What are you doing with all of the gifts God has given you?
Internet Radio – 1st Wednesday and 5th Sunday Stewardship Calling
Are you and your church living your calling and preparing: “a good account before the awesome judgment seat of Christ?” Is your church, and its stewardship and other ministries, the healthiest and most effective they can be?
Every 1st Wednesday and 5th Sunday in a month we will gather on-line at 8:00 p.m. Eastern (7 Central – 6 Mountain – 5 Pacific). You can tune in by logging in at: https://www.ancientfaith.com/radio/live. And please feel free to call in with your questions at 1-855-AFRADIO (1-855-237-2346) to discuss how we can all do a better job of living our callings and strengthening our churches.
2023
September 6, 2023
How to Have an Effective Stewardship Campaign and Begin the Journey to Percentage Giving and Tithing
100% of American Orthodox parishes of all jurisdictions (the American Orthosphere) struggle with their stewardship campaigns and results to one degree of another. Yet, solutions are readily available!
As it turns out, like most other challenges in American Orthosphere parishes, the answer is all about E² (Education & Engagement).
This program explores validated solutions in how to properly educate and engage the faithful in an Orthodox understanding of generosity, giving, stewardship, and tithing. It also dispels the myths of many non-Orthodox and ineffective stewardship techniques being used in American Orthosphere parishes.
We will also explore a proven simple step-by-step process to begin the journey of transitioning your parish away from hand to mouth existence barely covering the minimum operating expenses. We will discuss how to create a culture of abundance and enhanced generosity to propel your parish and ministries to unimaginable levels of fulfilling a Christ-centered destiny.
Strategic Leadership, Innovation & Change Management in Orthodox Parishes and Ministries
In the early 1920’s, Orthodoxy represented under 0.5% of the U.S. Christian population. Over 100 years later, we still represent under 0.5% of U.S. Christians. Orthodoxy has declined from 20% of global Christians in 1910 to 12% in 2010. We are just not making Orthodox disciples! These are regrettable facts and not opinions.
Strategic Leadership, Innovation, and Change Management are 3 critical elements of all effective and healthy organizations, including Orthodox churches and ministries. Yet they are often difficult to implement. As it turns out, some answers can be found in the latest leadership, innovation, and change management best practices and research. This program begins to explore potential solutions.
Why did God give you all of your talents, abilities, gifts, and experiences? What is your purpose in the world?
Why did God give you all of your talents, abilities, gifts, and experiences? What is your purpose in the world?
What is your view of the world and the core values that help you live each day faithfully?
If you don’t answer these questions, you run the risk of being merely an amalgamation of cells occupying space and time without fulfilling what God called you to do.
Find out what a Christian worldview is, how to define/clarify yours, and learn what you can do to become a Christ-centered leader who is worthy of being followed.
Dr. Barry Doublestein is a dedicated Christian leader and anAdjunct Professor in the School of Business & Leadership at Regent University. He is the Director and Senior Fellow in the Health Care Leadership Institute and President of Leadership Solutions.
As a pioneering visionary with demonstrated expertise in leadership development and Christian worldview, Dr. Doublestein, provides practical guidance attuned to the ever-changing needs of leader development and creating actionable solutions.
“Where there is no Vision, the people will perish.”(Proverbs 29:18)
Every church does some things well and struggles with others. Strategic Planning is process that helps prioritize the critical needs and provides a plan to address them.By God’s grace, I have completed strategic plans covering over 26% of Orthodox Christians in America. For the first time in history, we are attempting to take 4 parishes through a simultaneous strategic planning retreat April 28-30.
A good strategic plan starts with the parish reaching consensus on WHY it exists, where it is now, what are its Core Values, what is its Mission Statement that defines what it does, and its Vision of where it will be in several years. A good plan also develops the most important, strategic, and measurable goals with comprehensive Action Plans to ensure success.
Part 1 on Sunday, April 30, 2023 – Right after the historic 4-parish strategic planning retreat, the Chancellor of the Metropolis of Boston, my colleagues and I will discuss the process we used, what happened, the results we obtained, and what we learned that could benefit other parishes. I am honored to be joined by: Fr. Ted Barbas,Dr. Don Khouri, Panos Coufos and Alex Cooley.
Part 2 on Wednesday, May 5, 2023 –
I will present a recommended step-by-step parish strategic planning process your church can use.Listen to the programs here:
Religious Freedom and Critical Legal Issues For Christians Living Their Callings
Today we are experiencing unprecedented: 1. restrictions on the free exercise of religion, 2. attacks involving the separation of church and state, 3. limitations on the free speech permitted to people of faith, 4. challenges on protecting the unborn, and 5. legal challenges to the teachings and practices of Christians.
Professor Brad Jacob, Associate Dean and Constitutional Law Professor at Regent University School of Law, focuses on these issues. After a successful career in two global law firms, he served as Executive Director and CEO of the Christian Legal Society and as a professor and Dean as several Colleges and Universities.
Professor Jacob studies and teaches the latest legal matters impacting Christian churches, organizations, and faithful. He is extensively published, including his “Living Out My Calling” article in the Journal of Christian Legal Thought that we will discuss.
Today, we are experiencing unprecedented challenges in the human resources needs in our parishes and ministries, including shortages of clergy, volunteers, ministry leaders, and staff.
Dr. Scott Mondoreuses his God-given gifts to help all kinds of entities better understand, organize, and manage their human resources. He is an entrepreneur, predictive analytics expert, technology innovator, best-selling author, and speaker with decades of experience in the areas of human resources, analytics, strategy, talent management, measurement, and organizational development.
Scott’s companies utilize predictive analytics and artificial intelligence to improve the human elements of enterprises. He is an exemplary Orthodox Christian steward who generously donates his time, talents, and treasures to parishes, ministries, the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops, and the Effective Parish Assessment helping Orthodox parishes across the U.S.
After over 20 years of working with over 500 Orthodox Christian parishes and completing strategic plans that cover over 26% of Orthodox Christians in the U.S., the Orthodox Ministry Services (OMS) team has developed the Effective Parish Assessment (EPA).
The EPA is a reliable and easy way for you to assess your parish’s health and effectiveness in the 6 Pillars and 30 Building Blocks of operational excellence. OMS is providing the Effective Parish Assessment Program for free to selected Cohort Effective Parishes with the support of Leadership 100 and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese.
If your parish is an innovator with Clergy and Lay Leaders committed to operational excellence and the best possible parish health and effectiveness, this program is for you. Tune in to find out if your parish is eligible, and how you can apply, to participate in this dynamic free and helpful parish improvement program.
Effective Orthodox Parish Council & Ministry LEADERSHIP
Leadership is a critical difference between the most effective and healthy Orthodox parishes and ministries and those not fulfilling their potential.
As it turns out, there are 6 Elements of theStewardship Calling Orthodox Servant LeadershipModel that can be learned and practiced.
In addition, there are essential actions Parish Council and Ministry leaders can take to function better as a team, effectively communicate, and fulfill their church and legal responsibilities.
Tune in to learn the latest leadership research and best practices specifically adapted for Orthodox Christian Church Parish Councils and Ministries.
This program provides Parish Council training minimum requirements as it also integrates the leadership elements that differentiate the healthiest and most effective parishes and ministries.
Gentleman John Maddex, The Original Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of Ancient Faith Ministries
Gentleman John Maddex – The visionary founder and CEO of Ancient Faith Ministries shares the “whole truth, and nothing but the truth” about how he discovered and lived his stewardship calling by founding Ancient Faith Ministries as he tells the story of building of what I call Ancient Faith Ministries the “Global Voice of Orthodoxy.”
November 2, 2022
The Reclaiming The Great Commission With Fr Evan Armatas
Fr. Evan Armatas, host of Orthodoxy Live on AFR, and priest at St Spyridon in Loveland, Colorado, joins me to discuss his great new book Reclaiming The Great Commission. Check out Fr Evan’s great insights here: FR. EVAN IN ANCIENT FAITH RADIO
October 30, 2022
The New Chief Visionary Officer (CEO) of Ancient Faith Ministries
Melinda Johnson will take over as the new Chief Visionary Officer and CEO of Ancient Faith Ministries which she has faithfully served in a variety of capacities. Come meet the real Melinda and learn about her journey to Orthodoxy, Ancient Faith Ministries and the new leadership role she will assume. Listen to her story and vision here:MELINDA JOHNSON ON STEWARDSHIP CALLING
September 7, 2022
Religious Freedom & Similar Issues Facing Our Church and Faithful
Today we are experiencing unprecedented: 1. restrictions on the free exercise of religion, 2. attacks on the separation of church and state, 3. limitations on the free speech permitted to people of faith, 4. challenges on protecting the unborn, 5. legal challenges to the teachings and practices of the Orthodox Christian faith, to name but a few issues.
At the epicenter of protecting us on many of these issues is Dr. Andrew Ekonomou. After an amazingly successful career as Acting United States Attorney, Georgia Special Assistant Attorney General, and in other legal positions, Andy is using his God-given gifts to truly defend our faith.
Andy Ekonomoucurrently serves as Senior Counsel at the American Center of Law & Justice, a Christian-based legal organization working to protect our rights on all of the above issues, and so many more.
Doctors know the tests to administer to assess our personal health. Financial planners know how to assess our financial health. However, our parishes lack similar empirical and validated tools to help them.
After over 20 years of working with over 500 Orthodox Christian parishes and completing strategic plans that cover over 26% of Orthodox Christians in the U.S., the Orthodox Ministry Services (OMS) team has developed the Effective Parish Assessment (EPA).
The EPA is a reliable and easy way for you to assess your parish’s health and effectiveness in the 6 Pillars and 30 Building Blocks of operational excellence. OMS is providing the Effective Parish Assessment Program for free to selected Cohort Effective Parishes with the support of Leadership 100 and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese.
If your parish is an innovator with Clergy and Lay Leaders committed to operational excellence and the best possible parish health and effectiveness, this program is for you. Tune in to find out if your parish is eligible, and how you can apply, to participate in this dynamic free and helpful parish improvement program.
The 100th Anniversary of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Christ’s Orthodox Church is about 1,989 years old this year. However, only a relatively short 100 years ago, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese (GOA) was organized in the USA. And what a 100 years it has been! demands placed on Clergy spouses and their families.
For over a century, the GOA has brought people closer to Christ as it survived depressions, wars, social upheavals, natural and man-made disasters, and societal pressures and challenges that could not have been imagined by the faithful in Christ’s time.
Stewardship Calling Program on Ancient Faith Radio will broadcast LIVE from the Marriott Marquis in New York, New York from the 46th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress and Centennial Celebration.
You can hear amazing information and insights from Fr Baranabs Powell of Faith Encourage Live, Steven Christoforou GOA Y2AM; Fr George George Hazlarisof Church of Our Saviour in Rye, N.Y; GOA General Counsel George Tsougarakis; accounting and audit specialists Craig Clawson and Kathy Demes Maydew; Youth and Youth Protection Worker Jim Gabriel; Clergy Family Ministry Project Leader Dr. George Koulianos; GOA Department of Stewardship Director Fr. Jim Gabriel.
Listen to this program here: Stewardship Calling Live on Ancient Faith Radio. We discussed: (1) the past and future of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and our use of media and technology; (2) the commitment of the GOA to youth protection practices and polices and financial accountability; (3) an amazing ministry from a Greek Orthodox parish serving the homeless in New York; (4) some best accounting and financial integrity, transparency and accountability practices; (5) update on the Clergy Family Care Initiative; (6) the GOA initiative to help parishes establish planned giving and endowments and the new exciting Effective Parish Assessment Program.
June 1, 2022
The Challenges Facing Clergy and Clergy Spouses and Families
The role of the Parish Priest is critical to the success of the Parish. And the success of any married Parish Priest is dependent on the love and support of his wife (Presvytera, Matushka, Panimatka, Popadija, Khouria).There are many pressures and demands placed on Clergy spouses and their families.
On the June 1, 2022, Stewardship Calling Live, we will share the latest empirical research on the issues faced by Clergy families, and some things we can do to make their lives better.I will discuss this critical information with Clergy Family Initiative Project Co-Leader, Dr. George Koulianos, Presvytera Nicole Keares, the President of the National Sisterhood of Presvyteres, and Principal Researcher, Dr. George Stavros.
Living Your Calling After the Death of a Loved One.
You will die someday. Before that day, someone you love dearly will die and leave you behind. So how do you survive those difficult times? And how do you cope with your great loss and go forward to live your stewardship calling, the reason for your life and what you are called to do with all of the gifts over which God made you a steward? Finally, what can we all do to help others experiencing such losses?
On Sunday May 29th, tune into a multi-part discussion with two amazing and faithful Orthodox Christians who recently lost their clergy husbands.
Matushka Trudi Richter,Presvytera Dianthe Livanos and I will discuss how to deal with the passing of a loved one, and how to keep your faith as you live your Stewardship Calling. And we will remember their dedicated husbands, Fr. George Livanos and Fr Stacey Richter who have transitioned to the life eternal.
Living Your Calling During and After Serious Illnesses
You, or your loved ones, will get sick, and sometimes seriously ill. You, or someone you love, may receive a medical death sentence. So, then what?
What you do next is critical. You have been called by your Creator. There is a reason to your life, and a reason for your life. You have a Stewardship Calling – something you need to do with all of the gifts over which God made you a steward. But how do we live our Stewardship Calling in the face of serious illnesses or death sentences?
On the Wednesday May 4th Stewardship Calling I will speak with faithful Orthodox Christians Rip Kastaris, Tracy Namee and Nikki Bober. We explore how those with major heart disease, cancer, and other serious illness diagnoses can continue to live their Stewardship Callings.
On the Sunday May 29th Stewardship Calling I will speak with faithful Orthodox Christians Matushka Trudi Richter and Presvytera Dianthe Livanos about how we continue to live our Stewardship Callings after our loved ones pass onto the kingdom eternal.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects an estimated 1 in 44 children in the United States today. ASD can create challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication.
After her son Michael was diagnosed with ASD, Dr. Lisa Liberatore and her husband Dr. Dimitri Kessaris formed LUV Michael, a pioneering nonprofit ministry that transforms the lives of those with ASD.
We will speak with Lisa Liberatore and Mark Biondi and learn about their innovative LUV Michael organic granola products enterprise that employs the autistic population, their U.S. Autism Homes housing initiative, and other autism advocacy.
Total direct and in-direct costs for children with ASD in the U.S. exceeds $60.9 Billion per year.
LUV Michael is a unique ministry opportunity for you and your parish to help create meaningful work for autistic adults, learn about autism, and advocate for autism acceptance.
Learn more about LUV Michael on this April 13, 2022 Stewardship Calling program and at: https://luvmichael.com/
Unfortunately, brave Ukrainian people are dying as an unlawful invasion takes place in the largest European country with the second largest Orthodox Christian population. The short term future of these brave people and their homeland is uncertain.
However, the glorious Ukrainian past, and the faith of those who hold Ukraine dear, is NOT at risk. A loving God and a faithful people will prevail.
Since the early 1900’s, the proud Ukrainian people in the United States formed a dynamic Metropolia with active Orthodox Christian parishes that bring people closer to Christ.
On March 2, 2022, I was joined by Metropolitan Antony and Archbishop Daniel, the two dynamic and inspirational presiding Hierarchs of the UOC of USA. They shared their life stories and personal journeys, as well as their vision for the future. They also shared how everyone can help with humanitarian relief for all those people suffering in Ukraine.
Please provide much-needed assistance to help the brave Ukrainian people by clicking the image below:
January 30, 2022 – Part 1 & February 2, 2022 – Part 2
Declining Churches And Faith – The Real Deadly Church Pandemic
Church attendance, volunteerism, giving, membership, youth engagement, stewardship, participation in sacraments, outreach and evangelism, religious education, and other ministries are all declining and suffering. These “comorbidities” can accelerate the suffering, or even demise, of any organism or organization, including parishes.
Part 1 of the “Real Deadly Church Pandemic” (January 30, 2022) presents empirical data about our current church challenges, how some Christians overcame their issues and built strong church communities, and the 6 primary root cause areas where our parishes are suffering.
Part 2 of the “Real Deadly Church Pandemic” (February 2, 2022) will provide proven insights and strategies from the “Jobs To Be Done” and “Disruptive Innovation” theories developed by Harvard professor Dr. Clayton Christensen. We also begin to explore a parish assessment process to effectively diagnose critical parish comorbidities and challenges that can lead parishes to tailored solutions.
Will we provide our youth the opportunity to serve for a year to prepare them for a lifetime?
Orthodox Volunteer Corps (OVC) will arrange for our young adults to live in a safe environment and engage in meaningful work with an approved charity. At the same time, OVC will help participating young adults learn essential content in formation and leadership through weekly programs, as they connect with the community and a welcoming church.
OVC is the newest Approved Agency of the Assembly of Bishops. OVC leaders, Michael Sider-Rose and Kyra Limberakis, will share the exciting story of this transformational agency and help you understand how your youth and young adults can prepare for a lifetime through a year of service.
December 1, 2021 – ABORTION: The Orthodox Christian Perspective & Dobbs v. Jackson Woman’s Health Organization
It is hard to imagine a more divisive issue in America today than abortion. And it will soon get a lot more attention.
On December 1, 2021, the United States Supreme Court hears oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Woman’s Health Organization which might overturn, amend, or re-affirm, the key abortion decisions Roe v. Wade and Casey v. Planned Parenthood.
Immediately after the Supreme Court hears the Dobbs oral arguments on 12-1-21, Stewardship Calling Live on Ancient Faith Radio will discuss this critical topic from an Orthodox Christian perspective.
Everyone certainly has their own opinion. However, the Orthodox Church has clear theology and there is also plenty of misinformation about the legal issues. More importantly, there are ministries you and your parish can embrace to help women deal with complex decisions they face.
Fr. Barnabas Powell of Faith Encouraged Ministries and Sts. Raphael, Nicholas & Irene will discuss Orthodox theology. I will attempt to objectively summarize the law. Paula Kappos of Zoe For Life will share the nonjudgmental, confidential support, and education they provide for unplanned pregnancies. Emily Wilkinson of Orthodox Christians for Life will share what you and your parish can do to strengthen your commitment to the sacredness of life.
The Amicus Brief filed by the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops together with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and Other Religious Organizations can be downloaded here: ASSEMBLY OF BISHOPS AMICUS BRIEF
November 3, 2021 – Homelessness and Those Outside Looking In
In January 2020, there were 580,466 people experiencing homelessness in America. Families with children are 30% of that number. There were numerically more whites who were homeless than minorities.
The pre-COVID homeless numbers exceeded the populations of any of Baltimore, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Tucson, Sacramento, Cleveland, Kansas City, Tampa, or Miami. We don’t yet know how much worse it is now.
Add to this, nearly 1 in 5 Americans experience some form of mental illness, and 10 million adults in America live with a serious mental illness. One-half of all chronic mental illness begins by the age of 14 and three-quarters by the age of 24.
All of these many millions of Americans who are your neighbors, friends or family are suffering in one way or the other. They all feel like outsiders looking in at the rest of the world they perceive as “normal.”
On 11-3-21, learn from four dedicated Orthodox Christians who are making a difference in this mission field through their personal efforts and ministries. We will speak with Fr. Justin Mathews (Reconciliation Services), Chrysanthe Loizos (St. Herman House – Focus Cleveland), Dorrie Papademetriou (MudGirls Studios), Jennifer Hertberg (Grief Counseling).
My time as a “homeless-looking” beggar before my YAL Conference keynote address entitled: “Find Your WHY, Share the Love, and Be the Light as a Disciple of Christ in Your Jerusalem.”
October 31, 2021 – Hierarch Interviews From The Assembly of Bishops 10th Anniversary Meeting
Tune into Stewardship Calling on Ancient Faith Radio on Sunday October 31, 2021 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern to hear short interviews of: Greek Orthodox Archbishop Elpidophoros; Antiochian Metropolitan Joseph; OCA Metropolitan Tikhon; Serbian Bishop Irinej; GOA Metropolitan Methodios; UOC of USA Archbishop Daniel; and GOA Metropolitan Savas.These interviews were recorded at the 10th Anniversary meeting of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops.
These dedicated Hierarchs shared some of the exciting developments from the last year including the creation of two new transformational agencies, a pan-Orthodox Youth Agency and the Orthodox Volunteer Corps. They will also discuss the new Assembly APP to better connect the Hierarchs, clergy, and the faithful, that will also allow us to gather empirical research.
October 6, 2021 – A Guide to Orthodox Theology
When you are asked about what your church believes, how do you answer? What is your level of understanding of the Orthodox Christian Faith?If salvation is a gift we cannot merely earn, but must be lived as Christ taught, then how and where can we learn how to do that? How can we better share the “εὐαγγέλιον” the “good news” of Christ and the Orthodox Church?A Basic Guide to Eastern Orthodox Theology is just such an invaluable resource that can inform our understanding of the Church inaugurated at Pentecost in 33 A.D.
Dr. Eve (Paraskevè) Tibbs, an Affiliate Assistant Professor of Theology at Fuller Theological Seminary, will join me to discuss her book and help us all learn more.
September 1, 2021 – Philanthropy, Outreach & Evangelism
“Go and make Disciples” was our Lord’s clear instruction. And at the end of His parable where the Good Samaritan helped an injured Jewish stranger, He advised us to “Go and do likewise” and help our brothers and sisters in need.So how can we do that critical work in our lives and our communities (i.e., “our Jerusalem”)?
We will explore practical ideas you and your Parish can implement to answer this critical question with Fr. John Kocolas, the Proistamenos at Nativity of Christ Orthodox Church in Novato, California.
Nativity of Christ’s Community Outreach Ministry is a light of goodness in its community that does so much to help so many. For example, they prepare meals for the St. Vincent de Paul food ministry. But that is only the tip of the iceberg that runs deep in this community of faithful Disciples of Christ.
“Where there is no vision, the people will perish.” Proverbs 29:18 The Hebrew word “paw-rah” means “to perish.” It was the word used in biblical proverbs where hair was allowed to flow unconstrained in the wind. It means to be blown in all directions.
The same challenge can befall an Orthodox Christian Parish that has no clear direction. And yet, Christ taught us the very principles of how to create a clear and purposeful vision and inspire the faithful to journey toward His salvific love.
Strategic planning is what we call His process today. The richly blessed Parish of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Grand Rapids, MI. is creating just such a roadmap to a bright future for its community of Disciples of Christ.
Fr. Michael Nasser and Dr. Sam Bander are leading this joyous journey. On August 29th, they completed a 3-day strategic planning retreat, and joined me in a broadcast live from their Parish in Grand Rapids. Fr. Michael and Sam shared their strategic planning process, real-time results, and how this voyage can positively transform a community and Parish.You can listen to this podcast here: ST. NICHOLAS ORTHODOX CHURCH STRATEGIC PLANNING STEWARDSHIP CALLING LIVE PROGRAM
August 4, 2021 – Renewing You – A Priest, A Psychologist, and A Plan
Are you struggling in your life? Are you challenged in your walk with Christ? Are you confused or overwhelmed and not sure how to sort out your feelings about your life, your calling, your faith journey or even if you believe you have a faith journey?
Do you want to discover your reason for living, the person you were created to be? What if I told you there was actually a plan you could implement that combines the best of psychology and theology, two disciplines that many people think are not always in synch.
Power couple, priest Fr. Dr. Nicholas Louh and psychologist Dr. Roxanne Louh will join me to explore the seemingly opposing fields of Faith and Psychology and learn how they join forces to provide you with the type of inward reflection that leads to lasting outward transformation. They will cast practical life strategies through the lens of biblical aspiration and self-reflection with the intent to equip listeners with the foundation to approach a life that more closely resembles the potential God sets forth for all of us.
Listen to this inspirational program by clicking here: RENEWING YOU
July 7, 2021 – Calling All Young Adults To Exclaim Their Faith
64% of today’s young adults leave the church when they leave their family’s home. There is no bigger challenge the Orthodox Christian church faces. Indeed, it’s future depends on understanding and reversing this trend.
To begin to address this challenge, all Orthodox Christian young adults are called to gather in Phoenix, AZ over the 2021 Labor Day weekend.Young Adults attending will focus on discovering their personal WHY, exploring their calling more profoundly, enjoying amazing fellowship and activities, forming lifelong friendships, growing deeper in their faith, and transforming their lives in an ideal environment.
Presenting the information about this extraordinary event, are 2 of the co-chairs, Judge Steven Counelis and George Anagnostopoulos. They will also share their own life journeys in pursuit of their stewardship callings. Finally, these two amazing men will share how their lives have been forever changed by YAL conferences.
This YAL Conference is almost booked to maximum capacity, so please register for this transformational event soon! You can register here: YAL CONFERENCE 2021 REGISTRATION
June 2, 2021 – When The Chief Justice Speaks – People Listen
Before becoming Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court, The Honorable Harold D. Melton, was a cancer survivor, served as an Assistant Attorney General, helped start the Georgia Lottery and served as the Executive Legal Counsel to the Governor of Georgia. He is clearly a jurist and lawyer extraordinaire. But more importantly, he is truly a man of God.
So how can a Supreme Court Chief Justice simultaneously fulfill his oath to uphold the law, honor his deeply held Christian beliefs and achieve his commitment to improve the world?
On Wednesday June 2, 2021, Justice Melton and I will discuss his blessed path to living his calling and his faith. He will provide unique insights as to how we can all serve our own calling while we achieve excellence in our chosen vocation.
Tune in here: Stewardship Calling Live internet radio call in program on Ancient Faith Radioat 8:00 p.m. Eastern (7 Central; 6 Mountain; 5 Pacific) and hear this inspiring jurist talk about his walk of faith and his exciting work. Better yet, call in at 1-855-AFRADIO (1-855-237-2346) and speak with the Chief Justice himself.
May 30, 2021 – Good and Faithful Servant Through Living Your Stewardship Calling – Father George L. Livanos
Fr. George L. Livanos is a man of God who has been called by the Lord and has answered that call in a most exemplary way. He was diagnosed with the incurable mesothelioma a little more than 12 months ago. The life expectancy for most mesothelioma patients is less than 12 months after diagnosis.
From the date of his diagnosis, Fr. George recognized a new calling; to share what he learned about life and dying to prepare us for the transition to the life eternal. As a part of that invaluable gift to each of us, Fr. George and Presvytera Dianthe sat down for a 3-part video interview.
Part 1: The Journey Through Life In Search Of Calling – Fr. George L. Livanos
Part 2: “The Moment After” – The Clarity of Vision from the Partner’s Perspective – Presvytera Dianthe Livanos
Part 3: The Journey Through Death To The Ressurection – Fr. George L. Livanos
These video interviews, and more can be found on the special page I have created for this most valuable message we ALL need to hear. You can find these videos here: FATHER GEORGE L. LIVANOS – GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT
We invite you to honor Fr. George and his legacy. If you want to record a message for or about Fr. George on your smart phone, computer or camera, UPLOAD YOUR FR. GEORGE VIDEO HERE. The Ancient Faith Radio Stewardship Calling Team will add your message to a new “The People Speak” section.
Fr. George established his own powerful website to record video messages for his flockto convey his critical messages. You can find these magical messages here: SOUL FOOD FOR LIFE
May 5, 2021 (part 2) and April 7, 2021 (part 1) – Managing Difficult Conversations and Dealing With Conflicts In Your Church and Your Life
Difficult conversations with challenging people, and interpersonal conflicts that lead to a lack of trust, are big challenges we face in our churches and ministries. They also often negatively impact personal relationships, families and organizations.
For the first time, we will publicly tackle these critical issues. My special guest, Dr Mitch Owen, and I will explore how to best handle conflict and difficult conversations in our churches, ministries and lives. At the same time, we will discuss the theological examples and teachings of our Lord providing historical guidance alongside many practical and modern day solutions and recommendations.
Dr. Mitch Owen is the principal of Mitchen Incorporated and is creator of the Elusive Leadership Model for high performance teams. He is professionally certified and administers many assessment instruments for professional development, executive coaching, management training, team effectiveness and organization development.
Mitch has decades of experience addressing conflict in non-profit organizations, helping them become more effective and collegial, and guiding their leaders to perform at higher levels of excellence.
March 3, 2021 – Antisocial Media – It’s Neither Social Nor Good Media – So WWJD?
Many people are systematically allowing themselves and their children to become more depressed and addicted to Dopamine. This can add to a sense of loneliness, despair and helplessness. However, it is preventable.
Over 85% of teenagers have and use social media each day, and over 95% have a smart phone that makes accessing social media easier.
Over the same (pre-Covid) decade, depression increased by 74% among teenage boys and it increased 100% in teenage girls. Yes, it doubled.
Church social media guru, Fr. Barnabas Powell, and I will review the data on social media Dopamine addiction and discuss effective strategies you, your churches and families can use. We will also explore how to use social media positively as we focus on WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) with the power of social media.
February 3, 2021 – From Teacher to Preacher to Reacher – Specific Strategies and Techniques to be a More Effective Communicator
Teachers can be informational, Preachers can be inspirational but Reachers are transformational.As it turns out, there are some very specific things you can do tosignificantly improve your communications effectiveness.
This program provides many specific concrete steps both clergy and laity alike can take to be more effective communicators in your churches and your personal lives. You will learn a simple process to materially improve your communications skills.
From Teacher to Preacher to Reacher explains the formula for the most effective communications doe both clergy and laity (3K + 3P + 3A = ∆). You will also learn “magic words” that help get your message across better, the 2-4-6- paradox and how to have people do what you want them to do as you learn the science and theology behind more effective communications.
January 31, 2021- Effective Communications for Clergy and Laity
How Can Clergy And Laity Communicate Better?
An impactful sermon can be one of the most transformative communications and is the #1 thing people look for in picking their church. Parish Councils and Ministry Leaders can also communicate more effectively with all church constituencies. And yet, our church communications are not always as powerful and effective as they could be.
Ken Futch, a National Speakers Association Hall of Fame member and professional speaker and coach with over 35 years of experience, will help both clergy and laity improve their communications skills.
Learn more about Ken’s amazing work, or buy his fantastic and hilarious book, Take Your Best Shot at his website here: KENFUTCH.COM
January 6, 2021- A New Beginning – Because Hindsight Truly Is 2020
While 2020 was certainly one of the most challenging years faced by many, there was much we learned with our 2020 vision that can prepare us for a much improved 2021.
Catharsis comes from the Greek word, κάθαρσις, meaning “cleansing.” It’s the purification and purgation of emotions through sharing them with others.
In the safety of a loving Orthodox Christian environment on Stewardship Calling Live on Ancient Faith Radio, we will discuss what’s on your mind and in your heart, as we mourn your losses, celebrate your joys, help you address your fears, and look toward a brighter future in 2021.
December 3, 2020 – Bishop Daniel Findikyan – Presiding Hierarch of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church
In the spring of 2018, the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church entered a new era of leadership under His Grace Bishop Daniel Findikyan. Apostles Bartholomew and Thaddeus are considered the founders of this centuries-old Oriental Orthodox Church.
Bishop Findikyan was the first Armenian Church Primate to have been born in the United States. As a result, he knows his church and people very well. Bishop Daniel boldly identified his “5 Pillars to Build Up the Body of Christ” that we discussed, including Christian Formation, Ministries, Meaningful Church Services, Service to Others and Effective Operations.
There are between 800,000 – 1,000,000 Armenians in the United States and Canada. The Armenian Apostolic Church has two dioceses in the U.S. The Eastern Diocese shepherded by Bishop Daniel that has an unbelievable geographic reach including the entire United States except for the four states of California, Washington, Nevada, and Arizona which constitute the Western Diocese. There are 63 organized and mission parishes in the Eastern Diocese.
November 29, 2020 – Chris Hillman – Music Superstar, Orthodox Christian & Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
These stories of fame and faithfulness seem few and far between, and rarely appear to be linear journeys. Instead, these heroes often had to overcome many adversities as they clung to their core values. How bright a light it is then when we find a positive example who is a successful rock star, grounded Orthodox Christian, and at the same time is a loving husband, dedicated father/grandfather and even sings in his Orthodox church choir.
Chris Hillman is an amazing music superstar and Orthodox Christian who helped invent the folk-rock genre and was a pioneer of the country-rock genre. He is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and was a founding member of The Byrds.
Chris also helped lead The Flying Burrito Brothers, Manassas, the Desert Rose Band and many other professional musical groups.Chris has recorded countless albums and has traveled the world over sharing his God-given gifts as a music pioneer. Now he tells the story of his incredible life in his new book Time Between.
Listen to this podcast and interview here: CHRIS HILLMAN ON STEWARDSHIP CALLINGLearn about Chris’s amazing story in his own words, including his journey to Orthodox Christianity and his fantastic 40+ year marriage to Connie Pappas Hillman, a dedicated Orthodox Christian and storied music industry professional in her own right given her long-time work with Elton John and many other stars.
You can order a signed copy of his book or his incredible music, and learn about his tour dates, here: CHRIS HILLMAN.COM.
Watch this incredible interview of Chris Hillman and Connie Pappas Hillman conducted by Art Dimopoulos, Executive Director of the National Hellenic Society
November 4, 2020 – Bringing Light Into The World – a Millennial’s Calling
After many months of isolation and divisiveness, it’s time to hear new songs of joy sung to our Lord and an inspiring story from an outstanding millennial who has discovered and is living her stewardship calling by uplifting others. At the same time, we can learn ways to keep our youth and emerging adults engaged in their faith and churches as they live a fulfilling life.
Meet Sarah Kroger. Sarah is a Christian singer/songwriter who has been leading worship services at a wide range of local, national and international events for the past nine years. Her stewardship calling is to create a safe and prayerful space through her music in which people can encounter the love of God.
Sarah Kroger has released four outstanding albums, ‘Your Time’, ‘Hallelujah Is Our Song’, ‘Bloom’ and ‘Light’ that was just released October 23, 2020. You can find this inspirational new album here: “LIGHT.” Sarah lives in Nashville, TN but travels the world bringing the joy of the Lord to everyone.
You can listen to the interview of this amazing woman and hear about Sarah’s uplifting journey to live her calling through the use of her God-given talents by logging in here: SARAH KROGER ON ANCIENT FAITH RADIO
And check outSarah’s dynamic website here:SARAH KROGER
October 7, 2020 – How to Survive With 2020 Vision In a Year When Too Many Stones Were Thrown At You
No one has escaped this unprecedented combination of horribly disruptive crises in 2020. However, this year has also allowed us to have 2020 “perfect” vision about many things. 2020 vision is the gold standard of absolute clarity of what is both near and far.
So, how can we make it through the rest of this difficult year and have a better life? When the COVID-19 pandemic is just the story that you tell, what will be the story that you tell?We will discuss 3 practical, proven, and divinely inspired things you can do right now in your life. We will also RESPECTFULLY discuss some of the challenges we must overcome.
September 2, 2020 – Millennials, Youth & Young Families Living Their Callings – Part 1
The empirical data shows that 60% of youth depart the church when they leave their parents’ homes. The data also tells us that between 35% and 40% of U.S. Millennials officially claim NO religious affiliation whatsoever.
At the same time, Millennial youth are increasingly focused on discovering their calling and purpose, and want to have a meaningful impact on the world. Can these two conflicting trends be reconciled?Learn how to inspire the youth and emerging adults in your communities and families to find great meaning and purpose in serving others through their churches from inspirational millennials doing just that.
This program features the amazing Alyssa and Niko Kyritsis who are each doing great things to help being people closer to Christ and each other.
August 30, 2020 – Why Are You Here? – Discovering And Living Your Calling
Why are you here on this earth?What is the purpose of your life? These are perhaps two of the most difficult questions you will ask yourself during your life? St. Paul wrote several letters to the Ephesians focused on the same questions. And Mark Twain once famously quipped: “The two most important days of your life are first, the day you were born; and second, the day you figure out why.”So, how can you go about finding your WHY?
Best-selling author, Jim Huling, and Stewardship Calling Chief Evangelist, Bill Marianes (a/k/a, the “Orthodox WHY Guy”) explore several specific successful models to discover your specific calling, purpose, and WHY in order to answer the above questions.
Jim Huling was a successful CEO, is the best-selling author of the 4 Disciplines of Execution and Choose Your Life, and is highly-acclaimed keynote speaker with over 600 global presentations. He helps people move from merely imagining the life they want to actually living it.
Please take the time to review the incredible resources of Jim’s Choose Your Life step-by-step online course that will make achieving your dreams closer than you might believe. Click here: CHOOSE YOUR LIFE
August 13, 2020 – The Taking of Hagia Sophia (The Cathedral of Holy Wisdom)
His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, Fr Alexander Rentel, the Chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America and Fr Thomas Zain the vicar General of the Antiochian Orthodox church discuss religious freedomand Hagia Sophia.
Go to the special page created for this Hagia Sophia Program with a comprehensive list of information, resources and things you can do to learn more about the Hagia Sophia crisis and what you can do:
August 5, 2020 How Can You And Your Church Be More Effective? – The 4 Disciplines of Execution
If you want to make your parish healthier, strengthen and grow your church and its ministries, engage your faithful more deeply, and find greater meaning in your church lives, the primary author of the #1 best-selling 4 Disciplines of Execution (4DX), will share proven critical techniques to increase your operational effectiveness. 4DX can even revolutionize the way you think about church strategic planning.
The 4DX principles apply perfectly to help churches and non-profits.The 2012 best-selling business book that has sold over 6 Million copies and has been translated into 16 languages.
Jim Hulinghas delivered over 500 amazing key note addresses and implemented 4DX in 23 countries, including a church in Africa with over 1,000,000 souls, and the global Marriott Hotel and Ritz-Carlton Hotel chains.
Learn more about the amazing work being done by Jim Huling as he pursues his stewardship calling, including his new Choose You Life “ministry.” Check out his inspirational work here:CHOOSE YOUR LIFE
Jim Huling Explains The 4 Disciplines of Executing Strategies in Leadership Roles
July 1, 2020 –St. Nicholas Shrine at Ground Zero – A Phoenix Rises From The Ashes
Every adult remembers where they were on 9-11-01. The day when over 3,000 souls tragically lost their lives, and well over 6,000 were grievously injured. In that very dark day, the light was also extinguished in one of Christ’s churches as St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church was destroyed and buried in rubble. As we approach next year’s 20th anniversary of this devastation and darkness, the phoenix is on the verge of rising from the ashes. And the hopeful and loving light of Orthodox Christianity will again shrine brightly at Ground Zero for the whole world to see and experience.
As onsite construction begins again, the July 1, 2020 Stewardship Calling program on Ancient Faith Radio will help this “light of the world” start to penetrate the darkness. Join our spiritual, financial, operational and construction leaders, Fr. Alex Karloutsos, Dennis Mehiel, Michael Psaros and Richard Browne as they share the story of this incredible journey.
How willing are we to fully follow Christ’s clear instructions? That’s a tough question we all have to ask ourselves. Our Lord’s final direction was clear, concise and unequivocal: “Go and make disciples of ALL nations.” Period. Full stop. End of discussion!
This means we all have the duty to invite, evangelize and welcome. Indeed, some of the churches that are healthiest and growing, do missions and evangelism very well. But for some reason, that is not always as high a priority in some parts of our Orthodox ecosystem as it is in other Christian denominations. Why is that? What can we do about it?
The Wednesday June 3rd Stewardship Calling on Ancient Faith Radio will focus on how our Orthodox Churches can better perform our missions and evangelism ministry. My special guest will be the very experienced professional, Thomaida Hudanish, the Director of Missions and Evangelism for the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco.
Tune in at 8:00 p.m. Eastern (7 Central; 6 Mountain; 5 Pacific) by logging in at: https://www.ancientfaith.com/radio/live and learn some effective ways we can fulfill our stewardship calling through more effective missions and evangelism. And please feel free to call in with your questions at 1-855-AFRADIO (1-855-237-2346) or join the chat room.
May 31, 2020 – Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops
There are well over 1 million Americans who classify themselves as Orthodox Christians. And while fundamental theological beliefs and practices are very similar, we do not always speak with one strong and unified voice. On top of that, our Orthodox Patriarchs identified a Canonical anomaly in the way Orthodoxy has evolved operationally in the United States.
The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in America was formed to address this anomaly and preserve and contribute to the unity of the Orthodox Church. Its goals include: 1. promoting Church unity in the United States; 2. strengthening the common pastoral ministry to all the Orthodox faithful and a common witness to all those outside the church; and 3. the organization of the Orthodox Church according to Canonical tradition.
Ten years after its formation, we discuss what this distinguished group of over 55 Orthodox Hierarchs are working on with Metropolitan Gregory, the current Secretary of the Assembly; Mark Arey, the first Secretary of the Assembly; and Nicholas Anton, its current Director of Operations.
May 6, 2020 – The Good And Faithful Servant Challenge
Who Gives Away $30,000 And Only Asks For A Postcard In Return?
Did you hear the one about the church that gave its parishioners $30,000 and told them to give it away? And all they had to send back was a post card about who they helped and how it felt? Who would do something so crazy, particularly after a pandemic closed the world?
As it turns out, this is the way you actually open hearts and change the world, as well as improve the culture of generosity in a family or a church. Lives were transformed. People who needed it most were helped in extraordinary ways. Small miracles occurred. And the media and community took notice. A relatively small Orthodox Christian church actually put into practice what their Lord and Savior taught: “be a good and faithful servant” with whatever you are entrusted.
Hear the always inspirational Fr. Luke Veronis, Proistamenos of Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Webster, MA., share amazing “feel good” first hand stories of how his dynamic parish, accepted my Stewardship Calling Good and Faithful Servant Challenge as they celebrate their 100th anniversary.
The “Good and Faithful Servant” Stewardship Calling live internet radio program aired on Ancient Faith Radio on May 6, 2020 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern (7 Central / 6 Mountain / 5 Pacific)
When the COVID-19 pandemic is just
the story that we tell, what will be the story you tell?
As it turns out, in the event of a pandemic or other disruptive crisis, there are at least 10 strategic areas where we as individuals, and our churches, can focus to address needs, live better lives and fulfill our mission and calling.
Because this is a critical time and there are things we can all do, we ask you to help spread the word. On Wednesday, April 1st at 8:00 p.m. Eastern (7 Central – 6 Mountain – 5 Pacific), Ancient Faith Radio will do a special extended Stewardship Calling program devoted to the many specific things we can do personally, and as churches, in these 10 strategic areas. We will also share a creative Corona Contribution Challenge that you can use to help your church or favorite charity.
March 29, 2020 – Meet the Met part 4 – Metropolitan Gregory, presiding Hierarch of the American Carpatho Russian Orthodox Church
Metropolitan Gregory provides a one of a kind, in-depth interview on a very special 5th Sunday Stewardship Calling on Ancient Faith Radio on Sunday, March 29th at 8:00 p.m. Eastern (7 Central, 6 Mountain, 5 Pacific)
This amazingly inspirational Hierarch who grew up in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, and had a great previous career in cardiovascular research, is now the Presiding Hierarch of the American Carpatho Russian Orthodox Diocese of the U.S.A.
March 4, 2020 – You Have Been Called – A Modern Music and New Media Professional Living His Calling in the Orthodox Church – Scott Davenport
Scott spent 25 years in the music industry with Island Def Jam and Geffen Records working with Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Jay Z, Aerosmith, Kanye West, The Eagles, Guns and Roses, Bon Jovi, Mariah Carey and Nirvana and many more.
Along the way he discovered his WHY and calling in the Orthodox Christian Church. He blends timeless biblical wisdom, and the early Church Fathers with gaming concepts used by youth today, to inspire them to take control of their lives and to be more intentional in every decision they make.Scott is an experienced Orthodox teacher that uniquely and effectively engages youth and emerging adults. We will discuss his pioneering new book, part of the Neptic Warrior Series, “Press A to Begin” and his unique Orthodox ministry that speaks the language of current generations.
Music
is the universal
language of mankind.”
The November 2019
Harvard Gazette reported
that Scientists at Harvard have just published
the most comprehensive
scientific study to date on music as a cultural
product, which supports
the American poet’s
pronouncement and examines
what features of song tend to be shared across
societies.
February 5, 2020 – Effective Homilies & Sermons – part II
All of the empirical research shows that the #1 thing people look for when picking a new church is the quality of the sermon or homily! The pioneering Pew Forum U.S. Religious Landscape Study found that 87% of millennials and 77% of those 65 and older said the quality of sermon was THE most important thing they were looking for in picking their church.
And St. Paul was clear on the importance of homilies and sermons in 2nd Timothy 4:1: “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ…: Preach the Word! …Convince, rebuke, exhort….”
This February 5, 2020 Stewardship Calling program is part 2 of a 3-part series that began on December 4, 2019 where we are exploring some things we can do to have the most effective and impactful homilies and sermons from the perspectives of both those who preach them and those whom they reach.
My guest on February 5th is the amazingly effective Orthodox preacher & teacher, Fr. Nicholas Louh, of Saint John The Divine Orthodox Church in Jacksonville, Florida and the Healthy Minds – Healthy Souls program on Ancient Faith Radio.
And their Healthy Minds Healthy Souls website can be found here: https://healthymindshealthysouls.org/
January 1, 2020 – The Generosity Challenge
How to solve the 1st (or 2nd) biggest challenge in our parishes and personal lives. – Creating a Culture of Generosity and Stewardship
The extensive data we have gathered tells us what most parishes and parishioners say is their #1 (or #2) biggest challenge. The research also teaches us what are the root causes of our issues and some very specific actions we can take to address them in order to strengthen our parishes and personal lives.
So how we can create a culture of generosity and abundance in our lives and parishes is the key question that we address in the December 30, 2018 5th Sunday Stewardship Calling Ancient Faith Radio program. The teachings of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Holy Scripture and all of the empirical research all point in the same direction.
We can transform the direction and effectiveness of our parishes and also improve our lives as we work toward a “good account before the awesome judgment seat of Christ.”
We can transform the direction and effectiveness of our parishes and also improve our lives as we work toward a “good account before the awesome judgment seat of Christ.”
SPECIAL EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ARCHBISHOP ELPIDOPHOROS, ARCHBISHOP OF THE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF AMERICA
SEPTEMBER 29, 2019
Seventy-five days after his enthronement, Archbishop Elpidophoros, new Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America sat down with me for a video interview where he shared extraordinarily personal insights into his own faith journey and the living of his calling, as well as his ideas for the Archdiocese.
We discussed his three critical initial priorities and some ideas for the future of the Archdiocese. In addition, Archbishop Elpidophoros identified an exciting vision for greater Orthodox unity in the United States and specific plans for how the Holy Orthodox Church can better serve the needs of our youth, faithful, seekers and the communities in which we live.
His Eminence also shared an amazing personal story of a vision he had of Orthodox Saint Iakovos Tsalikis of Evia whom he was able to help ensure was canonized and properly recognized.
Finally, Archbishop Elpidophoros offered us several authentic and personal insights into the man who wears the robes and carries the staff as shepherd of the Greek Orthodox faithful in the United States.
You can see His Eminence’s sincerity, listen to his inspirational words, and help share his message of love, hope and engagement with anyone you believe should hear his powerful witness on this very special Ancient Faith Radio Stewardship Calling program available here:
The December 29th Stewardship Calling 5th Sunday program on Ancient Faith Radio will be a special “Meet the Met” program. Bill Marianes’ special guest will be Metropolitan Gerasimos of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco. This hour and a half live program begins at 8:00 p.m. Eastern (7 Central, 6 Mountain, 5 Pacific).
Bill and His Eminence will review the results and impact of the Metropolis of San Francisco’s strategic plan. They will also explore Metropolitan Gerasimos’ exciting vision for the future of the church and some of the amazing work being done in the Metropolis of San Francisco.
Effective Homilies and Sermons – Part 1 (Fr. Barnabas Powell)
Empirical research undeniably shows that the #1 thing people look for when picking a new church is the quality of the sermon or homily! The pioneering Pew Forum U.S. Religious Landscape Study found that 87% of millennials and 77% of those 65 and older said the quality of sermon was THE most important thing they were looking for in picking their church. St. Paul was clear on the importance of homilies and sermons in 2nd Timothy 4:1: “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ…: Preach the Word! …Convince, rebuke, exhort….”
This December 4, 2019 Stewardship Calling program begins a 3-part series on some things we can do to have the most effective and impactful homilies and sermons from the perspectives of both those who preach them and those whom they reach.
My guest on December 4th is the amazing Orthodox “preacher, teacher and reacher,” Fr. Barnabas Powell, of Saints Raphael Nicholas & Irene Orthodox Church in Cumming Georgia and Faith Encouraged Ministries. You can here this program here:
Why Are You Here? Living Your Calling – Part 3 (The Lay Deacons)
This multi-part series begins by looking at how people of all professions and jobs have found to use all of the gifts their Creator has given them to better live their stewardship calling.
In this program, we discuss with 2 amazing Christian Orthodox Deacons who have/had distinguished lay careers (in corporate America and the U.S. Military) and who yet answered the call to even higher service. Listen in to the incredible stories of Protodeacon Peter Danilchick and Deacon Noah Hendricks.
Living Your Best Life – Guest Appearance on the Healthy Minds – Healthy Souls AFR Show
I received a great blessing of being a special guest of my dear friends Fr. Nick Louh and Presvytera Dr. Roxanne Louh on their amazing and impactful Ancient Faith Radio Live Internet Radio Program, Healthy MInds Healthy Souls on Tuesday October 8, 2019. We started to discuss an Orthodox On Tap talk to about 100 millennial and emerging adults I did last week for the Metropolis of Boston under the title Living Your Best Life. But as all my great conversations with the Louhs go, we quickly also covered a lot of other topics regarding how to discover and live your stewardship calling, how to address the challenges facing our youth and parishes and many more exciting topics.
Why Are You Here? Living Your Calling – Part 2 (The Medical Profession)
This multi-part series begins by looking at how people of all professions and jobs have found to use all of the gifts their Creator has given them to better live their stewardship calling.
In this program, we discuss with Christian medical professionals Dr. John Kelley and Dr. Constantine Kokenes the wonderful and diverse ways they have found to live their callings and serve their churches, communities and God’s people and creation.
Why Are You Here? Living Your Calling – Part 1 (The Legal Profession)
This multi-part series begins by looking at how people of all professions and jobs have found to use all of the gifts their Creator has given them to better live their stewardship calling.
In this program, we discuss with Orthodox Christian lawyers Matthew Namee, Joan Berg and host Bill Marianes the wonderful and diverse ways they have found to live their callings and serve their churches, communities and God’s people and creation.
On this September 4th program, we also discuss a unique and inspirational effort to gather all Orthodox attorneys together as a part of an Orthodox Christian Attorneys Network at a gathering in Chicago, IL on November 1-2, 2019 in conjunction with the meetings of the Christian Legal Society.
Overcoming the Challenge of Donor Fatigue in our Orthodox Christian Parishes
Donor fatigue is a real problem that many nonprofit organizations face, including most Christian churches. It is defined as: “The declining rate of response from donors and/or the general public to persistent calls for charitable donations (Brown, R.; Leeves, G.; Prayaga, P., 2014).”
In our churches we see it manifested in a wide variety ways that negatively affect the achievement of our mission. However, like so many difficult issues that seem to lurk beneath the radar screen, we often fail to recognize it or understand how to combat its pernicious consequences.
On this program, we explore what donor fatigue is, its causes, and how we can better address this challenge in our Orthodox Christian churches. My special guest, Fr Aaron Warwick, recently completed a Masters Degree on this subject at the University of Northern Iowa in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Development.
There is one thing we know about our planet and every living thing that inhabits it; namely, God thought it was all “very good.”
After creating our forefather Adam, we learn from Genesis 2:15 that, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” Theologians point to the importance of creation by God, and scientists add a complimentary understanding that as creation continues to evolve, we all need each other in an amazingly symbiotic and co-dependent way.
We must learn to co-exist with, and care for, all of God’s creation and creatures so that we may fulfill our own stewardship calling. This program explores the facts, figures, theology and ways in which we can become better stewards of all of God’s creation and creatures with my special guest, Dr. Alexis Marianes.
Dr. Marianes received her PhD from The Johns Hopkins University in molecular biology, did Post Doctorate work in alligator embryology at The Medical University of South Carolina, and received her Bachelors of Science from the College of Charleston where she majored in marine science and biology.
Conducting cutting edge environmental and animal research, and teaching the next generation of students at the University of West Indies and citizen scientists through Sustainable Innovations Initiative in Trinidad, at Reserva Jaguarapira in Brazil, and at research stations and facilities in the Galapagos Islands, Indonesia, other sites in Asia and throughout God’s world.
You can listen to this podcast program by clicking here:
Click below for the powerful encyclical of Patriarch Bartholomew regarding the critical importance of protecting the environment and all of God’s creation:
Click below for the portion of the PowerPoint presentation on stewardship over the planet I delivered at the All-American Council of the Orthodox Church in America based on Metropolitan Tikhon’s book “Of What Life Do We Speak? Four Pillars for the Fulfillment of the Apostolic Work of the Church.”
Stewardship Calling Ministry continues to support the transformational work of Dr. Alexis Marianes to better understand and care for all of God’s creatures and creation. You can follow some of her amazing work via her Instagram page: lexthelorax.
On Sunday, June 30, 2019my special guest is accomplished church development expert Jerry Minetos who where will explore how to conduct an effective church capital campaign and feasibility study. Mr. Minetos, has two decades of experience working as a fundraising consultant to Orthodox Christian parishes and organizations. His work assisting parishes in all aspects of development includes capital campaigns, feasibility studies, stewardship, and strategic planning. He currently serves as the development officer for Ancient Faith Radio. You can download this program here:
On Wednesday, June 5, 2019 my special guest is noted servant leadership and change management expert, Dr. Mitch Owen. We will explore the critical dimensions of Orthodox servant leaders and how to effectively bring about change in our churches and institutions.
Dr. Owen, is the Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Mitchen Incorporate, an innovative training and organizational development company celebrating over twenty-five years of service to its clients. Mitch is the creator of the Elusive Leadership model for high performance teams and the Mitchen Organization Strategic Positioning System.
In addition, below is a link to watch a Servant Leadership Training Program and PowerPoint available from Stewardship Calling, If you are interested in scheduling a leadership training program for your parish or ministry, email me at Bill@stewardshipcalling.com:
MAY 1, 2019
The Forgotten Most Important Stewards in our Orthodox Christian Churches – Youth and Emerging Adults
If your youth and emerging adults do not understand and practice true Christian stewardship, you have sealed the regrettable fate of your church. And yet, we have a dearth of resources or information available as to how to best teach true Christian stewardship to this most critical group of parishioners/stakeholders.
The May 1, 2019 Stewardship Calling 1st Wednesday program on Ancient Faith Radio features some of the latest research and resources to assist with this most critical need. We also explore some critical strategies and information with my special guest Steve Christoforou.
Check out this inspiring 14 minute TED talk by Dr. Elizabeth Dunn that discusses the empirical research that found that “giving to charity made about the same difference for happiness as having twice as much personal income.” Dr. Elizabeth Dunn is a professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of British Columbia who conducts experimental research examining how time, money, and technology shape human happiness and is the co-author of “Happy Money: The Science of Happier Spending.”
What are the elements of truly effective servant leaders within the church. In the December 31,2017 Stewardship Calling 5th Sunday program on Ancient Faith Radio, I explored 5 of the 6 dimensions of the Stewardship Calling Servant Leadership model. You can listen to that program here:
In today’s April 3,2019 Part 2, we explore a different model of six dimensions of servant leadership developed by my special guest, Steve Tibbs. Here is a short summary of Steve’s model:
In addition, here is a link to the STEWARDSHIP CALLING SERVANT LEADERSHIP TRAINING PROGRAM. This is a Servant Leadership Training Program and PowerPoint available from Stewardship Calling, If you are interested in scheduling a leadership training program for your parish or ministry, email me at Bill@stewardshipcallinng.com:
MARCH 31, 2019
Effective Capital Campaigns – Part 1
It is said that a church is either finishing a capital campaign or starting their next one. Other than a strategic plan, nothing can bring about more dramatic, positive and transformational change and opportunity for a church community to serve Christ’s kingdom and achieve its Vision than an effective capital campaign.
As it turns out, there are at least 10 steps to an extremely successful church capital campaign that we will explore to better ensure a church or ministry achieves its realistic objectives without adversely affecting its other parish operations or stewardship.
My guest, Anthony Scott, was one of the most successful Orthodox church capital campaign consultants before his retirement. Together, we will explore the most critical things a church or ministry can do to improve the success of their capital campaigns.
Is small always bad? Can it be OK sometimes, perhaps even occasionally good, or maybe even better? It doesn’t seem like being small should be bad all the time, and yet, everywhere we go, all we hear about is how getting bigger is better.
It certainly didn’t bother David to be very small when he went against a much bigger Goliathan obstacle.
Our Lord and Savior started with a mere 12 men, most of whom did not have particularly distinguished theological credentials. And now, almost 2,000 years later, the biggest movement in the world remains the very small church Christ started. And most of the early Christian churches of the day all started very small. Some stayed that way and became strong, and many grew.
With my special guest, Joe Kormos of the OCA, we explore some of the unique challenges facing small churches and some possible solutions and ideas to help them more fully meet their mission.
Is there something we can do to transform the future of our churches by providing a firm operational foundation? The answer is, and always has been, yes. So, what is it?
Of course, we are not speaking ecclesiastically or sacramentally, as that path is clear in the Holy Orthodox Church. And yet, many parishes live financially hand to mouth, and month to month, hoping for a good Festival or strong level of December contributions.
We live in a country of unprecedented abundance and are blessed to be in communion with faithful who are in the top quartile of financial and other blessings. So how do we reconcile the unimaginably endless gifts we possess and the relatively sparse ways in which we invest in our churches and the life-changing ministries they can provide.
In the ancient times before our Lord, our ancestors had The Law and The Prophets. Clear guidance. Clear rules. Clear guard rails. The answer – the tithe. The February 6, 2019, 1st Wednesday Stewardship Calling is devoted to the topic of the tithe. Join me and my special guest, Nick Kasemeotes, and learn how the tithe can transform your life and parish by clicking this link:
How to solve the 1st (or 2nd) biggest challenge in our parishes and personal lives. – Creating a Culture of Generosity and Stewardship
The extensive data we have gathered tells us what most parishes and parishioners say is their #1 (or #2) biggest challenge. The research also teaches us what are the root causes of our issues and some very specific actions we can take to address them in order to strengthen our parishes and personal lives.
So how we can create a culture of generosity and abundance in our lives and parishes is the key question that we address in the December 30, 2018 5th Sunday Stewardship Calling Ancient Faith Radio program. The teachings of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Holy Scripture and all of the empirical research all point in the same direction.
We can transform the direction and effectiveness of our parishes and also improve our lives as we work toward a “good account before the awesome judgment seat of Christ.”
Much of the relevant data coming in is pointing in an undesirable direction. This makes our work more challenging as we try and prepare a “good account before the awesome judgment seat of Christ.”
On Sunday, September 30th from 8:00 p.m. Eastern the Ancient Faith Radio Stewardship Calling 5th Sunday program will explore this critical topic with my special guest Father Dr. Anton Vrame, the Director of the GOA Department of Religious Education and Adjunct Professor at Holy Cross.
Fr. Tony and I will dive into the incredible data you need to know as to what is going on with our Christian churches in America, and more specifically our beloved Orthodox church. And most importantly, we hope to start to cast a better vision about our future as we seek to answer that critical question in the affirmative.
“The New Old Imperative for Churches and People – Trust, Integrity, Transparency and Accountability”
The July 29, 2018 Stewardship Calling 5th Sunday program on Ancient Faith Radio is devoted to the topic of TRUST, and some things that churches and similar organizations must do (and avoid doing) to ensure integrity, transparency and accountability in everything they do. Special guests will include Steven Laduzinsky and Chris Mandaleris who will offer some of the best practices from the legal, financial, accounting and audit perspectives.
Here are the slides from step 13 of the 15-step Stewardship Calling Culture of True Stewardship program that focuses on Integrity, Transparency and Accountability:
Metropolitan Nathanael, the new Metropolitan of Chicago, was my guest on a special Stewardship Calling program on Tuesday, May 15. Just as Metropolitan Nathanael breaks the mold, so to will this program as we explored Metropolitan Nathanael’s inspirational vision and transformational plans for the Holy Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago.
Dealing With Clergy Pastoral care and Psychological issues
The 2 critical things you need to have a church, are people and a priest. A Shepard is essential in any flock. While thankfully there are a growing number of outstanding programs and materials available through Ancient Faith Radio and many other sources focused on helping our laity better understand and practice their faith, the question remains, after they graduate from the seminary, who is tending to the needs of the clergy. The April 29th Stewardship Calling 5th Sunday program is devoted to our shepherds, the “men in black” to whom we have entrusted our spiritual health and the well-being and spiritual growth of our children.
We will talk to “the three Docs” Reverend Dr. Nick Louh, Dr. Roxanne Louh and Dr. George Koulianos, experts on some of the latest data regarding our clergy and the pastoral and psychological issues clergy and their families face.
Download the full GOA Clergy Initiative data presentation discussed by Dr. George Koulianos here:
“There are leaders and there are those who lead. ” While there are many dimensions to being an authentic, Orthodox Christian Servant Leader, developing those leaders is one of the most critical challenges I have heard from the hundreds of churches I have worked with over the last 11 years. So, I have assembled some written materials, podcasts and videos that cover many of the elements of how to develop true servant leaders. While all leaders must be courageous in leading their church or ministry, the Stewardship Calling Orthodox Christian Servant Leadership Model focuses on the 5 critical leadership core values of: Love; Humility; Trust; Vision; and Team.
And you can download the PowerPoint presentation that supports this podcast, plus videos and additional Orthodox Christian Servant Leadership materials and resources here:SERVANT LEADERSHIP STEWARDSHIP CALLING PROGRAM
How can you more fully discover and live what your Creator has called you to do with your life? In today’s secular America, with a growing divide between Church and State, how can an Orthodox Christian stay true to their faith? What are some possible futures for our Orthodox church in the U.S.?
Sunday, October 29th, starting at 8:00 p.m. Eastern (7:00 p.m. Central / 6:00 p.m. Mountain / 5:00 p.m. Pacific), Ancient Faith Radio presents the live Stewardship Calling 5th Sunday Series program hosted by Bill Marianes and Fr. Barnabas Powell. Our special guests will be two of the most tireless forces within Orthodoxy in America today, Charles Ajalat and Eric Namee.
Among the topics we will explore are:
(1) What you can do to live a life of purpose and calling in today’s America;
(2) The separation of church and state in America today, and how an Orthodox Christian can live within that context; and
(3) What are some of the realistic possible futures for Orthodoxy in America?
Where has your youth gone? Why are your youth and emerging adults leaving, and/or becoming disengaged from, your traditional Christian church at a record pace?
As it turns out, there are 7 key findings of what is happening from the most comprehensive empirical studies and analysis undertaken in the U.S. And the better news is that there are solutions to substantially improve youth/emerging adult church engagement, religious education and stewardship, including 5 specific things we can do.
Essential elements of the Stewardship Calling Effective Church Model include youth/emerging adult Engaged Disciples and Stewards. Bill Marianes, Fr. Barnabas Powell and Dr. Ann Bezzerides began exploring the issues and solutions on the April 30, 2017 Stewardship Calling 5th Sunday Series program on Ancient Faith Radio that you can listen to by clicking here: Improving Youth and Emerging Adult Religious Education, Church Engagement and Stewardship – Part I (April 30, 2017)
The First Stewardship Calling 5th Sunday program for 2017 aired on Ancient Faith Radio on January 29, 2017. We discussed how to create Engaged Disciples in our churches.
This is one of the 4 dimensions of the Stewardship Calling Effective Church Model and is essential for any church to be successful in meeting its mission and achieving its vision.
In 2016, we will do three 5th Sunday programs (January 29th, July 31st and October 30th) on Ancient Faith Radio. These are live call-in programs to allow the faithful to interact and engage.
Each Stewardship Calling show will be an hour and a half and air from 8:00 p.m. Eastern to 9:30 p.m. Eastern on Ancient Faith Radio. My co-host will be Father Barnabas Powell (Faith Encouraged Ministries & Saints Raphael, Nicholas & Irene Greek Orthodox Church). We invite everyone to call in to the program at 1-855-AFRADIO (1-855-237-2346) and log into our chat room.
There are 4 essential dimensions to a truly effective church. They include 1. Engaged Disciples, 2. a Culture of True Stewardship, 3. Consensus Vision and Strategic Plan and 4. an Effective Worship Experience. The Stewardship Calling ministry is devoted to the best practices in all 4 of these dimensions.
The October 30th Stewardship Calling program provided a brief introduction of the Stewardship Calling Effective Church Model and discussed how churches are using an Orthodox strategic planning “4-P” approach based on Holy Scripture and best practices to build a consensus vision and successful strategic plan that is transformational. The special guest was Dr. Gayle Woloschak a leader of the strategic plan for the national Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA. Click here to listen to this program:
January 31, 2016 episode was Part 1 July 31, 2016 episode was Part 2 of:
“G.P.S. Sundays- Using a God Positioning System (G.P.S.) to navigate 6 steps to discover and live your calling.”
Why are you here? What is the purpose of your life? What can you do to make a difference? What will you do after you retire? What vocation/job will make you happiest? If you are interested in these or similar questions, you’ll appreciate the exploration of a personal G.P.S. – GOD Positioning System to help guide you on your journey
On G.P.S. Sunday Part 1 on January 31, 2016, we discussed the 3 essential and critical first steps you must take in order to discover and live your calling:
Step 1: Accept God is in control, not you;
Step 2: Listen to the messengers God will continually send you;
Step 3: Prayerfully consider all of your life experiences and God’s messages and messengers in order to discern your calling.
On G.P.S. Sunday Part 2 on July 31, 2016, we explored in detail the 3 critical G.P.S. questions you must answer to find and live your calling:
Here are links to the 4 Stewardship Calling programs in 2015: March 29th = Inaugural Program – May 31st = Pentecost Seekers and Sowers; August 30th and November 29th – Thanksgiving Special)
Please click here: Stewardship Calling November 29, 2015 to listen to a special Thanksgiving weekend live internet radio Stewardship Calling – 5th Sunday series broadcast on Ancient Faith Radio. We discussed how our churches can more strategically and better serve their mission of making disciples and serving the faithful and the communities and world in which we live. My special guest was one of the “rock stars” of Orthodoxy, Eric Namee. Eric is an extremely successful lawyer in Wichita, Kansas but is also one of the most dedicated Orthodox Christians who is the life-blood of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops and the Virginia Farah Foundation that provides invaluable financial and other assistance to many pan-Orthodox ministries. Eric personifies the essence of living your stewardship calling. He shared with us how he balances his life and his calling and some of the great things happening in Orthodoxy today.
Please click here: Stewardship Calling Program of August 30, 2015 to hear the Sunday, August 30th special live internet radio Stewardship Calling – 5th Sunday series broadcast. Hosted by yours truly and my dear friend, Father Barnabas Powell, we invite you to listen and call in (or join the chat room discussion) as we start to explore: (a) the most effective church stewardship practices; (b) how a church can develop a dynamic strategic plan (and learn a little about the exciting new Metropolis of Atlanta strategic plan); (c) how you can discover and live your calling; and (d) an exciting and free opportunity to learn best practices in church stewardship and parish strategic planning in the Chicago area coming up on September 26th (that can be accessed at Igniting The Flame Program September 26, 2015 – Chicago)
For this August 30th Stewardship Calling program, we were joined by my special guest and great steward, David Batrich, a faithful man making a daily living and also living his stewardship calling with a stewardship evangelism ministry within the Serbian Orthodox church and as the leader of Chicago Orthodox Synergy, a Pan-Orthodox ministry in the Chicago area.
Are you living the personal calling given to you by your Father and Creator? If you are looking for a “good account at the awesome judgment seat of Christ” this is the program for you. Bill Marianes of Stewardship Calling.com, together with Father Barnabas Powell of Faith Encouraged ministries, host this live call in program focused on “seekers” and “sowers,” those seeking to discover their own personal callings or those who wanted to share how to sustainably improve the results in their lives, Parishes and ministries
On March 29th, we will air an inaugural 1-hour recorded program from 8:00 p.m. Eastern to 9:00 p.m. Eastern where we will not be able to accept calls. All future programs will be 1.5 hours and welcome live calls from listeners and live internet chat.
If you know of anyone (including yourself) who is living their personal calling, please email me privately at: Bill@stewardshipcalling.com with either their/your story or contact information so that we can share these powerful stories, testimonials and personal life journeys as a source of inspiration for all of us. Each 5th Sunday Stewardship Calling program will have a special theme and guest(s), so the more we can collectively share as the “body of Christ” the better since none of us is as smart as all of us are.
Joining us on this extraordinary journey for each program is my dear friend, and inspirational Orthodox clergyman, Father Barnabas Powell. If you have not yet tuned into his daily devotional and his 2nd and 4th Sunday call-in program on Ancient Faith Radio, entitled “Faith Encouraged With Father Barnabas,” you have no idea what you are missing.
So please tune into the Stewardship Calling 5th Sunday Series on Ancient Faith Radio every month with a 5th Sunday and call in with your questions, comments and join the stewardship calling movement. Generally, Stewardship Calling live radio call in program can be found be clicking here: Stewardship Calling – 5th Sunday Series
And if you want any special questions answered, or challenges addressed, please email me at: Bill@stewardshipcalling.com God bless.
