Episode 788
Creating Spaces for Faith: Adaptive Leadership in Community | 788
This episode of Daily Bible Refresh invites listeners to explore the theme of moving beyond mere belief to an embodied faith within a community, as illustrated in Acts 19:1-10. Dr. Brad Miller emphasizes the importance of integrating both mind and heart in our spiritual journey, challenging us to reflect on whether our faith is merely intellectual or fully encompassing. The discussion highlights the evolution of faith, encouraging listeners to embrace transformative experiences and deeper understanding rather than clinging to static beliefs. Additionally, Dr. Miller addresses the concept of adaptive leadership, illustrating how to respond to resistance not through confrontation but by creating new spaces for learning and dialogue. The episode concludes with a practical action step, urging listeners to share their spiritual journeys and document moments of growth, fostering a supportive community for exploration and transformation.
The "Daily Bible Refresh" is presented each day by Rev. Dr. Brad Miller who has a goal of speaking a bit of the bible into two million ears (one million people) in three years (2025-2028).
He is the author of "The A, B, C-1,2,3 Bible Study Guide" Free to you by clicking HERE.
Brad served as a local church pastor for forty years and has a background in radio and podcasting. Moreover, he is a life-long student of The Bible.
He believes in the words of Jesus that “scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21)
The "Daily Bible Refresh" is available seven days a week by 6:00 am ET. The episodes are no longer than ten minutes long and are...
- Understandable: A reading from the New Testament (usually the Gospel) selected from the Revised Common Lectionary using "The Message" translation.
- Relatable: You will have a couple of "points to ponder" from the text which will relate to your life
- Applicable: Every episode includes a way you can take action based on the reading
- A recommended resource to help you go deeper in biblical study and spiritual direction.
- A prayer for your day.
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Remember… “All scripture is God-breathed and useful”(2 Timothy 3:16)
Navigating the complexities of faith, Dr. Brad Miller presents a compelling episode that emphasizes the importance of an embodied spirituality. Drawing from the scripture in Acts 19:1-10, he recounts Paul’s interaction with disciples who were unfamiliar with the Holy Spirit. This encounter serves as a springboard for a broader discussion about the nature of belief and the necessity of integrating faith into our daily lives. Miller poses thought-provoking questions: Are we merely intellectual believers, or do we allow our faith to resonate within our hearts and bodies? By urging listeners to consider the full spectrum of their spiritual experience, he highlights the richness of a faith that extends beyond cognitive understanding.
The episode further delves into the theme of spiritual evolution, illustrating how believers often transition from one understanding of faith to a deeper, more transformative experience. Miller points out that such growth may require leaving behind previous beliefs, a process that is essential yet often challenging. He advocates for a progressive approach to spirituality that embraces change and transformation, recognizing that spiritual journeys are not linear but filled with moments of insight and development. This message encourages listeners to reflect on their own paths and the ways in which they have grown and adapted over time.
Finally, Dr. Miller discusses the concept of adaptive leadership in the context of community resistance. He uses Paul’s response to opposition as a case study, illustrating how creating new spaces for dialogue can foster growth rather than entrenchment. This strategic shift in approach is vital for progressive communities facing challenges. As a takeaway, Miller invites listeners to engage in creating an evolution map—a personal documentation of their spiritual journey that encourages dialogue and sharing within their communities. This episode serves not only as a reflection on personal faith but as a call to action for building supportive environments where faith can flourish.
Takeaways:
- The importance of embodying faith beyond intellectual belief, integrating heart and mind in spirituality.
- Spiritual evolution involves transitioning from previous beliefs to a deeper understanding of faith.
- Adaptive leadership is essential in faith communities, allowing for growth amidst resistance.
- Creating spaces for dialogue and learning can support spiritual journeys and transformation.
- Documenting moments of transformation in your spiritual journey can provide insight and growth.
- Embracing change in beliefs can lead to richer, more authentic expressions of faith.
Links referenced in this episode:
Transcript
Foreign hello good people.
Dr. Brad Miller:Welcome to Daily Bible Refresh with Dr.
Dr. Brad Miller:Brad Miller.
Dr. Brad Miller:It's always a joy to be with you as we bring you a daily reading of the Scriptures which is brought to you in a new and fresh way.
Dr. Brad Miller:In as much as we take the assigned Scripture for this very day using the Revised Common Lectionary, we're in year C in the Epiphany season and we bring it to you in an understandable way in as much as we read from the New Testament and from the message translation of the Bible relatable and as much as we offer you a couple of points to ponder, to think about teaching points and applicable and we give you an action step to take, we do so and we also offer a prayer and we do so in under 10 minutes.
Dr. Brad Miller:It's all brought to you by by Voice of God daily.
Dr. Brad Miller:Here's our reading for Today from Acts 19:1 10 Reading from the Message now it happened that while Apollos was away in Corinth, Paul made his way down through the mountains, came to Ephesus and happened on some disciples there.
Dr. Brad Miller:The first thing he said was, did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?
Dr. Brad Miller:Did you take God into your mind only, or did you also embrace him with your heart?
Dr. Brad Miller:Did he get inside you?
Dr. Brad Miller:We never heard of that.
Dr. Brad Miller:A Holy Spirit, God within us.
Dr. Brad Miller:Well, how were you baptized then?
Dr. Brad Miller:Asked Paul.
Dr. Brad Miller:In John's baptism.
Dr. Brad Miller:That explains it, said Paul.
Dr. Brad Miller:John preached a baptism of radical life change so that people would be ready to receive the one coming after him who turned out to be Jesus.
Dr. Brad Miller:If you've been baptized in John's baptism, you're ready now for the real thing, for Jesus.
Dr. Brad Miller:And they were.
Dr. Brad Miller:As soon as they heard of it, they were baptized in the name of the Master Jesus.
Dr. Brad Miller:Paul put his hands on their heads and the Holy Spirit entered them.
Dr. Brad Miller:And from that moment on they were praising God in tongues and talking about God's actions.
Dr. Brad Miller:And altogether there were about 12 people there that day.
Dr. Brad Miller:Paul they went straight to the to the meeting place.
Dr. Brad Miller:And he had the run of the place for three months, doing his best to make the things of the Kingdom of God real and convincing to them.
Dr. Brad Miller:But then resistance began to form as some of them began spreading evil rumors through the congregation about the Christian way of life.
Dr. Brad Miller:So Paul left, taking the disciples with him and set up shop in the school of Taranis, holding class there daily.
Dr. Brad Miller:He did this for two years, giving everyone in the province of Asia, Jews as well as Greeks, ample opportunity to to hear the message of the Master.
Dr. Brad Miller:Well, in this, in this passage of scripture here.
Dr. Brad Miller:My my good my friends.
Dr. Brad Miller:It's about going beyond belief to an embodied faith that in an adaptive community and how there's transitions and models and different ways of leadership that all happen in a community.
Dr. Brad Miller:Here's a few points to ponder.
Dr. Brad Miller:Few points to ponder One is about embodied spirituality.
Dr. Brad Miller:Paul's question is did you take God into your mind only or did you embrace him with your heart?
Dr. Brad Miller:That is a good challenge for us.
Dr. Brad Miller:Is our faith a purely intellectual faith?
Dr. Brad Miller:Progressive Christianity recognizes that authentic spirituality must engage our whole selves, body, emotions and lived experience is not just a mental exercise.
Dr. Brad Miller:There's also the evolution of faith.
Dr. Brad Miller:This text shows people moving from one understanding John's baptism to another Jesus way.
Dr. Brad Miller:This affirms that spiritual growth often involves leaving behind former beliefs for a deeper understanding.
Dr. Brad Miller:Progressive faith celebrates this evolution rather than demanding static belief.
Dr. Brad Miller:One more point to ponder.
Dr. Brad Miller:It's about adaptive leadership when faith with when faced with resistance, Paul doesn't fight about it, but adapts.
Dr. Brad Miller:He moves to a new space for learning and dialogue.
Dr. Brad Miller:And this models how sometimes progressive communities can respond to opposition not through defensive entrenchment, but by creating alternative spaces for growth and learning.
Dr. Brad Miller:Here's an action step for you.
Dr. Brad Miller:Create an evolution map that is to gather with others to share your spiritual journey and hear their spiritual journey and focus on moments of transformation and growth.
Dr. Brad Miller:Document ways that you've outgrown or grown the new ways, your understandings or how you may have embraced new spaces or supported or places to support your growth and how maybe you have created new learning spaces or create a new learning space, both physical or virtual, where you can explore your faith together.
Dr. Brad Miller:Well, the closing prayer in just a second here.
Dr. Brad Miller:But just a reminder, we have a resource just for you.
Dr. Brad Miller:It's called the ABC 123 Bible Study Guide.
Dr. Brad Miller:It makes Bible study as easy as ABC 1, 2, 3.
Dr. Brad Miller:You can find it at our show notes@voiceofgod daily.com that's also where you will find the entire back catalog of the Daily Bible refresh over 700 episodes and all the transcripts as well.
Dr. Brad Miller:Let's pray.
Dr. Brad Miller:Oh divine God, help us embrace faith that lives in our bodies as well as our minds.
Dr. Brad Miller:Give us courage to leave behind beliefs that no longer serve love and justice.
Dr. Brad Miller:We face opposition to growth.
Dr. Brad Miller:Show us how to create new spaces for learning and transformation.
Dr. Brad Miller:Thank you for our fellow travelers who support our evolution for questions that lead to deeper truth and for your presence that remains even as our understanding changes.
Dr. Brad Miller:May we be gentle with ourselves and others in times of transition.
Dr. Brad Miller:It's always a joy to be with you.
Dr. Brad Miller:Here on Daily Bible Refresh.
Dr. Brad Miller:We come to you every morning.
Dr. Brad Miller:Usually before 6am Our episodes drop.
Dr. Brad Miller:Hope that you'll join me again.
Dr. Brad Miller:Next time, invite a friend to join us.
Dr. Brad Miller:Until then, My name is Dr.
Dr. Brad Miller:Brad Miller.
Dr. Brad Miller:I'll be with you tomorrow.
Dr. Brad Miller:Remember that God's loyal love doesn't run out.
Dr. Brad Miller:His merciful love hasn't dried up.
Dr. Brad Miller:It's created new every morning.
