GEORGE FOX TALKS

Erika Barber talks with Kara & Mark Johnson, local fitness & movement legends, about an active lifestyle. This conversation is for those who grew up moving regularly and for those who have never seen themselves as athletic: What are the best motivators for consistent physical activity? How can a shift in self perception aid in recovery from injury? Is there a right way to think about the relationship between fitness & the way we look?

Kara Johnson is a co-owner and instructor at Level Up Cycle and Fitness in Newberg, OR.

Mark Johnson coaches high school basketball and teaches at Newberg High School.

Dr. Erika Barber teaches in George Fox University’s physician assistant program and holds board certification in internal medicine and geriatrics.

If you enjoy listening to the George Fox Talks podcast and would like to watch, too, check out our channel on YouTube! We also have a web page that features all of our podcasts, a sign-up for our weekly email update, and publications from the George Fox University community.

*Michael went to be with the Lord on 10 January 2026, and his funeral mass was held on 24 January 2026.

Dr. Erika Barber talks with Michael Hayes about living & continuing in faith as a regular patient of healthcare professionals. Michael is a George Fox University sophomore who was born with Jeune Syndrome, a rare bone growth condition that  requires 1-2 major reconstructive surgeries to the ribs & chest every year from birth until maturity. Sharing candidly about his experiences in “hospital land” throughout his life, Michael recounts how this continual trial helps him to connect with Jesus and eagerly anticipate heaven.

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Romans 8:18

Help support Michael & his family through their GoFundMe.

Dr. Erika Barber teaches in George Fox University’s physician assistant program and holds board certification in internal medicine and geriatrics.

If you enjoy listening to the George Fox Talks podcast and would like to watch, too, check out our channel on YouTube! We also have a web page that features all of our podcasts, a sign-up for our weekly email update, and publications from the George Fox University community.

Abbie & Jeff Nelson moved from Portland, Oregon to Guatemala with their 3 daughters to practice family medicine & clinical psychology as missionaries. Listen in as they share with Erika Barber what motivated such a radical lifestyle shift and what this kind of dedicated service looks like on a day-to-day basis. 

Dr. Erika Barber teaches in George Fox University’s physician assistant program and holds board certification in internal medicine and geriatrics.

Abbie Nelson is a family nurse practitioner working in a local church ministry clinic in the community around the Guatemala City landfill. Jeff Nelson is a clinical psychologist supporting pastors and ministry workers through therapy and education. Check out their Newsletter.

Abbie & Jeff serve through a ministry called Serge.

If you enjoy listening to the George Fox Talks podcast and would like to watch, too, check out our channel on YouTube! We also have a web page that features all of our podcasts, a sign-up for our weekly email update, and publications from the George Fox University community.

What makes a book “great?” Who gets to choose which literature is or isn’t allowed into a canon, and should we question those decisions? What is the real value of reading traditionally classic literature today in the 21st century? Brian & Jay examine the idea of a classics-centered education and discuss how the George Fox University Honors Program answers these questions and more.

Dr. Brian Doak is an Old Testament scholar and professor.

Dr. Jay David Miller teaches English at George Fox University and serves as an associate editor for the journal Quaker Religious Thought.

George Fox University has Great Books Honors Program.

If you enjoy listening to the George Fox Talks podcast and would like to watch, too, check out our channel on YouTube! We also have a web page that features all of our podcasts, a sign-up for our weekly email update, and publications from the George Fox University community.

Joseph John Gurney was massively influential to the Friends community, but his story, theology, and values stood out from those of other influential Quakers like William Barclay and George Fox. Listen in for Jay and Jamie’s take on Gurney’s life and times, and how they informed the modern experience of Quakerism and Christian faith as a whole.

Dr. Jay David Miller teaches English at George Fox University and serves as an associate editor for the journal Quaker Religious Thought.

Dr. Jamie Johnson is dean for spiritual life and a university pastor at George Fox University. A George Fox graduate, he has studied church history (MA) and Christian education (PhD) and hungers to learn more about what it means for individuals and communities to follow Jesus in every aspect of life.

If you enjoy listening to the George Fox Talks podcast and would like to watch, too, check out our channel on YouTube! We also have a web page that features all of our podcasts, a sign-up for our weekly email update, and publications from the George Fox University community.

Author & professor Leah Payne and public theologian Ekemini Uwan talk about formative Christian music, podcast controversy, and doing theology in the public eye. As co-host of the Truth’s Table podcast, Ekemini has faced a measure of resistance; Leah asks how she has faced backlash and continued in her work.

Check out Truth’s Table: Black Women’s Musings on Life, Love, and Liberation

Ekemini is co-host of Truth's Table podcast

God Gave Rock and Roll to You: A History of Contemporary Christian Music

Ekemini Uwan is a public theologian and author.

Dr. Leah Payne is an award-winning historian and Associate Professor of American Religious History at Portland Seminary.

If you enjoy listening to the George Fox Talks podcast and would like to watch, too, check out our channel on YouTube! We also have a web page that features all of our podcasts, a sign-up for our weekly email update, and publications from the George Fox University community.

Why is it so hard to write a novel about Jesus that reveres His deity while honestly reckoning with His humanity? Dr. Jay Miller & Dr. Jessica Hughes unpack some of the problems authors have faced while trying to portray Jesus through literature.

Dr. Jay David Miller teaches English at George Fox University and serves as an associate editor for the journal Quaker Religious Thought.

Dr. Jessica Ann Hughes teaches classes like Faith and Story, which asks how stories (and especially the Biblical story) might redeem the past and shape the future.
Check out her book, Jesus in the Victorian Novel: Reimagining Christ.

If you enjoy listening to the George Fox Talks podcast and would like to watch, too, check out our channel on YouTube! We also have a web page that features all of our podcasts, a sign-up for our weekly email update, and publications from the George Fox University community.

Professor Brian Doak shares the brutal details of his severe shoulder fracture - and his long, trying path to recovery through surgery and physical therapy. Dr. Jaydee Romick offers some more-than-physical tips for reclaiming wellness after a major injury.

If you enjoy listening to the George Fox Talks podcast and would like to watch, too, check out our channel on YouTube! We also have a web page that features all of our podcasts, a sign-up for our weekly email update, and publications from the George Fox University community.

Professor Brian Doak talks with the Director of the Center for Study Abroad at George Fox University, David Martínez, about travel strategies: spontaneity or careful planning? Overpacking or minimalism? Frequent moving or putting down deep roots? David advocates for slowness in both travel and living, and Brian shares his most recent "travel miracle".

Matthew 10:9-10
“Don’t take any money in your money belts—no gold, silver, or even copper coins. Don’t carry a traveler’s bag with a change of clothes and sandals or even a walking stick."

Wanderlust: A History of Walking by Rebecca Solnit

Wendell Berry

A Philosophy of Walking by Frédéric Gros

If you enjoy listening to the George Fox Talks podcast and would like to watch, too, check out our channel on YouTube! We also have a web page that features all of our podcasts, a sign-up for our weekly email update, and publications from the George Fox University community.

Former CEO of Intel Pat Gelsinger and Professor Brian Doak talk about our current technological moment. How does the advancement of generative AI compare to the arrival of the internet? What brand new possibilities does quantum computing unlock? Are Christians meeting the challenge of shaping these developments—as forces for good?

Are you interested in building practical AI skills while anchoring your approach in a faithful Christian worldview? Check out George Fox University's FREE online AI certificate courses.

Check out Gloo.

If you enjoy listening to the George Fox Talks podcast and would like to watch, too, check out our channel on YouTube! We also have a web page that features all of our podcasts, a sign-up for our weekly email update, and publications from the George Fox University community.