Be the Bee

Be the Bee is a video series about finding God in everything, everyday. Join us!

Find individual episodes here or visit the Y2AM Be the Bee Playlist on YouTube.

 

"For indeed, the Kingdom of God is within you."
(Luke 17:21)

Sticking to our daily prayer rule can be tough! But why?

We'll explore the simple reason prayer can feel crammed into our day rather than a natural part of it. And we'll offer a simple way to help you transform wasted moments into opportunities for connection with God.

 

 
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Be the Bee # 173 | Redemption & Repentance (Sunday of Saint Mary of Egypt)

Jesus tells us that He came to shed His blood and "give His life as a ransom for many.” But what exactly does that mean? What does the Orthodox Church teach about atonement?

Be the Bee # 172 | What is Real Christian Faith? (Sunday of Saint John Climacus)

We often think of faith as meaning either "certainty" (confidence that some idea is true) or "religiosity" (participation in a group's activities). But the Fourth Sunday of Great Lent is dedicated...

Be the Bee #169 | Why We Venerate Icons (Sunday of Orthodoxy)

After weeks of learning about forgiveness and pride and judgment, we begin Great Lent with a Sunday dedicated to icons. Why? On one level, this is the anniversary of the triumph over Iconoclasm in...

Be the Bee #162​ | Theophany, Holy Water, and the Goodness of Creation

“Christ is the one who came in order to do what Adam did not do: to be the priest of creation...not just for the human being, although it was achieved through the human being. Christ came so that...

Be the Bee #160 | Why Does God Allow Suffering?

2020 has been a rough year. Why does God allow bad things to happen? Why do bad things happen even to good people? People have struggled with theodicy (the problem of evil and suffering) for...

Be the Bee #159 | What it Means to Be a Man (or Woman)

What does it really mean to be a man or a woman? Society usually gives us two extremes: to accept every gender stereotype (no matter how superficial), or to completely reject the differences...

Be the Bee #158 | How to "Give Thanks in All Circumstances"

Thanksgiving is a time to feel grateful. But that attitude of gratitude can go away as soon as we're done with the turkey. How do we keep it going? Saint Paul tells us to "give thanks in all...

Be the Bee #157 | 3 Reasons to Fast from Social Media

Why do we fast from good things like tasty food? A the start of the Nativity Fast, we'll share three basic reasons why fasting helps transform our spiritual lives. But then we'll go a little deeper...

Be the Bee #156 | 3 Ways Christians Can Deal with Temptation

Does having bad thoughts make you a bad person? What should Christians do with the temptations we experience? The Church refers to these thoughts as logismoi: the thoughts that tempt us and can...

Be the Bee #155 | How Should Orthodox Christians Preach the Gospel?

Orthodox Christianity is perhaps the best-kept secret in America. Why? And how can we help share the Good News?

Be the Bee #154 | Why People Stop Being Christians (and What We Can Do About It)

Adults fear that young people will grow up and stop being Christians. But no one ever fears that a kid will stop rooting for their favorite sports team. Why?

Be the Bee #153 | Is Self-Care Selfish?

#WorldMentalHealthDay can help raise awareness about the importance of self-care. But does this mean self-indulgence? Is taking care of your health a selfish thing that Christians should avoid?...

Be the Bee #152 | How Christians Can Save Politics

Politics are toxic and the world seems full of darkness. Is our job, as Christians, to fight that darkness? We'll review the advice of two greats saints (St Isaac the Syrian and St Poprhyrios of...

Be the Bee #151 | The Amazing Strength of Jesus

Whether it's a mean comment or act of violence, why is it so easy to hurt people? And why should we care? We're all afraid of being weak, and will often hurt others to feel strong. Yet Jesus showed...

Be the Bee #150 | Are You Struggling to Pray?

Sticking to our daily prayer rule can be tough! But why? We'll explore the simple reason prayer can feel crammed into our day rather than a natural part of it. And we'll offer a simple way to help...

Be the Bee #149 | Why We Judge Others (and How to Stop)

It's easy to point our finger at someone else's mistakes, rather than focus on our own. Why? We'll explore the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant and the two big things that make it easy to judge...

Be the Bee #148 | Do We Act Like Christians?

If your parish suddenly disappeared, would anyone notice? Are we living out the Gospel in our neighborhoods and communities? Because we believe the same things that the first Christians taught. But...

Be the Bee #147 | How to Start (and Keep) a Prayer Rule

Struggling to say your prayers? We want to help you connect with God!

Be the Bee #146 | Does God Have a Plan for You? (w/ Anna Karos)

Have you ever felt pressure about getting into the right school? Getting the right job? "Vocation" is about a lot more than a job. It's about how we respond to God's call.

Be the Bee #145 | Dear Class of 2020 (w/ Christina Andresen)

Graduation ceremonies across the country have been cancelled. The Church is here to honor you! But we're not simply honoring your grades or extracurriculars. Steve is joined by Christina Andresen...

Be the Bee #144 | Staying Healthy During Coronavirus

Feeling scared to go back to school or work? What about Church? This has been a crazy time for us all. So Steve and Christian are back to share four keys to staying healthy during the coronavirus...

Be the Bee #143 | How to Build Healthy Habits

Struggling to start a good routine, like saying prayers every morning? Finding it impossible to break a bad habit, like watching too much TV? Don't worry, we're here for you. Steve and Christian...

Be the Bee #142 | Why I'm an Orthodox Christian (w/ Fr Andrew Stephen Damick)

As an Orthodox Christian, you're often the only one in the room. How do you share your faith in Christ with others? Why are you an Orthodox Christian (rather than part of some other tradition)?...

Be the Bee #141 | What is Christian Unity? (with Fr Andrew Stephen Damick)

Christians seem more divided than ever. Is there really such a thing as "one" Church? Does Christian unity even matter? Father Andrew Stephen Damick joins Steve to tackle these important questions!

Be the Bee #140 | Does God Promise Happiness? (with Hank Hanegraaff)

If we are faithful, does God reward us? Does He promise wealth and blessings? Or is true happiness so much more...

Hank Hanegraaff, the Bible Answer Man, joins Steve at the start of Holy Week.

Be the Bee #139 | Christianity Under Quarantine

We're stuck at home We haven't been to Church services in weeks.

What does it all mean? Steve shares a prayer and a parable that can help us see this with the eyes of a bee.

Be the Bee #138 | Can You Be Spiritual and Not Religious?

Can you be spiritual without organized religion? What does it even mean to be spiritual? Maybe we need to rethink what we mean by spirituality and religion... Maybe we need to live like Christians:...

Be the Bee #137 | What Does it Mean to be Good? (with Dr Tim Patitsas)

Who decides what is "bad" vs what is "good?" Is being "good" simply about following the right rules? Dr Timothy Patitsas, author of "The Ethics of Beauty" and Professor at Hellenic College Holy...

Be the Bee #136 | The Emptiness of the Christian Life

Our lives can feel empty and alone. But the Church offers us a different kind of emptiness: one that will lead us to be full of the Holy Spirit.

The Importance of Service(s) (with Archbishop Elpidophoros)

Archbishop Elpidophoros of America joins Steve to explore why service is at the heart of our lives as Christians. But he also reminds us that, if we truly want to emphasize service, then we must...

Why Do Bishops Get Enthroned?

When Archbishop Elpidophoros comes to America, the first thing that’s going to happen is his enthronement on June 22. Yet that word, “enthronement,” can be confusing. After all, a bishop isn’t a...

It is Finished

Even though "Be the Bee" is coming to an end, this is just the beginning of Y2AM's life-changing work. Together, we can find Christ at work in our lives and move towards His Kingdom.

What Young People Need from the Church (with Andja & Maria)

What do young people need from the Church? Let's ask them! Andja and Maria, high school seniors and the hosts of the "Orthodox Life Hacks" podcast, join Steve to reflect on ministry for, with, and...

Signs of the Kingdom (with Katrina Bitar)

Feeding a hungry person doesn't "fix" hunger: that person will feel hungry again. So what's the point of helping those in need?

4 Tips for Being an Orthodox Christian in the World (with Fr Andrew Damick)

You may be the only Orthodox Christian at school or work. Fr. Andrew joins Steve to offer 4 tips to help you live as an Orthodox Christian in the world.

Saved by Faith Alone? (with Fr. Barnabas Powell)

Is faith alone enough to save us? Father Barnabas Powell, an Orthodox priest and former Protestant, joins Steve to consider this important question.

How to Read the Bible

There are a lot of different, even contradictory, interpretations of Scripture. So how do we understand what the Bible actually means?

Beauty Will Save the World

The Orthodox author Dostoevsky once said that "beauty will save the world." What does beauty have to do with our salvation and relationship with God?

You Are What You Love (with Christian Gonzalez)

Last week, Steve and Christian talked about how receiving Holy Communion forms us into Christ's Body. This week, they reflect on the ways our good habits can build a "second nature" and form us...

You Are What You Eat

You've heard it before: you are what you eat. That's most true when we eat Holy Communion. Christian joins Steve to consider the amazing insights that Fr Alexander Schmemann offers in "For the Life...

We're All Broken

We all struggle with something. We're all broken. Every Holy Thursday, we see Christ on the Cross. We come face-to-face with our own brokenness, and the way Christ joins us in our pain. He brings...

Why Do We Sing in Church?

We've already explored why Orthodox Churches have a distinctive look. They also have a distinctive sound. Why do we sing in our Church services?

Can We Know God?

We can learn things about almost any subject. Yet God doesn't want us to simply know things *about* Him, in an abstract way. He wants us to truly know Him and commune with Him.

Why Easy isn't Always Best

​Lent is hard work, especially when so much of the modern world is designed to make things easy for us! Yet life isn't easy. Can we become the sort of people who learn how to do what's best, even...

Should I Fear God? (feat. Elissa Bjeletich)

Lots of prayers say we should "fear God." Does that mean we should be terrified of Him? How can we fear God and love Him?

What is a Sacrament?

Are there 7 sacraments? Are sacraments just symbols, or ways to receive grace? Get ready to unlearn everything you think you know about sacraments in this episode!

You are a Royal Priesthood (feat. Fr. Stephen Freeman)

As Christians, we're all priests of creation. We're all called to live liturgically: to offer ourselves, each other, and all our lives to Christ our God.

What Vestments Reveal About our Relationship with God

Vestments are more than decorations: they reveal something important about our relationship with God and the role of our clergy.

Our Sacred Order

Hierarchy isn't about status or being important. In the Church, hierarchy is our sacred order, the way we fit together as One Body.

New Year, New Focus

The ways we spend our time and money say a lot about what we actually love. And our actions may reveal we don't love God as much as we'd like to think. Let's take an honest look at our lives so we...
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