speaker/teacher
speaking | teaching | interviewing | producing
most recent talks
@ Via Media:
@ Spark.Church
scriptaural project videos
Natural disasters have been historically interpreted as the gods being angry. The Noah story teaches the connectedness of humanity with the land and our responsibility to establish justice, because this God hung up the bow in the clouds.
How we tell our origin story is central to our identity, behavior, and values. The Israelites wrote a better story than their contemporaries, inspiring us all to continue the rewriting of our stories, to say again, “Let there be light.”
We all know what chaos is. The opening lines of Genesis recognize this chaos and was written so we also know that life can be incubated out of the chaos, like an eagle hovering over its young.
"Hover" was the first iteration of the Via Media Project. Taken from Genesis 1:2, "And the spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters."
The YouTube channel La Conversación en Curso produced a spanish version of our first video from 2016.
conversational interviews
Why Teaching Philosophy to Children Matters w/Jana Mohr Lone (August 21, 2023)
A Complicated Choice: Honest Stories In The Pro-Choice Movement w/Katey Zeh (July 17, 2023)
Curveball—When Faith Takes Turns, part 1, w/Pete Enns (April 23, 2023)
Genetics and Justice: Why DNA Matters for Social Equality w/Kathryn Paige Harden (December 12, 2022
Beating Guns: Making Violence Extinct w/Mike Martin (November 14, 2022)
Trauma Informed and Compassionate Justice w/Fritzi Horstman (October 24, 2022)
After Evangelicalism: A Way Forward w/David Gushee (September 26, 2022)
Welcoming The Stranger: Justice, Compassion, and Truth in the Immigration Debate w/Matthew Soerens (June 21, 2021)
Christianity, Masculinity, & The Soul of Evangelicalism w/Kristin Kobes Du Mez (March 1, 2021)
How to Fight Racism, Part Two: Continued Questions w/Jemar Tisby (February 1, 2021)
Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope w/Esau McCaulley (October 19, 2020)
The Color of Compromise Conversational Q&R Interview w/Jemar Tisby
Understanding Transgender Identities, Lives, and Faith w/Austen Hartke (August 14, 2023)
Stewards of Eden: What the Bible Says About Creation Care w/Sandra Richter (July 3, 2023)
Curveball—When Faith Takes Turns, part 2, Conversational Interview w/Pete Enns (April 23, 2023)
Christian Environmentalism: Science, Faith, Climate, and Care w/Dorothy Boorse and Brian Webb (December 5, 2022)
What Happens When Work Becomes Religion w/Carolyn Chen (November 7, 2022)
Attached to God: The Science of Attachment in Love and Faith w/Krispin Mayfield (October 3, 2022)
How Patterns of Meaning Will Shape Our Future w/Jeremy Lent (August 22, 2022)
Race, Faith, & Science w/Kizzmekia Corbett & Kenneth Gibbs (May 24, 2021)
Do Justly: An honest conversation on how to think about racial, cultural, and operational dynamics when giving to non-profit organizations w/Caren McNelly McCormack, Lisa Jackson, Katie Stevens Boland, and Twesigye Jackson Kaguri (November 16, 2020)
How to Fight Racism, Part One w/Jemar Tisby (February 1, 2021)
The Souls of America Conversational Q&R Interview w/Ryan Eller [Watch Ryan's talk here]
The Color of Compromise Conversational Q&R Interview w/Jemar Tisby
My follow-up conversational interviews with Justin Lee (@ Spark.Church's podcast) & Preston Sprinkle (@ Theology in the Raw's podcast):
Sexuality, Scripture & the Soul of Christianity , Part 2 w/Justin Lee and Preston Sprinkle (March 10, 2019)
"I'm Still Here," Conversational Interview w/Austin Channing Brown (February 10, 2019)
Moral Combat: How Sex Formed and Fractured American Christianity, part 2 w/R. Marie Griffith (September 9, 2018)
Sexuality, Scripture & the Soul of Christianity , Part 1 w/Justin Lee and Preston Sprinkle (March 10, 2019)
"I'm Still Here," part 1 w/Austin Channing Brown (February 10, 2019)
Moral Combat: How Sex Formed and Fractured American Christianity, part 1 w/R. Marie Griffith (September 9, 2018)
Spark Learning Seminar | The New Testament: Is What We Have Now What They Wrote Then w/Dr. Daniel B. Wallace. (January 26, 2014)
Conversations For Our Disrupted Times
In our conversation with Pastor Omair we will explore: First, what is technology? Then, what is technology doing to us? What are technology's "effects" on our humanity. Far beyond the popular debates of "social media," what does science say about "electronic mediums" and their effects on our minds and relationships? What are we learning about ourselves in this "digital age?" Are digital technologies changing faith, and the ways in which we understand The Way of Jesus?
In our conversation with Siddhi we will explore: What is "storytelling" and why is it so important? What draws us, at a biological level, to stories, characters, and their journeys? What makes a good story and why should we tell good stories? Are there any "bad" stories that we should be cautious of, and how do we identify them? How should we tell the Jesus story in this time and season?
In our conversation with Pastor Tom we will explore: For those who are brand new to investing, What is the stock market and what does it mean to invest? Is this a "good time" and what does that even mean? How does a financial manager think in times like these? What are the right perspectives? What have we learned, financially, in this crisis and what lessons should we be taking away from this time and season? How does a financial manager who follows Jesus think about Jesus' teachings about money?
In our conversation with Dr. David Chen we will explore: How do trained medical professionals process the news? How do we discern real medical science through what we read in the headlines? How does a medically trained parent currently behave with little ones? What are the main concerns and strategies (from the not so real concerns)? How does the medical system work in crises like this? What can we learn, and how can we make things better from here? How does a doctor think about The Way of Jesus and medicine?
In our conversation with Pastor Danielle, we will explore: What is a "spiritual guide?" What are "spiritual disciplines?" How does this differ from counseling or therapy? What spiritual practices have helped in your life? What spiritual practices do we see in The Way of Jesus? How can we make those spiritual practices a regular part of our lives? How would you guide someone who is brand new to the idea of spiritual practices as a way of living through disrupted times?
other stuff I've said. out loud. on camera.
"Kevin Neuner, pastor of Spark Church in Palo Alto, discusses the state of modern Christianity and how Christians can avoid the bad theology that has damaged the reputation of today's church." (From video Description) (April 22, 2019)
"Gospel justice and racial reconciliation have been cornerstones of Spark Church since their founding seven years ago, serving as a core expression of the way of Jesus." (August 14, 2020)
Ed Stetzer presents a "Post-Covid" Missiology: Three Ongoing Realities." 1. We are in a "Cultural Convulsion" and we need "reservoirs of resilience." 2. We are living through "The Great Sort" and we need "cultures of discipleship." 3. We are living through "Layers of Disengagement" and we need to "reengage the last third" of our congregations.
I had a chance to respond with some of my own reflections: 1. People need to be reminded more than they need to be told. Remind ourselves of our story, our history, and our identity. 2. Seek first to understand, rather than seeking first to agree or disagree. 3. Pursue thoughtful "change management" in addition to doctrines, and consider carefully how we engage the current cultural moment with congruity to our already established identities. 4. Start first with Jesus, then translate that understanding into the context of the "institution" of "the church."
An October 2017 clip from Spark.Church’s “Starter Pack,” a series of videos designed to help people become introduced to our church.
lectures
The King's Academy, Sunnyvale, CA | December 3, 2013
In a world of ubiquitous technology, it is important for all of us to pause for a moment and ask what these digital devices are doing to us, our teens, and our families. This seminar will help parents understand the effects of technology on the family and how smartphones, the internet, and social media are influencing adolescent development. Drawing from the wisdom of technology theorists, child and family psychologists, and research professors, we will discover the 'best practices' that can be immediately employed to not only protect, but empower, the family.
The King's Academy, Sunnyvale, CA | March 10, 2015
Our greatest joys and our greatest pains. Depedency and independence. Parenting is full of paradoxes, and recognizing them is necessary for managing them. This paradox also helps us find grace and understanding in the flux of parenting.
Spark Church, Palo Alto, CA | April 7, 2013
Technology impacts our world in ways previously only imagined. Here in Silicon Valley, advancements are rapid as science-fiction becomes science-fact. As we live in the midst of these developments, let's pause to ask, "What is technology?" "How does it change us?" "What is the relationship between faith and technology?" In this seminar we explore these questions and more as we consider technology's influence on our humanity, our thinking, our practices, and our faith. Join us in pondering the role of religion, ethics, and God, in the midst of everything from smart phones and laptops to autonomous vehicles and artificial intelligence.
Spark Church, Palo Alto, CA | November 11, 2012
In the public sphere, faith and science are often presented contentiously and in opposition to one another. Perhaps there is another way. This seminar hopes to elevate the conversation as we honor each discipline. We will focus on the history of the debate, share personal thoughts, and provide a few educational insights. Ultimately, we seek to discover how both faith and science provide ways of understanding the world around us that begin and end with a grand sense of mystery, awe, and wonder.
In this talk, Kevin briefly briefly shares about a few key figures in the debate, and offers a framework and ethic for engaging in discussion. The first step, is learning to listen to each other. Second, be captivated by the wonder and awe of this universe that is revealed through scientific investigation and Scriptural reverence.
sermons
The Story of Jesus in Four Acts, Sequoia Christian Church, Redwood City, CA | June/July, 2007
A four part series.
The King's Academy, Sunnyvale, CA | January 17, 2012
In the beginning, God created...and it was good, and it was complete. Two chapters later, we find ourselves broken, incomplete, in chaos. Our faith in Jesus and commission from God is about “rebuilding” and “restoring” that which has been broken (Genesis 1-3). Other words that may be used to describe this faith journey: “rescue,” “repair,” & “redeem.”
The King's Academy, Sunnyvale, CA | August 20, 2013
Abundant Life Christian Fellowship, Mountain View, CA | March, 2010
Is the Church imperfect? Yes. Are there dysfunctions in the Church? Yes. But those are the very characteristics that make the Church a place of healing, of hope, of redemption, and of welcome, because that means all of us belong. The scandal of the church is not its brokenness, but rather its false appearance of perfection. Understanding that the Church is a community, not a commodity inspires us to take our imperfections, connect them with others, and let God's Spirit dwell amongst us.
The Living Stones of ALCF from the...
8:30am Sunday Service are named @ 32:24; 4:30pm Saturday Service are named @ 43:03; 7:00pm Saturday Service are named @ 50:26; 11:00am Sunday Service are named @ 56:21
Abundant Life Christian Fellowship, Mountain View, CA | August 3, 2009
Legacy of Faith" weekends are services in which the generations of faith are brought together in worship. In this service we are taught about the power of our words to create, and are challenged and inspired to steward our words well.
Abundant Life Christian Fellowship, Mountain View, CA | August 2, 2008
"Legacy of Faith" weekends are services in which the generations of faith are brought together in worship. In this service we discover the great legacy of Jesus as we follow Him, and as others follow us. This legacy is called discipleship, and it challenges and inspires us to truly follow the way of Jesus.
Abundant Life Christian Fellowship, Mountain View, CA | March 1, 2008
Becoming a Christian in this day is
Identity, community, and destiny.
Abundant Life Christian Fellowship, Mountain View, CA | July 15, 2007
"Sh'ma Or Die"
Rules, laws, and obedience are perceived as limits on our fun and our freedom. But the biblical perspective teaches that there is "life" and "death," and the guidelines are given to actually protect life.