The Mapp
Life is a journey, and every journey needs a guide—or at least a good story. Welcome to The Mapp, hosted by Michael Pursley, where we navigate the messy, beautiful business of being human. The podcast's name is a nod to both Michael A. Pursley Podcast and the "maps of meaning" that help us find our way in life. Born during the stillness of the COVID-19 lockdowns, The Mapp emerged from Michael’s hunger for understanding. Inspired by long-form conversations that spark insights and refine ideas, Michael dives into deep, authentic dialogues with curiosity and humor. From life’s profound mysteries to its absurdities, nothing is off-limits. Each episode unearths the treasure of human stories: wisdom, laughter, and moments of profound connection. At its core, The Mapp is about the human story. It’s a place where problems shrink, purpose grows, and laughter and revelation often arrive hand in hand. For Michael, the podcast is more than a platform—it’s a mission. It’s an effort to create a space where wisdom is shared, ideas are tested, and hearts are healed. Whether through a profound insight or an unexpected laugh, Michael hopes listeners walk away from The Mapp with a sense that they, too, are part of a bigger story—one that is still being written and, in the words of another great storyteller, echoes through eternity.
Episodes
What if the end of faith isn’t merely obedience, but union — not just serving God, but becoming one with Him?
In this soul-stretching conversation, Tim Churchward returns to walk with us through the wild, often tangled forest of Christian expression. We speak not of buildings or brands, but of ecclesia — ...
What does it mean to pursue the divine across cultures, languages, and spiritual traditions—and can we do so without losing the anchor of truth?
In this rich and reverent conversation, Michael sits down with Johnny Ganta—a man shaped by the soil of India, the skyline of Dubai, the individual freedoms of Americ...
What if your suffering isn’t a detour—but the very road you’re meant to walk?
In this reflective devotional, I share the defining loss of my early life: both of my parents gone by the age of five. That rupture didn’t just take them—it shattered the basic assumption that life is safe, that the world is predicta...
What happens when the map you’ve been following leads you astray?
This meditation explores the unsettling experience of being lost not just physically, but on a much deeper level: spiritually and emotionally. We confront that quiet, creeping realization that despite all our efforts, we’ve been heading in ...
What happens when the Church trades the slow, sacred work of forming souls for the quick, efficient business of managing consumers?
In this episode, we wrestle with a pressing question: how has the industrial spirit once meant to build economies crept into the heart of the modern church, reshaping worship, c...
What if your charity is doing more harm than good?
In this honest and unsettling conversation, Michael Pursley and Ethan Bricker take a hard look at poverty—not just as an economic condition, but as a deeply human struggle shaped by broken systems, generational patterns, and misunderstood virtues.
This isn’t ab...
Have you ever grappled with the idea that forgiveness might hold the key to your own liberation? In this episode, we set out on a journey—one part introspection, one part revelation—to untangle the deep truths of forgiveness, trust, and the fragile architecture of human relationships. With the ever-curious an...
What if unlocking the full scope of human potential means embracing the great paradox within us: the delicate dance between logic and intuition, the left and right hemispheres of our minds? Join Johnny Ganta and Michael Pursley in a rich, thought-provoking dialogue from 2020 that transcends borders—both cultu...
What does it mean to lose the people you love most—and to find meaning in the aftermath? This episode is a raw and reflective conversation with my long-time mentor and a spiritual father, Jim Kelly. Jim, a retired United Methodist minister who has walked alongside me for years, joins me to explore the depths ...
What happens when a top-performing salesman trades his commission checks for a life of service? Meet Ethan Bricker, a man who stepped off the fast track of professional success to plunge headlong into full-time ministry. In this episode, we follow Ethan’s remarkable journey, peeling back the layers of identit...
Can the flawed anti-hero teach us more about ourselves than the classic hero? Join us for an illuminating conversation with Tim Churchward as we challenge the traditional good-versus-evil narrative by examining the rise of the anti-hero archetype. We explore how these complex, morally ambiguous characters res...
Dive into an eye-opening conversation with Tim Churchward as we tackle some of the biggest challenges in today’s culture head-on. We dig deep into the societal pressures that shape our identities and beliefs, calling out biases and assumptions we don’t even realize we carry. From the impact of social media on...
Can forgiveness truly liberate us from the shackles of bitterness, and how can the crucifixion be transformed into a symbol of hope? Join us as we welcome back Tim Churchward, a pastor with a unique perspective rooted in history, philosophy, and social work. Tim's insights challenge our understanding of ...
This is a brief introduction to the heart of what this podcast is about. I originally launched this podcast in 2020 during the pandemic stuck in an apartment in Bavaria Germany during lockdowns. I have a good amount of archived content I will cycle out as well as new content underway.
The Mapp is de...
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