Those Who Serve The Lord

Is there a color or culture to Christianity? Is there a black Christianity? Is there a white one? How about Latinos? Asian? American? Are there different kinds of Christianities in the world? Why is it that certain cultures express their faith in Christ in different ways? Why is it that racism seems to be such a dividing factor in the church today? Listen to Travis & Craig Ott talk about whether or not there are different kinds of Christianities and if there is really a pure Gospel that can be stripped down of everything the culture that it comes from. Craig is the editor or co-editor of Against the Tide: Mission Amidst the Global Currents of Secularization (Evangelical Missiological Society Series Book 27) (William Carey, 2019), Globalizing Theology: Belief and Practice in an Era of World Christianity (Baker Academic, 2006), The Mission of the Church: Five Views in Conversation (Baker Academic, 2016), Missionary Methods: Research, Reflections, and Realities (Evangelical Missiological Society Series Book 21) (William Carey, 2013).Craig is the author of Teaching and Learning Across Cultures: A Guide to Theory and Practice (Baker Academic, 2021), The Church on Mission: A Biblical Vision for Transformation Among All People (Baker Academic, 2019), co-author of Encountering Theology of Mission (Encountering Mission): Biblical Foundations, Historical Developments, and Contemporary Issues (Baker Academic, 2010), and Global Church Planting: Biblical Principles and Best Practices for Multiplication (Baker, 2010).Episodes related to church planting and cross-cultural ministry:There were several episodes connected today's show: #144 | God on the Move Among Diaspora Peoples | Sam George#5 | Culture, Community, and Confronting Cries of Injustice | Daniel Yang#161 | Inalienable: How Marginalized Kingdom Voices Can Help Save The American Church | Eric Costanzo, Daniel Yang, & Matthew Soerens#170 | Polycentric Missiology: Everyone to Everywhere | Allen Yeh#175 | Eating Theology With The World | Gene Green#30 | What God Is Doing In The World, Pt. 1 | Todd M. Johnson#32 | What God Is Doing In The World, Pt. 2 | Todd M. JohnsonSome of the biases we have as Westerners approaching the Scriptures:#26 | Misreading Scripture With Individualist Eyes | Randy RichardsFor those who desire to hear how technology is influencing our spiritual formation:#95 | Restless Devices-Countering Conformity With Ancient Christian Practices, Pt. 1 | Felicia Wu Song#96 | Restless Devices-Countering Conformity With Ancient Christian Practices, Pt. 2 | Felicia Wu Song#84 | Analog Church | Jay Y. Kim#160 | Analog Christian | Jay Y. KimOther episodes referred to in the episode dealing with Asian culture both in the West and non-West, as well as secularization:#15 | Increase Your Vision of God and the World | Jackson Wu#34 | Rediscovering Hospitality: A Lesson from Eastern Cultures | Jayson Georges#117 | Defending Shame, Pt. 1 | Te-Li Lau#118 | Defending Shame, Pt. 2 | Te-Li Lau#190 | Listening, Loving, and Learning Their Names | Sabrina Chan & Linson Daniel#72 | Is Secularization Killing Your Faith? | Philip Jenkins#36 | Are We Messing Up God's Mission?, Pt. 1 | Scott Moreau#38 | Are We Messing Up God's Mission?, Pt. 2 | Scott Moreau#114 | Rediscovering The Apostolic Imagination | J.D. PayneTips for sharing the Gospel cross-culturally:#103 | Reaching the Nations in Your Neighborhood | David Garrison#115 | Good News In A Diverse World, Pt. 1 | Jay Moon & Bud Simon#116 | Good News In A Diverse World, Pt. 2 | Jay Moon & Bud SimonAs the culture shifts to becoming more individualistic globally and urban:#101 | Creatively Engaging Global Urban Culture | Esteban SheddFor those working with Muslims:#57 | How To Build Bridges With Muslims | Fouad MasriSign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.Help support the ministry of Apollos Watered and transform your world today!

How do people respond when God really transforms a person's life? Is God really a threat to how we live? Join Travis as he examines an episode from the early church. When God works, people take notice...some love it and others hate it. Threats, transformation, and testimonies. How do you respond whenever God shows you something? Should we expect something different from what the early church got? Listen in and find out! As Travis continues his exploration to Acts, we come to a pivotal moment in the story. Last week, as we looked at Acts 3, Peter and James healed a lame man and Peter got all confrontational with the people who were amazed. His second major sermon in the book of Acts was all about God’s work. He caused such a stir that the Jewish leaders got involved—and they were not happy. Today we move on to Acts 4 and learn that not everyone is happy with God’s work in the world.Here’s a quick outline of where we are headed this week.1.  When God works around us it Threatens the way we live, it:            A.  Challenges what we believe.            B.  Confronts us in our sin.            C.  Changes those around us.2.  Even so, God equips believers to Testify on His behalf.            A.  about his Power at work.            B.  About our Personal responsibility.            C.  About the only Savior He has Provided for us all. 3. Finally, God’s work is seen in how he Transforms us.            A.  God gives us Strength.            B.  Because of this many will try to Silence us.            C.  But God’s kingdom cannot be Stopped.Three questions for you to contemplate this week as you remember this text:1.     God’s work challenges everyone. Sometime it is easy to think about others who are challenged by God’s work. But the question for us is harder—how is God’s work challenging you?2.     Are we willing to testify on God’s behalf? If no, why not? Remember, testifying is not just the words you speak (though those are important!), it’s also about the way you speak them and whether they line up with how you are living. Peter was confrontational, but his message was reconciliation with God, and his actions backed up his speech.3.     Do you really believe that God will give you the strength to stand in the face of opposition or are you afraid that God won’t really transform you? Why do you think that might be?Sign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.Help support the ministry of Apollos Watered and transform your world today!

Join Travis as he walks through how hopeless and messed we really are, Moral Therapeutic Deism, healing, hurt, and what hope God brings. And it is soo much BIGGER than we could ever imagine. Surprisingly, on the way, we discover a beautiful thing called joy! He also walks us through how we can enter into that joy. Listen in as Travis goes off on cold weather, faith healers, and his desire to see God work in this messed up world.Sign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.Help support the ministry of Apollos Watered and transform your world today!

Are we messing up God's mission? Do we think we are accomplishing it because our churches are getting bigger with people who look and sound like us already? Is that God's mission? Or is it something more? Travis and Scott talk about sci-fi, the MCU, spiritual warfare, demonology. Why do evangelicals talk about almost everything but the spirit realm when the Bible talks about it a great deal? They also discuss the flaw of the excluded middle (think middle earth and you may get the idea-its where people live and there are spirits and other stuff), white church vs. global church, monocultural myopia, the American Dream, microchurch vs. megachurch, covid, church growth in Covid, Johnny Cash impersonators, and more!Check out Scott's books and learn more about Wheaton Graduate School.More on the subject of spiritual warfare:#124 | Spiritual Warfare-Demonization & Deliverance, Pt. 1 | Karl Payne#125 | Spiritual Warfare-Demonization & Deliverance, Pt 2 | Karl PayneSign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.Help support the ministry of Apollos Watered and transform your world today!

What role does the church play in our world today? Why do people think that they can have Jesus but not the church? It's like saying, "I don't want wet, but I want water." The two go together!Our world is rootless-and we need to put down roots, fighting being gyrovagues, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and learning what it means to truly be in a community together. Sign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.Help support the ministry of Apollos Watered and transform your world today!

Is it wrong to be part of a church that is homogenous when the community around you is diverse? Are we so focused on growth that we have forgotten how to make disciples? Have we messed up God's mission? Listen in and find out!Check out Scott's books and learn more about Wheaton Graduate School.Sign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.Help support the ministry of Apollos Watered and transform your world today!

Are we in the end times? We have so much going on around us to make our heads spin: political turmoil, fake news, gender dysphoria, rampant sexual immorality, unprecedented narcissism, wars, racism, economic upheaval, etc. Are we in the end times? Join Travis as he delves deep into Acts 2 to find out! Sign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.Help support the ministry of Apollos Watered and transform your world today!

Travis welcomes special guest, Jayson Georges, author of the 3D Gospel and Ministering in Honor-Shame cultures. He is the guru of Honor-Shame, creating the Honor-Shame network and a host of other resources to help you discern your culture and how you can minister in it. He is super passionate about reaching peoples from various backgrounds as well as about hospitality and Christians opening up their doors to others. Join Travis & Jayson as they talk about all things culture, honor-shame stuff, and what it means to be hospitable in our modern-day world. It was a pretty incredible conversation.Check out Jayson's book, 3D Gospel, and his website on HonorShame. Along with several of his other books.Sign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.Help support the ministry of Apollos Watered and transform your world today!

So many people read the book of Acts and are not quite sure what to do with it. Travis takes us through Acts 2:1-13, showing us that God gives us a front-row seat to the birth of the church-a mosaic of people from all different backgrounds, united together by God's Spirit. When we see what God was doing in Acts 2:1-13, we see God's plan for the nations and that racism has no place in God's kingdom. Sign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.Help support the ministry of Apollos Watered and transform your world today!

Join Travis & Todd M. Johnson as they discuss the browning of Christianity in the world and how we can join God in what He is doing as the nations are shifting. Travis and Todd talk about Global Christianity, corruption in the church, the browning of our faith, the need for accountability, and how what God is doing in the world affects every single one of us, no matter where we are! Also, check out Todd's author page at Amazon and his work at the Center for the Study of Global Christianity. It's heavy stuff, but worth it! And, one cool note, out of all of the people Travis has conversed with, Todd has the most expensive book, and that is because of all of the research that fills it! Check it out here!Sign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.Help support the ministry of Apollos Watered and transform your world today!