Would this be an appropriate forum to discuss the importance of not teasing those of us who are single?  Examples: Asking what is wrong with us that we are still single? (Many of us already ask ourselves that daily)  Making comments such as “you won’t be single long” (I’ve heard this since I was 18, and now I’m 44)  I realize these comments are not meant as put downs, but how are we supposed to respond in a Godly way?  I think it would be very helpful to have some single Elder Brothers, but I realize this is not logical seeing as how we’ve had very few single Ministers over the years.  It seems like this is a growing cross-section of our Church Body and I think it’s necessary to address this issue, but don’t know if this would be the appropriate time and/or place to discuss it...

I greatly appreciate the Around the Table episodes published so far. However, some of the background music that plays during introductions and endings seems inconsistent with what we use and promote in worship and elsewhere. Using music with less of a beat and more familiar could help with the overall familiarity and comfort level of this new resource.

What type of prayer language should a believer use for audible prayers?

I was having a conversation with some friends on how around the table can sometimes feel scripted and how it could potentially be fixed. If you are not sure what I mean by scripted I can try to be more descriptive. Many times the discussions can feel like everything has been written out the questions, remarks, and answers have all been laid out and prepared beforehand. This is not inherently bad but if the podcast is supposed to be a discussion it can make the whole podcast feel staged. This can make it very difficult to listen to. The people I was talking with came up with a potential solution. The idea was to have one continuous participant to act as a mediator and facilitator. This could be extremely helpful as those being interviewed could still research their topic and come prepared. But they are not just reading what they have found and instead the interviewer is asking questions, pulling on threads of thought, and leading the conversation. This would relax the elders and pastors being questioned and make the conversation feel much more organic. The interviewer would not just have to be one person it could also be a rotation. The mediator would not have to be an elder they simply would have to be able to guide conversation, ask questions, and help relax those being interviewed. In conclusion the discussions from around the table can often feel scripted in order to remedy this issue the implementation of a facilitator could help drive conversation and create organic conversation. 

How do we promote healthy diversity in our churches? God seems to be glorified when there is diversity among believers yet unity is present to bind us all together in love. Our churches seem to be filled with believers who don’t evidence much diversity. Similar upbringings, socioeconomic status, race, etc. Is true unity evident if we as believers all look the same? 

Additionally the vast majority of our growth seems to come from within our church. Is this true growth if we aren’t pulling in from the community? How do we believers be culturally relevant without becoming spiritually irrelevant? 

Excellent, especially the difference between being a member of the body and membership. But have left out an important part of membership: when you join an organization, you are committing to it's Statement of Faith. I realize this is a touchy subject currently and so can expound elsewhere if desired...

Would love to hear from elder wives!  What do they wish their congregations understood about their role? How can we best support them? What are their biggest challenges?

It seems like this can be an awkward topic to discuss and it is something we don't talk about as church members amongst each other.  As a young Christan that has recently graduated from college and entered the work force, I have discovered that this is a topic that I do not know much about.