Inquisitive Disciples

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Well, friends—here we are! I’m so excited (and admittedly a little nervous!) to finally introduce **Inquisitive Disciples**—a new space for women who have questions about Christianity, Scripture, and what they’ve been taught, but sometimes feel like they’re not supposed to ask them.
 
I believe we can pursue intellectual honesty and faithfulness to Yahweh at the same time.
 
Here, we’re going to ask questions, examine Scripture, consider historical and cultural context, research difficult topics, and wrestle with the things that don’t always fit neatly into a Sunday school answer. Because sometimes the honest response is, Hmmmm… how do I make sense of this?”
 
And that’s okay.
 
We may not always have the answers. We may even change our minds as we learn. But we can keep seeking, keep researching, keep wrestling, and allow Scripture to shape us along the way.
 
Most importantly, I believe Yahweh is not threatened by our questions.
 
*Inquisitive Disciples* will include Bible studies, devotionals, podcast series, newsletters, and other resources designed to help us dig deeper into Scripture and pursue knowing Yahweh more—not simply collecting answers, but learning who He is and how we are called to live. The podcast will launch with an **8-week series**, with a new episode each week, followed by a short two-week break before the next series begins.
 
Thank you for being here at the very beginning. I’m genuinely excited to see where Yahweh takes this—and where He takes me as I continue learning what it means to be an inquisitive disciple. So, let’s roll up our sleeves and get started. 
 
Welcome to Inquisitive Disciples!

On this episode of Coffee with Hales, I share a three-year milestone, the heart behind why I started my podcast, and why I’m facing a rebrand.
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00:00 Welcome and Milestone 00:42 Why I Started Podcasting 01:14 Grief and Healing Journey 03:16 Channel Evolves and Rebrand 04:04 Two Passions Two Audiences 05:55 Upcoming Changes and Break 06:51 Gear Problems and Support 08:27 Gratitude and See You Soon

On this episode of Coffee with Hales, we talk about what happens when the Bible doesn’t look as perfect as we thought, including how Scripture was copied, translated, transmitted, and preserved by humans. We discuss textual variants, what textual criticism is, and why differences between manuscripts (like spelling, word order, or even larger passages) don’t erase the Bible’s overall message. We also look at why the Gospels sometimes tell the same events differently, how authors wrote for different audiences, and why we should read Scripture in its original context. The episode encourages asking hard questions instead of walking away from faith.
00:00 Fragile Faith Foundations 00:35 Welcome Back and Big Questions 02:09 God Partners With Humans 04:40 From Oral Tradition to Scrolls 06:57 Textual Variants Explained 11:34 Famous New Testament Variants 12:41 Why Gospels Differ 18:59 Hermeneutics and Audience Context 20:50 Encouragement for Doubters 22:06 Thanks and Farewell

In this Coffee with Hales episode, Haley Hales interviews her friend Haley Graham as part of the Living Intentionally series. Haley Graham shares her faith background, frequent childhood moves, and how her relationship with Jesus became personal through homeschooling, Liberty University, and community. She describes a difficult 2025 season working in applied behavior analysis with children who had severe needs, how God sustained her, and how stepping out in obedience led her to begin a doctorate and transition into a new role as an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Liberty. They discuss the importance of letting Scripture shape theology, finding church community at Altru City, mentoring through figure skating, and practical habits for quiet time, including pairing Bible reading with coffee and using carefully sourced AI tools for study. Haley offers advice on discerning calling by returning to salvation, evaluating spiritual gifts, dreaming with God, and practicing small acts of obedience.
00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:36 Season of Renewal 01:54 Early Faith and Moving02:53 Making Faith Personal 03:41 Liberty Years and Community 05:36 Studies and Career Path 06:30 Bible Study and Hermeneutics 07:59 Finding Altru City Church 09:12 Leaving Job and Doctorate Leap 13:49 Skating Coaching and Mentorship 16:17 Gods Providence in Career 19:15 Why Psychology Not Accounting 19:43 Major Switch Moment 20:13 Rejecting Counseling Track 20:53 Starting With Kids 21:28 Hard Cases Real Costs 22:27 Faith Through Stumbling 23:20 Lives Truly Transformed 25:30 Teaching Compassion Skills 26:08 Finding Your Calling 28:56 Habits For Quiet Time 31:29 AI For Bible Study 36:20 Monotony To Renewal 37:34 Final Encouragement Farewell

3 Viral Bible Verses, 1 Hermeneutic Lens (Isaiah 6, Psalm 137, Mark 3) In this Coffee with Hales episode, I continue my series on how reading the Bible chronologically challenged my assumptions and pushed me toward sound hermeneutics—letting theology come from Scripture (exegesis) instead of reading my views into it (eisegesis). I review key terms (hermeneutics, Tanakh, Septuagint, exegesis/eisegesis) and then apply them to three examples: an ICE recruitment video using “Here am I, send me” (Isaiah 6) outside its divine-commission context; a critique of Psalm 137’s “dash their infants” line, explained as poetic imprecatory lament tied to Israel’s retributive justice framework; and a Pride-related claim that Jesus breaking Sabbath rules means we should break moral law, addressed through Mark 3 and the Sabbath’s purpose. I end by inviting respectful discussion and sharing upcoming episodes and a garden tour. 00:00 Series Setup
01:47 Hermeneutics Basics 02:24 Text History Terms 04:24 Exegesis Versus Eisegesis 05:36 ICE Recruitment Verse 06:46 Isaiah 6 In Context 10:23 Application Not Propaganda 12:10 Psalm 137 Controversy 15:41 Poetry And Retribution 19:51 Pride Video Claim 21:17Sabbath Healing Context 25:42 Wrap Up And Next Steps

In this episode of Coffee with Hales, Haley sits down with her sister-in-law Abbie during a busy July 4th family gathering to continue the Living Intentionally series. Abbie shares what it was like growing up in a large family, how she first learned about Jesus through her missionary grandparents, and how her faith deepened after leaving home and attending Word of Life and other colleges. She talks about meeting and marrying her husband Luke, how marriage challenged her spiritual maturity through daily selflessness, and how motherhood has shaped her patience and priorities. Abbie explains why they chose to homeschool, how co-ops and activities support their kids, and offers practical encouragement for getting Scripture into family life by leading through example. She also discusses focusing less on social media, being present at home, and valuing thoughtful theological conversations that drive her back to Scripture.
 
00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro
00:32 First Meeting Memories
01:30 Growing Up in a Big Family
03:19 Early Faith Foundations
04:38 College and Spiritual Growth
06:12 Meeting Luke and Dating
07:39 Marriage and Spiritual Maturity
09:54 Motherhood in the Thick of It
11:53 Why We Homeschool
14:11 Raising Kids in the Word
15:31 What Matters Most Now
16:52 Theology Debates and Family Unity
18:28 Final Thanks and Goodbye

Hermeneutics: Why Context Matters (and How to Stop Taking Verses Out of Context) In today’s Coffee with Hales episode, I’m continuing my hermeneutics series by focusing on why context matters when interpreting and applying the Bible. I talk through different kinds of context—historical, cultural, author/audience, paragraph-level, and even grammatical—and why chapter and verse breaks aren’t divinely inspired. I use Galatians 3:28, Jeremiah 29:11, and Philippians 4:13 as examples of how verses get ripped out of context and reshaped to say what we want. I also unpack what it really means to “take the Bible literally” by considering genre, metaphors, and idioms, and I share how these principles can challenge our theology (including end times and the free will/predestination debate). I close by encouraging you to evaluate theological disagreements by examining the hermeneutics behind them. 

Hermeneutics: Cultural & Historical Context (Water to Wine, Deuteronomy 21, Good Samaritan) 
In this episode of Coffee with Hales, I continue the hermeneutics series by explaining why audience relevancy, context, and cultural/historical background matter when interpreting Scripture, and I contrast exegesis (letting the text lead) with eisegesis (reading assumptions into the text). I walk through Jesus turning water into wine as an honor/shame, hospitality-focused crisis at a week-long wedding, then discuss Deuteronomy 21:10–14 using insights from Dr. Kate McCoy to show how the law addressed practices in the ancient world and protected captive women with wife status and agency. I also revisit the Good Samaritan to highlight that “neighbor” includes an arch enemy, and I close by framing Jesus’ healings as both physical and social/spiritual restoration for the ritually unclean. 
https://women.lifeway.com/2023/05/15/marked-katie-j-mccoy/ https://cckc.church/podcast/women-in-biblical-law-katie-mccoy/

 In this episode of Coffee With Hales, I sit down with my friend Rachel to talk about living intentionally through every season. We share how she went from a strict faith upbringing and teaching through COVID to becoming a mom, walking through grief, and building The Mingo Coffee and Play as a space for community. Rachel also opens up about leading worship, finding freedom in her faith, and the “glass balls vs. rubber balls” mindset for prioritizing what can’t be dropped. We end with encouragement for moms and anyone starting something new to listen to what the Lord is asking in the season you’re in.
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Hermeneutics Part 3: Exegesis vs Eisegesis, Biblical Meditation, and Cultural Context
In this episode of Coffee with Hales (Hermeneutics Part 3), I review key terms like Torah/Pentateuch, Tanakh, and the Septuagint, then explain hermeneutics as both a science and an art. I break down eisegesis (reading my assumptions into the text) versus exegesis (letting the text speak from its original context) and why hermeneutics should shape theology rather than the other way around. I also explore the Bible as ancient Jewish meditation literature using Psalm 1 and show how repeated meditation reveals layers of meaning, including the “parting waters” theme from creation through Exodus and into baptism symbolism. Finally, I highlight how understanding ancient Hebrew collectivist, honor-shame, patriarchal culture clarifies difficult passages, using levirate marriage and Tamar as examples of protection and covenant faithfulness.
00:00 Welcome and Series Recap
00:22 Key Bible Terms
01:47 Hermeneutics Explained
02:13 Eisegesis vs Exegesis
03:57 Bible as Meditation Literature
05:12 Psalm 1 and Spiritual Growth
06:39 Red Sea Layers and Baptism
09:48 Moving Beyond Childlike Faith
12:41 Culture Matters in Reading
14:27 Levirate Marriage Context
17:26 Honor Shame and Tamar Story
19:57 Closing and Next Episode