Rabbi Evan and Pastor A.J. dive into the first part of our new study of God-ordained Violence.  We outline some background information for Judges, talk about the specific story that takes place under the leadership of the Judge Deborah, including a tent stake through the head.  The next 5 weeks will include uncomfortable conversations around violence that happens in the Bible, God’s role in this, and how do we respond.  This episode talks about Judges 4:12-24.  You can download the study guide materials at https://www.tenfootpolepodcast.com/judges 

Discussion Questions:

1. Before we start, how do you perceive violence in the Bible?

2. How do you theologically understand “God-ordained” violence in the Bible?

3. How do you perceive Jael’s actions? Hospitality? Hospitality in times of war?

4. What is your theological understanding about the 5th commandment? In times of war?

5. Listening to Rabbi’s perspective on this violence, what differences do you notice in your own theology?

6. What does this tell us about God?

Other notes:

1. Visual for Song of the Sea/Song of Deborah: https://www.museumofthebible.org/magazine/collections/yom-va-yosha-and-the-song-of-the-sea  

2. ELCA Social Statement on Peace: https://download.elca.org/ELCA%20Resource%20Repository/PeaceSS.pdf?_ga=2.58500010.1204821829.1726546425-502595238.1726546425

We have reached the end of season 3 and with it, some tough questions.  The "circumcised" or "uncircumcised"? Who is in, who is out, and who is closer to God?  Spoiler alert, no one.  The author of Ephesians draws us in to ask some very important questions of our time and face head on what it means to put the hostility in our world to death on the cross. This is no small feat.. join with us in this hard conversation.  Pastors A.J. and Bishop Gohl discuss Ephesians 2:11-22 for Sunday, July 21, 2024.

Discussion Questions:

1. What hostilities do we (you) need to put to death?

2. What do Paul's words say to us in our current reality?

3. How do we understand the grace that is given to both sides?

4. What is our role in the storm as followers of Jesus?

5. Where is the Good News?

DISCLAIMER: This episode was recorded before the shooting at former President Trump's campaign rally. Though, I think it should be taken into consideration in light of these words from Ephesians.

Pastors A.J. and Andrew go on some long tangents but bring us home to some super powerful topics.  John the Baptist is beheaded on a sacrificial altar of power.  Many people in our world are sacrificed on similar altars. Who is sacrificed? What privileges do we have and how do we recognize them and understand them in our world? What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus in the world filled with altars of power?  We dive into Mark 6:14-29 for Sunday, July 14th, 2024. 

Discussion Questions:

1. Who is being sacrificed in the story?

2. Who gets sacrificed in your community?

3. What is your privilege biography?

4. How does this affect how you see the world?

5. What is our call as followers of Christ?

6. What's the Good News?

Pastor Emily and Pastor A.J. veer away from the lectionary once again to talk about a bit of an uncomfortable topic: the destruction of Sodom.  Join in this conversation as we dispel the homophobia in this text and discuss the true issue at play here: hospitality.  What does it mean for us to be hospitable as children of God? Dive into our conversation about radical welcome in the name of Christ.

Discussion Questions:

1. What does hospitality mean to you?

2. What does it mean that God values hospitality so highly?

3. What are grey area decisions that we have to make?

4. What does it mean to be hospitable in the church?

5. What covenant would you come up with as a community?

So grateful to welcome back Pastor Kelsey to bring home our Pride Month showcase episodes.  Pastor Kelsey came out as queer and then was led into ministry.  Pastor Kelsey shares that even in the midst of judgment and discrimination, Jesus loves you and makes space for you.  We briefly talk about Mark 5:21-43 for Sunday, June 30th, 2024. 

Discussion Questions:

1. What parts of your identity were you scared others would not accept?

2. What Bible story or character do you identify with in your life?

3. What have you been carrying for you?

4. Who paved the way for you to get to be you in the world?

5. What is the Good News?

Pastor Colby is the author of Unclobber: Rethinking our Misuse of the Bible on Homosexuality. He joined Pastor A.J. for the amazing recording in front of a live audience at the Delaware-Maryland Synod Assembly in June 2024.  Pastor Colby shares his story and “coming out of the theological closet”.  Unclobber walks through the 6 passages of scripture that are commonly used to exclude and abuse the LGBTQ+ community at the hands of “Good Christians”.  Well, as Pastor Colby shares with us, they are wrong.  Join us as we dive deep into these clobber verses and click on the link below to get your copy of Unclobber!

Discussion Questions:

1.  When has your heart and your head been out of alignment?

2.  What have you been historically taught about some of these passages?

3. Have you studied them extensively? What did you learn?

4. What do you think the church should do with LGBTQ+ folks in our midst?

5. What is the Good News?

Other notes:

On this week’s episode, Pastor A.J. welcomes Jamie Bruesehoff, author of “Raising Kids Beyond the Binary: Celebrating God’sTransgender and Gender-Diverse Children”.  Transgender and gender-diverse humans are the target of so much hate and political stigma, and as called followers of Christ, what can we do to protect, advocate, and welcome those beloved children of God in our midst?  Jamie shares her story, some tips, and what all those out there who are allies can do to include and welcome our gender diverse siblings in Christ. 

Discussion Questions:

1. Has your congregation spent time in conversation about transgender and gender-diverse folks?

2. Where are you in your personal journey, mile marker 2 or 17?

3. What are steps that your church/community can or has taken to create an inclusive space?

4. What work do you see in your community that still needs to be done? And how can you help?

5. How is God calling you share the Good News?

Other notes:

Pastor A.J. and Rabbi Evan dive into the “fall” of humanity.  What are the different perspectives and theological meanings to this story in Judaism and Christianity?  What are the differences? We talk about how this story affects our understanding of good and evil and our very relationship with our creator God.  For those that follow the RCL this episode talks about Genesis 3:8-15 for Sunday, June 9th, 2024.

Discussion Questions:

1. What’s your working definition of sin?

2. Where does sin come from?

3. How does the perspective that Rabbi gives challenge your traditional beliefs?

4. Does God need humanity?

5. Do you do good things to “make up” for sin or something else?

6. How do you feel about the concept that God may have lied to them?

Other notes:

Is the Sabbath for us or are we for the Sabbath? Jesus challenges us once again by breaking the rules and paves the way for us to evaluate how we do church.  Who is church for? How important are your giant stained glass windows? Pastor Andrea and Pastor A.J. dive into the gospel lesson, Mark 2:23-3:6, for Sunday, June 2nd, 2024. 

Discussion Questions:

1. Does your church have very strong feelings about where things are located in the church?

2. What would happen if you moved stuff around?

3. How does this challenge our communities?

4. What would it say to the world around us to make changes?

5. Where is the Good News?

What’s it like to be heirs to the kingdom? Or have you been told that your “sins of the flesh” keep you out?  Well, my friends, Pastor Jon and Pastor A.J. talk about what it means to be a part of the body of Christ, a member of the second part of the Trinity, and who it’s for.  Guess what, it’s you!  This episode talks about Romans 8:12-17 for Trinity Sunday, May 26, 2024 with some Galatians 5 scattered in there. 

Discussion Questions:

1. What does it mean to you to be seen as part of the Trinity body?

2. What have you been told about the “sins of the flesh”? 

3. How have you internalized this?

4. What does it mean to be heirs of the promise?

5. What theological ideas have you been engrained with in your life that you have had to un-learn?

6. What embodied experiences do you experience God?

Live Recording Event Info: