Join author and theologian Brad Jersak as we embark on a journey into the depths of the Cross. From Abbotsford, BC, Brad, the Principal of St. Stephen’s University, shares his personal evolution of understanding, moving away from the doctrine of penal substitution and towards a non-violent interpretation of atonement. Delving into the landscape of …

There's a mystery and a question at the heart of the cross. In his new book "The Wood Between the Worlds," pastor and author Brian Zahnd passionately explores the kaleidoscopic and Theo-poetic nature of the cross, cautioning against misconceptions and urging a recapture of its scandal and shock in a world where it has become a mere religious cliché…

Join us on an inspiring episode as we delve into the transformative power of unity and reconciliation with our special guest, Issa Sadi Ebombolo. Issa currently serves as the Peacebuilding Coordinator at the Mennonite Central Committee in Zambia and Malawi and brings a wealth of experience and hope to the conversation. From sharing impactful storie…

Mental health and the conversation around it have reached crisis levels in our society. Yet the church has sometimes been hesitant to step into the conversation, fearing they are ill-equipped or overconfident. Join Pastor Jenni Waldron on a learning journey as she shares her family story, pastoral wisdom on walking with people and how the church ca…

There is so much emotional anxiety and polarity around issues confronting the church today... Division about politics, hand-wringing about de-churching and disputes over what it means to be Jesus-centred. Join Pastors Brian Zahnd and Greg Boyd as they speak words of hope and encouragement into this moment and how a chaste and diminished church can …

Welcome to Episode 1 in our Unite Series. We are exploring themes we will dive deeper into at our global Unite Gathering on April 24-26, 2024 in St. Paul, MN. In this episode, Paul Walker and Christie Penner Worden sit down with Northern Seminary Professor David Fitch to talk about his new book (January 30, 2024) called Reckoning with Power: Why th…

We sit down with Jenni Waldron and Preston Ulmer as they share their perspectives and insights as practitioners who are deepening their discipleship and creating spaces of discipleship for others. Both Jenni and Preston are leaning into a practice-based way of engaging spiritual formation and discipleship through Jesus XP (the Jesus Experience). Th…

Join Jesus Collective for a live podcast episode featuring Marlena Graves. In this live podcast, we will explore Marlena's latest book "Bearing God: Living a Christ-formed Life in Uncharted Waters." Together, we will explore what makes Jesus-centered spiritual formation unique and how it equips us to be non-anxious leaders in a world characterized …

Join Keith Smith and Jon Hand as they talk about how we can deepen our leadership and discipleship to Jesus in a polarized world. Jesus Collective is committed to helping leaders be better leaders by becoming better followers of Jesus. One of the ways you can deepen your Jesus-centered leadership is by exploring our Online Learning Collective. Toda…

A pastor, lobbyist, network leader, and Middle East peace advocate talk about the war in Palestine and Israel. Join Keith Smith, Mercy Aiken, Anna Vogt, and Jon Hand as they share insights into the unfolding war and how we can be peacemakers in the tensions created by this tragedy. Here are some resources from us: Two video reflections from Palesti…

Join Paul and Cherish in this insightful exploration into the wisdom of the New Testament book of Galatians. Professor Mark Baker, author of Centered-Set Church, highlights his new commentary on Galatians. This conversation highlights the humanity of Paul, the missional heart of this letter, how this letter addresses identity and cancel culture, an…

In these dynamic times, a healthcare professional, church developer, co-pastor, and network leader come together to discuss the relevancy of Jesus. Be part of this varied group of leaders as they explore the implications of adopting a Jesus-centric approach to address the emerging challenges in their specific environments. This engaging dialogue un…

In Part 1 of this thought-provoking mini-series, we hear from Pastor Meghan Larissa Good speaking at Jesus Collective's in-person gathering in June 2023 at Woodland Hills Church as she shares about our current cultural moment—a moment defined by its uncertainty, where the ground beneath us is shifting faster than ever before. Meghan offers some dee…

Welcome to another episode of the Jesus Collective Podcast. In this episide we pause to delve into the vision and heartbeat of Jesus Collective, introduce new core leadership team, and highlight wins from this past year. Plus, we explore the current landscape of church, and hear how Jesus Collective is responding to these shifting dynamics as we mo…

In a world filled with hostility, division, and polarization it's time to refocus on Jesus. Join us for a captivating episode as Derek Vreeland, author of "Centering Jesus," reveals the consequences of losing sight of Jesus and the transformative impact of keeping Him at the center of our lives. Derek invites us to imagine what it looks like to kee…

Join us for a thought-provoking episode as we delve into the crucial topic of mental health within the church in the post-COVID era. In this enlightening conversation, we sit down with Carolyn Klassen, a counselor, public speaker, and leader within her church community. Together, we explore the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental…

Adam Dyer, our brand new Jesus Collective Executive Director, sits down with Greg Boyd for a conversation about hope in a post-Christendom context. Adam and Greg explore how the rapid changing context of a post-Christendom culture is actually a good thing because it provides space for people to embrace an authentic faith, instead of simply acquiesc…

When we tell a reduced Gospel story, we get reduced results. In this podcast, we sit down with Matthew Bates as he shares his latest book, "Why the Gospel?". Matthew helps us see how the Gospel is a bigger story than personal salvation or forgiveness. The Gospel is a larger story based on Jesus the King who is the ultimate answer to our more profou…

Jesus Collective Partner, Jonny Morrison explores with us the dissatisfaction in our culture and why it's important for pastors and leaders to analyze culture more deeply. Morrison's book Light as Air: Practicing Authenticity, Depth, and Purpose in a World of Empty Promises may also offer some clues. We also delve into why some of us tend to indivi…

Jesus tells us to love our enemies. He doesn’t mean a hypothetical imagined enemy either. It is a love that goes beyond common sense. Jesus Collective Leadership Development Pastor Jon Hand reflects on learning to love your enemy from Matthew 5. Jon originally taught this sermon at The Meeting Place, a church in downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba, and we …

In this episode with J.W. Buck, we explore why it's important to reveal the radical Jesus: the Jesus who teaches on justice, relating to the poor, and what it means to be salt and light in the world. We'll get into Buck's book, "Everyday Activism" to answer some questions about creating social change, and dive briefly into the seven practices of ju…

The book of Revelation has been used to justify religious violence, greed in regards to climate stewardship, and distractions from Jesus with apocalyptic doom scrolling. Pastor Jeremy Duncan shares helpful insights from his book to help leaders and thoughtful Christians have tools for how to approach this often misunderstood and misused book of the…

Jesus Collective partner and pastor Keith Smith shares about launching a 24/7 prayer room at his Ohio-based church, and his recent experience of attending the outpouring at Asbury University. We chat about encountering God, doubts, skepticism, and the ability to recover a childlike sense of wonder and awe in the face of God's mystery. Keith invites…

This podcast is the fourth part of an ongoing series that is exploring Five Markers for a Jesus-Centred Transformation. In this episode we are joined by Dr. Drew Hart (Messiah University) who helps us explore the statement, "evil is overcome through the power of suffering love." Dr. Hart draws on the wisdom of the BIPOC community as he reflects on …

Join guests Tania Harris and Adam Dyer as we explore the next Marker for a Jesus-Centred Transformation: The Holy Spirit empowers us to partner with God's work of reconciling all things. What does it mean for a Jesus-centred movement to welcome the Holy Spirit in this way? Tania and Adam also share insights into how we can be mindful of those in ou…

This podcast is the third part of an ongoing series that is exploring Five Markers for a Jesus-Centred Transformation. In this episode we’re joined by Dr. Paul Eddy (Professor of Theology at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota). We discuss our second reformation statement: To be saved includes belonging to a community under Jesus called to liv…

This episode is part of our series exploring Five Markers for a Jesus-Centred Transformation. We’re joined by Brad Jersak who walks us through why we need a more Christlike God, and what it means to read Scripture with Jesus at the centre. We all carry around ideas, images, and experiences of God. It's important to unearth these stories, these expe…

We're winding down 2022 with a look back at the year and what's ahead for 2023! The Jesus Collective Core Leadership Team shares about our vision and future initiatives. Tip - there's opportunities you're going to want to be part of (included below)! Listen to their chat about that and what's coming for the new year: fundraising for the mission, pr…

What does it mean to hear God’s voice? Why isn’t this aspect of faith a normal part of all Christian leaders’ experience with God? How can we tell when we’re hearing the voice of God? What difference does it make if we have a Jesus-centred approach to hearing the voice of God? These are some of the challenging questions that Tania Harris powerfully…

This episode is part of our series exploring Five Markers for a Jesus-Centred Transformation. We’re joined by Professor Mark Baker who discusses our fifth statement: The church is defined by our shared centre, not by the lines we draw. Dr. Baker discusses the difference between a bounded set (obsessing over boundaries) and fuzzy set approach (erasi…

COVID has been really hard on pastors and ministry leaders, or as pastor Leanne Friesen says, we’ve been “kicked in the call.” Leanne humorously shares from her own struggles in COVID and how the pain exposed places where meaning, worth, and identity were not so rooted in Jesus. This talk is a profound call for leaders to stay and be resiliently ro…

The fastest growing religious demographic in North America are those who no longer identify with having any religious background or affiliation. Author David Zahl shares insights into the secular landscape, challenges, and opportunities in our increasingly post-Christian culture. This talk shares how Secularism acts like a religion and how we can p…

Phyllis Tickle once suggested that every 500 years or so, Christianity goes through an upheaval. These upheavals happen because the old answers no longer hold true for a large number of people, and the church at large has to re-explore and recontextualize. Five Hundred years ago, the upheaval was the Reformation when Protestantism was born. In this…

Exciting news: The Jesus Collective podcast is entering a new season in the fall of 2022! To continue our mission of empowering Jesus Collective Partners to lead and take ownership, we’ve empowered two new podcast hosts: Shawna Boren and Paul Walker. In this episode, we take some time to introduce Paul and Shawna to our listening audience and hear …

After her talk on Power the Jesus Way, Cheryl Nembhard joins a panel conversation featuring Danielle Strickland, author, spiritual leader, and co-founder of Hagar’s Voice; Adam Dyer, Pastor of Yeovil Community Church, an innovative church bringing transformation in the South West of England; and Jon Hand, Leadership Development Pastor at Jesus Coll…

Canadian author, playwright, and advocate Cheryl Nembhard powerfully communicates how a Jesus-centred approach impacts how we hold, use, and distribute the power we’ve been given. This talk speaks to the heart of our moment where parts of the church have lost their way and are perpetuating false versions of the Kingdom.…

Betty Pries is a professional church consultant, conflict mediator, and author of "The Space Between Us: Conversations about Transforming Conflict." Betty’s talk will invite you to examine if peacemaking is core to your understanding of the gospel and the difference it makes in living it out. Is the Jesus you preach and teach the same Jesus who cam…

Colin McCartney is a pastor at Connect City Church and a seasoned leader who has spent years working for shalom in the urban heart of Toronto, Canada. In this talk from our UNITE ‘22 conference, Colin defines what a gospel centred on Jesus means and looks like in a distracted, violent, and politicized world. This talk will inspire you to make every…

Join podcast host Paul Walker as we reboot the Jesus Collective Podcast! Paul interviews the Core Leadership Team of Jesus Collective — Laura Hanna, Adam Dyer, and Jon Hand — about the honest challenges and exciting opportunities for Jesus Collective in the coming year. Learn how Jesus Collective is leaning into the challenges of the last 6 months …

Why are so many church leaders falling into sin around money, sex, and power? Why isn’t it enough to learn about Jesus in order to know him? Why is an existential encounter with Jesus necessary in order to become like him? Author Michael Frost joins us to talk about the latest edition of his book ReJesus: Remaking The Church In Our Founder's Image,…

Join us for another episode of our Practitioners Series where we learn how Jesus-centred churches are seeking to be on mission with Jesus. More and more in North America and Europe, the Church and Christianity are seen as irrelevant, insular, and offering little to make life better for secular communities. The message of Jesus is always good news, …

We met with Heather Thomas and Jonny Morrison for part two of a conversation about co- leadership. Inspired to apply a more Jesus-centred approach, Missio Dei Church in Salt Lake City, UT is innovating new forms of mutuality and shared organizational leadership. This bonus episode explores more of the reasons why co-leadership was important for the…

How does the way of Jesus challenge secular assumptions about power distribution and organizational leadership? Is there a way to lead a church or organization that's more aligned with a Jesus-centred approach? We're launching a new Practitioners series on the podcast that features Jesus Collective churches and how they're seeking to make Jesus eve…

Masks, vaccine passports, political ideologies — we're all experiencing the polarization happening in our culture right now within our families, churches, organizations, and workplaces. Every few hundred years, there's a cultural moment that emerges where the church has the opportunity to live and share the Jesus-centred life in a fresh way. We bel…

What makes a church Jesus-centred? Aren't all Christian churches centred on Jesus? Join our conversation with Pastor Jeff Lockyer as we explore "anchor causes" and what it means to develop leaders, empower women, and create discipleship pathways all with Jesus at the centre. Jeff pastors at Southridge Community Church in St. Catharines, Ontario, a …

In the west, the Church cannot afford to be sheltered in privilege and ignore the challenges, victories, and kingdom creativity happening in Jesus-centred communities in the developing world. Putting Jesus at the centre means we must learn from our global and often marginalized brothers and sisters in how they're putting Jesus at the centre and the…

Jesus followers are meant to be like time travelers from the future, living the life of tomorrow today – on Earth as in Heaven. Join Meghan Good, Jesus Collective Partner and Teaching Pastor at Mennonite Trinity Church, as we explore what it means to be future people living a life of radical love and hope. (This was part of a three-week teaching se…

Jesus repeatedly told his followers what the Kingdom of Heaven was like, and yet we sometimes feel confused about what it is exactly. Join Leanne Friesen, Lead Pastor at Hamilton Mountain Baptist Church, as we explore three key aspects of the Kingdom of Heaven embodied by Jesus: radical forgiveness, radical welcome, and radical peace. (This was par…

God’s Kingdom was designed to be radically inclusive and diverse – on earth as it is in Heaven. Join Hank Johnson, Jesus Collective Partner and Senior Pastor at Harrisburg BIC Church, as we explore what it means to be inclusive, diverse Kingdom people living out the Jesus-centred life today. (This was part of a three-week teaching series called On …

Secularism as an ideology is influencing Christian thought and practice in the church more and more in the Western world. What does a Jesus-centred, counter-cultural way look like in a secular age? Where does the Gospel invite us to affirm secular culture and where does the Gospel invite us to become wary of the assumptions embedded in secular cult…