The Surge Network Podcast

Communicating the Beauty of Christian Sexual Ethics - Josh Ryan Butler

Communicating the Beauty of Christian Sexual Ethics

Sex is everywhere in our culture, yet an intimidating subject for many Christians to talk about. We may be convinced God's vision for sex is true but is it also good and beautiful? We'll explore some fresh language, imagery, and concepts from Scripture, to help us communicate biblical sexual ethics winsomely, narratively, and beautifully to a culture that is highly skeptical of the Christian vision.
 

Josh Butler

Joshua Ryan Butler is Pastor of Teaching and Direction at Redemption Church (Tempe, AZ) and author of The Skeletons in God’s Closet: The Mercy of Hell, the surprise of Judgment, the Hope of Holy War and The Pursuing God: A Reckless, Irrational, Obsessed Love That’s Dying to Bring Us Home. Joshua enjoys helping people who wrestle with tough topics of the Christian faith, as well as reading, hiking, and playing guitar. Joshua's wife Holly, daughter Aiden, and sons James and Jacob enjoy spending time with friends over great meals and exploring the scenic beauty of the romantic Southwest.

Blessings and Curses of Social Media - Dr. Stephen Carradini

Blessings and Curses of Social Media

As church leaders, how do we cultivate faithfulness in our congregations around the right stewardship of social media? From vitriolic tirades to yummy cookie recipes, we seem to be sharing pieces of ourselves on social media in ways that are at times true reflections of who we are, and at others, mere projections of who we desire to be. In this gathering, we have invited Dr. Stephen Carradini (assistant professor at ASU) to join us for a conversation regarding the theological significance of social media, its impact on our communal psyche, and to offer us some directions forward in the proper stewardship of this technological tool for faithful Christ-centered living.

Dr. Stephen Carradini is an assistant professor of technical communication at Arizona State University. He has a doctorate from the Communication, Rhetoric and Digital Media program at North Carolina State University. He also co-hosts a podcast called Winning Slowly (winningslowly.org) about the ethics of technology (including social media) as seen through a Christian lens. He lives in Gilbert with his family and is a part of New Valley Church in Chandler.

Leadership Development with Tyler Johnson

In this episode, Tyler Johnson talks about leadership development as a lifelong relationship in which the mentor helps the protegee reach his/her potential.

Listening to the Global Church in Arizona - Michel Duarte - January 19 All Region Gathering

Three things we can learn from the global/immigrant church in Arizona

Unity and Reconciliation - Jason Turner - East Valley Breakfast

Unity and Reconciliation - Jason Turner - East Valley Breakfast

Surge Lunch - February 2018 - Discipleship in a Disenchanted World

Team building, creating a culture of shared leadership, and developing cohesion around mission is essential for leaders. Strong churches and teams also need vision and direction from leaders. Sometimes these realities feel in tension with one another. We are all gifted differently as well as have different philosophies of ministry and yet whether we thrive more as independent leaders or within a team, shared leadership is important.

Surge Lunch - November 2017 - Creating a Culture of Shared Leadership

Team building, creating a culture of shared leadership, and developing cohesion around mission is essential for leaders. Strong churches and teams also need vision and direction from leaders. Sometimes these realities feel in tension with one another. We are all gifted differently as well as have different philosophies of ministry and yet whether we thrive more as independent leaders or within a team, shared leadership is important.

Surge Lunch - October 2017 - Mission Improv: Making Wholistic Disciples

"Our aim as Christ’s Social Body is to “follow in his steps” (1 Pet 2:21); to “walk in love as Christ loved” (Eph 5:1); “to speak and do the truth” (4:15, 21; 1 John 1:6); to “grow up together” (Eph 4:15) in the One who embodies “mature humanity” (4:13).  In the drama of discipleship, the local church “puts on” Christ’s pattern of covenantal fidelity, not with the definitive weight of Christ’s unique fulfillment, but in his ways, after his likeness." -Dr. Greg Perry

Interview with Frank Switzer

Dennae Pierre talks with Fran Switzer about the challenges and opportunities of pastoring people well in the age of social media. 

Surge Lunch - August 2017 - The Way of The Dragon Or The Way of The Lamb by Jamin Goggin

In this book, Pastor Jamin Goggin and theology professor Kyle Strobel invite readers on a journey to uncover Jesus’ seemingly contradictory way to power: weakness. Why do so many rock-star pastors implode under the spotlight? Why do modern-day churches become so entangled in growing their brand that they lose sight of their true purpose? Because, according to Jamin Goggin and Kyle Strobel, Christians have succumbed to the temptations of power and forgotten Jesus’ seemingly contradictory path to power—first giving it up. In The Way of the Dragon or the Way of the Lamb, Goggin and Strobel paint a richly biblical vision of power through weakness and offers a compelling vision of the way of Jesus that will challenge both individual believers and the church as a whole. Our prayer and hope is that churches in Arizona would be full of leaders and pastors who are committed to the Jesus-way of power and that pastors would recognize where the idols of power and prestige have gotten a foothold into our affections for Christ and leadership decisions so that we might turn toward embracing weakness.