Pastor With No Answers

Podcaster (Bible for Normal People), Author (Sin of Certainty, Exodus for Normal People, How the Bible works and more), bible scholar (PhD) and just a heck of a dude, Pete Enns tries to answer tons of dumb-ass theology questions from the mind of Joey Svendsen.  Some themes that come out of this one: mystery of the afterlife, the importance of the resurrection, how systematic theology is broke, The Message Bible, some of Jesus’ limitations and a different way to look at the story of Adam and Eve.  How’s that for a jam packed episode!Pete:https://twitter.com/peteennshttps://peteenns.com/https://thebiblefornormalpeople.podbean.com/Episode 90 with Pete Enns [aired June 4th 2017] https://www.buzzsprout.com/1511929/6549841Joey/PWNA Instagram:  www.instagram.com/joeysvendsenCurrent DonorSee giving opportunity: https://donorsee.com/pwnahelpsSupport Us:Join us as a patron! https://www.patreon.com/pwnapodor leave a Venmo tip right @  https://venmo.com/joey-svendsenJoin the discussion:https://www.facebook.com/groups/PWN

Regulars to the show, Chip Judd (30+ years counseling experience) and Ellen Mauro debate and discuss the risks of spending "alone time" with the opposite gender in date-like scenarios, car rides, closed doors, out of town business trips.  Is this playing with fire?  Or is this a dated policy that churches need to abort from, so females can stop feeling like they are merely hot-bodies, dangerous, predatory, male-slaying dragons?  [Originally released 5/6/2018]Chip Judd: https://chipjudd.com/https://www.instagram.com/chipjuddEllen Mauro:https://www.instagram.com/ellenmauroJoey/PWNA Instagram:  www.instagram.com/joeysvendsen Current DonorSee giving opportunity: https://donorsee.com/pwnahelps Support Us: Join us as a patron! https://www.patreon.com/pwnapod or leave a Venmo tip right @  https://venmo.com/joey-svendsen Join the discussion: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PWNAtalk Socials:https://twitter.com/joeysvendsenhttps://www.facebook.com/PWNApod E-mail [email protected] for correspondence. T

Here's to friends and hope.  Joey and Pricilla reflect on Joey’s mental health crisis of 2019 with their pastors and friends, Josh and Lisa Surratt;  these two who were in their corner, up close and personal like very few were.  Josh and Lisa reflect on the sense of urgency they felt in prioritizing Joey’s health and as their leaders, doing whatever was in their power to keep him safe.  During this time Joey’s brain wasn’t processing thoughts in a healthy manner (major understatement).  Fear of losing his job equated in fear of losing the house.  The Surratts are the leaders  of the church Joey is employed at so he [Josh] fielded a lot of Joey’s irrational questions pertaining to these fears.  Lisa, a seasoned healthcare professional, wanted Joey to admit himself into the hospital right away.  Joey eventually ended up there for a week, and he shares what that time looked and felt like.  Brian McLaren also joins to converse with Joey who shares the role Brian played in his eventual full recovery.  Other e

Mennonite Pastor, Duke Graduate and author, Melissa Florer-Bixler, talks about her newly released book, How to Have an Enemy: Righteous Anger and the Work of Peace.  She explains why she is an "empathy skeptic" and how she can have rage for some one like President Trump while still wanting him to be free, as there's no healing that comes from a desire to see one punished.  She poses an important question: what are some justice-related issues that Christians can agree to disagree on and what issues are universally intolerable and incongruent to the gospel of Jesus Christ?  “We need a radical reorientation to the reign of God.”  -- MelissaThat sounds beautiful, doesn’t it? Umm, YES. At the top of the episode, Joey, Ellen Mauro and Hayne Griffin discuss their issues with the word "heresy" and how the bible isn’t age-appropriate for kids.  Hayne shares a story in which Bill Hybels "came to the rescue for women" and Ellen shares a spiritual awakening she’s walking through in how

[Theme song not included, all music on this episode by Andy Squyres]“Joey Svendsen here.  This is a conversation for the ages for me and the epitome of where I’m at in how I view my faith, God and my church .  May we all accept the freedom from our arrogance.  May we strive to progress in our love."Musician/song-writer Andy Squyres discusses with Joey the following post he made on his Instagram:  The good news of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God is always given by people who only partially understand it, and it is received by people who probably know a little less.  The preaching of the Gospel is the active work of displaying our partial understanding (or misunderstanding) of God to those who also have only a partial understanding. There is no systematic theology or statement of belief which provides ultimate understanding of God. It is not impossible to understand the Gospel, but it is never accurate to claim to have all understanding of it.  All communication of Christ IS the communication of our limit

So many of us evangelicals (current or former) have done it.  We thought the rapture happened, can’t find our Christian loved-ones, so we call our born-again, spirit-filled grandma.  If the rapture happened, she’d be gone!  We sigh a deep relief when she answers, “Hey, sweetie.”  End times theology, the book of Revelation, the mark of the beast, the tribulation, a 1000-year reign, the Left Behind series and that “scary-ass” 70s movie they made us watch in youth group.  Author and theologian, Zach Hunt, says “not so fast, the book of Revelation is about liberation and hope.”   He shares with Jack Hoey and Joey Svendsen the content he wrote in his book, Unraptured: How End Times Theology Gets It Wrong .  Did Paul and Jesus think God was coming back in their lifetime?  How is a belief in the rapture anti-biblical?   Oh, yeah and what is it about Dolly Parton and Tom Hanks that make them both perfect candidates for the Anti-Christ.  Zach Hunt:https://twitter.com/zaackhunthttps://zackhunt.net/Jack Hoey:https://twi

Mennonite Pastor, Duke Graduate and author, Melissa F-B, 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?  At the top of the episode, Joey talks with friends Ellen Mauro and Hayne Griffen about whether the "woke culture" wants to eliminate gender differences.  Joey embarrassingly reflects on how he didn't wa

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, Angie 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.[Preview in Intro] of Pro-Choice or Pro-Life (Part 2): Melissa Florer-BixlerAngie Weszely: https://twitter.com/angieweszelyhttps://prograce.org/Ellen Mauro:https://www.instagram.com/ellenmauroJoey/PWNA Instagram:  www

One of the sensei’s of deconstruction, Phil Drysdale, brings history, psychology, and philosophy into the “deconstruction conservation.”  Joey processes how he feels God graciously treats people who lose their faith.  Phil supposes that no one chooses to walk away from God and how those who stop believing are usually the ones who followed Christianity with the most zeal.  Could we all just be doing the best we can with what we’ve been given?  Are really bad things typically done with good intentions?  All people think they’re the good guys but we’re all a mess. What if God administers justice by healing us all?  At the top of the episode, Ellen and Joey welcome a new guest host, Hayne Griffen to talk suicide, masturbation and how Christianity has robbed women of body autonomy.  Phil Drysdale:  https://www.instagram.com/phildrysdaleJoey/PWNA Instagram:  www.instagram.com/joeysvendsenCurrent DonorSee giving opportunity: https://donorsee.com/pwnahelpsSupport Us:Join us as a patron! https://www.patreon.com/pwnapo

Christianity Today released episode one of a podcast series that narrates and reflects on the rise and fall of the late Mars Hill Church in Seattle, formerly led by Pastor Mark Driscoll.  Dr. Tony Jones (former friend of Mark Driscoll), who appears on this documentary, joins us alongside Ellen Mauro (remained a part of the Mars Hill Church family until the very end) and Jack Hoey (former admirer of Mark Driscoll) to discuss the content of this new documentary series.  Are pastors with similar track records as Driscoll's, aware of the harm they are causing?  Are they hearing from God?  If not, do they believe they are?  Did anything good happen at Mars Hill Church, considering what we now know?  We reflect on these questions and propose a few more: If one is known for his charisma, should this disqualify her from leading a church?  Is evangelicalism’s main vehicle entrepreneurialism?  So many people who loved and sacrificed for the church community of Mars Hill are still hurting to this day.  Many of them

Over the years, Pastor With No Answers has had a big tent,  allowing for a wide array of perspectives, some of which would get your ass canceled by the liberals and others getting you completely cancelled by the conservatives.  The intent of this podcast however has always been to be a platform for people, not a position.  A podcast where real people share their real journeys and utilize a public space to share candidly, raw and honest personal reflections, right or wrong, for better or for worst.   It's a "pro people's podcast" that operates with the following belief:  If we can find a common ground of love, we can also find a way to learn from one another and change personally for the better.   Today, as we celebrate 300 episodes, representing the hearts and souls of people, we relive key moments of 5 different episodes that represent why this podcast exists (enjoy some fun, pivotal and light-hearted moments in between these five focal points):Episode 11:A pastor who didn’t want us to ai

Randy Thomas (former leader at Exodus International) has been a Christian for most of his life.  Early in life, after living as a gay man for years, he was convinced that he could no longer continue living in what he perceived to be a life of sin.  Not only did he fight his same-sex attraction, he became one of the top leaders at Exodus International, a nationally-acclaimed organization where Christians were sent to either undo their “gayness” or learn how to have victory through celibacy.  Fast forward 30 years and Randy is back out of the closet, engaged to a man and deeply regrets his involvement at Exodus.  He still prioritizes his faith and is a committed follower of Christ.  No matter your feelings or beliefs surrounding this conversation, all listeners are encouraged to hear a sincere man’s true story.  The spirit of a human.  May we walk together in love. Randy Thomas:https://www.instagram.com/rthomasartJoey/PWNA Instagram:  www.instagram.com/joeysvendsenCurrent DonorSee giving opportunity: https://do

Every now and then, I give you a message that I had the opportunity to share with the local group of believers I get to be a part of.  In this message, I talk about pain, investigate the blessing that comes out of pain, hypothesize on the choices we have when we encounter pain, and submit to you that in a person's own journey of pain, we typically have very little business trying to talk some one out of their pain.  Can I say pain one more time?I also answer some questions that many of you have had when it comes to my pastoring in a southern evangelical culture where I find myself seeing the world very differently than many of my church family members.Joey/PWNA Instagram:  www.instagram.com/joeysvendsenCurrent DonorSee giving opportunity: https://donorsee.com/pwnahelpsSupport Us:Join us as a patron! https://www.patreon.com/pwnapodor leave a Venmo tip right @  https://venmo.com/joey-svendsenJoin the discussion:https://www.facebook.com/groups/PWNAtalkSocials:https://twitter.com/joeysvendsenhttps://www.face

David Zach, professional musician and song-writer (his music is heard throughout this episode), works for a non-profit, The Exodus Road, who are on the front lines of the fight to end human trafficking.  There's currently 40 million people, some still infants, who are enslaved and David has drank, smoked, laughed, and talked music with traffickers only to see them arrested the next day.  His reaction to seeing them brought to justice may surprise you.  Rollercoaster of an emotional episode, we discuss the accessibility of websites that give American "consumers" instructions on how and who to make the connections with, in order to have sex with kids overseas.  We compare modern-day slavery to the transatlantic slavery of the 16th to 19th centuries.  We grapple with humanizing the  Apostle Paul, Thomas Jefferson and the very traffickers David has spent time with, despite their views, and/or practices in enslaving fellow humans.  We marvel at the bravery he's observed in the very teen girls w

Joey processes his worship of comfort and how he believes more money would make him happier.  Chip Judd, John Mark McMillan and Joey’s therapist chime in to surprisingly validate some of these sentiments.  Joey, with Podcaster and Theologian, Mason Mennanga, reflect on being fundamental church kids “back-sliding” into a new world of “secular music,”  they discuss whether some Christians enjoy the thought of "bad people" going to hell and they both share how they view, interact with, and love fundamentalists who have confused Republicanism with the Kingdom of God.    Mason:https://twitter.com/masonmennengahttps://masonmennenga.com/Chip:https://chipjudd.com/https://www.instagram.com/chipjudd/John Mark McMillan:https://www.instagram.com/johnmarkmcmillanhttps://www.johnmarkmcmillan.com/Joey/PWNA Instagram:  www.instagram.com/joeysvendsenCurrent DonorSee giving opportunity: https://donorsee.com/pwnahelpsSupport Us:Join us as a patron! https://www.patreon.com/pwnapodor leave a Venmo tip right @  https://v

Are Old Testament stories  allegorical?   Is there really no chance of eternal torment?  If a loving God exists (and every one on this episode believes this) what are the chances of dirt naps for all of us when we die?  Was God never violent?  Bible scholars, Pastor Heath Bradley and Mason Mennenga process and discuss, in a conversation that covers tons of intriguing questions.  Mason:https://masonmennenga.comhttps://twitter.com/masonmennenga Heath's book:Flames of Love: Hell and Universal Salvation Joey/PWNA Instagram:  www.instagram.com/joeysvendsenCurrent DonorSee giving opportunity: https://donorsee.com/pwnahelpsSupport Us:Join us as a patron! https://www.patreon.com/pwnapodor leave a Venmo tip right @  https://venmo.com/joey-svendsenJoin the discussion:https://www.facebook.com/groups/PWNAtalkSocials:https://twitter.com/pwnapodhttps://twitter.com/joeysvendsenhttps://www.facebook.com/PWNApodCALL 507-403-PWNA (7962):  Questions, Comments, Feedback, Pushback, frustration?Air it out on our voicemail and

Last Sunday, for the Seacoast Church weekend message, Joey and Pricilla joined founding pastor Greg Surratt to tell their story of Joey’s mental health crisis (2019).  Joey implores the church to humanize pastors and Pricilla shares some "do's" and don't's" when interacting with people who are struggling mentally.  We kick this episode off, sharing this recording which includes audio from a "bumper video" Joey also helped in. And for the “main event,” Joey’s friend Hunter Gregory is gay, relatively conservative in his faith and politics, and is “in fellowship” with Christians who are not in alignment with his sexuality.  He shares why he does this and also where he draws the line.  Hunter Gregory:https://www.instagram.com/hunuh17/Joey/PWNA Instagram:  www.instagram.com/joeysvendsenCurrent DonorSee giving opportunity: https://donorsee.com/pwnahelpsSupport Us:Join us as a patron! https://www.patreon.com/pwnapodor leave a Venmo tip right @  https://venmo.com/joey-svendsenJ

Today’s guest, Brant Hansen, wrote a book called “Unoffendable.”  He suggests that the idea of having “righteous anger” is a myth and not biblical.   There's much peace to be found by recognizing the jacked up state of this world and adjusting expectations accordingly.  And it's the right way, according to Brant.  Guest co-host Jory Micah provides some valuable pushback to round out the discussion.  What about Jesus flipping tables?  What about the pissed off prophets?  What about the mother of an innocently slain child? At the beginning of the episode, Ellen Mauro, Jack Hoey III and Joey discuss ableism as Joey thinks society as a whole is way too sensitive about the use of words.   Brant Hansen:  https://twitter.com/branthansenJory Micah:  https://twitter.com/jorymicahJack Hoey:  https://twitter.com/jackthelesserEllen Mauro:  https://www.instagram.com/ellenmauro/Episodes referenced to on this episode:  “How Shall We Love” (Jamie Lee Fitch and Propaganda): https://www.buzzsprout.com/1511929/episode

SHARE THIS EPISODE WITH YOUR PASTOR.  YES, I'M YELLING.  Prolific theologian and author Scot Mcknight, along with his daughter Laura Barringer, recently released a book called “TOV" (TOV means “good” in Hebrew).  This book was written partly as a response to the downfall of Bill Hybels, pioneering mega-Church Pastor of Willow Creek Church; but it is also a general exhortation for all churches to promote and follow “TOV leaders,” those with fullness of total moral behavior.  Co-host Chip Judd, Scot Mcknight and Joey discuss Bill Hybels' fall, toxic leadership culture in churches, and why pastors better take their damn masks off.  Like, right now.  Take them off.  Is there a solution to all this mess?  Scot says, "YES, we need more TOV  leaders."SHARE THIS EPISODE WITH YOUR PASTOR. Scot Mcknight:https://twitter.com/scotmcknightChip Judd:https://chipjudd.com/category/mindshift/Joey/PWNA Instagram:  www.instagram.com/joeysvendsenCurrent DonorSee: https://donorsee.com/pwnahelpsGet notifica

I've been reflecting on a lot these last couple of years.  Recently I took the time to think deeply on my time with Bad Christian, a podcast and community I was co-founder of and co-hosted since 2014.  What a journey it was. "Good times" is an understatement.    On this episode however, my reflections on that past season of life revolve around things  I'm no longer proud of and no longer jive with.  It took being far enough removed from that 5-year run, for me to see the thought patterns and convictions I'm happy to now be freed from; walking away for good.  Repentance is a great thing. Joey/PWNA Instagram:  www.instagram.com/joeysvendsen Current DonorSee: https://donorsee.com/pwnahelpsGet notifications each time we start raising money to get more information on our current opportunity to “save the day” for team humanity. Text PWNAd to 31010.   Support: Join us as a patron! https://www.patreon.com/pwnapod or leave a Venmo tip right @  https://venmo.com/joey-svendsen Join the discuss