Who are the Pharisees, what did they do, and why to they have a special seat? Did Jesus really tell his disciples to listen to them? Tune in to find out the answers to these questions and more. I get pretty sidetracked, too, but hey – that’s ADHD for you…

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Jesus tells us a parable about workers in a vineyard. Simple enough. But it turns out that we find almost the exact same parable told by a Rabbi…with the exact opposite meaning. What is Jesus doing here?

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This week on Listening In, the second part of my conversation with the Rev. Dr. Anthony Steinbronn, who with his family spent a number of years in Africa as missionaries.

This week, the conversation centers around his family’s cultural learnings during their time in Africa, and the readjustment that was necessary when they returned to the States. It was a big adjustment for all of them– especially the kids. One of the most disconcerting things? The amazing number of choices we have, in stores, on television, and on the radio.

Tony talks about how he’s grateful that his kids, because of their time in Africa, were and are able to examine the things of this culture with a more critical eye than most. They can take the good from the cultures of Africa and the culture of the States, and leave the bad.

I really had a great time talking with Tony. This is the second of three shows– there was just too much good stuff to squeeze into only two. Listen in, and let me know what you think.

What are some of the challenges you face, living as a follower of Jesus within the culture that surrounds you?  What are some of the ways that your faith in Jesus Christ helps you think critically about the things that this culture holds up as the highest good?

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Tom and I pre-empt our scheduled Hollywood & The Vine podcast on “Hollywood’s Crazy Christians” (which will air next week) to discuss the big story out of Hollywood this week, the arrest of Roman Polanski for a crime he committed 30 years ago. Just when you think Hollywood couldn’t sink any deeper, they top themselves again, this time in defense of a man who admitted to drugging and raping a 13 year old girl. We also take on Harvey Weinstein for his statement that, “Hollywood has the best moral compass”. Be sure to tune in.

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We occasionally talk about the “Mark of the Beast” as some kind of impending destruction for Christians today. The reality is that the mark meant some of the earliest Christians had some impossibly tough choices to make about who they were and how they were going to interact in a hostile environment. With that in mind, it is important to ask: Where do we fit into this complicated issue?

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This week on Listening In: Out of Africa. Part one of my conversation with Lutheran pastor and missionary, Rev. Dr. Anthony Steinbronn.

We had a great talk a few weeks ago, about the years his family spent in Africa and the impact it had on their lives together, on their practice of the Christian faith as a family and as individuals, and what it was like returning to the United States– where our secular and religious cultures are very different from those in Africa.

One of the biggest differences between Africa and the US? Our practice of hospitality. Tony and I compared stories of moving around the country and struggling to break into new communities, find friends, make meaningful connections with other people– even among other Christians.

In Botswana, he pointed out, that wasn’t even a possibility. For the African, Tony said, “Time begins when you’re with other people.” Life doesn’t really begin until you’re in relationship with others. Time spent with others is a must.

The New Testament writers understand this need for hospitality– because it serves up God’s grace in a simple and much-needed way. And it’s something, I suggested to Tony, that perhaps Westerners could do well to learn from our African sisters and brothers in the faith. Hospitality. Welcoming the stranger, the other, in the name of and for the sake of Jesus Christ.

When’s the last time you did that? I know I could use a refresher.

Check out the show– and let me know what you think!– then, come back next week for part two of our conversation.

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Legion, Part 1 – On the surface, this story seems to follow the typical “Jesus beats Satan” plot. But Mark gives us a very important detail which tells us that the story isn’t entirely about the story. Listen in to find out what that detail is, and what it meant for the early Christians.

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Rifqa Bary is a 17 year old girl from a Muslim family in Columbus, OH. She secretly converted to Christianity 4 years ago and she had to hide the fact from her family. She had to go outside to pray. She had to hide her Bible. When her father found out about her conversion to Christianity, she says he threatened to kill her.

Rifqa says her local mosque found out about her conversion through clues on her Facebook page and ratted her out to her parents, so she fled to Florida to stay with a pastor and his family that she had contacted on-line. They agreed to give her shelter. Her parents have been trying to get her sent back to Ohio where she fears she will become the victim of an honor killing. So far, the State of Florida has agreed to give her protection and placed her with a foster family.

There have been a slew of honor killings by Muslims in the West over the last few years, both here and also in Great Britain and Europe. The last one to get any media attention was the story of the two girls murdered by their father in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area – the father has never been caught.

This video will break your heart, but I urge you to watch it and listen to it. Listen to Rifqa Bary and ask yourself, ‘Is my faith this strong?’. Pray for this poor girl, this sister in Christ. And remember while you’re watching the video – this isn’t happening overseas in some far away country. This is happening in Ohio and Florida.

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The people from Jesus’ home town miss out on so much because they couldn’t see past the ordinary. What do we miss for the same reason?

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Here’s a great post from Internet Monk on atheism. iMonk addresses atheism in the context of evangelicalism, but just about everything he says can be applied to the entire church as a whole. Our churches are failing to teach our youth how to respond to the new atheism and its clever and appealing facade, its shallow and deceptive arguments, and its hostility and belligerence. We are also failing to address the very serious and real questions our youth have, as iMonk points out, on subjects like evil, suffering, prayer, the Bible, etc. Read the whole thing, he says it better than I could:

Internet Monk – Atheism

iMonk includes this YouTube video of British comedian Ricky Gervais (the fellow behind “The Office”) speaking on the subject and it completely makes iMonk’s point.

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