The title “Chief People and Culture Officer” perfectly describes the work that Tom Beck does at Compassion International. With a global workforce in 26 countries, every day Tom tackles the challenge of creating an organizational culture of belonging for staff who live across the world. So, how does he do it? According to Tom, it starts with cultivating the spiritual habit of prayer and listening to the Holy Spirit. As an extremely early morning person, Tom begins his most productive part of the day in prayer and Bible reading. From this place he is able to focus on the people and workplace culture he stewards – one that is in line with Compassion’s brand promise “to be known, loved, and connected.”

Our last words of wisdom from Tom are based on his line, “teach what we know – replicate what we are.” These are just a few ways that Tom leads a culture of belonging at Compassion International!

Guests: Tom Beck

Ministry/ Workplace: Compassion International

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Margaret Fitzwater, the Executive Director of Training, Development, and Care for the Navigators, attributes her strong faith and Christ-centered leadership to having good life rhythms. Particularly daily time in the Word – journal and pen in hand – and observing a weekly Sabbath where she focuses on life-giving activities. This dedication to allowing the Word of God to be a part of her life (not just overlaying it) is Margaret’s key to leadership!

At Navigators, Margaret leads five teams that train over 2,700 staff. This means that creating a sense of belonging is mission-critical! Being virtual is a challenge for building that culture, but her teams have learned to invest the time and effort to make sure that every staff member feels seen and heard. Margaret shares so much wisdom with us in today’s show, but the bottom line is that following Jesus is a different way of life than the world’s way.

Guests: Margaret Fitzwater

Ministry/ Workplace: The Navigators

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Get ready to be drawn in by the gentle leadership of Beth Guckenberger! Right off the bat, Beth shares with us her keys to Christ-centered leadership: fellowship and accountability. And what do these two things have in common? They are a part of being in community... part of belonging. Beth and her husband have spent years traveling and learning about other cultures, but the Bible’s principles for belonging always apply no matter where they are.

Plus, we talk about Beth’s new book, Throw the First Punch, where she applies some great principles from 1 Peter 5 and Ephesians 6 on the issues of spiritual warfare. After all, why should we wait for Satan to attack?  We know he’s prowling around looking for something to devour, so be aggressive and put on the Full Armor of God and throw the first punch! Imagine the kind of impact that we could have in each of our areas of influence if we took this approach.

There are so many great nuggets in this episode - you might need to listen to it more than once!

Guests: Beth Guckenberger

Ministry/ Workplace:  Back2Back Ministries

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Nona Jones wears many leadership hats – from church to business to family – so she knows that thriving leadership requires personal growth. Being a college science major, she’s able to give some spot-on examples from nature about what’s needed for growth and what signs show healthy growth vs. withering away.

A leader’s health is oftentimes directly reflected in their team’s health. So, if there’s one thing that Nona has been learning lately, it’s the importance of pouring into the lives of her team members.

As a biblical example in the same plant-related realm, Nona notes the necessity that leaders have of both being pruned for continual growth and carefully pruning others to encourage them to thrive, too. That being said, with the last years of added stress and challenge, God has been pointing her towards compassion and sincere care for truly effective leadership. Since Nona has been an executive at Meta (formerly Facebook), this is something she wants to encourage ministries to focus on as they use social media – not just producing content but connecting with people where they are.

Two pieces of leadership advice to take away from this interview:

1 – The right answer matters more than being right. We must be humble to be good leaders!

2 – Strive for an “additive” leader mindset. As leaders, we should be adding to those on our team, not using them to get ahead.

Guests: Nona Jones

Ministry/ Workplace:  NonaJones.com

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Have you ever wanted to change the world? Join us to hear about a couple in Rogers, Arkansas, who started a family business: drive-through coffee… and are changing their part of the world, one coffee and one smile at a time.

If we have a creed, it would be to change the world with one smile and one act of kindness at a time. ~ Ron Crume

Changing the world. We all have that secret desire, don’t we?  Changing the world in Kingdom terms is not measured in the BIG, the BIGGER and the BIGGEST actions in our life and work.

It’s often the exact opposite. Changing the world happens, one person, one word and one action at a time. It can be as small as smile, a kind word or a self-less act of service. It’s counter-intuitive, just like the work of Christ. In this episode, we had the owners of Seven Brew Coffee, Ron and Lisa Crume, from Rogers Arkansas, share their story about how and why they believe God had them start a drive-through coffee-shop (now multiplied to 6-7 shops). Hear more about how Workmatters has helped them change lives - 45 seconds at a time!

So how about you?  Would you like to change the world? Would you be willing to start today, changing the corner of the world where God has placed YOU?  We invite you to start changing the world RIGHT NOW, with ONE smile, ONE kind word, and ONE kind action, right where you are now.

Featured Guests: Ron & Lisa Crume

Workplace / Ministry: Workmatters & 7 Brew Coffee

Is life balance still a goal? If it is, and it’s not really working, listen to this podcast interview with Mike Cook of “Strategic Doers”, who shares a better alternative than chasing after “life balance”.

“Balance is impossible. Balance implies all things are equal.   They are not.” ~ Mike Cook

How many of us are still trying to figure out the elusive “life balance” equation?  Meet Mike Cook, a small business coach in Virginia, who isn’t just about business but whole life coaching. He who helps small business owners tackle the daily challenge of growing and managing their businesses. 

There are some real nuggets in here, not only for business owners and leaders but Christ-followers who want something MORE than a “balanced life.” A glorifying one.

“We need an integrated life, not a balanced life. A life with Christ integrated in every aspect in our life.” ~ Mike Cook

Life/work balance. How many of us have fallen for that myth and tried to make it happen?  Only to fail over and over…Mike Cook, has a better concept.

How about living an INTEGRATED LIFE?  One that brings Christ into each aspect of our life and work, so that we are putting The Lord, not our futile “balance” efforts, first.  When we asked Mike to share a success story with us, he shared his own. Mike is a fix it guy and wanted to fix the work-life balance issues and time management issues that others were facing. God truly showed him the truth of an integrated life and now he shares that with others.

So how about you?  Are you ready to live ONE INTEGRATED LIFE, where you represent the Lord, you listen to the Lord, and let Him show you your priorities every day?

Try praying this prayer: Father, today, I submit my day, my plans to you. Please show me YOUR PRIORITIES for my day. In Jesus’s Name, Amen

Featured Guest: Mike Cook & Mollie Yoder

Workplace / Ministry: Strategic Doers - The Pocket Testament League

Are you stuck in a rut? Have you ever wondered, “why do I work?” “how do I increase my cultural influence?” or “what does it mean to be a good leader?” Today’s podcast guest, New Zealander Bryce Taylor, asked these same questions, and they changed everything.

Bryce Taylor was serving as the Discipleship and Leadership Development Pastor to young adults in a Pennsylvania ministry called The Livingroom. There he spent his Tuesday nights discussing challenging faith topics and running a program that developed leadership skills and leadership qualities in youth. Then in 2018, Bryce and his family took a trip to New Zealand where, after some self-evaluation, he began to wonder if his ministry was stuck inside the box.

Tune in to hear the incredible testimony of how God’s purpose and will for the Taylors went from pastoral to agricultural with a mission. Today, Bryce still does ministry, leadership development, discipleship, and coaching… but it looks a little different.

Featured Guest: Bryce Taylor & Don Hoover

Workplace / Ministry: The Pocket Testament League - Business Community Network

What do hair and Haiti have in common? A lot, apparently, if you’re a woman of God who loves both. Today, Mollie Yoder of the Pocket Testament League introduces us to Salem Hicks, an entrepreneur and hair stylist that heard God’s voice call her to Haiti to birth a unique ministry for at-risk women! 

Salem Hicks was doing hair in the film industry when she began hearing God’s voice calling her to a 1-week mission trip to Nicaragua. That 1-week trip turned into an internship in Haiti where Salem was asked to help lead a team into a brothel to minister to the women there. In the brothel, she shared her story and as she prayed, felt the Holy Spirit say, “this is what I made you for Salem.” God gave her a vision – to start an education and support center for women at risk of abuse and prostitution in Haiti. 

Salem lived in Haiti for 3-4 years running her God-given ministry until she was evacuated out in 2018 amidst political unrest. According to Salem, God had to remove her from the situation she was in so that she could see what He was doing. Now, through the powerful work of the Holy Spirit, the ministry she started is self-sustaining and Haitian run!  

Salem currently runs Bloom Studio in Lynchburg, Virginia. Her hair salon funds Salem’s travel to Haiti and profits go towards ministry expenses. God uses Bloom Studio as a safe space for women to be poured into not just physically but also spiritually and emotionally. 

Featured Guest: Salem Hicks & Mollie Yoder

Workplace / Ministry: BLOOM Studio, LLC  -  The Pocket Testament League

Imagine having 700 children. And someone asks “who’s your favorite?” That’s a tough question for the Product Marketing Business Leader of Dayspring – it’s like picking a favorite child!  Amelia Nizynski shares how they go about choosing products and what prayer has to do with it.

Dayspring Cards was born in a small commercial print shop in Covina, California, in 1971. The company was founded by four Christian men with a common vision, to make Christ known through the printed message.

DaySpring is a name given in Scripture to Jesus Christ. Luke records the prophetic song of Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, on the occasion of John’s birth. The Holy Spirit showed Zechariah that John would prepare the people for salvation through forgiveness of sins by the coming Messiah, and that God’s mercy on His people would bring this about. The Holy Spirit also showed Zechariah that “the dayspring from on high” (Luke 1:78 KJV) was to come and “give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death to guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:79). The intent at DaySpring Cards is to spread the light from that sunrise by creating products that honor and reflect His name, His character, His nature, His kindness and His love.

Amelia had some quotable quotes during this show:

“No matter what the challenge is, God has you exactly where He wants you.”

“Our memory leaks, so we need to have things around us to REMEMBER God.”

“The biggest challenges in my life and work have been when I have forgotten WHO God is, or WHO I AM in Christ.”

So how about you? Are you in the midst of a challenge at work? If so, CLING to the words of God. Here are just a few reminders of who you are IN HIM:

I am a child of God,

I am Jesus’ friend,

I am a NEW creation,

I am an heir with Christ,

I am chosen, holy, and blameless before God

and I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

Featured Guest: Amelia Nizynski

Workplace / Ministry: DaySpring

We all know what happens when we say “I’ll never do ____________”, right? Find out what happened to Dawn Stanford, Dayspring’s Business Development Manager, when she said it…and how God used it! In this PowerPod we talk career changes, being a control freak, and why one should “never say never” – especially to the Almighty.

The reality is that sometimes change is necessary for the Lord to bring about HIS purpose in your work and life. Dawn’s story is all about hearing God’s voice, listening to God’s voice, and discovering God’s will in your work by letting go and saying yes to His plans rather than yours! 

Are you saying NO or NEVER to something that you should be praying about? Or is your heart open to the work of the Holy Spirit and his purpose in your work?

For more inspiring stories of people who said YES to God like Dawn, check out our new books, sheWorks4Him and iWork4Him!

Featured Guest: Dawn Stanford

Workplace / Ministry: DaySpring