Let's Talk About It

Let's Talk About Art Being Too Artsy

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

For this season’s finale, the Morgans start off with an entertainment segment exploring the new phenomenon of art just for art’s sake and its impact on the viewing experience. In their relationships segment, they make a case against the trend of using “vibes” to make judgments about people in relationships.

Let's Talk About "X-Men '97"

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In the “Entertainment” segment of this week’s episode, Malcolm & Micah explore the bold and insightful social commentary embedded in the animated series, X-Men ‘97. Then, in their “Faith in Context” segment, they answer the question, “How does someone’s race impact their faith?” By the end of the episode, listeners will explore with the Morgans a vision for how God may want us to coexist despite so many different social differences and expressions of faith.

Let's Talk About Agreeing to Disagree

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 21 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

This week, Malcolm & Micah begin with a “Faith in Context” segment on deciding whether to stay in a church that doesn’t mirror all of your beliefs. They also explore what it would need to take in order to leave a church with whom someone doesn’t 100% agree. Then, in their “Relationships” segment, they explore the difference between healthy and unhealthy disagreement.

Let's Talk About Red Flags

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

This week, Malcolm & Micah start this episode with a relationships segment on red flags. They start by offering some language for how to define them and explore healthy ways red flags can help someone be a self-reflective romantic partner or friend. Then, Malcolm and Micah end by revisiting their church hurt conversation from June 2021. They answer the question, “If a lapse of care can cause someone to experience church hurt, how can we think about care and go about caring for one another in Christian communities in ways that lead to less potential pain for church members?”

Let's Talk About "The Book of Clarence"

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In the Season 5 premiere, Malcolm & Micah discuss the film "The Book of Clarence". They highlight what Clarence's faith journey says about spirituality and doubt. They also discuss how the film depicts blackness in a traditionally white-dominated genre and how centering black characters in a biblical story creates unique perspectives on oppression and power. And in their faith in context section, they unwrap the question: Should Christians consume secular context?

Let's Talk About Tropes Gone Wrong

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500

The Morgans continue season 4 with an entertainment segment on the function of tropes and cliches in cinema. They explain what they add to the movie and television experience and share some of their least favorite tropes and cliches as well. Malcolm and Micah end this episode with a "Faith in Context" segment exploring some of their favorite metaphors and imagery for God in the Bible.

Let's Talk About the Savior Complex

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

In this week’s entertainment segment, the Morgans discuss the HBO Max documentary, “Savior Complex,” and the complicated world of Christian international missions in Africa. Then, in their “Faith in Context” segment, Micah and Malcolm wrestle with the complexity of international missions even further as they explore the question, “is local missions enough?”

Additional References

'White Supremacy Culture" (article) by the Department of Inclusion and Community Engagement - Minnesota Historical Society

Let's Talk About When Helping Hurts

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

In this week’s entertainment segment, the Morgans talk about the HBO documentary, “BS High” and the complicated journey of Roy Johnson and the Bishop Sycamore football team. Then, in their relationships segment, they discuss what can lead to a person being less helpful than they think they are and how someone can compassionately tell them so.

Let's Talk About Bein' Black (Part 1)

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400

In this week’s entertainment segment, Micah and Malcolm explore an artistic genre that has made a recent comeback called “Afro-surrealism.” They define the genre and then spend some time exploring some of the movies and shows that have come to represent the genre in recent years. Then, in their relationships segment, the Morgans talk about the infinite ways that being Black can impact relationships within the Black community.

Let's Talk About "Succession"

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Malcolm and Micah launch season four by finally talking about one of their favorite shows: Succession. They describe the most notable moments of the show along with some lessons we can take from it. And, for their relationship segment, they continue by exploring the ways an unhealthy ego shows up in various Succession characters.

Let's Talk About Black Fame

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0500

In the Season 3 Finale, the Morgans tackle the complexities of the relationship the Black community has with Black public figures. they explore the nuances of the pressure Black public figures are under and the varied responses the Black community can have to various expressions of Black fame. Malcolm and Micah continue the episode with a “Faith in Context” segment on Black Deconstruction. How does it tend to be different from the Exvangelical movement? And how can Black, deconstructing Christians move through their deconstruction journey in the healthiest way possible?

Let's Talk About Parent-Child Relationships

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0400

In this week’s entertainment segment, Malcolm and Micah offer their review of the movie “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” including their commentary on its cinematography and on its use of metaphor. Then, in their relationships segment, the Morgans explore adult parent-child relationships. They answer questions like, “what can make these relationships so difficult? What is there to look forward to when you’ve entered adulthood with your parents?”

Let's Talk About Power

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0400

In this week’s episode, the Morgans tackle the concept of power from all angles. In their relationships segment, they start by defining power and exploring the many ways it can show up by seen people. Then, in their faith in context segment, they explore a biblical foundation for how power should be used.

Let's Talk About "Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul."

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 27 Sep 2022 18:29:45 -0400

This week, Malcolm and Micah spend some time thinking out loud about the movie, “Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul.” They use their entertainment segment to explore the layers of the film and the impact it’s had on Black Christians since its release. Then, in their relationships segment, they explore the obstacles that often stand in the way of cross-generational relationships and what we can do to improve them.

Let's Talk About How Churches Innovate

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 06:49:50 -0400

In this week’s “Faith in Context” segment, Micah and Malcolm spend some time thinking out loud about the evolution of church innovation. They wonder about what motivates the church to innovate and what the purpose of church innovation is. Then, in their “Entertainment” segment, they discuss the current trend of the cinematic reboot. They answer questions like, “Do we need the reboot? What kinds of people tend to crave a reboot?”

Let's Talk About Why I'm Not Here to Make Friends

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400

It’s never too late to discuss a good show! This week, Malcolm and Micah finally discuss the 2022 winter released AppleTV+ show, Severance. They explore the show’s appeal to the visual and auditory senses and its commentary on elements of western culture work life balance and definitions of personhood. Then, in their relationships segment, the Morgans ask and answer the question, “Why do some people come to work to make friends and others don’t?”

Let's Talk About "Holy" Dating

Urban Arts Digital — Mon, 15 Aug 2022 12:38:32 -0400

Malcolm and Micah head down memory lane and talk about what navigating “holy dating” was like as Black, Christian teenagers. They answer questions like, “What motivated the adults in our lives to talk about dating the way they did? And what does scripture actually say about dating— if anything?” The Morgans end this week’s episode by exploring the increasingly popular topic of ghosting— but with a bit of a twist.

Let's Talk About "Nope"

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 02 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Jordan Peele’s long-awaited #NopeMovie has finally been released and Malcolm and Micah simply could not pass up an opportunity to talk about it! They begin season three of the podcast by discussing the cinematic artistry and metaphorical themes of Peele’s most recent blockbuster. Then, in their relationships segment, they explore the building blocks of apologies in both personal relationships and the entertainment industry.

Let's Talk About Slave Movies

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 00:00:00 -0400

After Janelle Monae's "Antebellum," scholars and commentators revisited the conversation about whether we need any more slave movies (spoiler alert: it's a pretty short conversation). Malcolm and Micah join that conversation in their entertainment segment. Then they finish off this episode by reminiscing about the few slave movies they've valued the most over the years.

Let's Talk About Church Hurt

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 17:05:45 -0400

Church hurt is a complicated subject with relational and spiritual components to consider. Malcolm and Micah sit down to first define and then discuss church hurt as a relational and spiritual issue. Then, in their relationships segment, they shift their discussion to how to repair after a fight or conflict.

Let's Talk About Our "Callings"

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 00:00:00 -0400

The concept of “calling” has taken on a distinct set of ideas within the Western Christian imagination. Malcolm and Micah sit down to talk about those ideas and the impact they tend to have on the people who unconsciously adopt them. Then, the Morgans finish this week’s episode by filtering their discussion about “calling” through a review of Amazon Prime’s “Invincible.”

Let's Talk About Captain America & Justice

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Malcolm and Micah finally sit down to chat about the Falcon and the Winter Soldier: the show’s plot points, symbolic references to moments in history, and exploration of friendship and race. They transition to this week’s “Faith in Context” segment by answering the question, “If this is what the new Captain America thinks about Justice, what can we imagine God thinks about Justice?”

Let's Talk About Adult Friendships

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 11 May 2021 00:00:00 -0400

Malcolm and Micah explore the age-old topic of adult friendships in this week’s double relationship segment episode. They begin by answering questions about when friendships were easy and what makes them difficult now. And they end with a discussion on friendships alongside of romantic relationships. Is it okay to have friendships with someone your partner isn’t friends with?

Let's Talk About "The One"

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 04 May 2021 00:00:00 -0400

This week, Malcolm and Micah answer the question, “Is there such a thing as ‘the one’ when it comes to romantic relationships?” They’ll use the Netflix series ‘The One’ as a backdrop for this conversation and will end with a relationships segment on a popular tool often used to more deeply understand ourselves and the one we’re with.

If you want to explore more from this week’s relationships segment, head to http://enneagraminstitute.com/.

Let's Talk About "Malcolm & Marie"

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 27 Apr 2021 00:00:00 -0400

It’s the season 2 premiere episode and Malcolm and Micah are starting off with an entertainment segment on Sam Levinson’s “Malcolm & Marie.” They explore the beauty and complexity of this movie and what it takes to argue healthily in romantic relationships.

Let's Talk About Difficult People

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 22 Dec 2020 00:00:00 -0500

In this Season Finale episode, we are talking about difficult people. We help to identify what can make difficult people hard to deal with, what we've learned in these relationships and, how as leaders, we can better relate and care for difficult people.

Let's Talk About "The Queen's Gambit"

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 01:03:52 -0500

This week Malcolm and Micah give their review of "The Queen's Gambit", including what this movie says about self-reliance and relationships. They also talk about mentorship and the reasons why mentorship may be a lost art.

Let's Talk About "Jingle Jangle"

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 08 Dec 2020 00:00:00 -0500

It's a holiday-themed episode! This week we talk about the Netflix Original musical "Jingle Jangle" including what we liked, what we didn't like and some general feelings about holiday movies. We end the show with a discussion of some of our favorite Christmas movies.

Let's Talk About COVID-19 (Part 1)

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 00:00:00 -0500

This week Malcolm & Micah talk COVID-19. They start off talking about how COVID-19 has caused some big changes in the church and then they talk about what COVID has revealed about them individually and collectively.

Let's Talk About Tyler Perry

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0500

This week Malcolm and Micah have a spirited conversation about Tyler Perry. They look at their criticism of his work, and why they have higher expectations from creators like Perry. They end with a conversation about how to tell your friends and family that their taste in TV and movies is not good.

Let's Talk About Forgiveness and Boundaries

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0500

This week Malcolm & Micah talk about Forgiveness and Boundaries. Should we forgive and reconcile the relationship? What are some reasons why you may not reconcile even when you forgive? They end the show with a fun conversation about the challenges of choosing something to eat.

Let's Talk About "Lovecraft Country"

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 03 Nov 2020 00:00:00 -0500

This week, Malcolm and Micah give their review of HBO's "Lovecraft Country". They talk about the origins of the movie and talk through some of the deeper meanings embedded in the story. They also spend some time contemplating maintaining relationships with people that you disagree with you politically. SPOILER ALERT: It's hard!

Let's Talk About Love Languages

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 00:00:00 -0400

This week Malcolm and Micah talk about their experience with dealing with disagreements with church leadership and give some ideas on how to navigate this complicated issue. They also talk about Love Languages and how they have navigated their respective Love Languages in their relationship and what it has taught them about their families.

Let's Talk About "Marriage Story"

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 13 Oct 2020 02:29:32 -0400

This week Malcolm & Micah talk about the Academy Award-nominated movie, "Marriage Story" starring Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver. They talk about how this movie became a surprise favorite for them as well as the acting, screenwriting and themes in the movie. They also tie themes and ideas in the movie to how we think about divorce and the ending of relationships

Let's Talk About Your Favorite Introvert

Urban Arts Digital — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 00:00:00 -0400

This week Malcolm & Micah discuss how to interact with people who have no interest in talking faith. They also bought up the age-old debate of Extroverts vs. Introverts and talked about how they navigate living on different parts of the spectrum.

Let's Talk About "Antebellum"

Urban Arts Digital — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 02:27:27 -0400

This week, Malcolm & Micah give their review of "Antebellum" including the messages and themes included in the movie. They also talk about being Woke and Christian: is it possible to find a balance between our racial identity and our faith. Thanks for tuning and let's talk about it!

Let's Talk About Unshared Interests & Facebook Beef

Urban Arts Digital — Thu, 24 Sep 2020 00:00:00 -0400

On the premiere episode, Malcolm and Micah talk about how to deal with both shared and unshared interests with your partner. They also talk about some of their rules for dealing with people on social media. Join the conversation and let's talk about it!

Teaser Episode

Urban Arts Digital — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 12:14:44 -0400

Thanks for joining us on this journey! In this teaser episode, meet our hosts Malcolm & Micah Morgan as they give us a breakdown of what to expect from this podcast and explain why they started it.