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To conclude our season on deconstruction we invited licensed counselor, Mark LaFleur, to join the conversation. Mark has walked this path with many of his clients and is able to give a little insight on how we can meet someone in their journey of deconstruction and offer a safe place to process. Guest: Mark LaFleur, for contact information, visit www.marklafleur.com

Deconstruction around suffering often happens because our theology and lived experience do not match up. Why would a loving and good God allow so many terrible things to happen in the world? Paul, Alyssa and Larry take on this challenging topic and talk about their own experiences. Sources: This Too Shall Last, by KJ Ramsey “There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark.” - Stephen Hawking, Stephen Hawking Was an Atheist. Here’s What He Said About God, Heaven, and His Own Death, com Summary of Job, The Message Bible, by Eugene Peterson Peace is a Practice, by Morgan Harper Nichols A Grace Disguised, by Jerry Sittser Where is God Where it Hurts? by Philip Yancey Community Groups: GriefShare, Divorce Care, Overcome – org

In this episode Paul, Alyssa, and Larry discuss and deconstruct the cultural system of patriarchy and look to see how this hierarchy of power has been reinforced by mainstream Christianity. As followers of Jesus what does the Bible say about gender? And are there expectations of our roles within society? Listen and join the conversation today! Notes: Google Dictionary: Patriarchy The Biblical Narrative, by Robert Alter The Making of Biblical Womanhood, by Beth Allison Barr Paul and Gender, by Cynthia Westfall “Holding your power and using your resources in service of others.” John Dickson, Humilitas

What is the meaning behind Jesus’ death and resurrection? Christians believe that Jesus’ sacrifice reconciled the relationship between humankind and our creator, God. However, it is not quite that simple. Over thousands of years, theologians and followers of Jesus have tried to articulate this nuance through metaphors, emphasizing some aspects of Jesus’ sacrifice over others. In this conversation, we aim to dissect the different theories of atonement and bring clarity to the larger picture of the gospel. Notes: “Toxic forms of substitutionary atonement” in Love Wins, by Rob Bell Amazing Grace, Kathleen Norris The Bible Project podcast Movie: Ransom (1996) Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis Cur Deus Homo - Why God became man A Community Called Atonement, by Scott McKnight Atonement Theories Penal Substitutionary Atonement Moral Influence Theory, Augustine Ransom Theory Satisfaction Theory of Atonement, Saint Anselm of Canterbury Christus Victor Kaleidoscopic Perspective, by Joel B. Green in The Nature of Atonement Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis The Crucifixion, by Fleming Rutledge Passion of the Cross, by Ronald Rolheiser The Cross of Christ, by John Stott

If you grew up in the church in the ‘90s, you probably experienced purity culture—it was the church’s response to the increasing promiscuity in society. Unintentionally, purity culture caused significant harm and didn't fully capture God’s heart towards sex and individual value. In this episode, we share what we believe to be a more biblical view of sex and relationships. We hope you enjoy the conversation. Notes: I Kissed Dating Goodbye, by Joshua Harris BarlowGirl True Love Waits WayMaker, by Ann Voskamp "However well-intentioned purity culture might have been, it was also guilty of gross errors. It made Christian purity a function of sexual history and behavior, not spiritual rebirth. It saddled women with the responsibility for male lust and failed the victims of sexual abuse. Further, it made unqualified promises of marriage, children, and great sex to everyone who pledged to wait." Jen Pollock Michel in Don’t Overstate the Rewards of Sexual Faithfulness. Don’t Understate Them Either. Christianity Today Live No Lies, by John Mark Comer Rethinking Sex: A Provocation, by Christine Emba The Joe Rogan Experience, Guest Russell Brand "What if women are fully human divine image-bearers who should be treated as persons with eternal dignity, rather than sex objects who exist primarily to tempt men and/or satiate men’s appetites? And what if we treated them as such? And didn’t tolerate anyone who does otherwise?" - Emily Hunter McGowin, Theologian, Twitter God of All Things: Rediscovering the Sacred in an Everyday World, by Andrew Wilson The Intentional Father, by Jon Tyson The Great Sex Rescue, by Sheila Wray Gregoire and Rebecca Gregoire Lindenbach Waterstone's Counselor Referral Network

Is the Bible trustworthy? Is the Bible true? Scripture has been misused and abused, so deconstruction of the Bible often centers around these two questions. In this episode, we discuss what the Bible is, and how it might apply to our life today. Notes: "The faithful testimony of the faithful." - J.I. Packer, Knowing God Judah & Tamar, March 27, 2022, Paul Joslin How to Read the Bible, The Bible Project How (Not) to Read the Bible, by Dan Kimball The Reason for God, by Tim Keller Alpha Course at Waterstone

This season Paul Joslin, Larry Renoe, and Alyssa Frisbie are pulling apart Christian beliefs and talking about the process of deconstruction. They're covering the most questioned topics within Christianity (atonement, purity culture, patriarchy, suffering, etc.) and dissecting Scripture, in hopes that it will help all of us better understand what we believe. Notes: Jacques Derrida: the father of the idea that language is derivative Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning, by James Fowler The Critical Journey, Stages in the Life of Faith, by Janet Hagberg and Robert Guelich Faith After Doubt, by Brian McLaren

Today, we’re having the uncomfortable conversation about living our life in pursuit of comfort. It seems that our culture has bought into the idea that an easy life is a fulfilling life. When we dig a little deeper we have some questions and wonder how often we walk the empty path of least resistance rather than the path that leads to a more fulfilling life with Jesus.  Notes: Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer Bible Project Sabbath: https://bibleproject.com/church-at-home/week2-sabbath-rest/

In this episode we’re exploring our tendency to obtain or keep power. Whether this power is within our jobs, relationships, or socio-economic status we are hard-wired to strive for it. Then, once we have it, we tend to approach life out of fear of losing it.

In this episode we’re exploring the big “C” Church and our emphasis on marriage and families. It seems that we’ve defined the ultimate fulfillment of the Christian life as getting married and having a family rather than advancing God’s kingdom and glorifying Him. How do we recognize when we might be holding on too tightly to this cultural expectation and allow the freedom that Jesus has to offer to let go of this idol? Listen to the conversation today!

This season of the Monday Morning Phone Call podcast we’re exploring the effects of having too much of a good thing. Here in the U.S. we live in a culture that pulls our attention by encouraging us to be independent, strive for personal success, achieve happiness, all the while maintaining our comfort through the path of least resistance. Is this the life we’re called to seek? Today, we’re exploring the reasons why we might be motivated to live a life focused on ourselves and why God calls us to something bigger. How do we recognize when we might be holding on too tightly to a cultural expectation and allow the freedom that Jesus has to offer to let go of our American idols? Let's dive in.

Today, our final episode of this season based on fear, we’re discussing an epidemic – not of Covid necessarily, but of loneliness. It’s known that more and more Americans are feeling lonely and that was before we were told to social-distance and lockdown within our own households. If we take a look inside, this epidemic affects all of us. Most of us either find ourselves feeling lonely, or living in a way to try and protect ourselves from feeling lonely. So how do we escape from this cycle and how did Jesus confront this during his time on earth? We invite Dr. Beth DeWeese to join our conversation and share her wisdom and expertise. Take a listen today!

In today's episode we’re discussing a fear that wreaks havoc in our society and prevents us from achieving unity and peace with one another. The fear of other is generally being afraid of someone who is different than us or is part of a group that is perceived to be a threat to our way of life. In this conversation we aim to identify whether or not we harbor this fear toward a certain people-group and how we can move our hearts toward to seeing and loving the world as God does.

The first two episodes of this season we addressed fear of death and fear of government corruption –- two types of fear that stem from being afraid. In this episode we’re pivoting and discussing the fear of God. The type of fear that is displayed through reverence and respect. We live in a culture where the name of God is spoken so casually that we could question if most of us have any idea who we speak of when we utter the words, “Oh my God” or “For God’s sake.” These phrases in contrast to the Jewish people of the Bible, who wouldn’t even speak His name might make us wonder, do we understand or make time to contemplate God -- His glory, judgment, and unconditional love? Join us as we discuss the Fear of God with Paul Joslin, Alyssa Frisbie and Larry Renoe. Resources: The Idea of the Holy by Rudolf Otto The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

According to Chapman University’s survey of American Fears, this one has topped the list for several years in a row. As a culture we have been increasingly skeptical of the information provided to us from the White House and mainstream media, and concerned about the potentially overreaching nature of the government into our private lives. As interconnectedness increases through technology, how do we know that we are in safe hands? And what is the best response from a Christian perspective? Join hosts Paul Joslin and Alyssa Frisbie, along with guest, Brad Heykoop, for this discussion.

Today on this episode we are beginning a new season. A season all about fear. We live in a fear-driven society and it is the motivation to so many of our decisions. Why is that? As people of faith we are told 365 times – a time for each day of the year – throughout Scripture to “fear not” and yet, it secretly grabs a foothold in our life. In this episode we’re addressing a universal fear and that is the fear of death. Throughout each of our lives we know and understand that death is imminent, and yet, we spend very little time talking about it. So, we invited our friend and colleague, Caley Buxton to share her story and perspective as she navigates life with a terminal diagnosis. Resources: Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright Heaven by Randy Alcorn The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis

In this episode Waterstone pastors, Larry Renoe and Paul Joslin, discuss the recent presidential election with hopes to provide a pastoral voice and space to process the past two weeks. Reference: https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2020/november-web-only/trump-election-politics-church-kingdom.html

Waterstone’s Lead Pastor, Larry Renoe, interviews Dr. Scott Klingsmith, who is the Assistant Professor of Intercultural Studies at Denver Seminary and also has over 35 years of missions experience overseas. Scott brings a global perspective to our podcast this episode and the focus of their conversation is on the history of Christians in politics. What has the political engagement of Christians throughout history looked like and how should Christians engage today? They also cover the much debated topic of whether or not America is a Christian nation. We hope this is a helpful discussion as we approach the presidential election in November 2020.  

Today we hear from Waterstone's Lead Pastor, Larry Renoe, and Teaching Pastor, Paul Joslin. Their conversation doesn't tell you WHO to vote for but HOW, and recognizes the tension that we encounter when filling out our ballots. Our voting options at the polls often feel incongruent with our personal beliefs and don't quite reflect our convictions. We like to think of voting and politics as being a space of self-expression, however, our consciences don't always align with our parties and choices. This tension often causes us to feel that our integrity is threatened. So, what should we do? How do we vote? Join us for the conversation. 

We live in a country where our Gospel-identity is challenged by our political system. With heightened cultural stress about an election we find ourselves being weighed down by fear or misplacing our hope in a political candidate. How do we navigate this tension and remain true to our identity in Christ? Paul Joslin, Teaching Pastor at Waterstone Church, and Dr. Mark Young, President of Denver Seminary, take on this important conversation.