THREADS

We can get through uncertainty and fear by looking at situations from a more spiritual perspective. Perfect love casts out fear, and through God, we can see beauty and possibility in chaos. Andre Rabe, author, missionary, and creator of Mimesis Academy, joins us in this episode to share what he has learned through years of reflection and meditation on the nature of God; a God not of control but of possibilities. 

 

Pulling from the last episode, we work on building our spiritual foundation in the knowledge that God is love, He is with us, and we are connected to all things through Him. 

 

In this episode, we cover:

• The character and nature of God as expressed through creation and diversity
• Appreciating God’s love for you and extending that grace to others
• God as a leader, not a micromanager

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*New episodes release every other Monday

*Connect with Keith on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Visit the blog at keithgiles.com

When standing in the rubble of the deconstruction of toxic beliefs, how do you begin to rebuild your foundation into reconstruction? Today’s guest is The Naked Pastor, David Hayward, artist, and founder of The Lasting Supper, an online community devoted to helping people in the process of deconstruction. 

 

Join us as we pull on last week’s community thread and discuss moving through the initial ecclesiastical and theological deconstruction into the detox phase and finally into the freedom of reconstruction and finding your community.

 

In this episode, we cover:

• Shifting your mindset after the trauma of deconstruction
• Learning to replace the loss of community after leaving the church
• Facilitating a strong feeling of family and community without control or coercion
• The Lasting Supper
  

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*New episodes release every other Monday

*Connect with Keith on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Visit the blog at keithgiles.com

There is power in allowing the holy spirit to rush into the space created by honesty and vulnerability. Join us for this episode with Desimber Rose Wattleton, author and former pastor of The Rock Worship Center, as we continue to pull on the thread of sharing truth and experiences within the church. Today’s episode covers many topics where Desimber’s vivid metaphors get to the heart of the dangers of searching for accolades as a church leader and focusing on law and the old covenant to the detriment and exclusion of grace.   

In this episode, we cover:

• The benefits of moving to virtual services and opening the church building to become an open resource that blesses the entire community
• The current church fixation on creating converts rather than disciples
• In regards to pastors, whatever is in the person comes out in the pulpit
• The Church Can Go To Hell: Overcoming the Brokenness, Bitterness, and Bondage of Church Hurt

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*New episodes release every other Monday

*Connect with Keith on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Visit the blog at keithgiles.com

When at a spiritual crossroads, how do you know which path to take? In today’s episode with guest Brian Zahnd, founder and lead pastor of Word of Life Church in Saint Joseph, Missouri, we discuss his choices as he traveled the path of deconstruction from behind the pulpit. The situational circumstances he was presented with allowed him to transition his church, but it was a long, challenging road. He gained the joy of a better, stronger spiritual understanding, but also the loss of friendships and half his congregation. 

 

From the last episode with Safi Kaskas, we pull on the thread of finding common ground, working together for understanding, and worshiping God the best way you know how. 

 

In this episode, we cover:

• Breaking down the term deconstruction
• The critique of American nationalism within the church
• The patience, time, and fortitude needed to go through deconstruction and come out the other side

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*New episodes release every other Monday

*Connect with Keith on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Visit the blog at keithgiles.com

What do Muslims and Christians have in common? Let’s pull on a thread from the previous episode where we discussed Jesus and John Wayne, two men that had very little in common. In this conversation, Safi Kaskas, a Muslim who also loves Jesus, shares how Muslims and Christians actually have a lot more in common than you might think.

 

In this episode, we cover:

• Similarities of Christianity and Islam
• The Bible and the Qur’an
• The Qur'an - with References to the Bible: A Contemporary Understanding
  

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*New episodes release every other Monday

*Connect with Keith on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Visit the blog at keithgiles.com

What do Jesus, John Wayne, and evangelical Christians have in common? In this conversation with Kristin Du Mez, we pull on the thread from the previous episode with Matt Distefano where he gives insight into mimetic theory and scapegoating - two processes that Jesus did not participate in. Kristin shares the meaning behind her book, Jesus and John Wayne, and explains how Christian masculinity turned Christ into an image of cowboy warrior masculinity and violence. Again, the opposite of what Jesus actually modeled and taught. 

 

In this episode, we cover:

• The remaking of Christian masculinity and how Christ is compared to John Wayne and other warrior characters
• The racial issues of the white evangelical belief system
• Money and power in the Christian industry
• Jesus and John Wayne

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*New episodes released every other Monday

Why do we tend to desire things that others have or desire? Lets pull on a thread from the previous conversation with Nora Sophia where she discusses the importance of looking inwards for wisdom, truth, and guidance instead of looking to others for those things. In this conversation, Matt Distefano shares his expert knowledge on Rene Girard’s Mimetic Theory which explains the exact thought behind human desire and the practical applications of it in our everyday life. 

 

In this episode, we cover:

• Rene Girard
• Mimetic theory and how it relates to religion
• Explaining human desire and scapegoating

 

*New episodes released every other Monday

We often push away difficult feelings, but change and transformation are only possible when you are uncomfortable. Today’s episode discusses how making hard choices, trusting your intuition, and letting go of fear will lead you to a beautiful transformation. Our guest, Nora Sophia is a storyteller, connector, messenger, and igniter who coaches others to have radical courage to find more harmony in their lives. We discuss learning to let go, live in the moment, and trust God to wow you with even more incredible experiences. 

 

In this episode, we cover:

• Using your gifts to serve others and yourself
• Letting go of your hold on the past or the future to live in the moment
• Looking inward for your own transformation

Are you feeling lonely or discouraged in your faith? Tune in for hope and encouragement in learning to embrace the uncertainty that's ahead. As we heard in the last episode, being a pastor can often be an isolating and discouraging occupation, even more so for pastors in the process of deconstruction. In this episode, join authors, Brad Jersak and William Paul Young, as they provide hope for those feeling alone in their faith journey. Together, they have co-written a new fiction book, The Pastor: A Crisis, in which they give a detailed glimpse into a struggling pastor’s life. 

 

In this episode, we cover:

• How to hear the voice of God
• Embracing the uncertainty and the mystery
• The struggle of being a pastor

In this episode, Keith Giles and Alan Smith pull on the thread of letting go of trying to be the perfect person. It can be exhausting to try and live up to everyone’s expectations and standards, especially as a pastor of a church. Alan shares his journey through religious deconstruction and how he found peace in letting go of what others think. There is so much we can learn from open and honest conversations about failure and finding the courage to stand up again.

 

In this episode, we cover:

• The lonely side of religious deconstruction
• Finding grace through personal hardships
• Becoming a more whole person and finding peace with your inner self