Ministry Forum Podcast

Rev. Dr. Anna Robbins on The Lord’s Prayer

In this chapel sermon, Dr. Anna Robbins invites listeners to reconsider the Lord’s Prayer beyond a routine liturgy, and instead as a personal surrender that reshapes how we live. Anna traces a line from quiet prayer to Gethsemane, and from there to lives marked by costly obedience. Anna explores how the kingdom takes root through our surrendered lives.

Earthbound Faith: A Conversation with Rev. Dr. Grace Ji-Sun Kim

In our conversation with Rev. Dr. Grace Ji-Sun Kim, we explore how climate change is not a side issue but something that runs through every part of ministry. Grace connects water justice, theology, and lived experience, inviting leaders to see creation care as deeply spiritual and deeply practical. Rev. Dr. Ji-Sun Kim introduces concepts like han and chong, giving us a richer language for suffering, connection, and love.

The 1-Page Social Media Plan with Brady Shearer

Revisiting our Creative Ways keynote session from 2024 - in it, Brady Shearer breaks down how social media has shifted and why that change opens new doors for ministry. He offers practical guidance on turning sermons into content, building consistent rhythms, and focusing less on metrics and more on people.

Fr. Joash Thomas: Courageous Faith in a Time of Fear

In our conversation with Fr. Joash Thomas, we explore how empire, certainty, and control have quietly shaped Western Christianity, and what it might look like to recover a more liberating, embodied faith. Drawing from his own journey and his book The Justice of Jesus, Joash invites ministry leaders to wrestle with justice, decolonization, and the cost of courage. It’s a challenging conversation that calls us all to a fuller vision of the gospel.

Preaching That Affirms Sexuality with Rev. Dr. Sarah Travis

How can preaching help heal a church that’s been divided by conversations around sexuality?
In this recast from a Knox College book launch, Dr. Sarah Travis and a panel of ministry leaders explore how preaching might become a space for repair, honesty, and renewed connection. Drawing from Sarah’s book Remembering the Body, the conversation holds space for complex themes of affirmation, uncertainty, and the lived reality of diverse congregations.

Rev. Julielee Stitt on Rural Ministry

Rev. Julielee Stitt reflects on her unexpected path into ministry, the role of curiosity in building community, and the gift of serving in places where people truly know one another. She shares about calling, risk, and the decision to step away from a stable career into something less certain but more meaningful.

Season 6 Coming Soon!

The Ministry Forum Podcast returns this May. Expect a mix of fresh conversations and meaningful recasts, including a thoughtful exploration of rural ministry with Rev. Julie Lee Stitt, along with sessions from Rev. Dr. Sarah Travis and Brady Shearer. It’s a shorter, slightly eclectic season, but one shaped by the same desire to connect, encourage, and resource ministry leaders. Consider this an open invitation to listen in, catch up, and be part of the conversation.

Asking Better Questions with Rev. Dr. Mark Lewis

What does faithful ministry look like in the middle of an opioid, housing, and poverty crisis? In our conversation with Rev. Dr. Mark Lewis, we hear the remarkable story of St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Hamilton—a congregation that expected to close but instead chose radical hospitality. Mark shares how the church opened its doors to a safe injection site, partnered with community agencies, faced daily heartbreak, and rediscovered its mission through compassion. He reflects honestly on fear, resilience, burnout, and the surprising ways God reshapes a church when it asks, Who needs our help, and how can we use what we have for good?

Talking Ministry: The Past, Present and Future with Rev. Dr. Glen Soderholm

What can decades of worship leading teach us about faithfulness, community, and the slow work of God? In our conversation with Glen Soderholm, we trace the shape of a lifetime spent helping congregations sing. Glen reflects on his early ministry, the musicians who formed him, and the joys and challenges of leading worship in real churches with real people. He talks about pastoral presence, musical craft, theological depth, and the surprising gift of staying rooted. It’s a rich, humble conversation about worship as a long obedience — one shaped by love for God, love for people, and love for the church.

Spiritual Care in Hospitals with Trish Heidebrecht-Archibald

In our conversation with Trish Heidebrecht Archibald, we explore how worship can become a place of healing, honesty, and emotional grounding. Trish reflects on her work in the areas of trauma, attachment, and spiritual formation, and how these insights shape the way congregations gather and sing. She shares gentle, practical wisdom on creating spaces where people bring their whole selves — grief, joy, fear, and hope — without pressure to perform. It’s a thoughtful look at worship that pays attention to the body, honours human vulnerability, and opens space for God to meet people exactly where they are.