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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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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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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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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Finding God In The Music | 90's Edition: Losing My Religion
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Oh life is bigger It's bigger than you And you are not me The lengths that I will go to The distance in your eyes Oh no I've said too much I set it up That's me in the corner That's me in the spotlight Losing my religion Trying to keep up with you And I don't know if I can do it Oh no I've said too much I haven't said enough I thought that I heard …
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In this episode of the Jesus Collective podcast, we sit with Dr. Mike O'Shea, Lead Pastor at Waterville Community Church and author of "All The Way Down: Rebuilding Christian Faith from the Rubble of Evangelicalism." Dr. O'Shea shares his journey from working in an international Evangelical mission organization to becoming a pastor helping people r…
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Finding God In The Music | 90's Edition: Come As You Are
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Come as you are, as you were As I want you to be As a friend, as a friend As an old enemy Take your time, hurry up Choice is yours, don't be late Take a rest as a friend As an old Memoria Come doused in mud, soaked in bleach As I want you to be As a trend, as a friend As an old Memoria And I swear that I don't have a gun No I don't have a gun No I …
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Finding God In The Music | 90's Edition: Shine
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Shine Collective Soul Give me a word Give me a sign Show me where to look Tell me, what will I find? What will I find? Lay me on the ground And fly me in the sky Show me where to look Tell me, what will I find? What will I find? Whoa, Heaven let your light shine down... Love is in the water Love is in the air Show me where to look Tell me, will lov…
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Many Christians—especially young Christians stepping into a world and a church devastated by division, scandal, and abuse—are asking the question: "What is the gospel?" and deciding that the gospel is not good news. For many, it seems like our faith has little to offer the world around us. Our gospel has become too small—it looks nothing like the J…
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Finding God In The Music | 90's Edition: One Of Us
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If God had a name what would it be? And would you call it to his face? If you were faced with Him in all His glory What would you ask if you had just one question? And yeah, yeah, God is great Yeah, yeah, God is good Yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah What if God was one of us? Just a slob like one of us Just a stranger on the bus Tryin' to make his way ho…
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The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood to reveal God’s neighboring presence. God has joined us as us in order to rescue us and the world. The infinite took on the finite. Immortality took on mortality. The eternal took on the earthly. The God of creation moved into the neighborhoods of our creation in order to rebuild our n…
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At Jesus Collective, we want to be a part of a movement that is trying to look more like Jesus in all things– and that even includes how we grieve. Author and pastor Leanne Friesen joins us to discuss her book ‘Grieving Room,’ inspired by the loss of her sister to cancer. Leanne challenges common notions about grief, advocating for authentic emoti…
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When by the grace of God we realize that who we've become is not who we are supposed to be, the good news is this: We can put our trust in Jesus, be reborn, and begin the salvation journey of becoming the person we were always meant to be.By Brian Zahnd
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#144 – Jon Foreman: Leaving the Christian Label
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Jon Foreman of Switchfoot (link) discusses the journey of faith, doubt, and the rejection of labels. We delve into the topics of deconstruction, being hurt by people claiming Christianity, and the complexities of using “Christian” as an adjective. We also explore the idea of embracing community over tribalism in today’s divided culture. Thoughts, q…
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Can the gospel be told as a tragedy? Obviously. And it certainly was by the Apostles. Before we jump to the triumph of the resurrection we must first face the tragedy of the cross.By Brian Zahnd
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The gospel is the divine comedy that begins with a ninety-year-old woman having a baby and concludes with a slain lamb overcoming all the monsters of the abyss. This is the divine comedy we’re invited join by simply believing that Jesus is Lord, and the joke is on the devil.By Brian Zahnd
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#143 – Candida Moss (Part 2): Uncovering Biblical Authorship Mysteries
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Listen to the After Show Candida Moss, a leading theology professor, returns for part two of our conversation, diving into her groundbreaking research on the manuscript traditions and writing processes of the New Testament. Discover how dictation, collaboration, and the roles of enslaved individuals shaped the creation of early Christian texts. Lea…
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In a Voyage and Return story the central character travels out of their familiar, “everyday” surroundings into another world completely cut off from home. This other world is strange, different, exotic, and perhaps at first, exhilarating. But eventually a shadow intrudes. Things begin to change…for the worse. The traveler increasingly feels threate…
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"You seek a great fortune, you three who are now in chains. You will find a fortune—though it would not be the fortune you seek. But first, first you must travel—a long and difficult road, a road fraught with peril. You shall see things wonderful to tell. You shall see a cow on the roof of a cotton house, and oh, so many startlements. I cannot tell…
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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1:08:41
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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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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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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
1:10:56
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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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