Episode 92: Jack Levison on the Spirit (spirit?) of God
Should the spirit of God be capitalized, like in the Holy Spirit? Is the Spirit for personal experience like salvation or for corporate transformation? Did it come to us at Pentecost or has the Spirit been working for eternity?
If you are confounded by questions like these about the elusive Spirit of God, particularly in the Judeo-Christian tradition, you'll love this conversation between George and Jack Levison, who writes books and teaches theology about the Spirit.
His newest book has just been released, Boundless God: the Spirit according to the Old Testament.
Read More
Episode 91: Cameron Vickrey on RootEd & public education
George talks with his daughter Cameron about her nonprofit organization, RootEd, in San Antonio that promotes public schools to families navigating the world of school choice.
Read More
Episode 90: Cameron Mason Vickrey on growing up in the church
Join us in a feel-good conversation between father and daughter. Cameron Vickrey is George's oldest daughter. They talk about their shared interests in theology and art and how growing up in the church has helped her navigate her call.
Read More
Episode 89: Justin Lee on interpreting difficult scripture
With a deeply personal testimony about being gay and a Christian, Justin Lee opens up about why he can't abandon his identity and won't abandon his faith. Listen with an open mind and a loving heart, and you will surely learn a lot.
Read More
Gary Simpson on the craft of preaching
The mysteries behind preaching revealed! If you ever listen to sermons and wonder what it's like to prepare for that week after week, you'll be interested in this episode. George Mason and Gary Simpson -- two renowned practitioners of preaching -- talk about their craft and the future generation of preachers that they are bringing up.
Read More
Episode 87: Mark Wingfield on being an LGBTQ Ally
George talks with Mark Wingfield about their experience of becoming a fully inclusive church to people without regard to sexual or gender identity. Mark wrote a narrative style book about it, which was recently published, titled "Why Churches Need to Talk about Sexuality." They also talk about how Mark became an ally and friend to many transgender people and what that has meant to him.
Read More
Episode 86: Justin Lee on talking about LGBTQ in the church
Do you ever feel torn between your commitment to truth and your desire to love people who are different from you, especially maybe those who are gay in your family or friends or in your church? Justin Lee has written a book called Torn and he'll be talking about how to move in a more loving direction, that doesn't sacrifice truth.
Read More
Episode 85: Amy Butler on the future of the church
You won't want to miss a minute of this episode if you are concerned with the future of the church. Amy Butler offers some fierce criticism of the American church as well some ideas for how it can redeem itself.
Read More
Episode 84: Amy Butler on women in ministry
Amy Butler was the first female pastor of Riverside Church: the historic Protestant cathedral built by the Rockefellers in New York's Upper West Side. She is on Good God to talk about her time there--the good and the bad--and how it all came to an end. She also offers insights on being a woman in a male dominated role, and how we can do better for women in ministry.
Read More
Episode 83: Pastor Gary Simpson from historic Brooklyn church
Pastor Gary Simpson of Concord Baptist Church of Christ in Brooklyn, New York, joins George on his 30th anniversary at Wilshire Baptist in Dallas to talk about their shared experiences of long-term pastoral ministry, and what makes their churches so wonderful.
Read More
Gratefulness with Diana Butler Bass (Thanksgiving Repost of Episodes 56 and 57)
What better way to celebrate Thanksgiving than pausing to reflect on the power and practice of gratitude? Today we are reposting two episodes with Diana Butler Bass about being grateful.
Read More
Episode 82: Amanda Tyler on Christian Nationalism
Amanda Tyler started a movement called Christians Against Christian Nationalism. Listen to find out why this is so important today and what exactly it means to stand against Christian nationalism.
Read More
Episode 81: Michelle Kinder Part 2
Michelle Kinder is back on Good God to talk more about the nonprofit sector and how to do even more good by giving voice to people whose voices aren't heard enough, if at all. If you work in the nonprofit world or you support a nonprofit of any kind, you won't want to miss this conversation.
Read More
Episode 80: Gun violence prevention with Deanna Hollas
Her title is: Gun Violence Prevention Minister. And she's the only minister like this that exists, anywhere. Listen to Deanna Hollas from Dallas talk about the importance of her ministry and her views on guns, the Second Amendment, and the prophet Isaiah's vision of a peaceable kingdom.
Read More
Episode 79: Jorge Zapata
Jorge Zapata grew up on the Texas-Mexico border and lives there still, serving the refugees as they come to the area. He has firsthand insights about what it's like to be an immigrant from Central America and Mexico and how the rest of us, as U.S. citizens, can do better about welcoming them.
Read More
Episode 78: Michelle Kinder
Michelle Kinder is on Good God talking about her childhood in Guatemala as a third culture kid, and how her work led her to Dallas to lead a movement helping kids and families succeed.
Read More
Episode 77: Rabbi David Stern Part 2
When Jews and Christians engage in interfaith dialogue, the most common questions asked are about Jesus. Jesus was Jewish, Jewish people respect Jesus, but Christians believe Jesus is the divine son of God. These views on Jesus become the point of departure between the two faiths. So how can you can be totally faithful to your religion and still understand and respect another? Watch or listen to George's conversation with Rabbi David Stern today on Good God.
Read More
Episode 76: Rabbi David Stern Part 1
Rabbi David Stern is on Good God today. Like George, he has been a prominent faith leader in Dallas for 30 years. Their friendship has deepened their respect for the similarities and differences between Christianity and Judaism. Listen as they discuss the roles of individual v. communal responsibility, the Ten Commandments, and how to keep "one foot on Sinai and one foot in the world."
Read More
Episode 75: Marv Knox and Fellowship Southwest
In Christianity, it feels like denominational lines are becoming less important. Fellowship Southwest is a new organization that demonstrates this by connecting people of faith to the work of the church in the world, particularly these days to serve refugees on the border of the U.S. and Mexico. Marv Knox is the coordinator of Fellowship, and he and George talk about this new kind of organization today on Good God.
Read More
Episode 74: Reducing Unintended Teen Pregnancies with Terry Greenberg
Terry Greenberg leads an effort in Dallas to reduce unintended teen pregnancy. She and George talk about the lead causes of teen pregnancies and how they can be avoided through conversation, education and the support of the faith community. Visit ntarupt.org and TalkAboutItDallas.com to learn about these local efforts.
Read More