Advertise on podcast: dPod

Double release?! In the restart of our BTS (Behind the Staff) series, DP sits down for the first Anchor College Church staff interview with Nathan. Nathan shares his journey from growing up in Irvine to studying bioengineering in San Diego, reflecting on the pivotal moments where he chose spiritual community over personal ambition.

Wait, is DP in Michigan now? Yes he is! After a few months away and a big move from Chicago to Ann Arbor, dPod is back for Episode 72. In this reset episode, DP sits down in his basement (new dPod studio?) with Anchor College Church staff members Nick Kang, Sarah Kang, and Eden Farrell. The team grills DP on his transition to UMich, his 2-minute testimony, quitting tech engineering at Salesforce for full-time ministry, and his initial impressions of Ann Arbor. Plus, the crew shares their heart and vision for this new chapter of college ministry in Ann Arbor.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

In this BTS episode, Ruben shares how signing up for a baptism class led him to an unexpected realization: he wasn’t actually a Christian. Ruben grew up going to church in Brazil and knew all the right habits and language. But when church leaders asked him simple questions about Jesus and how his faith showed up in everyday life, he realized he had never truly surrendered control to Christ. Instead of pretending, he chose to step away from church altogether. In this conversation, Ruben talks about dechurching during COVID, moving to Chicago for grad school at Northwestern, and how a random flyer and a welcoming community slowly drew him back. He reflects on the difference between inherited faith and personal faith, and what changed when following Jesus stopped being a habit and became a real commitment.

On this episode of dPod, we go behind the staff with Josue: Burkina Faso–born, South Florida–raised, pastor’s kid, Northwestern med student, and Voyage team intern. We talk about finally settling how to say his name, growing up in a loud, joyful church, wrestling with guilt and salvation after a school shooting, and how the Prodigal Son helped him grasp grace. Josie shares why he chose a 1 hour 40 minute commute and deep church community over a convenient downtown life, what med school cadavers taught him about eternity, and what he’s learning as a new staff intern trying to follow Jesus in grad school.

On this episode of dPod, Josh and Nancy share their journey from being set up by mentors to saying “I do” during the middle of COVID. They talk about the escape room date Josh used as a stress test, the dish-washing expectations that almost caused their first fight, and the infamous “I told you so” moment. They also reflect on parenting Micah and what God has been teaching them as they lead international ministry in Chicago.

In this BTS episode, Joel tells his story: growing up in a Christian home, getting turned off by “just trust God” answers, and throwing himself into school, music, and swimming instead. He shares how God used welcome-week boba, honest talks with mentors, and a spring retreat to break through his resistance. Now a team intern, Joel reflects on staying in Chicago, going to the Loop, Cambodia, and learning that everyone needs the gospel—not just people like him.

Percy and Elaine join DP for a conversation about marriage, communication, and life with their newborn. From the two-van saga to parenting tips that have helped them, like get double of everything, the Chens share their learnings and reflections on marriage and parenthood so far!

Fred and Deborah join DP on the pod to share newlywed stories, what they’ve learned about conflict and communication in marriage, and how their team navigated a huge transition—moving 30+ staff into one building in Morton Grove to better reach all of Chicagoland!

In this ... perhaps final episode of dPod from Chicago, I talk to Nicholas & Jeanette (whom I have affectionally named "Jicholas") talk about their learnings from marriage, and how they learned to rejoice in all circumstances and experience the church as family through some of their health challenges this past year.

This episode with Agape and Marie has a little bit of everything—from fighting about laundry to leading a last-minute mission trip. They open up about the miscarriage they experienced and how God used a vision to bring about a powerful moment in the Dominican Republic. Along the way, they reflect on why they’re learning to believe that God really does want to use them—even in weakness.