BeardedTheologians

19/08/2024

COMING TOMORROW! Pre-order now! https://a.co/d/04QyY87Q

16/08/2024

This week on the Beardcast Matt and Zach sat down with Dr. Amy-Jill Levine Who is the Rabbi Stanley M. Kessler Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies, Hartford International University for Religion and Peace as well as the University Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies Emerita, Mary Jane Werthan Professor of Jewish Studies Emerita, Professor of New Testament Studies Emerita, Vanderbilt University....

This week on the Beardcast Matt and Zach sat down with Dr. Amy-Jill Levine Who is the Rabbi Stanley M. Kessler Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies, Hartford International Un…

09/08/2024

Matt and Zach delved into the meaning of Micah 6:6-8, focusing on God's requirements for his followers. They emphasized the importance of understanding the verse's principles in one's community context and applying them through doing justice and love faithfully. Both agreed on the need to understand the full context of biblical passages and their historical significance. They concluded that true faith involves seeking justice, embracing faithful love, and living out these values in relationships with others…

Matt and Zach delved into the meaning of Micah 6:6-8, focusing on God’s requirements for his followers. They emphasized the importance of understanding the verse’s principles in one& #82…

02/08/2024

Matt and Zach discussed John 6:24-35, focusing on Jesus' response to the crowd's question about satisfying their physical hunger. They also discussed the concept of serving the right master, the differentiation between doctrine and polity, and Jesus' teachings on seeking eternal life through following God's commands. The conversation touched on Jesus' metaphorical statements, people's desire for constant bread supply, and how being part of a church community helps people grapple with their faith.

Matt and Zach discussed John 6:24-35, focusing on Jesus’ response to the crowd’s question about satisfying their physical hunger. They also discussed the concept of serving the right ma…

25/07/2024

This week Matt and Zach discussed the Gospel text of John 6, focusing on the miraculous feeding of 5,000 people by Jesus. They emphasized the importance of community, flexibility, and grace in ministry, and speculated about the identity of the boy who provided the fish and loaves. Lastly, they shared their experiences with renewal leave and community engagement, encouraging listeners to visit their website for past content and merchandise. Connect with the Bearded Theologians at

This week Matt and Zach discussed the Gospel text of John 6, focusing on the miraculous feeding of 5,000 people by Jesus. They emphasized the importance of community, flexibility, and grace in mini…

15/07/2024

Dear Beloved Siblings of the Mountain Sky Conference,

This past week, the delegates to the Western Jurisdiction Conference prayed, discussed, and discerned episcopal leadership for our jurisdiction. Two new bishops were elected and consecrated: Bishop Kristin Stoneking and Bishop Sandy Olewine. We give thanks to God for the mantel of leadership these two individuals have taken on.

It is my great joy to announce that Bishop Kristin has been assigned to the Mountain Sky Conference!

Bishop Kristin has served churches in Kansas and California. In addition, she has been a campus minister at UC Davis, was the Executive Director of the Fellowship for Reconciliation, served as a District Superintendent as well as the Director of Ministry Innovation and Congregational Development in the California-Nevada Annual Conference, and most recently was appointed as the Associate Professor of United Methodist Studies and Leadership at Pacific School of Religion. She holds a PhD from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley.

She is married to Elizabeth Campi and they have two young adult children, John and Paloma.

I have known Bishop Kristin since she was a seminary student at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. I have watched her live into her call, following the leading of the Holy Spirit as she continually stepped out in faith to serve in unexpected and unusual ways. While grounded in a love of the local church, she has sought to bring the Gospel mandate of love into communities that have been fractured by violence and oppression. She has a deep pastoral heart and a bold prophetic voice.

Please join me in praying for Bishop Kristin and her family during this time of transition. Bishop Kristin will begin her tenure in the Mountain Sky on September 1. I am so excited by the ministries you will share together and am holding you all in my prayers as you begin this relationship together!

With love,
Bishop Karen Oliveto

11/07/2024

Here is what AI Zoom said Matt and Zach talked about: 1. They discuss balancing honoring the past with adapting for the future in churches with long histories. 2. The importance of not getting stuck in outdated ways of doing things, but evolving to remain relevant and impactful. 3. Celebrating church anniversaries through multiple events over time rather than one big event....

Here is what AI Zoom said Matt and Zach talked about: 1. They discuss balancing honoring the past with adapting for the future in churches with long histories. 2. The importance of not getting stuc…

27/06/2024

This week Matt and Zach sit down and talk about John 5:1-20 Connect with the Bearded Theologians at You can find the Beardcast on Youtube, Stitcher, Apple, Spotify, Castbox, or wherever else you listen to Podcast.

This week Matt and Zach sit down and talk about John 5:1-20 Connect with the Bearded Theologians at You can find the Beardcast on Youtube, Stitcher, Apple, Spotify, Castbox, or wherever else you li…

22/06/2024

Enjoying time at the so we did not record next week but feel free to check out some of our past shows by going to our website. Link in bio.

06/06/2024

The Beards sat down and reflected on the concept of busyness in their roles as pastors. They challenge the notion that busyness equals success and productivity, emphasizing the importance of settin…

06/06/2024

The Beards sat down and reflected on the concept of busyness in their roles as pastors. They challenge the notion that busyness equals success and productivity, emphasizing the importance of setting healthy boundaries and prioritizing self-care. Additionally, they address the difficulty of balancing personal lives with pastoral duties and advocate for empowering others to share the workload. Overall, they encourage listeners to prioritize self-care and well-being over work....

The Beards sat down and reflected on the concept of busyness in their roles as pastors. They challenge the notion that busyness equals success and productivity, emphasizing the importance of settin…

30/05/2024

This week the Beards focused on the feast day related to Mary's visit to Elizabeth. They talk about the significance of the event, its relation to the Advent season and the birth of Jesus, and consider making it a focus for a future Sunday service. The conversation also includes personal experiences, such as Zach's children's school transitions and Rev. Matt Franks's upcoming trip to Puerto Rico....

This week the Beards focused on the feast day related to Mary’s visit to Elizabeth. They talk about the significance of the event, its relation to the Advent season and the birth of Jesus, an…

24/05/2024

This week on the Beardcast the Bearded Theologians had a fun theological discussion about the doctrine of the Trinity. They both share their thoughts and experiences with this concept, emphasizing the importance of not overcomplicating it and of acknowledging the Holy Spirit's role. They also discuss the importance of being open to the Holy Spirit's lead in their daily lives and in their worship services....

This week on the Beardcast the Bearded Theologians had a fun theological discussion about the doctrine of the Trinity. They both share their thoughts and experiences with this concept, emphasizing …

16/05/2024

The week on the Beardcast Matt and Zach talk about Pentecost. Connect with the Bearded Theologians at You can find the Beardcast on Youtube, Stitcher, Apple, Spotify, Castbox, or wherever else you listen to Podcast.

The week on the Beardcast Matt and Zach talk about Pentecost. Connect with the Bearded Theologians at You can find the Beardcast on Youtube, Stitcher, Apple, Spotify, Castbox, or wherever else you …

10/05/2024

This week on the show Matt and Zach talk about Luke 24:13-35. Connect with the Bearded Theologians at You can find the Beardcast on Youtube, Stitcher, Apple, Spotify, Castbox, or wherever else you listen to Podcast.

This week on the show Matt and Zach talk about Luke 24:13-35. Connect with the Bearded Theologians at You can find the Beardcast on Youtube, Stitcher, Apple, Spotify, Castbox, or wherever else you …

04/05/2024

Below is Bishop Karen's weekly message to our conference:

I am praying for the laity and clergy of the Mountain Sky Conference as we prepare for Sunday worship.

“Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so…”

This is the very first song nearly every child learns in a Christian Sunday School. Sunday School teachers and members of the church are vessels of this love through their care and instruction. In this supportive environment, children grow in faith as they grow into their God-created selves.

But in too many churches, once young people begin to question their sexual orientation or gender identity, the message they receive is that God’s love is now conditional. This causes deep spiritual harm. Someone who doesn’t have a nurturing environment to grow into the person God created them to be lives a stunted life, never living into their full potential.

Church ought to be the place where every child of God will find a loving and accepting home to be who they are.

The United Methodist Church made huge changes to be that loving place through General Conference actions.

There are some United Methodists who are going to think we went too far by removing the language that declared homosexuality as “incompatible with Christian teaching”, allowing clergy to preside over same-gender weddings (if they choose to do so) and allowing LGBTQ clergy. I hope you will enter into a time of wondering: why would these pass overwhelmingly by delegates from around the world (the ban against LGBTQ clergy only had 51 no votes out the entire body)? What scriptures would prompt people to adopt these positions? How do these statements help us “do no harm; do good, and stay in love with God?”

We humans see the image of God as through a mirror dimly (I Corinthians 13: 12). God is so much bigger than our limited comprehension. The God who created the world in all its diverse flourishings has imprinted on each human God’s own image. The more we encounter and enter into a relationship with each other, the deeper we look into each other’s eyes, the clearer God’s image emerges. We gain a bigger picture of who God is, particularly when we include those who don’t look like us, think like us, or love like us.

There are people of all ages in your community who are looking for a grace-filled community that allows them to ask questions, to be able to take tentative and shaky steps to explore who God made them to be, to find themselves in a community who will cheer them on when they do so.

Will you and your church be that community?

Let me tell you: there is amazing joy waiting for you if you are willing to do so. For wherever there is new life, whenever someone says yes to being their full God-created self, when someone is finally able to proclaim out loud to God “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made” the angels sing and the saints dance.

I pray that our United Methodist Churches will be such loving places. May no child of God ever think they are beyond God’s love. May they be able to sing throughout their life:

“Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so”

With love,
Bishop Karen
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02/05/2024

This week Matt and Zach sit down and talk about Acts 10:44-48 Connect with the Bearded Theologians at You can find the Beardcast on Youtube, Stitcher, Apple, Spotify, Castbox, or wherever else you listen to Podcast.

This week Matt and Zach sit down and talk about Acts 10:44-48 Connect with the Bearded Theologians at You can find the Beardcast on Youtube, Stitcher, Apple, Spotify, Castbox, or wherever else you …

25/04/2024

Join Matt and Zach as they talk about John 20:19-29 Connect with the Bearded Theologians at You can find the Beardcast on Youtube, Stitcher, Apple, Spotify, Castbox, or wherever else you listen to Podcast.

Join Matt and Zach as they talk about John 20:19-29 Connect with the Bearded Theologians at You can find the Beardcast on Youtube, Stitcher, Apple, Spotify, Castbox, or wherever else you listen to …

13/04/2024

Metho-nerds unite! (You know who you are!) New GCAH merch available in time for annual conference season! Visit https://tinyurl.com/BonfireMethoNerd to learn more and order! As always, proceeds benefit The UMC's Ministry of Memory!

11/04/2024

This week on the Beardcast we sat down with ⁠Bishop Kenneth Carde⁠r to talk about his new book ⁠Shifting Margins: From Fear and Exclusion Toward Love and Belonging. ⁠ Connect with the Bearded Theologians at ⁠ You can find the Beardcast on ⁠Youtube⁠, ⁠Apple⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠, ⁠Castbox⁠, ⁠Amazon⁠, ⁠Google⁠, or wherever else you listen to Podcast.

This week on the Beardcast we sat down with ⁠Bishop Kenneth Carde⁠r to talk about his new book ⁠Shifting Margins: From Fear and Exclusion Toward Love and Belonging. ⁠ Connect with the Bearded Theol…

05/04/2024

This week on the Beardcast Matt and Zach talk about John 20:19-31 You can find the Beardcast on Youtube, Apple, Spotify, Castbox, Amazon, Google, or wherever else you listen to Podcast. Connect with the Bearded Theologians at

This week on the Beardcast Matt and Zach talk about John 20:19-31 You can find the Beardcast on Youtube, Apple, Spotify, Castbox, Amazon, Google, or wherever else you listen to Podcast. Connect wit…

27/03/2024

This is some interesting data

America encompasses a rich diversity of faith traditions, and “religious churning” is very common. In 2023, PRRI surveyed more than 5,600 adults across the United States about their experiences with religion. This report examines how well major faith traditions retain their members, the reasons ...

22/03/2024

This week we are taking our Spring Break to get ready for Holy Week. See you next week. But you can find all of our past shows here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJ9UAh7LMQzFCjiJC028Zn3C2tHpC-u1O

14/03/2024

This week we sat down with Matt Miofsky and talked about his new book ⁠The Methodist Book of Daily Prayer ⁠ You can buy the book and his others at ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ Connect with the Bearded Theologians at ⁠⁠⁠ You can find the Beardcast on ⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Castbox⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Google⁠⁠⁠, or wherever else you listen to Podcast.

This week we sat down with Matt Miofsky and talked about his new book ⁠The Methodist Book of Daily Prayer ⁠ You can buy the book and his others at ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ Connect with the Bearded Theologians at …

08/03/2024

Matt and Zach sat down on zoom and talked about John 3:17 and a few of the other verses around 17. Connect with the Bearded Theologians at ⁠⁠ You can find the Beardcast on ⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Castbox⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Google⁠⁠, or wherever else you listen to Podcast.

Matt and Zach sat down on zoom and talked about John 3:17 and a few of the other verses around 17. Connect with the Bearded Theologians at ⁠⁠ You can find the Beardcast on ⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Apple…

01/03/2024

This week Matt and Zach talk about Matthew 13:45-46 Connect with the Bearded Theologians at ⁠ You can find the Beardcast on ⁠Youtube⁠, ⁠Apple⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠, ⁠Castbox⁠, ⁠Amazon⁠, ⁠Google⁠, or wherever else you listen to Podcast.

This week Matt and Zach talk about Matthew 13:45-46 Connect with the Bearded Theologians at ⁠ can find the Beardcast on ⁠Youtube⁠, ⁠Apple⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠, ⁠Castbox⁠, ⁠Amazon⁠, ⁠Google⁠, or wherever els…

23/02/2024

This week Matt and Zach reflect upon the word hope. Connect with the Bearded Theologians at You can find the Beardcast on Youtube, Apple, Spotify, Castbox, Amazon, Google, or wherever else you listen to Podcast.

This week Matt and Zach reflect upon the word hope. Connect with the Bearded Theologians at You can find the Beardcast on Youtube, Apple, Spotify, Castbox, Amazon, Go…

15/02/2024

This week on the Beardcast Matt and Zach sit down with Dr. Ashley Boggan the General Secretary at Commission on Archives and History of The UMC Find the Radicle Methodism course (HERE) Find out more about the UMC Archives and History (Here) Connect with the Bearded Theologians at You can find the Beardcast on Youtube, Apple, Spotify, Castbox, Amazon, Google, or wherever else you listen to Podcast.

This week on the Beardcast Matt and Zach sit down with Dr. Ashley Boggan the General Secretary at Commission on Archives and History of The UMC Find the Radicle Methodism course (HERE) Find out mor…

13/02/2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTGSc6Qdeqw&t=4s

http://www.umc.org/what-we-believe/glossary-ash-wednesdayThis video is part of a series that expresses Christian and United Methodist terms and definitions i...