Cocktails with Beers

Pr. Matt and Merry chat about a 2nd century book called The Acts of Thecla.  This is a story of a woman named Thecla who claimed ownership of herself, and tried Jesus' good news of the empowerment of women in the ancient Jesus movement. 

Matt and Merry finish up their series, Cool under Fire, where they tell the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego's captivity in Babylon.  God saves the trio when the king throws them into a fiery furnace.  Along the way, they talk about Jeff Foxwothry's illustrious career, share some "hold my beer" moments of their own, and chat about redneck culture.  

Matt and Merry introduce a new fall series.  Every other work, they will chat about a book that almost made it into the Bible, but didn't quite make the cut.  Discover some cool books and whacky stories that some folk way back then held as sacred texts.  This series will also challenge you, since some things Christians believe today come from these apocryphal books rather than the Bible.  Entertai...

Pr. Matt and Merry continue their series, Cool under Fire, with part #2.  They bring up that old saying, "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade."  They chat about times when folks made the best of bad situations.  They then tell the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego...and also Daniel, as they try to make something good come out of being taken captive by a king.  They use their talents t...

Pr. Matt and Merry begin the first part of their three part series, Cool under Fire.  They tell the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the Biblical book of Daniel.  These three fellows are famous for surviving a fiery furnace, but they have a back story.  In this episode, we hear how these three guys were taken from their homes, exiled to a far away land, and enslaved by the king.  Pr....

Pr. Matt and Merry conclude their summer series, Out of the Wilderness, with episode four.  Moses is within eyesight of the promised land.  He's there, but still has a few more miles to go.  He is already there, but not quite yet.  Pr Matt and Merry explore those already-not-yet moments in our own lives, and explore the good news for us today.

Pr. Matt and Merry talk about spiritual self care during the wilderness experiences we have in our lives.  They continue their summer series, Out of the Wilderness, by following the ancient Israelites into the desert on their way to freedom from slavery.  But they get lost along the way, and then they run out of food and water.  Find out what God does for them, and the good news this has for our l...

Pr. Matt and Merry continue their summer series, Out of the Wilderness.  This week, they look at the story of Moses and the Red Sea.  Pharaoh has released the ancient Hebrew people from slavery, but then changes his mind.  His army chases them down, and traps them against the Red Sea.  The only thing Moses and the people can do is pray.  So they do.  On the way to hearing what happens next, and th...

Matt and Merry begin their summer series, Out of the Wilderness.  This week, they look at the story of God calling Moses to go to the Pharaoh and demand that he release the ancient Hebrew people from slavery.  They also chat about the prevalence of something called Imposter Syndrome, and how we along with Moses may feel that God is calling the wrong person for the job.  Listen in to discover what...

What is God's will for your life?  And what is God calling you to do?  These questions perplex a lot of folk, and these folk have given a ton of money to self-help gurus to help them answer these questions.  Pr. Matt and Merry talk about our vocation as Christians and as seekers of God.  After opening with a haunting rendition of 16 Tons, they chat about shift work, finding a dream job, and reflec...

Matt and Merry talk about the Church in China.  Merry also serves as this week's special guest to discuss this issue, as she is a doctor in Chinese/American diplomatic history and professor of Asian Studies at UMBC in Baltimore, MD .  Dr. Meredith Oyen gives us her insights into the Church in China and ways the communist party tolerates some churches but outlaws others.  Then, they discuss the par...

Matt and Merry conclude their series, Wild Rides, with a look at the story in Acts about Paul being shipwrecked on an island.  Along the way, they reminisce about one of their first dates when they took a tour on a pirate ship through the Inner Harbor in Baltimore.  Then, they chat about what led to Paul being on a ship headed to Rome, and what happened when the ship crashed into an island.  They...

Matt and Merry continue their series, Wild Rides, with a look at Paul's visit to a city called Ephesus (Acts 19).  In this story, Paul discovers that someone has already set up a Jesus community there.  He stays a few days with them, and prays with them before he left.  Just as he was praying, the Holy Spirit plops down on everyone's head, and they begin doing and saying all sorts of uplifting thi...

Matt and Merry talk about the story of Peter welcoming a Roman family into the Jesus movement (Acts 10).  Along the way, they chat about newly arrived furniture, look at groups and out groups, share times in their lives when they felt welcomed by strangers, and reflect on Peter's acceptance of a Roman family into his community, and the good news God has through it for us today.  

Matt and Merry continue their Wild Ride series when they look at times in life when life has led us in a different direction than we thought we were headed.  They reminisce about times in their own lives when they were headed to one place and found themselves in another--like an Oz museum and a wrestling match.  Then, they look at the story of Philip (from Acts 6&8) as he went from premodern socia...

Matt and Merry remember some of their favorite sitcom will-they-or-won't-they moments, one's that worked and ones that didn't.  They then talk about the creation story, and discuss how it is like a love story itself between God and creation.  They also get their nerd on by discussion some ancient Hebrew words.  And then they conclude with the good news that God is closer to us than even our breath...

Matt and Merry start a new series called Wild Rides.  In their first episode, they lament the seeming demise of the 2020 football season, argue over the virtue of gator tot hot dish and other Minnesota related comfort foods, chat about their favorite amusement park rides...riding roller coasters, and discuss how wild it must have been on the day of Pentecost so many years ago when the Jesus moveme...

Matt and Merry talk about family feuds.  They chat about their obsession with the hit game show, reminisce about a family feud from their youth, and discuss a conflict from the earliest days of the church.   

Matt and Merry celebrate the lifting of the stay-at-home order in their area (they are no longer grounded!), lament with graduates that there will still be no commencement in their honor this year, and then wax philosophical about the story of Jesus' transfiguration (a story they say is a resurrection story).  

Matt and Merry continue their series Ghost Stories.  This week, JC appears to Peter on a lake.  Along the way, they talk about the first concerts they went to, the best encores they've seen, and how excited people get to see their favorite band retake the stage.  They compare this experience to Peter's reaction to seeing Jesus again, and discover the good news this story still tells us still today...

Matt and Merry continue their Ghost Stories with Thomas seeing Jesus again.  They chat about how hard it is to trust in what some people tell you, how hard it is to believe in God, and how God stays with us even when we simply don't buy into it.  Along the way, they discuss, FOMO, the fear-of-missing-out, and give their weekly update on life in the coronavirus era.  

Matt and Merry continue their spring series, Ghost Stories.  They talk about the story of Jesus breathing his spirit into his disciples.  Along the way, they share their favorite ghost stories from years past, talk about the game pudgy bunnies, discuss the electoral college, how we know we're over the coronavirus hump, and Arthur Fonzarelli even makes an appearance.  All this and more on Ghost Sto...

Matt and Merry open a new series called Ghost Stories about the resurrection appearances of Jesus so many years ago.  This week, they discuss the story of Mary Magdalene seeing a living Jesus at his tomb.  Along the way, the chat about the latest in life during the pandemic, end of the world predictions, and talk about the apocalypse.  Spoiler alert...Matt believes the world has already ended, and...

Matt and Merry walk down memory lane and share Easter memories from days of yore.  They also talk about how much it stinks that Easter is cancelled this year, and how we can still celebrate it in our own homes.  

Matt and Merry tell the story of a couple finding true love when they bump into each other at a brunch buffet.  Along the way, they talk about awkward first dates, life in the coronavirus era, and buying a house.  They also chat about an important ritual to remember the promises God has made to us, the life we've been called to live, and the commitments we made to one another.  Fry up a batch of p...