Future Christian

What if the path to hope isn’t found in overcoming pain, but in naming it? In this episode, Loren Richmond Jr. speaks with Dr. May Young, Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at Taylor University and author of Walking with God Through the Valley: Recovering the Purpose of Biblical Lament. Together, they explore why lament—too often overlooked in modern Christianity—is not just a personal cry, b...

What happens when a group of women dare to follow their calling—despite being told they can’t? In this compelling episode, Martha Tatarnic speaks with documentary filmmaker Margo Guernsey about her powerful film The Philadelphia Eleven, which tells the story of the first women ordained as Episcopal priests in 1974. Margo reflects on her own evolving faith journey, the deep spiritual nature of stor...

In this episode, Loren Richmond Jr. talks with Raymond Chang—pastor, writer, and Executive Director of the TENx10 Collaboration at Fuller Seminary. As co-author of Future Focused Church, Raymond shares a hopeful, grounded vision for how churches can embrace change, cultivate culture, and lead the next generation with clarity and purpose. Drawing from his experience in campus ministry, global missi...

How can the church learn from the newsroom? In this episode, Loren welcomes veteran journalist and media executive Suzanne Nadell to explore what faith leaders can gain from the world of communications. Drawing from her decades of experience in newsrooms across the country, Suzanne reflects on her own faith journey as a preacher’s kid, the challenge of navigating polarization, and how churches can...

What if Christian colleges—and churches—stopped being driven by fear? In this episode of the Future Christian Podcast, Loren sits down (literally, in person) with sociologist and Substack writer John Hawthorne to talk about his new book The Fearless Christian University. Drawing on nearly four decades in Christian higher education, John outlines why so many institutions have slipped into what Andy...

Can your church pay the bills and follow God’s call with integrity? In this episode, Loren talks with stewardship educator and sustainability strategist Grace Duddy Pomroy about how churches can embrace bold, faithful financial models without compromising their mission. Grace offers insights drawn from her national research and latest book on reimagining how churches fund ministry—from sliding-sca...

What if your church property wasn’t a burden—but a blessing to your neighbors? In this episode, Loren talks with John Cleghorn about the growing movement of churches reimagining their buildings and land to address the affordable housing crisis. Drawing from firsthand experience and national trends, John explores how faith communities can embrace a new missional identity rooted in service, hospital...

What if burnout isn’t the end of your calling—but an invitation to reimagine it? In this episode, Loren talks with Dr. Arianna Molloy, author of Healthy Calling: From Toxic Burnout to Sustainable Work, about how our deepest exhaustion can reveal what matters most. Drawing from her own journey and years of research, Arianna offers insight for leaders, pastors, and anyone navigating seasons of vocat...

What happens when your most meaningful ministry happens through a smartphone screen?  In this episode, Loren Richmond Jr. welcomes Rev. Bethany Peerbolte—a self-described “TikTok Pastor” and the founding leader of Our Tapestry, a fully digital church community. With over 280,000 followers online, Bethany creates content that helps people declutter harmful theology, reimagine faith, and reconnect w...

Is progressive Christianity losing its soul by abandoning church, worship, and leadership? In this episode, Loren talks with Pastor Clint Schneckloth to explore why faith communities, worship, and theological grounding still matter in progressive spaces. Clint pushes back against the tendency to dismiss church as irrelevant or harmful, offering a vision for how ethical leadership, communal worship...

In this episode of the Future Christian podcast, hosts Martha and Loren engage in a personal check-in, discussing Loren's vocational transitions and the challenges of navigating ministry outside traditional roles. They then delve into the current state of Canada-US relations, exploring the emotional and economic implications of a perceived trade war. The conversation highlights the cultural identi...

What does it mean to be the church in anxious, divided times? Recorded in connection with the 2025 Remind & Renew Conference at Phillips Seminary, Loren Richmond Jr. sits down with Rev. Dr. Susan Diamond to explore how local congregations can become spaces of healing, clarity, and radical welcome. Drawing from her work with moral injury, healing circles, and the Soul Repair After Moral Injury...

What if the church was never meant to be a waiting room for heaven—but a community that builds paradise now? Recorded live at Phillips Seminary during the 2025 Remind & Renew Conference, Loren Richmond Jr. sits down with Dr. Rita Nakashima Brock to reflect on the decline of religious institutions, the collapse of reliable media, and how early Christian communities cultivated paradise on earth—...

What if bivocational ministry isn’t a compromise—but a key to the church’s future? Kris Bentley joins Loren Richmond Jr. to explore the evolving landscape of bivocational ministry in today’s church. Drawing on insights from her book Bivocational Ministry: Field Notes for Congregations and Ministers, Kris shares stories from over a decade of research and interviews with pastors and churches engaged...

In this powerful and deeply personal conversation, Martha Tatarnic talks with Kyle Norman about his latest book, Alive, Loved, and Free, which explores what it means to hold on to faith in the face of spiritual discouragement, suffering, and doubt. Drawing from his own experience as a priest and caregiver during his wife’s cancer treatment, Kyle shares how this painful journey reshaped his underst...

In this episode, Martha Tatarnic talks with Rev. Ben Crosby to explore the state of the mainline church, the challenges of evangelism, and the role of discipleship in church renewal. Ben shares his reflections on church growth, social justice, and spiritual formation. Their conversation delves into the decline of the Anglican Church of Canada, the significance of church attendance numbers for evan...

Do churches need to be more exclusive? For years, both Evangelical and Progressive churches have lowered expectations to get people in the door. In this episode, Loren Richmond Jr. talks with Dr. Tricia Lyons, a leader in evangelism at Virginia Theological Seminary, about why churches should raise the bar to reclaim a compelling, transformative vision for sharing the gospel. Dr. Lyons challenges s...

What is the church, and what is it for? In this episode, Loren Richmond Jr. talks with Rev. Dr. David Emerton to explore the purpose of the church, how different theological traditions define its role, and why these definitions matter for shaping the church’s future. David shares insights on why many churches are caught in cycles of inertia or panic in response to decline, how our implicit assumpt...

What does it mean to move beyond awareness and into action? In this episode, Loren Richmond Jr. sits down with Michelle Ferrigno Warren, author, activist, and faith-rooted organizer, to discuss what it takes to engage in meaningful justice work. Michelle shares her journey from growing up in a fundamentalist Christian environment to becoming a public theologian and advocate for community developme...

What does it mean to lead in weakness rather than strength? In this episode, Loren Richmond Jr. talks with Rev. Dr. Andrew Draper, co-author of Disabling Leadership: A Practical Theology for the Broken Body of Christ. Together, they explore how the church can redefine leadership away from power, charisma, and productivity toward humility, inclusion, and community-driven authority. Andrew shares in...

How can churches truly become spaces for everyone? In this episode, Loren Richmond Jr. talks with Dan Kreiss and Ephraim Smith, co-authors of Church for Everyone: Building a Multi-Inclusive Community for Emerging Generations. Together, they explore how churches can move beyond silos of race, class, and ideology to truly reflect the diverse body of Christ. Dan and Ephraim discuss the shift from att...

How can churches navigate change and uncertainty with creativity and resilience? In this episode,  Dustin Benac shares insights from his research in the Pacific Northwest, where faith communities are experimenting with new organizational models in response to the decline of traditional church structures. Together, they explore themes of collaboration, authority, and innovation, discussing how fait...

How does the way we use our bodies shape our faith? In this episode, Loren Richmond Jr. talks with W. David O. Taylor, Associate Professor of Theology and Culture at Fuller Theological Seminary and author of A Body of Praise: Understanding the Role of Our Physical Bodies in Worship. David shares insights into the importance of physicality in worship, the role of space and posture, and how these pr...

What does it mean to be a professional Christian? In this episode of the Future Christian Podcast, Loren Richmond Jr. welcomes Dr. Sarah Bereza, a church musician, theologian, and author of Professional Christian: Being Fully Yourself in the Spotlight of Public Ministry. They discuss Sarah's journey from a fundamentalist Baptist upbringing to her current role as a progressive Christian and musicia...

What role should the church play in today’s polarized political landscape? In this episode of the Future Christian Podcast, Martha Tatarnic hosts a roundtable with Loren Richmond Jr., Larry Lin, and Dennis Sanders to explore the intersection of faith and politics. Together, they tackle challenging questions about political engagement, the church’s responsibility to marginalized communities, and na...