Future Christian

Rev. Gail Cafferata was heartbroken when the church she pastored closed its doors. It may have been the right decision, but it led to a million questions in her mind about her call, leadership, and future. In this episode, Gail interviews Loren about his own experience closing a church, and together they talk about some of the challenges, heartbreak, and experiences learned from their experiences, sharing wisdom from the book The Last Pastor which Gail wrote from a sociological study she conducted of  mainline pastors who served a church that closed. In the book, Rev. Cafferate shares the results of her study and the hard-won lessons learned by these courageous pastors. The Rev. Gail Cafferata, Ph.D., is a practical theologian and retired Priest Associate at The Church of the Incarnation, Santa Rosa (Episcopal). She spent 25 years as a medical sociologist in universities, the Department of Health and Human Services and Children’s Hospital, Boston before ordination in 2002. After serving a congregation for nine years before it closed, she authored The Last Pastor: Faithfully Steering a Closing Church She continues to write and consult as a Visiting Researcher at Boston University School of Theology, and is available on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/gailleecafferata/. She loves to spend time with her husband Bob and daughters and grandchildren, as well as playing in a community orchestra, birdwatching, gardening and sailing. Future Christian is supported by: 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.    

In this mid-season recap of the Future Christian Podcast, hosts Loren Richmond Jr. and Martha Tatarnic reflect on the topics and guests featured so far in season 14. They discuss their process for selecting guests and the podcast's focus on issues relevant to churches and pastors. They highlight themes such as church planting, reimagining church structures, and love for the church. They also discuss the importance of pastors' mental health and the need for support systems, while examining the financial aspects of church planting and uses of terms like "missional" and "missionary".  Martha Tatarnic is the lead priest of St. George’s, a thriving downtown Anglican church in St. Catharines Ontario. Martha writes a regular blog for the Anglican Church of Canada, which can be found at medium.com. She is the author of The Living Diet:  A Christian Journey to Joyful Eating, an exploration of our relationship with food and our body through a Christian perspective and also her second book, Why Gather? The Hope and Promise of the Church.  Find out more about her at https://marthatatarnic.ca Loren Richmond Jr. is a mission-driven leader with a unique combination of experience in church, nonprofits and affordable housing, holding an MBA with a Nonprofit emphasis and a Master of Divinity. As a servant leader, Loren possesses a calm, focused, and credible demeanor that empowers staff, along with a systems-driven and efficient approach to managing operations, fostering productivity even in heavy workloads. Loren's lifelong commitment to learning and diverse skill-sets enables visionary solutions to current and future organizational challenges, while his entrepreneurial approach has transformed organizations.    Future Christian is supported by: 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.  

Pastors and church planters need more support, but where should they look and what types of relationships should they seek? In this conversation, Pastor, church planter, and author Scott Nelson shares about the five essential relationships each ministry leader needs to have. They also discuss setting boundaries and finding the right kind of support in ministry, the redemptive nature of suffering, and the inner journey that clergy and ministers must go through. Scott emphasizes the importance of forgiveness, acceptance, and letting go of control. He encourages pastors to seek out support and not go alone. Scott Nelson (M.Div, D.Min) is the church planter and lead pastor of Covenant Grove Church in Modesto, California. He also serves as a church planting coach and trainer, and he has spoken across the country on evangelism, discipleship formation, leadership development, and strategic planning. As part of his doctoral work, Scott performed qualitative research with dozens of church planters and coaches across the United States and Canada to find out what contributes to healthy pastoral ministry. Over and over again, the research proved that there were five types of relationships that planters and pastors needed in their lives in order to thrive in ministry. With strong Supply Lines, Scott discovered, pastors are protected from burnout and have the support they need for bigger dreams, wiser decisions, and healthier results.   Facebook – Scott.R.Nelson Instagram – 2penny_scott LinkedIn – scottnelson5   Future Christian is supported by: 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.  

How can churches foster innovation and reinvent their ministry in today's changing world? Meghan Hatcher, the Director of the Innovation Laboratory at the Center for Youth Ministry Training, joins the pod to share ideas. Meghan talks about her personal experience of taking a break and returning to the church. She also explains the purpose and approach of the Innovation Lab, which aims to help faith communities reinvent ministry models across the whole church. Meghan emphasizes the importance of creating psychological safety and fostering inclusivity within churches. She also discusses measuring ministry effectiveness, the value of buy-in and democratized leadership, and supporting churches dealing with affiliation challenges.  Meghan Hatcher currently serves as the director of the Innovation Laboratory, an initiative of the Center for Youth Ministry Training (CYMT). She holds a Bachelor of Journalism and Master of Science in Sustainable Development & Applied Sociology from the University of Missouri, and a Master of Divinity with a specialization in community engagement from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. The thread that runs throughout Meghan’s academic and professional experiences is the power of story to knit communities together around a collective vision. She is a graduate of The Life Stories Institute in Washington, D.C., and has a tremendous passion for guiding individuals to reflect on their personal stories and the timeless stories of faith. Meghan has served rural, urban, and suburban congregational settings in the areas of pastoral leadership, innovative ministry development, youth ministry, new church development, and community engagement. Meghan makes her home in Austin with her spouse Corey.   Future Christian is supported by: 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.  

Do you remember that viral post about pastoral ministry? In this episode, we welcome the author of that piece, Rev. Alexander Lang, an ordained pastor and author. Martha Tatarnic hosts the conversation, and they discuss Lang's background and key points from his article, especially the emotional toll of being a pastor and the challenges of maintaining a declining institution. They also explore the challenges pastors face in navigating their personal emotions while fulfilling their pastoral duties. Lang believes the church is currently searching for its soul, having lost sight of what truly matters. His hope for the future is that the church can embrace God's unconditional love and return to the work of the gospel. Rev. Alexander Lang is an ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church (USA) who worked in church ministry for 20 years. Alex is the author of Restorative Faith, a book that recasts Christianity in a new light for the 21st century skeptic. Alex also hosts the Restorative Faith Podcast, which blends history, science, culture and scripture into thought provoking episodes. Alex’s interests include independent film, electronic music and deep conversation with people who question, doubt and want to dig into the most complex issues we face as humans. When he’s not working on books or the Restorative Faith Movement, Alex enjoys spending time with his wife and two sons. https://religionnews.com/2023/09/11/meet-the-pastor-behind-that-quitting-the-church-essay/?fbclid=IwAR0kjMgf5y1WLKg8Fw2FXy9hN3Wah8OrxH9ClDWzvjswgtJ7dc-5elg0jhU   Future Christian is supported by: 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.  

As more churches explore the opportunity of affordable housing, Rev. Melissa St. Clair shares the journey of developing her church's property. In this episode, we talk about the dream for Heartside Hill and its evolution over time, fundraising efforts and partnerships for the development of Heartside Hill, and how they built relationships with existing neighbors and gained community involvement. Melissa also shares the importance of connecting the project to the church's mission while also offering advice for pastors and churches in similar situations of transitioning church land. Rev. Melissa St. Clair has served Heart of the Rockies Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Fort Collins, CO, since January 2013. She was called to succeed the congregation's founding pastor, Jeff Wright. After two years of serving as Associate Minister, she was installed as Senior Minister in January 2015. Melissa was ordained in 2008 at her home church, St. John’s United Church of Christ, Chambersburg, PA, where her immediate and extended family still reside. Her Master of Divinity is from Eden Theological Seminary (St. Louis, MO). Melissa currently serves as Moderator for the Central Rocky Mountain Region and has previously served as chair of the Board of Stewards for the Center for Faith and Giving. She is an alumna of the Bethany Fellows and a graduate of Leadership Northern Colorado. She currently serves on the Leadership Team of the Ecumenical Circle of the Bethany Fellows. Melissa loves running the trails and camping the mountains of Colorado. She and her spouse, Ben, recently moved to the foothills of the Front Range where they savor the mountain views and the gravel road that gets them there. Her passion for affordable and attainable housing has grown out of their love for where they live and a desire to live in a sustainable, inclusive community. Laura Stephens-Reed is the clergy coach Melissa references in the show. She helps clergy and congregations navigate transitions with faithfulness and curiosity and can be contacted at www.laurastephensreed.com.   Future Christian is supported by: 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.

These days, it seems like everyone is walking away from church. Not so for Ally Henny, who discusses in this episode the potential of the church and why she hasn't given up on it, despite its flaws and challenges. She believes that the church has a unique role in providing a sense of community and support, especially for marginalized groups. Ally also emphasizes the importance of the church in addressing social justice issues and making a positive difference in the world. Looking towards the future, Ally suggests that the church should focus on serving communities and actively engaging with the needs of society. She believes that the church has the potential to be a force for good and transformation, but it requires intentional action and a willingness to listen and learn from others. Ally Henny is a writer, speaker, advocate-minister, and vice president of The Witness: A Black Christian Collective, an organization committed to encouraging, engaging, and empowering Black Christians toward liberation from racism. She completed her MDiv from Fuller Seminary with an emphasis in race, cultural identity, and reconciliation, and she hopes to lead a church someday. Ally has been leading conversations about race on her social media and blog, The Armchair Commentary, since 2014, and her posts reach millions each month. She is a proud Chicago Southsider.   Future Christian is supported by: 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.

What is the role of restlessness in our life of faith? In this episode, Casey Tygrett joins the pod to talk about how suffering can be a teacher, the changing images of God, and the impact of the pandemic on spirituality. Casey emphasizes the importance of seeking guidance from spiritual directors or counselors and encourages listeners to embrace restlessness as an opportunity for growth. Casey also touches on the shifting dynamics in churches during the pandemic and the concept of purpose and trust in God. Casey Tygrett is an author and spiritual director living in the Chicago area. He oversees the spiritual direction practice at Soul Care (www.soulcare.com), and is the author of three books including The Practice of Remembering: Discovering the Place of Memories In Our Spiritual Life and The Gift of Restlessness: A Spirituality for Unsettled Seasons. He is also the host of the “Restlessness is a Gift” podcast. Casey’s passion is helping people pursue Jesus’ way of spiritual transformation in the midst of everyday circumstances. You can find more information about and resources from Casey on his website: www.caseytygrett.com or on social media (@caseytygrett).    Future Christian is supported by: 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.

Craig Greenfield joins the show to talk about his journey of unpacking his cultural baggage and seeing the gospel through new eyes while living in Cambodia. He emphasizes the importance of communal practices in his faith, particularly in his Christian community in Vancouver. Craig also discusses his book "Subversive Mission" and reframes the roles of apostles, prophets, and evangelists as catalysts, allies, and seekers. He highlights the importance of cultural understanding and local ownership in community transformation.  Social entrepreneur, activist and author, Craig Greenfield is passionate about God’s heart for the world’s most vulnerable. Craig is the founder and director of Alongsiders International, a fast-growing movement of young Christians reaching the world’s poorest children. A storyteller and inspirational speaker, Craig’s passion is to amplify the voice of the poor, communicating God’s heart for the least in churches, conferences and colleges around the world. Craig is happily married to Nay, a Cambodian-New Zealander and they have two young children: Jayden and Micah.   Future Christian is supported by: 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.

In times of uncertainty and change, we already have everything within us to transform and adapt, says Dr. Marcia McFee, a professor, worship designer, author, preacher, and ritual artist. In this episode, Dr. McFee talks about the connection between worship and justice and her concept of a "metamorphosis moment" in the post-pandemic transition. Dr. McFee emphasizes the importance of curiosity, imagination, and adaptability in shaping the future of the church. She also explores the need for flexible worship options, reimagining church spaces, and integrating theology and symbolism into physical and virtual sanctuaries.  Dr. Marcia McFee is a professor, worship designer, author, preacher and ritual artist. Drawing on a first career in professional dance and musical theater and equipped with a Master's in Theology and a PhD in Liturgical Studies and Ethics, she understands the role of any worship artist in the church as that of creating extraordinary portals through which communities journey with the Spirit. She is the author of The Worship Workshop, Spiritual Adventures in the Snow, and most recently Think Like a Filmmaker: Sensory-Rich Worship for Unforgettable Messages. Find out more about her Worship Design Studio liturgical resources, Elevation Retreat, and Ireland pilgrimage. The Future Christian Podcast is a production of Torn Curtain Arts and Resonate Media.   Future Christian is supported by: 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.