Q Podcast

A generation passionate about authentic faith has given rise to a new golden age of Christian optimism and social activism. But as a dizzying number of organizations call for our attention and engagement, Christians are beginning to see the pitfalls that dot this landscape: slacktivism, cause faddishness, empathy fatigue, burnout and cynicism. Tyler Wigg-Stevenson argues to do activism well means carrying with us the awareness that our activism cannot fix everything—it cannot erase a broken past, even as it imagines a better future.

We are in danger of losing a new generation to the numbing agents of electronics. Dr. Kara Powell, executive director of Fuller Youth Institute, wonders what it means to raise children in a digital age. She argues that stewardship of technology doesn't start with kids; it starts with parents. If parents are addicted to technology and are not fully present as a result, that's the posture children will mimic.

In a nation in which the church was once a dominant and unifying mainstay in America life, what does it look like to be the minority?

How Christians think of politics, how we relate the machinations of politics to the promises of God and reality of the gospel, will determine how we respond to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Listen in as Michael Wear discusses his new book, "Reclaiming Hope" and what it means to think well about politics as a person of Faith. 

How can Christians approach conversations about transgender identity? Q President Gabe Lyons sits down with Melinda Selmys, who lives with gender dysphoria, and Dr. Mark Yarhouse, a professor of psychology at Regent University to answer questions about this important topic.

We're in the middle of the largest refugee crisis since World War II, and it's easy to feel overwhelmed by what is happening all over the world. As we consider how we can respond both in action and in awareness, we hope you're encouraged by these two conversations with Richard Stearns of World Vision and Jeremy Courtney of Preemptive Love Coalition. 

How do childhood experiences shape our calling? Dr. Una Mulale is the first Pediatric Critical Care Specialist from Botswana. Her goal is to implement tertiary healthcare structures in low-resource countries in Africa and around the world. This is her story. 

People of faith differ on how much concern we should pay to the culture at hand, questioning what good can we really do engaging in a broken world. Can we really make a significant difference? Does God share these concerns? Every generation must answer these questions in the same way creatives, artisans, industry and civic leaders have done for two millennia. Tim Keller, New York Times Bestselling Author and Pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City provides a fundamental perspective on why culture matters to God and therefore must matter to us.

How can we work toward racial reconciliation in America? We live in a nation that at times feels more divided than ever. In this conversation, we'll explore the history of racism in America, how to better engage with our community and what blindspots we have when it comes to racial bias. To work for unity means taking time to listen well and take steps toward healing. 

We are all involved in some sort of vocation. No matter where or what it is, we know that God calls us to be faithful in those places. From home to office and beyond, we have the opportunity to practice vocation well in a way that makes the world a better place. 

What does it mean to be part of a community? Is it different to invest in the Church or in the places you live and work? In this Episode, we talk about the importance of community, what it is and what it means to be a people of hospitality.

The way that we build character depends on how we approach even the littlest habits and moments of our days. When we form habits that are good, they build up in our lives in positive ways, and when we foster habits that are not good, they can slowly destroy us. As we look at the practice of formation, we're asking about how what we believe influences how we live. What does it mean to live out our faith in the daily habits?

The core of who we are is our identity. In the 4th episode of "Six Practices of the Church," Greg Thompson speaks to the importance of knowing who we are. When we lose sight of identity, we stray away from our God-given purpose. What does that identity entail? Who does God say we are? And how does our identity inform our culture?

The origins of the Church are thousands of years old. Through generations that span cultures and millennia, we see that though history has changed the face of the broader world, the Church has always clung to core beliefs. In this time of turmoil, how can can the Church lead by example?  How can we become reacquainted with what Christians have always believed? 

This week, we discuss the importance of Context in the Six Practices of the Church. How do we love our neighbors well in this cultural moment?

The Christian church in the West is struggling to embody faithfulness in a culture that is rapidly changing. Many church leaders labor under a nagging sense that they need help—both in the work of understanding their culture and in the work of teaching their people to live faithfully within it. The goal of this series is to help leaders understand the character of our secular age, identify some specific challenges and highlight the opportunities that exist for the Church to bring hope wherever she exists. This seven-part series unveils the six practices of the church that have always brought hope to the faithful and love to their surrounding community. This Q series, hosted by Gabe Lyons, features an exclusive, commissioned Q Talk delivered by Dr. Greg Thompson and divided into segments for easy consumption. Each segment builds on the last and helps establish how the church can lead with love even in the midst of dramatic change within society.

One of the nation's foremost experts on Holocaust denial and modern anti-Semitism, Lipstadt's 2005 book, "History on Trial: My Day in Court with David Irving," is the story of her libel trial in London against Irving, who sued her for calling him a Holocaust denier and right wing extremist.The now-famous libel trial occurred when Irving sued Lipstadt over her 1993 book, "Denying the Holocaust: The Growing Assault on Truth and Memory," the first full-length study of the history of those who attempt to deny the Holocaust. The case grew into a six-year legal battle in which Lipstadt prevailed.  

Many of us struggle to discern our role in God’s bigger plan for the world; some of us even struggle to see God’s plan at all. We’re unsure of our purpose, or uncertain of how we can use that purpose to bring renewal to our communities. Pete Richardson helps executive, church, and cultural leaders hone in on their life purpose and perspective. He reveals some of the questions we need to ask ourselves, and the results we can expect when we respond to God’s very personal assignment for each of us.

Culture, creatives, and the marketplace are becoming more interested in the development of Artificial Intelligence. In 2014, AI startups saw a 302 percent increase in funding. The potential to better our lives, solve global problems, and innovate completely new fields of study is exciting and humbling. But how should we think about these trends through the lens of spiritually? Kevin Kelly of WIRED magazine helps us understand what AI means for how our culture can and will change, and challenge us to consider the implications for religion, spirituality, and faith. 

One-hundred-five people leveraged Oregon's "Death with Dignity" law last year. Some argue that compassion requires support of assisted suicide, that avoiding pain is a worthy pursuit. How should people of faith consider death and dying? Kimberly Kuo, writer and advocate, personally understands the agony of this choice and will help us explore whether it's more courageous to die as we please or trust God with our final days.