The Church of Now Podcast

Jesus didn’t build a fortress for the found. He formed a movement for the lost.It’s time for the Church to move again.

From Judges 4–5, we see how Deborah’s faithfulness opened the way for Jael’s courage—and ultimately, for Israel’s freedom. We're reminded that we often enjoy shade from trees we didn’t plant.Your obedience might not be for you—it might be the open door someone else is waiting for.🛠️ Topics Covered: • What real obedience looks like • Why legacy faith matters • How God uses unexpected people in unexpected ways • What it means to “make room” in your life, your church, and your story💬 “You may not be the final act of God’s plan, but your obedience might open the curtain.”

For the first time in decades, a generation is shifting toward Jesus.In this episode of The Church of Now, we dive into the surprising new data from Barna’s State of the Church 2025 report. You’ll hear why Gen Z—especially young men—is experiencing a quiet revival, what’s fueling this movement, and why the Church must not miss this moment.🔹 Key stats you need to know🔹 Why cultural fatigue is turning hearts toward truth🔹 How to respond as a church and a leaderWhether you’re a pastor, parent, or passionate believer, this episode will help you see the hunger in this generation and rise to meet it with authenticity and boldness.📌 If Gen Z is leaning into Jesus, let’s lean in with them.👉 Don’t forget to subscribe and share.

What if God does His greatest work through the people who stay in the shadows? In this message, we look at Othniel—Israel’s first judge—and how God used his quiet, consistent obedience to bring peace. When flash fades and trends shift, faithfulness still stands. Discover why a long obedience in the same direction might be the most powerful witness you can have.

Listen in to a sermon I gave recently for graduation Sunday. Typically when we graduate from something familiar to something unfamiliar we start to look around and do what everyone else it doing. But God didn't call you to run someone else's race. He called you to run yours.

We live in a culture where we've believed that God is always mad at us all the time. Yet we miss the fact that we are His children and made in HIs image. He delights in us.

God wants us to go at His pace, not our own. We can't arrive early or late when we walk in His presence.

We all want to know what God's plans are for our lives. Maybe we need a perspective change. Check out my sermon from our church on this question.

Listen into a sermon to our students where we look at the way Jesus handled relationships and how we are called to model them.

Good intentions might make you feel like you’re on the right track, but without action, they’re just empty promises. In this episode, we dive into why intentions alone aren’t enough and how failing to follow through can impact your relationships, credibility, and personal growth. We’ll explore practical steps to turn your good intentions into meaningful actions, including starting small, setting measurable goals, creating accountability, and focusing on priorities. Plus, you’ll hear real-life examples of the ripple effects of both inaction and follow-through. Ready to bridge the gap between intention and action? Tune in and take the first step toward making your intentions count. 👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, share this episode, and leave a review!

It's been awhile! Sorry for being MIA but excited to be back. I have a new devotional coming out in 2025 and the goal is to be more consistent with the podcast. Hope you have 2025 goals that scare you! That's how you grow and depend on God!

In this episode, we sit down with Christian fiction author Courtney Dailey to explore her journey as a writer and believer. Courtney shares her passion for storytelling, offering insights into her creative process and how her faith shapes the characters and themes in her novels. She also hints at an exciting new book in the works! Beyond the pages, Courtney opens up about her personal journey to finding the love of Christ within the church, despite facing challenges along the way. This inspiring conversation offers a blend of faith, creativity, and resilience that you won’t want to miss.

Dick Morris has served many years in ministry along with radio broadcasting. Dick has a ton of experience and wisdom to share with us!

David killed Goliath but it wasn’t necessarily out of no where. When the big opportunity came, God had been preparing him for years in his day to day life. He had killed while animals, he had trained and practiced using a slingshot. God may be asking you to stay faithful where you are so you’re prepared when the big moment comes! New The Church of Now Podcast episode out today! 😊

Micah is the youth and worship leader at Ocean View Church of Christ in Ocean View, Delaware! He grew up as a preacher's kid and has always been inspired to lead the church to be as healthy as possible!

Without Jesus none of this matters. We're diving into the Word and seeing what Jesus does in the life of individuals.

On this podcast episode we discuss the importance of showing up and being a continual learner every single day!

God can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine! Allow Him to do it by thinking big.

In today's episode, we discuss how the decisions we make today can make an impact for generations! We must be faithful in what we do today!

We cannot do ministry alone! In the Church of Now we have to support one another and in this episodes we discuss some ideas to make it happen.

In the world we live in it is so easy to compare ourself to others. This applies to leadership and business but also our personal life. The good news is God frees us from comparison.

We live in a society where it attention spans are so short and it's getting harder and harder to focus. We as communicators of the gospel need to understand that our job is to help others understand the Bible. If we aren't careful, we can get in the way of that unintentionally. We must get the point across in a concise way!

This year we are bringing back the podcast but it will look a little different! Matt is going to dive into lessons he had learned as a young leader in hopes that you can gain insights whether you have been leading in the church for 2 years or 20 years! This podcast gives an introduction for what's coming up! The first episode will drop on January 26th!

Today, MichaelAnthony (Mike) Anakwe is joining the podcast and is an Associate Director of Elementary and Student Ministry at Grace Fellowship Church in Johnson City, TN. Mike graduated from Milligan College with a major in Business Management and minor in Student Ministries in 2020. Mike has also worked four full summers as a counselor, senior counselor, and program director at Pine Cove City. Mike loves playing pickup basketball and ultimate, writing, playing/listening to music, and thrift shopping. Mike's goal is to educate, encourage, and empower students with the joy and hope of the Gospel. Here is the link to his book: Haiku of Days: Short Stanzas on an Odd Existence https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09PVSQNPX/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ZYFD0NT0HRAK5G2H1FA6

Today we are finishing up season 2 and saying, “See ya later!” We are going to take a break during the holidays and will be back sometime around the first of the year! 😁

Today Bob Hickling joins the podcast!  Bob has been with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association for over 24 years.  He got his start as Office Manager for Billy Graham Crusades and has worked with every committee at some point over the years, both domestically and internationally and with each of the Grahams (Billy, Franklin and now Will).  His heart is discipleship and evangelism.  He is thankful to answer the call that God has laid upon his heart as he sees pastors and churches unite to reach the lost for Christ.  Bob and his wife Kristen have moved to Fredericksburg, Virginia, to work on the Rappahannock Area Celebration with Will Graham.  Bob also serves on the board of directors for Adoration Life, a ministry in East Tennessee founded to help the church heal the home in the name of Jesus.  Bob & Kristen have two sons and a daughter-in-law in Charlotte, North Carolina, and their daughter is in New York City.

Today Anne Wilson joins the podcast!  Anne serves as the lead youth minister at Traders Point Christian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana with a passion to see this generation know and follow Jesus. She and her husband, Kyle, have two children. Anne has served at churches in youth ministry and communications in North Carolina, Ohio, and Indiana, and currently serves on the board for Christ in Youth and is a speaker for their high school summer program, MOVE. Anne holds a degree in biblical studies and general ministry from Cincinnati Christian University.

Today Lauren Mallory joins us on the podcast!  Lauren Mallory is the Youth Groups Director at Traders Point Christian Church in Indianapolis, IN. Before moving to Indy, Lauren graduated from Johnson University with a B.A. in Youth Ministry and a Minor in Intercultural Studies in 2019. She has also worked over 40 weeks of summer camp and loves the outdoors. One of her greatest passions is sharing God’s ongoing story of light shining in darkness with today’s youth.

Today we have Brad Perry on the podcast!  Brad grew up in East Tennessee and joined the Marine Corps after high school and served during the first Gulf War. He began coaching wrestling in 1992 at the club level and eventually coached high school and the NCWA Collegiate level. During his coaching he coached 15 state medalist and had 3 state champions. He also won 2 TSSAA Coach of the Year awards. Brad also served for 6 years as a youth leader and deacon at his home church before serving a total of 19 years on staff at Poplar Ridge Christian Church as youth minister for 14 years and senior pastor for 5 years. He currently serves as the Area Director of FCA for Kingsport and Sullivan County. With the help of great volunteers FCA is currently reaching over 1,000 students in our public school systems. Brad has been married to his wife, Shawna, for 31 years and has a son and a daughter. Brad says that his family is by far his best accomplishment. 

Evan Wolfe was born in Elizabethton, TN and is a graduate of Milligan College (now Milligan University) and Emmanuel Christian Seminary. He is currently serving as the Lead Minister at Poplar Ridge Christian Church in Piney Flats, TN. Evan has been with PRCC in a full time staff role since 2009. The summer prior, he was a youth ministry intern. Since joining the staff team, Evan has served as Children's Minister (B-5th grade), Discipleship Minister (small groups and Christian education). Evan has been happily married to his wife Ashley for 10 years, and they have two children: Deacon who is five and Felicity Grace who will be one in November. He likes to drink coffee and make sawdust in his shop.

Today we have Cal Richard Kinman on the podcast! He is an admissions counselor at Johnson University. Cal is also involved with church relations at Johnson as well. Before working at Johnson in 2021, Cal graduated from Johnson in 2020 with a B.S. in Preaching and Youth Ministry. Immediately following graduation Cal did a year long residency with Cornerstone Christian Church working with Young Adult Ministries, and Youth as well. Cal plans on pursuing a master’s in New Testament Theology and Spiritual Formation, then a master’s of Divinity as well.

Today Brian Leslie joins us on the podcast! Brian Leslie is the director of our youth and children’s ministry programs and an associate professor here at Johnson University. Before coming to Johnson in 2016, Brian served for 21 years in local church ministries in Rockville, MD (Church of Christ at Manor Woods) and Plainfield, IN (Plainfield Christian Church). Brian is a graduate of Milligan College (class of ’95) where her received his B.A. in Ministry/Bible. In 2010, Brian completed a master’s degree in Youth Ministry Leadership at Huntington University. Currently, Brian is a pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree in Spiritual and Missional Formation at Lipscomb University. Brian is married to his wife Tricia Leslie, and father to four amazing children ages 23, 20, 18, and 15. When not teaching or spending time with family, Brian can be found following his Chicago Sports teams, nerding out over Star Wars or Marvel movies, or spending time with his two dogs- Nash and Cash.

Today we have Jackson Moser on the podcast!    Jackson serves as the Pastor of Kirkwood Church in Clarksville, TN. He is married to his best friend, Sarah, and they have a son named Lincoln.    Jackson met Sarah at Johnson University in Knoxville, TN where he finished his studies in 2015 with a degree in Bible and Theology as well as a degree in Management of Nonprofit Organizations. Jackson is finishing his Masters of Divinity degree with an emphasis in Congregational Leadership. Jackson has a deep passion and affection for the local church and fulfilling the Great Commission locally and globally.    Jackson enjoys CrossFit, reading, spending time outdoors, traveling, and hanging out with family and friends. He consumes a minimum of 4 cups of coffee per day, and is a big University of Kentucky Wildcats and Boston Red Sox fan.    Jackson’s life verse is Numbers 9:23.

Today we begin season 2 of The Church of Now Podcast with our guest Josh Clark! Josh Clark was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He now lives in Little Rock, Arkansas where he is on staff at Fellowship Bible Church as a campus student pastor at their Midtown campus! Josh has been pouring into the lives of students for many years now and fully believes we all have a place in the church now!

Our host, Matt Mangrum, dives into what next season will look like and talks about things he has learned about The Church of Now from his guests.

Noah is a 26 year old communicator and pastor based in Atlanta, Georgia. His passion is to reach the next generation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In 2017, Noah founded The Gathering young adult movement in Cleveland, TN that reached thousands of young adults on a weekly basis. Since that time, he has become a trusted voice to the GEN-Z and Millennial generations. In 2021 Noah founded a non-profit called “Neighborhood Young Adults” that seeks to disciple and raise up communities of Young Adult followers of Jesus in every Neighborhood in the United States. His messages have been received by many around the globe as he encourages people to not just know Jesus but to follow Him. Noah can also be found online through is podcast “All our ways” or on social media (@NoahHerrin). Noah is happily married to his wife Maddy since the Summer of 2019. They enjoy eating Chick-Fil-a, traveling, playing board games and walking their son (A miniature Goldendoodle puppy) named Mogley.

Ruby Kedney is a passionate communicator of God’s word. She has taught at churches and camps all around the United States. She lives in Southern California with her husband and Golden doodle puppy. She is the Connections Coordinator at Shepherd Church and helps people take the next step in their faith. She is passionate about women in leadership, the local church and mental health!

Austin Garrett is the Student Minister at The Crossing in Milton, Delaware! Austin grew up as a "ministry kid" in southwest Ohio (The Promised Land) before attending Johnson University. He graduated in May of 2019, married his wife Hannah six days later, and them moved across the country to start in ministry. Austin loves his wife, basketball, good coffee, great friends, podcasts, and watching his students grow and lead in the Kingdom of God! 

Today we speak with Johnson University President, Tommy Smith! President Smith is in his 4th year at Johnson and undoubtedly believes in the younger generations.

Today we talk with Mark Magee! Mark has been the pastor at The Crossing in Lewes, Delaware for over 28 years and really believes in investing in the younger generations!

Daniel Overdorf serves as Professor of Pastoral Ministries and Director of Preaching Programs at Johnson University in Knoxville, Tennessee. Previously, he ministered with churches in Illinois and Georgia. He holds degrees from Johnson University, Lincoln Christian Seminary, and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Daniel and his wife Carrie recently celebrated twenty-five years of marriage; they have two sons and a daughter.  His most recent book is a historical novel titled A Death Well Lived.

Taylor is the founder of Rough Terrain Studios which exists to use film in communicating messages and telling stories that point people to Jesus. He previously worked as the Program Director for CIY MIX and did ministry for 5 years in Tennessee. He is currently a contributing writer for CIY’s WRKR films, and also does team trainings with Siblings Improv. Taylor lives in Joplin, MO with his wife, Shaylea, and their three kids. Taylor also mentioned his new ministry and you can find that at https://www.roughterrainstudios.com!

Today we talk to Garrett Johnston! Garrett was born and raised in sunny San Diego with a background in theatre until God called him into ministry. He moved to Tennessee to attend Johnson University and met his lovely wife Kayle. He's been married since 2018 and moved to Wisconsin in 2019 to join the staff of RiverGlen Christian Church where he serves as a Teaching Pastor and Director of Student Ministries. He loves the outdoors, good coffee, movies, and a fresh pair of kicks! He believes in the younger generations and has a heart of gold for reaching the lost! 

In this episode we talk with Micah Magee who is the First Impressions and Student Pastor at Sunnyside Christian Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado! Micah gives us incredible insight into his ministry and illustrates why he believes all generations are a part of the church now! 

In the first podcast of the season, The Church of Now Podcast host, Matt Mangrum, informs us of why this podcast is important and gives important details about what the rest of season 1 will look like! 

The podcast exists to inspire and inform the church of today that Gen-Z and Millennial people are not just the church of the future but the church of now. Oftentimes when we tell young adults and kids that they are the church of the future it downplays the power that God gives them to live out their faith now. They have a purpose right now at this moment. Although this is directed towards those two generations, it applies to the 5 generations that now exist in the church. If the church of today truly believes everyone is a part of the church of now then the church can move in the right direction. We believe that the Church of Now Podcast will inspire you as we have conversations with ministers from every generation from all over the country, along with individuals within the church that understand the power of young adults and children and the impact they can make in our world if we give them the opportunities they deserve.