Ronnie McBrayer

Dust and Bones

"Can these bones live again?" That is the question put to the Prophet Ezekiel in Ezekiel 37 as he looked over a valley of skeletal remains. Ezekiel cannot answer, because there is nothing he can do. He can only entrust God with all future possibilities. If there will be life in the afterword of disaster, it will be because of what God knows and what God does. Ronnie says of this encounter, "When we accept what is otherwise unacceptable, because we have no power over it, that becomes the space where the power of God can work. For when something is truly dead - and we know it - and we are no longer attempting to do the work of resurrection by our own strength - then whatever it is, might be remade, it might be reborn, by that higher power outside of ourselves."

Simplify. Simplify. Part 8

Speaking from Psalm 19 and the Hebrew Proverbs, Ronnie brings his "Simplify" series to a conclusion, inviting us all to simplify our speech: "It’s perennial wisdom. When it comes to talking, less is more. If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all. Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all previous doubt. Nowhere is simplification more applicable, no where can it be more readily applied than when it comes to our speech, our words. Spoken, written, hurled as darts with the intention of causing pain, blasted over emails, trolling in the comments section, in the heat of battle saying things you can never pull back: Hear the voice of Wisdom: A truly wise person uses few words…keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble.” 

Simplify. Simplify. Part 7

In this seventh of eight talks entitled, "Simplify, Simplify," Ronnie says, "Let’s talk about boundaries today. Let’s talk about disentangling our entanglements. Let’s talk about defending ourselves against being pulled into things we have no business being pulled into. Let’s talk about setting healthy limits that will reduce the probability of us being hurt, harmed, poisoned or generally stressed out - by toxic people, participation, programs, powers, and passions. Let’s talk about guarding our hearts, as the wisdom of the Proverbs informs us in our Scripture reading. Let’s simplify."

The Life and Writings of Paul, Part 8 of 8

Part 8: Paul's Theology and Legacy
No single individual outside of Jesus of Nazareth has been more influential within Christianity than Paul the Apostle. After his radical conversion he became the church’s most zealous missionary. Without his travels and letters, Christianity would be much different than the version we have inherited today. Join Ronnie as he leads this eight-part study on “The Life and Writings of Paul the Apostle.” 

Simplify. Simplify. Part 6

This is Part 6 of Ronnie's latest series of talks entitled: "Simplify. Simplify." The subject is stress, and how to lighten our emotional and spiritual burdens in this ill-managed, tumultuous world. Based on Philippians 4, Ronnie follows the Apostle Paul's advice: "Be Glad. Be Gentle. Say Grace. Seek the Good." This is no silver bullet, no magic formula or elixir. It is a way of living, and it takes practice.
 
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The Life and Writings of Paul, Part 7 of 8

Part 7: "Spanish Speculation" (Paul's Release, Further Travels, Re-Arrest, and Death)
No single individual outside of Jesus of Nazareth has been more influential within Christianity than Paul the Apostle. After his radical conversion he became the church’s most zealous missionary. Without his travels and letters, Christianity would be much different than the version we have inherited today. Join Ronnie as he leads this eight-part study on “The Life and Writings of Paul the Apostle.” 

Simplify. Simplify. Part 5

This is Part 5 of Ronnie's latest series of talks entitled: "Simplify. Simplify." Ronnie talks about the "success" in this talk, a visit with Jesus and Martha (Luke 10:38-42), Martha the struggling and suffering perfectionist. In a talk that became deeply personal, Ronnie said: "The more quiet and more still we become - the more we are able to know and experience the love of Christ. His perfect love is the only cure for our perfectionism. How I wish for myself, and for us all, that we can begin to understand that, while it is still called, 'today.'" 

The Life and Writings of Paul, Part 6 of 8

Part 6: "When in Rome..." (Paul's Arrest and Journey to Italy)
No single individual outside of Jesus of Nazareth has been more influential within Christianity than Paul the Apostle. After his radical conversion he became the church’s most zealous missionary. Without his travels and letters, Christianity would be much different than the version we have inherited today. Join Ronnie as he leads this eight-part study on “The Life and Writings of Paul the Apostle.” 

Simplify. Simplify. Part 4

This is Part 4 of Ronnie's latest series of talks entitled: "Simplify. Simplify." Ronnie talks about the "seasons of life" in this talk (Psalm 90), specifically two seasons, the two halves of life. In the first half, we are striving. We are working on our edifice, our image, the container of life. We seek accomplishment. We seek our people, our place. We have much to prove; demonstrating to ourselves, to our parents, to our peers, to the culture - that we are worthy. The second half of life is about substance and the depth of the inner life. Now, it is about the content of my soul - not just the container around that soul. One turns to what really matters. Carl Jung, who coined this  idea of first and second half living sums it up thusly: “The first half of life is devoted to all that is outward, to the ego; the second half is about going inward and letting go of your pride.”

The Life and Writings of Paul, Part 5 of 8

Part 5: The Third Time Is The Charm (Paul's Third Missionary Journey)
No single individual outside of Jesus of Nazareth has been more influential within Christianity than Paul the Apostle. After his radical conversion he became the church’s most zealous missionary. Without his travels and letters, Christianity would be much different than the version we have inherited today. Join Ronnie as he leads this eight-part study on “The Life and Writings of Paul the Apostle.”