Dear Folks -
We are beginning a bit of an experiment in both Ordinary Life and on the Ordinary Life website. Often when I give a talk I use overheads to make a point. Sometimes these are words and sometimes they are cartoons or photographs. I have started using a "powerpoint" type of presentation to do this and we are going to put pdf files of the talks on the website. As I said, this is an experiment both in the class and on the website. After a few weeks we'll evaluate the effectiveness of this. It is difficult to tell where these e-mails go or who views the website. I know for a fact that we have people who read Ordinary Life in Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, New Zealand as well as the United States. I hope this change enhances the experience of the Ordinary Life talks for those who can't attend in person.
This week I began dealing with the parable of Jesus in an effort to see how we can experience the transformation some of those who first him did. This week I dealt with the parable of the mustard seed. It was, I believe, a story Jesus told to appeal to what I call religious realism and an appeal to creative imagination.
The full text I used for the talk is below as is the audio.
Much love,
Bill Kerley
Click here to Download text 20091018.pdf
Click here to Download Keynote presentation slides Religious_Realism.pdf
Click here to Download audio 20091018.mp3
Read moreDear Folks -
As is often the case, I feel the audio version of the talk I gave this week in Ordinary Life trumps the printed version that follows. One of the goals I have for all of my talks is to create open minds that can lead to open hearts and hands. Often our minds are closed to new truths because we believe weird things. One of the things I deal with in this talk is why do people believe in weird things. Often when people are confronted with facts that are contrary to the beliefs they hold they will say that they simply "have faith" that what they believe is true. So, this leads me to raise the question: What does it mean to have faith.
Much love,
Bill Kerley
Click here to Download text 20091011.pdf
Click here to Download Keynote presentation slides Weird_Beliefs.pdf
Click here to Download audio 20091011.mp3
Read moreDear Folks -
The most powerful way to convey a truth is by telling a story. Stories both awaken and require the child-like qualities in us to come alive. Children never ask, "Tell me some facts." Rather, the ask, "Tell me a story."
I am continuing to lay the foundation for a series I am planning on the parables of Jesus. This talk is part of that preparation.
Much love,
Bill Kerley
Click here to Download text 20091004.pdf
Click here to Download audio 20091004.mp3
Read moreDear Folks -
As I mentioned in the Preview that went our last week, the presentation about our work in Bolivia couldn't be put on the Ordinary Life website. The audio makes no sense without the pictures and the PowerPoint presentation is too big to upload to the site.
Susanna Hooper has come up with a wonderful solution. She is willing to make CDs of the presentation with both audio and photos available to anyone who wants one. The CDs will cost $10. One hundred present of this money will go directly to supplement the milk and fruit money we are sending to our day care school program in Cochabamba. So, if you want a CD, respond to this e-mail and send your mailing address. An envelope will be enclosed to return your church for the $10. Feel free to send more if you like. After seeing photos of the work, you'll be tempted to do so.
This week, in an effort to lay a foundation for the talks to come, I raise the question: What is the "Gospel truth?" What we believe to be true is very important to know about because our beliefs shape our lives. I illustrate how things some people once held to be true but no longer do by referring to the book "The Help."
Religious and spiritual work that is wise and useful isn't so much about protecting the past as it is about providing us a way to envision and walk into the future.
Much love,
Bill Kerley
Click here to Download text 20090927.pdf
Click here to Download audio 200090927.mp3
There is a problem with the audio from this Sunday. About 13 minutes in, the sound goes out.
Read more