Better on the Inside

Sarah Styf: Don't Be The Reason Someone Else Isn't a Christian and Others Ways to Further The Kingdom Online

February 09, 2023 22:39 - 54 minutes - 51 MB

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT Sarah Styf is a very cool English Teacher and more! We had a great conversation about how important it is for believers to consider our conduct online. When every tweet or comment section can become a digital hellscape, our posture, our words and our presence matter. Do we need to be perfect? Absolutely not. But we certainly can make the effort to be loving. We also discuss echo chambers, silos and have a Non-Judgment Zone of Joy that would make the Swifties proud. Sar...

After Better on the Inside: Charlotte Elia

February 02, 2023 11:27 - 1 hour - 62.1 MB

Let's-a-go! Join Charlotte Elia and Jon Pyle as they dig deeper into the previous episode, answer your questions and share your insights. With an eye on how to apply, After Better on the Inside is meant to make an actual difference in your home and work life. This week, Charlotte is both co-host and guest as we dive into her points about resigning from volunteer roles and making the digital hellscape safer for your people. We actually roleplay a successful conversation and strategize about ...

Charlotte Elia: How Small Churches Can Win in Digital and Teach Large Churches a Thing or Two

January 27, 2023 13:04 - 57 minutes - 52.7 MB

What can small rural churches teach large churches about digital ministry? And how can we all (rural, urban, big, small, new, old) do digital better, together? Charlotte Elia is here to help expand our digital imagination and find our respective lanes in the digital space. Charlotte is one of the funniest people ever but more importantly, an incredible voice in both rural and digital church spaces. She is the host of the How We Do Digital Ministry and Heavenly Banquet podcasts, valuable res...

Dr. Josh Packard: The Spiritual Realities of the Next Generation, Shifting our Church Models and a Posture of Curiosity (Season 2 Premiere)

January 12, 2023 12:35 - 51 minutes - 46.9 MB

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT Today my conversation is with Dr. Josh Packard, Executive Director of the Springtide Research Institute. Through their extensive research (perhaps the largest data set on the planet) on the spiritual lives of young folks, Springtide and Dr. Packard discovered some mind-blowing things. You might think you know about the spirituality of the next generation (13-25 year olds), but you're probably wrong. The "decline narrative" is way too simplistic. Yes, you might see less yo...

Jon Pyle: Working for a Church Without Losing Your Soul and How to Make Church Better on the Inside (Season 1 Finale w/ Andy Mage)

December 05, 2022 20:08 - 1 hour - 56.3 MB

My guest this week is me. I invited my good friend Andy Mage to interview me because I wanted to share what I've learned this year. When I started this podcast, it was because I was looking for answers. With all the scandals, abuse, and controversy surrounding the church, I wanted to know how to make the church "better on the inside". Specifically for those working, going to, visiting, volunteering for the church: how can you work for a church without losing your soul? Meaning, how can you ...

Rob Fike: The 4 M's and Why Movements Matter in Messed Up World

November 18, 2022 23:01 - 53 minutes - 49.4 MB

Rob Fike is the first guest I've ever had on my socks!! (True story) Rob & I are friends IRL and he's a fantastic dude. We've worked together, podcasted together, watched movies together, played basketball together and dreamed together. As a PK and non-profit sector veteran, Rob has a unique and impactful view of how to start and sustain movements. This is absolutely worth a lesson as we reflect on what it means to be a force for good in this world! You should also buy Rob's fiction books:...

Jason Kirk: Leaving the SBC, Deconstructing Your Beliefs and the Lack of Curiosity in the Church

November 03, 2022 16:11 - 47 minutes - 43.6 MB

Jason Kirk is one big part of the Shutdown Fullcast, the internet's ONLY college football podcast, and the proprietor of Vacation Bible School, a podcast about the big, weird Holy Bible, made by and for Sunday School kids. (Support them on Patreon!) Jason is also a wonderful theologian and thinker about religion and spirituality, but firmly outside the Evangelical Industrial Complex, so I wanted to talk with him about how to make the church better on the inside. He has a unique perspective, ...

Kevin Nye: Author of "Grace Can Lead Us Home", Loving the Unhoused, and Fighting the Savior Complex

October 21, 2022 11:05 - 52 minutes - 47.6 MB

Helping unhoused people is often divisive and politicized work that doesn't have a lot of easy solutions. So, what can we do to help? As with many things, it starts with relationship. While I don't have all the answers, I do know we all need to start listening to people like Kevin Nye. Kevin has worked directly with our unhoused neighbors in a number of capacities and has an invaluable perspective that transcends party lines and challenges our preconceived notions. In our conversation, Kev...

Holly Stallcup: Starting RISE, Serving Women and Getting in the Real-Life Trenches of Ministry

October 09, 2022 22:18 - 1 hour - 60.6 MB

Holly Stallcup is the Founder and Executive Director of Rise (https://www.nowsherises.org/), an organization that connects, equips and empowers people to build a Church where women thrive. And she is a delight to have a conversation with. Thankful to meet her through Hector and Sarah of the Pocket Pulpit Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pocket-pulpit/id1590925649) Holly has a unique perspective and experience on how the Church (the Big C church, the universal Church) can suppo...

Eugene Kim: New Wine, Old Wineskins and "One Size Fits All" Models of Church

September 22, 2022 21:46 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MB

My dude Eugene Kim is a dream guest for the podcast. Truly. As I started to brainstorm what Better on the Inside could be, I made a guest list of people I'd love to talk to. And Eugene was on the FIRST LIST, which means I've wanted to chat with him for quite awhile. (There are still some dream names on the list that I hope to wrangle one day) And my dude does not disappoint. Eugene is one of the strongest voices for experimenting and changing a church model that wasn't working for him as a pa...

Naked Pastor (David Hayward): Shepherds Follow the Sheep and Other Authentic, Vulnerable Insights

September 10, 2022 02:40 - 41 minutes - 75.1 MB

My new friend David Hayward AKA Naked Pastor (please only search for his site with one word: nakedpastor, or you may get an unpleasant surprise. The safest way: follow the link here: https://nakedpastor.com/) chats with me about how he moved from pastoral ministry in a church to a different kind of ministry: cartoons! You may have seen them on the internet, but David has done a good job portraying "the Jesus we fell in love with" in his cartoons, art and prints. An untamed and wild Savior, w...

Rose J. Percy: Not Fitting in Church Spaces, Calling Yourself a Theologian and Her Unique Journey as a Soft Black Woman

August 25, 2022 13:53 - 53 minutes - 48.6 MB

My conversation with Rose J. Percy is absolutely delightful. She is not only fun to talk to, Rose is creative, kind and brilliant. She uses the phrase "epistemic humility" seamlessly in conversation without batting an eyelash (and it makes sense). When she digs into the challenges of the industrial mindset of the church and what happens when you don't fit into the assembly line, it is MIND-BLOWING. Rose brings a much-needed organic, curious and beautiful perspective to our church life and ou...

Jenai Auman: Spiritual Abuse, Church Hurt and Making Meaning from the Mess

August 11, 2022 15:44 - 56 minutes - 51.3 MB

Jenai Auman is an absolute delight! I really enjoyed our conversation, which was filled with a lot of joy, even though it was about something terrible: spiritual abuse. Jenai and her family have a story all too familiar: going from excited church planters to wounded exiles, hobbling out of a community they loved and wanted to protect. While she is still healing, Jenai is telling her story and creating something beautiful from the ashes of her experience. And honestly, the future of the churc...

Corey Winfield: Leaving the Church Behind but Embracing Jesus

July 28, 2022 13:00 - 46 minutes - 42.2 MB

Corey Winfield is an Eagle. I tease him about it, but he truly flies above all the mess and sees the world from a unique (often higher) perspective. We worked together at CityChurch but eventually Corey's story sent him away… and got very interesting. He has a wonderful take on what it means to leave the church but not leave Jesus and reflects on what ministry looks like among the people. We also are joined briefly by his lovely wife Rhonda. If you want to continue the conversation, join o...

Tracey Gee: How to Unleash Your Strengths for the Church and Why You Need to Lead Volunteers Differently

July 14, 2022 22:39 - 39 minutes - 36.1 MB

Tracey Gee is a BOSS! I met her through Twitter and found her leadership insight and coaching invaluable but also accessible. So often “leadership” is a buzzword that doesn't really help most people or even a term that feels icky to some, especially in the church world. But that's not Tracey. She is focused on unlocking everyone's strengths and helping you be your best. She shared some wonderful advice for anyone and everyone to be unleashed. If you want to continue the conversation, join ...

Dave McGinnis: Church Hurt As A Pastor's Kid to Church Staff Member and What Happens After You Leave

July 01, 2022 16:29 - 1 hour - 69.3 MB

Very few people have experienced the inside of the "Evangelical Industrial Complex" quite like Dave McGinnis. As a kid who has grown up in the church (running a video switcher for the Christmas Program and switching transparencies for worship) with two parents & a wife on staff and also worked for churches himself, Dave has a unique perspective on the issues facing the church and how it could (potentially) be better on the inside. When you know how the sausage is made, when you've seen behin...

Tyler Huckabee: Deconstruction is More Than a Buzzword and Why It Will Help Us All

June 16, 2022 13:11 - 44 minutes - 102 MB

I get to talk to a man I consider a celebrity: Tyler Huckabee! Tyler is someone I sincerely appreciate because he approaches complex issues with a great deal of nuance. Hearing his take on deconstruction was EXTREMELY helpful and instructive. Tyler is a reporter and breaks down deconstruction, this movement critiquing toxic religious systems, but why he's worried we won't go far enough. What does this have to do with "switching jerseys" and "redecorating the house"? You'll have to listen t...

Mary Ann Sibley (LIVE): Volunteer Burnout, Toxic Culture and How to Build a Culture Where People Love to Serve

June 02, 2022 14:26 - 1 hour - 57.8 MB

Volunteer Guru Mary Ann Sibley joins me for our first ever LIVE show! She is amazing. When I asked the question: "who should I talk to about volunteer burnout?" several people pointed me toward Mary Ann... and she did not disappoint. Not growing up in the church, she has been willing to ask the questions and try the things that "churches don't do". Mary Ann also has led a toxic volunteer culture herself, so much of her wisdom is hard-won through blood, sweat and tears. I am thankful for her...

BONUS Episode: Why God Why? A Sermon from Jon Pyle

May 25, 2022 14:16 - 35 minutes - 32.6 MB

Why does evil exist? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why God why? Have you ever asked God those questions? I know I have. At 20 years old, my entire life ahead of me, I was diagnosed with cancer. My question was WHY? WHY GOD WHY? Why would you do this to me? Why would you allow this to happen to me? I am a good person. I don't break any laws. I don't treat others poorly. My life has barely started and I have so much to do. Why me? Maybe you didn't get a cancer diagnosis bu...

Doug Bursch: Caring for our Souls, Building Relationships and Posting Peace on Social Media

May 19, 2022 05:21 - 1 hour - 63.1 MB

Pastor Doug is my dude! I learned about him from Hector Martinez and Sarah Kinzer, who had him on their podcast: The Pocket Pulpit. Doug is a Pastor's Pastor in more ways than one. Not only is he a fantastic representative of what it means to be a true shepherd of the people on their spiritual journey, he also devotes a lot of time caring for those in ministry... especially pastors. We could all use a friend like Doug. He keeps it real about his own struggles and the challenges of leading a c...

Jonathan Carone: Unlearning Youth Group, Making Room for Doubt & Interpretation and Why the Answer Isn't Having All The Answers

May 05, 2022 21:44 - 49 minutes - 45.5 MB

I caught Jonathan Carone on Tik-Tok and I immediately wanted to have him on the show. His podcast, Unlearning Youth Group, has really connected with people deconstructing and wrestling in their spiritual journeys... but ALSO folks currently serving at a church and even leading Youth Ministry. When Jonathan realized that he had to "un-learn" some unhealthy theology that was hurting his own personal relationship with Jesus, he invited all of us on the journey with him. This is big for the chur...

Melissa Florer-Bixler: The Church IS Political and Moving Toward Beautiful, Pointless Wastes of Money

April 21, 2022 05:00 - 1 hour - 57.9 MB

Melissa Florer-Bixler (AKA the Notorious MFB) is an absolute BOSS. Melissa is the pastor of Raleigh Mennonite Church, (that's right... a Mennonite!) and a graduate of Duke University and Princeton Theological Seminary. She has spent a lot of time investing in local organizing efforts in her county and has been the hands and feet on the ground to make the lives of real people better. The Notorious MFB has written wonderful stuff online and a new book called How to Have an Enemy: Righteous Ang...

Michael Jones: Lessons from 20 Years of Youth Ministry and 35+ Years of Friendship

April 07, 2022 05:00 - 43 minutes - 39.8 MB

I think I was 3 years old when I met Michael Jones. And we've been besties ever since. We've had a ton in common over the years: Star Wars action figures, movies, professional wrestling, sports and shenanigans... but unexpectedly we also both ended up becoming Pastors too! Definitely not the path we expected to take when were cruising around Alta Loma in his sweet ass Camaro during the Great Toilet Paper War of 1998. Michael is the Family Pastor for Granite Creek Community Church in Claremo...

Robby Quintero: "Transitioning" From Your Church and What Happens After You Get Fired

March 24, 2022 05:00 - 1 hour - 118 MB

What happens when you "transition" from your church? ("Transition" is church code for getting fired) What do you do when you're asked to leave... but you don't want to? I sit down with one of my ride or die homies and certified Brown Boy Robby Quintero about his unexpected journey from his calling in ministry to the "real world". When you're on staff at YOUR church and you're asked to leave, it has significant emotional and spiritual consequences. It can effect your identity and your relati...

Chamberlain Saenz: Dealing with Church Hurt While on Staff and What Happens When the Church is Your Wilderness?

March 10, 2022 06:00 - 1 hour - 112 MB

Chamberlain Saenz is my dude. I've gotten to know him over the past few years and he has been instrumental in helping me through some difficult times. His life story is an amazing one and can testify to the transformative power of Jesus. We've worked together on staff at CityChurch San Antonio and been through some turmoil... but the biggest thing we talk about on this episode is church hurt and his story. What do you do when you feel like God called you somewhere but you're meeting a lot o...

[Video] Tom Pounder: Discipleship in the Digital World, the Metaverse, Building Community with Youth and Awesome 90's Movies

March 09, 2022 23:07 - 50 minutes - 46.3 MB

Tom Pounder is a church veteran who has managed to stay passionate and enthusiastic about Youth and Online Ministry, in part because of his humility and desire to continue learning. In this physical/digital (phygital) hybrid era, Tom shares some wisdom and expertise around taking digital beyond vanity metrics and into discipleship, the Metaverse, reaching the Youth in a meaningful way and how we can navigate our own spiritual growth. Of course, we also talk about our favorite Cable TV movies...

Tom Pounder: Discipleship in the Digital World, the Metaverse, Building Community with Youth and Awesome 90's Movies

February 24, 2022 06:00 - 50 minutes - 92.4 MB

Tom Pounder is a church veteran who has managed to stay passionate and enthusiastic about Youth and Online Ministry, in part because of his humility and desire to continue learning. In this physical/digital (phygital) hybrid era, Tom shares some wisdom and expertise around taking digital beyond vanity metrics and into discipleship, the Metaverse, reaching the Youth in a meaningful way and how we can navigate our own spiritual growth. Of course, we also talk about our favorite Cable TV movies...

Dr. Sam Won: Don't Give Up on the Old Testament and the Limits of Legalism

February 11, 2022 01:45 - 55 minutes - 102 MB

From serious theological discussion (including big words like antithetical parallelism) to tricking his Korean Mom into seeing a movie, Dr. Sam Won brings amazing depth of knowledge and insight to the podcast. He is a true "Slash": Pastor/Pharmacist/Professor. For followers of Jesus, our "Bible in a Year" reading plans can can really bog us down and de-motivate us in the Old Testament... but it doesn't have to. While Christians are under a new covenant with Jesus, the foundational backgroun...

Holly Tate on Vulnerability, Building Healthy Workplaces and Being a Woman in Ministry

January 27, 2022 06:00 - 55 minutes - 103 MB

For this episode, I got to hang out with Holly Tate and have a delightful conversation about changing a toxic leadership culture, vulnerability, healthy growth, her own story and being a woman in ministry. Holly is the SVP of Growth for Leadr, a really cool tech company that is doing their part to make churches and other organizations better on the inside. I met her for the first time in-person at an event that Leadr hosted and she is such a smart and dynamic person I was like, I really ...

Deconstruction, Disillusionment and the Faith of the Next Generation w/ Andrew Richardson

December 21, 2021 20:50 - 37 minutes - 51.6 MB

There is a lot of fear, concern and complaining about the faith of the next generation. But what if all of this worry is unnecessary? What if the kids aren't just alright... what if they're poised to lead the church exactly where we need to go? --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/betterontheinside/support

Permission for Happiness and Fighting a Theology of "No" w/ Courtney B. Ellis

November 17, 2021 22:53 - 27 minutes - 37.3 MB

Does God want us to be happy? Like, for real? Followers of Jesus, especially those with religious trauma, sometimes feel a great deal of confusion around happiness. Theoretically, we should be full of joy. But, in practice, Christians are often some of the most miserable (and judgmental) folks on the planet. Why? We've lost something so important that can make following Jesus a little more fun. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/betterontheinside/support

Holiness, Mental Health and the Downside to Miracles w/ Dr. Roberta Jones-Hall

September 08, 2021 18:56 - 52 minutes - 48.3 MB

Dr. Roberta Jones-Hall (AKA Bertie) is incredibly wise, insightful and helpful. As both a doctor and a minister, she has a unique perspective on our path to spiritual growth that is INCREDIBLY valuable to anyone... but especially those who work for a church. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/betterontheinside/support