She's baaaack!! Minister Amy Johnson has returned to the Lady Preacher Podcast to help debunk some of the myths around comprehensive sexuality education. We dig into the claim that comprehensive sexuality education teaches kids to have sex or that it disregards values and morals. Amy debunks the myth that abstinence-only programs are the most effective and then talks about how parents and guardians truly are the first and primary teachers of sexuality education. My friends, especially if you are...
Oct 28, 2020•34 min
The next several Mondays of the #ladypreacherpodcast will be focused on parables! These little short stories by Jesus share some pretty big truths. There are 55 parables in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke (though many of those repeat each other), but we will be studying 8 of them. Each one reveals to us something about who we are, who God is, what God’s Kin-dom is like, and who we are called to be as a part of that kin-dom. Every week, we’ll dive into a different parable, and listen for h...
Oct 26, 2020•26 min
While college students are busy learning, they're also busy teaching us. Rev. Jess Short this week shares with us all that she has learned from her students while working in campus ministry. Everything from relationships, to inclusivity, to remaining resilient through this difficult time - these students show us what it means to wrestle with our faith and then go live it out in the world. Rev. Jess is known for her progressive stance and her courageous faith. One of her students put it this way:...
Oct 21, 2020•52 min
The next several Mondays of the #ladypreacherpodcast will be focused on parables! These little short stories by Jesus share some pretty big truths. There are 55 parables in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke (though many of those repeat each other), but we will be studying 8 of them. Each one reveals to us something about who we are, who God is, what God’s Kin-dom is like, and who we are called to be as a part of that kin-dom. Every week, we’ll dive into a different parable, and listen for h...
Oct 19, 2020•30 min
“The presence of struggle is not the absence of God.” These are just a few of the powerful words Rev. Dr. Sarah Lund shares with us today. Mental health is a topic so many in our country, and our world, avoid. It’s uncomfortable, often laced with shame, and therefore lives in the shadows of our lives. But Rev. Sarah tells us: there’s a different way. She tells us: it’s okay to not be okay. Mental health challenges and disabilities are not a punishment for sin. We are all made in the image of God...
Oct 14, 2020•49 min
The next several Mondays of the #ladypreacherpodcast will be focused on parables! These little short stories by Jesus share some pretty big truths. There are 55 parables in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke (though many of those repeat each other), but we will be studying 8 of them. Each one reveals to us something about who we are, who God is, what God’s Kin-dom is like, and who we are called to be as a part of that kin-dom. Every week, we’ll dive into a different parable, and listen for h...
Oct 12, 2020•22 min
When I first talked with Rev. Melissa McQueen-Simmons, she told said, "Sometimes you just have to get uncomfortable." It immediately intrigued me. The basis of so much of her work is social and theological transformation as she helps pastors and religious leaders address social and theological opposition in the Black community towards LGBT equality. In this interview, Rev. Melissa explains where the opposition stems from and how she guides leaders towards becoming welcoming and accepting. A lot ...
Oct 07, 2020•44 min
The next several Mondays of the #ladypreacherpodcast will be focused on parables! These little short stories by Jesus share some pretty big truths. There are 55 parables in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke (though many of those repeat each other), but we will be studying 8 of them. Each one reveals to us something about who we are, who God is, what God’s Kin-dom is like, and who we are called to be as a part of that kin-dom. Every week, we’ll dive into a different parable, and listen for h...
Oct 05, 2020•29 min
This week Pastor Kelsey and Rev. Leslie dive into the importance of getting an all inclusive message into the world, especially in a small town where open and affirming spaces may be few and far between. While much of the world turns people away, it is vital - especially in our current fight for justice - for the church to be open, welcoming, and affirming. Rev. Leslie is a tireless advocate in her church and community. She explains how her goal isn't to get butts in the pews but it is to ensure...
Sep 23, 2020•48 min
The next several Mondays of the #ladypreacherpodcast will be focused on parables! These little short stories by Jesus share some pretty big truths. There are 55 parables in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke (though many of those repeat each other), but we will be studying 8 of them. Each one reveals to us something about who we are, who God is, what God’s Kin-dom is like, and who we are called to be as a part of that kin-dom. Every week, we’ll dive into a different parable, and listen for h...
Sep 21, 2020•26 min
If you’ve been listening to this podcast for the last few months, you know we have been diving deep into the intersection of Christianity and racial justice. Recently, the town where I live - Kenosha, WI - found itself in the center of the fight for racial justice and equity, and police reform. In the wake of that, Rev. Tamika Jancewicz agreed to sit down with me and talk about this intersection again, bringing in her own powerful and truly profound perspective. I want to honor and acknowledge t...
Sep 16, 2020•1 hr
The next several Mondays of the #ladypreacherpodcast will be focused on parables! These little short stories by Jesus share some pretty big truths. There are 55 parables in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke (though many of those repeat each other), but we will be studying 8 of them. Each one reveals to us something about who we are, who God is, what God’s Kin-dom is like, and who we are called to be as a part of that kin-dom. Every week, we’ll dive into a different parable, and listen for h...
Sep 14, 2020•15 min
In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells us, “The truth will set you free.” Rev. Christian Briones gives us some of that truth today. He speaks honestly about his experiences as a pastor in Minneapolis during the aftermath of George Floyd’s death and how he has seen first-hand the fact that lament and joy often travel side-by-side through our lives. Christian reminds us that, even in scripture, you can be furious with God in one breath and praising God with the next. That is part of our human experien...
Sep 09, 2020•1 hr 4 min
The next several Mondays of the #ladypreacherpodcast will be focused on parables! These little short stories by Jesus share some pretty big truths. There are 55 parables in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke (though many of those repeat each other), but we will be studying 8 of them. Each one reveals to us something about who we are, who God is, what God’s Kin-dom is like, and who we are called to be as a part of that kin-dom. Every week, we’ll dive into a different parable, and listen for h...
Sep 07, 2020•22 min
When it comes to the refugee crisis around the world and the immigration crisis in America, Rev. Kelly Nieman Anderson allows her faith to be her guide. She has seen first-hand what it is like in refugee camps and communities in countries around the world, and has experienced what it is like to live in a country in which she is not a legal citizen. It has given Rev. Kelly a particular window in a world that many folks in western civilization will never see nor experience. In today’s episode, Rev...
Sep 02, 2020•56 min
As an RA in college, my primary job was building community. One of the most important aspects of doing so is cultivating an atmosphere of mutual trust, care, and accountability. To do that successfully, you have to truly live your values. A fellow RA, Ivan Ibarra, coined the phrase for us: "Don't just talk about it, be about it." You can't just tell people "no partying" one night if you're going to go out drinking the next night. You can't tell folks to study if they've never seen you open a boo...
Aug 31, 2020•20 min
#PissedOffPastor Pastor Kara Baylor is pissed off. She is pissed about racism. She is pissed about systemic racism. She is pissed about how racism affects her kids. She is pissed about the lack of historical knowledge regarding the deep roots of racism. Pastor Kara is angry, and righteously so. You can read more of what she is pissed about on her blog Pissed off Pastor . Today, I sit down with Pastor Kara and we talk in-depth about why she is pissed and what we can do about it. We dive into the ...
Aug 26, 2020•1 hr 5 min
As we go through life we pick up parts of our identity based off of what is said about us. If we are told that we are bad with money this will limit us to only be bad with money. If we are told we are smart we will live into that. But our truest identity comes from God. In that identity you are good, you are beloved, you are who Jesus says you are.
Aug 24, 2020•16 min
Jesus Christ, liberator. The chains of racism, bigotry, homophobia, and white supremacy have gripped our world. As Christians who take on the name of Christ in their identity, we must take part in the liberation Christ brings by being a voice of love and justice, especially for the most vulnerable communities among us. Rev. Kelsey Brown is here today to call us to this work, and remind us that the grace and freedom so freely given to us is a grace we are called to extend. The liberation of Chris...
Aug 19, 2020•47 min
Society has, for the longest time, focused on who is in and who is out. Whether it's because someone is part of the LGBTQ community, an immigrant, a woman, a BIPOC, from a different economic status; there are a multitude of reasons people have been "cast out." The written and unwritten rules about who is in, and who is out, are pervasive in our culture. Through the prophet Isaiah, and through the life and ministry of Christ, God is here to say: anything that divides, anything that determines a s...
Aug 17, 2020•21 min
Most Sundays as I’m leaving church, I often have a hymn or worship song playing over and over in my head. That’s partially because of the powerful role music plays in our lives. It touches a part of us that spoken or written words can’t always reach. Today I had the privilege of sitting down with pastor and musician, Rev. Cydney VanDyke, and we dove into the world of faith and music. Rev. Cydney is a musician and singer and is Associate Pastor at New Goshenhoppen United Church of Christ in Penns...
Aug 12, 2020•55 min
A few weeks ago Rev Chris Davies was interviewed and shed some amazing insight on faith. It is something that we need to hold tightly and lightly. We should hold it tightly because this is something that will help us get through our storms in life. Jesus will never leave you to weather a storm alone, hold onto that tightly. But we must hold onto our faith lightly because God needs room to grow. It is reasonable, and almost necessary, to doubt and question God, to challenge your beliefs and thing...
Aug 10, 2020•31 min
Calling all Enneagram lovers! This one is for you. (and if you don’t know what that is - don’t fret! This is for you, too!) What is the Enneagram? And what does it have to do with our faith? Rev. Allison Johnson dives into what this work is and how it can help us better understand ourselves, our relationships with others, and how doing the work of the Enneagram can even help deepen our faith. We covered a lot of ground in this interview; diving in not only into the Enneagram, but also what it me...
Aug 05, 2020•57 min
The last four months have been a roller coaster. 2020 has been harder than anyone could have ever imagined. Between a pandemic, struggles for justice, dwindling bank accounts, and our every day life, it has felt nearly unbearable. On the days when it's hard to get out of bed, when things feel too chaotic and hard, it begs the age-old question that even Biblical greats like Job asked: Where is God? Has God abandoned us? Just up and left? Or is God punishing us? Are we experiencing God's wrath? In...
Aug 03, 2020•14 min
What exactly is multiculturalism? And who is the Devil, really? These are just a few of the topics that Rev. Dr. Cheryl Pero covers in this interview. Rev. Pero assures us that God is truly reflected in the beautiful multiculturalism in this world, and reminds us that all lives matter to God, which is why we need to be proactive in the movement of civil rights. We are called by God stand strong with our brothers and sisters who are fighting for their voices to be heard because this is what God h...
Jul 29, 2020•49 min
On December 25th, we celebrate Emmanuel - God with us. But what if we celebrated this every day of the year? What if, instead of putting God and our faith on a shelf until we really needed it, we treated God and our faith as central to our lives, as the treasures they really are?
Jul 27, 2020•20 min
"I serve a vision of a world where all people are free." Rev. Dr. Chris Davies is prophetic in her words; guiding us to how we can live into a world that is abundant for all. She speaks of a Christianity that is "attentive to a liberatory message of Gospel" and reminds us that God is bigger and wider than the structures we have built to contain God. We serve God, we serve Christ, not the institution of "church." Our faith is bigger and wider than the institution, and when the institution isn't s...
Jul 22, 2020•47 min
As human beings we get stuck in dichotomies; it's always either good or evil, faithful or sinful, black or white. But this is not always the case. What happens when humans decide that it is their time to be the judge of this? To go out and weed the bad? We do far more harm than good. The Kingdom of God has both wheat and weeds within it, which helps us as Christians understand why is there good and bad, and to realize that it is not our job to weed out the bad. God expects you to be human, God l...
Jul 20, 2020•25 min
Humans are busy-bodies. It’s almost second-nature to us, especially in Western culture, to fill our schedules beyond capacity. We think we can do it all; but sometimes we do so much that we forget to leave room for the Holy Spirit to do Her work. We try to fill in all the blanks when, in reality, that’s just not possible. It’s okay to let go and leave room for God. Rev. Amy Lunde-Whitler is here to remind us to not apologize for being busy, but also to not glorify it. She reminds us to take a mo...
Jul 15, 2020•1 hr 5 min
Whether you have a green thumb or not, the seeds of faith are planted within you. Jesus spreads the seeds throughout the world, and while there are soils that are not hearty for it, or whether a bird picks up the seed and takes it away, it will still grow. In this scenario we are the soil, but we are also the Gardner. We need to tend to our faith in order for it to grow. But the good news is, God is the ultimate Gardner. God is helping the seeds that have been planted within us to grow. The frui...
Jul 13, 2020•22 min
