Making Sense of Faith with Adam Hamilton

• A Life Redeemed: Overcoming Addiction, Prison, and Family Trauma

  In this deeply moving episode of "Making Sense of Faith," Adam Hamilton sits down for an intimate conversation with his uncle, Glenn Miller, a man whose life journey epitomizes the transformative power of faith. The episode traces Glenn’s remarkable path from addiction, crime, and federal prison to finding peace and purpose through Christ. With raw honesty, we hear about family trauma beginning with a mother's suicide, struggles with drug addiction, multiple prison sentences, and the gradual journey toward redemption. This powerful testimony speaks directly to those who wonder if their past defines their future or if genuine transformation is possible, showing how faith can bring hope even to those who feel beyond saving.Five Powerful Moments from This Episode:The Weight of Family Trauma - Learn how childhood wounds, including a mother's suicide and a difficult relationship with his father, set the stage for decades of struggle.The Spiral into Addiction - Hear the candid account of how promising opportunities were derailed by drugs, first as a user and then as a dealer.Prison and Rock Bottom - Discover the sobering reality of multiple prison sentences totaling nearly nine years and the decision point that finally led to change.Finding Faith - Experience the turning point that occurred when regular church attendance opened the door to a new understanding of forgiveness and purpose."These Are the Happiest Times" - Be inspired by the profound revelation that despite earlier wealth and success, true happiness came through faith in the love and grace of ChristThis episode speaks to anyone who's ever felt lost, broken, or defined by their mistakes. It addresses life's hardest questions with honesty and compassion, offering hope without easy answers. If you've ever wondered whether a troubled past can give way to a peaceful present, or if redemption is possible for those who feel they've gone too far, this conversation offers a thoughtful glimpse into how faith can transform a life from the inside out. No matter where you are in your spiritual journey—skeptical, curious, or somewhere in between—this story reminds us that transformation is possible for everyone.

  --------  

  31:20
• Does Everything Happen for a Reason?

  In this thought-provoking episode of Making Sense of Faith, Adam Hamilton tackles perhaps the most challenging question people face on their spiritual journey: Does everything happen for a reason? Drawing from his pastoral experience, Adam offers a fresh perspective that bridges faith and doubt, challenging the common notion that God micromanages every detail of our lives. Instead, he presents a view of God who created natural processes and gave humans freedom, yet walks alongside us through our suffering. This conversation invites everyone to reconsider comforting but potentially harmful phrases like "everything happens for a reason" or "it must be God's will" when confronting life's painful moments.Key insights from this episode:God created processes, not puppets - Adam challenges the perception that God controls every detail at the cellular, cosmic, and personal levels. Instead, he suggests God created natural processes that generally work well but sometimes go wrong, and gave humans genuine freedom to make choices—both good and bad.Why "everything happens for a reason" hurts - Through powerful stories like Patty's experience after losing her two-year-old daughter, Adam reveals why well-meaning platitudes can actually increase someone's pain and anger toward God by making Him the source of suffering rather than comfort.Jesus healed, He didn't explain - If sickness were God's will, Adam points out, Jesus wouldn't have healed people—he would have told them to accept their illness as divine punishment or teaching. Instead, Jesus consistently worked against suffering, showing God's true desire.Prayer works, just not how we expect - Rather than always delivering dramatic miracles, God typically answers prayers through people, medicine, and compassion. Adam shares how he prays for both miraculous healing and for God to work through doctors, revealing a balanced approach to faith and practical action.Finding meaning without blaming God - Adam offers a powerful reframing of Romans 8:28, suggesting that God doesn't cause suffering but works to bring good from it—an invitation to ask "how can something meaningful come from this?" rather than "why did God do this?"When life's hardest moments leave us questioning where God is, this episode offers a lifeline of hope without sacrificing intellectual honesty. Adam stands firmly in what the Resurrection community calls "the radical center"—acknowledging the reality of suffering while affirming God's loving presence through it all. Whether you're wrestling with doubt, seeking deeper understanding, or supporting someone through grief, this conversation provides language and perspective to make sense of faith when life seems senseless. Listen to the full episode to discover a God who doesn't cause your suffering but promises to walk with you through it.

  --------  

  15:49
• Scalpel or Chainsaw? A Biblical Approach to Cutting Waste in Government

  In this eye-opening episode of Making Sense of Faith, Adam Hamilton explores two powerful Hebrew words that appear 357 times in the Old Testament: "mishpat" (justice) and "tzedekah" (righteousness). Adam unpacks how these ancient concepts speak directly to today's heated debates about government spending and social programs. While acknowledging the importance of eliminating waste in government, he challenges listeners to consider whether we're using a precise scalpel or a destructive chainsaw when making these cuts. This episode bridges the gap between fiscal responsibility and our moral obligation to protect the vulnerable—offering a fresh perspective that transcends partisan politics and speaks to the heart of what it means to live out our faith in today's complex world.Episode Highlights:Biblical Foundation for Social Justice - Adam explores how the Hebrew words "mishpat" and "tzedekah" appear throughout scripture, revealing God's expectation that we create systems that ensure fairness for the vulnerable, including widows, orphans, the poor, and immigrants.The Fast God Truly Desires - Through Isaiah 58, Adam illustrates how God is less concerned with religious rituals and more interested in our commitment to "loose the chains of injustice" and care for those in need—challenging us to reconsider what spiritual disciplines should actually accomplish.Balancing Fiscal Responsibility with Compassion - Rather than taking sides politically, Adam advocates for a thoughtful approach that eliminates waste while preserving programs that provide vital support to vulnerable populations.Common Values Beyond Politics - The episode makes a compelling case that protection of the vulnerable isn't a partisan issue but a matter of "common decency, common justice, and common righteousness"—values that unite us across political divides.Jesus's Standard of Judgment - Drawing from the parable of the sheep and goats and the Good Samaritan, Adam reminds us that Jesus's measure of faithfulness centers on our treatment of "the least of these"—a timely challenge as we consider government's role in meeting human needs.Whether you're questioning your faith, curious about Christianity, or wrestling with how to apply your beliefs to complex societal issues, this episode offers a refreshing perspective that doesn't ask you to check your brain or your values at the door. Adam stands firmly in the radical center, inviting listeners to embrace both fiscal responsibility and compassionate concern for others. In a time when political discourse often divides us into opposing camps, Making Sense of Faith offers a bridge-building alternative that honors both wisdom and compassion. By examining ancient biblical principles through a contemporary lens, this episode equips listeners to engage thoughtfully in conversations about government spending while remaining grounded in timeless values that transcend political affiliation.

  --------  

  13:53
• Cut Off Our Hands? The Message of Jesus

  In this thought-provoking episode of Making Sense of Faith, Adam Hamilton tackles one of the most perplexing aspects of Jesus's teachings: those moments when his words seem impossibly harsh or difficult to follow. With honesty and transparency, Adam explores Jesus's command to "cut off your hand" or "pluck out your eye" if they cause you to sin. He unpacks what Jesus really meant by these jarring statements and helps listeners understand when to take Jesus literally versus when he was speaking figuratively. Through real-life examples and historical context, Adam offers a fresh perspective that makes these challenging teachings not only understandable but also deeply meaningful for our lives today.Episode Highlights:The Power of Prophetic Hyperbole: Adam explains how Jesus often spoke in what scholars call "prophetic hyperbole"—using dramatic exaggeration to make powerful points that shake up his listeners. Far from expecting to be taken literally, Jesus was emphasizing the seriousness of sin and our need to address it radically.Marriage, Divorce, and Grace: When discussing Jesus's seemingly harsh teachings on divorce, Adam provides crucial historical context about women's vulnerability in first-century society and reveals how Jesus was actually protecting women while upholding the sanctity of marriage—all while leaving room for grace in broken situations.The Woman at the Well: Through the story of Jesus's compassionate interaction with a Samaritan woman who had been married five times, Adam illustrates how Jesus balanced high moral standards with extraordinary mercy and acceptance—proving we can take his teachings seriously without being legalistic.Wealth and the Kingdom: Is it really "easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter heaven"? Adam unpacks this famous teaching to reveal Jesus's warnings about wealth without condemning prosperity itself.Serious, Not Literal: The episode culminates in a liberating principle for interpreting Jesus's challenging words: we are meant to take Jesus seriously but not always literally, understanding both the high ideals he calls us toward and the grace he extends when we fall short.In a world that often dismisses Christianity as judgmental or simplistic, this episode offers a refreshing alternative—a faith that embraces questions, acknowledges complexity, and finds hope in Jesus's teachings rather than confusion or despair. Whether you're skeptical about faith, wrestling with doubt, or simply curious about what Jesus really meant, Adam's thoughtful exploration provides practical wisdom for making sense of Christianity's most challenging passages. By the end, you'll discover that Jesus's seemingly harsh words weren't meant to condemn us but to transform us, inviting us into a life of deeper meaning and purpose. Join the conversation and find out how these ancient teachings speak directly to our modern questions and struggles.

  --------  

  16:05
• When Cancer Strikes Twice: Lessons on Life and Faith When Times are Tough

  In this powerful episode of Making Sense of Faith, Adam Hamilton sits down with Matt Stewart, a Kansas City news reporter, who shares his family's incredible journey through dual cancer diagnoses. Matt's wife Chrissy was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of cancer in 2021, and while serving as her caregiver, Matt received his own devastating diagnosis of stage 4 colon cancer that had spread to his brain, lungs, and spine. Rather than surrendering to despair, the couple embraced a philosophy of "all the things" – saying yes to life's opportunities and leaning deeply into their faith. This conversation explores how facing mortality can transform our perspective on life, faith, and purpose in profound ways. Matt's compelling story shows how adversity can strengthen faith rather than diminish it, offering listeners authentic insights into finding hope and meaning during life's most challenging seasons.Episode Highlights:All the things" approach to living: Discover how Matt and Chrissy's decision to say "yes" to every opportunity after their diagnoses, including a wedding vow renewal that became a beautiful celebration of life and love for their entire family.Faith in the face of mortality: Hear Matt's candid reflections on how his cancer diagnosis deepened rather than diminished his faith, and how he finds comfort in knowing "where he's going" while still praying for more time.From football to fighting cancer: Learn how Matt's experience as a walk-on football player at Northwestern, where persistence transformed him from fifth-string to scholarship athlete, prepared him mentally for his cancer battle.Supporting loved ones with cancer: Get practical, honest advice about what to say (and what not to say) to someone facing cancer, with Matt's refreshing perspective on avoiding the "head tilt" of pity and focusing on authentic connection.Finding purpose through adversity: Explore how Matt uses his platform as a news reporter to inspire others facing similar challenges, controlling his attitude when he couldn't control his diagnosis.This episode embodies what Making Sense of Faith is all about – wrestling with life's biggest questions through the lens of authentic faith. Whether you're facing your own health crisis, supporting someone through illness, or simply questioning how faith works when life gets hard, this episode offers genuine perspective from someone living in that difficult space. It's a powerful reminder that faith doesn't require checking your brain at the door – it can provide genuine comfort and purpose even in life's darkest moments.

  --------  

  28:48

More Religion & Spirituality podcasts

Trending Religion & Spirituality podcasts

About Making Sense of Faith with Adam Hamilton