Faith Listens

What if the connections we're longing for are closer than we think?

In this episode, we hear from Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Owatonna, Minnesota, and St. Andrew's Lutheran Church in San Diego, California. Through listening, these congregations discovered that both young people and older generations shared a deep desire to know one another. Rather than assuming they knew the answer, they took small steps to create meaningful op...

What does it look like to create spaces where every young person knows they belong?

In this episode, we hear from Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Rockford, Illinois, and Peace Lutheran and St. Luke Lutheran in Memphis, Tennessee. Through listening, these congregations discovered a deep longing for belonging and responded by creating spaces where young people could feel seen, welcomed, and included.

You'll hear how one congregation ...

What happens when we truly listen? Not just listen to respond, but to be changed?

In this episode, we hear from Memorial Lutheran Church in St. Augustine, Florida, and Christ Lutheran Church in Valparaiso, Indiana. Although their stories are different, both congregations discovered that transformation begins with a willingness to listen with humility and curiosity.

You'll hear how one congregation's listening led to an unexpected p...

What happens when we stop trying to control every outcome and start creating space for others to lead?

In this episode, we hear from leaders at Peace Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Portage, Michigan, as they share how their ministries have been transformed by empowering young people, listening deeply, and embracing a posture of "yes."

You'll hear why thriving youth ministry isn'...

Welcome to Season 2 of Faith Listens, the podcast of the Formation Co-Op. This season highlights stories of experiments from congregations across the country who have been part of the Co-Op process — what they have tried, what they have learned, and how the Co-Op has supported them as they explore new ways of rooting young people in a lifelong, transformative faith in Jesus Christ. Through honest conversations about faith, le...

Meet Jasmine Fiscal and Andrea Olguin-Ledezma, members of the young adult leadership team guiding the children and youth ministry programs at St. James Santiago Apóstol Lutheran Church in Houston, TX. In this episode you'll hear how the care and accompaniment of their Guide Sal helped them grow in their confidence as leaders and how they used new skills to reflect on their ministry with youth, providing deeper connections and engag...

Meet Ben Buss, Youth and Family Ministry Coordinator at Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Columbus, OH, and volunteer leader Mark Keller, as they share how listening deeply to young people and their families is reshaping their approach—from confirmation curriculum redesign to involving youth in music and community outreach. You’ll hear them talk about the necessity of adapting to cultural changes, fostering community, and t...

Meet Pastor Michael Jordan and volunteer leader Sherri Oswald from Trinity Lutheran Church in Yankton, SD, as they share their journey to develop a Daily Digital Devotion as a tool for daily faith integration, based on what they learned through their listening sessions. You’ll hear the uncertainty and frustrations of trying something new, and how engaging through a guided, collaborative process ultimately leads to deeper tran...

Meet the volunteer leaders at Mediator Lutheran Church in Philadelphia, PA: Mary Sharpe-Lewis, Janis Garfield, and Crystal Goodrich. This church family is focused on engaging young people in their immediate neighborhood, creating a community of belonging. Through listening they empowered the voice of their young people to be heard, and shifted their ministry to find new ways to engage youth in living out their faith through word an...

“Listening is a deep act of faith.” Meet Emily Brabham, Director of Youth and Ministry Services at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Portland, OR, and ninth grader Margo who serves on their Formation Co-Op Team. Through listening sessions with parents and high school students, they share how St. Luke discovered a deep desire for connection, inspiring new approaches like a Saturday night program to strengthen bonds among youth...

The “secret sauce” of the Formation Co-Op is the integral role of Guides assigned to accompany each congregation through the entire process: equipping them to listen to their context, providing feedback and curious questions, and offering encouragement and support along the way. In this episode, Guides from the first cohort share their experience and insights they have gleaned from their congregations.

Episode Guests:

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The Formation Co-Op invites congregations into an intentional listening process that is grounded in emergent strategy and the Co-Op Core Commitments. In this episode, members of the Formation Co-Op’s Design Team and Program Team discuss the development of the Formation Co-Op process, and how this initiative fosters a collaborative community of co-creators and co-learners.

Episode Guests:

Rev. Dr. Colleen Wyndham-Hughes, Desi...

The landscape of youth ministry has changed significantly, yet many congregations and leaders struggle to adapt their ministries in ways that are relevant to their youth and context. Through a generous grant from the Lilly Endowment “Strengthening Congregational Ministry with Youth Initiative”, the ELCA Youth Ministry Network is partnering with congregations to explore innovative youth ministry practices in order to roo...