In the Sandbox

Hosts Matt Rawle and Rachel Billups interview Bishop Tom Berlin of the Florida Episcopal Area of the United Methodist Church about how his business/public administration background helped him navigate local-church leadership and conference systems, emphasizing organizational health, financial and human sustainability, and the importance of culture in change. Berlin contrasts the nimbleness of loca...

Hosts Matt Rawle and Rachel Billups interview business strategist and System and Soul founder Benj Miller about building organizations that balance effective systems with human-centered culture. Benj traces his entrepreneurial start to resourcefulness and a desire to work independently, then describes a pivotal identity crisis and coaching conversation centered on three questions—who am I, why do...

On the In the Sandbox podcast, hosts Matt Rawle and Rachel Billups interview Matt Miofsky, founding pastor of The Gathering in St. Louis (launched around 2006) and author of The Methodist Book of Daily Prayer. Miofsky describes starting a church in a declining city and fusing passionate, relevant worship and strong ministries with a more open theology as both opportunity and risk. He recounts pers...

The episode features Amy Aspey, founding pastor of Short North Church in Columbus, Ohio, discussing how the church plant emerged from a 100-year-old United Methodist congregation in the arts district near Ohio State that voted by over 80% to close and give its resources to a new, inclusive future. As a United Methodist deacon, Aspey describes saying no twice before accepting a nontraditional lead...

Hosts Matt Rawle and Rachel Billups interview Jeremy Steele, creator of Skeptic Pastor on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, about how an experiment to study church use of TikTok unexpectedly grew into a 260–270K follower audience and a smaller intentional community called “Not Church.” Steele, a self-described deep skeptic and pastor, avoids institutional church language because many members have re...

Cristin Cooper, founder of Maryland-based social enterprise Coop’s Soups and a licensed local pastor, shares how loneliness in 2018–2019 led her to practice hospitality by sharing soup with neighbors and how it evolved into a missional business. She explains designing the company to reflect community-building by selling at a farmers market, sourcing from local farmers, labeling jars with “Share me...

Hosts Matt Rawle and Rachel Billups interview Derrick Scott III, Associate Director of Learning and Innovation at Wesleyan Impact Partners, about “entrepreneurship” in ministry as faithfulness—cultivating what’s been placed in our hands, experimenting, and adapting to changing needs. Derrick describes leading in permission-giving spaces that allow trial-and-error learning and argues campus ministr...

Hosts Matt Rawle and Rachel Billups interview leadership consultant Kathi McShane and Rabbi Elan Babchuck about their partnership, formed after an Ashoka gathering and later co-leading classes for the Changemaker initiative. Drawing on their book and Walter Brueggemann, they define “empire” as a coercive, control-oriented pyramid culture that leaders and organizations internalize and revert to und...

What is the In the Sandbox podcast, Season 3 all about? In today's Season 3 launch episode of the In the Sandbox podcast, Matt Rawle and Rachel Billups sit down and discuss the incredible guests they had the opportunity to chat with on the topic of entrepreneurship and ministry, and how the two are more intertwined than we traditionally might think. They also share about the new, upcoming Hub4Inno...

Navigating Adaptive Leadership and Spiritual Resilience with Bishop Delores Williamston In this engaging episode of 'In the Sandbox,' hosts Matt Rawle and Rachel Billups welcome Bishop Delores Williamston, the Bishop of the Louisiana Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. Bishop Williamston shares her journey as a military veteran, a clergy leader, and a grandmother, discussing her adap...

In the Sandbox with Reverend Adam Hamilton: Adaptive Leadership and Evolving Ministry In this episode of 'In the Sandbox where Creativity and Utility Meet,' hosts Matt Rawle and Rachel Billups have an inspiring conversation with Reverend Adam Hamilton, the founding pastor of Church of the Resurrection in Leewood, Kansas. Adam, a best-selling author and influential leader in modern United Methodism...

Adaptive Leadership and Authentic Ministry with Rev. Dr. James Howell In this episode of 'In the Sandbox,' hosts Matt Rawle and Rachel Billups welcome Rev. Dr. James Howell, senior pastor of Myers Park United Methodist Church, to discuss leadership, wisdom, and his experiences. Dr. Howell shares insights from his ministry journey, touching on the challenges of adaptive leadership, the importance o...

Summary In this episode of 'In the Sandbox', hosts Matt Rawle and Rachel Billups engage with pastor and author Mark Feldmeir, exploring themes of leadership, faith, and community in a rapidly changing world. Mark discusses his unique leadership approach in a diverse congregation, the impact of the pandemic on church dynamics, and the importance of clarity in values. He shares insights on progressi...

Navigating Theological Education and Inclusive Leadership with Rev. April Casperson In this episode of 'In the Sandbox,' hosts Matt Rawle and Rachel Billups welcome Reverend April Casperson, an ordained deacon in the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church and Director of Enrollment Management at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio (MTSO). They discuss the evolving landscape of th...

Adaptive Leadership and Spiritual Resilience with Bishop Hee-Soo Jung In this episode of 'In the Sandbox where Creativity and Utility Meet,' hosts Matt Rawle and Rachel Billups sit down with Bishop Hee-Soo Jung, Episcopal leader of the West and East Ohio Conferences of the United Methodist Church. They discuss adaptive leadership amidst challenges, the significance of faith and resilience, and Bis...

Adaptive Leadership and Fresh Expressions: A Conversation with Dan Jackson In this episode of 'In the Sandbox where Creativity and Utility Meet,' hosts Matt Rawle and Rachel Billups interview His Holiness, Dan Jackson. The discussion covers Dan Jackson's extensive leadership experience, particularly in the Florida Annual Conference where he served as the district superintendent and was instrumenta...

In this episode of 'In the Sandbox where Creativity and Utility Meet,' hosts Matt Rawle and Rachel Billups engage in a deep, insightful conversation with Reverend Lisa Yebuah, the dynamic lead pastor of the Southeast Raleigh Table. They explore topics ranging from adaptive leadership during the pandemic, collective discernment, and the significance of unlearning hierarchical church models. Reveren...

Adaptive Leadership and Evolving Church with Dr. Emanuel Cleaver III In this episode of 'In the Sandbox,' hosts Matt Rawle and Rachel Billups sit down with Dr. Emanuel Cleaver III, the senior pastor of St. James United Methodist Church in Kansas City. Dr. Cleaver discusses the challenges and strategies of adaptive leadership in the modern socio-political landscape, the decline in church attendance...

Navigating Adaptive Leadership with Reverend Duane Anders In this episode of 'In the Sandbox,' hosts Matt Rawle and Rachel Billups are joined by Reverend Duane Anders from the Cathedral of the Rockies. They explore Duane's leadership journey, his unapologetic vocal stance on the gospel and inclusion, and his innovative approaches within the church. Duane recounts experiences from his trip to Pales...

Episode Summary In this powerful Season 2 premiere of In the Sandbox, Matt and Rachel sit down with Rev. Magrey deVega to explore the challenges and beauty of adaptive leadership in uncertain times. From navigating political tensions to leading through multiple congregational identities, Magrey shares insights on how to remain grounded in faith, practice non-anxious leadership, and reclaim beauty...

Episode Description: In this week’s episode of In the Sandbox, Matt Rall and Rachel Billups welcome the dynamic duo behind The Bearded Theologians, Matt Franks and Zach Bechtold. It's a conversation that blends deep theological reflection with humor, friendship, and a bit of nerddom. From Xbox theology to reclaiming lost words of faith, this crossover episode is packed with inspiration and laughs....

In the sandbox Special Crossover Episode with Make it Happen by Hub4Innovation

Episode Title: Cultivating Curiosity in Communication with Todd Rossnagle Hosts: Matt Rawle and Rachel Billups Guest: Todd Rossnagel, Chairman of UMAC, Director of Communications for Louisiana, and Wilco Enthusiast Episode Overview: In this engaging episode of In The Sandbox, hosts Matt Rawle and Rachel Billups welcome Todd Rossnagle, a leading voice in church communications. Todd shares his journ...

The Power of Curiosity: A Conversation with Reverend DeAndre Johnson In this episode of 'In the Sandbox,' hosts Matt Rawle and Rachel Billups invite Reverend DeAndre Johnson from Memorial Drive United Methodist Church to explore the profound beauty of curiosity and its role in faith, worship, and the experience of God. DeAndre shares his journey, rooted in various Christian traditions, and discuss...

Join us this week as we talk with Lisa Greenwood, President of Wesleyan Impact Partners, who dedicates her time and calling to developing leaders for the church and beyond!