The Starfish and the Church

Chuck DeGroat is Professor of Counseling and Christian Spirituality at Western Theological Seminary (Holland, MI) and Co-Founder and Senior Fellow at Newbigin House of Studies, San Francisco. He is passionate about spiritual formation for mission. He's spent 20+ years in a fluid combination of pastoral ministry, seminary teaching, and clinical counseling. His latest book is "When Narcissism Comes to Church." https://chuckdegroat.net/

This episode is an interview done by Joshua Johnson of All Nations in Kansas City. You can check out their podcast: Shifting Culture, here. Joshua interviews Rob about the Starfish and The Spirit concept and how it plays out practically with the Kansas City Underground.

Peyton Jones is a seasoned church ministry ninja with over 25 years of experience as a church planter, national public speaker, author, and podcaster.

Brian Phipps serves as President of Disciples Made based out of Shawnee, KS. He brings strong leadership and investments in championing the spiritual growth of leaders, and therefore disciples, everywhere.

Originally from Australia, Mandy Smith is a pastor, author and speaker. Mandy loves the opportunity to engage Christian thinkers and leaders through her speaking and writing. She is a regular contributor to Christianity Today and Missio Alliance and the author of The Vulnerable Pastor: How Human Limitations Empower Our Ministry (IVP). Her next book, Unfettered: Imagining a Childlike Faith Beyond the Baggage of Western Culture (Brazos), will release in May, 2021. Mandy and her husband, a New Testament professor, live with their family in a little house where the teapot is always warm. Check out more at thewayistheway.org Check out more about Starfish and the Spirit at https://www.thestarfishandthespirit.com/

Greg Boyd is an internationally recognized theologian, preacher, teacher, apologist and author. Greg has authored or co-authored 22 books and numerous academic articles, including his best-selling and award-winning Letters From a Skeptic and his recent books Crucifixion of the Warrior God and Cross Vision. His apologetic writings and public debates on the historical Jesus and the problem of evil have helped many skeptics embrace faith, and his writings and seminars on spiritual transformation have had a revolutionary, freeing impact on thousands of believers.

In this episode, Rob and Lance interview Scot McKnight. Dr. Scot McKnight is a world-renowned speaker, writer, professor and equipper of the Church. He is a recognized authority on the historical Jesus, early Christianity, and the New Testament. His blog, Jesus Creed, is a leading Christian blog. Dr. McKnight's most recent books include Reading Romans Backwards and Pastor Paul. A sought after speaker, he has been interviewed on several radio and television programs as well as spoken at numerous local churches, conferences, colleges, and seminaries in the United States and around the world. Scot McKnight is a member of the Society of Biblical Literature and the Society for New Testament Studies.

In this episode, Rob and Lance interview Nancy Beach. Nancy Beach is most known for her groundbreaking ministry to more fully unleash the arts in the local church, and for leading artists with grace, wisdom, and skill. For over 20 years she served as the Programming Director of Willow Creek Community Church in suburban Chicago, building a community of artists who sought to create transformational moments in weekend church services. Nancy also served as a Teaching Pastor, periodically bringing the weekend message. She invested five years as a leadership team member of the Willow Creek Association, an organization that exists to envision and inspire church leaders all over the world. In over 26 countries and on 6 continents, Nancy has shared her passion, teaching at conferences and workshops.

In this episode, Rob and Lance interview Shawn Lovejoy. Shawn is the Founder & CEO of CourageToLead.com. His heart beats for coaching leaders through what keeps them up at night. Shawn has been a successful real estate developer, church planter, megachurch pastor, and successful entrepreneur and leadership coach. CourageToLead.com facilitates leadership growth and organizational health for leaders all around the globe. The Starfish and The Spirit. Available today! #1 New Release in Pastoral Resources. Get your copy now. www.theStarfishandtheSpirit.com #TheStarfishandtheSpirit

In this episode of the Starfish and the Spirit, the authors have a third conversation with the Exponential community as they continue the book tour. The Starfish and The Spirit. Available today! #1 New Release in Pastoral Resources. Get your copy now. www.theStarfishandtheSpirit.com #TheStarfishandtheSpirit

In this episode of the Starfish and the Spirit, the authors have a second conversation with the Exponential community. The Starfish and The Spirit. Available today! #1 New Release in Pastoral Resources. Get your copy now. www.theStarfishandtheSpirit.com #TheStarfishandtheSpirit

A conversation with Rob, Lance and Alan with the Exponential Community.

Peter Block is an author, consultant and citizen of Cincinnati, Ohio. His work is about chosen accountability, and the reconciliation of community. Peter is the author of several best selling books. Peter's newest book is co-authored with Walter Brueggemann and John McKnight, An Other Kingdom: Departing the Consumer Culture, published by Wiley in 2016. The books are about ways to create workplaces and communities that work for all. They offer an alternative to the patriarchal beliefs that dominate our culture. His work is to bring change into the world through consent and connectedness rather than through mandate and force.

Tod Bolsinger (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is a speaker, executive coach, former pastor, and author who serves as associate professor of leadership formation and senior fellow for the De Pree Center for Leadership at Fuller Seminary. He is the author of Canoeing the Mountains, which was named Outreach Magazine Resource of the Year in Pastoral Leadership, as well as the Christianity Today Award of Merit recipient It Takes a Church to Raise a Christian. A frequent speaker and consultant, he serves as an executive coach for corporate, nonprofit, educational, and church organizations in transformational leadership. For seventeen years, he was the senior pastor of San Clemente Presbyterian Church in San Clemente, California, after serving for ten years at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood. Tod and his wife, Beth, have two children. Like the podcast, check out more at thestarfishandthespirit.com

Rob and Lance interview Doug Kirkpatrick. Doug co-founded the Morning Star Self-Management Institute, with the mission of instantiating organizational self-management principles with effective education, tools and practices. Like the podcast, check out more at thestarfishandthespirit.com

Dave Ferguson is a starfish leader. Dave is an author (Hero Maker and most recently BLESS), founding and lead pastor of Chicago's Community Christian Church, a missional multi-site community considered one of the most influential churches in America. Dave is also the visionary for the international church-planting movement NewThing and president of the Exponential Conference.

Rob, Lance and Alan talk about the history of the book, how it all came together, and how Jesus has informed their stories in such way to write this book for such a time as this.

This is the first episode of The Starfish and the Church Podcast. Meet Rob Wegner and Lance Ford, co-authors of The Starfish and The Spirit. Pre-order the book now.