I’m so grateful to have Dr. Joel Muddamalle on the podcast. He has a gift for making theology genuinely accessible without dumbing it down. Real scholarship plus real humility. That combination is rarer than it should be.

Joel holds a PhD in theology, serves as Director of Theology and Research at Proverbs 31 Ministries, co-hosts the Therapy and Theology podcast with Lysa TerKeurst and Jim Cress, and is the author of The Unseen Battle, which is exactly what we get into today.

We start with humble theology and what it actually means to come to Scripture in submission rather than mastery. Then we move into spiritual warfare, and if you grew up in a church that either blamed everything on the enemy or avoided the subject entirely, this conversation is going to reframe a lot. Joel frames spiritual warfare not as individual skirmishes, but as a long-running conflict between rival households: God's family versus a counterfeit one ruled by rebel powers. We also talk about isolation as one of the enemy's most effective tactics, the tension of living in the already-but-not-yet, and how to wait well in the middle of prolonged seasons that just won't resolve. Listen to this episode and then get the book. And go ahead and get the paper copy so you can underline it.

Dr. Joel’s Website: https://www.muddamalle.com/
Dr. Joel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/muddamalle/
Dr. Joel on Substack: https://humbletheology.muddamalle.com/
Dr. Joel’s Books and Bible Studies: https://www.muddamalle.com/books
Therapy and Theology Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/therapy-and-theology/id1641587501

Lisa Harper is one of my favorite humans on the planet, and I mean that. I've known her in the back rooms and on the platforms, through the hard things and the hilarious ones. She is exactly who you think she is. Exactly.

In this episode, we go deep on what it actually looks like to stay faithful in ministry for over thirty years without burning out. Lisa is honest about the self-dug pits, the shame, the orphan spirit she carried for decades, and how God met her in every single one of them. We talk about the difference between accruing knowledge about God and actually knowing Him, and why that distinction changes everything.

We also get into her adoption of Missy, what it means to hold trauma and redemption in the same hand, and how Lisa has built deep friendships across the theological spectrum in a culture that keeps trying to divide us into camps.

And because Lisa is Lisa, we end with her perfect beautiful day. Which involves Fritos, wake surfing, and a fire. You're going to want to plan that day for yourself immediately.

This one is a gift. I hope you feel that.

Lisa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisadharper
Lisa's Website: https://www.lisaharper.org
Kerygma Summit Website: https://www.kerygmasummit.com
Kergyma Registration Link: https://kerygmasummit.ticketspice.com/the-kerygma-summit-2026

Masi is back! We recorded this one in our Christmas pajamas from Deep Woods Refuge, and it's less like a podcast and more like two friends processing life over coffee. We started with a question I think about every holiday season: everyone's singing about peace on earth, but how do I get peace on me?

We talked about the difference between positional peace (knowing where we stand with Jesus) and practical peace (the day in, day out kind when things are a total cluster of mayhem). I shared about my dad, a man I would describe as a person of peace, and how he made it a practice of his life to be unoffendable. Not because he didn't have reasons to be offended, but because he cared more about his peace than he did about his point.

Masi walked us through the Peace Index and we landed on people, place, and purpose... and how assessing those things can help us show up differently this season. If you're heading into the holidays with a lot of opinions converging around one table, this one's for you. Life is hard, but God is good and He is making everything beautiful in its time. Peace.

Chapters

00:00 | Christmas Pajama Crossover

04:08 | Positional vs. Practical Peace

07:06 | Navigating Family Dynamics at Holidays

10:49 | Assessing Your Peace: The Five P's

14:02 | Building a Support System

16:06 | Evaluating Your Relationships

20:26 | Creating Your Ideal Space

24:10 | Understanding Your Purpose

27:45 | Understanding Identity Beyond Titles

32:03 | Embracing Transformation and Growth

35:19 | Identifying Your Unique Gifts and Purpose

38:12 | Intersecting Gifts and Heartbreak for Purpose

41:24 | The Power of Love and Connection

43:19 | Understanding the Peace Index

44:22 | Setting Boundaries for Inner Peace

45:52 | Choosing Peace Over Points

46:51 | Celebrating Encouragement

46:53 | Navigating Grief During the Holidays

48:31 | The Beauty of Giving

49:58 | Life's Hardships and God's Goodness

Masi's Website: https://www.masiwillis.com/
The Lead Like You Mean It Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lead-like-you-mean-it-with-masi-willis/id1826446460
Masi On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/masiwillis/