What We Really Mean When We Talk About Faith: What’s It Good For? | David & Goliath | Perspectives FUMCSD Pastors Podcast S3E51
Sep 13, 2026
Summary
What does the story of David and Goliath really teach us about faith? Is faith simply believing that God will help us defeat our “Goliaths”—or is something deeper happening when we face fear, uncertainty, and circumstances beyond our control? In this episode of Perspectives FUMCSD Pastors Podcast, Revs. Trudy and Hannah explore 1 Samuel 17 and the story of David and Goliath through the lens of faith, Scripture, progressive Christianity, and the challenges of our world today.
Detail
What does the story of David and Goliath really teach us about faith? Is faith simply believing that God will help us defeat our “Goliaths”—or is something deeper happening when we face fear, uncertainty, and circumstances beyond our control?
In this episode of Perspectives FUMCSD Pastors Podcast, Revs. Trudy and Hannah explore 1 Samuel 17 and the story of David and Goliath through the lens of faith, Scripture, progressive Christianity, and the challenges of our world today.
David and Goliath may be one of the most familiar stories in the Bible, but it is much more complicated than a simple underdog story. Beneath the familiar tale are questions about political change, power, technology, fear, biblical storytelling, and the evolving relationship between God and the people of Israel.
The female pastors of First United Methodist Church of San Diego ask what this ancient story can teach us about Christian faith in a changing world – especially when the “Goliaths” in front of us seem overwhelming.
In this conversation, they explore:
- Why David and Goliath is more than a children’s Sunday School story
- How storytelling shapes our faith and our understanding of Scripture
- The political, social, historical, and technological changes reflected in 1 Samuel
- How God works through imperfect, complicated people
- The difference between faith and naïve optimism
- What happens when our “armor”—technology, power, status, or certainty—fails us
- How faith can help us face fear without becoming paralyzed by it
- What it means to “see what you can’t see” and trust in God’s presence
Perhaps the biggest question is this: Would David’s faith still have mattered if he had lost?
This episode is the final conversation in our five-week series, “What We Really Mean When We Talk About…”, exploring complicated theological concepts and what they mean for our lives today. Previous episodes explored grace, forgiveness, love, and peace.
Whether you're exploring progressive Christianity, deconstructing your faith, studying the Bible, pursuing justice, wrestling with theology, or simply asking honest questions about Scripture, we hope you'll join the conversation.
Reflection Questions
- What does this story tell you about God?
- What are the ‘Goliaths’ in our world that convince us that they are the only reality that matters?
- How do you weaken the power of God in the face of difficult circumstances?
Continue the Conversation
Connect with our faith community in person or online as you reflect on the themes of this episode:
- Convergence discussion group (Sundays at 12 PM)
- Join our Patreon community
Time Stamps
00:00 What does David and Goliath have to do with faith?
02:53 David and Goliath: More than a children’s story
04:27 The historical and political world of 1 Samuel
07:40 Why this story is much more complicated than it seems
11:07 Was the David and Goliath story added later?
16:04 David faces Goliath: The battle begins
18:30 Faith, fear, armor, and the power of God
21:33 Would David’s faith matter if he had lost?
25:26 What faith really means: Seeing what we can’t see
27:26 Reflection questions for your own faith
