The Art of Venn: Recent Episodes
IVED
Staff life is complicated. We wear so many hats that seem to pull us in all directions. How could we go from surviving to thriving? In the Art of Venn we look for places of convergence - hear the wisdom of voices across the movement.
“The end result of discipleship is friendship…”
TW: Suicide attempt
We launch Episode 1 of Season 3 with a conversation with Brent Campbell (Campus Staff, Carolinas Region) and Andrew Givens (Area Ministry Driector, New England Region). What were the barriers for them in becoming friends? What led to them becoming family?
Hey Staff! We're back with Season 3 of the Art of Venn. New episodes beginning next week, Tuesday 5/4. Catch you then!
“Hope doesn’t come from circumstances. Real hope comes from a real expectation of goodness in the future…”
This week we talk to our SC20 conference speaker Sandy Shugart, President of Valencia College. Sandy experienced early success in his career, but found himself on a trajectory of character deformation. How has his commitment to doing his inner work impacted his leadership and how he's leading out during COVID-19?
“One of my convictions is knowing what the Spirit is doing in the room and how people are responding…”
How do you adjust your well laid plans to what the Holy Spirit is doing? We chat with Jasmin Rouse, National Director of Leadership Development, about how she discerns what God is doing, how she pivots, and how she thinks about leading trainings with staff of color in mind.
“It was important in my 20s to fail well and fail often"
What does lifelong learning look like through each decade of ministry? We chat with Paul Tokunaga, Executive Coach & Senior Consultant. Hear stories from his 20s, what he learned from those experiences, and how he continues to grow in his current role.
“I am alone. I feel so unknown… Is this what leadership in ministry is supposed to be like?”
Leadership is our calling, but it’s often lonely. What is God’s invitation to us when we experience loneliness as leaders? We chat with Jason Gaboury to hear more of his InterVarsity journey, becoming an Anglican Friar vowing, and how God met him in times of deep loneliness.
"It’s giving time back ultimately to do the things that the Lord has called us to do on campus."
What is this Salesforce thing we keep hearing about? Can it really help improve campus ministry? Imagine a world where AFR numbers and chapter information is at your fingertips. We chat with Joshua Haupt, Process Improvement Manager, about his excitement for the new Salesforce staff portal and also the spiritual formation lessons he's learned in the implementation process.
“We will always feel a level of resistance to enter into the unknown.”
Do you embrace or dislike change? Regardless of your preference, change may often be experienced as loss, especially change that is done to us. How can we understand our relationship to change during this where it feels like everything has changed? We chat with Jen Hollingsworth, Change Management Manager, on ways to understand change as discipleship.
“It’s a no lose situation to contact a donor.”
As COVID-19 continues to impact all of us, including our ministry partners, doing MPD can seem like a new ball game. Can we continue to do MPD during this season? How do we know when to ask and what to ask? We chat with Dabney Robinson, National Director of MPD for some helpful tips for both staff and supervisors.
“The most important resource any of us has is trust.”
In Part 2 of our interview with Andy Crouch, we discuss how pre-exiting trust in our relationships become valuable sources of connecting. We are physically apart but digitally connected. How does technology now impact how we relate to one another?
“Real creativity begins with lament” We are so thankful Andy was willing to be a guest on The Art of Venn. What are the tensions he’s managing during this time of tremendous change? Why is he lamenting before creating? How can creativity become an idol, and how can we guard ourselves from that? If you haven’t yet, listen to Andy’s conversation on his podcast, “The Redemptive Edge.” Tune in next week for Part 2 of our conversation.
We had the chance to interview Andy Crouch (Partner of Theology and Culture at Praxis) and will be airing that episode next week. That interview comes out of this conversation between Andy and Praxis CEO Dave Blanchard on their podcast "The Redemptive Edge." Andy and Dave share a sobering take on the likely impact on the COVID-19 virus of our organizations, urging Christian leaders to treat COVID-19 as an economic and cultural change that is likely to affect our lives and organizations for years.
Go further by reading the pieces in the Praxis Journal titled, "Leading Beyond the Blizzard: Why Every Organization is Now a Startup." and "Love in the Time of Coronavirus."
“Maybe the Spirit might give us a word about how to proceed forward in a new or creative way we haven’t thought about before.”
Ministry doesn't stop just because we can't meet in person. We ask James Choung, Vice President of Strategy & Innovation: How can we let the constraints of our situation breathe new creativity into our work? (Recorded 3/12/20)
“I think evangelicalism is my zip code. I think I’m going to love this little screwed up corner of the Christian world.”
As the Director of Global Engagement and Justice, we wondered how Scott Bessenecker continues to claim residency in evangelicalism when so many brothers and sisters have left. Hear his reflections in the last episode of the season.
“Emotional martyrs and soul-denigrating martyrdom… I don’t believe God calls that of us.”
In your work with InterVarsity, you will be disappointed. You will be disappointed by those you work with and disappointed by the organization. As reality sets in that we are still broken people working in a broken system, how do we continue to choose hope instead of cynicism? Explore this with Phil Bowling-Dyer, who has worked for InterVarsity for over 30 years.
“I need to make me a part of the equation when we talk about caring.”
As a self-professed “yes” girl, Skip McDonald spent most of her life caring for others, without caring for herself. How did the Lord break through her pattern of neglecting herself and invite her to be cared for and care for herself as well?
"Having great answers is a side benefit of doing theology..."
As the new Director of Theological Formation, Jeff Liou wants to help staff think theologically about their own discipleship and ministry. What is theological formation beyond intellectual pursuits?
“Part-time mom planters might be the best planters in the country.” As National Director of Diversity, Stacy Rafferty is taking her experiences as a part-time mom CSM planter to create organizational change. How did becoming a parent make her a better planter? What organizational changes is she helping implement that will contribute to staff thriving?
“One cannot and should not in fact, do it all.”
Dan Shiau once tried to do it all as a volunteer, and he pushed himself beyond the limits of what he was responsible for. How did he receive God’s invitation away from the expectations he had for himself, away from the neurotic pursuit of perfection and instead allow God to restructure what ministry was supposed to be.
“I don’t think giving up on faith altogether is the answer”
When we say yes to Jesus in ministry, we say yes to the vision of what could be and not the disappoint of what won’t be. What do you do when you encounter devastating loss while following Jesus into your calling? How do you grieve in disappointment with Jesus?
“Being an Indian of faith can make you an inconvenient Indian”
When asked what he wanted staff to know about being Native, Courtland Hopkin says this: “According to Sherman Alexie, there are three type of Indians: dead Indians, side of the road Indians, and inconvenient Indians.” What are these three types and what does it mean to be an inconvenient Indian?
Staff life is complicated. We wear so many hats that seem to pull us in all directions. How could we go from surviving to thriving? In the Art of Venn we look for places of convergence - hear the wisdom of voices across the movement.
“I don’t find that burnout is related to the workload… the heart of burnout is hope and motivation.”
What does our understanding of the Trinity have to do with our day job? We ask Bruce Hansen, Area Ministry Director (Pacific Region), to make the connection for our sustainability on campus.
Book Recommendations: Delighting in the Trinity: An Introduction to the Christian Faith by Michale Reeves Ministry in the Image of God: The Trinitarian Shape of Christian Service The Message of the Trinity: Life in God by Brian Edgar
“Theology is about asking good questions.”
How does the study of theology shape our identity in a way that helps us overcome shame, fear, and anxiety around ministry? We ask Noemi Vega, Area Ministry Director (South Texas), adjunct professor at Fresno Pacific University Biblical Seminary, and co-author of “Hermanas: Deepening Our Identity and Growing Our Influence.”
To check out Enrique Dussel’s work, Noemi recommends beginning with “Twenty Theses on Politics.”
Book Recommendations: A Little Book for New Theologians: Why and How to Study Theology by Kelly M. Kapic Exploring Christian Doctrine: A Guide to What Christians Believe by Tony Lane Global Theology in Evangelical Perspective: Exploring the Contextual Nature of Theology and Mission by Dr. Jeffrey P. Greenman Ph.D.
“For me to understand who I was and who God was… I really needed to engage the world of mental health.”
Managing our own mental health and the erratic rhythms and pressures of staff life is a tough balancing act. We chat with Laura Vellenga, Interim Ministry Associate (Interim Ministry) on some best practices, along with tips for supervisors.
Laura began IVHeadstrong, a mental health facebook support group for staff. To join, look her up on Facebook and ask to be added.
Book Recommendations: Troubled Minds: Mental Illness and the Church’s Mission by Amy Simpson When Life Goes Dark: Finding Hope in the Midst of Depression by Richard Winter Shades of Light: A Novel by Sharon Garlough Brown
“My favorite part of my job is seeing a new funded future…“
Andrew Ginsberg was what his friends called the “worst evangelical experience of their lives.” How did he end up as our Executive Vice President of Advancement? What good news and words of encouragement does he have for you?
Watch Andrew on Tom Time (start 3:35) https://staff.intervarsity.org/more-partnerships-are-advancing-ministry
Book Recommendations:
The Language of Science and Faith: Straight Answers to Genuine Questions by Karl W. Giberson and Francis S. Collins Neither Poverty nor Riches: A Biblical Theology of Possessions by Craig L. Blomberg When Women Give: The Adventure of a Generous Life by Kim King and Peter Greer
“Every staff at every stage needs someone to walk with them in their staff leadership development.”
Mutual learning, mutual delight, mutual satisfaction... this is how Lisa Espineli Chinn, Development Coach with Learning & Talent describes her experience with being a mentor. In this episode, we receive her wisdom from her years on staff and hear her observations of this current generation.
Book Recommendations:
Deep Mentoring: Guiding Others on Their Leadership Journey by Randy D. Reese and Robert Loane The Mentor’s Guide: Facilitating Effective Learning Relationships by Lois Zachary Hermanas: Deepening Our Identity and Growing Our Influence by Natalia Kohn Rivera, Noemi Vega Quiñones, and Kristy Garza Robinson A Sojourner’s Truth: Choosing Freedom and Courage in a Divided World by Natasha Sistrunk Robinson
Rest and Resistance - Jonathan Walton
**“If we are able to resist the patterns of the world, then we can participate in the renewal of all things, and the first thing to be restored is us.”
In order to rest, we must resist. We chat with Jonathan Walton, Area Ministry Director (New York City Metro Focus) about what that looks like.**
Find Jonathan’s talk on the 4Rs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO0_Ej1E0B0&feature=youtu.be
Jonathan is the author of “Twelve Lies That Hold America Captive: And the Truth That Sets Us Free.”
Book Recommendations:
The Unhurried Leader: The Last Fruit of Daily Influence by Alan Fadling
Raise your Voice: Why We Stay Silent and How to Speak Up by Kathy Khang
The Emotionally Healthy Leader: How Transforming Your Inner Life Will Deeply Transform Your Church, Team, and the World by Peter Scazzero
Show notes:
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO0_Ej1E0B0&feature=youtu.be)
Book Plug 1- The Unhurried Leader: The Lasting Fruit of Daily Influence by Alan Fadling
https://www.amazon.com/Unhurried-Leader-Lasting-Fruit-Influence/dp/0830846344/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=the+unhurried+leader&qid=1559079947&s=gateway&sr=8-2
Book Plug 2- Raise Your Voice: Why We Stay Silent and How to Speak Up by Kathy Khang
https://www.amazon.com/Raise-Your-Voice-Silent-Speak-ebook/dp/B07G3CB9F4/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=raise+your+voice&qid=1559080037&s=gateway&sr=8-8
Book Plug 3- The Emotionally Healthy Leader: How Transforming Your Inner Life Will Deeply Transform Your Church, Team, and the World by Peter Scazzero
https://www.amazon.com/Emotionally-Healthy-Leader-Transforming-Transform/dp/0310494575/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3SCF96ANVGDDS&keywords=the+emotionally+healthy+leader+by+peter+scazzero&qid=1559080329&s=gateway&sprefix=the+emotionally+healthy+leader%2Caps%2C221&sr=8-1
Staff life is complicated. We wear so many hats that seem to pull us in all directions. How could we go from surviving to thriving? In the Art of Venn we look for places of convergence - hear the wisdom of voices across the movement.