The Amphronesian Christian Podcast

In this conversation with pastor, writer, and cultural commentator John C. Richards, we explore the intricate terrain of cultural engagement through the lens of the gospel. Drawing from a series on John's own podcast The Growth Factor called “It’s Not Black and White,” John invites us to consider how believers can faithfully navigate the gray spaces of life, where ideological certainties often fall short and gospel clarity is needed most.

With a new name yet the same pursuit of well-balanced wisdom for the sake of Christ and our neighbors, we introduce......The Amphronesian Christian Podcast!

In this episode, host Kyle Bumgarner chats with author and theologian AJ Swoboda about his brand new, recently released book A Teachable Spirit. We explore why cultivating humility is essential for spiritual formation, how teachability shapes our faith in a polarized world, and what it really means to follow Jesus with an open heart and mind. You can get the book at the links below or wherever books are sold.

A Teachable Spirit by AJ Swoboda

Bookshop

Amazon

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NOTE: There are some audio issues on Kyle's end, so we apologize in advance for any static or feedback that may make this episode harder to listen to. We are diligently working on future solutions.

Here's the trailer for the brand new Orthodoxical podcast. Together with our esteemed guests, we'll be asking questions and having conversations about seeking balanced wisdom and integrated faith for the renewal of God's kingdom. Join us and subscribe now!

If you started the year with a resolution to "read the Bible more", how is it going? Are you stuck in Leviticus? Reading Jeremiah 29:11 and Philippians 4:13 to yourself every day? Memorizing the original Hebrew? The Bible is a lifeline for Christians, but far too often it becomes a difficult and frustrating chore for believers. Luckily, we have boss Bible teacher and writer Yana Conner, host of the Living Single with Yana Jenay podcast, to help us out. In addition to being seminary trained, Yana has a practical and down-to-earth style to help us dive into the word in refreshing and life-giving ways. Check this episode now!

2022 feels like it's already been a whole year in just one month. The pandemic continues to march on, and we lost many notable and well-loved celebrities over the last few weeks. Death, suffering, and misery just seem to be our roommates at this point. As Christians, what does it mean for us to grieve? Is it possible to grieve "well", or is all grief necessarily difficult? What do we make of grief in light of the gospel? Amanda Held Opelt has wrestled with these questions on a very personal level. After losing her sister (beloved and well-respected Christian author Rachel Held Evans) unexpectedly, Amanda has been probing the nature of grief in Christian life, and is even writing a book about various grieving rituals from various cultures. She joins Kyle to talk about all this and more, so jump in and listen now!

There's been a reckoning over the last decade of what it means to be a "man". How do men relate to God? How do men live out their faith in a culture that consistently sabotages healthy masculinity? What do we do about patriarchy? What even is healthy masculinity? Mr. Jeff Tyler, teacher, minister, speaker, and founder of Good Men Do Exist, comes on the podcast to chat with Kyle about how we should think about these questions. Grab your headphones and listen in! 

Social media has gone from an amusing cultural phenomenon to a world-altering entity in the span of just twenty years. Millions of people around the world are connected and able to share vast quantities of information (and memes) like never before. There are amazing upsides to social media; however, there are also tremendous risks with social media: polarization, mental health decline, addiction, etc. In light of this, how should Christians approach social media? Dr. Doug Bursch has studied and written on the phenomenon of social media, including a book called "Posting Peace" about how Christians can use this powerful medium. Doug joins Kyle to talk about all this and more. Listen in now!