Ancient Faith Ministries

Nov 2, 2022 • 1h 47m

At the Vigil for the Feast of the Holy Protection of the Theotokos, Fr Bogdan Bucur dispels the false idea of divine protection from any and all suffering. The protective veil does not work magic - sometimes we suffer terribly, and the problems we pray about are not solved. The Mother of God herself experienced pain and agony when she witnessed her beloved Son and Lord crucified. To what end, then, do we seek the protection of the Mother of God? How does the Lord call us to know him through suffering in this life?

Nov 1, 2022 • 1h 35m

Nicodemus' question to Jesus, how someone could be born again, is one that can help us understand the message of the cross. On the Sunday before the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, The Very Rev. Prot. Vincent Temirov offers this meditation on the cross, the sign of God's boundless love for humankind.

Nov 1, 2022 • 1h 53m

Amidst the increasing number of “Nones” (those who do not identify with any religion), and “Dones” (those who identify as “done” with religion), there are still plenty of seekers - what are they looking for? The inquirer is looking for the pearl of great price that they must have - the light of God, the Glory of God. The Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield exhorts Christians to take up our responsibility to cultivate the light of Christ within our lives so that it reflects upon those around us.

Nov 1, 2022 • 3h 8m

Palace or manger? Royalty or poverty? The Birth of Christ in Matthew 1. As we continue our study of Matthew 1, we begin by responding to the criticisms of Jews and pagans about the genealogy of Christ in Matthew and Luke with answers from the Fathers of the Church. But why is the birth of Christ told differently by Matthew and Luke? What significant lessons do each teach us about the Incarnation of the Lord?

Oct 31, 2022 • 30 min

Listen to reflections written by Fr. Nicolaie for the Fifth Sunday of Luke.

Oct 31, 2022 • 4h 59m

This week on Stewardship Calling, meet the new CEO of Ancient Faith Ministries, Melinda Johnson. Learn about her history, what brought her to Ancient Faith, and her vision for the future.

Oct 28, 2022 • 2h 28m

Meditating on a hymn from the Exaltation of the Cross, The Rev. Dr Bogdan Bucur asks us to investigate its words: "But the Tree of the Cross, which grants unto mankind the robe of life, has now been fixed in the midst of the earth, and the earth is now filled with boundless joy." How do we understand this "robe," what kind of "life" are we talking about, and how exactly is the world filled with "boundless joy" because of the cross—especially as we look around and see a world that doesn't seem so joyous?

Oct 26, 2022 • 33 min

Presvytera Melanie speaks with Eleni Anast and Abby Vlahos, co-founders of their parish Disability Family Ministry and Fully Human Steering Committee members, about the whys, hows, blessings, challenges, and tips for supporting Orthodox Christian families with members who have disabilities.

Oct 25, 2022 • 3h 5m

Meticulous Matthew, the first evangelist has been called. What do we actually know about Matthew from early Church tradition? The first gospel is not written by someone we might expect, someone prominent among the disciples, such as St. Peter. Instead, the first gospel was written by a former tax collector. And yet, he gave us a gospel that is magnificent in its spiritual insight and astonishing in its complexity. It is quite impossible to imagine the Church without the Gospel of Matthew, the gospel that supplies a critical bridge between Judaism and the Church, and explains the relationship between the Old and the New. This week we will continue in our brand new study and also hear the inspiring words of St. John Chrysostom on the importance of reading the Scriptures.

Oct 24, 2022 • 44 min

Listen to reflections written by Fr. Nicolaie for the Sixth Sunday of Luke.

Oct 21, 2022 • 2h 22m

Christ has his cross, and we have ours. All of us become crucified on either side of him, like the thieves on Golgotha. On the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, The Very Rev. Archimandrite Maximos Constas explains why life's many crosses and crucifixions are not merely valuable, they are essential for our salvation. When we endure these crosses, on which side of the Lord's cross will we find ourselves?

Oct 21, 2022 • 1h 2m

Fr Alex Goussetis speaks with pastor & therapist Fr Paul Jannakos on how to address and overcome the challenges that couples experience in the course of their marriage.

Oct 19, 2022 • 2h 14m

Each month, Cynthia and Molly bring you interviews and practical tips for developing and maintaining a peaceful mindset, healthy body, and productive life, all from an Orthodox perspective.

Oct 18, 2022 • 3h 8m

The first evangelist, Matthew, composed a masterpiece of literary construction and theological thought. Now our long awaited deep dive into this extremely important gospel begins. The Gospel of Matthew is called "the gospel of the Church." Join us for the start of this brand new series in which we will learn about the meaning and historical background of so many well-known stories and saying of Christ, not to mention those amazing patristic insights.

Oct 16, 2022 • 15 min

Have you downloaded the new AFR app yet? If so, this little tutorial will help you navigate. If not, get it now in either the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store for Android.

Oct 13, 2022 • 2h 1m

Bobby Maddex interviews Richard Barrett and John Michael Boyer about the new Capella Romana release, "Heaven and Earth", the Psalm 103 Project, which is both available to purchase and hear live starting October 14th! Listeners can find more information at https://cappellaromana.org/

Oct 12, 2022 • 27 min

Anna and Andy talk about how having a “covid baby” was a really special experience, how they love bringing their daughter along with them everywhere and don’t necessarily feel the need for extra “one-on-one” time, how they had to learn to speak to each other in a way that the other could hear in order to overcome challenges, and how having true unconditional family love is what makes everything ok at the end of the day.

Oct 11, 2022 • 3h 5m

This week, Search the Scriptures LIVE! will be coming to you live from St. Tikhon's Orthodox School of Theology with a special guest, Dr. David Ford, professor of Church History at St. Tikhon's. Dr. Ford and Dr. Jeanne will be talking about the early Church, Dr. Ford's area of expertise, which is St. John Chrysostom, and other subject

Oct 10, 2022 • 12 min

Fr Alex Goussetis highlights the creative wonder of God and how families can enjoy this Fall season together.

Oct 10, 2022 • 17 min

Presvytera Melanie shares an anonymous letter, a heartfelt plea from an Orthodox Christian mother to other moms, on behalf of her teenaged son on the Autism Spectrum; and, adds her own plea to the spiritual fathers, the clergy, of our church families.