Erwin McManus has spent decades pushing the boundaries of what a pastor, author, and artist can be, building Mosaic in Los Angeles into a community known as much for its creative culture as its Sunday services. On the Digital Social Hour, Erwin McManus sat down with Sean Kelly for a conversation that moves well past the pulpit.
The discussion opens into deeply personal territory: a near-death health scare, business ventures that collapsed before they worked, and the ongoing effort to hold positive and negative energy in balance without letting either one win.
About Erwin McManus
Erwin McManus is a bestselling author and speaker whose books, including The Artisan Soul and The Genius of You, explore creativity, identity, and human potential. He is the founder and lead pastor of Mosaic, a Los Angeles church recognized for its unconventional, artist-driven approach to faith and community.
Beyond the church, McManus has built a career as a visual artist, filmmaker, and advisor to creative and business leaders, drawing on his own story of setbacks and reinvention. That mix of spiritual depth and real-world business experience shapes his perspective on adversity and growth.
What Erwin McManus and Sean Kelly Talked About
- How a near-death health scare reshaped Erwin McManus's view of purpose and mortality
- Lessons pulled from business ventures that failed before anything finally worked
- Why balancing positive and negative energy matters more than eliminating negativity
- How creativity and faith intersect in McManus's leadership of Mosaic in Los Angeles
- His framework for identifying and living out your own personal genius
- Why setbacks are treated as information rather than verdicts on your future
- How personal reinvention can follow even the lowest points in life
- What it means to build a career and life around authentic creative expression
Why This Conversation Matters
Conversations like this are what set the Digital Social Hour apart, giving a guest room to move from headline moments into the deeper thinking behind them. Erwin McManus's blend of faith, art, and hard-won business lessons offers a grounded perspective on turning adversity into direction.
▶ Watch the full episode on YouTube
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About Sean Kelly & the Digital Social Hour
Sean Kelly is an entrepreneur and the host of the Digital Social Hour, one of the fastest-growing interview podcasts in the world, where he sits down with entrepreneurs, athletes, creators, and cultural voices for candid, long-form conversations. The show draws over 100 million views a month across platforms. Explore more guest features on SeanKelly.io.
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