23 conversations
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Home-run prayers
- Is it appropriate for athletes to pray for wins and claim God told them they would hit a home run?
A host opens the episode with a hard question about whether athletes should pray for personal success: if a welder or lawn-mower worker prays to be the best for God's glory, should a baseball player pray to hit a home run for God?
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The deconstruction post: guilt, vocation, and Shoney's
The hosts return to the musician's deconstruction post, postponing the full 'walking away from Jesus' segment to next week.
From No. 537 · The Bible Confuseth
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"True self," personality boxes, and the privilege of the critique
Mike questions the "find your true self" premise — what if your true self is emotionally withdrawn, or bad at finding itself?
From No. 520 · Bring Your Purse to Brunch
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Trades, desk-job emptiness, and rejecting the premise
Ben says he mostly sees Jesus-following men carrying heavy burdens to serve wives and children, not schmucks.
From No. 520 · Bring Your Purse to Brunch
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Walking through "five ways to know Jesus is calling" — part 2
The walkthrough continues: career shifts and sudden passion (a host encourages casting a wide net and being open to new things, citing a friend newly energized by homeless…
From No. 500 · Cut and Colby-Jacked
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What is a bivocational pastor? — the BM article
From the porch story the hosts segue into an article, 'What is a bivocational pastor plus 10 tips if you are one.'
From No. 434 · Rebuilding Tower of Babel
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Goals, passions, and unique gifts
- What are your goals, and what has God uniquely gifted you to do?
Philip explains that his process starts with goals, passions, and how God uniquely gifted each person, not rate of return.
From No. 393 · Interview: Phillip Ramsey with Uncommon Wealth Partners
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Purpose, exercise, retirement, and aging out of ministry
- How do we live with intention and purpose instead of drifting?
- What will we do when we age out of the ministry roles we love?
A long discussion on purpose and intention: Ben muses that farmers never do burpees yet stay healthy into their 80s, and argues the real issue is purpose, not physical labor.
From No. 571 · Luddite From The Path
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Interview: Jeff of Satellites & Sirens
- What is the story behind the band name Satellites & Sirens?
The hosts interview Jeff of the band Satellites & Sirens by phone. He describes a new album due in September, the new single 'Ready to Save' going to radio, and how the album was funded through Kickstarter, including a $10,000 tier to tour with the band.
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Going full-time in music: calling, commitment, and dad advice
- How should an aspiring musician handle a calling that won't pay yet?
The Andersons describe deciding to pursue music full-time: 'now is the time... what do we believe in more than this?'
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Pope-style advice: listen longer before you speak
- Outside of anointed kings and prophets, is there any biblical example of God assigning someone a specific vocation?
After more Paul examples (the Macedonian dream, the angel who broke Peter out of prison and just left him there, Pentecost) and a joke riff on vocations (no biblical example of…
From No. 347 · Risky Expectations
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Troy on singleness and God's will
After skipping a poor question and noting internet connection trouble, Troy — single and addressed by name on air — talks honestly about not wanting marriage or a relationship…
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New Year, part 1: take up your cross, the chessboard, Stephen
- Is there a God's plan? Is it specific or principles?
The New Year discussion begins: what does God want from each person this year? The hosts argue for active participation in following Christ ('take up your cross and follow me') instead of waiting passively for an Isaiah-style throne-room moment.
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Light parties and pushing light into darkness
Ben summarizes Mike's arc: everyday 'sheep in, sheep out' faithfulness and fiercely following what God is doing are both true — the only thing that tells you which shape your life should take is whether you're listening to the Father.
From No. 596 · Mr. Prayer Closet
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Interview: Jon Acuff's library-card business card
- What do you do for a living?
Jon Acuff joins via Skype and the hosts ask how he answers 'what do you do?' Acuff shows his letterpress business card, designed like a library card listing his books, and explains he says 'I write books and I speak.'
From No. 192 · June 2, 2014 Podcast w/ Jon Acuff
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Made to make — creating as image-bearers
Ben (speaker-1) gives his third takeaway: if God is a creator and we are made in his image, then making things — a table, a photograph, a meal — is part of our nature, not a distraction from following Jesus.
From No. 544 · Wisdom and Wonder
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Interview: Crystal Joy's background and writing life
Interview with guest Crystal Joy: a former junior-high teacher turned stay-at-home mom of two, she describes writing at a busy Dunn Brothers coffee house in Bettendorf and her call to pursue writing full time.
From No. 306 · Completely Captivated
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Graduation season: careers, calling, and God's will
- What advice would you give someone graduating and entering a new season of life?
A long host discussion opening on graduation season: what advice to give graduates entering a new phase.
From No. 55 · May 16 2011
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Interview: the songwriting process
Asked whether it is hard to find inspiration, the Andersons say they make a conscious effort not to just write a tune and 'slap God in there.'
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Widgets first or Jesus first
The hosts reframe the frankness problem as an orientation problem: most Christians show up to 'build the widgets' and talk about Jesus only if the opportunity arises, while Paul's…
From No. 350 · It Can Be Done From Jail
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Things to do before Christ returns: jobs that will not survive
A host muses that some callings only exist until Christ returns: the medical profession ends when nobody is sick, so 'if you want to do medicine, you really need to get that in now.'
From No. 251 · Blood Moon Hype
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Guest performs a song about trusting God in a move
Chris Akers performs a slow song (lyrics include 'a cup of stars' and 'will you stay here with me when I leave the coast').
From No. 175 · Authenticity vs. Holiness
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Graduation advice: be a lighthouse where God puts you
The host addressed on air as John Buva the third gives the first graduation roundtable advice: as graduates leave school ('the fairyland') for the real world, they should pray…
From No. 145 · Prayer vs. the Lucky Horseshoe