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Live from the Siburt Institute

Education Podcasts

Vibrant conversations between ministers, church leaders, and scholars, brought to you by the staff of the Siburt Institute for Church Ministry at Abilene Christian University. The Siburt Institute’s mission is to equip church leaders and help churches thrive. Topics include contemporary issues facing churches and church leaders, as well as ways that scholarship can inform church leadership.

Location:

United States

Description:

Vibrant conversations between ministers, church leaders, and scholars, brought to you by the staff of the Siburt Institute for Church Ministry at Abilene Christian University. The Siburt Institute’s mission is to equip church leaders and help churches thrive. Topics include contemporary issues facing churches and church leaders, as well as ways that scholarship can inform church leadership.

Language:

English


Episodes
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Jeremy Marshall: Embracing Neurodiversity in the Church

1/14/2026
Jennifer Schroeder and Jeremy Marshall explore what it looks like for the church to truly embrace neurodiversity. By naming common ministry practices that are unintentionally exclusive, churches can reimagine ministry and become spaces of belonging, safety, and dignity for people with neurodivergence. Drawing on Jeremy's ministry experience, this conversation offers practical wisdom for cultivating a church where everyone is welcomed and valued.

Duration:00:43:23

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Wilson McCoy: Implementing Intergenerational Ministry in Our Churches

12/17/2025
Jennifer Schroeder and Wilson McCoy talk about intergenerational ministry on a congregational level, the benefits Wilson has witnessed through his research, and practical ways to shift into ministry that includes people of all ages. In this podcast, Wilson helps define and differentiate between multigenerational ministry and intergenerational ministry and gives insight to what flourishing intergenerational churches can look like. Wilson’s Book: www.amazon.com/Imagining-All-Generations-Renewed-Intergenerational/dp/1684263433 Website: www.drwilsonmccoy.com/

Duration:00:46:31

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Emily McGowin: Households of Faith

12/4/2025
Jennifer Schroeder and Emily McGowin talk about her book, Households of Faith, and her work on reimagining what a family can look like in the church. Growing up in a non-traditional household, she is passionate about changing our perspective of the church’s definition of “family.” Dr. McGowin shares the importance of changing our view of family in the church and at home in order to create a more unified and God-reflecting community.

Duration:00:32:44

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Dudley Chancey: Keep Faith Alive

11/13/2025
Carson Reed talks with Dudley Chancey and discuss Chancey’s new book, Keep Faith Alive: Grandparents and a Godly Legacy. The discussion will focus on the importance of intentionally telling every generation about the story of the great things that God has done and is doing in our world. Chancey will provide actionable steps for passing the faith along to other generations. This podcast is a part of our Intersection Webinars. You can listen here or head to our YouTube channel to watch the full webinar recording.

Duration:00:58:46

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Beth Newman: Living the Liturgy

10/16/2025
Myles Werntz talks with Beth Newman about her work and passions of church unity and incorporating liturgy into non-liturgical communities. They discuss her work in wanting to bring unity with Baptists and other Christian communities as well as her book, Living the Liturgy, which was influenced by her background working with Catholic, Presbyterian, and Methodist institutions.

Duration:00:39:56

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Wes Crawford: Monumental Acts of Courage

10/8/2025
Carson Reed talks with Wes Crawford about his new book,Courage in the Sheer Silence: Challenging Racism in 20th Century Churches of Christ. The two discuss 20th-century church leaders and their response to racially motivated social injustice in their day. Explore with them how the lessons of the past can inform the future work of the church. This podcast is a part of our Intersection Webinars. You can listen here or head to our YouTube channel to watch the full webinar recording.

Duration:01:01:26

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Jesse Rincones: Connecting Hispanic Baptist Churches Across Texas

9/17/2025
Myles Werntz talks with Jesse Rincones about his journey from studying engineering to law school and now his ministry at the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas. Jesse talks about the various initiatives they do within the convention for the Hispanic community in the San Antonio area.

Duration:00:34:28

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Mimi Larson and Lindsey Goetz: Creating an Inclusive Space for Children in the Faith Community

9/4/2025
Jennifer Schroeder talks with Mimi Larson and Lindsey Goetz about the intentional inclusion of children in the faith community. The three discuss ways to invite children to be an active part of the faith community in a way that is counter-cultural to most churches. See below for the website and resources discussed in the conversation. Website: faithandchildren.org Books: Faithful Presence by Dave Fitch Bridging Theory and Practice in Children's Spirituality by Mimi Larson and Robert Keeley Podcasts: What We've Learned about Kids and Worship - This is the first post in the three-part series by Mimi. The other two posts are linked in this post. The Child in Our Midst (This is the podcast from the Center for Faith and Children.) Pew Card: 4 Simple Ways to Help Kids Access Worship

Duration:00:35:30

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Greg Dowell, Mic Biesboer, and Gabby Brandner: Navigating New Minister Transition

8/22/2025
Jennifer Schroeder talks with Greg Dowell (executive minister), Mic Biesboer (senior minister), and Gabby Brandner (children's minister), from Central Church of Christ in Amarillo, TX, about their experience with helping new ministers transition well into their role at a church. This episode explores intentional choices that Central made throughout the process with insight into both the challenges and blessings that come with introducing a new staff member into a church. You can contact our guests at www.amarillocentral.org.

Duration:00:53:56

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Sarah Holmes: The Importance of Grandparents in Faith Formation

7/11/2025
Jennifer Schroeder talks with Sarah Holmes about the important role grandparents play in the faith journey of their family. Dr. Holmes helps us think about ways churches can empower grandparents and grandparent-figures to play an active part in the spiritual lives of their grandchildren and the younger generations within their churches. You can access her published resources at https://cym.ac.uk

Duration:00:33:59

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Are Young Adults Really Done with Faith?: Falon Barton and Rachel Collins

6/25/2025
Jennifer Schroeder talks with Falon Barton and Rachel Collins about their experiences in ministry with emerging adults, their research of the "dones," and how these two conversations converge to shape how we think of young adult ministry and the church. Their insight provides church leaders with innovative ways to walk alongside emerging adults as they build or rebuild their spiritual lives. Barton and Collins published two articles on their research in Volume 11 Issue 1 of Discernment. Read the articles here: digitalcommons.acu.edu/discernment/vol11/iss1/

Duration:00:45:35

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Ellen Di Giosia: Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

4/30/2025
Myles Werntz talks with Ellen Di Giosia about her role as the Coordinator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) of Texas. They help the audience get acquainted with what CBF is and how they can utilize its resources. Ellen shared the future goals of CBF and how you can partner with them either in Texas or in your home state.

Duration:00:29:42

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Heather Gorman and Mark Nelson: Lunchroom Theology

4/16/2025
Carson Reed talks with Heather Gorman and Mark Nelson about their new book, Lunchroom Theology: Pushing Tables Together in a Fractured World. In this podcast, Heather and Mark discuss the theological and sociological origins of the polarization we’re experiencing and then examine how Jesus and the earliest Christians help us think faithfully and creatively about how to push tables together in our fractured world. This podcast is a part of our Intersection Webinars. You can listen here or head to our YouTube channel to watch the full webinar recording.

Duration:01:02:54

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Samjung Kang-Hamilton and Mark Hamilton: Being Formed by the Bible

2/26/2025
In this podcast, Carson Reed talks with Samjung Kang-Hamilton and Mark Hamilton about their new book, Story, Ritual, Prophecy, and Wisdom, as well as offer insight and practical wisdom to the ways that narratives, practices, and forthright speech give rise to healthy, living communities of faith that demonstrate wisdom. This podcast is a part of our Intersection Webinars. You can listen here or head to our YouTube channel to watch the full webinar recording.

Duration:01:03:31

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A Journey Through Deconstruction and Reconstruction

2/19/2025
In this episode, Myles Werntz and Ian Harber have a vulnerable conversation about his personal faith journey. Ian discusses his home life growing up, the many losses he has faced, and how the grief in his life affected his walk with God. Through his deconstruction and reconstruction process, Ian Harber discusses his experience with faith deconstruction and how he navigated through this hardship.

Duration:00:40:26

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Dan Bouchelle: Learning from the Global Church

1/22/2025
Dr. Carson Reed talks with Dr. Dan Bouchelle in the January Intersection webinar. Dan discusses his work with the Mission Resource Network and how we might we learn from brothers and sisters in other parts of the world. This podcast is a part of our Intersection Webinars. You can listen here or head to our YouTube channel to watch the full webinar recording.

Duration:00:58:28

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Richard Beck: The Shape of Joy

1/2/2025
Myles Werntz talks with Richard Beck about his book, "The Shape of Joy." In this episode, Richard delves into the concepts of joy and self-esteem and their intersection with ministry.

Duration:00:38:38

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Brad East: Moving from Milk to Meat: Catechesis for a Digital Generation

12/11/2024
Join the conversation with Brad East as he discusses ways to minister to those who have left the church, the half-churched. In our generation of living online, Dr. East guides us through the difficulties of sharing the gospel to the Digital Generation. This podcast is a part of our Intersection Webinars. You can listen here or head to our YouTube channel to watch the full webinar recording.

Duration:01:01:30

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Steve Bezner: Embodying the Culture of the Sermon on the Mount

11/26/2024
Myles Werntz and Steve Bezner discuss the topics within Dr. Bezner’s newest book, Jesus is Too American. In this conversation, Steve talks about his journey of leading his Houston church through a sermon series that calls us to lean more into Jesus’ teachings from the Sermon on the Mount and embody the culture that Jesus calls us to.

Duration:00:31:46

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Suzie Macaluso: Who are These People? Researching Churches of Christ Today

11/13/2024
Listen to the conversation with Suzie Macaluso about the Church Research Council. Christianity is in decline in the United States today, and so many changes are occurring in our culture as well. However, researchers are at work seeking to learn about what is happening in Churches of Christ. In this Intersection webinar, Dr. Suzie Macaluso will give an overview of cultural and sociological trends as well as tell us about this new research group that is forming to learn about congregations in Churches of Christ in terms of demographics, practices, and other sociological factors. This podcast is a part of our Intersection Webinars. You can listen here or head to our YouTube channel to watch the full webinar recording.

Duration:00:59:09