Deconstructing the Bible

In this episode we look at the story of Jacob's Ladder (or the Stairway to Heaven) found in Genesis 28. Oftentimes, this passage could be used to show that heaven is above and earth is below and the goal is to get from the earth below to heaven above.  But what if we look closely at what happens in this story? What does Jacob name as the 'House of God'? In which direction are the angels going? What implications does this have for...

The story of Noah and the Ark is a classic children's story from the Bible. We love the animals and the bravery of Noah and his family. We love the dove being sent out from the ark and coming back with an olive branch. And the story ends with a rainbow! Who doesn't love a rainbow?! But what happens when we also notice that there is an incredible loss of human life? What happens when all of creation - plants and animals - are also ...

The story of Cain and Abel is one of the oldest stories in the Bible. What happens if we dive into the names of each character...how can their names teach us about what it means to be human? Let's move towards becoming more like Abel, while also holding some empathy for Cain. In this episode I'm joined by Tyler Sit, pastor of New City Church in Minneapolis. You can find Tyler and his work at the following spaces... Instagram: @t...

Welcome to a new season of Deconstructing the Bible! In this season we are reconstructing children's stories. You know...those popular Bible stories about Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah's Ark, and more. So often our earliest conceptions of these stories have impacted what we know about God and how we understand the Bible. But maybe these stories need a reimagining. Maybe these stories could be deconstructed and then reconstruc...

We take a moment of pause from our current series to offer a time of prayer and reflection for the people of Ukraine. As it is Ash Wednesday, where we receive the ashes...reminding us of our mortality, we recognize the pain of death and loss in the midst of war. Ash Wednesday moves us into a season of Lent where fasting, prayer, and action are called upon. How can those endeavors lead us to intercede for those impacted by injustic...

In this bonus episode, we hear a sermon preached at The Well on Sunday, November 21st that wrapped up a series on the book of Ephesians. In this message, we unpack the Armor of God... the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness or justice, the shoes of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit. What if this passage isn't just about spiritual warfare, but about fighting the systems of ...

Peace might not be as simple as you think. How might our lives change if peace was a more dynamic and complicated idea? If we explore how and when it is used in the Bible...and the context of some of the passages in which it is used...we might see that it has an amazing amount to teach us about God and about what it means to be human. In this episode, we read from Dear White Peacemakers by Osheta Moore: https://osheta.com/dear-w...

The first Sunday of Advent is the week of HOPE. And instead of starting in the gospels, we often are called back to the prophets. Why? What can the prophets teach us about Hope. Advent also starts in the dark. We don't have all the bells and carols and ornaments just yet. First we slow down and move into darkness. Why? What do we learn when we embrace the darkness? In this episode we hear some quotes from Walter Brueggemann's boo...

What does it mean to blaspheme the Holy Spirit? This verse has haunted me forever. But what is Jesus saying in Mark 3? In Episode 7 of Season 2, we explore this challenging text with the help of scholar Bob Stein, who's commentary on Mark was not only influential in understanding this text, but he personally helped model what Jesus was all about. What does it mean to hold space for someone? How do we build a world where love and ...

The Old vs. The New. It's always been presented as a competition...but is it? What if Jesus isn't telling people to throw out the old patterns and the old practices, but instead is inviting the old to respect and recognize that God's Spirit is still up to something? What if Jesus isn't telling the people who are enraptured by the new move of God's Spirit to disregard and throw out the traditions, but to see the beauty and the hop...

The Parable of the Workers in the Field from Matthew 20:1-16 is the focus of Episode 5 of Season 2 of Deconstructing the Bible. It could be a parable about God's grace...this always present gift of hope and love and belonging. No matter when we turn to it, no matter when we return to the good, it's there. It could be a parable about scarcity and abundance...how some people operate like there might not be enough in the world to go...

In Episode 4 of Season 2, we explore the parable of the Two Sons. Jesus is challenging the authority of the political and religious leaders. They have missed the announcement and the invitation to participate in God's Kingdom. Instead, they are actively dismissing those who have been transformed and sustaining a broken system that continually marginalizes those who need grace and love the most. Where are we all talk and no action...

In episode 3 of season 2, Jason dives into the parable of the Good Samaritan. To set it up, we explore a passage of the Apostle Paul about how our battle is not against flesh and blood, other people, but against the principalities and the powers. What could this mean? We also dive into Ephesians 2, how Christ removes the wall of hostility and invites us to the reconciling work of the Spirit. It's a Scripture heavy week...but an e...