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What is it like to work in the contemporary Christian music industry and how has that business changed over the last few decades? We talk with Jim Houser, a managing partner at Creative Trust who manages such artists as Steven Curtis Chapman and Brandon Heath, about his experiences in the industry, focusing on his day-to-day activities, the challenges he and his artists face on the road, and how the music industry has changed in response to the digital music revolution. We also talk about the unique way in which Steven Curtis Chapman arranges his concerts.

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Sit in on a collegial discussion with Tony and his good friend Prof. Steve Pfaff as they discuss a range of topics including denominationalism and whether churches today emphasize sin enough. These two topics lead us down several different paths taking a look at how and why churches create brands, the benefits of religious pluralism, youth religious practice and whether megachurches are really just soft-peddling Christianity. This open-ended discussion is a window into what Tony & Steve often talk about while hanging out at the University of Washington and is a great wrap around to several recent podcasts we’ve featured on the show.

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What do you need to do to start a church? Moreover, how fast can you do it if you only have one week to get the church up and running? Matt Boswell discusses the frenetic process of setting up a church in a podcast that has the flavor of a reality show. With virtually nothing to their name (including no money, no building, and no name), a small group of individuals were able to go from zero to 562 congregants in one week. How did that happen? What does that tell us about the entrepreneurial spirit within America’s religious economy? (Disclaimer: This podcast involves the congregation that the host of Research on Religion currently attends, though he had no influence on any of the decisions discussed in the podcast.)

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With Mitt Romney making waves as a presidential candidate frontrunner for the Republican Party, we visit with Prof. Patrick Mason to discuss the history of anti-Mormon bigotry in the United States tracing it back to the founding of the faith in the 1820s.

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Prof. Sabine Hyland of St. Norbert College reveals what happens when Jesuits meet Incans in the Peruvian highlands during the 16th century, with a particular focus on the mestizo priest Blas Valera. Our conversation corrects some of the longstanding misconceptions of the role of religion during the Spanish Conquest, as well as misunderstandings about Incan religions. We also chat about how scholars and religious organizations deal with different cultures they encounter.

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Douglas Baker (Union University) clarifies the recent debate surrounding “Dominionism” and its relation to various Republican presidential candidates, most notably Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry. He covers the influence of thinkers such as Francis Schaeffer and Rousas John Rushdoony and how their thought has influenced others, as well as how their thinking has been misrepresented in the popular media. We also reflect on the proper role of religion in the public square.

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Prof. Kevin Cooney of Northwest University joins us to discuss his recent trip to the People’s Republic of China where he visited with numerous Chinese scholars to discuss the role of religion and the rule of law in that country. He shares his insights from that trip, including his experiences in touring different parts of the country and learning about the religious landscape. Prof. Cooney contrasts the scene in China today with what he experienced back in the mid-1980s when he was teaching English in that country.

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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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