The rise of conspiracy theories such as QAnon are alarming, but people of faith who have learned from history will recognize commonalities between QAnon and other apocalyptic movements across the centuries.

Church historian Bill Leonard joins me for this fascinating and relevant conversation.  If you're struggling with QAnon adherents in your churches, or if you are one yourself, you will not want to miss this fascinating podcast.

Last week, eight persons were murdered by a gunman motivated by racism, misogyny, and a toxic brand of faith and purity culture.  Even worse, it is reported that over 4000 incidents of violence and discrimination against Asian Americans have been reported since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. This largely unreported problem is now in the spotlight.

Rev. Neal Christie joins me to discuss the intersections of faith and violence, and how the church can be part of the solution.

Rev. Neal Christie is one of the United Methodist Church's most talented thinkers and facilitators.  His generous, kind spirit comes across in everything he does, including when that work involves difficult conversations.  Today I talk with Neal about the importance of language, relationships, and how the hard work of becoming an anti-racist Church can be done with grace.  

Neal is United Methodist clergy, lives in Washington, DC, and is part of the team at the Lakelands Institute.

Granted, I'm a man of a certain age.  My people gravitate toward Facebook for our social media time.  But other generations are on different platforms: Instagram, YouTube, Twitch, TikTok... and the list goes on.  What would it look like if church leaders entered TikTok for the purposes of spreading the Gospel, or at least dispelling myths about what faith actually is?  

This week is the first of the podcast rebrand: we're broadening the topic set beyond simply online ministry issues into ALL of the challenges church leaders are facing today.  Join me with Brandan Robertson, millennial church leader and TikTok innovator, for a fascinating conversation.

Recently an article was published by the Washington Post which examined the ways tech and spirituality are intersecting these days, specifically, a debate that's emerging about the role Peloton is playing in the field.  It was a terrific jumping-off point for a Wednesday morning Zoom conversation between interested pastors and faith leaders.

Join us in this conversation, and if you hear anything worthy of comment, please leave a comment on our website.

I interviewed Valerie Ohle a few months ago.  She had been given an impossible assignment: start a new church during a pandemic.  An online church, based in a rural community.  Oh, and did I mention that she's bivocational?  She's a full-time paralegal as she's working tirelessly to do, what many people would consider, the impossible.

Valerie and I catch up to see what's going on and how things are progressing.  This enlightening conversation adds a few dimensions to the last conversation we had, such as: what do you do with an empty building when it barely figures in to the kind of church you're tasked with creating?

Elle is one of the stalwarts of our "Growing Your Online Presence" Facebook group, and she's finally announcing the title of the book she's been talking about.  "Baptized in Tear Gas" is her story of moving from being a white moderate into the wilderness of a new life and perspective.  You'll want to hear every word she has to say. elledowd.com

If that title doesn't grab you, I don't know what will!  Just kidding.  It's a terrible title, but one that says something about what we get into in this podcast.

My guest is Rev. Donna Claycomb Sokol, pastor of Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church in Washington, DC.  This is a follow-up conversation after we spoke a couple of months ago.  Donna is a transformational leader in the United Methodist Church, and it seemed appropriate to check in during this time of remarkable transformation.

You won't want to miss this conversation.  Donna's candor will be a blessing to you.

Now that we’re well into 2021, we’ve discovered that all the problems of 2020 didn’t just magically go away, alas. We can expect 2021 to maintain continuity with 2020, and in fact, carry forward the trends that have led us to where we are today.

Buckle up, it’s going to be a bumpy ride. Faith, vision, creativity, and perseverance will be the qualities most needed by our churches going forward. Are you ready? Here are seven trends we expect in 2021.

After years of serving congregations, Rabbi Jill Zimmerman launched out into the world of online community-building ten years ago.  Her thoughts about our current situation are informed by history, theology, and years of practical experience, and you won't want to miss what she sees for the future of faith.