Rev. Sarah Condon joins the podcast to talk about progressive Christianity, hitting television preachers with cafeteria trays, and explains how she's experienced God's grace while serving as a hospital chaplain.
Read MoreIn our endless conflict over relevancy, which essentially has become how do we get millennials to walk through our doors we are moving like the walking dead. Not quite dead but not quite living. Not quite living because we have forgotten that the one who called us and sent us was not concerned with relevancy. Christ himself was concerned with two things: loving God and loving each other.
Read MoreThe unbelief of the disciples that we frown upon during Eastertide creeps up for many of us before the lilies and tulips of Easter Sunday go dormant for another year.
Read MoreIn this episode, we consider what the event and content of preaching means. Are we talking about a narrative of events, exegesis of scripture, or God? All of it? Also, what about the listener, do they play a role?
Read MoreActs 3.12-19, Psalm 4, 1 John 3.1-7, Luke 24.36b-48
Read MoreApril 8, 2018 - Mount Olivet UMC
Year B, Easter 2
John 20:19-31
Joined by guest host Mike Stavlund, this episode features author David Finnegan-Hosey and his new book Christ on the Psych Ward.
Read MoreThe ending of The Gospel of Mark does not fit the new life, new hope feeling we enjoy each year as we use Easter to signal the return of new life in spring. On a day when we expect to feel the overwhelming presence of the risen Christ, the ending of Mark’s Gospel is entirely underwhelming.
Read MoreCan the church play a role in making not only our communities safer but also in thinking theologically about violence, guns, and our calling to live as disciples of Jesus Christ?
Read MoreIs resurrection synonymous with celebrating the spring? What should be preached on Easter Sunday? How does God show up? These questions and more on this episode of Strangely Warmed with guests Teer Hardy and Jason Micheli.
Read MoreTo challenge the empire, to be the counter-cultural voice, to put on a piece of political street theater, requires you to be willing to enjoy the carnival-like atmosphere while it lasts because if you challenge things enough if you push the empire enough the empire will push back
Read MoreThe problem with attractional evangelism and ministry is that it requires you to out-do yourself week after week. Those who showed up for the giveaway, might stay because they've found God or discovered that Christ has always been present in their lives but if they came for the novelty of the car, and you don't have another novelty lined up, the emptiness of attractional evangelism will fall flat and the 51% increase experience will dwindle back to the norm until the next over the top outreach attempt.
Read MoreFor churches that can barely update a website, starting a podcast can seem like a daunting task. Because podcasting requires an internet connection, the confusion factor seems to go from 0-100 instantly. But it can be manageable and even fun.
Read MoreAndy Root thinks the church's obsession with growing young might be misguided. Joined by Rev. Drew Colby, Jason and I interviewed Dr. Andy Root of Luther Seminary and author of Faith Formation in a Secular Age: Responding to the Church's Obsession with Youthfulness on the latest episode of Crackers and Grape Juice.
Read MoreEither way you slice it, our polarization has had a negative impact on the way we view the world and one another. Theologians have an opportunity to work towards the de-polarization by engaging ideas they would not normally engage.
Read MoreI'm just tired unto death of this craziness. I'm tired of the vitriol, and I'm tired of cynicism wrapping itself in the American Flag and proclaiming individual rights are greater than the general welfare.
Read MoreDoes the UMC need a Donald Trump to emerge, willing to disrupt the status quo? Can the UMC move beyond the debate of human sexuality, which is really a debate over power and money, and live into is mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world?
Read MoreRev. Rob Lee announces his recently signed book deal exclusively with Crackers & Grape Juice. Rob opens up about the new role he finds himself in as a public theologian as well as what he has learned about race in America traveling and preaching at churches he once never dreamed of preaching in.
Read MoreBecause there is so much going on in this story, and the writer of Mark wrote such a condensed account of the ministry of Jesus, and on top of that uses misdirection, we miss it. The people in the synagogue did not miss it. Yes, they were astounded by the spirit being cast aside but they knew what was going on. They saw something different happening.
Read MoreWhat does it mean to be created in the image of God? Are we imitations of the Godhead? Of Christ?
Read More