Episode
Connecting Community and Ministry: Tyler Brinks on Asset Based Development and Convening Change
- Published
- Apr 24, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1127
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Summary
Connecting Community and Ministry: Tyler Brinks on Asset Based Development and Convening Change In this insightful episode of To Be and Do , host Phil Amerson welcomes Reverend Tyler Brinks of First Presbyterian Church, Bloomington, Indiana, for an authentic conversation about aligning identity with action, the power of connectorship, and the transformative philosophy of Asset Based Community Development (ABCD). The discussion opens with Amerson reflecting on the recurring tension many feel between “doing” and “being,” emphasizing the importance of intentional living that fuses who we are with what we do. This theme sets the stage for an exploration of ABCD, a community-building approach championed by John McKnight and Jody Kretzman, which focuses not on deficits but on the hidden and communal gifts within neighborhoods and individuals. Brinks traces his own journey with the church, describing how key mentors and a series of serendipitous associations—beginning at his home church in Michigan and later through meaningful connections in Indianapolis—brought this philosophy to life for him. He shares the pivotal influence of figures such as Reverend Fernando Rodriguez, Mike Mather, and Diamond Hargis, and the surprising intersections of their work that shaped his approach to ministry. Central to the conversation is the idea of “connectorship.” Amerson recounts a story about John McKnight, who highlighted the role of convening—bringing people together—as more foundational than traditional models of leadership. Speaker B echoes this, attributing his own emphasis on building relationships to the gentle encouragements of his parents and a personal awareness of the knowledge and wisdom found in others. The episode closes with a meditative word from Speaker B, who shares a refl…