The Great Commission just doesn't apply to us, right?

This episode includes an interview with Benedict Sheehan, the Director of Music at St. Tikhon's Seminary and the author of The Music Stand blog with Ancient Faith. He shares his thoughts on the state of our music and makes suggestions on how to improve it.

In this episode, Fr. Anthony talks with Fr. Theophan Mackey of St. Job of Pochaiv parish in Los Alamos, NM (stjobla.org). He's only been a priest for three years, but he really hit the ground running (glory to God!). In this "live" episode, he shares his experience serving God as a priest (and jack of all trades) in New Mexico. Enjoy the show!

Join Fr. Anthony as he talks with Fr. Gregory Jensen, PhD, to get some advice on the role of the priest/pastor in crazy times. It's a difficult conversation, but it's important for us to have trusted friends in our lives who will tell us things we don't want to hear. Fr. Gregory is wise, experienced, and courageous enough to say things that will satisfy precisely no one. Enjoy the show!

Listen to find out which of the many conspiracies is occupying space in Fr. Anthony's fool head. Without it, he argues that the other problems (e.g. injustice, riots, elections, presidential narcissism) would have been handled as normal rather than extra-ordinary problems. We should have seen it coming! From his YouTube Livestream of 1/16/2021.

Many clergy report an increase in people visiting our parishes. This wave is unique in Church history because these inquirers have primarily, perhaps even exclusively, learned about Orthodoxy on the internet. The growing number of internet evangelists can be a great blessing if that work leads people to immerse themselves in the life of an Orthodox parish. But we need to be ready and able to serve these inquirers well. Are we? In this episode, Steve Christoforou describes how a healthy parish can build upon the work internet evangelists have done while making up for the deficiencies of the on-line experience. As a veteran internet evangelist (e.g. through Be the Bee, We Are Orthodoxy, Pop Culture Coffee Hour) and the Director of Youth & Young Adult Ministries (Y2AM), Steven brings a wealth of insight to this critical and often misunderstood topic. In the episode, Steve shares the five needs of young people which are further explored in Y2AM’s online ministry training course, Effective Christian Ministry. Listers can use the code GGWB at checkout to register for 50% off. EffectiveChristianMinistry.org Enjoy the show!

Today Fr. Anthony waves the "Good Idea Wand" (a cursed artifact to be sure) to come up with solutions to the problem of maladjusted clergy. He then invites Fr. Gregory to evaluate them. The ideas they discuss are; psychological evaluations, mandatory reporting of credit scores and financial debt, annual performance evaluations, and peer reviews. In the end, they both agree that even though solutions like these may offer short-term benefits, the best solution is to facilitate the growth of genuinely Orthodox cultures and institutions. Enjoy the show!

Elissa explains how to help children who struggle with doubt about the existence of God.

Sometimes, the God we imagine is not at all who He really is. We need to let our children see faith that is alive and real—which reflects the True God who exists apart from our imaginations.

We tell them that God is Love, but do we go a step further and teach them what it means to actually love other people? Literally, how do we show love? I think we assume that people know that already, but maybe they don't—or maybe we could do better.

Fr. Michael shares from St. Isaac the Syrian, "How one speaks of spiritual things is perhaps more important than the very spiritual matters themselves."

Fr. Michael Gillis has us look at the world we find ourselves in. We are mentored by media that exploits and seduces us for its own profit, political leaders whom we know are lying, businesses that we know are cheating us and an educational system piloted by women, men and “others” who want to obliterate basic human nature. It seems we find ourselves, like young prophet Samuel, being raised in a corrupt and predatory culture. Yet nevertheless, like the prophet Samuel, we too can grow into very holy people, people who can learn to listen for God even as we are surrounded by innumerable sins and evil influences.

"How could God let his representatives get away with such things?"

Canceling Arrested Development was a huge mistake. Some might say that bringing it back for Season Four was an even huger mistake. Steve and Christian explore what makes certain shows land with an audience, why Arrested Development was before its time, and how we in the Church can avoid making the same huge mistakes as the producers of many TV Shows that were canceled too early (or not early enough) and were brought back for more. Of course, they end with another Top Five. Typical.

This week, the guys watch the Netflix original series "Stranger Things" and discuss friendship, transcendence, nostalgia, and our longing for eternity. They wrap up with their top 5 iconic '80s movies.

The guys discuss The National’s newest album, I Am Easy To Find. They touch on the complexity of being human, how longing touches on the most universal of human desires, and how hard it is to make peace with pain. They close with their Top 5 Sad Songs.

Are you keeping your eyes on Jesus when the stormy seas of life stir up the fear of death?

We have all had experiences in which we have learned uncomfortable truths about ourselves. When that happens, we have a choice about what to do next. It is possible to recognize a weakness or failing and then to do what we can to overcome it. Too often, however, we give up hope and fall into despair due to our hurt pride. That is precisely what the man in today’s gospel lesson did when Jesus Christ gave him a commandment that he lacked the strength to obey: “Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

In today’s gospel lesson, there were people so used to focusing on their daily routines and worldly responsibilities that they had lost the ability to recognize something new and joyful. One owned real estate, another had animals, and a third was married. Even though these are commonplace conditions, they used them to justify their refusal to accept the invitation to the great party. No one forced them to do so; instead, they excused themselves. As a result, the master commanded his servant to “Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and maimed and blind and lame.” Because there was still room, the master ordered him to go out even further to “the highways and hedges, and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.”

The Lord said, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” The only way to shine like a city on a hill or a lamp on a stand in a world darkened by sin is to live in a way that provides a beacon of hope for the fulfillment of the human person in God.

It is easy for people to fall prey to the passions of fear, worry, and anger in response to the great challenges that our nation and world face today, as well as to those we encounter in our families and in other areas of our lives. In such circumstances, we must not ignore the importance of one of the most basic virtues necessary for human flourishing, namely, gratitude.

The path to eternal life runs through our neighbors, especially those we are inclined to overlook, disregard, and even despise. How we treat the hungry and thirsty, the stranger and the naked, the sick and the prisoner reveals the true state of our souls. How we serve our suffering and inconvenient neighbors, whoever they are, is how we serve our Lord.

Let us become transfigured in holiness as we pray, fast, repent, and give generously to our neighbors as we become living icons of the Savior’s fulfillment of the human person in the likeness of God.

There is simply no way around the truth that how we relate to other people reveals whether we participate in the life our Lord. What we do and refuse to do for neighbors who need our time, attention, and generosity in any form, we do or refuse to do for Him.

Unlike the rich man, we must not walk away in sadness when our weakness before our passions becomes apparent, especially when we realize how far short we have fallen of the holiness to which Christ calls us.

We must devote ourselves to prayer, fasting, almsgiving, forgiveness, and other forms of repentance in the weeks ahead if we are to open the depths of our brokenness to the healing of our Lord’s humble, suffering love. That is the only way to become like the tax collector in spiritual clarity, for he was aware only of his sin and need for God’s mercy. We must know the true state of our corruption and weakness as he did, if we are to enter into the joy of the Lord’s resurrection.

There is simply no way around the truth that how we relate to other people reveals whether we are participating in the life of our Lord as we conform our character to His. What we do and refuse to do for neighbors who need our time, attention, and generosity in any form, we do or refuse to do for Him.

Like the men in today’s gospel reading, we all need the healing of the Lord for our eyes, our mouths, and every aspect of who we are.

If you are like me, there are times when you become worried or upset over matters of very little importance. It often does not take much to punch our buttons because we base our sense of self and wellbeing, as well as our hopes for the future, on illusions that cannot fulfill them. Due to our darkened spiritual vision, we do not see ourselves, our relationships with other people, or where we stand before the Lord very clearly. When the inevitable challenges of life cause us to catch even a small glimpse of these uncomfortable truths, we usually do not like it and can easily start to sink into the churning sea of our passions.

Fr. Josiah Trenham speaks about catechism at a clergy retreat for the Carolina Deanery of the Orthodox Church in America.

This week we tackle Rev 1:9-17, and seek to understand John’s initial vision of the LORD Jesus in the light of the OT passages that he echoes: Rev. 1:9-17; Exodus 20; Daniel 7:9-14; 10:16-19, and Ezekiel 43:2.

We read the fourth of the six Orthros psalms of penitence, Psalm 87 (LXX)/88 (MT), looking to Jesus as the “perfect Die-er” who brings light to the whole world, showing wonders even to the dead! This heavy psalm is understood through the similarly difficult passages of Luke 2:29-35, 2 Cor 5:21, Gal 3:13, John 12:20b-36, and Psalm 21(LXX) /22 (MT).

9. How the Monastery Came to Be on the Top of the Mountain by Alvin Alexsi Currier (Conciliar Press, 1999). Book 2: Basil's Search for Miracles part 7 (chapters 14-16 ) by Heather Zydek (Conciliar Press, 2007).

Fr. Ted explains why we celebrate saints on the days of their deaths.

Fr. Theodore Paraskevopoulos explains the Synodal System within the Orthodox Church.

Fr. Theodore Paraskevopoulos reflects on our materialistic culture and our call as Orthodox Christians to live within our means so that we can share with others and help those in need.

Illumined Heart host Kevin Allen speaks with the research director of the 2010 US Orthodox Christian Census, Alexei D. Krindatch, about the first definitive census of every Orthodox body in the U.S (including Eastern and Oriental), nationally and by state. Be prepared for some suprises!

Mother Melania, stavrophor (little schema) nun at St. Barbara Monastery, Santa Paula, California and author of the series, "The Twelve Great Feasts for Children", and the series, "The 3-Day Pascha" (for Great and Holy Friday, Great and Holy Saturday, and Pascha) discusses purity (and impurity) of heart and overcoming the passions.

Fr. Jim Kordaris, Director of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Department of Outreach and Evangelism, speaks candidly about how the GOA understands “Orthodox evangelism” in America, whether it is committed to growth outside of its ethnic heritage, the role of "Hellenism" in the GOA's evangelistic strategy, and whether he sees the GOA playing a vital role in bringing Orthodoxy to America.

In this edition Kevin tackles the tricky question of which Christian tradition can authentically claim "apostolic succession," with historian, theologian, author, and Dean of St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, Fr John Behr.

In the next 4 episodes, Andrew gets very practical on ways to find our way out of addiction. Part 1 asks "How Do We Live?" Read a transcript HERE.

This is hour two of the Andrew Tallman Show that Steve and Bill hosted during Andrew's Christmas vacation.

Steve and Bill are once again invited to guest host the Andrew Tallman Show on KPXQ, a live Phoenix drive time Christian talk show. We decide to boldly go where no Evangelical talk show host has gone before. We discuss the topic of sola scriptura and during the program get a call from a suprise guest.

Fr. Harry Pappas, priest at Archangel Orthodox Church in Stanford, Connecticut, and an adjunct professor at St. Vladimir's, leads the seminary's second annual Public Lenten Retreat. Titled "Back to Basics: Old Testament and Life," his presentation is divided into three parts, the first of which, "How Life Begins," can be heard here.

Fr. Harry Pappas, priest at Archangel Orthodox Church in Stanford, Connecticut, and an adjunct professor at St. Vladimir's, leads the seminary's second annual Public Lenten Retreat. Titled "Back to Basics: Old Testament and Life," his presentation is divided into three parts, the second of which, "How Life Works," can be heard here.

Fr. Harry Pappas, priest at Archangel Orthodox Church in Stanford, Connecticut, and an adjunct professor at St. Vladimir's, leads the seminary's second annual Public Lenten Retreat. Titled "Back to Basics: Old Testament and Life," his presentation is divided into three parts, the third of which, "How New Life Appears," can be heard here.

Dn. Michael Hyatt begins a new series in his class going through the book by Dr. Peter Bouteneff entitled How to Be a Sinner. Discovering ourselves as sinners is a first step.

To see ourselves as God sees us is real truth and part of that is to see ourselves as sinners when revealed by the divine light. Dn. Michael Hyatt is teaching through How to Be a Sinner by Dr. Peter Bouteneff.

Before communion we declare that we are the chief of sinners. But is that true? If so, how are we to interpret that claim? Dn. Michael Hyatt continues going through the book How to be a Sinner by Dr. Peter Bouteneff.

Dn. Michael Hyatt continues going through the book How to Be a Sinner by Dr. Peter Bouteneff. In this lesson, he speaks about the importance of self-awareness.