Shows
Relevant Faith JourneyBeyond Proof Texting: Reconciling the Bible, Homosexuality and Changing Sexual EthicsI hear this question from time to time: how can you believe the Bible and also believe that homosexuality is not sin? There are variations like, how can you believe the Bible and not condemn sex before marriage as sin? In this episode I walk through a shift in perspective around the way we read scripture. I introduce the idea that the Bible might not have been written to be a handbook for sexual relationships. Although picking a verse out of the Bible as justification to take a stand, the work of seeking to know God through s...2024-11-0818 minRelevant Faith JourneySplitting Faith: Biblical Authority and the Methodist LGBTQ+ SeparationIn this episode I'll explore the topic of Biblical authority and how it relates to the separation of the United Methodist Church. As with many spiritual things, the issue is more complex than a disagreement on what the Bible says and means. Here are a few resources that I used in writing this episode: Sermon on Same Sex Attraction from my dad's church. This is from 2015 and may not reflect the church’s current viewpoint, but I found it an interesting point of research. https://summitchurch.com/GetFile.ashx?Guid=e20165ab-22d0-418c-ade6-b099b3...2024-07-2410 minRelevant Faith JourneyAdvent: God Together – Setting An Intention For The Christian New YearI am reflecting on advent seasons past in this episode. As a pastor, I often wrote advent readings and created content for my congregation. One series I am particularly proud of was called the Kindness Challenge. Remembering has helped me think about setting an intention for the next year. You can see videos of the Kindness Challenge here: Kindness Challenge 1: https://youtu.be/gcNVxJsZzbM?si=GzpRCdf0Ggo1-_yf Kindness Challenge 2: https://youtu.be/D2C1sYI6Mio?si=Nu6_d8lqf12Y9Mba Kindness Challenge 3: https://youtu.be/9RZ2n3Yr4bs...2023-12-2109 minRelevant Faith JourneyWelcome or Affirming?: LGBTQ+ Conversations in the Nazarene, Methodist and International ChurchI used to say that sexuality shouldn’t define identity. As Christians our identity is first as children of God and followers of Jesus before anything else. I realize now that as a heterosexual woman, being defined by something other than my sexuality is a privilege.In this episode I'll start with my own journey from quiet support of my friend to fully affirming of LGBTQ+ people. This was prompted by reports that the Church of the Nazarene had removed the senior pastor of San Diego First Church for advocating for more open conversations around same sex ma...2023-08-1814 minRelevant Faith JourneyYou Are Kenough: How Barbie Reflects the Struggle of Evolving Gender RolesIn this episode I use reflect on Barbie, the movie, to talk about the challenge our culture is having to re-define masculinity. Conservative Evangelicals have been posting on social media that Barbie is inappropriate for children. Since there's no kissing, no sex and "crap" is the worst cus word, I call BS. Seeing a reflection of patriarchy in the form of a Barbieland role reversal has been offensive to far-right conservatives, who continue to assert that men need to be manly, tough and in charge. The value these haters bring is that they validate the experience of m...2023-08-0413 minRelevant Faith JourneyDangerous Curiosity: Reflections on Gothard, the Duggars and “Shiny Happy People”How does a man become a leading authority on relationships and parenting, yet has never married or fathered a child? In this week's episode I reflect on the Amazon Prime Documentary Series "Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets." Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar were reality TV stars on TLC's hit show "19 and Counting." Their odd lifestyle with so many children drew millions of viewers. In the process of telling their story, we learn about the cult-like IBLP and it's leader, Bill Gothard.It's tempting to label this group as an outlier--an extreme example of what...2023-07-0711 minRelevant Faith JourneySexual Feeling: Temptation, Lust, Romance and GraceThis week I'm diving into the topic of sexual desire. Purity culture taught us that men can't help but be tempted to sexual sin and women are just not that into it. We have been tasked with being the gatekeepers. The truth is that our relationship needs are actually the same.Both men and women need connection, intimacy and enjoy sexual pleasure. Our culture doesn't make it safe for women to express their sexuality or men to be emotionally vulnerable. But I believe there's hope for healing. Our sexuality is a testament to God’s abundant grace. 2023-05-1216 minRelevant Faith JourneyCan’t Say No: Understanding Sexual Violence and Lessons Learned About ConsentThis week I am talking about consent and digging into our understanding of sexual violence. Often we imagine a struggle that leaves the victim bruised and beaten. But more often sexual trauma is caused by a partner that assumes "Yes" until he or she hears "No." And that word is more difficult to voice that one might think. I'll give a real life illustration of our tolerance for sexual violence. Hint: it's political and I questioned if I should cut it out because I am going to tell you how I really feel. I'll wrap...2023-04-1215 minRelevant Faith JourneyThe Problem with Talking: Made Up Numbers That Kept Women Silent and What We Can Do About ItHave you ever stopped to think about the messaging to women about their words. I'll relate a few examples from sermons, books and experiences that give a picture of the repeated admonition that women should watch what they say. I'll talk about the myth that women talk too much and explore where we go from here. I'll finish up with a retelling of a recent experience at a women's retreat and the story of Julius Jones. Link to the Bare Marriage Podcast episode: https://baremarriage.com/2023/03/do-women-talk-more-than-men-podcast/ Amazon book summary quote for Keep it...2023-03-2914 minRelevant Faith JourneySaddleback Church Kicked Out of the SBC Over Women’s Ordination: Why To Care & What To DoIn this week's episode I talk about Saddleback Church's exit from the Southern Baptist Convention over the ordination of women. This even gets at a deeper issue. I discus the doctrine of complementarianism, the divide between men and women that needs healing and give some advice on how to bring change to your faith community. Here are a few resources that I used in this episode: Listen to Rick Warren’s speech here: https://youtu.be/MBsT1zFmC3EA previous blog post on Complementarianism: https://www.relevantfaithjourney.com/post/brighter-together-does-equal-mean-equalThe Baptist Faith...2023-03-1116 minRelevant Faith JourneyIs Wilmore the New Evangelical Mecca?—Thoughts on Asbury, Revival, Evangelism and RepentanceThis isn’t so much about what’s happening at Asbury University, although it does provide a backdrop for the topic. I’m talking about the shortsighted emphasis on a personal religious experience that white Christians (including myself) lean into. This comes in to play around our ideas about revival. (spoiler alert) In contrast, our black and brown brothers and sisters in Christ see God’s salvation as being at work in community, bringing systemic change. That means they tend to be a lot more concerned with social issues and transformation beyond the individual. I think there’s something...2023-02-2312 minRelevant Faith JourneyLet's Talk About Sex: The Rise of TV Preachers, Purity Culture and A Call For HealingLast week I talked about gender roles through the 60s and 70. This week I'm picking up in the 1980s with the development of the Christian media marketplace. TV preachers, Christian bookstores, musicians and merchandise all began to shape a somewhat uniform evangelical culture in the US. With that came the rise of purity culture, the effects of which cannot be understated. I wrap up this episode with some space to grieve what has been lost to purity culture and look forward to more healing in the days to come. I used several resources in writing...2023-02-1015 minRelevant Faith JourneyBrighter Together: Look Back at the Church's Reaction to Feminism and the Reassertion of PatriarchyIn this episode I'll talk about some of the roots of purity culture that came about in the 1960s and 70s. In the midst of the feminist movement, the sexual revolution, the Cold War and the Vietnam Conflict, evangelicals identified a crisis of the family. It's true, folks needed help navigating changing power dynamics in their relationships. The evangelical response was to double down on the way things were. If traditional gender roles worked before, they should work now. In this episode I make several references to the following book: Du Mez, Kristin Kobes. (June 2020) Jesus...2023-02-0313 minRelevant Faith JourneyBrighter Together: The Intersection of Scripture and Gender RolesContinuing this series on gender roles, in this episode I look at two passages from the Bible where the Apostle Paul gives relationship advice. The first is 1 Corinthians 7 and is mentioned on occasion. The second is Ephesians 5.21-33 that I talked about in the last episode which has been used to reinforce a traditional view of gender roles. Although I hope to reframe these passages, my goal is for us to be honest about our biases and ask, "Why do we favor this view over the other?"2023-01-2717 minRelevant Faith JourneyBrighter Together: Does Equal Mean Equal?Continuing this series on gender roles, I am diving into this concept of Complementarianism. It was a new term for me until we started attending a church that didn't ordain women pastors. Is it truly equality if certain roles are unavailable? Some say yes and some say no. There is a lot more to say about how these ideas effect our relationships, so stay tuned for next week's episode. Here are a few of the resources I used in this episode: Here’s a short video that talks about the origin of the term. https://www.bi...2023-01-1911 minRelevant Faith JourneyBrighter Together: The Feminist Legacy of My Grandma BeckIn this episode I talk about the benefit of men and women working together. What big corporations have figured out is that a diverse workforce is the most profitable. But there is still work to be done, especial in faith communities. Building on ideas from the last episode, I'm exploring ideas about gender and culture. Here's the URL for a study referenced in this episode: https://leanin.org/women-in-the-workplace?gclid=CjwKCAiAwc-dBhA7EiwAxPRylDepT5sfdg6-p1QRZ4ygHu9sCWOgkAhDpdGYzJ_Wo5IiRlR2Sihm2BoC4QgQAvD_BwE 2023-01-1311 minRelevant Faith JourneyBrighter As She GoesOccasionally, I wonder if I peaked in college when I was selected to preach for chapel in front of 1500 of my peers. I aspired to be a Senior Pastor one day, so what happened? In this episode, I talk about living in Hawaii, how a little church helped me develop as a leader and look at the longer arc of my shooting star. For a variety of reasons we often hold ourselves back from doing big things. There’s work to be done and we are just the ones to do it. 2023-01-0511 minRelevant Faith JourneyA Year In ReviewThere's nothing magical about the turning of the New Year, but it does provide a great opportunity to reflect and look forward. In this episode I'll retell my 2022 highlights and talk about setting goals or, as I prefer to call it, making plans.2022-12-3013 minRelevant Faith JourneySafety Guide For The HolidaysWhat I meant to write about was how to have good conversations with family over the holiday. What I ended up with is a reflection on what it means to feel safe, and how we can aim to set an intention to be a haven of rest and support for the people in our lives. There's more to this topic than I could fit in one 13 minute episode, but I hope this will provide an introduction to the concept if you are unfamiliar and serve as a reminder to always lead with empathy. Books referenced in this...2022-12-2212 minRelevant Faith JourneyIt's Been Weird: Thoughts on Evangelical DeconstructionThe last few years have been weird and it's not just the pandemic. They way people view and practice their faith has been shifting. Many are going through a process of reflecting on how they were raised and reevaluating their belief systems. They call it deconstruction and it's something of a buzz word right now, carrying a variety of meanings. In this episode, I talk a little about changing perspectives and the evangelical tradition. This podcast references the follow book: Kobes Du Mez, Kristen. Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured...2022-12-1614 minRelevant Faith JourneyTBT: When I Think About the Lord#ThrowBackThursday This week I decided to clean up and release an article I wrote in 2007. I tell a story about driving in the snow, crossing the mounting and finding strength on the other side. The title is a reference to a song by Shane & Shane called "When I Think About the Lord" which I recorded for this episode. 2022-12-0910 minRelevant Faith JourneyHealing for a Late Bloomer: Thoughts on Sex, The Bible and Purity CultureThis is the 4th episode in the Late Bloomer series. I wrap up my personal coming of age story, dive into some of what the Bible says about sex and make observations on the affects of purity culture. Writing this series has been helpful to me in my healing process and I hope you enjoy listening. Please feel free to reach out to me on my web site www.relevantfaithjourney.com or on facebook or Instagram. 2022-12-0215 minRelevant Faith JourneyNo Tengo Novio: Grace for a Late BloomerThis is the third episode of this series where I talk about my experience growing up and coming of age in purity culture. Make sure to listen to Late Bloomer and Confessions of a Late Bloomer.Picking up the story, I'll talk about the end of my first relationship. The pain of any breakup is difficult, but recovering from shame made it all the more challenging. I began to rethink some of the ideas I'd grown up with and discovered again that God's grace is never far away. I conclude this episode with the song "Go...2022-11-2314 minRelevant Faith JourneyConfessions of a Late BloomerThis is a follow up to the last episode titled Late Bloomer that gave an introduction to my experience around purity culture in the evangelical church. As a continuation of my coming of age story, we'll start with one of my last MySpace blog posts that chronicles the beginning of my first relationship. This is a difficult story for me to tell but my hope is that it will be helpful to the listener. I know many of you have gone through difficult learning experiences in relationships too. For others it's simply an opportunity to better understand the effects...2022-11-1816 minRelevant Faith JourneyLate BloomerThis episode begins a series where I tell my coming of age story, specifically as it pertains to relationships and sex. Primarily an introduction, I'll share the beginnings of my story along with some cultural observations on history. I promised myself as a single person that someday I would use my experience to help others. Honestly, I've been too afraid of what other people might think, how they wouldn't agree or might judge me. I know I'm not alone in this, that there are many of us who still struggle with the remnants of Purity Culture . The ch...2022-11-1114 minRelevant Faith JourneyMeditation on BeingThis episode is a little different. For this short meditation, I encourage you to find a quiet place, close your eyes and rest. I've been working through some challenging things and I needed something this week that helped me feel grounded. I hope this leaves you encouraged. 2022-11-0303 minRelevant Faith JourneyQuestioning FaithI'm on a journey of discover and I invite you to join me. There have been times when I questioned my faith and wondered if my people would think I'm not a good Christian. Those questions are an important part of our faith and should be encouraged. I want to choose to believe not out of blind faith, but because of thoughtful reflection. 2022-10-2812 minRelevant Faith JourneyPastor.I have been reflecting on my journey as a minister since last month I was asked to voluntarily surrender my ordination credentials. A big part of my ministry journey was my friend, Densel Ball. What comes next? Not sure, but I hope you'll be around to find out with me! 2022-10-2113 minRelevant Faith JourneyMaking the Change Part 3: Finding HomeThe third and final episode talking about change and transition. I tell my family's story about making a major change, leaving their cult-like denomination. The journey through transition is often difficult and I end with a song that I wrote 15 years ago. It serves as a reminder to me that in difficult seasons, God goes with me. 2022-10-1214 minRelevant Faith JourneyMaking the Change Part 2: The TransitionMany of us have recently been or are currently going through seasons of change and transition. The pandemic has been a powerful catalyst and accelerant to change for most of us. In this episode I continue to explore the dynamics of a transition. Grieving for what we leave behind and persevering through the in between time. I start with a story about my own professional journey and talk about how our dislike of transition can affect our faith journey. 2022-10-1109 minRelevant Faith JourneyMaking the Change Part 1: Rethinking RepentanceSometimes change comes softly to us. Sometimes we run after change like a gazelle in an open meadow. And sometimes change comes at you like a freight train to the face. Who am I kidding? It’s never gentle and most of us rarely pursue it without serious discomfort. But for those who set their sights on a better way, it will require three things: courage, perseverance and vision.This is the first of three installments on transition.Content References: Brene Brown’s interview with Father Richard Rohr:https://brenebrown.com/po...2022-10-1007 minRelevant Faith JourneyLet Your Light ShineTerms like "Christian" and "Evangelical" have become more political markers than religious ones. In this episode I'll explore the idea that our PR problem is really a need to repent problem. I tell a personal story about almost dating a former porn star and learning to see through to people's humanity. This is an audio version of an article originally published August 10, 2022 at relevantfaithjourney.com.2022-09-2913 minRelevant Faith JourneyVote Your Faith. But What Does That Mean?Christians are a more diverse group than many might think. If most claim that their faith influences their politics, then why don't they all vote the same? This is an audio version of an article from relevantfaithjourney.com originally published July 14, 2022. I'll share some of my political activist heritage and challenge us to do more and talk less. 2022-09-2710 minRelevant Faith JourneyThe Power of PerspectiveI believe perspective is truly powerful. I love having conversations that help me see things differently, or understand a concept in a new and interesting way. In this episode I talk about a woman's perspective of being touched when she doesn't want to be, how scripture needs more of the female perspective and explore new ways to view Roe v Wade. I'm working to develop my voice as a writer. My working title is Relevant Faith Journey, Searching for New Perspectives on an Ancient Faith. This is an audio version of a blog originally published July 5, 2022. I hope you e...2022-09-2609 minRelevant Faith JourneyCuz Corona, And Other Thoughts on WaitingThis is an audio version of a blog post from relevantfaithjourney.com that was originally published April 16, 2020. 2022-09-2606 minRelevant Faith JourneyI have a lot of feelings.Audio version of a blog post from relevantfaithjourney.com originally published in March of 2020.2022-09-2406 minRelevant Faith JourneyThat One Time I Thought It Was Me, But Really It Was GodThis is an audio version of a blog post from relevantfaithjourney.com originally published in January of 2020. I tell stories about financial challenges and how I learned to trust God. 2022-09-2307 minRelevant Faith JourneyAn Introduction, That's Me At The AltarThis is an audio version of my blog relevantfaithjourney.com. This post was originally published in January 2020 and gives a little window into my story. 2022-09-2204 min