The Beautiful Kingdom Builders Podcast

023 I Rev. Ruth Perry Reflects on Season One Lessons and Themes

Wendy McCaig returned to the podcast to have a conversation with The Beautiful Kingdom Builders host, Rev. Ruth Perry about what surprised her and stood out in Season 1, what themes emerged, and what Perry plans to do with the podcast in the future. Thanks to everyone who has listened to this inaugural season and sent encouraging messages along the way! May God bless you, and stay tuned for more! Visit thebeautifulkingdombuilders.com/tbkb-pod/ [thebeautifulkingdombuilders.com/tbkb-pod/] for episode links. Find TBKB on all the socials and help us grow by sharing your favorite episode with a friend!

022 I Dr. Bethany Hunter on Empowering Christians to Live a Mission-Driven Life Wherever They Are

Welcome to The Beautiful Kingdom Builders podcast, your place for redemptive conversations about gender, justice, abuse and healing in the Christian faith. This episode features Dr. Bethany Hunter, Executive Director of HerMission, discussing women's and the church's empowerment in mission work. We explore how equipping the church is essential for fostering a more inclusive and equitable Christian community, and that missions begins with meeting the physical needs of our neighbors before we approach their spiritual needs. Dr. Hunter shares her personal journey from the education world to ministry life, and balancing it all as a mom of three. Enjoy and thank you for listening to TBKB podcast! Visit HerMission at onhermission.org [onhermission.org] and find our episode notes and transcript on thebeautifulkingdombuilders.com [thebeautifulkingdombuilders.com] Be sure to subscribe so you never miss another episode! God bless!

021 I Jenna Dunn on Seven Scriptures to Prove Complementarianism is Wrong

Welcome to The Beautiful Kingdom Builders Podcast, your place for redemptive conversations about gender, justice, abuse, and healing in the Christian faith. In this insightful discussion, Rev. Ruth Perry and guest Jenna Dunn from Ezer Bible explore seven Scripture passages that show complementarianism is wrong. God does not require male authority in the Church and home! Visit ezerbible.com [ezerbible.com] and find Ezer Bible on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Find our show notes and transcript at thebeautifulkingdombuilders.com [thebeautifulkingdombuilders.com]

020 I Becky Garrison on Gaslighting for God: Recognizing Spiritual Narcissists and Cultures

Welcome to The Beautiful Kingdom Builders Podcast! In this episode, Rev. Ruth Perry hosts satirical religious writer Becky Garrison to discuss her book, "Gaslighting for God." The conversation explores narcissism within Christianity, offering insights into spiritual abuse, how to identify it and promoting spiritual growth through satirical commentary. This conversation highlights critical reflections on faith and personal well-being. For show notes and transcript, visit The Beautiful Kingdom Builders website [thebeautifulkingdombuilders.com/tbkb-pod/]. Buy Gaslighting for God here. [https://amzn.to/4czWpCZ] Find Becky Garrison on Substack [https://beckygarrison.substack.com/].

019 I Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson: Can the Church Heal Its Deepest Divisions?

From s1e19 of The Beautiful Kingdom Builders podcast, with my guest Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson, Bishop of the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church. In this episode, we discussed Bishop Sue's background, spiritual practices, and experiences as a woman in ministry. And we focused on the topic of leading through conflict, as the UMC went through a season of disaffiliation and ultimately removed exclusionary language from the Book of Discipline at the 2024 General Conference, thereby fully including LGBTQ people in the denomination. The 2024 and 2025 Virginia Annual Conferences were a powerful lesson in leading through disagreement and conflict. To see the Journey in Understanding report, visit: vaumc.org/journey/ [vaumc.org/journey/] For show notes, visit thebeautifulkingdombuilders.com/tbkb-pod/ [thebeautifulkingdombuilders.com/tbkb-pod/] Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Context of Disaffiliation 02:02 Bishop Sue's Faith Journey and Early Experiences 08:11 The Role of Law and Justice in Ministry 10:43 Motherhood's Impact on Ministry 12:54 Spiritual Practices and Sustaining Faith 14:06 Distinctives of Wesleyan Theology 17:42 Understanding Connection Over Hierarchy 20:38 Creating Community and Connection in Ministry 22:05 The Call to Ministry: Laity and Clergy as Partners 25:07 Navigating Disaffiliation: A United Methodist Perspective 31:30 Understanding LGBTQ Inclusion in the Church 40:23 Hope for the Future: The Next Generation of the Church