Shifting Culture

In this episode, Chad Veach dives deep into the critical topic of humility versus pride - a battle that every leader and believer must wrestle with. He unpacks how pride can so easily creep into our lives and relationships, while true humility unlocks the best version of ourselves and our communities. We explore Chad's own journey of learning humility, from his upbringing to his time as a youth pastor. He shares how finding safe, accountable friendships was key, as well as the daily discipline of Bible reading that keeps him grounded. We also unpack powerful examples of humility from Moses and Jesus, and how their suffering and obedience led them to greater dependence on God. Ultimately, the message is clear - pride is a liar that promises everything, but gives nothing, while true humility is the pathway to the freedom, impact and fulfillment we truly crave. It's a challenging but vital conversation for anyone seeking to live with authenticity and purpose.

Chad Veach is the founder and lead pastor of Zoe Church, a dynamic community in the heart of Los Angeles, California. An international speaker and preacher, he has dedicated his life to the ministry of the Gospel. He is the author of Help! I Work With People, Faith Forward Future, Unreasonable Hope; and I Bet You Think This Book Is About You, and the host of Leadership Lean In, a top-charting leadership podcast. Chad and his wife Julia, reside in Los Angeles with their four children: Georgia, Winston, Maverick, and Clive.

Chad's Book:
I Bet You Think This Book is About You

Chad's Recommendations:
Grit
Why Great Men Fall

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This conversation with Gareth Higgins is an exploration of how storytelling, empathy, and a commitment to love can transform even the most entrenched conflicts. Gareth shares his personal journey growing up in Northern Ireland, where the dominant narrative was one of division, fear, and violence. But through the transformative power of films like 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest,' Gareth discovered the importance of seeing the humanity in those we might otherwise label as 'other.' He realized the need to become an ally - not by imposing his own vision, but by listening and allowing those he seeks to support to define what true allyship looks like. Gareth goes on to unpack a profound insight - that all conflict is rooted in fear, and beneath that fear lies love. By learning to love and accept ourselves, we open the door to a new kind of storytelling, one that moves beyond 'us vs. them' narratives and towards a vision of liberation, reconciliation, and interdependence. This conversation is a masterclass in the power of imagination, empathy, and a willingness to embrace the complexity of the human experience. Whether you're navigating personal struggles or seeking to understand the roots of societal conflict, Gareth's wisdom offers a roadmap towards a more just, compassionate, and connected world. So join us.

Gareth Higgins was born in Belfast in 1975, grew up during the northern Ireland Troubles, and now lives in the US. He writes and speaks about the power of storytelling to shape our lives and world, peace and making justice, and how to take life seriously without believing your own propaganda. He has been involved in peace-building and violence reduction in northern Ireland and helping address the legacy of conflict, received a Ph.D. in Sociology from Queen’s University Belfast, and helped teach the world’s first graduate course in Reconciliation Studies at Trinity College Dublin. He also helped found the Wild Goose, New Story and Movies & Meaning festivals. Gareth leads retreats in North America and Ireland; and he founded The Porch Magazine. 

Brian McLaren says Gareth’s new book How Not to be Afraid is “a beautiful book”, Kathleen Norris says it’s “a necessary book”, and Micky ScottBey Jones says it’s “a much-needed resource for skill-building through our fear and trauma, so that we might create the belonging and communities we desire”.  Find out more at www.hownottobeafraid.com

His newest book "A Whole Life in Twelve Movies: A Cinematic Path to a Deeper Spirituality", co-authored with Kathleen Norris explores movies and the meaning of our lives.

Gareth's Book:
A Whole Life in Twelve Movies

Gareth's Recommendations:
Sun House
Perfect Days

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Randy & Edith Woodley have a radically different perspective on what it means to live a fulfilling life. As Native American authors and educators, they challenge the Western notion of pursuing individual happiness, arguing that true well-being comes from living in harmony with our broader community and the natural world. In this conversation, Randy and Edith share their personal stories of overcoming intergenerational trauma and discovering the wisdom of indigenous worldviews. They contrast the European dualism that separates the spiritual and material realms, with a holistic understanding that sees all of creation as interconnected. Digging into concepts like hospitality, humor, and the importance of story, Randy and Edith paint a vision for how we can all learn to live more authentically and in right relationship - not just with each other, but with the earth itself. Their insights challenge us to unravel the lies we've been told, and to rebuild our lives on a foundation of harmony, respect, and generosity. This is a conversation that can open up a different way to see the world. So get ready to have your assumptions challenged, and your heart opened, as we explore a path to greater well-being - for ourselves, our communities, and our planet. 

Randy and Edith Woodley are a dynamic couple with a deep passion for creativity and Indigenous spirituality, justice, and earth empowerment. Their diverse backgrounds and experiences have uniquely equipped them to bring about positive change in their communities for over three decades. They have four children and six grandchildren.

Randy Woodley, an award-winning author and Cherokee descendant (UKB), weaves Indigenous wisdom, ecological sustainability, and spirituality. He is respected by Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities worldwide and has been featured in The New York Times, Politifact, Time Magazine, and The Huffington Post.

Edith Woodley, a member of the Eastern Band of Shoshone Indians, and of Choctaw, Crow, Paiute, Pi'ikanni, Umatilla, and Mohawk descent showcases Indigenous cultures through traditional beadwork, seed-keeping, and storytelling. She advocates for Indigenous rights and cultural preservation. Edith is co-founder and co-leader of a semi-annual mentorship called “Decolonizing with Badass Indigenous Grandmas.”

Randy & Edith's Book:
Journey to Eloheh

Randy's Recommendation:
The Universal Christ

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In this episode, Chuck DeGroat dives into the wounds we all carry and the journey of healing what's within. Chuck shares his own story of disconnection and isolation, and how he learned to pay attention to the dashboard of his thoughts, emotions, body, behaviors, and relationships to uncover the deeper wounds beneath the surface. He unpacks the power of secure attachment and how we can find our way back to that sense of belonging, worth, and purpose - not just in our minds, but in our very bodies. Whether you're a high-capacity striver or someone just trying to survive, this conversation will invite you into a transformative process of becoming more grounded, regulated, and connected to yourself, others, and the God who loves you. So get ready to lean in, because this is going to be a powerful and practical exploration of healing what's within.

Chuck DeGroat is a professor of pastoral care and Christian spirituality at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan, where he also serves as the founding executive director of the clinical mental health counseling program. He is a licensed therapist, spiritual director, author, retreat leader speaker, and faculty member with the Soul Care Institute. As a therapist, he specializes in navigating issues of abuse and trauma, pastoral (and leadership) health, and doubt and dark nights on the faith journey. He trains clergy in handling issues of abuse and trauma, conducts pastor and planter assessments, and facilitates church consultations and investigations of abuse. Before transitioning to training and forming pastors, Chuck served as a pastor in Orlando and San Francisco. He and his wife, Sara, have been married for 30 years and have two adult daughters.

Chuck's Book:
Healing What's Within

Chuck's Recommendations:
The Secret Language of the Body
Trauma Stewardship
Home Tonight

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In this episode, Steve Bezner wrestles deeply with how to faithfully follow Jesus in the 21st century American context, and shares some profound insights about the kingdom of God and how it contrasts with the dominant cultural forces in our country. We discuss the powerful cultural influences that can push us away from living out true kingdom values, as well as practical ways that churches and individual believers can embrace a more holistic, biblical vision for life in the reign of God. It's a conversation that has the potential to challenge and reshape our understanding of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus in today’s culture. 

Steve Bezner has been the Senior Pastor of Houston Northwest Church since January 2013. His passion is to see Houston—and the world—become more like Heaven as people become more like Jesus.

Steve loves to preach, teach, write, and speak about the Bible in a way that is easy to understand but also challenges people to live the life that God has designed for each of them. 

In Houston, Steve works to foster collaboration between local churches, serving on the board of the Houston Church Planting Network (to start new churches locally) and Houston Pastors United We Stand (to foster racial reconciliation). He also works through GlocalNet to build bridges with other faiths in the city, particularly Jews and Muslims.

Steve is passionate about training other pastors. He works with World Hope Ministries International to train pastors in remote global locations, coaches planters and pastors, and teaches seminary occasionally. 

He is married to Joy and has two sons—Ben and Andrew. He holds his B.A. and M.A. from Hardin-Simmons University and his Ph.D. from Baylor University.

Steve's Book:
Your Jesus is Too American

Steve's Recommendations:
Flood and Fury
Endeavor

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In this episode, Strahan Coleman dives deep into the longing of the human heart and the even greater longing of God. He takes us on a personal journey of wrestling with desire, thirst, and the ache to be fully satisfied. Strahan shares how his move to a remote town in New Zealand stripped away the distractions, revealing a profound spiritual hunger within. As he grappled with this, he discovered that our deepest longings can only be met by union and intimacy with the divine. He challenges us to stop trying to numb or ignore our pain and instead, to bring it to God - to co-experience our aches and joys with Him. He paints a vision of a church unafraid of lament, embracing the tension of living in a broken world while anticipating the restoration that only God can bring. This is a conversation that will leave you thirsty - not for the temporary fixes of this world, but for the living water that Jesus offers. So join us as we explore the heights and depths of human desire, and how it points us to the heart of our Creator.

Strahan Coleman is a writer, poet, and musician living in Aotearoa, New Zealand with his wife and three young boys. Through years of chronic illness, Strahan discovered a friendship with God filled with vulnerability, honesty and unceasing prayer, and now spends his time teaching and providing spaces of deep, rich, Spirit-led prayer for others through his books, prayer schools and spiritual retreats. In his latest work, "Thirsting: Quenching Our Soul’s Deepest Desire," Strahan invites his readers to, like him, learn to transform the ache of our lives into our truest prayers, liberating the fire within us to become our greatest gift - our divine homing beacon.

Strahan's Book:
Thirsting

Strahan's Recommendation:
Fire Within

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In this episode, Mandy Smith shares a ancient vision for pastoral leadership - one that acknowledges human weakness and relies on God's strength. Mandy unpacks the problems with the Western, secular approach to ministry that has crept into the church and she proposes a reorientation towards confession, lament, and trusting in the work of the Holy Spirit, rather than relying on our own efforts and strategies. Mandy vulnerably shares personal stories of feeling overwhelmed in ministry, and how the practice of confession and emptying herself before God has led to renewal and a deeper awareness of His presence. She emphasizes the importance of measuring success not by numbers, but by transformed lives and the overflowing of God's Spirit. This conversation offers a compelling vision for a different kind of pastoral leadership - one that is deeply rooted in faith, rather than secular models. Mandy's insights challenge us to get out of the way and let God work in and through us in powerful ways.

Dr Mandy Smith is the pastor of St Lucia Uniting Church in Brisbane, Australia, and author of The Vulnerable Pastor: How Human Limitations Empower Our Ministry and Unfettered: Imagining a Childlike Faith Beyond the Baggage of Western Culture. Her latest book, Confessions of an Amateur Saint: The Christian Leader's Journey from Self-Sufficiency to Reliance on God, releases in October 2024. Mandy teaches for DMin programs at The Eugene Peterson Center for Christian Imagination and Fuller Seminary. Mandy and her husband Jamie, a New Testament professor, live in their parsonage where the teapot is always warm. Learn more at www.TheWayIsTheWay.org.

Mandy's Book:
Confessions of an Amateur Saint

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In this conversation, Kristin Kobes Du Mez dives deep into the hidden crisis of abuse and cover-ups within the church. She pulls back the curtain on the disturbing patterns she's uncovered - where abusers are often quickly forgiven and restored, while victims are shamed and silenced. Kristin shares how her research for the acclaimed book "Jesus and John Wayne" led her to uncover these systemic issues, and how she felt compelled to give a platform to the brave women who have come forward with their stories. We explore the complex dynamics at play - the fear of losing power and reputation that drives the cover-ups, the authoritarian tendencies that enable abuse, and the urgent need for true accountability and justice within the church. This is a conversation that challenges us to confront hard truths, to stand up for the vulnerable, and to imagine a path forward where the church truly reflects the radical love and justice of Christ.

Kristin Kobes Du Mez is a New York Times bestselling author and Professor of History and Gender Studies at Calvin University. She holds a PhD from the University of Notre Dame and her research focuses on the intersection of gender, religion, and politics. She has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, NBC News, Religion News Service, and Christianity Today, and has been interviewed on NPR, CBS, and the BBC, among other outlets. Her most recent book is Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation.

Kristin's Documentary:
For Our Daughters

Kristin's Book:
Jesus and John Wayne

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Brad Brisco and I have a fascinating conversation about the future of church planting in North America. Brad shares his personal journey from the restaurant business to seminary and church planting, and how that led him to rethink the entire approach to planting new churches. He argues that we need to shift our mindset - from seeing the church as a vendor of religious goods and services, to understanding the church as a sent missionary people. This is a crucial distinction, because it changes everything about how we approach church planting. Brad unpacks the benefits of co-vocational ministry, the importance of building diverse teams, and the need to start with missionary behaviors and activities rather than just launching a Sunday morning service. If you're someone involved in church planting, or if you're simply curious about the future of the church in our rapidly changing culture, you're going to want to lean in and listen closely to this conversation. Brad offers a compelling new vision that just might reshape the way we think about fulfilling the Great Commission in our communities.

Brad Brisco is currently the Director of Multiplication Strategies for the Send Network. He holds a doctorate in the area of missional ecclesiology, his doctoral thesis was on assisting existing congregations in transitioning in a missional direction. He is the co-author of Missional Essentials, a twelve-week small group study guide, The Missional Quest: Becoming a Church of the Long Run, Next Door As It Is In Heaven, and author of ReThink and Covocational Church Planting.

Brad's Book:
Co-Vocational Church Planting

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In this episode, Aundi Kolber takes us on a deep dive into the interplay between trauma, attachment, and the wisdom of the body. We explore the crucial distinction between healthy hard work and trauma-driven overwork, and how to discern the difference. Aundi shares powerful insights on the concept of the "window of tolerance" - how trauma can shrink it, and the process of expanding it to allow us to fully feel our emotions. We also discuss the role of the church in becoming more trauma-informed, and the importance of leaders doing their own inner work first. Aundi offers compassionate, practical guidance on the journey of healing and integration - learning to listen to the profound intelligence of the body, and finding the balance between safety and risk-taking. So join us as we seek wholeness and growth, both individually and within our communities.

Aundi Kolber is a licensed professional counselor (MA, LPC) and the best selling author of the critically acclaimed Try Softer™️ and her newest book Strong like Water. She has received additional training in her specialization of trauma- and body-centered therapies and is passionate about the integration of faith and psychology. Aundi has appeared on Good Morning America, regularly speaks at national events, and is a frequent guest on podcasts such as The Lazy Genius, Typology, and The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill. As a survivor of trauma, Aundi brings hard-won knowledge about the work of change, the power of redemption, and the beauty of experiencing God with us in our pain.

Aundi's Books:
Preorder Take What You Need
Try Softer
Strong Like Water

Aundi's Recommendation:
Sensitive

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