Not So Black And White With Sean Palmer and John Alan Turner

In November of 2018, missionary John Allen Chau was killed attempting to meet and evangelize people on a remote Indian island. Reflections came strong and swift. But were they right?

In this episode, Sean and John look back on the actual events and - now with some distance - suggest some more helpful responses to situations like this one. What could and should Christians do moving forward to avoid this kind of tragedy again?

In the wake of the Willow Creek scandal more and more church leaders are asking pressing questions about whether churches have become too corporate. Is that true?

What are good, positive ways for spiritually-formed Christians to lead healthy and whole churches.

You can't get where you want to go one your own. We need each other and every one needs a coach. The greatest athletes, actors, musicians and pastors have coaches. Guess what? You can't participate in God's preferred future without some guidance along the way. 

You need a coach.

All his life, John Alan Turner has wanted to be different, to be better than who he is, to improve. Instead, he helped plant a church that folded within a year. He got divorced. He was diagnosed with depression. His car was rear-ended and totaled, which left him with life-altering injuries. It seemed like the harder he pushed to become the person he was supposed to be, the farther away it fled. And now, here he is after all these years, saying, ''I'm still me.''

Sean and John sit down with theologian, writer, and friend of the show Scot McKnight to talk about Scot's newest book, Open To The Spirit: God in Us, God with Us, God Transforming Us. 

This new book is perfect for pastors and teachers engaging their community in a discussion of the Holy Spirit, and accessible for everyday readers ready to go deeper.

Sean and John continue to discuss Sean's first 21-years in local church ministry, what he has learned, what keeps him going, and how you can keep going too. This one is great whether you're just starting out or need some renewal.

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Sean and John discuss Sean's first 21-years in local church ministry, what he has learned, what keeps him going, and how you can keep going too.

Support the Show on Patheos. You don't want to miss these wonderful goodies for very little cost.

Sean and John talk with Dr. N.T. Wright, one of the world's foremost theologians, about his work, particularly his new book, "Paul: A Biography." 

We also talk translations of the New Testament and what it's like to be NT Wright's pastor.

Christians are called to practice a "generous orthodoxy." We are called to hold to the Christian tradition while also being open to the ways of a changing (and often improving) world. The problem is that the two sides of the equation inevitably come into conflict. Then we must choose. Sean and John discuss whether and when Christians might choose generosity? Or will we choose orthodoxy? Which will we prioritize?

Almost every church and church leader wants to innovate and be a part of what is cutting edge. That means changes in approach and practice. But what do churches lose in the process of doing the "new thing"? Might there be some ancient and oder ways to help us navigate toward a better tomorrow?