Creating The Future with Brent Simpson

Brent Simpson

Go behind the scenes as Brent Simpson interviews interesting people who are creating a better future for our world and seeks to inspire you to do the same.

  1. 5 FEB

    Breaking the 200 Barrier, Church Leadership Systems, and Revival with Pastor Mike Santiago

    Creating the Future with Dr. Brent Simpson where we dive into stories, truths, and deep questions that help shape our faith, our families, and our future. In this episode, Dr. Brent sits down with Mike Santiago, lead pastor of Focus Church and one of the most respected voices in modern church planting and leadership. Pastor Mike has trained hundreds of church planters across the United States, helping leaders build healthy systems, sustainable growth models, and Spirit-led cultures that last. He is also a revivalist who travels extensively, carrying a deep burden for the move of God in this generation. This conversation goes deep into what actually builds strong churches—not just hype, but structure, leadership clarity, and spiritual depth. In this episode, we talk about: What effective church leadership looks like in today’s rapidly changing culture Why systems don’t replace the Spirit—but actually help steward revival Common mistakes churches make that keep them stuck under 200 in attendance Practical shifts that help churches break the 200 barrier and continue growing The balance between numerical growth and spiritual health How pastors can lead with both faith and foresight What the future of the church may look like in the next decade Why revival and leadership development must go hand in hand This is a must-listen conversation for pastors, church planters, staff leaders, and anyone passionate about the future of the local church. It’s honest, practical, and deeply hopeful. 💬 Learn more about Focus Church: https://www.focus.church/ 🌐 Connect with Pastor Mike Santiago: @MikeSantiago on Instagram 🎙️ You can listen to the podcast on Podbean or anywhere podcasts are found: https://creatingthefuture.podbean.com/ ✨ Connect with Dr. Brent: 💬 All Social Media: @DrBrentSimpson 🌐 BrentSimpson.com 🏡 MyAriseChurch.com

    20 min
  2. 29 JAN

    This Feels Different: Revival, Prophetic Insight, and the Voice of God with Evangelist Pat Schatzline

    Creating the Future with Dr. Brent Simpson Where we dive into stories, truths, and deep questions that help shape our faith, our families, and our future. In this powerful episode of Creating the Future, Dr. Brent Simpson sits down with Evangelist Pat Schatzline for a timely and Spirit-filled conversation about hearing the voice of God, the revival stirring around the world, and prophetic insight into what God is doing—and about to do—next. Together, they explore what it means to discern God’s voice in a noisy world, how genuine revival is marked, and why this current moment feels different from past spiritual movements. Pat shares insights from what he’s seeing globally, along with encouragement and caution for leaders, churches, and believers navigating a growing hunger for God. This conversation will challenge, inspire, and sharpen your spiritual discernment as we talk about revival that doesn’t just stir emotions—but transforms lives. In this episode, we cover: How believers can clearly hear and discern the voice of God The difference between emotional hype and authentic revival What’s happening in revivals around the world right now The role of spiritual leadership in sustaining a move of God Prophetic insight into the future of revival and awakening How to stay grounded, humble, and obedient during times of spiritual momentum About Evangelist Pat Schatzline Pat Schatzline is a respected evangelist and prophetic voice who has traveled extensively, ministering in churches, conferences, and revival settings across the globe. His passion is to see people awakened to God’s presence, truth, and purpose in this generation. ✨ Connect with Pat Schatzline at http://www.patschatzline.com/ ✨ Connect with Dr. Brent: 💬 All Social Media: @DrBrentSimpson 🌐 BrentSimpson.com 🏡 MyAriseChurch.com 🎙️ Listen to the audio podcast on Podbean or anywhere podcasts are found: https://creatingthefuture.podbean.com/ 🙏 If this episode encouraged you, be sure to like, subscribe, and share it with someone who’s hungry for revival and clarity in hearing God’s voice.

    35 min
  3. 22 JAN

    Revival Is Coming: What It Is, Who God Will Use, and How We Prepare

    Creating the Future with Dr. Brent Simpson — where we dive into stories, truths, and deep questions that help shape our faith, our families, and our future.In this solo episode, Dr. Brent unpacks one of the most important spiritual conversations of our time — revival.   This is not just a look back at historical awakenings… it’s a call to recognize what God is doing right now and how we must respond. In this episode, you’ll hear: 🔥 What revival really is Revival is not just emotional services, packed altars, or loud worship. Revival is God awakening hearts — starting with individuals — and then spreading into families, churches, cities, and nations. 🔥 Gen Z’s role in the coming revival Why this generation is uniquely positioned for spiritual awakening. Why hunger, honesty, and authenticity are marking Gen Z. And why God often chooses the young to carry fresh fire. 🔥 How we prepare for revival Revival doesn’t start in crowds — it starts in consecration. We talk about personal hunger, spiritual alignment, humility, prayer, repentance, holiness, and obedience as the real preparation for what God wants to do next. Dr. Brent also challenges listeners to stop merely talking about revival and start positioning themselves for it. This episode is for anyone who believes God is not finished with this generation… For anyone who senses a holy stirring… And for anyone who wants to be part of what God is about to do. If you’ve been praying for revival — this episode will help you understand how revival actually begins. Watch the Great Awakenings Revival at Arise Church here: https://www.youtube.com/@myarisechurch   ✨ Connect with Dr. Brent 💬 All Social Media: @DrBrentSimpson 🌐 BrentSimpson.com 💬 MyAriseChurch.com 📌 Don’t forget to subscribe, like, and share this episode with someone who is hungry for God’s move.

    17 min
  4. 18 JAN

    Strange Fire vs. Sacred Flame: How to Discern True Revival

    Welcome to Creating the Future with Dr. Brent Simpson where we dive into stories, truths, and deep questions that help shape our faith, our families, and our future. In this episode, Dr. Brent continues the Great Awakenings conversation with Pastor Ada Simpson by addressing one of the most important questions facing the modern church: How do we discern true revival from artificial spirituality? Using Jonathan Edwards’ historic work The Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God, Dr. Brent walks us through eight biblical tests that help separate genuine moves of God from emotional hype, spiritual excess, or personality-driven movements. Together, we explore why the church is especially vulnerable to strange fire in this generation, and how both cessationism and unchecked revivalism can lead believers away from healthy, Christ-centered spirituality. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why revival must exalt Jesus above experiences, gifts, and personalities • How conviction, repentance, and holiness mark genuine moves of God • Why love for Scripture is non-negotiable in authentic revival • How theology protects revival from emotional deception • Why love, humility, and compassion are evidence of God’s Spirit • How character change matters more than emotional encounters • Why perseverance over time proves revival’s authenticity • Why dependence on God increases when revival is real Dr. Brent also explains what Jonathan Edwards warned us not to use as proof of revival — including emotional reactions, physical manifestations, visions, or dramatic experiences. The conversation then shifts to modern revival culture, including: Why some revival movements resemble entertainment more than encounter • What it means to host heaven instead of hosting speakers • Why God’s presence matters more than church programs • How 1 Samuel 19 demonstrates true revival through God’s sovereign activity • Why authentic revival makes hype unnecessary Finally, Dr. Brent leaves listeners with one powerful question every Christian should ask when encountering any spiritual movement. This episode is not about criticizing revival — it’s about protecting it. If you care about awakening, holiness, discernment, and genuine moves of God, this conversation is essential.   🔗 Connect with Dr. Brent ✨ Connect with Dr. Brent: 💬 All Social Media: @DrBrentSimpson 🌐 BrentSimpson.com 🏡 MyAriseChurch.com

    32 min
  5. 8 JAN

    Great Awakenings Pt. 1: Reawakening The Holy Wonder

    In this powerful and timely conversation, Pastor Pete Kramer sits down with Dr. Brent Simpson for a wide-ranging discussion on awakening, wonder, revival, and what God is stirring in the Church right now. Using Arise Church’s annual “State of the Church” message as a backdrop, this episode moves beyond numbers and momentum into the deeper question of spiritual awakening—both personal and corporate. Dr. Brent reflects on salvations, baptisms, miracles, missions, and why awakening always begins within before it ever transforms a church, a city, or a nation. This episode is both pastoral and prophetic, calling listeners to move from form to fire, from routine to wonder, and from spiritual dryness into renewed hunger for God. 🔥 What’s Covered in This Episode Why the annual “State of the Church” matters more than statistics—it reveals spiritual health, not just growth • What stands out most from a year marked by salvations, baptisms, healings, deliverances, and global missions • Why so many Christians lose their sense of awe—and how wonder can be restored • The difference between renewal, revival, and awakening—and why the order matters • How the First Great Awakening was a rediscovery of the Holy Spirit and why that was revolutionary • The cultural, spiritual, and generational signs pointing toward another awakening • Why God is leading Arise Church into a season of fasting and revival now • What it really means to have “a form of godliness but deny its power” • The first step for someone who feels spiritually dry but deeply hungry • Why David’s prayer, “I will awaken the dawn,” is the right cry for this moment • A direct word to listeners who sense God stirring their hearts right now 🙌 Key Takeaway Great awakenings don’t start in crowds—they start in hearts. Before God awakens a church, He awakens a people. Before He awakens a people, He awakens you. 🎯 Call to Action If you feel hunger stirring, don’t silence it. Lean in. Create space. Awaken the dawn in your own soul. Join us in prayer, fasting, and expectation—and watch what God does next. 🔗 Connect with Dr. Brent ✨ All Social Media: @DrBrentSimpson 🌐 Website: BrentSimpson.com 🏡 Church: MyAriseChurch.com

    36 min
  6. 1 JAN

    The Why, What and When of Christian Fasting | 50 Years of Wisdom with Pastor Dan Turpin

    Welcome to Creating the Future with Dr. Brent Simpson “where we dive into stories, truths, and deep questions that help shape our faith, our families, and our future.” In this episode, Dr. Brent Simpson sits down with Pastor Dan Turpin, a retired pastor with over 50 years of ministry experience and more than five decades of practicing the spiritual discipline of fasting. This conversation goes beyond theory and into wisdom—what fasting really is, why Jesus practiced it, why He expected His followers to fast, and how to approach fasting in a healthy, biblical, and grace-filled way. Together, they unpack the heart behind fasting, the different types of fasting found in Scripture, how long a fast should last, and whether fasting is always about food or can include other forms of intentional surrender. Pastor Dan also shares practical insight on how to handle hunger, headaches, and fatigue during a fast, how to break a fast wisely, and who should not fast due to medical or life-stage concerns. They address common fasting mistakes many Christians make—such as using fasting to try to manipulate God, measuring spirituality by intensity, or simply skipping meals without spending time with God. This episode is especially helpful for anyone new to fasting, returning to fasting, or wanting to deepen their understanding of why fasting has been such a powerful and formative discipline throughout church history. Topics covered include: • Why Jesus fasted and why He said “when you fast,” not “if you fast” • Whether fasting changes God or changes us • Different biblical types of fasting • How long to fast and how often • Whether fasting is required or optional for Christians today • What to do when fasting feels physically difficult • How to break a fast properly • Who should and should not fast • Common fasting mistakes believers make ✨ Connect with Dr. Brent: 💬 All Social Media: @DrBrentSimpson 🌐 BrentSimpson.com 🏡 MyAriseChurch.com 🎙️ You can listen to the podcast on Podbean or anywhere podcasts are found: https://creatingthefuture.podbean.com/

    35 min
  7. 18/12/2025

    Top 5 books everyone should read, Dr. Brent’s 2025 wrap up show

    Welcome to Creating the Future with Dr. Brent Simpson, Where we dive into stories, truths, and deep questions that help shape our faith, our families, and our future. In this special 2025 Wrap-Up episode, Pastor Josh Jordan, Saturday Pastor at Arise Church, sits down with Dr. Brent Simpson to reflect on a year marked by healing, preparation, and deep personal formation. This conversation looks back at the books, podcasts, music, and themes that shaped 2025—and looks ahead to what God may be stirring for 2026.   📚 Dr. Brent’s Top Books from 2025 (Must-Reads) Dr. Brent shares the books that most shaped his thinking this year: From Broken Boy to Mended Man: A Positive Plan to Heal Your Childhood Wounds and Break the Cycle — Patrick Morley Second Half for the Man in the Mirror: How to Find Your Significance — Patrick Morley Strange Religion: How the First Christians Were Weird, Dangerous, and Compelling — Nijay Gupta The Fourth Turning Is Here: What the Seasons of History Tell Us About How and When This Crisis Will End — Neil Howe The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness — Morgan Housel Bonus pick: Code Name: Pale Horse: How I Went Undercover to Expose America's Nazis — Scott Payne & Michelle Shephard   🎧 Dr. Brents Top Podcasts Worth Listening To Podcasts Dr. Brent Listens To: Sloth Theology: Simple Faith for Chaotic Times — AJ Swoboda & Nijay Gupta Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture — Talbot School of Theology (Biola University) The Sean McDowell Show Top Creating the Future Episodes from 2025: 7 Questions for Reinventing Yourself for Life’s Next Season The Controversy & Crisis That Created Trinitarian Theology — Interview with Dr. Bryan Litfin What Quantum Physics Can Teach Us About Prayer — with Dr. Craig Sterling Bonus Episode: Easter Name Traditions Podcast   🎶 Dr. Brent’s Top Songs of 2025 Made for More — Josh Baldwin & Jenn Johnson (Bethel Music) When a Cowboy Prays — Brandon Lake Momma Loves Me — NEEDTOBREATHE   📖 All Books Dr. Brent Read in 2025:  Here is the complete reading list from last year: 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos — Jordan B. Peterson A Love Journey with God — Marziyeh Amirizadeh A Million Little Miracles: Uncover the Supernatural Work of God Through Everyday Things — Mark Batterson And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle — Jon Meacham Beyond Order: 12 More Rules for Life — Jordan B. Peterson Blood Meridian, or the Evening Redness in the West — Cormac McCarthy Captive in Iran: A Remarkable True Story of Hope and Triumph amid the Horror of Tehran's Brutal Evin Prison — Maryam Rostampour & Marziyeh Amirizadeh Code Name: Pale Horse: How I Went Undercover to Expose America's Nazis — Scott Payne & Michelle Shephard Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World — Tom Holland Fearless: The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown — Eric Blehm Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus — Mary Shelley From Broken Boy to Mended Man: A Positive Plan to Heal Your Childhood Wounds and Break the Cycle — Patrick Morley Generations: The History of America's Future, 1584 to 2069 — William Strauss & Neil Howe Get Married: Why Americans Must Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families, and Save Civilization — Brad Wilcox Halftime: Changing Your Game Plan from Success to Significance — Bob Buford How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen — David Brooks Into the Heart of Romans: A Deep Dive into Paul’s Greatest Letter — T. Wright John Wycliffe: A Life From Beginning to End — Hourly History Living in the Line of Fire: How to Stand Strong Against the Attacks of the Enemy — Michael L. Brown Loved Like Never Before: Experiencing the Heart of the Father — Ken Shigematsu Meditations for Mortals: Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts — Oliver Burkeman Renovation of the Heart: Putting On the Character of Christ — Dallas Willard Redemption at Hacksaw Ridge: The Gripping True Story That Inspired the Movie — Booton Herndon Revenge of the Tipping Point: Overstories, Superspreaders, and the Rise of Social Engineering — Malcolm Gladwell Rivals!: Frenemies Who Changed the World — Scott McCormick Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind — Yuval Noah Harari Second Half for the Man in the Mirror: How to Find Your Significance — Patrick Morley Soul Keeping: Caring for the Most Important Part of You — John Ortberg Spirit-Led Living in an Upside-Down World — Stephen E. Strang Stepping Stones to the Father Heart of God — Ken Shigematsu Strange Religion: How the First Christians Were Weird, Dangerous, and Compelling — Nijay Gupta The Assemblies of God: A Chapter in the Story of American Pentecostalism — Edith L. Blumhofer The Fourth Turning: An American Prophecy — William Strauss & Neil Howe The Fourth Turning Is Here: What the Seasons of History Tell Us About How and When This Crisis Will End — Neil Howe The Generous Life: 10 Essential Virtues for Leading a Purposeful and Prosperous Life — Rob Ketterling The Joy Model: Seven Steps to Build a Joyful Life — Jeff Spadafora The Man in the Mirror: Solving the 24 Problems Men Face — Patrick M. Morley The Old Man and the Sea — Ernest Hemingway The Other Talent: A Story of Two Elite Athletes and the Power of Courage — Matt Fitzgerald The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness — Morgan Housel The Seven Mountains Mandate: Taking Your Place of Influence — Laurie Skipper The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives — Dallas Willard The Story of the Trinity: Controversy, Crisis, and the Creation of the Nicene Creed — Bryan Litfin Think and Grow Rich — Napoleon Hill Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us — Seth Godin We Who Wrestle with God — Jordan B. Peterson While Time Remains: A North Korean Girl's Search for Freedom in America — Yeonmi Park Why Are There Differences in the Gospels?: What We Can Learn from Ancient Biography — Michael R. Licona You can shop the majority of these titles here! ✨ Connect with Dr. Brent 💬 All Social Media: @DrBrentSimpson 🌐 Website: BrentSimpson.com 🏡 Church: MyAriseChurch.com 🎙️ Listen to the Podcast: 👉 https://creatingthefuture.podbean.com/

    24 min

About

Go behind the scenes as Brent Simpson interviews interesting people who are creating a better future for our world and seeks to inspire you to do the same.