The Marben Bland Podcast

Send us Fan Mail God has always given His people what they need to fulfill His purpose. Ephesians 4 reminds us that Christ gave leaders to equip believers for ministry and build His Church. One expression of that gift is the African Methodist Episcopal Church, founded through Richard Allen's faith and courage. But our greatest treasure is not a denomination—it is Jesus Christ, the Head of the...

Send us Fan Mail What kind of revolution can truly change the world? Not one fought with bullets or ballots, but one transformed by the love of Jesus Christ. Join Rev. Marben Bland , Pastor of Greater Bethel AME Church, as he explores Jesus' revolutionary command: "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." Discover how God's love changes hearts, breaks the cycle...

Send us Fan Mail As our nation marks the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, remember that the greatest revolution began long before America, in the words of Jesus. In Matthew 5:44, Christ commands, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”  That challenges every human instinct. Start by honestly identifying those you consider enemies. You may find some that never belonge...

Send us Fan Mail Host: Marben Bland Guest: Reverend Dr. Greta Fowler, Candidate for Bishop (2028) What happens when God calls you to something you never planned to pursue? In this inspiring conversation, Reverend Dr. Greta Fowler shares the deeply personal journey that led her to become a candidate for bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Drawing from nearly 26 years of pastoral minis...

Send us Fan Mail Recently, the Southern Baptist Convention voted to move closer to a permanent ban on women serving in pastoral leadership roles. While I respect each denomination's right to interpret Scripture as it understands it, I reach a different conclusion based on the witness of God's Word. Deborah served as a prophet and judge, leading Israel with wisdom and authority (Judges 4:...

Send us Fan Mail Does your vote really matter? According to former Georgia State Representative Karen Bennett, the answer is a resounding yes. In this insightful episode, host Marben Bland sits down with Bennett to discuss the power of voting, the challenges facing voter participation, and her new organization, the Alliance for Civic Engagement (ACE). Together, they explore how churches, community...

Send us Fan Mail When Sarah heard God's promise that she would have a son in her old age, she laughed. The promise seemed impossible. After all, Abraham is ninety-nine years old, and Sarah is nearly ninety. Yet God responded with a question that still challenges us today: “Is anything too wonderful for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14). God's promises are not limited by our circumstances, resou...

Send us Fan Mail What if the greatest leaders are not those who lead first, but those who learn to follow? In this powerful message from Matthew 9:9, Pastor Marben Bland explores Jesus’ call to Matthew the tax collector and reveals a timeless truth: leadership begins with discipleship. Through the examples of Abraham Lincoln, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Matthew hi...

Send us Fan Mail In Matthew 9:9–13, Jesus does something remarkable—He calls Matthew, a tax collector, to follow Him. Matthew was not considered righteous or respectable by society. Yet Jesus saw beyond his past and into his potential. With two simple words, “Follow Me,” Jesus offered Matthew a new life and a new purpose. The good news is that Jesus still calls sinners today. He does not wait for...

Send us Fan Mail These are the five signs that you're aging with power, purpose, and promise. So if you can still pray like Simon, you're aging with power. If you can still climb mountains like Jacob, you're aging with purpose. If you can still learn like Apollos, you're aging with promise. If you can still think like Daniel, you're aging with wisdom. And if you can still...

Send us Fan Mail Are your best days behind you—or could God still have greater things ahead? In this inspiring 28-minute sermon, Pastor Marben Bland explores five biblical signs that reveal whether we are aging with God's power, purpose, and promise. Drawing from the lives of Simeon, Caleb, Apollos, Daniel, and John, Pastor Bland challenges us to ask: Can you still hear from God? Can you stil...

Send us Fan Mail Growing older is not about what we lose but about how God continues to shape and use us for His glory. Through the Holy Spirit, we can still pray faithfully, move with purpose, grow in God’s Word, and remain mentally sharp.  The Holy Trinity reminds us that the Father loves us, the Son redeems us, and the Holy Spirit empowers us. Aging with God is not a season of decline but a sea...

Send us Fan Mail Jesus commanded His disciples: "Do not leave Jerusalem until you receive power." God never intended His people to live powerless lives. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in you, providing power for identity, discernment, impact, and witness.  Yet many believers live far beneath their spiritual potential, settling for religious activity without super...

Send us Fan Mail  At Pentecost, the Spirit granted supernatural understanding—people heard God's message in their own language.  Today, believers urgently need Pentecostal discernment.  We live in an age of sophisticated deception, where truth is manipulated and motives are concealed. The Holy Spirit offers wisdom beyond human learning, helping you see what others miss.  Ask God today for dis...

Send us Fan Mail Before God can use you publicly, He must settle you privately. The Holy Spirit's first work is establishing your identity—not in your accomplishments, failures, or others' opinions, but in God's sovereign choice. You are chosen, royal, holy, and belonging to God. This is not arrogance; it is biblical confidence. When you know who you are in Christ, the enemy's...

Send us Fan Mail Physical and spiritual health are both gifts from God that require intentional care and daily stewardship. The Apostle Paul reminds us in First Corinthians 6:19 that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. Just as prayer, worship, and Scripture strengthen our spirit, movement, rest, healthy eating, and meaningful relationships strengthen our bodies. God desires wholeness for Hi...

Send us Fan Mail Everybody wants power. Politicians spend millions chasing it. Corporations fight for it. But Pastor Marben Bland reminds us this Pentecost Sunday that there is a power money cannot buy—the power of the Holy Spirit! In this dynamic 27-minute sermon, Powered By The Holy Spirit: Four Ways God Empowers You, Pastor Bland of Greater Bethel AME explores how God empowers believers with id...

Send us Fan Mail Grace and peace to the Athens community. I am Pastor Marben Bland of Greater Bethel AME Church. After prayer, careful study, and a unanimous church vote, Greater Bethel has decided to demolish the Maddox Center building within the next 60 days. For more than 40 years, the building has remained vacant, and time and deterioration have left it beyond practical restoration. It is also...

Send us Fan Mail This Mother’s Day, we celebrate the power of a mother who plants her children in the right place. In 1 Samuel 2:11 (NRSV) , the Bible says, “The boy was ministering to the Lord.” That didn’t happen by accident—Hannah placed Samuel in an environment where he could grow in God’s presence. And in John 8:31 , Jesus reminds us that disciples are those who “continue in my word.” Mothers...

Send us Fan Mail From the pit to the palace—Joseph's story reminds us that what others mean for evil, God can turn for good! Genesis 50:20 declares that even in betrayal, abandonment, and injustice, God is working out His purpose in our lives. You may be in a pit of despair, trapped by materialism, or just stuck in dysfunction—but here's the truth: if you stay rooted in God's Word,...

Send us Fan Mail “From the Pit to Purpose: Staying Rooted When Life Breaks You” I am Marben Bland, Pastor of the Greater Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Athens, Georgia, with a Living The Word Moment  The recent tragedies involving the former Lieutenant Governor of Virginia and the father in Shreveport, Louisiana, remind us of a painful truth: many Black men are battling systemic barr...

Send us Fan Mail What can losing teach us about discipleship? More than we often realize. Loss has a way of revealing what success hides. It humbles us, stretches us, and pushes us closer to God. Scripture reminds us in Romans 5:3–4 that suffering produces endurance, character, and hope. Job lost everything, yet stayed faithful. Peter failed, yet was restored. A true disciple follows Jesus fully—e...

Send us Fan Mail The question isn't whether you know Jesus—it's whether you're living like His disciple! In his sermon, " The Four Hallmarks of Discipleship”, Pastor Marben Bland unpacked the foundation of discipleship from Matthew 28:18-20. Jesus didn't just give us a religion to practice—He gave us a commission to fulfill. A true disciple follows Jesus fully, stays roote...

Send us Fan Mail After the resurrection, Jesus didn’t just celebrate victory—He gave an assignment. In Matthew 28:18–20 , He calls us to go and make disciples. This reminds us that faith is not passive—it’s purposeful. A true disciple follows Jesus fully ( Luke 9:23 ), choosing surrender over comfort. A disciple is rooted in God’s Word ( John 8:31 ), growing strong through daily obedience. A disci...

Send us Fan Mail Loss has a way of revealing what success often hides. After a tough championship game defeat, University of South Carolina Coach Dawn Staley  didn’t deny the pain—she owned it: “We’ve got to figure out how we get better.” That mindset reflects a deeper spiritual truth—loss is not the end; it is instruction. Scripture reminds us in Romans 5:3–4 (NRSV) : “we also boast in our suffer...