Shows / Wayfarer
Wayfarer
Tom Vander Well is author of "This Call May Be Monitored (What Eavesdropping on Corporate America Taught Me About Business and Life)" A "wayfaring stranger" life's road. Husband, father, writer, CEO, actor, playwright, preacher, back porch musician, and follower of Jesus, he shares his thoughts and observations on the journey. Each weekday he offers 5-10 minute Chapter-a-Day (CaD) reflections on one chapter of the Bible, perfect for a daily commute. Longer reflections are on the Wayfarer…
Episodes
WayfarerMacro and Micro (CaD Dan 4)
One of the things that I've observed along my spiritual journey is that God as revealed in the Great Story is present and active on both the macro and micro…
- Wayfarer
Culture and Compromise (CaD Dan 3)
History is filled with stories of rulers with absolute power who entertained themselves by making subjects do unimaginable things and killing individuals in…
- Wayfarer
"A God in Heaven" (CaD Dan 2)
In the quiet this morning, I think about myself as a disciple of Jesus living in a culture that I observe becoming increasingly oppositional. A chapter-a-day…
- Wayfarer
Serving the Enemy (CaD Dan 1)
If I am going to truly follow where Jesus leads, then I have to let go of my notions of "them." A chapter-a-day podcast from Daniel 1. The text version may be…
- Wayfarer
Into the Wilderness (CaD 2 Ki 25)
Along this life journey, almost everyone experiences a period of wilderness. Life as we know it experiences a tectonic shift. Things get turned upside down and…
- Wayfarer
The Prescribed Pattern (CaD 2 Ki 24)
In the quiet this morning, I'm meditating on the important natural patterns of family and family systems, both healthy and not-so-healthy. A chapter-a-day…
- Wayfarer
Lost and Found (CaD 2 Ki 23)
Jesus told stories about lost coins and lost sheep as well as a lost child. The stories are ultimately not about being lost, but about being found. A…
- Wayfarer
Life "by the Book" (CaD 2 Ki 22)
May it be said of me that I was "a person of the Book." Not just in my reading, my blogging, or my podcasting, but in my life and relationships. A…
- Wayfarer
The Untold Stories (CaD 2 Ki 21)
The description of King Manasseh in today's chapter was that of pure evil. He did nothing right. He did everything wrong. But, there was an important piece of…
- Wayfarer
"Trust the Story" (CaD 2 Ki 20)
"Trusting the story" requires faith that the story isn't confined to or limited by this earthly existence. A chapter-a-day podcast from 2 Kings 20. The text…
- Wayfarer
"Right" (CaD 2 Ki 19)
When I consider the circumstances terrifying me and compare them to those from which God delivered Hezekiah, I can't help but realize that God's provision for…
- Wayfarer
Sacred Things (CaD 2 Ki 18)
In the quiet this morning, I am simply reminded of the human tendency to make certain things sacred and worship them. A chapter-a-day podcast from 2 Kings 18…
- Wayfarer
"But He Also..." (CaD 2 Ki 17)
The Samaritans became the "sort of" Jews who were held in contempt by the "true Jews" in Jesus' day. To put it in the metaphorical terms of Harry Potter, the…
- Wayfarer
Destructive Deference (CaD 2 Ki 16)
No matter how far I get in my spiritual journey, I still have more to learn, more to confess, and more to grow. A chapter-a-day podcast from 2 Kings 16. The…
- Wayfarer
How the World Works (CaD 2 Ki 15)
With the dawn of the technological age, my generation has arguably experienced greater change than any other generation in history. And yet, what has not…
- Wayfarer
Humiliating Defeat (CaD 2 Ki 14)
Eventually, life always hands me a loss. A chapter-a-day podcast from 2 Kings 14. The text version of today's podcast can be found and shred at…
- Wayfarer
Seasons of Life (CaD 2 Ki 13)
I've come to understand that part of the spiritual journey is embracing every season of that journey. A chapter-a-day podcast from 2 Kings 13. The text version…
- Wayfarer
Wrong Person for the Job (CaD 2 Ki 12)
One individual in the wrong job can negatively impact the entire system. A chapter-a-day podcast from 2 Kings 12. The text version of this podcast can be found…
- Wayfarer
The Spare and the Savior (CaD 2 Ki 11)
The world is obviously very interested in the royals, and there is something fascinating about the deeply archaic and historical traditions in our modern…
- Wayfarer
Cardiac Self-Examination (CaD 2 Ki 10)
Much of human history is a violent, bloody affair. A chapter-a-day podcast from 2 Kings 10. The text version of today's podcast may be found and shared at…
- Wayfarer
The Leadership Difference (CaD 2 Ki 9)
When leadership is a top-down, authoritarian power play, those in the system become anxious for a change in leadership. A chapter-a-day podcast from 2 Kings 9…
- Wayfarer
Thoughts on the Prophetic (CaD 2 Ki 8)
Prophecy is a fascinating element of life. A chapter-a-day podcast from 2 Kings 8. The text version may be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.
- Wayfarer
The Message in the Moment (CaD 2 Ki 7)
The stories of the prophet Elisha are so filled with the mysterious and the miraculous that it's easy for me to get focused on the stories and lose sight of…
- Wayfarer
The Difference a Dinner Makes (CaD 2 Ki 6)
The Arameans came to bust heads and instead broke bread. It changed their attitudes and behavior toward their enemies. A chapter-a-day podcast from 2 Kings 6…
- Wayfarer
"Consider" This (CaD 2 Ki 5)
There is a subtle theme in the Jesus story and the Great Story's teaching regarding what disciples of Jesus are to "consider" and what we are not to…
- Wayfarer
The God of Leftovers (CaD 2 Ki 4)
"Remember, you are the cheapskate, not God." - Julia Cameron, "The Artist's Way." A chapter-a-day podcast from 2 Kings 4. The text version may be found and…
- Wayfarer
An Easy Thing (CaD 2 Ki 3)
In the quiet this morning, I find myself simply embracing the reality that what I need and desire is "an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord." A chapter-a-day…
- Wayfarer
Transitions (CaD 2 Ki 2)
Transitions are typically difficult. A chapter-a-day podcast from 2 Kings 2. The text version may be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.
- Wayfarer
One Thing Legacy (2 Ki 1)
As I enter into this, another day kicking off another work week, I'm thinking that legacy has more to do with my daily thoughts, words, and actions than I want…
- Wayfarer
The Importance of a Name (CaD 1 Ki 22)
Names are important. As the theme song of the old television show "Cheers" says, "we want to go where everybody knows your name." A chapter-a-day podcast from…
- Wayfarer
Life's Slideshow (CaD 1 Ki 21)
Ahab "sold himself" to do evil in the eyes of the Lord. That was the summary statement of Ahab's earthly life. A chapter-a-day podcast from 1 Kings 21. The…
- Wayfarer
The God Commerce (CaD 1 Ki 20)
Underneath the obvious events of today's chapter lies a political undercurrent many readers miss. It was all about trade and the subsequent wealth it…
- Wayfarer
Blessed in the Running (CaD 1 Ki 19)
Along my spiritual journey, I've come to understand that God typically blesses me as I sit alone in the quiet, even on stressful days in which I am afraid and…
- Wayfarer
"The People Said Nothing" (CaD 1 Ki 18)
In the routine and complacency of everyday life, it's easy to fall into spiritual atrophy. No matter what anyone says about my spiritual need, I just go about…
- Wayfarer
Elijah: a Pivotal Character (CaD 1 Ki 17)
Elijah's life and experiences metaphorically point to what God has done, is doing, and will do later in the story. A chapter-a-day podcast from 1 Kings 17. The…
- Wayfarer
Power and Chaos (CaD 1 Ki 16)
Jesus' people wanted a Messiah who was a divine version of the top-down power under which they'd suffered for centuries. But from the very beginning, Jesus was…
- Wayfarer
Influence (CaD 1 Ki 15)
At this point on life's road, parenting is more of an advisory position. That doesn't mean, however, that I don't have influence. A chapter-a-day podcast from…
- Wayfarer
God and Tragedy (CaD 1 Ki 14)
Nowhere in the Great Story does God promise a person a life free of difficulty or tragedy. In fact, He promises the opposite. A chapter-a-day podcast from 1…
- Wayfarer
Directives (CaD 1 Ki 13)
When my spiritual journey as a disciple of Jesus began over forty years ago, I was given a very simple directive by God's Spirit. In many ways, I consider it…
- Wayfarer
Generations (CaD 1 Ki 12)
Our grandparents were "the greatest generation" who grew up during the Great Depression and gave their lives to save the world from tyrannical evil in World…
- Wayfarer
Rockstar Realities (CaD 1 Kings 11)
My impression of wealth is always in relationship to the small percentage of earthly Rockstars who have way more of it than me. By that standard, I never think…
- Wayfarer
The Man Solomon (CaD 1 Ki 10)
As I look back at historical figures, it's easy to want to place them in binary camps of being a "good" person or a "bad" person. I find Solomon to be human…
- Wayfarer
Legendary (CaD 1 Ki 9)
God warned Solomon and his descendants that their lack of faithfulness would result in the destruction of the Temple. What was also destroyed was Solomon's…
- Wayfarer
Prescience (CaD 1 Ki 8)
Along my spiritual journey as a disciple of Jesus, I have come to believe what I once heard U2's Bono utter in an interview: "I think things are already…
- Wayfarer
"However..." (CaD 1 Ki 7)
Solomon spent seven years building God's Temple. He spent thirteen years building his palace. A chapter-a-day podcast from 1 Kings 7. The text version may be…
- Wayfarer
Sacred Space (CaD 1 Ki 6)
We human beings love our religious traditions. A chapter-a-day podcast from 1 Kings 6. The text version may be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com.
- Wayfarer
Purpose and Legacy (CaD 1 Ki 5)
Jesus' taught His followers to live with purpose, prioritizing God's Kingdom above the things of this earthly life. In doing so, He spoke of a legacy of things…
- Wayfarer
Solomon: Most Wise Fool (CaD 1 Ki 4)
History reveals that it is Solomon's flaws and blind spots that result in his great kingdom dying with him. A chapter-a-day podcast from 1 Kings 4. The text…
- Wayfarer
The Revelation of Storage (CaD 1 Ki 3)
I confess that it's tempting to view Solomon's prayer request as a name-it-and-claim-it formula... A chapter-a-day podcast from 1 Kings 3. The text version may…
- Wayfarer
Settling the Family Accounts (1 Ki 2)
On his deathbed, David tells Solomon to be obedient to God and keep the Law of Moses. He then immediately tells Solomon to "settle a few of the family…
- Wayfarer
Game of Thrones (CaD 1 Ki 1)
Every human system (e.g. families, committees, churches, councils, school administrations, community groups, businesses, and etc.) is a "game of thrones." A…
- Wayfarer
"I Will Bring You Home" (CaD Zeph 3)
How apt, I thought, that in this morning's chapter we find Zephaniah's predictions of doom and gloom giving way to hope and salvation. And, amidst the hopeful…
- Wayfarer
Seek Righteousness, Seek Humility (CaD Zeph 2)
Like most Americans, I'm finding myself perpetually caught off guard by our current political landscape. A chapter-a-day podcast from Zephaniah 2. The text…
- Wayfarer
Doom & Gloom from Zeph to CBS (CaD Zeph 1)
There is something innately human about the way humans flock to bad news. A chapter-a-day podcast from Zephaniah 1. The text version may be found and shared at…
- Wayfarer
Paying the Price (or Not) [CaD 2 Sam 24]
I want to pay the price for my sin. I need to pay the price for my sin. I can't believe that my guilty conscience can be absolved in any other way than for me…
- Wayfarer
The Depth's in the Details (CaD 2 Sam 23)
Sometimes the real story is in the details. Even as human beings sharing life together, what makes our community and conversation transformational is found in…
- Wayfarer
God is My (Fill in the Blank) (CaD 2 Sam 22)
I appreciate David's word picture, but rocks, caves, fortresses, and strongholds have not been a strong part of my personal journey living most of my life in…
- Wayfarer
Sometimes I Need a Lecture from Doc (CaD 2 Sam 21)
I'm discovering that wisdom lies in channeling my available resources in the most constructive, efficient and effective ways. A chapter-a-day podcast from 2…
- Wayfarer
Dealing Swiftly with Troublemakers (CaD 2 Sam 20)
The further I get in life's journey the more intolerant I have become of troublemakers and crazy makers. A chapter-a-day podcast from 2 Samuel 20. The text…
- Wayfarer
Carte Blanche Companions (CaD 2 Sam 19)
This life journey can become a long slog at times. The first rule any child learns about hiking in the wilderness is "buddy up." A chapter-a-day podcast from 2…