Welcome to Generation NEXT, where the rising generations are not just the future of the church—they’re shaping it right now. God is stirring something powerful in young leaders, and we’re here to help you recognize it, nurture it, and run with it.
Generation NEXT invites you to dream boldly about what the Church can become when we engage, invest in, and empower the next wave of ministry leaders and innovators. This is your opportunity to champion the leaders who will carry the Gospel into uncharted territory with fresh passion and creativity.
Here, you’ll discover cutting-edge insights, practical tools, and inspiring voices—from seasoned practitioners, emerging leaders, and those actively reaching and discipling the next generation. These are the voices shaping ministry on the front lines, and their stories will challenge and equip you to join God’s work in raising up what’s NEXT.
Step in. Lean forward. The future is already forming—and you’re invited to be part of it.
Hosted by Carrie Williams, Executive Director of Exponential, with special guest Brad Lomenick—leadership consultant, speaker, founder of BLINC, and author of The Catalyst Leader and H3 Leadership—this episode kicks off the series with a powerful reminder: Purpose is the why. Calling is the how.
You were born for this moment. In this episode, Carrie and Brad unpack what it means to live with purpose—your “why”—and how your current season, no matter how uncertain or unexpected, can be the very place where your calling—your “how”—starts to take shape.
Together, they explore:
No matter where your at on your journey, this episode will encourage you to stop waiting for clarity and start living with intention. You have a “why”—and your “how” begins now.
Guest: Brad Lomenick, Former President of Catalyst, Founder of H3 Leadership H3
Brad’s book – H3 Leadership: Be Humble. Stay Hungry. Always Hustle
Hosted by Carrie Williams, Executive Director of Exponential NEXT, this episode features special guest Elyse Mahan, preacher, campus pastor at Church For The One, author, and well-known encourager with a story as real as it gets.
Every setback, every victory, every messy middle – none of it was wasted.
In this candid and hope-filled episode, Carrie sits down with Elyse to unpack how your past, with all its twists, turns, and surprises, has been essential preparation for where you are now and where you’re called to go next.
Elyse draws from her rich experiences as a pastor’s kid in Australia, her season of heartbreak and fresh starts, and her passion for seeing people come alive in faith and purpose. With vulnerability and wisdom, she shares how God can use even our most unexpected chapters as training ground for our calling.
You’ll discover:
Whether you feel stuck, disqualified, or are simply craving a little hope, this conversation will remind you: your past was preparation. Nothing is wasted, and you’re right on time for all that’s to come.
Host: Carrie Williams, Executive Director, Exponential NEXT
Guest: Elyse Mahan, Preacher, Church for the One
Elyse’s IG: instagram.com/elyse
Elyse’s website: elysemahan.com
Episode Description: Hosted by Carrie Williams, Executive Director of Exponential NEXT, this episode features special guest Ali Parsons, licensed minister at the Church of Eleven22 and founder and host of the podcast, ‘Neighbors’.
Your personality isn’t an obstacle; it’s a clue to your calling. In this engaging episode, Carrie and Ali explore the dynamic relationship between who you are and what you’re called to do. Through honest conversation and practical wisdom, they unpack how your personality traits, those quirks, passions, and even struggles, are intentional gifts, designed to help you thrive in your unique purpose.
You’ll explore:
Whether you’ve ever wondered, “Am I too much…or not enough?”, this episode will remind you that you’re built for this. Discover how your individuality is the key to living out your calling with confidence and freedom.
Host: Carrie Williams, Executive Director, Exponential NEXT
Guest: Ali Parsons, Licensed Minister, Church of Eleven22 and Founder/Host of Neighbors Podcast
IG – @aliparsons
IG – @Neighbors_podcast
Neighbors Podcast – https://www.theneighborspodcast.com/
Hosted by Carrie Williams, Executive Director of Exponential, this episode welcomes Will Garinger, the visionary founder of Run With Christ (RWC)—a movement that’s united thousands of runners in faith and fitness across North America and beyond.
Passion is more than a feeling—it’s a compass pointing you toward your calling.
In this inspiring conversation, Carrie and Will explore how God can take a simple passion—even one you once disliked, like running—and turn it into a powerful platform for purpose and community. Will shares his journey from being a reluctant runner to launching a global ministry that now gathers hundreds every Saturday for worship, prayer, and 5K runs, all while creating space for people to encounter Jesus and each other. You’ll hear:
Whether you’re searching for your passion, wrestling with doubt, or ready to take the next step, this episode will challenge you to listen to the voice of your calling—and trust that God can use your unique story, interests, and even your hesitations to make a lasting impact. Host: Host: Carrie Williams, Executive Director, Exponential NEXT Guest: Will Garinger – Founder, Run With Christ
Hosted by Carrie Williams, Executive Director of Exponential, this episode features Cheryl Nembhard, Executive Director of the Women’s Speaker Collective. Where you are is not an accident—it’s an assignment.
Carrie and Cheryl explore what it truly means to embrace the power of your current position, no matter how grand, ordinary, or overlooked it may feel. Drawing from Cheryl’s experience, this conversation is packed with real-world insight for anyone wondering how to make an impact right where they are. You’ll hear:
We will remind you that you don’t need a title or platform to change the world—you just need to show up, right where you are, with faithfulness and courage. This episode will challenge you to see your current position as a gift and a launchpad for all God wants to do in and through you.
Host: Carrie Williams – Executive Director, Exponential NEXT
Guest: Cheryl Nembhard – Executive Director, Women’s Speaker Collective
Hosted by Carrie Williams, Executive Director of Exponential, this episode features Rachel McCord—celebrity entrepreneur, speaker, author, founder of Holy Spirit Vibe and The McCord List, and a shining example of resilience, faith, and bold living.
You are made for more—and you don’t have to play small.
In this motivating episode, Carrie and Rachel dive into what it means to truly live from your full potential. Rachel shares the real-life lessons she’s learned on her journey from humble beginnings in Georgia to building nine companies, overcoming severe health challenges—including open-heart surgery—and becoming a mentor and inspiration to millions around the world.
What You’ll Explore:
Moving Beyond Limits: How to recognize and break through the self-doubt, fear, and comparison that keep you playing small.
Embracing Your Story: Ways to turn pain, setbacks, and even “messy middles” into fuel for growth—and use your past as a launchpad for your future.
Faith and Purpose in Action: Rachel’s testimony on how her faith and obedience to God’s call transformed her life, led her to launch Holy Spirit Vibe, and gave her a passion to help others encounter healing and freedom.
Practical Steps to Maximize Your Potential: Strategies to protect your energy, steward your influence, and show up fully—no matter your current season or platform.
Rachel’s authenticity and faith shine through as she encourages listeners to stop waiting for perfect circumstances and start living boldly today. Her story is a reminder that you have unique gifts, an important mission, and unlimited potential—right where you are.
Expect real talk, practical encouragement, and an invitation to rise into everything you’re created to be.
You don’t have to settle. You’re called to live—fully, freely, and on purpose
Host: Carrie Williams – Executive Director, Exponential NEXT
Guest: Rachel McCord – Founder, Holy Spirit Vibe and The McCord List
Hosted by Carrie Williams, Executive Director of Exponential, this episode welcomes Austin Rockwell—founder of Kamp Love and leader with Nissi Young Adults. Austin is a passionate disciple-maker whose journey has shaped thriving ministries for college students and young adults across the country. Every calling comes with a cost—but the transformation is worth it. Carrie and Austin dive into the often-unspoken realities behind growth, leadership, and living out your purpose. Austin shares deeply from his own story—navigating grief and purpose after the tragic loss of his best friend, using that pain as fuel to launch Kamp Love, and persevering through seasons of doubt, exhaustion, and sacrifice. His journey paints a raw and hopeful picture of what it really means to step into God’s call, day after day. In this episode, you’ll discover: -How setbacks, loss, and struggle can become the very foundation for your greatest impact -What it looks like to keep serving when the path is unclear and ministry feels costly -The spiritual and emotional price of becoming who you’re meant to be—and how God meets you in the “messy middle” -Stories from Kamp Love’s growth and Nissi Young Adults—reminders that the deepest transformation often comes outside your comfort zone -Practical encouragement for leading, loving, and pressing forward, even when the journey feels uphill Austin’s perspective is honest and hope-filled, shaped by hundreds of camping trips, thousands of lives impacted, and countless lessons learned on the front lines of ministry. Whether you’re a leader, volunteer, or simply hungry to grow, this episode will invite you to count the true cost—and embrace the beautiful, hard, and redemptive work of becoming. You are not alone. Every part of your story, no matter the cost, is preparing you for a purpose greater than you imagine. Host: Carrie Williams, Executive Director, Exponential NEXT Guest: Austin Rockwell, Founder, Kamp Love
Becoming a Future-Ready Church co-authors Daniel Yang, Adelle Banks and Warren Bird introduce the shifts church leaders should make as they work across generations to build church that will thrive in the coming decades. Joined by guests featured in the book, they will discuss the “why” behind these shifts, national research, and innovative examples that can be applied to congregations across North America representing different sizes, denominations and geographical locations.
Co-authors Warren Bird, Daniel Yang, and Adelle Banks share about who they are, why they wrote the book Becoming a Future-Ready Church, the large trends that they are writing about, and why it matters for church leaders.
To pre-order your copy of Becoming a Future-Ready Church, follow this link.
Co-authors Warren Bird, Daniel Yang, and Adelle Banks discuss how churches are shifting from focusing on attendance to creating a sense of attachment, and describe Life.Church as an example of this shift.
To pre-order your copy of Becoming a Future-Ready Church, follow this link.
Adelle Banks talks to Carl Johnson, Lead Pastor of Faith City Church. They discuss how family life is changing, specifically engaging the social factors that disrupt traditional family life. Faith City Church is spotlighted.
To pre-order your copy of Becoming a Future-Ready Church, follow this link.
Warren Bird, Daniel Yang, and Adelle Banks, co-authors of Becoming a Future-Ready Church, discuss how the Gospel’s credibility depends on both the message and the messenger. Going forward, most church discussions about the Gospel will first need to address the skepticism or apathy triggered by the listener’s distrust and previous experiences.
To pre-order your copy of Becoming a Future-Ready Church, follow this link.
Adelle Banks engages in a conversation with Rosario “Roz” Picardo, founding pastor and co-pastor of Mosaic Church. Their discussion focuses on the idea that churches must develop a new depth of hospitality—far more than an usher’s welcome or a cup of coffee after worship.
To pre-order your copy of Becoming a Future-Ready Church, follow this link.
Co-authors Warren Bird, Daniel Yang, and Adelle Banks share how church leaders will need to read Scripture with a heightened awareness that rising generations are eager to apply the implications of the Gospel that speak to social justice.
To pre-order your copy of Becoming a Future-Ready Church, follow this link.
Co-authors Warren Bird, Daniel Yang, and Adelle Banks discuss how the role of race and ethnicity will become strongly linked to how God will use the Gospel to bless every “tribe and language and people and nation.”
To pre-order your copy of Becoming a Future-Ready Church, follow this link.
In this episode, Adelle Banks is joined by Justin and Janae Klatt, co-lead pastors of Imagine Church. In the future, digital technologies will redefine people’s perception of “real life” and their sense of social identity. Imagine Church is spotlighted in this discussion.
To pre-order your copy of Becoming a Future-Ready Church, follow this link.
Church leaders will need to learn how to embrace the many modes of church and work collaboratively with others to transform a community. Co-authors Daniel Yang, Warren Bird, and Adelle Banks discuss models that range from mega to micro — and some that are both.
To pre-order your copy of Becoming a Future-Ready Church, follow this link.
Co-authors Daniel Yang, Warren Bird, and Adelle Banks provide a “next steps” overview of the shifts proposed in the book Becoming a Future-Ready Church.
To pre-order your copy of Becoming a Future-Ready Church, follow this link.
Carrie Williams is the Executive Director of Exponential NEXT. She has over 25 years of vocational ministry experience and has held leadership positions in global mission organizations, nonprofits and churches. Carrie was the CEO of Leadership Network during its acquisition under the Exponential brand. She was also part of the core leadership team that launched The Church of Eleven22 in Jacksonville, Florida. She was the founder and CEO of The Truth Republic, a non-profit ministry focused on equipping women to fulfill their calling. Currently she uses her vocational experience serving on the front lines as an ambassador carrying the multiplication message while discovering and sharing new learnings from innovative projects that are helping shape the future of the church. Carrie is a nationally known leader and influencer, using her experience to help others explore, be equipped, and empowered toward their unique God-given calling.
She is married to Benjamin Williams, Executive Pastor of Culture and Creativity at the Church of Eleven22 and together they have two daughters Kyah and Taylor.
