Made to Advance with Brian Aulick

Jay Riemersma is a former NFL tight end, having played for both the Buffalo Bills and the Pittsburgh Steelers. He now serves as the Executive Director of Gateway Mission, a non-profit which serves the homeless and hurting in Holland, Michigan. Jay and Brian talk about his path from college & professional football to a second career in ministry. Links & Episode Notes Jay Riemersma Buffalo B...

Kirsten Field is an entrepreneur and founder of Kids Crafts, an online retailer of craft kits themed around the stories of mighty women. Kirsten and Brian talk about the path to relaunching her business amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, and how faith often means taking a step forward even when the outcome is uncertain. Links & Episode Notes Kirsten Field ( Instagram | LinkedIn ) Hope College Start...

What will we see when we die? John Burke is the founder and former lead pastor of Gateway Church in Austin, Texas. He’s also an author who has researched over 1,000 near-death experiences. He and Brian talk about the reality of heaven and what it looks like to live with a true vision of eternity in mind. Links & Episode Notes John Burke ( Instagram ) Imagine Heaven Imagine Heaven Imagine the G...

Ricky Dickson is the former president and CEO of Blue Bell Creameries and author of the new book “One Scoop at a Time.” Ricky shares many lessons from his time in leadership, as well as how we can listen to God’s voice to better understand his dreams and plans for our lives. Links & Episode Notes Ricky Dickson Blue Bell Creameries Cookie Two Step® Gooey Butter Cake Ultimate Neapolitan The Grea...

Dr. Jeremy Williams is a plastic surgeon from Lone Tree, Colorado, who has a passion for medical missions work and the outdoors. He and Brian talk about using our talents and gifts to serve a higher purpose, and how his own path has led him around the world — literally. Links & Episode Notes Jeremy Williams LinkedIn Park Meadows Cosmetic Surgery Mount Kilimanjaro Seven Summits The University o...

Jerome Vierling is lead pastor and founder of City Life Church in Lansing, Michigan. Also a hip hop artist, Jerome shares how he’s integrated his creative passions with faithful leadership. He emphasizes the importance of staying true to yourself and being close to God and others. Links & Episode Notes Jerome Vierling City Life Church Pickney, Michigan Hip hop influence Fear of a Black Planet...

Naeem Fazal is the founding and lead pastor of Mosaic Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. In this conversation he shares about a supernatural encounter with Jesus at 18 years old that led him to leave his Muslim faith behind, become a Christian, and eventually start Mosaic Church. Links & Episode Notes Naeem Fazal Ex-Muslim: How One Daring Prayer to Jesus Changed a Life Forever David Hasselho...

Lungz Makaula is the Founder and Lead Pastor of SOZO City Church in Chicago, Illinois. He shares his global journey from growing up in South Africa to Hillsong Australia and then on to the United States, emphasizing that each of life’s decisions is a step, not the final destination. Links & Episode Notes Lungz Makaula ( Instagram ) SOZO City Church Apartheid - Wikipedia Biography of Nelson Man...

Dennis Neckel, production manager at the Gateway Center of the Holland Rescue Mission, shares his journey from prison to leadership, highlighting all the people who took a risk on him and his transformation from brokenness to new life. Links & Episode Notes Gateway Mission Kuyper College 70x7 Life Recovery Youth for Christ Biggby Coffee Pat Benatar - Wikipedia Made to Advance is a production o...

Katherine Wolf survived a massive stroke at age 26, and in this episode she shares her inspiring story of suffering, faith, and hope. Katherine tells the story of Hope Heals, the non-profit organization she started with husband Jay in the aftermath of her health scare, and she also dispels the myth that joy can only be found in a pain-free life. Links & Episode Notes Katherine Wolf Hope Heals...

Gary Thomas is a renowned author with a passion for helping people grow closer to Jesus and others, having written over 20 books. In this episode, he and Brian discuss books like “Sacred Marriage” and “When to Walk Away,“ which emphasizes the importance of recognizing toxic relationships and the biblical basis for simply walking away. Links & Episode Notes Gary Thomas Seeking the Face of God S...

Online entrepreneur and group fitness expert Lindsey Bomgren joins to talk about Nourish Move Love, her website offering free workouts for busy women. She and Brian talk about the importance of approaching work from a place of rest and faith, aiming to inspire others, and building a strong Nourish Move Love community. Lindsey also shares her team’s approach to content creation and optimizing for e...

Justin Mack is the missions pastor from River Valley Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He and Brian talk about the path to founding Project42, an organization dedicated to reaching people who’ve never heard the good news of Jesus. Justin shares about the faith and finances it took to start Project42, as well as practical ideas for managing big things as a family. Links & Episode Notes Justin M...

Frank Weisser, former Blue Angel and Navy combat pilot who flew stunts for Top Gun Maverick, joins Brian in the studio for this bonus episode. They talk about focusing on what matters most, developing trust and valuing different perspectives on a team, and finding purpose and direction for each phase of life. Links & Episode Notes Made to Advance, Episode 14: Live with Top Gun: Maverick stunt...

From the Engedi Church Men’s Conference in February 2024: U.S. Navy Blue Angel and Top Gun: Maverick stunt pilot Frank Weisser joins Brian to share his story. From perilous flights over Afghanistan to flying with Tom Cruise, Frank shares his wisdom on faith, failure, and fighting through adversity. Links & Episode Notes U.S. Navy CDR Frank Weisser U.S. Navy Blue Angels Top Gun: Maverick (2022)...

Shaun Page shares his journey from beating leukemia to becoming a Chick-fil-A owner-operator in Holland, Michigan. He talks about the entrepreneurial aspects of running a Chick-fil-A and what it’s like to partner with the Chick-fil-A corporate team. Shaun discusses the significance of building and leading a team, solving problems, and the secrets to Chick-fil-A’s strong company culture. Links &amp...

Church planter, lead pastor, author, and entrepreneur Troy Evans joins to discuss his background, including his childhood in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and his journey in ministry. Troy emphasizes the importance of church multiplication and encourages young leaders to take steps towards planting churches in urban contexts. Links & Episode Notes Troy Evans The Edge of Redemption Hustle Pray Eat Th...

Pastor and Winning at Home founder Dan Seaborn joins to share about his long history of ministry, his growth in faithfulness, and his emphasis on finding value and identity in Jesus rather than performance. Dan also encourages us about the importance of slowing down, listening, and making Jesus the central focus in life for true contentment and satisfaction. Links & Episode Notes Dan Seaborn D...

Biblical scholar, author, and podcaster Preston Sprinkle joins to discuss how to engage in difficult conversations with charity and grace, especially in the context of challenging issues like faith, sexuality, and gender. Did we mention it’s an election year? Links & Episode Notes Preston Sprinkle Theology in the Raw podcast The Center for Faith, Sexuality & Gender Path to Biblical scholar...

Chuck Surack, founder of Sweetwater Sound, shares his journey of music, entrepreneurship, and leadership, emphasizing the importance of serving people well and persevering through challenges. From a VW bus to one million square feet, God has used Chuck and his family to impact so many in Fort Wayne and beyond. Links & Episode Notes Chuck Surack Sweetwater Surack Family Foundation SweetCars Gro...

Dr. Bill Mounce is a professor and best-selling author of the book Basics of Biblical Greek. He shares his journey as both scholar and entrepreneur, including the genesis of BiblicalTraining.org . Bill and Brian discuss Biblical foundations, interpreting Scripture, and how we can go deeper in the Bible to advance our faith. Links & Episode Notes Bill Mounce Basics of Biblical Greek Grammar Bib...

Gladys Cruz immigrated from Mexico to Michigan as a young girl, leaving behind a challenging present for an equally challenging future. In this episode Gladys shared about starting her own luxury balloon art business, her struggle with depression & anxiety, the importance of seeking help, and her hopes and dreams for the future. Links & Episode Notes Gladys Cruz Llamazing Events ( Instagra...

Josh Shockey is the founding pastor of Motor City Church in Detroit, Michigan. He and Brian discuss Josh’s background, including his Texas roots and God’s call to leave everything, move to Detroit, and plant a church. They also talk about the challenges and faith-stretching moments Josh faced along the way. Links & Episode Notes Josh Shockey ( Instagram )  Motor City Church - Detroit, Michigan...

Dr. Nijay Gupta is a New Testament scholar and author of twenty-five books, including Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church. On this episode Nijay shares his path to vocational scholarship, navigating imposter syndrome, battles with health issues, and the benefits of working with a spiritual director. Links & Episode Notes Dr. Nijay Gupta ( Twitter | Instagr...

Matt Scogin’s path to the presidency at Hope College was anything but conventional, having spent time in both Washington, D.C. and on Wall Street before arriving back on campus in Holland, Michigan in 2019. Possibly even more unconventional is how he’s leaning on the power of the Gospel to face higher education’s biggest challenges head on. In this episode, Matt shares his story and how he seeks t...