FRAMEWORK CATEGORY

Shift Ministry Models

Christian communities need to harness skills of agile leadership, stewardship, social entrepreneurism, and management to be nimble enough to respond to a changing cultural landscape.

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Pivot Podcast | Episode 143. Image description reads: Healthy & Holy Beats Smart & Fast Feat. Jason Jensen, Alicia Granholm, and Terri Elton

#143: Authentic Christian Leadership: Why Character Beats Charisma Every Time

Jason Jensen of InterVarsity shares how his engineering mindset failed in cross-cultural ministry—and how it reshaped his view of spiritual authority.
Pivot Podcast | Episode 142. Image description reads: Formation That Lasts Feat. Alex Fogleman and Dwight Zscheile

#142: Making Disciples: Why Catechesis Matters More Than Ever

Dr. Alex Fogleman, author of "Making Disciples: Catechesis in History, Theology, and Practice," explores how the early church's approach to catechesis can revolutionize modern discipleship formation.
Hoffman's painting of Jesus and the rich young ruler

Beyond the Tithe

What can the story of the rich young ruler teach us about stewardship?
Episode 141 Beyond the Tithe WordPress thumbnail

#141: Beyond the Tithe: How Churches Can Help People Navigate Faith and Money Faithfully

Grace Pomroy shares insights about how congregations can move beyond traditional stewardship campaigns to engage people's entire financial lives.
Pivot Podcast | Episode 140. Image description reads: The Leadership Trap Feat. Dwight Zscheile, Alicia Granholm, and Terri Elton

#140: Church Leadership Today: Cultivating Encounters with the Living God

Hosts Terri Elton, Dwight Zscheile, and Alicia Granholm tackle some key church leadership challenges facing pastors and ministry leaders today.
Pivot Podcast | Episode 139. Image description reads: Reimagining Church Spaces Feat. Tim Anderson, Tabitha Montgomery, and Dwight Zscheile

#139: Reimagining Church Spaces: How to Transform Underutilized Buildings into Community Hubs

Tim and Tabitha share the inspiring story of transforming a unused church basement from 1985 into the thriving Center for Belonging.
Pivot Podcast | Episode 138. Image description reads: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Churches Feat. Stephen Presley, Terri Elton, and Dwight Zscheile

#138: Maintaining Christian Identity in a Post-Christian Society: What Early Believers Can Teach Us About Cultural Engagement

Dr. Stephen Presley reveals how early Christians maintained their identity in pagan culture and their "third way" for today.
Episode 137 Why Smart People Make BAD Religious Decisions episode thumbnail

#137: Religious Decision Making: Dr. Angela Gorrell’s Guide to Faithful Discernment When You Don’t Know What to Do

Dr. Angela Williams-Gorrell shares her framework for religious decision making when facing difficult choices.
Pivot Podcast | Episode 135. Image description reads: Fresh Expressions Changes Everything Pt. 2 Feat. Shannon Kiser and Dwight Zscheile

#136: Fresh Expressions: From VBS Burnout to Vibrant Community Ministry (Part 2)

Shannon Kiser reveals how fresh expressions transformed her church from event-driven ministry to authentic neighborhood relationships.
Pivot Podcast | Episode 135. Image description reads: Fresh Expressions Changes Everything Pt. 1 Feat. Shannon Kiser and Dwight Zscheile

#135: Fresh Expressions: From VBS Burnout to Vibrant Community Ministry (Part 1)

Dwight Zscheile and Shannon Kiser explore how churches can grow vibrant fresh expressions to reach changing neighborhoods.
photo of a stack of old photos

God’s Spirit Transforms Nostalgia

Memory is strong, but hope is stronger
Pivot Podcast | Episode 134. Image description reads: Why Religion Went Obsolete (Pt. 2) Feat. Christian Smith, Terri Elton, and Dwight Zscheile

#134: Has Religion Become Obsolete? with Christian Smith (Part 2)

Has religion become obsolete in American culture? In this second part of our conversation with sociologist Dr. Christian Smith, we explore his groundbreaking research on why traditional religion has lost its cultural relevance for post-Boomer generations.
Pivot Podcast | Episode 133. Image description reads: Why Religion Went Obsolete Feat. Christian Smith, Terri Elton, and Dwight Zscheile

#133: Has Religion Become Obsolete? A Conversation with Christian Smith (Part 1)

Dr. Christian Smith explores why religion feels outdated in modern culture, citing shifts in family, institutions, and technology as key causes.
A Different Approach to Evangelism

A Different Approach to Evangelism

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Meeting Jesus in the midst of sorrow
Pivot Podcast | Episode 132. Image description reads: Reframing Evangelism (Pt. 2) Feat. Andy Root, Terri Elton, and Dwight Zscheile

#132: Reframing Evangelism: Following Jesus into Sorrow with Andy Root (Part 2)

In part two of our conversation with Andy Root, we explore a radically different approach to sharing faith that moves beyond happiness-hunting strategies to embrace God's presence in brokenness.
people in a bible study

Bodybuilding: Equipping God’s People for Ministry

The deeply collaborative New Testament vision for ministry
stained glass windows

Stewardship and the Mixed Ecology

Figuring out a sustainable way forward
Pivot Podcast | Episode 131. Image description reads: Reframing Evangelism (Pt. 1) Feat. Andy Root, Terri Elton, and Dwight Zscheile

#131: Reframing Evangelism: Following Jesus into Sorrow with Andy Root (Part 1)

Dr. Andy Root shows us how to evangelize through what he calls "a theology of consolation" - being present with people in their sadness and brokenness, because that's where Jesus shows up.