Culture isn't a museum piece—it moves, mixes, and mutates. In this episode, Imer steps into the everyday texture of culture (and its fragility) with Bushman #1, then widens the lens with voices like Brian Stanley, Harvey Kwiyani, Neil Shenvi, and Mark Charles. From music and language to clothing and worship, the question keeps returning: when the gospel crosses borders, what gets honored, what gets lost, and what's created in the aftermath?

People featured in this episode

Imer Santiago — Host. Puerto Rican–American trumpeter, jazz musician, and worship leader based in St. Cloud, Florida.

Ted Esler — President/CEO of Missio Nexus (since 2015); former church planter in Sarajevo, Bosnia; previously held leadership roles with Pioneers. Author of The Innovation Crisis; holds a PhD in Intercultural Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary.

Brian Stanley — Historian of world Christianity and Christian missions. Professor at the University of Edinburgh; has written and edited multiple books on missions history.

Timothy "Bushman #1" Adebule — Owner of Three Masks, Inc. (African goods shop near downtown Orlando) and a local cultural guide/educator featured in this episode.

Harvey Kwiyani — Malawian theologian and missiologist known for work on decolonizing mission and global/diaspora Christianity. Author of Decolonizing Mission.

Neil Shenvi — Writer and speaker known for apologetics and engagement with questions of faith, philosophy, and culture. Holds a PhD in theoretical chemistry (UC Berkeley) and studied at Princeton.

Mark Charles — Speaker, writer, and consultant on the intersections of race, culture, faith, and American history. Co-author of Unsettling Truths (with Soong-Chan Rah) on the legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery.

Music

• Fisk University Jubilee Quartet / Swing Low, Sweet Chariot / Public domain via archive.org
• Out To The World / Theories / courtesy of Epidemic Sound
• Philip Ayers / Riverwalk / courtesy of Epidemic Sound
• Bokyung Kim / Gu Arirang (Instrumental Version) / courtesy of Epidemic Sound
• Dex 1200 / Saya Cair / courtesy of Epidemic Sound
• Dark Native American Flute Solo / courtesy of Envato Elements

Credits

Host: Imer Santiago

Produced by: Arrival Creative

Presented by: Missio Nexus