Simply Faithful: Christian Conversations Without the Hype

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Join Pastors Gray Ewing and Eric Tonjes as they have conversations about life, faith, and ministry.

Eric Tonjes


    • Sep 22, 2023 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 39m AVG DURATION
    • 86 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Simply Faithful: Christian Conversations Without the Hype

    S2E24 Reputation

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2023 47:10


    Apologies for the audio quality-we'll have it working next time.Join Gray and Eric as they discuss questions of reputation, honor, and how we should seek about our name in relation to God's.Edited by Ira Tipton

    S2E23 Emotions

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 5, 2023 46:09


    As human beings, we are not just physical or mental creatures-we also have emotions. How do we think about our feelings? How do we as Christians seek to have them conformed to Christ? Join Gray and Eric as they explore this topic.What's Good: The Reckoners series by Brandon Sanderson (Gray)Edited by Ira Tipton

    S2E22 Ambition

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2023 46:05


    Should Christians be ambitious people? How do we differentiate having godly goals and aspirations from the "selfish ambition" that Scripture warns us about? Join Gray and Eric as they discuss this topic.What's Good: Gray (and old friends more generally)

    S2E21 Christians & Mental Health

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 7, 2023 47:18


    We live in a moment where people are becoming more and more interested and focused on ideas of mental health. Some Christians regard this with suspicion or hostility; others embrace it eagerly and engage it as a central part of their spiritual life. How should we think about issues of mental health as Christians? Join Gray and Eric as they dig into these complex issues.What's Good: Broken Record podcast (Gray)Edited by Ira Tipton

    S2E20 Loving and Hating the Church

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 23, 2023 50:44


    The church is something we are made a part of in Jesus, but it is also something we can wrestle with in a number of ways. There are hurts, suspicions, and questions we have about being a part of the body of Christ. Join Gray and Eric as they discuss these realities and how Christians should think about and navigate them.What's Good - Mrs. Davis (Eric)Edited by Ira Tipton.

    S2E19 Technology

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2023 49:46


    Join Gray and Eric as they tackle how we as Christians think about technology in our rapidly changing world.What's Good - Hermanos Gutierrez (Gray)Edited by Ira Tipton

    S2E18 - Money

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2023 49:53


    How should Christians think about money? How do we handle some of the hard texts in Scripture that address our wealth? Join Gray and Eric as they tackle this hard topic.What's Good - Community Centers (Eric)Edited by Ira Tipton

    SF S2E17 - The Trinity

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2023 47:51


    The trinity isn't just some abstract theological construct for bookish theologians. It is both incredibly important to understanding God and practical to our lives in relationship with Him. Join Gray and Eric as they dive into this big topic!Books on the Trinity:Delighting in the Trinity by Michael ReevesThe Forgotten Trinity by James R. WhiteWhat's Good - Station Eleven (Eric)Edited by Ira Tipton.

    S2E16: A Day in the Life of a Christian

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2023 37:19


    How should Christianity shape our day-to-day rhythms, how we sleep and wake, eat and play? Join Gray and Eric as they explore how the Christian faith is meant to be expressed in the midst of the ordinary.What's Good: Eric - Gochujang PasteRecommended Resources:Liturgy of the Ordinay by Tish Harrison WarrenThe Supper of the Lamb by Robert Farrar CaponEvery Moment Holy by Douglas Kaine McKelvey

    S2E15: Educating Your Kids

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2023 49:55


    How should we be training and educating our children? How do Christians navigate the different (often strong) opinions about public, private, and homeschooling? Join Gray and Eric as they, with much fear and trembling, try to talk through the different biblical positions and opinions Christians hold on this topic.What's Good: Gray - Writing stories with your kidsEdited by Ira Tipton

    S2E14: The Church Calendar

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2023 40:02


    What's up with the church calendar? Lent, Advent, Epiphay, Ash Wednesday... there's these days and seasons that seem familiar to some Christians and totally alien to others. Should we follow it? How should we use it? Join Gray and Eric as they discuss.What's Good - Biblical Critical Theory by Christopher Watkin (Eric)

    S2E13: Having Kids and Family Planning

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2023 48:23


    How should we as Christians think about having kids? Are we commanded to by God? If so, how many? And how do we navigate questions surrounding birth control and family planning? Join Gray and Eric as they tackle this question from a listener.What's Good - Abbott Elementary (Eric)Edited by Ira Tipton

    S2E12: Spiritual Abuse

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2023 44:05


    How do we think about abuse and power when it comes to the church? How do we process spiritual bullies or church leaders that oppress others? Join Gray and Eric as they discuss these heavy but important topics.What's Good: Harbor Freight & Machetes (Gray)Edited by Ira TiptonResources:Bully Pulpit by Michael KrugerIs It Abuse? by Darby StricklandPCA report on abuse (including section on spiritual abuse): https://www.pcaac.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/2301-AIC-on-Domestic-Abuse-Updated.pdf

    S2E11: Laughter

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2023 41:08


    How should we think about laughter? How do Christians relate to joy, humor, and things like satire? Join Gray and Eric as they discuss and explore how Christians should and shouldn't relate to laughter.What's Good: Alone (Eric)Edited by Ira Tipton

    S2E10: Is the World Getting Better or Worse?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2022 31:19


    How should we think about our place in history? Should we be pessimistic? Optimistic? How does our cultural and historical moment fit with the overarching story of Scripture for this age? Join Gray and Eric as they talk about the world and the Bible and how they intersect.What's Good - The Bear (Eric)

    S2E9: Giving Wise Counsel

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2022 35:14


    How do we give wise counsel as Christians? How do we know the limits of what we should say, how to say it helpfully, and have a framework to give practical advice? Join Gray and Eric as they dig into this topic.What's Good: (self-titled) by Marcus Mumford (Gray)

    S2E8: Differences in the Church

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2022 45:03


    Christians are called to unity, to be one in Jesus. At the same time, Christians disagree about all kinds of things, from theology to cultural and political issues? How do we handle differences in the church? Join Gray and Eric as they discuss navigating these challenges.What's Good:The musical artists Jess Ray and Chris Renzema (Eric)

    S2E7: Thinking About the Spiritual Realm

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2022 37:26


    Scripture pictures our world as having both a physical and a spiritual dimension, and sees the stories and conflicts of the spiritual realm as affecting and overlapping with our experience of life in the world. What does the Bible say about spiritual realities, and how do we as Christians think about and interact with them? Join Eric and Gray as they give an overview of this mysterious and at times confusing topic.What's Good: Gray - acoup.blog

    S2E6: What Do I Contribute To My Salvation?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2022 40:44


    How do we square God's sovereignty over all things with our responsibility? How do we relate our effort to God's gracious work in us? Join Gray and Eric as they discuss these complicated topics and (hopefully) offer a little clarity.What's Good - Leadership & Self-Deception by the Arbinger Institute (Eric)

    S2E5: Pornography

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2022 46:41


    Note: This episode contains discussions of topics not suitable for young kids.Pornography is an epidemic in our society; millions of people wrestle with its effects. Join Gray and Eric as they discuss this hard topic and offer practical advice for those who are struggling.What's Good: Steering the Craft - Ursula K. Le Guin (Gray)

    S2E4: Once Saved, Always Saved?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2022 38:56


    How do we think about the question of losing our salvation? Does  Jesus keep us? Do we need to live in fear? And if we are secure, what about apostasy? What about people we know who leave the faith? Is God's love an excuse to live in unrepentant sin? Join Gray and Eric as they dig into these challenging issues.What's Good: Sous vide cooking (Eric)

    S2E3: Having Conversations About Jesus

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 22, 2022 43:16


    How do we talk with people we know about the good news of Jesus? This is guilt and anxiety-inducing question for many, but it is something we are called to do in Scripture. Join Gray and Eric as they discuss practically how to talk about their faith with those around them.What's Good: Gray - Van Neistat's YouTube channel

    S2E2: Leisure

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2022 37:28


    How should Christians think about leisure time and having fun? On the one hand, we don't want to be legalistic or suspicious of rest and free time. On the other hand, we also don't want to endorse our culture's obsession with recreation and pleasure. Join Gray and Eric as they discuss the balance.What's Good: Gray - Black Sticky Notes

    S2E1: What do Pastors Actually Do?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2022 47:04


    We're back! After a bit of a break (which they'll explain in the intro), Eric and Gray are back with season 2 of the Simply Faithful podcast! As they get back in the rhythm of podcasting, they answer the question pastors sometimes get asked, "But what do you actually do?"What's good:Eric - Severance (TV Show, AppleTV+)Special thanks to our new editor, Ira Tipton!

    #59 Seven Deadly Sins - Sloth

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2021 37:07


    This week, Eric and Gray discuss what is perhaps the strangest of the seven deadly sins to our modern ears - sloth. How is this a root of great evil? How do we think about it as more than a cute and humorous jungle creature? Join us as we discuss how acedia afflicts many of us and slowly crushes our hearts.What's GoodGray - the band Blue Nile

    #58 Masculinity

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2021 43:23


    This week, Gray and Eric wrestle with the complicated topic of masculinity in Scripture. What can we say from the Bible about being a man? What are ways this can go wrong? How do we parse differences in gender? Listen in as they wrestle with these challenging discussions.What's Good:Gray - Flat Top Grills

    #57 Is God Punishing Me?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2021 43:49


    Is God punishing me? Is this my fault? Is there something I should be learning from this suffering? Join Gray and Eric as they discuss divine discipline, hard circumstances, and what God is doing in all of it.What's Good:Eric - East of West

    #56 Seven Deadly Sins - Greed

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2021 42:41


    This week, Eric and Gray continue their series discussing the seven deadly sins by probing the issue of greed. How do we think about our money and material possesions? Are they evil? Unqualified blessings? How, especially in our society of prosperity, do we keep our hearts free from the love of money?What's Good - Blackwing Pencils

    #55 The Old Testament & The New Testament

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2021 38:54


    How do we think about the relationship of the Old and New Testaments? Do they contain different Gods? Different moralities? How do they fit together? What changes, and what stays the same? Join Eric and Gray as they discuss the story of Scripture and continuity and discontinuity in the Bible.What's Good:Eric - Axe Throwing

    #54 Seven Deadly Sins - Gluttony

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2021 35:09


    Join Eric and Gray as they engage in a bit of an experiment: an occasional series working through the seven deadly sins. This week: gluttony. It isn't just about what you think, and it is something we can all grow in confronting in our hearts. Make sure to let us know what you think of the mini-series idea!What's Good:Gray - the "second brain"

    #53 Criticism of the Church

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2021 35:41


    We are back! With Eric installed in a new job and Gray finally back from the travails of a three-month sabbatical, it's time to start the conversation again. This week, they discuss criticisms of the church, churches and church leaders. When is it warranted and good? When is it problematic? How should we assess such criticisms? Join them as they parse these hard issues.What's Good:Eric - Vinyl records, sort of

    #9 Leaving Church (Rebroadcast)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2021 35:49


    This is a rebroadcast of an episode from September of 2019.Lots of people have questions about leaving a local church-can we do it? When can we do it? How should we do it? Even more people have questions about finding a new church, whether after such a hard situation or as the result of a move. Listen as Eric and Gray discuss (and perhaps disagree) on the answers.

    #52 Christian Creativity (with Crystal Davy)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 19, 2021 40:16


    Gray is on sabbatical for the next few months, so the lunatic is running the asylum! Eric has Crystal Davy, musician, writer, and worship director at Grace Chapel in Lincoln, Nebraska on to talk about creativity and the arts in Christian circles. Join them for a thoughtful, extremely non-linear discussion of how the church should relate to creatives.What's Good:Crystal - Sourdough, before it was cool

    #4 Family Discipleship (Rebroadcast)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2021 34:37


    This week, thanks to life circumstaces, we're rebroadcasting one of our earliest episodes, one that many seem to have appreciated. We will return to our regularly scheduled programming in two weeks.

    #51 Christ and Culture

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2021 39:12


    How does Jesus (and the church, and individual Christians) relate to the culture(s) of the surrounding world (and within us)? If you can't tell from all those parenthesis, this is going to be a complicated conversation. Join Eric and Gray as they try to untangle a few of these challenges.What's Good:Gray - Pickleball

    #50 Our Self-Indulgent 50th Episode

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2021 33:31


    In a departure from their normal format, Gray and Eric break from their normal format to talk about whatever they want, which ends up being music, books and movies from their past that they loved. Gray sounds cool and thoughtful. Eric sounds like a nerd. If you haven't tuned in before, probably start somewhere else, but if nothing else, the conversation was fun for them!

    #49 Sex

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2021 44:24


    Content note: this episode discusses sex and sexuality. It also touches on sexual abuse and violence.Scripture is far more open and more thoughtful about sex than many Christians. Join Eric and Gray as they discuss sex not in terms of current debates and cultures wars but as a part of God's good creation. They talk about its function and limits, singleness, sex in marriage, and some of the ways it can lead to brokenness and sin.What's Good:Eric - Cavender's Seasoning

    #48 Am I Called to Ministry?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2021 36:23


    Note: This is the last of the batch of episodes we recorded with some audio issues. Starting next time everything should be perfect. (What could go wrong after saying that?)Join Gray and Eric as they discuss discerning a call to ministry. Many Christians at some point in their lives wrestle with the question of whether they should pursue vocational work in the church or parachurch Christian world. Many others know someone seeking to sort out that calling. Eric and Gray try to give biblical, practical thoughts for those in such places.What's Good:Gray - Jack by Marilynne Robinson

    #47 Humor

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2021 36:10


    First, apologies in advance: thanks to some recording issues, the sound quality on this one is quite a bit worse than usual. It should just be a one-off issue. Hopefully the conversation is still worth your time!Humor is both a blessing and an area of potential sin. How do we laugh in the joy of life while avoiding the seat of the mocker? How do we use humor to love and not to wound? Join Eric and Gray as they discuss levity and Christianity.What's Good:Eric - Phoebe Bridgers/Better Oblivion Community Center

    #46 Overcoming Personal Sin

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2021 47:26


    How much victory can we expect in our struggles with sin? What are some practical ways to seek to grow in our struggles? Join Eric and Gray as they discuss pursuing personal holiness and what the struggle feels like on the ground.What's Good:Gray - Sacred Treasures of the Russian Orthodox Church (music)

    #45 What Is "Spirit"?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2021 44:47


    In this rather different episode, Eric has a question for Gray: what do words like "spirit," "spiritual" and "soul" actually mean? Listen in as they discuss (and at times disagree) about how we should think about the real but invisible world which we all experience but, in the modern world, can struggle to recognize.What's Good:Eric - Main Dishes Without Meat

    #44 Creeds

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2021 39:33


    What's up with the Apostle's and Nicene Creed and their lesser-known friends? How should Christians and churches think about and use creeds? And can Gray and Eric go the entire podcast without referencing the late-90s radio rock band? Join us to find out.What's Good:Gray - untools.co

    #43 Hospitality

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2021 34:07


    While in some ways it is a strange topic for out moment in the coronavirus pandemic, Eric wants to talk with Gray this week about the Christian calling of hospitality in anticipation of a time when we can more easily share our meals and homes. Listen in as they discuss the theology and practice of this Christian calling.What's Good:Eric - Teach Us To Pray

    #42 Bible Translations

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2021 44:54


    KJV, NIV, ESV, NASB, NLT... Somewhere among all of the different translations and acronyms, many Christians can feel confused. How should we think about different Bible translations? Are they reliable? Why are there so many? Join Eric and Gray as they help shed some light on these issues.What's Good:Gray - Cambridge Topaz ESV Bible

    #41 2020 (and Eric is back!)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2020 42:25


    Eric is back, and he and Gray are tackling a somewhat different topic. It has been a hard and strange year, both personally for them and for the church as a whole. Join them as they reflect on the year, what they've learned, and how the church has fared.Note that this is dropping a few days early thanks to the holidays. Merry Christmas to you all!What's Good:Eric - Very masculine bedtime Epsom Salt baths with tea and a novel

    merry christmas epsom salt
    #40 Jake Meador on Meaningful Work

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2020 45:50


    What makes work good or meaningful in a Christian sense?

    meaningful work jake meador
    #39 Will Everyone Be Saved in the End? Universalism (with Dr. KJ Drake)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2020 53:10


    Universalism is a doctrine that comes up in every generation. Does God save everyone in the end? What about Heaven and Hell? What does the Bible say?

    #38 Drawing Near To God (With Dr. Ted Wueste)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2020 45:46


    Dr. Ted Wueste (Director of the Spiritual Formation Society of Arizona) joins the program to talk about experiencing the presence of God.

    #37 Environmentalism (With Jon Fuller)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2020 45:55


    What are our responsibilities as Christians toward the creation? Is climate change real? How much should we care? We dive into these questions and more!

    #36 Wisdom

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2020 38:54


    What is wisdom, besides being a subscriber to Simply Faithful? Join Gray and Eric as they discuss this theme in the Bible and try to parse what it means and how to pursue it.What's Good:Gray - Peppered Bacon

    #35 Psychology

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2020 40:25


    (Note: this episode is going up a few days early thanks to some stuff going on in real life. Hope nobody minds the early access.)In an atypical episode, Gray has some questions and wants to have a discussion about psychology and how it relates to Christianity because he isn't sure what he thinks. Join him and Eric as they discuss this complex topic.What's Good (Eric):Gentle and Lowly by Dane OrtlundThe Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs by Stephen L. Brusatte

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