None of us have an infinite capacity to absorb the suffering of the world (and each other.) The process of transformationally engaging with the people around us is exhausting, inch-by-inch work, and unless we carefully tend our own well-being, we *will* burn out before we manage to make much of a difference.

With that in mind, take care of yourself people. (And if in your hearts of hearts, you know you’ve really been putting your best energy into Netflix and hanging out with people of your own ethnic/ideological enclave, then for heaven’s sake, come out and join us in the work.)

Need a place to start? Here’s what I (and a few of my wise friends) suggested as starting points:

“1) Pray. I’m pretty sure I’d be twice the asshole I am currently without the Spirit’s help.
2) Get off social media, at least for a few hours, at regular intervals.
3) Intentionally enjoy being a dad. (It’s easy when you have a son like mine.)
4) Un-selfconsciously embrace stupid things. I have a 3DS that I play constantly, delicious epic fantasy books I can sink hours into, an increasingly fanatic attachment to basketball (I literally listen to more basketball podcasts than any other form of audio media), and a large liquor cabinet.”

“Listen to novels. This helps me both during the day to disengage mentally from the work of always processing (even when I’m not engaging) AND also to distract me from my own thoughts when I am trying to fall asleep at bedtime or when I am awake in the middle of the night.”

“For myself, I try to balance the talking with the listening. Really listening, and if I can’t hear it anymore to say our loud, “This is important and I want to keep going, but I might need a break to process more.” Since the election, with difficult topics, I try to give myself and the other person that time to “digest” what we’ve been learning. I try to read as much as I can stomach to really know what I’m talking about (or hearing about) to reinforce anything I need to know. And then I play. Games, movies, songs. I try to get out of “headspace” and just be.”

“Read
Say thank you a lot
Take a walk in nature
Get some exercise
Laugh”

“Yogalates, walks in the woods, Netflix, essential oils, drinking water.”

“Sleep!! Even a nap midday if you can manage it (not everyone naps well or has time). A couple of hours, or a good night’s sleep always resets my stress levels. Even if stress or anxiety returns as it is bound to do, the rest can adjust your perspective.”

“Time in nature is my balm, I find it very easy to stay present during my time there. The ritual of making a pot of tea and hunkering down with a great book is so comforting.”

Join us for a little bit more of our conversation with Jennifer DiFrancesco and Jason Chestnut of the Slate Project as they talk about their most hilarious ministry fails.

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Join us for a conversation with Jennifer Difrancesco and Jason Chesnut of the Slate Project, a hybrid online/in-person community located in Baltimore, Maryland (and around the globe.) Hear them share about the rhythms of their community, the challenges of creating a unified identity across online and geographically-located spaces, and what it means to create a “clean slate” when it comes to being the church.

I’m discovering that the work of genuine encounter and authentic dialogue is really exhausting.

If you’re actively engaged with that work, either on social media or in-person, please make sure you’re being kind to yourself. (I’ve added a few things I do below and would love to hear what you do as well.)

And, if you’re not actively engaged with that work, and have a little extra energy, would you please share the load with us?

Here are a few things I do:

1) Pray. I’m pretty sure I’d be twice the asshole I am currently without the Spirit’s help.

2) Get off social media, at least for a few hours, at regular intervals.
3) Intentionally enjoy being a dad. (It’s easy when you have a son like mine.)

4) Un-selfconsciously embrace stupid things. I have a 3DS that I play constantly, delicious epic fantasy books I can sink hours into, an increasingly fanatic attachment to basketball (I literally listen to more basketball podcasts than any other form of audio media), and a large liquor cabinet.

Join us to hear stories of some of the most hilarious ministry fails our guests and friends of the podcast have experienced. Hear about sad paper tents from Christian Coon, hungry dogs from Christy Dirren, “UMW time” from Breanna Illene, the dangers of people “inviting all their friends” from Ben Yosua-Davis, and a special guest musical performance by Brutal Bear!

You can find all our episodes by subscribing to us with your favorite podcast delivery service or by finding us by searching “Reports from the Spiritual Frontier” on Facebook!

A truly heartbreaking and beautiful interview. (So much so that I released two versions. The first is a standard length episode and the second our much longer, unedited conversation.)

[buzzsprout episode=’562308′ player=’true’]

[buzzsprout episode=’562337′ player=’true’]

Join us for our unedited conversation with Andy Oliver, pastor of visitation at First United Methodist Church PDX, as he tells us the story of planting a new faith community called the Crossing with the The Pacific Northwest Conference of The United Methodist Church from its beginning to its end.

Hear about the spiritual pressures of starting a new faith community, how he knew that the church’s ministry was finished, the spiritual trauma in the aftermath of its closing, and what has come back together (and not come back together) for him in the days afterward

Join us for a conversation with Andy Oliver, pastor of visitation at First UMC in Portland, OR, as he tells us the story of planting a new faith community called the Crossing from its beginning to its end. Hear about the spiritual pressures of starting a new faith community, how he knew that the church’s ministry was finished, the spiritual trauma in the aftermath of its closing, and what has come back together (and not come back together) for him in the days after.

You can hear a longer version of this interview by subscribing to us wherever your podcasts are delivered and clicking on the episode marked [Unedited].

https://www.flickr.com/photos/29205886@N08/2743534799

1)      Podcasting is a big deal, especially with young people.

From their start in 2003, podcasts have become the fastest growing media in the United States. In 2016, 40% of all Americans had listened to a podcast, 25% listen to a podcast at least monthly, and half of all those listeners are between the ages of 12-34.

2)      Podcasting build relationships faster than print does.

I talked with an author who told me that for publishers, 5000 monthly listeners are worth the same as 50,000 monthly readers on a blog. The average listener hears five podcast episodes in part or in their entirety every week. That level of engagement allows you to quickly build community with whomever you reach.

3)      Podcasting is effortlessly versatile.

Want to post sermons? Conduct interviews with religious leaders or ordinary church people? Highlight community-created poetry or music? Share your own thoughts on current events? Anything that can be recorded can be posted easily, depending on your goals.

4)      Podcasting is cheaper than you think.

My near-professional setup cost about $150 for a microphone, studio headphones, and the world’s tiniest sound booth, plus $12 a month for a podcast hosting service that connects it to Itunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and my website.  You can edit on any average laptop and there is powerful free sound editing software that provides easy post-production polish.

5)      Podcasting is easier that you think.

Yes, there is absolutely a learning curve at the beginning. However, if you are willing to pay attention to how you setup your recording space, getting an acceptable sounding podcast doesn’t take much time, especially if you don’t need a lot of bells and whistles. My podcast, which involves theme music, separately recorded intros and credits, mixing, and editing, takes me about two hours of editing time per episode.

Want hands-on help setting up a successful podcast for your church, ministry, or creative work? I’m teaching an eight-week, hands-on apprenticeship that will take you from the basics of sound editing, to learning how to conduct interviews, to launching your own podcast, starting in September. It’s called “Podcasting and the Art of Sacred Listening”, and if you register before Labor Day, you can get a $50 discount by entering the code “PODCAST2” when you check out.

Register at https://www.academymwf.com/browse/journey/courses/podcast