Word of Life Church in St. Joseph, Missouri is a thriving non-denominational church led by Pastor Brian & Peri Zahnd. We are followers of Jesus seeking to be an authentic expression of the kingdom of Jesus in the twenty-first century. Additional sermon audio and other resources are available on our church website at wolc.com.
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Are you ready to relearn what you thought you knew about the Bible? Almost Heretical invites you on a journey of reclaiming the Bible and revolutionizing Christianity as we know it. Led by Nate Hanson (a former Crazy Love pastor) and Shelby Hanson (MA Biblical Studies & Dead Sea Scrolls). We challenge traditional teachings and offer a sanctuary for those questioning and reshaping their faith. 7 years running, with over 2 million downloads, this is a space for authentic exploration and tough ...
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It’s time to lay toxic religion down and experience healing, wholeness, and freedom. Get ready for massive spiritual transformation as Catherine Toon, MD and her guests share. You have found a happy place of love – a breath of fresh air!
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Pastor Scott Klaudt joins his co-workers, friends and other special guests to talk about real life, personal beliefs and everything else that culture is freaking out about. If you want to laugh, think, be enlightened and confused at the same time, this is the podcast for you. Basically, if you want to know what’s going on, so do we.
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Hear engaging conversations with leaders from across the Jesus-centred movement, as we equip one another for Jesus-centred life and leadership, and give shape to this new relational network called Jesus Collective.
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This podcast was birthed over nights of wine, good food and good friends. We talk about faith, love, relationships and the deconstruction of them all. We've gotten some answers, but most of all we've found contentment in the questions. We don't have it all figured out, but we do know that we'd rather figure it out together. Pull up a chair, everyones invited to the table.
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EP #231 - Beautiful Creation, A Labor of Love
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All the created realm was created in love and beauty. And God was so pleased with His beautiful creation - nowhere as much as His beloved children created to bear His glorious radiant image and likeness. Join Catherine as she shares this love saturated message!Stay connected with Catherine:Catherinetoon.comFB: Catherine Toon, MDIG: @CatherineToonWa…
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Rags to riches is the familiar story where we begin with an apparently ordinary, insignificant person, overlooked or even dismissed by everyone else, who suddenly takes center stage and is revealed to be someone quite extraordinary. And the greatest rags to riches story is the gospel story of Jesus of Nazareth.…
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#142 – Candida Moss (Part 1): Enslaved Authors of Christianity
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Listen to the After Show Candida Moss is a leading theology professor, about her groundbreaking research on the enslaved Christians who helped create the New Testament. Discover how this reshapes our understanding of biblical inspiration, ancient authorship, and Christianity’s historical complicity in slavery. Get Candida's book God's Ghostwriters.…
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Very little in life is static. In my last episode, I discussed the constancy of change. Constant change can make life feel very scary and unsettling. What can we count on when everything around us is changing? Any human-originated construct or entity, including religion in any flavor, has and will continue to fail and disillusion us. What is left? …
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The greatest stories, epics, and myths offer a profound insight into the deepest longings of the human heart, for as Ecclesiastes says, “God has placed eternity in their hearts.” In analyzing the great stories we discover that there are seven basic plots: Overcoming the Monster, Rags to Riches, The Quest, Voyage and Return, Comedy, Tragedy, and Reb…
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To become a supporter of Almost Heretical and get more bonus episodes like this, click here: http://almostheretical.com/subscribe In this bonus episode of Almost Heretical, Nate Hanson and Shelby dive into the story of the Tower of Babel from Genesis 11. They discuss its significance, the cultural context, and various interpretations, including its…
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Life is almost never static. Change is an integral part of life cycles, aging, vocations, callings within vocations/avocations, and relationships. Change can be scary and often painful. But it also is crucial for growth and a fulfilling life. How do we know when and what change to embrace and how to embrace it? How Join Catherine Toon as she shares…
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The gospel is first and foremost a story—it’s the story of Israel, the story of Jesus, the story of God saving the world. And this story is what all the great stories in one way or another point to—because, indeed, Jesus Christ is Lord of the Story.By Brian Zahnd
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EP #228 - The Journey to Learn Our True Identity - Interview with Pastor Jerry Gray
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Everyone has a unique journey grappling with who they are. And God is with everyone on that journey, revealing who He is and who we are as Christ in this world. Join me and Pastor Jerry Gray in this intimate and delightful conversation! Facebook: @Jerry L Gray New Life In Christ, Lawrence Church: @NLICLawrenceEmail: nlicpastorjl@gmail.comWebsite: h…
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The unique way Christians talk about God is found in ancient language. We say God is a Holy Trinity. We believe the one true living God, the creator God, the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob has been revealed in three distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We believe in one God, one divine essence and substance in three persons…
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#140 – Frank Kenny: Unveiling the God of War
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Listen to the Frank Kenny after show! How has our understanding of God evolved over time? Nate & Shelby talk with Frank Kenny about his book, The God of War: How an Ancient God Shaped a Modern World (link), exploring the historical contexts and conflicts that have shaped modern Christianity. Thoughts, questions, stories? Please email almostheretica…
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EP #227 - Manifesting Love in Passionate Disagreements - Jason Clark Interview
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As we are journeying in our walk of faith, we will inevitably disagree with one another. This can result in a myriad of negative consequences. Disagreement is inevitable, but disassociating with one another because of disagreements is unnecessary. We are to be famous for our love, not our agreement. Join Jason Clark and myself as we discuss this im…
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The church born on Pentecost -- the very first church -- devoted itself to four things: 1. The Apostles' Teaching (Didache) 2. The Fellowship (Koinonia) 3. The Breaking of Bread (Eucharist) 4. The Prayers (Liturgy)By Brian Zahnd
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EP #226 - Maturing in Love - Interview with Chris Blackeby
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God is Love and, as such, He is constantly at work conforming His kids into the image of Love. Maturity is manifesting Love and loving as Christ loves. This can look like many things and is as big as God is. Join Chris Blackeby and myself as we discuss this life-giving message!As He Is Ministries, where Chris Blackeby serves as the Education Direct…
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Tanakh is a Hebrew acronym for the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings/Psalms. After his resurrection Jesus told his disciples, "Everything written about me in the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms had to be fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. If we want our minds to be opened to understand the Scriptures, there’s o…
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#139 – Brian McLaren: Christianity Beyond Belief
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Listen to the after show for the Brian episode where we talk about why the Church tries to control beliefs What if being a Christian wasn't about what you believed? Nate & Shelby talk with Brian McLaren about his influential works, including Do I Stay Christian? and his latest, Life After Doom. Thoughts, questions, stories? Please email almostheret…
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EP #225 - The Poetry of the Cross - Interview with Brian Zahnd
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The crucifixion is the pivotal moment in the reconciliation of the world back to a God Who has always loved and pursued. Grappling with the immensity of this defies our intellectual concepts and is best broached with the mystery of theological poetry. Join Pastor Zahnd and myself as he shares from his newest beautiful, powerful book, “The Wood Betw…
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The Apostle Paul speaks often of the mystery of Christ as the supreme revelation of God, but this in not a mystery we can place under our control. In his poem The Magi, William Butler Yeats aptly describes the incarnate Word born at Bethlehem as "the uncontrollable mystery on the bestial floor."By Brian Zahnd
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We were meant for freedom! But freedom is not just freedom from oppressive negative things, but freedom to experience the good things God has for us. But not all freedom is godly freedom. We can also abuse freedom when we use it in ways that exploit others. This violates the greatest command - to love as Christ loves. So God empowers us to handle o…
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The landscape of our current culture seems to be filled with fury and it has left the condition of our souls vexed with anxiety. If we trust and follow Jesus, the one who cares for our soul, he will lead us, as the Good Shepherd, out of the landscape of fury and into pastures of peace.By Jacob Taylor
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#138 – Olivia Jackson: Why Christians Deconstruct
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Listen to the after show where we talk about favorite books, women missionaries, and being anti-academia Olivia Jackson interviewed hundreds of Christians about their deconstruction experience. We talk about why people changed their faith. Is it different in America compared to the UK, Australia, etc? Olivia's book. Thoughts, questions, stories? Pl…
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We will see whatever we assume. This is never revealed more so than with how we see God. It is also a truth with how we see one another. Only Love Sees 20/20 and Love assumes the loveliness of the one He loves. Join me for this enlightening discussion!Stay connected with Catherine:Catherinetoon.comFB: Catherine Toon, MDIG: @CatherineToonWatch on Yo…
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Freed from the Chains of the Fear of Death
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By Peri Zahnd
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#137 – Tim Alberta: Reject Trump, Embrace Jesus
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Listen to the after show where Nate & Shelby talk about Tim's more traditional beliefs... Why did they have Tim on? Tim Alberta reflects on how his Christian upbringing shapes his approach to politics, emphasizing critical thought over tribalism. He advocates for a church response that mirrors Christ's love and grace, facing societal challenges wit…
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Commonly we talk about God as omnipresent, present everywhere. Scripture even says that God is in hell, Sheol, the realm of the dead. But then we flip into language of those in Christ and out of Christ or Christ in some but not others. There is objective truth of Christ being in all and all being in Christ and there is subjective experience of sepa…
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Do you believe in ghosts? The disciples may have. Upon seeing the resurrected Jesus, they wrongly assumed he was a ghost. This opens the door for Jesus to assure them(and us) that he has risen indeed. If Jesus has been raised, then death has been defeated, and we need not fear. Therefore, Jesus continues to ask "Why are you frightened?".…
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#136 – Tiffany Yecke Brooks: Spiritual Anxiety & Religious Trauma
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Listen to the after show where Nate & Shelby debrief and shore more thoughts about this conversation with Tiffany Tiffany Yecke Brooks discusses her evolution from fundamentalist roots, questioning long-held doctrines, and identifying spiritual anxiety as a trauma response. She advocates for reinterpreting biblical stories and emphasizes the import…
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EP #221 - Freedom in Femininity - Interview with Karen Welton
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Karen Welton is passionate about helping women break out of fear and shame, discover their God-given feminine expression and infuse their marriages, work and family with joy and freedom! Join Karen and myself for this intimate, joyous, and powerful interview perfect for women and the men who love them!Websites:Painfreebirth.comhttps://www.hersacred…
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One way to think about the resurrection is to see it as Jesus’ first step towards ascension. Another way is to think of the resurrection of Jesus like a wormhole, a tunnel through time and space. From this perspective, Jesus went into death creating a passageway from this broken down world into God’s new world where all things are new again. In ste…
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#135 – Thomas Jay Oord: Open Relational Theology
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Listen to the Utterly Heretical after show episode that Nate & Shelby recorded debriefing this conversation with Thomas Jay Oord Dr. Thomas Jay Oord delves into open relational theology, highlighting a non-controlling, relational God and rethinking traditional omnipotence. Check out his book God After Deconstruction with Tripp Fuller. We addresses …
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EP #220 - Retrieving & Operating in the Kingdom of God - Dubb Alexander Interview
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In this age of questioning and deconstructing/reconstructing Christian faith, many treasures have inadvertently been cast aside because of the noxiousness of how they have been misrepresented or abused. One of these is the kingdom concept. The kingdom of God when rightly defined, understood, and manifested, is transformational on a world and cosmic…
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The Wood Between the Worlds: The Center That Holds
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Turning and turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold. -W.B. Yeats, The Second Coming In him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, The firstborn from the dead. -St. Paul, Colossians 1:17–18…
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BZ Basement Tapes - Episode 8 - The Harrowing of Hell
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ABOUT THIS PODCAST Brian Zahnd, Cole Novak, and Jacob Taylor discuss The Harrowing of Hell in this special Good Friday episode. This is the last episode of conversations based on Brian's new book The Wood Between The Worlds: A Poetic Theology of the Cross. We hope you have enjoyed this series and invite you to subscribe for future related content. …
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The Wood Between the Worlds: God Revealed In Death
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Jesus Christ—the Logos made flesh—is the true icon of the living God. The world has at last truly seen God. And what is the climactic, definitive moment of God’s self-revelation in Christ? It’s the central event in the gospel story—the crucifixion. The cross is the pinnacle of divine self-disclosure.…
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BZ Basement Tapes - Episode 7 - One Ring to Rule Them All
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ABOUT THIS PODCAST Brian Zahnd, Cole Novak, and Jacob Taylor explore themes from the Lord of the Rings epic by J.R. Tolkien and more specifically how power should be handled by those who follow Christ. This episode continues conversation based on Brian's new book The Wood Between The Worlds: A Poetic Theology of the Cross. Follow for more episodes …
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EP #219 - The Life-Giving Power of Reflective Solitude - Interview with Robin Beach
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Reflective solitude is a deliberate practice of tuning out the distractions and noise of the world and tuning into the presence and power of God. In our packed and noisy lives, practices such as these often get squeezed out and it is that very deficit that creates an even more crucial need. But as we turn our affection back to God in such life-givi…
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BZ Basement Tapes - Episode 6 - The Lamb upon the Throne
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ABOUT THIS PODCAST Brian Zahnd, Cole Novak, and Derek Vreeland discuss the wild images and stunning message of the book of Revelation. This episode continues conversation based on Brian's new book The Wood Between The Worlds: A Poetic Theology of the Cross. Follow for more episodes each Thursday in Lent. GET THE BOOK - The Wood Between the Worlds b…
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Lent Series 02: Understanding the Cross with Brad Jersak
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Join author and theologian Brad Jersak as we embark on a journey into the depths of the Cross. From Abbotsford, BC, Brad, the Principal of St. Stephen’s University, shares his personal evolution of understanding, moving away from the doctrine of penal substitution and towards a non-violent interpretation of atonement. Delving into the landscape of …
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#134 – Dr. Laura Anderson: Sex, Dating, Courtship and Trauma
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Listen to the 20-minute Utterly Heretical after show episode that Nate & Shelby recorded debriefing this conversation with Dr. Laura Anderson Dr. Laura Anderson tackles religious trauma, explaining it as our physiological response to religious experiences, distinct from the events themselves. She critiques purity culture for its detrimental effects…
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EP #218 - Grappling with Western Christianity & Ourselves - Interview with Jeremy Wood
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Grappling with the issues in western Christianity, from flaws to toxicity, is a journey that is transformational, IF handled well.. We need to take care that we don’t throw out gorgeous baby amidst toxic bathwater. There is humility in recognizing that each of us, regardless of how we identify ourselves, can harbor insidious pharisaical attitudes a…
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BZ Basement Tapes - Episode 5 - Three Tress on the Low Sky
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ABOUT THIS PODCAST Brian Zahnd, Cole Novak, and Derek Vreeland explore topics ranging from the betrayal by Judas to the Protestant presumption that there can be no salvific work after the moment of death. This episode continues conversation based on Brian's new book The Wood Between The Worlds: A Poetic Theology of the Cross. Follow for more episod…
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