iWork4Him welcomes back Danita Bye to tackle how Christians can make a positive impact in their communities, potentially even through serving in government/political positions. She emphasizes the importance of civic engagement and highlights the archetypes of Christians in politics:  

1. Biblically grounded statesman – truthful, gracious, wise, and bold 

2. Biblically grounded but sometimes shrill, losing influence 

3. Someone who calls himself a Christian but is easily swayed  

4. Loud, brash, and unwilling to listen or learn, undermining his testimony 

5. One who thinks church is only for Sundays and shouldn’t interfere with the rest of the week 

6. A Christian who believes that the government has replaced the Church and therefore should be serving the poor 

Danita notes that she strives to be like the first type of Christian civic servant listed. She believes that civic engagement is a great opportunity for believers to be stewards that God has called us to be, like in Jeremiah 29:7, where Israel was instructed to help Babylon prosper. As Danita’s dad always commented: “the rules are made by those who show up.” So how can you show up?  

Reach out to your local boards and commissions to see how you can help, recognize what interests you and ask God for affirmation, and seek out prayer intercessors to provide clarity. You can also check out several resources highly recommended by Danita: 

• Well Versed: Biblical Answers to Today’s Tough Issues by Jim Garlow (book) 

• ReVersed: From Culturally Woke to Biblically Awake by Jim Garlow (upcoming book) 

• Biblical Citizenship in Modern America by Rick Green (workbook) 

• Why Christians Should Seek to Influence Government for Good by Wayne Grudem (paper) 

• The Truth Project by Del Tackett (small group curriculum) 

• Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 (conservative movement) 

• Letter to the American Church by Eric Metaxas 

Keep in mind the words of Plato: “If you do not take an interest in the affairs of your government, then you are doomed to live under the rule of fools.” 

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Featuring: Danita Bye

Ministry/ Workplace: DanitaBye.com

Writer, coach, and businesswoman Peggy Bodde joins this iWork4Him Podcast episode to encourage Christian working women to use their God-given talents and abilities in the marketplace. She opens up about her own past doubts navigating a corporate leadership role while being a Christian. The work that she does can be summed up as help that she wishes she had earlier as a woman in the marketplace.  

Our work – and every part of our lives – is sacred because we bring God into those spaces. That’s the key message of this conversation and of Peggy’s new book, Sacred Work. It’s written specifically for women and serves as a handy reference guide for tons of different work dilemmas and circumstances. To get to know Peggy even better (which we recommend because she’s a gem!), check out her previous sheWorks4Him Podcast interview. 

Shout out to a couple of incredible companies that help make this episode happen: 

SaferNet is your answer to computer and smart phone security at home and work. The SaferNet VPN includes internet controls, antivirus protection, and 84 website filters – sign up today to get protection you can count on. 

Patriot Mobile is America’s only Christian conservative mobile carrier, supporting faith, family, and freedom. Stop giving money to businesses that support antibiblical agendas; make the switch to Patriot Mobile. 

Featuring: Peggy Bodde

Ministry/ Workplace: Sacred Work

Jacinta Tegman, the CEO of CRISTA Ministries, says she leads out of her relationship with the Lord - but what exactly does that mean? Simply this: at the end of her term as a leader, the people she led would love Jesus more than they did when she started. As an early riser, Jacinta sees herself as a servant of the Lord and a servant of the mission and staff at CRISTA. With over 1,300 employees across five ministries, she works to create a culture where everyone knows they belong. She relates the experience of working with such varied staff to her childhood with four siblings. They all have different personalities and needs but are one big happy, messy family!

Jacinta had to become comfortable with the leader that God had made her to be, and today she loves living that out at CRISTA. One of the things Jacinta did to help the culture was to move her office into the middle of the activity, so she can know what is going on in the organization. Now that is transformative leadership!

Guests: Jacinta Tegman

Ministry/ Workplace: CRISTA Ministries

YouTube Video

Fun fact: Reverend Dr. Nicole Martin started annually reading through the Bible 20 years ago as a dare from a youth pastor, but it wasn’t until five years ago that she joined the team at American Bible Society. For years God was preparing her heart to love His Word and desire that others would also come to be, as she says, “a Bible nerd like her.” American Bible Society collaborates with other people and ministries to share the good news of the Gospel with the world! Currently, their goal is to reach 7.8 million people with God’s Word and help 100 million Americans engage with the Gospel! 

With God-sized goals like this, Nicole knows that communication is key. And bonus, God knows exactly how He has made her and every other person on the planet – so He knows how to communicate to them individually through His Word! Accordingly, Nicole also works hard to create a culture at American Bible Society that celebrates differences and allows people to feel valued for who God made them to be.  

Guests: Dr. Nicole Martin

Ministry/ Workplace: American Bible Society

YouTube Video

Undercover Boss made her famous. Christ makes her an excellent leader. Hear the story of the Dwyer Group with Dina Dwyer-Owens, her views on the dog-eat-dog world for women as executives, and the environment for women who lead with faith.

Featured Guest: Dina Dwyer-Owens
Ministry/Workplace: Neighborly Brands & Dina Dwyer-Owens

In this show from the most recent CLA Outcomes Conference, we talk with Vicki Harris, Sr. Vice President of Human Resources for Our Daily Bread Ministries. While Our Daily Bread specializes in producing quarterly devotionals (available at ODB.org), it is refreshing to hear that Vicki still finds her morning time with God to be the key to leading a thriving ministry and work environment. She talks with us in today’s show about applying personal revelation in professional settings. 

With offices in 38 countries, Our Daily Bread prioritizes new avenues for the staff and volunteers to grow in their faith, dig deep into Scripture, and thrive. This familiarity with cultivating a positive work culture over great distances served OBD well during the pandemic. They started hosting virtual leadership events for their staff, which were so well received that other people wanted to come. The result? The Mastering You sessions are now open to everyone!

Vicky Harris wants to challenge leaders to grow their character - what a great perspective coming from a leader in Human Resources! May we all take some time to consider this wisdom today.

Guests: Vicki Harris

Ministry/ Workplace: Our Daily Bread Ministries

YouTube Video

In this show from the most recent CLA Outcomes Conference, we talk with Brenda Long, Sr. Director of Infrastructure Operations at Food for the Hungry. Brenda has been with Food for the Hungry, an organization that takes a holistic approach to ending poverty through purposeful relief, for over 26 years. Tune in as we discuss getting still before God, leadership development, personality tests, and the mission to end hunger. 

When we asked Brenda about the daunting task of ending hunger, she said that Food for the Hungry is simply called to be a part of the solution, not the whole thing. They believe that it is through partnership and cooperation that the Kingdom of God comes to fruition. Accordingly, Brenda says we are all leaders, even if it's not in your title. Studying the enneagram is one tool that has helped her to lead better and understand those she leads. As a 7, she has a deep need to be around others, and this past year has challenged that need, first in losing her mom and then during the pandemic. For more information on Food for the Hungry's mission, check out their FREE eBook download, God's Story!

Guests: Brenda Long

Ministry/ Workplace: Food for the Hungry

YouTube Video

Transcript

About a year and a half ago, we set off on a journey to write a collaborative resource for Christian women in the workplace. Over the last eight years of being on-air interviewing workplace believers – we heard so many stories coming from women of faith who love to work outside the home and be a part of the marketplace but felt second-place in the Kingdom. This should never be! So, that kicked off a year and a half long journey of Martha and me to create a collaborative resource that would encourage every Christian working woman.  

sheWorks4Him was written to celebrate, validate, encourage, and equip women in the workplace to vibrantly live out their faith in every area of life! In addition to myself, we invited 19 other women of faith to contribute their own inspiring stories of activating their workplace mission field. The audiobook version of sheWorks4Him is especially exciting – as each chapter is read by its contributing author!  

As our Gift to you, we are releasing the audio from the Introduction and first chapter on our podcast so you can get a feel for the content inside sheWorks4Him: Embrace your calling as a Christian woman at work. To listen to the rest of the audiobook CLICK HERE or go to Amazon.com. To get a hard copy of sheWorks4Him or our other two books, iWork4Him and iRetire4Him, go to iWork4Him.com/bookstore.

Guest: Jim and Martha Brangenberg

Ministry: sheWorks4Him

YouTube Video

When Ellie was an attorney on her way up the corporate ladder, she thought that God would only get in the way of her aspirations. But as her career grew, she found that all her achievements were empty; she was missing a greater purpose or meaning – the kind that only God can fill. When we believe that our job or title or perceived success is our purpose, we are short-changing ourselves – because God has more in store for us. Moreover, our jobs are only one aspect of our lives that God wants to use to make an eternal impact. In this bonus interview, Ellie talks with us about what it looks like to glorify the Lord in the context of a Fortune 250 company, battling anxiety and fear in the face of the unexpected, and the two most important things to successfully living out your faith at work.

Ellie Nieves is a contributing author to Chapter 8 of our new book, sheWorks4Him: Embrace Your Calling as a Christian Woman at Work.

Guests: Ellie Nieves

Ministry/Workplace: Christian Career Women

YouTube Video Interview

Have you ever felt alone and isolated as a woman in the workplace? Do you hunger for community, belonging, support, and mentoring from other women of faith just like you? Caroline Mendez can relate! She spent over ten years looking for a community of women faith leaders and hit roadblock after roadblock. Eventually, God asked her to help develop the resources and communities she wished she’d had years ago through Pinnacle Forum for Women. Caroline discusses self-worth, finding your tribe, and walking in your God-given strengths in this bonus interview.

Caroline Mendez is a contributing author to Chapter 2 of our new book, sheWorks4Him: Embrace Your Calling as a Christian Woman at Work.

Guests: Caroline Mendez

Ministry/Workplace: Pinnacle Forum for Women, Called4

YouTube Video Interview