Shows
The Ministry Exchange with Dr. MapsonEp 18 - When Worship Becomes Protest | JCSTS (Justice Center for Sacred Theological Studies)In this episode of The Ministry Exchange, Rev. Paul Timothy Roberts Sr., Dr. Ouida Harding, and Minister Warren Cooper join Dr. Mapson for a courageous conversation on worship as resistance and the prophetic power of Black sacred music. Representing JCSTS — formerly known as Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary, with roots tracing back to the Freedmen’s Institute — they explore how theological formation, cultural memory, and sacred sound intersect in this critical moment for the church.Tracing the lineage of Black Church music from spirituals to contemporary expressions, our guests challenge the drift toward performance culture and consumer-driven worshi...
2026-02-111h 14The Ministry Exchange with Dr. MapsonEp. 17 — Who Controls the Story? Black Church History & Faith | Rev. Dr. Mark Kelly TylerSeason Two of The Ministry Exchange begins with a powerful and timely conversation—one that sets the tone for the season ahead. In this episode of The Ministry Exchange, Rev. Dr. Mark Kelly Tyler offers a compelling reflection on calling, courage, and the sacred responsibility of memory within the life of the Black Church. Drawing from decades of ministry as a pastor, historian, filmmaker, and organizer, Dr. Tyler traces a journey that moves seamlessly between pulpit, public square, and preserved story.From his early formation in Oakland to his tenure as Senior Pastor of Mother Bet...
2026-01-291h 08
The Ministry Exchange with Dr. MapsonEp 14 – Rebuilding the Church: A Father and Son Rewrite the Rules of MinistryIn this episode of The Ministry Exchange, Rev. Dr. J. Wendell Mapson Jr. and his son, Jesse Mapson III, share a rare and revealing father-and-son dialogue about faith, innovation, and legacy. Together they trace how a historic Black Baptist church learned to evolve—adding drums, livestreams, and online giving—without losing its sacred soul.Jesse—known professionally as J. Melodic, an award-winning music producer whose work has been featured by Apple, Disney, the NBA, NFL, and more—brings his world of music, media, and creative strategy into the conversation, reflecting on how those experiences reshaped his view...
2025-11-121h 20The Ministry Exchange with Dr. MapsonEp 12 - Dr. J. Wendell Mapson Jr. Explains the Power of Preaching in the Black ChurchIn this episode of The Ministry Exchange, Dr. J. Wendell Mapson Jr. explores Pulpit & Pew: The Sacred Exchange That Gives Life, a teaching on the living covenant between preacher and people that remains central to the Black Church.With wisdom forged through decades of preaching, Dr. Mapson examines what truly happens in the “preaching moment,” where the Word meets the listener and transformation begins. Drawing on Augustine’s charge to teach, delight, and move, he unpacks how instruction, clarity, and compassion keep preaching alive and effective in every generation.This conversation explores:How in...
2025-10-1545 min
The Ministry Exchange with Dr. MapsonEp 10 - Wounded But Still Walking: A Conversation with Bishop Timothy J. ClarkeWhat happens when your life is consecrated to ministry before you’re even born? In this powerful episode, Bishop Timothy J. Clarke shares the story of a calling shaped by spiritual legacy, personal loss, and unwavering faithfulness.From growing up in Brooklyn—slipping into funerals just to hear great preaching—to becoming one of the most respected voices in the Church of God, Bishop Clarke reflects on the mentors who formed him, the theology that grounds him, and the pain that changed him. Now in his 43rd year pastoring First Church of God in Columbus, OH, he offers...
2025-09-171h 15
The Ministry Exchange with Dr. MapsonEp 09 - Leadership At Scale: A Conversation with Rev. Dr. William H. CurtisWhat does it take to lead faithfully at scale? Rev. Dr. William H. Curtis, Senior Pastor of Mount Ararat Baptist Church in Pittsburgh, joins The Ministry Exchange to reflect on nearly three decades of leadership, preaching, and community impact.In this candid conversation, Dr. Curtis shares:How mentors like Bishop Walter S. Thomas shaped his pastoral instinctsWhy preaching requires discipline, preparation, and integrityThe vision behind Mount Ararat’s groundbreaking “community tithe” programLessons learned from navigating public scrutiny and leading under pressureInsights on innovation, digital ministry, and co-founding The Church OnlineThis episode offers pastors and leader...
2025-09-031h 13
The Ministry Exchange with Dr. MapsonEp 08 - Built to Imagine, Called to Lead: A Conversation with Rev. Dr. Kevin R. JohnsonFrom two rejection letters to the pulpit of Abyssinian.In this episode of The Ministry Exchange, Rev. Dr. Kevin R. Johnson unpacks a journey marked by resilience, prophetic courage, and legacy leadership. Now the 21st Senior Pastor of the historic Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, Dr. Johnson reflects on what it means to lead with conviction—even when it costs you.We talk about:Getting into Morehouse after being denied—twiceFounding Dare to Imagine Church from his living roomSpeaking out against President Obama—and the fallout that followedBalancing ministry and family before it was too la...
2025-08-201h 01
The Ministry Exchange with Dr. MapsonEp 07 - Ministry In Every Key: A Conversation with Rev. Dr. Alyn E. WallerIn this episode of The Ministry Exchange, Dr. Alyn E. Waller returns to explore the sacred intersection of music and ministry—and why, for him, both have always been essential.Raised in a parsonage where his mother played piano and family harmonies sounded like Sam Cooke and James Brown, Dr. Waller found his voice early and never stopped using it—for worship, for witness, and for the world. Now, as Senior Pastor of Philadelphia’s 15,000-member Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church and founder of Enon Music Group, he continues shaping the sound of the Black church.This...
2025-08-0653 min
The Ministry Exchange with Dr. MapsonEp 06 - Leadership That Builds People: A Conversation with Bishop Keith W. Reed Sr.In this episode of The Ministry Exchange, Bishop Keith W. Reed Sr. shares the powerful leadership principles that have sustained his 43-year pastorate at Sharon Baptist Church in Philadelphia.With wisdom forged through decades of ministry, Bishop Reed recounts a pivotal shift in his leadership: choosing not to be a “one-man band,” but an orchestra conductor who empowers others to flourish. Drawing from Scripture and seasoned mentors like Dr. Willie Richardson and Dr. E.K. Bailey, he explains how staffing for his weaknesses—and trusting capable people—brought strength and longevity to his ministry.This conversa...
2025-07-231h 05
The Ministry Exchange with Dr. MapsonEp 05 - Fruit That Remains: A Conversation with Rev. Dr. Lester W. Taylor Jr.What does it mean to lead with vision, grace, and grit—while staying rooted in both tradition and innovation? In this episode of The Ministry Exchange, Rev. Dr. Lester W. Taylor Jr. joins Dr. J. Wendell Mapson Jr. for a rich conversation about legacy leadership, spiritual discernment, and building ministry that lasts.From growing up in South Jersey and playing piano in church at age nine, to leading Community Baptist Church of Englewood for over 30 years, Dr. Taylor’s story is marked by discipline, clarity, and Spirit-led conviction. He shares how a pivotal moment in his calling led...
2025-07-091h 09
The Ministry Exchange with Dr. MapsonEp 04 - Built For This: A Conversation with Rev. Dr. Danielle L. BrownWhat does it look like to lead with clarity, courage, and consistency—across pulpits, classrooms, and communities? In this episode of The Ministry Exchange, Rev. Dr. Danielle L. Brown joins Dr. J. Wendell Mapson Jr. for a powerful conversation about calling, character, and the kind of leadership the Church needs today.From receiving her call to preach at age 13 to becoming the first woman to lead the historic Shiloh Baptist Church in Plainfield, NJ, Dr. Brown’s journey is one marked by intentional preparation, trusted mentorship, and spiritual resilience. She opens up about her years at Cathedral Inte...
2025-06-251h 03
The Ministry Exchange with Dr. MapsonEp 03 - The Call, The Cost and The Closure: A Conversation with Bishop Walter Thomas Sr.What does it take to finish well—and set others up to begin?In this powerful episode of The Ministry Exchange, Rev. Dr. J. Wendell Mapson Jr. sits down with his lifelong friend and ministry brother, Bishop Walter S. Thomas Sr., Pastor Emeritus of New Psalmist Baptist Church. After 50 years of leading one of the nation’s most influential congregations, Bishop Thomas offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the private decisions, personal sacrifices, and prophetic clarity required to lead well—and let go well.If you’ve ever wrestled with questions like:
2025-06-111h 35
The Ministry Exchange with Dr. MapsonEp 02 - Legacy, Ego and the Gospel: A Conversation with Rev. Dr. Alyn E. WallerWhat happens when ministry becomes performance—and pastors become personalities?In this episode of The Ministry Exchange, Dr. J. Wendell Mapson Jr. sits down with longtime friend and ministry peer Rev. Dr. Alyn E. Waller, Senior Pastor of Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church in Philadelphia. Together, they confront one of the most urgent questions facing the Black Church today: Have we traded the shepherd’s heart for the spotlight?Dr. Waller, a fourth-generation preacher raised in a home where legends like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Gardner Taylor once gathered, shares how...
2025-05-2842 min
The Ministry Exchange with Dr. MapsonEp 01 - Is the Black Church Losing Its Fire? | The Ministry ExchangeChurch attendance is shifting. Leadership styles are evolving. Worship doesn’t sound—or feel—the same. So here’s the question no one wants to ask out loud: Is the Black Church still on fire… or just burning out?In this premiere episode, Dr. J. Wendell Mapson Jr. pulls back the curtain on the current state of the Black Church—what’s changed, what’s fading, and what’s still worth fighting for. With over 60 years in ministry, he’s not here to point fingers… but to spark a conversation that’s long overdue.This episode is for:
2025-05-1423 min
Outside/InWhat Remains, Part 2: In MemoriamA scholar and an activist make an uncompromising ultimatum. A forgotten burial ground is discovered under the streets of New York City. In Philadelphia, two groups fight over the definition of “descendant community.” Featuring Michael Blakey, Lyra Monteiro, Chris Woods, aAliy Muhammad, Wendell Mapson, Sacharja Cunningham, Jazmin Benton, Amrah Salomon, and Aja Lans. MORE ABOUT “WHAT REMAINS”Across the country, the remains of tens of thousands of human beings are held by museums and institutions. Scientists say they’ve helped lay the foundations of forensic science and unlocked the secrets of humanity’s sh...
2024-10-2448 min
The Pastor's OfficeJanuary 31, 2021: Rev Dr. Jesse Wendell Mapson, Jr.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2021-02-181h 01