The Fresh Expressions Podcast

What are today’s college students and emerging adults really searching for and what assumptions might be keeping us from seeing them clearly?    In this episode of the Fresh Expressions Podcast, Heather Jallad sits down with Jess Trahan to explore the questions, longings, and realities shaping young adults today. Together they discuss common misconceptions about this generation, where they are fin...

What happens when the trail becomes a place of belonging, spiritual conversation, and encounter with God?    In this episode, Heather Jallad sits down with Jeff Wadley as he shares how “creation immersion” has opened unexpected opportunities for community, discipleship, and spiritual formation along the hiking trail. Together they explore the idea of wilderness as a “thin place” — where the presen...

What happens when the vision of Fresh Expressions is translated not only into another language, but into another cultural context? In this episode, we talk with Eliseo Mejia, who translated and contextualized Expresiones Divinas, the Spanish edition of Travis Collins’ book on Fresh Expressions. Eliseo shares how the ideas behind Fresh Expressions connect with the rhythms, relationships, and everyd...

What if recovery isn’t a niche ministry—but a universal reality? In this episode, Heather sits down with pastor and recovery leader Jorge Acevedo to explore how the church can better understand addiction, healing, and the power of recovery communities. Drawing from decades of experience, Jorge challenges assumptions, shares personal stories, and invites leaders to recognize where God is already at...

What if church began by listening to the passions already shaping a community? In this episode, Sharon White shares how a small rural congregation in Waco, Georgia, discovered that bluegrass music was a doorway to belonging. What started as prayerful curiosity grew into the West Georgia Opry, a weekly gathering where music, story, and hospitality now draw nearly 100 people in a town of just 500. T...

Mindy and Nathan Heimer share how a passion for paddle boarding, their love for God, and deep care for their community have come together to form a beautiful ecosystem—one where God’s mission is growing and their business is blossoming. In this episode, we explore what it looks like when vocation, faith, and everyday life intersect, and how paying attention to what you already love can open unexpe...

In this episode, Heather sits down with Crystal Goetz to explore the shared heartbeat between Messy Church and Fresh Expressions. Together they unpack how intergenerational, creative, and hands-on spaces cultivate openness, curiosity, and connection—often in places far beyond a traditional sanctuary. Crystal shares surprising stories of discipleship that unfolds across generations and reflects on...

Marta never imagined she’d live in Mississippi—much less start a church. But God had other plans. In this episode, hear how Marta’s love for her Hispanic community and passion for teaching became the spark for a new kind of church—one that began not in a sanctuary, but in a local library and around shared meals. As she gathered with children and families to read books in their language, moments of...

What does it look like to build a vibrant Christian community in a senior living center—one of the loneliest places in our culture? In this episode, we sit down with Jon Moody, leader of Park Place Community in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to hear how a Fresh Expression of Church is reshaping life in senior living. From vulnerability and loneliness to newfound belonging and faith, Jon shares the surprisin...

Welcome to Season seven of the Fresh Expressions Podcast. I’m your host, Heather Jallad. This season, we’re diving into the streams of Fresh Expressions — from senior adults and recovery ministry, to arts, outdoors, recreation, and more. Each month, you’ll hear directly from practitioners who are navigating these fresh ways of being church in the world. Their stories will spark your imagination an...

In this special crossover episode between Fresh Expressions North America and Fresh Expressions UK, hosts Mark and Heather dive into a rich conversation on discipleship. Mark shares his journey into the Fresh Expressions movement, while Heather highlights recent work in the Church of England around the Fruitfulness Framework—a research project exploring the spiritual impact of fresh expressions of...

In this episode, Heather and J.R. dive into the challenges and opportunities of discipleship in new forms of church. They explore why so many people get stuck in the “hanging out” phase and how churches can gently and intentionally invite them into deeper faith conversations. J.R. unpacks the importance of both mindset and heartset when approaching discipleship, offering insight into how posture s...

Blair Pogue and Dwight Zscheile didn’t grow up in church—but the church changed their lives. Now, they’re passionate about helping others experience that same transformation. In this episode, they reflect on the crisis of discipleship facing many churches today and how a lack of connection to local neighborhoods is both a symptom and a cause. They share how cultivating a mixed ecology through Fres...

Pastor Matt Lake shares his journey of building a discipleship pathway and uncovering unexpected gaps that led to deep self-assessment and growth. In this candid conversation, Matt unpacks how starting Fresh Expressions reshaped his church’s understanding of following Jesus. His story offers both challenge and encouragement to leaders ready to ask hard questions and embrace transformation.

In this special bonus episode, we celebrate the release of Opening Space, the new book by Shannon Kiser, Director of Fresh Expressions. Shannon shares the inspiration behind the book, drawn from Luke 5, and what it means to "open space" for church in everyday places. You’ll hear real-life stories, reflections from leaders, and an invitation to take faithful next steps—whether you’re a pastor, pion...

Who disciples us shapes how we disciple others. In this episode, Jessie Horney and Heather Jallad explore the powerful connection between being discipled and making disciples. Jessie shares the story of launching the Wonder School—a journey that not only transformed her personal approach to disciple-making but also shifted her church’s entire posture toward mission and church planting. Whether you...

Discipleship doesn’t start in a classroom—it starts in the wild. Jessie Cruickshank shares how our brains are wired for experiential learning and how the most powerful discipleship often happens through story, movement, and Holy Spirit-led moments on the go. In this episode, we explore why God invites us to learn through real-life experiences and how time in the wilderness might just be the most t...

Roz shares how the 12 Steps and the way of Jesus intersect in powerful ways—through confession, reconciliation, and the deep recognition that we can’t save ourselves. In this episode, you’ll hear how Roz’s personal journey with recovery has transformed his ministry, reshaped his church, and led to authentic connections with the recovery community. Discover how Fresh Expressions naturally makes spa...

Anne shares how a quick pivot during the pandemic became a global digital community where people are finding connection and experiencing daily discipleship. In this episode, you’ll hear the story of unexpected innovation, the challenges of digital ministry, and how the Spirit is forming authentic faith communities—even online. Whether you're exploring new ways to do church or wondering what digita...

How has the Fresh Expressions movement transformed discipleship in the inherited church over the past two decades? In this episode, Dave shares insights from the UK on how Fresh Expressions not only reaches new people but also activates discipleship in fresh ways, empowering the priesthood of all believers. We explore how Fresh Expressions fosters a culture of disciple-making and why the Church of...

What if discipleship wasn’t a program, but a way of life? In this episode, Heather Jallad and David Sunde explore how moving from programmatic discipleship to incarnational rhythms can lead to real multiplication. David unpacks what discipleship truly means, breaking it down into the seven rhythms from his book Small Batch Disciplemaking, and challenges the inherited church’s current models. What...

In this episode, Eun Strawser—church planter, physician, professor, and author of Centering Discipleship—joins Heather to explore how pastors and church leaders can shift discipleship from the periphery to the core of their church life. They discuss moving from program-based approaches to discipleship as a pathway, a shift that has transformed Eun’s ministry and personal walk with Jesus. Whether y...

What does it take to truly grow as a disciple? In this audio from a past webinar, Matt Lake explores the complexities of discipleship and the need for a multi-layered approach. He emphasizes that at its core, discipleship is about relationship and community—requiring nuance and context. More than just a curriculum, discipleship is a lifestyle, and Matt challenges churches to embrace fresh perspect...

Season 6 of the Fresh Expressions Podcast is coming soon!! Kicking off this season is Discipleship Reset a week-long live training (February 3-7, 1p ET) experience designed to equip the leaders of the average North American church for the opportunities of 2025. Many churches in North America are facing a crisis of discipleship, and many churches don’t know where to begin to address discipleship in...

Why is it that we can be surrounded by people—even friends—and still feel so lonely? Alan Hirsch, renowned missional thinker, has an idea about this that he calls "communitas." In this conversation, Alan helps us explore what it means to be a community on mission and how that could transform our churches into places where we experience both belonging and purpose.