How do you know you're following the leading of the Spirit, or being deceived by your own best wisdom? Last week Brad and Wayne discussed the obedience of a young woman who went into one of the most dangerous places on earth and bore some incredible fruit. A couple of weeks ago a young man was killed hoping to share the Gospel on a forbidden island with a tribe that violently resists all outside contact. Wayne and Brad discuss how to weigh the nudges on our heart to better discern how he leads us. Their discussion led them to uncover an unfortunate superpower that all humans seem to have, and which we have to acknowledge in our learning to listen to him.

Podcast Notes:

Last week's podcast on Relying On the Spirit

U.S. Missionary Killed by "World's Most Isolated" Tribe

The latest news from our project in Kenya

Brad's back from Hong Kong where he spent some time exploring what God has done among the drug addicts and drug dealers in the former Walled City, It is also a place where God made himself known in some amazing ways all because Jackie Pullinger, a twenty-year old, single woman from England heard God's invitation to come to the Walled City and love the people there. That was over fifty years ago and continues to bear fruit among some of the most desperate people in Hong Kong. He shares his adventure with Wayne and how it has ignited him to live with a greater dependence on the power of the Spirit, instead of relying on human ingenuity and effort.

Podcast Notes:

Chasing the Dragon by Jackie Pullinger

The latest news from our project in Kenya

Why are we so inclined to prefer the stagnation of routine rather than embrace the joy of a journey with ever-changing circumstances but a deeper knowing of who he is? Wayne shares a dream that one of the God Journey listeners sent him about Jesus moving us on from places we've grown accustomed to so that we can experience a greater exchange with him. He and Brad talk about knowing God in times of joy as well as fellowshipping with him in times of suffering. He's invited us on a journey of transformation, not to build a home in the valley of our own comfort.

Podcast Notes:

The latest news from our project in Kenya

Brad's back and together he and Wayne  process the twin tragedies that ravaged their home town. Twelve people, including a sheriff's deputy were murdered in a local bar and grill by a lone gunman, and the very next day two different wildfires attacked the outskirts of their city and nearby communities. They talk about the impact of these days on their lives personally, how it has touched their community, and their hope that God will help people realize what is truly valuable and find their way into a more-meaningful connection with him. They also talk about suffering and whether or not those that follow him are immune from the atrocities that stalk our broken world.

Podcast Notes:

Wayne's Blog on Thanksgiving in the Midst of Pain

The latest news from our project in Kenya

Arnita returns to help Wayne process some of the emails, comments and phone calls they both received after last week's podcast. They were delighted to find lots of wonderful engagement with people who listened to the podcast and wanted to interact further about it. Trained as a scientist, Arnita is the founder of Eight Leadership Development Group (formerly Eight Ministries) and does leadership development coaching for individuals and teams. They talk about "white privilege" and how the term can easily confuse the issue, rather than deal with the reality. After their taping, someone texted Arnita a term that might be less divisive: "culturally pre-determined advantages." It's a bit cumbersome as a term, but may be helpful. (Special Note: For those wondering, Brad will be back next week.)

Podcast Notes:

First Podcast with Arnita: Why Is It So Difficult to Talk About Race?

The Red Table Talk Discussion about Race referred to in this podcast

Email Arnita

The latest news from our project in Kenya

Wayne met Arnita Taylor in March right at the time when he and a friend were looking for a collaborator on a book they were planning called The Language of Healing. Arnita has a gift of creating a safe space for people to explore racial tensions, differences, and sensitivity. Trained as a scientist, she is now the founder of Eight Leadership Development Group (formerly Eight Ministries) and does leadership development coaching for individuals and teams. She and Wayne discuss racial differences and anxiety in our culture, how much bias still exists for people of color, and how to open the door for more meaningful discovery and conversations.

Podcast Notes:

Email Arnita

The latest news from our project in Kenya

Last week Wayne talked to Jeff Andrechyn about the spirit of adventure that can be part of our growing walk with Jesus. After talking to Jeff, he also recorded a conversation with is wife, Dana, who is on a great journey of her own. Not quite the same as Jeff's, they prove to be a great complement to the other. She also talks about her dreams of being the model of a Christian wife and mother and what happened to her when her life didn't turn out that way. But learning to stay connected with her kids through the twists and turns of life has yielded great fruit not only in her life, but in theirs as well. Jeff and Dana live near Charlotte, NC, where she works with Zoweh Ministries.

Podcast Notes:

The latest news from our project in Kenya

Brad was out of town this week, so I'm filling in with a podcast I recorded last week with a good friend on my recent stay in Charlotte, NC. Jeff Andreychen is a Captain for American Airlines and is especially captured by the sense of adventure that comes from following God, especially as he leads us beyond the maps others have made and into the uncharted frontier of his unique work in each of us. What inspired this thought was a Ken Burns documentary on the Lewis and Clark expedition, though Jeff assures me he uses maps when he flies for American. So many try to find a relationship with God by following the principles and guidelines of others. While they can be helpful, Jesus will invite you beyond the experiences of others into a journey of growing dependence on his voice. At the end they also discuss how true elders encourage rather than discourage that journey.

Podcast Notes:

Lewis and Clark by Ken Burns

Frontier Thesis by Turner

The latest news from our project in Kenya

Last week Bob Prater shared a vision he had recently and their processing of it went way beyond one podcast, so they return now to finish that conversation. If you haven't heard the first podcast, giving it a listen first will help this one make so much more sense. That leads them to a discussion of how easy it is for our best intentions to be seduced by the desire for power or money, and how Father has asked us to impact the world through generosity and love, not the power of trying to lord over others.

Podcast Notes:

Part 1 of this podcast, played last week

Bob's podcast, A Christian and a Muslim Walk Into a Studio

Previous podcasts with Bob 

The latest news from our project in Kenya

Brad is out of town, so Wayne invites an old friend, Bob Prater, to join him on the podcast as they talk about the level of political rancor in the last few weeks and a vision Bob believes the Lord gave him a month ago. It will be controversial, no doubt, but it resonated so deeply with Wayne that he wanted to process it with Bob here.  So, after catching up a bit personally, they turn their attention to the current political and religious landscape. They work through Bob's vision and what it might mean for people who care about the future of our country and what is happening now to tear it apart.

Podcast Notes:

Bob's podcast, A Christian and a Muslim Walk Into a Studio

Previous podcast with Bob 

Tim Keller's Article: How Do Christians Fit Into the Two-Party System? They Don't

Wayne's Travel Schedule

The latest news from our project in Kenya

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