Light + Life Podcast

How can we elevate and advocate for women in leadership in the church? Bishop Kaye Kolde joins me, Brett Heintzman, for a wonderful conversation about the joys and challenges women face as they step into their calling in the church.

An initiative called PreacHer Sunday will take place on Sunday, March 3, 2024 which promotes women taking an active role in the Sunday pulpit ministry in our churches.

Today, my guests are Judi Noble and Susi Limon from Eagles Wings Ministries who have developed a powerful curriculum that provides hope and healing to the brokenhearted trapped in domestic violence.

“Love Does No Harm” is a book that applies the truth of Scripture and godly wisdom to situations of domestic violence. It is a book that invites abused persons to experience God’s healing and restorative power and walk in the newness of life.

Revelation church in Bozrah, CT is experiencing great growth and impact in their region by leading people who are far from God to experience deep transformation in Christ. Today I’m talking with Pastor Matt Grohocki as we discuss his story of coming to Christ and call into pastoral ministry. He’ll share the unique and powerful history of the church’s ten-year journey to where they are today. And how, with the assistance of the Free Methodist Investment and Loan Fund, they were able to acquire a most unique property for the church’s permanent home and celebrate paying off the debt in full.

The legacy of Free Methodist Missionaries Ernest and Phebe Ward is the topic of my conversation today with author Shivraj Mahendra. Dr. Mahendra’s book, “Lived Missiology: The Legacy of Ernest and Phebe Ward” is the recipient of the Leslie R. Marston 2022 Book Prize Award.

Join me for this inspiring conversation with Dr. Mahendra about the Wards and their devotion to the Lord.

FM Financial is the financial services provider of the Free Methodist Church.

Mark Olson, President and CEO joins me to discuss this unique ministry that provides planning, investing, and giving services through a biblical lens.

Listen in and discover how everyone can benefit from the services provided by FM Financial.

FM Financial is located at 8050 Spring Arbor Rd, PO Box 580, Spring Arbor, MI 49283

(517) 750-2727: phone

Mission Igniter is a church planting incubator that provides the support and financial and technical assistance to birth and develop churches to maturity. The environment and structure of an incubator provides space for new ideas to be tried and provides for mutual collaboration and support from both seasoned leaders and others currently launching new churches.

In this episode, Mission Igniter leaders Dustin Weber and Erick Ewaskowitz share the process and success stories of the ministry.

In this episode, authors Becky Townley and Rosie Godfrey share about their new book, "Hope Shouts Louder." Is your life not going to plan? There is hope and purpose to be found in Christ. Your heart will be warmed and you'll be encouraged by this conversation. 

Today, I’m joined by Chris Pulice and JR Rushik of Church Development Network to talk about a church planting movement taking place across the United States. Beginning with prayer and the call of God upon ordinary people to plant churches, this movement is both simple and undeniably powerful … bearing fruit through their encounter weekends and coaching with church planters.

Join me for this most inspiring conversation as these two men seek to spread the light and life of Jesus throughout our nation through church planting.

Heritage Ministries began with a God-given vision. Today it is a thriving ministry with 12 facilities in four states. Join the conversation with our guest Larry Petry, senior chaplain to discuss this thriving ministry to senior adults.

To learn more about Heritage Ministries, visit these links:

Patrick McNeal and Pastor Kurtis Koffkey join Brett Heintzman to tell their story about Community Roots – an initiative in Genesee County Michigan to bring people of diverse races together to speak and be heard in ways that foster unity, empathy, and understanding. One such conversation happened at Cornerstone Community Church in Flushing Michigan where Kurtis is the Pastor.

As divisiveness increases along social and political lines over these issues, the church can lead the way to diffuse and disarm the tension that keeps us from sharing life in love with one another.

“The Open Door” from Revelation 3:8 is the topic of today’s episode with Dr. David Thomas, Senior Advisor to the New Room Movement.

Drawing from his plenary address at the recent New Room Conference, David and I talk about the opportunities before the church today even as we navigate one of the most difficult seasons in the history of the American Church.

Project Lydia is a new initiative of West Morris Church in Indianapolis made possible in part through a grant from the city of Indianapolis. You'll want to hear this story of collaboration that brings the city government and the church together for the flourishing of youth in West Indy by providing microenterprise grants for small businesses. 

Supt. Rev. Dr. Bruce N. G. Cromwell is our guest to talk about his new book, Loving From Where We Stand: A Call to Biblically Faithful Ministry with the LGBTQ+ Community. 

Christie Kessinger, author of ROOTS Children's curriculum by Light + Life Publishing, discusses how children are the church of today, not tomorrow. She tells stories of children living into the fullness of the Holy Spirit and how children need to know God, not merely know about Him. 

What has the church learned about itself from our experience with COVID-19? How can we be strengthened and learn to be overcomers? Dr. Timothy Dwyer, author of Light + Life's Revelation: Leaving Speculation Behind, is a biblical scholar and devoted Christian who encourages us in this episode to follow the pattern of Revelation and stand firm. 

Pastor Fred TenEyck blessed me in this conversation, and you too will be blessed! Pastor Fred leads New Vision Fellowship Church in Forestville, Maryland – and is on the leadership team of the African Heritage Network of the FMC.

You’ll hear about the recent AHN gathering in Texas, but more importantly - in a day when tensions around race are rampant, godly conversations where we listen to one another, love and learn are essential to being transformed by the renewing of our minds. Biblical justice becomes loving action for people, not allegiance to politics.

Join the FMCUSA bishops for a conversation about the challenges of the past two years and fresh vision for the future. 

How can the church have conversations about biblical justice without avoiding, denying, or even feeling angry about it? Well, author Dominique Gilliard and Marissa Heffernan are my guests today, and we’re discussing that very topic. At the FMC’s Justice Network Summit coming September 9-11, Dominique will be a featured guest speaker, sharing from his soon-to-be-released book “Subversive Witness”

If you feel stuck – unable and even unwilling to participate in conversations around biblical justice, this episode is for you.

Justice Network Podcast Show Notes