Podcasts by Spirituality for Ordinary People

Busy-ness and Contemplation from 2023-11-29T19:03:16

A podcast episode based on a written reflection first posted to the Noticing Delight Substack.

The Narrative Arc of Scripture from 2023-11-15T16:49:33

Reading is interpreting. We know this more keenly than ever because we interpret all the time.

You receive an email announcing that you have won a cruise. You read just a bit of it and alr...

Imagination and Biblical Interpretation from 2023-11-07T21:11:50

You can listen to the version audio or read the full reflection (transcript) below:

The fact that we hold this collection of books as sacred (or if you personally don’t, you may at least a...

Religious About the Incarnation - Christmas from 2022-12-27T09:52

The fifth in a 5-part series for Advent/Christmas 2022.

He is born among us and is one of us. The incarnation.

God with us and with intent, with imagination and creativity....

Religious About Love - Advent 4 from 2022-12-20T15:18:26

The fourth in a 5-part series for Advent/Christmas 2022.

The final advent theme is Love. Love is so central.  It is at the core of who we are as human beings. We naturally love.  Thin...

Religious About Joy - Advent 3 from 2022-12-13T15:50:34

The third in a 5-part series for Advent/Christmas 2022.

What if joy was something you could simply choose?

We tend to think joy is something that happens to us. It isn’t in...

Religious About Peace - Advent 2 from 2022-12-06T14:42:35

The second in a 5-part series for Advent 2022.

Being religious about something is about devotion, it’s about commitment. It is about staying the course even when you don’t feel like i...

Religious About Hope - Advent 1 from 2022-11-29T13:47:40

The first in a 5-part series for Advent/Christmas 2022.

Getting religious about hope is not about being unrealistic or having some pie-in-the sky, everything will always be totally fi...

I hate the phrase ”catching people” from 2022-10-07T12:34:48

"From now on you will be catching people" -  Jesus says this to his followers and it does not sound positive at all. Catching people? So, the job of people who follow Jesus is to go and "catch" ...

The Absurdity, Necessity, and Neurology of Contemplative Prayer with AJ Sherrill - Episode 114 from 2022-09-27T19:15:31

Matt welcomes AJ Sherrill for a conversation around a book that has one of the most amazing sub-titles of all time! - Being With God: The Absurdity, Necessity, and Neurology of Contemplative Pra...

God With Everyone - Be Still and Behold Part 10 from 2022-09-05T03:33:33

The Audio version of Prairie Presbyterian Church's Be Still and Behold series: 10 Weeks Exploring God's Presence in the Hebrew Scriptures. Listen

Running Away From God’s Presence - Be Still and Behold Part9 from 2022-08-27T16:30

The Audio version of Prairie Presbyterian Church's Be Still and Behold series: 10 Weeks Exploring God's Presence in the Hebrew Scriptures. Listen

God NOT in the Earthquake, Fire, or Storm - Be Still and Behold Part 8 from 2022-08-20T17:00

The Audio version of Prairie Presbyterian Church's Be Still and Behold series: 10 Weeks Exploring God's Presence in the Hebrew Scriptures. Listen

God in the Temple 2 - Be Still and Behold Part7 from 2022-08-13T17:00

The Audio version of Prairie Presbyterian Church's Be Still and Behold series: 10 Weeks Exploring God's Presence in the Hebrew Scriptures. Listen

God in the Temple 1 - Be Still and Behold Part 6 from 2022-08-06T17:00

The Audio version of Prairie Presbyterian Church's Be Still and Behold series: 10 Weeks Exploring God's Presence in the Hebrew Scriptures. Listen

God in the Tent - Be Still and Behold Part 5 from 2022-07-31T01:25

The Audio version of Prairie Presbyterian Church's Be Still and Behold series: 10 Weeks Exploring God's Presence in the Hebrew Scriptures. Listen

God on the Mountain - Be Still and Behold Part4 from 2022-07-23T15:44:53

The Audio version of Prairie Presbyterian Church's Be Still and Behold series: 10 Weeks Exploring God's Presence in the Hebrew Scriptures. Listen

God in Pillars of Cloud and Fire - Be Still and Behold Part 3 from 2022-07-17T02:35:56

The Audio version of Prairie Presbyterian Church's Be Still and Behold series: 10 Weeks Exploring God's Presence in the Hebrew Scriptures. Listen

God in a Dream and a Wrestling Match - Be Still and Behold Part2 from 2022-07-09T22:41:14

The Audio version of Prairie Presbyterian Church's Be Still and Behold series: 10 Weeks Exploring God's Presence in the Hebrew Scriptures. Listen

God in the Garden - Be Still and Behold Part 1 from 2022-07-02T21:13:43

The Audio version of Prairie Presbyterian Church's Be Still and Behold series: 10 Weeks Exploring God's Presence in the Hebrew Scriptures. Listen

Be Still and Behold - Series Introduction from 2022-06-29T01:14:21

Matt Brough shares about a new series, Be Still and Behold: 10 Weeks Exploring God's Presence in the Hebrew Scriptures. Get an Overview o...

Seeking Justice Together with Terence Lester - Episode 103 from 2022-01-19T04:30

Matt Brough welcomes Terence Lester to the podcast for a hopeful and inspiring conversation about justice. Terence is the founder of Love Beyond Walls<...

Indigenous Wisdom, Stories, and Justice with Mary Fontaine of Hummingbird Ministries - Episode 102 from 2021-10-07T04:35

This episode features reflections and a conversation with Rev. Mary Fontaine. Executive director of Hummingbird Ministries, ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church in Canada, and Indigenous...

Incarnation, In-Person, and Technology When Necessary - Episode 101 from 2021-07-27T04:44

As Jesus indwells the world so we too indwell the world. This might be an apt description of what is called "incarnational ministry." How might the incarnation be important for us as we reflect ...

Reclaiming Rest with Kate Rademacher - Episode 100 from 2021-06-24T04:05

We made it to episode 100!! Whoohoo!  And what better way to mark this milestone, and all the work that went into it, than with a conversation about resting. 

Matt Brough and Kate Radema...

Make a Move with Steph O'Brien - Episode 99 from 2021-06-17T05:07

A lively conversation between Matt Brough and Steph O'Brien about how to "Make a Move." Often we have trouble making decisions and then even more trouble acting on them. Steph's latest book deal...

Ascension, Pentecost, and the Growing Time with Laura Alary - Episode 98 from 2021-05-14T15:33:27

In this Episode, Matt Brough and children's author, Laura Alary, have a conversation about the long season of "ordinary time" and how it can be understood as a time of growth. This interview is ...

Becoming a Student of Joy - Episode 97 from 2021-04-21T04:33

Has anyone else been having a hard time with joy? Maybe joy is something to fight for, something to learn to spot and well... enjoy. In this episode we discuss becoming a student of joy and talk...

Relating to Others Who Are Different from You - A Liturgy for Life - Episode 96 from 2021-03-27T04:05

Matt Brough and Jen Ostash-Gooch reflect on their experience walking through the practices for the fifth and final week of the "Liturgy for Life" resource. This week the focus is on the Others, ...

The Self - A Liturgy for Life - Episode 95 from 2021-03-19T06:59:07

Matt Brough and Jen Ostash-Gooch reflect on their experience walking through the practices for the fourth week of the "A Liturgy for Life" resource. This week the focus is on the Self.

Neighbourhood and Nation - A Liturgy for Life - Episode 94 from 2021-03-12T09:16:27

Matt Brough and Jen Ostash-Gooch reflect on their experience walking through the practices for the third week of the "A Liturgy for Life" resource. This week the focus is on Neighbourhood and Na...

Family, Ancestors, Descendants - A Liturgy for Life - Episode 93 from 2021-03-04T03:45

Matt Brough and Jen Ostash-Gooch reflect on their experience walking through the practices for the second week of the "A Liturgy for Life" resource. This week the focus is on Family, Ancestors, ...

Creation - A Liturgy for Life - Episode 92 from 2021-02-26T03:45

Matt Brough and Jen Ostash-Gooch reflect on their experience walking through the practices for the first week of the "A Liturgy for Life" resource. This week the focus is on creation.

Introducing Lent: Liturgy for Life - Episode 91 from 2021-02-10T05:20

In this special episode of the podcast, Matt Brough and Jen Ostash-Gooch go over a new resource for Lent that they developed together and invite you to think through how you will mark lent, payi...

Sitting With God in Centering Prayer - Episode 90 with Rich Lewis from 2020-10-27T07:10:03

Rich Lewis shares with Matt Brough about his latest book, Sitting with God: A Journey to Your True Self Through Centering Prayer. They discuss why this kind of prayer or any contemplative practi...

Enneagram of Discernment - Episode 89 with Drew Moser from 2020-09-22T12:32:25

This episode features a wide ranging conversation about the enneagram between Drew Moser and your host, Matt Brough. Drew covers some of the basics but also goes deep, especially in the areas of...

Meeting God in Loneliness - Episode 88 with Jason Gaboury from 2020-09-08T04:15

Loneliness is an epidemic, and is effecting young people and people of all ages in massive proportions. This may have only been heightened during the pandemic. In this conversation with Jason Ga...

Knowing Where God is Leading - Following the Red Bird | Episode 87 with Kate Rademacher from 2020-08-25T04:34

In this conversation Matt Brough and Kate Rademacher talk about not always knowing or seeing, but still following, the spiritual path laid out by God. She shares her story of being raised Unitarian...

Spiritual Restoration from Digital Distraction | Episode 86 with Ed Cyzewski from 2020-05-28T17:03:30

In this conversation, Matt Brough and Ed Cyzewski talk about some of the perils of technology on our spiritual life, from distraction to addiction. Are there ways to use technology that don't le...

Online Spirituality, Online Church | Episode 85 with Andria Irwin from 2020-05-04T09:25:12

Andria Irwin is the online minister with Highlands United Church in North Vancouver. In this conversation with her we talk less about the "tools" o...

A Very Different Eastertide - More Ancient Wisdom in Chaotic Times with J. Dana Trent from 2020-04-13T14:26:31

Matt Brough and J. Dana Trent have part 3 of their conversation on Ancient Wisdom in Chaotic Times, this time focussing on the season of Eastertide. Which Spiritual practices are most helpful ri...

Ancient Wisdom in Chaotic Times - A Continuing Conversation between J. Dana Trent and Matt Brough from 2020-04-06T09:53:29

This is a replay of the Facebook Live that Dana and Matt did on April 1st, 2020 about how in this time of emergency, crisis, and uncertainty, we have resources available to us embedded in the ancie...

Ancient Wisdom in a Time of Crisis - A Conversation between J. Dana Trent and Matt Brough from 2020-03-26T09:49:43

This is a replay of the Facebook Live that Dana and Matt did on March 25th, 2020 about how in this time of emergency, crisis, and uncertainty, we have resources available to us embedded in the anci...

It's Okay to Feel How You Feel from 2020-03-19T15:14:02

We are living in very uncertain times as we continue to face the realities of the Corona Virus. We might be anxious and afraid. And we might have all kinds of voices or thoughts that tell us to ...

How Questions and Doubts Can Save Your Faith | Steph O'Brien from 2020-03-09T10:24:06

This was such a fantastic conversation with Pastor Steph O'Brien about her book, Stay Curious, which is all about embracing curiosity, questions, and even doubts as a key to unlocking a more vib...

Clothed - From Adam and Eve to Revelation from 2020-02-24T06:55:13

The Spirituality for Ordinary People Podcast returns with a reflection on rediscovering our identity.

Going Deeper with The Labyrinth from 2019-07-26T07:09:51

Season 3 of Spirituality for Ordinary People is all about Prayer Walking. In this third episode, Matt Brough continues Listen

The Labyrinth as a Way of Seeing Deeper into Our Lives from 2019-07-11T14:31:04

Season 3 of Spirituality for Ordinary People is all about Prayer Walking. In this second episode, Matt Brough, welcomes Robin McGauley back to the podcast to talk about walking the Laby...

Prayer Walking - An Introduction from 2019-06-11T07:24:01

Season 3 of Spirituality for Ordinary People is all about Prayer Walking. In this opening episode, Matt Brough, goes over a few different kinds of prayer walks and invites listeners to consider ...

The Examen And Noticing God from 2019-05-08T09:57:02

In this episode of the Spirituality for Ordinary Podcast your host, Matt Brough, continues the conversation with J. Dana Trent, author of Listen

The Examen in Times of Difficulty or Darkness from 2019-04-22T14:05:41

In this episode of the Spirituality for Ordinary Podcast your host, Matt Brough, begins with J. Dana Trent, author of One Breath At A Tim...

The Examen as a Way To Get Off Autopilot from 2019-04-02T09:52:07

In this episode of the Spirituality for Ordinary Podcast your host, Matt Brough, has a conversation with Jen Ostash-Gooch about their individual experiences of the Examen.

  Listen

Staying Focused While Praying The Examen from 2019-03-20T06:56:23

In this episode of the Spirituality for Ordinary Podcast your host, Matt Brough, goes over the five steps in practice of the Examen and shares about his own ups and downs in trying to s...

The Examen in a Nutshell from 2019-03-14T05:00

This is the first episode of Season 2 of the Spirituality for Ordinary People Podcast and we are about to shift the focus in a big way.

For this season, we are focusin...

Austin Fischer | Doubt, the Problem of Evil, and the Bigger Problem of Stuff from 2019-01-15T08:36:22

"Doubt is only a problem if certainty is the expectation."—Austin Fischer

Episode 70 of Spirituality for Ordinary People features an interview with Austin Fischer. Au...

J. Dana Trent | A Skeptics Guide to Christian Meditation from 2019-01-02T08:21:49

"Meditation is intentional about holding the space for listening for God's still small voice."—J. Dana Trent

Episode 69 of Spirituality for Ordinary People features an...

Phileena Heuertz | Contemplation, Action, and Knowing God from 2018-12-18T02:18

"I knew all this stuff about God but I was lacking in terms of how much I knew God in my personhood, in my lived experience..."—Phileena Heuertz

Episode 68 of Spiritua...

J. Dana Trent | For Sabbath's Sake from 2018-12-11T02:13

"It's that one day a week that shapes the remaining six..."—J. Dana Trent

Episode 67 of Spirituality for Ordinary People features an interview with J. Dana Trent.  J. ...

Manuel Luz | From False Self to True Praise from 2018-12-04T02:12

"Beauty is a form of truth that God uses to display His glory. Imagination allows us to tap into that again - to see God through beauty."—Manuel Luz

Episode 66 of Spirituality for Ordina...

Taking a Break for November from 2018-11-08T09:56:06

Matt Brough explains why there won't be any new episodes of Spirituality for Ordinary People coming out in November. He needs a bit of a buffer time as he adjusts to his new role working as the ...

Imagination, Story, and Hope from 2018-10-23T07:36:33

In Episode 65 of the Spirituality for Ordinary Podcast we revisit two old interviews with children's authors S.D. Smith and Laura Alary who speak about the importance of imagination, ritual, sto...

Darryl Dash | Building Habits for Spiritual Growth from 2018-10-01T03:15

"Habits can be a tool, a means to an end, or they can become a distraction if we're not careful because they're not the point—God is the point—they're only there to help us pursue God."—Darryl D...

Grant Vissers | Calling and Character from 2018-09-25T09:46:20

"It's not depth, it's not breadth, it's not knowledge... it's can you be consistent in your time spent with Jesus?"—Grant Vissers

Episode 63 of Spirituality for Ordinary People features ...

Michelle Van Loon | Born to Wander from 2018-09-18T03:15

"There is a part of discipleship that always leaves us in motion, even if we've lived in the same place our entire lives"—Michelle Van Loon

Episode 62 of Spirituality for Ordinary People...

Ross Lockhart | Beyond Snakes and Shamrocks from 2018-09-11T03:33

"The Celtic Christian tradition is not what I would call 'I need a hug theology.' It's deeply grounded in the revelation of Father, Son, and Spirit..."—Ross Lockhart

Episode 61 of Spirit...

Jonathan Merritt | The Fading of Spiritual Language from 2018-08-14T03:05

"Only about 13% of Christians 'speak God' about once a week... that's shocking! Because we say we love God, we say we love faith, but we don't talk about faith..."—Jonathan Merritt

Episo...

Grace Ji-Sun Kim | Healing Our Broken Humanity from 2018-07-31T09:32:01

"Fearing one another, hating one another, not welcoming one another... We have to somehow overcome and see what Christ has done when Jesus walked on earth. He didn't build walls, he broke them d...

Amos Smith - Be Still and Listen from 2018-07-17T03:35

Click here and Enter for a chance to win a copy of Amos Smith's latest book, Be Still and Listen

Rachel Schmoyer | Reading Hard Parts of the Bible - a Bible Study on Malachi 1:1-5 from 2018-06-26T03:09

"It was amazing to me that in this hard part of scriputre, there were things we could immediately apply."—Rachel Schmoyer

Episode 57 of Spirituality for Ordinary People features Rachel S...

Alicia Brummeler | Everywhere God from 2018-06-20T03:03

"When I look beyond my own circumstances and catch these other glimmers of how God is moving and acting in the world and in other peoples' lives, then I realize He is here with me..."—Alicia Bru...

John van Sloten | Metallica, Your Job, and God's Presence Everywhere from 2018-06-13T03:05

"There's something about naming God's goodness in a thing that softens your heart toward it."—John van Sloten.

Episode 55 of Spirituality for Ordinary People features an interview with J...

Rich Lewis | What to do in the Silence - The Centering Prayer Episode from 2018-06-05T03:05

"God isn't just some outside force looking at me or some infinite force that created the universe but God is actually in me...and I can take these inner nudges and actions into my daily life."—R...

Paul Angone | Spiritual Questions to Ask in Your Twenties from 2018-05-29T03:14

"Silence is radical...Getting away from technology, getting away from everything, is radical."—Paul Angone

Twenty-somethings and thirty-somethings continue to long for something ...

Dan Stanford | Losing the Cape: The Power of Ordinary in a World of Superheroes from 2018-05-15T03:47

"You don't have to have an 'S' on your chest if you have a savior in your heart."—Dan Stanford

North American culture is saturated with the superhero motif. Why is that, and...

J. R. Briggs | The Power of Questions for the Spiritual Life from 2018-05-08T03:05

 "Good questions can change the trajectory of peoples' futures."—J.R. Briggs

People are asking deep and difficult questions in their lives and there is an inclination in our...

Matthew Brough | Episode 50 - The One Year Anniversary from 2018-04-03T03:05

Episode 50 celebrates the one year anniversary of the Spirituality for Ordinary People Podcast. Ashley Boychuk joins our host, Matthew Brough, and she interviews him. 

Peter Bush | On Being Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Canada from 2018-03-27T13:05

MARCH 27 - LAST DAY TO ENTER THE BIG GOD BOOK GIVEAWAY WITH 24 BOOKS!
ENTER HERE: https://spiritualityforordinarypeople.com/giveaway
Episode 49 features an interview with Rev. Peter Bu...

Lacey Buchanan | Through The Eyes of Hope from 2018-03-20T07:26:20

Episode 48 features an interview with Lacey Buchanan. Lacey and her family are truly amazing. Her oldest son, Christian, was born with a rare form of cleft lip and palate called Tessier cleft ...

Lacy Clark Ellman | Pilgrimage at Home and Abroad from 2018-03-13T03:05

Episode 47 features an interview with Lacy Clark Ellman. She is a spiritual director, maker, and facilitator who speaks the language of pilgrimage and is always ready for the next adventure, having...

Steve Saccone | Talking About God from 2018-03-06T03:10

Episode 46 features an interview with Steve Saccone. He is a pioneer in the field of unrestricted education and leadership development. For more than a decade he’s been partnering with churches nat...

Paul Sohn | Quarter-Life Calling from 2018-02-27T03:04

Episode 45 features an interview with Paul Sohn. Paul is a leadership coach, speaker, and author. Formerly employed by both a Fortune 50 company and a Top 100 Great Place to Work Company, he the fo...