After IV

It feels like the answer to this big question should be an obvious and resounding "YES!" But... 

It doesn't always feel that simple. Finding the right church after graduation can be awkward, confusing, and even hurtful. So is it even worth the effort? This week, we're joined by pastor and friend of InterVarsity, Gina Cherian, who really does believe that the answer is yes. And not just because you need the church. It's because the church needs YOU, alumni.

Find out why as we answer the big question, "Is church worth waking up for?"

RELATED EPISODES

• E80: I'm So Tired of Church Hopping! (Apple, Spotify)
• E186: What's My Purpose? (Apple, Spotify, YouTube)

STAY IN TOUCH

• Socials: @afterivpod
• Visit our Website

Okay, maybe you just started a job (or you're still looking for one), so it might be a little early to ask this question. But it's never too early to be thoughtful about fit and about the skills you're developing at work; whether or not a position feels like your "forever job".

This week, InterVarsity Alumna and HR Professional, Kaitlynn Steele, helps us consider our work, teaches us some practical skills for assessing fit, and helps us normalize that reality that at one time or another, everyone asks the big question, "Should I Quit My Job?"

RELATED EPISODES

• E82: Can I Put InterVarsity on My Resume? (Apple, Spotify)
• E183: Where Should I Live? (Apple, Spotify, YouTube)

STAY IN TOUCH

• Socials: @afterivpod
• Visit our Website

What's My Purpose?

It's a fundamental question that needs an answer. But would you be surprised to hear that the answer might not be quite as complicated as you think? This week, April Peters from Landing on Purpose is here to provide some helpful insight on our purpose and how it differs from our calling and mission.

RELATED EPISODE

• E185: Who Am I? (Apple, Spotify, YouTube)

MORE FROM APRIL PETERS

• Landing on Purpose
• Roadmap: 7 Actions to Reclaim Direction in Uncertain Times - with Jon Steele (YouTube)
• Join me for this rebroadcast of a live conversation, as I walk you through The Roadmap—a 7-step framework to help you get unstuck, refocus, and move forward with clarity and purpose. It’s time to turn this pause into a powerful new beginning. 💥 ✅ Regain clarity in the chaos ✅ Reset your mindset ✅ Refocus on what really matters ✅ Move forward with confidence and purpose Whether you're navigating career shifts, personal setbacks, or just feeling off-track, this is your chance to turn uncertainty into your next starting point.

STAY IN TOUCH

• Socials: @afterivpod
• Visit our Website

Who Am I?

The list of potential identities we hold during college is long: student, freshman/sophomore/junior/senior, athlete, Greek, leader, coordinator, president (to name a few). But putting on the cap and gown for graduation often requires taking off many of those titles. And as we leave them in the capable hands of those who remain on campus, we can be left with some uncertainty around our own identity. Who are we when those long-held campus roles and rhythms no longer define so much of what we do?

This week, we're joined by author, alumnus, and Assistant to the President of InterVarsity, Greg Jao. And Greg is going to provide some firm footing for us as we take next steps in answering the big question, "Who Am I?"

RELATED EPISODES

• E182: How Do I Grow As A Leader? (Apple, Spotify, YouTube)

STAY IN TOUCH

• Socials: @afterivpod
• Visit our Website

Should I Cancel Netflix?

No, this isn't actually about Netflix, per se... Rather, what should my relationship be with media and entertainment after graduation? So often, we get home from work and our natural inclination is to sit down and turn on a streaming service or short-form social media like Instagram and TikTok. But is that the best way? What does it look like to establish healthy rhythms of rest that are informed by biblical examples?

This week, we're joined by one of today's leading thinkers in this area: Andy Crouch. As a partner for theology and culture with Praxis, past executive editor of Christianity Today, and the author of numerous books (The Techwise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in Its Proper Place; The Life We’re Looking For: Reclaiming Relationship in a Technological World), Andy has spent significantly more time than most thinking about technology, our relationship with it, and its impact on our relationships with one another.

As you can imagine, Andy has some helpful insights for us as we answer the question, "Should I cancel Netflix?"

RELATED EPISODES

• E122: A Foundation for Healthy Rhythms of Rest (Apple, Spotify)
• E181: What Should I Do About My Anxiety? - Pt 1 (Apple, Spotify, YouTube)

MORE FROM ANDY CROUCH

• Read Andy's Books
• Follow Andy on Instagram
• When People Go To Heaven, Do They Bring Their Phones (Apple, Spotify)

STAY IN TOUCH

• Socials: @afterivpod
• Visit our Website

Where should I live?

"Wherever I can find a job," is probably the most common answer to this big question after graduation. We go where there's work. But what if there's more to it than that? What if we thought about "place" in terms of thriving? Where can I put down roots that will allow me to thrive and will also provide opportunities for me to help others thrive?

On this episode, we're joined by the leading expert in life after college, Erica Young Reitz. Erica is the founder of After College Transition, and author of the newly updated After College: Navigating Transitions, Relationships, and Faith. A strong theology of place is something Erica cares about deeply and she's going to help us gain a more robust understanding for how to answer the big question, "Where should I live?"

RELATED EPISODE(S)

• E182: How Do I Grow As A Leader? (Apple, Spotify, YouTube)

OTHER RESOURCES

• After College Transition
• After College: Navigating Transitions, Relationships, and Faith
• Staying is the New Going
• Front Yard Mission

STAY IN TOUCH

• Socials: @afterivpod
• Visit our Website

How do I grow as a leader?

As a part of InterVarsity, opportunities to lead were abundant. That's the beauty of being part of a student-led organization! But those opportunities might not feel quite as accessible after graduation... How, then, do we keep developing as leaders in this new season of life?

Jason Jensen, author of the new IVP title "Formed to Lead", joins us for this episode to help reframe our understanding of leadership and provide helpful practices for growing as leaders who are deeply-rooted disciples of Jesus.

RELATED EPISODE

• E173: Post-Graduation Disorientation and the Power of Perseverance (YouTube, Spotify, Apple)

RESOURCES

• Purchase your copy of Formed to Lead

STAY IN TOUCH

• Socials: @afterivpod
• Visit our Website

“What should I do about my anxiety?”

This week, we’re continuing our newest series, Big Questions, with the conclusion to our conversation with Nader Sahyouni, a professional in the world of clinical counseling and spiritual direction. Nader is going to finish clarifying what it means to accept more and then teach us how to attach better as a means to develop a healthier approach to managing anxiety.

If you missed part 1 of the Big Question "What should I do about my anxiety," tap one of the links below to get caught up.

RELATED EPISODE

• E181: What Should I Do About My Anxiety? - Pt 1 (Apple, Spotify, YouTube)
• E89: Navigating Anxiety with Grace and Grit: 10 Tips for Post-Graduation Anxiety (Apple, Spotify)

RESOURCES

• Anxiety Transformed
• Nader's Website

STAY IN TOUCH

• Socials: @afterivpod
• Visit our Website

“What should I do about my anxiety?”

As a new grad, you have many questions running through your mind. It’s normal. It’s good. And it’s why this new series exists. For the next few weeks, we’re going to be asking the experts some of your biggest questions about life after graduation.

This week, we’re asking for help with anxiety. To help us do that, we’re joined by Nader Sahyouni, a professional in the world of clinical counseling and spiritual direction. Nader is also the author of Anxiety Transformed: Prayer that Brings Enduring Change. And Nader is going to share three practical (and research-based) steps that he recommends for developing a healthier approach to managing anxiety.

RELATED EPISODE

• E181: What Should I Do About My Anxiety? (Pt 2) (Apple, Spotify, YouTube)
• E166: Where Does God Want Me to Go?: Developing Tools for Discernment (Apple, Spotify, YouTube)
• E89: Navigating Anxiety with Grace and Grit: 10 Tips for Post-Graduation Anxiety (Apple, Spotify)

RESOURCES

• Anxiety Transformed
• Nader's Website

STAY IN TOUCH

• Socials: @afterivpod
• Visit our Website

Look, up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a... metaphor for life after graduation?

Okay, that's a stretch... BUT, the most recent Superman movie does illustrate a number of sentiments that might be appreciated by a brand new grad. Superman feels disconnected, misunderstood, lonely, and out of place. He's questioning his purpose but also has a deep sense of conviction and commitment to a meaningful mission. Can you relate?

Jon's flying solo this week, but he's carrying on with After IV's two-part summer media breakdown series. How is what we're watching and listening to shaping us in life after graduation? And what can we learn from a box office hit like Superman?

RELATED EPISODE(S)

• E178: Breaking Down the Billboard: "Ordinary" by Alex Warren (YouTube, Apple, Spotify)

STAY IN TOUCH

• Socials: @afterivpod
• Visit our Website