Halfway There

097: Bryan Wolfmueller and the Joy of Theology

Bryan Wolfmueller is a Lutheran pastor of Hope Lutheran in Aurora, Colorado. Bryan has a remarkable love for theology that is infectious and will make you want to study. Today, Bryan shares the stories of the theological misunderstanding that led him to rebel against God for a time, his denominational world tour in search of truth, and why he loves theology so much. Throughout the conversation, Bryan’s love for the Lord will encourage you to remember how valuable understanding Scripture really is which is a good quality in a pastor.
Please listen to Bryan’s story and share with a friend!
Stories Bryan shared:
Theology is his hobby
Growing up in Texas and New Mexico
The theological crisis that led to a period of rebellious anger
The youth group excursions to another church where he learned more
The denominational world tour he and his fiance made to find a good church
The three theological questions that separate denominations
The moments that shaped his understanding of how God reveals himself
We talk about our differences on God’s speaking to us
Why Bryan rejects mysticism
How Luther redefined experiencing God
The lurking danger of Gnosticism and how he deals with it
How he discovered he was called to ministry and led to Colorado
Great quotes from Bryan:
I was posturing myself as defending my own idols, defending my own identity rather than letting the Lord say “This is what’s good for you.”
When I want to hear from God I don’t go outside the Scriptures but precisely to the Scriptures knowing that the Holy Spirit speaks there.
One of the ways the Devil has won in our day is to convince us that theology is boring.
Resources we mentioned:
Bryan’s YouTube channel
Bryan’s website the World Wide Wolfmueller
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093: Kaeley Triller is Reaching Across the Aisle for Truth and Love

Kaeley Triller is the co-founder of Hands Across the Aisle Women’s Coalition. Today, she shares her difficult moments that revealed God’s kindness toward her and why she joined forces with women from different backgrounds. The unlikely partnership was formed when she took an unpopular stand against a new policy in Washington State regarding restrooms. We talk about why Kaeley feels so passionately about protecting children and how we can love people from other perspectives even if we do not agree. She has been on the receiving end of hate mail and threats and encourages the Church to speak up in love for truth.
Please listen to Kaeley’s story and share!
Stories Kaeley shared:
Growing up in a Christian home in Gig Harbor, Washington and going to Christian schools
Rebelling against God after suffering abuse from a pedophile in her home
Crying out to the Lord in the bathtub and his interesting answer
Getting into a difficult marriage
How God showed up miraculously after a car crash
The “lowly worm” theology and why it’s wrong
The conviction to learn to love her husband and her eventual decision to leave him
The spiritual care of her pastor and church during her divorce
Why discernment is important in applying Scripture
The moment she had to leave her job at the YMCA
How she connected with a lesbian legend to found a coalition
Why she feels so passionately about the issue of gender identity
How best to love people who believe differently than we do
Great quotes from Kaeley:
God has brought me back to himself by making me a parent.
It can be sinful to call something evil or bad or worthless when God has said that it is good.
Truth resonates with people ready to hear it.
We don’t have to compromise the truth to be loving.
Resources we mentioned:
Kaeley’s organization, Hands Across the Aisle Women’s Coalition
Kaeley’s piece in the Federalist
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091: Billy Berglund and Trusting God in Uncertain Times

Billy Berglund is the Middle School Director at my church and has been a tremendous influence on my own children. Today, Billy shares the people, events, and heartbreaks that shaped him. The people who spoke into Billy’s life stand out as he shares the stories of youth pastors, Christian rappers, and doctors willing to tweak his perspective and send him toward Christ. As we speak, Billy’s future is a bit uncertain as he finishes seminary and begins to search for the ministry the Lord will call him to serve. At the same time, God’s faithfulness to him has been displayed over and over again and whatever the future brings for this talented young pastor, it will be bright.
Please listen and share Billy’s story!
Stories Billy shared:
Growing up in Omaha in an large extended family
How sports became part of his identity and the injuries that led him to basketball
The leader that loved him through difficult seasons
Developing a “functional image of God” of disappointment
Learning to filter his ambition through John 3:30 at a camp
Telling God he would do anything but be a public speaker
Changing majors from physical therapy to Bible and theology
Receiving an opportunity to mentor high schoolers
Dating his wife Hannah and their crazy honeymoon
The moment a doctor healed his perspective
Moving to Colorado to go to Denver Seminary
Great quotes from Billy:
He is really pressing on me the question “Who are you becoming?”
Do I really trust God? What does that look like?
Resources we mentioned (contains Amazon Affiliate links which pay a small commission to me if you use them):
The Critical Journey, Stages in the Life of Faith, Second Edition by Janet O. Hagberg and Robert A. Guelich
With: Reimagining the Way You Relate to God by Skye Jethani
Laura Flanders Jesus and My Bleeding Heart
Billy’s sermons at South Fellowship: Heart Check and Stand Alone
Contact Billy via Facebook or Twitter
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090: Mischelle Saunders-Gottsch Shares God Altered Stories

Mischelle Saunders-Gottsch is the founder and host of Altered Stories Ministry, a new Christian Women’s Internet Radio talk show to be launched in Overland Park, Kansas. Wherever she goes, Mischelle is a leader. Today, she shares how she learned to embrace her leadership skills and how God used it to give her a vision. Her ministry is designed to help women experience healing, wholeness, and growth with the Lord in order to change families, communities, and the world.
Please listen and share!
Stories Mischelle shared:
The vision she has for Altered Stories including how she found the name
Finding Christ in Sunday School as a young child
The community around her that helped her through a difficult divorce
What she learned by relying on community
What a personal relationship with Christ looks like in her life
Working with Christian ministries like Focus on the Family and Compassion International
How she embraced herself as a leader
Why caring for people is the most important part of leadership
Why learning how to speak to others is the most important leadership lesson she learned
Why we need to love one another
The opportunities to help her ministry
Great quotes from Mischelle:
I have been blessed that God put the right people at the right time in my life.
Wanting the best for people has always been on my heart.
My success as a leader has always come through people.
You can’t love without God’s love.
Resources we mentioned:
Mischelle’s ministry Altered Stories
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089: Amos Smith Shares Ancient Practices for Present Day Christians

Amos Smith is a progressive pastor and contemplative author. Today, he shares the stories from his life that reveal how he became a mystic, the practices, and the resources that he uses to draw near to God. Amos is passionate about the practice of centering prayer which is an ancient tradition that trains your mind to focus on one thought for a period of time.
During our conversation, Amos explains what centering prayer is like and the discipline it takes to master which he learned from athletics as young man. He also explains why some writings of the early church fathers are valuable today.
If you have ever been curious about Christian mysticism, Amos is your guy, and I promise you will enjoy his story.
Please listen and share!
Stories Amos shared:
How he discovered the discipline of centering prayer
What the experience of centering prayer is like
The dream about a cathedral that changed his life
How mountain climbing made him a mystic
Why you should read the Philokalia
The themes of silence and stillness – “practice stillness and know God”
Scriptures for mystics starting Matthew 6:6
How he’s wrestled with the kind of friend God is and how centering prayer helped him
The power of centering prayer to heal
Great quotes from Amos:
Humility is everything in the Philokalia. It’s the starting point of wisdom. It’s the starting point of discernment. It’s also the starting point, paradoxically of greatness, is that first you have to realize that you’re nothing before God.
Mystics through the ages have cried out “Why has the Christian church substituted the bridal chamber for the court room?”
I still wrestle with a lot of things and I guess I prefer that to half-baked answers.
Resources Amos mentioned and his books (Amazon affiliate links):
Healing the Divide: Recovering Christianity’s Mystic Roots by Amos
Be Still and Listen: Experience the Presence of God in Your Life by Amos
The Cloud Of Unknowing
Philokalia The Eastern Christian Spiritual Texts: Selections Annotated & Explained (SkyLight Illuminations) – Amos recommends reading Maximus the Confessor
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088: Why I Quit My Job

“It’s time,” I said into the phone with a confidence that surprised even me.
“I know,” she whispered.
Thirteen years ago I started a job that I only expected to hold for 2 or 3 or maybe 4 years at the longest. Everyday I went to work in those thirteen years I held two things in my heart: tension and hope. Both came from knowing I was not created for financial services. Stocks, bonds, and the markets were never my passion. Neither were signatures, insufficient funds, and other seemingly insignificant work. Don’t get me wrong, the work is not bad; it’s just not for me.
So when I told my wife that it was finally time to leave that job and strike out on my own to build an online business and she agreed, I was overjoyed at the possibilities.
Today is my last day working at my day job.
In this episode, I share the seven reasons why it had to be done:
I was not using my gifts and abilities to their fullest
I was unhappy
My upward mobility was capped at 2%
I am made to create
It’s not as risky as it seems
I needed to trust God with my talents
You only get one life to serve the Lord and others
Finally, my hope is that as I can create things to help you on the journey. Nothing would bring me more joy.
Keep the faith,
Eric
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087: Mark Karris says Stop Being Superstitious and Put Your Faith into Action

Mark Gregory Karris is an ordained pastor, licensed marriage and family therapist, speaker, musician, adjunct professor, and all around biophilic. He is the author of Season of Heartbreak: Healing for the Heart, Brain, and Soul and most recently Divine Echoes: Reconciling Prayer with the Uncontrolling Love of God which we talk about today. Mark shares the moment when he cried out to Jesus, how a controlling pastor shaped him, and the theological breakthrough that changed his understanding of God. Along the way he shares some challenging ideas about how God might want to use us to answer prayer.
Listen and share with a friend!
Stories Mark shared:
Growing up in a highly dysfunctional family full of violence, drugs, and mental illness
The experience when he finally cried out to Jesus
Getting involved in a highly controlling cult-like church
Leaving that church and the anxiety that went with it
The saving grace of going to college and finding male mentors for the first time
Why we put on a facade for other people
The hunger to heal and help other people through the journey as well that led him to become a therapist
The theological breakthrough that changed his understanding of God (hint: it’s huge)
How he now sees God’s intervention in the world as uncontrolling love
Why petitionary prayer can be dangerous and may contribute to suffering in the world
Why we should sometimes take action instead of pray
What is conspiring prayer?
Great quotes from Mark:
God if you’re real, show yourself to me. I need you.
My trust grew stronger when I realized God was not in control of every event, action, or reaction that occurs in the world.
Superstitious petitionary prayer contributes to suffering in the world.
How many times have we prayed fervently for the distressed placing all the responsibility on God to answer our prayers while those for whom we prayed suffered needlessly because we took no responsibility to be God’s answer to our prayers?
Resources Mark mentioned:
Divine Echoes: Reconciling Prayer with the Uncontrolling Love of God by Mark Karris
Season of Heartbreak: Healing for the Heart, Brain, and Soul by Mark Karris
Find Mark at his website and if you buy Divine Echoes and want a free workbook, go to Mark’s website and email him to get it!
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086: Sean McCoy Invites You to Come to the Table

Sean McCoy is the host of the Come to the Table Podcast and quickly becoming one of my favorite people. His show is about listening to people with different perspectives he does it well. Sean shares the story of how he grew from agnostic to finding wisdom in Ecclesiastes. We talk about why being dismissive and flippant in our approach to others is damaging to our witness. In the end, we have a great conversation but the best way to get to know Sean is to subscribe to his podcast and start listening.
Please listen and share!
Stories Sean shared:
Growing up without a strong family structure
The moment he realized that everyone does not think the same way he does
His life before Christ as an agnostic and emotionally unready to handle some of his family issues
Forgetting to sign up as an Evangelical Christian
Figuring out that knowledge wasn’t the answer to an enlightened life
Finding Christ after divorce and wisdom in Ecclesiastes
Why he started the Come to the Table Podcast
How to meet people right where they are
A great example from his show in the interview with his gay step brother
Great quotes from Sean:
All this stuff that is supposed to make you happy and I’m in my backyard crying because it did not make me happy.
Sometimes if you just listen to someone, you just might learn something.
Resources Sean and I mentioned:
Come to the Table Podcast
Sean’s episode called Let Them Eat Cake with his step brother
Trump and the Evangelical Temptation by Michael Gerson
Phil Gauthier Dives into the Story God is Creating
A Free People’s Suicide: Sustainable Freedom and the American Future by Os Guinness
Christian Podcasters Association
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