The Learning Laborers

Jan 13 2025 38 ep. 56 mins 3
The Learning Laborers Podcast artwork

Denver is a missionary and Taylor is a pastor. Both are doctorate of ministry students. They are passionate about bridging the gap between scholarship and ministry. They love to study the Bible and theology, but they also feel called by Christ to labor in the fields of ministry. Sometimes people in ministry are led to believe they must choose between being a capable scholar and having a fruitful ministry. The Learning Laborers believe that the opposite is true. When brought together in the right way, scholarship enhances ministry and ministry experience also enhances scholarship.

  Religion & Spirituality
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37 - Cannabis and Christians: Wisdom from Dr. Todd Miles

Jan 13 2025 71 mins  
Cannabis and Christians: A Thoughtful Examination In this episode, Taylor and Denver welcome Dr. Todd Miles, a professor of theology at Western Seminary and a pastor, to dive deep into the complexities of marijuana use from a biblical and theological standpoint. With cannabis legalization becoming more widespread, they discuss the importance of understanding the substance both sci

36 - The Magi and the Christmas Star

Dec 16 2024 58 mins  
Merry Christmas to all our Learning Laborers! In this festive episode, Denver and Taylor dive into the fascinating story of the Magi, or wise men, from the East and the significance of the Christmas star in Matthew 2:1-18. The discussion reveals the deep connections between this story and the Old Testament, the role of Gentile inclusion in the Gospel of Matthew, and the social and

35 - Jesus Calls Us Friends: Rediscovering Friendship with James North

Dec 04 2024 66 mins  
Join us for a deep dive into the intriguing world of biblical friendship with our guest, James North. In this episode, James shares his journey from pastoral ministry to becoming a Bible teacher at a Christian school. We explore the nature of friendship in the ancient world and how Jesus' declaration of friendship redefined social norms. James also unpacks Paul's use of familial an

34 - Cultural and Countercultural Christianity: Early Church Witness and Historical Insights with Nadya Williams

Oct 28 2024 55 mins  
Denver and Taylor chat with Dr. Nadya Williams, a classicist and author with a PhD from Princeton. It is an enlightening discussion on cultural Christianity in the early church. They dive into Nadya's books, Cultural Christians in the Early Church and her latest Mothers, Children, and the Body Politic, exploring how early Christians navigated societal influences and how this can s

33 - Engaging Gen Z with the Sermon on the Mount with Matt Trexler

Oct 07 2024 67 mins  
In this episode of the Learning Laborers podcast, Denver and Taylor explore the intersection of biblical scholarship and ministry with Matt Trexler, a campus minister at UCLA working with the Reformed University Fellowship (RUF). Matt shares his journey into college ministry, offering insights into his research on the Sermon on the Mount and its impact on college students. They als

32 - Pastoring Pastors: An Inside Look at Kaleo Collective with Andy McQuitty

Sep 09 2024 60 mins  
Join Denver and Taylor in a heartfelt and insightful conversation with Andy McQuitty, founder and CEO of Kaleo Collective. They delve into the origins and mission of Kaleo Collective, a network providing support and community for pastors through Zoom cohorts. Andy shares compelling stories from his own 30+ years of pastoral experience and offers wisdom on handling the unique pres

31 - Faithful Departures: Discerning God's Voice in Ministry Shifts

Aug 26 2024 39 mins  
Season 3 kicks off with Denver and Taylor discussing the topic on ministry transitions. Taylor shares about his own ministry transition, where he is leaving the church he grew up in and served on staff for the past decade. Together, Denver and Taylor reflect and creatively interact with the story of Abraham's journey in Genesis 12 to spark conversation about how to faithfully l

30 - What We're Learning: Transfiguration & Atonement

May 13 2024 34 mins  
In this season two finale, Denver and Taylor reflect on the last 14 episodes and also share about the topics they are currently researching. Denver is studying the Transfiguration of Jesus and its impact on Peter, James, and John. What was the significance of this bizarre experience? And why did Moses and Elijah show up for it? Taylor has been spurred on by our conversation with Sp

29 - Implications of Atonement: Part 2 with Spencer Owen

Apr 15 2024 59 mins  
Continuing our conversation with Spencer Owen, Denver and Taylor discuss the atonement and the implications our theories of atonement have on how we view God, salvation, and our own discipleship to Jesus. Spencer provides several resources if you are interested in hearing more. A Journey through the World of Leviticus by Mark Scarlata Welcoming Gifts by Father Jeremy Davis The

28 - Rethinking Atonement: Part 1 with Spencer Owen

Mar 29 2024 71 mins  
What is the significance of Jesus' death? What exactly happens on the cross? These and other questions related to Jesus' death and the idea of "atonement" are tackled in this episode. Denver and Taylor have a conversation with Spencer Owen, and the focus is on a close reading of Isaiah 53. We seek to understand how Jesus' death is conceptualized and given sign