No Small Endeavor with Lee C. Camp

What do Olympic athletes, world-class artists, elite academics, and successful business executives have in common? Ivy League psychologist Angela Duckworth has spent her career researching this question, closely studying those folks at the top of their respective fields who are considered “high achievers.” Surprisingly, it turns out neither talent nor genius is the answer. “The common denominator,...

What do Olympic athletes, world-class artists, elite academics, and successful business executives have in common? Ivy League psychologist Angela Duckworth has spent her career researching this question, closely studying those folks at the top of their respective fields who are considered “high achievers.” Surprisingly, it turns out neither talent nor genius is the answer. “The common denominator,...

This is our unabridged episode with Elise Hu. What is beauty, and what role should it play in our lives? Beauty has long been seen as one the three “transcendentals” (along with truth and goodness) which have been valued at all times, in all places, by all cultures. But these days, the word “beauty” is often equated with standards of bodily presentation that, in an increasingly globalized and tech...

What is beauty, and what role should it play in our lives? Beauty has long been seen as one the three “transcendentals” (along with truth and goodness) which have been valued at all times, in all places, by all cultures. But these days, the word “beauty” is often equated with standards of bodily presentation that, in an increasingly globalized and technological world, are reachable only by extreme...

Twins Tom and Tony Bancroft grew up sharing a small bedroom, trying to out-draw each other. Today, they have long careers under their belts working for Disney, Warner Brothers, and many more esteemed animation studios. Their life’s work is a testament to the power of passion, imagination, faith, and brotherhood. In this episode, they discuss how they became animators at the world’s most famous com...

This is our unabridged episode with Heather Holleman. How important is it to be a good conversationalist? In an age of widespread loneliness, close relationships are at a premium, and it’s harder than ever to find common ground, even with those we spend time with on a daily basis. According to Heather Holleman, this is due in part to the fact that we have lost the ability to have what she calls “g...

How important is it to be a good conversationalist? In an age of widespread loneliness, close relationships are at a premium, and it’s harder than ever to find common ground, even with those we spend time with on a daily basis. According to Heather Holleman, this is due in part to the fact that we have lost the ability to have what she calls “good conversations.” “Good conversations create persona...

This is our unabridged interview with Rebecca DeYoung. Sin. It's a word seen by many as a "religious word," one which evokes all manner of images. Like, maybe Las Vegas. Or the temptation of Adam and Eve in the book of Genesis. But many see it as an irrelevant word to their contemporary life. Our guest today has studied what are traditionally referred to as the seven deadly sins. She proposes that...

Sin. It's a word seen by many as "religious word," one which evokes all manner of images. Like, maybe Las Vegas. Or the temptation of Adam and Eve in the book of Genesis. But many see it as an irrelevant word to their contemporary life. Our guest today has studied what are traditionally referred to as the seven deadly sins. She proposes that the medieval taxonomy of sin is actually -quite- relevan...

This is our unabridged interview with Peter Harris and Jo Swinney. “If you live in community, you have no choice but to tell a true story.” Peter Harris, Anglican clergyman and founder of environmental non-profit A Rocha, lost his beloved wife Miranda in a car accident in South Africa. Miranda left behind a grieving community, and an unfinished book. Their daughter, Jo Swinney, found her mother’s...

“If you live in community, you have no choice but to tell a true story.” Peter Harris, Anglican clergyman and founder of environmental non-profit A Rocha, lost his beloved wife Miranda in a car accident in South Africa. Miranda left behind a grieving community, and an unfinished book. Their daughter, Jo Swinney, found her mother’s unfinished book, full of wisdom and stories from a life dedicated t...

This is our unabridged interview with N.T. Wright. How does art affect our theology? “Most Christians believe that the aim of the game is to go to heaven when you die. That’s wrong,” says N.T. Wright, Anglican bishop and bestselling author. In fact, he argues, most Christians have gotten it completely backwards. We don’t go there when we die - it comes to us when we live. In this episode, we discu...

How does art affect our theology? “Most Christians believe that the aim of the game is to go to heaven when you die. That’s wrong,” says N.T. Wright, Anglican bishop and bestselling author. In fact, he argues, most Christians have gotten it completely backwards. We don’t go there when we die - it comes to us when we live. In this episode, we discuss how such a drastic theological error can be wide...

Happy Thanksgiving! How can one be grateful during difficult times? And how do we talk to one another in a polarized world? In this episode, we bring you four conversations to tee you up for a successful and meaningful time with family and friends. First, we hear from six-time Grammy-winner Amy Grant on her newfound gratitude in the wake of a traumatic bike accident. Then, Heather Holleman gives u...

Every year on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, No Small Endeavor hosts a live variety show in downtown Nashville featuring esteemed musicians and guest speakers. In 2022, we were joined at the world-famous Ryman Auditorium by Americana duo Johnnyswim and psychiatrist Curt Thompson. It was a night of laughter, story, and song, all to celebrate hospitality, vulnerability, and gratitude. In this episo...

Should Christians condone war? There is a long history of debate among Christians regarding the use of violence. Is “turning the other cheek” an excuse to take oppression lying down? Should Christians adhere to national military obligations? Is there such a thing as a “just war,” or is all killing anti-Christian? Michael Budde has been studying these questions for a long time. In this episode, he...

Should Christians condone war? There is a long history of debate among Christians regarding the use of violence. Is “turning the other cheek” an excuse to take oppression lying down? Should Christians adhere to national military obligations? Is there such a thing as a “just war,” or is all killing anti-Christian? Michael Budde has been studying these questions for a long time. In this episode, he...

This is our unabridged episode with Zac Davis and Ashley McKinless, co-hosts of Jesuitical. Do young people care about religion? Zac Davis and Ashley McKinless have good reason to think so. Together, they host the Jesuitical podcast, which explicitly calls itself “a podcast for young Catholics.” “Most people are left with trying to solve 27-year-old problems with an eighth grade religious formatio...

Do young people care about religion? Zac Davis and Ashley McKinless have good reason to think so. Together, they host the Jesuitical podcast, which explicitly calls itself “a podcast for young Catholics.” “Most people are left with trying to solve 27-year-old problems with an eighth grade religious formation,” says Zac. The solution, they believe, is not to take one’s religion less seriously, but...

Today, we’re sharing a special episode from The Gist—hosted by Mike Pesca. Rainn Wilson is the host of Peacock's The Geography Of Bliss, based on the book of the same name written by Eric Weiner. Like Weiner before him, Wilson (who played the legendary Dwight Schrute on The Office) travels the world in search of locally sourced happiness secrets. For some reason, Mike gives them both a hard time,...

This is our unabridged episode with Kelly Corrigan. “What percentage of all pain in the world is related to wanting to belong?” Kelly Corrigan - who you may know as a New York Times bestselling author and the host of a number of popular radio and TV shows - was a young mother of two when she and her beloved father were both diagnosed with cancer. It was, to say the least, an immensely difficult ti...

“What percentage of all pain in the world is related to wanting to belong?” Kelly Corrigan - who you may know as a New York Times bestselling author and the host of a number of popular radio and TV shows - was a young mother of two when she and her beloved father were both diagnosed with cancer. It was, to say the least, an immensely difficult time. Yet, she found her way through it by relying hea...

This is our unabridged episode with Jennifer Wiseman. Astrophysicist Jennifer Wiseman is no stranger to wonder. Spending her days studying the formation of stars and planets, she often finds herself in awe of both the vastness of the universe and its intricate detail. She’s also a practicing Christian, who sees science as complementary rather than contrary to her faith. And did we mention she disc...

Astrophysicist Jennifer Wiseman is no stranger to wonder. Spending her days studying the formation of stars and planets, she often finds herself in awe of both the vastness of the universe and its intricate detail. She’s also a practicing Christian, who sees science as complementary rather than contrary to her faith. And did we mention she discovered a comet while on a college field trip? In this...

This is our unabridged interview with Meghan O’Gieblyn. Will technology change what it means to be human? Thanks to the rise and implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the common sci-fi trope of a machine-perpetuated apocalypse has taken on a new gravity in recent days. But is Chat GPT really going to rebel against humans, or even change things very much at all? “We're at the point where...