Dr. Mary Vanden Berg, Emerita of Systematic Theology, talks with Dr. Aaron Einfeld, Director of Lifelong Learning at Calvin Theological Seminary, about the often-avoided realities of death, suffering, and grief—and why Christian formation must include them. From lament psalms to funeral liturgies, from the daily prayer of “into your hands I commit my spirit” to the spiritual weight of complicated grief, they explore how honest engagement with mortality can deepen hope in Christ and reshape how we live. A sobering yet hopeful episode for pastors, students, and anyone facing the painful edges of life.

Topics include:

Whether you’re a pastor, caregiver, or curious listener, this conversation invites you into a richer theology of life, death, and what it means to hope in Christ.

In this stirring episode, Dr. Constantine R. Campbell—New Testament scholar, jazz musician, and author—returns to the Forum Podcast with Dr. Aaron Einfeld, Director of Lifelong Learning at Calvin Theological Seminary, to explore how personal crisis, ministry burnout, and spiritual deconstruction can become doorways to deeper grace and renewed faith.

Drawing from his own story of vocational collapse, emotional healing, and the long road back to the pulpit, Dr. Campbell offers a vulnerable and wise reflection on the state of the American church. Along the way, he considers:

A moving, timely conversation for anyone disillusioned, burned out, or yearning for a faith that still breathes.

Dr. Constantine R. Campbell, Professor and Research Director at the Australian University College, joins Dr. Aaron Einfeld, Director of Lifelong Learning at Calvin Theological Seminary, for a profound Lifelong Learning conversation on theology, jazz, and the crisis within American evangelicalism. A professional jazz saxophonist and New Testament scholar, Dr. Campbell speaks candidly about reconciling his faith and artistry, critiques the political entanglements of modern evangelicalism, and shares a moving personal account of grace following divorce.

This episode features:

A rich, challenging, and hopeful conversation for those yearning for depth in faith and freedom in expression.

In this compelling episode of The Forum Podcast, host Dr. Aaron Einfeld, Director of Lifelong Learning at Calvin Theological Seminary, sits down with licensed therapist Kurt Visker to explore the nature of anxiety, the role of counseling, and how individuals can build resilience in challenging seasons of life. Kurt shares insights from years of clinical experience, including how counseling helps people move from fear to confidence, and why facing discomfort is essential to growth.

Together, they discuss what resilience really means, how it develops over time, and how it applies to everyday struggles—from parenting and performance anxiety to grief and vocational identity. Special attention is given to the unique pressures pastors face and the need for authenticity and self-awareness in ministry leadership.

Whether you're navigating personal hardship, wrestling with anxiety, or supporting others in their journey, this episode offers grounded wisdom and practical tools for emotional and spiritual health.

Change is hard—even when we want it. In this Forum Podcast episode, Alida van Dijk, Executive Director of Community Counselling Centre of London Ontario and therapist, joins Aaron Einfeld, Director of Lifelong Learning at Calvin Theological Seminary, to explore why personal and organizational change is often slow, complex, and emotionally charged.

Drawing from her work at Community Counselling London and her experience in Calvin Theological Seminary’s Adaptive Leadership cohort, Alida shares insights on:

- The “immunity to change” framework by Keegan & Lahey

- How competing commitments and fear hold us back

- What therapy teaches us about human resistance to change

- Why church and nonprofit leaders must start with personal transformation

- How to move from awareness to action with small, persistent steps

For leaders, therapists, pastors, and changemakers, this is an honest, encouraging, and practical conversation about doing the hard work of leading change—from the inside out.

What happens after seminary? And how do ministry leaders keep growing in the midst of challenge, change, and burnout?

In this episode, Calvin Theological Seminary’s Dr. Aaron Einfeld, Director of Lifelong Learning at Calvin Theological Seminary, and Wendy Fisher, Associate Director of Lifelong Learning, join Leah Jolly, ThM Student, to share how the Lifelong Learning program equips pastors and Christian leaders for long-term spiritual and vocational health. With practical insights from adaptive leadership training, formation-based retreats, and their own upcoming podcast season, they unpack what it really means to be a lifelong learner in ministry.

🌱 Topics include:

Supporting ministry leaders beyond graduation

Preventing burnout and navigating anxiety

Replenishing the soul of the leader

Embracing change as a path to spiritual growth

Building a culture of learning in the local church

Whether you're in full-time ministry or just starting seminary, this episode will help you reflect, recalibrate, and reconnect with your calling.

In this episode of the Forum Podcast, Dr. Dorothy Jenkins discusses her dissertation exploring the ministry journeys of Black women in pastoral ministry. Drawing from interviews with women pastors, Dr. Jenkins identifies faith, support, and opportunity as essential factors for breaking through barriers in ministry.

She shares with Doctor of Ministry's program director, Jeff Sajdak:

Her personal call to ministry and educational journey

Challenges faced by Black women preachers, including marginalization and lack of opportunities

The importance of mentorship, community, and prophetic affirmation

Her prophetic word to the church: “Show grace and unify – it’s not about us, it’s about God.”

Encouragement to women considering seminary or doctoral studies to “do it and grow deeper in God’s Word and work.”

➡️ Listen and be inspired by these powerful stories of resilience, calling, and faith.

In this episode of the Forum Podcast, we welcome Dr. Charles Oh, who recently completed his Doctor of Ministry degree at Calvin Theological Seminary. Dr. Oh discusses his research into the spiritual vitality of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) serving in countries with religious restrictions with Doctor of Ministries Program Director, Jeff Sajdak, and former Co-Director of the Doctor of Ministries program, Geoff Vandermolen.

He shares:

His journey from missionary service in the Philippines to doctoral research

Who OFWs are and the vital roles they fill abroad

Surprising insights into OFWs’ faith practices in the Middle East

A prophetic word to churches: “Don’t forget those you commission. Remember them in prayer and care.”

How his DMin journey shaped his resilience, prayer life, and scholarship

Dr. Oh also invites listeners to support his upcoming ministry in Japan, highlighting prayer as the greatest gift.

➡️ Listen and be inspired to remember, pray for, and encourage the forgotten overseas workers in your congregation and community.

In this episode of the Forum Podcast, Dr. Cory Willson, Professor of Missiology, World Christianity, and Public Theology at Calvin Theological Seminary, shares his powerful journey of faith – from growing up in a small evangelical church in California to becoming a leading academic voice. He opens up about how losing his place on the college soccer team led him into a season of darkness that deepened his faith and ministry calling. Dr. Willson reflects on his mentors, including Richard Mouw and Doug McConnell, who shaped his theological and missiological vision. He unpacks the heart behind his book Work and Worship, exploring how the work we do throughout the week deeply connects with Sunday worship and discipleship.

Cory also discusses the importance of lament in the Christian life and how churches can better integrate it into worship. He shares about his work with the Institute for Mission, Church, and Culture, equipping believers to live out their priestly calling in the world. Finally, he offers a glimpse into his upcoming book that will focus on discipleship in daily life. If you’ve ever wondered how your faith, work, and worship integrate, this conversation will both encourage and challenge you.

When's the last time you checked your smartphone? Does the mere mention of your phone make you reach for your pocket? If your use of your smartphone borders on addiction, you're not alone.

Calvin Seminary held what we called a "Smartphone Retreat", a week-long series of exercises and practices designed to help us answer the questions “how much and how well do we use our smartphones?” and “what are the positive and negative effects they have on us?” Jeff Sajdak, Dean of Students, and Aaron Einfeld, Director of Lifelong Learning, planned and facilitated the week. Our then Educational Technologist, Nathan Bierma, talked to them about why they started the smartphone retreat, based off a TedTalk by Manoush Zomorodi and her book "Bored and Brilliant", and what they learned.