Ministry Collaborative program staff (Ryan Bonfiglio, Adam Mixon, Amy Valdez Barker, and Adam Borneman) discuss our outdated modes of measuring ministry, paying attention to multiplying opportunities for discipleship, and what it might mean if the stories become our interpretive lens. Read the original blog post here. ...
Congregational and Pastoral Formation Curator Amy Valdez Barker speaks with the Rev. Dr. Leah D. Schade (Lexington Theological Seminary) about her most recent book, the important - and difficult - ministry of addressing the social issues of our moment, and the intersection of faith and...
Ministry Collaborative program staff (Amy Valdez Barker, Adam Mixon, Adam Borneman, Beth Daniel) discuss the wisdom of Matthew 13, the pull of inside/outside in church and culture, and the humility in needing others to help us see. ...
TMC Staff Adam Borneman and Amy Valdez Barker speak with Dr. Napp Nazworth (American Values Coalition) about his evangelical faith, the dangers of conservative misinformation bubbles, and the upcoming conference in Atlanta on July 25....
Matthew 13:10-17 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and...
Ministry Collaborative program staff (Adam Borneman, Amy Valdez Barker, Beth Daniel, Adam Mixon) discuss paying attention to God at work in ways we don't expect, overcoming the scarcity mindset, and why it's important to make spirituality a priority. ...
We continue our series "Faith Overflowing with Hope" as TMC Program Staff Beth Daniel and Amy Valdez Barker speak with Dr. Andrew Root (Luther Seminary) about resonance and alienation, the ordinary, and the utter arrogance of the idea that we should "save the church"....
Ministry Collaborative program staff Amy Valdez Barker and Adam Mixon continue their conversation with the Rev. Melanie Marsh (Riviera Presbyterian , Miami) about the challenge of living into your humanity as a pastor, the importance of admitting what we don't know, and the role her...
Ministry Collaborative program staff Adam Mixon and Amy Valdez Barker speak with the Rev. Melanie Marsh (Riviera Presbyterian , Miami) about her call to a church where she was the first female pastor (and the first person of color), her tumultuous arrival in a divided...
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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