The Faith Trends Podcast

Helping Churches Talk about MoneyLori 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/contactHer...

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/contentFind out...

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 Waterl...

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.htt...

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 c...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

In this episode, we talk with Andreae Sennyah, Director of Policy at Cardus, to discuss Cardus's research on trends in faith and spirituality among Canadian immigrants and non-immigrants. We discuss why it’s important to understand and appreciate the religious dimension that immigrants to Canada have to offer, and think about how this affects the religious landscape in Canada. Access the rese...

John Bowen and Jeremy McClung from the Institute of Evangelism at Wycliffe College https://institute.wycliffecollege.ca/ talk us through their research on trends in conversion to Christianity in Canada, and it's not what you might think. John and Jeremy discuss how their findings can support effective evangelism in our nation. A summary of their findings can be found here: https://institute.w...

​REV. DR. ANDREW BENNETT is program director for Cardus Faith Communities. He holds a PhD in politics from the University of Edinburgh and degrees in history from McGill and Dalhousie universities. From 2013 to 2016 he served as Canada’s ambassador for religious freedom and head of the Office of Religious Freedom. The Bible and Us: Canadians and Their Relationship with Scripture. https://www.cardu...

​​Does it matter where our worship music comes from and who's writing it? The latest research from Worship Leaders Research revealed that most of the songs we've sung in our churches over the last decade come from the same four sources. You can read about the findings here: http://www.worshipleaderresearch.com/

​The topic of climate change seems to be everywhere these days. From the news, to the families we work with in the global south, there is no escaping it. Multiple reports tell us that it is an important topic for younger generations too. I personally know many young people within my circle including grandchildren who have questions and big concerns about it. That's why we've partnered wi...

​​Sam Reimer's new book Caught in the Current: British and Canadian Evangelicals in an Age of Self-Spirituality is available at:https://www.mqup.ca/caught-in-the-current-products-9780228016960.php?page_id=73&https://www.amazon.ca/Caught-Current-Canadian-Evangelicals-Self-Spirituality/dp/0228016967/Sam can be contacted at Sam. Reimer@crandallu.cahttps://www.crandallu.ca/staff/sam-reimer/

​​Reflections on the Significant Church report www. TheEFC.ca/SC

​​Bruce Clemenger talks with Lindsay Callaway and Rick Hiemstra about his recently released book The New Orthodoxy: Canada's Emerging Civil Religion.

In this episode we talk with Dr. Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme about her new book Religion, Spirituality and Secularity among Millennials: The Generation Shaping American and Canadian Trends, and we explore the reasons why so many are taking a pass on religion. Dr. Wilkins-Laflamme's book can be found at:https://www.amazon.ca/Religion-Spirituality-Secularity-among-Millennials/dp/1032109211 and she c...

​​Guest host Karen Stiller interviews researches Lindsay Callaway and Rick Hiemstra about how family faith formation in evangelical homes is different than many of us expect.

​How do pastors understand their calling when they also work outside the church? James Watson has spent years researching pastors in multivocational ministry roles and shares with us the challenges and opportunities that come with having multiple forms of employment as a pastor. If you want to learn more about the research James as done, the Multivocational Ministry Project Report is available for...

​​How Canada moved from affirming the sanctity of human life in and before Rodriguez, to providing "narrow" exceptions in Carter, to MAID whose expansion continues to be fed by arguments for autonomy. Bruce’s Articles:Liberalism and surrogacy, Faith Today (August 15, 2018) https://www.faithtoday.ca/Magazines/2018-Jul-Aug/Liberalism-and-surrogacyHow common beliefs fuel assisted death, Fai...

​​Wong, Enoch. How Am I Going to Grow Up?​: Congregational Transition among Second-Generation Chinese Canadian Evangelicals and Servant-Leadership. Carlisle, UK: Langham Publishing, 2021.Second-generation Chinese Canadian evangelicals inhabit a complex liminal space, positioned between the world of their parents and broader Canadian society. In this study, Dr. Enoch Wong explores the “silent exodu...

​​Amy Vetter completed a Masters in Leadership and Management at Briercrest Seminary. She's studied women leaders experiences in evangelical churches that have recently changed their policies to allow women to serve in leadership positions and defended her thesis in March 2022.

​Carole Ardell is currently in Calgary co-teaching a seminary course at Ambrose University. Carole met her husband, Steve, while attending Canadian Bible College and Seminary. After graduating, they moved to Prince George, BC and helped plant two churches while starting a tree-planting company and raising their two sons. Carole taught Bible courses at a local school and has served with Arrow Leade...