LARKCAST

Book: Reclaim (Available on Amazon) https://larksite.com/reclaim

#1: Two Guys Walk Into A Temple (Best of 2021)

LARK — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 05:00:00 -0600

#1: Two Guys Walk Into A Temple (Best of 2021)

#2: The First Shall Hate Happy Hour (Best of 2021)

LARK — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 05:00:00 -0600

#2: The First Shall Hate Happy Hour (Best of 2021)

#3: Thank God For A Shady Savior (Best of 2021)

LARK — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 05:00:00 -0600

#3: Thank God For A Shady Savior (Best of 2021)

In what some have called “the hardest parable,” God decides to introduce himself to creation as a shady owner of a debt consolidation business rather than an upright bookkeeper who demands every penny of what we owe. And, as it turns out, as disreputable debtors ourselves, we’d prefer to buy from the trunk of the car in an alley than full-price in the store. All we can say is, “thank God for a shady savior!” Join Tony and Russ as the tackle The Parable of the Unjust Steward in this week’s episode of the LARKCAST.
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Connect with Lark!
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Web: https://larksite.com
Larkcast: https://larksite.com/larkcast
Book: Reclaim (Available on Amazon) https://larksite.com/reclaim
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lark_social/

The Christmas Episode

LARK — Tue, 21 Dec 2021 05:00:00 -0600

The Christmas Episode

Well, it's the week of Christmas. And without sounding cliché, we are talking about the theological heart of Christmas in this week's episode. Cheers to Jameson and our longtime former producer (and more importantly, our friend) Ryan for giving Russ and Tony a break and taking over the Larkcast. Episode 34 will be the last NEW podcast of 2021. See you misfits on the flip-flop!
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Larkcast Website: https://larksite.com/larkcast

Book: Reclaim (Available on Amazon) https://larksite.com/reclaim

Getting Used To Being Free

LARK — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 05:00:00 -0600

Getting Used To Being Free

It's not odd at all for us to receive some version of the following question. "After destroying the bookkeeping god of our fallen imaginations. After helping people see that God saves us single-handedly. After leading us to rip up our religious resumes. After challenging all our selfish motivations for being good and doing good. After helping us all embrace our deaths and cling—in dependence—to the one who met us in our deaths on the cross. After finally helping us see that it is truly FINISHED and we are absolutely FREE, how, now, do we live?"
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Web: https://larksite.com
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Book: Reclaim (Available on Amazon) https://larksite.com/reclaim
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Church Is Now In Session

LARK — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 07:48:43 -0600

Church Is Now In Session

With the Larkcast still in your hands, Russ & Tony tackle a topic that often makes its way into the mix—CHURCH. There are numerous entry points into this conversation, and tackling them all wasn't the goal. The fellas share their hearts (and the heart of Lark) in this conversation and why they often find themselves pushing against the western normative approach and seeking, instead, to empower everyday people in everyday places.

Russ & Tony have written more on the topic of church in their book, Reclaim. You can find the link to purchase here (https://larksite.com/reclaim)
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Web: https://larksite.com
Larkcast: https://larksite.com/larkcast
Book: Reclaim (Available on Amazon) https://larksite.com/reclaim
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lark_social/
YouTube: https://bit.ly/lark-youtube

Dishing On Deconstruction Pt.3

LARK — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 05:00:00 -0600

Dishing On Deconstruction Pt.3

Come on. Admit it. You knew we were going to do a part three. With Russ being back on the Larkcast, we were eager to get his thoughts on the deconstruction conversation. Listen in as Russ shares some pivotal shifts (deconstruction, you could call it) in his journey from his early days as a bible college student to the launch of Lark at the beginning of this year.
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Web: https://larksite.com
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Book: Reclaim (Available on Amazon) https://larksite.com/reclaim
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Dishing On Deconstruction Pt.2

LARK — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 05:00:00 -0600

Dishing On Deconstruction Pt.2

Tony and Jameson sit down to talk about a thing called deconstruction. 90 minutes later we finished. This podcast is part two of that conversation. While deconstruction has become a sort of junk drawer term where we've decided to place every and any bit of doubting and rethinking, we must acknowledge that not all deconstruction is created equal. Instead of acting like it's all bad or all good, let's ask what—no, who is at the center. We hope this is a helpful contribution to the conversation.
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Connect with Lark!
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Web: https://larksite.com
Larkcast: https://larksite.com/larkcast
Book: Reclaim (Available on Amazon) https://larksite.com/reclaim
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Dishing On Deconstruction Pt.1

LARK — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 05:00:00 -0600

In this episode Tony and Jameson sit down to talk about a thing called deconstruction. 90 minutes later we finished. This conversation will be a two-part podcast just like the one on transformation (Ep.27-28). While deconstruction has become a sort of junk drawer term where we've decided to place every and any bit of doubting and rethinking, we must acknowledge that not all deconstruction is created equal. Instead of acting like it's all bad or all good, let's ask what—no, who is at the center. We hope this is a helpful contribution to the conversation.
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Connect with Lark!
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Web: https://larksite.com
Larkcast: https://larksite.com/larkcast
Book: Reclaim (Available on Amazon) https://larksite.com/reclaim
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lark_social/

Untangling Transformation Pt.2

LARK — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 05:00:00 -0600

Untangling Transformation Pt.2

Our attempt to untangle transformation continues in part two.
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Connect with Lark!
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Web: https://larksite.com
Larkcast: https://larksite.com/larkcast
Book: Reclaim (Available on Amazon) https://larksite.com/reclaim
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lark_social/

Untangling Transformation Pt.1

LARK — Tue, 02 Nov 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Untangling Transformation Pt.1

Wow! You guys have lots of questions about transformation. Don’t the Scriptures tell us to pursue it? Shouldn’t we be experiencing it? What is my role in being transformed? What is my role in other’s transformation? I get that God welcomes us as we are, but I’ve heard it said that he loves us enough to not leave us where we are? Why am I not experiencing the transformation that I was told would be mine in turning to Jesus? Doesn’t God give us the grace to be transformed? Isn’t transformation just a choice?

Join us for the next two podcasts as we attempt to untangle all we’ve been handed concerning transformation.

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Book: Reclaim (Available on Amazon) https://larksite.com/reclaim

Grace Just Doesn't Work

LARK — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 05:00:00 -0500

LARKCAST EP26 | Grace Just Doesn't Work

Throughout history, every person committed to teaching grace (with no fine print) was ridiculed. "Grace encourages lawlessness!" "People will think they have permission to do any old thing they want!" "This will lead to ghostly faith that is of no benefit to neighbor or society!" Whether you find yourself on the religious left, concerned with a better world, or you find yourself on the religious right concerned about personal holiness, we must all confess that the topic of grace makes us all a bit uneasy. Tony and Russ put the Larkcast in the audience's hands, and the first conversation centers on the question we get the most.
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Book: Reclaim (Available on Amazon) https://larksite.com/reclaim

Parabolic Reflections

LARK — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Parabolic Reflections

After 21 podcasts on the parables of Jesus, the guys take a minute to reflect on their favorite and most frustrating moments. They also lay down the plans for the Larkcast moving forward. You better submit your questions, comments, thoughts, and suggestions at Howdy@larksite.com because the Larkcast is now in your hands.

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Book: Reclaim (Available on Amazon) https://larksite.com/reclaim

The Ballad Of The Yays & Nays (Parables #21)

LARK — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 07:12:36 -0500

The Ballad Of The Yays & Nays (Parables #21)

The last podcast in the parables series is a doozy. Not only is it a long podcast, it’s a weighty one. The parable of our focus is the last of the Matthew 25 trio—The Parable of the Sheep and Goats. It’s also known as “The Final Judgment.” In this episode, the guys point out some sneaky, but blatant, ways in which God’s grace appears in the text. They also talk about the primacy of faith and how dead serious God is about you saying "yay" to him and how he will (sadly) honor the "nays"—those who refuse to enjoy the party. They also have a frank discussion about hell..
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Web: https://larksite.com
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Book: Reclaim (Available on Amazon) https://larksite.com/reclaim
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Fearing An Imaginary God (Parables #20)

LARK — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Fearing An Imaginary God (Parables #20)

Yes, this is a parable of judgment, but not how you may think. While much of Christendom insists that judgment is based on our performance, the Lark crew is committed to the good news that we are “in” due to Someone Else’s performance. Since beliefs lie at the heart of every and any action, “What is God like?” is still life’s most important question. The Parable Of The Talents is not a story about what you could’ve done but didn’t. It is not a cautionary tale about what happens when you don’t do enough or invest enough in the kingdom. It is not God’s judgment on your missing the mark; it is God’s judgment on the fear that results from a false idea of who he is.

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Book: Reclaim (Available on Amazon) https://larksite.com/reclaim

Accept Your Acceptance (Parables #19)

LARK — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Accept Your Acceptance (Parables #19)

God is throwing the party of the ages in honor of his Son and nothing will deter him. The date is secured. The guests are invited. The meats are ready. The estate is prepared and decorated. You could say, “it is finished” and ready to be enjoyed. Sadly, there are some who refuse (and others who boldly refuse) to accept the incessant invitation of the King. You also have that one guy who commits a memorable party foul. In this week's parable Jesus describes just how serious God is about partying and how dead serious he is about the world being invited.

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Book: Reclaim (Available on Amazon) https://larksite.com/reclaim

https://www.1517.org/articles/the-gospel-according-to-norm

Dear Jesus, Just Leave Us Alone (Parables #18)

LARK — Tue, 21 Sep 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Dear Jesus, Just Leave Us Alone (Parables #18)

Jesus was and is a disrupter. And rather than heed his warnings regarding the cracks in our religious foundations, discrediting the one disrupting us is much easier. Like those on the receiving end of this episode’s parables, we’d rather live in the illusion of our control and controlled environments than deal with the violence that is the grace of God, who it includes, and a life of faith alone. Come for the Norm Macdonald intro and stick around for a couple of pointed punchlines from Jesus.

As promised, here's a link to the blog referenced in the podcast > https://www.1517.org/articles/the-gospel-according-to-norm

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Book: Reclaim (Available on Amazon) https://larksite.com/reclaim

The Party At The End Of The World (Parables #17)

LARK — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 05:00:00 -0500

The Party At The End Of The World (Parables #17)

The Larkcast duo is headed to our last wedding of the season. It's the wedding party at the end of the world, and the groom is running unusually late to the reception, which converts this wedding into a slumber party—at least among the bridesmaids. When the groom finally arrives to consummate all of human history, some feared being seen as they truly are. Desiring to better themselves, they left the party and returned to locked doors and the sad reality that they never had a relationship with the groom in the first place. Episode 20 serves as a fantastic introduction to the principle of "inclusion before exclusion" and the urgency of faith alone in the God who reveals himself in the foolishness of Jesus.

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Book: Reclaim (Available on Amazon) https://larksite.com/reclaim

The First Shall Hate Happy Hour (Parables #16)

LARK — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 06:00:00 -0500

The First Shall Hate Happy Hour (Parables #16)

Tony and Russ are back after taking a month off, and they're taking a trip to a winery. But before we get to spend some time in the tasting room, we have to spend some time in the vineyard with the employees. It's harvest time, and there is a big job at hand. It's so big that it takes four waves of laborers throughout the day to get it done. The jovial and generous vineyard owner lines up the whole crew for the payout at the day's end, starting with the last hired. Let's just say those first hired have a hard time enjoying happy hour.

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Book: Reclaim (Available on Amazon) https://larksite.com/reclaim

Thank God For A Shady Savior (Parables #15)

LARK — Wed, 21 Jul 2021 06:00:00 -0500

Thank God For A Shady Savior (Parables #15)

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Book: Reclaim (Available on Amazon) https://larksite.com/reclaim

Two Guys Walk Into A Temple (Parables #14)

LARK — Tue, 13 Jul 2021 06:00:00 -0500

Two Guys Walk Into A Temple (Parables #14)

Aware of his audience's perpetual love affair with performance, Jesus tells his best "two guys walk into a bar" joke to help them to stop trusting in themselves. Stop me if you've heard this one. The Pharisee went to the temple to pray and present his impressive personal religious resume. At the same time, the Tax-Collector—the community outcast and playboy—knelt in the ruin of his own life, clinging wholly to God's mercy. Only one walked away justified, and it wasn't the one his hearers would have assumed. Enjoy as Tony and Russ dive into a Lark staple parable on this week's LARKCAST.

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Book: Reclaim (Available on Amazon) https://larksite.com/reclaim

The Unjust God (Parables #13)

LARK — Tue, 06 Jul 2021 06:00:00 -0500

The Unjust God (Parables #13)

For a good long while a widow demanded a local judge to justify her in court against her adversary, but her case was dismissed time and time again because it had no legal merit. The widow, unable take no for an answer, kept coming back to the judge. At the risk of his reputation and an ethic committee investigation into grounds for disbarment—he decides to justify her. This illegal vindication came not from the law, but the selfishness of the judge who desired to once and for all be finished with the wet blanket of our cries for justice. Thank God Jesus felt the freedom to use a bad character as a fill-in for the Father in a parable or else we wouldn’t have the Parable of the Widow & the Unjust Judge.

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Book: Reclaim (Available on Amazon) https://larksite.com/reclaim

How To Pray Improperly (Parables #12)

LARK — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 06:00:00 -0500

How To Pray Improperly

The disciples want Jesus to host a prayer retreat so they can learn how to pray properly. After Jesus underwhelms them with the Lord’s Prayer, he then tells the story of a shameless neighbor who (apparently) doesn’t know there are appropriate and inappropriate times of day to ask your neighbor for things. Listen in as Russ & Tony talk about the Parable of the Friend at Midnight through the lens of death and resurrection. It’s sure to be a lesson in how to pray improperly.
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Web: https://larksite.com
Larkcast: https://larksite.com/larkcast
Book: Reclaim (Available on Amazon) https://larksite.com/reclaim
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Death Before Resurrection (Parables #11)

LARK — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 06:00:00 -0500

Parables • #11 • Death Before Resurrection

A hot-shot young lawyer, looking to make a name for himself, went to pick a theological fight with Jesus. Let’s just say death is an uncomfortable topic for those who imagine themselves as winners. The Parable of the Good Samaritan is up to bat on this week’s episode of the LARKCAST. Listen in as Tony and Russ do a deep dive on yet another misnamed parable.

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Web: larksite.com

Instagram: @lark_social

The Real F-Word 2 (Parables #10)

LARK — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 09:01:47 -0500

Parables • #10 • The Real F-Word Part 2

The conversation surrounding the complex topic of forgiveness continues with part two of The Real F-Word. Just after Tony and Russ each share a story of a time when they've wanted to kill each other, they dive into several things, like:
• The snare of not forgiving
• The burden of bitterness
• The freedom of forgiveness
• Personal stories of wrestling through difficult hurts, and
• God's presence in it all.

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Web: larksite.com

Instagram: @lark_social

The Real F-Word (Parables #9)

LARK — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 06:06:32 -0500

Parables • #9 • The Real F-Word

Imagine having 3.5 billion dollars in debt erased in an instant and the next day you're choking out a neighbor over eighty bucks. Join Russ and Tony as they dive into the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, where Jesus shows us just how astonishingly immense God's forgiveness is and just how bad we all are at receiving and extending it.

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Web: larksite.com

Instagram: @lark_social

The Two Lost Sons (Parables #8)

LARK — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 06:00:00 -0500

The Two Lost Sons

The grace parables of Luke 15 end with a familiar story—or so you think. Russ and Tony invite you to take a closer look at what is commonly referred to as ‘The Prodigal Son’ in order to see a dad who is willing to risk public shame and humiliation on his way to loving his two lost sons.

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Web: larksite.com

Instagram: @lark_social

A Lost & Dead Search Party (Parables #7)

LARK — Tue, 25 May 2021 06:00:00 -0500

The Lost & Dead Search Party

Heaven is throwing a party in honor of the lost and dead, and there’s only one person on the planning committee. Join Tony and Russ as they kick off the Parables of Grace in Luke 15.
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Web: larksite.com

Instagram: @lark_social

Last Call: Kingdom Edition (Parables #6)

LARK — Tue, 18 May 2021 06:00:00 -0500

Parables • Ep.6 • Last Call: Kingdom Edition

With the Kingdom Parables wrapping up, Russ and Tony turn up the empty bottles and drain the dregs to serve one last round of thoughts before moving on to the Grace Parables.

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Instagram: @lark_social

Caught in the Net (Parables #5)

LARK — Thu, 13 May 2021 06:00:00 -0500

Parables • #5 • Caught in the Net

The Kingdom is going fishing in this week’s podcast. The whole world, both good and bad, has found itself caught in the net of the kingdom. Eventually, this net will reach the shore and be sorted out, but until then it mysteriously operates as an indiscriminate catch-all of everything and everyone. Come for the parable, stay for Russ’ bedtime story.

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Instagram: @lark_social

Out In Left Field (Parables #4)

LARK — Wed, 05 May 2021 12:06:46 -0500

Parables • #4 • Out In Left Field

A field filled with rodents, weeds, sinkholes, marshes, poison ivy, and thorn bushes is an unusual place for a valued treasure. And liquidating your entire business capital to purchase one rare pearl seems a bit eccentric. Listen in as Tony and Russ spend all their time taking a hard look at two short but impossibly rich passages about the kingdom.
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Instagram: @lark_social

Time To Take Our Lumps (Parables #3)

LARK — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 10:40:30 -0500

Parables • #3 • Time To Take Our Lumps

The parabolic podcasting presses on with the parables of the Mustard Seed and the Leaven. Like the kingdom itself, feel free to take your time and lie around like a lump of dough while listening to Russ and Tony discuss yet another parable on the invasive and universal nature of the Kingdom.
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Web: larksite.com

The Threat of Religious Help (Parables #2)

LARK — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 06:00:00 -0500

Parables • #2 • The Threat of Religious Help

What does any respectable person do when they see evil and injustice in the world? They take immediate action. In the parable of the weeds, the hired hands at a local farm display an eagerness to jump in make an insidious wrong right only to find out that their well-intentioned good deeds are an actual threat to the good they want to preserve.
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Instagram: @lark_social

Last Call: Are You In or Out of the Kingdom?

LARK — Sat, 17 Apr 2021 06:00:00 -0500

Parables • #1 • Last Call: Are You In Or Out Of The Kingdom

Final and extra thoughts that didn't fit in the full episode. Check it out!

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Instagram: @lark_social

Are You In or Out of the Kingdom? (Parables #1)

LARK — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 06:18:18 -0500

Parables • #1 • Are You In or Out of the Kingdom?

“A sower went out to sow.” What kind of mischief could this farmer possibly get into? Russ and Tony kick off a run of podcasts on the parables of Jesus with His first parable: The Parable of the Sower & The Seed. Be careful how you listen to this one.
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Instagram: @lark_social

Last Call: Is The World Really Religious?

LARK — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 06:00:00 -0500

Larkcast • Last Call • Is The World Really Religious?

More thoughts from Russ and Tony on the religious nature of the world.
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Instagram: @lark_social

Is The World Really Religious?

LARK — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 09:40:06 -0500

Larkcast • Is The World Really Religious?

With church affiliation at an all-time low in the US and emerging generations being labeled the “religious nones,” is the world really religious? Russ and Tony discuss some recent events, look for the “bread crumbs” of religion in society, and bring a bunch of Good News into the conversation.

Is God Really Reckless?

LARK — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 06:00:00 -0500

Larkcast • Is God Really Reckless?
In this episode Russ and Tony celebrate the launch of Lark and dive into the word “reckless” and why they are committed to using this word when describing God’s grace.

Join in the mischief and find out more about LARK at https://larksite.com

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Instagram: @lark_social

Welcome To The Larkcast

LARK — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 11:00:00 -0500

Larkcast • 0 • Welcome to the Larkcast

After a lengthy renaming (formerly Table Network) process, Russ and Tony landed on the name “LARK.”

Drawing its secondary meaning from the high-flying songbird, the word LARK refers to a “cheerful adventure” or “mischievous playfulness.” The word refers to the kind of risky, unrestrained behavior that flows from uninhibited freedom.
LARK begs us to ask the question: What would you do if you knew you were held by a love that will never let you go?

Listen in on the very first Larkcast episode as the fellas talk about the switch to LARK and what to expect from this new platform.
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