Eps 61: Co-Leadership, Male and Female

If you serve or cater to both men and women, it makes sense that you represent those people with both men and women in leadership. But, this is a very modern development. Event in many business sectors the lack of women in top positions of leadership continues to be a problem.

Reflecting a true image of humanity back to those we lead or serve in ministry shouldn’t be such a strange concept either, but it’s often rare and controversial in religious spheres.

 

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Today my guests are Kathy Escobar and Karl Wheeler, Co-Pastors for more than ten years of the Refuge, a mission center and Christian community near Denver, Colorado.

• They also have a new podcast called Faith Circus where they record their “big tent, high-wire conversations of faith, church, and life (and the occasional elephant in the room)”.

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kathy and Karl


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SHOWNOTES

MIN 1
Where I (Lisa) went to Evangelical Seminary in Myerstown, PA. Tony Blair is the President, a professor and the co-pastor of a church called Hosanna! A Fellowship of Christians in Lititz, Pennsylvania with female pastor Jo Ann Kunz.

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MIN 4:00

Was there pushback when you began as equal partners in church leadership ten years ago at the Refuge?

6:20
Understanding co-pastoring. A team-planted the Refuge.

8:10
Equality in Christ.
People assume they must be married because they are co-pastors.

10:30
Having a restored image of God.
Men sometimes find women easier to share private things with.

12:00
Circumcision is an old covenant (males only).
Baptism is a new covenant (open to both males and females).

13:30

Faith Circus – The podcast

Makes space for talking about difficult things.

14:40

Unity not uniformity

15:30
Covering the topic of abortion

17:00
Creating connection

18:00
real conversations

20:30
A culture of honesty.

“Diversity is a reflection of God’s Kingdom”

22:00
The Gay Marriage issue that unfolded in their church

26:00
“What’s your position?” is a tricky question–a litmus test.

32:00
The Refuge writes doctrine in pencil so they can be reexamined.
“What we believe so far…”

37:00 Next topics coming on Faith Circus

39:00
Violence and guns?

Non violent communication

Marshall Rosenberg

42:00
Taking winning off the table. Use empathy and understanding.

43:00

We stop listening and we need to slow down to start thinking again.


 

Thank you for listening today! I hope you subscribe and tune in again soon. Spark My Muse comes out TWICE a week.