The Urban Gems Podcast
The Urban Gems podcast is brought to you by the authors of the book Urban Gems: Ministry Perspectives On The Global City And Its People (releasing April 2026 on SacraSage Press), a group of urban ministry practitioners that have a love for urban places and a love for the Christian faith tradition.
We believe that the city is like a diamond – forged out of intense pressure and crafted into something beautiful by its citizens. When we see the city this way, we can hold both the city's very real difficulties in one hand and its beauty in the other. When we enter the city seeking something beautiful, a precious stone, we behold the glimmer of lives, stories, and relationships that make up the hidden yet very real structure of any city. When we turn that gem and let a different facet catch our eye, we can see the globalized world we all share with a clear view of all the city holds, both the precious and the precarious. Still another turn might pull back the curtain on the pressures and processes beneath the surface, making the city what it is. Just like a gem, the city can be constantly revealing different aspects of itself.
Join us as we discuss the beautiful gem that is the city.
The Urban Gems Podcast
The book, Urban Gems, was born of friendship. Each of the authors knows and loves the others who have contributed here. This podcast is rooted in those same friendships. That relational reality reflects the relationality at the heart of all cities.
Join us as we turn the gem of the city. In each episode you are invite you into our lived reality and community. We hope that as we explore our cities and ministries you can see what we see – the beautiful gem that is the city.
Host: Joel Kiekintveld
Hosting the Urban Gems podcast is Dr. Joel Kiekintveld. He edited the book Urban Gems: Ministry Perspectives On The Global City And Its People. Joel in a veteran podcaster. He has hosted The AnchorED City since 2021 and hosted Season 4: Church After Mars Hill of the Transforming Engagement The Podcast (The Center for Transforming Engagement). When he is not behind the microphone Joel is an educator, author and pastor.
Kiekintveld is an affiliate professor at The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology, an adjunct professor at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, the Co-Director of the Anchorage Urban Training Collaborative, and the Co-Pastor of Reclaim. Joel holds a PhD in Practical Theology from the University of Pretoria (South Africa) and a Master of Arts in Global Urban Ministry from Bakke Graduate University (Dallas, TX).
Joel lives, works, learns, and plays in Anchorage, AK, with his wife, Stacey, and has three daughters: Naomi (husband, Morgan), Emma (wife, Kelsy, grandkids Luka and Lyla), and Sydney (husband, Donovan).
Episodes
Apr 5, 2026
Apr 5, 2026
11 min
Welcome to the Urban Gems Podcast, a companion to the new book Urban Gems: Ministry Perspectives on the Global City and its People.
This episode introduces the book and the podcast.
Urban Gems: Ministry Perspectives on the Global City and its People,
published by SacraSage Press, is available as an eBook or paperback at:
Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com, Apple Books, and Google Play books.
Cover Art:
Neighborhood Church by Scott Erickson (scottericksonart.com).
Used with permission from the author.
Theme Music: Urban by EwaySound
Royalty Free Music from Tune Tank (https://tunetank.com/track/2090-urban)