Our Church Speaks
Ben Lansing & D.J. Marotta
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A podcast exploring the saints and stories of the church from every era and place.
Epizode
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Episode 78 - Modernism (Church History 101 Part 11) 31.08.2026 32minBen and Dan trace church history through recent centuries, discussing how the rise of secularism led to both challenges and opportunities for the Christian church. NEW: Preorder our new book ("Our Church Year"), due for release in 2027. Art by Ben Lansing. Order art prints and learn more about Our Church Speaks at www.ourchurchspeaks.com. -
Episode 77 - Revivals (Church History 101 - Part 10) 24.08.2026 41minContinuing their survey of church history, Ben and Dan discuss the Great Awakening of the 18th century and the many revivals and spiritual movements it inspired.Note: Episode from earlier today is being republished, due to audio issues.www.ourchurchspeaks.com -
Episode 79 - Global Realignment (Church History 101 Part 12) 07.09.2026 25minIn our final episode of Church History 101, we discuss the dynamics of the global church in the 21st century and the direction that global Christianity may take in the future.NEW: Preorder our new book ("Our Church Year"), due for release in 2027. Art by Ben Lansing. Order art prints and learn more about Our Church Speaks at www.ourchurchspeaks.com. -
Episode 76 - Reformation (Church History 101 Part 9) 17.08.2026 33minBen and Dan continue the story of church history with an overview of the Reformation era and its major players. NEW: Preorder our new book ("Our Church Year"), due for release in 2027. Art by Ben Lansing. Order art prints and learn more about Our Church Speaks at www.ourchurchspeaks.com. -
Episode 75 - Medieval Crisis (Church History 101 Part 8) 10.08.2026 45minWas the Reformation necessary, or were the reformers' concerns unfounded? Ben and Dan tackle some of the more difficult aspects of 11th- to 15th-century Medieval Western Europe, demonstrating the events and circumstances that stoked the fire for the Reformation. NEW: Preorder our new book ("Our Church Year"), due for release in 2027. Art by Ben Lansing. Order art prints and learn more about Our Church Speaks at www.ourchurchspeaks.com. -
Episode 74 - Schism (Church History 101 Part 7) 03.08.2026 40minHow did the church go from a united family to divided into multiple communions and denominations? The story starts with the age of Schism, as a growing rift between Eastern and Western Christians takes hold, culminating in the year 1054. Ben and Dan discuss this painful chapter of church history and what its implications are for today.Please like, share, and subscribe. It's a huge help! More about Our Church Speaks and our devotional book at www.ourchurchspeaks.com. -
Episode 47 - Johann Sebastian Bach, Composer (with special guest Orlando Palmer - "IAMSON") 27.10.2025 46minBen welcomes special guest, musician and songwriter Orlando Palmer (IAMSON) to discuss the life and legacy of the 18th century composer and Lutheran saint, Johann Sebastian Bach. Along the way, Orlando reflects on his own experience growing up in a musical family and how the faith and hymnody of earlier generations continues to bear fruit in his life and creativity. You can listen to IAMSON's music here. Cover art for this episode by Ben Lansing. More about the Our Church Speaks book and the Our Church Speaks project at ourchurchspeaks.com If you've benefited from this podcast, your support would do so much to help promote this content to a wider audience. Please consider rating our podcast and leaving a review. You can support the Our Church Speaks project financially at https://buymeacoffee.com/ourchurchspeaks?new=1 -
Episode 7 - Absalom Jones, First African American Priest 30.09.2024 31minRecorded the week of July 4, this episode focuses on Absalom Jones, an American revolutionary-war era minister and one of the first African Americans ordained in the United States. Ben and Dan discuss the historical context of the American revolutionary war and how it created the world in which Absalom Jones served as a minister. The conversation meditates on the purpose of freedom and the responsibility that comes with it. Cover art by Ben Lansing. ORDER the book "Our Church Speaks: An Illustrated Devotional of Saints from Every Era & Place", support this project on Patreon, get prints / calendars, and more at www.ourchurchspeaks.com. -
Episode 73 - Monastics (Church History 101 Part 6) 27.07.2026 41minBen and Dan discuss the importance of the monastic movement to the course of church history and to their own lives and devotional practices. | More about the Our Church Speaks book and the Our Church Speaks project at ourchurchspeaks.com. Please rate, review, and share our podcast - it means a lot to us! -
Episode 72 - The Church Councils (Church History 101 Part 5) 20.07.2026 30minContinuing their survey of church history, Ben and Dan discuss the ecumenical church councils, what they accomplished, and which myths and urban legends about them need to be corrected. More about the Our Church Speaks book and the Our Church Speaks project at ourchurchspeaks.com. Please rate, review, and share our podcast - it means a lot to us! -
Episode 36 - The Nicene Creed (Part 2) 02.06.2025 42minThis episode marks the conclusion of Season 2 of the Our Church Speaks podcast. The show will return in August, 2025 with Season 3. 2025 marks the 1700 year anniversary of the Council of Nicaea and the drafting of the Nicene Creed. In Part 2 of this discussion, Ben and Dan continue their analysis of the Nicene Creed, following the creed line by line and drawing out observations about this monumental document of Christian history. Cover art by Ben Lansing. More about the Our Church Speaks book and the Our Church Speaks project at ourchurchspeaks.com If you've benefited from this podcast, your support would do so much to help promote this content to a wider audience. Please consider rating our podcast, leaving a review, and supporting financially at https://buymeacoffee.com/ourchurchspeaks?new=1 -
Bonus Episode - Myths about the Council of Nicaea (thanks to the Church History for Chumps podcast) 16.02.2026 1hBen has had a few health struggles in the past month (including temporarily losing his voice), so we're posting another bonus episode featuring Ben as a guest on the Church History for Chumps podcast (originally released November, 2024). In this episode we tackle misconceptions about the Council of Nicaea and what it accomplished and how to correct popular misinformation with verifiable history. Be sure to subscribe to the Church History for Chumps podcast and follow them on Instagram @churchhistory4chumps More about the Our Church Speaks book and the Our Church Speaks project at ourchurchspeaks.com If you've benefited from this podcast, your support would do so much to help promote this content to a wider audience. Please consider rating our podcast and leaving a review. You can support the Our Church Speaks project financially at https://buymeacoffee.com/ourchurchspeaks?new=1 -
Episode 12 - Martin of Porres, Friar of Peru 04.11.2024 37minBen and Dan explore the story of the South American Saint Martin of Porres, who overcame prejudice and hardship through a life of faith that was fed by his profound discipline of prayer. ----------- Cover art by Ben Lansing. ORDER the book "Our Church Speaks: An Illustrated Devotional of Saints from Every Era & Place", support this project on Patreon, get prints / calendars, and more at www.ourchurchspeaks.com. -
Episode 0 - Our Church Speaks Podcast Trailer 12.08.2024 5minOur Church Speaks: A podcast of saints from every era and place. Hosts Ben Lansing and D.J. Marotta introduce themselves, their upcoming book (published by InterVarsity Press), and the overall "Our Church Speaks" project. Cover art by Ben Lansing. ORDER the book "Our Church Speaks: An Illustrated Devotional of Saints from Every Era & Place" (IVP, 2024), support this project on Patreon, get prints / calendars, and more at www.ourchurchspeaks.com. -
Episode 27 - Mary of Egypt, Hermit 31.03.2025 38minBen and Dan discuss the wild and miraculous story of Mary of Egypt, a woman who intended to run far from God but found herself in his loving embrace and became a cherished mother of the ancient church. Cover art by Ben Lansing. More info about this podcast, the Our Church Speaks art and history series, and the Our Church Speaks devotional (printed by InterVarsity Press) at ourchurchspeaks.com Support this podcast at https://buymeacoffee.com/ourchurchspeaks?new=1 -
Episode 42 - Andrew Kim Taegon, Priest & Martyr of Korea 22.09.2025 30minBen and Dan talk about Andrew Kim Taegon, the first ordained Korean priest and a martyr for the faith. Along the way they discuss the legacy of Korean Christianity, as a whole, and reflect on the importance of keeping the witness of the church in our perspective as we labor in our individual corner of the kingdom of God. Cover art by Ben Lansing. More about the Our Church Speaks book and the Our Church Speaks project at ourchurchspeaks.com If you've benefited from this podcast, your support would do so much to help promote this content to a wider audience. Please consider rating our podcast, leaving a review, and supporting financially at https://buymeacoffee.com/ourchurchspeaks?new=1 -
Episode 50 - Macrina the Younger, Church Mother & Teacher of the Faith 17.11.2025 45minDan and Ben discuss the life and work of Macrina the Younger, an early church mother who inherited the apostle's teaching and defended the faith through her prayer and service. More about the Our Church Speaks book and the Our Church Speaks project at ourchurchspeaks.com If you've benefited from this podcast, your support would do so much to help promote this content to a wider audience. Please consider rating our podcast and leaving a review. You can support the Our Church Speaks project financially at https://buymeacoffee.com/ourchurchspeaks?new=1 -
Episode 8 - Valentine, Cyril and Methodius 07.10.2024 40minBen and Dan chat about the Roman priest Valentine and the Eastern European missionaries Cyril and Methodius and they discuss why these three saints are often associated with each other and why their unique witness reveals what true love is. Cover art by Ben Lansing. ORDER the book "Our Church Speaks: An Illustrated Devotional of Saints from Every Era & Place", support this project on Patreon, get prints / calendars, and more at www.ourchurchspeaks.com. -
Episode 33 - John of Damascus, Teacher of the Faith 12.05.2025 45minBen and Dan discuss the Syrian Church Father, John of Damascus and his impact on the church's theology of religious art and images. Cover art by Ben Lansing. More about the Our Church Speaks book and the Our Church Speaks project at ourchurchspeaks.com If you've benefited from this podcast, your support would do so much to help promote this content to a wider audience. Please consider rating our podcast, leaving a review, and supporting financially at https://buymeacoffee.com/ourchurchspeaks?new=1 -
Episode 6 - Josephine Bakhita, Prophetic Witness 23.09.2024 30min“I am definitively loved and whatever happens to me, I am awaited by this love. And so my life is good.” - Josephine Bakhita (c. 1867-1947), Monastic & Prophetic Witness Ben and Dan talk about the profound faith of the African saint, Josephine Bakhita, and the hope and trust that she placed in Jesus Christ after a life of heartbreak and trauma. They reflect on what Jesus means when he calls someone blessed and how our lives are defined, not by our circumstances, but by what Jesus says about us. ---Cover art by Ben Lansing. ORDER the book "Our Church Speaks: An Illustrated Devotional of Saints from Every Era & Place", support this project on Patreon, get prints / calendars, and more at www.ourchurchspeaks.com.
