Bring It Out

In this episode, Ben interviews Tyler Prieb, Founder and Executive Director of Missional Labs. Tyler talks about how we should be looking for clues and digging into our stories to understand what God has called us to do. He gives insight on how we can infuse the spiritual reality into our natural giftings. You'll also discover what your ambition has to tell you about the good works prepared for you. The frontier of the unknown can be your greatest discovery.

In this episode, Ben interviews Aaron Graham, founding and lead pastor of The District Church in Washington, D.C. Aaron shares how being held hostage as a child led to his passion to make a difference in the world. He discusses receiving an invitation to a significant meeting with President Obama. As you listen, you'll be encouraged to start something new that you would love to be part of personally. Aaron wraps up this conversation by offering us wisdom on how we should approach the election this year.

This month, Ben sits down for a fascinating conversation with John Wentz, the CEO of Alpha USA. John shares the path that led him to this significant assignment and how we all need to hear, “You're not crazy!”, if we're going to pursue a big vision. We talk about getting the right why, what, and how people around our table. John explains that how you make your decisions is often even more important than what decision you make.

Ben has an inspiring and helpful conversation with Dan Wright, a Co-Founder and CEO at Armada. Dan shares how you can align your values to solve actual problems in the world. He talks about the impact of creating a Wisdom Table in his life and how you can benefit from doing the same. You'll also discover how to align your priorities around the person you want to be now and in the future.

To kick off a new year, Ben coaches us on how we can set our intention and direction in pursuing the vision for our life and work in 2024. He shares how you can turn what seems impossible to something that's quite possible. You'll discover how these 4 obstacles can stand in the way of where you are today and where you want to be when you close out this year: MINDSET, FOCUS, EFFORT, and OWNERSHIP. 

Shauna Pilgreen joins Ben to discuss how influence works during seasons of obscurity and how maintaining a hidden life is crucial when you find your platform growing. They share what we can do when we feel unseen or insignificant. They also discuss the best ways we can pursue our deep desire to be known. Ben & Shauna offer a behind the scenes look into their personal journey from a mostly hidden life to one that's a bit more public.

Ben has a deeply personal and inspiring conversation with John Ortberg on the significance of our inner life and how it affects our external reality. John is one of the most important voices in our world on the topic of spiritual formation. This interview covers the practices necessary to sustain the assignments we've been given, the purpose of solitude in our lives, and how the main thing anyone gets out of our lives is the actual person we become.

In this month's episode, Ben sits down with Reed Dickens - the founder of LA GOLF. Reed shares how setting aside daily time and space for quiet reflection has enabled him to solve problems and see significant success. He speaks to the advantages that come when you can visualize what is possible for your future. This practice led Reed to work for former President George W. Bush and to be the CEO of Marucci Sports. He shares how there's risk of failure in everything, so why go after something that really matters. Reed and Ben have known each other since they were teenagers, which makes this interview extra fun.

Ben kicks off Season 3 of the Bring It Out podcast with Andy Wood, the lead pastor of Saddleback Church. Andy shares what it was like to walk away from the church he started and to follow Rick Warren, who founded and led Saddleback for over 40 years. This conversation also covers why we should give our best regardless of how big or small our assignment is, what you do when your current season seems like it's coming to a close, and why you should be willing to disappoint some people.

Ben wraps up Season 2 by having a fun and inspiring conversation with Mark Batterson. Mark is the founder and lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, DC. He is also the author of more than 20 books, including: The Circle Maker, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, and Please Sorry Thanks. Ben and Mark discuss how our weaknesses can bring power into our lives, how your definition of success determines what you say “yes” to, and why your vision should always surpass the current resources available to you.

 Ben sits down with Seth Condrey for this month's life-giving conversation. Seth is a songwriter and worship leader whose music has been viewed millions of times. Seth currently serves as the Worship Pastor at Epic Church in San Francisco. In this episode, he shares how important deliberate practice is with any gift we've been given. Seth talks about the discipline of collecting ideas. He speaks to the importance of having an adequate inner life, the vulnerability it takes to bring something into the public sphere, and how much place and presence matter.

Ben shares what he's been learning during a season of delays in his own life. He talks about the difference between waiting passively and waiting actively. He shares how we can keep our confidence while our vision is delayed. What do you do while you're living in the space between a dream and the fulfillment of that dream? He also speaks to how we can balance patience and urgency as we pursue our visions.

For this episode, Ben has a fascinating conversation with Henry Kaestner about how he knew he was an entrepreneur, why he started faith-driven entrepreneur, and the power of partnership. Henry Is a co-founder and partner at Sovereign's Capital, a private equity and venture capital management company that invests in faith driven entrepreneurs in Southeast Asia and the US from its offices in Silicon Valley, Washington DC and Jakarta, Indonesia. Henry also was a co-founder and CEO of Bandwidth. And he co-founded the Faith Driven Entrepreneur and Faith Driven Investor ministries.

To kick off 2023, Ben sits down with Jasmine Lawrence for a conversation that is sure to inspire you as you begin the new year. Jasmine shares what caused her to start EDEN BodyWorks when she was just a teenager. This led to her being a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show and the rest is history. Not only is she an entrepreneur who began making products in her teens; her day job is working with robots. Listen in to learn how Jasmine has cultivated great curiosity, as well as a “going for it” spirit that keeps fear from paralyzing her life. 

How do you know when it's time to make a change and step into something new? In this episode, Ben and Joseph Barkley talk about how we can make our best contribution to the world. Joseph is an executive coach who deeply believes in the potential of people. Joseph encourages us to make a stop-doing list, to consider whether our complaints could be visions in disguise, and how an addiction to overachieving can destroy us.

Ben sits down with Al Gordon for this month's episode. Al oversees Saint Church, which has multiple parishes in East London. While Al is one of the most innovative and creative leaders I know, he makes the case that we're all meant to be creative. We also talk about how to have joy in your work, how to leave what's safe and secure, and why Saint Church has chosen to cultivate their own honey bees.

Do you ever feel like you have to settle for less than what you'd love to do with your life? In this episode, Ben has a fascinating conversation with Jo Saxton. Jo is a leadership coach, a speaker, an author, podcast host, and creator of the Ezer Collective. Listen as Jo shares why so many of our dreams go unfulfilled, what keeps women from stepping into their destinies and how men can help with this, as well as what we can do to address the injustices in our world.

To launch season 2 of the Bring It Out podcast, Ben sits down with Josh Howerton to talk about how we can step into a new assignment even when we don't feel ready for it. Josh is the senior pastor of Lakepointe Church in the Dallas area. Josh shares how we can honor the people we are replacing, why people with great vision also need great systems, and how you should pursue relationships with peers and mentors. Josh also opens up about a season he went through that was filled with anxiety and panic attacks. 

In Episode 9 of the Bring It Out podcast, Ben sits down with his wife, Shauna, to talk about how they're discerning their own assignments in life for this season. They discuss how crucial rhythms are when we're carrying heavier assignments in life. They discuss tradeoffs and sacrifices, as well as why they're treating social media a little differently these days. They also talk about how disengagement is for those of us who are regularly engaged in a significant mission. 

On Episode 8 of the Bring It Out podcast, Ben and Rich Villodas have a conversation that covers identity, anxiety, and how we can discern our vocations for the next season of life. Rich is the Lead Pastor of New Life Fellowship in Queens, New York. He is the author of The Deeply Formed Life and Good and Beautiful and Kind (releases July 2022).

On Episode 7 of the Bring It Out podcast, Ben sits down with Jon Tyson to talk about how our character formation is way more important than our gifts and competencies. Jon is the Lead Pastor at Church of the City in New York City. He is the author of multiple books, including Beautiful Resistance and The Intentional Father. We dive into how to know yourself, recognize the major themes in your life, and redefine how you think about significance. We even cover how you can begin to bring out the unique gifts and callings in your children.

In Episode 6 of the Bring It Out podcast, Ben sits down with Christian Huang to talk about where vision comes from and how it expands. Christian is the Founder of Mobilize Love and he's also the chaplain for the San Francisco Giants. We dive into these topics: how vision can only expand if we're faithful with the little we have in the beginning, why you should be willing to raise funds for your vision, and how to encourage yourself when things get hard. Christian shares how we care too much about what others think of us and how this keeps us from pursuing our purpose.

In Episode 5 of the Bring It Out podcast, Ben has a riveting conversation with Minnie Lee. Growing up in a traditional Korean family had huge implications for Minnie's overwhelming need to achieve. And she did achieve - at companies like Fox and Disney, as well as helping Uber get off the ground before most of us ever heard of it. She shares about her own experience with burnout and what you should consider if you're thinking about transitioning into a new vocation. Perhaps the biggest lesson from Minnie comes when she shares all that she's learned through her own experience with chronic pain and whether or not pain can take away our purpose. 

In Episode 4 of the Bring It Out podcast, Ben has a compelling conversation with Trae Stephens. Trae is a partner at Founders Fund and a co-founder of Anduril Industries. Trae talks about how to align your vocation with what gives you life, how to steward influence well, what kinds of ideas capture people's attention, and what it takes to carry heavier assignments in life.

In this bonus episode, Lindsey Lee interviews Ben Pilgreen about how to prepare for the coming year. Ben acknowledges that the pandemic caused us to come close and think short-term over the past two years, but he also shares how now is the time to get back to dreaming again. He even walks us through a process for gaining or regaining our vision, as well as how we can close the gap between our current reality and the vision we are pursuing.

In Episode 3 of the Bring It Out podcast, Ben sits down with Jonathan Mayes. Jonathan is Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer for Albertsons Companies, which employs nearly 300,000 associates. Jonathan shares what led him to this role and how he cultivates passion in his life. He shares his top 10 tips for career success and why we should begin to see the word "discipline" as a positive thing for our lives. 

In Episode 2 of the Bring It Out podcast, Ben has a fascinating conversation with Ruthie Kim. Ruthie is a writer, a speaker, a coach, a visionary, and the founder of Because Justice Matters, a faith-based non-profit that has been building pathways to brighter futures for women and girls since 2008.Ruthie shares how she moved from a small village in England to San Francisco at the age of 18. She talks about the gifts we can find in seasons of uncertainty. We also cover transitions, grief, and our temptation to go back to what's safe.

Ben Pilgreen is joined by Atul Dighe, a futurist who advises senior executives of some of the world's largest companies. Atul shares helpful insights about how you can prepare for whatever your future might hold. As someone who's been around some of the most successful people in the world, he breaks down the difference between leaders who are in it for others versus those who are only in it for themselves.