The Middle w/ The Headlees

Why is the Church so divided, and can we disagree without losing our unity?In this episode of The Middle with the Headlees, Ty and Ren Roberts-Headlee have an honest, necessary conversation about division, humility, forgiveness, politics, relationships, and what it actually means to be one in the body of Christ.We're living in a world where differences of opinion can quickly become reasons to dismiss, judge, or even demonize one another. But Jesus prayed that we would be one. So how do we live that out when our backgrounds, experiences, convictions, and perspectives aren't the same?We talk about the difference between unity and uniformity, the danger of allowing pride to destroy relationships, the importance of seeing people through the lens of God's grace, and why our ultimate allegiance must remain with the Kingdom of God.This conversation isn't about pretending differences don't exist or compromising our convictions. It's about learning to walk in truth, love, humility, and reconciliation while we're still in the middle of becoming.In this episode, we explore:- Why unity requires intentional effort- How pride and the need to be right damage relationships- The difference between disagreeing with someone and dishonoring them- Why humility and forgiveness are essential to reconciliation- How Christians can engage with politics without making political allegiance their ultimate identity- Why the body of Christ desperately needs every member- What Jesus' prayer for unity means for us todayOur prayer is that this episode challenges you to examine your heart, extend grace, and pursue the kind of unity Jesus prayed for.LET'S TALK: What's one thing you believe is keeping the Church from experiencing true unity? Share your perspective in the comments. We want to hear from you.If this conversation encouraged or challenged you, LIKE this video, SUBSCRIBE to the channel, and SHARE it with someone who needs to hear it.Welcome to The Middle, where we're learning to become comfortable in the uncomfortable and normalize the process of becoming.With love,Ty & Ren00:00 Opening: A Call for Unity02:30 Welcome to The Middle04:23 Why We Must Intentionally Pursue Unity09:29 Unity Is Not Uniformity12:19 Humility, Ego, and Mutual Respect16:38 Disagreeing Without Dishonoring20:58 Learning to See People Through Grace27:20 The Thieves on the Cross and God's Mercy35:17 Sharing Faith with Compassion46:38 Politics, Convictions, and the Kingdom49:17 The Church's Responsibility to Unity53:12 Contending for the Body of Christ58:39 Choosing Wisdom Over Emotion01:00:44 Don't Choose Sides01:05:52 A Closing Prayer for Unity#TheMiddleWithTheHeadlees #ChristianUnity #BodyOfChrist #FaithAndCulture #ChristianPodcast

Sometimes the hardest part of transition isn't what you're leaving behind. It's realizing that what comes next looks nothing like you imagined.

In this episode of The Middle with the Headlees, Ty and Ren get personal about leaving Los Angeles for Dallas, grieving the life they knew, navigating unexpected emotional challenges, and rediscovering their footing in a new season.

Together, they explore the importance of acknowledging what you're feeling, inviting trusted people into your process, taking meaningful action, and learning to trust God even when the outcome is uncertain.

Whether you're navigating a move, career change, relationship shift, or a completely unfamiliar chapter, this conversation is a reminder that you don't have to have everything figured out to move forward.

Follow The Middle with the Headlees and connect with us on Instagram @theheadlees.

What are you learning in your current season of transition?

God Called You to Build It. So What's Stopping You?

What if the thing holding you back isn't what you're missing, but what you haven't started using yet?

In this episode, we're talking about what it really looks like to build a life of purpose while navigating marriage, responsibilities, limitations, and the everyday demands that come with pursuing what God has placed on your heart.

We share our personal experiences with discipline, self-awareness, rest, productivity, and creating practical systems that help us move forward.

We also discuss the importance of surrendering our timelines, recognizing our different strengths, and learning when to bring other people into the process.

You don't need to have everything figured out to take the next step.

Welcome to The Middle.

With love,
Ty & Ren Roberts-Headlee

00:00 Episode Highlights

00:55 Welcome to The Middle

01:34 Finding Purpose in the Struggle

17:53 Getting Specific About What Matters

18:58 Building Systems That Work for You

20:47 Prioritizing God Over Worry

22:07 Surrendering Your Schedule

22:43 Marriage, Motivation, and Different Strengths

24:54 Learning When to Pause and Rest

25:43 Understanding What Drives You

27:38 Self-Awareness, ADHD, and Hyperfocus

45:21 The Framework: Surrender, Specificity, Systems, Strategy

47:05 A Prayer for Purpose and Direction

There are moments when you find yourself standing somewhere familiar, but you realize you're not the same person you were the last time you stood there.Returning to ONE LA | A Potter's House Church to share this message together was one of those moments for us.Ren was born and raised in this church, a community that has been part of her life since its founding in 2004. Ty has been part of this movement for nearly a decade, and it was in this very house, on October 28, 2018, that an encounter with God changed the direction of his life.To return years later as husband and wife and have the opportunity to serve the community that helped shape so much of who we are was incredibly meaningful.But as we shared in our podcast, the promise was never simply about standing on a stage. It was about everything God was developing in us along the way.THE SOUND OF SURRENDERIn this live message, we share personal testimonies and walk through the book of Nehemiah, exploring three elements of rebuilding: the shovel, the sword, and the sound.We talk about identity, healing, spiritual sobriety, the pursuit of influence, and what happens when we surrender our gifts, ambitions, and desires to God.Because surrender isn't the end of your purpose. Sometimes it's the very thing that allows you to step more fully into it.Our prayer is that this message encourages you to examine what God may be asking you to release, trust Him with the process, and make room for the unique sound He's entrusted to you.We're grateful for our ONE LA family, Pastor Touré Roberts and Pastor Sarah Jakes Roberts, Pastor Dr. Anita, P. Eb, P, Charles, P. Steph, and the many people who have invested in our lives over the years.With love,Ty & Ren GO DEEPER🎙️ Watch our companion podcast episode, The Process of the Promise, where we share the personal journey, lessons, and significance behind returning to ONE LA:https://youtu.be/iB6Z4rjzyDo✍️ Read our Substack reflection, The Process of the Promise: When God Brings You to a Mountaintop:https://themiddlecommunity.substack.com/p/the-process-of-the-promise-when-godSCRIPTURE REFERENCESNehemiah 1–6 | Ephesians 5:15–18 | Jeremiah 1:5 | Proverbs 3:5–6 | Matthew 6:33 | John 10MESSAGE TIMESTAMPS00:00 Ren's Testimony: Choosing God's Identity06:45 You're Not Losing, You're Getting Loose08:15 A Moment of Surrender10:19 Prayer for Healing and Freedom14:47 Nehemiah: The Call to Rebuild18:21 Alignment and Generational Change24:52 Ty's Testimony: Sobriety and Freedom28:09 Ephesians 5: Living Soberly31:23 From Hollywood Recognition to Surrender34:50 Surrender Is the Key37:01 The Encounter That Changed My Life39:29 Inspecting the Rubble42:15 The Shovel: Tools for Rebuilding46:06 The Sword: Building With God's Word48:59 Breaking Agreement With Lies50:00 The Sound: Your God-Given Assignment52:02 The Trumpet and the Power of Your Sound55:12 Identity Before Accomplishment58:19 Prayer, Salvation, and SurrenderJOIN THE CONVERSATIONWhat is God asking you to surrender in this season? We'd love to hear from you in the comments.Subscribe to The Middle with the Headlees for honest conversations and messages about faith, marriage, purpose, identity, and the process of becoming.#SoundOfSurrender #TheMiddleWithTheHeadlees #ChristianSermon

What if avoiding conflict is actually hurting the relationships you're trying to protect?

In this episode of The Middle with the Headlees, we're having an honest conversation about conflict, confrontation, communication, and the difficult conversations that come with loving people well.

We share some of our own experiences with avoiding confrontation, allowing hurt to build up, struggling with rejection, and learning how to communicate what we actually need from the people closest to us.

Because the reality is, you can't expect a relationship to grow if you're unwilling to confront the things that are keeping it from growing.

We're talking about:

• Why conflict isn't always a sign of an unhealthy relationship

• How avoiding difficult conversations can create deeper wounds

• The importance of timing, tone, and emotional honesty

• How unspoken expectations lead to unnecessary disappointment

• The difference between forgiveness and allowing mistreatment

• When to fight for a relationship and when to change your proximity

• What Scripture teaches us about love, humility, and confrontation

Whether you're navigating conflict in marriage, friendship, family, or even within yourself, we hope this conversation gives you the courage and clarity to take your next step.

Question for you: Is there a conversation you've been avoiding that you know you need to have?

We'd love to hear from you in the comments.

Welcome to The Middle with the Headlees. We're glad you're here.

00:00 Why We Can't Avoid Conflict

01:00 Can Conflict Actually Be Healthy?

03:01 How Avoidance Hurts Us

06:16 Ren's Story: When Timing Goes Wrong

11:46 Ty's Story: Rejection and Withdrawal

17:06 When Forgiveness Becomes People-Pleasing

23:02 Why Growth Requires Confrontation

26:51 The Problem With Unspoken Expectations

31:27 Self-Awareness and Communication

34:02 Assumptions, Trust, and Relational Agreements

37:15 Humility and the Biblical Standard of Love

40:51 When Love Requires Distance

44:44 You Can't Force Someone to Change

48:30 Should You Fight for It or Let Go?

52:16 Your Next Step Toward Healing

54:06 A Prayer for Healthy Relationships

#TheMiddleWithTheHeadlees #Relationships #ConflictResolution

Have you ever felt like God promised you something, but your life looks nothing like what He said?We've been there. And in many ways, we're still in the middle of that process.In this episode of **The Middle with the Headleys**, we're sharing a very personal conversation about the process of God's promises, the seasons when He seems silent, and what it really means to surrender your timeline, your expectations, and even your definition of success.We're recording this conversation during a significant moment in our lives. After years of growth, transition, and surrender, we've been invited to return to ONE LA, the church that helped shape so much of who we are, to minister together in a new way. But what makes this moment meaningful isn't simply the opportunity to stand on a platform. It's everything God has done in us along the way.We talk about the dreams we once had, the motives God had to confront, what it felt like to go through seasons of discouragement, and why we've learned that a promise from God is always bigger than one moment of achievement.Ren also shares what helped her navigate a season when it felt like God had gone silent, and why looking back, writing things down, and continuing to participate in what God has spoken can change the way we experience the waiting.If you're in a season where you feel stuck, discouraged, overlooked, or unsure whether what God spoke will ever happen, this conversation is for you.**The promise isn't just about what you're waiting for. It's about who you're becoming.**Welcome to The Middle, where we're learning to get comfortable in the uncomfortable and normalize the process of becoming.**IN THIS EPISODE:**- When God's promises don't match your expectations- Surrendering your timeline and personal ambitions- Finding purpose beyond platforms, titles, and success- What to do when God seems silent- Writing the vision and keeping it alive- Why your growth matters even when nothing seems to be happening- The lessons of Abraham and Joseph- Recognizing that God's promises are bigger than ourselves- A closing prayer for those in the middle of the process**SCRIPTURES REFERENCED:**Habakkuk 2:2–3 | Hebrews 11 | Genesis 15 | Genesis 37–50 | Galatians 6:9**WATCH OUR MESSAGE AT ONE LA:**[Insert verified link to our message]Subscribe for more conversations about faith, marriage, purpose, relationships, and the beautifully uncomfortable process of becoming.**CONNECT WITH US:**@TheHeadlees @TyHeadlee @itsReallyRen00:00 — A Special Moment at ONE LA02:14 — Welcome Back to The Middle03:03 — Learning to Adapt When Life Changes04:55 — The Dreams, Visions & Promises We Carry06:48 — Why Returning to ONE LA Means So Much09:48 — The Promise Is Bigger Than a Platform11:44 — Ren's Journey From Growing Up at ONE16:14 — Hollywood, Creativity & Our Calling19:03 — When Success Becomes Your Identity20:31 — God's Promise Is Bigger Than One Achievement23:22 — The Many Layers of God's Promises24:14 — Why You Can't Hustle Your Way Into the Promise26:03 — Confronting the Pressure to Perform27:43 — Eight Years of Surrender29:26 — What to Do When God Seems Silent31:12 — Recognizing Growth in the Waiting32:09 — Keep the Vision in Front of You35:10 — Faith, Persistence & Writing the Vision36:35 — Surrender Your Dream and Your Timeline39:14 — Abraham, Joseph & the Bigger Picture42:27 — The Promise Is About Serving Others45:42 — Don't Turn the Promise Into an Idol46:50 — A Prayer for Everyone in the Process#TheMiddleWithTheHeadlees #GodsPromises #ChristianPodcast

What nobody tells you about marriage is that saying “I do” doesn't suddenly make you whole. And what nobody tells you about singleness is that marriage isn't the finish line.

In this episode of The Middle with the Headlees, we're getting honest about our journey through singleness, dating, relationships, engagement, and almost five years of marriage.

We talk about the pressure to get married, how we learned the difference between forcing a relationship and experiencing peace, what made us realize we wanted to build a life together, and why marriage has become one of the greatest mirrors in our lives.

We also open up about some of the things marriage has exposed in us individually: trauma, fear, intimacy, performance, vulnerability, communication, and the patterns we didn't realize we were carrying.

And we talk about why we decided to start marriage counseling even though our marriage wasn't in crisis. For us, counseling wasn't an emergency response. It was an investment in becoming healthier individually and together as we enter a new season of life. marriage in the middle - ep 3

Whether you're single, dating, engaged, newly married, or years into marriage, we hope this conversation reminds you that your relationship status isn't the destination.

There is something God wants to form in you in every season.

Because your relationship can only become as healthy as the people inside of it. marriage in the middle - ep 3

Welcome to The Middle.

Before you can walk in your identity, you have to surrender the pen.

Ty & Ren Headlee take you back to the moments God rewrote them from the inside out. Two different upbringings, two different cities, two different wounds, and one truth underneath both: your real life was never something you had to build. It was already hidden in Christ, waiting for you to stop performing long enough to receive it. (Colossians 3:3)

Ren shares the night she knelt at a piano just before her 16th birthday, staring at two letters on the back of a chair, and heard God offer her a choice between the identity she'd built and the one He had always intended. Ty shares how a Midwest kid who came alive in a dance class chased that feeling to Hollywood, lost himself along the way, and ended up on an altar floor in Los Angeles on October 28, 2018.

This is a foundational episode of The Middle with the Headlees: a first look at our story, with many more layers still to come. If you've ever wondered who you'd be without the wound, the title, or the thing you built to survive, this one is for you. Your true life isn't something you have to find. It's something you receive.

In this episode:

- Why The Middle exists: normalizing process over highlight reels

- Ren's story: identity, self-worth, and a choice between an L and an R

- Ren's parents' divorce, and meeting El Roi, the God who sees

- Ty's story: Omaha, hip-hop, and his first identity shift at 12

- Moving to Los Angeles at 18 and building an identity on performance

- Finding One Church and hearing Pastor Touré Roberts preach

- October 28, 2018: surrender, an altar, and giving the pen back

Key Scripture: Colossians 3:3

Chapters

00:00 Cold Open

00:40 Welcome to The Middle

01:30 Normalizing Process

03:30 The Elephant in the Room

05:00 Where Episode One Left Off

06:30 Why We Are Going Back

09:30 Ren Takes Us Back

12:30 Fasting at 12, Hungry for God

14:30 The Piano and Two Stickers

16:15 Choosing Ren Over Lauren

18:30 Her Parents' Divorce

20:00 Choosing the Truth Over a Truth

22:15 Hagar and El Roi

24:40 Ty Takes Us Back to Omaha

27:00 The First Identity Shift

30:20 Moving to LA at Eighteen

32:00 Identity Built on Performance

33:15 Jalen and What Was Underneath

35:00 We Need to Find a Church

37:15 The Comfortable Church

38:45 Walking Into One Church

40:00 It Was the Anointing

41:30 God the Author of Both Stories

44:15 Give the Pen Back

46:25 Stripped Away, Awakened to Purpose

48:30 Pinned for Two Shows

50:00 October 28, 2018

51:00 Forty-Five Minutes on the Floor

53:05 Any October 28th Could Be Yours

55:05 Next Week, Marriage in the Middle

56:35 Closing Prayer

Follow The Middle with the Headlees: [@TheHeadlees]

We recorded this episode twice. The first time, we lost all the audio. The second time, we had a meltdown, made an egregious mistake, and nearly cancelled the whole night. We finished it anyway.

Because that's what the middle requires.

Welcome to The Middle — the podcast for the generation that's building, healing, and becoming all at the same time. Not the highlight reel. Not the mountaintop. The part nobody talks about. Where it's messy, uncertain, and sacred all at once.

In this first episode, Ty and Ren Headlee introduce themselves, the show, and the season they're currently walking through — including navigating a mental health diagnosis in real time, processing grief, learning what it means to let someone sit with you in your inner storm, and why God's presence doesn't remove the pressure but removes its power.

The middle is where the making happens.
And you are not alone in it.

Subscribe, share with someone who needs this, and join the community: https://substack.com/@themiddlecommunity?r=928g30&utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page