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Pivot Podcast

About Pivot Podcast

Over the past few years, church leaders have been forced to respond to several global crises in the blink of an eye. In a moment with little information and lots of uncertainty, churches reinvented nearly every aspect of church.

Season 5 of the Pivot podcast explores the changing landscape of the church. Our co-hosts will dig into difficult questions that faith leaders are asking now, and provide an understanding of the deeper cultural shifts that account for the unraveling of inherited models of church.  What are the four key pivots that today's church must make? New episodes post weekly on Thursdays.

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Podcast Season Sort

#111: MLK’s Beloved Community: Your Church’s Guide Through Divided Times

January 16, 2025

Rev. Dr. Willis Johnson's practical wisdom helps church leaders explore hope, justice, and spiritual formation amid division.

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#110: How to Write a Sermon: Moving from Task to Sacred Practice

January 9, 2025

Discover a transformative approach to how to write a sermon with the Rev. Dr. Lisa Cressman, founder of Backstory Preaching.

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#109: Ministry Education in Crisis? Why Seminary Leaders Are Actually Hopeful

January 2, 2025

In this episode of the Pivot Podcast, Luther Seminary President, the Rev. Dr. Robin Steinke, shares how theological education is evolving.

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#108: Advent Hope: A Gift We Receive with Rolf Jacobson

December 19, 2024

Where does Advent hope truly come from? In this special reflection, Professor Rolf Jacobson of Luther Seminary shares how hope isn't something we manufacture but a gift we receive from God.

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#107: Church Leadership Q&A: How to Lead Change When Your Congregation Resists

December 12, 2024

Alicia Granholm, Dwight Zscheile, and Terri Elton address listener-submitted questions about navigating resistance, fostering trust, and discerning God's will in church leadership today

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#106: Beer Church and Beyond: Creating Spiritual Community in Breweries, Parks, and Public Spaces

December 5, 2024

Discover how Beer Church and Trail Church redefine spiritual community in everyday spaces with Bryan Willkom of Jesus Fit.

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#105: Reclaiming Advent — Simple Church Activities for Sacred Presence

November 26, 2024

Rev. Dr. Steve Thomason shares how to simplify Advent with art, stillness, and meaningful spiritual practices.

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#104: Can the West Be Converted?

November 21, 2024

Discover how to move beyond quick fixes and embrace a deeper transformation in your church with Dr. Michael Goheen.

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#103: Church Community Building: How a Café Created a Church

November 14, 2024

Learn practical, inspiring strategies for authentic church community building from scratch with guest Fiona Mayne.

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#102: Political Theology Reimagined: Dr. Joel Lawrence on “Sabbath Politics” in a Polarized World

November 7, 2024

Dr. Joel Lawrence introduces "Sabbath politics" on the Pivot Podcast, guiding church leaders to foster unity and trust in God amid political division.

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#101: Reformation Day Wisdom for the 21st Century Church

October 31, 2024

Commemorate Reformation Day by exploring how Martin Luther's revolutionary insights can transform your ministry!

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#100: Church Planting Reimagined: Nick Warnes on Discernment, Adaptability, and Inclusive Leadership

October 24, 2024

Discover the future of church planting with Nick Warnes, founder of Cyclical Incorporated, in this insightful episode of the Pivot Podcast.

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Meet Your Hosts

  • Dr. Dwight Zscheile

    Dr. Dwight Zscheile is vice president of innovation and professor of congregational mission and leadership at Luther Seminary. His latest book is Leading Faithful Innovation: Following God into a Hopeful Future (with Michael Binder and Tessa Pinkstaff, Fortress Press, 2023).

  • Terri Elton

    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.

    Before her work in the synod, she served at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Burnsville, Minn. for 16 years. While at Prince of Peace she worked in various roles within children, youth and family ministries, as well as served as the director of Changing Church Forum, an outreach ministry of Prince of Peace. She also authored To Know, To Live, To Grow, a confirmation curriculum, and co-authored What Really Matters, a book for congregational leaders, with the Rev. Mike Foss.

    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.

    Elton’s research and teaching interests include: congregational leadership, leading in the midst of change and conflict, helping ministry leaders craft a missional ecclesiology with an eye toward the First Third of Life, awakening a vibrant theology of baptism and vocation and reimagining faith and mission practices for children, youth, young adults and their families.

    Elton is a member of the Academy of Religious Leadership, the Association of Youth Ministry Educators, the ELCA Youth Ministry Network and the American Society of Missiology and is on the board for Real Resources. Elton spends much of her time working with congregations and congregational leaders and seeks out opportunities for enhancing ministry with those in the First Third of Life within the ELCA.

  • Dr. Alicia Granholm

    Alicia Granholm is senior director of Faith+Lead and a leadership and church consultant based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. She helps pastors and leaders engage culture to make a lasting impact. For nearly two decades, she has trained, equipped, and empowered followers of Jesus to engage their local communities by contextualizing the Gospel and its application. Alicia compassionately crosses cultural boundaries having lived, studied, traveled, and served in 25 countries on six continents. Alicia has a Doctor of Strategic Leadership, Global Consulting (Regent University), MDiv (Bethel Seminary), and MA in Teaching (University of St. Thomas).

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