Church and Main

Episode 98: How to Grow Your Church with Tracy Barnowe

Back in February, I was blessed to have the Rev. Tracey Barnowe on the podcast. Tracey is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and she has made it her mission to help congregations grow by using time-tested and simple methods that can help a congregation grow. When I had her on the podcast in February we had a ton of technical difficulties and I promised to have to her back for a longer interview. Well, this is that interview. If you didn’t hear the February interview, the link is in the show notes.How to Grow Your Church websiteFebruary's interview with TracyLike what you hear? Leave a tip.Join the mailing listwebsite: enroutepodcast.orgLeave a Review: https://ratethispodcast.com/churchandmainEmail: hello@enroutepodcast.org J6dh7gaFzM4XSzDVQEAc Get full access to Church and Main at churchandmain.substack.com/subscribe

Episode 97: Liberalism and the Church with David Watson

Today, we are going to talk about liberalism. That doesn’t mean we are talking about the Democratic party. No, instead we are talking about what has been called “classical liberalism,” which today’s guest describes as “the notion of universal human dignity.” David Watson joins the show today to talk about classical liberalism in the life of the church and the rise of postmodern liberalism, how it is different from classical liberalism and how it can influence the church.On Liberalisms by David WatsonLike what you hear? Leave a tip.Join the mailing listwebsite: enroutepodcast.orgLeave a Review: https://ratethispodcast.com/churchandmainEmail: hello@enroutepodcast.orgq2dJWUdQUHgP9sBaZzov Get full access to Church and Main at churchandmain.substack.com/subscribe

Episode 96: Narratives-Bad Stewardship Killed Sears and KMart

An experiment: Dennis reads from a recent essay on business and stewardship.Consider supporting EnRoute. Your donations help me continue to produce good content on religion and public affairs. Thanks in advance for your generosity!Leave a tip or become a member Join the mailing list Show Notes:Bad Stewardship Killed Sears and Kmart website: enroutepodcast.orgLeave a Review: https://ratethispodcast.com/churchandmainEmail: hello@enroutepodcast.org Get full access to Church and Main at churchandmain.substack.com/subscribe

Episode 95: After Uvalde

In this special solo episode, Dennis briefly reflects on the horrific school shootings in Uvalde, TX and what it says about American society. Get full access to Church and Main at churchandmain.substack.com/subscribe

Episode 94: Andrew Donaldson on the SBC Leadership Report

Andrew Donaldson returns to talk about the Southern Baptist Convention Leadership Report on Sexual Abuse and what it means for the SBC, survivors and the wider evangelical community.Like what you hear? Leave a tip. Guidepost Solutions Report on the SBC Executive CommitteeSouthern Baptist Convention Horror by David FrenchThis is the Southern Baptist Apocalypse by Russell MooreEarlier En Route podcast on the 2021 Annual Meeting with AndrewHeard Tell Episode on Abuse with Jennifer Greenberg website: enroutepodcast.orgLeave a Review: https://ratethispodcast.com/churchandmainEmail: reverendpodcast@gmail.com Get full access to Church and Main at churchandmain.substack.com/subscribe

Episode 93: Ryan Panzer on the Digital Reformation

Like it or not, technology, including social media is here with us to stay. The question is how do we use it, especially faith communities? How does online worship help the wider church? How do we use Facebook and Instagram in creative ways that reach out to both near and far?Today's guest is Ryan Panzer. Panzer is a learning and leadership development professional in the technology industry and a speaker and consultant on technology for ministry. A student of digital media and its influence on our lives, he often writes and speaks about the intersection of faith and technology. He wrote Grace and Gigabytes: Being a Church in a Tech-Shaped Culture and due this fall is The The Holy and the Hybrid: Navigating the Church's Digital Reformation. We talk about the good and bad of social media and how churches are moving towards a hybrid model of ministry. Get full access to Church and Main at churchandmain.substack.com/subscribe

Episode 92: Being United Methodist In a Time of Schism

On May 1, a new denomination launched. The Global Methodist Church started, splitting off from the United Methodist Church. The split was the result of years if not decades of fighting over the issue of homosexuality.For this episode, I look at this from the standpoint of a United Methodist pastor on the ground as events happened. I decided to chat with the Reverend Joe Tognetti. Joe has been the pastor of First United Methodist Church in Rio City, Texas and will soon be the pastor of St. Mark United Methodist in McAllen, TX. We try to understand what’s happening in the United Methodist Church and it's future.Like what you hear? Leave a tip. Join the mailing list: https://dennissanders.substack.com/Show Notes:Seven Reasons Why I Love The United Methodist Church Bishop Ruben Saez Jr Shares Why He is Choosing to #BeUMC Global Methodist Church website website: enroutepodcast.orgLeave a Review: https://ratethispodcast.com/churchandmainEmail: reverendpodcast@gmail.comFacebookTwitter Get full access to Church and Main at churchandmain.substack.com/subscribe

Episode 91: Abortion: What Does the Lord Require with Frederick Schmidt

In 1973 the Supreme Court voted 7-2 in favor of abortion rights nationwide. This began a nearly 50-year battle on the issue of abortion rights. Last week, a someone leak a draft opinion written in February that appeared to overturn Roe v. Wade. This would send the issue of abortion to the states where a number of states are already crafting legislation that would either radically expand abortion rights, or dramatically restrict abortion.Where does the church stand in the midst of this? In part two of my conversation with Episcopal Priest and writer Frederick Schmidt, we chat about how the church shouldn’t rely solely on the law, moving from what’s legal to what’s moral when it comes to women and the unborn.Schmidt is currently the Vice-Rector of Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Nashville. He is an Episcopal Priest, spiritual director, retreat facilitator, conference leader, writer, and academic. This is the second part of a two part interview with Schmidt.  A Dude Talks About Abortion (my take on abortion)If Roe Is Overturned, Where Should the Pro-Life Movement Go Next?Like what you hear? Leave a tip. Join the mailing list: https://dennissanders.substack.com/website: enroutepodcast.orgLeave a Review: https://ratethispodcast.com/churchandmainEmail: reverendpodcast@gmail.comFacebookTwitterYouTube Get full access to Church and Main at churchandmain.substack.com/subscribe

Episode 90: The ”Opposite Problem” in Mainline Protestantism with Frederick Schmidt

The General Convention of the Episcopal Church will consider an important proposal this summer. The measure proposed by the Diocese of Northern California would repeal canon law that requires those who receive communion must be baptized. “We believe that all the people are God’s people, so it’s not just the gifts of God for just baptized people,” said Martin Heatlie, speaking in favor of the resolution.Hospitality and inclusion are the values that are pushing the resolution. Those are two important values, but is that enough? Baptism and communion have been tied together since the early church. Does it matter if they become decoupled? Would the nature of communion and baptism change if they are split apart?Today, I welcome back Frederick Schmidt to the podcast. Schmidt is currently the Vice-Rector of Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Nashville. He is an Episcopal Priest, spiritual director, retreat facilitator, conference leader, writer, and academic. In this interview we talk about the theology behind baptism and communion as well as Mainline Protestantism's obsession with countering fundamentalism.This is part one of a two-part episode. In the second part, I talk with Fred about abortion in light of the leak of a draft opinion from the Supreme Court that could overturn Roe v. Wade.General Convention to consider proposal to end Episcopal Church’s baptism requirement for CommunionBaptism and Communion (2012 debate on the issue)Frederick Schmidt’s BlogConfronting the Progressive Obsession with FundamentalismLeave a tip: https://www.tipsmack.com/artist/tipjar/qzuq1Join the mailing list: https://dennissanders.substack.com/website: enroutepodcast.orgLeave a Review: https://ratethispodcast.com/churchandmainEmail: reverendpodcast@gmail.comFacebookTwitterYouTube Get full access to Church and Main at churchandmain.substack.com/subscribe

Episode 89: Is There Hope for Liberal Christianity with Geoff Mitchell (Rewind)

This interview originally aired in July 2021.In the 1950s, Mainline Protestants were the largest group of Protestants in the United States. Since then, the churches have seen a decline and their footprint in American culture has shrunk. Some people think this tradition is doomed and will die in a few decades.We talked to Geoff Mitchell, Senior Pastor of Lindenwood Christian Church in Memphis, TN and ask, is that really the story? Is the Mainline tradition worth saving? What caused the decline and what could bring about a renaissance?Lindenwood Christian Church websiteWhat I need is Jesus.Confronting the Progressive Obsession with FundamentalismGrumpy Old MenPreaching As Truth TellingLeave a tip: https://www.tipsmack.com/artist/tipjar/qzuq1Join the mailing list: https://dennissanders.substack.com/website: enroutepodcast.orgLeave a Review: https://ratethispodcast.com/churchandmainEmail: reverendpodcast@gmail.comFacebookTwitterYouTube Get full access to Church and Main at churchandmain.substack.com/subscribe