Life|Love - by Brandon Chase

Welcome to Real Life Radio Episode 007!

I’m pleased to share with you my interview of my friend Matthew Distefano. He recently released his fourth book “Heretic!” on April 1st. You can find the book here.

In this episode, Matthew discusses:

What is theology? Is he a “theologian?” Why does theology matter?

What is a “heretic?”

How his beliefs have changed over time, and why that is ok

Some of his…

I’m writing this for my kids.

And theirs.

For humanities sake, my conscious, and because sometimes, at critical moments in history – silence is just not acceptable – and the burning in the pit of your chest screams at you that history will judge these moments, and you want to be found on the right side of it all.

So for the first time in my life, I’m getting political.

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I’ve been…

Welcome to Real Life Radio: Episode 006.

I have my friend Jamal Jivanjee back with me again, but this time for more than just a chat amongst friends. Jamal recently released his first book, Free To Love: How Oneness Transcends Marriage and Singleness, and joined me to talk about it.

Jamal’s book has stirred up a wide range of reactions and emotions – from the blissfully amazed, to the stern…

I am delighted to introduce you to the new theme and redesign of my site and blog!

Zōē Perissos is now Life|Love.

I have been working hard for several weeks (with design and technical help from the wonderful Kelsey at Bloom Blog Shop and the incomparable Micah J. Murray) to freshen up this space, and re-launch with a new look, and perhaps a nuanced motivation and direction. But this change has…

Changing my mind about Easter NEW POST

  Things have been, and are, moving so fast. Theologically, my belief systems have been changing at warp speed. So much deconstruction, then reconstruction…. Death, and Resurrection.

“Easter” (the process of death, burial and new life)  has been occurring to me over and over for a few years now.

Yet, with that official season upon us again, I was recently reflecting how it is all different…

Being "saved" again and again NEW POST

  If you’ve been following along lately, I have (at admittedly, a very stuttered pace – sorry) been exploring very new (to me) and paradigm changing paths along my journey. For me, this usually looks like arriving at answers to questions I had never asked, or new answers to questions I have. If your path is like mine, you know that questions usually lead to more questions – and in some ways, the…

What the...Hell? NEW POST

  Last month, I wrote a post called Beginning Again, in which I detailed the genesis of some massive shifts in my seeing, thinking and believing – about God, myself, and others.

I intended to continue reflections from that point much sooner than now, but I got distracted by the American Sniper movie and the cultural conversation around it, and have thus found myself “fighting the fight” of preac…

Following Jesus out of fear and violence into Love and Peace - Real Life Radio: Ep. 004 with Keith Giles [Podcast] NEW POST @keithgiles

  In Real Life Radio: Episode 004, I have a discussion with my friend Keith Giles.

I wanted to host Keith on the program because he was very instrumental (without knowing it) in causing me to seriously re-think my understanding of Jesus’ commands of non-violence for His followers. In light of recent events such as ISIS and the new American Sniper movie (which I wrote about here) – the topic of…

Real Life Radio - Ep: 003 - Andy Gill: Being a "Done" with church; and on Doing Justice [Podcast] NEW POST

  Welcome to Real Life Radio – Episode: 003!

In this episode, I have a discussion with blogger Andy Gill.

What you will hear:

Andy’s background and ministry

Who are the “Dones” as it relates to the Western Evangelical Church?

What is “Justice” and what does it look like to be engaged in it, especially from a racial context?

Another side to the MLK legacy and perception

How can those who believe…

Kingdom Forgiver: looking for the Other Way in an 'American Sniper' world NEW POST

  Have you seen ‘American Sniper’ yet? I’m telling you… best movie I’ve ever seen! God bless America!”

One of the most powerful films I’ve ever watched. What a badass.”

It made me so grateful for our troops, and blessed to have our freedom.”

Chris Kyle was a hero.”

These were the comments I was getting, and overhearing, in the initial days after the release of the now mega-popular movie American…

Beginning Again (Starting over with God, myself and humankind) NEW POST

  I remember vividly the day I became a Dad. Every detail, nearly every second, as if the memories of my seeing in those moments are like a movie in my head, the images easily retrievable from within.

Life-changing stuff sticks with you… in you, like that.

One of the things I remember about seeing McKinley, now 9, for the very first time, was kinda, well… how beat up she was. Poor baby had some…

Real Life Radio: Ep. 002 - How to understand the Bible, and if God wasn't killing His Son on the Cross, then what really happened there? [Podcast] NEW BLOG

  In Episode 001 of Real Life Radio, I was interviewed by my friend Jamal Jivanjee. The conversation evolved into a discussion about some wonderful topics, such as Fellowship in the Divine, and inclusion in the Love of God. Jamal and I both received some terrific dialogue from those who listened to the conversation.

“I just listened to half of the conversation and had to stop. Something deep…

The Gospel according to McDonald's NEW POST

  I’ve often said that when you are looking for God everywhere, you will see Him everywhere… because He is everywhere.

While watching my Cowboys lose a heartbreaker to the Packers this past weekend (just what is a catch in the NFL these days?), I saw another example of this reality.

I saw the message of the Gospel in a McDonald’s commercial. Have you seen this?

“Love is Endless” by MoZella is…

2014: Year in Review and Blog Recap NEW POST

  Happy New Year!

You may have noticed, I took a break of sorts from writing for much of the last two months of the year. I appreciate your patience, and I promise that the time was spent sitting with and wrestling with new depths of understanding of the Divine and the Kingdom. I’m really looking forward to putting words to some of these ideas in the coming months, and discussing them with you…

Real Life Radio Episode: 001 - A Discussion with Jamal Jivanjee [Podcast] NEW PODCAST @JamalJivanjee

  Welcome to Real Life Radio!

I am excited to announce that I’ve created a podcast companion to Zōē Perissos, the blog. The podcast will have much of the same themes and content that you are used to seeing here on the blog. Namely, we will be exploring Jesus Christ – His Life, Love and Church – what it means to see Him as the fullness of all of these, and to Live from His very Life.

Jesus isReal…

The Perfect Thanksgiving NEW GUEST POST by @AmandaIosa

  An unexpected, but wonderful byproduct of writing words into the internet, has been the relationships that this has opened up around the world. Many of these are dear, precious Family to me, and among all the many things I am thankful for, these are certainly included.

One such friend is Amanda Iosa, a long time reader here, and quite a writer and artist of her own. Recently, she e mailed me a…

Ferguson: The Bigger Story NEW POST

  Ferguson, and its fallout, has bothered me more than just about every other cultural event in recent years. Around 100 days ago, I became gripped to its story, images and characters. Several nights in a row were spent, eyes glued to Twitter (because anyone who knows, knows that any news on Ferguson worth reading, was on Twitter), until early in the morning hours.

Another young, unarmed black…