Idea Submission
One of the things that Ray and Steve would like to accomplish with this podcast is to open it up to a larger “discussion” with our listeners. While at this point, it’s impossible to have listeners actually participate live in the podcast recording, you are invited to comment here with ideas for future podcast episodes.
Your ideas don’t have to be elaborate — you can just leave a few words of a topic if you want. Or, if you already have detailed thoughts, go ahead and share them.
Currently, Ray and Steve record approximately once a month, recording 3-4 episodes at a time, so it may be a few weeks before we’re able to get to your suggestions, but we will try to address each topic, if possible. (Depending on the topics, various topics may be grouped together into one podcast episode.)
Thanks for listening to “Beyond the Box”!
Beyond the Box is the podcast of Raborn Johnson and Steve Sensenig. We have been encouraging each other in the journey outside the bounds of institutional religion for several years now and share many of our candid thoughts and questions in our podcast.
September 19th, 2008 at 5:37 am
I’ve been out of the box now for nigh on 3 years. So much of charismatic faith traditions concentrate on a type of hyper-spirituality. From the way that the music and sermons are structured to the barrage of messages about the apostolic and prophetic. Everything was over-blow and larger than life.
Even simple things like the packing of a sermon into a neat package and the keyboard tinkling away in the background with the final prayer. I just found that I got extremely tired of the repetition, lack of spontaneity and dissonance between what was said and expected and what my own life experiences were.
It would be great if you could talk about the fact that it is okay to have a quiet, simple life. Enjoying the normal rhythms of life and engaging in community life with folks of all persuasions.
Thanks for making the effort to produce interesting and honest discussions about your experiences in life.
Cheers,
Ian
[This idea was used as the basis for the episode entitled Everyday Spirituality.]
September 19th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
I like what Ian had to say, and in a way, it might go along with my thoughts.
I have been known as a “prayer warrior” for many years through out my state, nation, and internationally.
Now that all of the fluff and baggage has been pruned in the life of grace and intimacy with the Lord, I am trying to wondering again about prayer. I am finding that a lot of it is, as Ian said, a quiet listening to the heart of Father, Who lives in our heart. But, I wonder if maybe you guys would like to expand on it. What is prayer, what does it look like?
Thanks!
Heather
[This idea was discussed in the episode called Prayer.]
September 20th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Great ideas guys!
Ian,
This is exactly along the lines of some things that I have been thinking about lately. Within the Institutional Church framework I was accustomed to expecting Father’s plan for me to be something that is HUGE. But, I am finding out that what is HUGE to Papa is not what is demonstrated at times within the church framework that we are used to. Thanks for the suggestion; I definitely want to do a podcast on this!
Heather,
It seems that the farther down the rabbit hole I go, the harder it becomes for me to fit my habitual paradigm of prayer into my relationship with Papa. I want to do an episode on this and hopefully we can have some dialog that will help us all on this topic. Thanks for your suggestion.
Keep em’ coming guys
October 17th, 2008 at 11:49 am
Two things –
1)The host of Snark Infested Waters said a great quote, “Most churches today are a marketing vehichle for a brand called christianity.” To me that was an awesome summarization.
2) The christian right and churches in general all seem to hold that being Gay is a sin. I know many homosexuals and in my quest for seeking truth and getting closer to God I have yet to be convinced or convicted that being gay is a sin. To be clear I am not gay but I can’t find out why 99% of “christians” say it is wrong. I like questions in lieu of statements so here goes. Why if I am getting close to God, and supposedly being gay is wrong, am I feeling more love for my gay friends and no conviction to pray for them or that it is evil?
Sorry for the long post but I feel the need to clarify for a moment. I believe in the holy spirit as that clear quiet voice, instinct or conscience if you will, the truth in which all things in my life are checked against. I have changed many of my habits and ways because of this “gut” check. I still don’t feel anything but love and acceptance for these people. I know this is a HUGE topic that has many angles and discussions but I am starting with the basic principle of christian rejection and the idea of sin.
[This idea was used as the basis for the episode entitled "What About Homosexuality?"]
November 14th, 2008 at 10:28 am
How much of what we believe is based on manipulation (intentional or unintentional)?
I’m not talking about the validity of christianity here. You could take a known truth but convince someone of it using cult practices like this http://sensualjesus.wordpress.com/2008/06/18/wanna-be-a-cult-leader/
Also how much is either deliberate or unintentional mentalism/magic? Derren Brown is an agnostic who used his mentalism training to convince 5 spiritualist (including 1 pastor) that he was the real deal. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJ02I6QyagM
I’ve always been uncomfortable with “prophesies” like Pat Robinson uses on his show – just naming out diseases and problems and saying that they’re healed or fixed. Isn’t that what psychics/horoscopes do?
How do we separate truth from trickery?
[Ray and Steve discuss this question in the episode entitled "Learning to Discern"]
November 14th, 2008 at 11:12 pm
Gloria, great questions, and thanks for listening! We will try to tackle these issues in an upcoming episode. We’re not entirely sure when our next recording date will be (we have episodes for the next two weeks already in the can), but hopefully we’ll get to yours in the next batch.
December 5th, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Hey guys,
I love the podcast and it has been helping me tremendously through my Christian journey.
My wife and I have been praying for a while about leaving our church due to the reasons you guys discuss in your podcast and some other ones too. Once you make that decision to “unplug” from the institutional church, what should we as Christians do next? How do we tell our pastors, church leaders and friends that attend that we’re leaving the church because we feel that it is God’s will for us and not because we’re dissatisfied with that particular church’s effectiveness? Should we join or start a home church group? Any other steps you’d recommend? Obviously these will differ based on each situation, but we could use some of your collective sagely advice (and some more of Ray’s singing!)
December 5th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
Ben, nice to hear from you here
These are great questions, and I appreciate you posing them. We’ll definitely discuss this topic in an upcoming episode.
December 31st, 2008 at 12:56 am
Beyond the box, beyond traditional or institutional church, beyond “house church” even, how do the offices of apostle, prophet, teacher, pastor, preacher, etc. work? What do they look like. What have you experienced in your journey? I mostly hear my simple church type friends talking about informal fellowship times like your weekly breakfasts together or a potluck supper get together that’s way informal. Just wondering… It’s hard to see these “church jobs” outside of what I’ve always known.
Peace to you, brothers.
December 31st, 2008 at 10:49 am
Good question Chip
We’ll try to do an episode discussing this in the very near future. That might be a good opportunity to open up some dialog on the subject too!
February 17th, 2009 at 8:33 pm
There are scriptures in the New Testament directed for the people of that time, place, and culture. How can one know what scripture in the NT is for us today?
February 27th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
I recently listened to a podcast posted by the Free Believers about John 15 where Darin explains that the word “cut off” should have been translated “lift up”. I looked in my husbands NKJV and there is actually a little footnote after the word cut off off and it says “or lifts up”. This was really awesome to see and really makes sense when we read the Bible knowing that God is a God of love primarily.
My question: I was reading in Matthew and John the Baptist uses the same kind of analogy: [b]MT: 3:10 – 12 (Gods Word Translation) “The ax is now ready to cut the roots of the trees. Any tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire. I baptize you with water so that you will change the way you think and act. But the one who comes after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to remove his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will clean ujp his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into a barn, but he will burn the husks in a fire that can never be put out.”
It seems that the way John the Baptist puts it – that this same quote really means cut off and thrown into the fire. I don’t understand the whole John the Baptist thing at all. I’ve tried often to read and try to get it… what was his purpose? He seems to be very angry. When Jesus takes over he quotes and continues where John leaves off. MT 4:17 (Gods Word transl) “from then on, Jesus began to tell the people, “turn to God and change the way you think and act, because the kingdom of heaven is near!” Can you help me with this? I’ve posted this question on the Free Believers forum but still have not received a response.
July 2nd, 2009 at 10:07 am
I have been asked the question by my gay uncle and thought it would be a great topic on your show.
What exactly gives the church the legal power to bind marriage in todays America? There are three ways to get married: Some form of preacher, a justice of the peace, and a sea captain out at sea. So what solidifies the power of the church?
February 19th, 2010 at 5:32 am
I have an idea for a podcast discussion. Boundaries, the book by Cloud and Townsend from a few years ago. From memory, they use old testament verses and psychology but how does that outwork in the life of a follower of Jesus who lays down their life? I imagine you know the book, I would be interested in a discussion on this topic (or similar)particularly in light of the Christian anarchy podcast.
February 19th, 2010 at 12:55 pm
Karen, I’m curious what you mean when you tie this question into the Christian anarchy podcast. Your question is one that we will possibly take up very soon. Thanks for the input.
February 19th, 2010 at 7:23 pm
Steve the podcast reminded me that we follow Jesus by laying down our life freely, my connecting the two may only be relevant to me. I