Encounter with God Together

Romans 14:10–15:33

In this episode of Encounter with God Together, Gail Martin welcomes Chris Foerster, assistant head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, for week two of the special "Coaches in the Word" series, reflecting on Romans.Chris shares part of the origin story of the NFL coaches' fellowship—a group that began roughly 25 years ago when he, Tony Dungy, and Vikings chaplain Tom Lamphere started meeting together in Scripture using the Encounter with God daily Bible guide. His connection to this community runs deep, going all the way back to a college Bible study at Colorado State.Reflecting on this week's readings from Romans, Chris zeroes in on the call not to criticize but to stir up goodness, peace, and joy. He poses a convicting question from the devotional: Did Jesus merely tolerate us, or did he love us? That distinction, Chris says, should change how we treat everyone around us—on the field and off.Chris gets personal about what a life of service looks like in the high-pressure world of the NFL, how Tony Dungy's teaching-first philosophy shaped his coaching career, and why he believes we're blessed in order to bless others.📖 Follow along with the Encounter with God daily Bible reading guide at scriptureunion.orgFeatured Guest: Chris Foerster, Assistant Head Coach of the San Francisco 49ers
Chris Foerster is the assistant head coach and offensive line coach for the San Francisco 49ers, currently in his 11th overall season with the organization. A Colorado State alumnus, Chris began his NFL coaching career with the Minnesota Vikings in 1992 and went on to coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, and Washington Redskins before his long tenure in San Francisco. Over more than three decades in the league, he has helped develop Pro Bowl linemen and Hall of Famers, including Jonathan Ogden, Joe Staley, and Jeff Christy. Chris is a founding member of the NFL coaches' Bible study fellowship, where he and fellow coaches have been reading Scripture together using the Encounter with God daily Bible guide for over 25 years.

Romans 11:36–14:9

Join SU President, Gail Martin and guest Tony Dungy, Pro Football Hall of Famer, reflecting on a new week of Scripture readings from the Book of Romans.

Featured Guest: Tony Dungy, Pro Football Hall of Famer
Tony Dungy is a Pro Football Hall of Famer, Super Bowl-winning head coach, bestselling author, and one of the most respected voices in professional football. Over a 13-year head coaching career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1996–2001) and Indianapolis Colts (2002–2008), he compiled a 148–79 record and became the first African American head coach to win the Super Bowl when the Colts defeated the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI. He holds a number of NFL firsts, including being the first head coach to defeat all 32 NFL teams, the youngest assistant coach in league history at age 25, and the youngest defensive coordinator at 28. Before coaching, Dungy played as a defensive back for the Pittsburgh Steelers and was part of their Super Bowl XIII championship team.

Off the field, Dungy is known for his deep Christian faith and commitment to mentoring the next generation. He is the author of several books, including the New York Times bestseller Quiet Strength, and has served as an analyst on NBC's Football Night in America. He and his wife Lauren are the parents of ten children — three biological and seven adopted — and have been foster parents to dozens more. In 2001, Tony co-founded a Bible study fellowship among NFL coaches that continues to this day, now spanning 15–20 teams across the league and using Scripture Union's Encounter with God as its daily devotional guide.

Join SU President, Gail Martin and guest Emmanuel Jackson Foltz, Family Pastor at Roxborough Church, to introduce a new week of Scripture readings from the Book of Romans.Together, they explore what it means to be prepared to explain and live out one’s faith with confidence, clarity, and authenticity. Drawing on Paul’s teachings in Romans, the conversation encourages viewers to:Understand the foundations of Christian beliefEngage thoughtfully with questions and doubts about faithPractice spiritual readiness in everyday life and conversations

You can subscribe to the daily Bible reading God, Encounter with God, via print, email or online at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ScriptureUnion.org#romans #biblereading #encounterwithgod #apologetics

2 Chronicles 32:24-36:23

SU-USA President Gail Martin is joined this week by Whitney Kuniholm, SU President Emeritus, as they discuss readings in the book of 2 Chronicles.

You can subscribe to the daily Bible reading God, Encounter with God, via print, email or online at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ScriptureUnion.org

 Featured Guest: Whitney T. Kuniholm, SU President Emeritus
Mr. Kuniholm is President Emeritus of Scripture Union, USA. He is a speaker and the author of several books on personal and group Bible study, including The Essential Series, three church-wide Bible reading programs based on his books. To date, the Essential Series has reached more than 20 million people and has been translated into 25 languages.

2 Chronicles 28:1–32:23

Join SU President, Gail Martin and guest Emmanuel Oladipo, former SU Africa and International Director, as they discuss a new week’s readings in 2 Chronicles.

You can subscribe to the daily Bible reading God, Encounter with God, via print, email or online at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ScriptureUnion.org⁠⁠Featured Guest: Emmanuel Oladipo, former International Secretary SUI

EMMANUEL OLADIPO started as a SU school worker in Nigeria, then served as the Africa Regional Secretary of SU before becoming International Secretary. He also served as the Africa Coordinator of John Stott’s Langham Preaching. He is now retired and lives in Leicester with his wife, Ruth, with whom he has four adult sons.

Join SU President, Gail Martin and guest Dan Christian, professor and Director of Vocations/DDO in the Diocese of Sheffield as they discuss a new week’s readings in Song of Solomon.You can subscribe to the daily Bible reading God, Encounter with God, via print, email or online at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ScriptureUnion.org⁠⁠

Featured Guest: Dan Christian, professor and Director of Vocations, Diocese of Sheffield

Dan Christian is Director of Vocations/DDO in the Diocese of Sheffield. He has a doctorate in Old Testament theology from Wycliffe Hall and has spent ten years in parish ministry. Alongside his role at the Diocese, he teaches biblical Hebrew at St. Hild’s College.

Psalm 33; Matthew 9:45-10:42

Join SU President, Gail Martin and guest Adrian Brown, worship leader and composer and SU-USA contributor, as they discuss a new week’s readings in Psalms and Matthew.

You can subscribe to the daily Bible reading God, Encounter with God, via print, email or online at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ScriptureUnion.org⁠⁠Featured Guest: Adrian Brown, composer and SU Digital Animator
Adrian Brown is a graduate of Cairn University with an MA in Music and Worship. For the past several years, Adrian has served SU as a volunteer, assisting in summer outreach and online after-school programs. Adrian has also contributed to the ministry of SU-USA through composition, writing, digital animation, and illustration.

John 20:11-21:25; Matthew 9:27-34

Join SU President, Gail Martin and guest Richard Parker, policy executive, as they discuss a new week’s readings in the book of John.

You can subscribe to the daily Bible reading God, Encounter with God, via print, email or online at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ScriptureUnion.org⁠⁠

  Featured Guest: Richard Parker, policy executive
Richard Parker is a seasoned public relations, advocacy, and policy executive with managerial experience at the global, federal, and state levels and knowledge of the private and non-profit sectors. He has managed both domestic and international public relations, government relations, advocacy, and policy operations in high-profile government and non-profit agencies. Mr. Parker is a Senior Advisor to the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC) and a Principal and co-founder of RAMP Solutions, a strategic communications and public and government affairs advisory firm that helps global humanitarian, corporate, and public sector organizations tell their stories with greater impact. Mr. Parker served as the Assistant Administrator for Legislative and Public Affairs at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) from 2019 to 2021, having been unanimously confirmed for the position by the U.S. Senate to manage the corporate brand and all public and congressional relations for the agency. He was previously the Vice President of External Affairs at Food for the Hungry, a global non-profit humanitarian organization working in 20 countries to end extreme poverty. He was also Vice President of External Affairs at Project Concern International overseeing the organization’s global brand, marketing strategies, media relationships, online presence, and advocacy and government relations efforts. Mr. Parker previously served as the Director of Communications at the USGLC working with top Fortune 500 Companies and NGOs to educate Americans about the importance of global engagement. He joined the USGLC after serving as Director of Communications for the Peace Corps, where he oversaw the creative, digital, marketing, press, and video production offices within the agency. Prior to his time at the Peace Corps, Mr. Parker served at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the President’s Malaria Initiative were created, and he also served in communications, marketing, and policy roles for the office of the Secretary of Health and Human Resources for the Commonwealth of Virginia, the American Red Cross, and Levi Strauss & Co. Mr. Parker holds a Master’s degree in public policy from Regent University and a Bachelor’s degree in business management from North Carolina State University. He serves on the Boards of the C.S. Lewis Institute and Concordia, as well as the Steering Committee for the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network.

SU-USA President Gail Martin is joined this week by Whitney Kuniholm, SU President Emeritus, as they kick off the new quarter. You can subscribe to the daily Bible reading God, Encounter with God, via print, email or online at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ScriptureUnion.org⁠⁠

Featured Guest: Whitney T. Kuniholm, SU President Emeritus

Mr. Kuniholm is President Emeritus of Scripture Union, USA. He is a speaker and the author of several books on personal and group Bible study, including The Essential Series, three church-wide Bible reading programs based on his books. To date, the Essential Series has reached more than 20 million people and has been translated into 25 languages. You can see previous episodes and read his blog at www.BibleEssentials.org

Join SU President, Gail Martin and guest Janet Morgan, SU-USA Executive Vice President, as they discuss a new week’s readings in the book of Matthew.

 You can subscribe to the daily Bible reading God, Encounter with God, via print, email or online at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.ScriptureUnion.org⁠

Featured Guest: Janet Morgan, SU-USA Executive Vice PresidentJanet Morgan previously served as SU International Director, responsible for the oversight of the SU Movements in all 120 countries around the globe. She is currently sharing her wealth of experience and wisdom with the ministry of SU-USA as part of the executive leadership team.