Before You Quit

You’re in college and life is good. You get a phone from your brother that turns your world upside down. You father murdered his wife, your mom. What do you do? How do you process this? Where do you turn? All this happened to Peter Yang only a few years ago. Now an unwelcome participant on the new path of tragedy, Peter fought to keep his perspective and clung hard to his faith. Jesus came though and Peter is now eager to see him to use this hard story to encourage others in their hard stories.

Peter is a graduate from Toccoa Falls College located in northeast Georgia, with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Counseling Psychology. He resides in Charlotte, North Carolina with his beautiful wife of 11 years along with their 4 sons. His memoir, “Do Not Waste It: A True Story of Tragedy and Transformation” is set to release December 2022. He is the host of the Do Not Waste It Podcast. Listen at donotwasteit.com/podcast. He is on staff as the worship leader of Hope Baptist Church in Stallings, North Carolina.

The post Podcast Ep.93: When Tragedy Hits Home (Peter Yang) appeared first on Before You Quit.

Noelle Moore lost her father, her only child and her marriage in a matter of months. Each of these trials alone can bring even the strongest believer to a place of despair. In this podcast Noelle speaks about the heartache of losing her daughter, Finley, and how God brought about healing and ministry through the Finley Project. Her book, More Than I’m Sorry, is a great resource on how to understand and reach out to those who have lost children.

About Noelle Moore –

Where are you from? I am from Winter Park and was born at the Winter Park Hospital.

Where do you currently live? Maitland, Florida

Current or Past Occupation? Founder & Executive Director of The Finley Project, CEO of Know Moore Consulting

Do you have Children? An Angel in heaven, named Finley Elizabeth Oblander

Hardest thing you’ve ever done? Removing life support from my only daughter

What other organizations are you involved in? I graduated from The Rollins College Philanthropy Center with a Certificate in Non-Profit Management and enjoy taking courses at the Philanthropy Center on an ongoing basis. I love the Lord, my family and our Central Florida community. I am a Board Member of the Winter Park YMCA and Florida Hospital, a Founding Member of the Pregnancy and Infant Loss Resource Network, a Grief Share Facilitator, a Member of the CEO Counsel, Association for Fundraising Professionals and Healthy Start’s Infant Mortality Task Force as well as an active member of the Winter Park Chamber and the Lake Mary Rotary.

Order Noelle’s book here

For information about the Finley Project, check here

For more about Noelle, go here

The post Podcast Ep.92: Losing a Child (Noelle Moore and the Finley Project) appeared first on Before You Quit.

Legacy matters. Godly legacy matters more. I had a wonderful opportunity recently to sit down and have a great conversation with my nearly 92 year old father, John Schultz. I mainly wanted to leave something for our family. My mom and dad currently have sixteen grandchildren and thirty great-grandchildren. I hope one day they will each listen to this podcast to appreciate the godly legacy both my parents have left their family. You will enjoy the stories he tells all giving clear evidence of our Lord and Savior weaving his purposes through ordinary people.

Since their retirement my parents, John and Jannine Schultz reside in Toccoa, GA. Prior to this they served for 38 years as missionaries in Papua, Indonesia. They have 16 Grandchildren, and 30 Great grandchildren. They love to read, study and spend time with family. Enjoy!

My father has written a commentary on every book of the Bible. Check it out here. 

For previous podcast interview with both my parents select here

(Select book for order details)

The post Podcast Ep.91: Conversation With My Dad (John Schultz) appeared first on Before You Quit.

I reflect often on how the church is as healthy as it’s families. And a healthy family is where there is a man, a husband and father who loves Jesus, and the gospel is the basis of his commitment to marriage. (I also know many single moms who experience health as they rely on Jesus and the community of believers.) I am excited today to talk to Pastor Dan Stegeman on a booklet he wrote titled, I Want To Be A Loving Husband. We had a great conversation today on the booklet but also on the great example Jesus gave us in his love for the church. Daniel Stegeman, DMin, is pastor of Pine Glen Alliance Church in Lewistown, Pennsylvania. Daniel and his wife Stephane are the proud parents of four children and you can find his blog at www.pastoral-theology.com. 

Order the book here

The post Podcast Ep.90: Being A Loving Husband (Dan Stegeman) appeared first on Before You Quit.

In this third podcast with Prof. Rich Griffith, I talk about Gen Z and sexuality. Gender issues continue to push at the door of the Christian community, institutions and the Church. The Gospel is our defense, but also our banner of hope. Developing a deeper awareness of what is happening to culture around us, encourages us to get our heads out of the sand, and while armed with the gospel we provide guidance and hope to a generation that is steeped in the lostness of culture. Professor Rich Griffiths and I discuss all this and more. Rich serves as professor of Youth Ministry at Toccoa Falls College.  Rich Griffith is the single dad of three (adopted) sons, Aaron (22) and Dylan (19) and Jamie (13). After some time in the U. S. Army, he has spent 29 years in Youth Ministry exclusively while working in a variety of Church and Para-Church settings including Young Life (helping to pioneer Young Life’s ministry to early adolescents called “Wyld Life”), Ministry Architects and Military Community Youth Ministries. He has been a Lead Pastor for the past 4.5 while also still serving in a variety of Youth Ministry capacities. Obviously, he is passionate about youth, families and The Church. He is a published Author and Contributor to “The Teen Devotional Bible” as well as other Youth and Ministry related publications. Aaron, 22; Dylan, 19 and Jamie, 13.

The post Podcast Ep.89: GEN Z and Sexuality (Prof. Rich Griffith) appeared first on Before You Quit.

Today I interview Marci Renée who “accidentally” found herself working at a safe house in Spain. We discuss her work, her book and the tragedy of human trafficking. By listening to this podcast, you will never be the same. Marci Renée is a global nomad, who has traveled to more than 30 countries and has lived extensively in the United States, France, Morocco, and Spain with her French husband and four boys. She loves to travel, speak foreign languages, experience different cultures, eat ethnic foods, meet people from faraway lands, and of course, write and tell stories. She currently lives in Spain and works in government-run safe houses with women and children who are rescued victims of human trafficking. You can find her on her website, “The Cultural Story-Weaver,” at www.culturalstoryweaver.com.

Click on the book to order this book

The post Podcast Ep. 88: RESCUING THE TRAFFICKED (Marci Renée) appeared first on Before You Quit.

I had the privilege of being a guest on another podcast. I include this podcast here where Pastor Dan Samms interviews me on my experience of following a pastor who experienced moral failure. This is the description of that conversation on Dan’s website:

Years ago Mitch Schultz was asked to step in to pastor a church after the previous pastor had a moral failure. Little did he know that in addition to the hurt and fallout from the last pastor’s affair, there were several significant problems in the church that were not disclosed. He went through tremendous hurt, but gained valuable insight on how churches should apply discipline and how churches can be built up after devastation.

Please check out the accompanying blog I wrote which tells more of that story here.

Check out Thom Rainers related podcast and blog here.

Check out my novel which tells a similar story, THE WHISPER here.

The post Podcast Ep. 87: MORAL FAILURES & CHURCH RECOVERY (Mitch A Schultz) appeared first on Before You Quit.

In today’s podcast we are going to look at the challenges and opportunities that happen when someone in ministry enters what many refer to as the second half season of life. Many pastors, missionaries and ministry leaders find themselves in a unique place particularly when they have a couple decades under their belt. Different questions are asked than were being asked at the starting blocks of youthful ambition and dare I say, passionate idealism. What brings about these new questions can be a sense of failure. Family hardships. Children now adults and less dependent on parents. I have the privilege of talking about all this with Jamey Lewis who knows well the multi layered challenges that come in the second season of life and ministry. Jamey and his wife, Cindy served in Indonesia, where he grew up as an MK, for 27 years. They have three children and currently live in Southern California where Jamey serves as a certified life coach.  

More about Jamey in his own words: I was born in Indonesia, the youngest of five children. I grew up in Bali and went to boarding schools in Indonesia and Malaysia. Body surfing in Bali, playing Scrabble with Mom and Dad, eating in food stalls on the beach, enjoying crazy fun adventures with fellow TCKs — my reservoir of memories is filled with stories of laughter, friendships and an active and culturally engaged life. But I struggled too, wanting to know where I belonged and where “home” was. Later, after college and graduate school, I returned to Indonesia with a family of my own to pursue my calling to love God and love others in the place that I knew best: Indonesia. In time, I learned more and more to find belonging by learning to receive love, goodness and joy.Especially if you are an adult TCK or a professional crossing cultures — in a life transition, seeking clarity in an uncertain world, or wanting a more impactful life — I invite you to contact me! Check out couragelifecoaching.com and set up a conversation. Let’s talk! I am a certified ACC coach with the International Coaching Federation. I coach adult TCKs and professionals who have crossed cultures. And I am a lifelong learner. I have an M.A. and a doctorate in Intercultural Studies. I’ve learned two other languages and helped to lead others from over 15 different passport countries. I’ve been certified with the Cultural Intelligence Center to help others assess and improve their intercultural intelligence. I’ve also been trained to design and lead participatory learning events. Now I live in Southern California and am rooted in supportive and caring relationships with family and friends. My wife is a mentor of women who cross cultures and is certified to give grief support. We’ve been married for 37 years and have 3 adult children in California and the Netherlands.

Check out the Second Half Collaborate here

The post Podcast Ep.86: Adapting to the 2nd-Half of Ministry-Life (Jamey Lewis) appeared first on Before You Quit.

Parents are often ill-equipped for the challenges that come when their children become adults. Increasingly I have conversations with friends who’s adult children are either struggling with their faith and/or struggling in their relationship with the parents. This can be deeply disenchanting for parents particularly when they feel they did everything “by the book” in raising their son or daughter.

Not long ago I picked up a book by Margie Tripp called, It’s Not Too Late: Restoring Broken Relationships with Teenage and Adult Children. This book significantly helped me understand what parents need to know and do when their adult children walk away from the Lord and where there is severed relationship. 

Dr. Tedd and Mrs. Margy Tripp are in their 53rd year of marriage and ministry. Their ministry experience together includes; resident directors for college dormitory, open home ministry to young adults, founding and administrating a Christian school, youth ministry, pastoral ministry at Grace Fellowship Church, where Tedd served as Senior Pastor for thirty-two years, and Margy served in children’s ministry, women’s ministry, women’s Bible teacher and music ministry.  Tedd is the author of “Shepherding A Child’s Heart”.  Together, Tedd and Margy authored “Instructing A Child’s Heart”.  Tedd and Margy continue to speak in conferences and seminars in the US and around the world. Most recently, they have begun both virtual and live-streaming ministry and podcasts on a variety of Christian life topics.  

Tedd and Margy have three adult children, who are married to spouses they regard as their own children, and nine grandchildren.  They enjoy spending time with their family.  

Check out the Tripps Shepherding The Heart website here

Click on book cover to order book

The post Podcast Ep.85: Disarming Rebellion With Adult Children (Tedd and Margy Tripp) appeared first on Before You Quit.

I Want to talk on this episode on how a church transitions well. I remember sitting down with a friend processing a tough church and he made a comment I could never shrug. “Mitch you need to start your transition now. It might need to take you several years, but start your transition”. Unfortunately certain events kept me from having control in that process, but later I realized this significance of that advice. I am thrilled today to discuss with a pastor the importance of pastoring the baton between pastors in a way that is healthy and timely. I actually did this interview just a week before COVID significantly shut churches down so I decided I would hold on to it until the waves subsided. I believe the timing is right for me to put this out now. I am talking to Pastor Brain Dainsberg who knows first hand the wonderful benefits of a church transitioning from one pastor to another. This also happens to be church I served as associate pastor for a number of years, so I am intimately familiar with the healthy contexts of this church. 

Brian Dainsberg began as the Lead Pastor of Alliance Bible Church on August 1, 2016.  He grew up in the Green Bay area, earning his B.A. in Applied Music from UW-Green Bay in 2002.  He later received his Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in 2007. In 2008, he was ordained by the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Appleton, WI.

Brian and his wife, Jedotta, have two children: Braylen and Taelyr.  In addition to spending time with his family, Pastor Brian likes to golf, look for new Thai and Chinese restaurants and read books.

The post Podcast Ep. 84: Passing the Baton (Pastor Brian Dainsberg) appeared first on Before You Quit.