Theology On Mission

Palestine is the birthplace of Christianity.   Despite the generations-long crisis existing between Israel and Palestinian, there are followers of Jesus faithfully living out their faith. David Fitch and Mike Moore sit down with Reverend Jack Sara, President of Bethlehem Bible College and a native Palestinian pastor. They delve into the pressing issues Christians face on the ground in the Gaza crisis and beyond.  Pastor Jack shares his deeply personal account of living and ministering in a land torn by conflict, tracing the legacy of Palestinian Christians and their pursuit of peace amidst ongoing violence. From the challenges of navigating daily life under occupation to fostering interfaith understanding and resilience, this conversation sheds light on the work of the kingdom of Jesus in regions afflicted by long-standing hostilities.  Listen in as we explore the role of faith, the power of nonviolent reconciliation, and the hope that persists for a better future in Palestine. Learn more about and support th

Countless hurdles stand in the way of people encountering the gospel. The religious trauma faced by so many people is clearly one of the largest obstacles to even hearing the gospel.   Charles Kiser and Elanie Heath recover the God of love from the structures of hate that pervade Christian communities in America today. In their new guide, Elanie and Charles work toward bringing this reformation to fruition through ministering specifically to the spiritually traumatized.    Fitch talks with Charles about this new book and how our faith communities can be better attuned to the trauma of others. Start making deeper connections and better cultivate communities of wounded healers.   Learn more the book and connect with Charles at his website:  https://www.charleskiser.com 

The constraints of the spiritual life, practiced in the community, are what set us free. Practicing spiritual disciplines can seem difficult, especially when we undertake them as isolated individuals. But we were never meant to practice them alone. Jared Patrick Boyd reveals how the constraints practiced in Christian community shape us into the way of Christ. He re-anchors the practices of constraint within the ascetic tradition of monasticism, religious orders, and the early church fathers. Boyd writes, "The constraints of a rule of life are what make life together, lived for one another, possible. A rule of life is not meant to be primarily personal, but communal. It's not primarily meant to guide my life. It is meant to describe our way of life together." Constraint is the practice of learning to pay deeper attention to the things in our inner world that prevent us from progressing in the school of love. Discover a deep conversation on freedom and constraint with six core practices of constraint that can f

We aren't always honest about how difficult normal human life is. For the majority of people, sorrow, despair, anxiety, and mental illness are everyday experiences. While we have made tremendous advancements in therapy and psychiatry, the burden of living still comes down to mundane choices that we each must make―like the daily choice to get out of bed. In this deeply personal essay, Alan Noble considers the unique burden of everyday life in the modern world. Sometimes, he writes, the choice to carry on amid great suffering―to simply get out of bed―is itself a powerful witness to the goodness of life, and of God. Purchase Your Copy of On Getting Out of Bed: https://www.ivpress.com/on-getting-out-of-bed 

How did Jesus interact and weld power?   In this thought-provoking episode of Theology on Mission Podcast, we dive deep into this riveting theological discussion with our special guest, Matt Tebbe. Matt Tebbe, a theologian and author of "Having the Mind of Christ," brings his unique insights to the table as we delve into the polarizing topic of 'power' as seen in theological perspectives. We grapple with intriguing questions regarding the nature of power, the difference between worldly and godly power, and the implications of these two distinct forms of power in various social and cultural contexts. Building on the foundation of our previous discussions, we continue our exploration of power in the context of Jesus' life and teachings. We ponder over the transformative power of Jesus, examining different biblical narratives where Jesus interacts with societal norms and challenges power structures. Matt presents his interpretation of how Jesus used power to promote justice and love. He discusses 'power redi

What if we considered ourselves “exiles in Babylon” and turned to Scripture, not political parties, to shape our most passionate values?  Politics are dividing our churches like never before. In his new book, Exiles: The Church in the Shadow of Empire, Dr. Preston Sprinkle reminds us that the first-century church was not an apolitical gathering, where Christians left their Roman politics at the door. It also wasn’t where Christians mounted a Roman flag next to—or above—a Christian one. Church was a place where God’s plan for governing the world was revealed, where one could witness what it means to follow the Creator’s design for human flourishing.  Fitch, Mike, and Preston explore why: Israel’s exile to Babylon profoundly shaped the political identity of God’s people—and still does today. Christians should see themselves as foreigners in the country where they live. The gospel of Jesus’ kingdom was politically subversive. The church today should view its political identity as fundamentally separate from

How does God leverage power?   In David Fitch’s new book, Reckoning with Power, he unpacks the difference between worldly power, or power over others, and God's power, which engages not in coercion but in love, reconciliation, grace, forgiveness, and healing. On today’s podcast, Mike and Fitch focus on the power found at the very beginning of Genesis and how that sets the stage for how the church should reckon with power. 

In this episode, our friend Dr. Al Tizon unpacks his fabulous new book, Christ Among the Classes. In this discussion we explore the countors of discipleship, money, and how Jesus is prophetically present in the economy of God's kingdom. Rev. Dr. Al Tizon is an Affiliate Associate Professor of Missional & Global Leadership at North Park Seminary. An ordained minister of the Evangelical Covenant Church, Tizon has served churches and engaged in community development work, church leadership, holistic ministry, advocacy, and urban ministry both in the Philippines and in the United States. He was formerly co-president of Evangelicals for Social Action, an activist think tank that combines holistic ministry, public policy, and scholarship. If you want to study with us at Northern and other scholars like Greg Boyd, Beth Jones, Nijay Gupta, Dave Fitch, Ingrid Faro, and visiting lectures from theologians like Amos Yong, Jonathan Tran, and Jeannine Brown, then go to www.seminary.edu

We are honored to have our friend and colleague Dr. Ingrid Faro on the podcast to discuss the church, Augustine, power, sin, and more. Before you listen to the episode go and buy her new book with InterVarsity Press, Demystifying Evil. If you want to study with us at Northern and other scholars like Greg Boyd, Beth Jones, Nijay Gupta, Dave Fitch, Ingrid Faro, and visiting lectures from theologians like Amos Yong, Jonathan Tran, and Jeannine Brown, then go to www.seminary.edu

We are honored to have our friend and colleague Dr. Ingrid Faro on the podcast to discuss the church, Augustine, power, sin, and more. Before you listen to the episode go and buy her new book with InterVarsity Press, Demystifying Evil. If you want to study with us at Northern and other scholars like Greg Boyd, Nijay Gupta, Jeannine Brown, Ingrid Faro, and visiting lectures from theologians like Amos Yong, Jonathan Tran, then go to www.seminary.edu

After years of doing the podcast together Moore and Fitch finally have a good ole fashion debate. Who wins? You won't be surprised. If you want to study with us at Northern and other scholars like Greg Boyd, Nijay Gupta, Jeannine Brown, Ingrid Faro, and visiting lectures from theologians like Amos Yong, Jonathan Tran, then go to www.seminary.edu

In this episdoe our friend, Eun (E.K). Strawser joins us to talk about discpleship and local church life. Eun is the co-vocational lead pastor of Ma Ke Alo o, non-denominational missional communities multiplying in Honolulu, Hawaii; a community physician at Ke Ola Pono; and an executive leader at the V3 Movement. If you want to study with us at Northern and other scholars like Greg Boyd, Nijay Gupta, Jeannine Brown, Ingrid Faro, and visiting lectures from theologians like Amos Yong, Jonathan Tran, then go to www.seminary.edu

Join us as we talk with Reverend Dr. Amy Peeler, Associate Professor of New Testament at Wheaton College and Associate Rector at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Geneva, Ill. You can find out more about Amy and her work here: www.amypeeler.com If you want to study with us and other scholars like Greg Boyd, Nijay Gupta, Jeannine Brown, Ingrid Faro, and visiting lectures from theologians like Amos Yong, Jonathan Tran, and more check us out at www.seminary.edu

Pastors and Christian leaders take on the burden of saving the world but eventually end up burnout, exhausted, and strained. Here are a few things to consider -It's not you that will save the world -Cultivate a "presence based church" -Practice the patience Join us here at Northern Seminary in one of our programs as we train leaders to engage the world and lead the church.

Season 9! Back in the saddle. Fitch starts this season by provoking: THE SPIRITUAL FORMATION MOVEMENT IS IN NEED OF A CORRECTION if it is not to devolve into merely a discipleship program for affluent millennial Christians.

This year's Theology & Mission lecturer joined Fitch and Moore for a conversation just hours before the public lectures. If you want to study with us and other scholars like Greg Boyd, Nijay Gupta, Beth Jones, visiting professors like Jeannine Brown, Drew Hart, Jonathan Tran, check us out at www.seminary.edu

How do we make sense of sexuality and discern attraction? Fitch and Moore explore the ways various sexualities have been constructed by cultural forces and how the church should discern a way forward. If you want to study with us and other scholars like Greg Boyd, Nijay Gupta, Beth Jones, visiting professors like Jeannine Brown, Drew Hart, Jonathan Tran, check us out at www.seminary.edu

In this episode we welcome Brandan Robertson to the show to talk all things--sexual ethics, orthodoxy, scripture, and power. Rev. Brandan Robertson is a noted author, activist, and public theologian working at the intersections of spirituality, sexuality, and social renewal. Check out more of his work here: https://www.brandanrobertson.com/

Northern Seminary has been an unsettled place the last few weeks but we finally made it back into the studio. In light of recent events Fitch and Moore take on these questions: What happens to institutions, churches, and organizations when power goes off the rails? And how does the power of Jesus work differently to disrupt worldly power?  Remember to sign up for our Theology & Mission Lectures with Sarah Coakley.  https://www.seminary.edu/coakley/ If you want to study with us and other scholars like Greg Boyd, Nijay Gupta, Jeannine Brown, Lyn Cohick, Drew Hart, Jonathan Tran, check us out at www.seminary.edu

What is the purpose of apologetics? How does the current cultural milieu inform how we engage in apologetics? Does it even have a place? Fitch and Moore go back and forth about evangelism, apologetics, and the new Tim Keller Center for Apologetics. Check out the article Fitch wrote here: https://davidfitch.substack.com/ Remember to sign up for our Theology & Mission Lectures with Sarah Coakley. If you want to study with us and other scholars like Greg Boyd, Nijay Gupta, Jeannine Brown, Lyn Cohick, Drew Hart, Jonathan Tran, check us out at www.seminary.edu