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Erik, Jason, and Monica wrap up the series on the letters to the churches from Revelation. The American Church is most often compared to the Laodicean Church likely because of wealth and prosperity. In this episode, they talk about one of the outward ways churches can seem to be prosperous but are actually poor. If you have any comments or feedback on this episode, definitely send them to Erik’s email where they will be lost in the abyss of 60,000 plus unread messages!
There is no doubt that this episode is very self-indulgent! After lots of laughs, we are able to dig into the letter to this church that is affirmed and encouraged by Jesus. It’s not glamorous or flashy but perseverance is the goal—even more than external measures of success or acceptance.
Jason, Erik, and Monica are continuing to discuss the letters to the churches in Revelation. They begin with overemphasizing the challenge of reading! When they do get to discussing this church, they note that although they have signs of life, Jesus calls this church dead. Often, in ministry, we focus on outward signs of life such as the ABCs or the three Bs but Jesus has a different metric to measure life!
Monica, Jason, & Erik continue discussing the letters to the churches in Revelation with the letter to Thyatira. This church (that is not located at the corner of Roman Avenue & Greek Street) has some good things happening in their midst, but they also are tolerating sin.
In this episode Erik, Jason, & Monica continue to discuss the Letters to the Seven Churches of Revelation. Jesus tells this church that they have mixed false teaching and the worship of false gods into the truth. The highlight of this episode is when we get interrupted by Jack the dog!
Continuing the series on the Letters to the Churches in Revelation, in this episode Jason, Monica, and Erik discuss the Letter to the Church at Smyrna. This church faces tribulation, suffering, and persecution yet Jesus calls them rich and tells them to be faithful. This episode has a little French and a little Russian—something for everyone!
In this episode, Monica, Jason, and Erik begin a series looking at the letters to the Seven Churches from the book of Revelation. The Church at Ephesus shows us that along with many good traits, this church, and our churches today, can also have serious problems and deficiencies. Don’t forget watch out for the stones on the runway at the airport—just like you watch out for false teachers. Or something like that! And someone please let us know WHO is on the $20 bill!
Erik, Jason, & Monica discuss Paul’s instructions to the Church at Ephesus to be filled with the Spirit. In ministry, workplaces, homes, and relationships, we can allow declarations, programming, and strategy to drive us rather than the simplicity of living according to the Spirit of God. Erik shares about his experience doing meaningful ministry on the gritty streets of Canton.
Erik, Jason, and Monica work through some of their frustrations with the way the Church limits the grace we extend to others. A lack of a deep understanding of grace is demonstrated when we overreact to sin in others. Jason shares a classic example of an awkward Thanksgiving dinner conversation.
In this episode, Monica, Erik, and Jason continue to interview Keith Byler, lead pastor at Fairlawn Mennonite Church in Apple Creek, Ohio. Keith gives more information about his calling and the experience of coming into a new church context. He also shares the infamous funeral story!
Jason, Monica, and Erik interview Keith Byler, lead pastor at Fairlawn Mennonite Church in Apple Creek, Ohio. Keith shares about how their church adjusted their small group ministry to accommodate the context and culture of their growing church body. And, in time for the holiday season, we have several references to the Christmas movie, Elf, and Jason eats more donuts!
Erik, Jason, and Monica dialogue about the popular podcast, The Rise & Fall of Mars Hill. This story teaches us lessons about leadership, church planting, and Christian celebrity culture. While this episode has a more serious tone, we do take a moment to appreciate Amish Country donut holes!
Jason, Erik, and Monica start with an outrageous story about “the goat suburban driven by a blind man!” They do eventually get to a meaningful conversation about what would happen if they weren’t pastoring—both to them and their local church.
After a bit of a hiatus, Erik, Jason, and Monica are back for season 3!! In this episode we do a lot of catching up and goofing off! With sound effects, porter-potty stories and the funny idea of a cow on a kayak, you are guaranteed to laugh with us! We also get serious when Erik shares what the Lord was teaching him in his sabbatical.
Erik and Jason continue their conversation with Dave D’Angelo, Lead Pastor at Northway Christian Community in Pittsburgh, PA. Dave shares more information on the way this church does ministry in a large, multi-campus format. Just to add a healthy dose of stress, Jason shares a story of being stuck on a bridge, in Pittsburgh rush-hour traffic, while running out of gas!
In this episode, Erik and Jason interview Dave D’Angelo, lead pastor at Northway Christian Community in Pittsburgh, PA. Dave shares some of his background and the way that God used his diverse experiences to equip him for leading this church. Dave was 60 days into his lead pastor position before the pandemic impacted the way everyone did church and ministry.
In this episode, Jason, Erik, and Monica have a deep discussion about the function of grace in the life of a believer. They unpack justification and sanctification and then get into stories about Rolaids and High School wrestling that you do not want to miss!
Monica, Erik, and Jason continue to talk about Spiritual Disciplines in this episode. Worship is more than singing together on Sunday morning, it is actually offering our bodies as a living sacrifice. Stick with it to the end for the discussion about spontaneous applause!
In this episode, Monica, Erik, and Jason talk about the spiritual discipline of giving. As leaders, we can’t assume that this discipline doesn’t apply to us. And although leaders often address other spiritual disciplines, giving seems to be loaded with assumptions and suspicion. And then Jason shares that Siri calls him Philippe Bravo!
In this episode Monica, Erik, and Jason take a look back on the way they started their ministries. Often the things we originally focus on are not actually sustainable or quite as valuable as we think they are. Moving forward, Jason is going to try to be less competitive about everything!
Pastors and ministry leaders know that prayer is a vital part of their spiritual discipline but many struggle to keep it a priority. In this episode Monica, Erik, and Jason talk about some ways to practice prayer both personally and corporately. Monica calls people total losers and definitely needs to repent!
In the episode, Monica, Erik, and Jason get specific about things that can break trust in your ministry as well as ways to rebuild trust. Because Jason is so trusting, he shares a secret frustration with repurposed t-shirt quilts!
In this episode, Monica, Erik, and Jason talk about the fact that as leaders we are always dealing in the currency of trust. How can we cultivate a community of trust in a culture of suspicion and cynicism? Monica faces the hard reality that she is strangely similar to Jason and Erik sees this admission as a breakthrough for her!
In this episode, Monica, Erik, and Jason continue their interview with Pastor Mark Maddux. They talk about distinctives of the Nazarene denomination and his ministry philosophy. Mark shares about some unexpected dynamics of Ohioans and what he’s learning about his own church context.
In this episode Monica, Erik, and Jason interview local pastor, Mark Maddux from New Philadelphia First Church of the Nazarene. Mark tells us about his unique journey from the military to the ministry. To round this firey episode out, there are a lot of details about ashes!
In this episode, Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss the topic of authority in ministry and leadership. Authority can be used to serve others or to protect oneself. In an example of selfish authority, Jason and Erik claim ownership of Bible passages to be shared on this podcast!
Monica, Erik & Jason continue their discussion about the usefulness of a Value Statement for your ministry and how values work with mission and vision statements. As usual, they wander into stories involving fast food restaurants!
Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss the purpose of a clear Value Statement for churches and ministries. Value Statements can communicate the culture and expectations of a group but are sometimes hard to articulate. They also realize that naming what you stink at, can be helpful!
This one is WILD! Monica, Erik & Jason start their discussion with a few surprise guests and some Elf trivia! After the chaotic trivia wraps up they share some favorite Christmas memories and a few more laughs! While this episode may not be helpful, encouraging or useful at all, we hope to spread some laughter and cheer this Christmas!
In this episode Monica, Erik, and Jason take a more serious tone to talk about a real concern for all believers—mental health. They discuss three factors that can impact mental health and where and how we as leaders can help our people pursue healing and wholeness.
Jason and Erik interview Pastor Pat Weaver of Cornerstone Church in Millersburg, Ohio. Pat’s journey in ministry is different than Erik’s and Jason’s and his experiences and insights are both real and refreshing. Pat has applied many of the concepts that we have discussed on this podcast to bring Biblical change to his specific ministry context.
Monica, Erik & Jason talk about the ways that God is faithful to prepare us for our calling; especially the ways that your own life experiences are the root system for your ministry.
This episode is full of random and pretty funny side topics including the comeback of the mullet, apple cider, high-brow humor, Burger King, and monocles!
Monica, Erik & Jason talk about the value and benefit of having women in church leadership. The guys get to turn the table and ask Monica about her experiences and perspectives as a woman on church staff and in ministry. Erik casually mentions porcelain dolls and then a brief discussion of baby dolls and teddy bears ensue!
In this episode Monica, Erik & Jason discuss the hard truth that ministry is really tough, and sometimes you just want to quit. They also talk about how to fight discouragement and what encourages each of them specifically. With a little Rocky Balboa and Eye of the Tiger, this episode may just inspire you to fight the good fight!
Monica, Erik & Jason dive a little deeper into their discussion on The Church at Jerusalem. They talk about the apostles qualification to start the church, distribution of roles and responsibilities and church discipline. Naturally, they spend a little time talking about shaving cream fights as well!
Monica, Erik, and Jason continue to discuss their observations of early New Testament churches with the church at Jerusalem. This church focused on the gospel and preaching the resurrection of Jesus. In contrast, Jason, Erik, and Monica seem to lose focus and talk about The Olive Garden restaurant, breadstick holsters, and The Village!
Monica, Erik, and Jason continue their survey of New Testament churches with Part Two on the Church at Antioch. This church was marked by generosity and obedience. Although they were talking about Antioch, they managed to mention Nicaragua at least a dozen times and only one of them could roll their r's somewhat properly!
Monica, Erik, and Jason begin a survey on New Testament churches by discussing the church at Antioch. They talk about how little is known or written about this church; maybe because this group seems to be doing church/Christ-following right. This leads to a deep dive discourse on grace and obedience. Despite Erik’s memory lapses, this is a robust discussion with plenty of ridiculousness sprinkled in!
Monica, Erik, and Jason share some ideas for how to learn and adjust to a church and cultural context. Both Jason & Erik planted churches so they haven’t had to learn a new context, but they see the importance and value of slowly and intentionally learning your specific context. We get more of a Jason’s grass growing illustrations and we learn that Waynesburg, Ohio claims to be the Italian Food Capital of the World!
Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss the challenge of overthinking mission in a church context. Having freedom to allow ministry to happen naturally can sometimes feel unwise or purposeless. However, it also creates an environment where pure, simple and valuable ministry can take place without the slow process of strategizing, budgeting, meeting and coordinating. Shockingly, this is the first time Jason had to crack open a can of coke while recording. It won’t be the last.
Monica, Erik & Jason re-visit a topic they covered in 2019; Non-traditional Forms of Church. No one could have imagined that we would be experimenting with non-traditional church meetings in 2020. In fact, when we originally discussed this topic, Erik predicted that “in a generation or two we are really going to have to embrace this.” Like a lot of things on the Calling & Context Podcast, that prediction was only slightly right and we aren’t ready to call him a prophet!
Monica, Erik, and Jason are back together in the podcast studio after a brief hiatus. They’re discussing what they’ve been learning in this season of the Covid-19 global pandemic. Jason and Erik are right back at it with plenty to say and lots of laughs!
Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss the biblical way churches should be making decisions. They discuss how churches have gone off track with American style voting and how this harms genuine elder leadership. This episode is going to challenge church members and church leaders to really consider how their churches are being made. They discuss how detrimental building factions and coalitions can be to a local church. Also, Erik won’t soon be put in charge of mowing the church property.
This episode first aired on Feb 5, 2020.
Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss the ministry gifts found in the Book of Ephesians. They discuss how the gifts look practically in the church. They discuss where the ministry gifts live in their ministry roles, but how much that is reflected in most churches. Jason is a fancy golfer and Mark Numbers gets a huge shout out for being an amazing high school basketball player!
This episode first aired on Jan 29, 2020.
Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss how difficult it can be to find our way to what God wants us to do in ministry. They talk about how important it is for people finding their way in the church to show up for small things and build equity with the church family and how often this leads to more opportunity. Jason shows off his Eeyore impersonation.
This episode first aired on Jan 22, 2020.
Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss the challenging topic of cultivating our marriages while in ministry. They spotlight how important it is to listen to our spouses input into our calling and how difficult it can be when our spouse isn’t all in on our calling. They also talk about how important it is to take time away from the ministry to cultivate our marriages. Erik shares that his wife is a closet hippie.
This episode first aired on Jan 15, 2020.
Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss how important it is to build a community of friends that gives healthy interaction beyond our current environments. They encourage leaders to seek out those relationships and to be vulnerable with our weaknesses. Erik and Jason share that their relationship is built on comic relief and their own absurdity. Big surprise!
This episode first aired on Jan 8, 2020.
Monica, Erik, and Jason share their unique callings and journeys to vocational ministry. They talk about the two ditches that exist on each side of God’s calling on our lives; the lack of participation in the general calling of every believer and overstepping the specific calling of the elder/pastor roles in our churches. Erik shares that he dressed like Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz to win souls for Jesus... really!
This episode first aired on Jan 1, 2020.
Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss the discipline of keeping the gospel the center of every conversation in your church with the ability to speak it into every context. Jason and Erik have different shoe problems to solve and allegedly unicorns do not exist. What!?
This episode first aired on Dec 18, 2019.
Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss the desire to chase the “magic metric” in building leadership and how they built their leadership. They also discuss chemistry in elder leadership and why that’s so dependent on knowing your church’s philosophy. Erik finds out that Jason is actually pretty fragile and the guys realize they rarely answer Monica’s questions.
This episode first aired on Dec 11, 2019.
Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss building leadership in your church and changing the culture of building people into leaders and allowing those leaders to exist in their gifts and abilities instead of simply hiring people to fill positions in your church. Erik and Jason both grew up in little Baptist churches, but Jason’s little church had three accordion players and Erik has so many questions.
This episode first aired on Dec 4, 2019.
Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss having a broad understanding of discipleship, but more importantly how defining discipleship for your church context with your language is so important for your church. They also talk about the pitfalls of simply consuming teaching and how biblical discipleship is much fuller than just learning. Erik is thinking about getting a softball team and don’t forget the “ice breaker!”
This episode first aired on November 27, 2019.
Monica, Erik, and Jason talk discipleship and how their leadership has been impacted through good discipleship. They also discuss areas where discipleship can go off track and we find out that Jason was discipled by “no dance instructors!”
This episode first aired on November 20, 2019.
Monica, Erika, and Jason discuss how movements begin, their messiness, and the danger of trying to manufacture them. This was recorded a few months ago, but is uniquely timely for this week. Some of the ideas are applicable to the circumstances that are happening in the church and world today.
Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss the danger of compelling people to make emotional responses to the gospel.
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Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss the tough issue of social justice issues as church leaders in our culture. The gospel creates diversity. The discussion hits on #metoo, homosexuality, abortion, and some other things. Erik and Monica play it fast and loose with quote accuracy.
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Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss the innate need for spiritual filling as we do ministry. Jason is planning for lunch and Erik Neil Miller is asleep in the prayer closet.
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Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss the “mind field” of all of the things we’ve had to think about as church leaders. Erik is fidgety and Jason doesn’t want to be a gangster. Monica may have made an inopportune confession! Go ahead and google Herp Alberts.
Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss music and group worship in the church and how much controversy it creates mostly out of sinfulness. Erik can’t stop singing 80’s and 90’s songs and Jason and Monica are uncomfortable.
Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss the importance and difficulty of self-development as ministry leaders. “Prep is not devotion.” Jason is not ok with Elf being the official movie of Calling + Context, but is narrowly outvoted.
Monica, Erik, and Jason talk about the concept in leadership of “perceived arrogance.” They discuss the challenge of being a bold and visionary leader while understanding how to be aware of how we might be perceived by other personality types and leadership personalities. They discuss pushing into people who can speak into truth. “The sound of your own voice is like cheap wine.”
Erik and Jason discuss non-traditional forms of church. Monica is sick (common cold) and the guys are more serious, which makes them realize that Monica is actually the real pot-stirrer of the hi-jinx that normally occurs on C+C. *Please note this episode was recorded before the COVID-19 epidemic began.
Monica, Erik, and Jason spend more time talking with Don Stubbs about his life and ministry. They chat about the amazing connections God has given Don in his life to help him launch two different ministry organizations.
In this special episode, Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss the new economy of church in a world struggling to wrap its head around how to handle the coronavirus outbreak. They discuss biblical thought on how to embrace being part of the solution and why it’s not time for the church to be counter-cultural in following our authorities. They realize that the coronavirus might not be Jason’s biggest health risk.
We are excited for you to hear Don Stubbs talk about his life and the ministries he helps lead. Don is a teaching pastor at The Branch Church and Executive Director of Off The Wall Discipleship Ministry in New Philadelphia, Ohio. You are going to enjoy listening to his life story this week and his thoughts on ministry and leadership next week. Also, Erik and Jason have an uncomfortable moment. Please subscribe to Calling + Context and tell your friends about our pod!
Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss how important it is for leaders to listen and give pathways for response and feedback within their church family. Also, how important it is to realize that the Holy Spirit speaks throughout the entire church family and some of the best ways to hear from the Holy Spirit is to listen to every person in the church. Jason has become a statistician and has figured out he eats over 2,000 cheesy peanut butter crackers a year. Monica is not impressed.
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Monica, Erik and Jason discuss what they’re learning and how difficult it is to be in the season of faith building and how challenging it is to teach out of vulnerability. Erik walks right into the small church member joke and Jason may have an ankle demon.
Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss how important it is to listen to the Holy Spirit as leaders and how lethal it can be to simply pursue best practices and leadership techniques because often those principles don’t lead us to our own unique calling as leaders with our church families. Erik talks about unicorns and Care Bears.
Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss how purposeful we must be to make sure the gospel stays central in each area of the church. The gospel takes us to worship, community, and mission together. They also discuss a major flaw to the attractional model so widely adopted in America.
Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss they ways they prep for sermons and how they typically structure their weeks for their personalities and gift sets. Jason also asks, “How do you mime an ark!?”
Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss the biblical way churches should be making decisions. They discuss how churches have gone off track with American style voting and how this harms genuine elder leadership. This episode is going to challenge church members and church leaders to really consider how their churches are being made. They discuss how detrimental building factions and coalitions can be to a local church. Also, Erik won’t soon be put in charge of mowing the church property.
Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss the ministry gifts found in the Book of Ephesians. They discuss how the gifts look practically in the church. They discuss where the ministry gifts live in their ministry roles, but how much that is reflected in most churches. Jason is a fancy golfer and Mark Numbers gets a huge shout out for being an amazing high school basketball player!
Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss how difficult it can be to find our way to what God wants us to do in ministry. They talk about how important it is for people finding their way in the church to show up for small things and build equity with the church family and how often this leads to more opportunity. Jason shows off his Eeyore impersonation.
Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss the challenging topic of cultivating our marriages while in ministry. They spotlight how important it is to listen to our spouses input into our calling and how difficult it can be when our spouse isn’t all in on our calling. They also talk about how important it is to take time away from the ministry to cultivate our marriages. Erik shares that his wife is a closet hippie.
Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss how important it is to build a community of friends that gives healthy interaction beyond our current environments. They encourage leaders to seek out those relationships and to be vulnerable with our weaknesses. Erik and Jason share that their relationship is built on comic relief and their own absurdity. Big surprise!
Monica, Erik, and Jason share their unique callings and journeys to vocational ministry. They talk about the two ditches that exist on each side of God’s calling on our lives; the lack of participation in the general calling of every believer and overstepping the specific calling of the elder/pastor roles in our churches. Erik shares that he dressed like Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz to win souls for Jesus... really!
Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss how leaders get sucked into Christmas the wrong way and how that takes the church to odd traditions and stress. Instead they encourage leaders to embrace the gospel and focus on the opportunity to teach Jesus. They are also a little sillier than normal and Erik wants to talk about the movie Elf... a lot! Merry Christmas!
Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss the discipline of keeping the gospel the center of every conversation in your church with the ability to speak it into every context. Jason and Erik have different shoe problems to solve and allegedly unicorns do not exist. What!?
Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss the desire to chase the “magic metric” in building leadership and how they built their leadership. They also discuss chemistry in elder leadership and why that’s so dependent on knowing your church’s philosophy. Erik finds out that Jason is actually pretty fragile and the guys realize they rarely answer Monica’s questions.
Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss building leadership in your church and changing the culture of building people into leaders and allowing those leaders to exist in their gifts and abilities instead of simply hiring people to fill positions in your church. Erik and Jason both grew up in little Baptist churches, but Jason’s little church had three accordion players and Erik has so many questions.
Monica, Erik, and Jason discuss having a broad understanding of discipleship, but more importantly how defining discipleship for your church context with your language is so important for your church. They also talk about the pitfalls of simply consuming teaching and how biblical discipleship is much fuller than just learning. Erik is thinking about getting a softball team and don’t forget the “ice breaker!”
Monica, Erik, and Jason talk discipleship and how their leadership has been impacted through good discipleship. They also discuss areas where discipleship can go off track and we find out that Jason was discipled by “no dance instructors!”
Erik, Jason, and Monica introduce the podcast by talking about their friendship and history as church planters and pastors. Erik has chickens and an outhouse on his stage and Jason preached his first sermon at 12 years old. We’re off and running!