Transformed & Transformational
What does it look like to "be transformed by the renewing of our minds"? How do we live intentionally for Kingdom impact? Join co-hosts Heather Brown and Keane Fine every Friday to learn from our guests about how we can grow in Christ and impact the world. This show is brought to you by TeachBeyond, an international Christian mission organization focused on transformational Christ-centered education serving individuals and communities.
info_outline
147: Being Human in the Age of AI (with Thorsten Marbach)
05/03/2024
147: Being Human in the Age of AI (with Thorsten Marbach)
What are the potential benefits and dangers of Artificial Intelligence? How can we approach AI through a Biblical worldview? Perhaps you’ve been asking these questions, too. Thorsten Marbach shares helpful insight in navigating the world of AI as humans created in the image of God. “The further into the future we look, the more divergent the possible scenarios and predictions are.” “What does it actually understand? There’s a very clear answer to that, and the answer is nothing.” “We need to catch a wake-up; we can’t just let this thing slide. This stuff is developing very fast, and we need to be on top of our game to make sure that it’s going to a good place.” “Previous technologies were very good at disseminating existing ideas, whether that was the printing press or the radio or the Internet, but now here we have something that’s creating - or at least seems to create - new ideas. That’s new.” “Engaging with AI has everything to do with what it means for us to be human.” “If one just were to look at those three things in which we can understand our humanness - identity, dominion, relationship - or if you want, it’s basically just saying being, doing, relating [...] those are exacting the three areas we need to think through and work through when it comes to what we do with AI at an individual level and at a societal level.” Dominion questions: Is this pulling me to a place where I’m doing better at dominion, or is it actually pulling me into a space of domination or a space of abdication? Is this AI thing going to increase or mitigate inequality? “Don’t abdicate your creativity to AI.” “AI might simulate moral agency, but it doesn’t have true moral agency.” Relationship questions: Is it helping me relate in a better, deeper, wider way, or is it actually shutting down my relational capacities? Is this helping me love God and neighbor more or less? “It’s not an AI world; it’s still God’s world.” Identity questions: What does it mean to be a human being, and what is consciousness? “We have a very valuable identity, but it’s a derived identity; it’s not a self-made identity.” “One of our key roles as Christians would be to challenge and perhaps give an alternative to some of the more reductionistic understandings of what it means to be a human being.” “We can know who we are. We can know whose we are. We can know that nothing is going to derail God’s big story of creation, fall, redemption, eternity. No matter what AI does, no matter what happens, it’s still God’s story.” What’s changing our lives: Keane: Using the arc browser Heather: Getting a new duster Thorsten: Learning from others in a weekly gathering that he coordinates called TGIF Weekly Spotlight: We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/30979543
info_outline
146: Doing Life Together (with Brian Delamont)
04/26/2024
146: Doing Life Together (with Brian Delamont)
What does it look like to honor God and others while living in community? Brian Delamont returns to the podcast to share about the foundation of prayer, the path through problems, and the power of the Holy Spirit. “Doing life together will connect you with prayer, with problems, and with power.” Philippians 1:3-7, 9-11 “When we do life together, that’s when God gives us this wonderful, awkward, uncomfortable opportunity to grow, to take what I see is lacking in someone else’s life and to pray about it, to thank God every time I remember them, to pray that their love for God will abound more and more.” Philippians 1:27, 29 “God grants, in His sovereignty, these problems so that on behalf of Christ we see the work of God moving forward towards the completion He intends for us.” Philippians 4:2 “Resolving conflict, forgiving, giving up our rights for the sake of another - that’s hard. And this is where God, by His Spirit, forms genuine community.” “The only way that we can live this out is when we connect our lives with the life and power of Christ.” Philippians 2:1-5 “Being united with Christ will lead us to be like-minded, to have the same love, to be one in spirit and one in mind.” Philippians 1:6 “He who began a good work in you, the One who has intentions for you, for those you are doing life together with, He will carry it on. He himself is the ‘how’ to lead you to transformation.” April Reflection: How will you strengthen your connection to doing life together? How will the problems you’re facing strengthen your connection as you do life together? How will you live confidently in the power of the One who began a good work in you and is still moving that work forward until the day when everything and everyone becomes all that God intends? What’s changing our lives: Keane: Sons beginning extracurricular activities Heather: Brian: Getting a new coffee maker Weekly Spotlight: We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/30971843
info_outline
145: Compelled to Go - A Calling Story (with Jonathan)
04/19/2024
145: Compelled to Go - A Calling Story (with Jonathan)
How has God gifted you to serve? Hear from a TeachBeyond member about his experience leaving Canada to teach English in Asia. “[Teaching] a wide range of things means a lot of really great opportunities to hang out with the kids and give them the best of what I know, best of what I have and share with them as best I can what it means to know God and be a part of what He’s doing in the world.” “The stakes are really high. We can’t really afford to not care about this. We’ve got to go! If there are people who haven’t heard, then people need to go.” “It’s not me that really made the impact [...] it’s God’s Holy Spirit in them.” “My answer is pretty simple: I’m here for you.” “There’s real purpose in all the weird puzzle pieces that don’t seem to make sense at first.” What’s changing our lives: Keane: Losing his wallet Heather: The new default Microsoft font, Aptos Jonathan: Road trip to visit former students Weekly Spotlight: We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/30889788
info_outline
144: What’s Your Story? (with Tosca Nathan)
04/12/2024
144: What’s Your Story? (with Tosca Nathan)
What’s your story, and why does that matter? Long-time educator Tosca Nathan shares about the significance of knowing your story and connecting to God’s bigger story, especially as teachers. “Like any story, our life stories have a path, they have a trajectory, and it’s full of meaningful events, defining moments, key relationships, trials and disappointments, dreams and aspirations, passions and discoveries.” “How coherent your life story is and how coherently you can talk about your life story has been seen as a factor in well-being.” Coherence of time, thematic coherence, and contextual coherence “Your life story never exists in a vacuum. It is always part and parcel of a bigger story.” “In the telling itself, every time you tell it, there’s more meaning making that happens, so it’s important to tell your story.” “If teachers are not fully aware of who they are and have exercised all of the areas of coherence, they will not be as effective in their teaching.” “The teacher, with what they do or how they relate, helps the student understand how their story connects to bigger things.” “You can’t give what you don’t have.” “To realize that scholarship is part of that grand story completely changes why I even engage in research or why I engage in teaching and learning, and then on top of that, it elevates it to the level of worship.” What’s changing our lives: Keane: Playing the board game, Sorry Heather: Reaction buttons on emails Tosca: Reading the Bible through the lens of the grand story and watercolor painting Weekly Spotlight: We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/30795093
info_outline
143: 5 Tips for Saying Goodbye (with Lindsay Nimmon)
04/05/2024
143: 5 Tips for Saying Goodbye (with Lindsay Nimmon)
Do you have a big life transition looming ahead? Is someone you know planning to move away? Lindsay Nimmon provides a Biblical framework for saying goodbye well, then gets practical, walking through the RAFT acronym and five tips for applying these transition principles. “When you’re living overseas, you’re bound to say more goodbyes and experience more grief as a result of those goodbyes than any monocultural or non-mobile peer.” “People are eternal beings who are not meant for endings, so goodbyes hurt, but we hear God’s call to us as Christians to go into all the world and make disciples, and so we trust that He can and does use this grief to shape mobile people into His likeness and give people full lives.” by David Pollock by Douglas Ota “It is possible to form and help our families form healthy, Christ-centered life patterns surrounding transition, loss, grief, people, the world, and learning through the process of learning to say goodbye well.” “Saying a good goodbye to a place and a community is part of cultivating personal health and recognizing that we are loved by God.” by Ruth Ann Batstone RAFT: Reconciliation, Affirmation, Farewell, Think Destination “Reconciling then, thereby fostering humility, reliance on God, and merciful attitudes, paves the way for a better exit from one community and a more open posture upon entering another community.” “Be specific about what you see God doing in the lives of those around you, and take this moment to encourage their souls.” “Tokens of the affirmation we want to give people during times of transition allow the affirmation to be revisited over and over again and help quiet the negativity that can come when people are feeling isolated.” “Even as we are in the process of saying goodbye to one people and place, we can begin looking ahead to the people and place we are going.” “It is good to begin to let your heart and the hearts of your children float on the RAFT across the ocean to the destination, trusting that Jesus is leading you there to love a different part of His creation and a different group of people for His name’s sake.” “Doing all of the right things doesn’t necessarily guarantee the future outcome, but it doesn’t mean that we give up either […] It does something to our own hearts even if it doesn’t create the outcome we were hoping for.” What’s changing our lives: Keane: Joining a church mentoring program Heather: Hair getting long Lindsay: Loneliness Weekly Spotlight: We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/30683138
info_outline
142: The Gospel at the Heart of Missions (with David Platt)
03/29/2024
142: The Gospel at the Heart of Missions (with David Platt)
Pastor and author David Platt joins us for this Good Friday episode, where we focus on the Gospel and its centrality to missions. What makes the Gospel the good news, and how can we be part of sharing it with others? Listen in for an inspiring story about Gospel impact on a community and be challenged to take up our cross and follow Jesus. “We are made for life in relationship with God.” “He rose from the grave, conquering sin and death, so that anybody anywhere in any nation, no matter who you are and what you’ve done, if you will repent and believe, turn from your sin and yourself, put your trust in Jesus as your Savior and Lord, then God will forgive you of all your sin and restore to relationship with Him forever. That is the greatest news in the world.” “The beauty of the Gospel is that it’s not based on what we do; it’s based on believing, trusting in who Jesus is and what Jesus has done for us.” “Gospel flows directly into mission: When you believe this Good News, you want to spread this Good News.” “We all have a unique and significant part to play in the spread of the Gospel to all the nations.” “It should be totally intolerable to us as followers of Jesus that there are thousands of people groups in the world that have little to no access to this Gospel.” “This is actually what it means to be a follower of Jesus - not just to say a prayer or believe some truths, but to die to ourselves, pick up a cross, and to live with Him as Lord of our lives in every way.” “He’s called us to die to the dreams of this world in order to live for a much greater dream, a global dream, the spread of His glory to the ends of the earth.” Philippians 3 “In following Jesus, it may cost you everything, but He is worth it.” Luke 9:23 “If Jesus is Lord of my life and I’m living for the spread of the Gospel and His glory through my life, then what does that look like in my workplace? What does that look like in my home? What does that look like when I think about my future plans?” “We need followers of Jesus in every domain in the workplace, filled with the Holy Spirit of God working for the glory of God.” “We’re not going to over there what we’re not doing right here where we live.” What’s changing our lives: Keane: Writing in his books Heather: Spending time with my nephews David: Communicating with his 2-year-old daughter Weekly Spotlight: We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/30507688
info_outline
141: Authenticity, Identity, and Belonging (with Brian Delamont)
03/22/2024
141: Authenticity, Identity, and Belonging (with Brian Delamont)
Brian Delamont returns to the podcast to explore the Merriam-Webster Dictionary word of the year – “authentic” – through a Biblical lens. Heather draws a connection to her word of the year from 2023, and Keane shares a profound quote from C.S. Lewis. by Raphael Haeuser by David Lomas “It’s crucial to ground identity in something proven and dependable, something that doesn’t shift.” Genesis 1:27 “Humans are inescapably, for all eternity, created in God’s image; it’s inherent in us. Therefore we long for the characteristics that can only be satisfied in Him.” Mark 8:35 “Jesus is inviting us to find our identity in him, and in the presence of the Father and the Holy Spirit, to let this identity of being deeply loved by God shape our desires to align with what He knows will lead to our flourishing, to shalom.” “If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.” -C.S. Lewis Matthew 3:17 2 Peter 1:17 Colossians 3:1-10 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “When I live in my identity as a person indwelt by God, who loves me, I let Him rule. This anchors me in my authentic identity.” by Henri Nouwen 1 Corinthians 13:11 1 Peter 2:9-10 “I’m not a solitary individual who chose to follow Jesus; I’m a part of the global community of Jesus followers alive today, and I’m a descendent of every Jesus follower before me. They are my people.” Philippians 1:6 “Until the day God returns to make everything declare His full glory once again, He will be at work in you. And you have work to do in this, as well. You answer the call; you respond by actively becoming who you authentically are.” March Reflection: As you look at yourself, who are you becoming? What will you do to experience this more fully? What’s changing our lives: Keane: Rediscovering Heather: Hosting a favorite things party Brian: Learning from these podcasts Weekly Spotlight: We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/30483283
info_outline
140: Serving in Northern Kenya - A Calling Story (with Wangūi Maina)
03/15/2024
140: Serving in Northern Kenya - A Calling Story (with Wangūi Maina)
How does an Internet search lead to missions work? What is it like to provide literacy training amongst nomadic communities? Hear from Wangūi Maina about her experiences following the Lord to multiple different countries and what it’s like to serve now in Northern Kenya. “I felt the Lord say, ‘Forget all of the things you’re trying to figure out. Just trust Me and go.’” “Northern Kenya in 2024, still has the highest illiteracy rates in the whole of East Africa.” “One of the greatest impacts that I have seen is seeing children who were not interested in school because of the cultural practices that prevail in these communities take up an interest in going to school and staying in school.” “Where Christ is preached fearlessly, transformation happens.” “Whatever negativity or whatever darkness, it can’t come against the light.” “People think God’s calling is some big voice up in the air or you’ll hear some booming, but it’s those impressions that the Lord puts in our hearts.” “Start your day with the Lord; it really makes a difference.” What’s changing our lives: Keane: Planting the garden Heather: Teaching at her alma mater Wangūi: Discovering new nearby routes Weekly Spotlight: We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/30386298
info_outline
139: Cultivating a Love of Learning (with Bastiaen Norel)
03/08/2024
139: Cultivating a Love of Learning (with Bastiaen Norel)
Who says that learning can’t be fun? Hear from seasoned educator Bastiaen Norel, along with several other TeachBeyond teachers, about what it can look like to make learning fun, encourage exploration, provide opportunities for creativity, and celebrate achievements. by Bastiaen Norel “We all have a bit of intrinsic motivation for things we love.” by Daniel Pink “I forget about time, and that’s when ‘flow’ happens. You want to aim at getting children to come to a point where [...] they’re unaware of what’s going on, they’re so intrigued by their subject and what they’re doing.” “Keep their interest by changing or mixing your learning styles. I think that is vitally important to get a good response.” “If you teach the subject over two or three years, you will build up material that you can use again.” “All children are placed in their class for a purpose; it’s not by accident.” “We are always on a transformation journey.” What’s changing our lives: Keane: by Daniel Nayeri Heather: Getting a larger rug for my living room Bastiaen: Playing the flute with orchestral background tracks Weekly Spotlight: We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/30276598
info_outline
138: Faith, Missions, and Gen Z (with Dr. Allen Yeh)
03/01/2024
138: Faith, Missions, and Gen Z (with Dr. Allen Yeh)
Dr. Allen Yeh shares about generational distinctives and provides perspective on how this impacts views on faith, values, church, and global missions. “When we talk about culture, it’s not just ethnicity and nationality or even gender, it’s also age. So the different generations are different cultures, even if they come from the same country.” “With Gen Zers, it’s harder to reach them with the institutional church. It’s not necessarily that they are less interested in Christianity; it’s just that the traditional methods don’t work as well.” by James Choung “The four generations each have a gateway question in order to reach them. For Boomers, their gateway question is ‘what is true?’ For Gen Xers, our gateway question is ‘what is real?’ For Millennials, the gateway question is “what is good?’ and for Gen Zers, the gateway question is ‘what is beautiful?’” “If you look at Africa, Asia, and Latin America, the numbers of Christians continue to grow, and in the West, the number of Christians continues to decline.” “If the Global Church is starting to look more like the first century church, I think this will attract Gen Zers.” “We need to be much more sensitive about our language with Gen Z. Maybe a better word than ‘mission’ could be something like ‘witness.’ That is actually a Biblical word.” “The chief verb of the Great Commission is not to evangelize; it is to make disciples.” “Discipleship is a long obedience in the same direction.” - Eugene Peterson “In the West, we often teach that people have to do believing, then behaving, then belonging. But, in the Bible, it’s more belonging, then believing, then behaving.” “If the older generation always rolls their eyes at Gen Z and denigrates them, then Gen Z is not going to fulfill their potential; in fact, there’s just going to be generational warfare.” “Gen Z has such a huge potential for fulfilling mission in this world.” What’s changing our lives: Keane: Taking a trip to the mountains in North Carolina to go sledding Heather: Unseasonably warm days to read outside on my balcony Allen: Job transition Weekly Spotlight: We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/30182468
info_outline
137: Partnering for the Gospel (with Brian Delamont)
02/23/2024
137: Partnering for the Gospel (with Brian Delamont)
What does it mean for us to co-labor with God? How can we partner well with others? This episode concludes a four-part series unpacking TeachBeyond’s four core values – humility, excellence, love, and partnership – with Brian Delamont, TeachBeyond Executive Vice President. TeachBeyond’s Core Value of Partnership: Understanding our role as co-laborers with God, we intentionally seek to partner with others to promote the work of transformation around the world. We commit to working together in unity and community as a family of faith. Genesis 2:15,19-20 by Gordon T. Smith “God invites us into His action of flourishing and fruitfulness as His creation… He invites us to join Him in his greater work, to see His Kingdom come.” Genesis 12:1-3 Luke 9:1-2 John 20:19-21 “As the Father has sent the Son, so the Son sends us! What a high elevation of the Gospel call. It’s more than a task, or a mandate to travel and share good news, it is literally the giving of authority to be sent by the Son of God.” Matthew 28:16-20 Mark 9:37-40 Acts 2:5-11 Acts 1:8 “It takes a lot of intentionality to partner well.” Acts 15:7-9 John 17:20-23 “Partnership is not built on a foundation of similar likes or similar culture or similar views; it’s built on the love of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:10-13 “The cross is Christ’s unifying action for His body, the Church. It is the work of Christ that is the central unifying factor, not this messenger or that messenger.” “Koinonia” Acts 2:42 2 Corinthians 9:13 1 John 1:3,7 “Missions exists because worship does not.” - John Piper Revelation 7:9-10 “That’s the culmination of partnership - every tongue, tribe, nation, people [standing before the throne].” “We can’t have a value without an action.” February Reflection: Who am I currently partnering with – or who is God prompting me to partner with – to see the Gospel have more influence? What’s changing our lives: Keane: Playing sports in the backyard Heather: Navigating time zone difference with Australia Brian: Making music and learning to record again Weekly Spotlight: We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/30049818
info_outline
136: Serving in Different Seasons – A Calling Story (with Clarence and Anna Yau)
02/16/2024
136: Serving in Different Seasons – A Calling Story (with Clarence and Anna Yau)
From single young adults to parents of teenagers, Clarence and Anna share about their journey of serving with TeachBeyond in Germany in different seasons of life. “God brings a new opportunity; I just said yes.” -Clarence “I’ve taken all of these spiritual gifts tests, and pastoring or shepherding has always been an underlying theme. My heart is for people. My heart is for people to love each other and love God.” -Clarence “How can we come alongside people and guide them and help them thrive?’ -Clarence “Being a missionary, it feels like everyone’s supposed to be really good at pastoral ministry, like my husband is. I finally came to a place of realizing, of course I love people [...] but my gifting is more behind the scenes.” -Anna “Don’t be afraid to lean into your giftings, even if it’s not what we think traditional missionary giftings are supposed to be.” -Anna “You are capable of doing the hard things. Don’t shy away from those things.” -Clarence “Intentionally stepping away from the project and getting out of the surroundings here allows you to gain more perspective.” -Clarence “Especially as our boys are getting older, I see people that genuinely care about them [...] That absolutely helps our longevity as a family, knowing that there are so many amazing people that are caring for our kids alongside us.” -Anna “God knits this community together to continue His work over time, and we get to see it time and time again. It’s a huge privilege to be able to serve the Kingdom in this way.” -Clarence What’s changing our lives: Keane: Motion sensor lights Heather: Hobby nights with friends Clarence: Coaching middle school girls basketball Anna: Weekly Spotlight: We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/29951908
info_outline
135: Equipping Students to Manage Emotions (with Kelly Crandall)
02/09/2024
135: Equipping Students to Manage Emotions (with Kelly Crandall)
This episode is for teachers, parents, and any caregivers of children! Hear from Kelly Crandall, TeachBeyond educator in the Philippines, about how to create environments, establish routines, and integrate strategies that foster emotional regulation. by Kelly Crandall “If kids are anxious or upset or angry, there’s not a lot of learning that is getting into their brains. I see talking about emotions or helping students to regulate their emotions as an investment in the rest of their learning.” “We do value academics as teachers, but we also recognize that our students are whole people.” “As teachers, we have to stay regulated. It can be that when students’ emotions get big, ours get big, too.” What’s changing our lives: Keane: Glow-in-the-dark stars Heather: Partial meal prepping while cooking Kelly: Learning Calculus and being a learner Weekly Spotlight: We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/29867603
info_outline
134: Phishing, Vishing, and Smishing (with Matt Johnson)
02/02/2024
134: Phishing, Vishing, and Smishing (with Matt Johnson)
Be aware and play it safe! Listen in for cybersecurity tips from Matt Johnson, who works in IT with TeachBeyond. “The best response to phishing is to be aware that it’s out there.” “It’s better to be wrong and not send the information than to be wrong and send the information.” “Hang up - you don’t need to continue to engage with somebody if you feel like it’s a voice phishing attack.” “You always learn the most by ‘getting got.’ It’s always better to ‘get got’ by your IT person than it is to ‘get got’ by someone that actually has malicious intentions.” “The idea of just removing technology from our day-to-day lives is not a possibility, so you need to learn how to use it responsibly and how to prepare yourself and protect yourself the best way you can.” What’s changing our lives: Keane: Heather: Matt: Weekly Spotlight: We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/29743973
info_outline
133: Because He First Loved Us (with Brian Delamont)
01/26/2024
133: Because He First Loved Us (with Brian Delamont)
What does it look like for us to love out of the overflow of God’s love for us? Brian Delamont, Executive Vice President of TeachBeyond, walks through Scripture passages and practical examples of what it means to live out TeachBeyond’s core value of love. TeachBeyond’s Core Value of Love: “Embracing our identity as a people who are loved by our Creator, we seek to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Similarly, we commit to loving each other and the world around us, learning to do good, seek justice, and correct oppression.” 1 John 4:19 Mark 12:28-31 “God’s intention for us is to reciprocate the love He shows towards us. We love because He first loved us.” Deuteronomy 6:4-9 John 13:34-35 Luke 10 Micah 6:8 Luke 6:34-36 “God has shown, and is showing us, what to do. We haven’t fully arrived at goodness, justice, and eliminating oppression [...] but we are learning to do this. We create and live out a desire for these things to become more and more prevalent in TeachBeyond and in the world.” Titus 2:11-14 Romans 5:8 Psalm 9:8-10 Psalm 146:7-8 “There’s no other way for us to be as followers of Jesus than to love. To notice those who are close to us, as well as those who may be far away. To lift the heads of those bowed down. To provide physically, emotionally, intellectually. This is what transformational education can accomplish in the power of the Holy Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-12 “We long for the day when the fullness of God’s love surrounds us, when His Kingdom comes and His will is done on earth as it is in Heaven. Until then, as people loved by God, we follow Him in the way of love, which includes sacrifice, learning, listening, and becoming all He intends.” Hear a past episode about Deuteronomy 6 ! January Reflection: What will you do today or this week to show your love for God and to show His love to someone else? What’s changing our lives: Keane: A new water bottle Heather: Helping friends prepare for a move Brian: A working furnace Weekly Spotlight: We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/29652603
info_outline
132: Education in the Dominican Republic - A Calling Story (with Cesar Valdez)
01/19/2024
132: Education in the Dominican Republic - A Calling Story (with Cesar Valdez)
God often uses our past experiences to shape the opportunities we have to serve others. Cesar Valdez shares his personal story of being raised to value education, choosing to follow the Lord, and having an impact through Christian education across his home country of the Dominican Republic. “Education is the perfect tool to share the Gospel, to communicate God’s words, to impact the lives of others.” “Sometimes, we are in a position of leading others or giving to others, but at the end of the day, I’m receiving more than what I am giving.” “I’m being transformed at the same time I’m trying to promote transformational education.” “I had the blessing to become a Christian at a young age, and that was another determining factor in my life. Now, I’m trying to help others to break the line of poverty… That is one of the most exciting things we can do here, trying to help other kids, other students like I was, to have the access, opportunity to have a different life.” “Spend more time enjoying God than trying to be an activist.” “Easily we can find ourselves doing missions without God.” Pray for: , volunteers to serve in the Dominican Republic, and more Dominican missionaries to serve through TeachBeyond What’s changing our lives: Keane: Getting passport renewed Heather: Peaceful snowfall and not having to drive in it Cesar: Playing basketball with his son and a new season of parenting Weekly Spotlight: We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/29550403
info_outline
131: Round Table: Creating a Culture of Critical Thinking and Reflection
01/12/2024
131: Round Table: Creating a Culture of Critical Thinking and Reflection
Looking for fresh ways to cultivate critical thinking and reflection in your classroom? Tune in to hear Heather talk with three TeachBeyond educators about the value of critical thinking, examples from their classrooms, and practical steps to get started. by Diane Peneycad by Leighton Helwig “Simply put, critical thinking is what your brain does with facts and information.” - Diane “Critical thinking is such an essential part of our image-bearing nature. This is a great privilege we have. We don’t live by instinct like animals, but we get to image God.” - Jacob “If we can eat and drink to the glory of God, we can also think to the glory of God.” - Jacob “We do want students to ask questions, but we don’t want them to be cynical in an unhealthy way, so I think there’s a good balance to have a teachable attitude.” - Jacob “There has to be a balance of responsibility to content and objectives and what’s required for us to teach, while still offering an environment or opportunity for the questioning and the thinking. I think if I would err on the side of one or the other, I would err on the side of thinking and equipping for future consumption of content.” - Leighton “There are times we’re going to go really deep, and there are times when it may not, but we can still engage them in the thinking process at various levels… Students need time at various levels of thinking throughout their day and throughout their courses.” - Diane “You need to create an environment that’s a safe environment, that they understand that we’re going to be thinking and there may not be one right answer.” - Diane “Modeling is super important. We bring our own transformed life into the classroom.” - Diane “The best-case scenario is when students choose to use [a tool] on their own for their own learning. That’s how you know it’s been embedded in the way that they are thinking.” - Leighton “Never say what a kid can say. In other words, I need to create the environment where I’m asking the right question that the student is then going to frame the response.” - Diane “It’s okay to disagree, but how do we do so respectfully? How do we honor each other as image bearers of Christ?” - Diane “What makes you say that?” - Diane “I think it’s really important for teachers to be willing to seize those teachable moments.” - Jacob “God created our minds to think. If we’re not creating environments to have that happen, then we’re not allowing the full potential of what God has created in our classroom.” - Leighton “As you develop a school-wide culture of thinking, it just becomes a way of life for teachers and students.” - Diane “To be able to go to that deep place of thought, we have to rest. We have to rest to reflect.” - Jacob What’s changing our lives: Heather: Time to journal and reflect Jacob: Journaling Diane: Being able to ride her bicycle inside Leighton: by David Brooks Weekly Spotlight: We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/29426988
info_outline
130: My Tower Is Tumbling (with Marci Renee)
01/05/2024
130: My Tower Is Tumbling (with Marci Renee)
Author Marci Renée shares about the adventures of Pierre in her latest children’s book, My Tower Is Tumbling, and her family’s experiences after many years of living overseas. Listen in for stories and practical tips for unstacking the accumulated griefs of Third Culture Kids. Marci’s website, for My Tower Is Tumbling - complete this to be entered into a giveaway! “What is unique to TCKs is that there is so much transition.” “We stuff it all in our suitcase… and we take it to the next place, and it just starts getting heavier and heavier.” “If we as parents are able to share some of our own journey of processing our griefs and losses, that’s going to create safety and trust.” “We know that there are going to be griefs and losses… There’s something about preparing yourself. It makes the landing a little bit softer.” (faith-based version) on Amazon (secular version) on Amazon Past episodes related to this topic: What’s changing our lives: Keane: Considering the question: Where do you typically see yourself in stories? Heather: Fireplace Marci: Changes in the lives of her children Weekly Spotlight: We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/29345473
info_outline
129: 5 Questions to End the Year (with Brian Delamont)
12/29/2023
129: 5 Questions to End the Year (with Brian Delamont)
As we come to the end of the year, how can we intentionally look back and look ahead? Consider these five questions for reflection from TeachBeyond’s Brian Delamont, Heather Brown, and Keane Fine. Happy New Year! 5 Reflection Questions: What are you proud of? What do you want to celebrate? What do you want to carry with you from 2023? What are you hoping to leave behind? What matters this year? What feels familiar and different this year? What do you hope this will look like at the end of next year? Leviticus 23 and Emily P. Freeman’s What’s changing our lives: Keane: Finishing a journal and beginning a new one Heather: Heating pad Brian: This podcast! Weekly Spotlight: We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/29266698
info_outline
BONUS: Episode 89: Caring for Missionaries at Christmastime (Season 3)
12/22/2023
BONUS: Episode 89: Caring for Missionaries at Christmastime (Season 3)
This week we’re sharing Advent episodes from past seasons! You can find show notes for this episode and other past episodes . Merry Christmas! We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/29084983
info_outline
BONUS: Episode 85: Joy of Every Longing Heart (Season 3)
12/21/2023
BONUS: Episode 85: Joy of Every Longing Heart (Season 3)
This week we’re sharing Advent episodes from past seasons! You can find show notes for this episode and other past episodes . Merry Christmas! We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/29084938
info_outline
BONUS: Episode 50: Shadow and Light (Season 2)
12/20/2023
BONUS: Episode 50: Shadow and Light (Season 2)
This week we’re sharing Advent episodes from past seasons! You can find show notes for this episode and other past episodes . Merry Christmas! We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/29084908
info_outline
BONUS: Episode 11: In the Waiting (Season 1)
12/19/2023
BONUS: Episode 11: In the Waiting (Season 1)
This week we’re sharing Advent episodes from past seasons! You can find show notes for this episode and other past episodes . Merry Christmas! We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/29084878
info_outline
BONUS: Episode 9: The Advent Project (Season 1)
12/18/2023
BONUS: Episode 9: The Advent Project (Season 1)
This week we’re sharing Advent episodes from past seasons! You can find show notes for this episode and other past episodes . Merry Christmas! We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/29084838
info_outline
128: The Music of Christmas - A Calling Story (with Olivia Bomgardner)
12/15/2023
128: The Music of Christmas - A Calling Story (with Olivia Bomgardner)
Olivia Bomgardner, TeachBeyond music teacher in Spain, shares why Christmas music is special, what it’s like to be a music teacher at Christmastime, and how she became a missionary teacher. “Singing is a huge part of my life, but singing about something so significant as Christ’s birth definitely brings a difference in comparison to other parts of the year.” “Music has this ability to draw out emotions and speak to us in a different way. It’s a gift.” “How far will you go to trust that My plan is better than yours?” “When someone asks me who I am, before I went to college, I probably would have said that I’m a musician, I play the piano, and I love that about myself. But after this struggle in my life, I learned to say I’m a child of God.” “What can we learn in this waiting season about what the Lord has for us?” “The Lord is good – always. His plan is not going to be ours, as He tells us in His Word, but also I would say that the waiting is a good time to focus on Him. As we do that, we are growing in our relationship to Him.” What’s changing our lives: Keane: Celebrating Hanukkah Heather: Receiving Christmas cards Olivia: Dark chocolate-covered cookies from Trader Joe’s Weekly Spotlight: We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/29082813
info_outline
127: Round Table: Christmas in the Classroom
12/08/2023
127: Round Table: Christmas in the Classroom
TeachBeyond teachers Tami and Savana join Heather for a round table discussion about Christmas in the classroom. From book recommendations to classroom activities, this conversation is filled with enthusiastic laughter and the truth of the Gospel. “I love to really keep what I do in the classroom centered on the kids and allowing them to be a part of it.” - Savana “We’ve had some kids really ask such great questions after singing these songs and hearing these words.” - Savana “I always have to think about my students. What is going to be the most impactful for me to reach them on a spiritual level?” - Tami Book suggestions: by Angela Elwell Hunt, by Lori Walburg, by A. E. Dingee, by Sally Lloyd-Jones, by Christine Stevens Mower, by Cynthia Cotten, and By Cheri Pless Dittmer “What goals do we already have? How could those be accomplished in a way that is fun and meaningful in this season?” - Heather “That’s a big thing for me - making it as real to them as possible in different ways, while mixing in the fun stuff.” - Savana “For them to really see God through His Son and why He loved us enough to send Him to rescue us is a big deal.” - Tami “Jesus is the light of the world. When we put these lights on our Christmas tree every year, we can remember He is the light of the world.” - Tami “God’s Word transforms us [...] I get the privilege to see my students take that in.” - Tami 1 John 3:8 “Christ came to expose the darkness. Baby Jesus raged war against sin and against our enemy to conquer him [...] We get to share the beauty of the season because our King has come!” - Tami What’s changing our lives: Heather: Video chatting with nephews Savana: Processing how to handle emotions Tami: Driving in East Africa Weekly Spotlight: We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/28984343
info_outline
126: Why Evangelical Theology Needs the Global Church (with Stephen Pardue)
12/01/2023
126: Why Evangelical Theology Needs the Global Church (with Stephen Pardue)
Naturally, we view our faith through our own cultural lenses. There is so much to learn from the theological perspectives of other cultures. Our guest for this episode, author and professor Steve Pardue, shares from his experience growing up cross-culturally, teaching at the university level, and building friendships with people from many different countries. Check out the book by Steve Pardue: “If you want to look at where the next generation of theological discourse is really emerging and where the church is vital and producing really interesting reflection on Scripture, look toward the majority world.” by Gene Green, Stephen Pardue, and K. Yeo “How does culture matter for theology? And why is that not necessarily a threat, but actually a gift from God for God’s people to use as a Church from every tribe and tongue and nation gets together, worships, proclaims the Gospel, and perceives the Gospel in really deep and rich ways, but very different ways?” “Majority world is a way of describing where most people in the world actually live – Asia, Africa, and Latin America.” “Christianity has actually always been a global faith.” “Even in redeemed humanity, our cultural distinction persists. That’s part of how we worship God.” “To the degree we can, we want to encourage authentic partnership and fellowship across the nationals, and that is something that is uniquely Christian.” “God comes to earth and speaks with an accent.” “Be intentional about asking questions, and I think it’ll unfold from there.” What’s changing our lives: Keane: Visiting with a college friend Heather: with friends Steve: Remembering the value of relationships in ministry Weekly Spotlight: We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/28869703
info_outline
125: Perfectionism or Biblical Excellence? (with Brian Delamont)
11/24/2023
125: Perfectionism or Biblical Excellence? (with Brian Delamont)
What does Biblical excellence look like? Brian Delamont walks us through Scriptures about the difference between performance-based perfectionism as compared to Christ-honoring stewardship as we continue in our series on TeachBeyond’s core values. TeachBeyond’s Core Value of Excellence: “Acknowledging that God deserves glory in all that we do, we undertake everything wholeheartedly and to the best of our ability. We approach our calling to excellence with creativity, committing ourselves as stewards of God’s resources.” by Gary Inrig “This Biblical view of excellence isn’t rooted in my performance, but it’s rooted in the character and nature of God, who is excellent in every way and who is fully integrated in His nature as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:31 Philippians 4:8 Titus 3:8 Colossians 3:23-24 “Yes, it is the Lord Christ we are serving, and we do want to bring our very best offering to Him every time, all the time. But, we receive an inheritance from the Lord… And you never, ever have to work to receive an inheritance. I receive an inheritance because someone else has done all of the work, and I am the beneficiary of their love and their generosity. That’s the beauty and power of the Gospel.” 1 Peter 1:3-4 “The best course correction for a false standard of excellence is to look to what God says about Himself and about ourselves.” Psalm 18:30 Psalm 19:7 “God isn’t insisting on perfection or a twisted sense of my life being excellent or good enough before I can come to Him. He gives me His excellent wisdom by His Word. For me, and I think for all of us, that shifts the weight of responsibility for excellence to the place where it was always intended to be - to have God be the source and sustainer of excellence. He is able, and I am blessed to be His child. ” “It’s all about God’s glory. He’s the one who deserves the praise and honor in all that we do. It’s not about me, it’s not about how well a certain school scores in testing, it’s not about whether TeachBeyond is known around the world or not. We recognize that God deserves all glory.” Mark 12:41-44 Matthew 5:43-48 “It’s not that He’s demanding perfection because Jesus actually came to show us that we could never fulfill the Law; only He would be the perfect offering, the perfect sacrifice.” Psalm 33:2-4 “Doing something well reflects the God we love.” Psalm 78:72 “Excellent leadership flows from a heart of integrity, and it’s done skillfully.” We are unpacking TeachBeyond’s four core values each month. Listen to the first one here: November Reflection: What’s your own standard for evaluating excellence? What’s changing our lives: Keane: A season of his family being sick Heather: High-top tables Brian: Updates to Microsoft Teams Weekly Spotlight: We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/28771593
info_outline
124: It Starts with Relationship - A Calling Story (with Marcos Reis)
11/17/2023
124: It Starts with Relationship - A Calling Story (with Marcos Reis)
How does a chiropractor fit in TeachBeyond? Listen to Marcos Reis share his story of finding his place, serving wholeheartedly, and seeing God move in exciting ways in Brazil. “I was never a good evangelist, so through camps and retreats, I found a good way to serve in favor of evangelism.” “The appeal of TeachBeyond goes far beyond formal classroom education. People with the most diverse initiatives have come to TeachBeyond because God is transforming lives through various forms of education.” “Chairing the global board has been an opportunity to see God acting through many people He raised up. I tend to understand that my role in all of this is to facilitate the promotion of a space where people can speak and act according to what God has placed in their hearts.” “God is giving us wisdom, God is giving us energy, God is giving us ideas to go through this. It’s amazing being used by God for things He is doing. God is so good that sometimes we can see the fruits of this work. We are not working for fruit, but sometimes in God’s grace, He allows us to see some fruit.” “As everything starts with our relationship with God, it continues in relationship with each other.” “I believe that God has a special appreciation for doing things in an unlikely time or environment, and this happens all the time in TeachBeyond.” “What excites me most is the potential that God has developed through TeachBeyond so that diverse people from many languages, many cultures, many gifts can come together for the expansion of the Kingdom of God.” “For many years we were a mission field; now, we are increasingly seeing ourselves as a hotbed of missions.” “We are not looking for grow[th] just to grow; we are looking to be excellent, to be loving, to be humble, to act in partnerships. We are looking to our values, and God is bringing people who are inspired by these values, too.” “God likes to establish relationships through which we perform actions.” What’s changing our lives: Keane: Replacing smoke alarms Heather: Scented hand soaps Marcos: Parenting and using time well Weekly Spotlight: We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/28675723
info_outline
123: Round Table: Cultivating a Culture of Love & Respect in the Classroom
11/10/2023
123: Round Table: Cultivating a Culture of Love & Respect in the Classroom
Join us around the table for a discussion about how to intentionally cultivate a culture of love and respect! Seasoned teachers and school leaders Jessica Moulding, Esther Burnham, and Randy Dueck share tips, inspiration, and personal stories from their decades of experience in schools. “” by Jessica Moulding “Classroom culture forms naturally. The students are going to form it. It’s all of the expectations and rules - both spoken and unspoken, just as any other culture.” - Jessica “As teachers and school leaders, we have the ability to help form that culture.” - Jessica “Most students spend a large majority of their time in our classrooms, and so [it’s important to make] that feel like their second home. And then also, when things go wrong, how do we respond?” - Jessica “We’re communicating to them directly, ‘You belong here. I notice you. I will see you, I will hear you, I’ve got you. I think every student in the classroom needs that culture with that teacher.” - Randy “It is a work of the Holy Spirit. We have a role, but it’s His job.” - Esther “In the classroom, working with a whole student means trying to give them a space that is safe enough for them to be human.” - Jessica “It’s that ‘doing life together’ and having a shared experience and enjoying little quirks.” - Esther “Those kids hadn’t changed, but I had, and my love for them had shifted.” - Jessica “There’s just so much power in submission to the Holy Spirit - whether that’s in laughter or prayer or intentional conversations - that when we just keep giving those mundane, normal moments back to Him, He is faithful and just to do incredible transformation through them.” - Jessica What’s changing our lives: Heather: Changes in small group Randy: First snowfall of the season Esther: Reading a book about the Shantung Revival Jessica: Reflecting on God’s faithfulness and changing mindset about the future Weekly Spotlight: We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
/episode/index/show/transformedandtransformational/id/28567528