Pastor With No Answers: The MIXTAPE Era

Kicking off a 4-part series for the month of October, sexuality, self-worth and image, the brutality of breast cancer and what it's like not to desire sex, all through the life experiences of women (but of course!).  Today, co-hosts of the show, Ellen Mauro, Amy Alderman and Liz Miller discuss what pop culture currently deems as the ideal female body type, whether women always care about havi...

Ellen Mauro has found great recent success in medicating her AD/HD.  She also got Joey to watch a documentary called "We've Got to Talk About Cosby," which chronicles the twisted and dark life of Bill Cosby, all along while the cultural icon is considered heroic by millions of fans. Now having watched the documentary, Joey can never enjoy The Cosby Show again.  Stoy, Ellen and Joey...

Stephany Drury of Stuff Christians Life , shares a bit of her story of growing up a fundamentalist kid who asked too many questions about God, [because the dots just weren't connecting] while God convicted her heart at an early age that loving God and others is what the "good life" is made of, rather than the  emphasis of religion many of us were raised on. You'll hear why Step...

I started reading "The Lord is My Courage," by KJ Ramsey , last week and quickly realized, it would be on a short list of books that did some profound life-changing work deep in my heart that permanently changes my trajectory of faith.  As I've deconstructed a lot of the unhealthy lenses taught to me by fellow brothers and sisters in those unhealthy cultures themselves, my view in h...

Kevin Garcia, author of "Bad Theology Kills," hangs with hosts Joey and Matt Oxley as they talk about sexual attraction, how to live a life of love in this "woke culture" when you're not all that woke and you mess up people's pronouns, and how bad theology kills people.  And if people are actually dying, the church needs to love first, figure out the theology later.  ...

Joey is a Pastor at Seacoast Church, the last 13 years at the James Island location, much of that time getting to know Jonathan Peace, our drummer.  After years of being embedded into the church community and developing many friendships including with Joey, "Peace" finally tells the story of his first "gig" at Seacoast on a Sunday morning after a full night of booze and smoking...

Kevin Sweeney, author of, "The Making of a Mystic: My Journey With Mushrooms, My Life as a Pastor, and Why It's Okay for Everyone to Relax," didn't find God through religion.  His entry-way to faith wasn't wrought with the oppression many of us today are deconstructing from. "Missionaries" have been thought of as those who are "taking the good news out, to s...

It was late into adulthood that I (Joey) came to an understanding of my ignorance, when it came to the challenges and trials of being a black person in America.  I’ve had many kind, gracious and helpful friends who have helped steer my path into one that is more educated and sensitive towards the needs of other groups of people.     Which left me thinking, what about my black pals from my childhoo...

There are real Christians on both sides of this issue, all of whom feel convinced of their position. If humans are unwilling to embrace this fact, there is no hope for unity.  Christians have clear instructions [ John 13:35 ] not to be known by positions, but rather the love shared for one another and all humanity.      Each woman on this episode would vote the same way at the ballot; and yet see...

Many systematic theologians talk about God like they got God pegged while Isaiah says "God's thoughts and ways are higher than ours." While many claim things along the lines of " God won't bless your finances if you don't tithe before taxes, " I'm still  trying to process what it means for God to love me.  What does that mean for all of us? This is an episod...

Ellen would rather be alone than to have an affair.  Are pedophiles simply stuck with their attraction to kids?  Is it true love when a victim loves his aggressor? If it's "true love," is that a good thing?  Matt has a trauma-filled childhood that we haven't been filled in on yet, Ellen wants more black friends in her life, and Joey makes a blunder that he felt sick about.  Enj...

Worship leader in an evangelical church, cousin of Brian Welch ( Korn ), struggler of bipolar disorder, and author, Scott W. Box, joins the show to discuss mental illness, grace and Heroic Disgrace, his recent book release in which he tells his story and unpacks the gospel concept of "winning by losing." We also discuss how God can make healthy what He chooses not to heal, and how Scott&...

Originally aired 7/8/2021.   For additional context, listen to the whole episode as it was originally aired RIGHT HERE . As originally posted. While some people call ProGrace.org “p ro-life lite ,” others label it as teetering on pro-choice.  Angie Weszely and her organization (Pro-Grace) takes heat from both sides, and as you’ll hear in this episode, she doesn’t believe Jesus would own either lab...

Originally aired 7/13/2021.   For additional context, listen to the whole episode as it was originally aired RIGHT HERE . As originally posted. Mennonite Pastor, Duke Graduate and author, Melissa Florer-Bixler , joins to talk about what she calls “reproductive justice.”  Is a living embryo an actual living person?  Is it mere tissue waste?  “No” and “no,” according to Melissa.  We discuss these ma...

One woman married to an Air Force pilot (Jessica Reagan), another woman who grew up in a military family (Liz Miller).  One black guy (Robbie Madison), one white guy (Joey Svendsen).  Each grew up (and was taught to) loving the U.S.A. but as adults, this love looks a lot different.  What does it mean to love your country but not trust the government? How can our country be as bad as some of our ci...

From joey blowing up a woman's restroom while ladies are waiting to use, to a bunch of "girl body part talk," co-hosts Liz Miller, Amy Alderman, and Ellen Mauro have "homie time" with Joey; which means listen at your own risk .  Lots of "adult clowning," so get the earmuffs out for the kids. After getting through the sh*ts and giggles, Liz expresses love and grac...

The Bear W/ Community holds "Big Gatherings" each month; some of them like this conversation, are open to the public.    What you are hearing on this episode is one of those meetings and the beginning of regular gatherings to discuss the potential of unity amongst affirming and un-affirming Christians.  With Liz Miller (Christian woman married to a woman) and Hunter Gregory (Christian ma...

Any difference in shooting a barking dog verses killing a gnat for buzzing in your ear? Pastor With No Answers Podcast partners with Tony Jones of The Reverend Hunter Podcast and Neil Dudley of Pederson Natural Farms , The Cowboy Perspective Podcast , and The Pederson Farms Podcast for an episode that will air on all three shows! Lots of "pet talk," (can you leave a dog in the kennel all...

Were church leaders  reckless,  using little wisdom when standing up for and “teaching truth?”  Was it an accident so many of us were messed up in the process?   Co-hosts Ellen Mauro, Hayne Griffen, and Joey Svendsen mourn the lack of love and wisdom seen in church's approach to sexuality and youth,  it's reluctancy to even love those with other views, and it's impulse to beat the m...

Why can't Christians enjoy a "God's Kingdom first" approach to life?  Could our very democracy crumble,  due merely to people’s unwillingness to listen and learn about other peoples's views, convictions and beliefs? Rev. Brandan Robertson is family of this show, author, activist and public theologian.  Discussing his newest book, Filled to Be Emptied: The Path to Liberatio...

Co-hosts Joey Svendsen and Matt Oxley hang with regular contributor Jack Hoey (the father) to discuss whether capitalism or communism is ideal in regards to morals, greed, and a more "Jesus Way" of running things.  Everyone on the show agrees on capitalism's shortcomings (and even evil of), but the disagreement at hand, is whether communism is any better.   There are admirable motiv...

Katie Hays is an author, church planter, pastor, educated at MIT, Yale and Princeton: and she taught us a new word: "Fundagelical."   That's what her and I (Joey) were, before going through the scary process of faith change.  With her new book (" God Gets Everything God Wants ") as the context, we discuss a variety of topics: -How we were once both convinced of our narrow...

{actual documentary is 30 min long, time stamp available for your convenience. Our Pleasure) Bear W// Community Video Read about all this here or get our "Welcome Packet" via REMIND app (you sign up. We'll send shortly after).  Join Bear W// Community here.     The Original, 4-week Bear Group Experience -- 12 SEATS for June. (what all participants in PODCUMENTARY are discussing) *mo...

Continuing a conversation that was started on this podcast 2 years ago, part six of a series that has taken a behind the scenes look at Joey’s journey through a mental health crisis in 2019.   Joining today are four of Joey’s closest friends, Tim McAdams, Sarah Eller. And Amy Alderman, Robbie Madison, both also co-hosts of the show.   The three reflect on his transparency leading up to this crisis...

Adarius Gerard Jenkins 12/10/00 - 06/09/13 Son of Kip and Leenetta Smalls, brother of Kazadia Smalls Honoring all who are mourning the loss of a loved one, during this Mother's Day 2022.  Sunday morning of June 9th 2013 started just like any other day, but by the time the sun set, a metaphorical darkness had settled in the hearts of Leenetta and Kip Smalls, as their minds were forced to grapp...