The Eikon Podcast

In this end-of-season-six episode, Michael, Gianna, and Jason discuss the concept of new creation and the importance of keeping Christ at the center of our lives. They explore how different passions within the church can sometimes lead to division and how to navigate that in a loving and Christ-centered way. They also touch on the dangers of becoming too focused on one aspect of the gospel and losing sight of the bigger picture. The hosts share personal stories and insights on maintaining unity and love within the body of Christ.

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction and Season Finale Announcement
05:24 - Remembering a Friend and Reflections on New Creation
08:00 - The Call to Be the New Creation
13:08 - Navigating Strong Beliefs and Putting God First
21:05 - Balancing Passion and Love in the Church
29:27 - The Challenge of Different Passions in the Church
35:33 - The Pain of Expecting Everyone to Share the Same Passion
39:33 - Love and Grace as Antidotes to Division
53:37 - Living as New Creations: Taking Small Steps and Focusing on Love

Special Episode: We are making the season finale of our special Patreon series, The Misfits, available this week for everyone to enjoy. This is the eleventh episode in the series so far. If you would like to hear the rest of the series, please help support this podcast by signing up at www.patreon.com/eikonpodcast.com.

Summary: In this episode, the hosts discuss the balance between the church's responsibility to accommodate misfits and the misfits' responsibility to meet the needs of the church. They emphasize the importance of starting with God and grounding oneself in their identity in Christ. They also explore the idea of being an image bearer and using one's gifts to serve others.

Gianna, Jason, and Michael discuss the challenges and misconceptions of marriage and parenting within the context of new creation theology. They emphasize the importance of power-with rather than power-over in parenting and the need for vulnerability and authenticity in marriage. They also highlight the significance of modeling Jesus in both parenting and marriage, rather than just teaching about Jesus. The team then explores the idea of whether baptism should be the primary goal of parenting.

Chapters
00:00 – Introduction
8:54 - Making Sense of New Creation Families
11:34 - The Pressure to Look Good in a Traditional Christian Family
11:56 - Living Out New Creation in Marriages and as Parents
12:15 - Challenges of Marriage and Parenting
19:39 - Parenting with Power With
25:22 - Modeling Jesus in Marriage
36:08 - Embracing the Process of Growth
43:39 - Living Out New Creation Theology in Marriage and Parenting

In this episode, Michael, Gianna, and Jason discuss the danger of placing too much emphasis on specific spiritual practices and judging others based on their level of engagement in those practices. They also highlight the significance of work, leisure, and everyday activities as acts of worship. The conversation concludes by acknowledging that everyone's journey of worship is unique and that there is no one-size-fits-all approach.

Chapters
00:00- Introduction and Welcome
11:21 - Redefining Worship: Beyond Singing and Religious Practices
20:22 - Understanding Worship: A Disconnect Between Bible and Vernacular
27:42 - Worship as an Orientation of the Heart
30:19 - Expanding the Definition of Worship
36:39 - Work and Everyday Activities as Worship
46:11 - Embracing a Unique Journey of Worship

The conversation explores the concept of race in the context of new creation. It discusses how race is a construct that emerged in the 15th century. The discussion highlights that race is not a biblical concept and that the Bible focuses more on cultural and religious practices rather than physical attributes. The conversation also touches on the dehumanizing nature of race and the biblical call to challenge and dismantle things like racial hierarchies.

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction and Discussion on the Olympics
13:13 - The Concept of Race in the Bible
19:01 - The Emergence of Race as a Construct
25:16 - The Dehumanizing Nature of Race
29:48 - The Deep-Rooted Issue of Racism
30:38 - The Perpetuation of Racial Superiority
35:31 - Dismantling the Structures of Racism
36:48 - A New Creation Approach to Racism
49:54 - The Limitations of Current Solutions
56:36 - The Need for a Biblical Perspective on Race

In this conversation, Michael Burns and Thabani Antony Mashava discuss deliverance ministries and their focus on freeing people from demonic oppression. What does this Bible have to say about the practice of exorcising demons? Is that something we should be doing today?

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction and Update on Teaching Ministry in Africa
11:12 - Discussing Deliverance Ministries
22:51 - Critiquing Deliverance Ministries
26:10 - The Problems with Deliverance Ministries
28:57 - The True Power: Faith, Righteousness, and the Word of God
34:13 - Understanding Jesus' Authority and the Role of the Church
37:29 - Testing Spirits and Questioning Experiences
57:49 - Focusing on Jesus and His Authority

Michael and Jason discuss the controversy surrounding the opening ceremony of the Olympics, the different reactions to the controversy, and the binary nature of the response. They explore the idea of loving others while also standing firm in one's convictions. The conversation concludes with a discussion about the need for Christians to confront their own fears and trust in God's sovereignty, rather than getting caught up in the culture wars.

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction and Discussion of Olympic Sports
09:40 - Controversy Surrounding the Opening Ceremony
14:09 - The Three Camps: Love, Outrage, and Indifference
16:46 - Escaping the Binary: Loving Others and Holding Firm to Convictions
30:18 - The Dangers of Binary Thinking
36:12 - Dealing with Fear and Anxiety
44:33 - The Role of the Church
53:20 - Finding Refuge in God

Gianna, Michael, and Jason discuss the challenges of being image-bearers in different work environments and the temptation to prioritize career advancement over living out new creation values. They explore the idea that work is a form of worship and how it should be done with excellence and for the glory of God because work is not just a necessary evil or a means to an end, but a noble calling that reflects the values of new creation. They conclude with examples of how individuals can live out the new creation in their work, even in challenging circumstances.

Chapters
00:00 – Introduction
08:00 - Approaching Work with Worship and Service
15:27 - Challenging the Notion of Retirement in Heaven
19:16 -Living Out New Creation in Our Work
25:19 - Expanding Eden Through Our Work
33:36 - Living as the New Creation in Our Vocations
37:32 - Challenges of Being the New Creation in Different Work Environments
52:11 - Work as a Form of Worship
55:36 - Excellence and Humility in Our Work
01:06:08 - Serving Others as the New Creation in Our Work

Michael, Jason, and Giana first address a misunderstanding about their views on justice and clarify that they advocate for justice using the tools of the kingdom of God. They then move on to discuss the concept of identity and its connection to new creation. They explore how society has shifted from God being the identity giver to individuals creating their own identities. They conclude by discussing the role of the church in fostering a sense of identity rooted in new creation principles.

Chapters
00:00- Introduction and Rap Discussion
07:07 - Misunderstanding about Justice
16:46 - Navigating Peace and Violence
23:27 - Resistance and 'A Hidden Life'
27:22 - Identity and New Creation
30:27 - The Shift in Society's View of Identity
36:41 - The Social Nature of Identity
50:28 - Finding Our True Identity as Image Bearers
57:20 - The Role of the Church in Fostering Identity

Today’s conversation explores the correlation between trauma and belief in the spiritual realm, as well as the relevance of Christianity in traditional African contexts. The approach discussed is to listen, ask questions, and help individuals understand the power and authority of Jesus. It is emphasized that spiritual warfare is about living a life of obedience to the gospel rather than directly confronting spiritual entities. The danger lies in turning away from faith, not in being possessed against one's will. The conversation also touches on the topic of deliverance ministries and their potential benefits and dangers.

Takeaways
- Christianity in Africa has a range of beliefs and practices regarding demon possession and exorcism.
- Some denominations dismiss or deny the existence of possession, while others actively engage in exorcisms.
- It is important to differentiate between mental health issues and genuine cases of possession. There is often a correlation between trauma and belief in the spiritual realm.
- The approach to engaging with individuals who have experienced spiritual phenomena should involve listening, asking questions, and helping them understand the power and authority of Jesus.
- Spiritual warfare is primarily about living a life of obedience to the gospel rather than directly confronting spiritual entities.
- The danger lies in turning away from faith, not in being possessed against one's will.

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
04:03 - Overview of Demon Possession and Exorcisms
09:13 - African Traditional Belief: Ancestral Spirits and Possession
27:54 - Differentiating Between Mental Health and Genuine Possession
31:17 - The Correlation Between Trauma and Belief in the Spiritual Realm
34:10 - Engaging with Spiritual Phenomena: Listening, Asking Questions, and Pointing to Jesus
36:13 - Understanding Spiritual Warfare: Obedience to the Gospel
37:11 - The Danger of Turning Away from Faith
38:09 – How we fight the spiritual battle?
40:32 – Can Christians become possessed?