Igniting Imagination

Faith is evolving, and so must the ways we understand and engage with it. In this episode of the Igniting Imagination® podcast, Rev. Lisa Greenwood and Rev. Dr. Gil Rendle sit down with Dr. Josh Packard, Co-Founder of Future of Faith, and Kris Jordan, Ministry Practitioner at Future of Faith. Together, they examine how younger generations navigate faith in a world where trust in institutions is fading, and traditional structures often feel distant.Lisa, Gil, Josh, and Kris explore how faith communities can cultivate real connection, foster belonging, and nurture understanding amidst the challenges and opportunities of modern spirituality. GuestsDr. Josh Packard is the co-founder of Future of Faith and one of the foremost experts in the spiritual lives of American youth. He is an accomplished researcher in the sociology of religion and new forms of religious expression. He has authored numerous books and articles in both popular and academic outlets, including Church Refugees: Sociologists reveal why people are DONE with church but not their faith and Meaning Making: 8 Values That Drive America’s Newest Generations. His newest book is Faithful Futures: Sacred Tools for Engaging Younger Generations.Kris Jordan is a wife, mom of seven, and openly queer youth minister at House Church Tulsa and The Well. Kris enjoys consulting and writing curriculum through Center for Youth and Contemplation for faith organizations and working as a ministry practitioner for Future of Faith. Pursuing their MDiv at Phillips Theological Seminary, Kris hopes to continue to use their identity,  unique understanding, and life experiences alongside their education to impact the lives of youth and young adults in faith formation and exploration.LinksVisit our show’s website at ignitingimagination.org.To view videos of podcast episodes, please go to the Igniting Imagination YouTube.To receive emails about the podcast, subscribe to our Learning and Innovation emails here. We know your inbox is inundated these days; we aim to send you content that is inspiring, innovative, and impactful for your life and ministry.

What if the future of faith communities isn’t about holding on tighter, but about opening our hands?In this episode, Rev. Tim Shapiro, President of Indianapolis Center for Congregations, joins Rev. Lisa Greenwood and Rev. Dr. Gil Rendle in exploring Gil’s recent monograph, Reimagining and Remapping the Religious Landscape. Together, they explore a gentle, brave question: How do we create congregations where people’s real lives and stories get to shape the tradition, rather than the other way around?They talk about the quiet power that emerges when leaders trade control for curiosity, when agenda makes room for agency, and when the community becomes a place where everyone is invited.Listen and imagine what might grow when we simply trust the Spirit to move through the people already in the room.GuestTim Shapiro is the president of the Indianapolis Center for Congregations. He began serving the Center in 2003 after 18 years in pastoral ministry. For 14 years, Tim served Westminster Presbyterian Church in Xenia, Ohio. Tim’s interest in how congregations learn to do new things is represented in his book How Your Congregation Learns. After his extensive work on the Center’s Sacred Space initiative, Tim co-authored the book Holy Places: Matching Sacred Space with Mission and Message. He has also authored several articles, including Applying Positive Deviance and A Congregation of Theological Coherence.LinksVisit our show’s website at ignitingimagination.org.To view videos of podcast episodes, please go to the Igniting Imagination YouTube.To receive emails about the podcast, subscribe to our Learning and Innovation emails here. We know your inbox is inundated these days; we aim to send you content that is inspiring, innovative, and impactful for your life and ministry.

How do we rebuild deep belonging in an age of fragmentation?In this episode of Igniting Imagination, Casper ter Kuile, Co-Founder and Principal of Sacred Design Lab, Rev. Lisa Greenwood, and Rev. Dr. Gil Rendle invite us to rethink how meaning, connection, and spirituality take shape in modern life. Drawing from Gil’s monograph Reimagining and Remapping the Religious Landscape, Casper explores how spiritual practices are being “unbundled” from institutions and “rebundled” into new forms of community, in homes, workplaces, and online spaces.Perhaps the work of spiritual leadership today is not to preserve what was, but to imagine what might yet become.GuestCasper ter Kuile is a speaker, author, and community innovator whose work explores how we make meaning, deepen relationships, and experience beauty in the 21st century. As the co-founder of Sacred Design Lab, Nearness, and the hit podcast Harry Potter and the Sacred Text, Casper brings together tradition and innovation to create projects that ennoble the everyday and foster joyful belonging.Casper holds Masters of Divinity and Public Policy degrees from Harvard University, where he also served as a Ministry Innovation Fellow at Harvard Divinity School. His book, The Power of Ritual, invites readers to reimagine spiritual life through everyday practices.LinksVisit our show’s website at ignitingimagination.org.To view videos of podcast episodes, please go to the Igniting Imagination YouTube.To receive emails about the podcast, subscribe to our Learning and Innovation emails here. We know your inbox is inundated these days; we aim to send you content that is inspiring, innovative, and impactful for your life and ministry.

This episode of the Igniting Imagination podcast invites us to linger on a provocative question: What if religious leaders are, in essence, technologists? Our guest, Rev. Sue Phillips, co-founder of the Workshop for Emotional and Spiritual Technology, reframes leadership as a kind of sacred technology, a deliberate crafting of tools and practices that cultivate deeper human connection and meaning.Together, Rev. Lisa Greenwood, Rev. Dr. Gil Rendle, and Sue wander the fertile ground where spirituality meets innovation, reconsidering the systems and languages that have long defined congregational life. They explore what could happen when we borrow the vocabulary of technology to describe the work of the spirit and how this shift can open new ways of understanding purpose, community, and transformation in an age of constant change. GuestRev. Sue Phillips is on the founding team of the Workshop for Emotional and Spiritual Technology, a tech startup working to help people live more meaningful lives. After serving as a denominational executive for the Unitarian Universalist Association, she co-founded Sacred Design Lab, a nonprofit that interprets innovation to the religious world and ancient wisdom to the world of innovation. Clients and partners have included Pinterest, Google, Logitech, the Obama Foundation, and the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General.LinksVisit our show’s website at ignitingimagination.org.To view videos of podcast episodes, please go to the Igniting Imagination YouTube.To receive emails about the podcast, subscribe to our Learning and Innovation emails here. We know your inbox is inundated these days; we aim to send you content that is inspiring, innovative, and impactful for your life and ministry.

What does spiritual leadership look like in a world where meaning is no longer confined to church walls? In this episode, co-hosts Rev. Lisa Greenwood and Rev. Dr. Gil Rendle sit down with Rev. Jen Bailey, Executive Director of Maddox Fund, visionary pastor, and social entrepreneur. They examine how meaning is being sought, made, and shared beyond the walls of traditional congregations.Their conversation uncovers the rise of “third spaces,” those unconventional realms where people gather, wrestle with questions of faith, and discover belonging in unexpected ways. We explore what it means to cultivate spiritual communities where authenticity is honored, beliefs are questioned, and sacred and secular life intermingle in fluid, transformative ways.GuestRev. Jen Bailey is ordained in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, a public theologian and leader in the multi-faith movement for justice. She was the founding Executive Director of Faith Matters Network, an innovative Womanist-led organization accompanying spiritually grounded leaders on their journey to heal themselves and their communities. She has been an Ashoka Fellow, New Pluralist Field Builder, Aspen Ideas Scholar, On Being Fellow, and a Truman Scholar.Jen has served on the boards of the Jessie Ball DuPont Fund, The Fetzer Institute, and was recently the chair of The Healing Trust board in Nashville.Timestamps00:00 - Intro05:46 - Exploring Meaning and Community18:48 - The People's Supper: A New Approach to Community Engagement28:12 - The Nature of Sacred Spaces34:20 - The Role of Play in Spiritual Imagination43:19 - Foundations of Spiritual FormationLinksVisit our show’s website at ignitingimagination.org.To view videos of podcast episodes, please go to the Igniting Imagination YouTube.To receive emails about the podcast, subscribe to our Learning and Innovation emails here. We know your inbox is inundated these days; we aim to send you content that is inspiring, innovative, and impactful for your life and ministry.

In part two of our introduction to Season 16, Rev. Lisa Greenwood and Rev. Dr. Gil Rendle invite us to reimagine what it means to flourish as individuals, as communities, and as spiritual beings in a rapidly changing world. Together, they explore the shifting landscape of belonging and meaning, asking what today’s movements and social awakenings might be teaching the church about human connection.In comparing traditional congregational life and modern movements like Black Lives Matter and other grassroots efforts, Gil offers a provocative insight: These movements seem to meet deep human needs in ways many congregations have forgotten how to do. Their openness, the freedom to enter, to leave, to question, creates space for people to discover who they are and where they belong.HostRev. Lisa Greenwood is the President & CEO of Wesleyan Impact Partners and Texas Methodist Foundation. She joined the staff of TMF in 2012 serving as Vice President for Leadership Ministry before taking her current role in 2022. Rev. Greenwood is an ordained elder in the North Texas (now Horizon Texas) Conference of the United Methodist Church, where she served congregations for twenty years. During the last five years of her local church ministry, Lisa served as a ministry strategist with Horizons Stewardship Company. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School.Co-HostRev. Dr. Gil RendleGil Rendle is a retired Senior Vice President and part-time consultant with Texas Methodist Foundation in Austin, Texas, and also works independently on change and leadership in denominations. With deep expertise in organizational development, systems theory, and leadership, he has guided congregations and denominational bodies through planning and transformation. He is widely respected for his work with middle judicatory and national offices navigating complex change. Gil is the author of  numerous articles and monographs, along with twelve books, including: Doing the Math of Mission: Fruits, Faithfulness and Metrics (2014), Quietly Courageous: Leading the Church in a Changing World, (2018), and Countercultural: Subversive Resistance and the Neighborhood Congregation (2023). His latest monograph, Reimagining and Remapping the Religious Landscape: Chaos Before a New Ordering, is the foundation for this podcast season.Timestamps00:00 - Intro05:30 - Understanding Movements and Their Impact on Congregational Identity15:17 - Exploring Refugia in Contemporary Faith Practices30:19 - Navigating Chaos: The Intersection of Physics and Faith35:52 - Claiming Purpose in a Changing WorldLinksVisit our show’s website at ignitingimagination.org.To view videos of podcast episodes, please go to the Igniting Imagination YouTube.To receive emails about the podcast, subscribe to our Learning and Innovation emails here. We know your inbox is inundated these days; we aim to send you content that is inspiring, innovative, and impactful for your life and ministry.

Welcome to Season 16 of the Igniting Imagination podcast! This season, Rev. Lisa Greenwood is joined by the Rev. Dr. Gil Rendle, author and consultant with The Texas Methodist Foundation in Austin, Texas. In this introductory episode, they explore the creative potential within the chaos transforming today’s religious life. Rather than mourning the decline of traditional church structures, Lisa and Gil consider how disruption may be clearing space for new forms of faith and community to emerge.Together, they will engage pastors, scholars, and community leaders in rethinking spirituality and leadership for a changing world, seeking not just to interpret the moment, but to glimpse the renewal it might hold.HostRev. Lisa Greenwood is the President & CEO of Wesleyan Impact Partners and Texas Methodist Foundation. She joined the staff of TMF in 2012 serving as Vice President for Leadership Ministry before taking her current role in 2022. Rev. Greenwood is an ordained elder in the North Texas (now Horizon Texas) Conference of the United Methodist Church, where she served congregations for twenty years. During the last five years of her local church ministry, Lisa served as a ministry strategist with Horizons Stewardship Company. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School.Co-HostRev. Dr. Gil RendleGil is a retired senior vice president and part-time consultant with The Texas Methodist Foundation in Austin, Texas, and an independent consultant working with issues of change and leadershiGil Rendle is a retired senior vice president and part-time consultant with The Texas Methodist Foundation in Austin, Texas, and also works independently on change and leadership in denominations. With deep expertise in organizational development, systems theory, and leadership, he has guided congregations and denominational bodies through planning and transformation. He is widely respected for his work with middle judicatory and national offices navigating complex change. Gil is the author of  numerous articles and monographs, along with twelve books, including: Doing the Math of Mission: Fruits, Faithfulness and Metrics (2014), Quietly Courageous: Leading the Church in a Changing World, (2018), and Countercultural: Subversive Resistance and the Neighborhood Congregation (2023). His latest monograph, Reimagining and Remapping the Religious Landscape: Chaos Before a New Ordering, is the foundation for this podcast season.LinksVisit our show’s website at www.ignitingimagination.org.To view videos of podcast episodes, please go to the Igniting Imagination YouTube.To receive emails about the podcast, subscribe to our Learning and Innovation emails here. We know your inbox is inundated these days; we aim to send you content that is inspiring, innovative, and impactful for your life and ministry.

In this moving episode of Igniting Imagination, we explore the deep connections between faith, vocation, and community resilience in the wake of disaster. Our guest, Greg Richards, Managing Partner of Gregory A. Richards, P.C., demonstrates the transformative power of aligning personal gifts with a higher purpose as he helps his community recover from devastating floods. Greg reminds us that recovery is not a short-term project, but a sustained effort built on the collaboration of neighbors, congregations, and entire communities dedicated to rebuilding together.Through his story, we see the importance of agency and the role of case management systems that restore autonomy and dignity to those most affected. HostRev. Lisa Greenwood is the President & CEO of Wesleyan Impact Partners and Texas Methodist Foundation. She joined the staff of TMF in 2012 serving as Vice President for Leadership Ministry before taking her current role in 2022. Rev. Greenwood is an ordained elder in the North Texas (now Horizon Texas) Conference of the United Methodist Church, where she served congregations for twenty years. During the last five years of her local church ministry, Lisa served as a ministry strategist with Horizons Stewardship Company. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School. GuestGreg Richards is a Board Certified Attorney and Managing Partner of Gregory A. Richards, P.C., holding dual certifications in Residential and Commercial Real Estate Law from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He serves the Texas Hill Country with a reputation for expertise, attention to detail, and a friendly, approachable style. Following the July 4th floods, he has used his legal and strategic skills to support the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country. LinksVisit our show’s website at www.ignitingimagination.org.To view videos of podcast episodes, please go to the Igniting Imagination YouTube.To receive emails about the podcast, subscribe to our Learning and Innovation emails here. We know your inbox is inundated these days; we aim to send you content that is inspiring, innovative, and impactful for your life and ministry.

In this episode, we explore the devastating effects of recent flooding in Kerr County, Texas, and its profound impact on local communities. We sit down with Howell Ridout, Architect Emeritus, and Sarah Ridout Woolsey, Founder and Executive Director of The Impact Guild. They share personal stories and insights about the destruction and the ongoing recovery process. Their experiences highlight the vital role of neighborly support, as well as the essential contributions of local churches and organizations in driving long-term recovery. Rev. Lisa, Howell, and Sarah discuss the importance of sustained engagement from faith communities, not just in the immediate wake of disasters but throughout the healing and rebuilding journey. Want to become a climate ready neighborhood? Climate Ready Neighborhoods: Fieldguide: Your introduction to Climate Ready Neighborhoods.Community Connections Plan: A system to build deeper community.Climate Ready Resource Library: Spreadsheet of accessible links and resources to build community resilience.HostRev. Lisa Greenwood is the President & CEO of Wesleyan Impact Partners and Texas Methodist Foundation. She joined the staff of TMF in 2012 serving as Vice President for Leadership Ministry before taking her current role in 2022. Rev. Greenwood is an ordained elder in the North Texas (now Horizon Texas) Conference of the United Methodist Church, where she served congregations for twenty years. During the last five years of her local church ministry, Lisa served as a ministry strategist with Horizons Stewardship Company. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School. GuestsSarah Rideout Woolsey is the Founder & Executive Director of the Impact Guild, a San Antonio nonprofit connecting underutilized properties with neighborhood needs through community development. She has guided leaders in building sustainable social enterprises, leads Good Acres—a network of 118+ leaders addressing housing, workforce, and sustainability—and facilitates workshops across San Antonio neighborhoods. A Kerrville native, she serves on multiple boards and explores regenerative agriculture with her two daughters.Howell Ridout, a native Austinite and fourth-generation Longhorn, earned his Architecture degree with High Honors from the University of Texas in 1974. While at UT, he co-led a thesis project to transform Austin’s River & Creek system into a Hike & Bike trail, which became the city’s Bicentennial Project and a defining feature of Austin. His career spanned architecture, marketing, and real estate development, including leadership at James Avery, where he guided brand strategy, corporate planning, and retail growth.LinksVisit our show’s website at www.ignitingimagination.org.To view videos of podcast episodes, please go to the Igniting Imagination YouTube.To receive emails about the podcast, subscribe to our Learning and Innovation emails here. We know your inbox is inundated these days; we aim to send you content that is inspiring, innovative, and impactful for your life and ministry.

In this episode of the Igniting Imagination podcast, we reflect on the devastating floods that struck Kerrville, Texas earlier this summer. The disaster claimed lives, destroyed homes, and left the community reeling. Yet in the midst of loss, powerful stories of resilience, faith, and compassion shine through.Host Rev. Lisa Greenwood speaks with guests Beth Palmer, Outreach Director of Kerrville First United Methodist Church, and Rev. David E. Payne, Senior Pastor of Kerrville First United Methodist Church. Both were on the front lines of the response. They share moving accounts of the chaotic first hours after the flood, the emotional and logistical challenges of leading in crisis, and how their church transformed into a hub of relief, recovery, and long-term support.This conversation is both sobering and hopeful, a reminder of the church’s vital role in times of disaster.HostRev. Lisa Greenwood is the President & CEO of Wesleyan Impact Partners and Texas Methodist Foundation. She joined the staff of TMF in 2012 serving as Vice President for Leadership Ministry before taking her current role in 2022. Rev. Greenwood is an ordained elder in the North Texas (now Horizon Texas) Conference of the United Methodist Church, where she served congregations for twenty years. During the last five years of her local church ministry, Lisa served as a ministry strategist with Horizons Stewardship Company. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School. GuestsRev. David E. Payne is the Senior Pastor of Kerrville First United Methodist Church. David became the Sr. Pastor of KFUMC in July of 2017. He attended Asbury Theological Seminary and has also pastored at Los Fresnos UMC, Bee Creek UMC (a church he helped to start), and Harlingen FUMC. David is married to Lori (a former Special Education teacher), and they have two daughters, Sydney and Haley. David enjoys golf, downhill skiing, and enjoying the outdoors. Beth Palmer is the Outreach Director at the Kerrville First United Methodist Church and Light on the Hill at Mount Wesley. As Outreach Director, Beth’s main role is that of a connector; she links people to hope and needs to resources. Beth recruits and engages volunteers, organizes projects and events, provides education and training, mobilizes resources, collaborates and networks with other nonprofits, and writes, implements, and manages grants.Beth and her husband Grant have been married over 41 years and have two awesome sons, one amazing daughter, two incredible daughters-in- law, and three absolutely delightful grandchildren! Beth and her husband Grant have been married over 41 years and have two awesome sons, one amazing daughter, two incredible daughters-in- law, and three absolutely delightful grandchildren!LinksVisit our show’s website at www.ignitingimagination.org.To view videos of podcast episodes, please go to the Igniting Imagination YouTube.To receive emails about the podcast, subscribe to our Learning and Innovation emails here. We know your inbox is inundated these days; we aim to send you content that is inspiring, innovative, and impactful for your life and ministry.