Shifting Culture

In this episode, Alan Fadling talks about his journey with anxiety and how he has learned to manage it through deepening his faith in God. Alan shares practical tools like meditation on scripture and spiritual disciplines that have helped redirect his anxious thoughts and feelings towards peace. Joshua and Alan discuss how communities can come together through practices like communion to collectively experience less anxiety and more of God's shalom, even in troubling times. This conversation provides hope and guidance for anyone struggling with anxiety, and looking for spiritual paths to greater peace.Alan Fadling, (MDiv), serves as a frequent speaker and consultant with local churches, national organizations and leaders internationally. His content is approachable, usable and transferable. He shows leaders how to get perspective so their leadership flows from a full soul and out of healthy rhythms of rest and work. A trained Spiritual Director, Alan is author of An Unhurried Life, An Unhurried Leader and A Year of Slowing Down. Alan's Book:A Non-Anxious LifeAlan's Recommendation:The MessageConnect with Joshua: jjohnson@allnations.usGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Threads at www.facebook.com/shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/shiftingculturepodcast/https://twitter.com/shiftingcultur2https://www.threads.net/@shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@shiftingculturepodcastConsider Giving to the podcast and to the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link below.Subscribe today at shiftingculture.substack.com Support the show

In this episode, Andi Andrew and I have a conversation around transition and change. We dive into hearing God’s voice, discerning the Holy Spirit, paying attention to the signs, and knowing when to jump and be brave in the midst of change. We build our foundation on the rock as we reflect on the story at the end of the sermon of the mount that Jesus tells about the wise and foolish builder. And we talk through dealing with grief and loss during transition, both personally and communally. Join us as we brave change and hold on to the rock as transitions come. Andi Andrew is the podcast host of Coffee With Andi and the author of She Is free, Fake or Follower, Friendship-It’s Complicated and Braving Change. Passionate about freedom, family, and creating safe spaces for the prophetic to move, Andi is a heartfelt preacher who loves to see the reality of the gospel worked out in our everyday lives.Based in Charleston, South Carolina, and planted at Seacoast Church, Andi’s life is currently focused on raising her kids, writing, and investing in local churches and lives around the world.Andi's Book:Braving ChangeAndi's Recommendations:Trust by Henry CloudAll the Light We Cannot See by Anthony DoerrConnect with Joshua: jjohnson@allnations.usGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Threads at www.facebook.com/shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/shiftingculturepodcast/https://twitter.com/shiftingcultur2https://www.threads.net/@shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@shiftingculturepodcastConsider Giving to the podcast and to the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link below.Subscribe today at shiftingculture.substack.com Support the show

In this episode, Preston Sprinkle and I have a great conversation around being exiles in the shadow of the empire. He wants us to know that this nation that we are living in – no matter what nation in the world it is not my primary political identity – the Kingdom of God is. The church is a political entity itself. We dive into Romans 13, examples of the church being faithful to Jesus while taking up causes for the flourishing of the community, how Israel was designed to be upside down to the kingdoms of the world, and how Jesus subverts power. We talk about how the Kingdom of God transfers power from money and might to weakness and sacrifice and how turning the other cheek is one of the most powerful things we can do. So join us as we discover how to be faithful exiles in the shadow of the empire.New York Times bestselling author Dr. Preston M. Sprinkle has written more than a dozen books. He serves as the president of the Center for Faith, Sexuality & Gender and the host of the Theology in the Raw podcast. His latest book is Exiles: The Church in the Shadow of Empire.Preston's Book:ExilesPreston's Website:www.prestonsprinkle.comPreston's Recommendation:Martyr Made PodcastConnect with Joshua: jjohnson@allnations.usGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Threads at www.facebook.com/shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/shiftingculturepodcast/https://twitter.com/shiftingcultur2https://www.threads.net/@shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@shiftingculturepodcastConsider Giving to the podcast and to the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link below.Subscribe today at shiftingculture.substack.com Support the show

In this episode, Joy Clarkson and I have a great conversation around the metaphors that shape our faith. We talk about rootedness when we are on the move. We get into bad metaphors we like to use that are harming the way we view ourselves – like we are a machine and cancer is a battle. We talk about paying attention to the season that we are in and the fruit that comes in time and in season. We talk birth and rebirth, the meaning of creation and paying attention to art and beauty to create meaning out of our lives. So join us as we dive into the metaphors that breathe meaning into our everyday lives. Joy Clarkson is the author of Aggressively Happy and host of the popular podcast, Speaking with Joy. She is the books editor for Plough Quarterly and a research associate in theology and literature at King's College London. Joy completed her PhD in theology at the University of St Andrews, where she researched how art can be a resource of hope and consolation. Joy loves daffodils, birdwatching, and a well brewed cup of Yorkshire Gold tea. Learn more at JoyClarkson.comJoy's Book:You are a TreeJoy's Recommendations:The Map and the TerritoryHouse, M.D.Connect with Joshua: jjohnson@allnations.usGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Threads at www.facebook.com/shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/shiftingculturepodcast/https://twitter.com/shiftingcultur2https://www.threads.net/@shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@shiftingculturepodcastConsider Giving to the podcast and to the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link below.Subscribe today at shiftingculture.substack.com Support the show

In this episode, Nijay Gupta and I go back to the first century. In the Roman-Greco culture there were gods everywhere, blood and smoke from their sacrifices filled the air, icons of gods were on every corner. And here come the Christians – believers in the unseen, in the supremacy of Jesus, in the finished sacrifice of Jesus, meeting in homes instead of temples and the culture around them thought they were weird. They were dangerous. They were compelling. We talk about their different beliefs and practices. Join us as we discover how the first Christians were weird, dangerous and compelling. Nijay K. Gupta serves as professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary, is the co-host of the Slow Theology podcast, is on the translation committee for the New Living Translation, and has written numerous books including Tell Her Story, Paul and the Language of Faith, and a commentary of Galatians for The Story of God Bible Commentary.Nijay's Book:Strange ReligionConnect with Joshua: jjohnson@allnations.usGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Threads at www.facebook.com/shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/shiftingculturepodcast/https://twitter.com/shiftingcultur2https://www.threads.net/@shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@shiftingculturepodcastConsider Giving to the podcast and to the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link below.Subscribe today at shiftingculture.substack.com Support the show

In this episode, Emily P. Freeman and I have a great conversation around decision making, discernment and how to know when to stay and when to go. We walk through a four step discernment process telling stories of how it works: pointing and calling, remember your path, acknowledge presence, and yield to the arrows. Our decisions are made in the moment, but our character is formed along the way, so we focus on questions and who we are becoming rather than the answer. We talk about when we are ready to enter a new space, but it’s not time yet and when we know it’s time, but we aren’t ready. It’s such a fantastic conversation. I know you’ll love this one and get a ton out of it. So join us as we discern when to stay and when to go. Emily P. Freeman is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of six books, including The Next Right Thing and How to Walk into a Room. As a spiritual director and workshop leader, her most important work is to help create soul space and offer spiritual companionship and discernment for anyone struggling with decision fatigue. Her podcast, The Next Right Thing, offers clarity and direction for anyone who wants to move beyond the pro/con list in decision-making. Emily holds a master’s degree in Christian spiritual formation and leadership from Friends University where she also serves as a residency lecturer. She lives in North Carolina with her family. Emily's Book:How to Walk Into a RoomEmily's Recommendation:Braiding SweetgrassConnect with Joshua: jjohnson@allnations.usGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Threads at www.facebook.com/shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/shiftingculturepodcast/https://twitter.com/shiftingcultur2https://www.threads.net/@shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@shiftingculturepodcastConsider Giving to the podcast and to the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link below.Subscribe today at shiftingculture.substack.com Support the show

Sarah Bessey's latest book is Field Notes for the Wilderness. And telling you that it is my favorite book I’ve ever read is no exaggeration. I love this book. It’s full of grace and love and welcome. I could go on and on. You need to get it. Like right now and then pull up a chair in front of the fire with a warm cup and go deep into the beauty and wonder of Sarah’s writing.In this episode, Sarah Bessey discuss her journey of evolving faith and new book "Field Notes for the Wilderness." Bessey shares her experience of faith deconstruction as disorienting but empowering, finding support through community. She emphasizes that God's love is present even in our doubts. She  explores practices for cultivating wonder in daily life through embodiment, Scripture and relationships. They discuss reclaiming repentance as a mind shift rather than shame, and peacemaking as justice work over status quo. Sarah reflects on navigating differing faith journeys in marriage through choosing each other.Ultimately, Sarah encourages listeners in the wilderness to embrace their identity and find community, even if it means leaving old spaces. She recommends embracing the invitations of the Spirit and knowing you're not alone. This conversation provides wisdom and hope for those navigating spiritual transformation and an evolving faith.Sarah Bessey is the author or editor of five books, including the New York Times bestseller A Rhythm of Prayer. She also leads Evolving Faith, a conference and online community for people who are reimagining their faith with hope. Bessey lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, with her husband and their four children. Sarah's Book:Field Notes for the WildernessSarah's Recommendations:Black Liturgies by Cole Arthur RileyHave a Beautiful, Terrible Day by Kate BowlerConnect with Joshua: jjohnson@allnations.usGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Threads at www.facebook.com/shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/shiftingculturepodcast/https://twitter.com/shiftingcultur2https://www.threads.net/@shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@shiftingculturepodcastConsider Giving to the podcast and to the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link below.Subscribe today at shiftingculture.substack.com Support the show

In this episode, Lance Ford discusses the need to re-examine traditional views of Christian leadership and put Jesus back in his rightful place as head of the church. He traces the evolution of modern leadership theory and its influence on churches. Ford and host Joshua Johnson explore biblical models of servant leadership and equipping others. We emphasize distributing responsibility throughout the body of Christ rather than relying on a few individuals. This thought-provoking conversation challenges listeners to reflect on how they can organize churches to maximize the flow of wisdom from Christ as head into every member.With over three decades experience as a pastor and church planter, Lance Ford is a writer, coach, and consultant who has designed unique training systems currently being used by networks, seminaries, and leaders throughout the world. He has written many articles for Christianity Today, Outreach Magazine, Relevant, and others as well as co-founded the Sentralized Conference. His books include UnLeader, The Starfish and The Spirit, Missional Essentials, The Missional Quest, Next Door as It Is In Heaven, and others. His newest book is The Atlas Factor.Lance's Book:The Atlas FactorLance's Recommendations:The Making of Biblical WomanhoodThe Scandal of LeadershipConnect with Joshua: jjohnson@allnations.usGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Threads at www.facebook.com/shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/shiftingculturepodcast/https://twitter.com/shiftingcultur2https://www.threads.net/@shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@shiftingculturepodcastConsider Giving to the podcast and to the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link below.Subscribe today at shiftingculture.substack.com Support the show

In this episode, Jessica Hooten Wilson and I go deep in her ten year project of reckoning with Flannery O’Connor’s unpublished and unfinished 3rd novel Why Do the Heathen Rage? Jessica shares insights into Flannery’s writing process, themes in her fiction, her perspectives on race and social justice. She talks about reading O’Connor with charity and how that can provide new insights. We get into limitations because of Flannery’s illness that contributed to the depth and particularity of her writing. We also talk grace, sanctity and the connection between body and soul. So join us as we dig deep into the works of Flannery O’Connor. Jessica Hooten Wilson is the Fletcher Jones Endowed Chair of Great Books at Pepperdine University and formerly Louise Cowan Scholar in Residence at the University of Dallas. She is the author of several books, most recently Reading for the Love of God. Her book Giving the Devil his Due: Flannery O’Connor and The Brothers Karamazov received a 2018 Christianity Today book of the year in arts and culture award and The Scandal of Holiness received a 2022 Award of Merit. In 2019 she received the Hiett Prize for Humanities from the Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture. Other awards include a Fulbright Fellowship to Prague, an NEH to study Dante in Florence, a Biola University sabbatical fellowship funded by the John Templeton Foundation, and the 2017 Emerging Public Intellectual Award. She is a Senior Fellow at The Trinity Forum. Jessica's Book:Flannery O'Connor's Why Do the Heathen Rage?Connect with Joshua: jjohnson@allnations.usGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Threads at www.facebook.com/shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/shiftingculturepodcast/https://twitter.com/shiftingcultur2https://www.threads.net/@shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@shiftingculturepodcastConsider Giving to the podcast and to the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link below.Subscribe today at shiftingculture.substack.com Support the show

In this episode, Brian and I have a conversation around the cross of Jesus and his latest book The Wood Between the Worlds. It’s a deep conversation around suffering and putting to shame the powers and principalities. We talk about the multi-faceted meaning of the cross and view it through a kaleidoscope, so we can uncover more and more depth of meaning. We talk about the Kingdom, galvanizing around an axis of power or an axis of love expressed in forgiveness, and the seduction of power we find in the Lord of the Rings. It’s a fantastic conversation that I know you will enjoy. So join us as we look at the multi-faceted wonder of the cross. Brian Zahnd is the founder and lead pastor of Word of Life Church in St. Joseph, Missouri. Known for his theologically informed preaching and his embrace of the deep and long history of the church, Zahnd provides a forum for pastors to engage with leading theologians and is a frequent conference speaker. He is the author of several books, including When Everything's On Fire, Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God, A Farewell to Mars, and Beauty Will Save the World. Brian's Book:The Wood Between the WorldsBrian's Recommendations:Bob Dylan - Shadow KingdomMetallica - 72 SeasonsConnect with Joshua: jjohnson@allnations.usGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Threads at www.facebook.com/shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/shiftingculturepodcast/https://twitter.com/shiftingcultur2https://www.threads.net/@shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@shiftingculturepodcastConsider Giving to the podcast and to the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link below.Subscribe today at shiftingculture.substack.com Support the show