In this episode, Chuck DeGroat dives into the wounds we all carry and the journey of healing what's within. Chuck shares his own story of disconnection and isolation, and how he learned to pay attention to the dashboard of his thoughts, emotions, body, behaviors, and relationships to uncover the deeper wounds beneath the surface. He unpacks the power of secure attachment and how we can find our way back to that sense of belonging, worth, and purpose - not just in our minds, but in our very bodies. Whether you're a high-capacity striver or someone just trying to survive, this conversation will invite you into a transformative process of becoming more grounded, regulated, and connected to yourself, others, and the God who loves you. So get ready to lean in, because this is going to be a powerful and practical exploration of healing what's within. Chuck DeGroat is a professor of pastoral care and Christian spirituality at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan, where he also serves as the founding executive director of the clinical mental health counseling program. He is a licensed therapist, spiritual director, author, retreat leader speaker, and faculty member with the Soul Care Institute. As a therapist, he specializes in navigating issues of abuse and trauma, pastoral (and leadership) health, and doubt and dark nights on the faith journey. He trains clergy in handling issues of abuse and trauma, conducts pastor and planter assessments, and facilitates church consultations and investigations of abuse. Before transitioning to training and forming pastors, Chuck served as a pastor in Orlando and San Francisco. He and his wife, Sara, have been married for 30 years and have two adult daughters.Chuck's Book:Healing What's WithinChuck's Recommendations:The Secret Language of the BodyTrauma StewardshipHome TonightJoin Our Patreon for Early Access and More: PatreonConnect 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"Ask Me Anything": Christmas Aftermath Welcome to Ask Me Anything, the podcast where we give you biblical answers to...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show

In this episode, Steve Bezner wrestles deeply with how to faithfully follow Jesus in the 21st century American context, and shares some profound insights about the kingdom of God and how it contrasts with the dominant cultural forces in our country. We discuss the powerful cultural influences that can push us away from living out true kingdom values, as well as practical ways that churches and individual believers can embrace a more holistic, biblical vision for life in the reign of God. It's a conversation that has the potential to challenge and reshape our understanding of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus in today’s culture. Steve Bezner has been the Senior Pastor of Houston Northwest Church since January 2013. His passion is to see Houston—and the world—become more like Heaven as people become more like Jesus.Steve loves to preach, teach, write, and speak about the Bible in a way that is easy to understand but also challenges people to live the life that God has designed for each of them. In Houston, Steve works to foster collaboration between local churches, serving on the board of the Houston Church Planting Network (to start new churches locally) and Houston Pastors United We Stand (to foster racial reconciliation). He also works through GlocalNet to build bridges with other faiths in the city, particularly Jews and Muslims.Steve is passionate about training other pastors. He works with World Hope Ministries International to train pastors in remote global locations, coaches planters and pastors, and teaches seminary occasionally. He is married to Joy and has two sons—Ben and Andrew. He holds his B.A. and M.A. from Hardin-Simmons University and his Ph.D. from Baylor University.Steve's Book:Your Jesus is Too AmericanSteve's Recommendations:Flood and FuryEndeavorJoin Our Patreon for Early Access and More: PatreonConnect 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"Ask Me Anything": Christmas Aftermath Welcome to Ask Me Anything, the podcast where we give you biblical answers to...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show

In this episode, Strahan Coleman dives deep into the longing of the human heart and the even greater longing of God. He takes us on a personal journey of wrestling with desire, thirst, and the ache to be fully satisfied. Strahan shares how his move to a remote town in New Zealand stripped away the distractions, revealing a profound spiritual hunger within. As he grappled with this, he discovered that our deepest longings can only be met by union and intimacy with the divine. He challenges us to stop trying to numb or ignore our pain and instead, to bring it to God - to co-experience our aches and joys with Him. He paints a vision of a church unafraid of lament, embracing the tension of living in a broken world while anticipating the restoration that only God can bring. This is a conversation that will leave you thirsty - not for the temporary fixes of this world, but for the living water that Jesus offers. So join us as we explore the heights and depths of human desire, and how it points us to the heart of our Creator. Strahan Coleman is a writer, poet, and musician living in Aotearoa, New Zealand with his wife and three young boys. Through years of chronic illness, Strahan discovered a friendship with God filled with vulnerability, honesty and unceasing prayer, and now spends his time teaching and providing spaces of deep, rich, Spirit-led prayer for others through his books, prayer schools and spiritual retreats. In his latest work, "Thirsting: Quenching Our Soul’s Deepest Desire," Strahan invites his readers to, like him, learn to transform the ache of our lives into our truest prayers, liberating the fire within us to become our greatest gift - our divine homing beacon. Strahan's Book:ThirstingStrahan's Recommendation:Fire WithinJoin Our Patreon for Early Access and More: PatreonConnect 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"Ask Me Anything": Christmas Aftermath Welcome to Ask Me Anything, the podcast where we give you biblical answers to...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show

In this episode, Mandy Smith shares a ancient vision for pastoral leadership - one that acknowledges human weakness and relies on God's strength. Mandy unpacks the problems with the Western, secular approach to ministry that has crept into the church and she proposes a reorientation towards confession, lament, and trusting in the work of the Holy Spirit, rather than relying on our own efforts and strategies. Mandy vulnerably shares personal stories of feeling overwhelmed in ministry, and how the practice of confession and emptying herself before God has led to renewal and a deeper awareness of His presence. She emphasizes the importance of measuring success not by numbers, but by transformed lives and the overflowing of God's Spirit. This conversation offers a compelling vision for a different kind of pastoral leadership - one that is deeply rooted in faith, rather than secular models. Mandy's insights challenge us to get out of the way and let God work in and through us in powerful ways. Dr Mandy Smith is the pastor of St Lucia Uniting Church in Brisbane, Australia, and author of The Vulnerable Pastor: How Human Limitations Empower Our Ministry and Unfettered: Imagining a Childlike Faith Beyond the Baggage of Western Culture. Her latest book, Confessions of an Amateur Saint: The Christian Leader's Journey from Self-Sufficiency to Reliance on God, releases in October 2024. Mandy teaches for DMin programs at The Eugene Peterson Center for Christian Imagination and Fuller Seminary. Mandy and her husband Jamie, a New Testament professor, live in their parsonage where the teapot is always warm. Learn more at www.TheWayIsTheWay.org. Mandy's Book:Confessions of an Amateur SaintJoin Our Patreon for Early Access and More: PatreonConnect 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"Ask Me Anything": Christmas Aftermath Welcome to Ask Me Anything, the podcast where we give you biblical answers to...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show

Kristin Kobes Du Mez, a New York Times bestselling author and professor specializing in gender, religion, and politics, reveals the troubling realities of abuse within the church. She discusses how victims are frequently silenced while abusers find quick forgiveness. The conversation covers systemic power dynamics, the urgent need for accountability, and the need for churches to embody true justice and care. Through her research, she amplifies the voices of survivors and challenges the church to confront its dark truths and foster genuine change.

Brad Brisco and I have a fascinating conversation about the future of church planting in North America. Brad shares his personal journey from the restaurant business to seminary and church planting, and how that led him to rethink the entire approach to planting new churches. He argues that we need to shift our mindset - from seeing the church as a vendor of religious goods and services, to understanding the church as a sent missionary people. This is a crucial distinction, because it changes everything about how we approach church planting. Brad unpacks the benefits of co-vocational ministry, the importance of building diverse teams, and the need to start with missionary behaviors and activities rather than just launching a Sunday morning service. If you're someone involved in church planting, or if you're simply curious about the future of the church in our rapidly changing culture, you're going to want to lean in and listen closely to this conversation. Brad offers a compelling new vision that just might reshape the way we think about fulfilling the Great Commission in our communities. Brad Brisco is currently the Director of Multiplication Strategies for the Send Network. He holds a doctorate in the area of missional ecclesiology, his doctoral thesis was on assisting existing congregations in transitioning in a missional direction. He is the co-author of Missional Essentials, a twelve-week small group study guide, The Missional Quest: Becoming a Church of the Long Run, Next Door As It Is In Heaven, and author of ReThink and Covocational Church Planting. Brad's Book:Co-Vocational Church PlantingJoin Our Patreon for Early Access and More: PatreonConnect 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"Ask Me Anything": Christmas Aftermath Welcome to Ask Me Anything, the podcast where we give you biblical answers to...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show

In this episode, Aundi Kolber takes us on a deep dive into the interplay between trauma, attachment, and the wisdom of the body. We explore the crucial distinction between healthy hard work and trauma-driven overwork, and how to discern the difference. Aundi shares powerful insights on the concept of the "window of tolerance" - how trauma can shrink it, and the process of expanding it to allow us to fully feel our emotions. We also discuss the role of the church in becoming more trauma-informed, and the importance of leaders doing their own inner work first. Aundi offers compassionate, practical guidance on the journey of healing and integration - learning to listen to the profound intelligence of the body, and finding the balance between safety and risk-taking. So join us as we seek wholeness and growth, both individually and within our communities. Aundi Kolber is a licensed professional counselor (MA, LPC) and the best selling author of the critically acclaimed Try Softer™️ and her newest book Strong like Water. She has received additional training in her specialization of trauma- and body-centered therapies and is passionate about the integration of faith and psychology. Aundi has appeared on Good Morning America, regularly speaks at national events, and is a frequent guest on podcasts such as The Lazy Genius, Typology, and The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill. As a survivor of trauma, Aundi brings hard-won knowledge about the work of change, the power of redemption, and the beauty of experiencing God with us in our pain. Aundi's Books:Preorder Take What You NeedTry SofterStrong Like WaterAundi's Recommendation:SensitiveJoin Our Patreon for Early Access and More: PatreonConnect 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"Ask Me Anything": Christmas Aftermath Welcome to Ask Me Anything, the podcast where we give you biblical answers to...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show

Rich Robinson, a transformative coach and cofounder of Movement Leaders Collective, shares insights from his new book, "All Change." He discusses a framework of dream, discover, design, and deploy that reflects Jesus' journey with his disciples. Listeners are inspired to cultivate curiosity, embrace disruptive change, and explore innovative church planting strategies. Rich emphasizes the importance of community engagement and understanding one's identity in leadership for impactful kingdom work. Get ready to unlock your potential and reimagine what's possible!

Today, we're diving into the powerful intersection of justice, faith, and women's issues with Tiffany Bluhm. As the new director of Made for PAX and the author of the devotional "The Women We've Been Waiting For," Tiffany has dedicated her life's work to empowering marginalized voices and reimagining what flourishing looks like for women. In our conversation, Tiffany unpacks the vital role of self-care, contemplation, and holy imagination in the lives of women - especially those facing injustice. She shares how practices like breath prayers, centering prayer, and cultivating a "magnificent refuge" can provide the resilience and inner strength needed to enact communal renewal. Tiffany also explores the importance of women's stories and perspectives, and how men can benefit from engaging with diverse voices. We discuss the power of art, beauty, and creativity to nourish the soul and spark new visions of what's possible. Ultimately, Tiffany's message is one of hope - that when women are empowered to tend to their own wholeness, it leads to the flourishing of entire communities. So join me as we learn from Tiffany's wisdom and imagine a more equitable world where women's full humanity is honored. Tiffany Bluhm is a speaker and writer with more than fifteen years of experience in ministry and nonprofit leadership. She is the author of Never Alone, She Dreams, and Prey Tell and former cohost of the Why Tho? podcast. She speaks at conferences, companies, and churches around the world, and her work has been featured in Publishers Weekly and Sojourners. As a minority, immigrant woman with an interracial family, Bluhm is passionate about inviting all to the table of faith, equality, justice, and dignity. She lives in the Pacific Northwest. Tiffany's Book:The Women We've Been Waiting ForTiffany's Recommendation:TryingJoin Our Patreon for Early Access and More: PatreonConnect 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"Ask Me Anything": Christmas Aftermath Welcome to Ask Me Anything, the podcast where we give you biblical answers to...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show

In this episode, Christine Westhoff shares about reframing our understanding of the prophetic. Christine has been on a 30-year journey exploring the beautiful and dreadful aspects of the prophetic movement, and she's here to share some crucial insights. We dive into the common misuses of prophecy that we've seen, especially in the political landscape. But more importantly, Christine unpacks the true purpose of the prophetic - to align people back to the covenant and the eternal purposes of Christ. We discuss the distinction between prophecy and simple encouragement, the vital role of the apostolic and prophetic working together, and the importance of testing and weighing prophetic words in community. Christine also shares her heart for the body of Christ to persevere through disillusionment and fight for the true prophetic. This is a conversation that I believe will challenge and equip you to approach the prophetic in a healthier, more biblical way. So join us as we reframe the prophetic. Christine is the author and creator of Reframing the Prophetic. She has a long history with the International team for 24-7 Prayer and is the President and founder of Akouo Missions, Inc, which is the umbrella ministry for Reframing the Prophetic and Illuminated Soul.Christine's Book:Reframing the PropheticChristine's Course:Reframing the PropheticJoin Our Patreon for Early Access and More: PatreonConnect 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"Ask Me Anything": Christmas Aftermath Welcome to Ask Me Anything, the podcast where we give you biblical answers to...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show