Wendell Morton Bio:
Wendell Morton is the Executive Director of Men’s Ministry Catalyst (MMC). Wendell leads this ministry to focus on equipping churches and denominations with biblically-based resources, counsel, and services to help them build an engaging ministry to men. What motivates Rev. Morton is to help pastors and church leaders build growing churches. Having men come alongside the vision of the pastor, build a dynamic team, create a plan, and execute the model of “each one brings one”. That is a great way for every local church in North America to grow and to help men better understand biblical manhood. Wendell lives in Littleton, CO with his wife Deb and their Great Dane. He has two adult children. His son lives in Colorado, and his daughter, her husband, and baby live in New Hampshire.
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Summary:
In this episode of the Fathers in Christ podcast, host Rob Stein and guest Wendell Morton discuss the critical role of fathers in today's society. They explore the impact of fatherhood on children, the evolving roles of fathers in modern families, and the importance of intentional conversations and emotional connections. The conversation also delves into the spiritual responsibilities of fathers and how these influence family dynamics and societal structures. With a focus on statistics and personal experiences, the episode emphasizes the need for fathers to be engaged, supportive, and proactive in their parenting roles.
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Steve Norman Bio:
Steve Norman is a pastor, award-winning author, speaker, and coach who loves to encourage and challenge individuals, couples and families to take the next step on their spiritual journey with insights from scripture. Steve is a gifted speaker who spent the 22 years serving local churches in the Detroit and Grand Rapids areas as a church planter, teaching pastor and lead pastor. He also created and hosted the Bad Soccer Dad Podcast, a resource he designed to help parents and kids explore the intersection of faith, character and the wild world of youth sports. He currently hosts The New Norm with Steve Norman, a weekly podcast with short reflections from scripture on faith, family, leadership, and culture. Steve uses humor, storytelling, practical illustrations and his own experiences in his messages. Audiences will walk away with specific concepts and ideas that they can apply to help them grow in their faith, their calling, and their key relationships. As an award-winning author, Steve has written for Christianity Today, Preaching Today and the Covenant Companion. He is also the author of The Preacher as Sermon: How Who You Are Shapes What They Hear. He holds a Doctorate of Missiology from Fuller Seminary and is passionate about helping individuals, families, churches and businesses take the next step in their growth and development. Steve and his wife, Kelly, have been married for twenty-three years and reside in West Michigan with their son, three daughters, and their Bernedoodle, Chewie.
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Takeaways
Summary
In this episode of the Fathers in Christ podcast, Rob Stein interviews Steve Norman, a seasoned pastor and leader in family and emotional health. They discuss the profound impact of fatherlessness on children and families, the importance of being present as a father, and the role of community in supporting single-parent homes. Steve shares insights from his personal journey, emphasizing the need for emotional health, mentorship, and the legacy fathers leave for future generations. The conversation highlights actionable strategies for fathers to embrace their roles, break cycles of dysfunction, and foster a nurturing environment for their children.
Jaye Hill Bio:
Jaye Hill from JayeHillSpeaks brings a opportunity for young and old to focus on Changing Minds In Moments. Jaye Hill talks about Becoming a 21st century leader with his Workbook and Journal that will bring Change to your Perpective for more information www.jayehill.com
Keywords
fatherhood, mentorship, leadership, community, spirituality, personal growth, youth programs, transformation, relationships, professional development
Summary
In this episode of the Fathers in Christ podcast, host Rob Stein engages in a heartfelt conversation with motivational speaker Jay Hill. They explore Jay's transformative journey from a troubled past to becoming a leader and mentor in his community. Jay shares pivotal moments that shaped his life, emphasizing the importance of relationships, mentorship, and spiritual growth. The discussion delves into leadership philosophy, the significance of community support, and the impact of personal pain on growth. Jay also outlines his vision for future initiatives aimed at empowering youth and fostering community development, all while highlighting the necessity of living for Christ and nurturing meaningful connections.
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Chapters
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Jay Cookingham Bio:
I'm Jay Cookingham—an author, speaker, pastor, men’s ministry leader, and podcaster passionate about helping men discover their identity and purpose. I founded Strategic Fathering Ministries, a ministry dedicated to connecting men with a deeper relationship with Father God.
Through Strategic Fathering Ministries, my goal is to encourage, equip, and inspire men by sharing the insights of Scripture and my personal journey with Christ.
I wrote a 31-day devotional called Sonship: Restoring a Man's Identity and Purpose, a guide to understanding the Father-heart of God and embracing our identity as sons of God. In my book Uncaged: Living a Life of Freedom, I explore the transformative power of forgiveness and the importance of releasing past hurts and bitterness. Through personal stories and practical insights, I provide tools for breaking free from the cages of unforgiveness and living a life of true freedom. I'm also the author of End of Year & New Beginnings: A 4-Week Reflection Guide and ROAR: Rise – Overcome – Advance – Rejoice, a daily journal for personal reflection. And just for fun, Bad Sheep: The Adventures of Lambo and Chop, a pun filled comic book.
My two-minute podcast, ManUp Moment, offers a quick dose of inspiration and encouragement for men who are looking to grow in their faith and walk in their identity as sons of God. Covering topics like relationships, purpose, and forgiveness, I share practical insights and biblical wisdom that men can apply to their daily lives. I also host The Next Podcast: Moving Forward with Grief and Loss, providing conversations and encouragement for men processing grief.
Since January 2013, I’ve served as a pastor for the wonderful hearts of Bridge Builders Community Church in Hyde Park, NY.
I was born and raised in Poughkeepsie, New York, about 80 miles north of New York City, and I now live in Hyde Park, the former home of Franklin Roosevelt.
My late wife Christine and I were happily married for 37 years until she passed away in 2019. We have seven (yes, seven) children and one grandson (so far!).
My heart beats to see men grow spiritually and find true restoration, and I’m honored to share resources through my books and podcast to support men seeking to live fully and freely in their God-given identity and purpose.
Summary:
Join us for an inspiring conversation with Jay Cookingham as we delve into the profound impact of fatherhood through the lens of faith and healing. Jay shares his journey of overcoming a painful past marked by abuse and the loss of his beloved wife, emphasizing the importance of forgiveness as a crucial first step toward personal growth and reconciliation. He illustrates how embracing one's identity as a child of God can transform lives and empower men to become strong fathers, mentors, and leaders. Throughout the discussion, we explore practical steps for maintaining meaningful connections with children and the significance of being fully present amidst life's distractions. This heartfelt dialogue serves as a reminder that every father matters and that through faith and intentionality, we can break the cycle of fatherlessness and create lasting legacies of love.
Show Notes:
The Fathers in Christ Podcast delves into the profound and often challenging theme of fatherhood through the lens of faith, purpose, and discipleship. Host Rob engages in an enlightening conversation with Jay Cookingham, a pastor and founder of Strategic Fathering Ministries, who shares his personal journey marked by resilience and transformation. The discussion opens with a candid reflection on the issue of fatherlessness—a pressing concern in today's society—and expands into the mission of empowering men to embrace their God-given roles as fathers and mentors. Jay draws from his rich experiences as a father of seven and as someone who has...
Wendell Morton is currently the Executive Director of Men’s Ministry Catalyst (MMC). MMC is a Christ-centered, ministry to men, that is committed to fulfilling the Great Commission to go and make disciples. Wendell leads this ministry to focus on equipping churches and denominations with biblically based resources, counsel, and services to help them build an engaging ministry to men. What motivates Rev. Morton is to help pastors and church leaders build growing churches. Having men come along side of the vision of the pastor, build a dynamic team, create a plan, and execute the model of “each one brings one”. That is a great way for every local church in North America to grow and to help men better understand biblical manhood.
Before MMC, Wendell spent over 20 years in Corporate America. There, he successfully led
sales teams as a senior vice president at Wells Fargo. He continued to enjoy success while
leading sales teams and partnering with multiple banks as a senior leader at Worldpay. Our
teams would work with small businesses to other teams that would work with Fortune 500
companies.
Wendell enjoyed four tremendous years with Promised Keepers (PK). He was blessed to be
able to be National Field Director. However, in 1998, PK changed the revenue model, was
forced to reduce headcount dramatically, and ultimately changed the field strategy to adjust to
upcoming free conferences. Before that, Wendell was a Regional Field Manager, assisted with
the National Pastor’s conference in Atlanta, and was the US Representative on the Canadian
Board.
Local church ministry has always held a special place in Wendell’s heart. For 13 years, Wendell
held positions in local churches. The last one, before PK, was New Hope Community Church in
Portland. It was there he was the Team Lead for the Small Group pastors (four of us) where we
would have more than 75 community-based groups, Coordinator for the Pastor’s Conferences
we held three times a year on Small Groups at our church where we could have over 600
pastors and church leaders a year in attendance. Wendell also led the Men’s Ministries at
New Hope Community Church.
Whether it was Pastoral Ministry, National Ministry with Promise Keepers, or corporate work,
God has uniquely positioned Wendell to touch lives so they can move forward in relationships
with others, they can grow spiritually, repair personal relationships, and expand professionally.
Wendell lives in Littleton, CO with his wife Deb and their Great Dane. He has two adult
children. His son lives in Colorado, and his daughter and her family, including a granddaughter,
is in New Hampshire.
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Welcome to the FatherHood Initiative Podcast, in todays episode we interview Jim Ramos, a licensed pastor and has been in full time ministry for 30 years. Jim is known as "one of the pioneers of digital men's ministry," and the founder of Men In The Arena, a Christian ministry to equip men to get into the arena of spiritual leadership. Jim is married, has three adult sons, and lives in Oregon.
I have had the pleasure of seeing Jim speak in person this past March, after the session I went right out to his booth to talk to him. I knew right then I wanted to have him on the show.
We covered many topics today, all around biblical manhood and leadership. Jim is releasing his new book called "Dialed In: Reaching Your Full Capacity as a Man of God" on September 3rd, 2024. You can pre-order now. I have had the pleasure to read this book in advance of the interview and I must say it is a great book especially for starting a small group of men and using this book as a guide for weekly studies.
As men, we long to hear the words "Well done, my good and faithful servant", yet many of us don't know how to get there. This book draws a picture of exactly what God requires of a man living his highest level and inspires men to partake of God's table of abundance.
If you don't already follow Jim, here is some information on where you can follow him, and pre-order his book.
Contact Us:
Rob@fathersinitiative.org
In this episode the host Rob Stein talks a little about his past and coming from a fatherless home. Then we dive into some of the statistics that come from fatherless homes.
What does this mean? We need men to be the fathers they were called to be. The FatherHood Initiative looks to equip and empower men to be just that.
Father / Daughter Retreat 2024
In this episode Rob Stein, President of the FatherHood Initiative, and Keith Brennan, Vice President of the FatherHood Initiative, have a conversation about how this all started. We discussed the idea of helping the fatherless homes in the world, what you can expect in the coming months for events that the FatherHood Initiative are doing, and so much more.
Father / Son Retreat 2024