Every so often, it seems there is a flare-up of folks worried about Jesus' coming again, or whether current events in the news could be triggering the end of the world. In this new series for Eastertide, colleagues in ministry Sarah, Erica, Natalie, and Steve will be exploring why a faithful and thoughtful end-times theology (sometimes called "eschatology") matters, and why it's worth being wise readers of Scripture rather than getting swept up in the latest talking point or fear tactic. In this first conversation, we'll ask the basic question, "Is there anything WE can do to speed up or slow down Jesus' coming again?" And if the answer is no, then what ARE we supposed to be doing with our lives in the mean-time?

While we often think of Mary, the mother of Jesus, around Christmas time, amid the stories of angels, shepherds, and mangers, the gospels and the book of Acts remind us that Mary was a presence throughout Jesus' ministry, that she persevered through the horror of the cross, and continued to be an important figure in the early Christian community as well. We'll consider Mary's example in discipleship in this final week of our Lent 2026 series.

While many think of the apostle Paul primarily as a theologian--someone who talked and wrote about what Christians believe--he also gives us a powerful example of Christian discipleship as a matter of taking the gospel seriously, and living out what we understand by faith. In this conversation, we'll explore how Paul's life story, journeys, and writing give us a glimpse of the kind of life we are called to as well!

Of course, Christians would look to Jesus as part of their faith, right? But is everything Jesus did in the Gospels meant to be copied? Are there some ways in which Jesus is unique? And if two people sincerely ask, "What would Jesus do?" and they get very different answers, what do we do about it? How do we take Jesus seriously as a model of our discipleship, and also find hope in Jesus' grace in all the times we fail? This week's episode of Crazy Faith Talk explores these questions and more.

In many Christian traditions, when new disciples are baptized or affirm their faith, they are explicitly asked if they will speak and act in ways that seek peace and justice for all people. That might look different for each of us, but we can learn something about this calling to work for the good of those who are suffering and speak to help end mistreatment from the story of Moses, who spoke up to Pharaoh to set the enslaved Hebrews free. Join us on this episode of Crazy Faith Talk to see how Moses' calling to speak up for the sake others might give direction to us!

In much of the ancient biblical world, it was taken as a given that one must show hospitality and genuine welcome to strangers who come to your door. That's visible in the early storytelling in Genesis when Abraham welcomes the three divine visitors, but it also becomes a central theme in the Torah when Israel is commanded to welcome foreigners and treat them the same as their own citizens, because they were supposed to remember what it was like to be mistreated as foreigners. In this week's episode we'll look at care for the stranger as an essential part of Christian discipleship, and where that theme shows up elsewhere in Scripture. Join us for this week's Crazy Faith Talk!

In our previous series, we explored how God has a way throughout the Bible of calling unlikely and unexpected people to belong... but what exactly is the life we have been called into really all about? That's what discipleship is all about, and in this new series for Lent, we're going to explore several big ideas of what it looks like to be a disciple, starting with a classic description from the prophet Micah, who summarized it as "doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God." What could that look like in our lives? Join us for this new conversation here on Crazy Faith Talk to find out more!

The entire book of Acts traces the course of the followers of Jesus reaching across boundaries in increasingly wide circles, "beginning in Jerusalem, to Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." The Christian community, in other words, has always been one to take seriously God's desire to call outsiders and draw all people in. We'll explore that story as it unfolds in Acts in this final part of this series on Crazy Faith Talk!

Even though we think of them as heroes of the faith and might name church buildings after them, the disciples of Jesus were often outsiders in a number of ways. From Jesus' unlikely way of choosing his disciples rather than having them audition and prove their skills, to his inclusion of women among his followers and as witnesses of the resurrection, to his way of reaching out to outcasts like Zacchaeus and Matthew or former zealots like Simon, Jesus chooses outsiders to be a part of his movement. He still does.

Even with in ancient Israelite society, God raised up people from the margins who could speak difficult truths and see with clarity what the "insiders" might not be able to recognize any longer. That was the role of the prophets, who often had to be the ones brave enough to say when the emperor was wearing no clothes, so to speak. But beyond that, the message of many of the prophets also pointed to God's reach to include outsiders, as they reminded God's people of their calling to be a "light to the nations" to draw others into the presence and covenant of God. Join us for this week's conversation on Crazy Faith Talk!