More Than Hearing Molly and David Douthett

Hey everyone! We know that many of you are adapting your worship services to online formats and we have some tips for how to move Multiple Intelligence Theory online! We are working from the Zoom platform; you may be using something different with other tools. That’s okay. We’re pretty sure what we suggest in this video will translate to other applications.







Worship is a living experience, so don’t fret if you are having difficulties or receiving feedback that is mostly “Why do we have to do it THIS way?” or “I wish we could meet at the church.” We do not worship the way our ancient Hebrew ancestors worshipped, and we don’t worship the way the first Christians worshipped. We don’t even worship the way our grandparents worshipped for the most part. We are rapidly evolving into this new world where the Ancient foundation of God’s love shapes our new walls.







So this week’s episode is an adventure, because it is both audio and VIDEO! If you subscribe to our regular feed, you’ll get the audio from the video automatically, or you can download it here or in the usual places. But if you want the full treatment, you’ll want to click on the video on this page! You’ll get to see us at work with some general examples of special effects, plus you can see our swank MTH logo t-shirts!











Our first video episode! The sound quality is lousy, because we recorded through Zoom.







We truly hope this helps as you make your way in the new world. Please be in contact if you have any questions!

Hey everyone! We’ve been swamped this week. A lot of new ways of doing ministry has kept us away from producing a show. We are re-posting our episode from three years ago for these texts. You can see our show notes and download our worksheets at this link. Our intention in the next week is to post a video with some suggestions for presenting illustrations and special effects for online worshipping. When we started this podcast five years ago, we never dreamed we would need to distance ourselves from hands on worship. This is a new world, and I suspect that online worship will truly go mainstream even after we can gather again safely.







We pray you all are well, and that this time, while unnerving, will provide you with new and creative ways to be the Body of Christ. Keep the faith, pray for everyone on the frontlines, pray for those suffering through the disease and grief of lost loved ones, and know you are mightily loved.







Grace and peace,Molly and David

Hey all! We suspect you are listening to this podcast being careful to keep a social distance from others. The spread of COVID-19 has caught many of us unprepared and is stressing our resources and sense of security. Introverts the world over may be happy to stay away from people while extroverts are itching to get back out to their people as soon as possible. In this episode, David and I spend a little time talking about what this means for worshipping communities in the weeks ahead and offer a prayer I found online. Technology can be a wonderful thing! We pray you are well and are finding this unexpected fast from everything this Lent to be a time for reflection and re-ordering priorities. May your lives be blessed.







Three years ago, we titled the podcast for this episode Seeing is Believing. Samuel saw one thing when he saw Jesse’s sons but maybe didn’t believe he had heard God right when each one was rejected as king. We explored the way humans respond to physical stature when looking for a leader. Paul tells the Ephesians that they’ve received light through Jesus, so go live like it. We found a lot of poetry in the passage! In John, we have another long narrative that we transformed into a Reader’s Theater. Which we mentioned again in this podcast, so go have a look at the script already written!







By the way, as we did last week, we recorded this “live,” as we call it. That means we are coming up with ideas while we are recording without as much preparation. It makes it a lively exercise, although it’s a little more chaotic. What do you think – Are we as creative and clever when we go live? Share your comments below or on our Facebook page.















John 9:1-41 – [06:47]







John 9:1-41 – worksheetDownload







This passage is one long drama – full of PEOPLE smart elements! We wrote a Reader’s Theatre script three years ago, so download it and see if you can get it to work for you. I ran across a fascinating essay by Barbara Brown Taylor (linked below) about a man’s experience with his own inner light after he lost his sight as a child. Is is possible we all have this? Jesus uses mud and saliva to heal the blind man’s vision which we talked about three years ago, as well. Is it possible there were some healing properties in each? Jesus tells the man that he is the light of the world before he applies this mixture. In this passage, the man knows he has received this light and his sight, but others are still in the dark about the whole thing. They can’t see the light, so does it exist? Break out some fluorescent markers and a black light (see Ephesians below) and explore what we can, can’t, and won’t see.







* BODY smart – commentary by Barbara Brown Taylor















Ephesians 5:8-14 – [19:42]







Ephesians 5:8-14 – worksheeta href="https://morethanhearing.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Ephesians-5_8-14.

Hey, everyone! Welcome to the show! We have found ourselves a little pressed for time – again – and have decided to record the show live this week. That does not mean that you are hearing us as we record; it means, we did not spend a lot of time preparing each passage prior to turning on the microphones. Instead, we looked them over a bit and then, trusting the movement of the Holy Spirit, came up with ideas off the top of our heads. So, the show is “live” in that we are recording without the safety net of our usual work. You may not be able to tell in the recording, but the worksheets will tell a different story!







Our episode three years ago was Drinks on the House. We took a close look at clean water initiatives in both the John and Exodus passages. In Exodus, we had an idea how to make a “water spouting rock” for your worship space. For Romans, we suggested building Paul’s rhetorical chain in verses 3 – 5 using emojis! And in John, we have some unlikely characters showing up in “enemy” territory claiming to be the Anointed One. We had a lot of material to work with, so combine it with today’s show and you have a smorgasbord to choose from! Bon appétit!















Exodus 17:1-7 – [01:58]







Exodus 17:1-7 – worksheetDownload







I often marvel at the task Moses was given. Not only did he have to risk returning to a land he had exited hastily and for his own safety, he confronted the most powerful man in the world with an audacious demand for freedom. Then, after overseeing some eye popping supernatural events, he led LOTS of people out into the wilderness where they almost immediately began grousing about his leadership. I think what I marvel about the most is that he didn’t just turn around and take them all right back to Egypt like they asked him to do. His question to God, “What shall I do with this people?” is one I’m certain most pastors have asked a time or two. God answers, “Give them something to drink. Here; I’ll show you how.”







* WORD –* America’s Second Great Awakening* The wilderness of Sin* Massah – from the root nasah which means to test or try* Meribah – from the root word rib, to strive or contend* EYE –* Rephidim – a possible site for the oasis* MATH –* The number of people Moses led from Egypt is counted in the hundreds of thousands. That’s a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=what+does+100K+people+look+like&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS795US7...

Hey all! Welcome! This picture reminds me of a story David tells about our daughter when she was about three. He was packing up to go on a trip – his bag was on the bed, and he was selecting clothing to put into it. Meredith was on the bed, and when David turned to the dresser to pull out some clothes, he heard her say, “Daddy! Catch!” He turned to see her in the air coming toward him. She had committed herself to an irretrievable act of vulnerability, and David had a choice. Of course, he dropped his clothes and caught his daughter and fulfilled her trust in him. May we all be able to trust God with the same type of abandon this Lent.







For the episode three years ago, we suggested mapping out the distance Abram travelled as a BODY and EYE smart illustration in Genesis. A misheard Elton John lyric shows up for a WORD smart illustration in Romans (and still makes me laugh). And for John, we have a MUSIC smart illustration about Mozart and music theory. Have fun finding what works for you and your congregation!















Genesis 12:1-4a – [01:58]







Genesis 12.1-4a worksheetDownload







If you are a word nerd like me, you will notice some repetition in this passage. Writers are often told NOT to repeat words, but sometimes there are good reasons for it, which we explore in WORD smart. For EYE smart, have some fun giving directions for “how to get there”! We use a viral video and an old shampoo add to illustrate how Abram’s blessing became a blessing in MATH smart. Did Abram need to leave his father’s home for this to happen? We explore that possibility in NATURE smart. Abram was enticed to trust God and go; illustrate that enticement with toddlers and cookies in PEOPLE smart. And for SELF smart, the commentary linked below uses two movies to illustrate the journey one person makes that extends beyond their own lives to those around them. For homework, ask your people to practice trusting the way Abram did every time they leave their own homes.







* WORD – [04:05]* Here is an article about the use of repetition in rhetoric.* EYE – [05:22]* MATH – [06:23]*  Here is a slightly dated article about the math of going viral.* NATURE – [07:18]* A video clip about male cubs leaving their fathers. Or is that being chased away?* PEOPLE – [08:05]* SELF – [09:30]* commentary by Micheal Jackson, A Plain Account















Psalm 121 – [11:02]







Psalm 121 worksheetDownload







Psalm 121 is the second of the Songs of Ascent; worship liturgies used by pilgrims going to Jerusalem and the Temple. The commentary linked below in EYE smart “walks” ...

Greetings everyone! We attempt to find pictures that address the theme of each podcast and some weeks it is a lot easier than others. This time, it was like falling out of a tree, just like a well ripened fruit. The Gospel reading and the Genesis reading are about temptation. (Paul makes a connection between the events in his letter to the Romans.) Traditional art and mythos has identified the apple as the fruit given and received in the Garden, but apples likely didn’t grow in the Middle East. I looked up what might have been The Fruit and read it may have been a pomegranate. Scripture does not say what fruit it was; only that it was good for food and pleasing to the eye. Plus, it would have the added benefit of making one “like God”. Being identified with God causes the first humans to take on what is not theirs. Being God allows Jesus to withstand using his identity in abusive ways.







Because we were running short on time, we left Psalm 32 on the shelf. However, we do have these hymns Blest is the Man, Forever Blest (Psalm 32, Part 1) While I Keep Silence and Conceal (Psalm 32, Part 2), and You Are My Hiding Place to offer! Plus, we covered these passages three years ago in our show “The Sin that Ate Cincinnati”. We slay us.















Matthew 4:1-11 – [01:58]







Matthew 4:1-11 worksheetDownload







We begin in EYE smart with some memes about being tested and move on to MATH smart where Jesus’ temptation to turn stones to bread called to mind the transubstantiation doctrine of the bread turning into his body. Jesus’ body falling from a pinnacle got David to thinking about crowd surfing, so we have some images to illustrate that in BODY smart. MUSIC smart contains poetry, so David began a poem about this passage which you can find at the bottom of the worksheet. Click the download button! And for SELF smart, we had some fun remembering an advertising campaign for Klondike Bars, not a sponsor of this show.







* EYE smart – [04:49]* Don’t test me – Professor* Don’t test me – Dolores Umbrage* Don’t test me – Baby* Don’t test me – Grumpy Cat* MATH smart – [06:2...