Coffee With Hales

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.
Rachel's Tick Tock: https://www.tiktok.com/@rachelqueen__
Visit The Mingo Online: https://themingo.com 
The Mingo Blog: https://themingo.com/blog-homepage
The Mingo Insta: https://www.instagram.com/mingocoffeeandplay/?hl=en
 

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

Why do sincere Christians read the same Bible and come to different theological conclusions?
In Part 2 of this series, we're exploring **hermeneutics**—the science and art of interpreting Scripture—and why it serves as the foundation for our theology. We'll walk through the history of biblical interpretation, discuss how different hermeneutical approaches shape doctrines like Covenant Theology and Dispensationalism, and look at how culture has influenced the way Christians have read the Bible throughout history.
We discuss: • What hermeneutics is and why it matters • How hermeneutics shapes your theology • Covenant Theology vs. Dispensationalism • The major eras of hermeneutics • The influence of Greek philosophy, the early church, the Reformation, and modern culture • Why context is essential when reading Scripture • How to approach God's Word with humility while seeking the author's original intent
This series is about allowing Scripture to challenge our assumptions—not forcing Scripture to fit our culture or traditions. My hope is that these conversations encourage you to think critically, study deeply, and grow in your understanding of God's Word. *"But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil."* — Hebrews 5:14

How the Bible Challenged Everything I Thought I Knew (Hermeneutics 101) In this episode of Coffee with Hales, I’m kicking off a new series on how the Bible challenged everything I thought I knew by introducing biblical hermeneutics—how we interpret and apply Scripture. I talk about why the Bible isn’t about us but about Yahweh, and why remembering original audience, context, and literary genre matters more than treating verses like standalone quotes. I break down key terms like hermeneutics, exegesis vs. eisegesis, and explain how the Bible is organized (Torah, Tanakh, Gospels, letters) along with the role of chapters and verses. I also cover how English translations developed and compare word-for-word, phrase-for-phrase, and paraphrase Bibles with examples from Matthew 6:6 and Romans 8:28, ending with encouragement to keep studying without getting discouraged.
00:00 Welcome and Series Intro 00:43 Read for Yahweh 01:36 Bible Layout Basics 03:13 Torah Tanakh and Gospels04:54 Septuagint Explained 05:56 Hermeneutics Defined 07:18 Exegesis vs Eisegesis 08:48 How We Got Translations 11:52 Translation Types and Examples17:53 Keep Reading Closing Encouragement

Today we dive into Exodus 34:29–35, where Moses comes down Mount Sinai with his face shining from being with Yahweh and has to wear a veil, and then connect that story to Paul’s use of the veil in 2 Corinthians 3. We look at how the old covenant—written on stone and marked by condemnation and death—still carried real glory, but was temporary and fading, while the new covenant is written on human hearts by the Spirit and brings lasting, surpassing glory and freedom. We also touch on how the veil relates to spiritual blindness, the veil being removed in Christ, and how believers now shine with enduring light through the Holy Spirit. We close with practical reflection questions on how to “let your light shine” in everyday life and a quick update on an upcoming hands-on hermeneutics series.
 
00:00 Welcome and Setup 01:15 Moses Radiant Face 02:36 Why Corinthians Matters 04:28 New Covenant Explained 05:54 Circumcision of Heart 08:29 Moses Veil Meaning 12:12 Veil Removed in Christ 13:55 Unveiled Glory Today 15:56 Light of the World 17:25 Reflection Questions 19:23 Closing and Next Series

Responding to Jonathan Cahn: Blessing Israel, Prosperity Gospel, and Genesis 12.
In this casual voice-recorded episode of Coffee with Hales, I respond off the cuff to a Jonathan Cahn sermon about Israel, replacement theology, and end-times claims. I critique what I see as a manipulative “prosperity Israel promise,” where financial support for Israel is presented as a way to receive financial blessing, and refusal is framed as bringing a curse. I question what Scripture he’s using and examine Genesis 12, arguing it’s God’s call and promise to Abram, not a command for the church to financially bless modern Israel. I emphasize that the ultimate blessing promised to the nations is Jesus Christ and the gospel, not wealth, and invite you to research and push back as needed. 00:00 Casual Episode Setup00:07 Why Respond to Cahn 00:40 Bless Israel Claim 01:21 Prosperity Gospel Critique 02:54 Manipulation and Curses 07:06 Checking Genesis 1207:46 Christ as the Blessing08:13 Wrap Up and Challenge

Old Testament Law, the New Covenant, and Why We’re Not Required to Keep the Sabbath
In this episode of Coffee With Hales, I walk through what the Old Testament law (Torah) is, why the Sinai covenant was conditional for Israel, and why reading these laws requires audience relevancy and cultural context. I explain how the laws set Israel apart, often protected vulnerable people, and ultimately pointed forward to Jesus. Using passages from Matthew, Deuteronomy, Jeremiah, and Hebrews, I argue that Jesus fulfilled the law, making the old covenant obsolete, including the Sabbath as a requirement. I show how the New Testament summarizes God’s will as loving God and loving others, and how that shifts obedience from ritual to heart posture and action. I close with encouragement to live securely in the unconditional new covenant and three reflection questions about rituals, humility, and practically showing the gospel.
00:00 Welcome and Topic 00:23 Sinai Covenant Basics02:05 Reading Law in Context04:27 Torah Purpose and Scope06:48 Jesus Fulfills the Law 08:02 New Covenant Promised10:48 Law Obsolete and Sabbath12:25 Greatest Commandment14:52 Love in Practice 17:33 Living Water in Dark Times 20:11 Reflection and Farewell