Changing Church: Missional Practices and/for Beloved Community

What does it mean to lead during a time of religious, sociocultural, and environmental upheaval? What can churches do differently to reflect and nurture gospel values and God’s dream of a just, reconciled, Spirit-filled world? This course will use the vision and concepts of Beloved Community to interrogate our approach to mission. Participants will articulate big-picture values and explore everyday leadership practices designed to help ensure that our growing and changing communities avoid reproducing past injustices and divisions, contributing instead to their repair and reconciliation.

Instructor: Kyle Oliver is chief product officer at Learning Forte, a team of education and change experts helping leaders and teachers embrace hybrid ministry with confidence. He is also a doctoral student in the Media and Social Change Lab at Teachers College, Columbia University, where his research focuses on participatory meaning-making practices in faith-adjacent settings with at-promise youth and their mentors.