Podcast Episode 151 How can intergenerational Christian practice foster relationships with God and community by engaging persons of all ages? We speak with Valerie Grissom, editor of All Ages Becoming: Intergenerational Practice and the Formation of God’s People, about the countercultural and community building work of intergenerational practices. …

Podcast Episode 150 How can an innovative exploration of Moses’ biblical narrative offer a more generous leadership model for today’s religious leaders? In this episode, Kathleen McShane and Elan Babchuck, authors of Picking Up the Pieces: Leadership After Empire, ask how God is calling you to a leadership model in which power is shared so [...] Th…

Podcast Episode 149 How can church leaders lead in such a way that is meaningful, sustainable, interesting and makes an impact? We speak with Heidi Brooks, Senior Lecturer in Organizational Behavior at the Yale School of Management, a leadership and organizational behavior expert about everyday leadership. Listen on Apple Podcasts | YouTube Music |…

Podcast Episode 148 What is the state of clergy health and wellbeing coming out of the pandemic? What factors and practices influence the emotional wellbeing of clergy? Allison Norton describes new research that reveals growing discontentment even though clergy health and wellbeing tends to be better than that of the general public. Listen on Apple…

Podcast Episode 147 How can bringing different generations together in worship, learning, and community promote faith formation? Holly Allen discusses the benefits of a more intergenerational approach to ministry and strategies for helping young and old journey together in faith. Listen on Apple Podcasts | YouTube Music | Spotify Watch on YouTube I…

Podcast Episode 146 How can church leaders better engage the public sphere and expand their prophetic witness? We speak with Kevin Slayton, a pastor with a passion for public policy and prophetic preaching, about building relationships, engaging in politics, and his book Politically Preaching, Why Politics Are Local to the Black Church. Listen on A…

Podcast Episode 145 How can a passion for helping people flourish lead to social innovation? We speak with K Scarry about social innovation and the ways she is supporting local artists, helping create spaces where everyone can thrive, and more. Listen on Apple Podcasts | YouTube Music | Spotify Watch on YouTube Read in-depth interview Related Resou…

Podcast Episode 144 How can a faith community organize itself to combat the sin of racism? Michael Adam Beck and Stephanie Moore Hand share with us a practical framework for doing justice together that reimagines discipleship, leadership, and evangelism as tools for change. Listen on Apple Podcasts | YouTube Music | Spotify Watch on YouTube Read [.…

Podcast Episode 143 How are the trends in majority Latino congregations different from those in non-Latino congregations? We speak with Kristina Lizardy-Hajbi about her report Latino Congregations: Trends from the Faith Communities Today (FACT) and Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations (EPIC) Studies. It reveals that while Latino congregat…

Podcast Episode 142 Is your church facing the difficult decision to sell or repurpose property? We speak with Mark Elsdon, editor of Gone for Good?, about how a congregation can pursue creative uses of church property in a way that avoids common pitfalls and propels their mission forward. Listen on Apple Podcasts | YouTube Music | [...] The post “N…

Podcast Episode 141 How can church leaders address the challenges of urban ministry in a transformative way? We speak with pastor and scholar Tony Hunt about reading a community well, identifying assets, and the importance of understanding your ministry context. He shares with us how to develop the transformative qualities of effective leadership. …

Podcast Episode 140 How can your youth ministry cultivate a faith that stays with a young person as they mature through adulthood? We speak with Brad Griffin of the Fuller Youth Institute about five compass points that can guide an impactful youth ministry. The approach emphasizes building trust and relationships while teaching in transformative an…

Podcast Episode 139 How can congregational leaders be both healers and agitators at the same time, especially given our fractured landscape and the diversity of contexts where congregations exist? Doug Powe and Jessica Anschutz reflect on the book, Healing Fractured Communities, in which pastoral leaders write about their experiences with renewal, …

Podcast Episode 138 How would you preach next Sunday if tomorrow your community fell victim to a mass shooting or was devastated by a natural disaster? Preaching Professor Kimberly Wagner shares how pastors can approach this increasingly unavoidable homiletical task in ways that hold in tension the community’s very real experiences of loss and grie…

Podcast Episode 137 How can an improv comedy show explore the intersection of faith and real life in community? In this engaging episode we speak with Katie Phillips about how Improv Church offers creative ways for engaging people in worship. Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify Watch on YouTube Learn more about Improv [...] The pos…

Podcast Episode 136 How can your congregation function as a community of ministers rather than a community gathered around a single minister? Lydia Bucklin explains the Mutual Ministry Initiative and how this approach to shared ministry is flourishing among smaller churches in the Upper Pennisula of Michigan. Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podca…

Podcast Episode 135 What are micro churches and how do they disciple missional leaders? In this episode, Bree Mills, director of Micro Churches Australia, shares the characteristics of micro churches, how they are formed, and how micro church leaders are developed. Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify Read in-depth interview Watch o…

Podcast Episode 125 The rapid growth in the percentage of Americans claiming no religious affiliation is drastically reshaping the country’s religious and cultural landscape. We speak with Dr. Ryan Burge, a leading expert on the “Nones,” about the characteristics of the growing cohort of Americans who say their religion is “nothing in particular.” …

Podcast Episode 134 Is your leadership so preoccupied with strategies and actions that you’ve lost sight of the ultimate why? Elaine Robinson shares her belief that God’s love must ground every aspect of the church’s mission. And love must be the foundational principle of all Christian leadership. Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotif…

Podcast Episode 133 Is your congregation too dependent on Sunday morning offerings? Grace Pomroy from Luther Seminary shares research findings on congregations that are developing new and creative funding sources, not only to bolster the bottom line, but to better connect with neighbors and advance their missions. Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google …