Denominations and church networks often have auspicious beginnings but struggle to maintain their momentum. In this episode, Dr. Christopher Backert discusses why some denominations are thriving and why that matters to all kinds of Christians. Our guest is Dr. Christopher Backert. Dr. Backert is the National Director of Fresh Expressions US. Working with church and denominational leaders to develop new expressions of Christian community is the passion of Chris’s life. Chris holds a D.Min. in Mis...
Nov 16, 2022•39 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Things are changing faster than ever. Churches, like many organizations, struggle to know what to do. Occasionally, you find a church that seems to be able to take new challenges head on. In this episode, you’ll discover why some churches adapt, and how you can be more adaptive yourself. Tod Bolsinger, MDiv, PhD, the co-owner and principal of AE Sloan Leadership, Inc , an executive coaching and consulting firm that works with church, non-profit, and marketplace leaders in leading change. He is a...
Nov 02, 2022•38 min•Season 2Ep. 2
What if the Bible wasn’t just a bunch of interesting stories and good advice, but an account of God’s mission in the world? If God is on a mission, what does that say about the Church? In this episode we’ll get back to the basics, try to understand what God is up to and why Fresh Expressions of Church are a big part of the plan. Graham Cray was the Principal of Ridley Hall theological college in Cambridge before being appointed Bishop of Maidstone in 2001. Graham left this ministry in 2008 when ...
Oct 19, 2022•46 min•Season 2Ep. 1
What are the core competencies for a church on mission? What abilities must a leader develop to go from “pastor” to pioneering missionary? This episode will discuss the new muscles that churches and leaders need to develop to thrive in the future. Sue Nilson Kibbey is the Director of the Bishop Bruce Ough Innovation Center at United Theological Seminary whose purpose is to resource leaders with creative, practical and effective tools for ministry in a new era. Sue’s Missional Church Initiative b...
Aug 03, 2022•58 min•Season 1Ep. 10
While each stream of the church has something unique to offer, few have been forged with as much adversity as the Black Church in the U.S. This episode will take time to listen to leaders from the Black Church and learn what they are encountering as they minister in today’s pandemic scarred, Post-Christendom world. Dr. Joy J. Moore An ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, Joy Jittaun Moore, Professor of Biblical Preaching, serves as Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Academic Dean ...
Jul 20, 2022•34 min•Season 1Ep. 9
In its early days, many churches met around tables. This episode will introduce you to the rapidly growing Dinner Church movement and inspire you to encounter Jesus at the table. Verlon serves on the Fresh Expressions team as director of the dinner church collective. He and his wife Melodee live in Seattle, WA where they lead community dinners, a network of dinner churches they planted out of an inherited congregation. Isaac Olivarez and his wife Jaime founded Urban Outreach Denver in 2012 and b...
Jul 06, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 8
The pandemic is many things, but most powerfully, it is an “accelerator,” bringing barely known trends into the forefront of culture. This episode will look back at this event, and consider how has affected the shape of the local church. Chris Morton is Director of Communications and Strategic Initiatives with Fresh Expressions US. He’s been a youth minister, a tech and branding guru and was on the planting team of Austin Mustard Seed, a church community in Austin, Texas where he lives with his ...
Jun 22, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Often, your most energetic and capable Christians find themselves dedicating their time and effort to maintaining the basic core programs of a church. However, there are capable leaders who have skills and dreams for serving God beyond a typical congregation. This episode will show you how to identify the pioneers in your church and empower them to join God’s mission in the contexts they are called to. Luke Edwards is the Associate Director of church Development for the Western North Carolina Co...
Jun 08, 2022•35 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Tod Bolsinger is a recognized leader in the field of adaptive leadership in the church. He is a speaker, executive coach, former pastor, and author who serves as associate professor of leadership formation and senior fellow for the De Pree Center for Leadership at Fuller Seminary. He is the author of Canoeing the Mountains and Tempered Reslience. Discover how your church can learn adaptive leadership from Tod Bolsinger at freshexpressions.com/aclc.
May 25, 2022•46 min
In a day of statistical decline in church participation, what if we imagined marriages as little churches and households as living demonstrations of the way that God’s love is reoriented around Jesus? In Bringing Church Home, you’re invited into a kind of radical kinship rooted in family-community love. In his first book, author Gannon Sims shows how our homes can become hubs for mission pointing toward our true home where we—no matter our previous experiences of family or home or love—can find ...
May 11, 2022•38 min
Local congregations, with their own personality, gatherings, programming and leadership are probably what people think of when they hear “church.” But cultural shifts and the pandemic lifestyle changes are making it harder and harder for these traditional congregations to thrive. This episode will provide real life examples of congregations thriving today. Michael Adam Beck is the director of Re-Missioning for FXUS and Cultivator of FX for the Florida Conference of the UMC Michael serves as co-p...
Apr 27, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 5
When you hear the word “church” you are likely imagining something that is very particular to your time and culture. But the church is 2,000 years old, and has many different expressions. This episode will introduce you to a variety of expressions of Church throughout the centuries. Elaine Heath is an ordained in the United Methodist Church, who has served as a professor for eleven years at Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University, and as Dean and Professor of Missional and Pa...
Apr 13, 2022•44 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Fresh expressions of church are transforming lives of people who would never come to church on a Sunday. In this episode, you’ll hear the stories of individuals who encountered Jesus through a fresh expression, and Christians whose faith expanded by starting a new kind of faith community.
Mar 28, 2022•45 min•Season 1Ep. 3
The church in Europe has been declining for decades. But at the same time, a hopeful new movement that inspires everyday Christians to start their own faith communities. In this episode, you’ll discover what kind of church flourishes in today’s world. Dave Male is presently Director of Evangelism and Discipleship for the Church of England based in Church House, Westminster. He leads a large team which aims to equip every worshipper in the Church of England to be able to articulate their faith an...
Mar 16, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Season 1Ep. 2
For years, experts have warned about the decline of the Church in North America, and that was before the pandemic! This episode will help you have a greater understanding of what it means for the North American church to be in decline, and why there’s still hope. You can register for the 2022 Fresh Expressions Gathering at http://freshexpressionsus.org/remission. Our guest is Dr. Christopher Backert. Dr. Backert is the National Director of Fresh Expressions US. Working with church and denominati...
Mar 01, 2022•40 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Fresh Expressions believes any church can reach people who are not yet part of any church. This podcast unravels the complexities of today's local mission field and introduces resources from pastors, practitioners and historic movements adept at proclaiming the Good News inside and outside the inherited Church. Subscribe now on Apple Music, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
Feb 19, 2022•34 sec
