Red Bank United Methodist Church with Pastor Ken Sauer

January 12, 2022

Ken Sauer knew he was called to be a pastor from a young age, but it took a radical experience with a cult, ten years of depression and spiritual wandering, and the MTV Video Music Awards to get him to start his ministry journey. Now, Ken is the pastor of Red Bank United Methodist Church, a congregation with a long history and a reputation for its food bank ministry. In the final episode of Season 4, Ken and Adam talk about the strengths of Methodism, how Red Bank UMC is doing post-pandemic, and what Ken sees happening in Chattanooga and across the nation.

Note: this podcast was recorded earlier in 2021.

 

Jump Through the Conversation

  • [0:42] Ken’s background and long road to ministry

    • [1:00] Journalism career

    • [2:24] Call to ministry and lifestyle in highschool

    • [4:33] The impact of events in college

    • [7:03] Opening a heavy metal t-shirt shop after losing his faith

    • [11:11] Turning point: MTV VMAs

    • [14:09] Seminary and reflections on the previous 10 years

  • [15:41] Ken’s long struggle with faith and depression

  • [20:28] Church location, service times, connection information

  • [21:57] History of Red Bank UMC

  • [24:58] Red Bank UMC’s role in the community

  • [28:06] Ken’s experience running food pantries

  • [35:28] Unity and division in the United Methodist Church

  • [44:27] What it means to be a connectional denomination

  • [49:28] More historical and general information about the UMC

  • [56:52] How Red Bank UMC is doing post-pandemic

  • [1:02:55] Sociological trends in the US and the dwindling of church culture

  • [1:09:03] Final exhortation to believers

 

Links and Resources

 

A resource of the Chattanooga House of Prayer