On this special edition of the Learn and Lead Podcast, we are taking a break from our regular programing to highlight some important conversations happening on the Faith and Race Podcast. In this episode of the Faith and Race Podcast, we'll learn about one of our Historically Black Churches in Kansas City, Missouri, St. James United Methodist Church.

In a conversation that highlights churches in rural areas, Rev. Allen T. Stanton describes the challenges and opportunities facing churches in small town America and the unique position they have as potential agents of change within their communities.  

About Allen

Rev. Allen Stanton is the Chief of Mission Integration and Outreach at the University of Tennessee Southern, where he also serves as the Executive Director of the Turner Center for Rural Vitality. Allen is an ordained in the United Methodist Church. He is the author of Reclaiming Rural: Building Thriving Rural Congregations and holds degrees from Wake Forest University and Duke Divinity School. Allen lives in rural Tennessee with his wife and two daughters.

RESOURCES

• Check out Allen’s book, Reclaiming Rural, Building Thriving Rural Congregations (30% Discount RLFANDF30)
• Connect with Allen on Twitter at @atstanton or by email at [email protected]
• Certified Rural Training Ministry BeADisciple

“Churches do not get healthy and then do mission; churches get healthy by doing mission.” Check out this conversation with Rev. Dr. Michael Beck on Fresh Expressions and how you can form a new faith community in places where people are already gathering in contemporary culture.

Rev. Dr. Michael Beck is a pastor, professor and author. He is a spiritual guide who helps people heal, love and unleash imagination to create better lives, organizations and communities. Beck and his wife Jill are co-pastors of Wildwood UMC in Wildwood, Florida; St. Marks UMC in Ocala, Florida; and a network of 13 fresh expressions led by laity that gather in tattoo parlors, dog parks, burrito joints and digital spaces. They direct an inpatient rehab center, a shelter for those experiencing homelessness and an anti-racism movement.

He serves as the director of Fresh Expressions for the Florida Conference of the UMC, director of the Fresh Expressions House of Studies at United Theological Seminary and director of ReMissioning for Fresh Expressions US. Beck has a passion for helping laity and clergy plant new forms of church. He helps church leaders across the globe follow Jesus in fresh and exciting ways. In addition to teaching as an adjunct professor at several seminaries, he coaches, trains and educates leaders internationally across a broad theological spectrum and has consulted with hundreds of churches, districts, denominations, networks, synods and dioceses.

Beck earned a Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary and a Doctorate in Semiotics and Future Studies at Portland Seminary with his mentor Leonard Sweet. He’s the author of eight books and is considered a global thought leader in the missional church movement.

You can learn more at: Dr. Michael Adam Beck – Your Weakness Is Your Superpower

Find Michael's books at: Amazon.com: Michael Adam Beck: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle

Have you ever wondered, “What is this Enneagram thing I hear my friends, family and coworkers talking about?” Perhaps you know about the Enneagram already and are looking for a deeper dive conversation and resources to live and lead more faithfully into the calling God gave you. In this episode, Beth and Jeff McCord dig into all things Enneagram, including the theological discussion behind the Enneagram.

• Free Enneagram Test
• Free Core Motivations download
• Free Mistyping Guide
• Discovering You course
• Learn about all 9 Types
• Becoming an Enneagram Coach course
• Should Christians Use the Enneagram I Origins of the Enneagram

Beth and Jeff  McCord are the founders of Your Enneagram Coach, an organization that uses the enneagram tool to help people see themselves with astonishing clarity through the lens of the Gospel, so they can break free from self-condemnation, fear, and shame by knowing and experiencing the unconditional love, forgiveness, and freedom in Christ. Beth (a Type 9) is an Enneagram speaker, coach and teacher and has been trained by enneagram experts and has poured hundreds of hours into advanced certifications. She is now leading the industry in simplifying the deep truths of the Enneagram from a Biblical perspective. Her husband Jeff (a Type 6) has a Master of Divinity as well as multiple certifications in pastoral counseling, family and church mediations, and Gospel coaching. The Enneagram transformed their life, family and ministry, and they have been helping others to do the same ever since. Beth and Jeff live outside of Nashville and has been married for 23 years. They have two adult children, Nate (a Type 6, Loyal Guardian) and Libby (a Type 2, Supportive Advisor).

A “3” on the Enneagram, mom to two toddlers (one with autism), serving two churches, and a daily rhythm of rippin’ and running’ to get it all done, Charity hit the floor. Literally. After what she describes as an “emotional heart attack,” she began a journey to find herself again and start living into the true purpose and calling God gave her while helping others to do the same.

Rev. Charity Goodwin serves as the Clayton Site Pastor of The Gathering in St Louis. She has served in ministry for over 20 years and is a certified coach, author, facilitator and sought-after keynote speaker. She is the founder of Speaking Life where she helps people discover their calling and break free from the over-worked, over-productive, over-achieving life. She is the author of the book, GET UP: Unearthing your Passion and Taking Brave Action in 50 Days - a devotional journey that will lead you from burnout to breakthrough. Rev. Goodwin is also the co-founder of Black Genus School – a virtual learning community that provides engaging and empowering experiences for Black families and their school-age children. She is mom to Levi Nicolas, who she describes as the ham in the fam, and Gabriel Jicotea, the budding engineer and computer tech of the family. Gabriel has autism and has shaped and textured her voice with an empathy and realness that cannot be manufactured. Charity loves to dance, listen to podcasts, watch period dramas and spend time relaxing in her big comfy chair. Connect with Charity Visit www.charitygoodwin.com to purchase the book, GET UP and learn about coaching. Click here to join the waitlist for the New GET UP Facilitator Guide!

Freddy and his wife Yuri along with their three children answered Gods call to leave Cuba and start a new Hispanic church in Kansas City.

About FreddyFreddy is originally from Cuba. An accomplished artist with amazing paintings he has sold for significant sums, Christ called him into ministry in the Cuba Methodist Church. National President of Young Adults of the Cuban Methodist Church. 2003 – 2007. Later he served as a pastor in three churches in succession. Each of them grew dramatically, all under a government system that is officially atheistic. Freddy is also a husband to Yuri and father of three, Sophia 11, Natalie 9, Nicolas who is 7. He lives a life on mission for God! After a two-year immigration process, Freddy and his family were finally able to arrive in the Kansas City airport on December 9, 2021. The Missouri Conference has invited Freddy to come here to start a new Hispanic Church in partnership with Christ UMC in Independence.

Learn the first steps to becoming a multicultural leader and practical ways you diversify leadership teams in your church.  

About Nikki

Nikki Lerner is a singer, author, speaker, and culture coach based in the Baltimore/Washington, D.C. area. She spent over 20 years leading and building a successful multicultural creative department of over 150 people in an organization of over 4,000 people. A professional musician since the age of 19, Ms. Lerner is classically trained and has a degree in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy. She uses music and creative arts as a tool to bring people together cross-culturally and share a message of unity and reconciliation in a unique and powerful way that lectures, how-tos, sermons, or books just cannot accomplish.

What if you had a filter that would help you create a more effective planning and decision-making process for fulfilling your mission? Rev. Dr. Barry Winders, a United Methodist ordained elder in the Missouri Conference, talks about what he has learned in his 50 years of ministry and how to improve your decision-making with core ideas and initiatives through The Mission Filter.

About: Rev. Dr. Barry Winders: is a United Methodist ordained elder who has served in ministry for the past 50 years. He has served as a senior pastor of growing churches in three different states and is passionate about empowering churches to stay focused on their mission for the transformation of the world. Barry has earned bachelors, masters and doctorate of ministry degrees and has written several books on missional effectiveness. Barry most recently served as a pastor of discipleship and care at Centenary UMC in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Barry and his wife Carmen of 41 years still live in Cape Girardeau.

Nikki Lerner is a singer, author, speaker, and culture coach based in the Baltimore/Washington, D.C. area. She spent over 20 years leading and building a successful multicultural creative department of over 150 people in an organization of over 4,000 people. A professional musician since the age of 19, Ms. Lerner is classically trained and has a degree in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy. She uses music and creative arts as a tool to bring people together cross-culturally and share a message of unity and reconciliation in a unique and powerful way that lectures, how-tos, sermons, or books just cannot accomplish.

What do you do when you hit rock bottom? When you've lost all that matters in your past and your future to addiction? Courtney Trankle grew up an army brat and became addicted to drugs in her teen years. She spent 25 years using and trafficking drugs in Missouri before she landed in prison. In this episode, you’ll hear about Courtney's journey of addiction and how God gave her Beauty for Ashes and is using her story for His glory.