Pastor With No Answers

I started reading "The Lord is My Courage," by KJ Ramsey, last week and quickly realized, it would be on a short list of books that did some profound life-changing work deep in my heart that permanently changes my trajectory of faith.  As I've deconstructed a lot of the unhealthy lenses taught to me by fellow brothers and sisters in those unhealthy cultures themselves, my view in how I see our wonderful God was turned upside down for the better as I truly grappled with God's love and what that means, that God loves me.   Where I have felt a bit stuck, was learning how to pursue and relate to my drastically upgraded view of God.  This book truly seems to be filling in lots of gaps.  Jesus is the shepherd who will seek me when I'm lost; until I'm found.  I can trust this.  The shepherd is God. -- Joey Enjoy these conversations?  Check out the digital community version of Pastor With No Answers Podcast,  Bear W/ Community, only patrons have access to:Read about it HERE.Watch a quick

Kevin Garcia, author of "Bad Theology Kills," hangs with hosts Joey and Matt Oxley as they talk about sexual attraction, how to live a life of love in this "woke culture" when you're not all that woke and you mess up people's pronouns, and how bad theology kills people.  And if people are actually dying, the church needs to love first, figure out the theology later.   Could the the American version of mainstream Christianity actually be heresy?  And when people say "the bible says," they actually mean "this is what i believe the bible to say."Enjoy these conversations?  Check out the digital community version of Pastor With No Answers Podcast,  Bear W/ Community, only patrons have access to:Read about it HERE.Watch a quick video HERE.   Join HERE.   These perks may change your life.Kevin Garcia / Website / Instagram / Book Matt Oxley (co-host) / Web  / TwitterJoey Svendsen (co-host) / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / E-mailPodcast Socials PWNA Discussion Faceb

Joey is a Pastor at Seacoast Church, the last 13 years at the James Island location, much of that time getting to know Jonathan Peace, our drummer.  After years of being embedded into the church community and developing many friendships including with Joey, "Peace" finally tells the story of his first "gig" at Seacoast on a Sunday morning after a full night of booze and smoking cigarettes, tips dipped in cocaine.  He had a "magical experience" playing his first worship service at his new church home (to say the least). Co-host Jed Payne (with plenty of past drug use himself), Joey and Jonathan discuss different angles of drug-use from a moral perspective and explore lots of theological speculation about God and the afterlife. Jonathan's view of God is greatly informed by a time at the beach when God's hand pressed and held him to the ground, speaking through his heart and body for hours.  He's can't unsee what he saw about the spiritual realm that night [and i

Kevin Sweeney, author of, "The Making of a Mystic: My Journey With Mushrooms, My Life as a Pastor, and Why It's Okay for Everyone to Relax," didn't find God through religion.  His entry-way to faith wasn't wrought with the oppression many of us today are deconstructing from."Missionaries" have been thought of as those who are "taking the good news out, to set the captives free."  Pastor Kevin claims that his "missionary" was a handful of mushroom trips.  Now that his hallucinogenic experiences have pointed to the wholeness and freedom that can only come from an inherent union with an all-loving God, he has no need for more mushroom, but rather presses on to "live the life" they pointed toward.  To do otherwise, he sees as an act of betrayal to the sanctity of the revelation. At the top of the episode, co-hosts Matt Oxley and Robbie Madison reflect on episode one of the new Seacoast Church Podcast that Joey hosts.  Joey and Robbie talk about thei

It was late into adulthood that I (Joey) came to an understanding of my ignorance, when it came to the challenges and trials of being a black person in America.  I’ve had many kind, gracious and helpful friends who have helped steer my path into one that is more educated and sensitive towards the needs of other groups of people.    Which left me thinking, what about my black pals from my childhood?  How different was their experiences growing up in Charleston, SC?  Come to find out, the differences in the life experiences of my friends Stoy Prioleau and Antonio "Hype" Seabrook were drastically different from mine and in some ways, the same.  The three of us were clueless of the extent of racial tension that permeated our culture.  Even if we had knowledge of it, there was not enough interest to slow down from playing Nintendo and shooting hoops to do anything about it.  We were content with just having fun and being kids.The differences were intriguing and in some ways, heavy.  What they joked about

There are real Christians on both sides of this issue, all of whom feel convinced of their position. If humans are unwilling to embrace this fact, there is no hope for unity.  Christians have clear instructions [John 13:35] not to be known by positions, but rather the love shared for one another and all humanity.     Each woman on this episode would vote the same way at the ballot; and yet see this issue very differently.   Enjoy these conversations?  Check out the digital community version of Pastor With No Answers Podcast, only patrons have access to.  Read about it HERE.  Watch a quick video HERE.   Join HERE.   These perks may change your life.TODAYS HOSTSLiz Miller / Instagram / MemoirsAmy Alderman / FacebookEllen Mauro / InstagramPricilla Svendsen / InstagramANNOUNCEMENTS / LINKS4 Week Experience Podcast Socials // PWNA Discussion Facebook Group / YouTubeThanks //  Derek Minor for theme song and other music / Joel Hamilton, for other music.e-mail the PWNA team here. 

Many systematic theologians talk about God like they got God pegged while Isaiah says "God's thoughts and ways are higher than ours."While many claim things along the lines of "God won't bless your finances if you don't tithe before taxes," I'm still  trying to process what it means for God to love me.  What does that mean for all of us?This is an episode about God.  If you're pursuing theology for a snapshot of God, give up the pursuit because God is too big for that.   What we are left with:If God is all-loving, God can't be all-powerful because there is evil in the world.If God is all-powerful, God must not care or love creation because there is evil in the world.Many Christians still claim God to be both, all-loving and all-powerful  (I'm one of them -- Joey).But while others, like Thomas Oord, actually try to make sense of this dichotomy, coming up with other possible explanations, he's pushed to the side as a heretic.   Thomas Oord's new b

Ellen would rather be alone than to have an affair.  Are pedophiles simply stuck with their attraction to kids?  Is it true love when a victim loves his aggressor? If it's "true love," is that a good thing?  Matt has a trauma-filled childhood that we haven't been filled in on yet, Ellen wants more black friends in her life, and Joey makes a blunder that he felt sick about.  Enjoy these conversations?  Check out the digital community version of Pastor With No Answers Podcast, only patrons have access to.  Read about it HERE.  Watch a quick video HERE.   Join HERE.   These perks may change your life.  ANNOUNCEMENTS / LINKS4 Week ExperiencePodcast Talkers/co-hosts on this episodeEllen Mauro / Instagram Joey Svendsen / Instagram / Twitter / FacebookMatt Oxley  / Web  / TwitterPodcast Socials // PWNA Discussion Facebook Group / YouTube Thanks //  Derek Minor for theme song and other music / Joel Hamilton and Joel Hamilton + friends for other music.  e-mail the PWNA team here. 

Worship leader in an evangelical church, cousin of Brian Welch (Korn), struggler of bipolar disorder, and author, Scott W. Box, joins the show to discuss mental illness, grace and Heroic Disgrace, his recent book release in which he tells his story and unpacks the gospel concept of "winning by losing." We also discuss how God can make healthy what He chooses not to heal, and how Scott's struggles with mental illness compelled him to seek Jesus deeper.  Isn't that a good thing?Joey also reflects on his madness of reverting back to OCD spiritual rituals back in his mental health crisis in 2019 and how leaning on others' faith is necessary when personal faith has run dry.  Can your brain ever be too unhealthy to process God in a positive light?  Joey has experienced times when thoughts of God were a detriment.   Two pastors reflect on their journeys through mental health crises and having personal experience, describe their experiences with being suicidal and how selfishness wasn't

Originally aired 7/8/2021.  For additional context, listen to the whole episode as it was originally aired RIGHT HERE.As originally posted.While some people call ProGrace.org “pro-life lite,” others label it as teetering on pro-choice.  Angie Weszely and her organization (Pro-Grace) takes heat from both sides, and as you’ll hear in this episode, she doesn’t believe Jesus would own either label. He always starts with grace, and this seems to be something unfortunately lacking in many hearts of those in the pro-life camp.  Co-host Ellen Mauro, who considers herself a “pro-life liberal” and one who is pro-life but votes pro-choice, joins us to talk about perhaps the most polarizing and potentially heated issues of the century.  ProGrace.org is a movement that offers training and other resources founded on a belief for God to give us a creative solution based on His wisdom and provision - and His love for BOTH the woman and the child.Angie Weszely / Twitter / SiteJoey Svendsen / Instagram / Twitter / FacebookElle

Originally aired 7/13/2021.  For additional context, listen to the whole episode as it was originally aired RIGHT HERE.As originally posted.Mennonite Pastor, Duke Graduate and author, Melissa Florer-Bixler, joins to talk about what she calls “reproductive justice.”  Is a living embryo an actual living person?  Is it mere tissue waste?  “No” and “no,” according to Melissa.  We discuss these matters and reflect on a truth that many evangelical Christians do not want to face:  their pro-life stances are actually conditional and far from consistent.  Just ask a beautiful (and desperate) couple who went the in vitro fertilization route, were successful, but have additional frozen embryos that will never be used.  What does a consistent pro-life stance look like and what sorts of hypocrisies are currently rampant in those who claim pro-life?  Within discussions along these lines, is there an important distinction between human life and personhood?  Melissa / Site / Twitter Joey Svendsen / Instagram / Twitter / Face

One woman married to an Air Force pilot (Jessica Reagan), another woman who grew up in a military family (Liz Miller).  One black guy (Robbie Madison), one white guy (Joey Svendsen).  Each grew up (and was taught to) loving the U.S.A. but as adults, this love looks a lot different.  What does it mean to love your country but not trust the government? How can our country be as bad as some of our citizens claim, when people all around the world are still trying to get here?  Why are so many Americans more concerned about our country looking good than they are about taking an honest look at the history?  Is there a lot of good being done by our military that we just do not hear about?  We even talk a bit about the "good" and "bad" of kneeling at the flag like Colin and how Robbie and Liz to this day are nervous about the flag touching the ground.  Happy 4th of July!  Who you will be hearing from:Liz Miller / InstagramJessica Reagan / InstagramRobbie Madison / Web / InstagramJoey Svendsen / In

From joey blowing up a woman's restroom while ladies are waiting to use, to a bunch of "girl body part talk," co-hosts Liz Miller, Amy Alderman, and Ellen Mauro have "homie time" with Joey; which means listen at your own risk.  Lots of "adult clowning," so get the earmuffs out for the kids.After getting through the sh*ts and giggles, Liz expresses love and grace towards people who "do not agree with her lifestyle," and Joey proposes that society is getting more woke.  co-hostsEllen Mauro / Instagram Liz Miller / Instagram Amy Alderman / Facebook Joey Svendsen / Instagram / Twitter  Join Bear W/ Community (a community for PWNA patrons)Read About / JoinBear W// Community VideoRaffle and Welcome PacketRaffleWelcome PacketUpdates via Remind App (or text @Bearwit to 81010)Socials / Connect (open to all):PWNA Discussion Facebook GroupPodcast WebsiteYouTubeE-mail us  for correspondence.ThanksTheme song and all music, courtesy of Derek MinorAndrew Holder sound engineers, m

The Bear W/ Community holds "Big Gatherings" each month; some of them like this conversation, are open to the public.    What you are hearing on this episode is one of those meetings and the beginning of regular gatherings to discuss the potential of unity amongst affirming and un-affirming Christians.  With Liz Miller (Christian woman married to a woman) and Hunter Gregory (Christian man engaged to a man) as some of the main voices in this conversation, we all discuss whether it's possible to truly love a queer person without affirming his or her sexuality.  Lots of grace in this one, thrown in all directions.  If you have engaged evangelicalism, you keenly understand how people land on both sides of this one.  Matt Oxley, one of the co-hosts (queer himself, former evangelical) has empathy for those who do not affirm him.   He sees them as "victims" of a smear campaign that's been going on for the last hundred years.   How about this one?  Is it good or bad, that not one un-affi

Any difference in shooting a barking dog verses killing a gnat for buzzing in your ear? Pastor With No Answers Podcast partners with Tony Jones of The Reverend Hunter Podcast and Neil Dudley of Pederson Natural Farms, The Cowboy Perspective Podcast, and The Pederson Farms Podcast for an episode that will air on all three shows!Lots of "pet talk," (can you leave a dog in the kennel all day?  can you let your cat die instead of paying the vet $1000 to save her?) lots of animal and human life talk.  Tony loves hunting and Neil's farm kills 1500 pigs every week, yet both have yet to be desensitized by the loss of life for the little piggies turned bacon on Neil's farm, or for Bambi's mom that Tony's bullet met right before she fell to her death.  What's the "eye lash rule" of killing animals?  Has Walmart contributed to a societal flippancy towards buying and eating meat?   What does "humane treatment" of animals mean anyway, and why isn't Tony a fan of

Were church leaders  reckless,  using little wisdom when standing up for and “teaching truth?”  Was it an accident so many of us were messed up in the process?   Co-hosts Ellen Mauro, Hayne Griffen, and Joey Svendsen mourn the lack of love and wisdom seen in church's approach to sexuality and youth,  it's reluctancy to even love those with other views, and it's impulse to beat the mess out of some one who is not "one of us" any more.  My journey is full of changes in how I see God, faith, the Church and spirituality in general.  I have also found church family amongst people who would be labeled "evangelical" by most.  That’s why as I mourn the hypocrisy in the "capital C church," I also cannot help but to  speak on behalf of people who i have often seen live with good intent, bringing forth a lot of goodness and hope into the world.  But it’s tiring to see the church act more like Judas than Jesus; and even more bothersome?  We’re being desensitized as we watch th

Why can't Christians enjoy a "God's Kingdom first" approach to life?  Could our very democracy crumble,  due merely to people’s unwillingness to listen and learn about other peoples's views, convictions and beliefs?Rev. Brandan Robertson is family of this show, author, activist and public theologian.  Discussing his newest book, Filled to Be Emptied: The Path to Liberation for Privileged People, Brandan once again pulls no punches in his true desire to radically love all, taking Jesus seriously no matter what the cost.  Although Rev. Brandan considers himself on the "left" (or in the "progressive camp") and speaks often against the hypocrisy of much of the evangelical right, he feels his leftest "team" gains nothing--and is even  in err--when demonizing Trump voters.  Brandan challenges us all to "see the face of God" in everyone.  Why do we worship ideology?  Can we really call ourselves followers of Christ if we do not empty ourselves and give

Co-hosts Joey Svendsen and Matt Oxley hang with regular contributor Jack Hoey (the father) to discuss whether capitalism or communism is ideal in regards to morals, greed, and a more "Jesus Way" of running things.  Everyone on the show agrees on capitalism's shortcomings (and even evil of), but the disagreement at hand, is whether communism is any better.   There are admirable motivations for both "sides" to promote their version of "ideal government," the various perspectives here represent a different weighting system of different values. Did Jesus speak against capitalism?  Does communism lend itself to more evil, given the more control allotted to less people, and the question remains: has it ever worked in the past?  History has spoken clearly though, no manmade system can fix human greed, undo the propensity to take advantage of others,  nor stop the violence motivated often for financial gain.  Co-HostsMatt Oxley / Web  / TwitterJoey Svendsen / Instagram / Twitter / F

Katie Hays is an author, church planter, pastor, educated at MIT, Yale and Princeton: and she taught us a new word: "Fundagelical."  That's what her and I (Joey) were, before going through the scary process of faith change.  With her new book ("God Gets Everything God Wants") as the context, we discuss a variety of topics:-How we were once both convinced of our narrow view of faith being the only right one.-Accepting the bible has multiple "takes" on a particular subject and inerrancy falls a part.-How evangelicals' "gospel news" may be incomplete- Blame the "capital C church" needs to accept-The "slippery slope" of deconstruction that led to our freedom-The humility required for deconstruction.-Rarely does  one set out to deconstruct her faith. -What the church has learned from the LGBTQ community -The relentless faith and devoutness of a "deconstructed Christian."-The pain of loved ones' misunderstandings of your deconstruc

{actual documentary is 30 min long, time stamp available for your convenience. Our Pleasure)Bear W// Community Video Read about all this here or get our "Welcome Packet" via REMIND app (you sign up. We'll send shortly after).  Join Bear W// Community here.  The Original, 4-week Bear Group Experience -- 12 SEATS for June. (what all participants in PODCUMENTARY are discussing)*morning and evening optionsThe RaffleRead about or take part in  here.thanksBonnie Lewis of Timshel for conducting interview.Cy Lewis for the production of this episode. The Original Bear Experiment, participants of Podcumentary, thanks:Ilse Argueta, Hayden Carr, Joe Deutsch, Peter Dimmick, Hayne Griffin, Austin Hill, Bonnie Lewis, Jerry Rosell, Jim Wilhelm, Jennifer Williamson  Opening conversation with Joey: Kelly Allison and Matt Oxley, both on the BWC team.