Take Root

Dr. JoAnn Flett is the Executive Director of the Center for Faithful Business at Seattle Pacific University. JoAnn is a frequent speaker, network collaborator and organizational consultant teasing out the intersection of business activities that promote shalom/flourishing. In this episode, she shares how God guided her to fulfill her childhood calling to missions, through the ministry of business.

Farrah B. (a pseudonym for her safety) is a courageous young woman from Tajikistan who has faced heartbreaking persecution for her Christian faith and is currently seeking asylum in the United States.

 Her story is a challenging one, and one that reminds us of the hope we have in Jesus.

Chi-Dooh Li (fondly known as Skip) is a founding partner at Ellis Lee and McKinstry, boasting over 47 years of legal practice. He is the author of "Buy This Land," a book recounting the founding narrative of Agros – a nonprofit dedicated to acquiring land in Central America to establish communities enabling individuals to break the cycle of poverty through land ownership. Skip is also a founder of the intentional living community in the University District of Seattle called Vision 16, encouraging students to love God and love their neighbors.

Ellen Vaughn is a New York Times bestselling author and speaker who has written or co-written twenty-four books.

In this episode, she shares of her life-long passion for writing and storytelling and how her faith continues to inform her work.

Former vice president of executive communications at Prison Fellowship, she collaborated with the late Chuck Colson on a number of his seminal works. She speaks at conferences, often travels to interview Christ-followers in hostile parts of the world, and serves on the board of directors for IGM, the global church developer.

Sally Leist, a native of the Pacific Northwest, has worked in various career paths, including roles in business and with Young Life International and World Vision.

Alongside her husband, Scott, she is currently based in Kampala, Uganda, dedicated to pursuing justice where it has been absent.

In this episode, Sally delves into her most recent work, sharing both the challenges and the joy encountered in addressing the brokenness of our world.

Valeriy G. Valeriy serves as the Honorary Consul of Ukraine in Washington and Oregon, and is vice president of VS Foods and president of Goel Payment Solutions. Growing up in communist-controlled Ukraine, any discussion of God was unsafe. But God intervened in miraculous ways to introduce Valeriy and his family to His great love, and that changed everything. Valeriy lives in Bellevue, Washington with his wife and 5 children and he continues to serve an ever-growing Ukrainian population.

Levi Davenport is the president of C3 Leaders, a ministry committed to empowering business leaders to make a positive difference in the world through community, commerce, and culture- all rooted in their faith in Christ.

In this interview, he shares vulnerably from his own life story, and how God has led him to this opportunity to guide business leaders in the greater Seattle area to a deeper walk of faith.

Millie Voigtlander is the founder of Adoration House, a house of worship and prayer in the University District of Seattle. In this episode, Millie shares the story of the clear calling she received to move to Seattle for the purpose of gathering people to pray, and how God provided everything needed to make that happen. Woven throughout this story is a hopeful vision for the future of Seattle- a beautiful picture of God's desire for healing and reconciliation.

Kendra VanderMeulen is currently serving as the CEO of the National Christian Foundation, the largest Christian grant maker in the world. The team at NCF mobilizes resources and inspires Biblical generosity, serving thousands of families, advisors and ministries nationwide.

Kendra is a veteran of the wireless telecommunications industry, having served as an Executive Vice-President at InfoSpace and as the Senior Vice-President and General Manager of the Wireless Data Division of AT&T Wireless.

Her story is one of trusting God for each step of her life, and discovering His generous love for her as He guides her into an ever deeper walk with Him.

Keith Carpenter and his wife made the difficult decision to leave their cherished home in Minnesota and embark on a mission to establish a church in one of the most challenging neighborhoods in Seattle back in 2009.

The inception of Epic Life Church marked the beginning of a remarkable transformation within the community, as miracles started to unfold in abundance. In this particular episode, Keith takes us on a profound journey of faith, emphasizing the importance of trust and love. Furthermore, he sheds light on how an even grander vision materialized, giving rise to additional initiatives such as Pilgrim Coffeehouse, a food bank, and a nonprofit organization dedicated to uplifting the community and replacing darkness with hope and joy.