New People // New Ways

In Episode 27, our guest is Martyn Atkins. Martyn is a minister, professor, and leader within Methodism and the Fresh Expressions Movement. He has served in the Methodist Church of Great Britain in a variety of appointments for over 40 years. In this episode, we discuss the history of the Fresh Expressions, the future of the movement, and his new book Saving Church with Ken Carter. Order Saving Ch...

For Episode 26, our guest is Charles DiRico. Charles is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church who currently leads a network of meal-based fresh expressions of church that is known as Word on the Street, building community for persons who are experiencing homelessness and in a bilingual setting in a local mobile home community in the Charlotte, NC area. In this episode, we discuss the po...

In Episode 25, we are joined by Emma and Mark Cotterill. They work for the Salvation Army, planting spiritual communities and equipping leaders in Manchester, UK and now Helsingborg, Sweden. Emma and Mark founded a network for pioneer leaders called Venture12. Mark is a coach and consultant with 5Q, a resource for leaders that uses the ministry assessment tool, APEST. Emma is the partnership direc...

In Episode 24, we are joined by Woo Kang. Woo is an Associate Pastor of the Nett Church, a multisite United Methodist Church located northwest of Atlanta, Georgia. He is also the Lead Pastor of At The Table, a dinner church in Historic Norcross, Georgia that was planted in February of 2023 as a campus of The Nett. In this episode, we discuss multicultural ministry, food and spirituality, church hu...

In Episode 23, we are joined by Rev. Dr. Stephanie Moore Hand. Previously an executive for a Fortune 500 company, Stephanie is a United Methodist minister and Vitality Strategist for the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church Metro district service 126 churches. She has launched innovative ministries, developed new faith communities, run for political office, and is, most...

In Episode 22, we are joined by Chris and Jaidy Smith. Chris and Jaidy are a pastoral team serving in central North Carolina at Jordan Memorial UMC and La Luz De Cristo IMU. Jaidy was born and raised in Puerto Rico while Chris is a native to North Carolina. They met in Puerto Rico and began a life together nearly 14 years ago.  Their marriage reflects two cultures coming together in the same way i...

In Episode 21, we are joined by Amie Martin. Amie is an ordained elder in the Missouri Conference of the United Methodist Church and planting pastor of 80-Twenty United Methodist Church in O’Fallon, MO. In this episode, we discuss the unique structure of 80-Twenty, communal care, church in community spaces, and the role of the church in society. Learn more about 80-Twenty UMC at 80twentychurch.org...

Our guest for Episode 20 is Brett Dehart. Brett is the Senior Pastor of Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Augusta, Georgia. Through his passion for reaching new people, community engagement and missional outreach increase in each congregation he has served throughout his 20 years as a pastor. In this episode, we discuss the blended ecology, Fresh Expressions reviving congregations, and the gif...

In Ep. 19, our guest is Tiffany McCall. Tiffany is the senior Pastor of First United Methodist Church in downtown Jacksonville. Rev. McCall has an extensive background in leadership development and is a practitioner of Fresh Expressions. In the last year, she has established Pillars Plus Foundation Inc. to help connect the church with the community. Her passion is people, learning, serving, dancin...

In Ep. 18, our guest is Andrés Pérez González. Andrés is a Latinx fellow at Duke Divinity School and the founder of a bilingual latino/a faith community called Brazos Abiertos UMC based in Greensboro, NC. In the episode, we discuss cultural differences around the Americas, the beauty of bilingual worship, creating communities of belonging before believing, and liberation theology.   Learn more abo...

In Ep. 17, we are joined by Tracy Rose. Tracy is the Lay Leader at Good Samaritan UMC in Tallahassee, FL, a fresh expressions practitioner, and a recent graduate of the Adventurers Leadership Academy.  In the episode, we discuss church hurt, the importance of lay people in innovative ministry, the Adventurers Leadership Academy, and creating an inclusive future for the church. Learn more about Tra...

In this episode, we are joined by Susan Arnold. Susan is an ordained elder in The United Methodist Church, currently serving in the Holston Conference in Kingsport, TN. She is also a wife, mom, grandmother, educator, and loves spending time in prayer. In the episode, we discuss the blended ecology, the circuit riders of today, living in a network society, and the beauty and power of prayer. Learn...

For Episode 15 we are joined by Tiffania Icaza Willetts. Tiffania is a former missionary, ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church, and pastor of Seminole Heights UMC in Tampa, FL, where the church connects with their community through shared meals, family fun, and more. In the episode, we discuss the importance of listening in mission, cultural awareness, ministering to your community, and M...

In Ep. 14, we are joined by Luke Edwards. Luke is the Associate Director of Church Development for the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, a trainer for Fresh Expressions North America and Fresh Expressions United Methodist, and a professionally trained ministry coach. He is the author of “Becoming Church: A Trail Guide for Starting Fresh Expressions.”   In the episod...

For Ep. 13 of New People // New Ways, we are joined by Rev. Dr. Heather Jallad. Heather is the Pastor of Community Engagement at Cannon United Methodist Church outside of Atlanta, GA. She serves as Fresh Expressions Specialist for the North Georgia Conference as well as a Missions Strategist and Trainer for Fresh Expressions NA. She recently earned her DMin from the United Theological Seminary Fre...

Ep. 12 of New People // New Ways is available now! Our guest is Rosario “Roz” Picardo. Roz grew up in western New York as a first-generation Sicilian-American. In 2003, he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Houghton College and in 2007 a Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary. He graduated with a Doctor of Ministry from United Theological Seminary in 2014 and an MBA in 2021...

Episode 11 of New People // New Ways is out now! We are joined by guest, Romal Tune. Romal is an author, speaker, and minister who lives by this six-word sentence: “he helps people heal their stories.” Romal is an ordained minister, Magna Cum Laude honor graduate from Howard University and Duke University School of Divinity. As a speaker, he travels internationally sharing messages of hope that eq...

Check out Episode 10 of New People // New Ways! Our guest today is Micah Blanks. Micah is the Director of Adult Ministries at Trinity UMC in Gainesville, Florida. Micah has a BA in Humanities/Pre-Law from Bluefield State College and a M.Div from United Theological Seminary. Prior to Trinity he served as a Licensed Local Pastor in The West Virginia Annual Conference of the UMC, where he was awarded...

In this episode of New People // New Ways, we are joined by Justin Cason, Online Campus Pastor of Monticello UMC in Monticello, Indiana. He believes that the church's future lies in “phygital” ministry, where we are bringing people into a deepening relationship with Jesus leveraging technology and community. The conversation explores creating sacred spaces online, technology’s influence on culture...

In episode 8 of New People // New Ways, we are joined by Kris Sledge, lead and founding pastor of The Journey Church in urban Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The Journey celebrates both its ability to connect with young adults and its diversity. They believe that through the empowerment and love of the Holy Spirit and make a space where all are welcome. Outside of ministry, Kris is a proud husband to Ha...

In this episode, Charles Kiser and Elaine Heath join us to discuss their new book, Trauma-Informed Evangelism: Cultivating Communities of Wounded Healers, which will be released April 11, 2023.   Charles is a pastor and theologian with Storyline Christian Community in Dallas, Texas. Kiser has a D.Min. in Contextual Theology from Northern Seminary and serves as a faculty member of Neighborhood Semi...

For this episode of New People // New Ways, Piper and Michael interview Lexi Hernandez. Hernandez is a local pastor in the United Methodist Church. She planted and leads Growth Co., an intentional spiritual formation community for people in their 20s and 30s that operates both online and in person. In the interview, we discuss what young adults look for in spiritual community and how honesty and a...

In this episode, Piper and Michael interview Rev. Dr. Mike Moynagh. Moynagh has been on the forefront of missional innovation throughout his career as a minister and scholar within the Church of England. His expertise in practical theology and contextual ministry played a vital part in shaping the Fresh Expressions movement as we know it. Michael is an associate tutor at Wycliffe Hall, a Church of...

We are joined by Rev. Dr. Leonard Sweet for Episode 4. Sweet is a world-renowned preacher, teacher, historical theologian, and theo-semiotician. He is a prolific author and professor to doctoral students at four different institutions including Drew University and George Fox University. He is an expert in preaching, evangelism, and ecclesiology, best known for his interests in church history, semi...

In this episode, we are joined by Bishop Graham Cray. He is a retired bishop in the Church of England and was the Archbishops' Missioner and Team Leader of Fresh Expressions from 2009 to 2014. Through his leadership, Fresh Expressions grew from an initiative within the Church of England and the British Methodist Church into a movement that is found all over the world. He is the author of over twen...