Welcome to Public Theology with Zach W. Lambert!
Here you will find theological conversations, social commentary, and authentic community alongside a post-evangelical pastor.
Who is Zach W. Lambert?
My name is Zach and I’m passionate about holistic justice, radical inclusion, and the way of Jesus. I grew up in right-wing evangelicalism, but after getting kicked out of a youth group, two private Christian schools, and a conservative denomination, I’ve spent the last decade helping pioneer faith spaces centered on mutuality and flourishing for all.
I am the Lead Pastor and founder of Restore, a church in urban Austin, Texas. Since we launched in 2016 (what a year to start a church!), Restore has grown from a founding team of 5 people to over 1000 members. I also just finished writing my first book, Better Ways To Read The Bible: Transforming a Weapon of Harm into a Tool of Healing, which is available to preorder and will release August 12th, 2025.
I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and Advertising from Hardin-Simmons University, a Master’s of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, and I’m currently working on a Doctorate of Ministry from Duke Divinity School. I am also the co-founder of the Post Evangelical Collective where I serve as a board member.
My wife, Amy, met each other in the 6th grade, fell in love at 17, and got married at 21. And now we run Public Theology together! We love watching live music, discovering local Mexican food places, and playing with our two boys.
Why subscribe to Public Theology?
Public Theology is a space filled with theological conversations connected to current events and authentic community for anyone who wants it. Here are some past posts to show you what I mean:
But the magic really happens on the paid subscriber side. There are two types of content on Substack: free and paid. On the free side, you will find content similar to my social media accounts in longer form, including weekly essays.
On the paid side, we are offering deeper engagement with the most pressing theological and social issues of our time via podcasts, essays, interviews, chats, Q&As, book reviews, and more. We will also have special perks connected to projects I'm working on. Most of all, we will offer a safe, healthy community where dialogue and questions are welcomed, and people are engaging in good faith. Signing up for this community is agreeing to prioritize community over rightness and humility over certainty.
Subscribe to get full access to the newsletter and publication archives.
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We are thrilled you are here, no matter how you are joining. If money is a barrier to a much needed community of like minded, altruistic people, please reach out. Welcome to the community!
And don’t hesitate to send me a DM if I can support you in any way!
