Future Christian

The Many, a worship band featuring Darren Calhoun, Leslie Michele, Hannah Rand, and Lenora Rand, join the show to talk about their music and share their thoughts on the "worship industry' within broader Christianity. They also share some thoughts about the role of music within worshipping communities and the importance of seeing music as just one element of worship.

The Many (themanyarehere.com) is a liturgically-grounded, new kind of worship band, an intentionally diverse collective creating music for people who want to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with a God who so loves the world. With a sound that resonates with gospel, pop, and folk, The Many’s feet-on-the-ground, heart-in-hands, scars-revealed, wild and holy music of resistance and hope have made them, over the last five years, a significant creative voice in the movement for inclusion, anti-racism and justice-building within the church and beyond.

The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.

Chris Benek joins the pod to talk techno-theology, Christian transhumanism, and the biggest challenges and opportunities for churches as they make use of tech. In the conversation, Chris separates science from science-fiction, and tells why he sees the future as an incredible digital mission field. 

Rev. Dr. Christopher J. Benek is a follower of Jesus Christ, a pastor, husband, and father. He is also a global emerging tech & theology expert who is internationally known for his social and religious analysis and commentary. He is widely recognized as a techno-theologian, futurist, ethicist, Christian Transhumanist, public speaker, writer and tech pastor.  He is the lead clergy expert regarding Artificial Intelligence in the world.

The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.

Bruce Reyes-Chow joins the pod to talk about the importance of kindness, explains how its different from being "nice," and navigates the complexity between kindness and privilege. He also shares how he was re-inspired to pickup the project after watching the documentary on fellow Presbyterian pastor Mr. Rogers, who himself inspired many to confront justice and hold systems accountable without attacking the person.

Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow is a 3rd generation Chinese/Filipino who is deeply committed to the intersection between faith, politics, and social justice. Bruce has been a Presbyterian Pastor for over 25 years serving a diversity of congregations in the San Francisco Bay Area. Bruce hosts the podcast, BRC & Friends, is a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, and is a Senior Consultant and Coach with the Emergence Network. He is the author of five books, most recently, In Defense of Kindness: Why It Matters, How It Changes Our Lives, and How It Can Save the World (Chalice Press 2021).

The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.

Carla Leon joins the pod to talk about social - or spiritual as she likes to call it - enterprise, how she sees spiritual enterprise as a "new religion" for millenials, and  why church has to re-examine what she calls the "book, box, preacher" model and make more space for the many, many different kids of spiritual practices that exist. 

Carla is Innovation & Special Projects co-ordinator for the EDGE - A Network for Ministry Development at the United Church of Canada where she has launched a central procurement platform, an innovation fund, the Social Innovation Challenge and most recently a coaching program to help communities of faith re-imagine who they are in community. She works directly in supporting their 400 new initiatives that have been funded through their innovation fund, the 600 social innovations that have launched through the Social Innovation Challenge, and working directly with communities of faith to help them reimagine church outside of Sunday.

The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.

Since the tragic events of 9/11, many Americans-and especially Christian Americans-have looked at Muslims as different and perhaps even dangerous. In this conversation with author Rachel Pieh Jones, we talk about the spiritual darkness of...America, how learning about other religions can bring us closer to our own, and the benefits of inter-faith conversation and worship.

Rachel Pieh Jones is the author of How Muslim Friends Led Me Closer to Jesus. Additional books she has authored include Stronger than Death, Finding Home, Djiboutilicious, The Expat Cookbook, and Welcome to Djibouti. Her work appears in the New York Times, Runners World, Christianity Today, Deadspin, and so many other places. She writes and speaks about life at the crossroads of faith and culture. She aims to challenge people to live brave, love wild, and believe goodness while leaping outside their comfort zones.

The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.

Pastor, author, and consultant Rev. Cameron Trimble joins the pod to talk about the work of Convergence, the ministry she leads, what progressive church planting looks like, and how she sees Covid effecting church planting and re-vitalization going forward.

In this conversation, Melissa talks about the idea behind her new book, How to Have an Enemy and what she means when she says "enemy." Melissa also talks about power imbalances in conflict, communal vs. individual anger, and how to properly love an enemy. Melissa also believes that the "work of liberation is to create a world where enemies are freed from enacting harm" and that drives her work.

Melissa is the pastor of Raleigh Mennonite Church, and a graduate of Duke University and Princeton Theological Seminary. She spent times studying in Israel/Palestine, Kenya, and England. Much of her formation took place in the L'Arche community of Portland, OR. Now she prefers the Eno River and her garden in Raleigh, NC. She is the chair of L'Arche North Carolina and a steering committee member in broad-based organizing in her county. Melissa's writing has appeared in Christian Century, Sojourners, Geez, Anabaptist Witness, The Bias, Faith&Leadership, and Anabaptist Vision. From time to time she publishes academic writing. She and her spouse parent three children.

The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.

On an outing with his wife to a blacksmith shop, Tod Bolsinger realized that the very real challenging and laborious process he was working through to shape metal was a great metaphor for challenges and pressures the leaders must undergo to become what he calls the "tempered leader." Applying the blacksmithing process, in this interview, Bolsinger talks through the six steps to becoming a tempered leader by working, heating, holding, hammering, hewing, and tempering. 

Tod Bolsinger (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is a speaker, executive coach, former pastor, and author who serves as associate professor of leadership formation and senior fellow for the De Pree Center for Leadership at Fuller Seminary. A frequent speaker and consultant, he serves as an executive coach for corporate, nonprofit, educational, and church organizations in transformational leadership. For seventeen years, he was the senior pastor of San Clemente Presbyterian Church in San Clemente, California, after serving for ten years at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood. 

The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.

In our conversation with Rev. Julian “J.Kwest” DeShazier, a pastor, runner, and former marathoner, we talk about our unique calls to ministry (and marathoning), the sacrifice of our families, the toll that it takes on our body, mind, and spirit, how to find balance in ministry (and running), and knowing when to quit. 

As a national speaker, advocate and emcee, Julian “J.Kwest” DeShazier has appeared on ABC, FOX, NPR and Dr. Maya Angelou’s “Oprah & Friends” radio program. J.Kwest (jay-quest) is also an Emmy Award-winning musician. The Chicago native and graduate of Morehouse College and the University of Chicago is also pastor of University Church. DeShazier is associate director of the Office of Experiential Education at McCormick Theological Seminary and is a Leadership Greater Chicago fellow. 

See his original blog post here:

The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.

In the interview, we talk with pastor and author Steve Cuss about Family Systems Theory, the trauma leaders have experienced over the last year, some of the tools available to help leaders manage their own anxiety and lead well, and how he enjoys helping leaders break long stuck patterns in themselves and their organizations.

Steve has a Master of Divinity from Emmanuel Christian Seminary where he focused on Hebrew Scriptures and Family Systems. Since 2005, Steve has served as Lead Pastor of Discovery Christian Church in Broomfield, Colorado.  Steve grew up in Perth, Western Australia and is married with two sons and a daughter.

His book: Managing Leadership Anxiety         Capable Life

The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.