Send us a text On today's episode, we are chatting once again with our friend, Colin Kerr! We're talking about a lot of things, but are focusing part of the episode on what happened to Colin's church when a social media post went viral in a bad way. LINKS Faith Hope Love: The Essentials of Christianity for the Curious, Confused, and Skeptical https://www.amazon.com/Faith-Hope-Love-Essentials-Christianity/dp/1087818362 To Melt a Golden Calf: An Evangelical Christian Case for Same-Sex Relationship...
Sep 08, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Season 3Ep. 66
Send us a text It's a 5th Tuesday which means it's time for a Bible Breakdown! This month we're discussing the book of Job. Job is the oldest example of epic poetry, the oldest book in the bible (most likely), AND we don't know who wrote it. Let's get into it! If you haven't read the book of Job in a while (or ever) check out this video about the book from The Bible Project)! EPISODE DRINKING NOTES: PRAIRIE STREET BREWING CO – Nor'Easter New England Style IPA 6.6% ABV | 28 IBU Rockford, IL Tropi...
Aug 30, 2022•39 min•Season 3Ep. 65
Send us a text On today's episode, we chat with podcaster and author John Verner. John grew up in a Christian home, pursued a Christian education via Moody Bible institute, and eventually left the faith after seeing the problematic nature of white evangelicalism in the United States. In 2019, He published his first book, "The Cult of Christianity" as a first step in addressing the subtle issues of this complex system. LINKS The Cult of Christianity Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
Aug 16, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 64
Send us a text STOP THE PRESSES! Do you ever get sick and tired of hearing bad news about pastors, churches, and Christians in the media? Today we are discussing the church and bad media. Check out our drinking notes below if you want to sip along with us as we vent about the press! EPISODE DRINKING NOTES: PRAIRIE STREET BREWING - Prairie Street IPA India Pale Ale (6.4%) Rockford, IL NEW HOLLAND BREWING CO. - Canned Cocktails Blackberry Bramble (7.0%) Windmill Island Iced Tea (9.0%) Rum Punch (9...
Aug 02, 2022•55 min•Season 3Ep. 63
Send us a text Today we're talking deconstruction, or reconstruction as we like to call it. Yes, that's basically what the entire concept of this podcast is about but we wanted to get into the nitty gritty of it a little bit. We'll look at a few questions like; how to ask questions without losing our faith, how to doubt even as we grow, how to continually reconstruct, and so on! BOOK LINKS: AJ Swoboda | After Doubt: How to Question Your Faith Without Losing It Brian Zahnd | When Everything's on ...
Jul 19, 2022•59 min•Season 3Ep. 62
Send us a text Well, friends, it's time to talk about the Christian bubble. What is it? Why do Christians like to live within one? Is it ok to only consume "Christian" content? Christian schools, homeschooling, Christian radio, Christian movies, Christian streaming services, the list goes on and on. Is living life apart from the world beneficial? Let's discuss! EPISODE DRINKING NOTES: WAYPOST BREWING CO. - HELLES BOCK Strong Lager (7.0%) Fennville, MI Tasting Notes: Toast Bread, Rich Layers, Mal...
Jul 05, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Season 3Ep. 61
Send us a text Another week, another guest! Today, our friend Tyler Smith is joining us to talk all things church culture and burnout. What does a healthy culture look like? Does it even exist? What are the warning signs of burnout? Let's chat! Check it out: Culture Craft LLC EPISODE DRINKING NOTES: GRAY WHALE GIN Our ultra-clean, 6-times distilled, gluten-free corn base spirit provides the perfect blank canvas to allow our wonderful Californian botanicals to truly shine. PRAIRIE STREET BREWING ...
Jun 21, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Season 3Ep. 60
Send us a text It's happening! We've got our first repeat interview guest, Ryan Burge! Ryan is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Eastern Illinois University as well as a pastor in the American Baptist Church. Today, we're talking about "the nones" (Americans who say they have no religious affiliation) and what the church looks like post-pandemic. Grab a drink and join us! Check it out: Ryan Burge's Website EPISODE DRINKING NOTES: UPSHOT 2018 Sonoma County | Red Blend This rich, supp...
Jun 07, 2022•59 min•Season 3Ep. 59
Send us a text We felt like after the last episode we needed to continue this conversation...so here's a part two with Jordan! I'm sure you've all heard about the documentary "Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed" by now. If you haven't gotten a chance to dig into it, Hillsong has found itself, yet again, in the middle of quite a kerfuffle. Increasing allegations of Carl Lentz, CEO Brian Houston basically being a James Bond villain, Frank Houston (Brian's father) paying hush money to children he sexua...
May 31, 2022•1 hr 26 min•Season 3Ep. 58
Send us a text I'm sure you've all heard about the documentary "Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed" by now. If you haven't gotten a chance to dig into it, Hillsong has found itself, yet again, in the middle of quite a kerfuffle. Increasing allegations of Carl Lentz, CEO Brian Houston basically being a James Bond villain, Frank Houston (Brian's father) paying hush money to children he sexually abused, the constant overuse and abuse of church volunteers, and the list goes on... It has left many confus...
May 17, 2022•1 hr 31 min•Season 3Ep. 57
Send us a text So they say the pandemic is over. We made it. Now what? This two-part "Conversation with Creig" looks at what the church got right during the pandemic but also what we got wrong. Where do we go from here? What mistakes did we make? What did we learn? What would we do differently? How do we follow God and how do we help others do the same? EPISODE DRINKING NOTES: CHARLES WOODSON'S INTERCEPT - Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles Alcohol: 14% The 2019 Intercept Cabernet Sauvignon has arom...
May 03, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Season 3Ep. 56
Send us a text So they say the pandemic is over. We made it. Now what? This two-part "Conversation with Creig" looks at what the church got right during the pandemic but also what we got wrong. Where do we go from here? What mistakes did we make? What did we learn? What would we do differently? How do we follow God and how do we help others do the same? EPISODE DRINKING NOTES: CHARLES WOODSON'S INTERCEPT - Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles Alcohol: 14% The 2019 Intercept Cabernet Sauvignon has arom...
Apr 19, 2022•52 min•Season 3Ep. 55
Send us a text Resurrection Sunday vs. Easter Sunday - which one is correct?! Today we're talking about the atonement, what does it mean, and why is it important? Does it matter what we call that special Sunday we celebrate each April? What should our preparation and response to Easter be? EPISODE DRINKING NOTES: CHATEAU STE MICHELLE -Chardonnay Columbia Valley Blend: 100% Chardonnay Alcohol: 14% TA: 0.50 g/100 mL Sourced from famously sun-soaked vineyards, this Chardonnay features juicy citrus ...
Apr 05, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 54
Send us a text It's a 5th Tuesday which means it's time for a Bible Breakdown! This month we're discussing the book of Ruth. Why is it important? What does it mean? What is it teaching us? Should we all be looking for our Boaz? Is stealing wheat from some guy's field ok? Let's discuss! If you aren't familiar with the book of Ruth go give it a quick read (or watch this video from The Bible Project)! EPISODE DRINKING NOTES: COOR'S – Banquet American Lager 5% ABV | 15 IBU Golden, Colorado Coors Ban...
Mar 29, 2022•38 min•Season 3Ep. 53
Send us a text Joel Osteen. Jim & Tammy Faye Baker. Joseph Prince. What do they all have in common? Prosperity Gospel, of course! Today, the Christian AF crew is discussing the ins and outs of this theology and whether or not we should believe that whatever we give will be returned tenfold. EPISODE DRINKING NOTES: PRAIRIE STREET BREWING COMPANY – Sinnissippi Stout English Style Stout 4.5% ABV Rockford, IL RUSH CREEK DISTILLING – Rock'n Vodka Mule (Vodka, Ginger Beer, Lime) –––––––– LINKS AND...
Mar 15, 2022•58 min•Season 3Ep. 52
Send us a text Let's talk fundamentalism! Today, we've got our friend Jeff on the show to share his experience growing up in the Independent Fundamentalist Baptist movement. From haircuts to first CDs we chat about it all - and, like always, we ask ourselves some questions about faith, tribalism, and denominations. EPISODE DRINKING NOTES: CHURCH STREET BREWING COMPANY – Devil's Advocate Belgian Strong Golden Ale 9% ABV | 27 IBU Itasca, IL What happens when you take a ton (literally) of Pilsen ma...
Mar 01, 2022•1 hr 18 min•Season 3Ep. 51
Send us a text Culture. We’re all affected by it, whether it be our micro-cultures (our family, friends, and day-to-day interactions) or our macro cultures (the culture of our cities, states, countries). But what are we doing to assess how it’s affecting us and what are we doing to push back against it? Join us as we talk through culture with our friend Creig (from Iowa). EPISODE DRINKING NOTES: PIVOVAR REGENT TŘEBOŇ - Zlato Prazske Czech Lager 5.2% ABV Czech Republic Cruising Speed is a Helles ...
Feb 14, 2022•1 hr 25 min•Season 3Ep. 50
Send us a text Do you use pronouns? Have you ever wondered why they have become such a regular part of our culture recently, or how long they have been around? Did Moses, Eve, or Jesus think about their gender? How should we approach gender as Christians? Today we'll be discussing our perspective on the idea of gender and pronouns (fair warning: this episode contains a heavily cisgender thought process)! SO... grab a stout, choose an identity, and join us as we explore some of these questions! E...
Feb 01, 2022•1 hr 28 min•Season 3Ep. 49
Send us a text BIBLE STORY TIME! We are starting a new series about stories from the bible (these will likely continue on the 5th Tuesdays of the month after today's podcast). In today's episode, we talk about Jonah. Do you remember hearing the story of Jonah and the Whale as a kid? Well, we're here to ruin everything you thought you knew... SO grab a drink... we've got a tale for you! THE BIBLE PROJECT Website – https://bibleproject.com/ Apps – https://bibleproject.com/app/ EPISODE DRINKING NOT...
Jan 18, 2022•47 min•Season 3Ep. 48
Send us a text Hear God whispering in your ear? Hate your current church and think you can do better? Are you a youth pastor that’s sick of all the damn kids? Maybe church planting is for YOU! Today we talk about the process of planting a church and maybe when you should (and maybe should not) take it seriously. Grab a beverage, grab your number two pencil, and get ready for Church Planting 101! EPISODE DRINKING NOTES: Prairie Street Brewing Co. – Holiday Red Old Fashioneds 2oz - 1792 Bourbon (S...
Jan 04, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Season 3Ep. 47
Send us a text Christmas... It's a time for giving, hope, and love for all mankind... until Starbucks ruins the entire season with a damn red cup that says nothing about CHRISTMAS!!! Today we are talking about all things Christmas, especially whether or not the reason for the season is converting your family to Christianity! Grab a festive drink and join us around the dinner table as we have real talk about the holiday season! Episode Drinking Notes: Breckenridge Brewery – Christmas Ale ––––––––...
Dec 14, 2021•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 46
Send us a text It's a 5th Tuesday! In today's episode, we chat about a recent story about a QAnon theory that involves JFK Jr., people coming back from the dead, and an interesting 2024 presidential ballot. We also talk about the attraction of conspiracy theories and some thoughts on their appeal. *Producer's Note: Jesse did not want to record this episode and hadn't even heard about this story at the time of recording but he let us publish it anyway! –––––––– LINKS AND SOCIAL MEDIA Website • Fa...
Nov 30, 2021•45 min•Season 2Ep. 45
Send us a text Narcissism runs rampant throughout churches and leadership and Mars Hill Church was, unfortunately, a supreme example of this. Recently the podcast "The Rise and Fall of Mars Hil" was made by Christianity Today and it takes a hard look at the reasons such a large church seemed to crumble overnight. Our friend Chad joins us today to review the podcast and talk a little about Mark Driscoll. –––––––– LINKS AND SOCIAL MEDIA Website • Facebook • Instagram Email: christianafpodcast@gmai...
Nov 16, 2021•1 hr 21 min•Season 2Ep. 44
Send us a text Death. Some of us fear it, some of us cheat it, some of us never think about it. Today, the CAF Crew is discussing thoughts on death, the "She Said Yes" movement, and the dangers of being fearful of death. With a whole lot of tangents along the way, of course! –––––––– LINKS AND SOCIAL MEDIA Website • Facebook • Instagram Email: [email protected] Support the show –––––––– BUY US A DRINK https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/ChristianAFPodcast BE A MONTHLY SUPPORTER https://ww...
Oct 19, 2021•49 min•Season 2Ep. 43
Send us a text Liturgy is often a misused word. Many of us have come to know the term liturgy as referring to how traditional your church is. Today we peel back the misconceptions of what liturgy is and how important it is to dig into the meaning: serving. –––––––– LINKS AND SOCIAL MEDIA Website • Facebook • Instagram Email: [email protected] Support the show –––––––– BUY US A DRINK https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/ChristianAFPodcast BE A MONTHLY SUPPORTER https://www.buzzsprout.com/10...
Oct 05, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 42
Send us a text Tribalism. It's not really a word we think much about, or even use all that often. But, the concept of tribalism is ingrained in most churches and is (in our opinion) holding us back from working together and impacting the world around us in ways none of us can do on our own. Today, we talk about what it might look like for us to set aside our churches, our denominations, and even ourselves, for the greater good of our communities. Let us know what you think, are we crazy for thin...
Sep 21, 2021•57 min•Season 2Ep. 41
Send us a text Purity Culture has done a number on the Church over the years. Misogyny, sexual guilt, misinformation, and sexual abuse are only a few of the many destructive issues caused by this movement, leaving a wake of confused, abused, and misguided generations of would-be Christ-followers. Being full of obvious flaws, our natural reaction is to push back against this largely Evangelical culture with everything we have, but should we be throwing out the baby with the bathwater? Join us in ...
Sep 07, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 40
Send us a text It's a 5th Week Whatever Day ! That means, we get to talk about whatever the hell we want! Today's topic is "10 Things I Hate About Church". We'll be discussing some of our least favorite things about the CHURCH as a whole. Send us what you hate about church at our social media links below! –––––––– LINKS AND SOCIAL MEDIA Website • Facebook • Instagram Email: [email protected] Support the show –––––––– BUY US A DRINK https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/ChristianAFPodcast BE...
Aug 31, 2021•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 39
Send us a text **TRIGGER WARNING** In this week's episode, we discuss suicide and assisted suicide. If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States. 1-800-273-8255 Killing. It's so easy to say that as Christians we should always be against killing. Seems like an easy thought right? Well, sometimes it seems there might be gray areas in that concept... what about mercy killin...
Aug 17, 2021•59 min•Season 2Ep. 38
Send us a text Join us as we sit down with one Time Magazine's "25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America", Brian McLaren, to discuss his new book, " FAITH AFTER DOUBT ". Brian D. McLaren is an author, speaker, activist, and public theologian. A former college English teacher and pastor, he is a passionate advocate for “a new kind of Christianity” – just, generous, and working with people of all faiths for the common good. He is a faculty member of The Living School and podcaster with Learning...
Aug 03, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Season 2Ep. 37
