Helping Churches Talk about Money

Lori Guenther Reesor says her superpower is helping churches talk about money. And who couldn't use some good advice about how to do that?

In this episode, we talk with Lori about what she's learned about money and generosity, and why its so important that we talk about money.

https://lgreesor.com/

Lori can be reached through https://lgreesor.com/contact

Here is the book we discussed.

Guenther Reesor, Lori. Growing a Generous Church: A Year in the Life of Peach Blossom Church. Lori Guenther Reesor, 2021. https://lgreesor.com/shop/p/stanton-recipes-ed-1-bkw2k.

Here is were you can find some of the research behind the book.

Guenther Reesor, Lori Ann. “Theology and Fundraising: How Does Current Canadian Mennonite Praxis Compare to Paul’s Collection for Jerusalem? By.” University of Waterloo, 2007. https://dspacemainprd01.lib.uwaterloo.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/5b09b5c9-2ac6-49ec-af1e-2e07df40fef5/content.

Guenther Reesor, Lori Ann. “Using Donor Research to Influence Stewardship Praxis in Mennonite Foundation of Canada’s Constituency.” D.Min., Tyndale University, 2014. https://digitalcollections.tyndale.ca/bitstream/handle/20.500.12730/2248/Reesor_Lori_Ann_Guenther_D_Min_2014.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Church is not theatre, and yet there are things we can learn from theatre, and those who study it. Dr. Scott Mealey, who has also been a pastor, talks to us about his research on audience experience, and what it can teach us about how newcomers experience church.

Scott's Dissertation: https://utoronto.scholaris.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/09d0765e-8ab7-4a2c-a687-92d4326ae014/content

Find out more about the CIECR: https://www.wycliffecollege.ca/canadian-institute-empirical-church-research

Find out more about Scott and how to get in touch with him: https://www.wycliffecollege.ca/users/scott-mealey​​

In this episode, Dr. James Watson talks with Faith Trends about his new ethnographic study of church plants in the Waterloo region. If God has been speaking to you about planting a church you won't want to miss this podcast which is full of ideas and insights.

Watson, James. “New Congregations in the Canadian Kaleidoscope: An Autoethnographic Analysis of Thirty New Congregations in the Waterloo Region.” Canadian Institute for Empirical Church Research, December 2024. https://ciecr.wycliffecollege.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/New-Congregations-in-the-Canadian-Kaleidoscope-Dec24-James-Watson-v1.0digital.pdf.

To learn more about Dr. Watson's research or the Canadian Institute for Empirical Church Research visit [email protected] or email [email protected].

What does it mean for words like "religion" to become "polluted"? How does it happen, and can they be cleaned up and made usable again?

Watts, Galen, and Sam Reimer. “Symbolic Pollution and Religious Change: The Religious Imaginary of Anglo-Canadian Spiritual but Not Religious Millennials.” Sociology of Religion, June 9, 2024, srae012. https://doi.org/10.1093/socrel/srae012.

https://academic.oup.com/socrel/advance-article/doi/10.1093/socrel/srae012/7690204

Why do people leave the church? In this episode, Lindsay discusses the findings of a new book that analyzes the testimonies of the "undone," a term that nuances the varied levels of deconstruction from evangelical faith. The authors share challenging stories about church hurt and disillusionment, but offer hopeful insights for the future.

More information about the book and its authors can be found here: https://www.newleafnetwork.ca/blessedundone

This is the second in a two-part podcast looking at AI. The first was an introduction to AI, and this one examines this cultural moment and AI.

https://apologeticscanada.com/

Steiger, Andrew. “A Critical Exploration and Theological Critique of Michael Polanyi’s Structured Ontology.” PhD, University of Aberdeen, 2021.

Steiger, Andy. “Artifical Dignity: The Humanizing and Dehumanizing Implications of Polanyi vs. Turing’s Ontology.” In The Inherence of Human Dignity: Foundations of Human Dignity, Volume 1, edited by Angus J. L. Menuge and Barry W. Bussey, 1:217–32. Anthem Press, 2021. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv22d4t3k.

Steiger, Andy. “Deciphering Humanity: What Polanyi and the Rosetta Stone Can Teach Us About Being Human.” Tradition and Discovery: The Polanyi Society Periodical 49, no. 1 (2023): 34–38. https://doi.org/10.5840/traddisc20234916.

Steiger, Andy, and Sheri Hiebert. Reclaimed: How Jesus Restores Our Humanity in a Dehumanized World. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2020. https://www.amazon.ca/Reclaimed-Jesus-Restores-Humanity-Dehumanized-ebook/dp/B081MXJ26G/.

This is the second in a two-part podcast looking at AI. This one is an introduction to AI, and the second will examine this cultural moment and AI.

https://apologeticscanada.com/

Steiger, Andrew. “A Critical Exploration and Theological Critique of Michael Polanyi’s Structured Ontology.” PhD, University of Aberdeen, 2021.

Steiger, Andy. “Artifical Dignity: The Humanizing and Dehumanizing Implications of Polanyi vs. Turing’s Ontology.” In The Inherence of Human Dignity: Foundations of Human Dignity, Volume 1, edited by Angus J. L. Menuge and Barry W. Bussey, 1:217–32. Anthem Press, 2021. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv22d4t3k.

Steiger, Andy. “Deciphering Humanity: What Polanyi and the Rosetta Stone Can Teach Us About Being Human.” Tradition and Discovery: The Polanyi Society Periodical 49, no. 1 (2023): 34–38. https://doi.org/10.5840/traddisc20234916.

Steiger, Andy, and Sheri Hiebert. Reclaimed: How Jesus Restores Our Humanity in a Dehumanized World. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2020. https://www.amazon.ca/Reclaimed-Jesus-Restores-Humanity-Dehumanized-ebook/dp/B081MXJ26G/.

Karl Vaters is the author of four books including De-Sizing the Church: How Church Growth Became a Science, Then an Obsession, and What’s Next.

https://www.amazon.ca/Sizing-Church-Growth-Science-Obsession/dp/0802424252/

Karl produces resources for Helping Small Churches Thrive at KarlVaters.com.

His heart is to help pastors of small churches find the resources to lead well, and to capitalize on the unique advantages that come with pastoring a small church – something virtually every pastor will spend at least some of their ministry years doing. He also believes that big and small churches can and should work together more often – to the benefit and blessing of everyone.

Karl also hosts a bi-weekly podcast, The Church Lobby: Conversations on Faith & Ministry. Episodes feature in-depth interviews about the topics that concern pastors, especially those who minister in a small church context.

Karl has served in small-church ministry for over 40 years, so he speaks and writes from decades of hands-on pastoral experience. He and his wife, Shelley have three children and two grandkids.

Switching up the typical format, Karen Stiller interviews Rick and Lindsay about the importance of properly identifying Evangelicals for effective ministry research.

In this episode of the Faith Trends podcast, Dr. Joel Thiessen, sociology professor at Ambrose University and Director of the Flourishing Congregations Institute talks with us about what makes for an evangelistic congregation.

You can learn more about Joel at:

https://www.joelthiessen.ca/

https://ambrose.edu/profile/joel-thiessen-phd

Thiessen, Joel, Kennedy Quantz, Arch Chee Keen Wong, Keith Walker, and Bill McAlpine. “Evangelistic Belief and Behavior Among Canadian Congregants.” Studies in Religion/Sciences Religieuses 51, no. 4 (December 2022): 459–79. https://doi.org/10.1177/00084298211055072.