Episode 49 Rev. Tara Beth Leach: Radiant Church, Leadership and Holiness in the 21st Century

In this week's episode, Rev. Tara Beth Leach discusses the missional vision of her latest book Radiant Church. We also talk about leadership, women in ministry, and the holiness message for the 21st century. Bio: Tara Beth Leach is a pastor, preacher of the Word, and a writer. She speaks widely at conferences, retreats, and universities across America on Women in Ministry, Church Leadership, and the call to be a Radiant Witness. She is a pastor at Christ Church of Oak Brook in the western suburbs of Chicago. She previously served as senior pastor of First Church of the Nazarene of Pasadena (“PazNaz”) in Southern California. She is a graduate of Olivet Nazarene University and Northern Theological Seminary. She is the author of Emboldened, Radiant Church, and Forty Days on Being a Six. She has two beautiful and rambunctious sons, and has been married to the love of her life, Jeff, since 2006.

Books Written by Tara Beth Leach:

Radiant Church: Restoring the Credibility of our Witness https://amzn.to/2OiDk11 

Emboldened: A Vision for Empowering Women in Ministry https://amzn.to/3ry8eRA 

Forty Days on Being a Six (Enneagram Daily Reflections)  https://amzn.to/2Ok5hWr 

Books Recommended by Tara Beth Leach:

Greg Boyd God at War: the Bible and Spiritual Conflict https://amzn.to/3eo9WBf 

Gordon Fee, 1 Corinthians https://amzn.to/3rwSRZv 

Scott McKnight The Blue Parakeet: Rethinking How You Read the Bible https://amzn.to/3bAYHDX 

——  Kingdom Conspiracy https://amzn.to/3eBDCev

Gail O’Day John https://amzn.to/3bxEu1A 

Christopher Wright Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative https://amzn.to/3bysVr7 

Connecting with Tara:

www.tarabethleach.com

Twitter: @TaraBeth82

Instagram: @TaraBeth82

Connect with Brian Russell:

Information about Brian’s Fall 2021 book Centering Prayer: How Sitting Quietly in God’s Presence Can Change Your Life www.centeringprayerbook.com 

Twitter: @briandrussell

Instagram: @yourprofessorforlife

Coaching for Pastors: www.deepdivespirituality.com

Business and Life Coaching: www.drbrianrussellcoaching.com 

Brian Russell’s Book on the Missional Interpretation of Scripture:

(Re)Aligning with God: Reading Scripture for Church and World https://amzn.to/3qln258

Links to Amazon are affiliate links. Dr. Russell receives a small payment if you order resources through these links. There is no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the podcast through your purchases.

Episode 36 Frank Viola on Reclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom

In this episode, Frank Viola shares his passion for the kingdom of God, organic expressions of the Church, and deep abiding in Christ.

Bio: Frank Viola is a bestselling author of 12 books (8 best sellers), A-list blogger, and popular conference speaker. His ministry is known as “The Deeper Journey.” Viola’s mission is to help serious followers of Jesus know their Lord more deeply so they can experience real transformation and make a lasting impact. Selected Book’s by Frank (https://amzn.to/3kZKuBH): Insurgence: Reclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom https://amzn.to/3nUClAp From Eternity to Here: Rediscovering the Ageless Purpose of God https://amzn.to/2HvTiS6 Jesus Manifesto: Restoring the Supremacy and Sovereignty of Jesus (w/ Leonard Sweet) https://amzn.to/3m6DcxA Pagan Christianity?: Exploring the Roots of Our Church Practices (w/ George Barna) https://amzn.to/2IZixgC Reimagining Church: Pursuing the Dream of Organic Christianity https://amzn.to/2IWB4tX Book Recommendations by Frank: Watchmen Nee Normal Christian life https://amzn.to/39qc3Cj

Frank Laubach You are my friends (out of print)

T. Austin Sparks The School of Christ https://amzn.to/361mERI Connect with Frannk frankviola.org Connect with Brian: Twitter: @briandrussell Instagram: @yourprofessorforlife Brian's Book on Missional Reading of Scripture: (re)Aligning with God: Reading Scripture for Church and World https://amzn.to/3fxatPU Links to Amazon are Affiliate links.

Episode 35 Drs. Justus Hunter and Phil Tallon on The Absolute Basics of the Wesleyan Way

In this week’s episode, Drs. Justus Hunter and Phil Tallon talk about their new book: Absolute Basics of the Wesleyan Way (Seedbed 2020). We focus most of our conversation on the meaning and experience of holiness of heart and life. Phil Tallon (PhD) is an Assistant Professor of Theology at Houston Baptist University. He’s the author of The Poetics of Evil (Oxford, 2012) and The Absolute Basics of the Christian Faith (Seedbed, 2016). Twitter: @philiptallon Justus Hunter (PhD) is an Assistant Professor of Church History at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He is the author of If Adam Had Not Sinned: The Reason for the Incarnation from Anselm to Scotus.  Twitter: @JustusHunter. Resources by Hunter and Tallon: The Absolute Basics of the Wesleyan Way https://my.seedbed.com/product/the-absolute-basics-of-the-wesleyan-way/ Hunter’s books: If Adam Had Not Sinned: The Reason for the Incarnation from Anselm to Scotus https://amzn.to/2IYZm6C Tallon’s books: The Absolute Basics of the Christian Faith https://amzn.to/362KRaq The Poetics of Evil: Toward an Aesthetic Theodicy https://amzn.to/361ri2g Connect with Brian: Twitter: @briandrussell Instagram: @yourprofessorforlife Brian's Book on Missional Reading of Scripture: (re)Aligning with God: Reading Scripture for Church and World https://amzn.to/3fxatPU

Episode 34 Dr Steve Rankin on Spiritual Formation and the Practice of Holiness

Dr. Steve Rankin (director of the Spiritual Maturity Project and retired chaplain of Southern Methodist University) takes us on a deep dive into spiritual formation and the practice of holiness. Connect with Steve:  Blogs: www.stephenrankin.com and www.spiritualmaturityproject.org under the name “Pressing On.” Search for Spiritual Maturity Project Facebook page.  Twitter: @StephenWRankin Connect with Brian: Twitter: @briandrussell Instagram: @yourprofessorforlife Deep Dive Spirituality Group Coaching for Pastors www.deepdivespirituality.com Books by Steve: Aiming at Maturity: The Goal of the Christian Life https://amzn.to/2ITS7MU Books Recommended by Steve: Robert Coleman, The Master Plan of Evangelism. https://amzn.to/2ISoCL3 Robert Roberts, Spiritual Emotions: A Psychology of Christian Virtues, https://amzn.to/35K9fgV Lesslie Newbigin, Gospel in a Pluralist Society https://amzn.to/35JkKW4 John Wesley, A Plain Account of Christian Perfection http://wesley.nnu.edu/john-wesley/a-plain-account-of-christian-perfection/ Bio: Steve's a retired university chaplain from Southern Methodist University.  Before that gig, he served as professor of religion and campus minister at Southwestern College in Kansas.  Pastoral ministry for 12 or so years before then, with a 3 year stint in an expatriate congregation outside Rome, Italy.  Started adult life (post-college) as a junior high teacher and basketball and track coach.  In some form or another, he has taught every age from Kindergarten through doctor of ministry students. He's married to Joni and they have four grown children and five grandchildren.

Episode 29: Dr Brian Russell – The Old Testament and the Love of God and Neighbor

Is the Old Testament still relevant today? In this episode, Dr. Russell examines the critical role that the Old Testament plays in promoting the Love for God and for Neighbor by critiquing idolatry, syncretism, and injustice.

Dr. Brian Russell (Ph.D.) is a professor of Biblical studies, an author, speaker, and coach. He is passionate about the intersection of biblical studies and spiritual formation. He is curator of a group coaching program for pastors called Deep Dive Spirituality. 

Connecting with Brian:

Twitter: @briandrussell

Instagram: @yourprofessorforlife

Deep Dive Spirituality Group Coaching: www.deepdivespirituality.com 

Books by Brian

(re)Aligning with God: Reading Scripture for Church and World https://amzn.to/2GXRBwt

Invitation: A Ten Week Study https://my.seedbed.com/product/onebook-invitation-by-brian-russell/ 

Books Recommended by Brian for Deeper Study on this Topic

John Oswalt The Bible Among the Myths https://amzn.to/2IjK2R4 

John Oswalt Called to Be Holy: A Biblical Perspective  https://amzn.to/34SUwi6 

Collins/Wall, Wesley One Volume Commentary https://amzn.to/3iX5p7B 

Links provided above are Amazon Affiliate links. If you purchase products through these links, a small commission is paid to Dr. Brian Russell. This does not increase your purchase price.

Episode 27 Dr. AJ Sherrill on the Enneagram and Spiritual Formation

Author, teacher, and Pastor AJ Sherrill (D.Min., Fuller Theological Seminary) takes us on a deep dive into how the enneagram. Our conversation centers on his new book The Enneagram for Spiritual Formation: How Knowing Ourselves Can Make Us More Like Jesus (Brazos, 2020)
Books by AJ
The Enneagram for Spiritual Formation: How Knowing Ourselves Can Make Us More Like Jesus (2020) https://amzn.to/36hezJj
Expansive: Stretching Beyond Superficial Christianity (2017) https://amzn.to/2S8ykdE
Quiet: Hearing God Amidst the Noise (2014) https://amzn.to/2GatE4L
Books Recommended by AJ
Henri Nouwen, The Genesee Diary: Report from a Trappist Monastery (1981) https://amzn.to/3jgiSYW
Robert Louis Wilken, The First Thousand Years: A Global History of Christianity (2013) https://amzn.to/3jeiKtb
Full Bio:
AJ Sherrill (DMin, Fuller Theological Seminary) has more than twenty years of experience as a pastor from the beaches of S. California to the streets of NYC.  He has recently moved to Charleston SC where he serves as the Lead Pastor of Saint Peters Church and is in process of Anglican ordination. He is an adjunct professor at Fuller Theological Seminary, where he teaches popular courses on preaching and the Enneagram.  
Connect with AJ:
Twitter @ajsherrill
IG: https://www.instagram.com/aj_sherrill/?hl=en
Connect with Brian:
Twitter: @briandrussell
Instagram: @yourprofessorforlife

Check out Brian's (re)Aligning with God: Reading Scripture for Church and World (Cascade, 2016) https://amzn.to/3kRNjVM




Links to Amazon are Affiliate. By purchasing through these links, Amazon pays a small commission to me. This doesn't affect your price but serves as a way to support my work. Thank you.

Episode 25 Dr. Matt O'Reilly: Serving as a Pastor-Theologian, Holiness, and Human Flourishing

In this week’s episode Dr. Matt O’Reilly reflects on his vocation as a pastor theologian. We take deep dive into the importance of scholarship within the context of flesh and blood ministry. We also discuss holiness in terms of happiness and human flourishing. Don’t miss this rich conversation.
Dr. Matt O'Reilly is Lead Pastor of Hope Hull United Methodist Church near Montgomery, Alabama, Director of Research at Wesley Biblical Seminary, and a fellow of the Center for Pastor Theologians.
Connecting with Matt:
website http://www.theologyproject.online
YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/theologyprojectonline
Twitter: @mporeilly
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/theologyprojectonline
Publications by Matt:
Paul and the Resurrected Body: Social Identity and Ethical Practice (Emory Studies in Early Christianity) https://amzn.to/35diOoH
Bless the Nations: A Devotional for Short-Term Missions https://amzn.to/2GyeRAO

The Letters to the Thessalonians https://my.seedbed.com/product/the-letters-to-the-thessalonians-onebook-daily-weekly/
Resources Recommended by Matt:
Verlyn Klinkenborg Several Short Sentences about Writing https://amzn.to/3c0ZvAo
Miroslav Volf Flourishing: Why We Need Religion in a Globalized World https://amzn.to/3c8C20b
Kurt Thompson Anatomy of the Soul: Surprising Connections between Neuroscience and Spiritual Practices That Can Transform Your Life and Relationships https://amzn.to/2E2A8S7
Tom McCall Against God and Nature: The Doctrine of Sin https://amzn.to/3iutjYy
John Wesley A Plain Account of Christian Perfection https://amzn.to/2ZIuLiF
Connecting with Brian:
Twitter: @briandrussell
Instagram: @yourprofessor for life
Email: deepdivespirituality@gmail.com
Links to Amazon are affiliate links. Thank you for supporting the Deep Dive Spirituality Conversations podcast by purchasing resources mentioned in this episode.

Episode 24: Dr Michael Beck Contextual Intelligence, Missional Formation and Fresh Expressions of the Church

In this week's episode, Dr. Michael Beck talks about his new book "Contextual Intelligence: Unlocking the Ancient Secret to Mission on the Front Lines" (co-written with Dr. Leonard Sweet).

Buy Contextual Intelligence: Unlocking the Ancient Secret to Mission on the Front Lines https://freshexpressionsus.org/product-tag/contextual/
Connect with Michael Beck:
Michaeladambeck.com
Twitter: @reverendwild1
Connect with Dr. Russell:
Twitter: @briandrussell
IG: @yourprofessorforlife
Read Brian's book on missional interpretation: (re)Aligning with God: Reading Scripture for Church and World https://amzn.to/3k86KcN

Books that Michael Beck Recommends:
(1) Gerald Arbuckle Refounding the church: Dissent for Leadership https://amzn.to/2VdFD5e

(2) Manuel Castells The Rise of Network Society https://amzn.to/2JOZCSr

(3) Graham Cray The Mission-shaped Church https://amzn.to/2UWAIXg

(4) Alan Hirsch/Michael Frost, The Shaping of Things to Come https://amzn.to/35nA9v5

(5) Michael Moynagh Church in Life https://amzn.to/3bJDRR5
Dr. Michael Beck is South Atlantic Coordinator for Fresh Expressions US and North Central District Cultivator of Fresh Expressions for the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church. He also leads the Fresh Expressions house of study at United Theological Seminary. Michael serves as senior pastor of Wildwood UMC where he directs addiction recovery programs, a jail ministry, a food pantry, and a network of fresh expressions that meet in places like tattoo parlors and burrito joints. He currently lives in Wildwood with his wife, Jill, and their blended family of 8 children.
Links to Amazon are affiliate links. Dr. Russell receives a small payment if you order resources through these links. There is no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the podcast through your purchases.

Episode 23 Matthew Johnson: Entire Sanctification and the Guide to Holiness

In today’s episode, the Rev. Matthew Johnson and I talk about his interest and passion for the transformational message of Christian holiness. Matthew shares his own life experience as well as draws from mentors and his extensive research into contemporary and historical writings on entire sanctification. We also talk about his newsletter “A Guide to Holiness” that shares testimonies of God’s work of sanctifying grace.

How to connect with Matthew Johnson

revmhj.com 

scripturalholiness.com (sign up for newsletter there; content coming by end of year)

@revmhj on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook.

Here are the books Matthew mentions in answer to questions:

Amy Caswell Bratton - Witnesses of Perfect Love: Narratives of Christian Perfection in Early Methodism https://amzn.to/3hZz68s

Chris Bounds Unholiness: Overcoming the Forces That Attack Your Soul https://amzn.to/3bjJAwC 

Kevin Watson Old or New School Methodism?: The Fragmentation of a Theological Tradition https://amzn.to/31SHr8g

These are Matthew's recommendations:

Samuel Logan Brengle - Helps to Holiness. http://wesleyanbooks.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WB&Product_Code=0388&Category_Code=

Dennis Kinlaw - Prayer: Bearing the World as Jesus Did. https://amzn.to/3lITjRU 

Preaching in the Spirit https://amzn.to/3hO0iGZ 

Robert Coleman - Nothing to Do But Save Souls. https://amzn.to/2QLuPcA 

Mildred Bangs Wynkoop - A Theology of Love: The Dynamic of Wesleyanism (2nd ed) https://amzn.to/3jG3wN8 

Bio:

Matthew Johnson is one of the associate pastors at Central United Methodist Church in Rogers, AR.

He has served as an United Methodist pastor for sixteen years. He graduated from Asbury Theological Seminary in 2003, was ordained an elder in the United Methodist Church in 2007, and has served his current church since July 2018. He also received from Asbury Theological Seminary the Doctor of Ministry degree in 2017. His project was on Reintroducing the Doctrine and Experience of Christian Perfection to United Methodists.

He’s been married since 2001 and he and his wife have one incredibly awesome daughter.

When he’s not reading, researching, or writing, he’s running, biking, or hanging with his family.

Links are affiliate links to Amazon. This podcast receives a small fee from Amazon. This does not increase your sale price. Thank you for supporting my show by purchasing recommended books and resources.

Episode 22 Alastair Sterne: Rhythms for Life Spiritual Practices for Who God Created You To Be

Alastair Sterne (lead pastor of St. Peter’s Fireside in Vancouver, British Columbia) discusses his new InterVarsity Press book Rhythms for Life: Spiritual Practices for Who God Created You to Be. We cover the key challenges of spiritual growth, transparency in ministry, creating healthy and integrative rhythms for living, and helping others to integrate Christian identity, spiritual gifts, values and mission.

Buy a copy of Rhythms for Life: Spiritual Practices for Who God Created You to Be (https://www.ivpress.com/rhythms-for-life) or https://amzn.to/3hvWOZG .

Books Recommended by Alastair

Brennan Manning Abba’s Child: The Cry of the Heart for Intimate Belonging https://amzn.to/2YAweqU 

Ruth Haley Barton Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership: Seeking God in the Crucible of Ministry https://amzn.to/32sPEPw 

Michael Gorman, Inhabiting the Cruciform God: Kenosis, Justification, and Theosis in Paul's Narrative Soteriology https://amzn.to/3aXRBXU 

Other Resources Mentioned by Alastair Sterne

David Brenner The Gift of Being Yourself: The Sacred Call to Self-Discovery https://amzn.to/2QoEcPk 

Dane Ortlund Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers https://amzn.to/31tVa50 

Zach Eswine Spurgeon’s Sorrows: Realistic Hope for Those Who Suffer Depression https://amzn.to/2QrW1wL 

Brene Brown, Dare to Lead https://amzn.to/34y1eeV 

James K.A. Smith You are What you Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit https://amzn.to/2Qv4ZcN  and Desiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview, and Cultural Formation https://amzn.to/32IrgcX 

Connect with Alastair:

Website: https://www.stpetersfireside.org/  and http://alastairsterne.com/ 

Instagram: @alastairsterne 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/asterne

Links to Amazon are affiliate links. Deep Dive Spirituality Conversations gets a small fee if you purchase products through the links. This does not affect the price you pay. Thank you for supporting my podcast by ordering some of the suggested resources.

Episode 21 Dr Elaine Heath: Contemplative Spirituality, Sanctification, and the Healing of Trauma

In this week’s episode, Dr. Elaine Heath takes us deep into contemplative spirituality, entire sanctification, and the healing of trauma. Dr. Heath draws on her expertise in Scripture, spiritual formation (rooted in contemplative spirituality), mission and the theology of Phoebe Palmer. We have a rich conversation about inner healing and holiness. 

Books by Dr. Elaine Heath:

The Healing Practice of Celebration, (Nashville: Abingdon, 2020). https://amzn.to/3iWxSuB   

Healing the Wounds of Sexual Abuse: Reading the Bible with Survivors (A revised and retitled new edition of We Were the Least of These: Reading the Bible with Survivors of Sexual Abuse) (Grand Rapids: Brazos, 2019). https://amzn.to/3hdOSvY 

The Mystic Way of Evangelism: A Contemplative Vision for Christian Outreach, Revised and Updated 2nd Edition (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2017). https://amzn.to/3aD90oC  

Five Means of Grace: Experiencing God’s Love the Wesleyan Way. Nashville: Abingdon, 2017. https://amzn.to/3j0jstv 

God Unbound: Wisdom from Galatians for the Anxious Church. Nashville: Upper Room, May 2016. https://amzn.to/3kZXRDf  

Missional.Monastic.Mainline. A Guide to Starting Missional Micro-Communities in Historically Mainline Traditions. Eugene: Cascade, 2014. https://amzn.to/3kWBjTQ  

The Gospel According to Twilight: Women, Sex and God. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 2011. https://amzn.to/3iOi90C 

We Were the Least of These: Reading the Bible with Survivors of Sexual Abuse. Grand Rapids: Brazos, 2011. https://amzn.to/3hdOSvY 

Longing for Spring: A New Vision for Wesleyan Community, co-authored with Scott Kisker. Eugene, OR: Cascade, 2010. https://amzn.to/3iWylNn 

Naked Faith: The Mystical Theology of Phoebe Palmer, Princeton Theological Monograph Series. Eugene, OR: Pickwick, 2010. https://amzn.to/34dMJwq

The Mystic Way of Evangelism: A Contemplative Vision for Christian Outreach. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2008. https://amzn.to/3aD90oC 

More Light on the Path: Daily Scripture Readings in Hebrew and Greek, co-authored with David Baker, with a Foreword by Eugene Peterson. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1999; electronic version published by Logos Bible Software, 2006.

Books Recommended by Dr. Elaine Heath:

Besser van der Kolk, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma https://amzn.to/3gdqB7G  

Morton Kelsey, Psychology, Medicine, and Christian Healing

Andrew Sung Park, The Wounded Heart of God: The Asian Concept of Han and the Christian Doctrine of Sin https://amzn.to/2EdhNS9  

Julian of Norwich, Showings https://amzn.to/328qy8d   

Ann Taves, Fits, Trances, and Visions: experiencing religion and explaining experience from Wesley to James https://amzn.to/34e5q3h 

Full Bio:

Elaine Heath is an author, retreat leader, speaker and consultant. Her work is interdisciplinary, weaving together the study of Scripture, theology, and Christian spirituality with the practices of ministry in ways that help the church to reach beyond its walls and into the community. She is the former Dean of Duke Divinity School as well as the former McCreless Professor of Evangelism at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University. She is co-founder of Missional Wisdom Foundation, President of Neighborhood Seminary, and an Elder in the United Methodist Church. She currently lives in intentional community at Spring Forest, a farm in North Carolina, where she serve as Abbess.

Connect with Dr. Heath:

Her website is www.elaineaheath.org 

The website for Spring Forest, the intentional community, farm, and decentralized mission church that I help to lead is www.springforest.org. 

The website for Neighborhood Seminary is www.neighborhoodseminary.org. 

Links to Amazon are affiliate links. Deep Dive Spirituality Conversations gets a small fee if you purchases products through the links. This does not affect the price you pay. Thank you for supporting my podcast by ordering some of the suggested resources.