Mockingbirds And Mariners

On this podcast you will hear from Mark Waltz. Mark is a sought-after trainer, consultant and coach. Churches from England, Canada and across the U.S. have taken their teams and ministry to new levels of hospitality and care through Mark’s practical training. Mark is the author of three books: First Impressions: Creating Wow Experiences in Your Church, Lasting Impressions: From Visiting to Belonging and How to Wow: 101 Meaningful Ways to Make a First Impression. Mark most recently served as a pastor at Granger Community Church where he led in various leadership roles over 18 years . His nearly two decades of leadership included connections, volunteer strategies, care ministries and executive leadership. During our time together Mark shares his story and his passion to connect broken people to God’s unconditional love, hope and healing.

On this podcast you will hear from Kristi Wells. Kristi is Chief Executive Officer at Safe House Project, an organization with a vision to support safe houses that provide refuge for victims of sex trafficking. During our time together Kristi shares her story and gives insight into how human trafficking looks different than we might suspect. So sit back, listen, agree, disagree, and hopefully learn something along way.

On this podcast you’ll hear from Brian Sanders. Brian is executive director of Underground Network, a coalition of churches in Tampa, Florida united by a call to biblical justice and love for the poor. He holds a degree in applied theology from Spurgeon’s College, London where he saw what it would take for a church to become a source of life to a community. During our time together Brian shares his story and how living a cruciform life changes everything. Sit back and listen, agree, disagree, and learn something along the way!

On this podcast you will hear from Adam Phillips. Adam is pastor of Christ Church: Portland, an open, active, and inclusive Christ-centered community in Portland, Ore. He has served in community development and advocacy initiatives with the ONE Campaign, World Vision, Micah Challenge, Bread for the World, One Days Wages, and Oasis. A graduate of North Park Seminary and The Ohio State University, Adam grew up in the Evangelical Covenant Church. Only a year into their new church plant, the Covenant church severed ties with Christ Church, cutting two-years of promised funding over LGBTQ inclusion matters. In 2010, Adam was a delegate to the Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization in Cape Town, South Africa. He is married to Sarah Phillips, an educator. During our time together Adam shares his story and gives insight into how our interpretation of the bible directly impacts our engagement with people. So sit back, listen, agree, disagree, and hopefully learn something along way.

On this podcast you will hear from Christiana Rice. Christiana is an on-the ground practitioner and visionary voice in the missional movement, serving as a coach and trainer with Thresholds, a community of player-coaches who help people create spaces of discovery and communities of transformation. She leads a neighborhood faith community in San Diego. Christiana grew up in Tokyo, Japan, the daughter and granddaughter of missionaries to that country. Whether teaching and coaching global leaders, engaging the deeper spiritual longings of her neighbors, or embracing the sacred mundane of daily life with her family and her community, Christiana seeks participate in God's restorative mission in all things. During our time together Christiana shares with us about how God gives birth to the church and his kingdom and how followers of Jesus act as the midwife celebrating the arrival of new life.

Darren Calhoun is a justice advocate, worship leader, and photographer based out of Chicago. He works to bridge connections between people of differing perspectives through story and relationship. Intersectionality is his primary lens when facilitating dialogue and education about justice and inclusion for people marginalized based on race, gender, and/or sexuality. During our time together during shares his story and talks about his journey of faith. So sit back listen agree, disagree and hopefully learn something along the way.

On this podcast you will hear from Jay Harris. Jay can routinely be found on a corner in downtown Jacksonville meeting with anyone, whether it's the mailman, a homeless person, or fellow business owners. Jay enjoys spending time with his wife, Alanna, and their 9 children... yes, 9. He is an entrepreneur, fashion designer, artist, and pastor. From 2011 - 2014 he owned a Clothing Boutique in the heart of downtown Jacksonville named after his streetwear brand, Strght & Nrrw. This boutique was more than just a clothing store and became a missional outpost for the lost and hurting. During this podcast Jay talks about his transition from retail store owner to lead pastor of The Ville Church located in the Springfield neighborhood of Jacksonville, Florida. There, he is focused on his church family, pursuing racial reconciliation in his city and in the church, community development, as well as training and encouraging others to mentor and volunteer in their community and local schools. So sit back, listen, agr

On this podcast you will hear from Heather Williams. Heather is an American Christian Contemporary-Rock-Soul-Worship singer-songwriter born and raised in Dearborn, Michigan. In 2011 Williams released the album entitled This Time Around, her first full-length studio album that was with the record label Fair Trade Services. Her song Hallelujah peaked charts while sharing her story of loss and hope. During our time together Heather shares her story and how stepping into a life of creating music and art has brought redemption and life. So sit back, listen, agree, disagree, and hopefully learn something along way.

On this podcast you will hear from Jin S. Kim. Jin is founding pastor of Church of All Nations and founder of Underground Seminary. He grew up in the deep South after emigrating from Korea with his family at age 7. He went to Georgia Tech, Princeton Seminary, has a DMin from Columbia Seminary, and has loved serving the local church as a pastor for 25 years. He's also a PCUSA coach for church planters and young pastors, adjunct professor at Dubuque Seminary, and speaks widely. Jin is passionate about justice, ecumenical unity, and living into a post-imperial church. During our time together Jin shares his story and explores the long history of racism in the church and how churches with diversity and ethnicity can empower each other to deconstruct the roots of racism. So sit back, listen, agree, disagree, and hopefully learn something along way.

On this podcast you will hear from Brad Brisco. Brad is currently the Director of Bivocational Church Planting for the North American Mission Board. He holds a doctorate in the area of missional ecclesiology and serves on the National Leadership team for Forge America Mission Training Network. Brad is the co-author of Missional Essentials, a twelve-week small group study guide, The Missional Quest: Becoming a Church of the Long Run, and Next Door As It Is In Heaven. He blogs regularly at missionalchurchnetwork.com During our time together Brad shares his story and focuses in on the idea of aligning your marketplace calling & the mission of God. So sit back, listen, agree, disagree, and hopefully learn something along way.

On this podcast you will hear from Caesar Kalinowski. Caesar is a spiritual entrepreneur, avid storyteller, and coach who has helped numerous church planters start, grow and multiply new churches. He is one of the founders of Soma Communities and currently writes and coaches full-time. Caesar authored the best selling The Gospel Primer and Transformed: A New Way of Being Christian. His latest book, Bigger Gospel was recently published by Missio Publishing. During our time together Caesar shares his story and how our unique identity in Christ influences everything aspect of our life. So sit back, listen, agree, disagree, and hopefully learn something along way. Want to find out more about Caesar? Check out https://www.caesarkalinowski.com

On this podcast you will hear from Milena McMurrin. Milena serves as bi-vocational missionary in downtown Orlando and is a student at Asbury Theological Seminary. During our time together we’ll discuss how her experience being married to a local pastor has led to a deconstruction of her faith and re-evaluation of what it means to be called to ministry, to be the church, and to follow Jesus. So sit back, listen, agree, disagree, and hopefully learn something along way.

On this podcast you’ll hear from Mandy Smith. Mandy is lead pastor of University Christian Church, a campus and neighborhood congregation with its own fair-trade café in Cincinnati, Ohio and is the author of Making a Mess and Meeting God, and The Vulnerable Pastor. During our time together she shares openly about your journey as a woman in Christian leadership and gives us powerful insight into restoring hope in post-modern mission. So sit back, listen, agree, disagree, and hopefully learn something along way. Want to learn more about Mandy? Check out these links... Church: http://www.universitychristianchurch.net/ Missio Alliance: http://www.missioalliance.org/author/mandysmith/ Book: http://www.ivpress.com/cgi-ivpress/book.pl/code=4123

On this podcast you will hear from Legin. Legin is a hip hop and spoken word artist, a preacher, and entrepreneur. He runs Renaissance Music, a gospel hip hop label with three artist, himself (Legin), Sinai and Focus, all of whom have brand new releases coming in 2018. Legin also heads a non-profit, Expect Renaissance, that founded an anti-human trafficking movement in South Africa and America. This movement, entitled: The Safe House Project, supports anti-human trafficking efforts in South Africa and America and hosts racial reconciliation in diverse communities. During our time together Legin will be sharing his story and his thoughts on the Gospel and Race. So sit back, listen, agree, disagree, and hopefully learn something along way. Want to know more about what Legin is doing? Check out http://www.rmmusic.tv/legin/ AND https://www.safehouseproject.org/

On this podcast you will hear from Justin Lee. Justin is an American author, speaker, and LGBT Christian activist known for his focus on building bridges between groups who disagree. In 2001, Justin founded a LGBT Christian organization and helped lead it into prominence for 16 years, focusing on changing anti-LGBT attitudes in the church and providing support to those whose families, churches, and communities did not support them. Currently, he is the executive director of Nuance Ministries. During our time together Justin will be sharing his story and his thoughts on sexuality, the bible, and nuance. So sit back, listen, agree, disagree, and hopefully learn something along way. Want to find out more about what Justin is doing? Check out his website and find his books at http://geekyjustin.com

On this podcast you will hear from Tara Beth Leach. Tara is the Senior Pastor at PazNaz in Southern California and a regular writer for Missio Alliance. She has contributed to other publications Christianity Today, Christian Week, The Jesus Creed, The Table Magazine and is also the author of Emboldened: A Vision for Empowering Women in Ministry. During our time together Tara will be sharing on the topic of restoring gender relationships in light of the Bill Hybels resignation and allegations. So sit back, listen, agree, disagree, and hopefully learn something along way.

On this podcast you will hear from Jamie Wright. Jamie blogs at Jamie the Very Worst Missionary, and travels widely to speak in support of groups working against human trafficking. She lives with her husband, their teenage sons, and their celebrity cat, Knives, in Northern California and is the author of a newly released book called, The Very Worst Missionary. During our time together Jamie shares about growing up as a quirky jewish kid and then finding her faith at a suburban megachurch. Years later she trades in life on the cul-de-sac to become a missionary in Costa Rica only to become disenchanted. You’ll hear honest stories and her dislike of the color beige. So sit back, listen, agree, disagree, and hopefully learn something along way. Check out Jamie's blog here: https://theveryworstmissionary.com/ Find her book here: https://www.amazon.com/Very-Worst-Missionary-Memoir-Whatever/dp/0451496531

Welcome to Mockingbirds and Mariners… A podcast where stories aren’t just found in a good book, they’re hidden behind the eyes of the person right in front of you. They have flesh, they have feelings, and they have a name. But are we willing to listen? On this podcast you will hear from Chuck DeGroat. Chuck serves as Professor of Counseling and Christian Spirituality at Western Theological Seminary Holland MI, and is the Co-Founder and a Senior Fellow at Newbigin House of Studies, San Francisco. During our time together we’ll discuss Dealing With Difficult People and Narcissism in leadership. So sit back, listen, agree, disagree, and hopefully learn something along way. You can connect with Chuck at: https://chuckdegroat.net/

On this podcast you will hear from Ashley Mae Sherman. Ashley is a 23 year old limb different girl from Orlando. She was born without her right forearm, but she’s never let it stop her from living life to the fullest. She is an Ambassador for Lucky Fin Project and a competitive horseback rider, scuba diver, dancer and actress. So sit back, listen, agree, disagree, and hopefully learn something along way.

On this episode we explore with our friend Joel Tooley how followers of Jesus can speak prophetically in a divided world about God’s Kingdom and the marginalized. Joel has spent his adult life seeking justice for the most vulnerable with a special focus on immigrants and displaced people. He brings years of wisdom and grace to this important conversation. Check out Joel's work at: https://www.facebook.com/mosaiccompassion/