Pastoral Theology with Joseph Lear Podcast

Matt Erickson talks Pastor as Gardener (Discount still available!)

Hello everyone, my name is Joseph Lear, and this is Pastoral Theology. I’m a pastor, theologian, and professor bringing theology into the local church and the local church into theology because they belong together. In today’s episode I host Matthew Erickson [https://mwerickson.substack.com], author of The Pastor as Gardener. [https://www.amazon.com/Pastor-Gardener-Renewed-Vision-Ministry/dp/0802884148/ref=sr_1_1?crid=161S7X7JV632&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.fMkIKgy0PUKAlD2_PpJLUQlhXJiTTjsJGYHEXQV2VhdaqL2ar5mX6F0fy6qIq6Or.a1wHYfXfb42Cdex-H3G1EhHufuh3dFooVyUdnFap1Y4&dib_tag=se&keywords=pastor+as+gardener&qid=1779135214&sprefix=pastor+as+gar%2Caps%2C168&sr=8-1] Matt is pastor at Eastbrook Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His book is all about how the pastoral life needs to be reframed as gardening. Pastors should believe that we plant, we water, we hope, but God causes the growth. Matt provides a vision not only for the pastor, but also the church. He touches on theology, culture, philosophy, and above all else, the biblical basis for his vision. Give it a listen, give it a share. 👉 Here is the FULL review I wrote a couple weeks ago 👇 And here's the discount code: 🚨 Exclusive to Pastoral Theology with Joseph Lear [https://josephlear.substack.com]: Readers get a limited time 40% discount on Erickson’s book at the Eerdman’s website. Discount code is valid through May 31, 2026. Discount code is GARDENER40 Thanks for reading Pastoral Theology! This post is public so feel free to share it. Get full access to Pastoral Theology at josephlear.substack.com/subscribe [https://josephlear.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Evangelicals corrupted Bible reading by trying to defend it

What if the way evangelicals learned to defend the Bible actually corrupted the way we read it? That’s not a hostile question from a skeptic on the outside. That’s the argument my friend, Tyler Bream, makes from inside the tradition — carefully, historically, and, dare I say, convincingly. He wrote about this at Regent University tracing how evangelical hermeneutics developed, and his conclusion is a little uncomfortable: that in borrowing the tools of the Enlightenment to defeat the Enlightenment, evangelicals accidentally absorbed its assumptions too. And those assumptions have been quietly distorting the way we interpret Scripture ever since. It’s a historical argument, but it’s not just an academic one. Because if he’s right, it has real implications for how the church reads Scripture today — and what a healthier path forward might actually look like. I think you’re really going to enjoy this one. Note: please forgive the bad video quality. Substack studio gave no indication there were network issues, so I’m not sure what happened. Get full access to Pastoral Theology at josephlear.substack.com/subscribe [https://josephlear.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Tongues of Fire with Dr. Josh Brahinsky: How Charismatic Prayer Transforms Evangelical Brains and Inspires Spirit-Filled Activism

I had the incredible privilege of interviewing Dr. Josh Brahinsky about his forthcoming book, Tongues of Fire: How Charismatic Prayer Changes Evangelical Brains and Inspires Spirit-Filled Activism. Josh is in the department of Religious Studies at Stanford University and the department of Transcultural Psychiatry at McGill University and Sir Mortimer B Davis Jewish General Hospital—Which makes him a distinguished researcher in the fields of neuro-anthropology and religious studies. His unique perspective combines academic inquiry with a deep appreciation for the spiritual experiences of Pentecostals and charismatics. Join us for a thrill ride about how speaking in tongues has changed the 🌍, how it can change your brain 🧠, and why we talk about psychedelics (😵‍💫) and tongues in the same podcast! Share 🤲 this with someone who’s been skeptical about speaking in tongues: Dr. Brahinsky says no one is faking it. Give it a listen, give it a watch. And be sure to let me know what you think about all of it in the comments 👇 Here is Josh’s book. We recorded this on February 26, but his book is officially out TODAY. So go get your copy. * Click here to order from Bookshop.org [https://bookshop.org/p/books/tongues-of-fire-how-charismatic-prayer-changes-evangelical-brains-and-inspires-spirit-filled-activism-josh-brahinsky/30a49ef365313cba?ean=9798881804985&next=t] * Click here to order from Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/Tongues-Fire-Charismatic-Evangelical-Spirit-Filled-ebook/dp/B0GK56Q2P9/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2QLIY45JXMS4A&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.xBLQNzW24LPU-iHgOktBjw.q3d9zxFTxyIyBQIUGfrws4EdWRWOyu3nyBvvpD-tuZE&dib_tag=se&keywords=josh+brahinsky&qid=1772465596&sprefix=josh+brahinsky%2Caps%2C180&sr=8-1] Get full access to Pastoral Theology at josephlear.substack.com/subscribe [https://josephlear.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Why Apologetics Suck and Doing Something Better with Preaching

I’m not a fan of trying to argue people into the kingdom of God. But neither do I think becoming a Christian is a leap into the irrational abyss of faith. So what the alternative? Peter’s Pentecost sermon is a great place to start. In this vid, I talk a little about my creative process, and then try to do what Peter did by preaching Mark 2. Give it a watch, give it a listen, and let me know what you think. ✌️✌️✌️ Get full access to Pastoral Theology at josephlear.substack.com/subscribe [https://josephlear.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Book Update 4: The Contrast of Heaven

I’m writing a book about Pentecostal proclamation in the 21st century, and I’m sharing the process with you. The working title is Tongue On Fire: Pentecostal Proclamation in the 21st Century. It’s coming out with Logion soon-ish 😅. In my last post about the book (which is somewhat embarrasingly from October) I sermonized about seeing Jesus without seeing him. [https://josephlear.substack.com/p/seeing-jesus-without-seeing-him] This video follows on that, but with a new direction into apocalyptic sight 🤩. The chapter title is “Don’t Forget to Prophesy,” which comes from a thing I used to say to a teenager every Sunday when I’d see her in the sanctuary. I’m all about reminding women and men, and even kids (!), that the Spirit of God is always the Spirit of prophecy. The homily in the video is about a prophet from 1 Kings 22 named Micaiah the son of Imlah. I think the church needs to prophesy like he did. Give it a watch. Give it a listen. Give it a share. Get full access to Pastoral Theology at josephlear.substack.com/subscribe [https://josephlear.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]