Mid-faith Crisis

In which we have an interview with Roy Searle, one of the founders of the Northumbria Community. Roy talks about the importance of space, the need to escape the ‘consumer-based faith’, about ‘living life with the questions’ and how our thirst for authenticity can lead us deeper with God. We also hear from listeners with their book recommendations (see below) and Joe engages...

In which our heroes get up early and talk about books. What books have transformed your understanding of God or of what it means to be a Christian? Nick and Joe share their top five (and Ethel Sadoldperson gives us her recommendations). And we have a special guest appearance from Rachel Davis as well! But what do you think? Let us know. The Titles Return of the Prodigal – Henri Nouwen Moomin...

In which our heroes talk about all the feedback from the last episode, reflect on the first ever Day for the Bewildered (including Ethel immortalised in icing sugar) and talk about whether Nick should become a woman for the sake of balance. But more important than that: we have a big announcement . You’ll have to listen to the whole podcast before we tell you. Or you could just fast forward ...

It’s our first anniversary! And to celebrate, we’ve got actual content, with an interview with the very wonderful Jill Rowe, in which she talks about women and gender and being loved and how we are all, in the end, ‘just walking each other home’. So light the candle and sing ‘Happy Birthday’. Warning: this episode does contain a lot of discussion of Joe’s...

In which our heroes deal with more feedback from recent episodes. How do we cope with the painful, destructive effects of sin? Do we hold our beliefs, or do our beliefs hold us? Is there really such a thing as prophetic Bongo playing? Also we have a quote from Thomas a Kempis’s famous work The Imitation of Christ and his less famous The Imitation of Bruce Forsyth .

In which our heroes discuss sin, guilt and other bad stuff. Do we take sin too seriously? Or not seriously enough? And is there anything we can do about it anyway? Meanwhile Nick has been reading Romans, Joe has forgotten to record Bake Off and Ethel sends us a lovely poem.

In which our heroes deal with the excellent feedback from last episode. After our podcast on creeds, we hear from the listeners about their beliefs. Can we have certainties during the Mid-faith Crisis? Or is it all just ‘maybes’ and ‘perhapses’? Is ‘perhapses’ even a word? So many questions. Talking of which, there’s news of the first ever Mid-faith Crisis...

In which our heroes try to come up with a creed for the Mid-faith crisis. In what will surely end up as a schism between them, Joe and Nick try to define what our core beliefs are. Is Nick living in the past? Is Joe really going to do the seagull dance? And what do you think are the core beliefs of our faith? Write in and let us know, before Joe is excommunicated and Nick is burnt at the stake.

In which our heroes record the podcast – in a Pod! On holiday! Yes, a bit of an unusual edition this one, recorded on holiday in Scotland. We talk about sacred spaces, about the need for ‘seasons’ in your life, about looking at yourself non-judgementally and, most importantly, whether Nick is a better cricketer than his brother. And best of all, it’s recorded in the Pod &#8...

In which our heroes write a letter to their younger, less bald versions. And, indeed, where we share some lovely letters that our listeners have written as well. Along the way we touch on Nick’s pathetic need to be special, and what really lies behind Joe’s enduring relationship with the cheese counter.

In which our heroes discuss change and transformation. How do we change? What does it look like? How can Nick claim to have changed when he is, essentially, doing the same jokes he was 20 years ago? Talking of which, Nick’s new book is almost out, Joe has being doing odd things with stones on a beach and both the boys try to bring more pith into your life.

In which our heroes sit in Joe’s garden, listen to the birdsong, chill out and discuss… er… anger. What makes us angry? Is it always wrong? How do we deal with it? Also, we hear about Nick’s inability to answer emails, we have our competition winner, and we reveal an entirely new Myers-Briggs category.

In which our heroes discuss the use and abuse of labels. Are you liberal or conservative? Progressive or traditional? Catholic or evangelical? What do we really mean by these labels, and how can we avoid using them in a way to make ourselves feel superior? Also we welcome the return of little Marty Buber and we have a genuine competition, just like real, grown-up podcasts do!

It’s our second ever interview! It’s another man called Dave! Joe interviews Dave Tomlinson, author of How to be a Bad Christian , The Bad Christian’s Manifesto and his latest book, Black Sheep and Prodigals . We talk about how it’s a bad thing to leave God in the hands of the experts, the limitations of language and the role of stories in the Bible. Meanwhile, there’...

In which our heroes discuss how hard it is to be truly honest and what stops us from letting others see behind the masks we wear. Along the way we take feedback from listeners, wonder at our sheer inability to organise our diaries, and Nick reveals how all other writers are, in fact, his enemy. All this, plus Ethel Sadoldperson’s campaign to become an MP. Oh, and Joe’s audio sounds tru...

In which our heroes discuss the necessity of waiting and the hope of resurrection. It’s Easter Saturday, a day when, in the gospels, nothing much happens. Hopes have been dashed, dreams have been crushed, and all there is to do is wait… But waiting itself has value, has worth. And God is a God who waits. Along the way we discuss Nick’s shambolic time management, and Joe bonds with a sq...

In which we feature our very first interview! Joe interviews Dave Steell, who leads One Church, Brighton , and discusses the idea that, with the right values, the vision takes care of itself. It’s about who we want to be, not just what we want to achieve. And either side of the interview, we launch a liturgy for the bewildered, talk about forest church, and discuss whether churches should of...

In which our heroes discuss one of the key practices of the Christian life. Yes, it’s the first of a series we’re calling by the catchy title of Stuff we have to do as Christians, even though we might not like it and we’re no longer part of the official church, so suck it up. And this week is all about prayer. Does it work? Is it ever right to pray for a car parking space? How do we speak our pray...

In which we look at what it means to belong. Joe shares his life story, Nick has been giving himself, and we discover the menopraise, which is like the menopause, but for churchgoers. Also there is a lot of childish argument at the beginning. And quite a lot during the rest of the podcast, come to think of it…

In which our heroes look at what it means to be saved. What does it mean to be born again? Should we even still be using the phrase? We explore surrender and rebirth and all the possibilities that opens up for us. Along the way, Nick gets grumpy about the Celts, Joe defines pantheism, and we float the possibility of a real, live Mid-faith Crisis get-together.

It’s a feedback show! In which our heroes share some letters and emails from some of our listeners – all of which are more profound, intelligent and deeply moving than the normal rubbish we provide. Along the way we explore how to disagree well, why The Velveteen Rabbit is one of the great books of spiritual formation, the need for us not to give into cynicism and how to channel our gr...

In which our heroes discuss the gospel. What’s so good about the good news? Along the way we explore the concept of a press release from the kingdom of God, and how Jesus invites us to join our kingdom with his – because we all need a bit of regime change, folks. Meanwhile, Nick rants about language, we welcome back the trousers of ambiguity and Joe mysteriously fails to set off the sermon a...

In which our heroes discuss happiness. Happy new year, everyone! But what does it mean to be happy? Can we really pursue happiness? What really makes for a happy life? Along the way, Nick blames the Declaration of Independence, we explore why new year’s resolutions never last and Joe claims the greatest gift of Christmas is actually cheese.

In which our heroes celebrate Christmas. Why is it good news? It’s a special Christmas episode, enlivened by the fact that Joe and and Nick are actually in the same room for once. We look at how the Bible really depicts Christmas, why it really is a cause for celebration, and the hope of its key message: ‘Do not be afraid’. Plus a look at some stupid Christmas carol lyrics, wheth...

In which our heroes discuss church. What is it? Why do people stop going? This week’s podcast look at the strengths and limitations of church, what our attitude to church should be, and why we have to take responsibility for our own spiritual formation. All this despite Joe’s bad back, Nick’s hangover and some concerns over whether the guitar is really ‘Satan’s banjo&...