Live from the Pathway Studios in Johnston proper. You are live from the path.

And you're listening to Live From The Path. We're coming from Pathway Studios here with Joseph Robert. Don't know. I'm not sure what's up. Can't hear. Fair to say, Ben? Yeah. Yeah. No. You know, I mean, you can speak on your own behalf. I can't just, you Just saying I don't know I can make promises on everybody else's behalf. Right. If somebody else comes here, they're probably not gonna enjoy it, but, like, I like being No. Yeah. Okay. That's fair. That's fair. Alright. Here's what we got on the show. Boob, you you Boob's got some Pope style. We haven't done Pope style in a long time.

No one has has been inadvertently mistaken, for his pontiff recently. And sure enough Of course. Sure enough, Boo's ego falls in and and someone has has taken him for Pope. I mean, you got a preview on this Pope style, Boo? Yeah. So I was, I was teaching youth group this last, this last week. And, so I go into the youth group, and I usually have at least some iota of a plan Yeah. And and kinda have an idea of what I'm gonna talk about. But I

really, really enjoy and the kids love it when they can derail me. It's, like, one of their favorite things to do. And so they they make fun of me a lot because it took us maybe two years to go through the first 15 chapters of Proverbs, and we never actually got through them. And then they went, hey. We're bored of this. We wanna get out. I'm like, I can dig on that. I'm not gonna I'm not gonna force you guys to do something you do. Like Yeah. Try and do my best. So, we've actually been going through Mark because I've got, quite a few new kids in my youth group. And so I really like to start them out if I've got a lot of new kids with the gospel. I think it's a good idea to kinda get just a a general idea of Jesus underneath their their belt and and before we can jump in

thank you, Ben. Before you can jump in, to too much stuff, I I mean, I I like to just kinda get an idea of, you know, here's who Jesus is. This is what we believe. This is That's an intro to pope style, Buba. Get it moving. I'm I'm yeah. Fine. What okay. Here's the deal. So I got derailed this weekend, and it was a really or this week, it was a really cool deal, and I was really excited about what they wanted to talk about. And I realized that I am asking the wrong questions of my faith with god. They are asking some of the right ones. Awesome. Alright. Good. So that that that sounds interesting. Was that a better intro, Ben? Yeah. I mean, that's what That felt better? Yeah. Yeah. I I don't know what you did on Tuesday for supper, though. I'm sorry. I didn't give that detail. Ben, would you like me to go into that and talk about what I did for dinner on Tuesday? To see whether that's the right question or not. I don't wanna get pulled I always have the wrong questions. Yeah. Yeah. So that's a valid point. That might that might be the right question. Just pulled it. I'm not sure. It's delicious. Let's see. Let's see. Well, okay. So we're gonna do that. We got a we got a handful of topics, that otherwise we might quiz Dane about. He just held, here at Pathway Church, they held the the Real Men conference,

and, I'm kind of interested to see how that went. Or at least, Dan's if Dan had a key takeaway for Dan Oh. From the Real Men conference. So put the thought on that, and then, he can otherwise, we'll point you to where you can kind of, catch up on some of the speakers and stuff, from the conference and go check that out. But, we'll we'll see if Dan's got a core takeaway. And then he's he's got some, he's got a brew. I I don't wanna say witch's brew because it gives the wrong connotation, but he's brewing something up, in Zimbabwe that sounds super cool. So if we have time, we'll get to it this week. If not, at the very least, we'll touch on it maybe a couple weeks from now.

And it might even be something maybe you can get involved with. We'll we'll see. So we'll we'll talk about that. I also came up a couple of articles. There was a there was an article in Christianity Today that said, to reach unsaved Christians, first help them get lost. And I I the core thing which is I think struck a chord with me was, we live in in such a time,

and this is this varies geographically, but where people don't know they're not Christian. Yeah. Yeah. Right? I was thinking you wouldn't hear that term in the first century. Yeah. Yeah. Right. Exactly. You're an unsaved Christian. What? Yeah. It's not a thing. It's not a thing in the first century. Like, there's there's a clear dichotomy. And and frankly, like, what what Jesus offers and what, say, Rome offers or what the religion of Greece offers, are so markedly different.

There's not like a it wasn't culturally cool to be a Christian. And I'm not sure it was super culturally cool ever, but, like, there was a there was an expectation, like, moral load to behavior and to who you were and an expectation that you you were a Christian could be in reference to how you think the nation is founded, to your parents,

to the very expectations of the the society around you. And so one of the problems then is it's very difficult to to tell good news to someone who's under the impression they've already heard it. Yeah. And so that that's kind of what the article was about and I thought, it's an interesting discussion. He he kinda lands on distinctions between being a pastor and say, California versus in the bible belt. But but I think that distinction

that's probably an extreme example. If I think about us in the Midwest, I think you run the risk, as a combination of the two things, where it's not so far outlandish where, like, the Christian is totally obvious and then atheism otherwise or other belief runs so rampant that it sticks out like a sore thumb. But then you you and you may not have it to the extent that the bible belt has it, but I think you do have the same thing. Right? Like, this expectation that says, oh, yeah. I'm, as far as I know, I'm a I'm a Christian and, like so when people are talking about things that might land on me real, like, a ton because I believe it and and then piss off a guy because he doesn't believe it, this middle person is like, oh, yeah. That's just, you know, seems nice. And so anyway, I I thought we'd spend some time on that article. It sounded kind of interesting.

I also was has anybody given anybody given up anything for Lent? Booboo, doing Lent? No. Booboo's not in. Dan? Well, I'm in the middle of a fast, so I suppose, yeah, I guess. That was pre lent. You're just gonna tack it on. Dan gets credit for lent. I mean, I go more than forty days. These wimpy conflicts. Alright. Alright. Well, and I I seem to think that we did this

a couple years ago but, like, they've collected again the top 100 tweets on Lant, on what people are giving up for Lant. Oh. Okay. Should be interesting. I'm kind of interested to see what people are giving up. So Cigarettes. Yeah. Yeah. Horring around. Like, you know Yeah. Like, real people are not, you know, not even trying anymore. I'm just not I cut my porn in half. Yeah. Let's try that, you know, slicing it down. Hey. Did you guys see I did I didn't even see this. I I did it took a few day. Was it Yauraboo?

Do I not have said whoring around? No. I don't feel like you should. I'm sorry. Because it threw me off. I just wasn't expecting it at all. Okay. Alright. I'll try to keep I did I've I didn't give up, you know, salty language for Lent. So so anyway, I I had no idea this even occurred, but did did you guys read the article or see the news story about someone having Trump sign a bible? What? I saw a little clip on it. It it said president Donald Trump signed copies of the holy bible at an Alabama church last week while visiting an area that was ravaged by tornadoes that led to the deaths of more than 20 people. What? Here's the deal. I'm not gonna read the rest of the article. So let's can we stop doing this? Can we stop having people sign bibles? I don't even care that it's it's not it's not even a presidential thing. I think this came up before when we were talking about, like, Christian bans and stuff. That's weird. Yeah. It's weird.

Yeah. No. Yeah. I agree with you. Stop doing it. I mean, it's like you're gonna if you do your arm, it's gonna go away. I mean, it's gonna be washed off. Have you done this, Dan? No. No. Dan, have you ever seen the movie Step Brothers? I've seen piece pieces of it. So you're you're making the same argument as someone getting, Randy Jack Jackson's signature from American Idol on a samurai sword because you're not gonna not get Randy Jackson's signature. And so why else would you not have a signature on a samurai sword?

It's not a compelling argument. You just don't have their signature on something. I'm gonna be honest. I I don't really see the value in a signature anyway. I mean I mean, it proves you met a guy, I guess. Who cares, though? I don't care who Check out this sweet NIV. I met Donald Trump. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, nobody cares who I met. I mean, does that value your life? Oh, you met that one person. I think it's cool if it's relevant to the person. Like, if I have a if I have a really like, a book that I enjoy and I meet the author and I have them sign, it makes sense. Or, like, if I have a concert ticket and I meet the band and I have them sign it, I mean, may not mean anything to anybody else, but I think it could be kinda cool. Cool little But, like Yeah. Don't know about meeting the president and then having him sign my bible I here's or anybody. And this might be a weird maybe this is a weird distinction. But, like, I'd be I feel like it'd be fine to me is if you tore out a page. I mean, not Hezekiah or anything. But, like

Jesus. Part of the part of the bible. Yeah. Yeah. Bible dictionary at the end or something. Israel 27. You know, Isaiah, like, no. You sign this map on Israel. Yeah. Yeah. So it's like like, one of the one of the blank pages on either end or something. Here's king Herod's temple. Or here's king Herod. Here's Solomon's temple. It oversize. It was bigger than the Lord's temple. I can go ahead and sign that up. So so, like, I may okay. I don't really get it because the the pages themselves aren't holy. I get it. Right. Yeah. But, like, I mean, a permanent signature of some dude

in my bible, like, I don't want any part of it. I don't care who it is. I I don't want you signing them with scriptures. I don't you know you know what? It feels wrong. It would have been cool. I never thought about it till now. I could have had doctor Foster in Cincinnati. He he was an interpreter in the NIV on that committee. It would have been kinda cool to have him sign it because he actually worked on it. Okay. I can see that a little bit, I guess. I But, again, no one would care. Right. I was gonna say, like, if if you said, hey, Buva, do you wanna come see my signed copy of the NIV from one of the original interpreters? I'd be like, Dan, no. I don't wanna see that. Is it by Mark? I'm a go home. Yeah. I'm a I'm a set up. Hey. I I have Peter's signature in this. I'm like, holy cats. That's cool. That's alright. Sweet deal.

That original Aramaic, I like that style. Let's do this. That doesn't look like Peter. I don't I see him much more bold in his letters. Anyway uniform. Anyway, there's like a there's a there's a a fracas on either side of this thing. I did primarily because it's him. I don't care that it's him. I care that it's anybody. And, like, maybe I'm being a Pharisee about this thing, but, like, I've it's a it's a hard no. It's a solid no for me. Sign something else. Right. And I okay. When when Danielle was a baby, my her Cheryl's Cheryl's dad was our photographer in Kansas City. A big time football player was Christian Okoya at the time. Yeah. Led the NFL in rushing, like, several I mean, just a beast. Dad was taking the pictures. He held Danielle on his left. He he gave us an autograph that for Cheryl to give to me. So I have this autograph on a piece of paper and and I I I probably still have it somewhere but it's like I threw it in my drawer. It's like I mean, I don't know what you do with I mean, nobody's

frame that stuff and stuff like that. But if it if it isn't that important to you, then yeah. Whatever you I mean, you can remember it always if you sign Job three. I guess that's the thing. It's like, it should have gone away completely and you stop thinking about it except for when I wanna study the word. Right. And this dude this dude's barks in it. I mean, we're kinda hypocrites. We're surrounded by things that have been signed by bands right now. But it's not my bible. Right. Agreed on that. Yeah. No. It's it's not my bible. We have a we have a drum head over there to sign, not the From the guy who plays drums. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Right. Yeah. I mean, you tear out the page, it's fine. I don't care. But I it's a sign in the word so that when I open it up study the word and I see your goofball signature in there, remind me Yeah. If you tear out the page, you can't even read it. It's not even there. Yeah. What page are you like, talking about, like, at the beginning when it's, like, deaths and marriages and stuff like that, most of those bibles? Almost all bibles have, like, blank pages on on the end sheet. Like, one or two. Yeah. Yeah. Tear that beast out. I don't care. Oh, fair enough. Or that or notes. Some people provide a notes section. Fine. Do that. But it's Just keep that with you just in case you run into somebody famous. It's like, this is signed by president Donald Trump, and it's also signed by Randy Jackson from American Idol. That'd be the same. I'm thinking if it's a blank a very expensive piece of paper, though. Who cares if it's a bible or if it's a torn on piece of paper? If it's a blank sheet, doesn't matter if he signed it. Yeah. I can do it on that. I no. I I I can't stay in. I don't want it anymore. As long as you're not, like, scared of some portion of revelation, you rip that part out. Yeah. Oh. Oh, That dragon scares me. Rip president Donald Trump. So Wait. Wait. So, Bubba, you're alright. If it's a blank page that's in the scriptures, it's it's attached to the bible, you're fine with it as long as it's a blank page? I think I'm I think I can dig on that. I've taking it out makes sense. I don't know about, like, keeping it in my bible at the very end, that way I can, like, flip to the end and be like, oh, man.

Remember that one time I met president Trump. I got, like, funeral notes in there. Is that right? Right, Dan? Yeah. So, like, hey. Here's things about someone's life or funeral notes or something like that right next to a signature of of what? John McCain? Like, it just it don't feel right. Very interesting. I'm a I'm a full no boo boo. You're like a halfway, Dan. You're like a halfway. You don't care? Yeah. I don't care. Yeah. I am halfway because I yeah. Leaning toward no, but no toward anything. I mean, like, whether it's a bible or a a Frisbee. I mean Wait. You you you don't see any value in it. I really wanna see the article. President Trump signs Frisbee from local pastor in Des Moines. And then Dan's just like, yeah. Pastor refuses. Pastor refuses. This means nothing to me. Going to the beach. I I don't want your Frisbee.

I mean, I'd take it, but I don't I it'd go in my drawer with Christian McCoy. It fly? Because if it I don't want a broken Frisbee with your name. I was gonna say, when you're moving, you just find a random Frisbee. Was it signed by the president? Alright. So, hey, let us know. 5155170085. Here's what I'm interested in. One, has anybody ever signed your bible? If so, who? I'm interested. And and then two, if so or if not, either way, what are your thoughts on that? Am I overreacting? Does Dan seem pretty reasonable in this conversation?

Is Buhua really let himself go? Does that count if you have your your name Mammal Grand or what do not Mammal Grand. Hey. Hey. What did you say? I said whoring around, but Dan said mammogram. What do you call that? You mammogram your bible. Name on something. Anagram? Man what is it? No. It's

it's a monogram. No. There we go. Anagram, monogram, mammogram? Is that bad putting your own name on your bible like that? I mean, because now you're putting your own If you understand the English language, please give us a call or a text message. I'm sorry. Complaintly. I was a stuck in song with some of it. I understand that I was wrong on anagram, but mammogram. It's biblical. Did you ever get your bible mammogramed? Like gazelles. Just checked up on. Every once in a while, just grab your bible. It's stuck in there. Alright. So, no, I don't think that's a problem. That's your name. Oh. And it's the goodness. It's so you can find your own bible. Right. Like, I wrote so I I had a I had a bible when I was younger than my parents bought me. Was a youth bible. It was my first, like, my own bible that had my name on it. And I think the only thing I ever wrote in there is I underlined a bunch of passages, but, like, the only thing I ever wrote was I wrote the name of the 13 apostles on the inside. How many? 13. Right on. And I have no idea what well, so, like,

with Judas, I I almost You added Matthias. You're like Exactly. I added Matthias. So, I I was the guy at Bartholomew, but he was one of the original 12. And so, like, I don't know why I did that, but one day, I think I was just learning about it, and I thought this is nowhere in the bible, so I gotta remember it. Yeah. Yeah. Right. Exactly. Just in case I gotta open it up and go, oh, man, what was that guy's name real Quiz and Sunday school. Right. Exactly. I honestly could not tell you why I did that, but that's the only thing I've ever written in my bible. The rest is all just underline or highlight or something like that. Yeah. Written tons of stuff. I used I love going to a church and and, like, taking notes in your bible. It's been years because now I'm like the preacher guy. But but, you know, underline a circle and little notes on the side and and I can take on that. I like doing that. That'd be great, Danny. You just did that during your sermon. You're like, you know what? Hey, wait. Excellent. I'm gonna you all should write this down. So hard at that. I think I will too. You know, that was pretty clever, pastor Pan. Just Well, I mean, not at a time. Right. No. I know. He so he he appointed the original 12, and then Judas went away.

Yeah. To be nice about it. Teen if you had Paul and Matthias. And he I mean, Paul would've Paul added himself. Yes. I mean I was gonna say I mean, you guys I guess I never thought of it like that. I always thought he was really the twelfth, but just because Peter threw dice and thought, no. We're gonna choose this for god. I think he was jumping the gun. That's my personal opinion. Wait. So Great theologians would disagree with me. Alright. And the general trajectory of the scripture. Like, god seemed to have honored the choice. I don't know. But did he? I mean, I don't know that he didn't.

We don't really know. I mean, they seem to they seem to the the the acts record seems to imply that they've come to the the belief that, this was God's answer. And so you're saying that, like You never hear of him again. Yeah. He didn't write Matthias two. I mean, you don't most of the most of the the the apostles did not write a book. I was gonna say, there's only a couple of them that did. They didn't have a good age. They didn't really have much else besides,

well, apostle wise, besides the gospels and Paul. Yeah. He just he just I mean, you literally he just he just doesn't exist. K. But that I mean, heck, you know, it's a theory. Fine. I gotta find my junior high bible and apparently cross some names. Have fluffy theories sometimes. Thanks, Ben. Calling me out on okay. Hezekiah. Second second hesitations. Worse is worst has been done in this show already. Oh, agreed. Agreed. Okay. Quiz night. So anyway Send some weird stuff. I don't feel like we should be signing bibles. (515) 517-0085. Maybe sign your own despite me. Go ahead. Alright. Can we talk about this Lent thing? Yeah. Yeah. I'm with it. Because I'm I'm confused. Do I need to be doing something for Lent?

Like, do I need to giving something up? Is it I don't know. I guess I've literally never felt called to give something up for Lent in my entire life. Never done it once in in my pre understanding anything about Christianity life, in my actually following Christ life. I've never honestly felt compelled to do it. Am I in the wrong for not doing it, or is it just a decision that I can make to find myself focused on God every day that way? I mean, yeah. I mean, it's it's I think it's good to have a discipline of fasting, and if it happens to fall on Lent, great. Actually, you've done it before because we didn't tell people we were doing Lent before, but we've done forty day fasts here. That's true. That happened to be prior to Easter.

Suppose that makes sense. Just never use the word Lent. Yeah. I was gonna say, so where where does Lent so the name Lent, where does that come from? Does anybody know? Because it's it's a Catholic thing. Right? Yeah. Mean, it's not just Catholic Methodist to it. Yeah. Okay. Because I didn't I didn't know the Methodist. Stole it, though. I actually thought it was a Catholic thing, and I I still It's a Latin word for fortieth. Oh, okay. Because I still get freaked out every once in a while when I see the the the ashy cross on people's heads. Like, I'd never expect it. So I say, oh, you got oh. Literally, like, I was in the mall on West Wednesday and was with, with my fiance walking around and saw somebody, and I'm like, what is it? Oh. Oh, yeah. Oh, whoops. I see my TV. I'm like, where's who are their makeup people? And then it takes me a while to yeah. Remember. Like, is it that's not biblical, though. Right? That's I get like, it's It's not not so so here's here's here's how I think about it. Okay. There's nothing inscription that's otherwise dictating that it has to done. Okay. I think there is one of the things that we've gotten away from

is so so concerned about getting taught caught up in empty rituals that we actually lost part of the benefit of habits, of good habits, good spiritual habits. Mhmm. Rituals are not a bad thing. Like, they they they they even got a bad rap, right, for being called, hey, it's just a ritual. The problem is, like, if it is indeed empty. But, like, there there's a there's a pretty constant string in the Bible where you see god saying, look, I I you I don't want you I want you to live holistically. Right? So things that you think or feel, like, in your heart, think in your mind, are expressed in your body. That's the nature of of sackcloth and ashes. Yeah. Right? It's the nature of anointing people in prayer. It's it's it's it's a matter of of living holistically. Your physical body expresses things that otherwise are are going on in your mind and heart. Mhmm. And because, like, sometimes we remember we had this this comes up every so often when we talk about prayer rooms. So why do we do have to do it there? Can I pray anywhere? Of course, you can. Do we have to anoint to God? Can't I just pray in our minds? Sure. And and do with our mouth? Absolutely. Can't I mourn and weep in my own head? Oh oh, sure. But, like, it's it's actually a weird thing. God created it, a kind of a soul, a mind, and a and a body. And this is this is all I have to express myself with. Right? It's my hands and my feet. And so, like, there's a reason that all that is is kind of gets expressed physically. It's it's a relatively new notion, like, within the last few hundred years that, like, everything dominates and and can happen just in your mind and that how it expresses itself in your body is not necessary.

And so I think the the the connection between, kind of a mind, a post enlightenment spiritualism that says, look, I just have to believe it. I think therefore I am. It's in my mind. And a worry about empty rituals is if people were just going through the motions because they thought that that inherently was good. I think it's a false look back on, say, pre enlightenment folks. They actually just lived a little more holistically. Mhmm. How they thought, what they felt got expressed in their bodies. And so, yeah, they they wept and they put on sackcloth and they mourned and they fasted and they prayed and they and they and it they went somewhere to do it. And so, like, are those holy things that if you don't do them, the Lord is upset with you? No. I don't think so. But is there something in them? Is there something about living a holistic nature of your life in that way? I think there there it's a very powerful thing. Mhmm. And it doesn't it makes it keeps you healthily from disassociating what you do with your body and how you think in your mind. And so

all that to say, I think there's not a problem not doing it. But, like, I almost I was asking myself thinking about Lent this year is like, well, what why wouldn't I do it? Like, if someone hey, man. This is a time when other Christians are doing this thing, whether it's official Lent or they're just using the season to do this and they're praying and they're kind of focusing on this thing and they're giving things up. I thought, well, like, I could do that. Right. Why I mean, I'll join in solidarity with the with the community believers who are doing something.

That seems alright to me. Now, I didn't actually do it. I it occurred to me. Like, I did. I forgot. I I actually didn't because I wasn't following it super close. Quit anytime I want. I don't know when it started. But but but I I think that's the thing is that, like Yeah. Over the last few years, I I felt myself trying to to reclaim, like it's not like we had a bunch of disillusioned foolish Christians for, you know, 18 centuries, and then we finally landed on the idea that I can just think it from my couch and things are fine. I think we're missing out. And then I thought, well, shoot. I I don't wanna miss out on living physically, what I what what's in my mind and what's in my heart. And so I I get on board with that without necessarily being tied to,

what whatever the tradition may Okay. You think the Ash Wednesday thing freaks people out that don't don't know g Sure. Oh, yeah. I think so. Sure. Now what's interesting though is that it it wouldn't. I like, it gets progressively that way because of the things it does do is it's someone who says, look, I'm I'm committed to this thing and I'm wearing it on my face. Yeah. I I I don't know if you're I don't if you're bringing people to Jesus that way, but, like, I think the cultural reaction around that has continued to get worse

and more and more negative. Yeah. And so I don't I but then again, I don't know that that is to stop me from doing something that I felt like was necessary or otherwise appropriate in my following of Jesus. It's not that. But, like, it doesn't stop me from doing anything else that might outwardly proclaim my love love the lord. I still have Trump sign my bible. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He shows to everybody. See? See, everybody. See? Look at it. It's on Galatians. Check it out.

He's the lord's man. He's the lord's man, Dan. Yeah. Yeah. So, anyway What what which book of the bible has the Walls Of Jericho in it? Judges. Yeah. Yeah. It's on Judges. You think yeah.

Did that. That's a (515) 517-0085. Call Totally fair. Call or text. Okay. Anyway hey. So let's look at those let's look at those reasons what what people are giving up. What to give up. So they looked at Joshua.

The first The churches. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Joshua. It's this is what's kinda going in my head. Hate to be able help. I'm terrible with old testament stuff. I need to work on my Bible history. We all do. Let's see here. So first, they looked at the first 1,500 tweets. 100. Okay. Both serious and sarcastic. Okay. Yeah. Uh-oh. I think that's a fair inclusion. Yeah. Social

okay. Well, here we go. How do you typically observe Lent among Americans who observe Lent? 57% fast from a favorite food or beverage. 57% attend church services.

During Lent, I go to church? Yeah. Yeah. I give up paganism. I no longer worship Dacon during Lent. 39% pray more,

38% give to others, 35% fast from a bad habit, or 23% fast for the whoremonger, he could have been in there. But the fast 23% fast from a favorite activity. Wanna say that again? Yeah. I wanna come around so I look more appropriate. Wait. Wait. 23% a favorite activity? Yeah. So they're kinda getting it.

Yeah. I I mean, it's not like, hey. I need to stop this anyway, so I'll fast. Right. That's what that's what weird, like, throws me off. It's like, I gave up smoking. I push myself in the face every morning. I won't do that for Lent. Is that good? That's great. Yeah. But something they actually like. Yeah. I I Yeah. That's Of it's only 23%. Here we go. Here's the top 100 things. Buva, what's your guess? Chocolate.

Dan. Oh, that's a good a good answer. Okay. I'm gonna say caffeine. Okay. Here we go. Number one, social networking. Oh, I was gonna say that too. Number two,

Twitter, which is social networking. I was gonna say. Somebody came on Twitter to tell everybody that they were leaving Twitter. Social. Yeah. That's weird. Alright. Three, alcohol. Four,

chocolate. Oh, you're in the top four. Five, Lent. Lent? Sarcasm. Yeah. Lent for Lent. Sarcasm. This year for Lent, I gave up Lent. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Based upon well, see, this would this is based upon forty one thousand tweets.

Anyway, 730 people thought they were funny. They're Baptist. Six, meat. Yeah. Seven, swearing.

Eight, coffee. Ventum, I give up. Here's your caffeine. Nine, soda. So I mean, you combine coffee and soda, that beats out That'd be a thousand 38. That beats out chocolate. Wow. Although chocolate has caffeine in it. You put those three together and you beat out the social network. Yes. 10 sex.

What? Yeah. People give that up for Lent. Woah. It's like, okay. We've gone too far. Weird reaction, Dan. Sign my Twitter. I'm not doing this. 11, fast food. 12, sweets.

13, school. Another bucket of chuckles. School? I gave up school for Lint. 14 schooled. Work, good. 40 fewer people will actually have a job and find that funny. 15 men. 16 college. 17 religion.

Yeah. Twitter's still a real real real comedy here. 18 bread? What? I'm going gluten free for Lent. I mean, if you have to go gluten free, Lent is really not the time to focus your efforts. You should do it more than forty days. Let's see. Plastic is 20. Plastic. Plastic.

Yeah. Now you're going paper? I was gonna say, well, that or people trying to, like, tack on save the earth? Let's see if we can round out the top 30 Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. There's I saw this I saw this article hard. Was it a a news article or something online where, like, this woman doesn't create she doesn't really use plastic or, like, doesn't create extra, like, garbage or whatever. And so she's collected all her unrecyclable

garbage in, a single mason jar over the last two years. That's insane. Yeah. Yeah. And I was impressed, then I thought I don't you know, I'm not that committed. I was gonna say the amount of effort you have to put in that is insane. Yeah. Like, you have to choose your all your products you're purchasing that way. You have to make certain that you're recycling correctly everything. Compost all of your waste. Yeah. Now do you think well, you gotta come out with that on the first date, don't you think? Oh, if you're an insane recycler composter? Yes. I mean because, I mean, I I I feel like your behavior on a first date is going to be of such that requires explanation if this is how you Right. Exactly. If you're, like, making certain that you have a a, like, a cloth napkin, can't use anything, paper or plastic, anything like that, Have to make certain that you've got you make the right choices. Because, I mean, it can't just be your home. I'm sure that extends to, like, leaving your house too. Yeah. If you're that committed on it, you probably go to restaurants, basically. You can't even go to the you can't even go out to eat. Right. Or you go to, like, some Somewhere you'd want. That you know that can do this. Put it in my hand, Bill.

Do you guys have soup for the hand? Yeah. Just Delicious. Ladle it in. I'm saving the earth. Alright. Here's the round at the top 30. Plastic, giving up things, Catholicism, sugar. I can't believe that Catholicism thing wasn't higher on the list. Yeah. I was gonna say. These joke crackers out there. They're great. Sugar, chips, beer,

life, marijuana. Right? Giving up life for Lent. Hey, man. Marijuana beat out Brexit by one. Beat out Brexit? Is it like Only one. London leaving the Yeah. You The UK? England's Or England leaving the England's separation from the European Union. Okay. Thank you. London leaving The UK. More people are giving up marijuana. Italy too.

Sweet Moses. Boys. That was 30. Boys. Okay. Let's hope. Hold on. Now I'm kinda I'm kinda let's see what's see what's at the end of the list. There's some Catholic priests out there. Alright. I'm gonna redeem today's Off the rails. What's what's our number again? (515) 517-0085.

Oh, it's weird. Alright. You know what? I've given up this list. It's a it's a trail of tears. We're gonna leave it be. Oh, I need to apologize right now to everyone. Yeah. Alright. Alright. Alright. Let's see. Yes. Okay. That was that was Trump signing bibles. Okay. So article, to reach unsaved Christians, first help them get lost.

So again, there was a guy who who he went to a Christian school and he was gonna go, the first first gig out of school was to go be a pastor in the bible belt. And a friend of his, who's also graduating at the same time, got a good job pastoring in California. And his comment to the dude, to his friend was basically, man, I really admire what you're doing. Because, like, California's California.

There's a wide open sea of potential church action going on with their people who need Jesus. Right. And so he said that to this dude and, his friend said, hold on. Maybe if I can find the quote for him. Oh, yeah. He says, he says, whatever, the Bible Belt is the most difficult place in America to pastor a local church. The guy said, I was stunned. He must have sensed my confusion because he explained further. As he did, I had a serious epiphany. I believe the lord knew what I needed to hear in that moment, and it changed my perspective forever on my role as a pastor in the part of the country where I live and minister. In California, Matt said, there's rarely confusion, either you're a Christian or you're not. In the Bible Belt, many people think they're Christian but have no concept of the severity of sin, necessity of repentance, message of grace, or the overall message of the gospel. They think they're just fine with God and God is fine with them because they aren't atheist and have been to church before as a kid. It's almost like you have to help them get lost so they can actually be saved. They believe in God but do not believe their sin has done anything to separate them from him or the need, or the or to need the Jesus they claim to believe in. People are too quick to claim something is life changing. I've done that myself about a new flavor of Blue Bell ice cream or some Kansas City barbecue.

But from a ministry perspective, this really was the moment for me. The reality of Matt's description of my hometown created a missional urgency rather than missional insecurity. Since that parking lot conversation, I moved back home just south of the Georgia line to plant a church among people who never missed Vacation Bible School's kids and now drop their own kids off several weeks of the summer to different VBS programs across town. Whereas church familiarity is rare where Matt is, people where I pastor dress up to go to church on Easter Sunday with no concept of why that holiday even matters. So maybe the first question is is, Dan, is this is this familiar to you in your ministry? Have you would you say you've seen this? Yeah. Yeah. Definitely.

This is riveting. Moving on. Yes. Yes. Definitely. Yes. There

it becomes a game that they don't even know it's a game, but it's a game they're playing their faith. And it's just a series of actions and and a list of dos and don'ts and which may or may not even be related to scripture, and they just just

it's the club they join. Yep. And and they they chew people up sometimes and and I mean, I know I'm kinda bouncing all over. I'm just thinking of all these experiences and Yeah. I I I would I've never been like in the real bible belt. I have a feeling it'd drive me insane

as a you know, trying to be a pastor because I I just wanna slap everybody. Yeah. Every time you hear you're like you're you're speaking, someone's like, amen. They're like, liar. Yeah. Liar. You don't even know what amen means. Stop it. You just say it because you think you can say it. Actually, I run into this a lot in in a lot more than I thought I would. When I first started youth group Uh-huh. You know, I've been doing it since I was, you know, 18 years old, and I started off in, like, just being security, just sitting in the back, making sure quiet. But once I actually started taking over and and starting to lead a little bit, I was astonished at how many kids that

I knew grew up in the church. And, like, I was in the church that they grew up in. I saw them grow up in it. Yep. And so I was expecting them to be all on fire for Jesus and understanding this stuff and and all these different things. And once I really started teaching them things that that wasn't just Sunday school stuff and seeing what they knew and seeing what their lives were like, it's like, I think you guys think that you're the ones that have come in here for a long time, and you are the VBS kids, and you are the one to you know, I know your parents, and I know your parents are teaching you this stuff. But when it comes to it's just not knowledge. It's actual faith and action. Like, it's surprising to me to see these kids go, oh, I guess, I don't remember the last time I ever talked to somebody about Jesus. And I don't remember, you know, looking at this from a glorification of god perspective. I I I pray with my parents when they pray, and I show up to church every Sunday because my mom and dad relations. Yeah. Exactly. And it's just like, but what is your relationship like with Christ? You know? Who is he to you? Is he really your father? Is he really your savior and your king?

And when they kinda look at that, and I love the description of king to them, just like, guys don't understand that as children that grew up in the in America, you'd you'd never really understood what it's like to be underneath a kingdom, a king kind of deal. Right. And most of us don't. But when I start to describe that, I'm like, this is what Jesus calls himself. This is a kingdom. It's not like you have representatives here. You are underneath someone, and you are enamored by this person, and you are are always glorifying them as your king. Are you doing that? And the answer is most of the time, no. And so it's really interesting to see them kind of take a step back and go, oh, do I really have faith? Am I really one who who call claims to be a son or daughter of Christ, or am I doing this because my mom and dad do? Yeah. I think I think a lot of kids are a lot of parents teach their children

how to act like a Christian Right. And never teach them what a Christian is. Yeah. And and and they had their they don't they mean well. Yeah. Exactly. It's not like they're doing anything intentionally wrong, It's just But they don't know what a relationship is with the the the the god of the universe who created everything to existence. You know, they this like, oh, I thought we just go to church and youth group and pray at meals. Yeah. I think that's totally correlatable with this with this article is talking about is you've got people who are going through the motions and have that, the rituals calling that up again. You've got the rituals of doing the right things of showing up on Easter of, you know, maybe even giving up for Lent and things like that and all this stuff. You do the rituals, but you don't understand who is the king behind this. Who is who is the person that I'm doing this for? Yeah. How do I know God? And that could be awful, especially because these people are thinking, yeah. I'm right with God. I know exactly what I'm doing. You know, there's nothing going on. And then you as an actual pastor that's trying to come by and and facilitate legitimate relationships between Christ and people, and these people don't think they need it. It's like trying to get somebody to drink glass of water when they don't think they're thirsty. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. They don't understand, like, why you're sitting in front of them. And I you know, that that is a good point. Is that, like, we you could make anything shallow.

Like like a motion in action, a going somewhere, celebrating something, doing this thing or that thing, is not inherently good or bad. It's really what you what you're kind of how you're interacting with it. And, like, we would never say, hey, we should stop doing church because some people go there and they they sit through it ritualistically. Right. We've given up things some things like fasting and some things like a corporate prayer and and even things like anointing because we're like, that seems ritualistic to us and people didn't mean it. But so it's just it's just interesting that, like, things that we've, but we wouldn't give up, say, Sunday,

just because people are like that. And, frankly, and when we know the people are like that. Right. As a matter of fact, that goes back to and one of the things this article calls out are some of the studies that we've talked about where it says it is well documented that those who claim no religious affiliation are on the rise. Between 2007 and 2014, this group jumped from sixteen to twenty three percent of the American population. This coincides with the decline in people identifying as Christian, although there is reason to believe this is really just a refinement process and not a sign of bleeding in the actual Christian demographic. As the social cost of Christianity increased, those with only nominal belief are falling away. According to a study of US adults, 80% of those polled believe in God, but only 56% believe in God as described in the Bible. Considering the fact that approximately 70% of The US population still identifies as Christian, we have a large group of people that would likely be overlooked in outreach or missions.

With this in mind, I believe cultural Christianity is the most underrated mission field in America. While there's evidence that nominal Christianity is declining on its own, it is of utmost importance that we minister to those on the fence in hopes that they may end up within the fold and not without. So, the question is, how how do you what what are good starting points with someone who's kind of in this position, who's cultural Christian? How do you get them to recognize the difference? And he's got some suggestions here, but did he come to mind?

See, I always have trouble with this, and nothing's come to mind because I'm always afraid to do this. And I'm gonna be honest about that. I'm always afraid to do this because I really don't wanna offend anybody. Like, I'm not trying to look at them and say, hey. Your faith is shallow, and you think you have it. I'm called to do that. So I probably should stop flaking out on that, to be honest with you. But, like, I don't know. I just I'm always worried about that. So so there's I think there's a notion of humility in that that says, look. I'm not the ins and outs guy. Like, I'm I don't get to call who's in and who's out. Right. That's that is that is a god's thing. However, you're also not blind. Right. Yeah. And and you're right. And you have I think I've rightly called out that you we have loving relationship with people in our communities, that says, look, if you're if you're jumping off the fence and you're obviously lying with your mouth, relative to your actions and we don't think you're following Jesus, like, would hope someone would say something to me. Right.

Yeah. And that doesn't look right. Like, you're self deceived here. James is pretty clear that we have the ability to deceive ourselves. And so so yeah. I I think that's the thing, though, is it it it runs the risk or it feels like the risk of putting yourself in a position that says, look, I know you're not saved. But that and I think that's that's I mean, I wouldn't I wouldn't recommend that as a starting point. Hey. I've assessed that this is not where you're at. But, Dan, what about you? Yeah. It's hard because your your goal is to wake them out of their slumber.

And so sometimes that might be a harsh, you know, spiritual slap upside the head. I think I think the answer is is one on one relationship where you're showing them the way. Right. I mean, because I've challenged churches and groups. We we mean, it's still Iowa, we're far enough,

close enough to the Bible Belt that we have some of that, the second generation, third generation Christians and so forth. And, yeah, it's just challenging. The only thing that I have found effective, and that's and it seems like it's only temporary, it's like because they go back to their their natural slumber, is the one on one taken by the hand and say, we're going. Here's where we're going. You can go on this ride. You can make it an exciting journey or you cannot. Although I can say,

the the one thing that has made huge impacts that I have seen is taking people to third world countries on mission. That that used to that's a shift? A big shift. I see. I've seen shift. Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. Absolute. I mean, 100%.

I would agree with that. I think seeing seeing other people's faith, especially in circumstances that are unfamiliar to you, does challenge you. It gives you it gives you I don't wanna say it it's a fuller lens. Like, you're not intentionally blind.

Oh, You you don't realize it until it shows up and you're like, shoot. I I I I those things didn't even occur to me. That people are living this way, that people are dealing with these types of things and then being encouraged by people's faith in those situations where the risks we run is frankly just not being in those situations. So there's no no test or trial to it, and we don't we get to see the Lord work in those types of things so we're insulated from it. And so, yeah, I I would I would agree that that, that has an impact. He says, here's some tips to remember when establishing a starting point in a spiritual conversation with a cultural Christian. One, many cultural Christians claim to revere the Bible. So feel free to refer to it as the authority on all things sooner than you might if talking to someone of another faith. You have a wide open door to use the bible as your point of reasoning with people who already claim to believe it as a sacred text. Many of them have church affiliations that don't use the bible much, so it is likely that they have no idea what the bible they claim to believe actually says. That's true. I have noticed that. Conversations like when we refer to the bible, like, they largely don't folks don't don't read it. The things that they have read, don't understand well,

or they've applied in a in a seriously wonky manner. And so if if that's what, like, a a lot of folks, if who are cultural Christians are like, hey, I'll I'll take a bullet before I let you take the bible out of the school type of folk and have not read it. And so Yeah. And so using the bible said, okay, great. Well, let's read the bible. Good start. Two, lovingly ask frustrating questions. What is the standard for good? How good is good enough? How many more good deeds do you need to have than bad? And who doesn't make it to heaven? Ask these questions to uncover their source of authority for their stated beliefs. Most cultural Christians won't Christians won't be able to answer these questions. The point of this is not to mock or embarrass them. It's to establish a starting point of what god has told us about himself, our sin, and the solution found in Jesus Christ.

Three, ask about the 10 commandments. There's a good chance they can name some of them. Ask how they've done in keeping them, and if there's any consequence for breaking them. If not, why did god give them to him? Three, cultural Christians claim a belief in Jesus Christ. They also believe he died on the cross. If good people go to heaven, why did Jesus die? Is anything more confusing than a savior dying for people who really didn't need savings? Broadly, many people I baptized were former cultural Christians who could not answer these types of questions. In their frustration, they began to realize something was dissonant. The Christian faith they claimed to have held, had little to do with anything the bible said outside of trying to be a good neighbor. Once their eyes were opened to the reality of god's holiness and their personal sin, a need for a savior was understood. A starting point was established and a need for the gospel that I believe.

It says, remember that we're looking for a starting point, not a one stop shop to full gospel understanding. Don't enter these conversations as debates, but rather feel confident in simply expressing what the gospel is. Pray that God would provide the wisdom you need to then walk someone through their resulting questions. My friend's realization that he needed Jesus eventually led to saving faith, baptism, deep commitment to a local church, and spiritual growth. But that began with the starting point, hearing the gospel and understanding that it was good news. I suppose and this is true for your context, Buvan, as as it's true for Dan and I's too, is that I think you even if they're not culturally

like adults, I think what you're seeing with kids, think is is kind of a reflection of that same same type of thing. Yeah. Right? It's the same type of behavior and those kids grow up and they end up in they end up in chairs and bible studies or Right. That kind of thing. And that's so, like, the the thing is is that, like, we're prepared for this. Christian Christians are prepared for this type of thing. It's not like we're not capable of. People do it all the time. Phone groups are intended to help with things like that. The the kids ministry or, like, even under other men men's ministries, women's ministries. The question though is is that, like,

are those ministries actually doing these types of things? Like, are we studying the bible in any of these things? Because if we are, then the then the things will shake out. Be like, even you said, oh, I go to the women's thing because women are there. Well, great. If women are studying the bible, then this thing can't continue it won't continue to slip through the cracks even if those same people could show up at church every Sunday for years and years and years and years and miss it. But to the extent that those don't do that because we're like, well, we do a lot of that on Sunday. We shouldn't we don't wanna overload all these things here.

You you you do run the risk of that not being a stop gap either as being a separate place. And so I know it's it's I suppose that's that's the core evaluation. If look at all the stuff you do and say, look, is there a is there a place someone could get, caught, if they otherwise were ritualistic on Sunday morning? Are we offering things that otherwise might catch them? Help them Yeah. Run into things like this? So, it was weird. I was actually I was in Minneapolis

a week ago and, there was a guy there and he's like, oh, he he was from Des Moines or whatever. And so he told me that. He said started talking about this guy he knew, like, what the heck ever? And but he wanted me to look him up. And so I go back and then it it was a guy, like, he used to work with me or used to work with that guy too, like, had a kind of a mutual friend. Anyway, I come come to find out that he said that he saw the pope in Downtown Des Moines.

And I said, that's ridiculous. That's the pope was not even here. And so, I had him describe him to me. He said, tell me what the pope looked like. And, like, his description of the pope, to be honest, wasn't, like, quite what I had understood the pope to look like. However TV changes. Yeah. That's what I thought. I thought that might be the deal. And I said that if you he have did he have he didn't have the hat on. Did he have that like, what what about the hat? And he's he made some deal about he he must have lost it on the plane or whatever. I don't know what the quote where he keeps it. Makes sense. Anyway, so I had to explain this tonight and and he was like, he drew a sketch of it. And Buva, I'll be doggone if he didn't draw, like, the most purest sketch of of pontiff Buva. Spitting image of me. Yeah. And so, I mean so, anyway, this guy feels like he ran into you and talked to you. Is that is this a familiar story? Did you run into a dude? It's happened before, and it doesn't surprise me. So, yeah, so tell me about it. How did it go down? So

Actually expecting you to tell me a legitimate story about something that happened in Minneapolis. So when this, when this fellow ran up to me, and and exclaimed that I must be the pope, I told him he was mistaken and needed to leave my lawn, and he refused to do so until I gave him some kind of, paper wisdom. So, so this is what I gave him. So he thinks you're a pope on the sly. He says, hey. Yeah. He was like, he's undercover. Right. And I'm not leaving till I get my signature in my bible. Until I get some time And the wisdom this man better sign my bible. Okay. And so, of course, Ben, I did not sign his bible, so don't worry. But you agreed to the wisdom part. But I agreed to the wisdom. Okay. Okay. Let's Figured that I can do. Okay. Great. Let's hear it. So within youth group, within the last couple week last couple months, we've been talking about Mark.

And we've been going through verse by verse, and I love doing that with the kids because, making them break down verses instead of just stories and parables and chapters and things like that. They really have to dive in and get to the the heart of things. And I really love teaching that way, because I can do some things that are thematic and things like that, but, like, I don't don't do themes well, but I do scripture well, and I and I study that well. And so that's recognized as one of my strengths. Right? And so but one of the things that the kids love doing is they absolutely love derailing me. K? It's one of their favorite things in the world. If they can get a hold of my thought process and just let me take me completely away from the lesson and into what they wanted to talk about, not for the perspective they don't wanna talk about what we were originally thinking of. They just think it's fun. Right. And and when I get going, like, instead of just talking about my prepared plan, it's the holy spirit takes just a straight run, and it's usually about Jesus stuff. And so if they can ask me some good Jesus questions, I'll stop what I'm talking about, and I'll go, okay. That's a valid question. Let's answer that. And that turns into a lot of stuff. And so

about two weeks ago, we were going through Mark three, and we were talking, just before, you get into, to Jesus calling the apostles. Mhmm. We were talking about

oh, I I can't even remember the the subject at the beginning of three. I think it's, the pharisees and the the Sabbath, if I remember correctly. Yep. It's a continuation from the end of two into three. It's just a different point, the conversation. Right? And so we're talking about this stuff. But out of nowhere, somebody asks me

a question about the differences between understanding Christianity and religion and understanding science. And so it was basically just a random one off question where somebody was like, did the dinosaurs really exist? And if they did, why weren't they talked about in the bible? Sure. Yeah. K. And so that kinda led to, oh, everybody started wanting to talk about dinosaurs because they're all, you know, 14 years old. Wouldn't. Sure. Yeah. They wouldn't wanna talk about dinosaurs. We were talking about the Sabbath.

Yeah. Let's talk about dinosaurs. Like, I totally get that. And so it led to everybody's hand popping up. Out of nowhere, just, like, 15 random questions come out, and they're all these what if questions about. You know, if we believe that God created the universe, then what created God? It's like, okay. That's a fair question. Like, I can understand where you're And, you know, are you willing to accept the answer of, well, God kind of existed at the beginning and and created himself, if you will, but he was always there, really. Like, well, if he was always there, what was there before? It's like, okay. That's a it's a logical conclusion that we're always gonna go down to. God created himself. How did he do that? We can't do that stuff like that. And so that led to these guys wanted to have just what I call a what if session. Yeah. And it always happens to where they just wanna ask these questions that are, what if this? And what if this is the situation? And it's not biblical stuff. It's just cultural things they've heard or conversations they've had with somebody. You know, do dogs go to heaven kinda questions. Sure. Yeah. Like, all that kind of stuff. And so I'm getting bombarded with these questions. Like, legitimately, they are back to back to back to back to back. Finally, I'm trying to get through mark three. I'm doing everything I can to stay on task, and I'm like, okay. Every single one of you guys have a what if question here. They're like, yeah. Of course, we do. We have a thousand questions, stuff like that. And I'm sitting there, and my brain immediately kinda goes to, you know, I'm trying to facilitate some learning here, and I really want them to get out of this and everything like that. Let's get back on task. Let's get back on on subject.

This isn't really important conversation questions. Like, these aren't things that are really gonna affect your faith and stuff like that. And then my time ran out. And so I'm like, well, I feel bad because I have 10 kids that are asking me questions after questions after questions. This is the most engaged they've been in a month. Mhmm. Like, they dig on some of the stuff we do, but I lose them sometimes, I'll be honest. Sure. But I'm just like, this is this is really important stuff to them. So I said, everybody, write down your questions. Okay? Write down a question you've got. We're gonna bring it back next week. I'm gonna plan a lesson, but if we don't get to it because you guys have questions, I'm fine with that. Yep. Well, lots of times to just answer questions. I figured next week rolls around. I figured a couple people would have questions. We get there,

and I think maybe I'll spend twenty minutes in doing this. Thirty minutes tops, whatever, hour and a half time. We ended up spending the entire hour and a half on all of their what if questions. You know, what if god, if god created the earth, was it really a big bang, or is the bang made up? Is can we hold science in one hand and religion in the other and understand that science does exist, but that doesn't disprove god? It just does things and answer for some of these things and all this different stuff. And it was a really cool time. And where my pope style is coming from is I realized

I don't ask what if questions anymore. I've given up on my on my natural curiosity in many ways of my faith. My faith has become very, question answer, but or from the perspective of I wanna know the exacts of how to just live my life and get it done with. And just make sure I know what I'm don't ask any god, I've just been thinking about it today. You know, what what happens if this is going down or what what's going on here? And it's just it's interesting that, like, I'm a naturally curious guy. I really am. Like, I ask a lot of questions about a lot of stuff, but I haven't been asking those questions of God in my relationship with him. You know, I just kinda put it off of if I can't if I can't find an answer fairly quickly, and it's not really that important to my faith, I don't really need to put thought into it. Yeah. But then if I'm taking that time and I'm not putting it in anything constructive

and I go, I don't really care about my curiosity and my faith, but Netflix seems cool right now. I'm a go I'm a go hop into Netflix and watch a show. I'm a binge a season of a show at a time, which is ridiculous. Or I'm gonna go back to work, or I'm a handle something else that's not my relationship with God. And I realized that it hit me hard. I'm like, these kids are understanding this natural curiosity they have, and they're willing to give into it. Neckless abandon. They do not care. They're asking every single thing they can. They wanna know everything they possibly can. They're just so they're sponges for every bit of knowledge. And I miss that. Yep. I miss that in my faith. You know, when I first started, like, really getting into my faith with god, I was doing that kind of stuff. I was running through my bible, and I was flipping back and forth. And I I remember so many times, I mean, I'd text you, Ben, all the time and ask you questions, and I text you, I'd come here with with faith stuff that I really want to talk about and hash out or or with my mentors that I talk to. I don't do that anymore.

I don't have that natural drive and that curiosity. And I looked at it for a split second, and I I I it hit me hard, and it and it shook my reality. I looked at it as a waste of time. I was looking at it like, guys, we need to learn about Jesus. What are you guys doing? Like, there's there's gospel truth that we're trying to find. And I'm sitting here trying to push them past it. And I'm like, how dare I do that? Like, how I dare I quell that that curiosity they have the end of this stuff. Like, even if it's even if it's meaningless faith meaningless stuff, like, am I gonna see Sparky when I go to heaven? Right. Is it really important to your faith and to where you're gonna spend eternity

on whether or not you get to see your guinea pig when you go to heaven? I don't think so. But at the same point in time, is it important in your faith to have that natural curiosity that is just constantly driving you to know more about your savior and your father. I so important. And I'm sad at myself that I've that. And so since I did that time, I've really been trying to when I get those random one of what if questions in my head, I'll take a minute to think about them. I'll take a minute just to ponder random stuff, even not important. I'm thinking about, you know, what is heaven gonna be like? Do I really need to know the specifics

of it? No. Do I have a general idea? I think so from scripture. But at the same point in time, is it cool to kinda just sit down for a minute, think about how cool it's gonna be to be skipping and jumping and singing in joy in god's glory for the rest of eternity? That's amazing to think. And then being there at the big bang when god spoke light into existence, like, is it really that important that I know the science behind it? No. Is it important for these kids to know the science behind it? Not really. But is it super cool to think about? Well, God spoke literally everything into existence. There was nothing before him, and he spoke it all. Everything we can see and perceive and smell with all of our senses, anything we do was all him, and it started when he spoke. How cool is that to just sit there and think? And so instead of spending so much time in in big, huge, like, monumentous things that I need to think about faith, I still give that stuff time, but I've really been allowing myself to kinda to facilitate that natural wonder that I had as

as a new believer and really kind of give in to that natural and and and wondrous curiosity of, you know, hey, papa. Like, what's it gonna be like when I'm with you forever? That's gonna be awesome. You know? What was it like when you created wisdom? Like, the Proverbs talks about that. That's a cool deal. Like, wisdom was there at the beginning with you. What's that like? You know? Was it was it an actual thing floating around, or was it the concept of wisdom that Solomon was trying to portray and and and personify? And, like, does it really matter? Not so much. But is it important that I'm spending time in my relationship with you asking questions that I that I used to do when I was five years old? That I mean, all of us have met a toddler. They ask a billion questions a day. They ask about everything. Why is the sky blue? Why is this going on? Why do I have hands? Why am I this color? Why is my hair a different color than yours? It's like, I miss that. That toddler like curiosity in my faith, and I've really been trying to get back. And I'm I'm not even close to where I wanna be, but it's something I've really been focusing on couple weeks. And so if I have that pope style advice, I guess it's no. If you're if you lost that curiosity,

if you've lost that that childlike faith from the perspective of, like, you're not tainted by your own things that have happened to you, experiences or or the stresses of life at, try and get a hold of that stuff. Try and get a hold of that childlike wonder of, like, he's your papa. Like, spend some time in that kind of relationship where it's reverent, but it's like you're sitting on your dad's lap and you're asking a thousand questions an hour. And he's just sitting there smiling and giddy because you're with him. You're spending time with him, and you're building that relationship. Did he leave? Did he get off the lawn? Oh, yeah. He left. He's gone. That was enough. He's in. I think so. Yeah. I mean, he he left. I mean, I pushed him, but he left. Oh, I think it's great. I think that's, right. How could you not like, if if I'm to understand

and and a god that created the universe, right, and not look around and say, look, this is as I look about, this is supposed to tell me about you. Mhmm. Yeah. Right? Like, it it there are implicit questions and say, well, what is what is this? What is this about? Like, this could be done a million ways. You did it this way. Right. How was how was that? And there are things you know, I I wonder if we get away from that kind of stuff because there's a point as your as your kind of mind develops and as you get exposed

to things that you stop digging because you're you're afraid that if I dig far enough, there's gonna be nothing there. Mhmm. Right? And and I think we we we subject kids to that like we we sometimes don't allow them to ask deep questions or we push them off when there are complicated

or unknown answers because we don't want it to be a risk for their faith, especially with science. Right. Especially with science. Like, I've oh, man. A lot. I've we we we homeschool and, like, some of that science curriculum is embarrassing. Some some, like, some people some Christians who produce science curriculum are an embarrassment.

Mhmm. It's not biblical. It's not science. It's it's a book full of somebody's shallow opinion who's afraid that the world might expose God as a fraud. Like, what a bunch of crap. I don't want my kids to see this because because God's not a fraud. I have no he's I have there's nothing to protect him from. Let's talk about what this is. Yeah. Let's talk about what scripture says. Let's talk about how the world works that he created. Let's understand how these things go together. But, like, I oh, man. Alive. I was I was I was there's just been a few that I've looked at, and I'm so disappointed. I'm like, what is this garbage? Yeah. This is not we're not trying. And and, like, what I could you you can tell that they're they're pulling bible verses out of out of context to support weird things that aren't true. And I thought, like, why? This will destroy a kid because they're gonna read this and they're gonna get five years down the road and they're gonna find out that that isn't how the world works because they can walk out the front door and and notice that this is how things go and be like, oh,

well, because this Joe who wrote a science book who says he loves Jesus and he used some bible verses to support it, well then the either the bible's not true or it can't support reality. And like it's oh, so bad. I was so disappointed. And like and and I I see that all the time. People having conversations and they get to a point where there's, like, a difficult question

when it when it comes to how how we understand the biblical narrative and the reality of God and the reality of the world that he created around us. And they get they get, like, three quarters away down and they go, like, well, I just believe that God's word is true. I'm, yeah. So do I. Now finish the conversation. And, like, they just bail on it. Right. And and it be and so I I say all that to say is that, like, one of the things that allows us to

continue to survive, in a state of wonderment is to not be afraid to wonder. Yeah. Something that doesn't like, this doesn't put at risk. This doesn't put me at risk. I'm not worried that there are gonna be an answer that that god can't handle or that I'm not afraid of an I don't know. I'm not like, what kind of what what kind of people believe that they know everything about the creator god? Right. And so, like, I'm not being afraid of an I don't know. But, like, some of that, I think, comes the fear come we instill by not allowing people to ask those types of questions. Even adults.

Like, adults say, like, what like, they're everyone's got probably a list of 10 things. They're like, I really don't get it. I I'm con I would be concerned about this answer. Like, I don't even know. Don't even have the conversation. But if someone were to bring it up to him, they'd be like, oh, well, I don't know. And now they're in the business. Now that now there's doubts where they shouldn't have been because we're not talking we're not being honest about things as if God needs the protection from the word the from the the truth of the world he created. It's it's it sounds foolish when we talk about it that way, I I I think that's a lot of what suppresses our willingness to do it, is if we don't have the answer, we push people off and then we don't we don't allow them to wonder because as if there's a risk in doing so. Right.

Alright. That's Pope's advice. Let's see. Alright. So let's let's do this. We're we're we're running around the tail end. Let's get some dear life from the path. Here we go. Dear life from the path. My ex husband raised my son as his own from the time he was an infant. Now my son's biological father is saying he wants our son to stay away from my ex husband.

However, my ex husband and my son have a very strong bond. I believe the bond is even stronger than what he has with his biological father. They're both good dads, but my ex husband devotes more than one more one on one time to my son than his biological father. I am confused. Must I distance him from my ex since we are no longer married? My son is now six. Oh, man. A lot of dudes in a short amount of time. Yeah. I was thinking like 18 or I don't know. That's exactly what I was thinking too. Like, your 15 year old doesn't wanna spend so much time. Yeah. Sick? Wow. Six. That's complicated.

I wish So there's a father that wasn't married and then she got married and then got divorced. Yes. And both of them are are scuffling over the child. There's only two, though. Right? There's not three? No. There's two. Yeah. Okay. I was making sure there wasn't another one after the ex husband. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I would have strongly advised maybe let's start on the mother's end, maybe just no dating.

Maybe just just wait till the kid's 18. I get that it feels like a sacrifice, but goodness, you've created confusion in this boy's life. I'm not even saying it's your fault. I'm just saying it exists. Right. And and goodness, we could protect that at all. It might be a thing. I'm I'm I'm wondering why the why the biological wants to distance from the ex husband. Like, I get that they're not together anymore, but I wonder if there's more than that. Like, if there's a reason that there's obviously, there's a reason she's he's the ex husband. I would assume the kid the the bio dad is is well aware that the kid is attached perhaps more so than to the Yeah. I was gonna say maybe it's a threatening feeling. Yeah.

But the bio dad didn't stick around. Right. Exactly. If he's not nearly as involved as the ex husband is, like yeah. You've really put yourself in predicament. Yeah. You really have. Or or, I suppose, mom, I think we recognize you are in a predicament. Okay. Yeah. Whether you put it, done it, or these fellows have done it, or everyone's equally culpable, this is in a rough spot, and it's really unfortunate that that's the case. I say I say go with the one who acts most like a father. Yeah. There's no reason that you can't keep both still

in the child's life. Yeah. Like, they at least at least from the information we have right now, there's no real reason to distance from either. The biological father wants to now have a relationship with a kid. Great. He can't take back the six years that he didn't by trying to push away the ex husband. It makes more logical sense that that's the situation. Now that the biological wants to get involved, he doesn't wanna feel threatened by the ex husband. He needs to realize that part of this, being a good father as as best as you can in this situation is to, you know, keep the kid in a place where he has relationships that mean something to him. If the ex husband has is in a relationship that means something to the kid and they're close, don't rip that away from a six year old.

Like, that's that's a rough time to, like, lose a father figure. I mean, there's never a not a rough time to lose a father figure. That's very important. I can't imagine either one has much influence and neither one are at home. I mean, not anymore. Much time. Right. Like, I can understand, like, custody time is gonna get weird, but, like, it doesn't mean distancing entirely from any situation. Like, you you work it out, you co parent between the three and figure out what that looks like. If anything, I'd be weary of the biological to try to come back in at six and just now try to develop a relationship. Yes. I wanna know. Is he paying child support? Is he is he I mean, is he just trying to I mean, cut that guy off. I mean Right. Like, I can't imagine being a six year old and having, like, a biological father come back to me and now wants a relationship. Yeah. It's his business. I mean Right. He gave that up.

Yeah. I mean, it's not it's not clear how it's clear they got what that that they weren't either weren't married or got divorced early with the Biodad. It's not clear that how close. We just know that the the now ex husband is was closer. Right. So the bio dad could have been around. Yeah. It true. We just know that either way, I I guess I'm just getting the sense of, like,

of how often women end up having to be a gatekeeper like this. That's terrible. Yeah. That's terrible. And, like, between bickering dudes and I I you know, whatever the the the ex husband seems like like he might be an alright cat. But, like, even have to go through this and be like, I will or will not allow so and so to see their son or, like, have to decide I don't wanna make this guy mad one way or other. Like, the whole thing is just disappointing.

Boys, fellas, I'm looking at you. Right. Right. Alright. So so in general, it sounds like our broad our broad sweep is to say cutting off seems ludicrous. Right.

The the only reason bio dad says now ex husband dad shouldn't be able to see him. It is has has to be straight up jealousy. Right? Because otherwise, like, unless it's and otherwise infringing on whatever time he might have, but I assume that's garnered by a court order and their divorce agreement or a custody agreement. Right. And so, like, unless she's violating the law, who she sees and who the son sees as long as it does otherwise not detriment to his health or life

is not his realm to say. Yeah. And so I would say, mom, I I this thing that it has to be this way but you're well within, your your ability to decide who your son spends time with when he's not with his bio dad. And if that is this cat because he's a good dude and he's good for your son, then I would say go go to town. Yep.

What's Segler say? Segler says, the boy's father may sense that his son isn't as bonded to him as he is to his former stepdad. Okay. Yep. Jealousy. Which is why he's saying this. I've always believed that more love and positive reinforcement is better than less. By that, I mean, I see no reason why you cannot expose your child to anyone you wish, including your former husband. Because you are confused about what your rights are as a mother, discuss this with an attorney. Did she say that? I think she was more confused from an ethical perspective. Yeah. Than a legal perspective. Yeah. I mean, I I would the only reason I'd have the legal thing in your back pocket is if Biodad's kind of a weasel. Right. And is now trying to, like, fight custody for the situation. Yeah. Although, to be like, by the time you're going to that level to say, what does our custody agreement say? Like, you've got a problem that is that is really unfortunate already. Right? Okay. Let's do another one. Dear life from the path. We have some new neighbors, and recently, the wife has developed the habit of dropping by. It's becoming apparent that she'd like to develop a social relationship, lunches, etcetera, But this is not something I want to encourage.

My husband and I are extremely private people. We walk nude in front of the windows. No. I I I was gonna say you added that. Right? See if you guys are paying attention. Like, what? This is why Mike does it. I finally established she's a woman, and I was like, woah. Wait a minute. My husband and I are extremely private people. What socializing we do is with family. We're willing to be good neighbors but are not interested in further involvement. In fact, we are beginning to view her visits as intrusive. I'm unsure how to approach this without offending her and appearing to be rude. Live from the Path, you have a way of phrasing things in a positive manner, and I'd appreciate your insight as to how I can let her know her visits are not welcomed and would prefer not to establish anything beyond a cordial neighbor relationship.

People who are fearful, social situations at offending people, but are also antisocial enough to not want you around in your life are the most confusing people on the planet too. Yes. Yeah, man. Hey. Don't wanna be rude. Your core position is I don't want to know you. Right. Exactly. I don't wanna have lunches with you. I'm a very private person, but I also care about you enough to go, I don't wanna say something mean. No. You wanna make sure you don't look bad, and you're afraid of awkward situations. That's what's the situation here.

You really feel this way about someone? Tell them. Yeah. It is gonna be awkward. It you're gonna look like a schmuck, but you're gonna be happier. Yeah. But what yeah. That's the point. What do you care? This is what you wanted. Right. Exactly. You you are literally solving your problem by doing the exact opposite of what you wanna do because you wanna be nice and cordial and things like that, and that will think that will make them think, oh, there's potential for relationship here that might blossom. But if you're a schmuck and go, hey. I'm all friended up. I don't need more. I don't I don't I'm not accepting friend applications right now. We don't want you in our lives like that. If if if you're gone and you need us to watch your dog, we'll figure it out. But don't pop over for lunches. Don't come hang out. And then you get to be as antisocial as you wanna be because that person isn't gonna wanna be around you anymore. That's right. It's gonna get around and then say, hey, man. Those don't don't, somebody moves in and say, hey. Don't, talk to those jerk neighbors two houses down. Right. Everyone is literally gonna go, yeah. Don't talk to them. That's right. You've laid the groundwork. You don't even have to do this again. Offend the right person once. Right. Right. Exactly. Right. There you go.

I mean, I I don't you don't have to be a jerk about it, but you do have to be honest. Right. Yeah. Yeah. Just be honest. Not inherently mean to go, hey. We're very private people. We're not really looking for new if you phrase it like a schmuck, you will. But, like, just be honest with someone. Because the other one bothered about this is is this woman. Right. I mean I mean, the other people are just they're just being their normal friendly selves. It's like, well, they'll go to the they'll go to the other neighborhood. I'm sure they didn't move to this neighborhood to find new friends. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like, nobody buys a house in a neighborhood because, oh, those people look I mean I bet she makes a mean pie. I mean, some people wanna have neighbors. That's true. Like, they didn't choose this neighborhood specifically for this couple. No. They they they chose it for the concept of friends, not those two people. Right. Which means that they can find it literally to the next door. Yeah. Yeah. Agreed. Now I I might submit, lady, although it is, I understand where you're coming from. But when you say the only socializing we do is with family, like, I'm just saying maybe maybe dip your toe in the water. Right. Might be alright to bring in a friend. Yeah. Go on a lunch every once in a while. You don't have to meet up every week but say, hey, Suzanne, do you wanna go get dinner? Yeah. I mean, I get it. But that's it it seems like it might be overdone. You could be living living under a bridge and asking people three questions. You keep this thing up.

I I wanna know how old they are. They must I I just assume everybody's young, but maybe they're retired or something. I gonna was say, I'm assuming the exact opposite on this one. I'm assuming that it's an older couple. Yeah. Yeah. Because although they have kids, they're friends with the neighborhood. I mean Well, well, actually, I I I I'm a agree with that I think they're older. Yeah. Otherwise, what's I'm thinking? Lunches. Yeah. Who goes to lunch? Yeah. I got work. That's right. Unless you're old. Right. Exactly. Yeah. I exactly. Or have a wealthy husband. That's deal, Ethel. I know you're building birdhouses in there. Do you wanna have lunch? It's like, no. I'd like to continue building my birdhouses. I didn't think about that. I'm afraid of being old. Once you get old and you retire or whatever, people will be like, I know they're free.

That's the worst possible thing that could happen. Right. That's why I'll never retire. Yeah. No. I'm working. I'm working. I'll work a part time job till the day I'm dead. I'll be the 85 year old man that's the Walmart playing. Just Hey. They're actually they're phasing out the Walmart greeters, boo. Fine. And then I'll be the 85 year old man that's too tough and gritty to leave when they tell me to leave, and I'll just greet everybody at Walmart. I brought this yellow vest. That's not your business.

Sir, you have our logo on you. Don't worry about it. You could pay me. Secular says, oh oh, here we go. Secular says phrase it this way. We realize you are new in town and are reaching out, but my husband and I are very private people and we socialize only with family.

Then suggest some options available in your community that will provide her an opportunity to get involved and meet new people. Doesn't that sound worse? We don't like you, but there's a community center down the road. I'm not really looking for friends, but have you tried the Barnes and Noble? Have you tried the local pub or the Enabling Gardens? Holy cats. I don't know why that sounds so ridiculous, but it sounds absurd to to facilitate communal engagement after you hate them. You're new in town. Have you spent time at the Dairy Queen? I'm sure there's people there who are sweet.

There's a lot of annoying folk like you who are willing to gather. Alright. What do I what do think? Oh, man. So would we would we leave off the last part? Dan, would you do it? Would you would you suggest other places to go? No. That's that's awful. This is like we don't we are not taking business anymore, but you can check the places down the street. Yeah. Yeah. It's terrible. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We've got with What is wrong with you, secular? Are you kidding me? Yes. We're you're new in town, and I realized that you seem very interested in a social life. We are not, though. We deal mainly with family, which is not you.

Go ahead and head down to the Wreck hall Right. Or the elk's lodge on 4th Street. We've we've investigated options for you. I'm not sure if you dig in an opportunity. The Masonic Temple might be your a good choice. I'm just imagining an old couple that has that thing that every hotel in the world has as local attractions for the hotel. We don't wanna spend time with you, but have you heard about the historic caves about 10 miles that way? I'm sure listen to someone who's real interested in spelunking. We stole this from the Ramada. We feel like it would be helpful for you. Have you seen water parks in our area? Oh, man. Alright. Hey. If you have some good opportunity

good options for how other people can find community, I don't care. Please don't call the complaint line. (515) 517-0085. You got feedback on the show. You loved it. You hate it. Hey. You you small window to still email Chris Roloff at the truth network if you really hate the show. He needs to know. That's, Chris Roloff. I think it's c Roloff at w t r u dot com, and just tell him you hate the show, and and imply that it's his fault. No. That's good for him. And, in the meantime, hey. I so, sorry. Travel schedules have been real rough, and they're gonna continue to be so over the next month, guys. So I apologize that we're not, broadcasting

consistently. We violated the vow, but that's that's life. So, we will be out of the out of the seat next week and then hopefully back around the weeks, to come. In the meantime, be please be faithful in the means. God will handle the ends. You've been listening to you live from the pack.