Author Aimee Byrd shares her journey of healing after critiquing theological teachings, facing public shaming, and finding community outside the church. They discuss reforming church practices for biblical principles of community, vulnerability, and mutual care. The podcast explores themes of disillusionment, healing, biblical narratives, vulnerability, and communal worship practices.

In this conversation, Kimberly Stuart talks about her journey with grace and her new book "Star for Jesus". We discuss Kimberly's struggles with perfectionism and legalism, and how embracing God's grace has transformed her life and perspective. We also talked about the important roles that humor, shared experiences, and vulnerability play in building understanding and extending grace to ourselves and others. It was a thought-provoking discussion about living in the "not yet" while recognizing God's already finished work. So join us as we laugh, share stories, and invoke God’s grace. Kim is a writer, a speaker, a podcaster, and a dark chocolate obsessive. She is the author of eight novels and a newly released nonfiction debut, Star For Jesus (And Other Jobs I Quit). She and New York Times-bestselling author Bob Goff have coached hundreds of aspiring authors through their executive coaching, online courses, and live events in the San Diego area. Stuart has made her home in Minneapolis, Houston, Chicago, Costa Rica, Nebraska, and Iowa, where she now lives with her brave husband and three wily children. Kim's Book:Star for Jesus (And Other Jobs I Quit)Kim's Recommendation:A Prayer for Orion by Katherine JamesConnect 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.Email jjohnson@allnations.us, so we can get your creative project off the ground! "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, Neil Cole explores spiritual formation and missionary methods through a discussion of Paul's journeys in the book of Acts. He shares insights from his book "Journeys" about Paul's progression and growth through each journey of his life and ministry, as well as lessons learned during a 13-year period of silence. Neil applies Paul's model to our own spiritual journeys and finishing well. We also talk shifting from institutions to more organic, relational ministry and hearing God's voice to radically obey his commands. So join us as we dive into the book of Acts, look at Paul’s journeys, and see what it has to do with our own life’s journeys and spiritual formation. Neil Cole is an author, missional thinker, and movement catalyst. His whole work can be summed up in this: listen to Jesus and do what He says. Neil’s latest book and the focus of our conversation today is Journeys: Discovering God’s Paths of Spiritual Formation Building to a Strong Finish. Neil's Book:JourneysConnect 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.Email jjohnson@allnations.us, so we can get your creative project off the ground! "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 Bri Stensrud shares about shifting from a traditional pro-life stance to a whole life approach that values all human dignity and life. Bri shares her personal journey in this regard and emphasized the importance of proximity, empathy, and compassion when it comes to issues like immigration. She encourages Christians to move beyond comfort, engage with Scripture, and advocate for vulnerable groups like immigrants and refugees from a prophetic, non-partisan perspective focused on people rather than politics. Bri encourages us all to have open conversations, welcome immigrants into their communities, and serve with presence rather than just financially supporting issues from a distance. Join us as we learn how to welcome immigrants and refugees with compassion. Bri Stensrud is an author, human dignity advocate, and the Director of Women of Welcome. Her passion is to equip the Church to engage more consistently and tangibly in holistic human dignity issues. Throughout her work in the pro-life movement, Bri continually faced questions from those concerned about immigrants and refugees. Understanding that many concerns were rooted in fear and misinformation she started a journey to detangle from politically partisan narratives and seek out a biblical perspective to uplift and advocate for immigrants and refugees and invite other Christian women into this same space. She has authored two books: Start with Welcome: The Journey toward a Confident and Compassionate Immigration Conversation, and a children's book: The Biggest Best Light: Shining God's Light into the World Around You. Bri's Recommendation:Strange Religion by Nijay GuptaConnect with Joshua: jjohnson@allnations.usGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Threads at www.facebook.com/shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.insEmail jjohnson@allnations.us, so we can get your creative project off the ground! "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

Ryan George grew up in an abusive independent fundamental Baptist church led by his father. In the conversation, Ryan discusses how he eventually left that church and the abuse of his father and started a journey of healing from the trauma of his upbringing. He talks about some of the unhealthy and abusive behaviors he experienced. He also talks about how he eventually found healthy church communities that helped him heal and come to know Jesus in a new way. We talk secure attachments, fear and faith, and adventure. So join us as we wade through destructive behavior and trauma and find our way out towards healthy, faith-filled communities centered on Jesus. Ryan George is the author of Scared to Life and Word on the Street. He’s the blogger behind Explorience.org. He co-founded and co-leads Dude Group, a spiritualadventure community in the Blue Ridge Mountains where he lives with his wife,Crystal, and daughter, Deonnie.Ryan's Book:Hurt and Healed by the ChurchRyan's Recommendation:Will the Circle be Unbroken? by Sean DietrichConnect 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.comEmail jjohnson@allnations.us, so we can get your creative project off the ground! "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, Lucas Pulley and I have a great conversation around microchurches and decentralized church networks. Lucas shares his story of how he got involved in microchurches and how they operate. We talk about having an "ecclesial minimum" of worship, community and mission, microchurches can be mission-specific around a calling or distributive with people following various callings, the importance of connecting microchurches through area collectives and larger events, the need to move through the spaces of belonging, and insights into preventing heresy and abuse through governance structures while still allowing for messiness and the priesthood of all believers. Join us as we discover what God is doing through microchurches. Lucas Pulley is Executive Director of Underground Network, an experimental community made up of over 160 microchurches in Tampa Bay and serving dozens of similar decentralized and empowering movements around the world. Lucas has 14 years of experience planting microchurches and leading decentralized networks of grassroots churches, and still leads a neighborhood house church in the projects of inner city Tampa to this day with his wife and three kids. He is driven to see cities transformed by the priesthood of all believers activated in the mission of God. Lucas' Recommendation:The Art of Asking by Amanda PalmerConnect 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.Email jjohnson@allnations.us, so we can get your creative project off the ground! "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

What does spiritual formation have to do with our political engagement? Well, if we are followers of Jesus, it’s has a lot to do with it. In this episode, Michael Wear discusses how Dallas Willard's work influenced his view that Christians should approach politics as a way to love God and love their neighbor through civic involvement. We talk about different approaches to political engagement, the role of the church, and stories like Ruby Bridges that demonstrate living out one's faith even in challenging political contexts. Michael hopes that Christians will be empowered to steward their influence in politics in a way that is motivated by spiritual virtues like gentleness and is coherent with their broader discipleship and not just enter into a competition with an antagonizing spirit. So join us as we enter into an all of life spiritual formation into the image and likeness of Jesus, so that our political life looks more like Him and less like an antagonizing sport. Micheal Wear is founder, president, and CEO of the Center for Christianity and Public Life, a nonpartisan, nonprofit institution based in the nation's capital with the mission to contend for the credibility of Christian resources in public life, for the public good. He has served as a trusted resource and advisor for a range of civic leaders on matters of faith and public life for the last fifteen years, including as a White House and presidential campaign staffer. Wear previously led Public Square Strategies, a consulting firm he founded that helps religious organizations, political organizations, businesses and others effectively navigate the rapidly changing American religious and political landscape. He is the author of "The Spirit of Our Politics: Spiritual Formation and the Renovation of Public Life," which argues that the kind of people we are has much to do with the kind of politics and public life we will have. Michael's Book:The Spirit of Our PoliticsMichael's Recommendation:Fully Alive by Elizabeth OldfieldConnect 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/@shiftingculturepodcastEmail jjohnson@allnations.us, so we can get your creative project off the ground! Support the show

In this episode, Micha  Boyett shares her story of finding out her son Ace would be born with down syndrome and the subsequent years of raising him. Through her story, she uses the framework of the beatitudes found in Jesus’ sermon on the mount as a way to embrace the limits and longings that she has been given. We talk about how the Beatitudes help redefine human worth and value through Jesus' teachings of blessing the marginalized. Micha discusses ableism, grief, suffering, spirituality, following Jesus by loving those on the margins, and living more slowly in today's fast-paced world. So join us as we learn to embrace our limits and longings, so that we can enter the full life of flourishing. In addition to Blessed Are the Rest of Us, Micha Boyett is the author of Found: A Story of Questions, Grace, and Everyday Prayer and a contributor to the New York Times bestseller A Rhythm of Prayer, edited by Sarah Bessey. She is cohost of the award winning The Lucky Few podcast, creator of The Slow Way podcast and newsletter, and has written for publications such as the Washington Post and Christianity Today. In addition to her work as a writer, she is a part-time youth pastor at Good Shepherd Church in New York City. Boyett lives with her husband and their three sons. Micha's book:Blessed Are the Rest of UsMicha's Substack:The Slow WayMicha's Recommendations:Field Notes for the Wilderness by Sarah BesseyMostly What God Does by Savannah GuthrieConnect 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/shiftingcultur2Email jjohnson@allnations.us, so we can get your creative project off the ground! "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, A.J. Swoboda returns to Shifting Culture to discuss his latest book The Gift of Thorns. We talk desires and longings. Our desires are good – we see desire in Adam even before the fall. But sometimes we have desires of the flesh, but even those desires point to an ultimate longing that we have that can be ordered towards God. This is a great conversation, but we lost a bit of it because of technical issues. So you are going to miss a bit of it in the middle, but you probably won’t even notice that something is missing. So, my suggestion – get A.J.’s book. It’s really fantastic and you won’t regret it. I want to have a small group go through it together. I think it’s so helpful. But before you do all that, join us in this conversation as we figure out how to order our desires, find healing, and forgiveness. A.J. Swoboda (Ph.D., Birmingham) is an associate professor of Bible and Theology at Bushnell University and lead mentor for the Doctor of Ministry Program on Spiritual Formation and Soul Care at Friends University. He is the author of many books, including The Gift of Thorns (Zondervan), After Doubt (Brazos), and the award-winning Subversive Sabbath (Brazos). He hosts the Slow Theology podcast with Dr. Nijay Gupta. A.J. lives and works on an urban farm with his wife and son in Eugene, Oregon. A.J.'s Book:The Gift of ThornsConnect 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.Email jjohnson@allnations.us, so we can get your creative project off the ground! Support the show

In this conversation, John Inazu and I have a great conversation about learning how to disagree civilly. We talk the importance of seeing others as image-bearers of God, developing empathy even for those we disagree with, distinguishing facts from judgments, and finding common ground. John gave great examples of disagreeing respectfully from his legal and interfaith work. The postures of curiosity, patience, and commitment to relationships over time are crucial. Join us as we learn how to disagree, hear one another, and walk forward gracefully. John Inazu is the author of Learning to Disagree: The Surprising Path to Navigating Differences with Empathy and Respect (Zondervan). He is the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion at Washington University in St. Louis. He teaches criminal law, law and religion, and various First Amendment courses. He writes and speaks frequently about pluralism, assembly, free speech, religious freedom, and other issues. John has written three books and published opinion pieces in the Washington Post, Atlantic, Chicago Tribune, LA Times, USA Today, Newsweek, and CNN. He is also the founder of the Carver Project and the Legal Vocation Fellowship and is a senior fellow with Interfaith America.John's Book:Learning to DisagreeJohn's Recommendation:The Spirit of Our Politics by Michael WearConnect 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.Email jjohnson@allnations.us, so we can get your creative project off the ground! Support the show