Work as a Commentary on God’s Character (w/ Jim Mullins)

What do we talk about?

Jim Mullins is a storyteller. He seeks creative expressions of God’s kingdom in everything from wearing a clown suit to being a part of a human shield to protect his neighbors at a Mosque in Phoenix.

Jackson and Carrie talk with Jim Mullins, lead pastor of Redemption Tempe and former missionary to Turkey, about the ideas in Symphony of Mission (co-written with Michael Goheen). He says that God’s mission is broad and that we can live with missional intentionality by understanding the many facets of missions.

Missional Attention Deficit Disorder. This is a thing. It’s a dynamic that happens when we bounce from one mission’s strategy to another with little focus or perseverance. Jim talks about how that led him to understand what living with depth among his neighbors in Phoenix.

As his daughter’s situation got more complicated, Jim and his wife had to consider what it meant to do ministry in a way that looked radically different than what they thought they’d be doing. This helped him redefine what sacred spaces meant.

He mentions 3 ways we can participate in God’s mission. We aren’t to be passive, but rather consider our work is a preview of the kingdom. Jim gives story after story about how everyday life, like making pies, reveals God’s goodness in creation and work.

And what’s the deal with platforms overseas? How do we take a perspective of them that is both honoring to the Lord and the local culture? Is how we’ve been doing platforms actually communicating something unhealthy to the local community overseas?

Who is our guest?

Jim Mullins is one of the lead pastors for Redemption Tempe and co-authored a book with Michael Goheen called The Symphony of Mission: Playing Your Part in God’s World in the World. He has worked as a pastor, entrepreneur, nonprofit leader, and a basketball scout in Turkey. He’s married to Jenny and has a daughter named Elliana. They spend their time watching basketball–– especially Arizona State basketball, cooking Middle Eastern food, and being completely ineffective gardeners. He podcasts with a team on All of Life.

Want to do deeper?

Michael Goheen, The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story

Michael Goheen, Light to the Nations

Steven Garber, Visions of Vocation: Common Grace for the Common Good

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