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CPTB is a conversational, funny, and thoughtful take on this week’s Bible readings - for preachers, church leaders, deconstructors, and curious listeners who still love scripture, even when they’re not sure what to do with it. We explore the text with humor and theological depth, without certainty, outrage, or easy answers.

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What do you do when Jesus walks up and offers you something that isn’t fishing?

In this Short Take episode of Comedians with Pastors Talking Bible, we turn to Matthew’s call story and sit with how strange it really is. Jesus starts his ministry in the wrong place, calls people with a wildly unclear job description, and somehow convinces fishermen to drop their nets and follow him immediately.

Joined by our resident comic theologians Abby Evans (@itsabbye) and Erick Williams (@comicaledubs), we talk about bad neighborhoods, worse recruiting pitches, Zebedee left in the boat, and why discipleship has always been more weird than heroic. Along the way, we stumble into some surprisingly serious theology about calling, cost, baptism, and what actually makes ordinary things matter.

Funny, thoughtful, and a little sideways—this one’s for preachers, deconstructors, and anyone who’s ever wondered why that pitch worked.

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Matthew 4:12–23 (NRSVue)

[12] Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. [13] He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, [14] so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: [15] “Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the gentiles— [16] the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.” [17] From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” [18] As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishers. [19] And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” [20] Immediately they left their nets and followed him. [21] As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. [22] Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. [23] Jesus went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.

Hosted by Pastor Eric Damon and Pastor Bob Schaefer.

Join the community!
Email us at cptbpod@gmail.com.
Find us at @cptbpod on most social media platforms.
More at linktr.ee/cptbpod

Music: Trickster by Phat Sounds
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10864-trickster
Licensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Scripture quotations are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Send us a text

CPTB is a conversational, funny, and thoughtful take on this week’s Bible readings - for preachers, church leaders, deconstructors, and curious listeners who still love scripture, even when they’re not sure what to do with it. We explore the text with humor and theological depth, without certainty, outrage, or easy answers.

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This week we’re in John 1:29–42 (Second Sunday after Epiphany, Year C), where John the Baptist does the one job nobody wants: he points away from himself. “Look—here is the Lamb of God.” And somehow, that strange little sentence opens up a whole universe of meaning: sacrifice and innocence, Passover and mercy, and the unsettling idea that God’s power doesn’t show up as a flex.

Joining us are comedians Johnny Trafficante (@johnnytrafficante) and Seth Queen (@sethqueen_comedy), and we talk Catholic “smells and bells,” the way liturgy gets into your bones, why Bible branding and grift feels so spiritually corrosive, and what it might mean to recover a model of strength that looks more like vulnerability than domination. Along the way, Jesus casually renames Simon to Cephas (because apparently that’s what you do when you’re the Messiah), and we find ourselves circling a paradox the church desperately needs right now: the Lion of Judah is also the Lamb—and the Lamb is how the Lion wins.

As always: we’re pastors in the ELCA, we take scripture seriously, we don’t take ourselves too seriously, and we’re glad you’re here. Like, subscribe, share with a friend (or an enemy—if you must), and may the Holy Spirit do her thing in your life.

Hosted by Pastor Eric Damon and Pastor Bob Schaefer.

Join the community!
Email us at cptbpod@gmail.com.
Find us at @cptbpod on most social media platforms.
More at linktr.ee/cptbpod

Music: Trickster by Phat Sounds
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10864-trickster
Licensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Scripture quotations are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Send us a text

CPTB is a conversational, funny, and thoughtful take on this week’s Bible readings - for preachers, church leaders, deconstructors, and curious listeners who still love scripture, even when they’re not sure what to do with it. We explore the text with humor and theological depth, without certainty, outrage, or easy answers.

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In this Short Take episode, we turn to the Gospel reading for the Baptism of Our Lord (Year A) and ask a surprisingly human question: what if Jesus didn’t actually hear the voice from heaven?

As we dig into Matthew’s account of Jesus’ baptism, we talk about humility, doubt, belonging, and what it means to trust grace that sometimes comes to us through other people rather than directly from God. Along the way, we imagine Jesus with water in his ears, wrestle with John the Baptist as a “good doubter,” and reflect on baptism not just as a private spiritual moment, but as entry into a community that speaks love when we can’t hear it ourselves.

Joining us are our resident comic theologians Abby Evans (@itsabbye) and Erick Williams (@comicaledubs), bringing performer instincts, cultural riffs, and just enough chaos to keep things honest.

Whether you’re preaching this text, deconstructing inherited faith, or just wondering why this story still matters, you’re welcome here.

If you enjoy the conversation, like, subscribe, and share CPTB with someone you think might actually enjoy it.

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Matthew 3:13–17 (NRSVue)

[13] Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. [14] John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” [15] But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. [16] And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw God’s Spirit descending like a dove and alighting on him. [17] And a voice from the heavens said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”

Hosted by Pastor Eric Damon and Pastor Bob Schaefer.

Join the community!
Email us at cptbpod@gmail.com.
Find us at @cptbpod on most social media platforms.
More at linktr.ee/cptbpod

Music: Trickster by Phat Sounds
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10864-trickster
Licensed under CC BY 4.0: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Scripture quotations are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.