Terrible Parables

Season 1 Trailer

info@mbird.com (Mockingbird) — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 10:00:00 -0400

Sometimes the Good Book doesn’t sound all that great. Fortunately, first impressions can be misleading, and the surprise of grace may be hiding in plain sight. Welcome to Terrible Parables, the podcast where a scholar, a pastor, and an anxious Christian look for good news in passages of scripture that appear strange or unnerving. Brought to you by Mockingbird Ministries and hosted by Cali Yee, along with Todd Brewer and Bryan Jarrell.

Episode 1: The Unforgiving Servant

info@mbird.com (Mockingbird) — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Click here to read Matthew 18:21-35 (with modifications)

Click here to read more from “Why is it so hard to forgive?,” an interview with Elizabeth Bruenig on Vox.

Music via the JAZ archives.

Episode 2: The Good Samaritan

info@mbird.com (Mockingbird) — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 06:15:00 -0400

Click here to read Luke 10:25-37

Click here to read more from “Loving Thy (Diffcult) Neighbor” by Sam Bush on Mockingbird.

Music via the JAZ archives.

Episode 3: The Sower

info@mbird.com (Mockingbird) — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 06:30:00 -0400

Click here to read Mark 4:1-9.

Click here to read more from Simeon Zahl's “Hiding in Plain Sight: the Lost Doctrine of Original Sin” on Mockingbird.

Music via the JAZ archives.

Episode 4: The Wheat and the Tares

info@mbird.com (Mockingbird) — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 06:45:00 -0400

Click here to read Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 (with modifications).

Click here to read more from “What Is Mercy for You?” by Nick Cave at the Red Hand Files.

Music via the JAZ archives.

Episode 5: The Rich Man and Lazarus

info@mbird.com (Mockingbird) — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 07:00:00 -0400

Click here to read Luke 16:19-31.

Click here to read more from “1980-1989: The Celebrity Decade” by Cynthia Heimel in the Village Voice.

Music via the JAZ archives.

Episode 6: The Ten Bridesmaids

info@mbird.com (Mockingbird) — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 07:15:00 -0400

Click here to read Matthew 25:1-13.

Excerpt read from Paul Zahl, Grace in Practice: A Theology of Everyday Life, (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans), p. 40-41.

Music via the JAZ archives.

Episode 7: The Hawaiian Shirt Guy at a Wedding

info@mbird.com (Mockingbird) — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 07:00:00 -0400

The long awaited second season is here! First up, Cali, Bryan and Todd discuss the parable of the Wedding Banquet in Matthew 22:1-14.

Click here to read the passage.

Episode 8: Not All Sunsets and Rainbows

info@mbird.com (Mockingbird) — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 07:00:00 -0400

Cali, Bryan and Todd discuss the Sacrifice of Isaac in Genesis 22:1-19.

Click here to read the passage.

Episode 9: The Foolishness of Grace

info@mbird.com (Mockingbird) — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Cali, Bryan and Todd discuss the Parable of the Unjust Servant in Luke 16:1-13.

Click here to read the passage.

Click here to read the article they discuss, Emma Green's "The Party Is Cancelled".

Episode 10: There Are No Divine Landmines

info@mbird.com (Mockingbird) — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 07:00:00 -0400

Cali, Bryan and Todd discuss the Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit in Mark 3:22-30.

Click here to read the passage.

Click here to read the article they mention, "Why We Ghost," by Alice Fleerackers

Episode 11: The Fear of Spending Money You Have

info@mbird.com (Mockingbird) — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 07:00:00 -0400

Cali, Bryan and Todd discuss the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30.

Click here to read the passage.

Click here to read the article they mention, "The Well-Off People Who Can’t Spend Money," by Olga Khazan in The Atlantic.

Episode 12: The Sinkhole of Works

info@mbird.com (Mockingbird) — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 06:15:00 -0400

In the finale of season two, Cali, Bryan and Todd discuss the "faith without works is dead" passage in James 2:14-26.

Click here to read the passage.

Click here to read the article they reference, "The Optimization Sinkhole" by Anne Helen Petersen.