Has Religion Become Obsolete in American Culture? In this second part of our conversation with sociologist Dr. Christian Smith, we explore his groundbreaking research on why traditional religion has lost its cultural relevance for post-Boomer generations. Dr. Smith unpacks what he calls the "Millennial Zeitgeist" - a complex cultural worldview shaped by digital technology, individualism, and anti-institutional sentiment that has fundamentally changed how younger Americans approach faith, truth, ...
Jun 26, 2025•24 min•Season 5Ep. 134
What's Really Behind America's Religious Decline? If you're watching church attendance declining at your congregation and wondering what you're doing wrong, this conversation will transform how you understand the challenges facing American religion. Dr. Christian Smith, sociologist at the University of Notre Dame and author of "Why Religion Went Obsolete," reveals that the struggles you're experiencing aren't primarily about your leadership, programs, or preaching. Instead, we're dealing with "p...
Jun 18, 2025•37 min•Season 5Ep. 133
The New Evangelism Message That's Changing Everything. What if reframing evangelism isn't about getting more people in church, but about learning to meet Jesus in the midst of sorrow? In part two of our conversation with Luther Seminary professor Andy Root we explore a radically different approach to sharing faith that moves beyond happiness-hunting strategies to embrace God's presence in brokenness. Andy Root, author of "Evangelism in an Age of Despair," challenges churches to stop chasing evan...
Jun 12, 2025•23 min•Season 5Ep. 132
Many church leaders feel caught between uncomfortable extremes when it comes to how to evangelize - either instrumental strategies that feel manipulative or avoiding evangelism altogether out of fear it will drive people away. In this episode, Luther Seminary professor Andy Root offers a third way through his new book "Evangelism in an Age of Despair." Andy shows how to evangelize through what he calls "a theology of consolation" - recognizing that the caring relationships churches naturally bui...
Jun 05, 2025•34 min•Season 5Ep. 131
When devastating wildfires swept through Pasadena in early 2025, La Fuente Ministries faced a test of what it means to be church in community crisis. Pastor Marcos Canales and Nina Lau Branson join us to share how their bilingual, intergenerational congregation discovered that being church in community crisis isn't about having perfect emergency plans—it's about cultivating spiritual practices and community connections that help people encounter God even in the midst of catastrophe. From grief s...
May 29, 2025•43 min•Season 5Ep. 130
In this thought-provoking episode of the Pivot Podcast, we dive deep into the concept of "one church multiple models" with returning guest Dwight Zscheile. Dwight unpacks the idea of a "mixed ecology" - where traditional congregations and new forms of ministry can flourish together as one church with multiple expressions. He explains how cultural shifts are making traditional church structures increasingly obsolete for younger generations, while presenting practical ways to develop multiple mode...
May 22, 2025•37 min•Season 5Ep. 129
Biblical improvisation offers a compelling framework for preaching in today's complex cultural landscape. In this thought-provoking episode of the Pivot Podcast, Dr. Mark Glanville, Director of the Center for Missional Leadership and professional jazz pianist, shares how preachers can be like jazz musicians—deeply rooted in tradition while creating something fresh and contextual with each sermon. Drawing from his new book "Preaching in a New Key," Mark explores how the post-Christian shift impac...
May 15, 2025•42 min•Season 5Ep. 128
Is your church struggling to meaningfully engage with your community? In this transformative episode of the Pivot Podcast, host Dwight Zscheile interviews Pastor Ed Doerner about his innovative approach to church leadership community engagement. Discover how Messiah Lutheran Church in Midland, Michigan transformed from being $5.2 million in debt to creating a sustainable community ministry model that provides $6.2 million worth of services annually through their "Beyond the Breakwater" approach....
May 08, 2025•46 min•Season 5Ep. 127
In this compelling Pivot Podcast episode, we explore effective Gen Z spiritual formation through the lens of campus ministry. Eric Huseth, Executive Director of Emmaus Campus Ministry at the University of Montana, shares how his team creates authentic spaces for students to explore faith on their own terms. Eric describes today's college students as assembling a "spiritual jigsaw puzzle" influenced by diverse traditions and profound cultural experiences. Discover practical insights on sustainabl...
May 01, 2025•46 min•Season 5Ep. 126
In a culture driven by performance and achievement, ministry leaders often feel immense pressure to fix declining institutions and busy congregations with more programs. David Zahl, founder of Mockingbird Ministries and author of "The Big Relief," joins hosts Dwight Zscheile and Terri Elton to explore how grace-centered ministry offers an alternative that both relieves pressure and creates more vibrant communities. David shares how his church has experienced unexpected growth by focusing on grac...
Apr 24, 2025•41 min•Season 5Ep. 125
Mike and Danny Housholder from Lutheran Church of Hope in Iowa share their journey in multi-site church ministry spanning several communities across Iowa. At the heart of their approach is a commitment to "set the sails of this church to the wind of God's Spirit" rather than simply doing church for God. They explain how their guiding principle—"Jesus is life, the rest is details"—provides both foundation and flexibility across diverse contexts. This conversation explores their distinctive approa...
Apr 15, 2025•46 min•Season 5Ep. 124
Holy Week marks the most pivotal moments in the Christian faith, but how often do we rush to get to Easter morning? In this thoughtful 7-minute reflection, Terri invites listeners to slow down and experience the complete journey. Drawing from personal experiences of bringing her young children to Good Friday services, Terri illustrates how encountering the darkness and solemnity of Christ's death creates a deeper appreciation for Easter's resurrection joy. She explores how each moment of Holy We...
Apr 10, 2025•7 min•Season 5Ep. 123
In this quarterly Q&A episode, our hosts tackle one of the most common struggles church leaders face: knowing what to focus on when everything seems important. Listen as they explore why many churches describe themselves by their programs rather than their theological identity, and how this leads to burnout and confusion. You'll discover practical exercises to help your congregation reconnect with its unique story and calling. Key insights include recognizing the warning signs of identity co...
Apr 03, 2025•47 min•Season 5Ep. 122
In this episode of the Pivot Podcast, hosts Katie Langston and Dwight Zscheile explore how collaborative youth ministry is revolutionizing the way churches engage with young people in Boise, Idaho. Pastors Bob Lewis and Mariah Mills share their journey of creating a confirmation co-op across four congregations, demonstrating how church partnerships can create vibrant faith experiences while sharing resources and responsibilities. Learn why "letting go of the expectation to do it all on your own"...
Mar 27, 2025•20 min•Season 5Ep. 121
Dr. Jennifer Wojciechowski joins the Pivot Podcast to explore how Christian mysticism offers profound wisdom for today's spiritual seekers. In her new book "Tending the Garden," Jennie examines how mystical traditions can help modern believers cultivate deeper relationships with God through practices like Lectio Divina, the Jesus Prayer, and the Ignatian Examen. The conversation reveals how Christian mysticism reorients us toward relationship with God rather than religious tasks, providing a com...
Mar 20, 2025•31 min•Season 5Ep. 120
In this episode of the Pivot Podcast, the Rev. Dr. Christian Selvaratnam shares how he caught the church planting vision and has spent 25 years developing innovative models for training church planters and traditional pastors alike. As Dean of Church Planting at St. Hild Theological College in England, Christian explains the power of the medieval apprenticeship approach to leadership development. Learn how "leading from the middle" can activate more people in ministry and create a "mixed ecology...
Mar 13, 2025•45 min•Season 5Ep. 119
What is the true meaning of the Lenten season for today's church leaders? In this reflective episode, the Rev. Blair Pogue explores how traditional Lenten practices can help ministry leaders navigate extreme polarization, institutional suspicion, and personal burnout. Discover how remembering your baptismal identity and spending time in Jesus' loving presence can transform your leadership approach from anxious fixing to faithful discernment. The Lenten season meaning goes beyond giving things up...
Mar 06, 2025•10 min•Season 5Ep. 118
Many churches struggle with creating meaningful church community service initiatives that authentically connect with neighbors. In this episode, Nancy Dyson from St. John's Episcopal Church in St. Cloud, Minnesota shares how a simple cup of coffee led to "Laundry Love" - a thriving ministry serving 80-100 people monthly at a local laundromat. Nancy reveals how showing up consistently, listening deeply, and allowing ministry to emerge organically transformed both her congregation and their commun...
Feb 27, 2025•36 min•Season 5Ep. 117
What if our instinct to manage and control church life is actually holding us back from authentic community building? In this episode of the Pivot Podcast, Steve Aisthorpe, author of "Rewilding the Church," shares how the ecological concept of rewilding offers fresh insights for church renewal. Drawing from his research on changing patterns of Christian community and his years of experience in ministry, Steve explains how letting go of over-management and embracing spiritual discernment can tran...
Feb 20, 2025•34 min•Season 5Ep. 116
Is your church struggling to connect with neighbors beyond your walls? In this episode, Rev. Canon Dave Male, Co-Director of Vision and Strategy for the Church of England, shares how churches can move from program-driven outreach to relationship-based ministry. Through his extensive work with fresh expressions of church, Dave reveals why some of the most effective new forms of ministry are also the simplest – often starting with nothing more than a meal and conversation. Learn how one burned-out...
Feb 13, 2025•36 min•Season 5Ep. 115
What if everything you think you know about how to evangelize is about to change? In this provocative episode, Dr. Harvey Kwiyani, a Malawian missiologist and director of the Center for Global Witness and Human Migration, shares how African Christians are successfully reaching secular Western societies in ways that traditional Western churches haven't. Drawing from his experience across Africa, Europe, and North America, Dr. Kwiyani reveals why young people in the UK now associate Christianity m...
Feb 05, 2025•50 min•Season 5Ep. 114
Most preachers spend hours on sermon preparation - studying scripture, crafting illustrations, and polishing delivery. But research shows there's a crucial step that's often missing: creating intentional spaces to hear what our congregations are actually receiving from our preaching. In this episode, Dr. Dee Stokes and Rev. Dr. Adam White share insights from their groundbreaking "And How Will They Hear?" initiative at Luther Seminary, revealing how systematic listening transforms both preaching ...
Jan 29, 2025•40 min•Season 5Ep. 113
What does it truly mean to be a missional church in post-Christian America? Bryan Halferty, lead pastor of Anchor Church in Tacoma, Washington, discovered that it starts with a fundamental shift - from trying to fix problems to listening for where God is already at work. Through his unlikely combination of skateboarding and church planting, Bryan shares how embracing "failing forward" opened new paths for mission in one of America's most secular regions. From their innovative approach of being b...
Jan 23, 2025•40 min•Season 5Ep. 112
As we approach both Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Inauguration Day 2025, many church leaders are wrestling with how to offer hope while addressing the deep divisions in our communities. In this timely conversation, Rev. Dr. F. Willis Johnson, Senior Pastor of Christ United Methodist Church and author of "Holding Up Your Corner," returns to the Pivot Podcast to explore how Dr. King's vision of beloved community can shape our path forward through these challenging times. Drawing on both pastoral ...
Jan 16, 2025•36 min•Season 5Ep. 111
Struggling with how to write a sermon that connects with your congregation while maintaining your own spiritual well-being? Rev. Dr. Lisa Cressman, founder of Backstory Preaching, reveals a transformative approach that moves beyond traditional sermon preparation methods. From her middle-of-the-night divine inspiration that launched Backstory Preaching to serving preachers worldwide, Lisa shares how combining spiritual direction with preaching craft can revolutionize your sermon writing process. ...
Jan 09, 2025•38 min•Season 5Ep. 110
The landscape of ministry education is undergoing dramatic change. Traditional seminary enrollment is declining, fewer churches can afford full-time pastors, and leaders are questioning how to adapt. But in this insightful conversation with Luther Seminary President the Rev. Dr. Robin Steinke, we discover how these challenges are opening up exciting new possibilities for forming Christian leaders. From reaching 8 million people through digital platforms to reimagining formation through communiti...
Jan 02, 2025•36 min•Season 5Ep. 109
"Oh, that you would tear open the heavens and come down!" This cry from Isaiah 64 expresses humanity's deep longing for hope. In this special Advent reflection, Professor Rolf Jacobson of Luther Seminary takes us on an unexpected journey from an 18th-century Hasidic tale to the prophet Isaiah's fierce prayer, revealing how true hope comes not from our own efforts, but from God's faithful promises. Through engaging storytelling and biblical insight, Rolf shows us that hope isn't about what we des...
Dec 19, 2024•10 min•Season 5Ep. 108
"I lost five council members when I tried to make changes." This candid admission from a church leader captures the real challenges of leading congregations today. In this special Q&A episode, hosts Alicia Granholm, Dwight Zscheile, and Terri Elton tackle your most pressing questions about church leadership and change. Drawing from questions submitted by listeners in the field, our hosts explore how to build motivation for change, ways to discern God's will as a community, practical approach...
Dec 12, 2024•37 min•Season 5Ep. 107
What does church look like when it moves from traditional sanctuaries to breweries, hiking trails, and pizza shops? In this episode, Bryan Willkom, founder of Jesus Fit, shares how Beer Church and other innovative gatherings are creating authentic spiritual community in everyday spaces. From monthly Beer Church gatherings where diverse groups share stories around brewery tables, to Trail Church walks that combine movement with meditation, Bryan is pioneering fresh expressions of church that meet...
Dec 05, 2024•44 min•Season 5Ep. 106
Tired of endless church Advent activities that leave everyone exhausted? In this episode, the Rev. Dr. Steve Thomason shares a revolutionary approach to the Advent season—one that subtracts rather than adds. As both an artist and theologian, Steve offers practical wisdom for church leaders seeking to create meaningful spiritual experiences without overwhelming their congregations. Learn how simple practices like communal meals, guided meditation, and contemplative art can transform your church's...
Nov 26, 2024•43 min•Season 5Ep. 105
