Theology on Mission

What happens when church leadership shifts from pulpits to platforms? In this episode, Dave Fitch and guest co-host Gino Curcuruto unpack Carl Trueman’s article, “Goodbye Big Eva, Hello Gig Eva,” exploring how evangelical culture has moved from the conference stage to the influencer feed, and what that means for the church.Together, they trace the shift from “Big Eva” (celebrity pastors and large conferences) to “Gig Eva” (independent online influencers shaping faith outside accountability or community). The conversation wrestles with how this new ecosystem forms pastors, congregations, and the public imagination of what “church” even is and calls for a recovery of embodied, local, presence-based ministry.🎙️ In This Episode:The difference between Big Eva and Gig Eva—and why both shape the church’s imaginationHow digital influence redefines leadership, authority, and credibilityThe danger of disembodied discipleship and social media “theology”Why pastors must resist measuring faithfulness by metrics or clicksHow to reclaim embodied church in an age of platform-driven ministry📌 Highlights:[00:07:00] “Big Eva” as the era of celebrity pastors and conference platforms[00:10:00] “Gig Eva” as the rise of influencers without local accountability[00:17:00] How online perception replaces real discipleship[00:24:00] The lure of success, self-promotion, and burnout in ministry[00:33:00] Embodied church as the faithful alternative to the gig economyThe future of the church isn’t in virality, it’s in presence. Faithful ministry grows from local soil, not from algorithms. The way forward is slow, small, and deeply relational.📖 Resources Mentioned:“Goodbye Big Eva, Hello Gig Eva” by Carl Trueman (First Things)The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self by Carl R. TruemanReckoning with Power: Why the Church Fails When It’s on the Wrong Side of Power by David FitchThe Strategically Small Church by Brandon O’BrienThe Glass Church and The Church Must Grow or Perish by Gerardo Marti & Mark MulderTable Philly ChurchFitch’s Provocations (Substack)What does it mean to lead faithfully when “success” is measured by followers, not fruit? How can your church move from digital performance to embodied presence?

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.

The hosts process the grief and cultural implications of Charlie Kirk's assassination. They dissect Kirk's role as a cultural symbol and the failures of the modern church in discipleship. A critical discussion emerges on how antagonism disrupts genuine dialogue in faith and politics. They highlight the church's inability to engage young people and create safe spaces for tough conversations. The conversation delves into the rise of influencers in lieu of church guidance and critiques individualistic faith leading to political idolatry.

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.