A podcast for every Christian who has ever asked ‘Is that it?’ Mid-faith Crisis explores the Christian faith with honesty and humour. If you feel that you have more questions than answers, if you feel as though your faith is changing, if you feel that if the worship leader sings that chorus one more time you will strangle him with his own guitar strap, then this is the podcast for you. Warning. Contains traces of theology and occasional innuendo.
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A place for honest and unhurried conversations about interactive life with God. Hosted by Nathan Foster from Renovaré, a nonprofit that offers resources, events, and learning communities to help people become more like Jesus. Learn more at renovare.org.
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Episode 296: I belong, help thou my unbelonging
43:14
43:14
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We talk about the benefits of belonging, and not belonging, to a church. Are there perspectives and opportunities that we can get from a church that we can't get elsewhere? When is it right to leave? And, most importantly, is there anyone is not able to sit? Support the podcast Contact the podcast through your email machine Mid-faith Crisis Faceboo…
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Episode 295: You say inspired, I say God-breathed
36:38
36:38
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Yes, we're talking again about the Bible, this time discussing how the Bible was compiled and what Paul meant by the line 'All the writings are God-breathed'. Also, we have a truly wonderful final email, and loads of feedback on whether our listeners are friends, companions, pilgrims, fellow community members, paying punters or family members. We d…
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Mimi Dixon and Richard Foster — Worth Celebrating
44:07
44:07
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Renovaré Book Club registration is now open with early bird pricing through Sep 1. Learn more at renovare.org/bookclub. ----- Nathan Foster has an in-person conversation with Mimi Dixon and Richard Foster about the two introductory books in the 2024-2025 Renovaré Book Club season — Richard's classic Celebration of Discipline and Mimi's Worth Celebr…
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Episode 294: Thank you for being some people out there
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42:53
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A mixed bag this week. We talk about Christian outrage over the Olympics, about the need to belong (without being defined by our belonging) and how Joe actually found himself singing worship songs. Also we consider whether our listeners are really our friends, or, as Nick so tenderly puts it, 'potential threats'. Whatever the case, thank you for be…
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In this episode we dive deep into the idea of the wrathful God. Can we understand it in a different way? And what do we do with all the bits in the Old Testament where the almighty gets all smitey? Are the accounts of the tribal, violent, Old Testament God real? Or are they stories? And if they are, how do we read them? Meanwhile, Nick has been spe…
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Renovaré Book Club registration is now open with early bird pricing through Sep 1. Learn more at renovare.org/bookclub. ----- Author and podcast host Nick Page shares some guidelines for understanding the Bible and reading with a heart open to encountering God. Show Notes The Mid-Faith Crisis Podcast Some of Nick’s Books Nick Page on microblog…
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Episode 292: Decluttering, deconstructing and sorting your life out
47:21
47:21
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We're back! And after a long break there is a lot of catching up to do. Has Nick really stopped watching the news? Is there actually such a thing as a Purple Hairstreak Butterfly? Is the Mid-faith Crisis Podcast the Kendal Mint cake of spirituality? And what happened when Joe took Nick to the theatre? Also - our friend Andy is carrying out some res…
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Episode 291: Walking the Camino with Claire Bradford
43:22
43:22
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Joe interviews friend and fellow celebrant Claire Bradford about her experiences walking the Camino. They discuss the importance of doing things when you can, the Joy of Missing Out and and how the pilgrimage, far from being about solitary detachment, led to an amazing sense of community and connection. Support the podcast Contact the podcast throu…
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Mariah Velásquez — Practicing the Presence of God
28:11
28:11
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Renovaré Book Club registration is now open with early bird pricing through Sep 1. Learn more at renovare.org/bookclub. ----- Mariah Velásquez, Director of the Incarnatio Center for Formation and Integration at Westmont College and Associate Director of the Martin Center, joins Nate on the Life with God podcast to talk about a favorite book—Brother…
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Episode 290: OMG – A Bad Christian’s Prayer Book with Dave Tomlinson
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33:09
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Joe talks to friend of the podcast Dave Tomlinson about his book 'OMG, A Bad Christian's Prayer Book'. Dave also chats about prayer, and about the need for us to be committed to hope or, as he terms it, 'defiant imagination'. Support the podcast Contact the podcast through your email machine Mid-faith Crisis Facebook Page Nick's Blog Mentioned in t…
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Julia Roller — The Right Book at the Right Time
31:17
31:17
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Renovaré Book Club registration is now open with early bird pricing through Sep 1. Learn more at renovare.org/bookclub. ----- Writer and editor Julia Roller joins Nate to talk about how God uses books to guide us into transforming ideas and encounters and shares about the book that changed her life. Julia Roller is an author and editor living in Sa…
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Episode 289: Start the week with a sabbath
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41:00
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We discuss the concept of the sabbath, mainly because Nick has heard an interesting sermon on the topic. What if we see sabbath as the start of the week and not the end? How does it help us escape the world of 'things'? And is it obligatory to have a bath? Also, we touch on whether you can have 'Stage 4' churches, talk a bit about demons and exorci…
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Episode 288: Happy Be Kind to Clergy Day!
46:32
46:32
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We carry on our discussion about churches and church leadership. Do churches need visible locations? How do we preserve their communal identity without creating barriers that keep others out? And, crucially, when Jesus said 'where two are three are gathered' does that include rabbits? Also, we reflect more on bad behaviour in the church – but in th…
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Episode 287: It’s nature, but is it churching?
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46:45
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In keeping with his theme, Joe has been nature churching. We discuss his experiences so far, what makes something 'church', the importance of your spiritual trellis and whether some churches turn the tricycle of faith into a unicycle. Support the podcast Contact the podcast through your email machine Nick's Blog - episode notes Mentioned in this ep…
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Renovaré Book Club registration is now open with early bird pricing through Sep 1. Learn more at renovare.org/bookclub. ----- Deep relationships take time. Renovaré board and ministry team member Margaret Campbell shares with Nate what she's learned through the years about the slow and beautiful unfolding of true friendships — with people and with …
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Episode 286: God is speaking our language
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45:52
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We have a think about Pentecost. What was it all about? Was it really the birthday of the church? Is it an eschatological thing? Actually, what even is an eschatological thing? Nick, has a three-point sermon, and naturally, each point begins with the same letter. Also an interview with Lisa-Jayne Lewis, our very own Eurovision correspondent. Suppor…
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Joe Davis and Nick Page — Disagreeing and Staying Friends
33:42
33:42
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Renovaré Book Club registration is now open with early bird pricing through Sep 1. Learn more at renovare.org/bookclub. ----- Joe Davis and Nick Page have been friends for over 30 years and co-host The Mid-Faith Crisis Podcast. They share with Nate about disagreement as a productive part of friendship and faith that helps us work through concepts t…
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Following his year of wisdomness, Nick wrote an article on wisdom. We discuss whether the church downplays wisdom in favour of revelation, the steps we can take to intentionally gain more wisdomness and the need, as Nick puts it, to 'Squeeze the tube of your mistakes for the toothpaste of wisdom'. Apple apologises after iPad advert backlash | BBC N…
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Episode 284: It’s theological correctness gone mad
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34:45
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In a feedback-fuelled episode, we chat about heresy, gratitude, and the circuit board of love. Is heresy just speculation that is not the official speculation? Do we have to score 100% on our exams to get into heaven? Also, we think about whether sin is better viewed as separation and Nick gets rather agitated about how we read the Bible. Again. Su…
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Episode 283: Life After Doom – an interview with Brian McLaren
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49:42
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Brian McLaren talks about his new book, 'Life After Doom: Wisdom and Courage for a World Falling Apart'.He and Joe discuss how denial is exhausting, why our enemies are not people, but systems and how we all need to exercise our power to show up. 'Once you discover the God of love you fire all your other gods'. Also, remember, humans are a mess, bu…
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Adri-Marie van Heerden — Learning to Look Again
30:01
30:01
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Renovaré Book Club registration is now open with early bird pricing through Sep 1. Learn more at renovare.org/bookclub. ----- South African Spiritual Director Adri-Marie van Heerden talks with Nate about making friends cross-culturally, the need for humility, and learning to see others as God sees us — with great regard. Adri-Marie's organization i…
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This week we discuss the relationship between human skills and endeavour and the work of God. Or as Nick put it, 'Why does God get all the praise when I did all the work?' Does the fact that we live in a God-filled universe mean that the Divine should get all the credit? Or, by dismissing humanity's input are we actually devaluing the fact we are m…
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There's a lot about depth this week. We talk about dusting off the Bible and reading more deeply, and how the mid-faith crisis can be accompanied by different emotions, including the desire to go deeper. Oh, and Nick has been down a well. As if that wasn't deep enough we discuss our target demographic, Joe's bulging portfolio and the way in which s…
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John Paul Westin — Befriending the Prisoner
30:29
30:29
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Renovaré Book Club registration is now open with early bird pricing through Sep 1. Learn more at renovare.org/bookclub. ----- Nathan talks with prison chaplain John Paul Westin about the penitentiary as parish and learning to see each person there as God's "friends and special ones." Show Notes A few annotated book suggestions from John Paul: Cur D…
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We thought it was time to revisit the stages of faith – which is really what this podcast is all about. Joe takes us through his understanding of the six stages, but as well as exploring the crisis itself, we also look at the signs which tell us that we might be emerging into a newer, deeper faith. Also, Joe has a theme and Nick might still be reco…
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Episode 279: Focus and … er… something else
45:01
45:01
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It’s our new year themes episode. Joe’s had a bad week so is behind with his homework. Nick has broken his Lenten fast from anger in a spectacularly ill-judged way. And we have thoughts about beetroot. Support the podcast Contact the podcast through your email machine Mentioned in this episode: Staying Defiantly – The Conversation Barbie Ostara and…
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The Liturgy of Friendship — Elizabeth Moore and Audrey Elledge
38:30
38:30
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Renovaré Book Club registration is now open with early bird pricing through Sep 1. Learn more at renovare.org/bookclub. ----- Audrey Elledge and Elizabeth Moore, authors of Liturgies for Wholeness, join Nate to talk about the formational power of liturgy and friendship. Friendship is a relational connection point many people struggle with, but it's…
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It's Easter! And we reflect on what Easter means for us this year and how we can see our own faith journeys patterned in the events of Holy Week. Meanwhile, Nick is impressed by Hot Cross bun technology and Joe has discovered the word 'heuristic'. Happy Easter everyone. Support the podcast Contact the podcast through your email machine Mentioned in…
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Episode 277: Does God really need praise?
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36:26
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As the song goes, 'Praise him on the trumpet, the psaltery and harp!' But why? In another of our excitingly named Moderately Interesting Questions, we explore the nature of praise. Does God demand it? How do we approach it? And what the heck is a psaltery anyway? We talk about praise as gratitude and heightened appreciation, how it needs to be base…
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Audio Retreat: The Cup - A Meditation for Holy Week on Luke 22
19:59
19:59
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Renovaré Book Club registration is now open with early bird pricing through Sep 1. Learn more at renovare.org/bookclub. ----- This meditation by Nathan Foster on Luke 22 invites us to the Mount of Olives where Jesus prayed “let this cup pass from me.”By Renovaré
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We delve into the feedback this week, especially various reflections on the What is the Point of Joe?' episode. Also we talk about being the person that God imagined, how we over-value and over-share achievements, the role of regret, and whether the true sign of Christlikeness is getting 40% off at Mountain Warehouse. And we have some brilliant his…
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Renovaré Book Club registration is now open with early bird pricing through Sep 1. Learn more at renovare.org/bookclub. ----- Trevor Hudson shares reflections on the influence that Desmond Tutu had on his life — as a friend, colleague, cellmate, and “contemplative in action.” Show Notes Desmond Tutu's Nobel Prize biography page Made for Goodness by…
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Episode 275: What the fog? An interview with Jo Ibbott
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48:28
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Joe talks to Jo about the menopause. And perimenopause. And post-menopause. What is it and why does it matter? And why don't we talk about it more? You will learn a lot. Support the podcast Contact the podcast through your email machine Mentioned in this episode: Staying Defiantly: A Conversation for Church Leaders Limes Nick's microblog Courage Co…
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Joe is having an existential crisis and, worryingly, is asking Nick to help. So we discuss meaning and purpose. What are we here for? What is our calling? Is there a purpose to our lives or are we just fooling ourselves? Is it true that everyone on earth is a pun? Does Joe's purpose involve cheese? Support the podcast Contact the podcast through yo…
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Renovaré Book Club registration is now open with early bird pricing through Sep 1. Learn more at renovare.org/bookclub. ----- “We enriched each other.” Luci Shaw speaks with Nate about her rich friendship with Madeleine L'Engle and how they made one another better writers and better followers of Jesus. Show Notes + Transcript Nate: Lucy, we get to …
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Episode 273: You are a pile of precious dust
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44:49
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We discuss Lent, Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday. We reflect on the purpose of fasting, the way that Lent creates contours in the year, and the cheery fact that we are all going to die. From dust we are made and to dust we shall return. But what kind of dust? That's the question. Also in the new, fabulous 'Thankful for Food' feature, Nick, inexpli…
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Episode 272: What is church actually for?
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42:51
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Last week we talked about lots of different kinds of church. This week we're thinking about the purpose. What, actually, is the point of church? What are we supposed to do? And has this whole thing just been market research so that Joe can start a cult? Warning: there's a lot of food in this episode, none of it healthy. Support the podcast Contact …
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Renovaré Book Club registration is now open with early bird pricing through Sep 1. Learn more at renovare.org/bookclub. ----- Amisho “Sho” Baraka joins Nate for a fascinating conversation about George Washington Carver — a man whose faith directed his genius toward the good of others. Resources The Man Who Talks with the Flowers: The Intimate Life …
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