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.org

Chad 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.