Hi! I’m JR. Forasteros

Welcome to my corner of the web.

I’m an author, pastor and podcaster (which basically means I love words, love to talk and love to collaborate). I think everyone has a story, and I’d love to know yours.

I wrote a book about what we can learn when we look for ourselves in the villains of the Bible (yes, including Satan).

The sins of wrath, idolatry, and abuse of power are closer to us than we think. How do we guard against them? We learn not only by following moral exemplars—we also need to look at the warnings of lives gone wrong.

In this fictionalized narrative, I reintroduce you to some of the most villainous characters of Scripture. I show you what you can learn from their negative examples, with figures such as Cain, Jezebel, King Herod, and even Satan serving as cautionary tales of sin and temptation. Their vividly-told stories to help you understand their motivations, and the biblical and cultural exposition point out what we often miss about their lives.

You’ll soon discover you might have more in common with these characters than you would like to admit. Take a fresh look at the scoundrels of Scripture, and find sound pastoral guidance here to walk the path of righteousness.

Find out more about the book here.

It’s available pretty much wherever books are sold!

Podcasts

I love podcasting because I love collaboration and conversation. Here are the podcasts I currently co-host.

StoryMen

My first podcast, on pop culture, history and theology. Matt Mikalatos, Clay Morgan and I interview a ton of authors, from George R. R. Martin and Mark Waid to Peter Enns and Julianna Baggott.

In All Things Charity

Wesleyan Feminist Theology from me, Tara Tomas Smith and Heather Gerbsch Daugherty

Bible Bites

This is Sunday School for the 21st Century. Tom Fuerst, Elizabeth Glass Turner and I work through the Bible 20 minutes at a time. This is high-quality Biblical education with a small side of fun.

Don't Split Up!

It's the first rule for surviving a horror film. Join Mo, Stacey, my wife Amanda and me as we investigate horror films new and old to find out what makes them tick... and why we love them so much!

Origami Elephants

What happens when an agnostic philosopher and an Evangelical pastor talk about religion and philosophy? Mostly good stuff - especially since we use pop culture and current events as the window into our topics. Bryne Helen Lewis and I dive deep!

Messages

Listen to every sermon, plus those of my preaching team. Plus the talks I give elsewhere (assuming I can get my hands on them!).

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Messages

An atheist, a hip-hop theologian and an Evangelical pastor review the STARZ TV show American Gods episode by episode. Kate Sanchez, Daniel White Hodge and I explore what the show says about religion.

The Stuff You’ll Probably Like Weekly Newsletter

Every Friday, I’ll send you a collection of pop culture recommendations. Movies, TV shows, books, podcasts, graphic novels – anything I think you’ll like. You get a devotional reflection (which is some of my favorite stuff I write every week – I’m not afraid to get a little weird). You get a list of all the podcast episodes, blog posts and talks I created that week. And newsletter subscribers are always the first to get updates on my newest projects.

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Sermon Previews

Manuscripts and Discussion Guides

April 19, 2018The Good Shepherd
Karl Marx famously claimed that religion was the ‘opiate of the masses’. He meant what we know – religion can be a powerful means of controlling people. This was as true in Jesus’ day as it is in [...]
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April 12, 2018More than Magic Tricks
Why do you follow Jesus? Many of us follow because we want Jesus to change our circumstances, to work a miracle in our jobs, families or bodies. But Jesus’ aim isn’t to improve our lives. Rather, [...]
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April 5, 2018A Defense of the Faith
Does the idea of fighting about religion make you nervous? Of course it does! But we’re so often taught that we have to defend our faith against people who don’t believe. After all, Jesus himself [...]
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