Collective Leadership

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Latest episode

Mar 2026

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About the show

Exploring spaces for leaders to discover, collaborate, and prepare together for God's work in the world. A series of conversations from the Metro District of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, for churches, pastors, and leaders in the Metro District and around the world who are looking to impact their communities with Spirit-led leadership and kingdom values for multi-ethnic, multicultural expressions of the gospel.

Listen to episodes

39 recent

March 17, 2026Episode 736 min

Expanding the Gospel Footprint: Becoming a Church Planting District

In this episode of the Collective Leadership Podcast, Metro District Interim Superintendent Omar Niebles sits down with Reverend Brian McMillan — Lead Pastor of CenterPoint Church in Massapequa, NY, and Metro District Director of Church Planting — for a rich conversation about the future of church planting in the Metro District and beyond. Brian shares the story of planting CenterPoint in 2002 with just 25 people, no money, and nothing but faith — and what that journey taught him about reaching the unchurched. He breaks down the three biggest obstacles church planters face today (finances, launch teams, and facilities), and casts a compelling vision for what it would look like for the Metro District to move from simply planting churches to becoming a church planting district — where Kingdom expansion is woven into the DNA of every congregation. Whether you've never planted a church or you've been doing it for decades, this episode will challenge and inspire you to ask: How can my church play a part in something bigger?

February 23, 2026Episode 61 hr 14 min

Prophetic Voice in a Divided Time — A Conversation with Rev. Phil Gilmore & Jasmine Young

What does it look like to pursue kingdom justice and mercy in a deeply divided cultural moment? In this episode of the Collective Leadership Podcast, Interim District Superintendent Omar Niebles and Kingdom Justice and Mercy Coordinator Jasmine Young sit down with Rev. Phil Gilmore, lead pastor of Saint John's Community Baptist Church in Newark, NJ.With over 25 years in pastoral ministry — serving the same neighborhood where he grew up — Phil shares how his church and city come together across differences to meet real needs, from food distribution to workforce development. The conversation dives into the challenges pastors face navigating divisive cultural and political conversations, the importance of maintaining a prophetic voice rooted in Scripture rather than partisan allegiance, and how the church can engage issues of poverty, immigration, and justice without losing its identity in Christ.Phil also shares practical wisdom on having hard conversations with grace, encouraging believers to approach others with a posture of education over judgment — and challenges all of us to consider what it means to be "purple" in a red-and-blue world.Whether you're a pastor wrestling with how to lead through division or a believer trying to stay rooted in the kingdom, this conversation will encourage and challenge you.

January 16, 2026Episode 557 min

Church Production Excellence - Beyond the Tech

Join Metro District Interim Superintendent Omar Niebles and special guests for an in-depth conversation about church production, technology, and ministry excellence.In this episode:Nick Simpson (Metro District Communications Coordinator)Michael Hoddy (Lead Pastor, Long Hill Chapel & Founder of Somerset Media Group)Luis Sanchez (Sunday Experience Coordinator, Risen King)What you'll learn: 🎥 The true value of production in church ministry - it's not just about Sunday mornings 💡 How to build and empower your tech team, even with limited resources 🎯 Why excellence in production is about serving people, not perfection 🔧 Practical tips for churches at every stage - from mobile setups to multi-camera systems 👥 The power of investing in young volunteers and seeing tech as discipleshipKey takeaways:Production is ministry, not just a technical functionStart where you are with what you have - even smartphones can create powerful contentFocus on people over equipment - invest in your team's growthExcellence means doing your best with what God has providedYoung people (especially middle schoolers!) can become your greatest tech assetsWhether you're a church leader wondering how to improve your production quality, a volunteer looking to grow, or someone passionate about using technology for Kingdom impact, this episode provides both practical wisdom and spiritual insight.

December 18, 2025Episode 452 min

Joel Koenigsberg - Spiritual Listening

In this episode of the Collective Leadership Podcast, Interim District Superintendent Omar Niebles sits down with Joel Koenigsberg, Director of Leadership Development, to explore the transformative practice of spiritual listening. Joel opens up about his personal journey—from struggling with distraction and the constant urge to fix problems, to discovering the profound impact of truly listening to God, others, and even himself.Drawing from his experiences with spiritual direction and the wisdom of James 1:19 ("be quick to listen, slow to speak"), Joel shares how spiritual listening has reshaped not only his personal walk with God but also his approach to church leadership. He discusses the power of asking "curious questions" rather than jumping to solutions, the importance of creating space for the Spirit to speak through conversations, and how slowing down can actually accelerate spiritual growth in both individual lives and congregational settings.Joel also addresses the unique challenges church leaders face—the pressure to have answers, the temptation to fill every silence, and the courage it takes to simply be present with people in their struggles. Whether you're leading a church, serving on a team, or simply wanting to become more present in your relationships, this conversation offers invaluable insights on how spiritual listening can transform the way we connect with God and others.

November 11, 2025Episode 350 min

Jessica Ng - Soul Care Among the Next Generation

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Jessica Ng, Youth Pastor at Queens Herald Church in Queens, New York. In this episode, Jessica shares her transformative approach to youth ministry that's creating ripple effects throughout her multigenerational, multilingual Chinese-American church.Discover how Jessica has cultivated a culture of soul care among teenagers, teaching them to identify lies, hear God's voice, and pray for one another with remarkable spiritual maturity. Learn about her journey from being a teen in the youth group to becoming its leader, navigating cultural dynamics of honor and shame while empowering the next generation.Jessica discusses practical strategies for bridging generational gaps, creating safe spaces for authentic conversation, and helping youth see their schools as mission fields. She also shares insights on investing in volunteer leaders, partnering with parents, and the beautiful moments of reconciliation happening across generations.Whether you're in youth ministry, interested in soul care, or passionate about intergenerational church dynamics, this episode offers valuable wisdom on seeing young people the way God sees them - as deeply loved children with incredible potential to transform their families, schools, and communities.

October 14, 2025Episode 258 min

Steve Hartmann - Listening to the Holy Spirit Toward Loving Your Community

In this inspiring episode of the Collective Leadership Podcast, hosts Omar Niebles and Kelvin Walker sit down with Steve Hartmann, Lead Pastor of Lighthouse Alliance Community Church in Little Egg Harbor, NJ. Steve shares the remarkable 25-year journey of a church that has become deeply woven into the fabric of its community through unexpected ministries born from listening to God's leading.From a thrift store that employs widows and serves as a ministry hub, to pickleball courts that have connected the church with hundreds in the 55+ community, to hosting high school sports banquets and an annual 5K run that has raised over $130,000 for local athletics—Steve demonstrates how being available to the Holy Spirit can transform a church into a vital center for the community.Key topics discussed include:How organic, Spirit-led ministries prove more fruitful than our best laid strategic programsThe power of noticing people and meeting practical needs as evangelismCreative approaches to financing Kingdom work through community partnershipsThe importance of sowing seeds without demanding immediate church growthPractical insights from "The 9 Arts of Spiritual Conversations" for natural evangelismHow disasters like Hurricane Sandy are able to become avenues for establishing and building long-term community trustThis conversation offers hope and practical wisdom for churches of any size seeking to expand their gospel footprint through authentic community engagement. Steve's non-traditional path to ministry provide a refreshing perspective on how God prepares and uses willing servants to reach their communities in unexpected ways.Perfect for pastors, church leaders, and anyone passionate about seeing the church become a beacon of hope through practical love and service.

September 9, 2025Episode 141 min

Pablo Garcia - Coming Full Circle of Being on Mission with God

In this powerful episode of the Collective Leadership Podcast (Season 4), hosts Omar Niebles and District Superintendent Kelvin Walker sit down with Pablo Garcia, Executive Pastor of Global and Local Partnerships at Princeton Alliance Church, to explore the incredible ripple effect of missions work across generations.Pablo shares his deeply personal journey from growing up as a pastor's kid in one of Lima, Peru's poorest neighborhoods to becoming a missions leader in the United States. His story beautifully illustrates how one missionary's five years of census-taking in 1920s Peru created a chain reaction that would eventually lead to Pablo's family coming to faith and his current role in preparing the next generation of missionaries.Key topics discussed include:The legacy of Alliance missions in Peru, starting with Raymond Clark in the 1920sGrowing up in ministry and learning valuable lessons about self-care and family prioritiesPablo's unexpected 12-year journey serving at a Chinese church in New YorkThe transformative power of churches becoming sending churches rather than just funding churchesHow God's provision enabled Pablo to complete his education debt-freeThe importance of cross-cultural ministry and kingdom multiplicationThis episode is a testament to God's faithfulness across generations and cultures, showing how saying "yes" to God's calling—even when it means counting people for five years—can impact countless lives decades later. It's a must-listen for anyone involved in missions, church leadership, or wondering about the long-term impact of their ministry investments.The Collective Leadership Podcast focuses on kingdom renewal and holistic gospel transformation, featuring conversations with leaders from the Metro District of the Christian & Missionary Alliance.

May 13, 2025Episode 847 min

The Value of Having an Executive Pastor

Join us for this final episode of Season 3 of the Collective Leadership Podcast. In this episode, we get to hear from Rev. Ashley Tringale, Executive Pastor at Risen King Alliance Church, and her journey to becoming the executive pastor. In the episode, we will hear from Ashley about what it takes to make a good executive pastor and the kind of relationship that is needed to keep in step with the lead pastor of a church. If you are a pastor that would benefit from having an executive pastor but do not know when to start, this episode is for you. If you are an executive pastor desiring to grow in your leadership, this episode is for you.

April 9, 202548 min

Partnering for a Healthy Inner Culture in Churches

Welcome to our latest episode of the Collective Leadership Podcast. Joining us today is Michelle Park, M.A., LMFT, Founder & Owner of ReEnvision Marriage & Family Therapy. In this month’s episode, we dive into the encouragement for why having a healthy culture in our churches matter and how therapy and/or counseling can play a role in a church’s health. We talked with Michelle of how our church pastors and leaders can partner well with counselors and therapists in laying a foundation for holistic health when it comes to our congregations as well as ourselves as leaders. Enjoy the episode!

March 13, 2025Episode 61 hr 2 min

Latin American Leadership in Church & Para-Church Ministries

Join us for this week's Collective Leadership podcast episode as we hear from Orlando Crespo on his journey serving within the local church and his three-plus decades in leadership with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. Orlando shares his story of coming to know Christ and the various people who impacted his formative years in faith. He also offers insights and wisdom on how churches can engage Latin Americans (whether first-generation or next-generation) in their communities and expand the Gospel footprint on community college campuses where Gospel access may be limited. This episode is packed with valuable nuggets. Enjoy!