Momentum Ministry Partners Podcast

In this episode of the Momentum Ministry Partners Podcast, Eric sits down with Delaney Ferguson as she reflects on five years serving on the Momentum staff and shares what's next as she steps into a new season. Delaney looks back on the unexpected path that led her from being a Momentum student to serving behind the scenes in communications, creative design, and conference media. She shares lesson...

In this episode, Eric sits down with Jeana Harley, Executive Director of GROW (Grace Refuge Outreach Worldwide), to talk about their incredible work rescuing and restoring children and families in Thailand and Cambodia. Jeana shares the powerful origin story of GROW's founder, real-life transformation stories, and how YOUR church can get involved — whether through prayer, giving, sending a team, o...

Student leadership isn't a program—it's a pathway to deeper discipleship, stronger faith, and lasting ownership in the Church. In this episode, Eric sits down with Doug Franklin, founder of LeaderTreks, to talk about what it really means to build a student-led ministry. Drawing from more than 30 years of leadership development experience, Doug shares why empowering students to lead isn't just a ni...

How do we move from talking about discipleship to actually making disciples? In this episode, Eric sits down with Peyton Jones to explore Jesus' model for disciple-making and why so many believers feel stuck when it comes to living out the Great Commission. Peyton shares his powerful testimony, the heart behind his book Discipleology, and how the simple rhythms of time, teaching, and tactics can h...

  In this episode of the Momentum Podcast, Eric sits down with Mike Yoder and Dave Pacheco from Encompass World Partners to discuss what it takes to build a healthy sending church. Together, they explore how local churches can cultivate a heart for the nations, equip future missionaries, and create practical pathways for people discerning a call to missions. Whether you're a pastor, ministry leade...

What if the biggest challenge facing parents today isn't a lack of information—it's a lack of conversation? This week on the Momentum Ministry Partners Podcast, Eric sits down with David Eaton, founder of Axis, to discuss why meaningful conversations are still one of the most powerful tools parents have for discipling their kids. Drawing from years of research and ministry experience, David shares...

This week on the Momentum Ministry Partners Podcast, Eric sits down with Brian Smith and Ed Uszynski for a follow up conversation on youth sports, discipleship, and the role parents play in shaping their athletes beyond the game. Building on their previous discussion, this episode shifts the focus directly to parents, unpacking the pressures of modern sports culture, the weight of expectations, an...

What if the future of student ministry looks less like a production… and more like a quiet, intentional movement of discipleship? In this episode, we sit down with youth ministry veteran and Youth Ministry Hub founder Dan Istvanik to talk about the major shifts happening in student ministry today. From the resurgence of reverence and worship, to why students are craving authentic community, physic...

In this episode of the Momentum Podcast, Eric sits down with Nick Demos to talk about how churches of any size can begin using sports to reach their communities and connect people to Christ. From small church ideas and volunteer recruitment to outreach strategy and building sustainable programs, this conversation is packed with practical insight for ministry leaders ready to think outside the box....

This week on the Momentum Ministry Partners Podcast, Eric sits down with Brian Smith and Ed Uszynski to talk about a challenge many churches feel but rarely address head-on, how to navigate sports culture in a way that actually builds the Kingdom. In this conversation, this episode explores how pastors and ministry leaders can begin thinking more intentionally about sports as a space for disciples...

Welcome back to the Momentum Ministry Partners Podcast! In this episode, Eric sits down with new team member Nick Demos for a conversation that starts light, but quickly turns into something much deeper. Nick shares parts of his journey in sports ministry and what led him to join the Momentum team, offering a glimpse into how God has been at work behind the scenes. But this episode isn't just abou...

Ministry isn't just hard—it can hit harder than you ever expected. In this episode, Eric sits down with Jeff Bogue to talk about something every pastor and ministry leader will face, but few are prepared for: how to take a hit… and keep going. From criticism and conflict to betrayal and burnout, Jeff shares real stories from over 30 years in ministry—and the hard-earned wisdom that's helped him st...

In this episode of the Momentum Podcast, Eric sits down with Keith Minier to talk about leadership, calling, and what it takes to build something that lasts. From starting as a student at Momentum to now leading a thriving multi-site church, Keith shares the behind-the-scenes of a 20+ year journey—how he discerned God's direction, chose obedience over opportunity, and stayed committed to the same...

Faith isn't fading—but something is shifting. And a lot of leaders are asking: is this revival… or something else? In this episode, Eric sits down with Jeff to talk through what's really happening across the country as more people—especially Gen Z—turn toward spirituality. From rising church attendance to increased Bible engagement, they unpack what may be a growing spiritual awakening and how it'...

Faith isn't falling apart—but a lot of students aren't sure what to do with the questions they're asking. In this episode, Eric Miller sits down with Alisa Childers—author, speaker, and former member of ZOEgirl—to talk through doubt, truth, and what's really happening behind the rise of progressive Christianity. From her own faith crisis to what she's seeing in students today, Alisa brings clarity...

The role of the youth pastor has changed—and it's happening faster than most realize. It's no longer just pizza and games. Today's youth leaders are navigating mental health, digital discipleship, identity, and culture-shaping conversations with students who are growing up faster than ever. In this episode, Josh Griffin shares what's changed in youth ministry, what hasn't, and how leaders can adap...

In this episode of the Momentum Ministry Partners Podcast, Eric sits down with Corbin Hogue, pastor of One Community Church in Greenville, South Carolina, during a powerful week at Momentum Youth Conference. Together they talk about what it's been like to witness a genuine move of God as hundreds of students respond to the Gospel, confess sin, and take steps of faith alongside their youth groups....

In this episode of the Momentum Ministry Partners Podcast, Eric sits down with Kevin Butcher, longtime pastor, author of Free: Rescued from Shame-Based Religion , and founder of Rooted Pastors. Kevin shares his story of pastoring for more than three decades while quietly carrying the weight of shame, performance, and exhaustion—and the moment that forced him to confront the emptiness behind minist...

In this episode, Eric Miller sits down with Newt Larson—longtime pastor, former CE National director (now Momentum Ministry Partners), author, and trusted coach to pastors across the country. Knute reflects on a lifetime of pastoral leadership, including 26 years at The Chapel in Akron, Ohio, and years of ministry in Ashland.  Together, they talk candidly about what leadership really feels like be...

Eric Miller sits down with Dr. Randy Smith, senior pastor of Neighborhood Church in Sebring, Florida, founder of Great Commission Bible Institute, and director of the Christian Travel Studies Program, for a candid conversation on the Middle East, the church, and how pastors can lead with clarity in a confusing cultural moment. Randy helps cut through oversimplified narratives and algorithm-driven...

In this episode of the Momentum Ministry Partners Podcast, Eric sits down with Clancy Cruise and Jeremey Bury, the pastors behind Marysville Grace, Momentum's 2025 Church of the Year. Together, they share the story of Marysville Grace from its early days as a church plant to becoming a thriving, multiplying church rooted in trust, unity, and long-term faithfulness. Clancy reflects on what it looks...

In this episode, Eric sits down with Nick (founder of UP) for a conversation that hits right at the center of what so many students, parents, and ministry leaders are feeling: doom scrolling is shaping us more than we realize. Nick shares his unlikely journey—from baseball and high-pressure tech environments to building tools rooted in behavioral science—and the moment he felt God calling him to t...

In this episode of the Momentum Ministry Partners Podcast, Eric Miller sits down with Holly Regan, Training Coordinator at Rahab Ministries , for a conversation every parent, youth pastor, and ministry leader needs to hear—but may not know how to start. Together, they unpack what sex trafficking actually looks like in the United States today. Holly brings years of frontline experience to help clar...

Today on the Momentum Ministry Partners Podcast, we're joined by someone who has been a leading voice in helping the Church think more biblically, more compassionately, and more holistically about the issue of life. Roland Warren is the President and CEO of Care Net—one of the nation's largest networks of pregnancy centers—and a national advocate for what he calls a Pro Abundant Life vision. In th...

In this episode of the Momentum Ministry Partners Podcast, Eric sits down with Dane Caraway on the final day of Momentum Youth Conference. They talk behind-the-scenes of Youth Conference, what it really looks like to pastor students in moments of worship, and why confession, accountability, and peer support matter more than we sometimes admit. Dane also shares a bit of his story with Momentum over...