The story of Christianity is full of paradox—spaces of violence and division becoming arenas of hope and redemption. In this episode, I sit down with priest and author Fergus Butler-Gallie to talk about his book Twelve Churches, which traces the history of Christianity through twelve remarkable church buildings across the globe. From Bethlehem to Birmingham, Rome to Japan, these spaces reveal the comedy and tragedy, unity and division, beauty and brokenness woven into the Church’s story. Together, we explore how these places still point us back to Jesus and what they teach us about power, authenticity, and hope in a fractured world.

Fergus Butler-Gallie is an author, journalist, and an ordained Anglican priest who was educated at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge and has served in London and Liverpool. He is the author of A Field Guide to the English Clergy, which was named a Best Book of the Year by The Times (London), The Mail on Sunday (London), and BBC History; Priests de la Resistance!, which was a Spectator Best Book of the Year; Touching Cloth; and Twelve Churches. He is Editor-at-Large for The Fence, and his journalism has appeared in publications including The Times (London), The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph (London), Financial Times, and The New Statesman (UK). He won the 2022 P.G. Wodehouse Society (UK) Essay Prize.

Fergus' Book:

Twelve Churches

Fergus' Recommendation:

The Man in the Red Coat

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Natalie Runion returns to Shifting Culture with her new book I Don’t Even Like Women: And Other Lies That Get in the Way of Sacred Sisterhood. Behind the provocative title is a deeper story: how the church has too often handed women scripts of competition, gossip, and scarcity and how those scripts can be rewritten into something truer and freer. In this conversation, we talk about identity, trust, and the work of forgiveness. We explore what women’s ministry has been, and what it could become when collaboration replaces competition, when community is rooted in abundance, and when Jesus’ vision of sacred sisterhood begins to take hold. This isn’t just about women’s ministry. It’s about how all of us, men and women, learn to build communities that dignify rather than diminish.

Natalie Runion is the USA Today bestselling author of Raised to Stay and The House That Jesus Built, as well as the creator of the Raised to Stay Community (@raisedtostay). She lives in Kentucky with her husband, Tony, and their two daughters, where they work together to provide training to leaders in pursuit of a healthy church.

Natalie's Book:

I Don't Even Like Women

Natalie's Recommendations:

Becoming the Pastor's Wife

Crushing Chaos

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What story are you living in? In this episode, Trevin Wax joins me to explore how the church can root itself more deeply in the story of Scripture. We talk about The Gospel Way Catechism, the ancient practice of catechesis, and why discipleship is more than just memorizing truths - it’s learning to walk in the way of Jesus. Along the way, Trevin shares why true freedom is found in submission to God, how cultural narratives like the American Dream can subtly reshape our faith, and why the global church is vital for our own spiritual health. This conversation invites us to reexamine the stories shaping us and to rediscover the flourishing life Jesus offers.

Trevin Wax is vice president of research and resource development at the North American Mission Board and a visiting professor at Cedarville University. A former missionary to Romania, Trevin is a regular columnist at The Gospel Coalition and has lectured on Christianity and culture at Oxford University. His new book is The Gospel Way Catechism.

Trevin's Book:

The Gospel Way Catechism

Trevin's Recommendation:

The Years of Lyndon Johnson

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Connect with Joshua: jjohnson@allnations.us

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