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★★★★★

4.9

from

26 reviews

Description

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.

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Check latest episodes from Terrible Parables podcast

Episode 7: The Hawaiian Shirt Guy at a Wedding

2025/06/24

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.

Episode 8: Not All Sunsets and Rainbows

2025/07/09

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.

Episode 9: The Foolishness of Grace

2025/07/22

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".

Episode 10: There Are No Divine Landmines

2025/08/05

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

Episode 11: The Fear of Spending Money You Have

2025/08/19

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.

Episode 12: The Sinkhole of Works

2025/09/03

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.

Episode 1: The Unforgiving Servant

2022/06/22

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).

Episode 2: The Good Samaritan

2022/06/22

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).

Episode 3: The Sower

2022/06/22

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).

Episode 4: The Wheat and the Tares

2022/06/22

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).

Episode 5: The Rich Man and Lazarus

2022/06/22

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).

Episode 6: The Ten Bridesmaids

2022/06/22

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).

Season 1 Trailer

2022/06/20

Podcast reviews

Read Terrible Parables podcast reviews

4.9 out of 5

26 reviews

★★★★★

Teddy Coffin 2022/09/09

Much Appreciated Insight

I have found that it is one thing to be able to know the difference between the law and the gospel and another thing to try and apply that theological...

★★★★★

DaveClay89 2022/07/08

Well worth your time

The hosts avoid easy, moralistic interpretations of the parables and instead dig into the textures and contours of these stories in order to bring Jes...

★★☆☆☆

Skurffy 2022/07/09

Just So-So

I have a sense that the hosts spent more time practicing what they were going to say than deeply reading the parable over and over to understand it. ...

★★★★★

OfBilly 2022/06/25

Great Conversation

Um when the 6 year old in our family asks to listen to Terrible Parables in the van , it’s can’t be bad . So grateful for this work.

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