Expedition 44

Dr. Will Ryan and Dr. Matt talk with Pastor Jon Gibson about his new Book Here and Now: Finding God in the Beautiful Collision between the Head & Heart.

Jon Gibson is the lead pastor of The Point (Seymour IN - www.gotothepoint.com). He hosts a weekly podcast called Get to the Point. His wife Heather and three daughters Morgan, Marlee and Mackenzie are the joys of his life. When he isn't talking about Jesus or dreaming about the future of The Point you'll either find him at home playing board games with his family, out hiking, up in a treestand or out fishing. Jon is an avid reader, loves to play the guitar, is passionate about the Green Bay Packers and enjoys long walks on the beach.

Buy the book: https://a.co/d/g0gVZvC

Here & Now invites readers on a reflective and deeply personal journey. With poetic honesty and pastoral warmth, Jon Gibson explores the longing we all carry to experience God not only in sacred places or past stories, but right here, in the gritty and beautiful moments of our lives. Drawing from Scripture, spiritual rhythms, and his own lived experiences Jon asks what it means to follow a God who moves with us in real time. Through fire and water, silence and song, longing and love, Here & Now offers a compelling invitation: to pay attention, to stay awake, and to find that God has been closer than we ever dared believe. For the weary, the searching, and those caught in the currents of everyday life—this is a guide to rediscovering the divine presence in the present tense.

In this episode Dr. Will Ryan and Dr. Matt interview Dr. Carmen Imes on her new book Becoming God's Family: Why the Church Still Matters.

Buy the book: https://a.co/d/7WM6q7F

Does the church still matter in our modern world?

After waves of disillusionment, #churchtoo movements, and political divides, it’s easy to question the value of investing in the church. Yet Carmen Joy Imes offers a profound answer that resonates through the pages of Becoming God’s Family. Exploring the familial and communal identity of the church, Imes traces the thread of God's presence in the gathered community of faith across the entire Bible. She invites readers into a vision of the church that is rooted deeply in Scripture and speaks directly to the challenges we face today. Imes reminds us of a powerful truth―God delights in the global, intergenerational family He has created.

Through this book, you'll discover that God keeps His promises. When God’s people gather together, God shows up. Whether you’re struggling to reconnect with the church, seeking a constructive vision for its role in our world, or longing to better understand its biblical foundations, this book offers clarity, hope, and encouragement.

What you'll find in Becoming God’s Family:

• A biblical foundation: Trace the theme of God’s presence through the entire biblical text, gaining new understanding of His communal and familial design for the church.
• Modern relevance: Imes addresses the disheartening realities of scandals, political polarization, and deconstruction with a constructive and hopeful perspective.
• Engaging and accessible content: Written by Imes, a respected Old Testament scholar, the book offers rich insights while staying accessible to a wide audience.
• Encouragement for community: Discover the global and intergenerational nature of God’s family and the joy of his presence among his people.

Becoming God’s Family is perfect for students and scholars of the Bible, church members looking for renewed purpose, and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the church's biblical foundation. Step into God’s enduring promise―when we gather as his people, he is always present. Order your copy today and rediscover why the church still matters!

Christians are called to care for the vulnerable, but churches have not always led the way in becoming places safe from abuse. Increasingly, organizations and churches are recognizing the importance of the field of safeguarding: training and equipping people to prevent abuse, act when abuse happens, and promote healing for survivors.

Lisa Compton and Taylor Patterson have edited the first textbook on safeguarding designed specifically for faith-based ministries, churches, and seminaries. In Skills for Safeguarding, experts from universities around the world have contributed on topics in their areas of expertise. This book

• provides an understanding of trauma and abuse from a Christian integration perspective;
• gives insight into perpetrator dynamics and systems that enable abuse;
• teaches skills necessary to interact with victims and their families;
• includes questions for self-reflection and discussion; and more. 

Safeguarders can be individuals hired by the church in a vocational role, but they can also be pastors and other church leaders, laypeople, mental health professionals, and anyone who desires to promote a safe environment. Ideally, every adult in the church should recognize their responsibility to safeguard and seek to grow in skills to better serve abuse survivors and cultivate a culture that protects the vulnerable. This book provides the essential starting place.

Buy the book: https://a.co/d/bBHkla0