A sane, once-a-day update on today’s essential political news. Chronicling the daily shock and awe since 2017.
…
continue reading
Matt Kiser Podcasts
Fresh Expressions believes any church can reach people who are not yet part of any church. This podcast unravels the complexities of today's local mission field and introduces resources from pastors, practitioners and historic movements adept at proclaiming the Good News inside and outside the inherited Church.
…
continue reading
JonMarc Grodi and his guests address the personal obstacles, doctrinal objections, and the irresistible attraction to the Church Jesus founded 2,000 years ago.
…
continue reading
1
Deacon Matt Halbach - Catholic Revert
1:00:00
1:00:00
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:00:00
Deacon Matt Halbach grew up Catholic but wasn’t very well formed. As a young man, he began to struggle with depression and anxiety, and was even thinking of suicide at one point. In the midst of that, a coworker began to share his Catholic faith, and invited Matt back to Mass. Finally, he agreed to go, and went back to Confession. Everything change…
…
continue reading
Welcome to Season seven of the Fresh Expressions Podcast. I’m your host, Heather Jallad. This season, we’re diving into the streams of Fresh Expressions — from senior adults and recovery ministry, to arts, outdoors, recreation, and more. Each month, you’ll hear directly from practitioners who are navigating these fresh ways of being church in the w…
…
continue reading
1
Joshua & Teresa Mangels - Former Assemblies of God Ministers
1:00:00
1:00:00
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:00:00
After beginning a personal relationship with Jesus as a teenager, Joshua Mangels felt a call to ministry and eventually became an Assemblies of God pastor. As he studied the Church Fathers, he discovered a sacramental worldview that was completely new to him, and he had to know more. Initially, he and his wife hesitated to dig deeper for fear of ri…
…
continue reading
1
Bishop James Conley - Former Baptist and Presbyterian
1:00:00
1:00:00
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:00:00
Bishop James Conley was raised Presbyterian, and studied Applied Humanities at Kansas University in the 1970’s, falling in love with the Great Books. That led him to become Catholic his junior year of college. He traveled Europe for a bit after that, considering a monastic vocation, before following a call to diocesan priesthood, and eventually bec…
…
continue reading
1
Fr. Michael Nixon - Former Hare Krishna
1:00:00
1:00:00
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:00:00
Fr. Michael Nixon was born in Hawaii to parents who were Hare Krishnas. When he was in elementary school, his whole family became Catholic, which was a radical change for him. He began the process of discovery of the Catholic faith among fellow Catholics his age who had known all this stuff from birth, and that perspective as a child discovering Ca…
…
continue reading
1
Fr. Scott Wooten - Former Episcopal Priest
1:00:00
1:00:00
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:00:00
Fr. Scott Wooten grew up firmly Anglican, but attended Catholic school. As he continued toward ordination as an Episcopal priest, he persisted in the belief that the Anglican, Orthodox, and Roman churches were all legitimate branches of the true Catholic Church, so he didn’t feel that there was ever any need for him to become a “Roman” Catholic; he…
…
continue reading
Dr. Matthew Wiseman was raised with strong Baptist roots, and even as a young child, he was constantly reading and studying the Bible. His family attended progressively smaller churches, and even a house church, determined to live the Scriptures as faithfully as possible. Their ongoing study of the Old Testament story led his family toward the Hebr…
…
continue reading
1
Rhonda Gruenewald - Former Agnostic
1:00:00
1:00:00
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:00:00
Rhonda Gruenewald fell in love with the Church through her husband, and went on to found Vocation Ministry, which equips diocese to promote and nurture religious vocations.By Journey Home
…
continue reading
1
A Cross-Atlantic Conversation on Discipleship with Mark Robinson
41:01
41:01
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
41:01
In this special crossover episode between Fresh Expressions North America and Fresh Expressions UK, hosts Mark and Heather dive into a rich conversation on discipleship. Mark shares his journey into the Fresh Expressions movement, while Heather highlights recent work in the Church of England around the Fruitfulness Framework—a research project expl…
…
continue reading
After working on ecumenism initiatives as a Lutheran, Dr. Michael Root’s convictions led him to Catholicism in 2010 where he continues to be an important voice of Christian unity.By Journey Home
…
continue reading
1
Dr. Matthew Levering - Former Quaker
1:00:00
1:00:00
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:00:00
Matthew Levering found himself developing something resembling a Christian worldview through reading Dostoevsky and Walker Percy. This foundation led him to the Catholic Church.By Journey Home
…
continue reading
1
From Hanging Out to Exploring Faith: Discipleship in a Fresh Expression with J.R. Briggs
35:44
35:44
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
35:44
In this episode, Heather and J.R. dive into the challenges and opportunities of discipleship in new forms of church. They explore why so many people get stuck in the “hanging out” phase and how churches can gently and intentionally invite them into deeper faith conversations. J.R. unpacks the importance of both mindset and heartset when approaching…
…
continue reading
1
Keith and Tami Kiser - Former Presbyterians
1:00:00
1:00:00
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:00:00
While studying for ministry as a pastor, Keith Kiser and his wife met Scott Hahn in a Bible study. Shortly after they became Catholic and now lead youth ministry and family camps.By Journey Home
…
continue reading
1
Flourishing Together: Discipleship in a Mixed Ecology with Blair Pogue and Dwight Zcheile
1:01
1:01
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:01
Blair Pogue and Dwight Zscheile didn’t grow up in church—but the church changed their lives. Now, they’re passionate about helping others experience that same transformation. In this episode, they reflect on the crisis of discipleship facing many churches today and how a lack of connection to local neighborhoods is both a symptom and a cause. They …
…
continue reading
1
Fr. Brad Elliot, O.P. - Former Lutheran
1:00:00
1:00:00
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:00:00
Fr. Brad Elliott was raised Lutheran, and pursued formation in music, finding success as a jazz drummer. Feeling compelled by beauty and truth to enter the Catholic Church in 2002, he continued to play drums professionally for a number of years, before feeling a call to pursue a religious vocation. In his discernment process, he felt God calling hi…
…
continue reading
1
Crossing the Discipleship Chasm With Matt Lake
47:18
47:18
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
47:18
Pastor Matt Lake shares his journey of building a discipleship pathway and uncovering unexpected gaps that led to deep self-assessment and growth. In this candid conversation, Matt unpacks how starting Fresh Expressions reshaped his church’s understanding of following Jesus. His story offers both challenge and encouragement to leaders ready to ask …
…
continue reading
Rae-Mi LeRoy was baptized Catholic, but never went to church. She had no experience with any particular faith until college, when she studied world religions and became interested in Buddhism. From there, she became fascinated with Yoga and went on to work as an instructor, but still felt something was missing spiritually, and so she left a career …
…
continue reading
1
Eddie Trask - Catholic Revert, Former Evangelical Protestant
1:00:00
1:00:00
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:00:00
Eddie Trask was raised Catholic, but by college, had fallen away from his faith. When he came back to Christianity, it was through Evangelical and non-denominational congregations, and it was through meeting his wife and going through some significant family struggles together that things really began to turn around. As they began to grow together …
…
continue reading
In this special bonus episode, we celebrate the release of Opening Space, the new book by Shannon Kiser, Director of Fresh Expressions. Shannon shares the inspiration behind the book, drawn from Luke 5, and what it means to "open space" for church in everyday places. You’ll hear real-life stories, reflections from leaders, and an invitation to take…
…
continue reading
1
Christopher O'Keefe - Former Mennonite Pastor
1:00:00
1:00:00
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:00:00
Christopher O’Keefe's faith journey led him to give his life to God in service, working in prison ministry, and eventually becoming an ordained pastor in the Mennonite tradition. However, his desire to find a solid and stable apostolic authority, as well as a doctrine that would not change to accommodate cultural norms, led him to find a home in th…
…
continue reading
1
Discipleship in a World of Wonders with Jessie Horney
44:14
44:14
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
44:14
Who disciples us shapes how we disciple others. In this episode, Jessie Horney and Heather Jallad explore the powerful connection between being discipled and making disciples. Jessie shares the story of launching the Wonder School—a journey that not only transformed her personal approach to disciple-making but also shifted her church’s entire postu…
…
continue reading
1
Justine Callis - Former Evangelical Protestant
1:00:00
1:00:00
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:00:00
Justine Callis was raised in a Christian home, and became a successful gymnast. Her athletic pursuits led her to Arizona, where she plugged into an Evangelical megachurch and her faith began to grow. She also worked in Evangelical campus ministry at Arizona State, where she was coaching. When she met Catholics who were on fire for their faith, it s…
…
continue reading
1
Mike Iversen - Former Evangelical Youth Minister
1:00:00
1:00:00
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:00:00
Mike Iversen came from an Evangelical background, and after getting degrees in English and Earth Science, he felt called to bring his skills to youth ministry, going on to get an M.A. in Theology from Fuller Seminary. During his studies, he also spent many years working with Young Life. His study of apologetics, Church history, and more helped him …
…
continue reading
1
The Adventure of Discipleship with Jessie Cruickshank
47:56
47:56
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
47:56
Discipleship doesn’t start in a classroom—it starts in the wild. Jessie Cruickshank shares how our brains are wired for experiential learning and how the most powerful discipleship often happens through story, movement, and Holy Spirit-led moments on the go. In this episode, we explore why God invites us to learn through real-life experiences and h…
…
continue reading
1
Fr. Andrew Crabtree - Former Evangelical Protestant
1:00:00
1:00:00
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:00:00
Fr. Andrew Crabtree grew up Baptist, but got involved in more nondenominational congregations as a young man. He began touring as a Christian musician, having radio success with his band "Calling Glory." His experience of playing concerts in different denominations got him thinking about the divisions in Christianity, and he began to long for Chris…
…
continue reading
1
Fr. Scott Woods - Former Evangelical Protestant
1:00:00
1:00:00
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:00:00
Fr. Scott Woods’ family wasn’t Catholic, but because they sent him to Catholic school, he developed some strong associations with Catholicism, and especially the priesthood. He began telling everyone that he wanted to be a priest, even though he wasn’t yet a Catholic. He began attending daily Mass in high school, and his parents, seeing that he was…
…
continue reading
1
Discipleship in Twelve Steps with Rosario Picardo
39:44
39:44
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
39:44
Roz shares how the 12 Steps and the way of Jesus intersect in powerful ways—through confession, reconciliation, and the deep recognition that we can’t save ourselves. In this episode, you’ll hear how Roz’s personal journey with recovery has transformed his ministry, reshaped his church, and led to authentic connections with the recovery community. …
…
continue reading
1
Rhonda Ortiz - Former Evangelical Protestant
1:00:00
1:00:00
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:00:00
Rhonda Ortiz had roots in Evangelical experience, including some in Pentecostalism, but a search for a Christian home during her college years led her to begin exploring the Catholic Faith. Her love for and study of the “Great Books” of history helped further point her toward Catholic ideas, and meeting her husband, who was going through the same k…
…
continue reading
Anne shares how a quick pivot during the pandemic became a global digital community where people are finding connection and experiencing daily discipleship. In this episode, you’ll hear the story of unexpected innovation, the challenges of digital ministry, and how the Spirit is forming authentic faith communities—even online. Whether you're explor…
…
continue reading
1
Ashley Stinnett - Former Evangelical Protestant
1:00:00
1:00:00
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:00:00
Ashley Stinnett attended numerous Evangelical congregations growing up, and even explored RCIA in the early 2000’s before dropping out due to family medical reasons. His wife was the daughter of a Protestant minister, and when COVID hit, it caused them both to completely re-evaluate questions about authority and Christian unity, and the purpose of …
…
continue reading
