Conversing

Tara Beth Leach, senior pastor of First Church of the Nazarene of Pasadena, reflects on the complexities of preaching, female leadership, and how she finds comfort in Christ's treatment of the outsider. For more resources for a deeply formed spiritual life, visit Fuller.edu/Studio.

Cameron Lee, professor of marriage and family studies, reflects on relationships through the lens of romance culture, the complexities of social media, community and peacemaking. Cameron Lee was the keynote lecturer at the 2018 Integration Symposium, ”Integration and Integrity: The Christian Therapist as Peacemaker.“ Learn more here: https://fullerstudio.fuller.edu/fuller-dialogues-therapy-as-peacemaking For more resources for a deeply formed spiritual life, visit Fuller.edu/Studio

Kate Bowler, assistant professor of the history of Christianity in North America at Duke Divinity School, reflects on her research on the prosperity gospel, her recent stage IV cancer diagnosis, and her desire for authentic faith in the midst of suffering. For more resources for a deeply formed spiritual life, visit Fuller.edu/Studio

Gary Haugen, founder and CEO of International Justice Mission (IJM), reflects on his work in Rwanda, the beginnings of IJM, and the ways Christian spiritual formation naturally leads to working on behalf of the suffering and poor. Note: This conversation contains explicit descriptions of sexual and physical violence that may not be suitable for all audiences. Listener discretion is advised. For more resources for a deeply formed spiritual life, visit Fuller.edu/Studio.

Michael McBride, pastor of the Way Christian Center in Berkeley, California, and national director for Urban Strategies at the PICO National Network, reflects on faithful discipleship in the context of racialized violence, economic exploitation, and white supremacy.   For more resources on a deeply formed spiritual life, visit Fuller.edu/Studio

Pixar’s Pete Docter, director of the animated films Monsters, Inc., Up, and Inside Out, speaks with Mark Labberton about creating stories in community, the creative process, and more. For more on voices on faith and film, including an earlier interview with Pete Docter here: https://fullerstudio.fuller.edu/faith-film/ For more resources for a deeply formed spiritual life, visit Fuller.edu/Studio

David Eubank (MDiv ’95), director and founder of Free Burma Rangers, shares stories from his years of ministry in war zones in Burma and Mosul, reflects on being “an ambassador for Jesus” while fighting ISIS soldiers, discusses the ways violent contexts have shaped the way he prays, and more. The Free Burma Rangers (FBR) is a multiethnic humanitarian service movement working to bring help, hope, and love to people in the conflict zones of Burma, Iraq, and Sudan. Working in conjunction with local ethnic pro-democracy groups, FBR trains, supplies, and later coordinates with what become highly mobile multipurpose relief teams. After training, these teams provide critical emergency medical care, shelter, food, clothing, and human rights documentation in their home regions. Note: This conversation contains explicit descriptions of warfare and violence that may not be suitable for all audiences. Listener discretion is advised For more resources for a deeply formed spiritual life, visit Fuller.edu/Studio.

Camille Wooden, senior pastor of Abundant Life Covenant Bible Church, and Len Tang, director of Fuller Seminary’s Church Planting Program, reflect with President Mark Labberton on unlearning church, committing to neighborhoods, and the challenges of church planters. Camille Wooden planted Abundant Life Covenant Bible Church in Pasadena, California, in 2003. She also serves as the chaplain of the WNBA Los Angeles Sparks. Len Tang is the director of church planting in Fuller Seminary's School of Intercultural Studies (SIS), which offers courses and a certificate in church planting. SIS was originally founded to proclaim the gospel through training cross-cultural missionaries, then later through equipping pastors at its Institute of Church Growth, and now trains church planters to reach an increasingly post-Christian culture. Learn more about studying church planting at Fuller: http://fuller.edu/church-planting/ For more resources for a deeply formed spiritual life, visit Fuller.edu/Studio

The Rt. Rev. Dr. D. Zac Niringiye, a theologian and activist, explores the gospel, justice, and his formative experiences as a Ugandan bishop. The Rt. Rev. Dr. D. Zac Niringiye is a theologian, pastor, Bible teacher, organizational development consultant, and a peace and social justice activist. He took an early retirement from his work as Assistant Bishop of the Diocese of Kampala in 2012 to focus on the work of peace and social-political justice in Uganda. He is now a Fellow in the Faculty of Social Sciences at Uganda Christian University, leading a project on Religion, Culture, and Public Life. For more resources for a deeply formed spiritual life, visit Fuller.edu/Studio

Alan Hirsch, celebrated author and missiologist, reflects on his conversion, Christian ministry, and spiritual gifts that can revitalize the church. Using Ephesians 4 as an interpretive lens, he sees ministry practices embedded in God’s created order and considers methods that can help churches “extend the logic and impact of Jesus ministry” in their own communities. As founder of 5Q Collective, Alan Hirsch writes and teaches on vital ministry practices through the lens of Ephesians 4. The 5Q Collective develops resources to activate the “latent capacities” of the body of Christ and “extend the logic and impact of Jesus' ministry.”  He teaches regularly at Asbury Seminary, Fuller Theological Seminary, and George Fox Seminary, and Wheaton College where he is co-founder and associate faculty for the M.A. in Missional Church Movements. For more resources for a deeply formed spiritual life, visit Fuller.edu/Studio.

Jacquelline Fuller, president of Google.org, considers the complex intersections of public policy, technology, and philanthropy. She and Dr. Labberton discuss her previous work at the Gates Foundation, global health initiatives, and fostering a generous office culture. As president of Google.org and vice president at Google, Jacquelline Fuller manages over $150 million given annually to nonprofits and initiatives around the globe. With a background in public policy and American corporate culture, Fuller helps foster meaningful work through giving. For more resources for a deeply formed spiritual life, visit Fuller.edu/Studio.  

Russell Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, reflects with Mark Labberton on the impact of the civil rights movement, the need for a new moral imagination in American Christianity, and more. As a public theologian, Russell Moore speaks and writes widely on the intersections of evangelical faith, politics, and social issues. Prior to serving as president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, he was the dean of the School of Theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Moore also discusses Carl F. Henry, an important voice in early American evangelicalism and one of the founding members of Fuller Theological Seminary. For more on the beginnings of Fuller Seminary, visit here: http://fuller.edu/about/history-and-facts/our-history/ For more resources for a deeply formed spiritual life, visit Fuller.edu/Studio.

In this episode of “Conversing,” theologian and writer J. Kameron Carter discusses the complex interplay between racial logic and theology. He examines beliefs about possessions, the language of “master” and “lord” in scripture, and the “alternative practices of the sacred” within black Christian communities. Read more about the ongoing work of reconciling race: https://fullerstudio.fuller.edu/tag/reconciling-race/ Carter is the associate professor of theology, English, and African American Studies at Duke Divinity School and the author of “Race: A Theological Account.” He writes and lectures widely on theology, race, and black studies. Hear him speak at the Pannell Center’s 2017 Martin Luther King Jr. Lectures here: https://soundcloud.com/fullerstudio/sets/pannell-lectures 
“Conversing” is a podcast series produced by FULLER studio in which Dr. Labberton interviews leaders on the intersection of theology and culture. Mark Labberton has served as Fuller Seminary’s fifth president since 2013. His experience

In this episode of “Conversing,” author and teacher Dave Evans applies the discipline of design to the search for a meaningful life. He and Dr. Labberton consider the “collaborative process” of following God’s will, the role of humility in solving problems, and practical tools for anyone reflecting on their own vocation. Read more articles on vocation at https://fullerstudio.fuller.edu/voices-on-vocation/ Evans is an adjunct lecturer in the Product Design Program at Stanford University, a management consultant, and cofounder of Electronic Arts. A coauthor of the book “Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life,” he writes and lectures widely on design principles and vocation. “Conversing” is a podcast series produced by FULLER studio in which Dr. Labberton interviews leaders on the intersection of theology and culture. Mark Labberton has served as Fuller Seminary’s fifth president since 2013. His experience includes 30 years of pastoral ministry, 16 of those as senior pastor of First Presbyte

In this episode of “Conversing,” pastor Albert Tate reflects on navigating the complexities of pastoral ministry. He and Dr. Labberton discuss personality-driven preaching, supporting younger voices in the pulpit, humility, an unexpected lesson from Pope Francis, and more. Read more articles on preaching at https://fullerstudio.fuller.edu/tag/preaching/. Albert Tate is the founder and lead pastor of Fellowship Monrovia, a multiethnic intergenerational church in Monrovia, California. He speaks widely on diversity in the church, intergenerational ministry, and more, and he serves on the Board of Trustees at Fuller Youth Institute. “Conversing” is a podcast series produced by FULLER studio in which Dr. Labberton interviews leaders on the intersection of theology and culture. Mark Labberton has served as Fuller Seminary’s fifth president since 2013. His experience includes 30 years of pastoral ministry, 16 of those as senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley, California. For more reflections from Dr

In this episode of “Conversing,” Mimi Haddad, president of Christians for Biblical Equality, discusses gender equality and women in leadership. She reflects with Dr. Labberton on the complex relationship between theology and real-life injustice, the social and economic benefits of women in leadership, and the pressing task of “dismantling theological patriarchy” in the church. Mimi Haddad is the president of Christians for Biblical Equality (CBE) and an adjunct professor of historical theology at Fuller Seminary. She is the author of “Global Voices on Biblical Equality: Women and Men Ministering Together in the Church,” and she has been a leading advocate for women in leadership at Evangelicals for Justice, the Evangelical Theology Society, the Lausanne Conference, and more. Read CBE’s summary of biblical equality here: https://issuu.com/mutualitymag/docs/position_booklet_web Dr. Haddad mentions Fuller professor Marianne Meye Thompson’s recent lifetime achievement award from Christians for Biblical Equality.

President Mark Labberton interviews Jeanelle Austin (MDiv ’13) and Lindsey Wright (MAT ’12) on implicit bias, gender dynamics in the church and workplace, and their hopes for the future.  Read more on Fuller’s commitment to women in ministry and leadership: http://fullerstudio.fuller.edu/fuller-the-bible-and-women/ Jeanelle Austin works for Fuller’s Pannell Center for African American Church Studies as operations director. A poet and natural leader, she often shares spoken word in All-Seminary Chapel to inspire the Fuller community to pursue gospel-centered justice. Learn more about the Pannell Center here: http://fuller.edu/pannell-center/ Lindsey Wright works for Fuller’s Brehm Center for Worship, Theology, and the Arts as administrative assistant. She is passionate about literature and writes about the intersection of the body, food, and spirit. Learn more about the Brehm Center here: http://fuller.edu/Brehm-Center-for-Worship-Theology-and-the-Arts/ “Conversing” is a podcast series produced by FULLER stu

In this episode of “Conversing,” systematic theologian Willie Jennings (MDiv ’87) expands and deepens the conversation around racism and the church. He shares with Dr. Labberton how his parents taught him to stay rooted in the earth, his early frustrations with the “deep contradiction of racism” in the American church, and the complex connections between race and a theology of place. Read theological reflections on the topic of reconciling race here: https://fullerstudio.fuller.edu/reconciling-race/ Dr. Jennings is associate professor of systematic theology and Africana studies at Yale Divinity School and a well-respected lecturer and writer on the topic of race and theology. His book “The Christian Imagination: Theology and the Origins of Race” (Yale, 2010) has received numerous awards, including the American Academy of Religion Award of Excellence. Read his article on the contours of an evangelical intellectual imagination here: https://fullerstudio.fuller.edu/the-fuller-difference-to-be-a-christian-intelle

Wayne L. Gordon reflects with Dr. Labberton on his life as a pastor and founding president of the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA). He traces the history of the organization and his long-lasting friendship with John Perkins, and he suggests steps for cultivating “a faith that leads into engagement” and a congregation that weaves into the lives of its local community. Hear a variety of voices from Fuller Seminary on the topic of “The City” here: http://fullerstudio.fuller.edu/voices-on-the-city/ Affectionately called “Coach” by those who know him, Wayne L. Gordon is the founding pastor of the Lawndale Community Church in Chicago and the president emeritus of CCDA, a network of individuals and ministries nationwide who engage in Christian community development efforts. Through conferences, speaking engagements, pastoring, and teaching, Coach has worked for decades to help Christians integrate evangelical faith with social justice. Read more about politics, justice, and the church in this refle

After decades of ministry, John M. Perkins reflects on his legacy with Mark Labberton at the Christian Community Development Association conference. A steadfast leader in the integration of Christian faith and civil rights, Perkins draws on his memories to reflect on the deeper problems behind racism, justice, the redemptive quality of pain and his desire for the church to recover a gospel with “fresh relevance for our days.” For more on the the topic of reconciling race, visit https://fullerstudio.fuller.edu/reconciling-race. John M. Perkins is a passionate civil rights advocate, community organizer, and founder of the Christian Community Development Association. For decades, Perkins has worked tirelessly to address civil rights, racism, justice, and more—all through the lens of his evangelical faith. His life’s work is an inspiration to many, including faculty and staff at Fuller as the school continues to wrestle with difficult topics of race and justice. To hear community members reflect on their own ex