Future Christian

In many church and clergy circles, part-time is considered the "kiss of death," the dreaded sign that the church has thrown in the towel and is circling the drain, trying to squeeze out a few more months or years before inevitably closing its doors. It need not be so, says Jeffrey MacDonald. In this conversation, we talk about how utilizing part-time clergy can actually be a move toward vitality and growth for struggling churches, what denominations can do better to support PT clergy, and what churches and denominations owe to pastors who took on student load debt but can't find decent jobs to pay the bills.  The Rev. G. Jeffrey MacDonald helps mainline Protestant congregations develop fresh vitality without full-time clergy. He does this through service journalism, authoring books, consulting with church leaders and serving as a part-time interim pastor. Ordained in the United Church of Christ, Jeff has won national awards for his religion coverage in The Christian Science Monitor, Religion News Service, Faith & Leadership and other outlets. He’s the author of Thieves in the Temple: The Christian Church and the Selling of the American Soul and Part-Time is Plenty: Thriving without Full-Time Clergy. He lives in Swampscott, Mass. The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.

"The church can break our hearts more often than it does the gospel work of healing us" says pastor Amy Butler, who in being the first woman to serve at 3 different churches knows what it's like to find heartbreak rather than healing. In this conversation, Pastor Amy shares why she still believes the church can be a powerful force for healing and hope, talks about Invested Faith - one of the ways she is seeking to lead the church forward into more healing and hope,  and explains why she's fascinated with the question, "what does it take to build community that can change the world." Rev. Dr. Amy Butler currently leads National City Christian Church as intentional interim Senior Minister. Before that, Amy served for for five years as the seventh Senior Minister and first woman at the helm of The Riverside Church in the City of New York.  She holds degrees from Baylor University, the International Baptist Theological Seminary, and Wesley Theological Seminary. When she’s not busy leading, teaching, preaching or writing, Pastor Amy is an avid reader and loves to write, recently completing her first memoir which will soon be published by Penguin Random House Books. Pastor Amy is mom to three amazing young adults who are each making their way in the world; they are her favorites.   The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.

Deconstruction has been the buzzword in progressive Christian contexts for the last 5+ years, yet often times that deconstruction looks more like an angry sledgehammer than a thoughtful critique. While there are certainly aspects of the Christian tradition that need to be taken apart, pastor and author Brian Zahnd joins the pod to talk about the dangers of deconstruction, the mystical future of Christianity, and why the future will be sustained by an experience--not an argument. Brian Zahnd is the founder and lead pastor of Word of Life Church in St. Joseph, Missouri. Known for his theologically informed preaching and his embrace of the deep and long history of the church, Zahnd provides a forum for pastors to engage with leading theologians and is a frequent conference speaker. He is the author of several books, including Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God, A Farewell to Mars, and When Everything is on Fire. The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.

As with many things in our society, Covid accelerated the revolution in church economics that was already coming. Mark DeYmaz joins the pod to share from his book, written before Covid, about what inspired him to write the book and why he thinks it's all the more important as a result of the Covid-related changes. In our conversation, we talk about the change in mindset church leaders need to have, how churches can develop multiple streams of income and leverage their assets, and why churches need to stop begging for money! A thought-leading writer and recognized champion of the Multiethnic Church Movement, Mark planted the Mosaic Church in 2001 where he continues to serve as Directional Leader. In 2004, he co-founded the Mosaix Global Network with Dr. George Yancey, today serving as its president and convener of the triennial National Multi-ethnic Church Conference. In 2008, he launched Vine and Village and remains active on the board of this 501(c)(3) non-profit focused on the spiritual, social, and financial transformation of Little Rock's University District. Mark also has academic partnerships with Wheaton College and is an adjunct professor at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Phoenix Seminary, where he earned a D.Min. in 2007. The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.

Evangelicalism has been in a season of conflict and turmoil as seemingly unending scandals and controversies have rocked the space. As an uneasy insider, Pastor and author Dan Stringer acknowledges the struggles yet seeks an alternative option between "everything's fine" or "burn it all down." In our conversation, we talk about understanding Evangelicalism as as a space rather than a brand, the importance of understanding evangelicalism as more than simple white and American, and why he understands why some "exvangelicals" had to leave. Through all this, Dan offers some practical suggestions and glimmers of hope. Dan Stringer grew up as a third culture kid in five countries on three continents. He is a graduate of Wheaton College and Fuller Theological Seminary, ordained in the Evangelical Covenant Church, and serves as team leader for InterVarsity's Graduate and Faculty Ministries in Hawai'i. Dan is pastor of theological formation at Wellspring Covenant Church in Hālawa, Hawai'i. He previously was a social worker helping people obtain housing and employment. He has written for Missio Alliance, Inheritance, and Level Ground, and is a contributor to Father Factor. The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.

Do I stay Christian? A question countless pastors, church leaders, and followers of Jesus could never have imagined themselves asking, yet when confronted with the behavior of modern-day Christians and the historical legacy of Christianity, many can't help but ask themselves the question. In our conversation, Brian talks about the complexity of what it even means to be a Christian, why solidarity--not supremacy--should be the model for Christianity moving forward, and why some people may need to simply leave a form of Christianity rather than the whole religion. A former college English teacher, Brian was a pastor for twenty-four years. Now he’s an author, activist, public theologian, and frequent guest lecturer for gatherings in the U.S. and internationally. His work has been covered in TIME Magazine, Newsweek, USA Today, The New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, and many other media outlets. The author of more than 15 books, including Faith After Doubt, A New Kind of Christian, and Do I Stay Christian? Brian is a faculty member of The Living School at the Center for Action and Contemplation. McLaren lives in Florida. https://futurechristian.podbean.com/e/brian-mclaren-on-faith-after-doubt/ The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.

Evangelism, the "E" word is often one of the most dreaded conversation topics in many mainline and progressive church communities. Rev. Phiwa Langeni, a self-described "evangelist for evangelism" joins the pod to define what they mean by "evangelism," clarify the differences between evangelism and colonialism, and also provided good examples within progressive contexts. Phiwa believes there is a difference between proselytizing and evangelism, and we need to better train church people to share their stories.  As a queer, Black, trans person from an immigrant family, the Rev. Phiwa Langeni is quite skilled at detecting and decreasing various societal gaps, especially with/for those with multiple minoritized identities. Since ordination in 2011, Phiwa has served in just about every local church setting possible: a thriving progressive church, multi-charge rural churches, a large suburban church, small churches deeply rooted in political and social justice, and a new church start/nonprofit hybrid. They currently serve as the Ambassador for Innovation and Engagement in the United Church of Christ's Center for Analytics, Research & Development, and Data. Phiwa is also the owner of a few small creative businesses, including their most recent adventures in fashion design. They solo parent an adult daughter who challenges them in brilliance and beauty. In their free time, Phiwa enjoys reading, upcycling, 90s R&B, dad jokes, and creating all manner of things. The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.

Numerical church growth in mainline churches is often seen as problematic or even impossible. Pastor and author Tracy Barnowe joins the pod to talk about ethical and achievable action plans to help churches bring in more people. In our conversation, we talk about why church growth is often so frowned upon in mainline churches, what churches are doing that doesn't work, and 3 things churches can start doing immediately to grow their church! Rev. Tracy Barnowe is an ordained minister with the United Church of Christ. She has served as a revitalization pastor in multiple churches and has studied and tested methods for effective church growth for the past twenty years. She has served as a Church Growth Consultant and led workshops on her evidence-based growth strategies for years. She served as the Minister for Church Vitality in the Hawai’i Conference of the United Church of Christ. Pastor Tracy is the author of Unstoppable Outreach and Grow Your Church. She holds an MDiv from Pacific School of Religion (2011) and an MA from the Graduate Theological Union (2012) in Biblical Studies with a focus on Old Testament Hermeneutics. Learn more at her website. The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.

In this time of disruption and decline among mainline denominations, it's vital that efforts be made to start new churches and worshipping communities. Consultants Paul Nixon and Craig Gilbert join the pod to share practical, how-to steps for everything from initial advertising to building a volunteer team from their book Launching a New Worship Community Paul Nixon is the author of multiple books on church development. His company, Epicenter Group, has coached hundreds of congregations and their leaders in North America and in Europe, helping many to discover breakthroughs in the growth and renewal of their ministries.  Nixon also serves as director of church multiplication for Discipleship Ministries. He was codeveloper of the Readiness 360 inventory for churches.  Craig Gilbert is a worship consultant and founder of Purposed Heart Ministries. From Craig’s ministry start in a small congregation to his serving a church with eight distinctive worship communities involving more than 2,000 worshipers, Craig has planned and presented worship in a wide variety of styles at the “every Sunday” level, as well as designing and leading worship in large conference settings for thousands of people.  The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.

For the last 2+ years, pastors and church leaders have wondered what church after Covid would look like. While there are some conclusions to be drawn, in many ways the results are still unclear. Pastor and Researcher Ann Mitchell Hall joins the pod to talk about cultivating change readiness, leading intentionally, and making meaning meaning out of transitions from her book Church After, a book written before Covid, yet incredibly applicable to these times. Listen in to learn more about the importance of story, why listening is so important, and why shared practice is everything. Rev. Dr. Anna Hall is an ordained Baptist minister who has coordinated programs and conducted research in churches, nonprofits, and universities. In her work as Director of Research and Development for the Convergence, she draws on the latest research from across the fields of religious practice, organizational development, and adult learning to inform product development and implementation that supports the needs of pastors and churches. She holds a Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology, Emory University, a Master of Public Administration from Valdosta State University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Georgia, where her research focused on congregations experiencing a change in pastors. The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.