Episode Details

In this episode of The Backstory, hosts Elizabeth, Josh, and Shannon pull back the curtain on a national storytelling project led by Wesleyan Impact Partners, Parish Collective, and Rooted Good. Guests Blair Thompson and Tim Soerens describe audience research into the “Dones” (people who feel ‘done’ with church), the creative strategy, and plans for both big‑budget and grassroots story pipelines.

The conversation explores partnership dynamics, funding and project roles, lessons from the planning phase, and the team’s approach to testing, learning, and scaling stories that aim to broaden how people see and experience church.