Reality San Francisco

In this episode, through the lens of two real-life stories, we highlight the important practice of forgiveness that we are called to as Christ-followers.

David McKinney follows up on Sunday's teaching, "Jesus & the Garden," with some practical applications on creating your own garden and finding intimacy with Jesus.

Tobi Grunick teaches from Luke 21:37 on Jesus’ intentional rhythm of spending time in the Garden of Gethsemane and the invitation for us to have environments for deeper rest and connection. At the end of this teaching, Tobi reads a prayer by Dietrich Bonhoeffer in German; find the English version below: “O God, early in the morning I cry to you. Help me to pray and to concentrate my thoughts on you; I can’t do this alone. In me there’s darkness, But with you there’s light; I’m lonely, but you don’t leave me; I’m feeble in heart, but with you there’s help; I’m restless, but with you there’s peace. In me there’s bitterness, but with you there’s patience; I don’t understand your ways, but you know the way for me. O Heavenly Father, I praise and thank you for rest in the night; I praise and thank you for this new day; I praise and thank you for all your goodness and faithfulness throughout my life. You have granted me many blessings; Now let me also accept what’s hard from your hand. You will lay on me no more than I can bear. You make all things work together for good for your children. Lord Jesus Christ, You were poor and in distress, a captive and forsaken as I am. You know all man’s troubles; You abide with me when all men fail me; You remember and seek me; It’s your will that I should know you and turn to you. Lord, I hear your call and follow; help me. O Holy Spirit, give me faith that will protect me. From despair, from passions, and from vice; Give me such love for God and men as will blot out all hatred and bitterness; Give me the hope that will deliver me from fear and faint-heartedness.  Teach me to see Jesus and to do his will. Amen.” - Dietrich Bonhoeffer Teaching slides available at https://bit.ly/2CQJGiw Video version of this teaching at https://vimeo.com/450283990 This teaching is part of our series "Strangely Dim." As the old hymn goes, we “turn our eyes upon Jesus” and “look full in His wonderful face.” And in doing so, we hope to become less overwhelmed by all the brokenness around us and more energized to carry out Christ’s work of renewal in the world.

Jessica Gracewski reflects on the virtue of love, and Dave Lomas has a conversation with Preston Sprinkle on loving our enemies. Preston is a Biblical scholar, professor, speaker, and bestselling author of books such as "Fight: A Christian Case for Non-Violence." Praying for our Enemies, from the "Book of Common Prayer:" O God, the Father of all, whose Son commanded us to love our enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth; deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Dave Lomas checks in and reflects a little bit more on Sunday’s teaching about suffering as a pathway of our discipleship to Jesus.

Dave Lomas teaches from Mark 8:27-37 on the differences between the Jesus of our own making and the real Jesus who calls us into radical discipleship. Teaching slides available at https://bit.ly/3atiFyd Video version available at https://vimeo.com/448367165 This teaching is part of our series "Strangely Dim." As the old hymn goes, we “turn our eyes upon Jesus” and “look full in His wonderful face.” And in doing so, we hope to become less overwhelmed by all the brokenness around us and more energized to carry out Christ’s work of renewal in the world.

Dave Lomas and Matt Barrios have a conversation on the history of virtue.

Dave Lomas interviews a member of our community, Hooman Khalili, on his experience over the last several months.

Dave Lomas teaches from Mark 8:22-26 on our common experience of spiritual blindness and how we can seek healing from Jesus. Teaching slides available at https://bit.ly/2XA97Mz Video version available at https://vimeo.com/445731258 This teaching is part of our series "Strangely Dim." As the old hymn goes, we “turn our eyes upon Jesus” and “look full in His wonderful face.” And in doing so, we hope to become less overwhelmed by all the brokenness around us and more energized to carry out Christ’s work of renewal in the world.

Dave Lomas begins a new series on virtues; what they are, why they're vital to live well in our contested world, and how to begin to develop them.