👣 Episode Overview

What does it take to move from inspiration to action? In this episode, the Brave Cities crew is joined by digital strategist and pathway architect Jason Bowman, alongside longtime co-laborer Joel Repic from Aliquippa, PA. Together, they tackle the growing desire among church leaders and creatives to reimagine church, mission, and community life—and the sobering reality that very few actually make the leap.

Through the lens of denominational structures, digital platforms, and embodied life among the poor, the team explores:

Why inspiration rarely translates into real-world change
The challenge and gift of being apostolic or prophetic in established systems
The urgent need for clear, actionable pathways into sustainable mission
What Leviticus, Moses, and benevolent trauma have to do with kingdom movements
The role of structure, systems, and the Spirit in forming resilient alternatives to Babylon

Jason brings hard-earned wisdom from the online learning world, while Joel reflects deeply on denominational shifts and discerning God’s activity in the margins. Jon, Hugh, and Taylor weave in stories, metaphors, and convictions drawn from their own journeys into intentional, incarnational living.

🔑 Key Themes

Apostolic loneliness & the cost of loyalty
Why most leaders recreate what they left
Making obedience plausible through real pathways
From prevailing models to prophetic experiments
Fundraising, risk, and the economics of mission
“Benevolent trauma” as an engine of transformation
Dual operating systems & monastic imagination
Building new wineskins without dishonoring old ones

Playing Ball, with George F. Will