Thinking God Podcast

Pat Terry is Still Writing Songs that Matter (new version)

Singer/Songwriter Pat Terry talks about his life in music, his faith and what's next. The audio around 40 minutes in is corrected in this version. Thanks for the heads up from several listeners.

Pat Terry is Still Writing Songs that Matter

Singer/Songwriter Pat Terry talks about his life in music, his faith and what's next.

 

Jamie Wright is the very worst missionary, but she still knows far more about missions than you do, and doesn't care if you like her or not.

Jamie Wright is a writer who knows spending $53 billion annually to spreak white people religion is ridculous. That's why she closely monitors the crap meter that evaluates such "mission trips" and "callings" and loudly and colorfully reports the truth to anyone who will listen.

Her new book "The Very Worst Missionary: A Memoir or Whatever" is the most honest book on being a missionary I have read. It's based on her five years as an on-the-ground, full-time "foreign" missionary, and is a spot on account of the underbelly of what it's like.

She's a good writer who is going to get even better with her next book (I have her promise she will keep working on it).

After you buy her book, follow her latest musings on her blog here.

Maggie Rowe's sins bravely, but she's actually closer to the mark than she thinks

Rebroadcast of podcast with writer, comedian and always fascinating Maggie Rowe. Since this interview, Season Two of "Flaked" has aired, and it finished well. Buy her book.

If, as Anne Lamott writes, laughter is the carbonated form of the Holy Spirit, Maggie Rowe is a major distributor of divine carbonation for the third member of the trinity, something for which we can all be grateful.

(And for the record), though she worried at one point she was getting close, Maggie has never managed to blaspheme her bubbly supplier.

As writer, comedian, actor and the author of "Sin Bravely: My Great Escape from Evangelical Hell," she brings some serious fun to the Thinking God Podcast.

You may have seen her in such movies as "Ocean's Thirteen" or "Fun With Dick and Jane," or the monster television series "Arrested Development," a show for which she is also a writer.

And for 15 years she has been a key part of the Comedy Central show "Sit 'N' Spin."

Maggie is currently writing for the wonderful series "Flaked," which is available on Netflix. 

She is also someone who has found a path of recovery from misgued religion to a place of faith and hope, which makes her the perfect guest.

Andrew Morgan is a Filmmaker with a Purpose

Andrew Morgan makes films that matter. 

Morgan's "The True Cost" tells the story of why the fashion industry is problematic for almost everyone involved.

His latest, "The Hertric," follows Rob Bell in his quest to tell the world: Love Wins.

 

Diana Butler Bass is grateful, and her new book explains why - Encore Presentation

Diana Butler Bass is the author of 10 books, includint "Grateful," due out April 3. She is a highly sought-after speaker, and one of Ameria's top scholars on religion and culture. She is also articulate and engaging concerning her own spiritual and political journey, and a very good guest.  It's worth your time to find out more about her and her books, and the best plact to do that is here: http://dianabutlerbass.com

We talked a llittle about her upcoming book "Grateful" during the podcact last year.

Jay Bakker Knows Evangelicalism is Nonsense, but Still Finds Hope in Faith (Encore)

Jay Bakker has had a front row seat to the excesses of evagelicalism for four decades, and has taken an exit to a new kind of faith. His books and weekly sermons are imporant and deserve a broader audience.

Jay is also a great guy with a big heart and tender sould. He also celebrated his first Christmas with his six-month-old daughter Amelia Faye Bakker last week. 

Steve Brown is an old guy, who believes there is no hook in grace. I love this guy. (Encore)

Dr. Steve Brown really does not care what you think. He is not your mother, your guru or the Holy Spirit. But if you are wise, you will pay attention to this man and what he says. Seriously, if for no other reason than he is the Johnny Appleseed of grace.

The founder of the Keylife Network (Keylife.org), says  he’s no guru, but he has been something of a guru to me.

Steve is the Johnny Appleseed of grace, since he was writing, taking and preaching about grace, real grace, the kind without a hook in it, decades before most were considering it as an option.

He is the author of 18 books, including his latest, “Hidden Agendas: Dropping the Masks That Keep Us Apart,” “Three Free Sins,” “Scandalous Freedom,” and one of the best books on prayer in our generation, “Approaching God.”

He is host of the radio programs, heard on more than 600 stations,  “Steve Brown, etc,” and “Key Life” and the “You Think About That” radio spots of hope and encouragement. 

He also smokes a pipe and reads Stephen King and doesn’t care who he offends because he’s not looking for a new job.

Dr. David Gushee is a Christian activist who believes Jesus offers and demands more than American Evangelicalism

David Gushee is a calm voice of powerful reason calling the Christian church to leave American evangelicalism for a more meaningful and productive life meant for those called to follow Jesus.

Officially, the Rev. Dr. David Gushee is Distinguished University Professor of Christian Ethics and Director of the Center for Theology and Public Life at Mercer University.

His latest book, “Still Christian: Following Jesus Out of American Evangelicalism,” in which he writes of his experiences that began with becoming a born-again Southern Baptist in 1978 to being kicked out of evangelicalism in 2014 for his stance on LGBT inclusion in the church. But Gushee's religious pilgrimage proves even broader than that, as he leads his reader through his childhood experiences in Roman Catholicism, his difficult days at the liberal Union Seminary in New York, his encounters with the Christian Right, and more. In telling his story, Gushee speaks to the cultural divisions of a generation, as well as of today, and to those who have themselves been disillusioned by many battles within American Christianity.

 

He is the author or editor of 20 books and hundreds of articles in his field, including Righteous Gentiles of the Holocaust, Kingdom Ethics, The Sacredness of Human Life, and, most recently, Changing Our Mind. Dr. Gushee has always accompanied his scholarly production with church work (First Baptist Church, Decatur), activism (human rights, creation care, LGBT acceptance), opinion writing (Washington Post, Huffington Post, Baptist News Global, now Religion News Service), board service (Public Religion Research, Sojourners, Center for Victims of Torture), and domestic and global media consultation. He has lectured on every continent, with endowed lectures in New Zealand, Holland, and Switzerlan. Dr. Gushee has been married to Jeanie for 31 years. They are the parents of two daughters and a son, and one grandson. 

His latest book would make a great Christmas gift, and I found him to be insightful, spiritual and humble in this interview.

Pamela Hawkins Believes in Advent. And prayer. And social justice in the church.

Pamela Hawkins has written more acclaimed books on the Advent season, which starts next week, than anyone in recent history.

She is also a retired pastor who works with immigrants and believes there's hope in the world adn that prayer is important.

Prepare for Advent but listening to her and checking out her book.

This is a rebroadcast from 2017.

Thinking God will return in early 2019.