Mid-faith Crisis

Nick is back and he’s been in lots of old churches. Joe is facing a highly invasive camera. We talk about whether God is all powerful and why churches need to be places where our souls find rest. Warning: contains inappropriately puerile humour. Like most weeks, frankly.

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• Wenhaston Doom
• Westhall Church
• William C. Placher, Narratives of a Vulnerable God

This week we start with an email on prophecy from someone who may or may not be related to one of the hosts. Should you suggest that a ‘word’ from the Lord may not actually be accurate? We talk more about the terms we use for God, and discuss whether we should emphasise 'kingdom' more than 'church'. Also, is there such a word as ‘masculising’? Is rebuking the best kind of prophecy? And thank the Lord for the apophatic tradition!

Brought to you by Mid-faith Crisis - A More Loving Podcast.

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We have feedback from the Brian McLaren interview, which leads into a discussion about whether we should all go to more than one church. Do we need one, small community for our discipleship and a range of other places for our worship? Also we talk about karate churches, authoritarian leaders, theological conspiracy theories and whether quite a lot of us are suffering from ‘languishing’. Meanwhile, Nick has been told to shut up on medical grounds and Joe is going all David Attenborough again.

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• There’s a Name for the Blah You’re Feeling: It’s Called Languishing
• Rachel Held Evans 

In the second part, author Brian McLaren explores how doubt is a friend of faith, and how the Bible itself reflects the four stages of faith. Also, lots of great stuff about dealing with criticism and the challenges and difficulties of being teachers and leaders. And can we make Christianity more like karate?

• Brian McLaren, Faith After Doubt
• A Prayer for Enemies

The first of a two-part interview with author Brian McLaren talking about his new book, Faith After Doubt. Joe talks to Brian about four stages of faith: simplicity, complexity, perplexity and harmony and how these affect churches, leadership and even our reading of the Bible. Also Joe's hearing is questioned and we announce our very own Mid-faith Crisis Church Weekend!

• The Mid-Faith Crisis Church Weekend 29-31 October 2021
• Nick Page, I don’t like your platitude: the case against christian cliches
• Brian McLaren
• Brian McLaren, Faith After Doubt

We reflect on the three acts of Easter - death, waiting, rebirth - and how this most profound of Christian festivals gives us permission to grieve and to celebrate. Also, is it better to go to church or to plant a wildflower meadow? And we invent the liturgical sink. Happy Easter everybody.

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• Chiffchaff bird facts
• Rachel Naomi Remen, Kitchen Table Wisdom
• Philip H. Pfatteicher, Journey into the Heart of God: Living the Liturgical Year

This week we are joined by Dave Steell, Minister of One Church, Brighton, one of the most exciting and innovative churches in the UK. Dave talks about whether churches have a shadow side, why training baristas is good news and how ‘it’s not about heaven versus hell, it’s about scarcity versus abundance.’ Also Joe has more chair problems, and Nick wants to make it clear that Luther’s theses were never nailed to anything.

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• Episode 13: Values not Vision
• One Church, Brighton
• Probaristas
• Skylark Coffee

This week we delve into the feedback about the names we use for God. Is using different names just making God conform to our own images? Are we speculating above our theological paygrade? And, if culture eats strategy for breakfast, what does it have for brunch? Also, we have an email from God. Apparently.

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• Chiffchaff Song
• Cal Newport, A World Without Email
• YHWH
• Jehovah

Our 150th episode! And we pick up on the feedback about shopping, giving and whether tithing is a law, a burden or a cop out. Also, we talk about what it was that first gave you spiritual back ache, and Joe declares himself a one-man blessing machine. All this plus the latest appeal from the Stone the Heathen Tabernacle of Grace. Oh, and Joe is trying to talk to ants about property rights. No, really.

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• STG's NEW Marvellous Map of Great British Place Names
• Green Christian
• Green Christian: Joy in Enough
• Wesley’s Sermon #50
• Wesley’s Four Lessons on Money
• Mark Powley, Consumer Detox

We have an interview with Margaret Metcalfe, who talks about language and power. Do the words we use about God exclude others? What values do our metaphors and images express? And how do we find the words that help people flourish? Also we have to issue an INNUENDO WARNING as we discuss rude-sounding place names. Meanwhile, Joe has had a surprise cheese party and Nick has an important appeal to make.

• Grayson Perry’s Art Club Series 2 Episode 1
• We want a shrubbery
• George Orwell, Politics and the English Language