Shifting Culture

The Desert Elders didn’t flee the world to escape it. Some left because Christianity had become comfortable, aligned with power, and disconnected from real transformation. In this episode, I am joined by Lisa Colón DeLay to explore the wisdom of the early Christian desert mothers and fathers and what their lives teach us about spiritual formation today. We talk about attention and restlessness, judgment and humility, silence and prayer, and how habits slowly form, or deform, the soul. You’ll hear the story of Abba Moses, who moved from violence to mercy, and learn why real change doesn’t come through information or performance but through patience, repentance, and faithfulness over time. This episode is for anyone trying to take Jesus seriously in a noisy, restless, and divided world and looking for a way of life that actually leads to transformation.
Lisa Colón DeLay is an author, the podcast host of Spark My Muse podcast, consultant, teacher, Substack writer, and spiritual companion known for focusing on spiritual growth, the inner life, and connection. She holds a Masters Degree in Spiritual Formation
Lisa's Book:
The Way of the Desert Elders
Lisa's Recommendation:
The Holy Ordinary
Connect with Joshua: [email protected]

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In this episode, I sit down with neurosurgeon and author Dr. Lee Warren to talk about how our thoughts shape our brains and, over time, our lives. Lee draws from neuroscience, Scripture, and his own story, serving as an Army surgeon, living with PTSD, and walking through the loss of a child, to help make sense of why so many of us feel stuck in anxiety, fear, or reactivity. We talk about what Lee calls “self-brain surgery,” the practice of learning to think about our thoughts instead of being ruled by them. We explore the difference between the mind and the brain, why most of our daily thoughts aren’t actually true, how trauma rewires us, and how healing can too. We also talk about gratitude, attention, habits, and spiritual warfare and why slowing down and responding with intention matters more than trying to fix everything at once. This conversation is about building resilience, telling the truth about what’s happening inside us, and finding a more hopeful way forward. 
W. Lee Warren, MD, is a neurosurgeon, an award-winning author, an Iraq War veteran, and the host of The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast. He teaches the art of connecting neuroscience, faith, and daily practices for leading a healthier, better, and happier life. www.DrLeeWarren.com
Lee's Book:
The Life-Changing Art of Self-Brain Surgery
Lee's Recommendation:
Gradually Then Suddenly
Connect with Joshua: [email protected]

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In this episode, I sit down with J.R. Briggs, author of The Art of Asking Better Questions, to talk about why questions matter in a culture shaped by certainty, polarization, and the pressure to always have the right answer. We explore how questions shape our relationships, our faith, and the stories we tell ourselves, why Jesus so often chose questions over direct answers, and how the questions we ask can either wound or heal. We talk about curiosity, humility, power, and what it looks like to ask questions that lead to connection instead of control, and the conversation turns personal as J.R. puts me in the hot seat to reflect on desire, vocation, and what it means to slow down and really listen.
J.R. Briggs (DMin, Missio Seminary) is the founder of Kairos Partnerships, an organization committed to serving hungry leaders through coaching, consulting, and speaking. He serves on staff with the Ecclesia Network and Fresh Expressions, and as guest instructor for Friends University in the Masters of Spiritual Formation and Leadership program. His books include The Sacred Overlap, Fail, and Eldership and the Mission of God. He and his wife and two children live in the greater Philadelphia area.
J.R.'s Book:
The Art of Asking Better Questions
J.R.'s Recommendations:
King: A Life
The Accidental President
Connect with Joshua: [email protected]

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In this episode, I sit down with Nathan Clarkson, author of I’m the Worst, for an honest conversation about brokenness, shame, confession, and freedom. Nathan shares what it was like growing up in a well-known Christian family, learning how to perform moral goodness while hiding the parts of himself he didn’t know how to face, and how confronting that reality became the beginning of healing rather than the end of the story. We talk about moral superiority, cancel culture, and the ways fear turns both politics and church life into tribes instead of communities. We also dig into the difference between shame and conviction, why confession and forgiveness matter so much for spiritual formation, and how dehumanization always leads to harm. This conversation is for anyone who is tired of polarized Christianity and is looking for a more honest, freeing, and love-shaped way forward.
Nathan Clarkson is the author of I’m the Worst, and an award-winning actor, a Netflix-trending filmmaker, and best-selling author of several books, including Different and Uniquely You. He is a podcast philosopher on the award-winning show The Overthinkers. Nathan writes regularly on the intersection of faith and culture for the Patheos column Cross Cultural and has been featured in outlets such as the Today Show, LA Times, Variety, and Relevant Magazine. Find out more at nathanclarkson.me.
Nathan's Book:
I'm the Worst
Nathan's Recommendation:
The Hidden Habits of Genius
Connect with Joshua: [email protected]

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In this episode, I sit down with Winfield Bevins to talk about beauty and why it matters for everyday life, the church, and spiritual formation. We discuss his book How Beauty Will Save the World and how beauty shapes attention, formation, and the way we live, work, and follow Jesus. Winfield shares his own story, including seasons of burnout and vocational transition, and how art and creativity became central to his faith and calling. We talk about creativity beyond the arts, the pace of modern life, and how beauty helps form us spiritually, reorient our desires, and shape communities of faith. This is a grounded conversation about renewal, formation, and learning to see the world with care and hope.
Winfield Bevins is an internationally recognized author, artist, and the founding director of Creo Arts, which is a non-profit that exists to bring beauty, goodness, and truth to the world through the arts. Winfield is also artist-in-residence at Asbury Theological Seminary where he champions the integration of art, theology, and mission. Over the past decade, he has helped start numerous initiatives and academic programs that have trained leaders from around the world. He is the author of several books, including, How Beauty Will Save the World: Recovering the Power of the Arts for the Christian Life.
Winfield's Book:
How Beauty Will Save the World
Winfield's Recommendation:
Surprised by Joy
Connect with Joshua: [email protected]

Go to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.

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