The Living Church Podcast

Live in the Studio with Jon Guerra

Today, musician Jon Guerra joins us for a conversation about music, theology, and life—and a few live tunes. We talk about his musical influences and about the formation (and deformation) that happens through Christian music. We talk about creating and speaking in difficult times, working in the shadow of the cross, and, as he puts it, “the dialectic struggle between the call and your ability to meet it.” We also talk about the importance of vulnerability and play, telling your story, and learning to be a Holy Fool. Our executive director, Matthew Olver, joined us for this chat and mini-concert. Our set list includes “In the Beginning Was Love,” “Where Your Treasure Is,” “Kingdom of God,” and “I See the Birds,” with great conversation in between. Jon Guerra is a singer-songwriter who writes devotional music, “music for attending to the soul.” He’s based in Austin, Texas, and his albums include Keeper of Days, Ordinary Ways, and his latest, Jesus, among others. He also composed music for Terrence Malick’s 2019 film, A Hidden Life. We hope you enjoy the music and the conversation. From this episode: Jon’s website, album, merch [https://www.jonguerramusic.com/] Jon’s tour schedule [https://www.bandsintown.com/a/4896719] Poet Robert Lax [https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/robert-lax] From the ads: Get the Living Church for $9.95 [https://sub.livingchurch.org/sub/?f=intro995AR&p=LCM&s=] Give to support this podcast [https://sub.livingchurch.org/sub/?f=donate&p=LCM] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands]

Preaching and Politics

How should ministers of the gospel engage politics from the pulpit?  Today’s episode is from a panel at the RadVo 2025 conference on politics and preaching: the if, why, and how. Panelists discuss discernment, formation, and what preaching is for, and give examples of how the gospel of Jesus forms people who can be both responsive and resilient to political challenges and change. Panelists include: The Rev. Dr. Annette Brownlee, professor emerita of pastoral theology and the former chaplain at Wycliffe College at the University of Toronto. She has served the life of the church widely in both the academy and in parish ministry, and she's the author of Preaching Jesus Christ Today: Six Questions for Moving from Scripture to Sermon as well as “The Responsibility of the Church to the State in an Era of Mass Migration.” The Rev. Tish Harrison Warren, writer and priest in the Anglican Church in North America. She's the author of several books, including Liturgy of the Ordinary and Prayer in the Night, which won Christianity Today's book of the year awards (2018 and 2022). She has also been a columnist for the New York Times and Christianity Today, and is a senior fellow at the Trinity Forum. Dr. Joe Mangina, professor of theology at Wycliff College at the University of Toronto. He is the former editor of Pro Ecclesia, the ecumenical journal of theology, and has served on the Anglican-Roman Catholic Dialogue for Canada. He is the author of several books, including a commentary in the book of Revelation with Brazos Theological Commentary series. The panel is moderated by the Rev. Dr. Matthew Olver, executive director of The Living Church. Thanks to RadVo and Church of the Incarnation in Dallas who hosted this panel. From the Bible, to the ballot box, to meditating come-to-Jesus meetings between parishioners fighting on Facebook, we hope you enjoy the conversation. -- From this episode: RadVo 2027 [https://www.radvoco.org/] From the ads: Get 85% off a Living Church subscription [https://sub.livingchurch.org/sub/?f=intro995AR&p=LCM&s=] Give to support this podcast [https://sub.livingchurch.org/sub/?f=donate&p=LCM] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands]

Jane Austen Cozy Christmas Chat with Haley Stewart and David Goodhew

With love, wit, and a laugh, Jane Austen brought human drama to the drawing room. We love her for it. It also gave her away as a Christian. On December 16, 1775, the Anglican clergy family of Austens welcomed their youngest daughter, who would grow to become one of the world’s greatest novelists and, as we’ll discuss today, a profound Christian; a loving and lively friend, sister, and aunt; a scholar of human nature; and an expert on how the virtues and vices that make or break us reveal themselves in the everyday. She was also, for the record, hilarious. Today’s conversation is part of our annual Cozy Christmas Chat series, and our guests are Haley Stewart and the Rev. Dr. David Goodhew. Haley is a Catholic author and the editor of Word on Fire Votive. She was cohost of the popular Fountains of Carrots podcast, and is the author of Jane Austen's Genius Guide to Life, The Grace of Enough, and The Sister Seraphina Mysteries. David is Vicar of St Barnabas Church, Middlesbrough, England and Visiting Fellow of St Johns College, Durham University. He is widely published, with five volumes on modern Christianity and church growth. But he has also written several excellent and entertaining essays on Jane Austen’s life and faith that you can read at livingchurch.org/covenant [http://livingchurch.org/covenant]. Today we encounter Jane Austen via Dante’s Inferno, learn from her on the virtues, unpack the popularity of Bridgerton, critique film adaptations, and learn about the personal practices of prayer that rooted Jane’s genius. And, from Mr. Darcy who can’t bear to be laughed at, to Emma with little to trouble or vex her, we discuss how humor, used with compassion, can be an expression of love. We hope you enjoy this cozy Christmas conversation! From this episode: David’s articles on Jane Austen [https://livingchurch.org/?s=goodhew+jane+austen] Haley’s books on Jane, etc. [https://www.avemariapress.com/pages/authors/haley-stewart?srsltid=AfmBOop7Cv3JaKiedqtE6pm93yFASy1Mb5e1Uag6JSD9B8XaaPk4uXkp] Haley’s Sister Seraphina Mysteries [https://paulinestore.com/books/featured-authors/haley-stewart.html] Haley’s podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fountains-of-carrots-podcast/id941475374] Haley’s Substack [https://haleystewart.substack.com/] From the ads: Shop Living Church Resources [https://livingchurch.org/resources/] Pastoral Ministrations of the Priest [https://livingchurch.org/living-church-books/] Subscribe to The Living Church magazine [https://sub.livingchurch.org/sub/?f=paid&p=LCM] Donate to the Living Church [https://sub.livingchurch.org/sub/?f=donate&p=LCM] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands]

Empowering Ministry with Immigrant Communities

What do wise and practical partnerships with immigrant communities look like? Today’s episode is from a conversation we co-hosted with The Episcopal Parish Network [http://episcopalparishes.org/] to explore how congregations can engage more faithfully and effectively with immigrant and refugee neighbors. We dip into a bit of theology here. But we concentrate on strategic application, legal context, and pastoral insights for building authentic relationships and deepening mission. We discuss: * Legal landscapes around immigration—what’s true, what’s not true, how it affects ministry. * Pastoral care that is culturally responsive instead of awkward or well-meaningly clueless. * Cooperating with ethnic leaders to support and empower immigrants and their families. * Practical tips to try. This conversation is about bridges across borders: discerning the opportunities God has put in front of you, making a solid plan, and accepting the time and help it takes to build bridges that last. Our guests today are:  The Rev. Dr. Samira Izadi Page, founder and executive director of Gateway of Grace, Dallas, Texas. James Montana, Esq., principal and immigration lawyer at James Montana Law, Falls Church, Virginia. The Rev. Christian Anderson, vicar at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Stuart, Florida. The Rev. Jaime Briceño, rector at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, Berwyn, Illinois. From this episode: Watch the video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFx891GOK44] List of recommended legal and ministry resources [https://episcopalparishes.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/0909-Immigration-Workshop-Resource-List.pdf] From the ads: Shop Living Church Resources [https://livingchurch.org/resources/] Pastoral Ministrations of the Priest [https://livingchurch.org/living-church-books/] Subscribe to The Living Church magazine [https://sub.livingchurch.org/sub/?f=paid&p=LCM] Donate to the Living Church [https://sub.livingchurch.org/sub/?f=donate&p=LCM] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands]

When Revival Meets Rosaries with Nathan Smith and David Han

What can we learn from surprising encounters between Catholics and Pentecostals? In 1906, in a no-count Los Angeles storefront, a one-eyed preacher named William Seymour, son of former slaves, began leading services on Azuza Street. Azuza Street has gone down in history as the catalyst of the Pentecostal movement, one of the largest groups of Christians in the world today. But it’s also had deep impact on much older traditions, including the Roman Catholic Church. Charismatic Catholics owe much to brothers and sisters whose practices may make them scratch their heads. On the other hand, maybe you've noticed the—could we call it?— "revival" among free-church Christians in interest in liturgy, tradition, and the sacraments. This is just the generous way God works, giving us encounters we would never have found for ourselves, with him and one another, and helping us share our gifts and appreciate the gifts of others, across time, space, and difference. Today we’ll hear from a Roman Catholic missioner and a Pentecostal theologian who have been walking together this surprising road of Christian unity, and we’ll hear some of their stories. Nathan Smith serves as the Director of Ecumenism for Glenmary Home Missioners and as a consultant for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs. In his ministry, he seeks to foster reconciliation between the Catholic Church, Evangelicals and Pentecostals. He also served with the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity at the 2024 Global Christian Forum gathering. The Rev. Dr. David Han is the Dean of the Faculty at Pentecostal Theological Seminary and is involved in various ecumenical activities such as the Global Christian Forum, the Wesleyan Holiness Connection, the International Pentecostal and Anglican Commission, and the Catholic and Pentecostal Dialogue in the United States. Now hold on to your rosaries. But stay ready to shout amen. We hope you enjoy the conversation. Ministries and dialogues we mention: Global Christian Forum [https://globalchristianforum.org/] Glenmary Home Missioners [https://glenmary.org/] US Conference of Catholic Bishops Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs [https://www.usccb.org/committees/ecumenical-interreligious-affairs] Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity [https://www.christianunity.va/content/unitacristiani/en.html] International Pentecostal and Anglican Commission [https://www.anglicancommunion.org/ecumenism/ecumenical-dialogues/pentecostal.aspx] Catholic and Pentecostal Dialogue [https://www.christianunity.va/content/unitacristiani/en/news/2018/papa-francesco-prega-con-altri-capi-di-chiesa.html] -- Shop Living Church Books [https://livingchurch.org/living-church-books/] Attend a Living Church event [https://livingchurch.org/events] Give to support this podcast [https://sub.livingchurch.org/sub/?f=donate&p=LCM] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands]