Inquisitive Disciples is kicking off its first series, Threads Through Scripture—an eight-week journey through eight core biblical themes and how they’re woven through the unfolding story of scripture to deepen understanding of Yahweh and spiritual maturity. New episodes drop every Tuesday as a weekly podcast on both video and audio platforms, including the Inquisitive Disciples YouTube channel, plus Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Subscribers to the newsletter will get a once-a-week email when each episode goes live, along with a simple study guide to help personalize the series for individual quiet time.

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YOUTUBE LINK: https://youtube.com/@inquisitivedisciples?si=MU0XhoWeRxX7jcqH

00:00 Welcome to Inquisitive Disciples

On this episode of Coffee with Hales, I share a three-year milestone, the heart behind why I started my podcast, and why I’m facing a rebrand.

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00:00 Welcome and Milestone

On this episode of Coffee with Hales, we talk about what happens when the Bible doesn’t look as perfect as we thought, including how Scripture was copied, translated, transmitted, and preserved by humans. We discuss textual variants, what textual criticism is, and why differences between manuscripts (like spelling, word order, or even larger passages) don’t erase the Bible’s overall message. We also look at why the Gospels sometimes tell the same events differently, how authors wrote for different audiences, and why we should read Scripture in its original context. The episode encourages asking hard questions instead of walking away from faith.

00:00 Fragile Faith Foundations

In this Coffee with Hales episode, Haley Hales interviews her friend Haley Graham as part of the Living Intentionally series. Haley Graham shares her faith background, frequent childhood moves, and how her relationship with Jesus became personal through homeschooling, Liberty University, and community. She describes a difficult 2025 season working in applied behavior analysis with children who had severe needs, how God sustained her, and how stepping out in obedience led her to begin a doctorate and transition into a new role as an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Liberty. They discuss the importance of letting Scripture shape theology, finding church community at Altru City, mentoring through figure skating, and practical habits for quiet time, including pairing Bible reading with coffee and using carefully sourced AI tools for study. Haley offers advice on discerning calling by returning to salvation, evaluating spiritual gifts, dreaming with God, and practicing small acts of obedience.

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

3 Viral Bible Verses, 1 Hermeneutic Lens (Isaiah 6, Psalm 137, Mark 3) In this Coffee with Hales episode, I continue my series on how reading the Bible chronologically challenged my assumptions and pushed me toward sound hermeneutics—letting theology come from Scripture (exegesis) instead of reading my views into it (eisegesis). I review key terms (hermeneutics, Tanakh, Septuagint, exegesis/eisegesis) and then apply them to three examples: an ICE recruitment video using “Here am I, send me” (Isaiah 6) outside its divine-commission context; a critique of Psalm 137’s “dash their infants” line, explained as poetic imprecatory lament tied to Israel’s retributive justice framework; and a Pride-related claim that Jesus breaking Sabbath rules means we should break moral law, addressed through Mark 3 and the Sabbath’s purpose. I end by inviting respectful discussion and sharing upcoming episodes and a garden tour. 00:00 Series Setup

01:47 Hermeneutics Basics

In this episode of Coffee with Hales, Haley sits down with her sister-in-law Abbie during a busy July 4th family gathering to continue the Living Intentionally series. Abbie shares what it was like growing up in a large family, how she first learned about Jesus through her missionary grandparents, and how her faith deepened after leaving home and attending Word of Life and other colleges. She talks about meeting and marrying her husband Luke, how marriage challenged her spiritual maturity through daily selflessness, and how motherhood has shaped her patience and priorities. Abbie explains why they chose to homeschool, how co-ops and activities support their kids, and offers practical encouragement for getting Scripture into family life by leading through example. She also discusses focusing less on social media, being present at home, and valuing thoughtful theological conversations that drive her back to Scripture.

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

00:32 First Meeting Memories

01:30 Growing Up in a Big Family

03:19 Early Faith Foundations

04:38 College and Spiritual Growth

06:12 Meeting Luke and Dating

07:39 Marriage and Spiritual Maturity

09:54 Motherhood in the Thick of It

11:53 Why We Homeschool

14:11 Raising Kids in the Word

15:31 What Matters Most Now

16:52 Theology Debates and Family Unity

18:28 Final Thanks and Goodbye

Hermeneutics: Why Context Matters (and How to Stop Taking Verses Out of Context) In today’s Coffee with Hales episode, I’m continuing my hermeneutics series by focusing on why context matters when interpreting and applying the Bible. I talk through different kinds of context—historical, cultural, author/audience, paragraph-level, and even grammatical—and why chapter and verse breaks aren’t divinely inspired. I use Galatians 3:28, Jeremiah 29:11, and Philippians 4:13 as examples of how verses get ripped out of context and reshaped to say what we want. I also unpack what it really means to “take the Bible literally” by considering genre, metaphors, and idioms, and I share how these principles can challenge our theology (including end times and the free will/predestination debate). I close by encouraging you to evaluate theological disagreements by examining the hermeneutics behind them. 

Hermeneutics: Cultural & Historical Context (Water to Wine, Deuteronomy 21, Good Samaritan) 

In this episode of Coffee with Hales, I continue the hermeneutics series by explaining why audience relevancy, context, and cultural/historical background matter when interpreting Scripture, and I contrast exegesis (letting the text lead) with eisegesis (reading assumptions into the text). I walk through Jesus turning water into wine as an honor/shame, hospitality-focused crisis at a week-long wedding, then discuss Deuteronomy 21:10–14 using insights from Dr. Kate McCoy to show how the law addressed practices in the ancient world and protected captive women with wife status and agency. I also revisit the Good Samaritan to highlight that “neighbor” includes an arch enemy, and I close by framing Jesus’ healings as both physical and social/spiritual restoration for the ritually unclean. 

https://women.lifeway.com/2023/05/15/marked-katie-j-mccoy/ https://cckc.church/podcast/women-in-biblical-law-katie-mccoy/

 In this episode of Coffee With Hales, I sit down with my friend Rachel to talk about living intentionally through every season. We share how she went from a strict faith upbringing and teaching through COVID to becoming a mom, walking through grief, and building The Mingo Coffee and Play as a space for community. Rachel also opens up about leading worship, finding freedom in her faith, and the “glass balls vs. rubber balls” mindset for prioritizing what can’t be dropped. We end with encouragement for moms and anyone starting something new to listen to what the Lord is asking in the season you’re in.

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