Theology on Mission

From the rise (and fall) of the emerging church to the challenges of post-evangelical faith, from seminary formation to everyday discipleship, this episode captures what it sounds like when leaders wrestle honestly with where the church has been—and where it’s going.In this special crossover episode, David Fitch and Mike Moore join Andy Littleton and Eric Cepin from the Faith Over Breakfast podcast for a wide-ranging, unscripted conversation on ministry, theology, and life in the real world.Drawing from their shared (and sometimes diverging) experiences in the emerging church movement, the conversation explores why some communities deconstructed and disappeared—while others stayed rooted and endured. Along the way, they reflect on the role of deep community, the dangers of untethered deconstruction, and why faith must remain centered on Jesus, not just ideas or experiences.At the center of it all is a shared conviction: you don’t get to make the faith up as you go. You receive it, wrestle with it, and live it out in real communities with real people.Listen to more episodes of Faith Over Breakfast: https://pod.link/1242441594 🎙️ In This Episode:Reflections on the emerging church movement—and what led to its fragmentationWhy some leaders deconstructed out of faith while others stayed rootedThe role of deep, committed community in sustaining beliefThe tension between therapy, self-discovery, and Christ-centered discipleshipWhy theology must be lived, not just learned in classroomsWhat makes a church (or seminary) actually form people for real lifeWhy context shapes ministry—and why no model transfers cleanly📌 Key Moments:[00:06:00] Eric’s story: planting in the emerging church and staying rooted [00:16:00] Community as the anchor through doubt and theological shifts [00:22:00] When therapy replaces discipleship—and how to bring Jesus back to the center [00:31:00] “You don’t get to make it up”: receiving the faith across generations [00:36:00] Every church is a seminary—whether it realizes it or not [00:43:00] Why ministry must be contextual, not formulaic [00:56:00] Culture, power, and understanding the moment for mission 💡 TakeawayFaith isn’t formed in isolation or ideology—it’s formed in community, through struggle, and in submission to Jesus. In a time when many are tempted to walk away or reinvent everything, this conversation reminds us: stay rooted, stay honest, and stay with the people God has given you.

Why does the Bible so often feel disconnected from real life—and what would it take to close that gap?David Fitch and Mike Moore sit down with Old Testament scholar Bo Lim to explore his book Contextual Theological Interpretation. Together, they tackle one of the most pressing challenges facing the church today: how to faithfully interpret Scripture across cultures, contexts, and competing theological frameworks.Lim argues that biblical interpretation cannot live in silos. Historical-critical study, theological tradition, and cultural context must be held together in a dynamic, ongoing dialogue. When any one of these dominates, the Bible either becomes irrelevant, weaponized, or detached from lived reality.Drawing from years of scholarship, teaching, and lived experience as a Korean American theologian, Lim offers a vision for reading Scripture that is both faithful to the text and responsive to the complexities of our world.🎙️ In This Episode:Why there is a growing “gap” between biblical studies and real-world ministryThe limits of historical-critical interpretation aloneHow theological interpretation reclaims Scripture for the life of the churchWhat contextual interpretation brings—and where it can go too farWhy all theology is already shaped by culture (even when we pretend it’s not)How to hold text, theology, and context together without collapsing into relativismWhy multicultural ministry demands a new way of reading Scripture📌 Key Moments:[00:04:00] The “gap” between Scripture and contemporary life[00:09:00] Historical criticism vs. theological interpretation[00:17:00] What contextual interpretation actually means[00:22:00] Why theological traditions are always culturally shaped[00:27:00] The hidden biases in biblical commentaries and scholarship[00:33:00] Liberation vs. post-colonial readings of Scripture[00:38:00] Why no single method is sufficient on its ownFaithful biblical interpretation is not about choosing between text, theology, or context. It's about learning to listen to all three in conversation. When we do, we begin to hear God’s voice not just in the past, but in the present realities of the communities we serve.

“In the beginning, God created…”What if the most urgent ethical task for Christians today is simply to remember that we are creatures?In this rich and deeply theological conversation, David Fitch and Mike Moore welcome Brian Brock to discuss his major work, Joining Creation's Praise. Together, they explore how confessing creatureliness reshapes Christian ethics from dominion and vocation to politics, sexuality, economics, and our relationship with the rest of creation.Brock argues that Scripture begins not with abstract doctrines but with a drama: God in conversation with creatures. Human beings are called not to dominate creation but to join its praise to embody Christ’s image as conduits of divine life. When we forget we are creatures, we distort power, knowledge, and even our understanding of what it means to be human.Following the early chapters of Genesis, Brock invites the church to rediscover an ancient wisdom that speaks with surprising clarity to modern ethical crises.🎙️ In This Episode:Why “creatureliness” is the foundation of Christian ethicsHow Genesis reframes dominion as participation, not controlThe difference between domination and receiving life from GodSabbath as resistance to modern productivity and masteryHow confessing we are creatures reshapes politics and economicsWhy human dignity is inseparable from our shared creaturely statusWhat it means to embody Christ’s image among other creatures📌 Key Moments:[00:06:00] Why ethics begins with creaturely confession[00:14:00] Dominion, vocation, and the distortion of power[00:21:00] Knowledge, wisdom, and the limits of human mastery[00:28:00] Sabbath and the reordering of desire[00:35:00] Politics and economics through a creaturely lens[00:42:00] How Christ restores humanity to its true vocationThe ethical life does not begin with moral technique but with worship. To confess that we are creatures is to relinquish control, receive life from God, and participate in a world already praising its Creator. In a culture obsessed with autonomy and power, rediscovering creatureliness may be the church’s most radical witness.

How should Christians respond when political conversations collapse into “what about…” arguments? And what does that habit reveal about power, antagonism, and our theology of government?In this wide-ranging and pastoral conversation, David Fitch is joined by Gino Curcuruto to explore how whataboutism functions in political discourse and how it quietly shapes church conflicts, leadership breakdowns, and our witness to the world.Drawing from Scripture, political theology, pastoral experience, and real-life ministry conflict, Fitch and Curcuruto unpack how antagonisms form, why confession disrupts them, and how the church can engage government without asking it to do what only God can do.🎙️ In This Episode:What whataboutism is and why it perpetuates antagonism rather than accountabilityHow Jesus refuses false binaries and antagonistic traps (John 8; Luke 4)Why confession, not retaliation, is the most powerful leadership postureThe difference between viewing government as a created good vs. a post-fall provisionHow churches unintentionally mirror political power strugglesWhy holding government accountable is different from trying to control itThe spiritual danger of expecting government to do the church’s work📌 Key Moments:[00:04:00] How “what about Biden?” or “what about Trump?” blocks moral clarity[00:10:30] Why refusing the antagonism opens space for Jesus to work[00:14:30] Confession as the doorway to reconciliation and renewal[00:21:00] When accusations are real—and when they’re projections[00:27:30] Jesus, antagonisms, and the woman caught in adultery[00:30:00] Pre-fall vs. post-fall views of government—and why it matters[00:36:00] Why the church must resist asking government to save the world💡 TakeawayWhataboutism doesn’t protect truth. It protects identity. When Christians refuse to unwind antagonisms, we lose our ability to bear faithful witness. But when leaders practice confession, patience, and discernment in community, space opens for the Spirit to heal what power struggles cannot.📚 Resources & Links Mentioned:David Fitch on Substack 👉 https://davidfitch.substack.com/Gino Curcuruto on Substack 👉 https://ginocurcuruto.substack.com/End of Evangelicalism by David FitchThe Church of Us vs. Them by David FitchChantel Mouffe’s work on political antagonism (referenced conceptually)Romans 13 (referenced for future discussion on church and state)John 8:1–11 – Jesus and the woman caught in adulteryLuke 4 – Jesus’ rejection of worldly powerWhere might whataboutism be shaping your leadership, relationships, or political engagement, and what would it look like to pause, listen, and confess instead?

What happens when a theological tradition outlives the cultural moment that gave it meaning?David Fitch lays out why he no longer identifies as Reformed, not as an attack, but as a contextual theological critique. Joined by Mike Moore, Fitch reflects on how Reformed theology emerged faithfully in medieval Europe, why it made sense there, and why its dominant expressions no longer fit the cultural realities of North America today.This episode is not a takedown of Luther or Calvin. Instead, it is an invitation to take context seriously: how theology travels, how power works, how Scripture is interpreted, and how unintended consequences shape the church long after doctrines are formed. Along the way, Fitch argues for a constructive alternative rooted in neo-Anabaptist, holiness, and Pentecostal streams traditions shaped for life beyond Christendom.🎙️ In This Episode:Why all theology is contextual without being relativisticHow Reformed theology functioned within medieval ChristendomPenal substitutionary atonement: where it made sense—and where it doesn’tHow views of sovereignty, hierarchy, and predestination mirror cultural assumptionsWhy sola scriptura has produced interpretive chaos in modern evangelicalismThe case for neo-Anabaptist, holiness, and Pentecostal theology today📌 Highlights:[00:08:00] Why Protestantism “had nothing to protest” in North America[00:13:00] How Reformed theology was later used to interiorize salvation[00:20:00] Power, sovereignty, and concessions to Christendom[00:26:00] The dangers of unmoored sola scriptura[00:30:00] Why holiness, Pentecostal, and Anabaptist traditions fit our moment📚 Resources Mentioned: “Protestantism Without Reformation” (1939) by Dietrich Bonhoeffer — found in No Rusty Swords, this essay critiques American Protestantism for losing its reforming edge, a theme echoed throughout this episode.Scott Jones (New Persuasive Words) — “Reforming the Reformers? Dave Fitch, Neo-Baptists, and a Misread Reformation” — Scott and Bill respond directly to Fitch’s post and critique his reading of the Reformers. (Episode 390: https://npw.fireside.fm/390) Gustaf Aulén, Christus Victor — a classic retrieval of Christus Victor atonement theology (named as a corrective to what gets lost when PSA becomes the dominant frame).Anselm of Canterbury, Cur Deus Homo — referenced as part of the medieval background for juridical/forensic atonement frameworks (“it doesn’t mean it wasn’t resident in Ansel”). Robert Schreiter — “all theology is local” referenced as a framing line for the episode’s central claim about contextual theology and continuity without relativism.The question isn’t whether Reformed theology was ever faithful. It’s whether its dominant assumptions about power, authority, Scripture, and salvation still serve the church’s mission today. Theology must remain faithful to Scripture and attentive to context if it is to form communities that live under the reign of Jesus rather than the logic of empire.

Rather than a “best of” recap, this year-end episode names the deep uncertainties shaping 2026 and asks how followers of Jesus might live faithfully in the midst of them.From artificial intelligence and political instability to education, housing, and the erosion of trust in institutions, the hosts reflect on the pressures facing Gen Z, pastors, and local churches alike. The conversation circles back again and again to one central question: Where should we center our lives when everything else feels unstable?🎙️ In This Episode:Why AI may be more disruptive to human formation than the internetThe growing normalization of political violence and public mistrustThe collapse and reimagining of higher education and theological formationWhy homeownership feels impossible and how churches might respond creativelyWhat it means to center life in the local church amid cultural fragmentation📌 Highlights:[00:08:00] AI, creativity, and resisting a culture of convenience[00:17:00] Political unrest and the call to local faithfulness[00:26:00] Education’s crisis—and why formation still matters[00:31:00] Housing, community, and economic imagination[00:39:00] Centering life in the church rather than institutions or identity markersWhen institutions falter, and the future feels unclear, the church is called to become a visible alternative—not a retreat from the world, but a grounded community of discernment, presence, and hope. The work ahead is not to predict the future, but to faithfully inhabit it together.If 2026 truly is a year of uncertainty, what would it look like to locate your identity not in success, security, or certainty but in a shared life centered on Jesus, practiced in real neighborhoods, with real people?

Can the Bible still guide faithful political engagement—or has it been too abused to help? In this timely conversation, Dave Fitch and Mike Moore welcome theologian, author, and Holy Post co-host Kaitlyn Schiess to discuss her book The Ballot and the Bible: How Scripture Has Been Used and Abused in American Politics and Where We Go from Here.Together, they explore how American Christians have wielded (and often weaponized) the Bible in public life. From Romans 13 and the Revolutionary War to slavery, civil rights, and the rise of Christian nationalism. Kaitlyn offers both a critique of misuse and a hopeful invitation: to reclaim Scripture as a source of wisdom, hospitality, and faithful witness in the public square.🎙️ In This Episode:Why the Bible still matters for politics (even after all the misuse)How Romans 13 has been used to justify everything from rebellion to tyrannyThe disturbing history of biblical defenses of slavery and what we can learn from Black interpretersHow the civil rights movement modeled faithful, embodied, Scripture-shaped resistanceWhy pastors and leaders must form people for faithfulness, not just political alignment📌 Highlights:[00:06:00] How Scripture became “weaponized” in the American Revolution[00:13:00] Romans 13 and the danger of using the Bible to win political arguments[00:19:00] How enslaved believers read the Bible differently and more faithfully than their oppressors[00:27:00] MLK and the Black Church as a model for Scripture-shaped activism[00:33:00] Why true political discipleship starts in the church, not the stateThe problem isn’t that the Bible speaks to politics; it’s that we’ve forgotten how to let it form us before we use it. The call today is not to abandon Scripture in public life but to recover its use as an act of love, truth, and hospitality.📚 Resources Mentioned:The Ballot and the Bible by Kaitlyn SchiessThe Liturgy of Politics by Kaitlyn SchiessThe Spirit of Our Politics by Michael WearReckoning with Power by David FitchThe Christian Imagination by Willie James JenningsThe Fire in My Bones by Albert RaboteauResident Aliens by Stanley Hauerwas & William WillimonWhen Scripture is used to defend power instead of form faith, everyone loses. What would it look like to read the Bible not to win debates, but to become the kind of people who can love, listen, and lead in public as followers of Jesus?

What if racism isn’t primarily about ignorance or hate, but about greed? In this episode, Dave Fitch and guest co-host Gino Curcuruto sit down with Dr. Malcolm Foley, pastor, scholar, and author of The Anti-Greed Gospel: Why the Love of Money is the Root of Racism and How the Church Can Create a New Way Forward.Dr. Foley unpacks how economic exploitation lies at the heart of racial injustice—and why Jesus’ warning that “you cannot serve both God and mammon” is as urgent today as ever. Together they explore the demonic cycle of self-interest that perpetuates racism through exploitation, violence, and lies, and they offer a vision for Christian communities shaped by deep economic solidarity, creative nonviolence, and prophetic truth-telling.🎙️ In This Episode:Why greed—not hate—is the true root of racismHow capitalism and racial hierarchy became intertwinedThe role of mammon as a spiritual power deforming the churchWhy anti-racism and reparations often miss the deeper structural sinHow the church can become a visible alternative to exploitation and fear📌 Highlights:[00:09:00] Race as a “demonic cycle” of exploitation, violence, and lies[00:13:00] How greed drives racialized slavery, lynching, and modern inequities[00:18:00] Why the church must flee mammon, not just manage it[00:24:00] The Sermon on the Mount as a blueprint for kingdom economics[00:35:00] How local churches can witness through economic solidarity and love of enemiesWe can’t end racism without confronting greed. The good news: the church already holds the resources to resist mammon and embody a new economy of grace.📚 Resources Mentioned:The Anti-Greed Gospel by Malcolm Foley (Brazos Press)Asian Americans and the Spirit of Racial Capitalism by Jonathan TranGod’s Reign and the End of Empires by Antonio GonzálezReckoning with Power by David FitchMosaic Church WacoMalcolm Foley at Baylor UniversityWhat if a true test of discipleship isn’t how we treat differences but how we handle money? How could your church become a community of economic solidarity, creative peace, and prophetic truth in the face of mammon’s pull?

What happens when church leadership shifts from pulpits to platforms? In this episode, Dave Fitch and guest co-host Gino Curcuruto unpack Carl Trueman’s article, “Goodbye Big Eva, Hello Gig Eva,” exploring how evangelical culture has moved from the conference stage to the influencer feed, and what that means for the church.Together, they trace the shift from “Big Eva” (celebrity pastors and large conferences) to “Gig Eva” (independent online influencers shaping faith outside accountability or community). The conversation wrestles with how this new ecosystem forms pastors, congregations, and the public imagination of what “church” even is and calls for a recovery of embodied, local, presence-based ministry.🎙️ In This Episode:The difference between Big Eva and Gig Eva—and why both shape the church’s imaginationHow digital influence redefines leadership, authority, and credibilityThe danger of disembodied discipleship and social media “theology”Why pastors must resist measuring faithfulness by metrics or clicksHow to reclaim embodied church in an age of platform-driven ministry📌 Highlights:[00:07:00] “Big Eva” as the era of celebrity pastors and conference platforms[00:10:00] “Gig Eva” as the rise of influencers without local accountability[00:17:00] How online perception replaces real discipleship[00:24:00] The lure of success, self-promotion, and burnout in ministry[00:33:00] Embodied church as the faithful alternative to the gig economyThe future of the church isn’t in virality, it’s in presence. Faithful ministry grows from local soil, not from algorithms. The way forward is slow, small, and deeply relational.📖 Resources Mentioned:“Goodbye Big Eva, Hello Gig Eva” by Carl Trueman (First Things)The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self by Carl R. TruemanReckoning with Power: Why the Church Fails When It’s on the Wrong Side of Power by David FitchThe Strategically Small Church by Brandon O’BrienThe Glass Church and The Church Must Grow or Perish by Gerardo Marti & Mark MulderTable Philly ChurchFitch’s Provocations (Substack)What does it mean to lead faithfully when “success” is measured by followers, not fruit? How can your church move from digital performance to embodied presence?

What’s really driving America’s political chaos, and what does it mean for the church? In this episode, Dave Fitch and Mike Moore dig beneath partisan headlines to uncover the deeper philosophical divide shaping our cultural and theological conflicts. Fitch traces the roots of our polarization to two competing political visions: liberal democracy (centered on individual freedom) and national conservatism (centered on shared cultural values).From there, they explore how both sides fall short and why neither has room for the church. The conversation turns toward what it means for Christians to embody a third way: a politic of the kingdom rooted in community, discipleship, and the lordship of Christ.🎙️ In This Episode:The deep ideological divide behind America’s political warsLiberal democracy vs. national conservatism—what each gets right (and wrong)How both sides sideline the churchWhy coercion and individualism can never produce kingdom lifeWhat pastors can do to lead faithfully in a polarized world📌 Highlights:[00:05:00] The individual vs. the collective—two visions of society[00:10:00] Why Christian nationalism fails in a multicultural world[00:15:00] Hauerwas, Rawls, and the politics of virtue[00:21:00] The church as an alternative politic[00:24:00] “Start with five people”: how pastors can build kingdom communities amid chaosBoth liberal democracy and national conservatism promise freedom, but only the church can form people to live free in Christ. When Christians embody the politics of Jesus together, they become the living alternative our polarized world desperately needs.

Two weeks after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Dave Fitch and Mike Moore process the grief, confusion, and cultural fallout surrounding his death. Beyond the tragedy, they explore what Charlie Kirk symbolized in American Christianity—and what his influence reveals about the modern church’s failures in discipleship, community, and cultural engagement.Fitch argues that Kirk’s rise, and the polarization surrounding him, exposes an empty ecclesiology: a Christianity shaped more by individualism and ideology than by the life of the local church. Together, the hosts ask hard questions about power, influence, and the role of the church in a politically divided age.Charlie Kirk as a Cultural Symbol (Part 1): https://substack.com/home/post/p-173936722 Charlie Kirk is a Cultural Symbol (Part 2): https://davidfitch.substack.com/p/charlie-kirk-is-a-cultural-symbol 🎙️ In This Episode:The difference between Charlie Kirk the person and Charlie Kirk the cultural symbolHow antagonism replaces real conversation in our political and religious discourseThe church’s failure to disciple young people and engage complex moral questionsWhy “influencers” are filling the space the church has vacatedHow individualistic faith leads to political idolatry📌 Highlights:[00:05:00] Why Charlie Kirk became a master signifier of political identity[00:10:00] How antagonism keeps us from addressing real issues on the ground[00:15:00] The influencer as a substitute for the church[00:22:00] The hunger of young men for direction and discipleship[00:27:00] From personal faith to political power: how individualism fuels Christian nationalismCharlie Kirk’s rise and death reveal both the brokenness of our political moment and the vacuum left by the church’s retreat from public discipleship. Until the church reclaims its call to embody the presence and power of Jesus in community, political idols will keep filling the gap.

What happens when we read the Bible faithfully but miss the culture we’re speaking into? In this episode, Dave Fitch and Mike Moore dig into why biblical studies and cultural studies must go hand in hand for pastors, leaders, and everyday Christians. From sexuality to money, from language to power, interpretation always happens inside a culture. Ignore that, and our preaching either falls flat or feels dictatorial.🎙️ In This Episode:Why evangelicals and post-evangelicals default to biblical studies but often ignore cultural dynamicsHow terms like “gay” or even “marriage” carry radically different meanings in different communitiesWhy listening to culture is essential before speaking the gospel into itPractical stories from Hyde Park, Wheaton, and Boystown on how cultural contexts shape identity and desireWhat pastors and parents can learn about engaging teens and younger generations📌 Highlights:[00:05:00] Why evangelicals are blind to cultural dynamics[00:09:00] Romans 1 and the problem of assuming “gay” means the same thing across times and places[00:16:00] Learning cultural dynamics by listening in coffee shops, not just reading books[00:21:00] Why assumptions about money, power, and sexuality can shut people off from the gospel[00:24:00] The call to humility and presence in our cultural engagementPastors don’t just need to read their Bibles; they need to read their neighborhoods. Without cultural awareness, even the most faithful biblical interpretation can miss the mark.

Russell Moore kicks off Season 11 with an honest and wide-ranging conversation about the fractured state of American evangelicalism. From his own departure from the SBC to his reflections on revival, integrity, and biblical authority, Moore offers both critique and hope. Dave and Mike push into what needs preserving, what needs reimagining, and where we might see life again in the dry bones of evangelical witness.Whether you’re nostalgic for the church you grew up in, disillusioned by it, or daring to believe something new is possible—this episode offers wisdom, challenge, and a reminder of the gospel’s power to revive.🎧 In This Episode:The danger of using Christianity as a means to an endWhy “personal” doesn’t have to mean “individualistic”Scripture as encounter vs. informationWhat real revival might look like todayRecovering wonder, hope, and moral credibility in the church🛠 Resources Mentioned:Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America by Russell MooreThe Russell Moore Show – podcast from Christianity TodayReckoning with Power: Why the Church Fails When It's on the Wrong Side of Power by David FitchCenter for Public Theology at Christianity Today

Is it time to refresh the old church planting playbook? In this forward-thinking episode, Dave Fitch and Mike Moore sit down with Dr. Eun K. Strawser to explore how church planting must evolve in a post-COVID world. Drawing on her work with the IWA Collaborative, her leadership at Ma Ke Alo o, and insights from her upcoming book You Were Never Meant to Lead Alone, Eun outlines a vision for leadership that is local, diverse, co-vocational, and built on discipleship, not metrics. 🎙️ In This Episode: Why the old church planting model no longer fits post-pandemic realities The rise of co-vocational, prophetically bent leaders—especially Black, Brown, and women leaders Redefining success: from attendance metrics to neighborhood presence A vision of shared leadership rooted in communal discipleship The emerging partnership between Northern Seminary and IWA Collaborative 📌 Highlights: [00:08:00] What the Eva bird teaches us about leadership and local nesting [00:13:00] Co-vocational leadership and the shift away from big-budget, parachute church plants [00:22:00] How prophetic, local leaders are already planting churches—whether they call it that or not [00:29:00] Eun’s forthcoming book: You Were Never Meant to Lead Alone (pre-order available soon) [00:33:00] Five pillars of the new church planting initiative: Centering Discipleship (book link) Intercultural Dynamics Sharing Leadership Pastoring Co-Vocationally Exegeting Neighborhoods 💡 Takeaway: Church planting isn’t dead—it’s just waking up to a new imagination. The future belongs to grounded leaders who know their neighborhood, share power, center discipleship, and stop disqualifying themselves from God’s call. 📖 Resources Mentioned: Centering Discipleship by Eun K. Strawser (IVP) Eun’s upcoming book You Were Never Meant to Lead Alone (Fall 2024 – Preorder link coming soon) Northern Seminary Church Planting Initiative IWA Collaborative Lawndale Christian Community Church Christian Community Development Association (CCDA)

What happens when expository preaching meets jazz improvisation? In this musical and moving conversation, Dave Fitch and Mike Moore welcome Mark Glanville, pastor, jazz pianist, and author of Preaching in a New Key, to explore how preaching can meet the needs of post-Christian communities. From shifting cultural landscapes to the crisis of plausibility in faith, this episode unpacks how the preacher’s voice, imagination, and presence can open up space for beauty, belonging, and belief. 🎙️ In This Episode: Why a 1970s preaching manual is still #1 on Amazon—and why that’s a problem What a “crisis of plausibility” means for modern preaching Why Scripture must be heard as a communal word, not just an individual one How preaching can surprise people into faith through beauty and truth What jazz, blues, and the Psalms can teach us about crafting sermons today 📌 Highlights: [00:07:00] Faith in a post-Christian city: what’s changed since the Bible-under-the-arm days [00:13:00] The power of preaching to restore trust in Scripture [00:22:00] From “you” to “we”: how preaching shapes the beloved community [00:36:00] Why preaching from your humanity is not optional—it’s essential [00:39:00] Blues as a metaphor for the church: grief, joy, and solidarity 💡 Takeaway: Preaching today is less about having the right answers and more about being fully present—bringing Scripture to life with the imagination, lyricism, and beauty that awakens faith. In a culture suspicious of authority, the ironic authority of wisdom is what opens hearts.

What does real resistance to an unjust state look like—and can the church still embody it today? In this episode, Dave Fitch and Mike Moore sit down with Bonhoeffer scholar Michael DeJonge to explore the famed theologian’s approach to resisting authoritarian power. Drawing from his article How to Resist an Unjust State and his books on Bonhoeffer's theology, DeJonge unpacks the Lutheran roots of Bonhoeffer’s political vision and why his legacy resists easy appropriation in today’s culture wars.📖 Suggested Resources: How to resist an unjust state? Dietrich Bonhoeffer and his theology of political resistance Bonhoeffer on Resistance: The Word Against the Wheel Bonhoeffer's Theological Formation: Berlin, Barth, and Protestant Theology 🎙️ In This Episode: The historical truth behind Bonhoeffer’s involvement in plots to resist Hitler Why Bonhoeffer’s theology of resistance goes far beyond assassination debates A deep dive into Lutheran two-kingdom theology—and how Bonhoeffer revised it How the church can speak into state injustice without being co-opted by political power Lessons for resisting both passivity and polarization in today’s divided landscape 📌 Highlights: [00:08:00] Did Bonhoeffer support violence? His participation in anti-Nazi plots clarified [00:14:00] Bonhoeffer’s “authentically Lutheran” resistance—and why it still matters [00:27:00] Evangelicals, Trump, and the preservation/redemption split—dangerous echoes [00:38:00] The meaning behind “jamming a spoke in the wheel” [00:44:00] From preaching to presence: Why Bonhoeffer built community to resist 💡 Takeaway:Bonhoeffer’s legacy isn’t about mimicking the past but learning how to discern our moment. Resistance begins not with outrage but with the church being the church—formed, faithful, and ready to speak a word against injustice when the time demands it.

Is leaving evangelicalism really a departure—or just a shift within the same framework? In this provocative episode, Dave Fitch and Mike Moore wrestle with the deep similarities between evangelical and post-evangelical spaces. Are we just switching teams while playing the same game? From the role of the self in faith to justice work and power structures, they explore what truly changes (and what doesn’t) when people move from white evangelicalism to progressive or mainline Protestant spaces.🎙️ In This Episode: Why leaving evangelicalism doesn’t necessarily mean leaving evangelical ways of thinking. The modern self: how both fundamentalist and progressive Christianity center personal identity. Justice as something we do vs. justice as something Jesus is doing. The trap of power: why both evangelicals and progressives wield authority in similar ways. How a neo-Anabaptist vision could reshape discipleship and engagement with culture. 📌 Highlights: [00:05:00] Does moving from evangelical to post-evangelical really change anything? [00:13:00] How both camps center faith around the individual self. [00:21:00] Justice work: Are we doing it for people or with people? [00:32:00] Power dynamics: Why both evangelicals and progressives assume an expert posture. [00:37:00] A vision beyond the binaries: toward a new way of being the church. 💡 Takeaway:Shifting theological or political stances doesn’t automatically transform the way we engage culture, power, and justice. Without rethinking the self, mission, and power dynamics, we risk reinforcing the very systems we hoped to escape.

Is our understanding of salvation too small? In this thought-provoking episode, Dave Fitch and Mike Moore sit down with Matthew Bates, professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary and author of Beyond the Salvation Wars, to challenge long-held assumptions about the gospel. From the pitfalls of individualistic salvation to the deeper call of allegiance to King Jesus, they explore what it truly means to be saved—and why both Protestants and Catholics need to rethink their approach.🎙️ In This Episode: Why reducing the gospel to “justification by faith” misses the bigger picture. How allegiance to Jesus reshapes our understanding of salvation. The problem with both evangelical and progressive approaches to discipleship. Why the Gospel Coalition and the Catholic Church might have more in common than we think. How pastors can cultivate a Gospel Allegiance Culture in their churches. 📌 Highlights: [00:04:00] The problem with how Protestants and Catholics frame salvation. [00:12:00] Justification as a benefit of the gospel, not the gospel itself. [00:19:00] Rethinking righteousness: Imputed, imparted, or incorporated? [00:27:00] Why spiritual disciplines should be allegiance opportunities. [00:32:00] The danger of reducing faith to “try harder and do better.” 💡 Takeaway: The gospel isn’t just about avoiding hell or doing justice—it’s about swearing allegiance to King Jesus and being swept up in his mission for the world. When we move beyond an individualistic, works-based mindset, we discover a deeper, more holistic understanding of salvation.📖 Additional Reflection: What would change in your life if you saw faith not as belief or effort, but as allegiance to Jesus? Let us know your thoughts!

What if the way forward in our polarized world begins at the table? In this compelling episode, Dave Fitch and Mike Moore sit down with Dan White Jr., author of Love Over Fear, to discuss the art of engaging in difficult conversations. They explore how compassion, curiosity, and a theology of the table can heal divisions in our churches, neighborhoods, and beyond.🎙️ In This Episode: Dan White Jr. shares how the Kineo Center equips weary leaders to find healing. The four transformative practices for depolarized conversations. Stories of profound breakthroughs during “depolarization dinners.” How Jesus’ table practices challenge the powers of polarization and invite kingdom living. 📌 Highlights: [00:05:00] Dan introduces the Kineo Center as a space for healing weary leaders. [00:12:34] The Power of Conversation in Polarized Times [00:17:00] The origins of Love Over Fear: lessons from a politically divided church. [00:29:00] Four practices for depolarized conversations, including compassionate curiosity and subversive stories. [00:29:33] Techniques for Depolarization [00:41:00] A theology of the table: how Jesus confounds the powers of polarization. 💡 Takeaway:The practice of kingdom living starts at the table, where power shifts from winning arguments to mutual transformation. In a polarized world, Christians are called to disrupt division and embody Christ's love through listening, storytelling, and trust in God’s presence.📖 Additional Reflection:How can you use the table as a space for transformation and reconciliation in your community?