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#79: Bonhoeffer’s Secret to Faithful Discipleship with Tripp Fuller

In this episode of the Pivot Podcast, Dwight Zscheile and Katie Langston are joined by Tripp Fuller to discuss the life and theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and its relevance for church leaders today.

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In this episode of the Pivot Podcast, Dwight Zscheile and Katie Langston are joined by Tripp Fuller to discuss the life and theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and its relevance for church leaders today. They explore:

  • How Bonhoeffer’s experiences engaging with different cultures and communities shaped his understanding of the gospel and discipleship
  • The importance of critically examining the assumptions and influences of modernity on the church
  • Bonhoeffer’s emphasis on the centrality of discipleship and the need for the church to speak prophetically in the face of injustice
  • The vital role of deep relationships and community in sustaining faithful Christian witness
  • What church leaders today can learn from Bonhoeffer’s example as they navigate the challenges of leadership in a polarized and rapidly changing cultural context

Show Notes

Featuring

Tripp Fuller Headshot
Tripp Fuller
Visiting Professor of Theology, Luther Theological Seminary

Dr. Tripp Fuller recently moved back to North Carolina and started as Visiting Professor of Theology at Luther Theological Seminary after three years as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Theology & Science at the University of Edinburgh. He recently released “Divine Self-Investment: a Constructive Open and Relational Christology,” the first book in the Studies in Open and Relational Theology series. 

For over 15 years, Fuller has been doing the Homebrewed Christianity podcast where he interviews different scholars about their work.. Last year, it had over four million downloads. It also inspired a book series with Fortress Press called the Homebrewed Christianity Guides. He is a very committed and (some of his friends think overly) engaged Lakers fan and takes Star Wars and Lord of the Rings very seriously.

Katie Langston
Pastor of Mission and Outreach, New Promise Lutheran Church, St. George, Utah

Katie Langston is a doubter by nature and a believer by grace. She grew up Mormon in Cache Valley, Utah, and converted to orthodox (little “o”) Christianity after a profound experience of God’s grace over a decade ago. She is pastor of mission and outreach at New Promise Lutheran Church in St. George, Utah. Katie is the author of a spiritual memoir called Sealed: An Unexpected Journey into the Heart of Grace.

Hosts

Faith+Lead Headshot of The Rev. Dr. Dwight Zscheile, VP of Innovation, Luther Seminary.
Dwight Zscheile
Professor of Congregational Mission and Leadership, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota

The Rev. Dr. Dwight Zscheile is professor of congregational mission and leadership at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota.

He is the author of Embracing the Mixed Ecology (with Blair Pogue, Seabury Books, 2025), Leading Faithful Innovation: Following God into a Hopeful Future (with Michael Binder and Tessa Pinkstaff, Fortress Press 2023), Participating in God’s Mission: A Theological Missiology for the U.S. (with Craig Van Gelder, Eerdmans 2018), The Agile Church: Spirit-Led Innovation in an Uncertain Age (Morehouse Publishing, 2014), People of the Way: Renewing Episcopal Identity (Morehouse Publishing, 2012) and The Missional Church in Perspective: Mapping Trends and Shaping the Conversation (with Craig Van Gelder, Baker Academic 2011), editor of Cultivating Sent Communities: Missional Spiritual Formation (Eerdmans, 2012), and co-editor (with Ed Olsworth-Peter) of The Starter’s Way: Leading New Contextual Christian Communities (Church Publishing, 2025).

A graduate of Stanford University (BA), Yale University (MDiv) and Luther Seminary (PhD, Congregational Mission and Leadership), Dwight previously served congregations in Minnesota, Virginia and Connecticut. Dwight’s experience growing up in a secular home in California has shaped his commitment to helping the church cultivate Christian community with neighbors in today’s changing world.

Katie Langston
Pastor of Mission and Outreach, New Promise Lutheran Church, St. George, Utah

Katie Langston is a doubter by nature and a believer by grace. She grew up Mormon in Cache Valley, Utah, and converted to orthodox (little “o”) Christianity after a profound experience of God’s grace over a decade ago. She is pastor of mission and outreach at New Promise Lutheran Church in St. George, Utah. Katie is the author of a spiritual memoir called Sealed: An Unexpected Journey into the Heart of Grace.

About Pivot Podcast

Join us on Pivot Podcast, where we journey beyond church-as-usual to discover how God is reshaping ministry for today’s world.

Each week, we dive into conversations with innovative leaders and practitioners who are navigating four game-changing pivots: shifting from quick fixes to deep listening, from membership to discipleship, from rigid models to creative ministry ecosystems, and from clergy-centered leadership to unleashing everyone’s gifts.

Whether you’re a member of the clergy seeking fresh inspiration or a volunteer stepping into new leadership territory, Pivot Podcast equips you with the insights and practical wisdom to follow Jesus into a faithful future.

Through their work with diverse cohorts of preachers, they’ve discovered that the most compelling sermons aren’t necessarily the most polished – they’re the ones where preachers have learned to listen deeply to both God and their congregations. Learn practical tools for gathering meaningful feedback, understand why vulnerability matters more than ever in preaching, and discover how shifting from evaluation to understanding can deepen your sermon’s impact. Plus, hear why reimagining God’s agency in preaching might be the key to unlocking more powerful proclamation.

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Featuring

Tripp Fuller Headshot
Tripp Fuller
Visiting Professor of Theology, Luther Theological Seminary

Dr. Tripp Fuller recently moved back to North Carolina and started as Visiting Professor of Theology at Luther Theological Seminary after three years as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Theology & Science at the University of Edinburgh. He recently released “Divine Self-Investment: a Constructive Open and Relational Christology,” the first book in the Studies in Open and Relational Theology series. 

For over 15 years, Fuller has been doing the Homebrewed Christianity podcast where he interviews different scholars about their work.. Last year, it had over four million downloads. It also inspired a book series with Fortress Press called the Homebrewed Christianity Guides. He is a very committed and (some of his friends think overly) engaged Lakers fan and takes Star Wars and Lord of the Rings very seriously.

Katie Langston
Pastor of Mission and Outreach, New Promise Lutheran Church, St. George, Utah

Katie Langston is a doubter by nature and a believer by grace. She grew up Mormon in Cache Valley, Utah, and converted to orthodox (little “o”) Christianity after a profound experience of God’s grace over a decade ago. She is pastor of mission and outreach at New Promise Lutheran Church in St. George, Utah. Katie is the author of a spiritual memoir called Sealed: An Unexpected Journey into the Heart of Grace.

Hosts

Faith+Lead Headshot of The Rev. Dr. Dwight Zscheile, VP of Innovation, Luther Seminary.
Dwight Zscheile
Professor of Congregational Mission and Leadership, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota

The Rev. Dr. Dwight Zscheile is professor of congregational mission and leadership at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota.

He is the author of Embracing the Mixed Ecology (with Blair Pogue, Seabury Books, 2025), Leading Faithful Innovation: Following God into a Hopeful Future (with Michael Binder and Tessa Pinkstaff, Fortress Press 2023), Participating in God’s Mission: A Theological Missiology for the U.S. (with Craig Van Gelder, Eerdmans 2018), The Agile Church: Spirit-Led Innovation in an Uncertain Age (Morehouse Publishing, 2014), People of the Way: Renewing Episcopal Identity (Morehouse Publishing, 2012) and The Missional Church in Perspective: Mapping Trends and Shaping the Conversation (with Craig Van Gelder, Baker Academic 2011), editor of Cultivating Sent Communities: Missional Spiritual Formation (Eerdmans, 2012), and co-editor (with Ed Olsworth-Peter) of The Starter’s Way: Leading New Contextual Christian Communities (Church Publishing, 2025).

A graduate of Stanford University (BA), Yale University (MDiv) and Luther Seminary (PhD, Congregational Mission and Leadership), Dwight previously served congregations in Minnesota, Virginia and Connecticut. Dwight’s experience growing up in a secular home in California has shaped his commitment to helping the church cultivate Christian community with neighbors in today’s changing world.

Katie Langston
Pastor of Mission and Outreach, New Promise Lutheran Church, St. George, Utah

Katie Langston is a doubter by nature and a believer by grace. She grew up Mormon in Cache Valley, Utah, and converted to orthodox (little “o”) Christianity after a profound experience of God’s grace over a decade ago. She is pastor of mission and outreach at New Promise Lutheran Church in St. George, Utah. Katie is the author of a spiritual memoir called Sealed: An Unexpected Journey into the Heart of Grace.