Resources on the Psalms and Prayer

We began a new season going through a selection of Psalms. In an effort to resource your discipleship with Jesus and one another, we’ve collated a plethora of resources on the Psalms and prayer.

As Jon encouraged us in the first teaching, remember:

Consistency is greater than intensity.

Delight is greater than duty.

Choose freedom over formulas.

Reading Plans:
A one page layout with two options for reading through the Psalms in a month here.

If you prefer a 60 day plan, find one here.

Memorization:
Gavin Ortlund writes a short blog on memorizing a Psalm here.

This is a helpful article on the process and prayers involved in memorizing Psalms.

A suggested list of Psalms to memorize from Biola/Talbot Seminary here.
Books on the Psalms:

A year long devotional from Tim Keller here.

A Case For The Psalms by N.T. Wright here.

Bible Project Videos:

Walter Brueggeman’s Spirituality of the Psalms:

Act I - The Psalms of Orientation are prayers that affirm that God is on the throne and life is good and well-ordered. These are the “summer psalms.”  Genres of orientation: psalms of praise (8, 29, 33, 65, 66, 67, 95, 100, 103, 104, 111, 113, 117, 134, 139, 145, 146, 147, 148, 150);  psalms of enthronement (2, 24, 47, 68, 93, 96, 97, 98, 99, 110); psalms of Zion (48, 87, 123, 132); psalms of ascent (120 through 134); and psalms of wisdom, (1, 14, 15, 19, 37, 49, 73, 90, 112,119, 127, 128, 133).

Act II - The Psalms of Disorientation are prayers that question God, God’s ways, and God’s presence, from a place of pain, suffering, disappointment or persecution. These are the “winter psalms.” Genres of disorientation: psalms of lament (5, 6, 12, 13, 17, 22, 25, 28, 31, 38, 39, 41, 42, 43 44, 55, 57, 60, 69, 70, 74, 77, 79, 80, 82, 85, 88, 94, 102, 120, 123, 130, 140, 141, 142, 143);  psalms of spiritual warfare (‘cursing psalms’) (7, 10, 35, 52, 53, 55, 58, 59, 64, 69, 83, 109, 120, 129, 137).  Interestingly, lament is by far the largest category of psalms.

Act III - The Psalms of Reorientation are prayers that look back on suffering through the lens of God’s provision and deliverance. These are the “springtime psalms.” Genres of new-orientation: psalms of sacred history (76, 78, 81, 105, 106, 114, 135, 136); psalms of thanksgiving (18, 30, 32, 34, 92, 107, 116, 118, 124, 126, 138); psalms of trust (Psalm 3, 4, 9, 11, 16, 23, 27, 54, 56, 62, 63, 71, 84, 86, 91, 108, 115, 121, 125, 131).

Prayer Practices:

Lectio Divina is practice used throughout church history of integrating prayer, bible reading, and contemplation all together - A helpful introduction can be found here. An article on it from Richard Foster can be found here. Click here for a simple one page breakdown.

Examen or Prayer of Examen is another contemplative practice that brings greater awareness of God’s presence throughout the day. Here’s a good introduction and breakdown, and Intervarsity shares a blog with an invitation and experience of Examen.

Podcast//Teaching//Article:

Dr. Curt Thompson has written a lot on the soul, shame, and neuroscience. Here he offers thoughts and prayer practices for those that struggle with feeling overwhelming

Tim Keller gives a sermon on prayer and the Psalms.

Jen Wilkin integrates prayer when we struggle to understand the Bible.

Books:

Spiritual Disciplines Handbook - Adele Calhoun - A great resource giving introductions and examples of many practices and habits of the Christian life.

57 Words that Changed the World - Darrell Johnson - Small book on the Lord’s Prayer

Prayer - Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God - By Tim Keller - Pure gold here. (Here’s 20 quotes from the book)

Lately - Summer 2023 Edition

August is here, and with that a transition back to school and new rhythms after summer break (at least for our families, teachers, and administrators.)

In this edition of “Lately” I wanted to share a couple pictures, a liturgy, and a song.

Our family took a vacation to Montana and Canada in early July. The hikes, views, and wildlife didn’t disappoint. There is a unique wonder brought about by the Rocky Mountains, glaciers, and strange creatures. We live in God’s world and He is a patient and good Creator and sustainer.

Mountain Goat at Glacier National Park, right along the Going to the Sun road.

Lake Louise, Banff National Park (Canada)

On Sunday, I referenced a liturgy from the book “Every Moment Holy, Volume 1” for students and scholars. Though it was a little long to share the whole thing on Sunday, it is very worth reading and praying for those preparing to return to school life. Click below to see.

Finally, we sang a new(er) to us song on Sunday that is worth posting here and having on repeat. “Yet Not I But Christ In Me”

Lately (March 2023)

We’ll see how long the trend of “lately” lasts… It’s the end of March, and I’ve had this blog in mind, keeping a note in my phone to track down some of those things for sharing.

It’s all random and not connected…Or is it?

We recently went down to Phoenix and went to the McDowell Sonoran Preserve (pictured) and wowie…This is going to be at least an annual winter pilgrimage. All the flowers and blooms. Worth checking out from December to March.

Lately, I’ve been getting ready for Easter and Galatians, and the first 5 verses have me hooked and excited for our upcoming series. There’s a lot of richness is a small section

“Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—and all the brothers and sisters who are with me,

To the churches of Galatia:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”

— Galatians 1:1-5

I have a few weekly emails that I look forward to every week: (see the buttons below for links)

1. Jon Tyson is a pastor in New York City and has a weekly email called “Primal Path” geared toward men and fathers. It’s encouraging and helpful.

2. Travelzoo sends out a “Weekly Top 20” travel deals that I’ve been getting for about 17 years (shoutout to Ethan Stover for the original recommendation all those years ago) - It may not be helpful in that it stokes a bit of wanderlust…But there’s a lot of world to see.

3. James Clear is the author of “Atomic Habits” and has a weekly email called “3-2-1” that is short, pithy, and helpful in thinking through life, work, and habits.

I’ve been listening to Citizen’s new album “I Can’t Find the Edges of You” on repeat.

You can here it on YouTube below or click here if you’re a Spotify person

Finally, for fun - Anthony and Beth recently shared a wonderful video:

“British Highschoolers Try Biscuits and Gravy for the First Time”

Lately (February 2023)

It’s a snowy Wednesday and I had an idea:

From time to time I’ll collect some random things floating in my mind and ask others to contribute, and share them all with you. Notes, verses, podcasts, videos, books, etc.

They say sharing is caring.

Without further adieu, our first edition of “Lately” - February 2023

You know when a verse just “sticks” and you can’t shake it? In teaching through the letters to the seven churches of Revelation, Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians has been frequently meditated on and prayed for the Union Church family…It’s haunting me in the best kind of way.

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

— Ephesians 3:14-19

Maybe that’s a little long for you. Another random thought bouncing in my brain about prayer is this:

“If you only have 3 words, all you need to pray is “Help, Thanks, Wow.””

Samuel James wrote a thought provoking article about tossing out beliefs when they don’t spark joy.

Here’s an excerpt:

“This is crucial to understand. What we believe about God, the Bible, salvation, and our world matters not primarily because it might make us happier or better at what we do but because of God. There are right and wrong answers to the biggest questions in the universe because there is a real God who really is sovereign and really has revealed himself and his truth. We need to know what he has said.”

— Samuel James

A song I’ve been enjoying:
”Hymn of the Ages” by Maverick City Music

A book I’m thrilled to have started: Timothy Keller - His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation by Collin Hansen

If you’ve been around Union Church for any amount of time, you know we’ve been helped and influenced by Tim Keller. This book released last week and gives a glimpse into the life of one of our current spiritual mentors. Click below to check it out.

Finally, for fun - “A Baby Hippo Raised by Rhinos” - Who knew hippos could sunburn?!

Top Five (six) Books - 2022 Edition

In keeping with tradition, here’s a collection of books I enjoyed and/or found helpful this year. Here’s some of the “uniquely portable magic” that I experienced in 2022.

(For the 2020 list, click here, 2021 here.)

A few caveats:

1. Because I enjoyed a book does not mean that I fully endorse any of the authors or books. By telling you about a book means I found it helpful, thought provoking, or interesting in some way.

2. All the links shared (click the picture of the book) go to Amazon. If you purchase from Amazon, I recommend you also support a local non profit like Gospel Rescue Mission, or Agape house through the Amazon Smile program. Or perhaps even better, support a local bookstore like Peregrine Book Company, or the wonderful people at Hearts and Minds books in Pennsylvania.

3. You can always check the local library. Some of the titles are available in Yavapai County!

This book was recommended by Beth Moore via Twitter, and if you hang with the different writing style, (no chapters, different prose) it will captivate you. Daniel Nayeri shares the story of his mother’s conversion to Christianity and their plight as refugees that resulted. Keep some Kleenex close by.

This short story should come with a warning label on the cover, “The reader will be impacted, haunted, and likely changed.” The novella is based in the 80’s in Ireland and asks some deep questions about life, faith, love, and doing the right thing at the right time.

If Tim writes it, I want to read it and have yet to regret it. This book covers the resurrection of Jesus and its implications, with good news for today. The book is a great distillation of many bigger works like “Resurrection of the Son of God” by NT Wright. Keller writes through his own journey of cancer and how he personally has found hope through suffering.

Kate Bowler shares reflections from her life after a diagnosis of stage 4 cancer. With humor, candor, and theological reflection she shares her story of treatment and wrestling with the ultimate questions from it. It isn’t only memoir, there is a lot of help in how to walk well through life, pain, and suffering for ourselves and alongside others.

Recommended by my sister, this book didn’t disappoint. The Grand Canyon is a happy place for me and this detailed history of the journey down the Colorado River was packed with adventure and so many fascinating details.

I just finished listening to this book and it’s worthy of a re-read and further consideration. From the book page, “Many Christians live a faith that is "nowhen." They are disconnected from the past or imagine they are somehow "above" the flux of history, immune to it, as if self-starters from clean slates in every generation. They lack an awareness of time and the effects of history--both personal and collective--and thus are naive about current issues, prone to nostalgia, and fixated on the end times.” I found it to help root and reorient to living in the present.

Honorable Mentions:

East of Eden - John Steinbeck - Quite possibly my favorite book ever from one of my top authors. I revisited Steinbeck’s magnum opus and it didn’t disappoint. He understands people, and writes in a way that cultivates thought and cuts to the soul.

Ruthless Trust - Brennan Manning - This book was recommended to me by my counselor a few years ago, and it was calling my name again this year. Manning writes in such a compelling and refreshing way. How do we trust God and live out of that in life? This work helps immensely.

Reading Black Books - Claude Atcho - A fellow pastor and personal friend, Claude’s first release is a book about books. He explores a selection of African-American works that can helps us all in our journeys of being more whole and just.

This Hallelujah Banquet - Eugene Peterson - A posthumous release from the beloved pastor, Eugene gives a shepherding perspective on the book of Revelation. Some of this book is the inspiration for our upcoming series through the seven churches in Revelation.

Romans Class

On Church Gatherings

During Sunday’s sermon from Paul’s letter to Titus, I gave a brief excursus on why our church calls what we do on Sundays “gatherings” as opposed to “services.” I’ll admit some of my sentiment comes as a reactionary pendulum swing from the church culture I was raised in. At the same time there are some key convictions against what has developed in American life that I hope to further explain here.

Words matter because they shape our understanding and engagement. In our context today, when many think of Sunday church services/gatherings/meetings, or whatever you prefer to call it, our thinking and approach can often be shaped by a consumer mindset.

What’s the style of worship or preaching?

What’s the vibe of the building, people and approach to everything?

What’s the quality of offerings like kids ministry, coffee, and everything that we experience?

The church is the conduit through which we consume a religious or personal experience.

All the above deeply matters, but at Union Church, we don’t see Sunday mornings as a conveyor belt for religious goods, services and self help. We see it as a gathering of the family of forgiven sinners learning the grace of Christ together. I believe the word “gathering” better communicates that reality over “service.”

Eugene Peterson has been influential for me when it comes to church life and pastoral ministry. He says:

“The vocation of pastor(s) has been replaced by the strategies of religious entrepreneurs with business plans…My job is not to solve people's problems or make them happy, but to help them see the grace operating in their lives…Congregations are composed of people, who, upon entering a church, leave behind what people on the street name or call them. A church can never be reduced to a place where goods and services are exchanged. It must never be a place where a person is labeled. It can never be a place where gossip is perpetuated. Before anything else, it is a place where a person is named and greeted, whether implicitly or explicitly, in Jesus’s name. A place where dignity is conferred.”

When we gather we attempt to be intentional in what we do and why we do it.

Our liturgy follows a similar order week to week.

We begin with reading God’s word together in our call to worship. Starting this way is meant to collectively reorient our focus and attention toward the truth of who God is, what He’s done, and what the appropriate response is. Worship.

We then sing some songs. This can be one of the more hotly contested and opinionated aspects of church life. We all have personal preferences that play into this. At Union Church, we see our singing and worship ministry as discipleship through song. We attempt to be consistent in choosing songs that are theologically sound (based on truth), relationally vibrant (speak of our real, living Union with Christ and one another,) and are centered on Jesus (it really is all about Him.)

Even though I’m not a fan of “announcements” - They play a role to update those assembled about how to connect, what’s going on in the life of the church, talk about finances and so on. It can be rote (forgive me) - but is necessary for the family to have communication and understanding around what’s happening. Thanks for bearing with them.

Someone from the church then reads from God’s word. We prioritize having a family member read scripture before every sermon. We desire our sermons to be doctrinally sound, rooted in truth and helpful for life, but the most important thing is the word of God, read to the people of God, read without commentary or interruption.

Once the sermon is finished, we then respond through giving, prayer, and communion.

Giving together is an act of worship and sacrifice. “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

We have a time and people available to pray with and for one another in an effort to “bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.” This also gives an opportunity for us to respond to the good news of Jesus with greater surrender and dependency.

We take communion, because the eucharist meal has always been a central rhythm, reminder, and sacrament for followers of Jesus. “As often as you eat the bread and drink of the cup, do so in remembrance of me.” (Jesus said)

After singing again, we close in a corporate prayer together. We always craft this prayer to be Trinitarian, to encourage thanks, confession, and vocalize our need for God’s help as we are sent into the world.

I hope you see that our gatherings aren’t built on a pastor, personality, or personal experience but look to encourage community participation, formation, discipleship, and right response as we then scatter out into the world.