The Shock Absorber

Tim and Joel are back for 2026 with a conversation about authority, hierarchy, and authentic relationship with Jesus.It starts with parenting, authoritarian (high control, low love) versus authoritative (high control, high love). But the real question: how does the parent-child relationship mirror our relationship with God? For those with great fathers, God being the perfect Father is comforting. For those with absent or abusive fathers, it's healing.This opens a bigger conversation about hierarchy and power. Postmodernism wants to deconstruct all hierarchies as inherently corrupt. But because there's an inherent power imbalance between Creator and creation, they argue there must be such a thing as good hierarchy. The difference isn't whether power exists, but how it's used, to serve others or serve yourself.Tim shares about joining the Crossformed Kids podcast, leading into intergenerational ministry and reciprocity. A five-year-old is no more or less saved than a senior minister. Equal in God's kingdom, even while maintaining appropriate roles. They discuss Tom Holland's "Dominion", how even secular progressive concern for the vulnerable is borrowed from Christian moral tradition. Marx's vision could only emerge from a Christian worldview.The conversation turns to math with Joel reading John Lennox and his son to discover how mathematics reveals God's beauty and order. The elegance of math points to a rational universe created by a rational God.Finally, parasocial relationships, Cambridge Dictionary's 2025 Word of the Year. People are forming one-way relationships with celebrities and AI chatbots. Tim contrasts this with his word for the year: abiding. "I don't want a parasocial relationship with Jesus. I want to genuinely abide in Him."The takeaway? God has the right to tell us how to live. And because He's the perfect Father, that's not oppressive, it's beautiful and relational.https://online.hillsdale.edu/TIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Intro and welcome back for the new year09:33 - Parenting, hierarchies, and power and our true Father25:32 - Tim's hosting another podcast, the reciprocity of intergenerational relationships and ceding power to God's good hierarchy36:20 - God is a God who cares for vulnerable people43:20 - Science and maths explaining God's created world54:52 - Parasocial versus abiding1:13:06 - Tim's Takeaway: authentic relationship with JesusDISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE:Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI, by Yuval Noah HarariRivers of London series, by Ben AaronovitchUnruly: The Ridiculous History of England's Kings and Queens, by David MitchellCrossformed Kidmin PodcastThe Child in God's Church, by Tim BeilharzDominion: The Making of the Western Mind, by Tom HollandAnglicare AustraliaThe Air We Breathe: How We All Came to Believe in Freedom, Kindness, Progress, and Equality, by Glen ScrivenerHillsdale College online coursesCan Science Explain Everything?, by John LennoxWhy This Oxford Mathematician is Confident God Exists | John LennoxThe 2025 Cambridge Dictionary Word of the YearDeath of Rob Hirst

Recorded five days after the Bondi terrorist attack, Tim reflects on the strange providence of preaching about peace the morning before the attack.His sermon from Philippians 4 explored why we struggle to find peace in a world online world where research shows rising depression, anxiety, and suicidality across all generations. But the biblical vision of peace (shalom) is both gift and obedience: the Spirit gives us peace, and the Spirit empowers us to pursue peace. Prayer, that act of relationship, trust, and faith is what guards our hearts and minds. Not the outcome, but the praying.Joel and Tim then dive into a fascinating cultural analysis: "Why Didn't Your Grandparents Deconstruct?" which argues that church hurt, moral failure, bad theology, and unanswered questions have always so why is deconstruction so prevalent among millennials?The answer is postmodernism's cultural programming. Previous generations lived in a hegemonic meta-narrative. Even when they experienced church pain, there was nowhere else to go. But millennials came of age in the '90s when postmodernism went mainstream. The new cultural catechism taught: truth is socially constructed, institutions are corrupt, every story masks a power play (especially religion), and authenticity comes through deconstruction. If something feels constraining, the answer isn't reform—it's exit. Walk away or burn it down.As Christmas approaches, Tim and Joel discuss Soul Revival's four yearly high points: Christmas, Easter, Week Away, and Planning Days. They unpack why gathering on Christmas Day matters, the strategy behind the Kids Christmas Eve service, and why telling the Christmas story every year matters for forming young disciples.The episode ends on the question of traditions: which ones do we hold, which do we discard, and why does the gospel tradition at Christmas still matter in a world that tells us all traditions deserve deconstruction?Timestamps:00:00 - Intro, Bondi attack and Tim's sermon on peace15:51 - Deconstruction: The answer isn't reform, it's exit31:06 - The traditions we hold and the traditions we discardDiscussed on this episode:Tim’s sermon on God, Why Can’t I Find Peace?On Bondi Beach, by Louise PerryWhy Didn’t Your Grandparents Deconstruct?, by Paul AnleitnerAbout the Shock Absorber:A podcast for church leaders and ministry pioneers who want to do church differently. Hosted by Stu Crawshaw, Tim Beilharz, and Joel McMaster from Soul Revival Church.Connect with us at joel@shockabsorber.comSoul Revival Church meet across the Sutherland Shire & in Ryde: soulrevivalchurch.com

With Stu traveling and Tim unwell, Joel brings in the super-subs, Ethan and Brayden, to tackle the 6-7 meme and what it tells us about internet culture, and how Christians should respond.They start with a primer on the 6-7 meme, following a breakdown by aidanetcetera on Instagram that claims it's evidence that "postmodernists won the culture war" and what it means to meme something into relevance.The guys discuss whether this holds up. Is 6-7 actually abstract art, or is it just teenagers doing what they've always done, creating subculture that adults don't understand? They discuss the lifecycle of memes (why they die when younger kids adopt them), the difference between little memes and big movements like grunge, and whether capital-M Movements can even happen anymore when everyone's algorithm shows them different realities.But this isn't just internet anthropology. Joel shares his research on getting his 11-year-old son a phone, Australia's social media ban for under-16s, the rise of sextortion, why helicopter parenting offline paired with complete digital freedom is naive, and what Christian wisdom looks like in practice.If older Christians are going to say the internet is bad for development and then we sit around on our phones, what are we modelling? Despite cultural shifts toward declining literacy and shorter attention spans, God is still moving, people are becoming Christians through social media, mini-revivals are happening in the UK, and young believers are figuring out how to be Christian in digital spaces.The episode lands on a hopeful note: movements still happen, they just look different now. And Christians are always in the middle of them. From women transforming the Roman Empire through radical hospitality to hippies doubling down on to Gen Z finding Jesus through TikTok, God works through every cultural shift. The question isn't whether to fear the movement, but how to partner with young people as they generatively figure out what it means to follow Jesus online and offline.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro and laying out the generations04:16 - Is this 6-7 meme a work of art?12:55 - When are memes cool and not cool?20:38 - A movement of understanding how to be online28:21 - Leaning into what people see as freedoms without knowing the consequences34:19 - What do we model as the digital world becomes increasingly more prevalent?43:44 - Movements still happen, and Christians are still in themDiscussed on this episode:aidanetcetera on InstagramDoot Doot, by SkrillaLamelo Ball basketball editsSocial media banLewis’s Chip Lunch episode on the internetRichard Dawkins a cultural ChristianAbout the Shock Absorber:A podcast for church leaders and ministry pioneers who want to do church differently. Hosted by Stu Crawshaw, Tim Beilharz, and Joel McMaster from Soul Revival Church.Soul Revival Church meet across the Sutherland Shire & in Ryde: soulrevivalchurch.com

Joel reclaims the hosting chair from Tim (who did a great job, but still...). They start off by debating favourite movies, why Tim can't finish The Godfather, and the comfort of rewatching The Bourne Identity, but quickly pivot into questions of efficiency, productivity and whether we should be as efficient as the world demands us to be.Tim has been reading extensively about digital culture, AI, and what it means to be embodied Christians in an increasingly disembodied world. He introduces two key books: Christine Rosen's secular "The Extinction of Experience" and Samuel D. James's Christian "Digital Liturgies." Both argue, from different angles, that we're losing something fundamentally human as we trade physical experiences for digital ones.The theological anchor is incarnation. God created us as embodied beings. Jesus took on flesh and was resurrected into a physical body. This matters profoundly for how we think about technology, productivity, and formation as disciples. When Mark Andreessen coins the term "reality privilege" to argue that most people's physical experiences are worse than what digital worlds can offer, he's essentially making the argument of The Matrix's Cypher: the fake world is better than the real one.Tim and Joel push back hard. They discuss why God is not efficient (it took 1800 years from Abraham to Jesus), why the Bible is intentionally slow and story-shaped rather than a bullet-point list, why handwriting matters, why reading actual books matters, why face-to-face conversations are "3D" while text messages are "2D," and why the church must be a place of refuge from culture's aggressive push toward endless efficiency and productivity.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro, favourite movies11:47 - We are created incarnate26:22 - Does every moment have to be productive?33:52 - The devious trick of efficiency44:42 - How we are formed matters1:06:30 - Tim's TakeawayDiscussed on this episode:AnchormanStep BrothersThe Mummy IThe Mummy ReturnsAlienYoung FrankensteinThe Bourne IdentityThe Fast and the FuriousThe GodfatherThe Social NetworkA Few Good MenDie HardLethal WeaponTunnel 29, by Helena MerrimanThe Escape Artist, by Jonathan FreedlandCloverfieldThe Extinction of Experience, by Christine Rosen:Digital Liturgies, by Samuel D. JamesMarc AndreesenThe Jungle Village Hooked on PhonesAbout the Shock Absorber:A podcast for church leaders and ministry pioneers who want to do church differently. Hosted by Stu Crawshaw, Tim Beilharz, and Joel McMaster from Soul Revival Church.Soul Revival Church meet across the Sutherland Shire & in Ryde: soulrevivalchurch.com

In this Joel-free episode (don't worry, he's just away), Tim, Stu, and Ethan dive deep into what makes Soul Revival's approach to church distinctive—and why it matters.The conversation starts with preaching in hostile environments (including the story of Stu getting hit with an orange at a school), then moves into a fascinating discussion about why church kitchens are vanishing across America. A recent Christianity Today article reveals that newly built churches are scrapping full kitchens in favor of "co-working spaces" and other community-facing facilities. But Soul Revival has doubled down on meals as central to church life.Stu explains how Soul Revival's meal practice didn't come from American church growth models but from Aboriginal Christian communities in Brewarrina, NSW, where church naturally extended into shared meals. This wasn't a missional strategy, it was friendship. The episode explores how this connects to pre-industrial church culture, fellowship teas, and why modern churches separated discipleship from mission.The joy and frivolity section is pure gold: from the legendary Black Stump pool table incident to Soul Revival's recent viral moment welcoming strangers at Sydney Airport. Ethan shares what happened when an influencer captured their spontaneous celebration of arriving passengers. The hosts unpack why this kind of joyful, confident Christian witness works, not as an incarnational strategy to earn the right to be heard, but as an authentic expression of who they are.Throughout, the conversation wrestles with hegemony, the grunge movement, the Black Panthers, why Pentecostals are surprised at Soul Revival, and what it means to bring "the action" back into the church instead of exporting it to pubs and events.Timestamps:00:00  Intro and tough times speaking in front of people11:20  Church kitchens and the generational divide38:00 Joy, frivolity and viralityDiscussed on this episode:John Laws funeralMichael Jensen sermon at funeralChristianity Today: Church Kitchens Getting ChoppedNo Guts, No Glory, by Ken Moser, Al Vaughan, Ed StewartRevisiting Relational Youth Ministry, by Andrew RootSoul Revival at the airportBlack Panther PartySeraph Music

If you woke up in a third-world jail cell with one phone call, who would you ring to get you out? That person has high agency—the ability to get things done even in impossible situations.Stu, Tim, and Joel explore what high agency means for Christian leadership and ministry, building on last week's conversation about Blue Ocean Strategy and Stu's PhD research. They dive into an essay by George Mack on high agency and unpack five low agency traps that hold us back: the vague trap (being captured by problems instead of solutions), the midwit trap (overcomplicating things), the attachment trap (being stuck on ideas without knowing why), the rumination trap (frozen by "what if" loops), and the overwhelm trap (paralyzed by too many options).It ends with a theological reflection: does the Holy Spirit help us change our agency? Tim emphasizes faithfulness in small things and not equating high agency with cultural success. Stu argues that to be in Christ is agency itself—being active Christians, not sedentary ones, expressing the newness Jesus gives us in our generation.Timestamps00:00 - Intro: Who would you call from a third-world jail cell?03:50 - Why Christians tend to be conservative and what holds us back14:48 - The Vague Trap: Being captured by problems instead of solutions20:55 - The Midwit Trap: Overcomplicating agency and seeking validation25:26 - The Attachment Trap: Being stuck on ideas without knowing why38:25 - The Rumination Trap: Frozen by "what if" loops46:04 - The Overwhelm Trap: Starting with the smallest first step53:18 - Does the Holy Spirit help us change our agency?Discussed on this episodeHigh Agency essayChesterton’s FenceThe Wright Brothers

Are our churches unintentionally approving exclusivity?Stu, Tim and Joel dive deep into the research behind Stu's PhD on the Shock Absorber, youth ministry and generative intergenerational ministry—and why most churches experience cultural lag that makes them irrelevant.Motivated to understand why young people leave the church, Stu shares why he started (and restarted) his PhD, using what he has learned from 20 years in youth ministry and 13 years planting Soul Revival.The conversation explores the meditative benefits of writing and walking, the imposter syndrome Stu feels in academia, and the "clown suit" metaphor—how Christians became irrelevant trying to be cool instead of just being confident in Jesus. They discuss Blue Ocean Strategy and why Soul Revival looks to be a pioneer in ministry instead of competing for the same young people.Stu explains how the PhD work has moved from "moderate intergenerational ministry" to "generative intergenerational ministry" by combining Kendra Creasy Dean's and Erik Erikson's work. This reveals the gap in youth ministry literature and highlights how the homogeneous unit principle creates a gravitational pull toward exclusivity.The Shock Absorber model flips the script: young people can experiment on how to be a Christian in new cultural contexts, while adults provide theological grounding and wisdom. It's about having both segregated youth spaces AND accessible intergenerational spaces—the fifth way of doing ministry.As Tim notes towards the end: this only works because we're co-adopted by the same Saviour, which makes humility between the generations possible.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro: the meditative benefits of writing and walking12:50 - The motivating factors behind Stu's PhD31:49 - Soul Revival helped people be confident and Christian1:00:37 - Generative intergenerational model1:25:50 - Tim's TakeawayDiscussed on this episode:Guy Goma: The Wrong GuyJenn's Interview - The IT CrowdMoving beyond the shock absorber: The place of youth ministry—past, present and future, by Stu CrawshawThe Child in God's Church, by Tim BeilharzGlenn Maxwell produces one of the greatest ODI knocks of all-timeHigh Agency, by George MackKenda Creasy DeanErik EriksonThe Generative Church, by Corey SeibelSoul Revival Late Night at Sydney Airport

Our culture tells us that independence is everything — but what if true flourishing happens when we give some of it up?Joel and Tim explore how commitment to a local church is not just a spiritual act, but something deeply human. They unpack how technology, hyper-individualism, and cultural values can isolate us, while the church pulls us back into the kind of community God designed for our good.From the sociology of connection to the theology of commitment, this conversation challenges us to see that infringing on our individuality might actually be the healthiest thing for us — because we are made to be together.Timestamps 00:00 – Intro: Isolation vs. community 22:47 – Commitment vs. loneliness 35:40 – How community shapes identity 41:12 – Inviting others into connected community 59:09 – Tim’s takeaway: Spend more time at churchDiscussed on this episodeFriedrich NietzscheCasey NeistatWhy We Need the Church Now More Than Ever, by Carmen Joy ImesNijay Gupta SubstackDominion, by Tom HollandGlow Kids: How Screen Addiction Is Hijacking Our Kids-and How to Break the Trance by Nicholas KardarasJonathan HaidtAfter BabelBronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory

Joel and Tim explore what it means to live and raise children as elect exiles in a world with different values. They reflect on social media, culture, and the ways Christians can tell the alternate story of Jesus — distinctive, thoughtful, and rooted in grace.The discussion covers family and intergenerational ministry, schools, and creating spaces for children to engage meaningfully with the church. They highlight the importance of modelling commitment through consistent presence and participation.Over-commitment to church isn’t the problem — intentionality, faithfulness, and living in deep community are. By prioritising time together, parents and churches equip the next generation to confidently live as elect exiles in Christ.🕓 Timestamps 00:00 Mass deletion in NYC + Freya India 18:32 The Christian story as the alternate story 31:59 How do we raise children as aliens in a foreign world? 40:34 The role of schools in raising children as exiles 54:17 Committing to the alternate story 1:07:40 Tim’s Takeaway📌 Discussed on this episodeTime To RefuseGen Z held an anti-social media event. Here's how they heard about itItalian Brain RotWe Are The Slop, by Freya IndiaIs Sora the Beginning of the End for OpenAI?Parenting Beyond Your Capacity: Connect Your Family to a Wider Community, by Reggie Joiner and Carey NieuwenhofRaising Boys, by Steve Biddulph

Joel and Tim explore Soul Revival Church’s 2025 Planning Day — and how the church can prepare for God to grow them, being ready if He chooses to do that.They begin by talking about writing, storytelling, and collective memory — how churches pass down faith through shared stories that shape who they are. Tim reflects on his recent work about how intergenerational communities strengthen faith by remembering together.The conversation then turns to independent media and creativity, drawing lessons from writers like Ryan Holiday and Jonathan Wilson. Joel and Tim reflect on how Christians can balance curiosity with focus — doing a few things well, recognising that God made people finite so they can’t chase every idea.At the heart of the episode is Soul Revival’s collaborative Planning Day, where the whole church community — not just leaders — comes together to reflect, celebrate, and plan for the year ahead. It’s a unique approach that embodies their belief in the church as a family, where every generation contributes.Finally, they look forward to the 2025 Planning Day and the church’s 2030 Double Up Vision, discussing what it means to grow deeply in discipleship and mission, not just in numbers. The episode closes with a reminder to keep telling the stories of God’s faithfulness — because those stories shape who the church is and who it will become.🕓 Timestamps00:00 Writing, independent media & being finite beings20:00 Why have a Planning Day?27:38 Benefits of collaboration & community input40:01 Preparing for growth and God’s work45:45 What’s happening at the 2025 Planning Day1:06:05 Keep telling your church’s storyDiscussed on this episodeRyan Holiday Reading Recommendation EmailThe Painted Porch bookstoreBrass CheckDaily Stoic podcastBookmarkedIt Was What It Was podcastWilson's World (of football)The BlizzardLibero podcastBreaking PointsTim's SubstackSo Good They Can't Ignore You, by Cal NewportMensch: Beyond the Cones, by Jonathan HardingGood to Great, by Jim CollinsBrady Shearer

Joel and Tim return from a short break to wrestle with a timeless question — are Christians today still exiles? Drawing from 1 Peter, they explore what it means to live faithfully in a world that doesn’t always share our values.With both Joel and Tim preaching on 1 Peter they delve into the different ways they have approached the sermon preparation process. Joel focuses on identity, inheritance, and how God’s power sustains us through trials. Tim looks at the cultural lens — what it means to live as “God’s elect exiles” in a post-Christendom world. Together, they reflect on how Scripture calls us to faithfulness, hope, and distinctiveness as followers of Jesus.Their discussion expands to cultural engagement too — especially around the banning of books and the idea of reading behind enemy lines. Why should Christians engage with opposing ideas rather than fear them? How do we hold convictions without closing our minds? They argue that wrestling with uncomfortable ideas, when rooted in truth, helps us understand God’s world better and strengthens our witness in it.They also touch on Tim’s new book chapter Why Your Family Needs the Intergenerational Church, the discipline of walking as a form of reflection, and the process of preparing sermons that let Scripture lead.🎙️ Timestamps00:00 – Intro & catching up15:51 – On the banning of books and reading behind enemy lines30:37 – Preaching on 1 Peter1:03:24 – What we hope for after the sermon📌 Discussed on this episodeWhy Most Smart People Become Stupid - Ryan Holiday on Modern WisdomJoel's sermon on 1 PeterGovett's LeapSoren KirkegaardDominion, by Tom Holland

MINI-SERIES: World — Mission Is for EveryoneMission doesn’t just belong to a few — it’s everyone’s call.Joel, Tim, and Jai continue the service team mini-series on World, unpacking why God’s plan has always been for His salvation to reach all nations and how that shapes the life of the church today.They trace the theology of mission through Matthew 28, Psalm 67, and Isaiah 49, showing how Israel was blessed to be a blessing, and how Jesus’ death and resurrection brings salvation that explodes out to the whole world. Mission isn’t an optional extra for “professionals” overseas — it’s the daily call of every believer. If you’ve got good news, you want to share it.They explore how Soul Revival approaches mission: intergenerational ministry that naturally creates missional opportunities, long-term partnerships with CMS and Indigenous leaders in North West NSW, and supporting global mission through financial and prayer support. They discuss how prayer unites us across cultures and continents, reminding us that God is the one who grows His kingdom and graciously includes us in His work.Along the way they reflect on evangelism as simply sharing what you love, the challenge of awkwardness when talking about faith, and how kindness, gentleness, and genuine relationships open doors to gospel witness.📌 Episode Timestamps 00:00 – Intro: Dua Lipa memes, Banksy, and the speed of culture 10:04 – The World Team: mission is for everyone 20:12 – Theology of World: God’s salvation for all nations 42:01 – Strategy of World: local, regional, and overseas mission 58:30 – Practice of World: prayer, partnerships, and living it outDiscussed:Dua Lipa t-shirt meme goes viralLife of Brian "You're all individuals"Shock Absorber episode with Michael Duckett

MINI-SERIES: Welcoming — Don’t Expect Them to KnowWelcoming doesn't just happen on accident.----------------Joel, Tim, and Jai continue our mini-series on Welcoming, unpacking why we can’t assume newcomers will automatically understand the culture of our church. First impressions give people dignity, remove the unknowns, and either open the door to belonging or make someone turn away. That’s why intentional welcoming matters.They trace the theology behind hospitality—drawing on Hebrews 13, Romans 12, and 1 Peter—and wrestle with the difference between a polite greeting and a genuine welcome that leads to belonging. Are we hosts who take ownership of our community, or guests who hope someone else will do the work of welcoming? The way we answer that question shapes discipleship and the life of the body.Practically, they explore Soul Revival’s approach: Come – Stay – Grow, meals that move people past small talk, “New-ish” conversations with the Senior Pastor, intergenerational ministry, and the importance of follow-up that builds trust rather than treating people like data points. Small, consistent practices—recognisable faces, invitations to dinner or community groups, and thoughtful training—compound over time to pull newcomers into long-term belonging.📌 Episode Timestamps 00:00 – Intro and examples of welcoming 21:28 – Theology of Welcoming 44:55 – What is hospitality? 51:22 – The Strategy of Welcoming 1:12:09 – Practice of WelcomingDiscussed on this episode:The Adventures of TintinAsterixThe Adventures of Tintin movieMy Father the HeroSteve Jobs, by Walter IsaacsonGary Vee's Jay Cutler jersey story

The Missing Piece in Digital Ministry: Churches Skip Strategy Between Theology and PracticeIn the final episode of our mini-series on Communications, Joel, Digital Pastor at Soul Revival Church, shares at the inaugural Virtual Church Assist Conference how Soul Revival’s digital ministry has grown over the last five years—and the key factor behind it: a consistent and solid ministry framework.He talks about how Soul Revival's Theology → Strategy → Practice framework that has allowed he and the team to produce podcasts, coordinate content, and engage communities online in a meaningful way. The piece many churches and ministries miss is a well thought out, well articulated strategy—most skip straight from Theology to Practice, which can limit impact and effectiveness.Joel walks through how to connect digital efforts with core biblical convictions, build intergenerational relationships, and create authentic, engaging content—all guided by a clear strategy. Whether you’re looking to strengthen your church’s online presence or rethink how ministry fits together from Theology to Practice, this talk provides practical insights and ideas to implement immediately.Let us know: “How does your ministry framework connect your theology to the practice of serving your community?”0:00 – Welcome & Introduction1:20 – Thanks to Sam & VCA, first-time speaking, intention of the talk3:10 – About Joel & Soul Revival Church4:30 – Background in youth ministry, joining staff in 20205:50 – Family & personal context7:00 – Digital Ministry: Early Years & COVID7:40 – Pre-recording podcasts & early content9:10 – Streaming all six gatherings during first lockdown10:50 – Adapting to podcast-style format in second lockdown12:30 – Week Away Online: experimenting with virtual ministry14:20 – Key lessons learned from early experimentation16:00 – Iterative Approach to Branding & Digital Content16:40 – Chip Lunch Podcast evolution & rebrand18:20 – Apparel lines & website relaunch as part of ministry practice20:00 – Ministry Framework Overview20:30 – Theology → Strategy → Practice explained22:10 – Why Strategy is often missing23:30 – Concrete example: Soul Revival Church strategy25:00 – Relational Distinctives & Intergenerational Ministry25:40 – Friendship, low-key long-term relational focus27:20 – Intergenerational gatherings & inclusivity29:00 – Ministry Teams, Meals & Third Space Community29:40 – Teams prevent burnout & encourage collaboration31:10 – Meals as relational practice32:30 – Third space community & welcoming new people34:00 – Practice of Digital Ministry34:30 – External-to-internal continuum35:40 – Providing value: authentic, insightful, entertaining content37:10 – Example: Chip Lunch Podcast storytelling & engagement39:00 – Questions to Guide Your Ministry39:30 – Theology: How Jesus changes ministry40:20 – Strategy: Aligning practice with convictions41:10 – Practice: Flexibility & experimentation42:00 – Practical Tips & Closing Thoughts42:30 – “What rockets could you blow up?” – experimentation43:20 – Encouragement to work on ministry, not just in it44:00 – Thanks & conclusion

Incarnate church is the main thing — digital ministry is second, and it should always intentionally draw people into gathering together.In this episode of our service teams mini-series, Tim, Joel and Brayden explore the practice of Communications. Starting with a trip back to 90s culture and the optimism of the Britpop era, they draw out how the internet has reshaped culture, attention, and community. From there, they reflect on what Soul Revival has learnt since COVID, when church was forced online and new opportunities — and challenges — emerged.The team walks through Soul Revival’s approach to communications: discipleship and mission as the goal, not metrics; using the website as a newcomer’s shopfront; creating podcasts like The Shock Absorber and Chip Lunch; and using newsletters, technology, and content as tools that always point back to the physical church gathering.Ultimately, communications is about creating touchpoints for people to grow in loving God and loving others, while never replacing the joy of gathered community around Jesus.

MINI-SERIES: Communications Service Team — StrategyStu, Tim, and Joel discuss why church communications need strategy. Drawing on Andy Crouch and Jay Kim, they explore how technology, online community, and AI affect formation—and why embodied relationships remain central.Christians have always used tools to communicate, from Paul’s letters to AI, but digital spaces can’t replace real-life discipleship. At Soul Revival, that’s meant pursuing an 80/20 balance: online tools supplementing, not replacing, physical community.They also contrast God’s truth-telling with AI’s flattery, reflect on formation in the mess of real life, and ask what kind of discipleship our content is shaping. 00:00 – Technology and Christian formation 10:06 – Online vs physical presence 21:05 – What clear strategy looks like 27:24 – AI vs God’s communication 33:45 – Content for formation, not just consumption 40:33 – Why discomfort grows usDiscussed on this episode:Practicing the Way podcastAI discussion guideNew Social Movement TheoryThird Place TheoryWhy Grok Fell in Love With HitlerBowling Alone, by Robert Putnam Think Biblically podcastChip Lunch podcast

“If we were meant to fully grasp God, we wouldn’t need Him—exploring faith, wonder, and dependence.”With Stu out sick, Tim and Joel take a break from their mini-series on the Communications Service Team to chat about what’s caught their eyes and minds this week.They explore Tim’s German heritage, wrestling with the tension between beauty and atrocity in culture, the challenge of engaging with complex heroes, and what it means for Christians to hold a non-anxious presence in a fallen world.They also dive into Joel’s reflections on Augustine’s Enchiridion, helping us understand the dual nature of Jesus, the process of sanctification, and the grace of never fully grasping God.Finally, they discuss the impact of technology on our lives—additive vs. extractive—and how our relationship with God shapes how we consume, create, and live in the world.📌 Episode Timestamps:  00:00 – Tim on German culture, Wagner & wrestling with flawed heroes25:09 – Augustine, the Apostles’ Creed & why we can’t fully grasp God38:32 – Additive vs extractive technology, AI, and discipleshipDiscussed on this episode:Puff the Magic DragonKatya Hoyer's Zeitgeist SubstackBlood and Iron: The Rise and Fall of the German Empire 1871–1918, Katya HoyerRichard WagnerMartyr Made podcastLutheranSatire's St. Patrick's Bad AnalogiesSpiritual formation and AI: A deep dive with Andy Crouch and Jay KimOn Additive and Extractive Technologies, by Cal NewportAre Podcasts Destroying Our Brains?The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert PerformanceHow We Work by BasecampFeel Good Productivity, by Ali AbdaalLibero podcastMotorsport Magazine podcast

Stu, Tim, and Joel explore the theology of communication, from the Sydney Sweeney ad controversy to how Christians can share the gospel wisely in a media-driven world.MINI-SERIES: Theology of Communications------------------------The Shock Absorber continues it's mini-series on Soul Revival’s service teams — this time focusing on the Communications Team and the theology that underpins everything we say and share.We break down the recent Sydney Sweeney ad controversy, explore the impact of the attention economy, and reflect on how God communicates through creation, scripture, and ultimately, His Son.The conversation also tackles the dangers of church consumerism, the opportunities and pitfalls of online Christian content, and how believers can reclaim their missional voice in a media-saturated world.American Apparel ad archiveTrust Me I'm Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator, by Ryan HolidayMonty Python's The Life of BrianThe War on Attention is a Spiritual War, by Ben CrosbyWhat Jaguar's controversial rebrand can teach usLessons from the Bud Light Boycott, One Year LaterCulture Making with Andy CrouchThe Quiet Revival: Gen Z leads rise in church attendanceLight Church, SwindonJon CristBlackboard Jungle

Why Soul Revival go away for a whole week as a church.Joel, Ethan and Jai share why Soul Revival Church spends five whole days away together each year at Week Away—our annual church camp. We talk about how extended time and proximity help deepen existing relationships and spark new ones, all while growing together in God’s word.We explore the beauty and challenge of having so much free time, the impact of late-night conversations, and why we love designing keepsake apparel each year. It’s about forming lasting memories, building unity in Jesus, and living out the Christian life together—one week at a time.DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODESocks on BonesIf I Were You podcastLiving with the Underworld, by Peter BoltSoul Revival ApparelLiberti ChurchU2's Songs of Innocence-------------------------------------------------------------------------The Shock Absorber Podcast is a project of Soul Revival Church, where we explore how theology, strategy and practice intersect to help churches thrive in a changing world.CONTACT US:📧 Email🌐 Website🛍️ Soul Revival Shop🔗 Linktree (everything else)

MINI-SERIES: Part 5 on the Practice of Arts: Word ministryIn this episode, Stu, Joel and Brayden why God's word remains central to everything Soul Revival does as a church.  They reflect on their earliest (and often awkward!). We’re talking theology, history, practical training, and how God’s Word really does simplify church life when we keep it central.They trace the influence of the Reformation and Anglican Prayer Book on how Soul Revival structures church services, unpack the role of the service leader, and talk through the value of liturgy, creeds, and communal prayer. Whether it’s Bible reading, leading from up front, or preaching itself, Word ministry reminds us that we’re not crafting vision—we’re responding to God’s vision.DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODECrisis of Confidence, by Carl TruemanBMX BanditsDr Bonamy"Simpson eh?"-------------------------------------------------------------------------The Shock Absorber Podcast is a project of Soul Revival Church, where we explore how theology, strategy and practice intersect to help churches thrive in a changing world.CONTACT US:📧 Email: joel@shockabsorber.com.au🌐 Website: https://www.shockabsorber.com.au🛍️ Soul Revival Shop: https://www.soulrevivalchurch.com/shop🔗 Linktree (everything else): https://linktr.ee/JesusChangesEverything