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Homepage / Pivot Podcast /#43: How to Get Started in the Mixed Ecology in a Local Church with Roz Picardo

#43: How to Get Started in the Mixed Ecology in a Local Church with Roz Picardo

Terri Elton and Dee Stokes welcome Dr. Rosario Picardo.

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It’s time to Pivot! In episode ten of season four, co-hosts Terri Elton and Dee Stokes welcome this weeks special guest, Dr. Rosario Picardo.

As a first-generation Sicilian American and co-pastor of Mosaic Church in Dayton, Ohio, Dr. Roz shares his experiences and insights on building a diverse and dynamic church community.

From prayerful discernment to community exegesis, he reveals the key elements of empowering lay leaders and creating a transformative church culture.

Tune in to gain these actionable insights that will help guide you on your journey of empowering and transforming your church community:

  • Understand the importance of prayer and how it undergirds every aspect of church planting and fresh expressions.
  • Embrace the art of listening and community exegesis to truly understand the needs and assets of a community.
  • Identify and empower passionate individuals whose eyes are burning with fire for specific areas of ministry.
  • Build teams with complementary strengths and giftings to compensate for each other’s weaknesses.
  • Foster a culture of high expectations and low management, allowing space for creativity and diverse approaches.
  • Recognize the challenges and opportunities of church redevelopment, and be open to experimentation.
  • Create a vision-driven culture that focuses on the vision catchers rather than the vision squelchers.

Listen now and join us in this captivating conversation with Dr. Roz!

Show Notes

Featuring

Rosario Picardo
Rosario Picardo
Pastor and Co-Founder, Mosaic Church, Beavercreek, Ohio

Dr. Rosario “Roz” Picardo is the co-founder of Mosaic Church in Beavercreek, Ohio. He is also an affiliate faculty and professor at United Theological Seminary (Dayton, Ohio). His calling began as a military chaplain, serving four years in the Marine Reserves and five in the Navy Reserves.

Picardo is the author of eight books, including “Dynamite Prayer” and Don’t Look Down.” He is also a speaker, church planter, and coach.  He grew up in western New York as a first-generation Sicilian-American.

In 2003, he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Houghton College and in 2007 a Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary. He graduated with a Doctor of Ministry from United Theological Seminary in 2014 and an MBA in 2021 from Dakota Wesleyan University.

Terri Elton
Dean of Academic Affairs and Professor of Leadership, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota

The Rev. Dr. Terri Martinson Elton began teaching at Luther Seminary as an adjunct instructor in 2004 before becoming the director of the Center for Children, Youth and Family Ministry in 2008. In addition to her continued work with the Center, Elton accepted the position of associate professor of Children, Youth and Family Ministry in 2010 and associate professor of Leadership in 2014.

Prior to her call to Luther Seminary, Elton served as an associate to the bishop in the Saint Paul Area Synod where her responsibilities included working with congregations, leadership development, First Call theological education and youth and family ministry.

Elton holds a B.A. degree in communications from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn. (1986). She earned both her M.A. (1998) and Ph.D. (2007) degrees in Congregational Mission and Leadership from Luther Seminary.

Hosts

Dr. Dee Stokes
Dee Stokes
Entrepreneurial Minister, Educator, Consultant, Author, and Podcaster

Dr. Dee Stokes is an entrepreneurial minister, educator, consultant, author, and podcaster. With 30 years of experience in education, Dr. Stokes understands what it means to be co-vocational and serve God in the Church and in the marketplace.

She has worked at every level of education and has also served as a Senior Pastor, Formation and Connections Pastor, and Teaching Pastor. She has a passion for God and His Church and to see people walk in divine destiny. Her degrees are in Sociology (B.A. from UNC Charlotte), Public Administration (M.P.A. from Devry University), Biblical and Theological Foundations (M.B.T.F. from Asbury Theological Seminary), and Educational Leadership (Ed.S. & Ed.D. from Liberty University). Dr. Stokes’s research interests include Cultural Intelligence, Emotional Intelligence, Burnout, Transformational Leadership, unconscious bias, and spousal responsibility.

Terri Elton
Dean of Academic Affairs and Professor of Leadership, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota

The Rev. Dr. Terri Martinson Elton began teaching at Luther Seminary as an adjunct instructor in 2004 before becoming the director of the Center for Children, Youth and Family Ministry in 2008. In addition to her continued work with the Center, Elton accepted the position of associate professor of Children, Youth and Family Ministry in 2010 and associate professor of Leadership in 2014.

Prior to her call to Luther Seminary, Elton served as an associate to the bishop in the Saint Paul Area Synod where her responsibilities included working with congregations, leadership development, First Call theological education and youth and family ministry.

Elton holds a B.A. degree in communications from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn. (1986). She earned both her M.A. (1998) and Ph.D. (2007) degrees in Congregational Mission and Leadership from Luther Seminary.

About Pivot Podcast

Join us on Pivot Podcast, where we journey beyond church-as-usual to discover how God is reshaping ministry for today’s world.

Each week, we dive into conversations with innovative leaders and practitioners who are navigating four game-changing pivots: shifting from quick fixes to deep listening, from membership to discipleship, from rigid models to creative ministry ecosystems, and from clergy-centered leadership to unleashing everyone’s gifts.

Whether you’re a member of the clergy seeking fresh inspiration or a volunteer stepping into new leadership territory, Pivot Podcast equips you with the insights and practical wisdom to follow Jesus into a faithful future.

Through their work with diverse cohorts of preachers, they’ve discovered that the most compelling sermons aren’t necessarily the most polished – they’re the ones where preachers have learned to listen deeply to both God and their congregations. Learn practical tools for gathering meaningful feedback, understand why vulnerability matters more than ever in preaching, and discover how shifting from evaluation to understanding can deepen your sermon’s impact. Plus, hear why reimagining God’s agency in preaching might be the key to unlocking more powerful proclamation.

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Featuring

Rosario Picardo
Rosario Picardo
Pastor and Co-Founder, Mosaic Church, Beavercreek, Ohio

Dr. Rosario “Roz” Picardo is the co-founder of Mosaic Church in Beavercreek, Ohio. He is also an affiliate faculty and professor at United Theological Seminary (Dayton, Ohio). His calling began as a military chaplain, serving four years in the Marine Reserves and five in the Navy Reserves.

Picardo is the author of eight books, including “Dynamite Prayer” and Don’t Look Down.” He is also a speaker, church planter, and coach.  He grew up in western New York as a first-generation Sicilian-American.

In 2003, he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Houghton College and in 2007 a Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary. He graduated with a Doctor of Ministry from United Theological Seminary in 2014 and an MBA in 2021 from Dakota Wesleyan University.

Terri Elton
Dean of Academic Affairs and Professor of Leadership, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota

The Rev. Dr. Terri Martinson Elton began teaching at Luther Seminary as an adjunct instructor in 2004 before becoming the director of the Center for Children, Youth and Family Ministry in 2008. In addition to her continued work with the Center, Elton accepted the position of associate professor of Children, Youth and Family Ministry in 2010 and associate professor of Leadership in 2014.

Prior to her call to Luther Seminary, Elton served as an associate to the bishop in the Saint Paul Area Synod where her responsibilities included working with congregations, leadership development, First Call theological education and youth and family ministry.

Elton holds a B.A. degree in communications from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn. (1986). She earned both her M.A. (1998) and Ph.D. (2007) degrees in Congregational Mission and Leadership from Luther Seminary.

Hosts

Dr. Dee Stokes
Dee Stokes
Entrepreneurial Minister, Educator, Consultant, Author, and Podcaster

Dr. Dee Stokes is an entrepreneurial minister, educator, consultant, author, and podcaster. With 30 years of experience in education, Dr. Stokes understands what it means to be co-vocational and serve God in the Church and in the marketplace.

She has worked at every level of education and has also served as a Senior Pastor, Formation and Connections Pastor, and Teaching Pastor. She has a passion for God and His Church and to see people walk in divine destiny. Her degrees are in Sociology (B.A. from UNC Charlotte), Public Administration (M.P.A. from Devry University), Biblical and Theological Foundations (M.B.T.F. from Asbury Theological Seminary), and Educational Leadership (Ed.S. & Ed.D. from Liberty University). Dr. Stokes’s research interests include Cultural Intelligence, Emotional Intelligence, Burnout, Transformational Leadership, unconscious bias, and spousal responsibility.

Terri Elton
Dean of Academic Affairs and Professor of Leadership, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota

The Rev. Dr. Terri Martinson Elton began teaching at Luther Seminary as an adjunct instructor in 2004 before becoming the director of the Center for Children, Youth and Family Ministry in 2008. In addition to her continued work with the Center, Elton accepted the position of associate professor of Children, Youth and Family Ministry in 2010 and associate professor of Leadership in 2014.

Prior to her call to Luther Seminary, Elton served as an associate to the bishop in the Saint Paul Area Synod where her responsibilities included working with congregations, leadership development, First Call theological education and youth and family ministry.

Elton holds a B.A. degree in communications from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn. (1986). She earned both her M.A. (1998) and Ph.D. (2007) degrees in Congregational Mission and Leadership from Luther Seminary.