Pastor With No Answers: The MIXTAPE Era

Every now and then, I give you a message that I had the opportunity to share with the local group of believers I get to be a part of.  In this message, I talk about pain, investigate the blessing that comes out of pain, hypothesize on the choices we have when we encounter pain, and submit to you that in a person's own journey of pain, we typically have very little business trying to talk some...

David Zach, professional musician and song-writer (his music is heard throughout this episode), works for a non-profit, The Exodus Road, who are on the front lines of the fight to end human trafficking.  There's currently 40 million people, some still infants, who are enslaved and David has drank, smoked, laughed, and talked music with traffickers only to see them arrested the next day.  His...

Joey processes his worship of comfort and how he believes more money would make him happier.  Chip Judd, John Mark McMillan and Joey’s therapist chime in to surprisingly validate some of these sentiments.   Joey, with Podcaster and Theologian, Mason Mennanga, reflect on being fundamental church kids “back-sliding” into a new world of “secular music,”  they discuss whether some Christians enjoy the...

Are Old Testament stories  allegorical?   Is there really no chance of eternal torment?  If a loving God exists (and every one on this episode believes this) what are the chances of dirt naps for all of us when we die?  Was God never violent?  Bible scholars, Pastor Heath Bradley and Mason Mennenga process and discuss, in a conversation that covers tons of intriguing questions.  Mason: https://mas...

Last Sunday, for the Seacoast Church weekend message, Joey and Pricilla joined founding pastor Greg Surratt to tell their story of Joey’s mental health crisis (2019).  Joey implores the church to humanize pastors and Pricilla shares some "do's" and don't's" when interacting with people who are struggling mentally.  We kick this episode off, sharing this recording whic...

Today’s guest, Brant Hansen, wrote a book called “Unoffendable.”  He suggests that the idea of having “righteous anger” is a myth and not biblical.   There's much peace to be found by recognizing the jacked up state of this world and adjusting expectations accordingly.  And it's the right way, according to Brant.   Guest co-host Jory Micah provides some valuable pushback to round out the...

SHARE THIS EPISODE WITH YOUR PASTOR.  YES, I'M YELLING.  Prolific theologian and author Scot Mcknight, along with his daughter Laura Barringer, recently released a book called “TOV" ( TOV means “good” in Hebrew).  This book was written partly as a response to the downfall of Bill Hybels, pioneering mega-Church Pastor of Willow Creek Church; but it is also a general exhortation for all ch...

I've been reflecting on a lot these last couple of years.  Recently I took the time to think deeply on my time with Bad Christian, a podcast and community I was co-founder of and co-hosted since 2014.  What a journey it was. "Good times" is an understatement.      On this episode however, my reflections on that past season of life revolve around things  I'm no longer proud of a...

Please, pretty please, no sensitive ears need to tune in on this one.  There's your warning.  The dynamic duo, Josh and Adrian, of the Dirty Rotten Church Kids podcast join us to talk through their journey from church planters to “de-churched” and what led to them to starting Dirty Rotten Church Kids Podcast.   We talk pastors who like to tell others every time they have sex with their wives,...

One of the few women to translate the Bible, Bonnie Lewis discusses her journey that led to this wonderful masterpiece. The journey was wrought with outside criticism revolving around a female’s audaciousness to do such a thing as translate the Bible.  Bonnie's  “inner Fundamentalist" wasn’t so quick to let her off the hook in pursuing this endeavor;  but over time, her Maker made paths...

Our guest does not call this suicide, nor labels as euthanasia.  Working with Compassion and Choices , Rev. Madison Shockley advocates for the humane option for the terminally ill to choose the means and timing of their impending death.  Rather than facing the prospect of a ruthless and painful journey leading to the end, he advocates for freedom and peace that comes by giving them the driver seat...

I mean, we’re not really persecuted here in the states, are we?  And any flack the church receives is likely our own fault, right?  Chip Judd and John Mark McMillan discuss with Joey whether Christians are persecuted in America. John Mark has an example of a time he was.  Also discussed here is the all too common ostracization (and cancelling) of a person for simply having one unpopular opinion. ...

*This is a brand-new interview.  For you old school listeners, we also interviewed Matt during the making of Small Group the movie.* It is out now and available everywhere! A filmmaker and his wife move across the country to make a documentary about Christianity's decline. To "pull back the curtain," they use a hidden camera and go undercover at a local small group. As their relatio...

Kicking off the episode is a quick discussion (with Chip Judd) on pastors and suicide.  Is there a correlation between the pastoral role and having mental illness? Joey reflects on his vocation and whether being a pastor is harmful to his health.   Then the “PreachersNSneakers Guy,” (we call him Vic) joins Joey and co-host Jack Hoey to discuss celebrity pastors. Did these pastors start “doing mini...

While I (Joey) personally find very primitive and archaic the belief in a God-ordained predestination of souls, Chris Date's holding to this position  doesn’t lessen the amount of respect I have for him as a biblical scholar.  Chip, Chris and I discuss and debate the philosophical components of whether people can have real choice while at the same time, God also ordaining that choice they wil...

Chris Singleton, former professional athlete, author and motivational speaker lost his mother in the infamous “ Charleston Church Shooting ” (Summer of 2015 at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church).  Chris recounts that dreadful day of losing his mother and shares how those moments transpired behind those dreadful closed doors. Chris, son of slain Pastor Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, speaks on...

We’re in an age now where atrocities at the hands of Christian leaders are the norm.  Unspeakable hypocrisy, abuse and scandal.  On this episode we discuss the current state of evangelicalism and the church, we process the recent news on Ravi Zacharias' abuses on women and reflect on the actions and downfalls of other pastors, including Ellen Mauro's and Joey's former pastor, Mark D...

When Kathy Yokeley’s daughter Natalie was born, the perfect family she’d dreamed of was complete; a loving husband, beautiful little son and daughter, fulfilling church involvement, an enjoyable career, and even a family dog.  And then thirteen years before the release of this episode (2/15/21), it all came crashing as Kathy’s twelve year-old, Natalie, was diagnosed with inoperable spinal cord can...

With co-hosts Pricilla Svendsen and Ellen Mauro, Joey proposes that there are many good lies. (29:00) Honesty can be unloving while in many situations, lying can be the best way to love someone.  You’ll have to be the judge as to whether his theory is on point or full of ....... We also have Dave McAbee, (9:00) an aspiring Horror Movie writer who recently released a Hallmark movie, “ For the Love...

Jimmy Hinton’s life calling is to bring awareness to sexual abuse, especially on predators who thrive in churches.  This was Jimmy’s life story, his father revered for decades by his congregants while he was secretly taking advantage of many children in the flock for 27 years.  Jimmy and even his mom was unaware until later in life when his little sister came forward with the abuse done to her, at...

Lisa shares a bit of her story and provides feedback on our latest episode with Preston Sprinkle and Brandan Robertson where we discuss Sprinkle’s latest book, “ Embodied: Transgender Identities, the Church, and What the Bible Has to Say.”  At the top of the episode Joey spends some time with his wife (Pricilla) and good friend (Ellen Mauro) talking about chauvinistic southern culture, how Joey tr...

A conversation on transgenderism through lenses of science, theology and real-life stories.  Preston Sprinkle, President of “ The Center for Faith, Sexuality and Gender ,” wrote a new book called “ Embodied, ” with the purpose of helping readers understand the complexities and emotions of this highly relevant and polarizing discussion.  Also joining the conversation is Rev. Brandan Robertson, (aut...

Love your neighbor, love your enemy.  Jamie Lee Finch (the Liturgists) and Propaganda (Red Couch Podcast)  discuss with Joey  “loving others” in the context of people’s personal journeys, social media “venting,” and the ability or inability to humanize others.  Should we respond to “ignorant hate” differently than how we respond to just straight up, ‘ol hate?  Do some legitimately have a harder ti...

Does God need our prayers to help Him stop evil?   If He can defeat evil without us, why doesn't he?  Today's guests appear to have some concrete direction on making sense of the "problem of evil." But they go in two different directions.  Oord proposes that God simply lacks the power to stop bad things from happening and needs our partnership to minimize the effects of evil. ...

If we accepted our place as kids, would our prayers sound a lot different?  By the way, did you know the Apostle Paul’s prayers sound NOTHING like most of ours?  What if life was mainly for our enjoyment?  What does it mean that God really wanted to spare us from the knowledge of good and evil?   Enjoy a sermon from your friendly, bald neighborhood pastor.   Current DonorSee: https://donorsee.com/...