Meet Ryan Miller | Brew Theology Co-Director, Pastor!

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ryan Miller and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ryan, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
As someone that spend most of my adult years working vocationally in the institutional church, I realized that people were looking for a different kind of community outside of conventional religious groups. I enjoy community, beer and theology. People across the western world visit pubs and coffee houses in droves. And fluid conversation always happens in a bar or a coffee house. That being said, I have had multiple people tell me that the kind of honest and raw conversations being held at these venues are lacking substance and intentional focus for many individuals. Sure, there’s a lot of prosting going on; it’s a lot of fun and real, but there’s something missing. On the other hand, there is another kind of prosting going on in religious circles, but it often lacks diversity. And it is one tribe doing its own echo-chamber thing without the “other.” These venues often lack the rawness, honesty and diverse vulnerability that are typically offered in a pub or a coffee house. Brew Theology brings both worlds together. We passionately prost with fierce loyalty amongst friends and strangers across the open table. We live in divided and unsettling times. Brew Theology offers new hope.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
We like to bring all kinds of people around the table to talk about things in life that really matter.

Folks get tired of all the division that is going on right now. We’re here to help. At Brew Theology we build conversation around some basic (easier said than done!) principles like… “Don’t be a jerk.”

We often hear the common phrase or read the bumper sticker, “Co-Exist.” This slogan may come across as naïve or too idealistic. Some may think it’s flirting with disaster. Yet, to others, it is a true heartbeat and mission for a world that needs healing. Can we co-exist and actually try to work stuff out with those with a vastly different belief system? We think it’s not only possible, but it’s practically doable in a pub or a coffee house context. The possibilities are limitless when we start with our sacred bond of shared humanity while eye-balling one another as a neighbor, no longer as strangers.

“Is this real?”

“Can I seriously be honest here?”

“Wait. Where’s the bait and switch?”

“For real? This is legit?”

So many people assume that what is happening in these Brew Theology communities is not real, or there’s some kind of hidden agenda. For many of our people, they’ve experienced so much hurt and pain from many leaders and “friends” in the religious establishment that they are waiting for the shoe to drop. One can sense the insecure, defensive walls, and then one begins to hear the continuous stories that inevitably unfold once the relationship is there – the walls begin to fall down! John and Jane went to Church X and something bad happened to them. They are now looking to find a place of belonging, but a place much different from the last place that promised safe “belonging.” Disenfranchised and deconstructing folks are looking for a place of peace. Dejected yet sacred humans are looking to be unconditionally loved no matter where they stand across the theological, political, economic, racial, sexual and gender spectrum. That is something worth prosting over, my friends.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
When talking about Waco, you gotta check out Baylor University; we’ve got one of the most exciting athletic programs in the country right now. I know that everyone wants to go to the Silos (those Magnolia cupcakes are amazing!), but Waco has a lot of beauty most miss. Cameron Park, and the Brazos River. Lake Waco is awesome. The downtown area has great spots such as Waco Ale Co., Union Hall, Barnett’s pub, Z’s at the Curry, and much more.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The Denver community where it all started!

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