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In this episode, Eric speaks with Nita, the country leader for MomCo in Albania, about her journey to Albania, the challenges faced by women in a shame-based culture, and the transformative power of love and support. Nita shares her personal story of overcoming shame and how it has shaped her mission to empower Albanian mothers. She highlights the importance of building trust, the role of mothers in family transformation, and the need for community support. Nita's heart for the women of Albania is moving, and the MomCo team's commitment to changing future generations of families through faithfully serving and loving the moms is beautiful.

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In this episode, Eric is joined by his wife, Heather, as a special guest host for an endearing conversation with Randy from Wilderness Fellowship. Together, they explore the origins, growth, and mission of this beautiful ministry that has been serving as a place of refuge and spiritual restoration for over 52 years. Randy shares how the vision for Wilderness Fellowship began with his father’s calling at a young age and the journey that inspired the ministry’s commitment to providing spaces where individuals can encounter God without barriers.  Remarkably, they’ve maintained their commitment to operate debt free throughout their history, trusting God, and relying on donations and the dedication of volunteers.

Tune in to hear how Wilderness Fellowship is creating a lasting impact by connecting people with God in the midst of His creation. how you can encounter God in the wilderness, and how you can get involved.

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In this episode, Ty Bryant shares the heart behind Promise686, a ministry dedicated to supporting vulnerable children and families, inspired by Psalm 68:6. Ty, adopted himself, was drawn to the ministry due to his personal experiences and the desire to help others in similar situations. Originally founded as a ministry to support adoption, they have evolved into equipping churches to serve vulnerable families. The ministry provides training and resources to churches, enabling them to establish family advocacy ministries that address various needs through volunteer teams and care communities. 

This approach fosters a multiplier effect, empowering over 2,100 churches to build supportive networks for families in crisis. They provide support and resources to foster families, biological families, and young adults aging out of the foster care system. Through care communities and curriculum development, they aim to prevent children from entering foster care and empower those in need to succeed.

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Bruce Koblish and Mark Heimermann share stories of Reggie White on Jesus Freak night, a tiny house on Amy Grant's farm, and other fascinating tales as they reminisce about their journeys through the Christian music industry.  They reflect on their past collaborations, the evolution of the Gravity Foundation, and the journey of loss and healing that became the foundation of Unwavering Resolve, a non-profit focused on helping individuals struggling with addiction and homelessness through storytelling and community connection. Bruce explains the retreat model, the power of personal stories in recovery, and the importance of serving others with authenticity. He also emphasizes the collaborative nature of their work and the vision for expanding their impact, particularly among young people and across college campuses.

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In this heartfelt episode of The Grand Weaver, we sit down with Dick Wildeman, a former Catholic priest who shares his journey from a reluctant participant in a parish meeting to a lifelong advocate for the people of Haiti.

From his first trip to Haiti in 1984, where he encountered armed soldiers at the airport, bumpy rides on overcrowded buses, and profound culture shock, Dick found himself captivated by the resilience, joy, and faith of the Haitian people.

Through touching anecdotes, he describes the immense challenges and rewards of working with remote villages, where simple requests for a roof, a cemetery, and basic medical care transformed into tangible acts of service. Dick reflects on how these experiences deepened his faith, reshaped his understanding of mission work, and revealed the true meaning of Christian service.

This episode is a powerful reminder of how God can use unexpected moments and reluctant hearts to create lasting change. Tune in to hear how Dick’s unwavering commitment has impacted countless lives in Haiti—and how Haiti, in turn, transformed his own. 

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In this episode of The Grand Weaver, we visit Selah Worship Arts in Tirana, Albania, and hear from father–son leaders Benny and Sam about God’s surprising work in a nation once called “the North Korea of Europe,” where belief in God was outlawed until the early 1990s. Benny shares how he came to Christ through music and sensed a clear call: raise a second generation of worshipers. What began in 2009 with weekend seminars grew into worship camps (now 10+ years running), a three-year pilot school, and today a six-month residential program that forms worship leaders spiritually, theologically, and musically—then sends them back to serve their local churches across the Balkans.

We talk about the region’s unique need: few mentors, few native-language worship songs, and many churches without trained worship leaders. Selah’s vision is to help the Church find its own voice—not just translating songs, but writing from the heart and history of Albania and neighboring nations. God’s provision threads through the story, including a last-minute 2023 gift that opened doors for their current space. The episode closes with a faith-filled invitation to join the work: prayer, mentorship, financial partnership, recording studio equipment, and even coming to serve on-site.

Takeaways

• First-generation faith: Albania had no legal worship for decades; many current leaders are first-generation believers without mentors or tradition.
• Formation before performance: Selah is not just a music school; it’s a pastoral/theological formation community with music as a tool, not the goal.
• Six-month residential school: Two blocks—Discipleship (life with God) and Leadership & Musicianship (theory, songwriting, arranging, tech/audio, leading in varied contexts).
• Regional impact: Training now spans the Balkans (Greece, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Romania), multiplying leaders who serve their home churches.
• Finding their local voice: The Church needs original songs in native languages, shaped by local story and culture—not only translations.
• By faith, together: The team operates with a small staff and limited resources, yet God keeps providing. The vision includes a recording studio and, long-term, a permanent home that stands as a Christian landmark for future generations.

Get Involved

Pray

• For a deep move of God among first- and second-generation believers.
• For stamina, unity, and protection for the Selah team and students.
• For original worship to arise in Albanian and other Balkan languages.

Give

• Monthly support to sustain the six-month school (scholarships, housing, meals, utilities).
• Studio build-out: audio interfaces, microphones, monitors, headphones, sound treatment, instruments; mixing/mastering support, technical training.
• Facility fund: toward a permanent training center that removes time/space limits and becomes a generational landmark.

Serve

• Short- or long-term on-site: administration, hospitality, media/AV, teaching (Bible/theology, music theory, songwriting, arrangement, live sound).
• Mentor remotely: coach a worship leader or team over video (spiritual care, set planning, songwriting feedback).
• Network & share: introduce Selah to churches, worship communities, and donors; host vision nights or worship/prayer gatherings.

Share

• Spread the story: play the episode in your church/team meeting, post on socials, and invite others to pray and partner.

About

Selah Worship Arts exists to equip worshipers who know and love God to serve the Church in Albania and across the Balkans. Since 2009, what began with weekend seminars has grown into camps, a pilot school, and now a six-month residenti

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In this episode, Rahn and Eric talk with Jenni Lord, founder and CEO of Chosen.  She shares the heart behind Chosen, how it started, and the evolution of their mission to what it is today.  Jenni shares her personal journey and experience with the adoption of her brother which ultimately led to the founding of Chosen over 15 years ago. Today, Chosen focuses on supporting families in the foster care and adoption system, addressing the trauma experienced by children and the challenges faced by caregivers. Jenni emphasizes the need for a holistic approach to healing, emotional safety, and practical tools for families to build healthy connections as part of a call for systemic changes in our approach to child welfare. 

While Chosen has experienced remarkable success keeping families together, Jenni reminds us that the need is far greater than we realize, and the challenges facing families is likely much deeper than we imagine. Raising awareness and providing access to desperately needed resources to support families is paramount. They have launched their 100,000 strong initiative as part of their aerial strategy to help fundamentally shift child welfare in the U.S., and invite us to support their mission through prayer coverage, helping raise awareness of the services and training they provide, and through financial support.  Above all, Jenni reminds us all that no child is beyond hope and healing, so we invite you to join us in support of Chosen’s mission to change the trajectory of families for generations.

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Diane Brask shares how two questions from the chief in a remote village on the other side of the globe profoundly shaped her life, ultimately leading to forming Global Seed Planters.  She shares how the humble roots on the farm shaped a ministry with hallmarks of sustainability and multiplication across the three main pillars of their ministry in dozens of countries around the world.  She concludes with an amazing story of sustainable farming that is transforming churches and communities in Northern Uganda.  Learn about the ways you can help support Global Seed Planters to the ends of the Earth.

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From humble beginnings as a farm girl in rural Wisconsin to serving people in the most remote parts of the globe, Diane Brask shares stories about the experiences that led her to a village in the Philippines, her encounter with a hairy dead guy named LoLo Jose, and the two questions the local chief asked that would shape the rest of her life.  Join us for part 1 of Global Seed Planters.

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Rahn and Eric share the story of how God inspired the launch of the podcast, weaving their lives together over a week unlike any they had ever experienced. Early morning encounters with God, a ROAR day promo, a PBS show, and Eric’s mother-in-law all playing significant roles in the unfolding story of the Grand Weaver.