To Be The Church

We’ve been gone for a minute… okay, more like six weeks. In this episode of To Be The Church, we explain why the podcast went dark for a bit, what we’ve been working on behind the scenes, and why we’re filming from a brand new set. (Spoiler: it has to do with our NGC 101 membership class.)We also dive into one of the biggest changes in our church’s recent history—our new name—and talk about what it means moving forward.Contact us at podcast@tobethechurch.comSocial Media:Instagram.com/tobethechurchfacebook.com/tobethechurchyoutube.com/tobethechurch

A listener asks why NGC doesn’t observe Ash Wednesday or Lent, given their background in a church that did. In this episode, we discuss how we approach the church calendar—using it when helpful but not feeling bound by tradition. Is Lent something Christians should observe? Can it be beneficial? We break it all down.Contact us at podcast@tobethechurch.comSocial Media:Instagram.com/tobethechurchfacebook.com/tobethechurchyoutube.com/tobethechurch

This week, Andrew and Tyler discuss their time at the Church Ventures conference, where Andrew preached to a room full of pastors. They explore the differences between preparing a sermon for pastors versus a typical congregation, the unique challenges of preaching to preachers, and Andrew’s process for sermon preparation.Ask a question by emailing podcast@tobethechurch.comSocial Media:Instagram.com/tobethechurchfacebook.com/tobethechurchyoutube.com/tobethechurch

It’s time for another round of Lyrical Analysis! This week, a listener sent in some wild hymn rewrites from an album called Reclaimed Hymns for Former Church Kids—where classic church songs get a secular, anti-religious twist. The guys break down the lyrics, have some laughs, and talk about why the “gospel” in these songs is no gospel at all. What’s the heart and world view behind these rewrites? Ask a question by emailing podcast@tobethechurch.com or comment below.Social Media:Instagram.com/tobethechurchfacebook.com/tobethechurchyoutube.com/tobethechurch

In this episode, Andrew, Tyler, and Ben dive into the question: Should church leaders be concerned with the personal beliefs and statements of worship songwriters, or just the lyrics we sing on Sundays? They also explore how this applies to quoting preachers and authors—should their theology and public statements affect whether we reference their work in our churches? Contact us at podcast@tobethechurch.comSocial Media:Instagram.com/tobethechurchfacebook.com/tobethechurchyoutube.com/tobethechurch

This week, the guys dive into the encounter between Joshua and the Commander of the Lord’s Army in Joshua 5 and 6. Was this a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus, or an embodiment of God's divine presence?Contact us at podcast@tobethechurch.comSocial Media:Instagram.com/tobethechurchfacebook.com/tobethechurchyoutube.com/tobethechurch

Snowed in? No problem. This week, the guys jump on Zoom to tackle an important topic: how to handle Old Testament passages with care—both in preaching and in musical worship songs. Haven't watched us on youtube. Head to youtube.com/tobethechurch to check out the channel.Contact us at podcast@tobethechurch.comSocial Media:Instagram.com/tobethechurchfacebook.com/tobethechurchyoutube.com/tobethechurch

Today on TBTC, the guys discuss Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde's plea to President Donald Trump during a national interfaith prayer gathering earlier this week, the recent history of the Episcopal Church & prominent religious leaders within politics. Read Andrew's book recommendation here: 10 Commandments of Progressive Christianity By: Michael J. Krugerhttps://www.amazon.com/Commandments-Progressive-Christianity-Cruciform-Quick-ebook/dp/B0821X99RMAsk a question by emailing podcast@tobethechurch.com or comment below.Social Media:Instagram.com/tobethechurchfacebook.com/tobethechurchyoutube.com/@UCWZ70CgsjgmfIpmqWJ3EJHQ

At The Family of Churches, we began teaching through the book of Joshua. Andrew and Ben talk about how Northwest Gospel and the other preachers will be approaching this Old Testament Historical Narrative, as well as how to handle most of the OT. Tyler asks how this affects people who have heard preaching counter to how they do it.Contact us at podcast@tobethechurch.comInstagram.com/tobethechurchfacebook.com/tobethechurchyoutube.com/tobethechurch

Today is Quitter's Day. Have you kept up with your New Year's resolutions? If you have, what are yours? Today, the guys talk about their personal New Year resolutions as well as a quote one of the local lead pastors shared with them on God's grace of giving us a fresh start.Contact us at podcast@tobethechurch.comSocial Media:Instagram.com/tobethechurchfacebook.com/tobethechurchyoutube.com/tobethechurch