Ringside Preachers

If you were looking forward to a couple of guys reading from wikipedia, step away, forget you ever heard of us, and turn your Pentatonix back on. However if you're curious about whether Albert Camus would like the Smiths - we're your podcast! Great topics this week: 1. A YOUNG PASTOR'S FIRST CALL! The guys talk about their experiences at their first churches - good, bad and ugly! 2. CAN SAME SEX COUPLES CLAIM INFERTILITY? Recent story in USA Today (yes I know its not a real newspaper) interviews a same sex couple and their desire to create a kid because they want to look like a real family. and we should pay for it. hmmm 3. WALK TO EMMAUS - Why did Jesus reveal himself in the breaking of bread? Why didn't He immediately reveal himself to the sad dudes. How does Jesus reveal himself today? 4. PASTORS SHOULD READ GREAT FICTION - Art for Art's sake for sure. However there is much to benefit a preacher from reading Camus, Dickens, McCarthy, etc. A lot more to be gained than '7 steps to better active listening' 5.WHAT SHOULD A CONGREGATION EXPECT FROM THEIR NEW PASTOR? In the LCMS the seminaries are ejecting new pastors upon unsuspecting congregations. What should they expect from them? What are pastors supposed to be doing! 6. IS IT POSSIBLE TO REPORT SOMETHING OBJECTIVELY? We seemed to have bought into the postmodern religion that does not believe in objectivity. Is that right? Is it possible? Can we come close or should we just give up on the endeavor entirely? music: Dead Bees - I love my man. I don't wanna be a rock n roll star - Joel Allen Hess, references and recommendations: Cormac McCarthy - the Road, blood meridian, Nassim Taleb - anti-fragile, black swan, Charles Dickens - great expectations, Albert Camus - the Stranger, Plato - the republic, Neil Postman - Amusing ourselves to death, Jocko Willink - Extreme Ownership

While you wait anxiously for the results of the French presidential election, grab a taco and cervaza, throw some Mancini on in the background and turn up the Ringside! Topics: 1. MODERNISTS USING OLD ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE RESURRECTION. episcopal priest critiques the belief in the resurrection in the detroit free press. It reads like a SNL skit but i think he is actually serious ha 2. UMBERTO ECO AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE LIBRARY! Do you have a home library? Do you add to it and see it as important? Do you have more unread than read books? 3. WAS THOMAS THE ONLY ONE WHO DOUBTED? Jesus invented the church not man. Waiting for one on one experience with Jesus. Maybe in the resurrection. Otherwise you experience and hear Jesus through people! People tell people the Good News. That's how it was always supposed to work. 4. STARTING A FAMILY IS STARTING A REVOLUTION! Having kids is flipping off 'the man'. Getting married is starting a coup, setting up a new government, pioneering, going west young man! 5. SHOULD WE BE HAPPY WHEN BAD GUYS GET WHAT THEY DESERVE? Recently Alex Hernandez sadly committed suicide. Some are happy that he got what he deserved. Should we be as Christians? 6. FUNERAL SERVICES AND THE RESURRECTION! The funeral service's number goal is pointing to Jesus salvation and the resurrection of the dead! Touch the casket and make some bold promises about that body mr. pastor! Music: T.S. Eliot reads the beginning of the waste land, dead bees sing i love my man, joel allen hess sings 'love song from a dead soldier'

Wake up the kids! Shake your fists! Grab your girl and spin her around! Christ is risen. Death is conquered. Sins forgiven. Stop being afraid. Step forward. The preachers throw some subjects around the ring. Have a listen and tell us what ya think. plus a great commercial for United Ushering Service hmmm. topics: 1. DO YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE IN THE PHYSICAL RESURRECTION TO BE A CHRISTIAN? Can you just believe it happened existentially or spiritually? 2. WHO WAS RIGHT on UNITED AIRLINES? the passenger, the company? Where are all the real men? Where are the heroes who give up their seat instead of hiding behind their rights? Flying has become emasculating! 3. BAPTISM AND EASTER GO HAND IN HAND. Why does the easter vigil liturgy have baptism in it? What's the connection? Is it just a catholic thing? See Romans 6 hmm 4. EVIL PEOPLE ARE ALSO WELL EDUCATED! Check out the credentials of Assad and his wife. Smart and well educated, yet gassing their own people! I thought educations makes a more civil society? 5. LOUIS CK EXPLAINS ABORTION AND THE VALUE OF LIFE. Louis CK amazingly lays out the bare facts on abortion and the value of life. Do you agree? 6. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SCRIPTURE? Sounds like we believe in the resurrection just because the bible says so. Did it really happen? what does that phrase mean in Paul's words to the Corinthians 15, in our creeds? Questions, comments, ideas? email joelahess@gmail.com, check out our ringside preachers Facebook page and thejaggedword.com music: I love my man by Dead Bees, Ain't no grave by Johnny Cash, In the arms of the king by Joel Allen Hess

Do you want to be emotionally manipulated? Then you have come to the right place. There are a lot of podcasts out there telling you what to think. We will subconsciously enter your brain and make you think things! Just joking. Happy Holy Week! Gather the family, turn on the Ringside. topics: 1. JESUS DIDNT WANT TO DIE ON THE CROSS. Why did Jesus ask His father to take the cup away? Does he not love us? 2. ARE GOOD FRIDAY SERVICES EMOTIONALLY MANIPULATIVE? For a bunch old school liturgical lutherans who cringe at emotional manipulative guitar solos, they sure like their 'service of darkness' 3.HOW CAN JESUS BE THE CENTER OF THE BIBLE, YET NOT WRITE A WORD? Why can we trust Paul, matthew, mark etc.? Why didn't Jesus write anything? 4.JESUS DIED AND ROSE GOOD FOR HIM, WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ME? Great for Jesus. But how does something that happened 2000 years ago affect me? 5. DID GOD PREDESTINE JUDAS TO HELL? let's be honest, everyone thinks Judas got a raw deal 6. HERO WORSHIP. What does it mean to say that Jesus is our hero? Can we say that? Is there hidden unconscious desire for a hero that shows itself in all literature? and the way we see things?

They say that art is dead! They're right! But we ain't! Turn ringside on and turn everything else off! Our hosts tackle a variety of issues with the finesse of a moose in a precious moments museum. Great commercial from PrayerCare an insurance plan brought to you by the church of christian scientists Topics: 1. A WORD IS WORTH A THOUSAND PICTURES -Joel Hess. Words convey far more meaning that pictures. God uses words when He could have used something else. 2. WHY DONT THE GOSPEL WRITERS GIVE US DETAILS OF CRUCIFIXION? Was it because they assumed their audience was familiar with routine punishments like the cross? Or was it not really important to the writers. They would rather have you understand the cross' meaning? 3. PASTORS ARE THE LEADERS OF THEIR CONGREGATIONS WHETHER THEY LIKE IT OR NOT! Too often pastors pretend that they aren't the leaders. Is the pastor the leader of their flock or is it someone else? what does that look like? 4. IS HEALTH CARE A RIGHT? Maybe health care is, but is health insurance a right? or maybe health care is a right but how much care? what do you think? WWJD? 5. PASTOR, I CAN'T FORGIVE MYSELF! Have you ever thought this? Do you need to forgive yourself? What does God's Word say about the matter? Is God's forgiveness in Christ enough? 6. WHY DO WE NEED MORE BOOKS? What hasn't been said? Do we need yet another book explaining Christianity, Lutheranism, cooking? Why write at all? Does anyone really need your thoughts on something o genius? Share, subscribe, write us, comment - hit us on thejaggedword.com, 1517legacy.com, check us out on ringside preachers on Facebook. Email joelahess@gmail.com. Love to hear from you! music: dead bees, I love my man, Joel Allen Hess - sons pic - Andy Warhol's Jesus

We know a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy who rose from the dead! Want to know more about the REAL historical Jesus? check out these tragically hip DJs' take on all sorts of topics! Gather the family around the radio, call grandma. we are on in 3-2-1- topics: 1. GOD HAS TWO KINGDOMS? Its important to make a distinction when talking about the responsibilities of people or entities. Should the government do what churches do? vice versa? 2. SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT! Is it healthy for people to get excited about their school? is it petty and silly? does it point to the resurrection? hmmm 3. DONATISM-CIRCUMCELLIONS-CAN A PERSON WHO DENIED JESUS BE ACCEPTED AS A PASTOR? there was a time when the Roman empire had whole other church body that wanted to keep the people pure and sin out! sound like some christians today? 4. The short and tragic life of Robert Peace - book review. Story of a fella who got out of the hood, earned a degree from yale, yet fell back into the hood even death! nature vs. nurture 5. BY NATURE SINFUL AND UNCLEAN. we confess it every sunday but is it true? is that the best wording? were we made sinful? is our sin something we can remove from ourselves? 6. NUMBER ONE HEALTH HAZARD IS LONELINESS FOR MEN! Boston Globe article explores something we have been saying for years; men need to hang out with friends and be men. what does this look like? hosts: reverends Ross Engel, Paul Koch, & Joel Allen Hess music: intro-dead bees, i love my man, outro-joel a hess, broke resources - book of concord, the short and tragic life Robert Peace, letters to a diminished church-dorothy sayers,

There may be no snakes in Ireland but there are plenty in the churches! put some Dunhill's in your pipe, pour a little Powers over ice, set your feet up an ottoman and treat yourself to a little Ringside! topics: pre talk - bar theology, paul's bar celebration - last day theory! 1. Patrick is my favorite hero of the Church! 2. Are we forgiven because we repent? how do we know when we have repented enough? 3. teach your kids to have courage! doesn't matter if its a natural instinct or not. Men should be brave. check out the movie Force Majeure. 4. When we pray - thy kingdom come - we are praying against ourselves, what are we praying for? Do you mean this prayer? 5. 2 kinds of righteousness. In conversations about God and man it is so essential to distinguish between righteousness with God and righteousness between men. it would stop a lot of needless arguments among nerd pastors. 6. Do anti trinitarians go to hell? Do you have to believe clearly the trinity? what if you hold unknowingly to an error 7. Vampire fallacy in modern warfare and church growthery! does technology win the battle for us or do we have to put boots on the ground?! music: Dylan Thomas - do not go gently into that good night, dead bees production - i love my man, Aislynn - Maggie

Like mixing Campari with Plymouth Gin while watching Raging Bull, ya gonna like what you experience in the latest podcast by these righteous fools! Great topics for everyone - don't be the last one to talk about it around the watercooler monday! topics: 1.Hows your prayer life? 2. teach your kids to turn the other cheek AND fight? 3. Proverbs make sense, but not without Jesus! 4. Working out is for modern weak and vain man? or is there a higher history? 5. Should the government spy on us? 6. If Abraham were alive today would he go to a church or synagogue? pic- Brendan Behan.

Pope Francis gives us 3 out of 5 stars! If you listened to the Dave Matthews band in college you are going to hate this! Turn off your social media, turn on your Ringside! The preacher men hammer down sundry topics. They also get a visit from Kevin the IT from his hidden corner in the warehouse! give it a listen and tell your friends! subscribe!!! topics: 1. When did you first realize that salvation was a complete gift of God free of charge? 2. Everyone should learn an instrument, your voice included! 3. Is Lectio Divina just lazy bible study? 4. Why did God allow Satan into the garden in the first place!? 5. Is it ok to equate the Crucifixion with the electric chair? Could we wear little electric chairs around our neck? 6. Preachers, please stop using so many illustrations! just cuz you got the ingredients doesn't mean you have a cake! 7. Luther's thoughts on some of the tomfoolery of Lent music: intro- dead bees production - i love my man, outro- i see a light - joel allen hess/willing virginia

Forget the vain navel gazing heroes of their own fantasy oscars! They win we all lose! Better than musicals (what isn't?) better than Mardi Gras or Paczkis (polish donuts- well just donuts lets be honest); ringside! The preachers get real about some topics that might be on your mind as well! topics: 1. Is Ash Wednesday really effective or just a vain pseudo emotional exercise to make you 'feel' bad? 2. Fasting is NOT giving up stuff thats bad for you - that's called being smart. Fasting is good, right and salutary. what is it? 3. Do christians believe in aliens? do we care that they discovered 7 planets like ours? do you? 4. practicing self Discipline has become a bad word among some christians, Paul doesn't think so. hmmm 5. Fasting from sex?! not fast sex. Is it good for couples? Is it true what George Kastanza discovered - it makes you smarter? 6. Who cares if Jesus went all superman on the mountain top! Whats that mean to me! Why is that the perfect lesson before lent 7. Repentance is major word of scripture yet Christians seem to either obsess over it or not care at all! what is it! Are you repenting? music: intro - dead bees - i love my man, outro - joel allenhess - dog life