No Church Answers!
372 episodes - English - Latest episode: 18 days ago - ★★★★★ - 28 ratingsContact us at www.nochurchanswers.com. We're not pastors, just regular guys. Engaging, deep and often humorous looks at faith in today's world by our panel.
The No Church Answers! podcast began as Man Up a Spiritual Oasis for Men in 2017, launched by Bill Cox, actor and DJ, and four regulars, Steven Titch, Robert Cocheu, Michael Cropper and Earl Lloyd--all from different faith backgrounds. Our focus is on ways men could use their Christian faith to drive their goals, leadership and action. We feel the faith muscle needs regular exercise. The body is like a barrel. The outside is your education, money and health. The inside is your faith and soul. We bring different points of view to a scripture lesson and hash them out in a panel discussion. We strive for authenticity in representing what Christian men are thinking.
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Episodes
Podcast 203 -- 24 Hours with Jesus Mark 1:21-35
May 11, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 59.9 MBIn a unique gospel passage, Mark gives us a 24-hour day in the life of Jesus. We look at how the Lord balanced time he spent on his vocation, with his circle of friends, and on prayer and spiritual recharging. We look at the model it offers how to manage the pressing demands on our own time, and consider some difficult scenarios we can face when our work, family and church lives get out of balance. We also talk about exorcisms, demons and Jesus' commanding them to silence. Hosted on Acast. ...
Podcast 203 Preview -- Everyone Gets a 24-Hour Day
May 07, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.09 MBTime is the great equalizer -- even Jesus only had 24 hours each day. Here's a taste of our upcoming podcast on balancing demands on your time.
Podcast 202 -- Seize the Opportunity Mark 1:16-20
May 04, 2021 08:00 - 59 minutes - 57.4 MBWhen a potentially life-changing opportunity comes along, will you recognize it, grab it and commit to it? The first four disciples Jesus called were work-a-day fisherman, yet they saw something in an itinerant preacher that drove them immediately to drop their nets and follow. A big struggle men face is weighing a personal decision that calls for risk--to well-being, relationships and self-image. We explore the fateful decision by Peter, Andrew, James and John to go all-in with Jesus. Host...
Podcast 202 Preview -- Be Careful What You Pray For
April 30, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.36 MBIn our upcoming podcast on seizing opportunities and committing to the long-term, "Judge" Michael Cropper talks about asking the Lord for help in growing his faith and but gets a difficult answer.
Men Matter Director's Cut: Davey Gibson, Associate Pastor, Sugar Land Baptist Church
April 29, 2021 08:00 - 29 minutes - 28.2 MBDavey Gibson, associate pastor of education and discipleship at Sugar Land Baptist Church, talks with Man Up's Michael Cropper about how church ministries can bring men back into the congregation as the Covid pandemic recedes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast 201 -- Transitions and Temptations Mark 1:1-15
April 27, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 66 MBWe begin a deep dive into the first three chapters of Mark's gospel, starting with the Jesus' baptism and subsequent temptation in the wilderness. Along the way, we talk about John the Baptist's role as transitional prophet from the Old Testament to the New, and how we deal with transitions in our lives. We then look at the temptations Jesus faced and how we, like him, can meet, struggles with, and overcome challenges to our own Christian faith. Also, Sugar Land Baptist Church Associate Pasto...
Podcast 201 Preview -- Difficult Transitions
April 23, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.34 MBHere's director Bill Cox talking about the difficulty some men face when moving from one phase of life to the next in our upcoming podcast on life transitions.
Podcast 200 -- Iron Sharpens Iron Proverbs 27:17
April 20, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 69.7 MBIn our milestone 200th podcast, we talk about the listeners we each try to reach and take turns diving deeper into the various themes we return to week after week -- iron sharpens iron, lead dog needs to be fed, exercise your faith muscle, balance sheet of the soul, spoke in the wheel. What emerges is a sort of manifesto for the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast 200 Preview -- Teamwork That Makes the Dream Work
April 16, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.76 MBMan Up Director Bill Cox talks about the type of listener he tries to reach in a preview of our landmark 200th podcast dropping next Tuesday.
198 Podcasts in Five Minutes
April 15, 2021 08:00 - 5 minutes - 4.86 MBAs a special feature marking our 200th podcast, we've uploaded the audio clip compilation from Podcast 199. A great big thank you to the Professor, Robert Cocheu, for assembling this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast 199 -- Looking Back
April 13, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 63.1 MBAs we approach our 200th podcast, we take a break from our usual format to talk about events external of the past four years: hurricanes, floods and ice storm and a year-long pandemic, and personal: surgeries, accidents, aging parents. We talk about how they have shaped us and how even in difficulty, we can see the Spirit at work. We talk about how our faith has grown and how reading and discussing scripture each week contributes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast 199 Preview -- Deacon with a Sledge Hammer
April 09, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.54 MBIn our upcoming look back over four years of podcasts, Kyle Trahan recalls how the congregation's generous response when his home flooded led him to a ministry of service.
Podcast 198 -- Philippians 4:10-23 Defining Contentment
April 06, 2021 08:00 - 54 minutes - 53.2 MBPaul says he has learned to be content in all circumstances. That touches off a spirited discussion as to what, exactly, contentment is. Is it on a spectrum of emotions, or something that can co-exist with grieving, suffering and misfortune? Is it a conscious choice or a gift of the Holy Spirit? And, for American Christians especially, is prosperity the greatest obstacle to contentment? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast 198 Preview -- Defiant Contentment
April 02, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.7 MBCan the decision to be content be an act of defiance in a chaotic world? Man Up panelist Steve Titch suggests it in this clip from next week's podcast on Paul's notion of contentment.
Podcast 197 -- Philippians 4:1-9 Don't Worry, Be Happy?
March 30, 2021 08:00 - 53 minutes - 52.2 MB"Do not be anxious about anything," writes Paul. That's easy to say when you're not up against a pandemic, unemployment, gun violence and toxic cultural divisiveness. We all desire the "peace that surpasses all understanding," yet each day it seems less and less achievable. In this week's podcast we each talk about the ways we try to reduce the anxiety level in our lives even while acknowledging how difficult that is to do. Also, we briefly discuss a USA Today call to remove Oral Roberts Uni...
Podcast 197 Preview -- No March Madness for Christian Schools
March 26, 2021 08:00 - 1 minute - 1.76 MBIn a clip from our next podcast, Robert and Mike discuss a USA Today op-ed calling for Oral Roberts University to be removed from the NCAA Basketball Tournament for failure to conform to the current woke mindset.
Podcast 196 -- Philippians 3:17-21 In the World but Not of the World
March 23, 2021 07:59 - 1 hour - 67.9 MBIf our "citizenship is in heaven," as Paul says, what are our responsibilities on Earth? One of the difficulties of being a Christian is that sooner or later, your values will come into conflict with those of secular society. Yet at the same time, we are a religion of reconciliation and transformation. In a time where American Christians are all too ready to engage in fighting, is there a better way to bring truth to a fallen world? We also tackle another set of hypothetical scenarios that ca...
Podcast 196 Preview -- "Why Aren't You in Church?"
March 19, 2021 08:01 - 2 minutes - 2.04 MBIn a preview of next week's podcast on being in the world but not of it, Mike and Bill talk about times when work conflicts with church attendance.
Podcast 195 -- Philippians 3:12-16 Set Your Spiritual Goals
March 16, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 61.3 MBProfessionally and personally, men set goals and measure themselves by how well they meet them. But what about spiritually? What are your goals for a mature life in the Christian faith? Better still, what *should* those goals be? (Hint: it's not trying to follow all the rules.) As Paul exhorts us to "press on," we discuss these questions and others. Mike talks about running the good race. Robert suggests applying the SMART approach to setting faith objectives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com...
Podcast 195 Preview -- Introverts vs. Extroverts
March 12, 2021 09:00 - 1 minute - 1.11 MBIntrovert or extrovert? "Director" Bill Cox talks about how each sets and meets spiritual goals. Full podcast posts next Tuesday.
Podcast 194 -- Philippians 3:1-11 Balance Sheet of the Soul
March 09, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 60.9 MBPaul considered everything he had counted as profit before encountering Christ as "rubbish" (a family-friendly translation from the Koine Greek)when measured against the "power of the resurrection." It's a hard teaching for American Christians, but Paul forces us to always question the value of material gain and to be ready to give it all up to follow Christ. In a lively discussion, the fellows debate how much the Lord asks of believers, to what degree, if any, there is virtue in wealth, and ...
Podcast 194 Preview -- Faith vs. Stuff
March 05, 2021 09:00 - 48 seconds - 818 KBRobert Cocheu lists the cultural and religious cachets Paul surrendered as "garbage" to pursue a life in Christ in this clip from our upcoming podcast on Philippians 3:1-11.
Podcast 193 -- Servant Leadership Philippians 2:19-30
March 02, 2021 09:00 - 59 minutes - 57.2 MBWe discuss Christian management and mentoring as we look at how Paul delegated ministry work to Timothy and Philippian messenger Epaphroditus. We look at how Paul's heartfelt endorsement of Timothy set up his protoge for success, and how Paul bolstered Epaphroditus, who, because he fell ill on his mission, may have been subject to backbiting by church peers as having failed his task. Finally, what can we learn about "servant leadership," a juxtaposition of seemingly opposite terms, and its ap...
Podcast 193 Preview -- Appreciating Apprenticeship
February 26, 2021 09:00 - 1 minute - 1.37 MB"Professor" Robert Coucheu highlights the dying value of apprenticeship in both work and spiritual life in a clip from next week's podcast on Christian leadership and mentoring.
Podcast 192 -- Ingmar Bergman Christianity Philippians 2:12-18
February 23, 2021 09:00 - 52 minutes - 50.3 MBPaul's instruction to "work out your salvation with fear and trembling" has widely different meanings across different faith traditions. Is it call to cower before God or kneel in awe? Podcasting through an historic cold wave, we fearlessly dive in to the process of sanctification, submission and discipleship and how they fit into joyful Christian living. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast 191 -- Philippians 2:5-11 It's Hard To Be Humble
February 16, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 60.8 MBMost men, including us, find Paul's command to imitate Christ's humility one of the most difficult to follow. Can a Christian afford to choose humility when their teachers, bosses and social influencers place so little value on it? Our discussion explores the tension between assertiveness and humility and we hash out some real-world scenarios in a game of "It's Hard To Be Humble." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast 191 Preview: The Rewards of Misusing Gorilla Glue
February 12, 2021 09:00 - 1 minute - 1.57 MBWhy humbly own up to your mistakes when there's GoFundMe?
Podcast 190 -- Philippians 2:1-4 A Church In Full Accord, Really?
February 09, 2021 09:00 - 57 minutes - 55.5 MBWhat Paul exhorted churches to remain "in one mind," it seems divisions have been the norm since the beginning. We discuss what is meant by being of "one mind" (it doesn't mean marching in lockstep)and look at reasons churches split, from doctrine to poor people skills, and the Christ-like traits that Paul says foster unity amid disagreement. After listening, visit our YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-7ygRzB3xlve113C3-YAaw) for some more background on Man Up and the Man Up fel...
Podcast 190 Preview: Baptist Churches, 1st, 2nd and 3rd
February 05, 2021 09:00 - 1 minute - 1.3 MBCheck out this clip from our upcoming podcast on the church challenge of remaining unified in the faith.
Podcast 189 -- The When and How of Standing Firm Philippians 1:27-30
February 02, 2021 09:00 - 55 minutes - 53.7 MBPaul calls on the Philippians to stand firm for the Gospel, yet let their manner be worthy of the its message of grace and love. We talk about correct ways Christians can stand united against opponents, whether they are inside or outside the church community. We even stir the pot a bit with a discussion about those who brought the Christian flag to the Capitol Building riot. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast 189 Preview--Set Aside Fear
January 29, 2021 09:00 - 1 minute - 1.27 MBStanding firm in the faith calls for fearlessness. In this clip, Man Up's Steve Titch ("The Gambler") warns against letting fear motivate Christian action.
Podcast 188 -- Philippians 1:20-26 The Cheerful Subject of Death
January 26, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 58 MBPaul admitted to weighing the choice between living confined in prison or choosing death and a glorious afterlife with the Lord. That's our jumping off point for a discussion about suicide, suffering and end-of-life experiences with friends and relatives. As Christians, we believe we will enter the presence of God after we die. How much of a rush should be in to get there? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast 188 Preview -- Death is a Transition
January 22, 2021 09:00 - 1 minute - 1.53 MBComing up next week -- a cheerful podcast about death. Check out this clip featuring Man Up panelist Robert Cocheu ("The Professor").
Podcast 187 -- Challenge Adversity Philippians 1:12-19
January 19, 2021 08:59 - 49 minutes - 48.4 MBIn jail, away from friends, his missionary plans thwarted, Paul still chose to rejoice. Paul didn't just passively accept his situation; he challenged it on his own terms to make it work for the Gospel. We talk about how faith not only helps carry men through hard times, but actually transforms adversity into Kingdom work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast 187 Preview
January 15, 2021 09:00 - 50 seconds - 875 KBA clip from next week's podcast on rejoicing amid adversity.
Podcast 186 -- Diversity & Inclusion Philippians 1:1-11
January 12, 2021 09:00 - 57 minutes - 55 MBWe start the new year with a study of Paul's letter to the Philippians. Paul saw joy from the Philippian church--whose members varied from wealthy cloth merchants to common jailers--as they looked past their differences to partner to spread the Gospel. As secular culture reduces the virtue of diversity into the latest fad, we look at the Christian ideal of purposeful community. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast 186 Preview -- Creating Community for Men
January 09, 2021 09:00 - 44 seconds - 740 KBIn a clip from our next podcast, Robert Cocheu talks about why men need community.
Podcast 185 -- New Year's 2021 1 Samuel 3:9, Psalm 73
January 05, 2021 09:00 - 53 minutes - 51.5 MBFor our first podcast of 2021, we take on a potpourri of topics. We talk about the men we hope Man Up reaches and the overall importance of men's ministries. We ask if Christian men can be alpha males and finally we take a look back at a messy 2020 and express our hopes for a better 2021. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast 184 -- No Ordinary Joe -- Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 2:1-6, Matthew 2:13-15,19-23
December 22, 2020 09:00 - 1 hour - 64.8 MBFor our Christmas 2020 podcast, we take a look at Joseph, one of the most important figures in the Christmas story yet one who rarely gets any attention. God delegates the care and protection of Mary and the child Jesus to Joseph, who remains humble and obedient to the Lord, while decisive and purposeful in accomplishing the difficult and stressful tasks he faces. As men confront the challenges and pressures of the holiday season, we look at the lessons we can learn from the example Joseph se...
Podcast 184 Preview -- Joseph Mans Up
December 18, 2020 09:00 - 1 minute - 1.11 MBGet ready for our Christmas podcast next week: a look at Joseph, the most overlooked character in the Christmas story!
Podcast 183 -- Galatians 5:22-25 Spiritual Fruit-of-the-Month Club
December 15, 2020 09:00 - 56 minutes - 54.6 MBOur panel discusses the traits Paul says will emerge when one truly lives by the Holy Spirit. We contrast that with his indictment of worldly practices that purport to offer the same benefits, but invariably fall short. Everyone strives for greater love, peace, joy, patience, kindness and these other examples of spiritual fruit, but how much comes from our work and how much comes from surrender to the Spirit? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast 183 Preview -- When the Spirit Bears Fruit
December 11, 2020 09:00 - 1 minute - 1.25 MBFrom its sudden appearance in new believers to more refined variety as faith matures, director Bill Cox contemplates the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Podcast 182 -- 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 Faith, Love and Hope
December 08, 2020 09:00 - 1 hour - 57.4 MBThe guys discuss Paul's "triad" of traits that emerge when the Gospel and the Holy Spirit combine to spark transformation in a believer. We look at faith vs. works, love vs. duty and finding joy despite hardship and endurance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast 182 Preview -- Love Requires Buy-in
December 04, 2020 09:00 - 1 minute - 1.35 MBIn a clip from our next podcast, Director Bill Cox recalls how his father could spot the difference between farms that were rented and those that were fully owned.
Podcast 181 -- Ephesians 5:15-20 Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs
December 01, 2020 09:00 - 56 minutes - 55.3 MBInstead of getting drunk on wine, Paul calls on us to be "filled with the Holy Spirit" and specifically cites singing as a way to do so. That's our cue to talk about the types of worship music we grew up with and how it contributes the overall celebration we should find in our faith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast 181 Preview -- Robert's Eclectic Music Taste
November 27, 2020 09:00 - 1 minute - 1.21 MBThe "Professor," Robert Cocheu, lists his favorite types of worship music in this clip from upcoming Podcast 181.
Podcast 180 -- Ephesians 4:25-32 Paul vs. Major Reisman
November 24, 2020 09:00 - 55 minutes - 53.4 MBWe dissect Paul's command to be kind, compassionate and forgiving with the reality that men, as leaders, often need to use "tough love" in our parental and managerial relationships. Even Christ saw virtue in directness: "Let your 'yes' be yes and your 'no,' no." (Matt. 5:37) How do Christian leaders set high expectations yet do so with love and kindness? Also, the fellows talk about the Boy Scouts and whether the program is still relevant in 2020. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for ...
Podcast 180 Preview
November 20, 2020 09:00 - 48 seconds - 802 KBA clip from our upcoming podcast on Ephesians 4:25-32
Podcast 179 -- Ephesians 1:13-14 Is Salvation Guaranteed?
November 17, 2020 09:00 - 54 minutes - 52.5 MBPaul seems to say so, but others disagree. This week we explore the meaning of be "sealed" by the Holy Spirit. Can we lose our salvation by failing to walk with the Spirit? What about those who, like Hawk Nelson frontman Jon Steingard, openly renounce their faith? Also, Bill Cox, our director, reflects on Veterans Day. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Podcast 179 Preview -- The Risks of Dorm Room Witnessing
November 13, 2020 09:00 - 1 minute - 1.18 MBPanelist Mike Cropper made no judgments when a fellow Christian came to his aid.