Episode 787
When God Says Yes: Embracing Outsiders in Faith | 787
This episode of Daily Bible Refresh focuses on the theme of breaking religious barriers and the spirit of radical inclusion within the early church. Dr. Brad Miller discusses a reading from Acts 10, highlighting how the Holy Spirit's unexpected intervention challenges traditional notions of religious exclusivity. The episode emphasizes the importance of examining and dismantling unnecessary barriers within faith communities, urging listeners to conduct a "barriers audit" to promote inclusivity. Dr. Miller also reflects on the significance of recognizing spiritual authority among marginalized groups and the diverse expressions of genuine spiritual experiences across cultures. Through prayer and practical action steps, this episode encourages a more welcoming and inclusive approach to faith.
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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The discourse in this episode revolves around the radical inclusion advocated by the Christian faith, anchored by the reading from Acts 10:44-48, where the Holy Spirit is bestowed upon Gentiles without prior approval from Jewish believers. Dr. Brad Miller illustrates how this transformative moment not only expanded the understanding of God’s grace but also posed a significant challenge to existing religious paradigms. The astonishment of Peter’s Jewish companions at the inclusion of non-Jews reflects the broader struggle within faith traditions to embrace diversity and mitigate exclusionary practices.
Dr. Miller presents several critical reflections, such as the urgency to disrupt the religious gatekeeping that often marginalizes groups within faith communities. He emphasizes that the Holy Spirit’s movement transcends human constructs of belonging, urging contemporary churches to examine their own practices and identify unnecessary barriers to participation. By advocating for a barriers audit, he encourages faith leaders to actively engage diverse voices in pinpointing elements that contribute to the feeling of exclusion among community members. This proactive approach is intended to cultivate an environment of acceptance and understanding, aligning with the radical welcome embodied by the early church.
The episode also invites listeners to consider the implications of 'decolonizing faith,' as Dr. Miller discusses how dominant religious groups frequently grapple with the emergence of marginalized communities asserting their spiritual authority. This dialogue is particularly relevant in today's context, as progressive Christianity seeks to challenge historical supremacy and embrace a more equitable faith practice. The episode concludes with a heartfelt prayer for forgiveness and guidance, reinforcing the call to create inclusive spaces where all individuals can experience the fullness of God's love, thereby underlining the core message of compassion, humility, and radical inclusivity.
Takeaways:
- The podcast emphasizes radical inclusion and the importance of breaking religious barriers.
- Peter's experience with the Holy Spirit challenges assumptions about who belongs in God's community.
- The episode encourages listeners to conduct a barriers audit in their faith communities.
- Genuine spiritual experiences can vary across cultures, transcending doctrinal conformity and norms.
- The Holy Spirit's movements often precede institutional acceptance, highlighting divine inclusion's urgency.
- Listeners are invited to create action plans to address barriers within their communities.
Links referenced in this episode:
Transcript
Foreign hello hello hello hello hello hello good people.
Dr. Brad Miller:Dr.
Dr. Brad Miller:Brad Miller here with your daily Bible refresh.
Dr. Brad Miller:This is the opportunity we have to come together to read the Bible together.
Dr. Brad Miller:Glad that you join me here today.
Dr. Brad Miller:We do this by reading from the daily passage selected for this very day.
Dr. Brad Miller:We're in the Revised.
Dr. Brad Miller:We use a revised Common Lectionary to do that.
Dr. Brad Miller:We're in Year C, the epiphany season and we like to make the Bible both understandable by reading a New Testament lesson only from the message translation of the Bible relatable by offering you a couple of points to ponder, to think about and applicable to give you an action step.
Dr. Brad Miller:And we have a prayer and we do all that under 10 minutes.
Dr. Brad Miller: r reading for today from Acts: Dr. Brad Miller:The believing Jews who had come with Peter couldn't believe it.
Dr. Brad Miller:They couldn't believe that the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out on a outsider, non Jews.
Dr. Brad Miller:But there it was.
Dr. Brad Miller:They heard them speaking in tongues, heard them praising God.
Dr. Brad Miller:Then Peter said, do I hear any objections to baptizing these friends with water?
Dr. Brad Miller:They've received the Holy Spirit exactly as we did.
Dr. Brad Miller:Hearing no objections, he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.
Dr. Brad Miller:Then they asked Peter to stay on for a few days.
Dr. Brad Miller:A short reading today, really, about breaking religious barriers.
Dr. Brad Miller:And there's a spirit here of radical inclusion, about how the early church confronts assumptions about who belongs in God's community.
Dr. Brad Miller:Here's a few points to ponder.
Dr. Brad Miller:This is about disrupting religious gatekeeping.
Dr. Brad Miller:The Holy Spirit's dramatic intervention challenges religious exclusivity.
Dr. Brad Miller:The Spirit moves before the religious authorities can give permission, showing that divine inclusion often precedes institutional acceptance.
Dr. Brad Miller:And this challenges the contemporary church to examine where we are creating unnecessary barriers to full participation.
Dr. Brad Miller:There's also what we might call decolonizing faith.
Dr. Brad Miller:Peter's Jewish companions were shocked by God's inclusion of outsiders.
Dr. Brad Miller:That's Gentiles.
Dr. Brad Miller:This mirrors how dominant religious groups often struggle when marginalized communities claim their own spiritual authority.
Dr. Brad Miller:Progressive Christianity actively works to decolonize faith practices and challenge religious supremacy.
Dr. Brad Miller:One more point.
Dr. Brad Miller:There's the evidence of the Spirit.
Dr. Brad Miller:The evidence of the Spirit isn't doctrinal conformity, but authentic praise and joy.
Dr. Brad Miller:This suggests that genuine spiritual experience may look different across cultures and contexts.
Dr. Brad Miller:We must question any standard of legitimate spiritually based on a dominant cultural Normans.
Dr. Brad Miller:Here's your action step for for today.
Dr. Brad Miller:Conduct a barriers audit in your faith community.
Dr. Brad Miller:That is gather diverse people to identify formal and informal barriers to full participation.
Dr. Brad Miller:Consider the questions about who feels unwelcome, whose spiritual expressions are questions, what unstated cultural norms create exclusion.
Dr. Brad Miller:Create an action plan to address at least one of those barriers and be a pro in the process lead to inclusion.
Dr. Brad Miller:Let's we'll pray in just a second here but just a reminder that we have a great resource for you.
Dr. Brad Miller:It's really simple, but it's straightforward.
Dr. Brad Miller:It's called the ABC 123 Bible Study Guide.
Dr. Brad Miller:We created it just for you.
Dr. Brad Miller:You can go to our notes which you can find our our episode notes which you can find@voiceofgod daily.com that's where you can find the ABC 1, 2, 3 Bible Study Guide as well was the back catalog over 700 episodes of the Daily Bible Refresh.
Dr. Brad Miller:It's all there for you.
Dr. Brad Miller:Also with the transcripts.
Dr. Brad Miller:Let's pray Dear God, in the spirit of radical welcome, forgive us when we try to control who belongs in our community.
Dr. Brad Miller:Break down the walls we've built around your free flowing grace.
Dr. Brad Miller:Help us to recognize your presence in unexpected people and places even when it challenges our comfort.
Dr. Brad Miller:Give us courage to examine our biases, wisdom to change our practices, and humility to follow your lead in creating truly inclusive community.
Dr. Brad Miller:May we be as generous with welcome as you are with love.
Dr. Brad Miller:Amen.
Dr. Brad Miller:Well indeed, it's always a pleasure and a privilege to be with you here on the Daily Bible Refresh.
Dr. Brad Miller:We're brought to you by Voice of God Daily.
Dr. Brad Miller:That's where you can find out all about us.
Dr. Brad Miller:That's voiceofgoddaily.com the website we usually come to you every morning before 6am Eastern time with a daily expression of the reading of the Scriptures that we make it understandable, relatable, applicable to your life.
Dr. Brad Miller:Until next time, My name is Dr.
Dr. Brad Miller:Brad Miller.
Dr. Brad Miller:I'll be with you tomorrow.
Dr. Brad Miller:Until then, remember that God's loyal love doesn't run out.
Dr. Brad Miller:His merciful love doesn't dry up, is created new every morning.
