Future Christian

Richard Stearns wants you to Lead Like it Matters to God

Richard Stearns joins the pod to talk about his new book, Lead Like it Matters to God. In the conversation, we talk about how success can become an idol, the difference between faithfulness and failure, and how churches can better connect what happens on in worship on Sunday to what happens during the workweek on Monday.

Richard Stearns is president emeritus of World Vision US, where he served as president for twenty years, traveling more than three million miles as an advocate for the world's poor. Before leading the Christian relief and development organization, he was a corporate CEO at both Parker Brothers and Lenox. His bestselling book The Hole in Our Gospel was named the 2010 Christian Book of the Year.  Among the honors Stearns received for his humanitarian service are five honorary doctoral degrees, the Julia Vadala Taft Outstanding Leadership Award from InterAction, and the Christian Leadership Alliance's highest honor.  He and his wife, Reneé, have five adult children and six grandchildren, and live in Bellevue, Washington.

Lead like it matters to God podcast

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

HL Hix talks about The Gospel

H.L. Hix joins the pod to talk about his recent project, The Gospel, a new translation seeking to weave into one narrative all the canonical and non-canonical accounts of the life of Jesus. In the conversation, we talk about what inspired the project, the hermeneutic that guided his interpretive choices, and what he means by "translation inertia."

H.L. Hix teaches in the Philosophy and Religious Studies Department and the Creative Writing Program at a university in “one of those square states.” His website is www.hlhix.com. His recent books, in addition to The Gospel, include a poetry collection, Rain Inscription; an edition of selected poems by Estonian peasant poet Juhan Liiv, Snow Drifts, I Sing, translated with Jüri Talvet; and an essay collection, Demonstrategy.  

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

The Many Are Here to talk about worship - Part 2

The Many, a worship band featuring Darren Calhoun, Leslie Michele, Hannah Rand, and Lenora Rand, join the show to talk about their music and share their thoughts on the "worship industry' within broader Christianity. They also share some thoughts about the role of music within worshipping communities and the importance of seeing music as just one element of worship.

The Many (themanyarehere.com) is a liturgically-grounded, new kind of worship band, an intentionally diverse collective creating music for people who want to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with a God who so loves the world. With a sound that resonates with gospel, pop, and folk, The Many’s feet-on-the-ground, heart-in-hands, scars-revealed, wild and holy music of resistance and hope have made them, over the last five years, a significant creative voice in the movement for inclusion, anti-racism and justice-building within the church and beyond.

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

The Many are Here to talk about worship - Part 1

The Many, a worship band featuring Darren Calhoun, Leslie Michele, Hannah Rand, and Lenora Rand, join the show to talk about their music and share their thoughts on the "worship industry' within broader Christianity. They also share some thoughts about the role of music within worshipping communities and the importance of seeing music as just one element of worship.

The Many (themanyarehere.com) is a liturgically-grounded, new kind of worship band, an intentionally diverse collective creating music for people who want to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with a God who so loves the world. With a sound that resonates with gospel, pop, and folk, The Many’s feet-on-the-ground, heart-in-hands, scars-revealed, wild and holy music of resistance and hope have made them, over the last five years, a significant creative voice in the movement for inclusion, anti-racism and justice-building within the church and beyond.

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

Chris Benek talks techno-theology and Christian transhumanism

Chris Benek joins the pod to talk techno-theology, Christian transhumanism, and the biggest challenges and opportunities for churches as they make use of tech. In the conversation, Chris separates science from science-fiction, and tells why he sees the future as an incredible digital mission field. 

Rev. Dr. Christopher J. Benek is a follower of Jesus Christ, a pastor, husband, and father. He is also a global emerging tech & theology expert who is internationally known for his social and religious analysis and commentary. He is widely recognized as a techno-theologian, futurist, ethicist, Christian Transhumanist, public speaker, writer and tech pastor.  He is the lead clergy expert regarding Artificial Intelligence in the world.

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

Bruce Reyes-Chow defends kindness

Bruce Reyes-Chow joins the pod to talk about the importance of kindness, explains how its different from being "nice," and navigates the complexity between kindness and privilege. He also shares how he was re-inspired to pickup the project after watching the documentary on fellow Presbyterian pastor Mr. Rogers, who himself inspired many to confront justice and hold systems accountable without attacking the person.

Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow is a 3rd generation Chinese/Filipino who is deeply committed to the intersection between faith, politics, and social justice. Bruce has been a Presbyterian Pastor for over 25 years serving a diversity of congregations in the San Francisco Bay Area. Bruce hosts the podcast, BRC & Friends, is a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, and is a Senior Consultant and Coach with the Emergence Network. He is the author of five books, most recently, In Defense of Kindness: Why It Matters, How It Changes Our Lives, and How It Can Save the World (Chalice Press 2021).

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

Carla Leon describes Spiritual Enterprise

Carla Leon joins the pod to talk about social - or spiritual as she likes to call it - enterprise, how she sees spiritual enterprise as a "new religion" for millenials, and  why church has to re-examine what she calls the "book, box, preacher" model and make more space for the many, many different kids of spiritual practices that exist. 

Carla is Innovation & Special Projects co-ordinator for the EDGE - A Network for Ministry Development at the United Church of Canada where she has launched a central procurement platform, an innovation fund, the Social Innovation Challenge and most recently a coaching program to help communities of faith re-imagine who they are in community. She works directly in supporting their 400 new initiatives that have been funded through their innovation fund, the 600 social innovations that have launched through the Social Innovation Challenge, and working directly with communities of faith to help them reimagine church outside of Sunday.

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

Rachel Pieh Jones shares how Muslim friends led her closer to Jesus

Since the tragic events of 9/11, many Americans-and especially Christian Americans-have looked at Muslims as different and perhaps even dangerous. In this conversation with author Rachel Pieh Jones, we talk about the spiritual darkness of...America, how learning about other religions can bring us closer to our own, and the benefits of inter-faith conversation and worship.

Rachel Pieh Jones is the author of How Muslim Friends Led Me Closer to Jesus. Additional books she has authored include Stronger than Death, Finding Home, Djiboutilicious, The Expat Cookbook, and Welcome to Djibouti. Her work appears in the New York Times, Runners World, Christianity Today, Deadspin, and so many other places. She writes and speaks about life at the crossroads of faith and culture. She aims to challenge people to live brave, love wild, and believe goodness while leaping outside their comfort zones.

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

Cameron Trimble talks about planting progressive churches

Pastor, author, and consultant Rev. Cameron Trimble joins the pod to talk about the work of Convergence, the ministry she leads, what progressive church planting looks like, and how she sees Covid effecting church planting and re-vitalization going forward.

Rev. Cameron Trimble is the Executive Director and CEO of Convergence (formerly the Center for Progressive Renewal), an organization created to recruit, assess, train and coach innovative, entrepreneurial leaders for the church. She began her ministry as a new church developer and, to pay for her “ministry habit”, also owns a real estate company and a software company.

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

Melissa Florer-Bixler tells How to Have an Enemy

In this conversation, Melissa talks about the idea behind her new book, How to Have an Enemy and what she means when she says "enemy." Melissa also talks about power imbalances in conflict, communal vs. individual anger, and how to properly love an enemy. Melissa also believes that the "work of liberation is to create a world where enemies are freed from enacting harm" and that drives her work.

Melissa is the pastor of Raleigh Mennonite Church, and a graduate of Duke University and Princeton Theological Seminary. She spent times studying in Israel/Palestine, Kenya, and England. Much of her formation took place in the L'Arche community of Portland, OR. Now she prefers the Eno River and her garden in Raleigh, NC. She is the chair of L'Arche North Carolina and a steering committee member in broad-based organizing in her county. Melissa's writing has appeared in Christian Century, Sojourners, Geez, Anabaptist Witness, The Bias, Faith&Leadership, and Anabaptist Vision. From time to time she publishes academic writing. She and her spouse parent three children.

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