#21: Towards a New World

God does not need Christianity nor any other world religion. He doesn’t need us to follow the rules or get in line or bow down to him. Rather he invites us to partake freely of his new world, right now.

Jonathan PuddleNovember 23, 2018church, restoration, god, god's love, freedom, kingdom, loveComment

#20: Forgiving the Church (with Carol Howard Merritt)

Pastor & author Carol Howard Merritt and I had a broad ranging discussion on how the church holds up patriarchy and shames victims of abuse, forgiveness as a process, love in the face of economic injustice, and a God who offers rivers of healing and restoration to all.

Jonathan PuddleNovember 16, 2018forgiveness, healing, social justice, church, restoration, patriarchyComment

#19: A Catholic Conversation (with Father Thomas Rosica)

Father Thomas Rosica is a Catholic priest and the CEO of Salt & Light Television. We discussed scandals in the Catholic church, the positive impact of the church among the poor and disenfranchised, and what Catholic / Evangelical relationships can look like.

Jonathan PuddleNovember 10, 2018Catholic, evangelism, media, ecumenicalComment

#18: Natural Worship (with Andy Hunter)

Andy Hunter is a DJ and film score composer. We discussed the idea of God placing passions in our lives, and how it should be no surprise that when we do the things we’re passionate about, worship flows as a result.

Jonathan PuddleOctober 31, 2018worship, worship leading, faith, freedom, expressionComment

#17: Building faith through Worship (with Melissa Joy Boerger)

Melissa Joy Boerger is the worship pastor at Catch The Fire Kitchener. With over 20 years experience, she is one of the most honest, genuine lovers of God that I know. We discussed how to be OK with simple worship in a world dominated by Bethel Music, how to involve kids in your worship band and loads more.

Jonathan PuddleSeptember 20, 2018worship, worship leading, family, faith, melissajoyboerger, catch the fire, kids churchComment

#16: The focal point of Scripture (with Alan Smith)

Alan Smith is a pastor and writer from Dallas, Texas. Drawing from a range of Christian traditions, we discussed faith, certainty, doubt and Scripture as an unfolding narrative with Jesus Christ as the lens of interpretation.

Jonathan PuddleSeptember 13, 2018bible, god's love, theology, churchComment

#15: Scripture is a telescope aimed at God's heart (with Brian Simmons)

Brian Simmons is the translator of The Passion Translation, a new Bible translation that focuses on the life and passion inside of scripture. We discussed the beauty of an evolving understanding of the Bible, the science of linguistics, and how new translations lead us deeper into the heart of God.

Jonathan PuddleSeptember 6, 2018bible, translation, passion translation, god's love, theology Comments

#14: Overcoming adversity & finding purpose (with Krista DuChene)

Krista DuChene is a Canadian Olympian and 2nd fastest Canadian marathon runner, with 3 young kids. We discussed how her faith in God has been woven into every season of her life and running career, and propelled her through incredible setbacks.

Jonathan PuddleAugust 30, 2018running, marathon, olympics, family, parenting, perseveranceComment

#13: Pastoring families (with Seth Dahl)

Seth Dahl is a writer and worldwide speaker to adults and children, known for his powerful wisdom and contagious childlike joy. We discussed the idea of parents being the first pastor in a kid's life, and how to rebuild children's church ministry around the family.

Jonathan PuddleAugust 23, 2018parenting, kids church Comments

#12: Survival Guide for the Soul (with Ken Shigematsu)

We’re all too busy, too stressed, too fat, and too tired… and peace and rest is the one thing we can’t seem to find. Ken Shigematsu, pastor of Tenth Church in Vancouver, has leveraged the teachings of Catholic mystics and zen masters alike and found a rich contemplative spiritual rhythm which has connected him to God and brought profound peace into his life. Join us as we practice silence together.

Jonathan PuddleAugust 9, 2018silence, mindfulness, presence, peace, rest, meditation, sabbath, contemplativeComment

#11: Finding clarity in an age of confusion (with Abdu Murray)

In a world with a plurality of religions and worldviews, how do we engage the culture around us without being drawn into a post-truth maelstrom of confusion? Abdu Murray and I discuss postmodernism's legacy, the rise of Jordan Peterson, and the apologetics of self-sacrificial love.

Jonathan PuddleAugust 2, 2018apologetics, reason, postmodernism, post truth, love, compassion, god's loveComment

#10: Living in the Moment

One of the most important lessons I learned during a season of depression was the mystery of living in the present moment. Being awake to God’s presence each and every moment. Following is a sermon I preached on the subject recently.

Jonathan PuddleJuly 26, 2018presence, soaking, mindfulness, peace, restComment

#9: Insurgence - Preaching the King and his Kingdom (with Frank Viola)

Best-selling author Frank Viola and I discussed what happens when you truly begin to see the beauty of Jesus Christ, and how the church can be transformed by radical devotion to the King and his kingdom.

Jonathan PuddleJuly 20, 2018gospel, kingdom, jesus, frank viola, pagan christianityComment

#8: Does easy sex block your destiny? (with Rob Kowalski)

Rob and I discussed whether cheap sex can block you from reaching your destiny, if I missed out on fun times by getting married young, and how to build a fulfilling community of friends while you wait for someone special.

Jonathan PuddleJuly 12, 2018sex, dating, relationships, destiny, communityComment

#7: Rethinking children's church (with Chad Bird)

Chad and I discussed whether children's ministry is really for the kids or just for adults who don't want to be distracted, and what that might mean about the overall health of our churches. Chad offers some wise advice for crafting a worship experience that appeals to all ages and learning styles.

Jonathan PuddleApril 12, 2018liturgy, lutheran, senses, chad bird, christianity, kids churchComment

#6: Rethinking Women in Ministry

A friend of mine grew up in a strict Christian tradition where women weren't allowed to minister to men. Years have passed since then but she still finds herself feeling guilty or confused about what exactly it was that Paul said to Timothy. She asked me for my thoughts on women in ministry, and so you get a whole podcast out of it. Strap yourselves in, this one is full of fire!

#5: I Can Only Imagine / Black Panther (with Priscilla Shirer)

Priscilla Shirer is a phenomenal teacher, author, actress, wife, and mother (though she wouldn't list them in that order herself). Having previously starred in War Room, she plays a small role in I Can Only Imagine, the film which tells the story all about MercyMe's hit song. Priscilla and I discussed minority representation in film and ministry, balancing your career and family goals, and the importance of both excellence and spiritual passion.

Jonathan PuddleMarch 15, 2018priscilla shirer, film, race, women in ministry, diversity, movies Comment

#4: Tattoos, makeup and breast implants

Leviticus says not to put tattoo marks on yourself... right after it says not to shave your beard. It puts a lot of us in a serious cosmetic bind. Unless God doesn't care about our outer adornment at all, and we've been reading the Bible wrong. This episode digs into the expression of beauty through tattoos, hairstyles, clothes, makeup and boob jobs.

Jonathan PuddleMarch 1, 2018beauty, makeup, tattoos, freedom Comments

#3: God is Community

I was raised in a Christian community living environment and it planted seeds inside me that I just can't seem to shake. God eventually had to take me out of the institutional church for those seeds to grow, and out there in the wilderness I learned that God himself was a community of love. Now I get to practice community inside the traditional church again.

Jonathan PuddleFebruary 15, 2018community, god, god's goodness, god's loveComment

#2: Rethinking Poverty (with Laura Solberg)

It's really easy to think that poverty exists far away from us. While it's really good to acknowledge our own privilege, we also have poverty of our own that we should acknowledge. I spoke with Laura Solberg about poverty, justice and God, and what she said was really eye opening for me.

Jonathan PuddleFebruary 1, 2018poverty, poor people, social justice, justice (theological), justice (legal)Comment