The ChurchNext Podcast

Jesus calls to, nearly above all things, to be kind. We find this in word - and perhaps more profoundly, in deed.  Bishop Budde leads us in an inspiring foray into this invaluable spiritual gift. 

Jim Wallis is a renowned activist, author, and teacher who believes that white Christian nationalism is heresy and unpacks his beliefs in this podcast.

Great for inspiring a new look rooted in historic and biblical theology, that can transform your understanding of what it means to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Welcome to the ChurchNext podcast, my name is Chris Yaw and I'm your host as we learn from gifted presenters on a variety of topics designed to help us grow in our spiritual lives. You are listening to Episode number 107- it’s called "Data Driven Evangelism with Jenni Faires"  Jenni is the Canon for Evangelism and Youth Ministry in the Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Virginia. Our podcasts are cura...

You are listening to Episode number 105- it’s called "Exploring Immigration with Danny Carroll"  Professor Carroll is  the Scripture Press Ministries Professor of Biblical Studies and Pedagogy at Wheaton University specializing in the Hebrew scriptures

Learn more about Pentecost - and be inspired doing so - here's an outline of today's podcast: 1. Biblical Origins (What's the Bible say of this event?) 2. Themes (What are some of the main themes of this event?) 3. Theological Implications (What does this mean to believers?) 4. Living Pentecost (After learning about/experiencing this, what does it mean to live it?)

Join the Chair of the Episcopal Diocese of Lexington's Commission on Ministry, Fr. Jeff Queen, as he unpacks what gifts are frequently brought to the priesthood, how discernment 'works', and what a priest's life is like.

Every year 16-20 million guns are sold in the U. S. America is extremely adept at designing, manufacturing, marketing, and selling firearms. Unfortunately, we are ill-equipped to go the other way. Because the U.S. lacks any kind of economical, affordable, practical, and attractive way to remove unwanted weapons from circulation, municipalities, churches and other groups have stepped in to fill the...

You are listening to Episode number 102 - it’s called "Israel, Gaza, and a Jewish Perspective with Aaron Starr"  Aaron is a Conservative rabbi overseeing one of the largest Jewish congregations in Michigan, Shaarey Zedek.

Imam Steve Elturk provides an overview of Israel and Gaza from a Muslim perspective. He explains the historical, religious, and cultural connections that Palestinians have to historic Palestine. He also walks participants through the key political events of the last 120 years that have led to the current conflict in Israel and Gaza. He also offers his perspective on key steps leaders need to take...

The Venerable Tim Spannaus, archdeacon of the Diocese of Michigan explores the ministry of deacons, from the history and biblical roots to the evolution of the ministry in today's churches. He explains why the church developed the order of deacons and the importance of their role in Christian community. This course also lays out the discernment process: the steps to take if you're feeling called t...

The violence and death in the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is wrenching. How did we get here? What are the historical and biblical contexts that play a role in this conflict? And what can we do? Archdeacon Paul Feheley, Partnership Officer for the Middle East for the Episcopal Church, offers an insightful primer on the historical and biblical components of the conflict as well as inf...

. Try researching on your own. Use some of the following resources to learn more. Making Sense of the Cross (2011) by David Lose Walk in Love: Episcopal Beliefs and Practices (2018) by Scott Gunn and Melody Wilson Shobe (especially chapters 11, 12, and 22). The Scriptures, the Cross, and the Power of God (2006) by Tom Wright Seven Last Words: An Invitation to a Deeper Friendship with Jesus (2016)...

We hear about Jesus' invitation to follow him throughout our lives. But what does this "great proposal" really mean? What does it mean to actually follow Jesus in the way he calls us to do? The institution of the Church we have have created is most likely quite different from the path Jesus had in mind when he told Peter he would build his Church "on this rock." In this episode, author and communi...

Books: Think Red: Imagine Your Community Living and Loving Like Jesus (2021) by Larry Stoess. The Way of Love: A Practical Guide to Following Jesus (2020) by Scott Gunn. Faithful Questions: Exploring the Way with Jesus (2015) by Scott Gunn and Melode Wilson Shobe. You might be interested in other ChurchNext classes on daily spirituality and social justice. Consider the following courses: Who is Je...

Depression is real. It can touch anyone -- even a bishop in The Episcopal Church. Mental illness is often stigmatized in our culture and even in the Church, but it doesn't have to be. Taking the time to learn about and recognize that mental illness is a part of everyday life for many people, even those we don't suspect of suffering from it, is part of our Christian duty to recognize the dignity of...

Seeing the Unseen: Beyond Prejudices, Paradigms, and Party Lines (2022) by Mark Beckwith Braver Angels website The Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations Civic Engagement webpage   Make Me an Instrument of Peace: A Guide to Civil Discourse (a free curriculum built in partnership with The Episcopal Church's office of Government Relations.) Bridging the Political Divide with Parker Palmer C...

Bringing a pet into our home as a pulls us out of our human-focused mindset and into direct relationship with an element of God's created world. The fact that in a culture where many of us no longer need pets for practical reasons, so many people take on the expense and responsibility of caring for animals suggests that we long for this connection with God's creation. In this episode, the Rev. Emi...

BOOKS Christian Vegetarian Association Guided by the Faith of Christ: Seeking to Stop Violence and Scapegoating (2008) by Steven Kaufman Good News for All Creation  (2002) by Steven Kaufman and Nathan Braun  Dominion: The Power of Man, the Suffering of Animals, and the Call to Mercy (2003) by Matthew Scully The Global Guide to Animal Theology (2013), edited by Andrew Linzey. Forward by Archbishop...

Lindsay Hardin Freeman looked at every instance of a woman speaking in the Bible, and what she found is powerful, life-giving, and transformational. Based on her award-winning book published by Forward Movement, Bible Women: All Their Words and Why They Matter , Freeman invites us into a sacred circle of inspiring voices. While we all may be familiar with Mary, Martha, Sarah, and Elizabeth, we may...

The word 'icon' is perhaps most popularly used with reference to a thumbnail image on our computers: it is a small illustration that takes us someplace else. This is the same with the library of Christian imagery that believers have been using for centuries to take them somewhere else - into a deeper sense of the presence and understanding of God. In this episode, pastor and teacher Randall Warren...

Books: Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman Online Resources: QuakerSpeak - a bi-weekly series on YouTube Silence and Witness (2004) by Michael Lawrence Birkel. Quaker.org : "A place for people worldwide to access reliable basic information about the Religious Society of Friends (the Quakers) and to explore resources that could help them find a spiritual path and community." Quaker.org is...

Originally scheduled for 2020 and postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the most recent Lambeth Conference finally was able to meet in late July and early August of 2022. In this episode Bishop Eugene Sutton of the Diocese of Maryland offers his perspective on the 2022 Lambeth Conference. He offers an overview of what exactly the conference is and why it matters, discusses the current place the...

Visit the Come to the Table page on RAFI-USA's website. Eating Together Faithfully: A Framework for Conversation . Food, Faith and Farmers of Color: A Guide for Community Collaboration. Closing the Food Gap: Resetting the Table in the Land of Plenty (2009) by Mark Winne. More Than Just Food: Food Justice and Community Change (2016) by Garrett Broad. Food, Farms, and Community: Exploring Food Syste...

Gleaning is the age-old agricultural practice of collecting excess food for the hungry. Centuries ago, food was left in the field for the poor to collect. Today in America, we waste literally tons of excess food every year that could be used to feed those who need it. We have a responsibility as people of faith to nurture God's abundance. In this episode, Michael Binger, Society of St. Anthony Reg...