S4 Ep39 - Gather + Grow Resources

S4 Episode 39 - Resources!

How do we choose what to read + reflect on?

How do we gather + grow as a leadership team and in community?

How do we engage with ideas that may stretch us?

Listen in and find out as Sarah and Jonny share what resources are currently enriching, impacting, provoking and informing their formation and leadership.

What’s your favourite resource right now? Let us know - podcast@birmingham.church or DM us on socials.

Jonny is Lead Pastor at ELC and Sarah is Head of Prayer & Leadership Development + Elim Prayer Director.

You can listen to Sunday talks that track the Around The Fire Podcasts here:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1gsFbNeUkTaHBAac0_znNk59u_sN-lEM&si=fzmj-JdSvczuLzgv

Connection + Hope ➡️ https://linktr.ee/elimlifechurch

GATHER + GROW

We believe the Kingdom of God brings hope to the hopeless, freedom to the oppressed, provision to those in need, welcomes the stranger and invites us to share the good news of Jesus. Perhaps these things have felt like a dream and not a reality all of the time?

In 2026, as we follow Jesus, we want to be an inspired community responding to this Holy invitation.

How do we Gather & Grow?

• Gathering - building community. From crowd to community. Our mission is always on. Our whole lives are worship. What is Holy Spirit inviting us into?
• Growing - becoming more like Jesus; contributing to community formation, centred on Jesus in contemporary culture. We want more people loving Jesus and part of community.

The map is the mission. We are co-missioned to join what God is doing by His Spirit.

Where are you on the map? Where do you live or work? Where do you spend your time? Who do you connect with? How are we encouraging one another and choosing Jesus in all of our places and spaces?

Being on mission together is on purpose and with awareness of how we share Jesus. What is Holy Spirit inviting you into Soul, Home, Near and Far?

Resource Recommendations

• Metamorph – Rev. Dr. Kate Coleman
• Strengthening the Soul of your Leadership - RHB
• Centering Discipleship – EK Strawser
• Art + Faith; Theology of Making - Makoto Fujimura
• Convergence – Jon Thompson
• An Other Kingdom – John L. McKnight, Peter Block, and Walter Brueggemann
• Surrender to Love/The Gift of Being Yourself – David G. Benner
• Prayer – Strahan Coleman
• Ninefold Path of Jesus – Mark Scandrette
• Deeply Formed Life – Rich Villodas
• This here Flesh – Cole Arthur Riley
• Humankind – Ashlee Eiland
• Not in God’s Name - Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
• The Very Good Gospel- Lisa Sharon Harper
• The Life of Moses - James Montgomery Boice
• Deep Work - Cal Newport
• Slow Productivity - Cal Newport
• TheoDisc Podcast
• Joshua Luke Smith on Substack

Music

Jon Webster – Unction

SEU Worship,

Kingdom Culture Worship, Common Hymnal,

Citizens,

John Wilds, Saint Music

Praise Songs - Andy Squyres