The Marben Bland Podcast

Send us Fan Mail In 1973, while aiming to surpass Babe Ruth’s all-time home run record, Hank Aaron signed a historic endorsement deal with Magnavox, a leading American electronics company known for manufacturing televisions and home entertainment systems. During a time when major consumer brands seldom chose Black athletes as national spokespeople, Aaron’s character and excellence made him a trust...

Send us Fan Mail The final command of Jesus is made in Matthew 28:19, and it could not have been clearer: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” These were not just parting words—they were marching orders for every believer. Yet today, distractions pull our attention in a thousand directions. We fill our schedules with activity, but often neglect our true assignment: teaching, baptizing, and guid...

Send us Fan Mail I am Marben Bland, Pastor of the Greater Bethel AME Church In Athens, Georgia, with a Living The Word Moment.  When God called Moses from the burning bush in Exodus 3, Moses didn’t have the best résumé. He doubted his speaking skills, questioned his worth, and even considered refusing the mission. But what mattered most wasn’t his ability — it was his availability. God assured Mos...

Send us Fan Mail In a culture obsessed with payback, Romans 12:19 reminds us: “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” Pastor Marben Bland explores how God’s justice is measured, holy, and sure, unlike our human impulses toward revenge. Drawing inspiration from James Brown’s “The Big Payback,” current political cycles, and biblical examples, this sermon urges us to trust God’s justice and...

Send us Fan Mail Amos warned Israel about being dazzled by wealth while ignoring justice… and wow, doesn’t that sound like today? From tech billionaires to luxury living, glitter can blind us. But God is calling us higher. 🙌 Here are the takeaways: 👉 Don’t be fooled by glitter—choose godliness.  👉 Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by standing in solidarity with our brothers and sisters.  👉 Wal...

Send us Fan Mail The late 19th-century Gilded Age was marked by dazzling wealth, towering mansions, and rapid industrial growth—but beneath the glitter lay poverty, injustice, and exploitation. Today, many describe our time as a new Gilded Age: technology and wealth abound, yet inequality, division, and spiritual emptiness persist. Amos warned Israel of a similar danger—lounging in luxury while ne...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful 5-minute message, Pastor Marben Bland reflects on the shocking assassination of Charlie Kirk. While mourning Kirk’s life and praying for his family, Pastor Bland calls us to look deeper—at the dangers of Christian nationalism, the poison of racism, and the tragedy of gun violence. Main Points You’ll Hear: What Scripture teaches when people called by God turn away...

Send us Fan Mail In Luke 10:38–42, Jesus affirmed Mary’s choice to sit at His feet—breaking cultural barriers and showing us that women and men are equal in God’s Kingdom. In this sermon, Pastor Marben Bland reminds us:  1️⃣ Equality begins with invitation —welcoming others as equals. 2️⃣ Equality honors the right to learn —education lifts us all. 3️⃣ Equality corrects cultural distractions —keepi...

Send us Fan Mail I am Marben Bland, Pastor Of The Greater Bethel AME Church in Athens, Georgia with a Living The Word Moment.  The Beatles sang of “the fool on the hill,” a quiet figure mocked by the crowd but seeing the world with clarity. Scripture tells us the same truth: God’s wisdom often looks like foolishness to the world. Jeremiah was ridiculed for his warnings (Jeremiah 20:7). John the Ba...

Send us Fan Mail In this sermon Pastor Marben Bland connects James Brown’s 1969 anthem “Open Up the Door and I’ll Get It Myself” with Mark 2:1–12, where friends refused to let a closed door keep them from Jesus. 🙌🏾 Listen to this message and discover how to open life-changing doors by:  1️⃣ Praying Boldly – asking God with courage and faith. 2️⃣ Persevering with Faith – not giving up when doors...

Send us Fan Mail I am Marben Bland, Pastor Of The Greater Bethel AME Chuch In Athens, Georgia with a Living The Word Moment.   This week, President Trump took the unprecedented step of removing Lisa Cook, the first African-American woman to serve as a Federal Reserve governor. Beyond politics, her dismissal raises a piercing question: Would this have happened if she were a white man? Scripture is...

Send us Fan Mail “Win the Morning With God” I am Marben Bland, Pastor Of The Greater Bethel AME Church In Athens, Georgia with a Living The Word Moment.  Psalm 5:3 says, “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” David reminds us that the way we start our day matters. Before the rush, before the emails, before the noise, he turned h...

Send us Fan Mail I’m Marben Bland, Pastor of The Greater Bethel AME Church Athens, Georgia with a Living the Word Moment. Not long ago, I was invited to a birthday party. The invitation said: “Don’t bring a giftyour presence is enough.” That simple line reminded me how powerful it is just to show up. In Mark 2:1–5, Jesus returned to Capernaum and the house filled with people eager to see Him. A pa...

Send us Fan Mail “If you can win the first hour, you can win the whole day.” I am Marben Bland Pastor of the Greater Bethel AME Church in Athens, Georgia with a living the word moment.  Psalm 5:3 reminds us, “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” The way you begin your day shapes the rest of it. Winning the morning means making...

Send us Fan Mail God didn’t just give you dreams—He gave you the ability to pursue them with purpose. When you set goals, you’re not just writing a list of what you want to achieve; you’re stepping into a divine partnership. Proverbs 16:3 reminds us that success begins not with our hustle, but with our surrender. True success is not about crossing off tasks—it’s about aligning your plans with God’...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever walked into a sacred space so full of purpose and power—that you instinctively whispered, moved slower, and felt something shift in your spirit? In this powerful sermon, Pastor Marben Bland challenges us to realize that we are that sacred space . Drawing from 1 Corinthians 3:16–17, he asks a life-altering question: "Don’t you realize that you are the temple of G...

Send us Fan Mail News of Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s passing at just 54 has left many of us stunned. As we reflect on the life of the beloved Cosby Show star, we are reminded of the fragility of life and the swiftness with which our days pass. Psalm 90:12 urges, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” In times like this, that wisdom leads us to cherish every moment, not in fe...

Send us Fan Mail “The Lord said to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 1:6–8 ‘You have stayed long enough at this mountain… Go in and take possession of the land…’” God’s call to Israel was not just about territory it was a summons to responsibility . When God gives land, He also gives a charge: care for it, protect it, and honor its holiness. In a world plagued by environmental neglect, we are reminded...

Send us Fan Mail I am Marben Bland, Pastor of The Greater Bethel AME Church In Athens, Georgia With A Living The Word Moment.   With the passage of his “Big Beautiful Bill, President Trump is a winner and he is celebrating.  However, as  we celebrate Independence Day, political scientist Ian Bremmer , founder of the Eurasia Group, reminds us in his 2025 Tulane commencement speech: “We were winners...

Send us Fan Mail I am Marben Bland Pastor of the Greater Bethel AME Church In Athens, Georgia with a living the word moment.  Jacob, the deceiver, stole Esau’s birthright—a sacred inheritance meant for the firstborn. But instead of rejection, Jacob encounters grace. Alone and fleeing for his life, he dreams of a heavenly stairway and hears God’s covenant reaffirmed through him. Why would God choos...

Send us Fan Mail I am Marben Bland, Pastor Of Greater Bethel AME in Athens, Georgia with a Living The Word Moment.   On most Sundays, I wind down by watching an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show on MeTV . The one I watched recently was from 1965 Van Dyke was 40 then. Now, in December 2025, he turns 100 the last surviving adult cast member. You know time marches on.  Psalm 90:12 says, “Teach us to...

Send us Fan Mail Three Faith Lessons From Juneteenth I am Marben Bland, Pastor of Greater Bethel AME Church In Athens, Georgia with a Living The Word Moment.   “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free...” – Galatians 5:1 Juneteenth, marks the day in 1865 when enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, finally learned they were free—more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation...

Send us Fan Mail I am Marben Bland, Pastor Of The Greater Bethel AME Church In Athens, Georgia with a Living The Word Moment  In Mark 4:35-41 , Jesus speaks to the raging sea: “Peace! Be still!” And suddenly, the wind ceased, and the sea was calm. This is a reminder that even when chaos surrounds us, Jesus is present, powerful, and in control. One hundred years ago, civil rights hero Medgar Evers...

Send us Fan Mail I am Marben Bland, Pastor of the Greater Bethel AME Church In Athens Georgia with a living the Word Moment.   Have you ever heard the praise “What would Jesus do?” So, the question is “how can I ask what Jesus would do if I don’t know who Jesus is?” The answer begins with relationship. Before we can imitate Jesus, we must first meet Him. Jesus in Matthew 4:19 is inviting us when h...

Send us Fan Mail Ministry In Strange Places:  I am Marben Bland Pastor of Greater Bethe AME in Athens Georgia with a living the word moment     In Acts 16:9-15 Paul had a vision of a man from Macedonia pleading for help. Though Philippi was familiar, Paul obeyed the Holy Spirit’s call and journeyed into the unknown. There, instead of finding crowds, he found a woman—Lydia—gathered by the river for...