Let the Bird Fly
The following is an excerpt from “Let the Bird Fly” written by Wade Johnston (1517 Publishing, 2019).
Contributors
Wade Johnston
Wade Johnston has degrees from Martin Luther College, Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Central Michigan University, and Erasmus University Rotterdam. He serves as Assistant Professor of Theology at Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and served for ten years in parish ministry in Saginaw, Michigan. He one of the hosts of the 1517 Podcast, "Let the Bird Fly," and has authored several books including, "A Path Strewn with Sinners" and "An Uncompromising Gospel."
Let the Bird Fly
Missiology in the Old Testament
Welcome to Let the Bird Fly! a podcast about living freely in a world given back to us.
History of Lutheranism in America
This time around Mike sits down with Dr. Braun to discuss the history of Lutheranism in America.
Melanchthon v. Flacius with Scott Keith
On this episode Wade and Dr. Keith square off over two influential characters in the early Reformation: Philip Melanchthon and Matthias Flacius Illyricus.
How to Build a Universe according to Philip K. Dick
Wade and Mike sit down in the studio to discuss Philip K. Dick’s article How to Build a Universe That Doesn’t Fall Apart Two Days Later.
This is Water
On episode ONE HUNDRED (they finally did it) of Let the Bird Fly! the guys sit down (sans Ben despite their best efforts to get him there) to discuss the commencement address This is Water by David Foster Wallace.
Easter 2
Wade and Mike sit down to discuss the often forgotten celebration of the second week of Easter.
On the Commodification of People
Wade hijacks the podcast and forces Mike and Peter to discuss the commodification of people.
Law & Gospel: A Lens for Life – Part 3
Wade and Peter sit down to complete their discussion on Wade’s presentation entitled Law & Gospel: A Lens for Life.
Law & Gospel: A Lens for Life – Part 2
On episode NINETY-SIX of Let the Bird Fly! Wade, Mike and Peter sit down to continue their discussion on Wade’s presentation entitled Law & Gospel: A Lens for Life
Law & Gospel: A Lens for Life – Part 1
Wade, Mike and Peter sit down to discuss a presentation Wade has been giving entitled Law & Gospel: A Lens for Life.
Rome’s Transition From Republic
Mike and Wade sit down with Professor Sheena Finnigan to discuss Rome’s transition from a republic.
LIVE – from The Point of Grace
On episode NINETY-THREE of Let the Bird Fly! the guys were invited to record at The Gathering Series, which is put on by The Point of Grace, a Milwaukee area campus ministry group.
The Feast of Transfiguration
The Father uses this last festival of Epiphany, the Transfiguration, to announce one more time to us just who Jesus is: His beloved Son, the Chosen One
The Four Gospel Accounts
Wade, Mike, and Peter are joined once again by Josh Seeger of Wisconsin Lutheran High School. In this episode they finally officially discuss the four Gospel accounts.
Religion ≠ Political Party
On episode NINETY-ONE of Let the Bird Fly! Mike, while in Utah, had the opportunity to sit down with Barb Munoz to discuss the difficulties and dangers of equating religion and politics.
On Creating a Hymnal
Mike sits down with Rev. Jon Micheel and Rev. Tyler Peil. Both pastors currently serve at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Taylorsville, UT. Both Rev. Micheel and Rev. Peil have been serving on a committee to create a new…
Theology in the Real World
Theology is a practical habit—that is, an aptitude cultivated to be applied in the real world in daily life.
Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment
We expect God to try us, not for our crimes, but for our better moments.
Martin Luther King Jr.
Wade and Mike sit down to discuss the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and his lasting impact on America today both consciously and unconsciously.
Jesus Ruins the Cause
From political parties to sports teams, we know all too well how quickly we can ruin a good thing, turning a temporal allegiance into a spiritual one
Intro to Theology
Mike and Wade welcome back Rev. Dr. Mark Braun to discuss teaching introduction to theology, something that all three know a thing or two about.
God's Two Contradictory Words
Both these words, Law and Gospel, are from God. The sinner needs both of them. Both are true and good.
The Two Kingdoms
On episode EIGHTY-SIX of Let the Bird Fly! the guys welcome back Rev. Dr. Mark Braun from Wisconsin Lutheran College.
The Guys Get Sci-Fi
On episode EIGHTY-FIVE of Let the Bird Fly! the guys welcome Dr. Joel Davis, who teaches chemistry at Wisconsin Lutheran College.
The Purpose of Epiphany
On Epiphany, we celebrate the day when men, made wise for salvation through the Word, met their righteousness.
Anthropology
On episode EIGHTY-FOUR of Let the Bird Fly! Mike and Wade welcome Dr. Ned Farley to discuss Anthropology, a topic he knows more than a thing or two about.
Come, Lord Jesus, Come
Advent is one big answer to the question of free will in matters of salvation. God is free. Our will is bound.
On Christmas with Athanasius, Lewis, and Luther
On episode EIGHTY-THREE of Let the Bird Fly! Mike and Wade welcome back Dr. Paul Lehninger and Rev. Greg Lyon to discuss Christmas.
The Importance of Travel
On episode EIGHTY-TWO of Let the Bird Fly! the guys welcome onto the show Dr. Martin Moldenhauer, who teaches on the English faculty at Wisconsin Lutheran College.
Law and Gospel (Another Pass)
On episode EIGHTY-ONE of Let the Bird Fly! the guys welcome Rev. Kent Schaaf, who is currently serving at Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, WI, to discuss those two chief teachings of Scripture: Law and Gospel.
Advent (Revisited)
On episode EIGHTY of Let the Bird Fly! Mike and Wade join forces with Pastors Brian Doebler and John Bortulin to discuss the season of Advent.
Pesky Questions
As much as the devil and doubts may assail me, God has revealed Himself to me in His Word and answered these pesky questions.
Legalism Among Us
On episode SEVENTY-NINE of Let the Bird Fly! Mike and Wade hang in Wade’s backyard (this was record back when it was warm in Milwaukee still—too long ago!) to discuss an essay by J.P. Koehler, “Legalism Among Us.”…
Enough is Enough
When we say in the benediction, “The LORD make His face shine on you,” grace is what we mean.
On Being a Seminarian
On episode SEVENTY-EIGHT of Let the Bird Fly! the guys sit down with seminarians Adam Lambrecht, Chris Pflughoeft, and Tony Pflughoeft to discuss life as a seminarian.
The Mirror Never Lies
The Gospel is our freedom from sin. It is Christ in the mirror, Christ for me and for you.
Bo Giertz – Romans Commentary
On episode SEVENTY-SEVEN of Let the Bird Fly! Wade and Peter sit down with Rev. Bror Erickson at the 2018 He We Still Stand conference put on by 1517.org.
Against Such Things There Is No Law
Galatians 5 isn’t a move beyond Christ to the Christian life. Galatians 5 is the Christian life in Christ.
In Celebration of All Saints Day
On this day, the church remembers all the saints who have gone before us.
Hermann Sasse (Live Recording from HWSS Conference)
On episode SEVENTY-SIX of Let the Bird Fly! the guys are thrilled to be joined by Rev. Dr. John Pless of Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN, as well as by returning guest Rev. Bror Erickson.
The Dangers of Shallow Sanctification
Rather than calling me to pick burrs off my coat, God’s love strips me of my delusions and cuts to the heart of my disease.
Imago Dei
On episode SEVENTY-FIVE of Let the Bird Fly! the guys sit down with Rev. Adam Morton to discuss Imago Dei (or specifically what it means to be created in the image of God). The guys recorded this episode will at…
Patience Under the Mercy of Christ
God has forgiven you. That is an objective fact. You can reject it, but it is nevertheless true.
First or Second Article Christian
On episode SEVENTY-FOUR of Let the Bird Fly! the guys are all back together for the first time in a long time.
Theses 27-28: Love for the Unlovable
But these good works aren’t done under compulsion. They’re done freely. They aren’t done so that God will love us. They’re done because He loves us.
Philosophies of Music
On episode SEVENTY-THREE of Let the Bird Fly! Wade and Mike welcome back Dr. Jeremy Zima, who was a guest on Episode 36, The Guys Get Music.
How Christians Should Regard Moses
On episode SEVENTY-TWO of Let the Bird Fly! Wade and Mike meet up once again in Wade’s back yard, this time to discuss Martin Luther’s sermon How Christians Should Regard Moses. Before getting to Moses, though, Wade decides to highjack…
Missiology
On episode SEVENTY-ONE of Let the Bird Fly! Mike and Wade welcome back a guest that seems to be hanging around quite a bit lately, Rev. Brian Doebler to discuss a topic that he knows more than a thing or…
The Devil Behind the Surplice
On episode SEVENTY-ONE of Let the Bird Fly! Mike and Wade welcome back a guest that seems to be hanging around quite a bit lately, Rev. Brian Doebler to discuss a topic that he knows more than a thing or…
Jesus’ Syrophoenician Dog
The following is an excerpt from A Path Strewn with Sinners: A Devotional Study of Mark’s Gospel and His Race to the Cross written by Wade Johnston (1517 Publishing, 2017).
Forty Year-Old Pastors
On episode SIXTY-NINE of Let the Bird Fly! Wade and Mike are joined by returning guest Rev. John Bortulin (in fact Pastor Bortulin was our first guest way back on episode 3).
Eschatology
On episode SIXTY-EIGHT of Let the Bird Fly! Wade and Mike get together once again in Wade’s backyard, but this time to discuss Eschatology, or the “last things.”
Should We Think about Death?
On episode SIXTY-SEVEN of Let the Bird Fly! Wade and Peter sit down in Wade’s backyard to discuss death.
On Reading “Unsafe” Authors – Part 2
On episode SIXTY-SEVEN of Let the Bird Fly! Wade and Peter sit down in Wade’s backyard to discuss death.
On Reading “Unsafe” Authors – Part 1
On episode SIXTY-FIVE of Let the Bird Fly! Wade was out-of-town, so the guys took over his office and invited back Rev. Dr. Mark Paustian.
Apologetics
On episode SIXTY-FIVE of Let the Bird Fly! Wade was out-of-town, so the guys took over his office and invited back Rev. Dr. Mark Paustian.
Let the Bird Fly!
On episode SIXTY-THREE of Let the Bird Fly! the guys sit down in Wade’s backyard to discuss the podcast.
Every Sunday Communion – Part 2
On episode SIXTY-THREE of Let the Bird Fly! the guys sit down in Wade’s backyard to discuss the podcast.
Every Sunday Communion – Part 1
On episode SIXTY-ONE of Let the Bird Fly! the guys sit down in Wade’s backyard to discuss the practice of celebrating the Lord’s Supper every Sunday.
God Is Not One
On episode FIFTY-NINE of Let the Bird Fly! we welcome back Rev. Dr. Mark Braun, this time to talk about why all religions are not the same.
Preaching as a Means of Grace
On episode FIFTY-EIGHT of Let the Bird Fly! all four of the guys sit down to discuss Preaching as a Means of Grace.
Names of Jesus
On episode FIFTY-SEVEN of Let the Bird Fly! Wade and Mike sit down for a somewhat off-the-cuff episode.
The Divine Call
On episode FIFTY-SIX of Let the Bird Fly! the guys have a full house, with all four of them present, plus three guests.
Urban Education with Ben Clemons
On episode FIFTY-FIVE of Let the Bird Fly! the guys are pleased to welcome Prof. Benjamin Clemons into the studio to discuss urban educational ministry, something the Prof. Clemons has been thinking about and doing for many years.
Just Like Rome...
What did Christians do, both when they encountered a Rome in its glory, as when Christ was born, and in it decline, as when Constantine tried to pull stuff back together?
The Epistle to the Galatians
On episode FIFTY-FOUR of Let the Bird Fly! Wade, Mike, and Peter sit down to discuss Paul’s epistle to the faithful in Galatia.
Teaching Theology to High Schoolers
On episode FIFTY-THREE of Let the Bird Fly! Mike and Wade welcome into the studio two theology teachers to discuss teaching theology to high schoolers.
Holy Week…(and Easter 2)
On episode FIFTY-TWO of Let the Bird Fly! Rev. John Bortulin joins the guys to discuss Holy Week…and Easter 2.
With My Own Eyes
On episode FIFTY-ONE of Let the Bird Fly! Rev. Bror Erickson joins the guys once again via Skype to discuss the Swedish Bishop Bo Giertz.
Bo Giertz, In Translation
On episode FIFTY of Let the Bird Fly! Wade and Peter welcome Rev. Bror Erickson via Skype to discuss the Swedish Bishop Bo Giertz.
On Happiness
On episode FORTY-NINE of Let the Bird Fly! Wade and Mike find themselves abandoned by Ben and Peter and somehow decide to talk about happiness.
A High Priest for the Naked and Exposed
How does that sit with you? It frightens me. Naked, exposed in the eyes of the One to Whom I must give account?
On Being a District President (or Bishop)
On episode FORTY-EIGHT of Let the Bird Fly! all four of the guys are back in the studio and joined by Professor Earle Treptow from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, WI.
The Book of Judges
On episode FORTY-SEVEN of Let the Bird Fly! Wade and Mike are joined by Dr. Mark Braun, who kindly agreed to join us again since our previously recorded episode for this week didn’t work out.
The Season of Lent
On episode FORTY-SIX of Let the Bird Fly! Wade, Mike, and Peter sit down to discuss the season of Lent.
The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis
On episode FORTY-FIVE of Let the Bird Fly! the guys (sans Ben) get together to discuss C.S. Lewis’ book The Four Loves.
Simul iustus et peccator
On episode FORTY-FOUR of Let the Bird Fly! the guys are all back together for the first time in a while and they take the opportunity to discuss a topic that they’ve talked about talking about for quite some time…
The Book of Deuteronomy
On episode FORTY-THREE of Let the Bird Fly! the guys welcome Dr. Mark Braun back for his fourth episode with us.
In Vino Vocation
On episode FORTY-TWO of Let the Bird Fly! the guys welcome the Rigge family to discuss what it’s like to open and run a winery in Minnesota.
Journalism, Culture, and Milwaukee
On episode FORTY-TWO of Let the Bird Fly! the guys welcome the Rigge family to discuss what it’s like to open and run a winery in Minnesota.
The Season of Epiphany
On episode FORTY of Let the Bird Fly! Wade and Mike get together to discuss the season of Epiphany.
A New Year of New Life in Christ
“Christ came with no goals when it came to Himself. His only goals entailed us. He didn’t come to be fulfilled, but to give Himself. And He did that for me.”
A Merry Christmas Episode
On episode THIRTY-NINE of Let the Bird Fly! Wade, Mike, and Peter are without Ben, but they are joined by EIGHT of their lovely daughters.
Luther’s Baptismal Rite (Part 2 of 2)
On episode THIRTY-EIGHT of Let the Bird Fly! the guys hold Wade off for one more episode, so that Mike and Peter can continue the discussion on Luther’s Baptismal Rite that they began with Ben on Episode 37.
Advent: A Time to Lose Your Trust in Princes
Christ has come, does come, and will come. He has set you free from the prison of sin and death.
Luther’s Baptismal Rite (Part 1 of 2)
On episode THIRTY-SEVEN of Let the Bird Fly! the guys shake Wade once again and are able to talk about what they want to for a change.
The Guys Get Music
On episode THIRTY-SIX of Let the Bird Fly! the guys welcome Dr. Jeremy Zima to discuss what he discusses best: Music.
The Season of Advent
On episode THIRTY-FIVE of Let the Bird Fly! the guys discuss the first season in the church year: Advent. Without Ben and without a guest Mike, Wade, and Peter somehow find a way to talk for well over an hour…
A Social Club with a 'T' on Top
“Christ is pretty ok doing all the redeeming that needs doing Himself—and He has redeemed you, and redeemed me.
The Guys Talk Holidays
On episode THIRTY-FOUR of Let the Bird Fly! the guys are all back together for the first time in a long while. Since we’re heading into the “holiday season” the guys decide to discuss the holidays: what are they, what…
Mike and Wade Talk “Worship”
On episode THIRTY-THREE of Let the Bird Fly! Mike and Wade fly duo to talk about “Worship” or “Divine Service” or Gottesdienst or whatever you might call it.
Freedom of a Christian
Christian freedom and Christian love go together in a most wonderful way.
A Reformation Postlude
On episode THIRTY-TWO of Let the Bird Fly! Mike and Peter welcome back Wade, who you may know from his previous role on the splendid podcast Let the Bird Fly!
Grace in the Classroom
On episode THIRTY-ONE of Let the Bird Fly! Mike and Peter stage a coup, ousting Wade, and installing themselves as permanent dictators of the podcast. Actually, Wade was just out-of-town, so for the first time you’ll get to listen to…
A Path Strewn with Sinners
On episode THIRTY of Let the Bird Fly! the guys abandon Peter, so he is forced to find something to talk about.
Black Geneva Piety
On episode TWENTY-NINE of Let the Bird Fly! the guys welcome back Rev. Dr. Mark Braun.
Will the Real Jesus Please Stand Up?
On episode TWENTY-EIGHT of Let the Bird Fly! the guys welcome the ever-patient Rev. Dr. Matthew Richard.
No Apologies, Apologetics
On episode TWENTY-SEVEN of Let the Bird Fly! the guys welcome back Rev. Dr. Michael Berg (he’s getting to be so regular, we’ll have to dismiss with the formalities soon).
Matthias Flacius
The Thinking Fellows are together with Dr. Wade Johnston to discuss Matthias Flacius. This episode serves as a crossover between our series on great thinkers of the Christian faith and our current Reformation topics.
So, Where Are You From?
On episode TWENTY-SIX of Let the Bird Fly! the guys take another stab at self-indulgent podcasting (is that redundant?).
Sinners and the Gospel
The Thinking Fellows are joined by Dr. Wade Johnston to discuss his two books, A Path Strewn With Sinners and An Uncompromising Gospel.
The Guys Get Self-Indulgent (a retrospective)
On episode TWENTY-FIVE of Let the Bird Fly! the guys take podcasting self-indulgence to a whole new level by discussing the paths that led them to join forces on Let the Bird Fly!
The Only Sane Man in Gerasenes
This is a selection from, "A Path Strewn With Sinners" by Wade Johnston
Talkin’ Bacon
On episode TWENTY-FOUR of Let the Bird Fly! Wade and Peter meet up in the backyard with six of their nine kids, countless crickets, and even a siren or two.
The Guys Get Disease
On episode TWENTY-THREE of Let the Bird Fly! the guys welcome Dr. James Henkel into the studio to discuss everything diseased.
Luther’s Bondage of the Will: An Uncompromising Gospel
Desiderius Erasmus and many humanists had for a while held out hope for Luther’s call for reform and many of the reformers were themselves, to some degree, humanists.
Consider the Lobster
On episode TWENTY-TWO of Let the Bird Fly! Wade and Peter find themselves alone in the studio…no Ben, no guest, no kids.
History Isn’t Bunk
On episode TWENTY-ONE of Let the Bird Fly! the guys welcome Professor Sheena Finnigan to discuss the value of history (spoiler alert: she’s a professor of history).
Vocation – The Masks of God
On episode TWENTY of Let the Bird Fly! the guys welcome the Reverend Doctor Michael Berg to discuss the topic of vocation.
A Confessing Church
A confessing church is a church more worried about souls than appearances, family lines, or institutional bottom-lines.
Confessing Church
On episode NINETEEN of Let the Bird Fly! the guys clear the studio and just have a good ol’ conversation with themselves (no guests or kids around this time).
Luther's Heidelberg Disputation
Ultimately, however, we find in the Heidelberg Disputation the root and core of Luther’s theology, which he would build and expound upon throughout his life.
The Guys Get (classically) Educated
On episode NINETEEN of Let the Bird Fly! the guys clear the studio and just have a good ol’ conversation with themselves (no guests or kids around this time).
Beware the Sky is Falling!
On episode SEVENTEEN of Let the Bird Fly! Wade breaks out on his own providing an expanded discussion of his blog post Beware the Fearmonger.
Lord, To Whom Shall We Go?
Yet, just as the Jews had two choices, true God or no God, the Christian has the same, true Jesus or no Jesus.
We’re All Gonna Die: Ars moriendi
On episode SEVENTEEN of Let the Bird Fly! Wade breaks out on his own providing an expanded discussion of his blog post Beware the Fearmonger.
The Guys Get Witchcraft
On episode FIFTEEN of Let the Bird Fly! we welcome Dr. Aaron Palmer, who holds his M.A. in History from Marquette University and his Ph.D. in History from Georgetown University.
A Tale of Two Synods
On episode FOURTEEN of Let the Bird Fly! we welcome Dr. Mark Braun back to discuss Lutheranism in America, and especially the split between the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (and, as Professor Teigen would point…
The Guys Talk Being Dads
On episode THIRTEEN of Let the Bird Fly! the guys are all back together again with a couple of Wade’s children joining them in the studio.
An Uncompromising Gospel
On episode TWELVE of Let the Bird Fly! Peter takes the reigns and welcomes into the studio professor, pastor, softball coach, and author Wade Johnston to discuss Dr. Johnston’s recently published book An Uncompromising Gospel: Lutheranism’s First Identity Crisis and…
Beware the Fearmonger
It seems like the sky is falling every other day now. From politics to culture to religion to about anything else, there’s one purported cataclysm after another on the horizon.
Law and Gospel (A first pass)
On episode ELEVEN of Let the Bird Fly! the guys make a first pass at that central question of Christian theology: Law and Gospel.
The Festival of Pentecost
On episode TEN of Let the Bird Fly! we welcome Rev. Tyler Peil back (via Skype) for the second part of our two-part series.
Ascended to be Nearer to Us
On episode NINE of Let the Bird Fly! we welcome Rev. Tyler Peil via Skype for a two-part series to discuss the Ascension of our Lord and Pentecost.
When the Last Becomes First, and First Becomes Last
You are God’s people. Yet you are nothing in the world’s sight. To be honest, often less than nothing. Don’t feel bad, I’m nothing with you.
The Guys Get Maths (and Nick possibly jeopardizes his future)
On episode SEVEN of Let the Bird Fly! we welcome Dr. Kristi Meyer to discuss math…or maths…well, numbers, or actually Dr. Meyer says, math without numbers.
The Lord’s Dogs Aren’t Too Proud to Beg
Jesus didn’t lie. He was called to preach to Israel. He would send His disciples out into the world. But that didn’t mean His message wasn’t for all.
The Guys Get Physics (and Ally takes a stand against baby eating)
On episode SIX of Let the Bird Fly! we welcome Dr. Kerry Kuehn to discuss science, and in particular physics.
The Time Between the Testaments
On episode Five of Let the Bird Fly! we welcome Dr. Mark Braun to discuss the intertestamental period.
Stepping Outside the Fortress
On episode four of Let the Bird Fly! we discuss crossing disciplines and engaging those outside our circles (whatever those circles might be) along with the benefits and the dangers that presents.
Jesus, Be Jesus for Me
Jesus is many things. He’s an example. He’s a teacher. He’s a great thinker and philosopher. But He’s also so much more, and He’s one thing above all else: He is Jesus, Savior.
Holy Week from the Pulpit and the Pew
On episode three of Let the Bird Fly! we welcome our first (adult) guest, Rev. John Bortulin, to discuss Holy Week from the pulpit and the pew, touching on topics such as Passion Sunday and the Triduum.
The Human Condition
On episode TWO of Let the Bird Fly! we discuss time-zones, naps, recess, the story of the Fall in Genesis 3, the Human Condition, and probably far too much Kierkegaard.
Let the Bird Fly!
Welcome to Let the Bird Fly! a podcast about living freely in a world given back to us.
The Only Sane Man in Town
Who was this Jesus, who could do such things?
I do believe; help my unbelief!
We’ve been desperate—and it is a gift of God when we are, when we realize our lost condition!
Slaves of Sin Are Always 'Free' to Choose Deathly Things
Kierkegaard attempts to take us through Abraham’s mind as the patriarch prepares to sacrifice his son, his only son, his son whom he loves.
He Who is Risen Raises You
Then He went to the coffin. He touched it, like a carpenter sizing up the piece of wood He plans to turn into some sort of new creation, running His hand down its side.