Thinking Allowed with Michael Wilson

Michael Wilson
  • 5.0 (1)
  • CHRISTIANITY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

"Thinking Allowed" fearlessly delves into discussions about the journey of following Jesus, the dynamics of the Church, theological concepts, and thought-provoking life challenges. No question is considered out of bounds, as thinking is allowed.

  1. 5D AGO

    Why Trying Harder is Making Your Faith Worse

    Many Christians were taught that if their faith feels heavy, the solution is always the same: pray more, read more, try harder.But no one ever tells you when it’s enough.That’s because the system most of us inherited doesn’t have a finish line.In this episode of Thinking Allowed, we examine the belief system that turns faith into an endless improvement project, one where effort replaces trust and rest starts to feel irresponsible.Jesus didn’t invite people to impress God.He invited them to trust Him.If your spiritual life feels exhausting, this conversation may help you name why, and give you permission to question a system that keeps asking for more but never offers peace.*Topics explored in this episode:*--Why “trying harder” often increases pressure instead of freedom--How faith quietly becomes performance without us noticing--Why the absence of “enough” creates spiritual anxiety--What Jesus actually meant when He invited the weary to restThis episode is for anyone who feels sincere, committed, and tired, and suspects the problem may not be their effort, but the framework they were given.Thinking Allowed S01E06📘 *FREE RESOURCE:*Ready to dig deeper? Download my free resource **Why Trying Harder Is Making Your Faith Worse**: https://michaelwilson.org/ta-bonuses⛪ *JOIN OUR COMMUNITY:*If you’re in the West Tennessee area, join us at Renovatus Church—a space for the misfits, the dreamers, and the discontent. 📍 202 East Court St, Dyersburg, TN (The Community Church's youth room) Sundays @ 6:00 PM 🌐 Website: https://renovatus.org/✨ *CONNECT WITH MICHAEL:*Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelWilson70If this conversation resonates, hit the like button and share your thoughts on this topic in the comments below.#SpiritualAnxiety#RestInChrist#FaithNotPerformance#ChristianLiving

    19 min

  2. JAN 30

    Why “I’m Sorry” Isn’t Repentance

    Are you stuck in a never-ending cycle of guilt, shame, and "altar call" promises you can’t seem to keep?For many of us, we were taught that repentance means shrinking, groveling, and beating ourselves up until we feel "sorry enough" for God to accept us. But what if that version of repentance isn’t actually biblical? What if it’s actually a religious tool that keeps us stuck in a cycle of performance rather than leads us to true freedom?.In this episode, Michael Wilson dismantles the cultural Christianity "shame-loop" and explores the radical, original meaning of the word Metanoia.In this video, we discuss:-- The "Saved Every Sunday" Cycle: Why emotional responses at an altar don't always lead to transformation.-- Why the Greek word metanoia means "to change your mind" or "reorient your thinking," not just to feel sorry.-- How Romans 2:4 proves that God’s goodness—not the threat of hell—is what lead us to change.-- How Jesus treated people like Zacchaeus and the woman caught in adultery with inclusion and clarity rather than demands for groveling.-- A Daily Practice: A simple question to help you shift from "What did I do wrong?" to "What am I believing that isn't true?".📘 *FREE RESOURCE:*Ready to dig deeper? Download my free guide **Repentance Reconsidered**: https://michaelwilson.org/ta-bonuses⛪ *JOIN OUR COMMUNITY:*If you’re in the West Tennessee area, join us at Renovatus Church—a space for the misfits, the dreamers, and the discontent. 📍 202 East Court St, Dyersburg, TN (The Community Church's youth room) Sundays @ 6:00 PM 🌐 Website: https://renovatus.org/✨ *CONNECT WITH MICHAEL:*Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelWilson70Share your story in the comments—I’d love to hear from you!#ChurchHurt #Deconstruction #SpiritualAbuse #Repentance #Metanoia #ThinkingAloud #CulturalChristianity #Grace #ReligiousTrauma

    21 min

  3. JAN 22

    You Can’t Lose What Doesn’t Belong to You.

    Jesus was constantly in the wrong places with the wrong people—at least according to the religious experts. We often treat "the lost" like a category of people to fix, a project to manage, or a problem to solve. But what if being lost isn’t about your worth, but about your belonging?In this episode, we’re dismantling the "sin management" version of Christianity to look at the heart of Jesus. Through the stories of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the two sons, we expose the flaw in how we view outsiders. Because for something to be lost, it must first belong.In this video, we discuss:--Why "lostness" is about displacement, not defiance.--The danger of being lost inside the house (the older brother syndrome).--Shifting our lens from "fixing" people to making room at the table.--How God searches for you not out of anger, but because you matter.Stop living like a servant for what already belongs to you. It’s time to think your way to freedom.📘 *FREE RESOURCE:*Ready to dig deeper? Download my free guide Lost Things Matter: https://michaelwilson.org/ta-bonuses

    23 min

  4. JAN 16

    Is Your 'Holiness' Just Fear in Disguise?

    "If holiness means separation, why did Jesus keep crossing the lines?"For years, many of us were taught that holiness meant distance. Distance from "the world," distance from messy people, and distance from anything that felt morally complicated. But what if the "holiness" we practiced was actually just fear management in disguise?In this episode of Thinking Aloud, I’m getting brutally honest about how holiness has been weaponized into spiritual isolation. I share my own journey of moving away from a performance-based, fearful faith toward a version of holiness that isn't fragile—a holiness that actually looks like Jesus.We’re breaking down:-- How "staying uncontaminated" became a tool for control.-- Why Jesus was known as the "friend of sinners" while many of us have no non-Christian friends.-- The difference between being "set apart" and being isolated.-- Why your holiness isn’t something that can be "shattered" by the world.If you’ve ever felt like a spiritual misfit or a "burnt stone" trying to find your place in a rigid system, this conversation is for you. It’s time to stop seeing people as projects and start seeing holiness as a devotion to love, not a retreat from humanity.📘 *FREE RESOURCE:*Ready to dig deeper? Download my free guide *Holiness without Walls*: https://michaelwilson.org/ta-bonusesTime Stamps00.00 -- Introduction 01:16 -- Naming the Problem: Holiness has been weaponized.05:57 -- Exposing the Flaw: Separation was never the point.14:01 -- Reform the Belief: Holiness is not separation from people.17:13 -- Practice: Who, or what, have I been avoiding?21:00 -- Closing Reflection: Jesus didn't come to separate us from humanity.#ThinkingAloud #Deconstruction #Holiness #CulturalChristianity #SpiritualMisfits #Jesus #FaithJourney #Legalism

    25 min

  5. JAN 8

    The "Gospel" of Fear is a Lie

    Is your faith fueled by a "low-grade constant anxiety" about disappointing God? For many, modern Christianity has operated on a diet of dread, using fear of judgment or the "threat of hell" to enforce obedience. But if fear is the engine of your faith, something is wrong with the story you’ve been told.In this episode of Thinking Allowed, host Michael Wilson dismantles the bad belief systems that keep us stuck in behavior management. We’re exposing why fear-based preaching produces "rotten fruit"—like performance, shame, and legalism—and how to reconstruct a faith built on the radical truth that the Gospel begins with belonging.In this video, we discuss:-- Why fear-based Christianity is not the true Gospel.-- The difference between "Judge-centered" and "Father-centered" views of God.-- How religious trauma uses fear to silence questions and enforce conformity.-- The "Luke 15 Principle": Why you belong to God even when you feel lost.-- Practical steps to break the cycle of performance-based religion.If you are a spiritual misfit, a burnt stone, or someone walking through church deconstruction, this conversation is for you. It’s time to move from compliance to freedom.📘 *FREE RESOURCE:*Ready to dig deeper? Download my free guide to help you overcome fear-based Christianity and reclaim your identity as a beloved child of God: https://michaelwilson.org/ta-bonuses✨ *CONNECT WITH MICHAEL:*Facebook: facebook.com/MichaelWilson70Share your story in the comments—I’d love to hear from you!Time Stamps00.00 -- Introduction 01:25 -- Naming the Problem: Fear has become the engine of faith.04:28 -- Exposing the Flaw: Fear produces rotten fruit11:44 -- Reform the Belief: The Gospel begins with belonging.18:14 -- Practice: What am I afraid God will do to me right now?22:40 -- Closing Reflection: The Gospel creates sons and daughters#ReligiousTrauma #ChurchHurt #Deconstruction #SpiritualMisfit #GospelOfGrace #ThinkingAllowed #Christianity #FaithOverFear #RenovateChurch

    27 min

  6. JAN 1

    Does God Get Tired of Your Mistakes?

    If you've ever struggled with religious shame or performance-based faith, this is the message you need to hear.That belief quietly shapes how millions of Christians pray, relate to God, and view themselves. It produces shame, insecurity, and a constant sense of letting God down.In this episode of Thinking Allowed, we confront that belief head-on.We examine why disappointment is the wrong category for understanding God’s posture, why Jesus never treated people with disappointed distance, and how grief over destructive choices is not the same as being disappointed in someone’s identity.This episode directly addresses:- Why many Christians feel God is frustrated with them- The difference between divine grief and human disappointment- What Scripture actually means when God “grieves” or “regrets”- How Cultural Christianity creates performance-based faith- Why Jesus reveals a God who moves toward broken people, not away- How to stop living under religious shame and start living from unionIf you’ve ever felt like you’re constantly letting God down, this conversation will challenge that assumption and help you rethink how God actually relates to you.In This Episode You’ll Learn:- Why disappointment assumes unmet expectations God never had- How Jesus proves God’s posture toward sinners and strugglers- What to do with difficult Scriptures in Jeremiah and the prophets- Why God confronts actions without attacking identity- How to replace self-criticism with curiosity- What a healthy “return posture” looks like in real lifeReflection Question:Where did you first learn that God was disappointed in you?📘 *FREE RESOURCE:*Ready to dig deeper? Download my free guide Holiness without Walls: https://michaelwilson.org/ta-bonusesChapters02:05 – Naming the Problem: The belief that God’s default posture is disappointment03:47 – Exposing the Flaw: Why disappointment requires unmet expectations13:35 – Reforming the Belief: Union, not performance, shapes God’s posture17:07 – Practice: Living as Someone God Is Not Disappointed In21:12 – Reflection Question & Closing

    24 min

  7. 05/14/2025

    The Great Divide – Worship, Judgment, and the Final Call

    Revelation 14 isn't just about the distant future – it's a powerful glimpse into God's judgment against Jerusalem in the first century and the establishment of His everlasting kingdom. This chapter captures the clash of two covenants, the faithful remnant who stood with the Lamb, and the impending judgment on a world that rejected Him. Join me as we explore the powerful symbolism of the 144,000, the final call of the everlasting gospel, and the great harvest that forever changed the world.🔔 Subscribe for more deep dives into Revelation and practical faith insights.💬 Let’s Talk! Share your thoughts in the comments.🔔 Subscribe for more inspiring content. If you're interested in learning more about the Renovatus, the church I pastor, check out: https://renovatus.org/To learn more about me and my personal ministry check out my website at: https://michaelwilson.orgEmail me at: michael@michaelwilson.org#BibleStudy #Revelation #EndTimes #KingdomOfGod #Faith #Truth

    54 min

  8. 05/08/2025

    The Two Beasts and the Mark

    Understanding Revelation: Demystifying a Mystical Book.Revelation 13 is one of the most controversial and misunderstood chapters in the entire Bible. It talks about beasts rising from the sea and the earth, the mysterious number 666, and the infamous “mark of the beast.” But what does it actually mean — and why does it matter today?In this deep-dive video, we unpack Revelation 13 in plain language. We’ll explore the symbols, context, and message behind the text — and how it speaks to our modern world. Whether you're worried about end-times prophecy, curious about the Antichrist, or skeptical of religious fear tactics, this video is for you.👀 Here’s what we cover:-- Who or what are the two beasts in Revelation 13?-- Is the "mark of the beast" a microchip, a vaccine, or something deeper?-- What does 666 really mean in the Bible?-- How power, deception, and worship play into this prophecy-- Why this message still matters for followers of Jesus todayThis channel is for misfits, seekers, and those who've been hurt by church but still crave truth. If you’re spiritually restless and looking for real talk, not religious hype, hit play — and let’s dive into Revelation like never before.🧭 Subscribe for more biblical breakdowns, spiritual encouragement, and fresh takes on faith.#Revelation13 #MarkOfTheBeast #EndTimesProphecy #BibleStudy #ChristianYouTube #SpiritualMisfits #BookOfRevelation If you're interested in learning more about the Renovatus, the church I pastor, check out: https://renovatus.org/To learn more about me and my personal ministry check out my website at: https://michaelwilson.orgEmail me at: michael@michaelwilson.org

    41 min
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"Thinking Allowed" fearlessly delves into discussions about the journey of following Jesus, the dynamics of the Church, theological concepts, and thought-provoking life challenges. No question is considered out of bounds, as thinking is allowed.

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