The Pink Elephant

When Jesus told Paul "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness"...He assured us centuries of confusion. It would be tough to find a concept more counter-cultural than this one.  In this episode, Mel delves into the concept of weakness. What was Paul meaning when he claimed to boast in his weaknesses? How and why would we ever want to do that?  Discover the immense power in weakness, in this first episode of Season 3   Mel refers to the following book in the episode: "Paul, Apostle of Weakness: Astheneia and Its Cognates in the Pauline literature" by David Alan Black...PURCHASE HERE

In this months episode, I got the pleasure of interviewing Alex Headrick & Bryan Burkholder of the UPRISING PODCAST. These guys are seriously insightful, thought provoking and I'm confident they'll get your brain juices going! In this episode they talk all about the Kingdom Culture, and how we can elevate our perspective to consider the Kingdom way...which is not always so obvious. Go check these guys out at www.theuprisingpodcast.com or you can follow them on social media. 

Most people want more peace in life, whether they are Christian or not. But what exactly is peace, and how is depth effecting our experience of this incredible Christian concept?

In this first ever interview on the Pink Elephant podcast, Mel interviews Dr Omar Djoeandy author of "Redefining Success According to Jesus".  Dr Omar shares the scriptural foundation for success, providing great stories and examples along the way. Purchase his book or download a free chapter at www.redefiningsuccess.com.au  

In the final episode of Season 1, Mel takes on a few common statements that are used in the Christian world that probably aren't the most helpful. What might be the impact to our faith with statements like:    "Blessed to be a blessing"   "God is in Control"   "The best is yet to come"   Check out this episode!  The podcast will begin again on the 15th of February 2022! So don't forget to subscribe/follow so you don't miss out.

On the 7th day of creation, God rested. God then initiates a rest day for His people, which they were to honour. But something has changed between then and now. Our society including Christians has gravitated toward an exceptionally busy lifestyle, devoid of rest. What is missing? How might there be more to this concept of rest?  

This is the 3rd episode in the Holy Spirit series, where Mel shares some ways that you can grow in hearing the Holy Spirit give individual guidance. Mel talks about a unique approach to hearing the Holy Spirit based on the inherent risks associated with each type, and how she mitigate such risks. A companion diagram can be found at meljsaward.com

In this second episode in the 3-part Holy Spirit series, Mel tackles the concept of the anointing. Whilst the concept mainly occurs in the Old Testament, in many churches today the anointing and the 'anointed' is still believed to be a Pastor or Leader chosen by God. Mel pokes some holes in this idea to demonstrate the true nature of the anointing and how it impacts our experience of faith.

There are many things missing when it comes to how we behave and cooperate with the Holy Spirit. In this episode, Mel starts a much needed conversation about the barriers that stand in the way of experiencing the fullness of the Spirit in this day.

We know that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1). But why do we still struggle with shame? In this episode, Mel gets deeper into the subject of shame and how you can be free of it

Guilt is a powerful emotion. And often it rules our actions and behaviours, like an oppressive master. Guilt is misused, misunderstood and misappropriated in the Body of Christ. In this episode, Mel considers guilt and how it is affecting our relationship with God, and the health of the Christian community.

In John 17, Jesus prays to the Father that those who believe the gospel message would be ONE. Whether you love or hate the Church, this episode delves into the Pink Elephants that often prohibit the accomplishment of the lofty vision Jesus had for His people: ONENESS WITH EACH OTHER.

In this episode, we explore the concept of 'Oneness'. What is it and how does it change how we look at our relationship with God? 

Pride and humility are two of the most discussed topics in the scriptures. It holds so much opportunity for growth and healing. And yet, it is not a common message in the Christian community. In this episode, Mel pulls apart these ideas and demonstrates the practical hope available to every believer. 

In this episode, Mel revisits the overall purpose of this podcast. To go deeper! She does this by exploring another well-known parable and demonstrates its underlying implications.

Prayer is a significant area of our Christian life. But based on our approach to prayer, there is much we don't understand about it. In this episode, Mel takes on a few conflicting attitudes toward prayer. 

In this episode, Mel delves into the topic of 'Surrender'. It's not necessarily a word that is used a lot these days, but it is a critical topic that Jesus referred to when defining a disciple. 

Mel explores the subject of the religious spirit, and how it masks as real faith and detracts from the fullness of life we were meant to experience.

In this episode, Mel takes on the topic of FEARLESSNESS. Is it possible to live without fear? By exploring two major theologies that were pertinent to the early church, Mel demonstrates that fearlessness may be closer than we think.

In this episode, Mel explores the topic of Contentment. She demonstrates how a lack of depth can impact our pursuit of contentment, even though it is what all society really desires in this life. Please note: The episode has been labelled explicit because it mentions pornography as a topic.