Say That

Ask A Question: saythatpodcast@gmail.com thebridgechicago.tumblr.com/ask Is "being intentional" really an important thing? Or is it another Christian cliche? (18:43-32:54) I know we are not supposed to judge other people’s salvation. But there are also clearly people who claim the title of “Christian” who don’t line up with the teachings of Jesus at all. What are we supposed to do with that? (32:5...

Ask A Question: saythatpodcast@gmail.com thebridgechicago.tumblr.com/ask People say the new year is a good time for a fresh start. That sounds good to me, but I don’t really know how to do it. (17:13-31:17) 2022 was a rough year, and it took a lot of me. How do I actually make 2023 better? (31:21-41:21) How can I healthily manage stress? Just reminding myself “God’s got this” has not really lead t...

Ask A Question: saythatpodcast@gmail.com thebridgechicago.tumblr.com/ask (Anonymous) We take a look at a megachurch Christmas program that brings together the Grinch and Thriller, the most misguided LinkedIn message of the year and all the other wackiness that Christian culture had to offer in 2022.   Closing Song: Always, Always, Always (Jed Brewer)

Ask A Question: saythatpodcast@gmail.com thebridgechicago.tumblr.com/ask (Anonymous) I did something that would hurt my partner if they found out, And I don’t know how they would react. I feel guilty not telling them. What should I do? (18:58-38:04) People talk a lot about not taking Christmas seriously enough. I get that it isn’t about commercialization, but how “serious” am I supposed to be bein...

Ask A Question: saythatpodcast@gmail.com thebridgechicago.tumblr.com/ask (Anonymous) This week, Matt read an article about "Secular Calvinists" and, since he has to know that's a thing, now so do you! (00:10-17:45) I don’t know how I feel about Christmas. Growing up it wasn’t my favorite time and it hasn’t gotten better. I see that there could be a lot of positive stuff about the holiday, but I ca...

Ask A Question: saythatpodcast@gmail.com thebridgechicago.tumblr.com/ask (Anonymous) When someone reappears after a scandal and there is a backlash, it seems like people talk about how there is “unforgiveness” or “lack of grace because people are mad. If someone behaved in a way that hurt someone else- can I even forgive them. Am I under some requirement to forgive public figures because I am Chri...

This week we take an emergency look at a business seeking to rent out the perfect Christian boyfriend. And, in a rare instance, come up with an improvement! As a spouse in such a situation, how can you support the partner that has lost interest in sex? I am discouraged, but I don’t want to pressure them either. (21:08-40:08)   I have different political views than my parents. I know that, they kno...

Buy our friend Spike's book of amazing cartoons! Let's all give thanks for an all emergency episode! We come up with a new, groundbreaking technique for dealing with opinionated relatives at Thanksgiving. Then we take a tour of Christian insanity- Pastors challenging comedians to boxing matches and getting served lawsuits in the pulpit, a Christian college is suspicious of evil secular music genre...

I recently read a description of elements of a cult. It included things like “a leader who is not to be questioned” and “everything is part of the plan” and “the people in this group are all you need.” I know not every church is cult-like, but that sounds like a lot of churches. How do I know if a church or group can be trusted not to be like this? (19:48-34:24) Is there a difference between judgi...

1.1) I feel like it’s really  shallow but I’m finding I’m not physically attracted to my spouse anymore. (16:18-34:21) 1.2) I used to be really passionate about faith and expressive in worship. Over the last few years it’s like the fire has diminished. I struggle to pray and worship but deep down the faith is still there. What should I do? (34:24-52:46) 1.3) I was reading the parable of the bags o...

Christian puns may have gone too far! And some Halloween PSAs. (00:00-19:00) Hebrews 4:1 says to be careful not to “be found to have fallen short”. But Romans pretty famously says all have fallen short and it doesn’t matter. What does this mean? (19:18-33:26) I always feel like I am letting someone down. When I was little it was my parents. Sometimes it has been God. But sometimes I don’t even kno...

We look at a church's...stadium tour...tickets for which cost up to over $1000. That's definitely an emergency! (00:00-19:45) How do you know when a situation (not a relationship, but like a job or school thing) being rough means it’s time to make a change versus when it’s time to push through? (19:50-34:27) 2 Thessalonians 4:10 “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” Gets brought up a l...

We try to help out the Christian media industry with some realistic worship songs and micro-targeted devotionals. (00:00-28:30) I have some people in my life that I feel like I have forgiven. But I also don’t particularly want to have a relationship with them or even necessarily see them again. Is that good enough, or do I have to keep trying to engage with them? (28:49-39:01) What’s a piece of ad...

We take look at ways to improve the 5th(!!!) installment of the premier evangelical cinematic franchise. (00:10-19:15) Is there a healthy way to be proud of myself. I feel like the Christian messages about pride being bad and humility have made me feel like I’m not allowed to feel good about myself when I succeed. (19:33-29:52) Colossians 3:12 talks about how we are to behave as “God’s chosen peop...

We revel in some early 90s Bible based video game nostalgia. (00:10-19:15) I was recently reading about how it is not a healthy thing to take on other people’s emotions in a situation. But I know empathy is important. Where is the line? (19:21-35:12) What place should anger have in a Christian’s life? I never felt like I was allowed to express anger growing up because it wasn’t nice. I know Jesus...

An early 2000s Christian cinema emergency leads us to the amazing movie rating system of Dove.org. (00:10-22:15) I recently heard about the Billy Graham rule. I can see why it might make sense, but is also seems like really legalistic and maybe sexist? Is it a good idea? (22:37-42:50) There are some situations where I know someone probably isn’t going to take my advice or change their behavior, bu...

This week, an emergency that starts off about a Christian conference and somehow ends up at the Norwegian version of Surge soda. Also: What do you guys make of the Matt Chandler thing? It doesn’t seem as extreme as other church scandals, but it still feels like it's part of a pattern. (21:30-42:42) I am getting tired of having to be “the bigger person” in some situations. Is that an okay thing to...

What does “the sins of the fathers” mean? The Bible mentions God punishing people to four generations (for example Numbers 14:18). But that doesn’t seem fair. (15:50-25:11) What does Luke 12:9 mean? (But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God.) I feel like I only heard this talked about in dramatic voice of the martyrs scenarios meant to scare me into being more...

We look at a Texas church's unauthorized, revised version of Hamilton, and invent a new game to keep a crowd engaged during a sermon. (0:00-16:25) Some older Christians like to talk about the end of times and how soon Christ will come back, but the way they talk about it doesn’t sound like a good thing. How concerned should I be about stuff like that? (16:29-33:51) A friend of mine talks a lot abo...

I hear people talk about “godly masculinity” or “biblical masculinity”. All the people talking about that online describe something that is toxic and awful. Is there a non-awful definition of “godly masculinity”? (15:23-27:23) Jed chats with best-selling author Chris Bolinger (27:44-48:01) 1 John 3:21 says “Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God” What does it...

I want to experience God for myself, but I don't seem to be getting anywhere. (23:47-40:13) I'm working on being more patient. Is there a healthy way to be impatient in the meantime? (40:17-47:50) Bonus Emergency! An email from Focus on the Family Closing Song: Child of Wandering Will (Lee Younger) Ask A Question: saythatpodcast@gmail.com t hebridgechicago.tumblr.com/ask

I feel like when I was a kid, I was given this big package labeled “Christian beliefs”. Some of them didn’t really have anything to do with Christianity, but they were in the package. I have dropped a lot of those things. But how do I know what to drop and what to keep? (19:08-35:19) How can I be a wise person without turning into a cynical person? (35:25- 52:15) I recently heard a message from 2...

It's an all emergency episode! We talk horrible VBS themes, bad prophets, Bible reading as a magical spell, thrift store demons, after the rapture pet care, and more! Closing Song: So Here I Am (Jed Brewer) Ask A Question: saythatpodcast@gmail.com thebridgechicago.tumblr.com/ask (Anonymous)

My partner started going to therapy. They really like it so far. Some of things they say their therapist told them and exercises they gave them seem…weird to me. Is this a conversation I can have with them? How? (16:02-27:37)   I’m getting really discouraged by how just openly mean I see a lot of Christians being. On tv, on social media, in real life- being homophobic, transphobic, misogynistic. I...

I’ve been discussing faith matters with a friend, who's really getting deeper in the faith right now, and that's awesome. Some of their sources seem a bit wonky, What's a good way to navigate this? (17:10-34:34) Can spiritual things be stored or felt through physical things, or songs? Like the way you feel when you enter a room where people have been praying, or for example if an instrumental song...