DAN DEAN: 25 Years of Ministry with Phillips, Craig, and Dean
Song Revolution with John Chisum
Song Revolution Podcast – Season 3 Hosts: John Chisum Guest: Dan Dean Episode Title: DAN DEAN: 25 Years of Ministry with Phillips, Craig, and Dean Episode Summary: Happy New Year and welcome to 2026! Thank you for joining us for Song Revolution. As we gear up for season 4 we wanted to share just a few of our favorite episodes from 2025. Enjoy! In this powerful and heartfelt episode of Song Revolution, host John Chisum sits down with Dan Dean—one-third of the legendary trio Phillips, Craig & Dean—to explore a decades-long career marked by timeless songs,...
info_outline
ANDREW GREER: Songwriting and Storytelling
Song Revolution with John Chisum
Song Revolution Podcast – Season 3 Episode Title: ANDREW GREER (part 1): Songwriting and Storytelling Host: John Chisum Episode Summary: Happy New Year and welcome to 2026! Thank you for joining us for Song Revolution. As we gear up for season 4 we wanted to share just a few of our favorite episodes from 2025. Enjoy! In this rich and heartfelt conversation, John welcomes singer-songwriter, producer, author, and documentarian Andrew Greer to Song Revolution. From his early days growing up in Texas with music all around him, to his time at Belmont University, and now as a...
info_outline
SARAH KROGER: Invitation to the Desert
Song Revolution with John Chisum
Song Revolution Podcast – Season 3 Episode Title: SARAH KROGER: Invitation to the Desert Host: John Chisum Episode Summary: Happy New Year and welcome to 2026! Thank you for joining us for Song Revolution. As we gear up for season 4 we wanted to share just a few of our favorite episodes from 2025. Enjoy! In this deeply moving episode of Song Revolution, host John Chisum welcomes recording artist and worship leader Sarah Kroger for an honest conversation about faith, identity, songwriting, and spiritual wilderness. With a contemplative heart and a background shaped by...
info_outline
CLARK BECKHAM: Micro Moments of Flow State
Song Revolution with John Chisum
Song Revolution Podcast – Season 3 Episode Title: CLARK BECKHAM: Micro Moments of Flow State Hosts: John Chisum Guest: Clark Beckham - American Idol Season 14 Runner-Up, Soul/R&B Artist, Educator, Host of Idol Breakdown Episode Summary: Happy New Year and welcome to 2026! Thank you for joining us for Song Revolution. As we gear up for season 4 we wanted to share just a few of our favorite episodes from 2025. Enjoy! In this powerful episode, John sits down with acclaimed vocalist and musician Clark Beckham to unpack his journey from street performer to...
info_outline
NIKI LOU SAVICH: Songs Born From Poetry
Song Revolution with John Chisum
Song Revolution Podcast – Season 3 Host: John Chisum EPISODE TITLE: NIKI LOU SAVICH: Songs Born From Poetry EPISODE SUMMARY: In this heartfelt episode of Song Revolution, John sits down with longtime friend, songwriter, and Americana/folk artist Niki Lou Savich to reflect on her remarkable creative and spiritual journey. Once an international model, poet, caregiver, and therapist, Niki shares how songwriting unexpectedly emerged from her poetry during a deeply emotional season of life. She tells the story of discovering Nashville Christian Songwriters, attending her first retreat, and slowly...
info_outline
MICHAEL LEE BROWN: From Broadway to Songwriting
Song Revolution with John Chisum
Song Revolution Podcast – Season 3 Host: John Chisum Guest: Michael Lee Brown Episode Title: MICHAEL LEE BROWN: From Broadway to Songwriting Episode Summary: In this episode of Song Revolution, John welcomes singer, songwriter, and Broadway actor Michael Lee Brown, best known for his four-year run in Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway. Michael shares his unexpected journey into the NCS studio, his early beginnings in music, his transition from musical theater to singer-songwriter artistry, and the faith-filled moments that shaped his path. He opens up about the...
info_outline
STOWTOWN WORSHIP: Unity, Legacy, and Worship
Song Revolution with John Chisum
Song Revolution Podcast – Season 3 Host: John Chisum Episode Title: STOWTOWN WORSHIP: Unity, Legacy, and Worship Episode Summary: In this episode, John welcomes an extraordinary lineup of worship leaders and vocal powerhouses—Alvin Slaughter, Steven McWhirter, and TaRanda Greene—along with the vision behind StowTown Worship’s new project, Live from the Iron Manor. What began as a desire to bless worship pastors at the Metro Conference grew into a powerful night of worship, featuring reimagined classics, newly arranged favorites, and cross-generational, cross-genre collaboration. The...
info_outline
JOHN CHISUM: The Craft of Christmas Songwriting
Song Revolution with John Chisum
Song Revolution Podcast – Season 3 Host: John Chisum & Bryant Urich Episode Title: JOHN CHISUM: The Craft of Christmas Songwriting Episode Summary: In this festive episode of Song Revolution, host John Chisum and co-host Bryant Urich dive into the art and craft of writing Christmas songs. From exploring why holiday music resonates so deeply to analyzing the lyrical and musical trends behind the world’s biggest Christmas hits, this conversation is packed with practical ideas, humor, and real-world insights for songwriters. John and Bryant discuss everything from...
info_outline
JAMIE JAMGOCHIAN: Learning to Wait Well with God
Song Revolution with John Chisum
Song Revolution Podcast – Season 3 Host: John Chisum Episode Title: JAMIE JAMGOCHIAN: Learning to Wait Well with God Episode Summary: In this inspiring episode of the Song Revolution Podcast, host John Chisum welcomes singer-songwriter, worship leader, and author Jamie Jamgochian for a rich conversation about creativity, calling, spiritual formation, and her new book Sacred Surrender: The Practice of Waiting Well with God. Jamie shares her personal journey from studying jazz at Berklee, to encountering Jesus at twenty-one, to navigating a decades-long career in...
info_outline
MARY LOU KAYSER: The Power of Poetry
Song Revolution with John Chisum
Song Revolution Podcast – Season 3 Host: John Chisum Guest: Mary Lou Kayser Episode Title: The Power of Poetry Episode Summary In this episode of Song Revolution, host John Chisum welcomes poet, author, and creative entrepreneur Mary Lou Kayser for a deeply moving and thought-provoking conversation on art, creativity, and what it means to live—and write—fully in a digital age. Mary Lou shares her journey as a teacher, writer, and poet, exploring how the rapid shift into the digital world impacts human connection and creativity. She opens up about loss, love, and the role...
info_outlineSong Revolution Podcast – Season 3
Episode Title: SARAH KROGER: Invitation to the Desert
Host: John Chisum
Episode Summary:
Happy New Year and welcome to 2026! Thank you for joining us for Song Revolution. As we gear up for season 4 we wanted to share just a few of our favorite episodes from 2025. Enjoy!
In this deeply moving episode of Song Revolution, host John Chisum welcomes recording artist and worship leader Sarah Kroger for an honest conversation about faith, identity, songwriting, and spiritual wilderness. With a contemplative heart and a background shaped by Catholic tradition, Sarah shares how her latest album A New Reality was birthed in a season of silence and questioning.
Together, John and Sarah explore what it means to embrace mystery in the Christian life, the importance of living in the present moment, and how belovedness can become an anchor in seasons of darkness. They also discuss the role of co-writing in Sarah's journey, her musical influences, and the inspiration behind standout tracks like “Galaxies,” “Ghost,” and the beloved fan-favorite “Belovedness.”
Whether you’re navigating your own spiritual desert or longing to write from a deeper place, this episode offers a rich well of encouragement, authenticity, and insight.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- How Sarah Kroger discovered her identity as a songwriter through co-writing
- Why gratitude and presence are key to thriving as an artist
- The inspiration and impact of her song “Belovedness”
- How contemplative authors like Henri Nouwen shaped her spiritual growth
- Why living in mystery may be the most authentic form of faith
- Real talk on spiritual silence, deconstruction, and creative perseverance
Key Moments:
[01:09] – John welcomes listeners and introduces Sarah Kroger
[03:34] – Sarah on gratitude, presence, and the joy of doing what she loves
[05:56] – The early passion for music and discovering co-writing
[10:24] – Influences from Nouwen, Merton, and Catholic mysticism
[13:06] – John and Sarah discuss spiritual darkness and the mystery of God
[17:03] – “I am with you always” as a theme through the desert
[23:39] – Letting go of old faith feelings and embracing radical immediacy
[29:01] – Practicing presence and the discipline of stillness
[31:14] – The story behind “Belovedness” and Sarah’s devotional book
[36:39] – Exploring “Galaxies” and the divine image within us
[38:40] – Writing “Ghost” and choosing sacred, traditional language
[40:17] – John reflects on Sarah’s album and the beauty of authenticity
Resources & Links:
Order Sarah Kroger’s devotional Belovedness: Overcoming Your Inner Critic
https://sarahkroger.com
Join the NCS 2025 Songwriting Challenge – Download the free 31-page guide
https://courses.nashvillechristiansongwriters.com/challenge2025
Sign up for Free First Monday Songwriting Training
https://courses.nashvillechristiansongwriters.com/training
Explore NCS Community and membership options
https://www.nashvillechristiansongwriters.com/ncs-community