Following the Fire

Following the Fire

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Following the Fire episodes

  • 45: Book Club: Heavy Burdens - Bridget Eileen Rivera

    Book Club: Heavy Burdens - Bridget Eileen Rivera

    Author Bridget Eileen Rivera joins us to talk about her new book "Heavy Burdens: Seven Ways LGBTQ Christians Experience Harm in the Church"

    Buy her book here!

    Special Guest: Bridget Eileen Rivera.

    Support Following the Fire

    58 min
  • 44: Not a White Man: Discussion Group Q&R pt2

    Not a White Man: Discussion Group Q&R pt2

    In which Nathan & Steve discuss Gen Z lingo and more questions posed in the Following the Fire Facebook discussion group. Topics include: is the church of Christ a cult? Why does God allow us to relive trauma? Can we get rid of institutional racism? Is it "XKCD" or "SMBC"? And more!

    Intro

    • Gen Z Slang is impossible to keep up with
    • Film: The Goonies
    • R0 value
    • Meaning of “meme”
    • Video: The Wheat Brothers Live
    • Video: Nathan killing the high note
    • Daniel Wheat’s Kickstarter
    • Following the Fire Discussion Group
    • Why does God allow us to relive and remember trauma?

      When will institutional racism be taken seriously in the American Church?

      • Parable of the Prodigal Son
      • Upton Sinclair quote
      • Where is the mother in it all???

        • Book: “God: An Anatomy” by Francesca Stavrakopoulou
        • Song: “White Man” - Michael Gungor
        • Comic: XKCD
        • Comic: SMBC
        • How do we know we’re going through “healthy” deconstruction?

          Why does the church treat doubt like it’s such a horrible thing?

          DON’T FORGET!

          • Next episode: "Heavy Burdens: Seven ways LGBTQ Christians experience harm in the church" by Bridget Eileen Rivera - (buy it here)
          • Daniel Wheat’s Kickstarter
          • Support Following the Fire

            1 hr 6 min
          • 43: Twist Ending: Discussion Group Q&R pt1

            In which Nathan & Steve respond to (because actual "Answers" are lacking) questions posed in the Following the Fire Facebook discussion group. Topics include: the goal of deconstruction, God’s role in it, untangling culture and faith, and more.

            Intro

            • Steve’s busy in a good way
            • Nathan can't figure out how to pronounce "Shyamalan"
            • How to pronounce Shyamalan
            • Film: “The Sixth Sense”
            • Film: “Signs”
            • Film: “Unbreakable”
            • Film: “The Village”
            • TV Show: “Servant”
            • Documentary: “The Pixar Story”
            • The Pixar Formula
            • Bible story: Naaman
            • Film: “Bram Stoker’s Dracula”
            • Q & R pt 1a

              • Following the Fire Discussion Group
              • “…work out your salvation with fear and trembling” - Philippians 2:12
              • Fishbone Diagram
              • Cornelius
              • Q & R pt 1b

                • Martin Luther
                • Protestant Reformation
                • 95 Theses
                • Barton W. Stone
                • Alexander Campbell
                • Restoration Movement
                • Weasel Words
                • Joseph Smith
                • Closing

                  • Daniel Wheat on Spotify - “This World Is Not My Home” coming out Feb 25, 2022!
                  • For the Journey playlist on Spotify
                  • Next book club: "Heavy Burdens: Seven ways LGBTQ Christians experience harm in the church" by Bridget Eileen Rivera - (buy it here)
                  • Support Following the Fire

                    1 hr 4 min
                  • 42: J. Crum: the man, his music, his faith, and his journey

                    J. Crum: the man, his music, his faith, and his journey

                    J. Crum is a legend. His song "Clarity" struck a nerve last year with so many people going through deconstruction, and his path has taken him to some unexpected places. We were honored to get to spend time talking with J. Crum about his music, his faith, how they intersect, and where he's going from here.

                    • Song: “Press” by J. Crum
                    • www.jcrummusic.com
                    • J. Crum on TikTok
                    • Song: “Clarity” by J. Crum
                    • Special Guest: J. Crum.

                      Support Following the Fire

                      1 hr 7 min
                    • 41: Deconstruction Everywhere: Disney+ shows and films with themes of deconstruction

                      Nathan and Steve catch up after a month off and they discuss the theme of deconstruction in tons of shows and movies on Disney+. It's absolutely everywhere!

                      Intro

                      • Nathan’s full of ideas
                      • Nathan’s friend and coworker passed away from COVID
                      • Steve’s a deacon already?
                      • What’s a deacon?
                      • “Timey wimey”
                      • Groundhog Day
                      • Film: “Groundhog Day”
                      • Book: “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy
                      • Film: “The Road”
                      • Book Club Book for Episode 45: “Heavy Burdens” by Bridget Eileen Rivera
                      • Following the Fire Facebook Group
                      • Deconstruction Everywhere

                        • Google Trends
                        • Disney+
                        • Enneagram 5
                        • Show: “The Mandalorian”
                        • Documentary: “The Rescue”
                        • Documentary: “Free Solo”
                        • Spelunking
                        • Film: “Encanto”
                        • Film: “Toy Story”
                        • Film: “Monsters, Inc.”
                        • Show: “The Good Place”
                        • Show: “Tiny World”
                        • Support Following the Fire

                          50 min
                        • Rebroadcast: "Why We Can't Wait" by Martin Luther King, Jr.

                          Rebroadcasting for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

                          We're joined by Nicole Magliore to discuss the book "Why We Can't Wait" by Martin Luther King, Jr. – Not only do we discuss the book, but what white Christians can do to make a difference in a country that is still so stuck in white supremacy and systemic racism. This, my friends, is a fantastic episode.

                          Intro

                          • Guest: Nicole Magloire
                          • Her blog: Give the Grave Only Bones
                          • Her Facebook page
                          • Nathan is an anti-pizza communist
                          • Book Discussion

                            • “Why We Can’t Wait” by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
                            • Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
                            • The Good Samaritan
                            • The 10 Commandments of Non-violence
                            • The of practice "redlining"
                            • Jim Crow Laws
                            • Homestead Acts

                            • “The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America” by Richard Rothstein

                            • “Stand Your Ground: Black Bodies and the Justice of God” by Kelly Brown Douglas

                            • James Baldwin

                            • “I Am Not Your Negro”

                            • Malcolm X

                            • Tulsa Race Massacre

                            • “…punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation” Exodus 20:4-6

                            • “…he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.” Exodus 34:6-7

                            • Create on-ramps for people - DeRay Mckesson

                            • “What can I do where I am with what I have?”

                            • Ask questions

                            • Create onramps

                            • Read read read

                            • Use that knowledge to impact the world

                            • Don’t think you’re ever done learning

                            • Join our Patreon - we'd love your support and we have some fantastic patron perks!

                              Support Following the Fire

                              1 hr 28 min
                            • Bonus Episode: 2021 in Books - Happy New Year!

                              Happy New Year! A recap of our first year recording Following the Fire (and a few book suggestions from Nathan)

                              Intro

                              • Takin’ a break until the new year (for realz)
                              • Facebook group is the BEST!
                              • Don’t forget the Patreon!
                              • Contact us at [email protected]
                              • Leave a review!
                              • Following the Fire - Origin Story

                                • No idea what we're doing
                                • Steve carries this baby
                                • Go Read it, Every One!

                                  • Book: "Jesus and the Disinherited" by Howard Thurman
                                  • Book: "Amoralman" by Derek Delgaudio
                                  • Book: "Why We Can't Wait" by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
                                  • Book: "A Church Called TOV" by Laura Barringer and Scot McKnight
                                  • Asterisk

                                    • Book: "Affirming" by Sally Gary
                                    • Book: "Jesus and John Wayne" - Kristin Kobes Du Mez
                                    • Book: "The Making of Biblical Womanhood" by Beth Allison Barr
                                    • Book: "Faith After Doubt" by Brian McLaren
                                    • Book: "Reading While Black" by Esau McCaulley
                                    • Book: "Torn" by Justin Lee
                                    • Book: "What if Jesus Was Serious?" by Skye Jethani
                                    • Just for Me

                                      • Book: "Born a Crime" by Trevor Noah
                                      • Book: "Paul Among the People" by Sarah Ruden
                                      • Book: "Love Wins" by Rob Bell
                                      • Book: "Erasing Hell" by Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkle
                                      • Book: "Pax" by Sara Pennypacker
                                      • All the Scriptures

                                        See you next year!

                                        Support Following the Fire

                                        25 min
                                      • 40: Book Club: Faith After Doubt - by Brian McLaren

                                        Book Club: Faith After Doubt - by Brian McLaren

                                        Intro

                                        • Takin’ a break until the new year
                                        • Facebook group is the BEST!
                                        • Don’t forget the Patreon!
                                        • Contact us at [email protected]
                                        • Kristi’s our guest!
                                        • Vacation Bible School
                                        • Obeying your parents is, like, a big deal
                                        • Book discussion

                                          • Book: [Faith After Doubt]by Brian Mclaren](https://amzn.to/39lxbIw)
                                          • Episode 16 with the “What type of Christian are you?” quiz
                                          • “Emerging Church” movement
                                          • About Brian McLaren
                                          • Book: “With” by Skye Jethani
                                          • Video: Full interview with Brian McLaren
                                          • Philosopher: Alan Watts
                                          • Buddhism
                                          • Turtle Island
                                          • Nirvana
                                          • Jonathan Haidt
                                          • Moral Foundations Theory
                                          • Nihilism
                                          • Film: “Joe vs. The Volcano”
                                          • Book: “Crucial Conversations”
                                          • “Those who love me will keep my commands” - John 14:15
                                          • “Love God, Love your neighbors” - Mark 12:28—31
                                          • Dark night of the soul
                                          • Plymouth United Church of Christ beliefs statement
                                          • United Churches of Christ
                                          • Author: Brené Brown
                                          • Book: “Do I Stay Christian?” By Brian Mclaren
                                          • Support Following the Fire

                                            1 hr 35 min
                                          • 39: Spiritual Nomads: When deconstruction leads to wandering, where do we find comfort and safety?

                                            Spiritual Nomads: When deconstruction leads to wandering, where do we find comfort and safety?

                                            Rethinking your faith often leads to leaving your faith community to look for something else. Something more. Something real. And while that move was probably for the best, there’s still a loss of the comfort that the old group gave you, and a loss of certainty that came with it. Either way, it doesn’t make wandering the spiritual wilderness any easier. So, among the questions we won’t properly answer today: Should we try to replace the comfort we lost? Should we go back to the certainty group we left? And, how can gratitude help us find something more ultimate than certainty?

                                            Join the Following the Fire Discussion Group on Facebook!

                                            Intro

                                            • Steve is not cold enough yet
                                            • Nathan wants to breathe ice
                                            • Get your boosters!
                                            • Lice is the worst
                                            • You’re yawning right now
                                            • Rate our podcast on Apple!
                                            • Keeping it Real

                                              • Article: “The case against sermon-centric Sundays” by Skye Jethani
                                              • Naked Pastor - Church Wheel Cartoon
                                              • UX Personas
                                              • Deconstruction and Discomfort

                                                • Film: “Joe vs. the Volcano”
                                                • Agreeableness
                                                • Book: “Faith After Doubt”
                                                • Finding Comfort

                                                  • Film: “Fantastic Mr. Fox”
                                                  • Book: “Ocean at the End of the Lane” by Neil Gaiman
                                                  • Audible version of that book
                                                  • Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
                                                  • Playlist: “For the Journey”
                                                  • Band: “Weezer”
                                                  • Song: “Undone - The Sweater Song”
                                                  • Following the Fire Discussion Group on Facebook!
                                                  • Support Following the Fire

                                                    1 hr 21 min
                                                  • 38: Embracing Discomfort: How cognitive biases contribute to church problems and deconstruction

                                                    Embracing Discomfort: How cognitive biases contribute to church problems and deconstruction

                                                    Intro

                                                    • Impact matrix
                                                    • Nathan doesn’t have bone spurs
                                                    • “Pants” vs “Trousters”
                                                    • churchofchristsingles.com
                                                    • Proverbs 31
                                                    • Florida College
                                                    • Mead
                                                    • “How Beer Saved the World”
                                                    • Pattern Matching Brains

                                                      • Jordan Klepper
                                                      • Jay Leno JayWalking
                                                      • Cognitive biases
                                                      • Russian speakers see more blue than English speakers
                                                      • Himba Tribe can see more green than you
                                                      • Biases & Church pt 1

                                                        • Availability Heuristic
                                                        • Cognitive dissonance
                                                        • Confirmation Bias
                                                        • “Foundation” on AppleTV+
                                                        • Chainsawsuit.com comic
                                                        • Podcast: “The Bible for Normal People”
                                                        • Book: “The Five Gospels”
                                                        • The Jesus Seminar
                                                        • Gospel of Thomas
                                                        • Book: “With” by Skye Jethani
                                                        • Preston Sprinkle
                                                        • Shared Information Bias
                                                        • Groupthink
                                                        • Illusory Truth Effect
                                                        • Dunning-Kruger Effect
                                                        • Biases & Church pt 2

                                                          • Confidence Bias
                                                          • Con Artist
                                                          • Podcast: “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill”
                                                          • Conformity Bias
                                                          • Child loss awareness license plates
                                                          • Appeal to History fallacy
                                                          • For deconstructors and church leaders

                                                            • Sunk Cost Fallacy
                                                            • Loss Aversion
                                                            • Survivorship bias
                                                            • Dan’s post mentioning recency bias
                                                            • Following the Fire Discussion Group
                                                            • Support Following the Fire

                                                              1 hr 45 min

                                                            About Following the Fire

                                                            From the publisher's feed

                                                            Like many others, we (Steve & Nathan) are on a spiritual journey of deconstruction and reconstruction to find what God truly wants of us. Just like Israel followed the pillar of fire in the desert, we want to follow God wherever we are led. And just like Israel, we get lost a lot, we get it wrong a lot, but we're trying our best to follow and have a relationship with the Father. Join us on the journey!