The Hopeful Church

In this episode, Dr. Darrell Gwaltney talks with Linda Leathers and Adam Buzard of Operation Andrew Group about church unity in Middle Tennessee, pastor care, and what the 2023 State of Nashville study revealed about stress, loneliness, and trust across the city. The conversation explores how data can help pastors and congregations respond more thoughtfully to community needs.Linda Leathers was named President of Operation Andrew Group in 2020. Over Leathers’ six years at Operation Andrew Group the organization has expanded its ministry impact to three robust programs: Church and Public School partnerships, Mentorship of Young adults, and Support for Pastors. Operation Andrew Group (OAG) currently engages over 360+ local congregations. Prior to leading Operation Andrew Group, Linda served as The Next Door Founding Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer for 17 years. In this role, she was recognized by both President Bush and Obama administrations by receiving the 2007 Director’s Award from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and named a Champion for Change in 2008.Adam Buzard has served as a pastor in California, St. Louis, and Nashville and has a deep passion for the community of Greater Nashville and all those who choose to live here. Adam is part of the team at Operation Andrew Group serving as the Director of United4Pastors, creating impactful relational networks of pastors who know, support, and collaborate well for the flourishing of all. Adam is married to Dr. Allison Buzard, is passionate about Nashville Soccer Club, his cats, and will be excited to argue about the best lunch spots in his neighborhood.In this episode:What The State of Nashville Report reveals about pastoral trust in NashvilleWhy pastors need relationships outside of their denominational circleHow Operation Andrew Group and the Moench Center are helping pastors and church leaders flourishHow churches can rethink partnerships, volunteer engagement, and local missionLinda and Adam’s visions of a hopeful church rooted in unity, faith, and serviceResources & Links:The State of Nashville ReportConnect with The Moench Center for Church LeadershipSign Up for our NewsletterFollow Us on InstagramWatch The Hopeful Church Podcast on YouTubeConnect with Operation Andrew GroupOperation Andrew Group WebsiteConnect with Darrell GwaltneyLinkedInTwitterThe Hopeful Church Podcast is an initiative of the Moench Center for Church Leadership at Belmont University. To learn more about Belmont University, go to belmont.edu.

In this special presentation by The Hopeful Church, we take a look inside the Nashville Preaching Cooperative's recent Peacemaking Pilgrimage to Ireland and Northern Ireland. On this trip (through a partnership with Telos Group), pastors learned about root causes of injustice, making peace across lines of difference, and how the hope of the gospel unites all believers.In this episode:Why trips are important tools for pastors to learn and growHow pastors and church leaders in Northern Ireland are embracing hope and lament in the wake of violent historyWhy peacemaking must happen in communityWhy humility and prayer are essential to pastoral leadershipThe difference between false peace and real peaceHow bridges are built after injustice and wrongdoingWhat "loving your neighbor" really looks likeInterviewers (in order of appearance):Dr. Darrell Gwaltney - Belmont UniversityTodd Deatherage - Telos GroupJeremy Rose - The Axis ChurchRev. Dr. Carol Cavin-Dillon - West End United Methodist ChurchRev. Dr. Mika Edmondson - Koinonia ChurchRev. Dr. Paula B. Smith - Gordon Memorial United Methodist ChurchAdam Buzard - United4Pastors, Operation Andrew GroupDr. Glen Money - First Baptist Church, MurfreesboroKristin Clark-Banks - The Way Opening, Tennessee Western Kentucky United Methodist ConferenceResources & Links:The Rest is History PodcastThe Troubles PodcastConsidering Lament: Songs of Protest, Pain, and HopeLilly Endowment Compelling Preaching ProgramConnect with Telos GroupTelos' WebsiteTelos' InstagramConnect with The Moench Center for Church LeadershipSign Up for our NewsletterFollow Us on InstagramWatch The Hopeful Church Podcast on YouTubeAll audio from this episode is from Epidemic Sound, and this episode was written, produced, edited, and engineered by Brandon Billings.The Hopeful Church Podcast is an initiative of the Moench Center for Church Leadership at Belmont University. To learn more about Belmont University, go to belmont.edu.

In this episode, Dr. Darrell Gwaltney hosts a vibrant conversation with emerging preachers Nicole Rittgers, Julia Hayes, and Sarah Garrett Krey. They share their journeys, challenges, and hopes for the future of preaching within a diverse and evolving church landscape.Rev. Sarah Garrett Krey is a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), currently serving as pastor of Gloria Dei! Lutheran Church in Arnold, Maryland, just outside Annapolis.Rev. Julia Hayes is the pastor of the Grove United Methodist Church, an unapologetically Jesus-centered, inclusive church in Leland, North Carolina. She is passionate about creating a compelling, inclusive Christian community where all people can encounter Jesus.Nichole is pursuing a Master of Divinity at Asbury Theological Seminary and serves as a ministry intern at her local church in Nashville, Tennessee. When she's not studying or serving in ministry, she enjoys playing and watching basketball, spending time outdoors, and hanging out with her dog, Rocky, and her friends.In this episode:The impact of the Academy of Preachers on young preachers’ development and confidenceHow diverse preaching traditions influence emerging voicesThe importance of authenticity, listening, and trusting one's unique voice in preachingThe role of AI in sermon writingChallenges faced by women preachers, and stories of resilienceThe importance of incarnation and storytelling in preachingWhat a truly hopeful church looks like for young preachers Resources & Links:Register for Nov 7th Day of Preaching at SouthPark Church in Charlotte, NCAcademy of Preachers website Connect with The Moench Center for Church LeadershipSign Up for our NewsletterFollow Us on InstagramWatch The Hopeful Church Podcast on YouTubeConnect with our GuestsJulia HayesSarah Garrett KreyConnect with Darrell GwaltneyLinkedInTwitterThe Hopeful Church Podcast is an initiative of the Moench Center for Church Leadership at Belmont University. To learn more about Belmont University, go to belmont.edu.

In this episode, Darrell Gwaltney speaks with Vicki Askew, executive director of the Center for Hope and Healing in Nashville, TN, about nurturing spiritual growth and addressing the mental health challenges faced by church leaders and congregants today. They explore practical ways to slow down, foster deeper spiritual connections, and support pastoral resilience.Vicki was in business and strategic planning for 30 years, primarily for law and accounting firms and healthcare companies. In the midst of this incredible career, she always felt that there was something more. In 2018, Vicki started down the unexpected path to find her true callings in both trauma informed care and spiritual direction. She was trained by Trauma Healing Institute based in Philadelphia, and completed spiritual direction studies through Lipscomb University.In this episode:The importance of slowing down in a distracting culture and how spiritual practices support thisWhat is spiritual direction?The upcoming spiritual formation event with Alan and Gem Fadling focused on Unhurried LivingIndicators of burnout among pastors and church leaders, including withdrawal and emotional exhaustionPractical steps for those in leadership to create space for rest, reflection, and spiritual renewalResources & Links:Register for Sept 19th event with Alan FadlingCenter for Hope and Healing's WebsiteVicki's WebsiteConnect with The Moench Center for Church LeadershipSign Up for our NewsletterFollow Us on InstagramWatch The Hopeful Church Podcast on YouTubeConnect with Vicki AskewInstagramConnect with Darrell GwaltneyLinkedInTwitterRemember: The hopeful church makes space for grace, slow listening, and the next generation to be seen, heard, and loved. This episode reminds us that spiritual direction is important work that can bring hope and healing into the lives of believers.The Hopeful Church Podcast is an initiative of the Moench Center for Church Leadership at Belmont University. To learn more about Belmont University, go to belmont.edu.

In this episode, Darrell Gwaltney sits down with Todd Deatherage, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Telos, to explore how Christian discipleship is shaped through peacemaking, reconciliation, and honest engagement with complex conflict. Telos’ primary area of focus has been on America’s relationship to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In more recent years, they’ve developed programming aimed at addressing issues of racial injustice in the U.S. and examining lessons from the Good Friday Peace Agreement in Northern Ireland. Prior to Telos, Todd worked at the U.S. State Department in the Administration of President George W. Bush and served on Capitol HIll as Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator Tim Hutchinson (R-AR).This conversation offers a compelling vision of what it means for the church to move beyond easy answers and toward embodied witness, relational courage, and a deeper understanding of shalom. Todd explains why peacemaking is not about picking sides, but about following Jesus, and how churches can be formed through proximity, listening, and shared experiences that open hearts and reshape perspectives.In this episode:How Todd’s faith journey shaped his work in peacemaking and reconciliationWhy peacemaking is central to Christian discipleshipHow churches can curiously engage complexity without reducing people to simple categoriesThe role of travel, immersion, and shared experience in spiritual formation for pastors and church leadersWhy transformation often begins when hearts are opened, not just minds informedHow churches can become hopeful, reconciling agents in their own communitiesExamples of congregations engaging local justice, history, and community needs in new and innovative waysResources & Links:Telos's WebsiteConnect with The Moench Center for Church LeadershipSign Up for our NewsletterFollow Us on InstagramWatch The Hopeful Church Podcast on YouTubeConnect with Todd DeatherageInstagramConnect with Darrell GwaltneyLinkedInTwitterRemember: Hope is not optimism, but active trust in a God who is making things right now. This episode reminds us that the church’s calling is not to defend territory, but to share love, pursue peace, and participate in God’s ongoing work of reconciliation.The Hopeful Church Podcast is an initiative of the Moench Center for Church Leadership at Belmont University. To learn more about Belmont University, go to belmont.edu.