Halfway There

300: Andrew Klavan and The Truth and Beauty

Andrew Klavan is an award-winning writer, screenwriter, and media commentator. An internationally bestselling novelist and two-time Edgar Award-winner, Klavan is also a contributing editor to City Journal, the magazine of the Manhattan Institute, and the host of a popular podcast on DailyWire.com, The Andrew Klavan Show. Today, Andrew shares the story of how the Gospels captured his attention as literature, finding Christ in his 40s, and the joy he’s found in Jesus. Andrew’s story reminds us that God is everywhere if we only have eyes to see.
Listen to Andrew’s story in your favorite podcast app!
Stories Andrew shared:
Growing up in a classic American suburb in a Jewish family
Being bar mitzvahed and receiving gifts
His guilt about not caring about the faith and throwing away his gifts
Looking for tough guy role models in books
His father’s anger about catching him reading the Bible
Wrestling with Jesus being in the center of his cultural and literary understanding
Dealing with mental illness in his 20s
The psychairistrist who helped cure him which he believes was a miracle
Starting to pray in his 40s in an off-handed way
Talking to God in his car and understanding that he should be baptized
The change that came over him after believing
His wife’s conversion as well
Finding Christ on every page of his memoir and realizing that the story wasn’t about him at all
Trying to get to know Jesus through reading the Gospels
Reflecting on his joy found in Christ
Teaching himself Greek so he can read Scripture in its original language
Studying the Gospels and the lines from the English poets that kept coming to mind
The Gospel-centered way of seeing the world
Struggling with envy and how it got better through Christ
Great quotes from Andrew:
Everything I found true and beautiful was represented in literature by Christ.
I believe both as a son and as a parent, you
When you’re not a cradle Christian, you’re not afraid to ask God questions.
Doubt is a really important function of faith.
Resources we mentioned:
Andrew’s website
The Truth and Beauty: How the Lives and Works of England’s Greatest Poets Point the Way to a Deeper Understanding of the Words of Jesus by Andrew Klavan
The Great Good Thing: A Secular Jew Comes to Faith in Christ by Andrew Klavan
The Mind of the Maker by Dorothy Sayers
Related episodes:
Jen Rosner and and Finding Messiah
Os Guinness and Carpe Diem Redeemed
Karen Swallow Prior and the Spiritual Practice of Reading Fiction
The post Andrew Klavan and The Truth and Beauty appeared first on Eric Nevins.

299: Ryan George and Living With Courage

Ryan George has traveled to all seven continents and both polar circles. An adrenaline junkie, Ryan is a certified wingwalker a bungee jumping enthusiast, and a via ferrata connoisseur. Today, Ryan shares why he was baptized in three denominations, how he discovered “adrenaline” activities, and what he’s learned about the Lord while pursuing them. Ryan’s story reminds us that the Lord is never far away, even when life seems at its most dangerous.
Listen to Ryan’s story now!
Stories Ryan shared:
The two kinds of adrenaline junkies and which he is
Getting baptized into three different denominations
The moment in 2006 when he surrendered his life to Christ
Small group conversations that allowed him to ask hard questions
Taking his brother on a trip to New Zealand and doing lots of fun stuff
Outward Bound and how that helped his discipleship
Going to Antarctica and why he wanted to go to all the continents
How having a daughter changed him
What he’s learned about the Lord on each continent
The overview effect and how that shaped him
Why he’s careful about what he posts online
Experiencing God when he does adrenaline junkie activities
Great quotes from Ryan:
God doesn’t have borders or favorites.
I like to places that make everything in my life seem smaller on purpose.
I never dream too big for God.
Travelling the world has made me more humble.
It’s hard to have bad theology when you’re living Christ’s example.
Resources we mentioned:
Ryan’s website
Scared to Life: Tales of a Good God Who Reveals His Heart When Ours Is Racing by Ryan George
Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing
Related episodes:
Angus Nelson and the Power of Being in Christ
Jen Rosner and Finding Messiah
Amy Debrucque and Conquering Fear 
Aaron Niequist and Swimming in the Eternal Current
The post Ryan George and Living With Courage appeared first on Eric Nevins.

298: James Bryan Smith and Loved Beyond Imagination

James Bryan Smith is a professor at Friends University in Wichita, Kansa and author, including his new book, The Good and Beautiful You. Today, James tells us how he found Christ, his amazing set of mentors, and the season when he forgot his first love. He also shares how God thinks about us and why it’s different that you may have been told. James’ story reminds us that no matter where you are on the journey, you’re loved by God deeply.
Listen to James’ story in your favorite podcast app now!
Stories James shared:
His work at Friends University as a teacher
Growing up in a Methodist church in Denver
Giving his life to Christ before he went to college
Being mentored by spiritual formation luminaries
Having Rich Mullings in his attic for two years
Learning the spiritual disciplines from Richard Foster
Going to seminary and being ordained in the United Methodist Church
Why he wrote this book
How he realized that his soul had needs that weren’t being taken care of
Why memorization of Scripture is valuable to him
Great quotes from James:
It goes a lot better if I think I’m quite marvelous.
Every need my soul has, Jesus provides.
I want to be at the point where I love God even if God doesn’t provide all my spiritual feelings.
God is crazy about you and loves you more than you can imagine.
Resources we mentioned:
James’ website
Things Above Podcast
ApprenticeInstitute.org
The Good and Beautiful You: Discovering the Person Jesus Created You to Be by James Bryan Smith
Related episodes:
Laura Barringer and Scot McKnight and Becoming an Agent of Tov
Amy Jackson and Trusting God with the Questions
Brian Zahnd and the Beauty of Christ
The post James Bryan Smith and Loved Beyond Imagination appeared first on Eric Nevins.

297: Les Hughes and Jon Sanders and The Rise of EntrePastors

Les Hughes and Jon Sanders are pastors who help pastors and others with a ministry background create a life of financial freedom as entrepreneurs. Today, Les and Jon share their individual spiritual experiences including resisting ministry and surrendering to the Lord. Plus, they share how being pastors led them to start coaching other pastors to create side hustles and other streams of income. The freedom that’s available is unlike anything we’ve seen before and may be how people serve in the future. Les and Jon’s story remind us that the Lord uses everything, not just the things we think are sacred.
Listen to Les and Jon’s story in your favorite podcast app now!
Stories Les and Jon shared:
Why Les and Jon started EntrePastors
Jon was born and raised in a pastor’s family in the MidWest
Jon resisting the call to ministry and becoming a firefighter
Les growing up with parents who were first generation Christians
The sense of God’s presence Les had as a child in tumultuous times
Les giving his life to Christ as a child
Les realizing that the anger he had was unhealthy
The student pastor who discerned what was really happening in Les
Jon’s experience of spiritual freedom
How the Lord broke Jon’s heart for rural America
Les’s experience in ministry
How a heart attack helped Les slow down and enjoy the journey
Learning to repent of pride for Jon
Meeting one another in a mastermind
How EntrePastors came about
The freedom that pastors can have by creating their own businesses
Great quotes from Les and Jon:
It’s not anyone else’s job to provide for my family. It’s my job. (Les)
It’s a shame when a pastor needs to leave a church environment to increase their income. (Les)
I never felt abandoned by God and I know now that’s just grace (Les).
The church is a terrible business model. (Jon)
If we can free some pastors up to go do some things in the marketplace, we can alleviate a lot of struggle for both the pastors and the church. (Jon)
Resources we mentioned:
EntrePastors website
Small Town Big Church, Jon’s podcast
Related episodes:
Robin T. Jennings and the Light of the World
Brian Zahnd and the Beauty of Christ
Heather Oncken and How to Be A Friend
The post Les Hughes and Jon Sanders and The Rise of EntrePastors appeared first on Eric Nevins.

296: Ryan Ragozine and Finding Faith Again

Ryan Ragozine, host of the Thinker Sensitive podcast. Today, Ryan shares his incredible journey growing up in a Christian family in Detroit. When he was 12 he lost his faith in God and turned to philosophy to find answers. He also shares the moment when his faith was revived, what he learned from his season of doubt and anxiety, and why he stared a podcast. Ryan’s story reminds us that no matter where you are on the spiritual journey, God isn’t finished with us.
Listen to Ryan’s story in your favorite podcast app now!
Stories Ryan shared:
Why he started Thinker Sensitive, a podcast for thinking seekers
Growing up in Detroit, Michigan in a Christian family
Praying while he was in bed and the question that challenged his faith
What he lost with his faith
Feeling jealous that faith was easy for his friends
Why he didn’t tell his parents
Turning to philosophy to find answers
Deciding that certainty is not a human possibility
The mystical experience when faith revived at 20
What he learned from his seasons of doubt
Going to study theology and struggling with OCD and anxiety
The trip to California that changed his anxiety
Why he started Thinker Sensitive
Great quotes from Ryan:
Philosophy in its root form is simply deep contemplation.
The kind of certainty I was looking for is actually humanly impossible.
All humans have to exercise faith. It just depends on what my faith is in and how well supported it is by reason.
Finding God again was about him not about me.
Just because you have doubts, doesn’t mean the answers don’t exist.
Resources we mentioned:
Ryan’s website and podcast
Related episodes:
Michelle Lazurek and Learning to Let Go
Loren Hicks and the Practice of Discipleship
Meg Glesener and the Smile of God
The post Ryan Ragozine and Finding Faith Again appeared first on Eric Nevins.

295: Ernest Randolph and the Way of the Cross

Ernest Randolph spent 35 years working with youth in formal and informal roles. A graduate of Denver Seminary, he’s led Bible studies and house church for the past six years. Today, Ernest shares his calling to ministry, what happened when he chose between career and ministry, and how writing helped him clarify his faith. Ernest’s book Resurrecting the Cross is his understanding of the work of Christ and why it matters for today. Ernest’s story reminds us that while not everything goes according to our plan, God is always with us still.
Listen to Ernest’s story now!
Stories Ernest shared:
Growing up in Wyoming
Being confused by his parents actions as a kid
Finding Christ at Children’s Evangelism Fellowship
Feeling called to ministry at camp
Taking a solo backpacking trip after high school
Repairing a van to take kids to camp and how God showed up
Leaving for North Carolina wilderness camp
Coming back to Colorado and going to seminary
Choosing between seminary and working as an electrician
The depth he learned in seminary
Losing his ministry position and how that affected him
The wilderness years
Writing to discover what he himself believes
Great quotes from Ernest:
God does amazing things wherever you are.
When you’re in a church, sometimes you feel obligated to believe things that sometimes just aren’t true.
The meat is that we live by the Spirit.
He came to teach us to endure suffering for the sake of love.
When you understand the way of the cross, it changes your whole mindset.
Resources we mentioned:
Ernest’s website
Resurrecting the Cross by Ernest Randolph
Denver Seminary
Related episodes:
Amy Watson on Trauma, Healing, and Community
Douglas Groothuis and Walking Through Twilight
Hope Johnson and Waiting for God to Answer
The post Ernest Randolph and the Way of the Cross appeared first on Eric Nevins.

294: Jen Rosner and Finding Messiah

Jennifer Rosner is affiliate assistant professor of systematic theology at Fuller Theological Seminary and the author of Finding Messiah: A Journey Into the Jewishness of the Gospel, which releases on May 24, 2022. Today, Jen shares how a Jewish girl found Christ in college, how her faith actually grew at Yale seminary, and the dark night she experienced in her graduate work. She reminds us that questioning God and faith are not mutually exclusive. Jen’s story is a testament to the unity of the Gospel in the Testaments.
Listen to Jen’s story now!
Stories Jen shared:
Growing up in Lake Tahoe, CA in a Jewish family
Meeting Christian students in college and asking questions
The practices that she celebrated in her family and the historicity of her roots
Encountering Jesus through Cru and a Vineyard church
Seeing the difference faith in Jesus made for her friends
Reading John 15-17 and learning about abiding in Jesus
The bond she felt with her brother as they both began believing in Jesus at the same time
How going to Yale for her Master of Divinity built her faith
Her cousin’s faith that challenged her Christianity
Why faith and questions are not antithetical
The embodied nature of Judaism and why it’s valuable
How disconnected the Gospel has become from God’s covenant with Israel
Great quotes from Jen:
There’s a real humility to saying “I don’t know but let’s talk about it together.”
It’s a spiritual discipline to sit with the tensions.
Resources we mentioned:
Jen’s website
Finding Messiah: A Journey into the Jewishness of the Gospel by Jennifer M. Rosner
Healing the Schism: Karl Barth, Franz Rosenzweig, and the New Jewish-Christian Encounter by Jennifer M. Rosner
Related episodes:
Skye Jethani and Living Life with God
Kari Bartkus and the Friendship of Jesus
Marjorie Gunnoe and Integrating Faith and Science
The post Jen Rosner and Finding Messiah appeared first on Eric Nevins.

293: Angus Nelson and the Power of Being in Christ

Angus Nelson is a high-performance coach for men, one of America's top performance strategists and founder of Evolve Men Coaching. Today, Angus shares with us how he found Christ and the zeal with which he pursued ministry. Then, his business and life hit the proverbial fan and he had to reconsider his attitudes toward success, money, and most importantly, himself. Now, Angus reminds us of the power available to those in Christ including you.
Listen to Angus’ story today!
Stories Angus shared:
Growing up in Central Wisconsin
Travelling the world and starting a business
Losing $72k in one weekend
Blowing up his life through pornography, alcohol, and debt
The story he was telling himself about his acceptability to God
The teacher that helped him understand himself differently
Learning new mindsets that help him
Learning new ideas about money and the books that helped him
Helping a group of top performers
Selling his dream house and the journey that sent him on
Why the construct of humility doesn’t serve us
The questions to ask the Lord about your life
Great quotes from Angus:
Humility is leaning into who you truly are.
When you show up as vulnerable, you give people permission to do the same.
I’m not afraid to show my shadows because we all  have them.
Resources we mentioned:
Angus’s website
Becoming the Person You Want to Be by Dr. James B. Richards
Is Discipleship for Super Christians Only by Dallas Willard
Thou Shall Prosper by Rabbi Daniel Lapin
You are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
The Science of Getting Rich  by Wallace D. Wattles
Related episodes:
Mike Sares and Water, Spirit, and Scum
Tiffany Jo Baker and Giving Life to Dream
Tim Morris and How Your Heart’s Desire Unlocks Your Purpose
The post Angus Nelson and the Power of Being in Christ appeared first on Eric Nevins.