Theology on Mission

New season! New co-host! Mike Moore joins Dave Fitch to talk about the B-I-B-L-E. How do we appeal to the Bible in midst of conflict? How does a pastor steward their leadership position? And where the heck did Holsclaw go?

When a leader falls, whose fault is it? Is it the leaders character? Is it the institutional pressures? And what can the church learn from it? David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw talk about the huge leadership failings and transitions happening at Willowcreek Community Church, and discuss what it means for leadership in the church at large. And Geoff shares some big news about taking a pastoral position in Grand Rapids, MI (details are here: http://geoffreyholsclaw.net/god-moving-us-grand-rapids/. And here is the PDF of Fitch's chapter on Leadership: http://www.seminary.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Leadership-Ch.-3-Great-Giveaway-pdf.pdf You can get the entire "Great Giveaway" the classic Fitch book, here: https://www.amazon.com/Great-Giveaway-Reclaiming-Organizations-Psychotherapy/dp/080106483X/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1480030757&sr=1-4&keywords=David+E+Fitch

Why are we so anxious and depressed? Is it us or is it our culture? David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw conclude season 3 by talking about the recent celebrity suicides, and what it says about our culture that demand our happiness but still judges us as failures. You can find the House Gathering resource here on our FB page—and please like the page if you haven't already (https://www.facebook.com/TheologyOnMission/posts/2053138735006701) The two articles we talked about were: "Americans are depressed and suicidal because something is wrong with our culture," by Kirsten Powers (https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2018/06/09/kate-spade-suicide-anthony-bourdain-depression-culture-success-column/687388002/) "Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?" Jean Twenge (https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/09/has-the-smartphone-destroyed-a-generation/534198/)

Does Pentecost overcome Babel? Does baptism in Jesus obliterate all distinctions? David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw talk about Galatians 3:28, "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." They ask if there is a better way of understanding this text in light of Babel and Pentecost. And Geoff is wearing his crazy tongues of fire "Pentecost" shirt. See the Theology & Mission Lectureship here: http://www.seminary.edu/onmission18/

Is the church being feminized? Is that a mark of decline? Or of revival? David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw jump into another episode talking about the supposed feminization of the church and what it means for you. Resources: God and Men and Jordon Peterson: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/31/opinion/god-jordan-peterson.html The Feminization (and Decline) of Religion: http://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/the-feminization-and-decline-of-religion/ Malestrom: https://smile.amazon.com/Malestrom-Manhood-Swept-Currents-Changing-ebook/dp/B00PFD5JPI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1525466675&sr=8-1&keywords=Malestrom+james Church Planting with Women = Disaster: https://soundcloud.com/theology-on-mission/24-planting-a-church-without-women-disaster

If God is so powerful, why does God need witnesses? What kind of God needs others to speak for him? David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw jump in again by tackling the question, "Why does God entrust the future of the world to human messengers?" Also, check out the Theology and Mission Lectureship: http://www.seminary.edu/onmission18/

Make people feel guilty for only showing up twice a year? Put Jesus up on the cross again? What else should we avoid when it comes to Easter Sunday? In this zany & serious episode, Geoff Holsclaw—joined by Matt Tebbe and Ben Sternke—talk about how not to ruin Easter. And they accidentally start a new segment about what they'd being doing 500 years ago (you'll want to hear what they say about Fitch). And be sure to check out the Matt and Ben's new Gravity Leadership Podcast. Check out their newest episode, "God Meets Us Where we Really Are" (https://gravityleadership.com/podcast/god-meets-us/).

Do we still need the 10 Commandments? Ancient relic? Oppressive degrees? Are they even really commandments? Geoff Holsclaw—and special guest Nathan Clair—discuss the relevance of the 10 Commandments for our lives. They talk about the mission of the 10 Commandments to free us to love one another, and not be enslaved once again. For more see The 10 Forgotten Words of Freedom: http://geoffreyholsclaw.net/ten-commandments-forgotten-words-freedom/

You move into a new neighborhood. Now what? How would you go about discern God in that place? What do you look for? Who do you talk to? David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw talk about the 7 P's of cultural engagement (and yes, there are a couple of jokes along the way).

Do you love the place you live? Can you see God's mission before you? David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw duck out of a meeting in order to talk about the particularity of place, God's mission, and the call on all of our lives. Mentioned book: Why Place Matters ~ McClay and McAllister No Home Like Place ~ Hjalmarson Where Mortals Dwell ~ Bartholomew Spaces for the Sacred ~ Sheldrake