Online Ministry Mastermind

Cláudio Carvalhaes, a brilliant earth thinker, theologian, liturgist, performer and artist, joins Neal Christie for a conversation about his latest book, "How Do We Become Green People and Earth Communities?"  Buy Claudio's book here: https://tinyurl.com/5ffxp4np Claudio's website is here: https://www.claudiocarvalhaes.com/ Don't miss this enlightening conversation between two great minds (Claudio and Neal, I mean!) about the church, the future, and the way worship can bring us into harmony with creation.

My guest is Rev. Allison Mark, senior pastor of Faith United Methodist Church in Torrence, CA. Allison details her experiences in leadership, her struggles, and candidly shares her thoughts about the future of the denomination.

In his recent Religion News Service article, Jacob Lupfer writes about the divisions in the United Methodist Church, "In any ecclesial conflict there are non-combatants who don't really understand what all the fighting is about. But in this case particularly, the muddling Methodist middle that has historically tempered the impulses of extremists is indifferent to the impending schism. Most laity and many clergy are not nearly so invested in moving the Methodist divorce along as those at the extremes." Jacob and I talk about his article and the distinct possibility that the impending split in the UMC may not unfold as many predict.

This week Curtis Ramsey-Lucas published a provocative article in The Christian Citizen asking important questions about Facebook's outreach to faith leaders. He begins: This summer, Elizabeth Dias, who covers faith and politics for the New York Times, wrote an article titled “Facebook's Next Target: The Religious Experience.” Published July 25, it chronicled Facebook's efforts to partner with a wide range of faith communities from individual congregations to large denominations. I don't know about you, but I have a relationship with Facebook that I call, "problematic."  What will it mean if Facebook becomes directly involved in the lives of faith communities? In this podcast, I interview Curtis and get the background on this article, his questions surrounding the issue, and a pointed discussion on the future of social media.

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is quoted as saying, "...For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many." Interestingly, the Gospel of Luke tells the same story but omits this "ransom" business, indicating that from the very earliest days, what's known as the "ransom theory" of atonement was controversial.  It turns out that this idea, touted as "biblical" by its modern-day adherents, has a troubled history and an even more troublesome set of implications for the Church today. I don't usually post sermons here (but hey, why not?), but I felt this one was too important to not shout from the rooftops.  Rev. Mark Flynn, lead pastor of First United Methodist Church in my hometown of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, preaches a sermon that's part exegesis, part church history lecture, and 100% courage and conviction.  If you haven't thought much about ideas that give form to history, I urge you to listen to this remarkable sermon to the very end.

Yes, my name is Steve Martin.  I've been a fan of the comedian by the same name since I was thirteen, and I suddenly became popular in school because I shared his name.  It's been a long, funny ride.   But it gets better.  Recently I ran into another Steve Martin on social media, and the connection we have does not end at our names.  Be sure to catch this episode, cuz it's a doozy.

This podcast began when I stumbled across a simple Facebook post in a group. The majority of the conversation regarding online ministry has been on how to restore sanctuary worship while maintaining some of the advances achieved during the time our sanctuaries were closed. This post was written by the pastor of a church that made a completely different type of decision.

REPLAY: While U.S. churches expend tremendous energy in today's culture wars—the role of women, rights of LGBTQ persons, the place of immigrants, the primacy of health care—the churches' own real estate may be eating them alive. My guest today is Rick Reinhard, whose career has included roles in city planning, government, and national church work.  Rick is an expert in church real estate, and his analysis of our current situation is both alarming and hopeful.  Prepare to have your mind opened, and if you can slide this podcast under the door of your bishop, that might be a good idea.

The word, "pivot," has perhaps been overused lately, but it has special meaning over the past year, especially for organizations that had few alternatives to in-person gatherings.  It's one thing to have church online, or to have in-person worship without singing, but what would you do if you were managing a 100+ voice chorale and orchestra? My guest is Jim Kelly, President and CEO of the National Philharmonic at Strathmore, one of the leading arts organizations in the metropolitan Washington, DC area.  NatPhil is coming back in 2021 with a hybrid model, and I know you will glean practical insights from Jim about how he, the board, and the staff made the decisions that chart the path forward.

We clergy speak of the most significant event in history: the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.  Why is it so hard to "put ourselves out there" when we carry such an incredible message?  Most of us are allergic to anything that feels like self-promotion.  But in this world of social media, streaming worship, and voices that carry less-than-helpful messages, is self-promotion now a requirement of the work we do? My guest is Cheri Honeycutt, a speaker, facilitator, and coach who has struggled between the calling she has and the need to let others know about it.  She shares candidly about her ups and downs and the ways she gets fights "imposter syndrome" in order to bring about positive change in the world around her.  

I met Rev. Tim Schenck on an all-expense-paid trip to Jordan a few years ago.  Yeah, ministry has its perks every once in a while.  Among the amazing bloggers and influencers I met on that trip, Tim came across to me as someone who had successfully incorporated a smart sense of humor into his vocation, integrating faith and humor in (mostly) reverent ways.  Tim is the rector at the Episcopal Church of St. John the Evangelist in Hingham, Massachusetts.  Tim dishes on ministry during a pandemic, social media, and of course his signature program, "Lent Madness."  You will not want to miss this uplifting episode.

Just a few years ago, religious liberty was an obscure topic; now it's all over the headlines.  What is religious freedom? Does it allow us to freely practice our faith, or does it mean we are free to discriminate based on our faith?  My guest today is Brian Kaylor, Executive Director of Word and Way, a Baptist organization keeping its eye on religious liberty, Christian nationalism, and other headline-grabbing topics.  We'll dive deep into the complexities of religion in public life, as well as tell interesting travel stories, in this episode.

Today's podcast is part 2 of a special series about the breakout of violence between Israel and Palestinians that has occurred in recent weeks.  Peter Makari, the Executive for the Middle East & Europe at Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ, is the ecumenical community's go-to guy on Middle East policy.  I'm blessed to be joined by him in a deep conversation about the current crisis and what churches can do to help bring about a lasting peace in the region. Read Peter's article on the United Church of Christ website for perspective.  Prepare to be enlightened.  See also these statements by organizations in the Middle East to hear their voices.  

My eyes were opened during a cab ride from Jerusalem to Bethlehem in 2010.  The news media depicts conflict in the Holy Land as a monolithic battle between good and evil, civilization and terrorism.  The reality will surprise you. This is the first in a three-part series (or perhaps more!) in which we will hear from experts about what is actually happening in the lives of people in the Holy Land, how churches can be part of the solution, and how this conflict is not what you think it is. Rev. Peter Miano is my guest today along with Rev. Neal Christie, who will help me with this interview.  This podcast is United Methodist-friendly, but is a valuable resource to all who seek to better love God and neighbor.

2020 stands as a year of invitation.  Yes, crisis was a major part of it, but as a fiery crucible, 2020 showed us what precious metal was hidden inside the ore.  2020 showed us that ministry can be transformed, and 2021 gives us the opportunity to courageously move forward in that transformation.   Instead of going it alone, many of us have found that a coach can move us from being stuck to being powerfully effective.  Rev. Annette Flynn is my guest today; join us to hear how an unconventional path in her ministry career ignited her passion, and how you can find yours.

The publishing world can be confusing and shrouded in mystery.  For one, I always believed that with the arrival of the internet, the Kindle, and the demise of Borders bookstores, that it was not a good time to write a book.  Apparently, I'm wrong, and happy to be told so. Today's guest is David R. Morris, a consultant with his finger on the pulse of the Christian publishing industry.  You can find him at @DavidRMorris (Twitter) and at https://www.hyponymous.com/

When you set out to create an online course that deals with one of today's most difficult topics, it's good to have experts on your side.  Soon, the Lakelands Institute will be launching a course that will help churches learn how to be antiracist, and it begins with understanding the words we use to do this important work.  Today, Neal Christie and I talk with Brian McLaren about his book, "Faith After Doubt," the ways our brains are wired toward bias, and how we can be freed to love more fully.

Adam Mosley is a long-time friend who has been winning at the podcasting game!  He is the host of "The Ocean" podcast, and he's going to talk to us about how he uses his podcast as a way to utilize a voice that he did not necessarily have when standing in a pulpit.

Join me and Rev. Stephanie Kendell, Executive Minister and COO at Park Avenue Christian Church in New York City, for a conversation that took place at the annual meeting of Associated Church Press, the Religion Communicators Congress, and the Canadian Christian Communicators Association that took place online last week.  Stephanie has a podcast called "the Two on One Project" in which she and a co-host talk pop culture through a theological lens.  We have different approaches to what we do, and I'll let you be the one who decides who has the better approach. (I think she does!)

While U.S. churches expend tremendous energy in today’s culture wars—the role of women, rights of LGBTQ persons, the place of immigrants, the primacy of health care—the churches’ own real estate may be eating them alive. My guest today is Rick Reinhard, whose career has included roles in city planning, government, and national church work.  Rick is an expert in church real estate, and his analysis of our current situation is both alarming and hopeful.  Prepare to have your mind opened, and if you can slide this podcast under the door of your bishop, that might be a good idea.

The rise of conspiracy theories such as QAnon are alarming, but people of faith who have learned from history will recognize commonalities between QAnon and other apocalyptic movements across the centuries. Church historian Bill Leonard joins me for this fascinating and relevant conversation.  If you're struggling with QAnon adherents in your churches, or if you are one yourself, you will not want to miss this fascinating podcast.

Last week, eight persons were murdered by a gunman motivated by racism, misogyny, and a toxic brand of faith and purity culture.  Even worse, it is reported that over 4000 incidents of violence and discrimination against Asian Americans have been reported since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. This largely unreported problem is now in the spotlight. Rev. Neal Christie joins me to discuss the intersections of faith and violence, and how the church can be part of the solution.

Rev. Neal Christie is one of the United Methodist Church's most talented thinkers and facilitators.  His generous, kind spirit comes across in everything he does, including when that work involves difficult conversations.  Today I talk with Neal about the importance of language, relationships, and how the hard work of becoming an anti-racist Church can be done with grace.   Neal is United Methodist clergy, lives in Washington, DC, and is part of the team at the Lakelands Institute.

Granted, I'm a man of a certain age.  My people gravitate toward Facebook for our social media time.  But other generations are on different platforms: Instagram, YouTube, Twitch, TikTok... and the list goes on.  What would it look like if church leaders entered TikTok for the purposes of spreading the Gospel, or at least dispelling myths about what faith actually is?   This week is the first of the podcast rebrand: we're broadening the topic set beyond simply online ministry issues into ALL of the challenges church leaders are facing today.  Join me with Brandan Robertson, millennial church leader and TikTok innovator, for a fascinating conversation.

Recently an article was published by the Washington Post which examined the ways tech and spirituality are intersecting these days, specifically, a debate that's emerging about the role Peloton is playing in the field.  It was a terrific jumping-off point for a Wednesday morning Zoom conversation between interested pastors and faith leaders.Join us in this conversation, and if you hear anything worthy of comment, please leave a comment on our website.

I interviewed Valerie Ohle a few months ago.  She had been given an impossible assignment: start a new church during a pandemic.  An online church, based in a rural community.  Oh, and did I mention that she's bivocational?  She's a full-time paralegal as she's working tirelessly to do, what many people would consider, the impossible.Valerie and I catch up to see what's going on and how things are progressing.  This enlightening conversation adds a few dimensions to the last conversation we had, such as: what do you do with an empty building when it barely figures in to the kind of church you're tasked with creating?

Elle is one of the stalwarts of our "Growing Your Online Presence" Facebook group, and she's finally announcing the title of the book she's been talking about.  "Baptized in Tear Gas" is her story of moving from being a white moderate into the wilderness of a new life and perspective.  You'll want to hear every word she has to say. elledowd.com

If that title doesn't grab you, I don't know what will!  Just kidding.  It's a terrible title, but one that says something about what we get into in this podcast.My guest is Rev. Donna Claycomb Sokol, pastor of Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church in Washington, DC.  This is a follow-up conversation after we spoke a couple of months ago.  Donna is a transformational leader in the United Methodist Church, and it seemed appropriate to check in during this time of remarkable transformation.You won't want to miss this conversation.  Donna's candor will be a blessing to you.

Now that we’re well into 2021, we’ve discovered that all the problems of 2020 didn’t just magically go away, alas. We can expect 2021 to maintain continuity with 2020, and in fact, carry forward the trends that have led us to where we are today.Buckle up, it’s going to be a bumpy ride. Faith, vision, creativity, and perseverance will be the qualities most needed by our churches going forward. Are you ready? Here are seven trends we expect in 2021.

After years of serving congregations, Rabbi Jill Zimmerman launched out into the world of online community-building ten years ago.  Her thoughts about our current situation are informed by history, theology, and years of practical experience, and you won't want to miss what she sees for the future of faith.

Is it possible to be traumatized vicariously when caring for other people?  Dimple Dhabalia shares the powerful story of her service on the front lines of the refugee crisis and how it led her to her current work, "Roots In The Clouds."  If you're feeling burned out, you don't want to miss this one.

Rev. Lloyd Nyarota is a pastor in Alberta, Canada.  We met in Nigeria when he was living in Zimbabwe, and as United Methodists, we have shared a common bond and friendship that has been aided through social media and mutual relationships.  I catch up with Lloyd and hear about the church as it lies beyond the borders of the United States.

Today's conversation is with Rev. Laurence Hesser, a pastor in a rural church in East Tennessee who has constantly amazed me by his vision and ability to adapt and thrive.  I spoke with him a few months ago, and it was my favorite of these conversations; I catch up with him today to see how things are going.  This is another podcast where you'll get at least one major mind-blowing, game-changing new idea.You can watch a video version of this podcast here on YouTube.

Gregg Brekke is one of today's leading religion reporters and photojournalists.  Today we get a bird's eye view of what's going on in the church, given all the change that's taken place this year.  You'll also want to hear where Gregg was last week.

Burnout is the other pandemic that's taking over the lives of pastors we know.  Are you taking care of yourself?Barb Klein of Inspired Possibility joins Rev. Annette Flynn and me to discuss the simple ways of taking care of oneself.  Far from being selfish: in this time, it's essential!

Rev. Tim Kobler is the United Methodist campus minister at the University of Michigan.  Without question, this has been a demanding time in which students' needs for spiritual guidance changes on a daily basis.  Tim speaks about the challenges of an already challenging form of ministry in this most interesting discussion.

Rev. Jake Morrill is in his 18th year as Lead Minister of a thriving congregation in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He's also a non-profit executive director, a therapist, and a clergy coach, anchored in Bowen Family Systems Theory. He teaches systems thinking through the Bowen Theory Education Center and works with clients through the Bowen Center for the Study of the Family, as well as in his own private practice. This Fall, Rockridge Press will publish his book, Unlocking the Art of Forgiveness.

Rev. Isaac Collins began working at his current congregation in June. He's one of several pastors I've interviewed here that faced the challenge of establishing themselves in the midst of the pandemic.  Isaac was part of a community in Charlottesville, VA, that was part of his formation in a prophetic ministry that he sees as intricately linked to his preaching of the Gospel.  He brings a creative spirit to a ministry that reaches beyond church walls, but creativity is not always rewarded.

I'm moving from one townhouse to another in the same neighborhood.  It's as much work as moving across the country!  Things are changing all around us, and whenever we are going through a time of big change, is it possible to think that the small changes in life are often as difficult as the big ones?

Today's election day, and no matter how it turns out, we know that one thing will persist: uncertainty.  What role does faith have in this time of uncertainty?

Bud Pierce is the pastor of two churches in or near Independence, Virginia, tucked away in the mountains. I've never met Bud, but I am certain that if I ran into him anywhere in the world, I'd recognize him.  Listen in and find out why.

It's time for an introduction.  Rev. Annette Flynn and I are formalizing a relationship to build the Lakelands Institute together.  Annette brings chops to this gig that I'm very excited to share with you.  In this podcast we'll ramble on about the reign of God, the experience of hair standing up on the back of the neck, and why we want to spend our lives supporting clergy.

You might have missed our inaugural episode, so I'm reposting today.  I interview Tom Cox, interim pastor of Hot Metal Bridge, a faith community in downtown Pittsburgh.  Tom describes this amazing ministry and its move toward holding worship services via Zoom.  Creativity and flexibility are the keys.

If I were to guess, I'd say that Rev. Elle Dowd is an expression of the spiritual gift of apostleship.  She was doing online ministry (before it was cool) years ago as a way of reaching out to the disaffected and traumatized.  Her experience makes her the perfect guest for this podcast; I only hope I'm a good interviewer!

REPLAY: Perhaps that's an overstatement, but Dylan Wilson of Bearden United Methodist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee, shares some of the challenges of doing online ministry with youth and young adults in this time of social distancing.  His creative work with video is bringing people into a place of participation in worship that he finds compelling.  I hope you do also!

Today's morning news delivered a story about athletes and the stresses of the pandemic.  Without races to run and games to play, how do we set goals and stay fit?  The same is true with the spiritual life.  As Advent and Christmas approach, how will this be a season that build communities, connects people, and helps us grow in faith when getting together will be challenging?  I have some ideas.

Some of these interviews are so good they bear repeating; this one definitely falls in that category.  Rev. Dr. Laurence Hesser is the pastor of a mid-sized United Methodist church in rural Tennessee.  His own quest to understand his congregation’s needs led him to quickly learn how to make quality video, and has seen his online numbers surpass his in-person worship numbers as a result.

Relying on a Facebook-only strategy for streaming your worship services is risky.  With all social media, you are not in control; a better way to go is outlined in my latest webinar.  You can find it at https://lakelandsinstitute.com/social-webinar.  I hope to see you there!

Dr. Melissa Hofstetter of Shepherd Heart joins me today for a fascinating discussion of neuroscience, trauma, and pastoral self-care.  As too many pastors live on the verge of burnout (or worse), this is an important discussion that begs close attention.  I hope you'll join us and find it helpful.

In this conversation with Curtis Ramsey-Lucas, he shares he own experiences with leadership in online worship as well as his new book, #InThisTogether: Ministry in Times of Crisis, in which authors come together to offer observations about the triple crises we face today: a pandemic, the unveiling of systemic racism, and an electoral crisis.  Curtis is also the editor of The Christian Citizen.

As All Saints Day approaches, what's the most important thing to consider as you plan your services?