Dr. Kara Powell, a gifted thinker and professor of youth and family ministry, talks about her upcoming book 'Faith Beyond Youth Group' focusing on cultivating character in young people. They discuss prioritizing young people in churches, understanding character development, bridging the gap between Christian leaders and young people, the importance of community in modeling growth, creating meaning with symbols and images, and the target audience for the book.

Dr. Brent Peterson, Dean of the College of Theology and Christian Ministries at Northwest Nazarene University, discusses his newest book 'The Church' in the Wesleyan Theology series. Topics include the church's connection to the Trinity and the incarnation, the relationship between the church and Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, the role of the Holy Spirit in the church, and overcoming insecurity and embracing diversity within denominations.

Skye Jethani, author, speaker, pastor, and podcaster talks about his book 'What If Jesus Was Serious About Heaven?' The podcast explores the flawed understanding of heaven and emphasizes the presence of God in our everyday lives. They also discuss the role of the cross in Jesus' farewell discourse, the significance of his resurrection, and the possibility of more books in the series. Skye highlights finding hope in conversations with non-Christians and their hunger for deeper meaning.

Guest Kaitlyn Schiess discusses her book on the connection between American politics and the Bible, exploring the historical misuse of biblical language, the co-opting of scripture to support Trump's presidency, and the dangers of proof texting. She emphasizes the importance of discernment, reliance on the Holy Spirit, and developing a coherent political theology.

Dr. Andrew Whitehead, an expert on Christian nationalism, discusses his book 'American Idolatry' which highlights the problems and idolatries of power, fear, and violence within the American Church. They explore engaging in politics to support the marginalized, the importance of addressing social injustices, and seeking hope in a complex world.

Dr. Karen Swallow Prior, expert on theology and literature, discusses her book 'The Evangelical Imagination' and its exploration of evangelical history. The podcast explores the integration of faith and literature, the role of material culture, the influence of empire on evangelicalism, and the changing attitudes towards literature within evangelical circles.

In this episode, Dr. Stephen Pardue, theologian and global church historian, discusses his book on why evangelical theology needs the global church. Topics include the importance of diverse perspectives, the role of the global church in Christian leadership, the challenges and benefits of global Christian theology, and the relationship between scripture and contextual theologies.

Dr. Brent Strawn, an amazing biblical scholar and author, discusses his book 'The Incomparable God: Readings in Biblical Theology'. They explore the concept of the incomparability of God, engage with difficult texts in Scripture like the imprecatory Psalms, and reflect on stories of Elijah and Elisha. The podcast also touches on integrating faith and scholarship and emphasizes the importance of gratitude and conversations.

Welcome to episode ninety-three of New Creation Conversations. It is fun for me to bring you a third conversation with one of my favorite authors and scholars, Dr. Andrew Root. Andy is Professor and Carrie Olson Baalson Chair of Youth and Family Ministry at Luther Seminary. Andy has written several books on ministry and spiritual formation. I’ve had him on the podcast twice to talk about his incredible series on ministry and formation in the secular age.Our conversation today centers on his most recent book in that series When the Church Stops Working: A Future for Your Congregation beyond More Money, Programs, and Innovation (published by Brazos Press and co-authored with Blair Bertrand). For those of you who are unfamiliar with the secular series, you will love the book because it is a wonderful summary of the key insights of the entire series. For those of you who have read all or parts of the series, you will love this book because it not only summarizes the series but also gives some very practical responses to the work Andy has done in the other books. It also is a great book for you to give to those friends you’ve tried to describe the series to, but never could find quite the right words. I am a big fan of Andy’s work and love getting to talk with him about it. And I love that I have this format to share the conversation with you. 

My conversation today is a return conversation with one of my favorite writers and scholars working in the areas of theology and literature. Jessica Hooten Wilson has just recently been named as the Seaver College Scholar of Liberal Arts at Pepperdine University. She is an expert on classical education and hosts a podcast called The Scandal of Reading: Pursuing Holy Wisdom with Christ and Pop Culture. She has authored several award-winning books. Our conversation centers on her new book, “Reading for the Love of God: How to Read as a Spiritual Practice” (Brazos Press).Jessica and I recorded this conversation a few weeks ago when she was just a few days from giving birth to her fourth child. Since then, her new little girl has arrived. So, there are lots of transitions going on in her life right now. I was thankful to get a chance in the midst of everything going on in her life and mine to talk about our mutual love for God and for great books.