The God Journey - 2016

The Futility of Managed Spirituality (#563)

Fri, 30 Dec 2016 15:00:00 GMT

Why do we think we can manage the spirituality of others instead of helping them learn to follow the Spirit of Jesus he has placed in them? It never works. It leads to conflict between fellow believers and substitutes the breath of the Spirit for telling others what principles they should be following. A search through recent emails launch Brad and Wayne on this discussion as they talk about the judgment of others, the current conflict going on at Calvary Chapel, and the challenge from a worship leader telling people they need to leave their comfort zones to follow God. Managed spirituality doesn't work because it is the attempt to be the voice of the Spirit to others. In addition they include a song from Daniel Madison's new album, Masquerade of Mercy, which was inspired by many themes of The God Journey and how it has affected his journey. You may get a copy if you like.

Podcast Notes:
Masquerade of Mercy on BandCamp or iTunes by Daniel Madison (Email Daniel)
Conflict in Calvary Chapel
The Shack Trailer
There's still room to join Brad and Wayne on The God Journey Israel Tour, departing January 22 to Jordan, or January 25 to Israel
You can find our latest update on our work in Kenya here.
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

The Cry for Justice (#562)

Fri, 23 Dec 2016 15:13:24 GMT

Why do we only feel the pangs of unfairness when we think we're being cheated and don't carry the same passion for it when we are the ones who benefit from it? Following up last week's conversation with Brad, Wayne reads an excerpt from a new book about the crucifixion that may offer an explanation as to why that is. That takes them on a further discussion about how love and justice might work together inside of God and what implications all that might have on the end of the age. They discuss how our sense of justice might affect how we treat people around us today and how we God's redemption, restoration, and even universalism.

Podcast Notes:
The Shack Trailer
Excerpt of Crucifixion by Fleming Rutledge. Order book from Amazon here.
There's still room to join Brad and Wayne on The God Journey Israel Tour, departing January 22 to Jordan, or January 25 to Israel
You can find our latest update on our work in Kenya here.
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

Seeing the Bigger Picture (#561)

Fri, 16 Dec 2016 14:37:46 GMT

Often our view of life is limited by our self focus that we miss the way God is working around us. eis so limited by it's self-focus, when God is wanting to open our eyes to his Brad gets shaken down by the federales in Mexico in a recent family trip there, which opens a discussion with Wayne about fairness and the violation we feel when those with power over us use it to exploit rather than serve. But "might makes right" is the way the world has worked through most of it's history. While we all have a passion for fairness when we're being taken advantage of, few complain when they have the advantage over others. No wonder Jesus told us to treat others the way we want to be treated, it is th only way for us to find fairness. Then they discuss the recent movie release, Arrival, which surpassingly had a lot to say to both of them about the way God works in the world. (NOTICE: Plot spoilers here. You may want to see the movie first if you don't want the boys to ruin it for you.)

Podcast Notes:
The Shack Trailer
There's still room to join Brad and Wayne on The God Journey Israel Tour, departing January 22 to Jordan, or January 25 to Israel
You can find our latest update on our work in Kenya here.
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

Honest to God! (#560)

Fri, 9 Dec 2016 14:25:02 GMT

There can be no intimacy without honesty and genuineness and that's as true of God as it is our relationship with others. Wayne's time recuperating from surgery and watching some of the other people he knows who are struggling with pain and loss in their lives sparks a discussion with Brad about love and compassion in the midst of painful circumstances. They focus both on how we sort out persistent pain with God and how we can be an encouragement to others who deal with long-term challenging circumstances.  While religious rituals often encourage us to posture before God by saying the "right" things we think God wants to hear even if it is not in our heart, God's capacity to handle our fears and frustrations, our pain and complaints, is well documented in Scripture. Being honest with him opens the door to recognizing his work and his way of dealing with our challenges to the better ends he has in mind.Podcast Notes: 
<a href="http://www.theshack.movie/#trailer">The Shack Trailer</a> 
There's still room to <a href="http://itcisrael.wixsite.com/thegodjourneyisrael">join Brad and Wayne on The God Journey Israel Tour</a>, departing January 22 to Jordan, or January 25 to Israel 
You can find <a href="http://www.lifestream.org/progress-pokot-one-year/">our latest update on our work in Kenya here</a>. 
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

Post-Operative Thoughts (#559)

Fri, 02 Dec 2016 15:00:00 GMT

Since the last episode Wayne ended up having open-heart surgery far sooner than he expected and Brad debriefs that whole experience with Wayne as well as how he is doing in his post-operative recovery. In this highly personal conversation they talk about God's purpose unfolding in our circumstances and how to flow along with him rather than trying to manipulate circumstances in ways that serve us best. Also, on the same day they recorded The Shack movie trailer was released so Wayne debriefed some of the movies process with Brad and how he feels about the final product. No, this does not signal a return to regular podcasting again as Wayne is still in recovery. It was just a chance for two friends to get together and talk about some key events in their lives and share it with those who are interested.

Podcast Notes:
The Shack Trailer
You can find our latest update on our work in Kenya here.
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

He’s In This Too (#558)

Fri, 18 Nov 2016 17:00:00 GMT

Before Wayne headed to heart surgery he and Brad discussed the just-concluded election (though they didn't know the results), the efficacy of prayer and how they utilize in their lives, and how we respond to suffering, or the prospect of it in this broken world. Reading an email he got from Dave Coleman about God being present in those moments that cause us great concern or pain, they discuss the power of God to be inside our pain with us and open a door to know him better through it. God's protection doesn't always save us from the brokenness of this world, but saves us through it. If so for Jesus, how much more for us? They also read one of the comments from the recent podcast on inerrancy. (Special Note: This may be the last podcast for awhile until Wayne is able to take the time he needs to recover from surgery. We won't be giving a lot of medical updates, but what we do will be on Lifestream.org and Wayne's Facebook Author Page.)

Podcast Notes:
You can find our latest update on our work in Kenya here.
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

Pour Some Love Into It (#557)

Fri, 11 Nov 2016 16:00:00 GMT

There is no situation that you are in with any other human being that pouring love into it won't help. That thread runs through two emails that Wayne reads to Brad about God's ability to pour out his love when it most surprised people. Then they tear into an article in TIME Magazine about the connection between virtue and leadership. Current research shows that leaders who display authenticity, modesty, and a concern for others will lead them to cooperate ruin, while the vast majority of research shows that narcissism and lack of concern for others are better indicators of success. What do we make of this in view of a kingdom that transforms us to be more loving in the world? Does that mean we'll be less successful in the world's systems?

Podcast Notes:
TIME Article: Good Leaders Don't Have to Be Good.
Wayne's Travel Schedule
You can find our latest update on our work in Kenya here.
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

The Third Rail of Inerrancy (#556)

Fri, 04 Nov 2016 15:15:12 GMT

Evangelicals have set up camp around their belief that the Scriptures are inerrant. They judge people's faith on that belief, even if the word itself isn't used in Scripture. What does inerrancy mean? Does the book have to be inerrant to be fully trusted as God's revelation of himself? Wayne and Brad jump on this third rail of Christianity questioning the value of declaring the Bible inerrant while still affirming it as the book that gives an objective basis to appreciate our life in the Spirit. Why is it that those who are most willing to die on the mountain of inerrancy seem to lack the disposition and character of God in their lives and ministry? Was the Bible meant to replace the Spirit as our guide into all truth? You can celebrate the objective reality of Scripture while embracing a relationship with his Spirit that helps us live in its reality.

Podcast Notes:
The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy
Andy Stanley Responds to his Critics
Wayne's Travel Schedule
You can find our latest update on our work in Kenya here.
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

It’s His Nudges We Want to Follow (#555)

Fri, 28 Oct 2016 16:42:52 GMT

There's a reason we talk about his leading as nudges, because God's ability to draw us into his reality is so unlike the inner selfishness that tries to push its agenda to the fore, often at other peoples' expense. Wayne and Brad start by discussing Wayne's recent trip to Tennessee and his new heart concerns, before turning to some listener correspondence that continue to unfold the glorious ways in which God transforms people. Then they answer a question about what do we do when people claim to follow God's leading but doing so results in immoral behavior or even destructiveness toward others. They finally finish on a recent column by Richard Rohr about the necessity of learning powerlessness to be an effective agent of the kingdom in this world. What he says about the "social contract" between clearly and the laity will surprise you!

Podcast Notes:
Richard Rohr: Jesus' Invitation Follow Me
Previous Podcast: Transformation Takes Time
Previous Podcast: The Blue Smoke of Selfishness
Wayne's Travel Schedule
You can find our latest update on our work in Kenya here.
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

When Sovereignty Turns to Fatalism (#554)

Fri, 21 Oct 2016 23:18:33 GMT

Will God determine the result of the next election regardless of what we do? Many think so based on a faulty interpretation of Romans 14. After spending a few moments answering a listener's question about is whether or not there is a valid calling to the ministry, Brad and Wayne talk about the difference between trusting in God's sovereignty and falling into the passive abyss of fatalism. This not only affects how we participate in a democracy, but also how we view God's work in our daily lives and the value of our responsiveness to him. Growing trust in God and walking with him never leaves us fatalistic. He's active in the world and we can be active alongside him as God touches the world through the lives of his followers.

Podcast Notes:
Wayne's Travel Schedule
You can find our latest update on our work in Kenya here.
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

Why We Cannot Trust Ourselves (#553)

Fri, 14 Oct 2016 13:50:34 GMT

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are so certain of themselves and wiser people so full of doubts." (Bertrand Russell) Two amazing stories of transformation by God Journey listeners opens up a discussion about how we respond to God's moving in our lives instead of trying to get him to do what we think is best. Then Wayne reads part of an article from Mark Mason about the eight reasons psychologists say we can't trust ourselves or our perspectives. It seems our brain bends our perception of reality to fit our very limited view of the world. While offering some hilarious observations, it also shows why our true freedom is not the freedom to do whatever we want, but to learn to live by the Spirit so that we are not bound by our limited perspectives. Then we get to embrace a wider view of who he is and a gracious humility about our own conclusions.

Podcast Notes:
Why You Can't Trust Yourself by Mark Manson
Wayne's Travel Schedule
You can find our latest update on our work in Kenya here.
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

Mutually Shared Selflessness (#552)

Fri, 07 Oct 2016 08:00:00 GMT

WARNING: Be advised that this podcast is a frank and perhaps for some a controversial conversation about sexuality. Wayne and Brad continue with part two of their conversation with Tracy Levinson, author of Unashamed: candid conversations about dating, love, nakedness, and faith. They start where they left off, talking about navigating the waters where your sexual experience is a disappointment or even a cause of great pain. Then they talk about the entire relationship between a husband and wife and how it affects their sexual experience together. Loving each other is not about manipulating each other for our own wants but growing in the joy of mutually shared selflessness, Finally, they read a letter from a transgendered woman and podcast listener about the the struggles she's had in recently coming out and embracing what she considers freedom and authenticity.

Podcast Notes:
Wayne's Travel Schedule
Seven Things I'm Learning About Transgendered People by Mark Wingfield
Original Podcast with Tracy
unashamed: candid conversations about dating, love, nakedness and faith
Tracy's website
Wayne's review of Tracy's book
There are still a few more slots available if you want to join Brad and Wayne on their Trip to Israel
You can find our latest update on our work in Kenya here.
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

Taking Shame Out of Sexuality (#551)

Fri, 30 Sep 2016 14:34:42 GMT

WARNING: Be advised that this podcast is a frank and perhaps for some a controversial conversation about sexuality. The sex lady returns to discuss some of your questions and comments from our earlier podcast. Wayne and Brad continue their frank and sometimes explicit conversation with Tracy Levinson, author of Unashamed: candid conversations about dating, love, nakedness, and faith, about a grace-based approach to sexuality in a variety of contexts. They talk about how to deal with sexual issues with children and how we can teach them modesty and restraint, without tainting their sexuality with fear or shame, and where we may have failed sexually or been taken advantage of how to be at peace with God. They also talk about masturbation and its impact on healthy sexuality, but not as a sin that will disconnect your relationship with God. They also help explore how a couple can communicate more effectively about their frequency, turn-ons and sort through the places where it has caused pain or disappointment. h or disconnect you from God as you deal with it.

Podcast Notes:
Original Podcast with Tracy
unashamed: candid conversations about dating, love, nakedness and faith
Trac y's website
Wayne's review of Tracy's book
There are still a few more slots available if you want to join Brad and Wayne on their Trip to Israel
You can find our latest update on our work in Kenya here.
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

The Wonder of Healthy Friendships (#550)

Fri, 23 Sep 2016 17:57:00 GMT

New studies just out show just how powerful a network of good friendships can be. One study calls friendship better than morphine for its ability to produce endorphins that have pain-killing effects. Another suggests that the lack of human relationships may be the real cause of addiction, concluding that "the opposite of addiction is not sobriety; it's human connection." It's no wonder then that human brokenness—insecurity, loneliness, and price—keep us from the very relationships we seek. Finding our life in the Father's affection allows us the freedom to bond with others in healthy friendships that brings joy to our lives in so many ways. Wayne and Brad talk about what friendship really is and how you can find the connection you need, both with God and others to cultivate the friendships that can have a huge impact in your life.

Podcast Notes:
Wayne's Travel Schedule
Friends are Better than Morphine
The Likely Cause of Addiction Has Been Discovered
Do Your Friends Actually Like You?
There are still a few more slots available if you want to join Brad and Wayne on their Trip to Israel
You can find our latest update on our work in Kenya here.
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

Why Transformation Takes Time (#549)

Sat, 17 Sep 2016 00:31:00 GMT

One of the themes of our ongoing podcast is the time it takes for our brains to switch from living in the bondage of religious performance, to finding our life and freedom in the affection of a gracious Father. It is a journey that takes years and we've often wondered why. Wayne shares with Brad a recent article that excited him by seeming to confirm that this is not only a spiritual reality, but also a physiological reason why it's true. God created our brain to be an amazingly adaptive and because of that our neural pathways are influenced by everything that happens to us and everything we take in. It's an amazing process where the way we think is shaped by the neural pathways that have most influenced us in the past. The good news, however, is that we can blaze new pathways of thinking over time. Old trails unused will fade away and new ones that serve us better can become part of the fabric of our lives. Is this what Paul meant by "the renewing of the mind?" It certainly seems to be part of it and explains why conformity to a list of expectations can never change us.

Podcast Notes:
Article by David Eagleman on Keeping the Brain Active
There are still a few more slots available if you want to join Brad and Wayne on their Trip to Israel
You can find our latest update on our work in Kenya here.
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

Is Patriotism Dead? (#548)

Fri, 9 Sep 2016 15:18:49 GMT

Brad's concerned that patriotism has become a dirty word among some of his Christian friends and wants to explore why with Wayne. Of course our hope is not in the kingdoms of this world, but does that mean we just abandon the political landscape and not have influence there? That gets them into a discussion about the history of the U.S., the ideals of its founders, American exceptionalism, and how we are living that out almost 250 years later. They talk about the current election, corruption in our national leaders, and the economic greed and political necessity of polarizing the electorate instead of encouraging a moral imagination to cultivate a higher common good than each person's own self-interest. Is there hope for America's future, and is there anything we can do at the local or national level to change the nature of the debate and be a blessing to the country we live in?

Podcast Notes:
There are still a few more slots available if you want to join Brad and Wayne on their Trip to Israel
You can find our latest update on our work in Kenya here.
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

Unintended Consequences (#547)

Fri, 02 Sep 2016 21:47:50 GMT

The picture above is of the dying forest where Wayne's father lives. It is the unintended consequences of shutting down the lumber industry 20 years ago allegedly to protect the forest. But the opposite happened. It's a fitting metaphor for what charity is doing to many third-world economies. Sometimes our most well-intentioned actions have devastating impact we do not foresee and would not have chosen. Wayne recently watched a documentary called Poverty, Inc, and it lays out in stark terms how misguided approaches to helping poorer nations can actually make them more impoverished by destroying their local economy. The industry that surrounds world poverty is structured on obsolete premises and yet continues to exist because it benefits third-world warlords, the banking industry, and agri-business in the first world. This is a powerful movie that will change how you view poverty and failed government and charity polices. We need to empower people in poverty to employ their own creativity to building an economy, rather than use their need to line our own pockets. Perhaps unadvisedly at the end the wade into the current political climate of the U.S.Podcast Notes: 
Wayne's blog on <a href="http://www.lifestream.org/best-video-economic-development/">Your Help is Hurting</a> 
You can view Poverty, Inc at Netflix and <a href="http://www.povertyinc.org">read more about the people behind it here</a>. 
There are still a few more slots available if you want to join Brad and Wayne on their <a href="http://itcisrael.wix.com/thegodjourneyisrael">Trip to Israel</a> 
You can find our <a href="http://www.lifestream.org/progress-pokot-one-year/">latest update on our work in Kenya here.</a> 
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

Helpless Isn’t Hopeless (#546)

Sat, 27 Aug 2016 05:49:53 GMT

Wayne and Brad are back from their summer hiatus and as they sort through some listener email, they are asked about their own journeys and what God is doing in them at the moment. That spawns some conversation about embracing God's delight in us especially when we're not at our best, and learning the value of living helplessly in the Father's care instead of with an over-exaggerated view of our own abilities to fix the circumstances we hope to fix. Growing in our awareness of helplessness is not hopeless, especially when our hand is in the hand of the Father. In our own lives and in others, only God can work things out the way he desires.

Podcast Notes:
Wayne refers to this book again: Soul of Shame by Curt Thompson
There are still a few more slots available if you want to join Brad and Wayne on their Trip to Israel
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

This Is Not a Podcast

Fri, 19 Aug 2016 16:16:01 GMT

Wayne and Brad have been on vacation so there is no podcast today. To inform those who only listen to the downloads, Wayne has recorded this brief snippet to alert people to what's going on with the podcast and some other information that might prove helpful to listeners. He also includes one of his Engage videos, since they have come up quite a bit this summer in his correspondence and conversations with people. Listen if you like. If not, and you need a podcast, check out Children Unplugged below. This includes the funniest podcast moment in their history and starts at about 10:36 in the recording.

Podcast Notes:
Children Unplugged podcast
Engage Videos at Lifestream
Information on the GJ Trip to Israel
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

Can God Be Bought? (#545)

Fri, 12 Aug 2016 14:00:00 GMT

Some congregations are now offering money-back guarantee with a three-month commitment to give 1/10 of their income. If you don't see his blessings at the end you get your money back. Gimmick or lesson in generosity? That news story launches Brad and Wayne into a conversation about tithing, giving, and generosity under the new covenant. Is tithing still God's requirement? The way some people talk of tithing it's like protection money to the mafia don. Give him his cut and he'll make sure the enemy leave you alone. Others see it as an investment. If they give God 10%, he'll give them way more as a reward. How do these views of the tithe affect how we see our Father at work in us? Podcast Notes: 
Christianity Today Article: <a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2016/june-web-only/faithful-tithing-now-comes-with-money-back-guarantee.html">When Tithing Comes With a Money-Back Guarantee</a> 
<a href="http://itcisrael.wix.com/thegodjourneyisrael">Information on the GJ Trip to Israel</a> 
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

Has Legalism Hijacked the Bible? (#544)

Fri, 05 Aug 2016 14:53:16 GMT

"To my wife, so many passages of scripture are now tainted with memories of fear and condemnation from an always angry, inescapable, never-satisfied deity that she can't bring herself to read it anymore." And she's not alone. For too many, having been abused by legalistically-twisted interpretations of Scripture destroys the treasure it can hold for our journeys. If that's happened to you, is there any way they can become a valuable part of our journey? Wayne and Brad share their own views and uses of Scriptures in their journeys and how they can add depth and clarity to a growing friendship with the God Jesus revealed.

Podcast Notes:
The Jesus Lens Videos
Information on the GJ Trip to Israel
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

The Fiefdom of Me (#543)

Fri, 29 Jul 2016 08:00:00 GMT

Perhaps the most destructive residual effect of the Fall is that we are all drawn into living the "fiefdom of me", determining good or evil based on how it brings me joy or sadness. How much that affects us is seen by how often what Father does in his thwarts our expectations, reminding us that there is still so much about him we haven't begun to understand. That's why it's more helpful to live in the bits God has revealed of himself to us, rather than making assumptions about what we think he ought to do if he shared in the agendas of our little fiefdom. Instead he is inviting us into his kingdom, which can win us out of fiefdom and invite us into a Great Adventure.

Podcast Notes:
Wayne's Review of Pardox Lost
Anne Lamott quit from: Anne Lamott shares all that she knows: “Everyone is screwed up, broken, clingy, and scared”
Information on the GJ Trip to Israel
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

Civil Dialog Begins at Home (#542)

Fri, 22 Jul 2016 17:11:23 GMT

Brad and Wayne continue their discussion from last week as it moves to the dialog we carry on in the normal course of our lives, especially with those who may not see what I see. It has been said that religion makes us "relationally challenged" as we are more driven to argument and accusation than we are truly understanding what someone else is going through. Here is some helpful advice for being a better conversationalist by not trying to fix or convince people and by sharing the bandwidth to let others participate and find your way into a give and take where you explore each other. By loving each other more than we want to convince them of our truth, we open the door to a better dialog.

Podcast Notes:
CS Lewis quote about tyranny: "“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.”
Information on the GJ Trip to Israel
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

Our Broken Civil Dialog (#541)

Fri, 15 Jul 2016 16:29:41 GMT

Has the civic discourse in America reached an all-time low, and if so is there any hope it's about to get better? As Wayne and Brad begin in the mailbag they are invited into a discussion about the current state of political affairs in the U.S., including the rise in violence and fear as people talk at each other rather than with each other. What has brought about the cultural angst that rips at the fabric of our society, and is it possible to turn it around? In the course of this discussion they consider America's gun laws, the racial inequities in our culture, and the problem of illegal immigration. Part 2 continues next week.

Podcast Notes:
Information on the GJ Trip to Israel
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

Security that Sets Others Free! (#540)

Fri, 08 Jul 2016 16:00:24 GMT

Wayne is ticked off! He's met too many women of late who have been preyed upon by counselors or pastors who seek to fulfill their sexual urges at the expense of women who are emotionally broken. Instead of inviting them into a secure environment of love and affection, they exploit them in a way that only deepens their pain and fears. That leads Brad and Wayne on a discussion about where healing and life is learned in an institution or in a healthy family. Walking alongside others who have found enough transformation in Christ not to exploit others for what they can get, but can provide a safe and secure place for people to engage God and be open in their own struggles. Jesus was the safest place on the planet for hurting people to fall, and he wants to provide that same space through your growing freedom.

Podcast Notes:
Wayne refers to this book again: Soul of Shame by Curt Thompson
Information on the GJ Trip to Israel
Wayne's Travel Schedule
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

Where’s My Tribe? (#539)

Fri, 1 Jul 2016 10:08:50 GMT

Can you provide a podcast without trying to build a community? That's what one listener wants to know and it invites Wayne and Brad into an interesting discussion about this podcast and whether or not they want to build an audience or turn the God Journey into an Internet community. If your Yuck Meter went off, so did ours! Finding our identity in a group of like-minded people seems to be a common human drive. It's as old as tribalism, as ubiquitous as denominations, and as fresh as my-sports-team-is-better-than-yours. What accounts for this constant drive toward tribalism? Is it healthy? Does it have unintended consequences that prove destructive to real community? Or, is there something better God does in us which negates the need to find our security or identity in any group of people?

Podcast Notes:
Soul of Shame by Curt Thompson
Information on the GJ Trip to Israel
Wayne's Travel Schedule
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

Unashamed (#538)

Fri, 24 Jun 2016 02:50:02 GMT

What happens when a mom of children in their twenties offers to answer questions about sex from the hormone-ravaged world of 18-28 year olds? You get: unashamed: candid conversations about dating, love, nakedness, and faith. Wayne and Brad invite the author, Tracy Levinson to join them on this week's podcast to talk about her new book and what she has discovered in her conversations about sex and dating in a grace-based, Jesus-passionate framework. Tracy is a long-time God Journey listener from the Dallas, TX area covers this explosive topic with grace, humor, and vulnerable honesty that is as insightful as it is engaging.

Podcast Notes:
unashamed: candid conversations about dating, love, nakedness and faith
Tracey's website
Wayne's review of Tracey's book
Information on the GJ Trip to Israel
Wayne's Travel Schedule
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

Playing In the Cold (#537)

Fri, 17 Jun 2016 15:35:35 GMT

Wayne is back from the land of puppy dogs and rainbows and shares with Brad some of the lessons and experiences of the trip. They also discuss the horrendous violence in Florida this past weekend and where we find God in such tragedies. In spite of the brokenness of our world, how is God the most joyful presence int he universe? We don't need to blame God for the horrors off our broken world, but celebrate him in the midst of them as we become those who put joy and healing in the world instead of more pain and hurt. As Wayne learned in Canada, if you can't find a way to play even in the midst of your greatest pain or challenges, then they will win and drive you more deeply into bondage.

Podcast Notes:
Information on the GJ Trip to Israel
Wayne's Travel Schedule
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

The Uninfected Life (#536)

Fri, 10 Jun 2016 15:52:32 GMT

What would a life in Jesus look like if we had never been infected by shame or religion and simply grew in a trusting relationship with God? That's what a listener asks and that sends Brad and Wayne into a discussion about the influence of shame and our religious attempts to cover it up actually distance us from the God we seek. It distorts his image and drives us to appease God instead of rest in a friendship that he wants to enjoy fully with each of us. While it would be great to have never known shame and religious performance, it is God's desire to teach us to live in freedom from it. It's a noble journey to escape the distortions of shame and find ourselves growing in the freedom to trust him.

Podcast Notes:
Information on the GJ Trip to Israel
Wayne's Travel Schedule
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

What If God Enjoys Watching You Grow? (#535)

Fri, 3 Jun 2016 01:29:31 GMT

Religious performance teaches us that God wants us to be perfect today, and every failure or mistake is proof that we don't love him enough or are not committed enough. What if God had something else in mind, actually walking with us while he teaches us to live increasingly free from our broken ways of thinking and finding greater freedom in him? Wayne is enjoying watching his new puppy and Wayne and wonders if God doesn't enjoy that same process with us. In that environment of growing trust we are less prone to try to claim promises even Scripture to make God do what we want and instead find great joy in discovering what he has in mind and cooperating with him there.Podcast Notes: 
<a href="http://itcisrael.wix.com/thegodjourneyisrael">Information on the GJ Trip to Israel</a> 
<a href="http://www.lifestream.org/connect/waynes-travel-schedule/">Wayne's Travel Schedule</a> 
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

Who Can’t Use A Friend? (#534)

Fri, 27 May 2016 17:53:05 GMT

What if our invitation into the kingdom of God had been an introduction to Jesus as a real person who wanted to be our friend? Instead many have come to him for fear of what would happen to them if they didn't, and rather than endear us to him, he became someone we didn't want to be close to. Unless our life in Christ is an engaging invitation rather than an obligation we will not engage him in the way that will open the door to a greater knowing of him. What bride wouldn't want to get to know her husband before the wedding day? We are his bride, the wedding is coming, and he would love to get to know us as his beloved, not those terrified of what he might do to us.

Podcast Notes:
Information on the GJ Trip to Israel
Wayne's Travel Schedule
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at "TheGodJourney"

The Sweet Spot of Growing Trust (#533)

Fri, 20 May 2016 21:07:03 GMT

We all know what it’s like. Life is caving in around us. Everything that can go wrong, is going wrong and we feel as if God is ganging up on us. And mail from a listen invites Brad and Wayne into a discussion about finding that sweet spot of trust where our safety in him is disconnected from the circumstances that surround us. In Scripture quotes that rarely appear on our refrigerators, God warned us repeatedly that life will be cruel and that trouble is a normal part of living in a broken world, even for his followers. He has offered us a place in him that ensures we are not alone no matter what circumstances we confront. Instead of turning on God at moments of pain, we can stay at rest in him knowing he is working on my behalf through anything, so i don’t have to judge him, second-guess myself, or be anxious about uncertainty.

Podcast Notes:
Information on the GJ Trip to Israel
Wayne’s Travel Schedule
Add your voice to our question/comment line via Skype at “TheGodJourney”

What Must I Do To Be Saved? (#532)

Fri, 13 May 2016 10:20:03 GMT

The God Journey today announces a new co-host for Wayne. Well, actually it’s an old one! Now that his schedule has lightened Brad is returning full-time as co-host of The God Journey and they celebrate that with some listener input before taking an important question from a past blog comments. What must we do to be saved? It was a question Peter was asked at Pentecost and invites us to consider what salvation even means. Is it the get-out-of-hell-free card, many were promised for a trip to the altar and a sinner’s prayer? Can any prescribed process guarantee that someone has connected in a meaningful way with God, and if not how do we help someone find life in Christ and allows them to experience eternal life in this world? Podcast Notes: 
<a href="http://itcisrael.wix.com/thegodjourneyisrael">Information on the GJ Trip to Israel</a> 
<a href="http://www.lifestream.org/connect/waynes-travel-schedule/">Wayne’s Travel Schedule</a> 
Add your voice to our question/comment line: (805) 539-6980 or Skype us at “TheGodJourney”

No Need to Hide (#531)

Fri, 06 May 2016 15:11:29 GMT

Wayne and Brad follow up last week’s podcast with some further dialog about sexuality, sexual temptations, and how we can let God into that space to bring wholeness to the precious gift of sexuality that he gave us. It’s amazing how much sexuality governs our lives and how little we talk about it as part of our spiritual journey. It is often hidden in shame and the lie that no one is struggling with it who really loves God. They discuss whether attraction or even arousal is by definition the lust Jesus talked about in Matthew 5 and if self-gratification is always sinful. But sexual brokenness is rampant and the consequences of misplaced sexual expression so damaging to our own souls as well as those we take advantage of, that we dare not ignore it. But the love of God means we don’t have to hide anymore. Finding a gracious space in the Father’s heart to discuss our sexual struggles with him as well as with close friends is critical to making any progress against the temptations and religious shame that dominates this arena.

Podcast Notes:
The Many Faces of Dennis Hastert
Information on the GJ Trip to Israel
Wayne’s Travel Schedule
Add your voice to our question/comment line: (805) 539-6980 or Skype us at “TheGodJourney”

Let Talk Sex (#530)

Fri, 29 Apr 2016 16:37:10 GMT

North Carolinians are battling transgendered restrooms. Time Magazine runs a cover story on how pornography ruins sexual intimacy in real life. Ours is a sexually dominated culture to be sure and Wayne and Brad plunge into the issues politically and personally. By viewing our sexuality as an act of personal freedom instead of as a transcendent activity we have devalued and twisted it into its most unfulfilling forms. How can we manage the sexual confusion and controversy in our culture and still offer people life in Jesus? How do we manage sexual temptations ourselves, realizing that God hasn’t forbidden expressions of sexuality to keep us from having fun, but to explore a gift without being destroyed by it or destroying others.

Podcast Notes:
Information on the GJ Trip to Israel
We All Need Sexual Healing (Christianity Today, September 2015)
Time Magazine articles are no longer available to nonsubscriber, but here’s a link to an article about the article.
Wayne’s Travel Schedule
Add your voice to our question/comment line: (805) 539-6980 or Skype us at “TheGodJourney”

How Contrarian Are We? (#529)

Sat, 23 Apr 2016 04:24:55 GMT

How far have Wayne and Brad walked from their evangelical past? An article in the April issue of Christianity Today offered a new matrix to define what an evangelical is using four theological statements. It gives Wayne and Brad a chance to check their evangelical roots to see how the last fifteen years has shaped their view. Though they both consider themselves conservative theologically, one thing continued to stand out as they worked through the matrix—it didn’t have room for a Living God in the practicality of daily life. Evangelicalism has replaced a living God with the Bible text, and a vibrant relationship for following a set of expectations. As they work through the matrix they discuss the Bible, their purpose in the world, the atonement, and what constitutes salvation.

Podcast Notes:
Wayne’s Visit to the Nomad Podcast
Christianity Today Article: Defining Evangelicals
Wayne’s Travel Schedule
Add your voice to our question/comment line: (805) 539-6980 or Skype us at “TheGodJourney”

Hijacking God’s Gifts (#528)

Fri, 15 Apr 2016 12:26:35 GMT

It’s an often-repeated story… God reveals himself in some unique way and soon people are swarming all over it with the all-too-human need to protect, manage, or exploit it for their own gain. Once we regard his work as a possession of ours instead of a gift to be shared, his presence withdraws and moves on to touch people in other ways. Human ambition has done more to thwart God’s work in the world than any other thing and it is tied to our need to find significance outside of our relationship with him and make our mark in the world. Brad and Wayne talk about what it means to be successful in God’s eyes and how we can cooperate more freely with him in rest and contentment rather than fear and ambition.

Podcast Notes:
Wayne’s Travel Schedule
Add your voice to our question/comment line: (805) 539-6980 or Skype us at “TheGodJourney”

The Blue Smoke of Selfishness (#527)

Fri, 08 Apr 2016 15:17:21 GMT

It is way to easy to convince ourselves we have God’s best interests at heart, even as we’re pursuing our own desires. Wouldn’t it be great if our own selfishness was as obvious to us as it is to God? It is so easy to deceive ourselves that we’re doing something for the glory of God, when it has far more to do with our own needs. Brad joins Wayne again for a conversation about how we pursue God’s will, especially in a world where so many others are pursuing their own? Doesn’t that set us up to be taken advantage of in the worldly systems that others are exploiting? Learning to live free from our own selfish pursuits and embrace God’s reality and his unfolding will is at the heart of our joy and our transformation.

Podcast Notes:
Wayne’s Travel Schedule
Add your voice to our question/comment line: (805) 539-6980 or Skype us at “TheGodJourney”

Living Freely in God’s Will (#526)

Fri, 01 Apr 2016 14:00:00 GMT

As Wayne reports on his recent trip to Ireland and the UK he and Brad end up in a discussion about God’s will and how he reveals that to us. Unfortunately many Christians have been taught to follow a set of principles or rituals, rather than how to get to know him, to sense his heart, and to follow his leading as they navigate the reality of their own lives. Each of them share how they sense his leading and how others can as well. This is certainly not an exact science since he speaks in so many different ways. However, we can learn, even in our mistakes, how to recognize his voice and his nudgings. This is where life in him becomes an adventure because we are no longer trying to attain an set of expectations, but learning to recognize and follow his leading through whatever circumstances throw at us.

Podcast Notes:
For encouragement to help you recognize God building a relationship with you, try Wayne’s Engage Videos
Wayne’s Travel Schedule
Add your voice to our question/comment line: (805) 539-6980 or Skype us at “TheGodJourney”

Living as an Elder-at-Large (#525)

Fri, 25 Mar 2016 01:42:50 GMT

Some say without local church institutions we cannot experience the gifts of elders, teachers, or apostles. They would be wrong. These gifts can actually function more powerfully when unmoored from the needs and processes of an institution. That reality can take expression in a variety of ways, but here’s one example. Bob Prater used to be a full-time pastor managing an institution until he could no longer grow in his passions inside of it. Bob and wife Danette give themselves away to people they meet, simply by offering them a meal and a safe place to explore their own journey and connect the dots to God’s unrelenting reach into their lives. Wayne explores this amazing expression with Bob as the talk about the heart of the Gospel as God no longer counting people’s sins against them, and reconnecting them to the transforming love of a gracious Father. This has taken them into some of the most broken in his community, brought him alongside some of pastors in the city, and even an interesting relationship with a Muslim leader. Enjoy the story and let it encourage you to follow the Lamb wherever he wants to take you. Podcast Notes: 
<a href="mailto:bob.prater@starsonhold.com">Email Bob</a> 
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/walksintoastudio">A Christian and a Muslim Walk into a Studio</a> 
<a href="http://www.lifestream.org/connect/waynes-travel-schedule/">Wayne’s Travel Schedule</a> 
Add your voice to our question/comment line: (805) 539-6980 or Skype us at “TheGodJourney”

How His Love Frees Us (#524)

Fri, 18 Mar 2016 18:05:58 GMT

Especially in the most challenging or devastating of circumstances, knowing we are loved turns the tide from being swallowed up by our circumstances to finding the freedom to navigate them with God’s wisdom and grace. Wayne and Brad read some listener responses to recent podcasts and pick up a thread about how our security in Father’s affection frees us to live differently in so many circumstances. It is an awareness often hard-won in wrestling with him—and losing! One email demonstrates just how powerful the knowledge of Father’s affection can be when he wins us into that space. Knowing we’re not orphans but beloved children centers us in his reality and allows us to see more clearly what he offers us. To the same conclusion they revisit an earlier podcast about significance and discovering that our lives matter not by what we can do for God, but by the worth his love settles in us.

Podcast Notes:
Wayne’s Travel Schedule
Add your voice to our question/comment line: (805) 539-6980 or Skype us at “TheGodJourney”

You Are Salt (#523)

Sat, 12 Mar 2016 00:46:06 GMT

When we live with the lie that something is either all right or all wrong, we miss the nuances and textures of God making himself known even through the brokenness of humanity. Brad joins Wayne for a discussion about politics and religious leaders who constantly chose between character and expedience in seeking a place of influence, battling the temptation to justify the means for the greater good they hope to accomplish. How do we recognize the yuck, and yet affirm what God is doing beyond it? Does that negate the importance of character and demonstrating God’s nature as best we can in how we treat people and deal with the opportunities of life. We are salt in this world when we can grace the circumstances we’re in with his presence. We don’t have to impose our will on others, but simply invite them into the most engaging adventure any of us could ever embrace.

Podcast Notes:
Wayne’s Travel Schedule
Add your voice to our question/comment line: (805) 539-6980 or Skype us at “TheGodJourney”

Just Mercy (#522)

Sat, 05 Mar 2016 01:53:05 GMT

No one should be defined by their worst moment, and you shouldn’t be better off under the law if you’re rich and guilty than if you’re poor an innocent. Bryan Stevenson in his New York Times best-seller, Just Mercy, confronts the inequities in American culture with a plea for real justice and real mercy. Wayne traveled to Tulsa, OK to discuss this powerful book with his friend Tom Mohn, who in addition to being a man of grace and compassion, also traveled to Selma, Alabama fifty years ago to participate in the march at Selma. They discuss race relations, illegal immigration, and how the current political climate rewards the conflict instead of seeking compassionate solutions. They discuss the importance of developing proximity to other cultures so we don’t become trapped by only seeing the world through our own eyes.

Podcast Notes:
Bryan Stevenson’s Ted Talk, We Need to Talk About Justice
Order Stevenson’s book, Just Mercy
Tom Mohn’s book, Good Morning Brother Pilgrim
Previous Podcasts with Tom Mohn: The Things God Uses, The Gospel Jesus Preached and The Keeper and the Kept
Wayne’s Travel Schedule
Add your voice to our question/comment line: (805) 539-6980 or Skype us at “TheGodJourney”

Am I Doing Enough For God? (#521)

Sat, 27 Feb 2016 04:31:33 GMT

If you’re nagged by the question of whether you should be doing more for God, you know how disorienting it can be. Could it be God? My religious training? An need for significance? Or the devil? David has his seminary degree and experience as a pastor/church planter for many years. Even though the stress and long hours compromised his physical health and the well-being of his family, he is beginning to wonder if there’s something more he should be doing for God. What does it mean to be a living sacrifice, and how can one affirmed as a “good and faithful” servant of God? Wayne engages David’s email by sharing his own journey dealing with the insecurity that seeks significance as an antidote, and learning that he serves best when he’s most secure as a beloved son of a gracious Father. The podcast ends with an email from Dan and a song that inspired a recent podcast inspired.

Podcast Notes:
Wayne’s Travel Schedule
The song at the end is Ragamuffin Prayer by Daniel Madison.
Our latest update from Kenya
Add your voice to our question/comment line: (805) 539-6980 or Skype us at “TheGodJourney”

Letting Go of the Dock (#520)

Sat, 20 Feb 2016 00:38:02 GMT

Wayne dips into the ol’ email bag and pulls out some amazing stories of discovery and transformation, those willing to let go of the false security of religion and join God on an adventure that proves to be even more rewarding than it is risky. You’ll hear about a ministry couple who discovered what they were building was a business not a community, how God is healing a young man from traumatic brain injury, and how people are finding community in the most unlikely places. What underlies all of these stories is the willingness to see things as they are and push off into the current of circumstantial uncertainty finding their peace and hope in the certainty of a Father’s love. We too often look for peace in our circumstances and thus stick to safe waters. But when we can trust God to be our rock no matter what’s happening around us we can go to places we never imagined we would.

Podcast Notes:
Wayne’s Travel Schedule
Our latest update from Kenya
Add your voice to our question/comment line: (805) 539-6980 or Skype us at “TheGodJourney”

If It Isn’t Free, It Isn’t Ministry (#519)

Fri, 12 Feb 2016 14:53:00 GMT

Wayne and Brad continue their discussion about monetizing ministry and the ramifications it has on both the one charging for his version of the Gospel, and the content of what he seeks to sell. There's a reason Jesus calls his workers, 'gifts'. It's because they are to bless others, not exploit them for their own gain. Whenever someone's livelihood is attached to a message, things get distorted because of our very human inclination toward trusting ourselves instead of trusting in him. "Freely you have received, freely give," is how Jesus put it and it's the only way to ensure that the Gospel stays untainted by our desire for profit from it and that those who help others are not just hirelings doing it for the money. Each of these two have had their own journeys learning to trust God for resources and not just monetize a gift, that always does serious warpage to the gift!

Podcast Notes:
Part One of this discussion can be found in the previous podcast
Wayne's Travel Schedule
Wayne's article on Monetizing Ministry
Our latest update from Kenya
Add your voice to our question/comment line: (805) 539-6980 or Skype us at "TheGodJourney"

So Many Systems, So Little Life (#518)

Sat, 06 Feb 2016 03:48:22 GMT

“If you can systematize it, you can monetize it.” That advice was given by a consultant to a group of ministers telling them how they can derive more income from their ministries. Brad joins Wayne again for a discussion of his recent article, Monetizing Ministry as they explore why we have created so many religious systems, from institutions to curricula as a substitute for helping people into a transformative relationship with Jesus. At the core of all of these systems lies someone’s need to make a living rather than to freely give to others what God has given them. And yet these systems never pay off what they promise, which can only be gained out of a growing relationship with God himself. For those who have felt like God is not reaching out to them in that way Brad and Wayne spend some time hoping to give you a different way to approach it.

Podcast Notes:
Wayne’s article on Monetizing Ministry
Our latest update from Kenya
Add your voice to our question/comment line: (805) 539-6980 or Skype us at “TheGodJourney”

Pharisees In Your Family (#517)

Sat, 30 Jan 2016 02:21:24 GMT

It’s one thing to separate yourself from a conformity-based institution that preys on guilt and obligation, but what if your parents, children, or siblings continue to carry that voice into your life and no longer respect you or your journey? Some families cut those off who don’t conform to the family ethos, and others continue to try to manipulate them back in line with their expectations. Brad and Wayne add their thoughts to those facing this unique challenge, which can teach us how to live free and live loving when others don’t make it easy. This also brings them into a discussion about the Beavers Scale of Family Functioning to help see the dynamics that create a healthy family life, and those that are destructive. It applies to faith communities as well as human families. And who can say that you that you can’t be the first generation in their family who will help make family a delight instead of a hotbed of religious manipulation? (Painting above taken from A Man Like No Other. Used by Permission. All Rights Reserved.)

Podcast Notes:
Five Styles of Family Functioning
Sorry, Wayne’s Blog on Conversations that Matter, which he referred to on this podcast has not been posted yet. When it is the link will appear her.
Latest Statistics from Pew Research Center
Our latest update from Kenya
Add your voice to our question/comment line: (805) 539-6980 or Skype us at “TheGodJourney”

Joy to the World (#516)

Fri, 22 Jan 2016 14:07:00 GMT

How do you live in God’s joy when life around us is filled with so much pain? How does God do it? With all that’s broken in the world, how does he dare to invite us into his joy so that our joy can be full? Brad joins Wayne for a discussion about the transformation that occurs when we are no longer attached to the outcome of our circumstances and thus can find our joy in him even when things do not go the way we hoped or planned. Seeing Father’s hand at work even in the face of incredible tragedy helps us find an inner joy that grows greater than any circumstance around us. That’s the joy God knows. They also talk about how living without expectations won’t our passion to be the change in the world God wants, but it will keep us from trying to force our way on others.

Podcast Notes:
Wayne’s Spring Travel for 2016
Our latest update from Kenya
Add your voice to our question/comment line: (805) 539-6980 or Skype us at “TheGodJourney”

Finding Meaningful Friendships (#515)

Fri, 15 Jan 2016 14:47:04 GMT

Fellowship used to be easy. All you had to do was show up for the planned meetings and you had an instant connection with a group of people. Or did you? Some did spawn great friendships, others only the illusion of them until you no longer fit in the way you wanted. Leaving a traditional congregation means we have to see friendships and the development of them a bit differently. How important is it to find like-minded people? What other friendships might God have for you that will enrich your life as much as it enriches theirs? Many people overlook the people nearest tot hem, who can become great friends with a bit of an investment.

Podcast Notes:
Visit the New Lifestream.org
False Teachers Justifying Their Need for More Expensive Aircraft
Sorry, Wayne’s Blog on Conversations that Matter, which he referred to on this podcast has not been posted yet. When it is the link will appear her.
Mike’s Letter on Finding Church In the Neighborhood
Latest Statistics from Pew Research Center
Our latest update from Kenya
Add your voice to our question/comment line: (805) 539-6980 or Skype us at “TheGodJourney”

How Transformation Works (#514)

Sat, 09 Jan 2016 02:24:29 GMT

What do you do when change doesn’t come as fast as you want, or you’re wondering whether it’s coming at all? Wayne’s favorite guest, his wife Sara, joins the podcast to discuss what God has been doing in her life over the past few years. We respond to an email and a blog post that wanted some input from Sara about how she is living out this process. We find ourselves talking about transformation in general, the unique challenges that women face to find freedom when they have often been subjected to man’s selfishness and control, and how two people in a marriage can celebrate each other’s growth and transformation.

Podcast Resources:
Our previous podcast on Sara’s Journey
Wayne’s Blog: To My Sisters Raised in Captivity.
Engage Videos
Our latest update from Kenya
Add your voice to our question/comment line: (805) 539-6980 or Skype us at “TheGodJourney”