Jesus Collective Podcast

What if we've misunderstood the very nature of God's power? What if the clearest revelation of God is not found in force or domination, but in the self-giving love of Jesus?

In this episode of the Jesus Collective Podcast, Kenneth Tanner joins us to discuss his compelling new book, Vulnerable God. Together we explore the surprising claim that vulnerability is not a weakness in God—it is the deepest expression of divine love. From the incarnation and the cross to the way we imagine leadership, justice, and the Church, this conversation invites us to rethink some of our most deeply held assumptions about who God is.

Whether you're wrestling with suffering, deconstructing harmful images of God, or simply longing for a more beautiful vision of Jesus, this episode offers wisdom, hope, and a fresh theological imagination.

What happens when following Jesus changes the way we understand violence, enemies, and peace?

In this episode, Paul Walker sits down with pastor and author Jon Sherwood to explore what it means to take Jesus’ teachings on nonviolence seriously. Jon shares his journey from a violent past to discovering a Jesus who calls his followers into a radically different way of life—and how that conviction eventually led him to help his own congregation move from an implicit just-war perspective toward an explicit commitment to nonviolence.

Together, Paul and Jon explore the Sermon on the Mount, enemy love, the resurrection, the fear of death, and what it means to trust Jesus when his teachings challenge deeply held assumptions. They also discuss how these convictions play out in everyday life, from parenting and relationships to questions of self-defense, the military, guns, and the role of violence in Christian culture.

This is a conversation about more than a particular ethical position. It’s an invitation to keep asking: What does it actually look like to follow Jesus into a life of peace?

Jon Sherwood is the author of The Unarmed Truth: Following the Prince of Peace in a World of Violence.

What if one of the most powerful ways to participate in the mission of Jesus is simply to make room for people at the table? In this episode of the Jesus Collective Podcast, Paul Walker sits down with Forrest Jenan, creator of the video series Dining with Jesus, to explore how hospitality can become a doorway to genuine, Jesus-centered mission. Rather than treating mission as a program or event, Forrest shares how his local church in California is learning to embody the way of Jesus through shared meals, meaningful relationships, and deep engagement with their neighbourhood. 

Their conversation moves from the broad vision of hospitality to the concrete practices that have helped cultivate a growing and remarkably diverse church community. They discuss why meals mattered so much in the ministry of Jesus, how hospitality breaks down social and cultural barriers, and what it looks like for ordinary Christians to live with a missionary posture in everyday life. Whether you’re a church leader, a host, or someone longing to love your neighbours more intentionally, this episode offers both inspiration and practical wisdom for becoming a more welcoming and mission-shaped presence in your community.

What if evangelism isn’t about convincing people to believe the right things, but about introducing them to Jesus?

In this episode of the Jesus Collective Podcast, Paul Walker sits down with Craig Stephens, an Australian Salvation Army officer and evangelist, to rethink what it means to share the good news. Craig reflects on his own unexpected journey into evangelism and how an encounter with the Holy Spirit transformed his understanding of mission.

Together, Paul and Craig explore a more beautiful, Jesus-shaped gospel—one centred on the kingdom of God, discipleship, peace, and the presence of Christ already at work in the world. 

They talk about why evangelism has become a loaded word, the danger of reducing the gospel to formulas and decisions, and what it might look like to introduce people to Jesus rather than simply ideas about him.

Craig also shares practical stories of bringing peace into anxious and stressful situations, listening to people's stories, overcoming fear, and learning to recognize where God is already moving.

This is a conversation about recovering the beauty of the gospel and discovering that evangelism doesn't have to be intimidating, forced, or transactional. It can simply be the overflow of a life that has encountered Jesus.

There's a growing movement of Christians who describe their faith as "Jesus-centered." But isn't every Christian centered on Jesus? What actually makes this approach distinct, and why does it sometimes feel new, even controversial, to people who've been in the church their whole lives?

In this recording from a live event held on June 25, 2026, Jesus Collective Resource Development Manager Meghan Larissa Good and Jesus Collective board member Becca Syme dig into the questions people ask most often about what changes when Jesus becomes the starting point for Christian faith and practice.

Whether you're new to Jesus-centered Christianity or looking for better language to use with curious friends and family, this conversation will help you see how starting with Jesus reshapes the way we picture God, read scripture, and live it out.

In this episode you'll learn:

• What actually makes Jesus-centered faith distinct — and why so many Christians, in practice, center on something else instead

• How to talk about Jesus-centeredness with people from other Christian traditions, without turning it into a label war

• How starting with Jesus changes the way we read the Bible — and why it's not a threat to the Bible's authority

• How centering on Jesus reshapes what church is for and how it disciples people

• How recentering on Jesus can offer real hope to a divided church and a divided world

Conflict is something we all experience, but few of us are taught how to navigate it well. Whether in our families, churches, workplaces, or communities, conflict can feel uncomfortable, threatening, and even destructive. But what if conflict isn't something to fear? What if it can become an opportunity for growth, healing, and deeper connection?

In this episode, Josh Mutter, Lead Pastor of Westheights Community Church, and Nathan Toews, Peace Education Coordinator for MCC U.S., explore a Jesus-centered approach to conflict and peacemaking. Drawing from years of pastoral leadership, peace education, and international experience in conflict transformation, they discuss why conflict is an inevitable part of human relationships and how our instinctive responses—whether fighting, avoiding, blaming, or withdrawing—often prevent true resolution.

Together, they unpack practical practices for engaging conflict with curiosity instead of fear, listening instead of defending, and seeking understanding rather than simply winning an argument. The conversation highlights how healthy conflict can deepen relationships, strengthen communities, and become a powerful part of spiritual formation.

MCC Peace Practices Series: https://connect.westheights.org/page/2/?s=peaceful+practice

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why conflict is a normal and necessary part of life
• The difference between conflict resolution and conflict transformation
• How defensiveness and avoidance can deepen divisions
• Practical ways to listen, communicate, and engage with disagreement
• How Jesus' teachings shape a healthier approach to conflict and reconciliation
• Why peacemaking is an essential part of Christian discipleship

If you've ever wondered how to move through conflict without damaging relationships, this conversation will give you tools to engage with courage, grace, and hope.

Guests: Josh Mutter & Nathan Toews

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Mental health and spiritual formation are often treated as separate conversations—but what if they're deeply connected?

In this episode, Jeannie Park-Hearn joins us to explore how our bodies, minds, and spirits are woven together in the journey of faith. Drawing on theology, trauma research, and pastoral experience, she shares why healing isn't just about changing what we think, but learning to pay attention to how our bodies carry both pain and hope.

Together, we discuss the role of embodiment in spiritual formation, what the Bible teaches through lament, and how church communities can become places where honest conversations about mental health are welcomed rather than avoided. Jeannie also reflects on the importance of healthy boundaries, supportive relationships, and creating faith communities where people can heal without shame.

Whether you're a pastor, ministry leader, or someone navigating your own journey of faith and mental health, this conversation offers thoughtful wisdom, practical encouragement, and hope for a more holistic way of following Jesus.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why the body plays a vital role in spiritual formation
• How trauma shapes our relationship with God, ourselves, and others
• What biblical lament teaches us about honest faith
• Practical ways churches can cultivate healthier conversations around mental health
• Why healing happens in community—not in isolation

What if the people leaving church haven’t stopped searching for God?

In this episode, we sit down with reconciliation practitioner, researcher, and bridge-builder Kristin Caynor to explore what it means to truly listen to our neighbours in a world marked by division, distrust, and spiritual hunger. Drawing from her experience working among diverse communities across cultures, faith traditions, and social divides, Kristin shares why listening may be one of the most powerful forms of discipleship available to the church today.

Together, we discuss why so many people remain hungry for meaning, belonging, beauty, and truth, even after walking away from organised religion. Kristin unpacks her guiding convictions "Love is my religion, reconciliation is my vocation, and Jesus is my King" and reflects on how Christians can move beyond defensiveness, embrace genuine curiosity, and become credible witnesses of Christ's love.

This conversation explores spiritual hunger, reconciliation, cultural divides, discipleship, the power of asking good questions, and what it means to follow Jesus in an increasingly polarised world.

Whether you're wrestling with faith, engaging friends outside the church, or seeking a more Jesus-centered way of living, this episode offers wisdom, hope, and practical encouragement for the journey.

What happens when we read Scripture through a truly global lens?

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Esther Acolatse to explore how different cultural perspectives shape the way Christians understand the spiritual realm, spiritual warfare, and the work of the Holy Spirit. Drawing from her experience in pastoral ministry, intercultural studies, and global theology, Esther challenges the assumptions that often shape Western Christianity and invites us to recover a richer vision of reality.

Together, we discuss why many Christians have become uncomfortable with the supernatural dimensions of faith, the significance of spiritual warfare in Jesus' ministry, how expectation influences our experience of prayer and healing, and what it means to become more spiritually aware without falling into fear or extremes.

Whether you're curious about the unseen world, wrestling with questions about evil, or seeking a deeper understanding of how Christians around the world experience faith, this conversation offers fresh insight into the reality of God's presence and activity in our lives.

As Esther reminds us, "When we are done, God is not done."

Join us for a thought-provoking conversation about faith, culture, and the spiritual realities that shape our world.

In this conversation, we explore what it means to listen to the Holy Spirit in everyday life with Sarah Horder. Together we discuss silence, imagination, scripture, discernment, prayer, and how God often speaks through ordinary moments. Sarah shares wisdom from years of ministry, chronic illness, creativity, and spiritual practice, offering practical encouragement for anyone longing to grow in attentiveness to God’s voice and live more deeply dependent on the Spirit.