How do we lead, love, and live faithfully in a world where the sacred often feels like it’s slipping from view?
Join renowned scholar Dr. Andrew Root and visionary leader Rev. Cameron Trimble for a 6-part series exploring Spirituality in the Secular Age. Drawing on Dr. Root’s influential research and books, this series is designed for pastors, lay leaders, and spiritually curious seekers who are navigating the shifting landscape of church and faith in a secularizing world.
Together, we’ll explore why traditional church models are struggling—and what new possibilities are emerging for communities grounded in authenticity, meaning, and hope.
The Series: Topics & Dates
Each session runs 1 hour and includes a live Q&A.
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Session 1: Pastor in a Secular Age
August 11
What does it mean to be a spiritual leader when cultural authority is waning? We’ll explore the shifting identity of pastors and the new call to authenticity over certainty. -
Session 2: The Congregation in a Secular Age
August 18
Discover how congregations can move from anxiety to imagination—and how belonging is reshaped in a world suspicious of institutions. -
Session 3: Churches and the Crisis of Decline
September 8
This session tackles the numbers head-on. Why are churches shrinking, and what might decline be revealing about our deeper spiritual hunger? -
Session 4: When Church Stops Working
September 15
When our models fail us, it opens space for something new. This conversation explores how to grieve what’s no longer working and make room for what might. -
Session 5: Evangelism in an Age of Despair
October 6
Can we still share good news in a time of collective fatigue, disillusionment, and ecological crisis? Learn how evangelism can be an act of healing rather than persuasion. -
Session 6: A Pilgrimage of Letting Go
October 13
We close the series with an invitation: what would it look like to journey together not with answers, but with courage, presence, and a willingness to release what no longer serves?
Andrew Root
Andrew Root, PhD (Princeton Theological Seminary) is the Carrie Olson Baalson Professor of Youth and Family Ministry at Luther Seminary. He is most recently the author of Evangelism in an Age of Despair and the six volume Ministry in a Secular Age series (including Churches and the Crisis of Decline, The Congregation in a Secular Age, The Pastor in a Secular Age,The Church After Innovation, The Church in a Age of Secular Mysticism and Faith Formation in a Secular Age). He is also the author of The End of Youth Ministry? and more than dozen other books. Andy also serves as theologian in residence at Youthfront. He has worked in congregations, parachurch ministries, and social service programs. He lives in St. Paul with his wife Kara, two children, Owen and Maisy, and their dog. When not reading, writing, or teaching, Andy spends far too much time watching TV and movies.
Cameron Trimble
Cameron Trimble is a strategist, spiritual leader, and serial entrepreneur guiding individuals and institutions through times of profound change. She is known for her work at the intersection of innovation, leadership, and social transformation, with a career spanning faith-based and secular sectors, nonprofit and for-profit ventures. Her work is rooted in a deep commitment to people, planet, and peace — the triple bottom line that shapes every endeavor she leads.
Cameron currently serves as CEO of Convergence, a not-for-profit organization focused on congregational and organizational transformation across North America. Through consulting, coaching, training, and strategic foresight, Convergence supports systems undergoing adaptive change.
Cameron has published six books which include Searching for the Sacred, Piloting Church, 60 Days of Faith, and Beginners Bible Study. You can follow her writing on Substack at https://www.pilotingfaith.org/.