By Andy Hale
For many, their faith and participation in the life of the church is an escape from the many struggles in our world. However, it’s not just the world around us but within the church and our own spiritual journeys that feel like we are at an unsettling moment.
We know the decline of many churches and the departure of many of the faithful. It feels hard to imagine a new way when so much of what we conceptualize about the church is declining.
“Recent global events have brought me face-to-face with my human precarity and often drive me to fear and loneliness. Forces that are beyond my control—climate, politics, technology, economics, science, culture—overwhelm comprehension,” said Karen Wright Marsh on the CBF Podcast Conversation.
Karen, the founding director of Theological Horizons, sat down with us to discuss her new book, Wake Up to Wonder.
Listen to our conversation with her here.

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CBF’s podcast shares stories from across the Fellowship and innovative practices of those working to renew God’s world. The vision is to share ideas, stories, and innovations from ministers, authors, and practitioners.
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Sponsorship
This podcast is presented by:
- Baylor’s Garland School of Social Work: Social workers can be found addressing the full scope of the human experience in churches, schools, prisons, government agencies, senior living centers, nonprofits and Fortune 500 companies.
- Baptist Seminary of Kentucky: BSK equips leaders through their Homegrown Initiative, offering ministry leaders training and growth that fits into their busy schedules.
- A Model Ministry: A Model Ministry is a registered non-profit organization specializing in safety education, policy writing, and risk assessment to mitigate child sexual abuse in ministry organizations.
- The Gardner-Webb School of Divinity: The Gardner-Webb University School of Divinity aims to equip, nurture, encourage, and support men and women for their very best service in the Kingdom of God.
- The NRSV, Update Edition from Zondervan: Explore the depth and beauty of Scripture with the NRSV, Updated Edition. With revisions based on new textual evidence, historical insights, and linguistic precision, this updated edition of the NRSV delivers a translation of Scripture based on meticulous care for accuracy and readability.
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Andy Hale is the creator and host of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Podcast. Hale is the Associate Executive Coordinator of CBF North Carolina. He’s also served as CBF’s Church Start Specialist, the founding pastor of Mosaic Church of Clayton, and the senior pastor of University Baptist Church of Baton Rouge. Follow on Twitter @haleandy.
