Pontificating Pastors

This is the one where Michael and Nate hang out on the campus of Southern Nazarene University right across from where the prayer chapel used to stand. We talk about sacred spaces and how they shape us as a people. Ultimately we look at what makes a space "sacred."

In this episode, Michael shares a story about Nate's driving and the fact that we are both thankful to be alive. We hope that Judah isn't scarred for life. We finally end up somehow talking about the idea of free will, and how that works out in our salvation. 

In this episode, we discuss Michael's hobby of creating works of Art. We also learn that Nate went through an art phase which ultimately ended with one of his pieces of art being thrown in a trash chute. We discover that the prophets might have been more street performer than orators and we discuss the role of art in the Church. We ultimately find that both pastors and laypeople have both a huge privilege and responsibility to become those who paint pictures of God to those around them! 

This is the one where Nate drives down to Camp Bond to hear Michael preach and where we record a podcast LIVE, in the same room! It's also the one where we talk about the Holy Spirit as a force field, where Brett Armstrong's CPR Dummies are freaking us out, where Nate talks about the song he wants played at his funeral, and where ultimately we just really enjoy getting to do an episode live. 

This is the one where we get together after a couple busy summer months and make sure everyone knows we are still alive! It's the one where Michael has come back from vacation and running into Brent, and where our kids ran into each other at NYC.  We also learn about Nate's new Bonsai habit and the book that cam from it, where Michael wants to grow a sycamore tree, and where Brent gets a motorcycle. Ultimately it's the one where we talk about the idea that ministry can't be automated, but rather helping people find their passion!

In this episode, we talk about our tendency to want to know who is in and who is out. We talk about Jesus' tendency to want to reframe the question when he was faced with similar questions. We also see that what Jesus ultimately does for us is to set us free to love and to allow the Holy Spirit to convict. We also catch up a bit after being off air for a month with the craziness of Easter, Michael getting ready for Maggie's graduation and Nate preparing for Nathan's wedding!

This is the one about salvation. This is the one where Joe Ibanez joins Nate to pontificate with Michael from their class in San Diego. We discuss the idea of what it means to be saved, how we handle our anger with God, and even whether we can "lose our salvation." It's the one where we realize that God is big enough to handle our anger, that salvation ultimately comes from God, and that we have a great opportunity to respond to the salvation God is offering to us!

This is the one where Michael has just returned from a Nazarene gathering in Kansas City and Nate has just returned from Hawaii. It's also the one where Dray isn't sure we answered his question, and the one where we ATTEMPT to answer Lauren's question about what to do with our anger and when anger is righteous. Ultimately it's the one that we realize that acknowledging our anger might be the first step to seeing anger redemptively.

This is the one where we answer Dray Murray's question. It's the one where we get to be together in one place with our mutual friend Pastor Brent Green sipping on some amazing coffee from Sommer Moon Coffee Company. It's the one where we talk about what it means to be "political' and how pastors should handle politics in the pulpit and in our world. It's not the one where we talk about Paula's tics by the way...

This is the episode where we begin answering listener questions. It's the one where Morgan's question about if Heaven is here or someone else gets us talking about the afterlife, where we somehow end up talking about heretics and then weaving all that into talking about Josh's question about sanctification. Somewhere along the way we talk about random items from the Lego Movie to the Chronicles of Narnia, and even the hit worship song "I Can Only Imagine."

This is the one where we pontificate on our first question from 2019 about why the Old Testament God and Jesus look so different and are often pitted against each other. It's the one where Nate goes to work with his wife for a day, where Shelley is getting up at ungodly hours, where we lament that many Christians simply need the blood of Jesus. Ultimately, it is the one where we take on the big question of "How do the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus make us right with God?" (The one about Atonement for you theology types...)

This is the one where we challenge Julie Andrews about starting at the very beginning being a very good place to start.  The is the one where we start the New Year at the END. It's the one about end times, about Armageddon, etc. It's the one where we argue that reading the End first, helps us interpret the previous sections of scripture. It's the one where Mason Harrell gets a shout out, where Nate's snow day watching of the Lord of the Rings launches the guys into a discussion about eschatology (end things), and where Michael and Nate realize they have different tastes in movies.  Ultimately it's the one where we realize that the conquering king is the slaughtered lamb.

This is the one where we are joined by Immanuel right before Christmas. We talk about the season of Advent and what it means to wait in a culture that hates waiting. (I bet you can't wait to hear it!)

This is the one where we talk Christmas traditions, where we find out Santa goes to Michael's Church, and where Immanuel Brooks gets a shoutout! (Seemed only fitting!) It's also the one where we find out that Nate doesn't decorate the outside of his house to keep Elon Musk happy, and where we discover that Piggs do fly! Ultimately its the one where we almost Pontificate ourselves to death!

This is the one where Nate has just returned from the "Minister and Mates" retreat in Branson, MO. Where Nate sees "Little E" - who is not so little anymore. It's the one where Michael gets a turkey fryer and the guys discuss everything from "the pink stuff" at Thanksgiving dinner to Black Friday shopping. Ultimately, it's the one where we acknowledge that while being grateful all year long is a good idea, Thanksgiving Day is always a good time to start!

This is the one where... Well, we'll just make you listen to find out!

This is the one where Nate and Michael FINALLY get to talk after a two week hiatus! It's the one where we talk about the role of the Psalms in our prayer lives, where Nate learns to curse during prayer from a group of nuns, and where ultimately we decide that worship should be, first and foremost, honest!

This is the one where we talk about weddings. It's the one where Nate does a foot washing during a wedding, where we find out Michael cried at his wedding and Nate was hung over for his wedding. It's the one where we talk about making a lifelong covenant, and where, ultimately, we'd both do it all over again!

This is the one where Nate goes to a preaching conference and somehow ends up in the SNU students group chat. It's the one where Michael isn't there and Nate ends up sitting down with some current SNU students to talk about life, preaching, meeting random people at 1 AM, and the wonderful town of Kansas City. Ultimately, it's the one where we learn that preaching is an area where we are always learning!

This is the one where we talk about Communion. It's the one where communion tastes better than boogers and fingernails, the one where we examine some favorite communion fails, and where we find out that Nate has his son hooked on Gregorian chants. It's the one where we talk about the fact that HOW we receive the sacrament often says a lot about what we believe, and we examine what kind of community the communion meal calls us to be. Ultimately, it's the one where we realize that we all could stand to receive grace a little more often.