Podcast

Viral Jesus

What You May Be Getting Wrong About God’s Vision for the Church

Theologian Joel Muddamalle on recovering the church’s lingua franca and rejecting the sacred-and-secular divide.

In today’s episode Heather visits with one of her favorite theologians, Joel Muddamalle, for a fast-paced conversation about God’s original vision for the church and how we often miss it. Joel unpacks what it means to be ambassadors for Christ in a fragmented world; he cautions us against letting social media divide our souls; and he reminds us that ethnic and cultural diversity in the church is a beautiful feature, not a bug. One of the big points Joel touches on is what he calls our commitment to “the sacred-and-secular divide.” What does it mean to be set apart as Christians, and what is our role in secular spaces? Joel’s biblically rooted perspectives will inform, surprise, and challenge you to delve deeper into God’s Word. (This is the second conversation in our three-part series that began with “What You May Be Getting Wrong About Biblical Womanhood.”)

We also visit with our favorite social media whiz Brady Shearer for this week’s #Blessed. He gives us a breakdown of the difference between the social graph algorithm vs. the discovery algorithm and why he believes we all need to ride whatever wave social platforms present us with. Brady is the director of Pro Church Tools and the church-software platform Nucleus. His work focuses on helping churches navigate the biggest communication shift in 500 years. Make sure to let us know your thoughts about this segment by typing in ViralJesusPod on Instagram or Twitter and including #Blessed with your comment.

Guest Bio

Joel Muddamalle serves as the director of theology and research for Proverbs 31 Ministries and Lysa TerKeurst. He’s also a member of the preaching team at Transformation Church with Pastor Derwin Gray. Joel earned a PhD in theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, under professors Patrick Schreiner (NT) and Michael Heiser (OT), with an emphasis on Paul’s household language in Ephesians as it relates to the Old Testament. He loves studying and teaching the brilliant truths found in Scripture and unpacking how they relate to our everyday lives.

Host Bio

Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I’ll See You Tomorrow and It’s Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday.

Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper

Our Latest

The Black Women Missing from Our Pews

America’s most churched demographic is slipping from religious life. We must go after them.

The Still Small Voice in the Deer Stand

Since childhood, each hunting season out in God’s creation has healed wounds and deepened my faith.

Play Those Chocolate Sprinkles, Rend Collective!

The Irish band’s new album “FOLK!” proclaims joy after suffering.

News

Wall Street’s Most Famous Evangelical Sentenced in Unprecedented Fraud Case

Judge gives former billionaire Bill Hwang 18 years in prison for crimes that outweigh his “lifetime” of “charitable works.”

Public Theology Project

How a Dark Sense of Humor Can Save You from Cynicism

A bit of gallows humor can remind us that death does not have the final word.

News

Died: Rina Seixas, Iconic Surfer Pastor Who Faced Domestic Violence Charges

The Brazilian founder of Bola de Neve Church, which attracted celebrities and catalyzed 500 congregations on six continents, faced accusations from family members and a former colleague.

Review

The Quiet Faith Behind Little House on the Prairie

How a sincere but reserved Christianity influenced the life and literature of Laura Ingalls Wilder.

‘Bonhoeffer’ Bears Little Resemblance to Reality

The new biopic from Angel Studios twists the theologian’s life and thought to make a political point.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube