Faith's Journey: Community, Dialogue, and Sharing Hope

### Summary

In today's sermon, we explored the profound journey of faith and the importance of community and dialogue in our spiritual lives. We began with a personal story about how God reached out to me in an unexpected place, the spice aisle of a supermarket, and led me back to church. This experience underscored the idea that God can find us anywhere and at any time, often in the most mundane settings.

We then discussed the significance of being part of a faith community, sharing a poignant Easter Sunday experience that solidified my connection to Menlo Church. This led to a broader conversation about the importance of using both our hearts and minds in our faith journey, and how our church has adapted to meet the needs of different generations.

The sermon also addressed the current state of discourse in society, emphasizing the need for civil conversations and the willingness to listen to differing viewpoints. We explored how social media and other modern technologies have created echo chambers, making it harder for people to engage in meaningful dialogue. I encouraged everyone to step out of their comfort zones and engage with those who think differently, as this is crucial for personal and communal growth.

We also touched on the importance of humility and the need to continually work on our faith. Using the parable of the prodigal son, we examined how easy it is to become complacent and take our faith for granted. I shared personal anecdotes about my own struggles and growth in faith, highlighting the importance of challenging oneself and not just coasting through life.

Finally, we discussed the broader mission of taking our faith beyond the church walls and into the world. The world is in desperate need of the message of love and hope that our faith provides. We must not shy away from sharing our faith, even in secular settings, as this is part of our calling.

### Key Takeaways

1. **God Finds Us in Unexpected Places**: God's reach is limitless, and He can find us even in the most mundane settings, like a supermarket aisle. This reminds us that we should always be open to His call, no matter where we are or what we are doing. [03:00]

2. **The Importance of Community**: Being part of a faith community is crucial for spiritual growth. My experience on Easter Sunday at Menlo Church highlighted how community support can guide us through difficult times and help us find our spiritual home. [03:48]

3. **Engaging in Civil Discourse**: In today's polarized world, it's essential to engage in civil conversations and listen to differing viewpoints. This not only broadens our understanding but also fosters a more compassionate and united community. [07:53]

4. **Continual Faith Development**: Faith is not a static state but a continual journey of growth and challenge. The parable of the prodigal son teaches us that we must not take our faith for granted but should always strive to deepen our relationship with God. [26:01]

5. **Sharing Our Faith**: The world is in desperate need of the hope and love that our faith provides. We must not be afraid to share our faith, even in secular settings, as this is part of our mission to bring God's love to everyone. [31:10]

### YouTube Chapters

[0:00] - Welcome
[03:00] - God's Unexpected Reach
[03:48] - Finding Community
[05:43] - The State of Discourse
[07:53] - Civil Conversations
[09:11] - Echo Chambers and Social Media
[11:09] - News and Commentary
[13:27] - Engaging with Opposing Views
[14:43] - The Power of Listening
[16:13] - Challenging Comfort Zones
[18:18] - The Role of College
[19:31] - Transition to Adulthood
[22:17] - Responding with Grace
[24:50] - Integral Faith
[26:01] - The Prodigal Son
[27:00] - Working on Faith
[29:58] - Concentric Circles of Faith
[31:10] - Modeling and Sharing Faith
[32:20] - Closing Remarks

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. **Luke 15:11-32** - The Parable of the Prodigal Son
2. **Matthew 5:43-48** - Love Your Enemies
3. **Hebrews 10:24-25** - The Importance of Community

#### Observation Questions
1. In the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), what are the key actions and attitudes of the younger son, the older son, and the father?
2. How does Matthew 5:43-48 challenge our natural inclinations towards those who oppose us?
3. According to Hebrews 10:24-25, what are the reasons given for the importance of gathering together as a community of believers?
4. What personal story did the pastor share about how God reached out to him in an unexpected place? ([03:00])

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the father's reaction to the prodigal son's return in Luke 15:11-32 illustrate God's grace and forgiveness? How does this compare to the older son's reaction?
2. In what ways does Matthew 5:43-48 encourage us to engage with those who think differently from us? How can this be applied in today's polarized society? ([07:53])
3. Hebrews 10:24-25 emphasizes the importance of community. How does being part of a faith community help in personal and spiritual growth, as illustrated by the pastor's Easter Sunday experience? ([03:48])
4. The pastor mentioned the need for civil discourse and listening to differing viewpoints. How does this align with the teachings of Jesus in Matthew 5:43-48? ([07:53])

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt God reached out to you in an unexpected place. How did that experience impact your faith journey? ([03:00])
2. How can you actively contribute to fostering a supportive and loving community within your church? What steps can you take to ensure you are both giving and receiving support? ([03:48])
3. Think of a recent conversation where you disagreed with someone. How did you handle it? What can you do to ensure future conversations are more civil and productive? ([07:53])
4. The pastor shared about the importance of continually working on one's faith. What specific actions can you take to challenge and grow your faith this week? ([26:01])
5. Identify a secular setting where you can share your faith. What approach will you take to ensure your message of love and hope is well received? ([31:10])
6. How can you practice humility in your daily life, especially in situations where you might feel complacent or self-righteous? Reflect on the parable of the prodigal son and the pastor's personal anecdotes. ([26:01])
7. What are some practical ways you can step out of your comfort zone to engage with people who have different viewpoints? How can this help in your personal and communal growth? ([07:53])

Day 1: God’s Reach in the Mundane
Description: God’s presence is not confined to sacred spaces or special occasions. He can reach out to us in the most ordinary and unexpected places, like a supermarket aisle. This truth reminds us to remain open and attentive to His call, no matter where we are or what we are doing. The story of encountering God in a mundane setting underscores the limitless nature of His reach and the importance of being spiritually alert in our everyday lives. God’s interventions can come at any moment, transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary. [03:00]

Isaiah 55:6-7 (ESV): "Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."

Reflection: Think about a recent ordinary moment in your life. How can you be more open to experiencing God’s presence in such moments?


Day 2: The Power of Faith Community
Description: Being part of a faith community is essential for spiritual growth and support. A faith community provides a sense of belonging and helps guide us through difficult times. The shared experience of worship, prayer, and fellowship strengthens our connection to God and to each other. The story of finding a spiritual home on Easter Sunday at Menlo Church illustrates how community support can be a vital part of our faith journey, helping us to grow and stay grounded in our beliefs. [03:48]

Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV): "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

Reflection: Reflect on your involvement in your faith community. How can you contribute more actively to support and encourage others in their spiritual journey?


Day 3: Engaging in Civil Discourse
Description: In today’s polarized world, engaging in civil conversations and listening to differing viewpoints is crucial. Social media and modern technologies often create echo chambers, making it harder for people to engage in meaningful dialogue. By stepping out of our comfort zones and engaging with those who think differently, we can foster a more compassionate and united community. This practice not only broadens our understanding but also helps us grow personally and communally. [07:53]

James 1:19-20 (ESV): "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God."

Reflection: Think of a recent conversation where you disagreed with someone. How can you approach future conversations with more openness and a willingness to listen?


Day 4: Continual Faith Development
Description: Faith is a continual journey of growth and challenge, not a static state. The parable of the prodigal son teaches us that we must not take our faith for granted but should always strive to deepen our relationship with God. It’s easy to become complacent, but true spiritual growth requires humility and the willingness to challenge oneself. Personal anecdotes of struggles and growth in faith highlight the importance of continually working on our faith and not just coasting through life. [26:01]

2 Peter 3:18 (ESV): "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen."

Reflection: Identify an area in your spiritual life where you have become complacent. What steps can you take to challenge yourself and grow in that area?


Day 5: Sharing Our Faith
Description: The world is in desperate need of the hope and love that our faith provides. We must not be afraid to share our faith, even in secular settings, as this is part of our mission to bring God’s love to everyone. Sharing our faith is not just about words but also about living out our beliefs in our daily actions. By modeling and sharing our faith, we can make a significant impact on those around us and fulfill our calling to spread God’s message of love and hope. [31:10]

Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV): "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

Reflection: Think of a specific way you can share your faith with someone in your life today. How can you be a light in their world through your actions and words?

They should believe you. I'm sitting right here with you. Do what you will with it. My view is that Secretary Rice was a long time ago and Dr. Rice was my father.

Okay. That's good. Okay. That's helpful. Awesome. I remember it very well.

So I moved out to California in 1981 to join the Stanford faculty. I was on a one-year fellowship and then joined the Stanford faculty. And I had kind of fallen off from going to church because I was always on some time zone.

Okay. But I'm a minister's daughter, Presbyterian minister's daughter. And so I was actually in the Lucky Supermarket one Sunday morning.

Okay. And this man came up to me, a black man came up to me. And I never forget, it's the spice aisles of the Lucky Supermarket. And he said, "Do you play the piano?" And I said, "Yes, I play the piano." And he said, "Our little church right down here, which is the oldest black church in Palo Alto, it's called Jerusalem Baptist, needs somebody to play the piano. Would you come and play for us?"

Okay. So I thought, okay. And so I started playing. But then the whole time I'm thinking, the long arm of the Lord reaching into the Lucky Supermarket to find me again.

And so after about six months, I thought, well, I really love the Presbyterian tradition. And I started looking around at churches. And I came to Menlo on Easter Sunday for the first time. And it was a really quite dramatic thing that happened.

The first service was overflow. So I went into the fellowship hall to wait for the second service. And a man had a heart attack. And this young couple and I helped and got help for him and so forth. But he passed.

And I remember Walt Gerber, who I was hearing speak for the first time, talk about the extraordinary circumstance of this happening on an Easter Sunday and the resurrection. And somehow it almost felt as if I was just being told that I'd found the right place.

And not too long after that, I started going to the membership classes. And I think I joined in '83.

Amazing. And you've been here ever since?

I've been here ever since. Well, I actually had a couple detours. I was in Washington, D.C. And when I was in Washington, I did a transfer of letter to National Presbyterian. And so I was a member there for the time that I was in government and then came back here.

That's right. That's amazing. Well, it's a wonderful church. And I think it's always had the best traditions for me of the Presbyterian Church. And that means that we use our hearts, but we also use our minds.

Of course. And yet it's been updated for this generation. I have a lot of students who come to Menlo. I love traditional music. They love the bands. You're reaching everybody. So it's great.

Well, discourse is not something right now that we should be proud of, the nature of it, because it's still, I think, too much we're each in our own corners. And therefore, if you're in your own corner and you're only listening to people who think like you do, pretty soon you start to think everybody who's thinking differently must be stupid or venal.

Yeah. And I see too much of judgment rather than, you know, a willingness to talk things through. On college campuses, I hear things like, "Well, that was harmful language to me." Or I hear, "I'm offended." And I say to my students all the time, you know, you actually don't have a constitutional right not to be offended.

So if you're offended, why don't you turn to the person next to you? Why don't you say, "You know, that was offensive? Then let's talk about why that was." And because you're eventually going to make a mistake and offend somebody.

And it's really to be graceful or to give grace to someone else is to say, "I know that I make mistakes. You just, let's talk about that." So we don't have enough willingness to talk across differences. We don't have enough willingness to give the other person the benefit of the doubt.

And I often repeat to my students that there's this thing called the golden rule. So if you'll just treat others as you would like to be treated, we'll all have a much better environment.

I really think the lack of fora for civil conversation is part of it. Because if you think now about how people are getting their news, how they're getting their information, we're getting it in very atomized ways and we're getting it in ways that would allow us to only get that information from a source where everybody would agree with us about what that information is, what it means.

And so these little echo chambers that we find ourselves in, and unfortunately, I'm not against social media. I'm not against the use of the internet. I believe in the technologies, but it has caused us to, or it has allowed us to decide, "I'm only going to listen to podcasts with which I agree. I'm only going to look at bloggers with whom I agree. I'm only going to listen to cable news channels with which I agree."

And what that does is to reinforce your old and high opinion of your opinion. And to therefore shut out others who might challenge you. And so I think the way we get our information has contributed to it.

But we also don't have that many places where we encounter people who are different. Or who think differently. We all go to our tribes instead.

Yeah, in some cases. I completely agree. What used to be news analysis has now become commentary or opinion. And if you look at certain newspapers, every headline is actually an editorial.

And so even the headline is leading you to think a particular way about what's about to be written. And journalists, will some of them admit that you're not going to get published? The story's not going to get noticed unless there's controversy.

And by controversy, we don't mean competing ideas. We mean the most extreme idea is going to get presented. So just about everything that we're doing is exacerbating human beings' natural tendency to want to only listen to their own.

See, I don't blame social media or journalists for this circumstance, but it exists. And it exacerbates a very bad characteristic that human beings can have, which is to only want to talk to people who are like them.

And so forcing ourselves to get out of our comfort zone, forcing ourselves to talk to people who are different, we don't even very much talk across classes anymore.

Now, class is something I never used to use in relationship to America, because you weren't trapped in the circumstances of your birth.

But increasingly, as some of us go to the same schools and don't go to schools with people whose income is less, we don't go to the same churches, we don't live in the same neighborhoods, and so you also don't encounter people whose circumstances are different.

And that can make you harden your own sense that you're doing it all right, and they must be doing something wrong.

Well, there are two kinds of opposing views that I had to deal with, those with which we were all in a democratic framework, so maybe people who disagreed in Congress or people who disagreed even within the administration.

Right. And you're sort of starting from the same place, at least, and so you can put your differences on the table, and sometimes they'll get a little heated, but mostly you're trying to get to an answer, and that's kind of understood.

That seems to be harder these days in Washington than I think it even was when I was there. I would go and talk to my Democratic congresspeople who I had to work with, and we could have a reasonable conversation.

A reasonable conversation with a Republican administration? Sure. Now, the harder ones, actually, are when you're talking to an adversary.

So, remember, I would have to walk into the room with the Russian foreign minister.

Yeah. Now I have to try to find something that will get us to a common place so that we can come to some solution. And I found that the most important thing you can do is listen.

We tend to transmit, particularly Americans.

Mm-hmm. We have this tendency to just start talking and just start telling what we think. And whether it was an adversary like the Russians or an ally like the Germans or a friend like the Indians, I would walk into the room, and very often they would say, "Well, what does Condi think in a meeting?"

And I learned to just back off because the United States brings a lot of weight into that room, and you can easily color the conversation by speaking first.

So I never spoke. I would back off and say, "Well, what do you think? Or let's hear from the Colombian foreign minister, or let's hear from the Afghan foreign minister."

And that way, I had a chance to listen. And if you listen very carefully, you can start to hear what I called interest overlap.

Now, what does that mean? That means the places that I didn't know we might actually find a place to agree until I've listened to you.

Wow. How interesting. Well, you learn that if you are constantly telling people what you think, you are, A, not hearing what they think. And you're probably turning them off in the process.

And so I don't think in society, our society, we listen enough. I see this with my students sometimes before I've finished the question, they're raising their hands.

And I'm thinking, "You didn't even know what I was going to ask. So how do you already have your answer formulated?" So we need to be better listeners.

When I know that it's a rhetorical question, right, or that it's cemented, I'll just try to unpack it. And I'll try to get them off balance a little bit.

And I'll say, "Well, is… What you're really asking," and then maybe I'll ask really a question.

Yeah. Because I try to really challenge my students in the classroom. I mean, it goes back to what we were talking about of being too comfortable in a setting in which you're just hearing what you want to hear.

And so my job in that circumstance is to make that person feel a little uncomfortable with the fact that they've tried something that's probably not going to work in my classroom.

A college or a learning experience or listening to a sermon should actually not make you comfortable. It should make you feel challenged. You should have to process.

However you might do that, it might be talking with somebody. It might be praying about it. But you should have to process, "Why am I uncomfortable with this?"

Because there's something going on that's making you uncomfortable with that circumstance. And if you just retreat from it, which is what can happen if you are always saying, particularly to students, "Well, I want you to feel safe."

And I don't mean physically safe. And again, I wanted to underscore you something you said. There are some circumstances that people have gone through in terms of abuse or the like in which you do.

And I do want them to feel that it's a safe place. But you don't really need to be safe from a microaggression because somebody used the wrong pronoun. That we don't need to make you safe from.

And there's a little too much of that on college campuses. A little too much of, "I want… I don't want the students to feel safe and happy."

No, no, no. College is actually a really, really challenging time. Because you're going from 18 years old or 17 years old to adulthood. And that's a hard transition.

But I say to my students, it's only going to get harder when you leave this place. So let's prepare you some for the fact that it's going to get harder.

Well, you're certainly going to take it personally. So the first thing is to admit that you've taken it personally.

Interesting. But then the question is, how are you going to respond? And I've gotten better at this as I've gotten older.

So I'm very quick. My tongue is very quick. And I can say something quite cutting very quickly.

So just an example, when I became provost of Stanford, I was 38 years old. I'd never been a department chair. And there were a lot of people who thought that they should have been provost, and I knew this.

And so I felt this need to show my authority. And so I was in a budget meeting, and the associate dean of medicine came in, he did his budget presentation, and I said, "I didn't understand that."

And he said, "Well, you just don't understand medical-centered budgeting." And I said, "You know, I speak three languages. This isn't in any of them. Would you like to start over?"

Now, a senior professor friend of mine said to me, he said, "You know, that was really effective. He said, it actually wasn't very smart."

Mm-hmm. Because you just embarrassed him in front of everybody. And pretty soon, you're going to be isolated. Nobody will ever feel that they can speak up because, and he deserved it, no doubt.

But I thought to myself, you know, I would never have done that in a class. When I teach in a class after a three-hour seminar, I have a massive headache.

And it's because I've been like a conductor the whole time. Joey says something that is completely offline. Kind of ridiculous. Not very smart.

But if you say, "You know, Joey, that was really stupid," you shut down the whole class. So you have to find some way to make Joey's comment matter for what we're talking about.

And so I've become better at disciplining my own tongue, counting to 10, and then responding in what I hope is a fruitful or beneficial way rather than just a kind of knee-jerk, "I'm done. I'm going to show you how dumb that comment was."

And I think it's not that I don't take it personally, but it's that I try to have a slower burn about how I'm going to respond.

My faith is so integral to who I am that it's almost hard to describe it outside or to have some person, me, describe it because it's so integral to who I am.

And it's important to understand that I was literally born into the back of the church. I mean, my parents were married. My father was already the pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church.

And when I was born, we lived in the back of the church for three years.

Wow. Until I was three years old. And so I never went through that period of questioning the existence of God.

Sure. And I mean the whole thing, you know, Holy Spirit, the Father, Son, Holy Ghost. I believed it all.

What I have had to work on in my faith, because it's been very, very much a part of me, and then you can start to take it for granted.

Oh. So people like me who can be somewhat unquestioning are actually not unquestioning. They are just not contending with their faith, working with their faith, challenging their faith, growing in their faith.

Walt Gerber gave a sermon here once on the prodigal son. But he did it from the perspective of faith.

Mm-hmm. He was the son of the older son. And this was one of the great sermons I've ever heard.

It was the prodigal son who had taken for granted that he was going to be the favorite son. He had done everything right. How could the father even believe that he should bring back this brother who had, how dare he?

And he was offended because he had been the righteous one.

Mm-hmm. And I thought about it, and people like me can very easily be the elder son and not understand that part of our faith is about the acceptance of people who have fallen and then realizing that in some way we all fall.

Yeah. And so I really tried to take that to heart and to say you have to keep growing in your faith. You can't just take these things for granted.

Yeah. And reading more and using Lent, especially as a period when I say, I used to give up something. I tried giving up salt once. That didn't work so well.

That's a tough one.

Yeah. That is a tough one.

Wow. Okay. I gave up meat and only ate fish, and my mercury levels went up. And so the giving up something wasn't working.

So I thought, okay, I'm going to instead engage in something that I don't ordinarily do.

Mm-hmm. And so I tend to read more broadly religious books during that period of time.

Sure. I always go back and reread Mere Christianity, which is my absolute favorite.

Incredible.

Yep. And so I think working at my faith is my challenge.

Yeah. Not having faith. That's so good.

I've never lost faith, but working at my faith is my challenge.

Yeah. But I think that's a beautiful depiction of how to maintain humility in the middle of that.

And I know that there's a level of faith that I have not yet reached. And I have a picture in my mind of my grandmother, my mother's mother, who was exactly that person that I wish I could be.

Her faith was so complete. And I think she knew the Lord so well in ways that I don't know if I'll ever achieve.

And I just keep saying, let me one day have Maddie Ray's connection to Jesus in the way that she...

And it's not that she talked about it all the time or anything. It was just in her bearing.

And I spent a lot of time with her because I stayed at her house while my parents would teach school during the day until I was able... Until I was old enough to go to school.

And she taught piano lessons. She was the one that taught me to play the piano.

Well, I'd like to think of... Our journey in kind of concentric circles. There's the journey to deepen your own faith.

Then there is the ability to be a part of a community of faith. One of the things that I think got us all through 9-11 and its aftermath was it was really a team that was very faithful and God-loving and God-fearing.

And so finding that community is very important. And then taking it beyond that community out to a world... It's a world that is desperate for this story, desperate for this.

You look at people and you look at everything from suicide rates to divorce rates to unhappiness, and you think this world needs this message and needs our Lord.

And, you know, we don't like the word very often as Presbyterians of evangelizing.

Sure. Because that sounds like something... I don't know that those people used to do, and it wasn't very sophisticated, and it's not a good idea.

But I think there are ways to model your faith. I remember hearing once that, you know, it was the Christians who thought about hospitals and thought about orphanages and thought about...

Because if you were a child of God, then you shouldn't be in circumstances like those that were so common in the ancient world.

So first you model your behavior. But then it's not a bad... It's not a bad thing to share the story.

And today I was in a class, and one of my students actually asked about my faith.

Really?

Wow. In a class of probably 30 students.

Wow. And so I talked about it. And I think that not being afraid to do that in this very secular world is an important part of what we're here to do.

Wow. Thank you.

Thank you. I appreciate it.

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "The long arm of the Lord reaching into the Lucky Supermarket to find me again. And so after about six months, I thought, well, I really love the Presbyterian tradition. And I started looking around at churches. And I came to Menlo on Easter Sunday for the first time. And it was a really quite dramatic thing that happened." [03:00](21 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


2. "We don't have enough willingness to talk across differences. We don't have enough willingness to give the other person the benefit of the doubt. And I often repeat to my students that there's this thing called the golden rule. So if you'll just treat others as you would like to be treated, we'll all have a much better environment." [07:53](28 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


3. "A college or a learning experience or listening to a sermon should actually not make you comfortable. It should make you feel challenged. You should have to process. However you might do that, it might be talking with somebody. It might be praying about it. But you should have to process, why am I uncomfortable with this?" [18:18](43 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


4. "Our journey in kind of concentric circles. There's the journey to deepen your own faith. Then there is the ability to be a part of a community of faith. One of the things that I think got us all through 9-11 and its aftermath was it was really a team that was very faithful and God-loving and God-fearing, and so finding that community is very important." [29:58](25 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


5. "You look at people and you look at everything from suicide rates to divorce rates to unhappiness, and you think this world needs this message and needs our Lord. And, you know, we don't like the word very often as Presbyterians of evangelizing. Because that sounds like something... I don't know that those people used to do, and it wasn't very sophisticated, and it's not a good idea. But I think there are ways to model your faith." [31:10](32 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


### Quotes for Members

1. "Well, discourse is not something right now that we should be proud of, the nature of it, because it's still, I think, too much we're each in our own corners. And therefore, if you're in your own corner and you're only listening to people who think like you do, pretty soon you start to think everybody who's thinking differently must be stupid or venal. And I see too much of judgment rather than, you know, a willingness to talk things through." [05:43](68 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


2. "I learned to just back off because the United States brings a lot of weight into that room, and you can easily color the conversation by speaking first. So I never spoke. I would back off and say, Well, what do you think? Or let's hear from the Colombian foreign minister, or let's hear from the Afghan foreign minister. And that way, I had a chance to listen. And if you listen very carefully, you can start to hear what I called interest overlap." [14:43](27 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


3. "My faith is so integral to who I am that it's almost hard to describe it outside or to have some person, me, describe it because it's so integral to who I am. And it's important to understand that I was literally born into the back of the church. I mean, my parents were married. My father was already the pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church. And when I was born, we lived in the back of the church for three years." [24:50](38 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


4. "Walt Gerber gave a sermon here once on the prodigal son. But he did it from the perspective of faith. He was the son of the older son. And this was one of the great sermons I've ever heard. It was the prodigal son who had taken for granted that he was going to be the favorite son. He had done everything right. How could the father even believe that he should bring back this brother who had, how dare he? And he was offended because he had been the righteous one." [26:01](38 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


5. "I've never lost faith, but working at my faith is my challenge. But I think that's a beautiful depiction of how to maintain humility in the middle of that. And I know that there's a level of faith that I have not yet reached. And I have a picture in my mind of my grandmother, my mother's mother, who was exactly that person that I wish I could be. Her faith was so complete. And I think she knew the Lord so well in ways that I don't know if I'll ever achieve." [27:35](92 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)