The Pivot

What is the difference between a prayer book and a devotional? SUCH SUSPENSE!! Also, why is a book a part of this project? The song for today is an Acoustic Version of "Your People Will Rejoice Again". CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT!! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

I'll answer one of the biggest questions (at least in my own mind) about my upcoming album and book project, HEADWATERS. The song for today is an Acoustic Version of "The Love Of Jesus". CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT!! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

The first in a month-long series unpacking the stories of my upcoming album and book project, HEADWATERS, and a little update on what kept me away from podcasting (or singing or speaking!) for the past few months. Also, hear how you can help support the project via Kickstarter. The song for today is an Acoustic Version of "Risen One". CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT!! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

If you follow a Christian woman between the ages of 20 and 40 on Instagram, then you’ve 1000% seen Morgan’s work. She does these beautiful, inspiring, super shareable quotes and thoughts over wonderful artwork and once they get to the internet they just go EVERYWHERE. I remember seeing Morgan play music once or twice when one of her previous careers overlapped with my orbit. But who would have thought that she’d one day call herself a POET and be doing what she’s doing now, running her own business with the books, journals, stickers, and who knows what else that flows from her current creativity. She’s got a new book that comes out next week called “How Far You Have Come” and I loved hearing the story of how this book came about. In fact, I loved our whole interview. I started this whole podcast because I was hearing a lot of stories of people’s big successes, but I was in the midst of my own personal failure, and I desperately needed to hear that my story wasn’t over. Her story is so inspiring because, while what she’s doing now is doing quite well, it’s a really human tale with a lot of wandering, failure, fear, questions and the tenacity of just NEEDING to keep trying until something works. I’m so glad it did. You can get Morgan’s new book, as well as the stickers and a bunch of other amazing things, plus her 4-minute daily podcast, at MorganHarperNichols.com Follow her on Instagram! Also, don’t forget to join the CHICKEN OF THE MONTH CLUB! FH.org/pivot And get your tickets to the WhiteOwlMusicFest - Jars, Sandra, me and a bunch of others at a socially distant music festival outside Nashville on May 29. Also, here’s a little Andy O music, too! Thank you all! Now go do something awesome. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

MY GOODNESS. I loved this conversation. Douglas McKelvey is a most fascinating human. He’s the author of two incredible books of liturgies, the second actually releases this week and is called Every Moment Holy, Vol. 2: Death, Grief and Hope. He’s also a fantastic songwriter who doesn’t sing or play music, but has penned the lyrics to over 350 songs recorded by a variety of artists including Switchfoot, Kenny Rogers, Sanctus Real, and Jason Gray. He’s been a scriptwriter and video director and a lot of things in between. Like me, he’s a father of three daughters. Also, like me, he’s spent a lot of time doing whatever he could to just keep the lights on that, in retrospect, look like a full, inspiring and rich life. And that work history is only part of the story. Beyond that there’s a deeper narrative of bravely and intentionally moving away from isolation and towards friendship and community. Doug’s a decade or so ahead of me and he got his start in Nashville with a close little group of friends, led by Charlie Peacock, who have pretty much all become heroes and mentors of mine. All of that leads so clearly, now, to his work writing these liturgies in Every Moment Holy, and it is wonderful to see how astonishingly successful they are. These books mean a lot to a lot of people, and when you hear all the work and love that Doug puts into creating these, you’ll understand why. I’ll say it again at the end, but go to everymomentholy.com to order your copy of Every Moment Holy and the new Volume 2: Death, Grief and Hope. And please, friends, join us at the CHICKEN OF THE MONTH CLUB!!! Go to fh.org/pivot to sign up today! Get your tickets to the White Owl Music Fest!! Just outside of Nashville on May 29. Also, here’s a little Andy O music, too! Thank you all! Now go do something awesome. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Lynn Holloway was an Imagineer for Disney and has designed all kinds of amazing things, from theme parks to Danish parades to Super Bowl halftime shows. He’s a visual storyteller working in three dimensions and his work is fascinating. But this is really more of a love story; How a fear of intimacy left him in years of loneliness, and how finally facing those fears in the shadow of his father’s passing, set him on a new path towards love, family and healing. Unlike a lot of my guests, Lynn’s career has been a bit of a straight arrow. The pivot for him has been the life surrounding his job. This is a beautiful story and I deeply enjoyed this conversation. And please, friends, join us at the CHICKEN OF THE MONTH CLUB!!! Go to fh.org/pivot to sign up today! Get your tickets to the White Owl Music Fest!! Just outside of Nashville on May 29. Also, here’s a little Andy O music, too! Thank you all! Now go do something awesome. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

After 20 years as a singer/songwriter, Jill Phillips went back to school to get her Masters in counseling and is now a full-time Marriage and Family therapist (who still plays music!) To anyone who knows Jill at all, this career transition is not surprising. She is an incredibly wise and empathetic friend to many, and even her songs are often based on the themes of carrying each other’s burdens, and holding grief and hope together in the same hand. We were originally going to do this interview in her new counseling office, so I could sit on her couch and, you know, get the full experience, but then it was a beautiful Spring day and we decided to just sit on their back porch and catch up. You might hear a few airplanes flying over, but you also might hear a lot of birds chirping, too. It was worth it. These days, when I see Jill, it’s usually while we’re working on music or in line at Ladybird Taco, so I’ve not gotten the full story until this chat. I’ve watched her sitting and doing homework in soundcheck the past four years, though, and it’s been inspiring to see how focused and driven she is on learning better and better how to love and care for people. Glad you guys hit play on this one, I think you’re really going to enjoy it. If you want to learn more about Jill or hear her wonderful music you can go to JillPhillips.com Get your tickets to the White Owl Music Fest!! Just outside of Nashville on May 29. And please, friends, join us at the CHICKEN OF THE MONTH CLUB!!! Go to fh.org/pivot to sign up today! Also, here’s a little Andy O music, if you’re interested… Thank you all! Now go do something awesome. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Rob Touchstone is co-founder of The Well Coffeeshop, a chain of non-profit coffeeshops who donate their profits to providing clean water wells to communities in poverty all over the world. (It’s also just a really good coffeeshop.) Besides that, Rob is an entrepreneur, a business professor, and a pastor here in Nashville, TN. This is a great story, how Rob moved from being a theologically trained youth pastor to the creator and Director of Lipscomb University’s Center for Business As Mission, where he teaches and mentors students to think missionally about business and entrepreneurship. A mutual friend connected Rob and I a few months ago and I’d like to think we became fast friends. I love the work that he’s doing and I’m so thankful for what he’s created here in Nashville. You can connect with Rob and find a lot of his teaching at RobTouchstone.com Or learn more about The Well Coffeehouse And aren’t you inspired to put some good into the world after listening to this? Go to FH.org/pivot and join the CHICKEN OF THE MONTH CLUB now. Join Food For The Hungry in giving a family some chickens and teaching them how to use them to bring flourishing and prospering to their communities. Also, here’s a little Andy O music, if you’re interested… Thank you all! Now go do something awesome. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

David Zach is an abolitionist in a rock and roll band. He has traveled all over the world, going undercover to help rescue girls from slavery and sex trafficking. It’s a wild story. But 9-to-5, David is the frontman for the band, Remedy Drive. The band started as four brothers and we got to talk about how they had to quit being in a band together to be good brothers. It is also a pretty wild story. Maybe not quite as wild as going undercover in a Thailand nightclub. It was really fascinating to learn about the work David and the organization he’s a part of, Exodus Road, are doing in some of the most dangerous places on Earth. Get involved with David and The Exodus Road at remedydrive.com/action Watch this great short documentary on their work HERE. And definitely go listen to Remedy Drive’s new album, IMAGO AMOR. And please, friends, join us at the CHICKEN OF THE MONTH CLUB!!! Go to fh.org/pivot to sign up today! Also, here’s a little Andy O music, if you’re interested… Thank you all! Now go do something awesome. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

I’m not sure exactly when I started following Michael Wear’s work. I think I just gradually noticed that a lot of people I respected continued to quote him and reference him, so I had to go see who this guy was. Well, it turns out, this guy is pretty dang amazing. The headline is that he led the faith outreach for Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign, served in the White House, leading evangelical outreach and helping to manage The White House’s engagement on religious and values issues. That’s pretty awesome. But what drives all of this great work is that Michael draws from a deep well of his own personal faith, his growing-any-day-now family, and a strong and intentional community. I won’t lie. I was really looking forward to this interview, and then it was SO MUCH MORE AWESOME than I expected. It was just a joy to talk with Michael and I feel like I genuinely learned a great deal. I will be listening to this episode a couple more times, I promise you that. You can find Michael all over the internet: on his website michealwear.com Twitter @michaelrwear Or you can subscribe for more in depth weekly articles and commentary at reclaiminghope.substack.com Most importantly, join us at the CHICKEN OF THE MONTH CLUB!!! Go to fh.org/pivot to sign up today! And here’s my music, if you’re interested… Thank you all! Now go do something awesome. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

This conversation I had with Justin McRoberts was one of my favorites in a long while. I took a few great practical things away from this, as well as just deeply enjoying the time. Justin’s work has taken on many shapes over the years: pastor, author, singer/songwriter, YoungLife guy, career coach, podcaster… but at the heart of it, he’s really done one thing this whole time. You’ll have to listen to find out what it is. Also, his books on prayer: “Prayer” and “May It Be So”, are very much two of my favorites. I feel like I know Justin way more than the amount of time we’ve spent together should allow. He just goes deep fast and so when we do get to spend time together, it always feels like it counts. I think a lot of people feel that way about Justin, and after you spend this next hour with us, I hope you feel it, too. You can find his books, his coaching and courses, and his music at justinmcroberts.com And check out his podcast “At Sea” Most importantly, join us at the CHICKEN OF THE MONTH CLUB!!! Go to fh.org/pivot to sign up today! And here’s my music, if you’re interested… Thank you all! Now go do something awesome. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Stu G. The legend. Like many of us, I first learned about Stu through his epic guitar presence in the band, Delirious, who basically introduced the world to modern worship music. Over the years I have heard people talk about Stu in hushed whispers and deep reverence. People don’t just like his guitar playing; This is a guy who carries deep respect. About a year and a half ago I started to find myself in the same rooms and got to know him just a little and I understood immediately that this guy was a deep well. He’s spent the past few years curating a film / book / music and e-course project around the Beatitudes: Jesus’s “Blessed are the poor, Blessed are the weak…” teachings from the Sermon on the Mount. Plus, we got to chat about him playing guitar with Michael W Smith and me with Steven Curtis Chapman. Perhaps it’s about time that Stu G and I start a band called Secret Adventure. NOBODY KNEW HIS SECRET GREAT ADVENTURE!! To learn about The Beatitudes Project CLICK HERE Follow Stu on Instagram Guitar nerds! Get his tones for your Helix or Kemper! Most importantly, join us at the CHICKEN OF THE MONTH CLUB!!! Go to fh.org/pivot to sign up today! And here’s my music, if you’re interested… Thank you all! Now go do something awesome. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Songwriter, author, recording artist, mother… These are just a few of the hats Cindy Morgan wears. As a songwriter she’s been a part of many more songs than you would imagine, from artists like Vince Gill, India.Arie, Rascal Flatts, Ricky Skaggs, Amy Grant, Mandisa to Brandon Heath, Sandra McCracken, Josh Garrels, Sierra Hull, and EchoSmith. As you’ll learn, Cindy just writes ALL the time. I’ve gotten to work with her musically a few times in various places over the years and it’s been wonderful. But more than that, she has been a clear and consistent voice of kindness and encouragement to me and that has really meant a lot. It was such a treat to sit down and hear more about her journey, and talk about long-lost Nashville restaurant, The West End Cooker, and why High School Musical is so strangely great. Listen to Cindy’s new single with her band St. Lola in the Fields - and follow them on instagram. For more about Cindy and her writing, check out her website, or follow her on instagram. Most importantly, join us at the CHICKEN OF THE MONTH CLUB!!! Go to fh.org/pivot to sign up today! And here’s my music, if you’re interested… Thank you all! Now go do something awesome. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

FRIENDS!! It has been a long time!! I did not intend to take this long between episodes, but between the election and a little Christmas covid (all recovered now, thankfully) it’s felt like a good time to take a little break. But we’re back now with a GREAT one!! Professor Paul C. H. Lim (PhD, Cambridge) is associate professor of the history of Christianity (Divinity School) and affiliate professor of history (College of Arts & Science) at Vanderbilt University, and is an award-winning historian of Reformation - and post-Reformation Europe. One of his books, Mystery Unveiled: The Crisis of the Trinity in Early Modern England, won the 2013 Roland H. Bainton Prize as the best book in history/theology by the Sixteenth Century Society and Conference. I’ve been a part of a nine-month fellows program with the Nashville Institute for Faith and Work and Dr. Lim has been teaching us through some of the great works of historical Chrstianity (Luther, Calvin, Augustine) as well as current authors like Tim Keller, N.T. Wright and Latasha Morrison. It is, to put it politely, kicking my butt and is one of the highlights of my week right now. Paul studied at Yale, Princeton and Cambridge before teaching at Gordon Conwell and now Vanderbilt. I’ve been a rising sophomore since 1998. Getting to know Dr. Lim and learn from his wisdom in a small group setting this past number of months has been incredible and I can’t wait for you to get to know him over this next hour as the Pivot returns from hiatus!! Hear more from Paul in this interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJ9TfkdgeFc&ab_channel=DigAndDelve You can find Paul’s books at: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=paul+c.h.+lim&dc&ref=a9_asc_1 CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE CHICKEN OF THE MONTH CLUB!!!! Click here to check out my music. Thank you for listening! Now go do something awesome! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Santosh John is from India and now lives in Atlanta, where he recently founded the3CG.com - a ministry for people of a Third Culture, who don’t live in their birth or heritage country but also don’t quite fit into the culture in which they live in now. This was the first ever LIVE episode of The Pivot. Santosh John and I got to have this conversation as a part of the Rabbit Room’s virtual 2020 Hutchmoot Homebound conference. We got to talk about exile, family, science, 90’s radio jams, Rich Mullins and Caedmon’s Call, all in front of a small, kind and socially distant audience of the Rabbit Room community. This was a powerful and moving interview that first aired during the conference a few weeks ago and I’m so thrilled to share it with you today. You can find Santosh and his wife Shiny, at The3cg.com CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE CHICKEN OF THE MONTH CLUB!!!! Click here to check out my music. Thank you for listening! Now go do something awesome! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

It’s safe to say that not many kids grew up more deeply in the bubble of evangelicalism than Barnabas Piper. It’s led to some amazing books: about being a pastor’s kid, about doubt, and about having the ability to ask hard questions of God. Now Barnabas is an author, a father, and a new pastor after two decades in the book publishing business. He wrote a new book called “Hoping For Happiness” as he was making that career change. I love that he calls himself a “recovering cynic”, as that’s a phrase I’ve attached to myself, and it was great to get to talk to him about it. Barnabas is one smart dude and I’m so thankful he’s taken his experience and wisdom and shared it with us. You can find Barnabas at his website BarnabasPiper.com You can order his new book “Hoping For Happiness” here. CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE CHICKEN OF THE MONTH CLUB!!!! Click here to check out my music. Thank you for listening! Now go do something awesome! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Every single person who knows Tim Timmons seems to have this same response when his name comes up: “Dude! Timmons! I LOVE that guy!” It just seems like he has poured his heart and life into every third person I’ve met in the past few years. He’s a musician, a pastor by default, a writer and a family man. The crazy thing? Twenty years ago he was told he had five years to live. Talk about a pivot, right? For Tim this has led to a conscious decision to rejoice that, as he says, “I woke up today!” Tim’s new single “You Never Let Go” just released a couple weeks ago, and it is so good it has genuinely brought tears to my eyes. I have wholeheartedly joined the club of people who say “Timmons! I love that guy!” Listen in and I think you’ll feel the same. Click here to listen to “You Never Let Go” Here’s 10,000 Minutes and here’s Tim’s instagram. CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE CHICKEN OF THE MONTH CLUB!!!! Click here to check out my music. Thank you for listening! Now go do something awesome! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Ben Young is an author, a speaker, and a pastor at Second Baptist Church in Houston (one of the largest churches in Texas), But what’s super fun about this for me is that he is the brother of one of my former bandmates, Cliff Young, of Caedmon’s Call. I used to see Ben ALL the time, as the band really used Second Baptist as our headquarters. It’s where we rehearsed, borrowed musical gear (with at least the intent to eventually return it), and ate, as Cliff would always say, all the Nutter Butters a Baptist Church could give us. Ben just released a book LAST WEEK called "Survive the Day: Thriving in the Midst of LIfe's Storms". It’s a good book for the Pivot Podcast if ever there was one. And most definitely a good book for whatever you want to call this hot mess of a year we’re all living through. What I love about this book is that it’s relational and easy to read, but also really USEFUL. He takes his years of experience not only as a pastor, but also as a person who has lived through a lot of pain, to give practical tools and insight to actually help you navigate those metaphorical “storms” we all go through. It was so fun to “virtually” see him again and to catch up, and to finally thank him for causing the emotional pain that went on to provide for my family in my 20’s. CLICK HERE to get Ben’s book and HERE for his website CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE CHICKEN OF THE MONTH CLUB!!!! Click here to check out my music. Thank you for listening! Now go do something awesome! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Davy Basinger was the lead singer of a band called Bleach. If you were in a youth group in an American church in 1998 then you know EXACTLY who I’m talking about. Bleach and my first band, The Normals, were on the same label and had the same manager, and so we found ourselves getting to play a bunch of shows with them when we were getting started. They were a few years ahead of us and they became like super cool older cousins to us. Davy and I actually reconnected while working on the CHICKEN OF THE MONTH CLUB with Food For The Hungry, where he works now. He designed the amazing coffee mug I’m posting here with my adorable parents. It’s been so fun to catch up and this was really special to me. We got to cover a lot of ground, from songwriting to his work with Food for the Hungry to living in an RV and starting over after divorce. This was a wild one and so fun. Bleach / Normals reunion show after we get out of quarantine, Davy? I’ve got a super good feeling about it… To catch up with Davy on your own, you can find his instagram HERE. CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE CHICKEN OF THE MONTH CLUB!!!! CLICK HERE to see Eric Brown’s beautiful garden prints. Click here to check out my music. Thank you for listening! Now go do something awesome! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Christine Dente is best known as one half of the duo Out of the Grey, but of course, she’s much more than that, particularly to their three kids and now two grandkids. I don’t know her terribly well, but I saw she had just written her first novel and that fascinated me, so I was thrilled when she was into coming over and chatting about it. I won’t lie, I jumped in way too deep too fast for any trained interviewer. But I’m not a trained interviewer, and Christine was right there with me, and it was SO GOOD. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, and you’ll hear us even talk about it in a bit, but the biggest thing I can tell when I do these interviews is who has done the work and who hasn’t. Christine Dente has done the work. And it shows. And I am thankful for what she is putting out into the world because we all get to learn from that work. It’s inspiring. Also, a fun little detail, Out of the Grey made most of their records here in this studio, too, back when it was Charlie Peacock’s place, so it was especially fun to get to invite her back here to talk about that time but also what she’s doing now. You can find Christine and her writing at ChristineDenteOutOfTheGrey.com And you can order her novel, The Woman In The Willow here. Sign up today for the CHICKEN OF THE MONTH CLUB with Food for the Hungry! Click Here to hear my music. Thanks for listening! And now, go do something awesome! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Chris Llewellyn was excited to come over and NOT talk about music. I met him years ago when I worked closely for a season with his band, Rend Collective. That crew is easily the hardest working bunch of musicians I’ve ever met, and quarantine, while not great for business, has given Chris some time to breathe deep and take a little break for a bit. It was fun to catch up and talk about Chris’s journey from the coast of Northern Ireland to a vagabond life across America to being (somewhat) settled here in Nashville with his wife and young son. He’s also in super freaking good shape and we got to talk about how that happens, which seems to remain a mystery to me. Chris is both a deep well and a hilarious dude and it was wonderful to have this chat. Rend Collective’s new EP “Socially Distant Worship Club Pt 1” is out now. Click here for Chris’s instagram page. Sign up today for the CHICKEN OF THE MONTH CLUB with Food for the Hungry! Click Here to hear my music. Thanks for listening! And now, go do something awesome! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

I’m a big fan of Savannah Locke. She is an incredibly gifted writer and communicator, and as always, my conversation with her went places I did not expect. We talk about hiring your replacement, starting a business, John Mayer’s middle name… We call a number of grown men “angel babies”. Most powerfully for me, we got to unpack the season of life where we met: When she was trying to see if the musician career path was for her, and I was a really green record label guy who wished he could be a better guide for her than he was. This one was so fun, so challenging, and so wide-ranging. You’ll just have to listen for yourself. You can find Savannah and her writing at SavannahLocke.com Sign up today for the CHICKEN OF THE MONTH CLUB with Food for the Hungry! Click Here to hear my music. Thanks for listening! And now, go do something awesome! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

You might know Janice Gaines as an award-winning Gospel singer, which she is. But there are so many other incredible things about Janice you have to know: She is brilliant. She got her Masters of Divinity because learning Greek and Hebrew sounded FUN. She’s a mother of two young boys, a wife, a nationally recognized speaker, and she’s on staff at her local predominately white church, as directory of diversity. In 2020. She’s got a lot going on. She also teaches an online course on diversity, racial reconciliation, and the Gospel. It starts next week, Aug 4, and it’s called Braving the Deep and you need to sign up for it. You can go to janicegaines.com to sign up. I loved talking with Janice. It is always a gift to spend time with people who radiate kindness and wisdom and joy, so you won’t want to miss this one! CLICK HERE for Janice’s music or HERE to sign up for Braving the Deep! CLICK HERE to join the Chicken of the Month Club with Food for the Hungry! CLICK HERE for my music. Now go do something awesome. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Pete Marra is a serial entrepreneur with a deep love of Scripture. Already he’s been a tech CEO, a church planter, an underground missionary, and a self-made millionaire who lost everything overnight. He’s a devoted husband and father and he has led his family on a life of wild adventures. Our paths crossed about a year ago and we became fast friends. He has challenged me in a great way and encouraged me even more. Pete is a big part of some new podcast things you’ll see rolling out in the coming months, and I’m really thankful. I always walk away from time with Pete feeling a little less afraid of trying something new, and with a little more clarity of where I actually want to go. He was in town and dropped by the studio a few weeks ago and I thought you guys would love spending a bit of time with him. I always do. CLICK HERE to join the Chicken of the Month Club with Food for the Hungry! CLICK HERE for my music. Now go do something awesome. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Nancy is an author, a teacher, a mother and a wife. She sadly has a unique story with grief, but one that has allowed her to serve thousands and thousands of people over the last number of years. I’ve heard Nancy‘s name a lot over the years, but getting to know her over this conversation was delightfully surprising. She is full of energy and deep knowledge and wisdom. This was a fun and life-giving interview and I know you’re going to love it. She has a new book coming out this Fall called “God does his best work with empty” and after hearing her talk about what led to this book, I’ll be first in line to get it when it comes out. For more about Nancy, please visit NancyGuthrie.com JOIN the Food for the Hungry "Chicken Of The Month Club" at FH.org/pivot Now, go do something awesome! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

It was so fun to talk with Jillian Edwards. We got to talk about new motherhood and how it is both shaping her songs, and a metaphor for the songs themselves. She is clearly driven by music, and this drive has led her down some interesting and unique paths. She has a new record out called “Meadow”. It is beautiful, warm and inviting, and you need to listen to it. CLICK HERE for more info about Jillian. And CLICK HERE for her instagram. And please join me for the Chicken of the Month Club with Food For The Hungry at fh.org/pivot For me info about me or my music, please visit: andrewosenga.com everybodypivots.com Now go do something awesome. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Michael Blanton was the manager and A&R guy who discovered and developed Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith and Rich Mullins, among many others. He and his circle of friends were at the heart of the birth of Christian music, and his career boasts over 70 million albums sold. He’s also a father and a husband of over 40 years. We became friends almost randomly about a year and a half ago and I found him to be one of the kindest and most encouraging people. He’s got some AMAZING stories, particularly about taking Christian music to the mainstream and “Baby, Baby” to the Christians.

Alvin Love is a Grammy-winning songwriter and producer, a co-founder and pastor of Nashville Life Church, and an all around pretty incredible guy. This was honestly one of the most fun and exciting conversations I’ve had in a long time. I first really heard of Alvin because of a record that he wrote and produced for his mother, legendary gospel artist CeCe Winans. The album is called “Let Them Fall In Love” and it’s easily my favorite record of the last five years. We started working together a few years ago when his church’s worship band, Nashville Life Music, signed to Integrity Music. Once I got to know Alvin and his church community I learned that what I love in all that music is simply a natural outpouring of what has been going on at the church. And as you’ll hear, ALL of that began with this incredible story of Alvin’s. This is one of my favorite episodes ever. Click here to learn more about Nashville Life Church. Nashville Life Music’s “Here For Jesus” releases July 17. You can stream them on Spotify or Apple Music. To hear Alvin’s sermon on racial reconciliation, click here. JOIN THE FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY CHICKEN OF THE MONTH CLUB HERE! For more about me or my music, you can go to: Andrewosenga.com EverybodyPivots.com Now go do something awesome. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Gabe Scott was ten days away from opening Ladybird Taco, his first restaurant, when America shut down for the quarantine. We sat down, socially distant, together in their almost-finished dining room and talked about his journey from musician to restauranteur. I first met Gabe as a musician twenty years ago. Over the years he’s been a huge part of the music of Andrew Peterson, Crowder, Bebo Norman, and All Sons & Daughters, and played on albums for virtually every major artist in Christian music. He is a well-known and well-loved figure in our industry. Gabe, and his wife Keely, have risked a lot for this new adventure, and who could have imagined it would have included a chapter like this one? But to talk to Gabe, in what could seem like a crushing circumstance, is to be challenged with resilience, hope and faith. I’m so glad Gabe and I got to grab this time, and after talking about this interview for a year, that we got to do it right now. Please visit LadyBirdTaco.com to check out the food and the armadillo hats! And please join me for the Chicken of the Month Club with Food For The Hungry at fh.org/pivot For me info about me or my music, please visit: andrewosenga.com everybodypivots.com Now go do something awesome. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

You might know Rachael Lampa as a young CCM pop singer with mad vocal chops. And it seems that for a while, that’s how Raechel knew her self, too. She has had some amazing experiences as a musician, all kinds of cool things on TV and traveling the world with these huge artists, and those are fun stories. But what clearly lights her up is the work that she and her family have done with the homeless and incarcerated communities around Nashville for the past ten years. Also, this episode features an incredible piece of writing by Taylor Leonhardt. For more about Rachael or People Loving Nashville, visit: RachaelLampaMusic.com PeopleLovingNashville.com To join the Food For The Hungry Chicken of the Month Club, please visit: FH.org/pivot For me about me and my music, please check out: AndrewOsenga.com EverybodyPivots.com Now, go do something awesome! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Kevin Twit is a pastor, theologian, songwriter and friend. He's a Nashville legend, having shepherded many artists and thinkers through their college years as the leader of RUF at Belmont University. An expert and frequent speaker on the subject of old hymns, he's just a smart dude, and I'm thankful to know him. He married Alison and I and we have been friends for over half my life now. Our internet was out at our house all last week, which shut down my upcoming interviews, so I thought I would repost this older, and yet very timely, conversation. To find out more about Kevin, you can visit: http://www.belmontruf.org/ For more about me or my music you can go to: https://www.andrewosenga.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Where do you even start with Ron Block. As a musician, he is an absolute legend. You know how many Grammys Taylor Swift has? Ten. John Legend? Ten. How many Grammys has Ron Block got? FOURTEEN!! You know how many Dove awards for best album packaging I have lost? Two. Ron has won a lot of those awards, of course, from his tenure as banjo and guitar player for Alison Krauss and Union Station. He’s also a member of the Soggy Bottom Boys, who were featured in the Coen Brothers film, O Brother, Where Art Thou. But for people who know Ron, you kind of forget pretty quickly that he’s a legend. Because he’s such an amazing guy. He’s a student who’s read more books than a lot of us have ever seen. If you follow him online you would know what a gift he has with the written word and the nuances of kindness and thoughtfulness. He is just overflowing with wisdom, and graciousness and our community is so much the better for it. Personally, I don’t know how often we have started talking about guitars or recording gear and then all of a sudden we’re talking about being fathers and husbands, and from there it’s a quick hop over to C.S. Lewis and the Apostle John, and back to guitars and gear. It’s all one conversation because the se things are all a part of one well-lived life. It was so fun to sit down with Ron and kick this off with a memory that has long stuck with me, of one of our first great conversations. I made an off the cuff remark, and his reply taught me more than many books I’ve read or sermons I’ve sat through. His faith in Jesus is practical and applicable in a way that shouldn’t be so surprising, but is. And it was a big game changer for me. Join us for this one and I think you’ll start to understand why. You can find Ron’s new album “A Light So Fair” AND sign up for online guitar or banjo lessons from the absolute master at: ronblock.com For more about me and my music or this podcast you can visit andrewosenga.com everybodypivots.com --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

David Johnson is the founder of an organization called Silent Images. They are storytellers who come alongside non-profits and ministries to help them share the work they’re doing through video and photography. But David wasn’t always a business owner or a ministry partner, or even a photographer. This is a great empowering story of what happens when you choose to say yes to the doors that open in front of you as you take simple steps forward in service, compassion and obedience. I found this conversation with David very encouraging. Silent Images is an amazing and vibrant company, and I really enjoyed my time with David Johnson and I know you will, too. If you’re interested in learning more about David and his work, you can find Silent Images at their website: silentimages.org You can find brakeman’s coffee and supply online at Brakemanscoffee.com For more about me and my music or this podcast you can visit andrewosenga.com everybodypivots.com --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

You probably know Mark Stuart as the lead singer of the massively successful band Audio Adrenaline. But he’s also a husband, a father, a new author, a divorcee, and a man deeply in love with the nation of Haiti. And, he lives in an RV…. Audio Adrenaline and The Normals, my first band, were actually label-mates around the turn of the century. Obviously, they were a huge success and we, we were not. The paths of our two bands rarely crossed. But I can tell you, the few times we did connect, we would ALWAYS walk away talking about how incredibly kind they were. I see after this conversation, that we were surely correct. What might be the most surprising, though, is how the band ended and what Mark’s like looked like afterwards. This is a story of a guy who lost everything, and how that’s where God met him. Mark is a passionate, honest guy with a renewed lease on life. I loved getting to connect with Mark and I hope you find this as encouraging and eye-opening as it was for me. For more info on Ben, check out his website: https://www.markstuartmedia.com/ Or get his book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1400213290?tag=nelsonbooks-20 Andrew's links: http://www.andrewosenga.com/ https://www.everybodypivots.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Ben Shive is a genius record producer, piano player, string arranger, and poet. He's also a husband, a father, a church elder, and a dear friend of mine, and to many in our community. I've known and worked closely with Ben for twenty years now, and while I've always marveled at his skill and musical prowess, in the last few years I've been more and more impressed by who Ben has been becoming as a person. He's had to deal with some major changes, particularly around health, and I've learned so much from watching the fruits of the Spirit be so evident in that process. I am always deeply encouraged by the time we get to spend together, and I'm thankful that we get to work together a lot again these days. I'm also glad that I get to bring so many of my artists into his orbit, and that I get to share this conversation with you. For more info on Ben, check out his website: http://www.benshive.com Andrew's links: http://www.andrewosenga.com/ https://www.everybodypivots.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

A couple years ago Jeremy Cowart was named the “Most Influential Photographer on the Internet” by Huffington Post, Forbes and Yahoo. He’s also an artist, an entrepreneur, a public speaker and a husband and father of four kids. Before all that, he was probably the first “web designer” I had ever met, way back in the early 2000s. Not only is this dude an incredible artist and photographer, but he’s now building his own hotel. In his own words, he operates to "explore the intersection of creativity and empathy." Jeremy’s is a wild journey and a story that just might get you off your couch to go try to chase that crazy dream. This was a perfect episode to end this season before we take a break for the rest of the year. For more info on Jeremy, check out his website or his instagram: https://www.jeremycowart.com/ https://www.instagram.com/jeremycowart/ Sponsor a child through Compassion International today!! http://www.compassion.com/thepivot Get your tickets for Andrew Peterson's "Behold the Lamb" tour: https://www.andrew-peterson.com/tour Andrew's links: http://www.andrewosenga.com/ https://www.everybodypivots.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Don Donahue is back! Together, he and I spend this hour discussing questions sent in by listeners after our interview last month. We get to tell some great stories and talk about community, intentionality, and what it can look like to be open to God's leading in our lives. Thank you for these great questions! What an honor to get to share this hour with Don, one of my heroes. If you enjoy this kind of episode, let me know. I think it could be fun to do more of these in the coming season. Sponsor a child through Compassion International today!! http://www.compassion.com/thepivot Get your tickets for Andrew Peterson's "Behold the Lamb" tour: https://www.andrew-peterson.com/tour Andrew's links: http://www.andrewosenga.com/ https://www.everybodypivots.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Nate Larkin was a pastor, the son of a pastor, a young husband, and also a sex addict. His story is one of incredible sadness and also incredible hope. He has gone on to found an organization called the Samson Society, a fellowship of Christian men who are serious about authenticity, community, humility & recovery. It’s been a place of much healing for thousands of men walking through addiction. He is a fantastic storyteller with an infectious laugh and you’ll end up sitting in the parking lot, late for work, until this one’s done. Nate is the host of the Pirate Monk podcast and the Positive Sobriety podcast, alongside last week’s guest, David Hampton. I also need to give a big plug for the SamsonSociety.com website, where you can join virtual meetings pretty much any day and find friends around the world ready to help carry your burden. There are blogs, podcasts, ebooks, software, and a thousand different tools and resources to help guys walk out of isolation and shame and into healing and recovery. Sponsor a child through Compassion International today!! http://www.compassion.com/thepivot Get your tickets for Andrew Peterson's "Behold the Lamb" tour: https://www.andrew-peterson.com/tour Andrew's links: http://www.andrewosenga.com/ https://www.everybodypivots.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

David Hampton finally told a friend that he was an alcoholic. Years later, he’s now an addiction recovery specialist helping people out of the situation he had once been in himself. I first knew David, though, as the worship leader at the church I attended in college. I had heard through the grapevine that his wife was not doing well. I did not realize she was bedridden for years with MS, and sadly, I had not heard that she had passed away a few years ago. But truthfully, I probably would not have heard about any of this, had it not been for the fact that a few of my friends, friends who have undergone the long and incredible task of breaking addiction, who started telling me about this amazing man who had been guiding them into a life of sobriety. Once I connected the dots and realized this was a guy I at least knew a little bit, I just knew I had to talk to him. This was so rich, and so useful. You’re going to love learning more about David and enjoying this incredible conversation. For more about David you can visit his website: davidhamptoncprc.com Sponsor a child through Compassion International today!! http://www.compassion.com/thepivot Andrew's links: http://www.andrewosenga.com/ https://www.everybodypivots.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Garett and Carrie Buell met and married when Garett and I were in the band Caedmon’s Call together, and Carrie was in a band called Alathea. Since leaving music full-time, they have started an incredibly successful real estate and architectural photography business, Studio Buell, with a staff of eleven photographers, also mostly former musicians. This was a delightful trip down memory lane of how their bands were started, being mentored by Rich Mullins, and how a visit to a Compassion site in Ecuador and a shared love of cameras started this whole deal. Carrie and Garett are so much fun and it was great to catch up and be inspired by their story. For more about Garett and Carrie, please visit: https://www.studiobuell.com https://www.instagram.com/studiobuell/ Sponsor a child through Compassion International today!! http://www.compassion.com/thepivot Andrew's links: http://www.andrewosenga.com/ https://www.everybodypivots.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Don Donahue might not be a familiar name to most of you, and that’s how he likes it. But as a kid reading liner notes in his bedroom in Illinois, there were three or four names that always seemed to pop up on album after album and Don Donahue was one of them. Turns out he was A&R on some of the most important albums of my youth, Michael W Smith’s “Change Your World”, Rich Mullins “The World As Best As I Remember It” and “Liturgy, Legacy”. I do that exact job now, A&R, but I didn’t know then what it was. Turns out Don might not have either. There’s a lot more here, to starting a new label, called Rocketown, with Michael. And then having to close it down, too. Like pretty much everybody, Don has had to reconfigure, reinvent, and reinvest himself in different roles and the communities that spring up around them. And he’s not done. What’s super fun is that he’s brought himself to the podcast to not only share his story, but also to open himself up to let you and me speak into what’s next. The end of this one is going to lead us to a different kind of episode, that will happen in about a month or so. We’re going to hear Don’s story and then if you have any thoughts or ideas or questions after our conversation, you can send them to me and Don and I will talk through them on an upcoming episode. That’s part of a larger discussion I’ve been having about how we can make the podcast more useful and more collaborative. I’m excited to see how it goes and I encourage you to dig in and send us your questions and your thoughts. For now, enjoy this fun and lively discussion covering a wide range of music, faith, business and community. Sponsor a child through Compassion International today!! http://www.compassion.com/thepivot Andrew's links: http://www.andrewosenga.com/ https://www.everybodypivots.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

My guest today is from the nation of Eritrea, in Northeast Africa. He has been granted legal and permanent asylum here in the US. To get here, he was smuggled through 18 countries on a terribly dangerous journey. He is currently pursuing American citizenship and hopes to return to Eritrea someday, as a visitor. The story you’re about to hear may put some of those things in jeopardy were they to become known, so I’m just going to call him “my friend from Eritrea”. Here is a wild, almost unbelievable, and deeply impacting story. You’ll be on the edge of your seat. I can’t stop thinking about it. My friend is a great storyteller, and THIS is a story worth telling. Sponsor a child through Compassion International today!! http://www.compassion.com/thepivot Andrew's links: http://www.andrewosenga.com/ https://www.everybodypivots.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Diana Beach Batarseh is, and has been, a number of things. An educator, a school founder, a wife, a mother, a widow, a wife again, a gifted songwriter and a brilliant worship leader. She is one of the most thoughtful, wise, and kind people I know. This was a wide-ranging and beautiful discussion about life and how we live it. We talk about all of these different seasons of her life and so much more. This was one of my favorite interviews, personally, and I know you are going to love it. To learn more about Diana’s Children’s Catechism project, go to: http://askmewhooo.com/home.html Sponsor a child through Compassion International today!! http://www.compassion.com/thepivot Andrew's links: http://www.andrewosenga.com/ https://www.everybodypivots.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Charlie Peacock is a legendary record producer, songwriter, artist, author and thought leader. He’s written hit songs for Amy Grant and dc Talk, discovered and produced Switchfoot and the Civil Wars, and won multiple Grammy awards. He and his wife Andi founded the Art House, where luminaries like Eugene Peterson or Bono would came to speak, and where I now have my studio. He is one of the most interesting and important people in the history of Christian music, and he has played a pretty important role in my life, personally, as well. He’s done everything you can think of in this business, including at one point working at a record label and dropping a little band called The Normals. (GASP!) Charlie came back to his old home recently to sit with me and talk about his start in the music business, his first encounters with Jesus, and his family’s move to Nashville. We talked a lot about his past few years, starting a new School of Music at a university and then having to walk away to deal with health issues, and all that he’s learning in this season. It was an incredible gift and honor to get to have this conversation and I know you’re going to love it. The new website where Charlie and Andi are sharing their recent writings: https://thewriterthehusband.com/ Charlie's paintings: https://www.etsy.com/shop/OnlyInNashville Sponsor a child through Compassion International today!! http://www.compassion.com/thepivot Andrew's links: http://www.andrewosenga.com/ https://www.everybodypivots.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Nathan Tasker is a father, a songwriter and, alongside his wife Cassie, a co-director of the Art House Nashville. Nathan and Cassie have had some of the highest highs and lowest lows over the past dozen years or so, and the insight and wisdom that Nathan has to share is remarkable. This is an episode you'll wish you could underline and highlight, it's got so many wonderful moments. And a pretty great accent. To find more info on Nathan, hear his music, and see when he's playing or speaking near you, visit: http://www.nathantasker.com/ To learn more about the Art House: http://www.arthousenashville.com/ http://www.ahsnashville.com/ Sponsor a child through Compassion International today!! http://www.compassion.com/thepivot Andrew's links: http://www.andrewosenga.com/ https://www.everybodypivots.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Dennis Parker was a seven-year-old banjo champion, and now he plays guitar with Ricky Skaggs. We talk about that a little, but we talk a lot more about prison, being an alcoholic, and running from responsibility until it catches up with you. Dennis is an amazingly kind and talented man. He speaks with such wisdom, humility and vulnerability. This felt like a sacred moment and I know you will get a lot out of it. Might be one to share, too, if you know someone who needs to hear it.   Check out Dennis, his music, and his weekly videos: https://www.facebook.com/dennis.w.parker.3 Sponsor a child through Compassion International today!! http://www.compassion.com/thepivot Visit CleanWater Cartwheels! https://www.instagram.com/cleanwatercartwheels/ https://fundraise.bloodwatermission.com/fundraiser/2144586 Andrew's links: http://www.andrewosenga.com/ https://www.everybodypivots.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Kelly Corday is a radio DJ, a mother, a widow, and (for a brief time) was my cubicle neighbor at the record company where I work. This one covers a lot of ground, as we talk about grief, family, and what it looks like when you’re in a job that’s not right, and you know it on day one. Kelly is a lot of fun to talk to, and she also had a home video of her dog go viral, but I forgot to ask about it!   Check out Kelly's blog and listen to her radio show: https://www.wayfm.com/meet-kelly/ Sponsor a child through Compassion International today!! http://www.compassion.com/thepivot Visit CleanWater Cartwheels! https://www.instagram.com/cleanwatercartwheels/ https://fundraise.bloodwatermission.com/fundraiser/2144586 Andrew's links: http://www.andrewosenga.com/ https://www.everybodypivots.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Eric Peters is a singer/songwriter I’ve known and admired for half my life. These days, however, you’re more likely to find him covered in grass clippings or acrylic paints than on a stage singing his songs. There are heartbreaking and beautiful reasons why, and Eric is unflinching in sharing his story with us. Getting to share this conversation is a deep honor and am so inspired by my friend. We touch on everything from used golf books, lobster boiling, and jewelry store jingles to addiction, depression and how hard it can be to raise kids. This one goes deep fast and also made me laugh about as hard as I have all year. Check out Eric's music, artwork, used books, and tour dates: https://ericpeters.net/ Visit CleanWater Cartwheels! https://www.instagram.com/cleanwatercartwheels/ https://fundraise.bloodwatermission.com/fundraiser/2144586 Sponsor a child through Compassion International today!! http://www.compassion.com/thepivot Andrew's links: http://www.andrewosenga.com/ https://www.everybodypivots.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Trillia Newbell walked away from law school as an African-American woman because she felt God calling her to ministry. That must have seemed crazy at the time, but it has borne so much good fruit. Today, Trillia is an accomplished author, speaker and blogger, who I first learned about when I was handed a copy of her INCREDIBLE book "God's Very Good Idea". I tracked her down because I had to learn where this book came from and learned she lived just a few minutes away, here in Nashville. As well as a mom and fitness guru, Trillia writes a lot about the Bible, fear, race, and parenting. She’s written a series of bible studies and currently serves as the Director of Community Outreach for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission for the Southern Baptist Convention. Her joy is contagious and this chat was surprising and wonderful. Check our her books and other writings at: http://www.trillianewbell.com/ Sponsor a child through Compassion International today!! http://www.compassion.com/thepivot Andrew's links: http://www.andrewosenga.com/ https://www.everybodypivots.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Jody Davis is the guitar player for the Newsboys. He's also one of America's premier pipe-makers. It was super interesting to talk about the history of the band, but also how Jody discovered a love of pipe-making and how that took care of his family through an incredibly hard season. Who would imagine the paths of our lives will take sometimes? Sponsor a child through Compassion International today!! http://www.compassion.com/thepivot Check out Jody's pipes and his work with the Newsboys: https://www.jodydavispipes.com/ https://pipedia.org/wiki/J._Davis_Pipes https://newsboys.com/ Andrew's links: http://www.andrewosenga.com/ https://www.everybodypivots.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support

Amanda Lindsey Cook has been a breakout artist for Bethel Music the past few years. She's also had to face one of the hardest seasons in her life at the same time, which ultimately led to living alone in a house on a hill, where she wrote her newest album. This was a fantastic chat covering a myriad of subjects, from Canada to piano lessons to the Kingdom of God and why black is the brightest color of the rainbow. Amanda is a joy to talk to and you're going to love this first episode of Season 4!   Sponsor a child through Compassion International today!! http://www.compassion.com/thepivot Andrew's links: http://www.andrewosenga.com/ https://www.everybodypivots.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-pivot/support