The Church Hoppers break down a statement by Ken Carter, the bishop of the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church, in which he gives 7 reasons "Why I believe The United Methodist Church will remain united." We, frankly, found the reasons unconvincing at best, and offensive at worst. So, we decided to do YET ANOTHER podcast about the Meth…

The Church Hoppers return to weigh in on the recent decision by the highest church court of the United Methodist Church that a jurisdiction of the church cannot appoint bishops in violation of the Discipline of the UMC. Sound complicated? It isn't...just a new headline for what has become an increasingly exasperating topic within the UMC. We discus…

This week we talk theories of the atonement of Jesus. We discuss some major models of atonement, many of them substitutionary and most of them blood atonement in some fashion. We talk about the illustrations we use to teach these theories and how they all get conflated. By no means do we address all theories of the atonement of Christ. But we do as…

HOME is our new "sermon series" where we break down what the phrase "spiritual home" or "church home" means to various people. In the series, we will hear the experiences of a lot of people who are at home today in a very different place than what they called "home" before. Join us and find yourself in their stories. This week, we talk with Scott. …

We interrupt our "sermon series" on HOME to sound off on the recent meeting of the Primates of the Anglican communion. In light of episode 047, we felt it a good supplemental episode. We feebly try to explain for the non-anglican layperson how the polity of the Communion works, and what exactly did and didn't happen at the Primates 2016 meeting in …

HOME is our new "sermon series" where we break down what the phrase "spiritual home" or "church home" means to various people. In the series, we will hear the experiences of a lot of people who are at home today in a very different place than what they called "home" before. Join us and find yourself in their stories. This week, we talk with Lissa. …

So on New Years Eve, Joshua and Wendy sat down to have ye old fashioned "Watch Night Service." Not clear on the details of all that? Don't worry, neither was Wendy. Not sure if it involves games and drinking? Don't worry, neither was Joshua. So we sat down together and talked about all the different religious ways that Christians can ring in the Ne…

This week, the Church Hoppers get a little preachy. To help wind up the church year, we thought we might share some sage wisdom with churches of all stripes about how to get rid of those pesky "wow, this church stuff really sucks" critiques. No, the sage wisdom doesn't come from us...although we are pretty sage and wise and stuff...but from a surpr…

This week we went to visit a Pagan worship service celebrating the Pagan new year, "Samhain" (sounds like "Sah-oo-in" in two syllables). Rather than becoming apostate heretics, we find ourselves at home in the Pagan rituals, as we draw the connections between what we've always done as Christians and the rituals based on those of older cultures, esp…

This week we visit the second largest group to come from Joseph Smith's movement. Formerly they were known as "The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" or RLDS, but since 2001 they have been known as "Community of Christ." We discuss the strange and intriguing history of this "not the Utah Mormons!" sect that, today, ordains wom…

This week we stop to look back at one year of church hopping. We gather round while Wendy delivers a scary children's sermon, just in time for Halloween, and then we get closer to the campfire to tell the real horror stories of church life (in a fun way, of course) : 1. "The Day They Passed Me Over for Communion" 2. "The Day the KKK Came to Church"…

This week we return to worship with our Presbyterian friends; This time, a congregation of the PCUSA. We explore their history, with a musical journey through the high points of their 20th century milestones. We discuss some of the recent developments that led this denomination from being a fundamentalist affirming group in the early 1900s (during …

This minisode is a letter from an insider in one of the sects that we visited. This letter was from a listener who is a Primitive Baptist Pastor. First, he tells us, YES, there ARE Primitive Baptists listening! We're always surprised to find out just who enjoys listening. Then, he goes on to tell us all the stuff we got wrong (Joshua still can't be…

This week we visited an old-school Primitive Baptist church. We talk about the anti-missions Calvinist history of the Primitive Baptist sect and the reason you don't hear about them much nowadays. We finally break down TULIP so you can understand it, sort of (and you'll either hate TULIP or hate our explanation of it...sorry Presbyterian friends). …

This week we visited with our neighbors at the Church of the Nazarene. We explore their Weslyan holiness roots and talk about some of the surprising details of their church. We worship very slowly and "worshipfully" with their praise team and take a look at a different way of doing "prayers of the people." Finally, we listen to a 20 year veteran of…

This week we traveled to a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) called Wiley College, behind the Pine Curtain of East Texas. There we found a United Methodist affiliated institution built on the hotbed of the civil rights movement, stretching even back to its very founding. You may have heard about part of the struggle in Marshall, Texa…

This week we are joined by Verdell, a United Church of Christ minister and doctoral candidate in communications at Howard University. He joined us for a podcast about creating more worship spaces for LGBTQ African Americans on Episode 015. We discuss an area he has studied and experienced, evangelical culture. We discuss what the historical roots o…

This week we visited a congregation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). We talk about the recent history of this denomination since its beginnings in the Stone-Campbell movement. In this episode we'll answer these questions about the CCDOC: Are the Disciples conservative or liberal? Was Jim Jones REALLY a Disciples minister? Will they ba…

This week we travel deeper into Texas culture and further and further away from our comfort zones to visit a Cowboy Church. We talk about the origins of the cowboy church movement and how they are often undercover denominational churches. We talk about why there is a big lack of racial diversity in said churches, and why niche marketing might be be…

This week we packed our bags and hit the road in search of God's ONLY true church upon the Earth. Let me tell you, it isn't where I would've put it if I were God. But as our brethren and sisteren in the Church of God (Restored) will probably tell you, I'm definitely not God...so what would I know? We discuss this unique sect, their holiness code th…

This week we joined our Southern Baptist neighbors for church. We begin the episode by saying that we couldn't visit a convention of churches founded by slaveholding motivations without talking about the terrorist attack at Emanuel AME church in Charleston South Carolina. We discuss the uncomfortable and damning silence of white Protestant churches…

Episode 031 Orthodox Presbyterian Church, the Frozen Chosen, Whiskey, and Predestination. After a few weeks of silence from us (damned cracked laptop screen) we FINALLY return with an amazing, over-the-top, *ahem*, very decent, orderly, and stiff review of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Don't confuse this small, conservative sect of Presbyterian…

Episode 030 Pentecost w/the Pentecostals (Assemblies of God), Memorial Day, and Cocktails This week we revisited our Pentecostal friends, but this time with the Assemblies of God denomination. Wendy's sister, Carla, joins us to share our cocktail of the week (in place of the wine of the week) and it is delicious. We discuss a brief history of the A…

Episode 029 Catholics, condoms, communion, and Christendom This week we went back to a familiar place for us, a Catholic Mass. We talk about the history of the Catholic church which basically hits the high points of all Christian history...well, drunk Christian history anyway. We discuss the evolution of the Catholic church and the beliefs that set…

Our special Cinco De Mayo bonus episode is a short word from us about Baltimore. We talk about why we aren't going to cover the events in Baltimore and give our full East-Texas white people perspective. We point you to voices of people you SHOULD listen to and gain a broader perspective. And we stand in solidarity with those activists who are on th…

This week we take a break from church to talk about church news. We discuss a few articles about church-related stuff being reported around the country and the world. Here's what we discussed and links to the articles referenced: Bruce Jenner and God's Response to Trangendered People We talk about the recent interview of Bruce Jenner, pronouns, and…

Episode 026 Christian Scientists, mind healing, vaccinations, and sanitized worship This week we worshiped with our Christian Scientist neighbors (of the Church of Christ, Scientist). This unusual sect came out of the second great awakening in the late 1800s and was popular around the turn of the century as people flocked to its practice of mind he…

Episode 025 Big Gay Church, the UCC, why your church needs to be LGBTQ affirming, & how not to get there This week we visit one of the largest predominately Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer congregations in the nation. It is affiliated with the United Church of Christ and we give a brief overview of that denomination. We discuss why it…

Episode 024 Jesus Movie Review: "Do You Believe?" Part of our occasional series where we review Christian films, we went to the theater to watch "Do You Believe?" from the makers of "God's Not Dead." We had intended to post this episode before Easter but we preempted this Jesus Movie Review for our round-table panel on the resurrection of Jesus. Ou…

Episode 023 He is Risen(! or ?) Church Hoppers & Friends Discuss Holy Week & Easter This week, we sat at table with friends for holy conversation about the meaning of Easter. Did Jesus bodily rise? Does it matter? What does it mean to be "saved"? Does it matter if Jesus of Nazareth really died or really rose? Our group of (current and former) Presb…

Episode 022 Unitarian Universalists, finding home within, readings, readings, and more readings This week, we attended a Sunday service for the first Sunday of Spring at a Unitarian Universalist church. Wendy announces her departure from the podcast after finding a place to call home (just kidding). We explore this non-sectarian church which has it…

Episode 021 "Fake" church, Church of God (Cleveland, TN), & a discussion on intercessory prayer This week, we attended a midweek service of what we initially thought was a non-denominational church. We found out it was affiliated with the Church of God (Cleveland, TN), a Pentecostal denomination. We give it the label of "fake church" (a label we bo…

Episode 020 Jesus Movie Review: "What If..." This is the first (maybe only?) review of a Christian film...what we are calling "Jesus Movie Review." We watched the film "What If..." starring all the same Christian movie characters you saw in every other "Faith and Family movie." We discuss why we needed alcohol to watch this take-off on "It's a Wond…

Episode 019 Pete's Dueling Piano Bar, why churches need to go to the bar more, what's wrong with our worship, and hope outside the walls This weekend we skipped church and went to a Piano Bar on Saturday night. If you think that doesn't count as worship, then you'll definitely want to hear this podcast. We discuss why church people need to go to ba…

Episode 018 The Grace Brethren Churches, church splits, the ties that bind, more splits, and what happens when the hand doesn't go under in a Baptist baptism. This week we visited a church that is part of the Brethren movement, specifically part of the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches. We hike through the history of the Brethren movement and t…

Episode 017 Back to school (college chapel), YWAM, agnostics, "the lost," and why mission work can be harmful This week we went to a conservative evangelical Christian college for one of their chapel services. We attend with our friend Payton who joins us on the podcast. We talk about the atmosphere for faith at these institutions and Payton "comes…

Episode 016 Why Progressive Inclusive Diverse Christianity sometimes isn't, and why the faithful can't be faithful This week we sit down (via the interwebs) with our new friend JD from Tennessee as he shares his story. We move from the [independent] church of Christ to China to Memphis to the Disciples of Christ to home...it's quite a journey. Alon…

Episode 015 Creating more worship spaces for LGBTQ African Americans and why that even needs to happen This week we visit with Verdell, a minister and seminary student pursuing his doctorate in Washington D.C. We discuss his journey, why he had to leave the United Methodist Church to pursue ordination in a more inclusive denomination. Wendy weeps f…

Episode 014 Paying the Jehovah's Witnesses a visit, blood atonement doctrine, and overly-eager new friends This episode we go knocking on the door of the local Kingdom Hall and pay a surprise visit to the Jehovah's Witnesses. It was time to turn the tables. We meet a lot of really friendly people who would very much like to visit with us more...VER…

Episode 013 Meet the Mormons, why "cult" is a bad label, what is truth?, forever (straight) families, and a discussion about open/closed communion in Christianity There's a new movie out called "Meet the Mormons." So we thought that was a great idea and we decided to take them up on the offer. This week, we join our neighbors at the Church of Jesus…

Episode 012 United Pentecostal Church, Speaking in Tongues, Field & Track worship, women in dresses, and why good music DOES matter This week we visited a United Pentecostal Church. Joshua has a history with the UPC but on this visit we discuss his first time in a UPC Church with a black congregation...faster than you can say "the church is still r…

Episode 011 Bonus Episode! New Year, New Church! On this bonus episode, we invite our friend Karen to join us for a New Year's podcast drinking game (that you can play at home!), and come up with a New Year's resolution list for the church. We've solved the world's religious problems with just one drinking game and one podcast...from fellowship, to…

Episode 010 The [Independent] church of Christ, Jesus turns water into grape juice, Stepford Wives church, why drinking makes you an alcoholic while church makes you lifeless This week we went to visit the church of Christ. We were pretty hung over when we arrived for the service that began too early (what was it? 10 AM?) but not hungover enough to…

Episode 009 An Advent Carol 4: Ghost of Xmas Yet to Come, Truman's take, and how to save the church by losing it This week, the final week of Advent, we conclude our Advent podcast theme: Scrooge and the Church. Truman returns with expert 4 year old knowledge (that isn't sarcasm) about death and rebirth and why people and systems die spiritually ("…

Episode 008 An Advent Carol week 3: The Ghost of Christmas Present, systemic racism in the church, seeing people for who they are, and debunking the myths about #BlackLivesMatter This week, the third week of Advent, we continue our Advent podcast theme: Scrooge and the Church. Blogger, candidate for priesthood in the Episcopal church, and social ju…

Episode 007 An Advent Carol week 2: The Ghost of Christmas Past, systemic church racism, white privilege theology, and why we can't breathe This week, the second week of Advent, we continue our Advent podcast theme: Scrooge and the Church. We are joined by James, a seminarian, writer, and freedom fighter, who shares his truth, perspective, and insi…

006 An Advent Carol week 1: The Ghost of Jacob Marley prophesies to the institutional church, Truman, and a box of wine This week, the first week of Advent, we discuss our Advent podcast theme: Scrooge and the Church. We back up our claim that, in A Christmas Carol, the character of Scrooge really is just like the Church institution today...we drin…

Episode 005 The Episcopal Church, communion guard rails, privilege, and Ferguson This week we visit the Episcopal Church. But first, Joshua shares a 3 minute personal message about how our church hopping from East Texas has any connection at all with the events in Ferguson, MO, and why #BlackLivesMatter. Really, it is a quick overview of why we eve…

Episode 004 Quakers, Burbon Street, and Drunk History: What does George Fox Say? The Church Hoppers visit with a group of the Religious Society of Friends, also known as "Quakers." We joined the meeting during our vacation to New Orleans...after a night on the town and allllllllll the drinks on Burbon Street, the silent worship was SOoOoOo nice! We…

Episode 003 The Independent Fundamental Baptists We put the "Fun" back in "Fundamentalism" in our visit to an Independent Baptist Church! Join us with our special guest, Kelsey, as we discuss Veteran's day, nationalism and militarism in church, 90s hairstyles, and Kelsey's nose ring. There is no "official" website for Independent Fundamental Baptis…