“Kindness is disruptive for our good.”  Dr. Dan Allender and Rachael Clinton Chen begin to explore the qualities of a well-lived story, beginning with kindness, in a conversation with their spouses Becky Allender and Rev. Michael S. Chen. They talk about how both Becky and Michael embody kindness, and throughout the episode, you’ll hear how stories of both hope and heartache impact how they extend kindness to their spouses and those around them.    Resources: Learn more about and apply to Virtual Story Workshop Read a blog post about “The Courage of Kindness” Read a blog post about a Story Workshop participant’s experience

What draws you to a human being? This week, Dr. Dan Allender and Rachael Clinton Chen begin a new series on the podcast about what makes up the various qualities of and what it means to live a well-lived story. Our own stories are not enough to guide us into living well—we need other people, pictures of, and examples who reveal the very qualities that our stories are meant to reveal. In this episode, you’ll hear Dan and Rachael discuss the characteristics of a well-lived story worth emulating and how, over the coming weeks, they’ll be inviting special guests to share with us how some of these characteristics have come to be a part of their own life and story,  Resources: Watch a video about Wendell Moss on the Unique Honor of Story Work with Dr. Dan Allender Listen to a podcast series about a deep dive into one of our online courses, Story Sage Listen to a podcast episode, What If I Fear My Story?

Today on the podcast, Dr. Dan Allender and Rachael Clinton Chen have a conversation with special guest Sarah Bessey, an author, writer, and self-described recovering know it all. She is the author of Jesus Feminist, Out of Sorts: Making Peace with an Evolving Faith, and Miracles and Other Reasonable Things. Throughout the episode, you’ll hear more about her most recent book, her own story and engagement with trauma, and the ways in which she embodies faith, hope, and love while holding the tension of being human.  Resources: Read Sarah’s books: Jesus Feminist, Out of Sorts: Making Peace with an Evolving Faith, and Miracles and Other Reasonable Things Follow Sarah on Facebook and Instagram Sign up for Sarah’s newsletter, Field Notes

In this brief episode, Dr. Dan Allender and Rachael Clinton Chen take an intentional pause from our regular rhythms on the podcast. We hope that for each of our listeners this holiday weekend holds moments of not only rest, but also reflection on our collective story as a nation. Stay tuned as we pick back up next week for a conversation with a very special guest and dive deeper into what it means to have a well-lived story throughout the summer.  Resources: Explore our brand-new online course, To Be Told Learn more about Virtual Story Workshop Learn more about our Certificate in Narrative Focused Trauma Care Level I

In this episode of the podcast, Dr. Dan Allender and Rachael Clinton Chen continue to address themes and topics related to listener questions. Today, Dan and Rachael take on the question: How do I engage the relational debris of trauma? Whether you are on a healing journey yourself or are supporting a spouse, family, or friends, our hosts talk about how you can engage both the beauty and brokenness of stories of harm when you are not sure either how to receive or be a good support. Throughout their conversation, you’ll also hear Rachael and Dan address the obstacles to and cost of healing from trauma and how to love well in the midst of trauma.  Resources: Read “Honoring Our Embodied Trauma in the Midst of a Pandemic” by Rebekah Vickery Read “Racial Trauma: The Marks We Bear” by Wendell Moss Watch a video from The Allender Center about Obstacles to Healing

A few months ago, we sent out a call for topics or questions our listeners would like to hear our hosts, Dr. Dan Allender and Rachael Clinton Chen, cover on the podcast. We were overwhelmed with gratitude at the number of responses received, and are privileged to be able to hold the vulnerable, honest questions that have been entrusted to us. Due to the volume of questions, we looked for patterns and themes in the questions. Today, Dan and Rachael take on a topic brought to us by many of our listeners: bad theology. Resources Read The Color of Compromise: The Truth About the American Church’s Complicity in Racism by Jemar Tisby

Rachael Cinton Chen and Dr. Dan Allender are joined by Jimmy McGee, President and CEO of The Impact Movement, and Dr. J. Derek McNeil, President of The Seattle School, to talk about the partnership between The Impact Movement and The Allender Center. The mission of The Impact Movement is “to impact spiritual leaders who impact the world, to engage college students and marketplace professionals [...] and to serve and work in cooperation with and in support of the African American church.” Questions you’ll hear during this conversation include: How do we proceed in the process of dealing with racial trauma and injustice with people who will help us grow, and how do we do it well with the conversations that are difficult to enter? Resources: Learn more about The Impact Movement Read The Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome by Dr. Joy DeGruy Join The Impact Movement and members of The Allender Center for a Facebook Live event on Monday, June 15

“It matters who gets to tell the story. If it's only left to one person, one group of people, it will be a biased telling—whether intentionally or unintentionally.” Dr. Dan Allender and Rachael Clinton Chen have an honest conversation with Wendell Moss, a Teaching Staff member,  and Linda Royster, a Core Facilitator, about the current and generational impact of racial trauma, and the infectious nature of white supremacy within the United States, organizations and teams such as our own, and the Church. Some difficult truths are named in this episode, and we invite you, with open hearts, to be part of this journey of learning and repentance with us.    Resources: Read The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism by Jemar Tisby  Read White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide by Carol Anderson Read Stand Your Ground: Black bodies and the Justice of God by Kelly Brown Douglas  Read Race: A Theological Account by J. Kameron Carter  Read works by the theologian and author James Cone Read works by the theologian and author Richard Twiss

Continuing to talk about the impact of the pandemic on relationships, Dr. Dan Allender and Rachael Clinton Chen invite Dr. Steve Call into a conversation about the impact of covid-19 on marriage. We do not approach this topic lightly—we know there is much heartache and brokenness in many homes. Marriage itself is full of complexity and possibility. We hope you hear encouragement, vulnerability, and playfulness as Steve invites us to hear how tension and conflict is created, how increased exposure can lead to shame, and the beauty couples can offer one another when they remind each other what is true.  Resources: Listen to a podcast series featuring Steve on Reconnection in Marriage Read Steve’s book, reconnect: insights and tools for cultivating meaningful connection in your marriage

“There are broken parts in every one of us that need a good parent.” Dr. Dan Allender  Rachael Clinton Chen and Dr. Dan Allender have a conversation with Meredith Dancause—a pastor, writer, and parenting expert—about the complexity of being a parent during a pandemic. Not only parenting young children, but how to be a good parent to ourselves. With both humor and honesty, Meredith speaks to positive discipline and grace, the unique opportunity this season affords us, and the need to pause and be curious about our children’s behavior.  Resources: Learn more about Meredith by visiting her website.  Read a blog post “Good Enough Parenting in a Time of Crisis” by Jay Stringer