Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Christian Podcast Central

Home
Evangelical - Sponsored
An Examined Life: Jeffrey Jena

An Examined Life: Jeffrey Jena

Last updated on: February 19, 2016 at 2:03 am by Christian Podcast Central

An Examined Life: Jeffrey Jena 2016-02-19T02:03:47-08:00 Christian Podcast Central

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

An Examined Life: Jeffrey Jena [ 37:15 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Comedian Jeffrey Jena is Jeff’s first victim as they reminisce about their hazy early days in stand up comedy – which leads directly to memory loss due to getting older and frying brain cells when they were younger.

But how does this affect people who tell jokes for a living?

What happens to the jokes that no one gets?

It’s all very scientific, really. The joke continues its motion without anything impeding its progress until it gets dissolved into the ions of the atmosphere. It thin reaches the ears and mind of someone who does get the joke.

Which explai8ns the homeless guy on the corner who randomly breaks out in uncontrollable laughter.

See? Science. Even in a faith-based podcast!

Jeffrey chalks up his approach to things to his Jesuit education where he was taught to doubt everything: Buddhism, Hinduism, Marxism, Islam…everything. Sadly, this often leads to the top students doubting their own faith and the Jesuit teachers end up creating agnostic or atheist students.

It was this process of doubting everything that kept Jeffrey from attending any church whatsoever for many years until he met his wife who was attending a Methodist church in California. At the time, he simply found it easier to go along in order to get along, so he dutifully sat in the pews from week to week.

That was until the pastor cornered and confronted him after a Sunday service.

“You’re not buying any of this are you?” the pastor asked.

It was then that Jeffrey honestly faced his doubts.

The pastor then replied, “Do you think that God wants you to leave your brain outside when you come into church? Bring your doubts in. If I’m preaching and something I say doesn’t make sense, stand up and ask right then and there and I’ll answer your questions to the best of my ability.”

It was his pastor’s openness and teaching and Jeffrey’s wife’s patience and encouragement that helped guide him back into the Good Shepherd’s flock.

But it was a different set of circumstances that paved Jeffrey’s road toward sobriety. Long before he had even met his wife, he found himself at death’s doorstep after a three-day binge on booze and coke that got his attention. But that wasn’t enough. It wasn’t until he spent an evening in the Raleigh drunk tank that he realized he didn’t want to be like his cellmates anymore.

While in a recovery program, Jeffrey realized that his own major personal fault was lying. Even to the point of being able to lie to himself. In fact, when he stopped drinking and drugs, he had simply moved his compulsive addiction to gambling and continued to lie to himself that he was clean.

But it was his relationship with Christ that finally helped him thoroughly examine his life and understand who he was behaving like compared to who God had created him to be.

Once clean and after fighting alongside his wife in her long battle against breast cancer, they were told that they could never have children of their own. But, sometimes God knows better than doctors and adoption agencies.

For more about Jeffrey’s story, his comedy or just to drop him a line, check out www.JeffreyJena.com or you can connect with him on Facebook or Twitter @JeffreyJena

For more clean comedy from Jeff, you’ll love his stuff at JeffAllenComedy.com or on Twitter @JeffAllenComedy.

And for more engaging and entertaining blogs, podcasts and videos, visit www.e2medianetwork.com

christian culture podcast

christian family relationship podcast

christian relationship advice

christian relationship podcast

is the bible reliable

what does it mean to be born again?

what is the church?

Previous Post

February 11, 2014

Church For Men 11: Does A Lack Of Men Lead To Liberalism?

Next Post

February 11, 2014 Ouxano: How To Study the Bible, Part 1: Biblical Format

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Brad Stine Has Issues Christian Podcast Central Classic Podcast Experience God Life Grounded Ouxano Parent Like You Mean It The Protest Show with Thor Ramsey The Summit Lecture Series Uncategorized What You’ve Been Searching For

Select a Month July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 June 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz