Always Forward Podcast

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Podcast by Dan Alger & Shawn McCain

Dan Alger & Shawn McCain


    • Dec 21, 2023 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 49m AVG DURATION
    • 75 EPISODES

    4.9 from 42 ratings Listeners of Always Forward Podcast that love the show mention: church planting, anglican, church planters, equipping, bishop, tradition, encouraging, resource, excellent, guests, fun, listen, shawn and dan.



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    Latest episodes from Always Forward Podcast

    S08E0 - A Taste of Things to Come

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2023 9:54


    Season 8 of the Always Forward Podcast is just around the bend. In this preview episode, Canon Dan shares about some updates to our podcast, our new partnership, topics we will cover this season, as well as some upcoming events. We can't wait to share this season with you!

    Planters Stories- Claude Atcho (interviewed by Jeff Bailey)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2023 27:44


    Here a bonus episode of the Always Forward Podcast! Listen in on a conversation between Canon Jeff Bailey and Rev. Claude Atcho, Vicar of Church of the Resurrection in Charlottesville, VA, and author of the Reading Black Books (available everywhere books are sold). In this engaging dialogue, Jeff and Claude delve into the profound ways our Anglican heritage ignites perseverance, the significance of immersing oneself in the local context, the enduring importance of joy as the cornerstone of our mission, and so much more. You're in for a treat—don't miss this episode!

    Planter Stories: Hope Amid the Flames From A Church Plant In Maui (with Jason Hill)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2023 29:44


    On this special unscheduled episode of the Always Forward Podcast Canon Dan speaks with Fr Jason Hill, planter at Kingsfield Mission in Maui, Hawaii. Learn how this young church plant is helping with relief efforts in the wake of the tragic wildfires and how you can support this sister church plant as they bring hope amid the flames. Find out more about Kingsfield Mission and GIVE to their relief efforts on their website at www.kingsfieldmaui.com

    S7E10 - The Legacy of Tim Keller (with Tuck Bartholomew & Jim Salladin)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 13, 2023 70:42


    Two Canons for Church Planting, Tuck Bartholomew and Jim Salladin, had a conversation around Tim Keller's life and legacy. Both were directly influenced by Dr. Keller's ministry and had plenty to share on this closing episode of Season 7.

    S7E9 - Reclaiming a Sacramental Mindset (with Dr. Hans Boersma)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2023 50:20


    Church planting is inherently a sacramental work--so how do we reclaim that sacramental work? Dr. Hans Boersma, keynote speaker at our upcoming Always Forward Conference in September, joins the show to discuss. You can get more details on the conference at www.always-forward.com/af-conference-2023.

    S7E8 - Assessing the State of Your Plant (with Jim Griffith)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2023 55:52


    How can we assess the health and state of our plants...before it's too late? Jim Griffith joins the show to discuss.

    plant assessing jim griffith
    S7E7 - GAFCON & Church Planting

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2023 38:10


    Recently the Global Anglican Future Conference convened in Kigali, Rwanda. Dan shares how church planters can navigate their work with the variety of issues swirling about in the international Anglican Communion.

    S7E6 - Dan's New Book Word And Sacrament (with Shawn McCain)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2023 43:44


    How are the rich traditions of liturgical worship a gift to the work of starting new churches? Shawn McCain joins the show to interview Dan Alger on his new book, Word & Sacrament: Ancient Traditions for Modern Church Planting

    S7E5 - Being A Non-Anxious Presence (with Kris MdDaniel)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2023 57:35


    Anxiety doesn't just exist within us; it exists between us. Rev. Kris McDaniel, rector of Trinity Anglican Church in Atlanta, joins the show to discuss family systems theory and how it applies to church planting.

    S7E4 - Spiritual Practices and Church Planting (with Aaron Damiani)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2023 48:15


    How do spiritual disciplines or practices shape our lives and work in church planting? Fr. Aaron Damiani joins the show to discuss.

    S7E3 - Hope for West Virginia (with Ben Sharpe)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2023 60:53


    Hear the story of a church planting movement that's taking shape in West Virginia from Canon Ben Sharpe.

    S7E2 - A Theology of Vocation (with Dr. Nathan Hedman)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2023 68:26


    Your church is full of people who are NOT in full-time vocational ministry like you are. So how can we as church planters faithfully empower our parishioners in their vocational callings? Dr. Nathan Hedman joins the show to discuss.

    S7E1 - What Numbers Say About the Church (with Scott McConnell)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2023 46:29


    What do the numbers really say about the Church? Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research, joins the show to talk current trends and statistics.

    Planter Stories - Chase Edgar (interviewed by Seth Cain)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2023 25:30


    What does it look like to follow a call into church planting? Chase Edgar, Vicar (lead planter) of Church of the Ascension in Anderson, SC shares his story. Interviewed by Seth Cain, Canon for Church Planting for the Diocese of the Carolinas.

    Planter Stories - Jamie Sosnowski (interviewed by Todd Simonis)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2022 21:26


    What if church planting looked as simple as loving our neighbors as ourselves? Rev. Jamie Sosnowski, lead planter of the Parish Church at Habersham in Beaufort, SC joins the show to tell his story of planting in a community where everyone knows your name.

    S6E10 - Missional Liturgy (with Shawn McCain)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2022 66:44


    Is liturgy missional? Or are the two somehow opposed? Shawn McCain returns to the show to talk about how mission and liturgy are inextricably linked.

    S6E9 - Liturgy While Black (with Cameron Robinson)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2022 63:18


    What can it look like to be Black and Anglican, both in America and globally? We're grateful @_revcameron, lead pastor at @emanspart, lent his expertise and experience in an important conversation about cultural heritage, ethnic identity, and Anglican church planting.

    S6E8 - Why Word & Sacrament?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2022 59:07


    The phrase "Word and sacrament" is thrown around a lot in Anglican circles. But what does it really mean? Canon Dan explains.

    Kempton Jackson's Plenary Session (from AF Conference '22)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2022 61:26


    Leaving the community you love. Planting during a pandemic. Enduring early struggles. But through it all, faithfulness to Jesus and his call. Kempton Jackson's stepped off the frontlines of ministry to give a plenary session at this year's Always Forward Conference, sharing a word from Luke 10.

    S6E6 - Gathering A Launch Team (with Todd Simonis)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2022 61:16


    It's hard to plant without the right people. But how do you gather them to pack up and follow you into the vision of your church? The Rev. Canon Todd Simonis joins to show to talk about gathering your launch team.

    S6E5 - Looking In At Anglicanism (with J.R. Briggs)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2022 54:29


    Dan chats with author and leader J.R. Briggs for a fresh perspective on Anglicanism—from the outside looking in—to help us as church planters see more clearly.

    S6E4 - Rural Church Planting (with Joshua Nelson)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2022 63:38


    In our desire to strategically target cities over the past few decades, many church planting efforts have made the unfortunate mistake of overlooking rural areas. This week we chatted with Joshua Nelson, director of the Spalding Society, about rural church planting--why it matters and how it can be done successfully.

    S6E3 - Trauma & Shame in Church Planting (with Curt Thompson)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2022 43:02


    At this year's Always Forward Conference Dan got to sit down with our keynote speaker Dr. Curt Thompson, MD, to talk a little more about navigating trauma and shame in church planting--both within ourselves and the people we serve.

    S6E2 - Sacred Space (with Jed Roseberry)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2022 62:31


    Jed Roseberry joins us to talk about the necessity of forming (and being formed by) sacred space in our church planting efforts.

    S6E1 - We're Back.

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2022 22:43


    After a two-year hiatus, we are back! Dan explains where we've been over the break, where we're going and what you can expect.

    A Church Planting Conversation About Race, Justice, and Mercy

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2020 69:04


    This week, Dan and Molly chat with Christine Warner from the Matthew 25 Initiative about race, justice, mercy, and what that looks like from the perspective of a new church planter AND in the ACNA as a whole.

    Finding Perseverance and Preventing Burnout

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2020 40:23


    On the latest episode of the podcast, Dan and Molly are addressing how to stay in it for the long haul in their latest FB Live! session. In a time of burnout, how do we find perseverance?

    ReGather Strategic Planning

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2020 53:19


    This episode of the podcast is the audio taken from a recent talk given by The Rev. Canon Dan Alger about how to think through strategic planning in regards to ReGathering during the COVID-19 pandemic. What should be considered? Who should be involved in those decisions? Is there one right way?

    The Sacrament of Communion in a Pandemic w/ Bp. Steve Breedlove

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2020 37:34


    On this episode, The Rev. Canon Dan Alger talks with Bp. Steve Breedlove on the sacrament of Communion in a virtual world. How does it work? What has the College of Bishops said about it? What can church planters do?

    A Holy Week Message

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2020 8:59


    On this episode, The Rev. Canon Dan Alger takes just a few minutes to encourage church planters during one of the most important weeks of the Church year that will most certainly look different than it has before.

    Mental Health w/ Special Guest Rev. Karen Miller, LCSW

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2020 35:08


    On this episode, The Rev. Canon Dan Alger talks with The Rev. Karen Miller, LCSW(Anglican priest and Licensed Therapist) about how to recognize and handle anxiety and depression during these uncertain times.

    Planting in a Pandemic

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2020 27:28


    What a couple of weeks it's been. It's hard to know where to begin. The Always Forward team is remembering you daily in our prayers. Canon Dan Alger takes a few minutes to encourage everyone during this time while also giving some practical advice during this global pandemic. We never thought we'd have to record this one-- but here it is!

    S04E05 - Advent, Ad Orientum, and Other Things

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2019 40:10


    We wrap up the official podcast for Season 4 with a discussion about how Advent and other liturgical occurrences can impact a church plant. Dan and Shawn discuss their experiences and share some thoughts about how to encourage your church through this, often uncelebrated, liturgical season. Enjoy!

    S04E04 - Branding

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2019 48:46


    We're almost to the end of Season 4 and Shawn McCain gloriously returns to take up his co-host chair! Our duo talks about branding and why it is more important than you think and offer some helpful tips about how to do a lot with a little. Enjoy!

    branding shawn mccain
    S04E03 - A Conversation With the Hosts of the Word & Table Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2019 47:49


    Season 4 is rolling right along and on episode 3 we are joined by special guests Alex and Fr. Stephen from the Word & Table Podcast. Word & Table has been doing excellent work in both the Anglican and podcasting worlds for a couple of years now and there is a lot to talk about. Enjoy!

    S04E02 - Investment in Administration

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2019 38:13


    Welcome back to Season 4 of The Always Forward Podcast! Dan is without his normal co-host Shawn on this one, but he brings in an amazing guest on the topic of administration, Jessie Meriwether. The two chat about the importance of investing in administration and when a church should look in that direction. Enjoy!

    S04E01 - If Everything Is Mission, Nothing Is Mission

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2019 51:19


    The Always Forward Podcast is back! We kick off Season 4 of the show with Dan and Shawn updating what's been going on in their worlds before talking about promising changes that are coming to the show. They spend the bulk of the episode tackling an intriguing question that Shawn proposed to Dan in a recent conversation. Enjoy!

    S3E4 The Minster Model

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2019 63:09


    Justin Reed-Smith joins Dan and Shawn once more on the Always Forward Podcast. This time tackling the idea of hospitality and its place in evangelism. Justin also explains the Minster Model of church planting and how it is impacting the work of the Diocese of Western Anglicans. And don't worry, Shawn didn't know what "Minster" was either.

    S3E3 "If the good Lord intended us to walk he wouldn't have invented roller-skates."

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 28, 2018 42:57


    From Willy Wonka to purpose statements to community vision - Dan and Shawn talk about these oft-criticized foundational elements. How can they be of use? And where do some of the pitfalls within them lie?

    S3E2 Beauty

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2018 37:21


    What role does beauty play in forming and creating your church community? Should it play a role?! If so, how? We talk with Gary Ball, church planter in Asheville, NC about the idea that beauty is not just decorative, it is formative.

    S3E1 How to be Anglican and not a Jerk

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2018 44:45


    Dan and Shawn talk through some common pitfalls that we experience as Anglicans as well as how we can address these blindspots to better relate to one another and our calling to be disciples of Christ.

    AF18 - Commissioning Service with Kris McDaniel

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2018 27:17


    Sessions from the Always Forward 2018 Conference. Pastor Kris McDaniel provides a template for our own formation with God as well as how we can form and mentor young men and women who are coming up after us.

    AF18 - Main Session with Daniel Yang

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2018 58:17


    Sessions from the Always Forward 2018 Conference. Daniel Yang, Director of the Send Institute, provided a global perspective on our approach to church planting.

    AF18 - Main Session with Stewart Ruch

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2018 56:34


    Sessions from The Always Forward 2018 Conference. Bp. Stewart Ruch, shared his passion for church multiplication and cautioned attendees with the need to resist cultural pressures.

    AF18 - Main Session with Dan Alger

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2018 52:39


    Sessions from The Always Forward 2018 Conference. Canon Dan Alger, welcomed attendees to the conference, reminding them of both why and how we plant churches within our Anglican context.

    S2E10 - Dan And Shawn's Theological And Practical Book Recommendations

    Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2018 53:37


    Dan and Shawn talk through their top theology and practical books for use when planting an Anglican church.

    S2E9 - Convictions and Constructs

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2018 52:48


    Dan and Shawn geek out a bit (ok, really it's just Shawn who does the geeking out) with Dr. Eric Geiger as they discuss his take on leadership development and organizational structure in the church.

    S2E8 - "Planters at a Pub on a Podcast: Matters of Mission"

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2018 64:39


    S2E8 - "Planters at a Pub on a Podcast: Matters of Mission" by Dan Alger & Shawn McCain

    mission pub planters shawn mccain podcastmatters
    S2E7 - Rural Church Planting

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2018 65:04


    Church planting is not just an urban adventure or for the overseas mission fields. Rural America is in need of the Gospel and church plants to bring it to them. Dan and Shawn chat with Fr. Victor Shreffler about his experience, insight, and prayers for rural church planting in this episode of the Always Forward Podcast.

    S2E6 - Church Planting and Mission

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2018 63:11


    Shawn and Dan are back! Shawn's family has grown by one child and Dan is finalizing his dissertation. It's been an exciting time for these two gents and they're excited to be back for the Spring session of the Always Forward Podcast. For this first episode, Jenny Noyes, Executive Director for New Wineskins, joins us to talk about the importance of mission...even in a new church plant.

    S2E5 - The Church Planting Community

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2017 57:57


    Molly Ruch shares her perspective with us on the role of community in church planting as well as the role of the church planters wife.

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