Season 14: Healing the World Through New Models of Ministry | Episode 6
Born Out Of Necessity
Overview
In this moving episode of the Igniting Imagination® podcast, hosts Rev. Lisa Greenwood and Rev. Dr. Amy Butler sit down with Rev. Candice Wynn, Founder and Executive Director of BOON (Born Out of Necessity), a national network reshaping discipleship for Black children and youth.
Candice shares the deeply personal and spiritual journey that led to BOON’s creation, a movement born from a gap she witnessed firsthand while serving in youth ministry. With BOON, she has created something bold and transformative: a village of "faith influencers" who are rooted in theology, culturally attuned, and devoted to nurturing Black youth in ways that traditional models have often overlooked.
This episode is a passionate call to pay attention, invest in the next generation, and recognize that it truly takes a village.
Meet Our Guest
Rev. Candice Wynn
Rev. Candice Wynn is the Founder and Executive Director of BOON. She's not just leading a movement; she’s building the table where Black youth (18 and under) and their stories are considered sacred. As the Founder and Executive Director of BOON - The Black Next Gen Network, Candice leads a national effort to reframe Christian discipleship for Black youth by equipping faith influencers with tools that are self-reflective, theologically rooted, culturally relevant, and developmentally aligned. With over two decades of experience in ministry leadership, Candice has coached hundreds of youth leaders and is developing a research-driven discipleship framework for Black teenagers, expected to launch in March 2026 (framework for children to follow). Her work sits at the intersection of theological praxis, Black culture, and youth development. Through BOON, she is expanding how people view the lived faith of Black youth. Above all, Candice empowers faith influencers to recognize their influence and responsibility in the lives of youth.
Meet Our Co-Host
Rev. Dr. Amy Butler
Rev. Dr. Amy Butler is the founder of the philanthropic initiative Invested Faith. She previously served as the first woman senior minister of The Riverside Church in New York City, senior pastor of Calvary Baptist Church (D.C.), associate pastor at St. Charles Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans, and intentional interim minister at National City Christian Church (D.C.). Amy holds degrees from Baylor University, the International Baptist Theological Seminary, and Wesley Theological Seminary. She's a mother of three children and currently lives in Hawaii.
Amy is the author of Beautiful and Terrible Things: Faith, Doubt, and Discovering a Way Back to Each Other. Her new book, Holy Disruption: A Manifesto for the Future of Faith Communities, with Dawn Darwin Weaks, will be out September 16!
Show Notes
Rev. Candice Wynn is the Founder and Executive Director of BOON. She is not just leading a movement, she’s building the table where Black youth (18 and under) and their stories are considered sacred. As the Founder and Executive Director of BOON - The Black Next Gen Network, Candice leads a national effort to reframe Christian discipleship for Black youth by equipping faith influencers with tools that are self-reflective, theologically rooted, culturally relevant, and developmentally aligned. With over two decades of experience in ministry leadership, Candice has coached hundreds of youth leaders and is developing a research-driven discipleship framework for Black teenagers, expected to launch in March 2026 (framework for children to follow). Her work sits at the intersection of theological praxis, Black culture, and youth development. Through BOON, she is expanding how people view the lived faith of Black youth. Above all, Candice empowers faith influencers to recognize their influence and responsibility in the lives of youth.
Rev. Dr. Amy Butler is the founder of the philanthropic initiative Invested Faith. She previously served as the first woman senior minister of The Riverside Church in New York City, senior pastor of Calvary Baptist Church (D.C.), associate pastor at St. Charles Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans, and intentional interim minister at National City Christian Church (D.C.). Amy holds degrees from Baylor University, the International Baptist Theological Seminary, and Wesley Theological Seminary. She's a mother of three children and currently lives in Hawaii.
Amy is the author of Beautiful and Terrible Things: Faith, Doubt, and Discovering a Way Back to Each Other. Her new book, Holy Disruption: A Manifesto for the Future of Faith Communities, with Dawn Darwin Weaks, will be out September 16!
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