Theology on Mission

The early church distinguished itself from the Roman and Jewish religions by adopting a "third way." Fitch and Moore sit down with historian Jerry Sittser to talk about what we can learn from the ancient church about evangelism, identity, and worship. Jerry Sittser is the author of the recent book, "Resilient Faith: How the Early Christian "Third Way" Changed the World." He is a professor of theology at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington, where he also serves as senior fellow and researcher in the Office of Church Engagement.

Fifty years ago gospel tracts, four spiritual laws, and street witnessing were pillars of evangelism for the evangelical church. Recently, the pendulum has swung the other way to the point where some Christians are reticent to evangelize, or, just don't know how! Drawing on Luke 10 Fitch and Moore discuss how evangelism takes the shape of proclamation rather than coercion. A few of the books they reference (but can't always remember!): Live to Tell by Brad Kallenberg Evangelism after Pluralism by Bryan Stone The Master Plan of Evangelism by Robert Coleman

What should be done with the theology of theologians who have failed morally? John Howard Yoder, Dr. King, Paul Tillich, Karl Barth, etc. Dave and Mike outline the common responses and try to construct a way forward. By mainly focusing on the case of John Howard Yoder they propose a nuanced response that includes critical reading, intertextual evaluation, and dialogue between the church and the academy. A lot of sources were quoted in this podcast. You will need to Google search the keywords below. Ruth Krall, "The Elephants in God’s Living Room: The Mennonite Church and John Howard Yoder" Rachel Gooseen, “Defanging the Beast”: Mennonite Responses to John Howard Yoder’s Sexual Abuse Karen Guth, "Doing Justice to the Complex Legacy of John Howard Yoder" Stanely Hauerwas, "Minding the Web: Making Theological Connections" Steven Long, "Augustinian and Ecclesial Christian Ethics: On Loving Enemies"

Two months ago, pastor-writer Joshua Harris publicly announced he was no longer a Christian. Fitch and Moore do an "icy take" on his announcement, seeking to understand Harris' evangelical culture. Fitch and Moore attempt to grasp the purity culture that Harris helped shape and then explore how legalism, individualization, and cognization produce a church unable to doubt and ask meaningful questions. If you want a behind the scenes look at our recording go to our Facebook page and watch the video.

Who cares about the "end times"? Should we leave behind the "Left Behind" conversations? Does pre-trib, post-trib, etc, even matter? Fitch & Moore talk about "over-realized eschatology" and how it can inhibit the church. They propose that right eschatology enables us to work through suffering, work for peace, and find our place in God's work. A lot of book recommendations here: Stanley Hauerwas-Approaching the End Michael Gorman-Reading Revelation Responsively G.B. Caird- Commentary on Revelation The Millenial Maze-Stanley Grenz

We are back! Fitch and Moore talk about big problems (gun control, homelessness, policing) and if there are solutions. How do we address massive and systemic issues that outsize our communities? Can small churches actually cultivate solutions? Can big churches? Fitch riffs on the idea of God's right hand and God's left hand--the work of the Spirit and the work of preservatory grace. Here are a few of the books and authors we reference in the conversation: A Secular Age--Charles Taylor The Way of Ignorance: And Other Essays--Wendell Berry Discovering an Evangelical Heritage--Donald W. Dayton

Drawing from Matthew 10 and 18 Fitch and Moore talk about the differences between antagonisms and conflict. Does anger have a place in our redemption? How do we identify sin in the midst of our conflicts? And how do antagonisms fit in all this? Here are the books we are reading Sin: A History by Gary Anderson Liturgy of the Ordinary by Tish Warren Genealogy of Queer Theory by William B. Turner

If you haven't read these books yet, pick them up! Mike highlights our top 3 episodes from the past year and gives a list of corresponding reading. If you haven't already read these fine books add them to your list for summer 2019. Check out the show notes here: https://www.missioalliance.org/series/theology-on-mission/

We are sitting down with our good friend C. Christopher Smith to talk about talking! Chris' new book, "How the Body of Christ Talks," explores how the church can recover the practice of conversation. Check out the book here: https://www.amazon.com/How-Body-Christ-Talks-Conversation/dp/1587434113

What is the culture of the multicultural church? How does it include and neglect the black experience in America? Fitch and Moore sit down with Rev. Dr. Joe Mitchell to discuss critiques of the multicultural church. Joe Mitchell is Senior Pastor of New Hope Missionary Baptist in Dekalb, IL. He received his Masters of Divinity from Northern Seminary and his Doctorate of Ministry from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University.

Welp, the title of this podcast isn't passive aggressive! Fitch and Moore talk about how modern individualism has tainted our soteriology. The tropes of guilt, legalism, and populist fundamentalism have led to a thin soteriology. Does anyone have a post-evangelical soteriology? Fitch and Moore suggest how repentance, confession, and forgiveness happen by God's Spirit in the church.

Does it matter when we worship corporately? Midweek service? Saturday night? What about corporate worship over Facebook Live and YouTube? Drawing from the work of Alexander Schmemann, Fitch and Moore discuss the cultural view of "flat" time that commodifies worship. They suggest, in light of the resurrection, Sunday worship is necessary for our discipleship and mission.

Dave and Mike sit down at Missio Alliance 2019 (thus the background noise) to talk with Karen Swallow Prior about her new book "On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life through Great Books." Karen Swallow Prior is a Professor of English at Liberty University. She is also a Research Fellow with the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, a Senior Fellow with Liberty University's Center for Apologetics and Cultural Engagement, and a member of the Faith Advisory Council of the Humane Society of the United States.

What do the public leadership failings of Harvest Bible Chapel and Willow Creek mean for the church? How should we respond and repent?Fitch and Moore talk about why it is hard for pastors to be vulnerable and how we can find guidance on this topic during the Lenten season.

This is part three of our three-part series on Fitch's upcoming book: The Church of Us vs. Them. We talk about Canada, the cold, and privilege. Oh yeah, and we also talk about the title of this episode! From the "Religious Right" to the evangelicals supporting Donald Trump to current debates around abortion, the church is caught in a swirl of argumentation and antagonisms. How do we move beyond this "enemy making machine" to be a people of God's kingdom politic?

This is part two of our three-part series on Fitch's upcoming book: The Church of Us vs. Them. We talk about our first concerts, "making a decision for Christ," and how to reimagine salvation in terms of witness and presence. The contemporary church has used markers like lifestyle practices (no drinking, no dancing, etc) or issues stances (human sexuality, women in ministry, etc) to be an indicator of salvation. How do we move beyond this "enemy making machine"? Also, find us at the Missio Alliance gathering in a few months: www.missioalliance.org/gatherings/aw…thering-2019/

We are back! This is the first of our three-part series on Fitch's upcoming book: The Church of Us vs. Them. We talk about whether a hotdog is a sandwich, the narrative arc of Scripture, and how the Bible gets turned into an "enemy making machine. Also, find us at the Missio Alliance gathering in a few months: www.missioalliance.org/gatherings/awakenings-gathering-2019/

Dave and Mike sit down with Michael Gorman to talk about mission, the book of John and his new book, "Abide & Go: Missional Theosis in the Gospel of John." Michael Gorman is the Raymond E. Brown Professor of Biblical Studies and Theology at St. Mary's Seminary and University. He is one of the leading Pauline scholars and has written more books than Mike and Dave have read combined.

Just in time for Christmas, we talk about Advent! ;) Fitch and Moore repurpose the four Sundays in Advent around the themes of God's disruptive and generous presence in this world. As we anticipate Jesus' birth and second coming we wait with hope. Bonus: Fitch grills Mike about his personal life and relational aspirations!

What should church leaders do when caught in the middle of a conflict? Fitch and Moore discuss practices for navigating the conversation regarding human sexuality.

A recent article from The Gospel Coalition observes the "slippery slope" of belief from Progressive to Atheist. Dave and Mike contend that Progressives are just Conservatives--different teams unaware of the Christendom field they are fighting on. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/3-beliefs-progressive-christians-atheists-share/

Is this even a question Christians should be asking? Does it reek of privilege and entitlement? Fitch and Moore discuss if/how Christians should vote in the upcoming election. Fitch does an average Hauerwas impression and examines how our culture means we now "vote for commercials, not people."

Mike sits down with Jonathan "Pastah J" Brooks to talk about his new book "Church Forsaken: Practicing Presence in Neglected Neighborhoods." Pastah J leads Canaan Community Church in West Englewood, Chicago. They discuss the history of Englewood, community development principles, and what the buzzword "presence" actually means.

How should the church engage "elite culture"? Should our books be on the New York Times bestseller list? Our influence wielded in the halls of power? James Davidson Hunter's book "To Change the World" has a unique proposal for engaging "elite culture." Dave and Mike discuss Hunter's proposal and Mike teaches Dave about the 90s evangelical movement "See You At The Pole."

New season! New co-host! Mike Moore joins Dave Fitch to talk about the B-I-B-L-E. How do we appeal to the Bible in midst of conflict? How does a pastor steward their leadership position? And where the heck did Holsclaw go?

When a leader falls, whose fault is it? Is it the leaders character? Is it the institutional pressures? And what can the church learn from it? David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw talk about the huge leadership failings and transitions happening at Willowcreek Community Church, and discuss what it means for leadership in the church at large. And Geoff shares some big news about taking a pastoral position in Grand Rapids, MI (details are here: http://geoffreyholsclaw.net/god-moving-us-grand-rapids/. And here is the PDF of Fitch's chapter on Leadership: http://www.seminary.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Leadership-Ch.-3-Great-Giveaway-pdf.pdf You can get the entire "Great Giveaway" the classic Fitch book, here: https://www.amazon.com/Great-Giveaway-Reclaiming-Organizations-Psychotherapy/dp/080106483X/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1480030757&sr=1-4&keywords=David+E+Fitch

Why are we so anxious and depressed? Is it us or is it our culture? David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw conclude season 3 by talking about the recent celebrity suicides, and what it says about our culture that demand our happiness but still judges us as failures. You can find the House Gathering resource here on our FB page—and please like the page if you haven't already (https://www.facebook.com/TheologyOnMission/posts/2053138735006701) The two articles we talked about were: "Americans are depressed and suicidal because something is wrong with our culture," by Kirsten Powers (https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2018/06/09/kate-spade-suicide-anthony-bourdain-depression-culture-success-column/687388002/) "Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?" Jean Twenge (https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/09/has-the-smartphone-destroyed-a-generation/534198/)

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. And Geoff is wearing his crazy tongues of fire "Pentecost" shirt. See the Theology & Mission Lectureship here: http://www.seminary.edu/onmission18/

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. Resources: God and Men and Jordon Peterson: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/31/opinion/god-jordan-peterson.html The Feminization (and Decline) of Religion: http://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/the-feminization-and-decline-of-religion/ Malestrom: https://smile.amazon.com/Malestrom-Manhood-Swept-Currents-Changing-ebook/dp/B00PFD5JPI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1525466675&sr=8-1&keywords=Malestrom+james Church Planting with Women = Disaster: https://soundcloud.com/theology-on-mission/24-planting-a-church-without-women-disaster

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: http://www.seminary.edu/onmission18/

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. And they accidentally start a new segment about what they'd being doing 500 years ago (you'll want to hear what they say about Fitch). And be sure to check out the Matt and Ben's new Gravity Leadership Podcast. Check out their newest episode, "God Meets Us Where we Really Are" (https://gravityleadership.com/podcast/god-meets-us/).

Do we still need the 10 Commandments? Ancient relic? Oppressive degrees? Are they even really commandments? Geoff Holsclaw—and special guest Nathan Clair—discuss the relevance of the 10 Commandments for our lives. They talk about the mission of the 10 Commandments to free us to love one another, and not be enslaved once again. For more see The 10 Forgotten Words of Freedom: http://geoffreyholsclaw.net/ten-commandments-forgotten-words-freedom/

You move into a new neighborhood. Now what? How would you go about discern God in that place? What do you look for? Who do you talk to? David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw talk about the 7 P's of cultural engagement (and yes, there are a couple of jokes along the way).

Do you love the place you live? Can you see God's mission before you? David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw duck out of a meeting in order to talk about the particularity of place, God's mission, and the call on all of our lives. Mentioned book: Why Place Matters ~ McClay and McAllister No Home Like Place ~ Hjalmarson Where Mortals Dwell ~ Bartholomew Spaces for the Sacred ~ Sheldrake

How you do you know yourself? Is your "self" a combination of all your relationships? And what might Lent teach us about these things? David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw talk about Jesus' healing of the leper in Mark 1:40-45, and what this might tell us about ourselves, our relationships with others, and faith in Jesus (oh, and we talk about "La La Land.")

How do you know the difference between good and evil, right and wrong? And why should we keep reading the OT when Jesus is the updated version? Today we are encouraged to follow our feelings to determine what is right and wrong. We are called to be authentic in deciding what is good and evil, even if—especially if—it conflicts with traditional religious norms. But is that such a good idea? Geoff Holsclaw—with special guest Matt Tebbe—talk about the voice from heaven over Jesus telling us to "Listen to him!" They cover the way of love, the place of the law, and how we can grow in wisdom and discernment.

How do you judge the size of your church? How do you know if your church is healthy? Dave and Geoff talk about what makes for a church, how to count it, and what impact that might have on faithful mission. It's another one of those episodes where they don't quite agree.

How does God work to change the world? How individuals and communities help God's kingdom come? (If we are interested in this episode, then check out the FREE WEBINAR Dave and Geoff are hosting on this topic: http://www.seminary.edu/free-webinar-how-does-god-change-the-world/) Dave Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw discuss a provocative tweet by Tim Keller which started a storm of comments. Keller said, "Jesus didn't come primarily to solve the economic, political, and social problems of the world. He came to forgive our sins." Dave and Geoff defend Keller against his critics, but also ask if may he couldn't also be wrong about his view. Along the way Geoff sings with the music and Dave says that God is like his dog, Stanley.

Can sex ever really be safe? What do we mean when we give consent? Can we do better to protect women? David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw jump into the thick of things as they discuss the "humiliation of Aziz Ansari and the future of safe sex. They discuss issues of sexual power, mutuality, and intimacy. Is their view on sex retrograde or radical? You decide. Articles mentioned: Sexuality and Consent: Protecting Women Demands Better (http://www.abc.net.au/religion/articles/2017/11/29/4772985.htm) The Humiliation of Aziz Ansari (https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/01/the-humiliation-of-aziz-ansari/550541/?utm_source=atltw)

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). They discuss how Jesus takes on not only human NATURE but also how he endures human NURTURE, with a little detour on original sin. Fitch is gathering people to launch another "Contextual Theology" cohort, so check it out here: http://www.seminary.edu/programs/missional/

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 talk about the importance of language when it comes to leadership in the church? Here is the article they were riffing off of: Young Leaders Embrace the Idea of Hero Making (https://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2017/december/young-leaders-embrace-idea-of-hero-making.html)

What do you think about when you think about Advent. It is probably the most important thing about Christmas. Dave and Geoff discuss the place of Advent in our lives as we run up to Christmas (sorry about the poor audio, they weren't in the normal studio).

Are sacraments for everyone? 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. And be sure to listen all the way to the end. Check out what Matt and Ben are up to at gravityleadership.com.

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. Learn more at https://5qcentral.com/.

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? Well, get used to it. David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw take a deep-dive into the linguistic turn in philosophy, how we police each other's language about gender, ethnicity, and sexuality, and how this is an opportunity for mission for the church (yes, it's an opportunity for mission!).

In this cross-over episode with "New Persuasive Words" we have a conversation with Scott Jones and Bill Borror about the legacy of the Reformation and what it means today.

How clear should your church be about stances on sexuality? Is the search for clarity an attempt to follow Jesus on behalf of the weak and vulnerable? Is the search for clarity just another power play? David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw talk about the new website called Church Clarity (https://www.churchclarity.org/). In this wide-ranging episode you will probably find much to disagree with and maybe something with which you agree.

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. David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw investigate the 3 streams of church planting over the last 50+ years to help sort out the contemporary American faithscape. Also listen to David Fitch talk more about the mission of preaching and its relationship to other traditions here: https://soundcloud.com/theology-on-mission/special-episode-4-proclamation-or-teaching-with-david-fitch Geoff mentioned the SheLeads conference by Missio Alliance on Oct. 28th. Find more details here: http://www.missioalliance.org/sheleads/

"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.

Can we become more aware of God's presence? Why do we pray for God to come if God is already everywhere? And what do these questions have to do with mission? David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw start season 3 off with a bang talking about why it is important to affirm both God's ubiquitous presence (omnipresence) and God's manifest presence. Follow them on twitter at @fitchest and @geoffholsclaw. And check out the Theology on Mission Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/TheologyOnMission/) for any files or links we talked about in this episode.