Partner Up! Your Church-School Partnership Podcast
28 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 4 years ago - ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsWe have come across so many churches and nonprofits doing amazing things in our local schools – and we want you to know about them, too! Through this weekly podcast, you’ll be inspired by how God is working and equipped with helpful resources!
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Episode 22: Preparing for the New School Year (With Dr. Pam Wells) - Audio
June 30, 2020 08:10 - 26 minutes - 25 MBWe're back! This isn't a traditional podcast episode, but we wanted to share this conversation we had with Dr. Pam Wells because of the insights and ideas she shares regarding church school partnerships for the new school year in light of COVID-19. Don't have time for the full episode? Check out the "Table of Contents" below: 1:43 Pam's predictions for the new school year 9:51 Q: How can churches help? 10:09 A: Help with food insecurity 11:24 A: Help with the digital divide 12:55 A: Mentor 1...
Episode 22: Preparing for the New School Year (With Dr. Pam Wells) - Video
June 30, 2020 08:10 - 26 minutes - 199 MB VideoWe're back! This isn't a traditional podcast episode, but we wanted to share this conversation we had with Dr. Pam Wells because of the insights and ideas she shares regarding church school partnerships for the new school year in light of COVID-19. Don't have time for the full episode? Check out the "Table of Contents" below: 1:43 Pam's predictions for the new school year 9:51 Q: How can churches help? 10:09 A: Help with food insecurity 11:24 A: Help with the digital divide 12:55 A: Mentor 1...
Episode 18: Engaging the Domains of Society (With Dr. Steve Bezner) - Audio
April 01, 2020 08:28 - 32 minutes - 30 MBIn light of COVID-19, we thought this would be a good episode to replay because of this idea of "engaging our domains" - even if it's remotely for now! Maybe it's buying a gift card or a meal for a teacher at your local school, pitching in for a tablet for a student who can't afford one, or picking up groceries for a neighbor who's immunocompromised. Hear more about this awesome idea from Dr. Steve Bezner, Senior Pastor of Houston Northwest Church. --- Steve Bezner has been the Senior Pastor...
Episode 15: From Snow Cones to Friendships (With Pastor Kevin Alvarez) - Audio
March 18, 2020 11:02 - 22 minutes - 20.4 MBIt seemed fitting to re-share this podcast since Long Point Baptist Church started their partnership with Landrum Middle School right after Hurricane Harvey, which feels similar to what we're going through right now. Even though there were only 20 people in the congregation at the time, they began a partnership that is still going strong! Things look pretty different with our schools given COVID-19, but how can we love our schools right now? Churches may need extra support right now as well...
Episode 21: Steps of Faith in Humble ISD (With Brittani Davis) - Audio
March 11, 2020 06:56 - 24 minutes - 22.7 MBFor the past 10 years, much of Brittani's life has been characterized by taking steps of faith in the Humble area. Throughout this conversation, you'll hear great ideas for your church school partnership wherever you are, as well as specific opportunities to serve in Humble ISD. Join us as we talk with Brittani about her God-led journey! (If you listen all the way to the end, you'll get a fun glimpse of what it was like growing up with Brittani!) --- Brittani graduated with a B.A. in Psychol...
Episode 20: Thankful for Church School Partnerships in Lamar CISD (With Dr. Jennifer Roberts) - Audio
March 04, 2020 07:23 - 23 minutes - 22.2 MBJennifer's dream is for EVERY one of her schools in Lamar CISD to have a church partner! ❤️ It was a leap of faith for her to partner with us several years ago, but she believes it's a risk that's paid off. In fact, she's now encouraging every church in the area to step up and serve! Whether you're a big church or a small church, every church can do something to help. Listen in to be encouraged and inspired by this amazing school district leader! --- Dr. Jennifer Roberts is the Director of ...
Episode 19: Repeatable and Relational, Transformational not Transactional (With Bill Hogan and Erika Yelverton) - Audio
February 26, 2020 06:42 - 37 minutes - 34.9 MBYou don't want to miss this episode! It's PACKED with tips, ideas, and inspiration that will be helpful whether you're already in a church-school partnership or thinking about starting one. We love WordServe's foundational philosophy as a church and how they tangibly live out their faith day in and day out. They started their partnership with Huggins Elementary before Loving Houston began, and we have really enjoyed learning from them over the years. Enjoy!! --- Bill Hogan, Senior Pastor Bil...
Episode 18: Engaging the Domains of Society (With Dr. Steve Bezner) - Audio
February 19, 2020 07:54 - 32 minutes - 30 MBWhat if every member of your congregation was equipped and empowered to be a light in their respective "domains"? Hear more about this awesome idea from Dr. Steve Bezner, Senior Pastor of Houston Northwest Church. --- Steve Bezner has been the Senior Pastor of Houston Northwest Church since January 2013. Steve is married to Joy, and they have two teenage sons—Ben and Andrew. Steve loves Jesus and the Bible. He desires for collaboration between area churches so that every person in the city h...
Episode 17 Part 2: How to Create Safe Spaces for Our Kids (With Roxanna Barnes) - Audio
February 13, 2020 05:26 - 23 minutes - 21.3 MBLast week, Roxanna Barnes of Alief Independent School District shared about the basic principles of Restorative Discipline and creating safe spaces for our children. This week, she talks about how church volunteers can use these concepts in their church-school partnerships. Listen in for some great ideas! --- Roxanna Barnes is a Prevention and Safe Schools Specialist and a Certified Restorative Discipline Coordinator. Roxanna has spent 20 years in education all in Alief ISD. Roxanna began h...
Episode 17 Part 1: How to Create Safe Spaces for Our Kids (With Roxanna Barnes) - Audio
February 05, 2020 07:31 - 25 minutes - 23.3 MBIn this podcast, you'll learn the core principles and components of Restorative Discipline and how to create a safe environment where every child feels heard. These principles have been used in schools of all levels to address bullying and to prevent suicides. Every church and school leader needs to hear these tips! (Next week, we'll continue our conversation with Roxanna about what this can look like in our church-school partnerships.) --- Roxanna Barnes is a Prevention and Safe Schools Spe...
Episode 16: Lessons Learned from 20+ Years of Church-School Partnerships (With Suzanne Harter) - Audio
January 29, 2020 06:55 - 42 minutes - 39.4 MBIf you do anything for 20+ years, you're sure to learn a thing or two! Chapelwood United Methodist has had many successes, but there are also a few things they'd do differently in their partnerships with Spring Branch ISD schools. Learn how to lead and empower your volunteers, how to partner effectively with other organizations, how to measure the impact of your work, and more! You'll notice very quickly that Suzanne is an amazing leader - listen in for some valuable tips and ideas for your c...
Episode 14: Pink Elementary Says "Thank You!" (With Principal Tiffany Foster and Social Worker Regina Garza) - PDF
January 15, 2020 08:36 - 110 KB application/pdfLoving Houston helped start this partnership between The Bridge Fellowship and Pink Elementary 5 years ago - and just last year, Pink Elementary went from a D ranking to a B ranking! The school credits The Bridge for playing a huge role in this transformation. Churches, take heart - you ARE making a difference! Listen to this amazing church-school partnership story for tips, ideas, and inspiration for your own partnership! -- Tiffany Foster is the Principal at Pink Elementary in Lamar CISD. ...
Episode 14: Pink Elementary Says "Thank You!" (With Principal Tiffany Foster and Social Worker Regina Garza) - Audio
January 15, 2020 08:36 - 36 minutes - 33.9 MBLoving Houston helped start this partnership between The Bridge Fellowship and Pink Elementary 5 years ago - and just last year, Pink Elementary went from a D ranking to a B ranking! The school credits The Bridge for playing a huge role in this transformation. Churches, take heart - you ARE making a difference! Listen to this amazing church-school partnership story for tips, ideas, and inspiration for your own partnership! -- Tiffany Foster is the Principal at Pink Elementary in Lamar CISD. ...
Episode 13: A Pastor's Perspective (With Dave Peterson) - Audio
January 08, 2020 23:31 - 32 minutes - 29.6 MBDoes it feel like your church is always trying to figure out how to get more new people through the door? What if we approached it a different way? Join us as we talk with one of Loving Houston's founders, retired pastor (and one of our favorite storytellers!) Dave Peterson. Hear practical tips for your church-school partnership along with a Biblical perspective on the importance of going beyond the walls of our churches. --- Dave Peterson is a second-generation pastor and a first generation...
Episode 12: A Kingdom-Focused Church-Church-School Partnership (With Jeff McGee and Cherri Taylor) - Audio
December 18, 2019 09:25 - 43 minutes - 40.3 MBIt's not a typo - this partnership is between TWO churches and one school! Last week, Dr. Bob Sanborn shared about high-performing high-poverty schools. Hairgrove is an example of one! This podcast is packed with ideas and practical tips about how to love a local school and how to develop a healthy volunteer team. You don't want to miss this - in fact, you'll probably want to listen to it more than once! P.S. Email [email protected] to start or deepen a church-school partnership. Check ...
What Does the Research Say About High-Performing High-Poverty Schools? (With Dr. Bob Sanborn) - Audio
December 11, 2019 08:40 - 33 minutes - 30.7 MBLet's follow the data! Research and advocacy organization CHILDREN AT RISK has discovered several characteristics common to high-performing, high-poverty schools. How can churches use this research to help our partner schools in ways that make a difference and move the needle for our students? Listen to this podcast to find out! --- Dr. Bob Sanborn is a noted leader, advocate, and activist for education and children and the President and CEO of CHILDREN AT RISK. He earned his undergraduate d...
Episode 11: What Does the Research Say About High-Performing High-Poverty Schools? (With Dr. Bob Sanborn) - Audio
December 11, 2019 08:40 - 33 minutes - 30.7 MBLet's follow the data! Research and advocacy organization CHILDREN AT RISK has discovered several characteristics common to high-performing, high-poverty schools. How can churches use this research to help our partner schools in ways that make a difference and move the needle for our students? Listen to this podcast to find out! --- Dr. Bob Sanborn is a noted leader, advocate, and activist for education and children and the President and CEO of CHILDREN AT RISK. He earned his undergraduate d...
Episode 10: Serving Faithfully in Fort Bend ISD (With Melissa Emerson) - Audio
November 20, 2019 06:20 - 15 minutes - 13.9 MBBe honest about what you can do - but when you commit to something, be faithful and follow through! Mosaic is a small church of about 40 people, but their two year old partnership with Ridgegate Elementary is already making a big difference. Hear from our Loving Houston Director of Operations, Melissa Emerson, about how a church of any size can serve a local school. Near the end of the podcast, she'll also share valuable tips about who to work with if your partnership is in Fort Bend ISD. Thi...
Episode 9: Mentoring & More in Houston ISD (With B.J. Ramon) - Audio
November 13, 2019 06:14 - 32 minutes - 29.6 MBSchools in Houston ISD are asking for church partners! Learn why Church at UH decided to partner with a local school and how they've made an amazing impact in just 3 years despite being a church of 40-50 people! You'll also hear about specific opportunities to serve in Houston ISD, which is especially valuable right now given the uncertainty of the state takeover for students and families, as well as several innovative ideas about mentoring! --- B.J. Ramon enjoys being married and raising t...
Episode 8 Part 2: Understanding Poverty (With Parris Patrick) - Audio
November 06, 2019 08:39 - 33 minutes - 31 MBIf you're building relationships with students or families living in poverty, you need to listen to this podcast! After attending a Loving Houston 101 Workshop several years ago, Pastor Parris started partnerships with two schools in Alief ISD. He then founded the Alief Coalition for the Homeless to ensure that homeless students in the district were being cared for effectively. Just recently, he came across Ruby Payne's Understanding Poverty materials which have profoundly transformed the way...
Episode 8 Part 1 - Understanding Poverty (With Parris Patrick) - Audio
October 30, 2019 07:24 - 32 minutes - 29.7 MBAfter attending a Loving Houston 101 Workshop several years ago, Pastor Parris started partnerships with two schools in Alief ISD. As he got to know the district better, he started seeing how big of a problem homelessness was and founded the Alief Coalition for the Homeless to ensure these homeless students were being cared for effectively. More recently, he came across Ruby Payne's Understanding Poverty materials which have profoundly transformed the way he and his volunteers relate to the s...
Episode 7 - Joining God In Our Schools (With Richard and Susan Lazarou) - Audio
October 24, 2019 04:32 - 26 minutes - 24.1 MBSometimes when we ask a school if they'd like a church partner, they tell us they've been praying for a church partner for years! Willowridge football coach Richard Lazarou was even more proactive: he joined us for a Loving Houston workshop, reached out to churches in the area, and connected Willowridge HS with Second Baptist South. That partnership has been going on for 5 years, and has now expanded to McAuliffe Middle School and Blueridge Elementary! Hear Richard and Susan's story, and be e...
Episode 6 - Addressing Inequity: Macro & Micro Ideas (With Girien Salazar) - Audio
October 17, 2019 04:07 - 33 minutes - 30.8 MBWhether you're a big picture, strategic thinker, or an on-the-ground, practical doer, this podcast is for you. You'll hear from Girien Salazar about ideas for addressing educational inequity at both the macro and micro levels, and about some of the specific challenges Hispanic families face when it comes to education. If you're in a church-school partnership, you'll hear some great ideas for your partnership. And if you're thinking about a church-school partnership, you'll hear some compellin...
Episode 5 - Church-School Partnerships for the Great Commission (With Dr. Josh Ellis) - Audio
October 09, 2019 08:54 - 18 minutes - 17.5 MBWhy should churches that are committed to the Great Commission consider a church-school partnership? Josh answers that in this podcast! You’ll also get a behind-the-scenes understanding of the complexities of church leadership. It’s a helpful perspective to understand, especially if you’re a school that’s partnering with a church! P.S. This podcast required the least amount of editing of all the podcasts we’ve recorded so far. We’re grateful to Josh for communicating valuable insights concise...
Episode 4 - Ideas, Inspiration, and a Challenge! (With Melissa Toon) - Audio
October 02, 2019 08:23 - 33 minutes - 31.1 MBThis podcast is FULL of great ideas - you might need to listen to it more than once! Melissa is creative and a go-getter, so if you’ve been frustrated about something in your church-school partnership, there’s a good chance that Melissa has gone through it and come up with a solution. Listen for ideas on recruiting volunteers even if you can’t get stage time, volunteer ideas for every age group in your congregation, and ideas for delegating responsibilities and transitioning leadership when a...
Episode 3 - Men Making A Difference: It's All About the Kids! (With Rev. Gusta Booker III) - Audio
September 27, 2019 20:23 - 34 minutes - 31.5 MBIn 2016, Rev. Gusta Booker III came to a Faith Fair that Loving Houston had helped to organize with Houston ISD's Lawrence Allen. Rev. Booker was interested to learn about how his church, Greater St Matthew Baptist Church, could develop a ministry relationship with a school near the church. There, he met Principal Hare of Bastian Elementary, and the rest is history! Be inspired by Rev. Booker's stories of impact and his compelling call to action! --- Gusta Booker III is the son of Pastor Eme...
Episode 2 - An Introduction to Loving Houston and Church-School Partnerships (With Dr. Tom Billings) - Audio
September 26, 2019 20:27 - 38 minutes - 35.9 MBIt's our very first full episode of Partner Up: Your Church-School Partnership Podcast! We're talking with our Board Chair, Tom Billings, about the history of Loving Houston and all things related to church-school partnerships. If you know Tom, you know he loves books and photography. Unfortunately, you won't get to see his amazing photography on display in this podcast, but you'll definitely notice his love of books throughout the interview! The first 15 minutes are about Loving Houston's hi...
Episode 1 - Welcome to Partner Up: Your Church-School Partnership Podcast! - Audio
September 26, 2019 01:57 - 8 minutes - 7.7 MBIt’s our first episode! In case you haven't heard of us, Loving Houston connects churches and schools for the well-being of our kids and communities. We have helped start 100 new church-school partnerships (as of 9/25/19!), resulting in hundreds of new volunteers in public schools across Greater Houston. Over the past 6 years of our existence, we have come across so many churches and nonprofits doing amazing things in our local schools – and we want you to know about them, too! Through this...