Whitney Hess, a leadership coach, joins Nate and Van to discuss leading with love and compassion. The importance of questioning our leaders and creating hope in the face of adversity. They highlight the fear of being perceived as weak when choosing to lead with love, and the difficulty of staying connected to one's true nature in a society that seems increasingly designed to strip away humanity. They also touch on the potential impact of leaders in public service and the importance of empathy in everyday life and the workplace. 

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/

Adam Ernster, a practicing Recovery Coach (for several well-known clients whose names have been omitted), joins Nate and Van to discuss his personal experiences with survival, self-awareness, trauma, and the impact of early life events on self-awareness and behavior. They also explore the role of religion and spirituality in recovery, the potential overload of information in modern times, and the importance of self-belief, letting go of expectations, and seeking help when feeling overwhelmed.

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 February of 2012, Nate preached a sermon about how Van met his wife, two months before their wedding. In this special episode, we get to hear that message of tenacity and love.

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 welcomes Rev. Philip Jones to discuss the concept of love and its application in their respective fields. Van, who facilitates groups and educates people on design and problem-solving, saw a connection between loving God and loving one's neighbor. Philip agreed with Van's perspective and emphasized the importance of love in Jesus' teachings. They both acknowledged the challenges of maintaining love and unity in the face of current differing political opinions and animosity in our country. Van expressed concerns about the lack of factual information and the division it causes, particularly in political and social issues. Philip suggested a practical New Year's resolution to be deliberately loving. Philip and Van express concerns about the lack of agreement on what patriotism means and its implications for our country.

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 discuss the rough plan for "redesigning" religion, focusing on the small steps and changes within the Protestant Church and the idea of breaking down the work by conducting a variety of six-week series on small topics. This would enable guests from various religious traditions to join, share ideas, and hopefully become allies. Concerns were raised about the time and manpower required for such an enormous effort, so we ask anyone interested in helping to email us at the address given at the end of this episode.

Link to the presentation Van walked Nate through:
https://bit.ly/dnr_redesign_plan

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 discuss resilience and its relationship with self-compassion and faith, and its importance in overcoming personal struggles and finding one's identity. They also touch on the challenges of self-acceptance, the role of religion in providing support, and the importance of perseverance and having a stable foundation in navigating life's changes.

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 discuss the importance of psychological safety in personal and professional relationships. They also explore how technology influences teamwork, technology's impact on human interaction, and the significance of creating a learning space. Additionally, they touch on the emotional challenges of religious and design leadership, the importance of acknowledging and dealing with pain, and the significance of how some churches leverage the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

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 brief episode, Nate has an ambitious and inspiring idea for where this podcast should focus.

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/

Christine Fischer joins Nate and Van to share how nature inspires her approach to design and design education. They cover the value of expertise, the impact of technology on design, and the importance of imagination and creativity in problem-solving for design and religious community activities. 

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/

How do we create positive human change? Where have we seen organizations and ourselves fail to change? Nate and Van discuss the complexities of change, particularly in the context of the long-term effects, the need for authenticity, and the challenges of introducing changes in small teams and large organizations. They will also reflect on the unpredictability of change, the importance of shared ownership, and the need to focus on meaningful changes rather than superficial “sugar-high” changes.

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/