American University United Methodist Community Podcast: Recent Episodes
Joey Heath
Palm/Passion Sunday: Luke 21:5-19 Queering the Christian Faith: Scandal “Queer people have long been cast as scandalous, just as Jesus was in his day. Like Jesus, queer people know: embracing scandal creates an ethical vision that frees us from shame and affirms the dignity of every human being.”
Easter - Luke 24:1-12 Queering the Christian Faith: Love Never Dies Jesus was crucified, died, and was buried in the depths of a tomb, but...he didn't say there. The reason is simple, Love never dies.
Lent 5: Galatians 4:4-7 Queering the Christian Fatih: Adoption “Queer people create communities that, for many of us, become adoptive families. Christian community is supposed to be like that: an inviting home, not an exclusive club.”
Genesis 32:22-31 Queering the Christian Faith - Touch is an important of human existence, but touch can be simultaneously healing and harmful. Sometimes choosing what is right and Holy, also hurts. Sometimes in the process of finding healing, old wounds are opened and we find harm again, but in the end finding healing makes us stronger.
Luke 13:31-35 - Queering the Christian Faith: Identity - The LGBTQIA+ community has a lot to teach world especially when it comes to identity. No matter what our identity is, our identity is ours and given to us by God and no one can take that away.
Romans 4:1-5 Queering the Christian Faith: Risk Taking a leap of faith is risky because it means letting go of control. Coming out for queer people is also a risk. For all the challenges that come with risk, risk also potentially creates great benefit.
Mark 10:35-45 "More than Me" - We can find it easy to be so focused that we miss those around us. Yet Jesus calls us to serve others.
Mark 10:2-16 “The Community” - Community is something we all need and real community welcomes in all people.
Mark 10:17-31 "Giving up or letting go?" - What happens when we let go of walls and barriers and let others in, when we make ourselves vulnerable.
James 5:13-20 “What are we supposed to do?” - Where do we turn when nothing else seems to be working (and hopefully before)? To Prayer.
James 3:1-1 Power of Words - They say sticks and stone may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. Except that isn't really true. Words are powerful and can be used to change the world.
James 2:1-17 - A Faith that Works We are called to a living faith that is more than thoughts, but lived out in the actions of our lives.
“A New Mission”- Acts 8:26-40
We are, from time to time, called to follow the path of the wilderness road. We may not always know where it will lead, but we can be certain it is leading us to do great things.
“A New Message”- Acts 4:5-12
Our foundation is built from the cornerstone of our faith, the risen Christ.
"A New Power"- Acts 3:1-17
We have each been individually gifted and called to use our gifts, empowered by God to go out and make a difference in the world and in the lives of others.
Assuming Power Mark 11:1-1
Power comes in all kinds of ways, but sometimes does not look like what we expect.
Covenant: Unbreakable Ephesians 2:1-10
There is nothing we can do to cause God to break the promise to always love us.
Covenant: Covenant Relationship Jeremiah 31:31-34
Relationships are built on commitment and promise.
Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16; Covenant: Promises We Can’t Keep
There are some promises we cannot keep, because they are not ours, they are God's.
Easter Sunday: Resurrection and New Life John 20:1-18
We find new life in the empty tomb and revolution founded in love and not violence.
A New Community - Acts 4:32-35
After the resurrection, the Christian faith was born. Community is coming together, creating change today on the grand scale and in our day to day lives.
Joshua 2:1-14 The second of the three general rules, to go out into the world and do good.
Luke 10:25-42 The third and final rule reminds us to focus on our relationship with God
Mark 13:24-37 Stay Tuned!; As we begin advent and the journey toward Christmas, this is no time to fall asleep or let go of those things God is calling us to do.
Eph. 1:15-23 The Last Word. In the end God will have the last word. What will our last word be?
Psalm 90:1-12 How many days are left?; We all have a set number of days left, no matter how many or how few. How will you put them to use?
24th Sunday After Pentecost: Struggling with Hope - 1 Thess. 4:13-18
Hope can be elusive at times in life. Times when we are struggling, when we do not know how we will make it to the next day, but we never lose hope completely because God is always with us.
The Other Side of the Curtain Rev. 7:9-17 Who will we see on the other side of eternity?
17th Sunday after Pentecost - World Communion Sunday: Sola Ecclesia
Psalm 133; John 17: 20-23
2nd Sunday of Easter: Reach Out and Touch John 20:19-31. Thomas missed seeing Jesus with the other disciples and when they shared the news he couldn't believe. Some call this doubt, but maybe he just needed to see for himself.
Palm Sunday: When Worlds Collide Matthew 21:1-11 Jesus enters Jerusalem from the East, Pilate enters from the west.
Easter Sunday: Resets and New Beginnings John 20:1-18. Mary finds the tomb empty and then in a moment encounters resurrection and becomes the first evangelist.
Do I really want Freedom? Deut. 30:15-20 - Moses said choose life or choose death. Freedom means choices, choices are hard.
Bless your Heart Matthew 5:1-12 God's blessing is available for all, but it might not be what you think.
Safety Nets and Fisherman: Psalm 27:1, 4-9; Matthew 4:12-23 Conflict between the warm embrace of the safety net and the call to risk it all.
Isaiah 65:17-25 - Christian Faith is lived not only in our personal lives, but also in the public square
Isaiah 11:1-10 - Hope is within reach, breaking through even the most stubborn darkness.