Brace for the profound... In life, there are beginnings, and there are endings.

I know, I know. Your mind just got blown.

But, in all seriousness, those beginnings often include some form of arrival, and, with those endings, some form of departure. It is the second one we're talking about on this episode of As You Go, and not only because this happens to be Bo Bowen's last episode as host of the podcast.

On this episode, Bo sits down for one more long-form conversation, with some old and new guests, to discuss the spiritual and emotional impact that comes with leaving a place, a church, a job, a town... Every guest brings their own stories, experiences, and lessons learned from times in which they were compelled - one way or another - to leave the life they knew and go to a new place. In this conversation, we talk about everything from the sadness and sentimental struggle of deciding to leave, to the spiritual significance behind the act of leaving, to some helpful reminders on how to leave well (even when the circumstances may tempt you to leave not-so-well).

And, yes, this is Bo's last episode as host, as he also finds himself in the process of leaving. Beginning April 1, 2019, Bo will begin a new position as senior pastor at Northeast Church in Braselton, Georgia. So, while we consider this episode his swan song, we are thankful he invited plenty of others along to share the mic.

As always, if you have any comments, questions, or would like to share your own stories, you can contact us at [email protected], or go to our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/asyougopodcast. You can also follow us on Twitter at @asyougopodcast.

Well, it's that time of year again when we look back on all the best (and worst) aspects of 2018. Why we do this, who can say for sure? But we do it, and this wouldn't be a regular, ongoing podcast if it didn't keep up with culture's tendency to evaluate the previous year before jumping into the next.

On this episode of As You Go, Bo sits down with some good friends (Robert Comeaux, Pastor of Worship & Arts; Katy Swilley, Assimilation Coordinator; Jeremy Noa, Video Coordinator) and his trusty engineering sidekick, Ross, to discuss the standout moments, stories, and experiences from 2018. The group shares their picks for Best Movie, Best TV Show, Best Book, and Best Album while also offering some perspectives on major and overlooked news stories from the past year. And, just like last year, the caveat on the Best-Of categories is that these pieces of pop culture did not have to be released in 2018 - only experienced for the first time in the past year. Yeah, it's a cheat, but it makes things so much easier.

So, sit back, relax, and let the dying song of 2018 screech out one last time...

If you would like to share your own picks for the best and worst of 2018, or you think you have a valid reason for telling one of us why we were dead wrong about our own picks, please don't keep that information to yourself! Write to us at [email protected], or comment on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/asyougopodcast. You can also tweet to us at @asyougopodcast.

Heaven. A glorious place. Pearly gates. Streets of gold. A crystal sea. And so many clouds!

Hell. A terrifying place. Fiery pits. Sulphur fumes. Dank caves. And so many pitchforks!

Misinterpreted or not, these are just some of the images that come to mind when we think of the proverbial carrot and stick of the Christian view of eternity. And, for more than fifteen-hundred years, these images have proven extremely influential to human beings. To this very day, even people who reject everything about Christianity are familiar with the concepts of heaven and hell. They are integral aspects of the life of faith, and have been speculated about and re-imagined by believers and non-believers alike. Even if you don't believe in heaven or hell, there's no getting around how powerful and persuasive these two concepts can be.

On this episode of As You Go, Bo sits down with regular co-hosts Jeff Reams (Missions Pastor at Dunwoody Baptist Church and host of The Mission Life Podcast) and Katie Phillips (Writer and Editor with Shaunti Feldhahn Ministries) to discuss how their own upbringings in the Church were influenced (or not) by the concepts of heaven and hell. In what ways has the hope of heaven drawn them deeper into a desire for God, and in what ways has a fear of hell changed the way they viewed the life of faith? How should Christians talk about these two enigmatic concepts with non-believers? What about with children?

If you would like to share your own thoughts on this episode, you can write to us at [email protected]. You can also find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/asyougopodcast. We're also on Twitter and Instagram at @asyougopodcast. We'd love to hear from you!

Show Notes:
The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism by Timothy Keller, Penguin Books, 2009.

In the last two decades, majority views on gender and sexuality have undergone a significant shift. And in the last half-decade or so, one of the most controversial issues to emerge within this subject matter is the issue of gender identity (i.e., "gender expression," "gender dysphoria," etc.). Whether for better or worse, not very long ago in Western society an anatomical/biological male could choose to "identity" as female in gender (or vice versa) only to be immediately dismissed as mentally impaired. But in most communities, that response has either softened, or completely changed.

But with the normalization of separating from one's biological identity from one's gender expression, there remains several points of concern that should not be overlooked no matter what side of this issue, or related issues, you find yourself standing on. Hard questions must still be asked of this new normal. Most notably, perhaps, is what age or stage of life is healthy and appropriate in which to choose one's gender identity and sexual orientation? How young is too young? And what does empirical science have to say in response to what is very often a decision driven by social experience and emotion?

On this episode of As You Go, Bo sits down with Dr. Allen Jackson, senior pastor of Dunwoody Baptist Church in Dunwoody, Georgia. Prior to pastoring at DBC, Allen spent much of his adult life and ministry career as a professor and writer, training student pastors and other seminarians and engaging in research on a wide range of subjects pertaining to child and adolescent development. Together, Allen and Bo discuss the ramifications of gender identification and how the issue has changed over the last several years. They focus much of their conversation on the growing trend of choosing one's gender identity prior to, or during, puberty, and the dangers inherent in doing so as attested in pediatric research.

This is a wide-ranging topic, to be sure, and not a little controversial. However, in their conversation Allen and Bo seek to respect differing viewpoints and stances while providing honest observations and interpretations of research data in order to help listeners remain adequately informed about such a polarizing issue in today's society. For Christians especially, while some might like this issue to go away, the fact is that all of us must recognize a need to not only address it, but also to carefully understand and reflect on it, and to pursue an attitude of grace and patience no matter what our personal feelings may be. This episode may help you in that journey.

If you would like to offer your own comments, or feedback, on this episode, you can send an e-mail to [email protected], or go to our Facebook site, www.facebook.com/asyougopodcast and offer a comment beneath the episode post. You can also tweet to us at @asyougopodcast.

SHOW NOTES:
(Helpful articles and books, including those mentioned by Dr. Jackson):

Articles:
"Responding to the Transgender Revolution" by Robert S. Smith (copyright 2017)
"The Transgender Revolution and the Rubble of Empty Promises" by Russell Moore (copyright 2017)
"The Gender-Fluid Generation: Young People on Being Male, Female, or Non-Binary" by Sarah Marsh and The Guardian readers (copyright 2016)
"Sexuality and Gender: Findings from the Biological, Psychological, and Social Sciences" by Lawrence S. Mayer and Paul R. McHugh (copyright 2016)
"Misunderstanding a New Kind of Gender Dysphoria" by Lisa Marchiano (copyright 2017)
"Women's Service in the Church: The Biblical Basis" by N.T. Wright (copyright 2016)

Books:
The Bible and Homosexual Practice by Robert J. Gagnon
Bible, Gender, Sexuality: Reframing the Church's Debate on Same-Sex Relationships by James V. Brownson
Transgender by Vaughan Roberts
God and the Transgender Debate: What Does the Bible Actually Say About Gender Identity by Andrew T. Walker
Love is an Orientation: Elevating the Gay Conversation with the Gay Community by Andrew Marin
Understanding Gender Dysphoria: Navigating Transgender Issues in a Changing Culture by Mark A. Yarhouse

While simultaneously changing the world through technological innovation, social media platforms, and award-winning artistic pursuits, the Millennial generation is simultaneously decried as a generation of entitled, lazy, ill-prepared men and women who have not had the rock-solid upbringing of previous generations. There are plenty of news pundits, politicians, and even preachers pointing at these young people in their twenties and early thirties and blaming them for a miscellany of breakdowns in our society.

And yet, the Millennial generation has confidently entered the global workforce and are currently receiving the baton from the Boomers and Gen-Xers who have proceeded them. So, who are these people, and what do they really think about society, not to mention issues of faith and culture?

On this episode of As You Go, Bo sits down with three twenty-something Millennials (and trusty producer-sidekick, Ross, who just makes the birthdate cut) to discuss what it's like to be a Millennial in a society that simultaneously maligns you yet follows your lead in so many areas. The conversation meanders through student debt, marriage, and professionalism, but ultimately arrives at a discussion of what American Millennials think of the Church. What does it take to recognize that Millennials are no longer "the Church of the future," but rather are "the Church of Now"? How can communities of faith authentically connect with this rising generation, and what outdated modes of ministry need to go in order to truly become a place of healing and strength for our world today?

If you would like to contact us at As You Go, you can send an e-mail to [email protected], or you can visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/asyougopodcast. You can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @asyougopodcast. And, remember, if you like the show, the best way to show that appreciation is to leave a nice review on iTunes. It helps more people find the show and enjoy it just as you do.

It's the Season 4 premiere of the As You Go Podcast! We're glad to be back with another year of great conversations (and we don't plan to cut this season short due to marriage ceremonies, unexpected surgeries, and house moves...)

On this episode of AYG, Bo sits down with fellow pastors Jeff Reams (DBC Missions Pastor and MissionLife Podcast host) and Robert Comeaux (DBC Worship & Arts Pastor) to discuss their recent experience studying and preparing sermons on some of Jesus' parables. Their discussion focuses on the unique nature of reading and interpreting the parables of Jesus, as well as the idiosyncrasies and occasional difficulties encountered when preaching about what are already inherently sermons in story form. How should believers extrapolate the lessons within a parable? Are parables meant to be read symbolically or allegorically? Do we do a disservice to parables when we teach them through expository sermons?

We would love to hear your thoughts on our conversation, and find out what your favorite (or least favorite?) parable is. Please let us know what you think of this, and future, episodes by checking us out online: www.facebook.com/asyougopodcast and through our Twitter and Instagram handle, @asyougopodcast. You can also e-mail us directly at [email protected]. Who knows? We might read your comments during a future episode...

Also, please take a couple minutes to rate and review this podcast on iTunes or Stitcher to help raise the profile of the show and help other people find it and enjoy it just like you do.

You've seen them in restaurants, heads bowed down at the table but not necessarily for prayer. You've seen them at bus stops, standing mere inches from other human beings but completely oblivious. And you've been behind them when the stoplight turns green and their cars don't budge. We live in a world that, like it or not, is addicted to smartphones and the virtually limitless access of information, communication, and recreation they provide. And the hardest thing to accept is not that you have also been one of the people described above; no, the hardest thing is that, outside of a global meltdown, this kind of technological advancement is not going to stop.

On this episode of As You Go, Bo sits down to talk about technophilia and the ubiquitous influence of smartphones and their Internet-capable brethren on various generations. Joined by regular guest co-hosts Mark Paul (Student Pastor at Dunwoody Baptist Church) and Katie Phillips (Senior Writer with Shaunti Feldhahn & Associates), the three consider various points of data about Generation Z and how, as the first generation to grow up completely within the age of the Internet, they see and experience the world differently. They also discuss how to address the "disconnect" that often exists between these young people and those of older generations who can still fathom life before Google, Facebook, Twitter, and a smartphone in every pocket.

This episode is not about bemoaning the loss of innocence from bygone eras. Rather, it is about looking to the future and embracing the good of these astonishing advancements while being mindful of the problems and dangers that come with any great power we suddenly find ourselves able to freely wield.

And it's just the beginning of a greater conversation that we hope you will join in. Write to us your own thoughts at [email protected], or rather than hypnotically scrolling your Facebook or Twitter feeds, communicate with us on our page, www.facebook.com/asyougopodcast, or feed @asyougopodcast. We want to hear your own stories, decisions, concerns, and questions.

As You Go is back, after far too long of a hiatus, with a wonderful conversation on an issue that continues to gain notability and notoriety in our society. The #MeToo Movement is sweeping across the country, affecting major cultural industries from Hollywood to politics to journalism. And yet, what is truly powerful about this movement is not that it is content to be an indictment of the realms of power, but even more a calling out of individuals in every corner of society who assert undue power over another person, be that in a sexual context, or based on race, gender, or beliefs.

The movement is far from perfect, but the good it has done in society should not be overlooked. However, while stories from the #MeToo Movement are all over the news today, we don't often hear as many of them in the Church. Is that because Christians are somehow exempt from the movement? Does our faith preclude us from involvement of what often seems a secularly-charged issue?

Today's episode of the podcast is a special one, as Bo sits down with two good friends, fellow believers, and previous guests, Heather Morris and Elaina Thompson, to discuss the impact of the #MeToo Movement within the Church. Heather and Elaina share their own stories of harassment and struggle as women, and help us all understand the great value inherent in a movement seeking to abolish any and all cultural acceptance of sexual discrimination, harassment, and/or violence.

If you would like to get in touch with us to let us know your thoughts on this episode, to share your own story, or to ask follow-up questions, please go to our default web address, www.facebook.com/asyougopodcast, and leave us a comment or send a direct message. You can also find us on Twitter at @asyougopodcast, or simply e-mail us at [email protected].

Immigration. It's become an incessantly debated issue in our country, but how should committed Christians frame their own ideas about the plight of the immigrant and the foriegner? Should one's allegiance to the gospel of Jesus supersede national policy, or is it better if the two never meet?

Regardless of what a person thinks about current immigration policy and what the future holds on a national stage, how does the gospel transform the way we as individuals engage people of other cultures, no matter what their current citizenship status may be? What personal "border policies" have become knee-jerk habits in our daily thoughts and actions, and do they prevent us from effectively engaging with, and genuinely caring for, the variety of folks invading our space day after day?

On the first As You Go episode of 2018, Bo sits down with two committed followers of Jesus who also happen to serve on the "front lines" of cross-cultural engagement. Occasional co-host and pastor Jeff Reams, along with international worker Brian Burt, join Bo in the studio to discuss what must be the guiding perspective for Christians regarding the issue of immigration. From there, they dive into several other concerns that orbit this hot-button subject, including response to refugees, multiculturalism in our communities, and the influence of foreign cultures and practices in our society.

If you've been struggling to "choose a side" in the ongoing immigration impasse, or have felt uneasy at time with the side you consider yourself on, we hope this episode of the podcast might help you refocus on what really matters in light of God's grand mission to "draw all people" to himself.

We would also like to hear how this conversation impacted you. If you would like to write to us or let us know what you think (or what you think we should have included in our discussion), please do so in one of the following ways: find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/asyougopodcast and leave us a comment or send a direct message; tweet to us at @asyougopodcast on Twitter; send us a good ol' e-mail at [email protected].

Just in time for the end of 2017, it's a year-in-review episode looking back over all the exciting, encouraging, and troubling moments of 2017. On this episode, Bo is joined by an array of co-host all-stars who share their favorite (and a couple of their non-favorites) movies, albums, books, and television shows, while also discussing the news stories they have found most intriguing, and the personal experiences of 2017 that meant the most to them. In addition to Producer Ross, we also welcome recent guests Mark Paul and Katie Phillips, as well as Jeremy Noa, a long-time technical supporter of the show who has finally begun to step behind the mic, too.

With so much to cover, this is a longer-than-usual episode of the podcast, so see the list of categories below if you'd like to skip ahead to one in particular:

Best/Worst Movies of 2017 - 10:25
Best Albums/Music Artists of 2017 - 32:40
Most Intriguing News Stories - 42:58
Best Book of 2017 - 59:00
Best Television Shows of 2017 - 1:08:09
Best Experiences of 2017 - 1:14:46

If you would like to get in touch with us to let us know what your year-in-review picks are for 2017, or just to say a kind hello, you can find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/asyougopodcast, where you can Like the page and offer comments on each episode. You can also follow us on Twitter at @asyougopodcast, or e-mail us directly at [email protected].