The Do Gooders Podcast – Détails, épisodes et analyse

We're back with our final highlight episode from the 2024 Testify Congress.

Yes, last month, in Pasadena, California, The Salvation Army from around the Western Territory joined for an event focused on teaching, training and motivating Salvationists to tell the story of Jesus more often and to more people.

And The Salvation Army's international leaders, General Lyndon Buckingham and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham, traveled from London to be part of it all.

You've heard the General speak from this event a couple times now—in Episode 193 and 197.

Today, we bring you his final appearance of the Congress before some 3,000 attendees at the Pasadena Convention Center Civic Auditorium. This is his public charge to the new lieutenants.

Over the weekend, the Defenders of Justice Session of cadets were commissioned as Salvation Army officers, or pastors, and in this meeting were given their very first ministry assignment. In fact, they don't find out the location until they are standing on stage!

And this is the battle cry, if you will, for each one of them from The Salvation Army's international leader.

Listen in and be encouraged in your eagerness to serve, too.

EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more.

BE AFFIRMED. Get the Good Words email series.

WHAT'S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz.

STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection.

BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram.

FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

We're back with more highlights from the 2024 Testify Congress.

Last month, in Pasadena, California, The Salvation Army from around the Western Territory joined for an event focused on teaching, training and motivating Salvationists to tell the story of Jesus more often and to more people. 

And the sessions featured, you guessed it, testimonies from programs and ministries of The Salvation Army across the West. 

Today, we're sharing two:

First, you'll hear from Monte Mansfield, a one-time professional athlete whose life was forever altered by substance abuse. Eventually, he found The Salvation Army through the Adult Rehabilitation Center program.

Then, Sthephania Mihilii, who moved to the U.S. from Mexico in second grade when her single mom married. She rebelled in her teenage years and then became a lifeguard at a Salvation Army Kroc Center.

So allow me to introduce to you today, Monte Mansfield and Sthephania Mihilii—who each took to the stage live after the screening of their video testimony.

EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more.

BE AFFIRMED. Get the Good Words email series.

WHAT'S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz.

STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection.

BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram.

FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

Building resilience is a lengthy process, but it's an investment that pays off. By focusing on preparedness, mitigation and adaptation, more communities can ensure that they too build and sustain resilience after a natural disaster.

Todd De Voe is a true authority on all things resilience and emergency management.

Todd is the Editor in Chief of The Emergency Management Network newsletter, a published author in the reference book "Campus Crisis Management," and has penned numerous whitepapers and studies.  He hosts The EMN Newsletter Podcast and The Leader's Cafe. He even delivered a TED talk on building and sustaining resilience. Todd holds a Masters in Public Administration and another in Emergency Management, and he's a graduate of the National Emergency Management Executive Academy.

Today, we're diving into what resilience truly means in emergency management, the the role of community organizations and programs in building a culture of preparedness, along with strategies communities can use to strengthen their bonds and resources in the face of adversity. Most importantly, Todd will share insights into the common challenges communities face during recovery and how they should be approached.

EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more.

BE AFFIRMED. Get the Good Words email series.

WHAT'S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz.

STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection.

BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram.

FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

Did you know The Salvation Army is a church?

That's right. Every program of The Salvation Army is rooted in a passion to serve God by serving the hurting, the helpless and the hopeless.

It's biblical: We love because God first loved us.

It all began in London in 1865. The co-founders, a Methodist minister and his wife, William and Catherine Booth, walked the streets preaching to the homeless and hungry. Their efforts became The Salvation Army, which set out to offer compassionate, tangible service to people in need following a quasi-military structure with William Booth as its first General.

Today, across the U.S., some 1,200 Salvation Army corps—or church—locations offer worship services every Sunday morning and programs throughout the week, from youth nights to music groups and opportunities for service.

And the work is carried out across the country by some 63,000 employees, 3 million volunteers and roughly 3,500 officers, who complete a two-year training program to become ministers of The Salvation Army.

Cadets Ismael and Verenice Gutierrez are about to be among their ranks.

They're just days away from completing their training at the College for Officer Training at Crestmont in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. They will be commissioned as officers in The Salvation Army, as pastors, and appointed to serve in a community here in the western U.S., location to be determined.

So allow me to introduce to you today, to share what it means to be a Salvation Army officer and why they each decided to become one, Cadets Ismael and Verenice Gutierrez.

EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more.

WHAT'S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz.

STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection.

GATHER WITH CARING MOMS. Join the group.

BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram.

FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

All across the country, The Salvation Army is gearing up to open the gates to that well-loved place where kids can be kids—summer camp.

Every year, thousands of kids of all ages get a fresh perspective on life as they meet new friends, discover new activities, and get a taste of nature at one of The Salvation Army's 43 camps. As campers learn to swim, play sports, create music, make art, and more, their trained counselors help them navigate the complicated emotions and struggles sometimes associated with their lives back home.

For many, it's their first time truly experiencing the great outdoors. It's also often where they meet and come to know the love of Jesus.

And at High Peak Camp in Estes Park, Colorado, they do so surrounded by the Rocky Mountains.

Led by Camp Director James Johnson and Assistant Camp Director Mitchell McWilliams, High Peak is preparing to welcome some 100 kids a week this summer—and for the first time, is offering an adaptive camp for young adults with disabilities.

The mentality, they said, is why say no? Camp is a safe space for all people.

EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more.

WHAT'S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz.

STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection.

GATHER WITH CARING MOMS. Join the group.

BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram.

FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self-control.

Of course, you know this list—the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23.

Much has been written about this list and how we can better find and embrace these traits in our lives, as evidence of being a Jesus follower. The marks of our godly character.

But author Jessica Thompson asks: Has it ever occurred to you that the fruit of the Spirit are also the characteristics of God? Can it be that God loves us with the fruit of the Spirit? And only when we are secure in that love can we display it to others?

Jessica's new book, "How God Loves Us: 40 Days to Discovering his Character in the Fruit of the Spirit," is 40 readings designed to take you deeper into the love God has for you.   

She's the author of several books, a frequent speaker, part of the podcast Front Porch with the Fitzes and is the director of church life at RISEN Church in San Diego, California.

And Jessica is on the show today to share more about her book and the love God has for you.

EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more.

WHAT'S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz.

STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection.

GATHER WITH CARING MOMS. Join the group.

BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram.

FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

Could you use a good word from the Good Word?

In this episode, Reverend Eugene Cho is bringing us the Word from John 21:1-14.

Eugene is the President and CEO of Bread for the World, a non-partisan, Christian advocacy organization based in the U.S. that advocates for policy changes to end hunger. He preached here at a gathering of Salvation Army youth leaders from all across the West.

And he says this is one of those stories from Scripture that he returns to often. 

In the passage, a group of seven disciples are together when Simon Peter says, "I'm going fishing." And so they do and they encounter Jesus. But it's not just a fishing story, Eugene says. If you peel off the layers, it's a vulnerable story of doubt, confusion and grace.

And Eugene shares five things we can learn from this story.

Here's a good word from the Good Word with Eugene Cho.

EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more.

WHAT'S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz.

STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection.

GATHER WITH CARING MOMS. Join the group.

BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram.

FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

Anxiety.

We all have it. 

And it's not always a bad thing—it's a natural response to facing the unknown that can protect us.

But it can also go too far.

The American Psychological Association said in late 2020 we're facing a national mental health crisis that could see serious health and social consequences for years to come. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 1 in 5 American adults are affected by an anxiety disorder—that's some 40 million people.

And yet, freedom from anxiety is learnable.

That's what Jason Cusick will tell you.

He's the Pastor of Journey of Faith in Southern California. Formerly a hospital chaplain, he's passionate about the connection between faith and wellness.

He has a new book—"The Anxiety Field-Guide: Healthy Habits for Long-term Healing"—and is on the show today to share his own experience with anxiety and how to effectively engage it.

EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more.

WHAT'S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz.

STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection.

GATHER WITH CARING MOMS. Join the group.

BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram.

FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

Did you know more than 2 million people volunteered with The Salvation Army across the U.S., according to the organizations' 2021 National Annual Report?

That's 2,052,933 people, to be exact, who freely gave of their time and skills simply to help—to do something.

And that gift is not isolated to The Salvation Army. In fact, the World Happiness Report found in 2021 global rates of helping strangers, volunteering and giving to charity were nearly 25% above pre-pandemic levels.

What about you?

Have you ever found yourself wanting to volunteer, but perhaps were unsure of what to do or how to go about it?

Here's the key: You can make an impact in the Fight for Good with whatever time and skills you have.

Adriana Thiele is the Volunteer Engagement Coordinator for The Salvation Army in San Diego, California. She's on the show to share more about her experience working with volunteers, how things have changed in recent years and how you can get involved.

And we've put together a guide on how to be an impactful volunteer with nine habits to help you make a difference in the lives of others. Grab your copy at caringmagazine.org/volunteer.  

When you strive to do good, you help build a safer world for all and give others a lasting display of the love behind your beliefs.

And studies show it's good for you, too.

EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more.

WHAT'S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz.

STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection.

GATHER WITH CARING MOMS. Join the group.

BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram.

FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.

Happy Easter! 

We're coming to you this Easter Sunday with a good word from the Good Word with Commissioner Doug Riley. 

Commissioner Riley is the Territorial Commander of The Salvation Army in the western U.S. You may remember him from previous episodes of this podcast on gratitude and the Christmas story. 

Now, he's bringing us the good news: Christ the Lord is risen today.

Listen in for more on the empty tomb as an enduring symbol of the resurrection—plus what it means to see the life of Christ come alive in you. 

EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more.

WHAT'S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz.

STUDY SCRIPTURE. Get inside the collection.

GATHER WITH CARING MOMS. Join the group.

BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram.

FIGHT FOR GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.