First Houston United Methodist Church

Andy tells the story of the “LEON” Christmas tradition that his family celebrates every year. He explains how we need to allow room for God to come in and change where we’re going. Mary doesn’t hold to one thing, she allows God to turn her life in an entirely new direction. And that’s what gives us this Christmas story. “Sometimes we get in ruts… we get established, we get focused. And if we take that too far, we shut ourselves off from what we need.” fmhouston.com

A question about whether traditional worship’s days are numbered brings out four strong opinions on the nature of worship, experiencing God in all contexts, and how we ignore church history at our own peril. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

Isaiah 9:2 & 6 It's Marty's first sermon with us, and he launches us into Advent by talking about the difficulties of walking in the darkness (especially this year) and the everlasting hope that came to us in the Light of the World. fmhouston.com

Isaiah 64: 1-9 Donyale begins our Advent season by reminding us what it means to be clay in the Potter's hands. fmhouston.com

Andy tells the story of Jesus passing by a funeral, and moved by their grief, he raises the son from the dead. As we confront the difficulty of facing a holiday season without the ones we love, he shows us how we, likewise, can reach into difficult situations and turn them into something better. fmhouston.com

This commonly-asked question is quickly flipped on its head, as Ken questions the motivations of the people who most frequently ask it. Soon, it becomes a conversation about the way we cling to the church that we already have instead of becoming the new church that we need to be. Also, Andy is very excited to be “the 24th most influential United Methodist podcast.” Here’s the link so you can see what he’s talking about: https://blog.feedspot.com/methodist_church_podcasts/“ This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

After another tragic loss of one of Houston's police officers, Andy talks about grief and pain, and what having a house "built on the rock" really means. fmhouston.com

The group talks about the way action creates feeling, the various times Jesus addressed this very thing throughout his ministry, and how to know if you’re asking good questions or just beating yourself up. Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

As we look into grief, Andy looks at the story of Job and the trauma he experiences as a guide for how we should be dealing with the trauma of our current lives. Andy asks the listeners to dig into their grief and to not deny it, acknowledging that it is there and needs to be dealt with. fmhouston.com

For Marty's first podcast, Ben decides to throw him in the deep end and asks a listener question he hadn't been allowed to ask before: why does the Church struggle to talk about sexuality? It leads to a surprisingly emotional conversation about the responsibility of a pastor when they stand on a stage, preaching vs. dialogue, and how to handle the reality of abuse and pain among the people you're trying to talk to. Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama

Today's question concerns if we are making Jesus "relatable" enough - is he too separate from us, and from our lives? Are we failing the young people we teach? Is that why young people leave the church? Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama

We begin a series focusing on what we've lost and how to mourn it together. In totaling up our grief, Andy points up that the damage done to us may be greater than we imagine. fmhouston.com

On Brandi's last week in the office, she sat down with Andy and Ben to answer some final, rapid-fire questions - the things she's most proud of, the things she's most disappointed to leave behind, and as many things as we could suprise her with as possible. Ask us a question! fmhouston.com/ama

Luke 5:27-32 Jesus sits down to eat with a crowd of tax collectors and sinners, and the Pharisees aren’t happy about it. But Andy points out the way that they - and us - miss the need to be living a life of constant forgiveness. When we forgive and accept people, joy starts breaking out. Take a look around you and see if that sort of party is breaking out - and if not, start one. fmhouston.com

With Brandi on her way to becoming a head pastor of a nearby church, the group answers the question of whether head pastor is actually a role women are supposed to move into, or is that against what the Bible says? Brandi has stories, Bible passages, and books to recommend. Even when she’s not ready for the question... she’s ready for the question. Ask Brandi a question before it’s too late! Fmhouston.com/ama

1 Timothy 1:12-17 Andy talks about transformation - inviting you to think back to the person that you were, and then to the person you are today, and realize how much you've changed. We want to leave a legacy: a legacy of faith, a legacy of trust, but that only happens when we share what we know. fmhouston.com

On one of our last few podcasts with Brandi (this is your last chance to send in questions you’d like to hear Brandi answer, so please send those in!), the group takes on how involved Jesus was in government, how much they think he’d be involved today, and what a Jesus-like approach to politics would look like. Send in your question! FMHouston.com/AMA

John 4:39-42 “When Jesus looks at the Samaritan woman, he doesn’t see a Samaritan woman. He sees a daughter of God.” fmhouston.com/ama

This week the group take on a question dealing with loss of faith in a relationship. They take a look at what causes people to walk away from God and how to both parties can navigate through their wilderness. Questions? Contact us at fmhouston.com/AMA

Acts 13:47 Andy talks about how the disciples saw Jesus appear to them, resurrected, and how they were completely changed - and how we are in daily need of that “resurrection power.” We all have those moments where we’ve had doubt and fear, and let them take over. But our God is a God who is always fighting for what is good. And when we embrace those things, the darkness fades away. fmhouston.com

Luke 18:9-14 Andy changes is wearing a Hawaiian shirt at the beginning of this (this is surprisingly important to understand at the beginning of this sermon in an audio format). It’s part of his explanation of the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector, and how little appearances matter to God. fmhouston.com

During such uncertain times, should we be saving our money or sharing our abundance with others who are struggling to keep their heads above water? The group discusses battling the fear or generosity and the emotional side of giving. fmhouston.com/ama

Luke 14:12-14 Andy talks about the importance of having a sabbath day, and what Biblical generosity looks like. When we give to people who cannot give back to us, there is still a blessing - we see the world in a different way. We see the world in the same way that God sees us. fmhouston.com

It’s Ben’s birthday! He lays out the definition of cancel culture and opens the floor for the table to discuss it’s place in not only the modern world but also in christian living. thesourcehouston.org

Persevering through technical difficulties, Andy, Ken, and Ben answer a piggybacked question for our last podcast about colonization. A questioner asks whether we've screwed everything up by showing Jesus as a white man, and what level of personal interpretation we should bring to the Bible. Ask a question! FMHouston.com/AMA

Luke 4:14-21 Brandi talks about what it meant when Jesus came from Nazareth - what a small town it was to come from. People expected Jesus to put Nazareth on the map, and they became frustrated when Jesus failed to meet their expectations by not giving them a double portion of what he was giving to everyone else. “Jesus doesn’t go elsewhere because he is rejected. He is rejected because he goes elsewhere.” People want to keep Jesus for themselves. The church has been looking back, hoping to be what we were. We have sometimes let “today” slip into “yesterday” or “tomorrow.” But God wants us to be about His Kingdom TODAY. fmhouston.com

The group takes a close look at the history of evangelism and its lasting impact on native cultures. They strip down the misconceived notions of missionaries as well as the responsibility we bear to be part of the solution to a larger issue. fmhouston.com/ama

1 Corinthians 12:4-6, 12-14, 27 Andy talks about the Corinthian church, and the terrible choices they were making. There’s much we don’t have in common with the Corinthians - but the things that we do, we need to look at very closely. Paul had a vision of what the church could be. That vision can still be true for us. fmhouston.com

A listener dealing with the loss of loved ones asks for some guidance on intercessory prayer. The group share their insight dealing with death and filtering through the awkwardness of praying for the dead. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

1 Timothy 4:12 The scripture today talks about what it was like when Paul left and a young person like Timothy came to take up the mantle. Andy talks about how important that message is today: “This idea of setting the example for the younger generation is enormous.” It’s not just about our discipleship - it’s about all of our discipleship. Also, Andy learns how to pack. fmhouston.com

Anthony Rogers, Yesly Antu and Deborah Nixon join the conversation to tackle the issue of racism within by Latinx against the black community. They dive into the toxic stereotypes streaming from the history of Hispanic and Latin countries, and the repercussions of comparing oppression. Also, how to combat issues that come from an us vs. them feeling, and the power in learning from each other's stories. fmhouston.com/ama

Deuteronomy 4:9 When Andy's children were young, they had him read the same stories over and over. He got tired of it, but he kept at it, each and every time. Why do we spend so much time telling our kids stories? It’s because we want their lives to be shaped by more than stories. Christianity becomes powerful when we both see the structure - and the story behind it. fmhouston.com

The table discusses ways of reading spiritual text. Ben starts us off by diving into Ignatius of Loyola and the examen practiced by the Jesuits. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

Matthew 18:3 Andy just turned 51 this week (or, as Deborah says, 612 months), and it's made him long for the days of his childhood - playing baseball in his yard and buying pizza and baseball cards with his friends. As Andy tells the story of the moneylender who forgave debts (Luke 7:40-43), and asks how we need to see the world in order to be living the way Jesus wants us to. fmhouston.com

As we continue to settle into the new normal, a questioner wonders how it’ll shape the Church. The table discuss stripping our church norms and embracing simplicity. As well as the new ways online church is changing how we practice discipleship. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

Matthew 5:9 The long stretch of the quarantine has left Andy with a longing for the pieces of home... his mother's chocolate cream pie, the sounds of baseball, the things we have been confined from. Months of separation have made him see the world with different eyes. As Jesus sits on the mountainside to speak a new and powerful word, and the word is a reinterpretation of the Ten Commandments - a directive to see the world with different eyes. Andy asks if we are using this time to see the world the same way. fmhouston.com

The group explore how they’ve handled difficult but necessary conversations. Donyale reminds us that sometimes the road to peace means disrupting the “peace”. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

Matthew 5:6 Andy uses props to tell us about how to quench our thirst (don’t worry, you’ll be able to guess what they are), and tells us to engage in those things that Jesus did. During a crisis, the way we used to see the world gets stripped away from us. Crises show us the way to go. Our vision has elevated. Bigger things are being put in front of us. We need to rise to meet those things. fmhouston.com

Tension remains on high consequently fueling the growth of keyboard warriors. A questioner who’s noticed christian friends on opposite sides of the spectrum asks what it looks like to be followers of Jesus online. Donyale shares some words to defuse online courage. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

Today's sermon is a conversation between Brandi and Donyale - a conversation about the Beatitudes, about justice, about how protesting is a form of mourning, about how these are hard conversations that need to be had. Matthew 5:4 - "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." fmhouston.com

Anthony joins the table as Ben hosts this weeks episode. A questioner reaches out to get clarity on what separates hope and prayer. The table discusses their practiceses talking with God and explore the limits of hope. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

A teacher with an unfairly merciful grading system teaches Andy something about grace, as he explores how the Beatitudes lift up the people least likely to be lifted up by the world. fmhouston.com

The group look at the different ways we service and give but also what it means to be humbled by receiving. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

Andy talks about the story of Paul and Silas remaining in their cells when the prison crashed open - and the power to change things when you set about it the way God wants you to. fmhouston.com

In death are we healed of our illnesses or does it come with us? The table shares their insight and hope for those struggling with mental health. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health contact your mental health professional or other qualified health provider. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

Acts 2:9-16 Peter has a vision of all of the animals coming towards him on a sheet, and Andy explains the meaning of the passage in narrow terms, and then in broad ones. God is talking about more than food - he was asking Peter to open up to all the world. fmhouston.com

Ben waits to surprises the group with today’s question - was it racist of God to single out the Israelites? The table discusses what Scripture tells us about why He chose the Hebrew people. Andy uses a food metaphor that has everybody questioning what kind of food they are. fmhouston.com/ama

Andy looks at the conversion of Paul on the road to Damascus, and talks about the way his own sight was changed at George Floyd's funeral this week. fmhouston.com

On today’s episode, the group takes an opportunity to have a conversation about the events happening in Houston. Donyale and Andy share their experience at George Floyd’s funeral. They reflect on the impact of these events and what it means for us as a nation. This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

Acts 8:26-40 Andy tells the story of Philip and the eunuch, and sees echoes of the same lessons in the hubbub of current events. fmhouston.com