The Audibility Podcast

In the intro of the episode (1:03-4:35), Lukas and Jae set up the episode and introduce today’s guest, Olivia Jones. She is a good friend of ours and a Christian Studies Major here at Anderson University, SC, looking to go into ministry. Olivia actually has her own podcast, the Liv Intentionally Podcast! She has people on to talk through their stories and to see how God has worked in and through them. You should definitely check it out, she’s super passionate about it and it’s really life-giving to hear people’s testimonies in a laid back and intentional setting. Lukas and Jae will actually be on an episode of Olivia’s podcast sometime soon, so keep on the lookout for that! This episode sort of got away from us in a very Good, very unexpected sort of way, and we touched on topics and stories that we weren’t planning on talking about. Let’s hop in!

In the first part of the episode (8:54-19:08), we talk about how both Olivia and Jae grew up as pastor’s kids in ministry. We talk a bit about the importance of giving back to pastors and their families, not neglecting to love and serve them well as they love and serve us. Olivia shares her family’s story of moving from Manchester, England, to Dallas, Texas, when her dad felt the call to ministry. When he got his degree after a few years in Texas, they moved to Chicago to pastor a church for a few years. Olivia and her family now live in and minister to the city of Asheville, North Carolina! Olivia shares a little about her experiences in all of these different places and highlights the culture shock she’s felt.

In the second part of the episode (19:29-32:50), Olivia tells us about her and her family’s passion for Asheville. If you’ve been to Asheville, you know that it’s a pretty wacky place, but wacky places need the Lord. She talks about some of the spiritual attacks her family has felt from the Enemy because of being so immersed in ministry, and she mentions how that suffering and behind-the-scenes look at the hard parts makes her want to dive back into it that much more. We talk about the oftentimes negative perceptions of being a pastor’s kid, but that people on the outside looking in very rarely consider the harder parts of being in ministry growing up as an eleven or twelve-years-old pastor’s kid. Olivia and Jae talk about the expectations and pressure, negative and positive, of being a pastor’s kid.

We talk about the way that being a pastor’s kid has shaped their Faith throughout the years. Jae mentions that it’s been a sort of assurance and has helped him to grow into his calling as an ambassador for the Kingdom as a missionary, but more importantly as a tool for God’s use. Olivia mentions how it’s sometimes difficult to see the tougher ways that God works in the lives of people in ministry. Generally speaking, people may have very different reactions to being involved in specific ministries, sometimes having incorrect perceptions of their responsibilities as a servant.

In the final part of the episode (33:10-44:45), we talk about conviction and calling and how the two oftentimes are extremely tied together. This Christian life is not an easy one, and we, as followers of Christ, need to count the cost of that life and of our calling to ministry. Out of a lack of firsthand experience, we make the obligatory reference to “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” in order to discuss the toll that ministry can have on an individual. Olivia shares how she got the idea for her podcast in the midst of immediate suffering and we talk about what it looks like to act on conviction, a responsibility that we all have. For more information on what we're all about here at The Audibility Podcast, go ahead and check out our website https://audibilitypodcast.com, and to get connected with us, follow us on Instagram, @audibilitypodcast.

Hey everyone! We're back! After a nice long break, the team decided that it was indeed the time. What time, you may ask? It is time for you to meet Malcolm! Join us this week as we talk about some of our favorite bits and memories along with Malcolm's origins with the podcast. Spoiler Alert: it's earlier than we originally thought. We discuss our excitement about being back and the crazy reality that we are almost two years into this podcast. This episode is pretty laid back so grab a cup of your favorite warm drink and get ready for Season 4 to begin. It's gonna be a great time. For more information on what we're all about here at The Audibility Podcast, go ahead and check out our website https://audibilitypodcast.com, and to get connected with us, follow us on Instagram, @audibilitypodcast.

Happy New Year everyone! Join us this week as we discuss the ups and downs of 2020 and look forward to 2021. Unless you were living under a rock this year, you know that this past year has been a bit crazy. A lot has happened; the coronavirus, the Black Lives Matter protests, the election, the fires, and other crazy things that made it feel like we experienced a decade’s worth of history in one year. But that certainly does not mean that this year was all for naught. Though this year has been very difficult, it has been a year of incredible growth and self-understanding. We start the episode off talking about our own triumphs and travails in 2020 and how we have grown, despite not knowing how we could grow any more than we already had. Then, to finish out the episode, we look ahead to 2021. We warn against putting our hope in a year, and talk about the danger of making the prospects of a better year our messiah. We discuss how we can’t look at 2020, or any year for that matter, and say that it was all good or all bad. For more information on what we're all about here at The Audibility Podcast, go ahead and check out our website https://audibilitypodcast.com, and to get connected with us, follow us on Instagram, @audibilitypodcast.

Join us this week as we sit down with two guests, Anna Whitaker and Meredith Byrd, to talk about spiritual disciplines. Anna is a new friend of ours and a senior Christian Studies major here at AU, and if her last name sounds familiar it's because we had her husband on just a few episodes ago! Mere is an old friend of ours and she's a junior HDFS major at AU; if her name sounds familiar it's because this is her fourth time on the podcast! 

In the first part of the episode (3:40-7:40), we have the usual friendly banter, hear a little bit about our guests, and introduce today's conversation! 

In the second part of the episode (8:05-33:06), we hear a little bit about the history of Christian monasticism and this idea of the "rule of life" from Anna, and look at a book about liturgies in everyday life, "The Liturgy of the Ordinary," with Meredith. We ask some questions about spiritual disciplines, like what even are they? We focus in on spiritual disciplines as sustaining us through the mundane, strengthening our Faith when we need it most. We talk about the de-spiritualization of Christianity and how the superficiality of some churches causes people to forget about the spiritual disciplines and the lose the wonder of Christianity. We talk about how if living in the spirit was easy, every one would do it; the spiritual disciplines are called disciplines for a reason. We discuss emotions and personal experience and discerning between when it's the Spirit and when it's emotion, moving into the next part of our discussion.

In the last part of the episode (33:36-1:00:36), we look at the misconceptions around being receptive to your emotions within the Church and Christianity, and juxtapose that against the example Christ set for us in His time on Earth. We take a look at the Catholic and Anglican Churches and discuss how they engage all of the senses using the spiritual disciplines. We talk about how we are spiritual creatures not trapped in physical bodies, but instead gifted them by God; able to use them to grow our spiritual selves. We need to exercise both the Spirit and the Body with spiritual disciplines.

We close out by discussing the personal nuance of the spiritual disciplines. Your walk with God is just that—yours. We share our own experiences with the spiritual disciplines and discuss how what works for one person may not work for another. Lastly, we encourage our listeners to lean into the ways they connect with God and implement disciplines and liturgies into their own lives to exercise their whole self and grow in their spiritual walks.

For more information on what we're all about here at The Audibility Podcast, go ahead and check out our website https://audibilitypodcast.com, and to get connected with us, follow us on Instagram, @audibilitypodcast.

Resources:

"The Liturgy of the Ordinary" by Tish Harrison Warren

"You Are What You Love" by James K. A. Smith

"The Celebration of Discipline" by Richard Foster

"Sacred Pathways" by Gary Thomas

"God in My Everything" by Ken Shigematsu

Join us this week as we sit down with our dear friend, Jacob Currin, to talk about Rest and subsequently, Peace. Jacob is a sophomore Human Development and Family Studies major at Anderson University, SC, and he loves reading, writing in his favorite coffee shops, and intentional conversation. We talk about what Biblical Rest is, what Biblical Peace is, how the two are found, and how they're related. 

In the first part of the episode (3:51-15:30), we talk a little about the culture we live in and how society views and often suppresses Rest. We discuss  seeing the illusion of "being not as busy" as Rest and talk about some times we haven't had Rest. We each share some tangible ways we find Rest throughout our days and weeks and what that produces in our Lives. 

In the second part of the episode (16:02-32:07), we focus on Biblical Rest—Shabbat.

We talk about what Rest actually is and how we can live in it. In the Bible, Shabbat (or Sabbath) is a whole day in which you Rest and live in the promises of God. We take a look at Isaiah 58 and discuss the idea of Resting by doing the things we enjoy for the glory of God. Every day is a Sabbath within the New Covenant, so we need to Rest in Christ every day and we look at how we can do that in our lives actively. We talk about how Rest as a spiritual discipline has been distorted by American thought, and even the American Church, to almost be a bad thing. We look at the biblical chiasm and centrality of Rest in the Genesis account of Creation.

In the third part of the episode (32:37-38:05), we take a closer look at the concept of Biblical Peace—Shalom.

Biblical Peace, or Shalom, is not a lack of conflict, but rather a fullness of heart and spirit in God. It is a sense of completeness or wholeness. When we have Peace, we are whole in the presence of God and our own works and accomplishments pale in comparison to our satisfaction in Him. Instead of worrying about our circumstances or problems, we are focused on God because we are in intimate Fellowship with Him. Peace flows from God's presence. Colossians 3 says, "set your mind on things that are above, and the God of Peace will give you Peace." The way that we set our eyes on things that are above and focus on our Fellowship with God is through Rest. Jacob brings Romans 5 into the discussion and talks about his experience with the first few verses of that chapter.

In the fourth and final part of the episode (38:35-1:07:19) Jacob shares his testimony. He shares his struggle with Depression, Anxiety, finding and defining his Self-Worth, and eventually finding Peace through Rest. 

As you go about your week, remember this: We can't get Rest and Peace outside of God.

For more information on what we're all about here at The Audibility Podcast, go ahead and check out our website https://audibilitypodcast.com, and to get connected with us, follow us on Instagram, @audibilitypodcast.

Resources: 

Fight Hustle, End Hurry Podcast: https://fighthustleendhurry.libsyn.com (also on Spotify and Apple Podcasts)

"The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry" by John Mark Comer: https://www.amazon.com/Ruthless-Elimination-Hurry 

Bible Project Sabbath Video: https://bibleproject.com/explore/what-is-the-sabbath/

Bible Project Shalom Video: https://bibleproject.com/videos/shalom-peace/

It's election season! Join us this week as Lukas and Jae sit down to have a conversation about a topic that is often tricky for Christians to navigate, politics. 

In the first part of the episode (4:03-30:06), we discuss on the "religionization" of politics in America, unfortunately even within most Christian circles. We talk about the polarizing nature of bipartisanship and the "silliness" of being hyper-political in either direction. We discuss where our identity truly lies and how the election results will not change a single thing for Christians, but regardless of that reality, we still put so much stock into the policies and candidates of the Republican and Democrat parties when they cannot and will not save us. Each party appeals to Christianity in part, but they always fall short of the mark. 

Christians should feel homeless politically; we shouldn't feel like we can identify with either party. This Earth isn't our Home and if we aren't feeling that politically or socially, maybe we need to reasses the way we approach our Faith. We talk about Truth, Un-Truth, and Lies, and the new Law that we create and bind ourselves to with strict political idealogies. We talk about God's rule versus Man's rule, and who really holds the ultimate Power and Authority. Love and Justice and Mercy come from God only and the two major political parties of today attempt to corrupt those attributes and twist them to their agendas. We warn against serving the Kingdoms of Man instead of serving the Kingdom of God, and encourage our community to live in the reality of their Kingdom citizenship. We talk about what it means to be "in the World and not of the World" politically. We look at Daniel as an example of how to serve your country with the Kingdom of God still in the front of our mind.

As Christians, our cause is not the agenda or policies or campaigns of the Republican Party or the Democrat Party, our cause is the Gospel. 

We take a look at our civic rights as Americans and our civic rights as Citizens of Heaven and discuss which to choose when they conflict with each other (the choice should be an obvious one). We talk about the reality of potentially needing to abandon our duties as Americans when it calls for us to "choose between the lesser of two evils." Choosing the lesser evil is still consciously choosing evil. If your convictions are pushing or pulling you to not vote, that is okay, and if they're using you to vote in a particular way, then that's okay too! Luke brings up a curious point about the futility of voting for leaders in light of the Bible telling us about God appointing all power. We need to always consider that the Kingdom of God is forever.

In the latter half of the episode (30:34-47:33), we discuss allegiance. We compare at competing allegiances (God and nationalism) and look at a chapter of a book by James K. A. Smith, "Desiring the Kingdom..." Through this lens we touch on intertwined topics such as nationalism, patriotism, competing allegiances, the strange and undermining Lie of patriotic sacrifice as "the ultimate sacrifice," and a very interesting idea around trading religious liturgies for cultural ones. We talk about the unity of the Church and how that gets overlooked so often in American Christianity. We implore listeners to evaluate where their allegiance truly lies and to remember the Nation that truly holds it. We want this episode to be a catalyst for constructive conversation, and ask our listeners to reach out!

For more information on what we're all about here at The Audibility Podcast, go ahead and check out our website https://audibilitypodcast.com, and to get connected with us, follow us on Instagram, @audibilitypodcast.

Join us this week as we sit down to have a conversation about Storytelling with our new friend, Bates Whitaker. Bates is a senior at Anderson University, and has been married to his wife, Anna, for about a year and a half now. In short, he writes stories. In a little less short, he just finished writing a new book! We chat with him about the book itself, his writing process, and why he writes. We also discuss our favorite stories along with why we think stories are so important to us both as individuals and as an entire culture.

If you would like to see more of Bates's content, here's his blog, where you can read some of the creative non-fiction he was talking a bit about, as well as some opinion pieces, stories on friends, and tips and tricks for writing: whitsendweb.wordpress.com.

To keep up with Bates, check out his Instagram (@bateswhitaker), Twitter (@bateswhitaker), and YouTube (Bates Whitaker).

For more information on what we're all about here at The Audibility Podcast, go ahead and check out our website https://audibilitypodcast.com, and to get connected with us, follow us on Instagram, @audibilitypodcast.