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Rev. Michael Gulker: Leap of Faith Movie Conversations (Part 2)

Release Date: 10/08/2024

How to Stay Human (And Hopeful) When Scrolling

Practicing Hope Podcast

Have you ever opened your phone “just for a minute” and ended up angry at strangers on the internet? So many of us pick up our phones to relax, but instead feel restless, stressed, and less present to the people right in front of us. What if your online life could actually become a place to practice hope and love? In this episode of our Beholding series, Tanner Smith, Chase Rashad Stancle, and Sarah Johnson talk about how phones and social media shape our brains, our bodies, and our relationships — and how small, practical practices can help us stay human, grounded, and open to God, even...

How Small Acts of Curiosity Can Save the Friendship

Practicing Hope Podcast

Have you ever felt a friendship grow tense or distant and weren’t sure why? In a world marked by polarization and quick assumptions, even strong friendships can feel fragile. A single comment, a post, or a difference in perspective can suddenly amplify the distance between us. But what if the gap you feel isn’t the end of the relationship — just an invitation to truly see each other again? In this episode, Tanner, Chase, and Sarah explore why division makes friendships harder to navigate, why we sometimes turn friends into “categories,” and how small acts of curiosity can soften what...

What Hurry is Doing to Your Relationships

Practicing Hope Podcast

Have you noticed hurry shrinking your capacity to love the people right in front of you? The pace of life makes us reactive — rushing kids out the door, skimming conversations, and missing moments that matter. What if slowing down wasn’t about doing less, but about learning to see as God sees? In this kickoff to our Beholding series, Tanner, Chase, and Sarah explore how hurry distorts our relationships and how attention, presence, and prayer can restore them. Warm, practical, and honest—this conversation helps you trade frantic for faithful with the people you love most. In this episode,...

When Powerlessness Becomes a Habit and How to Break It

Practicing Hope Podcast

Have you ever felt powerless in a situation you care deeply about? When things feel out of control, it’s easy to slip into the story that says, “There’s nothing I can do.” But what if helplessness isn’t the whole story? In this episode, Tanner Smith, Chase Rashad Stancle, and Sarah Johnson wrap up their Relational Triangles series by exploring the Victim role — what it really is, what it isn’t, and how to move from stuckness to agency. Through Scripture, humor, and real-life examples, they unpack how empathy and small choices can restore hope and courage in the midst of...

Why the Blame Game Keeps Us Stuck

Practicing Hope Podcast

Can we be honest? Blame feels good — at least for a moment. It’s quick, easy, and even a little satisfying to find someone else to fault. But before we know it, that “warm blanket” of blame can leave us isolated and stuck. In this next installment of the Relational Triangles series on the Practicing Hope Podcast, Sarah Johnson joins Tanner Smith and Chase Rashad Stancle to explore the role of the Accuser and how to move from calling people out to calling people in. Together, they unpack how fear, blame, and even our brains can keep us reactive and how curiosity, confession, and prayer...

Stop Saving Everyone (Even if You're Good at it)

Practicing Hope Podcast

Have you ever felt the pressure to fix everyone else’s problems? Maybe with your kids, your congregation, or coworkers, you step in, smooth things over, and carry weight that isn’t yours. It feels noble, but it can drain you and keep others from growing. What if rescuing isn’t the most loving thing you can do? In Part 2 of our Relational Triangles series, hosts Tanner Smith and Chase Rashad Stancle — joined by Sarah Johnson — unpack the “hero/rescuer” role of the Drama Triangle: why anxious systems reward over-functioning and how to shift from rescuer to coach with simple, wise...

Why You Keep Getting Pulled in: Understanding Relational Triangles

Practicing Hope Podcast

Have you ever found yourself pulled into someone else’s conflict? It happens at work, at church, even in the grocery store. One moment you’re minding your own business, and the next you’re caught in the middle of a conversation that really belongs between two other people. What if, instead of absorbing stress that isn’t yours, you could learn to notice these moments and respond more healthily? In this hope-filled episode of Leading in Practice, hosts Tanner Smith and Chase Rashad Stancle explore the hidden dynamics of relational triangles. They share stories from pastoral life,...

How Not to Lose Yourself in Conflict

Practicing Hope Podcast

Have you ever lost yourself in the middle of conflict? When tensions rise, many of us either rush to fix things or soften the edges to keep the peace. But what if you could stay grounded — anchored in your values — even when things get hard? In this honest and hope-filled episode of Practicing Hope, Rev. Tanner Smith and Pastor Chase Rashad Stancle explore what it means to be a defined leader: someone who knows their values, shows up with clarity, and doesn’t disappear in the heat of conflict. You’ll laugh, reflect, and leave with practical tools for staying present when it matters...

The Spiritual Practice of Leaving Your Comfort Zone with Telos

Practicing Hope Podcast

What if the key to peace is getting closer, not pulling away? In this episode of Practicing Hope, Tanner Smith sits down with Todd Deatherage and Emily Cullum of Telos, a peacemaking organization that leads immersive trips into places shaped by conflict. Together, they explore how “getting proximate” — moving toward people and places we don’t understand — can transform our lives, deepen empathy, and help us love more like Jesus. If you’ve ever wondered how to faithfully engage across difference or how to love when it’s hard, this conversation offers hope and practical next steps....

Balancing the Call

Practicing Hope Podcast

What does it look like to lead with integrity — in the pulpit and at the dinner table? In this vulnerable and hopeful episode, Rev. Dr. Tanner Smith and Pastor Chase Rashad Stancle reflect on the real tensions of being both ministry leaders and family members. Through laughter, honest stories, and hard-earned wisdom, they explore what it means to integrate your calling with your core identity. Together, they explore what it means to be fully human, to show up with honesty, and to lead from a place of wholeness. Whether you're a parent, pastor, or both, this conversation is a gentle...

More Episodes

What if the key to healing a polarized world lies in the ancient wisdom of faith? In this episode on The Practicing Hope Podcast, host Jenny Steele speaks with Michael Gulker, the president of the Colossian Forum, to continue the conversation about the new movie LEAP OF FAITH. Jenny and Michael delve into the origins of the groundbreaking film project that arose from the heart of Grand Rapids, sparked by filmmaker Nicholas, who sought to document the journey of pastors grappling with deep-seated exhaustion and isolation. They reflect on the challenges these leaders faced in a world rife with division and how, through vulnerability and shared stories, they found a renewed sense of connection.

Listeners will hear about the hurdles faced by pastors, who, although eager for connection and healing, often felt exhausted and stretched thin. Michael highlights how, through this process, they discovered a surprising depth of loneliness among these leaders and the transformative power of community.

In this episode, Michael and Jenny discuss:

Michael’s unique journey from aspiring engineer to ordained pastor and how that background has impacted his understanding of conflict in the church
The importance of engaging conflict as an act of worship and a spiritual discipline, rather than merely a source of division
The evolution of The Colossian Forum, highlighting its transition from hosting forums to creating curricula and offering coaching designed to guide individuals through difficult discussions on topics like faith and science

Follow The Colossian Forum on Instagram or Facebook–@colossianforum. If you’d like to receive a simple prayer, a hopeful practice, and encouragement for exhausted leaders from us, sign up for our newsletter.

To learn more about the twelve Leap of Faith pastors, visit the movie's website, leapoffaithmovie.com.

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