The Catch with John Fischer

We are contending with a perfect storm right now: the virus rampaging around the globe and disrupting our lives, an economic downturn that keeps getting worse, a reckoning on race and the protests that force issues out in the open, along with rioting and vandalism, an uptick in violence and mental health problems (feeling fearful, overwhelmed and weary), and a stunning spectacle of political disarray that undermines confidence in our ability to govern ourselves and sustain hope in the American Dream. All this … and relationships across a splintered nation and in distressed communities that are unravelling just as we need all the connection, support, practical help, unified effort and expressions of love we can get.  What do we do?

Raymond is a Millennial who has earned a bachelor's degree in Organizational Communication (2008) and master's degree in Spiritual Formation (2011) from George Fox University. He also completed a Diversity and Inclusion Certificate (2019) from Cornell University. Raymond currently works as a Program Specialist for Multnomah County Department of Human Services (Portland, Oregon) and AFSCME Local 88 Vice President for a union of 3,387 workers in his hometown. Raymond strives to offer hope when it is lost.  He holds an unwavering belief in the need to value and elevate the marginalized and disenfranchised. Those who have been overlooked can count on finding Raymond in their corner.

Rob is founder and president of Stutzman Public Affairs, a Sacramento based firm specializing in campaigns, communications and crisis  management. He has logged a career working in political campaigns for elected officials with names like Schwarzenegger, Wilson, and Whitman. He is a frequent speaker on California politics and public policy and regularly appears on television news shows as a political commentator. His opinion articles have been published in most major California newspapers. Rob is also on the Board of Directors for The Catch Ministry, Inc.

Our guest on BlogTalkRadio tonight was born into an alcoholic family with a speech impediment that terrorized him in school making him the brunt of jokes and ending up in sexual abuse at the hands of an eighth grade bully. Later he would turn to drugs and alcohol to medicate himself before getting saved and working in and around the church, though never really helped by the church. He served in many different ministry-oriented capacities (published a Christian newspaper in Indianapolis, served as Director of Communications for an international mission organization, founded his own communications company where he helped fund many faith-based organizations, served in a ministry to equip pastors and church leaders to minister effectively to the sexually broken and a ministry to prisoners) all the while still struggling with his own past, his inability to forgive himself and continuing addictions. Now, ten years sober, Greg talks about how A.A. is his “church.”

Wayne Bridegroom grew up on a farm milking cows in Central California and ended up as a Baptist pastor in Modesto where he experiences working with Laotian, Hmong, Cambodian, and Hispanic, peoples starting and pastoring churches in each of these nationalities as well as working with the African American churches -- all in the humble town of Modesto. In 2014, Wayne was awarded the Martin Luther King Legacy Award for his contribution to the African American community — the first time the award was given to a white person.

Join John’s continued conversation with our very own Gunnar Simonsen as he encourages us towards welcoming our empathic teacher, Jesus into the changes we need to make in our own lives. Gunnar is a consultant and teacher of social media and the one responsible for our early branding.

A personal walk through of change. Our old friend Gunnar Simonsen returns to the show to share about his transformation. In three years, every last thing in his life has changed.

John Shirk lives with his wife Amy and their 4 daughters in Chicago, Illinois.  They minister to the postmodern artistic subculture and to victims of trauma and abuse. The tools of their ministry include chocolate chip cookies, vegan chili, and poetry. John is the author of A Sacrificial Poet.

Doug Stevens is a pastor who has served churches in California, Arizona, Kansas and Texas. He is a mentor for ministry leaders, a catalyst for mission, a partner in a number of intercultural engagements, and an author who is constantly intrigued by how God works in mysterious ways in the most impossible places (Christ Incognito is his most recent book). Doug is a people-lover, culture-watcher, mountain bike-rider and avid world explorer.

Guest writer for the Catch today is Doug Stevens. Doug served many years as Senior Pastor of Hillside Covenant Church in Walnut Creek, California. He was Executive Director of The Renewal Project and The Leadership Connection and has most recently served as Transitional Pastor to five different churches where he specializes in congregational healing and rebuilding. His latest book, Christ Incognito: Imagining, Encountering, Embracing and Embodying His Love, came out in December. Doug lives with his wife, Nancy, in Austin Texas.