Key Takeaways:

• The church is not merely a physical building; early Christians gathered in homes and temporary spaces.

• Institutional structures and leadership are tools for organization, not the essence of the church.

• The church transcends political and national boundaries; it is rooted in a spiritual kingdom based on love, joy, and peace.

• A true understanding of the church focuses on the followers of Jesus and their collective faith and practices.

• Diversity in worship styles and church structures reflects the varied expressions of faith among Christians.

Notable Quotes:

1. "The church is not a building. Did you know that church buildings didn't exist until the third century? The early Christians met in the temple or in synagogues."

2. "We are the church, we are God's building."

3. "The church is not an institution. It's not the programs, services, policies or leadership structures."

4. "The church is not a political or national entity. The Holy Spirit only dwells in people, not entities."

The God of the Bible is a talking God. All throughout the Scriptures, God is seen talking to people. First to the prophets, then most fully in Jesus and today through his Holy Spirit. When we choose to follow Jesus, the Spirit speaks to remind us of all that Jesus established and apply it to our lives.

So how does the Spirit speak? How do we know it’s God? And what happens afterwards? Join Rev Dr Tania Harris as she explores what the Spirit is saying to us. Everyday God Conversations will encourage you weekly to reflect on the God-conversations of Scripture, the ultimate God-conversation in Jesus and to hear from the Holy Spirit yourself. Remember, it was never meant to be a one-way conversation!

Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Key Takeaways:

• Divine Justice & Human Forgiveness: We reflect God's image through our innate desire for justice, yet we are called to forgive and trust God's ultimate judgment.

• Forgiveness is Not Condoning: Forgiving a perpetrator does not mean excusing their actions; it means entrusting justice to God.

• Restorative vs. Retributive Justice: Tania explains the profound difference between punitive justice and healing, restorative justice.

• Real-life Example: The transformation of Andrew Chan and Mayurin Sukumaran in an Indonesian prison serves as a testament to the power of forgiveness and restorative justice.

• Following Jesus’ Example: As believers, we are prompted to follow Christ's teaching of turning the other cheek and extending forgiveness as we have been forgiven.

Notable Quotes:

1. "Our desire for justice is one of the ways we reflect God's image. It's a divine quality."

2. "We must never make our capacity to forgive dependent on the justice that may or may not follow."

3. "God's justice is always restorative, not retributive. There's a profound difference."

4. "As they were led to the firing squad, the power of restorative justice was evident."

5. "Forgive others as your heavenly Father has forgiven you."

The God of the Bible is a talking God. All throughout the Scriptures, God is seen talking to people. First to the prophets, then most fully in Jesus and today through his Holy Spirit. When we choose to follow Jesus, the Spirit speaks to remind us of all that Jesus established and apply it to our lives.

So how does the Spirit speak? How do we know it’s God? And what happens afterwards? Join Rev Dr Tania Harris as she explores what the Spirit is saying to us. Everyday God Conversations will encourage you weekly to reflect on the God-conversations of Scripture, the ultimate God-conversation in Jesus and to hear from the Holy Spirit yourself. Remember, it was never meant to be a one-way conversation!

Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Key Takeaways:

• Generosity Beneficial for Health: Scientific research shows that people who give meaningfully tend to live happier and healthier lives.

• Motives Matter: True generosity should stem from love and compassion, not the desire for recognition or material reward.

• Biblical Perspective: Jesus emphasized giving in secret and from the heart, focusing on God’s glory rather than personal gain.

• Story of Compassion: The response of Gander, Canada, during the 9/11 attacks is a powerful example of selfless giving leading to long-term rewards.

• True Reward of Giving: Authentic generosity, motivated by selflessness, inevitably leads to blessings, though they may not always be material.

Notable Quotes:

1. "People who contribute meaningfully to the lives of others will generally live happier, more gratifying, more resilient, healthier, and even, on average, longer lives."

2. "God wants us to give because it reflects his heart. He wants us to have love and compassion for those in need."

3. "Our giving needs to be motivated by selflessness and love. True generosity never comes with strings attached."

4. "Even though God's promise reward, our giving should never be motivated by selfish gain."

5. "It is more blessed to give than receive, but we don't give to get."

The God of the Bible is a talking God. All throughout the Scriptures, God is seen talking to people. First to the prophets, then most fully in Jesus and today through his Holy Spirit. When we choose to follow Jesus, the Spirit speaks to remind us of all that Jesus established and apply it to our lives.

So how does the Spirit speak? How do we know it’s God? And what happens afterwards? Join Rev Dr Tania Harris as she explores what the Spirit is saying to us. Everyday God Conversations will encourage you weekly to reflect on the God-conversations of Scripture, the ultimate God-conversation in Jesus and to hear from the Holy Spirit yourself. Remember, it was never meant to be a one-way conversation!

Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.