Faith-Focused, Free-Thinking

Join Jeff & Danny as they discuss the church - both the Church universal and the local church. What is it? What has it been? What does it represent? How does it need to change? What needs to stay the same? Why do we go to church?

Join Jeff and Danny as they discuss the historicity of the story of Jesus! Is the Bible historically accurate? Did Jesus accurately live, die, and rise again? What does the evidence suggest? Does it matter if the resurrection is historical?

Join Jeff and OCC's Music Director, Danny Ellis, for a discussion of church music in America. Danny walks through some of the history of church music in America and then Jeff and Danny discuss song selection and the importance or unimportance of song lyrics. Sure to be interesting to anyone who grew up in the church!

Join Jeff as he visits with his younger brother, Erik Larson, who lives just north of Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada. Erik has found himself on a journey unpacking the tradition he grew up in and now has a new perspective on life. He might describe himself as an agnostic, but he can can get on board with the hope that we're all in this together and maybe something good is to come. You are sure to enjoy Jeff and Erik's conversation.

Join Jeff as he visits with Les Shultz. Les is 91 years old and spent most of his life as a pastor in the 7th Adventist and Congregational traditions. Les has a wonderful perspective on life, God, and people and you'll be encouraged by all he's learned in his years of ministry.

Jeff interviews OCC's Music Director, Danny Ellis, who grew up in a very fundamental Baptist tradition, let go of faith for a while, but found it again through the love of the Lutherans before joining us in Congregationalism!

Jeff reads a couple essays he wrote years ago as he reflects on his son's encounter with some well-meaning roadside evangelists. Is the gospel more than just a transaction?

Jeff interviews Michelle O'Brien, who grew up in Pentecostalism with its various particulars, including speaking in tongues. As she grew up Michelle felt the pressure of needing to be perfect but now has come to embrace the grace of God for her and everyone.

Jeff comments on Pope Leo, some Deconstruction FB pages he has joined, the Steel Man Argument, and some of the arguments for God's existence.

Jeff interviews a good friend, Josh Wheeler. Josh grew up catholic, moved through the evangelical church, had his own deconstruction, and now is less certain and more hopeful. Jeff and Josh go back and forth on a few theological issues - hell, universalism, the historicity of Jesus, and a little purgatory - and in the process uphold faith and freedom.

Fred Chambers is the Associate Pastor of Straight & Narrow Way Missionary Baptist Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Jeff and Fred talk about church, God's love, foster care, and a few other things in this interesting conversation.

Do you know what an "altar call" is? What does it mean to "come to Christ"? Jeff talks about how he thinks of it today and what it means at OCC.

Jeff reads and talks through some axioms that were created by Mike McHargue, also known as Science Mike, who was one of the creators of the Liturgists Podcast. Find him at mikemchargue.com.

Some of the math we find in the stories of the Old Testament doesn't add up to reality. Maybe we need to look for something other than historical narrative in the Biblical record . . . and maybe that's okay.

Are the details of theology important? Where do people go when they die? Did Jeff ever find his faith shaken? Are rewards in heaven something to consider? All this, and some theological musings besides, in Episode 15.

Jeff reads something he wrote years ago to address some FAQ related to the idea that God is going to save everyone. What about Hitler? What is the motivation for missions? Why don't people just do whatever they want?

Jeff recounts the story of his friendship with a guy named Jack and asks the question, "Does God take into consideration the circumstances of life?"

How does the evangelical church deal with the circumstances of life, which give some people a great opportunity to know the love of God and other people virtually no opportunity? Jeff reads something he wrote years ago, reflects on how his perspective has changed, and tries to find hope without needing to make sense of it all.

Jeff reflects on his departure from an evangelical church and in the process asks some questions the evangelical Church needs to consider.

Most in the evangelical church would agree that evangelism, or fulfilling the Great Commission, is the over-riding goal of Christianity. But where does our perspective on evangelism lead us? Does the evangelical church need to rethink it? What is evangelism mean for those of us in congregationalism? Join Jeff as he again reads something he wrote years ago and reflects on it from a faith-focused, free-thinking lens.

In Episode 9 Jeff reads from and reflects on something he wrote a number of years ago. Is the gospel message good news? Or is it merely the great warning? Where does the teaching of the evangelical church lead and do we need to think of some things differently?

If God is going to save everyone, then why is the church important? What is the church's role in the world? Why is it important or valuable to be involved in a church? Why should you come? OCC - 1142 Lakefield Rd. Grafton, WI - 9:30am Sunday.

Jeff tells the story of spiritual journey - from his upbringing to his embrace of God's unconditional love for all of us, to the beginning of his time at OCC.

Is Jesus the only way to God? Is the answer to that question "Yes," or is there another way to consider this fundamental claim of Christianity?

How do we define what is good and what is evil? Is there an objective standard of truth? Where does it come from? Can we know what it is? We look at these and other questions in Episode 5.

The two most frequently asked questions people inside the church ask when considering the idea that God might ultimately redeem everyone.

Is the Bible the true and inerrant word of God, or is it something else? How do we know? What are the ways God's reveals Himself to us? Join us for episode 3 as we discuss the Bible.

In episode 2, we ask the question, "What does it mean to believe in Jesus?" and we wonder where that meaning leads us. Do we need to start talking about Jesus in a new way? Find us at faithfocusedfreethinking.org.

Join host Jeff Larson for this first episode of the Faith-Focused, Free-Thinking Podcast, a ministry of Ozaukee Congregational Church. Today, Jeff gives a definition of "Faith-Focused, Free-Thinking," lists some questions we'll consider in future episodes, and answers the question, "What do I believe?"