Vox Podcast With Mike Erre

The Wanderer: Not All Who Wander Are Lost. Here we go! If Voxology is the record, the Wanderer is the b-sides. In this first episode, Dr. Timothy Gombis and Timothy John Stafford kick off the the first episode of this mini series on U2 and theology with a conversation about their personal histories with the band. Both Tims discuss how their interaction with the band and their music in many ways mimicked their own personal faith journeys. This is an introduction to a deeper dive into the thematic content of U2. They begin a conversation on lyrical content and album narratives and how they speak about scripture, God and the human experience with both. This will be a three episode mini series, and the first of several topical conversations that will be had under the moniker of the Wanderer.  You can listen to all the songs mentioned in this episode here: The Wanderer - U2 Playlist Tim Gombis's podcast, Faith Improvised can be found here: iTunes & Spotify Thanks for Wandering with us. The Wanderer i

Understanding the Bible: Part Eight - Context. This episode, we start the conversation on 'context.' How are we to approach this ancient text? What was the culture? How did the words written inform their world? How are we to relate to it in a responsible and intentional way? What is 'Hermeneutical Humility?' How can we take on that posture? How is it at odds with our American Evangelical upbringing? How can we combat the individualistic posture we were raised in? Further, how has that individualistic nature informed our theology and approach to God??? Who knew we'd have so much to cover in regards to the Bible... and we have so much more. Thanks for walking the long road with us. This is a chaotic time period that is placing huge loads on people's shoulders. From the crisis in Afghanistan and the mess in Texas to the consuming fires in California, the catastrophic weather in the South and the never ending pandemic, folks are struggling with immense depression and anxiety. If you feel this weight and the dark,

Understanding the Bible: Part Seven. Accommodation continued. Today, we continue the conversation on God’s accommodation to humans. Mike offers the spectrum of “the ideal vs. the real.” What does that mean? How does God navigate the ideal He set up with the reality of the human stumble? How does the text accommodate to the view points of the time in which it’s written? How does this effect and shape theology? How do we interact with that? How is the human mess worked in? What are we to do with all of this??? The complexity of the text is on display and it’s asking us to wrestle with it, to marinate in its mystery and wonder at God’s intentional back and forth with all of us. It’s beautiful in all of it’s chaos and intricacy. Afghanistan help: World Relief World Relief on Social Media to stay up to date: Instagram & Facebook World relief Locations As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Always feel free to email in questions to hello@voxpodcast.com, and to engage the conversati

Understanding the Bible: Part Six. In this episode, we continue our conversation on the B-I-B-L-E. Today we dive deeper into accommodation and how the human / divine dance influences the text. How does God use culture, in every different era, to speak through the text? How are we, now, to associate and interact? Is everything literal? Is any of it? Does the Bible continually reveal or is it all there on first read??? What are we to do with all of this? As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Always feel free to email in questions to hello@voxpodcast.com, and to engage the conversation on here and Instagram. Learn more about the VOXOLOGY Podcast Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify Support the VOX Podcast on Patreon Follow us on Instagram: @voxologypodcast and Facebook Follow Mike on Twitter Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy

Understanding the Bible: Part Five. Mike and Tim continue the journey into understanding the Bible. Today, they have a conversation about how the Bible speaks about itself. Mike examines and shares examples from all through the Bible where the text talks about the purpose it holds. How do we process this? What do these verses say and who is the author? Is it consistent? This will be followed by a conversation on "Divinely Inspired," and "Authoritative" rhetoric in the next few weeks. They also tackle an email sent in about the topic of spiritual abuse, within the family unit. As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Always feel free to email in questions to hello@voxpodcast.com, and to engage the conversation on here and Instagram. The video by Tim Mackie that Mike mentioned can be seen HERE Learn more about the VOXOLOGY Podcast Subscribe on iTunesSupport the VOXOLOGY Podcast on Patreon Follow us on Instagram: @voxologypodcast Like us on Facebook Music in this episode by Timothy Jo

Understanding the Bible: Part Four. This episode, we welcome back author and theologian Bradley Jersak to talk about his new book A More Christlike Word: Reading Scripture the Emmaus Way. With Bradley, we discuss approaching the Old Testament and how we are supposed to read the Bible. Is Jesus the full representation of God? How do Jesus's teachings correlate to seemingly oppositional texts in the OT? Does God change? What do we do with sections of scripture that we can't make sense of, that seem oppositional to the Jesus we have come to know and follow? Why are "conservatives" and "liberals" throwing out sections of the Bible? How does Jesus help us to make sense of it all??? Bradley is a wonderful mind and walks with us through some difficult ideas. Bradley's book can be found HERE As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Always feel free to email in questions to hello@voxpodcast.com, and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram. Learn more about the VOXOLOGY Podcast

Understanding the Bible: Part Three. This episode we continue our conversation on the complex and often confusing text, the Bible. Today, author / professor / biblical scholar, Dr. Amy-Jill Levine joins us once again to offer her thoughts and insights. How did the Old Testament come together? How does it inform the New Testament? How does the Jewish Tanakh differ from the Old Testament? How do their individual canonical orders differ and what does that say? What does the Bible, and God, say about women and their role in authoritative and leadership positions within the church? What are we to do with all of this??? AJ, a self described ‘Yankee Jewish feminist,’ is University Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies. As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Always feel free to email in questions to hello@voxpodcast.com, and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram. The video by Tim Mackie that Mike mentioned can be seen HERE Learn more about the VOXOLOGY Podcast Subs

Understanding the Bible: Part Two. Today we continue the conversation about the Bible with pastor and author Joshua Ryan Butler. Josh, who wrote "The Skeletons in God's Closet" (which Mike referenced a few times throughout the 'New Creation' series), sits down to chat about the complexities of the Bible and how we can approach it. Is the Bible 'authoritative?' What does that mean? How can God's word be manipulated and used for wrong? What are we to make of Old Testament violence, which seems to be God sanctioned? How do we read the Bible? Again, what are we to do with all of this??? As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Always feel free to email in questions to hello@voxpodcast.com, and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram. You can learn more about what Josh is up to HERE Learn more about the VOXOLOGY Podcast Subscribe on iTunes Support the VOX Podcast on Patreon Follow us on Instagram: @voxologypodcast or on Facebook  Follow Mike on Twitter Music in this ep

Understanding the Bible: Part One. The Bible has, for many people, become a stumbling block and/or a source of great confusion and misunderstanding. Today we sit down with our good friend Tim Gombis to begin a conversation on how to best approach, read, understand and intentionally interpret the Bible. How does mystery play into it? Is mystery bad? How is the Bible organized? Can a newcomer read it without instruction? How does Gombis suggest reading the text? What are we to do with it??? As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Always feel free to email in questions to hello@voxpodcast.com, and to engage the conversation on here and Instagram. Gombis’s podcast, ‘Faith Improvised,' can be heard HERE The book mentioned, "The Lost Letters of Pergamum," can be purchased HERE  Learn more about the VOXOLOGY Podcast Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify Support the VOX Podcast on Patreon Follow us on Instagram: @voxologypodcast Like us on Facebook Music in this episode by Timothy John Staf

The Nature of Spiritual Abuse. Today we sit down with friend of the show, Dan Koch to discuss the nature of spiritual abuse within the church. Dan is a podcaster (You Have Permission, Depolarize! & Reconstruct), musician, composer and is currently working on a doctorate in Counseling Psychology. Dan brings us the data and statistics he’s gathered in his studies to discuss spiritual abuse in the church, in its many forms, and the ramifications that it has had. What are the most prevalent forms? How do the varied versions effect our communities? How can the culture be changed? You can learn more about Dan on his WEBSITE and social media: Twitter & Instagram. Our previous conversation with Dan can be heard on Episode 86  As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Always feel free to email in questions to hello@voxpodcast.com, and to engage the conversation on here and Instagram. Learn more about the VOXOLOGY Podcast: Voxologypodcast.com Subscribe on iTunes Support the VOX P

Exiles in the Church. Today we discuss an email asking about reconciling feeling exiled in the Church, rather than from it. What does it mean to be “Christian exiles” within the body of Christ?  Are there similarities to those in exile in the Old Testament? Is it a matter of disagreement? Nuance? Understanding of text and application? Or is it something more? Are we to remain loyal to that which with we’re in exile from? Where does our loyalty lay and how is it manifested? We also discuss listener feedback to last episode in regards to LGBTQ+ and New Creation dynamics. As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Always feel free to email in questions to hello@voxpodcast.com, and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram. Learn more about the VOXOLOGY Podcast: Voxologypodcast.com Subscribe on iTunes Support the VOX Podcast on Patreon Follow us on Instagram: @voxologypodcast Like us on Facebook Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford Instagram & Twitter: @Gone

LGBTQ+ and the New Creation. This episode we spend time with a listener email about LGBTQ+ issues within the church and the New Creation dynamics we’ve been talking about. The anonymous listener, whom we refer to as Jeremy, asks many questions about coming out, where his place might be and how he is to walk in his own journey. How have we missed the mark as the Church? As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Always feel free to email in questions to hello@voxpodcast.com, and to engage the conversation on here and Instagram. Learn more about Voxology: Voxologypodcast.com Subscribe on iTunes Listen on Spotify Support the VOX Podcast on Patreon: www.patreon.com/voxology Follow us on Instagram: @voxologypodcast Like us on Facebook Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy

Masters of the Universe. What the what? Today we continue the conversation on New Creation dynamics with further exploration of the Heavenly Realm and the divine beings who occupy it. How important is all of this to understanding scripture and the overall narrative? What did Paul have to say in reference to all these beings? Did they play a role in his ministry? Are demons the spirits of fallen Nephilim (we don't know)? This stuff is all bananas. First we spend some time on a listener email. We enter in to how we are to interact with mis-translations and agendas within Bible translations. Who do you trust? Who can you trust? How do we handle the concept of errancy and what does it really mean when approaching the Bible? Also, how does Gombis's critique of sentimentality relate to emotion, and the emotional response we feel as both worshipers and worship leaders? Does music not evoke this naturally? What are we to do with all of this? There was a lot to talk about and we talked about it all. Also, we're on Spo

This is Voxology. Welcome to episode 300 and to the new podcast name, Voxology! We’re excited to start a new chapter in this continued journey with all of you! Today in this mammoth, celebratory episode, we spend time talking about the Church, from postures of both lament and hope. We hear from beloved friend and old co-host Bonnie Lewis on why she feels she is ‘post-church,’ from friend of the show Shane Claiborne on actions the church needs to take to heal and grow and from the one and only Gombis on where we’ve been and hope for the future. Then, most importantly, we hear from many of you. You share your hopes and laments with us as we look further on down the long road. First, Tim puts Mike on the hot seat to talk about why he started a podcast in the first place six years ago and what his hopes are for the next 300 episodes. As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Always feel free to email in questions to hello@voxpodcast.com, and to engage the conversation on Facebook and In

Bonus Episode! Episode 300 is dropping this coming Monday, June 14th. Which is also Flag Day, for those who are following along. It is a new chapter for VOX, as we embark out into the future with a new name! Tune in!

When good gods go bad. Episode 299. The end of the chapter. The last of this era. The one before 300. This week we spend time with the Divine Council. The what? Oh, they’re just potential other divine beings that rule over different areas. What? That’s what I said. Heavenly Hosts? Sons of God? The Elohim?? How do these beings play into the biblical narrative? Has God, the God, been going to war with these beings? How does this spiritual realm play into the life and ministry of Jesus? The Sermon on the Mount?? What? When? How? Why? Holy moly. First, we spend time answering questions about the absence of Bonnie and the potential of a future, female co-host., American holidays (such as Memorial Day and 4th of July being celebrated in church on Sunday mornings and hypocrisy. URGENT!!: Episode 300 is right around the corner and it is the moment where VOX evolves into its next iteration. As part of that, we want to include you. We will be discussing the future of the church, in both hope and lament. We’d like to

They Might Be Giants. Even old New York was once New Amsterdam. Today, we continue the conversation on the supernatural, spiritual elements of the New Creation vs. Old Creation dynamics. And this is some of the crazy stuff: the Nephilim! What are the Nephilim? How do they play into the narrative? Were they real? How do they correlate to the Seraphim, Satan and other spiritual entities? How do David and Goliath fit in? What about David and Bathsheba? And lastly and most importantly, how do these giants play into our understanding of Jesus, etc.??? Holy moly. We also discuss some listener feedback over the previous episode, some pushback on the conversation over the church and those that choose to leave. URGENT!!: Episode 300 is right around the corner and it is the moment where VOX evolves into its next iteration. As part of that, we want to include you. We will be discussing the future of the church, in both hope and lament. We’d like to have your voices as part of the conversation as a 30 second max messag

Should I Stay or Should I Go? Is it just a great song by the only band that matters (The Clash), or is it the question posed by Tim on his membership to the Church? We discuss a recent interview with Brian Houston about the “moral failings” of pastors in their employ, like New York Megapastor Carl Lentz. Does the model make any sense? Has it been off focus from the start and where does that place us all now? Can it be corrected? Are Houston’s excuses or vision legit? With the Church seemingly more and more missing the intended mark, is it better to stay and help correct or is better to just build a community that follows what Jesus started? How does the Church play by Old Creation dynamics? Are we called to stay? What about this new ‘God Bless The USA Bible (!!!)’ from Zondervan?? Where are we? This is next level bananas… Much to his surprise, we beam in Gombis from his front porch where he was eating a burrito and pondering U2 theology to answer all our questions. Houston interview: https://www.nbcnews.com/

The Myth of the American Dream. Today we sit down with author D.L. Mayfield to discuss her journey and the road that led to her writing ‘The Myth of the American Dream.’ We talk about growing up as a pastor’s kid, missionary work and what it looks like to really love you neighbor. D.L. has had a rad and very practical undiscipling of the beliefs she was handed for what Jesus may actually have instead for her (and us). What does loving your neighbor look like with the people next door? What about refugees, immigrants and other displaced people? Who is it that God had in mind when advocating for the marginalized and the meek? What’s a ‘lock in?’ Who was Agnes United? We also read some listener responses to “Jennifer’s” questions (from last episode) about how to reconstruct. This community continues to inspire and we are so thankful. You can find D.L.’s book here: https://www.ivpress.com/the-myth-of-the-american-dream You can follow and interact with her: Instagram & Twitter: @d_l_mayfield As always, we

This Present Darkness. No, this is not a review of everyone’s favorite Christian fantasy book from the 80’s (though it is referenced here). Today we continue the series on Old Creation vs. new Creation by dipping our toes into the spiritual realm of the conversation. Mike begins an exploration of Genesis 1, and how we are to interpret the lights, Eden and the showdown in the garden. What are the areas where Heaven and Earth overlap? What are Cherubim and how do they play into all of this? How about the Seraphim? The serpent?? The Elohim??? Holy moly. The scene is broadening… Tim continues to have oatmeal brain processing all of this. We also answer a few questions dealing with masks and the loneliness epidemic, tools to analyze Old Creation response vs. New Creation responses and where to even begin with reconstruction. It’s a lot! So many good questions and comments to partner with us on this journey. As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Always feel free to email in questions to