The Shock Absorber

Sleep or lack of, can often be over-spiritualised but if we don't sleep are we actually trusting God?

Brayden joins Joel and Stu to discuss rest for those working in ministry, and in particular sleep. They talk about different ways culture has disrupted sleep but also what changes you can implement to get a good night's rest despite the variables ministry throws up.

00:00 Intro
03:28 CULTURAL ARTEFACT: ExxonValdez oil spill
09:16 Disruptions to sleep
24:55 How ministry can affect sleep
32:17 A lifetime of sustainable ministry
51:55 Be willing to experiment

DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE

Zoolander
Chip Lunch podcast playlist
ExxonValdez oil spill
Deepwater Horizon explosion
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Pastoral Ministry and the Struggle to Sleep, by Christopher Ash
Andrew Huberman's morning routine

CONTACT US

Shock Absorber Email: [email protected]
Shock Absorber Website: shockabsorber.com.au
Soul Revival Shop: soulrevival.shop

Check out what else Soul Revival is up to here

Long time Soul Revivalist Fiona makes her debut on the podcast as they discuss whether Taylor Swift may be re-uniting the generations with her music and culture. Is it because she is viewed as being safe by parents? Or because parents are fearful of losing the relationship with their kids?

They also talk about friendships and how they are formed and the impact they can, doing ministry together as a family builds intimacy and how it's not about forcing children to come to church but about being church.

00:00 Intro
03:00 CULTURAL ARTEFACT: The Breakfast Club "Why are you being so nice to me?"
05:48 Being friends and power dynamics
20:55 Is Taylor Swift re-uniting the generations?
36:55 Parents fear losing their kids
45:16 Ministry together breeds family intimacy

DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE

The Breakfast Club makeover scene
Chuck Klosterman
Let There Be Rock, by AC/DC
Why Americans Stopped Hanging Out, by Derek Thompson

CONTACT US

Shock Absorber Email: [email protected]
Shock Absorber Website: shockabsorber.com.au
Soul Revival Shop: soulrevival.shop

Check out what else Soul Revival is up to here

Jon Dunbier from Grace Anglican Church joins the podcast to discuss IGM and unintended consequences of a variety of church and cultural changes and the Frankenstein type church communities they often create.

They again delve into creating Christian cultural goods whether that means teaching Christians to be resilient, making church exciting with those who are committed to be there or moving forward together under Christ instead romanticising about days gone by.

They round up the episode with some quickfire practical advice thoughts around intergenerational ministry.

00:00 Intro
01:20 Soul Revival Church and Grace Church
04:36 CULTURAL ARTEFACT: Faith, Hope and Carnage
13:06 Causes and prevention of ministry drop off points
37:51 Unintended consequences of church, culture
1:03:03 Frankenstein church communities
1:19:44 Sin is sin
1:31:37 Quickfire practical advice

DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE

Grace Anglican Church
Faith, Hope and Carnage, by Nick Cave and Sean O'Hagan
Bit of a Blur, by Alex James
Radio Birdman

CONTACT US

Shock Absorber Email: [email protected]
Shock Absorber Website: shockabsorber.com.au
Soul Revival Shop: soulrevival.shop

Check out what else Soul Revival is up to here

Joel accidentally introduces the podcast as Chip Lunch. That's our other podcast which you can listen to here.

Following the He Gets Us Campaign during the Super Bowl, Stu, Tim, and Joel look at what it means to have both truth and love when presenting the gospel - when does it turn into a caricature? And when is one or other missing when Jesus is both?

The discussion then takes a turn into the differences between copying culture and creating culture. How will the gospel message be received and is it enough on it's own?

00:00 Intro
01:38 He Gets Us Super Bowl Commercial
17:31 Do people know the meaning behind washing feet?
31:58 Speaking the truth in love
38:15 The difference between creating and copying culture
47:09 How is the message received?
1:02:02 What commercial would you make?

DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE

He Gets Us Super Bowl Commercial
State Farm Super Bowl Commercial
BMW Super Bowl Commercial
Dunkin' Donuts Super Bowl Commercial
Tooth & Nail Records
Mac v PC commercials
Black Panther Party
Antonio Gramsci
Hegemony

CONTACT US

Shock Absorber Email: [email protected]
Shock Absorber Website: shockabsorber.com.au
Soul Revival Shop: soulrevival.shop

Check out what else Soul Revival is up to here

After a quick chat about Gladiators, Stu, Tim and Joel dive into a X thread by Dave Adamson. What follows is a wide-ranging discussion on church, culture and their impact on church leaders.

Is Australian society antagonistic towards Christianity with it obviously being in the minority now? Does the reduction of the original sacred canopy to an umbrella and continued secularisation mean that pastors are becoming burnt out having to spend an inordinate amount of time convincing Christians to come to church?

The response falls amongst Andy Crouch's work which says that Christians can condemn, critique, copy or consume culture. Which one do we choose at which particular moment?

00:00 Intro and CULTURAL ARTEFACT: Gladiators
14:10 Christians can condemn, critique, consume or create culture
23:38 The church is now a minority
32:22 Is society antagonistic towards Christianity?
46:10 Jesus-shaped will be seen communities as delightful
56:31 Church competition at the detriment to the gospel

DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE

Gladiators
Andy Crouch: Four Postures Toward Culture
Dave Adamson's X thread
Death of Azaria Chamberlain

CONTACT US

Shock Absorber Email: [email protected]
Shock Absorber Website: shockabsorber.com.au
Soul Revival Shop: soulrevival.shop

Check out what else Soul Revival is up to here

Stu, Tim and Joel return to the Shock Absorber for 2024 to talk about Soul Revival's Vision Weekend. They discuss starting from the foundation that Jesus Changes Everything, that He is more interested in our salvation than we are and so we only need to partner with Him as He sanctifies us throughout the year.

They further discuss how we can be prepared for God to grow us and what that means for Soul Revival's long term Double Up strategy. This includes setting goals to increase the church's discipleship and mission and then the resources required to make that happen.

Joel and Stu wrap up the conversation with a discussion around bringing people along for the ride which means doing something that we should be doing, but doing something we love, because of Jesus.

00:00 Intro and looking forward to 2024
14:21 CULTURAL ARTEFACT: All The Light We Cannot See
19:28 Soul Revival's 2024 Vision
32:03 Does doubling up just mean double the effort?
45:50 Bringing people along for the ride
49:00 To the ends of the Earth?

DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE

Surfebruary
Ali Abdaal
Wheel of Life
Atomic Habits
All The Light We Cannot See

CONTACT US

Shock Absorber Email
Shock Absorber Website
Soul Revival Shop

Check out what else Soul Revival is up to here

Tim and Joel get together to record the last Shock Absorber of 2023. Christmas is the inspiration, and so they discuss what a successful Christmas Eve children's service looks like and Soul Revival's recent carols event. This leads to a wider discussion on what appeals to outsiders and why making church as attractional as possible may not be the ideal approach. The finish up with a quick chat about their own family's Christmas traditions.

00:00 Intro and CULTURAL ARTEFACT: Dark
09:17 What makes a good children's service
22:47 The pitfalls of making church attractional
42:40 Light Up The World Christmas Carols
53:50 Tim and Joel's Christmas traditions

DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE

Dark
The Takeover Chip Lunch episode
The Butterfly Club book series
What is a MacGuffin?

CONTACT US

Shock Absorber Email: [email protected]
Shock Absorber Website: shockabsorber.com.au
Soul Revival Shop: soulrevival.shop

Check out what else Soul Revival is up to here

Stu comes back on the podcast with Joel to chat about what's been taking up most of his time lately. It includes a trip to Christmas carols in Brewarrina and what is starting to emerge from his PhD since drafting the first chapter. They discuss grassroots church, what posture does the church have towards culture, a theology and ecclesiology of friendship and how it might help the church work together better.

00:00 Intro and CULTURAL ARTEFACT: Slow Horses, Season 3
7:00 Carols in Brewarrina
17:36 Where are the spaces for young people to experiment?
29:25 Theology and ecclesiology of friendship

DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE

Slow Horses
Magnum P.I.
Battlestar Galactica
Kenda Creasey Dean
Bonhoeffer as Youth Worker, by Andrew Root
Andy Crouch

CONTACT US

Shock Absorber Email: [email protected]
Shock Absorber Website: shockabsorber.com.au
Soul Revival Shop: soulrevival.shop

Check out what else Soul Revival is up to here

Tim and Joel jump on for a shorter episode but jam packed with some tasty content. They talk Bonhoeffer, Tim's article on youth ministry being more than just future fruit and why he titled his last sermon "The World Is Hurtling Towards Hope".

Also let us know where you're from!

00:00 Intro
02:00 CULTURAL ARTEFACT: Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy
11:52 The world is hurtling towards hope
21:36 Youth ministry is more than just future fruit

DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy, by Eric Metaxas
The Path to Power: The Years of Lyndon Johnson (Part 1), by Robert Caro
Alexander Hamilton, by Ron Chernow
Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr., Ron Chernow
Stuff You Missed in History Class podcast
The Rest is History podcast
Fear & Loathing in the New Jerusalem podcast
Youth Ministry Is More Than Friday Night
Youth Ministry is More Than Future Fruit, by Tim Beilharz

CONTACT US

Shock Absorber Email: [email protected]
Shock Absorber Website: shockabsorber.com.au
Soul Revival Shop: soulrevival.shop

Check out what else Soul Revival is up to here

SORRY ABOUT THE POOR AUDIO QUALITY! It gets better as the episode goes on.

Joey and Joel sit down to talk about Joey's journey after finishing college. His is not the most normal experience of a Bible college graduate, with his first role being the pastor of a church plant within a church that has only been established for 10 years.

They talk about developing as a preacher and the importance of faithfulness under God in the face of the ambiguities that come with a church plant. They wrap up the episode with a discussion on Ryde as the first gathering at Soul Revival that isn't in the Sutherland Shire.

00:00 Intro
00:59 Jack Reacher and a sermon illustration
10:46 Finishing college and preaching
16:49 Sticking to the process and avoiding imposter syndrome
24:37 From college straight into church planting
30:46 Faithfulness within the ambiguity of a church plant
42:12 Adapting to Soul Revival and Ryde being outside the Sutherland Shire

DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE:

Jack Reacher
Breaking Bad
Last Stop Larrimah
Sergio and Rhoda

CONTACT US

Shock Absorber Email: [email protected]
Shock Absorber Website: shockabsorber.com.au
Soul Revival Shop: soulrevival.shop

Check out what else Soul Revival is up to here