This episode originally aired on July 20, 2020, and trust me when I say it is just as timely and relevant today, in January of 2023, as it was then. Pastor and author Ashlee Eiland and her husband, Delwin, are both on staff at Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, MI where Delwin leads worship and … Continue reading Episode 179 – Ashlee Eiland (re-release!)
Episode 169 – Soong-Chan Rah
Soong-Chan Rah is a professor at Fuller Theological Seminary (I took a course with him and it was a total blast!). He has also served in ministry as a pastor and studied American Evangelicalism. One of the topics Soong-Chan is known for is the church and social justice. In Return to Justice, he explores the … Continue reading Episode 169 – Soong-Chan Rah
Episode 167 – Jim Wallis
The one and only Jim Wallis is on the podcast! Most recently Jim came on as the director of the Center on Faith + Justice at Georgetown University. He and I met over the summer when the Center hosted its inaugural summer academy and I was blessed enough to attend. For those who may not … Continue reading Episode 167 – Jim Wallis
Episode 155 – Sandra Maria Van Opstal
What a joy to speak with Sandra Van Opstal again for the podcast! This time we talked about her timeless book that's getting a new release, The Next Worship. Originally published in 2016, this message is as relevant for the church today as it was when it first appeared in bookstores (in some ways, maybe … Continue reading Episode 155 – Sandra Maria Van Opstal
Episode 154 – Dr. Dwight Radcliff
Dr. Dwight Radcliff is the academic dean for the William E. Pannell Center for Black Church Studies at Fuller Seminary (and one of my favorite professors!). Last term, I took his class on the Theology of Hip Hop Culture and it was life-altering (I don't say that lightly!). As Christians, not just those of training … Continue reading Episode 154 – Dr. Dwight Radcliff
Episode 153 – Lamar Hardwick
This is a re-release of an incredible conversation I had with pastor Lamar Hardwick in February of 2021. In honor of Disability Pride Month, I wanted to share this episode again because Lamar's work in this space challenged me in my theology like nothing else had until that point. Lamar Hardwick, aka The Autism Pastor, is … Continue reading Episode 153 – Lamar Hardwick
Episode 152 – Phil Allen, Jr.
To say I am moved by this conversation and project by Phil Allen, Jr. would be an understatement. Phil Allen, Jr. is an author, speaker, filmmaker, PhD candidate, friend, and incredibly generous advocate. When, as an adult, he first heard the truth about his grandfather's tragic death that took place in 1953, he knew the … Continue reading Episode 152 – Phil Allen, Jr.
Episode 150 – Jason Porterfield
What a pleasure to read Jason Porterfield's book and to have him on the podcast! Jason, who has written Fight Like Jesus, describes himself as an aspiring peacemaker which is exactly how I know many of us would love to be identified! In this conversation, we talked about the concept that Jesus' last week on … Continue reading Episode 150 – Jason Porterfield
Episode 148 – Eric Costanzo
Eric Costanzo is a pastor in my home state of Oklahoma! Together with previous guest, Matt Soerens, and Daniel Yang, he has written a fantastic book called Inalienable about how imperative it is for the American church to engage and learn from the global church, especially from voices we have historically sought to marginalize. We … Continue reading Episode 148 – Eric Costanzo
Episode 144 – Gail Song Bantum & Brian Bantum
Gail Song Bantum, lead pastor of Quest Church in Seattle, WA and Brian Bantum, Theologian in Residence, joined me in a conversation on their newest book, Choosing Us. Having been married 25 years and in vocational ministry almost as long, they have learned a thing or two about navigating their relationship in this "world of … Continue reading Episode 144 – Gail Song Bantum & Brian Bantum
Episode 143 – J.W. Buck
J.W. (Josh) Buck is the Executive Director and one of the founders of Pax, a Christian organization designed to inspire and equip the next generation through slow, beautiful, Jesus-centered content created by people of color. While his first book is available for pre-order now (!), in this interview, we focused on his dissertation work on the … Continue reading Episode 143 – J.W. Buck
Episode 139 – Ines Franklin
Ines Franklin is a speaker, pastor, ministry leader, and graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary. All of these roles are ones her abuelita would have hoped and dreamed for Ines, but in her early adult life, they seemed unlikely. It wasn't until she had turned 40, with failed marriages behind her, that she found herself back … Continue reading Episode 139 – Ines Franklin
Episode 138 – Rev. Dr. Malcolm Foley
On March 29, 2022, President Biden signed into law the "Emmett Till Antilynching Act." While this is historic, it is also over 100 years and 200 failed votes in the making. There are mixed emotions following the bill's unanimous passing in the Senate and in light of the moment, I'm taking this opportunity to re-air … Continue reading Episode 138 – Rev. Dr. Malcolm Foley
Episode 136 – Shane Blackshear
Shane Blackshear is the host of Seminary Dropout podcast and the author of a new book full of wisdom from the life of civil rights leader and co-author John Perkins. Go and Do is a wonderful mingling of stories from the lives of John and Shane as well as practical, solid content to help us … Continue reading Episode 136 – Shane Blackshear
Episode 132 – Dennis Edwards
Dr. Dennis Edwards, professor of New Testament at North Park Seminary in Chicago, is on the podcast! His book, Might From the Margins, specifically addresses and encourages Christians who have found themselves marginalized within American Evangelicalism, including Christians of color and women. One of the things I appreciate most about this text and conversation is … Continue reading Episode 132 – Dennis Edwards
Episode 131 – Young-Sam Won
Dr. Young-Sam Won is the Associate Director of Ministry Formation and an Adjunct Professor of Old Testament at Dallas Theological Seminary. He's also a hoot to follow on Twitter! Sam loves to explore the topics of justice and ethnicity from a biblical (specifically Old Testament) perspective and I am here for it. In this conversation, … Continue reading Episode 131 – Young-Sam Won
Episode 130 – David Swanson
David Swanson is back on the podcast! David is the pastor of New Community Covenant Church in Chicago, the author of Rediscipling the White Church, and regularly speaks and writes on matters of racial justice and reconciliation. The last time David and I recorded was in October of 2020 and as you know a lot … Continue reading Episode 130 – David Swanson
Episode 129 – Natalia Kohn Rivera
Natalia Kohn Rivera is a pastor with InterVarsity's LeFe ministry and co-author of Hermanas. This beautiful book takes the journeys of 12 biblical women and explores them through the lenses of Latina women. In this conversation, Natalia and I discuss the importance of our ethnic identities and our faith as well as what it means … Continue reading Episode 129 – Natalia Kohn Rivera
Episode 127 – Sandra Maria Van Opstal
You do not have to be an Enneagram 8 (or even know what the Enneagram is) to enjoy this episode! Sandra Maria Van Opstal has written an incredible devotional as part of a series published by InterVarsity Press called Forty Days on Being an Eight. The point of our conversation in this episode was not … Continue reading Episode 127 – Sandra Maria Van Opstal
Episode 126 – April Fiet
April Fiet is a pastor and author of The Sacred Pulse: Holy Rhythms for Overwhelmed Souls. In this conversation we explore the daily, weekly, and yearly rhythms of life. God has given us this sacred pulse in his generosity, both modeled in creation and, in order to help us sustain this abundant life. From the … Continue reading Episode 126 – April Fiet
Episode 124 – Dan Stringer
Dan Stringer is a pastor in Hawai'i and the author of Struggling with Evangelicalism. Like many of us who grew up in American evangelicalism, Dan recognizes the problems. But he doesn't stop there; he challenges us to look at the good, the bad, and the ugly and encourages us to locate ourselves in relationship with … Continue reading Episode 124 – Dan Stringer
Episode 121 – Mae Elise Cannon
Welcome back to the podcast, Mae Cannon! Mae and I last spoke when her most recent book, Beyond Hashtag Activism, released and I knew then I wanted to have her back. This time she talks peace and politics in the Middle East. As far as knowledge and activism are concerned, Mae and the organization she … Continue reading Episode 121 – Mae Elise Cannon
Episode 112 – Terry Wildman
Terry Wildman is the lead translator and project manager of the First Nations Version of the New Testament. In this conversation, Terry talks about the intersection of being Christian and Native and what that has meant for him as he has explored the two, personally and in community. Cultural context in worship has received pushback … Continue reading Episode 112 – Terry Wildman
Episode 110 – Drew Jackson
Drew Jackson is a pastor in NYC, the president of Pax, and author of God Speaks Through Wombs: Poems on God's Unexpected Coming. This book is a beautiful journey through the first eight chapters of the Gospel of Luke in poetic form. Drew captures the humanity of Jesus in these pages: his marginalization, his incarnation, … Continue reading Episode 110 – Drew Jackson
Episode 108 – Vince Bantu
Dr. Vince Bantu is an associate professor at Fuller Seminary (whoop!) and the director at Meachum School of Haymanot. Vince's areas of missiological interest and academic research focus on Christianity as a global religion. Not in the sense, as some scholars proclaim, that Christianity is becoming a global religion, but rooted in the fact that … Continue reading Episode 108 – Vince Bantu
Episode 106 – Mandy Smith
Mandy Smith is a pastor, speaker, and author and her latest book, Unfettered, nearly wrecked me (in the best possible way!). In the book and our conversation, Mandy unpacks the baggage of Western culture and how it is impacting our faith. Mandy's journey in this season began with a sabbatical, observing a flock of geese, … Continue reading Episode 106 – Mandy Smith
Episode 104 – Mark Scandrette
Mark Scandrette is an author, pastor, theologian, and gifted teacher. During this conversation, we talk about his newest book, The Ninefold Path of Jesus: Hidden Wisdom of the Beatitudes. When we read the "blessed are the...." in the Beatitudes it can sometimes feel overwhelming. We ask ourselves how we can do or be all of … Continue reading Episode 104 – Mark Scandrette
Episode 082 – Shannon Polk
The Rev. Dr. Shannon Polk is an attorney, teacher, pastor, speaker, and the Executive Director of The Witness Foundation. In this conversation we tackle the topic of philanthropic redlining. Similar to the real estate phenomenon that bars people of color from purchasing homes in certain neighborhoods, charitable giving has also been effected by the practice … Continue reading Episode 082 – Shannon Polk
Episode 081 – A.D. Thomason
A.D. "Lumkile" Thomason has a vast resume. He is a husband, father, holds a doctorate, studied fashion, spoken word artist, filmmaker, former pastor and basketball player. His new book is out called Permission to Be Black: My Journey with Jay-Z and Jesus and it is deep. Throughout his life, A.D. never really processed the trauma … Continue reading Episode 081 – A.D. Thomason
Episode 080 – Lamar Hardwick
Lamar Hardwick, aka The Autism Pastor, is the lead pastor of a congregation in the Atlanta, GA area. At the age of 36, after years of struggling with symptoms, Lamar was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. His new book, Disability and the Church: A Vision for Diversity and Inclusion, is a call to the church … Continue reading Episode 080 – Lamar Hardwick
Episode 078 – Tara Beth Leach
Tara Beth Leach is a pastor at Christ Church of Oak Brook in the Chicago area. She and her family recently moved back home following a time of her pastoring in Pasadena, CA at First Church of the Nazarene, a.k.a. PazNaz. As a pastor in white evangelical spaces, Tara Beth has been able to capture … Continue reading Episode 078 – Tara Beth Leach
Episode 068 – Scott Sauls
Scott Sauls is the senior pastor at Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, TN. His latest book, A Gentle Answer: Our "Secret Weapon" in an Age of Us Against Them, released this summer and it is an answer to prayer! We all realize 2020 has turned out to be more than we bargained for, but the … Continue reading Episode 068 – Scott Sauls
Episode 057 – Daniel Hill
Pastor Daniel Hill joined me to talk about his new book White Lies and it was powerful! White supremacy as an ideology has played an unfortunate role in the Church in America and we as believers have allowed it to continue on our watch for far too long. True, not everyone is intentionally promoting white … Continue reading Episode 057 – Daniel Hill
Episode 052 – Megan Fate Marshman, Pastor and Author, Meant for Good
Megan Fate Marshman brings the encouragement in this conversation and in her new book Meant for Good: The Adventure of Trusting God and His Plans for You! Her joy is contagious and her teaching is challenging in the best way possible. In the book, Megan breaks down the famous verse Jeremiah 29:11, and the three … Continue reading Episode 052 – Megan Fate Marshman, Pastor and Author, Meant for Good
Episode 036 – Andrew Franklin, Counseling Pastor with Antioch Church
It's not everyday that I get to interview such a dear, personal friend for the podcast! Through this episode, I have the absolute privilege of introducing you to Andrew Franklin. Andrew serves as the Counseling Pastor of Antioch Church in Norman, OK. Seth and I have known Andrew for around 15 years and to say … Continue reading Episode 036 – Andrew Franklin, Counseling Pastor with Antioch Church
Episode 030 – Sam Storms
"Thou shalt not do at all what others do poorly," was a commandment Dr. Sam Storms lived by for 20 years in ministry. Sam was pastoring in my hometown of Ardmore, OK when his life was turned upside down by the person and power of the Holy Spirit. Sam and his friend Jack Deere had … Continue reading Episode 030 – Sam Storms