Best Wesleyan Investive Podcasts (2024)

1
The Power of Togetherness with Vipin Thekk and Rabbi Elan Babchuck 54:24

2d ago54:24

54:24

What is the role of power in the new spiritual landscape emerging today? This season, we are exploring the themes we believe are glimpses of what will be critical guideposts for the future church. This week, host Rev. Lisa Greenwood and co-host Rev. Kathi McShane speak with Vipin Thekk and Rabbi Elan Babchuck. Vipin Thekk, Founder of the Changemake…

1
Hospitality When It’s Uncomfortable with Rev. Alicia Forde and Tamice Spencer-Helms 54:41

9d ago54:41

54:41

What are we seeing right around the corner from where the church is today? Around the corner is closer than we think. The Spirit is up to something and the invitation is to get close to what is happening right now, to pay attention, to notice, and to wonder. This week hosts Lisa Greenwood and Kathi McShane speak with Rev. Alicia Forde, a pastor, po…

1
Imago Dei Drives Innovation with Carlos Huerta 53:20

4M ago53:20

53:20

Rev. Dr. Kenda Creasy Dean reminds us in her new book, Innovating for Love, that we don’t create new things for the sake of change, for innovation’s sake, but rather so that we can love better. We are always finding new ways to love our neighbors in the ways Jesus calls us to love. Carlos Huerta, the Executive Director of the Center for Community T…

1
The Love of God and Love of Humanity is One Love with Jonathan Brooks 48:55

4M ago48:55

48:55

Pastah J, as his friends and parishioners affectionately call him, is a remarkable testament to the notion that innovating is what happens when you love the people you are with. We often make innovation out to be the next, big, creative, tech, cool thing when really it's about figuring out how to love our neighbors better and how to more deeply and…

1
A Platform that Empowers People with Moy Mendez 43:18

5M ago43:18

43:18

Our Locke Innovative Leaders offer a powerful picture of what is possible for the church. They don’t just see a need, they see great potential that exists in that need, and they respond with the next faithful step, always gathering others to help create and build. It’s remarkably consistent. Moy Mendez, a pastor in Chicago and the Executive Directo…

1
Network Building for Outsized Impact with Rev. Dr. Heber Brown, III 52:54

5M ago52:54

52:54

We are so excited about this season of the Igniting Imagination Podcast as Rev. Dr. Kenda Creasy Dean and Rev. Lisa Greenwood have conversations with four exceptional, innovative faith leaders who are profoundly influencing the way we think about the church’s mission and witness. It’s stunning and inspiring! Our guest this week is Rev. Dr. Heber Br…

1
Facing Reality, Claiming Leadership in the Church Today 39:49

5M ago39:49

39:49

Have you enjoyed Season 10 of our Igniting Imagination Podcast as much as we have?! We started with Margaret Wheatley and we are ending the season with two remarkable innovative leaders, who also happen to be part of our leadership learning and innovation team, Rev. Kathi McShane and Derrick Scott, III. If you haven’t been listening, this conversat…

1
Shaping our Biblical Imaginations with Dr. Eric Barreto 47:10

7M ago47:10

47:10

In this week’s episode of the Igniting Imagination Podcast, we talk with professor Eric Barreto who invites us into a biblical imagination for our work together. We love how he reminds us to keep coming back to the good news of Jesus. Yes! That is what inspires us, forms us, equips and animates us! We hope this conversation gives you a new imaginat…

1
Cultivating an Indigenous Worldview with Dr. Randy Woodley 57:15

7M ago57:15

57:15

Dr. Randy Woodley, professor, scholar, farmer, and indigenous American, speaks of indigenous ways of leading that seem, on the surface, to be counter-intuitive, and yet as we sit with them, we see how resonate with Jesus’ teachings they are. We are so curious what you think as you listen. What do we have to learn from indigenous cultures about lead…

1
Living ‘Love Your Neighbor’ in the State House of Representatives with Rep. James Talarico 58:43

7M ago58:43

58:43

This week’s episode of Igniting Imagination is a bit of a departure for us – for the first time, our guest is a politician! Yep, State Representative James Talarico. We decided that if we are going to do a season on Facing Reality and Claiming Leadership, we ought to directly address the polarization in our country – and where better than Texas pol…

1
Nurturing the Possible Through Catalytic Leadership with Rev. Dr. Dave Odom 52:06

7M ago52:06

52:06

Rev. Dr. Dave Odom, who leads Leadership Education at Duke Divinity, works with hundreds of congregations and leaders from multiple faith traditions across the country. As such, he has a unique vantage point to view the realities of the church and what is needed for leaders today. In this week’s podcast episode, Dave shares that a new kind of suppo…

1
Discovering a Way Back to Each Other with Rev. Dr. Amy Butler 44:37

8M ago44:37

44:37

The Rev. Dr. Amy Butler is a master at facing reality and claiming leadership. In her newly released memoir, Beautiful and Terrible Things: Faith, Doubt, and Discovering a Way Back to Each Other, she weaves together what is real and messy and hard with what is true and hopeful and redemptive, reminding us that the journey of faith is inextricably a…

1
Actively Waiting in the Accelerating Age with Dr. Andy Root 1:00:13

8M ago1:00:13

1:00:13

If you are having conversations about innovation in the church, chances are that Andy Root’s name has come up. Writing books like, When the Church Stops Working and The Church After Innovation and The Pastor in a Secular Age, Dr. Andrew Root is leading the way in helping leaders to name and face current reality and lean into new ways of leading. Wh…

1
Reimagining an Established Institution with Dr. Aaron Kuecker 48:21

8M ago48:21

48:21

Our guest is Dr. Aaron Kuecker, President of Trinity Christian College in Chicago. We can’t wait for you to hear what they are doing at Trinity Christian to tend to the wellbeing of their students. It is intentional and generous and nothing short of life-changing – from their approach to the funding model to how they are protecting the mid-week “We…

1
Stewarding Ambiguous Loss with Dr. Pauline Boss 55:24

8M ago55:24

55:24

This conversation with Dr. Pauline Boss, author of Ambiguous Loss: Learning to Live with Unresolved Grief, is hope-filled, encouraging, validating, and motivating. Her insights manage to be both practical and weighty. She reminds us that we live in a mastery culture – that is, we want to be in control, have the answers, and win – which is, of cours…

1
Analyzing Nieuwhof’s Church Trends That Will Disrupt 2024 46:16

9M ago46:16

46:16

Jump into 2024 with a special Bonus Episode of Igniting Imagination! We have invited two of our most frequent (and beloved) guests, Rev. Rachel Billups and Rev. Matt Rawle, to engage with Carey Nieuwhof’s list of 7 Church Trends That Will Disrupt 2024. Matt and Rachel reflect that this year’s list seems particularly spot on. From the endangered sta…

1
Hope in Doubt? Are we addicted to hope? 56:17

10M ago56:17

56:17

Read Rev. Dr. Paul Escamilla’s response to the Wheatley episode on our website here. In this episode, you’ll hear us: Discuss of Wheatley’s unsettling insistence that we are ‘addicted to hope’ (9:19) Consider what the notion of “islands of sanity” means for local congregations (13:55) Analyze becoming vs. gaining (22:34) Interpret Wheatley’s Two Lo…

1
Restoring Sanity with Dr. Margaret Wheatley 1:06:14

11M ago1:06:14

1:06:14

Dr. Margaret Wheatley has greatly influenced our leadership ministry work over the past several decades. We have given her book Who Do We Choose to Be? Facing Reality, Restoring Sanity, Claiming Leadership to many leaders. Meg’s foundational idea that “conversation is the currency of change” is at the heart of everything we do. The Two-Loop Theory …

1
Holy Friends Pursue Higher Truth with Rev. Kathleen McShane and Rabbi Elan Babchuck 46:05

11M ago46:05

46:05

Rev. Kathi McShane, a retired United Methodist pastor, and Rabbi Elan Babchuck, a millennial, experienced an immediate connection when they met, a Spirit connection that made them fast friends from the beginning. In this episode, they share how their friendship naturally manifested in Picking Up the Pieces: Leadership After Empire. They discuss the…

1
Holy Friends Bridge Deep Divides with Dr. Cleve V. Tinsley IV and Rev. Dr. Matt Russell 1:00:29

12M ago1:00:29

1:00:29

The guests in this episode became friends through a common commitment to activism and social justice. Dr. Cleve V. Tinsley IV and Rev. Dr. Matt Russell became best friends both by cultivating their common ground and exploring the very real differences between their perspectives and experiences. They share how their friendship has profoundly shaped …

1
Holy Friends Bear Witness over Time with Bishop Laura Merrill and Bishop Janice Huie 45:42

12M ago45:42

45:42

The guests in this episode are ‘all in’ with the church; they are dear friends of our host, Rev. Lisa Greenwood, who also happen to be Bishops in the United Methodist Church, Bishop Laura Merrill, and Bishop Janice Huie. In their conversation the three of them explore what has been meaningful about their friendship and how their friendship has impa…

1
Holy Friends Become Healthier Leaders with Rachel Billups and Matt Rawle 46:00

12M ago46:00

46:00

This episode features two “besties” talking honestly and openly about their friendship of many years and how it has deeply nourished them, even though they’ve never even lived in the same state. They discuss being fully present in real friendship, giving each other accountability, compassion, love, and care. They engage with the challenges that all…

1
Holy Friendships with Rev. Dr. Victoria White Victoria White 38:46

1y ago38:46

38:46

One of God’s greatest gifts to us is friendships, especially what our guest Rev. Dr. Victoria White calls “holy friendships.” These are the friendships that not only make life more enjoyable and more creative, but they are also core to who we are and who we become. They are “mutual and sacred relationships formed in God’s love,” and they help us be…

1
Season 9 Trailer 2:13

1y ago2:13

2:13

In a world of surface-level connections, true friendship is a divine experience. Friendship forms us and allows us to show up as our true selves. Join us as this season as we delve into the power of sanctifying friendship.By Wesleyan Impact Partners

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The Current Project with Rev. Alisha Gordon 41:36

1+ y ago41:36

41:36

Rev. Alisha Gordon wants black single mothers not just to survive but to thrive socially, economically, and emotionally. This vision, borne out of Alisha’s own experience as a single mother, led to the start of the Current Project, an advocacy and mission-driven organization focused on supporting the well-being of black single mothers by connecting…

1
Staying Awake for God's Sake with Rev. Tyler Sit 48:49

1+ y ago48:49

48:49

When Rev. Tyler Sit set out to plant a church in Minneapolis in 2015, he began by listening. He walked every neighborhood in the city to listen for God’s dreams and discern where God wanted him to plant a church. He listened to neighbors over meals to hear what kind of church they would want to be a part of. What emerged was a church led by BIPOC l…

1
Human Again with Rev. Michael Gienger 43:58

1+ y ago43:58

43:58

“This place makes me feel human again” is a phrase often heard at Galveston Central Church from people at radically different ends of the socioeconomic spectrum. Being a part of the community grounds people in the truth that they belong to each other. It is not too much to say that this conversation with Rev. Michael Gienger will make you feel huma…

1
Fishing Differently with Rev. Dr. Sidney Williams 51:35

1+ y ago51:35

51:35

Expanding imagination for ministry can happen when you employ the FISHing differently framework developed by today’s inspired guest and 2023 Locke Innovative Leader, Rev. Dr. Sidney WIlliams. As the saying goes: “what got us here won’t get us there.” Instead of focusing purely on the financial capital needed to fund ministry, Sidney invites us to F…

1
Innovating for Love with Rev. Dr. Kenda Creasy Dean 39:07

1+ y ago39:07

39:07

Why do we innovate? The goal is never innovation itself. As Rev. Dr. Kenda Creasy Dean says, “The goal is always loving people well.” This conversation is packed with insight and wisdom that gets to the heart of why innovation matters. We often feel pressure to innovate in big ways that make things bigger, faster, stronger but Kendra reminds us tha…

1
Loving our Neighbors Means Loving our Neighborhoods with Pastah J 55:22

1+ y ago55:22

55:22

The last episode of our season on formation begins with co-hosts Lisa Greenwood and Tim Soerens each sharing their top three takeaways from the season. Don’t miss this great season wrap up! And then: We couldn’t imagine a better conversation partner to end this season with than Jonathan Brooks, or as he’s better known, Pastah J, who offers a hopefu…

1
Reimagining God’s Economy with Rev. Rosa Lee Harden 53:34

1+ y ago53:34

53:34

Rosa Lee Harden, Episcopal priest and serial entrepreneur, says that a conversation about generosity should bring about the best in us. This conversation certainly does just that! Each minute with Rosa Lee is inspired and inspiring. Rosa Lee shares her journey of faith that led her to bring together her desire to follow Jesus with her financial sav…

1
Living the Gospel through the Multi-Ethnic Church with Mark DeYmaz 59:03

1+ y ago59:03

59:03

Mark DeYmaz, founder of Mosaix Church and the Mosaix Global Network, passionately articulates how the multi-ethnic church is the visible sign of the Gospel. In this wide-ranging conversation, Mark shares the origin story of Mosaix Church and his conviction that “if a people group or an individual is missing, then we’re actually missing part of the …

1
Creating Cultures of Generosity with Joe Park 48:40

1+ y ago48:40

48:40

Joe Park, CEO and Principal of Horizons Stewardship, invites us to think deeply about the connection between formation and generosity. He humbly says he is not an expert in generosity but his track record of incredible successes helping churches and faith-based not for profits build sustainable cultures of generosity, and the depth with which he ap…

1
Formation and the Phygital Space (Bonus Episode) 1:05:27

2y ago1:05:27

1:05:27

This is a first for us: we recorded this bonus episode on location at a gathering we hosted in Austin, Texas! You’ll hear from eleven amazing leaders and practitioners of physical and digital ministry, or “phygital” as we’ve now learned to say. These pioneers in digital ministry will share their experiences, questions, and ideas for what the digita…

1
The Spiritually Awakened Brain with Dr. Lisa Miller 52:38

2y ago52:38

52:38

Humans are equipped with an innate capacity for spirituality and our brains become more resilient and robust the more we engage with spirituality. This groundbreaking research from Dr. Lisa Miller has enormous implications for the church. Dr. Miller joins our podcast to make a case for why the church is desperately needed today, not just as an anti…

1
The Whole Person Revolution with Anne Snyder 52:54

2y ago52:54

52:54

Our podcast aims to “spark the Spirit within you” and what you will hear in this conversation with Anne Snyder is a person whose spirit is on fire for something bigger than herself. What an inspired and inspiring time we had with Anne Snyder–we can’t wait for you to listen! From her vulnerable sharing of her own formation story to her reflection on…

1
Spiritual Formation Everywhere You Look with Tim Soerens 40:42

2y ago40:42

40:42

We kick off Season 7 of the Igniting Imagination podcast in conversation with pastor and social entrepreneur Tim Soerens about the immense opportunity to reenergize the church today by daring to be “faithfully present” to what God imagines for us in our churches, our neighborhoods, and in our daily lives. The challenges the church faces today are v…

1
Igniting Imagination Season 7 Trailer 1:52

2y ago1:52

1:52

This season on Igniting Imagination host Lisa Greenwood, co-host Tim Soerens, and special guests explore spiritual formation: what is formation and what is the church’s role in formation? Join our email, contact us, and find more resources from Leadership Ministry at tmf-fdn.orgBy TMF & Wesleyan Investive

1
The Gifts of Wilderness with Bishop Gregory Palmer 57:09

2y ago57:09

57:09

We conclude our season on Jacob’s Bones (the core truths, values and practices to carry forward in the new church) in the wilderness where identity and purpose can become clear. Bishop Palmer reflects on the gifts of this wilderness time in the church and through his no-nonsense, compelling way, challenges the church to move beyond navel-gazing to …

1
A Better Vision for Human Flourishing with Andy Crouch 57:44

2y ago57:44

57:44

Andy Crouch believes that one of the biggest challenges of pastoral ministry right now is not being seduced by the false vision of human flourishing that our culture offers and that technology optimizes. “You’re not going to get to the Kingdom of God by providing these religious goods and services that your system has been set up to provide and tha…

1
People, Places, and Processes for Healing with Jorge Acevedo 56:17

2y ago56:17

56:17

Grace Church is the perfect name for the now large, multi-site, United Methodist congregation in Southwest Florida that Jorge Acevedo started two decades ago. “Help us be the church for people that nobody sees” has been the church’s focus and that is exactly the church they have become. Grace Church is taking the healing ministry of Jesus seriously…

1
The Power of Unconditional Love with Greg Boyle and Justin Coleman 59:34

2y ago59:34

59:34

Gil Rendle says in the intro that this conversation with Father Greg Boyle is “one of the richest conversations I’ve ever been in.” How grateful we are to have recorded this beautiful and rich back and forth between Gil, Rev. Lisa Greenwood, Father Boyle and Rev. Justin Coleman! Father Boyle’s approach to gang intervention rehabilitation and re-ent…

1
The Gravity of Joy with Angela Gorrell 52:26

2y ago52:26

52:26

“America’s crisis of despair crashed into my life while I was getting paid to think about joy,” is how Dr. Angela Gorrell begins her book on joy and that is where we begin our conversation. What is authentic joy and how do you experience joy when there is so much to NOT be joyful about? One key, says Dr. Gorrell, is to recognize joy as a gift, like…

1
Methodist Hope for What Comes Next with Will Willimon 54:03

2y ago54:03

54:03

What better way to start our season about the values the church must carry forward into the future than with the ‘gadfly of the church,’ Bishop Will Willimon! Co-host Gil Rendle points out that as the gadfly of the church, Will both loves and cares about the institution AND asks critically important questions that challenge the church to be better.…

1
Igniting Imagination Season 6 Trailer 3:04

2y ago3:04

3:04

Season 6 of Igniting Imagination is coming soon! Host Lisa Greenwood, co-host Gil Rendle, and special guests from diverse theological perspectives discuss what core values and truths to carry forward and include in the future church. What values and truths will you carry forward? Our guests this season are: Bishop Will Willimon Dr. Angela Gorrell F…

1
Summer Soul Tending with Tod Bolsinger: Follow a Rule of Life 34:37

2y ago34:37

34:37

Our most-downloaded episode is back (!) for one big reason: this conversation remains incredibly relevant today. We are inviting you to listen again or for the first time to Tod Bolsinger because the way he talks about how to manage change, stress and resistance without burning out is as practical as it is inspiring. In this conversation, you’ll he…

1
Summer Soul Tending with Joe Stabile: Trust in God’s Lead 38:08

2y ago38:08

38:08

Joe Stabile started centering prayer at age 14. If you’ve ever wondered how a lifetime of centering prayer shapes a person, listen to this conversation with Joe. Throughout his life, Joe has had a constant posture of discernment and a deep trust in where God is leading. Joe is so rooted in the Spirit; listening to him, being around him, is like jum…

1
Summer Soul Tending with Danielle Shroyer: Be a Soul Ninja 38:09

2y ago38:09

38:09

Danielle Shroyer’s curiosity about the spiritual path took an unexpected turn in 2018. This founder of the emerging church movement and deeply faithful Christian leader took the path East, towards the wisdom and practices of the Eastern traditions. Her blog, Be a Soul Ninja, chronicles her experiences engaging in different Eastern religious thought…

1
Living the Questions with Shannon Hopkins 49:00

2+ y ago49:00

49:00

Shannon Hopkins has been asking, “God, what is the church you are building today?” for decades–and she’s been living that question. Shannon’s pursuit of new forms of Christian community inspired her to move from Texas to London where she has continued to build an incredible network of friends and colleagues who are living the questions, too. Throug…

1
The Parish is My World with Coté Soerens 49:31

2+ y ago49:31

49:31

Coté Soerens has made her neighborhood in South Park, Seattle her world. She and her husband Tim moved their family into the under-resourced neighborhood with a deep desire to discover God’s dreams for the community and participate in helping those dreams come to fruition alongside their neighbors. Coté started a coffee shop, Resistencia Coffee, th…

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