Simon Bennett’s career spans theater and television on both sides of the globe. He spent nearly two decades shaping the iconic, long-running New Zealand–based soap Shortland Street as a director, producer and executive producer before becoming Head of Drama at South Pacific Pictures. He also served as showrunner and executive producer for Saban’s Power Rangers from 2019 to 2023, including the 30th anniversary special, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always.

Simon shares his journey growing up as the child of two mimes, his early experiments with light and sound and the path that led him to pioneer New Zealand’s landmark BATS Theatre. He gets candid about the joys and creative challenges of producing high-volume, long-running television and his creative ambitions from Shakespeare to spandex.

Steve Lindsley serves as the Executive Presbyter of the Providence Presbytery in South Carolina and is the Senior Ministry Strategist for Horizons Stewardship. He is also a musician and recording artist with eight albums and EP’s since 1997. His most recent album, “Back Again,” dropped in April of 2023.

Steve talks about the difference between good vs. bad Christian music, discusses some of the quirks of picking hymns on Sunday morning and shares valuable insights on fundraising and stewardship for churches. 

Listen to Steve’s music here: https://stevelindsley.bandcamp.com/

Dre Swain has appeared regularly on Nickelodeon over the past two decades on shows like “Victorious,” “iCarly,” “Sam and Cat,” “The Fairly Oddparents,” “Henry Danger,” and several others. She has also appeared on shows like “Shameless” on Showtime, alongside William H. Macy and Emmy Rossum. 

Sarah Bracey White is the critically acclaimed author of Primary Lessons: A Memoir and The Wanderlust: A South Carolina Folktale. Set against the backdrop of the Jim Crow South, Primary Lessons tells the real-life story of Sarah’s growing-up years navigating her challenging relationship with her mother and seeking to reconcile her complex family systems with issues of racial and social justice. 

Sarah shares how telling stories can lead to healing in our lives, whether through the discoveries we make about our parents or the act of caring for a child, spouse or an aging loved one. She discusses how her creative journey led to three published books, two theatrical stage productions and even an (almost) Netflix series!

Her latest book, A Walk Down Memory Lane: Short Stories for Seniors to Spark Joy and Stay Sharp, is available wherever books are sold on December 2, 2025.

The Rev. Dr. Peggy Jean Craig currently serves as the Senior Pastor at the Covenant Presbyterian Church of Germantown in Germantown, Tennessee. In 2025, she was one of the headlining preachers at the Presbyterian Youth Triennium at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville, Kentucky. She joins me to discuss her experience preaching at Triennium and to explore the intersections between storytelling and advocacy.

David J. Fielding is an actor, writer, and voiceover artist best known for playing Zordon on the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers TV series that premiered in August 1993. Beyond his iconic role as the mentor to superheroic teenagers, David is a prolific novelist and author of short fiction. David holds a BFA from Texas State University and an MFA in Acting from the University of Pittsburgh.

Walter Brueggemann

1933-2025

Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz is the drummer for "Weird Al" Yankovic. This summer he'll be hitting the road with Weird Al on the "Bigger and Weirder" Tour. Jon offers us a sneak preview of what fans can expect from the show and shares stories and memories from his legendary 40+ year career in music and comedy.

His latest book, "Lights, Camera, Accordion!: Eye-Popping Photographs of 'Weird Al' Yankovic, 1981-2006," is a stunning 256-page visual retrospective featuring over 300 never-before-seen color photographs. Jon shares stories behind some of the rarest images that even Al's most diehard fans have never seen and pays tribute to two of his favorite drummers, Ringo Starr and Hal Blaine.

Mary Reber appears in the third season of Twin Peaks, directed by David Lynch and executive produced by Lynch and Mark Frost. In real life, Mary owns the house that served as the filming location for Laura Palmer’s home. She joins me in conversation to share her memories of working with David Lynch and behind-the-scenes stories behind some of Season 3’s most shocking moments. Mary also offers tours of the Palmer House and reflects on how connecting with the Twin Peaks fan community has touched her life in deeply personal ways.

Do Christians and Jews think differently about God? In what ways are our communities similar? In what ways are they unique? Samantha Mandeles is a passionate photographer, and her images are the subject of an exhibition titled "The Abayudaya: Portrait of an African Jewish Community," which captures the daily lives and spiritual vibrancy of a Jewish community in Namutumba, Uganda. She has contributed to Newsweek, the Jewish News Syndicate, and other publications and appeared in the documentary, "The J Street Challenge."

Her professional work spans counterterrorism research, journalism, and documentary photography. In 2025, Sam joins the Board of Directors at the Interfaith Center at Miami University. We reflect on how her background shapes her interfaith perspective, and she shares powerful stories behind her images, offering lessons that the global Jewish community can teach those of us committed to interfaith work.