The Beatitudes Project

In this last episode of Season One, Stu G and co-host Brian Miller look back on the things we've learned from The Beatitudes and talk about what The View From Here looks like if we allow The Beatitudes to transform us.

Thank you so much for joining us for this podcast, we're excited about the episodes to come. If you've enjoyed listening please share this podcast with your friends.

Audio in this episode:

Shane Claiborne from The Beatitudes Project film.

Stu G and co-host Brian Miller chat about "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness and justice (dikaiosyne), for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."

We discuss what persecution because of faith looks like around the world. We also discuss what this announcement means for those of us who live in countries where we are free to worship but might experience a push-back for living differently.

Audio in this episode:

Shane Claiborne from the film A View From The Hill.

Stu G and co-host Brian Miller ask, what does it look like to be Peacemakers in the world?

We explore ideas around inner-peace and making peace with others. Stu talks about his experiences in The Holy Land with the Telos group as he learned about peacemaking in the Israeli Palestinian conflict. These visits to the Holy Land birthed a lot of what we know as The Beatitudes Project.

We also chat about finding peace in a pandemic.

Audio in this episode:

Holy Land Montage by Stu Garrard.

This episode Stu G and co-host Brian Miller explore the sixth upside-down blessing Jesus gave, "Blessed Are The Pure In Heart."

Is this only about Morality? 

Stu and Brian explore the idea that a pure heart is an undivided heart.

Audio in this Episode:

Amanda Lindsey Cook - Songwriter and Artist

Stu G and co-host Brian Miller explore the invitations in Jesus' words, "Blessed are the Merciful for they shall be shown Mercy."

What does Mercy look like in the twenty-first century?

Perhaps showing Mercy to ourselves is the beginning of showing Mercy to others.

Audio in this episode:

Becca Stevens - President and Founder of Thistle farms

Rabbi Joseph Edelheit

This week on The Beatitudes Project, we're pausing season one of this podcast to bring you this special bonus episode.

We want to find a way to respond to or at least acknowledge the racial crisis affecting America and beyond right now in 2020.

There are many voices of color speaking out at this moment, let us listen, learn, and work for meaningful, permanent change.

Tory and Tangie Lane are a Mom and Dad of two daughters here in Franklin, Tennessee. Tory is a basketball coach, Tangie works at a school addressing racial inequality in Franklin.

Special thanks to Tory and Tangie for the conversation and Dylan Seals for helping us create this episode so fast.

Audio in this episode:

Stu G and co-host Brian Miller discuss Jesus' words  "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness and justice."

What do you ache for? What does justice look like?

God is on your side in the ache, lack, and longing of life, when you feel powerless to make a change.

We recorded this episode before the Covid-19 Pandemic, and the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Loyd.

Audio in this episode:

Darren Whitehead - Lead Pastor Church of The City Franklin

Ep. 4 - Meek - Those Whose Presence is Ignored.

Stu G and co-host Brian Miller discuss the third announcement in The Beatitudes; Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. 

We know who "gets the earth," it's the most powerful. So in this episode, we look at power and powerlessness, those we see as the other and those whose presence we ignore.

Audio in this episode:

Scott Roley - Pastor, Activist for Racial Justice 

Charles Robinson - Native American 

All music is from the album Beatitudes by Stu Garrard

The View From Here - ft. Hillsong United

Let My Dreams Fly - ft. Terrian Bass

I Will Be Your Home - ft. Audrey Assad

Heaven Is Around Us - ft. John Mark McMillan

Episode resource Links:

Stu G and Co-host Brian Miller discuss Jesus' second Beatitude.

Blessed are those who mourn.

Our world is marked by loss and grief. This Beatitude is about losing someone OR something that you love and is most dear to you—the grief of change.

The idea that the "blessing" is presence is never more appropriate than in this announcement.

Audio in this episode:

• Al Andrews (Porter's Call) Therapist and Counselor to the artist and recording industry.
• All music from Beatitudes by Stu Garrard - The View From Here ft. Hillsong United. Carry On ft. Michael W.Smith.

Episode Resource Links:

Join Stu G and co-host Brian miller in conversation about the first Beatitude; "Blessed are the poor in Spirit." 

What is a "poverty of spirit?" Did Jesus simply mean the extremely poor? What do we do when, as Eugene Peterson says, "we reach the end of our rope?" Jesus begins The Sermon On The Mount by flipping the script on what blessing or success looks like to us, and we discover that "the blessing" is God's presence with us. 

Audio in this episode: 

• Sam Polk (Everytable) Sam is a former Hedge Fund Trader on Wall Street. 
• All Music from Beatitudes by Stu Garrard - The View From Here by Stu Garrard and Hillsong United. 
• You Will Make A Way by Stu Garrard and All Sons And Daughters 

Episode Resource Links: 

Stu G and co-host Brian Miller give some background to The Beatitudes Project and discuss the first thought - What does it mean to Listen? 

Jesus gave us The Beatitudes on a hillside two thousand years ago. With these conversations, we want to invite you back on that hill, but can we put aside what we think we know of the text and listen to Jesus with fresh ears just as the people listened on the hillside back then? 

Audio used in this episode: 

Rabbi Joseph Edelheit talking at a fire pit with friends in 2009. 

Listen - a poem by Becky Harding and Stu G from the album Beatitudes. 

All Music from Beatitudes by Stu Garrard - The View From Here by Stu Garrard and Hillsong United, 

Oh Blessed by Stu Garrard and Anthony Skinner. 

Episode Resource Links: