Rev. Dr. Mike Queen is a native of West Virginia but has served churches in North Carolina for the last 36 years. Since retiring as Pastor at First Baptist Church in Wilmington, where he served for 25 years, Mike co-founded a ministry called Hopeful Imagination to work with traditional churches dedicated to finding God’s way in a changing world. Mike is also the Co-Coordinator of the Center for Healthy Churches-Carolinas region and continues to serve as an Interim Pastor in NC churches that are in moments of transition.

Elizabeth Hagan is a graduate of Duke Divinity School and has been a pastor for 15 years. She saw - and personally experienced - the isolation, loneliness, and shame that remains unspoken when Christians shy away from difficult conversations. She knew that the church could do better to foster a sense of acceptance and belonging. So she is the author of two books, Birthed: Finding Grace Through Infertility and Brave Church: Tackling Tough Topics Together to open the door to the presence of God in difficult life experiences.

On this episode of the Speaking in Parables Podcast, we are joined by Dr. Pam Durso. r. Durso is the current president of Central Seminary and the former Executive Director of Baptist Women in Ministry and has served as president of the Baptist History and Heritage Society. She earned her PhD in Church History Baylor and has served on staff at a number of seminaries and in several roles in the local church.

On this episode of the Speaking in Parables Podcast, we are joined by Dr. Mitch Randall. Mitch is the chief executive officer of Good Faith Media. Before joining GFM, he was the executive director of the Baptist Center for Ethics. In addition, he pastored churches in Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma for over 20 years, and he holds a Master’s of Divinity with Biblical Languages from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry degree from George W. Truett Theological Seminary.

On this episode of Speaking in Parables, Tyler discusses the Parable of the Wedding Feast (Luke 14:7-14) with Dr. Keith Herron. Keith lives in St. Louis, where he teaches and writes at the intersection of spirituality and psychology. He has degrees in business, religion, education, and a doctorate in pastoral counseling and psychotherapy. He has served as a campus minister and as a pastor in the local church for many years. He is also the author of Living a Narrative Life: Essays on the Power of Stories.

This week, Tyler has a conversation with Rev. Dr. Gary Green. They discuss the Gary F. Green II is a former division one college athlete, consultant, and currently assistant professor of pastoral theology and social transformation at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. His dissertation, entitled Playing the Game: Unmarking “Beast” from the Bodies of Young Black Men investigates how the ritualized cultural performance of myths and ideologies such as “Beast” fund the dehumanization of Black men, women, and other racially minoritized groups. As a scholar with a passion for cultural criticism, Gary’s research centers both the healing and transformative value of previously unheard voices by integrating aspects of popular culture, including film, comedy, and the critical insights of black athletes. Personally, Gary is fascinated by the creative genius of comedians, music producers, and film writers, but above all his favorite thing to do is spend time with his wife, Monica, and their two children, Ella and Elliott.As always, you can learn more at www.ardmorebaptist.org/speakinginparables

On this episode, we meet Rev Kristen Koger. Kristen is a graduate of the Baptist Theological Seminary of Richmond and currently serves as the Associate Minister of Spiritual Formation at First Baptist Waynesboro. Kristen came to understand the value of planting seeds while serving at churches in Virginia and Georgia. By looking at the parable of the sower, Kristen and Tyler discuss the value of investing in faith formation, how to be good listeners and how trying new things can breathe life into ministry (and reveal the rocky soil and roots in your life).

Dr. Willimon is a bishop in the United Methodist Church and professor at Duke Divinity. As an active theologian and preacher, Dr. Willimon has earned 13 honorary doctorates. He has published over 70 books and numerous articles. On this episode you’ll hear about the role of story in our lives and how parables reflect the human tendency to create, tell, and identify with stories. You can find more episodes and information about this podcast at ArdmoreBaptist.org/SpeakingInParables