Money, Meet Meaning

After speaking with Pastor John Jackman about his church’s remarkable work forgiving millions in medical debt, Amber and Tom return to a thorny question beneath the headlines: Is it more faithful to relieve suffering now or to focus on fixing the systems that cause it?

From medical debt and healthcare reform to everyday acts of generosity, they explore the tension between mercy and justice, urgency and prevention. They travel from Chip and Dan Heath’s Upstream to the “Secret Santa” philanthropist to the Torah, the Talmud, the Quran, and the Gospels. Along the way, they discover how spiritual traditions offer practical guidance for navigating moral complexity.

They also wrestle with real dilemmas: choosing between local and global suffering, visible impact versus structural change, and anonymous giving versus visible recognition. It’s a thoughtful, open-hearted conversation for anyone trying to do good in a world where the need is endless – and the right answer is rarely simple.

For more episodes and info, visit Money, Meet Meaning.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What would it look like to take ancient scripture seriously in a modern financial system? Tom and Amber sit down with Pastor John Jackman of Trinity Moravian Church in Winston-Salem, NC, to explore one of the most innovative financial ministries in the country.

Inspired by the biblical practice of Jubilee, Trinity Moravian has raised small amounts of money to purchase millions of dollars of medical debt on the secondary market – and then forgive it outright. What began with $5,000 wiping out $1.1 million in debt has now grown into a movement that’s inspired over 100 churches and even influenced state-level conversations about medical debt relief.

Pastor John shares how theology, community organizing, and practical economics came together in this work – and why symbolic rituals like debt-burning ceremonies matter. It’s a hopeful reminder that generosity, when paired with imagination, can ripple far beyond a single congregation.

About Pastor John Jackman:

Pastor John Jackman is the pastor of Trinity Moravian Church in Winston-Salem – the church behind the Debt Jubilee Project, an innovative and impactful financial ministry that buys medical debt on the secondary market and abolishes it.

Additional Resources: Undue Medical Debt, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose purpose is to strengthen communities by erasing financially burdensome medical debt.

For more episodes and info, visit Money, Meet Meaning.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get ready because Season 2 of Money, Meet Meaning is launching in a few weeks!

Follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠LinkedIn⁠, and ⁠Threads⁠, and share your thoughts with us by emailing ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the final episode of the first season, Tom and Amber reflect on an “embarrassment of riches” – the wealth of lessons our guests shared about navigating their spiritual and financial lives in order to live a more meaningful life with money. 

Plus:

Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads, and share your thoughts with us by emailing [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can a budget bring you peace? 

Tom and Amber find out how with Jesse Mecham, personal finance expert and founder of the super popular YNAB (You Need A Budget) app. Jesse shares how money can help us express ourselves in the best of ways - and how his own faith has helped shape his business since Day 1.

Plus: 

Follow YNAB on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. 

Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads, and share your thoughts with us by emailing [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Amber and Tom as they dive into the lavish world of Hindu weddings with South Asian wedding planner Jankhana Desai (“JD”) of JDEventz. Together, they explore the intricate balance between spiritual significance, extravagant celebration, and financial expense.

JD shares her wealth of experience in orchestrating grand Hindu weddings, shedding light on how abundance is not merely a display of wealth but an expression of duty, gratitude, and the sacredness of life. Discover how elements like elaborate rituals, sumptuous feasts, and monetary gifts are deeply intertwined with spiritual values, enhancing the sacred union of marriage.

Plus:

Tune in to learn how Hindu weddings beautifully merge the material and spiritual worlds, creating a celebration that honors both human and divine connections.

Whether you're planning a meaningful life milestone or simply curious how celebration can be an act of spirituality, this episode offers a fascinating glimpse into the heart of Hindu wedding celebrations.

Jankhana Desai is a South Asian event planner and the owner of JDEventz, which produces regal and captivating Indian weddings. A pioneer of Chicago’s “Desi-scene” in the 90s, Jankhana later moved to India to work in Bollywood and television before returning to work alongside the best Indian event planners in Chicago. Follow JDEventz on Instagram.

Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads, and share your thoughts with us by emailing [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Health is our greatest wealth!”

 If you’ve ever spent a few minutes reading the label on Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, you know it’s a fascinating fusion of the physical and spiritual.

 Join a fascinating discussion as Tom and Amber sit down with Lisa Bronner, granddaughter of Emanuel Bronner, to learn more about the spiritual act of caring for our bodies and spaces. The conversation ranges from Dr. Bronner’s Six Cosmic Principles, to The Moral ABCs, to the intersection of money, mindfulness, cleanliness, and stewardship. 

Plus:

Lisa Bronner is the granddaughter of Emanuel Bronner, founder of Dr. Bronner's Magic soaps. She serves as Dr. Bronner's consumer educator and company spokesperson. She is the founder of Going Green with Lisa Bronner and author of Soap and Soul. Follow Lisa on Facebook and YouTube for tips on greener, simpler, more abundant living.

Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads, and share your thoughts with us by emailing [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Money, Meet Meaning speaks with Jerre Stead, who, together with his wife Mary Joy, has given over $400 million to healthcare, education, and faith-based organizations. Jerre, a former CEO of 10 public companies, shares about the work and joy of giving, and the ways his faith has informed his business acumen and philanthropy.  

 Plus, Jerre shares:

 Jerre Stead co-chairs the Stead Foundation with his wife Mary Joy and is the board chair of Stead Impact Ventures, which invests in innovators whose ideas will positively change the course of health and wellbeing. 

 Follow Jerre on LinkedIn, and learn more about Stead Impact Ventures & Foundation on their website and LinkedIn. 

 Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads, and share your thoughts with us by emailing [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can “bad” money still do good? How much is enough? Where can we turn for guidance on giving?

 Amber and Tom discuss what a “kosher” life with money looks like with Rabbi Jay Moses, Vice President of the Wexner Foundation. Together they dig into the Jewish tradition’s millennia-old focus on money as a tool to care for people’s needs and uphold human dignity. And don’t miss the episode’s end when we debut our brand new game: “Kosher or No, Sir?”

Rabbi Jay Moses serves as Vice President of The Wexner Foundation, having served for many years as Director of the Wexner Heritage Program, North America’s premier Jewish leadership education program.

Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads, and share your thoughts with us by emailing [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can an app deepen your relationship with God?

This week, Tom and Amber talk with Alessandro DiSanto, a co-founder of Hallow, the #1 prayer app in the world. Alessandro shares how prayer and Catholic values guide Hallow’s business model and decision-making – and, as a young, successful entrepreneur, how his faith informs his financial life and view on wealth accumulation.

Plus:

Alessandro DiSanto began his career on Wall Street at Goldman Sachs and became a private equity investor before joining friends to create Hallow, the most-used Catholic app in the world. Follow Alessandro on LinkedIn. 

Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads, and share your thoughts with us by emailing [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices