Faith Restructured

Meredith Miller is a pastor, parent, and writer with over 20 years experience in children's ministry and curriculum. In 2019 she and her husband Curtis started Pomona Valley Church –a church on Zoom that wants to live the one-anothers, neighbor well, and do justice. And eat. But for the 5 years prior she was Curriculum Director for the children's ministry at Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago, Illinois, where she created the framework for lessons that responds to the latest research on kids and faith formation. Since 2007 she's also been involved with the work of the Fuller Youth Institute. Meredith holds a Master of Divinity from Fuller Seminary, as well as a B.A. in Religious Studies and Spanish Language & Literature from Westmont College.

Cole and Mike continue the conversation on prayer. They discuss some of their own struggles and practices in the area of prayer.

Central to our faith is the notion of prayer, but it isn't as simple as we sometimes think. Sometimes in an attempt to simplify the idea, we trivialize it or complicate it further. Join us for the conversation today as we think through how prayer forms us in our journeys.

Welcome back to season 3 of Faith Restructured! Join us for this kickoff episode as we look ahead toward the plans for this season while listening in to some rambling about Jesus, life, and youth ministry.

Check out this great conversation with Brian Zahnd as we discuss spirituality, the early church, political ideology, and how faith transcends our preferences.

Thanks for joining us for season 2. Tune in for a look back at some of the things we've been learning these last few months as we discuss some of our favorite moments this season! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Something new! We're both in the same room...recording our reflections on a conference that we attended. We don't view conferences the same on this side of faith, but can they still be valuable?

Easter is obviously the focal point of the Christian faith, but how does it change our perspective of life, faith, and relationships? --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

What is the purpose of a sermon? What are you thinking about? What is your part to play? --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week we tackle society's favorite topic: Money. Where does money intersect with church and faith? Where did you learn your answer? --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

We spend some time in Lectio Divina again this week reflecting on the story of the woman caught in adultery. There is a delicate balance between letting Scripture speak on its own and diving into the nitty gritty details of the context, languages, historical reception, etc. Spend some time with us this week as we try to find that balance. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Join us as we reflect on some of the things we wish we could have talked about more with Scott Erickson and Mariko Clark about. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Caroline is a pastor and author who Cole had the opportunity to work with for a few years early in ministry. Join us for this conversation where she gives us some perspective on faith, doubt, Covid, and more from her vantage point as a Pastor that is figuring stuff out too. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

The season of Lent brings a lot of feelings and themes with it, including death, sin, suffering, and struggle. But it also brings with it hope. Today's episode is Mike reflecting on some swirling thoughts and reactions to Ash Wednesday in light of current events.

We spend this episode talking with Marri (Mariko Clark) about her project "The Book of Belonging," sword drills, and how 30 seconds of courage can change your life (thanks Matt Damon). This a great conversation about faith, struggle, and figuring out how to be okay with God's mystery. Check it out! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

With Lent around the corner, we wanted to spend some time talking about what Lent means to us, how we participate in it, and how we can take these ideas and practices beyond this season of life. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

"Scott Erickson is an artist, author, speaker, and curator who mixes mythology & aesthetics to create art and moments that speak to our deepest experiences." Scott's ability as an artist has enabled him to connect people to the faith in powerful ways. We hope you enjoy the conversation! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Cole takes over this episode of the podcast to remind us all of what this whole faith journey thing is about. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

On this week's episode, we're talking about the voices and writers shaping our lives and what we're learning. We also cover some tough statistics from our world and spend some time lamenting them. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

For our first guest of season 2 we're hearing from someone that's passionate about knowing Scripture and sharing it with people, but in a way that's about emphasizing what's ACTUALLY happening. That means pointing out the crazy and scandalous details in Scripture rather than pretending they aren't there.  --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

New year, same old us. Join us for some discussion about what's been going on the last month or two, what's coming up, and some thoughts about "nondiscipleship." --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Join us as we look back at our first season together and look ahead to what comes next! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

The final chapter of The Wisdom Pattern is titled "Living with Shadow." Without learning about darkness and its presence in our lives, we cannot live fully in the light. Learning to navigate those spaces takes wisdom. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Our society lives by idolizing what life would be like if we could be limitless. But perhaps limits have a value we need to acknowledge before we can begin to move them. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

We're closing in on the end of the Wisdom Pattern. Check out this week's episode where we discuss the topic of forgiveness. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Mike and Cole model and ancient practice right here on the podcast. It doesn't get much better than this.  --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Mike and Cole practice rereading scripture from a new perspective. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Cole and Mike dig into the wisdom pattern again on this one! Bonus: Mike gives us useless knowledge of a lake in Maryland. Join us! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

It's a monologue, but with two people (that's a dialogue). This episode is all about Church, values, and how long you should cook things in the microwave. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week is a monologue from Mike reflecting on the relationship between theology and lifestyle. How important are the doctrines we believe? Where do our doctrines come from? What do we do when our doctrines don't change the way we live? --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Cole and Mike have a good ole chat with a guy who is actively shaping their faith. He's an author, speaker, musician, and self-proclaimed chatty airplane guy. We talk about art, struggle, identity, and the pursuit of connection with those around us.  --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

We talk about eggs, deep cosmic knowing, and if you say "sunny side up" or "dippy." --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Mike and Cole sit down with Author, Activist, and New "Van-Lifer" Shane Claiborne. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Cole and Mike discuss and unpack different theories of atonement. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week Cole reflects on a mantra that has helped him on the other side of deconstruction. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week Mike reflects a bit on the topic of wisdom in relation to Scripture. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

We continue on in "The Wisdom Pattern" by Richard Rohr this week and discuss the topic of transformation. What does it look like to go through doubt, questioning, cynicism, and struggle in the life of faith? How does the transformation process in our lives and in our faith help (or hurt) that? Is it possible to doubt and still have hope? Is it possible to have faith with no hope? How do we rebuild? Join us this week in reading and discussing this chapter, and let's keep the conversation going. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week we have are honored to have on a dear friend and hear from him about the life of the church today, how fatherhood changed his view of theology, what he believes is an alternative to programs in church, and much more. We are stoked that we were able to have Scott on and hope you enjoy this week's interview! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week we're switching things up. As we're in different places with different travel schedules this week, we thought this was a good time to try out this style of episode. Basically, we're inviting you into our own thought processes as we are working through our own faith journeys, articulating some of the questions and ideas we currently have as we continue on. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this episode we discuss the third chapter of The Wisdom Pattern by Richard Rohr and we address that Mike's favorite number is the worst number of all time. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This is our first episode hearing from some of you, and the topic revolves around youth ministry. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week we interview Dr. Peter Enns, our former Bible professor at Eastern University. We share some funny memories, talk about some of Pete's catch phrases like "Welcome to adult Bible reading," and get Pete's take on deconstruction. Pete reframes the idea of deconstruction as "disorientation," explaining how a lot of our faith journey involves growing pains when we really take the Bible seriously. You won't want to miss it! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

You launch a podcast and life happens. Mike quotes Mike Tyson right, but Cole doesn't hear it well. Just an update on our lives. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this episode we dive into The Wisdom Pattern: Order, Disorder, Reorder by Richard Rohr. We both have enjoyed Rohr's work over the last few years and when we saw this book come out at the end of 2020 we thought, "Wow this is exactly what we want to talk about." So we figured it would be cool to unpack some of the big ideas in the book with you all as we think about the journey of deconstruction and reconstruction in our faith together. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

We are all unique individuals, but we also have a lot in common. This episode is us giving you a bird's eye view of both of our faith journeys, our processes of deconstruction and reconstruction, and where we are now. These journeys aren't perfect, they aren't finished, and we left out a lot of details for time's sake and yours. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Deconstruction is a buzz word in faith circles these days. As we launch this podcast, we want to address what it generally means. We also talk about our perspective or reconstruction--something we feel is just as important... After all, it's the name of our podcast. Mike's hair also becomes a topic of interest (or lack thereof). . . --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

What are we doing? A podcast about faith. "Really, another podcast? Everyone is doing one now..." Yes, another podcast. We aren't arrogant enough to think we're experts, but we are at a point where we think we have something worth sharing. We explain a bit of our mindset behind this endeavor in this brief little introductory episode. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app