Becoming Church

Can Christians pursue justice without becoming more like Jesus? Jonathan Tremaine Thomas, author of Make Straight the Path and founder of the Civil Righteousness Movement, believes there’s a difference between civil righteousness and fighting for civil rights. He’s here today to talk about justice, activism, peacemaking and what the church’s role is in all of it. He also breaks down political tribalism, agendas that don’t produce the fruits of the spirit and what freedom actually looks like when people are hurting. RELEVANT LINKS: Grab Jonathan’s book “Make Straight the Path: Following the Just One into Righteousness and Peacemaking Through Holy Activism” from Bookshop.org or the Becoming Church resource list on Amazon. Also read The Justice of Jesus by Father Joash P. Thomas and listen to his Becoming Church episode. Learn more about refugees in America with Matthew Soerens from World Relief.

Quiet time without transformation is meditation at best, and mistaking your own voice for God’s at worst. So how do you know if your prayers, bible study and worship are for your own validation or they’re actually helping you grow deeper in your relationship with God? Monica Ritchie is here to help you slow down and discover that deep transformation is possible when we’re willing to deliberately accept God’s invitation to know him more. You’ll learn to read scripture for formation, not information, and how to create space to hear from God in an overwhelming, saturated world. RELEVANT LINKS: Grab Monica’s book “Fashioned by Faith: Spiritual Disciplines for Deepening your Relationship with God” from Bookshop.org or the Becoming Church resource list on Amazon. More Than a Quiet Time: Monica Ritchie

Sometimes you know you’re being boxed in, sometimes you don’t because you’ve never been exposed to anything else. If you’ve only ever lived with one interpretation of the Bible, one version of Christianity and one pursuit of figuring it all out… here’s another perspective to consider in “The Other Side of Certainty” where you’ll find the freedom to let go of toxic religion while still holding on to Jesus. This episode has all the behind-the-scenes author talk that you won’t get from Kristin on other podcasts. She shares what made her cry, what made her the villain of her own story, and who might need a warning label for the book. After she chats with Naeem Fazal, stick around for a sneak preview of Chapter One of The Other Side of Certainty: How to Follow Jesus When Easy Answers No Longer Work. RELEVANT LINKS: Click here to take the Holy Burdens quiz. Click here for extended Pre-Order Bonuses!

We talk a lot about wanting connection, an invitation, inclusion of belonging. But when the opportunity arises, we tend to choose the comfort of our schedules or preferences. We stay distracted and disconnected. We even bail if someone shows up that we don’t particularly want to hang out with. Pastor Ian Simkins wants to turn the table so we can see it from both sides. Being offered a seat is great, but so is being the one to pull out a chair. Sitting with people who vote differently, live differently, annoy us or have maybe even hurt us makes it a lot more complicated. But presence is more than hospitality - it asks us to consider what we’re willing to sacrifice in order to make room for genuine community. RELEVANT LINKS: Grab Ian’s book “Every Table an Altar” from Bookshop.org or the Becoming Church resource list on Amazon.

Healthy friendship isn’t about giving everyone equal access. (If even Jesus had varying levels of connection, we don’t have to let everyone in the group chat.) While you don’t need to have a DTR with all of your friends, Wayne Francis is here to help us understand how relational clarity is an important part of meaningful connection. This episode will teach you how to stop blaming social media for your FOMO, what it looks like to grieve the end of a friendship well, and what red flags to look for that, just maybe, the friend who needs a lesson in true connection is… you. RELEVANT LINKS: Grab Wayne’s book “Make Friends with Anyone: Practicing God’s Design for Real Friendship in a Lonely World” from Bookshop.org or the Becoming Church resource list on Amazon. Find your friend style at ShowMeMyFriends.com