditional love of our Creator Redeemer. And spoiler alert: we’re covering a wide swath of biblical territory today - from Ezer Kenegdo in Genesis to synergos in Romans - so you might want to bring some high energy snacks and don’t forget your Bible. Alli, Dr. Howard and I are so glad you’re here – it’s both an honor and a delight for us to get to spend this time focusing our attention and affection on Jesus with y’all! Thank you very much for choosing to carve out the time to hang out with us.

In this engaging discussion, Kristi McLelland, a Professor and speaker known for her insights on Scripture, shares her wisdom on experiencing the Bible as a feast for the soul. Laughter fills the air as she and the hosts explore the joy of faith through community and nourishment even in challenging times. They dive into transformative journeys during spiritual deserts, emphasizing growth through grief and the importance of authentic connections. Kristi encourages embracing theology as a vibrant adventure, highlighting the healing power found in silence and compassion.

During today’s conversation on Back Porch Theology Alli and I have the distinct privilege of diving deep into this divine love letter we call the Bible with one of our very dear friends who just so happens to be a world-renowned Bible scholar, Professor Kristi McLelland. Kristi spent over a year living in Egypt and Israel so that she could study Scripture in its original socio-historical context, and the fruits of her labor will leave you gob-smacked with wonder over the accessible, redemptive truisms in God’s Word. Just listen to this excerpt from her new book, Feasting on God’s Word, “We are not orphans; we are not fatherless. We do not have to open the Bible and dig something out to feed ourselves. We are not alone in the moment. When we approach the Word of God, we do so as sons and daughters postured to receive. Rather than having to feed ourselves, we are readying ourselves to inherit and take in whatever the living God is ready to say and do as we interact with the Text.” If you want less duty and more delight when you engage with the redemptive narrative and promises found in God’s enscripturated revelation, today’s episode is tailor made for you, baby! So please grab an iced mocha and of course bring your Bible as you pull up a proverbial chair on the porch with us…we’re really glad you’re here!