Family Persecution Because of Christ

Christ appeared to many people after the Resurrection, but only to his followers. Why didn't he appear to those who crucified him - to Pilate, Caiaphas, and the Sanhedrin? Wouldn't that be logical? Non-Orthodox sometimes say "God raised Jesus," but Orthodox never do. Why not? 

What are the parameters of an Orthodox Christian funeral? What is allowed, what is disallowed, and why? Should Orthodox parishes create burial societies? What is the purpose and benefit of that ministry? Fr. John Reimann will join us to discuss this! 

"Tollhouses," the belief that after death a soul is subject to a series of questions or examinations about its life, is an area of disagreement in Orthodoxy. Where does the idea come from? Is it a firmly settled teaching expected of all Orthodox? Fr. Costas will join us! 

Friends, I always love preaching on the Feast of the Holy Family because I think the biblical message here is very surprising. We say the Bible is associated with family values, and indeed it is, but they're probably not the ones we would automatically think of. We see this in th ... Show More

Part 87 of the David Pawson 'Unlocking the Bible' Podcast series David Pawson says that 1 Peter is relevant wherever Christians are fearful of persecution. Peter tells believers how to endure for Jesus. So we need this letter today. It is warm and encouraging. Peter had known wha ... Show More

Homily from the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph The Holy Family was holy, but not without struggles. Jesus entered into this broken world by entering into the reality that all of us have experienced: family life. He did not insulate Himself from the harsh real ... Show More

The story of the Bible is that God is a good, loving, and providing Father. Christians are a family, which is why the Bible refers to us as “brothers” and “sisters”. The Kingdom is the Father’s culture. Heaven is the Father’s House. Sin is wandering and running from the Father so ... Show More

Friends, why was the story of Jesus with the little children, versions of which appear in the three synoptic Gospels, so vividly remembered by the first Christians? I think they intuited that it got very close to the heart of Jesus’ teaching. The way Mark sets up his account of t ... Show More

In today's verse, Jesus tells Peter that although Satan has requested to sift him like wheat, Jesus has prayed for Peter's faith not to fail. He instructs Peter to strengthen his brothers after he has turned back to Him. This verse highlights Jesus' concern for Peter's spiritual ... Show More

John 15:18-27Before ascending to Heaven, Jesus prepared His disciples for the reality of following Him. He never promised an easy road—instead, He warned of persecution and hardship. As believers, we are in this world but not of it, called to live differently from those who don’t ... Show More

Friends, on this Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, our Gospel from the sixth chapter of Mark is Jesus sending the Twelve out on mission. These are the very earliest moments of the Church—in a way, the “pre-Church”—so it’s important for us to pay attention to what the Lord tells ... Show More

Friends, we have the great privilege this week of reading, in our Gospel, Luke’s account of the Lord’s Prayer. This is a very sacred moment: Jesus himself—not just a spiritual guru or someone we admire, but the very Son of God—teaches us how to pray. And we become so familiar wit ... Show More