For Our City Podcast

There are over 15,000 children in the foster program in the state of Arizona, and Jonathan Sanborn with CarePortal is helping to connect churches with these children and families in crisis. Currently in 14 states, CarePortal gives churches the opportunity to show compassion and reshape an entire generation. In this episode with Jonathan, you will hear how CarePortal works, and how you can bring this amazing resource to your community. For more information visit CarePortal.org. This episode is sponsored by Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Wherever you're going, Southeastern can help you get there. Visit forourcity.us to listen to previous episodes and to subscribe to the podcast.

Building a coalition of compassion in our communities means building significant, authentic relationships with government leaders. Kenny Martin is the City Manager of Mt. Juliet, Tennessee and Dennis Buchanan is the Ombudsman for the city. Together they work to prosper our city by creating an environment that welcomes everyday citizens and providing the best opportunity possible for business, schools, and churches to thrive. Making a difference in the world really does happen at the local level. So in this episode of the podcast, you will get a sense of the challenges of running a city and how you and your church can help government leaders build wholeness in the city. This episode is sponsored by Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Wherever you're going, Southeastern can help you get there. Please visit forourcity.us for more resources and to subscribe to the podcast.

When you think of a Pregnancy Care Center you may think of a hot button political issue, but that's not the focus or ministry of Lisa Cathcart. She knows that whatever the laws are, men and women need compassionate care when facing a pregnancy decision. As the director of our local PCC, Lisa and her team serve hundreds of people every year. They certainly care about babies, but the ministry of the PCC provides wholistic care for men, women, and families by resourcing them with tangible help in the moment of crisis and then well beyond the crisis. The Pregnancy Care Center in our community and those throughout the national Care Net organization provide hope and help to people from every walk of life, every nationality, every ethnicity, and every religious background because every person is created by God and worthy of respect. So listen in to my conversation with Lisa Cathcart and discover how you and your church can make disciples of Jesus and advance His Kingdom by serving the common good in your community. For more information about Lisa's work visit Pregnancy Care Center. Also check out Care Net and Pregnancy Decision Online for additional resources. This episode is sponsored by Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Wherever you're going Southeastern can help you get there. Visit forourcity.us to listen to previous episodes, subscribe to the podcast, or share with your friends.

Godfrey Hubert has been the pastor of Foundry Church in Houston, Texas since 1984. During his tenure, the congregation has grown from 200 to 5,000 members with two campuses and four venues. In 2011, Godfrey founded and funded Cy-Hope, a 501c3 committed to making life better for kids in Cy-Fair who are economically, relationally and spiritually at-risk. The non-profit has impacted thousands of school children in the Cy-Fair I.S.D., the largest suburban school district in the country, with 116,000 students, half of them considered at-risk. Cy-Hope was awarded the Non-Profit of the Year Award by the Cy-Fair Chamber of Commerce for 2014. In this episode of the For Our City Podcast, Godfrey shares the Cy-Hope story, how they are impacting kids and families in northwest Houston, and what they've learned along the way. Be sure to visit cy-hope.org to learn more about this incredible ministry. This episode is sponsored by Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Wherever you're going, Southeastern can help you get there. For more information on city movements or to listen to previous episodes of the For Our City podcast, visit forourcity.us. And you can always subscribe to the podcast at iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play.

In this special episode of the For Our City podcast, I share a few lessons I've learned over the last 12 months about city movements and how this podcast resources Christians and churches who desire to make disciples of Jesus and advance His Kingdom by serving the common good. Please subscribe to the podcast at forourcity.us or at iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play. And then listen in, share, and learn with me as we live for our city. Also, you can follow me on Twitter here. This episode is sponsored by Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Wherever you're going Southeastern can help you get there.

"Change happens at the speed of trust." Pursuing peace in our cities requires taking the time to ask questions, build relationships, and earn trust. I talk about that on this episode of the For Our City podcast with Dylan Hall. Dylan Hall is currently the Director of One Troy which is a Collective Impact Initiative focusing on poverty reduction in the city of Troy, NY. This is under Governor Cumo’s Empire State Poverty Reduction Initiative. Having worked with Leadership Foundations, he is passionate about connecting leaders, building capacity of others, and collaborative action that leads to city-wide transformation.  For the last 10 years He has been working towards city transformation and previously served as a pastor of a church where he helped design and lead its city focused strategies.  He consults churches and nonprofits, and is experienced in organizational health, culture building, strategic planning and measuring results. Dylan specializes in the use of Collective Impact, Results Based Accountability, and Asset Based Community Development. He lives with his wife and two kinds in Schenectady, NY.  You can connect with Dylan at onetroy.org or on Twitter @lightthecitynetwork, @missioventures, and @dylanjosephhall.  This episode is sponsored by Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Wherever you're going, Southeastern can help you get there. Visit forourcity.us to listen to previous episodes and find resources that will help you live for your city. Also, please subscribe and share the podcast at iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play.

City transformation is possible when protecting our way of life is no longer our top priority. In this episode of the For Our City podcast, Alan Cross helps us recognize attitudes and biases that keep us from loving our neighbors and helping the most vulnerable people around us, and then offers a way forward. Alan is a writer, pastor, advocate for racial unity, and champion of the stranger. Few people provide a clearer Gospel lens for serving the vulnerable than Alan Cross. He is the author of When Heaven and Earth Collide: Racism, Southern Evangelicals, and the Better Way of Jesus. Alan also gives leadership to the Evangelical Immigration Table, a broad coalition of evangelical organizations and leaders advocating for immigration reform consistent with biblical values. Follow Alan on Twitter here. This episode is sponsored by Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. "Wherever you're going, Southeastern can help you get there." Please visit For Our City for more resources, to listen to previous episodes, or to subscribe to the podcast. You can also subscribe at iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play. And feel free to comment on this episode in the comments section below.

Public school partnerships are a real possibility for you and your church, but every partnership is built on sincere friendship and a desire to serve. Listen in to my conversation with my friend and local school principal Bryan Adams. Bryan is a Tennessee native, graduate of both Western Kentucky University and Tennessee State University, and is in his fourteenth year of public education. He is the principal at W.A. Wright Elementary School near my church. Several years ago, we began serving the school in any way possible, and today we enjoy a thriving partnership that helps Bryan, his staff, and faculty serve their students. Children face many challenges and they are not always ready to learn when they arrive at school. Healthy partnerships between schools, churches, and other organizations can serve students and prepare them for greater success. These partnerships also lead to greater ministry opportunities and community impact. Once again, today's podcast is sponsored by Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. "Wherever you are going, Southeastern can help you get there." Thank you for your interest in the For Our City podcast. Please visit forourcity.us to catch up on previous episodes and discover new resources. And then, please subscribe to the podcast on the website or on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play. Until next time, let's live for our city.

"OneGenAway’s mission is to wipe hunger off the face of America by eliminating racism, denominationalism and poverty." Hunger is a major problem even in the most affluent communities around us, but it doesn't have to be that way. Chris Whitney and One Generation Away "distributes healthy foods to families throughout Middle Tennessee that currently do not have access to food sources due to economic and physical barriers." They also help churches and other non-profits fight hunger in their own communities in a way that is making a real difference. I recently caught up with Chris to hear his story and about the work One Generation Away is doing. So listen in, connect with OneGenAway, and let's wipe hunger off the face of America. You will also want to pick up a copy of Chris' book, The Dirty Church. This episode is sponsored by Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. "Wherever you're going, Southeastern can help you get there." Visit forourcity.us to find resources, to listen to previous episodes, or to subscribe to the podcast. And then join with us as we make disciples of Jesus and advance His Kingdom by serving the common good.

On this episode of the For Our City Podcast, I'm honored to introduce you to Scott Sheppard, who is the Executive Director of 6Stones in Euless, Texas. "The vision of 6Stones is to be a catalyst of hope that transforms lives, homes and communities." They do that by building a coalition of churches, businesses, governments, schools, and other non-profits to provide real solutions that meet the needs of people in their communities. Since 2008, 6Stones has helped countless families, built effective community partnerships, and led over 6000 people to take their next step with Jesus. If you're interested in impacting your city, Scott Sheppard and the amazing people at 6Stones provide a model to follow. Scott mentioned the Stanford Review on Collective Impact, so check that out here. Thanks to Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary for sponsoring this episode. Wherever you're going, Southeastern can help you get there. Be sure to visit forourcity.us for more resources to help you and your church make disciples and advance Jesus' Kingdom by serving the common good in your city.  

Glenn Barth and Good Cities have a vision to develop leaders who advance the gospel of the Kingdom and work toward the common good of the city. They define a good city as "a place where people find meaningful employment, create healthy families, live in safe neighborhoods, engage in and actively support creative arts, foster effective education, empower servant leadership in government, and live out their faith. In a good city, unjust systems are confronted and compassionate help is offered to those in need. It is a place where God’s redemptive plans are experienced by its citizens and sojourners. A good city offers the experience of God’s common grace, the opportunity to experience God’s salvation, and a future filled with hope." In this episode I talk to Glenn Barth about how leaders from every sector of the community can unite around the things we care about to make a collective impact in our cities. Glenn Barth and Reggie McNeal at Good Cities offer incredible resources to community leaders who desire to build good processes that can sustain a city movement. Be sure to visit Good Cites for more information. Listen in and to subscribe to the podcast at iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or at forourcity.us. Please add your comments. I would love to hear from you. Be sure to check out the sponsor for today's episode, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Wherever you're going, Southeastern can help you get there.

Keith Edmonds is child abuse victim who became a survivor and is now an adult thriver. As a faithful follower of Jesus Christ, Keith uses his story to serve the most vulnerable people in his community to give them every opportunity to find healing and hope. Child abuse is reported every 10 seconds in the United States, and four to seven children die every day due to abuse. Through Backpacks of Love, Camp Confidence, and ongoing advocacy partnerships, the Keith Edmonds Foundation serves children who are victims of abuse. Listen in to this conversation with Keith Edmonds and discover how you or your church can serve the children and families in your community. The sponsor for this episode is Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Subscribe to this podcast at iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or visit forourcity.us.

Dr. Bruce Ashford serves as Provost and Professor of Theology and Culture at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Bruce is a well-noted author writing extensively on his own website bruceashford.net, for national publications, and several books of his own. He is a sought after thinker, speaker, and writer who helps Christians live well in the public domains of life. Before we can effective engage the culture or serve the common good in our community, we must have a clear biblical framework of our own. Few people can help us do that better than Dr. Bruce Ashford. So grab a pen and paper if you can, and listen in to my recent conversation with Dr. Bruce Ashford as we considered the merits and then a few alternatives to Rod Dreher’s most recent work, The Benedict Option. Follow Dr. Bruce Ashford on Twitter. Additional Resources: Bruceashford.net (This website offers short articles equipping Christians to bring their Christianity into an interface with politics and public life.) Every Square Inch: An Introduction to Cultural Engagement for Christians (This book helps Christians bring their Christianity into an interface with art, science, education, politics, business, and other dimensions of culture.) One Nation under God: A Christian Hope for American Politics (This book helps Christians conceive of the right relationship between religion and politics, and addresses specific hot-button issues such as abortion, racism, the environment, the economy, war, same-sex marriage, and immigration.) I Am Going  (This book helps Christians understand how they can join God in his mission by leveraging their family life, church membership, and workplaces for Christ. Check out this episode's sponsor Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Comment below, and then subscribe to the podcast to get great content from For Our City each week.

Chief James Hambrick came out of the US Navy in 1984 and began a janitorial service. Soon he was ordained to the Gospel ministry, but also worked in a local convenience store. A few members of the local police force encouraged him to apply for a job, so in 1995 he became a dispatcher for the Mt. Juliet Police Department, and in 1996 he became a patrolman. After running a private counseling service and serving as police chaplain, Chief Hambrick completed a PhD in pyschology in 2005 and became the assistant police chief. In 2009, he graduated from Northwestern University's Police Staff and Command. And then in 2012, he was named Chief of Police for the City of Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. He has served as adjunct professor of Union University and authored 2 books. He is married to Denise, and they have 5 children and 14 grandchildren. In Episode 004, we discuss how the people of God can serve the city well in light of current racial tensions, political divisions, and outbursts of violence impacting cities across the nation. Please connect and subscribe at forourcity.us, and follow on social media at @darylcrouch.

"If we solve for human trafficking, we solve for many other areas of vulnerability in our city." That is the aim of Ashleigh Chapman, Founder and President of Alliance for Freedom, Restoration, and Justice, an organization committed to fighting modern day slavery. Slavery is no longer legal in any country, but there are more slaves on the planet today than ever before. The best estimates are there are currently 47 million slaves who fund a $150 billion global industry. It's a global crisis, which means the problem is not in just some far away country. There are 100,000 to 300,000 United States citizens who are currently trafficked in the United States, and many of these are children in the foster system. This is a crime hidden in plain sight in our own neighborhoods and communities, which gives the body of Christ an opportunity to engage and to provide real hope. For resources to help you and your church engage to push back the darkness of human trafficking visit engagetogether.com.

The Kingdom of God is about Life! Dr. Reggie McNeal enjoys helping people, leaders, and Christian organizations determine and experience epic wins with Kingdom impact. For the past ten years Reggie has served as the Missional Leadership Specialist for Leadership Network of Dallas, TX. In recognition of his work Leadership Network has awarded him the position of its first Senior Fellow. He also is on staff at Good Cities, serving in the role of City Coach. As City Coach Reggie works with community leaders around the country to build cross-domain collaborative efforts that can move the needle on big societal issues. Episode Takeaways The Kingdom of God is about life. Jesus invites us to join Him in His work. There are ulterior motives and ultimate motives. It's important to know the difference. The work of ministry is at the street level, where people live. It's about people learning to love God and love each other. Pastors and leaders make a greater Kingdom impact when we spend more time with people as they carry out their daily assignments. Three necessary changes in church work: Change the story...from church-centric to Kingdom-centric Change the scorecard...celebrate Kingdom wins Change the stewardship...resource for Kingdom impact One quote: "People accuse me of trying to abolish the clergy. I'm actually trying to abolish the laity."--Mike Frost Check out Reggie's latest book: Kingdom Come: Why We Must Give Up Our Obsession with Fixing the Church--and What We Should Do Instead, May 2015 Visit Reggie's website: reggiemcneal.org Visit Good Cities to learn how you can develop leaders who advance the Kingdom of God by serving the common good in your city.

Save a child. Save a family. Save a city. That's the vision of ARISE2Read, a partnership of evangelical churches and businesses with local school districts to strengthen second-grade students and enable them to enter third grade reading on grade level begun by Donna Gaines in 2012. Mrs. Gaines is the wife of Dr. Steve Gaines, pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, Tennessee. With a background in elementary education and a heart for her city, Donna has mobilize hundreds of volunteers to spend one hour each week reading with at risk children in Shelby County Schools. Two-thirds of students who cannot read proficiently by the end of the fourth-grade will end up in jail or on welfare, so helping children learn to read at grade level by third grade is a game changer. Follow Donna Gaines on Twitter @donnagaines and ARISE2Read at @ARISE2Read. Follow Daryl Crouch on Twitter and Instagram @darylcrouch.