Podcasts about Wheaton College

We had a ton of questions for Kevin Singer, President of Neighborly Faith which conducts research and organizes events “introducing Christians to neighbors of every faith.” For example, considering Kevin has Jewish relatives, were there ever discussions about Jewish people's cultural allergy to proselytization and ways that American Evangelicals - perhaps unknowingly - cross that line? How does Neighborly Faith go about "train(ing) tomorrow's leaders to be faithful and flourish in an increasingly diverse world” and “knowing and serving all of our neighbors.” Is it an Evangelical bait and switch? Yaqeen Institute founder Imam Omar Suleiman said at one of NF's events, “I was and am fine with his (SBC President JD Greear) vision of the hereafter not having space for me, so long as it doesn't become an obstacle to me having space in the here and now.” Is that part of the point of the work Neighborly Faith does? We also discussed where folks that are part of GenZ find meaning as individuals and within communities compared to previous generations?   Kevin was raised at the intersection of his mother's Evangelical faith and his father's Reform Jewish roots. He earned graduate degrees in Theology from Wheaton College and Higher Ed from NC State. Kevin has extensive teaching and leadership experience in churches, campus ministries, and colleges. He planted two churches with the North American Mission Board (2009-14) and is also head of Media Relations and PR at Springtide Research Institute. Kevin is a prolific writer with placements in Christianity Today, Religion News, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Psychology Today, InsideHigherEd, and more.   www.neighborlyfaith.org   https://www.neighborlyfaith.org/evangelicals-politics-report   twitter.com/coreysnathan   post.news/@coreysnathan

Brian and Aubrey wonder: What would life beyond earth mean for Christians? Then they wrestle with how to handle anonymous gifts, and Aubrey shares the story of her call to ministry--which involved the Wade Center at Wheaton College. Follow The Common Good on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Hosted by Aubrey Sampson and Brian From Produced by Laura Finch and Keith ConradSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Travis welcomes Mark Talbot to the show! Mark is a professor of Philosophy of Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL. Travis and Mark tackle the difficult and unpleasant subject of suffering in the Christian life, especially chronic suffering. They discuss two of Mark's books, When The Stars Disappear and Giving Me Understanding That I May Live. They make up two volumes of what will be a four-volume set. This is a discussion centered on suffering as seen through the lens of Scripture. Having been paralyzed since an accident when he was 17, Mark doesn't come to the subject as a passive observer, but as an active participant. This is not a mere philosophical question or academic exercise, but the deep wrestling of a believer in Jesus trying to understand the question as to why a good God allows our suffering. Learn more about Mark and get his books.Some of our other episodes have addressed the subject of suffering, as well as trauma, and the stories of Scripture. Be sure to check out:#111: John Plake-Scripture Engagement, Trauma, and Transformation in Chaotic times. #112: Jami Staples-Truth, Trauma, and Transformation, Pt. 1#113: Jami Staples-Truth, Trauma, and Transformation, Pt. 2Sign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.Help support the ministry of Apollos Watered and transform your world today!

This episode is a conversation with Dr. Daniel Treier of Wheaton College. We discuss sports heroes (3:29), defining evangelical theology (6:16), the Nicene Creed and theological method (9:10); the Ten Commandments as moral formation (12:00), the Lord's Prayer as spiritual formation (14:16), the Trinitarian shape of theology (19:00), and more. Buy Dan's books. Check out Brandon's new book: The Trinity in the Book of Revelation: Seeing Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in John's Apocalypse (IVP Academic, 2022). You can also preorder his next one, The Biblical Trinity. Church Grammar is presented by the Christian Standard Bible and Cedarville University's Graduate School. Episode sponsor: Speak for the Unborn. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl. Producer: Katie Larson. Brandon D. Smith is Assistant Professor of Theology & New Testament at Cedarville University, a co-founder of the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith. *** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests' views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

How do you reach an expanded audience, and what does it mean once you do? Joining me for this conversation is Becky Robinson, the Founder and CEO of Weaving Influence, a full-service marketing agency that specializes in digital and integrated marketing services and public relations for book authors, including business leaders, coaches, trainers, speakers, and thought leaders.  Since launching more than a decade ago, under Becky's leadership, the firm has provided a wide range of services to help clients launch more than 150 books, enabling authors to build their brands, acquire more business customers, and increase book sales.  In April 2022, Becky published her first book with Berrett-Koehler Publishers titled, “Reach: Create the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause.” The book takes an in-depth look at what it takes to achieve the greatest possible influence, provides valuable advice for targeting key audiences, offers a variety of practical steps for cutting through the noise, shares best practices for cultivating community, and reveals effective strategies for growing an online presence. Within days of its launch, it rose to be a top-ranked Amazon hot new release best seller.  Becky holds an M.A. in Intercultural Studies from Wheaton College and received her B.A. in English/Creative Writing from Miami University. Becky gives listeners actionable tips on: [1:30] How to reach a new audience in a significant way [6:10] Must-know tips for using social media to drive your reach [8:00] Becky's Four Reach Commitments [10:30] The importance of having systems in place to support consistency [20:40] Becky's book review Resources mentioned in this episode: The 1-Page Marketing Plan by Allan Dib Connect with Becky here: Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Facebook www.beckyrobinson.com  Connect with me Instagram Pinterest Facebook Twitter Karin on Twitter Karin on LinkedIn Conroy Creative Counsel on Facebook https://conroycreativecounsel.com 

In this Partnering Leadership conversation, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Indira Henard, Executive Director of the DC Rape Crisis Center ( DCRCC),  the oldest rape crisis center in the country.  Indira Henard talks about her upbringing in Chicago, Illinois, in a family of faith.  She also shares her transformative experience while at Wheaton College in Massachusetts.  Indira Henard talks about the reason she came to Washington DC and eventually chose to forgo an opportunity to work in the Obama administration to take on the challenge at DC Rape Crisis Center.  Indira Henard also talks about the challenges of leading a turnaround of DCRCC, leading the organization through the pandemic, and shares thoughts on how to lead teams for more engagement while continuing to go through uncertainty.   Finally, Indira Henard talks about her role as an adjunct professor at Catholic and Howard Universities.Some highlights- Indira Henard on growing up as the daughter of a Baptist minister and a social worker- The transformative impact of Wheaton College - Indira Henard on why she chose to join DC Rape Crisis Center and eventually accept to become the organization's executive director- How Indira Henard was able to turn around an underperforming organization- The Importance of humanity in leadership and the challenges brought on by the crisis- Support of leaders from Leadership Greater Washington- Importance of building connections among team members- The Impact of Covid-19 on black nonprofit leaders- Training the next generation o social workers- The importance of mental health and healing for all, including organizational leadersConnect with Indira HenardDC Rape Crisis Center (DCRCC) Website Indira Henard on LinkedIn Indira Henard on Twitter Connect with Mahan Tavakoli: Mahan Tavakoli Website Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn Partnering Leadership Website

How do you reach an expanded audience, and what does it mean once you do? Joining me for this conversation is Becky Robinson, the Founder and CEO of Weaving Influence, a full-service marketing agency that specializes in digital and integrated marketing services and public relations for book authors, including business leaders, coaches, trainers, speakers, and thought leaders.  Since launching more than a decade ago, under Becky's leadership, the firm has provided a wide range of services to help clients launch more than 150 books, enabling authors to build their brands, acquire more business customers, and increase book sales.  In April 2022, Becky published her first book with Berrett-Koehler Publishers titled, “Reach: Create the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause.” The book takes an in-depth look at what it takes to achieve the greatest possible influence, provides valuable advice for targeting key audiences, offers a variety of practical steps for cutting through the noise, shares best practices for cultivating community, and reveals effective strategies for growing an online presence. Within days of its launch, it rose to be a top-ranked Amazon hot new release best seller.  Becky holds an M.A. in Intercultural Studies from Wheaton College and received her B.A. in English/Creative Writing from Miami University. Becky gives listeners actionable tips on: [1:30] How to reach a new audience in a significant way [6:10] Must-know tips for using social media to drive your reach [8:00] Becky's Four Reach Commitments [10:30] The importance of having systems in place to support consistency [20:40] Becky's book review Resources mentioned in this episode: The 1-Page Marketing Plan by Allan Dib Connect with Becky here: Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Facebook www.beckyrobinson.com  Connect with me Instagram Pinterest Facebook Twitter Karin on Twitter Karin on LinkedIn Conroy Creative Counsel on Facebook https://conroycreativecounsel.com 

INTRODUCTION: I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Exposition, with an interdisciplinary in Literature, from Moody Bible Institute. I was one of two recipients of the MBI Homiletical Jury Award for outstanding preaching in 2016. I have experience as a youth pastor, pastoral intern, academic journal editor, and guest speaker. I used to be a part of the largest cult in the United States. In 2019, I published my first book, The Cult of Christianity, as a first step in addressing the subtle issues of this complex system. In 2021, I continued my work with this podcast!   INCLUDED IN THIS EPISODE (But not limited to): ·      How Christianity Is A Cult·      A Look Into TCOC Book's Cover Art·      How The Church Exploits Vulnerabilities ·      Civil Rights Movement Implications·      Explained: Control – Contain – Convert·      Refusing Cake To The Gays! – But Why Though?·      The “Karen-ness” Of Christians ·      Fake Oppression·      Getting Over Self-Condemnation For Falling For The Church·      The Honor In Self-Deprecation  CONNECT WITH JOHN: Website, Social Media & Books: https://linktr.ee/thecultofchristianity  CONNECT WITH DE'VANNON: Website: https://www.SexDrugsAndJesus.comWebsite: https://www.DownUnderApparel.comTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sexdrugsandjesusYouTube: https://bit.ly/3daTqCMFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/SexDrugsAndJesus/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sexdrugsandjesuspodcast/Twitter: https://twitter.com/TabooTopixLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devannonPinterest: https://www.pinterest.es/SexDrugsAndJesus/_saved/Email: DeVannon@SDJPodcast.com  DE'VANNON'S RECOMMENDATIONS: ·      Pray Away Documentary (NETFLIX)o  https://www.netflix.com/title/81040370o  TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk_CqGVfxEs ·      OverviewBible (Jeffrey Kranz)o  https://overviewbible.como  https://www.youtube.com/c/OverviewBible ·      Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed (Documentary)o  https://press.discoveryplus.com/lifestyle/discovery-announces-key-participants-featured-in-upcoming-expose-of-the-hillsong-church-controversy-hillsong-a-megachurch-exposed/ ·      Leaving Hillsong Podcast With Tanya Levino  https://leavinghillsong.podbean.com  ·      Upwork: https://www.upwork.com·      FreeUp: https://freeup.net VETERAN'S SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS ·      Disabled American Veterans (DAV): https://www.dav.org·      American Legion: https://www.legion.org ·      What The World Needs Now (Dionne Warwick): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfHAs9cdTqg  INTERESTED IN PODCASTING OR BEING A GUEST?: ·      PodMatch is awesome! This application streamlines the process of finding guests for your show and also helps you find shows to be a guest on. The PodMatch Community is a part of this and that is where you can ask questions and get help from an entire network of people so that you save both money and time on your podcasting journey.https://podmatch.com/signup/devannon  TRANSCRIPT: John Verner [00:00:00]You're listening to the sex drugs and Jesus podcast, where we discuss whatever the fuck we want to! And yes, we can put sex and drugs and Jesus all in the same bed and still be all right at the end of the day. My name is De'Vannon and I'll be interviewing guests from every corner of this world as we dig into topics that are too risqué for the morning show, as we strive to help you understand what's really going on in your life.There is nothing off the table and we've got a lot to talk about. So let's dive right into this episode.De'Vannon: John m is back with us again to go harder into his very provocative book, the Cult of Christianity. Join us today as we discuss the ways in which the church mind fucks us, violates us, and exploits people's vulnerabilities. Also, I hope that through this episode you begin to find a sense of healing in knowing that if you or your loved one has been devastated by the.[00:01:00]You are not alone, honey. We are in this together. John and I are with you,and we will walk with you every step of the way.Hello everyone and welcome back to the Sex Drugs in Jesus podcast. I'm your hostess with the mostest, Devon Huber. And I have with me the lovely, the handsome, the talented, the smart, intelligent, brave, bold, and in touch with his emotions. John er, he is the John: host, John De'Vannon: er mm-hmm. , John er. He is the host of The Cult of Christianity podcast.And the author of the book titled the same. He was on my show before to talk about, well, the book, but then we got so deep into his history in the podcast. We didn't get a chance to talk about the [00:02:00] book, so I had to have the motherfucker back on so we can dive into this shit. How the fuck is you? John: I is fine.20, 20, 23 feels like a little bit of a reset. And so I'm, I'm kind of living in that head space of like, all right, what's next? Since we last spoke, I went, I can't, I don't think I had started back working on my master's in journalism. And so that's been taking up a lot of time. I'm, I'm, it's all online, but I'm studying at N Y U mm-hmm.And that's been awesome. I've been, been doing some religious reporting stuff, which is, is fun. I'm excited to kinda move towards that, doing religious reporting. It's pretty fun. De'Vannon: Well, congratulations. Congratulations. And all of it was a good thing. . So you're religious reporting like say for, for like, for like the university's press John: or like where Yeah.For right [00:03:00] now. Yeah. And then yeah, I'm already, I'm hopefully gonna sell my first, I'm actually right after we record this, I'm gonna have a meeting to hopefully sell my first story of a church investigation I did. Cuz that's what I wanna do. I want to, not just Christian churches, but I want to go into churches and colts and investigate them and figure out what's really going on De'Vannon: as someone should.Have you heard of the Trinity Foundation in Texas? John: Yeah. You mentioned that last time we talked. I didn't, I didn't look too far into them, but I know there's, there's several. This is a relatively new thing that's popping up that's actually really, really important work. De'Vannon: So what you're telling me is there's organizations who investigate churches more than that one.This is becoming like a trend. Well, John: religious reporting has been around for, for decades, but it's been done in a very kind of general way. And I think there's being a small push to be like, let's actually look at individual, like if someone is whistle blowing on their [00:04:00] church or is like giving us leads about a specific church, that it should be fair game and we should investigate them like we would any other business.De'Vannon: Right. Well, I wish you success with that as you get going and keep going, be sure to let me know if there's anything that I can do for you because, you know, I don't give a fuck about churches, but I give all the fucks. I give all the fucks about Christ as I always say. Mm-hmm. , but the church. Yay Jesus. And that's the way that, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.Now, before we get too much into this, I want you to tell me about that coffee mug in your hand. Can you hold it up the camera so that we can see Yeah. What it says. Apostate coffee roasters. You mind giving us a little bit of history on what the fuck apostate means and where you got that from? Yeah.John: Apostates just a derogatory term that different cults and religions have thrown at people who, typically it's someone who, like me, who used to be a part of the faith and is no longer [00:05:00] but it's, it's more broadly a pro. A similar word would be something like heretic. But the, yeah, so prostate coffee roasters, they're this coffee company that is run by ex Mormons and Mormons are not allowed to drink coffee.So it's a very like, empowering thing for them to roast their own coffee and make it so they're awesome. Love 'em to death. They're great. Make good coffee. So their De'Vannon: whole show is one big clap back. Not the whole show. Their whole fucking concept is one big clap back. Mm-hmm. . So do you have any idea why Mormons think coffee is Satan?Why do they think coffee is of the devil? John: Yeah. I don't know personally too much. You know, I didn't grow up Mormon or anything. I do know that just in my studies of Colts , what they do is one move to do is to control what people eat and drink. You know, in Southern Baptist culture that looks like alcohol [00:06:00] you know, in, in certain pockets of Christianity, historically there was only certain kinds of bread you could use for communion.Anytime you're trying to regulate what people are eat, eating, you're regulating what they're putting into their body. That's just a, that's just a very like kind of you've mentioned stuff like hypnosis. It's, it's a very like, Kind of mind numbing way to control a person is to control what they eat and drink.The other big one I talk about a lot is controlling what you wear. That's like a, that's a big thing that pops up in different cults. You'll see usually a distinction between how clergy dress and the followers and how people dress on Sunday versus the rest of the days is common in Christian circles.So basically if you can control what someone expresses and you can control what someone intakes, it's very easy to control their mind cuz you're already controlling their body. . [00:07:00] Mm. So that would be my, my, my spin on it. I don't know the theo, I don't know what theological reason they made up for coffee.Like I, I'm sure there's some, I'm sure somebody said it was you know, too addicting at some point is probably the modern version, I would assume. De'Vannon: Well, if that was the case, at least those bastards were even across the board, you know, unlike say the Pentecostals who were like, that was show not drinketh of the vine, but they're gross in a fucking gallon of coffee in the back every Sunday and like that.But that's all good, right? . John: Yeah. Well that's also, yeah, especially, especially if they go the grape juice route too, because even grape juice is from a vine. So that's kind of. , De'Vannon: it's all silly. The marijuana, the L s D mm-hmm , the shrooms, the coffee beans, the grapes, and any of their derivatives is something that is of the Lord.And it is not for humans to tell us what the fuck. We can't do really with [00:08:00] anything, but it's certainly not anything that grew up out the fucking dirt. Hmm. So, speaking of artistic expressions, cuz you're also fucking artistic. I mentioned the, the cover for your podcast the last time, but I wanted to talk about that again because I feel like it's just so enigmatic and so polarized and you have this big, huge fucker standing on like a pedestal and his little minions bowing before them for him sucking his dick or whatever the case may be, paying HOK in some way.And the interesting thing is you can't tell whether or not that's supposed to be a preacher, a rabbi, a pope, a pastor that's supposed to be God, you know, or Jesus or some like sort of deity. , and I know you said it before, but I'd like you to just tell us again why you went with this cover art, because I think it's so true.John: Well, this is a, every so humans like categories we like [00:09:00] to find a group. We like to label things as good and bad. And there's not necessarily anything wrong with that. That's just kind of how our brains work. And the problem is we've got kind of this weird concept of good guys and bad guys, and the church is pretending to be the good guys while they're being the bad guys.But you end up having to label specific things that are wrong because there's so many goodhearted people in. . And so a lot of times when I critique Christianity, people wanna spend the conversation of, well, you're not critiquing Christianity. You're critiquing this version of Christianity, which isn't necessarily wrong, I am way more focused on White American evangelicalism than the rest of it.But White American evangelicalism was not a term when there were slavery in the us. There it existed, but we hadn't [00:10:00] labeled it that yet. The Crusades, the was not only white people, was not American people and was certainly not evangelicals, but the Crusades were bad . And it stemmed from their beliefs their Christian beliefs.So I can't say everything all at once. , but what I hope the art communicates is the, the problem that I've spotted, the category that I think everything else falls from is the idea of leaders and followers of other people submitting to someone else. I don't really, I, I think it's worth bringing up white supremacy.I think it's worth bringing up patriarchy. I think all those things are very much worth talking about, but I don't think it's the only thing going on. I think we have a we're, we're sometimes scared, and I think we've been made to be scared of pointing out that what's really going on in churches is that cult structure of one man with [00:11:00] other people having the knee bow to him either literally or metaphorically.So again, the art is, is purposely vague because I think unless there's some fundamental changes 40 years from now when evangelicalism won't exist, it will be gone. We won't be calling anyone an evangelical anymore. The same problems, the same structure, the same issues will still be present unless there's foundational changes.Chow, I'm De'Vannon: getting Game of Thrones flashbacks. Okay. Like, how many season is it gonna take to get you to bend the knee? John Snow, get on down there. Boy. and motherfucking service. Yo, queen God damnit. And so . John: Yeah. Well seasons is an interesting way of thinking about it. Both television and, and you know, weather or whatever.But it's true. Like there's seasons of Christianity that that kind of come and go. But what seems to remain is that structure of one person being in charge of others or [00:12:00] multiple people being in charge of multiple others. But there's always that hierarchy. So again, I, I have tried to update the art before, but I think it, I think it's just the, it, it's, it's about what I'm talking about most specifically.You know, that my art. on that is in line with the problem I'm trying to point to. There's many other people who are doing great work to dismantle white Evangelicalism and I support all those people. But to me, that's not my niche. That's not what I'm trying to talk about. Hmm. Then De'Vannon: tell us like it, you know, and make it official here.What, what are you trying to talk about? What is your mission in this world? Hmm. John: I'm not just against Christianity, I'm against cults. I just know how much of a cult Christianity is. Hmm. And the reason I'm against cults is it's an erase. It erases people's identity. It makes their vulnerabilities their whole personhood.It [00:13:00] it, it limits them to a very narrow way of. , and I think there's cult speak outside of, you know, there's a lot of cult speak in the business world. There's a lot of cult speaking, just American culture when it comes to politics. So I'm against all of it across the board, the one I'm just super familiar with, and can get very detailed and very like you know, just kind of a prime example.And unfortunately a very big example in the US is Christianity. And one of the ways, it's the biggest example is it's absurd that the largest cult is the most protected class of people in the country. Like, that's concerning to me. We have an organiza a loosely organized group of people that are protected by constitutional rights and legal rights more than anyone.and they're not oppressed, but they're that protected and that's a very dangerous, as we've seen, very dangerous combination. So they're worth talking about the most, and it's the one I can [00:14:00] talk about the most, but I'm against cults across the board. I'm not just bitter about my church hurt, I'm not just upset because of this, that, and the other.This is a real problem that really needs to be talked about in real ways and real solutions need to happen. De'Vannon: That's interesting you say like the, these ultimate people's vulnerabilities, their whole personality. I've never heard it stated like that before. So from from the people who've reached out to you in response to your book or your show or the work that you're doing, do you have any sort of, I don't know if we would call it a testimony, any kind of bullshit somebody shared with you that a, a church or a cult put them through that was particularly scary or moving to you that you can recall?John: Yes. To me. So I, I have two thi things that I think of with that question. One is, nothing surprises [00:15:00] me anymore. Nothing . It, it can still hurt. It can still shock me. It never surprises me. It only makes me feel like, yeah, that makes sense. And frankly, I only feel like I was five clicks away from being the victim or perpetrator of whatever bad thing happened, because that's what the system breeds.It, it breeds perpetrators and victims . I mean, that's just what it does. There's, there's many horrifying stories. Sometimes I avoid telling them because, When you tell like a really I guess salacious, for lack of a better word story, like someone who, like, you know, I have an episode of my podcast where I interview a guy who was kidnapped by Christians, right?About as extreme as it can get. What people do is go, well, those Christians were crazy. Those were the crazy ones. [00:16:00] Or like, if someone talks about, you know, this is unfortunately becoming, we're all becoming aware how common this is. When someone was sexually harassed or abused by someone in the church they, they go, well, that, that guy needs to leave.Like he's, you know, he's bad. And, and the church would, that church was bad, but you should come to my church. You should do this, you should do that. It, it just gets a little exhausting for me to kind of engage and. Let me tell you this horrible story because frankly, the horrible story doesn't change anyone's mind because the cult won't let it change your mind because your empathy has been pressure washed out of you.You, you don't, you don't ha the story doesn't tug at you because the thing that tugs at you more is you've been told how ashamed you are and how shameful your existence is. And the only hope for reming that shame is believing in Jesus Christ. And so that belief that's so firmly held is actually gonna [00:17:00] trump your ability to be empathetic towards someone's story.So yeah, I could sit here and I could, off the top of my head at least tell you three stories that would make a lot of people who are unfamiliar with churches that would make their jaw drop, but it wouldn't change anything. And it's very sad because we want to believe that people's horrifying stories change stuff.And I think it does and to, and I think it can. . But I think a lot of the times it actually ends up being counterproductive because the cults, the cult leaders are anticipating that they've already done a lot of work to build a firewall against that particular human thing of storytelling to promote change.You know, I no better example than like Martin Luther King Jr. Right. You know, told amazing stories, was a great orator. Not the per, not a perfect person, but someone who told a lot of great stories and who was, showed the impact. And we like to [00:18:00] pretend that that changed the church and up more positive direction.But did it, I mean, I, I mean, what, what tangible, measurable things can we point to that were changed within church culture? I'm not talking about American culture in general. There was great things that came outta the Civil Rights Movement. What did the church really change? Not a lot. It just changed their verbiage, which they always changed their verbiage.But, but systemically what really changed. So if you want horrible stories, I can give them, but that's why I'm hesitant to a lot of the time is cuz I'm not sure it's actually that helpful. De'Vannon: What you said is, look, you said what you said . Okay. Did I accept that when I think of Martin Luther King or any of the civil rights, I never, ever think about the church, you know, except for the fact that the church stood silently by why people were murdered in the streets and stuff like that, you know?You know. [00:19:00] How's it say that? Well, John: and, and I mean, I mean, even Evangelicals hated Martin Luther King Jr. They called him a thug. They. There, there's a letter from the guy who wrote the Left Behind books. There's a letter from him to Wheaton College because they had a memorial service after King was shot.And he said, how could you celebrate the life of this man? They didn't just passively like, not like m l K, they hated him. Jerry Falwell hated Martin Luther King Jr. Because he was for segregation. So like, and again, like I, I, you know, I know this is an intense topic to go to right off the bat, , but, but I just think, I think we, I think sometimes those of us who have left the church think if we just tell enough stories of how bad we've been hurt, Christians will change.They don't give a shit. They don't, and it's, and some of it's not even their fault. A lot of the followers have been brainwashed to not give a shit. And [00:20:00] so the, the best hope is we can, with our stories, what we can do is help people who have already left know that they're not alone. Which is huge and that's really important work and people who are looking for a way out might find the way out.But if you're talking about systemically changing what cult leaders are gonna do it, it ain't gonna do shit. De'Vannon: Right. I concur. So, you know, that's why like in my ministry, man, I am preaching not to church people, but the people who have already been hurt or people who, who know people and love people who have been hurt because people don't go to church for the betterment of humanity.People go to church for entirely selfish reasons, to keep themselves outta hell, to work out their own self, soul, salvation, whatever it is. They're going there to get their blessing, their miracle. They're come up, they're not going there cuz they give a fuck about you. And then so yeah, I concur. There is no talking to them hardheaded people.Like if they're setting up there every god damn Sunday or whatever, they're not gonna be able to hear us [00:21:00] because they're constantly being re indoctrinated and re hypnotized by the big man up on stage or we god damn week. or the woman or the who of the fuck ever twirling about. So yeah, they're a lost cause shot of a miracle.John: Yeah. I, or also just explaining systemically what happens, you know, if you, if you're able to generalize it more than just a specific person, like one person's story and you can show them the patterns. You know, I used to be a cult leader, you know, I studied to be a pastor. I got out, I was hardheaded then.But the reason I got out was not because I heard a story that was finally, you know, enough, it was cuz I kept seeing the same thing over and over again. And I was like, this is just how a cult operates. And I was in denial about it. So I think cult leaders, the way you do reach them is say, don't you know what you're doing?Like, you know? Right. And if you actually focus the conversation on that and not just the extreme cases of bad things that happen, but actually point [00:22:00] to like the pattern. Like, okay, so do you have control over your congregation? . Like, that's a great question to ask a pastor because they'll, they'll struggle.They cannot give a yes or no que answer to it. But just be like, do you have control over your congregation? And you'll it then watch how they react. Cuz you'll see some interesting things. . You De'Vannon: can also ask 'em to apologize for something and get that same reaction cuz those bastards won't say they're sorry.And so, so now that you're speaking about control, I wanted to talk about, so y'all, his book, the called of Christianity is broken down into three succulent sections. The first one is called control. The section one is the sexual, the sec, second one is called Contained. Clearly I need to gimme some dick.Where the fuck did that come from? And the third one is called Convert. And you'll always, whenever you hear John's talk, he'll always say, control, contain, convert, control, contain, convert. And so, and that's how his book is broken down. And if I may, I'm gonna [00:23:00] read a little sniff it. That kind of echoes what you were just saying.And Howard, I had already taken down in my notes. Now, this is John speaking y'all, and he's saying, I don't recant anything in this letter. I said, holding back tears. I was feeling tired, dressed down, confused and hurt, yet unwilling to go again. So what I knew to be true, the truth was I had spent three hours in a boardroom that reminded me of the one I had seen in The Apprentice.I want you to tell us what the hell was going on here and why were you crying. . John: So yeah, so this is the first chapter of the book, and this is kind of, I, I, you know, my, my rose bud, my whatever, my my or villain or hero origin story, depending on how you look at it. So I was 16 years old going to a pretty stuffy church Presbyterian church, p c a for whoever that means [00:24:00]something to suit and tie church.And I was, I was angsty, you know, at the same time I was also in a punk band. I had grown out my hair. I was still very Christian, like, very conservative Christian, in fact. But I, you know, was around people who, you know, I, I, I was ex, I was becoming an adult, right? Like in as much as a teenager does.And the church was just ridiculous. And so, like, I, I had this whole rigamarole of, of beef with the, the leadership of the church. So I sent a letter. to email. I emailed the pastor and said, here are my problems with this church. And I had broken it into four sections of just like, they don't respect the youth of this church.They have a bad view of music. That was important to me cuz they were like, they had this whole, like, contemporary music is evil. They were like one of those. And [00:25:00] then they there were a couple other things. Oh, they, the way they hated Catholics actually really bothered me. The way they talked about Catholics was very not okay in my opinion.And then basically I'd told them I would never invite a friend to church here. Like I would never, like, do y'all want to actually save people? Because I would never invite. Yeah. So I wrote this whole long letter, sent it to the pastor. He forwarded it to the elders. I told my dad afterwards about it and my dad and dad was like, can I read it?And I was like, sure. I signed it to him. He is like, all right, proud of you. This is good stuff. . And so I told my parents that I wanted to face the elders alone. So we would go to their session room, which was a long wooden table, had like chairs on all around it. And then on the wall it had pictures of Martin Luther.It had Swingley and it had John Calvin. And then it had like these bookshelves that [00:26:00] were just like full of like reformation propaganda. And so it's me and the three elders I knew the most. And then for, for three hours they talked to me about how my long hair was sinful, which was the first time like, I thought, only crazy churches believe that, right?And they were like, no, you're trying to look like the world with your hair. And I was like, what? And then they talked about my best friend who dressed in all black, like how, you know, they're dressing in all black. Same friend was in the band with me and was just like, said, they look like the world.Talk to me about how I was the one who was disrespecting them. They weren't disrespectful of you, of youth. I was disrespectful to them and that yeah, that basically I, and, and I didn't confront them correctly. I shouldn't have written a letter. When you have a problem with someone, you go and confront them, and then if they don't listen, you bring another, you [00:27:00] know, the whole Matthew 18 dumb ass shit.And so I just, I, I was a wreck and so I cried. Eventually my dad came in, and that's the cool part of the story. My dad comes in and he goes, what happened? And, well, no, my dad comes in and actually the first things outta his mouth was who was yelling at my son. And it was a, it was a good moment for me and my dad.Our, our relationship only got stronger after that moment. then they started talking about the hair and stuff. Then my dad goes, look behind you. And there's like, you know, his wingy with his long beard and stuff, and he is like, and my dad goes, the person who sh what? I can't even remember the terminology anymore.The person who led me to the Lord, that's how they talk. The person who led me to the Lord had long hair. Like, what are you talking about? You know? and so it kind of got tense and then yeah, at the end I say I don't recant, which was a paraphrase of what [00:28:00] Martin Luther said when he was brought before, Catholics and, and excommunicated.cuz I thought that would be an extra sting of, since they idolize this man so much. that was the first time I switched from being a blind follower. I stayed a Christian for many years after that, but I stopped blindly following what church leaders say that day. De'Vannon: I like that whole recant thing.Like I was saying earlier that you said what? You said , I'm might, I might hit a bitch with that one day I recant, not it. John: Lost the fuck out. Yeah. It, it's a little dramatic. Well, because they, well, one of the elders said like, do you, do you have like, I want to give you the last word. Is there anything you wanna say?Because I could tell by the look on their face, they felt like they did something good. They felt like they did a good job of putting me back on the right path. [00:29:00] And I was like, guys, y'all just proved everything I said. Like, I, why would I recant anything? and they were, they were mad frankly. They were mad.De'Vannon: They always are. They, they were that way with Lakewood, you know, you know, when they, when the ki when the, when the kids choir director and the adult choir director were firing me from all aspects of volunteering for not being straight. Despite the, despite, aside from the fact they would call me in the office and question who I'm dating and stuff like that, trying to get all into who I'm fucking and whatnot.Well, I mean, we can't even fuck even doing all that. Just, you know, or hold hands or shit, I guess, whatever their rules were, you know? Mm-hmm. , when they offered me their conversion therapy package in order to stay and to be demoted, quote unquote, to an usher from being on, you know, camera and television and stuff in the more public ministries, and I got up to walk the fuck out, they were so confused, you know, that I didn't accept their conversion [00:30:00] therapy package.And they, when they were talking to me, they felt like they, they, they, they felt like I had hurt them and offended them. You know? Like, how could you, how could you hang out with gay people when you're not here, ? John: Yeah. I mean, when you, when you think, when you, you, when you think you're divinely appointed by God people aren't supposed to argue with you.And if they do, they're spo. If someone argues with you, they're arguing with the Lord. I mean, there's some who would never say, no, no, no, no, no. Like it's, it's, I don't, I don't have that kind of authority, blah, blah, blah. But I'm like, but in practice, like, I mean, this is what we keep agreeing to by showing up to church is that you're divinely appointed by God to do whatever the hell you wanna do, frankly And so, I, I don't know. I mean, it's, it's, but it's so sad, right? It's so sad that it happens to not only, you know, [00:31:00] adults or like people who've put a lot of work into the church. it happens to very vulnerable people. It happens like in my case, to a child. I mean, I was 16 years old and I had grown ass men ripping me a new one because I just challenged their bad behavior.I mean, this is what we were working with. Imagine if I was like a woman when I did that, or like, You know, or, or like, you know, not, not white, you know? yeah, like, I, I, I mean, it's just horrifying, right? It's, it's all about once you deviate from, the, the program, I mean, you're gonna, you're gonna experience some, some shaming at minimum.De'Vannon: Hmm. Some shaming in some shade. Yeah. Especially white men, they don't like to be told what to do and, and that they're wrong. They're accustomed to stepping on all the little brown people and stuff like that. But for the record, my brother, I think you got plenty of soul. You are always invited for the motherfucking cookout.any damn [00:32:00] day about to be crawfish season down here. Come stay with me. I got room in my house. I'll get you some soul food and fattening you up a little bit. , John: man, I miss soul food. You know, there's obviously a lot of great stuff here in Atlanta, but now I'm vegan, so like, so much of it is like off the table for me now.It's very sad. De'Vannon: So that means no crawfishes for you. Well, vegan is not. Yeah. There's no dairy in that, right? There's no dairy in, yeah, video1579991175: but John: it's a, it, it's an animal though. De'Vannon: You can't eat any animals either. John: Okay. I'm gonna have no animal, no dairy, some vegan De'Vannon: seafood shit for you. John: So some collards though. I can have some collards, which is good.You know, I De'Vannon: grow mustard greens. I got them in the backyard right now. Ooh. Okay. I cut you a pot. John: Let's goDe'Vannon: So the section called contain mm-hmm. march. Stuck out to me. In, in, in here. So I have long loathed Christian people for this fake oppression and things like that. Like what you mentioned earlier. We're gonna talk about [00:33:00] the myth of Chris and Daria. Mm-hmm. , after we talk about this whole people not wanting to make cake for the gaze.Bullshit. I like the way you said it. I'm gonna read a little ex sweeped as bugs bunnies, , sometimes racist ass would. Say he can't help how Disney dressed him. Sometimes he was in drag, sometimes he was talking to people in blackface. But there's a whole thing out there on YouTube about, you know, Disney and the different cartoons, racism.Go look it up cuz unfortunately Bugsy was in there too. So Romans 12 versus 20 through 21. This is from the book, says to the contrary, if your enemy is hangry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink For Baso doing, he will heap pointing cold on his head. So do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.John goes on to say, perceiving gay folks as enemies is [00:34:00] problematic in and of itself, but even if you do, I fail to see how refusing to give people some cake. Cake, cake, cake, cake scores you any brownie points for the God.John: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it, it is wild, right? Like that's, it's, it's, it's just, and it shows the contrary, like there's an evangelical message of we need to serve all people. And then there's another message that they're saying at the same time is like, but not if, I'm like, well, if there's a but not if, then the first thing doesn't make any sense.De'Vannon: And Jesus is saying, it is your most basic bitch Christian level. You gotta feed a bitch. You know, two people can be in a relationship and on the verge of divorce. I mean, if a pot of food is cooking, you, you can at least share that. I mean, yeah. Nevertheless, you've been commanded to do so. You're not supposed to leave people starving and without clothing.No matter how much you [00:35:00] disdain them, you're supposed to piss on them if they're on fire. It's stuff like that, no matter how much you don't want to mm-hmm. . So you conservative assholes out there when you don't wanna make me a cake because I walked in with eyeshadow on, just know. You're written of in the scriptures.You hateful ho. Yeah. Now then this myth of oppression, like you talked about earlier. Christians are a bunch of big fucking Karens running around something like. The God the world is against them. The moment they can't stop. I don't know, a trans athlete from participating in sports, then, oh my God, I'm being silenced.My rights are not being heard. I'm being so persecuted. Bitch, no one's coming after you. You just got told no for trying to come after somebody else. No one actually attacked you. . Mm-hmm. . I can't say anything more about this. So tell us who the hell, Chris. Chris and Aria . John: If, if memory serves me, I was telling you before we started recording, I, I wrote this [00:36:00]book a while ago, so I'm like, I don't actually remember all, everything, but the, that's the, the couple that supposedly got saved early on and, and really it was all about Chastity.Like they were like this couple that was, you know, like, oh, chastity is so great. and then because they're seeking to convert others. I think according to the story, it's Rome supposedly who throws a, i I think one gets fed to a lion, the other gets fed, burned at the stake, whatever. It's a pretty classic version of just early church persecution.There's a million different stories like this of just like different Christian heroes who were early Christians who, you know got converted and, and then they, you know like start, started bolstering the movement and Rome doesn't like it, so they killed them. 90% of those stories aren't true. They never happened.They were made up. It was just, it was just made [00:37:00] up. I mean, I really don't know what else to say about it. It's just, it's unverified. There were a few that happened and there was also some early Jewish persecution in that same time. That was absolutely happening. , but Jewish Christians, which was what they were at first did that kind of lumped their Jewish Christ Christendom beliefs with other sex of Judaism that were actually being persecuted.And so it just became this kind of whole glob of like of myth of saying that like, oh, if the people find out you're Christian, they'll wanna kill you for it. And that bread, like this whole martyrdom complex which is very similar obviously to a Messiah complex. And so yeah, it's just, it just, there's a lot of stories like that that, you know, you, you're free to fact check.Never happened. But they're told from the pulpit they're, you know, they're told the old, you'll hear a mirror million [00:38:00] different versions of basically like they were singing songs while they were being burned alive. They were reciting scripture while they were being burned alive. Didn't happen.It just wasn't very common. Occasionally there was some mob violence that was killing Christians, but it just wasn't a common thing. De'Vannon: I can't believe that the band was really playing as the Titanic ship went down either . But if that's what might not have, well, if that's what Rose wanna say, then we'll have to believe Rose or what the fuck ever.I want that diamond bitch, you know? . Okay, . So basically the Christian Church is a bunch of drama queens and stuff like that. And I, I, I don't know, you know what I want you to talk about, like, people who leave the [00:39:00] church and like blame themselves or haven't been duped by them because I went through that for like a really long time. , you know, it's like I was mad at myself, as they say, for buying this bullshit. True. I, looking back on it now, with a healthy mind, I was vulnerable.They took advantage of me, but I did not think that way for a many, many years. It's like, why was I so stupid? Why did I let them do that? You know, there's a grieving that happened in some, some self-loathing that came in there on me.John: Well, let me tell you a story. Yesterday I was driving to the grocery store and I saw someone on the side of the road that had a sign that said, Jesus saves. And I got outta my car and I went and talked to them. After about 30 minutes, I realized this was the most beautiful person I ever met. And guess what?The story I just told you is not. [00:40:00] So no . Not that I've just made that up. I didn't go to the grocery store yesterday. Oh. So the thing got me yo , I got, I got everybody. And that's why you shouldn't feel duped. We trust, that's what we do as humans. When someone's put, when something's put in a story form, we're compelled by what they're saying.That doesn't make anyone stupid. That makes us have empathy. That makes us like beautiful people. We don't need to blame ourselves. We need to blame people who take advantage of that. Now, I was able to just tell you I was lying and no harm is really done right. , we gotta now, but there might be a listener who goes, oh, I can't trust this guy.If he's able to lie that good, you know, fine. Don't. But the thing is, churches have built an entire system that took the storytelling, the beautiful storytelling of Judaism and just wrecked it for their own purposes. and added, took away, changed, edited [00:41:00] the story. You are not stupid for wanting to believe in a story that, that, that, that's just the thing you have to know.There's no, there's no stupidity. It's all on them . It's all on them to bear the responsibility of, of having power, of having and kind of a monopoly on redemption narratives. I mean, they've kind of created this universe literally where the, they, they have a redemptive narrative that is attributed to them.They should wield that power carefully, and they don't. So no. Anyone who gets caught up in believing it, don't blame yourself for that. That's, you're a human being. Don't blame yourself for very normal human things to do. And don't blame other people who are still believing it. understand where they're coming from.It does take work. It's not easy. I don't have a [00:42:00] magic bullet solution, but I just think being aware of why you fell for it is important. Cuz most people didn't fall for it for evil reasons. They usually fell for it for really, really good, important reasons. Mm-hmm. . De'Vannon: So a another quote that you say from your book, it's concerning these foolish people.You say, John says, y'all the claim that they are in a relationship with Christ, that their churches are their families and that they love sinners, but hate sin and that divine beauty is interwoven through all of it. John says, cool story bro. Doesn't mean you're on a cult. . John: Yeah. Well, and it's true. It's just like there's, there's a, there's an element of family that, that they pretend to provide.and that's fine. And sometimes it, it's not all pretend. Sometimes they do some really important things for each other. I don't see why that's intention with the idea that they're a [00:43:00] cult though. I, I, I think, I think you can do good things while being in a cult. I just think cults are bad things. De'Vannon: Just don't drink the Kool-Aid bitches.I'm just saying. Pour it upon the ground and run the fuck away. So then the final run, run, run, run for is run. So the final section called Convert. Hmm. I thought this was such a confident statement for you, for you to write, and I just, I'm just like reading it cause we wanna talk about hell and whether or not you believe it's real, because one of his chapters is I believe it's called a, a yeah, it's called a made up thing called Hell.Y'all. John is the most titillating, tantalizing, thought provoking. This makes you wanna dive into them like some good pussy or some good pussy. Chapter titles. I mean, the, the, the, the, the, I'm gonna read some of 'em. Slave Segregation, sorry. Faux wait. Merit faux [00:44:00] Meritocracy with a side of the Theocratic Tyranny.Selective History, the Myth of Oppression. Made of thing. Call held superficial and super fiscal. You know, the, the, the, just the Fuckings chapter Titles are art. You know what it's gonna be about. And, you know, shit's gonna be edgy and fresh and everything that, that, you know, that we need right now. And so, whew, chapter ta fucking chapter titles gave me life.So, so from, from, yeah. The John: chapter titles are better than the book. So , De'Vannon: that right there is exactly what I'm gonna read now. You exude so much fucking confidence because of the way you're able to slay yourself and kind of make fun of yourself, but then not really, you know, you have to have like the biggest pp or just not even care because you, you just, you're just so like authentically you and you're so like, relaxed about it.Y'all, this is what John says about himself growing up. He says, I doubt [00:45:00] I am the only one to have grown up dabbling in mature discussion topic. It is way too. Wait, what the fuck? Wait, wait. Lemme say that again. I doubt I'm the only one that have grown up dabbling, mature discussion topics way too young to remember being younger than 10 and debating with my cousins over suspicion about who goes to hell.Young is honestly, I'm sure of any philosophers, theologians, our professional commentators, communicators have been around or had been around for this adolescent think tank vomit, would escape from their mouths quicker than corrections even. So good for us for trying to figure out life's deepest questions.And I thought, how, how? Just confident, you know, just to, just to be able to look back on yourself and laugh without being negatively critical. You know, like, I can't believe I thought or did that way. Ha ha ha, ha ha. But here I [00:46:00] am today, so. Can you speak to us about that sort of self-confidence? Where did you get that from?How are you able to look back and say, my God, you know, I was a mess, but not attack yourself. You know, just appreciate where you were then while taking in where you are now. Make jokes about it and just go on swinging your big dick through life, . John: So how do you Well, I was gonna say, I was gonna say the large penis is most of itBut I, no, I think it's so here's the thing. Truth be told, most of my friends would not describe me as confident. Writing provides a, allows me to be the best version of myself. And so what comes across in my writing as confidence is probably what I want to be. It's not always what I am. [00:47:00] The other answer I'll give is therapy.I, I punish and it used to be worse. So I've come a long way, but I punish myself for some of who I was. But I had a therapist. Tell me once how many years is enough to punish you for what you did? On very different things, you know? I mean, I have a, I have a lot of shame about all sorts of things I wish I had done differently in life.But what's, but what's my sentence, right? Like, what, what, what, how long do I have to negatively talk about who I was before? It's enough, before enough time has passed, before I've given myself enough lashes, so to speak. Like, what's the number? Put a number to it. And when she said that to me, it kind of, just reshaped how I thought about things.I'm like, there really isn't anything [00:48:00] stopping me from being the person who I want to be. So that's a little deeper answer than that little anecdote about me talking to my cousins about hell . It was. But I think I, I appreciate you seeing that that that is something actively working on as we speak, and something I want to get better at is, and it's not so much self-confidence, although I, I, I, I, I know I'm witty and I, you know, I, there's just certain personality traits I know about myself.But I wanna love myself and I haven't figured it out yet, but I used to not even want to. And that's the, the biggest change that happened in my life is when I, not, not when I woke up one day and started loving myself, but when I woke up one day and said, loving myself should be a goal. because for a long time it wasn't even a goal, and I was indoctrinated to believe that it would actually steer me away from heaven or my loved ones, or [00:49:00] love in general.If I tried to love myself, I would become selfish. I would become sinful. I would become self-serving because the only way, proper way to love yourself would be to love God. I don't agree with that anymore. I, I think that I th first off, there's a trope going around that's been going around for a while, that you have to love yourself before you can love other people.Bullshit. I'm calling bullshit on it. You can love people so deeply while you hate yourself. You can, you can have all sorts of love. The, the, the, the truth behind that trope is it will not be sustained. You can't sustain love for other people if you're not actively practicing love with yourself.Because love is a practice. It's not just like a thing, you can't help. It takes work, it takes choices. It does take feelings, but it takes controlled [00:50:00] feelings. It takes managed feelings. And for most people it takes some therapy. And therapy can look different for different people. It doesn't have to be sitting on a couch.You know, I, I used to do activity therapy with my therapist going on walks. You know there's all sorts of things you can do for you, and no one's gonna know what you need more than you. But yeah, I, when I look back at my past self, I do feel a lot of shame. But the fact that my goal is to not makes all the difference in the.De'Vannon: Well, I hope you overcome all of that. And I just, there no, remember Jesus being on the cross where I think he had a murder on one hand and a thief on the other? And you know, the Lord says the only sin he won't forgive you for is if you blaspheme the Holy Ghost, which is not something really easy to do.I don't think most people even know what the fuck that means. And so that doesn't mean that as a human we don't have to work through, you know, shame and [00:51:00] guilt. But, you know, I just always like to remind people, you know, and you of that, you know, all things are forgiven no matter what, you know, you know, according to the word of, of Jesus and his work on the cross.So this means a murdering people, oh God, fuck y'all. I'm not saying go out and slice people down, just thinking, go run to the church and ask for forgiveness. That's not what I'm saying. But I'm saying like, if you're sitting in jail somewhere and you done done it and it's been 20 years and you killed whatever person, Okay, that's over.Now, you know, you have a path forward, but Jesus does require us to tell the truth about everything, you know, to make whatever amends we can to people realistically, you know, and safely, you know, if the person's around, he wants us to as, as, as he says, leave our gift at the altar and go get right with the person.And not to let the sun go down on our anger. But there is always redemption. There is always grace, is grace is sufficient for us. No matter what you have done, you just don't blast being the Holy Ghost. Everything else. It's fine. I regret having sold so many god damn narcotics to people who I [00:52:00]could tell were too, were so weak-willed that I could bend them, you know, to, to my, to my desire.You know, sometimes I think about that, but you know what? It's over. I don't sell drugs anymore. I hate the fact that I prayed on them in their vulnerabilities. You know, to make myself feel good. That's John: such a big one. Can, can I focus on two things real quick? Whatever the hell you want. Okay. Okay. Because pr preying on vulnerabilities is a big part of my shame too.Hmm. And it's really hard because I grew up in a cult that taught me how to pray on people's vulnerabilities. Subtly, not like explicitly, but just being in that environment and all of that. So that's a hard, hard thing. So good on ya. For, for, you're correct. I mean, it's something you can't change.It's not, you know, the damage is done. And you do have to accept that that was a u that [00:53:00]doesn't exist anymore or even more accurately. That's a u that you've done work to and make sure that you're not prey on vulnerable people anymore. And whatever small bit of you that was either naturally good at it or indoctrinated to be good at preying on other people, if you're able to change that about yourself, you are so much better off than so many people who are in the cult who cannot turn that off and have no mechanism to turn that off.The second thing is I don't think you need Jesus for that forgiveness and grace personally. I don't wanna take it away from anyone . That's not, that's not my personality. I'm like, if that, if that, but I just, I would, I would be amiss and offbrand if I didn't if I didn't say you do not need Jesus to have grace.You need yourself to give grace to yourself. Forgiveness is something you can offer yourself to. And [00:54:00] so I, I just, I, I have to get that in there of like, Jesus is a cool archetype, is a cool story, is a cool whatever for it, but you don't need it. And if it's too triggering for you, walk the fuck away.Get the fuck out of there. You don't need it. De'Vannon: I say both because even with Jesus offering all, even when Jesus offering all the forgiveness in the world, if a person cannot accept it or cannot conceptualize that as a reality, then it, it'll never, even though they have it, it won't be in their reality. So to them it won't exist.And so I, I hear you on the self-work part of it. I throw Jesus in there. John doesn't, why, why don't you, why don't you feel like, so do you think, do you, do you think Jesus is more of like a story if he was like a cool guy, do you not believe that he is the son of God? Oh, he is not John: Well, and I'll say why he is not First off, Jesus is only as much God as you and I are.In my [00:55:00] opinion is how I would spin that if I wanted to. Son of God was coined by Paul. Jesus never said he was a son of God. He does make that like illusion where in, in John where he says like I am the father or whatever. Son of God is specifically a Greek term that Paul was using because that was a more familiar Greek idea.Judaism did not have the idea of a son of God. The Jewish understanding of Messiah was not supposed to be a God. It was supposed to be an enlightened human being. So those are just things that developed later. So I just, that terminology doesn't resonate in my worldview. Again, I'm not here to necessarily dog on people's personal beliefs, at least of all yours.But, but I, I more just want to make that clear distinction that it's like what I like about Jesus. Is what's reported about him through a very biased lens, , and through like a very [00:56:00] like developed and evolved narrative, the redemption narrative that we've landed on with Jesus is incredibly powerful, and I think a beautiful story that is probably more beautiful than any other story in literature I can think of.And there might be some sort of value that you can attach to it. I just don't think you need to worship Jesus to get anything De'Vannon: interesting. Oh, I don't take any of this personal, I'm always one thing about Christianity in the, in the, in the, the pursuit of spirituality. In my humility, I guess it might not be too humble for me to call myself humble, but you know, like , that my fucking humility, my fucking god damn humility, I, I understand that not everything is known about the approach to God, the approach to the trinity.You know, I don't believe that I have all the answers and I have enough sense to know anything that I think could be wrong, except for in the case that I've had, like [00:57:00] something miraculous happen, like a dream, a vision, an angelic appearance, you know, a touch by the Holy Ghost, you know, or something like that, you know?Mm-hmm. , my personal experiences, you know, you know, are non-negotiable to me, but my understanding of word of, of what's written absolutely negoti because you know, as I've gotten more into it in trying to learn the original Bible languages and the way they were written in the cultural influence and stuff like that, I've had something like, wow moments.Like, what the fuck? Now, when I was over in the Middle East last year, you know, I was shocked to learn that, you know, where was I at? I was in the United Arab Emirates. You had an Egyptian tour guide and stuff like that, and he was all like taking us all these moss and stuff. He was like, , we don't believe that Messiah has come, you know?Mm-hmm. at all. They're, they're like, Jesus was cool, and they're all about worshiping God. They believe Allah and God are like the same to them, but they're like, N Jesus just one of the other enlightened ones, but they're very dedicated to their, to [00:58:00] God and everything like that. I feel like more dedicated than Christians are, and they're more real about it and shit like that.You know, if I, you know, I could, I could easily fit into, into, you know, the Arabic culture over there. So I'm not surprised to hear you say that you don't necessarily think Jesus is the son of God, because those people don't either. I, I choose to believe that they're massive prosperity comes from their devotion to who they believe in and the way that they treat each other.Mm-hmm. so, so So, so what you're saying is based on what you read and researched Son of God, and Jesus always called himself the son of man according to what I read. You know, but, but I've never, I've never what considered what you've said before, that someone else called him Son of God, you know, he never called himself a Christian.You know, anything like that. Or as you put it, John, you say, every man before Jesus came up with rules, Jesus got rid of him. And then every man after [00:59:00] him added more rules. Mm-hmm. . So people, yeah, people tend to like to add shit. I quote you on that from time to time on my show, I'll be like, John Vanier said this, and soJohn: Yeah. Well, and to be very clear, I, I, I admire and even dare say I'm am inspired by Jesus. But I just, I just, the only, the only thing when it comes to the practical side of things is just anytime my, like my alarm bells go off, when there's a direct tie between, you need Jesus. . That's just like a big red flag to me.Not because some people might need Jesus actually, like personally in their own personal life, it might enrich it, it might give them a spirituality. I like to think of it as a template. It gives them like a template for their spirituality. That's great. But the second it's pe all people need Jesus.Then I'm like, fuck no. I'm like, , get, get that, get that outta my face. Because that is, [01:00:00] in my opinion, going back to the artwork. That's what can create that like hierarchy is just creating that need for Jesus. De'Vannon: Yeah, and that's another thing. I have enough goddamn fucking humility to, to realize that not everybody's going to be a follower of.I know that, you know, as I, as I say, from time to time, I'll hang out with somebody who, who sucks Satan's dick, as long as they're not trying to personally hurt me, because not everybody's gonna be a Christian. Mm-hmm. or be a follower. I hate, I hate the word Christian. So do you feel the same way about like God and the Holy Spirit?Like in terms of non deifying them? John: Woo. Man, once you open up the Trinity, that's a whole freaking new, that's a universe. I'll know if you, if you read that after, after the prologue of, of my book. But I, I believe it's cut off into three sections. Jesus was awesome. God might be [01:01:00] great, and the Holy Spirit haunts me.And the, the God might be great is kind of a, a nod to Christopher Hitchens, who's one of my favorite authors who wrote God is Not Great. Because my, my answer to him is, well, he might be. , but probably not. You know, it's kind of like, yeah, the, I, I, I know what you're saying, but you know, I also understand that most people, for most of history, I think it's a very arrogant stance to to act like the idea of God is silly.I think that's a pretty arrogant stance to have. So it's not one I take when I say the Holy Spirit haunts me. There are spiritual experiences, like you said, for you, they're non-negotiable, right? Like you have these experiences that define your life. I've had those myself. Here's the thing, they are negotiable for me.And I would love to just say this was all in my head. I [01:02:00] can't, I can't know that , but I would love to be able to say that. So for me, I, it's a little different because Jesus, the character of Jesus is the one that's especially in evangelicalism, but in Christianity as a whole, is the one who's dare I say, name has been taken in vain.The most you know, as far as like using him as a character, using him in a very manipulative way. When you get to the Holy Spirit, like you can get really culty really quick when you start talking about like Pentecostals and like, you know, just some of the hooping and the hollering and God told me this, so it must be true that that stuff is yikes.But the concept of God is kind of, has no meaning because the word God means so many different things to so many, to the, to each individual we imagine him that that's like in the, in the proper sense, we imagine him. So maybe less dangerous than, [01:03:00] than. You know, saying you need God is probably less dangerous than saying you need Jesus, but I'd prefer you to say neither, you know and you need the Holy Spirit might be even more dangerous, but it's just probably rarer, you know?But yeah, I don't know if those are just initial thoughts. Again, because, because I'm not an atheist. I don't, I don't claim to be, but I think atheists get a lot of shit because people think they're crazy. And I'm like, well, they're certainly not crazy. I mean, they're the most rational of all of us.They, they're just, you know, I, I just, I just don't identify with it. But I, all of that to say I just love all people and I don't want people to feel like they have to go through a very narrow lens in order to receive love, forgiveness, whatever they want to receive in life. They don't need Jesus for that.They don't need God for that. They don't need the Holy Spirit for. De'Vannon: why.you say you feel like you're, like, what I would call a, like an indisputable encounter with God that I [01:04:00] had. I find it non-negotiable. You said you would like yours to be negotiable. Mm-hmm. , why do you say you would like to be, or you like still fighting against your, the church or your experience?So if God approached you personally, what you're, what I'm hearing you say is that, you know, it's really not negotiable, but you would like it to be. John: Why? I know it's not negotiable for you and I know it's not negotiable for most people. It is negotiable for me. How do you the, the, the thing? Yeah. Well, I don't, most of the time cuz I, I got other shit I gotta doThink about it. But no, I, I, you know, I, I had, I had a, I have a conversion story. I, I felt the presence of God or Jesus or whatever I, I assume as much as anyone. I mean, right? Like I went and studied to be a pastor, like clearly it meant something. I don't think I was just a full on narcissist who was like, oh, I'm gonna be the voice of God, like, da da da da da.Like, I don't, I really don't think, I think it was motivated. [01:05:00] Pretty hol wholesomely and like . I thought it was a, I prayed a lot. I prayed more than anybody I knew, you know? Like, I'm like, surely this was all real, right? I don't know. I was 11. What the fuck do you know, at 11? Like, I'm, I'm like, there, there's, and what do you know when you've been indoctrinated for over a decade?That when you feel certain things, it's definitely this. Oh, like, I'm like, you know, there's like, there's placebos, there's, there's all sorts of things we know about what we can do with our own brain. Then I'm like, I'm not gonna say it was definitely this, or definitely that. I don't know, and I probably never will know, but I'm not gonna live my life based on those experiences because that is that's cheating myself out of a very full life.De'Vannon: Okay, I see what you're saying. What you're saying is due to, you haven't been such a young Impressional age when you went through everything, you don't know if that's like some sort of P t s D, some sort John: of, or, [01:06:00] or even in adult life, you know, like there, I had spiritual moments, if you wanna call 'em that, like an adult life, you know, I was a worship leader.I, I remember very vividly sometimes I was leading worship and like, would be struck with something that felt otherworldly. The whole g the whole gauntlet, whatever a Christian can tell you about their experiences with Jesus, I'll see you one and I'll raise you one, you know, but but I just, I'm just like, but I'm not gonna pretend that because I felt like it was something and I was told to feel like it was something that, it definitely was that thing.I, I just, I wanna, I wanna have a little more humility than that and have a little more understanding of alternative worldviews. De'Vannon: I think churches should start paying all of us reparation checks, s for all this motherfucking mental health shit that we have. So yeah, the checks need to start. The money needs to start flowing the other fucking way away from these churches and

Spiritual Renewal Week: Greg Waybright (Staley Guest) Rev. Dr. Greg Waybright served as president of Trinity International University in Deerfield, Illinois, for over twelve years. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy in New Testament Theology from Marquette University and his Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is currently on Wheaton College's Board of Trustees, and recently completed a two-year tenure as Wheaton's chaplain. He has pastored churches in Wisconsin, Illinois, and California, most recently at Lake Avenue Church in Pasadena. He and his wife, Chris, currently reside in Colorado Springs, Colorado. His visit is funded by an endowment from the Thomas F. Staley Foundation.

Spiritual Renewal Week: Greg Waybright (Staley Guest) Rev. Dr. Greg Waybright served as president of Trinity International University in Deerfield, Illinois, for over twelve years. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy in New Testament Theology from Marquette University and his Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He is currently on Wheaton College's Board of Trustees, and recently completed a two-year tenure as Wheaton's chaplain. He has pastored churches in Wisconsin, Illinois, and California, most recently at Lake Avenue Church in Pasadena. He and his wife, Chris, currently reside in Colorado Springs, Colorado. His visit is funded by an endowment from the Thomas F. Staley Foundation.

In this episode Jen Pollock Michel shares about time anxiety, productivity, waiting actively, rest, a rule of life, and receiving the good gifts that God has given us.Jen Pollock Michel is an award-winning author and speaker. Her fifth book, In Good Time: Reimagining Productivity, Resisting Hurry, and Practicing Peace, releases in December 2022. She holds a B.A. in French from Wheaton College, an M.A. in Literature from Northwestern University, and is working to complete an M.F.A from Seattle Pacific University. You can follow Jen on Twitter and Instagram @jenpmichel and subscribe to her Monday letters at jenpollockmichel.com. Jen lives in Cincinnati with her family.Jen's Book:In Good TimeJen's Recommendation:The BearConnect with Joshua: jjohnson@allnations.usGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook or Instagram at www.facebook.com/shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/shiftingculturepodcast/Consider Giving to the podcast and to the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link below.Support the show

How familiar are you with the unique challenges of women in leadership? From childcare concerns, to re-entering the workforce after years devoted to parenting, to the lack of resources and training available for women leadership. This conversation is one we have in our coaching practices with female leaders over and over again. Today, we decided to bring one of our very own Living Wholehearted Executive Coaches on the podcast to talk more about this.   Connie Armerding is an Executive Coach & Leadership Consultant, Writer, Speaker, and Teacher. She is passionate about equipping ministry and marketplace leaders by creating spiritually and emotionally healthy cultures among leaders and their communities. Connie holds degrees from Wheaton College in Interpersonal Communication and a MA in Leadership. She's been published with Propel Women, Patheos, and the Redbud Post. She is a contributing writer of Friendzy and is currently working on a project with Nav Press as a contributor to Reflecting God's Nature, the Women's Devotional Bible based on The Message. Connie also leads conflict resolution training for organizational teams and teaches and preaches at churches and conferences across the Pacific Northwest. She has been married to her husband, Taylor, for twenty years, and they are raising four children here in Oregon. To connect with Connie, visit: ONLINE - www.livingwholehearted.com https://www.conniearmerding.com SOCIAL - Facebook - @connie.armerding Twitter - @ConnieArmerding Instagram - @carmerding Register for once a month virtual group coaching with other female leaders. This 6 month group coaching starts February 14 with Connie Armerding, Rhonda Bega, and Terra Mattson is only $45 a month. Register today.  If you want to know more about Living Wholehearted and the resources we offer, from our books and e-Courses, to our professional counseling and leadership development services, go to livingwholehearted.com and sign up for our monthly newsletters. Each month you will be connected with resources and on-going support for your journey toward living more wholehearted. The application process for our next wholehearted leadership cohort will begin this summer. If you get our newsletter, you will be the first to know! That's www.livingwholehearted.com or follow us on instagram @living_wholehearted.   To connect with Jeff and Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to: Instagram @TerraMattson @Living_Wholehearted @MyCourageousGirls #living_wholeheartedpodcast #shrinkingtheintegritygap Facebook @WeAreLivingWholehearted @MyCourageousGirls Websites LivingWholehearted.com TerraMattson.com MyCourageousGirls.com MyCourageousBook.com Resources Shrinking the Integrity Gap       https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/ Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course       https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace       https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace Dear Mattsons       https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters      http://cpguides.org/

In his forthcoming book, Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation,  Collin Hansen aims to add to our understanding of evangelical history in the second half of the 20th century into the early 21st century. Keller's life spans and intersects with many of the most significant people, events, and trends within Christianity during the last 75 years.The same can be said of John Piper, who along with Keller is a founding Council member of The Gospel Coalition. Piper is nearly five years older than Keller. Between them, they've studied in many of the most influential institutions of the post-war “new evangelicalism,” such as Wheaton College, Fuller Theological Seminary, and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. They themselves have built several of the most influential institutions of the “new Calvinism,” such as Bethlehem College and Seminary, Desiring God, and The Gospel Coalition.They share something else significant in common: both list Jonathan Edwards and C. S. Lewis among their top influences. In this special season of Gospelbound, we're exploring, in depth, several key influences that appear in Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation. John Piper joins Collin Hansen on this episode of Gospelbound to discuss Edwards, Lewis, evangelical feminism, and the reception to his own expansive writing and teaching.

Dr. Adam E. Miglio is Associate Professor of Old Testament & Archaeology and Director of M.A. in Old Testament Archaeology at Wheaton College. His most recent book is The Gilgamesh Epic in Genesis 1-11: Peering into the Deep.  Today's topic: Anyone listening in on the discussions of Old Testament specialists soon hears tell of the cuneiform script and the Akkadian language. Dr. Miglio provides a brief orientation to these and explains the importance of Akkadian to the in-depth study of the OT.

Interested in further study of the Bible? Join us at Logos Bible Software. Sign up to attend Westminster Seminary California's Seminary for a Day here! Please help support the show on our Patreon Page! SEASON 5 EPISODE 17 Join Nick & Peter of the Guilt Grace Gratitude Podcast as they continue Season 5, Reformed Apologetics, with a discussion about the relationship between Christianity and philosophy. C. Stephen Evans (PhD, Yale) is University Professor of Philosophy and the Humanities at Baylor University. He previously taught in the philosophy departments at Calvin College, St. Olaf College, and Wheaton College. He has published several books, including Kierkegaard: An Introduction, Natural Signs and Knowledge of God: A New Look at Theistic Arguments, God and Moral Obligation, Why Christian Faith Still Makes Sense, and Philosophy of Religion. Special thanks to IVP Academic for helping set up this interview Book(s) used for this conversation: A History of Western Philosophy Have Feedback or Questions? Email us at: guiltgracepod@gmail.com Find us on Instagram: @guiltgracepod Follow us on Twitter: @guiltgracepod Find us on YouTube: Guilt Grace Gratitude Podcast Please rate and subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform you use! Looking for a Reformed Church? North American Presbyterian & Reformed Churches --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/gggpodcast/support

This is the BIPOC Artist Hour, a podcast dedicated to lifting up the unique experience of people of color in the arts, academia and the real world. And, because we always talk about the struggle we are also all about what brings us JOY. Hit us up on Instagram and TikTok at @playblackpodcast or via email at playblackpodcast@gmail.com to keep up to date with us, leave feedback, or suggest future interviews! Artist Bio - Boston native Cliff Notez is an award-winning, multi–digital media artist, musician, entrepreneur, and filmmaker. His art is a continuous exploration of the black mind. He graduated from Wheaton College with a dual degree in music (voice concentration) and psychology in 2013. He then graduated from Northeastern University in 2016 with a master's degree in digital media. While attending graduate school in 2015, he simultaneously took a position at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston as the teen new media programs associate. As an educator and administrator for digital media programs and events, he began his own digital media company, HipStory. Rooted in hip-hop, his art tackles the political and the personal, exploring the intimate consequences of a society where black bodies are easily ignored, forgotten, or disregarded. His second full-length album, Why the Wild Things Are, was released September 11, 2019. His films have been official selections for 20+ film festivals globally, winning five of them. In 2017, he was the grand prize winner of the March on Washington Festival and honored alongside Ta-Nehisi Coates. In 2018, he took home the Best New Artist award at the Boston Music Awards, while racking up over 11 nominations between 2019 and 2020, including Artist of the Year and Live Artist of the Year. In 2019, he became the first musician to be named Musician of the Year for Boston Magazine's Best of Boston. Music Credit- LAKEY INSPIRED Track Name: "Blue Boi" Music By: LAKEY INSPIRED @ https://soundcloud.com/lakeyinspiredOriginal upload HERE - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAukv...Official "LAKEY INSPIRED" YouTube Channel HERE - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOmy...License for commercial use: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported "Share Alike" (CC BY-SA 3.0) License. Full License HERE - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...Music promoted by NCM https://goo.gl/fh3rEJ

IN THIS REPEAT - Here is the final part of a chat about The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: book vs. 2005 movie. = = = = This is the second and final part of an episode exploring how well the 2005 Hollywood version of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe compares with the book that was published in 1950. My guests are Dr. Crystal Downing, co-Director of the Marion E. Wade Center at Wheaton College and Dr. Charlie Starr who teaches at Alderson Broaddus University. Both understand that sometimes book adaptations get it right and sometimes they don't. Find out their thoughts on Andrew Adamson's version of the first published Narnia story. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Listen to PART ONE of this Interview on LWW - Book vs. Movie Purchase The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (book) Purchase The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (movie) Hear other Interviews with Dr. Charlie Starr Hear Crystal Downing on the Wade Center Podcast Some of the Books by Charlie or Crystal: The Faun's Bookshelf Light: C.S. Lewis's First and Final Short Story Salvation from Cinema How Postmodernism Serves (My) Faith Other Useful Links: Knowing and Understanding C.S. Lewis YouTube CHANNEL  Listen to All About Jack on iTunes Purchase C.S. Lewis Goes to Hell Visit ScrewtapeCompanion.com Visit EssentialCSLewis.com Purchase The Misquotable C.S. Lewis    

On this episode of the Ephesiology Podcast, we catch up with Daniel Yang. Daniel is the Director of the Billy Graham Center's Church Multiplication Institute at Wheaton College. Join Andrew and Michael as they talk with Daniel about the future of church multiplication, the influence of the generations, and the impact of the pandemic on … Continue reading "Episode 129: Church Multiplication with Daniel Yang"

IN THIS REPEAT - the first half of a discussion on The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe book vs. the 2005 movie.  This is the first of a two-part podcast episode exploring how well the 2005 Hollywood version of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe compares with the book that was published in 1950. My guests are Dr. Crystal Downing, co-Director of the Marion E. Wade Center at Wheaton College and Dr. Charlie Starr who teaches at Alderson Broaddus University. Both understand that sometimes book adaptations get it right and sometimes they don't. Find out their thoughts on Andrew Adamson's version of the first published Narnia story.  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Purchase The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (book) Purchase The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (movie) Hear other Interviews with Dr. Charlie Starr Hear Crystal Downing on the Wade Center Podcast Some of the Books by Charlie or Crystal: The Faun's Bookshelf Light: C.S. Lewis's First and Final Short Story Salvation from Cinema How Postmodernism Serves (My) Faith Other Useful Links: Knowing and Understanding C.S. Lewis YouTube CHANNEL  Listen to All About Jack on iTunes Purchase C.S. Lewis Goes to Hell Visit ScrewtapeCompanion.com Visit EssentialCSLewis.com Purchase The Misquotable C.S. Lewis  

Just when you thought there was nothing new to be said about the Book of Genesis, Dr. John Walton shows up! Dr. Walton is an Old Testament scholar and Professor at Wheaton College and has written many books on the Old Testament and its ancient Near Eastern background, including a commentary on Genesis, and his popular Lost World series. In this midweek podcast episode, he sits down with Frank to discuss why being faithful to the context lies at the heart of our understanding of what the Bible communicates to us about God as our creator. In other words, we need to stop viewing it through a modern lens and placing our cultural expectations on it--demanding it to answer questions it was never intended to address. Some of the ideas and questions they discuss include: What is a cultural river and why is it important? What kind of story is Genesis 1? What did the ancient Israelites think about the material world? The Egyptian creation story vs. the Bible What does it really mean to read the Bible literally? What's up with the Nephilim? Was there a global or localized flood?   To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST, be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It's the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry. Resources mentioned during the show: The Lost World of Genesis One: https://a.co/d/a76qyNN Wisdom for Faithful Reading: https://a.co/d/0k3LrXL Old Testament Theology for Christians: https://a.co/d/bxzYb5x Dr. John Walton at Wheaton College: http://bit.ly/3jXdn6H If you would like to submit a question to be answered on the show, please email your question to Hello@Crossexamined.org. Subscribe on Apple Podcast: http://bit.ly/CrossExamined_Podcast Rate and review! Thanks!!! Subscribe on Google Play: https://cutt.ly/0E2eua9 Subscribe on Spotify: http://bit.ly/CrossExaminedOfficial_Podcast Subscribe on Stitcher: http://bit.ly/CE_Podcast_Stitcher  

This is the second episode of the new series "Women in Church Leadership." Today's episode is about the scrutiny women face as leaders and the issues they thought they would have been able to move passed by this point in their careers. If you have degrees and years of experience in your area of expertise should women still expect men to disrespect them? If you are at a retreat with male colleagues can you expect to take a dip in the pool or hot tub or would that be too scandalous? Will women forever be distinguished as "too emotional" and "irrational" for leadership and does ministry work always have to be one big "pissing contest" if men are involved?Chris interviewed four women from different backgrounds asking them each the same questions about their experiences as women and leaders in the Church. He talks to Abbi Nye, archivist at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and researcher with CFCToo and ACNAToo, Dr. Emily McGowin, associate professor of theology at Wheaton College and canon theologian for the Anglican Diocese C4SO, Joy Qualls, dean and associate professor at Biola University, and April McClure Stewart, pastor of MCC Disciples of Christ and Executive Director for her denomination's school of ministry.Our theme song for this series is "Deborah's Song" by Rachel Wilhelm, which can be streamed anywhere or purchased here.You can find out more about our interviewees at their websites and on social media:Abi Nye, CFCToo, ACNATooEmily McGowin (Twitter) ("If Women Can Be Saved, The Women Can Be Priests"—the article on women's ordination referenced in this episode) (Quivering Families—Emily's book on the Quiverfull movement & God and Wonder—recent book on theology and the arts)Joy Qualls (Twitter) (God Forgive us For Being Women—Joy's book on female pastors in the Pentecostal tradition)April McClure Stewart (School For Ministry)Has anything we make been interesting, useful or fruitful for you? You can support us by becoming a Fellow Traveller on our Patreon page HERE.

We're honored to learn from Dr. M. Daniel Carroll R. (Rodas) about the key ethical concerns and social critiques of Amos, Isaiah, and Micah. It's the topic of his book: The Lord Roars: Recovering the Prophetic Voice for Today. In this episode, Dr. Carroll shares: • Understanding Amos, Isaiah, and Micah: Prophets on Ethics • Comparing the social and ethical concerns of Isaiah, Micah, and Amos • Being aware of idolatry in the church • How church liturgy impact our ideas of God (and ways to worship) • Why churches divide over what social justice issues to support • The danger of religion being co-opted by political parties • Understanding liberation theology M. Daniel Carroll R. (PhD, University of Sheffield) is Scripture Press Ministries Professor of Biblical Studies and Pedagogy at Wheaton College and Graduate School in Wheaton, Illinois. He previously taught for many years at El Seminario Teológico Centroamericano in Guatemala City, Guatemala, and then at Denver Seminary, where he founded IDEAL, a Spanish language training program. Carroll is the author or editor of more than a dozen books, including The Bible and Borders: Hearing God's Word on Immigration, Wrestling with the Violence of God: Soundings in the Old Testament, and a major commentary on the book of Amos.

Dr. Jeffrey Gladden's foremost ambition is to help people live well beyond 100 years. That goal also entails assuring that individuals who live to be 120 or 130 years keep active and in tiptop shape — both physically and mentally. “Being in shape is being fast, agile, strong, quick, balanced, flexible with great cardiovascular endurance and good recovery,” he explains. “If you're going to have that later in life, you've got to focus on all of those things.” His medical program, Gladden Longevity, is engaged in working to realize those ambitions. “We currently have a research protocol that's in play for people to participate in, where that's literally what we're going for,” he says. “What we're really going for is making 100 the new 30.” While his program has therapies and devices that he says can help people achieve those objectives (though they can be costly), individuals can take direct action themselves to conquer the aging process. Rather than acquiescing to the traditional idea that aging means slowing down and losing impact, they can reject that belief and keep moving positively forward. Good sleep and eating habits, and remaining physically active, can contribute to that upward arc. “If you're asking questions,” he says, “that's growth. If you're stuck with your answers, that's decline, quite honestly. Having a growth mindset is critical.” Dr. Gladden's strategy involves four interlacing “circles” -  health, longevity, performance and life energy. He says people should approach these concepts exponentially rather than from a linear perspective. ***** Dr. Jeffrey Gladden is the founder, medical director and CEO of Gladden Longevity, a Texas-based concierge medical program established to optimize individuals' health and prolong their lives. Clients are given customized treatment plans configured to their own individual situations. Dr. Gladden segued into his work in age management medicine, functional medicine and integrative medicine from his earlier career as a cardiologist — at least in part because he had witnessed his own healthy body and mind begin to slide downhill as he moved through middle age. d feel myself go over this cliff of depression.” He received a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Wheaton College in 1976. He went on to earn a doctor of medicine degree from Temple University Medical School in 1982 and a degree in internal medicine from Case Western Reserve University of Medicine in 1985. From 1985 through 1988 Dr. Gladden was part of the Interventional Cardiology Fellowship Program at the University of Colorado. Besides his work at Gladden Longevity, he has spent the past decade as board chair, CEO and chief medical officer for product development at Scientia Cardio Access, a medical start-up in Salt Lake City that develops therapies and devices for medical interventional specialists. He also has been, for the past 27 years, the CEO and president of Advanced Heart Care, a preventive diagnostic and interventional  cardiology practice in Texas.  Thank you to our Cutting Edge Health supporters: CZTL Methylene Blue Get a $10 discount by using this link: https://cztl.bz?ref=3OqY9 on an order of $70 or more OR use this discount code at checkout: jane10 Renue by Science: 10% off NMN https://renuebyscience.com/product/pure-nmn-sublingual-powder-30-grams/ Enter jane10 at checkout for 10% off. Cutting Edge Health podcast website:  https://cuttingedgehealth.com/ Cutting Edge Health Social and YouTube: YouTube channel: youtube.com/@cuttingedgehealthpodcast Instagram - https://instagram.com/cuttingedgehealthpodcast Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Cutting-Edge-Health-Podcast-with-Jane-Rogers-101036902255756 Please note that the information provided in this show is not medical advice, nor should it be taken or applied as a replacement for medical advice. The Cutting Edge Health podcast, its employees, guests and affiliates assume no liability for the application of the information discussed. Special thanks to Alan, Maria, Louis, and Nicole on the Cutting Edge Health team!  

Show Notes   What are the implications of assigning the male gender to God? If God isn't male, then why do we call God “Father”? Blake & Erin speak with Dr. Amy Peeler about her new book, Women and the Gender of God. Listen as they discuss the significance of the incarnation, Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and much more! You can pick up her book here. Follow her on social media at @albpeeler and visit her website to learn more: https://amypeeler.com/    Disclaimer   The opinions expressed in CBE's Mutuality Matters' podcast are those of its hosts or guests do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of CBE International or its members or chapters worldwide. The designations employed in this podcast and the presentation of content therein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of CBE concerning the legal status of any country, area or territory or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers.        Bio   Amy Peeler is associate professor of New Testament at Wheaton College and associate rector at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Geneva, Illinois. She is the author of You Are My Son: The Family of God in the Epistle to the Hebrews and the coauthor, with Patrick Gray, of Hebrews: An Introduction and Study Guide. Most recently, Dr. Peeler published her book Women and the Gender of God.     Other Reading      Imagining a Feminine God: Gendered Imagery in the Bible - CBE International     Vindicating the Vixens: Revisiting Sexualized, Vilified, and Marginalized Women of the Bible: Sandra Glahn: 9780825444135 - CBE International with Christianbook.com    Icons of Christ: A Biblical and Systematic Theology for Women's Ordination 

This is the first episode of the new series "Women in Church Leadership." Chris interviewed four women from different backgrounds asking them each the same questions about their experiences as women and leaders in the Church. He talks to Abbi Nye, archivist at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and researcher with CFCToo and ACNAToo, Dr. Emily McGowin, associate professor of theology at Wheaton College and canon theologian for the Anglican Diocese C4SO, Joy Qualls, dean and associate professor at Biola University, and April McClure Stewart, pastor of MCC Disciples of Christ and Executive Director for her denomination's school of ministry.Our theme song for this series is "Deborah's Song" by Rachel Wilhelm, which can be streamed anywhere or purchased here.You can find out more about our interviewees at their websites and on social media:Abi Nye, CFCToo, ACNATooEmily McGowin (Twitter) ("If Women Can Be Saved, The Women Can Be Priests"—the article on women's ordination referenced in this episode) (Quivering Families—Emily's book on the Quiverfull movement & God and Wonder—recent book on theology and the arts)Joy Qualls (Twitter) (God Forgive us For Being Women—Joy's book on female pastors in the Pentecostal tradition)April McClure Stewart (School For Ministry)Has anything we make been interesting, useful or fruitful for you? You can support us by becoming a Fellow Traveller on our Patreon page HERE.

Does anxiety characterize your relationship with time? Author Jen Pollock Michel talks with Amy Julia Becker about our posture toward time and her new book In Good Time.  She offers gentle reflections on learning new habits of being and of receiving the lives we have been given.__Guest Bio:“Jen Pollock Michel is a writer, speaker, coach, and podcast host. She is the author of five books. Her fifth book, In Good Time, released December 13, 2022. She holds a B.A. in French from Wheaton College, an M.A. in Literature from Northwestern University, and is working to complete an M.F.A from Seattle Pacific University. After eleven years of living in Toronto, Jen now lives in Cincinnati with her husband and her two youngest children. You can follow Jen on Twitter and Instagram @jenpmichel, subscribe to her Monday letters at www.jenpollockmichel.com, and listen to episodes of the Englewood Review of Books podcast.”__On the Podcast:New book: In Good Time: 8 Habits for Reimagining Productivity, Resisting Hurry, and Practicing PeaceS6 E9 | Spiritual Timekeeping in a New Year with James K. A. SmithThe Divine Hours by Phyllis TickleBecoming Friends of Time by John SwintonThree Mile an Hour God by Kosuke KoyamaWe Crashed seriesLuke 10:38-42WorkshopPsalm 90For show notes, transcript, and more, go to: amyjuliabecker.com/jen-pollock-michel/__Season 6 of the Love Is Stronger Than Fear podcast connects to themes in my latest book, To Be Made Well, which you can order here! Learn more about my writing and speaking at amyjuliabecker.com.*A transcript of this episode will be available within one business day on my website, and a video with closed captions will be available on my YouTube Channel.Connect with me: Instagram Facebook Twitter Website Thanks for listening!

Longtime friends Rick Richardson and Bishop Todd Hunter do a deep dive into evangelism: where it started, how it has developed, and where it is today. This episode is full of rich historical narratives and present-day strategies for confidently and optimistically sharing the Gospel. Rick is Professor of Evangelism and Leadership at Wheaton College and [...]

Q&A When and how did you come to faith in Christ? I've heard so much about Wheaton over the years. Tell us a little about the college as well as why you chose to go there for your Masters and about your experience there? When did you decide to be a teacher and why? Did you intentionally choose to teach in public schools vs private education? When did you decide to start writing stories about your teaching experience?  What do you like most about sharing your stories? Can you share one of them with us now? I understand you're writing a book about God the author of our stories. This has actually been on my mind a lot lately as I have reflected on some poor choices I've made in the past but how God works all things for good as described in Romans 8:28. As you think about God shaping our stories, how do you reckon the two truths of God's sovereignty with His gift and commitment to us of our free will? How can listeners learn more about you or contact you? Any final thoughts?

Migration is a reality of humanity and Scripture. Listen as Jeff and Emily discuss human migration in history, our current context, and what we learn about God, humanity, and migration in Scripture with Biblical scholar Daniel Carroll and professor of Chicana/o Studies Robert Chao Romero.Daniel Carroll is Scripture Press Ministries Professor of Biblical Studies and Pedagogy at Wheaton College. Dr. Carroll is an Old Testament scholar whose research focuses on the prophetic literature and Old Testament social ethics. He has recently published a major commentary on the book of Amos and a book on the prophetic voice for today. He is the author of many books including Global Migration and Christian Faith: Implications for Identity and MissionRobert Chao Romero has been a professor of Chicana/o Studies and Asian American Studies at UCLA since 2005. Dr. Romero has published more than 20 academic books and articles on issues of race, immigration, history, education, and religion. One of his recent books is Brown Church: Five Centuries of Latina/o Social Justice, Theology, and Identity

Naomi Zacharias joins Stephanie again on Gospel Spice to provide insights on the global fight against human trafficking and towards the restoration of dignity—one life at a time. She also shares how her faith has allowed her to make it through the last couple of years. Naomi starts by sharing the stories of her ministry, Third Ladder, to serve the abandoned, the unloved, the forgotten of this world. In her incomparably gentle way, Naomi also draws our attention to the importance of little acts of kindness as we share the light of Christ with a world in need, one person at a time, one next-door neighbor at a time. Gospel Spice is proud to partner with Third Ladder financially. In the second half of the conversation, Naomi transparently shares how her family is doing after a couple of years of unparalleled struggles. She shares her perspective on living in the deserted valley, remembering what really matters. She shares how hard this has been, and how the Lord has been holding on to her. Naomi says, “I believe He is real, and He is who He says He is. I do believe He is faithful and good and true. When you are in the middle of the valley, you have to come back to what you know to be true.” Naomi says, “it is not faith if it all makes sense. Real is not always smooth and easy, but it's deep and it's got roots.” This deeply inspiring, raw conversation will draw you in, to give you hope in darkness, hopelessness, and loneliness. Naomi reminds us that the things that flatten us, break us, shred us are the perfect setting for God to use us. “This life will break us, and we will not have all the answers we long for. But He actually told us that, He gave us that foresight. He is faithful, and He doesn't leave. He will sit with us through it, and this is not the end of the story.” Naomi reminds us that our stories matter especially when they are not (yet) tied up with a pretty bow and ending. We live most of our lives in the middle of the unresolved stories. And the places that don't make sense force us to believe that faith matters in the middle of the darkness, the desert, the valley. Naomi reminds us of the importance of the body of Christ, and also that church hurt is real. We need community, and we have a deep desire to right the wrongs of this world. We also have so much at our fingertips to bring healing to the ones right around us. MORE ABOUT NAOMI ZACHARIAS Naomi Zacharias received a BA in Business/Economics from Wheaton College. Her first job out of college was in Brand Development for Chick Fil A and she soon transitioned to Sales for The Coca-Cola Company to accept what was her perceived dream job. It was fantastic training under a superb manager, but a restlessness remained. She moved into the non-profit sector, seeking to apply herself to a cause she believed in. Following an internship in the Office of Public Liaison at the White House where she helped to organize presidential briefings for constituency groups, Naomi considered staying in Washington DC to focus on international justice issues. Instead, in a decision that surprised herself, she declined an opportunity at the US Department of Justice to return to Atlanta in 2004 to develop and launch a humanitarian initiative with a robust application process to evaluate international grant requests and distribute approximately 16M USD in grant funding over 16 years for rehabilitation for victims of human trafficking, healthcare, education, poverty-related issues, war-related issues, support for victims of domestic violence and gender-based violence, refugee aid and issues related to child welfare and orphan care in approximately 17 countries. This work led her into refugee and displacement camps in Africa and the Middle East, brothels in Southeast Asia and Europe, women's prisons in Africa, medical clinics for HIV care, hospitals for patients with leprosy in Asia, and children's homes around the world to witness significant realities of human tragedy as well as resources, programs, and people affecting redemptive and restorative change. In 2021, together with her team, Naomi launched a new grant making entity, Third Ladder, where she now serves as Executive Director. Naomi has loved seeing parts of the world, savoring cultures, foods, and human connection. She is an introvert who loves being with her family and small circle of close friends. Her primary purpose is to love her children and niece fiercely with a desire to help them uncover beauty in a complicated world and discover who they were intended to be. Through her company, The Anonymous Society Fine Storytellers, she provides editing services for authors looking to find their voice and tell their stories, loves eating out, watching movies, listening to music, a beautiful view, and creating a safe haven at home with her four children. MORE ABOUT THIRD LADDER https://thirdladder.org/ Third Ladder provides a modern approach to charitable giving. Grounded in the belief that every life holds intrinsic value and that responsible investment can change the world around us, we facilitate a process that enables donors to be involved and intentional in their giving to create maximum impact for a wide reach of human need. At full operational capacity, we intend to provide optional online portfolio access to help donors reach their personalized goals. With inspired donors, we equip our network of vetted grassroots humanitarian efforts with financial grants. Support services enable programs to reach the standard of excellence they have for their mission by implementing processes and reporting that serve to provide measurable impact for donors and assist each program in achieving their goals. “It is an equalizer among us that each one of us can be a ladder as much as each one of us needs one at times to lift us out of the broken into the beautiful.” Traditionally, a repetition of three invites one into something significant. It is used for emphasis to describe the intensity of something. It symbolizes harmony, new life, and completeness. Third Ladder invites you into practical and purposeful opportunity to participate in a community that actively restores – infrastructure, opportunity, justice, and living. What it means to be human is to know pain. But it also offers the opportunity to be a part of a redemptive call to action. It is an equalizer among us that each one of us can be a ladder as much as each one of us needs one at times to lift us out of the broken into the beautiful. We are here to serve you with an experienced team dedicated to help you maximize positive impact and inspiring legacy. Simply make your donations or choose to develop a personalized plan for your charitable contributions with our team committed to helping you maximize your giving to the causes you choose. Inspired by basic principles commonly applied to financial investment, our mission empowers you to direct the impact of your investments in humanity. We are available to serve you today with planning and reporting even as we continue to grow our website with interactive client tools for your convenience and an enhanced donor experience. Find out more at https://thirdladder.org/ We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Or, of course, you can start at the beginning with episode 1.  Season 1: the gospel of Matthew like you've never experienced it https://www.podcastics.com/episode/3280/link/ Season 2: Experience Jesus through the Psalms https://www.podcastics.com/episode/33755/link/ Season 3: the gospel of Luke, faith in action https://www.podcastics.com/episode/40838/link/ Season 4: Proverbs spiced with wisdom https://www.podcastics.com/episode/68112/link/ Season 5: Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Season 6: Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Season 7: Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ Season 8: God's glory, our delight |  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   ABOUT THE GOSPEL SPICE LEADERSHIP TRAINING Stephanie mentioned the Winter 2023 Gospel Spice leadership training program in this episode. This free, in-depth resource equips leaders who want to take their leadership skill to the next level. It is free, and has a very small number of available seats. Find more at gospelspice.com/leadership.  Support us!

Dr. Juli Slattery is a clinical psychologist, author, speaker and the president/co-founder of Authentic Intimacy. Juli earned her college degree at Wheaton College, an MA in psychology from Biola University, and an MS and a Doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology from Florida Institute of Technology. In this podcast conversation, I talk to Juli about her latest book God, Sex, and Your Marriage, which leads into a quite raw conversation about sex, good sex, bad sex, sexual abuse, female sexuality, sexual identities, and much more. This conversation is tasteful and theologically rich, and it is also quite explicit at times (as any authentic conversation should be).  https://www.authenticintimacy.com/Juli

Hey, hey, everyone! Today I welcome show writer, speaker, coach, and podcast host, Jen Pollock Michel for a very insightful (and much-needed) conversation about our love-hate relationship with our clocks and the anxiety it often brings to our lives. Be sure to listen to how Jen discusses a couple of truths she has landed on, including-  “Time belongs not to us but to God.”  “There is always enough time to do what God has planned.” Whew. So good but often so hard to live, am I right, friends?!  She reminds us of the importance of living not in our timing or the timing of others but in having the courage to live in God's timing for our lives.  So much wisdom is found in what Jen discovered while writing her most recent book titled, In Good Time: 8 Habits for Reimagining Productivity, Resisting Hurry, and Practicing Peace…. I promise you don't want to miss out on this eye-opening conversation! Jen Pollock Michel holds a B.A. in French from Wheaton College, an M.A. in Literature from Northwestern University, and is working on completing an M.F.A from Seattle Pacific University. After eleven years of living in Toronto, Jen now lives in Cincinnati with her husband and two youngest children. Listen in to learn more about: What time anxiety is and how it plays out in our lives, whether we're trying to find time, save it, manage it, or make the most of it. Some of the assumptions we often have concerning time management and how we can ground our lives in God's timing. The eight practical habits for reimagining productivity and how embracing those will help us develop a healthier relationship with the clock. Favorite quotes: “A faithful life is a courageous life. Tuning our ears to God's voice takes a lot of courage.”  “A practical place to start is to think about habits and practices of everyday life.”   “There is not a right way. It is actually living every day in faithful response to God's voice. ”  Coaching this episode:  The Secret to Habits Without the Hassle  (27:00) Links to great things we discussed:  Jen Pollock Michel - Website  In Good Time: 8 Habits for Reimagining Productivity, Resisting Hurry, and Practicing Peace By Jen Pollock Michel Counterproductive: Time Management in the Knowledge Economy By Melissa Gregg Glittering Vices: A New Look at the Seven Deadly Sins and Their Remedies By Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung The Bear  Madmen  L'Occitane Pure Shea Butter Atomic Habits By James Clear Avatar: The Way of Water I Thank God - Maverick City Music Join the Confident Motherhood Community here. Hope you loved this episode! Be sure to subscribe in iTunes and slap some stars on a review! :) xo, Alli 

Commissioner Kenneth Hodder, national commander of The Salvation Army, talks with Dr. Ed Stetzer, dean and professor at Wheaton College, leader of the Billy Graham Center, and executive committee member of the National Association of Evangelicals. They discuss challenges and opportunities in leading a faith community through a global pandemic, and how a balance of gospel demonstration and proclamation is essential to spreading the gospel love and message to the world.

COL(R) Soderdahl is a retired Army Urologist with 30+ years on Active Duty and multiple deployments/missions across the globe.  He also is the Executive Director of WarDocs.      In this episode, we interview COL(R) Dr. Doug Soderdahl.  You will hear how military urologists support warfighters in deployed environments and at home.  Find out how a wannabee Army Helicopter Pilot found his way to Army Medicine and stayed for a 30+ year career.   He describes stories from multiple deployments, including an isolated GSW to the prostate, MASCAL triage challenges as well as a self-inflicted “Beretta Bite”.   His expertise as a Urologist paid dividends downrange, and his surgical experience allowed him to perform procedures and interventions for combat casualties that were well outside his normal stateside scope of practice  Dr. Soderdahl shares some unique experiences, from Australian rappelling in Korea to humanitarian missions in Central America and Africa.  Find out how a Social Media Dinosaur with one Facebook friend created an online resource for ~2000 Army physicians.   Dr. Soderdahl attended Wheaton College and then graduated from Northwestern University Medical School. He completed urology training at Madigan AMC and an Endourology Fellowship at EVMS.  He has deployed twice to the CENTCOM AOR. He has held various titles in his career, including Commander, Program Director, Surgeon in Chief, and Army Urology Consultant to the Army Surgeon General.  COL(R) Soderdahl has had unique and interesting experiences during his distinguished Army Medicine career and beyond, and he shares important lessons learned and recommendations through engaging stories and personal reflection.                     Find out more and join Team WarDocs at www.wardocspodcast.com   Honoring Military Medicine's Past to Improve Healthcare's Future The WarDocs Mission is to improve military and civilian healthcare and foster patriotism by honoring the legacy, preserving the oral history, and showcasing career opportunities, experiences, and achievements of military medicine. Listen to the “What We Are For” Episode 47. https://bit.ly/3r87Afm WarDocs- The Military Medicine Podcast is a Non-Profit, Tax-exempt-501(c)(3) Veteran Run Organization run by volunteers. All donations are tax-deductible, and 100% of donations go to honoring and preserving the history, experiences, successes, and lessons learned in military medicine. A tax receipt will be sent to you. WARDOCS documents the experiences, contributions, and innovations of all military medicine Services, ranks, and Corps who are affectionately called "Docs" as a sign of respect, trust, and confidence on and off the battlefield, demonstrating dedication to the medical care of fellow comrades in arms.         Follow Us on Social Media. Twitter: @wardocspodcast Facebook: WarDocs Podcast Instagram: @wardocspodcast LinkedIn: WarDocs-The Military Medicine Podcast

In this episode Suhag Shukla speaks with Andrew Jasko. Andrew was born into a minister's family and became a preacher and missionary to India, after studying theology at Wheaton College and Princeton Seminary. After an agonizing crisis of faith, he rejected religion and spirituality. Later, after finding healing through practices like meditation, psychedelics, and breathwork, that introduced him to profound mystical experiences for the first time, he embraced Hinduism. He currently counsels people healing from religious trauma and is studying Sanskrit and Classical Indian religion at Oxford University. Suhag and Andrew discuss his journey, first to atheism, then Hinduism; how his time in India transformed in unexpected ways; what missionaries in India are really thinking; the lasting effects of intergenerational trauma, and much more. Find out more about Andrew at: https://lifeafterdogma.org/ 

Cape Cod has a rich tradition of local lore, stretching back to a time before the Pilgrims arrived. Ancient Wampanoag legends like Granny Squannit and Princess Scargo are as familiar as tales of pirates and explorers, including "Black Sam" Bellamy and Donald Baxter Macmillan. Felines often blocked "Cat's Alley" in pursuit of food from fishermen's boats. The remnants of Billingsgate Island can be seen at low tide, and visits from Jenny Lind and Helen Keller contrast with the mysterious stories of the "Lady of the Dunes" and New England's Dark Day. Author Robin Smith-Johnson shares historic tales of shipwrecks, murders, hauntings and more from the Cape. Robin Smith-Johnson works as the newsroom librarian at the Cape Cod Times and teaches in the English department at Cape Cod Community College. She holds English degrees from Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts, and Bowling Green State University in Ohio, and she is the author of a book of poetry titled Dream of the Antique Dealer's Daughter (Word Poetry, 2013). PURCHASE HERE

Sam Storms is a veteran preacher, author and seminary professor with nearly five decades of ministry experience in this interview (originally released in April of 2022) He emphasizes the importance of being open to the Holy Spirit during the preparation and delivery of sermons, and highlights the difference between the gift of teaching and the gift of prophecy. Key points covered in the podcast:The importance of being open to the Holy Spirit during both the preparation and delivery of sermons.Spontaneous interruptions The distinction between the gift of teaching and the gift of prophecy. He also talks about what it is like to teach through Romans four times, and what his first tattoo(s) would be! Get his latest book A Dozen Things God Did with Your Sin (And Three Things He'll Never Do) here: https://www.crossway.org/books/a-dozen-things-god-did-with-your-sin-and-thre-tpb/ Sam Storms (PhD, University of Texas at Dallas) has spent nearly five decades in ministry as a pastor, professor, and author. He is currently the senior pastor at Bridgeway Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and was previously a visiting associate professor of theology at Wheaton College from 2000 to 2004. He is the founder of Enjoying God Ministries. Sam serves as a member of the Council of The Gospel Coalition. Sam is a past President of the Evangelical Theological Society, and currently serves on its Executive Committee and blogs regularly at SamStorms.org. Recommended Episodes: Prayer, Study and Spontaneity - Adam Narciso https://www.expositorscollective.com/podcast/2020/9/13/prayer-study-and-spontaneity-adam-narcisoLeaving Behind Our Hidden Shame for His Glorious Grace - Ray Ortlund: https://www.expositorscollective.com/podcast/2021/10/12/leaving-behind-our-hidden-shame-for-his-glorious-grace-ray-ortlundTo Use Notes Or Not To Use Notes, That Is The Question - Brian Brodersen: https://www.expositorscollective.com/podcast/2018/12/26/episode-27-to-use-notes-or-not-to-use-notes-that-is-the-questionJoin our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollectiveThe Expositors Collective podcast is part of the GoodLion podcast network, for more thought provoking Christian podcasts visit https://goodlion.io

Merry Christmas to you and yours!Our guest to close out the season of Advent is friend of the podcast, Matthew Milliner, Professor of Art History at Wheaton College. His new book is Mother of the Lamb: The Story of a Global Icon. Mother of the Lamb tells the remarkable story of a Byzantine image that emerged from the losing side of the Crusades. Called the Virgin of the Passion in the East and Our Lady of Perpetual Help in the West, the icon has expanded beyond its Byzantine origins to become one of the most pervasive images of our time. It boasts multiple major shrines on nearly every continent and is reflected in every epoch of art history since its origin, even making an appearance at the Olympics in 2012. Matthew Milliner first chronicles the story of the icon's creation and emergence in the immediate aftermath of the Third Crusade, whereupon the icon became a surprising emblem of defeat, its own fame expanding in inverse proportion to Christendom's political contraction. Originally born as a Christian response to the Christian violence of the Crusades, it marked the moment when Mary's ministry of suffering love truly began. Having traced the icon's origin and ubiquity, Milliner teases out the painting's theological depth, and continues the story of the icon's evolution and significance from its origins to the present day. As the story of the icon moves well beyond Byzantine art history, both temporally and thematically, it engages religion, politics, contemporary art, and feminist concerns at once. Always, though, the icon exemplifies dignity in suffering, a lesson that--through this image--Byzantium bequeathed to the wider world. Encapsulating eleven centuries of development of the mourning Mary in Byzantium, the Virgin of the Passion emerges as a commendable icon of humility, a perennial watchword signaling the perils of imagined political glory. The Virgin of the Passion, emblemizing political humility, the powerful agency of women, and the value of inter-Christian and extra-Christian concord, is an exemplary Marian image for the fledgling twenty-first century.

Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: Bryan Wilkerson “Believe that the Lord had something fresh for you this Christmas” – Bryan Wilkerson Bryan Wilkerson serves as Senior Pastor at Grace Chapel, authored Living God's Story, is a graduate of Wheaton College and Denver Seminary, and holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Bryan's life mission statement is “to lead as many people as possible to a joyful and growing relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church.” He and his wife, Karen, have four married children and a growing number of grandchildren. Brian shares with Steve that as he enters his thirty-ninth year of ministry, Christmas is his favorite time of year to preach and minister. He believes that the Lord can bring something new in our spirit as we wait expectantly. His pastoral counsel to us is to be quiet for five minutes – to sit in front of the Christmas tree or fireplace, go for a walk, and allow the Lord to meet us in those moments. Join the conversation about spiritual discernment as a way of life at www.LeadershipTransformations.org and consider participation in our online and in-person program offerings. Additional LTI spiritual formation resources can be found at www.SpiritualFormationStore.com and www.ruleoflife.com and www.healthychurch.net.

In this episode of the EML podcast, we speak with Dr. Daniel Carroll, a Professor of Biblical Studies and Pedagogy at Wheaton College. He shares his experiences growing up in a bicultural household, highlights how the church is reaching immigrants, and explains trends in the American church and global missions.

This Week in the Nations Capitol AND The annual White House Christmas poem … GUEST Greg Clugston … SRN News White House Correspondent. GUEST Doug Bursch … pastor and  the host & producer of The Fairly Spiritual Show radio program & podcast … author of “Posting Peace:  Why Social Media divides us and What we can Do about It”. No One Took Christ Out of Christmas: Let's dispense with our worries that Christmas as we know it isn't Christian … GUEST Timothy Larsen … teaches at Wheaton College and is the editor of “The Oxford Handbook of Christmas”.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.