Challenging cultural norms around abortion and disability, Mike Erre shares a poignant, personal, and theological response to a Washington Post op-ed that argued for the right to abort children diagnosed with Down syndrome. Drawing from Scripture, bioethical insights, and his own experience as the father of a child with Down syndrome, Mike explores how society's functional view of human value opens the door to eugenics, exclusion, and societal decay. This episode reflects on what it means to be ...
Mar 12, 2018•38 min
Want to experience the Bible beyond moralistic soundbites or entertainment-driven teaching? Mike Erre walks Bible enthusiasts through six powerful dimensions that bring Scripture to life—not by jazzing it up, but by honoring the depth, history, and purpose within the text itself. This Bible-nerd-friendly episode is for anyone asking: How do we study Scripture in a way that trusts the text—and what does that even mean? Through a blend of theological insight, teaching experience, and authenticity,...
Mar 06, 2018•34 min
Dissecting the language of faith wrapped around gun rights, Mike Erre uses this episode to thoughtfully examine a statement made by NRA Vice President Wayne LaPierre that the Second Amendment is a "God-given right" for Americans. Drawing heavily on Luke 22 and Isaiah 53, Mike walks through why that claim not only misuses scripture but also reflects a dangerous fusion of nationalism and theology. This Mailbag episode also includes deeply engaging questions on divorce in the Bible, Christian creat...
Feb 26, 2018•39 min
A deep dive into the haunting question: "Did God forsake Jesus on the cross?" Mike Erre explores this crucial theological tension through the lens of Lent, Psalm 22, and the Jewish context of Jesus' final words. Starting with a personal and vulnerable moment with his teenage son, the episode transitions into a powerful reflection on America's gun violence epidemic and the church's role in embodying Christ's message of peace—before moving to a bold reconsideration of how we read Jesus' cry from t...
Feb 19, 2018•34 min
From biblical justice to John Piper quotes, podcast guest Kevin #2 joins Mike for a wide-ranging conversation that blends humor, depth, and honest reflection on what it means to live out faith in today's world. This episode is a spirited response to listener feedback on previously covered topics like Rachel Denhollander and sexual abuse in the Church, critiques of political ideology, and theological hot takes circulating on social media. Mike and Kevin unpack questions from listeners—some suppor...
Feb 11, 2018•52 min
How does the church become a truly safe haven for the victimized? In this powerful Exile Series episode, Mike Erre and Andy reflect on the heartbreaking and courageous words of Rachel Denhollander, the first woman to publicly accuse Larry Nassar of sexual abuse. Her story—rooted in trauma, truth-telling, grace, and justice—sparks a raw conversation about how far the church still has to go in supporting survivors, acknowledging systemic harm, and living out the gospel with integrity. Mike and And...
Feb 05, 2018•57 min
In this gripping episode, Mike Erre and Tim Stafford welcome back scholar and teacher Bonnie Lewis to confront John Piper's recent claims that seminaries should only hire male faculty. This conversation dives deep into entrenched complementarian beliefs and the implications for women in theology, church leadership, and spiritual formation. Drawing on Bonnie's personal experience in seminary, this episode dismantles the idea that women can't or shouldn't teach men and highlights the need for dive...
Jan 29, 2018•57 min
How confronting critique with humility, exploring a church abuse cover-up with honesty, and challenging toxic theology about doubt can move us toward a healthier and more Christ-like faith. Mike Erre and Andy Lara take a vulnerable and candid look at their own missteps in covering a sensitive abuse case in a previous episode, read listener feedback aloud, and respond with repentance, clarity, and conversation about power, justice, and faith. Then, a viral tweet from Desiring God becomes the cata...
Jan 22, 2018•46 min
What happens when the church applauds repentance—but overlooks justice? Mike Erre and Andy Lara dive into a nationally reported scandal involving a Memphis teaching pastor who confessed to a past "sexual incident" with a minor amid Me Too scrutiny. They explore how the Church often mishandles abuse under the guise of grace, blurring the line between sin and crime, and what true redemptive justice should look like in faith communities. Using biblical examples and real-life experiences, the conver...
Jan 15, 2018•57 min
How theology is taught matters—and bad theology can be deeply harmful. In this first installment of the Reforming Culture Series, Mike Erre and Andy Lara dive into a controversial article that claims husbands have a divine responsibility to "correct their wives," and they're not pulling any punches. Using humor, biblical exegesis, and cultural analysis, Mike and Andy deconstruct the poor theology of gender roles presented in the article, tracing how misapplications of Ephesians 5 can lead to pat...
Jan 08, 2018•43 min
How the City of God versus City of Man dichotomy is being misused to justify Christian political compromise. Mike Erre and Andy Bear unpack a popular article defending immoral political candidates by appealing to Augustine's two kingdoms framework. They examine the dangers of compromising character for policy wins, the hypocrisy of shifting moral standards, and the long-term damage this does to the church's witness and identity. Drawing from Old and New Testament examples, historical context, an...
Dec 11, 2017•50 min
How choosing risk and obedience over comfort sparked a life of radical love, hardship, and staggering hope. In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Mike and Andy talk with bestselling author and missionary Katie Davis Majors on the life-shaping journey from suburban Tennessee teen to adoptive mother of thirteen girls and founder of a thriving ministry in Uganda. Katie shares the backstory behind her books Kisses from Katie and Daring to Hope, offering profound insights on finding God not o...
Dec 04, 2017•49 min
A sacred night of confession, repentance, and healing, this eleventh installment of the Exile Series journeys into the deep waters of sexual brokenness and redemptive grace. Mike and Justina Erre vulnerably share their personal stories of addiction, trauma, and healing, inviting the Vox community into an experience of intimacy, honesty, and restoration. Anchored in the Psalms of David—Psalm 32 and Psalm 51—this gathering becomes more than a message; it's a pathway to embrace God's blessing, espe...
Nov 29, 2017•54 min
How can the Church remain faithful to Jesus in a world shaped by political division, abuse scandals, and the erosion of moral authority? Mike Erre and Andy Lara tackle the explosive Roy Moore controversy as a lens to explore evangelical hypocrisy, the dangers of political idolatry, and the psychological toll of the siege mentality consuming much of American religious life. As allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced against Roy Moore—with many evangelicals doubling down in support—Mike and Andy...
Nov 20, 2017•41 min
How do we reconcile a loving God with the pain of birth defects, child loss, and perceived divine silence? This honest and moving Q&A episode tackles some of the most deeply personal and theologically challenging listener questions about suffering, scripture, and how God's will interacts with real-world tragedy. Mike and Andy explore whether Psalm 139 and Jeremiah 1 teach that God literally forms every child in the womb, and what that means for children born with trisomy 18 or Down syndrome....
Nov 13, 2017•46 min
How ChurchClarity.org is sparking a deeper conversation about transparency, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and the theological complexities facing modern American churches. Mike Erre and Andy dissect the origins and intentions of the platform while offering thoughtful critiques around its methodology, impact, and assumptions. Addressing the polarizing affirming/non-affirming binary, this episode navigates the messy tension between the demand for clarity and the pursuit of faithful community centered on Jesus...
Nov 06, 2017•57 min
How can Christians effectively reengage today's divided public square with truth and love, especially when labeled as "fanatics" or shut out of mainstream conversation? Communication expert and Biola professor Tim Muehlhoff joins Mike and Andy to explore practical tools and postures for reclaiming the church's voice through compassion, credibility, and cognitive complexity. Drawing from his latest book, Winsome Persuasion, Tim shares how Christians can act as a "counterpublic"—a minority voice t...
Oct 30, 2017•46 min
How the Book of Song of Solomon redefines intimacy, communication, and self-worth in the noise of a synthetic, sex-saturated culture. In this honest and wide-ranging conversation, Tim and Noreen Muehlhoff draw from 17 years of teaching at Family Life Marriage Conferences to unpack how biblical wisdom radically challenges cultural narratives around sex, self-esteem, and relationships. Through a deep dive into Song of Solomon chapters 5 and 7, they explore how words shape not just our relationship...
Oct 23, 2017•1 hr 22 min
How a first-century Jewish debate reshapes our understanding of Jesus' teachings on divorce, remarriage, and covenant love. Mike and Andy dive deep into one of the most misunderstood and misused verses in the Bible as part of their ongoing "Embarrassed By the Bible" Series. Taking on Jesus' statement that anyone who divorces and remarries commits adultery, they explore the cultural, theological, and pastoral layers beneath a question that is both deeply personal and widely debated: "Is divorce a...
Oct 16, 2017•49 min
How does God relate to the hard things in life—tragedy, suffering, anxiety, and injustice? In a raw, unscripted live Q&A from Ohio before heading off to speak at a Campus Crusade retreat, Mike Erre opens up the floor to deep and personal listener questions. Exploring Psalm 55 and themes of divine goodness, human suffering, and theological wrestling, this episode dives into the tension between being told to "cast your cares on the Lord" and still experiencing life's darkest seasons. Mike refl...
Oct 16, 2017•32 min
How the biblical framework for sexuality challenges cultural norms, overcomes shame, and invites every person—regardless of past or orientation—into healed, holy intimacy. In part 3 of the Song of Songs Series, Mike dives deep into the theology of sex, identity, and one-flesh unity through the poetic lens of Song of Songs chapter 4 and powerful insights from Genesis, Corinthians, and modern neuroscience. You'll hear an unflinching yet grace-filled conversation around sex, the LGBTQ+ community, c...
Oct 09, 2017•1 hr 28 min
How the fear-fueled foundations of religion lead us away from the radical freedom and hope Jesus offers. Mike Erre and Andy sit down for a compelling conversation with author, podcaster, and former Christianity Today editor Skye Jethani to explore the core message behind his book, What's Wrong With Religion, and to reflect on how the American church's pursuit of cultural power has distorted the gospel. This lively episode journeys through evangelicalism's obsession with relevance, the illusion o...
Oct 02, 2017•1 hr 1 min
How does our modern understanding of marriage diverge from its biblical foundation, and what does it mean to live in covenant rather than comfort? Continuing with the Song of Songs Series, Mike Erre unpacks the theological and spiritual weight behind the concept of marriage as a holy covenant—one that reflects the gospel itself. With warmth, vulnerability, and humor, he explores the Old and New Testament framework for marriage, diving deep into Genesis, Exodus, Ephesians, and Revelation to illum...
Sep 25, 2017•1 hr 34 min
What does true Christian love look like in our conversation around LGBTQ+ inclusion and theology? Continuing the "Sex Love God" Series, Mike Erre takes a heartfelt and theologically grounded look at the Nashville Statement, critiquing not only its theological assertions but more importantly its failure as a pastoral document. This episode serves as a call to embody a covenantal love rooted in commitment, presence, advocacy, and transformation—before truth is ever spoken. Drawing heavily from scr...
Sep 18, 2017•36 min
How the metaphors of vines and foxes in Song of Songs help us understand what undermines healthy relationships—and how God invites us to pursue healing and redemption from a place of honesty, grace, and commitment. In this fifth installment of the Sex, Love & God series, Mike unpacks the biblical worldview on relationship dynamics, addressing everything from Genesis creation truths to modern issues like fear of abandonment, sexual expectations, and emotional reactivity in conflict. This is a...
Sep 10, 2017•1 hr 26 min
How does the church navigate the complex and often painful terrain of sexuality, identity, and public witness? In this candid and challenging episode of the Exile Series, Mike Erre and Andy reunite in-person to unpack the Nashville Statement—a public declaration from the Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW) aimed at defining Christian responses to homosexuality and gender identity. Rather than a hot-take, this episode offers a deeply reflective critique on what this kind of theologi...
Sep 03, 2017•59 min
How does our view of God shape our experiences of desire, sexuality, and freedom? In this raw and emotionally honest continuation of the "Sex, Love & God" series, Mike explores the sacredness of sexual desire through the lens of Song of Songs while unpacking the dangerous spiral of lust, idolatry, and self-worship outlined in Genesis and Romans. This episode – titled "The Tornado of Death" – offers a deep dive into the difference between holy longing and destructive craving, revealing the po...
Aug 28, 2017•1 hr 30 min
How the church's prophetic call and ministry of reconciliation compel followers of Jesus to confront racism, embody peacemaking, and build the new humanity in response to Charlottesville and beyond. Mike Erre addresses the tragic events of Charlottesville and the deeper systemic, theological, and prophetic implications for the modern church. Responding to a listener's heartfelt question, he explores how the Biblical gospel compels every follower of Jesus to reject racial superiority and embrace ...
Aug 21, 2017•34 min
How confronting the cultural lies about body image, beauty, and identity can free us to live in the restored image of God. In episode three of the Sex, Love & God series, Mike Erre takes us deep into Song of Songs 1:1-8 to unpack the powerful truth behind the phrase "Do not stare at me," exposing our culture's toxic standards of beauty and inviting listeners into a radically different story rooted in image-bearing, not performance. Through biblical reflection, historical context, and raw per...
Aug 21, 2017•1 hr 33 min
How desire, vulnerability, and sacrificial love shape authentic intimacy and emotionally safe relationships. Mike Erre continues the "Sex, Love & God" series by diving into Song of Songs 1–2 and Ephesians 5 to examine what it means to delight in the "shade" of another—how trust and character matter far more than superficial attraction. This deeply personal and honest reflection invites conversation around biblical sexuality, gender roles, healthy submission, and what makes love truly safe, s...
Aug 14, 2017•1 hr 18 min
