Ask Me Anything

The group discusses what led them to become pastors, and why they abandoned other avenues to head towards ministry. Plus, is it ever too old to enter full-time ministry? Then, at the group's urging, Ben shares his journey into the world of church media. fmhouston.com

A follow up to one of our earlier episodes – Episode 96: “Why Are Young People Leaving The Church?” – an actual young person writes about how relationships helped them maintain their connection to the church, and he finds that to be the magical elixir for other young people who get connected to churches. So what does the group think? There’s conversation about how to be a person who listens to questions, how to handle questions you don’t know the answers to, and how the long history of the church can help you out of a tough situation even if you don’t know much about it. Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama

For their last show of 2020, the group looks back on the lessons they learned, the things that they missed the most, and the things they've discovered how to appreciate. Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama

Someone who thought Christmas would be easier without all the busyness is discovering that this is a much tougher season than they expected. Andy, Marty, and Ben talk about why so many people find Christmas to be hard, how to handle this year's particular difficulties, and the way loss affects the Christmas season. fmhouston.com/ama

A question about whether traditional worship’s days are numbered brings out four strong opinions on the nature of worship, experiencing God in all contexts, and how we ignore church history at our own peril. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

This commonly-asked question is quickly flipped on its head, as Ken questions the motivations of the people who most frequently ask it. Soon, it becomes a conversation about the way we cling to the church that we already have instead of becoming the new church that we need to be. Also, Andy is very excited to be “the 24th most influential United Methodist podcast.” Here’s the link so you can see what he’s talking about: https://blog.feedspot.com/methodist_church_podcasts/“ This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

The group talks about the way action creates feeling, the various times Jesus addressed this very thing throughout his ministry, and how to know if you’re asking good questions or just beating yourself up. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

For Marty's first podcast, Ben decides to throw him in the deep end and asks a listener's question he hadn't been allowed to ask before: why does the Church struggle to talk about sexuality? It leads to a surprisingly emotional conversation about the responsibility of a pastor when they stand on a stage, preaching vs. dialogue, and how to handle the reality of abuse and pain among the people you're trying to talk to. Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama

Today's question concerns if we are making Jesus "relatable" enough - is he too separate from us, and from our lives? Are we failing the young people we teach? Is that why young people leave the church? Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama

On Brandi's last week in the office, she sat down with Andy and Ben to answer some final, rapid-fire questions - the things she's most proud of, the things she's most disappointed to leave behind, and as many things as we could suprise her with as possible. Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama

With Brandi on her way to becoming a head pastor of a nearby church, the group answers the question of whether head pastor is actually a role women are supposed to move into, or is that against what the Bible says? Brandi has stories, Bible passages, and books to recommend. Even when she’s not ready for the question... she’s ready for the question. Ask Brandi a question before it’s too late! fmhouston.com/ama

On one of our last few podcasts with Brandi (this is your last chance to send in questions you’d like to hear Brandi answer, so please send those in!), the group takes on how involved Jesus was in government, how much they think he’d be involved today, and what a Jesus-like approach to politics would look like. Send in your question! FMHouston.com/AMA

This week the group take on a question dealing with loss of faith in a relationship. They take a look at what causes people to walk away from God and how to both parties can navigate through their wilderness. Questions? Contact us at fmhouston.com/AMA

During such uncertain times, should we be saving our money or sharing our abundance with others who are struggling to keep their heads above water? The group discusses battling the fear or generosity and the emotional side of giving. fmhouston.com/ama

It’s Ben’s birthday! He lays out the definition of cancel culture and opens the floor for the table to discuss it’s place in not only the modern world but also in christian living. thesourcehouston.org

Persevering through technical difficulties, Andy, Ken, and Ben answer a piggybacked question for our last podcast about colonization. A questioner asks whether we've screwed everything up by showing Jesus as a white man, and what level of personal interpretation we should bring to the Bible. Ask a question! FMHouston.com/AMA

The group takes a close look at the history of evangelism and its lasting impact on native cultures. They strip down the misconceived notions of missionaries as well as the responsibility we bear to be part of the solution to a larger issue. fmhouston.com/ama

A listener dealing with the loss of loved ones asks for some guidance on intercessory prayer. The group share their insight dealing with death and filtering through the awkwardness of praying for the dead. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

Anthony Rogers, Yesly Antu and Deborah Nixon join the conversation to tackle the issue of racism within by Latinx against the black community. They dive into the toxic stereotypes streaming from the history of Hispanic and Latin countries, and the repercussions of comparing oppression. Also, how to combat issues that come from an us vs. them feeling, and the power in learning from each other's stories. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

The table discusses ways of reading spiritual text. Ben starts us off by diving into Ignatius of Loyola and the examen practiced by the Jesuits. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm