The God Experiment

Jeremiah interviews Stephen Goold, the musical director at Christ's Church of the Valley in Phoenix, Arizona. Stephen is also a professional drummer who has played with such artists as Sara Bareilles, Carly Rae Jepsen, Ben Rector, Mat Kearney, and Owl City. This was a wide-ranging discussion. We talked about his spiritual journey, professional drumming, talking to God, the fruit of the Spirit, theological paradigm shifts, the role of a musical director at a mega-church, and worship.

Jeremiah talks about a simple choice we can make that will deepen our relationships and help us stay emotionally healthy. The hypothesis is that if we are unwilling to address something in an important relationship, we should let it go. The experiment is to recognize where we have not been honest about something, and then make a choice to either address it honestly or simply let it go.

Jeremiah and his friend Lewis discuss the various ways in which salvation is explained in the New Testament. This wide-ranging conversation includes such topics as resurrection, new life, the person of Jesus, and how to relate to sin.

It is time to get out of a destructive cycle of negativity. The hypothesis of this episode is that we often have to be outside of a problem in order to see it objectively and address it. The experiment is to identify an ongoing problem in your life, determine to put it aside, and displace it by connecting with God and His love.

The hypothesis of this episode is that we must find a proper balance in our relationships with God, with others, and with ourselves. The experiment is to be aware of these three relationships and how they interact with each other.

Jeremiah shares some thoughts about Christmas.

This episode is about the art of communicating with God. The hypothesis is that there are many forms through which God communicates to us, but we must practice them in order to develop our ability to hear. The experiment is to choose at least one form of communication and exercise it in our relationship with God.

Jeremiah reads and responds to quotes from Dietrich Bonhoeffer regarding Advent and Christmas. This episode explores spiritual and theological ideas surrounding Advent and the incarnation, including waiting, silence, expectation, and participation.

Jeremiah discusses the highly important but poorly valued principle of rest. The hypothesis is that resting is a spiritual principle which is integral to a genuine relationship with God. The experiment is to find an experience of resting in God by any means necessary.

Jeremiah has an anonymous guest on the podcast to discuss spirituality from the perspective of Alcoholics Anonymous and the twelve-step program. Topics range from sponsorship, taking inventory, forgiveness, tolerance, and our ultimate reliance upon God.