Confused about the current standoff in Washington over the president’s border wall? Matthew Soerens, U.S. Director of Church Mobilization for World Relief and National Coordinator for the Evangelical Immigration Table, is back to help us make sense of it all. He explains how the failure of immigration bills since 2013 got us to this place, and why neither Democrats nor Republicans are pursuing a common sense compromise. He also offers his thoughts on why so many Christians fail to see immigration as a biblical issue. Also this week: Phil pokes Mary Poppins, Trump is evangelicals’ Goliath, and the international competition to build the tallest Jesus statue.
16000 border patrol agents, 400,000 apprehensions. 2 apprehensions/month/agent (1 hr 9 minutes)
Many people who voted for Trump didn’t distinguish between legal and illegal immigration. They want lower immigration.
The threatening statistics don’t hold up under scrutiny.
Episode 335: The Past, Present, & Future of Politics with Jon Ward (Holy Post)
Jon Ward is back! He’s the senior political correspondent for Yahoo News and the author of the new book Camelot’s End about the 1980 primary fight between Jimmy Carter and Ted Kennedy. Ward unpacks the current dynamics within the Republican and Democratic parties, and what to expect as we move toward the 2020 election. Also this week: Christians freak out over “McJesus” in Israel, social media freaks out over Catholic teens with MAGA hats in Washington, and is the 400-year-old white Western Christian bubble bursting?
Skye Jethani: The Church is Not a Corporation with Dave Gibbons
Do your church leaders want to use you or equip you? Pastor and cultural architect, Dave Gibbons, joins Skye for a conversation about the future of the church. Having experienced everything from fundamentalism, to the seeker megachurch, and urban multiethnic ministry, Gibbons has an interesting take on where things are heading. Hint—its about launching people not institutions. Phil and Skye also discuss Andrew Sullivan’s new article in which he argues that America’s new religion of “progress” is an empty shell that has made our politics worse. Plus, scientists are implanting mice with human mini-brains. What could possibly go wrong? And Phil tries to convince Skye not to learn golf.
How do you shape a community. Its clearly not just the didactic teaching.
Generation Z is looking for something authentic that engages with them. They can get good shows other places.
Is there a fallout from this model? How am I going to get people in the nursery?
There is going to be suspicion of white, non-diverse churches.
There needs to be people who don’t have charisma.
Younger people are looking for individualized, authentic, customized communities. They are suspicious of am industrialized model.
They need to be a hub, resource center. Discipleship.
Your motivation is to love them. You don’t have to worry about saving them.
People sense that their pastor is more interested in using them than in loving them.
Church planting -> People planting
Just have meaningful conversations, love them, trust the spirit
Episode 319: Rethinking America’s Definition of Freedom with Os Guinness
Americans love freedom. We sing about it, demand it, and fight for it. But what exactly is it? Os Guinness says we’ve become confused about what freedom really means and argues our un-American and unbiblical vision of freedom may be our undoing. Phil and Skye discuss what it means for America to be a “potluck nation,” and what happens if someone brings poisoned chicken salad. Plus, how have corporations redefined Americans’ understanding of happiness? Get your star-spangled snorkel, it’s a deep dive into America’s values.