Two young pastors in small town ministry sit down each week to talk about the ups and downs of their jobs as they try to figure out what the hell it is they're supposed to be doing. Come for the behind-the-scenes look at ministry, stay for the theological asides.
In which Dr. J. joins Spanks and the Dude to have the world's shortest fight about Methodism's newest denomination. Find all things WTHIAP at wthaip.com.
In which Jo and Ethan are joined by Dr. Jonathan LeMaster-Smith to talk about his call, his journey, Kairos University, disaster response, and being a Certified Lay Minister. You can find Dr. J on socials under his name or the handle rural_professor. Learn more about Kairos at https://kairos.edu/. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
Yes, it's longer than the regular episode. Yes, I could have cut it in half. Just pause it around 45 minutes and go for a walk and it'll feel the same.In which Spanks Rebok and the Dude discuss how to teach congregations about pain and God, based on the work of Japanese theologian Kazoh Kitamori, along with the pitfalls of love monism. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Ethan and Jo discuss again the work of Japanese theologian Kazoh Kitamori and the connection between Mary the mother of Jesus's pain and loss and the experience of the Trinity.
In which Spanks and the Dude reflect on the early days of the MCU and why Kingpin makes such a good villain. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Spanks and the Dude continue their conversation about believing in the Risen Christ in an inter-religious world. Want 20 more minutes of content, plus some real great pastoral insights? Join us at patreon.com/wthiap and get access to the bonus episode, "Taking Up Space/The Klan." Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Ethan and Jo reflect on the past couple of episodes and how Christianity interacts with the world. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Spanks Rebok and the Dude discuss the hallowing of God's name in Michalson and Forsyth. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Ethan and Jo discuss this clip from the Daily Show back in March, pastoral prayers, being magic, politics in the pulpit, and how good it is to see the Rock working again. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Pinball Wizard joins Spanks and the Dude to discuss his new book, Life Among the Powers: A Political Spirituality of Resistance, and the role the Gospel plays how we live out the ideas of his book. Want to get a sense of the book before diving into this episode? Read Rick's essay on the Wipf and Stock Publishers blog: https://wipfandstock.com/blog/2025/02/13/rick-elgendy-a-political-spirituality-of-resistance/Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Dr. Rick Elgendy joins Ethan and Jo to discuss his new book, Life Among the Powers: A Political Spirituality of Resistance, and how no one gets to opt out of life amongst the powers and principalities. Want to get a sense of the book before diving into this episode? Read Rick's essay on the Wipf and Stock Publishers blog: https://wipfandstock.com/blog/2025/02/13/rick-elgendy-a-political-spirituality-of-resistance/Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Spanks and the Dude discuss what you do when you realize that most folks aren't going to stand up when you expect them to, and what our work is as pastors. Find all things WTHIAP at www.wthiap.com.
You know her. Perhaps you've read her books. Maybe you've even been taken with her rhetorical skills. But do her writings and teachings meet this particular moment in Christianity?Tune in as Ethan and Jo offer a pastoral critique of Nadia Bolz-Weber's interview with Rainn Wilson on his podcast, Soul Boom. (It's episode 40, "Does Religion Still Matter? Nadia Bolz-Weber on Faith, Community & Belonging." We're not gonna link it.)Find all things WTHIAP at www.wthiap.com.
In which Spanks and the Dude discuss how to frame a pathological need for fixing things into a call to ministry, with the help of beloved voice actor Alan Tudyk's character in the Will Smith film, I, Robot. Find all things WTHIAP at www.wthiap.com.
In which Ethan and Jo discuss a couple of incidents around the churches. Find all things WTHIAP at www.wthiap.com.
In which Spanks Rebok and the Dude discuss the important work of the church secretary, with important, firsthand stories.Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Ethan asks Jo about justice work: what stops us from doing it, where we can start, and what we can achieve.Interested in the resources Jo mentioned in the episode? They're here: https://wthiap.com/resources/Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Spanks Rebok and the Dude discuss true crime and procedural TV shows.Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
Recorded before Trump's inauguration, a conversation about January 6, Christianity, and what we must do in order to stand against fascists, nationalists, and people who want to divide us. Read the bishops' letter here. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Nick visits the podcast once again, giving updates on his work, perspective on volunteer-run ministries and networking, and practical advice about caring for folks on the street. Find ways to support the Beacon, including purchasing items off its wishlist, here: https://fnofpa.org/the-beacon/? Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Ethan and Jo talk about freedom, the new world, and responsibility in the work of Carl Michalson, a twentieth-century Methodist theologian with some cool ideas who died in a plane crash. Want to follow along with our reading? It's Worldly Theology, Chapter 11, which you can read here: https://archive.org/details/worldlytheologyh0000mich Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Ethan and Jo talk about preaching and tips about reading the dense stuff in the work of Carl Michalson, a twentieth-century Methodist theologian with some cool ideas who died in a plane crash. Want to follow along with our reading? It's Worldly Theology, Chapter 11, which you can read here: https://archive.org/details/worldlytheologyh0000mich Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Ethan and Jo discuss the idea of "the World" in the work of Carl Michalson, a twentieth-century Methodist theologian with some cool ideas who died in a plane crash. Want to follow along with our reading? It's Worldly Theology, Chapter 11, which you can read here: https://archive.org/details/worldlytheologyh0000mich Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Ethan and Jo conclude their thoughts on a topic from season 1. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Ethan and Jo revisit a topic from season 1. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Rev. Diane Kenaston joins Jo to talk about her journey into ordained ministry, her time in the local church, and the Good Friday Collaborative, an ecumenical partner for those doing the sacred work of congregational endings. Links from this episode: You can find the GFC at https://www.goodfridaycollaborative.com/. You can read Diane's piece on https://faithandleadership.com/how-avoid-falling-the-stained-glass-cliff-when-leading-dying-church Find more of Diane's work here: https://www.dianekenaston.com/ Read a reflection from a GFC collaborator in Fidelia Magazine here: https://youngclergywomen.org/a-ministry-of-ending/ Hooked already? Sign up for the GFC's newsletter here: https://bit.ly/GoodFridayNews What is this YCWI Jo and Diane keep talking about? Learn more here: https://youngclergywomen.org/ Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Ethan, Jo, and Ian continue to discuss the tragic story of the Benoit double-murder and suicide, and what we can learn from it. Support disaster relief efforts in Western North Carolina: 1. BeLoved Asheville: https://belovedasheville.com/ https://venmo.com/BeLoved-Asheville https://www.paypal.me/BeLovedAsheville2. MANNA Food Bank: https://donate.mannafoodbank.org/. 3. UMCOR: https://advance.umcmission.org/p-620-umcor-us-disaster-response-and-recovery.aspx. UMCOR flood buckets: https://umcmission.org/umcor-cleaning-kit/ WNCC direct hurricane relief donations: https://bit.ly/WNCCHurricaneReliefDonations. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com
In which Ethan, Jo, and Ian discuIn which Ethan, Jo, and Ian discuss the tragic story of the Benoit double-murder and suicide. Support disaster relief efforts in Western North Carolina: 1. BeLoved Asheville: https://belovedasheville.com/ https://venmo.com/BeLoved-Asheville https://www.paypal.me/BeLovedAsheville2. MANNA Food Bank: https://donate.mannafoodbank.org/. 3. UMCOR: https://advance.umcmission.org/p-620-umcor-us-disaster-response-and-recovery.aspx. UMCOR flood buckets: https://umcmission.org/umcor-cleaning-kit/ WNCC direct hurricane relief donations: https://bit.ly/WNCCHurricaneReliefDonations. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com
In which Ethan and Jo discuss the election. Support disaster relief efforts in Western North Carolina: 1. BeLoved Asheville: https://belovedasheville.com/ https://venmo.com/BeLoved-Asheville https://www.paypal.me/BeLovedAsheville2. MANNA Food Bank: https://donate.mannafoodbank.org/. 3. UMCOR: https://advance.umcmission.org/p-620-umcor-us-disaster-response-and-recovery.aspx. UMCOR flood buckets: https://umcmission.org/umcor-cleaning-kit/ WNCC direct hurricane relief donations: https://bit.ly/WNCCHurricaneReliefDonations. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com
CN: mention of child death and discussion of death by suicide. In which Ethan and Jo discuss the 2023 film starring Zac Effron and Jeremy Allen White, The Iron Claw. Support disaster relief efforts in Western North Carolina: 1. BeLoved Asheville: https://belovedasheville.com/ https://venmo.com/BeLoved-Asheville https://www.paypal.me/BeLovedAsheville2. MANNA Food Bank: https://donate.mannafoodbank.org/. 3. UMCOR: https://advance.umcmission.org/p-620-umcor-us-disaster-response-and-recovery.aspx. UMCOR flood buckets: https://umcmission.org/umcor-cleaning-kit/ WNCC direct hurricane relief donations: https://bit.ly/WNCCHurricaneReliefDonations. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com
In which Ethan and Jo continue to discuss Anthony Towne and William Stringfellow's book, Suspect Tenderness. Support disaster relief efforts in Western North Carolina: 1. BeLoved Asheville: https://belovedasheville.com/ https://venmo.com/BeLoved-Asheville https://www.paypal.me/BeLovedAsheville2. MANNA Food Bank: https://donate.mannafoodbank.org/. 3. UMCOR: https://advance.umcmission.org/p-620-umcor-us-disaster-response-and-recovery.aspx. UMCOR flood buckets: https://umcmission.org/umcor-cleaning-kit/ WNCC direct hurricane relief donations: https://bit.ly/WNCCHurricaneReliefDonations. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com
In which Ethan and Jo discuss Anthony Towne and William Stringfellow's book, Suspect Tenderness. Support disaster relief efforts in Western North Carolina: 1. BeLoved Asheville: https://belovedasheville.com/ https://venmo.com/BeLoved-Asheville https://www.paypal.me/BeLovedAsheville2. MANNA Food Bank: https://donate.mannafoodbank.org/. 3. UMCOR: https://advance.umcmission.org/p-620-umcor-us-disaster-response-and-recovery.aspx. UMCOR flood buckets: https://umcmission.org/umcor-cleaning-kit/ WNCC direct hurricane relief donations: https://bit.ly/WNCCHurricaneReliefDonations. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com
In which Ethan and Jo discuss theodicy, responsibility, and the challenge of doing everything everywhere all at once. Support disaster relief efforts in Western North Carolina: 1. BeLoved Asheville: https://belovedasheville.com/ https://venmo.com/BeLoved-Asheville https://www.paypal.me/BeLovedAsheville2. MANNA Food Bank: https://donate.mannafoodbank.org/. 3. UMCOR: https://advance.umcmission.org/p-620-umcor-us-disaster-response-and-recovery.aspx. UMCOR flood buckets: https://umcmission.org/umcor-cleaning-kit/ WNCC direct hurricane relief donations: https://bit.ly/WNCCHurricaneReliefDonations. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com
In which Ethan and Jo discuss Christian formation and how we react to disasters. Support disaster relief efforts in Western North Carolina: 1. BeLoved Asheville: https://belovedasheville.com/ https://venmo.com/BeLoved-Asheville https://www.paypal.me/BeLovedAsheville2. MANNA Food Bank: https://donate.mannafoodbank.org/. 3. UMCOR: https://advance.umcmission.org/p-620-umcor-us-disaster-response-and-recovery.aspx. UMCOR flood buckets: https://umcmission.org/umcor-cleaning-kit/ WNCC direct hurricane relief donations: https://bit.ly/WNCCHurricaneReliefDonations. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com
In which Spanks Rebok recaps the vice presidential debate for The Dude. Support disaster relief efforts in Western North Carolina: 1. BeLoved Asheville: https://belovedasheville.com/ https://venmo.com/BeLoved-Asheville https://www.paypal.me/BeLovedAsheville2. MANNA Food Bank: https://donate.mannafoodbank.org/. 3. UMCOR: https://advance.umcmission.org/p-620-umcor-us-disaster-response-and-recovery.aspx. UMCOR flood buckets: https://umcmission.org/umcor-cleaning-kit/ WNCC direct hurricane relief donations: https://bit.ly/WNCCHurricaneReliefDonations. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com
Support disaster relief efforts in Western North Carolina: 1. BeLoved Asheville: https://belovedasheville.com/ https://venmo.com/BeLoved-Asheville https://www.paypal.me/BeLovedAsheville2. MANNA Food Bank: https://donate.mannafoodbank.org/. 3. UMCOR: https://advance.umcmission.org/p-620-umcor-us-disaster-response-and-recovery.aspx. UMCOR flood buckets: https://umcmission.org/umcor-cleaning-kit/ WNCC direct hurricane relief donations: https://bit.ly/WNCCHurricaneReliefDonations. Original episode description: In which guest Wayner joins Ethan and Jo discuss his ministry story, Fresh Expressions, and the importance of lay-lead ministries. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com
Support disaster relief efforts in Western North Carolina: 1. BeLoved Asheville: https://belovedasheville.com/ https://venmo.com/BeLoved-Asheville https://www.paypal.me/BeLovedAsheville2. MANNA Food Bank: https://donate.mannafoodbank.org/. 3. UMCOR: https://advance.umcmission.org/p-620-umcor-us-disaster-response-and-recovery.aspx. UMCOR flood buckets: https://umcmission.org/umcor-cleaning-kit/ WNCC direct hurricane relief donations: https://bit.ly/WNCCHurricaneReliefDonations. Original episode description: In which D'Andre Ash joins Ethan and Jo to talk about growing up charismatic, being an entrepreneur and a pastor, and his daughter's favorite vacation. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
Support disaster relief efforts in Western North Carolina: 1. BeLoved Asheville: https://belovedasheville.com/ https://venmo.com/BeLoved-Asheville https://www.paypal.me/BeLovedAsheville2. MANNA Food Bank: https://donate.mannafoodbank.org/. 3. UMCOR: https://advance.umcmission.org/p-620-umcor-us-disaster-response-and-recovery.aspx. UMCOR flood buckets: https://umcmission.org/umcor-cleaning-kit/ WNCC direct hurricane relief donations: https://bit.ly/WNCCHurricaneReliefDonations. Original episode description: In which Nicole joins Jo to talk about rural ministry, vitality, and how parishes can support people of child-bearing age in ministry, among many, many other subjects. You can also watch Nicole and Jo get interviewed in the beforetimes here: https://foundationforevangelism.org/2020/04/10/lent-and-easter-catalyst-conversations-north-carolina/ Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Ethan and Jo discuss William Stringfellow's final book. Want two more Stringfellow stories? Head to patreon.com/wthiap and sign up for $5 to get access to that and years of other bonus content! Transcripts, when available, can be found at patreon.com/wthiap. Just search for the episode title. Don't see a transcript you're looking for? Let us know via email. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Ethan and Jo discuss William Stringfellow's final book. Transcripts, when available, can be found at patreon.com/wthiap. Just search for the episode title. Don't see a transcript you're looking for? Let us know via email. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Cal Gal in West Virginia joins the Dude to talk about transitioning out of parish ministry, working for the ACLU, and how organizing and pastoring go together. See the sermon Jenny mentioned here. Learn more about West Virginia Can't Wait here: https://wvcantwait.com/ Learn more about Jenny's work at https://wvfaith.org/ And see Justice and Jubilee's upcoming work on their YouTube channel. Transcripts, when available, can be found at patreon.com/wthiap. Just search for the episode title. Don't see a transcript you're looking for? Let us know via email. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Jenny joins the podcast to talk about growing up in CalPac, moving to Durham, and how we lead young folks to ministry. Transcripts, when available, can be found at patreon.com/wthiap. Just search for the episode title. Don't see a transcript you're looking for? Let us know via email. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Spanks and the Dude talk about Henri Nouwen, loneliness, and doing ministry as yourself. Find The Wounded Healer and other books we've discussed on our bookshop storefront: https://bookshop.org/lists/featured-on-wthiap Transcripts, when available, can be found at patreon.com/wthiap. Just search for the episode title. Don't see a transcript you're looking for? Let us know via email. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
CN for religious trauma, evangelicalism, the purity movement, clergy mistreatment, depression, self-loathing, and suicidal ideation In which Ethan and Jo discuss the concept of religious trauma, their experience with it, and how to be honest with yourself. Transcripts, when available, can be found at patreon.com/wthiap. Just search for the episode title. Don't see a transcript you're looking for? Let us know via email. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Spanks and the Dude conclude their discussion of what it means to show up as yourself and what happens when it's all just pretend. Part 2 of 2. Transcripts, when available, can be found at patreon.com/wthiap. Just search for the episode title. Don't see a transcript you're looking for? Let us know via email. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Spanks and the Dude discuss what it means to show up as yourself and what happens when it's all just pretend. Part 1 of 2. Transcripts, when available, can be found at patreon.com/wthiap. Just search for the episode title. Don't see a transcript you're looking for? Let us know via email. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Ethan and Jo consider whether God is at work in the US presidential election. Transcripts, when available, can be found at patreon.com/wthiap. Just search for the episode title. Don't see a transcript you're looking for? Let us know via email. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Spanks and the Dude discuss queerness in ministry with their guest. Transcripts, when available, can be found at patreon.com/wthiap. Just search for the episode title. Don't see a transcript you're looking for? Let us know via email. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Laurel joins Ethan and Jo to talk about being a PK, rebelling against your family, and finding a call anyway. Transcripts, when available, can be found at patreon.com/wthiap. Just search for the episode title. Don't see a transcript you're looking for? Let us know via email. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Spanks and the Dude discuss working with seasoned clergy and why we have to have parsonages. Transcripts, when available, can be found at patreon.com/wthiap. Just search for the episode title. Don't see a transcript you're looking for? Let us know via email. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.
In which Ethan and Jo catch listeners up on their new locations. Transcripts, when available, can be found at patreon.com/wthiap. Just search for the episode title. Don't see a transcript you're looking for? Let us know via email. Find all things WTHIAP at wthiap.com.