Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Is this how we’ll know when the Kingdom of God has come near? What kind of Kingdom is this anyway? Did someone say it’s an “upside down” kingdom? Join host...
Discipleship is not about who you avoid. It’s about how you join Jesus in extending radical hospitality. Welcome to Ordinary Time, a time without festivals in which we can focus on our discipleship in everyday living. Join h...
A short passage for a deeply complex concept … the Trinity. Rather than getting bogged down in conversation about Trinity in this episode of Coffee to Go, however, hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith focus in on the “sending” a...
The Spirit of God like a fire is burning! It’s Pentecost Sunday, and in this episode of Coffee to Go, cohosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith explore the scripture text that tells of this spirit-filled day. Put on something red, ...
He’s gone. He’s back. He’s gone again... now what? Have you ever found yourself feeling like the disciples must have on the day when Jesus ascended into heaven and before the coming of the promised Advocate? Confused? Lost? U...
Time is running short and Jesus has an important last-minute message to “drill” into the heads of his disciples. “This is my commandment that you LOVE ONE ANOTHER!” Before you get comfortable... that wasn’t just a message for...
Yes, we’re still in the season of Easter. But, it’s getting close to time for Jesus’ departure, and he is on an errand of hospitality. The disciples are concerned. How will they find their way to the divine dwelling place of ...
Fences are meant to keep things out … to protect what is inside. Gates, on the other hand, are meant to provide a passage through... both in and out. When you hear Jesus say, “I am the Gate,” what does that mean to you? In wh...
What does “a risen Lord” really mean after all these years? Would you recognize Jesus if he came up and walked alongside you? What would be the “thing” that would open your eyes to his presence? Put on your walking shoes! It’...
Easter is not over. On the contrary, it’s just getting started! Jesus is back, but Thomas … and the other disciples … have to see it to believe it. How about you? Grab your chocolate Easter Bunny (if you haven’t already eate...
The stone has been rolled away. All that remains in the tomb are the linen cloths in which Jesus’ body had been wrapped for burial. He is Risen! He is Risen, indeed! But what does that mean for you? What does it mean that Jes...
“Anticipation, it’s making me wait.” These are not just the words to the refrain of a Carly Simon song or a ‘70s ketchup commercial. It is an expression of what we experience as we sit in the uncertainty of Holy Saturday... b...
Few people like the dark... especially when that darkness invades our everyday living. Ignoring it, however, will not make it go away. If anything, facing it head-on will only make the light that shines in the darkness that...
When was the last time you went to a dinner party and the host offered to wash your feet? How would you react if they did? Would you be embarrassed, or would you receive it as an extravagant gift? Once again Jesus does the un...
“Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” The cries of desperation from a people waiting for their “victor” to enter Jerusalem and liberate them. Instead, they witness an incredibly ...
When was the last time you did something without thinking about the “cost,” simply because it was the right thing to do? Giving without thought of cost is central to the extravagant nature of God. This week, join cohosts Kari...
Struggling with spiritual blindness? Held back by biases you’ve inherited or learned over your lifetime? Lent is the time to regain your sight... to put away those biases and blinders by intentionally working to see the world...
It’s the third week of Lent and we find that Jesus has “crossed the line,” and it’s a good thing. Join cohosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith for this week’s episode of Coffee to Go in which they talk about Jesus’ encounter with...
How can these things be? On this, the second Sunday of Lent, join hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith as they engage with Nicodemus and Jesus in a teachable moment about the natural and spiritual birth that God desires for all ...
Are you ready for a little time in the wilderness, or is life a wilderness from which you need a break? In this episode of Coffee to Go, join cohosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith on this first Sunday of Lent as they consider w...
In this, the first episode of Coffee to Go, co-hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith, focus their conversation on Ash Wednesday... its purpose...and its call on our lives as disciples of and co-journeyers with Jesus. See how Davi...
Lots of people wonder if Jesus has any value for their life and faith journey. Sometimes it is difficult to connect what we read in the scriptures with what we experience in daily life. Join co-hosts, Karin Peter and Blake Sm...