Ministry Deep Dive

Is Christianity in America on the decline? What does Christianity look like around the world? How many Christians are there in the world? How do sociologists quantify that? Today on Apollos Watered, we welcome Dr. Gina Zurlo to the show.Dr. Gina A. Zurlo holds a PhD in History and Hermeneutics from Boston University School of Theology (2017). She is the Co-Director of the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (South Hamilton, MA) and Visiting Research Fellow at Boston University’s Institute on Culture, Religion and World Affairs. She is an interdisciplinary scholar, crossing between history, sociology, and World Christianity with a particular interest in women’s experiences of Christianity and church life worldwide.Dr. Zurlo is the co-editor of the World Christian Database (Brill) and associate editor of the World Religion Database (Brill). She is one of the authors of the third edition of the World Christian Encyclopedia (Edinburgh University Press, 2019), which covers the history and current status of Christianity in every country of the world down to the denominational level.Travis and Dr. Zurlo discuss her newest book, Christianity Around the World, which is a popular reference work to introduce readers to the state of Christianity in every nation of the world, complete with colorful maps and graphs. They discuss the state of Christianity in America, how it is shifting, and what it means for us today.Some other episodes related to this episode:#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. Johnson#103 | Reaching the Nations in Your Neighborhood | David Garrison#161 | Inalienable: How Marginalized Kingdom Voices Can Help Save The American Church | Eric Costanzo, Daniel Yang, & Matthew SoerensSign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.God continues to grow our ministry, but He calls people like you to help do it! Support the Ministry of Apollos Watered today!

How does our modern world obsessed with success jive with the New Testament world guided by the GPS of honor, patronage, kinship, and purity? What did grace really mean in the ancient world? Do we have an accurate understanding of grace the way that the audience of the first century understood it? Does grace come freely or with an obligation? If we are to fulfill the mission of God, we need to know how to apply the Scripture to our lives, and in order to do that effectively, it helps to understand the social world of the New Testament. When we do that, our understanding, appreciation, and application of Scriptural truth is expanded and strengthened, and we are able to have the Scripture speak to us in our everyday lives and where we really live. Our guide in our journey for this second conversation on the subject is New Testament and Greek scholar Dr. David DeSilva. Travis and David discuss his book, Honor, Patronage, Kinship, and Purity: Unlocking the New Testament Culture, a book that has become a major influence in understanding the world of the New Testament and how it relates to many of our modern honor-shame cultures (cancel culture is all about honor and shame). It's a conversation that will enlighten, challenge, and encourage you to go deeper in your understanding and appreciation of the Bible and God's plan for you. If you want to listen to the first part of the conversation:#195 | Are We Living For Biblical Honor Or Worldly Success? Pt. 1 | David DeSilvaMore about honor and shame:#15 | Increase Your Vision of God and the World | Jackson Wu#26 | Misreading Scripture With Individualist Eyes | Randy Richards#34 | Rediscovering Hospitality: A Lesson from Eastern Cultures | Jayson Georges#64 | Finding Hope, Shedding Shame, Pt. 1 | Audrey Frank#65 | Finding Hope, Shedding Shame, Pt. 2 | Audrey Frank#117 | Defending Shame, Pt. 1 | Te-Li Lau#118 | Defending Shame, Pt. 2 | Te-Li LauSign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.God continues to grow our ministry, but He calls people like you to help do it! Support the Ministry of Apollos Watered today!

We talk about theology, but we live in a social world of status, slights, and social media. How does the world of the New Testament jive with our modern world? What does it mean to live an honorable life according to our modern culture? Can success be a synonym? Is modern success equivalent to NT honor? Or is it something else? In our world, today, is honor or success going to a great school? Making a lot of money? Having a nice house and car? Where do sacrifice and self-denial fit in? How does that fit with how the Bible talks about honor? What did the social world of the New Testament look like? If we are to fulfill the mission of God, we need to know how to apply the Scripture to our lives, and in order to do that effectively, it helps to understand the social world of the New Testament. When we do that, our understanding, appreciation, and application of Scriptural truth is expanded and strengthened, and we are able to have the Scripture speak to us in our everyday lives and where we really live. Our guide in our journey into the social world of the New Testament is New Testament and Greek scholar Dr. David DeSilva. Travis and David discuss his book, Honor, Patronage, Kinship, and Purity: Unlocking the New Testament Culture, a book that has become a major influence in understanding the world of the New Testament and how it relates to many of our modern honor-shame cultures (cancel culture is all about honor and shame). It's a conversation that will enlighten, challenge, and encourage you to go deeper in your understanding and appreciation of the Bible and God's plan for you. Travis referenced a few episodes on today's show:#117 | Defending Shame, Pt. 1 | Te-Li Lau#118 | Defending Shame, Pt. 2 | Te-Li Lau#107: Jim Wilder, God on the Brain, Pt. 1#108: Jim Wilder, God on the Brain, Pt. 2#150 | Scriptural Illiteracy & Secular Imagination, Pt. 1 | Kevin Vanhoozer#151 | Scriptural Illiteracy & Secular Imagination, Pt. 2 | Kevin Vanhoozer#122 | Does God Still Do Biblical Miracles in The Modern World, Pt. 1 | Craig Keener#123 | Does God Still Do Biblical Miracles in The Modern World, Pt. 2 | Craig KeenerTravis also referenced Kent and Barbara Hughes's book, Liberating the Ministry from the Success Syndrome.Sign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.God continues to grow our ministry, but He calls people like you to help do it! Support the Ministry of Apollos Watered today!

Travis interviews Dr. Scott Sunquist, President of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, on how Christian history helps guide us. They discuss the significance of understanding time, the cross, and glory, and the relevance of Christian history in shaping our understanding of the present.

What do you do when you find yourself in enemy mode in your own family? With your spouse? With your kids? Travis welcomes Jim Wilder back to the show to discuss how to escape enemy mode in marriage, and this time, Travis' wife, Melissa, joins him! It's a conversation that helps equip us to recognize when we go into enemy mode in our marriage or with our kids, and how we can find a way out. This isn't a theoretical conversation, but one rooted in the Fleming household whenever one of its members goes into enemy mode, and we are willing to bet that your house is a lot like theirs! Help Apollos Watered to water the world! Learn more about Life Model Works.If you want to learn more about neurotheology check out our previous conversations: #140: Jim Wilder, Escaping Enemy Mode, Pt. 1#141: Jim Wilder, Escaping Enemy Mode, Pt. 2#107: Jim Wilder, God on the Brain, Pt. 1#108: Jim Wilder, God on the Brain, Pt. 2#109: Michel Hendricks-Relational Reformation, Pt. 1#110: Michel Hendricks-Relational Reformation, Pt. 2#120 Marcus Warner: Our Walk, Wounds, and Warfare, Pt. 1#121 Marcus Warner: Our Walk, Wounds, and Warfare, Pt. 2#179 | The Joy Switch, Pt. 1 | Chris Coursey#180 | The Joy Switch, Pt. 2 | Chris CourseyGet Jim's books: Escaping Enemy Mode, The Other Half of Church, Renovated: God, Dallas Willard, and the Church that Transforms, Joy Starts Here: the transformation zone, Joyful Journey: Listening to Immanuel, The Pandora Problem: Facing Narcissism in Leaders and Ourselves, Rare Leadership, Rare Leadership in the Workplace, and The Solution of Choice.Sign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.God continues to grow our ministry, but He calls people like you to help do it! Support the Ministry of Apollos Watered today!

In this second part of our discussion on discipleship in our multicultural world, we discuss suffering, technology, joy, insider movements, and culturally appropriate teaching methods as we delve into his book Discipling in a Multicultural World (Cross, 2019).Ajith serves as Teaching Director of Youth for Christ in Sri Lanka after being National Director for 35 years. His grassroots ministry has been and is primarily with the urban poor. Learn more about Ajith.Listen to the first part: #191 | How Do We Disciples In A Multicultural World? Pt. 1 | Ajith FernandoTips for those wanting to understand shame:#117 | Defending Shame, Pt. 1 | Te-Li Lau#118 | Defending Shame, Pt. 2 | Te-Li LauTips for sharing the Gospel cross-culturally:#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 SimonLearn more about suffering: #147 | Help and Hope in Your Suffering, Pt. 1 | Mark Talbot#148 | Help and Hope in Your Suffering, Pt. 2 | Mark TalbotAnd other episodes referred to in this episode:#170 | Polycentric Missiology: Everyone to Everywhere | Allen YehSign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.God continues to grow our ministry, but He calls people like you to help do it! Support the Ministry of Apollos Watered today! Takeaways: The truth is foundational to our faith, yet the methods of understanding it must adapt to the cultural context in which we find ourselves. The communal aspect of discipleship is paramount; we cannot faithfully follow Christ in isolation. Suffering is often marginalized in Western theology, yet it plays a crucial role in the sanctification process of believers. Prayer serves not only as a means of communication with God but also acts as a therapeutic element for the soul, affirming our identity and security in Christ. Culturally appropriate teaching methods are essential; they allow us to engage with the truth of Scripture in a way that resonates with diverse audiences. The concept of insider movements highlights the complexities of faith expression in multicultural contexts, necessitating a nuanced understanding of how believers navigate their cultural identities.

Does discipleship look the same in every culture? How does it look different? How has globalization made things similar? Is discipleship a program? A relationship? Or both? How do we disciple those who may come from a different background than us? These are just some of the questions that come into our minds whenever we talk about the subject of discipleship in our modern world with special guest Ajith Fernando as we discuss Discipling in a Multicultural World (Cross, 2019).Ajith serves as Teaching Director of Youth for Christ in Sri Lanka after being National Director for 35 years. These days his main responsibilities in YFC are counseling, mentoring, and teaching staff and volunteers. With his wife Nelun he is active in a Methodist Church just outside Colombo, most of whose members are recent believers. His grassroots ministry has been and is primarily with the urban poor. Learn more about Ajith.Some 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 SongOther 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 GeorgesTips for those wanting to understand shame:#117 | Defending Shame, Pt. 1 | Te-Li Lau#118 | Defending Shame, Pt. 2 | Te-Li LauTips for sharing the Gospel cross-culturally:#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 SimonSign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.God continues to grow our ministry, but He calls people like you to help do it! Support the Ministry of Apollos Watered today!

If the supremacy of Jesus is to be seen in the church in the West, then it means learning how to live together as Christ's followers from those who come from different backgrounds than us. In the West, Caucasians still make up the majority of the culture, but as our culture becomes more and more diverse, it becomes imperative that we learn to listen and learn from our brothers and sisters from around the world so that we might together be the people God intended, a sign of heaven. Often times that is not the case for those who come from different cultural backgrounds, but who were born and live in the United States. Today, we welcome, Linson Daniel and Sabrina Chan to the show, two of the four authors of the book, Learning Our Names: Asian American Christians on Identity, Relationships, and Vocation (IVP, 2022) (Sabrina Chan, Linson Daniel, LA Thao, E. David de Leon). They help us to see the unique obstacles and experiences that second-generation Asians face as they attempt to navigate the majority Caucasian cultural landscape of the United States and the church. They write from diverse perspectives within the Asian Christian community (East Asian, Southeast Asian, and South Asian) giving a unique insight into a growing and significant group. It is a conversation that helps inform and enlighten, but also carries an invitation to learn and grow in what it means to be a disciple of Jesus in a multicultural world so that the glory of Christ might shine forth. If you are from a cultural background other than Asian, listen in as they discuss their unique challenges. For those who are from Asian American backgrounds, it is an encouragement to share your story. Linson Daniel is Associate Pastor of METRO Church with locations in Frisco and Farmers Branch, TX. The son of Indian Immigrants from Kerala, he was born in Mesquite, TX. He is a married father of two. Learn more about Linson.Sabrina S. Chan is the national director of Asian American Ministries for InterVarsity, and a daughter of immigrants from Hong Kong. She is a married mother of two. Learn more about Sabrina. Find her on social media @sabrinachanwrites.Sabrina referenced the book Following Jesus Without Dishonoring Your Parents.To learn more about the various Diaspora peoples, check out:#144 | God on the Move Among Diaspora Peoples | Sam GeorgeHear some personal stories as well as what God is doing in the West through various people groups as well as various issues that came up in the conversation:#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#53 | The Beautiful Community, Pt. 1 | Irwyn L. Ince, Jr.#55 | The Beautiful Community, Pt. 2 | Irwyn L. Ince, Jr.#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 come from Asian backgrounds wanting to hear more interviews from Asian American Christians:#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. Kim#74 | Holy Discontent, Heart Desire, and Hope in Desperate Times, Pt. 1 | James Choung#75 | Holy Discontent, Heart Desire, and Hope in Desperate Times, Pt. 2 | James ChoungOther episodes referred to in the episode:#117 | Defending Shame, Pt. 1 | Te-Li Lau#118 | Defending Shame, Pt. 2 | Te-Li Lau#145 | Faithful Disobedience, Pt. 1 | Hannah Nation#146 | Faithful Disobedience, Pt. 2 | Hannah NationConversation on racism:#99 | A Unifying Alternative to Colorblindness & Antiracism | George YanceySign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.God continues to grow our ministry, but He calls people like you to help do it! Support the Ministry of Apollos Watered today!

Are you bored reading your Bible? I know you feel guilty in saying that, but we all experience boredom every once in a while. We know that God is not boring, nor is His Word, but we get bored due to a variety of factors. We get confused, we don't know always what to read or what a text means and that's when we need a guide. Travis welcomes Old Testament professor Dr. Andy Abernethy to the show as they discuss his book Savoring Scripture. In addition, to being an Old Testament professor at Wheaton College, Andy is a former college basketball player and the son of a college basketball champion, and NBA player. After a season of rebellion in his late teens, Dr. Abernethy experienced God’s mercy in Christ in a radical way and transferred to a liberal arts Christian college. A major surprise arose at his new college; though he thought the Bible was boring before, he now loved reading it, even the Old Testament. He was not naïve, however, about the challenges of understanding these ancient Scriptures. By the end of his college years, Dr. Abernethy sensed God directing him to devote his life to studying and teaching God’s word. He went on to seminary, and after a few years in pastoral ministry, undertook further study in the Old Testament.Prior to Wheaton, Dr. Abernethy was a Lecturer in Old Testament at Ridley College (Melbourne), where he benefited greatly from teaching and living with fellow Christians in a cross-cultural and post-Christian context. At Wheaton, he is excited to see students enjoy getting to know God more through the Old Testament and grow as faithful interpreters of Scripture. Dr. Abernethy's primary research area is the book of Isaiah, though Psalms, the Latter Prophets, biblical theology, and the topic of eating attract his attention too. He has written numerous articles and is also the author of several books: Eating in Isaiah (Brill, 2014); The Book of Isaiah and God’s Kingdom (IVP, 2016); Interpreting the Old Testament Theologically: Essays in Honor of Willem A. VanGemeren (Zondervan Academic, 2018), God’s Messiah in the Old Testament (Baker, 2020); Discovering Isaiah (Eerdmans/SPCK, 2021).Travis and Andy discuss the Bible and how to read the Bible in a way that is honoring God and keeps in mind His communication with us. It's a conversation that will refresh, encourage, and inspire you to read the Word of God all over again. And plus they have some discussions on basketball (so that's fun!). Learn more about Dr. AbernethyIn this episode, we referenced a couple of different other episodes: #150 Kevin Vanhoozer: Scriptural Illiteracy & Secular Imagination, Pt. 1#151 Kevin Vanhoozer: Scriptural Illiteracy & Secular Imagination, Pt. 2#170 Allen Yeh | Polycentric MissiologyAnd check episodes that help us understand the Bible better:#26 Randy Richards: Misreading Scripture With Individualist Eyes#77 Michael S. Heiser-Naked Scripture, the Supernatural, and Scared Evangelicals#88 Tremper Longman III, Pt. 1-The Bible You Need Is The One You Read#89 Tremper Longman III, Pt. 2-Scripture, Psalms, and Nourishing Your Soul#101 Esteban Shedd: Creative Communicators Engaging Global Urban Culture#106 Donald Whitney: Praying the Bible#111 John Plake: Scripture Engagement, Trauma, and Transformation in Chaotic Times#187 | The Emotions of God, Pt. 1 | David T. Lamb#188 | The Emotions of God, Pt. 2 | David T. LambFeel free to email Dr. Abernethy: andrew.abernethy@wheaton.eduSign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.God continues to grow our ministry, but He calls people like you to help do it! Support the Ministry of Apollos Watered today!

Does God hate? What does that mean? How does God love the sinner and hate the sin when biblically the two seem connected (Revelation 21:8)? Does God get envious or jealous? God's jealousy disturbed Oprah so much that she left Christianity behind. But is God jealous? And if so, is that wrong? How does our jealousy differ from His? Travis and Dr. David T. Lamb continue their discussion on his new book, The Emotions of God (IVP, 2022). Dr. Lamb is the MacRae Professor of Old Testament Dean of the Faculty at Misso Seminary in Philadelphia, PA. Dr. Lamb has extensive teaching experience, including cross-cultural projects in Nigeria, Mexico, Kazakhstan, and Russia. He is the author of The Historical Writings: Introducing Israel’s Historical Literature (Fortress, 2016), Prostitutes and Polygamists: A Look at Love, Old Testament Style (Zondervan, 2015), God Behaving Badly: Is the God of the Old Testament Angry, Sexist and Racist? (InterVarsity Press, 2011), Righteous Jehu and His Evil Heirs (Oxford University Press, 2007), The Story of God Commentary 1, 2 Kings (Zondervan). Dr. Lamb worked with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship from 1986-1999, serving as campus staff, team leader, and area director.If we are to unlock our mission, we need to know who the God we serve is and we need to know who we are. We are not machines, and God has called us in our full humanity to follow Him with the entirety of who we are. Our emotions are a gift and come from Him. Without understanding properly who He is, we can't understand who we are, and if we can't understand who we are, we can't understand what He has called us to be and do. It's a conversation that delves deep into the heart of God and helps us to fulfill the mission He has for us. Check out the first part of our conversation: #187 David T. Lamb | The Emotions of God, Pt. 1And check episodes that help us understand the Bible better:#26 Randy Richards: Misreading Scripture With Individualist Eyes#77 Michael S. Heiser-Naked Scripture, the Supernatural, and Scared Evangelicals#88 Tremper Longman III, Pt. 1-The Bible You Need Is The One You Read#89 Tremper Longman III, Pt. 2-Scripture, Psalms, and Nourishing Your Soul#101 Esteban Shedd: Creative Communicators Engaging Global Urban Culture#106 Donald Whitney: Praying the Bible#111 John Plake: Scripture Engagement, Trauma, and Transformation in Chaotic Times#150 Kevin Vanhoozer: Scriptural Illiteracy & Secular Imagination, Pt. 1#151 Kevin Vanhoozer: Scriptural Illiteracy & Secular Imagination, Pt. 2Sign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.God continues to grow our ministry, but He calls people like you to help do it! Support the Ministry of Apollos Watered today!