Denes Damasdi, PhD
@pastordenes.bsky.social
I am here for theology - missional theology - missio Dei - mission and worship - liturgy - spiritual formation, etc. Ph.D. in theology,
Pastor at Horizon (Galt, CA) , Adj Prof at William Jessup (Rocklin, CA)
Pastor at Horizon (Galt, CA) , Adj Prof at William Jessup (Rocklin, CA)
We sang this song at our annual NAB Retreat this past weekend. So thankful for all those friends near and far who choose the Jesus Way!
youtu.be/JhwgRKUOdVQ?...
youtu.be/JhwgRKUOdVQ?...
PHIL WICKHAM - The Jesus Way: Song Session
YouTube video by Essential Worship
youtu.be
October 7, 2025 at 3:55 PM
We sang this song at our annual NAB Retreat this past weekend. So thankful for all those friends near and far who choose the Jesus Way!
youtu.be/JhwgRKUOdVQ?...
youtu.be/JhwgRKUOdVQ?...
Launching 14 community groups at our church today! Thank you, Practicing the Way, for the excellent materials and videos!
September 28, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Launching 14 community groups at our church today! Thank you, Practicing the Way, for the excellent materials and videos!
"I think we have for too long focused too much on the large gatherings and neglected the small ones. So, we, pastors, elders, and church leaders, have work to do on how to create better structures and equip our people to do church at home. [...]
September 15, 2025 at 12:53 AM
"I think we have for too long focused too much on the large gatherings and neglected the small ones. So, we, pastors, elders, and church leaders, have work to do on how to create better structures and equip our people to do church at home. [...]
"He will judge between many peoples
and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore." Micah 4:3
and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore." Micah 4:3
September 10, 2025 at 10:32 PM
"He will judge between many peoples
and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore." Micah 4:3
and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore." Micah 4:3
I preached about doing justice as mission today. Here is a short exerpt: (link below)
"Thinking about injustice the pushback is often to say: I am not responsible. It’s not my fault that the store I shop treats it’s workers bad. :
"Thinking about injustice the pushback is often to say: I am not responsible. It’s not my fault that the store I shop treats it’s workers bad. :
September 1, 2025 at 4:48 AM
I preached about doing justice as mission today. Here is a short exerpt: (link below)
"Thinking about injustice the pushback is often to say: I am not responsible. It’s not my fault that the store I shop treats it’s workers bad. :
"Thinking about injustice the pushback is often to say: I am not responsible. It’s not my fault that the store I shop treats it’s workers bad. :
My read for the long ride to Mexico. Our church is taking a team of 20 people on a week long trip to serve. Our youngest team member is 3 months old our oldest is 92. Pray fornus if you can!
July 12, 2025 at 5:54 PM
My read for the long ride to Mexico. Our church is taking a team of 20 people on a week long trip to serve. Our youngest team member is 3 months old our oldest is 92. Pray fornus if you can!
One of the ways God limits the reign of evil (while still allowing the consequences of our rebellion to take place) is to confuse those who conspire to build the towers of Babel. Disunity among those who seek to oppress others is God's grace for the oppressed. Read Genesis 11!
June 6, 2025 at 3:32 AM
One of the ways God limits the reign of evil (while still allowing the consequences of our rebellion to take place) is to confuse those who conspire to build the towers of Babel. Disunity among those who seek to oppress others is God's grace for the oppressed. Read Genesis 11!
"Jesus’ instruction to look at the birds and flowers wasn’t just a figure of speech. It can be seen as an instruction to spend more time in nature and reflect on the created world to seek a deeper understanding of God." (From my last sermon on Romans 1:18-23)
a black and white photo of a woodpecker sitting on a tree branch
ALT: a black and white photo of a woodpecker sitting on a tree branch
media.tenor.com
May 22, 2025 at 4:01 PM
"Jesus’ instruction to look at the birds and flowers wasn’t just a figure of speech. It can be seen as an instruction to spend more time in nature and reflect on the created world to seek a deeper understanding of God." (From my last sermon on Romans 1:18-23)
I love finding creative ways to create a more participatory worship. At the end of my sermon, I invited our church to answer a question using Slido, and then I prayed based on the word cloud we created.
May 19, 2025 at 3:20 PM
I love finding creative ways to create a more participatory worship. At the end of my sermon, I invited our church to answer a question using Slido, and then I prayed based on the word cloud we created.
Defending my PhD today. Prayers are appreciated!
May 7, 2025 at 7:05 AM
Defending my PhD today. Prayers are appreciated!
On a short trip in Hungary and I got to preach at two of my old churches. What a blessing!
May 5, 2025 at 8:20 AM
On a short trip in Hungary and I got to preach at two of my old churches. What a blessing!
May we Celebrate!
"All sins forgiven, the slate wiped clean, that old arrest warrant canceled and nailed to Christ’s cross. He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets."Colossians 2:13-15
"All sins forgiven, the slate wiped clean, that old arrest warrant canceled and nailed to Christ’s cross. He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets."Colossians 2:13-15
April 20, 2025 at 8:17 PM
May we Celebrate!
"All sins forgiven, the slate wiped clean, that old arrest warrant canceled and nailed to Christ’s cross. He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets."Colossians 2:13-15
"All sins forgiven, the slate wiped clean, that old arrest warrant canceled and nailed to Christ’s cross. He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets."Colossians 2:13-15
Reposted by Denes Damasdi, PhD
A Prayer for the Fourth Week of Lent: that we might receive pardon from all past sins, courage to resist all present temptations and protection against all evils to come.
("Prayers for the Pilgrimage" via @ivpress.bsky.social)
("Prayers for the Pilgrimage" via @ivpress.bsky.social)
March 31, 2025 at 3:49 PM
A Prayer for the Fourth Week of Lent: that we might receive pardon from all past sins, courage to resist all present temptations and protection against all evils to come.
("Prayers for the Pilgrimage" via @ivpress.bsky.social)
("Prayers for the Pilgrimage" via @ivpress.bsky.social)
Have you ever thought of moments of boredom as potential portals to prayer?
March 26, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Have you ever thought of moments of boredom as potential portals to prayer?
Reposted by Denes Damasdi, PhD
The Church might be the only community of people that establishes its credibility in the world by routinely and fearlessly confessing and repenting of sin.
And we lose our credibility by refusing to name our sins.
And we lose our credibility by refusing to name our sins.
March 20, 2025 at 10:14 PM
The Church might be the only community of people that establishes its credibility in the world by routinely and fearlessly confessing and repenting of sin.
And we lose our credibility by refusing to name our sins.
And we lose our credibility by refusing to name our sins.
www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/ar...
"There is a definite ship crewed by particular sailors that legitimately sail under the banner of “Empathy.” And it looks remarkably like Christ’s incarnate help for us in our weakness as described in Hebrews 2 and 4. ...
"There is a definite ship crewed by particular sailors that legitimately sail under the banner of “Empathy.” And it looks remarkably like Christ’s incarnate help for us in our weakness as described in Hebrews 2 and 4. ...
Navigating Empathy
Jesus saw people hurting and was moved deep in his gut, his σπλάγχνα; he had pity, even compassion (Matt 9:36; 14:14; 15:32; 20:34). He experienced what medical and psychological scholars commonly cal...
www.thegospelcoalition.org
March 10, 2025 at 4:22 PM
www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/ar...
"There is a definite ship crewed by particular sailors that legitimately sail under the banner of “Empathy.” And it looks remarkably like Christ’s incarnate help for us in our weakness as described in Hebrews 2 and 4. ...
"There is a definite ship crewed by particular sailors that legitimately sail under the banner of “Empathy.” And it looks remarkably like Christ’s incarnate help for us in our weakness as described in Hebrews 2 and 4. ...
Reposted by Denes Damasdi, PhD
For all you feel lonely, alone, & abandoned today
For the widows & widowers
For the single, separated, & divorced
You are seen. You are loved.
For the widows & widowers
For the single, separated, & divorced
You are seen. You are loved.
This is a prayer on behalf of those who experience (Saint) Valentine's Day as a painful and lonely one. 💔🙏 @ivpress.bsky.social
"May my loneliness not become oppressive to me but rather an occasion to feel deeply my company with saints throughout the ages who have shared a similar pain."
"May my loneliness not become oppressive to me but rather an occasion to feel deeply my company with saints throughout the ages who have shared a similar pain."
February 14, 2025 at 3:05 PM
For all you feel lonely, alone, & abandoned today
For the widows & widowers
For the single, separated, & divorced
You are seen. You are loved.
For the widows & widowers
For the single, separated, & divorced
You are seen. You are loved.
"Our worship services have integrity when they attune us to God's project, and when they align us with God's mission, in such a way that our lives as individual Christians and as Christian communities are invested in who God is and what God cares about and is doing." Alan & Elanor Kreider
February 13, 2025 at 10:43 PM
"Our worship services have integrity when they attune us to God's project, and when they align us with God's mission, in such a way that our lives as individual Christians and as Christian communities are invested in who God is and what God cares about and is doing." Alan & Elanor Kreider
Great words! Having an honest conversation with students about AI is better than being an AI police. We all must understand that " the only path to wisdom and knowledge goes through enduring hardship and persevering. "
How should we address the ab(use) of AI in the classroom? In this unlocked post I argue that particularly for writing assignments, we need to appeal to students' virtues rather than rely on AI detection. Either students want to learn, or they don't. newsletter.oalannoble.com/p/the-altern...
The Alternative to AI in the Classroom is Desiring to Learn
In the end, students want to learn, or they don't
newsletter.oalannoble.com
February 9, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Great words! Having an honest conversation with students about AI is better than being an AI police. We all must understand that " the only path to wisdom and knowledge goes through enduring hardship and persevering. "
This Psalm has been encouraging me lately. We often feel satisfied or dissatisfied at the end of the day, depending on how much work we have done. How awesome would it be if we would already be satisfied in the morning, and not by our own work but by God's faithful love? May we be glad today!
January 30, 2025 at 5:10 PM
This Psalm has been encouraging me lately. We often feel satisfied or dissatisfied at the end of the day, depending on how much work we have done. How awesome would it be if we would already be satisfied in the morning, and not by our own work but by God's faithful love? May we be glad today!
Reposted by Denes Damasdi, PhD
My latest for @theatlantic.com on why we need to be careful about confidently declaring God’s will as it relates to politicians and elections.
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
On Donald Trump and the Inscrutability of God
How I’m praying for the new president
www.theatlantic.com
January 21, 2025 at 2:45 PM
My latest for @theatlantic.com on why we need to be careful about confidently declaring God’s will as it relates to politicians and elections.
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
On the #WesleyHuff and #JoeRogan podcast: The take away for most people shouldn't be that they need PhD level apologetics knowledge to be evangelistic. Rather to embody humility, patience, love and kindness, and the ability to say i don't know or i am not an expert when we dont know something.
January 13, 2025 at 3:15 PM
On the #WesleyHuff and #JoeRogan podcast: The take away for most people shouldn't be that they need PhD level apologetics knowledge to be evangelistic. Rather to embody humility, patience, love and kindness, and the ability to say i don't know or i am not an expert when we dont know something.
"So worship and mission are not to be conceived as two distinct activities, the one theocentric and the other anthropocentric; both are aspects of a single divine activity in which, through Christ, we are included" John G. Davies
January 9, 2025 at 5:57 PM
"So worship and mission are not to be conceived as two distinct activities, the one theocentric and the other anthropocentric; both are aspects of a single divine activity in which, through Christ, we are included" John G. Davies
Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” John 1:38
Jesus asks this question not because he is confused about these disciples following him, but to help them clarify their own desires. Jesus asks: Do you really want me and my life?
www.youtube.com/live/g7B9x5q...
Jesus asks this question not because he is confused about these disciples following him, but to help them clarify their own desires. Jesus asks: Do you really want me and my life?
www.youtube.com/live/g7B9x5q...
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January 6, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” John 1:38
Jesus asks this question not because he is confused about these disciples following him, but to help them clarify their own desires. Jesus asks: Do you really want me and my life?
www.youtube.com/live/g7B9x5q...
Jesus asks this question not because he is confused about these disciples following him, but to help them clarify their own desires. Jesus asks: Do you really want me and my life?
www.youtube.com/live/g7B9x5q...
Starting the new year with using my Christmas gifts. My desire and resolution is to pray more and pray in new ways. Thank you @wdavidotaylor.bsky.social and Pheadre Taylor for your beautiful work!
January 2, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Starting the new year with using my Christmas gifts. My desire and resolution is to pray more and pray in new ways. Thank you @wdavidotaylor.bsky.social and Pheadre Taylor for your beautiful work!