Leading Ideas Talks

Dustin Benac, co-founder of the Program for the Future of the Church and author of Adaptive Church, dives into how churches can innovate amid changing times. He highlights the power of collaborative leadership and the importance of belonging in faith communities. Discussion centers on 'hubs' as modern frameworks for connection and adaption, which help congregations navigate uncertainty. Benac emphasizes nurturing local wisdom and imagination as essential for fostering resilient and engaged church environments.

Podcast Episode 158 How can your congregation more effectively engage people in the digital sphere? Jim Keat, Digital Minister at Riverside Church in New York City, shares tips and strategies that can help any church approach digital ministry with more intentionality and focus. Listen on Apple Podcasts | YouTube Music | Spotify Watch on YouTube Read in-depth [...] The post “Digital Ministry Trends and Perspectives” featuring Jim Keat first appeared on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.

Podcast Episode 157 How can Christians faithfully engage public policy? We speak with Miranda Zapor Cruz, professor of historical theology at Indiana Wesleyan University and author of Faithful Politics: 10 Approaches to Christian Citizenship and Why It Matters. She shares with us how Christians can engage public policy in faithful, yet nonpartisan ways. Listen on [...] The post “Faithfully Engage Public Policy” featuring Miranda Zapor Cruz first appeared on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.

Podcast Episode 156 How can congregations cultivate fruitful partnerships with nonprofits that promote human flourishing and abundance? We talk with Mahogany Thomas, chief program officer of Bread for the City, about building partnerships to meet the needs in your community. Listen on Apple Podcasts | YouTube Music | Spotify Watch on YouTube Read the in-depth interview [...] The post “Community Partnerships: Moving from a Mindset of Scarcity to Abundance” featuring Mahogany Thomas first appeared on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.

Podcast Episode 155 How can church leaders address polarization? We speak with Cathy Bien about the Campaign for Kindness and how church leaders can lead out of their faith to engage polarization in their communities with kindness. Listen on Apple Podcasts | YouTube Music | Spotify Watch on YouTube Read in-depth interview Related Resources A Campaign [...] The post “Engage Polarization with Kindness” featuring Cathy Bien first appeared on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.

Podcast Episode 154 How can we lead in times of disaster? As we remember 9/11, Terry Bradfield, a retired Army chaplain who was assigned to the Pentagon on that fateful day, joins Lewis Center Director Doug Powe for a conversation about leading faithfully during a disaster. He reminds church leaders to check their doctrine at [...] The post “Remembering 9/11: Leadership During a Disaster” featuring Terry Bradfield first appeared on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.

Podcast Episode 153 A call to ministry along with a desire to make friends and fight off loneliness led Cristin Cooper to launch Coop’s Soups, an innovative business and ministry. She shares how loving God and loving neighbor led her to reach people in new and creative ways. Listen on Apple Podcasts | YouTube Music | [...] The post “Coop’s Soups, an Innovative Business and Ministry” featuring Cristin Cooper first appeared on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.

Podcast Episode 152 How can congregations engage in ministry with young adults? Reggie Blount shares ways congregations can strengthen their ministry with young adults through hospitality, welcoming and meeting young adults where they are, and empowering them to engage in works of purpose and mission. Listen on Apple Podcasts | YouTube Music | Spotify Watch on [...] The post “Welcoming Young Adults” featuring Reggie Blount first appeared on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.

Podcast Episode 151 How can intergenerational Christian practice foster relationships with God and community by engaging persons of all ages? We speak with Valerie Grissom, editor of All Ages Becoming: Intergenerational Practice and the Formation of God’s People, about the countercultural and community building work of intergenerational practices. Listen on Apple Podcasts | YouTube Music | [...] The post “Being the Body of Christ through Intergenerational Christian Practice” featuring Valerie Grissom first appeared on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.