The Source Houston

In the middle chapters of “The New Jim Crow,” Michelle Alexander breaks down racism baked into the justice system, and the group talks about being raised with different expectations, and passing those lessons along to their children. Plus, the exhaustion that comes with constantly being teachers, but the responsibilities we have to educate the people that we talk to. Got a question or a response?...

On our first podcast discussing “The New Jim Crow,” Andy and Donyale are joined by Trinity United Methodist’s Deirdre Barrett. The group discusses what stands out in the early chapters of Michelle Alexander’s book, including her statement that “colorblindness is not the answer, it’s the problem.” The discussion fans out into the call each member felt like the book put on them, including learning t...

Ken hammers home the point of being a people of action, even if that action is messy and difficult. “We can only claim to be a people of mercy if we practice mercy. To claim otherwise is damaging.” Plus, why Ken's daughter decided she must be God. thesourcehouston.org

A pretty straightforward question leads to a surprisingly fun and revealing conversation as the group each talks about their favorite sections of the Bible. Got a question? Ask us at fmhouston.com/ama!

Are you seeking the goodness of God or the ways of the world? We are called to listen to Gods wisdom and goodness. We listen, we reflect, and we do. We don’t shout, ignore, and distract. How can I reflect on my own self, do good, and seek after Christ? thesourcehouston.org

The group considers the people God chose to destroy in the story of Noah’s ark, and point out the flaws inherent in comparing ourselves to people in the past, both for good and for bad. Ask us a question! Fmhouston.com/ama thesourcehouston.org

Ken decides to get a little Bible-nerdy for a little bit to tell us about the people that first found out about Jesus' resurrection. And in their failings and in their successes, it is a reminder that God has come to save even the darkest parts of us, and find us even in our darkest moments. thesourcehouston.org

During a very tough recording session, the group fights through to talk about metaphor and reality in the Bible, how to approach the gospels, and dealing with matters of faith and the heart. Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama

Ken discusses the importance of the covenant of marriage – “The covenant of marriage was established by God who created us for each other.” This sacred moment of commitment serves as a reminder that we were created to be in relationship with one another and with God. Our relationship with God was broken, and God chose to restore it. He chooses to have a relationship with us and continues to love u...

Today’s question covers a wide span – starting with John Wesley’s abolitionist stance, to the division of the United Methodist church in the run up to the Civil War, to its history within Houston and the Civil Rights movement. Plus, a long look at the ways Scripture has been used to maintain white supremacy in America, and an acknowledgement that this conversation can only be had when we recognize...

Numbers 4 God wants a new life for us - but he will not force you into that life for you. Ken tells the story about how he slowly made the move into that new life. thesourcehouston.org

Genesis 12:11-19 We often assume we need to go to a place to find God, but God is in all things. We can encounter him anywhere. We think our limitations somehow limit God. Jacob was in the middle of a big mess. He was a flawed person. But it didn’t keep God from working in his life. thesourcehouston.org

Andy, Ken, and Ben debate whether the church has a role in talking about personal health, what our role is when your actions affect the health of the whole community, and how best to talk to friends and family about the vaccine. —— Ask us a question! Fmhouston.com/ama

Lent is an opportunity to tune our hearts, to turn back to God, to listen. We need to be people who radically pursue the living God. And we need to be reminded of that, to be brought back to that mindset. As the church, we both radically pursue and love others, and we practice our faith. And as we do that, we become more of who God called us to be. It changes what we value in this life. thesourceh...

A questioner wants to know how you’re supposed to treat other people with compassion when it’s difficult for you to treat yourself the same way. The gang talks about mental health, how God’s goodness affects how you interact with the world, and get honest about some of their own struggles. —— Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama

Proverbs 3:5-6 Being faithful to someone else, to truly trust someone, you have to be 100% in. And you get there in two different ways: through love, and humility. There’s an expression, “let go, and let God.” But this isn’t a one-time decision. God is 100% in - it’s up to us to take that step to match him, over and over again. Are we 100% in, or not? thesourcehouston.org

A member who remembers growing up with separate schools and water fountains wonders about how long the process will take before full racial healing is reached. The group talks about the process of doing work on yourself, what it means to try and become someone who brings about change, and how we need to pass things on to the next generation after us. A new podcast series on “The New Jim Crow” is c...

A nice moment in the snow finishes with disaster at the house. Ken comes to us from his destroyed garage to talk about how the love of God we show should be an outpouring of the love we have inside us. thesourcehouston.org

Jesus tells the people to “love one another” - telling them to love as HE has loved THEM. It raises the stakes, because the only way they could do that is by God’s grace. She proposes a new hashtag: #loveisourlogo As we look at this week’s spiritual, “Lord I Want To Be A Christian,” the slaves who wrote the lyrics understood that the love that Jesus was offering was different from the love that th...

A listener confides that the way the Bible pushes “the fear of God” terrifies them – is that supposed to be the point? The group discusses some of the roots of the term in the Bible, how Jesus fits into all this, and the way we need to be aware of people’s experience when talking about the Bible. Ask us a question! Fmhouston.com/ama

The community created in Acts speaks to something powerful in us that has been intended from the very beginning. We need each other. We need these deep relationships - they are a fulfillment God intended. Pandemic has made us long for these things, as they are harder to get. But it doesn’t mean we can’t explore ways to go deeper. What spaces can YOU create? thesourcehouston.org

A question asking about whether brokenness is a good thing or not takes the group all over the Bible, through Old Testament and New, as they discuss the various ways God combats brokenness in the Scriptures, and what it is that he desires for us. —— Got a question? Send it to us at fmhouston.com/ama! thesourcehouston.org

Ken learned by accident that his wife Whitney is much funnier than he is. And that’s partially because Whitney is always willing to tell the truth. That truth-telling needs to translate into our own lives. Our message needs to be that everyone, no matter who they are, step into the space and hear, “you have worth.” And no matter what the world throws at us, we are called to endure. And we can have...

The group sorts through the various ways Scripture is viewed by modern-day Christians, try to differentiate between historical events and metaphorical stories, and knock down some common misconceptions. ——— Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama thesourcehouston.org

We are at a moment, a decision point. Because the world has changed. And coming out of this moment, there are things that are going to need pruning. But pruning means that growth can happen. Pruning means that fruit can go stronger. Being a peacekeeper is difficult - yet it’s touching something eternal. Jesus calls us to be peacekeepers in the middle of hate, and that’s hard. But it’s always worth...