The Ministry Collaborative Podcast

Program Director Adam Borneman speaks with the Rev. Ayana Teter ( Pittsburgh Theological Seminary , Eastminster Presbyterian Church ) about the joyful and challenging tension of Advent waiting, the scandalous nature of grace, and how God shows up at the intersection of life and death.

Facilitator Curator Beth Daniel speaks again with the Rt. Rev. Dr. Brian Wallace ( Diocese for Churches for the Sake of Others ) about moving away from the model of information equals transformation, centering relationships, and why we need to hear "the Holy Spirit is with you" every day.

Congregational and Pastoral Formation Curator Amy Valdez Barker speaks with Karina Aragon-Buchanan ( Eastside Church, Atlanta ) about what she sees as a self-described "cusper" (between Millenial and Gen-Z), avoiding the temptation to wrap theologies up neatly, and the growing importance of trauma-informed ministry.

Facilitator Curator Beth Daniel talks with the Rt. Rev. Dr. Brian Wallace ( Diocese for Churches for the Sake of Others ) about moving away from a worldly set of metrics for success, remembering that the Christian faith is a team sport, and what he learned from studying faithful exemplars.

Ministry Collaborative program staff (Jennifer Watley Maxell, Beth Daniel, and Amy Valdez Barker) round out their discussion of Elise Loehnen's book On Our Best Behavior as they talk about the double-standards of confidence, the importance of reconnecting with the Biblical models of confident women of faith, and the strength of being rooted in our calls.

Ministry Collaborative program staff (Amy Valdez Barker, Jennifer Watley Maxell, and Beth Daniel) continue their discussion of Elise Loehnen's book On Our Best Behavior as they talk about the difference between envy and desire; Jesus' unapologetic ministry; and how the myth of scarcity has particular implications for women in leadership.

Ministry Collaborative program staff (Beth Daniel, Amy Valdez Barker, and Jennifer Watley Maxell) discuss Elise Loehnen's book On Our Best Behavior as they talk about the pressures on women - especially Christian women - to be "good"; what it means to live into our God-given giftedness; and the importance of providing safe space for women in leadership to interrogate cultural assumpt...

Congregational and Pastoral Formation Curator Amy Valdez Barker speaks with the Rev. Gina Campbell about her work at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC; finding her own way as a preacher; and the important practice of preaching dangerous sermons.

Congregational and Pastoral Formation Curator Amy Valdez Barker speaks with the Rev. Dr. Joe Clifford ( Meyers Park Presbyterian, Charlotte ) about what he learned while hiking alone, the gift that Sabbath should be, and why Jesus' message of love scares the powers of the world.

Ministry Collaborative program staff Adam Mixon, Beth Daniel, and Mark Ramsey talk about how hard ministry can be, the importance of putting call at the heart of this work, and the gratitude that visits us in the midst of it all.

Congregational and Pastoral Formation Curator Amy Valdez Barker speaks again with the Rev. Shannon Karafanda ( Trinity UMC, Cartersville, GA ) about disruptive acts of kindness, the science of generosity, and bridging the church and the world.

Program Director Adam Borneman and Facilitator Curator Beth Daniel speak about the seeming urgency of church programming, the growing gap between the interest in institutional and spiritual investment, and how congregational leaders also need to hear the word they proclaim. You can read more from the blog here.

Ministry Collaborative program staff (Jennifer Watley Maxell, Amy Valdez Barker, Adam Mixon, Beth Daniel, Adam Borneman, and Mark Ramsey) talk about the pressure on pastors to react, what it means to trust God fully, and the importance of tethering our stories to the hope of the gospel.

Program Director Adam Borneman speaks again with Elizabeth Lynn (Lake Institute on Faith and Giving) about the changing trends in philanthropy, how that relates to religious communities, and how churches are uniquely situated in relation to valuable resources. Visit here to see the Faithful Generosity Story Shelf or Lake Institute's Insights newsletter. You can listen to Adam and Elizabeth's previ...

Program Director Adam Borneman speaks with the Rev. Carrington Moore ( Common Cathedral , Bethel AME , Boston) about his ministry bridging the divide between housed and unhoused people, the importance of having your assumptions challenged, and how happiness is a sacred calling. To find out more about our upcoming Boston Cohort, please contact our staff .

Pilgrimage Formation Curator Ryan Bonfiglio talks with the Rev. Dr. Terrence Autry ( Christ Community, Richardson, TX)  and the Revs. Susan Rogers ( The Well, Jacksonville, FL ) and Marthame Sanders ( Mudeif Productions ) about connecting the Biblical stories with the sacred sites; the importance of dislocated exegesis; and the enduring, faithful witness of Palestinian Christians.

Program Curator Jennifer Watley Maxell talks with the Rev. Dr Asa Lee ( President, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary ) about what makes for courageous leadership, the importance of going slow, and what it means to show up in your body.

El Director del Programa, Adam Borneman, habla con la Rev. Natalie Gonzalez ( Revealing Greatness ), el Rev. Edgar Vergara Millan ( Iglesia La Semilla, Durham, NC ), e Ivette Toriz ( Enciende Una Luz, Durham, NC ) sobre el contexto inmigrante, el reconocimiento de el daño causado por la iglesia, y cómo sus ministerios están desarollando con base en la justicia, la educación y la salud.

Program Director Adam Borneman speaks with the Rev. Natalie Gonzalez ( Revealing Greatness ), the Rev. Edgar Vergara Millan ( Iglesia La Semilla, Durham, NC ), and Ivette Toriz ( Enciende Una Luz, Durham, NC ) about the immigrant context, church hurt, and how their ministries revolve around justice, education, and health.

Executive Director Mark Ramsey speaks with the Rev. Dr. Lee Hinson-Hasty ( Presbyterian Foundation ) about seeing vibrancy, inklings about what's emerging for the church, and the hopeful growing places in theological education.

Ministry Collaborative program staff (Mark Ramsey, Jennifer Watley Maxell, Amy Valdez Barker, Beth Daniel, Adam Mixon, and Adam Borneman) talk about what drew them to this work, what they are seeing in ministry, and what it means to rediscover our love for Christ's missional purpose in the world.

Program Curator Jennifer Watley Maxell talks with the Rev. Stephen J. Thurston about his work as a pastor, consultant, and serial entrepreneur, and how this all connects to the vocation of ministry.

Pilgrimage Formation Curator Ryan Bonfiglio talks with Dr. Gareth Higgins , the Rev. Dr. Brian Ammons ( The Porch ), and the Rev. Carla Jones Brown ( Arch Street Presbyterian , Philadelphia) about how their experience of Northern Ireland provided an opportunities for rest, spiritual rejuvenation, and how the peace process of conflict transformation can offer an opportunity to reflect on one's...

Executive Director Mark Ramsey speaks with the Rev. Dr. José Irizarry ( President, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary ) about the connection between practice and knowledge, entering a new context well, and developing better models of leadership.

In the third of a three part conversation, Program Director Adam Borneman speaks with Kyle Bender ( Center for Relational Care, Austin ), and the Rev. Bianca Howard ( Orange ), and Brittany Porch ( Broad Street Presbyterian, Columbus ) about doing ministry in this trying moment, integrating youth into intergenerational community, and recognizing that youth are experts of their own experience. To f...