This episode examines religious innovation through three distinct lenses.

Philip Jones, a retired Presbyterian pastor, brings institutional honesty. He names the anxiety beneath the language of innovation: declining membership, aging volunteers, and a shrinking financial runway. From inside the church, he explains how innovation often functions as a survival strategy, and why small groups, digital formats, and community service have become central attempts to rebuild connection—sometimes with mixed results.

Mark Friedman, a Jewish author and thinker, offers a textual and historical counterweight. He argues that innovation untethered from tradition weakens religion rather than saving it. Drawing on the Torah and Talmud, he demonstrates that Judaism has always allowed for change, but only when it is justified through a deep engagement with sacred texts, rather than cultural convenience.

Van moderates the conversation from a design and systems perspective, pressing on assumptions both traditions share. He reframes innovation as a question of delivery, relevance, and meaning-making, asking whether institutions are redesigning faith itself or merely repackaging it to keep people engaged.

Together, the episode challenges the idea that growth is the right metric—and asks whether religious innovation can preserve depth without resorting to pandering.

Send us a text message letting us know what you think of this episode!

We envision a world where design and religion work together to spread love, empathy, and charity faster than divisiveness, selfishness, and hate. To achieve this, we aim to bring the stories of those driving this change—both big and small—into the spotlight, allowing ideas for positive transformation to spread quickly and reach those who need them most.

Nate is the Head Pastor at Red Clay Creek Presbyterian Church https://rccpc.org/

Van is a Service Designer and Illustrator, and his work can be found at https://www.vansheacreative.com/

Van invites Drew Marshall to explore the world of Islam through the lens of architecture as a living expression of belief, migration, conflict, humility, community behavior, and identity. Drew, an Islamic Studies expert and community advocate, guides us through the evolution of mosque design from Abraham and early Mecca to its global adaptations across the centuries. 

The conversation delves into the lived experience of entering a mosque, exploring transitional spaces, ritual washing (wudu), light, pattern, sound, and spatial choreography that prepare a person emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually. 

The episode then pivots into the “modern identity crisis” of Muslims in America. Drew speaks candidly about colonialism, wars in Muslim countries, the challenge of loving a land whose government harms your homeland, and the spiritual obligation to contribute positively anyway. He frames gratitude not as passivity, but as civic responsibility: promoting a better parking culture, cleaner roads, community contributions, and service as a form of worship.

The episode closes with a challenge: that contemporary Muslims, like all faith groups, must examine themselves through tradition without abandoning it — the concept of the mujaddid, someone who renews the faith for the times. Sacred design, in this frame, isn’t about buildings. It’s about behavior, belonging, and the everyday rituals that shape how a community is perceived and how it perceives itself.

Send us a text message letting us know what you think of this episode!

We envision a world where design and religion work together to spread love, empathy, and charity faster than divisiveness, selfishness, and hate. To achieve this, we aim to bring the stories of those driving this change—both big and small—into the spotlight, allowing ideas for positive transformation to spread quickly and reach those who need them most.

Nate is the Head Pastor at Red Clay Creek Presbyterian Church https://rccpc.org/

Van is a Service Designer and Illustrator, and his work can be found at https://www.vansheacreative.com/

This episode brings together Rev. Dr. Pamela Adams, Van, and Pastor Nate for a deep, candid conversation about what actually happens at the intersection of mental health, spirituality, accountability, and human struggle. What emerges is a picture of healing that is warm and joyful, but also grounded, gritty, and human.

Pam begins by breaking down why therapy scares people: not because therapy is dramatic, but because sitting in a room and talking about yourself is uncomfortable. And she doesn’t sugarcoat it: real healing requires letting those doors open, doing the work, facing consequences instead of blaming “God’s will,” and refusing the fantasy of a one-and-done deliverance. 

One of her strongest themes: spiritual healing without maintenance collapses. Biblical stories of Jesus healing people don’t include the “follow-up appointments” — the Tuesday-after-the-miracle part. Today, professionals fill that gap. Prayer and therapy don’t compete; they stabilize each other. She urges people to pray on Sunday and see their therapist on Tuesday.

The through-line:

Healing is work. Faith and therapy are partners. You must deal with yourself before you can deal with anyone else. And the people who look the healthiest are often the ones doing the most unseen work.

Send us a text message letting us know what you think of this episode!

We envision a world where design and religion work together to spread love, empathy, and charity faster than divisiveness, selfishness, and hate. To achieve this, we aim to bring the stories of those driving this change—both big and small—into the spotlight, allowing ideas for positive transformation to spread quickly and reach those who need them most.

Nate is the Head Pastor at Red Clay Creek Presbyterian Church https://rccpc.org/

Van is a Service Designer and Illustrator, and his work can be found at https://www.vansheacreative.com/

In this thought-provoking episode, Van Sedita and retired Presbyterian pastor Phil Jones speak with Mark Friedman, author of Come Now, Let Us Reason Together. The conversation explores what authentic Judaism means beyond stereotypes of rigid law and ritual. Friedman recounts his journey from Reform Judaism through years among Chabad communities, describing how neither liberal editing nor strict orthodoxy fully capture Judaism’s heart.

He argues that after the Second Temple’s destruction, the rabbis “reinvented” Judaism—replacing sacrifice with study and prayer, grounding faith in debate and moral reasoning. The Talmud, he explains, reveals a religion built on adaptation: rabbis altered harsh or outdated laws as moral understanding evolved. Examples include nullifying ancient punishments and reinterpreting economic laws to preserve fairness and social stability.

Phil connects this to Christianity’s own struggle with scriptural authority, asking whether reformation means faithfulness or rebellion. Together, they wrestle with questions of permission, authority, and innovation: who decides when a law no longer serves its purpose? Van draws out the shared tension between divine command and human conscience—how both faiths hold space for doubt, reinterpretation, and renewal.

The episode closes on a hopeful note. Friedman insists that ritual matters only if it deepens ethical living. Jones adds that true innovation in religion comes from returning to the core covenant—to love God and neighbor. Across traditions, they agree: sacred texts endure not because they freeze time, but because they invite each generation to reason together.

(Summary by Chat GPT)

Send us a text message letting us know what you think of this episode!

We envision a world where design and religion work together to spread love, empathy, and charity faster than divisiveness, selfishness, and hate. To achieve this, we aim to bring the stories of those driving this change—both big and small—into the spotlight, allowing ideas for positive transformation to spread quickly and reach those who need them most.

Nate is the Head Pastor at Red Clay Creek Presbyterian Church https://rccpc.org/

Van is a Service Designer and Illustrator, and his work can be found at https://www.vansheacreative.com/

In this candid conversation, Van Sedita, Nate Phillips, and John Molina-Moore take on men’s health through stories of stress, faith, and vulnerability. What starts with beard lotion jokes quickly opens into a serious and deeply honest exchange about how men process—or avoid processing—emotions.

John shares how stress physically manifested as back pain despite being in the best shape of his life, revealing how the body often tells the truth before we do. Nate connects that experience to learned childhood patterns and “small-t” trauma—those early lessons about when it was or wasn’t safe to rest, cry, or fail. Together they trace how these unexamined coping habits—sports, work, over-productivity—carry into adulthood and can quietly become poisons instead of medicine.

From there, the discussion turns spiritual. Nate reframes the Parable of the Talents with a subtle but transformative “but” in the text, shifting it from a story of punishment and performance to one of grace and relational worth. The group links that insight to the modern pressure for men to constantly prove value—physically, professionally, and even spiritually.

By the end, the episode expands outward: from childhood wounds to cultural masculinity, from personal stress to systemic harm. John names the reality that men commit most acts of violence, and the hosts wonder how unprocessed pain feeds that pattern. Van asks whether framing the issue as “men’s health” is even the right lens, or whether we should talk instead about human wholeness and the undervalued work of nurture.

Through humor, humility, and faith, the episode lands on a hopeful note: that men’s health begins not with dominance or denial, but with balance—between inner child and adult self, between productivity and presence, between masculine and feminine energies that make a whole life sacred.

(summary of Transcript by ChatGPT)

Send us a text message letting us know what you think of this episode!

We envision a world where design and religion work together to spread love, empathy, and charity faster than divisiveness, selfishness, and hate. To achieve this, we aim to bring the stories of those driving this change—both big and small—into the spotlight, allowing ideas for positive transformation to spread quickly and reach those who need them most.

Nate is the Head Pastor at Red Clay Creek Presbyterian Church https://rccpc.org/

Van is a Service Designer and Illustrator, and his work can be found at https://www.vansheacreative.com/

What makes an experience unforgettable—and how do we design for it?

In our latest Design & Religion, Van and Pastor Nate sit down with UX legend Jared Spool to unpack “indelible experiences.”

From Disney’s crisis-ready hospitality to tissues in the pew and playful product micro-moments, we explore how the best teams:

• Exceed expectations (the stuff people can’t stop talking about)
• Anticipate latent needs (needs users don’t know they have—yet)
• Eliminate burden (so meaning, not friction, takes center stage)

We also dig into the difference between moments vs. experiences, and why community—online, at church, or in your neighborhood—is the ultimate retention engine.

Send us a text message letting us know what you think of this episode!

We envision a world where design and religion work together to spread love, empathy, and charity faster than divisiveness, selfishness, and hate. To achieve this, we aim to bring the stories of those driving this change—both big and small—into the spotlight, allowing ideas for positive transformation to spread quickly and reach those who need them most.

Nate is the Head Pastor at Red Clay Creek Presbyterian Church https://rccpc.org/

Van is a Service Designer and Illustrator, and his work can be found at https://www.vansheacreative.com/

In this lively episode, Van and Pastor Nate dive into the hype and hope of AI—asking what it means for creativity, conscience, and the Church. From Black Mirror-style “hollow people” to very real ways AI can prep you for doctor visits, job interviews, and tough conversations, they wrestle with the promise and the peril: Can a tool that doesn’t “feel” still help us live better lives?

Send us a text message letting us know what you think of this episode!

We envision a world where design and religion work together to spread love, empathy, and charity faster than divisiveness, selfishness, and hate. To achieve this, we aim to bring the stories of those driving this change—both big and small—into the spotlight, allowing ideas for positive transformation to spread quickly and reach those who need them most.

Nate is the Head Pastor at Red Clay Creek Presbyterian Church https://rccpc.org/

Van is a Service Designer and Illustrator, and his work can be found at https://www.vansheacreative.com/

Nate and Van are joined by design researcher Oxana Loseva to explore endurance—how we keep going without losing ourselves. They contrast resilience with endurance, and Nate shares how gratitude in pastoral work turns burden into privilege. Oxana reflects on stress, health, and identity, while Van reframes tough days as “things we get to do.” Together they discuss removing small choices to save energy, the limits of helping—especially in abusive situations—and Edwin Friedman’s “bridge” fable about when to hold on and when to let go. The takeaway: endurance isn’t blind persistence; it’s grounded by gratitude, boundaries, and faith, helping designers and everyday people stay with what matters most—and step away when staying harms them.

Send us a text message letting us know what you think of this episode!

We envision a world where design and religion work together to spread love, empathy, and charity faster than divisiveness, selfishness, and hate. To achieve this, we aim to bring the stories of those driving this change—both big and small—into the spotlight, allowing ideas for positive transformation to spread quickly and reach those who need them most.

Nate is the Head Pastor at Red Clay Creek Presbyterian Church https://rccpc.org/

Van is a Service Designer and Illustrator, and his work can be found at https://www.vansheacreative.com/

Nate and Van are joined by Charlie Hannagan, Tech Support Specialist about the role of technology in modern church services, particularly regarding live streaming and digital content creation. They talk about the balance between maintaining traditional church values while leveraging technology for outreach and pastoral care, with emphasis on avoiding over-reliance on digital presence at the expense of genuine human connection. 

Send us a text message letting us know what you think of this episode!

We envision a world where design and religion work together to spread love, empathy, and charity faster than divisiveness, selfishness, and hate. To achieve this, we aim to bring the stories of those driving this change—both big and small—into the spotlight, allowing ideas for positive transformation to spread quickly and reach those who need them most.

Nate is the Head Pastor at Red Clay Creek Presbyterian Church https://rccpc.org/

Van is a Service Designer and Illustrator, and his work can be found at https://www.vansheacreative.com/

Nate and Van engage in a wide-ranging conversation covering misinformation, and political discourse, while expressing concerns about leadership and the spread of false information on social media. They discussed personal experiences and shared perspectives on simple-living, sobriety, the importance of controlling what one can in challenging times, and the value of education and peaceful action over violence. 

Send us a text message letting us know what you think of this episode!

We envision a world where design and religion work together to spread love, empathy, and charity faster than divisiveness, selfishness, and hate. To achieve this, we aim to bring the stories of those driving this change—both big and small—into the spotlight, allowing ideas for positive transformation to spread quickly and reach those who need them most.

Nate is the Head Pastor at Red Clay Creek Presbyterian Church https://rccpc.org/

Van is a Service Designer and Illustrator, and his work can be found at https://www.vansheacreative.com/