The Better Together Podcast with Callie and Rosario "Roz" Picardo

Send us Fan Mail What if evangelism doesn’t have to feel awkward? We sit down with Dr. Mark Teasdale to talk about his book Socially Awkward Evangelism, overcoming fear, and discovering healthier ways to share our faith. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail We live in a culture that numbs pain instead of naming it. When life unravels through loss, trauma, or burnout, we’re often told to “move on,” “stay positive,” or “just have more faith.” But what if the way forward isn’t denial—it’s lament? In this episode, pastor and writer Allyce Fogle-Logue joins us to talk about her new book Heaven’s Ache —a forty-day journey through the Psalm...

Send us Fan Mail What if guilt isn’t your enemy—but a doorway to grace? In this episode, Pastor and author Kelly McCuaig joins us to talk about his new book Good Guilt: Redeeming the Gift of Repentance . Too often, guilt and repentance are viewed through the lens of shame, fear, and failure. But Kelly invites us to rediscover repentance as one of the most joyful and freeing practices in the Christ...

Send us Fan Mail What if the most profound revelations of God’s presence don’t happen on mountaintops or in dramatic moments, but in the ordinary rhythms of everyday life? In this episode, I sit down with Rev. James A. Harnish to talk about his newest book, Everyday Epiphanies: Meeting Christ in the Ordinary Moments of Life. Drawing from stories in the gospels and insights from decades of ministry...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Better Together , Pastor Roz sits down with Justin Hibbard—former Protestant pastor turned Catholic convert and host of the Why Catholic? podcast. With a background spanning Baptist, Pentecostal, Wesleyan, and other traditions, Justin shares what led him to explore Catholicism, ultimately embracing it as home. They discuss his popular Substack and podcast, where...

Send us Fan Mail What if church felt more like a Discord server than a pew? In this episode, we talk with Nathan Webb , aka the Nerd Pastor , founder of Checkpoint Church —a digital faith community created specifically for nerds, geeks, and gamers. Nathan shares the origin story of Checkpoint Church, which launched in 2020 with a vision to engage Comic-Con communities but pivoted fully online duri...

Send us Fan Mail Has anxiety about your church’s health ever taken over a leadership meeting? In this episode, Chad Brooks returns to share insights from his new book Is My Church Healthy? , a practical guide for assessing and revitalizing normal-sized churches. Chad introduces the Vitality Matrix , a strategic framework to help churches move from instability to sustainability using seven key mark...

Send us Fan Mail Forget everything you thought you knew about self-publishing. In this episode of The Better Together Podcast , we sit down with pastor, author, and strategist Chad Brooks to explore what it really takes to self-publish in today’s digital world. Chad walks us through how he wrote and released his first book— Is My Church Healthy? —in just 90 days, and why self-publishing is no long...

Send us Fan Mail What if your greatest wounds could become your greatest teachers? In this episode of The Better Together Podcast , we sit down with pastor, veteran, executive coach, and author Tony Miltenberger to talk about his upcoming book Wisdom in the Wound (releasing September 23, 2025). Tony shares how pain, failure, and disappointment aren’t detours—they can be sacred starting points for...

Send us Fan Mail What if rest isn’t a reward for finishing your work—but the place where your real work begins? In this episode, Rosario talks with Peter White , Anglican priest, spiritual director, and founder of The Sabbath Life , about why sabbath isn’t just for church leaders—it’s for all of us. Together, they explore how slowing down helps us become more human, not less, and how sabbath rhyth...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we sit down with pastor, entrepreneur, and author Joe Graves to explore how a spirit of innovation can breathe new life into church leadership. Joe shares candid insights from his own church planting journey—what sparked it, what surprised him, and how his entrepreneurial instincts have shaped both the triumphs and tensions along the way.​ We also dive into his la...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we sit down with Rev. Dustin Mailman, founding pastor of Deep Time in Asheville, North Carolina. Dustin shares the story behind this innovative faith community rooted in radical hospitality, restorative justice, and opportunities for returning citizens. With a background in traditional ministry and a heart for creative expressions of the Church, Dustin explores wh...

Send us Fan Mail In this inspiring episode of Better Together , we sit down with Charles DiRico, the visionary behind Word on the Street —a growing network of dinner churches reaching nearly 400 people weekly. Charles shares the powerful story of how this movement began with simple meals and has grown into a vibrant ministry rooted in worship, community, and mutual transformation. Charles discusse...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Better Together, I sit down with Rev. Dr. Rob Hutchinson to explore the vital role of the Holy Spirit in Christian community and decision-making. Rob shares his passion for fostering spiritually discerning church gatherings, advocating for a listen-first approach that prioritizes trust, mutual submission, and a shift in priorities toward collaborative discernmen...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I sit down with Travis Smith, a doctoral student researching the loneliness epidemic, a pastor, counseling center operator, and adjunct professor. We explore the deep impact of loneliness on individuals and communities, the role of faith in fostering meaningful relationships, and practical ways to cultivate authentic connection in an increasingly isolated world. T...

Send us Fan Mail Dr. John McGill, founder of We Do EQ, helps leaders grow in their emotional intelligence. One of the major currencies of leadership is trust, but there are different ways to demonstrate you are trustworthy. On this episode of the Better Together Podcast, Dr. McGill unpacks the different components of trust to help leaders grow and create cultures of trust. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail How do you plan for your life, your family, and/or your organization with God? Dr. Elaine Heath is an author, speaker, retreat leader, consultant, farmer and Abbess who leads the new monastic community Spring Forest. She offers a different path from the traditional models of strategic planning and outcome-based goals that creates space for discerning God's direction. As you f...

Send us Fan Mail With the holidays, clutter, and just the daily struggle to keep a house clean, it can feel like an added weight to practice hospitality and invite others into your home. It can also be a source of shame. Author and decluttering expert, Dana K. White discovered God's grace through the struggle of a messy home, and offers both spiritual and practical insights from her new book...

Send us Fan Mail Missiologist and pastor Daniel Yang and journalist Adelle Banks are co-authors with church researcher Warren Bird of the groundbreaking work Becoming a Future Ready Church . They unpack 8 trends the Church can adjust for now to be ready for the ministry the church needs to do in 2050. They beautifully inspire hope without condemnation to equip the Church to carry the mission of Je...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of Better Together , we’re joined by author and ministry expert Jason Moore to explore the fascinating intersection of artificial intelligence and the church. In his latest book, AI and the Church , Jason provides a clear roadmap for church leaders navigating the rapidly changing world of AI. We dive into practical ways AI can be harnessed for ministry, from stream...

Send us Fan Mail Seedbed Publishing President, Dr. Ivan Filby, is the author of Speak Tenderly: Prophetic Ministry Seasoned with Grace . He joins the Better Together podcast to share practical tools and stories of hearing the Holy Spirit speak personally and through prophecy. If you want to learn to discern the voice of the Holy Spirit, this episode is for you. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail What if God is calling you to be an unlikely hero? Author, professor, and biblical scholar Dr. Sandra Richter joins the Better Together Podcast to help us apply deep theological truths from the story of Deborah based on her new Epic of Eden bible study. While all of our podcasts are for men and women, female listeners who feel called to lead will find a mentor's voice in Dr....

Send us Fan Mail The Black Church has been studied from sociological and justice perspectives, but Professor, Preacher, Consultant and Speaker, Dr. Walter R. Stickland II noticed a missing piece: the theology that has shaped Black Christianity throughout history into the present. Like a choir with the altos missing, Strickland explains, he wants to lift up a missing part of the harmony. Join us to...

Send us Fan Mail Love seems like the most over-discussed topic in Christianity, but what if we still don't fully understand it? Dr. Joe Dongell offers a fresh, deep perspective of love that is sure to ignite your passion for God once again. Join us as we learn from Dr. Dongell and his newest work The Most Excellent Way: John Wesley's Theology of Love. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail What role does anxiety play in the Church? As Americans start paying more attention to mental health, what role can Christians play in the healing process? Author and professor, Rev. Dr. Michael Jordan joins the Better Together podcast to share ways laity and clergy can point people to Christ with integrity in an Age of Anxiety. Support the show