Dr. Brian Fikkert and Lauren discuss what has changed in missional movements since publishing his monumental book, When Helping Hurts. The two have a riveting conversation about economic structures, how financial capital can work against mental health, and how the Western world can learn some of its best lessons from the Majority World. In this episode, you will be challenged to think about how globalizing capitalism can come at a cost to communal societies. ... EPISODE SHOW NOTES EPISODE...

Derran, a long-time acquaintance of Lauren from working in Southeast Asia, tackles some big questions around systems of community development. The two take a critical look at recent trends in social intervention, and ask where our best-laid plans for developing communities outside of the West have failed and how we can be more curious as we seek new strategies. ... EPISODE SHOW NOTES EPISODE TRANSCRITPION ... Links Kindred Exchange - Learn more and support ethical missions. Shop ABLE -...

In this episode, Mats shares the history of the Business as Mission (BAM) Global Movement. He and Lauren discuss why business is an authentic way to connect across cultures, how business has been used to unethically enter different countries, and what the future of the BAM Movement entails. From human trafficking to economic justice, this conversations tackles the why behind Business as a form of Mission. ... EPISODE SHOW NOTES EPISODE TRANSCRITPION ... Links Kindred Exchange - Learn...

Lauren and Rachel Pieh Jones discuss what years of living in a different context teaches us about agency, story, and power. Rachel shares how her Djiboutian neighbors respond to short-term interactions with foreigners who assumed charitable roles, and the long-term rebuilding that was sometimes required after Western travelers disrupted social norms. Rachel shares how she has learned to be a good neighbor in spite of her race, gender, and socioeconomic status. ... EPISODE SHOW...

In his new book, Subversive Mission, Craig Greenfield invites his readers to consider their spiritual gifts in ministry in the way they partner with God’s justice. This episode specifically tackles a critical analysis of Jesus’ ministry tools and the subversive manner of teaching. Craig and Lauren talk about the ways culture impacts our understanding of the Gospel, and how we can continue feeling our way towards God despite politicized messages that uphold an earthly empire over a heavenly...

As the author of A Just Mission, Mekdes Haddis identifies the history of colonialism in evangelical missions and invites Christians to wrestle with contextualization of their faith. Haddis, originally from Ethiopia, describes her experience assimilating into American churches and the racism she experienced attempting to appropriately inform mission efforts to her home community. Now a missionary to the United States, Lauren and Mekdes discuss how Western mission agencies and churches can be...

Lauren talks with Sara Billups, author of Orphaned Believers, about the current state of evangelicalism and what remains to hold onto for Christians today. They discuss major events of the 1980s that led to the current polarization of politics and faith, and point to the future of the American church, casting hope for a changing religious culture that is being informed by the global Church. ... EPISODE SHOW NOTES EPISODE TRANSCRITPION ... Links Kindred Exchange - Learn more and support...

Welcome to the show where we talk about topics in modern Christianity that are so challenging, they require us to be grounded in something much bigger than ourselves. If you’re here, you’ve likely found yourself hungry for something deeper. You want to find answers for how to hold onto your faith after seeing religion be twisted in a way that has somehow become bad news instead of good. I’m here for all of that too. I’m here for the spiritual wrestle and I’m here to learn more ways that...