What the Hell is a Pastor?

In which Spanks and the Dude talk (eventually) about where hope(ish) comes from.  Ready for Jesus to come back tomorrow? You can give us some of that material wealth that's weighing you down over on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wthiap . Want to send us a suggestion for a minisode topic? Email us at wtheckisapastor@gmail.com. Like Twitter? We do too, we guess. Find us under the handle @wth...

In which Rabbi Mike joins Jo to discuss what it takes to become a rabbi, psych evals in the ordination process, talking to God, congregational dynamics, and more!  You can find Rabbi Mike on twitter @RabbiHarvey and @JudaismMe, and on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4vNAB0lVE4munW_znGdEtQ .  Keep your eyes out for his upcoming book, Rabbis are People Too here: https://yourba...

In which the Dude explains her new ministry plans to Spanks Rebok, gets some feedback, and share the story of a 1857 book by Philip Gosse, Omphalos: An Attempt to Untie the Geological Knot .  Ready for Jesus to come back tomorrow? You can give us some of that material wealth that's weighing you down over on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wthiap . Want to send us a suggestion for a minisode...

In which Ethan and Jo discuss learning languages, biblical hermeneutics, suspicious preaching, education, and epistemology. It really is quite a journey.  Feeling sympathy pains for that grad school/funemployment life? Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wthiap . Have thoughts about what we said, want to send us a reading list, or, apparently, give us ideas about Patreon tiers? Ema...

In which Spanks regales the Dude with stories from the career of pro wrestler Mick Foley.  Ready for Jesus to come back tomorrow? You can give us some of that material wealth that's weighing you down over on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wthiap . Want to send us a suggestion for a minisode topic? Email us at wtheckisapastor@gmail.com. Like Twitter? We do too, we guess. Find us under the ha...

In which Spanks and the Dude discuss when and how to teach about the Trinity. Ready for Jesus to come back tomorrow? You can give us some of that material wealth that's weighing you down over on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wthiap . Want to send us a suggestion for a minisode topic? Email us at wtheckisapastor@gmail.com. Like Twitter? We do too, we guess. Find us under the handle @wthisapastor...

In which Ethan and Jo discuss the deep wisdom hidden in the Book of Discipline and how there are just some situations in which everyone looks bad.  Feeling sympathy pains for that grad school/funemployment life? Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wthiap . Have thoughts about what we said, want to send us a reading list, or, apparently, give us ideas about Patreon tiers? Email us a...

In which Quaker Oats joins Spanks and the Dude to talk social media platforms and how we use them.  Ready for Jesus to come back tomorrow? You can give us some of that material wealth that's weighing you down over on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wthiap . Want to send us a suggestion for a minisode topic? Email us at wtheckisapastor@gmail.com. Like Twitter? We do too, we guess. Find us und...

In which a friend of the pod comes on to talk about applying for college, surviving COVID high school, and his hopes for Christian community after leaving his small town life.  Feeling sympathy pains for that grad school/funemployment life? Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wthiap . Have thoughts about what we said, want to send us a reading list, or, apparently, give us ideas ab...

In which Spanks regales the Dude with a pro wrestling story for the ages, asides included.  Ready for Jesus to come back tomorrow? You can give us some of that material wealth that's weighing you down over on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wthiap . Want to send us a suggestion for a minisode topic? Email us at wtheckisapastor@gmail.com. Like Twitter? We do too, we guess. Find us under the h...

In which Ethan and Jo talk through theories of religion and Ethan shares stories from ministerium meetings of yore.  Feeling sympathy pains for that grad school/funemployment life? Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wthiap . Have thoughts about what we said, want to send us a reading list, or, apparently, give us ideas about Patreon tiers? Email us at wtheckisapastor@gmail.com. &n...

In which Spanks and the Dude talk about the movies that taught them to be weird and love others.  Ready for Jesus to come back tomorrow? You can give us some of that material wealth that's weighing you down over on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wthiap . Want to send us a suggestion for a minisode topic? Email us at wtheckisapastor@gmail.com. Like Twitter? We do too, we guess. Find us under...

In Jo gives an update on her pastoral tax situation, her job situation, and drags Ethan into a discourse about starting their own church.  Feeling sympathy pains for that grad school/funemployment life? Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wthiap . Have thoughts about what we said, want to send us a reading list, or, apparently, give us ideas about Patreon tiers? Email us at wthecki...

In which Spanks and the Dude talk about the connection between a pro wrestling construct, evangelicals, and conservatives in the United States, plus a discussion of the joys of Schitt's Creek and the quasi-dystopia that is the emotional intelligence of Daniel Tiger, which you can watch right now, for free, on the PBS kids app!  Ready for Jesus to come back tomorrow? You can give us some of th...

In which the duo talk about Mother's Day and Ethan shares some updates.  And hey, whether you have someone who mothered you or whether you mostly mothered yourself and others, whether your mom is here and loving you or whether your mom is somewhere else or not able to love you as well as you deserve, we think you're pretty great. Don't let anyone tell you any different, especially from the pu...

In which Pastor Nick joins Ethan to talk about a pastor's social capital, what trust really looks like, and how to leave a ministry that you've outgrown but are still proud of.  Feeling sympathy pains for that grad school/funemployment life? Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wthiap . Have thoughts about what we said, want to send us a reading list, or, apparently, give us ideas a...

In which Lars visits the pod again to talk pop culture and other sundry items with Spanks while the Dude takes a break.  Ready for Jesus to come back tomorrow? You can give us some of that material wealth that's weighing you down over on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wthiap . Want to send us a suggestion for a minisode topic? Email us at wtheckisapastor@gmail.com. Like Twitter? We do too,...

It's like in My Favorite Murder, you know? Where they talk and talk about things that have nothing to do with murder, for like 40 minutes? And then people who really care about murder just skip that part? Well, this is all stuff that those people would skip, if those kind of people listened to our podcast. Spanks updates the Dude on some non-political news about politicians, the duo round out thei...

In which Ethan and Jo talk mostly about preaching.  Feeling sympathy pains for that grad school/funemployment life? Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wthiap . Have thoughts about what we said, want to send us a reading list, or, apparently, give us ideas about Patreon tiers? Email us at wtheckisapastor@gmail.com.   Like Twitter? We do too, we guess. Find us under the handle...

In which Ian sticks around for a couple extra minutes to chat about Falcon and the Winter Soldier after episode 5. Spoilers spoilers spoilers, but stick around for a post-credits treat!  We also strongly recommend listening to What Would Peggy Carter Do? by Kate Nyx .  Finally ready to cave? Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wthiap . Have thoughts about what we said, want to...

In which Spanks and the Dude discuss Joerg Rieger's No Religion But Social Religion .  Ready for Jesus to come back tomorrow? You can give us some of that material wealth that's weighing you down over on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wthiap . Want to send us a suggestion for a minisode topic? Email us at wtheckisapastor@gmail.com. Like Twitter? We do too, we guess. Find us under the handle...

In which Ian again joins Ethan and Jo to discuss a recent Judicial Council announcement.  Here's the post that spurred our conversation: https://www.facebook.com/umcbishops/posts/1126963891119043 And here's Rev. Jeremy Smith's thread on the WCA's GMC meeting: https://twitter.com/umjeremy/status/1383440552276860929 You should definitely be following him on Twitter, if you aren't already. ...

...yeah, turns out this whole church thing isn't about any of that at all. Ian joins Ethan and Jo to talk about what reforming the UMC might look like if the church, you know, did its damn job.  Feeling sympathy pains for that grad school/funemployment life? Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wthiap . Have thoughts about what we said, want to send us a reading list, or, apparently...

In which Spanks and the Dude discuss Charisma and the Fictions of Black Leadership by Erica R. Edwards . Other books to add to your reading list include:  Black Empire by George S. Schuyler Paradise by Toni Morrison The White Boy Shuffle by Paul Beatty and of course, Moses, Man of the Mountain by Zora Neale Hurston Ready for Jesus to come back tomorrow? You can give us some of that material w...

In which Ethan and Jo clarify their hopes for LMX, think through activism, ministry, and PhD life, and have a short but meaningful discussion about Falcon and the Winter Soldiers, with maybe some spoilers?  Feeling sympathy pains for that grad school/funemployment life? Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wthiap . Have thoughts about what we said, want to send us a reading list, or...