
LEAD Pods
LEAD Pods are the official USMB podcast devoted to leadership development and spiritual growth for Mennonite Brethren churches.
Episodes
121 episodes
120 | Leadership Development That Works: Lessons from Mountain View (Dave Thiessen)
How do we develop strong leaders for the future of the church? At Mountain View Church, leadership development isn’t just a program—it’s part of the culture. This week, we’re joined by Dave Thiessen, executive pastor at Mountain View, to talk a...
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Season 1
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Episode 120
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41:36

119 | Radical Roots: Exploring 500 Years of Anabaptism (Valerie Rempel)
What makes Anabaptist history radical, and how does it shape who we are today? In this episode, we’re joined by Valerie Rempel, former dean of Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary and a trusted historian in MB circles, to explore the significance o...
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Season 1
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Episode 119
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52:37

118 | Behind the Scenes of the Christian Leader Magazine (Connie Faber & Janae Shafer)
This week, we sit down with Connie Faber and Janae Shafer, the dynamic duo behind the Christian Leader magazine. They share how each issue comes together, from planning themes to collaborating with writers across the USMB family. With ...
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Season 1
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Episode 118
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53:53

117 | Generosity in Leadership (Aaron Box)
This week, we’re joined by USMB National Director Aaron Box to explore the role of generosity in leadership. As we dive into the history of Giving Tuesday and its impact, Aaron shares practical ways we can live out generosity—not just in giving...
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Season 1
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Episode 117
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41:58

116 | SOAR, Action, & Living on Mission (Multiply's Silvia Lopez & Heidi Quiring)
Supporting missionaries abroad has long been a valued part of our heritage, but how can we live ‘on mission’ right here at home? Today we’re joined by Heidi Quiring and Silvia Lopez from Multiply to share the latest updates on mission programs ...
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Season 1
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Episode 116
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49:56

115 | Igniting Your Leadership Fuel (Jordan Ringhofer & Kyle Goings)
Leadership development is one of USMB's core commitments, and finding new ways to grow, stretch yourself, or gain new skills is a crucial part of leadership. In our busy world where we all feel short on time, how can we continue to grow, find n...
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Season 1
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Episode 115
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45:13

114 | Discipleship Beyond The Checklist (Matt Thrift)
This week we chat with Pastor Matt Thrift about his new book, Follow, and the heart of discipleship. Matt shares his journey from Southern Baptist circles to finding a home in the Mennonite Brethren tradition, drawn by our mix of stron...
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Season 1
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Episode 114
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52:42

113 | Breaking Barriers and Building Community in the Middle East (Janna & Cody)
Building bridges across cultural and religious divides can seem daunting, yet it's at the heart of authentic Christian ministry. In this episode, we meet Cody and Janna, two young workers preparing to serve in the Middle East through Multiply w...
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Season 1
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Episode 113
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52:06

112 | Building Relationships & Sharing Jesus with Muslims--And Everyone Else (Nasser al’Qahtani)
Many Christians in America today feel ill-equipped to share their faith with Muslims. Our media and our culture tend to paint Muslims in a certain way that often makes us feel intimidated and maybe even scared, but those biases are almost alway...
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Season 1
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Episode 112
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46:57

111 | What Makes a "Mennonite," and Celebrating 500 Years of Anabaptism (César García & Dr. Tim Geddert)
Next year marks a significant anniversary for our MB history and heritage, so we're preparing for a big party! The roots of our MB tradition can be traced to 1525 and the birth of the Anabaptist movement beginning in Zurich. For those of us inv...
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Season 1
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Episode 111
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48:56

110 | New Eastern District Minister (James Moore)
This week we get to know James Moore, the recently appointed eastern district minister. In addition to this important role, James is also the lead pastor of West End MB Church in Lenoir, North Carolina. James discusses the joys and challenges o...
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Season 1
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Episode 110
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37:53

109 | Living the Mission (Fred & Esther Leonard)
This week, Fred and Esther Leonard from Mountain View Church in Fresno, California, share their passion for global missions and how they've integrated it into their church's DNA over the past 31 years. The Leonards discuss their upcoming "Live ...
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Season 1
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Episode 109
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57:06

108 | Decades of Dedication & Passing the Torch (Donna Sullivan and Lori Taylor)
This week we speak with Donna Sullivan and Lori Taylor, two long-serving staff members of USMB who are retiring and concluding their careers this week. Over their decades of experience, their roles have changed significantly over time, and toda...
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Season 1
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Episode 108
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40:14

107 | History and Formation for the First Latin MB Churches (Peggy Goertzen)
Our resident MB historian Peggy Goertzen is back for another episode of history and storytelling, this time recounting the early days and foundation of the Latin America Mennonite Brethren (LAMB) district. Back in the 1930s, MB pioneers Peter E...
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Season 1
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Episode 107
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49:02

106 | Rebuilding After Disasters (MDS's Kevin King)
Here's an amazing stat you may not expect: A billion dollar disaster now occurs in the U.S. every 18 days. Between tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and other natural disasters, thousands of people across the country are...
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Season 1
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Episode 106
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49:01

105 | A New Leader for a New Season (Aaron Box)
In light of the upcoming retirement of Don Morris, Aaron Box was recently announced as the new USMB national director (effective July 1). Aaron has been an MB pastor for many years and was active on the USMB Leadership Board, but many of you li...
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Season 1
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Episode 105
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49:08

104 | Stronger Together: Insights from the New Southern District Minister (Brian Harris)
Brian Harris is back on LEAD Pods this week discussing his new role as the southern district minister. After previously serving as the church planting mobilizer, Brian now acts as a "pastor to the pastors" by providing support, coordination, an...
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Season 1
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Episode 104
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41:39

103 | Passing the Baton & Looking Ahead (Don Morris)
Don Morris has served in MB leadership for decades, most recently as USMB national director. As he prepares for retirement, this week we look back on Don's career as he reflects on the joys and challenges facing our denomination. Much has chang...
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Season 1
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Episode 103
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47:52

102 | Compiling, Writing, and Sharing Your Generational Story (Elaine McAllister)
You likely know the names and some details about your grandparents, but can you list all eight of your great-grandparents? Most Americans can't, and although we may not have had very close relationships to them, there is a lot of ...
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Season 1
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Episode 102
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44:02

101 | Why YOU Should Attend Convention This Summer (Kelsey Ensz & Daniel Rodriguez)
As we inch closer to summertime, we're also preparing for our biennial USMB pastors' conference and national convention coming to Omaha this July. On this episode we're joined by Kelsey Ensz and Daniel Rodriguez who both serve on the planning c...
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Season 1
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Episode 101
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40:25

100 | Looking Back & Looking Ahead! (USMB Staff)
We made it to 100 episodes! Wahoo! Thank you for listening over the past four years.Today Matt talks with the entire USMB staff as we look back and reflect on our favorite episodes, go through some fun trivia, and share details about a ...
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Season 1
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Episode 100
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26:18

099 | The How, Why, and "What's Next" of USMB Church Planting (Scott Thomas)
This week Matt talks with Scott Thomas, the new interim USMB Church Planting Mobilizer. Scott shares his extensive experience in church planting, having been involved with literally hundreds of church plants across the U.S. during his time with...
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Season 1
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Episode 99
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46:38

098 | God Is Your Provider (Brian Kluth)
We all work hard for our paychecks, and sometimes it can feel like our income falls short of our financial needs--maybe especially for those of us employed by a local church. That may be true, but today our guest Brian Kluth has an important re...
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Season 1
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Episode 98
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47:46

097 | Building Generosity Through Accountability (Gary Hoag)
Like it or not, most ministries require a budget. And even if they don't, Jesus was clear that His followers needed to have an appropriate and God-honoring view of money. As church leaders, how can we realistically encourage and grow our genero...
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Season 1
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Episode 97
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43:43

096 | Faithfully Different (Natasha Crain)
According to recent research, the number of Americans with a biblical worldview continues to decline. In our world where secular culture boosts the ideas of self-authority and subjective truth, how can believers stay anchored to Jesus and the B...
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Season 1
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Episode 96
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53:35
