How The Monday Christian Will Be Shifting in 2024

For the past few years, I've used The Monday Christian to feature articles and interviews from dozens of different authors from different Christian backgrounds. One of the reasons for this is I am, by nature, a curious person. I love to hear different perspectives, and there is value in sitting down with people who think differently than I do on a particular subject.

However, moving into 2024, I'm making a pivot.

For those of you who don't know, my "day job" is to serve as a freelance writer for Forbes|Books. Since 2021, I've worked with numerous authors in business, academics, manufacturing, and medicine to bring their words to print. It's been a wonderful experience, and I've learned so much along the way.

This came after serving for nearly a decade as a pastor, and the contrast between these two professions was stark. I went from crafting weekly sermons to sitting down with authors and helping them put their words to print. As I did, I realized that often the topics I used to preach about in church on Sunday simply didn't translate to many people's lives on Monday.

Just this past year, I've sat over Zoom with multiple authors who have shared with me why they no longer attend church. They'll say things like, "I just feel attending church is such a waste of time," "Pastors don't talk about topics that relate to where I'm at," or "I'd consider myself spiritual but not religious."

That's one part of my life.

Another part is the work I do on this website. I love the many conversations I've been able to have via our weekly podcast. But I've sometimes felt these discussions are missing the mark and not tackling the fundamental questions people, such as many of my writing clients, are asking.

So this fall I've done a lot of thinking and praying.

I don't want The Monday Christian just to be another Christian site that promotes a brand and leverages Christian influencers to speak solely to Christian audiences. I want TMC to A) Elevate the name of Jesus, B) Strengthen people's faith, and C) Build strong disciples. I want this platform to help believers and people who are hungry for God to discover who he is and to equip and motivate them to live out their faith throughout the week – regardless if they are writers, maintenance workers, nurses, or lawyers.

So, in 2024, I'll be shifting the approach of this site. On January 1st I'll be rolling out a brand new daily devotional that will walk people through the Bible in a year. I'll share more details in the following newsletter, but I'm excited about this fresh approach.

The goal is to give individuals like yourself a clear plan that will take you through the Bible in a year, provide helpful content that will strengthen your walk with God, and offer you the chance to take your practical questions to some of the brightest Christian minds.

That last part will be made possible because I am switching the format of our podcast from "random interesting topics" to "strategic weekly conversations" that align with our journey through Scripture. For example, when we're talking about how to form strong devotional habits, I'll bring Pastor Darryl Dash, author of 8 Habits for Growth. If we're in Proverbs, I'll have my friend and Hebrew Bible specialist Phil Brown. And when we're trying to unpack how to read certain confusing Scripture passages, I'll have Old Testament authors like Sandra Richter add their voices.

My hope is that this new approach will be an excellent tool to strengthen your understanding of God, a resource you would recommend to someone you're mentoring, and an avenue to strategically grow your faith in the God of Scripture.

Again, I'll share more details in next week's newsletter, but I wanted to let you know what you can expect. I'm grateful you are part of this newsletter community and would be happy to answer any questions you might have via email (ezra@themondaychristian.com).