First Houston United Methodist Church

The group talks about the way action creates feeling, the various times Jesus addressed this very thing throughout his ministry, and how to know if you’re asking good questions or just beating yourself up. Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

As we look into grief, Andy looks at the story of Job and the trauma he experiences as a guide for how we should be dealing with the trauma of our current lives. Andy asks the listeners to dig into their grief and to not deny it, acknowledging that it is there and needs to be dealt with. fmhouston.com

For Marty's first podcast, Ben decides to throw him in the deep end and asks a listener question he hadn't been allowed to ask before: why does the Church struggle to talk about sexuality? It leads to a surprisingly emotional conversation about the responsibility of a pastor when they stand on a stage, preaching vs. dialogue, and how to handle the reality of abuse and pain among the people you're...

Today's question concerns if we are making Jesus "relatable" enough - is he too separate from us, and from our lives? Are we failing the young people we teach? Is that why young people leave the church? Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama

We begin a series focusing on what we've lost and how to mourn it together. In totaling up our grief, Andy points up that the damage done to us may be greater than we imagine. fmhouston.com

On Brandi's last week in the office, she sat down with Andy and Ben to answer some final, rapid-fire questions - the things she's most proud of, the things she's most disappointed to leave behind, and as many things as we could suprise her with as possible. Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama

Luke 5:27-32 Jesus sits down to eat with a crowd of tax collectors and sinners, and the Pharisees aren’t happy about it. But Andy points out the way that they - and us - miss the need to be living a life of constant forgiveness. When we forgive and accept people, joy starts breaking out. Take a look around you and see if that sort of party is breaking out - and if not, start one. fmhouston.com

With Brandi on her way to becoming a head pastor of a nearby church, the group answers the question of whether head pastor is actually a role women are supposed to move into, or is that against what the Bible says? Brandi has stories, Bible passages, and books to recommend. Even when she’s not ready for the question... she’s ready for the question. Ask Brandi a question before it’s too late! Fmhou...

1 Timothy 1:12-17 Andy talks about transformation - inviting you to think back to the person that you were, and then to the person you are today, and realize how much you've changed. We want to leave a legacy: a legacy of faith, a legacy of trust, but that only happens when we share what we know. fmhouston.com

On one of our last few podcasts with Brandi (this is your last chance to send in questions you’d like to hear Brandi answer, so please send those in!), the group takes on how involved Jesus was in government, how much they think he’d be involved today, and what a Jesus-like approach to politics would look like. Send in your question! FMHouston.com/AMA

John 4:39-42 “When Jesus looks at the Samaritan woman, he doesn’t see a Samaritan woman. He sees a daughter of God.” fmhouston.com/ama

This week the group take on a question dealing with loss of faith in a relationship. They take a look at what causes people to walk away from God and how to both parties can navigate through their wilderness. Questions? Contact us at fmhouston.com/AMA

Acts 13:47 Andy talks about how the disciples saw Jesus appear to them, resurrected, and how they were completely changed - and how we are in daily need of that “resurrection power.” We all have those moments where we’ve had doubt and fear, and let them take over. But our God is a God who is always fighting for what is good. And when we embrace those things, the darkness fades away. fmhouston.com

Luke 18:9-14 Andy changes is wearing a Hawaiian shirt at the beginning of this (this is surprisingly important to understand at the beginning of this sermon in an audio format). It’s part of his explanation of the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector, and how little appearances matter to God. fmhouston.com

During such uncertain times, should we be saving our money or sharing our abundance with others who are struggling to keep their heads above water? The group discusses battling the fear or generosity and the emotional side of giving. fmhouston.com/ama

Luke 14:12-14 Andy talks about the importance of having a sabbath day, and what Biblical generosity looks like. When we give to people who cannot give back to us, there is still a blessing - we see the world in a different way. We see the world in the same way that God sees us. fmhouston.com

It’s Ben’s birthday! He lays out the definition of cancel culture and opens the floor for the table to discuss it’s place in not only the modern world but also in christian living. thesourcehouston.org

Persevering through technical difficulties, Andy, Ken, and Ben answer a piggybacked question for our last podcast about colonization. A questioner asks whether we've screwed everything up by showing Jesus as a white man, and what level of personal interpretation we should bring to the Bible. Ask a question! FMHouston.com/AMA

Luke 4:14-21 Brandi talks about what it meant when Jesus came from Nazareth - what a small town it was to come from. People expected Jesus to put Nazareth on the map, and they became frustrated when Jesus failed to meet their expectations by not giving them a double portion of what he was giving to everyone else. “Jesus doesn’t go elsewhere because he is rejected. He is rejected because he goes el...

The group takes a close look at the history of evangelism and its lasting impact on native cultures. They strip down the misconceived notions of missionaries as well as the responsibility we bear to be part of the solution to a larger issue. fmhouston.com/ama

1 Corinthians 12:4-6, 12-14, 27 Andy talks about the Corinthian church, and the terrible choices they were making. There’s much we don’t have in common with the Corinthians - but the things that we do, we need to look at very closely. Paul had a vision of what the church could be. That vision can still be true for us. fmhouston.com

A listener dealing with the loss of loved ones asks for some guidance on intercessory prayer. The group share their insight dealing with death and filtering through the awkwardness of praying for the dead. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

1 Timothy 4:12 The scripture today talks about what it was like when Paul left and a young person like Timothy came to take up the mantle. Andy talks about how important that message is today: “This idea of setting the example for the younger generation is enormous.” It’s not just about our discipleship - it’s about all of our discipleship. Also, Andy learns how to pack. fmhouston.com

Anthony Rogers, Yesly Antu and Deborah Nixon join the conversation to tackle the issue of racism within by Latinx against the black community. They dive into the toxic stereotypes streaming from the history of Hispanic and Latin countries, and the repercussions of comparing oppression. Also, how to combat issues that come from an us vs. them feeling, and the power in learning from each other's sto...

Deuteronomy 4:9 When Andy's children were young, they had him read the same stories over and over. He got tired of it, but he kept at it, each and every time. Why do we spend so much time telling our kids stories? It’s because we want their lives to be shaped by more than stories. Christianity becomes powerful when we both see the structure - and the story behind it. fmhouston.com