Pastor Writer: Conversations on Reading, Writing, and the Christian Life

Ron Dart teaches in the Department of Political Science, Philosophy, and Religious Studies at the University of the Fraser Valley in Abbotsford, British Columbia. He has authored or coauthored thirty-five books that deal with the interface between literature, spirituality, and politics, including The North American High Tory Tradition and Christianity and Pluralism.He joined me today to talk about a recently released book for which he served as editor and contributor. The books is Myth and Meaning in Jordan Peterson: A Christian Perspective. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Phil Collins is currently the co-executive director at Taylor University’s Center for Scripture Engagement. As a part of his work, Dr. Collins has lead workshops on how to effectively engage with the Bible. He holds his B.A. in Bible Literature and Christian Education from Taylor University, an M.A. in Christian Education from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from Purdue University. Ordained in 1994, Dr. Collins served 6 years in youth ministry with Youth for Christ as well as 10 years of ministry as Youth Pastor in a church setting.In addition to his role as the general editor for The Abide Bible, Dr. Collins has been a full-time Christian Ministries professor at Taylor University since 1999. He joins me today to talk about the Abide Bible. The Abide Bible is a unique tool for discovering Scripture at a deeper level. Specially crafted prompts guide readers to engage biblical passages with more depth and imagination than ever before. By considering scriptural truth via classic art, journaling, and praying biblical texts, readers enjoy fresh, life-altering encounters with God and His Word. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I've long wanted to do an episode on poetry. Unfortunately, many had a bad experience and long ago concluded they just aren't the poetic type. But Jeff Munroe was the perfect guest to help explain why an appreciation of poetry is critical for reading the Bible and why its worth a second chance.Jeff Munroe is an executive vice president at Western Theological Seminary, where he also teaches writing. He was a charter member of the advisory board of the Buechner Institute of Faith and Culture, and is an ordained minister in the Reformed Church in America.He is the author of 2019 book, Reading Buechner: Exploring the Work of a Master Memoirist, Novelist, Theologian, and Preacher. Jeff is also a poet, blogger, and essayist. His work has appeared in Christianity Today, The Christian Century, US Catholic, and The Reformed Journal.And as his bio says, he’s the only guy on his block who knows both who played shortstop for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1949 and the closing lines of MiddlemarchPoems Discussed: What do poems do? by Brian Doyle The Summer Day by Mary Oliver The Way it Is by William Stafford The Windhover by Gerard Manley Hopkins Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Villiage Church is one of the leaders in innovating Christian education opportunities for all believers. Mason King currently serves as the Director of The Village Church Institute, overseeing adult theological training within the local church. Those environments train disciples to know their sacred text firsthand, and pursue formation into the way of Jesus.He joined me to talk about the state of Christian education and how pastors, believers, and churches can continue to learn and grow.In the last decade of ministry, Mason has helped launch two church campuses and served as an elder and Spiritual Formation Pastor at The Village Church Fort Worth. He earned a B.A. in Speech Communication from Texas A&M, a ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary, a DMin in Executive Leadership from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he wrote on forming Christian disciples. And he is currently working on a PhD in Church History from The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, focusing on the work of Jonathan Edwards. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jay Kim serves on staff at Vintage Faith Church in Santa Cruz, California, overseeing teaching and leadership. He also serves on the leadership team of The ReGeneration Project. His first book, Analog Church, released this month from InterVarsity Press.Jay recently released Analog Church: Why We Need Real People, Places, and Thinkings in the Digital Age. It's one of the most important books I've read this year and the conversation couldn't have been more formational and practical to our current context of separation. I hope everyone listens to this conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Karen Swallow Prior is an award-winning Professor of English at Liberty University. She earned her Ph.D. in English at SUNY Buffalo. Her writing has appeared at The Atlantic, Christianity Today, Washington Post, Vox, First Things, Sojourners, Relevant, and Think Christian. She is a Senior Fellow at the Trinity Forum, a Senior Fellow at Liberty University's Center for Apologetics and Cultural Engagement, and a member of the Faith Advisory Council of the Humane Society of the United States. She and her husband live on a 100-year old homestead in central Virginia with sundry horses, dogs, and chickens. And lots of books.Karen joined me to talk about her new project, a set of classic books she is curating and editing with B&H Publishing. In addition to the highest quality hardback binding, Karen has provided introductions and discussion questions to these classics.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Seth’s first book Coming Clean: A Story of Faith received a Christianity Today Award of Merit in the publication’s 2016 book awards. Seth’s poetry and prose have been featured in various publications, including In Touch Magazine, Fathom Magazine, and on his personal website at SethHaines.com. He makes his home in the Ozarks with his wife, and their four sons.Seth joined me to talk about his recently released work, The Book of Waking Up: Experiencing the Divine Love That Reorders a Life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Max Lucado says he “writes books for people who don’t read books.’ But even so, his best-selling books have sold over 100 million copies across 54 languages worldwide. Perhaps Lucado is converting non-readers with his poetic storytelling and homespun humor. Perhaps readers can sense that his encouraging words flow from the heart of a pastor.Every trade book Max Lucado has written during the last 30 years began as a sermon series for his home church Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas.Since his first book On the Anvil was published in 1985, Max Lucado has been sharing the promises of God in sermons, books, articles and media interviews. His writing is also featured in videos, devotionals, songs, plush toys, greeting cards, booklets, Bible studies, and Bible commentaries. 130 million of these products have been sold around the globe. His books regularly appear on national bestseller lists including the New York Times.National press has noted the global influence of this unassuming Texas pastor. Max Lucado was dubbed “America’s Pastor” by Christianity Today, and Reader’s Digest called him “The Best Preacher in America.” The New York Times has named Max one of the most influential leaders in social media. He has been featured on countless media outlets including USA Today, “Good Morning America,” “The Today Show,” NPR, CNN, and “Fox & Friends.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Peter Leithart is President of the Theopolis Institute, a Christian study center and leadership training institute in Birmingham, Alabama. He is author of numerous books, including The End of Protestantism, Deep Exegesis, Delivered from the Elements of the World, and of commentaries on 1-2 Kings, 1-2 Chronicles, and Revelation.He joins me to talk about his recently released book on the Ten Commandments and how Jesus fulfills these 10 Words. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

My son Will is five and my Daughter Charlotte just turned three. One of their favorite games is to endlessly repeat whatever my wife and I say. My daughter will even try to imitate my deeper voice. Every kid plays this game. Mimicking is actually a necessary part of growing up.As Carrie Shrier, writing for Michigan State University, put it:“Infants love to copy facial expressions. In fact, babies as young as just a few hours old can copy an adult who sticks their tongue out. If you smile, they will try to smile back. As babies get older, they get even better at copying your actions. Holding the phone as you do, brushing your hair, mimicking your actions, and copying your words and tone of voice.”Honestly, I find it terrifying. What comes out of my mouth soon comes out of theirs. And watching my son grow up is strangely like looking at some sort of time machine mirror. I constantly catch glimpses of myself. You come to realize just how much you shape their earliest self-identity.But eventually, my son and daughter will learn their own voice, their own vocabulary and experiences, and traits. There will always be something of our family there, a foundation beneath them, but parents want to see their kids grow into their own voice and lives. What’s cute at three seems stunted by if still the same at twenty-three.We often talk about voice when we describe the way a person writes or speaks. It’s more than the sound vibrating vocal cords, we are speaking about the uniqueness of that person's perspective and the way in which they express themselves. Voice is something we all recognize and love about our favorite writers and preachers, but after almost 100 interviews with writers, I’ve met very few who enjoy talking about it. When I ask about voice, it's like I’m asking what their wearing... it's strongly too personal. I feel it too.As critical as it is, having a unique voice, it still sounds awkward and superficial to talk about. Early on as a writer and a pastor, I thought a lot more about it. What I wanted to sound like, what kind of writer I wanted to be. Eventually, though, you come to realize that a voice is not something you can construct but something which must be uncovered, something there but too often shuffled to the back, forced out by more pressing expectations and insecurities. What I mean is, the work of cultivating voice is really a process of subtraction, not addition. You must get all the stuff out of the way.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices