We meet up with Jesus again arguing with the authorities.  Who gives authority? What is good authority?  Jesus seemingly has an 8th grade argument and tells them to get at the back of the line for recess.  Deacon Julie and I dive into a tough conversation around authority, sacrifice, and atonement for the gospel lesson, Matthew 21:23-32, for Sunday, October 1st, 2023.

Discussion Questions

1. Where have you struggled with institutional authority in your life?

2. What does Jesus say about authority? (here or other places too)

3. “We often sacrifice the most vulnerable people on the altar of unity” - Bp. Bill Gohl.  Discuss Bp. Gohl’s words, who do we sacrifice for “Christian Unity”?

4. What do you think it means to be a “Good Christian”?

5. What does it mean to you that we are simultaneously saint and sinner?

6. Have you spent a lot of time thinking about: did Jesus have to die? What atonement theories do you understand best?

7. What is the Good News?

A book of the Bible we’ve all heard about but not ever usually on a Sunday is the book of Jonah.  Jonah is the “anti-prophet”, who does everything in his power not to follow the will of God.  And well, God gets God’s way anyways.  This episode talks about the broader themes of the book of Jonah, its satirical qualities, the reluctant prophet, and a fish who changes gender in the story.  Dive in with Pastor Bre Roberts for this Old Testament lesson for Sunday, September 24th, 2023.

Discussion Questions:

1. Does it matter to you if the book of Jonah is 100% factual or a satire? Why or why not?

2. When is God’s grace offensive?

3. When do you get angry with God?

4. What do you think about the author’s choice to change the fish’s gender? What does this tell us about the fish?

5. Where have you experienced the belly of the fish moments? What came next (when you were spit out on shore)?

6. What does this story tell us about God?

We are diving head first into the uncomfortable in this season 3 premiere! Pastor Jealaine Marple brings her wisdom to this conversation to discuss the hard stuff like all the slavery talk Jesus does, what is the difference between the cycles of abuse and forgiveness, and what Jesus is actually talking about. We talk about Matthew 18:21-35 for Sunday, September 17, 2023.

This season you are invited into Bible studies, small groups, and groups of brewery buddies to listen and share together in conversations about the uncomfortable Bible!

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your experience in your life with forgiveness? As a kid?

2. What kind of forgiveness do you associate with Christ?

3. What were you raised to think about money at home? In the government?

4. What would Christ-like spending and debt forgiveness look like?

5. What is your experience with the cycle of abuse and systems of oppression?  How has false forgiveness played a role?

6. Slavery and the Bible. How do you feel about the slavery language in Jesus’ parable? What has been your experience talking about slavery in church?

7. What do you think our church’s response to slavery imagery in the Bible should be?

8. Where is the Good News?

Resources mentioned in the episode:

LGBTQ Resource: "Walking the Bridgeless Canyon" by Kathy Baldock

Race and Incarceration: "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander and "The 13th" on Netflix

Pastor Chris Schaefer is back again for this very special season finale! This episode was recorded in front of a live studio audience at the Delaware-Maryland Synod Assembly. Pastor Chris and I share with the audience some background to the story of the "almost sacrifice of Isaac". Why would God tell Abraham to do this? Isn't killing prohibited? Let's put this all in context! This episode talks about Genesis 22:1-14 for Sunday, July 2, 2023.

"I have not come to bring peace, but a sword" are words we hear Jesus say in our lesson for today. The use of these words have done much harm from theology like "I love you so much I want you to know you are wrong" to violence, hate crimes, and actual wars in the name of Christ. Pastor John and Pastor A.J. get real and deep and even a little teary as they dive into this uncomfortable speech from Jesus. Come dwell in lament with us and hear words of wisdom from Pastor John mostly in this touching episode. We look at Matthew 10:24-39 for Sunday, June 25, 2023, the 4th Sunday after Pentecost.

In this episode, Pastor A.J. talks to the newly ordained Jon Fry! Pastor Jon shares his journey to ministry and what brought him to become a pastor... *cough* *cough* me ;) And we dive into Philippians 4:13, which is a particular Bible verse that has made Pastor Jon uncomfortable throughout time. How does this verse get used? How do we use it to minimize people's suffering? Come chat with us! This episode does not follow the Revised Common Lectionary.

In this special episode, we hear the story of Drake. Drake shares his story of his journey through faith as a Pastor's Kid and what his faith and church life means to him as an adult. Drake shares about the joys and challenges of moving to a seminary campus as a kindergartener. He shares about his journey to finding his own faith at camp, meeting his wife in college, and what their young family of four is looking for in a congregation. This episode does not follow the revised common lectionary.

Pastor A.J. could talk about creation all day and for one of her favorite topics, she is joined by an amazing pastor friend, Rev. Allison Johnson. Pastor A.J. and Pastor Allison talk about the different creation stories (yes, there is more than one), what God created and how, and all the different genders. Genesis calls us into understanding that all of creation is good. The parts we like, the parts we don't (like fleas), and it is wild and wonderful. Creation is diverse, non-binary and non-homogeneous, oh and not all about humans. For those following along at church, we talk about Genesis 1:1-2:4a for Sunday, June 4, 2023.

Should women be silent in church?? This is the hardest and most uncomfortable passage for Pastor A.J. in the Bible. Pastor A.J. dives into how this passage and its conversations helped shape her calling to ministry and who she is. For this conversation we dive into 1st Timothy 2:8-15 and take head on this silencing rhetoric. We take a deep look into the society and times of first century Ephesus and maybe with what Timothy needed some help from Paul. Who is this chatty lady he is addressing? What does Paul say about women in the church elsewhere? It's a contradiction for sure.

Bad things happen in this world, where is God when they do? Should we suffer for our faith? What is a faithful response to suffering? Pastor Lauren Jenkins joins us for this uncomfortable conversation. Join us as we wrestle with these and more tough questions and hear words of wisdom from Pastor Lauren. We dive into 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11 for Sunday, May 21, 2023.