Dwell On These Things

Marian Guzzo and Mary Beth Gladwell: What Sustains a Lifelong Friendship 04.06.2026 49min

Abbey Merker interviews Marian Guzzo and Mary Beth Gladwell, friends since age 14 who met at an all-girls Catholic high school and became believers together in the 1970s. They discuss maintaining their friendship over six decades despite living in different cities, raising families separately, and serving in different home churches—meeting weekly for coffee, walks, and prayer, even when their ministry lives didn't overlap. Both credit this friendship with sustaining them through losing parents, family crises, and personal struggles, and they challenge the cultural trend of cutting people off quickly while emphasizing that close friendships outside marriage are essential, not optional, for long-term spiritual health. Speaker: Marian Guzzo, Mary Beth Gladwell, Abbey Merker

Uprooting your Family for Christ 21.05.2026 1h 5min

Abbey Merker interviews Katie and Kim, who left Columbus four and a half years ago to help plant a church in a new city. They share their decision-making process—navigating prayer, counsel, fears, and flip-flopping convictions—and discuss the surprising realities of homesickness, team dynamics, and ministry changes they didn't expect. Both reflect on how being stretched in uncomfortable circumstances deepened their dependence on God and changed their character in ways that wouldn't have happened if they'd stayed, while also acknowledging the importance of holding expectations loosely and staying rooted in prayer rather than emotions. Speaker: Abbey Merker, Kate McAtee, Kim Cooper

New Akili Principal Morgan Zahler: Educating the Whole Child 07.05.2026 1h 8min

Abbey Merker interviews Morgan Zahler, new principal at Akili High School, about her journey from intervention specialist to school leadership and her vision for educating students in Columbus. Zahler explains how academic struggles often stem from learning disabilities, environmental barriers, or learned helplessness—and how these struggles directly impact students' spiritual development and sense of identity. She discusses Akili's unique model combining academics with career counseling, life coaching, and spiritual formation, and shares a powerful success story of a student with dysgraphia who went from writing two sentences to drafting a book. Speaker: Morgan Zahler, Abbey Merker

Steve Bauer on Building God's Kingdom: Three Decades of Service 23.04.2026 44min

Dave Glover interviews Steve Bauer, who has overseen operations at Dwell Community Church for over three decades, about his transition from business to ministry and the surprising lessons learned along the way. Bauer reflects on major building projects from the Cleveland Avenue campus to Fourth Street and Oakland Park, sharing stories of God's providential timing and closed doors that led to better opportunities. He discusses how ministry refined his character—especially learning patience and understanding that "if God wants something done, it'll be done" Speaker: Steve Bauer, Dave Glover

Niccole Williamson: Money, Debt, and Biblical Stewardship 09.04.2026 1h 18min

Abby Merker interviews Nicole Williamson about navigating finances as a Christian, drawing from Nicole's journey of paying off over $100,000 in debt on a modest income. Nicole shares ten principles for simple living—from examining your heart's orientation toward money to practical strategies like meal planning and no-spend days—emphasizing that biblical stewardship is about more than extreme frugality. They discuss resisting cultural currents that normalize debt, the importance of boundaries and budgets for creating freedom, and how Nicole's family maintained generosity even while aggressively paying down loans. Speaker: Niccole Williamson, Abbey Merker

Mike Sullivan: Ministry, Multiplication, and Moving Forward 26.03.2026 26min

John Ross interviews Mike Sullivan, a long-standing member and sphere leader up for eldership at Dwell Community Church, tracing his journey from a 1982 house party to nearly 30 years of adult ministry leadership. Sullivan shares stories from leading home churches through revival seasons, pioneering urban ministry with low-income youth, and navigating the challenge of helping adult groups recapture a vision for planting and multiplication. He reflects on weathering the loss of his wife Edith last year, his approach to starting new ministries in uncharted territory, and why he believes some of Dwell's best days in adult ministry are still ahead. Speaker: Mike Sullivan, John Ross

Brian Adams: Staying Grounded When Life Gets Busy 12.03.2026 1h 2min

Pat Reeder interviews Brian Adams about his 2016 workshop on staying spiritually grounded when life gets busy, exploring how to prioritize time with God and loving others amid competing demands. Adams reflects on how his approach has evolved over a decade—especially as a parent of three young kids—while maintaining core biblical principles like the greatest commandments and trusting God through life transitions. They discuss practical strategies for managing attention, the importance of spiritual rest versus mere relaxation, and why loving others (what Adams calls "love therapy") remains the antidote to anxiety and stress. Speaker: Brian Adams, Pat Reeder

Authenticity, Career, and Christ: What Christian Women Actually Want 19.02.2026 1h 30min

Are women really losing interest in Christianity, or is something else going on? In this honest conversation, Keira Williamson, Kalyssa Deken and Abbey Merker discuss the cultural trends, false narratives, and real struggles affecting women's spiritual commitment—from "main character energy" to the tradwife stereotype. They share both the devastating losses and surprising breakthroughs they've experienced, plus practical ideas for how the church can better reach and empower women today. Speaker: Abbey Merker, Kalyssa Deken

Serving & Winning Generation Z for Christ 29.01.2026 1h 11min

Pat Reeder interviews Kathryn Akers and Doug O'Malley about their eight-plus years serving Generation Z at Dwell Community Church, examining both research data and firsthand ministry experience with high school and college students. They discuss Gen Z's strengths (love of prayer, thirst for justice, desire for authentic community), challenges (mental health struggles, social media effects, risk aversion), and surprising shifts like increased spiritual receptivity and declining attachment to political correctness. The conversation explores practical ministry implications—from the appeal of gospel simplicity to Gen Z's potential as future church planters and cross-cultural missionaries. Speaker: Pat Reeder, Doug O'Malley, Kathryn Akers

How a House Church Movement is Transforming the Ivory Coast 18.12.2025 58min

In this episode of Dwell on These Things, we explore how God is building a powerful house church movement in Ivory Coast and across West Africa. Jim Leffel shares firsthand stories of how a small, struggling network of churches grew into a thriving, disciple-making movement reaching tens of thousands through biblical, grassroots ministry. Speaker: Jim Leffel, David Pease

An Updated Outlet for Generosity 04.12.2025 27min

Brian Adams sits down with Shane Coulter to unpack the major shift in how Dwell Community Church fundraises for its life-changing student camps—Epic and Blowout. Speaker: Brian Adams, Shane Coulter

Keegan Hale & Greg Pilcher on Living a Life of Service 13.11.2025 59min

In honor of Keegan Hale, this special episode of Dwell on These Things features a brand-new introduction from Greg Pilcher, recorded just weeks after Keegan’s passing. Greg reflects on their decades-long friendship, the deep spiritual lessons they learned together, and the profound hope found in 2 Corinthians 5 as they both walked through serious illness.In this conversation—originally recorded in May 2022—Greg and Keegan join host Paul to discuss Jesus’ teaching on sacrificial service from John 12. With honesty, humor, and striking clarity, they explore what it means to follow Christ in the midst of suffering, why investing in people is worth every cost, and how God meets us with goodness even in our hardest seasons. Speaker: Keegan Hale, Greg Pilcher, Paul Alexander

Shepherding the Flock in the Age of AI 30.10.2025 1h 9min

Pat Reeder, Ryan Lowery and Tim Nunn reflect on Dwell's long history of engaging new tech with discernment, wisdom, and Biblical ethics. From both Scripture and Dwell's history, theses guys talk through how we should utilize powerful, yet scary tools such as AI. Speaker: Ryan Lowery, Pat Reeder, Tim Nunn

Ongoing Hope and Resilience in the DRC 16.10.2025 28min

In this episode, David talks with Jim Leffel, one of Dwell’s Global Partnership Co-Directors, about what’s happening with our partners in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They discuss how local believers are facing war and hunger with incredible faith, and how a new microloan program is helping families move from short-term relief to long-term stability. Hear stories of courage, generosity, and how God is moving even in the middle of crisis. Speaker: Jim Leffel, David Pease

Post CT Interview with Scott Risley 01.10.2025 23min

FULL TEACHING CAN BE FOUND AT dwellcc.org/teachings Tim Nunn and Alex Richards sit down with Scott Risley immediately after his Acts 8 teaching on the Ethiopian eunuch. Scott shares insights not only on Acts 8, but on the book as a whole. He also reflects on an interaction with a Dwell global partner just before the teaching—an encounter he felt empowered him to preach the Word. Speaker: Scott Risley, Tim Nunn, Alex Richards

How Should the Church View Singleness? 18.09.2025 32min

Abbey Merker, who recently taught the Dwell class “Theology of Singleness,” discusses some of the findings from her research on Christianity and singleness with Mateo Williamson. She argues from Scripture that singleness is a gift and addresses common cultural misconceptions surrounding the topic. Speaker: Abbey Merker, Mateo Williamson

The Story of Evidence Unseen 04.09.2025 38min

James Rochford and Ben Foust reflect on the beginnings of Evidence Unseen, an apologetics website created by James. What began as just a few articles quickly grew into a lifelong project—meeting a need within Dwell Community Church and reaching people around the world. Speaker: James Rochford, Ben Foust

Mission Accomplished: Two Decades on the Missions Field 21.08.2025 59min

Chris & Amy Gesler join the podcast to discuss their two decades of International missions experience in the country of Cambodia.  Chris & Amy talk through challenges such as language barriers, supporting a family, and being away from home.To hear more about missions at Dwell Community Church, be sure to visit dwellcc.org/missions to learn more. Speaker: Chris Gesler, Amy Gesler, Dave Glover

Faith in Flux: Recent Trends in Christianity 07.08.2025 56min

John Marriott, Ian Harber, and Michael Graham join together for a conversation on de-churching, deconstruction, and deconversion. Speaker: Pat Reeder, Ian Harber, John Marriott, Michael Graham

Gavin Ortlund: Gen Z, YouTube, and Why Christianity Makes Sense 24.07.2025 48min

Gavin Ortlund joins Mike Sullivan on "Dwell on These Things" to discuss his YouTube page, trends he sees in the American Church, and some of his upcoming books. Speaker: Gavin Ortlund, Mike Sullivan