The Table Church DC

Why Busy People Need Boring Moments (Bekki Fahrer)

Ever feel like you're constantly performing the "right" version of yourself while your authentic self gets buried under endless expectations? This conversation explores how we've outsourced our sense of identity to social media, productivity culture, and other people's definitions of success—leaving us fractured and exhausted.

Through the story of Moses discovering a burning bush during his mundane shepherd days, we examine how intentional solitude and margin aren't luxuries for introverts, but necessary practices for anyone wanting to reconnect with who they really are. Whether you're an extrovert with ADHD or someone who thrives on constant stimulation, there are practical ways to step outside the relentless flow and create space for curiosity, creativity, and authentic connection.

Perfect for anyone feeling overwhelmed by the "everything everywhere all at once" pace of modern life and wondering how to find themselves again beneath all the noise.

How Busyness Became a Tool of Oppression (Trevor Wentt)

We live in a culture that glorifies the grind, where every moment must be productive and every silence filled. But what if our constant busyness isn't just exhausting—what if it's actually keeping us from the life we want? This conversation explores how margin and attention have become revolutionary acts in a world designed to overwhelm us.

Drawing from ancient wisdom and modern realities, Trevor examines how taking time to notice—whether it's a burning bush or your partner's words—can fundamentally shift how we experience life. He unpacks why slowing down isn't laziness but resistance, and how creating space for ourselves and others might be the most subversive thing we can do.

If you're tired of feeling scattered, rushing from one thing to the next, or missing the moments that matter most, this episode offers a different way forward—one that starts with the simple act of turning aside.

Beyond Bible Roulette: Actually Hearing the Divine

We've all been there—desperately trying to figure out what we're supposed to do with our lives, maybe even resorting to flipping open the Bible and pointing at random verses (anyone else tried "Bible roulette"?). The question "How do I know God's will?" might be the most common one pastors hear, yet it remains frustratingly elusive for many of us.

Using the story of Moses and the burning bush, this talk explores why hearing God's voice feels so difficult and offers practical ways to tune into the divine amid all the noise. Spoiler: it's less about dramatic signs and more about learning to pay attention to the ordinary moments where the sacred shows up. You'll discover why boredom might be your spiritual superpower and how to distinguish God's voice from all the other voices competing for your attention.

Whether you're new to faith or have been wrestling with these questions for years, this conversation offers fresh perspective on one of life's most persistent challenges.

When Faith Feels Empty (That's Normal)

We all curate the best parts of ourselves for public consumption – but what about the messy 90% beneath the surface? Using Moses' 40-year wilderness period as a framework, this talk explores why spiritual dryness and deconstruction aren't signs of failure, but often necessary stages of growth.

Drawing from Christian mysticism and personal experience with loss and religious trauma, Pastor Anthony challenges the idea that authentic faith should always feel good. Instead, he suggests that our most difficult seasons – when prayers feel empty and old beliefs no longer fit – might actually be where real transformation begins.

For anyone who's felt spiritually homeless, questioned their faith, or wondered if they're "doing it wrong," this conversation offers permission to sit with uncertainty and find the sacred in ordinary, difficult places.

Why Self-Optimization Is Sabotaging Your Soul (Pastor Heidi Mills)

We're told constantly to level up, hustle harder, and become the best version of ourselves. But what if this relentless pursuit of self-optimization is actually keeping us from the peace and purpose we're seeking? In a culture that treats exhaustion as a status symbol and measures worth by productivity, many of us are burning out while chasing an impossible standard of perfection.

This sermon by Pastor Heidi Mills explores an ancient alternative to our modern obsession with doing more and being better. Through the lens of a profound moment in Jesus's life, we'll discover how creating space for rest, practicing presence, and embracing our imperfections might be the real path to transformation—not the kind that comes from grinding harder, but the kind that happens when we finally stop trying to optimize ourselves into oblivion.

Whether you're drowning in your to-do list, feeling guilty about not doing enough, or just exhausted from trying to upgrade every aspect of your life, this might offer a different way forward.

From Straight Assumptions to Queer Freedom

What happens when the faith you grew up with doesn't have room for who you're becoming? Pastor Heidi Mills shares her personal story of moving from conservative Christianity's rigid expectations to discovering her queer identity at age 30. She explores how religious spaces often force people into narrow boxes that prevent authentic self-discovery.

Through her own experience of questioning, deconstructing, and ultimately embracing her sexuality, Heidi demonstrates how supportive communities can create space for people to explore their true selves without shame or judgment. Her story reveals how stepping outside familiar boundaries—even when it costs relationships—can lead to greater freedom and self-acceptance.

Whether you're questioning your own identity, supporting someone who is, or wondering how faith and sexuality intersect, this honest conversation offers hope that there are communities where everyone can belong exactly as they are.

Chosen Family: Where Pride Meets Faith

Growing up queer in religious spaces often means inheriting a legacy of shame—being told your identity is incompatible with God's love. But what if the very questions that expose our shame could lead us back to belonging?

In this Pride Sunday sermon, Antonio Ingram explores how the Genesis story of Adam and Eve offers a surprising framework for understanding queer identity and faith. Drawing on the concept of "chosen family" familiar to many LGBTQ+ folks, he reframes our relationship with the divine not as one of exile and hiding, but as adoption into a family where shame has no place. This isn't about sanitizing faith or ignoring harm done by religious institutions—it's about reclaiming a spiritual heritage that says you belong, exactly as you are.

Whether you're questioning, affirming, or somewhere in between, discover how ancient texts speak to modern struggles for dignity and belonging.

The Banquet Where Everyone Belongs

Our society has become eerily comfortable with hiding disabled bodies and experiences from view. With 25% of people living with disabilities, why do we make them invisible in our communities and even in our religious spaces? This sermon examines how ableism functions as a system that ranks bodies and assigns worth based on constructed notions of "normalcy."

Drawing from Luke 14, we explore Jesus's radical invitation to center marginalized bodies at the table. What if disability isn't something to be fixed, but an identity to be honored? What if our task isn't to worry about our own seat at the table, but instead to become "table setters" who create spaces where everyone belongs as they are? The banquet of new creation has plenty of room—and the house isn't full until everyone is present.