Lo-fi Faith

In this episode, Mike and James explore Adventism’s historic claim to “have the truth” and how that mindset can make it difficult to learn from those outside the denominational walls. They reflect on biblical and Adventist examples that challenge the assumption that being used by God means having everything correct, before turning to how our need to be right can shape the way we relate to others—and even make Christian evangelism feel more like a sales pitch than a genuine conversation.

In this episode, Mike and James examine some of the tensions and difficulties within the writings of Ellen White. They explore what these challenges reveal about the nature of inspiration, and also consider whether an all-or-nothing approach is the best way to make sense of the evidence, or whether there is room for a more nuanced understanding of the human and divine elements of the prophetic gift.

What happens when a perfect God communicates through imperfect people? In this episode, Mike and James explore the human side of revelation and inspiration, discussing how factors such as personality, culture, and language influence the message, create interpretative challenges, and even lead to inconsistencies within prophetic writings.

Few topics generate more tension in the Adventist Church than Ellen White. Mike and James discuss why that is, what happens when questions are discouraged, and why truth has nothing to fear from honest inquiry.

What does healthy grief look like, and why do so many men struggle to process it? In this episode, Mike and James are joined by Christchurch counsellor Daryl Parsons, who shares his experience of losing his wife and the extremely difficult time that followed. Together, they explore the harsh realities of bereavement, the need for men to become more emotionally self-aware, and why allowing ourselves to grieve is an essential part of healing.

Can you be spiritually mature while remaining emotionally immature? In this episode, Mike and James continue their conversation with therapist Orlando Lizardi. Together, they unpack the challenges of emotionally immature relationships and explore practical ways to become more in touch with your inner world. If growing in emotional intelligence is one of your goals, this episode is for you.

Can someone be spiritually healthy while emotionally unhealthy? Mike and James sit down with therapist Orlando Lizardi to discuss how our emotional lives shape our experience of God, ourselves, and others—and why emotional healing is an essential part of spiritual growth.

In this episode, Mike and James examine the idea of church buildings as “sacred space” and ask the question: Is church holy ground? Looking at the teachings of Jesus, the practices of the early church, and the broader trajectory of the New Testament, they explore whether certain modern definitions of reverence truly reflect the biblical picture of worship, or whether they stem more from tradition than Scripture.

Fear sells—and in some Christian circles, apocalyptic fear sells really well. In this episode, Mike and James unpack the culture of end-times sensationalism, from panic-driven lifestyle decisions to online voices that continually revise their predictions without losing influence. It’s a conversation about discernment, misplaced priorities, and the uncomfortable reality that many believers may be receiving far more discipleship from social media algorithms than from their local church.

In this episode, Mike and James continue their conversation on religious trauma, exploring how harmful leadership dynamics take root, why they persist, and how churches can shift toward being trauma-informed, fostering environments of safety, awareness, and genuine care.

In this episode, Mike and James discuss what happens when church becomes a place of harm instead of healing. They explore religious trauma, spiritual abuse, fear-based religion, and the ways people can be deeply wounded by systems that claim to speak for God.

The gospel changes hearts—but does it also challenge systems? 

In this episode, Mike and James discuss how the message of Jesus intersects with justice, culture, and power, and whether following him should naturally lead us to engage with the broken structures around us.

After exploring the role preconceptions play in forming our theology, Mike and James now put those ideas into practice using a real-world example from their own experience: the idea that vegetarianism represents a spiritual ideal that all Christians must aim for. Looking at passages like Genesis 1 and Daniel 1, they ask a bigger question—where does the Bible actually speak, and where might tradition be speaking for it?

In this episode, Mike and James continue their discussion on belief and interpretation by looking at how we can begin to uncover the preconceptions that silently shape our understanding. They explore a few simple but powerful questions aimed at exposing blindspots, and wrestle with the challenge of separating what’s actually in the text from what we may have inherited through tradition.

Same Bible. Same God. Very different conclusions.

What's going on?

In this episode, Mike and James explore the gap between reading Scripture and forming belief. They examine how preconceptions influence understanding, why certainty can be misleading, and why the idea of "taking the Bible as it reads" isn't as simple as it sounds.

In this episode, Mike and James respond to a recent semi-viral video pushing back on one of Mike’s sermons. They break down the video, the comments, and point out how quickly theological disagreement can slide into character assassination, motive-reading, and public shaming. Their conversation also raises a deeper question—can a system built on perfect performance live up to its own standards?

Continuing their conversation on spiritual bypassing, James and Mike examine how Christian culture can unintentionally reward performance while neglecting inner health. From prayer and Bible study to service and leadership, they ask an uncomfortable question: what if the things we praise most are sometimes the very things that help us avoid the work we actually need to do?

In part one of this conversation, James and Mike discuss the idea of spiritual bypassing—when Christian language is used as a means of avoiding responsibility and action. Phrases like “I’ll pray about it” or “God’s in control” can sound deeply spiritual...but sometimes they function as a way of stepping back from hard decisions, uncomfortable emotions, or the work we’re actually being invited to do.

What happens when evangelism stops being about fixing people and starts being about loving them? In this episode, Mike and James look at how Jesus formed disciples, how He let people grow at their own pace, and why being genuinely present in someone's life is more powerful than perfectly crafted arguments. They explore why healthy evangelism requires time, patience, and integrity — and how living a decent life often speaks louder than anything we say.

Evangelism isn’t supposed to be toxic—but sometimes it is. Mike and James unpack how evangelism can drift into manipulation when it’s more about convincing, counting, or controlling than actually loving people. They also take aim at “friendship evangelism,” the version that pretends to be relational but drops people the moment they don’t convert.

Mike and James take a look at the “avoid anything pagan” impulse in some Christian circles. They examine why this approach quickly becomes inconsistent, burdensome, and divisive, and how it shifts focus away from what genuinely deserves attention. They also consider Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 8, which challenges the idea that a thing’s origins automatically determine its moral value.

Is every choice we make a moral one? In this episode, Mike and James explore the tension between cultural conviction and moral absolutes, asking whether everything — from music styles to diet to dress — really carries moral weight. They unpack why some Christians see the world in black and white, and discuss whether the Bible allows for a category of things that are simply neutral.

Churches love to say “everyone’s welcome” — but what happens when “everyone” includes people who make others feel unsafe? In this episode, Mike and James unpack the paradox of inclusion: how the desire to make church a safe place for all can sometimes invite the very dynamics that destroy that safety.

Is harmony in the church realistic, or just good marketing? In this episode, Mike and James confront the issue of conflict in faith communities, how it so often turns toxic, and explore why we find it hard to see past our differences.

In this episode, Mike and James confront the often unspoken pressure in churches to be upbeat, positive, and happy under all circumstances—sometimes called "toxic positivity". They explore how this mindset can unintentionally silence genuine struggle, cause people to feel that their faith is lacking, and distort the way we relate to God and one another.

In part two of their conversation on Last Generation Theology, Mike and James dive deeper into the biblical meaning of perfection and how LGT misrepresents it. They highlight one of the movement’s biggest flaws, and talk about how its heavy focus on human performance distorts the gospel and strips away the freedom Christ offers.

In this episode, Mike and James dive into Last Generation Theology—the belief that a final, sinless generation must arise before Jesus returns. At the heart of the discussion lies an important question: is the idea of moral perfection as a necessity a faithful expression of the gospel, or a departure from it?

Sabbath was meant to be a gift, but many have experienced it as a heavy burden. In this conversation, Mike and James explore how too often the day of rest has been distorted into a symbol of human striving—and how Scripture reclaims it as a sign that God alone saves.

Shame and guilt often get lumped together—but are they the same thing? In this episode, Mike and James unpack the crucial distinctions between the two, and how shame-based thinking, in particular, can keep people stuck in cycles they were never meant to live in.

In the second installment of their conversation with Pastor Ben Martin, Mike and James explore where the idea came from that baptism should be delayed until people "know enough". They push back on the myth that this approach stops people from drifting away and talk about why healthy ongoing discipleship — not front-loading information — is what truly helps faith take root.

Is baptism the final step after a checklist of Bible studies — or simply a response to encountering and deciding to follow Jesus? In this episode, Mike and James talk with Pastor Ben Martin about the purpose and timing of baptism, and whether we've made it more complicated than it needs to be.

In this follow-up episode, James reflects on his journey into legalism, the fruit of that experience, and the gradual shift toward a faith no longer driven by fear.

We’re kicking things off with Mike’s story — how he came into faith with a heavy dose of legalism, and what it took to start letting that go.

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