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    <title>Pleading the Case - Episodes Tagged with “Church”</title>
    <link>https://www.pleadingthecase.org/tags/church</link>
    <pubDate>Fri, 26 Oct 2018 16:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
    <description>If a tune-up can’t fix a car engine because what it really needs is for the entire engine to be rebuilt, then why would we, in the Christian faith, perform tune-ups on the form and function of our churches when what they may really need is to be completely overhauled? Join the host of Pleading The Case, Andy Mendonsa, where in each episode, he will peal back the culture and traditions that have come to define much of the Church in America today in order to accurately assess whether all that is needed is just a good tune-up, or as he has become convinced, a compete overhaul. 
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    <language>en-us</language>
    <itunes:type>episodic</itunes:type>
    <itunes:subtitle>"Stand Before The Mountains, Let The Hills Hear What You Have To Say"</itunes:subtitle>
    <itunes:author>Andy Mendonsa</itunes:author>
    <itunes:summary>If a tune-up can’t fix a car engine because what it really needs is for the entire engine to be rebuilt, then why would we, in the Christian faith, perform tune-ups on the form and function of our churches when what they may really need is to be completely overhauled? Join the host of Pleading The Case, Andy Mendonsa, where in each episode, he will peal back the culture and traditions that have come to define much of the Church in America today in order to accurately assess whether all that is needed is just a good tune-up, or as he has become convinced, a compete overhaul. 
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    <itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit>
    <itunes:owner>
      <itunes:name>Andy Mendonsa</itunes:name>
      <itunes:email>andy@widows.org</itunes:email>
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  <itunes:category text="Christianity"/>
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  <title>Episode 14: The Tower of Babel, Pentecost &amp; Forgiveness</title>
  <link>http://www.pleadingthecase.org/14</link>
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  <pubDate>Fri, 26 Oct 2018 16:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
  <author>Andy Mendonsa</author>
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  <itunes:author>Andy Mendonsa</itunes:author>
  <itunes:subtitle>Episode 14: "The Tower of Babel, Pentecost &amp; Forgiveness"
As many of you  already know that in the last four days (beginning on Tuesday, October 23rd, of this week) 14 pipe bombs delivered to 11 political targets were discovered.  This Episode intentionally comes on the heels of the assassination attempts of high ranking political figures, both past and present, including two former Presidents of the United States. Even though the guilty person(s) who committed these detestable acts will have no one else to blame but themselves, does that excuse all others who have contributed to creating a climate of hatred and division in this country from culpability.  Especially those who claim Jesus as saviour?</itunes:subtitle>
  <itunes:duration>1:12:25</itunes:duration>
  <itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit>
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  <description>&lt;p&gt;As many of you  already know that in the last four days (beginning on Tuesday, October 23rd, of this week) 14 pipe bombs delivered to 11 political targets were discovered.  This Episode intentionally comes on the heels of the assassination attempts of high ranking political figures, both past and present, including two former Presidents of the United States. Even though the guilty person(s) who committed these detestable acts will have no one else to blame but themselves, does that excuse all others who have contributed to creating a climate of hatred and division in this country from culpability.  Especially those who claim Jesus as saviour? &lt;/p&gt;
</description>
  <itunes:keywords>forgiveness, tower of babel, pentecost, division, fear, love, Jesus, God, repentance, citizens of heaven, yeast of the pharisees, bride, saviour, bombings, assassination attempts, political unrest, christian culpability</itunes:keywords>
  <content:encoded>
    <![CDATA[<p>As many of you  already know that in the last four days (beginning on Tuesday, October 23rd, of this week) 14 pipe bombs delivered to 11 political targets were discovered.  This Episode intentionally comes on the heels of the assassination attempts of high ranking political figures, both past and present, including two former Presidents of the United States. Even though the guilty person(s) who committed these detestable acts will have no one else to blame but themselves, does that excuse all others who have contributed to creating a climate of hatred and division in this country from culpability.  Especially those who claim Jesus as saviour?</p>]]>
  </content:encoded>
  <itunes:summary>
    <![CDATA[<p>As many of you  already know that in the last four days (beginning on Tuesday, October 23rd, of this week) 14 pipe bombs delivered to 11 political targets were discovered.  This Episode intentionally comes on the heels of the assassination attempts of high ranking political figures, both past and present, including two former Presidents of the United States. Even though the guilty person(s) who committed these detestable acts will have no one else to blame but themselves, does that excuse all others who have contributed to creating a climate of hatred and division in this country from culpability.  Especially those who claim Jesus as saviour?</p>]]>
  </itunes:summary>
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<item>
  <title>Episode 10: A Samaritan You Say?</title>
  <link>http://www.pleadingthecase.org/10</link>
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  <pubDate>Wed, 04 Jul 2018 13:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
  <author>Andy Mendonsa</author>
  <enclosure url="https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/dc393591-8538-457d-9994-a5d0ecd86258/7148ff22-cb9d-4c56-9c77-62d9b02163ef.mp3" length="88865281" type="audio/mp3"/>
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  <itunes:author>Andy Mendonsa</itunes:author>
  <itunes:subtitle>Based on the parable of "The Good Samaritan" this is a companion episode to "Racism, Faith and Worship, Oh My!" If Jesus were giving this parable today who would he have passing by on the other side of the road?  Who would he have representing himself, instead of the Samaritan? According to this parable much of who we think of, today, as being the "evangelical church and her leadership, is really not all that different than Israel's leadership was when Jesus first recited this parable to the "expert in the law."</itunes:subtitle>
  <itunes:duration>1:30:42</itunes:duration>
  <itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit>
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  <description>&lt;p&gt;Romans 12:1 "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship."  Even though this passage comes across as being somewhat abstract, what Paul is essentially telling us is to "love God with our heart mind and soul and to love our neighbors as ourselves."  And if we want to know what that looks like two of the best examples in the gospel accounts are in John 4, when Jesus encounters the Samaritan woman by the well and the Parable of the Good Samaritan beginning with Luke 10:25 when "an expert in the law asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life."  This is a companion episode to the previous one, "Racism, Faith and Worship, Oh My!" that has as it's basis Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman . Central to both is worship. &lt;/p&gt;
</description>
  <itunes:keywords>civil rights, racism, faith, worship, good samaritan, levite, priest, Jericho road, Parable of the Good Samaritan, compassion, mercy, serve, Inn, Inn Keeper, donkey, do unto others, golden rule, Jerusalem, robbers, thieves, apostasy, salvation, redemption, restoration, deliverance, 2 greatest commandments, love your neighbor, serve and not be served, church, worship service, pastors, deacons, elders, covenant of grace, bride, marriage, gospel, </itunes:keywords>
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    <![CDATA[<p>Romans 12:1 &quot;Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.&quot;  Even though this passage comes across as being somewhat abstract, what Paul is essentially telling us is to &quot;love God with our heart mind and soul and to love our neighbors as ourselves.&quot;  And if we want to know what that looks like two of the best examples in the gospel accounts are in John 4, when Jesus encounters the Samaritan woman by the well and the Parable of the Good Samaritan beginning with Luke 10:25 when &quot;an expert in the law asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life.&quot;  This is a companion episode to the previous one, &quot;Racism, Faith and Worship, Oh My!&quot; that has as it&#39;s basis Jesus&#39; encounter with the Samaritan woman . Central to both is worship.</p>]]>
  </content:encoded>
  <itunes:summary>
    <![CDATA[<p>Romans 12:1 &quot;Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.&quot;  Even though this passage comes across as being somewhat abstract, what Paul is essentially telling us is to &quot;love God with our heart mind and soul and to love our neighbors as ourselves.&quot;  And if we want to know what that looks like two of the best examples in the gospel accounts are in John 4, when Jesus encounters the Samaritan woman by the well and the Parable of the Good Samaritan beginning with Luke 10:25 when &quot;an expert in the law asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life.&quot;  This is a companion episode to the previous one, &quot;Racism, Faith and Worship, Oh My!&quot; that has as it&#39;s basis Jesus&#39; encounter with the Samaritan woman . Central to both is worship.</p>]]>
  </itunes:summary>
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<item>
  <title>Episode 9: Racism, Faith and Worship, Oh My!</title>
  <link>http://www.pleadingthecase.org/9</link>
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  <pubDate>Mon, 25 Jun 2018 14:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
  <author>Andy Mendonsa</author>
  <enclosure url="https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/dc393591-8538-457d-9994-a5d0ecd86258/bb00c8de-be5a-48a4-8ce9-8851f0550626.mp3" length="88865096" type="audio/mp3"/>
  <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
  <itunes:author>Andy Mendonsa</itunes:author>
  <itunes:subtitle>The text for this episode is John 4:3-42, Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well.  This passage reveals so much to us, especially about worship, and what it actually looks likes and means to worship God in "the spirit and in truth," and why this has nothing to do with a worship service and everything to do with what we do outside of a worship service.</itunes:subtitle>
  <itunes:duration>1:30:42</itunes:duration>
  <itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit>
  <itunes:image href="https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-images-2024/podcasts/images/d/dc393591-8538-457d-9994-a5d0ecd86258/episodes/b/bb00c8de-be5a-48a4-8ce9-8851f0550626/cover.jpg?v=2"/>
  <description>&lt;p&gt;Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well, recorded in John 43-42, is very overlooked for the most part.  Especially, for what Jesus reveals to her, and ultimately to us, about worship.  It is during Jesus exchange with the Samaritan woman that Jesus tells her that "the true worshipers that God desires are those that will worship him in the spirit and in truth."  Although, the setting for this encounter is no where near Jerusalem or the temple inside the walls of that city, what Jesus said about worship has now been interpreted as primarily having to do with what takes place inside of a church during a "worship service." A setting that has very little in common with the setting that Jesus made this prouncement or why.  This episode not only addresses this, but it also addresses how prejudice and even racism interferes with what God considers to be worship in the spirit and in truth without our even realizing it. &lt;/p&gt;
</description>
  <itunes:keywords>civil rights, racism, faith, worship, samaritan woman, jacob's well,christ, christian faith, conditions of the heart, deception, disciples, discrimination, divorced, empty vessel, eternal life, evangelism, eve, faith, false teachings, first adam, first covenant, grace, jesus, living water, love, messiah, minorities, politics, pure and undefiled worship, racism, righteousness, rule of law, salvation, samaria, samaritan woman, second adam, second covenant, segregation, sin, skin color, suffering, the deceived, the spirit and in truth, true worshipers god desires, truth, unclean, widows, woman caught in adultery, worship, worship service, worship through service </itunes:keywords>
  <content:encoded>
    <![CDATA[<p>Jesus&#39; encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well, recorded in John 43-42, is very overlooked for the most part.  Especially, for what Jesus reveals to her, and ultimately to us, about worship.  It is during Jesus exchange with the Samaritan woman that Jesus tells her that &quot;the true worshipers that God desires are those that will worship him in the spirit and in truth.&quot;  Although, the setting for this encounter is no where near Jerusalem or the temple inside the walls of that city, what Jesus said about worship has now been interpreted as primarily having to do with what takes place inside of a church during a &quot;worship service.&quot; A setting that has very little in common with the setting that Jesus made this prouncement or why.  This episode not only addresses this, but it also addresses how prejudice and even racism interferes with what God considers to be worship in the spirit and in truth without our even realizing it.</p>]]>
  </content:encoded>
  <itunes:summary>
    <![CDATA[<p>Jesus&#39; encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well, recorded in John 43-42, is very overlooked for the most part.  Especially, for what Jesus reveals to her, and ultimately to us, about worship.  It is during Jesus exchange with the Samaritan woman that Jesus tells her that &quot;the true worshipers that God desires are those that will worship him in the spirit and in truth.&quot;  Although, the setting for this encounter is no where near Jerusalem or the temple inside the walls of that city, what Jesus said about worship has now been interpreted as primarily having to do with what takes place inside of a church during a &quot;worship service.&quot; A setting that has very little in common with the setting that Jesus made this prouncement or why.  This episode not only addresses this, but it also addresses how prejudice and even racism interferes with what God considers to be worship in the spirit and in truth without our even realizing it.</p>]]>
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