What Do I Do After the Speaking Requests End? | Mark Buchanan

Mark Buchanan, author, professor and former pastor speaks on how to build a life of faith while building a ministry and the dangers of letting the ministry take precedence over your own formation.
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Mark Buchanan on Pastoring Others Without Losing Your Soul, Growing Deep Over Fast, and Telling Gospel-Shaped Stories
Listen to our full conversation on the Canadian Church Leaders Podcast.
Find the full TH-cam version of our conversation with Mark here:
• Mark Buchanan on Pasto...
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We know that a church is more than a building, but how does changing a space change a church? What does it mean to pastor in a way that is contextualized to the neighbourhood you’re in & the needs around you?
We talked with our friend Tammy Giffen, Lead Pastor of Groundswell Church in Truro Nova Scotia about what it’s like to grow roots as a church in a new community, how to process staff changes, and how to create safe spaces for young leaders to flourish.
That's exactly what Tammy Giffen and her team at Groundswell Church in Truro, Nova Scotia have been learning the last few years.
In 2020, after partnering with another local church, they were gifted that church's building.
The move took them from meeting in a Cineplex Theatre off the highway, to a historical church building in the centre of town across from the library and civic square. A new neighbourhood meant how they did church in this new context had to change.
In this week's episode, Tammy shares what it’s like to grow roots as a church in a new community, how to process staff changes, and how to create safe spaces for young leaders to flourish.
It’s clear that she sees her work as joining in on what God is up to in her community, and we hope you’ll be as encouraged as we are by her open-handed, faithful posture towards ministry.
Mark Buchanan sits down with us again to explore everything from how storytelling forms us to our addiction to control. He articulates how narratives help us navigate the truths of life and our identity, emphasizing the significance of weaving hope-filled, gospel-rooted stories into the fabric of our cultural imagination.
Throughout our conversation, Mark draws from the life of David to think about leaning on character over gifting and the temptation of success. Mark offers a candid look into what spiritual practices have deepened his love for Jesus, and what he has been learning about the importance of deep friendships in this season of his life.
This episode is an invitation to reevaluate our leadership in ministry, challenging us to lead in a manner that not only fosters integrity but cultivates a deeper love for Jesus.
Bio | Mark is an author, Associate Professor of Theology at Ambrose University in Calgary, Alberta, and former pastor. His books include “God Walk: Moving at the Speed of Your Soul” and the ever-popular “The Rest of God.” In 2021 Mark and his wife Cheryl started New Story Community, a ministry that seeks to walk alongside Indigenous Women who need space for healing. The program focuses on academic and biblical study, skill development, and personal goal-setting. The heart is to join God in His work of writing a story of hope, redemption and healing in the lives of His people.