With the continued decline of churches and denominations, many pastors and church leaders are facing a future filled with doom. In this conversation, Brian McLaren discusses his new book Life After Doom and how the four possible scenarios for the future of our world mirror the reality of institutional church: collapse avoidance, collapse rebirth, collapse survival, and collapse extinction. McLaren emphasizes the need for pastoral care and support in the face of these challenges and encourages individuals to show up for what they love. He also suggests reimagining the Christian faith as a series of movements rather than institutions. McLaren emphasizes the importance of small groups of people coming together to live simpler and more meaningful lives, focusing on conversation and enjoying the beauty of nature. 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. He is a core faculty member and Dean of Faculty for the Center for Action and Contemplation. and a podcaster with Learning How to See. He is also an Auburn Senior Fellow and is a co-host of Southern Lights. His newest books are  Faith After Doubt (January 2021), Do I Stay Christian? (May 2022), and Life After Doom: Wisdom and Courage for a World Falling Apart, (May 2024). Born in 1956, he graduated from University of Maryland with degrees in English (BA, 1978, and MA, 1981). His academic interests included Medieval drama, Romantic poets, modern philosophical literature, and the novels of Dr. Walker Percy. In 2004, he was awarded a Doctor of Divinity Degree (honoris causa) from Carey Theological Seminary in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and in 2010, he received a second honorary doctorate from Virginia Theological Seminary (Episcopal). Past Episodes with Brian: https://futurechristian.podbean.com/e/brian-mclaren-on-faith-after-doubt/ https://futurechristian.podbean.com/e/do-i-stay-a-christian-with-brian-mclaren/   Presenting Sponsor: Phillips Seminary Join conversations that expose you to new ideas, deepen your commitment and give insights to how we can minister in a changing world.    Supporting Sponsors: I Help Pastors Get Jobs: Use code 'futurechristian' Torn Curtain Arts is a non-profit ministry that works with worship leaders, creatives, and churches to help avoid burnout, love their work, and realize their full creative potential.   Future Christian Team: Loren Richmond Jr. – Host & Executive Producer Martha Tatarnic – Guest Host / Co-Host Paul Romig–Leavitt – Executive Producer Danny Burton - Producer Dennis Sanders – Producer  

Tessa Pinkstaff and Dwight Zscheile discuss faithful innovation in the church, emphasizing deep connections with God and community. They stress the importance of creating a Holy Spirit-led environment, embracing failure, and empowering laypeople. Addressing challenges of consensus and tribalism, they highlight the need for churches to adapt and connect with contemporary culture.

Jonathan Foster discusses the Open Table Network providing credentialing for marginalized clergy. He explores the shift from centralized institutions to local communities, denominational splintering, and ministry challenges. The conversation includes reflections on grief, the journey out of traditional denominations, and trends in clergy credentialing. Foster emphasizes empowering individuals and love as core values in clergy credentialing.

Nichole Torbitzky, University Chaplain, discusses campus ministry and the needs of the next generation from church. Topics include engaging college students in Christianity, Open and Relational theology, challenges faced by young adults in church, and the importance of inclusivity and acceptance, especially towards LGBTQIA+ individuals.

Across American Christianity, there is a shortage of clergy, and this is exacerbated by financial struggles, housing issues, and the emotional toll of being a pastor. In this episode, Carol Howard joins the show to talk about challenges and trends in clergy health. She also explored the impact of these trends on younger clergy and the need for the church to invest in clergy support. Howard also shares from her book Wounded Pastors, which explores the concept of Family Systems Theory and its application in helping pastors and clergy navigate challenges and dynamics within their congregations. The conversation also touches on the topics of forgiveness, rewriting personal stories, and the potential for post-traumatic growth in the church.  Rev. Carol Howard (@CarolHoward) is the award-winning author of several books, including Wounded Pastors: Navigating Burnout, Finding Healing and Discerning the Future of your Ministry (Westminster John Knox) and Healing Spiritual Wounds: Reconnecting with a Loving God after Experiencing a Hurtful Church (HarperOne). Carol is a frequent contributor to books, websites, magazines, and journals. She was a regular columnist at the Christian Century where her blog was hosted. She’s a Presbyterian (USA) minister in a village church outside of New York City.   Presenting Sponsor: Phillips Seminary Join conversations that expose you to new ideas, deepen your commitment and give insights to how we can minister in a changing world.    Supporting Sponsors: I Help Pastors Get Jobs: Use code 'futurechristian' Torn Curtain Arts is a non-profit ministry that works with worship leaders, creatives, and churches to help avoid burnout, love their work, and realize their full creative potential.   Future Christian Team: Loren Richmond Jr. – Host & Executive Producer Martha Tatarnic – Guest Host / Co-Host Paul Romig–Leavitt – Executive Producer Danny Burton - Producer Dennis Sanders – Producer  

Its no secret that the church as an institution in America is undergoing great change, and with it the role and function of clergy. In this episode, Ted Smith joins the show to talk about the history of formal theological education in the United States, the transition from the standing order to voluntary associations as the primary sociological gathering model, the professionalization of ministry, and the emergence of denominations as we know them. He also talks about the downsides of the professionalization such as clergy being lonely, isolated, and out of touch. Ted also speaks about growing trends such as Christian leaders being formed outside of professional education, smaller and more homogenous denominations, and Mega-churches and micro-churches. Ted Smith is Charles Howard Candler Professor of Divinity and Associate Dean of Faculty at Emory University’s Candler School of Theology. He holds degrees from Duke University, Oxford University, Princeton Theological Seminary, and Emory University. He is the author of three books: The New Measures, Weird John Brown, and, most recently, The End of Theological Education, which reviewers have hailed as a generational landmark in reflection on theological education. He has edited books on sexuality and ordination, contemporary issues in preaching, and economic inequality. Smith also serves as director of Theological Education between the Times and the editor of the series of books that have grown out of that project. Ordained to ministry in the Presbyterian Church (USA), Smith served as pastor to two congregations in upstate New York prior to beginning his doctoral studies.   Presenting Sponsor: Phillips Seminary Join conversations that expose you to new ideas, deepen your commitment and give insights to how we can minister in a changing world.    Supporting Sponsors: I Help Pastors Get Jobs: Use code 'futurechristian' Torn Curtain Arts is a non-profit ministry that works with worship leaders, creatives, and churches to help avoid burnout, love their work, and realize their full creative potential.   Future Christian Team: Loren Richmond Jr. – Host & Executive Producer Martha Tatarnic – Guest Host / Co-Host Paul Romig–Leavitt – Executive Producer Danny Burton - Producer Dennis Sanders – Producer  

So, you're trying to sustain a church for continued health... while also disrupting the status quo... impossible, right? Not so, says Pastor and author Doug Powe. In this episode, we talk about his book Sustaining While Disrupting, emphasizing the importance of thinking like an outsider, taking risks, and putting aside convictions. Doug makes his case from the stories of the early church in Acts.  He also addresses the challenges of navigating disputes in the church, particularly regarding issues like women pastors and LGBT inclusion. Doug advises honoring convictions while allowing for change over time. He emphasizes the need for clarity in mission and the reasons behind initiatives, while also pointing out why change fails and the importance of authentic conversations. Frederick Douglas Powe, Jr. is the Director of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership and the James C. Logan Professor of Evangelism at Wesley Theological Seminary. Dr. Powe is an ordained elder in the Baltimore/Washington Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.  His newest co-authored book, Sustaining While Disrupting: The Challenge of Congregational Innovation, was the number newly released church leadership and administration book. Another recent book, The Adept Church: Navigating Between a Rock and a Hard Place, was the number one newly released church growth book just a month after being released. Dr. Powe is also known for his work in Wesleyan evangelism with titles like, Transforming Community: The Wesleyan Way to Missional Congregations and Transforming Evangelism: The Wesleyan Way of Sharing Faith, both co-authored with H. Henry Knight III.  Dr. Powe is a forerunner in African American evangelism, a few of his contributions include: Not Safe for Church: The Ten Commandments for Reaching New Generations, co-authored with Rev. Jasmine Smothers, and New Wine, New Wineskins: How African American Congregations Can Reach New Generations.  He holds a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology from Emory University (2004), a Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology (1998), and a Bachelor of Arts from Ohio Wesleyan University (1987).   Doug's socials are: Twitter/X: @fdpjr Facebook: @frederick.powe   Lewis Center socials: Twitter/X: @lewisleadership Facebook: @lewisleadership Instagram: @lewiscenterleadership YouTube: @lewisleadership https://www.churchleadership.com.   Previous Episode with Doug: https://futurechristian.podbean.com/e/doug-powe-describes-the-adept-church/   Presenting Sponsor: Phillips Seminary Join conversations that expose you to new ideas, deepen your commitment and give insights to how we can minister in a changing world.    Supporting Sponsors: I Help Pastors Get Jobs: Use code 'futurechristian' Torn Curtain Arts is a non-profit ministry that works with worship leaders, creatives, and churches to help avoid burnout, love their work, and realize their full creative potential.   Future Christian Team: Loren Richmond Jr. – Host & Executive Producer Martha Tatarnic – Guest Host / Co-Host Paul Romig–Leavitt – Executive Producer Danny Burton - Producer Dennis Sanders – Producer  

Churches and individuals are facing a time of division and uncertainty, as we recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, political discord, and changing beliefs about God. In this episode, Mark Feldmeir delves into the realities of leading a progressive congregation in a conservative community, the innovative responses to the pandemic, and the denominational shifts within Methodism. Mark also shares insights from his book, 'Life After God,' which explores finding faith when one can't believe anymore. He discusses the need for a new way of thinking about God and the importance of embracing the complexities of life.  Mark Feldmeir is the author of five books, including his latest work, Life after God: Finding Fath When You Can’t Believe Anymore. He has served on the Adjunct Faculty at Claremont School of Theology, where he has taught homiletics, and has spoken at various conferences throughout the country on topics ranging from preaching, politics, and pop culture. He currently serves as Lead Pastor at St. Andrew United Methodist Church in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Mark received his B.A. in Religious Studies from the University of California, Riverside (1990), and his M.Div. from Claremont School of Theology (1993). Mark enjoys cycling, skiing, fly fishing, and camping in his 2002 VW Eurovan. Previous Episode with Mark: https://www.podbean.com/eas/pb-w4uw5-f882a9   Presenting Sponsor: Phillips Seminary Join conversations that expose you to new ideas, deepen your commitment and give insights to how we can minister in a changing world.    Supporting Sponsors: I Help Pastors Get Jobs: Use code 'futurechristian' Torn Curtain Arts is a non-profit ministry that works with worship leaders, creatives, and churches to help avoid burnout, love their work, and realize their full creative potential.   Future Christian Team: Loren Richmond Jr. – Host & Executive Producer Martha Tatarnic – Guest Host / Co-Host Paul Romig–Leavitt – Executive Producer Danny Burton - Producer Dennis Sanders – Producer

Experts discuss AI's role in the church, including using AI for articulating faith stories and boosting productivity. They address the fears of AI replacing human gifts and the importance of ethics. The conversation also explores consciousness in AI and the ethical dilemmas surrounding its development.

In this conversation, Liz Cooledge Jenkins shares her journey from growing up in a Mainline Protestant church to exploring conservative evangelicalism and eventually returning to Mainline Protestant communities. She discusses the reasons why many people leave mainline contexts for evangelicalism and the challenges she faced within evangelical churches. She shares insights from her book, 'Nice Churchy Patriarchy: Reclaiming Women's Humanity from Evangelicalism,' and highlights the need for churches and leaders to practice humility and address patriarchal structures in worship and theology. Liz also discusses the importance of inclusive worship, genuine representation, and the importance of including diverse voices. She encourages male pastors and leaders to actively support women in ministry. Liz Cooledge Jenkins is a writer, preacher, former college campus minister, and the author of Nice Churchy Patriarchy: Reclaiming Women’s Humanity from Evangelicalism. She writes at the intersections of faith, feminism, and social justice, and her work can be found at places like Sojourners and The Christian Century—as well as her new Substack, Growing Into Kinship, and her blog at lizcooledgejenkins.com. Liz lives in the Seattle area with her husband and their black cat Athena, where she enjoys hiking, swimming, attempting to grow vegetables, and drinking a lot of tea. Social media (Instagram): @lizcoolj and @postevangelicalprayers   Presenting Sponsor: Phillips Seminary Join conversations that expose you to new ideas, deepen your commitment and give insights to how we can minister in a changing world.    Supporting Sponsors: I Help Pastors Get Jobs: Use code 'futurechristian' Torn Curtain Arts is a non-profit ministry that works with worship leaders, creatives, and churches to help avoid burnout, love their work, and realize their full creative potential.   Future Christian Team: Loren Richmond Jr. – Host & Executive Producer Martha Tatarnic – Guest Host / Co-Host Paul Romig–Leavitt – Executive Producer Danny Burton - Producer Dennis Sanders – Producer