Shows
The Cracked PotsEpisode 088: The MagiThe Gospel of Matthew introduces us to how Jesus came not just for Israel, but for the world.
2023-01-0553 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 087: Joseph’s rare faithHow many of us would gamble everything on a dream?
2022-12-2135 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 086: A Light to the NationsThe prophet Isaiah points to a coming hope for all the nations that will bring justice to our world.
2022-12-1556 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 085: EstherWhen you're in the right place, at the right time, will you have the courage to do the right thing, even if it costs you?
2022-12-0757 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 084: Habakkuk’s LamentHabakkuk gives us permission to cry out and demand to know why the world is unjust.
2022-11-3058 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 083: Swords into PlowsharesIsaiah gives a vision for a future that is hard to contemplate.
2022-11-2352 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 082: Love & JusticeCan you do justice without loving, and vice versa?
2022-11-1859 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 081: How do you know a true prophet?As we move into the prophets for the next few weeks, how do we know how to identify a true prophet?
2022-11-0957 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 080: Solomon & ReformationSolomon gets the label of being wise - and yet, just like his father, no king is perfect.
2022-11-0345 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 079: David’s Abuse of PowerAbsolute power corrupts absolutely - and even God's anointed is not immune from it.
2022-10-2748 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 078: The Ten ”Permissions”Should we really view the "law" as something that is restrictive, or something that gives us permission to live lives of freedom?
2022-10-1140 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 077: Parting the SeasGod parts the seas in an act of liberation
2022-10-0451 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 076: God’s FaithfulnessThe story of Joseph reminds us that despite what we may endure, God is still faithful in the midst of difficulties.
2022-09-2856 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 075: The BlessingGod makes promises to Abraham and his descendants. What are our expectations about how long it takes for God to fulfill a promise?
2022-09-2049 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 074: The Grief of GodThe story of the flood is a story about God's struggle with - and commitment to - humanity.
2022-09-1359 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 073: Interpreting ScripturePastors Chad and Rebecca discuss the different ways we approach scripture.
2022-09-0747 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 072: Workers in the GospelIn Romans 16, Paul sends a large group of women to the church in Rome to help lead them - reiterating the point that Paul clearly viewed women as capable of being in leadership roles.
2022-08-301h 04The Cracked PotsEpisode 071: Lydia the Church LeaderWe don't get a lot of information about Lydia, but we do get shows us a woman who stands out against the culture of the day.
2022-08-2352 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 070: Woman WisdomGod's Wisdom in Proverbs is a personified woman and prophet. But what is "wisdom" exactly?
2022-08-1755 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 069: Sheerah the City BuilderWhat foundations are we building on that will last?
2022-08-1055 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 068: DeborahDeborah - Judge, Prophetess, and Military leader. A woman leading in a patriarchal world was no easy task.
2022-08-0155 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 067: God’s Value SystemGod finds value in everyone - even those we may think are living in ways we don't approve of.
2022-07-281h 00The Cracked PotsEpisode 066: Power of PrivilegePharaoh's daughter uses the privilege of her social station in Egyptian society to defy Pharaoh's decree to accomplish something good. Just a single act of compassion can have a lasting effect on the future.
2022-07-181h 03The Cracked PotsEpisode 065: Shiphra & PuahWho knew ordinary midwives could have such an impact on the course of history?
2022-07-111h 11The Cracked PotsEpisode 064: Choices?The women of Genesis (Hagar, Rebekah, Rachel, Leah) must work within the confines of their role in society to achieve their goals. In the midst of that, God sees and sides with the unloved and the marginalized.
2022-07-0659 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 063: The God Who SeesHagar finds herself faced with few options
2022-06-2357 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 062: Love genuinelyHot chicken & how we treat others even when we're having a bad day is the topic this week.
2022-06-151h 06The Cracked PotsEpisode 061: Christ Empties HimselfIn the wake of yet another school massacre, Philippians 2 drives us to ask the question: What are we willing to give up for the sake of our neighbor?
2022-05-3154 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 060: Making the Impossible PossiblePaul reminds us that all things are possible, even when we're in the midst of utter defeat and despair.
2022-05-2557 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 059: Give up everythingWhat stands in the way of giving your all to God?
2022-05-1852 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 058: Devouring Widow’s HomesWhile the widow being willing to give everything up for God is a wonderful example of true faith - what responsibility did the faith community have to her?
2022-05-1047 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 057: Feed My SheepGod provides in abundance - now what?
2022-05-0341 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 056: Facing the WoundsWe must first see the wounds before we can hope to heal them.
2022-04-261h 01The Cracked PotsEpisode 055: The Intimacy of EasterWhen Jesus is resurrected, his first concern is for his friends.
2022-04-2058 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 054: Palm SundayBeing donkeys that bear Christ...
2022-04-1257 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 053: Why Did Jesus Have to Die?Why was Jesus' death necessary in order for God to forgive us?
2022-04-0531 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 052: Jesus mockedIn what ways do we mock Jesus?
2022-03-3051 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 051: Thy Kingdom ComeJesus tells Pilate that his Kingdom is not of this world. What does that mean for us in the here and now?
2022-03-231h 04The Cracked PotsEpisode 50: Peter’s BetrayalWe've all felt betrayed by someone in our lives - how different are we from Peter, though?
2022-03-1557 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 049: Resurrecting LazarusThe resurrection of Lazarus leads to more trouble for Jesus
2022-03-081h 02The Cracked PotsEpisode 048: If you were truly blindJesus calls to task those who claim to see, and yet still ignore God at work in their midst.
2022-03-011h 02The Cracked PotsEpisode 047: Where are you from?So much of our identity is wrapped up in our geographical location - yet God sets all that aside.
2022-02-2251 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 046: Bread of lifePastors Chad and Rebecca discuss the meaning of the eucharist
2022-02-1549 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 045: Do you want to be made well?Jesus heals a man at the pool of Bethesda
2022-02-0955 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 044: Woman at the WellWe all make snap judgments... luckily, Jesus doesn't.
2022-02-0156 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 043: For God So Loved the WorldIn what way does God love us?
2022-01-251h 03The Cracked PotsEpisode 042: Flipping TablesWhat makes Jesus angry enough that he flips tables?
2022-01-1856 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 041: Wedding at CanaWater into wine is the first of Jesus' miracles, and only told in John's Gospel.
2022-01-131h 01The Cracked PotsEpisode 040: Come & SeeJesus invites us to "come and see" what he's up to. What things can sometimes hinder this invitation?
2022-01-0458 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 039: The Word Dwelt Among UsJohn's Gospel reminds us of how the Creator of the Universe became flesh and lived among us...
2021-12-2255 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 038: Abundant LifeWhat does it mean to buy without price?
2021-12-1557 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 037: Vision of Dry BonesWhat does a vision about an army being raised from the dead 2500 years ago have to do with us today?
2021-12-071h 00The Cracked PotsEpisode 036: Jeremiah‘s Words of HopeJeremiah (is not a bullfrog) encourages the people that despite their exile, seek God and God's ways again.
2021-11-3059 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 035: Christ the KingIsaiah points to a coming a king... but is that King what we REALLY want?
2021-11-2348 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 034: Amos & Justice"Let justice flow down like an ever-flowing stream." Pretty straight-forward, right?
2021-11-1854 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 033: Elijah‘s WoesBeing a prophet is not easy, especially when you're taking on Kings and Queens.
2021-11-0955 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 032: The Trouble with TemplesGod didn't really want a temple built, but Solomon went forward with it anyway.
2021-11-0350 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 031: King David‘s HeartDavid's one redeeming quality? His heart for God.
2021-10-2653 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 030: The Call of SamuelThe prophet Samuel is raised up during a time of chaos and upheaval in Israel.
2021-10-1952 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 29: The Call of MosesIt isn't about Moses - it's about God working through Moses to break the Egyptian system of slavery.
2021-10-0455 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 028: Jacob the TricksterThe story of Jacob begins with a lot of deceit and lying - and yet, Jacob goes from being "the usurper" to "one who strives with God."
2021-09-2949 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 027: The Sacrifice of IsaacThe story of Abraham being willing to sacrifice his son when God demands it is troubling on many levels - and yet it's still a story about the depths of faith.
2021-09-2249 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 026: CreationWhat does it mean for us to be stewards of creation?
2021-09-1650 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 025 - Unexpected JoyIn the story of Sarah and Abraham, Sarah laughs cynically at the notion of having children at her age - but that laughter turns to joy as God's promises are fulfilled.
2021-09-0756 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 024 - Jesus Heals the Gerasene manThis week's text deals with the stigma of mental health - and how Jesus enters into our brokenness when even our mind is unraveling.
2021-08-3146 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 023 - Being the Presence of GodThis week's text focuses on the story of Job. Pastors Chad and Rebecca explore the issue of how simply being present with those who are suffering is enough.
2021-08-2457 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 022 - When Your Plans for Your Children UnravelPastors Chad & Rebecca look at the story of Moses' birth from Exodus 1 & 2 and discuss what it's like when to have all the hopes and dreams you might have for your kids unravel.
2021-08-1853 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 021 - ”Doubting” DisciplesPastors Chad and Rebecca discuss the story of "doubting Thomas" - though Thomas is hardly the only doubter in this story.
2021-08-1054 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 020 - Woman at the WellPastors Chad and Rebecca discuss all the ways in which we shame others - and yet to be Christ-like is to break down all the ways in which we feel shame.
2021-08-0351 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 019 - Paul & Ananias: Loving Your EnemiesThe story of the conversion from Saul to Paul is filled with challenges - not just Paul accepting a new way of life and being, but for the early Christian community and their call to love and accept those who have been their enemies.
2021-07-2743 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 018 - Are we Pharaoh?Pastors Chad and Rebecca discuss the text from Exodus 5:1-2; 7:8-23 - We like to dump on Pharaoh, but how often are we more like Pharaoh than Moses?
2021-07-2055 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 017 - Rizpah‘s ProtestThe Cracked Pots Weekly Podcast is back! With a new format. Pastors Chad and Rebecca talk about the previous weekend's text and sermon. This week: the story of Rizpah from 2 Samuel 21:1-14. How do the powerless get the attention of the powerful in order to achieve justice?
2021-07-1352 min
The Cracked PotsEpisode 016: A New Normal?Doing church in the midst of a pandemic has its challenges.
2020-05-1449 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 015: Is there a War on Christmas?Pastors Chad and Rebecca discuss the "War on Christmas" phenomenon in the United States.
Fun fact: Puritan Christians actually banned Christmas in Boston in the 1600's... https://www.history.com/news/when-massachusetts-banned-christmas
2019-12-0346 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 014: Sanctuary Churches & RacismAt the ELCA's Churchwide Assembly, they voted to become a "Sanctuary Church." That term has elicited a lot of confusion as to what exactly that means. Pastors Chad and Rebecca unpack its meaning, and discuss the effects of racism in our culture.
2019-08-1859 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 013: Engaging our YouthWhat's the best way to engage our youth? Try listening to them. Pastors Chad and Rebecca brought in special guest Christopher Carnes, one of our youth, to talk about the importance of youth ministries.
2019-06-2037 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 012: Reading ScriptureSometimes trying to read the Bible cover to cover can be daunting. Pastors Chad and Rebecca discuss some of the challenges and tips for how to better read and understand scripture.
2019-05-2349 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 011: Family PromiseCher Fisher from Family Promise joins us in our latest podcast to talk about homeless families in Martin County and what we can do about it. https://www.mcfamilypromise.org/
2019-05-0829 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 010: Violence Against Places of WorshipWith the recent rise in attacks and violence against places of worship, what should we be doing as a community of faith?
2019-05-0157 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 009: Investing in Your Spiritual LifeWhat does it look like to "invest" in your spiritual life?
2019-04-1136 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 008: What is God's Plan?So often we talk about "God's plan" in terms of our individual lives and our collective future. But what exactly is "God's Plan" and what does scripture have to say about it?
2019-04-0349 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 007: The Church as Caretakers of the EarthAs Christians, should we be concerned about how we utilize the resources of our planet?
2019-03-2748 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 006: Salvation - Who's in...and who's out?What happens to my atheist friend? Or my Muslim friend? Or any friend or family member? Is it really believe or burn? Or might God's love be bigger than that?
2019-03-2052 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 005: The church's role as a safety netThe questions was asked of us, what is the church's role as a safety net to help out where the government fails? This episode we look at the logistics and realities of the church trying to serve our neighbor with the resources currently available.
2019-03-1244 min
The Cracked PotsEpisode 004: The Church and LGBTQ+In light of recent decisions made by the UMC church to not ordain or allow same-gender marriage, Pastors Chad & Rebecca bring in a special guest, Christina McGrath Fair, LMHC, to discuss this highly controversial and difficult topic.
Links:
LGBTQScience.org
itscalledmetrosexual.com
2019-03-0741 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 003: Millennials: Why aren't they in church?Pastors Chad and Rebecca tackle the question about why younger generations are simply not going to church anymore.
2019-02-2739 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 002: Religion & PoliticsPastors Chad & Rebecca delve into the always controversial question regarding the relationship between religion and politics.
2019-02-1942 minThe Cracked PotsEpisode 001: Suicide, Heaven & HellIn this kick-off podcast, Pastors Rebecca & Chad tackle a question that is posed by one of their confirmation students: Do people who commit suicide go to heaven or hell?
(If you are feeling depressed and suicidal, there is help. Please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255)
2019-02-1224 min