Episode 038: Why You Need a Coach
You can’t get where you want to go one your own. We need each other and every one needs a coach. The greatest athletes, actors, musicians and pastors have coaches. Guess what?
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Seminary Dropout 194 – Rebekah Lyons, on Hardship, Feminism, and More!
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Jared Boyd on How Imaginative Prayer Helps Children Connect with God (& Parents)
Jared Boyd discovered that children’s spiritual formation is rooted in the imagination.
“When we lead our children through guided times of imaginative prayer, they can experience a connection with God that transcends mere Bible knowledge or doctrinal content.”
Jared noticed that while most parents desire for their kids to learn to love God, it’s hard to have meaningful conversation with their kids about spiritual things and to facilitate real spiritual experiences.
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Seminary Dropout 193 – Austin Channing Brown, on Her New Book “I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness”, Why White People Have So Many Cats, and What Makes “Insecure” Such an Amazing Show
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Embracing Your Daughter’s Killer: The Freedom of Radical Forgiveness with Joel Kime
It’s often said “forgive and forget.” But what happens when two parties, offender and offended, come together and build a relationship in a space that never forgets?
In this episode of the Betwixt Podcast, Joel Kime shares his story of great tragedy and how the practice of forgiveness transformed that tragedy into something no one expected.
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Episode 037: Still Me: Difficult Lessons About Life w/ John Alan Turner
He thought he’d be better at this Christianity thing by now.
All his life, John Alan Turner has wanted to be different, to be better than who he is, to improve.
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Seminary Dropout 192 – Bonnie Kristian, Author of A Flexible Faith
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Does Pentecost Obliterate Differences?
Does Pentecost overcome Babel?
Does baptism in Jesus obliterate all distinctions?
David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw talk about Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” They ask if there is a better way of understanding this text in light of Babel and Pentecost.
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Is the Church Being Feminized?
Is the church being feminized?
Is that a mark of decline?
Or of revival?
David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw jump into another episode talking about the supposed feminization of the church and what it means for you.
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Larycia Hawkins on Stepping Out onto the Bridge of Solidarity.
“What does it mean to be an embodied question mark wherever you are on your journey?” This was the question Dr. Larycia Hawkins presented to her students at Wheaton College. “Our bodies do work for us.”
As a professor of political science, Dr.
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Seminary Dropout 191 – Derek Vreeland, on NT Wright, Atonement Theories, and The Day The Revolution Began
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Seminary Dropout 190 – Jo Saxton, on Being Who We Are Meant to Be, Not Who People Want Us to Be
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Betwixt Podcast: Prayer as Liminal Space with Alice Fryling
“Prayer is a wonderful and frustrating mystery.”
– Alice Fryling in The Art of Spiritual Listening.
Her first memory of prayer was a petition for God to bring the ice cream truck.
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Episode 036: Scot McKnight Talks About the Holy Spirit
Sean and John sit down with theologian, writer, and friend of the show Scot McKnight to talk about Scot’s newest book, Open To The Spirit: God in Us, God with Us, God Transforming Us.
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Can I Get a Witness? or, the weakness of God
If God is so powerful, why does God need witnesses?
What kind of God needs others to speak for him?
David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw jump in again by tackling the question, “Why does God entrust the future of the world to human messengers?”
Also, check out the Theology and Mission Lectureship with Soong-Chan Rah.
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Seminary Dropout 189 – Jean Johnson, Author of “We Are Not The Hero”, on Missions, and Colonialism
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Dominion with Richard Middleton: The Image of God & the Feminine Experience Part 5
Near the end of the twentieth century, the Functional View of the Image of God emerged with virtual consensus among Old Testament scholars. The discovery of ancient texts which used “image of God” language in reference to kings and cult images led scholars to recast the imago Dei in terms of how a king or priest functions as a royal representation of God.
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Seminary Dropout 188 – Daniel Hill, on What it Means to be White
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187 – Chris A. Hall on Living Wisely with the Church Fathers
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Stations of the Cross Meditations for Holy Week
In a recent interview with Walter Brueggemann, he called Lent a liminal moment. “We want to celebrate Easter but don’t want to do the hard work of Lent. This is a great seduction into which we all fall.”
If you find the hustle and bustle of life hard to resist, I invite you to join me in this contemplative pilgrimage toward the cross.
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Episode 035: Ministry Lessons in 21 Years Part 2
Sean and John continue to discuss Sean’s first 21-years in local church ministry, what he has learned, what keeps him going, and how you can keep going too. This one is great whether you’re just starting out or need some renewal.
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6 Ways to Ruin Easter
Make people feel guilty for only showing up twice a year?
Put Jesus up on the cross again?
What else should we avoid when it comes to Easter Sunday?
In this zany & serious episode, Geoff Holsclaw—joined by Matt Tebbe and Ben Sternke—talk about how not to ruin Easter.
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Episode 034: 21 Ministry Lessons in 21 Years Part 1
Sean and John discuss Sean’s first 21-years in local church ministry, what he has learned, what keeps him going, and how you can keep going too. This is the perfect listen whether you’re in the midst of struggle or experiencing your best season of ministry.
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Seminary Dropout 186 – AJ Swoboda on ‘Subversive Sabbath: The Surprising Power of Rest in a Nonstop World’, Plus the Best NT Wright Introduction You’ve Ever Heard
*Originally Posted at MissioAlliance.org
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185 – Shannon Kiser & Verlon Fosner Talk About Revitalizing a 90 Year Old Church, A Bilingual Church, and Fresh Expressions
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Beginning in 2004 as an initiative of the Church of England and the British Methodist Church, the movement has resulted in the birth of thousands of new communities in the UK alone and brought renewal to scores of established churches.
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Episode 033: A Visit With N.T. Wright
Sean and John talk with Dr. N.T. Wright, one of the world’s foremost theologians, about his work, particularly his new book, “Paul: A Biography.”
We also talk translations of the New Testament and what it’s like to be NT Wright’s pastor.
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Sex Difference & the Image of God with Megan DeFranza (Part 4: Image of God & the Feminine Experience)
Theologian Megan DeFranza is a bridge-builder in a war zone. As culture battles rage around issues of gender and sexuality, Megan assists Christian communities through controversial conversations related to sex, gender, and sexuality.
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Seminary Dropout 184 – Michael Beck, Talking about Church in a Tattoo Parlor, Yoga Studio, and Dog Park
*Originally Posted at MissioAlliance.org
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Seminary Dropout 183 – Iosmar Alvarez, Planting, Disciplining, and Fresh Expressions of the Hispanic Church
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Fresh Expressions is an international movement of missionary disciples cultivating new kinds of church alongside existing congregations to more effectively engage our growing post-Christian society.
Beginning in 2004 as an initiative of the Church of England and the British Methodist Church, the movement has resulted in the birth of thousands of new communities in the UK alone and brought renewal to scores of established churches.
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Betwixt Podcast on the Passage to Manhood with Craig Glass
Has the erosion of rites of passage adversly impacted men in Western culture? Craig Glass thinks so.
“The boys in the village must be initiated or they will burn down the village just to feel the heat.” – Kenyan Proverb
Recognizing the lack of initiation into manhood in his own life and the men with whom he worked, Craig began to ask the questions: “Am I a man?
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Seminary Dropout 182 – Travis Collins, What is a Fresh Expression of Church Anyway?
*Originally Posted at MissioAlliance.org
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You Don’t Know What the Church Is!
How do you judge the size of your church?
How do you know if your church is healthy?
David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw talk about what makes for a church, how to count it, and what impact that might have on faithful mission.
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Seminary Dropout 181 – Curt Thompson, Author of “Anatomy of the Soul” on Christianity & Science, Why We Keep Sinning, and More
*Originally Posted at MissioAlliance.org
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Are Women Rational? Let’s Ask Google!
In Part 3 of the Betwixt series The Image of God & the Feminine Experience, Philosopher Dr. Rachel Douchant takes a stab at the question: Are women rational? She leads us from Thomas Aquinas to the “Google Memo” teasing out how Enlightenment rationalism influenced perceptions of female rationality and how it continues to impact women today.
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Walter Brueggemann on Failed White Domination & the Door of Hope
“The old world of white domination has failed . . . we are seeing the anger and the fear and the hate about how uneasy we are of having to live in that moment.” – Walter Brueggemann
“Edgeman” Walter Brueggemann helps me kick off this introductory Betwixt Podcast episode through thought-provoking conversation!
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For Sinners & Sufferers: The Baptism of Jesus
Why was Jesus baptized?
And what is sin, really?
And what is sin nature vs. sin nurture?
Geoff Holsclaw, along with special guest Scott Kent Jones, talk about the baptism of Jesus (Fitch is out teaching his week-long intensive for his DMIN cohort—detail below).
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02 Image of God & the Feminine Experience (Part 2): “Female Men of God” and the Early Church
In conversation with Church Historian Dr. Hannah Hunt, we explore the Substantive view of the imago Dei with an eye to Hellenistic influences on early Christian thought. These cultural and theological views led many virtuous women to reject their feminine bodies, forsake marriage and to perform spirituality through masculinization.
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The Image of God and the Feminine Experience: Part 1
“When our understanding of the imago Dei is refracted through a warped philosophical glass and skewed Biblical understanding, the result is that our image, and especially the images of women and minorities along the margins, is tarnished and distorted.”
Introducing the Betwixt series “The Image of God & the Feminine Experience.” Episode 1 probes how women think of themselves as image-bearers of God, the dominant historic Christian interpretations of the imago Dei, and what the Bible specifically says about mankind and the image of God.
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Should we be Hero-Makers?
Should we strive to be hero-makers?
Should we just be side-kicks?
And are Dave and Geoff just being too picky about stuff?
David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw end the year talking about the importance of language when it comes to leadership in the church?
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The State of the Podcast
Here are the main points of this episode…
My original intention was to pick SD back up in January, which is now just a few days away. Some of you may remember I did the same thing last year but then wound up not publishing until April.
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Episode O32: A Generous Orthodoxy
Christians are called to practice a “generous orthodoxy.” We are called to hold to the Christian tradition while also being open to the ways of a changing (and often improving) world.
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A Seminary Dropout Preview of OnRamp Season 2
Hey Seminary Dropout listeners this is a very special episode in which I’m previewing the first episode of season 2 of OnRamp, my other podcast.
If you’re not familiar, OnRamp is hosted by myself and my friend Kerri Fisher.
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Episode 031: The Baby With The Bathwater
Almost every church and church leader wants to innovate and be a part of what is cutting edge. That means changes in approach and practice. But what do churches lose in the process of doing the “new thing”?
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Episode 030 When Not If: Addressing Sexual Harassment & Assault in Your Church
Sean and John outline 8 initial steps churches should take BEFORE and AFTER sexual harassment and assault charges arise in your church. As two men, they are sure there are important steps they’ve missed.
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Are Sacraments for Mission?
Are sacraments for those outside the church?
Are sacraments for those coming in or going out?
Can something that’s not a sacrament be sacramental?
Ranging across topics, David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw have two guests on—Ben Sternke and Matt Tebbe of Gravity Leadership—to talk about the role of sacraments in mission.
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Going Deep in APEST? with Alan Hirsch
APEST: Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Shepherd, and Teacher.
But do these functions or callings go even deeper than personal calling and church organization? David Fitch talks with Alan Hirsch about Hirsch’s new book, 5Q: Reactivating the Original Intelligence and Capacity of the Body of Christ.
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Seminary Dropout 180 – John Mark McMillan, Talks Creativity, Minivans, and His New Album “Mercury & Lightning”
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Seminary Dropout 179 – Amena Brown, Author of “How to Fix a Broken Record” on Poetry, Marriage, and Princesses
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Beware the Language Police
Ever been corrected for saying the wrong thing?
Ever been confused that what you said was so offensive?
Ever felt like you were speaking a different language while speaking English?
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Episode 029: Take A Knee?
In 2016, NFL players (and others) began taking a knew during the Star Spangled Banner in protest of police violence against unarmed black men. A year later, that protest has become conflated with America’s military and Veterans?
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Seminary Dropout 178 – Bruxy Cavey, Author of “Reunion: The Good News of Jesus for Seekers, Saints, and Sinners”
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How Clear Should the Church Be?
How clear should your church be about stances on sexuality?
How should that clarity be communicated?
Is the search for clarity in service to the weak and vulnerable?
Is the search for clarity another power play?
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Seminary Dropout 177 – Tara Beth Leach, Author of Emboldened: A Vision for Empowering Women in Ministry
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Seminary Dropout 176 – Kelley Nikondeha, Talks about Being Adopted, Adopting, & the Biblical Narrative of Adoption
*Originally Posted at MissioAlliance.org
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5 Episodes of Seminary Dropout to Listen to Leading up to SheLeads this Saturday
Have you registered? SheLeads is this Saturday! To celebrate I’m looking back at 5 episodes of Seminary Dropout that you should listen to leading up to SheLeads.
1. Episode 171 – Mandy Smith, Author of ‘The Vulnerable Pastor’ and Director of SheLeads 2017
Originally from Australia, Mandy Smith is lead pastor of University Christian Church, a campus and neighborhood congregation with its own fair-trade café in Cincinnati, Ohio.
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Seminary Dropout 175 – Monique & Vito Aiuto of The Welcome Wagon, on Their New Album: Light Up The Stairs
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Why is Your Church Here? The 3 Streams of Cultural Accommodation
Why is your church here? What are you doing? How are you moving forward?
The answer to these questions is often based on your assumptions about the church’s place in culture.
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Episode 028: So You Want To Be A Christian Author?
This is an absolute NECESSITY for anyone who has ever dreamed of writing a book, particularly in the Christian market
Sean and John take an insider’s look into Christian publishing. These are the ESSENTIALS of what you need to know.
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Are You a Tool? on God’s glory and the Nashville Statement
“Many deny that God created human beings for his glory…” This comes from the preamble of the Nashville Statement.
David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw talk about what being “created for God’s glory” might mean for pastors, for mission, and for handling contentious topics.
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Seminary Dropout 174 – Dennis R. Edwards, Part 2: on his 1 Peter Commentary, and the Underrepresentation of People of Color in Christian Academia
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