Shows
Voices from the DesertGiving Structure to the Spiritual LifeHave you ever wondered how to point your life in a God-ward way? Murray and Josh are setting out on a series to cover a monastic document - "Ten Rules for the Spiritual Life" authored by the Orthodox monks in Nova Scotia, Canada at the Goosechase Monastery (https://www.goosechasemonastery.ca/index.html). In this episode, Murr and Josh introduce the document and cover the first two rules: Seek Self-Renunciation and Accept to Have No Results.For more about Voices from the Desert, visit our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/VoicesfromtheDesert2025-06-201h 15
Voices from the DesertDeveloping a Sound Mind: an interview with Michael Sullivant Part 2Once again, the boys are back with Michael Sullivant. Tune in as Michael talks about developing a nest of virtues, how the ancients intuited spiritual growth, synchronizing the mind with Christ, and much more! For more about Michael Sullivant, visit: radiusministries.orgFor more about Voices from the Desert, check out our Patreon page: patreon.com/VoicesfromtheDesert2025-06-1352 min
Voices from the DesertDeveloping a Sound Mind: an interview with Michael Sulllivant Part 1Today on the Voices from the Desert, Josh and Murr interview Michael Sullivant and dive into a discussion on discipleship, the sound mind, and spiritual formation. Michael Sullivant is the founder of Radius Ministries along with his wife Terri Sullivant. Michael also serves as the Director of Relational Networks for the Life Model Works. Tune in and this conversation will stimulate your brain!For more about Voices from the Desert, visit out Patreon page: patreon.com/VoicesfromtheDesertFor more about Michael Sullivant, visit: radiusministries.org2025-05-2852 minVoices from the DesertQuestioning theology and meeting a priest: an interview with Chris Hawthorne Part 2In part 2 of their conversation, Murray, Josh, and Chris talk about ancestral sin vs original sin, discovering the Desert Fathers, the Dark Night of the Soul, the potential witchcraft of "once saved, always saved," and much more)! Tune in this week as they dive in with Chris Hawthorne, the Fr Deacon at Holy Nativity Church in Langley, BC, Canada.For more about Chris and the Holy Nativity Church visit: https://www.holynativitychurch.ca/For more about Voices from the Desert and to join the Patreon, visit: https://www.patreon.com/VoicesfromtheDesert2025-05-2255 min
Voices from the DesertQuestioning church and theology: an interview with Fr Deacon Chris, an Orthodox priest (almost), part 1Murray and Josh sit down with good friend Chris Hawthorne to talk about his journey towards the Orthodox priesthood. Chris attended Murray's ministry school in the early 2000's and he and Josh have crossed paths many times. Like many, he discovered something severely lacking in his faith. This went un-answered until he encountered a spiritual father in the Orthodox Church. Now he is almost a priest. Tune into part 1 as they dive into Chris's story of encounter, beauty, and transformation.For more about Voices from the Desert, visit out Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/VoicesfromtheDesert2025-05-0951 minVoices from the DesertNavigating political outcomes and not losing hopeAnother day, another election. This episode was recorded in the wake of the Canadian election. Murray and Josh share their thoughts about political outcomes, where our hope lies, and how God speaks through the circumstances in our lives. Join the boys as they dive in!For more about Voices from the Desert and to support the show, visit the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/VoicesfromtheDesert2025-05-0558 min
Voices from the DesertEncountering God at Burning Man: and interview with Will SpencerOn the podcast today, Josh sits down with guest host Rob Mazza to interview podcaster Will Spencer. They talk about Will's journey from the New Age rave scene in San Francisco to encountering Jesus in the desert of Nevada, and then the long circuitous route to salvation and healing. Will has been helping people find meaning and purpose in life, and find Christian hope in the midst of a rapidly changing world.You can find more about Will Spencer at: https://www.youtube.com/@willspencerpodFor more about Voices from the Desert, visit our Patreon...2025-04-232h 02
Voices from the DesertEaster, The Crucifixion, and the meaning of RedemptionThe central event in all of history. The lamb slain before the foundation of the world. This creation defining moment all too often is reduced to a moral lesson about right and wrong. As Brennan Manning said, "The gospel is absurd and the life of Jesus is meaningless unless we believe that He lived, died, and rose again with but one purpose in mind: to make brand-new creation. Not to make people with better morals but to create a community of prophets and professional lovers, men and women who would surrender to the mystery of the fire of the...2025-04-161h 13Voices from the DesertWhere do we go from here? An interview with David Takle part 2Today, much of the church practices a theology with moral law at centre of the gospel. How are we to reclaim a theology centred on the the actual gospel? Did God come to make a more moral people, or is the gospel about something more profound that that? Join Josh and Murr as they dive in with David Takle from Kingdom Formation Ministries.For more about David Takle and Kingdom Formation Ministries, visit: https://kingdomformation.org/To purchase books by David, including Copernicus 2.0, visit: https://humbleshack.net/david-takle/To support Voices from the...2025-04-061h 01Voices from the DesertWhat we have been doing is not working. An interview with David Takle - Part 1In this episode, Josh and Murr sit down to talk with David Takle, in part about his latest book and how we can recapture a Christ centered theology. In the West, we have exchanged a moral law framework as our theological center. In essence, we tend to operate as if God's objective was to make more law-abiding citizens. But that captures only a miniscule sliver of the heart of God. And it truly fails to capture the explosive nature of the gospel. Tune in as Josh and Murr dive in with David about the failing of modern theological perspectives...2025-03-291h 00Voices from the DesertVoices from the Desert: WE ARE BACK!We are back! After a cross country move and many happenings on the farm we are finally back for more Voices from the Desert! Tune in as Murray and Josh revisit why they do what they do and what to expect in the upcoming episodes of your favorite desert podcast. For more about Joshua Hoffert, visit: https://www.windministries.ca/For more about Murray Dueck, visit: https://www.samuelsmantle.com/To check out our Patreon and support us go to: patreon.com/VoicesfromtheDesert2025-03-1954 minVoices from the DesertDiscovering Life in the Wilderness: an interview with Andrew ArndtThis is the last podcast of the year folks and it is a doozy. Murray and Josh welcome a new friend, Andrew Arndt - someone like them. Andrew discovered the Desert Fathers while going through burnout and disaffection from the "Charismatic Church". What he discovered in the fathers and mothers of the 3rd and 4th century transformed his life, ministry, and his approach to leadership. So much so that he wrote a book about it: Streams in the Wasteland. Tune in as they dive into the practices and theories of the ancient monks and what they might say to...2024-12-181h 27Voices from the DesertDo the disciplines heal the soul?Presently, there is a resurgence of interest in the "spiritual disciplines". What do these things do and why are we to do them? What are the scary thing the early fathers called "the passions"? What is the relation between the disciplines and the passions? Or is there one? Join Josh and Murray as they dive in to find out!For more about Murray Dueck, visit: https://www.samuelsmantle.com/For more about Joshua Hoffert, visit: https://www.windministries.ca/2024-10-301h 18Voices from the DesertDistinctives, leadership, and the flaws in denominational thinkingOn the podcast today, Murray and Josh interview their good friend Steve Schroeder, the President of CMA (www.canadacma.org). Steve talks about above the line thinking, hub and spoke ministries and churches, shifting to an open architecture mindset, and the difference between call and assignment. The boys go deep in this one. Join the Voices from the Desert crew as they dive in!For more about Steve Schroeder and CMA, visit: https://canadacma.org/For more about Murray Dueck, visit: https://www.samuelsmantle.com/For more about Joshua Hoffert, visit: https://www.windministries.ca/2024-10-231h 21Voices from the DesertThe Growing Divide: Is Jesus the Problem? A dream examined...It seems that today we are trying our best to build, cast vision, influence, spread the word, bring the kingdom, and create space for the miraculous in our churches and communities. Sometimes, it seems as if the problem is not us, but Jesus. If Jesus would just get on board with our plan things would go swimmingly. Murray had a dream a few years ago that illustrates the point perfectly. And it all has to do with the inner way. Tune in as Josh and Murray share their perspectives!For more about Murray Dueck, visit: https://www...2024-10-101h 21Voices from the DesertWhat are we being healed of?When it comes to salvation and healing of the soul (see all the previous episodes on the spiritual life), what exactly are we being healed of? Is it sin? Our hurts and brokenness? Our disillusionment? The early fathers of Christianity often spoke of healing in relation to "the passion". What did they mean by that?Join Josh and Murray as they dive in to what the earliest "voices from the desert" had to say about healing of the soul.For more about Murray Dueck, visit: https://www.samuelsmantle.com/For more about Joshua Hoffert...2024-10-041h 31Voices from the DesertThe Inner Way: Does it Really Matter at All?If salvation is about making it to heaven, why should we bother with formation here on earth? What do our theories of salvation and eschatology have to do with our present day practices? Murray and Josh take a dive into some patristic wisdom as they discover what it means to be "saved.""Someone asked Abba Anthony, ‘What must one do in order to please God?‘ The old man replied, ‘Pay attention to what I tell you: whoever you may be, always have God before your eyes; whatever you do, do it according to the testimony of the holy S...2024-09-191h 10Voices from the DesertThe Inner Way: When Leaders Fall...What is the aim of Christianity and salvation? Is it to get as many people saved as possible? To create a moral perfect society? To fulfill the vision of a particular ministry? The mark we set determines a lot about what we do. In light of all the recent scandals in leadership, Murray and Josh talk about what measurable effect inner prayer and the way of Christ ought to have on leadership. Join the Josh and Murray as they dig in to the topic!For more about Murray Dueck, visit: https://www.samuelsmantle.com/2024-09-051h 17Voices from the DesertMisconceptions of Prayer, the Teaching of Jesus on Prayer, and How the Fathers Read ScriptureWhen it comes to how Christians are taught prayer, much of the church has been found wanting. The teaching of Jesus on prayer are often overlooked in favor of some occasional concomitant. What was Jesus thinking when he said, "And when you pray..." and why do we ignore these kinds of statements? The way of Jesus is clearly interior prayer and the early church fathers read scripture with that in mind. Join Josh and Murray as they dive in to explore the interior way of prayer!For more about Josh, visit: https://www.windministries.ca/...2024-08-291h 29Voices from the DesertInner Prayer: the Lord's Prayer and the Sermon on the MountSometimes it seems as if we read the scriptures as a series of commands or instructions, rather than an invitation to follow the way of Jesus and to know him intimately. In this episode, Josh and Murray begin diving into the Lord's prayer and the Sermon on the Mount. Is the Lord's prayer a formula to pray? Is the Sermon on the Mount a great moral teaching? Or is there perhaps more to both of these popular passages that can help us navigate the murky waters of the heart.For more about Murray Dueck, visit: https://www...2024-08-141h 07Voices from the DesertPractices That Point the Mind to the Present and the Empty Abyss of the HeartAll of our practices are pointed towards the end of turning the inner gaze towards the heart to discover the Father within. What happens when a culture adopts practices that turn the gaze inward but all they find is an empty abyss? Join Josh and Murray as they talk about training the thoughts to discover the beauty of God and lead a prayerful exercise walking through Scripture.For more about Murray Dueck, visit: https://www.samuelsmantle.com/For more about Joshua Hoffert, visit: https://www.windministries.ca/2024-08-081h 04Voices from the DesertBridal Paradigm: Sanctified Imagination and the Eyes of the HeartWhat roles does the imagination play in prayerful exercises? Are visionary experiences a thing for today? Join Josh and Murray as they dive into the writings of the Christian mystics to see what they have to say!For more about Murray Dueck, visit: https://www.samuelsmantle.com/For more about Joshua Hoffert, visit: https://www.windministries.ca/To check out the book Murray recommended: https://www.amazon.com/Jesuit-Guide-Almost-Everything-Spirituality/dp/0061432695/2024-07-241h 19Voices from the DesertTotalitarianism, Transhumanism, and the Evangelical Subculture: a look at Anthony the GreatToday on the podcast, we interview CR Wiley, an author, podcaster, and pastor. CR Wiley co-hosts The Theology Pugcast. CR Wiley is a reformed pastor who discovered great a value in Athanasius's Life of Anthony. Helping us discern trust and make sense of the world, this 1500 year old monk has a lot to say to modern Christians. Join Voices from the Desert as they dive in with CR and Anthony the Great!For more about CR Wiley and to purchase the books he has written, visit: https://crwiley.com/For more about Murray Dueck, visit...2024-07-181h 10Voices from the DesertIgnatian Exercises and Anthony the Great on Testing True Visions from GodIn the 16th century, a man named Ignatius codified certain exercises that have become popular in the spiritual formation/direction/inner healing crowd today. Was he out to lunch? Can you track a history of said exercises? Join Josh and Murray as they explore the Ignatian exercises and cover Anthony the Great's tests of a true or false vision. For more about Murray Dueck, visit: https://www.samuelsmantle.com/For more about Joshua Hoffert, visit: https://www.windministries.ca/2024-07-101h 10Voices from the DesertLectio Divina: reading scripture through the lens of loveJoin Josh and Murray as they continue to explore the concept of bridal intimacy in scripture and history as they dive into the ancient practice called Lectio Divina. What do we want to accomplish when we read scripture? Is it to learn what a moral life looks like? Is it to understand fundamental concepts of theology and doctrine? Or is there a deeper, more impactful layer that can bring us to the Father? Join the boys as they dive in!For more about Joshua Hoffert, visit: https://www.windministries.ca/For more about Murray Dueck...2024-07-041h 00Voices from the DesertBridal Paradigm: The Nuts and Bolts of it All (aka "How We Do")When it comes to the church, theology, and the Chrsitian life, sometimes we tend to talk in theory and principle, rather than practice. In this episode, Murray and Josh begin to explore what does it mean to understand the Bridal language of scripture and the mystics, and how do we apply all of that to our daily lives. The whole episode ends with Murray leading a contemplative exercise designed to bring you closer to the Father's heart.Voices from the Desert is a listener supported podcast. If you would like to support Murray, Josh, and the Voices...2024-06-261h 21Voices from the DesertThe Eyes of the Heart and the Nous: Christian Maturity from an Orthodox Perspective, an interview with Fr Michael Gillis (Part 2)In part 2 of Josh and Murray's interview with Fr Michael Gillis, Fr Mike shares about the eyes of the heart and dives into the layers of the human being. What marks the difference between how the Orthodox Church views the process of maturity and how the evangelical church views maturity? Join the guys as they dive in!For more about Father Michael Gillis, visit: https://www.holynativitychurch.ca/For more about Murray Dueck, visit: https://www.samuelsmantle.com/For more about Joshua Hoffert, visit: https://www.windministries.ca/2024-06-191h 03Voices from the DesertFrom Charismatic to Orthodox: The Charismata in the Orthodox Church and the Familial Language of the Prophets, an Interview with Fr Michael Gillis Part 1In the west, we have taken metaphors and made them systems. But God describes his bride through familial language. For Fr Michael, it is not mechanism we must discover, but the family we must encourage. Beginning in foster homes at a young age, discovering the Charismatic move in the 70s and 80s, and eventually discovering the early church fathers and the Orthodox Church, Father Michael Gillis touches on the church as a place of healing and the journey that brought him to where he is today. Buckle up because this episode is seriously deep and challenging!For...2024-06-131h 13Voices from the DesertCatechism and Liturgy in a Charismatic Context: an interview with Josh Lewis (The Remnant Radio) Part 2What would it look like to incorporate confession, liturgy and creeds into a modern Charismatic church? Josh Lewis from The Remnant Radio has undertaken the challenge. 8 years after launching a successful podcast where he and his team interview theologians of all shapes and sizes, Josh has ventured into church planting while incorporating historical practices in a modern context. What is the story that brought him to that point? Join Joshua Hoffert and Murray Dueck as they dive in with Josh Lewis!For more about Joshua Lewis, the church in Ada, and The Remnant Radio, visit: https://kingsfellowshipchurch.c...2024-06-0544 minVoices from the DesertRe-thinking theology, prophecy, and 5-fold ministry: an interview with Josh Lewis of the Remnant Radio Part 1We at Voices from the Desert are excited to welcome Josh Lewis of The Remnant Radio for an in-depth conversation about theology, prophecy, and how we get 5-fold ministry completely wrong. Join Josh, Josh and Murray as they dive into Josh Lewis' story, why he started The Remnant Radio, and the new church plant King's Fellowship Church in Ada, Oklahoma.For more about King's Fellowship Church, visit: https://kingsfellowshipchurch.com/For more about The Remnant Radio, visit: https://theremnantradio.com/For more about Murray Dueck, visit: https://www.samuelsmantle.com/For...2024-05-2952 minVoices from the DesertWhich One: The Church as Moral Arbiter or Place of Healing?As we continue to dive into the concept of bridal intimacy in the church age, what implications does this have on how and why we "do church?" Some seem to think the church should be the moral arbiter of the age, the judicial witness to God's judgement, or the place of warfare against contemporary culture. But what if there is a different way? Join Josh and Murray as they talk about the church as it flows from the bridal paradigm.For more about Murray Dueck, visit: https://www.samuelsmantle.com/For more about Josh Hoffert...2024-05-161h 07Voices from the DesertBonus Episode: Becoming a Non-Anxious PresenceWhen we look at Jesus we see a stark contrast with our modern world. He does not seem rushed, he is not hurried, and he encourages us to become like little children. Have you ever watched a child lost in play? Time is a foreign concept to them. What would we look like if we could recapture what it means to live from the place of rest Christ promised to be for us? The wisdom of the Christian mystics gives us a glimpse into the unhurried life of settling into God. Murray and Josh hos...2024-05-081h 33Voices from the DesertDivine Eros, Saint Symeon (and Bernard), Penal Substitutionary Atonement, and Looking UpHow do our models of redemption reflect scripture? And how do the contemplative authors talk about redemption? Is penal substitutionary atonement a thing? Join Josh and Murray as they dive into Saint Symeon, the early church fathers, encountering God, and the gulf between models of redemption based upon wrath and models based upon love.For more about Murray Dueck, visit: https://www.samuelsmantle.com/For more about Joshua Hoffert, visit: https://www.windministries.ca/2024-05-021h 06Voices from the DesertThe Bridal Paradigm: When a bishop gawked at a sex symbolIn the 4th century, Bishop Nonnus was asked why, when a beautiful woman passed him by, he stood and stared while the other bishops looked away. Nonnus' answer provides us insight as we dive deeper and deeper in the mystery of bridal intimacy and covenant union with God (the mysterious one). Tune in to this episode of "Voices from the Desert" as we dive into the ramfications of Nonnus' observation and what it means as we explore the mystical literature of Christianity!For more about Murray Dueck, visit: https://www.samuelsmantle.com/For more about...2024-04-241h 17