Coffee Talks with Mike

Everybody has heard of the 7 deadly sins or 7 vices in one way or another. This book Glittering Vices by Rebecca DeYoung was my first big introduction to it in college, and I have been enjoying rereading it this year. Well, enjoying it as much as I can--it forces you to face some tough realities about yourself. So, if you're interested in doing that introspective work, grab the book or listen to these episodes and join the conversation!

It's been 8 years. Do we ever really appreciate who we've been and who we're becoming in real time?

Continuing with Comer, we explore the notion of abiding in this episode. Often times, spending more time with God is less about addition (adding special times) and more about subtraction (removing hurry, distractions, and bad habits).

Jumping back into Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer to unpack a little bit more of what becoming an apprentice really means, and maybe more specifically what it doesn't mean.

I've been enjoying Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer, and wanted to spend some time talking about the overarching theme/scope of this book. In this season of Lent, the first quote (and title of this episode) felt especially appropriate.

It's time to discuss the state of the podcast--where we've been, where we are, and where we're going! I also wanted to give you a little glimpse of what we'll talk about soon with an excerpt about Celtic spirituality, soul friends, and the interior life. I missed you all!

How do fear and anxiety fit into our perception of our work, our jobs, and our relationships? What does it mean to be "beloved?" How does community impact our ideas about our calling? Tune in and hear some more from Justin McRoberts in his book Sacred Strides.

Sabbath is a great idea that very few of us ACTUALLY do. What is the difference between your work and your job? Can your rest involve work? How do you rest without becoming lazy? These are a few questions that Justin McRoberts tackles in this book, Sacred Strides.

This is a sermon deep dive that is less of a deep dive and more of a "Behind the scenes commentary" because this sermon didn't get recorded, but I didn't want to pretend to preach it to you all. So tune in and let's talk about it!

Just a casual episode discussing the cosmos and the mystery of God--ya know, the simple stuff.

Join me for a bit of a nerd out about some of my favorite passages of Scripture and what I think is the lynchpin in our perception of our relationship with God!

Check out this discussion of the first few chapters of "Curveball" by Pete Enns.

This is the first official "State of the Union (podcast)" where I update you on current happenings and what is on the horizon. Nothing too special here, but this is a brief update about what's coming up!

One of my favorite pieces of writing (of course, by Lewis), and I'm sure I have mentioned it in passing before. But here is the entire essay Lewis wrote in God in the Dock about his musings in a toolshed one day. They have to do with reality, our observation of it, and our experience it. I hope you enjoy it!

In this book, Rohr makes some observations about the spiritual truths of the 12 step program and how they overlap with the Truth of the Gospel. His thesis is that all human beings are addicts, but that most of us don't know what it is we're addicted to because it isn't as clear or physical as other addictions can manifest themselves to be. I hope you are challenged by some of the ideas he lays out here.

What do Walt Whitman, Ted Lasso, G.K. Chesterton, and Mr. Rodgers have in common? Curiosity.

Feeding the 5,000 was one of the most memorable miracles Jesus performed, even more so than raising people from the dead. That's pretty strange when you think about it. What is it about feeding people that made it so significant? Is there more going on here?

What makes a good story? Which stories do you keep returning to? Why?

"The heart is deceitful above all things. Who can know it?" This is a passage from Jeremiah that most people have heard, Christian or not. But what does it actually mean, and what does it imply about our faith?

What does it mean for our faith to be connected in community? How do we wrestle with doubt while following authentically? Rachel doesn't give definite answers, but she certainly invites us into dialogue with her in this work.

Looking ahead for what the podcast will look like in 2023, this episode is a bit of a recap of what's been happening the last few months for me personally while giving some insight into what my goal is moving forward.

After 61 episodes, we have finally made it to the final chapters of this wonder book. I hope you were able to stick through to the end!

Finally, after 60 episodes, we have gotten to the chapter I've wanted to discuss all along. In these two chapters, Lewis discusses some of the most controversial parts of Church history (and more specifically the Protestant Reformation). First, the details and doctrines of Communion/the Eucharist/The Lord's Table. And second, the theological notion of Purgatory. I didn't realize this episode went over an hour, but in some sense it had to. I hope it opens up some new avenues for you to think about.

Sometimes, analogy is all we have to think about God. But how far we allow them to go is the pertinent principle as we consider how we pray.

All things can point us toward God, so long as we put them in their proper places. Adoration is different from gratitude, but both are necessary parts of our prayers. Dive into this episode as we get one step closer to completing Letters to Malcolm!

Where do you feel most connected to God? Here are a few quick thoughts about an old Celtic idea about experience of the Divine.

Karl Barth is one of the most significant theologians of the 20th century and has impacted the way that most if not all Protestants think about their theology (whether they know it or not). This is a little taste of Barth's famous behemoth of a work, Church Dogmatics, and in this chapter titled "The Task (of Dogmatics)" he lays out what Dogmatics are, and why we must do engage with them. Listen in and let me know what you think!

These two chapters are some of my favorite by Lewis (shocker), and the reason being that here is where Lewis tries to uncover what the true aim of prayer is and what gets in the way of it. Spoiler Alert: It's us, not God.

We're going for it today--three chapters in one episode! How do you make sense of the promise in Scripture, "Ask and you'll receive"? Does it seem accurate to you? Lewis has some thoughts to share about it and the problems it raises for those who take life and the witness of Scripture seriously.

You guessed it--we're still in the depths of Letters to Malcolm. This chapter is all about how far our analogies about God can go, and how the value of each and every thing in creation proves the significance of prayer.

Another deep dive into some of the background of my sermon from the other day. My approach to this parable was largely influenced by Merton's writing about "Seeds of Contemplation" which I talked about way back when in episode 4. If you're interested in listening to an early episode that gives some context for this sermon, give it a listen. It's episode 4!

One of Peterson's most famous works, and it's all about discipleship. Where is God calling you, and what do you do when you don't know where God's calling you to?

Continuing on some of the ideas from Ep 49, we dive a bit deeper into the questions surrounding how prayer works, if we can change the course of God's plans, and if we really make any choices in our lives. Join in the conversation and decide if you think Lewis is helping or hurting your vantage point on prayer.

Does prayer actually change anything in the world? Does it change God's mind? What can we learn from Jesus' prayers? Join this week to ponder some of these questions with me.

Doubting Thomas is the most unfair nickname in all of Scripture. My sermon this Sunday unpacked that a little bit, so this episode is a little bit of the background information that was going into some of that.

I start this episode with some strategic ramblings about the different mediums for communication, but eventually give some reflections on Parker Palmer's book Let Your Life Speak and it's final chapter "There is a Season." The metaphor for seasons of life is used a lot and has been for thousands of years. We would be wise to lean into that metaphor and learn what it might have to teach us.

Shadow and Light, Life and Death, and the priesthood of all believers. Tune in this week for a dive into the interplay of vocation and leadership.

Howard Thurman was one of the most significant Christian mystics of the modern day, an advisor and mentor to MLK Jr., and pastor. This book is a glance into the wisdom he has to offer the Church in regards to how we pursue God.

This is a big thank you to all of you for all of your support, love, and encouragement as well as a reflection on friendship together.

What does it mean to call yourself religious? Is it good? Bad? Or misunderstood?

The entire theme of Paul's letter to the Corinthians is division, yet here we are in 2022 and we are still rapidly dividing ourselves into more and more tribes rather than uniting in Christ. Can we stop that trend? Should we? These are some thoughts for today.

We're back to the book that started it all, diving into Lewis's thoughts on the Lord's Prayer. What do these phrases mean to us? When we say them, do we think of anything specific? Should we?

Here are some extended reflections about a sermon I preached for Maundy Thursday this year. I've been wondering a lot about what's happening in us during these moments, so I wanted to extend those questions to you.

Finishing up some thoughts about this book, focusing specifically on the idea of being a professional vs an amateur.

What is God calling you to that you are resisting? What do you fear? What do you wish you did but never have? Ponder these questions and more this week in the War of Art.

Here are some early morning thoughts on divisions in the Church, theology, and how we engage with one another.

My sermon on Sunday was on John 1:1, but it was interesting preparing for it because I was using a Christmas passage during Lent. This episode's just a long monologue about darkness and our relationship with it.

Silence from God is one of the most jarring parts of faith. But what if that silence is part of what enables us to know God in a fuller way? What if silence somehow leads us forward toward God, not further away?

"The same old same old" is a phrase many of us know and use, but have you ever thought about how this might derail you from enjoying what is in front of you?

Sometimes people try to move passed a point in an argument by saying "Oh we're just arguing semantics." But semantics are everything. If we can't communicate what we ACTUALLY mean when we speak, then we can't have a real conversation about anything. The words reflect the substance. The words we use are CRUCIAL if we want what we say to have meaning. What do you think? This is inspired from reading chapter 4 of This Hallelujah Banquet by Eugene Peterson.

How do you define Pride? Where do we draw the line between being prideful in a sinful way and being rightly proud of accomplishments? Lewis gives a few ideas, and I give a few of mine too.