evangelical 360°

What exactly makes someone an evangelical Christian? Dr. David Bebbington, whose work has become the definitive framework for understanding this global movement, joins us to unpack the rich history and defining characteristics of evangelicalism.Prof. Bebbington's "quadrilateral" – emphasizing the Bible, the Cross, conversion, and activism – has become the most widely cited definition of evangelical identity since its introduction in 1989. In this illuminating conversation, he traces how evangelicalism emerged in the 18th century, drawing from Puritan theology while incorporating Anglican and continental influences. Far from being static, the movement constantly evolved in response to cultural shifts from the Enlightenment through Romanticism and beyond.We explore fascinating questions about evangelical boundaries: Are Pentecostals evangelical? What about fundamentalists? Can Roman Catholics be evangelical? Bebbington provides nuanced answers that challenge simplistic categorizations, revealing the movement's theological flexibility despite its clear core commitments.The conversation also addresses how evangelicalism catalyzed modern missions through voluntary societies that transformed Christianity's global footprint. While acknowledging the political associations that have become attached to the evangelical label in countries like the United States and Brazil, Bebbington reminds us that these alignments are not universal – in Britain, for instance, evangelicals have historically spanned the political spectrum.For anyone seeking clarity about evangelical identity amid today's complex religious landscape, this conversation offers rare historical perspective from the scholar whose insights have shaped our understanding of a movement that has grown from approximately 90 million believers in the 1960s to around 600 million today. You can learn more from Dr. David Bebbington through his scholarship and publications. And you can share this episode using hashtag #Evangelical360 and join the conversation online! ____________________▶ Watch Interviews on YouTube ▶ Sign Up for FREE Dispatches From the Global Village▶ Free Downloadable eBook "Here's Hope"▶ More Info: evangelical360.com#evangelical360

Against all predictions, Africa has become the world's fastest-growing center of Christianity. Rev. Dr. Goodwill Shana, Executive Chair of the World Evangelical Alliance and prominent Zimbabwean pastor, brings us inside this remarkable transformation while sharing his own unlikely journey from orphaned boy to global church leader.Growing up fatherless during Zimbabwe's colonial period, Dr. Shana initially pursued law driven by a passion for justice. Despite the injustices around him, a white Baptist missionary became his spiritual father—teaching him early to separate systemic problems from individuals. This perspective would prove invaluable as he reluctantly transitioned from legal practice to church leadership during Zimbabwe's turbulent political history.Pastor Goodwill offers fresh insights on several critical issues facing global Christianity. He challenges misconceptions about evangelicalism, arguing that its political associations in Western contexts shouldn't define the movement worldwide. "Evangelicalism is not the same as being politically right-wing," he explains. "Evangelicalism really is about Judeo-Christian values that are enunciated in the New Testament." The term itself, he believes, remains valuable: "Evangelical is in the Bible. Evangelical is good news."As Executive Chair of an organization representing over 600 million Christians through approximately 140 national alliances, Pastor Goodwill sees the WEA providing crucial stability in what military strategists call a "VUCA world"—volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. While many institutions and relationships fragment, the evangelical movement offers certainty, dependability, and global community.Perhaps most powerfully, Dr. Shana's personal testimony embodies hope for anyone feeling insignificant or overlooked. "God is a God of grace and He's a God of the improbable," he shares. "Our God can touch and use and transform anyone from anywhere to be anything in the world, because people's value is not defined by where they come from, or what they weigh or which family they belong to, but which God they belong to."You can learn more about Rev. Dr. Goodwill Shana and the World Evangelical Alliance through their website and Facebook.And you can share this episode using hashtag #Evangelical360 and join the conversation online! ____________________▶ Watch Interviews on YouTube ▶ Sign Up for FREE Dispatches From the Global Village▶ Free Downloadable eBook "Here's Hope"▶ More Info: evangelical360.com#evangelical360

What happens to people after they're sentenced and the news cycle moves on? In this profound and eye-opening conversation, Stacey Campbell, President and CEO of Prison Fellowship Canada, pulls back the curtain on a world most of us never see.Stacey's remarkable journey began at just 15 years old when a chance connection with Prison Fellowship in its early days planted seeds that would later bloom into her life's calling. Now, with over 15 years of leadership, she offers rare insights into Canada's prison system and the transformative work happening within its walls.The statistics might surprise you. Contrary to popular belief, 75% of Canadian inmates are serving time for drug-related offenses, not violent crimes. Perhaps most troubling is the dramatic overrepresentation of Indigenous people – making up only 5% of Canada's population but 33-40% of male inmates and a staggering 50% of female prisoners.Through powerful stories of transformation, Stacey reveals how Prison Fellowship's programs work through a three-part process of encounter, repair, and transformation. Their restorative practice brings surrogate victims together with offenders, creating spaces for healing conversations that answer long-held questions and foster genuine accountability. "We don't bring Jesus into prison," Stacey explains. "Jesus is already there. We just highlight him and say, 'See, there he is.'"Beyond prison walls, their Bridge Care program supports former inmates transitioning back to society, while Angel Tree connects thousands of children with their incarcerated parents through Christmas gifts. These connections prove crucial not just for emotional wellbeing but for breaking intergenerational cycles of crime.Whether you're interested in criminal justice reform, faith-based rehabilitation, or simply want to understand a forgotten corner of our society, this conversation challenges assumptions and inspires hope for lives being restored and redeemed in places we too often prefer to ignore. You can learn more about Stacey Campbell and Prison Fellowship Canada through their website and Facebook.And you can share this episode using hashtag #Evangelical360 and join the conversation online! ____________________▶ Watch Interviews on YouTube ▶ Sign Up for FREE Dispatches From the Global Village▶ Free Downloadable eBook "Here's Hope"▶ More Info: evangelical360.com#evangelical360

What happens when a nation rejects its moral compass only to find itself lost in the wilderness? Philip Yancey takes us on a journey through one of history's most remarkable untold stories - how Russia's brief spiritual awakening after communism's collapse ultimately gave way to authoritarian rule and war.In this fascinating conversation, Yancey shares his firsthand experiences from the early 1990s when both Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin made an extraordinary request of Western Christians: help "restore morality" to their country. For approximately ten years, Russia experienced an unprecedented openness to spiritual matters, with missionaries flooding in and churches flourishing. Yet this window of opportunity eventually closed under Vladimir Putin's leadership.The historical connections between Russia and Ukraine run deeper than most Western media coverage acknowledges. Yancey expertly guides us through the spiritual roots of the current conflict, explaining how Kyiv represents the birthplace of Russian Orthodox Christianity dating back to 988 CE. This religious heritage helps explain why Patriarch Kirill frames the Ukraine invasion as a "holy war" to reclaim Christianity's Russian birthplace.Perhaps most compelling is Yancey's cautionary tale about church-state relations. After enduring severe persecution under communism, the Russian Orthodox Church welcomed Putin's support and protection - only to become an instrument of state policy rather than its moral conscience. Meanwhile, Ukraine demonstrates a different model, with Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, and Muslim communities uniting to serve those suffering from the conflict."The church should not be master of the state or servant of the state," Yancey reflects, citing Martin Luther King Jr. "It needs to be the conscience of the state." This wisdom challenges believers everywhere to consider how their faith intersects with political power. Rather than seeking influence through corridors of power, perhaps our most effective witness comes through consistent, compassionate action that embodies the gospel.As Ukraine stands at a historical turning point, Christians worldwide are called to respond with prayer, compassion, and support. Whatever the geopolitical outcome, the contrast between Russia's state-aligned church and Ukraine's interfaith cooperation offers profound lessons about faith's true power in a broken world. You can learn more from Philip Yancey through his website and books and you can find him on Facebook.And don't forget to share this episode using hashtag #Evangelical360 and join the conversation online! ____________________▶ Watch Interviews on YouTube ▶ Sign Up for FREE Dispatches From the Global Village▶ Free Downloadable eBook "Here's Hope"▶ More Info: evangelical360.com#evangelical360

Philip Yancey opens his heart and shares the painful journey that shaped his spiritual life in this riveting conversation about his memoir "When the Light Fell." With unflinching honesty, he recounts growing up in a fundamentalist community that opposed movies, bowling alleys, roller skating—and openly preached racism from the pulpit during the civil rights era.The raw vulnerability of Yancey's story emerges as he describes his father's death from polio after being removed from an iron lung against medical advice, based on misguided faith expectations. This tragedy left his mother a struggling widow who placed enormous spiritual pressure on her sons to fulfill her dashed missionary dreams—eventually leading to a 52-year estrangement between her and Philip's brother.What makes this conversation particularly powerful is Yancey's explanation of how he emerged from these wounds not as a cynical critic of Christianity, but as one of its most thoughtful voices. He shares a supernatural vision that unexpectedly transformed his perspective during his most skeptical period, revealing how grace broke through his intellectual barriers. "I wasn't trying to really meet God at the time," Yancey confesses, "I happened to be in the middle of a Bible college which I was scornful of...and God met me." The heart of this episode explores how healthy faith communities foster healing while toxic ones create wounds. Yancey draws from his decades of writing about suffering and grace to explain how church communities should function as extensions of "the God of all comfort and the Father of compassion." For those struggling with religious trauma, his journey offers hope that even the harshest religious upbringing need not determine one's spiritual future.This conversation invites listeners to examine their own understanding of grace—what Yancey describes as the recognition that, "there's nothing I can do to make God love me more...and nothing I can do to make God love me less." His story demonstrates how God often woos us through unexpected channels like natural beauty, music, and love rather than through fear and judgment.You can learn more from Philip Yancey through his website and books and you can find him on Facebook.And don't forget to share this episode using hashtag #Evangelical360 and join the conversation online! ____________________▶ Watch Interviews on YouTube ▶ Sign Up for FREE Dispatches From the Global Village▶ Free Downloadable eBook "Here's Hope"▶ More Info: evangelical360.com#evangelical360

A spiritual wildfire that began in a humble livery stable on Azusa Street has transformed into a global movement of over 700 million believers. How did an obscure, often misunderstood expression of Christianity become the fastest-growing religious movement of the 20th century?Dr. Billy Wilson, President of Oral Roberts University and Chair of the Pentecostal World Fellowship, takes us on a fascinating journey through the remarkable history of the Pentecostal and Charismatic movement. From its roots in the American Holiness movement to the pivotal Azusa Street Revival of 1906, Wilson reveals how a hunger for divine empowerment sparked a revival that would ultimately touch every nation on earth.What makes this conversation particularly illuminating is Wilson's explanation of how Pentecostalism bridged two worlds within Christianity—combining the cerebral, scripture-focused faith of the Reformation with the mysterious, experiential elements that had been more associated with Catholicism. This synthesis helps explain why the movement spread so rapidly across diverse cultural contexts, particularly in the Global South.The conversation explores several "waves" of Spirit-empowerment: classical Pentecostalism, the Charismatic Renewal that crossed denominational boundaries in the 1960s-70s, and the emergence of global networks and new expressions. Most exciting is Wilson's perspective on what may be a fourth wave emerging today—a movement led by young people hungry for authentic spiritual experience without performance or hype, connected through global youth culture and technology.Against misconceptions that Pentecostals focus solely on spiritual experiences while neglecting social concerns, Wilson highlights the movement's long history of community engagement, from disaster relief to addiction recovery programs. He also shares how diverse streams within the movement are finding new unity through relationship-building and shared mission, particularly around reaching every person with the gospel by 2033.Whether you're deeply familiar with Pentecostal/Charismatic Christianity or curious about this influential movement, this episode offers rich historical context, theological insights, and a compelling vision for Spirit-empowered faith in the 21st century. You can learn more from Dr. Billy Wilson through his books and find him on Facebook and Instagram. And you can share this episode using hashtag #Evangelical360 and join the conversation online! ____________________▶ Watch Interviews on YouTube ▶ Sign Up for FREE Dispatches From the Global Village▶ Free Downloadable eBook "Here's Hope"▶ More Info: evangelical360.com#evangelical360

What if the obstacles in your path aren't problems to overcome but divine opportunities to be shaped into Christ's image? In this soul-stirring conversation, bestselling author Ann Voskamp shares her harrowing journey from witnessing her sister's tragic death at age four to becoming a globally recognized voice on gratitude, suffering and faith.Ann opens up about the paralyzing fear that followed childhood trauma—leading to ulcers, self-harm and eventually agoraphobia. Despite these struggles, she found faith through a neighborhood Bible club and later discovered how intentional gratitude could transform her relationship to suffering. "Faith gives thanks in the middle of the story," she explains, offering this practice as a fulcrum for leveraging life's heaviest burdens.The conversation takes a profound turn as Ann unpacks her latest book, "Waymaker." Rather than finding an easier route through difficulties, it explores how God uses our obstacles to reshape us: "Our way is self-formed. God's way is cruciform." This insight became painfully real when her father died in the same farmyard where her sister had been killed decades earlier—on the very day her publisher returned edits for the manuscript.Perhaps most movingly, Ann shares how adopting a daughter from China with half a heart (hypoplastic left heart syndrome) deepened her understanding of our relationship with God. We aren't merely followers of Christ but "kin to the King," adopted into divine family through Jesus' sacrifice. This filial relationship moves beyond legal forgiveness to emphasize attachment and intimacy with our Creator.For those seeking a practical framework, Ann offers her S.A.C.R.E.D approach—Stillness, Attentiveness, Cruciformity, Revelation, Examine and Doxology—as a way of life that keeps us connected to Christ through life's deepest valleys. This isn't just about surviving hardship but thriving in God's presence regardless of circumstances.You can learn more about Ann's books and journey through her website and find here on Facebook and Instagram. And you can share this episode using hashtag #Evangelical360 and join the conversation online! ____________________▶ Watch Interviews on YouTube ▶ Sign Up for FREE Dispatches From the Global Village▶ Free Downloadable eBook "Here's Hope"▶ More Info: evangelical360.com#evangelical360

What happens when a parent's worst nightmare becomes reality? When Wilma Derksen's 13-year-old daughter Candace didn't return home from school one November day in 1984, it sparked one of Winnipeg's largest manhunts and began a journey through grief, justice systems, and ultimately, forgiveness that would span decades.The discovery of Candace's body seven weeks later devastated her family, yet that very night, Wilma and her husband made an unexpected choice: "We're going to forgive." This seemingly impossible decision became their anchor through 22 years of uncertainty, not knowing who had taken their daughter's life, and the eventual court trials, convictions, appeals, and absence of closure. Wilma's approach to forgiveness shatters conventional understanding. Rather than a single act or emotion, she reveals it as a complex, multi-dimensional process that engages the whole person: body, mind, heart, spirit, and community. Her framework, which she calls "Forgiveness to the Power of 5," offers a roadmap for anyone struggling with seemingly unforgivable circumstances.Most powerfully, Wilma's journey led her into prisons where she shared her story with inmates – creating moments of "beautiful harmony" as both victims and offenders recognized their shared need for forgiveness. Through this radical path, she discovered that "love is more powerful than murder" and that choosing forgiveness allowed Candace's memory to flourish rather than be defined by tragedy.Malcolm Gladwell featured Wilma's story in his book "David and Goliath," recognizing the counterintuitive strength that emerged from her approach to overwhelming loss. Now, in her forthcoming book "Impossible Forgiveness to the Power of 5," Wilma offers her hard-won wisdom to anyone seeking to break free from resentment and find healing through forgiveness.Whether you're facing your own seemingly impossible situation or simply seeking to understand the transformative power of forgiveness, Wilma's story demonstrates how choosing to "let go of the negative and step into the positive" can become not just a decision but a way of life. You can learn more with Wilma through her writing and website. And you can share this episode using hashtag #Evangelical360 and join the conversation online! ____________________▶ Watch Interviews on YouTube ▶ Sign Up for FREE Dispatches From the Global Village▶ Free Downloadable eBook "Here's Hope"▶ More Info: evangelical360.com#evangelical360

Dr. Francis Collins takes us on a profound intellectual and spiritual journey from atheism to faith while simultaneously reshaping modern medicine through his leadership of the Human Genome Project. Growing up on a small Virginia farm with no religious background, Collins embraced science as his passion and atheism as his worldview until a pivotal moment in medical school when an elderly patient asked him, "Doctor, what do you believe?"This simple question launched a methodical, evidence-based examination of faith that would transform his life. Collins shares how C.S. Lewis' rational arguments for Christianity in "Mere Christianity" forced him to reconsider his atheist stance, particularly through the universal human experience of moral law – our innate sense of right and wrong that transcends evolutionary explanation. What makes Collins' testimony particularly compelling is how his scientific expertise enhanced rather than hindered his faith journey. As the director who led the revolutionary Human Genome Project to map all human DNA, he describes scientific discovery as "getting a glimpse of God's mind" and laboratories as potential "cathedrals." Throughout his distinguished career, including twelve years directing the National Institutes of Health, Collins has demonstrated how scientific and spiritual worldviews can beautifully complement each other.Perhaps most moving is his account of treating a critically ill young man in a Nigerian mission hospital with minimal resources. After a successful but risky procedure, the patient provided unexpected wisdom: "You came here for me." This profound moment revealed to Collins how God works through individual human encounters rather than grand schemes.For anyone wrestling with questions about science and faith, Collins provides a thoughtful path forward that honors both intellectual integrity and spiritual hunger. Share this episode using hashtag #Evangelical360 and join the conversation online! ____________________▶ Watch Interviews on YouTube ▶ Sign Up for FREE Dispatches From the Global Village▶ Free Downloadable eBook "Here's Hope"▶ More Info: evangelical360.com#evangelical360

What does Christian mission look like in today's rapidly changing world? Bill Taylor draws from 60 years of cross-cultural ministry experience to paint a compelling picture of global transformation.The numbers tell a remarkable story: evangelicals have grown from 90 million in 1960 to over 600 million today. As the former director of the World Evangelical Alliance's Missions Commission, Taylor witnessed this expansion firsthand while helping shape its direction. He vividly recalls how Jim Elliott's martyrdom and famous words—"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose"—sparked his lifelong calling.Taylor challenges outdated colonial missionary paradigms, describing today's reality as "from everywhere to everywhere." Filipino believers ministering in the UAE, African congregations planting churches in Europe, and Latin American missionaries serving worldwide illustrate this dramatic shift. This changing landscape demands Western Christians reassess their role while maintaining meaningful engagement.With prophetic insight, Taylor addresses the false dichotomy between humanitarian work and gospel proclamation. Looking to Jesus's ministry, he demonstrates how compassion, justice, proclamation, community-building, and even persecution form an integrated whole. He worries that social media and ideological currents are undermining Christ's uniqueness among younger generations globally.Taylor's leadership philosophy, detailed in his book "Leading from Below," offers a counterpoint to climb-the-ladder approaches. Through experiences spanning the pre-digital age to today's smartphone-saturated world, he advocates following Jesus's servant path rather than pursuing prominence. For mission-minded believers, he emphasizes the essential role of deepened spirituality to sustain long-term commitment through inevitable challenges.What will mission look like in the decades ahead? Join this conversation to discover how your story might connect with God's global mission movement. Learn more with Bill Taylor through his website and Facebook. ____________________▶ Watch Interviews on YouTube ▶ Sign Up for FREE Dispatches From the Global Village▶ Free Downloadable eBook "Here's Hope"▶ More Info: evangelical360.com#evangelical360