Join Collin Hansen and Melissa Kruger for their annual recap discussion on the biggest stories affecting the church around the world in the last year. This conversation was originally featured on TGC's Gospelbound podcast.

It’s important to remember as Christians in America that the global church consists of churches from all countries and continents. God is building his church continually, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. He displays his faithfulness even amid the brokenness we witness in our local church contexts. Christ came to rescue his Bride, and he won’t stop perfecting her until he returns.

In this episode of Glo, Blair Linne, Aixa de López, Sharon Dickens, and Soojin Park discuss what God is doing in their local congregations and share hopeful stories and statistics of God’s work around the world. The hosts close their conversation and the first season of Glo by praying for churches that God has placed on their hearts. May we listen closely to the stories of God’s work worldwide and be encouraged to persevere in our faith and devotion to his church, knowing he remains faithful.

Episode time stamps:

• Episode and topic introduction (0:00)
• Aixa's hope for the church in Guatemala (3:43)
• God's work at 20schemes in Scotland (6:07)
• Hope in the American church (9:25)
• The local church as a healing agent (12:54)
• Hopeful statistics about the global church (15:24)
• Encouraging stories from different parts of the world (17:04)
• Praising God for believers doing work in hard places (26:09)
• Praying for churches around the world (29:30)
• What is one part of the world you've always wanted to visit? (46:00)

"Part of the promise of the new heaven and new earth is that you are going to have a new mind." – Soojin Park

In this episode of Glo, Blair Linne, Aixa de López, Sharon Dickens, and Soojin Park discuss the importance of creating a safe space within the local church for Christians to share their emotional and mental health struggles and receive encouragement without shame. They vulnerably share their own stories of struggling with mental health and describe how the hope of eternity, when we will be fully restored in body and mind, gives us the endurance to persevere.

The struggle with anxiety and depression is one that might require medical help, professional counseling, and tools of God's common grace in order to find healing, and we serve a God who meets us in our weakness and lovingly bears our burdens. By fostering open and compassionate conversations about mental health within the body of Christ, may we create an atmosphere where those silently suffering can find hope.

Episode time stamps:

• Episode and topic introduction (0:00)
• The stigma of mental health in the church (5:13)
• Mental health as a Christian woman (7:36)
• Postpartum depression and anxiety (10:57)
• Biblical joy and the range of human emotion (14:42)
• We don't have to edit our prayers when we are struggling (17:21)
• Pray without ceasing and cast your cares on the Lord (20:30)
• Depression and a future renewal of our minds (22:19)
• How to walk with someone who is struggling with mental health (25:03)
• Recommended resources (28:40)

Recommended resources: 

• Rhythms of Renewal by Rebekah Lyons
• The Wounded Heart by Dan Allender
• A Small Book for the Anxious Heart by Edward T. Welch
• Depression: Looking up from the Stubborn Darkness by Edward T. Welch
• Blame it on the Brain by Edward T. Welch
• Spiritual Depression by D. Martyn Lloyd Jones
• The Emotional Life of Our Lord by B. B. Warfield
• The Allender Center

As believers, we create because we have been created by the One who fashioned everything together, with no point of reference. In this episode of Glo, Blair Linne, Aixa de López, Sharon Dickens, and Soojin Park talk about how all creation, especially the arts, points us to God—the creator himself. They discuss broadening our definition of "art," the difference between art for the church and art from the church, how art can move us to worship the person of Christ, and more.

Episode time stamps:

• Topic introduction (0:00)
• Graphic Design and Christ (3:59)
• The peace in drawing and painting (6:19)
• What does it mean to be creative? (8:36)
• Shakespeare, Great British Baking Show, and hip-hop dance (10:18)
• Art is everywhere (11:36)
• Valuing art (14:03)
• How we find meaning in art (15:52)
• Why do we become afraid of the unfamiliar? (17:51)
• Art for the church and art from the church (20:49)
• Music as a bridge to art (24:47)

With the rise of digital technology and the COVID-19 pandemic, it's easy to fall into a pattern of exclusively engaging with church and community online. However, as Christians, we are called to gather with one another and to stir one another up to love and good works in physical community. So, how do we break out of our comfort zones and embrace meaningful connections with other believers, as God intended?

In this episode of Glo, Blair Linne, Aixa de López, Sharon Dickens, and Soojin Park discuss the trend of online church engagement, why some of us might find online church more comfortable, God's design for connection and community, and why isolation is dangerous for our hearts. You'll be both challenged and encouraged to pursue genuine biblical relationships in a world increasingly dominated by technology.

Episode time stamps: 

• The global pandemic and its impact on church (1:15)
• Coming back to church after the pandemic (4:42)
• Fears preventing people from coming back to church (8:28)
• Dangers of relying on online community for spiritual growth (11:59
• The importance of being connected to a community of christ-followers (14:50)
• Those who have become disconnected: Say, "I miss you." (16:58)
• Created for worship together (19:24)
• Online resources that have helped point the hosts to Christ (20:34)

In this episode of Glo, Blair Linne, Aixa de López, Sharon Dickens, and Soojin Park discuss how believers and church leaders can provide mercy ministry that is effective, biblical, loving, and sustainable. Drawing from the book, When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . and Yourself, the hosts define "poverty" and talk about how to identify and prevent early mistakes in mercy ministry. You'll learn the importance of discipleship in caring for the poor, how to open the door to evangelistic conversations, caring for spiritual needs, and practical steps you can take to start serving the poor and marginalized in your local context.

Episode time stamps:

• When helping hurts (0:00)
• Redefining how to serve the poor (3:20)
• Poverty in Guatemala (5:29)
• Mercy ministry: serve well and thoughtfully (8:09)
• Relative vs. absolute poverty (8:54)
• Restoring relationships (10:31)
• How to discern where to give your gifts and resources (12:32)
• Knowing the needs in your community (16:57)
• The importance of discipleship (18:22)
• Identifying early mistakes in mercy ministry (20:31)
• What does it look like to trade rather than give? (22:34)
• Relational poverty in the Korean American community (25:39)
• The story of the shoe maker (29:06)

Recommended resources:

• When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . and Yourself by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert
• "Why It's Better to Trade Than to Give" by Justin Lonas
• "How Can We Include the Poor in the Conversation?" with Brian Fikkert and Robby Holt from TGC Q&A's Faith & Work series

Just as Jesus reconciled us to the Father, he restored our relationships with one another. When we were in need of a home, Jesus lovingly accepted us into his family. Similarly, caring for the fatherless often entails opening our home to children who need a secure and nurturing environment. As followers of Christ, how can we personally answer the biblical mandate to uphold and support orphans?

In this episode of Glo, Blair Linne, Aixa de López, Sharon Dickens, and Soojin Park discuss caring for orphans through foster care, adoption, and discipleship, no matter your season of life. Through prayer and faithful obedience to the Holy Spirit's leading, we can all do something to love and care for the fatherless.

Episode time stamps:

• Aixa's family story of foster care and adoption (0:00)
• Spiritual adoption and spiritual orphans (9:25)
• Cross-cultural adoption and cultural diversity (13:45)
• How the church can broaden its view (15:24)
• Caring for the fatherless through discipleship (21:30)
• Spiritual fathers and mothers (24:46)
• Supporting families called to foster care and adoption (28:20)
• The Lord's grace and your unique calling (36:41)

Recommended resources: 

• Trusted organizations from the Christian Alliance for Orphans
• Everyone Can Do Something by Jason Johnson (book)
• "5 Ways Your Church Can Support Foster Care" by Ryan MacDonald (article)
• "Loving the Widow" by K. A. Ellis (message from TGCW18)

The most dangerous thing about the prosperity gospel is that it preaches a contradictory message to the true gospel of Jesus. When Jesus said we would have troubles in this world, the prosperity message says you should only experience blessing. When Jesus said you must take up your cross and follow him daily, prosperity theology teaches that if you "sow seeds of faith", you won't experience hardship. Whatever the distortion, the prosperity gospel ultimately takes our eyes off Jesus and his true Word that says this life is about God's glory, not our own. So what do we do when someone we love is tempted to believe or is actively clinging to the prosperity gospel instead of Jesus himself?

In this episode of Glo, Blair Linne, Aixa de López, Sharon Dickens, and Soojin Park discuss the dangers of prosperity theology and why our only hope is the true gospel of Jesus. They share about times they believed in prosperity theology and how God transformed their hearts to worship him and understand his Word clearly.

Episode time stamps: 

• Prosperity theology in Latin American culture (0:00)
• Aixa's own experience with prosperity teaching (5:43)
• The root: desiring blessing over God himself (8:14)
• The subtleties of the prosperity gospel (11:57)
• How suffering opens a door to the true gospel (16:00)
• Walking closely with those who are led astray (19:48)
• Longing for eternity (23:19)

Social media, regardless of where you find yourself in the world, is likely shaping the culture around you. It has the ability to be all-consuming—shaping our thoughts, beliefs, and values. As Christians who aspire to have an influence on those around us, how can we use social media wisely without being consumed? Should we consider taking a break from social media when the need arises? As our follower count grows and provides an opportunity for influencing others positively, is it still appropriate to use our social media platforms to that end?

In this episode of Glo, Blair Linne, Aixa de López, Sharon Dickens, and Soojin Park discuss how to use social media in a meaningful and gospel-informed way. They touch on their preferred platforms, distinguishing between influencing others on social media versus being considered an "influencer," and they identify when taking a break from it is a wise decision for our own hearts.

Episode time stamps:

• There's no recipe for social media (0:00)
• How Twitter helped Aixa's faith take a positive turn (5:12)
• The value of social media for the global church (7:01)
• The dangers of self-made influence (9:45)
• The difference between being a positive influence and being an influencer (12:46)
• Social media should be an overflow of your real life (15:21)
• Remembering that your followers are real people (17:07)
• Considering your purpose for being on social media (18:34)
• Using social media wisely and when to take a break (22:24)
• Is social media causing me to sin? (28:10)
• The hosts share their favorite social media platforms (29:13)

In Romans 12, Paul instructs believers to share in the needs of the saints and pursue hospitality. This is the same call for believers today—to help care for the people in our communities and show Christlike love through hospitality. But what does this actually look like in our various cultural contexts and seasons of life?

In this episode of Glo, Blair Linne, Aixa de López, Sharon Dickens, and Soojin Park delve into the biblical foundations of hospitality and its distinction from mere entertainment. They discuss how hospitality is a form of worship and why financial limitations should not hinder our gracious care toward others. The hosts also share personal examples of what hospitality looks like in their own unique backgrounds. This conversation reminds us that we can all show Christ's love through the practice of hospitality, no matter where we are in the world.

Episode time stamps:

• Share with the saints in their needs (0:00)
• What is biblical hospitality? (4:26)
• The humble heart and hospitality (5:49)
• Entertainment vs. hospitality (8:55)
• Hospitality as worship (12:48)
• When not to have someone in your home (15:37)
• How to be hospitable as a single woman (17:10)
• Showing hospitality in your cultural context (19:27)