『The Town Square Podcast』のカバーアート

The Town Square Podcast

The Town Square Podcast

著者： Trey Bailey Gabriel Stovall
無料で聴く

Not just another podcast, but a place to meet in the messy middle and have difficult discussions with transparency and diplomacy where the outcome is unity, not uniformity.

The primary topics will be the local interests of Newton County, Georgia residents and those in the surrounding community.

All rights reserved. スピリチュアリティ マネジメント マネジメント・リーダーシップ 人間関係 個人的成功 政治・政府 政治学 社会科学 科学 経済学 自己啓発
エピソード
  • Kamal Carter of A Long Talk on Constructive Conversations and the CPR Method — Episode 100

    Kamal Carter of A Long Talk on Constructive Conversations and the CPR Method — Episode 100
    2026/09/01
    Episode 100: From Furious to Curious with Kamal Carter of A Long TalkOne hundred episodes ago, The Town Square Podcast began with a simple conviction: people who see the world differently should still be able to sit together, ask honest questions and search for understanding. We call it “unity, not uniformity.” For our 100th episode, we found a guest whose life’s work feels almost tailor-made for that mission.Kamal Carter is the president and co-creator of A Long Talk About the Uncomfortable Truth, an organization that helps people interrupt ignorance and bigotry in real time. Its work reaches locker rooms, boardrooms, schools, churches and other places where people with different histories and perspectives must learn to function as a team.That made Carter more than a fitting guest for this milestone. It made him the perfect one.Two Dads Who Wanted Something BetterA Long Talk did not begin as a polished national initiative. It began during the pandemic with Carter and his business partner, Kyle Williams—two former educators and two fathers who wanted a safer, more humane world for their children.Carter traces his instinct for service even further back. One of his grandfathers was a Tuskegee Airman who modeled excellence, discipline and responsibility while also carrying the pain of being treated as less than after serving his country. That family history taught Carter that achievement should be joined to service and that each of us can choose to leave the world better than we found it.The immediate spark for A Long Talk came after one of Williams’ sons attended a protest in Washington, D.C. An accusatory exchange with a college basketball teammate escalated through text messages and FaceTime. Williams contacted the coach, expecting to talk the next day. Instead, the coach called that night—and listened.That conversation changed the temperature. The coach asked for resources, began taking action on his campus and helped prove that a difficult exchange did not have to end in injury or estrangement. Within six weeks, Carter and Williams were helping convene a conversation with 107 college basketball coaches. What started with one father, one coach and one hurting student began spreading across athletics, education and corporate life.Information + Empathy = ActionCarter describes the A Long Talk formula plainly: “information plus empathy equals action.” The goal is not to drag everyone to the same opinion. It is to create an environment where people can speak honestly, listen carefully and respond to harmful statements without either freezing or exploding.That distinction matters. A conversation leaves room for questions, reflection and boundaries. A confrontation becomes a contest to win. Carter argues that people retain the right to their beliefs, but organizations also have the right—and responsibility—to establish what conduct belongs in their locker room, workplace, church or civic space.The work begins with grace and what Carter calls “progress over perfection.” If people fear that one awkward phrase will get them banished, honest conversation becomes nearly impossible. But grace is not passivity. A Long Talk trains people to step in when language is harmful and to replace an instinctive blast of anger with disciplined curiosity.Go From Furious to CuriousWhen an inflammatory statement lands, most people do one of two things: freeze or react at full force. Carter offers another option—go from furious to curious. That does not require pretending the statement was harmless. It means regulating the first reaction long enough to understand what was said, why it was said and whether the speaker has ever seriously examined it.Curiosity can also change who carries the burden of responding. If a sexist comment is made in a room where only one woman holds leadership, why should everyone look to her to challenge it? A colleague can intervene. A teammate can ask the question. A bystander can become an active participant in protecting the culture.Carter calls critical thinking “kryptonite to ignorance.” It forces a careless generalization into the light, where the person who made it must explain, reconsider or openly own it.CPR for a Difficult ConversationThe practical tool A Long Talk teaches is CPR: clarify, probe and redirect.Clarify begins with a deceptively simple question: “What do you mean when you say…?” The key is to repeat the person’s actual words and then remain quiet. Rather than supplying the accusation and the verdict, the listener gives the speaker room—and responsibility—to explain.Probe moves deeper. A question such as “How do you think that would make your mother, sister or teammate feel?” invites the person to consider impact, not merely intent. Redirect then asks what language or action would support the people affected and the values the group claims to share.Like any skill, CPR requires practice. Carter tells participants to expect mistakes, ...
    続きを読む 一部表示
    56 分
  • Pastor Justin Adams of NEW LIFE Praise Center | Faith & Community—Episode 99

    Pastor Justin Adams of NEW LIFE Praise Center | Faith & Community—Episode 99
    2026/08/25
    A church can add square footage without building community. It can fill seats without helping people feel seen. And it can say “everyone’s welcome” without ever proving it at the door.Pastor Justin Adams believes the proof comes in what happens after people arrive.In Episode 99 of the Town Square Podcast, Trey Bailey and Gabriel Stovall welcome Adams back for a candid conversation about the growth of NEW LIFE Praise Center, his own recovery story, the church’s non-denominational identity and a ministry philosophy rooted in a simple promise: “Everyone’s welcome—and we mean it.”A Foyer Built for More Than Foot TrafficWhen Adams sums up the past few years at NEW LIFE, he uses one word: growth. The church began the year with “expansion” as a theme, then watched it become something tangible. A new 3,200-square-foot, glass-walled foyer—built with help from local contractors who donated time and materials—gave the congregation a place to gather before and after services.The addition matters to Adams because the life of a church is not confined to the service itself. He describes families lingering, conversations continuing and a room full of noise and laughter. In church language, it is fellowship. In everyday language, it is people who genuinely want to be together.The Testimony Behind the WelcomeAdams has lived in Covington for nearly 30 years, but his path to ministry was not tidy. He speaks openly about addiction in his late teens and twenties, a marriage in danger of falling apart and attempts at jail, rehabilitation, therapy and counseling that did not produce lasting change. Then, nearly 20 years ago, he accepted an invitation to church.He says one encounter with Jesus changed the direction of his life. He has remained sober since, and that experience shapes the way he talks to people who wonder whether their own story is too broken to be redeemed: “If he’d done it for me, he can do it for you.”That transparency is not a side note to Adams’s ministry. It is central to it. His testimony gives him a common language with people facing addiction, anger, depression, family strain or shame. The point is not to compare wounds. It is to show that grace is not an abstract doctrine—it can meet a person in real life.Rooted in Scripture, Open About the QuestionsNEW LIFE Praise Center is non-denominational, which Adams explains plainly: the church is not affiliated with a larger denominational organization. Its teaching centers on Scripture, Jesus Christ, salvation by grace through faith and a strong belief in the work of the Holy Spirit.That commitment shows up in the pace of the church’s teaching. The congregation spent two years studying the Gospel of John verse by verse. At the time of the conversation, Adams was nine weeks into the first chapter of Revelation—an intentionally careful approach to a book often reduced to confident timelines and conspiracy theories.Adams is willing to tell people where he lands, but he also presents interpretations held by different scholars and theologians. His non-negotiable is the center of the book itself: the revelation of Jesus Christ, written to encourage believers facing persecution.What “Everyone’s Welcome” Looks LikeAt NEW LIFE, the welcome is meant to be literal. Adams says people may walk through the doors whether they are atheists, longtime Christians or somewhere in between—regardless of culture, class, race, creed or sexuality. They can sit, listen, sing and expect someone to greet them with kindness.That does not mean the church avoids convictions or difficult conversations. It means belonging in the room is not reserved for people who already have everything together. Adams connects that culture directly to his own story: he was once the person who arrived at church carrying the visible aftermath of addiction, and someone welcomed him anyway.The church also does not use formal membership. Instead, it offers Next Steps classes for people who want to understand its history, beliefs and practices, along with Faith Grounded classes for newer believers. Small groups, age-based Life Teams and serving teams create paths for relationships and discipleship across generations.Preparing People to Go Back OutFor Adams, church is not the finish line. It is where people are prepared to serve beyond the building.He says NEW LIFE partners with several public schools in a typical year. The church has helped stock clothing, hygiene supplies and food at Porterdale Elementary School; supported teacher-attendance incentives; and, by invitation, Adams has led voluntary Bible studies for teachers at Cousins Middle School before the school day begins. The congregation also supports recovery ministries, collects food for local pantries and sends groups to help with community outreach.Its reach has expanded beyond Newton County as well. Adams describes a developing missions partnership in Honduras, with church-supported volunteers serving ...
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1 時間 6 分
  • Pastor Chris Haymore on Wesley Methodist Church and Global Methodism — Episode 98

    Pastor Chris Haymore on Wesley Methodist Church and Global Methodism — Episode 98
    2026/08/18
    A Newton County Life Takes a New TurnChris Haymore has spent most of his life in Newton County. His father returned here to teach and coach when Chris was six months old, and Chris later built his own career in local education: teaching and coaching at Rutledge Academy and Eastside, serving as an administrator at Alcovy, and finishing as principal at Mansfield Elementary.Now the longtime educator is taking on a different kind of leadership assignment. As pastor of Wesley Methodist Church of Covington, Haymore is helping plant a congregation, guide its worship and discipleship, and prepare for a permanent home of its own.The transition is not as unrelated as it may look. Haymore says both roles begin with people: listening, treating others with respect, managing competing expectations, and accepting that leadership sometimes means disappointing someone. The schoolhouse and the sanctuary require different skills, but both call for patience, preparation, and genuine care.A Walk-On’s Lesson in PreparationBefore the administrative offices and the pulpit, there was Sanford Stadium. Haymore walked on at the University of Georgia and practiced for two years under Vince Dooley. He is quick to downplay the resume line, but he still ran between the hedges in silver britches and shared the field with names such as Tim Worley, Keith Anderson, Rodney Hampton, and Bill Goldberg.The lasting lesson came from scout-team work. Haymore watched how practices were organized, how drills were timed, and how coaches made limited time count. “It’s not about quantity. It’s about quality,” he says. That same instinct for preparation followed him into coaching, education, and now ministry.What Makes Global Methodism Distinct?Wesley Methodist is part of the Global Methodist Church, a newer denomination rooted in the historic Methodist tradition. Haymore describes it as holding a more conservative, traditional understanding of Scripture while retaining familiar Methodist doctrine and worship. The conversation is careful not to caricature the United Methodist Church or other Christian traditions; the goal is to explain what Wesley Methodist believes and how those convictions are practiced locally.At the center is the Wesleyan understanding of grace. Haymore discusses prevenient grace - God at work before a person recognizes it - along with convincing, sanctifying, and glorifying grace. He also explains John Wesley’s emphasis on Christian perfection, not as flawless performance, but as a life being made perfect in love through the work of the Holy Spirit.That emphasis moves faith beyond a single decision. Methodist discipleship historically involves formation, accountability, Scripture, prayer, and service. Haymore points to the small groups and “bands” associated with the Wesleyan tradition. At Wesley Methodist, that takes practical form through Disciple Bible Study, a Tuesday group that studied the Global Methodist catechism and planned to move into Acts, and a developing men’s Bible study centered simply on the Gospel of John.Sacraments, Scripture, and the Shape of WorshipWesley Methodist recognizes two sacraments: baptism and Holy Communion. The congregation baptizes infants as well as older believers, connecting the practice to covenant, the household baptisms described in Scripture, and the belief that God’s grace is already at work. Communion is ordinarily celebrated monthly, even though Haymore notes that John Wesley encouraged Christians to receive it frequently.Sunday worship follows a recognizable Methodist rhythm: a call to worship, prayer, hymns, the Apostles’ Creed, pastoral prayer, Scripture, preaching, offering, and a closing hymn. The music is blended, with traditional Methodist hymns joined by soloists, an ensemble, piano, and guitar. Haymore often begins with the lectionary, which places Old Testament, Psalm, Epistle, and Gospel readings before the church across a three-year cycle. He does not follow it mechanically, but appreciates that it “forces you to do the hard ones” instead of allowing a preacher to remain only with favorite passages.A Sweet Spirit in a School GymFor now, the congregation worships in the gym at Peachtree Academy. Sunday school begins at 9:45 a.m., and worship begins at 11. Visitors are met at the door, people gather and talk, chairs fill the gym floor, and a loyal “peanut gallery” claims the bleachers in back.Haymore describes the atmosphere with a phrase the congregation uses often: “There’s a sweet, sweet spirit in this place.” That warmth is more important than a dress code. Some worshipers wear coats and ties; others come in shorts. Haymore’s priority is straightforward: “I just want to get them in there.”Children’s and youth ministry are also part of the church’s developing life. In the episode, Haymore discusses bringing Champ Young - an Eastside High School assistant principal and athletic director - into youth leadership, joining two ...
    続きを読む 一部表示
    51 分
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1
まだレビューはありません