Collaborative Ministry in Action with Janessa Aston and Rev. Cory Williams
NextGen Conversations
When churches work together, everyone wins. In this episode, we chat with Janessa Aston from Platte Woods UMC and Rev. Cory Williams from Liberty UMC about the Northland Fall Retreat, a longstanding connectional event for Kansas City-area youth and churches. Janessa and Cory detail how multiple churches collaborate to pull off a meaningful weekend and share how your region can start a similar event. About NextGen Conversations NextGen Conversations is a podcast that seeks to empower children’s, family, youth and college-aged leaders to create dynamic, Christ-centered ministries. Every...
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Reimagining Sunday Mornings with Amanda Bond and Paige Turner
NextGen Conversations
What happens when a growing church decides to completely rethink its Sunday mornings? At New McKendree in Jackson, two campuses came together to create one united Sunday morning experience. Executive Director Amanda Bond and Family Ministries Director Paige Turner share how a children’s ministry challenge sparked a full-scale reimagining of discipleship, worship and community. In this conversation we discuss data-driven decisions, building consensus, and the bold move that strengthened engagement across all generations. About NextGen Conversations NextGen Conversations is a podcast that...
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All About Big Worship, Little Disciples
NextGen Conversations
In this episode of NextGen Conversations, join the Missouri Conference NextGen Ministries staff as they dive deep into our new program called Big Worship, Little Disciples. Hear the "why" behind the program, the desired outcomes and how your church can get involved in 2026. Resources About NextGen Conversations NextGen Conversations is a podcast that seeks to empower children’s, family, youth and college-aged leaders to create dynamic, Christ-centered ministries. Every episode features a conversation with a ministry leader and covers innovative solutions to common problems faced in...
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Healthy Hiring Practices with Rev. Diannah White
NextGen Conversations
Hiring for NextGen ministry roles is no small task. And once you’ve found the right person, how do you set them up for success? In this episode, Rev. Diannah White, executive pastor at Good Shepherd UMC in Kansas City, shares about the challenges of hiring, the expectations placed on new staff and how churches can better support their employees. About Rev. Diannah White Diannah’s role at Good Shepherd allows her to be involved in operations for both of Good Shepherd’s campuses and to serve as a campus pastor for the N Oak location. Providing strategy, encouraging staff culture and...
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Advent for All Ages with Rev. Sarah Jo Adams-Wilson
NextGen Conversations
Christmas comes every year. How do we keep it both fresh and meaningful and welcoming for families? In this episode of NextGen Conversations, Rev. Sarah Jo Adams-Wilson, associate pastor at Missouri UMC in Columbia, share ideas and tips for reimagining church Advent traditions with an intergenerational lens. About Rev. Sarah Jo Adams-Wilson Sarah Jo is a cradle United Methodist born and raised in Mississippi. She previously served at Decatur UMC in Decatur, Mississippi, alongside her clergy husband, Jake. Sarah Jo graduated from Duke Divinity School in 2014 and was ordained an elder in 2017....
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Competing with Sports with Rev. Chandler Landis
NextGen Conversations
On this episode of NextGen Conversations, we chat with Rev. Chandler Landis, associate pastor at First UMC in Sikeston, about the reality of youth ministry in a world packed with sports, activities and extracurriculars. Chandler shares creative, practical ways to build trust with families, partner with parents and make ministry happen beyond the church walls and between touchdowns. About NextGen Conversations NextGen Conversations is a podcast that seeks to empower children’s, family, youth and college-aged leaders to create dynamic, Christ-centered ministries. Every episode features a...
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Fresh Starts and Fresh Produce with Madison Westermier and Emily Pikaard
NextGen Conversations
In the final installment of our special pitch episodes of NextGen Conversations, we welcome Emily Pikaard and Madison Westermier as they pitch ways to reveal a newly updated ministry space and raise a few additional funds. Emily dreams up a scavenger hunt-style launch event to help young families explore a newly renovated children's space, complete with unstructured play, classroom introductions and a strategic welcome back to church. Madison pitches a year-round church farm stand stocked with garden goods and homemade jams offered by donation and run in part by kids. It's a creative way to...
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Ideas for Connecting Across Generations with Rebes Bennett and Rachel Griffith
NextGen Conversations
In the final installment of our special pitch episodes of NextGen Conversations, we welcome Rachel Griffith and Rebes Bennett as they pitch ways to reach out and build relationships across generations. Rachel pitches a student-led open mic night designed to give teens a safe space to express their talents, be heard and feel supported. Rebes shares an idea about regular intergenerational programming designed to foster meaningful conversations. About NextGen Conversations NextGen Conversations is a podcast that seeks to empower children’s, family, youth and college-aged leaders to create...
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Creatively Engaging the Next Generation with Ryan Cohen and Micayla Baldwin
NextGen Conversations
In this special pitch episode of NextGen Conversations, we hand the mic to two new ministry leaders who are imagining creative ways to engage with students and families who both do and don’t attend church. Ryan proposes gamifying Bible learning through theater, storytelling and D&D-inspired Sunday school adventures. Micayla shares a vision for turning her church into a “third space” for young families through weekday, chapel-style story time and unstructured play. About NextGen Conversations NextGen Conversations is a podcast that seeks to empower children’s, family, youth and...
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Creative Church Events with Revs. Martin Leathers and Shelly Nall
NextGen Conversations
In this special pitch episode of NextGen Conversations, we hand the mic to two seasoned ministry leaders with bold new ideas for connecting with students and families. Rev. Martin Leathers, students pastor and middle school director at The Gathering UMC, shares a plan for a traveling tailgate tour that brings free food, fun and authentic connection straight to high school football games. Rev. Shelly Nall, NextGen director at First UMC in Blue Springs, pitches a parent prom, a joy-filled night to honor and uplift exhausted moms, dads and caregivers. About NextGen Conversations NextGen...
info_outlineLaity is essential to the Methodist movement, and volunteers are the lifeblood of a thriving ministry. But how do you find them and keep them? Annette Safstrom, author and Ministry Architects consultant, shares practical strategies for recruiting, equipping and retaining volunteers. Whether you’re struggling to build a team or looking for ways to strengthen your volunteer culture, this episode is for you.
About Annette Safstrom
Annette fell in love with children’s ministry in the 1980s and has never looked back. After graduating from Bible college in 1991 with a certification in children’s ministry, she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Texas A&M University and a master’s from SMU. Over the years, she has consistently served in various roles in the church from volunteer to director of children’s ministry. Annette has been a member of the Ministry Architects team since January 2012 and co-authored Sustainable Children’s Ministry with Mark DeVries in January 2018. She loves to share the joy of children’s ministry with others through workshops, trainings and national conferences. She lives in McKinney, Texas, with her husband Kevin and their two children and enjoys traveling, cooking and writing.
Related Resources
- Sustainable Children’s Ministry: From Last-Minute Scrambling to Long-Term Solutions by Annette Safstrom and Mark DeVries
- Contact Annette at annette.safstrom@ministryarchitects.com
About NextGen Conversations
NextGen Conversations is a podcast that seeks to empower children’s, family, youth and college-aged leaders to create dynamic, Christ-centered ministries. Every episode features a conversation with a ministry leader and covers innovative solutions to common problems faced in churches today. We want to give you practical steps to transform the way you do ministry. It’s time to get in on the conversation!