Live from the Siburt Institute

How does artificial intelligence impact our relationship with God?
 
In this episode of Live from the Siburt Institute, host Myles Werntz speaks with Dr. Katie Frugé, director of the Christian Life Commission. They explore how the rapid rise of AI intersects with Christian faith. While recognizing AI's helpfulness for some tasks, Dr. Frugé reminds us that rushing to AI risks surrendering our freedom of conscience and spiritual discernment over to a machine. True spiritual transformation comes from the living work of the Holy Spirit.
 
Listen for these three talking points:
The Sacred Gift of the Holy Spirit vs. The Algorithm: The relationship humans share with God through the Holy Spirit – including the ability to pray and discern with God – is a sacred gift. While AI tools can generate quick answers, an algorithm has not been touched or transformed by the Holy Spirit and can never replace authentic spiritual life.
The Illusion that AI is Neutral: AI is not morally neutral, and is it not always objective or accurate. Approaching AI uncritically risks bypassing our ability to exercise careful discernment. 
Protecting Gospel Witness and Authenticity: Substituting real human engagement and sermon prep with AI-generated content can feel synthetic, erode trust, and undermine genuine ministry.
Contact Katie: katie.fruge@texasbaptists.org
Learn more about the Christian Life Commission: https://www.texasclc.org/
Read more about the CLC’s Public Policy priorities: https://www.texasclc.org/public-policy
 

In this episode, host David Kneip chats with Eric Wilson, a minister and seasoned spiritual director who teaches in the Selah Certificate in Spiritual Direction program. Eric shares how a church crisis in 2004 led him away from trying to fix people’s problems and toward the practice of spiritual direction. He describes a spiritual director as a non-anxious companion who helps create quiet space for people to hear God for themselves. Together, they dive into what actually happens during monthly sessions, the importance of listening over giving answers, and how learning this contemplative posture can deeply transform a leader’s ministry, relationships, and personal faith.
 
Listen for these three talking points:
 
Being a companion instead of a fixer: A spiritual director isn't there to diagnose or solve your issues. Like a museum docent pointing out brushstrokes in a gallery, they act as a calm listening presence who gently prompts you to notice where God is already active in your day-to-day life.
 
The power of a monthly rhythm: Meeting once a month hits a natural sweet spot. It gives you enough room to live your real life, wrestle with things directly with God, and avoid using your director as a proxy for Jesus, while still offering reliable support along the journey.
 
Cultivating a contemplative posture: Spiritual direction shifts the focus from just collecting head knowledge to building genuine intimacy with God. Learning to slow down and listen deeply doesn't just reshape formal sessions – it softens conflict, transforms personal relationships, and brings peace to everyday living.
 
Get in touch with Eric at eric.wilson@pepperdine.edu
Learn more about the Selah Certificate in Spiritual Direction.
 

In this episode, host Jennifer Schroeder sits down with Collin Packer from Let's Talk Race Ministries (LTR) for an open conversation about racial reconciliation in the church. They dive into why these conversations can feel hard, how true reconciliation requires honest truth telling over quick fixes, and why listening to impact matters more than defending intent. For anyone wanting to go deeper, Collin shares about the helpful tools available at LTR, including free Zoom classes starting next week (10/19/2026). Ultimately, this episode is an inspiring call for churches to embrace difficult conversations as an act of gospel discipleship.
 
Listen for these three talking points:
Prioritizing Impact Over Intent: When conversations get uncomfortable, it is easy to get defensive about having good intentions. True healing happens when we set aside defensiveness, listen sacrificially, and care about the actual impact of our words and actions.
Reconciliation is a Long-Term Journey: Real unity cannot be rushed with quick fixes or colorblindness. It takes honest truth telling, confession, lament, and rebuilding trust over time.
Doing the Work Together as Discipleship: Church leaders should not try to lead racial reconciliation alone from the pulpit. Instead, they should work together, stay curious, and weave reconciliation into the regular life of the church.
You can contact Collin at collin@ltrministries.com and you can find out more about LTR on their website, Facebook, and Instagram. LTR's next round of free classes begins October 19, 2026, and you can register here.

In this episode, David Kneip talks with Dr. Jackie Halstead, an ACU faculty member and the CEO of the Selah Center for Spiritual Formation. Dr. Halstead is also the director of the Siburt Institute's Selah Certificate in Spiritual Direction, which has been in existence for over 20 years but since 2022 has been partnership between the Selah Center and the Siburt Institute.
In this conversation, David and Jackie talk about what we mean by spiritual direction at all, how the Selah Certificate got started, and some of the particulars of the program. Two particular highlights you won't want to miss:
When Dr. Halstead talks about the outcomes that we see in our participants, and 
Ways to discern whether this might be the right time for you to consider joining a cohort. 
You can use this link to learn more about the Selah Certificate, including the book lists that David and Jackie talked about in the episode, and you can email Dr. Halstead directly by using this link. Please let us know if we can provide more information, or if you'd like to apply for our next cohort!

Today's episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating spiritual exhaustion, burnout, or disillusionment.
 
Myles Werntz sits down with Anglican priest and author Tish Harrison Warren to chat about her book, What Grows in Weary Lands. Together, they dive into the reality of those unsettling seasons where God feels distant. Tish shares how her own season of weariness led her to draw wisdom from the fourth-century desert fathers and mothers, who wrote about spiritual dryness long ago. Rather than treating weariness as something to quickly fix with self-care or productivity hacks, she reframes the "desert" as a space to sit with our souls and be honest before God. The conversation highlights how people (especially leaders) often respond to exhaustion by either flaming out (through affairs, substance abuse, or renunciation of faith) or numbing out (through workaholism and constant distraction). Tish and Myles explore why we need to trade a transactional, "marketable" faith for a deeper acceptance of mystery. Ultimately, they offer a vision of Christian resilience anchored in honest relationships, sacramental worship, small daily joys, and a resurrection hope that assures us dry deserts will eventually bloom. 
 
Don't miss these three highlights in the conversation:
 
The Trap of "Flaming Out" or "Numbing Out": When faced with spiritual dryness or feeling like God is distant, people often react in two destructive ways. They either "flame out" through public meltdowns and scandals, or "numb out" through workaholism, minor vices, and constant distraction. Real growth happens when we stop hiding behind busywork and actually sit honestly with our inner struggles.
 
Rejecting "Marketable Christianity" for Mystery: Tish addresses the temptation to turn spiritual practices into a consumer app or a "spiritual prosperity gospel" that promises non-stop emotional high points if you put in the right work. True faith makes room for mystery, unfulfilled expectations, and seasons where God feels silent without assuming something has gone wrong.
 
Anchoring Resilience in Sacraments, Honest Community, and Daily Joy: Real Christian resilience goes much deeper than superficial self-care. It is built on transparent relationships where you have no secrets, participation in sacramental worship like the Eucharist, making space for simple everyday pleasures, and holding fast to a resurrection hope that transforms our current trials into eternal formation.
 
To connect with Tish, reach out to her here and you can order her newest book here.
 

What happens when a top-tier Bible scholar decides to write for eight-year-olds instead of just academics? In this episode, host Jennifer Schroeder sits down with Dr. Carmen Joy Imes to talk about her heart for children’s ministry and her latest book, Fierce and Faithful. Co-authored with Nijay K. Gupta, the book introduces kids to 25 incredible women from across the Bible, showing them that God has always used women to change the world.
Carmen shares some personal stories, like testing chapters at a family camping trip and getting vocabulary advice from her own nieces and nephews. She’s passionate about the idea that we shouldn’t "dumb down" the Bible for kids. Instead, she believes children are more than capable of handling deep theological truths and real history if we just take the time to explain it clearly.
It’s a beautiful reminder that our kids’ curiosity isn't a problem to be solved, but a bridge to a deeper faith. Whether you're a parent, a teacher, or just a lifelong learner, this conversation will inspire you to look at the Bible – and the children in your life – with fresh eyes.
Connect with Carmen:
Website: Carmenjoyimes.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVM-Oq9H-LqH0RJJulhvjlg
Order Fierce and Faithful: https://www.ivpress.com/fierce-and-faithful?srsltid=AfmBOopLpOaaixKC5Jdzp6M-2zlOhcWRLYrvYXd9u69F4ZpvFc3Kk38B
Also mentioned in the podcast:
Curiously Kaitlyn podcast: https://www.holypost.com/articles/categories/curiously-kaitlyn
 

This episode features a conversation between Jennifer Schroeder, Laurie Templeton, and Holly Peeters regarding the CLAY (Christian Leaders Apprentice Youth) program at Singing Oaks Church of Christ.
Developed to address a lack of teen involvement in church, this model allows high schoolers to apprentice in various ministries – such as children's, worship, or Spanish – under the mentorship of experienced ministers.
Laurie, the children's minister at Singing Oaks, discusses the logistics involved, including interviews, contracts, and weekly spiritual formation meetings. Holly, a student who progressed from apprentice to intern, highlights how the experience revealed the "behind-the-scenes" of ministry, taught professional skills, and deepened her faith.
The model successfully keeps youth connected to the church during the summer and builds a sustainable pipeline for future congregational leadership.
To get in touch with Laurie, select her name from the drop down list and fill out the contact form here: https://singingoaks.org/contactKey Talking Points:The Definition of CLAY: An acronym for Christian Leaders Apprentice Youth, providing paid, part-time summer ministry experience for high school students.
Structured Mentorship: Apprentices undergo a professional application and interview process, sign contracts, and attend weekly meetings focused on spiritual growth and vocational reflection.
Fundraising: Students raise half of their stipend, which encourages church members to invest directly in the youth’s development and creates a sense of shared mission.
Intergenerational Relationships: CLAY is designed to foster intergenerational relationships within the church, by connecting the teens to children (through the children's ministry) and adults (through fundraising efforts).
Church Connectivity: The apprenticeship allows teens to earn money while remaining available for church camps and activities, unlike typical summer jobs.
Leadership Pipeline: The model serves as a "shoulder-tapping" tool to identify and train future church leaders and interns from within the local congregation.
 

In this episode of Live from the Siburt Institute, host Myles Werntz sits down with Eric Howell, pastor of Dayspring Baptist Church and author of Under the Francis Tree: A Practical Theology for the Church Grounds in the 21st Century.
Howell talks about his path from studying industrial engineering at Texas A&M to becoming a pastor with a deep interest in ecology and theology. His interest in the environment started with a high school club, but over time it became something deeper. He began to observe that God’s grace meets us through the material world (like baptismal water, communion bread and wine, and the other physical elements of worship).
A big part of the conversation is Howell’s challenge to the traditional idea of “stewardship.” He points out that stewardship can make us think of ourselves as middle managers who are simply taking care of property for an absentee landlord. Instead, he suggests thinking in terms of integration, participation, and worship.
Drawing on the Franciscan tradition, Howell sees the church not as standing apart from the rest of creation, but as joining the whole created world in praising God. He also draws on the work of Dr. Ellen Davis, who describes the biblical covenant as a “three-legged stool” involving God, people, and the land. (Find her book, Scripture, Culture, and Agriculture: An Agrarian Reading of the Bible, here.)
Howell shares some great examples of what this can look like in everyday church life. At Dayspring, a community composting project became an unexpected way to talk about reconciliation and resurrection during a pastoral conversation. He also tells the story of a San Antonio church that built a bird blind so people with Alzheimer’s could find therapeutic relief watching birds and connecting with the natural world.
Howell encourages churches to rediscover their sense of community by paying attention to and caring for the land right where they are.
Key Talking Points:
The Francis Tree Icon: The book’s title comes from a huge live oak at Dayspring Baptist Church. The tree has become a place for sunrise services, prayer, pastoral conversations, and care.
Rethinking Stewardship: Instead of seeing ourselves as managers of nature, Howell invites us to see ourselves as part of a larger community of creation that worships God together.
Sacramental Ecology: Baptismal water, communion bread and wine, and the other physical elements of worship are more than symbols. They remind us that God’s grace meets us through the material world.
The Eremocene: A term for our current age of “silence” and loneliness, brought on in part by our growing separation from the rhythms and patterns of the natural world.
Practical Parables: Everyday things like composting and bird watching can become powerful ways for churches to talk about big ideas like resurrection, reconciliation, and God’s care for creation.
The Sacred Grounds Project: A collaborative effort that helps congregations take small, practical steps toward turning the land they care for into a place of ministry, learning, and encounter with God.

Jennifer Schroeder talks with Wes Crawford about the challenges that American civil religion poses for Christians. They begin by discussing some of the manifestations of civil religion in the USA, before digging into the topic more deeply. An important part of the conversation is Dr. Crawford's upcoming book, One Nation Over God, to be published in fall 2026 by Eerdmans.  Among the resources that come up in the episode are:
Dr. Crawford's book One Nation Over God
Dr. Crawford's book Courage in the Sheer Silence
Dr. Crawford's book Shattering the Illusion 
Dr. Crawford's Substack - @wescrawford1

Jennifer Schroeder and Hannah Sutton-Adams discuss "Godly Play," an approach to engaging the Bible with children that seeks to find and make meaning through story, wonder, and play. They discuss how Godly Play nurtures children's spirituality honoring children's knowledge of God, capacity for wonder, and ability to ask and discuss deep questions. They also consider some of the challenges and opportunities that come for children's ministers and ministry volunteers.  Among the resources that come up in the episode are:
Rebecca Nye's Children's Spirituality: What It Is and Why It Matters
Ron Bruner and Dana Kennamer's Along the Way: Conversations about Children and Faith
The Godly Play foundation (website: godlyplayfoundation.org)