Episode 938
The Power of Vulnerability in Spiritual Guidance
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.
A companion resource to the Voice of God Daily Podcast is the “ABC Bible Study Guide” available by clicking HERE.
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Takeaways:
- The concept of shared vulnerability in religious leadership promotes an environment of mutual understanding and compassion.
- Effective spiritual leadership is rooted in acknowledging personal struggles rather than portraying moral superiority.
- The dismantling of hierarchical structures allows for a more inclusive model of leadership within religious communities.
- Divine calling, rather than self-appointment, should define authentic spiritual leadership, challenging institutional authority.
- Leaders are encouraged to share their own journeys of struggle, fostering authentic connections with their communities.
- Creating spaces where marginalized voices are heard can lead to transformative leadership dynamics in faith communities.
Links referenced in this episode:
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- voiceofgoddaily.com
Transcript
Sacred Vulnerability Reimagining Religious Leadership A Study of Hebrews 5:1:6 on the Daily Bible refresh with Dr. Brad Miller hello good people.
Speaker A:Dr. Brad Miller here with a Daily Bible Refresh your daily walk into the New Testament of the Bible From a progressive perspective.
Speaker A:We like to make the Bible understandable.
Speaker A:We use the message version of Relatable.
Speaker A:We give you some points to ponder and applicable give you some action steps to follow.
Speaker A:It's all brought to you by our website voiceofgoddaily.com that's the home of the ABC1, 23 Bible study method.
Speaker A:We use Revised Comment Lectionary which is the selected reading for this very day.
Speaker A:We do it all in under 10 minutes or so and we have a prayer to boot.
Speaker A: lionaires a million people by: Speaker A:Here's our reading for the day from Hebrews 5:1:6 every high priest selected to represent men and women before God and offer sacrifices for their sins should be able to deal gently with their failings since he knows what it's like from his own experience.
Speaker A:But that also means that he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as other peoples.
Speaker A:No one elects himself to this honored position.
Speaker A:He's called to it by God as Aaron was.
Speaker A:Neither did Christ presume to set himself up as high priest, but was set apart by the one who said to him, you're my son, today I celebrate you in another place.
Speaker A:God declares you're a priest forever in the Royal Order of Melzedek.
Speaker A:Well friends, what we're talking about here is exploring this radical vision of religious leadership based on shared vulnerability rather than some sort of a hierarchical situation.
Speaker A:In this situation, the writer of Hebrews describes religious leadership in human terms, emphasizing the shared experience that we all have with a gentle understanding rather than power.
Speaker A:Some sort of Moral Superiority let's get into some points to ponder.
Speaker A:The first is the power of shared vulnerability.
Speaker A:The text suggests that effective spiritual leadership comes not from perfect moral behavior, but from acknowledging our own struggles and failings.
Speaker A:This challenges traditional models of religious authority based on moral superiority or unquestioned power.
Speaker A:How might vulnerable leadership create more authentic and healing communities?
Speaker A:A second point is about dismantling religious hierarchy.
Speaker A:The emphasis on leaders needing to offer sacrifices for their own sins dismantles the notion of spiritual elites.
Speaker A:This suggests a more horizontal model of community where leadership emerges from shared experience rather than top down authority.
Speaker A:How might this notion reshape our understanding of church leadership and decision making.
Speaker A:A third point is about divine call and institutional power.
Speaker A:The text emphasizes that true spiritual leadership comes from divine calling, not self promotion or institutional appointment.
Speaker A:This challenges both religious career ladders and institutional gatekeeping.
Speaker A:How do we distinguish between authentic spiritual leadership and institutional power grabbing in our communities?
Speaker A:Here's your reaction Step Practice Leadership Vulnerability if you're a person in leadership, share openly about your struggles and about your learning curve and your learning successes and failures or edges.
Speaker A:And if you're not in leadership, notice how whose voices are missing from leadership and work to create spaces where leadership can emerge from lived experience.
Speaker A:Maybe perhaps challenges some structures that concentrate power in the hands of a few and support leadership development among marginalized community members.
Speaker A:We're going to come back and have a prayer in just a minute.
Speaker A:Did want you to know that we have a resource just for you.
Speaker A:It's called the ABC 1, 2, 3 Bible Study Method.
Speaker A:We'd love for you to go to our website voiceofgoddaily.com and pick up that resource which is there just for you to help you do your daily Bible study.
Speaker A:That's it.
Speaker A:Voiceofgoddaily.com let's pray.
Speaker A:Oh God, you are divine disruptor of hierarchies.
Speaker A:When we confuse power with authority, remind us of the strength in vulnerable vulnerability.
Speaker A:When we build pedestals for leaders, show us the wisdom in shared humanity.
Speaker A:Help us create communities where leadership flows from experience, where power is shared, not hoarded, where weakness becomes strength, and where all voices can speak truth.
Speaker A:Make us brave enough to be real, humble enough to be wrong, and loving enough to grow together.
Speaker A:Amen.
Speaker A:Well my good friends, it's always great to be with you here on Daily Bible Refresh.
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Speaker A:Until tomorrow friends.
Speaker A:This is Dr. Brad Miller reminding you that God's loyal love doesn't run out.
Speaker A:His merciful love hasn't dried up.
Speaker A:It's created new every.
