Theology on Mission

Can we find peace in a polarizing world? Can we cultivate true dialogue in a defensive world? David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw talk about living on the thin line between stoking and reenforcing the cultural and political antagonisms of our day, and the need for staying alert to injustices in the world. What Ya Reading? The Souls of Black Folk ~ W.E.B. Du Bois Jesus and the Gospel in Africa ~ Kwame Bediako

How is joy a source of strength? Why was it joy for Jesus to endure the cross? Is joy just happy-clappy sentimentality? Mandy Smith and Scott Jones join Geoff Holsclaw to talk about the need to return to joy. Joy is not merely happiness connected to circumstances. Joy is connected to relationships. Beyond our politics that may seem hopeless, can we connect our longing and joy to the God who is always with us?

Is our world hopeless? Is engaging in politics hopeless? Author Michael Wear joins David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw to talk about Christian engagement in the world. Michael, working in the Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships in the Obama administration, calls us to hope in a world that often seems hopeless.

What does it mean to be subject to the government? What did Paul have in mind by that? And how does it fit with being submitted to Christ? After a long break, David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw finally get together for another episode of Theology on Mission. They tackle the issue of how the church relates to government and what Romans 13 has to say about it. Quote of the episode: "I need music. Music is the, the uh, juice, of the nectar of life." ~ Fitch

Do you need a 1st Century Church Planting Manual? Or, What does 1 Peter teach us about being faithful to Jesus? David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw talk with Dennis Edwards, a pastor and scholar, about exiles, the vocation of the church, and submitting to all human institutions (and what that might mean). They use Edwards' forthcoming commentary on 1 Peter as a springboard for their discussion.

Sometimes the best thing to do is listen. With so much going on in America, Geoff Holsclaw and David Fitch slow down and talk with two area ministers, Juliet Liu Waite and Greg Armstrong, about what they are seeing, feeling, and experiencing.

This Thanksgiving, what are you to do when your only relationship with someone is that they are your relative? David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw offer three quick tips on how to bring Jesus into every Thanksgiving situation without being all religious. They are: 1) Be present to others, 2) Find the deeper common ground, and 3) submit to others (or even ask for forgiveness). No problem, right?

Breaking from their script, David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw process their reactions to the election of Donald Trump. As two white males, nothing has changed about our lives, because we are privileged enough to be untouched by the recent events. But that is not true for so many people. As an extended “Fitch vs Fitch”, Dave reads through various posts he shot out on Facebook and Geoff responds. They talk about the place of anger and disappointment that 4 of 5 evangelicals voted for Trump, on whether the “church” voted for Trump (Fitch excommunicates half the church), and how we shouldn’t press the “Jesus is Lord” button to quickly (because it can sound trite and disengaged, and therefore another mark of privilege). And Geoff ends by naming his 1) horror and sadness on behalf of women, people of color, LGBTQ people, and Muslims in light of the bigotry unleashed by this election, 2) his relief that America can no long lie about its inherent racism and evangelicalism’s enmeshment in this, and 3) his hope for the church because Jesus is still Lord.

Were you looking for a "Theology on Mission Voter Guide"? Well, David Fitch and Geoff Holsclaw are giving you one. They don't tell you who to vote for, but how to take a step back and really discern whether you should vote at all.

Is taking a walk part of God's mission? Could your commute be part of God's mission? Dan White Jr., author of "Subterranean: Why the Future of the Church is Rootedness" and co-author of "The Church as Movement", join Geoff and Dave to talk about what local neighborhood mission might look like.