Bill and noted servant leadership and change management expert Dr. Mitch Owen explore the critical dimensions of Orthodox servant leaders and how to effectively bring about change in our churches and institutions.

Leadership is a critical difference between the most effective and healthy Orthodox Christian parishes and ministries, and those not fulfilling their potential. If you’re a parish council member or ministry leader, join Bill to learn about the 6 Elements of the Stewardship Calling Orthodox Servant Leadership Model and how to apply them so your parish can fulfill its responsibilities and calling.

Orthodoxy has declined from 20% of global Christians in 1910 to 12% in 2010. We are not yet making Orthodox "disciples of all nations" to the degree our Lord instructed us. Why? Some answers can be found in the latest leadership, innovation, and change management best practices and research.

Orthodoxy has declined from 20% of global Christians in 1910 to 12% in 2010. We are not yet making Orthodox "disciples of all nations" to the degree our Lord instructed us. Why? Some answers can be found in the latest leadership, innovation, and change management best practices and research.

Orthodoxy has declined from 20% of global Christians in 1910 to 12% in 2010. We are not yet making Orthodox "disciples of all nations" to the degree our Lord instructed us. PART 3: Listen to the latest leadership, innovation, and change management best practices and research

Frederica discusses the book The Gurus, the Young Man, and Elder Paisios by Dionysios Farasiotis.

Imagine the blessed Theotokos in old age being cared for by St. John the Evangelist. That is the image Frederica beautifully portrays for us in today's podcast for the Feast of the Dormition. Read more of her thoughts on the Virgin Mary in her newest book The Lost Gospel of Mary.

Frederica speaks at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California, about Orthodox spirituality and the Jesus Prayer.

Frederica reviews Tim Burton's film Alice in Wonderland, a movie that she says is too frenetic and ludicrous to be enjoyed.

Frederica discusses the term "gender."

Imagine the blessed Theotokos in old age being cared for by St. John the Evangelist. That is the image Frederica beautifully portrays for us in today's podcast for the Feast of the Dormition.

Frederica explains that whereas other Christian traditions have mystics, people devoted to the contemplative life alone, the Orthodox Church has wonderworkers, saints who are contemplative, yes, but also very active in the lives of their neighbors.

Boundaries are a confusing topic for Christians, often because we feel like we are supposed to be really nice and help everybody with everything. Join Christian this week as he explores the importance of boundaries for establishing Christian relationships as well as the implications of poor boundaries on the health of our relationships.

It is at this point in our Lenten journey that the Church contemplates the instruction of St. John Climacus and his Ladder of Divine Ascent. Fr. Tom takes us step by step through this treasure and makes it practical for us non-monastics!

Fr. Thomas examines the life of the prominent Russian Orthodox dissident, writer and Nobel Peace Prize winner, who passed away just last month (Click here to order the "Solzhenitsyn Reader" recommended by Fr. Tom).

On this 10th Anniversary of the tragic events of September 11, 2001, Fr. Tom Hopko looks at the problem of evil and how we are to understand it as Christians.

St. Paul's letter to the Romans is critical to understanding the Gospel of Christ. In this episode, Fr. Thomas gives us a helpful overview of this letter and its central theme.

In this second episode, Jeannie explores how the Fathers of the Church viewed Scripture and what that should mean to us today when we open the pages of the Bible.

Pres. Jeannie continues her analysis of how we study the Scriptures through the lens of the Fathers.

How does the Orthodox view of the Fathers of the Church differ from the Roman Catholic view? What about St. Augustine? What is his role in the Orthodox Church as it relates to the study of the Bible? These questions and many more are addressed in this week's episode.

I get a lot of newer, aspiring affiliates on the Sugarrae site and when you've never done affiliate marketing before, all of the terms can get a little confusing. So I created this glossary of affiliate marketing terms to help newer affiliates and bloggers understand the terminology used within the industry. Above the Fold The…

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As we approach the Cave wherein God becomes a Babe, may we, like His mother, be granted the gift of pondering. Fr Joseph in Chicago, 2010.

After his last episode, Fr. Thomas got a thoughtful letter from a listener challenging his remarks on female readers of the Apostolic writings in the Divine Liturgy. In this episode he reads the letter and answers the concerns raised.

Fr. John shares about Jacob's Ladder on the Sunday of St. John of the Ladder.

Fr. John continues his sermon from Psalm 117.

Fr. John shares about godly parenting from Ephesians 5:22-33.

Fr. John talks about Saint Paul's exhortation in 1 Corinthians 14:40, as it relates to traditions in worship.

Fr. John shares from Matthew 4:1-11. "It's necessary for us to fast so that we don't become fat and happy and forget that we need God, but it's also necessary for us to to feed ourselves daily on the Word of God."

Fr. John shares from St. John Climacus and 1 John 2:15-17.

Fr. John Whiteford talks about the heresy of modernism.

Fr. John Whiteford uses a passage from John 3 to convey the importance of salvation to walk in a newness of life.

Fr. John Whiteford shares about the importance of scripture, from Psalm 118:129-136.

Fr. John Whiteford shares from Matthew 7:24-27.

Fr. John reflects on lessons to be learned from the tragedy of the school shooting in Ulvade, Texas.

Fr. John Whiteford describes how obedience helps us grow in humility.

Archpriest Geoffrey Korz explains the historical practice of paganism and its resurgence today. (John 9:1-38)

There are days when we need to hear words to lift us up out of the dirt. Whether they are words of poetry, or words from the Fathers, the pursuit of the beautiful, the kind of beautiful that resides under the skin, is worthwhile for everyone living the daily struggle of life.

In this episode Angela continues her conversation with Orthodox priest and Spiritual Ecologist, Fr. Kaleeg Hainsworth where they discuss the role of the Orthodox Christian in issues about the environment, the wilderness as a “de-tox” method, and how to survive the Zombie apocalypse.

On this episode of the Wilderness Journal, Angela contemplates exploring the “wilds” of Chicago and discusses hot button issues like Climate Change and Bigfoot with Fr. Kaleeg Hainsworth, Orthodox priest and author of “An Altar in the Wilderness."

The Roman Centurion, a Gentile, shows more faith than all of Israel, according to the Lord's observation. How is it an "outsider" without all the benefits of centuries of religious education can see more clearly than the whole of israel shaped by centuries of examples and theology? Turns out being an insider is no guarantee that you won't end up outside!

Financial pressures in our Orthodox Churches are very real and often cause great worry and anxiety. As a result, we, both clergy and laity, can lose our focus and get our priorities out of order. Using the terms “Prophet” and “Profit” to symbolize two different mentalities (not suggesting Churches are trying to make a profit in the conventional sense) join Michael as he discusses what our priorities should be and what results proper focus on them would yield.

Join Michael as he uses science and examples in everyday life to discuss order and disorder, why it is important to understand what they mean spiritually, and how we must be deliberate and committed in our choices to be holy and grow in Christ.

How do we know if we are having a mystical experience versus just an experience of awe and wonder. Does it even matter if it is one or the other? How can we trust our experiences and what are their value? Recounting his own special experience at St. Paul’s church in Rome, join Michael as he tells his story and addresses these important questions. This episode also features Metropolitan Kallistos Ware sharing his earliest recollection of his own religious experience.

Join Michael as he discusses what eros and agape really mean and why they cannot be separated, how growth in love is deeply linked to suffering, how disordered desire can grip us, how we never truly sin alone, and how it always affects both us and others when we act on our disordered desires.

Father Seraphim reflects on why he refrains from going into detail about Celtic saints during the podcast. He also begins to share about the life of Saint Oran.

At times, we are reduced to the empty shell of our being. How do we survive when there is no life in us? Working under obedience can carry us through this desert; it can empty the mind, so that the mind can be filled once again with Life by the Giver of Life.