How the Bible’s diversity of genres, cultural contexts, and ancient languages shape our spiritual understanding—and how to rediscover scripture as a life-giving, imaginative world. Mike Erre and Tim Stafford kick off a brand new series on the Bible with special guest Dr. Tim Gombis, diving deep into how the Bible can move from confusing and discouraging to enlightening and liberating. This episode is the beginning of a multi-part exploration aiming to help listeners reapproach the Bible with fresh eyes and renewed confidence.

Key Takeaways: • Breaking Free from “The Bible Says It, That Settles It” – Why simplistic readings fall short and how to embrace a more meaningful engagement with scripture. • Understanding the Bible as a Library, Not a Manual – Dr. Gombis outlines the major literary genres of the Bible and why each must be approached differently. • Replacing Certainty with Curiosity – How making the Bible “strange” again opens the door to deeper faith, richer theology, and a more beautiful gospel. • Reading the Bible Patiently – Why cultivating imagination through repeated exposure to individual books (especially the Gospels) is more transformative than seeking daily life application. • Torah as a Gift, Not a Burden – Rethinking Old Testament law from punitive legalism to joyful instruction on life in a liberated community. • Wrestling with Difficult Passages – Genocide, patriarchy, and troubling texts point us toward an interpretive humility and trust in the God revealed in Jesus.

Guest Highlights: Dr. Tim Gombis – Biblical scholar, teacher, and host of the “Faith Improvised” podcast. Gombis brings both academic clarity and pastoral wisdom to topics like biblical interpretation, genre sensitivity, and reading scripture in its original historical context.

Resources Mentioned: • “The Lost Letters of Pergamum” by Bruce Longenecker • “The Making of Biblical Womanhood” by Beth Allison Barr • Faith Improvised Podcast – Listen here • Recommended Bible Translations: NIV (New International Version) and NASB (New American Standard Bible) • Timothy Gombis’s Romans series on his podcast • CEB (Common English Bible) translation • “How Can the Bible Be Authoritative?” – Essay by N.T. Wright (recommended reference)

Start immersing yourself in the biblical world, not just its words. Give your imagination time to be reshaped by the stories, poetry, and prophetic voices that build up the Kingdom vision Jesus embodies. Want to build a practice around this? Gombis suggests reading one Gospel repeatedly over several weeks for formational impact.

Join the journey as we begin rediscovering the Bible as a wild, strange, but ultimately beautiful narrative revealing the love and justice of God. Subscribe, leave a review, and follow us for the next stages in this conversation.

As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to [email protected], and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.

We're on YouTube (if you're into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV Our Merch Store! ETSY Learn more about the Voxology Podcast Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon

The Voxology Spotify channel can be found here: Voxology Radio Follow us on Instagram: @voxologypodcast and "like" us on Facebook Follow Mike on Twitter: @mikeerre Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy



As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to [email protected], and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.

We're on YouTube (if you're into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV.

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Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford

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Discover how to identify and address spiritual abuse within church communities as Mike Erre and Tim Stafford engage with researcher Dan Koch. Delving into Dan's extensive study on the seven underlying factors that contribute to spiritual abuse, they discuss practical steps toward creating healthier, more nurturing religious environments. This insightful conversation sheds light on the importance of compassionate leadership, the impact of harmful practices, and offers hope and healing to those affected.

Key Takeaways:

• Authoritarian Leadership – Understanding how control and hierarchy can foster spiritual abuse in church settings.
• Manipulative Fear Tactics – Exploring the use of fear, violence, and punishment to influence congregations, including end-times scare tactics.
• Discrimination in the Church – Discussing how gender, racial, and sexual orientation discrimination can create abusive environments.
• Discouraging Medical and Mental Health Care – Highlighting the dangers of dissuading individuals from seeking medical treatment or mental health support.
• Protecting Abusers Over Victims – Examining how some church leadership may prioritize abusers, leading to further harm for the abused.
• Internal Distress and Harmful God Images – Recognizing the profound personal impact of spiritual abuse on individuals' faith and well-being.
• Pathways to Healing and Healthy Communities – Offering practical advice for leaders and congregants to foster respectful and nurturing church environments.

Guest Highlights:

Dan Koch – Researcher in counseling psychology focusing on spiritual abuse and religious trauma. Dan shares findings from his large-scale study identifying seven factors that contribute to spiritual abuse and provides insights on how churches can cultivate healthier communities. He discusses actionable steps for leaders, including key reflective questions to promote a culture of respect and healing.

Resources Mentioned:

• You Have Permission Podcast – Dan Koch's podcast exploring progressive Christianity and social sciences.
• Dr. Lisa Oakley's Research on Spiritual Abuse – Studies on creating resilient spiritual communities.
• EMDR Therapy – Information on Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy for trauma recovery.
• The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill Podcast – An exploration of the impacts of abusive church leadership.

Join the conversation and share your experiences in fostering healthy church communities. Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and follow Voxology Podcast on social media to stay connected and be part of the journey toward healing and growth.

As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to [email protected], and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.

We're on YouTube (if you're into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV.

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Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon

The Voxology Spotify channel can be found here: Voxology Radio

Follow us on Instagram: @voxologypodcast and "like" us on Facebook

Follow Mike on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mikeerre

Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford

Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy



As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to [email protected], and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.

We're on YouTube (if you're into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV.

Our Merch Store! ETSY

Learn more about the Voxology Podcast

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Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon

The Voxology Spotify channel can be found here: Voxology Radio

Follow us on Instagram: @voxologypodcast and "like" us on Facebook

Follow Mike on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mikeerre

Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford

Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy

Mike Erre and Tim Stafford delve into the experience of feeling exiled within one's own church community. Drawing from biblical narratives of exile, they explore how to foster dynamic countercultural communities that embody Jesus's teachings while remaining committed to the well-being of the broader church. They discuss practical steps for navigating discontent without falling into pride or division, emphasizing the importance of loving the church even amidst frustration.

Key Takeaways:

• Understanding Biblical Exile – Exploring the concept of exile from the Old Testament to the New Testament and how it applies to modern feelings of spiritual homelessness.
• Fostering Dynamic Counterculture – Discussing how to create communities that are distinctively Jesus-focused, wrestling with accommodation and distinction, inclusion and exclusion.
• Seeking the Good of the Church – Examining ways to remain committed to the larger church, loving and serving it even when feeling disillusioned.
• Avoiding Pride and Self-Righteousness – Warning against the dangers of deconstruction leading to division rather than renewal.
• Finding Hope on the Margins – Recognizing that authentic encounters with Jesus often occur outside institutional centers of power.

Resources Mentioned:

• First Peter – Discussions on living as exiles and foreigners.
• Jeremiah 29 – Instructions to the exiles in Babylon.
• Book of Daniel – Examples of faithful living in exile.
• PCA Overture 23 – Recent developments in the Presbyterian Church in America.
• Bridget Eileen Rivera – Insights on inclusion within the church.
• David Bennett's "A War of Loves" – Perspectives on faith and sexuality.

Join us as we explore what it means to live faithfully as exiles within the church. Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and follow Voxology Podcast on social media to continue the conversation.

As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to [email protected], and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.

We're on YouTube (if you're into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV.

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Learn more about the Voxology Podcast

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Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon

The Voxology Spotify channel can be found here: Voxology Radio

Follow us on Instagram: @voxologypodcast and "like" us on Facebook

Follow Mike on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mikeerre

Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford

Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy



As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to [email protected], and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.

We're on YouTube (if you're into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV.

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Learn more about the Voxology Podcast

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Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon

The Voxology Spotify channel can be found here: Voxology Radio

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Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford

Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy

How does the church respond to LGBTQ+ individuals in ways that reflect new creation rather than tired, old creation dynamics of exclusion, shame, and silence? In this profoundly moving episode, Mike and Tim respond compassionately to a deeply honest and heartbreaking letter from a closeted gay church leader wrestling with belonging, identity, and faith in the modern church.

This dialogue touches on some of the most pressing tensions within American Christianity today—how can the church be a place of authentic community for LGBTQ+ believers? What does it mean to be a welcoming and mutually transforming space? How can we embrace new creation practices without compromising on grace, truth, or relationship?

Mike and Tim confront the church's failures, hypocrisies, and misplaced obsessions with sexuality, while also outlining what true hospitality, humility, and justice must look like within Christ-centered communities. If you're asking hard questions about faith, sexuality, and the mission of the church in a divided world, this conversation invites you into a new way of thinking marked by repentance, grace, and love.

Key Takeaways: • Creating Safe Space in the Church – Why LGBTQ+ individuals deserve communities of radical hospitality rather than silence, shame, or exclusion. • Critiquing Evangelical Sexual Ethics – How the church's obsession with sexual purity, hypocrisy on divorce, and abuse of power have corrupted its witness. • New Creation vs. Old Creation Dynamics – Understanding how practices like inclusion, mutuality, patience, and non-coercive humility reflect Jesus's way. • The Limits of Affirming vs. Non-Affirming Labels – Why those binary categories often fail to capture the radical hospitality and invitation of Jesus. • Center-Set Community Formation – Moving beyond boundaries into spiritual families united around posture toward Christ, not identity markers. • Hospitality and Waiting as Spiritual Practices – What happens when the church chooses listening, patience, and love over moralizing proclamations?

Resources Mentioned: • Voxologypodcast.com – Our central hub for exploring culture, faith, and the mission of Jesus • David Fitch – Concept of “welcoming and mutually transforming communities” • Books by Tim Gombis – Including conversations on humility in biblical interpretation • Bonhoeffer and Paul’s Ethics – Themes of sacrificial love and communal identity from scripture • Past Voxology episodes with LGBTQ+ Christian voices – Featuring guests like Bonnie and DL

Let’s keep the conversation going. If you resonate with Jeremy's story or are processing these questions yourself, we want to hear from you. Email us at [email protected] and join us on Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube for more dialogue.

Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and consider supporting us on Patreon so we can continue nurturing spaces of vulnerability, truth-seeking, and radical Jesus-following.

Watch on YouTube: VOXOLOGY TV Visit our Merch Store: ETSY Support the Podcast: Patreon – Voxology Follow us on Instagram: @voxologypodcast or on Facebook Follow Mike on Twitter: @mikeerre Music by Timothy John Stafford – @GoneTimothy on Instagram & Twitter. Listen to Voxology Radio on Spotify: Voxology Radio



As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to [email protected], and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.

We're on YouTube (if you're into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV.

Our Merch Store! ETSY

Learn more about the Voxology Podcast

Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify

Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon

The Voxology Spotify channel can be found here: Voxology Radio

Follow us on Instagram: @voxologypodcast and "like" us on Facebook

Follow Mike on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mikeerre

Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford

Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy

How can mistranslations, manipulated theology, and cultural biases distort how we see Jesus, worship, and community? This episode of the Exile Series is a timely journey into the tangled landscape of modern Christianity, questioning the language we use, the powers that shape our spirituality, and what it truly means to be “in Christ.” Through a raw, winding conversation, Mike Erre and Tim Stafford reflect on the communal nature of scripture, the emotional weight of worship, and the cosmic battle Paul describes between divine wisdom and worldly power.

From 1980s pop nostalgia to the deep complexities of biblical translation, this episode challenges sentimental theology and digs into questions from listeners about trusting scripture, spiritual authority, and how emotion and manipulation can intertwine in Christian culture. With references ranging from Duran Duran to Paul's letter to the Ephesians, Mike and Tim unravel what it means to follow Jesus in a world overrun by deception and distraction.

Key Takeaways: • The Power and Peril of Bible Translation – How agenda-driven or outdated translations can distort key theological ideas, especially concerning gender and authority. • Worship Beyond Sentimentalism – Differentiating emotion from manipulation, and embracing honest, embodied worship rooted in justice and truth. • Paul’s Cosmic Worldview – Understanding "powers and principalities" as societal, ideological, and spiritual forces rather than simply personal demons. • New Creation Dynamics – How everyday choices rooted in Christlike wisdom become acts of worship and resistance against cultural corruption. • Reading the Bible with Curiosity – Why interpretation requires community, humility, history, and a willingness to hold questions without fearing doubt.

Resources Mentioned: • "Faith Improvised" Podcast by Tim Gombis • “The Patient Ferment of the Early Church” by Alan Kreider • “Power and Weakness” by Tim Gombis • Jen Hatmaker Enneagram Series • Ephesians 1–3; John 15; Genesis; Psalms

Join the conversation and share how you're wrestling with worship, truth, and righteous resistance in our age of misinformation. Subscribe, leave a review, and follow Voxology Podcast on Instagram and Facebook to stay in the loop.

As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to [email protected], and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.

We're on YouTube (if you're into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV

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Learn more about the Voxology Podcast

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Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon

The Voxology Spotify channel can be found here: Voxology Radio

Follow us on Instagram: @voxologypodcast and "like" us on Facebook

Follow Mike on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mikeerre

Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford

Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy



As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to [email protected], and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.

We're on YouTube (if you're into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV.

Our Merch Store! ETSY

Learn more about the Voxology Podcast

Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify

Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon

The Voxology Spotify channel can be found here: Voxology Radio

Follow us on Instagram: @voxologypodcast and "like" us on Facebook

Follow Mike on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mikeerre

Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford

Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy

This is Voxology. Welcome to episode 300 and to the new podcast name, Voxology! We’re excited to start a new chapter in this continued journey with all of you!

Today in this mammoth, celebratory episode, we spend time talking about the Church, from postures of both lament and hope. We hear from beloved friend and old co-host Bonnie Lewis on why she feels she is ‘post-church,’ from friend of the show Shane Claiborne on actions the church needs to take to heal and grow and from the one and only Gombis on where we’ve been and hope for the future. Then, most importantly, we hear from many of you. You share your hopes and laments with us as we look further on down the long road.

First, Tim puts Mike on the hot seat to talk about why he started a podcast in the first place six years ago and what his hopes are for the next 300 episodes.

As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Always feel free to email in questions to [email protected], and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.

Support the Voxology on Patreon: www.patreon.com/voxology

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Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford

www.timothyjohnstafford.com

Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy

A behind-the-scenes bonus episode full of joy, jokes, and Jesus as Mike Erre, Tim Stafford, and the beloved Seth Erre drop in to tease the much-anticipated rebrand of the Vox Podcast. With Episode 300 on the horizon, this midweek moment is both a celebration of the past and a hilarious reflection on potential (and rejected) new names for the show. Packed with wild brainstorming, dad-joke-worthy Christian slogans, and Seth’s unforgettable antics, this episode sets the tone for the next chapter of Voxology.

Key Takeaways: • Creative Process Unplugged – How Mike, Tim, and friends explored hilarious and heartfelt rebranding ideas, from “Get Right or Get Left” to “God Grades on the Cross, Not the Curve.” • Looking Back and Moving Forward – Reflections on the journey to 300 episodes and what makes this community so unique. • Countdown Hype – Episode 300 drops Monday with a new name and vision, inviting listeners to be part of the ongoing transformation.

Guest Highlights: • Seth Erre – Fan favorite and comedic catalyst, bringing playful energy and adding heart to the bonus episode.

Resources Mentioned: • Journey Church – journeytn.com • Merch Ideas Teased – Let us know if you'd rock a “Forbidden Fruit Creates Many Jams” tee.

Join us for the fun and don’t miss the reveal of Voxology’s new season and name in Episode 300 — tell a friend, set a reminder, and come be part of the future. Subscribe, leave a review, and follow us on social media to stay connected.

As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to [email protected], and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.

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The Voxology Spotify channel can be found here: Voxology Radio

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Follow Mike on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mikeerre

Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford

Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy



As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to [email protected], and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.

We're on YouTube (if you're into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV.

Our Merch Store! ETSY

Learn more about the Voxology Podcast

Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify

Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon

The Voxology Spotify channel can be found here: Voxology Radio

Follow us on Instagram: @voxologypodcast and "like" us on Facebook

Follow Mike on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mikeerre

Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford

Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy

How the biblical idea of the Divine Council reshapes our understanding of spiritual warfare, justice, and humanity’s role in God’s world. Mike Erre and Tim Stafford continue the Elohim Series by exploring the spiritual realm of the Old Testament—the "sons of God," the supernatural rulers of the nations, and how their corruption contributes to the brokenness of the world we inhabit. This episode challenges conventional Christian views of spiritual warfare and dives deep into why justice, lament, and truth are essential responses to systemic evil.

Key Takeaways: • Understanding the Divine Council – How the “sons of God,” or Elohim, were created to rule the nations and why their corruption matters in the biblical worldview. • The Link Between Justice and Worship – Why biblical justice isn't optional, but a core expression of loyalty to Yahweh, and how this ties directly to idolatry and sacred resistance. • Rethinking Spiritual Warfare – It's not a battle against individuals, but against systems, ideologies, and cultural norms corrupted by fallen spiritual beings. • Scripture’s Epic Cosmic Vision – From Psalm 82 to Daniel 10 and Deuteronomy 32, discover how geographically connected spiritual powers play into biblical history and theology. • The Gospel Is Unthreatened – A passionate call to reject fear-based "threat to the gospel" rhetoric and instead lead with confession, lament, and repentance as countercultural acts of new creation.

Resources Mentioned: • Psalm 82 – blueletterbible.org • Deuteronomy 32 – biblegateway.com • Michael Heiser – Scholar who popularized Divine Council theology (The Unseen Realm) • Greg Boyd – On spiritual warfare and systemic injustice • Tim Gombis – Faith Improvised podcast • Daniel 10 – The prince of Persia and spiritual conflict between nations

Call to Action: Let this episode sharpen your spiritual imagination. What would it look like to consciously live in resistance to corrupt spiritual systems? Share your thoughts or questions by emailing us at [email protected] and join our growing community on social media.

Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and follow the podcast to stay updated.

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Music by Timothy John Stafford – Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy



As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to [email protected], and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.

We're on YouTube (if you're into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV.

Our Merch Store! ETSY

Learn more about the Voxology Podcast

Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify

Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon

The Voxology Spotify channel can be found here: Voxology Radio

Follow us on Instagram: @voxologypodcast and "like" us on Facebook

Follow Mike on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mikeerre

Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford

Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy

Unlocking new layers of biblical meaning, Mike and Tim dive into one of the Bible’s most mysterious and perplexing passages—Genesis 6—and the weird, wild world of the Nephilim, fallen Elohim, and cosmic rebellion. In this episode of the Genesis Series, they unpack how humanity's fall mirrors the spiritual realm's own betrayal, why "heaven" needs redemption too, and how it all connects to the gospel’s cosmic scale. They also respond to some truly thought-provoking listener emails and celebrate Voxology’s upcoming 300th episode with big announcements and an invitation to add your voice to the journey.

Key Takeaways: • Understanding the Sons of God and Nephilim – A deep dive into the meaning of Genesis 6 and the implications of divine beings breaking heavenly boundaries. • Cosmic Rebellion & Restoration – Why God's redemption plan includes not just earth, but also the heavens, and how Eden’s echoes appear again in David vs. Goliath and even Jesus’s ministry. • Personal vs. Communal Salvation – Responding to a listener’s brilliant email about individual salvation and the church's communal calling. • The Church as a Messy but Sacred Community – Why finding a healthy, humble, and justice-oriented church is more important than searching for theological perfection. • The Fault Lines of Modern Church Models – A candid conversation about ecclesiology, power, love, and whether the institution of church still serves the original mission of Jesus.

Guest Highlights: This episode includes thoughtful listener comments from Jeremy and others, inspiring a rich discussion about the nature of faith, frustration, and formation within today’s church context.

Resources Mentioned: • Genesis 6 – The Sons of God and Nephilim passage. • Jude & 2 Peter – New Testament references to the rebellious Elohim. • Tim Mackie & The Bible Project – Background on ancient cosmology and Hebrew literary patterns. • Patreon Sign-Up – Patreon.com/voxology • Voxline for Episode 300 submissions – Call (530) 492-0382 or email [email protected]

Call to Action: We want your voice in our upcoming 300th episode! Submit your one-word or short reflection on hope or lament about the church. Plus, don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and follow Voxology on social media to stay connected with a community reimagining faith in Jesus together.

As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to [email protected], and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.

We're on YouTube (if you're into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV Our Merch Store: ETSY Learn more about the Voxology Podcast

Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify

Support the show on Patreon Check out the Voxology Spotify channel: Voxology Radio

Follow us on Instagram @voxologypodcast and on Facebook Follow Mike on Twitter: @mikeerre

Music by Timothy John Stafford Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy



As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to [email protected], and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.

We're on YouTube (if you're into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV.

Our Merch Store! ETSY

Learn more about the Voxology Podcast

Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify

Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon

The Voxology Spotify channel can be found here: Voxology Radio

Follow us on Instagram: @voxologypodcast and "like" us on Facebook

Follow Mike on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mikeerre

Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford

Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy

When the rot of power, celebrity, and capitalism runs deep in modern American church culture, is walking away the best response—or is there another way forward? In this deeply vulnerable and passionate installment of the New Creation Series, Mike Erre and Tim Stafford are joined by theologian Dr. Timothy Gombis, who brings sobering wisdom, theological insight, and a dawning vision of church grounded not in success but in rest, repentance, and resistance.

What begins as an honest lament about megachurch scandals, celebrity abuse, and American idolatry evolves into a provocative reimagining of what it truly means to be the Church. Rather than retreat into cynicism or fight to fix a broken system with the same tools that corrupted it, Gombis invites us into a radical posture: Sabbath rest, confession, humble presence, and quiet faithfulness. Together, the trio confronts questions about church size, performative faith, historical injustice, and the seductive pull of power—all through the lens of New Creation.

Key Takeaways: • Deconstructing Celebrity Church – Confronting the spiritual costs of megachurch models built on personality, PR, and performance. • Reimagining Church Participation – How simply being the church may be more transformative than trying to fix the church. • Capitalism & the Gospel – Why American success metrics have co-opted the church and how reframing our goals changes everything. • Receiving the Kingdom – Embracing the Gospel’s passive verbs: inheriting, receiving, and resting instead of striving and producing. • Practices of Peace and Presence – Confession, community meals, serving the marginalized—not because they fix the system, but because they form us. • Sexual Anxiety & Power in American Evangelicalism – Exploring the Church’s obsession with sexuality through the lens of control and exclusion. • Can the Church Repent? – Wrestling with America’s Christian history rooted in colonization, slavery, and patriarchy, and what repentance looks like today. • Living as a Christian in a Captive Culture – Gombis’s personal posture of engagement: naming complicity, pursuing private transformation, and relinquishing control.

Guest Highlight: Dr. Timothy Gombis – Seminary professor, New Testament scholar, and prophetic voice of humility and hope. Gombis joins the conversation with candor and insight, offering a strong counter-narrative to ambition-driven models of spiritual leadership.

Resources & References: • Matthew 25 – The sheep and goats and Jesus’ judgment based on care for the least of these. • Zondervan “God Bless the USA” Bible – Highlighted as a misguided fusion of nationalism and scripture. • Book on Reparations – Referenced for wrestling with historical sin and the possibility of corporate repentance. • U2’s “Grace” and “Beautiful Day” – Cited for theological reflection on the realism and hope of grace. • Letter Writing to Prisoners – One way Gombis practices quiet, embodied faith. • Rethink Megachurch Podcast Interview (Hillsong Today Show segment) – Source of Tim’s frustration and springboard for the dialogue.

Connect, Respond, and Reflect: This episode doesn’t pull punches, and we invite you to join the conversation. How are you wrestling with the state of the church? What does it mean to be the church in our current age? Email your thoughts to [email protected] and let us know how you’re finding—or struggling to find—Christ’s presence in Christian spaces.

As always, we’re grateful for your time and presence as we pursue the true mission of Jesus together.

Subscribe, leave a review, and consider supporting us on Patreon to keep these conversations going: Patreon.com/voxology

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Let’s practice love, honesty, and humility as we walk this road together toward New Creation.



As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to [email protected], and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.

We're on YouTube (if you're into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV.

Our Merch Store! ETSY

Learn more about the Voxology Podcast

Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify

Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon

The Voxology Spotify channel can be found here: Voxology Radio

Follow us on Instagram: @voxologypodcast and "like" us on Facebook

Follow Mike on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mikeerre

Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford

Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy