20: Mike Cosper on Developing a Christian Imagination

On this episode I chat with Mike Cosper about everything from great sentences, to mental illness, leaving church ministry, to the Enneagram and how to develop a Christian imagination. It’s a fruitful conversation that we hope helps you connect the dots between the things that really matter and your everyday, holy life. (Bonus! You can also listen to me on Mike’s podcast, Cultivated here).

Mike Cosper is the author of several books, including Recapturing the Wonder, Rhythms of Grace, and Faith Among the Faithless. He served for fifteen years as the pastor of worship and arts at Sojourn Church in Louisville, Kentucky. In 2017, he founded Narrativo, a podcast production studio, and Harbor Media, a non-profit producing podcasts for Christians in a post-Christian world. He and his wife Sarah have two daughters and live in Louisville, Kentucky.

LINKS

Buy Mike’s book: Recapturing the Wonder

Some of Mike’s other books: Faith Among the Faithless, Rhythms of Grace, The Stories We Tell

Mike’s podcast, Cultivated: Listen here

Mike’s podcast company, Narrativo

Works Mike mentions:

George Orwell, Politics and the English Language

James K. A. Smith, How (Not) to be Secular

Charles Taylor, A Secular Age

SHARE

We talk imagination, meaning, the Enneagram, church ministry and good sentences on the #findingholypodcast with @mikecosper:

“I think of myself more as an interpreter of ideas than an originator of them.” @mikecosper on @aahales’ #findngholypodcast

“We have to keep our metaphors fresh, our ideas fresh. We have be allergic to cliches.” @mikecosper on imagination, writing, and living in a secular age on #findingholypodcast

“What are ways to get back into an imaginative space as Christians?” @aahales asks @mikecosper on #findingholypodcast

“I crashed emotionally. I had a deep season of depression.” @mikecosper on mental illness, life in the church, and the Christian imagination on #findingholypodcast

For the first time @mikecosper shares his surprising laundry secret on the #findingholypodcast with @aahales.

ONE SMALL STEP

Pay attention to the small moods or states of being that you might have a hard time accessing at this time in your life (think of things like joy or anxiety or depression). Name it.

Give yourself a homework assignment of sorts and pick one activity you could do to begin to engage that emotion. Take a walk and snap photos of things that strike you as beautiful. Laugh with a child. Read a poem or visit an art gallery to jog your imagination awake. Sit in the silence and name the fears, worries, or sadness that you hurry past.

Let us know how it goes by tagging @aahales on social media and using #findingholypodcast hashtag.

BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE AND SHARE wherever you listen to podcasts. We’d love if you left a review on Apple Podcasts.

The Finding Holy Podcast has a special treat for you during the month of November where we’ll be kicking off conversations with folks in global cities and small towns about place and the gospel. Plus, there will a TON of GIVEAWAYS. Don’t miss it: subscribe today!

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