#272 | Rediscovering the Core of Christian Faith with Michael Goheen

Mike Goheen is back! In this episode, Travis sits down with Dr. Mike Goheen to discuss his new book, The Core of the Christian Faith: Living the Gospel for the Sake of the World. Together, they explore the urgent need for the church to broaden its understanding of the Gospel beyond individual salvation, highlighting its profound implications for communal life and cultural engagement. Dr. Goheen presents a vision for discipleship rooted in the full scope of the biblical narrative, showing how a narrow, reductionist view of the Gospel has left the church ill-prepared to confront the idols of contemporary culture. He makes a compelling case that a holistic grasp of the Gospel is essential for the church to faithfully embody its mission.

Throughout the conversation, Dr. Goheen critiques traditional approaches to discipleship that focus primarily on personal piety while neglecting the cultural and social dimensions of faith. He challenges the church to reimagine itself as a missional community—actively engaging the world to demonstrate the transformative power of the Gospel. Listeners are invited to reflect on their own faith journeys and consider how they can contribute to a more robust, culturally engaged expression of Christianity. Dr. Goheen’s insights confront the idols of our age and call for a renewed commitment to the Gospel’s expansive vision, which encompasses all of creation.

Travis and Dr. Goheen also explore practical strategies for ministry leaders and believers to deepen their understanding of faith within their cultural context. He emphasizes the importance of cross-cultural dialogue and learning from the global church to uncover blind spots in Western Christianity. This episode is an invitation to rethink discipleship, community engagement, and cultural apologetics—fostering a faith that is not only personally transformative but socially relevant and profoundly impactful-one that is missioholistic in nature.

Takeaways:

• The church has not been adequately discipled, leading to a distorted understanding of the gospel.
• Discipleship should encompass a broader view, engaging with cultural influences and idolatry.
• Understanding the biblical story is essential for reshaping discipleship and church life effectively.
• The core of the Christian faith is found in Jesus Christ, contextualized within the grand narrative of scripture.
• Recovering the gospel's breadth involves recognizing and confronting cultural idolatry in contemporary society.
• The church's mission is to embody the new humanity, reflecting God's kingdom in a fractured world.

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