skip to content
subscribe on Apple Podcasts subscribe on Spotify Podcasts subscribe on YouTube

Season 10: Facing Reality, Claiming Leadership | Episode 6

Discovering a Way Back to Each Other

Overview

The Rev. Dr. Amy Butler is a master at facing reality and claiming leadership. In her newly released memoir, Beautiful and Terrible Things: Faith, Doubt, and Discovering a Way Back to Each Other, she weaves together what is real and messy and hard with what is true and hopeful and redemptive, reminding us that the journey of faith is inextricably all those things. In our conversation with Pastor Amy, we get to experience a powerful leader, whose vulnerability and honesty offer a witness of the kind of leadership our beautiful (and terrible) world needs today. We hope you find it inspiring as you seek to navigate and lead in this season! If this podcast is meaningful to you, please share with friends and colleagues and leave us a review. Thanks for listening!

In this conversation, you’ll hear:

  • Why Amy chose “Beautiful and Terrible Things” as her theme and book title

  • The beautiful and terrible things present in the church today

  • The connection between vulnerability and leadership and how Amy has leaned into vulnerability

  • Amy’s vision for Invested Faith, the philanthropic initiative she founded

  • An excerpt from Amy’s book

Meet Our Guest

Rahel Billups

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.). Pastor 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 Butler’s website: https://www.pastoramy.com/

Invested Faith’s website: https://www.investedfaith.org/

Amy’s book is Beautiful and Terrible Things: Faith, Doubt, and Discovering a Way Back to Each Other.

Show Notes

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.). Pastor 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 Butler’s website: https://www.pastoramy.com/

Invested Faith’s website: https://www.investedfaith.org/

Amy’s book is Beautiful and Terrible Things: Faith, Doubt, and Discovering a Way Back to Each Other.

To view videos of podcast episodes, please go to the Igniting Imagination YouTube.

Subscribe to our Learning and Innovation emails here. We send emails about each episode and include additional related resources related to the episode’s topic. We know your inbox is inundated these days, we aim to send you content that is inspiring, innovative, and impactful for your life and ministry.

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts / iTunes?

Next Steps

Subscribe

Subscribe for inspiration and insights for your life and ministry. We send emails about each episode and include additional related resources related to the episode’s topic.

Leave a Review

If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review? It increases our rankings and helps us to reach more people all over the world.

Apple Reviews Apple reviews  

More From Season 10: Facing Reality, Claiming Leadership

Episode 12

Facing Reality, Claiming Leadership in the Church Today

With Derrick Scott, III and Rev. Kathleen McShane

Episode 11

Shaping our Biblical Imaginations

With Dr. Eric Barreto

Episode 10

Cultivating an Indigenous Worldview

With Dr. Randy Woodley

Episode 9

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

With Rep. James Talarico

Episode 8

Nurturing the Possible Through Catalytic Leadership

With Rev. Dr. Dave Odom

Episode 6

Actively Waiting in the Accelerating Age with Dr. Andy Root

With Dr. Andrew Root

Episode 5

Reimagining an Established Institution

With Dr. Aaron Kuecker

Episode 4

Stewarding Ambiguous Loss

With Dr. Pauline Boss

Episode 3

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