PSP 44 | Practicing Celebration - Spiritual Disciplines Series

In this joyful episode of the Pursue Reality Podcast, Pastor Lindsey sits down with Pastors Mike and Calvin to talk about a spiritual practice that might surprise you—celebration. Together they explore how God not only allows but commands His people to celebrate, feast, and remember His goodness. The conversation dives into the biblical roots of celebration, why gratitude is at its core, and how shared joy strengthens families and church communities.

From feasts in the Old Testament to family “waffle days” and church barbecues, this episode paints a picture of what it looks like to intentionally practice joy—even in a world full of sorrow. You’ll come away inspired to mark moments of God’s faithfulness, celebrate with others, and remember that joy is not a distraction from reality—it’s a declaration of hope.

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Transcript

Automatically Transcribed With Podsqueeze

Calvin 00:00:10  You're listening to the new reality podcast from Reality Church. Each episode is a conversation about what it means to be real people pursuing a better reality in Jesus.

Lindsey 00:00:28  Welcome everyone to the Pursue Reality podcast, and we are currently in a wonderful series on spiritual disciplines or spiritual practices. Another way of saying it. And today we have a really special episode because we are talking about the spiritual discipline of celebration. And I have two special guests with me. Calvin, you're not a guest, but because you're on most of them. But I'm acting like you're very special.

Calvin 00:00:55  Thank you for having me.

Lindsey 00:00:56  Yes. Good to have you. So I have Calvin with me and I have pastor Mike with me also. Hello. Welcome, Mike.

Mike 00:01:04  Good to be here.

Lindsey 00:01:05  Yeah it is, it is really good. And I'm excited about this episode, simply because I actually wonder how many people listening didn't maybe didn't know or were aware that historically, through the centuries, Christians have actually considered celebration a spiritual practice, something that we aim and discipline ourselves to do.

Lindsey 00:01:28  in order to live the Christian life and follow the way of Jesus. And that's kind of exciting to me because we've done some episodes on fasting and repentance. And so I'm feeling light and breezy about this one and feeling excited about it. and so, yeah, I want to jump in there and talk about the the discipline of celebration actually comes from Scripture because God actually in Scripture, and the Old Testament commands his people, especially if you were to look at numbers, some of Exodus and Deuteronomy especially, he repeatedly commands his people to celebrate, which is a wonderful command. I would love to hear that from God. And maybe some of us need to hear that from God. He commands, why do you think God commands his followers to celebrate Mike?

Mike 00:02:24  Yeah, I love that part of of, God's design for us and the way that he communicates that, I think, like, I think back in the beginning when, when he does the seven day cycle and you're supposed to rest for one day. To me, that communicates that that we're not just designed to produce, we're designed to enjoy what the world that God's created for us.

Mike 00:02:48  And then there's these seasonal celebrations, all through the Old Testament, you can see the people celebrating these feasts and times to remember God's goodness and when he rescued them and and different things that you just want to revisit come back to again and again. And you're not just I mean, it's not just a mental exercise. It's a whole community experience where you're building friendships, building new memories around the celebration and, feasting, drinking all, all the things to to just enjoy, God's provision and, and celebrate how he's designed us and the world that he's given us and the relationship that we have with him and others.

Lindsey 00:03:28  That I love how you highlight, like it's not just like celebrate like yay and throw a little confetti. Like he commands them to feast, to gather together. So when we're talking about celebration, it is, marking. It's a meaningful way with other people. not just celebrating on your own, I suppose you could do that, but it actually is considered one of the communal disciplines that we have.

Lindsey 00:03:55  What What do you think, Kyle? When you think of this? And a God who commands us to do this. What does it say to you?

Speaker 4 00:04:03  Yeah, I think, like, throughout all throughout Scripture and my kind of mentioned it, but all throughout Scripture, like God encourages people to, do something to celebrate in some way or mark something in some way. And I, I just can't help but think, like personally in my life, the memories that I have, like, what I remember it is, is typically so, saturated around those holiday celebrations. Like, a lot of my memories. So I, I think God encourages us to, to celebrate so that we can make memories, to remember God's faithfulness, to remember his goodness, his provision. all those things like that, these kind of events, this, this kind of help, help. They help us to ingrain into our memory. and then I also think, like, we're just called to be the type of people who celebrate in faith and are our are joyful people.

Speaker 4 00:04:56  Celebratory people who are awaiting a hope that we believe that we're going to enter into a perfect, eternal eternity, separate from the things that we don't celebrate in this, in this world.

Lindsey 00:05:09  Yeah, I often think about eternity and the return of Christ, and in revelation is actually described as a celebration. It's this big feast, this big party where everybody gathers and comes together. The marriage supper of the Lamb supper sounds a little antiquated, or maybe not, but it's more of this feast and this, bringing together, God's people, recognizing what he's done. would you say, Cal, that gratitude is kind of the core of it? Or, like, what's what's our focus? Is it just a party or what should be our heart posture? Or should we think about this?

Speaker 4 00:05:48  Yeah, I, I think that like true celebration that we're talking about it it comes from a place of of gratitude. it's always in response to something that happened, something that God did, whether, you know, supernaturally or on his own or through a community or through a person or, you know, you just even think of, of birthday parties like.

Speaker 4 00:06:11  We're just celebrating the moment that God like that brought you into this world. Yeah.

Lindsey 00:06:15  Like it's actually a really beautiful thing.

Speaker 4 00:06:17  It's beautiful.

Lindsey 00:06:18  Yeah. Yeah. It is a beautiful thing. What do you think, Mike? When it's, celebration is something. It's a communal act. It's not maybe an individual. Like their spiritual other spiritual discipline. Silence and solitude. prayer can be more these internal disciplines, but celebration is a communal discipline. You do it with other people. what what impact do you think it has on our relationships and our Christian community? Like, what do you think God is hoping for when we do this?

Mike 00:06:49  Yeah, I think it, celebration. especially when it's a repeated celebration. Every year we do this. It builds in. There's this whole anticipation leading up to it that people are thinking about it, planning for it. Connecting it about it, planning the food and all that kind of stuff. When you're actually in the celebration, then you know you've got that whole network of people that you're relating to telling stories with.

Mike 00:07:16  and I think those stories, a lot of the celebrations are built around a story. you know, I think about obviously Christmas and Easter and, and the story that you're celebrating there. But then you also build in your, your personal celebrations out of that, like, remember the Christmas when this happened and those kind of things just build in that network of experiences that you share together. And it just deepens the relationship, deepens the meaning around that season as you do it year after year.

Lindsey 00:07:47  Yeah. I it reminds me, when we lived in South Africa. One of the things someone told us was to really build strong relationships was start to celebrate the South African holidays, as South Africans did. And it you maybe don't think about this when you move to another country, you don't know what the holidays are. I often would just show up with my kids to school, and I'm the only one there because I didn't know it was National Women's Day or, you know, Freedom Day or whatever their holidays were.

Lindsey 00:08:16  And so we started to do that. And it was it was just bonded us with the people. All these memories and we, you know, have a barbecue on this day and everyone goes to the beach on this day, like kind of what their traditions are. And it really bonded us. it makes me think so we as a church actually celebrate quite a lot. I think that's something unique. Do you? Is that intentional by us? Because people might notice when they come to our church. We have, food. And when I say food, I'm not just saying like Mints.

Mike 00:08:50  And yeah, new people at our church tend to comment on that. Notice that it's a distinct quality about our church compared to some others. And that was really a big part of the vision for the church from the very beginning. I think before we were even doing weekly meetings where we were meeting in the park, having a meal together. and yeah, just all of our events. I mean, the first, I don't know, the first 3 or 4 months that we met as a church, when we when we launched the church, every service at the end we had pizza or something, like we ate a meal together at the end.

Mike 00:09:24  so from the very beginning, it was a big part of how we connected and related and just I mean, it was basically like a cell like we made it through the service this week. We did it. And yeah. So just to celebrate that together.

Lindsey 00:09:39  Yeah, I think of even like our huddles like, kind of our members gathering two times a year. Everyone's super excited because they're hoping it's Chipotle. But we have a However, full dinner is not just snacks, right? It's a full dinner. We sit down together.

Mike 00:09:55  yeah. Our chicken barbecue events. Yeah, like we've done that.

Lindsey 00:09:57  Right there on a Sunday service.

Mike 00:09:58  Quite a few times.

Lindsey 00:09:59  Yeah. A lot. There's. There's a lot of that happening. so I would love to think about this. Like people integrating this into their life. And I hope some people listening, might actually be challenged to think. I think sometimes the part of us that feels like we need to kind of please God and do a better, be a better Christian is like, you know, I probably need to strengthen the discipline of like fasting and prayer, and those are beautiful disciplines.

Lindsey 00:10:27  But I actually hope some people might consider celebration as something that you need. what do you think? Celebration is something that Christians should be practicing more in this day and age with just. It feels like the world is a little like it's kind of sad. I'm afraid to open the the interwebs and read the headlines because they're just. It feels like a lot of hard stuff is happening. Would you say this is something we should lean into? Maybe even more.

Speaker 4 00:10:56  I think even in the context of what you're saying, like it's kind of like, absolutely, because we're supposed to be the people that are marked by joy and freedom, even in the midst of of chaos and injustice. And not that we ignore those things, right? But we still are a people of of joy and freedom and celebration. And, I think it it combats the darkness. Like, it's just like any other practice. And what it's meant to do, it's supposed to, you know, add more light to your life.

Lindsey 00:11:27  so maybe if someone's going through a hard time, this actually might be the discipline that God calls them to.

Mike 00:11:32  Yeah, absolutely. I, I was reflecting back on, my mom's family went through kind of a crazy tragedy. I don't even know if that's quite the right word for it, but. But her father left the family when she was just a couple months old. And that was like this, huge mark on on the family. But my experience growing up, whenever that family got together, it was just the celebration of kind of look what God has done out of this challenging situation. All of these people. And I remember my uncle even saying that his father missed out like he left. And this is what what he missed out on all of this family togetherness that that he never experienced because he left. And I mean, that was a family that was close and that could celebrate. So even though there was something hard, there was a hard part of their story. it wasn't a defining part. And in fact, it was often contrasted that like, look what God has done out of this tough situation.

Lindsey 00:12:38  That's really beautiful. Yeah, it makes me think the Pentecostal side of me, it's like celebration is like declaring the darkness is not going to have the final word. Yeah, in my current season that there is something to celebrate.

Speaker 4 00:12:53  When you look at the big Jewish holidays like Passover. Yeah. Like in the midst of darkness.

Lindsey 00:13:00  Incredible darkness.

Speaker 4 00:13:01  Yeah.

Lindsey 00:13:02  Let me ask you guys, both as dads and husbands, and I would love for you to speak. Hopefully there's someone listening. how can men play an important role in making maybe this part of the rhythm of their families? and not just within their families? Maybe their family, you know, bringing in other people to celebrate, basically a celebration of women thing. Or could dads and husbands play a significant role in this? What are your thoughts on that?

Speaker 4 00:13:32  Yeah. I think for me, like being a new dad, I often think about how much, like the my dad's voice meant to me and and so like being celebrated. Yeah. Like there's a just a unique the unique voice of the father.

Speaker 4 00:13:52  That goes especially for a young man. For a boy. Yeah. and and so I, like I have a toddler. And so we're constantly celebrating different things. Yeah. And I think of that often. I'm like, I want her to hear my voice and and it to be meaningful and to encourage her and it to be positive. And. Yeah.

Lindsey 00:14:16  Yeah. And having those moments of celebrating her little milestones along the way. Yeah, yeah. Coming from you, what do you.

Mike 00:14:24  Think as a, a father with young adult children, I think there's still so much to celebrate. And I think dads play a big role in encouraging their kids, recognizing their the milestones that they reach. one of the things that my dad did for me growing up is, is as we would go to breakfast one on one. probably twice a year or something like that. And so over the years, that's something that that I haven't done it as consistently as he did. But I know when you when you spend that one on one time with a kid that is such a celebration, such an appreciation of of who they are as a person, an acknowledgement of their value and worth.

Mike 00:15:08  I also think celebrating anniversaries is something that is especially good for kids to to witness. Yeah. That it's something. So sometimes it's hard, especially for young families for for parents to get away with the celebration. But I think however you can celebrate that, I think it's really good for kids to see how you value that relationship and how you're celebrating, you know, your marriage and setting an example for your kids in that way.

Lindsey 00:15:34  It is striking me, as you guys are talking, like celebration is like this act that declares what we value. And it communicates value to the people that we're celebrating what God's done in their life, or, you know, the goodness and gratitude. because you can tell your kids all you want. Well, of course I love your mom, right? But if they see if a kid sees their dad planning an anniversary, however, it doesn't have to be expensive or anything like that and put intentionality really good. it it communicates something really high. what if someone is thinking about leaning into this practice or this discipline in the season? what are small steps it could take in the week ahead, even, or some simple everyday practices that maybe they could do in in the next few weeks and months?

Speaker 4 00:16:26  Yeah, I would just share what what me and my family do weekly that I probably didn't realize was the discipline of celebration until we started talking.

Speaker 4 00:16:34  But we have what we call family day, and it's just once a week. It's the start of our Sabbath. It's become a pending item on our calendar. but we always wake up on family day. It's embarrassing, but we sing Family Day to the tune of Lovely Day. Okay. Family day. Family day. I love it. but we get up and we either cook like a fun breakfast, like Jacqueline will make waffles, bunny shaped waffles, Mickey Mouse shaped waffles. so we'll have, like, a very fun breakfast, or we'll go out for breakfast.

Mike 00:17:11  I didn't know waffles could be different shapes.

Speaker 4 00:17:14  Yeah, depending on the.

Lindsey 00:17:15  The the maker. You can't.

Speaker 4 00:17:16  Get a.

Lindsey 00:17:16  Whole host of things. Yeah. Yeah. Give it. You're giving Mike some ideas right now?

Speaker 4 00:17:21  Yeah. The bunny waffles are tiny, so it took a long time, but, yeah, do just do something to celebrate being a family and having time together in a, you know, a little bit over the not over the top, but a little bit more than normal.

Lindsey 00:17:37  Elevated.

Speaker 4 00:17:37  Yeah. Yeah. Do something Than elevated.

Mike 00:17:40  I'll give this suggestion for a family meal we did on Christmas Eve for many years. a fondue meal. And some people are familiar with cheese or chocolate fondue. But this was an oil fondue. So you heat the oil. And then my dad was a hunter, so we did venison growing up. Sounds good. in my family, I am not a hunter. So we did shrimp and chicken. Ooh. but you take raw meat. So we had a bowl of raw meat on the table, and you fondue, fork it, and then you cook it. One bite at a time. Yeah. And I'm pretty sure that my mom picked this meal because she had three sons, and it made the meal take, like, an hour.

Lindsey 00:18:22  I was going to say it forces everyone to slow down.

Mike 00:18:24  Everyone slows down. A lot of conversation, a lot of fun. It's kind of a cool, cool thing to do. Yeah. So, if you don't like that idea, come up with your own.

Mike 00:18:33  That just kind of makes for a slow meal, and then you get more conversation, and it's a very memorable thing.

Speaker 4 00:18:39  I've never heard of that before in my life.

Lindsey 00:18:41  That type of.

Speaker 4 00:18:42  Fun, dude. Yeah.

Lindsey 00:18:43  Oh, yeah. That's so good. Oh, did you just give Cal an idea? Yeah. You guys are exchanging. You get the bunny waffles.

Mike 00:18:48  And.

Speaker 4 00:18:49  You get the oil fondue.

Lindsey 00:18:51  Yeah. I would encourage people to to, if you're doing this, maybe look, every week for something to celebrate that maybe isn't a big, like a birthday or anniversary. We have talked about those. And I think those are, you know, really good Christmas making those meaningful, all those. But maybe something like a friend that got a promotion or a friend or family member that ran A5K and they've never done that before, and you could text him and say, good job. But maybe like, let's celebrate and let's go out and get a cup of coffee together, I don't know, something.

Lindsey 00:19:28  Or get him a card and write a note or do something kind of fun, maybe something silly, but, actually look to make it a little fun and exciting. sometimes I text my husband and I'm like, It's Thursday. Like, that's the end of our that's our Friday here at church. And he does work on Fridays, but I force him to pretend it's his Friday. Yeah. And, and let's celebrate. Like, we made it through a week, and we had a good week this week together. And and sometimes that just means doing a little extra special meal at home or something like that. But I just feel a little, a little joyful about that. Or let's have some friends over and just celebrate the end of the week. Another week with God. I love it. and make it special. So this is, really good. I hope people do lean into this as we close, Henry now, and in his book, The Return of the Prodigal Son, said this, and I think it's really good.

Lindsey 00:20:24  He said that celebration belongs to the kingdom. God not only offers forgiveness, reconciliation, and healing, but also wants to lift up these gifts as a source of joy for all who witness them. And as followers of Jesus, we are actually called to celebrate these sources of joy in our life, as big or small as they are. And I think it actually could transform us in a world where lots of hard stuff is happening, but we still can be people of joy. Yeah. Both can be true at the same time, and I think it would bless the community around us. So I hope that you enjoyed this conversation. I hope some of you engage this and let us know if you did. I'd love to hear how you stepped into deeper celebration. We'll talk to you soon.

Calvin 00:21:11  Thanks for tuning in to the Pursue Reality podcast. Reality church is a local church in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. To learn more or get connected, visit us at.