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The rise of megachurches has been one of the most interesting phenomenon shaking up the American religous landscape in recent decades. Dave Travis of the Leadership Network joins us to discuss what thse megachuchs are and look like. Along the way he counters some of the more frequent myths associted with these large congregations, including that they are “too large,” and “too theologically shalow.” We also think about the future of megachuches.

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Is the Catholic Church likely to be a force for political liberalization in Vietnam? Prof. Lan Chu takes up this question and also talks about the history of Catholicism in that country with special attention on how the Church has survived under a communist regime. Our discussion also includes various comparisons with Eastern Europe and Cuba, and Prof. Chu provides some speculation about what the future of Vietnam might look like.

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Should pastors know what individual congregants tithe? This question set off a debate on Christianity today and we pick it up with Pastor Larry Osborne (North Coast Church in Vista, CA), who admittedly changed his view on this question. He explains why and our conversation also covers other interesting facets of church financing. We also discuss some of the strategies that Pastor Osborne has used to help his church grow from a small Bible Study to a church that serves over 8,000 congregants each week across three campuses.

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To what extent can religious organizations assist immigrants adopting to a new country? Prof. Margarita Mooney (UNC) explores the role of the Catholic Church in assisting individuals of the Haitian diaspora in three communities — Miami, Montreal, and Paris. She discusses the role of personal faith and religious institutions in helping immigrants make the often difficult transition to living in a new environment, and notes that the efforts of Notre Dame d’Haiti in Miami were much more successful than similar efforts in Canada and France. She explains why this is the case and what importance that has for society at large. Our interview also digs into various methodological concerns of doing direct participant observation, a great discussion for students and non-academics who want to understand how social scientific research is conducted.

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Get your yee haw on as we go West to discuss cowboy churches. Daniel Stiles, rodeo announcer and ordained minister, discusses his life ministering to cowboys and cowgirls. We talk bull riding, cowboy pride, the challenges of living in the country, and how the cowboy church movement has expanded since the late 1970s. Dan also relates a remarkably inspirational story how cowboy ministries made a difference in the life of one young man who was down and out. The podcast finishes with an outstanding observation about Christianity and life in the US from the vantage point of the countryside. (Special secret: This has been my favorite interview to date.)

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