The Body Shaming

As we continue our Dear Paul, Sermon Series, Rev. Venida invites us to imagine a world where body shaming does not exist. Where we are free to move and make decisions about our bodies and lives without being hindered by others’ impressions or opinions of us. Where we are able to use our authentic voices, minds, and creativity to decolonize and free our bodies from self-sabotage and everything restricting us from experiencing liberation. A world where we truly love ourselves and others.

This sermon examines body image oppression, Scripture which may have led us here, and how we can break free of the chains, heal, and reclaim our bodies. What a world!

Venida Rodman JenkinsForefront ChurchJuly 6, 2025body, shame, healing, trauma, reclaim

Prayer Changes: My Prayer Changes Where I Walk | Christian Scharen

Thinking leads to action, so prayer will not only change my thinking but my living. But how do I face where my heart has turned to stone, the truth of harm I have participated in? The surprising, overwhelming mercy of God literally forgets what we have done, freeing us to risk praying anew, and seeking repair.

Christian ScharenForefront ChurchSeptember 24, 2023indigenous peoples, justice, prayer, shame, love, repair

Cultivating & Letting Go: Cultivating a New View of God & Others | Rev. Josh RaderLee

A predominant religious view is that God can’t be around sin, God must separate Godself from humans' sinfulness. Its this very reasoning that led to the religious elite of Jesus' day, isolating themselves from people who they deemed sinners. However, in this sermon Rev. Josh challenges us to let go of certain views of God and cultivate a view of God that recognizes that God never distances Godself from us but we in our shame estrange and hide from God. So Did Jesus come to change God's disposition toward humans or to change humans' disposition toward God? How we answer this just might change how we love ourselves, God, and others?

Josh RaderLeeForefront ChurchMarch 19, 2023salvation, love, neighbor, theology, separation, shame

Move Through Shame

We're excited to welcome our new Community Pastor at Forefront, Rev. Josh Lee to the stage today as he tackles shame and how we might overcome it in our own lives.

Josh RaderLeeForefront ChurchNovember 14, 2021hope, shame

POWERS & PRINCIPALITIES | "Shame"

Shame is a lie.

In this first sermon in our series, Powers and Principalities, Jonathan explains how we can be immobilized by the notion we are not valued by God.

In order to bring about change to the Powers and Principalities that embrace unjust views and systems, we need to release our shame. We are loved, all are loved, no matter who we are or what we've done. When we can fully accept the never-ending, pure love of God and realize that our shame is a lie, we are able to convince others of the same.

Jonathan WilliamsRobbie KleinJuly 5, 2020shame, brené brown, demons, power