By the Well is a weekly lectionary-based podcast for preachers. Each week we take a deep dive into some of the texts from the Revised Common Lectionary, exploring their ancient setting and how we might preach them today. We aim to take the Bible seriously, but not literally, bringing the best biblical scholarship into conversation with lived experience, pastoral need, and theology.
Our name, By the Well, is a nod to the Samaritan woman in John 4. In many ways she is an ordinary woman, perhaps on the margins of her community. When she encounters Jesus during her daily task of drawing water at the well, it transforms her and her faith. In discovering the “living water” that is Christ, she becomes a preacher and evangelist for her community, bringing them to encounter the good news of God for themselves.
- Fran and Robyn (co-founders)
B234 Pentecost 12
Kylie welcomes two scholars of the Gospel and Letters of John, Catrin Williams (University of Wales Trinity St David, UK) and Alicia Myers (Campbell University Divinity School, US) to discuss John 6, and especially 6.35, 41–51. Delve into this episode for some framing for these five weeks on John 6, as well as the passage for this week. See also Alicia's contributions to working preacher on John 6.1–21 and John 6.24–35.
For more on the other readings for this week, see the episode for Pentecost 6 for Psalm 130. On 2 Sam 18, see Howard Wallace's lectionary blog.
We also mentioned Susan Hylen's book Imperfect Believers. Alicia Myers also has a commentary on John written for preachers, Reading John and 1, 2, 3 John, and edited with Bruce Schuchard, on John's use of Scripture, Abiding Words, including a chapter by Catrin Williams.
7/29/2024 • 34 minutes, 27 seconds
B225 Pentecost 3
In this episode Kylie and Sean explore themes of kingship, apocalyptic, family, and bodies in 1 Samuel 8:4–20; 2 Corinthians 4:13–5:1 and Mark 3:20–35.
In the episode we mention three resources relating to the gospel reading:
Ched Myers, Binding the Strong Man
Anna Rebecca Solevåg, Negotiating The Disabled Body (SBL Press, 2018)
Justin Meggitt, The Madness of King Jesus (I B Tauris, 2018)
6/3/2024 • 30 minutes, 41 seconds
B211 Lent 3
Monica and Kylie discuss Exodus 20.1–17, Psalm 19, and 1 Corinthians 1.18–25. The themes include the context of the ten commandments readings, as the Hebrew people come out of harsh enslavement and Yahweh establishes relationship with them; creation, Torah, and salvation/forgiveness in the Psalm; and Paul's theological reflection on true wisdom and on weakness and strengh. On reflecting on sabbath, we also mention too books: Rest as Resistance by Tricia Hersey (https://thenapministry.com/), and Practicing our Faith: A Way of Life for a Searching People, edited by Dorothy C. Bass (https://practicingourfaith.org/the-books/).
