Becoming Church

Faith is powerful because it shapes our identity, provides a place to belong and gives us a true sense of purpose. But what happens when our beliefs become than something we choose? Can it still be called faith if it’s connected to an expectation of how we should think, speak, vote and interpret scripture? This episode does not shame, condemn or demonize any believer who has the best intention to...

Information overload easily leads to cynicism or overwhelm, but staying informed is a necessary part of responsible citizenship. America’s Favorite Government, Sharon McMahon, is here to help us find hope that’s more impactful than naive optimism. If you’re searching for nonpartisan data and historical evidence of what happens when faith gets too close to power, this episode will empower you to en...

Vivian Mabuni grew up in a Chinese American home, in a Culturally Buddhist environment. She was familiar with crystals, incense and ceremonies for honoring the spirits of her elders, and even saw Christians performing similar rituals, but going through the motions was never connected to deeper meaning. Then she experienced Jesus in a way that performative Christianity had never offered. Now Vivian...

Spending time with Jesus is key for spiritual growth, but have you ever wondered what it would’ve been like for the disciples to learn those lessons in real time, right under the direction and correction of Jesus as their teacher? George H. Xanthis plays John the Apostle, one of the few who would’ve been the closest to Jesus, on The Chosen. He shares what he’s learned by portraying a character who...

Thinking about mission trips might excite you or it might make you nervous that God will call you to sacrifice more than you have planned. This conversation explores the mission field that doesn’t require travel. Mekdes Haddis shares her story of growing up in Ethiopia, coming to the states for college, and quickly realizing how the western church approaches global mission work - often without the...

Science and faith are often pitted against each other in a battle where only one can be believed to be true. But neuroscientist Dr. Lee Warren argues that, not only can they co-exist, they are mutually beneficial. This episode provides scientific data, as well as practical applications, for how you can make structural changes to your brain in order to become more mentally and physically healthy. Y...

Political strategists often teach from an agenda, with the motive of changing your mind. But Justin Giboney doesn’t want to convince you to vote with him. He is modeling a better Christian witness: one that chooses love of neighbor over partisan loyalty. This episode is for everyone who is tired of the finger pointing, demonization that blames the other side without carefully reflecting on it’s ow...

You have beliefs and values. You have convictions and opinions. But what do you do with all those thoughts in your head? When the thoughts of the people around you align with yours, it’s easy to share. When you change your mind and find yourself without a community, it’s a lot trickier. Reverend Gerlyn Henry is here to talk about the tension of public declarations of faith, the backlash that often...

We’re made in the image of a God who created us to create beautiful things in the world, but now AI seems to be able to create anything, with endless capacity, at a much quicker rate than humans can. At what point does it affect our divine creativity? And how is AI influencing our faith…for better or worse? In this episode, Kristin talks with Paul Mignard, the artist behind Sketchy Sermons, about...

Somewhere along the way, following Jesus got complicated. But it doesn’t have to be! Hosanna Wong is here to help us uncomplicate it all - faith, spiritual practices, the expectations that keep us disconnected from God and the enjoyment that’s been promised in a life with Jesus. This conversation will inspire you with hope as well as practical ways to tap into the unique way God made you. After yo...

If you’re exhausted from checking the boxes of being a good Christian, you can hold onto Jesus while letting go of the performance expectations. Spiritual healing is possible when you decide to get honest with God, and yourself. Elizabeth Tabish vulnerably explains how she and her character, Mary Magdalene on the The Chosen, share some overlapping storylines. If you feel like you’re not living up...

How do you figure out what to believe when you’re presented with multiple options? Yasmine Al-Bustami, who plays the beloved Rhema on the TV show The Chosen, shares how she grew up in a multi-faith household and how it formed her beliefs. She vulnerably explains how working on The Chosen has introduced her to even more complexities in Christianity. If you were told what to believe or think or only...

These are real conversations with the cast of The Chosen, including Jonathan Roumie, Paras Patel, and creator Dallas Jenkins. Recorded on the Teal Carpet at ChosenCon, these interviews go beyond the screen to explore faith, calling and what it’s like to portray the most important friend group in history. If you’re already a fan of this highly talked about show that airs in over 175 countries in mo...

There’s a difference between watching Jesus on TV and meeting him in real life, as Kristin learned at ChosenCon, the convention for fans of The Chosen, when she took Becoming Church to the teal carpet. Naeem Fazal is back as guest-host to interview Kristin about being part of the media team doing press coverage with the cast. This episode gives sneak peeks behind the scenes and explains how this c...

Asking better questions of the Bible is great for understanding the scriptures. But what do we do when that understanding begins to change us as people? How do we hold the tension of our humanity and our holiness, our flesh and our spirit? Marty Solomon is back to explain how your humanity isn’t anti-gospel. Embracing who you God says you are can actually lead to an identity shift that changes the...

Why do kids insist on asking questions about topics that adults try to avoid? Questions on sin, evil, the enemy and why weird things happen to people often seem unanswerable. But Meredith Anne Miller believes you don’t have to have a seminary degree to talk with - and even explain! - tricky concepts of Christianity with children. In her best selling book, Wonder, Meredith gives you 52 Bible storie...

When life happens out of your control, how do you navigate the ups and downs without being pulled into despair? The answer isn’t avoidance, turning a blind eye or offering spiritual platitudes for the moments that bring grief. Instead, Shannan Martin offers the practice of counterweights - finding pops of joy and beauty that distribute the weight and make the hard things easier to carry. If you’re...

In a world torn by conflict, division and broken relationships, peace can seem elusive, even as it’s the thing we’re all collectively searching for. But while a polarized culture seeks to overwhelm you with anxiety and chaos, true peace is available instead. If you’re wondering if you can make a dfference, this resource using the Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi, offers practical steps toward rec...

What does the Bible really say about women in leadership? Many Christians have already drawn their own conclusions based on scripture, yet it’s still one of the church’s most debated and divisive topics. With theological research and respect to both complementarian and egalitarian viewpoints, bestselling author Preston Sprinkle challenges the analysis of texts like 1 Corinthians 11, Romans 16 and...

Who was Rachel Held Evans to you? For many of us, she was a prophet ahead of her time, an early voice that taught us how to investigate what we believed and why. For Sarah Bessey, Rachel was also a dear friend and partner in online ministry from the early blogging world to the creation of Evolving Faith. Sadly, Rachel passed away unexpectedly in 2019 when she was only 37 years old. In “Braving the...

Is Christianity the right mixer for alcohol? Where’s the line to know how much is too much? When she found herself searching for “how to quit drinking,” Ericka Andersen didn’t find much that resonated with her as a Christian woman. So she created Freely Sober, a Christ-centered space to rethink alcohol. In her new book “Freely Sober,” Ericka doesn’t lay out rigid rules for all Jesus followers to a...

What if the key to parenting is connection, not correction? In the Christian world, parenting often revolves around punishment, obedience and compliance. But Mary Van Geffen is here to propose that when we choose to see our sons and daughters as other humans made in the image of God, we can let relationship influence the power dynamic of hierarchy. Does the relationship we have with our children d...

Language wasn’t the only thing Kevin Wilson had to relearn when he moved from Sri Lanka to America at 18 years old. Everything about our lives - family ethos, political systems, ethnicity, tradition of belief - creates the culture that we live in. Religion, even when contained under the same umbrella of Christianity, is also highly influenced by the culture around it. Kevin Wilson, also known as T...

Womanist Theology isn’t new, heretical or just for females. It’s an exploration of faith from perspectives and voices that have not been publicly attended to, specifically in the feminist and civil rights movements. Khristi Adams brings her seminary training, ministerial experience and community building expertise to Becoming Church to help see through lenses we may not have considered before. *Th...

“You can belong before you believe” is a phrase found on many church websites. But is believing the right things really enough? Or does belonging require a change of behavior as well? And what exactly is the difference between change and transformation, especially within the church? Your friendly neighborhood episcopal priest, Joseph Yoo, is here to talk about what the true belonging of Jesus look...