Today’s episode is a conversation with Rev. Dr. Jason Byassee, Butler Chair in Homiletics & Biblical Interpretation at Vancouver School of Theology. We talk about how the church can stay deeply rooted in church history and tradition, and adapt to the world today The interview was recorded in October, and  much has changed since then, but I’m confident you will find Jason’s insights to be quite relevant as we continue to adapt our churches to the realities of a pandemic.   Order Jason’s newest book, Surprised by Jesus Again here.   Today's episode brought to you by the Church Development Office at the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church.   Music from https://filmmusic.io "Macarray Bay" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)   If you have a question about the future of the church that you would like for me to research or have a suggestion for a future guest you can email me at luke@churchischanging.com.   Today’s episode and many other resources for the next church can be found at www.churchischanging.com

Church is Changing

9. Jason Byassee - Church Tradition and Church Innovation

In today’s episode we talk with Rev. Wendy Hudson, Pastor of Two Rivers Church in Charleston, SC. Wendy is a church planter in the United Methodist Church. We talk about how her congregation quickly adapted the essential elements of church to the realities of social distancing. The interview was recorded on March 24th and much has changed since then, but I’m confident you will find Wendy’s insights to be helpful as we continue to adapt our churches to the realities of a pandemic.   For more information about Two Rivers Church here.   Today's episode brought to you by the Church Development Office at the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church.   Music from https://filmmusic.io "Macarray Bay" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)   If you have a question about the future of the church that you would like for me to research or have a suggestion for a future guest you can email me at luke@churchischanging.com.   Today’s episode and many other resources for the next church can be found at www.churchischanging.com

8. Wendy Hudson - Adapting the Elements of Church to a Digital Platform

In today’s episode we talk with Rev. LeDayne McLeese Polaski, Executive Director of MeckMIN, an interfaith collaboration of nearly 100 member congregations representing more than a dozen faith traditions that works to foster understanding, compassion and justice in Charlotte, NC. She is an ordained Baptist minister and the grant coordinator at QC Family Tree. We talk about how congregations can support marginalized populations during the COVID-19 epidemic.   For more information about MeckMIN you can check out their facebook page here.   If you are in the Charlotte area, MeckMIN has a list of current community needs here.   Today's episode brought to you by the Church Development Office at the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church.   Music from https://filmmusic.io "Macarray Bay" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)   If you have a question about the future of the church that you would like for me to research or have a suggestion for a future guest you can email me at luke@churchischanging.com or leave me a voicemail at (980) 320-0568 and you might end up on the podcast.   Today’s episode and many other resources for the next church can be found at www.churchischanging.com

7. LeDayne McLeese Polaski - Supporting Marginalized Populations in the COVID-19 Pandemic

In today’s episode we talk with Melanie Childers, Clinical Chaplain at the Watauga Medical Center in Boone, NC. In our interview today she offers some invaluable advice for clergy and other church leaders seeking to offer pastoral care in the midst of this pandemic. She is ordained in the United Church of Christ and is a board certified chaplain with the Association of Professional Chaplains. She has over 20 years of experience in offering spiritual care in the midst of crisis.     You can read more about Melanie Childers here.   You can read an article on the difficult decisions facing the bereaved in the COVID-19 crisis here.   Today's episode brought to you by the Church Development Office at the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church.   Music from https://filmmusic.io "Macarray Bay" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)   If you have a question about the future of the church that you would like for me to research or have a suggestion for a future guest you can email me at luke@churchischanging.com or leave me a voicemail at (980) 320-0568 and you might end up on the podcast.   Today’s episode and many other resources for the next church can be found at www.churchischanging.com

6. Melanie Childers - Pastoral Care in a Time of Social Distancing

In today’s episode we talk with Lauren Boyd, Pastor of Be3 Dinner Church and the Director of Programming and Culture at the Newport Street Retreat in Denver, Colorado. In our conversation we discuss what dinner church is, what it has looked like at Be3, and how her church has repurposed their building for this new form of worship and for alternative funding models for ministry.   For More info about Be3 Dinner Church you can visit their facebook page here or their website here. You can also visit the Newport Street Retreat website here.   My favorite book about dinner church is We Will Feast by Kendall Vanderslice.   The email list that Lauren recommended is One Last Thing from Emily P. Freeman.   Today's episode brought to you by the Church Development Office at the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church.   Music from https://filmmusic.io "Macarray Bay" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)   If you have a question about the future of the church that you would like for me to research or have a suggestion for a future guest you can email me at luke@churchischanging.com or leave me a voicemail at (980) 320-0568 and you might end up on the podcast.   Today’s episode and many other resources for the next church can be found at www.churchischanging.com

5. Lauren Boyd - Dinner Church: Replacing Pews with Dinner Tables

In today’s episode we talk with Angelica Regalado Cieza, the Founding Pastor & Mission Developer of Estamos Unidos Moravian Ministry in Winston Salem, North Carolina. Estamos Unidos provides Christian community and educational opportunities for first-generation Hispanic immigrants in the Winston Salem Area. In our conversation we discuss how this ministry came about, how Angelica’s experience as an immigrant herself has informed her ministry, and how the rich tradition of education in the Moravian Church influenced her work. For More info about Estamos Unidos you can visit their facebook page here or their website here. Learn more about Moravian Southern Province New and Emerging Ministries here. Find a Moravian Christmas Love Feast here. Book She’s Reading: Dear Church by Lenny Duncan Today's episode brought to you by the Church Development Office at the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church. Music from https://filmmusic.io "Macarray Bay" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) If you have a question about the future of the church that you would like for me to research or have a suggestion for a future guest you can email me at luke@churchischanging.com or leave me a voicemail at (980) 320-0568 and you might end up on the podcast. Today’s episode and many other resources for the next church can be found at www.churchischanging.com

4: Angelica Regalado Cieza - The Church’s Role in Education Today

In this episode we talk with Elaine Heath, a United Methodist Minister and Author, serving as the Abbess of  Spring Forest, an intentional Christian Community and farm in rural North Carolina. We talk about her book God Unbound, missional ecclesiology, the importance of lay leadership, and how she developed a passion for church history that inspires her innovative work today. Books mentioned: Elaine’s Book on Post-Christendom : God Unbound  Elaine’s book on the Mystics – The Mystic Way of Evangelism  Books She’s Reading: Who Do We Choose to Be By Margaret Wheatley  Universal Christ by Richard Rohr Today's episode brought to you by the Church Development Office at the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church. Music from https://filmmusic.io "Macarray Bay" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) If you have a question about the future of the church that you would like for me to research or have a suggestion for a future guest you can email me at luke@churchischanging.com or leave me a voicemail at (980) 320-0568 and you might end up on the podcast. Today’s episode and many other resources for the next church can be found at www.churchischanging.com

3. Elaine Heath - The Church is Gathered and Sent Out

In this episode we talk with Brandon Wrencher, minister, organizer, and facilitator working across the US within faith, education, and non-profit sectors at the intersection of decolonizing church, contemplative activism, and local presence to build beloved communities. We talk about the The Good Neighbor Movement, the church he leads as well as the Liberating Church Project, a network seeking to decolonize new and established expressions of church by looking to hush harbors, the church of enslaved Africans, as a model having contemporary relevance for decolonizing the church.   Books mentioned: Emergent Strategy by Adriene Marie Brown  Faith-Rooted Organizing by Alexia Salvitiera Vincent Harding Memoir: Remnants By Rachel Elizabeth Harding   The Star Fish and The Spider by Ori Drafman and Rod Beckstrom: Get Together By Bailey Richardson, Kevin Huynh, and Kai Elmer Sotto  Black Marxism: The making of the Black Radical Tradition by Cedric Robinson  Read about the Eight Marks of Liberating Church Read about Lynice Pinkard  More info about Base Communities  Ruby Sales Interview with On Being    Today's episode brought to you by the Church Development Office at the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church.   Music from https://filmmusic.io "Macarray Bay" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)   If you have a question about the future of the church that you would like for me to research or have a suggestion for a future guest you can email me at luke@churchischanging.com or leave me a voicemail at (980) 320-0568 and you might end up on the podcast.   Today’s episode and many other resources for the next church can be found at www.churchischanging.com

2. Brandon Wrencher - Church as Community Organizing

In this episode we talk to Kenda Creasy Dean, Professor of Youth, Church, and Culture at Princeton Theological Seminary. We talk about how her 2010 research on moral therapeutic deism relates to what we are seeing in the faith of young adults today. We look at innovation in church history, and how the church can reclaim social innovation as a part of our identity.  Episode Transcript Kenda's Book: Almost Christian: What the Faith of Our Teenagers is Telling the American Church Kenda's Consulting Group: https://ministryincubators.com/ Jia Jiang's Ted Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vZXgApsPCQ Jia Jiang's Book: Rejection Proof: How I Beat Fear and Became Invincible Through 100 Days of Rejection Today's episode brought to you by the Church Development Office at the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church. Music from https://filmmusic.io "Macarray Bay" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) If you have a question about the future of the church that you would like for me to research or have a suggestion for a future guest you can email me at luke@churchischanging.com or leave me a voicemail at (980) 320-0568‬ and you might end up on the podcast. Today’s episode and many other resources can be found at www.churchischanging.com  

1. Kenda Creasy Dean - Reclaiming Innovation in the Church

Church is Changing is a podcast in search of a more hopeful future for the church in a post-Christian world. Every week, we explore how the church is innovating in light of the rich wisdom and tradition of our past.