Future Christian

Douglas Powe, author of the book The Adept Church, talks about how churches can move from slow and stagnant to nimble and adept. In the podcast, Doug shares important thoughts and insights from his book, especially how churches can move from stagnation to transformation. Douglas Powe, Jr. is an ordained elder in the Baltimore/Washington Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church. He is the Director of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership and professor of evangelism and of urban ministry at Wesley Theological Seminary. Powe is committed to helping urban congregations and congregations in transitional areas to flourish through community partnering. His research interest are church revitalization, urban theology and Methodist theology. He holds an MDiv from Candler School of Theology and a PhD in systematic theology from Emory University. Buy his book from Cokesbury or Amazon!  The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media. Support the Pod here!

Rev. Mark Elsdon joins the pod to talk about his new book, We Aren’t Broke: Uncovering Hidden Resources for Mission and Ministry. He talks about how the book was inspired by his own church’s journey from decline and decay into vital mission and ministry by uncovering hidden resources and strategically utilizing them to advance mission. Mark also shares ideas about how we can begin to see these resources for ourselves and how we can overcome the scarcity mindset. Mark Elsdon lives and works at the intersection of money and meaning as an entrepreneur, pastor, consultant, and speaker. He is cofounder of RootedGood, which seeks to create more good in the world through social innovation; executive director at Pres House on the University of Wisconsin's Madison campus; and owner of Elsdon Strategic Consulting. Mark is president of the board of directors of Working Capital for Community Needs (WCCN) an impact investing fund that provides micro-finance for the working poor in Latin America. Mark has a BA in Psychology from UC Berkeley, a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin School of Business. Mark is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church, USA, and lives in Madison, Wisconsin with his spouse and two daughters. He is an avid cyclist and considers it a good year when he rides more miles on his bike than he drives in his car. Mark is donating 100% of author proceeds from the sale of We Aren’t Broke to nonprofit organizations engaging in creative solutions to address the “wicked” problems he writes about in the book. Get a copy of Mark’s book here: The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media. Support the Pod here!

In the interview, Tim walks through the nine important questions he asks the perspective church planter to consider. For anyone who as ever considered starting a church, leading a church through revitalization, or even whether or not to enter pastoral ministry these are questions you need to consider beforehand—lest it cost you your soul! Tim Morey is the author of Planting a Church Without Losing Your Soul: Nine Questions for the Spiritually Formed Pastor. Tim is founding and lead pastor at Life Covenant Church in Torrance, California. He serves as a church planting coach for the Evangelical Covenant Church and as an adjunct professor at Fuller Theological Seminary.   The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media. Support the Pod here!  

In our podcast interview, Daniel walks through the song, sharing his thoughts and feelings behind the words of the songs. He talks about his early experiences in which growing up and why he does not simply want to leave the Church, but rather invite those he believes to be wayward to “come home.” Daniel Deitrich is a singer/songwriter based in South Bend, Indiana. His honest, heartbreaking, yet hopeful writing finds a home in massive Americana anthems, catchy Indie rock hooks, as well as intimate acoustic confessionals. Learn more about Deitrich and his music by visiting his website.   The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media. Support the Pod here!

Crow Eddy joins the pod to talk about integrating Christianity with Native Spirituality. We talk about the work of the Center for Indigenous Ministries (DOC), the ways he's incorporated Native Spirituality into his church community, and the way that Christianity has been--and still does--oppress indigenous populations. He also talks about his art! Crow Eddy is an artist, drum carrier, and Mi’kmaq person living in Novia Scotia, Canada. Crow regularly writes and lectures on Mi’kmaq spirituality and healing circles. He is a member of the North American council on Truth and Reconciliation called the Centre for Indigenous Ministries (D.O.C.) Council.  He seeks to "build bridges to our ancient culture and our living people." Winter talk - https://disciples.org/event/winter-talk-2020/       Article - https://disciples.org/congregations/canada-church-hosts-healing-circle-reconciliation/   Yakama mission - https://yakamamission.org   Centre for Indiginous Ministry (D.O.C.) https://www.facebook.com/DisciplesStanding/   The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media. Support the Pod here!

Ryan Panzer, author and hybrid ministry consultant, joins the pod to talk about his new book, Grace and Gigabytes: Being Church in a Tech Shaped World. In the book, Panzer talks about why being church is not about technology but engagement and why churches are not failing to adapt to technology, but rather are failing to adapt to meaning making. Ryan is a learning and leadership development professional in the technology industry. A student of digital media and its influence on our lives, he is especially interested in the intersection of faith and technology. The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media. Support the Pod here!

Author and podcaster Jared Byas talks about his new book Love Matters More, which talks about how fighting to be right keeps us from loving like Jesus. In our conversation, we talk about theological trauma, why truth is a poor guide to love, and why if it doesn't set you free--it isn't truth. Jared Byas is cohost of the popular podcast The Bible for Normal People and coauthor of the book Genesis for Normal People. A former teaching pastor and professor of philosophy and biblical studies, Jared lives with his wife, Sarah, outside of Philadelphia, PA, with their four children.  The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media. Support the Pod here!

Bethany Dearborn Hiser, trauma-informed soul care provider and author of From Burned Out to Beloved: Soul Care for Wounded Healers joins the pod to talk about overwork, burnout, and knowing when to stay or when to go. For many in "caring professions" like counselors, activists, social workers, and pastors, taking time away to recharge and renew oneself can be seen as unnecessary and privileged. Bethany shares why this attitude not only is wrong, but it's also dangerous. Bethany currently works as the Director of Soul Care for Northwest Family Life, a network of therapists trained to work with survivors of domestic violence and sexual trauma. As a bilingual social worker, chaplain, and pastoral advocate, she has worked in a variety of ministry and social service settings with people affected by addiction, sexual exploitation, incarceration, and immigration. The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media. Support the Pod here!  

Kathy Escobar joins the pod to tell the story of The Refuge, a Christian community and resource center, while also sharing some insights on future models of church and what churches can and should do to respond to the changes brought on by Covid. Along with being a co-pastor at The Refuge, Kathy is a trained spiritual director, speaker, writer, group facilitator, and advocate, her passion is for those on the margins of life and faith and creating brave, safe spaces for healing and transformation in community. A Pepperdine University graduate, she has a Master’s in Management with an emphasis in Organizational Development from JFK University and a Certificate in Spiritual Direction from Denver Seminary. The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media. Support the Pod here!

Brian McLaren joins the pod to talk about his new book Faith After Doubt: Why Your Beliefs Stopped Working and What to Do About It. We talk about the book, the disruption taking place with culture and Christianity, and what future church might look like. Brian D. McLaren is an author, speaker, activist, and public theologian. A former college English teacher and pastor, he is a passionate advocate for “a new kind of Christianity” – just, generous, and working with people of all faiths for the common good. Brian has been active in networking and mentoring church planters and pastors since the mid 1980’s, and has assisted in the development of several new churches. He is a popular conference speaker and a frequent guest lecturer for denominational and ecumenical leadership gatherings – across the US and Canada, Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. His public speaking covers a broad range of topics including postmodern thought and culture, Biblical studies, church leadership and spiritual formation, pastoral survival and burnout, inter-religious dialogue, and global crises. The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media. Support the Pod here!