The Kingdom Outpost

23/05/2024

This month's front cover of "The Diary" features a poem by Simon Yoder challenging us to consider if we are pursuing the "Power of Love" or the "Love of Power". What do you think about this comparison?

(The Kingdom Outpost is not sponsored by or affiliated with The Diary).

25/03/2024

1pm today! is hosting a conversation on Empire and Violence, particularly in relationships and Christian households. We look at the impact of Christian nationalism, even in the ways we relate to one another.

22/02/2024

Episode 86 of the podcast features .whittgillette87 talking about grief and loss. Let us know if you would like us to feature resources that can be helpful for people going through grief, especially countering unhelpful or condemning messages that they might receive from others.

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/86-married-and-widowed-in-4-months-with-special/id1565769981?i=1000623035429

Summary: Join us in this touching and candid discussion as Julia Gillette shares her deeply personal journey through grief and healing. In this heartwarming conversation with Michelle Bader Ebersole and Mark Massaro, Julia opens up about her early struggles with grief following the loss of her mother in 2012, and how it resurfaced in unexpected ways when she met Dylan.

Discover how Julia navigated the complexities of her emotions, finding solace in books, podcasts, and connecting with others who understood her pain. Witness her courageous decision to face grief head-on when tragedy struck again, this time losing Dylan, and how it changed her perspective on healing.

Through her heartfelt accounts, Julia sheds light on the challenges of identity and the disorientation she experienced, leading her to find herself amidst the chaos of loss. She also shares the difficulties of moving away, leaving behind cherished memories, and the process of rebuilding her life in a new place.

If you've ever struggled with grief or know someone who has, this conversation offers hope, understanding, and the realization that healing is possible. Join us on this inspiring journey of embracing grief, finding strength, and rediscovering the essence of self.

19/02/2024

Check out this podcast Rebekah enjoyed filming with on podcast.

"A fascinating discussion on parenting, discipleship, & the challenges of navigating the various teachings and beliefs that have permeated Christian communities for better or worse."

Link: https://livingroomdisciple.com/ -35de2d0596896a8a2524

17/02/2024

Darnell Rohrer wrote this prayer on Ash Wednesday and has been meditating on "recognizing the frailty of humanity, being faced with the daily realization of my own brokenness and neediness, and expressing my grief honestly; recognizing that religion without Christ is perhaps one of the more detrimental shortcomings experienced in the Body of Christ today." - "Sifting Through Ashes" blog (Link in Bio)

15/02/2024

Should Christians celebrate the "gospel" of Empire, especially when it is spread by means of sexual violence? A guest post about colonialism, lust, and ungospels of zempore on Dr. Beth Felker Jones's blog, "Church Blogmatics". Link in bio!

14/02/2024

Have you caught up with the latest season of the Fourth Way Podcast? The season summary is now available on the Kingdom Outpost website.

Last people, Derek Kreider and a whole casts of guests explored the propaganda of evil. How does propaganda groom us to accept violence? How does evil spread its lies? Topics included domestic violence, politics, and war.

Season 11 of the Fourth Way Podcast covers the violence of propaganda. Podcast host Derek Kreider introduces us to each episode and reflects on what he has learned from these in-depth conversations…

07/08/2023

Why do some Christians think that caring for our own physical, psychological, and emotional needs in the midst of serving others is indulgent or fleshly? Why do we sometimes believe that suffering and deprivation make for the best ministry, that martyrdom should characterize every aspect of our lives?

In this article, Rebekah looks at the concept of the "flesh", faulty beliefs about martyrdom, and "supernatural" expectations we put on ourselves to live an "impossible life". In response to women who are exhausted by the demand that we "die to self" on a daily basis, Christian authors shift the blame to selfishness, ungratefulness, or a lack time spent on spiritual disciplines.

Something is very wrong.

"When we make “tortured love” the gold standard, we set martyrdom and suffering up as the very best kind of service possible. This makes it so that those you love and serve will then feel that pressure to live up to that kind of gold standard too. They will internalize the way they see you treat your bodies, your needs, and your family, and they themselves will start to aim towards deprivation and neglect as a sign of true spiritual discipline and commitment."

"I think we need a new gold standard, the gold standard being that we should not idealize a state of being overworked, tortured, starving, and deprived as we love others. Others are not loved better the more we suffer. It is entirely possible to serve from a place of spiritual and emotional abundance, where we are thriving and nourished."

In this essay, I want to explore the question of Nourishment in relation to Service. The central question will be, “How should we care for ourselves, and how should we care for others? How are thes…

03/08/2023

Masculinity today is a subject of anxiety and confusion. Men are struggling with depression, loneliness, sexual addiction, and more. What identity and vision does the gospel of peace have to offer men? What can churches do to build belonging and community?

Today, Abram and Ray join us on the podcast to talk about masculinity. We discuss two books, "Non-toxic Masculinity" by Zachary Wagner and "The Men We Need" by Brant Hansen.

Learn more about Dirk Willems: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1Uw-E3tAHU

Catch this episode on:
YouTube @ https://youtu.be/MCwgMYmy1ws
Spotify @ https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kingdomoutpost/episodes/The-Crisis-of-Christian-Masculinity-feat--Abram-and-Ray-e27m9r

And wherever podcasts are found!

Masculinity today is a subject of anxiety and confusion. Men are struggling with depression, loneliness, sexual addiction, and more. What identity and vision...

26/07/2023

Content Warning: Sexual abuse and sexual violence

According to the Anabaptist focus on lived-out orthopraxy rather than creedal orthodoxy, what we *say** we believe, no matter how good it sounds, only stands up to its fruit. This is why, no matter how brilliant John Howard Yoder may have been, he cannot have articulated a viable political theology of nonviolence as a sexual abuser. This is a question that is vital to cover as a podcast essentially about Anabaptist/Kingdom political theology.

Today, we look at the difficult question of what happens when Anabaptist churches and communities abuse victims of abuse. Are we reading the Sermon on the Mount wrong? What does the story of Dirk Willems actually teach us, and does our understanding of suffering err towards harm? Do we fetishize martyrdom in order to validate the failure to challenge Empire and evil in an authentically Kingdom way?

(Essay) Anabaptism as a Predator’s Paradise: https://medium.com//anabaptism-as-a-predators-paradise-agency-surrender-and-abuse-d650a8a6d3d7

(Article) When Peace Theology is Violent by Dr. Susanna Griffiths https://anabaptistworld.org/when-peace-theology-is-violent/

(Books) Liberating the Politics of Jesus https://www.amazon.com/Liberating-Politics-Jesus-Renewing-Theology/dp/0567692787

Please contact Dr. Gerald Mast ([email protected]) for his journal article, “Recovering the True Evangelical Faith: How Menno Corrects the Anabaptist Vision”

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Content Warning: Sexual abuse and sexual violence According to the Anabaptist focus on lived-out orthopraxy rather than creedal orthodoxy, what we *say** we ...

08/07/2023

Launching "Gospel of Peace", a podcast for Kingdom women (and everyone else) about political theology and everyday faith. In Episode 1, Rebekah introduces herself as the host and discuss how the podcast will follow her PhD project, discussing literature and real-life stories about how the gospel of peace transforms us in a world full of violence, fundamentalism, abuse, nationalism, and more.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1cfllkJNjXvwusjWASM9uX

YouTube: https://youtu.be/GKC3kr7axFE

Rebekah introduces herself as the host and shares a little about her vision for the podcast as a space for women (and everyone else too!) to talk about polit...

15/06/2023

What does Amazon's new documentary about spiritual and sexual abuse in one movement teach us about the difference between legalism and holiness?

"Looks don’t tell us everything, especially in a Christian world where whitewashing has become an art form, with countless instruction books, seminars, and manuals teaching the way to look right..."

"The truth is that nothing replaces the process of healing. No amount of discipline can make a traumatized, broken, hurting, person smile hard enough that they become happy and whole."

"Gothard turned the Scriptures into a formula for success. Do this, and you’ll get that result. The more disciplined you are, the happier. The more obedient, the more protected. These are guaranteed principles. I saw people living by those principles who didn’t know how to accept the internal and spiritual crisis that came about when it all fell apart and the shiny, happy, façade fell away to reveal the sexual sin of beloved, idolized authority figures. They doubled down and tried to weather the reality that threatened the imaginary world upheld by “faith”, faith not in Jesus but in Gothard’s false promises and principles."

It was a quiet Sunday morning in our small, home-based congregation. Bible study proceeded as usual. Somewhere in the discussion, a leader brought up one of the many things our church had learned f…

26/05/2023

What is racism? How should Christians who believe in nonviolence and in the distinction between Jesus’s Kingdom and the world’s powers respond? How do we make sense of the polarized political debates on the subject, even as they spill over into our social lives, fracturing relationships in families and communities?

Drawing from scholarship on colonialism, Rebekah Mui outlines the history of racial imperialism and social Darwinism, highlighting historical links between racism, secularization, and "progress". This hits close to home on the subject of Christian nationalism and the problem of cultural religion rather than sincere faith.

If you're looking for a resource that covers the subject of racism from a Christ-centered, Biblical perspective, check this out!

What is racism? How should Christians who believe in nonviolence and in the distinction between Jesus’s Kingdom and the world’s powers respond? How do we make sense of the polarized pol…

20/05/2023

Why read this latest volume by Bare Marriage with Sheila Wray Gregoire? What can Kingdom Christian learn from this study of evangelical purity culture and modesty culture in relation to sexual violence in society at large?

"In many cultures, including in the West, victims are viewed as the ones to blame – “What were you wearing?”. In the United States, for example, 25 to 40% of adults have been shown to believe r**e myths (Elmore, et al. 2016) such as that a woman’s clothing was the cause of her assault and that the perpetrator was not to blame. A 13-year longitudinal study by Balm, et al. (2018) found that news reporting that echoes r**e myths is correlated with higher incidences of r**e and with a lack of police investigation in communities: this shows that a community’s beliefs play a huge role in enabling sexual violence. Sheila, Rebecca, and Joanna’s book takes on the incredible challenge of sexual safety in the world of r**e myths and devastating ignorance."

Trigger warning: Sexual assault and sexual violence Why This Book Matters  “She Deserves Better” by Sheila Wray Gregoire, Rebecca Gregoire Lindenbach, and Joanna Sawatsky asks a si…

14/04/2023

We often think of the good news of salvation and the teachings of Jesus as separate, but what if they were really intertwined? Jesus's call to "love one another", for example, speaks powerfully into a world where hurt people hurt people.

Emotional healing is an essential part of the gospel of peace, yet one we don't often think about. Today, Rebekah explores questions of grief, brokenness, and trauma in relation to the Gospel of Peace.

"Contending for the gospel of peace doesn’t just mean recognizing beauty as the ideal, but engaging in God’s mission to bring the world to beauty. It means dealing with the messiness, ugliness, and brokenness of humanity… starting with ourselves.."

"When Jesus calls us to radical love, He is not just giving us a command we can obey just like that, with the snap of one’s fingers. If we could, we would already be free. His word and example were actually an invitation, a call to let him do his work in us and heal us so that we can be set free from every obstacle that prevents us from loving and cripples the good that we want to do, that we were made to do. "

Each of us was made in God’s image. This means that each of us was beautifully created with a desire for relationship and the capacity to love as God loves. This was embedded in our make-up and des…

12/04/2023

Why do good? Why shouldn't we why lie, cheat, or manipulate our way into power if this accomplishes "good" in the end? How should our understanding of goodness align with that of our Creator?

Today, Derek Kreider from The Fourth Way shares some deeply insightful thoughts on a theology of good, or "Eudaimonism".

"A good God created a good world, so you’d expect that doing good would produce harmony – shalom. You should get better results from doing good: functioning relationships, health, everything. Of course Christians believe we now live in a fallen world, so telling the truth to a murderer at your door looking for your friend, or to your wife – who may soon become a murderer at your door looking for you if you tell her the truth – it may not always work out well in a fallen world. But truth is not only an integral component of God’s good world, it is a functional component as well. It produces better results."

*This article was adapted from an episode which is part of a larger series. You can find the full episode here.  Most would call me an idealist, but not in the nice way. I’m not the love…

08/04/2023

What is two kingdom theology and how does it inform our response to Christian nationalism? How should we be peace-makers without compromising with political power? How should we engage in global missions in the light of centuries of imperialism?

Today, we put ChatGPT 4.0, an AI program that draws from the internet database to create text, to the ultimate test with some challenging questions about Anabaptist theology. What do you think of the results? Do you think ChatGPT 4.0 is more or less Scripturally informed than the average Christian?

Chat GPT 4.0 is a little like a new “Wikipedia”, bringing together writing from across the internet to tailor responses to questions we might have. Instead of general Wikipedia pages on…

09/03/2023

(Content Warning) What defines the boundaries of "godly discipline"? What happens to a child when they associate love with pain?

Today, we share a story from a husband and father who was spanked as a child and who experienced sexual responses as a result. He considers the trauma that developed and the confusion from feelings of love mixed with pain.

"I am writing to share my story, my deeply painful story, and my secret experience of spanking as a young child. I’m writing for other little people like me who have a nervous system that cannot handle being hit by a caregiver and are confused and deeply ashamed by the experience.... Trauma loosely defined is anything that overwhelms our nervous system, causing us to be unable to process and getting stuck in our body. I believe that is what happened to me when I was spanked."

"The way of Jesus is one of turning the other cheek, of choosing love over power, of compassion and healing."

Editor’s Note: Here on the Kingdom Outpost, we welcome submissions from readers with testimonies and thoughts to share. These may represent a range of views – the editorial team has a range o…

03/03/2023

How do Kingdom women go about doing Kingdom work? Continuing the Kingdom Womanhood series, Rebekah draws from biblical and early church stories as well as real life examples of women around her. This week's essay focuses on ministry as simplicity, Sabbath, and sacred safety.

"The Kingdom Jesus brings us into is a place of sacred safety, and one way that we manifest our love for Him is by recognizing just how sacred this place of safety is. We must do all we can to protect one another, especially those who are considered the “least” among us, those who are vulnerable, and those in need of healing."

"When God opens our eyes, ears, heart, and hands to the work that He is doing, tapping into that work often is an extension of the life we are living, of the home we are already building."

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.John 14:2 We often think of the Kingdom of God as a nation.…

02/03/2023

I (Asher Witmer ) am thrilled to share with you all my conversation with one of my friends and mentors, Dwight Gingrich . He has been doing an in-depth study on divorce and remarriage.

So far he has looked at the historical Anabaptist perspective on the exception clause and some of Jesus’ teachings on divorce and remarriage. He plans to finish up Jesus’ teachings and move on to Paul next.

If you would like to follow and support Dwight’s work for yourself, visit his website at https://dwightgingrich.com

https://www.asherwitmer.com/jesus-divorce-remarriage/

I am thrilled to share my conversation with one of my friends and mentors, Dwight Gingrich. He has been doing an in-depth study on divorce and remarriage.

23/02/2023

Dr. Ryan Tafilowski is an expert in the rise of the N**i party in Germany 100 years ago and the German church’s response to the movement. It’s here where the concept of Christian nationalism became a divisive issue in the church.

Ryan and Preston Sprinkle talk about the similarities and dissimilarities between German Christian Nationalism and modern American Christian Nationalism. Ryan holds a PhD in systematic theology, a master’s in theology in history from the University of Edinburgh, and a bachelor’s degree in biblical studies from Colorado Christian University. Tafilowski has served as an adjunct professor in the Division of Christian Thought at Denver Seminary, adjunct professor of theology at Colorado Christian University, and postgraduate instructor in theology and ecclesiastical history at the University of Edinburgh. He serves as the lead pastor at Foothills Fellowship Church in Denver and as Theologian-in-Residence at the Denver Institute for Faith and Work.

Dr. Ryan Tafilowski is an expert in the rise of the N**i party in Germany 100 years ago and the German church’s response to the movement. It’s here where the concept of Christian nationalism became a divisive issue in the church. Ryan and I talk about the similarities and dissimilarities between...

21/02/2023

What is liturgy? Are written prayers a form of “vain repetition” or a tool to avoid that rut? An Anglican pastor joins Dru Lattin to discuss this and more, along with friend-of-the-pod Kimberly Witmer! That Jesus Podcast

Check out Dave's church: www.cotcboston.org

A great resource for the Daily Office on phone or computer: www.dailyoffice2019.com

Latest Patreon post: patreon.com/posts/outtakes-last-75969773

https://anchor.fm/thatjesuspodcast/episodes/104--Liturgy-and-the-Anglican-Tradition-ft--Dave-Friedrich-and-Kimberly-Witmer-e1saqnh

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20/02/2023

A breach of trust. Disaster. Trauma.

Today, Dr. John Waldron reflects on lessons we can learn from nosocomial infections and the life of the church. What happens when an organization that is supposed to help you, ends up hurting you?

"It is tempting to believe that a church’s mission is simply about outreach, growth, and ministry to the hurting people outside of the church, but there are many who sit in the pews every Sunday who need a little — or a lot — of TLC too... Probably the saddest thing is that those same churches, that should love and care for people in need, sometimes harm those very people they are charged with protecting."

“Look at that!”  I said. “Look at what?”  My wife asked, as we sped along the rural road. “You missed it,” I said.  “But someone ran into the fence around that body shop back there.&…

14/02/2023

Do abusers use propaganda? This episode of the Fourth Way Podcast features Rosanna and Judy and explores abuse and propaganda in the real world. They draw from their experiences in abuse advocacy with LifeRing Christian Ministries

A podcast focusing on issues related to nonviolence, and a member of the Kingdom Outpost.

11/02/2023

Does the Kingdom of God change the way we look at marriage? Yes, it does!

Entering into marriage and into the Kingdom of God warrants joyous celebration. Pastor Dru Lattin shared a beautiful sermon of welcome from the Beatitudes at the recent wedding of Aaron and Mandie Miller. Check out the link in our bio to listen to and/or read the sermon.

"‌This unconditional, nothing-held-back welcome that we call matrimony…well, it reminds me of the community that Jesus established when he came preaching that “the kingdom of heaven is among you.” In his ministry, he invited everyone - not just the spiritually rich, but the spiritually poor; not just the happy, but the mourning - he invited everyone to enter into his kingdom community, and do life together."

The last weekend of January 2023, marked a special day for two special people to the Kingdom Outpost: Along with Aaron and Mandie, we celebrated their union as husband and wife. Dru had the privile…

30/01/2023

You may have been wondering what has been happening at the Kingdom Outpost!

Last weekend, we were able to finally meet as a team at the wedding of two of our most dedicated team members, Aaron and Mandie Miller. They have tirelessly and faithfully invested in the Kingdom Outpost and through the time they have served, fallen in love and made a lifetime commitment to each other. We were privileged to share in their joy.

Congratulations to the happy couple, as they welcome each other into a new Kingdom-centered life. May you bless many more as you have blessed all of us.

09/12/2022

Does the Western World have an authentic "Christian" heritage? How does a Kingdom worldview respond to the "marginalization" of Christianity in the Western public sphere?

Building on recent discussions with Anabaptist Perspectives, our editor Rebekah continues the Kingdom Outpost Study Series with a look at Constantinianism, Christendom, and the concept of a "post-Christian" world.

Check out the podcast discussions here:

Part 1: How Empire and Colonialism Perverted Missions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB8GMZwWjRM&t=1127s

Part II: Relearning the Kingdom Through Humble Mission
https://youtu.be/riFZ8Dzvyfo

https://kingdomoutpost.org/anabaptism-and-empire-kingdom-outpost-study-series-2/

We are excited to share two videos from Anabaptist Perspectives on the subject of missions, imperialism, and colonialism involving Pastor Kai Steinman, Dr Marlin Sommers, and myself. Part 1: How Em…

27/10/2022

How should we approach Scriptures talking about government involvement and not resisting evil? Is there more to non-resistance than merely getting off the hook when there’s a draft? How can we have a consistent, well-defined worldview on these issues? Join Drew and Elijah as they continue their discussion on non-resistance and pacifism.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4b9fupBgQjgSwfWT8lQr48?si=E236-j9VQv-iBcZy5AAkZw

21/10/2022

What does it mean to be a woman in the Kingdom of God? What does it mean that we are "neither male nor female" but "one in Christ" on one hand, but also created women in the image of God on the other?

Jesus said of the woman who washed His feet, "She has done a beautiful thing". Today, Rebekah Mui explores the concept of beauty and goodness in light of the Kingdom of God and the work God prepares us to do. What is our place in the Kingdom, what is our inheritance and what is our calling?

"As Kingdom women, we are being transformed by God in order to do His good work. That is, we are being made beautiful in order to declare to the world the beautiful Kingdom, the glorious liberty of the children of God. We shine as light where there is darkness. Indeed, salvation is a journey whereby that beauty God put into us in Creation is realized, and all the harmful, ugly things we’ve accumulated and done are lovingly washed away. We are made new so that we can be a part of His mission.

Beauty is not decoration, something you put up to make a boring room cute. It is not prettiness. Beauty is declaration, transformation, redemption, glory."

“Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. (Mark 14:6) Coming to Jesus fundamentally changes our entire being and existence in this world. This…