That Makes Total Sense! | Special Release

Episode 8 – Migration Part 2 with Matthew Soerens

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 11:00:41 +0000

SPECIAL OFFER | As a listener of the show, you can get 25% off the entire Made for PAX Bible Study Series by using the code IVPOD25 at checkout at ivpress.com. We hope you enjoy this episode!

Summary

When I think of individuals and organizations who have their work cut out for them, always, but especially with our current times, I think of Matthew Soerens and World Relief. For those who may not be familiar, World Relief is a Christian humanitarian organization who serves people who are in crisis all over the world, especially those who have been displaced from their homes. As you can imagine, for their team in the U.S., that means lots of work with folks who immigrate here, whether as refugees or asylum seekers—people with complicated circumstances who are in vulnerable situations.

As the close to our IVP / Made for Pax Series, I am beyond grateful to have Matthew back on the podcast to talk about migration and how Christians can respond to the topic, and our neighbors, more generally, and how our current political situation is affecting the lives of people here and abroad. Matthew shares insight and wisdom from decades of work in this space and I am thrilled he was able to take time out from that work to join me here. I can’t wait for you to listen and share!

Mentioned in this episode

Migration: Experiencing God’s Care for Immigrants - A 6-Week Interactive Bible Study by Alexis Busetti and Dorcas Cheng-Tozun

Welcoming the Stranger: Justice, Compassion, and Truth in the Immigration Debate by Matthew Soerens, Jenny Yang and Leith Anderson

World Relief

Ep. 115 with Karen González

Ep. 162 with Karen González

Links

This is a special, one-season release of That Makes Total Sense! from IVP author, Alexis Busetti. To continue listening to the podcast after episode 8, follow the show on Alexis’s channels:

Disclaimer: The comments, views, and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and/or the guests featured on the podcast and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of InterVarsity Press or InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.

As an Amazon Affiliate, this channel earns commissions from qualifying purchases when you use the links above.

Episode 7 – Accessible Spiritual Practices with Jenai Auman

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 11:00:06 +0000

Summary

Chats with Jenai always result in wisdom for me, so I am grateful for our conversations! (This one is no exception!) Jenai is the author of an amazing book called Othered: Finding Belonging with the God Who Pursues the Hurt, Harmed, and Marginalized and is a cohort leader at Made for Pax. (Our first convo for the podcast was incredible!) She is one of the endorsers of this series by IVP and Made for Pax, and I am thrilled to have her voice here. In this episode, we talk about contemplative spirituality, spiritual direction, and exploring spiritual spaces that might have once been foreign to us. She also gives her favorite entry point into the spiritual disciplines. In other words, she encourages us that the spiritual practices from the patristics are not reserved for any one group in particular, they are accessible for all (and these studies help pave the way!). I’m excited for you to listen!

Mentioned in this episode

Made for Pax Bible Study Series by IVP

Made for Pax

Ep. 315 with Tiffany Bluhm

The Quotidian Mysteries: Laundry, Liturgy and "Women's Work" by Kathleen Norris

A Fire in the Bones: Reflections on African-American Religious History by Albert J. Raboteau

Links

This is a special, one-season release of That Makes Total Sense! from IVP author, Alexis Busetti. To continue listening to the podcast after episode 8, follow the show on Alexis’s channels:

As an Amazon Affiliate, this channel earns commissions from qualifying purchases when you use the links above.

Episode 6 - Mental Health Part 2 with Bianca Hughes

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 09:00:15 +0000

Summary

For many Christians who have struggled with mental health challenges, either personally or accompanying loved ones, the church has often been a place of conflicting messages. Do we just need Jesus or can therapy help? Are we allowed to talk to God in that way or about those things? Am I weak or sinful? Questions like these and others have surrounded mental health care, but the good news is, it’s getting better! And one of the main reasons is because therapists and other Christian mental health professionals, like my guest for this episode in the series Bianca Hughes, who are helping fight the stigma and shame associated with seeking help and are opening the doors for honest conversations leading to healing. I was so encouraged by this conversation as we explored faith and mental health and I hope you are too! Be sure to check out Bianca’s panel conversation below, as a featured additional resource for the Mental Health bible study.

Mentioned in this episode:

Mental Health: Experiencing God’s Care for Our Mind, Body, and Spirit - A 6-Week Interactive Bible Study by Dorcas Cheng-Tozun

Authentically Be You Counseling and Wellness Studio

“What’s the Difference between Therapists, Spiritual Directors, and Pastors?: A Video Panel with Mental Health Helpers”

Links

This is a special, one-season release of That Makes Total Sense! from IVP author, Alexis Busetti. To continue listening to the podcast after episode 8, follow the show on Alexis’s channels:

As an Amazon Affiliate, this channel earns commissions from qualifying purchases when you use the links above.

Episode 5 - Liberation with Kristel Acevedo

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 09:00:55 +0000

Summary

Oh my goodness! I had a great time talking with Kristel Acevedo! We continue our series on conversations centered around the Made for Pax / InterVarsity Press bible studies with this one on Kristel’s contribution Liberated at the Cross: Peace and Reconciliation in God’s Kingdom, available in English and Spanish. We talked about cruciformity, peace, the upside down kingdom of God, and of course, liberation. Kristel shares about her own journey and in that, she invites us all to place these concepts in our own contexts, and in our own lives and communities. I know you’re gonna love this one!

Mentioned in this episode:

Liberated at the Cross: Peace and Reconciliation in God’s Kingdom -- A 6-Week Interactive Bible Study with Video Access by Kristel Acevedo

Liberados en la cruz: Paz y reconciliación en el reino de Dios—Un estudio bíblico interactivo de 6 semanas con acceso a video by Kristel Acevedo

Cruciformity: Paul’s Narrative Spirituality of the Cross, 20th Anniversary Edition by Michael J. Gorman

Transformation Church

Links

This is a special, one-season release of That Makes Total Sense! from IVP author, Alexis Busetti. To continue listening to the podcast after episode 8, follow the show on Alexis’s channels:

As an Amazon Affiliate, this channel earns commissions from qualifying purchases when you use the links above.

Episode 4 - Peace with Drew Jackson

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 09:00:30 +0000

Summary

Any time I get to talk with Drew Jackson, it is a complete joy for me! And, as you may have guessed from that opening statement, Drew is no stranger to the podcast (I highly encourage you to catch our other conversations about his books of poetry on the coming of Christ and the Gospel of Luke). This time, he’s here talking about his study in the Made for Pax series, Let Peace Reign: Love, Justice, and Dignity in God’s Kingdom--A 6-Week Interactive Bible Study with Video Access by Drew Edward Jackson, and it is a good one! There are lots of conversations about peace and unity right now in our Christian communities, but what does that really mean? What does peace look like when there seems to be so much strife and injustice all around us? How can we follow the example of Jesus, especially as he announces his ministry in Luke, in our current contexts today? This conversation and study are incredible places to start diving deeply into those questions and more.

Mentioned in this episode:

Let Peace Reign: Love, Justice, and Dignity in God’s Kingdom--A 6-Week Interactive Bible Study with Video Access by Drew Edward Jackson

Letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr.

Links

This is a special, one-season release of That Makes Total Sense! from IVP author, Alexis Busetti. To continue listening to the podcast after episode 8, follow the show on Alexis’s channels:

As an Amazon Affiliate, this channel earns commissions from qualifying purchases when you use the links above.

Episode 3 - Migration Part 1 with Alexis Busetti and Dorcas Cheng-Tozun

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 09:00:04 +0000

Summary

When I say this conversation was fun and meaningful, that is truly an understatement! Dorcas Cheng-Tozun, co-author of Migration: Experiencing God’s Care for Immigrants joined me for this episode and we shared from our hearts what our hopes are for the study and how working on it impacted us. Each of us come from families with our own migration journeys, though they are very different. We each also live in big cities where we are grateful our children are growing up surrounded by immigrant neighbors and friends. And while diversity is part of God’s plan, we are aware that many Christians are divided in what that looks like and how immigration should contribute. That’s why this study is so pertinent! Through essays, scripture, stories, and questions, it explores God’s heart for the migrant and how God’s care and compassion never fail, even when others’ might. This conversation, and study, are timely and relevant and I am so excited to share them both with you!

Mentioned in this episode:

Migration: Experiencing God’s Care for Immigrants - A 6-Week Interactive Bible Study by Alexis Busetti and Dorcas Cheng-Tozun

Links

This is a special, one-season release of That Makes Total Sense! from IVP author, Alexis Busetti. To continue listening to the podcast after episode 8, follow the show on Alexis’s channels:

As an Amazon Affiliate, this channel earns commissions from qualifying purchases when you use the links above.

Episode 2 - Mental Health Part 1 with Dorcas Cheng-Tozun

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 09:00:15 +0000

Summary

It was so great to have Dorcas Cheng-Tozun back on the podcast! For this series, Dorcas will join me twice - once as author of Mental Health: Experiencing God’s Care for Our Mind, Body, and Spirit - A 6-Week Interactive Bible Study and another time as co-author of the study we worked on together on the topic of migration. Up first, the vital topic of mental health. As we discuss in the episode, one of the things that sets this study on mental health is that the study was specifically designed by and for BIPOC Christians (though all will benefit). If you’re part of either, or both, of these communities, you might have experienced a veil around the topic of mental health. Sometimes that looks like shame, other times fear, other times ignorance. What Dorcas and the other contributors to the study share, is that not only does mental health not have to be viewed from those perspectives, but also that it is a topic not hidden in our sacred texts. The scriptures actually have a lot to say about mental health, if we will just lean in and listen. I am so excited to share this conversation with you!

Mentioned in this episode:

Mental Health: Experiencing God’s Care for Our Mind, Body, and Spirit - A 6-Week Interactive Bible Study by Dorcas Cheng-Tozun

Nat Maxey - artist

Links

This is a special, one-season release of That Makes Total Sense! from IVP author, Alexis Busetti. To continue listening to the podcast after episode 8, follow the show on Alexis’s channels:

As an Amazon Affiliate, this channel earns commissions from qualifying purchases when you use the links above.

Episode 1 - Introducing the Made for PAX Bible Studies with Tiffany Bluhm

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 09:00:16 +0000

Summary

I am so excited to kick off this special series of the podcast with Tiffany Bluhm, executive director of an amazing organization called Made for Pax! She’s been on the podcast before and it was an incredible conversation. This time, we are setting up what will be an eight-part series where we will discuss each of four bible studies published through a partnership between Made for Pax and InterVarsity Press. They are beautiful studies, each tackling different topics that are so relevant today, especially for Christians navigating our polarizing political and social climates. Tiffany shares a little about the work of Made for Pax and why the release of each of these studies—focusing on peace, migration, mental health, and liberation—are so timely and meaningful today.

Mentioned in this episode:

Made for Pax Bible Study Series by IVP

Made for Pax

“How empathy came to be seen as a weakness in conservative circles” by Sarah McCammon on NPR

Tastes Like War by Grace M. Cho

We Choose Welcome

Links

This is a special, one-season release of That Makes Total Sense! from IVP author, Alexis Busetti. To continue listening to the podcast after episode 8, follow the show on Alexis’s channels:

As an Amazon Affiliate, this channel earns commissions from qualifying purchases when you use the links above.