Charles Vogl joins John and Matt to talk about his book The Art of Community. He defines community and we discuss how it plays out in congregations.

Resources

The Art of Community by Charles Vogl (book)

Charles Vogl's website

The Master Plan of Evangelism by Robert Coleman (book)

Lost Connections by Johann Hari (book)

Team of Teams by Stanley McChrystal (book)

Mystic Heart by Wayne Teasedale (book)

Lisa Inks, Senior Director of Urban Rural Action, joins Shellie and Matt to talk about their work of healing polarization and divided culture. Lisa shares the origins of the organization, tools for conversation and the importance of this work in our current cultural climate.

Resources

Urban Rural Action (organization)

The Colossian Forum (organization)

Lombard Mennonite Peace Center (organization)

Project Civility (organization)

+More Perfect Union (organization) - There are chapters in Terre Haute, South Bend, and Indianapolis 

Braver Angels (organization)

The Socials

Urban Rural Action on Facebook

Urban Rural Action on Instagram

Urban Rural Action on LinkedIn

President of the Center for Congregations Rev. Dr. Tim Shapiro joins JC and Matt to talk about what the Center for congregations has been learning through the past, this year and what we see as the futures of congregations.

Congregations with Community (CWC) Senior Director McKenzie Scott Lewis joins JC and Matt to talk about the work of CWC and what they're learning about congregation and community collaboration.

Resources

Congregations with Community - CWC (organization)

CWC Facebook

IG @congregationswithcommunity

CWC LinkedIn

Seed to Oaks (organization)

The Art of Community: Seven Principles for Belonging by Charles Vogl (book)

Center for Congregations staff Kara Faris, Shellie Riggs Jordan and Matt Burke gather to talk about what the Center for Congregations is learning in 2025. They share several stories of congregations in Indiana that highlight some of the great things happening in congregational life.

Resources

The Wild Edge of Sorrow by Francis Weller (book)

Undue Medical Debt (organization)

Rev. Dr. Darrell Hall of The Way Community Church joins John and Matt to talk about doing the hard work of understanding other generations and how it is related to loving others.

Resources

Speaking Across Generations by Dr. Darrell Hall (book)

Generational IQ by Haydn Shaw (book)

Making Space at The Well by Dr. Jessica Brown (book)

Instagram - @IAmDarrellHall

X - @IAmDarrellHall

The Center for Congregations' own Christos Reid, Communications and Marketing Strategist, joins Shellie and Matt to talk about marketing and communications for congregations. This episode is full of practical advice and tips on how to incorporate better tools and ideas into your congregation's communications.

Resources

"Ultimate Guide to Church SEO" by Paul Steinbrueck (article)

"Strategic Social Media Planning for Churches: A Step-by-Step Guide" on churchposting.com (article)

"The Top 20 Church Marketing Strategies for 2025" by Jordan Meyers (article)

Dr. Robert Mansfield joins JC and Matt to talk about discipleship and the importance of your congregation's context in faith formation. Dr. Mansfield believes that there is no copy-paste way to disciple. Each community needs to find ways to form faith based on its unique theology, traditions and specific local history.

Resources

"Insights from Research and Theory: Practices for Forming Faith with Young Adults" by Leif Kehrwald and John Roberto (article)

Discipleship Essentials: A Guide for Building Your Life in Christ by Greg Ogden (book)

Evangelistic Discipling (organization)

The 7 Questions of Discipleship by Robert Mansfield (book series)

Dr. Steven Argue, Associate Professor of Youth, Family, and Culture at Fuller Theological Seminary, talks with Shellie and Dr. Bridges about meeting young adults where they are: in the midst of their transitions. Matt and Shellie then talk about the Center for Congregation's work with congregations around young adults, unpack the interview and share practical resources that will aid your congregation.

Resources

Young Adult Ministry Now (book)

Young Adult Ministry Now (website and resources)

Fuller Youth Institute (organization)

The FYI on Youth Ministry Podcast (podcast)

S.T.A.R. for Young Adults (website and resources)

Belinda King, MBA and Financial Services Professional joins Dr. Bridges and Matt to discuss the importance of a good understanding of finance in congregations. Her insights are practical, important and implementable.

Resources

Belinda King/BGK Solutions (LinkedIn)

Rich Church, Poor Church: Keys to Effective Financial Ministry by J. Clif Christopher (book)

Simplifychurch.com (organization)

Kitchen Table Giving: Reimagining How Congregations Connect with Their Donors by William G. Enright (book)

BGK Solutions (organization)

Belinda King's Email: [email protected]