Voxology

Mike Erre and Tim Stafford delve into the experience of feeling exiled within one's own church community. Drawing from biblical narratives of exile, they explore how to foster dynamic countercultural communities that embody Jesus's teachings while remaining committed to the well-being of the broader church. They discuss practical steps for navigating discontent without falling into pride or divisi...

How does the church respond to LGBTQ+ individuals in ways that reflect new creation rather than tired, old creation dynamics of exclusion, shame, and silence? In this profoundly moving episode, Mike and Tim respond compassionately to a deeply honest and heartbreaking letter from a closeted gay church leader wrestling with belonging, identity, and faith in the modern church. This dialogue touches o...

How can mistranslations, manipulated theology, and cultural biases distort how we see Jesus, worship, and community? This episode of the Exile Series is a timely journey into the tangled landscape of modern Christianity, questioning the language we use, the powers that shape our spirituality, and what it truly means to be "in Christ." Through a raw, winding conversation, Mike Erre and Tim Stafford...

How the voices of lament, deconstruction, and justice led to a renewed vision of the church and the launch of Voxology. In this monumental 300th (and now Voxology's first!) episode, Mike Erre and Tim Stafford pause to reflect on six years of podcasting and the journey that brought about the transformation from The Vox Podcast to Voxology. This episode is a heartfelt collection of gratitude, vision...

A behind-the-scenes bonus episode full of joy, jokes, and Jesus as Mike Erre, Tim Stafford, and the beloved Seth Erre drop in to tease the much-anticipated rebrand of the Vox Podcast. With Episode 300 on the horizon, this midweek moment is both a celebration of the past and a hilarious reflection on potential (and rejected) new names for the show. Packed with wild brainstorming, dad-joke-worthy Ch...

How the biblical idea of the Divine Council reshapes our understanding of spiritual warfare, justice, and humanity's role in God's world. Mike Erre and Tim Stafford continue the Elohim Series by exploring the spiritual realm of the Old Testament—the "sons of God," the supernatural rulers of the nations, and how their corruption contributes to the brokenness of the world we inhabit. This episode ch...

Unlocking new layers of biblical meaning, Mike and Tim dive into one of the Bible's most mysterious and perplexing passages—Genesis 6—and the weird, wild world of the Nephilim, fallen Elohim, and cosmic rebellion. In this episode of the Genesis Series, they unpack how humanity's fall mirrors the spiritual realm's own betrayal, why "heaven" needs redemption too, and how it all connects to the gospe...

When the rot of power, celebrity, and capitalism runs deep in modern American church culture, is walking away the best response—or is there another way forward? In this deeply vulnerable and passionate installment of the New Creation Series, Mike Erre and Tim Stafford are joined by theologian Dr. Timothy Gombis, who brings sobering wisdom, theological insight, and a dawning vision of church ground...

How the myth of the American Dream and a narrow evangelical subculture are being authentically challenged by those living out the radical call to love your neighbor. Mike and Tim are joined by author and activist D.L. Mayfield to explore how her journey from youth group punk rocker to committed neighbor and advocate for the marginalized reveals a deeper and more robust understanding of faith, form...

How reading Genesis through ancient eyes—and understanding the spiritual beings behind the biblical narrative—can reshape how we think about sin, salvation, and the reconstruction of faith. In this theologically rich and mind-expanding episode, Mike Erre and Tim Stafford go deep into the cosmology of Genesis 1-3, unveiling how the biblical story tells a far more imaginative and layered tale than m...

How recovering the biblical storyline from Genesis to Revelation changes everything about how we think about sin, salvation, and our role in God's mission. In part seven of the Big Story Series, Mike and Tim unpack the central question the Old Testament actually leaves us with—not "How do we get to heaven?" but "When will Yahweh return and restore his people?" From the temple imagery of Eden to hu...

How the way of Jesus invites us to rethink gun violence, church leadership, and what it really means to be "pro-life." In this powerful conversation, Mike and Tim are joined by author, activist, and Red Letter Christian co-founder Shane Claiborne for a deeply compelling and often hilarious episode exploring faith, justice, and embodied discipleship. While reflecting on his own spiritual evolution...

How the biblical image of "outside the city" reshapes our theology of hell, judgment, and salvation. In this first part of the Hell Series, Mike and Tim wrestle deeply with scriptural themes, the legacy of fire-and-brimstone fear tactics, and a more Jesus-centered, hope-filled way to understand what hell really is—and what it definitely is not. Beginning with a fiery valley outside ancient Jerusal...

How the biblical vision of judgment reveals the path toward healing, truth-telling, and the restoration of all things. Continuing the Hell Series, Mike Erre and Tim Stafford tackle the idea of divine judgment not as punitive wrath or eternal shame, but as a redemptive purifying process that reveals, restores, and renews. With reflections on Romans, 1 Corinthians, Peter, and the Sermon on the Mount...

How a fresh understanding of the biblical story can reshape your faith, purpose, and view of salvation. Mike Erre and Tim Stafford kick off a new three-part arc in the Exile Series that confronts the traditional evangelical narrative of heaven and hell. Instead, they reframe the story through the lens of what the Bible actually centers on — the creation, rupture, and reunification of heaven and ea...

How Jesus' parable of the weeds and wheat in Matthew 13 invites followers to practice patience, not power, as the defining mark of discipleship in a world plagued by injustice and urgency. Mike Erre and Tim Stafford continue the Exile Series by deconstructing how Christians often misread their role in purging the world of evil—and how Jesus insists on a patient, Kingdom-first alternative marked by...

How the language of dehumanization and the theology of Christian nationalism distort the gospel—and what it means to respond with a Jesus-shaped posture of compassion, inclusion, and lament. This reflective episode in the Exile Series opens with a moment of silence for the victims of the 2021 Atlanta shootings, bringing attention to the realities of Asian hate crimes and how cultural and spiritual...

How Paul's transformational journey from religious dominance to cruciform humility offers a radical blueprint for reimagining ministry leadership in today's churches. This episode dives deep into the themes of power and weakness, drawing from Dr. Tim Gombis's book, Power in Weakness: Paul's Transformed Vision for Ministry. Join Mike Erre, Tim Stafford, and Dr. Gombis for a wide-ranging and raw con...

A clarion call to the Church to reject the temptation of political power and reaffirm its allegiance to the upside-down Kingdom of Jesus. Mike Erre and Tim Stafford bring fire and clarity in this Exile Series finale, confronting the rising influence of Christian nationalism, the misguided embrace of culture wars, and the tragic confusion between American politics and gospel truth. With passion and...

Tackling some of the most confusing, disturbing, and often-misunderstood parts of Scripture, Mike and Tim welcome author Dan Kimball to discuss his new book, How Not to Read the Bible. This episode is an honest, insightful, and sometimes humorous deep dive into how we approach the Bible's "anti-science," "anti-women," "pro-slavery," and violent passages—and how to keep our faith intact in a world...

How the church, scripture, and even your past can be reclaimed—not discarded—through the necessary, messy process of spiritual doubt and reconstruction. Author and professor A.J. Swoboda joins Mike and Tim to talk through the nuanced, painful, and transformative journey outlined in his book, "After Doubt: How to Question Your Faith Without Losing It." Together, they explore how real faith often gr...

How the invitation to "ask, seek, and knock" is more than just a spiritual posture toward God—it's the foundation of how we engage others without manipulation, judgment, or coercion. In part 10 of the Sermon on the Mount series, Mike Erre and Tim Stafford unravel Jesus' revolutionary teaching on relational power, dignity, and the transformative logic of kingdom ethics. Going deeper into Matthew 7,...

How do we navigate relationships through the lens of love rather than condemnation? Continuing the Sermon on the Mount Series, Mike Erre and Tim Stafford deep-dive into Matthew 7:6—perhaps one of the passage's most misunderstood verses—exploring Jesus' cryptic words about pigs, pearls, and sacred things. This conversation dismantles harmful religious strategies like condemnation and coercion, and...

How do we discern truth and error, good and evil, right and wrong—without falling into the trap of condemnation? Continuing the Sermon on the Mount Series, Mike Erre and Tim Stafford unpack the often-misunderstood teaching of Jesus from Matthew 7:1–6, exploring the difference between judgment and discernment in the life of Jesus followers. It's a hard-hitting conversation about our tendency to cat...

How do our fears and anxieties reveal what we treasure most? In this deeply reflective and often humorous episode, Mike and Tim continue their journey through the Sermon on the Mount by unpacking Jesus's revolutionary teaching on worry—and how it's far more radical than a simple "don't be anxious." By reframing familiar verses, they reveal that Jesus isn't offering a Hallmark platitude, but an inv...