NOT the Sermon

100th Episode Live Show!: "You Turn Deer Into Spacemen"

In this episode, Jamie & Eric, joined by Producer Alex & Phoenix, celebrate their 100th episode with a live show filmed and recorded in front of a studio audience—packed with extra segments, throwbacks, and unhinged banter. In Shooting the Skybalon, they revisit their favorite moments from the first 100 episodes. In Shady Theology, they take on nondenominationalism and what it really means (and doesn’t mean). How Great is Our Pod gets a special live twist with a worship Mad-Lib, resulting in the unforgettable anthem “Nothing Is Better Than Cake.”
Eric brings the heat in Eric’s Edumakation by breaking down what worship actually is, followed by Houston, We Have a Question, where the guys receive a live question offering from the audience. They wrap it all up with a crowd-involved game of Stand Up If… and plenty of moments you could only get from a live show.
It’s loud, ridiculous, and a perfect snapshot of what the first 100 episodes have been all about—welcome to Not the Sermon.

Episode 99: "Chewy, Breaux, and Hazel"

In this episode, Jamie & Eric kick things off with Shooting the Skybalon, where Jamie admits to using a church member as a lock-up wingman to avoid closing duties, and the guys talk about how pastors have quietly become full-time content machines. In Pester the Pastor, they wrestle with Christians and media consumption, asking what a healthy relationship with the digital world actually looks like. In Odd News, they cover a strange article about dogs learning vocabulary and habits from their owners. Finally, in Shady Theology, they dig into the clergy vs. laity divide and where that line came from in the first place.
It’s honest, weird, and uncomfortably relevant—welcome to Not the Sermon.
00:00:15 – Skybalon: Lock-up wingman & holy content machines
00:11:07 – Pester the Pastor: Media consumption
00:24:51 – Odd News: Dogs learning vocabulary from their owners
00:35:29 – Shady Theology: The clergy vs. laity divide

Episode 98: "Clicks, Grunts, and Curse Words"

In this episode, Jamie & Eric kick things off with Shooting the Skybalon, joined by Eric’s sister, Madison. The conversation quickly goes off the rails as Jamie shares his near death experience and Madison starts sharing stories that Eric probably hoped would stay private. In Shady Theology, they wrestle with whether it’s actually okay to share ministry stats and numbers. Madison sticks around to give us even more dirt on Eric, because of course she does. Finally, in Oh My, Your Greek Is Showing, the guys break down pistis and what the Bible really means when it talks about faith.
It’s chaotic, revealing, and sneakily theological—welcome to Not the Sermon.
00:00:14 – Skybalon: Jamie chokes & Eric’s sister joins the pod
00:10:15 – Shady Theology: Ministry stats
00:22:11 – Interview: Interviewing Eric’s sister
00:32:35 – Your Greek Is Showing: Pistis
 

Episode 97: "Sloppy Wet Cough"

In this episode, Jamie & Eric kick things off with Shooting the Skybalon, talking about the telltale signs that someone just won the lottery and why everyone seems to be weirdly obsessed with Eric’s hair. In Shady Theology, they dive into purgatory—where the idea came from, why it stuck, and why it still sparks debate. Then it’s game time with The Slang Game, where they try to guess the meanings of ancient slang terms and quickly realize people have always been weird. Finally, in Pester the Pastor, they tackle magic in the Bible and ask what to do with supernatural activity that doesn’t seem to come directly from God.
It’s funny, curious, and theologically mischievous—welcome to Not the Sermon.
00:00:18 – Skybalon: Winning the lottery & Eric’s hair
00:10:00 – Shady Theology: Purgatory
00:20:28 – Game: The Slang Game
00:31:27 – Pester the Pastor: Magic in the Bible

Episode 96: "Respectfully, Shut Up"

In this episode, Jamie & Eric kick things off with Shooting the Skybalon, as Jamie shares a wild overseas story involving a one-legged man paying him mid-sermon. In The Bible Says What?!, they dig into two eyebrow-raising passages—Lot’s daughters and Paul’s instructions on head coverings. In Pester the Pastor, they tackle a practical question every preacher faces: how long should a sermon be, really? Finally, in Christian Conspiracies, they take on the claim that Jesus had a wife and sort out where the idea comes from—and why it doesn’t hold up.
It’s strange, thoughtful, and unapologetically curious—welcome to Not the Sermon.
00:00:16 – Skybalon: One-legged man
00:10:26 – The Bible Says What?!: Lot’s daughters & head coverings
00:24:49 – Pester the Pastor: How long should a sermon be?
00:35:17 – Christian Conspiracies: Jesus’ wife

Episode 95: "Fresh Year, Fresh Heresy"

In this episode, Jamie & Eric kick things off with Shooting the Skybalon, roasting listeners’ Spotify Wrapped results and reacting to a mysterious Sermonot gift. In Shady Theology, they wade into deep waters with annihilationism and conditional immortality—what they are, why people believe them, and why they matter. Then it’s game time with a New Year’s Sermon Mad-Lib, where things go off the rails fast. Finally, in Pester the Pastor, they tackle Preachers & Sneakers—asking how much pastors should spend on clothes, cars, and homes, and where wisdom, optics, and integrity collide.
It’s sharp, funny, and theologically spicy—welcome to Not the Sermon.
00:00:18 – Skybalon: Roasting listeners’ Wrapped & a Sermonot gift
00:10:07 – Shady Theology: Annihilation & conditional immortality
00:26:10 – Game: A New Year’s sermon Mad-Lib
00:34:31 – Pester the Pastor: How much should pastors spend on clothes, cars, and homes?

Episode 94: "Post-Diabetic"

In this episode, Eric & Alex are joined by Not the Sermon's #1 fan, Cory! They kick things off with Shooting the Skybalon, talking New Year’s resolutions and why they almost never survive January. In So Help Meme God, they react to a wild video of a man getting tackled while trying to attack a pastor. In Houston, We Have a Question, they dig into the role of the Ten Commandments and how they’re meant to function in the life of the church today. Finally, in Odd News, they cover a bizarre article about donating pets as food—yes, it’s exactly as strange as it sounds.
It’s chaotic, thoughtful, and just the right amount of unhinged—welcome to Not the Sermon.
00:00:12 – Skybalon: New Year’s resolutions
00:09:18 – So Help Meme God: Tackled at the altar
00:20:50 – Pester the Pastor: The Ten Commandments
00:34:29 – Odd News: Pets as food

Episode 93: "Holiday Confusion"

In this episode, Jamie & Eric kick things off with Shooting the Skybalon, talking holiday plans, Mariah Carey’s annual resurrection, and the mystery of Jehovah Witness "Halls". In Shady Theology, they take a closer look at manger scenes and why they’re almost never biblically accurate. Then it’s game time with Life’s a Preach: Christmas Edition, where they try to build a sermon out of three completely random items. In Pester the Pastor, they offer some much-needed holiday financial wisdom on staying smart when spending ramps up. Finally, they debut O Baptist Church with Lots of Ham, a Christmas carol spoof with a very Baptist twist.
It’s festive, ridiculous, and just theological enough—welcome to Not the Sermon.
00:00:24 – Skybalon: Holiday plans, Mariah Carey, & JWs
00:09:57 – Shady Theology: Manger scenes
00:22:45 – Life’s a Preach: Christmas edition
00:28:27 – Pester the Pastor: Holiday financial wisdom
00:37:13 – Baptist Christmas Carol: O Baptist Church with Lots of Ham

Episode 92: Rainbows, Butterflies & Skittles Falling from the Sky"

In this episode, Eric & Alex start with Shooting the Skybalon, roasting Eric’s painfully underwhelming Spotify Wrapped. In Pester the Guest, they flip the script and pester their guest co-host about the real purpose of parachurch ministries. In Shady Theology, they wrestle with a challenging question: did Jesus actually make it hard to follow Him? Finally, in Eric’s Edumakation, Eric breaks down the key differences between preaching and teaching.
It’s reflective, spicy, and just self-aware enough—welcome to Not the Sermon.
00:00:08 – Skybalon: Roasting Eric’s Spotify Wrapped
00:10:31 – Pester the Guest: Churches and para-church ministries
00:23:41 – Shady Theology: Did Jesus make it hard to follow Him?
00:34:39 – Eric’s Edumakation: Preaching vs. teaching

Episode 91: Drip Coffee & Flintstone Vitamins

In this episode, Jamie & Eric start with Shooting the Skybalon, pulling back the curtain on what it really takes to organize a baptism Sunday. In Houston, We Have a Question, they tackle why Jesus cursed the fig tree and what that moment was actually about. Then it’s game time with 1-Second Christmas Songs, where they try to identify Christmas classics after hearing just one second. Finally, in The Bible Says Whaaat?!, they unpack the strange stories of Noah’s nakedness and Moses calling himself the most humble man alive.
It’s fun, weird, and packed with biblical surprises—welcome to Not the Sermon.
00:00:12 – Skybalon: Baptism Sunday
00:12:07 – Houston, We Have a Question: Cursing the fig tree
00:22:40 – Game: 1-Second Christmas Songs
00:32:53 – Bible Says Whaaat?!: Noah’s nakedness & Moses’ humility