Life with God: A Renovaré Podcast

"Your gifts don't serve to show me up, they serve to hold me up." ​Author and Renovaré Ministry team member Richella Parham continues her conversation with Nathan Foster about how to overcome the trap of comparison.

"We'll cross into the Kingdom but we'll keep our options open for crossing out again." James Catford, Renovaré Board Chair appointee and former British Bible Society Chief Executive, helps us see the Bible not so much as a map but a companion for moving deeper into life in the Kingdom of God.

Author and Renovaré Ministry team member Richella Parham talks with Nathan Foster about her new book Mythical Me: Finding Freedom from Constant Comparison.

​Read the related essay, Unlimited Liability: A Movement Towards Generosity.

Issues of social justice can be polarizing. And they can be paralyzing—with so much injustice in the world, where does one begin? "Don't be frozen," Richard Foster advises. "Start somewhere. Look for a situation you can help with and step in." That begins in small ways, right where you are.

When Saving Moses founder Sarah Bowling refers to Holy Spirit, she leaves out "the." It reminds us that the third person of the Trinity is indeed a person, the Helper sent by Jesus to dwell in us. She joins Nathan on the podcast to discuss the Charismatic stream and being led by the Spirit.

"Redeemed pain is more impressive than removed pain." Philip Yancey chats with Nathan Foster about the human body, the Body of Christ, what matters most, and the way Philip's life was forever changed by the years he spent with renowned physician Dr. Paul Brand.

Holiness is the power to be the kind of person the God wants us to be. Charismatic is the power to do the works of God. Richard Foster encourages us to not be afraid to wade into this often misunderstood and sometimes despised tradition of the Church.

"We were not made to run on our own. We were made to run and do our work on the power of God." In this classic talk, Dallas Willard recaptures the beauty and goodness of holiness, the power to do what needs to be done when it needs to be done.

"Responding well under fire, using power rightly, well-functioning, life-affirming." Those phrases usually aren't the first to come to mind for most who hear the word "holiness." In this interview, Richard Foster helps reclaim the word and remind us that a holy life is a beautiful thing. This interview continues a series on the six major Christian traditions outlined in Richard's book Streams of Living Water. To dig deeper, see the Renovaré webpage on The Six Streams and Richard Foster's book Streams of Living Water.

Inspired by the prayer chapter in The Divine Conspiracy, author and Renovaré Ministry Team member Emilie Griffin gives a talk on prayer at the 1999 Renovaré International Conference in Houston. It's followed by a special Q&A with Richard Foster and Dallas Willard.

"I will set the Lord always before me." These words from Psalm 16 are the crux of the Contemplative Tradition, or the Prayer-filled Life. Nathan Foster interviews his father Richard Foster, continuing a series on the six major Christian traditions, or streams, outlined in Richard's book Streams of Living Water.

Jon Bailey, Renovaré Board Chair and serial entrepreneur, knows technology can distract and harm. But his belief that it can also be used for good led him to co-create the Scripture listening app Dwell. Its thoughtful music was scored by Steinway artist and composer Chad Lawson, who also joins this episode. Renovaré listeners can learn more and get 33% off a Dwell membership at dwellapp.io/renovare. Listen to the music Chad composed for the app on Apple Music or Spotify.

For more, see the Renovaré webpage on The Six Streams and Richard Foster's book Streams of Living Water.

Despite the fact that evangelicals can be "know-it-alls who tend to start something new because others 'don't get it,'" author and president of Leadership Transformations Steve Macchia says there are still gifts to be rediscovered in the evangelical tradition.

To begin a series on the six major Christian traditions, or streams, outlined in the book Streams of Living Water, Nathan Foster talks with his father Richard Foster about one of the most misunderstood streams: Evangelical, or The Word-Centered Life.

The slaveholding mentality, which many American Christians assume is past, continues to distort the way we read Scripture and think about each other. With gentleness and humility, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove shares how we can find freedom in the way of Jesus.

Resurrection Sunday is just the beginning. The church calendar sets aside fifty days to celebrate the resurrection. Teacher, author, and Renovaré Ministry Team member Lacy Borgo shares the why and how of Eastertide.

"Advent and Lent are like little door jambs to crack open space in our hearts." In a tender conversation with Nathan Foster, singer/songwriter and Renovaré Director of Education Carolyn Arends shares her journey with the church calendar and remembers her mom who recently passed.

When Jesus finds Mary crying at his tomb, he doesn't try to cheer her up or change her. He simply asks, "Why are you weeping?" In this moving talk—interspersed with pauses and contemplative music for reflection—author and pastor Trevor Hudson helps us listen to our pain and find Christ in our tears.

Lent is the season when people give up things they enjoy. But is that even a good idea? What's the litmus test for observing Lent—or any spiritual practice, for that matter? Author, pastor, and Renovaré Institute instructor Trevor Hudson offers some liberating answers in this interview with Nathan Foster.

Most Christians practice spiritual disciplines long before they know what a spiritual discipline is. For Jean Nevills, spiritual director and Renovaré Ministry Team member, celebration was a normal part of her upbringing and is part of everyday life now. In this conversation with Nathan Foster, she makes celebration practical.

Written by an anonymous author in the 14th century, The Cloud of Unknowing serves as a guide to Christian contemplation. For guest James Catford, Renovaré board member and former British Bible Society Chief Executive, it's a "lifetime book." Nathan Foster draws out James's insights on the book.

A good translation of Philippians 4:4 is, "Celebrate in the Lord, always." But what does that mean in practical terms? Author and teacher Jan Johnson joins Nathan Foster again to discuss being glad with God in the present moment.

Is learning to discern God's voice a fundamental spiritual discipline? Evan Howard believes so and joins Nathan Foster to share how God leads us. Evan's Ph.D. is in the area of Christian Discernment, and he teaches at institutions including Fuller Theological Seminary.

"There's a difference between someone's words and someone's voice." Spiritual director and author Fil Anderson talks with Nathan Foster about learning to love and discern the sound of God's voice.

Dallas Willard once said, "If you don't come away for a while, you will come apart after a while." Ruth Haley Barton, author of Invitation to Retreat, joins Nathan to talk about the gift and necessity of retreat where we rest, unplug, and relinquish ourselves to God.

Losing someone close opens up new perspectives and a deep gratitude for that person's life. Songwriter, worship leader, and Renovaré Director of Communications Brian Morykon reflects on worship in the light of the loss of his mentor and friend Scott Baker.

Vices are bad habits we can rely upon to make our lives not work. So why do we do them? How do we get to the bottom of our sin-symptoms and allow The Master Physician to heal the root causes? Rebecca DeYoung, author of Glittering Vices and Vainglory, talks with Nathan Foster about ordering our loves. The Renovaré Bookclub is reading Glittering Vices together—learn more at renovare.org/bookclub.

Sometimes the voice, message, and volume of our secrets can dominate us. Enter confession, a spiritual practice that helps us receive forgiveness and healing. To explore this liberating spiritual discipline, Nathan Foster welcomes back Paul Patton, author, playwright, former pastor, and now artist in residence at Spring Arbor University.

"There's a lot of times people romanticize service work. It's not like that...It breaks my heart… it unravels me… People ask, 'do you have to always feel it?' I don't know how'd you'd love without feeling it." Sarah Bowling, founder of humanitarian organization Saving Moses, joins Nathan Foster again to talk about the spiritual discipline of service.

At a 2018 Renovaré Pastoral Leadership Conference, workshops were given on spiritual disciplines. Directed at pastors but applicable to all, James Catford, Renovaré board member and former British Bible Society Chief Executive, presented on the heart of service.

Nathan and Richard Foster bring us along for a hike on a Colorado trail as they have a heart to heart chat about solitude, silence, leadership, and special rocks.

Zane Creamer is a graduate of the Renovaré Institute and the Women's Ministries Director at Crossroads Church in Raleigh, NC. Nathan Foster chats with Zane—an extrovert—about how solitude transformed the way she spends time with God.

Listen in as Director of Education Carolyn Arends and President Chris Hall discuss how we choose Book Club books, why it's important to read substantive books that we might not agree with, and how to read empathetically.

"There's nothing I ever read or heard him say that he didn't live." Rebecca Willard Heatley carries on the work of her father Dallas Willard by compiling and editing his unpublished works. She joins Nathan Foster in this interview to talk candidly about life growing up as Dallas's daughter.

Simplicity is a matter first of the heart, so the external expression of it will look different for different people. For authors and professors Mark and Lisa McMinn, it looks like running Fern Creek, an organic farm in Oregon.

Damon Seacott can fit everything he owns into a car—but he's not a college student. Damon, a Quaker and former Chief of Staff at Spring Arbor University, simply prefers to make people more important than things. Nathan Foster talks with him about Simplicity.

Christian Simplicity is first a matter of the heart—practicing the presence of Jesus. Only then can external simplicity and frugality be truly life-giving. Nathan and Richard Foster explain why in this brief conversation.

Simplicity doesn't mean we don't have anything. It's viewing ourselves as stewards of what God has given us to provide for ourselves and share with others. Mimi Dixon joins Nathan Foster again to remind us that in God there is always enough.

Simplicity is a gentle call to tear back the clutter of life, relationships, possessions, and schedule—anything that keeps us from the abundant life God invites us into. Nathan Foster unpacks simplicity with Jan Johnson, author of Abundant Simplicity: Discovering the Unhurried Rhythms of Grace.

Spiritual director and author Fil Anderson and lawyer Justin Campbell talk with Nathan Foster about how to study for transformation instead of just information.

Renovaré President Chris Hall has spent his life studying the ancient Christians known as the desert fathers and mothers. From a recent Westmont University academic conference, Chris talks about the desert as a "learning space"—a place where the Spirit can put to death in us that which destroys our ability to love.

Author and Renovaré Institute instructor Trevor Hudson delivers a passionate message on Romans 8 at First Baptist Church in Vancouver, BC.

"It's a way to clean the engine... it hones... It's a rich adventure." That's how Sarah Bowling, founder of a global humanitarian organization called Saving Moses, talks about fasting in this interview with Nathan Foster.

Sometimes when you meet a person later in life it's hard to imagine them any other way. But like all of us, Dallas Willard had a formation. It's told in the new biography Becoming Dallas Willard. Nathan talks with Dallas' daughter Rebecca (Becky), and the book's author Gary Moon.

Fasting is a way to expand our capacity to enjoy God, to participate with God, to put ourselves in a place where his power can more freely flow through us for the sake of blessing others. Long-time pastor and Renovaré board member Mimi Dixon reframes fasting as feasting on God in this interview with Nathan Foster.

Soon the Renovaré Book Club begins Chris Hall's book Living Wisely With the Church Fathers. Nathan Foster talks with Chris who helps us apply the ancient wisdom of the church fathers to our modern lives. renovare.org/bookclub

"For those who like things difficult, we can make it complicated. But it's not intended to be. It's meant to be a living, loving relationship." That's one of the many special moments from this tender Q&A podcast on prayer with Nathan and Richard Foster.

There is no formula for prayer. "We're talking about a human-Divine relationship," says Lacy Borgo. Prayer may look like sitting with God "doing nothing," as Lacy shares, or fervently interceding for others as Renovaré Ministry Team member Gayle Withnell often does—or both and more.