Glocal (Global + Local) Resources for Your Journey with Jesus
I am as convinced as ever that we need more Christians living GLOCAL lives - being actively involved in God’s global mission in our local communities. This is good theology, since we serve a God who has always been at work on the global scale and yet through local means (ex. Christmas and Jesus’ Incarnation!). And this is also a faithful way to engage a world that is simultaneously more global and more connected than ever.
As we seek to follow our glocal God into the world around us, here are some great glocal resources that I have been learning from throughout 2025:
Books:
Assyria: The Rise and Fall of the World’s First Empire.
A great historical look at the Assyrian Empire and how it set the stage for so many pieces of human history.
This is a captivating, true story about a Chinese train robbery in 1923 and how it ensnared families and countries across the globe.
Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect.
Written by one of the former heads of the fine-dining establishment Eleven Madison Park, this book gives an inside look into culinary excellence while also teaching lessons on creative hospitality and serving others.
An amazing book by an amazing leader in Nashville, TN, USA. Here’s a blurb from the book's publishers: “The ‘why’ of Charlie Strobel’s life, which was devoted to helping those without support systems and homes to call their own, was a simple belief that we are all poor and we are all worthy of love. The Kingdom of the Poor is the story of the people and experiences that led him to this understanding and inspired him to live his life accordingly.”
A research-based look into the problems of technology and social media - for ourselves and our children.
Simply put, the best book on prayer that I’ve read this year.
Between Two Rivers: Ancient Mesopotamia and the Birth of History.
Can you sense a theme? I love learning about history and the threads of impact that still weave their way into our lives today. This book is an amazing glimpse into the deep, diverse history of ONE archeological dig.
This book taught me more new things than any other read this year. It’s both wide in scope and deep in content.
From the Holy Mountain: A Journey Among the Christians of the Middle East.
William, the author, is one of my favorite historians and this book tells the story of his pilgrimage across the Middle East following stories and legacies of ancient Christian communities and leaders.
A Church Called Tov: Forming a Goodness Culture That Resists Abuses of Power and Promotes Healing.
A sobering and needed look at Church/church culture in our world today, and how to change it.
Disciplism: Reimagining Evangelism Through the Lens of Discipleship.
A great, short account from Alan Hirsch on the needed focus of holistic discipleship in the Church.
My favorite book of poetry that I have read this year, it is a beautiful work of art by my college friend, Lauren.
Podcasts:
All Things Discipleship. Discipleship is pivotal to the Christian journey. This podcast is a great resource for churches and church leaders.
BibleProject. My favorite way to keep learning about the Bible via podcasts, videos, and courses.
Curiously, Kaitlyn. A great resource for those of us raising/discipling children. Kaitlyn addresses this hard Bible/God questions that children throw our way.
Empire. One of my favorite history podcasts.
Everyday Eurasia. A great devotional resource available every weekday by my colleagues in Eurasia with the Church of the Nazarene.
The Holy Post. Great Christ-centered conversations about cultural happenings.
Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership. A great resource for drawing closer to Jesus, Christian practices, and church leadership.
The Ancients. One of my other favorite history podcasts. I like history :)
The Global Story. BBC news stories from across the globe. A great way to stay connected with news from outside your country.
Blogs:
With God Daily. One of my daily devotional reads.
The European Correspondent. Wide-ranging European news (very helpful to me these days).
After Babel. Ongoing research and examination of the role of technology and social media in our lives, by the author of The Anxious Generation.
Morning Brew. One of my main sources of “round-up” news from US and abroad. They also have lots of more focused newsletters too.
Axios. My other “round-up” news source with city-specific newsletters.
Goats and Soda. “Stories of life in a changing world.” Glocal-focused stories by NPR.
Who is My Neighbor? Conversations about our unhoused neighbors and housing policies in the USA.
The Chalmers Center. The best resource on poverty alleviation for churches and Christians.
Other Glocal Resources:
Streetlights Bible. My favorite app on my phone and my favorite way to listen to the Bible.
IJM Prayer Partner E-newsletter. An important resource to inform our prayers about human trafficking around the world.
Lectio 365 Devotional App. I listen to this every morning as I walk home from dropping my kids off at school.
I hope you enjoy these glocal tools and resources (some of which have affiliate links to help fund this blog).
What about you:
