No Experts Allowed

Have you ever had an epiphany? Suddenly, you've realized something that was not obvious before. This is one use of the word "epiphany," but the Church has historically used it more technically: to describe the revelation of Jesus Christ into the world when the magi arrive to see Jesus. They talk a little about the "wise men." But mostly Jonathan and Seth discuss these different uses of the word, why, and how epiphany differs from Christmas, and why it matters. Epiphany is January 6th, 12 days after Christmas. We transferred it to the following Sunday, however, as some churches do. We're glad you're with us! Feel free to reach out and tell us your epiphanies, whether they're religious or not.

John's Gospel starts at a different scale than Matthew's and Luke's (Mark's just sort of starts with no nativity or infancy narrative). John starts at the beginning of creation with "He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being" (1:2-3). While Matthew and Luke "zoom in" on Jesus and the Holy Family, John "zooms out." What can we make of this difference? What does it mean to have, as some scholars have called it, a cosmic Christ? And, maybe most centrally to the Jesus movement, what does it mean that this Cosmic Christ lived among us in our very flesh and blood? Christmas is almost over, but the questions it raises are not. So, join Jonathan and Seth as they talk about them together. Thanks for being with us! We hope the joy of Christmas carries with you throughout the year. Although we know that Christmas brings with it lots of complicated emotions, we hope joy is the lasting one.

A short, fun episode, Jonathan and Seth pray and reveal the gifts they got each other. In an attempt not to spoil the surprise, here are links to Jonathan's gift to Seth and to Seth's gifts to Jonathan. Merry Christmas from the both of us!

Jesus and his family become refugees in Egypt. The peaceful mangers we set up at home, or the almost-life-sized ones set up at the large church in our area, look so calm. But this text reminds us that there is a political dimension to Jesus' birth that enrages Herod. Jonathan and Seth discuss how it also is also an affront to the empires and the powerful today. They talk about why we don't hear this story more often, why Jesus' stint in Egypt might be glossed over by hymn sings, and why this newborn is political - like refugees, children, and the displaced today. We're glad you're with us! This episode hits your feed at a strange time because it is about the Sunday after Christmas, but is uploaded before Christmas. No matter when you listen, we hope your Christmas was/is joyful! And we will have another, shorter Christmas episode to listen to on Christmas Eve.

Joseph is not Jesus' biological father, or "biodad" as is growing in popularity on TikTok. But he does seem to be committed to Mary and, subsequently, to the baby Jesus. As Luke writes, "Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose [Mary] to public disgrace, planned to divorce her quietly" (1:9). What can we learn about commitment and calling from him? Are these different? This story clearly fits into the larger narrative of Jesus' birth, but how does Joseph fit into Advent? We're glad you're with us! We hope that your Advent is expectant, your Christmas preparations are underway, and that you are tender with yourself as this season brings with it its many emotions.

What makes you feel impatient? What are life's small annoyances that you dislike waiting for? Unfortunately, waiting is part of life, and especially the Christian life. The Advent season emphasizes waiting and the joy that can be found in it. In this episode, Jonathan and Seth discuss whether they're patient wait-ers, how Advent can be a balm for the impatient among us, and even ways to be better wait-ers. While we're not sure it will help us be better servers at a restaurant, it may help us better serve those around us. We're glad you're with us! Do you share some of our annoyances? If so, we'd love to hear from you. In the meantime, keep waiting - Christ will come again!

Advent texts, particularly the Old Testament readings, often offer a glimpse into joy, peace, and justice God's second coming will bring. In this week's texts, Isaiah describes unlikely animals living in peace with each other. They're neither dominated by their prey drive or fear. What unlikely pairings might be possible today? Who can we befriend for the betterment of the world God loves? What holds us back from these relationships? In other words, what does God's shalom look like now, as we anticipate it coming in its fullness? We're glad you're with us for this new liturgical year! I (Seth) forget how much I love Advent until it rolls around again. Then I'm always thankful for its themes; I hope you experience the same.

Are you a "prep-er"? Are you prepared for anything, running through scenarios and 'what-ifs' at work, in life, with friendships, and everything in between? To start the new liturgical year, Paul wants us to wake up and be ready. Jonathan, as someone who is ever-prepared, and Seth, someone who is moderately prepared, talk about what that looks like in the life of faith. They discuss being ready as a state of being and how we can live in light of the expected return of Christ, which will bring with it unexpected joy, reversals, and new life. We're glad you're with us! This is the 3rd recording of this episode because the sound was not cooperating for Seth. Thank you for your patience; we know our episodes usually release on Mondays, but this one wasn't ready (See what I did there?).

Reign of Christ Sunday, or sometimes called Christ the King Sunday, ends the liturgical year. It asks who is ultimately in charge and worth worshipping. But to know that God is in charge and to act like it is much easier said than done. Jonathan and Seth discuss the challenge of the phrase, "Be still, and know that I am God!"  (Psalm 46:10) and what a faithful stillness might look like in our hurried, news-flooded world. Since this Sunday closes the liturgical year, the discussion seems like a fitting recap of much of their discussion this year. We're glad you're with us! We hope you'll join us for liturgical year A that takes us to Matthew.

Recorded on election day, November 4th, politics was in the air. In Virginia, the gubernatorial election dominated advertisements. In Pennsylvania, the option to retain state Supreme Court justices was on the ballot. All of this was happening during a government shutdown that was affecting the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). And the author of 2 Thessalonians - who may or may not be Paul - writes, "anyone unwilling to work should not eat" (3:10). To say there is a lot to talk about is an understatement! Jonahtn and Seth discuss this verse, which they've heard in the news lately, but also talk about the wider role of tradition when Christianity seems muddled. We're glad you're with us! Votes are counted, but this episode is still relevant. We'd love to hear how you've heard the phrase, "anyone unwilling to work should not eat." Feel free to email us.

What does a theology look like that has "good bones?" What does a theology rooted in care and concern for people look like? What are its hallmarks? How is it lived? In this week's lectionary text, the Sadducees ask questions about the resurrection. Jesus, however, speaks about resurrection as a way of life so that their question about multiple husbands is moot. Jonathan and Seth discuss this idea of a resurrection faith that takes seriously questions about heaven, but then tries to bring that ideal down to earth. They attempt to find the "good bones" in the Sadducees quiz. We're glad you're with us! Be on the lookout for a backlog of episodes that are going to post this week. We understand life's busy, and you might not have time to listen to them all, but we wanted to make them available. And they'll be here for years, so you can always listen next time Year C rolls around!

Do you crave praise? In this week's gospel text, Jesus talks about simply doing one's duty without expecting any additional reward. The job itself is the reward. Jonathan and Seth discuss why we might still want praise, but what it looks like not to need it. What does it look like to find contentment in what we're doing? How do we balance commendation and criticism? Is there anything that students and teachers can illuminate for us about that balance? We're glad you're with us! There are multiple "weird" texts in the lectionary, and I (Seth) think this is one of them. If you'd like to talk more about it, email is; we'd love to hear your thoughts.

Psalms express a particular feeling at a particular time to a particular audience. Because they are so... particular, they can serve as the basis for new psalms and poems. This week, Jonathan and Seth start with Psalm 14 and reverse it. It helps them see the psalm in a new light and to ask questions about professing Christians "do[ing] abominable deeds" (Psalm 14:1). This helps them explore the parable of the lost sheep and the lost coin, too. What are we looking for? What is worth all our energy to find? How might Scripture let us ask new, vibrant questions if we "flip" it sometimes? We're glad you're with us! Jonathan and Seth got to see each other in person the weekend before this episode goes live. We hope that excitement comes through on the podcast.

Approximately 1/3rd of Americans do not get enough sleep. They lack rest. God, on the other hand, never needs to sleep and yet rests on the 7th day of creation. When this week's Hebrew Bible text picks up, Isaiah is extolling the benefits of the Sabbath. So, Jonathan and Seth talk about the importance of rest. They wonder what a sabbath practice might look like that isn't overly strict, but is still help. And they use Tricia Hersey's book Rest is Resistance to help them consider rest more holistically. We're glad you're with us. However, if you skip this episode to get some rest, we won't fault you. 

In this week's appointed gospel lesson, Jesus says, "Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!" (Luke 12:51). Generally, Jesus has been seen as a great uniter, a unifying force among disparate groups with differing identities of every sort. It's what makes this declaration particularly challenging, at least for Jonath and Seth. So, they ask what Jesus might want to separate us from, what is the historical context of Jesus' statement, and how does it apply to us today? What do we need to be divided from to follow Jesus more closely? We're glad you're with us! We hope your summer ends well. Keep cool, keep hydrated, keep listening!

Do you have a lot of stuff? In this episode, Jonathan and Seth discuss the items they collect. Seth talks about his Uncle Joe, who was a hoarder (and we use that term seriously), and how he witnessed his uncle's attachment to his belongings, especially towards the end of his life. They talk a little about what we can do about all our "stuff", but more about what it means to be ready for Jesus' return by finding our security in Jesus' love for us rather than our belongings. We're glad you're with us! We'd love to hear what items you collect; we won't judge! And if you've had success thinning your hoard, we'd love to hear about that too. Because we're glad you're on this journey with us, wrestling with what it means to follow Christ in a complex world.

The temptation exists to read Ecclesiastes as fundamentally different from the rest of the Hebrew Scriptures. It's not history, not law, not like proverbs or the psalms, but a completely different genre altogether. There are themes, however, that echo throughout the entire Hebrew Bible that reverberate in Ecclesiastes as well. One of them is rest. The writer doesn't want their audience to toil constantly; that would be pointless, or vanity, or like a breeze that blows through quickly and disappears. What does rest look like? And how can people like Jonathan and Seth help others rest who don't have the opportunity to do so? What does it look like to read Ecclesiastes constructively as opposed to the ramblings of a depressed Solomon? We're glad you're with us! Ecclesiastes is, maybe strangely, one of Seth's favorite books of the Bible. If you want to read a groundbreaking work, see Jennie Barbour's The Story of Israel in the Book of Qohelet: Ecclesiastes as Cultural Memory.

Jesus gives his disciples what is often called "The Lord's Prayer" or the "Our Father." Afterwards, he tells a story about persistence and relates it to one's prayer life. What happens, however, when our prayers go unanswered despite persistent pleas? What is the point of prayer if it is not a gumball machine, dispensing what one wants after they've paid? Who does prayer change, us or God? Jonathan and Seth discuss why prayer matters. We do it at the end of each episode, after all. We're glad you're with us! Is there a prayer practice you've found particularly meaningful? Is there a prayer you recite often? If so, we'd love to hear from you. We apologize that this episode was released late too. Like usual, it's Seth's fault!

Jesus has some difficult-to-hear words about following him, including seemingly telling a man that he should not even return home to bury his father. In the ancient world, family may have been more important than it is today; there were no retirement homes, so family had to take care of their members as they aged. If someone ended up in prison, food was not provided. Family or friends had to bring it to them. It's into this ancient context that Jesus' words seem particularly difficult. But they're difficult today, too. What do we do when we encounter texts that seem to push against the grain we see in Scripture? Shouldn't we love and care for those who love and care for us, after all? Shouldn't we invest in our chosen or given families? Jonathan and Seth discuss how to approach and read tough texts. We're glad you're with us! Seth returned from Greece the day before this episode was recorded, and his circadian rhythm had never been more off. It's better now, but he'd appreciate it if you gave him extra grace this episode.

When a man is purged of his many demons, it seems like cause for celebrating (Luke 8:26-39). The townspeople who knew the man, however, "asked Jesus to leave them, for they were seized with great fear" (Lk. 8:37). How do we let fear dictate how we see our future, how we see others, even how we see Jesus? Jonathan and Seth talk about this rather strange story that seems like a traditional healing, but has much more detail before and after the healing takes place in the narrative. What does this additional information help us learn about the healed, the healer, and the wider community they find themselves? We're glad you're with us. Lately, our podcast statistics have been trending up! More people than ever are listening. If you're enjoying us or finding us helpful for your sermon preparation, we hope you'll share us with someone else, write us a review, or both.

After celebrating Pentecost, the Church turns its attention to the Triune God. This Sunday makes preaching, teaching, worship planning, and children's sermons particularly difficult because the danger of heresy seems to lurk everywhere. What if we didn't let that stop us from dreaming and exploring what God was like? Jonathan and Seth attempt to unpack what is dangerous about heresies related to the Trinity and whether there is anything we can learn from rigid rules defined in patriarchal councils convened by rulers intent on using the Church for their control. In other words, why does the Trinity still matter? We're glad you're with us! Seth nerds out on this episode as early church history and the patristic period (from roughly 100-451 CE) piques his interest. We hope that excitment comes through.

As Target learned the hard way, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is the way forward. It's also the way of God in the world as evidenced at Pentecost. So, Seth and Jonathan talk about DEI. While we've occasionally spoken around it, referenced it, or advocated for an inclusive Church, this episode tackles DEI head-on. Why do we need DEI? What are its limits? How can we go further than DEI initiatives? And how does the multicultural, multi-ethnic, multi-lingual story of Pentecost inform diversity efforts today? This episode is not political charged, unless you find any mention of diversity inherently political. It is, however, faithful. We're glad you're with us. This episode was particularly fun to record because we could confront an issue that has been widely politicized. We hope our joy and our commitment to inclusion shine through because if you have a problem with inclusion, your problem is not with, but with God.

Situated between Jesus' ascension and Pentecost, this is an odd Sunday. One of the oddities, at least for modern readers, is that a whole household is baptized together in the appointed Acts reading. When the patriarch of the family, a jailor, decides to be baptized, he decides for his entire family. Is this merely patriarchy at play? Could it tell us something about how households functioned in the ancient world and, perhaps, something about how people can walk along with us toward our baptism? Jonathan and Seth try to sort out what's happening in this story through a lens of grace. We're glad you're with us! As the Easter season ends, we hope you'll continue living in the joy of Christ's resurrection.

When and how do we tell difficult-to-hear truths? In this Sunday's gospel text, Jesus heals on the Sabbath. In doing so, he does what isn't expected or accepted. Speaking difficult truths can be similar. Others may expect us to "toe the line" by parroting what others in authority have said. Likewise, our truths may not be accepted or could be viewed as harsh. Jonathan and Seth discuss how this applies to the war in Gaza. It also has applications in our personal lives. As we wrestle with these, we hope it stirs questions and insights into how to break the rules, just as the water in the pool of Beth-zatha is stirred up (John 5:7). We're glad you're with us. In this episode, they reference the book One Day, Everyone Will Always Have Been Against This by Omar El Akkad. I (Seth, here) would recommend it to anyone.

The seer John watches an entire city, a new Jerusalem, descend from heaven. While cities in the ancient world were much smaller than cities today, they were still hubs of economic and civic engagement. People lived closer to one another, interacted more frequently, and likely got into more spats. What do cities offer us that suburbs do not? What are some of their challenges? Can we develop a theology of cities? And what lessons might we take from cities to apply to our lives outside of them? After all, both Jonathan and Seth live in the suburbs now. We're glad you're with us! As mentioned, cities were smaller in Jesus' time. Scholars estimated that roughly 20,000 people lived in Jerusalem. That's half the size of York City, so if you're unsure where or how large York is, you're close to understanding how small Jerusalem was then! Jerusalem's population, however, would swell for religious holidays.

Do you know that God cares about you? We hope so! We also hope that you'll reflect that care by caring for others. That's much easier said than done, however. What does that care look like? How can it be concrete? What is so enticing about online activism that keeps others at arm's length? What are a few concrete ways to care? In this episode, Jonathan and Seth discuss how we care for others "up close." We touch on all four appointed readings for this Sunday, too. We're glad you're with us! This episode was recorded in person. We hope that joy is evident in the recording. It may also mean, unfortunately, the sound quality is a little different. Thanks for bearing with us. We'd love to hear about how someone concretely cared for you or how you've decided what your caring priorities are at noexpertsallowed@gmail.com

Saul's conversion, or maybe more accurately his call, is full of power imbalances and power reversals. Jonathan and Seth look at this well known story through this lens to ask: how does God use and confuse power? What might that say about who has power today? Who should we be listening to because they have power in God's kin-don, but have been overlooked, drowned out, or outright disparaged?  Thanks for joining us! We hope your Easter season continues to be full of resurrections, an awareness of God's unconditional love for you, and the awe of Jesus rising from the dead.

The same reading follows Easter Sunday each year, the story of "Doubting Thomas" (John 20:19-31). In previous episodes, we've discussed how Thomas' reputation suffers despite being logical. When has someone risen from the dead, after all? In this episode, we explore how we might react. Do we lean into change quickly? Are we resistant to change? What makes change easier to stomach? Easter changes how we think about death, the forces of evil, and how we can live in light of them, so this episode sets the stage for the rest of this Easter Season. In this episode, Jonathan and Seth discuss the Change Adoption Continuum; it features prominently in their What Would You Do In This Particular Situation question. You can see the graphic here and read more about how to lead others through change. We hope you had a joyous Easter filled with the power of Jesus' resurrection. As always, we're glad you're with us too.

Vulnerability exists in different forms. Scholars identify physical, social, economic, and environmental as the four main types. What makes being vulnerable so tricky? Why do we feel that way when we might embarrass ourselves or not get what we want? In this episode, Jonathan and Seth talk about those feelings of vulnerability. Jonathan leads an exercise that mimics it and may help us become more accustomed to the feeling; we hope you'll participate in the exercise with us. Finally, they talk about the vulnerability surrounding the entirety of the Easter story. Since this episode releases Monday of Holy Week, we hope this mini-season is a blessing. Try to take it all in. Sit in Good Friday's pain and confusion (even if you feel vulnerable). And, we hope, you experience the joy of Easter.  We're glad you're with us.

"Hosana," people cry as Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey. Hosana means "save us."  This reading, including the dramatic entrance and allusions to Caesar entering a city, bursts with political imagery. And politics is dominating the news again. This past weekend, potentially millions marched in the Hands Off protests. People on the opposite side of the aisle have seen Donald Trump as a sort of savior, even a quasi-religious one. So, what does it mean to cry "Hosana" today? What or who needs saving? This episode focuses primarily on the palms portion of this Sunday. Frankly, we thought there was enough passion, enough suffering in the news, enough death and destruction that an episode on that portion of the day seemed redundant. We're glad you're with us! We hope you'll turn into next week's Easter episode, too.

After Mary anointed Jesus' feet and Judas hypocritically complained about the price of the perfume not going to the poor, Jesus says, "You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me" (Jn. 12:8). Unfortunately, this statement has been used to justify not helping those in need. Jonathan and Seth talk about that history briefly but also about spending money on what matters. It's a discussion about how our priorities are shaped by problems we did not cause yet still influence us. Seth quotes from Lucas Bessire's Running Out: In Search of Water on the High Plains. The majority of the book is Bessire and his dad driving through rural Kansas, meeting with farmers who pump aquifer water and people trying to limit that water use. The afterword is particularly compelling, however, in its connection to broader societal problems and what Bessire calls "the widdening of acceptable disregard." This episode leads directly into next week's Palm Sunday reading. John's Gospel, too, looks forward to next week's lectionary reading as if to say, "Come back next week for more."  We hope you'll do that! Until then, we're glad you're with us.

Luke 15 has been called "The Gospel in miniature." In this week's lectionary reading, the parable of the prodigal son is the appointed text (Luke 15:1-3; 11b-32). However, that parable is the third one in a row. So, Jonathan and Seth discussed these three parables alongside Paul's theology of reconciliation. What does reconciliation look like? Who has the power to reconcile? Are there times when reconciliation is not possible? This episode is particularly joyous because Jonathan and Seth recorded in person. We hope that joy comes through. We also hope the sound quality is acceptable. It's even a short episode because Jonathan and Seth had to get back to playing Mario Party! Thanks for listening. We are glad you're with us.

Who matters? That question permeates politics today. This Sunday's Gospel reading might get at the question in a roundabout way. In roughly the first half, Jesus tells a series of stories about local tragedies; in the latter half, a parable about a fig tree that a vineyard owner wants to cut down. Jonathan and Seth discuss how these stories are about "mattering," how they jettison our traditional sense of mattering because of what they produce, and offer a look into God's economy that values people over any productivity. Be sure to tune in next week for a special episode recorded in person. Jonathan and Seth rarely get to see each other face-to-face, but had the opportunity to see each other, go bowling, play Mario Party, and find time to record a podcast episode. So, we hope you'll listen next week as well. Until then, we're glad you're with us!

At least in North America, citizenship seems to be in the news lately. What do Canadians think about the United States? Who and what is coming over the borders to affect our citizens? How do tariffs impact our citizens and hurt others? And what does it mean for Paul to write, "Our citizenship is in heaven" (Phil. 3:20)? Jonathan and Seth talk about this verse, which is often used to rationalize being separated from the earthly world. Can it be a helpful lens? How might it be particularly helpful in Lent? That seems like enough questions for one podcast! We're glad you're with us. This episode is not very political, despite the political undertones. So, if you're weary from the news, we hope you'll listen nonetheless.

Lent begins with ashes, a physical sign of death's inevitability. If you're like me (Seth, here), you feel the ashes on your forehead and wipe them without thinking. They're still there but spread even wider across your brow. Lent may be filled with other physical signs, too. Lenten shrouds cover crosses; baptismal fonts may be dry. Are there any physical signs of God's love in your life? Jonathan and Seth talk about theirs, but more importantly, explore what to do with them. If you do not have something physical like this, Lent may be a time to find it, endow it with meaning, and see if it continues being meaningful post-Easter. We hope Lent is meaningful, you make it Ash Wednesday (or ashes to-go), and tune in next week as we continue marching through Lent. We're glad you're with us.

After receiving the Ten Commandments, Moses comes down the mountain and his face shines (Ex. 34:30). It's like he's been to a rejuvenating spa. Likewise, when Jesus prays at the Transfiguration, "the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning" (Lk. 9.29). Being in God's presence enacts noticeable change. What might that change look like? How can we tell if someone has been spending time in God's presence? What about when two people, each claiming to spend time with God, come away with radically differing conclusions about God and how to live in the world? Jonathan and Seth talk about a lot in this episode; this topic deserves all our attention (and probably future episodes too). We're glad you're with us! Reach out for support when needed, feel your emotions fully, drink water, and pray. If not for yourself, please do it for us. We care about you and we want you around!

I hope most Christians see forgiveness as part of our main story. Jesus talks about it repeatedly. On the cross, he asks for forgiveness for those who put him up there. Forgiveness is difficult. Forgiveness involves power dynamics. Forgiveness never completely returns the relationship to how it was before. Abusers may use Jesus' command to forgive to perpetuate harm. Jonathan and Seth try to wade through these many issues about forgiveness. How do we take it seriously without it becoming another tool for those in power? When was the last time we forgave someone? What's God's role in forgiveness? There's too much to talk about for one episode, but we try! We're glad you're with us! Lent is coming, but until then, let's enjoy ordinary time during extraordinary times.

Luke's narration of the beatitudes is more down to earth, more concrete. It also includes “woes” for the rich, satiated, and praised. Are Luke's words harder for us to hear? What difference does it make that Jesus “stood on a level place” (Lk. 6:17)? Jonathan and Seth talk about how Jesus' word can provide hope that's similarly concrete. It's flows naturally from the previous episode, but listening to that is not a prerequisite. Each can stand on their own. We're even happier you're with us than we are with an Eagles Super Bowl victory. 

Hope takes the long view. It's not merely living in expectation of the following day but for an indeterminate time some distance away. The psalmist knows about this extended hope, declaring, "The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever" (138.8). For me (Seth, here), hope is in short supply. The news is as depressing as it's been. A bishop is attacked for asking for mercy. ICE raids took place in my hometown. January was a year long. What does it look like to have hope for the future? What does hope look like that is longer than 4 years? And how can we support each other so no one has to manufacture their hope alone? I hope you have more hope than I do right now. Either way, we're so glad you're with us. Feel free to email us about what is giving you hope at: noexpertsallowed@gmail.com

This week we talk about… math? Seth describes the distributive property when Jonathan asks about the transitive property. Jonathan gently corrects him. The transitive property allows for substitutions and that opens new ways of reading 1 Corinthians 13, the classic “love text.” What can it tell us about God's character? What aspects are often underemphasized? And what can we hear anew thanks to the transitive property? You won't need a calculator for this episode; we promise! We're glad you're with us! Because Easter is relatively late this year, the time after Epiphany stretches, so we're hearing texts we do not often get in the lectionary. We hope you're enjoying them as much as we are.

Ezra reads the law. It seems simple enough. But what if there was a little more to it? Nehemiah notes that "they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading" (8:8, NRSV). It's not merely recitation, but explanation. Ezra and Nehemiah attempt to make it accessible to those listening. What does that look like today? What are some ways to empower people to read the Bible? How might this podcast be part of that mission? What are some of the factors that keep people from reading Scripture or reading it in ways that might be harmful? This episode strikes the heart of what we're trying to do with No Experts Allowed. We're glad you're with us! It's snowy and cold in Pennsylvania, for Seth, and still very cold in Virginia for Jonathan. We hope the weather is more pleasant wherever you are.  

There is a controversial book When Helping Hurts: Alleviating Poverty Without Hurting the Poor... and Yourself. Written by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert, it argues that providing relief and rehabilitation for others can create an unhealthy dependency. I (Seth, here) think these claims are overblown. However, helping can sometimes do more harm than good; I agree with that premise. Jonathan and Seth discuss that. What happens when someone accuses us of hurting when we think we're helping? How do we feel? What do we do next? Who do we listen to? And, if our gifts are "for the common good" (1 Cor. 12:7), how do we ensure they're not self-serving? Thanks for listening! We hope you're settling into 2025 and your resolutions are going strong. If someone told you they thought you were hurting when you thought you were helping, we'd love to hear about it at: noexpertsallowed@gmail.com.

At Jesus's baptism, a voice from heaven declared him “beloved.” In Isaiah, God calls Israel “precious.” These special designations about the value of God's people occur throughout scripture. So, Jonathan and Seth discuss what's precious to them. They also talk about seeing others as precious and specific, concrete ways to help do that. This theme of preciousness will continue to pop up throughout Epiphany too. We're glad you're with us, as always. We hope life has settled a little from the Christmas season. And we'd be thankful if you'd write us a review or send this podcast to someone you know. It really does help us grow. 

Many people go home for Christmas. Home may look different, but it's home nonetheless. Hence, the Christmas classic "(There's No Place Like) Home for the Holidays." The prophet Jeremiah also describes a homecoming. The scattered, exiled remnant of Israel will return to the land where their descendants lived, cultivated farmland, raised animals, and built homes. Jonathan and Seth discuss homecomings. What is their appeal? How does a promised homecoming give us hope for the future? What does going home look like today? We hope your Christmas was what you needed it to be, whether you went home or not. And, as always, we're glad you're with us. We know this season is often busy, so if you skipped a few episodes, we're thrilled you're back, too!

If you've ever wondered about Jonathan and Seth's favorite Christmas memories, whether they got a gift they still cherish, or if they gave a gift that landed poorly, tune in to find out! We hope this episode gives you a glimpse into Jonathan and Seth's lives, humanizes them, and makes you nostalgic for your own Christmas memories, too. As always, we're glad you're with us. Email us your favorite Christmas memories; we'd love to read them. Jesus Christ is with us and will be forever!

Jesus is lost; his parents take three days to notice and find him. He's in "His Father's house," as if to say, "Where else would I be?!" This snippet of Jesus as a child forms what little we know about Jesus' childhood. Matthew records Jesus' birth, but not the period between his birth and ministry. (Admittedly, some scholars have argued that the Magi reach Jesus when he is older and no longer a newborn.) Mark starts his story later in Jesus' life as well. John, as always, is doing his own "thing" and begins his at the beginning of time. We're left with just this story about Jesus as a child. Why would Luke include it? What can we learn from it? What does it tell us about listening and asking questions and, generally, having a childlike faith? Jonathan and Seth dig up these questions from well-known stories for Advent. We're glad you're with us! A special Christmas episode will soon appear on your feed. We hope it brings you joy.

As we've declared on the podcast before, Mary knows. But how is she feeling? What is going through her mind? What does she think about herself when she hears the wonderful news of giving birth to Jesus Christ, the son of God? The text tells us little about Mary's internal dialogue, which is common in ancient texts. What is Elizabeth's role? And what might it tell us about community? Jonathan and Seth discuss Mary, a little about her song, and what Mary might teach us as we, too, wait expectantly for the coming of Christ into the world. Be on the lookout for a special Christmas episode. We hope you'll listen to that one, too. And, as always, thanks for listening! Please consider leaving us a review; it helps others find us.

The "pink" Sunday of Advent has readings that are thematically different than the rest of the season. The Old Testament, response, and New Testament readings are joyful. In his letter to the Phillippians, Paul uses "rejoice" almost as a refrain. The Gospel reading, however, fits the theme of the rest of Advent: preparing for Jesus' coming. How do these readings connect? What does preparing for Jesus' coming look like when it is peppered with praise? What do we have to rejoice about? How can Advent be a balm in a turbulent season? Jonathan and Seth have a wide-ranging discussion this week about Advent that they hope gets you thinking too. We're glad you're with us. Christmas is obviously coming (That's what Advent prepares us for, after all!). We hope you're experiencing some rest right now, find time to rejoice, and that this season is also a meaningful preparation time for Christmas and the New Year.

Advent and Lent have many similarities. Both are seasons of expectation and anticipation, balancing despair with hope. In some churches that use paraments (the ornamental hangings and the funky church attire), purple symbolizes both Lent and Advent. Each season is also characterized by preparation and refining. What does that look like in the context of Advent? Unlike last week's episode, Jonathan and Seth talk a little about the election and how living in a post-election might look different for them. They challenge each other to be as specific as possible and hope it also challenges you to ask how you might have an Advent state of mind each day. We're glad you're with us during this expectant season. Are you doing anything special for Advent? Do you have a cool Advent calendar? Did you watch Josh Allen run, throw, and catch for a touchdown on Sunday? If so, we'd love to hear about it!

Although it's the Church's New Year, the lectionary texts focus on Jesus' return at "the end time." They're about Jesus' expected coming and what it looks like to be ready. In 1 Thessalonians, Paul is praying for his letter's recipients. In Luke, Jesus talks about reading the signs of his return. What would it look like to pray for others as Paul does? And how could thinking about the end times help us to pray appropriately for others? Jonathan and Seth discuss these questions and how Martin Luther and Charles Wesley answered questions about their end-time actions in this New Year Episode. We're glad you're with us. Advent is full of an expectant joy that we hope seeps into your life; it is already starting to do its work on me (Seth, here). We'd love to hear about meaningful Advent practices or your thoughts about the election, which we frankly avoided in this episode, at noexpertsallowed@gmail.com.

While this episode was recorded before the 2024 United States Presidential Election on November 6th, the question of who will ultimately be in charge remains relevant. Frankly, it feels even more relevant to me (Seth, here) because the election of Donald Trump to a second, nonconsecutive term means the potential removal of many protections for vulnerable people. Jonathan and Seth, however, find hope in God, who will reign forever, who isn't swayed by changing political winds, who never has to worry about having "a mandate," who cares for the vulnerable's plight. We hope this episode is ultimately hopeful.  We're glad you're with us! No matter who the president is, we will continue producing podcasts because Christ still reigns. There are more theological questions to be asked. And there is more love needed in the world.