The Every Voice Now Podcast

Right on the heels of the pandemic, InterVarsity Press emerged from a time of upheaval alongside the rest of the world only to enter into another unexpected moment in its nearly 75-year history: finding its next publisher and president. This is the story of Terumi Echols's journey to becoming IVP's top leader, a historic choice and not the first time she has experienced being a difference-maker as a voice from the margins. You'll appreciate the unique and humble nature of Terumi's story, which stands in stark contrast to the challenging incidents that continue to emerge about Christian leaders today. Enjoy Terumi's journey, with comments from industry leaders such as:

• Jeff Crosby, Evangelical Christian Publishers Association
• Jevon Bolden, literary agent, writer, and editor
• Morgan Lee, global media manager, Christianity Today

About the Guest:

Terumi Echols is the president and publisher of InterVarsity Press (IVP). Before coming to IVP, Terumi worked for nearly two decades at Christianity Today International, with roles including chief publishing officer and publisher of Christianity Today.

SPECIAL OFFER | Effective Jan. 1st, 2024, all promo codes mentioned in this episode are expired. Please use the code IVPOD25 at ivpress.com for 25% off your order.

About the Host:

Helen Lee is the director of product innovation at IVP; she is also the author of The Missional Mom and co-author of The Race-Wise Family. Helen also serves as the producer of The Every Voice Now Podcast and as the executive producer of Get in the Word with Truth's Table and The Disrupters. Follow Helen on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. 

Support the show

The Every Voice Now Podcast is on Instagram and Twitter (@everyvoicenow). Find out more about our show and IVP's Every Voice Now initiative at EveryVoiceNow.com.

Growing up as a mixed-ethnicity "third culture kid" on multiple continents gave Dan Stringer a unique perspective on many things in life, including the Christian evangelical space. On his unexpected (and perhaps, reluctant) journey to eventually author Struggling with Evangelicalism, he began to process the complicated nature of evangelical Christianity's influence, in large part through his personal writing. What finally resulted was a book that offered readers a space for reflection in both appreciating evangelicalism's history and strengths, but also lamenting its toxic brokenness and complicity with injustice. In this second of three special narrative-style episodes, we're featuring unique stories of authors and leaders as they follow the paths through which God has led them, their long obedience resulting in outcomes they did not predict or imagine.

About the Guest:

Dan Stringer grew up as a third culture kid in five countries on three continents. He is a graduate of Wheaton College and Fuller Theological Seminary, ordained in the Evangelical Covenant Church, and serves as team leader for InterVarsity's Graduate and Faculty Ministries in Hawai'i. He is pastor of theological formation at Wellspring Covenant Church in Hālawa, Hawai'i. He previously was a social worker helping people obtain housing and employment. He has written for Missio Alliance, Inheritance, and Level Ground, and is a contributor to Father Factor.

SPECIAL OFFER | Effective Jan. 1st, 2024, all promo codes mentioned in this episode are expired. Please use the code IVPOD25 at ivpress.com for 25% off Dan's book Struggling with Evangelicalism, as well as Learning Our Names by Sabrina S. Chan, Linson Daniel, E. David de Leon, and La Thao.

About the Host:

Paloma Lee is an assistant producer and project specialist at IVP. She has an M.A. in Media and Communication from Dallas Theological Seminary and a B.A. in English.

Support the show

The Every Voice Now Podcast is on Instagram and Twitter (@everyvoicenow). Find out more about our show and IVP's Every Voice Now initiative at EveryVoiceNow.com.

Have you ever wondered how long it takes authors to write their books? In the case of Felicia Wu Song, the journey was not day, or months, but decades. In this first of three special narrative-style episodes, we're featuring unique stories of authors and leaders as they follow the paths through which God has led them, their long obedience resulting in outcomes they did not predict or imagine. And you'll hear how even amidst Felicia's struggles and questions over many years, God demonstrated over and again that he had a special plan for her and her words. Enjoy this winsome conversation with Felicia Wu Song, the author of Restless Devices (published by InterVarsity Press).

About the Guest:

Felicia Wu Song (PhD, University of Virginia) is a cultural sociologist of media and digital technologies, currently serving as professor of sociology at Westmont College in Santa Barbara. Her publications include Virtual Communities: Bowling Alone, Online Together and articles in such scholarly journals as Gender & Society and Information, Communication & Society. 

SPECIAL OFFER | Effective Jan. 1st, 2024, all promo codes mentioned in this episode are expired. Please use the code IVPOD25 at ivpress.com for 25% off Felicia's book Restless Devices, as well as Doing Asian American Theology by Daniel D. Lee.

About the Host:

Helen Lee is the director of product innovation at IVP; she is also the author of The Missional Mom and co-author of The Race-Wise Family. Helen also serves as the producer of The Every Voice Now Podcast and as the executive producer of The Disrupters. Follow Helen on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. 

Support the show

The Every Voice Now Podcast is on Instagram and Twitter (@everyvoicenow). Find out more about our show and IVP's Every Voice Now initiative at EveryVoiceNow.com.

In 2005, Skip McDonald's book, And She Lived Happily Ever After, offered women a refreshing perspective on singleness. Unlike many books on the topic from that time, it didn't provide tips for finding a husband or offer advice on whether or not to kiss dating goodbye—instead, it empowered single women to live vibrant lives of grace and fulfillment right then and there. Then in 2020, Skip's Anxiety LifeGuide Bible Study released at the beginning of a turbulent global pandemic, and to this day, it continues to minister to readers in their mental wellness journeys. In this third and final bonus episode celebrating IVP's 75th anniversary, Skip opens up about her formative upbringing during the civil rights movement, her passions for writing and mental health, and the road that led her to pen these two important titles at timely points in the life of the Church.

About the Guest:

Skip McDonald is a regional resource specialist with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, sourcing mental health, spiritual formation, manuscript Bible studies, and Nurses Christian Fellowship. With degrees in both nursing and theology, she has also worked as a registered nurse, is involved in women's ministry, and is the founder and CEO of Freedomsize Worship Fitness.

SPECIAL OFFER | Effective Jan. 1st, 2024, all promo codes mentioned in this episode are expired. Please use the code IVPOD25 at ivpress.com for 25% off Anxiety by Skip McDonald.

About the Hosts:

Helen Lee is the director of product innovation at IVP; she is also the author of The Missional Mom and The Race-Wise Family, co-authored with Dr. Michelle Reyes. Helen also serves as the producer of The Every Voice Now Podcast and as the executive producer of Get in The Word with Truth's Table and The Disrupters. Follow Helen on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Paloma Lee is an assistant producer and project specialist at IVP. She has an M.A. in Media and Communication from Dallas Theological Seminary and a B.A. in English. 

Support the show

The Every Voice Now Podcast is on Instagram and Twitter (@everyvoicenow). Find out more about our show and IVP's Every Voice Now initiative at EveryVoiceNow.com.

From growing up in an all-white neighborhood in Springfield, Massachusetts, to visiting the vibrant island of Puerto Rico, to attending a life-altering Urbana Missions Conference, Orlando Crespo shares the key life moments that revealed his clear call to be a minister to Latino people. Unbeknownst to him at the time, it wouldn’t involve being a missionary to Mexico or Central America, but rather, to a place far closer and more familiar than he ever imagined. In this second bonus episode celebrating IVP’s 75th anniversary, Orlando describes living between the two worlds of being Latino and American and the path that led him to write Being Latino in Christ, first published in 2003. For almost two decades, this historic book has shaped the spiritual and ethnic formation of Latinos in America as they step out in ministry to the world.

About the Guest:

Orlando Crespo is national director of InterVarsity Latino Fellowship (LaFe). He has worked with InterVarsity since 1987, first as a campus staff member at Hunter College and City College in New York City, New York, and then as an area director for a group of colleges in New York City. Follow Orlando on Twitter (@orlandofresco).

SPECIAL OFFER | Effective Jan. 1st, 2024, all promo codes mentioned in this episode are expired. Please use the code IVPOD25 at ivpress.com for 25% off Being Latino in Christ by Orlando Crespo, as well as Hermanas by Natalia Kohn Rivera, Noemi Vega Quiñones, and Kristy Garza Robinson.

About the Hosts:

Helen Lee is the director of product innovation at IVP; she also serves as the producer of The Every Voice Now Podcast and as the executive producer of Get in The Word with Truth's Table and The Disrupters. Follow Helen on Twitter and Instagram (@helenleebooks).

Paloma Lee is an assistant producer and project specialist at IVP. She produces The Every Voice Now Podcast and Get in The Word with Truth's Table. She has an M.A. in Media and Communication from Dallas Theological Seminary and a B.A. in English. 

Support the show

The Every Voice Now Podcast is on Instagram and Twitter (@everyvoicenow). Find out more about our show and IVP's Every Voice Now initiative at EveryVoiceNow.com.

In this special bonus episode celebrating IVP's 75th anniversary, authors Jeanette Yep and Greg Jao share the origin story of the historic IVP book, Following Jesus Without Dishonoring Your Parents, written by a diverse Asian American team that also included Peter Cha, Susan Cho Van Riesen, and Paul Tokunaga. Originally published in 1998, this book guided readers through challenging topics from various Asian American perspectives such as navigating the "model minority" myth and performance pressures, unpacking expectations tied to gender, seeking racial reconciliation, finding a church home, and embracing unique gifts that serve the body of Christ. Jeanette and Greg discuss the unique issues Asian American students faced at the time of the book's writing and reflect on new challenges and celebrations in our modern day. Along the way, they share little-known history about the IVP offices that you won't want to miss!

About the Guests:

Jeanette Yep is the pastor of missional partnerships and multicultural ministry at Grace Chapel in Lexington, Massachusetts. You can find Jeanette on Twitter and Instagram.

Greg Jao (JD, Northwestern University Law School) is the executive vice president, communications and mobilization/chief communications officer for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA. He is the author of Your Mind's Mission, the LifeGuide Bible study The Kingdom of God, and he is a contributor to Following Jesus Without Dishonoring Your Parents. You can find Greg on Twitter.

SPECIAL OFFER | Effective Jan. 1st, 2024, all promo codes mentioned in this episode are expired. Please use the code IVPOD25 at ivpress.com for 25% off Following Jesus Without Dishonoring Your Parents.

About the Host:

Maila Kim is a marketing manager at IVP; she holds a B.A. in English Language & Literature and a B.A. in Communication Studies from the University of Michigan, and an M.A. in Christian Formation & Ministry with a concentration in Bible & Theology from Wheaton College Graduate School. Follow Maila on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Support the show

The Every Voice Now Podcast is on Instagram and Twitter (@everyvoicenow). Find out more about our show and IVP's Every Voice Now initiative at EveryVoiceNow.com.

Raised by strangers in Chicago’s Cabrini-Green neighborhood, MelindaJoy Mingo’s life journey began with unthinkable challenges that continued into adulthood as she later lost several close family members—including her husband—and eventually found herself living out of her car in a Walmart parking lot. 

But along the way, she encountered selfless love in unexpected places that led her to realize her pain had a purpose attached to it—to bridge cultural divides and help people to see one another through the eyes of Jesus. Ultimately, this led to her writing The Colors of Culture, birthed from her own lived experiences that gave her the empathy to see and value those on the margins. Join our conversation with MelindaJoy as she shares about the ways her story has led her and others to share in the beauty of diverse relationships.

About the Guest:

MelindaJoy Mingo is an ordained minister, professor, cultural capacity expert, and entrepreneur based in Colorado Springs. She is the founder of Je-Nai International Ministry and Significant Life Change, Inc., and has developed multicultural initiatives both at home and abroad. She holds a PhD in global leadership and an honorary doctorate in urban transformative leadership and has been widely recognized for her teaching and training in cross-cultural competency.

SPECIAL OFFER | Effective Jan. 1st, 2024, all promo codes/opportunities mentioned in this episode are expired. Please use the code IVPOD25 at ivpress.com for 25% off MelindaJoy's book The Colors of Culture.

About the Hosts:

Formerly an editor at IVP, Ed Gilbreath is currently an executive leader at Christianity Today; he earned his bachelor’s in communication arts from Judson University and a master’s in philosophy of history from Olivet Nazarene University. He is also the author of two IVP books: Reconciliation Blues and Birmingham Revolution. Follow Ed on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Helen Lee is the director of product innovation at IVP; she is also the author of The Missional Mom and The Race-Wise Family, co-authored with Dr. Michelle Reyes. Helen also serves as the producer of The Every Voice Now Podcast and as the executive producer of Get in The Word with Truth's Table and The Disrupters. Follow Helen on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. 

Support the show

The Every Voice Now Podcast is on Instagram and Twitter (@everyvoicenow). Find out more about our show and IVP's Every Voice Now initiative at EveryVoiceNow.com.

Growing up in St. Louis, Vince Bantu clearly recognized the racialized nature of the city as being predominantly Black and poor on the north side where he lived and predominantly white and wealthy on the south side where he attended church. As he continued into his college years at a largely-white, evangelical school, he began to think that being a "good Christian" meant that he had to deny his own unique biracial and Black heritage and assimilate into the dominant culture. So discovering that his ethnic identity was in fact a gift from God and that Christianity did not, in fact, originate from Europe were life-changing realizations and ultimately led to his scholarship and writing A Multitude of All Peoples: Engaging Ancient Christianity's Global Identity. In this riveting interview, Vince upends the misconception that Christianity is becoming a global religion and explains how it in fact has always been so. He also explains in no uncertain terms why he is is targeting people of color and those who are on the margins in the church with his teaching and his message. If you are someone who similarly cares about learning from marginalized voices, or if you want to learn more about what that means, then this compelling conversation is not one you should miss.

About the Guest:

Vince L. Bantu (PhD, The Catholic University of America) is assistant professor of church history and Black church studies at Fuller Theological Seminary and is the Ohene of the Meachum School of Haymanot. You can find Vince on Twitter.

SPECIAL OFFER | Effective Jan. 1st, 2024, all promo codes/opportunities mentioned in this episode are expired. Please use the code IVPOD25 at ivpress.com for 25% off Vince's book A Multitude of All Peoples.

About the Hosts:

Maila Kim is a marketing manager at IVP; she holds a B.A. in English Language & Literature and a B.A. in Communication Studies from the University of Michigan, and an M.A. in Christian Formation & Ministry with a concentration in Bible & Theology from Wheaton College Graduate School. Follow Maila on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Formerly an editor at IVP, Ed Gilbreath is currently an executive leader at Christianity Today; he earned his bachelor’s in communication arts from Judson University and a master’s in philosophy of history from Olivet Nazarene University. He is also the author of two IVP books: Reconciliation Blues and Birmingham Revolution. Follow Ed on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Support the show

The Every Voice Now Podcast is on Instagram and Twitter (@everyvoicenow). Find out more about our show and IVP's Every Voice Now initiative at EveryVoiceNow.com.

Lamar Hardwick experienced a revelation at age 36 when he was first diagnosed with autism. That watershed moment opened so many doors for him to understand how he related to and communicated with other people and led to his being able to use his writing to raise awareness for the disability community, the largest minority community group in the world. Yet it continues to also be a marginalized group in the church. In this prophetic and frank conversation, Lamar shares amazing insights into the church's own self-identity that mirrors his own journey of being unaware of his own disability, and he offers profound ways for the body of Christ to better understand itself and the needs of people with disabilities. Don't miss this thought-provoking conversation.

About the Guest:

Lamar Hardwick, also known as "the autism pastor," is the lead pastor at Tri-Cities Church in East Point, Georgia. He is the author of Epic Church, Disability and the Church and the best-selling I Am Strong: The Life and Journey of an Autistic Pastor.

In 2014, after years of silently struggling with social anxiety and sensory processing disorder, and a host of other significant issues, Hardwick was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder at the age of thirty-six. He now provides workshops, seminars, and consults with local churches and faith-based organizations on creating environments for people with autism. He also provides mentoring services for teens and young adults on the autism spectrum. His writing has been published by various autism and disability websites such as The Mighty, The Huffington Post, Key Ministry, and The Autistic Self Advocacy Network. He lives in Newnan, Georgia, with his wife, Isabella, and their three children.

Follow Lamar on Twitter.

SPECIAL OFFER | Effective Jan. 1st, 2024, all promo codes/opportunities mentioned in this episode are expired. Please use the code IVPOD25 at ivpress.com for 25% off Lamar's book Disability and the Church.

About the Hosts:

Helen Lee is the director of product innovation at IVP; she is also the author of The Missional Mom and The Race-Wise Family, co-authored with Dr. Michelle Reyes. Helen also serves as the producer of The Every Voice Now Podcast and as the executive producer of The Disrupters. Follow Helen on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. 

Formerly an editor at IVP, Ed Gilbreath is currently an executive leader at Christianity Today; he earned his bachelor’s in communication arts from Judson University and a master’s in philosophy of history from Olivet Nazarene University. He is also the author of two IVP books: Reconciliation Blues and Birmingham Revolution. Follow Ed on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Support the show

The Every Voice Now Podcast is on Instagram and Twitter (@everyvoicenow). Find out more about our show and IVP's Every Voice Now initiative at EveryVoiceNow.com.

With all the books that have been published in the world, sometimes it's easy to forget that behind the writing of each book there is a story of an author who has to overcome her or his personal struggles to make it to the finish line. For Peace Amadi, despite years of experience with writing and in academia, the book publishing process triggered emotions and insecurities that she wasn't expecting and had to address alongside her writing process. You'll appreciate Peace's honesty and willingness to share about the emotional challenges of the publishing journey that is often hidden from public view, and also you'll learn how her heritage as a Nigerian American had an impact on that process.

About the Guest:

Peace Amadi is a psychology professor, speaker, children's book author, content creator, and host. She holds a BA in psychology from UCLA and a masters and doctorate in psychology from Azusa Pacific University. As a woman of faith, she uses her various platforms to bridge the gap between mental health and faith for the purposes of engaging a deeper healing journey. As a woman of Nigerian descent, she calls for reflection on how healing is affected by culture and family. Follow Peace on Twitter.

SPECIAL OFFER | Effective Jan. 1st, 2024, all promo codes/opportunities mentioned in this episode are expired. Please use the code IVPOD25 at ivpress.com for 25% off Peace's book Why Do I Feel Like This?

About the Hosts:

Maila Kim is a marketing manager at IVP; she holds a B.A. in English Language & Literature and a B.A. in Communication Studies from the University of Michigan, and an M.A. in Christian Formation & Ministry with a concentration in Bible & Theology from Wheaton College Graduate School. Follow Maila on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Formerly an editor at IVP, Ed Gilbreath is currently an executive leader at Christianity Today; he earned his bachelor’s in communication arts from Judson University and a master’s in philosophy of history from Olivet Nazarene University. He is also the author of two IVP books: Reconciliation Blues and Birmingham Revolution. Follow Ed on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Support the show

The Every Voice Now Podcast is on Instagram and Twitter (@everyvoicenow). Find out more about our show and IVP's Every Voice Now initiative at EveryVoiceNow.com.