Beyond Sunday

Ever since Jesus first traveled through the Galilean countryside women have played a crucial part in the life of the Church. In recent years a new trend is emerging with single women leaving the Church and finding faith beyond the traditional communities of faith. What has facilitated this new departure? What does this mean for the faith lives of single women? What does it mean for the future of t...

When it comes to the 10 commandments “you shall have no other idols” comes pretty early in the list. But what happens if we turn the Bible itself into an idol? What if we worship the words on the page rather than the God that is being revealed? What if we turn to the scripture and miss our on God moving in front of us? This week the Beyond Sunday Team is tackling this question that is crucial to o...

“Give us this day our daily bread.” If you’ve ever been in a Christian worship you have probably spoken these words as part of the Lord’s Prayer. Maybe you have even said them in your own home. But have you ever found yourself in a place where you needed this prayer to be answered? Have you ever prayed this prayer when you didn’t know where your next meal was coming from? This week the Beyond Sund...

Youth and young adults between 13 and 25 were surveyed to see what they think the most important issues facing our culture are. Then the were asked if those issues mattered to the Church. The response? The respondents do not see as many places where their core beliefs and the Church’s demonstrated values align. This week, three “Old People” talk about the youths today and how the Church can do a b...

We’re continuing our journey through the Old Testament and finishing up the Wisdom Literature with Song of Solomon and Lamentations. From the depths of despair to the embrace of your true love. These two books will cover the full range of human emotion and open us up to God’s presence even in our most human experiences. Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast and to share it with y...

It’s spooky season, so Patrick and Elise jump into Horror movies and ask “Why do so many of them contain religious themes?” It doesn’t matter if you’re a sacredy cat or a hardcore horror affeciando you’ll enjoy this Fang-tastic episode. Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast and to share it with your friends, families, neighbors, and strangers!...

Empathy. Do you know what it means? Do you think its a sin? Patrick and Pastor David challenge a teaching that floats on the periphery of our modern church that empathy is actually a sin and a trap of the devil. Instead, they offer a vision of empathy that allows us to care for ourselves and others in the name of Jesus. Music by: Inspiration by MIxaund – https://mixaund.bandcamp.com Music pr...

We’ve talked a lot about God’s view of justice on previous episodes of the podcast. This week, we’re taking a closer look at the criminal justice system in the United States. Is it a reflection of God’s justice? Should Christians be seeking reform or status quo? We’ll be guided by an article by David French as we explore justice, vengeance, mercy, and standing in the gap. Music by: Inspiration by...

The Wisdom Literature. Are we supposed to walk away with pithy sayings for how to live perfectly? Or are we supposed to realize that nothing matters at all? This week Pastor David and Elise walk us through the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes and search for a third way to read these often overlooked and misunderstood pieces of scripture. Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast an...

We all know to watch out for false teachers. The people who tell us Jesus wants to be rich. The pastors who proclaim God’s love for a select group of 100 people who go and live at a commune in the middle of no where. The guy on the street corner holding a sign that says “Satan is the True God.” We know to steer clear. But what about pastors who have incredibly effective ministry but whose actions...

Are atheists more moral than Christians? We’ll break down this questions and try to look for some clarity in this week’s episode of Beyond Sunday! Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast and to share it with your friends, families, neighbors, and strangers! Music by: Inspiration by MIxaund – https://mixaund.bandcamp.com Music promoted by: https://www.free-stock-music.com

This week Pastor David and Elise are playing everyone’s favorite game: Holy or Hollywood? We’ll give you a plot summary and you get to play along from home as we figure out if your favorite stories are from the Bible or creations of Hollywood. Along the way we’ll talk about why these stories are often overlooked and how they might change our perception of the Bible Don’t forget to subscribe, rate,...

Starting off the new month by diving into the longest book of the Bible: Psalms. You probably know about the Psalms. Maybe you’ve heard one read at a funeral? Or maybe you’ve heard a song that you didn’t realize was quoting a psalm? The book of Psalms falls in the middle of our modern Bibles and opens up a world of joy, sorrow, celebration, anger and the desire to destroy our enemies. We hope you...

Listen, it’s not rocket science to say that men and women are different. But does that mean that God only desires for women to do certain things and men to do others? The Beyond Sunday team is coming back to the topic of Complementarianism and offering some new (and a few old) perspectives on the roles that we play as individuals and within the church. Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review t...

“A watched pot never boils.” “The tortoise will always beat the hare.” Some times the best things come slowly. This week we’re using two stories from a recent episode of the TED Radio Hour to launch our conversation around parts of our faith that just take time. We can’t rush to the finish line and many times hurt ourselves and our communities more when we try. So, join us as we slow down and expe...

We all know the feeling. You’re preparing for a difficult conversation and the stress and anxiety are building inside of you. How will they react? What if I say the wrong thing? What if I can’t express myself clearly? Especially in today’s divided climate, these conversations can be seen not just as difficult but downright threatening. Today the Beyond Sunday team will walk through some questions...

As the 2020 Tokyo Olympics come to a close one of the foci of media coverage has been Simone Biles and her decision to remove herself from much of the competition. This week, Beyond Sunday is taking a look at the culture that pushes us to “play through the pain” and what happens when we apply that culture to our faith. Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast and to share it with yo...

This month we’re moving back in time, and then forward again, to take a look at the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah’s writings come alongside the people from the time before the exile all the way to their return. Through the entire process Isaiah tells of God’s intention and ultimate redemption for all of creation. Join Patrick and Pastor David as they walk through this powerful story and see how its ancie...

Patrick and Elise talk look at how men and women are experiencing less and less friendship these days. We’ll explore reasons why that’s happening and how intentional friendship can our communities. Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast and to share it with your friends, families, neighbors, and strangers! Music by: Inspiration by MIxaund – https://mixaund.bandcamp.com Music...

We are passing judgment on other people and events every day of our lives. It helps us protect our selves, define our values, and even offer guidance for the next generation. But what is the role of judgment for a follower of Jesus? And how do we know when we are judging on behalf of God and when we’re just judging on our own preferences? Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast and...

Can you have hope with out optimism? Do we even understand what Christian hope is intended to look like? Patrick and Pastor David are back this week to tackle all these questions and more as we try to understand “hope.” Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast and to share it with your friends, families, neighbors, and strangers! Music by: Inspiration by MIxaund – https://mixa...

The chronology of the Old Testament comes to a close as we hear the stories of Ezra and Nehemiah. God’s people return to the promised land but their final redemption is not achieved. What does this mean for Israel? And what does God have in store for humanity? Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast and to share it with your friends, families, neighbors, and strangers! Music by: In...

Beyond Sunday is a product of Lord of Life Lutheran Church a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. But why does that matter? There are hundreds of Christian denominations in the United States and even more congregations that claim no affiliation to any denomination. Today, the Beyond Sunday Team wants to know why. What purpose do denominations serve? Do denominations fit in with Go...

When we have been doing something for years we can begin to think of ourselves as professionals. And as professionals we sometime forget the fundamentals of what we are doing. Those little mistakes can pile up into big problems. This week, Pastor David and Elise McCarter help us to get back to the Fundamentals of Faith with a little help from Vince Lombardi. Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and re...

The last in our “Modern Faith” series asks “How should we feel when we are leaving church? Comforted? Or convicted? We’re not talking about the padding on your church’s pews (though, we agree they could be more comfortable) but want to know how our spiritual life should be feeling when we walk back into the world after worship. Be sure to write in and let us know what you think! beyondsundaypodcas...