Unfinished People

Long time friend, pastor, and missionary, Doug Jones sits down with Chad to talk all things Jesus. As a fellow "unfinished follower" we talk about the essential model of leading from brokenness. We also ask: what is true revival? Hint: it has nothing to do with filling stadiums. How should followers of Jesus think about difficult cultural subjects like systemic racism, CRT, and injustice? And after we think about them, what should we be doing? How are these two things connected? We're going there on this episode of Unfinished People.Book Mentioned: Slavery by Another Name

www.liveproxima.orgChad is thrilled to sit down with his long time friend, Mike Edwards to talk about living near the edge of the Kingdom of God. They discuss the mission of Proxima, a nonprofit aimed at helping Christians express the gospel in challenging environments. They explore the importance of listening, understanding cultural differences, and personalizing the gospel experience. The discussion emphasizes love as the core of evangelism and the need to shift from precepts to personal relationships. They also address the complexities of spirituality in secular contexts and the metrics of personal faithfulness versus organizational success. In this conversation, Mike Edwards discusses the evolution of teaching and influence in the context of spirituality and evangelism. He emphasizes the importance of listening to others, understanding different spiritual beliefs, and reframing the gospel to focus on love rather than being right. Mike shares insights on how to live out the gospel in everyday life, the role of grace in salvation, and the significance of community in faith. He introduces Proxima, an initiative aimed at fostering dialogue and understanding in a diverse world, and highlights the broader impact of the gospel beyond individual salvation.Chapters00:00 Personal Experiences and Relationships02:20 Living in San Francisco: A Personal Journey05:21 Fear and Misconceptions about Urban Areas08:11 The Importance of Personal Relationships11:22 Transformation and Calling16:16 Understanding Cultural Context in Evangelism20:02 The Challenge of Evangelism in Secular Spaces23:45 Metrics vs. Personal Effectiveness in Ministry27:56 Reframing the Gospel Beyond Salvation32:24 Listening and Engaging with Spiritual Seekers35:52 Living Out the Gospel in Everyday Life42:13 The Glory of God in Salvation44:34 Proxima's Mission and Community Engagement47:50 Evangelism as a Collective Effort50:38 The Ripple Effect of the Gospel53:26 Changing Perspectives on the Gospel58:30 Hope in the Kingdom of God

Chad sits down with his long-time friend, Sammy Gondola, to explore the profound journey of faith, identity, and cultural transition. From the vivid memories of growing up in Panama to leaving his home to follow Jesus's heart, Sammy shares his experiences as a pastor, immigrant, and peacemaker. Join us for an inspiring conversation about listening to Jesus, embracing the beauty of the diverse body of Christ, understanding and learning from history, and living as ambassadors of the Kingdom of God.Chapters(00:00) The Power of Friendship and Faith(01:56) A Night of Chaos: The Invasion of Panama(07:44) Understanding the Historical Context of the US Invasion of Panama(10:40) The Aftermath: Changes in Panama Post-Invasion(13:37) Personal Journey: From a Pastor's Kid to a Faithful Follower(18:31) Cultural Shifts: Worship and Expression in Different Contexts(28:36) A Call to Missions: Leaving Panama for the U.S.(32:17) Hearing from the Lord(37:15) Identifying with Joseph and Moses(39:48) Citizenship and Identity in Christ(45:21) Navigating American History and Personal Identity(50:54) Peacemaking in a Divided Society(56:22) Ambassadors of the Kingdom of God

This week we surprise each other with 5 questions each and we don't hold back. Topics include: the struggle of the Western church and Christian, Israel, and Palestine, Writing Books, End Times Living, Loving those who are losing their faith, Depression and living in the shadows, Favorite Biblical Characters and more. Come and listen. We're Unfinished People and like to celebrate the reality that we are all just limping along with Jesus... but we're with Jesus!Links mentioned:Truth Unites - Gavin Ortlund - Christians supporting Israel.https://youtu.be/glqMDrA1dE8?si=XGhSLAj7cv7j104c

We all have them. It's that place in you where Jesus keeps poking and nudging you forward. Yet our instinct is to stay put, to resist, to avoid the discomfort. We're talking about spiritual growth edges. And when we talk about growth, it usually means resistance, discomfort, and probably a little pain. In today's episode, we both share a few of those rough spots. We hope it encourages you as you grow closer to Jesus.

Have you ever been awakened in the middle of the night thinking you are seeing some sort of spiritual presence in the corner of the room? We have! What is spiritual warfare? And if Jesus has already won the battle, then how are we supposed to engage? On today's episode we share our absolute discomfort with the subject, but also our very real experience of what the Bible describes as our warfare. Come join us as we grow together in this topic.

In Luke's Gospel, Jesus tells a story about inviting people to a great feast, asking us to get out there and compel people to come to his table. So how are we doing with this mission? If you haven't noticed, we aren't doing a very good job. In fact, many would say that the only message they are getting from Christians is that they're angry. Today we hold up a mirror to ourselves and the church to see what kind of ugly we've been sharing. How can we reflect the beauty of Jesus? What needs to change in our hearts, words, and actions? Join us on today's episode to find out.

If you have ever tried to keep doubt below the surface, it's a little like attempting to keep a beachball submerged in the ocean. It rises often and doesn't quite work as a life preserver either. But can it be a good thing? Or should you pop that monstrosity? Today we are tackling this subject again because doubt is on the rise in our culture. And in us at times! Some are even saying it's a virtue and should be celebrated. How should we talk about this? And yes, we know we've already done a couple of episodes on this. So let's welcome back our frequent guest, Doubt.

We love the New Year and are suckers for setting resolutions and (most likely) breaking them. How does Jesus see the times and seasons of our lives? What new thing might he be planning for you this year? And what old thing has he been working in you before the beginning of time? Our sovereign and eternal God has good plans for our present here and now and somehow fit into his plan for an eternal Kingdom. What a thought! Brandon and Chad are eager to find out what is in store. Our prayer is that you are filled with hope and expectation for this new year.

Brandon and Chad had the privilege of interviewing Dr. Amy Orr-Ewing. She is an incredible follower of Jesus whom we cannot wait for you to meet. She is an international author, speaker and theologian who addresses the deep questions of our day with meaningful answers found in the Christian Faith. She is the author of multiple books including ‘Where is God in All the Suffering?’ (runner up Michael Ramsay Prize, 2023), bestselling ‘Why Trust the Bible?’ and ‘Mary’s Voice: Advent Reflections to Contemplate the Coming of Christ.’Over the last twenty five years, Amy has given talks and answered questions on university campuses around the world. She has also addressed Parliamentarians in the Speakers Rooms and Chapel at the UK Parliament and staffers on Capitol Hill, and at the West Wing of The White House. She regularly responds to invitations to speak in banks, businesses, and consultancy firms as well as churches and conferences and enjoys broadcasting in the media and giving public lectures. Amy is interested in the intersection of questions of meaning and faith within the marketplace, education and policymaking. Amy holds a doctorate (DPhil) in Theology from the University of Oxford, and serves as Honorary Lecturer in Divinity at the University Aberdeen.In recent years Amy Orr-Ewing has advocated significantly for transparency and justice working alongside and representing survivors of abuse and mistreatment. Her significant contribution was recognized by the Church of England in June 2023 at the Annual Lambeth Awards, where Orr-Ewing was awarded the Alphege Award for Evangelism and Witness, for exceptional dedication, skill and insight in her advocacy work.We were so challenged and blessed to be able to interview her on today's episode. Enjoy! Amy Orr-Ewing.comDo not be afraid. Luke 12:22-32 The Rage of Identity Politics VS The Beautiful Art of ForgivenessWhy Trust the Bible?Where Is God in All the Suffering?Mary's Voice: Advent Reflections to Contemplate the Coming of Christ

Jesus invites us to find true rest in Him. In Matthew's Gospel, He says: "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." (MSG translation)You probably know this already, but if you're like us, actually doing it can be challenging. Instead, we often find ourselves spiritually and physically exhausted.Why is it so hard to embrace this rest? Are we resisting what Jesus is trying to do for us? Are we discontent and missing His guidance in our lives? Or are we perhaps avoiding the tough questions He's asking us?In today's episode of Unfinished People, we dive into all of this and more. We explore our own struggles with rest and listen to the words of Jesus for help.

It's almost here. The last election. The end of the world. The end of all things. At least... that's what "they" say. But what does Jesus say? How do we hold our hearts out in true form to the Eternal King of the Universe? The One who holds all things together and has sovereign control over all things that happen on our little blue planet might just have something to say to us in this moment. We also have some thoughts. Some of them are anxious. Some of them are trusting. Most of them are unfinished and in process. Come listen in to our conversation as we process what it means to be a follower of Jesus during this season and time of our country and world.

What grade are you in with Jesus? How far along have you come? Are you stuck and wondering how to get to the next grade, stage, or moment? After stewing on our conversation dealing with spiritual bypassing, we pick it up again in this episode. Acknowledging that we have a propensity to spiritually bypass is crucial, but how do we move beyond it? How can we deepen our walk with Jesus? If spiritual bypassing is truly just a band-aid solution, then how do we rip it off and find true growth, healing, and wholeness in Jesus? Come and listen in to our conversation to find out.

The Bible tells us that our connection to God through Jesus is critical to our well-being. Deep in our souls, we know this to be true. A hunger and thirst prompt us to reach out to God for connection. But what do we do when it doesn't work? In today's episode, Daniel Olson joins Chad to discuss the difficulties of connection and the surprising ways to move from a flicker to a roaring flame in our connection with Jesus.

What is Spiritual Bypassing and are you doing it? Or maybe someone else has tried it on you and you thought it was a good thing. We are learning that it has the potential to delay your growth as a follower of Jesus. And it happens all the time. Come join us as we scratch the surface this week and jump back into the podcast. (Thanks for your patience!)

How should we respond as followers of Jesus when tragic things happen? We discuss this past Saturday's tragic events and give you an inside look at our process of sadness, grief, and our deep questions of how to be faithful witnesses of Jesus in such polarizing times.

When it comes to following Jesus the digital world presents an endless library of opportunities to listen, read, interact, watch, create, and connect. Brandon and Chad are joyful participants, but we are also assessing our hearts and have discovered mixed results. Are we going deep? Are our relationships made meaningful through our tweets, posts, scrolls, and likes? Are the sources we are tapping into making us more like Jesus? We have some thoughts and questions. How can we do better? How can we steward our time with digital resources so that we are embodied disciples? Join us on Episode 027 for part 2 of our discussion on Digital Discipleship.

We feel like something has happened to us. We are more easily distracted. Our pursuit of Jesus and the ability to hear his voice has been short-circuited by the wonderful digital world around us. Don't get us wrong... we love technology and the ability to grow and learn through hundreds of resources online. But another side of us senses that something is wrong. We can't get out of the shallow end of spiritual growth. This week, we are asking big questions and hope we can find our way back to the depth of an embodied and present form of following Jesus.

Hello again! Yes, we are back. After a much needed break over the last few months, we have lots to catch up on and talk about. Let's get right into it and talk about dealing with difficult things in life and how we are processing and trusting Jesus through them... or, in some cases, we are working on trusting him. We also talk a little about the warm and fuzzy book of Revelation and its relevance to our current headlines. Most of all, we are just hanging out as brothers and spurring each other on in Jesus. Come on back in and listen to today's episode number 025. ACLED | Bringing Clarity to Crisis - The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) is a disaggregated data collection, analysis, and crisis mapping project. ACLED collects information on the dates, actors, locations, fatalities, and types of all reported political violence and protest events around the world. The ACLED team conducts analysis to describe, explore, and test conflict scenarios, and makes both data and analysis open for free use by the public.

Brandon and Chad have one individual whom we would say has faithfully been our pastor over the last 10+ years and we are thrilled to have him as a guest on the podcast today. His name is Joe McConkey and he has just "finished" his career as a pastor in local church ministry and we have lots of questions! We talk about transformation and growth, what he sees in the church - both good and bad, the highs and lows of ministry, what really matters to Jesus in the church, where he has seen it go wrong, and how Jesus has faithfully led anyway. We think you will love our conversation. Come join us for Episode 024 of Unfinished People.