Crackers and Grape Juice

Why does the church spend so much time talking about Advent? Isn't Christmas about fighting the culture wars and getting upset about the cups at Starbucks? There could be more to Advent than what you're being told on Sunday mornings.

Morgan and Mike talk about growing up as weird nerdy kids. Mike shares about his loss of faith and powerful encounter with Jesus on the beach that brought him back to Christianity. Then Mike talks about the brain science of fundamentalism and other nerdy topics.

For Episode 58, Teer and Morgan caught up with Mike Morrell to talk about his new book with Richard Rohr, The Divine Dance.

Teer linked up with an all-star lineup for a conversation about Jason's new book, "Cancer is Funny." JC Herz, Tony Jones, Todd Littleton, Jeff Pugh, and Kendall Soulen chimed in on why cancer is funny and why this book is needed in our theological discussions. All of the guests know Jason from different arenas of Jason's life and because of that you will hear differing perspectives on Jason's newest book.

Max Kuecker and Jane Liu worked for years with Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, an evangelical college ministry that recently decided to purge its LGBT-affirming leadership. Max and Jane have launched Incarnation Ministries, an LGBT-affirming evangelical college ministry.

In the wake of the 2016 election, Morgan talks with Suhuey and Jen, United Methodist Hispanic Youth, about how racism recently intruded upon a gathering of youth in North Carolina.

In one of our best conversations yet, Jason and Taylor talk with Becca Stevens. Becca is an Episcopal priest at Vanderbilt Chapel in Nashville, Tennessee, author of Snake Oil and many other books, and, most importantly, she is the founder of Thistle Farms, the largest social enterprise in the U.S. run by survivors of sex trafficking. She's also up for CNN's Hero award. Voting is open until 12/6 and you can vote as many as 10x/day - please support this impressive endeavor. I don't throw around the term 'blessed' very often but that's how I felt for having gotten the change to talk with Becca.

In this episode, Jason and Taylor talk with Kenneth Tanner and Fleming Rutledge about a variety of subjects including preaching preparation, Black Lives Matter, difficult sermons, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

Somehow Teer & Jason got David Fitch fired up about Faithful Presence. In Faithful Presence, noted pastor and scholar David Fitch offers a new vision for the witness of the church in the world. He argues that we have lost the intent and practice of the sacramental ways of the historic church, and he recovers seven disciplines that have been with us since the birth of the church.

Jason, Teer, and Fleming react to Tuesday's election. Fleming reflects on Daniel's prayer and helps us understand how we are agents of God.