Following Jesus in an uncertain world

John Drane

John Drane is the author of the best-selling books, The McDonaldization of the Church and After McDonaldization: Mission, Ministry, and Christian Discipleship in an Age of Uncertainty, as well as of introductions to the Old and New Testaments which have sold more than a million copies each and been translated into more than 80 languages. His other writings include Do Christians Know How to be Spiritual? and Celebrity Culture as well as numerous articles. He is currently co-chair of the Mission Theology Advisory Group (a partnership between the Church of England and Churches Together in Britain and Ireland) and has also served as a trustee of Fresh Expressions and chair of its mission-shaped ministry course.

Our Story

We fell in love as teenagers and have been together ever since. John has taught at the universities of Stirling and Aberdeen in Scotland, and currently we are both affiliate professors at Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, California, though home is still in Scotland. During the years of the Covid pandemic we have been especially busy with online workshops and courses addressing contemporary issues in mission and the reinvention of faith communities in today’s unstable and unpredictable environment. These still continue though we are also now free to travel again.

Olive Fleming Drane

Olive Fleming Drane is the author of Clowns, Storytellers, Disciples and Spirituality to Go: Rituals and Reflections for Everyday Living and is a contributor to The Encyclopedia of Christian Education as well as author of many articles on topics of spirituality and digital faith. She also develops creative liturgical materials and was author of the worship guide of the mission-shaped ministry course. She is a pioneer of the integration of creativity in ministry situations, most notably through her pioneering use of clowning in a Christian context. But her ministry experience also includes serving as chaplain to two higher education institutions, as well as several years working as a mission consultant to churches in north-east Scotland. Olive’s academic background includes study at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California and the University of Aberdeen in Scotland.