dPod

Ep.71 Dorothy & Emerald: Top Bunk Buddies

In the conclusion of our New Grad series, Dorothy (Minnesota) and Emerald (Northwestern) join DP to explore the transition from being poured into as students to building church culture as postgrads. They share about their spiritual breakthroughs in college and the "purifying" reality of their first year out, covering everything from Dorothy’s grueling commute to optometry school to Emerald’s reflections on grumbling and roommate grace. The episode also highlights a high-stakes 10-minute H-Mart Ramen competition and wraps up with DP’s advice on the spiritual value of speaking the truth and the discipline of saying "yes" to God’s call throughout your twenties.

Ep.70 Maximilian Chandra: From Jakarta to the Frat House

What happens when you finally get the "freedom" you’ve been rebelling for? For Max, that journey led from a structured upbringing in Jakarta to the world of a Purdue fraternity. In this episode, Max reflects on his "soaring and crashing" college years--the "bonding" that initially made Greek life feel like the brotherhood he craved. He opens up about the "Sophomore Slump" where partying became a chore, leading to a raw realization of his need for something deeper than an artificial family.

Ep.69 Ola Ogunnaike: At Sawmill 40% of the Time

We continue our new grad series with Ola Ogunaike, an IIT grad now working as an engineer in Chicago. Despite having his own apartment, Ola reflects on why he spends nearly half his week on a couch at Sawmill (the post-grad housing) and how he found a "family of brothers" he never had growing up. He opens up about the challenge of letting go of his autonomy to join a high-commitment church staff and the humbling realization that he is loved for who he is—not just for his competence or what he can contribute.

Ep.68 Luke Walker: Seeing How the Sausage Gets Made

We continue our new grad series with Luke Walker, a recent UChicago graduate who's now finishing his Master's in Humanities at UChicago. He reflects on his journey from being a student in our ministry to becoming a team apprentice (a role we totally made up in Chicago). He opens up about the perspective shift of moving behind the scenes—from realizing the tech and planning that goes into service, to learning thankless roles like ProPresenter. Luke discusses how pouring out in ministry has forced him to craft stronger personal spiritual disciplines and the blessings he’s found in a deeper level of Christian service.

Ep.67 Aaron Besa: From Performance to Presence

We kick off our new grad series with Aaron Besa, an Illinois Tech grad who is now navigating life as an engineer in Chicago. Aaron gets honest about the "burnout" of growing up in ministry and the danger of serving without being fed. He reflects on his "rash" but providential decision to move into shared community housing at Sawmill just days before the lease started, and how that step of obedience transformed his post-grad spiritual life.