Coffee To Go Episodes

An unjust judge and the persistent widow walk into the Gospel of Luke, and guess who gets served... well, that depends on your perspective. For hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith, the unjust judge got served (called out) and t...

More often than we’d probably like to admit, it’s an “outsider” who gets Jesus and his mission before we ... his disciples and followers ... we do. We’re the ones who are supposed to follow in his footsteps and do what he did...

If you can’t take it with you, how will you spend it? That goes for time as well as money. Today’s passage from the Gospel of Luke challenges our willingness to be radical in how we use our “wealth.” How often do we consider...

Enough is enough! We can hesitate. We can procrastinate. We can make excuses. The reality is, like Jesus’ first disciples, we have what we need to get the job done. You know... the one we committed to when we became disciples...

How do we use our skills and resources for "Kingdom purposes?" This week on "Coffee to Go," we're talking about money, blessing, and the political implications of the Gospel with two challenging parables from the book of Luke. The discussion centers on the themes of financial stewardship, social ju…

Celebrating is always fun, but it’s even better when shared with family and friends. In today’s passage from the Gospel of Luke, Jesus intervenes amidst criticism from religious leaders for dining with sinners and tax collect...

It’s not uncommon to sing songs or participate in activities in which we talk about laying down our burdens. And yet, Jesus says, “take up your cross and follow me.” What’s it going to be... or is it a little of both? Well, ...

The “H” words of the day and not honor or homage, but rather, humility and hospitality. Of such is the upside-down Kingdom of God. Join hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith for a conversation on the passage from Luke 14 that c...

Laws have their place, but when it comes to following a law ... especially “God’s law” ... at the expense of someone’s dignity, we may need to look deeper into the intent of the law. In today’s text from the Gospel of Luke, ...

Sometimes the Gospel writers don’t catch Jesus at his most pastoral moments. Sometimes Jesus just needs to get straight to the point. This week’s passage from the Gospel of Luke is one of those not so “happy Jesus” passages. ...

It’s important to remember that we are always being sent as empowered disciples to live Jesus' ministry and message. The focus of this week’s Coffee to Go episode is Luke 12:32-40, which urges believers to prepare for God's Kingdom by focusing on the present and always being ready for God's purpose…

Greed and the accumulation of material possessions are encouraged in our North American context, but they’re not something we like to talk a lot about. Could it be that’s because it sometimes touches a little close to home? ...

This week on Coffee to Go, Karin Peter and Blake Smith explore "the other Lord's Prayer" from Luke 11:1-13. They delve into the practical, concise nature of Luke's version compared to Matthew's , discussing what it means to ask for "daily bread" and the profound implications of "forgive us our sins…

We all make judgements about how people act or respond in certain situations or to certain circumstances ... ultimately deciding which is the “better” response or action. We can’t help ourselves. In today’s gospel passage fro...

“It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood.” At least once the Good Samaritan comes along. This week’s episode has Karin and Blake journeying with Jesus in the 10th chapter of Luke, and talking about what it takes to be “like ...

It’s one thing to say, “Don’t worry, God will take care of you,” but it’s quite another to live it out. As a matter of fact, some would argue that God gives us brains so we can think about what we need and plan accordingly. ...

When it comes to invitation, there’s a fine line between allowing time and space for others to join in or simply moving on to someone else. The cost of discipleship is high, and everyone can’t make snap decisions on matters o...

Change is often hard and even uncomfortable. It can also be threatening when someone else’s change for the better makes us look bad, or when the change challenges our own sense of power and/or control. In this episode of Coff...

Scholars have been working for centuries to figure out the Trinity, so don’t feel discouraged if the topic makes you scratch your head in wonder. You are not alone. Karin and Blake don’t have the answers, but they do offer ...

On this first Sunday after the 2025 Community of Christ World Conference, where many have experienced a “Pentecost” experience in the coming together of people from many nations, cultures, and languages... we celebrate Pentec...

It’s time to get some new “clothes.” Who doesn’t like that? Right? But there’s a small catch... we have to wait a little bit. Just stay here and wait, Jesus says ... until you are clothed in the Holy Spirit. The reality is t...

We could all use a little reminding every once in a while. In the midst of chaos and hectic schedules, the call to do something uncomfortable is easily shrugged off with extremely relevant rationalizations as to why we can’t....

It is perhaps one of the easiest commandments to speak, and yet one of the hardest to put into action. We live in a world where it seems to have become easier to build walls than to sit and listen to one another... much less ...

Who doesn’t like a good festival ... especially one that calls for renewal? No doubt, we could all use a little time for renewal. Well, this week’s episode of Coffee to Go finds us in the Gospel According to John, and it’s ti...