Those Who Serve The Lord

Travis & Jeremy continue their discussion on what its like pastoring in LA and how the Kingdom of God shapes everything about how we see the world. We subscribe more than a lifeboat theology whereby we simply seek to save people out of the world (although that is a big part of it!), but it is looking at all of life through the lens of what it means to be a Christ-follower -- how do we view such things as beauty, race, culture, etc? Do they even have a place in the worldview of a Christian? Listen in and find out!Learn more about Reality LA, The Gospel Coalition, and get his book Seek First: How The Kingdom of God Changes Everything.Sign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.Help support the ministry of Apollos Watered and transform your world today!Takeaways: In the podcast, we delve into the complexities of ministering in Hollywood, revealing the unexpected spiritual openness of its residents, shaped by diverse beliefs and practices. Travis and Jeremy discuss the significance of understanding the Kingdom of God, emphasizing that it transcends mere individual salvation and encompasses a holistic view of life under God's sovereignty. The conversation highlights the challenges faced by ministry in transient cities like Los Angeles, where individuals frequently cycle in and out due to the relentless pursuit of dreams and fame. We explore the importance of redeeming ambition and vocation, encouraging individuals to align their artistic aspirations with the glory of God, thereby fostering a deeper understanding of their purpose. Jeremy articulates the necessity of addressing sin within a gospel framework that prioritizes dignity and creation, advocating for an approach that acknowledges human brokenness while pointing to Christ as the ultimate remedy. The podcast underscores the call for the church to embrace its global identity, drawing from diverse cultural perspectives to enrich the understanding of the Kingdom of God and its implications for ministry.

Travis & Jeremy discuss the Clippers, postmodernism, multi-ethnic theologians, beauty, and how discipleship differs in different regions of the United States, specifically Hollywood. Ministering in Hollywood is not as glamorous as you would think. In fact, it is much more like an urban environment. Learn more about Reality LA, The Gospel Coalition, and get his book Seek First: How The Kingdom of God Changes Everything.Sign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.Help support the ministry of Apollos Watered and transform your world today!Takeaways: Travis Michael Fleming introduces the episode, emphasizing the importance of saturating one's faith with the teachings of God. Jeremy Treat recounts his transformative childhood experiences in Alaska and the subsequent move to Seattle, impacting his faith journey. The conversation delves into Jeremy's realization that Christianity hinges on God's grace rather than personal achievements or self-righteousness. A notable highlight includes Jeremy's passion for teaching theology, stemming from his early encounters with the writings of C.S. Lewis. Jeremy shares the significant role of his father in shaping his character and resilience through adversity in their family's history. The episode concludes with reflections on the mission of Reality LA, aimed at renewing the city through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Can the Enneagram be used in church? Should the Enneagram be in church? Join Travis as talks with Todd Wilson about his book, The Enneagram Goes to Church and how it can help or hinder church life. They discuss the Enneagram, worship, pastoral ministry, preaching, and a whole lot more! Learn more about Todd, The Center for Pastor Theologians, and be sure to check out the book as well as his many other books.Sign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.Help support the ministry of Apollos Watered and transform your world today!

The Enneagram seems to be everywhere! So many evangelical Christians have been discussing the Enneagram. What do we do with it? Join Travis as he talks with special guest, Todd A. Wilson, co-founder of the Center for Pastor Theologians about his new book, The Enneagram Goes to Church. What does the Enneagram have to do with church? What does it have to do with pastoral ministry? Church life? Preaching? Worship? Shepherding? Can churches actually take on an Enneagram number? Listen in as they talk about the Enneagram, church, germs, 80's basketball, and how the monumental moments of Todd's life happen in American restaurants! Learn more about Todd, The Center for Pastor Theologians, and be sure to check out the book as well as his many other books.Sign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.Help support the ministry of Apollos Watered and transform your world today!

The book of Acts may seem like it's far removed from our world, but it's surprisingly not. It is a snapshot of people just like us with God's Spirit working in their lives in ways that seem common but are quite transformational. So many Christians get caught up in the supernatural aspect of things that they fail to miss the overall heartbeat and see how people were transformed. We see generosity, sacrifice, compassion, desires for honor, an act of hypocrisy, and a swift response from God. What can we learn from this and apply to our lives? Listen in and find out as Travis' takes us through one of the episodes in the life of the early church through the end of Acts 4 and the beginning of Acts 5!Sign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.Help support the ministry of Apollos Watered and transform your world today!

How did we get to where we are when it comes to gender identity? Sexuality? When did it become "normal " in our culture when a person could say that they were trapped in the body of the wrong gender? It didn't happen overnight, that's for sure. Church historian and theologian Carl Trueman has chartered a course for us through the centuries through philosophy, psychology, and sociology to show us how. It is a helpful, deep, and insightful conversation with some fun along the way, including a bluegrass banjo! Check out the book or any of his other books.Sign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.Help support the ministry of Apollos Watered and transform your world today!

What price would you pay to follow Jesus? Join Travis as he talks with social media influencer Sandra Poenar in the second part of their conversation. In the first part, Sandra spoke about how she went out to LA to pursue the LA lifestyle and how Christ took hold of her, but in this second part, we see the price that she had to pay for following Christ. Listen in as she shares her story with Travis and how it was all worth it. Sign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.Help support the ministry of Apollos Watered and transform your world today!

Join Travis as he has a deep conversation with Sandra Poenar. Sandra Poenar is a former social media influencer who discovered that the pleasures of life and fame are not soul-fulfilling. She spent years of her early adult life living the “LA lifestyle”. After encountering Jesus, she forsook the world to pursue Him wholeheartedly and never looked back. She now devotes her life to full-time ministry in the city of Chicago. She is involved in youth ministry as a leader and is also a social media manager for a Christian Private School.Listen in as Travis and Sandra talk about the LA Lifestyle, internet fame, Star Wars (in her answer she got mixed up-it was the Last Jedi, but the Rise of Skywalker!), the Office, praying parents, and the price she paid to follow Jesus. Follow her here.Sign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.Help support the ministry of Apollos Watered and transform your world today!

What do we do when our faith gets tough? Why do we seem surprised whenever persecution is around the corner, even when Jesus said it would happen? What did the early church do? What inspiration can we get from them? In today's episode, Travis explores Acts 4:23-31 and draws some pretty awesome things out that we can apply to our lives so that we may not be discouraged, but encouraged! He not only looks at the early church but some 20th-century inspiration from believers under communist rule who have some lessons for us today-a lesson we all need to hear. Sign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.Help support the ministry of Apollos Watered and transform your world today!

Craig and I talk about the movement away from the Western church and evangelism, the rising tide of secularization, the drift away from a common language that keeps us from sharing with those in our everyday worlds, mental health, and discipleship in our world today. Is evangelism a presentation or a process? Do we need to take a new approach to evangelism? What does it mean to disciple someone in our world today? Check out Craig's author page. Sign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.Help support the ministry of Apollos Watered and transform your world today!