The Consuming Fire

Student Sean Hudspeth reads a selection from George MacDonald’s Unspoken Sermons.  These were written, primarily, to his wife Louisa MacDonald.  The Unspoken Sermons were published between 1867 and 1889.  Just as many people have been comforted by these words, this recording is intended to bring this comfort to modern listeners.

The Consuming Fire is a sermon about the Love of God.  MacDonald describes the eschatological encounter with God’s love as an encounter with fire.  The Fire of God’s Love is a fire that purges impurities and a fire that indwells.  It is the presence of God. [Audio]

Professors Respond to Love Wins by Rob Bell

Associate Professor of Theology Daniel Castelo, Instructor of Biblical Studies Nijay Gupta, and Assistant Professor of Theology Mike Langford talk about Rob Bell’s book Love Wins, followed by a Q & A. May 17, 2011. [Audio]

Hosea 1-3 (Parts 1-2)

Dean of the School of Business Jeff Van Duzer and Adjunct Professor of Theology Margie Van Duzer explore pain and God’s faithful love as illustrated in the book of Hosea. January 16, 2008.

Part 1 [Audio]

Part 2 [Audio]

Being Married ll Being Single

Being Married Vineyard Community Church Pastors Rose and Rich Swetman explore how the church is to embody the reality of the new world of God’s kingdom, illustrated through their own experience of marriage as co-submission.  April 21, 2009 [Audio] [Video]

Being Single Laura Smit, Associate Professor of Theology at Calvin College, discusses the implications of singleness in the Old Testament and the new kind of singleness available to Christians since Christ’s coming. April 28, 2009 [Audio] [Video]

University Players: The Princess and the Ogre

The University Players, SPU’s acting troupe, takes the audience on a musical journey that examines our calling as Christians to love our enemies and the truth that no one has fallen too far to be saved by the grace of God. June 2, 2009. (58:39) [Audio]

Studying the Beatitudes

Blessed are the Hungry Professor of Theology Randy Maddox explores the meaning of communion in relationship with Jesus’ blessing of the hungry, encouraging listeners to find in Jesus ‘food’ for the journey. October 7, 2000. (19:45) [Audio]

Blessed are the Meek Medical missionary Christine Stine interprets the beatitudes as a call to service, to love and comfort others, especially in their hardship. October 10, 2000. (20:18) [Audio]

Blessed are the Merciful Michael Muto explores the Gospel’s understanding of mercy, arguing that compassionate mercy, not accusation, leads to and comes before genuine change. October 24, 2000. (21:01) [Audio]

Blessed are the Pure in Heart Associate Pastor of First Free Methodist Church Bonnie Brann Examines the tradition of All-Saints’ Day. October 31, 2000. (20:21) [Audio]

Blessed are the Peacemakers Global humanitarian advocate Robert Seiple argues that peacemaking is an essential part of the Christian identity, including the call to reconciliation and concern for injustice. November 7, 2000. (23:37) [Audio]

Blessed are the Persecuted Former pastor and Vice President of Church Relations with World Vision Inl. Steve Haas urges the western church to embody the biblical values of the persecuted Church, letting go of the need for comfort and replacing it with God’s love. November 14, 2000. (16:39) [Audio]

Day of Common Learning 2008: Theme of Beauty

The Day of Common Learning is a campus in-service day during which faculty, staff and students have the opportunity to participate together in a learning community outside of traditional classrooms.

Keynote Address: Beauty, Love, Justice, and Worship Professor Emeritus of Yale Divinity School Nicholas Wolterstorff explores the base commonality between issues of beauty, love, justice, and worship. October 15, 2008. (33:29) [Audio] [Video]

The Psychology of Physical Beauty: Characteristics, Consequences, and Costs Associate Professor of Psychology Margaret Marshall discusses the characteristics of physical beauty, the social consequences of physical beauty, and the psychological costs of the modern obsession with physical beauty. October 15, 2008. (38:54) [Audio] [Video]

Beauty and the Beasts: How Our Ideas About Appearance Affect the Way We Relate to God’s Creatures Professor of Geography Kathleen Braden challenges how our ideas about appearance affect the way we relate to environmental conservation. October 15, 2008. (29:29) [Audio]

Dr. Seuss and the Poetics of Beauty: Why the Grinch, Sneetches, and Lorax Matter Today Associate Professor of Christian Ministry Jeff Keuss highlights Dr. Seuss’ aesthetics influence for many children and how these images address deep questions of belief and realism. October 15, 2008. (47:28) [Audio]

Beauty and the Bible Instructor of Biblical Studies Sara Koenig and Professor of Christian Scriptures Rob Wall explore images of physical beauty in the biblical narrative and a theory of aesthetic guidelines in the formation of the New Testament canon. October 15, 2008. (41:56) [Audio]

Beast…and The Beauty Communications Specialist Jeffrey Overstreet explores the attraction between the beast and the beauty as found in fairy tales, poetry, science, and modern stories and the redemption found therein. October 15, 2008. (54:50) [Audio] [Video]

Leading Beautifully: Practicing the Art of Leadership SPU Faculty Margaret Diddams, Joey Collins, Robert McKenna, and Paul Yost facilitate envision beautiful leadership as an unfolding, interdependent partnership by which leaders co-create the future with the people they lead. October 15, 2008. (51:41) [Audio] [Video]

Springsteen | Expressing Gratitude | Campolo

Recent Features:
Darkness on the Edge of Town: The Gospel of Hope According to Bruce Springsteen Associate Professor of Christian Ministry Jeff Keuss looks at the way in which Springsteen’s Catholic heritage re-imagines the virtue of hope throughout his musical career. 2007 Day of Common Learning. (37:42) [Video]

Expressing Gratitude: In the Light and in the Dark Pastor Mark Abbott identifies hardship as part of the Christian life. He encourages listeners to receive God’s love and respond with authentic gratitude in the darkness as well as the light of life. November 18, 2007. (25:01) [Audio]

SPU Classics:
Jesus’ Call for Jubilee Eastern College Professor of Sociology Tony Campolo argues that Jesus calls the church to seek justice and help meet the needs of the poor, ill, and disadvantaged. October 1, 1998. (38:29) [Audio]

Great Mission in a Groaning World | Native American Contributions to Worship | Christian Commitment Week

Recent Features:
Great Mission in a Groaning World Associate Director for Faith Development at World Vision International Tim Dearborn expounds upon Micah 6:8 and shares about his travels in India, Rwanda, and Cambodia, calling listeners to be seekers of justice. May 17, 2005. (28:38) [Audio]

Native American Contributions to Worship Member of the Swan River Cree Nation Reverend Ray Aldred shares insights into aboriginal gatherings, describing worship as a communal event, stories as central in communicating a message, and suffering as a natural part of life. November 9, 2004. (25:18) [Audio]

SPU Classics:
Christian Commitment: Luke 8 Young Life Field Director Robert Mitchell shares the stories of Jesus healing Jairus’ daughter and the woman who touched Jesus’ cloak, encouraging listeners to commit their lives to loving and serving God who cares deeply for us. March 26, 1973. (26:46) [Audio]

Living the story | Auto Dealer | Urban Involvement

Recent Features:
It’s Not About Winning an Argument; It’s About Living in the Story SPU President Phil Eaton, partially in response to growing popularity of The Da Vinci Code, argues that it is important to know the Christian story and live in it in order to effectively engage the culture. May 23, 2006. (21:59) [Audio]

Called to Be an Auto Dealer Owner and CEO of Flow Automotive, Don Flow, challenges Christians to actively live out their faith in the workplace, using his personal business model as an example. April 5, 2005. (29:34) [Audio]

SPU Classics:
A City Set on a Hill: Urban Involvement Ron Ruthruff shares that in order to effectively witness to others, particularly in an inner-city setting, one needs to really understand the deeper issues with which people struggle and authentically demonstrate God’s love. November 15, 1985. (28:28) [Audio]