The One Conversation

Today we're joined by Lisa Fields. Lisa is one of the world’s most sought-after Christian apologists, and combines her passion for biblical literacy with her heart for sharing God’s love with all those she meets. She has received several honors, including being recognized in Christianity Today for her work as an apologist in the African American community. She helped produce and create two documentaries, Unspoken, which is an in-depth look into the Christian heritage of Africa and people of African descent, and Juneteenth: Faith and Freedom, through her partnership with Our Daily Bread. Lisa has a Bachelor of Science in Communications and Religious studies from the University of North Florida, and a Master of Divinity with a focus in Theology from Liberty University. Finally, she is the founder and CEO of the Jude 3 Project, which Axis recently got to partner with to create a resource on talking with Gen Z about sexuality and gender. We’ll be talking primarily today about Lisa’s work with Jude 3 Project.

For more written, audio, and video resources go to axis.org.

Today we are joined by Matt Markins. Matt serves as the President and CEO of Awana, a global leader in child discipleship. As a leading researcher in child discipleship and children’s ministry, Matt has commissioned nine research projects since 2013, including a study conducted by Barna Group called, “Children’s Ministry in a New Reality.” He’s the co-author of three books, most notably “RESILIENT: Child Discipleship and the Fearless Future of the Church.” He’s also the co-founder of the Child Discipleship Forum and D6 Conference. Matt appreciates art and carpentry, and enjoys travel and long breakfasts with his wife, Katie. He and Katie have been involved in children’s ministry for more than 25 years and spend their time in Nashville with their two sons.

For more written, audio and video resources, go to axis.org.

Today we are joined by Nathan Davis. Nathan studied Preaching Ministry at Lincoln Christian University, and moved to New England where he served on staff at two churches. Meanwhile he also started attending the New York Film Academy in Boston, where he discovered his passion for filmmaking and storytelling. In 2005, he packed up his car and moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in film and entertainment, and ended up getting a job at Disney, where he worked for 16 years, most recently as an executive in Cinema Partnerships, leading in-theater marketing campaigns for Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and Disney films. Then, in January of this year, he joined The Chosen as their Head of Marketing Strategy and Operations. He has an MBA and also holds an MA in Mythological Studies, and is currently working on his dissertation on humanity's narrative sense and how stories shape our understanding of the world. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Yesenia, and his five-month-old Labrador puppy, Walt.

For more written, audio and video resources, go to axis.org.

Today we are joined by Kate Watson. Kate is a culture writer and reporter who focuses on lifestyle, ethics, and religion. Her work has covered a wide array of subjects, from atheist pro life groups to the Christian criminal justice reform effort. Kate has written for religious and secular outlets, including Christianity Today, Relevant, SELF, Allure, and Insider, and she is continually drawn to stories about how people live out their convictions. A pastor's daughter who grew up in New York City, she is working on a book of essays about communities and culture in the early 2000s. Kate is married to a Brooklyn firefighter and lives in the Hudson Valley with her three kids, ages 9, 6, and 2. She’s also the primary writer for our Culture Translator newsletter and a regular contributor to our Culture Translator Roundtable podcast. 

For more written, audio and video resources, go to axis.org.

Today we're joined by Yana Conner. Yana is a writer and Bible teacher who seeks to help others think well about faith and culture. By God’s grace, she has served in full-time ministry for the past fifteen years in both the church and parachurch context and earned a Master in Divinity in Christian Ministry from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. She currently serves at Vertical Church as the Discipleship Director and hosts a podcast called Living Single. You can find more of her writing and teaching at yanajenay.com.

For more written, audio and video resources, go to axis.org.

Today we're joined by Reed Hermstad. Reed is the Founder and Executive Director of 4Gens, which is an international ministry focused on Equipping and Encouraging Youth to be Disciples of Christ.  4Gens engages families to be disciplers, or Spiritual Coaches of their youth, grandchildren and future generations. They utilize a Discovery Learning computer application called P/elements to provide the foundation and framework of faith to families. Reed and his wife Judy have spiritually coached families for over 30 years in one-to-one, group and virtual formats. We’ll be talking primarily today about grandparents, and the role they get to play in faith formation for teens.

For more written, audio and video resouces, go to axis.org.

This week we are joined by Curry Kennedy. Curry is an assistant professor of English, rhetoric, and humanistic studies at the Virginia Military Institute. He earned his PhD in rhetoric from Penn State. He writes about faith, communication, and culture on his Substack, Steward of Mystery.

For more written, audio, and video resources, go to axis.org.

This week we are joined by Dr. Jeff Myers. Dr. Myers is the president of Summit Ministries. He’s also the author of 14 books, including the Understanding the Faith, Understanding the Times, and Understanding the Culture textbooks which are studied by tens of thousands of students. We’ll be talking today primarily about his work with Summit Ministries. Student Conferences at Summit Ministries give students, ages 16-to-22, an unshakeable faith at their summer worldview conferences. Use code CULTURE to get an exclusive discount to attend a session in Georgia or Colorado. Learn more at summit.org/students.

For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

This week we are joined by Mike Su. Mike is a Product and Digital Media executive, and spent the past five years at Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, where he led the Yellow Accelerator, investing in early stage companies that aligned with the mission of Snap. In the decade prior, he led Product at some of the fastest growing digital media companies like mitú, Upworthy, and Defy Media. He’s also the founder of Massive Joe Studios, which is a mobile gaming company. Mike and his wife Christine have three teenage children, and serve as a foster family through the Asian Foster Family Initiative. Mike also volunteers with and served on the SoCal board of Defy Ventures, a prison entrepreneurship program. When not working or spending time with family, Mike likes to subject himself to the unending disappointment of cheering for Philadelphia sports teams.

For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

This week we are joined by Diane Ferraro. Diane is the CEO of Save the Storks, a nonprofit whose mission is to create a story of hope and empowerment for every woman in an unplanned pregnancy. Save the Storks empowers women with resources, education and support to help them choose life. She has over 25 years of business and marketing experience and has held leadership roles as a chief communications officer and vice president of marketing in a variety of industries including nonprofit, luxury retail, tech and education. As an adopted child and a foster and adoptive mother, she is a lifelong advocate for life and adoption. Ferraro is especially grateful to her birth mom who walked away from her scheduled abortion at a clinic in Mexico and instead made the choice to find a family to adopt her "unwanted" baby girl. 

For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.