The Marben Bland Podcast

Send us Fan Mail What decisions are you carrying today? In our final sermon of the October series, "Making the Decisions of a Lifetime," we explored the story of the woman with the issue of blood from Mark 5:21-34 -- a woman who suffered for 12 long years yet refused to let disappointment have the final word. Three powerful decisions shaped her encounter with Jesus: do not let yesterday&...

Send us Fan Mail Faithfulness has no expiration date. In Luke 2:36–38, Anna is an elderly prophet whose years of prayer prepare her to recognize Jesus and share the hope of redemption. Sister Bettye Henderson Holston lived with that same enduring purpose. Across ninety years, she taught children, encouraged teachers, and served her church and community. In 1966, she helped integrate Clarke County’...

Send us Fan Mail What do you do when the easy choice challenges your integrity? In “Making Godly Decisions With Integrity,” Pastor Marben Bland explores Luke 4:1–13 and Jesus’ response to temptation in the wilderness. Hungry and tested, Jesus stood firm by relying on God’s Word. His example challenges us to face three truths: to learn to do hard things better, to carry confidence into every challe...

Send us Fan Mail Everybody wants your attention—but who is guiding your decisions? In “Pulled in Every Direction, but Led by the Lord,” the Reverend Marben Bland explores Mark 1:35–39 and Jesus’ example of prayer, purpose, and action. Through the courage of Orangeburg students, Polly Sheppard’s journey toward forgiveness, and our responsibility to consider our neighbors when voting, this sermon ch...

Send us Fan Mail “God Sees You” confronts the danger of corruption and the responsibility of faithful citizenship. King Ahab abused his power, coveted Naboth’s vineyard, and allowed injustice to take an innocent life. Yet God saw everything and sent Elijah to speak truth to power. This sermon invites us to examine corruption today, including concerns raised about President Donald Trump, while reme...

Send us Fan Mail “I Have Good News for You” reminds us that God loves us, knows us by name, sees us, and cares for us—even when we feel unnoticed. Drawing from Galatians, Rev. Marben Bland explains that salvation is God’s gift, received through faith in Jesus Christ, not earned by clothing, money, perfect behavior, or religious rules. Once we receive this gift of grace, we are called to respond in...

Send us Fan Mail Here is good news: God loves you, knows your name, and wants the best for you. Through Jesus, salvation is God’s gift—not something we earn by being perfect or impressing everybody. Jesus is enough! Because God loves us first, we respond by trusting and obeying Him. We pray, study God’s Word, fellowship with believers, and tell others what God has done. Join us this Sunday, Septem...

Send us Fan Mail In a world crowded with political messages, advertisements, social media, and fear, we must discern which voice guides our lives. Preaching from Isaiah 30:21, Pastor Marben Bland reminds us that Judah trusted Egypt instead of consulting God. We make the same mistake when we move without prayer, prefer comforting words to corrective truth, or let fear make us frantic. God graciousl...

Send us Fan Mail Early voting in Georgia begins in 38 days, and many voices are vying for our attention. Judah faced the same struggle. Threatened by Assyria, God’s people trusted Egypt rather than listening to the God who had delivered them. Yet through Isaiah, the Lord declared, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice…saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” Who...

Send us Fan Mail Jack Welch, the legendary CEO of General Electric, developed different voices for different leadership situations. Despite his stutter and thick Boston accent, he learned how to make himself heard. Communication became his competitive advantage. Judah also needed an advantage when threatened by the powerful Assyrian Empire. Instead of trusting God, its leaders sought protection fr...

Send us Fan Mail What if the greatness God placed in you was never meant for your own glory, but for someone else's breakthrough? This Sunday's message reminded us that in God's kingdom, greatness is not measured by how many people know your name, but by how many people you serve. Through the story of Saul's transformation in Acts 22, we were challenged to ask the question that...

Send us Fan Mail Paul declared in Acts 26:19, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.” That vision belongs to every believer. In Matthew 28:16–20, Jesus commands us to go and make disciples of all nations. First Peter 4:10–11 reminds us that God has given each of us gifts—not for personal recognition, but to serve others and glorify Him. Every gift can be a tool for sharing the Gospel. Your...

Send us Fan Mail Your greatness was never meant to end with you. God placed gifts, experiences, influence, and opportunities within you to strengthen someone. In Acts 22:3–15, Saul’s encounter with Jesus redirected his knowledge and passion from persecution to Kingdom service. Ephesians 2:10 reminds us that we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. Like Saul, we must ask, “...

Send us Fan Mail In his sermon, “Growing the Greatness God Placed Within You,” the Reverend Marben Bland reminds us that God has already placed greatness within each of us—but that greatness must be developed. Through Stephen’s courageous witness in Acts 6–7, we learn that faith is demonstrated by our actions. We must define our faith through excellent service, defend it with passion, knowledge, c...

Send us Fan Mail What kind of legacy will your life leave? Join Pastor Marben Bland as he begins the inspiring new sermon series, "Multiplying the Greatness in You." Drawing from Ephesians 2:10 , this message reminds us that God has intentionally planted greatness in every believer. Using the remarkable life of Mrs. Johnnie Lay Burks —educator, trailblazer, woman of faith, and namesake o...

Send us Fan Mail This week, the Athens, Georgia, community paused to celebrate the remarkable life and enduring legacy of Johnnie Lay Burks. Her obituary describes her best: "Mrs. Burks was known throughout Georgia as an educator, trailblazer, educational leader, and woman of unwavering faith. She dedicated her life to opening doors for others and transforming countless lives through educatio...

Send us Fan Mail Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2:10 that we are God's workmanship, intentionally created and uniquely gifted for a purpose He prepared long before we were born. Yet many of us never experience that purpose because, like Thomas, we allow doubt, fear, limited understanding, and misplaced trust to hold us back. In John 11:14–16 , Thomas feared the future. In John 14:5–8 , he strug...

Send us Fan Mail Retirement may mark the end of a career, but it is never the end of God's calling. In this encouraging message, Rev. Marben Bland reminds us that God never retires His people. Through the lives of Moses, Caleb, and Anna, we discover that our greatest season of ministry may still be ahead. Psalm 150 declares, "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord." As long...

Send us Fan Mail An estimated four million Americans will celebrate their 65th birthday this year, and more people than ever are entering retirement. Thanks to advances in healthcare, retirement is no longer just a few short years. The Social Security Administration reports that the average 65-year-old can expect to live nearly two more decades, and many will enjoy retirement for 30 years or longe...

Send us Fan Mail God has always given His people what they need to fulfill His purpose. Ephesians 4 reminds us that Christ gave leaders to equip believers for ministry and build His Church. One expression of that gift is the African Methodist Episcopal Church, founded through Richard Allen's faith and courage. But our greatest treasure is not a denomination—it is Jesus Christ, the Head of the...

Send us Fan Mail What kind of revolution can truly change the world? Not one fought with bullets or ballots, but one transformed by the love of Jesus Christ. Join Rev. Marben Bland , Pastor of Greater Bethel AME Church, as he explores Jesus' revolutionary command: "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." Discover how God's love changes hearts, breaks the cycle...

Send us Fan Mail As our nation marks the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, remember that the greatest revolution began long before America, in the words of Jesus. In Matthew 5:44, Christ commands, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”  That challenges every human instinct. Start by honestly identifying those you consider enemies. You may find some that never belonge...

Send us Fan Mail Host: Marben Bland Guest: Reverend Dr. Greta Fowler, Candidate for Bishop (2028) What happens when God calls you to something you never planned to pursue? In this inspiring conversation, Reverend Dr. Greta Fowler shares the deeply personal journey that led her to become a candidate for bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Drawing from nearly 26 years of pastoral minis...

Send us Fan Mail Recently, the Southern Baptist Convention voted to move closer to a permanent ban on women serving in pastoral leadership roles. While I respect each denomination's right to interpret Scripture as it understands it, I reach a different conclusion based on the witness of God's Word. Deborah served as a prophet and judge, leading Israel with wisdom and authority (Judges 4:...

Send us Fan Mail Does your vote really matter? According to former Georgia State Representative Karen Bennett, the answer is a resounding yes. In this insightful episode, host Marben Bland sits down with Bennett to discuss the power of voting, the challenges facing voter participation, and her new organization, the Alliance for Civic Engagement (ACE). Together, they explore how churches, community...