Bob Ekblad: grace and the redeeming power of mutuality

Bob and Gracie Ekblad are the founders and co-directors of Tierra Nueva (New Earth) in Burlington, Washington. Together, they lead a vibrant ministry that serves marginalized communities, including immigrants, inmates, and those struggling with addiction, through their home-based retreat center, New Earth Refuge, nestled in the Skagit Valley. Bob, ordained in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), holds a ThD in Old Testament and is known for his engaging courses on biblical interpretation. He also serves as the director of The People’s Seminary and is a part-time chaplain at Skagit County Jail. Some of his better-known books – and we highly recommend them – include Reading the Bible with the Damned, Guerilla Gospel, and The Beautiful Gate.…

Felicia Wu Song: what to do with our Restless Devices

Felicia Wu Song is a cultural sociologist, a professor teaching at Westmont College, an author, and a lecturer. In her recent book, Restless Devices: Recovering Personhood, Presence and Place in the Digital Age, Dr. Song does more than just discuss the problems that technology, devices, and a digital ecology bring…

Shane Claiborne: The Credible Christian 

Along with being a founding member of The Simple Way, and co-founder of Red Letter Christians, Shane is known as an activist, speaker, and best-selling author (including, The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical, Jesus for President: Politics for Ordinary Radicals, Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals, and Executing Grace - How the Death Penalty Killed Jesus and Why It's Killing Us). Maybe more importantly, he is known for his love, compassion, and humility. And that gives him real credibility…

What does God really think of us?

Bradley Jersak is one of those unique people who, besides being quite scholarly, is also especially pleasant to converse with. And he can informatively converse on a lot of topics from theology to pastoring to teaching. He also has written some well-received books of his own (the latest two being A More Christlike Word: Reading Scripture the Emmaus Way, and IN: Incarnation & Inclusion, Abba & Lamb), along with co-authoring alongside others such as William P. Young, author of The Shack.  Maybe what makes Dr. Jersak – though he always goes by “Brad” – special is that he actually lives out what he espouses in word and letter.…