Andrew Root | Stabilising Discipleship and Churches, Prayer as Key Competency, Despair & Evangelism

In this episode, Graeme and Joey have a brilliant conversation with Dr Andrew Root as they discuss a humanising approach to evangelism, the digital space and discipleship, what the key competency of a pastor should be, growth as modernity's stabiliser, and much more!

Andrew Root, PhD (Princeton Theological Seminary) is the Carrie Olson Baalson Professor of Youth and Family Ministry at Luther Seminary. He is most recently the author of Evangelism in an Age of Despair and the six volume Ministry in a Secular Age series (including Churches and the Crisis of Decline, The Congregation in a Secular Age, The Pastor in a Secular Age, The Church After Innovation, The Church in a Age of Secular Mysticism and Faith Formation in a Secular Age). He is also the author of The End of Youth Ministry? and more than dozen other books. Andy also serves as theologian in residence at Youthfront. He has worked in congregations, parachurch ministries, and social service programs. He lives in St. Paul with his wife Kara, two children, Owen and Maisy, and their dog. When not reading, writing, or teaching, Andy spends far too much time watching TV and movies.

PODCAST ...
"When Church Stops Workings Featuring Andrew Root" https://www.andrewroot.org/podcast/

PUBLICATIONS ... https://www.andrewroot.org/books/
"Evangelism is an Age of Despair"
"The Church in an Age of Secular Mysticism"
"When the Church Stops Working"
"The Church After Innovation"
"Churches and the Crisis of Decline"
"The Congregation in a Secular Age"
AND MANY MORE ... https://www.andrewroot.org/books/

00:00 Teaser
01:41 Intro
03:30 "Survivor" philosophy
06:00 Evangelism in an age of despair
11:00 How Andy approaches practical theology
13:40 God moves in impossible places
20:43 Evangelism as 'searching'
26:55 Hockey talk
27:50 The digital space and being
34:10 Jesus is a binding force
39:25 Evangelism and discipleship are connected
40:52 Prayer is the key pastoral competency
44:40 We need to wait on God
46:00 Modernity is dependent on growth
49:35 Growth as stabiliser for church ...??
52:17 What should stabilise a church?
59:00 Measuring spiritual growth
1:03:17 Waiting as a church's stabiliser
1:07:23 How should we deal with money?
1:09:55 Discerning communities are dangerous
1:13:20 Andy visiting New Zealand

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