Episode 82 :: Tyler Staton :: Stories of Doubt and the Deep End of Faith Through Suffering

Simply Stories Podcast

Suffering is part of life this side of Heaven. Walking with Christ is not about trying to will your emotions out of the equation, but to reconcile your experience with what God says is true. I love how Tyler defines doubt, he says: “Doubt is an event in the world that conflicts with the story that you believe.” That will happen. It is inevitable. Jesus makes space for ALL of it. And while so much of the Church has struggled, we don’t have to tear it all down and walk away from faith in the process, we can press in and learn how to reconstruct what has been broken and walk in the deep places that call us even deeper intimacy with Christ.

Several weeks ago when Tyler and I chatted, he was still praying through a big leap of faith and just about a month ago, he announced that he is stepping down at Oaks Church in Brooklyn and is currently transitioning into a position at Bridgetown Church in Portland, Oregon, to take over John Mark Comer’s position as lead pastor. Man, what an incredible and challenging season for them as they boldly follow God’s call! You can hear his heartfelt announcement on his Instagram page, and also, if you hop over to John Mark’s Instagram page you can hear really great conversations between them as well about all the themes of Tyler’s incredible book. I just think its fascinating to see this unfold for him, his family as the Lord asked him to share a book about diving deep with Him, and He called Him even deeper. Won’t He do it. Be sure to check out our conversation, follow him online and if you think of it, pray for him and his sweet family in this season of transition.

I hope that no matter where you are today, you hear this conversation and you are encouraged and reminded that the Lord cares about you. That He wants to meet you in your story because it matters to Him. Your story matters. You matter. And even if you have struggled with faith communities in the past, it doesn’t mean there’s no place for you or your story. Don’t lose heart, dear one. The Lord is with you.

Connecting with Tyler:

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Church he’s transitioning to in Portland, Oregon: Bridgetown Church

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References:

-Oaks Church in Brooklyn, NY

-Todd Nettleton from Voice of the Martyrs sharing on the podcast

-The Problem of Pain == Mere Christianity

-A Grief Observed - personally facing suffering and hardship in a world where we believe incredible things about God which are true but we are experiencing things that hinder me from feeling and believing

-Niki Gumbdon- founded Alpha :: Previous generations asked: “Is it true? Now, it’s is it real?”.

-baby boomers

-Vietnam War

-Cold War

-The Great Depression

-Ravi Zacharias scandal

-The Wounded Healer - Henry Nouwen

-Walter Brueggemann

-David Benner for a story to provide meaning have to make suffering sufferable

-Victor Frankl (psychologist and concentration camp survivor) what gives our lives meaning is our experiences of suffering

-Monastic communities putting graveyards next to places of worship : “What you are, I used to be, what I am you will be.”

-John Mark Comer

Scripture References:

Acts 2:36-47-When there was a struggle in the culture, the early Church engaged how to be the hands and feet of Jesus

The minor prophets:: (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi)

Micah 6:8--when you cannot worship through normal means, worship through justice.

Book of Amos

Book of Isaiah

John 6:1-14 -loaves and fish

1 Corinthians 12:12-31-learning to be the body of Christ

John 11:16-Thomas’ faith (Thomas is ready to die with Jesus)

Luke 24, John 20:24-31-Thomas’ moment of doubt

Luke 24:13-35-road to Emmaus

Matthew 28:16-20-the great commission

Luke 22:54-62 -Peter-denied Jesus

John 21:1-20-Then Peter receives grace

Acts 2:14-36-Peter leads Pentecost

Psalm 42:7-deep calls to deep

Ephesians 5-stay awake to what matters in life

Psalm 23-the valley of the shadow

Psalm 12-13, 44, 86, etc. -Psalms of Lament

Proverbs 27:1,James 4:13-14 -we’re only promised today

-Jeremiah and Isaiah -surrounded by so much challenge, but were so awake to the presence of God

Jeremiah 31:3, Jeremiah 29:11, Ephesians 4 (and 3!) - (and many more verses) life is about intimacy with God

1 Corinthians 2:9-10, Revelation 21:3-4 -Heaven is unbroken intimacy with God

Psalm 16:11, 1 Corinthians 10:31, Ephesians 5:1-20, James 4:8, 1 John 1:9 -life is about becoming more like Jesus and doing the stuff He did in the world

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*Intro and Outro music is from audionautix.com