The Called Out Cafe Podcast

Leaving the Church to Follow Jesus, Episode 13: Paul’s Letter to the Romans

The Apostle Paul is the guy that churches all go to, to get church done right. The church loves using Paul's letters like they are a sort of a formulaic check list for making sure that church leaders color within the lines. But Paul's letters to the different Ekklesias (churches) were most often in response to some problem or issue those churches were having. Although Paul solved their problems by using the foundational principles of Faith, Hope, and Love, which transcend space and time, the problems they were each having were not all necessarily universal and the individual specific solutions he had for them, did not all necessarily transcend the geography of the day, or the centuries since he wrote the letters.  The principles are what we should pay attention to. Countries, cultures, and problems like eating meat sacrificed to idols will come and go, but Faith, hope, and love will endure until Jesus returns and beyond.

In this episode, we will take a look at the issues of the importance of (or not) doing good works, the unbiblicalness of the Church replacing Israel, the importance of each individual within the Ekklesia to participate and use their personal gifts and abilities, the importance of watching out for a weaker Called-Out brother or sister, how one day is no more holy than the next day, the importance of unity among the Ekklesia and all the ways it is not possible and the one way it is possible, and everyone's favorite topic: giving money.   JUST A FEW MINOR ISSUES!!!

I hope you will join me.

The Days Following Pentecost in Acts

Many today attempt to use what happened in the early New Testament Church, as seen in the book of Acts, as a model for how to do church. In this episode of the Called-Out Cafe we will take a look at why that might not be the best use of the information contained in Acts.  What God accomplished at Pentecost and the days following was fantastic and unique. It was what we call a "one off." What took place there has never been successfully reproduced in history. 

Leaving the Church to Follow Jesus Episode 11: The Ekklesia in the Book of Acts

Moving on from the Gospels into the book of Acts, we will talk a little bit about the difference between parts of the Bible being descriptive about the history of the Ekklesia, rather than prescriptive about what the Ekklesia should do. We will look at a couple specific issues such as the basis, or lack thereof, of meeting on Sundays, and what it means to appoint elders in a group of Called-Out Ones.

Leaving the Church to Follow Jesus, Episode 10: What the Other Gospels Say About the Ekklesia

Moving on from the book of Matthew in this latest episode of the Called-Out Cafe we talk about more extremely important components of the Biblical Ekklesia: like if it is not all about spreading the gospel, or service and works in the Church, what is it God expects us to be doing? Among other things, we will also talk about how the church's popularity in our communities is not a measure of success, and how loving one another within the Ekklesia is one of the three main principles and purposes of the Ekklesia. 

Can we all stop playing church now and move ahead with being the Ekklesia? Please join me in this latest episode.

Leaving the Church to Follow Jesus, Episode 9: The So Called, ”Great Commission”

Many in the Evangelical Church today believe that the primary mission of the Church is to “make disciples,” and spread the gospel to the entire earth. Those things are found in the “mission statements” of countless churches. Yet, you will never find the words “great commission” in the New Testament. Nor will you find Jesus saying anywhere in the original Greek documents used to translate the English New Testament to “make disciples.”  Nor will you find any reason to believe he was commissioning anyone beyond His original Apostles, who were the only ones qualified to fulfill their commission, because they alone witnessed the things Jesus said and did. And, likely you have not been told that based on the original language used in scripture, what He commanded the Apostles to do, was not to teach everyone to obey or "observe" the commands that Jesus had given the Apostles, but rather to instruct them to treasure and hold onto all that Jesus had said.  You probably have also not heard the case to be made that the Apostles had fulfilled their commission within days after being given it by Jesus, and that the Bible, is the perpetual written fulfillment of their commission.  

Please join me in this episode as I attempt to remove the burden of saving the world from your shoulders. That job has already been taken.  

Leaving the Church to Follow Jesus Episode 8: Why Matthew Would Have a Problem with Churches Today

 

Warning: If you love church traditions and have high blood pressure, please consult your physician before listening to this episode of the Called-Out Cafe.

The Apostle Matthew, writer of the gospel by the same name, would have a large problem with what is taking place in most modern churches today. Among other things, in this episode we will talk about why money is given such prominence in todays churches given Jesus’ attitude towards it. We will look at one of the most misused passages of scripture in the gospel: that of the “Sheep and Goats” judgment. It is often used to motivate Christians to do good works, when this future judgement only sets out the criteria that unbelievers will be judged by. The last bomb Matthew will drop in this episode will be how the view of communion in the Church today is so far off from what took place during the Last Supper.  

Leaving the Church to Follow Jesus: Episode 7: The Rock the Ekklesia is Built Upon

If you are a part of a church, what is it exactly that you think you are a part of?  In this episode of the Called-Out Café, we will look at a passage of scripture in which Jesus gives us His idea of what His Ekklesia is built on. Then in our survey of the Gospel of Matthew and what it says about gathering in the name of Jesus we will look at Jesus’s system of holding one another accountable within local bodies of Ekklesia. Then, we will talk about Jesus having our back when we make decisions on His behalf within the Ekklesia.  I hope you will join me!

World Upside Down Debunked Part 3

This is the final episode of a three-part special edition min-series of the Called-Out Cafe podcast. This series disputes the specific claims made in the "World Upside Down (Biblical Earth Documentary 2022)" video, which claims the Flat Earth theory is true, and ties it to one's faith in God. 

The World Upside Down video is very similar to the many other videos you can find on-line regarding the principles the Flat Earth theory are based on, so I chose to use it to respond to this issue via a Special Edition mini-series on the Called-Out Cafe podcast. If you ever wondered what Flat Earthers use as their evidence, you can find out by listening to this series.

 

If you are a Flat Earther, please listen to this series and consider what I am saying point by point. In summary, the narrator grossly misuses scripture, he makes completely false statements, he uses logic that counts on you not thinking critically, he cites "evidence" that has not and cannot ever be proven, or that which has been disproven, while he completely disregards all repeatedly proven physical evidence by saying it has all been faked and he writes off observations made by millions of lay people which testify as to the reality of a spherically shaped earth, gravity, a solid moon, a distant sun and stars, and outer space.

 

A written copy of this special edition podcast can be found at doughooley.com 

 

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World Upside Down Debunked Part Two

This is part Two of a special edition min-series of the Called-Out Cafe podcast. This series disputes the specific claims made in the "World Upside Down (Biblical Earth Documentary 2022)" video, which claims the Flat Earth theory is true, and ties it to one's faith in God. 

The World Upside Down video is very similar to the many other videos you can find on-line regarding the principles the Flat Earth theory are based on, so I chose to use it to respond to this issue via a Special Edition mini-series on the Called-Out Cafe podcast. If you ever wondered what Flat Earthers use as their evidence, you can find out by listening to this series.

 

If you are a Flat Earther, please listen to this series and consider what I am saying point by point. In summary, the narrator grossly misuses scripture, he makes completely false statements, he uses logic that counts on you not thinking critically, he cites "evidence" that has not and cannot ever be proven, or that which has been disproven, while he completely disregards all repeatedly proven physical evidence by saying it has all been faked and he writes off observations made by millions of lay people which testify as to the reality of a spherically shaped earth, gravity, a solid moon, a distant sun and stars, and outer space.

 

A written copy of this special edition podcast can be found at doughooley.com

World Upside Down Debunked

This is part one of a special edition min-series of the Called-Out Cafe podcast. This series disputes the specific claims made in the "World Upside Down (Biblical Earth Documentary 2022)" video, which claims the Flat Earth theory is true, and ties it to one's faith in God.