The Middle Ground is Killing the Church with Micah Brandt

Grace Without Compromise - Part 2 with Micah Brandt

What does it actually look like to restore people without watering down truth? In Part 2 with Micah Brandt, the conversation shifts into one of the hardest tensions in Christianity today: how do we show grace to people who are struggling… without compromising integrity or pretending sin doesn’t matter? Too often Christians swing to extremes. Either truth with no compassion. Or compassion with no truth. But Jesus never separated the two. This episode dives into: * restoring people instead of discarding them * why integrity still matters * the danger of performative Christianity * accountability vs condemnation * what the Church gets wrong about grace * and why truth without love eventually crushes people This one is honest, challenging, and deeply needed. Because real discipleship doesn’t ignore failure. It walks people through it without lying about what’s true. Email: info@backyardtheology.com https://backyardtheology.com/ [https://backyardtheology.com/] Sermon we mentioned: https://youtu.be/6fz6Qy1Pt8Q?si=T-8zOcMULmYWm65O [https://youtu.be/6fz6Qy1Pt8Q?si=T-8zOcMULmYWm65O]

The Middle Ground is Killing the Church with Micah Brandt

What happens when the Church teaches truth… but doesn’t actually live it? In this episode, JD sits down with Gen Z voice Micah Brandt to wrestle with a tension a lot of Christians feel—but don’t say out loud: we’ve gotten really good at knowing the right things, and not nearly as good at doing them. This isn’t about calling out “those Christians.” This is about us. We talk about the danger of spiritual complacency, the comfort of staying in the middle, and why a faith that never costs you anything might not be the faith Jesus called you to. At the end, JD references a powerful breakdown of the church in Laodicea—a warning that still hits today. You can read that here: https://backyardtheology.com/part-7-laodicea-the-tragedy-of-the-middle-ground [https://backyardtheology.com/part-7-laodicea-the-tragedy-of-the-middle-ground] If you’ve ever felt the gap between what the Church says and what it lives… this conversation doesn’t ignore it. It goes straight at it.

Making Space pt 2 with Jessica Peterson

We’re quick to fix. Quick to advise. Quick to move on. But what if we’re skipping the very space where God does His best work? In Part 2 with Jessica Peterson, we talk about why you should never discount a struggle—yours or someone else’s—and what it really looks like to make space for the Holy Spirit to move. You don’t have to force change. You don’t have to carry what isn’t yours. Your role is simple: make space. God does the rest.

Making Space - guest Jessica Peterson Pt 1

Most Christians aren’t necessarily rejecting God—they’re just too busy to hear Him. In Part 1 with Jessica Peterson, we talk about the overlooked discipline of making space—for God to lead, for people to interrupt your plans, and for the Holy Spirit to actually move. If the Great Commission feels distant or forced, this might be why. This episode will challenge the way you structure your time, your conversations, and your expectations of what it means to follow Jesus and share His Gospel message in real life.

Restorative Healing - Part 2 with Nick Williams

In Part 2 of my conversation with Nick Williams we lean into something many of us know we need—but often avoid: restorative healing. The reality is, healing isn’t always smooth or predictable. It can feel clunky, uncomfortable, and even uncertain at times. But that doesn’t mean God isn’t real and present. This conversation challenges the idea that faith is just about knowing the right things about God. Instead, it invites you into something deeper—actually experiencing Him. That starts with a willingness to be open, to engage in prayer even when it feels imperfect, and to trust God in the middle of the process. If you’ve been keeping your faith at a distance—intellectual, controlled, or surface-level—this episode will push you toward something more real, more honest, and ultimately more transformative.