After Class

This episode is Shane Claiborne's first presentation at the Michigan Christian Convention. Shane is an engaging presenter and storyteller who has intentionally placed himself among the least of these to live out the gospel in the context of inner city Philadelphia. We will use this presentation to do some follow up Q&A next week. 

Since we didn't get through all the questions we had on our list in the last episode, we tackle a few more. Specifically, we discuss "Is the Church the world's conscience?" and "What role does politics have in social justice?"

Hopefully you were able to listen to John's Michigan Christian Convention presentation laying the groundwork for a biblical view of social justice. In this episode we follow up and try to answer some of the questions that were thrown at him. John gets a second crack and them and Ron and Sam add their thoughts as well.

This "episode" is John's presentation at the Michigan Christian Convention. The theme for the whole conference was "Social Justice" and this presentation lays the groundwork for what is to come. 

As the guys bring their "sex talk" to a close, they discuss what it means for the church to embrace biblical sexuality and to live that ideal out day and and day out in the community of believers. 

In this second episode about homosexuality, the guys tackle some of the New Testament passages regarding the topic and attempt to explain them in a gracious yet biblically faithful way. 

The guys continue their "sex talk" and move to the specific topic of homosexuality. In this episode they lay out the biblical understanding of sex as a foundation for interpreting this very prominent issue. 

We interrupt our regularly scheduled podcasts to give a shout out to the Michigan Christian Convention!! It's next weekend, April 12-13 at GLCC. Here are our top 10 reasons why you should attend! Check out more details and register today at https://www.michiganchristianconvention.org/

As the guys continue their discussion of sex and sexuality, they use the decisions of the Jerusalem council (Acts 15) to guide their understanding. But in order to truly grasp their logic, it requires an understanding and acceptance of Levitical laws. Tune in to see how the guys navigate the testaments to inform their views on sex. 

In this episode the guys continue their discussion of all things sex related and talk about the Greek word "porneia" and its usage in the Bible. Their conclusions and applications might surprise you!

This episode follows up on the discussion of whether legalizing sex work should be condoned by Christians. The guys lay out a biblical view of sex and marriage, which is often counter to cultural norms and trace the concept of "one flesh" through the Old and New Testaments.

A presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, has brought prostitution into the national spotlight by suggesting that sex work should be legalized. The guys discuss what, if any, response Christians should have to such legislation. But in reality, this episode will function as a gateway to further discussion about sexual ethics in God's Kingdom. 

Our whole discussion of God's Kingdom has been leading to this episode. The guys discuss why God even needed to institute this Kingdom and how it comes about. Check out how the guys wrap up this series.  

As their investigation continues, the guys turn their attention to the "when" of the Kingdom of God. What does it mean for a kingdom to exist in the "now and the not yet"?

With John still laid up from back surgery, the guys bring in a pinch hitter to fill the gap. GLCC's own Kate Blakely joins Ron and Sam to discuss the Kingdom from a more mission-minded, cross cultural perspective. Kate provides important insights to help translate the Kingdom into all cultures. 

Due to some recording complications, we take a break from our discussion of the Kingdom and share a podcast we recorded in December where we interview some graduates of GLCC to hear about their ministries and their memories. This episode features Jordan Kellicut, Adrienne Stratton, and Kelsey Bushong.

In this episode the guys continue to unpack the Kingdom of God, and try to describe it in such a way as to put flesh to a somewhat elusive concept. 

In this episode the guys attempt to explain and unpack the Kingdom of God using Journalism 101 techniques - the 5 Ws. Specifically they focus on the who of the Kingdom (King and subjects) and the what of the Kingdom. 

Having set the stage in past episodes of what God's Mission in the world is, the guys turn their attention to the New Testament to see how that mission continues. Specifically they look at the message of Jesus and what the gospel is and is not. 

In this episode the guys pick up the story of Israel after being established in the land to see how well the people lived out their call to be a blessing to the world. The prophets picture Israel's purpose as being a light to the nations, yet the people regularly contributed to the darkness, eventually leading to exile and unfulfilled expectations.