The Forum Podcast

Stop Pretending to Be God: The Freedom of Vulnerable Leadership | Mandy Smith

What does it mean to lead from a place of weakness? In this episode of the Forum Podcast, Calvin Theological Seminary President Jul Medenblik sits down with author and pastor Dr. Mandy Smith to explore what it truly means to be a vulnerable, human leader in ministry. Drawing from her book The Vulnerable Pastor: How Human Limitations Empower Our Ministry, Smith reflects on the leadership crisis that reshaped her understanding of calling and opened up a deeper vision of dependence on God. Together, they discuss the difference between good and bad vulnerability, the temptation for pastors to become idols rather than models of dependence, and the practical wisdom needed to discern what to share, with whom, and when. They also reflect on how human limitations can become places of freedom, and why those on the margins may have the most to teach the church about strength in weakness. Whether you are a seminary student, a seasoned pastor, or someone wrestling with what faithful leadership looks like, this conversation offers a challenging and hope-filled vision of ministry shaped not by self-sufficiency, but by grace.

150 Years of Reformed Instruction: What "Being Reformed" Means at Calvin Theological Seminary

In this episode of the Forum Podcast, Phillip Palacios, Director of Communications, sits down with Dr. Karin Maag, Director of the Meeter Center for Calvin Studies and Adjunct Professor of the History of Christianity, and Dr. Ronald Feenstra, Professor of Systematic Theology, to discuss a new edited volume they have co-edited together. Their conversation explores how the project began as a series of faculty discussions around a central question: what does Calvin Theological Seminary mean when it says it is Reformed? What started as internal reflection gradually became a collaborative collection of essays from across the faculty, offering readers a thoughtful and accessible window into the seminary’s theological identity. Along the way, Maag and Feenstra reflect on key emphases of the Reformed tradition, including the sovereignty of God, covenantal thought, confessional identity, and God’s redemptive work in all creation. They also discuss how the project helped faculty better understand one another’s teaching and created a stronger sense of coherence around student formation. As Calvin Seminary enters its 150th year, this volume serves as a timely snapshot of the seminary’s identity, commitments, and vision. It is a rich conversation for alumni, prospective students, pastors, church leaders, and anyone interested in Reformed theological education.

From Collapsed Lungs to Oxford Scholar: An Unlikely Journey Through Faith & Design | Neil Martin

In this episode of the Forum Podcast, Jonah Gollihugh, Communications Team Member and MDiv ’16 alum, sits down with Dr. Neil Martin, ThM ’13 alum, pastor, former design professional, and scholar, for a remarkable conversation about faith, suffering, vocation, and an unconventional path to ministry. Martin reflects on growing up in the UK with no Christian background, coming to faith through a small village church, and studying engineering at Cambridge while wrestling with big questions about God and Scripture. He also shares how a sudden health crisis in his twenties reshaped the course of his life, driving him deep into Scripture and theological study during a long season of illness. The conversation explores how Martin’s background in design unexpectedly led to his work on the 2011 NIV update, including the use of computational lexicography to navigate questions of contemporary language in Bible translation. He also discusses his time at Calvin Seminary, his doctoral work at Oxford on Galatians, and the way his life now brings together pastoral ministry, mentoring students, and academic scholarship. It is a thoughtful and encouraging conversation about God’s faithfulness, the formation that can happen through suffering, and the surprising ways vocation unfolds in service to the church.

Why Knowledge Isn’t Enough: Spiritual Formation for Ministry | Jeff Sajdak

Why does Christian formation matter as much as knowledge and skill? In this episode of The Forum Podcast, Jeff Sajdak, Dean of Students, joins Phillip Palacios to reflect on spiritual formation, community, and what it means to be shaped in Christ for ministry at Calvin Theological Seminary. Drawing on years of pastoral experience and student formation work, Jeff explores the difference between formation and malformation, the dangers of ill-formed leadership, and why Christlike character is essential for faithful ministry. The conversation highlights how formation happens not only through academics and vocational training, but through shared practices of worship, prayer, Scripture, and life together in community. Recorded during Calvin Theological Seminary’s 150th anniversary, this episode connects formation to the church’s confession, especially the communion of saints, and to the Reformed conviction that all of life belongs to God. Listeners are invited to consider how theological education forms leaders whose lives bear the fruit of the Spirit. The Forum Podcast is a production of Calvin Theological Seminary.

A Gospel Shaped Life Found in the Creeds | Cory Willson

What does it mean to confess “We believe” if our lives are not being shaped by Christ? In this episode of The Forum Podcast, Cory Willson, Professor of Missiology, World Christianity, and Public Theology at Calvin Theological Seminary, joins Phillip Palacios for a conversation on the Nicene Creed, Christian mission, and the relationship between doctrine and lived faith. Recorded during Calvin Theological Seminary’s 150th anniversary, the discussion explores how the Nicene Creed arose from the church’s real-life struggles to live faithfully in the world, and why its theological clarity still matters today. Cory reflects on the danger of “dead orthodoxy,” the call to a dialogue of love with culture, and how Reformed theology equips the church for faithful witness in diverse global contexts. This episode invites listeners to consider how ancient confession becomes present-day discipleship, and why theology must always bear fruit in the life of the church. The Forum Podcast is a production of Calvin Theological Seminary.