Seminary Dropout

**Dale Allison on Religious Experiences and the Resurrection** Dec 24, 2023

Dale C. Allison, Jr., is the Richard J. Dearborn Professor of New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary, USA, and the author of many books, including *Constructing Jesus: Memory, Imagination, and History* and the *International Critical Commentary on James.*

Despite widespread skepticism on the matter, a significant number of people today have stories of religious experience—moments of inexplicable terror or rapturous joy, visions, near-death experiences of the afterlife, encounters with angels, heavenly voices, and premonitions. How should rationally minded people respond?
What would your reaction be if someone told you that, one night while sitting alone, she saw through the window a brilliant light descend from the sky until it was so large that it filled the room—and that it radiated a feeling of “pure love”? And what would you say if a friend confided that one night he woke up and could not move, felt he was being suffocated, and sensed an evil spirit in the room?
By default in the secular age we are skeptical about anything mysterious or supernatural. More likely than not, most people would respond to the stories above with embarrassment and concern about the person’s grasp of reality, or they would attempt to explain them away through rational or scientific means. But the truth is that religious experiences like these are not as uncommon as they seem—although *talking about* such experiences often is. This is the case even in a faith tradition such as Christianity, despite the Bible’s numerous accounts of miraculous and mysterious happenings.
In *Encountering Mystery*, noted biblical scholar Dale Allison makes the argument that stories of religious experience are meaningful and not to be marginalized—and that we have a moral prerogative to lovingly engage with such stories regardless of whether we have had similar experiences. Through a close look at phenomena such as moments of inexplicable terror or rapturous joy, visions, near-death experiences of the afterlife, encounters with angels, heavenly voices, and premonitions, Allison shows how ordinary practices of faith need not be at odds with individual religious experiences. Above all, he enjoins us to be honest about the persistence of religious experience in a secular age and to make space for those who encounter mystery in their lives.
From the Publisher

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Some Big Life News from Shane Dec 04, 2023

In this special episode, Shane brings an update about a significant change in his life (which might lead to a change in the podcast title), and talks about what that will mean for the future of the podcast.

As always, thanks for listening (and if you missed it, be sure to check out the conversatio n with N.T. Wright from the previous episode)

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**A Deep Dive Into the Heart of Romans With N. T. Wright** Oct 18, 2023

N. T. Wright is the former Bishop of Durham in the Church of England and one of the world’s leading Bible scholars. He serves as the chair of New Testament and Early Christianity at the School of Divinity at the University of St. Andrews as well as Senior Research Fellow at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford University. Wright is the award-winning author of many books, including *Paul: A Biography*, *Simply Christian*, and *Surprised by Hope*.

You can get everything from N. T. Wright at NTWrightonline.org.

Romans is often and for good reason considered a crux of Christian thought and theology, the greatest of Paul’s letters. And within Romans, chapter 8 is one of the most spectacular pieces of early Christian writing.

But to many readers, Romans can be a deceptively difficult book. Its scope and basic meaning may be clear, but it can be hard to see how it all fits together into a cohesive, if complex, doctrinal argument.

N. T. Wright—widely regarded as the most influential commentator and interpreter of Paul—deftly unpacks this dense and sometimes elusive letter, detailing Paul’s arguments and showing how it illuminates the Gospel from the promises to Abraham through the visions of Revelation. Wright takes a deep dive into Romans 8, showing how it illuminates so much else that God reveals in Scripture: God the Father, Christology, and the Spirit; Jesus’ Messiahship, cross, resurrection, and ascension; salvation, redemption, and adoption; suffering and glory; holiness and hope.

*Into the Heart of Romans* will help you become familiar with the book of Romans in a deeper way that will also deepen your understanding and appreciation of the Gospel itself.
From the Publisher

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**Esau McCaulley on How Far To The Promised Land** Sep 13, 2023

Rev. Esau McCaulley, PhD is an author and associate professor of New Testament at Wheaton College. His writing and speaking focus on New Testament theology, African-American Biblical interpretation, and Christian public theology.

His new memoir *How Far to the Promised Land*, questions the narrative of exceptionalism that he, and other Black survivors, are conditioned to give when they “make it” in America. His book *Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope* won numerous awards, including Christianity Today’s Book of the Year.

Esau is a contributing opinion writer for the New York Times. His writings have also appeared in The Atlantic, Washington Post, and Christianity Today.

Find Esau McCaulley at esaumccaulley.com.

For much of his life, Esau McCaulley was taught to see himself as an exception: someone who, through hard work, faith, and determination, overcame childhood poverty, anti-Black racism, and an absent father to earn a job as a university professor and a life in the middle class.

But that narrative was called into question one night, when McCaulley answered the phone and learned that his father—whose absence defined his upbringing—died in a car crash. McCaulley was being asked to deliver his father’s eulogy, to make sense of his complicated legacy in a country that only accepts Black men on the condition that they are exceptional, hardworking, perfect.

The resulting effort sent McCaulley back through his family history, seeking to understand the community that shaped him. In these pages, we meet his great-grandmother Sophia, a tenant farmer born with the gift of prophecy who scraped together a life in Jim Crow Alabama; his mother, Laurie, who raised four kids alone in an era when single Black mothers were demonized as “welfare queens”; and a cast of family, friends, and neighbors who won small victories in a world built to swallow Black lives. With profound honesty and compassion, he raises questions that implicate us all: What does each person’s struggle to build a life teach us about what we owe each other? About what it means to be human?

*How Far to the Promised Land* is a thrilling and tender epic about being Black in America. It’s a book that questions our too-simple narratives about poverty and upward mobility; a book in which the people normally written out of the American Dream are given voice.
From the Publisher

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**John Barclay on Paul and divine gift-giving** Jul 28, 2023

John M. G. Barclay is Lightfoot Professor of Divinity at Durham University in England, one of the most highly regarded professorships in the theological world.

John is President of TRS-UK, the body that represents and coordinates all the Departments of Theology and Religion/Religious Studies in the UK, together with twelve subject associations. Out of the study, he enjoys cycling, music, and watching rugby. Having spent three sabbatical periods in New Zealand (where Dan, the editor of Seminary Dropout, is based), he is also a fan of their national rugby team, the All Blacks!

John is married to Diana, and they have three grown children.

In this book esteemed Pauline scholar John Barclay presents a strikingly fresh reading of grace in Paul’s theology, studying it in view of ancient notions of “gift” and shining new light on Paul’s relationship to Second Temple Judaism.

*Paul and the Gift* centers on divine gift-giving, which for Paul, Barclay says, is focused and fulfilled in the gift of Christ. He offers a new appraisal of Paul’s theology of the Christ-event as gift as it comes to expression in Galatians and Romans, and he presents a nuanced and detailed discussion of the history of reception of Paul. This exegetically responsible, theologically informed, hermeneutically useful book shows that a respectful, though not uncritical, reading of Paul contains resources that remain important for Christians today.
From the Publisher

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**Kyuboem Lee on the disruptions to Christian higher ed, especially theological education** May 12, 2023

Dr. Kyuboem “Kyu” Lee was born in Seoul, South Korea and raised in Nairobi, Kenya. He was educated in evangelical and reformed institutions in the US. He has lived, church planted, and ministered cross-culturally in Philadelphia since 1993. He has also taught urban mission at the graduate level since 2006, has edited the *Journal of Urban Mission* since 2010, and serves as a leading voice with Missio Alliance. Kyuboem is married to Christe and is the father of two sons, Amoz and Theo.

You can follow Kyuboem on Twitter, @kyuboem.

In this episode, Kyu and Shane talk all things seminary – from the challenges Christian higher-ed currently faces, to its importance for the local Church… and not shying away from the irony of appearing on a podcast hosted by someone who dropped out of seminary.

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**John Walton’s Wisdom for Faithfully Reading the Old Testament** Mar 31, 2023

John H. Walton is a professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College and Graduate School. Previously he was a professor of Old Testament at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago for twenty years.

Some of Walton’s books include *The Lost World of Adam and Eve*, *The Lost World of Scripture*, *The Lost World of Genesis One*, *Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament*, *The Essential Bible Companion*, *The NIV Application Commentary: Genesis*, and *The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament* (with Victor Matthews and Mark Chavalas).

Walton’s ministry experience includes church classes for all age groups, high school Bible studies, and adult Sunday school classes, as well as serving as a teacher for “The Bible in 90 Days.” John and his wife, Kim, live in Wheaton, Illinois, and have three adult children.

**The church has too often lost its way in reading the Old Testament for lack of sound principles of interpretation.** When careless habits get us off track, we can lose sight of what the Bible is really saying, derailing our own spiritual growth and even risking discredit to God’s word.

We need a consistent approach to give us confidence as faithful interpreters. In *Wisdom for Faithful Reading*, the trusted Old Testament scholar John Walton lays out his tried-and-true best practices developed over four decades in the classroom. His principles are memorable, practical, and enlightening, including:

The Bible is written for us, but not to us.

Reading the Bible instinctively is not reliable and risks imposing a foreign perspective on the text.

More important than what the characters do is what the narrator does with the characters and what God is doing through the characters.

Not everything has a “biblical view.”

Along with identifying common missteps, Walton’s insights point the way to stay focused on what the Old Testament text communicated to its original audience—and what it has to say for us today. When we submit ourselves to be accountable to the authors’ intentions we experience the true authority of Scripture, and faithful reading fuels a faithful life.

Using numerous examples across the breadth of the Old Testament and its genres, Walton equips thoughtful Christians to read more knowledgeably, to pay attention to God’s plans and purposes, to recognize good interpretations, and to truly live in light of Scripture. You may never read the Old Testament the same way again.
From the Publisher

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**Ben Sternke and Matt Tebbe on Having the Mind of Christ (and getting kids to eat vegetables)** Feb 03, 2023

Both Ben Sternke and Matt Tebbe have over two decades of Christian ministry experience and they’ve been coaching, consulting, and training leaders since 2010. Together, they co-founded Gravity Leadership, where they coach and consult pastors and ministry leaders worldwide in transformational leadership and discipleship.

Ben and Matt are co-pastors at The Table, an Anglican church in Indianapolis (which is where they both live with their families and dogs.

You can follow Ben on Twitter here, Matt on Twitter here, and visit Gravity Leadership’s website for details on coaching, workshops, and resources.

***“Why doesn’t the Christian life work like I thought it would?”***
While we often start with good intentions, it feels like real transformation is elusive at best, and maybe even impossible. We deeply want to live in the freedom that Christ offers, but we are acutely aware of the gap between a transformed life and our reality. Having the Mind of Christ tackles the issues of lasting life change.
When we feel some kind of inspiration or need to seek change in our lives, we start with behaviors: new to-dos, tactics, techniques, or spiritual disciplines that we hope will bring about the transformation we desire. While these behavioral changes can bear good results, they just as often fail to produce the lasting change we deeply desire. That’s because transformation requires more than a change in practice – it requires a change in paradigm.
Pastors Matt Tebbe and Ben Sternke share eight axioms that help reframe the way that we see God, ourselves, and others. By seeing through new lenses, we can open ourselves to the transformational change that God wants for our lives.
From the Publisher

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Nijay Gupta, Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary in Illinois. — **Nijay Gupta’s 15 Words of Life from the New Testament** Dec 02, 2022

Dr. Nijay Gupta teaches New Testament courses at Northern and working closely with the Master of Arts in New Testament and the Doctor in Ministry in New Testament Context cohorts.

Dr. Gupta has been teaching and writing for more than a decade, and currently serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the Bulletin for Biblical Research, Co-Editor of The Bible in God’s World series with Scot McKnight, and as a member of the Editorial Board of both Ex Auditu and and of the Biblical Interpretation Series.

He is a graduate of Miami of Ohio University, Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, and the University of Durham.

In 15 New Testament Words of Life, biblical scholar Nijay Gupta explores some of the most important New Testament words; familiar terms in the Christian vocabulary, but there are many who don’t know the original background and theological importance of these words, and how they can be life-giving for Christian faith and life today.
To access the deep meaning of these words in the theological vocabulary of the New Testament writers, Gupta discusses each word within a key text and interprets it in three contexts: Canonical—how the New Testament is grounded in the Old, Literary—the meaning developed within the key text, and Historical—the Jewish and Greco-Roman world of the first century.
For those first hearers of the gospel who chose to follow Jesus, these words were the words of life, and they can be once again for Jesus-followers in the modern world. With Gupta’s skilled guidance, readers will find their engagement with the New Testament revitalized as they begin to understand how these inspiring ancient words can still be captivating, thought-provoking, and worldview-shaping words for real life today.
– From the publisher

(Formerly In Faith & Doubt) Dr. AJ Swoboda and Dr. Nijay Gupta are co-hosts of Slow Theology: Simple Faith for Chaotic Times. Topics include Scripture, theology, and anything and everything under the sun that gives life meaning. Find the podcast here, or in your favourite podcast app.

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The cover of '15 New Testament Words of Life' by Nijay Gupta — **Nijay Gupta’s 15 Words of Life from the New Testament** Dec 02, 2022

Dr. Nijay Gupta teaches New Testament courses at Northern and working closely with the Master of Arts in New Testament and the Doctor in Ministry in New Testament Context cohorts.

Dr. Gupta has been teaching and writing for more than a decade, and currently serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the Bulletin for Biblical Research, Co-Editor of The Bible in God’s World series with Scot McKnight, and as a member of the Editorial Board of both Ex Auditu and and of the Biblical Interpretation Series.

He is a graduate of Miami of Ohio University, Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, and the University of Durham.

In 15 New Testament Words of Life, biblical scholar Nijay Gupta explores some of the most important New Testament words; familiar terms in the Christian vocabulary, but there are many who don’t know the original background and theological importance of these words, and how they can be life-giving for Christian faith and life today.
To access the deep meaning of these words in the theological vocabulary of the New Testament writers, Gupta discusses each word within a key text and interprets it in three contexts: Canonical—how the New Testament is grounded in the Old, Literary—the meaning developed within the key text, and Historical—the Jewish and Greco-Roman world of the first century.
For those first hearers of the gospel who chose to follow Jesus, these words were the words of life, and they can be once again for Jesus-followers in the modern world. With Gupta’s skilled guidance, readers will find their engagement with the New Testament revitalized as they begin to understand how these inspiring ancient words can still be captivating, thought-provoking, and worldview-shaping words for real life today.
– From the publisher

(Formerly In Faith & Doubt) Dr. AJ Swoboda and Dr. Nijay Gupta are co-hosts of Slow Theology: Simple Faith for Chaotic Times. Topics include Scripture, theology, and anything and everything under the sun that gives life meaning. Find the podcast here, or in your favourite podcast app.

Subscribe/Rate/Review Seminary Dropout on Apple Podcasts

Get 40% off Shane’s book *Go and Do: Nine Axioms on Peacemaking and Transformation From the Life of John Perkins*.

**Bonnie Kristian on the ‘Untrustworthy’ News Media** Nov 18, 2022

Bonnie is the author of *A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What It Means to Follow Jesus Today*. As a journalist, she writes opinion pieces on foreign policy, religion, electoral politics, and more. Her column, “The Lesser Kingdom,” appears in print and online at Christianity Today. She is a fellow at Defense Priorities, a foreign policy think tank, and her work has been published at outlets including The New York Times, The Week, USA Today, CNN, Politico, Reason, and The Daily Beast. A graduate of Bethel Seminary, she lives in Pittsburgh with her husband and twin sons.

Her new book, *Untrustworthy: The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting Our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community* is out now.

You can follow Bonnie on Twitter, and subscribe to her newsletter on Substack.

Which media outlets will help me be a responsible news consumer? How do I know what is true and whom I can trust? What can I do to combat all the misinformation and how it’s impacting people I love?
Many Americans are agonizing over questions such as these, feeling unsure and overwhelmed in today’s chaotic information environment.
American life and politics are suffering from a raging knowledge crisis, and the church is no exception. In *Untrustworthy*, Bonnie Kristian unpacks this crisis and explores ways to combat it in our own lives, families, and church communities.
Drawing from her extensive experience in journalism and her training as a theologian, Kristian explores social media, political and digital culture, online paranoia, and the press itself. She explains factors that contribute to our confusion and helps Christians pay attention to how we consume content and think about truth. Finally, she provides specific ways to take action, empowering readers to avoid succumbing to or fueling the knowledge crisis.
From the Publisher

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**Richard Hays’ Encouragement to Read with the Grain of Scripture** Mar 25, 2022
Richard Hays Duke Divinity School faculty

Richard B. Hays is internationally recognized for his work on the Gospels, the letters of Paul, and on New Testament ethics. His scholarly work has bridged the disciplines of biblical criticism and literary studies, exploring the innovative ways in which early Christian writers interpreted Israel’s Scripture. He has also consistently sought to demonstrate how close reading of the New Testament can inform the church’s theological reflection, proclamation, and ministry.

His book *The Moral Vision of the New Testament: Community, Cross, New Creation* was selected by Christianity Today as one of the 100 most important religious books of the twentieth century.

Dr Hays has lectured widely in North America, Europe, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Japan. An ordained United Methodist minister, he has preached in settings ranging from rural Oklahoma churches to London’s Westminster Abbey. Professor Hays has chaired the Pauline Epistles Section of the Society of Biblical Literature, as well as the Seminar on New Testament Ethics in the Society for New Testament Studies, and has served on the editorial boards of several leading scholarly journals.

*“All these essays illustrate, in one way or another, how I have sought to carry out scholarly work as an aspect of discipleship—as a process of faith seeking exegetical clarity.”*
Richard Hays has been a giant in the field of New Testament studies since the 1989 publication of his *Echoes of Scripture in the Letters of Paul*. His most significant essays of the past twenty-five years are now collected in this volume, representing the full fruition of major themes from his body of work:
– the importance of narrative as the “glue” that holds the Bible together
– the figural coherence between the Old and New Testaments
– the centrality of the resurrection of Jesus
– the hope for New Creation and God’s eschatological transformation of the world
– the importance of standing in trusting humility before the text
– the significance of reading Scripture within and for the community of faith
Readers will find themselves guided toward Hays’s “hermeneutic of trust” rather than the “hermeneutic of suspicion” that has loomed large in recent biblical studies. – From the Publisher

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**Engaging Ancient Christianity’s Global Identity with Vince Bantu** Mar 11, 2022

Dr. Vince Bantu (PhD in Semitic and Egyptian Languages, CUA) is the Ohene (President) of the Meachum School of Haymanot and is Assistant Professor of Church History and Black Church Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary. He is also the Ohene of the Society of Gospel Haymanot (SGH), an academic society of theological Gospelism—Afro-rooted theology committed to the universal Lordship of Jesus, biblical authority and the liberation of the oppressed. Vince, his wife Diana, and their daughters live and minister in St. Louis and they love to travel, watch movies and bust some spades.

You can follow Vince on Twitter.

**Christianity is not *becoming* a global religion. It has *always been* a global religion.** The early Christian movement spread from Jerusalem in every direction, taking on local cultural expression all around the ancient world. So why do so many people see Christianity as a primarily Western, white religion?
In *A Multitude of All Peoples*, Vince Bantu surveys the geographic range of the early church’s history, revealing an alternate, more accurate narrative to that of Christianity as a product of the Western world. He begins by investigating the historical roots of the Western cultural captivity of the church, from the conversion of Constantine to the rise of European Christian empires. He then shifts focus to the too-often-forgotten concurrent development of diverse expressions of Christianity across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
In the process, Bantu removes obstacles to contemporary missiological efforts. Focusing on the necessity for contextualization and indigenous leadership in effective Christian mission, he draws out practical lessons for intercultural communication of the gospel. Healing the wounds of racism, imperialism, and colonialism will be possible only with renewed attention to the marginalized voices of the historic global church. The full story of early Christianity makes clear that, as the apostle Peter said, “God does not show favoritism, but accepts those from every people who fear him and do what is right.” – From the Publisher

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**Aaron Niequist on Why Pastors, Priests, and Guides Deserve a Retreat** Feb 25, 2022

Aaron Niequist is a liturgist, writer, in New York City. After leading worship at Mars Hill Church (Grand Rapids, MI) and Willow Creek Church (Barrington, IL), Aaron created A New Liturgy- a collection of modern liturgical worship recordings. Shortly after, Aaron started a discipleship-focused, formational, ecumenical, practice-based community at Willow Creek called The Practice. Since writing ‘The Eternal Current: How a Practice-Based Faith Can Save Us from Drowning’, he’s continued to create resources to help us all flesh it out.

You can find Aaron’s book, music, and other resources on his website, and you can follow him on Twitter, @aaronieq.

This retreat is for exhausted spiritual leaders who are looking for holy space, godly spiritual guidance, and new personal practices.

Many of us spiritual leaders spend so much time helping others participate, that we miss out on the fullness of the invitation. In an attempt to help our communities live “unforced rhythms of grace”, we accidentally stumble into “forced rhythms of stress”. But it doesn’t have to be this way. It’s been said that “The way we do anything is the way we do everything”, and Jesus Christ humbly invites us to baptize our entire lives—even the work of ministry—into God’s deep streams of Life.

Learn more about the Pastors, Priests, and Guides Retreat here.

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**Kellye Fabian on Holy Vulnerability** Feb 04, 2022

Kellye Fabian serves at Willow Creek Community Church as the Pastor of Biblical Oversight & Support and is the author of *Holy Vulnerability: Spiritual Practices for the Broken, Ashamed, Anxious, and Afraid* and *Sacred Questions: A Transformative Journey Through the Bible*. A former trial attorney turned pastor, Kellye’s experiences have equipped her to work closely with people struggling and learning how to cope with hard things.

Kellye provides leadership, develops content, and fills various roles at Willow Creek, including teaching and leading the community through spiritual practices. Kellye also teaches spiritual discipline workshops.

Kellye has a Certificate of Spiritual Formation through the Transforming Center and a master of arts degree in New Testament from Northern Seminary. Kellye and her husband, Steve, have three daughters between them and live in the Chicago area.

You can read more of Kellye’s thoughts on her blog, and follow her on Twitter.

Life can seemingly be fine on the surface. But for any of us who scratch that surface, we recognize anxiety, shame, disappointment, and regret. And yet, in the depths of these feelings, in the things we hate about ourselves, others, and this world, we can invite God’s presence.
This is the essence of holy vulnerability. To enter into holy vulnerability is to intentionally expose our raw wounds so that God can heal and mend and transform us.
What happens when we refuse this depth of healing? Something that author Kellye Fabian calls “unholy leakage”—that thing that happens when we are afraid, ashamed, or anxious, and instead of facing the reality of what we’re experiencing, we just spill it on everyone around us. Where is anxiety occupying our hearts and minds? Where is fear hindering our relationships and limiting our faith and joy? Where is shame causing us to question our self-worth? Is there another way? Yes.
*Holy Vulnerability* unpacks six atypical, unexpected spiritual practices intended to open us to God’s healing and transformation. Through practices like laughter, community, and tangible engagement with creation, Kellye guides us to notice where brokenness is breaking into our lives. And as we intentionally seek God in the midst of these practices—as we step out in holy vulnerability—God will meet us there. – From the Publisher

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**Timothy Mackie and Jonathan Collins from BibleProject** Dec 04, 2021

Tim Mackie is a writer and creative director for BibleProject. He has a PhD in Semitic Languages and Biblical Studies. He wrote his dissertation on the manuscript history of the book of Ezekiel, with a focus on the Septuagint and Dead Sea Scrolls. He is a professor at Western Seminary and served as a teaching pastor for many years.

Jon Collins is a writer and creative director for BibleProject. He has a BA in Biblical Studies from Multnomah University (where he met Tim). Jon is a master of making complex ideas simple and has spent the last decade founding and leading digital media and marketing companies.

You can follow Tim on Twitter @timmackie and Jon is @jonpdx.

BibleProject is a nonprofit ed-tech organization and animation studio that produces 100% free Bible videos, podcasts, blogs, classes, and educational Bible resources to help make the biblical story accessible to everyone, everywhere.
From page one to the final word, we believe the Bible is a unified story that leads to Jesus. This diverse collection of ancient books overflows with wisdom for our modern world. As we let the biblical story speak for itself, we believe the message of Jesus will transform individuals and entire communities.
Many people have misunderstood the Bible as a collection of inspirational quotes or a divine instruction manual dropped from heaven. Most of us gravitate toward sections we enjoy while avoiding parts that are confusing or even disturbing.
Our Bible resources help people experience the Bible in a way that is approachable, engaging, and transformative. We do this by showcasing the literary art of the Scriptures and tracing the themes found in them from beginning to end. Rather than taking the stance of a specific tradition or denomination, we create materials to elevate the Bible for all people and draw our eyes to its unified message. – From BibleProject.com

You can follow The Bible Project on Twitter @bibleproject

I noticed my hair was getting thinner ever since I turned 27. It was too early to get bald, so I started taking Propecia from https://healthylombard.com/buy-propeciafinasteride-online/. This drug works awesome! Yes, it needs you to wait for improvements for months, but every day and every minute of your waiting is worth the result. My hair is thick again, and I look and feel like a healthy 32-year-old man.

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Beth Allison Barr - Anxious Bench — **Beth Allison Barr on Biblical Womanhood** Nov 19, 2021

Beth Allison Barr received her B.A. from Baylor University and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Medieval History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research focuses primarily on women and gender identity in late medieval England, how the advent of Protestantism affected women in Christianity, and medieval attitudes towards women in sermons across the Reformation era. Beth is the author of *The Pastoral Care of Women in Late Medieval England*, and is co-editor of *The Acts of the Apostles: Four Centuries of Baptist Interpretation*. She is currently working on her next book, Women in English Sermons, 1350-1700. She is also a regular contributor to The Anxious Bench, a religious history blog on Patheos. Beth has been very active in service to her discipline—serving as president of two historical societies (the Texas Medieval Association and the Conference on Faith and History), serving on the diversity committee and program committee for the American Society of Church History, serving on the sexual harassment committee for the Sixteenth Century Society, and serving as a board member for The Medieval Review (2015) and the Conference on Faith and History since 2013, as well as CFH program chair (2016) and Vice President (2016).

You can follow Beth on Twitter: @bethallisonbarr

Biblical womanhood–the belief that God designed women to be submissive wives, virtuous mothers, and joyful homemakers–pervades North American Christianity. From choices about careers to roles in local churches to relationship dynamics, this belief shapes the everyday lives of evangelical women. Yet biblical womanhood isn’t biblical, says Baylor University historian Beth Allison Barr. It arose from a series of clearly definable historical moments.
This book moves the conversation about biblical womanhood beyond Greek grammar and into the realm of church history–ancient, medieval, and modern–to show that this belief is not divinely ordained but a product of human civilization that continues to creep into the church. Barr’s historical insights provide context for contemporary teachings about women’s roles in the church and help move the conversation forward.
Interweaving her story as a Baptist pastor’s wife, Barr sheds light on the #ChurchToo movement and abuse scandals in Southern Baptist circles and the broader evangelical world, helping readers understand why biblical womanhood is more about human power structures than the message of Christ. – From the Publisher

In patients treated with high doses of Valtrex (over 4 g/day), caution is required during concurrent use of the drugs that compete with acyclovir for elimination, as it may increase plasma levels of one or both drugs or their metabolites. Concurrent administration of mycophenolate mofetil (an immunosuppressant medicine used after the transplant) increases the plasma levels of acyclovir and the inactive metabolite of mycophenolate mofetil. Read more on https://www.mcmedicalnj.com/valtrex.

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Get 40% off Shane’s book *Go and Do: Nine Axioms on Peacemaking and Transformation From the Life of John Perkins*.

The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth by Beth Allison Barr | Goodreads — **Beth Allison Barr on Biblical Womanhood** Nov 19, 2021

Beth Allison Barr received her B.A. from Baylor University and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Medieval History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research focuses primarily on women and gender identity in late medieval England, how the advent of Protestantism affected women in Christianity, and medieval attitudes towards women in sermons across the Reformation era. Beth is the author of *The Pastoral Care of Women in Late Medieval England*, and is co-editor of *The Acts of the Apostles: Four Centuries of Baptist Interpretation*. She is currently working on her next book, Women in English Sermons, 1350-1700. She is also a regular contributor to The Anxious Bench, a religious history blog on Patheos. Beth has been very active in service to her discipline—serving as president of two historical societies (the Texas Medieval Association and the Conference on Faith and History), serving on the diversity committee and program committee for the American Society of Church History, serving on the sexual harassment committee for the Sixteenth Century Society, and serving as a board member for The Medieval Review (2015) and the Conference on Faith and History since 2013, as well as CFH program chair (2016) and Vice President (2016).

You can follow Beth on Twitter: @bethallisonbarr

Biblical womanhood–the belief that God designed women to be submissive wives, virtuous mothers, and joyful homemakers–pervades North American Christianity. From choices about careers to roles in local churches to relationship dynamics, this belief shapes the everyday lives of evangelical women. Yet biblical womanhood isn’t biblical, says Baylor University historian Beth Allison Barr. It arose from a series of clearly definable historical moments.
This book moves the conversation about biblical womanhood beyond Greek grammar and into the realm of church history–ancient, medieval, and modern–to show that this belief is not divinely ordained but a product of human civilization that continues to creep into the church. Barr’s historical insights provide context for contemporary teachings about women’s roles in the church and help move the conversation forward.
Interweaving her story as a Baptist pastor’s wife, Barr sheds light on the #ChurchToo movement and abuse scandals in Southern Baptist circles and the broader evangelical world, helping readers understand why biblical womanhood is more about human power structures than the message of Christ. – From the Publisher

In patients treated with high doses of Valtrex (over 4 g/day), caution is required during concurrent use of the drugs that compete with acyclovir for elimination, as it may increase plasma levels of one or both drugs or their metabolites. Concurrent administration of mycophenolate mofetil (an immunosuppressant medicine used after the transplant) increases the plasma levels of acyclovir and the inactive metabolite of mycophenolate mofetil. Read more on https://www.mcmedicalnj.com/valtrex.

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Get 40% off Shane’s book *Go and Do: Nine Axioms on Peacemaking and Transformation From the Life of John Perkins*.

**Seven Things Mike Bird Wishes Christians Knew about the Bible** Nov 05, 2021

Michael grew up in Brisbane before joining the Army and serving as a paratrooper, intelligence operator, and then chaplains assistant. It was during his time in the military that he came to faith from a non-Christian background, and soon after felt a call to ministry. Michael describes himself as a “biblical theologian” who endeavours to bring together biblical studies and systematic theology. He believes that the purpose of the church is to “gospelize,” that is to preach, promote, and practise the Gospel-story of the Lord Jesus Christ. Remembered by his students for his mix of outlandish humour and intellectual rigor, he makes theology both entertaining and challenging. As an industrious researcher, Michael has written and edited over thirty books in the fields of Septuagint, Historical Jesus, the Gospels, St Paul, Biblical Theology, and Systematic Theology. He also runs a popular blog called Euangelion.

You can follow Mike on Twitter: @mbird12

*Seven Things I Wish Christians Knew about the Bible* is a short and readable introduction to the Bible–its origins, interpretation, truthfulness, and authority. Bible scholar, prolific author, and Anglican minister Michael Bird helps Christians understand seven important “things” about this unique book. *Seven Things* presents a clear and understandable evangelical account of the Bible’s inspiration, canonization, significance, and relevance in a way that is irenic and compelling. It is a must-read for any serious Bible reader who desires an informed and mature view of the Bible that will enrich their faith. – From the Publisher

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Get 40% off Shane’s book *Go and Do: Nine Axioms on Peacemaking and Transformation From the Life of John Perkins*.

*JohnDickson-25.jpg — **John Dickson and the Bullies and Saints of Christian History** Oct 22, 2021

Dr John Dickson thinks, writes, and speaks. Starting out as a singer-songwriter, he now works as an author, academic, and media presenter. In 2007 he co-founded (with Dr Greg Clarke) the Centre for Public Christianity, and has published 18 books and three TV documentaries. He teaches ‘Historical Jesus’ at the University of Sydney, and is a Visiting Academic (2016-2021) in the Faculty of Classics at the University of Oxford. In 2019 he was appointed Distinguished Fellow and Senior Lecturer in Public Christianity at Ridley College, Melbourne. In all that he does, whether in the media or the church, creative or academic, he strives to be a public advocate for the Christian faith. His podcast Undeceptions seeks to promote clarity about Christianity in doubting times. Having lost his father in a plane crash at 9, John is sympathetic to the sorrows and questions of our world and values his wife and three children above all other gifts of this life.

You can follow John on Twitter: @JohnPaulDickson, and on Instagram: @JohnPaulDickson.

Is religion a pernicious force in the world? Does it poison everything? Would we be better off without religion in general and Christianity in particular? Many think so.But the critics are only partly right: this is not what Christianity was at its foundation or on its best days. Jesus of Nazareth gave the world a beautiful melody – of charity, humility, and human dignity – and while many of its followers have been tone-deaf, many others have sung the tune and transformed the world. Dickson provides an honest account of the mixed history of Christianity and asks skeptics to listen again to the melody of Christ, despite the discord produced by too many unbelievers. He also asks Christians to reflect soberly on their own participation in the tragic inconsistencies of Christendom and pleads with them to live in tune with their Maestro. – From the Publisher

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**John Dickson and the Bullies and Saints of Christian History** Oct 22, 2021

Dr John Dickson thinks, writes, and speaks. Starting out as a singer-songwriter, he now works as an author, academic, and media presenter. In 2007 he co-founded (with Dr Greg Clarke) the Centre for Public Christianity, and has published 18 books and three TV documentaries. He teaches ‘Historical Jesus’ at the University of Sydney, and is a Visiting Academic (2016-2021) in the Faculty of Classics at the University of Oxford. In 2019 he was appointed Distinguished Fellow and Senior Lecturer in Public Christianity at Ridley College, Melbourne. In all that he does, whether in the media or the church, creative or academic, he strives to be a public advocate for the Christian faith. His podcast Undeceptions seeks to promote clarity about Christianity in doubting times. Having lost his father in a plane crash at 9, John is sympathetic to the sorrows and questions of our world and values his wife and three children above all other gifts of this life.

You can follow John on Twitter: @JohnPaulDickson, and on Instagram: @JohnPaulDickson.

Is religion a pernicious force in the world? Does it poison everything? Would we be better off without religion in general and Christianity in particular? Many think so.But the critics are only partly right: this is not what Christianity was at its foundation or on its best days. Jesus of Nazareth gave the world a beautiful melody – of charity, humility, and human dignity – and while many of its followers have been tone-deaf, many others have sung the tune and transformed the world. Dickson provides an honest account of the mixed history of Christianity and asks skeptics to listen again to the melody of Christ, despite the discord produced by too many unbelievers. He also asks Christians to reflect soberly on their own participation in the tragic inconsistencies of Christendom and pleads with them to live in tune with their Maestro. – From the Publisher

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**Dominique Gilliard and Scripture’s Call to Leverage Privilege** Oct 08, 2021

Dominique DuBois Gilliard is the Director of Racial Righteousness and Reconciliation for the Love Mercy Do Justice (LMDJ) initiative of the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC). He is the author of Rethinking Incarceration: Advocating for Justice that Restores, which won the 2018 Book of the Year Award for InterVarsity Press. Gilliard also serves on the board of directors for the Christian Community Development Association and Evangelicals for Justice. In 2015, he was selected as one of the ECC’s “40 Under 40” leaders to watch, and HuffPost named him one of the “Black Christian Leaders Changing the World.”

An ordained minister, Gilliard has served in pastoral ministry in Atlanta, Chicago, and Oakland. He was executive pastor of New Hope Covenant Church in Oakland, California and also served in Oakland as the associate pastor of Convergence Covenant Church. He was also a campus minister at North Park University and the racial righteousness director for ECC’s ministry initiatives in the Pacific Southwest Conference.

Dominique earned a bachelor’s degree in African American Studies from Georgia State University and a master’s degree in history from East Tennessee State University, with an emphasis on race, gender, and class in the United States. He also earned an MDiv from North Park Seminary, where he served as an adjunct professor teaching Christian ethics, theology, and reconciliation.

You can follow Dominique on Twitter: @DDGilliard, and on Instagram: @dominiquedgilliard.

Privilege is a social consequence of our unwillingness to reckon with and turn from sin. But properly stewarded, it can help us see and participate in God’s inbreaking kingdom. Scripture repeatedly affirms that privilege is real and declares that, rather than exploiting it for selfish gain or feeling immobilized by it, Christians have a responsibility to leverage it.
*Subversive Witness* asks us to grapple with privilege, indifference, and systemic sin in new ways by using biblical examples to reveal the complex nature of privilege and Christians’ responsibility in stewarding it well. – From the Publisher

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**Dominique Gilliard and Scripture’s Call to Leverage Privilege** Oct 08, 2021

Dominique DuBois Gilliard is the Director of Racial Righteousness and Reconciliation for the Love Mercy Do Justice (LMDJ) initiative of the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC). He is the author of Rethinking Incarceration: Advocating for Justice that Restores, which won the 2018 Book of the Year Award for InterVarsity Press. Gilliard also serves on the board of directors for the Christian Community Development Association and Evangelicals for Justice. In 2015, he was selected as one of the ECC’s “40 Under 40” leaders to watch, and HuffPost named him one of the “Black Christian Leaders Changing the World.”

An ordained minister, Gilliard has served in pastoral ministry in Atlanta, Chicago, and Oakland. He was executive pastor of New Hope Covenant Church in Oakland, California and also served in Oakland as the associate pastor of Convergence Covenant Church. He was also a campus minister at North Park University and the racial righteousness director for ECC’s ministry initiatives in the Pacific Southwest Conference.

Dominique earned a bachelor’s degree in African American Studies from Georgia State University and a master’s degree in history from East Tennessee State University, with an emphasis on race, gender, and class in the United States. He also earned an MDiv from North Park Seminary, where he served as an adjunct professor teaching Christian ethics, theology, and reconciliation.

You can follow Dominique on Twitter: @DDGilliard, and on Instagram: @dominiquedgilliard.

Privilege is a social consequence of our unwillingness to reckon with and turn from sin. But properly stewarded, it can help us see and participate in God’s inbreaking kingdom. Scripture repeatedly affirms that privilege is real and declares that, rather than exploiting it for selfish gain or feeling immobilized by it, Christians have a responsibility to leverage it.
*Subversive Witness* asks us to grapple with privilege, indifference, and systemic sin in new ways by using biblical examples to reveal the complex nature of privilege and Christians’ responsibility in stewarding it well. – From the Publisher

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**Nijay Gupta On What’s New in New Testaments Studies, Also BBQ** Jun 18, 2021

Dr. Nijay Gupta teaches New Testament courses at Northern and working closely with the Master of Arts in New Testament and the Doctor in Ministry in New Testament Context cohorts.

Dr. Gupta has been teaching for more than a decade, is the author of the recent important study, Paul and the Language of Faith, and will be publishing a handful of books in 2020.

He currently serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the Bulletin for Biblical Research, Co-Editor of The Bible in God’s World series with Scot McKnight, and as a member of the Editorial Board of both Ex Auditu and and of the Biblical Interpretation Series.

He is a graduate of Miami of Ohio University, Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, and the University of Durham.

This accessible and balanced introduction helps readers sort out key views on the most important debated issues in New Testament studies. Well-known New Testament scholar Nijay Gupta fairly presents the spectrum of viewpoints on thirteen topics and offers reflections on why scholars disagree on these matters. Written to be accessible to students and readers without advanced training in New Testament studies, this book will serve as an excellent supplementary text for New Testament introduction courses. -From the Publisher

This book surveys the current landscape of New Testament studies, offering readers a concise guide to contemporary discussions. Bringing together a diverse group of experts, it covers research on the most important issues in New Testament studies, including new discipline areas, making it an ideal supplemental textbook for a variety of courses on the New Testament. Michael Bird, David Capes, Greg Carey, Lynn Cohick, Dennis Edwards, Michael Gorman, and Abson Joseph are among the contributors. -From the Publisher

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**224 – The Best Leadership Book I’ve Ever Read, And It’s Author, Steve Cuss** Jun 11, 2021

**Steve Cuss** am a published Author of the book **Managing Leadership Anxiety- Yours & Theirs** and your host on the **Managing Anxiety Podcast.** I love leaders, and I see how much pressure they carry. My particular concern is to bring relief by equipping them with tools for individual and team health. I especially enjoy helping leaders break long stuck patterns in themselves and their organizations.

You Can Learn to Handle the Onslaught of Internal and External Pressures
Does anxiety get in the way of your ability to be an effective leader? Is your inability to notice when you and those around you are anxious keeping you “stuck” in chronic unhealthy patterns? In Managing Leadership Anxiety, pastor and spiritual growth expert Steve Cuss offers powerful tools to help you move from being managed by anxiety to managing anxiety.
You’ll develop the capacity to notice your anxiety and your group’s anxiety. You will increase your sensitivity to the way groups develop systemic anxiety that keeps them trapped. Your personal self-awareness will increase as you learn how self gets in the way of identifying and addressing issues.
Managing Leadership Anxiety offers valuable principles to those who are hungry to understand the source of the anxiety in themselves and in the people with whom they relate. Readers will be empowered to take back control of their lives and lead in mature and vibrant ways. -From the Publisher

I started buying medicines on (https://www.mcmedicalnj.com/prednisone) after the pandemic began. At first, it was a way to stay safe. But now, I can’t imagine myself going to a regular drugstore. Ordering medicines online turned out to be so convenient and easy that I wouldn’t change anything. Domain.com has proven many times that it’s worth my trust, and I appreciate that.

**223 – Emotionally Healthy Discipleship with Pete Scazzero** May 28, 2021

**Pete Scazzero**, after leading New Life Fellowship Church for 26 years, co-founded Emotionally Healthy Discipleship, a groundbreaking ministry that moves the church forward by slowing the church down in order to multiply deeply changed leaders and disciples.

Pete hosts the top-ranked Emotionally Healthy Leader podcast and is the author of a number of bestselling books, including The Emotionally Healthy Leader and Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. Pete and his wife Geri also developed The Emotionally Healthy Discipleship Course (Part 1 and 2), a powerful resource that moves people from a shallow to a deep relationship with Jesus.

For more information, visit emotionallyhealthy.org or connect with Pete on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram @petescazzero. Check out The Emotionally Healthy Leaders podcast here.

After being diagnosed as an epileptic, very few medications aid in warding off my seizures as Klonopin has. (https://www.glowdentaldallas.com/dental-services/clonazepam/) explained the positive and beneficial nature of Klonopin compared to other anticonvulsant medications in the benzodiazepine family. My primary care physician explained the possible side effects, but I rarely witnessed any other than the occasional drowsiness. Klonopin is a slam dunk, and it helps me live a normal life.

Pete and Geri remain vital members of New Life Fellowship Church in Queens, NY.

Many churches invest endless time and resources into discipleship, yet these efforts often do not produce deeply transformed disciples. Why? By exploring the systemic gaps that undermine effective growth and change, Peter Scazzero unpacks seven biblical themes to offer a clear vision of an emotionally healthy discipleship culture that will reshape the world. -From the Publisher

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**221 – Chris Rice, on Reconciling All Things, Living with Spencer Perkins, and Working at the UN** Apr 23, 2021

This week on Seminary Dropout…

Chris Rice has helped give birth to pioneering initiatives to renew Christian life and mission and to address social division in the U.S., East Africa, and Northeast Asia. His three award-winning books are Reconciling All Things (co-authored with Emmanuel Katongole), the memoir Grace Matters, and More Than Equals: Racial Healing for the Sake of the Gospel (co-authored with Spencer Perkins). His writing has appeared in Sojourners, Christianity Today, and the Christian Century.

Chris currently serves as Director of the Mennonite Central Committee United Nations Office in New York City.

Follow Chris on his blog at reconcilers.wordpress.com.

Chris’ books mentioned in this episode:

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**221 – Chris Rice, on Reconciling All Things, Living with Spencer Perkins, and Working at the UN** Apr 23, 2021

This week on Seminary Dropout…

Chris Rice has helped give birth to pioneering initiatives to renew Christian life and mission and to address social division in the U.S., East Africa, and Northeast Asia. His three award-winning books are Reconciling All Things (co-authored with Emmanuel Katongole), the memoir Grace Matters, and More Than Equals: Racial Healing for the Sake of the Gospel (co-authored with Spencer Perkins). His writing has appeared in Sojourners, Christianity Today, and the Christian Century.

Chris currently serves as Director of the Mennonite Central Committee United Nations Office in New York City.

Follow Chris on his blog at reconcilers.wordpress.com.

Chris’ books mentioned in this episode:

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**220 – After Doubt: How to Question Your Faith Without Losing it, with A.J. Swoboda** Apr 03, 2021
This week on Seminary Dropout…

A. J. Swoboda (PhD, University of Birmingham) is assistant professor of Bible, theology, and world Christianity at Bushnell University in Eugene, Oregon, and leads a Doctor of Ministry cohort on the Holy Spirit and leadership at Fuller Theological Seminary. He is the author or editor of numerous books, including Subversive Sabbath, winner of a Christianity Today Book Award (Spiritual Formation) and an Award of Merit for CT’s Beautiful Orthodoxy Book of the Year. He speaks regularly at conferences, churches, camps, and retreats. Swoboda served for ten years as the lead pastor at Theophilus Church in urban Portland, is the founder and former director of Blessed Earth Northwest, and served as executive director of the Seminary Stewardship Alliance.

Check out his new podcast with previous Seminary Dropout guest Nijay Gupta, called In Faith and Doubt.

Follow A.J. on his website and on twitter.

Is there a way to walk faithfully through doubt and come out the other side with a deeper love for Jesus, the church, and its tradition? Can we question our faith without losing it?

Award-winning author, pastor, and professor A. J. Swoboda has witnessed many young people wrestle with their core Christian beliefs. Too often, what begins as a set of critical and important questions turns to resentment and faith abandonment. Unfortunately, the church has largely ignored its task of serving people along their journey of questioning. The local church must walk alongside those who are deconstructing their faith and show them how to reconstruct it.

Drawing on his own experience of deconstruction, Swoboda offers tools to help emerging adults navigate their faith in a hostile landscape. Doubt is a part of our natural spiritual journey, says Swoboda, and deconstruction is a legitimate space to encounter the living God.

After Doubt offers a hopeful, practical vision of spiritual formation for those in the process of faith deconstruction and those who serve them. Foreword by pastor and author John Mark Comer. *-From the Publisher*

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218: NT Wright on American Politics, and His Newest Book “Broken Signposts: How Christianity Makes Sense of the World” Nov 03, 2020

**218 – Marlena Graves, On Laying Down Our Lives For Others During a Trump Administration** Jun 13, 2020
This Week on Seminary Dropout…

Marlena Graves is a writer and adjunct professor. Marlena holds an MDiv from Northeastern Seminary in Rochester, New York, and is a graduate of the Renovaré Institute. She has been a bylined writer for Christianity Today, (in)courage, womenleaders.com, and Our Daily Bread, and she is also the author of A Beautiful Disaster. She lives with her husband and three daughters in Toledo, Ohio.

Follow Marlena at marlenagraves.com

“Now, with God’s help, I shall become myself.” These words from Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard resonate deeply with Marlena Graves, a Puerto Rican writer, professor, and activist. In these pages she describes the process of emptying herself that allows her to move upward toward God and become the true self that God calls her to. Drawing on the rich traditions of Eastern and Western Christian saints, she shares stories and insights that have enlivened her transformation. For Marlena, formation and justice always intertwine on the path to a balanced life of both action and contemplation. If you long for more of God, this book offers a time-honored path to deeper life. -From the Publisher

Also mentioned on the podcast:

Two Years Later, Families Are Still Being Separated

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**217 – Real Life Epidemiologist, Dr. Emily Smith Answers Our Covid 19 Questions.** May 08, 2020
This Week on Seminary Dropout…

Emily Smith, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences at Baylor University, is an adjunct assistant professor at DGHI. Her research interests include global surgery, health systems strengthening in low-income countries, capacity building and surgical service scale-up modeling. Currently, her research takes place in Uganda, Nigeria, Somaliland and Latin America.

Before joining the faculty at Baylor, Dr. Smith was a research scholar at DGHI for two years. Prior to DGHI, her work at the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) involved utilizing epidemiological methods, mathematical modeling techniques and cost-effectiveness research to determine effectiveness of various testing strategies among HIV exposed infants in sub-Saharan Africa. During her time at Scott & White Healthcare in Temple, Texas, she worked to develop, implement, and evaluate models of caregivers of family members with Alzheimers or dementia.

Dr. Smith received her PhD in epidemiology from the Gillings School of Public Health at UNC-CH and an MSPH from the University of South Carolina.

(https://www.mcmedicalnj.com/adderall) changed my attitude to online drug purchases. I used to be skeptical about the quality of the medicines sold online, but after the lockdown, I understood I was wrong. During all that time, I’ve been buying drugs there, and there has never been a case when I received the wrong or fake medication. Thanks, domain.com, for opening my eyes!

Follow Emily on her Facebook page: facebook.com/friendlyneighborepidemiologist/

Other Experts Emily is Following:

Dr. Anthony Fauci – all things COVID
Dr. Sanjay Gupta – all things COVID
Dr. Ralph Baric – COVID treatment (the big treatment in the news is in his lab!. Emily knows Dr. Baric personally.)
Dr. Peter Hotez – COVID vaccine (Emily also knows Dr. Hotez personally.)

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**216 – Are Christians Supposed to be Pacifists? With Ron Sider.** Apr 24, 2020
This Week on Seminary Dropout…

Ronald J. Sider, whose book *Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger* has been called one of the top 100 books in religion in the twentieth century, is a well-known evangelical speaker, writer, and editor. Holding a PhD in history from Yale University, Ron Sider is president of Evangelicals for Social Action, director of the Sider Center on Ministry and Public Policy, and a professor at Palmer Theological Seminary. He is also a contributing editor of *Christianity Today* and an ordained minister in the Mennonite and Brethren in Christ churches. Sider has written more than thirty books, including *Christ and Violence, Living Like Jesus, Just Politics, Just Generosity, The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience,* and *I Am Not a Social Activist.* Ron Sider lives with his wife Arbutus in Lansdale, Pennsylvania.

Follow Ron on his blog ronsiderblog.substack.com.

” What does Jesus have to say about violence, just war, and killing? Does Jesus ever want his disciples to kill in order to resist evil and promote peace and justice? This book by noted theologian and bestselling author Ronald J. Sider provides a career capstone statement on biblical peacemaking. Sider makes a strong case for the view that Jesus calls his disciples to love, and never kill, their enemies. He explains that there are never only two options: to kill or to do nothing in the face of tyranny and brutality. There is always a third possibility: vigorous, nonviolent resistance. If we believe that Jesus is Lord, then we disobey him when we set aside what he taught about killing and ignore his command to love our enemies. This thorough, comprehensive treatment of a topic of perennial concern vigorously engages with the just war tradition and issues a challenge to all Christians, especially evangelicals, to engage in biblical peacemaking. The book includes a foreword by Stanley Hauerwas.” -From the Publisher

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**215 – Cyd & Jeff Holsclaw On Their New Book “Does God Really Like Me?: Discovering the God Who Wants to Be With Us”** Jan 31, 2020
This Week on Seminary Dropout…

Cyd Holsclaw is a pastor at Vineyard North in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as well as a ministry and life coach and spiritual director.

Geoff Holsclaw (PhD, Marquette University) is also a pastor at Vineyard North, as well as affiliate professor of theology at Northern Seminary in Lisle, Illinois, and coauthor of Prodigal Christianity.

“I guess I believe that God loves me. But does he like me?” We all know what it’s like to feel overlooked, disconnected, and ashamed. We might believe in God’s love in the abstract, but we often live our lives without experiencing it in any deep or lasting way. Pastors Cyd and Geoff Holsclaw understand this―indeed, they’ve felt it themselves. In this warm, engaging book, they explain from the story of Scripture that God not only likes us and wants to be with us, he also wants to work through us to bless the whole world. Filled with personal stories and simple, clear teaching from the Bible, Does God Really Like Me? applies the good news of the gospel to the shame and disconnection that we all experience in our everyday lives. God wants to be with us―we belong in his presence. And from that place of belonging, we can bless the whole world with the message of God’s love.
-From the Publisher

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**214 – Matthew Bates, Author of “Gospel Allegiance”. Do We Even Know What the Gospel Is?!** Jan 17, 2020
This Week on Seminary Dropout…

Matthew W. Bates (PhD, University of Notre Dame) is associate professor of theology at Quincy University in Quincy, Illinois. He is the author of Salvation by Allegiance Alone, named the Jesus Creed 2017 Book of the Year and one of the Best Books of 2017 by Englewood Review of Books. He has also written The Birth of the Trinity and The Hermeneutics of the Apostolic Proclamation. Bates is cofounder and cohost of the popular OnScript podcast.

Is faith in Jesus enough for salvation? Perhaps, says Matthew Bates, but we’re missing pieces of the gospel. The biblical gospel can never change. Yet our understanding of the gospel must change. The church needs an allegiance shift. Popular pastoral resources on the gospel are causing widespread confusion. Bates shows that the biblical gospel is different, fuller, and more beautiful than we have been led to believe. He explains that saving faith doesn’t come through trust in Jesus’s death on the cross alone but through allegiance to Christ the king. There is only one true gospel and one required response: allegiance. Bates ignited conversation with his successful and influential book Salvation by Allegiance Alone. Here he goes deeper while making his acclaimed teaching on salvation more accessible and experiential for believers who want to better understand and share the gospel. Gospel Allegiance includes a guide for further conversation, making it ideal for church groups, pastors, leaders, and students. -From the Publisher

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**213 – Noemi Vega Quiñones, Co-Author of ‘Hermanas: Deepening Our Identity and Growing Our Influence’** Dec 17, 2019
This Week on Seminary Dropout…

LIVE from the Christian Community Development Association in Dallas, Texas!

Noemi Vega Quiñones leads as the South Texas area ministry director for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. She moved with her family from Mexico to the United States when she was five and grew up in the central coast of California. She has been an adjunct professor at Fresno Pacific University Biblical Seminary and has written for The Well and The High Calling.

**God calls Latinas to lives of influence.** He created his Latina daughters to partner with him, live into the incredible plans he has for each of us, and walk in his grace and strength to help change this world. But many of us have heard cultural messages that make us doubt our adequacy. We have not seen many Latina women in positions of leadership, and we need more mentors and role models. Natalia Kohn, Noemi Vega Quiñones, and Kristy Garza Robinson share their own journeys as Latinas and leaders. They find mentorship in twelve inspirational women of the Bible including Esther, Rahab, Mary, and Lydia, who navigated challenges of brokenness and suffering, being bicultural, and crossing borders. As we deepen our spiritual and ethnic identities, we grow in intimacy with God and others and become better equipped to influence others for the kingdom. The insights here will help any who seek to empower Latinas in leadership. You are not alone on this journey. Join your sisters and partner with our heavenly Father as you become the Latina leader God has called you to be. -From the Publisher

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**212 – N.T. Wright on The New Testament in Its World: An Introduction to the History, Literature, and Theology of the First Christians** Nov 19, 2019
This Week on Seminary Dropout…

N. T. Wright is the Chair of New Testament and Early Christianity at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He is the award-winning author of many books, including After You Believe, Surprised by Hope, Simply Christian, The Challenge of Jesus, and The Meaning of Jesus (coauthored with Marcus Borg), as well as the series Christian Origins and the Question of God.

**Finally: an introduction that captures the excitement of the early Christians, helping today’s readers to think like a first-century believer while reading the text responsibly for today.***The New Testament in Its World* is your passageway from the twenty-first century to the era of Jesus and the first Christians. A highly-readable, one-volume introduction placing the entire New Testament and early Christianity in its original context, it is the only such work by distinguished scholar and author N. T. (Tom) Wright. An ideal guide for students, *The New Testament in Its World* addresses the many difficult questions faced by those studying early Christianity. Both large and small, these questions include:

What is the purpose of the New Testament?
What was the first-century understanding of the kingdom?
What is the real meaning of the resurrection in its original context?
What really were the Gospels?
Who was Paul and why are his letters so controversial?
As twenty-first-century people, how do we recover the excitement of what it was like to live as Christians in the first or second centuries?

In short, *The New Testament in Its World* brings together decades of ground-breaking research, writing, and teaching into one volume that will open readers’ eyes to the larger world of the New Testament. It presents the New Testament books as historical, literary, and social phenomena located in the world of Second Temple Judaism, amidst Greco-Roman politics and culture, and within early Christianity. Written for both classroom and personal use, the benefits of *The New Testament in Its World* include:

A distillation of the life work of N. T. Wright on the New Testament with input from Michael Bird
Historical context that situates Jesus and the early church within the history, culture, and religion of Second Temple Judaism and the Greco-Roman world
Major sections on the historical Jesus, the resurrection of Jesus, and Paul’s chronology and theology
Surveys of each New Testament book that discuss their significance, critical topics like authorship and date, and that provide commentary on contents along with implications for the Christian life
Up-to-date discussions of textual criticism and the canonization of the New Testament
A concluding chapter dedicated to living the story of the New Testament
Available Video and Workbook companion resources to enhance learning and experience the world of the New Testament
Illustrated with visually rich pictures, maps, charts, diagrams, and artwork; plentiful sidebars provide additional explanations and insights

-From the Publisher

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Image result for nt wright book, the new testament and its world — **212 – N.T. Wright on The New Testament in Its World: An Introduction to the History, Literature, and Theology of the First Christians** Nov 19, 2019
This Week on Seminary Dropout…

N. T. Wright is the Chair of New Testament and Early Christianity at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He is the award-winning author of many books, including After You Believe, Surprised by Hope, Simply Christian, The Challenge of Jesus, and The Meaning of Jesus (coauthored with Marcus Borg), as well as the series Christian Origins and the Question of God.

**Finally: an introduction that captures the excitement of the early Christians, helping today’s readers to think like a first-century believer while reading the text responsibly for today.***The New Testament in Its World* is your passageway from the twenty-first century to the era of Jesus and the first Christians. A highly-readable, one-volume introduction placing the entire New Testament and early Christianity in its original context, it is the only such work by distinguished scholar and author N. T. (Tom) Wright. An ideal guide for students, *The New Testament in Its World* addresses the many difficult questions faced by those studying early Christianity. Both large and small, these questions include:

What is the purpose of the New Testament?
What was the first-century understanding of the kingdom?
What is the real meaning of the resurrection in its original context?
What really were the Gospels?
Who was Paul and why are his letters so controversial?
As twenty-first-century people, how do we recover the excitement of what it was like to live as Christians in the first or second centuries?

In short, *The New Testament in Its World* brings together decades of ground-breaking research, writing, and teaching into one volume that will open readers’ eyes to the larger world of the New Testament. It presents the New Testament books as historical, literary, and social phenomena located in the world of Second Temple Judaism, amidst Greco-Roman politics and culture, and within early Christianity. Written for both classroom and personal use, the benefits of *The New Testament in Its World* include:

A distillation of the life work of N. T. Wright on the New Testament with input from Michael Bird
Historical context that situates Jesus and the early church within the history, culture, and religion of Second Temple Judaism and the Greco-Roman world
Major sections on the historical Jesus, the resurrection of Jesus, and Paul’s chronology and theology
Surveys of each New Testament book that discuss their significance, critical topics like authorship and date, and that provide commentary on contents along with implications for the Christian life
Up-to-date discussions of textual criticism and the canonization of the New Testament
A concluding chapter dedicated to living the story of the New Testament
Available Video and Workbook companion resources to enhance learning and experience the world of the New Testament
Illustrated with visually rich pictures, maps, charts, diagrams, and artwork; plentiful sidebars provide additional explanations and insights

-From the Publisher

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**211 – Gena Thomas, Author of Separated by the Border: A Birth Mother, a Foster Mother, and a Migrant Child’s 3,000-Mile Journey** Oct 29, 2019
This Week on Seminary Dropout…

Gena Thomas is a writer and speaker who works at a nonprofit that empowers others through holistic development. She served as a missionary in northern Mexico for four years, holds a master’s degree in international development, and is the author of A Smoldering Wick: Igniting Missions Work with Sustainable Practices. She lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with her husband, Andrew, and their two children.

In 2017 five-year-old Julia traveled with her mother, Guadalupe, from Honduras to the United States. Her harrowing journey took her through Mexico in the cargo section of a tractor trailer. Then she was separated from her mother, who was held hostage by smugglers who exploited her physically and financially. At the United States border, Julia came through the processing center as an unaccompanied minor after being separated from her stepdad who was deported. Gena Thomas tells the story of how Julia came to the United States, what she experienced in the system, and what it took to reunite her with her family. A Spanish-speaking former missionary, Gena became Julia’s foster mother and witnessed firsthand the ways migrant children experience trauma. Weaving together the stories of birth mother and foster mother, this book shows the human face of the immigrant and refugee, the challenges of the immigration and foster care systems, and the tenacious power of motherly love. -From the Publisher

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**210 – Latasha Morrison, Author and Founder of Be The Bridge, on Why the Church is Sometimes the Hardest Place for People of Color** Oct 15, 2019
This Week on Seminary Dropout…

Latasha Morrison is a bridge-builder, reconciler, and a compelling voice in the fight for racial justice. Ebony magazine recognized her as one of their 2017 Power 100 for her work as a community crusader. Tasha has spoken across the country at events that include: IF:Gathering, Justice Conference, Youth Specialties, Catalyst, Orange Conference, MOPS International and many others. A native of North Carolina, Tasha earned degrees in human development and business leadership. In 2016 she founded Be the Bridge to inspire and equip ambassadors of racial reconciliation. In addition to equipping more than 1,000 sub-groups across five countries, Be the Bridge hosts a closed, moderated online community of bridge-builders on Facebook with more than 20,000 members.

Find a Be The Bridge Chapter

Click the Image to Buy the Book!

A leading advocate for racial reconciliation offers a clarion call for Christians to move toward relationship and deeper understanding in the midst of a divisive culture.
With racial tensions as high within the church as outside the church, it is time for Christians to become the leaders in the conversation on racial reconciliation. This power-packed guide helps readers deepen their understanding of historical factors and present realities, equipping them to participate in the ongoing dialogue and to serve as catalysts for righteousness, justice, healing, transformation, and reconciliation. -From the Publisher

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**208 – Natalie Frisk on Raising Disciples** Sep 21, 2019

This Week on Seminary Dropout…

Natalie Frisk is the curriculum pastor at The Meeting House Church in Toronto, Canada, where she and a team create kids’ and youth curricula for ages 0–18 used by churches worldwide. Frisk is a sought-after speaker on topics of youth and children’s ministry, spiritual formation, and discipleship, and her work has been published in Canadian Youth Workers Magazine and at the ReKnew and Pangea blogs. Frisk has a master’s degree in theological studies from McMaster Divinity College and serves on the board of Be in Christ Church of Canada. She is married to Sam, mom to Erin, and child of God. She loves Jesus, coffee, and samosas.

Children and youth will just “catch” the faith of their parents, right?
Not necessarily. Talking with kids about Jesus no longer comes naturally to many Christian parents. In Raising Disciples, pastor Natalie Frisk helps us reconnect faith and parenting, equipping parents to model what following Jesus looks like in daily life. Filled with authenticity, flexibility, humor, and prayer, Frisk outlines how parents can make openings for their children to experience God in their daily lives.
As curriculum pastor at The Meeting House, one of the largest churches in Canada, Frisk calls parents who follow Christ to ask the big questions about the spiritual formation of children and teens. In practical and thoughtful ways, she equips parents to disciple their kids in various stages of childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood. Raising Disciples will awaken parents to the possibly of Jesus-centered parenting and encourage us to engage in the lost art of discipling our own kids. – From the Publisher

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**207 – Glenn Packiam Talks ‘Blessed Broken Given: How Your Story Becomes Sacred in the Hands of Jesus’** Aug 28, 2019
This Week on Seminary Dropout…

Glenn Packiam is an Associate Senior Pastor at New Life Church, a multi-congregational church in Colorado Springs. He also serves as the Lead Pastor of New Life Downtown, a thriving New Life congregation in the heart of the city. An ordained Anglican priest serving in a non-denominational church, Packiam treasures Christian practices that are both ancient and modern. He has a doctorate from Durham University, UK. Glenn, his wife Holly, and their four children live in Colorado Springs.

An invitation to find beauty and meaning in the ordinary and imperfect aspects of your life; not as a call to settle for less, but rather as a way to mysteriously participate in God’s power and purpose. Glenn Packiam wants to empower readers to find great joy, purpose, and passion in their daily living. While bread may be one of the most common items on our dinner tables, Jesus chose to take it at the Last Supper and invest deep, wonderful, and transcendent meaning in it. Like the bread that was blessed, broken, and given; readers will see how God uses ordinary experiences to cultivate their mission and their brokenness to bring healing to the world. The ordinary is not the enemy; it is the means by which God accomplishes the miraculous. Through clear biblical teaching and practical steps, Packiam leads the reader into a more purposeful, directed, hopeful future. -From the Publisher

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Seminary Dropout Sermon Special: Money, Safety, Violence, and Other Meditations on Habakkuk the Morning After Two Mass Shootings Aug 06, 2019

**206 – Christena Cleveland on whitemalegod and More!** Jul 05, 2019
This Week on Seminary Dropout…

Christena Cleveland Ph.D. is a social psychologist, public theologian, author, and activist. She is the founder and director of the recently-launched Center for Justice + Renewal, a non-profit dedicated to helping justice advocates sharpen their understanding of the social realities that maintain injustice while also stimulating the soul’s enormous capacity to resist and transform those realities. Committed to leading both in scholarly settings and in the public square, Christena writes regularly, speaks widely, and consults with organizations.

Dr. Cleveland holds a Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of California Santa Barbara as well as an honorary doctorate from the Virginia Theological Seminary. She integrates psychology, theology, and art to stimulate our spiritual imaginations. An award-winning researcher and author, Christena has held faculty positions at several institutions of higher education — most recently at Duke University’s Divinity School, where she led a research team investigating self-compassion as a buffer to racial stress. She is currently working on her third book which examines the relationship among race, gender, and cultural perceptions of the Divine. Dr. Cleveland is based in North Carolina where she lives with her spouse, Jim.

To follow what Christena is doing, check out her Patreon page at Patreon.com/cscleve

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Seminary Dropout Sermon Special: Wholeness Between Ourselves and the Universe Jun 06, 2019

Shane concludes a Guiding Values series by teaching about Wholeness. At Austin Mustard Seed we believe that God is in the process of restoring our lives, those around us, and all creation to shalom, or wholeness. Whether through spiritual disciplines, practicing mercy, creation care, offering forgiveness, or encouraging wholeness, our pain is transformed. We become bearers of the good news, actively participating in God’s ongoing work of renewal. We were invited to consider how as a church we can come alongside God’s work of bringing restoration and wholeness to the world.

**205 – Did Paul Believe Husbands Are the ‘Head’ of Their Wives or that Women Should Wear Head Coverings? Lucy Peppiatt Has Some Answers.** May 29, 2019
Lucy Peppiatt (PhD, Otago) is the principal of Westminster Theological Centre. Her research interests are Christ and the Spirit, charismatic theology, discipleship, and 1 Corinthians, and her books include Unveiling Paul’s Women and Women and Worship in Corinth.

This Week on Seminary Dropout…

Lucy Peppiatt (PhD, Otago) is the principal of Westminster Theological Centre. Her research interests are Christ and the Spirit, charismatic theology, discipleship, and 1 Corinthians, and her books include Unveiling Paul’s Women and Women and Worship in Corinth.

Rediscovering Scripture’s Vision for Women: Fresh Perspectives on Disputed Texts

**Does God call women to serve as equal partners in marriage and as leaders in the church?**The answer to this straightforward question is deeply contested. Into the fray, Lucy Peppiatt offers her work on interpretation of the Bible and Christian practice. With careful exegetical work, Peppiatt considers relevant passages in Ephesians, Colossians, 1 Peter, 1 Timothy, and 1 Corinthians. There she finds a story of God releasing women alongside men into all forms of ministry, leadership, work, and service on the basis of character and gifting, rather than biological sex. Those who see the overturning of male-dominated hierarchy in the Scriptures, she argues, are truly rediscovering an ancient message―a message distorted by those who assumed that a patriarchal world, which they sometimes saw reflected in the Bible, was the one God had ordained. -From the Publisher

Unveiling Paul’s Women: Making Sense of 1 Corinthians 11:2–16Whether people realize it or not, the ideas in 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 have had a huge impact on the role of Christian women in the church through the centuries. These fifteen verses have shaped worship practices, church structures, church leadership, marriages, and even relationships between men and women in general. They have contributed to practices that have consistently placed women in a subordinate role to men, and have been used to justify the idea that a woman should not occupy a leadership or teaching position without being under the authority or “covering” of a man. It is strange, therefore, that academics and pastors alike continue to note how confusing and difficult it continues to be to make sense of these very verses. In this little book, Lucy Peppiatt not only highlights the problems associated with using this text to justify the subordination of women, but offers a clear and plausible re-reading of the text that paints the apostle Paul as a radical, visionary, church planter who championed women in all forms of leadership. -From the Publisher

Women and Worship at Corinth: Paul’s Rhetorical Arguments in 1 Corinthians Making sense of Paul’s arguments in 1 Corinthians 11-14 regarding both the role of women in public worship and the value of tongues and prophecy for the unbeliever has long posed challenges for any lay reader or scholar. Despite numerous explanations offered over the years, these passages remain marked by inconsistencies, contradictions, and puzzles. Lucy Peppiatt offers a reading of 1 Corinthians 11-14 in which she proposes that Paul is in conversation with the Corinthian male leadership regarding their domineering, superior, and selfish practices, including coercing the women to wear head coverings, lording it over the “have-nots” at the Lord’s Supper, speaking in tongues all at once, and ordering married women to keep quiet in church. Through careful exegesis and theological comment this reading not only brings internal coherence to the text, but paints a picture of the apostle gripped by a vision for a new humanity “in the Lord” resulting in his refusal to compromise with the traditional views of his own society. Instead, as those who should identify with the crucified Christ, he exhorts the Corinthians to make “love” their aim, and thus to restore dignity and honor to women, the outsider, and the poor. -From the Publisher

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Seminary Dropout Sermon Special: Women in Ministry May 23, 2019

Shane speaks about why we as a community ordain women into pastoral leadership and ministry.

Book Resources

The Blue Parakeet -Scott McKnight
Emboldened: A Vision for Empowering Women in Ministry -Tara Beth Leach
Half the Church: Recapturing God’s Global Vision for Women -Carolyn Custis James
Two Views on Women in Ministry (Counterpoints: Bible and Theology)
Slaves, Women, and Homosexuals -William Webb
Women in the Earliest Christian Churches -Ben Witherington
Ordained Women in the Early Church -Kevin Madigan
Hidden History of Women’s Ordination -Gary Macy

Websites//Blogs//Podcasts

NT Wright’s Essay: Women’s Service in the Church: The Biblical Basis
William Witt: Women’s Ordination
Gordon Hugenberger: Women in Church Office
Seminary Dropout 157- Tish Harrison Warren & Jonathan Warren: A Biblical, Historical, and Pastoral Defense of Women in Ministry
Missio Alliance

**Rebroadcast: Seminary Dropout 83: Rachel Held Evans** May 18, 2019

Rachel Held Evans is a tremendously successful blogger and author. Many believers have found a refuge in her writings. You can follow her on her blog at rachelheldevans.com and on twitter at @rachelheldevans.

affiliate link

Rachel’s new book is Searching for Sunday. SfS is about Rachel’s own journey from a simple faith too one with more complexity and subtleties. Many believers, especially of the younger generations will see much of their own story in her’s. Leaving the church, starting a new one, facing failure, and finding a different form of church, Rachel brings us along for the ride.

Some things discussed on the show…

…when going through major doubt and Christians blame you for your doubt, ‘they aren’t rejecting you for being different, they’re rejecting you for being familiar’.

…when your own theological house falls down sometimes you start throwing rocks at other people houses.

…Rachel’s propensity to talk about very serious and borderline depressing subjects at social functions.

…Rachel could sell more if you just ‘crapped’ on the church and didn’t make an effort to highlight the positive things that happen with churches.

…many boiled down Rachel’s journey as going from evangelicalism to the mainline and that’s really oversimplified and half-true.

…my families own journey without a church last year.

Subscribe/Rate/Review Seminary Dropout in iTunes

**Rebroadcast: Seminary Dropout 83: Rachel Held Evans** May 18, 2019

Rachel Held Evans is a tremendously successful blogger and author. Many believers have found a refuge in her writings. You can follow her on her blog at rachelheldevans.com and on twitter at @rachelheldevans.

affiliate link

Rachel’s new book is Searching for Sunday. SfS is about Rachel’s own journey from a simple faith too one with more complexity and subtleties. Many believers, especially of the younger generations will see much of their own story in her’s. Leaving the church, starting a new one, facing failure, and finding a different form of church, Rachel brings us along for the ride.

Some things discussed on the show…

…when going through major doubt and Christians blame you for your doubt, ‘they aren’t rejecting you for being different, they’re rejecting you for being familiar’.

…when your own theological house falls down sometimes you start throwing rocks at other people houses.

…Rachel’s propensity to talk about very serious and borderline depressing subjects at social functions.

…Rachel could sell more if you just ‘crapped’ on the church and didn’t make an effort to highlight the positive things that happen with churches.

…many boiled down Rachel’s journey as going from evangelicalism to the mainline and that’s really oversimplified and half-true.

…my families own journey without a church last year.

Subscribe/Rate/Review Seminary Dropout in iTunes

Image result for flee, be silent, pray — **204 – Ed Cyzewski, Author of “Flee, Be Silent, Pray: Ancient Prayers for Anxious Christians”** May 04, 2019
This Week on Seminary Dropout…

Ed Cyzewski is the author of Flee, Be Silent, Pray; A Christian Survival Guide; and other books. He helps anxious Christians learn about contemplative prayer at www.edcyzewski.com. He lives in Western Kentucky with his wife and children where he obsesses over hockey, New York style pizza, and organic gardening.

What if prayer could be simple rather than strenuous?

Anxious, results-driven Christians can never pray enough, serve enough, or study enough. But what if God is calling us not to frenzied activity but to a simple spiritual encounter? What if we must merely receive what God has already given us?

In Flee, Be Silent, Pray, writer and contemplative retreat leader Ed Cyzewski guides readers out of the anxiety factory of contemporary Christianity and toward a God whose love astounds those quiet long enough to receive it. With helpful guidance into solitude, contemplative prayer, and practices such as lectio divina and the Examen, Cyzewski guides readers toward the Christ whose yoke is easy and whose burden is light.

Ready to shed the fear of the false self and the exhaustion of a duty-driven faith? Flee. Be silent. Pray.

-From the Publisher

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**203 – Michael Rhodes, Author of ‘Practicing the King’s Economy’** Apr 26, 2019
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Michael Rhodes is the director of community development and an instructor at the Memphis Center for Urban Theological Studies, where he heads up efforts to equip urban pastors and community development practitioners with theologically informed tools for community transformation.

The church in the West is rediscovering the fact that God cares deeply for the poor. More and more, churches and individual Christians are looking for ways to practice economic discipleship, but it’s hard to make progress when we are blind to our own entanglement in our culture’s idolatrous economic beliefs and practices.

Practicing the King’s Economy cuts through much confusion and invites Christians to take their place within the biblical story of the “King Jesus Economy.” Through eye-opening true stories of economic discipleship in action, and with a solid exploration of six key biblical themes, the authors offer practical ways for God’s people to earn, invest, spend, compensate, save, share, and give in ways that embody God’s love and provision for the world.

-From the Publisher

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Image result for practicing the king's economy — **203 – Michael Rhodes, Author of ‘Practicing the King’s Economy’** Apr 26, 2019
Check out This Week’s Sponsor:

This Week on Seminary Dropout…

Michael Rhodes is the director of community development and an instructor at the Memphis Center for Urban Theological Studies, where he heads up efforts to equip urban pastors and community development practitioners with theologically informed tools for community transformation.

The church in the West is rediscovering the fact that God cares deeply for the poor. More and more, churches and individual Christians are looking for ways to practice economic discipleship, but it’s hard to make progress when we are blind to our own entanglement in our culture’s idolatrous economic beliefs and practices.

Practicing the King’s Economy cuts through much confusion and invites Christians to take their place within the biblical story of the “King Jesus Economy.” Through eye-opening true stories of economic discipleship in action, and with a solid exploration of six key biblical themes, the authors offer practical ways for God’s people to earn, invest, spend, compensate, save, share, and give in ways that embody God’s love and provision for the world.

-From the Publisher

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**202 – Kathy Khang, Author of “Raise Your Voice: Why We Stay Silent and How to Speak Up”** Apr 20, 2019
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This Week on Seminary Dropout…

Kathy Khang is a speaker, journalist, and activist. She has worked in campus ministry for more than twenty years, with expertise in issues of gender, ethnicity, justice, and leadership development. She is a columnist for Sojourners magazine, a writer for Faith and Leadership, and a coauthor of More Than Serving Tea: Asian American Women on Expectations, Relationships, Leadership and Faith.

You have a voice. And you have God’s permission to use it.

In some communities, certain voices are amplified and elevated while others are erased and suppressed. It can be hard to speak up, especially in the ugliness of social media. Power dynamics keep us silent and marginalized, especially when race, ethnicity, and gender are factors. What can we do about it?
Activist Kathy Khang roots our voice and identity in the image of God. Because God created us in our ethnicity and gender, our voice is uniquely expressed through the totality of who we are. We are created to speak, and we can both speak up for ourselves and speak out on behalf of others. Khang offers insights from faithful heroes who raised their voices for the sake of God’s justice, and she shows how we can do the same today, in person, in social media, in organizations, and in the public square.
Be silent no more. If you have wondered when and how to speak, hear God’s invitation to you to find and steward your authentic voice, whether in word or deed, to communicate the good news in a messed-up world. As you discern God’s voice calling you to speak, you will discover how your voice sounds as you express God’s heart to others. And the world will hear you loud and clear.

-From the Publisher

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Image result for Raise Your Voice kathy — **202 – Kathy Khang, Author of “Raise Your Voice: Why We Stay Silent and How to Speak Up”** Apr 20, 2019
Check out This Weeks Sponsor:

This Week on Seminary Dropout…

Kathy Khang is a speaker, journalist, and activist. She has worked in campus ministry for more than twenty years, with expertise in issues of gender, ethnicity, justice, and leadership development. She is a columnist for Sojourners magazine, a writer for Faith and Leadership, and a coauthor of More Than Serving Tea: Asian American Women on Expectations, Relationships, Leadership and Faith.

You have a voice. And you have God’s permission to use it.

In some communities, certain voices are amplified and elevated while others are erased and suppressed. It can be hard to speak up, especially in the ugliness of social media. Power dynamics keep us silent and marginalized, especially when race, ethnicity, and gender are factors. What can we do about it?
Activist Kathy Khang roots our voice and identity in the image of God. Because God created us in our ethnicity and gender, our voice is uniquely expressed through the totality of who we are. We are created to speak, and we can both speak up for ourselves and speak out on behalf of others. Khang offers insights from faithful heroes who raised their voices for the sake of God’s justice, and she shows how we can do the same today, in person, in social media, in organizations, and in the public square.
Be silent no more. If you have wondered when and how to speak, hear God’s invitation to you to find and steward your authentic voice, whether in word or deed, to communicate the good news in a messed-up world. As you discern God’s voice calling you to speak, you will discover how your voice sounds as you express God’s heart to others. And the world will hear you loud and clear.

-From the Publisher

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**201 – Austin Fischer, Talks Faith & Doubt** Apr 12, 2019
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Austin Fischer is the teaching pastor at Vista Community Church in Temple, Texas. He is the author of Young, Restless, No Longer Reformed.

“People don’t abandon faith because they have doubts. People abandon faith because they think they’re not allowed to have doubts.”
Too often, our honest questions about faith are met with cold confidence and easy answers. But false certitude doesn’t result in strong faith―it results in disillusionment, or worse, in a dogmatic, overweening faith unable to see itself or its object clearly.
Even as a pastor, Austin Fischer has experienced the shadows of doubt and disillusionment. In Faith in the Shadows, he leans into perennial questions about Christianity with raw and fearless integrity. He addresses contemporary science, the problem of evil, hell, God’s silence, and other issues, offering not only fresh treatments of these questions but also a fresh paradigm for thinking about doubt itself. Doubt, Fischer contends, is no reason to leave the faith. Instead, it’s an invitation to a more honest faith―a faith that’s not in control, but that trusts more fully in its Lord.

-From the Publisher

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Image result for faith in the shadows — **201 – Austin Fischer, Talks Faith & Doubt** Apr 12, 2019
Check out This Weeks Sponsor:

This Week on Seminary Dropout…

Austin Fischer is the teaching pastor at Vista Community Church in Temple, Texas. He is the author of Young, Restless, No Longer Reformed.

“People don’t abandon faith because they have doubts. People abandon faith because they think they’re not allowed to have doubts.”
Too often, our honest questions about faith are met with cold confidence and easy answers. But false certitude doesn’t result in strong faith―it results in disillusionment, or worse, in a dogmatic, overweening faith unable to see itself or its object clearly.
Even as a pastor, Austin Fischer has experienced the shadows of doubt and disillusionment. In Faith in the Shadows, he leans into perennial questions about Christianity with raw and fearless integrity. He addresses contemporary science, the problem of evil, hell, God’s silence, and other issues, offering not only fresh treatments of these questions but also a fresh paradigm for thinking about doubt itself. Doubt, Fischer contends, is no reason to leave the faith. Instead, it’s an invitation to a more honest faith―a faith that’s not in control, but that trusts more fully in its Lord.

-From the Publisher

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Image result for the next right thing — **200 – Emily P Freeman** Apr 05, 2019
This Week on Seminary Dropout…

Emily P. Freeman is a writer, creative director, and spiritual mentor who helps create space for the soul to breathe so people can walk in step with their calling.

She is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Simply Tuesday and Grace for the Good Girl as well as Graceful and A Million Little Ways. She’s been writing online for over 10 years and is the co-founder of a growing community for writers at hopewriters.com.

She and her husband live in North Carolina with their three children. Connect with Emily online at emilypfreeman.com and on Instagram @emilypfreeman.

Nothing gets our attention like an unmade decision: Should I accept the new position? Which schooling choice is best for my kids? How can I support my aging parents? When we have a decision to make and the answer isn’t clear, what we want more than anything is peace, clarity, and a nudge in the right direction.
If you have trouble making decisions, because of either chronic hesitation you’ve always lived with or a more recent onset of decision fatigue, Emily P. Freeman offers a fresh way of practicing familiar but often forgotten advice: simply do the next right thing. With this simple, soulful practice, it is possible to clear the decision-making chaos, quiet the fear of choosing wrong, and find the courage to finally decide without regret or second-guessing.
Whether you’re in the midst of a major life transition or are weary of the low-grade anxiety that daily life can bring, Emily helps create space for your soul to breathe so you can live life with God at a gentle pace and discern your next right thing in love.
-From the Publisher

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**Seminary Dropout 199 – Carolyn Custis James, Author of ‘Finding God in the Margins: The Book of Ruth’** Jan 12, 2019
This Week on Seminary Dropout…

Carolyn Custis James is an award-winning author and international speaker. She blogs at www.carolyncustisjames.com, as a Leading Voice at MissioAlliance, and at Huffington Post, is an adjunct faculty member at Biblical Theological Seminary, and a consulting editor for Zondervan’s Exegetical Commentary Series on the New Testament. Her books include Malestrom―Manhood Swept into the Currents of a Changing World, Half the Church―Recapturing God’s Global Vision for Women, and The Gospel of Ruth―Loving God Enough to Break the Rules. She speaks regularly at church conferences, colleges and other Christian organizations and is a visiting lecturer at theological seminaries. In 2013, Christianity Today named her one of the 50 evangelical women to watch.

In four short episodes, readers encounter refugees, undocumented immigrants, poverty, hunger, women’s rights, male power and privilege, discrimination, and injustice.

In Finding God in the Margins, Carolyn Custis James reveals how the book of Ruth is about God, the questions that surface when life falls apart, and how God reaches into the margins and chooses two totally marginalized women who, in the eyes of the patriarchal culture, are zeros.

Against the backdrop of disturbing issues in today’s world, this bracing narrative puts on display a radical gospel way of living together as human beings that shouts the Kingdom of God, foreshadows Jesus’ gospel, and raises the bar for men and women, then and now.

-From the Publisher

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**Seminary Dropout 198 – Matthew Bates, Author of ‘Salvation by Allegiance Alone: Rethinking Faith, Works, and the Gospel of Jesus the King’** Dec 15, 2018
This Week on Seminary Dropout…

Matthew W. Bates (Ph.D., University of Notre Dame) is Assistant Professor of Theology at Quincy University. His main teaching area is the Bible and early Christian literature, especially the New Testament. He also teaches courses in Western Religion, Church History, and Christian Spirituality.

Dr. Bates writes with a posture of faith seeking understanding, with a desire to serve the church, academy, and any reader of goodwill. A new book, Salvation by Allegiance Alone (Baker Academic, 2017) is now available for order. His recent The Birth of the Trinity (Oxford University Press, 2015) focuses on how certain reading strategies helped early Christians to see that the one God can be differentiated as multiple persons. He has also written on the Apostle Paul’s method of interpreting Scripture: The Hermeneutics of the Apostolic Proclamation (Baylor University Press, 2012). A current book project, to be published by Eerdmans, explores the process by which Jesus came to be enthroned as king, as well as the theological implications for us today.

Dr. Bates co-hosts a popular podcast on biblical studies called OnScript. The podcast focuses on interviewing authors in the field of biblical studies about their recent books. He has hosted some of the most renowned biblical scholars in the world.

We are saved by faith when we trust that Jesus died for our sins. This is the gospel, or so we are taught. But what is faith? And does this accurately summarize the gospel? Because faith is frequently misunderstood and the climax of the gospel misidentified, the gospel’s full power remains untapped. While offering a fresh proposal for what faith means within a biblical theology of salvation, Matthew Bates presses the church toward a new precision: we are saved solely by allegiance to Jesus the king. Instead of faith alone, Christians must speak about salvation by allegiance alone. -From the Publisher

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**197 – Aaron Niequist, Author of The Eternal Current, Talks about a Practice Based Faith** Dec 07, 2018
*Originally Posted at MissioAlliance.org

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*Originally Posted at MissioAlliance.org

This Week on Seminary Dropout…

Aaron Niequist is a liturgist, writer, in the New York City. After leading worship at Mars Hill Church (Grand Rapids, MI) and Willow Creek Church (Barrington, IL), Aaron created A New Liturgy- a collection of modern liturgical worship recordings. Shortly after, Aaron started a discipleship-focused, formational, ecumenical, practice-based community at Willow Creek called The Practice. Since writing ‘The Eternal Current: How a Practice-Based Faith Can Save Us from Drowning’, he’s continued to create resources to help us all flesh it out.

A call for Christians to move past the shallows of idealized beliefs and into a deeper, more vibrant, beatitude-like faith rooted in sacred practices and intimate experiences with God.

When the limits of his own faith experience left him feeling spiritually empty, Niequist determined God must have a wider vision for worship and community.

In his search, Aaron discovered that there was historical Christian precedent for enacting faith in a different way, an ancient and now future way of believing. He calls this third way “practice-based faith.”

This book is about loving one’s faith tradition and, at the same time, following the call to something deeper and richer. By adopting some new spiritual practices, it is possible to learn to swim again with a renewed sense of vigor and divine purpose.

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Image result for lee strobel — **196 – Lee Strobel, The Case For Miracles** Nov 16, 2018
*Originally Posted at MissioAlliance.org

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**This Week on Seminary Dropout…**

Atheist-turned-Christian Lee Strobel is the former award-winning legal editor of The Chicago Tribune and best-selling author of more than twenty books. His classic, The Case for Christ, is a perennial favorite which details his conversion to Christianity. His recent release, The Case for Grace, just won the 2016 Nonfiction Book of the Year from the EPCA. For the last twenty-five years, his life’s work has been to share the evidence that supports the truth and claims of Christianity and to equip believers to share their faith with the people they know and love.

New York Times bestselling author Lee Strobel trains his investigative sights on the hot-button issue of whether it’s credible to believe God intervenes supernaturally in people’s lives today.

This provocative book starts with an unlikely interview in which America’s foremost skeptic builds a seemingly persuasive case against the miraculous. But then Strobel travels the country to quiz scholars to see whether they can offer solid answers to atheist objections. Along the way, he encounters astounding accounts of healings and other phenomena that simply cannot be explained away by naturalistic causes. The book features the results of exclusive new scientific polling that shows miracle accounts are much more common than people think.

What’s more, Strobel delves into the most controversial question of all: what about miracles that don’t happen? If God can intervene in the world, why doesn’t he do it more often to relieve suffering? Many American Christians are embarrassed by the supernatural, not wanting to look odd or extreme to their neighbors. Yet, The Case for Miracles shows not only that the miraculous is possible, but that God still does intervene in our world in awe-inspiring ways. Here’s a unique book that examines all sides of this issue and comes away with a passionate defense for God’s divine action in lives today.

-From the Publisher

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Image result for a case for miracles — **196 – Lee Strobel, The Case For Miracles** Nov 16, 2018
*Originally Posted at MissioAlliance.org

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**This Week on Seminary Dropout…**

Atheist-turned-Christian Lee Strobel is the former award-winning legal editor of The Chicago Tribune and best-selling author of more than twenty books. His classic, The Case for Christ, is a perennial favorite which details his conversion to Christianity. His recent release, The Case for Grace, just won the 2016 Nonfiction Book of the Year from the EPCA. For the last twenty-five years, his life’s work has been to share the evidence that supports the truth and claims of Christianity and to equip believers to share their faith with the people they know and love.

New York Times bestselling author Lee Strobel trains his investigative sights on the hot-button issue of whether it’s credible to believe God intervenes supernaturally in people’s lives today.

This provocative book starts with an unlikely interview in which America’s foremost skeptic builds a seemingly persuasive case against the miraculous. But then Strobel travels the country to quiz scholars to see whether they can offer solid answers to atheist objections. Along the way, he encounters astounding accounts of healings and other phenomena that simply cannot be explained away by naturalistic causes. The book features the results of exclusive new scientific polling that shows miracle accounts are much more common than people think.

What’s more, Strobel delves into the most controversial question of all: what about miracles that don’t happen? If God can intervene in the world, why doesn’t he do it more often to relieve suffering? Many American Christians are embarrassed by the supernatural, not wanting to look odd or extreme to their neighbors. Yet, The Case for Miracles shows not only that the miraculous is possible, but that God still does intervene in our world in awe-inspiring ways. Here’s a unique book that examines all sides of this issue and comes away with a passionate defense for God’s divine action in lives today.

-From the Publisher

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**195: Dominique Gilliard on How the Church Can Rethink Incarceration & Advocate for Justice That Restores** Jul 03, 2018
*Originally Posted at MissioAlliance.org

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**This Week on Seminary Dropout…**

Dominique DuBois Gilliard is the director of racial righteousness and reconciliation for the Love Mercy Do Justice (LMDJ) initiative of the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC). He serves on the board of directors for the Christian Community Development Association and Evangelicals for Justice. In 2015, he was selected as one of the ECC’s “40 Under 40” leaders to watch, and the Huffington Post named him one of the “Black Christian Leaders Changing the World.” An ordained minister, Gilliard has served in pastoral ministry in Atlanta, Chicago, and Oakland. He was executive pastor of New Hope Covenant Church in Oakland, California and also served in Oakland as the associate pastor of Convergence Covenant Church. He was also the campus minister at North Park University and the racial righteousness director for ECC’s ministry initiatives in the Pacific Southwest Conference. With articles published in the *CCDA Theology Journal*, *The Covenant Quarterly*, and *Sojourners*, Gilliard has also blogged for *Christianity Today*, *Faith & Leadership*, *Red Letter Christians*, *Do Justice*, and *The Junia Project*. He earned a bachelor’s degree in African American Studies from Georgia State University and a master’s degree in history from East Tennessee State University, with an emphasis on race, gender, and class in the United States. He also earned an MDiv from North Park Seminary, where he served as an adjunct professor teaching Christian ethics, theology, and reconciliation.

The United States has more people locked up in jails, prisons, and detention centers than any other country in the history of the world. Mass incarceration has become a lucrative industry, and the criminal justice system is plagued with bias and unjust practices. And the church has unwittingly contributed to the problem.
Dominique Gilliard explores the history and foundation of mass incarceration, examining Christianity’s role in its evolution and expansion. He then shows how Christians can pursue justice that restores and reconciles, offering creative solutions and highlighting innovative interventions.
The church has the power to help transform our criminal justice system. Discover how you can participate in the restorative justice needed to bring authentic rehabilitation, lasting transformation, and healthy reintegration to this broken system.

-From the Publisher

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**194 – Rebekah Lyons, on Hardship, Feminism, and More!** Jun 08, 2018
*Originally Posted at MissioAlliance.org

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**This Week on Seminary Dropout…**

Rebekah Lyons is the author of Freefall to Fly: A Breathtaking Journey Toward a Life of Meaning and Founder of Q Women.

She is the mother of three, wife of one and a dog walker of two living in Nashville. Rebekah is an old soul with a contemporary, honest voice who puts a new face on the struggles women face as they seek to live a life of meaning. Through emotive writing and speaking, Rebekah reveals her own battles to overcome anxiety, depression, and consumer impulses – challenging women to discover and boldly pursue the calling God has for them.

Alongside her husband, Gabe, Rebekah serves as cofounder of Q Ideas, a nonprofit organization that helps Christian leaders winsomely engage culture. Her favorite pastime is spent with her nose in a book and a discriminating cup of coffee in hand.

**Have you bought the lie?** Many of us do. We measure our worth by what others think of us. We compare and strive, existing mostly for the approval of others. Pressure rises, anxiety creeps in and we hustle to keep up.

Jesus whispers, *I gave my life to set you free. I gave you purpose. I called you to live in freedom in that purpose.* Yet we still hobble through life, afraid to confess all the ways we push against this truth, because we can’t even believe it. We continue to grasp for the approval of anyone that will offer it: whether strangers, friends, or community.

**Christ doesn’t say you can be or may be or will be free. He says you are free.**

Dare you believe it?

In ***You Are Free***, Rebekah invites you to:

• Overcome the exhaustion of trying to meet the expectations of others and rest in the joy God’s freedom brings.

• Release stress, anxiety and worry, to uncover the peace that comes from abiding in His presence.

• Find permission to grieve past experiences, confess areas of brokenness, and receive strength in your journey towards healing.

• Throw off self-condemnation, burn superficial masks and step boldly into what our good God has for you.

• Discover the courage to begin again and use your newfound freedom to set others free.

Freedom is for everyone who wants it—the lost, the wounded, and those weary from all of the striving. It’s for those who gave up trying years ago. It’s for those angry and hurt, brilliant and burnt by the Christian song and dance. You are the church, the people of God. You were meant to be free.

-From the Publisher

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193 – Austin Channing Brown, on Her New Book “I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness”, Why White People Have So Many Cats, and What Makes “Insecure” Such an Amazing Show May 25, 2018
*Originally Posted at MissioAlliance.org

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**This Week on Seminary Dropout…**

AUSTIN CHANNING BROWN is a writer, speaker, and practitioner who helps schools, nonprofits, and religious organizations practice genuine inclusion. Her writing has appeared in outlets like Christianity Today, Relevant, Sojourners, and The Christian Century.

Austin Channing Brown’s first encounter with a racialized America came at age 7, when she discovered her parents named her Austin to deceive future employers into thinking she was a white man. Growing up in majority-white schools, organizations, and churches, Austin writes, “I had to learn what it means to love blackness,” a journey that led to a lifetime spent navigating America’s racial divide as a writer, speaker and expert who helps organizations practice genuine inclusion.
In a time when nearly all institutions (schools, churches, universities, businesses) claim to value “diversity” in their mission statements, I’m Still Here is a powerful account of how and why our actions so often fall short of our words. Austin writes in breathtaking detail about her journey to self-worth and the pitfalls that kill our attempts at racial justice, in stories that bear witness to the complexity of America’s social fabric–from Black Cleveland neighborhoods to private schools in the middle-class suburbs, from prison walls to the boardrooms at majority-white organizations.

For readers who have engaged with America’s legacy on race through the writing of Ta-Nehisi Coates and Michael Eric Dyson, I’m Still Here is an illuminating look at how white, middle-class, Evangelicalism has participated in an era of rising racial hostility, inviting the reader to confront apathy, recognize God’s ongoing work in the world, and discover how blackness–if we let it–can save us all.

-From the Publisher

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**192 – Bonnie Kristian, Author of A Flexible Faith** May 18, 2018
*Originally Posted at MissioAlliance.org

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**This Week on Seminary Dropout…**

Bonnie Kristian is a theological and political writer with a national following. She has columns and bylines at publications including The Week, Rare, Time Magazine, CNN, Relevant Magazine, Politico, The Hill, and The American Conservative. Bonnie is active in teaching roles in her church, a Mennonite community where she leads a study group and speaks regularly at Sunday services. She graduated from Bethel Seminary with a Master of Arts in Christian Thought, a theological studies degree with special emphasis on engaging culture with the gospel. Bonnie lives with her husband, two dogs, and two guinea pigs in Saint Paul, Minnesota. She keeps busy running, gardening, and fixing up her 100-year-old house.

It is all too easy to fail to grasp the diversity of the Christian faith-especially for those who have grown up in one branch of the church and never explored another. We fail to realize how many ways there are to follow Jesus, convinced that our own tradition is the one Christian alternative to nonbelief. A FLEXIBLE FAITH is written for the convinced and confused believer alike. It is a readable exploration of the lively theological diversity that stretches back through church history and across the spectrum of Christianity today. It is an easy introduction to how Christians have historically answered key questions about what it means to follow Jesus. Chapters will include 17 big theological questions and answers; profiles of relevant figures in church history; discussion questions; single-page Q&As-profiles of more unusual types of Christians (e.g., a Catholic nun or a member of an Amish community); and a guide to major Christian denominations today.
As Bonnie shares her wrestlings with core issues-such as who Jesus is, what place the Church has in our lives, how to disagree yet remain within a community, and how to love the Bible for what it actually is-she teaches us how to walk courageously through our own tough questions.

Following Jesus is big and it is something that individual believers, movements, and denominations have expressed in uncountably different ways over the centuries. In the process of helping us sort things out, Bonnie shows us how to be comfortable with diversity in the Body. And as we learn to hold questions in one hand and answers in the other, we will discover new depths of faith that will remain secure even through the storms of life.
-From the Publisher

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**191 – Derek Vreeland, on NT Wright, Atonement Theories, and The Day The Revolution Began** Apr 27, 2018
*Originally Posted at MissioAlliance.org

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**This Week on Seminary Dropout…**

Derek Vreeland is the Discipleship Pastor at Word of Life Church in St. Joseph, Missouri. He is the author of Through the Eyes of N.T. Wright: A Reader’s Guide to Paul and the Faithfulness of God and Primal Credo: Your Entrance into the Apostles’ Creed. Derek lives in St. Joe with his wife, Jenni, and three boys, Wesley, Taylor, and Dylan. He earned a M.Div. from Oral Roberts University and a D.Min. from Asbury Theological Seminary.

The death of Jesus is the foundation of our faith, but what do we mean when we confess that Christ died for our sins according to the Scripture? N.T. Wright’s book The Day the Revolution Began offers compelling answers to that question. His book is nothing less than a game changer. Just as Wright’s book Surprised By Hope changed our view of the end, so this book is changing our view of the cross. This reader’s guide offers a clear summary of Wright’s interpretation of the cross in the context of both history and the big story told by the Bible. Using this reader’s guide prayerfully will open up vistas of the love of God as you see the revolutionary cross with new eyes. Such a renewed vision will stir your thinking, prompt new conversations about the cross, cause your love for Christ to grow, and equip the Church to carry forth her gospel-shaped mission.-From the Publisher

From the show…

“The Christian Mission is to implement the victory that Jesus won on the cross.” -N.T. Wright

“First and foremost it looks like communities of followers of Jesus that deeply love one another, in spite of our differences. It has to be first within the household of God. We are a demonstration of the age to come, so within the church we have to love one another we have to practice forgiveness and reconciliation with one another. If we’re going to have any credibility in the wider culture we have to show them what love and reconciliation looks like then we will be the shining light on the hill.” – Derek Vreeland

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**190 – Jo Saxton, on Being Who We Are Meant to Be, Not Who People Want Us to Be** Apr 24, 2018
*Originally Posted at MissioAlliance.org

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**This Week on Seminary Dropout…**

Jo Saxton is a pastor, a church-planter, an author, and a speaker who travels the globe to address leadership organizations, children’s conferences, women’s events, and Christian festivals. She also serves on the advisory board for Today’s Christian Woman, co-hosts the Lead Stories podcast, and spends much of her time mentoring and training leaders through 3DMovements, an international discipleship operation. She lives with her husband and their two daughters near Minneapolis.

Let’s be honest, the life you lead isn’t what you’ve always dreamt. And maybe the person you’ve become isn’t who you’ve always imagined. Sure, you can clean it up. You can work longer, love harder, and eat better. You can scrub the surface of your life until it gleams and still never address the fact that somehow you lost sight of who you really are and what you’re living for.

Is this the life you were meant to live?

As the child of Nigerian immigrants in the UK, author and speaker Jo Saxton knows firsthand how quickly the world can cause us to doubt our dreams and question who we are. She understands how easily we can exchange our true child-of-God selves for an identity built on lies, guilt, and brokenness.
In this powerful book, Jo examines Biblical figures and shares her personal story as she invites you to turn to the One who knows you intimately and loves you deeply. He sees all you’ve struggled to hide. He hears the voice inside you that others have silenced. He knows the potential and purpose that no one valued. He longs to redeem the story of your life and set you on the path to reclaim The Dream of You.Are you ready?

-From the Publisher

From the show…

**“I’ve seen how often women can edit their callings in the presence of guys, even if they know those guys are for them…”**

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Seminary Dropout 179 – Amena Brown, Author of “How to Fix a Broken Record” on Poetry, Marriage, and Princesses

Seminary Dropout 177 – Tara Beth Leach, Author of Emboldened: A Vision for Empowering Women in Ministry

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**189 – Jean Johnson, Author of “We Are Not The Hero”, on Missions, and Colonialism** Apr 13, 2018
*Originally Posted at MissioAlliance.org

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**This Week on Seminary Dropout…**

With over 32 years of ministry experience, Jean serves as a missionary and coach as well as Five Stones Global’s Executive Director. She is the author of We Are Not the Hero: A Missionary’s Guide to Sharing Christ, Not a Culture of Dependency. Jean holds a B.A. in cross-cultural communications from North Central University, Minneapolis, MN, where she also taught as a missionary-in-residence from 2009-2012.

Upon completing her education, Jean worked as a church planter for six years living and serving among Cambodians in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Consecutively, Jean continued her work serving as a career missionary in Cambodia for sixteen years (1992-2009). Jean trained Cambodians through modeling and facilitating how to plant churches that have the vision, God-given authority, and capacity to plant others churches. Her vision for and practice of church planting is encompassed in the Cambodian proverb, “Enter a river where it bends; enter a country by its customs.”

At heart, Jean is a cross-cultural communicator who specializes in worldview strategic church planting, oral strategies, and on-the-job pastoral training. Jean’s current role at Five Stones Global reflects her tenured missionary experience. Jean teaches, coaches, and trains missionaries, pastors, church committees, organizations, and short-term mission teams on how to intentionally build-in sustainability, indigeneity, and multiplication in missions and disciple-making efforts throughout the world.

Drawing from her unique life experiences serving Cambodians both stateside and internationally, Jean invites you on a learning journey to discover ways to contribute to self-sustaining and reproducing church planting movements that are biblically rooted and culturally relevant. Presently, Jean makes her home in Minneapolis where she enjoys reading, writing, spending time with family and friends, walks in nature, biking, and ice cream.

While globalization gives North American Christians unprecedented opportunities to influence the world, we need to take care not to slip into a type of postmodern colonialism in which we make ourselves the experts or the ‘hero come to save the day.’ Jesus commanded us to make disciples of all nations, not to spread Western cultural Christianity or solve the world with American dollars.

In We Are Not the Hero, the author invites you on a learning journey—through Cambodia and other parts of the world—to discover ways to contribute to self-sustaining and reproducing church movements that are organic to the culture.

If you are a student, missionary, church planter, missions-oriented church, or Great Commission-minded disciple you will find this book both inspirational and valuable to your experience. -From the Publisher

From the show…

“We ourselves don’t know what is culture and what is Gospel.” -Jean Johnson

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137: Chris Marlow, Author of ” Doing Good is Simple: Make a Difference Right Where You Are”

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**188 – Daniel Hill, on What it Means to be White** Apr 06, 2018
*Originally Posted at MissioAlliance.org

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**This Week on Seminary Dropout…**

Daniel Hill is the founding and senior pastor of River City Community Church, a vibrant, multiethnic church in the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago. He is the author of *10:10: Life to the Fullest*. Prior to starting River City, Daniel worked in the business world before serving five years on the staff of Willow Creek Community Church in the Chicago suburbs. He has a business degree from Purdue University, an MA in theology from Moody Bible Institute, a certificate in church-based community and economic development from Harvard Divinity School, and a DMin from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is married to Elizabeth, who is a professor of psychology, and they are the proud parents of two children.

Daniel Hill will never forget the day he heard these words: “Daniel, you may be white, but don’t let that lull you into thinking you have no culture. White culture is very real. In fact, when white culture comes in contact with other cultures, it almost always wins. So it would be a really good idea for you to learn about your culture.” Confused and unsettled by this encounter, Hill began a journey of understanding his own white identity. Today he is an active participant in addressing and confronting racial and systemic injustices. And in this compelling and timely book, he shows you the seven stages to expect on your own path to cultural awakening. It’s crucial to understand both personal and social realities in the areas of race, culture, and identity. This book will give you a new perspective on being white and also empower you to be an agent of reconciliation in our increasingly diverse and divided world. -From the Publisher

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**187 – Chris A. Hall on Living Wisely with the Church Fathers** Mar 26, 2018
*Originally Posted at MissioAlliance.org

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**This Week on Seminary Dropout…**

Christopher A. Hall (PhD, Drew University) is the president of Renovaré Institute of Christian Spiritual Formation. He is associate editor of the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, and his books include *Reading Scripture with the Church Fathers*, *Learning Theology with the Church Fathers*, and *Worshiping with the Church Fathers*. Hall previously served at Eastern University for over twenty years in several roles, including chancellor, provost, dean of Palmer Seminary, dean of the Templeton Honors College, distinguished professor of theology, and director of academic spiritual formation. He and his wife, Debbie, live in Pennsylvania and have three grown children.

The first centuries of Christianity are like a far country. But despite their foreignness, they hold a treasury of wisdom for living. Early Christians struggled and flourished in a culture that was in love with empire and military power, infatuated with sex and entertainment, tolerant of all gods but hostile to the One. And from this crucible of discipleship they extracted lessons of virtue, faithfulness, and joy in Christ. Christopher Hall takes us to this distant time, where he interviews Christian leaders around the ancient Mediterranean world, inquiring how to live a good life as a Christ follower. The menu of topics wends its way through wealth and poverty, war and violence, marriage and sexuality, theater and the arena, as well as the harsh realities of persecution and martyrdom. Gathering around Basil or Chrysostom or Augustine, we are instructed anew in the way of discipleship. And as they grapple with issues surprisingly resonant with our own, this cloud of ancient witnesses both surprises and challenges us in the life of faith. -From the Publisher

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**186 – AJ Swoboda on ‘Subversive Sabbath: The Surprising Power of Rest in a Nonstop World’, Plus the Best NT Wright Introduction You’ve Ever Heard** Mar 12, 2018
*Originally Posted at MissioAlliance.org

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Sponsor a Child — At Compassion we take a committed, long-term approach to fighting child poverty. Our Holistic Child Development Model is made up of four comprehensive programs investing in children from the beginning of their lives until they’ve reached adulthood, and covering everything from prenatal care to university-level education.

**This Week on Seminary Dropout…**

My guest A. J. Swoboda pastors Theophilus Church in urban Portland, Oregon. He is executive director of the Seminary Stewardship Alliance, a consortium of Christian higher education institutions dedicated to reconnecting Christians with the biblical call to care for God’s creation. Swoboda also teaches biblical studies, theology, and church history at Portland Seminary and Fuller Theological Seminary, among others. He is an award-winning author or editor of nine books and speaks regularly at conferences, retreats, churches, and seminars. Visit his website and blog at www.ajswoboda.com.

We live in a 24/7 culture of endless productivity, workaholism, distraction, burnout, and anxiety–a way of life to which we’ve sadly grown accustomed. This tired system of “life” ultimately destroys our souls, our bodies, our relationships, our society, and the rest of God’s creation. The whole world grows exhausted because humanity has forgotten to enter into God’s rest.

This book pioneers a creative path to an alternative way of existing. Combining creative storytelling, pastoral sensitivity, practical insight, and relevant academic research, Subversive Sabbath offers a unique invitation to personal Sabbath-keeping that leads to fuller and more joyful lives. A. J. Swoboda demonstrates that Sabbath is both a spiritual discipline and a form of social justice, connects Sabbath-keeping to local communities, and explains how God may actually do more when we do less. He shows that the biblical practice of Sabbath-keeping is God’s plan for the restoration and healing of all creation. The book includes a foreword by Matthew Sleeth. -From the Publisher

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Seminary Dropout 54: Walter Brueggemann Talking – Reality, Grief, Hope

147: N.T. Wright Talks about The Day the Revolution Began

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**185 – Shannon Kiser & Verlon Fosner Talk About Revitalizing a 90 Year Old Church, A Bilingual Church, and Fresh Expressions** Mar 02, 2018
Our Sponsor:

Fresh Expressions is an international movement of missionary disciples cultivating new kinds of church alongside existing congregations to more effectively engage our growing post-Christian society.

Beginning in 2004 as an initiative of the Church of England and the British Methodist Church, the movement has resulted in the birth of thousands of new communities in the UK alone and brought renewal to scores of established churches. The movement has spread to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and Germany. In 2010, the movement began taking shape in the US through the vision and generosity of the Baptist General Association of Virginia and a growing number of partners committed to a new era of *missional ecumenism,* a unity around the mission of God the Father through the resurrected Son in the power of the Holy Spirit.

**This Week on Seminary Dropout…**

**Shannon Kiser** serves as Director of Training for Fresh Expressions US. She also is the director of the coaching network for the New Worshiping Community movement in the Presbyterian Church USA, and one of the pastors of Riverside Presbyterian Church, a northern Virginia church with multiple Fresh Expressions. She is a graduate of Texas Christian University and holds a Masters of Divinity from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Shannon has served churches in Texas and Virginia, as well as the Church Growth Office of the Presbyterian Mission Agency. Shannon and her husband Patrick live in Springfield, VA and have two high school daughters.

**Verlon Fosner** has led an innovative congregation in Seattle Washington since 1999. In 2008 the congregation transitioned from a traditional proclamation church into a multi-site Dinner Church called Community Dinners. In 2016, Verlon joined the Fresh Expression US leadership team and began coaching declining churches, leading “Dinner Church Encounters” across the country, and hosting “Seattle Immersions” at their home, which enables a few leaders at a time to observe Dinner Churches in action followed by training conversations around a fireplace. Verlon holds a Doctorate of Ministry from Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, and has written several books. He and his wife Melodee have three adult children, five grandchildren, a collection of grand-foster-kids, and two grand-dogs.

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183 – Iosmar Alvarez, Planting, Disciplining, and Fresh Expressions of the Hispanic Church

182 – Travis Collins, What is a Fresh Expression of Church Anyway?

Fresh Expressions 101 (And What To Do Next)”

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**184 – Michael Beck, Talking about Church in a Tattoo Parlor, Yoga Studio, and Dog Park** Feb 23, 2018
*Originally Posted at MissioAlliance.org

Our Sponsor:

Fresh Expressions is an international movement of missionary disciples cultivating new kinds of church alongside existing congregations to more effectively engage our growing post-Christian society.

Beginning in 2004 as an initiative of the Church of England and the British Methodist Church, the movement has resulted in the birth of thousands of new communities in the UK alone and brought renewal to scores of established churches. The movement has spread to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and Germany. In 2010, the movement began taking shape in the US through the vision and generosity of the Baptist General Association of Virginia and a growing number of partners committed to a new era of *missional ecumenism,* a unity around the mission of God the Father through the resurrected Son in the power of the Holy Spirit.

**This Week on Seminary Dropout…**

**Michael Beck** is the North Central District Cultivator of Fresh Expressions for the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church. He is also Senior Pastor of Wildwood and Oxford United Methodist Churches, where he directs addiction recovery programs, a jail ministry, a food pantry, and a network of fresh expressions that meet in places like tattoo parlors and burrito joints. He currently lives in Wildwood with his wife, Jill, and their blended family of 8 children.

If you liked this episode then you might also like…

183 – Iosmar Alvarez, Planting, Disciplining, and Fresh Expressions of the Hispanic Church

182 – Travis Collins, What is a Fresh Expression of Church Anyway?

Fresh Expressions 101 (And What To Do Next)”

Subscribe/Rate/Review Seminary Dropout in iTunes

**183 – Iosmar Alvarez, Planting, Disciplining, and Fresh Expressions of the Hispanic Church** Feb 16, 2018
*Originally Posted at MissioAlliance.org

Our Sponsor:

Fresh Expressions is an international movement of missionary disciples cultivating new kinds of church alongside existing congregations to more effectively engage our growing post-Christian society.

Beginning in 2004 as an initiative of the Church of England and the British Methodist Church, the movement has resulted in the birth of thousands of new communities in the UK alone and brought renewal to scores of established churches. The movement has spread to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and Germany. In 2010, the movement began taking shape in the US through the vision and generosity of the Baptist General Association of Virginia and a growing number of partners committed to a new era of *missional ecumenism,* a unity around the mission of God the Father through the resurrected Son in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Be sure register to attend the Rethinking Hell Conference, March 9-10. I’d love to see you there.

RethinkingHellConference.com

**This Week on Seminary Dropout…**

**Iosmar Alvarez** is originally from Cuba and has been in the US since 2001. God began to work in his life as Local Pastor in United Methodist Church Kentucky Conference in 2002. He has planted 3 Hispanic Churches in Kentucky in the past 10 years. He has his Masters in Divinity from United Theological Seminary (Dayton, Ohio) and another Masters degree in Christian Leadership from Lindsey Wilson College. Dr. Alvarez is a prolific author on leadership development and church growth, having 4 books written in those subjects. Additionally, Dr. Alvarez is a certified coach for SLI & Path1, the national UMC recognized agencies for church planting, development and transformation. At the same time, pastor Alvarez graduated with his Doctorate of Ministry degree from Asbury Theological Seminary on May 20, 2017. Currently Dr. Alvarez serves as Senior Pastor for Fuente De Avivamiento/Spring of Revival with 400+ members and 100 home churches. Dr. Alvarez has the honor to train leaders nationwide on how to plant churches and develop church culture and processes to make disciples. Dr. Alvarez pastors along with his wife Zulayne Alvarez, who supports and helps him in carrying the vision to the future generations.

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182 – Travis Collins, What is a Fresh Expression of Church Anyway?

Fresh Expressions 101 (And What To Do Next)”

Loud Pipes Save Lives: A Biker Church Story

Subscribe/Rate/Review Seminary Dropout in iTunes

**182 – Travis Collins, What is a Fresh Expression of Church Anyway?** Feb 13, 2018
*Originally Posted at MissioAlliance.org

Our Sponsor:

Fresh Expressions is an international movement of missionary disciples cultivating new kinds of church alongside existing congregations to more effectively engage our growing post-Christian society.

Beginning in 2004 as an initiative of the Church of England and the British Methodist Church, the movement has resulted in the birth of thousands of new communities in the UK alone and brought renewal to scores of established churches. The movement has spread to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and Germany. In 2010, the movement began taking shape in the US through the vision and generosity of the Baptist General Association of Virginia and a growing number of partners committed to a new era of *missional ecumenism,* a unity around the mission of God the Father through the resurrected Son in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Be sure register to attend the Rethinking Hell Conference, March 9-10. I’d love to see you there.

RethinkingHellConference.com

**This Week on Seminary Dropout…**

Travis’s service as Director of Mission Advancement and Southeast Regional Coordinator brings together his calling and experience as missionary and pastor. He serves as Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Huntsville, Alabama and was previously pastor of Bon Air Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia.

His twenty-five plus years of ministry have included missionary service in Venezuela and Nigeria. He is a graduate of Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama and earned the Master of Divinity and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.He is the author of *Directionally Challenged* (2007), *Tough Calls* (2008), and *From the Steeple to the Street* (Seedbed 2016).Travis and his wife, Keri, have three adult children.

In the last decade, a giant cultural wave has swept the North American church into a brand new world—a pluralistic, complicated, high-tech/low-touch world. Faced with the challenge of engaging a jaded culture, a fresh expression of church has emerged alongside the traditional church. This short book gives an overview of the Fresh Expressions movement and its innovative approach to reaching those who would perhaps never come to our church buildings. -From the Publisher

If you liked this episode then you might also like…

Fresh Expressions 101 (And What To Do Next)”

Loud Pipes Save Lives: A Biker Church Story

Subscribe/Rate/Review Seminary Dropout in iTunes

**181 – Curt Thompson, Author of “Anatomy of the Soul” on Christianity & Science, Why We Keep Sinning, and More** Feb 02, 2018
*Originally Posted at MissioAlliance.org

Our Sponsor:

Sponsor a Child — At Compassion we take a committed, long-term approach to fighting child poverty. Our Holistic Child Development Model is made up of four comprehensive programs investing in children from the beginning of their lives until they’ve reached adulthood, and covering everything from prenatal care to university-level education.

Thanks to all who gave to make Seminary Dropout in 2018 possible!

Be sure register to attend the Rethinking Hell Conference, March 9-10. I’d love to see you there.

RethinkingHellConference.com

**This Week on Seminary Dropout…**

Curt Thompson, M.D., is a psychiatrist in private practice in Falls Church, Virginia and founder of Being Known, which develops teaching programs, seminars and resource materials to help people explore the connection between interpersonal neurobiology and Christian spirituality which lead to genuine change and transformation.

He and his wife, Phyllis, are the parents of two children and reside in Arlington, Virginia. He serves as an elder at Washington Community Fellowship in Washington, D.C. His duties there have included preaching, teaching, and participation in the fellowship’s healing prayer ministry. He and his wife (a licensed clinical social worker) frequently provide premarital counseling services for couples in their congregation.

Do you want to improve your relationships and experience lasting personal change? Join Curt Thompson, M.D., on an amazing journey to discover the surprising pathways for transformation hidden inside your own mind. Integrating new findings in neuroscience and attachment with Christian spirituality, Dr. Thompson reveals how it is possible to rewire your mind, altering your brain patterns and literally making you more like the person God intended you to be. Explaining discoveries about the brain in layman’s terms, he shows how you can be mentally transformed through spiritual practices, interaction with Scripture, and connections with other people. He also provides practical exercises to help you experience healing in areas where you’ve been struggling. Insightful and challenging, Anatomy of the Soul illustrates how learning about one of God’s most miraculous creations―your brain―can enrich your life, your relationships, and your impact on the world around you. -From the Publisher

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143: Mike McHargue aka “Science Mike”, Author of “Finding God In The Waves”

Seminary Dropout 52: James Bryan Smith, Author of The Apprentice Series

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The State of the Podcast Dec 29, 2017

Here are the main points of this episode…

My original intention was to pick SD back up in January, which is now just a few days away. Some of you may remember I did the same thing last year but then wound up not publishing until April. So in the last few weeks I’ve come to a cross roads in deciding what to do about SD. If you benefit from the content of SD, (which I assume you do if you’re listening to this), then don’t worry, I’m not planning on ending the show. However, I do have to make some changes.
Seminary Dropout is time intensive.
Because Seminary Dropout is time intensive, it takes time away from either working my day job, or spending time with my family and friends.
As you may have guessed, I want to use Patreon to fund the next year of SD.
Here’s how it’s going to work. I’m setting a goal of raising the dollar per episode amount from $66 to $100 per episode, and when we reach that goal, I’ll resume SD for 2018.
So if you want to become a patron just go to supportseminarydropout.com and sign up. You can also go to that site if you want to see how close we are to the $100 goal. The amount raised will be show right on the front page.

So there it is. Thanks for taking the time and if you want to become a patron today and fund SD into 2018, then please go to SupportSeminaryDropout.com and pledge today.