What does it look like to lead with integrity — in the pulpit and at the dinner table?

In this vulnerable and hopeful episode, Rev. Dr. Tanner Smith and Pastor Chase Rashad Stancle reflect on the real tensions of being both ministry leaders and family members. Through laughter, honest stories, and hard-earned wisdom, they explore what it means to integrate your calling with your core identity. Together, they explore what it means to be fully human, to show up with honesty, and to lead from a place of wholeness.

Whether you're a parent, pastor, or both, this conversation is a gentle invitation to integrate your faith, your work, and your relationships with grace.

In this episode, Chase and Tanner discuss:

• Why leading with integrity starts with knowing yourself

• How open family dialogue builds emotional resilience

• Practices to stay present with your loved ones under pressure

Show notes:

• Proverbs 22:6

• "Growing Yourself Up" by Jenny Brown

• "Everything Isn't Terrible" by Kathleen Smith

If you're interested in learning more about The Colossian Forum, visit our website colossianforum.org, and follow us on social media @colossianforum.

What do you do when funding opportunities come with tension and tough choices?

In this episode on The Practicing Hope Podcast, Jess and Jeff dive into the real-life tension between staying true to your mission and accepting the money that helps make it happen. From generous gifts to gifts with strings attached, they explore how nonprofit leaders can navigate financial decisions without losing their integrity. With honest stories and practical steps, they invite you to lead with courage, even when the pressure is high.

Whether you work in fundraising or just care about doing good work faithfully, this episode offers wisdom and hope for the road ahead.

In this episode, Jess and Jeff discuss:

• Why some gifts come with invisible strings — and how to name them

• How leaders can respond to power and anxiety with systems thinking

• Four steps for navigating funding tensions with wisdom and grace

If you liked this episode, check out these resources:

• "A Spirituality of Fundraising" by Henri Nouwen

• "Leadership is an Art" by Max De Pree

• "Telling Stories in the Dark" by Jeff Munroe

If you're interested in learning more about The Colossian Forum, visit our website colossianforum.org, and follow us on social media @colossianforum.

What if the difficult people in your life are also your greatest teachers?

In this episode, Pastor Chase Rashad Stancle and Rev. Dr. Tanner Smith take an honest, hopeful look at what it means to lead in the midst of hard relationships. Instead of giving a formula to fix "those people," they turn the focus inward, offering wisdom and practical tools to help leaders respond with love, boundaries, and self-awareness.

From guilt bonds to compassion fatigue, they unpack the reasons difficult relationships wear us down. They explore keys to staying grounded in your identity, even when tension rises. This conversation is full of laughter, honesty, and encouragement for any leader who feels worn out by people they're trying to love well.

In this episode, Chase and Tanner discuss:

• Difficult people often reveal the deeper work God is doing in us.

• Healthy boundaries are a gift to you and the people you lead.

• Love doesn't have to be earned to be given

If you liked this episode, check out these resources:

• The Weary Leader's Guide to Burnout – A resource on compassion fatigue and leadership wellness.

• The Wounded Healer by Henri Nouwen – A reflection on how our wounds can become a source of healing for others.

• The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) – A biblical story referenced to explore the nature of God's unconditional love.

• Writings by Howard Thurman – Particularly his reflections on inner calm during the civil rights movement and how that inner calm enables nonviolent presence in the face of outer chaos.

If you're interested in learning more about The Colossian Forum, visit our website colossianforum.org, and follow us on social media @colossianforum.

What do you do when the people you lead hold competing values? Whether it's politics, sexuality, or the color of the sanctuary carpet, leaders are often stuck in the middle. They find themselves caught between people who love Jesus but can't see eye to eye.

In this episode, Jess and Jeff draw from real-life examples and Scripture to unpack how non-anxious leadership can change the tone of an entire community. You'll hear stories of the power of curiosity, and how laughter, shared meals, and guiding values can help us reconnect when division threatens to pull us apart.

With wisdom, humor, and even an illustration from a Ted Lasso scene, they offer hopeful next steps for leaders facing division.

You'll hear:

• Why surface issues are rarely the real issues.

• How systems thinking can help leaders stay grounded when anxiety spikes.

• Why curiosity (not judgment) is the key to building connection in divided communities.

If you liked this episode, check out these resources:

• The Darts Scene in Ted Lasso

• "Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and freedom" (Viktor Frankl).

• "Telling Stories in the Dark" by Jeffrey Munroe

If you're interested in learning more about The Colossian Forum, visit our website colossianforum.org, and follow us on social media @colossianforum.

What if your body is trying to tell you something important? In this episode, Rev. Dr. Tanner Smith and Pastor Chase Rashad Stancle explore the powerful connection between our bodies, emotions, and spiritual well-being. They discuss how ignoring physical signals can impact leadership, relationships, and mental health. Whether you're a pastor or not, learning to listen to your body can lead to healing, stronger connections, and more intentional decision-making.

In this episode, Tanner and Chase discuss:

• Our bodies send important messages, but we often ignore them to stay busy.

• Neglecting physical needs, like rest and food, can affect how we treat others.

• Paying attention to our bodies can help us heal emotionally and grow in self-awareness.

If you liked this episode, check out these resources:

• "Try Softer" by Aundi Kolber

• "The Body Keeps the Score" by Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D.

If you're interested in learning more about The Colossian Forum, visit our website colossianforum.org, and follow us on social media @colossianforum.

In the first episode of our new segment, Systems and Shifts, Rev. Jess Shults and Rev. Jeffrey Munroe talk about the challenges leaders face when their personal beliefs change, but their jobs and organizations expect them to stay the same.

They discuss why these internal conflicts happen and share advice on how to handle them wisely, especially when personal growth or changes in faith don't match the values of the organization. Throughout their conversation, they talk about the difficulties of leading in Christian environments, where faith, change, and expectations often clash. Jeff also shares personal stories from his own ministry experiences to help others figure out how to manage changing beliefs while staying true to themselves and their organizations.

In this episode, Jess and Jeff discuss:

• Accepting how one's beliefs naturally change throughout life

• Discerning God's will amidst layers of institutional values and perspectives

• Finding the balance between servant leadership and personal boundaries

If you liked this episode, check out these resources:

• "Extraordinary Relationships: A New Way of Thinking About Human Interactions" by Roberta Gilbert

• "Growing Yourself Up: How to Bring your Best to All of Your Relationships" by Jenny Brown

• To learn more about Jeff Munroe's work, visit www.jeffreymunroe.com and check out his new book "Telling Stories in the Dark." You can purchase a copy on Amazon!

If you're interested in learning more about The Colossian Forum, visit our website colossianforum.org and follow us on social media @colossianforum.

In a world that relentlessly pushes leaders to do more and move faster, the act of slowing down feels like a luxury we can't afford. But in this episode, we explore why it's not only necessary — it's essential to our spiritual and emotional flourishing. Rev. Dr. Tanner Smith and Pastor Chase Rashad Stancle share practical ways to rest, reflect, and connect more deeply with God. They offer simple ideas like setting boundaries, taking time for a Sabbath, and learning how to pause. These small changes can help us deal with the busy world without getting overwhelmed.Through personal stories and spiritual wisdom, this conversation will challenge you to rethink how you approach your time, your relationships, and your own well-being.

In this episode, Tanner and Chase discuss:

• Setting boundaries for healthier relationships and personal growth

• The power of pausing and how it helps you focus on what really matters

• How resting can build trust with the people you lead and care about

If you liked this episode, check out these resources:

• "Politics & Our Bodies" with Aundi Kolber

• "Sabbath: The Ancient Practices" by Dan Allender

• "Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest: From Sabbath to Sabbatical and Back Again" by Ruth Haley Barton

If you're interested in learning more about The Colossian Forum, visit our website colossianforum.org and follow us on social media @colossianforum.

In this episode of The Practicing Hope Podcast, Pastor Kim DeLong joins host Jenny Steele to dive into her transformative experience with the Leap of Faith movie. Through her work with the Colossian Forum, Kim learned to see conflict not as something to fear, but as a powerful tool for deeper understanding.

Kim also shares the incredible story of her church's journey through financial hardship, ultimately selling their building to an organization serving homeless families. The experience reshaped her view of what it means to be the church and highlighted the importance of reaching beyond the walls to truly serve the community.

Kim and Jenny discuss:

• The power of "directness" in both words and actions
• Balancing denominational loyalty with broader church collaboration
• Conflict as a pathway to deeper connection with others

Don't miss Kim's inspiring journey and the lessons she's learned about conflict, community, and faith.

Follow The Colossian Forum on Instagram or Facebook–@colossianforum. If you'd like to receive a simple prayer, a hopeful practice, and encouragement for exhausted leaders from us, sign up for our newsletter.

What does true leadership in a polarized world look like?

In this episode of the Practicing Hope podcast, Jenny Steele sits down with Pastor James Stokes whose influence in Grand Rapids, Michigan spans from the pulpit to community activism. Listen in as Pastor Stokes reveals how his experiences, from navigating societal and institutional shifts to participating in groundbreaking projects like the Leap of Faith movie, have reshaped his approach to ministry and community engagement. Dr. Stokes discusses how his interactions with the other pastors in the movie challenged and expanded his views, fostering a deeper understanding of what it means to engage with people beyond their labels and identities.

In this episode, James and Jenny discuss:

• The power of relationships across cultural and theological divides

• The role of faith in addressing polarization and conflict

• The value of listening more than speaking, especially when who you're talking to is vulnerable and in need of support

Follow The Colossian Forum on Instagram or Facebook–@colossianforum. If you'd like to receive a simple prayer, a hopeful practice, and encouragement for exhausted leaders from us, sign up for our newsletter.

To learn more about the twelve Leap of Faith pastors, visit the movie's website.

In this episode on the Practicing Hope Podcast, Jenny Steele sits down with Pastor Andrew Vanover, a participant in the Leap of Faith movie. As the pastor of Thornapple Covenant Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Andrew shares a powerful and honest look into his journey through the challenges of leading during a global pandemic, navigating church polarization, and enduring significant staff changes.

Along with his pastoral experience, Andrew shares about being part of Leap of Faith. Through this process, Andrew discovered that real transformation often happens in the small, quiet spaces, and that being faithful in those moments is just as significant as anything "grand."

In this episode, Andrew and Jenny discuss:

• How churches, especially in small communities, can be profoundly impacted by the pressures of modern ministry

• How God can unite people with differing views

• How God's kingdom often works through small, ordinary acts of kindness and reconciliation

Listeners will hear about Andrew's personal growth through his sabbatical, the real-world challenges pastors face in today's divided climate, and the unexpected ways God works when leaders are open to vulnerability, rest, and collaboration. Andrew's reflections are both encouraging and thought-provoking for anyone in ministry, leadership, or simply seeking hope in times of hardship.

Follow The Colossian Forum on Instagram or Facebook–@colossianforum. If you'd like to receive a simple prayer, a hopeful practice, and encouragement for exhausted leaders from us, sign up for our newsletter.