Spiritual Formation – Canopy International

Formation, AI and Finding Community in Christian Humanitarian Work

*Brandon’s Note: In step with the topic at hand, I’ve turned over all show notes and interview audio editing to AI for this week’s episode.

In this conversation, Brandon Stiver and Michael Cerna reflect on the challenges and changes faced by non-profit organizations in 2025. They discuss the importance of community, the impact of funding changes, and the role of AI in shaping the future of non-profits. The conversation emphasizes the need for spiritual formation and collaboration among leaders in the sector, as well as the ethical considerations surrounding AI usage. Ultimately, they highlight the significance of building relationships and fostering a supportive community in navigating the complexities of non-profit work.

Discipleship is About Taking Jesus Seriously with Alan Hirsch

What does it mean to be a gospel-centered church and should we be a gospel-centered church? As we think through taking the Gospel into the world and fulfilling the Great Commission, have we short changed discipleship by making Matthew 28 all about evangelism? In this conversation with Brandon Stiver, author and missiologist Alan Hirsch joins the show to discuss the current state of discipleship within the church, emphasizing the disconnect between modern practices and the teachings of Jesus. He argues that without true discipleship, churches risk producing a form of religion that strays from Christ-likeness.

The Power of Hope in Humanitarian Crises with Heath Adamson

Hope is a bit of a buzzword, but at the same time it is a lifeline for those that are experiencing humanitarian crises. What does it look like to experience hope in the midst of forcible displacement or losing your home in a flood? Is it possible to have hope that is disconnected from the truth of Christ? Heath Adamson joins the show to help us think through these big questions. He talks with Brandon Stiver about his new book Hope Breaks Through and the work that Convoy of Hope is doing throughout the globe. Heath brings a wealth of biblical knowledge and on the ground experience that points to the God of hope and how we can partner with Him in bringing His promises to bear on the earth.

A Jewish Understanding of James 1:27 with Dr. Andrea Siegel

James 1:27 has long been a central biblical text from which our podcast community has drawn from. But to what extent have we delved into the depths of the Jewish context in which James wrote? To help us go deeper on this text and the social implications of true religion, we’ve invited Dr. Andrea Siegel to the show. Dr. Siegel has years of experience in humanitarian work, Hebrew studies and counseling and brings that to the text as the curriculum writer on Helping Children Worldwide’s most recent orphan care resource. If you want to hear some things about James 1:27 that you’ve never heard before, this is a podcast to check out.

Wrestling with the Problem of Evil with Dr. Chris Palmer

War. Famine. Poverty. Violence. Natural Disasters. Working in humanitarian spaces puts us up close and personal with some of the worst kinds of evil and suffering. In the face of it all, we follow a God who is both all good and all powerful. How do those two realities compute? It’s a quandary that has been around a long time and we’ve invited Southeastern University’s Dr. Chris Palmer onto the show to help us think biblically and theologically when we’re faced with the problem of evil. From the killing fields in Polpot’s Cambodia to earthquakes in the Middle East, we wrestle the reality of pain while clinging to God’s goodness and embracing the mystery.

Deepening Discipleship Through Christian Pilgrimage with Randy Gonzales

We talk a lot about global action on behalf of the vulnerable, but what about global engagement that looks like deepening our discipleship and spiritual formation? We’ve welcomed Randy Gonzales from Camino Quest on the show today to share with us how pilgrims travel (or even travail) the Camino de Santiago in Spain and what it looks like to connect with God through Christian pilgrimage. In a world that seems a bit wild, this is a reminder of the opportunities that God provides for us to slow down, connect and get in touch with what He’s doing in our lives.

Global Advocacy and Praying with Our Eyes Open with Dr. Krish Kandiah

We live in a world of tremendous conflict and as Christians, we are called to welcome those that have been forced to flee violence in their communities. For those of us called into this space, how do we mobilize Christians and advocate to the government for compassionate responses to such crises? We have long-time friend of the podcast Dr. Krish Kandiah on the show today to share what this has looked for him and the spaces God has called him into in recent years. Krish is an author, advocate and the Director of Sanctuary Foundation in the UK. We bounce around from Hong Kong and Ukraine to Sudan and Gaza to pursue God’s justice for these global neighbors.

The Spiritual Practice of Starting Something with Bryan Halferty

Being an active follower of Christ will always lead us to find things that are incongruent with God’s Kingdom and we’ll want to do something about it. To do justice, we have to address injustice and that might require us to start something (and our community is full of people that start things). Starting something is hard though so we’ve invited author and pastor Bryan Halferty to walk us through the spirit and the tenacity it takes to undertake a new Kingdom venture. Bryan also shares about his upcoming book “Terrible Beauty” which is a memoir of his own journey towards starting a church in the most unchurched metropolitan area of the country.

Ecclesiastes and Impact

All is futility! Even in Christian nonprofits? We’re changing it up a little for episode 265 as Brandon does a solo dive into the book of Ecclesiastes to gather wisdom from Solomon that can inform what we do and more importantly how we do the work of global justice. In an age of Big Impact, this is a word for the nonprofit leader that cares about the ethic of our approach and the opportunity for a compounding influence in a world where it seems that nothing ever changes.