Summary

How can pastors better care for and disciple people in their everyday work? In this episode of the Faith and Work Podcast, Ross sits down with Matt Rusten of Made to Flourish to explore how churches can more fully connect faith and work. Then, we're excited to share a replay from our friends at The Flourishing Pastor Podcast, featuring practical, pastor-tested insights for shepherding a working congregation. Whether you're a pastor or a church leader, this episode is full of encouragement and actionable ideas to help your people flourish in their callings.

Wherever you're listening—Spotify, Apple, or YouTube—subscribing, rating, and reviewing the show helps others discover what we're doing here. It's a small way to support the mission—and it means a lot to us.

Resources

• Download the episode transcript here
• Subscribe to the Common Good magazine here
• Learn more about Made to Flourish
• Listen to The Flourishing Pastor on Spotify or Apple

Summary

Ross Chapman sits down with Jeff Hoffmeyer, host of our sister podcast Teach Us To Pray, to unpack the story behind Teach Us To Pray, from its beginnings to its theological and spiritual vision. Together, they explore prayer, beauty, and how a life of prayer shapes both faith and work. Along the way, you will hear listener stories and discover why this podcast continues to resonate with so many.

Wherever you're listening—Spotify, Apple, or YouTube—subscribing, rating, and reviewing the show helps others discover what we're doing here. It's a small way to support the mission—and it means a lot to us.

Resources

• Download the episode transcript here

Listen to more Teach Us To Pray

Wherever you get your podcasts

• Spotify
• Apple
• Youtube

Summary

In this episode of the Faith and Work podcast, Ross Chapman engages with teammates Abby Worland, Joanna Meyer, and Grace Bryan to discuss the latest update of the FOR Campaign at the Denver Institute. They reflect on their personal & professional experiences, wins, and challenges faced as we close the campaign's first two years. The conversation highlights the importance of collaboration, the impact of the Women, Work, and Calling initiative, and the broader challenges of integrating faith into everyday work. The team shares their excitement for future goals and the potential for growth in the coming years.

Wherever you're listening—Spotify, Apple, or YouTube—subscribing, rating, and reviewing the show helps others discover what we're doing here. It's a small way to support the mission—and it means a lot to us.

Resources

• Download the episode transcript here
• Learn more about the FOR Campaign here
• Learn more about the recently awarded Lily Endowment & what that means for Denver Institute HERE.
• If you would like to learn more about the job openings mentioned on the episode, see HERE.

Summary

In this conversation, we engage with Bill Kurtz and Hilary Oswald to explore two distinct educational approaches shaped by faith and community. Bill Kurtz, founder of the Denver Schools of Science and Technology, shares his journey from Wall Street to education, emphasizing the importance of human dignity and the belief that every child can achieve greatness. Hilary Oswald, principal at Augustine Classical Academy, discusses the principles of classical education and the significance of community in shaping students' lives. Both educators highlight the challenges and opportunities in the current educational landscape, offering insights into building a culture of support and encouragement for teachers and students alike.

Wherever you're listening—Spotify, Apple, or YouTube—subscribing, rating, and reviewing the show helps others discover what we're doing here. It's a small way to support the mission—and it means a lot to us.

Resources

• Download the episode transcript here
• Pedagogy: the method and practice of teaching, especially as an academic subject or theoretical concept.
• Learn more about the Fellowship Bill Kurtz spoke about here: https://www.redemptiveleadership.org/

Summary

In this conversation, we get to hear from 2 people who have spent their career faithfully serving in public education. Irvin Scott emphasizes the critical role of teachers in society and the importance of showing appreciation for their hard work, and encourages listeners to reflect on their gratitude towards educators and highlights the challenges they face in their profession. And Jim McKenney shares some insights of his time in public education, how he has navigated the challenges faithfully with the Lord and with others.

Wherever you're listening—Spotify, Apple, or YouTube—subscribing, rating, and reviewing the show helps others discover what we're doing here. It's a small way to support the mission—and it means a lot to us.

Resources

• Download the episode transcript here
• Learn more about ChristianEducators.Org
• Learn more about Association of Christian Administrators
• Book Recommendations

  • Leading with Heart and Soul: 30 Inspiring Lessons of Faith, Learning, and Leadership for Educators

    Author: (Our Episode Guest!) Irvin L Scott

  • Kingdom Calling: Vocational Stewardship for the Common Good

    Author: Amy Sherman

  • Taking Jesus to School: The Fruit of the Spirit on Display

    Author: Dr. Jacqueline Minor

Summary

We are pleased to announce that The Faith & Work Podcast is the recent recipient of the Christian Media Association's CONTENT Award for Best Podcast in the Education Category! Host Ross Chapman and Faith & Work Podcast Producer Naomi Hartman celebrate the many who have come before them to lay the groundwork for this honor, and celebrate how the Lord has blessed us in stewarding this medium!

Enjoy a replay of the episode submitted for this award: You Are An Agent of Flourishing a special interview with Amy Sherman. In this conversation, Joanna Meyer and Amy Sherman discuss the importance of shalom, the concept of vocational power, and the shift towards a public faith that engages with the common good. The conversation highlights strategies for churches to effectively serve their communities, the significance of asset mapping, and essential principles for community involvement.

Wherever you're listening—Spotify, Apple, or YouTube—subscribing, rating, and reviewing the show helps others discover what we're doing here. It's a small way to support the mission—and it means a lot to us.

Thank you to our listeners for supporting our podcast Resources

• • Download the episode transcript here
  • Learn more about CONTENT Christian Media Awards here

Summary

In this episode of the Faith in Work podcast, artists Jake and Hannah Weidmann discuss how their work disciples them, how their work as artists has revealed to them different aspects of God and how their marriage has also shaped their art and business. The conversation emphasizes the importance of storytelling in art, the balance between craftsmanship and entrepreneurship, and the encouragement for others to embrace their creativity as a form of worship.

Wherever you're listening—Spotify, Apple, or YouTube—subscribing, rating, and reviewing the show helps others discover what we're doing here. It's a small way to support the mission—and it means a lot to us.

Highlights

On Work Discipling Us

"Something we always say about our work is we feel very much discipled by our work privately before we're ever given permission to share it publicly. And so something that like putting our hands to like tangible embodied work, think is, especially in a digital age and the culture that we live in, we just notice more people want tangible and slowness. And so I think imitating God in that way and creating and it's very much a human experience has been something that I think the arts do extraordinarily well."- Hannah Weidmann On Worship and Liturgy

"In all of the different art forms that I practice, I'm always looking back into the annals of history and rehearsing the strokes of past masters. And that's what gives me a common language for my art. In a lot of ways, I think that, you know, craft... is like the liturgical practice of my art. It gives me a common language to use and utilize so that when I do speak, I'm speaking with a common language that's been spoken for hundreds, if not thousands of years. That so much of what I do in creating meaning through my work is upholding sacred symbols. And so if I don't have an understanding of what that symbolism is and what it points to, then I'm just a clanging gong, resounding symbol. And that's what a lot of, unfortunately, a lot of postmodernist art is about. It's about creating as you feel. It's not following any sort of precedent laid down by previous generations, and it points back at itself."- Jake Weidmann

Resources

• Download the episode transcript here
• Jake & Hannah's Website
• Jake Weidmann's Website
• Everyday Heirloom Website
• Made To Last Podcast
• Suffering Servant in a Single Stroke by Jake Weidmann
• More videos of Jake's Art
• Jakes Book: Old Soul, New Creation

Summary

In this episode of the Faith and Work Podcast, host Ross Chapman engages with TC Johnstone, an impact documentary filmmaker, to explore the intersection of faith, storytelling, and the arts. They discuss the importance of storytelling in various contexts, the role of curiosity and self-awareness in engaging with others, and the SPEAK framework for meaningful conversations. The conversation also touches on the influence of AI in the arts and offers encouragement for the church to embrace creativity and community.

Wherever you're listening—Spotify, Apple, or YouTube—subscribing, rating, and reviewing the show helps others discover what we're doing here. It's a small way to support the mission—and it means a lot to us.

Highlights On Creating and Storytelling "Anybody can create. And the roadblock is when they have to face the mirror. Whether it's a podcast, whether it's Instagram, whether it's photography, mean an iPhone is, I the first camera I ever had, my iPhone's 10 times better than that. So anybody can create. It's just learning to tell a story... One is courage to say something that takes some bravery to put things out there that follow your conviction. And then the second thing is just not being overwhelmed. There's so many outlets, whether it's filmmaking, photography, Instagram, I mean, all the way down to future films. It's like, where do I even start? How do I try to do everything and do nothing very well?" On SPEAK tool to help you engage stories! Watch TC's YouTube video on the tool here: https://youtu.be/kkkmiWYPnPk

• S - Story (What's your story?)
• P - Passion
• E - Encouragement
• A - Assistance/Ask (I heard you talk about this, I can offer to help/connect. What do you need help with right now?)
• K - Knowledge (Built to be generous. Who/what do you know that I need to know?)

Resources

• Download the episode transcript here
• Learn more about TC Johnstone and his work at tcjohnstone.com
• Watch TC's movie, Rising From Ashes
• Join us at our annual Women, Work, & Calling event on Fri. Nov 7. Learn more here!
• Applications are now open for the 5280 Fellowship 5-month cohort program. Learn More here.

Summary

Exclusive sneak peak into our Women, Work, & Calling 2025 keynote speaker's talk: Reverend Dr. Nicole Massey-Martin COO at Christianity Today. Dr. Martin joins us today to discuss her journey as a leader, and calls us to to crucify our ministry idols and nail our outdated leadership practices to the cross. As she shares the inspiration for her new book, Nailing It: Why Successful Leadership Demands Suffering and Surrender, Dr. Martin emphasizes the need for cruciform leadership, which and highlights the vital role women play in leadership and the workplace. Nicole shares insights on overcoming barriers, the significance of relationships in leadership, and the necessity of empowering women to lead effectively.

Wherever you're listening—Spotify, Apple, or YouTube—subscribing, rating, and reviewing the show helps others discover what we're doing here. It's a small way to support the mission—and it means a lot to us.

Highlights On Surrendered Leadership "Someone said to me recently, leadership is 59 % about what you know and 51 % about who you know. And while that may be true, I would suggest that it is 100 %about who knows you, you are known by the Father and also 100 % dependent upon a God who knows it all. The moment I get to leadership and I think I've got this worked out is the moment I stop depending on God. But to me, cruciform leadership says, God, I do not know what to do, but my eyes are on you, says Hezekiah. God, I don't know how to shape this path, but I need you to show us how to shape it." On Crucifying Perfection "What am I seeing most frequently repeated in my life and in the lives of other leaders around me? It is definitely crucifying perfection, a sense of perfectionism. I am still an overcoming perfectionist and the issue with perfectionism isn't excellence. It's not that. We want to pursue excellence, perfectionism is at its core a form of idolatry toward a God that does not exist. It is a worship of a standard that does not exist. And it is a sin for leaders and a problem and a stumbling block that needs to overcome, needs to be overcome because leaders who have an ideal of perfection, not only worship it themselves, but they train their teams to worship this fictitious idea of perfection as well. The way that we are perfect is by dotting every I and crossing every T... So the question can't be, what does it look like for us to perfectly meet our mission? The question has to be, how can we be perfectly connected to each other, to the team, to our stakeholders, to the people that we serve, so that what comes out of that exceeds what we ever imagined? This is the joy of releasing and surrendering perfection. When I release what I think is perfect, I get to embrace what God says." Resources

• Download the episode transcript here
• Women in the Workplace report by Lean In referenced
• Trends @ Work Report by Barna referenced
• Attend Women, Work, & Calling Annual Event to hear more from Nicole Martin. Available in Denver, CO, Online or at Host Sites around the country!
• Purchase Nailing It: Why Successful Leadership Demands Suffering and Surrender

SUMMARY

In this episode of the Faith and Work podcast, host Joanna Meyer engages with Tracey Gee, author and consultant, to explore the intricate relationship between purpose, desire, and calling. They discuss the challenges of discerning one's calling, especially in the context of faith, and how desire plays a crucial role in this process. Tracey shares her personal journey of navigating career transitions and the importance of recognizing and embracing one's desires. The conversation also touches on gender perspectives regarding desire, the consequences of ignoring it, and practical steps to identify and pursue one's desires. Ultimately, they emphasize the significance of engaging with disappointment and the treasure hidden within our lives as we seek to align our work with our calling.

Wherever you're listening—Spotify, Apple, or YouTube—subscribing, rating, and reviewing the show helps others discover what we're doing here. It's a small way to support the mission—and it means a lot to us.

HIGHLIGHTS

Excerpt from The Magic of Knowing What You Want "Our desires have something important to say. They shake things up in profoundly generative ways to help us create what the world needs. The more I work with people coming alive to who they are, the stronger my hunch is that our desires have a central role to play in us, and the world is waiting to welcome the beautiful work our desires are capable of." On Question Overload "And I noticed that when you ask yourself, what do I want? Usually what happens is that you start asking then 60 other questions. Like, okay, what do I want? Yeah, but is that really possible? Or if I could do that, could I pull that off? Like, I don't know if I, if anyone would actually hire me, does that exist? I don't know if I can afford that. don't know. Am I allowed to ask this? Am I allowed to want this? Then not only are we trying to ask, again, this question that I think is really sacred and really central, but then we get sort of hijacked by millions of other questions that quickly pile on top of it. those are questions often, not always, but often rooted in some fear, some anxiety, some uncertainty, right, all of the above. And then we're overwhelmed and we don't know what to do with that."

RESOURCES

• Download the episode transcript here
• Book Recommendation: Parker Palmer, Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation
• "The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet." ― Frederick Buechner, Wishful Thinking: A Seeker's ABC
• Attend Women, Work, & Calling Annual Event to hear more from Tracey Gee
• Purchase The Magic of Knowing What You Want
• Download our Getting Clear about Calling Group Discussion Guide
• Listen to Part 1 and Part 2 of our Faith & Work episodes: What Does It Mean To Be Called?