The Marben Bland Podcast

Send us Fan Mail When a Great People Lift Up a Great God, Everything Becomes Greater" is now streaming! Recorded live at Greater Bethel AME Church, Pastor Marben Bland takes us on a powerful journey of faith, remembrance, and celebration. From honoring the heroes of Memorial Day to uplifting the legacy of the AAPI community, this message reminds us that our true greatness is found when we lif...

Send us Fan Mail On Sunday, May 18, 2025, Rev. Rosalind Turner , pastor of Ebenezer AME Church in Greensboro, GA, delivered a soul-stirring message from Genesis 21:14–19. Through the story of Hagar, Rev. Turner reminded us that even in the wilderness seasons of life—when resources are scarce, spirits are weary, and direction feels lost— God is still present . She spoke directly to the emotional we...

Send us Fan Mail He Has Gone to a New Neighborhood 🕊️ A Eulogy for Donarell  Green III 📍 Greater Bethel AME – Athens, GA | 🗓️ May 15, 2025 🎤 Delivered by Rev. Marben Bland Brother Donarell Green III lived a life shaped by the call of God—to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly. In this stirring eulogy, Rev. Bland reflects on how Brother Green answered that call through family, service, and fa...

Send us Fan Mail   Recorded live at Greater Bethel AME Church, Athens, GA 🎙 Sermon by Pastor Marben Bland This Mother’s Day, we honored not just motherhood, but the spiritual legacy passed through generations—from Lois and Eunice to women in our own lives. Pastor Bland reminded us that the greatest inheritance isn’t wealth, but faith —a faith that lives on. From the powerful prayers of Harriet Jac...

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   Pain has a way of convincing us that the night will never end. Tears fall, hearts break, and it can feel as if the darkness will last forever. But Psalm 30 reminds us of a deeper truth: Weeping May Endure For A Night But Joy Comes In the Morning.  G...

Send us Fan Mail The Real ID Act of 2005 is a federal law that sets security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards. Beginning May 7, a Real ID will be required to board domestic flights and enter certain federal facilities. In  episode recorded on April 24 , at the live at the August South Annual Conference of the AME Church I am  joined by the Rev. Dr. Monica Spenc...

Send us Fan Mail I am Marben Bland, pastor of the Greater Bethel AME Church in Athens, Georgia with a Living The Word Moment.  Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff, has died at age 88.  In high school the future pope demonstrated a scientific aptitude, his mother hoped he would become a doctor. He worked in a chemistry lab and earned pocket money as a doorman at tango bars.  In November...

Send us Fan Mail This Easter, Pastor Marben Bland reminds us that the tomb was empty, the stone was rolled away, and the Good News was first preached by women society tried to silence. In a time when injustice feels normal, God calls us to disrupt the usual and live out divine purpose. 💬 “Because Christ rose, we don’t return to business as usual—we step into business divine.” For More Great Conte...

Send us Fan Mail Luke 23:32 tells us after Pilate had delivered Jesus to be crucified, he was led to a place called the Skull.  A great multitude watched as he was nailed to the cross it was there amidst his pain and suffering with criminals on his right and left Jesus cries out the first of his seven last words.  “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”   There Is A Word From The Lor...

Send us Fan Mail I am Marben Bland Pastor Of The Greater Bethel AME Church in Athens, Georgia with a living the word moment.  Fred Flintstone’s dusty, barefoot treks through Bedrock offer more than a laugh—they mirror life in Jesus’ time, when walking left feet crusty, tired, and worn. In John 13, Jesus—fully aware of His coming betrayal—stoops to wash His disciples’ feet. The Son of God performs...

Send us Fan Mail Jesus Is My Ride or Die Sermon # 28 2024-2025 Conference Year  Delivered April 13, 2025 at Greater Bethel AME Church – Athens, Georgia  Scripture Reference: John 12:12–19 (The Message) In this bold and timely Palm Sunday sermon, Pastor Marben Bland challenges us with a simple but life-changing question: If Jesus is riding for you—are you riding with Him? 🙌🏾 Major Points: Follow...

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 term "ride or die" originally comes from biker culture, where it described someone who would ride with you no matter what, even if it meant facing danger or death. It has come to mean someone who is fiercely loyal, standing by your side through thick and thin....

Send us Fan Mail I am Marben Bland, Pastor Of The Greater Bethel AME Church In Athens, Georgia with a living the Word Moment  CBS News reports that President Trump has fired around 200,000 federal employees across more than a dozen agencies. While some applaud the cuts as gains in efficiency, I must ask: Are these gains worth the human cost? To follow Jesus is to be moved by loss. Jesus was close...

Send us Fan Mail This powerful Lenten message from Pastor Marben Bland, explores what it truly means to keep our eyes on the prize—not temporary success, but a deep, enduring relationship with Christ. 🏀 From March Madness to spiritual endurance, Pastor Bland draws inspiration from:  ✅ The tragedy of the 1977 Evansville basketball team  ✅ The tension faced by early Christians who chose “Jesus is...

Send us Fan Mail "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." I am Marben Bland, Pastor of The Greater Bethel AME Church in Athens, Georgia with a Living The Word Moment. Life is full of distractions—worries about money, success, and the future can cloud our vision. But in the Sermon on the Mount , Jesus gives us a clear directive:...

Send us Fan Mail As we enter this 40-day journey of Lent, Ash Wednesday reminds us of the paradox of faith: when we give to God, we receive more than we could ever imagine. Jesus tells us, "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap" (Luke 6:38). Lent is a season of surrender—giving up distractions, comf...

Send us Fan Mail This weekend at the St. Julian of Norwich Episcopal Church Men's Retreat in Austin, Texas, Rev. Marben Bland, Pastor of Greater Bethel AME Church in Athens, Georgia , delivered a powerful message on the Transfiguration of Jesus and how knowing our Spiritual Why shapes our faith, relationships, and service. Like Jesus on the mountaintop, we experienced divine moments of clarit...

Send us Fan Mail I am Marben Bland Pastor of the Greater Bethel AME Church In Athens, Georgia with a Living The Word Moment  A spiritual why is the deeper purpose that fuels our faith, keeping us aligned with God’s will even in moments of weakness. King David, a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14), lost sight of his spiritual why when he pursued Bathsheba, leading to sin and suffering (2 Sa...

Send us Fan Mail In Pastor Marben Bland’s sermon “A Faith Worth Fighting For,” we’re challenged to actively defend our salvation—as 1 Timothy 6:12 urges us to “fight the good fight of faith.” Pastor Bland reminds us that faith isn’t passive—it demands daily prayer, immersion in God’s word, and a united community. Just as 1 Peter 1:18–19 teaches about Christ’s supreme sacrifice; we’re called to cou...

Send us Fan Mail I have reached the age where people my age are passing away. Since August 2024, four contemporaries who have gone home to be with the Lord. The thought of my own death does not trouble me, but the idea of leaving this world without being in right relationship with the Lord is terrifying. The Apostle Peter wrote to believers facing persecution and death by the Roman Empire, urging...

Send us Fan Mail I am Marben Bland, Pastor Of Greater Bethel AME Athens with a living the word moment   1 Timothy 6:12  reminds us to “Fight the good fight of the faith Salvation, like our American democracy, is worth fighting for – today both are under attack. We are in a spiritual battle. The enemy seeks to distract, discourage, and deceive us into believing that our salvation isn’t worth the fi...

Send us Fan Mail What do you truly need to live a full and meaningful life? Is it family, success, health, or financial security? The truth is, all of these things are temporary. The only thing you REALLY need is God. 🙌 Acts 17:28 reminds us: "For in Him we live and move and have our being." Everything we have—our breath, our strength, our very existence—comes from Him. We may lose peop...

Send us Fan Mail This is  Marben Bland, Pastor of The Greater Bethel AME Church in Athens, Georgia with some wonderful news.   Greater Bethel has been named as the Sixth Episcopal District’s “Church of the Year” for 2024 by the Sixth Episcopal District Lay Organization . This prestigious recognition celebrates Greater Bethel’s unwavering commitment to faith, community service, and spiritual leader...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful sermon, from Pastor Marben Bland, the message is clear—white supremacy creates “boogeymen” to maintain its dominance. DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) has been weaponized as a scapegoat for societal failures, when in reality, it is a path toward justice and fairness. Just as Peter was divinely educated to embrace the Gentiles, we are called to reject false n...

Send us Fan Mail I loved the summer days of my youth. The long, sun-drenched days in the Georgia outback were filled with heat, adventure, and endless fun as I explored and expanded my world. That expansion came each summer when a kid from Chicago visited his grandmother next door. His name was Mark Lawson, and I was in awe—not just of his accent, but of the details he shared about life in a city...