Why Church Still Matters: Community, Convictions, and Christian Unity (Q&A Episode)

Voxology

Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Society & Culture

4.7 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 7 January 2019

⏱️ 54 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Start the year with a fresh challenge to rethink why following Jesus necessitates being rooted in community and not just spiritual consumption. In this Q&A-style episode, Mike Erre and Kevin (number two!) dive into some weighty questions from listeners — questions about sexuality and gender, Christians in the military, being “just a guy in the seat,” church leadership, and how to discern theological conviction from opinion. Along the way, they explore the role of church in modern Christian life, what constitutes true unity, and how to lovingly wrestle with differing beliefs inside the body of Christ.

This episode is rich with pastoral wisdom, theological nuance, and some classic Mike and Kevin banter (plus, Mike’s seasonal affective light lamp makes an appearance). Whether you’re a church leader, churchgoer, or questioning your place in the church altogether, you’ll find encouragement and challenge in equal measure.

Key Takeaways:
• You Can't Follow Jesus Alone – Practicing the way of Jesus requires deep community because discipleship is lived out with others, not in isolation.
• Unity vs. Uniformity – We explore how to maintain Christian unity amid differing theological beliefs, leaning on a grid of convictions, beliefs, and opinions to navigate hot topics.
• Church Participation as Formation – “Just sitting in a seat” is a misnomer—Mike and Kevin reframe church as a participatory body where everyone has a role.
• Faith Outside the Building – Emphasizing the importance of everyday vocations and living out the values of the kingdom in workplaces, families, and neighborhoods.
• Hard Questions with Compassion – Honest responses on female sexuality, Christians in law enforcement, and LGBTQ+ participation in the church—all through a lens of humility, care, and biblical reflection.

Resources Mentioned:
• Fight by Preston Sprinkle – A Christian case for nonviolence
• Past Voxology episodes on Spiritual Maturity Stages, Why Church Matters, and Nonviolence
• Ideas for future guest perspectives, including women discussing female sexuality
• Voxology Micro-Communities (grassroots gatherings formed around the podcast)

Join the conversation and rethink where you sit, what you consume, and how you live. We’re more than an audience—we’re the church. Subscribe, drop a review, and follow Voxology on social media to stay connected and help spread this message of grace-filled community.

As always, we welcome your questions and reflections. Email us at [email protected] and engage with fellow listeners on Facebook and Instagram.

We're on YouTube (if you're into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV.

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Learn more about the Voxology Podcast

Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify

Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon

Check out the Voxology Spotify channel: Voxology Radio

Follow Mike on Twitter: @mikeerre

Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford
Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy

As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to [email protected], and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.

We're on YouTube (if you're into that kinda thing): VOXOLOGY TV.

Our Merch Store! ETSY

Learn more about the Voxology Podcast

Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify

Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon

The Voxology Spotify channel can be found here: Voxology Radio

Follow Mike on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mikeerre

Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford

Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	It is absolutely impossible to follow Jesus apart from community.
0:12.6	It is not you in Jesus.
0:14.1	It is not you and some podcasts in Jesus.
0:16.9	It is absolutely positive.
0:18.5	If you're going to grow to be like him, you have to surround yourself with other people
0:22.4	or walking in the same direction.
0:29.2	Hey, everybody.
0:30.4	Welcome to 2019.
0:32.2	We are so glad that 2018 is over.
0:36.2	Hallelujah.
0:37.7	Mike here with my friend Kevin, Kevin number two, just always want to specify.
0:43.6	And I've got on right now, I don't know if you can feel it in the microphone, but I've got a winter.
0:51.2	So what's this called a seasonal light?
0:53.7	So there's this gray dome that
0:56.2	settles over the Midwest in what mid-October and it goes through March. I mean, it's the most
1:01.7	depressing part of living here. Yeah. It's just the constant grayness. Agreed. And so I was looking at
1:06.9	this. I was looking online at lights because because they're supposed to give you vitamin D.
1:11.6	I don't know if it works, but it's so bright.
1:13.6	I forgot to bring my sunscreen today.
1:15.4	It's so bright.
1:16.3	You didn't have to buy the biggest one.
1:20.5	So welcome to the podcast.
	...

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