Vox Podcast With Mike Erre

A vulnerable and wide-ranging discussion on the complexities of faith, doubt, and identity as Mike Erre and Andy sit down for a powerful conversation with a guest known online as "Godless"—a self-described agnostic atheist. Raised Catholic, born again in the Assemblies of God youth group, and now an outspoken skeptic, Godless walks us through his unexpected spiritual evolution. With humor, intelligence, and empathy, this episode unpacks how one loses belief, wrestles with deep existential questions, and grapples with the emotional weight of leaving behind a religious identity. This episode isn't a debate—it's chips-and-salsa theology. It's what happens when mutual respect replaces defensiveness and curiosity takes the place of certainty. Whether you're steadfast in your faith, sitting in doubt, or searching for space to ask hard questions, this conversation offers insight, honesty, and plenty of space to reflect. Key Takeaways: • Understanding "Agnostic Atheism" – What the label actually means and how Godless

How can Christians maintain both conviction and compassion in conversations about LGBTQ identity, theology, and inclusion? Episode 41 of the LGBTQ Conversations series explores this critical tension through a raw, honest, and grace-filled response to a deeply personal email from a listener named "Jeremy." Mike and Andy seek to create space for both affirming and non-affirming Christians to remain united in Jesus, emphasizing empathy, listening, and love over litmus tests of belief. In this vulnerable and respectful exchange, Mike responds to Jeremy, a young gay Christian hurt by family rejection in the name of God, while raising essential questions about justice, empathy, and theological disagreement. This episode models how churches and individuals can engage complex conversations about sexuality, identity, and Biblical interpretation while refusing to dehumanize or divide. Key Takeaways: • The Possibility of Shared Community – Can affirming and non-affirming Christians coexist within the same church body? M

Can a non-affirming Christian hold space for LGBTQ+ voices with humility and grace? Can thoughtful atheism provoke deeper faith? Mike and Andy reflect on powerful listener feedback—one from a 20-year-old gay Christian named Jeremy, and another from "Godless," an atheist guest host—and begin a deep dive into the critiques both raised about the Bible, theology, and the church's engagement with real people. Through Jeremy's compelling and vulnerable email, the conversation explores the complexities of same-sex attraction, love, repentance, and the experience of God's presence even when clarity doesn't come. Their exchange reveals a profound ability to disagree while honoring the faith journey of another human being. Then, responding to "Godless," Mike begins to unpack why he still finds belief in God intellectually, historically, and existentially plausible—even in light of some of the Bible's most difficult passages. This two-part reflection asks: What's the better explanation for morality, consciousness, beaut

What makes a text "sacred"? Can stories like Harry Potter or Star Wars function as modern scripture? Mike Erre and Andy explore the viral rise of "Harry Potter and the Sacred Text," a podcast treating J.K. Rowling's novels the way Christians treat the Bible—and use it as a springboard to tackle big questions about sacred texts, biblical authority, and how Jesus actually interpreted the Old Testament. This is Part 2 of the ongoing Godless Series, where Mike responds to critiques from a thoughtful atheist listener who contends that Jesus, if divine, failed at clarity and moral credibility. Mike breaks down the Sermon on the Mount in rich cultural context, revealing how Jesus confronted religious legalism of his day—not to affirm everything in the Hebrew Scriptures, but to radically reinterpret them through a lens of love, mercy, and internal transformation. They also dive into how scripture evolves across cultures, the progressive morality of Old Testament laws, and whether divine revelation can be both incarna

Unpacking one of the most misunderstood elements of the Bible, Mike Erre and Andy explore how seemingly oppressive passages on household roles—particularly around women, slavery, and children—can actually be understood as revolutionary in their original cultural context. Episode 44 walks through a compelling thought experiment rooted in modern-day Saudi Arabia to reframe the function of the New Testament's household codes within a Roman Empire driven by patriarchy and social hierarchy. This episode links past and present, showing how the moral teachings of Paul and Peter were strategic missional tools, not static moral laws, designed to make the gospel beautiful and compelling in an unbelieving world. Learn why the early church encouraged cultural conformity in submission, gender, and familial relationships—not out of endorsement of injustice but out of a radical desire to subvert structures from within. Key Takeaways: • The Power of Cultural Context – How Paul and Peter's household codes aligned with Roman m

How do we navigate leadership, equality, and calling in a church culture still divided over gender roles? This powerful and refreshing conversation between Mike Erre, Andy Lara, and returning guest Bonnie Lewis dives straight into one of the most pressing theological and cultural issues in American Christianity: the role of women in the church. Without rehashing old debates, this episode leans into lived experiences, thoughtful critique, and honest reflection on what it means to be a follower of Jesus—regardless of gender. From examining the complementarian and egalitarian theological frameworks to unpacking common misconceptions, societal influences, and church dynamics, the team asks what it really looks like to reflect the image of God together in community. Key Takeaways: • Complementarianism vs. Egalitarianism – A breakdown of the two dominant theological camps and how their interpretations impact women's roles in the church. • Power and Participation in Church Culture – Exploring how gender disparities

How our modern values—individualism, narcissism, personal fulfillment—affect the way we read Scripture without even realizing it. Mike and Andy dig into the deep waters of biblical context, revealing how understanding the world of the New Testament changes how we interpret its message today. This episode helps listeners move beyond a flat reading of Scripture by uncovering the massive cultural, linguistic, and worldview gaps between our modern assumptions and the Bible's original context. Drawing heavily from the book "Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes," Mike walks through six key "gaps" between our culture and the Bible: time, language, customs, geography, behaviors, and especially value systems. The goal? To inspire deeper study and culturally-contextual interpretation that leads us closer to the message Jesus and the authors of the Scriptures were actually communicating. Key Takeaways: • Cultural Distance and Biblical Misunderstanding – Why a 2,000-year gap in time, language, customs, and geography mu

How can the legalization of gay marriage serve the Church? In this bold and unfiltered opening episode of Vox (previously the Vox Podcast), Mike Erre and creative engineer Andy Lara set the tone for a raw and honest exploration of Christianity's intersection with culture. Unsure the world needs one more podcast, Mike makes it crystal clear why this one matters: to examine how Jesus challenges every side of every issue, particularly when it comes to LGBTQ+ issues, church hypocrisy, and cultural polarization. Mike dives into what our current moment reveals about the Church's response to cultural shifts like the Supreme Court's ruling on gay marriage. Rather than lament or dig in, he outlines four surprising reasons why this cultural shift might actually press the church toward greater faithfulness—to grace, love, and the radical example of Jesus. Key Takeaways: • Confronting Hypocrisy in the Church – The gay marriage debate reveals stark double standards, especially compared to how divorce and sexual sin are ad

Re-examining what it means to represent Jesus in a world divided by religion, politics, and identity, Mike and Andy explore Luke 5 and challenge Christians to re-center their faith through grace before truth. This episode grapples with the scandal of Jesus' table fellowship—specifically his choice to associate with "sinners"—and unpacks how modern believers can extend radical grace to LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, and anyone traditionally excluded by religious communities. The discussion also takes a deeply personal turn as both hosts share the profound impact of raising children with Down syndrome. They offer their families' stories as prophetic reminders that human value cannot be measured by productivity or conformance but by intrinsic worth grounded in the image of God. Key Takeaways: • Grace Leads the Way – Why Jesus always fronted grace before truth and how American Christians have reversed this order to damaging effect. • The Radical Table of Jesus – How Jesus used meals to demonstrate

How the example of Jesus offers a radical blueprint for engaging LGBTQ+ questions and moral debates with transformative grace and humility before judgment. Drawing from Luke 6, Deuteronomy 21, and Paul's letters, Mike Erre and Andy Lara unpack why the church has often missed the mark by prioritizing correction over compassion—and how we can do better. Key Takeaways: • Judging Others vs. Discernment – Mike explains the crucial difference between crino (righteous discernment) and condemnation, and how misunderstanding this distinction leads Christians to misrepresent Jesus. • Jesus and the Gay Wedding Question – Diving into the controversy surrounding Jesus' potential attendance at a gay wedding, Mike illustrates how Jesus' presence at celebratory, public meals with "sinners" was perceived as endorsement—and why His model challenges the church's current postures. • Mercy as the Core of Discipleship – Why Jesus said "be merciful as your Father is merciful" instead of "be holy" as the primary command and what tha

What does it truly mean to love someone you disagree with—especially in matters of identity, sexuality, and theology? Mike Erre and Andy Lara dig into a critically important (and often misused) phrase in Christian culture: "Love the sinner, hate the sin." In this thought-provoking episode, they unpack why this mindset—while well-intended—may actually undermine the transformative power of Jesus' love and twist the gospel's radical message of grace, especially for the LGBTQ+ community and those navigating the church's cultural contradictions. This episode challenges listeners to reevaluate how they approach difficult relational and theological conversations, particularly through the lens of love as demonstrated by Jesus, Paul, and the early church. With humor, honesty, and theological depth, Mike and Andy call for a new way of engaging others—one defined not by judgment or disapproval, but by costly presence, advocacy, and Christ-like transformation. Key Takeaways: • Why "Love the sinner, hate the sin" fails th

How do we carry truth and love in today's complex conversations around sexuality, identity, and faith? This episode explores one of the most sacred cows in the modern church: how Jesus might engage with both affirming and non-affirming sides of LGBTQ+ conversations, while staying rooted in his Jewish context and countercultural message of surrender and grace. With raw honesty and biblical depth, Mike and Andy wade through questions from the Vox Mailbag on everything from Christmas decorations and the "war on Starbucks cups" to the deep waters of sexual ethics, divine identity, and church leadership. Featuring a guest appearance by JJ Carroll (and his mustache), this wide-ranging conversation unpacks how Christians should think about desire, orientation, ministry qualifications, and being disciples in a pluralistic democracy. Key Takeaways: • Embracing Jesus's Jewish Context – Jesus didn't appear in a vacuum. His cultural context informs how he would likely have engaged sexual ethics. • Challenging All Sides w

How learning to grieve and lament can deepen our faith, not destroy it. Mike Erre sits down with special guest Bonnie Lewis to explore why lament is so often missing from Christian spaces, and how embracing it can transform both our understanding of God and our healing from trauma. Sharing her gripping story of personal loss, chronic illness, and spiritual reconstruction, Bonnie walks us through the messy reality of questioning God, confronting shame, and learning to carry grief without letting it define us. This episode is a tender, honest reflection on loss, faith, depression, and rediscovering Jesus in the most difficult seasons of life. Key Takeaways: • The Missing Voice of Lament in Evangelical Culture – Why many churches bypass pain and grief, and how this avoidance perpetuates shame and spiritual isolation. • Grieving Doesn't Mean Doubting – Understanding that sorrow, doubt, and faith can coexist—and how the Psalms model holy protest and intimacy with God through pain. • Redefining Strength and Healing

How the church responds to fear, especially in moments of national crisis, reveals a deeper truth about what we treasure. In this emotionally charged and challenging episode of the Exile Series, Mike Erre and Andy broach the tension between Jesus' command to love our neighbor and the evangelical fear complex that often dominates Western Christian discourse. Using the Syrian refugee crisis and the reaction following the Paris attacks as a backdrop, they ask: What does it really mean to follow Jesus in a world gripped by fear and self-preservation? Key Takeaways: • The Evangelical Fear Complex – How American Christianity's obsession with safety, comfort, and cultural dominion often undercuts the radical compassion Jesus calls us to. • Jesus as a Refugee – Revisiting the biblical narrative of Jesus fleeing persecution and why it matters, especially in light of refugee and immigration debates. • Treasuring the Right Things – A deep dive into the Sermon on the Mount and how anxiety reveals misplaced treasure. Jesu

How the way we embody our pro-life beliefs may betray the very heart of Jesus. Mike and Andy explore the recent Planned Parenthood shooting in Colorado Springs to reflect on the complex, heartbreaking intersections of faith, violence, and societal discourse. Through this lens, they examine how pro-life convictions must be consistent—valuing life not only at conception but also throughout every stage of human existence, regardless of nationality, race, or ideology. This episode takes on the hard and often polarizing conversation around abortion, politics, domestic terrorism, and the disconnect between pro-life rhetoric and action. Mike shares compelling non-biblical reasons why he holds a pro-life position, including feminist arguments and societal shortcomings, while ultimately pointing listeners to the radical compassion and subversive love modeled by Jesus. Key Takeaways: • A Consistently Pro-Life Ethic – Why Christians must not only oppose abortion but also oppose violence, racism, war, guns, and the death

How do we walk with people through pain when words fail and comfort clichés do more harm than good? In part two of our conversation with friend and author Bonnie Lewis, the Voxology crew explores a practical theology of grief, suffering, and lament during the holiday season—a time when joy is expected but heaviness looms for so many. From horror stories of well-meaning but damaging responses, to the power of simply being present, this episode offers clarity, compassion, and biblical insight for navigating dark seasons with honesty and hope. Key Takeaways: • Cracking the Code of Christian Clichés – Why sayings like "God won't give you more than you can handle" and "everything happens for a reason" miss the mark and how they hurt more than help. • A Biblical Case for Lament – Exploring Psalms of disorientation and the theological power of grieving as a form of covenant faithfulness. • Sitting in the Silence – How Jewish grieving practices like sitting Shiva offer a counter-cultural model for communal empathy an