Ask Me Anything

With Christmas upon us, the group talks about what things they do to find the Christmas spirit each year, and what traditions their families have kept to make Christmas Eve feel like an actual celebration of the birth of Christ. What they mostly find is that everybody has some pretty weird traditions in their family. Ask us a question! We're still taking questions at fmhouston.com/ama, and we'll get to your questions in the new year.

The group talks about how to get your family into the correct Christmas spirit, and accidentally spoils the secret that Santa isn't real (beware of listening with your kids around!). As a result, we get some unorthodox Christmas traditions, and the story of the time Ken successfully caught Santa Claus. We're still looking for your questions! Send us a question at fmhouston.com/ama and we'll include it in the show.

We're back! After a long pause and some retooling, the podcast has returned, with a new vision and title that's easier to find on web searches. "Ask Me Anything" is now "You Can Hear Us In The Streets" (for reasons explained in the podcast), and we use our first episode to introduce one of our new cohosts, Jordan Czichos, and talk about how to prepare your heart for Christmas during a difficult Advent. We're still looking for your questions! Send us a question at fmhouston.com/ama and we'll include it in the show.

It is Donyale’s last podcast, and the group talks about the year of ministry that followed George Floyd’s death – the way their approach to ministry changed, and the need to be a church calling for justice. It’s a reconsideration of faith in politics, and call for faith in politics. The Ask Me Anything Podcast will be on a brief hiatus, but will return with new co-hosts later this summer! In the meantime, send us new questions at fmhouston.com/ama.

On a very loose podcast, the group tries to answer what to do when you feel you need your faith back, and how you're doing better than you think you are. This podcast sounds undedited, but trust me, it is very edited. Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama

A follow-up question about the New Jim Crow podcast series asks if the conversation about black imprisonment is perhaps too one-sided. The group… does not agree! Ask us a question! Fmhouston.com/ama.

As we wrap up our discussion on Michelle Alexander’s “The New Jim Crow” with Trinity United Methodist Church, Kenneth Jackson returns to the conversation to address the problems of trying to address a system built to consistently, repetitively keep people down. It leads to a discussion about what the church – and what we, as individuals – are required to do by our love of Jesus and willingness to follow his direction. The discussion will continue in the coming weeks, depending on what you ask us about! Reach out to us with a question: fmhouston.com/ama.

In the middle chapters of “The New Jim Crow,” Michelle Alexander breaks down racism baked into the justice system, and the group talks about being raised with different expectations, and passing those lessons along to their children. Plus, the exhaustion that comes with constantly being teachers, but the responsibilities we have to educate the people that we talk to. Got a question or a response? Reach us at fmhouston.com/ama!

On our first podcast discussing “The New Jim Crow,” Andy and Donyale are joined by Trinity United Methodist’s Deirdre Barrett. The group discusses what stands out in the early chapters of Michelle Alexander’s book, including her statement that “colorblindness is not the answer, it’s the problem.” The discussion fans out into the call each member felt like the book put on them, including learning to find beauty in diversity without being threatened by it, and trying to find an equal amount of justice and forgiveness. The discussion will continue for two more weeks! Got a question? Visit us at fmhouston.com/ama.

A pretty straightforward question leads to a surprisingly fun and revealing conversation as the group each talks about their favorite sections of the Bible. Got a question? Ask us at fmhouston.com/ama!

The group considers the people God chose to destroy in the story of Noah’s ark, and point out the flaws inherent in comparing ourselves to people in the past, both for good and for bad. Ask us a question! Fmhouston.com/ama This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

During a very tough recording session, the group fights through to talk about metaphor and reality in the Bible, how to approach the gospels, and dealing with matters of faith and the heart. Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama

Today’s question covers a wide span – starting with John Wesley’s abolitionist stance, to the division of the United Methodist church in the run up to the Civil War, to its history within Houston and the Civil Rights movement. Plus, a long look at the ways Scripture has been used to maintain white supremacy in America, and an acknowledgement that this conversation can only be had when we recognize our failures – and learn from them. Books referenced in today’s show: Jamar Tisby, “The Color of Compromise” (https://www.amazon.com/Color-Compromise-American-Churchs-Complicity-ebook/dp/B07BB6R827) M. Shawn Copeland, “Enfleshing Freedom” (https://www.amazon.com/Enfleshing-Freedom-Intersections-Innovations-Religious/dp/0800662741/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1CPT8VEKJP48J&dchild=1&keywords=enfleshing+freedom&qid=1616532938&sprefix=enflesh%2Cdigital-text%2C206&sr=8-1) Our podcast with Trinity UMC regarding “The New Jim Crow” begins next month! Ask us a question: fmhouston.com/ama This podcast is powered by Zen

Andy, Ken, and Ben debate whether the church has a role in talking about personal health, what our role is when your actions affect the health of the whole community, and how best to talk to friends and family about the vaccine. —— Ask us a question! Fmhouston.com/ama

A questioner wants to know how you’re supposed to treat other people with compassion when it’s difficult for you to treat yourself the same way. The gang talks about mental health, how God’s goodness affects how you interact with the world, and get honest about some of their own struggles. —— Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama

A member who remembers growing up with separate schools and water fountains wonders about how long the process will take before full racial healing is reached. The group talks about the process of doing work on yourself, what it means to try and become someone who brings about change, and how we need to pass things on to the next generation after us. A new podcast series on “The New Jim Crow” is coming soon! Send in your questions at fmhouston.com/ama.

A listener confides that the way the Bible pushes “the fear of God” terrifies them – is that supposed to be the point? The group discusses some of the roots of the term in the Bible, how Jesus fits into all this, and the way we need to be aware of people’s experience when talking about the Bible. Ask us a question! Fmhouston.com/ama

A question asking about whether brokenness is a good thing or not takes the group all over the Bible, through Old Testament and New, as they discuss the various ways God combats brokenness in the Scriptures, and what it is that he desires for us. Got a question? Send it to us at fmhouston.com/ama!

The group sorts through the various ways Scripture is viewed by modern-day Christians, try to differentiate between historical events and metaphorical stories, and knock down some common misconceptions. ——— Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama

A listener asks a question that came up in their small group - how do you actually pray for your enemies? It seems awfully difficult. And how do you know what to say? Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama