Formed

What does being in vocational ministry mean? Barry, Sissy, and Isaac talk about their paths into ministry and what being in ministry consists of. What are some of the hardest parts about being in ministry? What are the rewarding parts? What are misconceptions about being in ministry? The crew wraps up the episode by playing a little Christmas version of This or That. -Start here: http://www.irving...

You know the gist of the Christmas story, but what are some parts of the story that are often overlooked? Barry, Sissy, and Isaac talk about the Christmas story in the Bible and parts of the story that are sometimes undervalued or overlooked. Who is an underrated person in the story? What is a part of the story that a lot of people don't know? How has the story changed your life?  Also, who is San...

We've all heard the word, but what does Advent really mean? Barry, Sissy, and Isaac talk about the origination of Advent and what the season leading up to the birth of Jesus is meant for. What is the history behind the word Advent? What traditions are associated with the Advent season and the church? For people who didn't grow up recognizing Advent, why is it special to recognize it? What are the...

Let's talk about religion and politics. Barry, Sissy, and Isaac talk about the relationship between the church and politics. Why do some churches talk about politics and some don't? How did faith and politics intersect in the early church? Is there anything in the Bible about voting? How do we navigate the polarization over the last few years? How do we approach the next year ahead? The crew wraps...

Does friendship come easy for you? Barry, Sissy, and Isaac talk about the complicated, but rewarding area of friendship. Do you have to have friends? What is a spiritual friendship? What friendship in the Bible can we learn from? What qualities should we look for in a friend? The crew wraps up the episode by talking about...oreos. -Start here: http://www.irvingbible.org/new Want to follow us on so...

It's spooky season. Barry, Sissy, and Isaac talk about Halloween and how Christians respond to it. What is the history of Halloween? Should Christians celebrate the holiday? But what about the glorification of demons and Satan? How can parents approach the subject with kids? The crew wraps up the episode by fantasy drafting their favorite Halloween candy. Does anyone else besides Isaac like candy...

What is a pastoral response to the conflict in Israel and Palestine? Barry, Sissy, and Isaac discuss the recent events that have unfolded in Israel. What is the reason for the recent escalation? Why is Israel important, in particular to the Christian church? What is a pastoral response to the situation? What is our role as western Christians? -Start here: http://www.irvingbible.org/new Want to fol...

Is baptism necessary for salvation? Barry, Sissy, and Isaac dive into the topic of baptism and all the questions around it. Why are there multiple methods of baptism? When did we first see baptism in the Bible? Why do we celebrate baptisms in the church? What are the personal baptism stories of Barry, Sissy, and Isaac? The crew wraps up the episode by debating the Texas State Fair.  -Start here: h...

How do you balance knowledge, faith, and deconstruction? Barry, Sissy, and Isaac continue their conversation around deconstruction and what it really means to deconstruct. What are some passages in the Bible that relate to deconstruction? Did anyone in the Bible deconstruct? Why is it healthy to revisit what you believe? What advice would you give to anyone deconstructing? *This is part two of the...

What exactly does it mean to "deconstruct" your faith? Barry, Sissy, and Isaac discuss one of the more talked about subjects of evangelicalism of the past five years—deconstruction. In the first of a two-part episode, the crew tries to define what deconstruction means and some of the common thoughts around it. Does deconstruct mean abandoning your faith? What causes it? Can you fail at it? Can it...

When tragedy hits, where do you go with your faith? Barry, Sissy, and Isaac discuss the day of September 11, 2001 and our relationship with the Lord on days of tragedy. Sissy shares personal stories of being in downtown New York City during the attacks and the aftermath to follow. Why did church attendance skyrocket the Sunday after 9/11? What are we searching for in those moments? When the next d...

God worked. Jesus worked. We work. But why? Barry, Sissy, and Isaac discuss the topic work and why having a theology of work is important for each of us. How do we guard our jobs from becoming our idol? How does the creation story apply to us working today? Will we work in heaven? The crew wraps up the episode by sharing the worst jobs. And spoiler, Barry was a math teacher. Want to know more abou...

What does the church and culture get wrong about singleness? Barry, Sissy, and Isaac discuss the topic of singleness and how the church/cutlure views people who are single. Does committing to be single mean committing to be lonely? How does someone know if they are called to be single? What does Jesus say about being single? What if you are single but don't want to be single? The crew wraps up the...

Becoming the best leader starts with becoming the best version of yourself. Barry, Sissy, and Isaac dive into the topic of the rule of life and the impact of arranging our days with a purpose. What is the relationship between vision, implementation, and means? Why is it easy to overlook ourselves when leading others? Can you be a good leader and ignore yourself? What are the rhythms and habits tha...

"Whatever you continue to worry about is the clearest indication of what you have yet to surrender to God" - Dallas Willard Barry, Sissy, and Isaac dive into the topic of worry and how it can control our lives. What is the difference between worry, fear, and anxiety? What is the relationship between worry and our faith? Is the solution to worry…surrender? What are some practical steps to eliminate...

What are the signs that you need to take a break? Barry is back! Barry, Sissy, and Isaac discuss Barry's three month, pastoral sabbitcal and how God refined him in the break. They then talk about warning signs for when we all need breaks, the dos & don'ts during time away, entering back into the real world, and what breaks looked like for Jesus. The crew wraps up the episode by getting Barry's tak...

Is there really that big of a difference between being a believer in the North vs. the South? Sissy and Isaac ride as a duo this week as they talk about how Christianity looks in the Northeast parts of the United States vs. the South. What does hospitality look like? Does evangelism changed based off region? Which states are the most unchurched states in the country? Growing up with your faith as...

What is 1 Timothy 2 really saying about the role of women? Sissy and Isaac are joined by Dr. Sandra Glahn, professor of Media Arts and Worship at Dallas Theological Seminary, to talk about her upcoming book, Nobody's Mother: Artemis of the Ephesians in Antiquity and the New Testament. Glahn shares her personal experience with this passage and finding her purpose as a woman. What does a greek godde...

How long has "cancel culture" been around? Barry, Sissy, and Isaac talk about the rise of cancel culture and what it actually means. Why is it so dangerous? How do we ride the balance of accountability and grace? How do you navigate having a different opinion than someone? What is the difference between cancel culture and biblical separation? The crew wraps up the episode by sharing their most unp...

How should we approach artificial intelligence? Sissy and Isaac are joined by John Dyer, VP of enrollment services and educational technology; assistant professor of theological studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. They talk about why AI seems to be getting more popular, ways the church is using it for the good, the dangers of it, and more. Plus, how can we view technology through the lens of t...

Do angels have free will? Barry, Sissy, and Isaac answer listener submitted questions in a "mailbag" format. They answer questions around what the church looks like in 5-10 years, Christian leaders doing well, multi-ethnic churches, free will, fashion trends, and more. The crew wraps up the episode discussing their favorite class. Want to know more about who we are? -Start here: http://www.irvingb...

With Father's Day coming up, who are some of your favorite fathers in the Bible? Barry, Sissy, and Isaac talk about fathers we can all learn from in the Bible. Who is an underrated  father in the Bible? Who is the most famous father in the Bible? How has the relationship with your father impacted your faith? The crew wraps up the episode by discussing their favorite international places to visit....

Why is it important to grieve properly? Sissy and Isaac are joined by Trey Grant, Lead Pastor of The Well Church in Keller, Texas. They discuss the difficult, but important topic of grief and mourning. What does it mean to "give yourself permission" to grieve? Is there a healthy way to mourn? Are there any practices to help mourn and grieve? How can the church integrate lament into their practices...

How is the Holy Spirit active in present day? Barry, Sissy, and Isaac answering listener submitted questions in a "mailbag" format. They answer questions around the role of the Holy Spirit, the reputation of the American Church, the phrase "God won't give you more than you can handle", gross food, and more. The crew wraps up the episode discussing their first car and what annoys them about other d...

Why has there been an increase in Asian hate over recent years? Sissy and Isaac are joined by Sam Won 원영삼, Director of Ministry Formation at Dallas Theological Seminary to talk Asian American and Pacific Islander Month and the church. What should people know about the AAPI community? What is a distinctive of the Asian American church? How can the church speak to the pains and frustrations of th...