Future Christian

Thom Schultz on When God Left the Building

Year after year, thousands of churches across America are closing. Churches that were once the heart and soul of their communities are now shrinking both in size and influence, leading author and filmmaker Thom Schultz to try to figure out why. The creator of the film, When God Left the Building, Thom joins the pod to talk about the spiritual malaise, refusal to change, and an irrelevance to modern life that doom so many churches.  Thom also shares some signs of life and hope for fresh expressions of church and ministry. 

Thom Schultz is an author, filmmaker, publisher and innovator in resources for churches. He is the director of the documentary feature film “When God Left the Building.” He’s the co-author, along with his wife Joani, of many books, including Why Nobody Wants to Go to Church Anymore, The One Thing, and Don’t Just Teach . . . Reach. And his blog is called Holy Soup. Thom founded the international multimedia company Group Publishing in 1974, and continues to serve as its president. Group publishes books, Bibles and educational resources for churches and Christians around the world.

The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.

Jason Porterfield wants you to Fight Like Jesus

In these times of contentious struggles over important issues, how can we fight like Jesus? Author and peacemaker Jason Porterfield joins the show to talk about fighting with means that are consistent with the way of peace, the importance of speaking truth to power but listening with humility, and how to fight like Jesus in an age of Christian Nationalism. Jason also shares his passion for cultivating God’s shalom wherever it is painfully absent and helping churches embrace their peacemaking vocation.

Jason Porterfield  was a founding member of the Servants team in Vancouver, started a new team in Indonesia, and directed operations in North America through 2015. Jason holds a masters in theology from Fuller Theological Seminary and is the author of Fight Like Jesus, a groundbreaking book that equips readers with practical peacemaking skills as it examines how Jesus waged peace on each day of Holy Week. Today, you’ll find Jason living in his riskiest location yet: next door to his in-laws.

The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.

The Holy and the Hybrid with Ryan Panzer

Covid-19 accelerated the digital reformation for the church as countless ministries were forced to re-evaluate and re-examine their strategies and methods around online ministry. Author and church leader Ryan Panzer encourages Christian communities to think like a reformer when planning what's next for digital ministry. In this conversation, Ryan talks about digital values, practices that must be preserved from before and during the pandemic, and how to make hybrid ministry sustainable.

Ryan Panzer is the author of “Grace and Gigabytes: Being Church in a Tech-Shaped Culture” and the forthcoming "The Holy and the Hybrid: Navigating the Church's Digital Reformation." Ryan has spent his career in the worlds of church leadership and technology. He received his M.A. from Luther Seminary while simultaneously working for Google. Ryan serves as a learning and leadership development professional in the technology industry and as a speaker and writer on digital technology in the church. Ryan also serves as the Resident Theologian at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Madison, WI where he lives with his wife and two children. For more writings and resources, visit www.ryanpanzer.com. 

 

The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.

Lorenzo Lebrija wants you to learn How To Try

In many churches, innovation and experimentation is avoided, often due to a fear of failure. Author and Episcopal Priest Lorenzo Lebrija joins the pod to talk about Design Thinking, why frameworks can be helpful in church contexts, and why failing is okay. Lebrija believes that God rewards faithfulness, not success and encourages leaders to examine their goals rather than just aiming to get people in the seats!

The Rev. Lorenzo Lebrija is the Chief Innovation Officer of Virginia Theological Seminary and the founding director of TryTank Experimental Lab, an action laboratory for church innovation. Prior to launching TryTank, Fr. Lorenzo was the Chief Development Officer for the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles. He also served as the Pastor on behalf of the Bishop at St. John's Episcopal Church in San Bernardino, CA, and as priest associate at St. Athanasius Episcopal Church at the Cathedral Center of St. Paul in Los Angeles. He studied at the General Theological Seminary in New York City where he earned his Master of Divinity degree. His book How to Try is available by print or audio.

The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.

 

Faithful AntiRacism with Christina Barland Edmondson

Growing up as a child, Christina Edmondson believed there were not that many white Christians in America, because the people she saw couldn't be connected to the Jesus she knew. In the years since, her passion for following the way of Jesus and bringing love and justice to racial dynamics in America has shaped her work. In this conversation, we talk about why talking about racism is not a "distraction" from the gospel, why common memory is crucial for forming community, and how to have a trauma-informed mission strategy. 

Christina Barland Edmondson is a higher education instructor, organizational consultant, and co-host of the Truth's Table podcast. She is the coauthor of Faithful Antiracism and has served in a variety of roles in higher education including as the Dean for Intercultural Student Development at Calvin University. She is also a certified Cultural Intelligence facilitator, public speaker, mental health therapist, and a consultant in the areas of ethics, equity, and Christian leadership development. Christina holds a PhD in counseling psychology from Tennessee State University, an MS degree in family therapy from the University of Rochester, and a bachelor's degree in sociology from Hampton University. Her writing has been seen and referenced in a variety of outlets including Essence.com, YourBlackWorld.com, and Gospel Today magazine.

The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.

Caleb Lines proclaims the Great Digital Commission

While the Covid-19 pandemic forced many churches to join the digital revolution, many have failed to accept the "Great Digital Commission." Believing that embracing social media can be a catalyst for church growth and transformation, Caleb Lines joins to the show to talk about the importance of evaluating vision and mission, why branding is more than just trendy graphics, and why not everything you do at your church needs to be replicated online also.

Rev. Dr. Caleb J. Lines is Senior Minister of University Christian Church in San Diego. Additionally, he is the Co-Executive Director of Progressive Christianity.org and is the Co-Host of the podcast The Moonshine Jesus Show. Caleb has a passion for pursuing social justice for the marginalized, demonstrating the Good News of God’s radically inclusive love, and proclaiming a relevant message for today’s ever-changing world. Caleb is the author of The Great Digital Commission: Embracing Social Media for Church Growth and Transformation His writing has been featured in The Nation Magazine, Disciples News Service, Chalice Press, The Christian Left, The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, The Center for Prophetic Imagination, the Convergence Leadership Project, and Sojourners. Caleb has a D.Min from Duke Divinity and a M.Div from Yale. 

The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.

Deconstructing Church Planting with Nick Warnes

For the last 10-20 years, church planting has become formulaic and systematized, as large church planting organizations brought corporate practices and values into the church world. This kind of business thinking has created an "industrial church starting complex" that according to author Nick Warnes, needs to be re-examined. In this conversation, we talk about a better model for church starts, the need for churches to shift from internal growth to reproduction, and why denominations are no longer a viable protocol to start new churches.

Nicholas Warnes (Masters of Divinity, Fuller Theological Seminary, Emphasis in Worship Theology and Art) is the Founder and Executive Director of Cyclical. He enjoys the regular pattern and rhythm of being both the Executive Director of Cyclical Inc. and Director of Cyclical LA, a ministry of the San Fernando Presbytery in Los Angeles. Nick is also a recognized speaker on church planting, coach for New Worshiping Communities with the Presbyterian Church USA, and is the chair of the board of the Church Planting Program at Fuller Theological Seminary where he is also an adjunct professor (church planting certificate). Nick is the author of several books including Deconstructing Church Planting. Nick lives with his wife, Whitney, and son, Lee, in Los Angeles, CA. 

The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.

Missional Church Real Estate with Dominic Dutra

As more churches struggle post-Covid, many are looking at how their building and property can support their flagging budgets. Yet, according to real estate expert and author Dominic Dutra, if churches are simply leasing or renting their property just to prop up their dwindling budgets - they're only hurting their mission. In this conversation, Dutra talks about his experience with real estate and church property, how real estate and church mission go together, and what questions to ask if your church is declining. Dutra also examines the three common moves for churches and property, including merging, leasing, and selling.

Dominic Dutra has spent his life serving his community. As a leader in the world of real estate, an adjunct faculty member at his alma mater (Santa Clara University), a two-term member of the Fremont City Council, and a committed Christian, Dutra seeks to leverage his experience to further the mission of the church. He aims to partner with organizations to reach fiscal sustainability and create more effective ministry. Dutra and his wife, Lisa, have been married for thirty-five years and have raised two children—Tricia and Gabriel. Learn more about his book here:

The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.

Rediscovering Vitality with Sean Chow

Far too often, churches are asking other to risk their discomfort - shouldn't churches be willing to risk their own discomfort for the sake of others? In this conversation, Sean Chow talks about how to help churches honestly assess their ability to pivot for change and growth, the importance of finding the right kind of change/growth leader, and why investing in resources bearing fruit matters. Sean believes that crisis accelerates change and understands the changes that are permanent post-Covid and what your church can do about them.

Rev. Dr. Sean Chow is the Associate for 1001 New Worshiping Communities for Training and Leadership Cohorts for the Presbyterian Church (PCUSA). He resources and consults with regional denominational bodies, churches, and church plants as they launch new creative expressions of church. He is a graduate of Azusa Pacific University (2005), Master of Divinity from San Francisco Theological Seminary (2009) and a Doctor of Ministry at New York Theological Seminary (2022). The author of Rediscovering Vitality, Sean has an inner desire to be a part of a God driven movement that impacts the world for God’s glory. His aim is to prepare, equip, and sustain leaders to do the work in which God calls them. He is a frequent speaker to churches, committees, gatherings, and conferences. Learn more here.

The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.

 

Why Christian Ethics matter with David Gushee

In a time in which countless church leaders have cast aside Christian ethics in the pursuit of power, David Gushee believes that Christian ethics still matter. In this conversation, we talk about why ethics should still be important to Christians and churches, how he sees the kingdom of God as a basis for Christian ethics, and how to promote an ethic of creation care rather than a relentless pursuit of profits. And, in this post-Roe landscape, David examines the lessons from SCOTUS and whether the victory will be worth the cost for Evangelicals. 

Dr. David P. Gushee (Ph.D., Union Theological Seminary, New York) is Distinguished University Professor of Christian Ethics atMercer University, Chair of Christian Social Ethics at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and Senior Research Fellow at International Baptist Theological Study Centre. Gushee is the elected Past-President of both the American Academy of Religion and Society of Christian Ethics, signaling his role as one of America’s leading Christian ethicists. He is the author, co-author, editor, or co-editor of over 25 books and approximately 175 book chapters, journal articles, and reviews. His most recognized works include Righteous Gentiles of the Holocaust, Kingdom Ethics, and The Sacredness of Human Life, and more recently, Changing OurMind, Still Christian and After Evangelicalism. Over a 28-year career, he’s been a devoted teacher, scholar, and activist on such issues as climate, torture, and LGBTQ inclusion. Dr. Gushee and his wife Jeanie live in Atlanta.

The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.