The church growth movement of the 20th-century has left a lasting impact on our perception of the Church today. What can we learn from its successes and shortcomings, and how can we move forward in the context of our post-everything society? This week, Daniel Im from Beulah Alliance Church in Edmonton joins us on the podcast for a second time Daniel shares about: His experience pastoring in the midst of deep loss Reflections on the transition into the Lead Pastor role of Beulah Alliance Church, a church with a 103 year history The value of surrounding yourself with people who can sharpen you ..read more

Every leader faces moments when vision dims and passion wavers. How do we sustain a vision for long term leadership and be able to lead with joy in our hearts and conviction in our steps? This week, Shaila Visser from Alpha joins us on the podcast for a second time to share insights from her extensive leadership experience.  Shaila shares about: Sustaining vision for longevity in ministry The importance of asking the Holy Spirit to spark passion for personal evangelism New research Alpha has done in partnership with flourishing congregations on the perception and practices of evangelism ..read more

What is unique about your church that you bring to the broader body of Christ? And, what from the broader body of Christ can you draw from and be strengthened by? Chrishan Jeyaratnam joined us this week from Hillsong East Coast where he and his wife Danielle serve as Lead Pastors. Chrishan shared with us about his family’s move from Perth to New York during the pandemic, and what it has been like to serve the church alongside his kids.  Arriving in New York during a time of great cultural tension & loss, there’s a lot of wisdom to be found in the stories Chrishan shares about leading ..read more

How can the people of God inhabit our cities - in workplaces, commutes & classrooms in a way that’s coloured by the hope of God’s kingdom breaking in? This week Tyler Staton and Pete Hughes join us on the podcast in a conversation that was originally a part of one of our Emerging Leaders Lab cohort sessions.  Tyler and Pete share about: Finding Rhythms of Personal & Corporate Prayer Creating a Culture of Contending Through Storytelling Seeing God’s Redemptive Vision for Your City We were inspired by their ability to see redemption in their local communities and hope you wi ..read more

38 years into ministry, Helen Burns speaks of the Church with love in her voice and delight in the work God is doing among His people today.  Joining us on the podcast for a second time, Helen is a voice of encouragement as she reflects on what she has learned along the way. From planting Relate Church with her husband John in 1986, to the process of succession as their daughter Angela and her husband Rod stepped into the lead pastor role in 2018 - the significance of mentorship and intergenerational relationships underpin our conversation. Helen reflects back on past ministry with humili ..read more

Letting Jesus shepherd us into renewed courage and contentment when our vision for success has been broken is a wrestle many of us are familiar with.  It's a path that our guest this week, Evan Allnutt, has walked at different moments in his vocational journey. Through changing careers from teaching to ministry, taking on a Lead Pastor role at a new church, and navigating the changing cultural dynamics in the last 4 years, surrender and re-surrender to Christ’s leading has been a red thread through it all. In moments where he felt like a failure, Evan shared how God stirred fresh hope in ..read more

John Mark Comer joins us again for a conversation on why people in our congregations are gravitating towards spiritual formation right now, and how we can pastor people beyond conversion into deeper healing and sanctification in their walk with Christ. Jason and John Mark talk through what it’s like to pastor today, and how the cultural hostility pastors navigate can purify our motivations and remind us that Christ is our reward. Thinking about practices for pastoral longevity, John Mark shares the need for balanced rest and activation and how to cultivate deep, brutally honest friendships. Th ..read more

Mark Buchanan sits down with us again to explore everything from how storytelling forms us to our addiction to control.  He articulates how narratives help us navigate the truths of life and our identity, emphasizing the significance of weaving hope-filled, gospel-rooted stories into the fabric of our cultural imagination. Throughout our conversation, Mark draws from the life of David to think about leaning on character over gifting and the temptation of success. Mark offers a candid look into what spiritual practices have deepened his love for Jesus, and what he has been learning about t ..read more

How do we contextualize our churches to the neighbourhoods God has called us to? And how do you keep your heart healthy when people leave your church?  In today’s episode with Tammy Giffen, lead pastor of Groundswell Church in Truro, Nova Scotia, we explore these questions and more from her journey in ministry. Tammy became a Christian through Alpha as an adult and later moved into vocational ministry, eventually planting Groundswell in 2018. It’s a story of leading in ministry for the long haul, compelled by uncovering the beauty of Jesus for herself, and in the lives of the community sh ..read more

In this episode, Jason sits down with the pioneer of the Alpha Course and former Vicar of Holy Trinity Brompton in London, Nicky Gumbel. Nicky shares about his journey of transitioning leadership at HTB after nearly two decades in the senior role, emphasizing the importance of healthy succession and not taking changes made by new leaders personally. Their church, HTB, is helping to train pastors in England through a new initiative called the Caleb and Peter streams. Their vision is to see tens of thousands of pastors equipped, coming from less educated and affluent backgrounds, or who have ret ..read more