Parable of the Podcast

There are three parts to many of the sermons that I like:

1. Some context and background information for the biblical text being explored 
2. Stories from today's world juxtaposed with the biblical text
3. Some sort of commentary and/or interpretation that ties together the biblical text, the context, and the stories from today's world.

As a pastor and a nerdy sort of guy, #1 and #3 are by far the easiest parts for me.  But #2 is a little trickier. As a 27-year old who has had a relatively easy life, I have limited supply of awesome stories.  I find that sometimes the stories I know just aren't the most interesting or relevant to the text.  Which is a pity, since I know that there are amazing stories out there which could make us see scripture in a whole new light. 

This is where you come in.

I want to hear your stories! I want to know the tales that rise to the surface of your subconscious when you hear a biblical text.  Where do you see your own life in these stories?  Where to you see the lives of people you know or have read about? 

Inspired by the credits to the NPR show, Radiolab, in which callers record the names read at the end of the show, I've set up a digital voicemail that can be called at any time.  If you call (862) 243-2763, which spells 862-2HearMe, you will hear my voice encouraging you to record your reflections on a specific biblical story and giving you some simple information on how to go about it. 

I will then put together a podcast inspired by the type of stories in This American Life and Radiolab, in which different stories are told around a certain theme with some narration to tie them all together.

Since the Parables group has been exploring Chapter 1 of the Book of Ruth, will be the first text for Parable of the Podcast. I'd like to put out a podcast sometime during mid to late August, so plug (862) 243-2763 into the contacts on your phone, browse through Ruth 1, and the next time you are taking a walk, give Parable of the Podcast a call.  If you want to talk about Ruth, call by August 12; after that, we'll some new text to explore! And check by here in a couple of weeks to hear what we've made!