Listening to the Global Church (feat. Jay Moon)
Christianity is no longer centered in the West.
The fastest growth is happening in post-colonial contexts across Africa, Asia, and Latin America - places where believers are asking different questions of Scripture and developing theology from within their own realities.
In this conversation, Jay Moon reflects on his years among the Bulsa people of Ghana and the moment he realized that a guilt-based presentation of the gospel did not address their deepest fears. That shift reshaped his theology of evangelism.
But the conversation doesn’t stop overseas. Jay argues that the emerging worldview in the West is no longer guilt, fear, or shame - but indifference. And if the Church fails to listen carefully, we will continue offering answers to questions no one is asking.
Key Takeaways
Christianity is growing fastest in post-colonial contexts where Western influence is weakest.
All theology is contextual theology - the question is who gets to ask the questions.
The gospel addresses guilt, but also fear and shame.
Many cultures operate from a fear-power or shame-honor worldview rather than guilt-justice.
The emerging worldview in the West is indifference - a longing for belonging and purpose.
Evangelism begins by listening to the conversation God is already having with people.
Churches and mission agencies must cultivate missional imagination to avoid the “curse of knowledge.”
Chapter Markers
00:00 – Christianity shifting to the Global South
05:30 – Post-colonial theology and local autonomy
12:40 – Secularization and the loss of spiritual imagination
18:15 – A story of spiritual warfare and worldview assumptions
24:20 – Ghana and the Bulsa people: When guilt didn’t resonate
33:10 – Fear, shame, and the power of Christ
41:45 – The rise of indifference in the West
49:30 – Belonging, purpose, and Zacchaeus
56:00 – Missional imagination and kingdom innovation
1:05:00 – The curse of knowledge and Blockbuster vs. Netflix
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