SELAH Commonwealth artwork

SELAH Commonwealth

84 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 days ago - ★★★★★ - 21 ratings

Selah is a collection of trainings, teachings, stories, and reflections from our community. Commonwealth is a community of missionaries and microchurches in Knoxville, TN, who exist to be with Jesus, be like Jesus, and do the things that Jesus did.

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Episodes

MC Feature: Nichols and Mims

March 25, 2024 11:00 - 13 minutes - 12.2 MB

In this episode, we hear from one of our microchurches! Over the past year, the Nichols and Mims have been creating a safe and encouraging community for medical students, medical professionals, and their neighbors! They set a great example on what it looks like to partner together around a common passion and mission!  Our All-Family Gatherings begin with a short training on microchurches and missional living followed by table discussions. This is a recording of one of those trainin...

Reconciliation and Forgiveness

March 19, 2024 09:41 - 34 minutes - 31.2 MB

Passage: Matthew 18:15-17,21-22  In community, one thing is certain: You will face conflict. And how you deal with conflict says a lot about what you believe about community. Unfortunately, most of us avoid conflict or respond in ways that only make matters worse. The good news is Jesus invites us to view conflict, not a threat to be avoided, but as a gift to be embraced. Through conflict, we have the opportunity to experience the wonderful gift of reconciliation.

Interview: Spiritual Mentoring with Fr. Foye Belyea

March 11, 2024 11:00 - 37 minutes - 34 MB

Fr. Foye is back! In this episode, we talk about the importance of the mentoring relationship in our faith journey. We all need those who have gone before us to share life, wisdom, and guidance with us. Whether you have a mentor, are a mentor, or never knew you needed one, we hope this conversation will be both an encouragement and a challenge to you!   

Meno

March 06, 2024 20:26 - 37 minutes - 34.1 MB

"Make your home in me, as I make my home in you." Set before us is the greatest invitation ever given. And it is an invitation Jesus extends to each of us every day of our lives.  So why do so few seem to experience God's ongoing presence in the everyday stuff of life? And is there any hope for us in the age of streaming services, social media, and the iPhone?  We've got some good news. Special thanks to John Mark Comer, Tyler Staton, and Dallas Willard for their contributions to...

MC Feature: Common Soil

February 26, 2024 13:00 - 35 minutes - 32.2 MB

In this episode, we hear from one of our microchurches! Over the past year, Common Soil have been building relationships and creating space for mutual care and blessing amongst their neighbors. Our All-Family Gatherings begin with a short training on microchurches and missional living followed by table discussions. During this training, we hear from our friends of Common Soil. Check out what God is doing through this microchurch! 

Communitas

February 20, 2024 00:28 - 36 minutes - 33.2 MB

There is a kind of community that our soul longs for; a kind of community we were created for. We see reflections of it in the stories we tell and the movies we make. We read about it in anthropology, see it in human history, find it in the scriptures, watch it in the early church, and hear about it in places like Africa, China and the Middle East. So why is it so hard to find in the modern American church? Special thanks to Tyler Staton, Victor Turner, Sabastian Younger and Adrian...

A Conversation on Church & Money

February 14, 2024 20:20 - 49 minutes - 45.3 MB

Conversations around the church and money can bring up a lot strong emotions. For many people, this topic is characterized by a seemingly endless stream of stories about misuse, abuse, and greed. For that reason, it is easy to avoid the conversation altogether. However, as followers of Jesus, avoidance is not an option. Jesus talks about money constantly and has a very clear vision for how his followers ought to approach money. In this conversation, we unpack how the Bible handles t...

Sin is Communal

February 05, 2024 14:00 - 30 minutes - 28.2 MB

Passage: Genesis 2-4 We all deeply long to experience authentic community, but the reality is: community is hard! It is easier to settle for some counterfeit form of community that is far less than what Jesus has for us. For that reason, it is important that we truly understand Jesus' vision for community - what it is and what it isn't, the cost and the reward - so that we can experience it in our own lives today. 

God is Community

January 22, 2024 14:18 - 24 minutes - 22.8 MB

Passage: John 17:20-26 We all deeply long to experience authentic community, but the reality is: community is hard! It is easier to settle for some counterfeit form of community that is far less than what Jesus has for us. For that reason, it is important that we truly understand Jesus' vision for community - what it is and what it isn't, the cost and the reward - so that we can experience it in our own lives today. 

A New Family

January 09, 2024 13:39 - 26 minutes - 24.5 MB

Passage: Matthew 12:46-50 We all deeply long to experience authentic community, but the reality is: community is hard! It is easier to settle for some counterfeit form of community that is far less than what Jesus has for us. For that reason, it is important that we truly understand Jesus' vision for community - what it is and what it isn't, the cost and the reward - so that we can experience it in our own lives today. 

Values: Safe and Dangerous

December 19, 2023 16:48 - 25 minutes - 23.6 MB

What was it about Jesus that made him attractive to some and despised by others? What was it about Jesus that made sinners want to be with him and the religious want to kill him? The answer is found in the invitational and challenging way that Jesus approached people. This created a community that was both uniquely safe and dangerous. While these things seem paradoxical the reality is that discipleship to Jesus requires both. We are currently processing our six core values together...

Training: Context & Calling with Mike and Brianna

December 11, 2023 19:25 - 16 minutes - 15.2 MB

One of our core values is "Called & Capable". We believe that every person is uniquely called and equipped by God to discern and step into that calling. Therefore, the question every disciple of Jesus must be able to answer is: To what or to whom have a been called? One of the first steps to discerning your calling is to define and understand your context. Our All-Family Gatherings begin with a short training on microchurches and missional living followed by table discussions. Duri...

Values: No One Alone

November 27, 2023 13:13 - 27 minutes - 25 MB

On the first pages of the Bible, we see that God created us for relationship. Relationship with God and with one another. God's vision for life is that it would a shared journey, and we cannot experience the life He has for us without intimate and vulnerable relationships with others. At a time of increasing loneliness and isolation, we need this value more than ever.  We are currently processing our six core values together. If you would like to see our values statement visit: htt...

Values: Called and Capable

November 20, 2023 13:00 - 24 minutes - 22.4 MB

Part of our great adventure in following Jesus is growing in our awareness of how God has uniquely created us and what he has created us to do, and then, living into that calling. When a Jesus-community understands and steps into their unique callings, it is less like a one-man-show, but more like a powerful symphony of believers glorifying God with their collective lives.  We are currently processing our six core values together. If you would like to see our values statement visit...

Training: Context & Calling with Eli and Heather

November 14, 2023 13:24 - 21 minutes - 19.8 MB

One of our core values is "Called & Capable". We believe that every person is uniquely called and adequately equipped by God to discern and step into that calling. Therefore, the question every disciple of Jesus must be able to answer is: To what or to whom have a been called? One of the first steps to discerning your calling is to define and understand your context. Our All-Family Gatherings begin with a short training on microchurches and missional living followed by table discus...

Values: Honor the Least

November 06, 2023 12:38 - 25 minutes - 23.7 MB

Throughout the history of the Church, the Church has been known for their radical care for the poor and the vulnerable. One of God's greatest desires for his people from the beginning was that they would protect and lift up those who were at the bottom of the societal hierarchy. We see that Jesus places justice and care for the poor at the forefront of His ministry. Therefore, if we are to truly continue Jesus' work on Earth, we must honor those among us who are seen as least. We a...

Training: Context & Calling with Tyler and Chastin

October 31, 2023 13:49 - 17 minutes - 15.8 MB

One of our core values is "Called & Capable". We believe that every person is uniquely called and adequately equipped by God to discern and step into that calling. Therefore, the question every disciple of Jesus must be able to answer is: To what or to whom have a been called? One of the first steps to discerning your calling is to define and understand your context. Our All-Family Gatherings begin with a short training on microchurches and missional living followed by table discus...

Values: Known by Love

October 22, 2023 12:30 - 30 minutes - 27.6 MB

When Jesus was asked about God's vision for human life, his response was to love God with all your being and to love your neighbor as yourself. The love that Jesus is talking about is not like the love of the world. It is not a love that takes but a love that gives freely and flows out of the love received from the Father. Therefore, those who follow Jesus ought to be know by this sort of love. We are currently processing our six core values together. If you would like to see our v...

Training: Context & Calling with Ariel

October 17, 2023 16:14 - 18 minutes - 16.6 MB

One of our core values is "Called & Capable". We believe that every person is uniquely called and adequately equipped by God to discern and step into that calling. Therefore, the question every disciple of Jesus must be able to answer is: To what or to whom have a been called? One of the first steps to discerning your calling is to define and understand your context. Our All-Family Gatherings begin with a short training on microchurches and missional living followed by table discus...

Training: Context & Calling with Ariel Kaylor

October 17, 2023 16:14 - 18 minutes - 16.6 MB

One of our core values is "Called & Capable". We believe that every person is uniquely called and adequately equipped by God to discern and step into that calling. Therefore, the question every disciple of Jesus must be able to answer is: To what or to whom have a been called? One of the first steps to discerning your calling is to define and understand your context. Our All-Family Gatherings begin with a short training on microchurches and missional living followed by table discus...

Values: Kingdom Over Brand

October 03, 2023 12:47 - 33 minutes - 76.6 MB

In the four gospels, Jesus talks about the Kingdom of God more than anything else. And everything else that he talks about points us to his core message that the Kingdom is here! Jesus makes it abundantly clear that his greatest priority is to bring and to build the Kingdom of God here on Earth. What would it look like for us to make that a core value of our lives and our community? What would it look like for the Kingdom to take precedence over everything else? We are currently pr...

The Parable of the Two Builders

September 25, 2023 12:00 - 32 minutes - 29.7 MB

In these final words of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus makes it clear to us that a response is necessary for those who hear. The most dangerous thing that we can do is hear Jesus' words and do nothing. Transformation take place when we see this sermon, not as information to ponder, but a foundation to build our lives on.

Training: Patience & Mission

September 21, 2023 14:00 - 25 minutes - 23.2 MB

Our All-Family Gatherings begin with a short training on microchurches and missional living followed by table discussions. This training is about having patience and grace for yourself as you walk with Jesus in mission..

Interview: Rule of Life with Fr. Foye Belyea

September 19, 2023 13:45 - 38 minutes - 35 MB

Fr. Foye shares some wisdom about the importance of developing a rule of life as a disciple of Jesus. A rule of life is an ancient practice that Jesus followers have use for centuries to create order within the chaos of life and be formed into the person that Jesus wants you to be. In our accelerated and chaotic age, there is nothing more vital to our discipleship than an intentional rule of life! Commonwealth Resources: Rule of Life Worksheet List of Spiritual Practices Suggesti...

Watch Out for Wolves

September 11, 2023 12:00 - 34 minutes - 31.1 MB

"I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!" These grave words from Jesus reveal his primary desire for our lives - that we would know him intimately. More than correct doctrine, more than all our religious activities, he desires our time and our hearts. Jesus knows that one of the ways we grow in intimacy with him is by following after mentors and leaders who have it themselves. Therefore, he warns us to look out for those who might lead us astray. ...

MC Feature: Nichols & Mims

September 04, 2023 12:00 - 16 minutes - 15 MB

Pierce, Bailey,  Lynn, & Dawn have started our newest microchurch! They share how God is working through their shared spheres of relationships to create a space of safety and healing! This is a beautiful example of the power of simplicity and hospitality! Our All-Family Gatherings begin with a short training on microchurches and missional living followed by table discussions. During this training, we hear from our friends who have started a new microchurch. Check out what God is do...

Two Ways of Living

August 21, 2023 11:00 - 21 minutes - 19.5 MB

Jesus says that all who hear his words in the Sermon on the Mount are faced with a choice between two ways. Are we going to choose the easy way and live our lives however we see fit? Or are we going to choose the harder way of apprenticeship to Jesus? Jesus says that following him and his teachings, though difficult and risky, is the way towards experiencing true life.

Interview: Anam Cara with Fr. Foye Belyea

August 14, 2023 12:00 - 38 minutes - 35.6 MB

Fr. Foye shares some wisdom about the importance of cultivating deep friendships with God and others. The phrase anam cara comes from ancient Celtic spirituality and means "soul friend". In an age of perpetual loneliness and catastrophic isolation, we all need to hear this! John O'Donohue's Anam Cara https://commonwealthknox.org

Vision Night 2023: God Doesn't Need You

August 07, 2023 12:00 - 22 minutes - 20.4 MB

A recording from Vision Night 2023.

Ask, Seek, Knock

July 31, 2023 14:34 - 21 minutes - 19.9 MB

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8 Special thanks to Dallas Willard, Stanley Hauerwas, Gerhard E. Lenski, John Mark Comer, Frederick Dale Bruner, Tim Mackie, Tim Keller, Richard Rohr, Dave Johnson, Brian Zahnd, Ray Vander Laan, Eugene Peterson, NT Wright, and R.T. France for their contributions t...

Training: Person of Peace

July 24, 2023 19:23 - 31 minutes - 28.4 MB

Jesus says, "When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If a person of peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you” (Luke 10:5-6). A person of peace is someone who welcomes you, shares their life with you, blesses you as you bless them, and opens you up to more relationships. Jesus calls us to get outside of our Christian bubble and build relationships with people of peace.  Our All-Family Gatherings begin with a short training on micr...

Judgement and Correction

July 10, 2023 15:47 - 31 minutes - 28.8 MB

How we engage with each others faults, shortcomings, and mistakes matters to Jesus. We tend to do this in a way that is destructive, divisive, and dehumanizing. Jesus offers a way that is loving and restorative. Special thanks to Dallas Willard, Stanley Hauerwas, Gerhard E. Lenski, John Mark Comer, Frederick Dale Bruner, Tim Mackie, Richard Rohr, Dave Johnson, Brian Zahnd, Ray Vander Laan, Eugene Peterson, NT Wright, and R.T. France for their contributions to this series of podcast...

Creo Conference 2023: Time for an Adventure

June 25, 2023 11:00 - 1 hour - 79.6 MB

Every summer, we host a regional conference in partnership with our friends from the Creo Collective. Creo is a family of churches, organizations, & covocational friends committed to multiplication through relationships, innovation, and a shared commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ. This weekend is a highlight of our year together! We are excited to be able to make these recordings available to all who were not able to attend. Though the best parts of the conference are the di...

Creo Conference 2023: Listening Prayer

June 23, 2023 11:00 - 11 minutes - 10.6 MB

Every summer, we host a regional conference in partnership with our friends from the Creo Collective. Creo is a family of churches, organizations, & covocational friends committed to multiplication through relationships, innovation, and a shared commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ. This weekend is a highlight of our year together! We are excited to be able to make these recordings available to all who were not able to attend. Though the best parts of the conference are the di...

Creo Conference 2023: Q&A

June 21, 2023 11:00 - 45 minutes - 41.3 MB

Every summer, we host a regional conference in partnership with our friends from the Creo Collective. Creo is a family of churches, organizations, & covocational friends committed to multiplication through relationships, innovation, and a shared commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ. This weekend is a highlight of our year together! We are excited to be able to make these recordings available to all who were not able to attend. Though the best parts of the conference are the di...

Creo Conference 2023: Simplicity Over Complexity

June 19, 2023 20:29 - 28 minutes - 26.3 MB

Every summer, we host a regional conference in partnership with our friends from the Creo Collective. Creo is a family of churches, organizations, & covocational friends committed to multiplication through relationships, innovation, and a shared commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ. This weekend is a highlight of our year together! We are excited to be able to make these recordings available to all who were not able to attend. Though the best parts of the conference are the di...

Creo Conference 2023: Jesus in the Wild

June 16, 2023 12:00 - 32 minutes - 29.9 MB

Every summer, we host a regional conference in partnership with our friends from the Creo Collective. Creo is a family of churches, organizations, & covocational friends committed to multiplication through relationships, innovation, and a shared commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ. This weekend is a highlight of our year together! We are excited to be able to make these recordings available to all who were not able to attend. Though the best parts of the conference are the di...

Creo Conference 2023: A New Way to Lead

June 13, 2023 17:38 - 23 minutes - 21.2 MB

Every summer, we host a regional conference in partnership with our friends from the Creo Collective. Creo is a family of churches, organizations, & covocational friends committed to multiplication through relationships, innovation, and a shared commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ. This weekend is a highlight of our year together! We are excited to be able to make these recordings available to all who were not able to attend. Though the best parts of the conference are the di...

Abundance and Scarcity

May 30, 2023 17:09 - 26 minutes - 24.2 MB

In Matthew 6:22-34, Jesus reveals that generosity, or a lack of generosity, reveals the true condition of our hearts. Therefore, becoming the Kingdom people that he desires for us to be is not a matter of action or will power, it is a matter of what we worship. Jesus invites us to reorient our hearts towards him and his Kingdom through worship, so that we may become people of radical generosity.   Special thanks to Dallas Willard, Stanley Hauerwas, Gerhard E. Lenski, John Mark Come...

Radical Generosity

May 17, 2023 12:08 - 36 minutes - 33.5 MB

Almost a quarter of Jesus' recorded teachings have to do with money! How we think about and how we use our money clearly matters a lot to Jesus. His desire is that his Kingdom people would be known for their radical generosity. Special thanks to Dallas Willard, Stanley Hauerwas, Gerhard E. Lenski, John Mark Comer, Frederick Dale Bruner, Tim Mackie, Richard Rohr, Dave Johnson, Brian Zahnd, Ray Vander Laan, Eugene Peterson, NT Wright, and R.T. France for their contributions to this s...

Rule of Life

May 08, 2023 12:00 - 46 minutes - 42.6 MB

In John 15, Jesus tells his disciples that if they are going to be a part of advancing his Kingdom here on Earth, they will need to make their home in him. But how do we practically do this in the midst of our busy and distracted world? For the early church, the answer was a 'rule of life'. Rule of Life Worksheet: https://storage1.snappages.site/MTPC56/assets/files/Rule-of-Life-Worksheet.pdf List of Disciplines: https://storage1.snappages.site/MTPC56/assets/files/List-of-Discipline...

Interview: Common Soil

May 02, 2023 02:02 - 36 minutes - 33.8 MB

Common Soil is one of our new microchurches! Their mission is to create a community garden in West Knoxville for those seeking to commune with the land and others, while nourishing their bodies and souls through the vegetables we grow. Our All-Family Gatherings begin with a short training on microchurches and missional living followed by table discussions. During this training, we hear from our friends who are starting Common Soil. Check out what God is doing in this new microchurc...

MC Feature: Common Soil

May 02, 2023 02:02 - 36 minutes - 33.8 MB

Common Soil is one of our new microchurches! Their mission is to create a community garden in West Knoxville for those seeking to commune with the land and others, while nourishing their bodies and souls through the vegetables we grow. Our All-Family Gatherings begin with a short training on microchurches and missional living followed by table discussions. During this training, we hear from our friends who are starting Common Soil. Check out what God is doing in this new microchurc...

Training: The Table

April 27, 2023 17:07 - 16 minutes - 15.2 MB

If you read through the gospels, you'll notice that Jesus is always doing one of three things: going to a meal, sharing a meal, or leaving a meal. Gathering around the table and sharing meals with people was a fundamental and provocative element to Jesus' Kingdom movement. It is a practice that he desires us to continue today.  Our All-Family Gatherings begin with a short training on microchurches and missional living followed by table discussions. This training is on the power of ...

The Anthem of the Kingdom

April 19, 2023 15:21 - 45 minutes - 41.5 MB

Every good movement has an anthem. Every revolution has a rallying cry. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus offers his followers a powerful anthem that has united and fueled his Kingdom movement for centuries. And we desperately need it today! Special thanks to Dallas Willard, Stanley Hauerwas, Gerhard E. Lenski, John Mark Comer, Frederick Dale Bruner, Tim Mackie, Richard Rohr, Dave Johnson, Brian Zahnd, Ray Vander Laan, and R.T. France for their contributions to this series of podca...

Training: Spaces for Belonging

April 03, 2023 17:32 - 30 minutes - 28.4 MB

There is a dangerous epidemic of loneliness in our world. Sociologists discovered that people are wired to experience belonging in four different types of spaces. Turns out, they are the very spaces that Jesus equips and calls his Church to create!  Our All-Family Gatherings begin with a short training on microchurches and missional living followed by table discussions. This training is on the different spaces where we experience belonging.

Training: Centered-Set Communities

March 29, 2023 12:09 - 12 minutes - 11.9 MB

Why is the church so often criticized for its exclusivity when Jesus was frequently criticized for his inclusivity? What was it about his community that brought together people who would otherwise have nothing in common? Our All-Family Gatherings begin with a short training on microchurches and missional living followed by table discussions. This training is on the concept of centered-set communities.

Jesus on Fasting

March 22, 2023 16:20 - 30 minutes - 27.7 MB

What is fasting? How does it form us into the person that Jesus invites us to be? Special thanks to Dallas Willard, Stanley Hauerwas, Gerhard E. Lenski, John Mark Comer, Frederick Dale Bruner, Tim Mackie, Richard Rohr, Dave Johnson, Brian Zahnd, Ray Vander Laan, and R.T. France for their contributions to this series of podcasts through Jesus' Sermon On The Mount.

Who Am I Becoming?

March 09, 2023 18:27 - 26 minutes - 24 MB

Jesus invites us to become who we were made to be.  Special thanks to Dallas Willard, Stanley Hauerwas, Gerhard E. Lenski, John Mark Comer, Frederick Dale Bruner, Tim Mackie, Richard Rohr, Dave Johnson, Brian Zahnd, Ray Vander Laan, and R.T. France for their contributions to this series of podcasts through Jesus' Sermon On The Mount.

Jesus on Loving Your Enemy

February 28, 2023 14:37 - 29 minutes - 54.8 MB

"You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you..." - Jesus Special thanks to Dallas Willard, Stanley Hauerwas, Gerhard E. Lenski, John Mark Comer, Frederick Dale Bruner, Tim Mackie, Richard Rohr, Dave Johnson, Brian Zahnd, Ray Vander Laan, and R.T. France for their contributions to this series of podcasts through Jesus' Sermon On The Mount.