Postconsumer Reports Podcast

Bomethius is the "alter ego" of Jonathan Hodges, a songwriter, pianist, violinist, guitar player, and vocalist living in Dallas, Texas. This far-ranging conversation features an in-depth look at his new album Seasons of Limbo. You can find his music at: http://www.bomethius.com/

An interview with Nashville musician, keyboardist, and composer Blair Masters. Blair has played on numerous albums over the years, from Newsboys, Amy Grant, Charlie Peacock, Rich Mullins, Margaret Becker, Steven Curtis Chapman and yeah, even Barry Manilow, Andy Williams, and Megadeth. He's also the touring keyboardist for Garth Brooks and has composed and recorded music for a number television shows. Our talk focuses on the span of his career and gives an in-depth look into the music of his band Dogs of Peace.

This episode features info about Chris's new EP of Christmas music "Let Nothing You Dismay" as well as about Lula, a nonprofit in Peoria, Illinois that feeds, clothes, and offers care to those without housing and living on the streets. All proceeds from the EP will go to support Lula. The talk on serving others at Christmas is an excerpt from Tent Theology, another podcast Chris has been helping produce this year.

Episode 82 features a talk given at Living Waters Church in Peoria, Illinois in 2019 about the book Celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas. This episode also features an excerpt from Tent Theology, a new podcast Chris is helping to produce that aims to help renew the social and political imagination of Christians by following in the way of Jesus.

Episode 81 features my interview with Flo Paris Oakes and Katy Hutson of the children's worship music group Rain For Roots, who are described as "a collective group of musicians and songwriters who write singable Scripture songs for kids and grown ups alike." They released their fourth album All Creatures this spring, which focuses primarily on settings of the Psalms.

Episode 80 of the podcast features my interview with Dr. Susan K. Roll with her expert and scholarly insights into the origins of December 25 as the date for Christmas. The author of the book Toward the Origins of Christmas, my conversation with Dr. Roll touches on the earliest documents adhering to that date and to how to address the pagan origins and influences on the holiday. As a Catholic lay woman, we also discuss her passions, insights, and ongoing work of being an advocate for women's ordination in the Catholic church.

Episode 79 features an interview with Blair E. Clark about the artwork she did for my book Celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas. A native of Michigan, Blair is a Central Illinois artist whose work you can find at: https://blairjeffers.wordpress.com/. In our conversation, Blair talks about her process, some of the imagery embedded in the her work on the book that might not be immediately obvious, and also her approach to making Mary and Joseph people who were not white Europeans and yet still universal figures we can all relate to.

Dr. Michael Ward is a professor at both Oxford University and Houston Baptist University where he teaches on imaginative apologetics. Dr. Ward is perhaps best know as a C.S. Lewis scholar and for his groundbreaking work Planet Narnia. I interviewed Dr. Ward in research for my book Celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas, and in our interview we discuss Lewis's views on paganism and touch on the famed author's own beliefs and practices surrounding Christmas

Jimmy Abegg is a veteran of both the music and art worlds. Currently Jimmy is in need of financial help to complete the building Blind Jimmy's Lighthouse, an art and music studio he's building behind his home. You can support him through direct donations or simply by buying his art at his website www.jimmyabegg.com. Associated with Rich Mullins's Ragamuffin Band, Charlie Peacock, and the band Vector, our conversation intentionally focuses on his own art and music, especially his plans once his studio gets completed, including recording albums, offering art workshops to the community, finishing his podcast, and writing his memoir. 

Tim Barnes is the executive vice president of International Association For Refugees (IAFR) a non-profit that seeks to empower and support refugees and displaced people groups around the world. Our conversation touches on the complexity of the current situation, where there is over 70 displaced people in the world, and offers some insight on what we might be called to do about it.

This episode features an interview with longtime Newsboys keyboardist, programmer, arranger, and even bass player (on synth!) Jeff Frankenstein. He details what it has been like to navigate the changes to the music industry in the past decades as well as changes within Newsboys themselves. He also describes how they've found a balance in being a touring band with families. The episode also discusses the release of Chris's new book on the 12 days of Christmas.

This bonus episode features excerpts from a previous interview where guitarist and author Stu G discusses his Beatitudes project. Stu G has recently released a film and study guide to go along with his musical album and book, all of which can be purchased at: https://www.thebeatitudesproject.com/

Ep 74 features an interview with Charlie Peacock, and artist with four decades of experience in the music as a songwriter and solo artist, but also as a producer of renowned artists like Switchfoot, The Civil Wars, and Marc Martel. Our conversation ranges from his thoughts on fame, the state of the Christian music industry, and the wisdom he's gained from getting debilitatingly sick after years of pushing himself. Check out https://www.charliepeacock.com/ and https://thewriterthehusband.com/ for more on his music, writing, and artwork.

Ep 73 features Phil Joel, notably of the bands Newsboys, Zealand, and also a prolific solo music career, who has just released his first book Redwoods and Whales. 

It reads like a bad joke, but this episode features interviews with 2 Anglican bishops and an Eastern Orthodox priest. Bishop Alberto Morales, Bishop Keith Ackerman, and Fr. Andrew Kishler all gave Chris time to talk about an assorted amount of Christmas traditions, both secular and ecclesiastical. They discuss Puerto Rican Christmas traditions, how to do New Years and the Feast of the Holy Name as a church, and what Epiphany/Theophany looks like for Eastern Orthodox Christians. And please consider supporting the Kickstarter campaign Chris has going on right now for his forthcoming book on Christmas: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/chrismarchand/book-celebrating-the-12-days-of-christmas

Episode 71 features an interview with Gabi and Petr Michlik about the Christmas traditions they knew growing up in the Czech Republic, traditions with a surprisingly Pagan bent... This conversation is being released to help promote the Kickstarter campaign Chris is putting on to help fund the completion of his new book on the history and traditions of the 12 Days of Christmas. You can find out more info and support the project here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/chrismarchand/book-celebrating-the-12-days-of-christmas

John Van Deusen (interviewed in Ep. 67) has just released his album "With Every Power Wide Awake" on vinyl, so we're taking the opportunity to release an bonus episode of our conversation that didn't make it into the full interview. Also, it's national podcasting day, so enjoy the extra podcasting goodness. You can find Van Deusen's music at: https://iamjohnvandeusen.bandcamp.com/

Ep. 70 features an interview with Glenn Kaiser, a true music legend. His blues and rock and roots music spans 5 decades, from his work in the Resurrection Band to his solo work and the Glenn Kaiser Band. Kaiser is also a pastor and teacher at the Jesus People USA ministry and community (http://jpusa.org/). You can find Kaiser's music at: https://grrrrecords.com/glenn-kaiser https://glennkaiser.bandcamp.com/ This episode also features an interview with author Michelle Van Loon, who recently released her book Born To Wander: Recovering the Value of Our Pilgrim Identity. You can discover more of Van Loon's writings at: http://michellevanloon.com/ https://theperennialgen.com/    

Dr. Lynn Wilder is a retired education professor who began the ministry Ex-Mormon Christians United For Jesus with her husband Michael Wilder, which you can read more about at: http://www.unveilingmormonism.com/. Dr. Wilder has written or co-authored a number of books about walking away from the Mormon faith and coming to know the Good News of Jesus as found in the Bible. Our conversation goes into her personal story as well as the history and beliefs of the Mormon religion.

E. Byron Anderson is Professor of Worship at Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois. His most recent book Common Worship: Tradition, Formation, Mission explores the various tensions of the Church's worship: traditional vs. contemporary, habit vs. freedom, canon vs. creativity, unity vs. diversity, and mission focused worship vs. congregationally focused worship. However, instead of pitting these concepts against each other, he puts them in conversations that cause pastors, worship leaders, and all Christ followers to ask tough questions about the intention behind how their liturgies are formed and how they are forming their people.