Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

Welcome back to our series exploring the core values of the Soma family of churches! In this episode, hosts Justin Westcott and Paul Dean tackle what can often be a misunderstood topic in modern ministry: Contextualization.

Paul and Justin open by grounding contextualization in 1 Corinthians 9:19–23, where the Apostle Paul describes becoming a "slave to all people" to win some. Contextualization is not theological compromise; it is the ultimate expression of missional love. Just as Jesus took on human flesh and moved into our neighborhood without abandoning His divine nature, the church is called to step across dietary, cultural, and linguistic barriers without watering down the gospel. Paul shares reflections on planting in Issaquah, WA, explaining how learning a community's unstated values, local habits, and deep longings allows believers to present Jesus not just as an abstract theological concept, but as the true answer to a neighborhood's deepest longings.

In the second half, Justin interviews Stephen "Steps" Tan, church planter and pastor of a university-adjacent church in Melbourne, Australia. As a minority Chinese-Malaysian ministering in one of the most multicultural cities in the world, Steps offers a powerful critique of the Homogeneous Unit Principle (HUP) and consumer-driven mega-church models.

Using food metaphors, Steps compares four approaches to cultural diversity: Assimilation (the melting pot), Multiculturalism (the siloed food court), Interculturalism (the church potluck), and Transculturalism (fusion food). Tracing Scripture from the judgment at Babel (Genesis 11) to the miracle of Pentecost (Acts 2) and the diverse leadership of Antioch (Acts 13), Steps explains how missional communities can pursue targeted, homogeneous outreach while gathering in heterogeneous, multi-ethnic worship. He shares real-life dispatches on launching Mandarin-speaking churches, reaching South Asian Hindu students through vegetarian hospitality, and engaging marginalized groups with radical grace.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• 1 Corinthians 9 Unpacked: The missionary sacrifices required to cross cultural, dietary, and linguistic barriers.
• Contextualization vs. Compromise: Guarding essential gospel doctrine while adapting communication styles and methods.
• The Four Food Models: Moving beyond siloed "food court" multiculturalism into genuine "fusion food" transculturalism.
• The Antioch Blueprint (Acts 13): How the early church embraced racial, socioeconomic, and cultural diversity in leadership.
• Balancing Homogeneity & Heterogeneity: Leveraging missional communities for focused outreach while modeling kingdom oneness in corporate gatherings.
• Gospel Comfort for Weary Planters: Remembering that our identity is rooted in being loved sons and daughters, not missiological metrics.

About Soma: Soma is a family of churches across North America and around the world working toward gospel saturation. We are passionate about connecting, equipping, and mobilizing disciple-makers to live out the gospel in community on the mission of Jesus in everyday life.

Connect & Support

• Website: www.wearesoma.com. Connect with regional leaders and browse equipping resources).
• Support: Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube and leave a review to help others find the show!

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

Welcome back to our series unpacking the foundational values of the Soma family of churches! In this episode, hosts Justin Westcott and Paul Dean dive deep into one of the most vital yet counterintuitive kingdom dynamics: Multiplication.

Drawing from Acts 1:7–8 and Colossians 1:3–14, Paul and Justin unpack why genuine multiplication is fundamentally distinct from programmatic church addition. Addition attempts to scale ministries through charismatic stage personalities, central pastoral hubs, and professional staff. Multiplication, however, is rooted in the doctrine of the Trinity and the priesthood of all believers—relying on the Holy Spirit who indwells, gifts, and empowers every follower of Jesus. Looking at Paul’s apostolic network in Romans 16 (including Priscilla, Aquila, Phoebe, and Epaphras), they reveal that the spread of the gospel across the Mediterranean was always the work of a whole body, not a solitary hero.

In the second half of the episode, Justin and Paul are joined by Ben Connelly, church planter in Fort Worth, Texas, and director of The Equipping Group. Ben examines how the conversation around church multiplication has matured over the past two decades. He pushes back against the early missional trend that treated church planting as the only "varsity" ministry, calling the church to broaden its vision by multiplying disciples and everyday ministers across ordinary life.

Ben and Justin unpack the difference between inward "input metrics" (attendance, giving) and outward "output metrics" (raising up leaders, releasing people to minister). Ben outlines how true leader development happens not through sterile classroom lectures, but through hands-on apprenticeship—breaking down training into a balanced third of content, a third of reflection, and a third of practical application.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Acts 1 & Colossians 1: How the gospel bears fruit and multiplies through ordinary saints.
• Culture Over Strategy: Why a contagious culture of honor, belonging, and hard conversations outlasts mere techniques.
• Breaking the Pastoral Bottleneck: Moving from the pastor as the single hub to training decentralized community shepherds.
• The Slow Growth of an Oak: Rejecting "microwave" church trends to embrace the patient, generational pace of discipleship.
• The "I See in You" Framework: Discovering, naming, and nurturing spiritual gifts in community.
• Apprenticeship in Action: The Equipping Group’s rule of thirds: content, reflection, and practicum.

About Soma: Soma is a family of churches across North America and around the world working toward gospel saturation. We are passionate about connecting, equipping, and mobilizing disciple-makers to live out the gospel in community on the mission of Jesus in everyday life.

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

Welcome back to our series unpacking the core values of the Soma family of churches! In this episode, hosts Justin Westcott and Paul Dean dive into one of our most easily misunderstood convictions: Always Being Reformed.

Paul and Justin clarify that this value is not about tribal Calvinist-versus-Arminian theological debates. Instead, it reflects a posture of radical devotion to the Word of God and a humble willingness to follow wherever Scripture leads. Rooted in Colossians 3:12–13, they explore how theological stewardship requires patience, mutual submission, and the grace to make allowances for each other’s blind spots. They distinguish between unchanging, non-negotiable "hills to die on" (historic creeds and the Lausanne Covenant) and secondary forms that must adapt across generations to serve the mission of Jesus.

In the second half, Justin sits down with Jared Pickney, lead pastor of The Crossing in Paragould, Arkansas. Jared shares his journey of church planting in his rural hometown and leading through cultural shifts. He tackles the danger of turning missional models into untouchable "sacred cows," explaining how his church equipped missional communities with practical discipleship pathways.

Jared unpacks his five essential ingredients for continuous kingdom reformation: Humility, Curiosity, Creativity, Adaptability, and Audacity. Drawing from Canoeing the Mountains and the wisdom of childlike faith, Jared and Justin remind leaders that God is seeking our perfection —He is a loving Father who delights in partnering with us as we build, adapt, and experiment in His name.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• What "Always Being Reformed" Really Means: Posture over tribalism, guided by Scripture and Colossians 3.
• Function vs. Form: Honoring biblical commands while having the freedom to adapt outdated structures.
• Dismantling Sacred Cows: Why church planters must avoid imposing rigid, one-size-fits-all missional models.
• The Five Ingredients of Reformation: Humility, Curiosity, Creativity, Adaptability, and Audacity.
• Childlike Faith Over Perfectionism: Embracing the freedom to experiment and fail forward in ministry.
• Spiritual Gifts & Calling: Discovering God's design through holy passion, burden, and community practice.

Connect & Support

Website: We Are Soma (Connect with regional leaders and browse equipping resources).

Support: Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube and leave us a review!