Theology on Mission

What’s really driving America’s political chaos, and what does it mean for the church? In this episode, Dave Fitch and Mike Moore dig beneath partisan headlines to uncover the deeper philosophical divide shaping our cultural and theological conflicts. Fitch traces the roots of our polarization to two competing political visions: liberal democracy (centered on individual freedom) and national conservatism (centered on shared cultural values).From there, they explore how both sides fall short and why neither has room for the church. The conversation turns toward what it means for Christians to embody a third way: a politic of the kingdom rooted in community, discipleship, and the lordship of Christ.🎙️ In This Episode:The deep ideological divide behind America’s political warsLiberal democracy vs. national conservatism—what each gets right (and wrong)How both sides sideline the churchWhy coercion and individualism can never produce kingdom lifeWhat pastors can do to lead faithfully in a polarized world📌 Highlights:[00:05:00] The individual vs. the collective—two visions of society[00:10:00] Why Christian nationalism fails in a multicultural world[00:15:00] Hauerwas, Rawls, and the politics of virtue[00:21:00] The church as an alternative politic[00:24:00] “Start with five people”: how pastors can build kingdom communities amid chaosBoth liberal democracy and national conservatism promise freedom, but only the church can form people to live free in Christ. When Christians embody the politics of Jesus together, they become the living alternative our polarized world desperately needs.

Two weeks after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, Dave Fitch and Mike Moore process the grief, confusion, and cultural fallout surrounding his death. Beyond the tragedy, they explore what Charlie Kirk symbolized in American Christianity—and what his influence reveals about the modern church’s failures in discipleship, community, and cultural engagement.Fitch argues that Kirk’s rise, and the polarization surrounding him, exposes an empty ecclesiology: a Christianity shaped more by individualism and ideology than by the life of the local church. Together, the hosts ask hard questions about power, influence, and the role of the church in a politically divided age.Charlie Kirk as a Cultural Symbol (Part 1): https://substack.com/home/post/p-173936722 Charlie Kirk is a Cultural Symbol (Part 2): https://davidfitch.substack.com/p/charlie-kirk-is-a-cultural-symbol 🎙️ In This Episode:The difference between Charlie Kirk the person and Charlie Kirk the cultural symbolHow antagonism replaces real conversation in our political and religious discourseThe church’s failure to disciple young people and engage complex moral questionsWhy “influencers” are filling the space the church has vacatedHow individualistic faith leads to political idolatry📌 Highlights:[00:05:00] Why Charlie Kirk became a master signifier of political identity[00:10:00] How antagonism keeps us from addressing real issues on the ground[00:15:00] The influencer as a substitute for the church[00:22:00] The hunger of young men for direction and discipleship[00:27:00] From personal faith to political power: how individualism fuels Christian nationalismCharlie Kirk’s rise and death reveal both the brokenness of our political moment and the vacuum left by the church’s retreat from public discipleship. Until the church reclaims its call to embody the presence and power of Jesus in community, political idols will keep filling the gap.

What happens when we read the Bible faithfully but miss the culture we’re speaking into? In this episode, Dave Fitch and Mike Moore dig into why biblical studies and cultural studies must go hand in hand for pastors, leaders, and everyday Christians. From sexuality to money, from language to power, interpretation always happens inside a culture. Ignore that, and our preaching either falls flat or feels dictatorial.🎙️ In This Episode:Why evangelicals and post-evangelicals default to biblical studies but often ignore cultural dynamicsHow terms like “gay” or even “marriage” carry radically different meanings in different communitiesWhy listening to culture is essential before speaking the gospel into itPractical stories from Hyde Park, Wheaton, and Boystown on how cultural contexts shape identity and desireWhat pastors and parents can learn about engaging teens and younger generations📌 Highlights:[00:05:00] Why evangelicals are blind to cultural dynamics[00:09:00] Romans 1 and the problem of assuming “gay” means the same thing across times and places[00:16:00] Learning cultural dynamics by listening in coffee shops, not just reading books[00:21:00] Why assumptions about money, power, and sexuality can shut people off from the gospel[00:24:00] The call to humility and presence in our cultural engagementPastors don’t just need to read their Bibles; they need to read their neighborhoods. Without cultural awareness, even the most faithful biblical interpretation can miss the mark.

Russell Moore kicks off Season 11 with an honest and wide-ranging conversation about the fractured state of American evangelicalism. From his own departure from the SBC to his reflections on revival, integrity, and biblical authority, Moore offers both critique and hope. Dave and Mike push into what needs preserving, what needs reimagining, and where we might see life again in the dry bones of evangelical witness.Whether you’re nostalgic for the church you grew up in, disillusioned by it, or daring to believe something new is possible—this episode offers wisdom, challenge, and a reminder of the gospel’s power to revive.🎧 In This Episode:The danger of using Christianity as a means to an endWhy “personal” doesn’t have to mean “individualistic”Scripture as encounter vs. informationWhat real revival might look like todayRecovering wonder, hope, and moral credibility in the church🛠 Resources Mentioned:Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America by Russell MooreThe Russell Moore Show – podcast from Christianity TodayReckoning with Power: Why the Church Fails When It's on the Wrong Side of Power by David FitchCenter for Public Theology at Christianity Today

Is it time to refresh the old church planting playbook? In this forward-thinking episode, Dave Fitch and Mike Moore sit down with Dr. Eun K. Strawser to explore how church planting must evolve in a post-COVID world. Drawing on her work with the IWA Collaborative, her leadership at Ma Ke Alo o, and insights from her upcoming book You Were Never Meant to Lead Alone, Eun outlines a vision for leadership that is local, diverse, co-vocational, and built on discipleship, not metrics. 🎙️ In This Episode: Why the old church planting model no longer fits post-pandemic realities The rise of co-vocational, prophetically bent leaders—especially Black, Brown, and women leaders Redefining success: from attendance metrics to neighborhood presence A vision of shared leadership rooted in communal discipleship The emerging partnership between Northern Seminary and IWA Collaborative 📌 Highlights: [00:08:00] What the Eva bird teaches us about leadership and local nesting [00:13:00] Co-vocational leadership and the shift away from big-budget, parachute church plants [00:22:00] How prophetic, local leaders are already planting churches—whether they call it that or not [00:29:00] Eun’s forthcoming book: You Were Never Meant to Lead Alone (pre-order available soon) [00:33:00] Five pillars of the new church planting initiative: Centering Discipleship (book link) Intercultural Dynamics Sharing Leadership Pastoring Co-Vocationally Exegeting Neighborhoods 💡 Takeaway: Church planting isn’t dead—it’s just waking up to a new imagination. The future belongs to grounded leaders who know their neighborhood, share power, center discipleship, and stop disqualifying themselves from God’s call. 📖 Resources Mentioned: Centering Discipleship by Eun K. Strawser (IVP) Eun’s upcoming book You Were Never Meant to Lead Alone (Fall 2024 – Preorder link coming soon) Northern Seminary Church Planting Initiative IWA Collaborative Lawndale Christian Community Church Christian Community Development Association (CCDA)

What happens when expository preaching meets jazz improvisation? In this musical and moving conversation, Dave Fitch and Mike Moore welcome Mark Glanville, pastor, jazz pianist, and author of Preaching in a New Key, to explore how preaching can meet the needs of post-Christian communities. From shifting cultural landscapes to the crisis of plausibility in faith, this episode unpacks how the preacher’s voice, imagination, and presence can open up space for beauty, belonging, and belief. 🎙️ In This Episode: Why a 1970s preaching manual is still #1 on Amazon—and why that’s a problem What a “crisis of plausibility” means for modern preaching Why Scripture must be heard as a communal word, not just an individual one How preaching can surprise people into faith through beauty and truth What jazz, blues, and the Psalms can teach us about crafting sermons today 📌 Highlights: [00:07:00] Faith in a post-Christian city: what’s changed since the Bible-under-the-arm days [00:13:00] The power of preaching to restore trust in Scripture [00:22:00] From “you” to “we”: how preaching shapes the beloved community [00:36:00] Why preaching from your humanity is not optional—it’s essential [00:39:00] Blues as a metaphor for the church: grief, joy, and solidarity 💡 Takeaway: Preaching today is less about having the right answers and more about being fully present—bringing Scripture to life with the imagination, lyricism, and beauty that awakens faith. In a culture suspicious of authority, the ironic authority of wisdom is what opens hearts.

What does real resistance to an unjust state look like—and can the church still embody it today? In this episode, Dave Fitch and Mike Moore sit down with Bonhoeffer scholar Michael DeJonge to explore the famed theologian’s approach to resisting authoritarian power. Drawing from his article How to Resist an Unjust State and his books on Bonhoeffer's theology, DeJonge unpacks the Lutheran roots of Bonhoeffer’s political vision and why his legacy resists easy appropriation in today’s culture wars.📖 Suggested Resources: How to resist an unjust state? Dietrich Bonhoeffer and his theology of political resistance Bonhoeffer on Resistance: The Word Against the Wheel Bonhoeffer's Theological Formation: Berlin, Barth, and Protestant Theology 🎙️ In This Episode: The historical truth behind Bonhoeffer’s involvement in plots to resist Hitler Why Bonhoeffer’s theology of resistance goes far beyond assassination debates A deep dive into Lutheran two-kingdom theology—and how Bonhoeffer revised it How the church can speak into state injustice without being co-opted by political power Lessons for resisting both passivity and polarization in today’s divided landscape 📌 Highlights: [00:08:00] Did Bonhoeffer support violence? His participation in anti-Nazi plots clarified [00:14:00] Bonhoeffer’s “authentically Lutheran” resistance—and why it still matters [00:27:00] Evangelicals, Trump, and the preservation/redemption split—dangerous echoes [00:38:00] The meaning behind “jamming a spoke in the wheel” [00:44:00] From preaching to presence: Why Bonhoeffer built community to resist 💡 Takeaway:Bonhoeffer’s legacy isn’t about mimicking the past but learning how to discern our moment. Resistance begins not with outrage but with the church being the church—formed, faithful, and ready to speak a word against injustice when the time demands it.

Is leaving evangelicalism a true departure or just a shift within the same framework? The hosts dive into whether transitioning to post-evangelical spaces leads to real change or simply a new perspective. They explore the modern self in faith, questioning how both camps prioritize individual identity. There’s a critical examination of justice work, focusing on genuine engagement versus performative actions. Lastly, they highlight the similarities in power dynamics across both evangelical and progressive communities, urging for a transformative vision beyond binary thinking.

Matthew Bates, a New Testament professor at Northern Seminary and author of 'Beyond the Salvation Wars,' joins the conversation to challenge conventional views on salvation. He argues that reducing the gospel to 'justification by faith' oversimplifies its richness. Bates emphasizes the necessity of allegiance to King Jesus, reshaping how both Protestants and Catholics perceive salvation. He also critiques current discipleship approaches and invites churches to foster a culture of gospel allegiance, integrating deeper spiritual commitments into their practices.

What if the way forward in our polarized world begins at the table? In this compelling episode, Dave Fitch and Mike Moore sit down with Dan White Jr., author of Love Over Fear, to discuss the art of engaging in difficult conversations. They explore how compassion, curiosity, and a theology of the table can heal divisions in our churches, neighborhoods, and beyond.🎙️ In This Episode: Dan White Jr. shares how the Kineo Center equips weary leaders to find healing. The four transformative practices for depolarized conversations. Stories of profound breakthroughs during “depolarization dinners.” How Jesus’ table practices challenge the powers of polarization and invite kingdom living. 📌 Highlights: [00:05:00] Dan introduces the Kineo Center as a space for healing weary leaders. [00:12:34] The Power of Conversation in Polarized Times [00:17:00] The origins of Love Over Fear: lessons from a politically divided church. [00:29:00] Four practices for depolarized conversations, including compassionate curiosity and subversive stories. [00:29:33] Techniques for Depolarization [00:41:00] A theology of the table: how Jesus confounds the powers of polarization. 💡 Takeaway:The practice of kingdom living starts at the table, where power shifts from winning arguments to mutual transformation. In a polarized world, Christians are called to disrupt division and embody Christ's love through listening, storytelling, and trust in God’s presence.📖 Additional Reflection:How can you use the table as a space for transformation and reconciliation in your community?