The Embedded Church Podcast

In this episode, we talk with Kyle Morris who is the Lead Pastor of Revive Church in Arvada, CO. We hear about his church's decision to stay where they were and seek the shalom of their neighborhood rather than move to a different (and wealthier) part of the city. This decision led them to purchase an entire shopping center and redevelop it to house the church, several community service nonprofits, and businesses.

In this episode, we talk with Matt Busby who is the Senior Associate Pastor at Mission Chattanooga. Matt describes for us the evolution of a relationship between a specific church (Mission Chattanooga) and a coffee shop/restaurant/event space (The Camp House) in three different neighborhoods in downtown Chattanooga. Mission Chattanooga and Camp House began renting in the Southside neighborhood, moved to the MLK neighborhood, and now are located in the Onion Bottom Neighborhood.

A bonus episode to wrap up 2022!

Stained glass, digital photos, or a pile of rocks. Today, we join the co-hosts of the Device & Virtue podcast to talk about how the church builds memories and the role of technology in this space. It’s a podcast inside a podcast.

Who are the people that bus tables, wait on you, or clean your hotel room? How can a church reach these particular neighbors in a meaningful way? In episode 6, the last episode of Season 5, Sara Joy and Eric confront these questions in an interview with Kevin Finch, a former pastor and Executive Director of Big Table, an organization focused on caring for the needs of workers in the hospitality industry. Paul Cunningham, head pastor of La Jolla Presbyterian Church in California, and Eliza Harris Juliano, an principal urban planner with Canin Associates in Orlando, Florida, serve as our field guides for this episode, showing how Big Table works on the ground with a church and the important interplay between housing and transportation in meeting the tangible needs of workers within the hospitality industry.

Can a church meet housing needs within their neighborhood? What opportunities exist for churches to help with our nationwide affordable housing crisis? In episode 5 of Season 5, Sara Joy and Eric tackle these questions in an interview with Dwayne Cline, Lead Pastor of James North Baptist Church, which built affordable and supportive housing on their new church property as a way to meet housing needs in their neighborhood in Hamilton, Ontario. Jill Shook, Founding Director of Making Housing and Community Happen based in Pasadena, California, and Patrick Duggan, Executive Director of the United Church of Christ Church Building and Loan Fund, serve as our field guides for this episode, highlighting strategies for churches to play a role in the affordable housing arena.

How can a church intentionally support the creative callings of artists in their local community? What is the value of art in conveying the beauty and goodness of the Gospel? In episode 4 of Season 5, Sara Joy and Eric tackle these questions through an interview with Gabe Coyle, Campus Pastor of Christ Community Church, which has curated gallery space in their artsy neighborhood in Kansas City, MO. Sandra Bowden, an artist and curator based in Chatham, Massachusetts, and David Taylor, Associate Professor of Theology and Culture at Fuller Theological Seminary, serve as our field guides for this episode to help us better understand how to develop thoughtful art space and how the appreciation and value of art has taken shape throughout the course of church history.

How does a neighborhood coffee shop further the mission of a church? What can churches do to provide third places in our neighborhoods? In Episode 3 of Season 5, Eric and Sara Joy interview Scott Woller from Corner Church in Minneapolis, Minneosta about how his missional calling and entrepreneurial aspirations converged to start both a church and a coffee shop in a post-industrial urban neighborhood. Hazel Borys from PlaceMakers and Rich Heyman from the University of Texas serve as our field guides for this episode to help us better understand what third places are and how they have come to play a valuable role in our society.

How do community centers and places to gather affect the flourishing of our neighborhoods? What can churches do to provides these places of social infrastructure in our communities? In Episode 2 of Season 5, Eric and Sara Joy interview Scott Pontier from Jamestown Harbor Church in Hudsonville, Michigan about how they are designing a new church facility in partnership with a local sports program to provide a place for gathering within their local neighborhood. Eric Klinenberg from NYU and Greg Snider from Aspen Group serve as our field guides for this episode providing deeper insights to the sociological and design aspects of creating social infrastructure.

How does access to healthy food affect the flourishing of our neighborhoods? What can churches do to address food insecurity and support better food systems for our communities? In Episode 1 of Season 5, Eric and Sara Joy interview Cynthia Wallace about the Oasis Farm and Fishery instituted by Bible Center Church to provide better food access in the Homewood Neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Dr. Stephanie Boddie and Dr. Norman Wirzba serve as our field guides for this episode, providing deeper insights to the social, economic, and theological facets of food.

We're kicking off Season 5 in just a few short weeks! Tune in to the trailer to hear more about this season's theme - "Outside the Box: Placemaking & gospel mission beyond the church walls" along with the ways we're changing up the format a bit.