The Marben Bland Podcast

Send us Fan Mail The 2nd of the 7 last words of Jesus recorded live at First AME Church, Athens, Georgia  The Promise Of Paradise You know, as we grow older, we find ourselves thinking about death more often. And if we’re honest, it’s because we’re confronted with it more. With every passing year, more classmates, more friends, more loved ones transition from this life. Our bodies begin to feel th...

Send us Fan Mail This is one of the most raw and real moments of the cross. Jesus expresses pain , abandonment , and deep anguish. Yet even here, He is quoting Scripture, anchoring Himself in truth. We’ve all had moments where God feels distant—when prayers seem unanswered and silence feels overwhelming. But this word reminds us: feeling forsaken is not the same as being forsaken. God is still pre...

Send us Fan Mail Even in agony, Jesus demonstrates love , care , and compassion . His third word from the cross wasn’t about His pain—it was about relationship. He ensured His mother was cared for, creating a new spiritual family rooted in connection and community . This moment reminds us that God sees us. In your struggle, in your suffering, in your uncertainty—you are not forgotten. Jesus models...

Send us Fan Mail Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” — Luke 23:43 In His second word from the cross, Jesus speaks hope , salvation , and eternal life to a dying criminal. No time for good works. No chance to fix his past. Yet in a single moment of faith, everything changed. This is the power of grace —instant, undeserved, and life-transforming. The thief recognized Jesus as K...

Send us Fan Mail Listen as Pastor Marben Bland delivers a powerful Palm Sunday sermon rooted in Matthew 21:1–11 and Hebrews 12:1–2—a timely word on obedience, purpose, and faith. This message reminds us that God’s call won’t always make sense—but it is always strategic. From the donkey and colt to the fulfillment of prophecy, we see how God uses the willing, not the perfect. If you’ve ever struggl...

Send us Fan Mail Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” — Luke 23:24 In one of the most powerful moments in Scripture, Jesus speaks His first word from the cross—not judgment, not anger, but forgiveness . While nails pierced His hands and betrayal surrounded Him, He released grace , mercy , and unconditional love . This is radical forgiveness. This is kingdom power. Jesus shows us...

Send us Fan Mail In seminary, I learned that spiritual formation is a lifelong process of becoming more like Christ, shaped through prayer, Scripture, community, and obedience. But long before I knew the term, I experienced its power through Jannie Fuller. Mama Fuller, as we called her, didn’t just teach lessons; she shaped lives. Through encouragement, discipline, and opportunities to serve, she...

Send us Fan Mail I am Marben Bland, Pastor Of The Greater Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church In Athens, Georgia, with A Living The Word Moment.   In Matthew 4:1–11, Jesus teaches us that being led by the Spirit does not mean avoiding struggle—it sometimes means facing it. After forty days of fasting, when He was physically weak, the devil tried to attack His hunger, His hope, and His honor....

Send us Fan Mail The Reverend Jesse Jackson, who the New York Times has called the nation’s most influential Black figure in the years between the civil rights crusades of the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. and the election of Barack Obama, has died at 84.   And while he never achieved the stature of Dr. King or the electoral success of President Obama, Reverend Jackson’s place in history...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of It’s a Matter of Your Health, Dr. Veita Bland is joined by fitness expert Coach Hilton Ferguson of Full-Time Fitness to start 2026 on the right foot. They discuss why big goals need daily vision, how nutrition is more important than workouts alone, and how small, consistent habits—like movement, hydration, sleep, and accountability—lead to lasting health changes...

Send us Fan Mail In Exodus 1:15–22, the Hebrew midwives faced an impossible dilemma. Pharaoh commanded them to kill innocent children, forcing them to choose between obeying authority or remaining faithful to God. Their decision was costly, dangerous, and uncertain. Yet Scripture tells us they feared God and trusted the Lord more than the threats they faced. Their trust turned a moment of terror i...

Send us Fan Mail  This sermon explores what it means to trust God when every option comes with consequences. Drawing from the courage of the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, this message reminds us that dilemmas don’t just test our choices—they reveal who (and what) we truly trust. Key Takeaways: • A dilemma forces a decision with real cost—but faith clarifies our response • Pharaoh chose fear...

Send us Fan Mail As we step into a new year, survival is not the goal— wisdom is . In this first sermon of 2026, Pastor Marben Bland challenges us to move beyond habit, autopilot, and routine faith and instead recommit ourselves to living wisely in every area of life. Rooted in Proverbs 8:11, this message reminds us that wisdom is more valuable than wealth, comfort, or success. It calls the church...

Send us Fan Mail Blue Christmas—also called The Longest Night —reminds us that Advent is a season of both joy and honesty. The Longest Night falls each year on the winter solstice, around December 21 , when darkness lasts the longest. We are now only days away from that night, a reminder that for many, this season carries shadows of grief, loss, and longing. Yet even on the darkest night, Scriptur...

Send us Fan Mail   Today’s message reminded us that when Isaiah called Jesus the Wonderful Counselor (Isaiah 9:6), he wasn’t talking about a therapist—he was describing a divine strategist , a King who guides His people through confusion, crisis, and spiritual battle. Pastor Bland taught that Jesus shows His Wonderful Counselor power in three ways:  1️⃣ He counsels the confused — revealing truth w...

Send us Fan Mail In this moving Advent sermon, Pastor Marben Bland reminds us that Advent is a season of holy preparation —a time when God calls us to change how we love, serve, and live. Drawing from Isaiah 9:6 , he shows that Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace —and because we are made in God’s image, these qualities are also placed within us. Pa...

Send us Fan Mail In The Courage to Say Thank You , Pastor Marben Bland reminds us that gratitude is more than good manners—it is a bold act of faith. Preaching from Luke 17:11–19, he shows how only one healed leper had the courage to return to Jesus and give thanks, and that gratitude made him whole , not just healed. Pastor Bland connects this powerful moment to Christ the King Sunday, teaching t...

Send us Fan Mail In Luke 17:11-19, ten lepers are healed, but only one—a Samaritan—returns. His gratitude goes beyond manners; it is worship that points others to God. Jesus’ question, “Where are the nine?” challenges us to see that thanksgiving is a public testimony. Gratitude strengthens relationships, deepens faith, and opens the way for more of God’s work. It takes courage to stop, turn back,...

Send us Fan Mail I am Marben Bland, Pastor of the Greater Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Athens, Georgia, with a “Living The Word Moment.    The New York Times reports that the American penny has died. It was 232 years old. The Treasury Department cited irrelevance and high costs as the reasons for its end. In today’s economy, nothing can be bought with a penny anymore, not even penn...

Send us Fan Mail This Sunday, Pastor Marben Bland delivered a powerful sermon titled “A Pentecost Person,” reminding us that Pentecost isn’t just a moment in Acts 2 — it’s a movement we are called to live every day. Just like the 3,000 who heard Peter preach in their own language, we too are invited to be transformed by the rushing wind of the Holy Spirit. Pastor Bland challenged us with a bold qu...

Send us Fan Mail I am Marben Bland, Pastor of the Greater Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Athens, Georgia, with a Living The Word moment.  Jonathan, son of King Saul, demonstrated the ultimate sacrifice through loyalty and faith — not to his father’s throne, but to his friend David. His devotion was rooted in righteousness, choosing God’s purpose over personal gain. Rodney Maxwell Dav...

Send us Fan Mail Prayer isn’t just words; it’s a living conversation with God. In this message, The Reverend Marben Bland reminded us that The Lord’s Prayer is more than a ritual; it’s our foundation for every kind of prayer petition, lament, confession, praise, and intercession. When we pray earnestly, God listens. Whether we’re asking for daily bread, seeking forgiveness, or standing in the gap...

Send us Fan Mail Jesus exemplified the power of prayer. He prayed before every significant moment—choosing disciples, feeding the multitudes, and facing the cross. Prayer was His lifeline, and it can be ours as well. Whether petitioning, lamenting, confessing, praising, or interceding, prayer connects us to the heart of God. Every prayer you offer plants a seed of faith that God will nurture and g...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful message from Philippians 1:21 , Rev. Marben Bland reminds us that death isn’t the end for believers — it’s the doorway to eternal life. Drawing from childhood memories, Paul’s letters, and today’s real-world challenges, the sermon reveals how faith in the resurrection leads us to live out God’s grace with purpose and compassion. We are called to believe , repent ,...

Send us Fan Mail In this heartfelt sermon celebrating the life of Mamie “Julia” Stephens, Rev. Marben Bland reminds listeners that Julia’s life was a living testimony of care for bodies, families, and souls. Drawing on 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 and Isaiah 9:6 , he shows how Sister Julia embodied compassion in her work as a caregiver, her devotion as a mother of four sons, and her quiet strength within...