Connecting the Organizational Center and the Innovative Edge with Leroy Barber, Locke Innovative Leader Award Winner

Co-hosts Lisa Greenwood and Casper ter Kuile talk with Rev. Leroy Barber, 2021 Locke Innovative Leader Award Winner. Leroy has dedicated 30 years to eradicating poverty, confronting homelessness, restoring local neighborhoods, healing racism, and living what Dr. King called “the beloved community.” Leroy is the Co-Founder of the Voices Project, which gathers leaders of color across fields, who pursue and work for change, for important conversations about the current challenges and triumphs within communities of color and their role as cultural influencers.

Leroy is a seasoned innovator who has spent decades as a spiritual entrepreneur starting new ministries and organizations. He is the definition of an ‘edge leader’ and yet, Leroy now serves deep in the center of the institution of the church as Director for Innovation for an Engaged Church in the Greater Northwest Area of the United Methodist Church. So how does an edge leader thrive when working in the heart of the center? Relationships. Leroy recognizes the value of relationship building between the center and the edge and brings people together to take the next faithful step in making God’s dreams reality. Whether you are in ministry in the center or the edge, this episode will encourage you to see the gifts and graces of the other and consider the ways the center and edge can work together to make a positive difference in congregations and communities.

 

QUOTES

• “I came up with this saying that I think is mine. Innovation happens at the intersection of difference. Meaning, you can’t really innovate if you don’t bring something different in.” -Leroy Barber [21:41]
• “I manage relationships in the middle and I lead on the edge.” -Leroy Barber [27:37]

 

TIMESTAMPS

• [00:00] Intro
• [01:36] Meet Leroy Barber
• [03:56] Significant event that have shaped Leroy
• [06:07] The Voices Project
• [12:04] The resistance Leroy meets today
• [15:32] Building collaborations
• [19:32] His role at the United Methodist Church
• [22:23] What gives him that confidence to try something new
• [26:04] Staying grounded and energized
• [29:11] Three rapid fire questions
• [32:25] A blessing
• [33:36] Outro

 

RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts / iTunes?

For information about our co-host Casper ter Kuile, visit his website: caspertk.com and check out the work of Sacred Design Lab at sacred.design

Find and follow Leroy Barber on Facebook @leroy.barber.71, Instagram and Twitter @leroybarber

For information about The Voices Project, visit their website: voices-project.org

Leroy Barber’s most recent book is “Embrace: God’s Radical Shalom for a Divided World.”

This season features Wesleyan Investive’s 2021 Tom Locke Innovative Award winners. The award honors spiritual entrepreneurs who have envisioned a broader mission field and have taken risks to make their God-sized dreams a reality. For more information about the award and the recipients, visit award.wesleyaninvestive.org.

“God Has Work for Us To Do” music and lyrics by Mark Miller. Visit Mark’s website at markamillermusic.com or find him on YouTube at youtube.com/c/markismusic67.

This podcast is brought to you by the Leadership Ministry team at TMF and Wesleyan Investive. Leadership Ministry connects diverse, high capacity leaders in conversations and environments that create a network of courage, learning, and innovation in order to help the church lean into its God-appointed mission. For more information and to support Leadership Ministry, visit tmf-fdn.org/leadership-ministry.