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 Bryan Jarrell and Todd Brewer. You can find out more about Mockingbird at www.mbird.com. Audio production by TJ Hester.
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 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%202%3A14-26&version=RSV) to read the passage.
Click here (https://annehelen.substack.com/p/the-optimization-sinkhole) to read the article they reference, "The Optimization Sinkhole" by Anne Helen Petersen.
19 Aug 2025
Episode 11: The Fear of Spending Money You Have
Cali, Bryan and Todd discuss the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30.
Click here (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2025%3A14-30&version=RSV) to read the passage.
Click here (https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/08/spending-money-finance-anxiety-tightwads/679373/) to read the article they mention, "The Well-Off People Who Can’t Spend Money," by Olga Khazan in The Atlantic.
5 Aug 2025
Episode 10: There Are No Divine Landmines
Cali, Bryan and Todd discuss the Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit in Mark 3:22-30.
Click here (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%203%3A22-30&version=NRSVA) to read the passage.
Click here (https://nautil.us/why-we-ghost-1006065/) to read the article they mention, "Why We Ghost," by Alice Fleerackers
22 Jul 2025
Episode 9: The Foolishness of Grace
Cali, Bryan and Todd discuss the Parable of the Unjust Servant in Luke 16:1-13.
Click here (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke%2016%3A%201-13&version=NIV) to read the passage.
Click here (https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-local-correspondents/the-party-is-cancelled) to read the article they discuss, Emma Green's "The Party Is Cancelled".
9 Jul 2025
Episode 8: Not All Sunsets and Rainbows
Cali, Bryan and Todd discuss the Sacrifice of Isaac in Genesis 22:1-19.
Click here (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2022%3A1-19&version=NIV) to read the passage.
24 Jun 2025
Episode 7: The Hawaiian Shirt Guy at a Wedding
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 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2022%3A1-14&version=NIV) to read the passage.
22 Jun 2022
Episode 6: The Ten Bridesmaids
Click here (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+25%3A1-13&version=NRSVA) to read Matthew 25:1-13.
Excerpt read from Paul Zahl, Grace in Practice: A Theology of Everyday Life (https://www.amazon.com/Grace-Practice-Theology-Everyday-Life/dp/0802828973), (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans), p. 40-41.
Music via the JAZ archives (https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3skSzuqcsETUFMSqpotLO7?si=13cbd361324841d1).
22 Jun 2022
Episode 5: The Rich Man and Lazarus
Click here (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+16%3A19-31&version=NRSVA) to read Luke 16:19-31.
Click here (https://www.villagevoice.com/2020/02/06/1980-1989-the-celebrity-decade/) to read more from “1980-1989: The Celebrity Decade” by Cynthia Heimel in the Village Voice.
Music via the JAZ archives (https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3skSzuqcsETUFMSqpotLO7?si=13cbd361324841d1).
22 Jun 2022
Episode 4: The Wheat and the Tares
Click here (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+13%3A24-30%2C+36-43&version=NRSVA) to read Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 (with modifications).
Click here (https://www.theredhandfiles.com/what-is-mercy-for-you/) to read more from “What Is Mercy for You?” by Nick Cave at the Red Hand Files.
Music via the JAZ archives (https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3skSzuqcsETUFMSqpotLO7?si=13cbd361324841d1).
22 Jun 2022
Episode 3: The Sower
Click here (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+4%3A1-9&version=NRSVA) to read Mark 4:1-9.
Click here (https://mbird.com/theology/hiding-in-plain-sight-the-lost-doctrine-of-sin/) to read more from Simeon Zahl's “Hiding in Plain Sight: the Lost Doctrine of Original Sin” on Mockingbird.
Music via the JAZ archives (https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3skSzuqcsETUFMSqpotLO7?si=13cbd361324841d1).
22 Jun 2022
Episode 2: The Good Samaritan
Click here (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2010%3A25-37&version=NRSVA) to read Luke 10:25-37
Click here (https://mbird.com/grace-in-practice/loving-thy-difficult-neighbor/) to read more from “Loving Thy (Diffcult) Neighbor” by Sam Bush on Mockingbird.
Music via the JAZ archives (https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3skSzuqcsETUFMSqpotLO7?si=13cbd361324841d1).
22 Jun 2022
Episode 1: The Unforgiving Servant
Click here (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+18%3A21-35&version=NRSVA) to read Matthew 18:21-35 (with modifications)
Click here (https://www.vox.com/vox-conversations-podcast/2021/7/12/22379647/vox-conversations-elizabeth-bruenig-forgiveness-social-media) to read more from “Why is it so hard to forgive?,” an interview with Elizabeth Bruenig on Vox.
Music via the JAZ archives (https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3skSzuqcsETUFMSqpotLO7?si=13cbd361324841d1).
20 Jun 2022
Season 1 Trailer
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.
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