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Faith Improvised

Faith Improvised

By Tim Gombis

Exploring what it means to be faithfully Christian in our always-changing world with its challenges and opportunities. I like to think out loud and talk with friends about biblical texts, books, politics, sports, music, films, and basically anything that interests me. This is all an attempt to be fully alive in God’s good world and to enjoy the liberating reality of the Christian gospel.
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Currently playing episode

The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 9

Faith ImprovisedNov 29, 2022

00:00
43:48
Reason, Passion, Ignorance, and Expertise in Politics

Reason, Passion, Ignorance, and Expertise in Politics

Steve and I talk about passion and reason in the populace, and the place of expertise in politics.

Feb 27, 202401:12:24
What We've Learned About Teaching

What We've Learned About Teaching

Steve and I talk about a bunch of stuff, but especially about what we've learned about teaching.

Feb 20, 202454:12
You Are Not Your Job, Pt. 2

You Are Not Your Job, Pt. 2

In this episode, Steve and I continue our conversation about who we are and what we do, along with a bunch of other stuff.

Feb 13, 202454:53
You Are Not Your Job

You Are Not Your Job

In this episode, Steve and I talk about our identities in relation to our jobs and careers.

Feb 06, 202449:48
Chosen Family

Chosen Family

In this episode, Steve and I talk about a bunch of stuff, but especially about the notion of chosen family.

Jan 23, 202447:12
Adventures in Public Education

Adventures in Public Education

In this episode, I give some updates about the last month or so, and Steve and I talk about the football playoffs and about our experiences in public education.

Jan 16, 202454:36
Tim Gets Some Perspective

Tim Gets Some Perspective

In this episode, Steve and I talk about a bunch of different topics, but especially some recent lessons in perspective.

Dec 12, 202353:01
Gaining Perspective on Our Suffering

Gaining Perspective on Our Suffering

In this episode, Steve and I talk about how holding onto a right perspective helps us deal with our suffering.

Nov 28, 202354:23
Doing What You Love & Maintaining Perspective

Doing What You Love & Maintaining Perspective

In this episode, we ended up talking quite a bit about Johnny Marr's autobiography, Set the Boy Free, and the sort of person Marr embodies. He stayed focused on what he loved--playing guitar--and remained committed to those around him, which kept him from losing his perspective on life.

I also mentioned a few books: Underland, by Robert Macfarlane; Empire of Pain, by Patrick Radden Keefe; Devil House, by John Darnielle; and, of course, Johnny Marr, Set the Boy Free.

Nov 21, 202344:21
Long Walks & Laughter

Long Walks & Laughter

In this episode, Steve and I talk about some of the healing dynamics associated with our practice of taking long walks and the healing power of laughter.

Nov 14, 202346:27
The Challenges of Our Intellectual Journeys

The Challenges of Our Intellectual Journeys

In this episode, Steve and I reflect on our personal transformations over the last 25 years, and the emotional, relational, and intellectual dynamics involved in those.

Nov 07, 202348:29
The Place of Pain and Suffering in the Pursuit of Happiness and Wholeness

The Place of Pain and Suffering in the Pursuit of Happiness and Wholeness

In this episode, Steve and I talk about how painful situations can be catalysts for growth, and under what conditions that can happen.

Oct 31, 202349:24
The Quest for Certainty in an Uncertain World

The Quest for Certainty in an Uncertain World

In this episode, Steve and I talk about certainty and uncertainty, reflecting on Mark C. Taylor's comment, in his book, After God, that "Certainty is the symptom of death; uncertainty, the pulse of life."

Oct 24, 202341:24
Tragic Violence in the Middle East & The Importance of Memory

Tragic Violence in the Middle East & The Importance of Memory

In our conversation, Steve and I mention a few books: Mark Tessler, A History of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict; Elias Chacour, Blood Brothers: The Dramatic Story of a Palestinian Christian Working for Peace in Israel; Sandy Tolan, The Lemon Tree: An Arab, A Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East; Ari Shavit, My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel; Anne Applebaum, Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism. I also mentioned the documentary film, "With God on Our Side."
Oct 17, 202350:53
The Origins and Expressions of Individualism in American Protestantism

The Origins and Expressions of Individualism in American Protestantism

Steve and I talk about why and how American Protestantism--especially white evangelicalism--is so individualistic. We mentioned a few books: Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations; Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America; Ijeoma Oluo, Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America.
Oct 10, 202348:48
Conspiracies, Intellectual Humility, and Arrogance

Conspiracies, Intellectual Humility, and Arrogance

In this episode, Steve and I talk about some articles we've read recently on conspiracy theories, and relate those to intellectual humility and arrogance. We also mention the following books and articles: "Google Isn't Grad School," by Arthur Brooks, from The Atlantic, July 2023; "What Conspiracy Theorists Don't Believe," by Tim Harford, from The Atlantic, July 2023; The Death of Expertise, by Tom Nichols; Thinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman; The Origins of Creativity, by Edward O. Wilson.
Oct 03, 202346:11
True Grit: Navigating a Cold, Indifferent Universe

True Grit: Navigating a Cold, Indifferent Universe

In this episode, Steve and I discuss the novel and the film adaptations of "True Grit"--their similarities and differences, and how the Coen version fits their vision of life in a cold, indifferent universe.
We mention this article about the film by Stanley Fish, and the book by Adam Nayman, The Coen Brothers: This Book Really Ties the Films Together.


Sep 26, 202355:55
Pursuing Happiness, Wholeness, and Healing, Pt. 2

Pursuing Happiness, Wholeness, and Healing, Pt. 2

In this episode, Steve and I continue talking about happiness, with some references to the Book of Job and A Serious Man.
Sep 19, 202341:40
Pursuing Happiness, Wholeness, and Healing: Introducing Season 5

Pursuing Happiness, Wholeness, and Healing: Introducing Season 5

In this episode, I begin a series of conversations with my best friend, Steve Watkins, about pursuing happiness, wholeness, and healing. We mentioned a few books in this episode: Yuval Noah Harari, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (Harper, 2015), and Pema Chödrön, Comfortable with Uncertainty: 108 Teachings on Cultivating Fearlessness and Compassion (Shambhala, 2018). We also mentioned the beautiful TED Talk by Anne Lamott, called "12 Truths I Learned from Life and Writing."
Sep 12, 202301:06:41
Evangelism Is Not the Task of the Church

Evangelism Is Not the Task of the Church

In this episode I talk about how I came to the view that evangelism is not the task of the church.
Aug 29, 202301:09:26
Concluding Season 4

Concluding Season 4

In this episode, I talk about my big move and new location in Louisville, and answer a few listener emails.
Aug 22, 202331:13
Reading New Testament Letters, Pt. 3

Reading New Testament Letters, Pt. 3

In this episode I finish talking about interpreting New Testament letters as occasional literature.
Aug 01, 202342:44
Reading New Testament Letters, Pt. 2

Reading New Testament Letters, Pt. 2

In this episode, I recommend my friend Max Botner's book, Beyond the Greek New Testament: Advanced Readings for Students of Biblical Studies (Baker Academic), and I talk about New Testament letters as occasional literature.
Jul 25, 202335:01
Reading New Testament Letters, Pt. 1

Reading New Testament Letters, Pt. 1

In this episode, I recommend Louis Menand's new book, The Free World: Art and Thought in the Cold War (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2021), and I begin talking about reading and interpreting New Testament letters.
Jul 18, 202344:35
Reading Biblical Narratives, Pt. 3

Reading Biblical Narratives, Pt. 3

In this episode, I catch up with the 17 listeners on what I've been up to the last few months, I recommend Beth Moore's new memoir, called All My Knotted Up Life (Tyndale Momentum), and I finish talking about some features of biblical narratives.
Jul 11, 202352:27
Reading Biblical Narratives, Pt. 2

Reading Biblical Narratives, Pt. 2

In this episode, I recommend a brilliant new book by Daniel G. Hummel, The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism: How the Evangelical Battle over the End Times Shaped a Nation (Eerdmans, 2023), and I talk a bit more about reading biblical narratives.


May 16, 202354:57
Reading Biblical Narratives

Reading Biblical Narratives

In this episode, I catch all 17 listeners up on what I’ve been doing the last month or so, and I talk a little about reading biblical narratives.


Apr 25, 202358:22
The Bible Is a Library, Pt. 2

The Bible Is a Library, Pt. 2

In this episode, I recommend Nijay Gupta's new book, Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church (IVP Academic, 2023), and I talk a bit more about why it’s so important to understand the different kinds of literature in the Bible.




Mar 21, 202301:10:21
The Bible Is a Library

The Bible Is a Library

In this episode, I recommend Myth America: Historians Take on the Biggest Legends and Lies About Our Past, edited by Kevin M. Kruse and Julian E. Zelizer (Basic Books, 2023), and I talk about how important it is to reckon with the various kinds of literature found in the Bible.
Mar 14, 202301:05:04
The Questions the Bible Asks of Us

The Questions the Bible Asks of Us

In this episode, I recommend Gabor Maté's brilliant new book on trauma and healing, The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture Avery, 2022), and I address some of the questions raised by the series on the big story of the Bible.
Feb 21, 202301:13:28
The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 15

The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 15

In this episode, I talk about the current moment of the biblical story in a sub-series on engaging with Scripture that went on a whole lot longer than I thought it would.
Feb 14, 202352:18
The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 14

The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 14

In this episode, I talk about the early church and how that fits into the biblical story.
Feb 07, 202358:45
The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 13

The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 13

In this episode, I talk about Jesus and how he fits into the biblical story.
Jan 31, 202301:00:12
The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 12

The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 12

In this episode, I try to provide some backdrop to the historical dynamics that shaped the culture to which Jesus arrived.
Jan 24, 202335:13
The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 11

The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 11

In this episode, I finish talking about God’s call of Israel and what that means for God’s aim to reclaim the world for his glory.
Jan 17, 202357:02
The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 10

The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 10

I recommend Bono’s new memoir called Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story (Knopf, 2022), and I talk about God’s call of Israel and what that means for God’s aim to reclaim the world for his glory.
Jan 10, 202351:37
The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 9

The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 9

In this episode, I talk about God’s call of Israel and what that means for God’s aim to reclaim the world for his glory.
Nov 29, 202243:48
The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 8

The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 8

I begin talking about God's plan to reclaim what was lost when humans failed in their commission to manage creation's flourishing.
Nov 15, 202201:03:39
The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 7

The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 7

I recommend the book by Justin E. H. Smith, The Internet is Not What You Think It Is: A History, A Philosophy, A Warning (Princeton University Press, 2022), and I talk a bit more about the big story of the Bible.
I also mention the soon-to-be-released book by Isaac B. Sharp, The Other Evangelicals: A Story of Liberal, Black, Progressirve, Feminist, and Gay Christians--and the Movement that Pushed Them Out (Eerdmans: 2023).
Nov 08, 202254:05
The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 6

The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 6

I relay some of the excellent meals I've enjoyed recently, and I continue talking about the big story of the Bible and how humans made a mess of things in Genesis 3.
Nov 01, 202201:03:21
The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 5

The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 5

I recommend Jenny Odell's wonderful book, How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy (Melville House, 2020), and I draw out some implications about humanity from Genesis 1-2.
Oct 25, 202201:05:59
The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 4

The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 4

In this episode, I recommend Mel Brooks's wonderful memoir, All About Me! My Remarkable Life in Show Business (Ballantine Books, 2021), and I talk about the opening chapter of the biblical story (Genesis 1-2).
Oct 18, 202201:07:08
The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 3

The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 3

In this episode, I continue talking about the opening chapter of the Bible’s big story.
Oct 04, 202201:09:52
The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 2

The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 2

I recommend Merve Emre's book, The Personality Brokers: The Strange History of Myers-Briggs and the Birth of Personality Testing (Anchor Books, 2019), and I talk a bit more about the narrative dynamics going on in Genesis 1-2.
Sep 27, 202201:38:22
The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 1

The Big Story of the Bible, Pt. 1

I respond to some questions I've received, I recommend Katelyn Beaty's new book, Celebrities for Jesus: How Personas, Platforms, and Profits are Hurting the Church (Brazos Press, 2022), and I begin talking about the big story of the Bible.
Sep 20, 202259:19
Putting the Testaments Together

Putting the Testaments Together

In this episode, I recommend a wonderful work of fiction, called Dear Committee Members: A Novel (Doubleday, 2015), and I talk about two approaches to Scripture: Lectio Divina and the Law/Gospel contrast.
Aug 16, 202201:03:09
Thinking with Scripture

Thinking with Scripture

In this episode, I recommend Hillary McBride's wonderful new book, The Wisdom of Your Body: Finding Healing, Wholeness, and Connection through Embodied Living (Brazos Press, 2021), and I talk about critical thinking when it comes to engaging with Christian Scripture.
Jul 26, 202249:01
Introducing Season 4

Introducing Season 4

After a longer layoff than I had anticipated, I begin this fourth season by talking about what I've been up to over the last 3 1/2 months, note some of the books I've been reading, and give an overview of what I intend to explore in the upcoming season.
Jul 19, 202251:00
Wrapping Up Romans

Wrapping Up Romans

In this episode, I wrap up season 3 and the exploration of Paul's Letter to the Romans.
Mar 29, 202201:08:50
The Closing of Paul's Letter to the Romans

The Closing of Paul's Letter to the Romans

A brief update on two books I'm reading--The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity, by David Graeber and David Wengrow, and The Church Cracked Open: Disruption, Decline, and New Hope for Beloved Community, by Stephanie Spellers. I also talk about the closing section of Paul's letter to the Roman Christians.
Mar 22, 202257:51