Leading Ideas Talks

Podcast Episode 180 In a cultural moment marked by deep division and difficult conversations, this episode steps into one of the most complex and emotionally charged topics shaping faith communities across the United States: Christian nationalism. Host Karen Stewart invites listeners not to turn away from the discomfort, but to lean in—with curiosity, compassion, and [...]

Karen Stewart, seasoned ministry leader and Project Director at the Hub for Reimagining Ministry, reflects on intergenerational faith formation and reimagining church work. She discusses technology and AI shaping children's faith. She talks about reaching the disaffiliated and sustaining leaders through intentional rest. The conversation highlights equipping new leaders and listening with humility.

Taylor Walters Denyer, a missiologist, pastor, and global nomad who teaches and researches decolonizing partnerships. She contrasts U.S. leadership with community-based discipleship from the DRC. She argues for mission-centered seminary training. She reflects on neurodivergent leadership strengths and the call to regulate, rest, and simply be with people in crisis.

Audrey Smith, a church planter in Petersburg/Ettrick who practices asset-based community convening, and Angie Williams, an OpenTable leader training people to mobilize social capital, discuss relationship-centered ministry. They cover defining social capital, identifying neighborhood connectors, matching capacity to real needs, sustaining long-term engagement, and reimagining church presence in community life.

In a thought-provoking discussion, David McAllister-Wilson, President of Wesley Theological Seminary, shares insights on evolving seminary roles and the centrality of leadership training in theological education. Carla Works, the Dean, emphasizes the necessity for seminaries to adapt to diverse vocational needs. They delve into grassroots innovations reshaping church practices, balancing practical skills with vision, and the importance of fostering collaboration and connection in shaping the future of church leadership.

Podcast Episode 175 How can churches spark a more authentic youth ministry? In this episode, Kristin Franke, Director of Youth and Family Ministries at National Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC, describes what good youth ministry looks like today and how church and lay leaders can better welcome and include youth as part of the congregation. [...]

In this engaging discussion, Michael Lamb, FM Kirby Foundation Chair of Leadership and Character, shares insights from his work on The Arts of Leading. He argues that leadership is fundamentally a liberal art, drawing on lessons from the performing arts to enhance presence and listening. Lamb highlights overlooked leaders, including enslaved individuals and women whose contributions often go unrecognized. He also delves into character-driven leadership through the lens of biblical figures like Moses, emphasizing the importance of virtues and hope in guiding change.

Podcast Episode 173 How can churches engage men in challenging cultural norms of masculinity? In this episode we speak with Sean Harvey, founder of Warrior Compassion Institute. He empowers faith communities to engage men by fostering spaces of vulnerability, curiosity, and connection—meeting men where they are, while challenging cultural norms of masculinity with compassion and [...]

Podcast Episode 172 How can a struggling congregation be transformed into a thriving multicultural ministry center? In this episode co-pastors Beth and Nelson Neil share how Culmore Church was transformed through shared space, mutual respect, creative collaboration, and intentional relationships. Their story demonstrates how transparency, flexibility, and mission alignment can revitalize ministry and serve as [...]

Podcast Episode 171 How can bivocational ministers and the congregations they serve thrive? In this conversation, Kris Bentley redefines bivocational ministry beyond traditional models, emphasizing shared leadership, congregational adaptability, and spiritual sustainability. She encourages both pastors and congregations to embrace bivocational ministry as a thriving, collaborative model of God’s call, rooted in sufficiency, creativity, and [...]