Keynote Addresses

Solving Medical Debt

In the wealthiest nation in the world, many people can’t afford basic medical treatment — and medical debt is the primary cause of bankruptcy, even of people who are well-off with good insurance. The medical system in the US is broken..how can it be solved?  After Covid, John organized the Debt Jubilee Project, set up to purchase past-due medical debt and forgive it.  Since then, he has personally had the privilege of symbolically burning over $28 million in medical debt owed by neaighbors in North Carolina.  News coverage of this projact has spread the idea to hundred of other churches.

Don’t Believe Everything You Think!

A winsome and entertaining exploration of a very serious and even crippling subject — our own biases and blind spots, and the way advertisers and politicians manipulate our biases. John explains how to develop habits of verifying news and rumor and improve our critical thinking. 

Square Mile Churches

Churches across the nation are struggling or closing.  But recent research shows that small local congregations that are vitally engaged with their community are making a real difference.   How small neighborhood churches can transform the world – and do far more than just keep the doors open.

Failing Forward:

Turning Rejection into  Success

Fear of failure keeps many from pursuing their dreams – but failure is often a vital ingredient in success.  John tells a true story of a failure in his life that prompted him to pursue his goals more vigorously – resulting in a significant success in the same area.  Learn how to use failure as a stepping stone to success. Ideal for High School and college ages.

Eveything You Know is Wrong Series

This is a series of talks (accompanied by study guides) on faith deconstruction – examining what the Bible and the early church actually said and how different it is from teachings and assumptions of the modern evangelical church.

History of Hell

Deconstructing the ideal of Hell and everlasting punishment – did you know that “hell” as it has been understood since the Middle Ages actually doesn’t show up in the Bible at all, and the ideas of eternal conscious punishment are much later constructions.

Why the Rapture Didn’t Happen Yesterday

A humorous but well-researched review of the very modern concept of the Rapture and the continual fascination with “end-times.”  John looks at what is actually in the Bible and what is a later invention, and review a few of the many failed predictions of the end of the world.

Other Areas of Interest:

• Mental Illness
• LGBTQ+ Issues
• Women’s Issues