

S2 Ep 23 Give Me a Shovel: Stories from the Frontlines w/ Olsen & Stice
Jul 9, 2025
Justin Stice, founder of Kingdom Co-Op and author, discusses building resilient kingdom communities in Lubbock, Texas, while Carl Olson, a mental health professional, shares his pioneering work in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Together, they explore the challenges of early-stage community building, the loneliness of leadership, and the importance of mentorship in fostering resilience. They also reflect on embracing socioeconomic diversity and the constant tension between ideal aspirations and real-world challenges, all while loving the process of their transformative journeys.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Returning To Plant Seeds
- Carl Olson moved back to Sioux Falls in 2020 to plant missional seeds.
- He says these five years have felt like the hardest thing he's ever done.
Bivocational Neighborhood Presence
- Carl Olson works in mental health and lives in a 'Nazareth' neighborhood to do gospel-family mission.
- He trusts relationships to move mission work at the slower pace that connection requires.
Coffee Shop As Church Front
- Justin Stice moved into the Heart of Lubbock neighborhood and opened a coffee shop as a missional hub.
- The shop anchored relationships and helped spawn neighborhood ministries over a decade.