The conversation explores the church as people versus a building, highlighting homogeneous unity's impact on church planting and cross-cultural outreach. It emphasizes diversity, the role of church buildings in community, and economic exchanges fostering relationships. It reflects on challenges without a church building and the need for sustainable solutions. The discussion underscores physical spaces' importance, tangible resources, and integrating into the community for lasting impact, stressing genuine friendships over social media's limitations.

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John Houmes interviews Lisa Fields on how emotions, pain, and empathy shape beliefs. Lisa explains that beliefs are influenced by experiences, not just reason. Pain reveals true beliefs and reshapes identities. She emphasizes God's transformative power and the importance of empathy and listening over forcing beliefs. Lisa also discusses fear in racial conversations and the need for self-awareness and community to overcome fears.

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John Houmes and Glenn Harrison have a thought-provoking discussion about the influence of storytelling on our moral compass and how stories shape our beliefs. They talk about how we are formed by the sexual revolution and God's vision for human flourishing in regards to sexuality.

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Nancy Pearcey discusses the concept of scripts and their role in masculine formation. She highlights the existence of competing scripts and the need to critically evaluate them. Pearcey shares sociological studies that show men have an inherent understanding of what it means to be a good man, emphasizing the importance of tapping into this knowledge. She presents positive data on Christian men, debunking negative stereotypes. Pearcey encourages the church to bring this data into the public domain and support men in their roles. The conversation explores the history of the suffrage movement and its impact on male responsibility. Finally, the discussion touches on the current cultural moment and the challenges men face in finding their footing.

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The conversation with Michael Graham, co-author of the book 'The Great DeChurching,' explores the effects of the book on Christian culture and churches. The book challenges prevailing narratives about why people have left the church and highlights the pragmatic reasons behind dechurching. The conversation emphasizes the importance of relational risk and the need for alignment between individual Christians and church institutions. It also discusses the role of institutions in mitigating anxiety and shaping individuals. The profile of a church plant in this moment should embody a non-anxious presence, curiosity, and a focus on relational engagement. They explore the importance of embodying a gospel that is true, good, and beautiful in the context of different church profiles. It emphasizes the need for churches to communicate the shape of truth, goodness, and beauty within their institutions. The discussion also highlights the importance of building healthy churches that people want to invite their friends to. The conversation touches on the six-way fracturing of evangelicalism and the need for repentance, reform, and renewal. It concludes with a discussion on the impact of the internet and the importance of being mindful of our digital observations and information diets

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Many people see deconstruction as the end of faith. But what if it's a normal part of the life of faith? Is it possible for deconstruction to be a pivotal part of spiritual formation? Brad and John discuss faith deconstruction with Ian Harber, author of the forthcoming book Walking Through Deconstruction: How To Be A Companion In A Crisis of Faith.

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Brad and John discuss with Andy Crouch the importance of institutions and the decline of institutionalism in society. Crouch highlights the denial of power in Christian circles and the rise of social media as a counterfeit institution. The influence of social media on honor and shame dynamics is explored, as well as the loss of forgiveness and humility in society. The conversation explores the language of shame and victimhood, particularly in the context of political discussions. The cross is shown to be way out of victimhood, offering a path of forgiveness and redemption. The power of friendship and hospitality is discussed as a means of building meaningful connections and creating lasting change. Finally, the need for trust and thread to build institutions is explored, emphasizing the importance of long-term thinking and investment.

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Today, we continue the conversation started in our last episode (LINK) on how generational differences affect spiritual formation. This time, Brad and John are joined by Michael Phillips, the Pastor of Spiritual Formation at The Table Church in Lafayette, Colorado. Michael explains how each generation has roots in individualism and self-reliance and issues an “old” call for this “old” problem: a return to abiding in Christ.

But what must one do to abide? How does it involve accepting limitations and how should the Church create opportunities for abiding to take place? What should form (and what should fall by the wayside) as we abide in Christ?

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Whether you're a Boomer, Gen X, Millennial, or Gen Z, your generation is a spiritually formative influence on your life. But how? Being aware of this is a helpful step for identifying both the sins of our generation and it's strengths as we seek to follow Jesus.

In this episode, John and Brad talk through Jeanne Twenge's new book, Generations, and how generational differences spiritually form us in specific ways.

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Brad Edwards and John Houmes explore how cultural understandings of individualism and collectivism shape our identities and relationships. Guest Dr. Brad Vaughn discusses how Eastern cultures emphasize collective responsibility and interdependence versus the Western focus on individual rights and autonomy. They look at how these differing perspectives impact how we understand concepts like shame, love, and obedience in Scripture. Vaughn encourages rethinking the church's role in identity formation and articulating a gospel of mutual belonging rather than individual salvation. Edwards and Houmes wrestle with applying these insights, seeking to foster commitment over feelings and responsibility alongside rights in how we live as the people of God.

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