Vision For Life

Interest in Christianity is growing among young people, particularly among young men. Of those attending church, Gen Z’ers are largely rejecting relativistic forms of faith and being drawn toward historic, robust, and orthodox expressions of Christianity—forms of belief that offer depth, conviction, and community. Autumn and Hunter discuss this movement and encourage the church to maintain a robust, historically rooted faith that preaches the gospel with all of its sharp edges.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Full Fat Faith by James Marriott

The Homeless Mind: Modernization and Consciousness by Peter Berger

“...Work plays a critical role in God’s mission. As the Imago Dei, we are made to reflect the image of a Creator God, and we join him in making something of the world. To demonstrate the breadth and nuance of God’s character, we need women and men to be vitally engaged in workplaces, homes, and organizations across our communities, utilizing the full extent of their God-given gifts.” In Women, Work, and Calling: Step Into Your Place in God’s World,” author Joanna Meyer provides vision, encouragement, and practical guidance for women as they navigate work and it’s demands. In this episode, Joanna and Autumn discuss themes from the book by asking, What is God’s design for human work, and how does that theological vision inform our daily work? How does God use the circumstances of our work to shape us? What unique challenges do women face in their work and leadership? How can women and men partner to work together in a way that honors God’s design?

(Originally released September 11, 2024)

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Women, Work, and Calling by Joanna Meyer

Half the Church by Carolyn Custis James

Denver Institute for Faith and Work

Women, Work, and Calling

Dave and Autumn respond to a listener’s question about the documentary 1946: The Mistranslation that Shifted a Culture. Our listener asks, “I’d love to hear your thoughts and Biblical perspectives on what this documentary is claiming. As Christians raising small children, we cannot arm ourselves enough with the truth. Hunter always says it’s important to know the best arguments against your beliefs.” The documentary contends that the translation team responsible for the 1946 Revised Standard Version wrongfully translated I Corinthians 6:9 and that this mistranslation catalyzed an anti-gay movement in churches and among conservative Americans.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

1946: The Mistranslation that Shifted a Culture

On Wednesday, September 10th, a student at Evergreen High School shot two students before shooting himself. Within the same hour, Charlie Kirk, a young political activist and speaker, was shot and killed while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University. In I Thessalonians 4, Paul exhorts the church in Thessalonika to live in light of Jesus’ resurrection. He then adds, “that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.” What does grieving with hope look like? Dave and Autumn discuss how to respond to tragedy, to lament, and to long for the kingdom with hope.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

Autumn and Hunter discuss an article by Ian Harber called “The Christian in a Therapeutic Age.” Harber contends that while therapy terms describe real struggles, their overuse has turned treatable conditions into fixed identities. Amplified by social media, this therapeutic culture isolates people and worsens anxiety. In contrast, Christianity grounds identity in God, tells a story of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. Committing to Christian practices - prayer, worship, Scripture, sacraments, community—nurtures resilience and belonging.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

The Christian in a Therapeutic Age by Ian Harber

Is Today’s Self-Help Teaching Everyone to be a Jerk? by Emma Goldberg

How Anxiety Became Content by Derek Thompson

Habits of the Heart by Bellah, Madsen, Sullivan, Swidler, and Tipton

Social media personalities have popularized the notion that knowing and loving oneself can be achieved by reaching into a grab-bag of mental health diagnoses and neurodivergent labels. But what do we lose in a world in which people view themselves and others through labels and diagnoses rather than personality and relationships? Hunter and Autumn discuss the article “Nobody has a Personality Anymore.” In this article, Freya India, a young journalist from the UK, posits that the tendency to label and diagnose differences that would have been ascribed to “personality” in previous generations leaves young people dissatisfied and stuck.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

“Nobody Has a Personality Anymore” by Freya India

Silas Marner by George Eliot

In this episode, Hunter and Autumn consider what Proverbs teaches us about how to work wisely—commending diligence, urging careful planning, and calling us to seek wise counsel. While Proverbs and various New Testament passages emphasize the immediate reward of diligent, thoughtful work, Jesus also emphasizes the eternal nature of our work and the necessity of working wisely in and for his kingdom.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Silas Marner by George Eliot

Wisdom for Today’s Issues: A Topical Arrangement of the Proverbs by Stephen Voorwinde

Autumn and Hunter discuss Proverbs’ vision for work, tracing a pattern from the Old Testament’s creation blessings to the New Testament’s kingdom rewards. Proverbs promises that wise, diligent work leads to provision and flourishing, while Jesus echoes that principle and reframes it, presenting true wealth as treasure in heaven and eternal reward. Understanding wisdom principles about work within New Covenant realities reveals that stewardship of our material and immaterial resources shapes us as disciples, builds enduring kingdom wealth, and displays God’s kingdom.

For the fall Vision for Life book club: Silas Marner

After three months away, Pastor Hunter Beaumont sits down with Autumn to share what he learned during his sabbatical. Before stepping away, Hunter identified three hopes for his time off—time with friends and family, a renewed vision for ministry, and space for creativity. In this episode, Hunter shares what he did, what he learned, and what he’s looking forward to as he begins the work of ministry again.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Église Connexion Sermon

Renaissance Faith | Hunter Beaumont

In this episode, Dave and Autumn discuss the biblical vision of work and vocation through the lens of Proverbs and the understanding of work in biblical wisdom literature. Proverbs 22, Colossians 3:23-24, and various passages in Ecclesiastes teach that work is central to living with purpose and fulfilling God’s design for humanity. Based on these passages, today’s episode examines what it means to work heartily for the Lord, seeing our daily tasks as both a calling and a way of participating in God’s good, creative design. This conversation invites listeners to reimagine their work as a vital part of God’s redemptive plan for the world.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Visions of Vocation: Common Grace for the Common Good by Steven Garber