The Ministry Collaborative Podcast: Highlights from Our First Year
In a round table conversation recorded prior to COVID-19 shutdowns, The Ministry Collaborative program staff (Jennifer Maxell, Mark Ramsey, Adam Borneman, and Adam Mixon) discuss how cultivating joy is an act of faithful resistance against materialism, anger, loneliness, and violence....
Program Director Adam Borneman speaks with Dr. Joe Scrivner (Dean of Chapel and Professor of Religion and Theology at Stillman College; and Pastor of Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church) about how confronting the sin of systemic racism requires us to rethink our theological approaches to public policies around...
“Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don't be afraid.” ― Frederick Buechner In this moment, there are a lot of variables that seems out of our control, and a lot of variables that simply aren’t going very well. But we can make a decision...
In a round table conversation recorded back in January, The Ministry Collaborative program staff (Mark Ramsey, Adam Mixon, Jennifer Maxell, and Adam Borneman) discuss the important and difficult work of telling the truth in ministry....
Over the past several weeks, I’ve found myself reflecting on Richard Rohr’s notion of “The Edge of Inside.” Being on the edge of inside means being connected to an established system but not being beholden to it or reliant upon it. Sometimes, being too far...
"Anger and tears create the space for the work of the Spirit. They are the groaning of the Spirit for renewal of creation and an expression of compassion thus revealing a deep spiritual well. To fear our tears or to suppress our anger is to...
Program Director Adam Borneman speaks with pastor/artist Amina McIntyre about the importance of playfulness and imagination in ministry at all times....
In a round table conversation recorded prior to COVID-19 shutdowns, The Ministry Collaborative program staff (Mark Ramsey, Adam Mixon, Jennifer Maxell, and Adam Borneman) discuss the pitfalls of making assumptions about ministry....
In a round table conversation recorded prior to COVID-19 shutdowns, The Ministry Collaborative program staff (Mark Ramsey, Adam Mixon, Jennifer Maxell, and Adam Borneman) imagine how churches might engage in more effective ministry by doing less and going deeper....
”
I was the Facilitator for the first New York City cohort, and at the time, I was working in theological education on Christian leadership formation, so it seemed like a natural fit. What I discovered, though, was something quite different from my “day job.” While the content and topics of the curriculum was a crucial part of our gatherings, it was the community of mutual care and support that made the content relevant, not the other way around. And second, having three years of strong bonding created an extraordinarily resilient community that, in turn, was able to build up resilience in our leaders. I think every member of my cohort went through significant seasons of both joy and heartache, professionally and vocationally, during our time. And the cohort, in turn, lived out the exhortation of Romans 12:15, “rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep,” with a depth and integrity that I have rarely experienced, and often doing both in the same gathering. It was a privilege and a blessing to me and my own faith and ministry to be their facilitator, and I am eternally grateful to the Ministry Collaborative for calling me to that work!”
“It was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. It was unique to my particular situation. It was needed, appreciated and healing. It was affirming. Most valuable was the unspoken understanding of what we all were facing in our ministry context. There was a sense that we could finish each other’s sentences. Solidarity and empathy.”
Graduation Date:
May 23, 2021
“It was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. It was unique to my particular situation. It was needed, appreciated and healing. It was affirming. Most valuable was the unspoken understanding of what we all were facing in our ministry context. There was a sense that we could finish each other’s sentences. Solidarity and empathy.”
Graduation Date:
May 23, 2021
“I truly looked forward to this every week. The discussion topics, activities, and small group conversations were all very rich and meaningful. This experience gave me space to reflect on what’s happening right now in my congregation and community. It helped me to think about what might be next in my own ministry. It offered some very concrete ways I might work on equipping leaders in my congregation. I really enjoyed meeting colleagues from different places, denominations, and contexts–and learning from their experiences and reflections. I also appreciated hearing further conversation and reinforcement in the podcasts.”
Graduation Date:
July 14, 2021
“The experience was, in one word, enriching. It was timely as well. I was at a critical point in my own ministry and this literally breathed life back into me. The time went by so fast that I didn’t even realize two months had passed. To be able to share that type of camaraderie with other preachers, and realize that my struggles are not isolated, was liberating.”
Graduation Date:
March 18, 2021
“It was great to find confirmation and affirmation of my ministry through the voices of other pastors. I particularly enjoyed the focused time on talking about each of us as individuals and pastors, and not so much on what our churches look like.”
Graduation Date:
January 31st, 2020