Shows
The Gospel of Mark Unfolded: A Pastor and Therapist explore the life of YeshuaWeek 25 - The Gospel of MarkIn this episode, David and Sophie explore the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, beginning with Blind Bartimaeus, whose restored sight becomes the final preparation for Jesus’ royal entrance. They discuss how Bartimaeus “sees” Jesus’ true identity before receiving physical vision and how this moment sets the stage for the crowd’s own, though partial, recognition of Jesus as king. David and Sophie examine the rich symbolism drawn from Zechariah 9 and Psalm 118 with the colt, and the spreading of cloaks. They discuss the temple as the meeting place between heaven and earth, the significance of Jesus as the bearer of God’s presence...
2025-11-201h 02The Gospel of Mark Unfolded: A Pastor and Therapist explore the life of YeshuaWeek 24 - The Gospel of MarkIn this episode, David and Sophie discuss the section of Mark where Jesus makes his final turn toward Jerusalem. After predicting his suffering and death, James and John’s make a request to sit at Jesus’ right and left hand. In so doing, they expose the shadow side of leadership and being chosen. David and Sophie unpack the Greek words for “lord it over” and “authority” to reveal how Jesus subverts the world’s patterns of domination and once again redefines greatness as embracing servanthood.
2025-11-131h 02The Gospel of Mark Unfolded: A Pastor and Therapist explore the life of YeshuaWeek 23 - The Gospel of MarkIn this episode, David and Sophie talk about the encounter between Jesus and the rich man who asks, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” They explore how this story connects to Jesus’ teaching about receiving the kingdom like a child and how it reveals that the kingdom of God is deeply relational - not about following a set of do's and don'ts but about loving God, loving neighbor, and being with Jesus.They go on to discuss how Jesus always appeals to our deepest desires, offering not a list of rules to keep but a treasu...
2025-11-081h 01The Gospel of Mark Unfolded: A Pastor and Therapist explore the life of YeshuaWeek 22 - The Gospel of MarkIn this episode, David and Sophie explore the tightly linked passages in Mark 10 where Jesus is tested by the Pharisees about divorce and then immediately welcomes children into his arms. They reflect on how Jesus refuses to be trapped in a legal debate and instead redirects the conversation toward the condition of the heart. Jesus takes us back to Genesis 2 and the original vision of mutual partnership before patriarchy and the fall distorted human relationships in Genesis 3. They consider how Jesus' reference to "hardness of heart" isn't a condemnation but a recognition of the need for both...
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Faithfully Departed: transforming life's wounds into wisdom with a pastor and a therapistDeconstructing the Ritual of MeetingIn this episode, David and Sophie explore the ritual of “meeting” in church life: why many people miss it after deconstruction, what made it vital in the early church, and why today’s gatherings can feel either lifeless or full of energy. Drawing on the Book of Acts and the diversity of the early church, they contrast the predictability of pews and bulletins with the spontaneity of table-centered community.They discuss a movement called “Fresh Expressions" which uses unconventional spaces like a tattoo-parlor church or “Bibles & Burritos,” to build around three core elements: doing something you love, with others...
2025-10-2445 minThe Gospel of Mark Unfolded: A Pastor and Therapist explore the life of YeshuaWeek 21 - The Gospel of MarkIn this episode, David and Sophie explore Jesus’ mysterious words about salt and fire. What does it mean to be “salted with fire”? Together they trace how Jesus’ imagery of salt, yeast, and fire all point to the same inner reality — the places in us that can rot from within and the grace that makes us whole again.The “rot” he names isn’t moral failure so much as the slow decay of trust: the way ego, rivalry, and the hunger to prove ourselves can swell and corrupt the heart. Together, David and Sophie explore how the...
2025-10-1737 minThe Gospel of Mark Unfolded: A Pastor and Therapist explore the life of YeshuaWeek 20 - The Gospel of MarkIn this episode, David and Sophie explore the disciples’ growing rivalry as they argue among themselves about which of them is the greatest. Jesus responds not with rebuke but with redefinition and shows that true greatness comes through humility and service. He places a child among them as his living example, inviting his followers to take on the openness, vulnerability, and curiosity of a child.David and Sophie reflect on what it means to be like a child, to receive a child, and to resist the pull of competition within the life of faith. The conversation moves fr...
2025-10-1553 minThe Gospel of Mark Unfolded: A Pastor and Therapist explore the life of YeshuaWeek 19 - The Gospel of MarkIn this episode David and Sophie journey down the mountain of Transfiguration and join Jesus and the disciples as they encounter a desperate father whose son is tormented by a spirit. We explore the clash between the scribes and the disciples, the father’s haunting plea “I believe, help my unbelief,” and the dramatic healing that follows. We unpack the symbolic meaning of fire and water and explore what it means that some healing happens in the context of prayer.
2025-09-281h 04The Gospel of Mark Unfolded: A Pastor and Therapist explore the life of YeshuaWeek 18 - The Gospel of MarkIn this episode, David and Sophie linger on the mountain of Transfiguration, where Peter, James, and John glimpse Jesus unveiled in radiant glory. They reflect on what it must have been like to see him shining brighter than anything on earth, standing alongside Moses and Elijah, and how this vision confirmed yet also confused the disciples about his true identity. The conversation explores Peter’s instinct to build tents, the Father’s voice declaring Jesus as the Beloved Son, and the command to “listen to him” in light of their struggles to understand a suffering Messiah. They also wre...
2025-09-2747 minFaithfully Departed: transforming life's wounds into wisdom with a pastor and a therapistDeconstructing Toxic EmpathyIn this episode, David and Sophie unpack a troubling trend within conservative Evangelical Christianity: the idea of “toxic empathy.” We explore this concept and remind ourselves that empathy, along with its close companions sympathy and compassion, was one of Jesus’ greatest strengths. The gospels repeatedly describe him as being “moved with compassion.” Why then do some feel the need to contaminate this word?When compassion, empathy, and love of neighbor are rebranded as weaknesses or dangers, the result is not wisdom but a distorted version of Christianity that causes deep harm. To call empathy “toxic” is not to protect peo...
2025-09-211h 08The Gospel of Mark Unfolded: A Pastor and Therapist explore the life of YeshuaWeek 17 - The Gospel of MarkIn this episode, David and Sophie reach the pivotal moment in the Gospel of Mark. Jesus asks the central question, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answers, “Messiah,” but he does not yet understand what that title truly means. When Jesus begins to speak openly about his path of suffering, rejection, and death, the tension between Peter’s expectations for Messiah and Jesus’ unveiling of himself comes to a head. Peter embodies the role of “Satan.” We revisit Jesus’ earlier encounter with “The Satan” in the wilderness who, like Peter now, tempted him with the possibility of being a Messiah withou...
2025-09-191h 07Faithfully Departed: transforming life's wounds into wisdom with a pastor and a therapistDeconstructing Power in the ChurchIn this episode David and Sophie discuss the dynamics of power in the modern church from celebrity and CEO pastors to donor-driven boards and the ways systems protect institutions over people. Drawing from personal experience, we explore why so many are disillusioned and leaving church communities, and what it means to “change the game” rather than keep playing by the world’s rules.
2025-09-1354 minFaithfully Departed: transforming life's wounds into wisdom with a pastor and a therapistDeconstructing "The Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it."In this episode, David and Sophie deconstruct the popular phrase “The Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it.” At first glance, it sounds like a statement of faith. But what’s really behind this instinct? Is it a desire for certainty, a need for control, or even a way of using Scripture as a weapon?We talk honestly about the harm this phrase can cause. When Scripture is wielded as a weapon, it can leave people wounded, silenced, and driven away from faith. We explore our own experience around that as well as talk about what i...
2025-09-0657 minFaithfully Departed: transforming life's wounds into wisdom with a pastor and a therapistDeconstructing love the sinner hate the sinnerIn this episode, David and Sophie tackle one of the most popular religious slogans: “Love the sinner, hate the sin.” Sounds simple and noble right? But what if the very thing others label as "sin" holds the key to our freedom and growth. What if “sinner” was more about social labels and power dynamics than moral reality? And what if Jesus’ willingness to be labeled a sinner himself was the very heart of the good news?Join us as we deconstruct this phrase, rethink how we think about sin and sinners, and discover a Jesus who isn’t...
2025-08-291h 10The Gospel of Mark Unfolded: A Pastor and Therapist explore the life of YeshuaMark Unfolded - Off for the SummerDavid and Sophie have decided to take the rest of the summer off from the Book of Mark study. We'll regroup in the Fall and pick up where we left off with the powerful question Jesus asks in the next section: Who do you say that I am?During the break, we invite you to keep engaging with the Book of Mark. Take time to review, reread, and reflect on what we've covered so far, and let it sink in.Thank you, and we look forward to continuing the journey together in the Fall!!
2025-07-1715 minThe Gospel of Mark Unfolded: A Pastor and Therapist explore the life of YeshuaThe Gospel of Mark - Week 16In this episode, David and Sophie unpack the feeding of the 4,000 in Mark’s Gospel and how it echoes and complicates the earlier feeding of the 5,000. Why do the disciples still not get it? Why are they stuck thinking literally when Jesus is inviting them to think symbolically?We explore what the numbers might mean (5 loaves, 7 baskets), the layers of meaning that never fully exhaust themselves, and Jesus’ pointed warning about the “leaven of the Pharisees and Herod.” What is it about yeast - the tiny agent of transformation or corruption - that makes it such a powerful...
2025-07-101h 02Faithfully Departed: transforming life's wounds into wisdom with a pastor and a therapistJeremy Steele, the skeptical pastorIn this episode, David and Sophie welcome Jeremy Steele, a pastor of the unchurched and host of the Unbelief podcast. Jeremy opens up about what it’s like to be a skeptical pastor and shares his perspective on deconstruction, faith and community.https://jeremy-steele.com/https://unbeliefpodcast.com/
2025-07-041h 07The Gospel of Mark Unfolded: A Pastor and Therapist explore the life of YeshuaThe Gospel of Mark - Week 15In this episode, we explore one of the most striking and boundary-breaking sections of Mark’s Gospel. First, Jesus travels into Gentile territory and meets the Syrophoenician woman - an outsider by every cultural and religious measure. Their conversation, which begins with a challenging metaphor about "dogs" unfolds into a powerful moment of faith, courage, and inclusion, as this remarkable woman claims her place in God’s story.From there, Jesus moves on to the Decapolis, where he encounters a man who is deaf and has a speech impediment. In a profoundly compassionate act, Jesus physically engages the...
2025-07-0432 minFaithfully Departed: transforming life's wounds into wisdom with a pastor and a therapistDeconstructing QueerphobiaDavid and Sophie explore the origins of queerphobia with stories from their own lives.
2025-06-301h 05The Gospel of Mark Unfolded: A Pastor and Therapist explore the life of YeshuaMidpoint Review of the Gospel of MarkIn this week's episode of Mark Unfolded, David and Sophie take a reflective pause to look back on the first 14 weeks of their deep dive into the Gospel of Mark. Each shares five key themes that have stood out to them - threads that have emerged through the stories, questions, and conversations so far. This episode offers both a meaningful review for regular listeners and an accessible on-ramp for anyone looking for a quick way to catch up. Whether you've been with us from the beginning or you're just tuning in, this is a great moment to...
2025-06-1955 minFaithfully Departed: transforming life's wounds into wisdom with a pastor and a therapistDeconstructing DiscipleshipDavid and Sophie explore the topic of discipleship.
2025-06-1459 minThe Gospel of Mark Unfolded: A Pastor and Therapist explore the life of YeshuaThe Gospel of Mark - Week 14In this episode, pastor David Profitt and therapist Sophie Murphy explore one of Yeshua’s most radical teachings in the Gospel of Mark: what defiles a person. As the Pharisees confront Yeshua over tradition and ritual handwashing, we dig into the deeper tension between external religion and internal transformation. Why does Yeshua call out the Corban tradition? What does it mean to be a hypocrite? And what can we learn from the striking list of inner corruptions he names? Join us as we reflect on Yeshua’s call to focus on the inner life.
2025-06-1359 minThe Gospel of Mark Unfolded: A Pastor and Therapist explore the life of YeshuaThe Gospel of Mark - Week 13In this episode, pastor David Profitt and therapist Sophie Murphy dive into one of the most iconic moments in Mark’s Gospel - the feeding of the 5,000 and the mysterious scene of Yeshua walking on the water. We’ll explore the rich symbolism of the wilderness, where Yeshua draws the crowds like a shepherd calling his sheep, echoing the ancient promises of Hosea. We focus on Yeshua's deep compassion and what that says to us today. We'll also reflect on the haunting end of the encounter when Mark declares, “they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were h...
2025-05-151h 05Faithfully Departed: transforming life's wounds into wisdom with a pastor and a therapistDeconstructing PrayerDavid and Sophie explore the topic of prayer and recognize that many of us carry ideas about it that can feel more like personal projections than genuine spiritual practice. How is our understanding of communicating with God affected by our culture and family of origin? Is praying to God any more meaningful or effective than praying to a jug of milk?
2025-05-0955 minThe Gospel of Mark Unfolded: A Pastor and Therapist explore the life of YeshuaThe Gospel of Mark - Week 12In this episode, Pastor David Profitt and Therapist Sophie Murphy explore the confrontation between John the Baptist and Herod Antipas. We revisit John’s identity as a prophet in the wilderness tradition - a man of deep conviction and ascetic discipline, living out his calling with courage and clarity. In contrast, we examine Herod’s inner turmoil: a man who hears truth gladly but, like rocky soil, withers when trials come. We explore how themes of fear, false kingship, and prophetic faithfulness reveal the deeper spiritual struggle beneath the surface. Along the way...
2025-05-0158 minThe Gospel of Mark Unfolded: A Pastor and Therapist explore the life of YeshuaThe Gospel of Mark - Week 11In this episode, Pastor David Profitt and Therapist Sophie Murphy explore two deeply connected movements in Mark’s Gospel: Yeshua’s rejection in his hometown and the sending of the Twelve into the villages of Galilee. We reflect on why familiarity leads to offense, what it means to dishonor a prophet, and how hardened hearts block the work of the kingdom. Next we turn to Yeshua’s radical act of sending his 12 apostles out two by two, with nothing but authority and dependence on hospitality. Along the way, we consider what it means to "rethink how we think"...
2025-04-2455 minFaithfully Departed: transforming life's wounds into wisdom with a pastor and a therapistThe slippery slopeDavid and Sophie explore how conservative Christians often invoke the fear of a 'slippery slope' as a way to resist change, protect certainty, and avoid confronting deeper truths. Through honest conversation, they deconstruct how this fear can block personal and spiritual growth.
2025-04-1151 minFaithfully Departed: transforming life's wounds into wisdom with a pastor and a therapistOn the other sideIn this episode, David & Sophie discuss what it's been like to faithfully leave the Evangelical church and what it's been like on the other side.
2025-04-0454 minThe Gospel of Mark Unfolded: A Pastor and Therapist explore the life of YeshuaThe Gospel of Mark - Week 10In this episode, Pastor David Profitt and Therapist Sophie Murphy explore the powerful, intertwined stories of Jairus and the woman with the flow of blood. These two “daughters” come from opposite ends of the social spectrum - one the child of a synagogue leader, the other an unnamed, ritually unclean woman — but both are drawn into healing and restoration through bold, vulnerable faith. This episode continues the central theme we’ve been tracing throughout Mark: what it means to come to Jesus with faith, to move toward him even in fear, and to be among those on the “ins...
2025-04-0440 minThe Gospel of Mark Unfolded: A Pastor and Therapist explore the life of YeshuaThe Gospel of Mark - Week 9In this episode, Pastor David Profitt and Therapist Sophie Murphy explore two of the most dramatic moments in the Gospel of Mark — the calming of the storm and the healing of the man with the legion of unclean spirits. What do these back-to-back stories reveal about Yeshua's identity, his authority over chaos, and the nature of true faith? We dig into the powerful symbolism of sea and tomb, exploring how Yeshua confronts forces of chaos both outside and within — from the raging storm to the tormented man among the tombs. We reflect on the meaning of lived para...
2025-03-271h 06Faithfully Departed: transforming life's wounds into wisdom with a pastor and a therapistHow therapy saved my soulIn this episode, David shares his story of how therapy provided many of the things he missed growing up in a rigid church environment. David & Sophie also discuss how AI can be a wonderful tool for spiritual growth and development.
2025-03-2558 minThe Gospel of Mark Unfolded: A Pastor and Therapist explore the life of YeshuaThe Gospel of Mark - Week 8In this episode, Pastor David Profitt and Therapist Sophie Murphy dive into the parable of the sower, the lamp under the basket, the scattered seed, and the mustard seed. We explore the "secret" of the kingdom of God and what it means to deepen into the mystery of following Yeshua. We slow down and give time to each parable, asking the same question on everyone's mind who followed him - why does Yeshua speak this way? Why do some walk away unchanged while others find everything? What does it mean to be good soil — an...
2025-03-221h 32The Gospel of Mark Unfolded: A Pastor and Therapist explore the life of YeshuaThe Gospel of Mark - Week 7In this episode, Pastor David Profitt and Therapist Sophie Murphy dive into one of the most intense and revealing sections of Mark’s Gospel. We’ll see Yeshua’s growing fame bring massive crowds as his family tries to rein him in. We’ll also see the religious leaders coming down from Jerusalem to escalate their opposition - going so far as to accuse him of working with Satan. We’ll unpack Yeshua’s first parable as he uses logic and scripture to refute the scribe’s faulty accusation. We’ll investigate the idea of the unforgivable sin - what it is...
2025-03-1356 minThe Gospel of Mark Unfolded: A Pastor and Therapist explore the life of YeshuaThe Gospel of Mark - Week 6In this episode, Pastor David Profitt and Therapist Sophie Murphy explore some of Yeshua’s most powerful and disruptive metaphors - the unshrunk cloth, the new wineskins, and his bold claim to be the long awaited Bridegroom. What was Yeshua saying when he declared himself ‘Lord of the Sabbath’? Why did the Pharisees react so strongly to his teaching? And what does it mean for us today to be a new wineskin, flexible enough to see and join what God is doing? Join us as we unpack these rich images and challenge ourselves to see Yeshua...
2025-03-051h 13The Gospel of Mark Unfolded: A Pastor and Therapist explore the life of YeshuaThe Gospel of Mark - Week 5In this episode, Pastor David Profitt and Therapist Sophie Murphy explore two powerful encounters that challenge expectations of who this Messiah is. Four friends refuse to let anything stand between their paralyzed friend and Jesus - not crowds, not cultural norms, not even a roof. Then, Jesus calls Levi, a tax collector, showing that his mission is to seek out sinners rather than the righteous. But what does it truly mean to be a “sinner?” And what are the implication of Jesus presenting himself as the great physician with a prescription for our health who can heal our...
2025-02-2757 minThe Gospel of Mark Unfolded: A Pastor and Therapist explore the life of YeshuaThe Gospel of Mark - Week 4In this episode, Pastor David Profitt and Therapist Sophie Murphy explore one of Jesus’ most striking healings - the cleansing of a leper. While society isolates this man, fearing contamination and hardening their hearts against him, Jesus does the unthinkable: he reaches out and touches him. With deep compassion, he restores not only the man’s body but his belonging within the community. What does this act reveal about the heart of Jesus? And how does the leper’s response change the course of Jesus’ ministry? Join us as we dive into this powerful story of...
2025-02-2156 minThe Gospel of Mark Unfolded: A Pastor and Therapist explore the life of YeshuaThe Gospel of Mark - Group normsIn this bonus episode, Pastor David Profitt and Therapist Sophie Murphy step back to discuss the guiding norms for their study of the Gospel of Mark. This podcast is an extension of their church’s midrash group, a space for wrestling with Scripture in a deep and engaged way. But how do we ensure that we’re not only engaging in a close reading of the text, but also allowing the text read us? As the group refocuses on a close reading of Scripture, they work through a preamble that will shape their discussions moving forw...
2025-02-2120 minThe Gospel of Mark Unfolded: A Pastor and Therapist explore the life of YeshuaThe Gospel of Mark - Week 3In this episode, Pastor David Profitt and Therapist Sophie Murphy explore Jesus’ arrival in Capernaum, where his teaching and his encounters with unclean spirits and the sick reveal an astonishing authority. But what kind of authority is this? The Greek word points to something flowing from his very being - his identity as the Beloved Son. Join us as we examine how Jesus’ words and works declare who he truly is.Links: https://www.fumcah.com/https://www.alchemicalpsychotherapy.com/
2025-02-2143 minThe Gospel of Mark Unfolded: A Pastor and Therapist explore the life of YeshuaThe Gospel of Mark - Week 2In this episode, Pastor David Profitt and Therapist Sophie Murphy continue their close study of the Gospel of Mark. Jesus emerges from obscurity to be baptized by John, and in a stunning moment, the heavens open and he is named the Beloved Son in whom the Father delights. But immediately, the Spirit drives him into the wilderness, where this identity is tested through struggle and isolation. Jesus emerges from the wilderness with authority, He proclaims that the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand, calling people to metanoia...
2025-02-041h 14The Gospel of Mark Unfolded: A Pastor and Therapist explore the life of YeshuaThe Gospel of Mark - Week 1In this first episode, Pastor David Profitt and Therapist Sophie Murphy begin their close study of the Gospel of Mark. We meet John the Baptist, a wild prophet in the wilderness, calling people to metanoia and preparing the way for someone far greater than himself - one whose sandals he is unworthy to untie. What does this opening reveal about Jesus, and why does Mark begin his Gospel this way? Join us as we explore the significance of these first verses and what they tell us about the story to come.
2025-01-3043 min