Faith, Work & Rest

Gary is a believer, husband, father, and the founder and executive director of the nonprofit organization Major League Dad. Gary has worked with fathers and families in many capacities for almost two decades. His story with his father has helped build and support the fathers he serves through Major League Dad. His focus is on fathers in low-socioeconomic areas to strengthen the family unit and propel those fathers to lead in the home and community. Website: https://www.majorleaguedad.org/ Episode Summary: In this conversation, Gary Freeman wades into deep waters, starting with an honest reflection on the terrifying reality of becoming a father. Teena and Gary continue into greater depths as they navigate conversations around what is truly required to champion the fullness of life for families- with special attention to fathers on the margins of society. This conversation does not shy away from tensions, but leans into the gray spaces that our polarized conversations often refuse to touch. This episode is an invitation for us all to consider what belonging to the family of God means for how we can create and embrace belonging- through our everyday work and rest- for those often left out of the conversation. 00:00 Introduction to the Series 02:10 Brokenness and Redemption in Becoming a Father 07:24 The Beautiful Gift and Terrifying Responsibility of Children 12:58 Major League Dads 18:33 Supporting Men to Become Phenomenal Fathers 24:21 How Jesus Supported the Twelve 27:25 Growth in Ministry 32:41 From Local Pregnancy Centers to a National Organization 41:16 How Distance Breeds Self-Righteousness 46:09 How Different Industries Can Connect to This Topic 55:24 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Teena is joined by Esau McCaulley, PhD and John Onwuchekwa, DMin to talk about the narratives that shape our life and faith and the power of narrative in hospitality, business and theology. John shares his journey with Portrait coffee and then into his time curating conversations around grief and hope, connected with his book, We Go On. Esau opens up his story with Reading while Black and the shift into writing a much more personal narrative, How Far to the Promised Land. They also chat about their favorite coffee beans, Esau's new church plant and the elusive nature of “success”. Watch this conversation on our youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShHjeH27DZ0&t=3678s Explore more from Esau McCaulley: https://esaumccaulley.com/ Explore more from John Onwuchekwa: https://www.johno.co/ Discover the Global Faith and Work Initiative here: https://www.globalfaithandwork.com/ Learn more about the Surge Network here: https://www.surgenetwork.com/ 00:00 Introduction to the Series 01:24 Meet the Guests: Dr. Esau McCauley and John Onwuchekwa 06:32 John's Coffee Business Journey 13:56 The Impact of Narrative on Business 22:45 Esau's Journey and Reflections on Ministry 34:39 The Provocative Nature of the Book 35:02 Unexpected Success and Public Attention 35:37 Navigating Fame and Personal Boundaries 37:05 Embracing the Impact of 'Reading While Black' 38:38 Family Dynamics and Hometown Recognition 40:03 Intentional Church Leadership 45:02 The Role of Liturgy in Personal Faith 47:03 Diverse Church Experiences 51:46 Writing and Touring: The Emotional Toll 01:03:57 The Power of Storytelling and Grief 01:07:51 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode, Eric Goss shares his profound journey of following the Spirit into new territories of his life and vocation. From his beginnings at the Naval Academy through his time at Amazon and into nearly facing bankruptcy while building a Christian Children's media company, Eric discusses the importance of carefully listening to God and to those he works alongside. When he introduces us to Minno Kids, he emphasizes the critical yet often overlooked need for investing in children's spiritual education and family formation. Through personal highs and lows, Eric reveals how his deep reliance on God's guidance and collaboration with others has shaped his approach to creating impactful content that communicates the gospel to young hearts and minds. Discover Minno Kids: www.gominno.com Learn more about the Surge Netwokr: www.surgenetwork.com Explore the Global Faith & Work Initiative: www.globalfaithandwork.com Timeline 00:00 - Introduction 02:20 - Discerning God's call 07:52 - Getting into Children's Media 11:50 - The Why Behind the What 16:07 - The Humility of Collaboration 18:25 - Navigating Power Dynamics in Collaboration 25:01 - Curiosity in Leadership 27:22 - Wisdom from the Mouths of Babes (And Everyone Else) 31:49 - Kingdom of God as Joy in the Workplace 33:54 - Flipping the Corporate Ladder 49:32 - Formation through Content

Episode Summary: Melissa Peak joins the podcast to discuss her vocational journey from delivering newspapers in Canada to leading significant roles at Amazon Web Services and now serving at the digital consultancy firm, Servant. Melissa shares how faith, leadership, and innovative thinking have woven through her career and personal life, including unconventional family decisions alongside her husband. She delves into Servant's mission to support the global church in the digital era, ensuring impactful use of technology for kingdom work. She closes with a powerful example of how Servant is aiding Every Mother's Advocate to scale their preventive approach in foster care across nine states. This episode continues our series on belonging through embracing the tensions of belonging to this generation. In a changing world with conflicting expectations and new tools emerging by the minute, how do we navigate belonging to this current moment as Christians? Melissa offers an example rooted in humility, prayer and the conviction of personal calling. 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 00:28 Melissa's Vocational Journey as a woman called to leadership 04:08 Being present to the journey- reflections and regrets 09:47 Balancing Career and Family- Unconventional decisions 15:41 Navigating Countercultural Choices 20:20 Faith and Leadership 23:55 Rediscovering the centrality of worship and prayer 27:48 Rejecting “mom guilt” and opportunities for independence 29:45 Technology as a tool 30:37 Servant's Mission and Impact 36:46 Collaborative Leadership in the Faith Ecosystem 42:29 Every Mother's Advocate: A Success Story Discover the work of Servant here. Learn more about the Surge Network & The Global Faith & Work Initiative Watch this conversation on our youtube channel

Teena Dare talks with Lauren Clark, co-founder of Tamarisk Community, as she shares her journey in creating belonging for young adults aging out of the foster care system in her community. Lauren always knew she wanted to work with kids in vulnerable situations, but it wasn't until she was faced with the realities of kiddos in social services in her own backyard that she found clarity for her next steps. And then the ones after that. This Spring Series is about the radical nature of belonging within the family of God. Lauren leads the way into the next few months by introducing some of the devastating realities that young people face when they enter adulthood without having a family to belong to. But she offers hope- the hope of a shared table, the hope that can show through the cracks of trauma as employers and communities become more informed and saturated in grace. Lauren also beautifully describes the way she has found Jesus in these low places and discovered an unmatched intimacy as she seeks to serve the very ones that Jesus came to love. 00:00 Introduction to Series and Episode 03:04 The Beginning of a Calling 04:03 Discovering a Passion for Foster Care 05:30 From Education to Social Work 07:06 Starting a Ministry for Foster Families 08:57 Launching Tamarisk 11:03 The Power of a Long Car Ride 14:24 Leaders Who Have Lived it 22:15 Closer to Suffering, Closer to Jesus 23:39 The Importance of Empathy and Trauma-Informed Care 31:58 Big Dreams for the Future Link to Resources: You can find Tamarisk Community on Instagram @tamarisk.community Or online at tamarisk.community Find out more about the Global Faith and Work Initiative: https://www.globalfaithandwork.com/ And the Surge Network: https://www.surgenetwork.com/ Watch our conversation on our youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gK1oXZyZLwg

In the final episode of this season of the podcast, Alistair Chiu and an anonymous Christian leader give us an inside look at how faith and work movements are being developed in the places they live. When it comes to developing movements like the ones described in this podcast, we can be tempted to assume that a “one size fits all” model will work. However, we are reminded in this episode of the need for faithful contextualization to meet the needs and questions of the city we are seeking to reach. As workers across the city press into integrating faith and work, the light of Christ within us will begin shining in the darkest of places. But cultivating these kind of movements will take a high level of adaptability, working with people that are different from us, and a deep desire to have alignment with co-laborers not as a prerequisite to relationship but as a by-product. And through all of this effort and strategy, we entrust ourselves to the One who will one day reign as King in our cities as it is in heaven. This marks the end of our journey of hearing global expressions of faith in work and rest. If you haven't listened to all of the previous episodes and guests, please check them out. Resources related to this episode: Learn more about City to City Asia Pacific: https://citytocityasiapacific.com/ Learn more about Alistair Chiu's church: https://www.newcitychurchhk.com/ Learn more about The Global Faith and Work Initiative: https://www.globalfaithandwork.com/ Learn more about the Surge Network https://www.surgenetwork.com TIME STAMPS 00:00 Introduction to Podcast 2:09 Where Alistair is living and how he got there 6:47 How did the work culture in Hong Kong shape your ministry there? 9:26 Did you find that the faith and work resources fit well within Hong Kong? 14:49 What was birthed with recognizing the gap in the faith and work materials for the Hong Kong context? 17:50 Stories of people working through the faith and work cohort 23:59 Where do you see God reflected in the city of Hong Kong and how can we pray for the city? 27:22 Introducing Anonymous Global Faith and Work Leaders 31:23 How the marketplace is central to the ecosystem of God's work in the world 32:38 How scaffolding relates to supporting movements in various cities 37:00 Best practices for starting faith and work movements in cities 40:41 What creating faith and work movements have taught them about working with others 47:05 What practices have you developed to work with different people than you and live out the gospel?

In this episode, Bijan Mirtolooi helps us explore how the city of London is experiencing spiritual renewal and religious curiosity giving Christians an incredible opportunity to winsomely declare good news. In his work as a pastor of Reality Church London and The London Project, Bijan has an ardent desire to equip ministry leaders and everyday disciples to see their work as an integral part of their discipleship to Jesus. Yet also to understand that from the first pages of Scripture, God is one who always pairs work with rest and invites us to the same. Would we pray alongside him to see the Church in London steward this incredible moment in history for the city to rejoice because Jesus has been put on display through the unified witness of God's people. Resources related to this episode: Learn more about Bijan's church Reality Church London: https://www.realitychurch.london/ Learn more about The London Project: https://thelondonproject.co.uk/ Learn more about Gotham Fellowship: https://www.faithandworkgotham.com/ Learn more about The Global Faith and Work Initiative: https://www.globalfaithandwork.com/ Learn more about the Surge Network https://www.surgenetwork.com Timestamps (Edited Timing) 00:00 Introduction 01:09 How Bijan and his family decided to move to London 4:40 Stories of how London is growing in openness to religion and spirituality 11:42 What is the London Project and how it is facilitating a faith and work movement 15:36 How Lesslie Newbigin in the 1970s encouraged churches to equip every member of their Church when it comes to their daily work 18:39 How Bijan has seen people live creatively and faithfully in their industries 22:14 How rest is integral to discipleship 28:50 Where do you see God uniquely put on display in London and how can we pray for London?

Our guest on the podcast today is Christel Ngnambi, the consultant CEO for Imago Dei, which is a network of professionals seeking to ask questions and seek answers to the biggest challenges of their industry and discover how Christianity might offer good news in that area of human life. In the episode, Christel showcases how the increasing secularization in francophone (french speaking) culture is ultimately not an obstacle to the Christian witness but a genuine opportunity. Yet, he suggests, there is power when Christians begin with the questions, concerns, and fears of the people and industries where they find themselves and then egnage those questions deeply with Scripture. In other words, as Christel says, we need to listen to the world around us as we engage the Word. Listen in as Christel shares tangible ways Imago Dei has provided pathways for non-Christians to experience a distinct, culturally relevant, and winsome Christian witness. Resources related to this episode: Learn more about Christel's work with Imago Dei https://www.imagodei.fr Learn more about The Global Faith and Work Initiative: https://www.globalfaithandwork.com/ Learn more about the Surge Network https://www.surgenetwork.com Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 2:25 How Christel partnered to start Imago Dei and their work within many industries 5:35 What the word “francophone” means and how faith and work is unique in the French-speaking world. 14:20 How we must start first with the questions of the context to explore how the gospel is good news there 19:28 How the fashion industry is a case study for listening and speaking the gospel in relevant ways 24:05 How non-Christians are becoming curious about Christianity through the arts 31:12 What are the next questions coming in Western culture and ways Christians can seek to be a renewing presence in the face of them? 36:05 What is one characteristic of God as a worker that you see reflected in your city and how can we pray for you and your context?

In this episode, we are privileged to hear Pastor Mila Palozzi share, with joy and vibrancy, how the gospel gives us a lens to see beauty everywhere in our city and through our work. She shares practical ways she has cultivated a faith and work perspective in her local church through a variety of avenues that hopefully will encourage and inspire you in your context. Mila challenges those in her culture- and us- to not see work as a necessary curse but rather to see work as the unique contribution we get to make for our city and ultimately for the Kingdom of God. We hope Mila's gospel radiance inspires you to imagine afresh the city and work God has placed you in. Resources related to this episode: Learn more about Mila's church: https://www.hopera.co/scopri-la-fede Learn more about The Global Faith and Work Initiative: https://www.globalfaithandwork.com/ Learn more about the Surge Network https://www.surgenetwork.com Timestamps 00:00 Podcast Introduction 01:43 The work and life of Mila Palozzi as a pastor in Rome 3:36 How Mila's previous career in banking drew her into the faith and work space 7:47 How Mila pursues four main avenues to help people capture a vision of faith and work in her church 14:00 How Mila started new communities around variety of subjects 17:40 How Mila has experienced the depth of the gospel in her city 26:27 What is an aspect of God that you see on display in Rome and how can we pray for the church in Italy?

In this episode, Teena is joined by Amma Amegashie who serves as the West Africa Operations Manager for City to City Africa. She currently leads the Purpose Beyond Paycheck cohort in Accra, Ghana. Amma loves the Lord, loves the city which she lives in, and hopes to see the city, its people and all the industries being renewed by the gospel of Jesus Christ. She lives in the city of Accra with her beloved husband, Selasi, and enjoys reading, listening to music and watching God's beautiful nature. What is clear from this conversation is that Amma resists any form of a truncated gospel that compartmentalizes the Christian life to a single day of the week. The cohort she leads works to imagine what a Kingdom presence might look and taste like in various spheres of society and work. Would you be encouraged by her words to us: “If your identity is truly in Christ Jesus, it doesn't matter if you are the CEO or the least in rank. You don't find your identity in any of this but you find your identity in Christ Jesus and what he has done on the cross. That he deeply loves you, and we are his children.” TIME STAMPS: 00:00 Introduction and Amma's Bio 1:40 Where Amma lives and works 4:33 How an episode of the Faith and Work podcast helped Amma re-imagine administration 7:56 What drew Amma into the Faith and Work space 11:25 What is the church like in Ghana? 14:41 How Amma has helped people experience a gospel for all of life 20:30 How insurance can be for the glory of God 26:40 Where do you see brokenness in the industries of your city and how God longs to restore 33:40 How visiting a cookie factory changed one person's perspective on work 37:40 If you had to pick just one characteristic as a worker that you see on display in your city, what would it be? How can we be praying for the church in Ghana? Resources related to this episode: Learn more about the Ghana Fellowship of Evangelical Students https://ghafes.org/who-we-are/ Learn more about The Global Faith and Work Initiative https://www.globalfaithandwork.com/ Learn more about the Surge Network https://www.surgenetwork.com/

In this podcast episode, Teena Dare gets to have a conversation with Marcelo Robles who lives in Buenos Aires and is a pastor, practitioner, and key participant in the movement of God in his city. What's clear from the interview is that Marcelo captures the vision perfectly of seeing our everyday work and our understanding of our faith deeply integrated in all of life. But he didn't always share this vision. Listen in as Marcelo unpacks how was able to deconstruct the false dichotomy of sacred and secular through his work at a university, in his ministry, through personal challenges, and a myriad of church planting experiences. The Church has much to learn from this faithful brother who encourages us to remember our one calling in the gospel with many occupational expressions. Resources related to this episode: More Info About Marcelo Robles and his ministry https://globaloutreach.org/giving/missionary-details/marcelo-robles About La Misión Church https://iplamision.org/sobre-nosotros/ About the RUE University Network https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1037300417189588 Learn more about The Global Faith and Work Initiative here. https://www.globalfaithandwork.com/about Learn more about the Surge Network here https://www.surgenetwork.com Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and Marcello's bio 1:49 Where Marcello lives, serves and does for work 2:53 How the city of Buenos Aires is unique and an expression of a variety of cultures and cities 4:50 Why we need to stop using the term: bi-vocational and instead use: “co-occupational” 13:12 Why we need a holistic and integrated gospel for all of life 16:30 Stories of how God is at work in the university 22:45 How one person's proximity with the poor forever changed his life 29:30 How God is displayed as a worker in Buenos Aires and how you and I can pray for Buenos Aires

When it comes to the integration of faith and work, it is never generic but always specific to the context we are in. The conversations around faith and work in a white collar setting are going to be drastically different than the conversations and questions of those working at the margins. In this episode, Abraham Cho and Kimberly Deckel explore how tangible expressions of how faith and work have been integrated in their cities and churches. But what's clear from the perspective of these two practitioners (Abraham and Kimberly) is that a missing link in the faith and work conversation is the necessity of having mutuality with those at the margins. Without genuine friendship with the overlooked and the poor, we will lack the necessary relational knowledge needed to steward our power effectively in industries and workplaces. Listen in as we imagine together in this podcast what flourishing for all might look like when the margins are centered. RESOURCES RELATED TO THIS EPISODE Learn more about City to City's Global Faith and Work Initiative: https://www.globalfaithandwork.com Learn more about Kimberly's Church: Church of the Cross Austin https://www.cotcaustin.org Learn more about the Surge Network https://www.surgenetwork.com TIME STAMPS Introduction to the series and Bios 00:00 In the faith and work space, what has your work been about in recent years? 2:05 How the conversation of faith and work is different depending on your context and invites you to take the posture of a learner 5:30 How the simple and ordinary practices in our workplaces are the catalyst for a rich expression for faith and work integration 9:40 How different traditions (that we are often unaware of) can provide beautiful windows of tangible ways faith and work can come together 13:50 How the only way to faithfully steward our power is through developing a mutuality of relationship with those at the margins 23:57 How a vision of genuine friendship and Kingdom collaboration is being imagined in New York City and Austin, Texas 34:08 How do we understand God as a good worker in the way he operates in our cities and prayers we have for flourishing in the years to come 44:06

There's no question that we're called to love our neighbor but many of us feel like we've lost the art. We're burnt-out, lacking motivation, or feeling overwhelmed with life. In this episode Brielle shares her own story and helps unpack why so many of us are feeling this strain. She invites us to join her on the journey of healing through being with God in ways that restore us to love just as we were made to. Resources related to this episode: Learn about the Daily Breadth App: https://dailybreadth.app/default Listen to Brielle's Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-little-bit-unstoppable/id1620112094 Learn more about The Global Faith and Work Initiative here: www.globalfaithandwork.com/ Learn more about the Surge Network here: www.surgenetwork.com/ This episode was produced by Abby Drachenberg and hosted by Teena Dare. Timestamps: Introduction to Knowing God in Work and Rest and Brielle Goheen: 0:00 How did physical and mental health struggles begin to reframe spirituality and vocation? 3:02 How did you discover a new calling? 7:47 How do you now understand the embodied nature of things like prayer and gratitude and how have you incorporated them into a "digital sacred space?" 11:55 How can we love our neighbor without burning out? 18:21 What is the "tend or befriend" survival instinct and how does it impact us? 23:54 How do we embrace the uniqueness of how we best love others? 27:56 How can we cultivate love through our work when the part we play is removed from the people it's meant to serve? 31:51 Tell us about someone whose work is often overlooked and how your journey has helped you see them with new eyes? 35:10

What does it mean to see? Our understanding of this seemingly simple concept has evolved through the years and so has our sense of what it means to “see” God. In this episode, Dr. John DelHousaye talks about optical theory, the pure in heart seeing God, how truth relates to reality, and how all of this intersects with our daily rhythms of work and rest. Resources related to this episode: Follow Dr. DelHousaye on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jdelhousaye?lang=en Learn more about The Global Faith and Work Initiative here: www.globalfaithandwork.com/ Learn more about the Surge Network here: www.surgenetwork.com/ This episode was produced by Abby Drachenberg and hosted by Teena Dare. Timestamps: Introduction to Knowing God in Work and Rest and Dr. John DelHousaye 0:00 How can we know God through the Visio Dei? 1:19 What is a fuller understanding of the word truth? 11:08 How can work be a lens for us in our everyday lives? 17:37 Explaining the value of spending time in the Gospels 22:33 How we can connect communion and baptism to everyday life 26:53 How can we participate in making God more seeable in the world? 30:27 How does God help you see someone the world may overlook? 35:31

In this episode Bjorn Wagner and Teena Dare unpack the concept of habitus. The workplace is one of the subcultures that shape our habits which slowly train us to feel, think and act in certain ways. Björn invites us to grow in awareness of opportunities to be reformed into the likeness of Christ in our work and rest. Resources related to this episode: French sociologist, Pierre Bourdieu: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Bourdieu Book: The Power of Habit https://www.amazon.com/Power-Habit-What-Life-Business/dp/081298160X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+power+of+habit&qid=1679586785&sr=8-1 To connect with Björn, find him on Instagram at: bjoernlarswagner or email him at bjoernlwagner@gmail.com Learn more about The Global Faith and Work Initiative here: https://www.globalfaithandwork.com/ Learn more about the Surge Network here: https://www.surgenetwork.com/ This episode was produced by Abby Drachenberg, and hosted by Teena Dare. Timestamps Introduction to Knowing God in Work and Rest and Björn Wagner 0:00 Introducing habitus 1:31 Why is this concept important for us? 10:45 How does invisible culture shape our visible habits? 16:26 Give us an example of this for our everyday 20:09 Do we have any power to change the habitus in our workplace? 26:36 Small actions that can have bear witness in big ways 30:05 Tell us about someone whose work is often overlooked that you see with new vision 38:10

In this episode we get to hear from both Missy Wallace and Blake Schwarz about two spiritual practices that help nourish their intimacy with God. Missy shares about her first (and ongoing) practice of taking “silent days” with God and how it carves out space to hear from and deeply commune with Him. Blake tells us about his weekly practice of fasting and how his understanding of its formative power has evolved through the years. Resources related to this episode: On practicing Silence: Article: https://redeemercitytocity.com/articles-stories/a-day-of-silence Central Commons: https://www.centralcommons.org/ Gotham Fellowship: https://www.faithandworkgotham.com/ On Fasting: Celebration of Discipline Book: https://www.amazon.com/Celebration-Discipline-Special-Anniversary-Spiritual/dp/0062803883/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3TDWD8WVEV3L3&keywords=celebration+of+discipline+by+richard+foster&qid=1681417458&sprefix=celebration+of+discipl%2Caps%2C1110&sr=8-1 Practices of Love Book: https://www.amazon.com/Practices-Love-Spiritual-Disciplines-World-ebook/dp/B01N10VZKQ?ref_=ast_author_mpb Learn more about The Global Faith and Work Initiative here: www.globalfaithandwork.com/ Learn more about the Surge Network here: www.surgenetwork.com/ This episode was produced by Abby Drachenberg, and hosted by Teena Dare. Timestamps: Introduction to Knowing God in Work and Rest Missy Wallace and Blake Schwarz 0:00 Where do you see the need for us to press into God's presence at work? 1:33 What did it feel like going into the day of silence? 6:09 How often do you practice days of silence? 17:01 Tell us about someone whose work reflects Christ to you 19:28 Can you explain the concept of Central Commons? 21:51 What are the initial buds of fruit? 24:08 How has fasting helped you commune with God in your work and life? 29:15

Many of us struggle to find the space to deeply engage with God. When we do, it is often removed from the rhythms of our everyday life. Denise Daniels offers us a vision for weaving spiritual disciplines right into the rhythms of our daily work and rest to help us live before the face of God. She draws from the insightful book that she co-authored, Working in the Presence of God, to present us with creative and timely ideas about how we can regularly connect with God throughout our workdays. Resources mentioned: Working in the Presence of God: Book https://www.amazon.com/Working-Presence-God-Spiritual-Practices/dp/1683072227/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1MQ456MCT3ILC&keywords=working+in+the+presence+of+god+spiritual+practices+for+everyday+work&qid=1680044122&sprefix=working+in+the+pres%2Caps%2C144&sr=8-1 Practices for Working in the Presence of God: Guided Journal https://www.amazon.com/Practices-Working-Presence-God-Journal/dp/1683074041/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1MQ456MCT3ILC&keywords=working+in+the+presence+of+god+spiritual+practices+for+everyday+work&qid=1680044077&sprefix=working+in+the+pres%2Caps%2C144&sr=8-4 Film Series: Faith and Co. https://faithandco.spu.edu/ Learn more about The Global Faith and Work Initiative here: https://www.globalfaithandwork.com/ Learn more about the Surge Network here: https://www.surgenetwork.com/ Timestamps: Introduction to Knowing God in Work and Rest and Dr. Denise Daniels 0:00 How Denise found her way in the Faith and Work space 2:00 What is the “third-way” of becoming attentive to God at work? 6:28 Why is it important to evaluate our current rhythms before adding new ones? 11:31 How to practice Surrendering the Calendar 17:16 How to practice gratitude and lament in the workplace 20:49 What is the Prayer of Examen and how can we apply it to our lives? 26:07 Tell us about someone whose work is often overlooked that reflects Christ to you? 34:50 This episode was produced by Abby Drachenberg and hosted by Teena Dare.

We are beginning a new 6-part series called Knowing God in Work & Rest. In a world saturated in consumerism that is always looking to extract something from us, we have a God who longs to be with us and wants us to enjoy being in his presence. Strahan Coleman shares a vision for beholding prayer that leads to a life saturated in the presence of God. He shares from his new book, Beholding, about his journey into a life of beholding and how it can powerfully reshape how we work and rest. Resources related to this episode: Strahan's book: Beholding https://a.co/d/43HNEje Strahan's website: Commoner's Communion https://www.commonerscommunion.com/ Strahan's podcast: Commoner's Communion Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/commoners-communion-podcast/id1320670549 Learn more about The Global Faith and Work Initiative here: https://www.globalfaithandwork.com/ Learn more about the Surge Network here: https://www.surgenetwork.com/ Timestamps: Introduction to Knowing God in Work and Rest and Strahan Coleman 0:00 How has consumerism shaped our relationship with God? 8:36 God's invitation to closeness with Him 14:02 How beholding God transforms the way we love others in our daily life 19:59 How did a prolonged season of suffering shape how you relate to God? 23:19 How small disciplines of love can make us more like Christ in our daily work 27:43 How the mystery of the Eucharist reshapes how we engage the mundane 36:18 Tell us about someone whose work is often overlooked that reflects Christ to you? 42:17 This episode was produced by Abby Drachenberg and hosted by Teena Dare.

In this episode, Teena talks with Charity Maurer, Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Pursue Whole, about her passion for business and living in the tension of pursuing this calling alongside motherhood. She shares her story of stumbling upon her passion for business through her pursuit of art and how letting go of one dream opened her up to what came next. Websites mentioned in this episode: https://pursuewhole.com/

Welcome to Surge's Faith, Work, and Rest podcast. Our goal is to help God's people discern their vocations and reimagine their occupations for the good of their neighbors and the glory of God. In this episode, Teena talks with Erik Averill, co-founder of AWM Capital, about a fuller vision for stewarding the resources that God has entrusted us with to pursue flourishing in the world. Websites mentioned in this podcast: https://awmcap.com/

Welcome to Surge's Faith, Work, and Rest podcast. Our goal is to help God's people discern their vocations and reimagine their occupations for the good of their neighbors and the glory of God. In this episode, Teena talks with Steve Teng about serving the Church at work through supporting workplace fellowships and empowering underserved entrepreneurs. Quote 1: Business owner: We had never heard that what we do Monday to Friday matters to God. And then we heard, and such a weight was lifted. Quote 2: The emphasis is really to get a broader set of Christians to step into the truth that God is already with them in their work. We want them to do excellent work, meet with other believers and pray and love each other. And then discern together what God is already doing at their work. Websites mentioned: https://www.kingdomcapitalnetwork.org/ https://www.pivotleadership.org/

Welcome to Surge's Faith, Work, and Rest podcast. Our goal is to help God's people discern their vocations and reimagine their occupations for the good of their neighbors and the glory of God. In this episode, we listen to a conversation between Teena Dare and Michael Ly about the challenge of being an entrepreneur in today's context. Michael Ly is an entrepreneur, speaker, father, husband and follower of Jesus. He is CEO & Founder of Reconciled, an online accounting firm for entrepreneurs and small business owners, as well as co-founder of Humnly & PunchPay. Launched in 2015, Reconciled has been recognized in the accounting industry by industry leaders like Intuit as a “Firm of the Future” in both 2016 & 2018, 2019 Minority Business of the Year by the Vermont SBA, and made both the Inc. 5000 list and Sun Devil 100 in 2022. Michael has spoken at Intuit's Quickbooks Connect conference multiple times, as well as other accounting and small business conferences. https://michaelly.co/ Page for the entrepreneurs group: https://www.surgenetwork.com/entrepreneurs

Welcome to Surge's Faith, Work, and Rest podcast. Our goal is to help God's people discern their vocations and reimagine their occupations for the good of their neighbors and the glory of God. How do we know what God has called us to do? What cultural blinders do we have that may prevent us from being faithful to our calling? In this episode, we listen to a conversation between Teena Dare and Dr. Susan Maros about the importance of considering our cultural context when trying to discern our calling. Dr. Maros is a professor of Christian Leadership at Fuller Theological Seminary and author of the book "Context and Calling."

Welcome to Surge's Faith, Work, and Rest podcast. Our goal is to help God's people discern their vocations and reimagine their occupations for the good of their neighbors and the glory of God. In this episode, we listen to a conversation between Teena Dare and Kristina & Sean Barr about avoiding the pull of the busyness of life in order to treasure that thing you can't buy more of -- time.

89: Big Table - Serving Hope Welcome to Surge's Faith, Work, and Rest podcast. Our goal is to help God's people discern their vocations and reimagine their occupations for the good of their neighbors and the glory of God. In this episode, we listen to a second conversation between Teena Dare and Jen and Kevin from Big Table as they discuss building community and caring for the least, last, and lost in crisis, transition, or falling through the cracks. https://big-table.com/

Welcome to Surge's Faith, Work, and Rest podcast. Our goal is to help God's people discern their vocations and reimagine their occupations for the good of their neighbors and the glory of God. In this episode, we listen to a second conversation between Teena Dare and Satyan Devadoss as they continue to explore the unseen ways in which math and technology affect and shape both us and our world. satyandevadoss.org/

Welcome to Surge's Faith, Work, and Rest podcast. Our goal is to help God's people discern their vocations and reimagine their occupations for the good of their neighbors and the glory of God. In this episode, we listen to a conversation between Teena Dare and Dan and Danae Lemoine, co-founders of re:vitalize Weight Loss and Wellness Center, about their life, journey, and ministry in starting and building their business.

Welcome to Surge's Faith, Work, and Rest podcast. Our goal is to help God's people discern their vocations and reimagine their occupations for the good of their neighbors and the glory of God. In this episode, we listen to a conversation between Teena Dare and Adrian Miller about the power of forgiveness in our everyday lives. Christina is a certified Christian Conciliator and Biblical Counselor who resides in Flagstaff, Arizona with her husband Bob. Her passion is equipping others to live at peace. She can be reached at peacemakingispossible@gmail.com

This is episode six of our series on Faith, Work, Mercy and Justice. How do we understand the God of mercy and justice at work in the world? What does it mean to be redeemed and set apart to join him in that work? How do we steward vocational power for the marginalized? In Partnership with The Global Faith and Work Initiative at Redeemer City to City, we are sharing six stories of women and men who encountered brokenness in their industry and chose to creatively pursue mercy and justice right where they found themselves. In this episode, Teena interviews author Wayetu Moore about the power of retelling our stories Shownotes www.globalfaithandwork.com

This is episode five of our series on Faith, Work, Mercy and Justice. How do we understand the God of mercy and justice at work in the world? What does it mean to be redeemed and set apart to join him in that work? How do we steward vocational power for the marginalized? In Partnership with The Global Faith and Work Initiative at Redeemer City to City, we are sharing six stories of women and men who encountered brokenness in their industry and chose to creatively pursue mercy and justice right where they found themselves. In this episode, Teena interviews Lisa Hertzog about the power of educating for belonging! Shownotes www.globalfaithandwork.com

This is episode three of our series on Faith, Work, Mercy and Justice. How do we understand the God of mercy and justice at work in the world? What does it mean to be redeemed and set apart to join him in that work? How do we steward vocational power for the marginalized? In Partnership with The Global Faith and Work Initiative at Redeemer City to City, we are sharing six stories of women and men who encountered brokenness in their industry and chose to creatively pursue mercy and justice right where they found themselves. In this episode, Teena interviews Brittany Johnson and Noel D'Avy about how healing, faith, work, mercy, and justice intersect in the mental health space. Brittany and Noel met at a small church plant in downtown Mesa and were shocked to find out they were both counselors and art therapists. Their friendship grew quickly as they spent many early mornings over coffee dreaming about more ways to help others in therapy. The vision for The Well was born out of love for God, love for people, and love for their city. Shownotes https://thewellmesa.com/ www.globalfaithandwork.com

This is episode three of our series on Faith, Work, Mercy and Justice. How do we understand the God of mercy and justice at work in the world? What does it mean to be redeemed and set apart to join him in that work? How do we steward vocational power for the marginalized? In Partnership with The Global Faith and Work Initiative at Redeemer City to City, we are sharing six stories of women and men who encountered brokenness in their industry and chose to creatively pursue mercy and justice right where they found themselves. In this episode, Teena interviews Regina Green about how economics, faith, work, mercy, and justice intersect in her varying roles and time at Goldman Sachs. Shownotes www.globalfaithandwork.com

This is episode two of our series on Faith, Work, Mercy and Justice. How do we understand the God of mercy and justice at work in the world? What does it mean to be redeemed and set apart to join him in that work? How do we steward vocational power for the marginalized? In Partnership with The Global Faith and Work Initiative at Redeemer City to City, we are sharing six stories of women and men who encountered brokenness in their industry and chose to creatively pursue mercy and justice right where they found themselves. In this episode, Teena interviews John Onwuchekwa about his journey into the murky waters of muted narratives, historical injustice and present-day inequities that are embedded in the craft coffee industry. Then we get a chance to hear about his creative pursuit of re-narrating the story of coffee in hopes of a more equitable future. Shownotes IG: https://www.instagram.com/portraitcoffee/ - Website: https://portrait.coffee/ www.globalfaithandwork.com

We are beginning a new 6-part series called Faith, Work, Mercy and Justice. How do we understand the God of mercy and justice at work in the world? What does it mean to be redeemed and set apart to join him in that work? How do we steward vocational power for the marginalized? Sponsored by The Global Faith and Work Initiative at Redeemer City to City, Teena joins Kimberly Deckel and Lauren Gill as we showcase men and women who are creatively pursuing mercy and justice in their respective fields. Each case study tells us a story of how an individual encountered the brokenness in their industry and caught a vision for what it looks like for the kingdom of God to break through their field of work. In this first episode, Teena, Kimberly, and Lauren discuss the launch of the new mini-series and then interview Teena about how she stewarded vocational power in the hospitality industry. Show notes: https://www.globalfaithandwork.com/ http://www.shakingspirits.com/

Welcome to Surge's Faith, Work, and Rest podcast. Our goal is to help God's people discern their vocations and reimagine their occupations for the good of their neighbors and the glory of God. In this episode, we listen to a conversation between Teena Dare and Adrian Miller about the power of sharing meals, the whitewashing of American BBQ history, and seeking to mend the polarization of America by choosing to stay at a common table. Adrian Miller is a food writer, James Beard Award winner, attorney, and certified barbecue judge who lives in Denver, Colorado. https://adrianemiller.com/about/

Welcome to Surge's Faith, Work, and Rest podcast. Our goal is to help God's people discern their vocations and reimagine their occupations for the good of their neighbors and the glory of God. In this episode, we listen to a conversation between Teena Dare and Satyan Devadoss about the mystery mathematics and what it's like to explore God's creation at the cutting edge of knowledge. https://satyandevadoss.org/

Welcome to Surge's Faith, Work, and Rest podcast. Our goal is to help God's people discern their vocations and reimagine their occupations for the good of their neighbors and the glory of God. In this episode, we listen to a conversation between Teena Dare and Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, physician and author of Sacred Rest, about a holistic approach toward rest. She talks about seven different kinds of rest she has identified, unfolding creational wisdom for us to uniquely pursue the rest that we need. Show Notes: www.restquiz.com - Learn what forms of Rest you need most www.ichoosemybestlife.com

Welcome to Surge's Faith, Work, and Rest podcast. Our goal is to help God's people discern their vocations and reimagine their occupations for the good of their neighbors and the glory of God. In this episode, we listen to a conversation between Teena, Kristin Tovar, and AC about what it means to talk about consumerism as idolatry and different ways we can subvert the longing for more with a longing for the coming and risen King. Links: www.surgenetwork.com/start-faith-work-rest/ www.missionaltraining.org

Welcome to Surge's Faith, Work, and Rest podcast. Our goal is to help God's people discern their vocations and reimagine their occupations for the good of their neighbors and the glory of God. In this episode, we listen to a conversation between Teena Dare and Meghan Larissa Good about how to read the Bible as a means of encountering the risen Jesus, and all of the implications this has for all of life. Links: www.surgenetwork.com/start-faith-work-rest/ www.missionaltraining.org

Welcome to Surge's Faith, Work, and Rest podcast. Our goal is to help God's people discern their vocations and reimagine their occupations for the good of their neighbors and the glory of God. In this episode, we listen to a conversation between Teena Dare and Jordan Raynor about productivity and seven ways you can better redeem your time to the glory of God and for the sake of the nations. Links: www.surgenetwork.com/start-faith-work-rest/ www.missionaltraining.org https://jordanraynor.com/

Welcome to Surge's Faith, Work, and Rest podcast. Our goal is to help God's people discern their vocations and reimagine their occupations for the good of their neighbors and the glory of God. In this episode, we listen to a conversation that Teena has with Rob Johnson about what it looks to imitate Christ as a customer service representative (CSR). Show notes: https://www.amazon.com/Customer-Service-Imitation-Christ-Johnson/dp/1468162055

Welcome to Surge's Faith, Work, and Rest podcast. Our goal is to help God's people discern their vocations and reimagine their occupations for the good of their neighbors and the glory of God. In this episode, we listen to a conversation that Teena has with Caleb Mitchell and Loren Kusko about the importance of emotional intelligence for leaders in the workplace. Show notes: https://phxcounselingcollective.com/consulting https://www.kutskoconsulting.com/blog/the-7-types-of-organizational-stress-and-how-to-identify-and-prevent-them Books Mentioned: "Mindsight" by Daniel Siegel "The Body Keeps the Score" by Bessel van der Kolk "What Happened to You?" by Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey

Welcome to Surge's Faith, Work, and Rest podcast. Our goal is to help God's people discern their vocations and reimagine their occupations for the good of their neighbors and the glory of God. In this episode, we listen to a conversation between Teena and Caleb about how storytelling fits into vocation and what it looks like to be ordained to your job.

Welcome to Surge's Faith, Work, and Rest podcast. Our goal is to help God's people discern their vocations and reimagine their occupations for the good of their neighbors and the glory of God. In this episode, we listen to a conversation between Teena Dare and Ron Austin about what it was like to be a Christian in Hollywood over the last several decades. Links: https://www.dspt.edu/ron-austin www.surgenetwork.com/start-faith-work-rest/ www.missionaltraining.org

Welcome to Surge's Faith, Work, and Rest podcast. Our goal is to help God's people discern their vocations and reimagine their occupations for the good of their neighbors and the glory of God. In this episode, we listen to a conversation between Teena Dare and Karen Covell about what it looks like to seek first the kingdom in Hollywood, including an incredible story concerning Hugh Hefner and the pursuing heart of God. Links: www.surgenetwork.com/start-faith-work-rest/ www.missionaltraining.org

Welcome to Surge’s Faith, Work, and Rest podcast. Our goal is to help God’s people discern their vocations and reimagine their occupations for the good of their neighbors and the glory of God. In this episode, we listen to a conversation between Teena and Kristin about a theology of place, learning to love where we live to the glory of God and the good of neighbor. Links: www.surgenetwork.com/start-faith-work-rest/ www.missionaltraining.org www.whyilovewhereilive.com www.instagram.com/whyilovewhereilive/

Welcome to Surge’s Faith, Work, and Rest podcast. Our goal is to help God’s people discern their vocations and reimagine their occupations for the good of their neighbors and the glory of God. In this episode, we listen to a conversation between Teena and Matthew about leading a construction business in such a way as to truly build the community. Matthew Ducharme is the owner of MGD Builders in Arizona. MGD Builders started in early 2010, with experience in residential remodeling and ground-up builds. Since then, the company has grown to handle both small projects and six-figure remodeling and commercial tenant improvement jobs. Links: surgenetwork.com/start-faith-work-rest www.missionaltraining.org/ https://www.mgdbuildersaz.com/about

Welcome to Surge’s Faith, Work, and Rest podcast. Our goal is to help God’s people discern their vocations and reimagine their occupations for the good of their neighbors and the glory of God. In this episode, we listen to a conversation between Teena and Dr. David Rylaarsdam about how we can learn healthy work rhythms from monks and how we can connect faith and social action. David Rylaarsdam began his teaching career at Smith Memorial Bible College in Nigeria, and since has taught at the University of Notre Dame, Dordt College, Missional Training Center (Phoenix), Calvin Prison Initiative, and Calvin Seminary. He has also served a variety of churches as interim pastor and received missionary training in Mexico City. His research interests are focused on Christian spiritual practices, discipleship, and leadership training throughout history. Links: surgenetwork.com/start-faith-work-rest www.missionaltraining.org/

Welcome to Surge’s Faith, Work, and Rest podcast. Our goal is to help God’s people discern their vocations and reimagine their occupations for the good of their neighbors and the glory of God. Anthony Hernandez is a lay leader at Redemption North Mountain, creator of the Youtube channel: Every Dad Day, and senior claims manager of a logistics company.

Welcome to Surge’s Faith, Work, and Rest podcast. Our goal is to help God’s people discern their vocations and reimagine their occupations for the good of their neighbors and the glory of God. In today's episode Doug McKelvey, author of "Every Moment Holy," shares how finding a collaborative community transformed his work. He also reflects on how liturgy can reshape our imaginations for how our daily work and rest participate in God's Story. Doug participated in the early work of Charlie Peacock’s Art House Foundation, an organization dedicated to a shared exploration of faith and the arts. In the decades since, he has worked as an author, song lyricist, scriptwriter, and video director. He has penned more than 350 lyrics recorded by a variety of artists including Switchfoot, Kenny Rogers, Sanctus Real, and Jason Gray. His newest book is Every Moment Holy (Rabbit Room Press). His other works include The Angel Knew Papa and the Dog (illustrated by Zach Franzen), The Wishes of the Fish King (illustrated by Jamin Still), Subjects with Objects (with Jonathan Richter), and Stories We Shared: A Family Book Journal (with Jamin Still).

Welcome to Surge’s Faith, Work, and Rest podcast. Our goal is to help God’s people discern their vocations and reimagine their occupations for the good of their neighbors and the glory of God. Prior to The Call to Work, Tracy Mathews spent eight years leading strategy and business development for Coskata, Inc., an early-stage industrial biotech company with significant investment from Blackstone, Total, Khosla Ventures and others. Tracy has been leading the development of The Call to Work since March of 2016, and says of her experience: "Since coming on board with The Call to Work, God has done so much to grow and transform me through my daily work. I now understand that no matter what I’m doing, whether it’s strategic planning or cleaning up the kitchen, God is with me in that situation, and he has good purpose and guidance for me in it. Through the tools and principles I’m learning through The Call to Work, I am experiencing more of God’s presence and more fullness of life than I ever thought possible in this life. And I can truly say I am a better worker – a better leader, a better entrepreneur, a better mother, a better wife and friend – than I was when I started with this project. God is so good to give me first-hand experience with the 'bigger, all of life, fullness of life vision of following Jesus' that we endeavor to catalyze for others!"