Every week, pastors and leaders from First Methodist Houston gather to answer questions from church members and listeners, with a promise that there is no topic we won't tackle. Featuring Andy Nixon, Brandi Horton, Kaitlyn Bowie Hankins, and Ben Wyman.
It's Jim Welch's last few days on the job, and before he leaves, he sits down with Ben to talk about what he's seen in his time here, what he's excited about for the church, and the changes that he hopes to see coming. Ask us a question! You can reach us at fmhouston.com/streets.
It's Jordan's last podcast, and so she and Ben continue on to part two of their tournament, debating the best comebacks in the New Testament. Fill out your own bracket! https://www.fmhouston.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Best-Clapbacks-In-The-Bible-NT.jpg Ask us a question! You can reach us at fmhouston.com/streets.
For Jordan's last podcasts, she and Ben return to an idea that they've been wanting to do for months - having a tournament of the best clapbacks in the Bible. What's a clapback? Tune in and see. Fill out your own bracket! https://www.fmhouston.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Best-Clapbacks-In-The-Bible-OT-copy.jpg Ask us a question! You can reach us at fmhouston.com/streets.
After the shooting in Uvalde, Ken and Ben ditched their podcast plans and sat down to talk about how to respond to a tragedy like this, and what a Christian's response to events like these should be. Ask us a question anytime. You can reach us at fmhouston.com/streets.
Answering a question about evangelism, Jim, Ben, and Jordan end up speaking about matters of physics, the beginnings of the universe, the sheep and the goats, Pascal's wager, Nietche's "God is dead," and a whole lot of other stuff we didn't expect when we hit record on this podcast. Enjoy! Ask us a question! You can reach us at fmhouston.com/streets.
A reader sends in a Twitter link about a possible mistranslation of a Scripture passage, and it leads to some combatitiveness over different Biblical translations, trying to read multiple* Biblical translations, and a surprising argument over whether we should be bothering to read the Old Testament at all. *https://twitter.com/lllogannnnn/status/1520393475790979072, though it looks like the user has moved to private. Ask us a question! You can reach us at fmhouston.com/streets.
The phrase "He descended into hell" was removed from the Apostles' Creed a long time ago, and a listener wants to know the reason why. Of course, that leads to a lot of much bigger questions about the nature of hell, the humanity of Jesus, and what answers preachers are supposed to give to tough questions. Ask us a question! You can reach us at fmhouston.com/streets.
With Palm Sunday approaching, a question comes in of whether we're celebrating the day completely wrong. Why is it a joyous celebration if we're remembering the crowds that turned on Jesus only 5 days later? Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/streets
Part two of our conversation, and it turns out there's almost nothing that Jim can't talk about for hours on end, and it's a fascinating ride. We start with "what's going to be happening at the church?" and end up at "is there a true limit on the universe?" in very short order. Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/streets
If you've been aware of what's been happening at First Methodist, you'll know: it's been a very topsy-turvy week. Here to hopefully settle some things down is interim pastor Jim Welch, who answers some questions and allows us to start getting to know him a little bit. Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/streets
Amanda, Ken, Jordan, and Ben talk about some positive sides to how their ministry has changed over the course of Covid, while admitting that they've seen the church atrophy in some ways over the past two years. Ask us a question! We'll address it on the show. You can reach us at fmhouston.com/streets.
A listener talks about how a betrayal from a long time ago has left them unable to forgive the person who wronged them. The group discusses the difficulty of forgiveness, how to work towards reconciliation, and the things inside ourselves that keep us from moving forward. Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/streets
A member comes from a faith tradition that doesn't allow for female clergy, so they're asking whether there should be pastors who are women or not. Jordan and Amanda talk about female preaching and leadership in the Bible, their journeys to get to where they are now, and some of the road bumps they've run into. Oh, and if you're looking for the Instagram picture we're talking about, it's here. Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/streets
Andy, Ken, and Ben are divided on the nature of bad churches and whether they can still do good, which leads to Andy coming out against the Bible (not really. Or does he?), and Ken announcing that First Methodist is going to war. There are some stirring pronouncements about the spiritual character of Houston, and at the end of it all, we try and buy Andy a yacht. Leave us a response or ask us a question! You can reach us at fmhouston.com/streets.
A question about finding peace and rest gives us stories about various intentional practices, romantic dinners at Waffle House, and the time Amanda thought she was going to die at Disney World. Ask us a question! Hit us at fmhouston.com/streets to leave a question or a comment about the show.
The group takes a question about why the church has embraced the Sinner's Prayer when it never appears in the Bible, leading to a brief history of revivals and the Sinner's Prayer, plus the questionable theology we keep running into, and figuring out just what our role is in bringing people to Christ. Got a comment or a question? Visit us at fmhouston.com/streets
The gang fields a question about how John Wesley treated confession, and how the church treats it today. It turns out to be a fertile topic, featuring some wide-ranging stories from everyone's experience, and a very specific callout of a certain church nearby. Send us a question or a comment, and help shape what the next episode of the show could be. You can reach us at fmhouston.com/streets.
This week, the group has a question to wrestle with, as they explain what Jesus was doing when he changed the use of the word "blessed" in the Sermon on the Mount. Along the way, the group debates whether Jordan's opinions are going to ruin her chances of being ordained. Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/streets
With cases on the rise, the group heads back to recording remotely. It's the first time for our newest hosts, and it takes some getting used to. Meanwhile, Andy locks himself out of his apartment. Ask us a question! Since the season began, we have yet to get a single new question. Help us fix that. fmhouston.com/streets
The podcast starts off with Ken finally revealing what, exactly, took place at the Coneby Christmas Barn, before the group talks about the ways that 2021 surprised them, changed them, and made them look at the world differently. We are taking your questions! Visit us at fmhouston.com/ama for more episodes and to send us a question or a topic you'd like to hear more about.
With Christmas upon us, the group talks about what things they do to find the Christmas spirit each year, and what traditions their families have kept to make Christmas Eve feel like an actual celebration of the birth of Christ. What they mostly find is that everybody has some pretty weird traditions in their family. Ask us a question! We're still taking questions at fmhouston.com/ama, and we'll get to your questions in the new year.
The group talks about how to get your family into the correct Christmas spirit, and accidentally spoils the secret that Santa isn't real (beware of listening with your kids around!). As a result, we get some unorthodox Christmas traditions, and the story of the time Ken successfully caught Santa Claus. We're still looking for your questions! Send us a question at fmhouston.com/ama and we'll include it in the show.
We're back! After a long pause and some retooling, the podcast has returned, with a new vision and title that's easier to find on web searches. "Ask Me Anything" is now "You Can Hear Us In The Streets" (for reasons explained in the podcast), and we use our first episode to introduce one of our new cohosts, Jordan Czichos, and talk about how to prepare your heart for Christmas during a difficult Advent. We're still looking for your questions! Send us a question at fmhouston.com/ama and we'll include it in the show.
It is Donyale’s last podcast, and the group talks about the year of ministry that followed George Floyd’s death – the way their approach to ministry changed, and the need to be a church calling for justice. It’s a reconsideration of faith in politics, and call for faith in politics. The Ask Me Anything Podcast will be on a brief hiatus, but will return with new co-hosts later this summer! In the meantime, send us new questions at fmhouston.com/ama.
On a very loose podcast, the group tries to answer what to do when you feel you need your faith back, and how you're doing better than you think you are. This podcast sounds undedited, but trust me, it is very edited. Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama
Everyone talks about their favorite parts of the Bible.
A question about the authenticity of the resurrection story. During a very tough recording session, the group fights through to talk about metaphor and reality in the Bible, how to approach the gospels, and dealing with matters of faith and the heart. Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama
Today’s question covers a wide span – starting with John Wesley’s abolitionist stance, to the division of the United Methodist church in the run up to the Civil War, to its history within Houston and the Civil Rights movement. Plus, a long look at the ways Scripture has been used to maintain white supremacy in America, and an acknowledgement that this conversation can only be had when we recognize our failures – and learn from them. Books referenced in today’s show: Jamar Tisby, “The Color of Compromise” (https://www.amazon.com/Color-Compromise-American-Churchs-Complicity-ebook/dp/B07BB6R827) M. Shawn Copeland, “Enfleshing Freedom” (https://www.amazon.com/Enfleshing-Freedom-Intersections-Innovations-Religious/dp/0800662741/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1CPT8VEKJP48J&dchild=1&keywords=enfleshing+freedom&qid=1616532938&sprefix=enflesh%2Cdigital-text%2C206&sr=8-1) Our podcast with Trinity UMC regarding “The New Jim Crow” begins next month! Ask us a question: fmhouston.com/ama This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm
Andy, Ken, and Ben debate whether the church has a role in talking about personal health, what our role is when your actions affect the health of the whole community, and how best to talk to friends and family about the vaccine. —— Ask us a question! Fmhouston.com/ama
A questioner wants to know how you’re supposed to treat other people with compassion when it’s difficult for you to treat yourself the same way. The gang talks about mental health, how God’s goodness affects how you interact with the world, and get honest about some of their own struggles. —— Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama
A member who remembers growing up with separate schools and water fountains wonders about how long the process will take before full racial healing is reached. The group talks about the process of doing work on yourself, what it means to try and become someone who brings about change, and how we need to pass things on to the next generation after us. A new podcast series on “The New Jim Crow” is coming soon! Send in your questions at fmhouston.com/ama.
A listener confides that the way the Bible pushes “the fear of God” terrifies them – is that supposed to be the point? The group discusses some of the roots of the term in the Bible, how Jesus fits into all this, and the way we need to be aware of people’s experience when talking about the Bible. Ask us a question! Fmhouston.com/ama
A question asking about whether brokenness is a good thing or not takes the group all over the Bible, through Old Testament and New, as they discuss the various ways God combats brokenness in the Scriptures, and what it is that he desires for us. Got a question? Send it to us at fmhouston.com/ama!
The group sorts through the various ways Scripture is viewed by modern-day Christians, try to differentiate between historical events and metaphorical stories, and knock down some common misconceptions. ——— Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama
Praying for our enemies turns out to be really difficult in practice. A listener asks a question that came up in their small group - how do you actually pray for your enemies? It seems awfully difficult. And how do you know what to say? Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama
Andy, Donyale, and Marty (and even Ben!) tell their origin stories. The group discusses what led them to become pastors, and why they abandoned other avenues to head towards ministry. Plus, is it ever too old to enter full-time ministry? Then, at the group's urging, Ben shares his journey into the world of church media. fmhouston.com
A follow up to one of our earlier episodes – Episode 96: “Why Are Young People Leaving The Church?” – an actual young person writes about how relationships helped them maintain their connection to the church, and he finds that to be the magical elixir for other young people who get connected to churches. So what does the group think? There’s conversation about how to be a person who listens to questions, how to handle questions you don’t know the answers to, and how the long history of the church can help you out of a tough situation even if you don’t know much about it. Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama
Look back at the lessons from a very hard year. For their last show of 2020, the group looks back on the lessons they learned, the things that they missed the most, and the things they've discovered how to appreciate. Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama
Trying to sort through the painful reality of a difficult Christmas season. Someone who thought Christmas would be easier without all the busyness is discovering that this is a much tougher season than they expected. Andy, Marty, and Ben talk about why so many people find Christmas to be hard, how to handle this year's particular difficulties, and the way loss affects the Christmas season. fmhouston.com/ama
A question about whether traditional worship’s days are numbered brings out four strong opinions on the nature of worship, experiencing God in all contexts, and how we ignore church history at our own peril. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm
This commonly-asked question is quickly flipped on its head, as Ken questions the motivations of the people who most frequently ask it. Soon, it becomes a conversation about the way we cling to the church that we already have instead of becoming the... This commonly-asked question is quickly flipped on its head, as Ken questions the motivations of the people who most frequently ask it. Soon, it becomes a conversation about the way we cling to the church that we already have instead of becoming the new church that we need to be. Also, Andy is very excited to be “the 24th most influential United Methodist podcast.” Here’s the link so you can see what he’s talking about: https://blog.feedspot.com/methodist_church_podcasts/“ This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm
A listener wants to know why they still have an unwillingness to extend themselves to help others in times that are inconvenient for them. Do they have a bad heart? The group talks about the way action creates feeling, the various times Jesus addressed this very thing throughout his ministry, and how to know if you’re asking good questions or just beating yourself up. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm
If sex is a gift from God, why can't the church talk about it as such? And is that lack of conversation destructive to the people who aren't hearing it preached in a positive way? For Marty's first podcast, Ben decides to throw him in the deep end and asks a listener's question he hadn't been allowed to ask before: why does the Church struggle to talk about sexuality? It leads to a surprisingly emotional conversation about the responsibility of a pastor when they stand on a stage, preaching vs. dialogue, and how to handle the reality of abuse and pain among the people you're trying to talk to. Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama
Do we keep Jesus a little too separate from ourselves, and from our lives? Are we failing the young people we teach? Today's question concerns if we are making Jesus "relatable" enough - is he too separate from us, and from our lives? Are we failing the young people we teach? Is that why young people leave the church? Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama
Brandi answers some rapid-fire questions about her time at the church on her way out. On Brandi's last week in the office, she sat down with Andy and Ben to answer some final, rapid-fire questions - the things she's most proud of, the things she's most disappointed to leave behind, and as many things as we could suprise her with as possible. Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama
Is this really a role women should move into? With Brandi on her way to becoming a head pastor of a nearby church, the group answers the question of whether head pastor is actually a role women are supposed to move into, or is that against what the Bible says? Brandi has stories, Bible passages, and books to recommend. Even when she’s not ready for the question... she’s ready for the question. Ask Brandi a question before it’s too late! fmhouston.com/ama
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