Explore every episode of the podcast Capital Stories

In a recent trip to Eswatini, Tara Ross and Becky Zani, interviewed William to learn more about how discipleship and stewarding the land as a God-given resource has changed lives. In this bonus episode, hear about how our compassion partners on the ground in Eswatini are feeding bodies and souls through gardening.

Lizzy Munson has faced her share of challenges—drug addiction, death of loved ones, and homelessness. Even through unbearable struggles, God found his way into Lizzy’s life, and continues to provide for Lizzy in surprising and unexpected ways.

Through the Daily Discipleship series, Capital Church’s staff members are considering how our faith intersects with everyday life. In McKenzie Schreck’s role as Executive Pastor, she supervises most of Capital’s staff. McKenzie discusses how her discipleship is tied to her leadership, as well as the leadership muscles she flexes to develop critical skills in her management.

Through the Daily Discipleship series, Capital Church’s staff members are considering how our faith intersects with everyday life. When it comes to marriage, Eric Dowd and Suzanne Champ, who each have been married to their spouses for over 2 decades, share personal stories and wisdom about living out our discipleship within marriage relationships.

At the onset of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, many of us felt urged to help or support in our own way. For our guest today, that meant actually going to Ukraine and supporting the ground. Her journey is full of small and large miracles, and is a reminder of how God can grab our hearts and guide us along his intended path.

There’s a difference between becoming a Christian convert and being a Christian disciple. Life with Jesus is daily! Sometimes we think of discipleship as what we do by attending a church service. That’s certainly part of deepening our faith, but what about during the week? How does our discipleship intersect with our lives Monday through Friday? In this series, we’ll talk to the Capital Church staff about how discipleship intersects with their daily lives in leadership, marriage, friendships, career, and other ways.

Listen in (again!) on a conversation with Greg Holder, author of Never Settle, The Genius of One, and a contributing writer for The Voice bible. He serves as lead pastor at The Crossing, reaching nearly 10,000 people in person and online, calling people from an unlikely mix of spiritual backgrounds to consider what it means to follow Jesus in today’s world. Greg is also co-creator/author of Advent Conspiracy, a movement and an invitation to worship more fully in the Christmas season by spending less, yet giving more.

Circles Salt Lake is a local chapter of a national initiative, whose mission is to build circles of support around people as they transition out of poverty. According to the federal guidelines for material poverty, 15% of Salt Lake City’s population lives in poverty—not all are homeless, and many have jobs. Hear from Michelle Crawford, the director of Circles Salt Lake, and Chris Robinson, one of the program’s recent graduates about their experiences and perspectives around the issue of poverty.

In honor of Veteran’s Day, we hear from Nikolai Wedekind, a combat veteran who’s served multiple deployments with the Utah Army National Guard. As a fighter helicopter pilot, he’s experienced brutal and traumatic aspects of war, as well as the challenges of reintegrating into civilian culture after deployment. He talks candidly about his faith and his life through these experiences.

The tables have turned, and Tara and Eric are the guests in this episode! As Tara steps away from her staff position at Capital Church, Kelly Preston is taking on the role of co-hosting the podcast with Eric into the future. We look back over our favorite moments on the show, get a few nuggets of wisdom, and share Tara’s hopes for her future.

For 15 years, Toni and Reverend Jay Ragsdale have led Fill the Pot Ministries, which feeds hundreds of people experiencing homelessness in Salt Lake City. Every Sunday morning, come rain, sleet, hail, or heat, they are downtown with a crew of volunteers ready to serve and love. May the incredible story of this ministry’s humble and inspiring beginnings compel all of us to dig deep in our own souls and ask God how we each might be more available to make an impact on the Kingdom.

For over 10 years, Capital has been sending teams to eSwatini, Africa (formerly Swaziland) through partnerships with Adventures in Missions (AIM) and local on-the-ground missionaries. This episode brings eSwatini to us! Hear from Bheki Motsa, a local Swazi who rose from within AIM’s local Leadership Development program, and Greg Mullins, from AIM’s US office.

We’re well aware of the mental health crisis faced by teens and young adults—nation-wide & right here in Utah. Tune in to this conversation with Katie Thomas, a licensed mental health practitioner, about the scope of the issue as well as tips for teens, parents & loved ones to navigate challenges.

Life is meant to be lived in community, and friendship is an important part of discipleship to Jesus. We need people to encourage us, hold us accountable, and remind us of the truth in our faith—and we’re called to provide the same for others. Listen in on a conversation about spiritual friendship with Kim Perry & Bruce Helgeson from Capital’s Small Groups Ministry Team.

The news and media environment has become a tricky one to navigate. Listen in as Tara & Eric wade through the topic with Becky Zani, an award-winning journalist with decades in the industry and who recently completed her master’s thesis about the “Factors of the Fake News Phenomenon." We also consider how disciples of Jesus might live out Christian community in a culture of disputed facts and diverging media.

Ken Bohney is passionate about helping people discover their spiritual gifts, and equipping them to live them out in their daily lives. God uniquely wired you with abilities, and—like any other resource—these gifts should be stewarded well to make the impact within God’s Kingdom that only you can!

Jonathan Tran was born out of prostitution and abandoned by his mother before he was a teenager. Despite the heartbreaking challenges of his upbringing, God found Jonathan and continues to lead him to a new path—toward a church family, toward education, and toward a purpose bigger than he could imagine.

Denise Druce has dedicated the better part of her life to helping incarcerated women rediscover the purpose God has for their life. Though the prison system in the U.S. has its flaws, and there can be a strong societal stigma around the incarcerated, these are the contexts in which Denise has seen God on the move.

Listen in on a real, hopeful, and faith-filled conversation with Nicole Vobora & Ed Peterson, two marriage counselors who’ve dedicated their lives and careers to helping couples thrive in their marriages. Ed and Nicole often see couples in a time of crisis, but it shouldn’t take a crisis to invest in your marriage! Get insight on marriage and practical tips to improve your relationship with your spouse.

In 2013, Ned Lindholm’s life was upended after a chemical explosion left him severely wounded and legally blind. Almost ten years later, as the world collectively experiences an ongoing trauma from a global pandemic and related challenges, Ned felt compelled to open up about his experience in hopes of encouraging others.

In celebration of Earth Day, we talk to Eric Schoening, an atmospheric scientist with the National Weather Service and dig into his thoughts on conservation and stewardship of this planet as both a scientist and disciple of Jesus. As Eric says, “I choose to focus on celebrating the positive outcomes if we choose to act - leaving a healthy planet for future generations, preserving the beauty of God’s creation for those that come after us, thinking about conservation as an act of love, love for plants and animals and our fellow humans and in the format of a thank you note to God for creating this amazing place.” Join us for a faith-formed perspective on why and how we should and can take care of our earth.

Many Christians would say that the bible has transformed their lives—select verses have provided comfort, power, peace, reassurance, validation, and correction in the right ways at the right times. Yet, even among Christians, daily engagement with the bible isn’t as high as many of us would like, and there can certainly be barriers to taking in God’s ancient but living Word in the context of our daily lives today. Teaching pastor, Paul Godbout, shares his personal experience around learning and teaching the bible, and provides insight into how each of us can keep God’s Word as central to our lives.

As Rev. Dr. Angela Gorrell taught her first class at Yale called “Life Worth Living,” and studied the pursuit of true joy, she was privately grieving the loss of 3 family members within the prior 6 weeks—one to suicide, one after a long road of opioid addiction, and one, at 22 years old, to sudden cardiac arrest. Though she understood the theology of joy, she was lost in the swallow of grief in the thick of these tragedies. But she found, in the grace and mercy of God, new paths to the depth and capacity of joy, felt right alongside her grief. This episode is for anyone personally searching for joy in grief or looking to learn how to best support someone searching for the grounded, resilient reality of God, found in even the darkest places.

As a physical trainer, Parker Teagle is no stranger to intentionally doing hard things every day—exercise prepares his body and his mind to face whatever challenges come his way. Just like physical exercise, Parker’s disciplined connection to God prepared him for unexpected manipulation and betrayal from a trusted business partner and mentor.

Maja Teagle’s story chronicles her family’s journey out of war-torn Bosnia and into the United States, where they found the grit to build a new life on new land. Her experiences teach tangible ways through which we can extend powerful hospitality and love to a stranger. Maja also reflects on the challenges and rich opportunities that come from navigating differing religious and cultural beliefs in marriage relationships. And she reminds us that no matter when we ultimately meet God, He was always and will always be chasing after us, no matter where we might land.

Love comes in different forms and flavors. And intentional or not, the world seems to have put a hierarchy in place, positioning romantic love as king. What, then, of our single friends? To shed light on this question, we talk to Cameron Stark and Amy Firestone, two single adults within Capital’s community. They share their experiences as singles in the church, their hopes & desires for romantic partnership, and above all their mature gratitude and awe of God’s faithfulness and love in their lives.

God made food to power our bodies, but often food has too much power over our minds and souls. Today we interview Laura Guilmain, a registered nurse who saw first-hand in her patients both the damage from unhealthy eating habits and the freedom and energy that is possible from building an aware, intentional relationship with food. Listen in as our exuberant, joyful guest discusses what and why and how we eat, our theology of body image and beauty, the societal pressures we overtly and subliminally receive and the true full-ness our body yearns for in the abundance of God.

For centuries, humans have drawn lines that the life and ministry of Jesus sought to erase. In our latest episode of the Capital Stories podcast, we interview Eddy Thomson, a Board member of the Utah Martin Luther King, Jr. Human Rights Commission, which seeks to involve all Utah sectors in a conscious effort to promote diversity, equity, and human rights. "We're quick to assume intention... but if we shut down the conversation too soon, we lose the opportunity for resolution, for growth, learning, empathy, or understanding.

Listen in on a conversation with Greg Holder! Greg is author of Never Settle, The Genius of One, and a contributing writer for The Voice bible. He serves as lead pastor at The Crossing, reaching nearly 10,000 people in person and online, calling people from an unlikely mix of spiritual backgrounds to consider what it means to follow Jesus in today’s world. Greg is also co-creator/author of Advent Conspiracy, a movement and an invitation to worship more fully in the Christmas season by spending less, yet giving more.

We introduced Amy King in our last episode, as she taught us about the issues faced by orphans and vulnerable children & families. Amy has had a heart for the orphan for a long time—from an impromptu trip to visit orphanages in Russia to starting her own ministry in Utah, this episode provides the back-story to Amy’s endeavors. It sheds light on the sign-post moments in her life God used to shape her and lead her to the work she’s doing today.

The first Sunday in November is internationally recognized as Orphan Sunday, and we’re dedicating a couple episodes to shine a light on this important topic. To educate ourselves on the issues surrounding vulnerable children & families, we spoke with Sarah Swaydan, a volunteer at Capital who coordinates the CarePortal ministry, and Amy King, a missionary in Salt Lake and founder of the For the Orphan Network.

Nick & Alia Gonzales have been married 17 years, and are raising three kids—Aiden (12), Brynley (9), and Carter (7). They’ve learned that, for them, the best way to lead their kids to follow Jesus is to model Christ-like faith in their own lives first. That, plus surround yourself with supportive community to help along the way.

It’s a safe assumption that everyone knows someone who’s life has been deeply impacted by cancer. In more ways than one, cancer is a hugely influential factor in the life and faith of Jill Erickson. Jill, a Physician Assistant herself, spent 20+ years in her career in medicine before becoming the patient herself. In this episode, Jill gets personal with the data behind cancer’s ubiquitousness, and shares how God is working in her and through her as she navigates her own cancer journey.

Terresa Wood has been through hell. From her earliest memories, her story is intertwined with sexual molestation, substance abuse, addiction, and other circumstances that bring a grim reality to the “rock bottom” cliché. Yet, as he does, God used the things that literally tried to kill Terresa to transform her life, and now she is equipped to minister to others in their own ruts as the House Director of the Salt Lake City Rescue Mission Women’s Center.

Parenting is a huge responsibility! Johnny & Jessica Chang, married 10 years, with 2 children—Josh age 5 & Jillian age 3—are navigating through the everyday challenge of leading their kids to be disciples of Jesus in the ways they know how. They share tips, tricks, tools, and resources to equip other parents, and really all of us as we all have an influence on kids coming to know Christ.

Kelly & Chasen Robbins serve as missionaries with InterVarsity at the University of Utah. As live-in staff at the InterVarsity house right across the street from campus, their lives are intertwined with the students they serve. They share their personal story of what God used to bring them to college ministry and educate us about the challenges of college students navigating life and faith on their own for the first time.

DanaLee Simon is a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, as well as a Spiritual Director who teaches on self-compassion. Especially in a world that’s fast paced, and with the pressure to go-go-go and do-do-do, you might lose touch with yourself in the process. DanaLee’s conversation on self-compassion can point you to a more grounded way of living as it provides tools to love yourself as God loves you.

We're so grateful you joined us for this episode. Subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts to receive updates when new episodes drop. If you would like to support the podcast you can make a donation to Capital Church. Thanks again for listening and journeying with us!

Events in 2020 sparked a renewed reckoning in America around issues of race. As individuals around the world responded, each in their own way, Kim Perry & Monique Morrison used the events to draw themselves closer to God and to each other by starting a “Be the Bridge” small group to foster interracial spiritual friendships.

Sometimes God brings healing by exposing past pain. He calls us to trust him by letting go of the parts of our story that vie for control over our lives. And sometimes he uses an unexpected new friendship to help us along… After attending an online Women’s IF Gathering conference together, Stacey and Judi are experiencing God’s timely and surprising provision first-hand. They’re growing closer to God and to each other in their decisions to say yes to trusting God in the deep.

What’s the common thread among YoungLife, wedding band engraving errors, and County Council meetings? In case you wondered, these are all things God used in the lives of Chris and Sarah Spealler to keep pointing their souls to him. This episode of Capital Stories shares the highlight reel from an hour and a half conversation from two disciples of Jesus experiencing God in the mundane of their everyday. We hope it inspires and encourages you to identify God’s handiwork in your own journey.

Mike Akerlow has spent 2 decades working in the area of affordable housing—he’s currently the Executive Director of the Community Development Corporation, which serves tens of thousands of Utahns seeking housing assistance, provides counseling, as well as builds and rehabilitates homes and complexes. In this episode, Mike gets into the weeds to educate us on the complicated issue of affordable housing, and he also encourages us as people of faith to change the narrative around how we engage with the marginalized.

Michelle Hicks has been a devoted disciple of Jesus only since 2016. But her short journey of faith is jam-packed with markers of God’s grace and provision. Be it in moving across the country, serving around the globe, helping her colleagues on the front lines of the pandemic, or leaving the security of a cushy job, Michelle has been obedient to God’s call on her life. In each baby step & leap of faith along the way, Michelle has discovered that life with God doesn’t always add up. But it often ends up being more than.

In this short pilot episode, Tara and Eric talk about the events God used to bring this project to life. They share our heart behind the podcast, and how we pray God would use it to grow disciples in and beyond our church community. New episodes will drop on the 1st and 15th of each month, starting in May!

Coming soon... Capital Stories is a new podcast from Capital Church where we discover the intersections of life and faith in each others’ stories as we hear from real people and explore real issues. Join us as we dig deeper into stories from people in and around our community as we navigate life's real issues and explore real faith and discipleship together. We'll release stories twice a month so be sure to subscribe today from your preferred podcast provider to get updates as new episodes drop. We hope this podcast will inspire and encourage you in your personal journey with Jesus.