Absurdity with Ryan Becker

We talk about the Swansboro Methodist Church of an older church leader confronting a young worship leader about her style of dress that escalates to swearing and resulted in a viral video. From there, we dive into modesty culture and the issues around framing modesty only around how it impacts men.

This week, we talk about the temptation to put up such strong boundaries to keep ourselves from sinning, that we often lose sight of the "abundant life" Jesus claimed we would have. We talk about a cohabitation motion from the 2015 General Conference Session and we try to figure out what the proper balance point is.

This is the last week of our Wakonda Recordings! Tony came to visit for the weekend, so he, Stephen, and I sat down for a conversation on Christianity's historical impact on the world around it.  Christianity, throughout history, has seemed like it's never been satisfied with even being the majority faith tradition, but that it seems it has actively tried to subjugate those even in minority faith traditions or alternative lifestyles. So, can Christianity exist peacefully alongside other faiths and lifestyles it disagrees with?

The Wakonda Recordings part 3! Zack Payne, a pastor in Wisconsin, joins Stephen Hall and me to discuss the true motivations and historical reasons the Sabbath was changed, the rampant antisemitism in Christianity's history, how prejudice is currently driving our theology today, and what we can do about it.

The Wakonda Recordings continue! Sarah McDugal, an abuse survivor herself, shares the stories of abuse victims she has spoken with, we talk about the myths around forgiveness and reconciliation in regards to abuse, and we address the oft-cited "Matthew 18 Method" on confrontation. This episode is one of our heaviest, but this is the current reality we face, and it's about time that changes.

The Sociopath Next Door by Martha Stout

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A long-awaited guest joins us this week thanks to a serendipitous meeting in Wisconsin! Jennifer Jill Schwirzer is a licensed counselor and someone who has seen firsthand the damage that sexual abuse and assault causes. She works with an organization called The Bucket Brigade where victims can report sexual abuse abuse in the Adventist Church and they will investigate. She also works to train ministry leaders and lay members how to address sexual abuse reports and cases in their churches and ministries.

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We dive into the world of Independent Ministries! These are ministries not officially run by the denomination itself, but run alongside them. We talk about what they are, their pros and cons, their role in the church and in influencing church culture, and whether or not we should trust them.

Missiology is defined as "the study of religious (typically Christian) missions and their methods and purposes." We talk about Adventism's mission and methods and discuss what we wish Adventism would update in its rhetoric, function, form, and beliefs. For our non-SDA listeners, we invite you to do the same thought exercise for your worldview, too.  

Today, my good friend and my boss, Rick Anderson, Jr.,  joins me to talk about being a mentee and being a mentor. We share our perspectives, experiences, and how we respond when we have negative experiences with it.