It’s amazing and terrifying how one small sentence posted online at a particular moment in a particular context can spread like wildfire, and result in a book.

In this case, it was the sentence Jesus was non-violent, posted by Susy Flory on Facebook during the Covid-19 pandemic and the January 6 Insurrection that started the fire and led to a book.

In this conversation, I speak with Susy and Scott Johanningsmeir, editors of the recent published book Jesus Was: Not What We Expected But Better Than We Imagined where we not only get the origin story for the book, but we also reflect on how some of the most important things in life, including the Christian life, can be hidden in plain sight.

So whether you identify as a Christian or not, I encourage you to listen to this conversation. It might re-introduce you, or introduce you for the first time, to the revolutionary, and kind, Jesus. Who not only was, but is, and is to come.

Bios and Links

Susy Flory is a New York Times best-selling author or coauthor of eighteen books, directs West Coast Christian Writers, and is the founder of Everything Memoir with Susy Flory. Her book The Unbreakable Boy became a feature film in wide release in March, 2025. Susy earned a master’s degree in New Testament at Northern Seminary and is finishing up her doctoral studies on women writers in the ancient world, including the New Testament era. She lives in Northern California. Check out Susy’s Substack, and follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

Scott Johanningsmeier is a bivocational pastor at Elizabeth Baptist Church in Southern Indiana. He has a bachelor’s degree in music technology from Indiana University and a master’s degree in New Testament from Northern Seminary. Outside of ministry, he works in the technology installation industry. He and his wife have two daughters. Check out Scott’s Substack and follow him on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Oh, and pick up a copy of the Jesus Was: Not What We Expected But Better Than We Imagined book here.