Rev. Chuck Blair is the pastor of New Church Live, a fabulous human and fellow traveler in the work of being love in the world.
Summary. In this conversation, Sage interviews Rev. Chuck Blair about the essence of life and the role of love. They discuss how love can be both ferocious and courageous, and how it is nurtured through experiences and relationships. They explore the importance of stepping out of comfort zones and serving others, as well as finding balance between action and contemplation. Chuck shares his experiences with New Church Live, an online church community, and how they have found their audience through wedding ministry. They also discuss the challenges of worship wars and the importance of staying focused on their mission. The conversation explores the role of ministers in officiating sacred ceremonies and marking the sacred nature of life's milestones. It discusses the importance of being present for special occasions and providing support and guidance to individuals and couples. The conversation also delves into the challenges faced by pastors in the modern era, including the shift from a community model to a commodity model of church. It emphasizes the need to focus on the spiritual and emotional aspects of life and the importance of living in the present moment. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the radical nature of the new call in the New Church and the power of choosing to live in heaven now.
Keywords love, essence of life, nurturing love, obstacles to love, comfort, convenience, serving others, balance, action and contemplation, online church, wedding ministry, challenges, worship wars, audience, ministry, sacred ceremonies, milestones, presence, support, guidance, challenges, pastors, community model, commodity model, spiritual, emotional, living in the present, new call, heaven
Takeaways
The essence of life is love, which can be both ferocious and courageous.
Love is nurtured through experiences, relationships, and stepping out of comfort zones.
Finding balance between action and contemplation is important in nurturing love.
Online church communities can reach a wider audience and serve those who may not have a traditional church home.
Challenges, such as worship wars, can arise, but it is important to stay focused on the mission and the audience being served. Ministers play an important role in officiating sacred ceremonies and marking the sacred nature of life's milestones.
Being present for special occasions and providing support and guidance is a key aspect of ministry.
Pastors face challenges in the modern era, including the shift from a community model to a commodity model of church.
Focusing on the spiritual and emotional aspects of life is essential for living a good life and finding meaning.
The new call in the New Church is to choose to live in heaven now.
Sound Bites
"Love that has its boots on"
"Love is doing something"
"Convenience and comfort is the booby prize"
"Threshold moments are where a whole lot less matters. What matters matters a whole lot more."
"Being there for those special occasions is one of the fun things about being a minister."
"Live heaven now. Live heaven now."
Chapters
00:00 The Essence of Life: Love
02:22 Nurturing Love through Experiences and Relationships
09:20 Stepping Out of Comfort Zones to Serve Others
13:59 Finding Balance: Action and Contemplation
19:02 Online Church: Reaching a Wider Audience
28:36 Challenges and Staying Focused on the Mission
31:30 The Role of Ministers in Sacred Ceremonies and Milestones
36:30 Being Present for Special Occasions: Support and Guidance
41:25 Challenges Faced by Pastors in the Modern Era
46:25 Focusing on the Spiritual and Emotional Aspects of Life
50:40 The Radical Nature of the New Call: Choosing to Live in Heaven Now
Our Theme Music is “I Love it,” by Luke Concannon www.lukeconcannon.com
Be Love: "Live heaven now."