In this episode, we speak to Dr Seth Pierce, host of Beast and Bible. He's also an author, public speaker and academic. We have a fantastic conversation about monsters in popular culture, in the Bible and in our world today. Who knows, maybe there's a monster hiding somewhere near right now! 

This episode, we speak to Nathan Brown about the Voice to Parliament. It's a divisive issue and we're fully aware of the possibility of walking into a hornet's nest but onward we march! 

SPOILER WARNING: this episode contains free and unfettered discussion of Barbie. If you'd prefer not to have the plot details spoiled, go watch it before listening to this episode! For our 150th episode, Josh is away (whoops!). Never fear though because Jesse gets to talk to friends of the show Viema and Mitch about recent film Barbie. It's the movie that turned more than a few heads recently in the cinema and though we're late to the party, we felt it was still a good time as ever to talk...

Today, we talk about prayer. It's the thing your intense auntie at church is always going on about, but for many of us, prayer isn't a vibrant part of our spiritual life. In fact, for many Christians, it's a point of pain and frustration. It doesn't need to be that way! In this episode we talk about a book both Josh and Jesse recently read called Praying like Monks, Living like Fools by Tyler Staton. The books' great by the way, and if you'd like to read it for yourself, this is a great intro...

Pr Jinha Kim joins us in this episode to talk all about AI. What's it good for, what are the dangers and IS IT COMING FOR YOUR JOB? Ok, that last part may be a little dramatic but it's still important to consider the issues. Jinha is a church planter and woman of many talents, and AI has been invaluable for her and her ministry in the increasingly-complex world of urban ministry.    To connect with Jinha's church, check out their website: https://melbournecityadventist.org/

Yes, it's click-bait. By our acknowledging this, we're declaring our self-awareness which makes it fine, right? This episode, we finish our two-part conversation on a report recently published on the last 20 years of church trends: the good, the bad and the ugly. This time we dwell a little less on the ugly and more on the good. We also spend some time talking about the outcomes of the report: what they recommend churches do now if they want to experience growth and health.  To read the...

In this episode, we talk about a recently-published report that tracks trends on the last twenty years of churches in the United States. 21 denominations and other faith groups were surveyed and this report is the result of two decades of study. Today, we'll discuss some of the different challenges that churches and faith communities of different sizes face, and seek to discover what the story in all of it is.   To read the report for yourself, click here

This week, we sit down to talk with Michael 'Chappo' Chapman and Tarenne 'Tarenne' Greenwood. They both serve at Gateway Church in Cooranbong itself. Yes, these two luminaries condescended themselves long enough to depart the hallowed halls of the holy city itself to join us in the muck and grime of Sydney. Don't fear dear listener, after the interview they safely made it home. Nonsensical ramblings aside, we had a fascinating conversation about Sabbath. As Seventh-day Adventists, it's...

In this episode, Josh and Jesse talk to Jeremy Choo about Micro Church. Jeremy is a soon-to-be-pastor who decided to plant a church in the middle of Melbourne during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. His big vision soon turned micro as he discovered a new breed of church. Now that the pandemic is largely over, he's not turning back. 

In this episode, Josh and Jesse talk about men. It takes one to know one, apparently.  But, more specifically, we tackle the issues facing men today. Josh recently re-read Wild at Heart by John Eldredge, which sparked this conversation. Pretty soon both of us fell down the rabbit hole. According to a new book by Richard Reeves called Of Boys and Men, males are falling behind in nearly every arena of life, which brings up a number of worrying questions. What does it mean to be a man in this...

Dr Brendan Pratt joins us this episode to talk about consumerism. What is it, why has it invaded every corner of our daily lives and how can we live with it, in our ordinary lives and faith communities?  You can read his doctoral thesis here

This episode, Josh and Jesse discuss the recent(ish) revival taking the Christian world by storm. We are, of course, referring to the Asbury Revival. What was it? Was it real? Was it a sign of things to come or was it a flash-in-the-pan? We talk about this and more in this appropriately-timed Easter episode!

This episode, we talk to friend of the show and fellow pastor, Lachlan Harders. Lachlan is ministering up in the Gold Coast of Queensland, but because he's an AFL fan we won't hold that against him. At least, Josh won't. Jesse has no such affection for that strange form of football so Lachlan will have to get by him with his charm alone. Nonsense aside, Lachlan brings a fascinating idea to the podcast: his thesis is that the church has, over time, formed a low view of itself. Hence, "low...

In this episode, the lads talk about 'Striver Culture.' It's a culture brought on by the enormous stress faced by students, young professionals and just everyday people. The story is familiar to most of us: there's not enough to go around and if I want to 'get ahead,' I'd better take my life into my own hands and make it happen! It sounds like an appealing dream: if I work hard enough, I can earn enough money to relax, provide for my family and enjoy my life. But does it usually ever work out...

After many years of eyeing each other off from afar, we finally invited Daron Pratt on the podcast. He's a man of many talents: from chicken-rearing to balloon-twisting, he's a man of intrigue. But, he's also a man who has dedicated his life to ministry, and specifically, ministry working with children and teens. In this episode, we tap into his almost-30 years of experience. We had a great time, and we think you will too. 

Ok, we're back for real this time. In a strange twist of fate, both Josh and Jesse have found themselves once again living in the same city. The last time this happened it was 2018 so I'm sure you understand the unlikelihood of such an occurrence.  In this episode, we talk about the time that elapsed between the last time we turned on the mics and now. A lot has changed; we've changed. And, the church has changed. Jesse now works in the media department of one of our church entities and Josh...

Josh and Jesse have had just about enough of the new digital world we're all part of now. Don't get us wrong: we know it's here to stay, and we embrace that fact, but one thing is undeniable: there's a drain that happens when you spend a lot of your time online, doing the things you used to do in-person. So, let's talk about that. 00:00 Welcome & Catchup 02:29 Why Did we Go on a Break? 12:28 Digital Burnout 22:32 The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill Podcast and Media 25:53 Are we Building a...

This week, Josh, Laura, Josh, and Jesse look back on 3 years of the podcast. and reminisce on our favourite memories. Despite the multitude of highs and lows, it's been an amazing ride. Seeing as this is our last episode before we go on our long-needed hiatus, we hope you'll join us for this livestreamed episode! From all of us at Burn the Haystack, we hope you have a wonderful holiday season, and an amazing 2021! Hopefully we'll see you soon. Website and Blog | Facebook Page | Facebook...

This week, Josh and Jesse talk about Carl Lentz. He's the latest in a line of pastors falling from grace due to moral indiscretions, but this time, it hits a little closer to home. The guys also talk about the impact this controversy has had on the church, and how things simply must change if we're going to reach a skeptical culture with the Gospel. Website and Blog | Facebook Page | Facebook Group | Instagram | Merch Send us an email at [email protected]. This episode of...

This week, Josh and Jesse interview Matthew Korpman on his new book, Saying No to God. In this book, he seeks to help us reevaluate our understanding of how we relate to God, and how he relates to us. Is God truly unmoved and sovereign, or does he change his mind based on us, humans? Website and Blog | Facebook Page | Facebook Group | Instagram | Merch Send us an email at [email protected]. This episode of Burn the Haystack is sponsored by Avondale University College. To learn...

This week, Josh and Jesse talk to Daniel Cocking about climate change. A somewhat controversial topic in the polarized world of today, it is nonetheless vital that we grapple with this important issue. No matter your stance on climate change, we hope that this episode is interesting and informative! We definitely learned a lot. Links & Resources: David Attenborough's 'A Life on Our Planet' Elon Musk's Unbelievably Simple 12-minute Killer Break Down on Climate Change Greta Thunberg Hears...

This week, Josh and Jesse talk to Nathan Brown about his new book, Advent: Hearing the Good News in the Story of Jesus' Birth. This Advent book takes readers on a journey from the first whisperings of the Messiah to his death and resurrection. Designed to be either read devotionally Dec 1-31, or in church community, this book is a fantastic resource for anyone who wants to recapture the wonder and awe of the Advent season. Advent Book from Signs Book Depository Nathan's Amazon Page Road to...

This week, Josh and Jesse talk to Kevin Wilson, aka Cross Culture Christian, aka the guy who makes Chai on Tik Tok. He has 144,000 Tik Tok followers, and is reaching hundreds of thousands of people every month through his social media presence. Join us as we talk to Kevin about ministry, life, and why Chai? Website and Blog | Facebook Page | Facebook Group | Instagram | Merch Send us an email at [email protected]. This episode of Burn the Haystack is sponsored by Avondale...

This week, Josh and Jesse interview long-time friend and mentor, Andre Afamasaga. After having been a pastor in the Adventist Church for 11 years, Andre, though a Kiwi, came out as gay in a column in the Sydney Morning Herald. He is no longer a pastor, but is still a dedicated follower of Jesus, and in this episode we explore the tricky landscape of sexual identity and the place it has in the Church. WARNING: Whilst this episode is clean, we do talk about some fairly heavy topics, such as...