Ministry Trends

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EPISODE 29

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EPISODE 29

“Financial Fraud And The Future Of Global Christianity” w/ Gina Zurlo

“People trust pastors to handle their money and assume that everything is okay. It’s not.” Gina Zurlo

By the year 2025, as much as $100 Billion per year in Christian-donated dollars will be lost due to embezzlement, estimates Gordon-Conwell’s Center for the Study of Global Christianity. The Center’s co-director is Gina Zurlo, who, along with co-authoring The World Christian Encyclopedia, was named among BBC’s 100 most influential and inspiring women of 2019.

In this paradigm-shifting episode, hear Gina share about:
• The Pros And Cons of Entrepreneurial Christianity
• Practical Ideas For Relationship Across Faith Backgrounds
• The Biggest Trends Shaping The Future Of Christianity

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EPISODE 28

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EPISODE 28

“The Myth Of ‘Organic’ Diversity” w/ Patrick Chappell

“People want diversity to happen organically, but sometimes you have to be intentional on the way to organic.” Patrick Chappell

Growing up Black in the South, Patrick Chappell attended both predominantly Black and White churches and often felt like an outsider in each. But his pain led him to his purpose: creating grace-filled spaces for diverse relationships and intentional conversations.

Learn from Patrick’s story and expertise on the following topics:
• How he survived a childhood of physical abuse and deep-seated racism
• Why leaders must proactively pursue those on the fringes
• How intentional, encouraging words can overcome fear and division

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EPISODE 27

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EPISODE 27

“Rethinking Urban Church Planting” w/ NYC’s Ricky Ortiz

“If you want to change a society then you have to tell an alternative story.”

NYC-native Ricky Ortiz had a heart to reach his city, but knew that traditional church planting financial models would prove difficult in the high-cost Big Apple. A few years later, Ricky’s thriving Meta Church serves as inspiration for church planters across the US. In this episode, hear Ricky share the strategic steps he’s taken to develop socioeconomic diversity and financial sustainability in an urban context.

Hear Ricky’s wisdom on topics like:

• Inspiring A Shared Vision In Your Local Church

• Why He’s Okay With Members Missing Sunday Morning

• Tips For Reducing Your Church’s Tithe Dependency

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EPISODE 26

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EPISODE 26

“Data And Diversity: A Call To Dig Deeper” w/ Barna Group’s Brooke Hempell

“Averages only tell the average story. They don’t tell a minority’s story.” Brooke Hempell

As the Senior Vice President of Research at Barna Group, Brooke Hempell and her team have interviewed thousands of leaders across America about issues of faith and culture. Yet some of her most meaningful insights have come from pursuing racial reconciliation and church planting in her hometown of Atlanta.

In this episode, hear Brooke share trusted insight including:
• Common Misperceptions About Economic And Racial Realities
• How Millennial and Gen-Z Voices Are Challenging The Status Quo 
• Surprising Data About The Power Of Diverse Worship Music