Micro-church Misunderstandings: Clarifying My Position on Church Gatherings, Facilities, Paid Ministers, and Education.

I think some people assume that I’m anti-large church gatherings, or anti-a lot of things apparently, because of the stuff I often write about micro-church expressions. So, my hope is to offer some clarification in 4 areas: church gatherings, facilities, paid ministers, and education.

COVID19 Has Turned Us Into Zombies

COVID has been a pain in our butts for the vast majority of 2020…this much is true. People have died (over 200k in the US). This is no small thing. However, perhaps one of the worst outcomes of the entire thing is how we have come to treat one another…our friends, family, and neighbors.

S3Ep3 – Jesus: Legalist or Anarchist?

Was Jesus a legalist, an anarchist, neither, or both? Tune into this episode as we explore another facet of the character of Jesus and 2 more ways that Jesus is often portrayed by people who say they know him, or at least say they know about him.

S3Ep2 – Jesus: Warrior or Pacifist?

On episode 2 of season 3, we continue our discussion and exploration of who Jesus is by asking the question, “Was Jesus a Warrior, a Pacifist, neither, or both?”

The New #MeToo Movement: Spotting the Plank In My Own Eye

Please, understand the heart of what I’m about to share, and not take it as a slight against a movement that exposed serious problems in our nation…but I’m going to start a new #MeToo movement. It is a movement where we recognize and call out our own faults and humbly address the planks in our own eyes rather than seek to point out the speck in everyone else’s eyes and try to fix them, which, as we all know, can’t happen. We can’t fix others. But, we can address the issues in ourselves and hopefully help others see the issues in themselves by allowing them to see how we confront them in ourselves.

S3Ep1 – Who Is Jesus? Season 3 Intro

Everyone has their own ideas about who Jesus is…but it is important that we actually know who Jesus is, and not just who we would like Him to be. Season 3 is dedicated to exploring the many ways people portray Jesus and comparing that to what the Bible tells us about Jesus. It’s sure to be an awesome season filled with great discussions and thought provoking nonsense (wouldn’t be an ACP episode without a little humor, now would it?) See you there!

Churches and Sand Castles

You see, we’ve spent countless years building our little castles in the sand, adorning them with seashells and other ocean matter, inviting people to come see what we have done instead of inviting people into a relationship with a mighty God and see what HE is doing, enjoying ourselves immensely as the masses are entertained, only to have 2020 come in and a virus come along and wash it all away.

The Gospel of The Three Little Pigs

It’s 8PM on a Monday night, I’m sitting in the living room with my 4-year-old watching the Looney Toons version of “The Three (3) Little Pigs” and, of course, this gets me thinking about the message that is being communicated through this short little story. If you’re not familiar with the story (which, I REALLY […]

Optimal Church Environment

There is such a thing as an optimal environment for everything in life. Optimal environments for raising children. Optimal environments for pets. Optimal work environments. Optimal health environments. And so on. There is one thing I’ve been learning with my wife as we explore growing our own food that stands out pretty clearly in my […]

COVID19 – Shopping Mall Churches Face the Music

The Age of the Shopping Mall Perhaps I’m dating myself here a little, but I remember when shopping malls were all the rage and acted as the primary place where people of all ages would come and spend their weekends. Friday nights, especially, were spent roaming the halls of the malls. These malls were packed […]

Ephesians 4: Ministry, for the Rest of Us

Ministry is not only a pastor thing. In fact, it’s not only an evangelist thing. Or a teacher thing. Or a prophet thing. Or an apostle thing. It’s an everybody thing.

BONUS: I Can’t Breathe Pt 2

George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and more represent recent unjust deaths in America that have led to protests and riots across the entire United States. The phrase “I Can’t Breathe” was part of the last words George Floyd spoke as he died under the weight of a police officer who had his knee in his neck […]

S2 Ep007 – I Can’t Breathe (Part 1)

George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and more represent unjust deaths in America that have led to protests and riots across the entire United States. The phrase “I Can’t Breathe” was some of the last words George Floyd spoke as he died under the weight of a police officer who had his knee in his neck while 3 other officers watched on and did nothing. “I Can’t Breathe” has become the new cry of the black community that has been struggling for as long as American History itself to find their place in society and be heard, seen, and treated equally. On this episode Brad and Brian talk about these events, the protests, the riots, and what it’s like to be a black person growing up in America. It’s a hard conversation, but a needed one that we hope you’ll take the time to listen to.

S2 Ep006 – That’s a Wrap

Racism: Does God Really Not See Color?

Yesterday (05/06/2020), a new social media storm began to brew as social media everywhere (from Twitter to Facebook) erupted in outrage over the fact that the killers of Ahmaud Arbery still have not been arrested or charged since they killed him back in February of this year. The details resurfaced as new video evidence was […]

All Has Been Stripped Away, But Will We Simply Come?

Imagine with me, for a moment, a Church where… there is no paid staff, and the pastor and other staff do not rely on the local church to provide for their families. there is a pastor, and other leaders are organically raised up from within the body – including future pastors of more churches and […]

Discipleship: Sunglasses and Bike Rides

It’s Saturday night. I’m laying in bed, everyone is asleep, and two incidents from the week keep replaying in my mind involving each of my sons oddly (well perhaps not too oddly) leading me to some thoughts about discipleship: Incident 1 – Declan (4 years old) came into my room last week with his glasses […]

[Season 2] Ep005 – Special Guest Jeff Bardel (Testimony)

Best Practices for Angry Christians on Social Media

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” James 1:19-20 [Brad] Hi, Brad Bates here, your friendly host of the Angry Christian Podcast, and today I’m doing a collaborative blog article here with […]

BONUS: Best Practices for Angry Christians on Social Media 04/08/2020

BONUS: Happy Hump Day, Tell Me Something Good Y’all! 03/25/2020

We are starting a new weekly segment called “Happy Hump Day, Tell Me Something Good Y’all” as we remind ourselves of the good things going on in the face of uncertainty and crisis. Join us!

COVID19 Aftermath: The Church Cannot Go Back to Egypt

Most churches are still putting a great deal of effort into making the 1 hour Sunday gathering viable over the internet for most of their church body. Some are making efforts to find discipleship opportunities outside of Sunday morning. And unfortunately, a great deal of people are still screaming that they want things to go back to the way they were.

Seeing all of these reactions, I can’t help but ask, should we go back?

[Season 2] Ep004 – COVID19 – To Close or Not to Close

COVID19 – To Close or Not to Close – That is the Question

According to Pew Research, about 15-20% of Christians in America are under the age of 30 leaving the mass majority of individuals identifying as Christian in America over the age of 30, with about 45-50% being over the age of 50.

Thoughts on Church Hurt

I cannot hold others accountable for the wounds they did not inflict on me.

[Season 2] Ep003 – The Casualties of Divorce

There are many casualties with divorce that go far beyond just those who are splitting up. Join the Angry Christian Podcast, and guest host Cherie Bates, as we discuss just what those casualties are. If you are going through a divorce, been through a divorce, or thinking about a divorce, or know someone who has, this just might be an episode you’ll want to listen to!

Opening Music: “Angry Dance” by Simon Panrucker
Outro Music: “Clear Progress” by Scott Holmes

Support the Show! https://ko-fi.com/angrychristianpodcast

Divorce and The Space Between the Broken Things

When I was a kid, unbeknownst to everyone, I would sometimes wonder about what would happen to me if my parents ever got divorced. Like…which parent would I live with, what would it feel like to live in two different homes, how would my friends see them or me, and so many other questions. I […]

[Season 2] Ep002 – Not My President

The Democrat Debate took place the night we recorded this episode and it got us thinking about some things. Does God have a political party? Is it fair to say “Not My President”? Is it possible to agree with those on the “other side” on various things without supporting their overall political platform? How do we get to a better place in our political discourse? Does the Bible have anything to say about politics? These questions and more we discuss in this episode of the Angry Christian Podcast.

Black Christian/White Church

I’ve got to admit that I do miss the predominantly black church. The big choir, the animated sing/preaching, the dancing during praise, the soulful southern gospel style of music — almost everything. Yes, it is easier to go and be with people that also love those things, were brought up speaking the same kinda slang […]

Sticks, Stones, Rubber and Glue – Words Matter For Me and They Matter for You

Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me!

We Were There

Can you not with the “Jesus is the white man’s God”? Really, it’s so lame and easily refuted. This shows a serious lack of reading comprehension and an even worse victim complex. Everything is the white man’s fault somehow, even the spread of the Christian church. Not only has this been thoroughly refuted over and […]

[Season 2] Ep001 – Battle of the Ages

Bastard III (Black History Month)

Cut off. That’s what black history month reminds me of. This isn’t an aim at anyone specifically, but generally speaking, that’s how I typically feel about black culture. That’s nothing new. I’ve felt that way since I was very young; way before I ever met and had any sort of relationship with anyone of a […]

Let the Children Come

Matthew 19:13-14 NLT – One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.”

Murder Mill Musings #004

I was tagged in a number of posts and comments yesterday, so some of you may know that I and a few other men had a gun drawn on us. If you’re unfamiliar with the full story, you can read about it here (read the comments too). This is not about that, not directly. On […]

This is “The Way”

Before The Mandalorian told us that “This is the way” as he protected that undeniably cute baby Yoda (spawning COUNTLESS memes), Jesus had already come before and shook up the world as he claimed and proved to be “the Way”, the Truth, and the life (John 14:6), and Paul who was once persecuting the followers of “The Way” was now claiming to be a follower of the teachings of “the Way” (Acts 24:14).

A Response to “Why Churches Should Ditch the Projector Screens and Bring Back Hymnals”

What is to follow is a response from me to the article, Why Churches Should Ditch The Projector Screens and Bring Back Hymnals that was posted to http://www.thefederalist.com back in June of last year (2019). I have seen this article numerous times before, and had debated on responding, but it seems to have resurfaced again, and so I felt a respectful push back would do the discussion some good. And that is what I intend to do.

Please note that this article is not intended to attack traditional churches, or solely support contemporary churches, but to directly address the points made by this author in his article. As a worship leader, I have a deep appreciation for all aspects of church musical worship, so I appreciate and see the value in it all.

When did the Fruit of the Spirit become trigger words for Christians?

I’ve started noticing a trend with some (not all or even most) Christians, especially male Christians, and even more specifically male Christians who would consider themselves “culturally engaged” or taking on cultural ideologies that conflict with Biblical principles and moral standards found in the Bible.

That trend is this…any time someone (like myself) mentions that we as believers need to love others better (not just those within the church, but also those outside of the church) and be kinder, more patient, and more gentle with people…there seems to rise up from the ranks of the individuals I mentioned above an immediate defensive posture, and their responses come across as almost a disdain for what is being said.

Ep007 – 2019: A Year in Review

Advent(ure)

“We can never know about the days to come, but we think about them anyway.” Those are the opening lyrics to Carly Simon’s famous tune, “Anticipation”. I have been thinking a lot about that very thing this Advent season. As I write this it is December 24th, the last day of the Church’s celebration and […]