ser Are We Ready for Jesus to Visit? (Sermon Jan. 22, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-02-13T20:11:13+00:00 On this Sunday of Zacchaeus, Fr. Andrew connects the entrance of Christ into Zacchaeus's house with His visitation in the tradition of home blessings. Full Article
ser Loving God When It Makes No Sense (Sermon Jan. 29, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-02-13T20:12:13+00:00 Fr. Andrew uses the example of the persistence of the Canaanite Woman to show what humility and love for God look like. Full Article
ser Lent and Priesthood #1: The Priesthood of Humility (Sermon Feb. 5, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-03-02T03:58:15+00:00 With this first Sunday of the Triodion, Fr. Andrew begins a 10-week sermon series on the priesthood, focusing this Sunday on what is taught by the parable of the Publican and Pharisee. Full Article
ser Lent and Priesthood #2: The Priesthood of Return (Sermon Feb. 12, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-03-02T03:59:36+00:00 Using the parable of the Prodigal Son, Fr. Andrew continues his series on the priesthood, discussing how the priesthood is exercised by each of the main characters in the story. Full Article
ser Lent and Priesthood #3: The Priesthood of the Last Judgment (Sermon Feb. 19, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-03-02T04:01:19+00:00 Fr. Andrew describes the Last Judgment as a priestly, liturgical act. Full Article
ser Lent and Priesthood #4: The Priesthood of Forgiveness (Sermon Feb. 26, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-06-02T19:18:49+00:00 Continuing his series on the priesthood, Fr. Andrew discusses the act of forgiveness as a priestly offering. Full Article
ser Lent and Priesthood #5: The Priesthood of Reconnection (Sermon March 4, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-06-02T19:19:18+00:00 On the Sunday of Orthodoxy, Fr. Andrew preaches on the incarnation, iconography and how the priesthood ties them together. Full Article
ser Lent and Priesthood #6: The Priesthood of Union (Sermon Mar. 12, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-06-02T19:21:08+00:00 Reflecting on the theological contributions of St. Gregory Palamas, Fr. Andrew talks about the priesthood in terms of how it unites us with God. Full Article
ser Lent and Priesthood #7: The Priesthood of Sacrifice (Sermon Mar. 19, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-06-02T19:21:52+00:00 On this Sunday of the Adoration of the Cross, Fr. Andrew speaks on the ultimate priestly act of Jesus on the cross—sacrifice. Full Article
ser Lent and Priesthood #8: The Priesthood of Hope (Sermon Mar. 26, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-06-02T19:23:49+00:00 On the Fourth Sunday of Lent, Fr. Andrew discusses the link St. Paul makes in Hebrews 6:18-20 between hope and the priesthood of Christ. Full Article
ser Lent and Priesthood #9: The Priesthood of Purification (Sermon Apr. 2, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-06-03T02:43:51+00:00 With the Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt, Fr. Andrew uses both her life and the reading from Hebrews to discuss the priesthood of Christ in terms of purification. Full Article
ser Lent and Priesthood #10: The Priesthood of Paradox (Sermon Apr. 9, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-06-03T02:44:53+00:00 Fr. Andrew wraps up his 10-week sermon series on the priesthood with his Palm Sunday emphasis on paradox. Full Article
ser The Priesthood After the Resurrection (Sermon Apr. 23, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-06-03T02:46:22+00:00 Reflecting on both the Sunday of St. Thomas and the feast of St. George, Fr. Andrew looks back on his sermon series on the priesthood and asks what this ministry means in the light of the resurrection. Full Article
ser Receiving the Body of Jesus: Holy Communion and Joseph of Arimathea (Sermon Apr. 30, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-06-04T22:05:59+00:00 On this Sunday of the Myrrh-bearers, Fr. Andrew presents St. Theophylact's teaching on how Joseph of Arimathea's care for the body of Jesus is an image of receiving Holy Communion. Full Article
ser What's the Point of Miracles? (Sermon May 7, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-06-04T22:07:01+00:00 On this Sunday of the Paralytic, Fr. Andrew discusses three miraculous healings and how these kinds of experiences fit into the Christian life. Full Article
ser Christianity is Historical and Therefore Makes Demands (Sermon May 14, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-06-04T22:08:54+00:00 Using Jesus' observation to the Samaritan woman at the well that 'salvation is from the Jews,' Fr. Andrew discusses the historical particularity of the Christian faith. Full Article
ser Jesus Doesn't Fit Into My Life (Sermon May 21, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-06-04T22:09:23+00:00 Fr. Andrew discusses the idea of Christianity being an important part of life on this Sunday of the Blind Man. Full Article
ser Did Jesus Abandon Us at the Ascension? (Sermon May 28, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-06-04T22:09:48+00:00 Discussing the idea that the Ascension was Jesus abandoning His flock, Fr. Andrew unpacks what's really going on in the feast, what it says about Who Jesus is, about what His mission is, and about our salvation and our mission. Full Article
ser The Descent of God in Fire: Pentecost and the Exodus (Sermon June 4, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-07-06T21:27:52+00:00 With the great feast of Pentecost, Fr. Andrew discusses it as a fulfillment of the Old Testament Exodus from Egypt. Full Article
ser Can We Do What the Saints Did? (Sermon June 11, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-07-06T21:28:17+00:00 With the Sunday of All Saints, Fr. Andrew discusses how the saints could do what they did and what it really means for us to be like them. Full Article
ser Becoming Fishers of Men: A How-To (Sermon June 18, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-07-06T21:28:46+00:00 Jesus says to His disciples and us: Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. And then He shows us how it's done. Full Article
ser Jesus Didn't Come to Earth to Help Us (Sermon June 25, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-07-06T21:29:08+00:00 Focusing on Christ's command to 'seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness', Fr. Andrew fleshes out what that means in terms of our participation in Christ. Full Article
ser Is Faith Like in the Bible Even Possible? (Sermon July 2, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-08-04T04:53:50+00:00 Using the example of the centurion, who believes that Jesus will heal his servant with just a word, Fr. Andrew asks if that kind of faith is even possible in our own age. Full Article
ser Where Does Zeal for God Come From? (Sermon July 9, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-08-04T04:54:59+00:00 Using Paul's criticism of those who have a "zeal for God, but not according to knowledge," Fr. Andrew discusses various types of that kind of zeal and addresses where the true zeal for God comes from. Full Article
ser Orthodox Christology and Why It Matters (Sermon July 16, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-08-04T04:56:11+00:00 Fr. Andrew summarizes and explains Orthodox Christology with the feast of the Sunday of the Fourth Ecumenical Council. Full Article
ser The Prophet-Priest Ezekiel (Sermon July 23, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-08-04T04:56:56+00:00 On the feast of the Prophet Ezekiel, Fr. Andrew gives an overview of his life and discusses some images from his book of prophecy. Full Article
ser Is Orthodox Christianity Always the Same? (Sermon July 30, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-08-31T18:10:05+00:00 Discussing St. Paul's admonition that we 'all speak the same thing,' Fr. Andrew discusses which elements of Orthodox Christianity cannot vary and which can and do. Full Article
ser The Transfiguration as Model for Ministry (Sermon Aug. 6, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-08-31T18:12:01+00:00 Celebrating the great feast of the Transfiguration of Christ, Fr. Andrew discusses how what we learn from it about Who Jesus is also teaches us about how to do ministry. And he gives one suggestion for applying what we learn. Full Article
ser Holiness How-To: Imitate our Gospel Parents (Sermon Aug. 13, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-08-31T18:13:08+00:00 Using Paul's exhortation to the Corinthians to imitate him as their father in the Gospel, Fr. Andrew expands this outward to discuss the role of spiritual fathers and mothers in our lives. Full Article
ser The Birth of a Prophet (Sermon Aug. 20, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-08-31T18:14:20+00:00 Using the occasion of the feast of the Prophet Samuel, Fr. Andrew tells the story of his birth and connects that with salvation history and with our own lives. Full Article
ser A Tale of Two Rich Young Men (Sermon Aug. 27, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-08-31T18:18:58+00:00 Fr. Andrew talks about Jesus' response to the rich young man on how to gain eternal life and connects it with a piece of 3rd century Church history and with our own lives. Full Article
ser Whose Vineyard is This, Anyway? (Sermon Sept. 3, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-10-07T23:38:19+00:00 In Christ's telling of the parable of the vineyard and its wicked tenants, Fr. Andrew connects the story directly with our own lives in the Church. Full Article
ser Love vs. Truth: Who Wins? (Sermon Sept. 10, 2017) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-10-07T23:41:28+00:00 Discussing the famous verses John 3:16-17, Fr. Andrew talks about the relationship between love and truth—which one will win? Full Article
ser A Christmas More Meaningful Than Magical (Sermon Dec. 25, 2016) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2019-03-24T05:20:46+00:00 In his Nativity sermon, Fr. Andrew discusses how negative experiences at Christmas reveal the feast's true purpose. Full Article
ser All Stars: Discussing Servant Leadership with Athena Vlamis By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2017-11-21T15:15:01+00:00 "But whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant"- Matthew 20:26 The All-Stars series continues with guest Athena Vlamis, a senior at Kennesaw State University and Georgia District Student Leader for OCF. In this podcast, Tasya and Athena talk about Athena's leadership role in a new Pan-Orthodox initiative, the Connect Conference. The college seniors also discuss servant leadership, using our talents for the glory of God, the role of young adults in the church, the foundation OCF has laid in their lives, the importance of living as an Orthodox in day-to-day life, and more. Full Article
ser A Perspective on Serving on the Front Lines of the Coronavirus By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2020-04-08T09:53:22+00:00 Fr. Nick and Pres. Roxanne host a special guest, Dr. D, a physician in Manhattan at one of the hardest hit hospitals dealing with coronavirus. Full Article
ser Sermon on the Mount - Part 1 By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2021-12-21T21:25:33+00:00 Fr. John Oliver reads the Sermon on the Mount, in three parts, from the translation titled "The New Testament: A Translation" by David Bentley Hart. (Part 1) Full Article
ser Sermon on the Mount - Part 2 By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2021-12-21T21:30:35+00:00 Fr. John Oliver reads the Sermon on the Mount, in three parts, from the translation titled "The New Testament: A Translation" by David Bentley Hart. (Part 2) Full Article
ser Sermon on the Mount - Part 3 By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2021-12-21T21:40:09+00:00 Fr. John Oliver reads the Sermon on the Mount, in three parts, from the translation titled "The New Testament: A Translation" by David Bentley Hart. (Part 3) Full Article
ser Serving from the Depths of Bliss By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2023-12-23T06:03:00+00:00 Fr. John Oliver shares a remarkable story of service to inspire us to joyfully use our gifts in service of others. Full Article
ser Jesus Is For Losers By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2024-01-31T06:03:00+00:00 Fr. John Oliver discusses our responsibility to the lonely. Full Article
ser Even the Devil is a Servant of God By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2024-07-26T05:01:00+00:00 Fr. John Oliver reflects on the role evil and suffering plays in drawing us closer to God. Full Article
ser “Speedy Sacraments for Liturgical Losers” By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2014-11-25T04:09:15+00:00 (Fr. Joseph dedicates this program to the memory of Fr. Matthew MacKay, who would have appreciated the humor—he hopes.) This week the Orthodixie podcast catches up with the author of An Empty Church is a Peaceful Church, Fr. Danislav Gregorio, about his new book, Speedy Sacraments for Liturgical Losers. Full Article
ser A Sermon on Same-Sin Unions By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2014-11-26T01:39:03+00:00 This is really not a sermon about so-called same-sex unions. Really, it's not. Full Article
ser “Hebbin - Yes, Debbil - No” (And Other Great Sermons) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2014-11-26T01:50:59+00:00 Where do sermons come from? Well, they sure don't come from Neil Young, Stephen Bishop, George Jones, or the Bay City Rollers! But these, and more, join John Chrysostom and John of Kronstadt in this episode, which begins, of course, with Sammy Davis Jr. Full Article
ser How You Can Be Ready to Serve the New Wave of Inquirers By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2021-10-07T11:22:05+00:00 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! Full Article
ser Fleeing to the Desert By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2021-06-07T13:43:59+00:00 Is it possible to flee to the desert a little bit? No and yes. No, you can’t flee a little bit, for fleeing a little bit is not fleeing at all. But yes, you can flee a little bit, if that little bit is complete. Here’s what I mean. We are all called to flee the world, in the sense of fleeing the sinful ways of the world. But we are not all called to flee in the same way. St. Isaac the Syrian, also known as St. Isaac the Solitary, wrote letters and homilies for hermits, those who had fled the world in the most complete and literal way. Much of the wisdom of these letters and homilies can help anyone flee to the desert completely, even if they only flee completely a little bit. Full Article
ser Same Sex Attraction and Three Desert Fathers By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2023-08-28T20:56:22+00:00 We live in a generation that has been taught to tie their personal identity to their imagined sexual preferences. Consequently, it is difficult to help people who struggle with sexual passions to find hope and repentance. However, the teaching of holy fathers such as St. Isaac the Syrian and St. Barsanuphius of Gaza provide a very helpful alternative to the world’s way of thinking about such passions. For these saints, same-sex attraction is a passion like any other. It is not part of one’s identity, but is a parasitical passion, resisted and struggled against as all other passions are. Full Article
ser Jesus - The Servant of the Lord By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2014-05-13T13:56:24+00:00 Listen to a fascinating and instructive word study on the word "servant" and how it is applied to Jesus in both the Old and New Testaments. Full Article
ser Jesus - The Suffering Servant By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2014-05-13T13:57:31+00:00 What was the nature and purpose of the death of Christ as depicted in the Old Testament prophecy of Isaiah? Get your Orthodox Study Bible out and follow along as Fr. Thomas teaches us verse by verse. Full Article