The last several years have been difficult on all of us, and pastors have carried a particular burden during those years. Two local pastors, Dr. Theo Williams of Covenant Community Church in South Bend and Adam Sharp of St. Mark Missionary Church in Mishawaka, stepped into lead roles at their respective churches within the last few years. Their insights about these tumultuous times we're living in are very helpful as we consider the current state and future outlook of the Church. Continue reading

Have you ever heard of spiritual direction? Don’t worry if your answer is “no”. Counseling and – especially around ISI – mentoring are words we hear a bit more often. That’s why we brought Michael Baughman on the podcast. Michael is studying to become a spiritual director and has already begun meeting with spiritual direction clients. He helps us understand what spiritual direction is and why it can be helpful. Continue reading

For the last 13 years Ali & Kory Lantz have lived in Northwest South Bend and have been leading Transformation Ministries. What started as a couple living in a small neighborhood home, trying to be good neighbors and welcoming families into their lives has become an organization that operates several programs for youth and young adults. The growth of Transformation Ministries wasn't something Ali & Kory planned, but they've learned to trust God every step of the way. The latest step started when Kory heard God repeating the word, "Deeper." Continue reading

Kate Berkey and Kristy Mikel are longtime friends, ministry partners and now they are also co-authors of the new book "A Place Called Braverly." Braverly is a real place in Mae Sot, Thailand where Kristy lives and works. Kate has also lived and worked at Braverly, but she currently resides in Chicago and works at Devon Oasis Ministry. Continue reading

As the Director of Academic Empowerment at Transformation Ministries, Karen West has had to develop rapport with students, parents, school administrators, teachers and more. Her God-given gifts of connecting with young people and a genuine love for people have made her a perfect fit! Continue reading

Kalyn Lantz has been deeply involved at Transformation Ministries for years. She knows our work as well as anyone and she has helped equip our volunteers to be the best they can be. As a licensed counselor who specializes in trauma-informed care, Kalyn has unique insight into the ways trauma manifests in emotional, behavioral and physical ways. Continue reading

It’s one thing to talk about community. It’s another thing to practice it. Practicing community can get messy. There can be bumps in the road. But the reward makes the difficulties pale in comparison. We saw that in a beautiful way with our first Transformation-hosted community speaker series – Timely Topics. We hosted three incredible speakers – Marla Godette, Kory Lantz, and Dr. Redgina Hill. Each one is closely connected to the South Bend community and are actively working to make the community better. Continue reading

By AARON CHARLES (Note: On Saturday, March 19, an event called Timely Topics featured three guest speakers and small group discussions. The next episode of We All Need Each Other, which publishes on Friday, April 15,  includes the three speeches.) I’m about to turn 30. My birthday isn’t for a few months, but I’m a bit of a sentimental person in general. The reflecting on my 20’s has already begun. If there’s any throughline to describe my 20’s, I would hope it would be one word. Observing. Continue reading

What happens when you find yourself in a place you never thought you’d be? Itzxul Moreno and Alec Torigian both found themselves in a place (South Bend, Indiana) where they weren’t expecting. In this episode, we talk with them about how they found mission and purpose right where they were and how it has spurred them on into the work they are doing today to help provide education in underserved areas. Continue reading

By Dan Weiss How do you identify yourself? In a general sense, self-identifying is the act of claiming one’s own labels, categories, groups, etc. For example, I self-identify as a fan of the Green Bay Packers. When I rooted for the Los Angeles Rams to win the Super Bowl, someone may have identified me as a Rams fan. So, am I a Packers fan or a Rams fan? I identify myself as a Packers fan, so that’s what I am. If someone identifies me as a fan of a different team, it’s not a big deal to me. I may not even choose to correct them. But we get into trouble when we try to identify people in more significant ways. We often identify people according to their political views, religious beliefs, skin color, personality type and socioeconomic status. Continue reading