The story of Joseph’s reunion with his brothers is filled with hope, despair, and lots of tears. Dr. Chan and Pastor A.J. dive into this uncomfortable reunion and ask the big questions about God’s interventions in our midst. We tackle everything from Divine Providence, theodicy, and even predestination theology. Join us for this deep conversation! We discuss Genesis 45:3-11, 15 for Sunday, February 23, 2025.

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your working theology on how God intervenes in our lives?

2. Where is God in the midst of suffering?

3. Does God have a “predetermined” path for our lives?

4. Where do you see hope in God’s intervention in our lives?

5. Where is the Good News?

Good News? Pastor Jesse and Pastor A.J. dive into the Sermon on the Plain from the Gospel of Luke. Blessed are you and woe to you! How does this compare to the Beatitudes in the Gospel of Matthew? What is the author of Luke really getting at? And for goodness sakes, where is the hope?! Luke 6:17-26 for Sunday, February 16, 2025.

Discussion Questions:

1. How do you hear the Blessings and Woes? Is it hope or warning?

2. How do you understand this in context of Jesus’ greater message?

3. What do you think the implications of the “y’all” are in Jesus’ words?

4. What does collective hope mean to you?

5. What is the Good News?

Surprise episode! Hello from Athens! Pastor A.J. is on a Footsteps of Paul trip in Greece and Turkey this January. During this late night clergy chat episode we dive into what we are learning about Paul and our discernment with Pauline theology. We’ve got some good questions, nuggets of theology to share, and some VERY contagious laughter! Pastor A.J. is joined by the Rev. Samm Melton-Hill, the Revs. Sarah and Daniel Locke, and the Rev. Emily Lloyd as we stare at the Acropolis and work through Pauline theology.

Discussion Questions:

1. ​What is your working theology around the doctrine of justification or conversion?
2. ​Where do you discern transformation in your faith journey?
3. ​What do you take from these pastors’ comments on this theology?
4. ​What does this tell us about God?

It’s almost Christmas! We dive into the Magnificat. The story where a teenage girl who recently found out she’s pregnant runs to her bestie to share the news. In the words of Debie Thomas, “let’s linger here for a minute.” Linger with Pastor Allison and Pastor A.J. in this moment of dangerous hope for the world to come! Advent 4, December 22, 2024.

Discussion Questions:

1. What relationships do you have that are just loving and not competitive?
2. Where do you see God turning things upside down or doing some “holy leveling”?
3. Where do you see this dangerous hope in the world?
4. What power is in this hope?
5. What does this tell us about God?

John the Baptist comes to share the good news of some fire and brimstone and pave the way for Jesus. But is John really that harsh? Could it be that John is calling everyone into the kingdom of God rather than calling people out? Check out this conversation with Pastor Becca Seely for Advent 3, December 15, 2024.

Discussion Questions:

1. What has been your working theology around John the Baptist’s purpose in the beginning of the gospel?
2. Calling out versus calling in
3. When is the Good News uncomfortable for you?
4. What prayerful Advent practices do you have?
5. What do you think John is asking of his listeners compared to Jesus?
6. What does this tell us about God?

Pastor Lori and Pastor A.J. talk about John the Baptist in our Advent 2 Gospel lesson. We dive into equity, our baptismal promises, and what repentance means in our lives today. Join us for this conversation on Luke 3:1-6 for Sunday, December 8th, 2024.

Discussion Questions:

1. Where do we see God entering the world?
2. What is significant for our understanding of this text to understand “world” as the political, powerful realm?
3. What does repentance mean to you? How often do we look at our own individual repentance?
4. What are your baptismal promises? What do they mean to you?
5. What does this tell us about God?

We are diving into our Gospel lessons from Luke for the Advent Season. It’s quite apocalypsy and we are challenged by what Jesus says. Is it the end of everything? Maybe not. Maybe Jesus is just calling for the end of the empire. What is the hope in this? What are we supposed to do with this message? Dive into Luke 21:25-36 with us for Sunday, December 1, 2024.

Discussion Questions:

1. What can we take from these words of Jesus about our today world?
2. Jesus is the opposite of the empire in this and most of the Gospels. What do we do in our fractured Christianity in regards to government?
3. Where do you see hope in the message?
4. Where do you see Jesus in scripture challenging you?
5. What is our call in a time such as this?
6. What does this tell us about God?

The pinnacle text of terror, buckle up. Pastor Andrew and Pastor A.J. dive into our last installment of the Judges study with the hardest violence for us to wrestle with: violence where God does not show up. What do we make of this in our faith and our lives? This discussion is about the Levite’s concubine in Judges 19. Discussion guide is available at www.tenfootpolepodcast.com/judges

Discussion Questions:

1. Do we accept this treatment of women as just a part of history? Or something systemic still at play?
2. What do you make of the silence of God in this story? What do you make of the question of “theodicy”? The age old question of where is God?
3. When and how does God show up? What agency is on us? Do we need to ask for help to receive it from God?
4. How do we use the law to create our own society and what we want even if it’s contrary to what God may want for us? I.e. pick and choose Old Testament laws to enforce?
5. Who is sacrificed at the altar of the phallocentric world?
6. What is your working theology of violence in the bible after this study?
7. What does this tell us about God?

Other notes:

1. “Homophobia and Masculine Domination in Judges 19-21” James Harding, University of Otago, New Zealand, published November 2, 2016 in the journal: The Bible & Critical Theory. https://bibleandcriticaltheory.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/vol12-no2-2016-homophobia-and-masculine-domination-harding-662-2594-1-PB-1iuc3eo.pdf
2. Dr. Crystal Hall’s Women in Ministry and Money Workshop: https://www.crystalhallphd.com/events