Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, and his funeral has drawn political and religious leaders from around the world. Soon after this, the Roman Catholic Church leadership will enter a time and place to call their next Pope. Pastor Danny talks about Conclave as a secretive and ancient process resulting in the election of the next Pope to lead more than one billion Roman Catholics worldwide. Obviously, not all churches function in this manner when it comes to calling their leadership. Baptists in particular have their own process with the strengths and weaknesses too. While the calling of a Pope has global interest, most men and women serving in churches are doing so in obscurity and out of the public eye. It's important to encourage such individuals and recognize that "our labor for the Lord is not in vain."

Thomas is best remembered for his "doubting" when the other disciples told him that they had seen the Lord. It wasn't called "deconstruction" then, but Thomas provides an example for this kind of struggle to discern between truth and fiction. There are many who question and doubt regarding Christianity's truth claims. There's nothing wrong with honest doubt, provided that it is part of a process of discovery and spiritual growth. Thomas processed his doubts within a community of faith, and the church would do well to provide that kind of safe space today.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important event in human history. Christians as well as unbelievers come together on Easter Sunday to hear the testimony of the eyewitnesses to the risen Jesus as recorded in the Bible. The church exists not because of the power of human effort but due to the truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. While there are a number of witnesses to this event, Mary Magdalene stands out because she was the first to hear and see the risen Jesus. It's also significant because women were not viewed as credible witnesses during that time period. Jesus asked her two questions by that empty tomb that are important to ask today.

In this episode, we explore the profound significance of Holy Week, emphasizing the importance of reflecting on the events leading up to Easter. This is the last week of Jesus' earthly life, and includes his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the cleansing of the temple, and the emotional responses of the people. It's important for us to embrace the journey of Holy Week, while acknowledging the challenges and disappointments that may arise. In our rush towards Easter, we may miss out on experiencing depth and meaning of those preceding events relating to the suffering and death of our Lord.

Habakkuk is considered a minor prophet because of the brevity of his prophecy. He is frustrated to God's perceived inactivity in dealing with injustice in his world, and this leads to his complaining to God about his situation. Habakkuk provides a wonderful model of moving through the spiritual seasons of complaint, prayer, and ultimately praise of God despite the circumstances around us.

In this episode, we revisit Jesus' visit with the Samaritan woman at the well. This conversation from John 4 is significant not only because it's the longest recorded conversation involving Jesus, but also because he reveals himself as Christ for the first time to this unlikely person. This woman has been vilified due to her past, yet Jesus does not condemn her. Once we get beyond inferences of her sinfulness, we discover profound theological truths about the nature of true worship.

Stress is a real problem for us. It keeps us from "being where our feet are" and appreciating who we are and the people around us. In this episode, we listen in on a conversation between Jesus and Martha concerning her frustration with her sister Mary. This beautiful moment is a template on how worry leads to anger and being distracted from what's truly important. We take our cues on what's important by what Jesus says and does. There are times we need to be like Mary, and times to be like Martha. Jesus also affirms women and their place in his ministry by what he does (and doesn't do) regarding Martha's criticism of Mary.

This first episode is about the cost of following Jesus as it relates to the curious and seemingly harsh reactions he had to three people who were candidates for discipleship. There's a challenge to take seriously the choice between following Jesus and allegiance to our families. There's also a reference to the anniversary of the Asbury College revival and its impact to that campus and the church in general.