CQ Podcast

CQ
  • 5.0 (10)
  • Society & Culture

The CQ Podcast helps Christians, churches, and nonprofits grow in cross-cultural competency and gospel-shaped unity. Hosted by Will Plonk, pastor and executive director of the CQ Initiative, each episode blends Scripture, practical tools, and real conversations to equip leaders to engage God’s beautifully diverse world with wisdom and hope.

Episodes

  1. Jun 4

    Leading Across Difference with Will Krause | Ep. 9

    In this episode with Will Krause, we explore what happens when we we start to recognize the water we’re swimming in. What happens when we begin asking: What blind spots do I have? Who’s missing from my life? What perspectives am I not hearing? Cultural competency isn’t a destination. It’s a lifelong pursuit. Growth starts with humility. And often, it starts by recognizing how much we still have to learn.

    35 min

  2. May 21

    Leading without Losing Yourself with Walter Belton | Ep. 8

    Leadership in diverse spaces comes with a unique tension: How do you grow in cultural awareness and lead people well without losing your own voice in the process? In this episode of the CQ Podcast, Will sits down with Pastor Belton of Radiant Church for an honest conversation about leading in multi-ethnic spaces with authenticity, humility, and conviction. Together they unpack code switching, resisting unhealthy assimilation, navigating cultural differences, and learning how to serve people unlike yourself without pretending to be someone you’re not. This conversation is for pastors, leaders, and anyone trying to faithfully engage people across lines of culture, background, and experience. Because healthy leadership isn’t about becoming someone else. It’s about becoming more aware, more loving, and more authentically who God created you to be. God doesn’t use perfect people. He uses authentic people surrendered to Him for His glory.

    42 min

  3. May 7

    Bridge Building with Charnise Mangle | Ep. 7

    In this episode of the CQ Podcast, we talk about bridge building — what it really takes to grow in cultural fluency and navigate hard conversations across differences. From ministry to leadership, friendships to organizations, we explore why good intentions alone aren’t enough. Healthy bridge building requires humility, honesty, curiosity, and the willingness to stay in conversations that stretch us. We discuss practical best practices, common mistakes people make when engaging across cultures, and why cultural fluency is less about performance and more about formation.

    38 min

  4. Apr 23

    Assimilation to Authenticity with KeJuan | Ep. 6

    How do you lead as a person of color in a predominantly white space? This conversation holds tension: pursuing unity while carrying the weight that often comes with it. The pressure to assimilate. The exhaustion of navigating difference. The challenge of leading in a way that stays true to who you are. Because unity isn’t the same as uniformity. We talk about what it means to reject assimilation, create space for authentic expression, and lead in a way that reflects how Jesus made you.

    40 min

  5. Apr 9

    Singing + Culture with Jim Thompson | Ep. 5

    Singing isn't just a response in worship. It's formation and it's obedience. In this episode, we explore the theology of singing, how worship takes on different expressions across cultures, and what that means for our day to day.  Different expressions may sound unfamiliar, but they expand how we see and worship God. The way we sing is shaping us, whether we notice it or not.

    45 min

  6. Mar 26

    From the Block to the Boardroom with KeJuan Robinson | Ep. 4

    From the block to the boardroom. What does it actually take to build something that translates across cultures? This conversation moves past ideas and into action. Because building something truly diverse requires more than good intentions. We get into the tension: unity vs. uniformity, the real cost of diversity, and what it looks like to honor the parts of the body of believers that have been overlooked. It’s uncomfortable at times. It’s imperfect. But it’s necessary. The truth? You don’t need to have it all figured out. But you do need the right posture, the right people, and a willingness to grow.

    38 min

  7. Mar 12

    Theology & Transformation + Culture with Frank Legare | Ep. 3

    In this conversation with Frank Legare, we unpack the cultural mandate, the difference between assimilation and accommodation, and how Scripture calls the church to be a blessing to every nation. Frank shares the moments that disrupted his own assumptions and how stepping into multi-cultural spaces deepened his understanding of the gospel. We talk humility, curiosity, and what it means to enter every cultural encounter as a learner. The Bible doesn’t just teach us, it transforms us. "Theology & Transformation + Culture"

    37 min

  8. Feb 26

    Education + Culture with Charnise Mangle | Ep. 2

    We’re sitting down with educator and CQ board member Charnise Mangle to talk about culture, classrooms, and what it costs to lead with conviction in predominantly white spaces. This is about Imago Dei in real life. About being the only face like yours at the table. About the emotional labor no one sees. And about building a culture where students don’t just learn… they feel seen. The next generation is watching as we lead.

    46 min

  9. Feb 12

    Real Talk + Real Growth with KeJuan Robinson | Ep. 1

    "Real Talk Real Growth." We're talking: the Kingdom culture, multi-ethnic ministry and what it takes to build spaces where people don't just attend... they belong. This isn't surface-level diversity talk. This is discipleship leadership. This is the church learning how to live like Heaven looks.  If you care about faith, culture, and the future of the Church - this conversation is for you.  Join Pastor P and KeJuan as they talk about the importance of honesty and clarity in cross cultural ministry.

    32 min

  10. Jan 28 ·  Bonus

    Immigration + Culture with Alma Ruth

    Join Pastor Will Plonk, Executive Director of CQ Initiative, as he sits down with Alma Ruth, a missionary serving along the southern border, for a powerful conversation on immigration, culture, and faith. Recorded in the fall of 2025 — months before the recent ICE-related shootings and the renewed national outcry surrounding immigration enforcement — this conversation speaks with surprising clarity into our current cultural moment. Together, Will and Alma Ruth explore what it looks like to see immigrants not as headlines, but as neighbors; not as political problems, but as people made in the image of God. This pre-drop episode isn’t a reaction to breaking news — it’s a deeper, longer view of how faith shapes the way we understand dignity, belonging, and responsibility across cultural lines. If you’re looking for language, wisdom, and perspective to help you process what’s happening around us, this conversation is for you.

    26 min
  • 10 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

The CQ Podcast helps Christians, churches, and nonprofits grow in cross-cultural competency and gospel-shaped unity. Hosted by Will Plonk, pastor and executive director of the CQ Initiative, each episode blends Scripture, practical tools, and real conversations to equip leaders to engage God’s beautifully diverse world with wisdom and hope.

Information

  • Creator
    CQ
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    10
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 CQ Podcast
  • Show Website
    CQ Podcast

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