Episode 38: Barstools and Church Pews

Why do people keep going back to their favorite bar, restaurant, or coffee shop? Sure, they may like what’s being served, but often it’s because somebody knows their name. Somebody listens. Somebody notices when they’re gone. They feel like they belong.

Shouldn’t the church be even better at that?

In this episode, Jason and Robby talk about hospitality in the church and the difference between simply being “friendly” and creating a culture where people genuinely feel seen, valued, and welcomed. Robby draws from 30 years in the hospitality industry and his work on Radical Hospitality, while Jason revisits the biblical story of Ananias welcoming Saul and what it teaches us about making room for people we might not expect.

Because hospitality isn’t just the job of the greeters, and it isn’t about increasing attendance. It’s about reflecting the welcome we have already received from Jesus.

Whether it’s a barstool or a church pew, people want to know they matter.

Welcomed people welcome people.

Why are Christians surprised when people who don’t follow Jesus don’t live according to the teachings of Jesus?

In Episode 37, “A Different Standard,” we dig into Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 5:12–13 and ask whether the church sometimes spends too much time judging those outside of it while overlooking what’s happening within. We talk about the difference between conviction and condemnation, why Christian standards should first shape the lives of Christians, and what it means when people outside the church sometimes seem to “love their neighbor” better than we do.

Our job isn’t to make non-Christians behave like Christians. Our calling is to follow Jesus faithfully, love people well, and point others toward Him.

So maybe the question isn’t, “Why doesn’t the world act more like the church?”

Maybe it’s, “Does the church look enough like Jesus?”

Join us for Episode 37 of Two Pastors: Conversations About Everything.

We update our phones all the time, but when was the last time we stopped to ask if we need an update?

After a recent iPhone update, we started thinking about all the things running in the background of our own lives. Old habits, attitudes, grudges, priorities, exhaustion, and even things we know God has been calling us to change—but we keep hitting “Remind Me Later.”

In this episode, we talk about what it looks like to let God run the diagnostic. Are there things we need to delete? Is our battery running low? Are we holding onto an old version of ourselves simply because it's familiar? And what role do prayer, Scripture, worship, community, and other spiritual practices play in keeping us connected to God?

God doesn't need an update. The Gospel doesn't need an update. But sometimes we do.

Join us for a conversation about growth, change, renewal, and allowing God to continue shaping us into the people He has called us to be.

Thanks for listening to Two Pastors: Conversations About Everything!