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Conversations That Inspire courage & innovation

Every movement for change starts with a generative conversation. The Igniting Imagination podcast features rich conversations with leaders across the church landscape that invite you into new possibilities for yourself, your church, and your community. Each episode offers inspiring ideas to spark the Spirit within you as a leader and inspire courage and innovation to bring about human flourishing grounded in love, generosity, and belonging.

Latest Episode

Season 13: Church Property: Imagining Good Futures

Episode 5

How Do We Handle Resistance to Church Property Changes?

With Rev. Sharon Core

Episode 4

What’s the Path to Church Property Changes?

With Pastor Jessica Lowry

Episode 3

How Does Theology Shape Church Property Decisions?

With Dr. Willie James Jennings

Episode 2

Why Are We Talking About Church Property?

With Bob Smietana

Episode 1

Church Property: Imagining Good Futures

With Shannon Hopkins

Season 12: Critical Themes for the Current and Future Church

Episode 6

What’s a Critical Theme for the Future Church That We Missed

With Rev. Lisa Greenwood, Rev. Kathleen McShane, and Rev. Dr. Blair Thompson

Episode 5

Opting into Joy

With Rev. Tyler Sit and Rev. Rich Harvard

Episode 4

Small Boats are the Big Wave for the Church

With Rev. Dr. Kenda Creasy Dean and Rev. Dr. Michael Beck

Episode 3

Place Matters

With Rev. William H. Lamar IV and Rev. Dr. Reginald Blount

Episode 2

The Power of Togetherness

With Vipin Thekk and Rabbi Elan Babchuck

Episode 1

Hospitality When It’s Uncomfortable

With Rev. Alicia Forde and Tamice Spencer- Helms

Season 11: Catalysts for Community Transformation

Episode 4

Imago Dei Drives Innovation

With Carlos Huerta

Episode 3

The Love of God and Love of Humanity is One Love

With Jonathan Brooks

Episode 2

A Platform that Empowers People

With Moy Mendez

Episode 1

Network Building for Outsized Impact

With Rev. Dr. Heber Brown, III

Season 10: Facing Reality, Claiming Leadership

Episode 11

Facing Reality, Claiming Leadership in the Church Today

With Derrick Scott, III and Rev. Kathleen McShane

Episode 10

Shaping our Biblical Imaginations

With Dr. Eric Barreto

Episode 9

Cultivating an Indigenous Worldview

With Dr. Randy Woodley

Episode 8

Living ‘Love Your Neighbor’ in the State House of Representatives

With Rep. James Talarico

Episode 7

Nurturing the Possible Through Catalytic Leadership

With Rev. Dr. Dave Odom

Episode 6

Discovering a Way Back to Each Other

With Rev. Dr. Amy Butler

Episode 5

Actively Waiting in the Accelerating Age with Dr. Andy Root

With Dr. Andrew Root

Episode 4

Reimagining an Established Institution

With Dr. Aaron Kuecker

Episode 3

Stewarding Ambiguous Loss

With Dr. Pauline Boss

Bonus Episode

Analyzing Nieuwhof’s Church Trends That Will Disrupt 2024

With Rev. Rachel Billups and Rev. Matt Rawle

Episode 2

Hope in Doubt? Are We Addicted to Hope?

With Rev. Danielle Shroyer and Rev. Dr. Gil Rendle

Episode 1

Restoring Sanity

With Dr. Margaret Wheatley

Season 9: Holy Friendships

Episode 5

Holy Friends Pursue Higher Truth

With Kathi McShane and Elan Babchuck

Episode 4

Holy Friends Bridge Deep Divides

With Rev. Dr. Matt Russell and Dr. Cleve V. Tinsley IV

Episode 3

Holy Friends Bear Witness Over Time

With Bishop Laura Merrill and Bishop Janice Huie

Episode 2

Holy Friends Become Healthier Leaders

With Rev. Rachel Billups & Rev. Matt Rawle

Episode 1

Holy Friendships

With Victoria White

Season 8: Innovating for Love

Episode 5

The Current Project

With Rev. Alisha Gordon

Episode 4

Staying Awake for God's Sake

With Rev. Tyler Sit

Episode 3

Human Again

With Rev. Michael Gienger

Episode 2

Fishing Differently

With Rev. Dr. Sidney Williams

Episode 1

Innovating for Love

With Rev. Dr. Kenda Creasy Dean

Season 7: Formation Everywhere You Look

Episode 8

Loving Our Neighbors Means Loving Our Neighborhoods

With Jonathan Brooks

Episode 7

Neighborhood Economics

With Rev. Canon Rosa Lee Harden

Episode 6

Living the Gospel Through the Multi-Ethnic Church

With Mark DeYmaz

Episode 5

Creating Cultures of Generosity

With Joe Park

Episode 4

Formation and the Phygital Space

With Multiple Guests

Episode 3

The Spiritually Awakened Brain

With Dr. Lisa Miller

Episode 2

The Whole Person Revolution

With Anne Snyder

Episode 1

Spiritual Formation Everywhere You Look

With Tim Soerens

Summer Soul Tending

Episode 3

Follow a Rule of Life

With Tod Bolsinger

Episode 2

Trust in God's Lead

With Joe Stabile

Episode 1

Be a Soul Ninja

With Danielle Shroyer

Season 6: Core Values of the Future Church

Episode 6

The Gifts of Wilderness

With Bishop Palmer

Episode 5

A Better Vision for Human Flourishing

With Andy Crouch

Episode 4

People, Places, and Processes for Healing

With Jorge Acevedo

Episode 3

The Power of Unconditional Love

With Greg Boyle & Justin Coleman

Episode 2

The Gravity of Joy

With Dr. Angela Gorrell

Episode 1

Methodist Hope for What Comes Next

With Bishop Will Willimon

Season 5: Spiritual Entrepreneurship

Episode 6

Living the Questions

With Shannon Hopkins

Episode 5

The Parish is My World

With Coté Soerens

Episode 4

The Soul of Reconciliation

With Rev. David Bailey

Episode 3

Creating Healing Spaces Through Social Enterprise

With Dr. Kit Evans-Ford

Episode 2

Becoming a New Kind of Christian and New Kind of Church

With Brian McLaren

Episode 1

Trailer

With Rev. Lisa Greenwood

Season 4: The Five Adaptive Muscles

Episode 5

Prophetic Imagination in a Parking Lot

With Mandy McDow

Episode 4

Power and Abundance

With Mike Mather

Episode 3

Nurturing Thriving Communities

With Adam Barlow-Thompson

Episode 2

The Purpose of the Institutional Church

With Rev. Dr. Gil Rendle

Episode 1

Leading Organizational Grief

With Shannon Hopkins

Season 3: Ready for God's Now

Episode 6

Expanding Imagination

With Dr. Amy Oden

Episode 5

Distributing Power

With Dr. Joerg Rieger

Episode 4

Walking Alongside

With Coté Soerens

Episode 3

Discerning Purpose

With Susan Beaumont

Episode 2

Grieving Well

With Suzanne Stabile

Episode 1

The Five Adaptive Muscles

With Rev. Lisa Greenwood

Season 2: The New Wesleyan Ecosystem

Episode 6

Justice & Healing

With Emmanuel Andre

Episode 5

Intangible Currencies and Social Banking

With DeAmon Harges

Episode 4

Connecting the Organizational Center & the Innovative Edge

With Rev. Leroy Barber

Episode 3

Improbable Friendships

With Rev. Dr. Matt Russell

Episode 2

Composting Religion

With Rev. Jen Bailey

Episode 1

Today's Spiritual Landscape

With Rev. Lisa Greenwood

Season 1: Reservoirs of Resilience

Episode 6

Narratives of Resilience

With Bishop Robert Schnase

Episode 5

Resilience for the Church

With Bishop Cynthia Harvey

Episode 4

The Reservoir of Courage

With Dr. Gil Rendle

Episode 3

The Reservoir of Purpose

With Dr. Dori Baker & Stephen Lewis

Episode 2

The Reservoir of Hope

With Dr. Colette Pierce Burnette

Episode 1

Resilient Leadership

With Dr. Tod Bolsinger