Practicing The Art Of Faithful Presence

Podcast Name: Practicing the Art of Faithful PresenceEpisode 24: Cheryl Bachelder – A CEO whose Recipe for Success is Serving OthersIn this episode, podcast host Dr. David Wright speaks with Cheryl Bachelder, a restaurant industry executive and former CEO of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc.At the outset, Cheryl explains the story of how she became the CEO of Popeye’s Louisiana Chicken. As a member of the board of directors for Popeye’s, she was serving on the search committee to replace a recently departed CEO. After offering the job to two executives who declined, Cheryl’s fellow board members ask her to fill the role.She notes the significance of this by explaining that she was fired as the CEO of Kentucky Fried Chicken. She suspected she would never be a CEO again. But the lessons learned from that failure produced the confidence needed to approach the role of CEO at Popeye’s in a very different manner. During her 10 years as CEO of Popeye’s, the restaurant was rebranded and resurrected from a tired organization with many unhappy employees to one of remarkable success. Profits doubled, 1,000 new restaurants were built and market share grew 75% making Popeye’s a fierce competitor in the quick-service restaurant market.Cheryl shares her faith story which includes an incredible heritage of faith among her family. She tells of becoming a Christian at age 13, but also realizes that the journey as a Christian is one of continual learning and growing. She remarks that she is a very different kind of Christian today than she was when she was 13, or 22 or 42. It is a continuous journey of becoming more obedient to Christ.Returning to the workplace, Chery talks about what it was like to lead as one of the few, or only, women at the executive leadership level. In addition, she felt called to be in the secular workplace. “I felt it was my call to be on the mission field of the marketplace – not to pass out information about Christianity, but to live in a fashion that would draw curiosity toward the Christian faith.” She speaks about her motivation for writing her book, “Dare to Serve” which provides a case study for how servant leadership can drive successful results. Many authors have written about servant leadership, but she wanted to write a book that explained how it was lived out – and worked.In closing, Cheryl provides thoughts about the election (as this podcast was recorded the day before American voted), advice for young women leaders, and she answered the question of how best to nurture your hope and optimism for the future within the world today.Learn more about Cheryl Bachelder. Learn more about Practicing the Art of Faithful Presence.Learn more about host David Wright.

In this episode, podcast host Dr. David Wright speaks with Todd Williams, one of the finest woodwind artists of today. His fame began when he became a member of the Wynton Marsalis Quintet, Septet and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra in the late 1980s. Since then, he has played with many of the world’s greatest musicians and in front of audiences all over the world.As Dr. Wright and Todd begin their conversation, Todd explains the significance of jazz as a form of music in America. With Todd’s vast knowledge of this genre of music, he explains its connection to just about every music form in existence today. His is a unique perspective on jazz having played with some of the early pioneers of this type of music, such as members of the Duke Ellington orchestra when he became a member of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.Todd explains the story of how he met Wynton Marsalis and eventually became a member of his band. It was the solos he learned that earned him a spot in Wynton’s band. Dr. Wright asked if Todd could play an example, which he does.As the story continues, Todd explains the good parts and the bad parts of fame and being part of a top jazz band traveling the world. He speaks candidly about the temptations and his personal struggle to reconcile the faith he knew as a child with the life he was leading during these years on the road.In 1990, he came to a crossroads and determined to seek the Lord, “come what may”. He earned the nickname “The Deacon” from Wynton and the other band members as he boldly proclaimed his love for Jesus. Eventually, Todd left the band and began to pursue other ways of putting his musical talents to good use.Following the playing of a song from his most recent CD, Todd shared about his passion for teaching college students today, ending with advice for students of today.Learn more about Todd Williams.Find Todd Williams music on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, at Wynton Marsalis, Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and Times City Church.Learn more about Practicing the Art of Faithful Presence.Learn more about host David Wright.

Podcast Name: Practicing the Art of Faithful PresenceEpisode 22: Dawn Brown – Philanthropist at the Intersection of Generosity and Systemic PovertyIn this episode, podcast host Dr. David Wright speaks with Dawn Brown, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Community Foundation of Grant County, Indiana. To begin, Dawn shares the story of how she found her first job after graduating from Ball State University with a degree in education. She researched the best school district in the country and learned it was located in Plano,TX.  Wanting to start her career in the best district, she drove to TX (in a car without air conditioning) and tried to apply for a teaching job.  She was immediately met with reality when she learned that everybody wanted to work at the best school district in the country and their district was not taking applications.  Dawn explains how God intervened in a miraculous way to provide a job within that district.  After years of teaching, Dawn transitioned to leadership, and eventually to a thriving career in philanthropy in 2005 when she joined the Community Foundation.  Dawn explains her back story.  She grew up in a clean and orderly home with two siblings and a single mother who worked 2nd shift in a factory.  Her family was poverty stricken and living in a ‘not thriving’ neighborhood.  Dawn describes a childhood where many people poured into her and continually fed her inborn ray of hope.  She became a believer because of a friend who invited her to church and also church camp.  She was the first to go to college in her family--even going on to obtain a master’s degree was truly remarkable considering the circumstances of her childhood.Dawn describes her work at the Community Foundation.  Her explanation of the formation of the foundation is fascinating and her passion for the work is evident.  She further explores the #1 problem of Grant County—systemic poverty.  Dawn describes the work the foundation is doing to try to solve poverty issues in Grant County and includes valuable lessons learned in the years she has been involved in philanthropy.While the work is challenging and change comes about slowly, Dawn’s faith provides fuel and reminds her that God has her in this role for a specific reason.  She is faithfully using the gifts that God has given her ‘each and every day’ to try to make the world a better place.Follow Community Foundation of Grand County on all social media platforms @givetograntLearn more about Community Foundation of Grant County Indiana, Inc.Learn more about Practicing the Art of Faithful Presence.Learn more about host David Wright. 

Podcast Name: Practicing the Art of Faithful PresenceEpisode 21: Steve Edmondson – Upending Desperate Poverty in HaitiIn this episode, podcast host Dr. David Wright speaks with Dr. Steve Edmondson, Family Practice doctor and founder of Starfysh, a non-profit organization working to fight the devastating effects of poverty in the lives of the Haitian people.Dr. Edmondson gently unfolds the events that took place in the early years of his career as a family physician in West Michigan to get him to visit Haiti for the first time. In his wildest imagination, he never could have guessed the way that God would lead in his life to allow him to be a part of a long-term project to help the people of this country.To begin, Dr. Edmondson went to Haiti once a year, then twice a year for many years. He became known as “the guy who goes to Haiti” and people expressed an interest in going along or sending help to the Haitian people. When Hurricane Matthew hit Haiti in 2010, Dr. Edmondson was invited by Haiti – a country that was closed to the entire world – to come and help. He brought a commercial airplane full of doctors, nurses, pastors, psychologists and interpreters to help in the initial aftermath of that storm. He describes the situation at that moment in time that prompted so many people to give.Rather than continuing to accept gifts from people that he then used to purchase things like tarps for the quickly assembled refugee cites, Dr. Edmondson created a non-profit organization called Starfysh. Initially, Starfysh was a clever way to provide receipts for donations. With time, this organization has grown to be so much more.Starfysh runs three elementary schools with 125-150 students in each, they work to provide clean water and they have created a signature garden where they teach Haitian people how to succeed in farming and growing coffee plants. Through all of these projects they are providing means for economic development.Dr. Edmondson speaks about the lessons they have learned over the years and briefly explains why he wanted be a medical doctor.If you have an interest in connecting with Dr. Edmondson, you can contact him through the Starfysh website. If you have an interest in helping their work, you can buy coffee through either the Starfysh website or the Life Garden Coffee website. Learn more about Starfysh.Learn more about Life Garden Coffee.Learn more about Practicing the Art of Faithful Presence.Learn more about host David Wright.

Podcast Name: Practicing the Art of Faithful PresenceEpisode 20: James S. Poore, II – A People Loving McDonald’s Owner/OperatorIn this episode, podcast host Dr. David Wright speaks with James S. Poore, II, an owner/operator of four McDonald’s restaurants in Indianapolis, Indiana. James explained that his earliest wish was to be a small business owner - a seed that was planted at his first job, a landscaping business.Following college where he played football on a full athletic scholarship, he began his professional career with Monsanto. During that time, he got his MBA at Indiana Wesleyan University. He left Monsanto to be a Vice President and Director of Marketing at a bank. All the while, he continued serving in his church, Eastern Star.As James likes to say, “it all starts at the church” because that is where he met his wife, grew tremendously in his faith and was initially invited to join the McDonald’s owner/operator business. He was teaching a class at church when a student approached him about the idea. From that point, it took four years before James and his wife Pam bought their first McDonalds restaurant.James also speaks about the source of his hope in life. As an African American man, the events of this year certainly have their impact on him and many others. James speaks about the support system that he has had all of his life – from his parents, to coaches, fellow players, aunts and uncles, pastors. They have all played a very important part in his life. So many people saw things in him that he did not see in himself. He has made a point of going back to those many people who have invested in his life to thank them.When speaking of the lessons he has learned in his business career, the number one value that has emerged for James is the importance of loving people. When you love people, it makes a world of difference. It is not just about what they can do for you, but who they are and wanting to help them. For the Poores, the McDonalds restaurants they own and the people they employ become their extended family.James explains the ins and outs of owning a McDonalds restaurant, the impact that COVID-19 has had upon their restaurants and how the owner/operators interface with corporate and the many McDonalds suppliers.With great passion, James speaks about the realities of the day when it comes to racial injustice. As a leader in Indianapolis, he gets asked often for advice from peers and youth. He is thankful for the businesses he owns that gives him a platform to be an influence and to have impact in his community. He speaks of the importance of having conversations between people who are different and holding to peaceful protests to make our voices heard. In the end, he believes that if we can focus on what we agree on, we can have a much better relationship with one another. It is also important to address educational and digital divides that have become highlighted during this pandemic.Learn more about James S. Poore, IILearn more about Practicing the Art of Faithful Presence.Learn more about host David Wright. 

Podcast Name: Practicing the Art of Faithful PresenceEpisode 19: Thoracic Surgeon Dr. Michael Carmichael – Being Jesus in the HospitalIn this episode, podcast host Dr. David Wright speaks with renowned Thoracic Surgeon Dr. Michael Carmichael. To begin, Dr. Carmichael explains how it came about that he decided to pursue a career as a medical doctor, and specifically as a surgeon. His mother and father noted the talent he had with his hands and suggested he be a pianist or a physician.Early on in his life, he was allowed to be in an operating room and nearly passed out watching an orthopedic surgeon at work. He decided to get a job working in an operating room as a surgical tech to confirm if this would be a path he should really take. It took a bit of time, but eventually he did get accustomed to watching surgery, even to the point of doing it himself.Dr. Carmichael explains the enormous amount of growth that has taken place in the world of thoracic surgery. While the operations themselves have not changed in 40 years, the approach to the heart has changed dramatically as doctors have sought to find minimally invasive ways to do life-saving surgeries.Alongside a thriving surgical career in the United States, Dr. Carmichael began taking medical mission trips to China in 1992. The number one cause of death for the Chinese male is coronary heart disease. While the Chinese people are thin and eat healthy, they often start smoking in their teen years. When Dr. Carmichael started doing open heart bypass surgeries in China, less than 50 surgeries were done per year with a 50% survival rate. As a result, not many people were interested in having open heart surgery. This was an avenue for Dr. Carmichael to go to China and help the people and share the love of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ.As time passed, the hospitals in China made invitations directly to Dr. Carmichael to come work in their hospitals. For a time, Dr. Carmichael invited doctors and nurses to come to the US to live with him and train in America. Many put their trust in Jesus during their stay in the US. For the last two and a half years, Dr. and Mrs. Carmichael have been living in China six to eight months per year allowing Dr. Carmichael to teach cardiac surgery. Now the mortality rate for the over 2,000 open heart surgeries performed each year in China is .07%.Dr. Carmichael tells tales of his first open heart surgery in China in 1992, he explains what it is like to be a Christian living there and he offers his perspective on the people of China and the coronavirus outbreak in 2020. Learn more about Dr. Michael Carmichael. Learn more about Practicing the Art of Faithful Presence.Learn more about host David Wright.

Podcast Name: Practicing the Art of Faithful PresenceEpisode 18: Rick Chamberlin, University of Dayton Head Football CoachIn this episode, podcast host Dr. David Wright speaks with University of Dayton head football coach, Rick Chamberlin. Coach Chamberlin has led the football program for 13 years, and served as an assistant coach for the previous 29. He graduated from the University of Dayton following a very successful career as a player on the field.It is evident from the outset that Coach Chamberlin loves coaching football, and he loves coaching football at his alma mater. He explains the uniqueness of the University of Dayton football program that offers no athletic scholarships. His players who receive aid qualify based on need or academics. They are students who simply love the game – and they are smart. They also love being part of a winning program. Coach explains the impact of his toughest opponent yet – COVID-19 – on the University of Dayton football program. Their entire 2020 season has been cancelled but they are approaching conditioning and practicing with safety as their first priority. He adds that their players have had great attitudes through it all.Coach provides his insights on how playing the game of football during college impacts the men who play on his team. It helps them learn to work with others. They have to be very disciplined people to play this game. They gain something more than just winning – they are learning about themselves and they are connected to something bigger than themselves. The coaches, alumni and players of University of Dayton football are a family.Dr. Wright asks Coach Chamberlin to share his testimony and to explain how it works to be a person of faith and a head football coach. Coach begins with the fact that his life has always been special – he was adopted. He grew up in a loving family with a Christian mother. The seeds of the gospel were planted from an early age. He married, had children, began coaching and explained what a perfect life he had at age 23. The Chamberlains visited a Wesleyan church where they saw people who exemplified the joy of serving the Lord. He said he looked at his wife and said “I want that.” That night they committed their lives to the Lord together.Coach answers questions about how playing football, a rough and tumble game, can be compatible with being a Christian. He describes how he perceives this generation of young men. Where previous generations simply ‘did what the coach said’, this generation needs a reason why. He sees a generation that really wants something of substance to hold onto – something they can truly count on.The conversation ends with Coach sharing his wisdom on leadership and the thing he would tell himself if he could speak to his 20-year-old self. Most of all, he would tell the young Rick Chamberlain to take everything in – to listen to everyone around you. There is so much to learn in life. Learn more about Rick ChamberlinLearn more about Rick Chamberlin ShowLearn more about Practicing the Art of Faithful Presence.Learn more about host David Wright.

In this episode, podcast host Dr. David Wright speaks with Darren Campbell, CEO and founder of Tree of Life Bookstores and CampusEDU. Darren is an entrepreneur who builds successful companies in the midst of competitive, challenging landscapes. Darren has a passion to dream big and bring unique solutions to the forefront.At the outset of the conversation, Darren explains the origin of his entrepreneurial spirit. It started with a car he wanted to buy but his father stood in the way. He wanted to prove to his dad that he could take risks and it would be ok. Darren is quick to add that he loves his dad and that his dad passed on many wonderful things, but this one experience fueled his passion to want to prove that you could succeed even while taking risks.Darren explains his path from business student at IWU to ordained minister to bookstore/coffee shop owner to the Tree of Life Bookstore business which will do $40 million in sales this year. He talks openly about how he saw opportunity in the textbook business even when a formidable competitor like Amazon joined the scene.Tree of Life Bookstores is a family owned business shared by four family units and led by Darren. He talks about the positives and negatives of being in business with family. “The only thing worse than being in business with your family is NOT being in business with your family.” One significant positive he notes is that families have a long-term view rather than just a focus on the next quarter’s earnings.The conversation turned to CampusEDU, Darren’s newest venture. He explains the opportunity for a fully redesigned online educational opportunity. His dreams for this venture will meet a need in education that has yet to be fulfilled – one that also comes with a lower price point. His belief is that students want an integrated faith-based educational experience but many cannot afford it. He sees an opportunity to create a fully viable low cost online educational option for students and Christian institutions.Returning to his dad, Darren explained how his Dad led him to faith in Christ. He speaks about his own ability to take big risks because of the fear of the Lord – a truth rooted in the book of Proverbs. Darren believes the book of Proverbs is the best business book ever written, the best marriage book – the best parenting book – the best guide for pastors, CEO’s, or any job. He explains his mindset when going into a new business ventures and how truths learned by reaching the book of Proverbs guide his thinking.The conversation ends with three thoughts – Darren explains a time of crisis of faith when a business venture didn’t work as planned. He explains his reasoning for making his business based in Marion, Indiana. And, he shares what he would say to the 20-year-old Darren Campbell if he had the opportunity.Learn more about Tree of Life.Learn more about Practicing the Art of Faithful Presence.Learn more about host David Wright.

In this episode, podcast host Dr. David Wright speaks with Ed Bastian, the CEO of Delta Airlines. Since taking the helm in 2017, Delta has become the world’s most awarded airline. Bastian is a critical leader in Delta’s long-term strategy and champion of putting Delta’s shared values of honesty, integrity, respect, perseverance and servant leadership at the core of every decision.The most natural place to start the conversation was the impact of COVID-19 on Delta’s business. Bastian shared that Delta was at 5% of their normal cash flow in April of 2020 (25,000 passengers per day vs. the usual 600,000). He explains the many facets of Delta’s response to the pandemic - how they are taking care of their employees, their customers and preparing for the future. “Tourism and travel” is one of the biggest industries and Bastian is confident it will come back one day. He intends for Delta to lead the way.Bastian explains his upbringing and his journey to CEO of Delta, a position he never would have imagined he would hold. The unique Delta ‘servant leadership culture’ rooted in 95 years of history, was something that attracted Bastian to Delta. It is this culture that differentiates Delta from their competitors, a fact that gives Bastian great pride.Turning to the subject of faith, Bastian describes his faith journey. Being the oldest of nine children raised in a Catholic family provided Bastian with a solid foundation. But, he strayed from his faith following college. During his early 30’s, Bastian met Dr. Bill Lawrence of Dallas Theological Seminary, a man who deeply impacted his life. Dr. Lawrence helped Bastian understand the gospel message and salvation through faith in Christ.Returning to the Delta story, Bastian answers the question about the most important decision made by Delta to help the company to weather the current storm. Bastian explains the 15% profit sharing plan that is in place for Delta employees. In the last five years, Delta has paid in excess of $1 billion each year to their people just through profit sharing. Profit sharing has given employees a sense of shared ownership and allegiance to Delta. This culture of putting people first has translated into employees who put customers first because they have a vested interest in the success of the company. This is what makes Delta special.Learn more about Ed Bastian.Learn more about Delta Airlines.Learn more about Practicing the Art of Faithful Presence.Learn more about host David Wright.

In this episode, podcast host Dr. David Wright speaks with Indiana’s 110th Supreme Court Justice, the Honorable Christopher Goff. Justice Goff was appointed to the Indiana Supreme Court by Governor Eric Holcomb in June 2017 following a distinguished career as a trial lawyer, public defender and Wabash County Superior Court Judge.In this conversation, Justice Goff provides an explanation as to how someone becomes a supreme court justice as well as illuminating the work of the five supreme court justices of Indiana. In a given year, between three and five thousand of the 1.3 million cases filed in Indiana go to the Indiana Court of appeals. From those, approximately 1,000 cases are brought to the Indiana Supreme Court justices for consideration. Within one year, this group of five justices will hear roughly 100 cases. Justice Goff explains the rationale for when and why a particular case is heard. He brings clarity to the purpose of this court, which ultimately serves to clarify the law.He also speaks about his upbringing with a father who held a deep love of learning and a mother who stressed the importance of serving others. Following a firm profession of faith early in his law career, Justice Goff discusses the ways in which upholding the law marries well with many aspects of his faith. It is clear from his work to establish the Wabash County Drug Court, the Wabash County Family Recover Court, the Wabash County Reentry Court and his statements validating that every individual – even at their worst – is worthy of love and sacrifice, that Justice Goff truly cares about coming together with his fellow man to solve the problems of our day through work that is dignified and full of respect. “We have so much in common, that it is incumbent upon us in times like these to focus on those things as opposed to the things that tear us apart.”Learn more about Justice Christopher Goff (https://www.in.gov/judiciary/supreme/2583.htm)Learn more about Practicing the Art of Faithful Presence. (https://www.indwes.edu/faithful/)Learn more about host David Wright (https://www.indwes.edu/about/administration/office-of-the-president)

In this episode of Practicing the Art of Faithful Presence, host David Wright is joined by five-time national championship-winning basketball coach of Indiana Wesleyan University, Greg Tonagel. To open, David asks Greg to share a little bit about his background with the listeners. Greg shares that he was born in Northwest Indiana and grew up on a dairy farm. The hard-working culture of farming was a foundational part of his upbringing. Basketball was also a significant part of his upbringing. At an early age, he remembers playing basketball in the barn on his family’s farm. He ultimately ended up playing college basketball at Valparaiso University. It was at Valparaiso, under the coaching of Homer Drew, that Greg learned how to be a leader and discovered his passion for coaching.During college, he suffered an injury that left him sidelined. Greg views this moment as a blessing in disguise, as it allowed him to focus on his relationship with God. As basketball was put to the side, he had the opportunity to realign his priorities and make God more important than his personal goals and aspirations. This time in his life was when he began to make his faith his own, and it established the course of his relationship with God. It was also at Valparaiso that he met his wife, Amy, who became a great support to him and his players.While Greg was rehabbing with his injury, he found more opportunities to encourage and pour into his teammates. Slowly, he began to see that he could begin to minister to people through a career in basketball. At the same time that Greg set his sights on a coaching career, the head coaching position at Indiana Wesleyan opened up. He interviewed on a whim, fully believing that he would not get the position due to his lack of experience. Through the interview process, though, it became apparent that Greg and the university were perfect fits for one another, and he was offered the position. As head coach, he immediately worked on establishing the type of culture that he wanted the basketball program to exemplify. The culture that he wanted to establish is what he calls the I am Third philosophy. He learned this philosophy from a summer camp he was involved with, Kanakuk. Simply put, this philosophy encourages people to prioritize their relationship with God and their relationships with others before their own needs and desires. Slowly, this philosophy has become interwoven into the culture of the Indiana Wesleyan basketball program. This philosophy has also attracted players who want to be a part of this kind of culture. Greg truly believes that the I am Third philosophy has turned into tangible success on the basketball court. This has also opened doors for him to share his faith with many people in the basketball community. To close, Greg stresses the importance of identification in Christ and Christ alone, stating that there is no I am Third without Jesus Christ at the center.Learn More about Greg TonagelLearn more about Practicing the Art of Faithful Presence.Learn more about host David Wright.

In this episode, Dr. Wright interviews Reverend Donovan A. Coley, Sr., a native Jamaican who now resides in Northwest Indiana.  Donovan holds degrees from Fort Wayne Bible College and Trinity International University; in addition to having earned credits toward a PhD, he holds an honorary doctorate degree from IWU.  Donovan has been the President and CEO of the Fort Wayne Rescue Mission since 2008.  He’s seen much change in his years in the position, as he and his organization work to alleviate the problems of poverty, trauma, mental and other medical illness, and addiction in the community. They have seen the organization’s influence and footprint expand greatly. For the first part of the conversation, Donovan explains what is simply known as The Rescue Mission and its role in Northwest Indiana.  Originally established in 1903 to help the proverbial “town drunk,” the mission has evolved to include four houses with different purposes.  It is now in the midst of a major building project, which will see its space increase dramatically.  Donovan explains how The Rescue Mission aims to change the way the people of Fort Wayne and Allen County address the issues of poverty and homelessness by acting as the hands and feet of Jesus.  The mission’s most recent initiative - bound up in its building project - is to add proactive work into the ministry, inviting 16 agencies (IWU included) to bring access and options to the poor.  At heart, The Rescue Mission is rooted in its understanding of the main factor that contributes to homelessness: lack of healthy, supportive relationships.  Donovan and his team work within a Christian framework to create a community of compassion to provide healing. Next, Dr. Wright asks Donovan about his background.  Donovan explains that he was converted in 1978 in Jamaica, and felt a call to ministry when hearing Acts 13 preached.  Another sermon on Genesis 12 was instrumental as he eventually felt a call to leave Jamaica and go to the United States.  He studied in the US for a time after marrying his wife, Grace, and has continued to feel the Lord’s call for him to remain in Indiana.  Donovan and Grace have been blessed with 4 children and 2 grandchildren, and through their years together, Donovan has been driven by the values instilled in him by the church he was a part of after his conversion.  Faith, Donovan believes, is good for society in that it calls people to excellence in all things, and he has found it especially instrumental in his marriage and when facing self-doubt.  Donovan has seen the faithfulness of God through his work, and advises those interested in the same sort of work to identify a need in their community, connect with any organization addressing it, and find ways to bring their passion - and even prayer - to those already at work. Links:Learn more about The Rescue Mission and see a fly-through of its new building.Learn about Indiana Wesleyan University and its president, Dr. David Wright. 

Travis Holdman is a member of the Indiana Senate since 2008. He championed legislation to make texting while driving illegal in Indiana. His faith and his experience as a business professional and deputy prosecutor provide a unique insight into the challenges faced by state leaders.

Today, host Dr. David Wright, is joined by Social Designer, Interior Designer and IWU Professor Wendy Puffer. Wendy believes that “design can change peoples’ lives”. You will hear about Wendy’s background, inspiring projects she has worked on, and what she is doing now through the Marion Design Co. Dr. Wright and Wendy discuss how design can create conversations with people who may not have ever met. You will also hear what Wendy has learned about herself and how her faith has impacted her work.The conversation begins with Dr. Wright asking Wendy what it means to be a Social Designer. She says, “So when you think about design, we are all designers in some manner. You design your day very strategically...When I think about Social Design, we interact together naturally whether it’s intentional or not. And so Social Design is geared toward helping people interact in a way that enhances their life- that helps them feel more true to who they are...” Wendy has discovered that through Social Design, she has discovered a love for connecting people.Wendy was born in Seoul, Korea, which is known for its good design. She was raised in an American home with five other siblings. She describes being raised in a very creative home. Wendy had known for a long time that she wanted to be an Interior Designer. She explains getting involved with Campus Crusade for Christ and being on staff with them for ten years. Dr. Wright asks Wendy about different places where she has seen impactful design work. She talks about transforming spaces that truly change how the people interact in them. This is something she has experienced in homes and businesses. She expresses what it is like to help empower others through design.You will hear about Marion Design Co. and how Wendy and her team are impacting the community through design. She shares the value of getting to know others in the city. Because of the smaller size of Marion, Wendy says you see immediate results. She says, “We continue to do the work and hope that others learn from it. And it’s just fun! It’s fun when you don’t really know exactly what’s next. And I feel like my faith has grown because of that.” Learn more about Practicing the Art of Faithful PresenceLearn more about host David WrightLearn more about IWULearn more about Wendy PufferLearn more about CruLearn more about Marion Design CoLearn more about the SEAD Indiana Conference

In this episode of Practicing the Art of Faithful Presence, host David Wright is joined by neurobiologist and professor at Indiana Wesleyan University, Matt Kreitzer. David starts the conversation by asking Matt about the relationship between science and his faith. Contrary to popular belief, Matt believes that science and faith go hand in hand - learning more about the world has led him to learn more about God. His journey to becoming a scientist started with proficiency in math and a natural disposition towards science as a student. This eventually led to his career as a neurobiologist and professor. On the other hand, his faith has been present most of his life. He grew up in a family of faith and remembers considering himself as a Christian even at a young age. As he grew up, learned more and developed relationships, his faith only grew stronger. While he matured in his faith, he also started to discover a passion for science and biology. Towards the end of his undergraduate studies he began to lean heavily towards this passion and started down the path towards neurobiology. Much of his studies and research revolve around the nervous system. In his studies about the nervous system, Matt has focused on a specific cell type called the glial cell. Matt believes that science informs and reinforces his faith, not vice versa. While science can answer many questions that he has, it can’t answer questions that deal with purpose or meaning. Since his faith is a foundational part of his life, it is intimately interwoven with his work. His faith has led him to truly invest in relationships and goals of his students as well as his coworkers and collaborators. He hopes that the way that he approaches his work and research reflects his faith and relationship with God. The relationships he’s made is one of the most important and meaningful parts of his career. During his time at Indiana Wesleyan University, he has developed a passion to increase the accessibility of science education to young people. There are growing needs for scientists in the workforce and he had been able to receive funding and grants to pursue a passion to help students who have the same passions and interests as him. Matt considers these students to be his greatest motivation to continue the work he is doing.Learn more about Matt KreitzerLearn more about Practicing the Art of Faithful PresenceLearn more about host David Wright

On this episode of Practicing the Art of Faithful Presence, Dr. Chris Seiple joins host David Wright to discuss his career, faith and religious studies. Chris Seiple, a former member of the Marine Corp, is Senior Fellow for Comparative Religion at the Jackson School of International Studies. The conversation begins with Chris sharing his background with the organization his parent’s founded, the Institute for Global Engagement (IGE). Chris served as the President of IGE from 2001 to 2015. During that time the IGE worked to remove Vietnam and Uzbekistan from the US State Department’s religious freedom’s violation list.When he began travelling for IGE, Chris experienced a global God who was much bigger than what he’d been exposed to at his church on Sundays. God is using people in and out of the Christian faith for his purpose, and he needed the courage to work alongside them. This helped him transform from an ideology to an identity. Chris realized if he showed up and shut up God would give him the discernment to work with and love people where they’re at. He practices his faith and identity in Christ with morning prayer, sending his kids to Christian school, teaching Bible study, and learning to walk more closely with God. Chris is deeply engaged in teaching cross cultural religious literacy. This is the theory of how you do engagement, there are three literacies that are constantly learning from each other.Personal Literacy - what do my beliefs say about “the other?”Comparative Literacy - what do my neighbors' beliefs say about me?Cross Cultural Literacy - I don’t care what you believe as long as we’re working toward the good.There’s you, the other, and what you do together. Evaluation, communication, and negotiation are the skills to be garnered from this cross-cultural literacy. Learn more about Chris SeipleLearn more about host, David WrightLearn more about Practicing the Art of Faithful Presence

Dr. Joanne Barnes has a rich and unique personal story of a journey from serving as a Global Quality Systems Manager at a major multinational corporation to mentoring young, female leaders for the United Nations.

In this episode, Dr. Wright interviews sports personality Ernie Johnson, Jr., who is the host of Turner Sports’ NBA coverage and TNT’s Emmy award-winning program, Inside the NBA. He is the studio host for Turner and CBS’s NCAA Division 1 Basketball Championship coverage, and does play-by-play reporting for TBS’s exclusive coverage of the MLB and the PGA Championship.  Ernie has covered many major sporting events and earned various awards, holds degrees from Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and the University of Georgia, has been married to his wife Cheryl for nearly 38 years, and is the father of 6 children. Dr. Wright asks Ernie to explain how he came to be where he is now as a man of faith in the public sphere, and Ernie recounts his turning to Jesus in December of 1997 under the ministry of IWU graduate Kevin Myers, as well as the way this turning point actually helped him to be better at his job as a sportscaster.  Ernie uses the analogy of a pie to describe the role of faith in his life; rather than being a piece of the pie, as some other element of his life, his faith is the crust that holds everything together and impacts all other parts of life.  In his work, Ernie responds to the real-life events happening based on ‘who he is’, and has a platform to speak about his faith because it is part of ‘who he is’.  Ernie discusses his role on Inside the NBA, and clarifies that his colleagues respect him as a person of faith because he’s true to himself and they see what really matters to him.One of the most important things in Ernie’s life is his family, and Dr. Wright asks about the challenges that have come along with Ernie’s unique family situation.  Ernie and his wife adopted four children after having two biological children, and three of their adopted children have special needs.  One of their children, Michael, has muscular dystrophy; he is susceptible to many different health issues, and has been on a ventilator for 9 years.  There are challenging points in the parenting journey, but Ernie is proud of and thankful for each of his kids.  He has found a great teammate in his wife, and has settled into a healthy rhythm with his wife of giving each other needed time away when they get tired.  The conversation concludes with the topics of Cheryl’s work, ways Ernie’s experience has shaped his ways of relating to others, the value inherent in all people, Ernie’s awards, and advice for people wanting to enter the same field as Ernie.Links:Learn more about Ernie, Turner Sports, and Inside the NBA.Learn more about IWU grad Kevin Myers and his ministry.Learn about Indiana Wesleyan University and its president, Dr. David Wright. 

 This episode of the Practicing the Art of Faithful Presence podcast features host David Wright, president of Indiana Wesleyan University, as its guest. Scott Todd, executive director of marketing communication at IWU, serves as the episode’s host, and helps listeners gain valuable insight into David’s life, mission, and purpose. In his role as president of IWU, David has the privilege of spending a lot of time with both people of faith and unbelievers. He has noticed that many unbelievers don’t even know any Christians in the public sphere, and this realization sparked Practicing the Art of Faithful Presence, which aims to help Christians share their stories about how their faith impacts their work in the world.David was born in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, where he lived with his family until he was 15. David’s parents moved to the Philippines as missionaries in 1951, and David spent his formative years watching his parents work at a Bible college campus on the island of Luzon. David had no personal knowledge of the United States until 1970, when he and his family moved to Marion, Indiana, and David enrolled at Marion High School. Following high school graduation, David attended IWU (then Marion College), where he met his now-wife Helen. The pair met attending church revivals together, and spent years abroad doing missionary work in Haiti and England post-graduation. David and Helen now have two daughters and four grandchildren. While a student at IWU, David never expected that he would eventually become the president of the institution. He planned to become a pilot, until he took the intro to Bible course at IWU with Dr. David Thompson. In that class, God began opening his heart to study the Bible, and David decided that he would like to teach Bible one day. After graduating with his Christian Ministries major and spending a few years abroad, David was recruited to run the masters program for ministers at IWU, which eventually became Wesley Seminary. Besides three years that David spent in California, he has been working for IWU since 1994. David’s dream job at IWU was the provost position, and once he had secured it, he thought he would retire in that position. However, when IWU’s president decided to retire and David was chosen as the replacement, David decided to do the job “with all of his heart.” The hardest part of the job, David says, is the weight of the responsibility of this wonderful place that serves 14,000 students and 2,500 employees. However, there are so many joys that come with the presidential position; David loves the students, the faculty, and the staff, and loves to see God working in their lives. It is one of his greatest joys to watch alumni go out into the world and see their lives be testimonies to the power of God. While the post-COVID world looks bleak for higher education, David is not pessimistic about the future. He states that IWU has responded to the challenge magnificently, and that challenges like these are when we do our best work. He highlights three challenges that will face IWU: 1) the changing sense of the value of a college education in the world, 2) the economic challenges in the US, and 3) the challenge of staying faithful to the mission of and God’s purpose for IWU. IWU’s goal is to provide students with a Christ-centered foundation on which to live their lives. David believes that to fully understand God’s world, you must experience the “tapestry of culture and people that God has created.” David is committed to the belief that you must be exposed to the people and the thinking of many different cultures; every belief isn’t right, but every belief is valuable. To end the episode, David shares a passage from the Bible that has been a “touchstone” for his life ever since God gave it to him: Isaiah 41:9-10, which says, “I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”Links:Learn about Indiana Wesleyan University and its president, Dr. David Wright.Connect with David on LinkedIn

In this episode of Practicing the Art of Faithful Presence, host David Wright is joined by Indiana State Senator, John Crane. He and David talk about his faith, career and much more. To open the conversation, John explains how he found himself in the political sphere. Growing up in a political family, there was outside assumption and pressure for him to pursue a career in politics. Personally, though, he never felt that was what he was being called towards and he initially pursued ministry work. In late 2015, he was approached to run against a sitting senator in Indiana, and after prayerful consideration, he decided that God was calling him towards this opportunity. He immediately got to work building his team of staff and volunteers. The next year, he won both the primary and general election and started his first term serving Indiana’s 24th district. John attributes his success in his career to following God’s lead. He also is very grateful for the values that he was taught as he was growing up. He grew up in a family that had a strong faith identity and a solid work ethic. Growing up in a Christian home is something that he is very thankful for, but he still had to wrestle through the faith and take personal ownership of his relationship with God. Through this period of life, he was able to pair his faith with support and evidence of the Christian tradition. Now, his faith is interwoven with the fabric of his life. Even though John is in a devoted relationship with God, he knows that that does not make him immune to the pain and struggles of the world. One painful period of his life was when he found himself unemployed when the church he was serving at could no longer afford to keep his position. He found himself without a consistent job for 13 months with four small children at home. He had faith, however, that God would get him through this moment in life and sought various opportunities to provide for his family. One of the jobs that he worked during this time was delivering newspapers for the Indianapolis Star. God used this and other jobs to provide for John and establish a path that eventually led him to the senate. In the current climate with Covid-19, he encourages the listeners to believe that God is sovereign and is working even in the midst of the chaos. His faith also led him to found the Sagamore Leadership Initiative. This organization is dedicated to, “help young leaders navigate life and ultimately reach their summit of greatest success--that is, positioning them to influence the culture for the greatest good.” John describes this organization as his true passion. As a senator, one of the biggest challenges that John faces is how his faith informs the work that he does. His faith is the foundation of his life and the decisions that he makes, so it naturally heavily influences the way that he navigates his role in the senate. A helpful tool that John as developed to make tough decisions is the Four C’s method: Conscious/Core Values - What are my foundational beliefs that are non-negotiable?Constitution - How can I honor my oath to protect and follow the constitution?Constituents - What is my responsibility to the individuals I am supposed to be representing?Caucus - What is my responsibility to the caucus? John considers each of these realms one-by-one in order to help him make the right decisions, even in the midst of challenging circumstances. Despite the challenge of being a senator, he is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve his constituents and do what God has called him towards. Learn more about Sagamore Leadership InitiativeLearn more about John CraneLearn more about Practicing the Art of Faithful PresenceLearn more about host David Wright 

Podcast Name: Practicing the Art of Faithful PresenceDebbye Turner Bell - Veterinarian, Miss America 1990, Broadcast Media, Leadership ConsultantOn this episode of Practicing the Art of Faithful Presence, Debbye Turner Bell joins host David Wright to speak about her faith, background, career, and much more. Debbye Turner Bell’s life has taken many surprising twists and turns.  All of which, she declares fit the plan of God for her life. To start the conversation, Debbye unpacks her journey into broadcasting. Growing up, her goal had always been to become a veterinarian and teach at a veterinary school. Many of the decisions that she made, including getting involved in pageants, were seen as steps on the way to this ultimate goal. After she finished her education, she was recruited by a pet food brand to be a spokesperson for a pet education. Her exposure during this time gained the attention of an agent who thought that Debbye could have a career in broadcast. After declining this offer several times, Debbye finally accepted and was able to establish a long career in broadcast media.Even in media, her work was still centered around animals. Growing up, her mother was an animal lover, who would take in abandoned and abused animals into their home. This taught Debbye to learn to love and respect animals from a very young age. This, paired with a natural curiosity and love of science, created the perfect career goal for Debbye. As an adolescent, she began volunteering at her local veterinary office whenever she had free time. She did this throughout her teenage years until she began college at Arkansas State University. After graduating with a degree in agriculture, she ended up going to veterinary school at the University of Missouri.Next, Dr. Wright asked Debbye what led her to get involved in pageants. She got involved in her first pageant as a part of a service program, where her high school was resurrecting an old pageant as a fundraiser. She volunteered to represent her organization in the pageant and ended up winning. One of the judges in this local pageant recruited her to get more involved in pageants, letting her know that she had the opportunity to receive college scholarships that could help her fulfill her ultimate goal of going to veterinary school. After some modest success in local and the Arkansas state pageant, she eventually won the Miss Missouri competition while in graduate school at the University of Missouri. She prayerfully competed in all of these competitions, setting to fulfill who God created her to be and reach her ultimate purpose. She came to her faith learning from her mother. Faith was interwoven into the fabric of her family and she credits everything she knows about God and his plan for her to her mother.Today, Debbye is living in Grand Rapids, Michigan, leading a consulting business, and is a part-time staff member at her local church.Learn more about Debbye Turner BellLearn more about Practicing the Art of Faithful Presence.Learn more about host David Wright.

The Practicing the Art of Faithful Presence podcast, hosted by Dr. David Wright, president of Indiana Wesleyan University, features conversations on ways in which people of faith are actively making the world a better place.  In this episode, Dr. Wright has a conversation with IWU alumnus Luke Wright.  Luke is the founder and owner of Mud Love, a pottery business in partnership with Water for Good, an organization that provides clean water for the Central African Republic.  Luke believes that God called him to deny himself and start this business, and he has seen much fruit as he has developed his craft, sought to love people well, and grown in his faith through navigating the financial sacrifices required by his business model. Luke never planned to become an entrepreneur, but the seeds of his business were laid from his youth when he developed a love for art.  As a high school student living a comfortable, middle class life in a Christian family, Luke lost track of his artistic inclinations, and in general lost his way as he chose a path of rebellion.  At the time when he started college, Luke really did not know himself well, and he lacked purpose and fulfillment.  It took him until his junior year of college to recall his love for art, which in turn began a rebirth of his faith.  In fact, his life turned a corner when he changed his major to ceramics; having his hands anointed also contributed to the sense of purpose he developed.  However, he continued to have one foot in his new life and one foot in the old until he reached a rock bottom moment his senior year at IWU.  At that point, he turned his life around, begged God to save him from himself, and sought solace in the mentorship of his ceramics professor and working in the ceramics studio. Thus the connection between art and faith was deeply forged for Luke, as was his conviction that God can and does use people who are “blemished,” working in his own good timing.  Luke finds that his past allows him to relate with people who are struggling; his experience in business has also added to this ability, giving him a whole new form of struggle to navigate.  Luke has had to learn the ropes of running a business, figuring out how to strengthen sales and systems while managing setbacks and mistakes.  At the same time, Luke has been able to grow a sweet partnership with Water for Good, which allows him to participate in a loving cause that is bigger than himself.  He contributes to Water for Good with every sale he makes, donates a percentage of profits, and works to raise awareness for the cause.  While giving of himself comes with a cost, Luke finds that stepping out in faith to love other people ministers to him.  His concluding advice to any struggling listeners is to accept that life is a journey, not get sidetracked by a destination, and pursue loving people. Links:Learn more about Luke’s business at mudlove.com.Connect with Luke at luke@mudlove.com.Learn about Water for Good.Learn about Indiana Wesleyan University and its president, Dr. David Wright.

On this episode of Practicing the Art of Faithful Presence, Julianna Rubio Slager joins host David Wright to discuss her art, leadership, and faith. Julianna is the artistic director and co-founder of Ballet 5:8. The faith-based ballet studio is located just outside of Chicago and they perform in the city, and travel across the United States.Julianna grew up in a musical household and at a very early age begged her parents to let her take a ballet class. She experienced tension in her adolescence because of her deep love of ballet and concern that it may turn into an idol that wouldn’t fit with her faith. God put many different dancers of faith in her path, and made her realize how her artform could be beautiful and full of truth. Now her ballets tell the story of faith in creative ways that honor the gifts but glorify God, the gift giver.There were certainly times throughout her career and the studio’s founding that Julianna felt lost and wasn’t sure she would make it. God continued to make a way, she gave over the vision to Him and he makes streams in the desert. She finished her conversation with Dr. Wright by encouraging artists of faith that they are needed and there is a space for them in the performing arts world.Learn more about Dr. Joanne BarnesLearn more about host, David WrightLearn more about Practicing the Art of Faithful PresenceLearn more about Ballet 5:8

On this, the first episode of Practicing the Art of Faithful Presence, meterologist Chuck Lofton joins host David Wright in dialogue about his career, his faith, and much more. To start their conversation, Lofton provides details about his background growing up in the suburbs of Chicago. His parents, who were both born in the South, moved to the Chicago area just before he was born, and he looks back on his childhood extremely fondly. Growing up watching Chicago news, weather, and sports, he knew even as a young boy that he wanted to follow a career in broadcasting. He describes broadcasting as both the desire of his heart and his life’s purpose. Throughout all of this, his Christian faith has played an important role in his journey. When his mother had children, she made the decision to rededicate her life to God in order to set an example for her children. Growing up, he was avoidant of making a personal decision to follow God himself, and it wasn’t until he was 17 years old that he accepted the Lord after watching a televangelist. His faith grew tremendously as he began attending college. He believes that each believer has watershed moments that define their relationship with God. In life’s struggles, there are times when people pull away from God and times when people draw near to him. In his life, these moments have been losses of loved ones and the experiences of broken relationships. In all of these moments, Lofton has leaned on God for comfort and guidance. He references John 14:6 as the passage of scripture that he always comes back to in times of trouble for a reminder of who his comfort comes from.From here, the conversation shifts to Lofton’s career and his history with WTHR. He was recruited to WTHR to start the Sunrise show in 1985 and has been doing the show ever since. As he’s grown in his career, his responsibilities have broadened, and he’s been able to go new places and meet more people than he ever thought he would have the privilege to. On any given day, his show averages about 100,000 viewers, and he considers himself very lucky to be a part of the show and the organization. He views being a follower of Jesus in the public sphere as an incredible opportunity to share his faith with people from all walks of life. He believes that, no matter their background, all people have needs and hurts in their lives, and they need outlets to be supported. He loves the opportunity to bring them support and answers through Jesus Christ. He has found that these conversations and dialogues only come from genuine relationships and trust, and when these conversations do come, he views them as a blessing and opportunity to share his relationship with Christ and speak into their lives. As a member of the media, he is very aware of the way media is viewed and perceived in today’s climate, but he is confident in the work that WTHR does and the way he presents information. He truly views his occupation as an offering to the Lord and has a desire to work hard with integrity to represent God and his faith well. He encourages any young person who is interested in being a part of broadcast media to ‘go all in on it’, while trusting and relying on God.Learn more about Chuck Lofton.Learn more about WTHR.Learn more about Practicing the Art of Faithful Presence.Learn more about host David Wright.

Christians are in the news more than ever these days. But they are often described in one-dimensional terms. This podcast talks with Christians who are making the world a better place, often in unsung and quiet ways. Dr. David Wright, President of Indiana Wesleyan University, will speak with guests whose lives are examples of practicing the art of faithful presence.