Pastor Writer: Conversations on Writing, Reading, and the Christian Life

From the Graveyard of the Pacific to the paradise of the Polynesian Islands… This is the true story of a journey with real people, real places, and the adventures that inevitably follow. Katherine and Andrés leave lucrative jobs and a stable life to accomplish his dream of sailing the world. She worries what awaits them beyond the horizon: Failure? Pirates? Poverty? Will they make it to the South Pacific, and will they survive the voyage? (Better yet, will their marriage?) The epic expedition puts them face-to-face with waves that threaten to take their lives, whales that take their breath away, and strangers who show serendipitous hospitality. Katherine, a natural storyteller, invites you aboard to experience first-hand an immersive, multimedia journey that places you on deck as they cross the world's largest ocean. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

These days, brokenness feels more comfortable to discuss than holiness. It's easier to say that we are messy than holy, that healing is a long way off. To say that we are holy seems like one step away from holier than thou, and no one ever wants to be that. Holiness Here offers practical and inspiring ways to transform your life by helping you see the holiness within your ordinary, everyday life. Holiness is a warm invitation to a new and better way to live a calling for our lives in Scripture a search that marks the life of a Christian (even when we don't live fully into that reality) a most basic urge―to live and love differently that we did before―because what we believe changes the way we act As a fellow pilgrim on the journey, Karen Stiller weaves together captivating stories, theological insights, and spiritual reflections to help you discover holiness in the mundane moments of your life. With her engaging style and accessible voice, Karen invites you to embark on a journey of spiritual growth, discipleship, and wisdom. You will explore holiness from a fresh perspective, from the importance of community and the role of the church to ways to cultivate a deeper relationship with God and live out your faith. Karen also explores topics like the fruit of the Spirit, money and work, hospitality, and humility. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From Life in the Negative World: Learning how to live in today's new social and cultural environment will require examination, trial and error, and adaptation over time. But there are ways to live with integrity and follow Christ today, even in a negative world. From a peak in church attendance in the mid-20th century, Christianity has been on a trajectory of decline in the United States. Once positive toward Christianity and Christian moral teachings, cultural shifts toward the mid-90s led many to adopt a more neutral tone toward the Christian faith, seeing it as one option among many in a pluralistic public square. Today, however, Christianity is viewed negatively, and being known as a Christian often means a lower social status in elite society. Christian morality is openly repudiated and viewed as a threat to the new moral order. In Life in the Negative World, author Aaron M. Renn looks at the lessons from Christian cultural engagement over the past 70 years and suggests specific strategies for churches, institutions, and individuals to live faithfully in the "negative" world—a culture opposed to Christian values and teachings. And since there is no one-size-fits-all solution, living as a follower of Christ in the new, negative world and being missionally engaged will require a diversity of strategies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As we close out the year and finish our Christmas shopping amidst a flurry of holiday parties, I took a moment to reflect on my reading over the past twelve months. Each year, I enjoy compiling a list of my reads, as it helps me appreciate the work and thoughts that have shaped my year. I reviewed the shelves in my office, scrolled through my Audible purchases, and checked my Amazon cart history. It's fascinating how the books I've read encapsulate my growth and development over the year. This year was particularly focused on completing and releasing my second book, A Sharp Compassion. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has purchased the book since its release in September. If you've read it, I would love to hear your thoughts—perhaps you might consider leaving an Amazon review. Additionally, I completed my final year of the Doctor of Ministry program in the Art of Sacred Writing in 2024. This program involved extensive reading over the past three years, alongside my work on a novel. I'm still figuring out what that book will cover, so stay tuned for updates. Toward the end of this year, I've also been working on an exciting new YouTube project that I look forward to sharing with you soon. All this to say, it's been a uniquely busy year. Despite the hustle and bustle, I've discovered some remarkable books that I want to share in my annual list of best reads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Judeo-Christian faith has long been formed by books and reading. From synagogue scrolls to circulating letters, believers have been nurtured, disciplined, and matured through ongoing conversations in the form of written words. We are people of The Book, and alongside it is an ever-growing shelf of more books. I am a reader, in large part, because I am a believer. From the literature of the Second Temple period to the writings of Lewis, Chesterton, and Peterson, books have had an incalculable influence on my life and faith. Our house shows it. We converted our formal dining room into a reading room lined with bookcases. There's a built-in bookcase in our entryway filled with books. My home study is lined with books. And much to my wife's annoyance, there's usually a pile beneath my side of the bed. I'm not even counting the two-credit-a-month audible subscription I've kept for nearly a decade. We have a rule in my house—if my kids will read it—I'll buy it. There's no book budget. It's always a yes to more books. (Thankfully our pace of reading has kept the budget in check.) For all the books we've purchased, my largest investment is not on my physical shelves. Since seminary, my largest book purchases have taken place through Logos Bible Software. Logos Bible Software for Families and Pastors My first copy of Logos came on a pack of CDs, and I just pulled up my order history to confirm that my first book purchased on Logos was in March 2010. I've been using Logos for almost 15 years, and I use it almost every day. Over the years, I have developed a strategy for book buying. If I want to read a book straight through, usually in our reading room or lying in bed, I usually purchase a physical copy. If I may need to reference the book in the future, I buy it in Logos. My Logos library currently contains more than 2,700 books. The key to understanding the value of Logos is recognizing it's two things: a tool and a library. Of course, there is the benefit of having access to this library anywhere I take my phone or laptop, but these days, most books can easily be purchased in a digital format. The real value is that Logos offers a suite of tools to help you organize your study of the Bible and your growing Biblical library. It's the tools and the books that make it powerful. For pastors, I'll go so far as to say that I think Logos is indispensable. In its early days, Logos seemed mostly designed for clergy and academics. But over the last decade, Logos has made impressive strides to make its software a tool for pastors and any individual or family serious about the Bible. Recently, I'm not the only one using Logos. Each year, my son's school hosts a history day. Each child is assigned a famous person from the past. My son was assigned the Apostle Peter (it's a classical Christian school). One of the first things we did was open Logos' factbook and search for facts about Peter. I was excited to give him not only an answer to his question but also to show him how anyone can study and learn more about scripture. I think every believer and family needs to think about the resources they turn to and the value of the tools needed for serious study. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Blackaby is a pastor and church planter in Victoria, BC, Canada. He earned a PhD in worldview and apologetics from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and was formerly a pastor to young adults and current church planter. Daniel Blackaby earned a PhD in Christianity and the arts and a Masters in philosophy, apologetics, and worldview from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He runs The Collision, a multi-media ministry equipping Christians for cultural engagement. They join me to discuss their new book, Straight to the Heart: Communicating the Gospel in an Emotionally Driven Culture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Justin Gravitt is a disciple making leader and writer. Justin has served with The Navigators since 2000 and is the founder and executive director of the Dayton Disciple Makers Network, as well as the host of the popular Practitioners' Podcast. He's an avid Reds fan, loves the beach, and Dad-joking his kids. He lives in Dayton, Ohio, with his wife, Kristen, and their four children.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I'm excited for today to be the official release of A Sharp Compassion. It's now available wherever books are sold. In our episode today, I'm reading from the final pages of the book and suggesting a couple of ways you can help with sharing the book. A big thanks to everyone who has already pre-ordered it. It means so much to me. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Over the last few weeks, I've be releasing the first three chapters of A Sharp Compassion in audio form on the podcast. I hope its been a chance for you to learn more about the book and to better understand the significance of offense in the Bible. You can learn more about the book at asharpcompassion.com. It would mean a lot to me if you would pick up a copy of the book. Buy a copy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Over the next few weeks, I'll be releasing the first three chapters of A Sharp Compassion in audio form on the podcast. I hope its a chance for you to learn more about the book and to better understand the significance of offense in the Bible. You can learn more about the book at asharpcompassion.com. It would mean a lot to me if you would pick up a copy of the book. Buy a copy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Over the next few weeks, I'll be releasing the first three chapters of A Sharp Compassion in audio form on the podcast. I hope its a chance for you to learn more about the book and to better understand the significance of offense in the Bible. You can learn more about the book at asharpcompassion.com. It would mean a lot to me if you would pick up a copy of the book. Buy a copy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On September 10th, I'm releasing a new book entitled A Sharp Compassion: 7 Hard Words to Heal Our Insecurities and Free Us from Offense. I think it's an important conversation for learning to recognize the insecurity within our culture and in our own lives. It would mean a lot to me if you would consider buying a copy and recommending it to friends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Author of more than 200 books with sales of over 70 million copies, including the best-selling Left Behind series, Jerry Jenkins is the former vice president for publishing and former chairman of the board of trustees for the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago. Jerry's writing has appeared in Time, Reader's Digest, Parade, Guideposts, and dozens of Christian periodicals. Twenty-one of his books have reached The New York Times best-seller list (seven debuting number one). Jerry owns the Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, through which he trains writers online at www.JerryJenkins.com. A few years ago, I came across his book Writing for the Soul. It is wise and helpful, full of craft, and particularly for Christian writers. I'm excited to bring you my conversation with Jerry on the life of the writer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jared  Wilson is an award-winning author of over 20 books and a popular speaker at churches and conferences around the world. A 30-year ministry veteran, he is especially known for his passionate gospel-centered teaching.Jared serves as Pastor for Preaching and the Director of the Pastoral Training Center at Liberty Baptist Church in Liberty, Missouri and as an Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Author in Residence at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri.Jared is a great writer, and it's been my honor to have him on the podcast before. Today, he joins me to talk about one of his new releases, The Storied Life: Christian Writing as Art and Worship.

Karl produces resources for Helping Small Churches Thrive at KarlVaters.com.He's the author of five books on church leadership, including his newest, De-Sizing the Church: How Church Growth Became a Science, Then an Obsession, and What's Next. His other books include The Grasshopper Myth and Small Church Essentials.Karl also hosts a bi-weekly podcast, The Church Lobby: Conversations on Faith & Ministry, featuring in-depth interviews about topics that concern pastors, especially those who minister in a small church context.Karl has served in small-church ministry for over 40 years, so he speaks and writes from decades of hands-on pastoral experience. He and his wife, Shelley have three children and two grandkids.

Patrick Schreiner is an associate professor of New Testament and Biblical theology at Midwestern baptist Theological Seminary. He is also an elder at Emmaus Church in Kansas City, Missouri. He is the author numerous books, including Matthew, Discipels and Scribe; a commentary on Acts, The Ascension of Christ; and The Kigndom of God and the Glory of the Cross.Patrick joins me on today's episode to discuss his new book, The Transfiguration of Christ: An Exegetical and Theological Reading. We take a closer look at Jesus's transfiguration and why it matters for how we read the gospels and think about Christ.

Brian Croft is the former Senior Pastor of Au-burn-dale Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky and is the Founder of Practical Shepherding. He is also Senior Fellow for the Mathena Center for Church Revitalization and an Adjunct Professor at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.Ronnie Martin is founder and lead pastor of Substance Church (EFCA) in Ashland, Ohio. Before pastoral ministry, Ronnie was an internationally known recording artist, producing and releasing over 15 albums for the Tooth and Nail Records label. In addition to pastoring Substance, Ronnie is also the Director of Leader Renewal for Harbor Network, a church planting collective based out of Louisville, Kentucky. He has authored 6 books, including The God Who Is With Us, and regularly speaks at conferences for pastors and church planters.Brian and Ronnie join me to discuss their new book on the unhurried pastor and how we can redefine productivity for a more sustainable ministry.

Ryan Rush, serves as pastor of Kingsland Baptist Church, in Katy, Texas.He has spent more than 20 years working in ministry, and during that time, he has been on a mission to connect church and home life, becoming a national voice for the “Faith at Home” movement.In over a decade serving as Adjunct Professor at Liberty University, he has taught more than 1,500 students the course he helped to design, “Theology of the Family.” Ryan currently teaches Doctoral students in the Marriage and Family program at Dallas Theological Seminary.Ryan is a graduate of Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary and holds a PhD in Christian leadership with a ministry concentration from the Cook School at Dallas Baptist University.He is the author of several books, Home on Time, Why Everybody's Stuck, and his latest book, Restore the Table: Discovering the Powerful Connections of Meaningful Mealtimes. In today's conversation, we'll be exploring the place of tables in the ministry of Jesus and how meals are an important part of the Christian calling.

David Kaywood is a senior pastor at Eastside Community Church in Jacksonville, Florida. He is the author of A Call to Contentment: Pursuing Godly Satisfaction in a Restless World. He is the founder of gospelrelevance.com and a contributor to The Gospel Coalition. He lives in Jacksonville Beach, Florida with his wife and two children.In our conversation, we explore the Christian call to contentment in a restless world. How can Christians experience contentment, and how can we, as Christian writers, do our work without the restless anxiety it often causes?

I'm joined on today's podcast by Editor Todd Hains and Illustrator Natasha Kennedy. Together, they have been working on Lexham's new series of children's books, known as the FatCat series. We discuss the current state of Christian children's literature, Catechism, and Classical Education, and how we can be intentional about teaching our children the language and the theology of our faith. 

Drew Dyck is the author of multiple books, including Your Future Self Will Thank You: Secrets To Self Control From The Bible And Brain Science (2019), and the book he joins me to talk about today, Just Show Up: How Small Acts of Faithfulness Change Everything (2023).Drew is an editor at Moody Publishers and the former managing editor of Leadership Journal. His work has appeared in numerous publications, including Christianity Today, Relevant Magazine, The Gospel Coalition, and CNN.com.Drew grew up in Canada and now lives in the Portland area with his wife, Grace, and their three children.

Mark Fugitt has been a pastor for eighteen years and an adjunct professor for a decade. He has a bachelor's in history; master's degrees in history, theological studies, and theology; and his PhD in biblical studies and historical theology. He lives with his wife Laura and four children on a farm in the hills of Missouri.He joins me to talk about his new book: Lost Shepherd: What Believers Once Knew About Paslm 23 That the Modern World has Forgotten

Since the beginning of the Pastor Writer podcast, I've dedicated the last episode of each year to a reflection on some of my favorite books. I think it's a great practice for anyone. I looked back through my Amazon orders, my bookshelves, my Kindle and Audible apps, and noted books that stood out. For me, books are never just read, they represent the things I've been thinking about, working on, and areas I'm trying to grow. This year, the books really reflect my ongoing writing project, but hopefully, there are a few that will be interesting to you. Let me know what you've been reading. I'm always grateful for recommendations on books or authors that you think would fit the show. 

Cary Schmidt serves as the Senior Pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Newington, Connecticut.He and his wife, Dana, have been blessed with three children and have enjoyed thirty four years of marriage and ministry together. Cary's passion is to love God, love his family, and point people to Jesus Christ through teaching, preaching, and writing. He hosts the "Leading in the Gospel" podcast to encourage Gospel-shaped leadership, and "Growing in the gospel"—a daily devotional on Youtube.He has written fifteen books, including Stop Trying, Live Lighter—Love Better, Off Script, Passionate Parenting, Real Christianity, and others. he joins me to talk about his recently released book, Steady Strength: Reversing Ministry's Dangerous Drift Toward Depletion.

Randall Wallace is the Oscar®-nominated creative force behind the epic storytelling of such critical and box-office hits as BRAVEHEART, WE WERE SOLDIERS, PEARL HARBOR, SECRETARIAT, and HEAVEN IS FOR REAL. Along with his work in film, Randall is the author of nine books, including five original novels, three novel versions of the screenplays of his films, and his first work of non-fiction, LIVING THE BRAVEHEART LIFE.

Harold Senkbeil is executive director emeritus of Doxology: The Lutheran Center for Spiritual Care.His pastoral experience of nearly five decades includes parish ministry, the seminary classroom, and parachurch leadership. He is author of numerous books, including the award-winning The Care of Souls, Christ and Calamity, and Dying to Live.

Alex McFarland is a speaker, author, and advocate for Christian apologetics. He is the founder and president of the national apologetic conference, Truth for a New Generation. Alex is the author of over twenty books on apologetics and the Christian faith. For more than a decade, Alex and Bert Harper have cohosted Exploring the Word, a nationally syndicated, live Bible-teaching program heard daily on American Family Radio. He is a graduate of Liberty University and lives near Greensboro North Carolina with Angie, his wife of over thirty years.Alex joins me to talk about his new book, 100 Bible Questions and Answers for Families, and how the work of apologetics is changing.

We're excited your family is joining us in talking about the Bible. We're Chase, Ashley, Will, and Charlotte. We enjoy talking about the Bible and the world in which the Bible stories actually happened. We hope our conversations can help inspire conversations in your family. We wanted to create a podcast that the whole family could enjoy and learn from. Too often, kid's content is dumbed down. We think kids are capable of far more than sometimes our Bible conversations reflect. So we've aimed high with our conversations. There will certainly be plenty of new words and ideas that might not be familiar to kids, but that's how you learn. Questions are what always start great conversations. When not talking about the Bible, you'll find us sailing, reading, and taking care of all our animals (horses, chickens, cats, and dogs).

The EVERY MOMENT HOLY series of books by Douglas McKelvey and published by Rabbit Room Press brings new prayers and liturgies for the ordinary events of daily life. These prayers are ways of reminding us that our lives are shot through with sacred purpose even when, especially when, we are too busy or too caught up in our busyness to notice. The prayers are accented with linocut illustrations by Ned Bustard.Collectively, Every Moment Holy has sold over 300,000 books across two volumes and five editions. DOUGLAS MC-KELVEY grew up in East Texas and moved to Nashville in 1991 to participate in the early work of Charlie Peacock's Art House Foundation, an organization dedicated to a shared exploration of faith and the arts. In the decades since, he has worked as an author, song lyricist, scriptwriter, and video director. He has penned more than 350 lyrics recorded by a variety of artists including Switchfoot, Kenny Rogers, Sanctus Real, and Jason Gray. He and his wife have three grown daughters and two sons-in-law. 

Tommy Brown is the pastor for spiritual and community formation at Generations United Church in Freeport, Florida. He has a BA in pastoral ministry and master's degrees in divinity and management, and he is the author of The Seven Money Types: Discover How God Wired You to Handle Money.He joins me to talk about his new book: The Ache for Meaning: How the Temptations of Christ Reveal Who We Are and What We're Seeking.Description:In The Ache for Meaning, Tommy Brown journeys through our questions and temptations into the deeper invitation Jesus offers. In the mindsets and practices Christ embodied, we discover what kept him centered on his identity and purpose—and what equips us to do the same. Because when you know where you've come from and where you're going, daily temptations toward security, approval, and power to control pale in comparison to your most significant reality: You are a child of God.

Austin Carty lives and pastors in Anderson, South Carolina. He holds degrees in literature and divinity from High Point University, Wake Forest University, and a Doctorate of Ministry from Emory University. He is a lover of theology and the arts, and is particularly passionate about good literature.He joins me to discuss his book, The Pastor's Bookshelf: Why Reading Matters for MInistry.

Andrew Root is the Carrie Olson Baalson professor of youth and family ministry at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota.Andrew writes and researches in areas of theology, ministry, culture and younger generations.His most recent books are Churches and the Crisis of Decline and the book he joins me to discuss today, When Church Stops Working: A Future for Your Congregation beyond More Money, programs, and Innovation.

John Dyer holds a Phd from Durham university. He currently serves as the VP for Enrollment and Educational Technology and Assistant Professor of Theological Studies for Dallas Theological Seminary. He has also been a technology creator for more than 20 years, building tools for Apple, Microsoft, Harley Davidson, the Department of Defense, and Dallas's NPR affiliate, and his open source code is part of the WordPress core. He lives near Dallas, Texas, with his wife, and two children.He joins me on the Pastor Writer podcast to discuss his new book, People of the Screen: How Evangelicals Created the Digital Bible and How It Shapes Their Reading of Scripture.

It's been over a year since I released The 5 Masculine Instincts. I wrote the book because, as a pastor, I saw the way so many men were wrestling with questions about masculinity and how the broader cultural conversation seemed to be leading to more online debates than actual Christlike growth in the lives of men. That trend continues. There are more books, more articles, and more controversies. Drop the word masculinity on Twitter, and like raw meat thrown into the river, the piranhas swarm. Some do it simply because they enjoy that show (You know, some people keep Piranhas as pets).That's never been my goal. From the beginning, I wanted to try and carve a way forward. No one is unaware of the problems. And while it's easy to draw attention with hand grenades thrown back and forth between the trenches, there come moments in each of our lives when we must determine to become better men. I wanted to help individual men grow in character. Online debates have never proved much help in those real-world moments of temptation and discouragement. I wanted to write a book that could guide those moments.Read more at the5masculieninstincts.com

Dr. Sean McGever has a PhD from the University of Aberdeen. He is an Area Director for Young Life in Phoenix, Arizona, and an adjunct faculty at Grand Canyon University. He speaks, teaches, and ministers across the United States, Canada, and the UK. He joins me to talk about his recently released book, Evangelism. It is a part of Lexam's The Care of Souls Series.The Lexham Ministry Guides, edited by Harold L. Senkbeil, are designed to offer practical, proven wisdom for the church. 

John Meador has served as a lead pastor for 40 years, most recently at Cross City Church, in Euless, Texas since 2006. The church is intergenerational and multi-ethnic.He and His wife Kim have been married for 44 years and are the grateful parents of six grown children. John loves sports—and enjoys working on and driving around in his old Ford truck.He joins me to talk about his new book, God's Not Done With You: Encouragement from the Bible's Greatest Comeback Stories.

Jeremy Writebol has served in vocational ministry as a pastor for over 20 years. A graduate of Moody Bible Institute (B.A. 2001) he currently is the lead campus pastor of Woodside Bible Church's Plymouth, MI campus.Alongside his pastoral ministry, Jeremy is the Executive Director of the publishing and resourcing ministry Gospel-Centered Discipleship. He is married to Stephanie and is the father of two children.He joins me to talk about his new book: Pastor, Jesus Is Enough: Hope for the Weary, the Burned Out, and the Broken.

Andrew Peterson is an award-winning singer, songwriter, and author of the Wingfeather Saga. He's also the founder of The Rabbit Room, an organization that fosters community through story, art, and music. Andrew and his wife, Jamie, have two sons, Aeden and Asher, and one daughter, Skye. They live in the Nashville, Tennessee, area on a wooded hill in a little house they call the Warren—where they are generally safe from bumpy digtoads and toothy cows.The Wingfeather Saga is being released in Paperback to coincide with its release in animation. Andrew joins the Pastor Writer podcast to discuss writing the series and bringing it to television. 

Robert Wolgemuth has been in the media business for thirty-nine years. A former president of Thomas Nelson Publishers, he is the founder of Wolgemuth & Associates, a literary agency exclusively representing the writing work of more than one hundred authors.Robert is a speaker and best-selling author of over twenty books.Among his professional accomplishments, he has served two terms as the Chairman of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association. He is a 1969 graduate of Taylor University, where he also received an honorary doctorate in May 2005.He joins me to talk about his new book, Finish Line: Dispelling Fear, Finding Peace, and Preparing for the End of Your Life.

Collin Hansen serves as vice president for content and editor-in-chief of The Gospel Coalition, as well as executive director of The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics. He hosts the Gospelbound podcast and has written and contributed to many books, most recently Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation and Rediscover Church: Why the Body of Christ Is Essential.He has published with the New York Times and the Washington Post and offered commentary for CNN, Fox News, NPR, BBC, ABC News, and PBS NewsHour. He edited Our Secular Age: Ten Years of Reading and Applying Charles Taylor and The New City Catechism Devotional, among other books.He is a member of Iron City Church in Birmingham, Alabama, and he is an adjunct professor at Beeson Divinity School, where he also co-chairs the advisory board.

David Kim is the discipleship pastor at WestGate Church in Silicon Valley, California and author of Made To Belong: Five Practices for Cultivating Community in a Disconnected. He completed M.Div and Th.M from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and his children's book on dealing with change was selected for Oprah's Favorite Things list. He cares deeply about the intersection of spiritual formation, theology, mental health, and the cultivation of authentic Christian communities. He lives with his wife and two daughters in San Jose, California.

Terry Glaspey is a writer, an editor, a creative mentor, and someone who finds various forms of art—painting, films, novels, poetry, and music—to be some of the places where he most deeply connects with God.He has a master's degree in history from the University of Oregon, as well as undergraduate degrees emphasizing counseling and pastoral studies.He has written over a dozen books and has been the recipient of several major national awards for his writing. In December, he released a new C. S. Lewis biography entitled Not a Tame Lion: The Spiritual Legacy of C.S. Lewis. We discuss Lewis: his life, work, and writing.

Brian Smith is on staff with Athletes in Action. A former track and cross-country athlete while in college, he now spends his time ministering to athletes. He writes regularly for athletesinaction.org.He likes the Detroit Lions probably a little too much, and graduated with a degree in Communications and Journalism from Wake Forest University.He joins me to talk about his recent book, The Christian Athlete: Glorifying God in Sports

It's been my tradition to spend the last episode of the year looking back on my favorite reads from the past twelve months. This time of year, just about everyone is putting out their top list of books and awards. What I want to offer you are the 10 books that have impacted my thinking most this year. They aren't necessarily the best books I have read or even the most important, but they are the books that have been shaping my own life and thinking this past year.What I'd love to hear is what you've been reading. It's actually really helpful to go back through your Amazon orders or Audible library and think about what you read this past year. What books are you still thinking about? Which books left an impact? What are you planning on reading in 2023?

Andrew Arndt is the lead pastor of New Life East, one of seven congregations of New Life Church in Colorado Springs. Prior to joining New Life's team, he served as the lead pastor of Bloom Church, a network of house churches in Denver.He is the host of the Essential Church podcast, a weekly conversation designed to strengthen the thinking of church and ministry leaders. Andrew received his MDiv from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and is currently working on his DMin with Western Theological Seminary.He joins me today to talk about his new book, Streams in the Wasteland: Finding Spiritual Renewal with the Desert Fathers & Mothers.

Jonathan Hardy has a passion for helping local churches reach their communities. He has served in various pastoral roles and now helps lead two online platforms, training and equipping pastors and local churches: Leaders.church and Church University.Jonathan recently released his first book, Arrow Striker: Live with Purpose and Leave an Eternal Impact… Every single Day. He joins me to talk about the book and how as believers, we can recognize and make the most out of every God-given opportunity.

Aaron Damiani serves as the lead pastor of Immanuel Anglican Church in Chicago and is the author of Earth Filled with Heaven: Finding Life in Liturgy, Sacraments and other Ancient Practices of the Church. Aaron writes and regularly speaks about spiritual formation, leadership, and recovering the gifts of the ancient church for today's challenges. Aaron and his wife Laura live with their four kids in Chicago's Irving Park neighborhood.

Jim Cymbala has been a pastor for more than fifty years at the Brooklyn Tabernacle.He has a strong burden for the local church and has been blessed with the opportunity to encourage thousands of pastors around the globe. He is the bestselling author of Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire and several other titles.His next book, Fan the Flame, will release in September 2022. He joins me to talk about the book and how pastors can keep their call alive during times of discouragement and burnout.Jim lives in New York City with his wife, Carol Cymbala, who directs the Grammy Award-winning Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.

Chris Nye is a doctoral student at Duke University's Divinity School and the author of Distant God and Less of More. For fifteen years, he has served as a local church pastor. His writing has appeared in the Washington Post, Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, and various other publications.He recently released a new book, A Captive Mind, Christianity, Ideologies, and Staying Sane in a World Gone Mad. Chris joins me to talk about his new book and how ideologies can impact our faith and the church. 

Jonathan Dodson is the founding pastor of City Life Church in Austin, TX which he started with his wife, and a small group of people.He is also the founder of Gospel-Centered Discipleship.com, which produces resources to help make, mature, and multiply disciples of Jesus.He is the author of a number of books, including Here in Spirit, The Unbelievable Gospel and Gospel-Centered Discipleship.He joins me to talk about his most recent project, a new book: The Unwavering Pastor: Leading the Church with Grace in Divisive Times. The book discusses Biblical wisdom to help ministry leaders cope with church division and leadership stress

Scott Sauls is senior pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville. Before serving in Nashville, he served with Tim Keller at New York City's Redeemer Presbyterian Church as a lead and preaching pastor. In addition to his books, Scott's work has been featured in Christianity Today, Relevant Magazine, The Gospel Coalition, as well as other publications.Scott Joins me to talk about his new book that was just released, Beautiful People Don't Just Happen: How God Redeems Regret, Hurt, and Fear in the Making of Better Humans.