89 episodes

As a preacher, are you just transferring information or speaking from a transformed place? No one can preach God’s Word well without first being personally transformed by it.

Craft & Character Steve Carter

    • Religion & Spirituality
    • 4.9 • 115 Ratings

As a preacher, are you just transferring information or speaking from a transformed place? No one can preach God’s Word well without first being personally transformed by it.

    A Call to Resilience with Jay Hewitt

    A Call to Resilience with Jay Hewitt

    In this episode, Steve Carter interviews pastor and author Jay Hewitt about finding strength in our deepest need and weakness.
    A few years back Jay was diagnosed with brain cancer and during his chemo treatment he decided to train for an Ironman to show his young daughter what resilience looks like. Jay ended up completing the Ironman and wrote an incredible book called “I Am Weak, I Am Strong” about what God has taught him during this fight with cancer.
    Steve and Jay stood in each other's weddings, are dear friends, and this episode is one of the most moving because of how personal, tender, and difficult as Jay shares the reality that the brain cancer has returned.
    BIO
    Jay Hewitt is a pastor, author, and motivational speaker whose life journey is an awe-inspiring testimony of courage and faith. Diagnosed with terminal brain cancer at thirty-seven, he found strength through God, embracing his purpose as a storyteller. In his memoir, I Am Weak, I Am Strong, Jay shares his extraordinary quest to become an IRONMAN while battling cancer.
    EPISODE LINKS
    Book: I Am Weak, I Am Strong
    Website: www.jayhewitt.org
    Social: @jayhewitt
    @steveryancarter
    @craft_character
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    • 1 hr 4 min
    Transparent Preaching with Justin Davis

    Transparent Preaching with Justin Davis

    In this episode of Craft and Character, Steve Carter interviews Justin Davis about how transparency leads to transformation. Justin details the hard lessons he had to learn and what God has redeemed and refined because of it.
    They also unpack Justin’s latest book entitled Being Real > Being Perfect and how to embody that from the pulpit, in our leadership, marriage, and with the deepest friendships.
    BIO
    Justin is an author, speaker, and pastor and has dedicated his life to helping people experience life change through the power of authenticity. He co-founded RefineUs Ministries and is the author of the Being Real > Being Perfect: How Transparency Leads to Transformation and co-author of Beyond Ordinary: When a Good Marriage Just Isn't Good Enough, which he wrote alongside his wife, Trisha.
    EPISODE LINKS
    Sermon Series - https://www.refineus.org/greatersermons
    Book - Being Real > Being Perfect: How Transparency Leads to Transformation
    Instagram - @justindavis33
    Website - www.refineus.com
    @steveryancarter
    @craft_character
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    • 51 min
    Lent and Sobriety with Jenn Kautsch

    Lent and Sobriety with Jenn Kautsch

    In this episode of Craft and Character, Steve interviews author Jenn Kautsch, who is the founder and creator of the SoberSis community. They talk about the season of Lent, what being sober curious is all about and how to renegotiate our relationship with alcohol.
    Jenn opens up about showing up to church many Sunday mornings a little foggy from the night before. You would have never known this was an issue, but Jenn knew she was relying on something other than Christ to help get her through.
    Jenn shares practical wisdom for what pastors can say and embody to help people in their congregation walking through this season.
    BIO
    Jenn Kautsch is the founder and creator of the SoberSis community and leader in the "Sober Curious" movement. SoberSis was "born" Christmas Day of 2017 and since then more than 200K women have downloaded her free "Happy Hour Survival Guide" and over 30K have participated in the 21 Day Reset Challenge. Those numbers are growing every month as she works hard to get the message out to more women! She is a motivational speaker and author of Look Alive, Sis.
    EPISODE LINKS
    Website: https://www.sobersis.com/home38426642
    Blog: https://www.sobersisblog.com/
    IG: @sobersis
    Free Happy Hour Survival Guide
    Jenn's Book: Look Alive, Sis!
    @steveryancarter
    @craft_character
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    • 57 min
    The Spirit of Politics with Michael Wear

    The Spirit of Politics with Michael Wear

    The majority of pastors are not looking forward to this 2024 presidential election season. The division between parties. The vitriol online. The angst within the congregation. The last few elections have been so difficult to navigate. There has to be a better way!
    In this episode, Steve Carter interviews Michael Wear who is the President of The Center of Christianity and Public Life as well as the author of The Spirit of Our Politics. Michael shares how Dallas Willard’s teachings helped him understand a better way to engage with politics.
    This interview will help pastors reframe the conversation of politics as an invitation for spiritual formation and how our depth with Christ will help us heal, bring hope, unite, and showcase the kind of goodness that Christ embodied.
    EPISODE LINKS
    Website: MichaelWear.com
    IG: @michaelwear
    X: @michaelrwear
    Michael's Book: The Spirit of Our Politics
    @steveryancarter
    @craft_character
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    • 49 min
    Hidden Wisdom of the Beatitudes with Mark Scandrette

    Hidden Wisdom of the Beatitudes with Mark Scandrette

    As we kick off 2024, Mark Scandrette offers up profound wisdom from the nine sayings of Jesus from the Beatitudes. It’s what Mark writes about in his latest book, The Ninefofd Path of Jesus. This episode is an invitation to the postures that the beatitudes provide us personally but also how to communicate these from pulpit. Mark unpacks his preaching methodology, how he arranges a sermon to be practice focused to help the congregation try on the concept. 
    EPISODE LINKS
    Mark’s book: The Ninefold Path of Jesus
    Website: www.markscandrette.com
    The Ninefold Path website: https://ninefoldpath.org/
    IG: @scandrette
    @steveryancarter
    @craft_character
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    • 58 min
    Start to Finish with Mark Dance

    Start to Finish with Mark Dance

    Do you ever feel like the tyranny of the urgent runs your life? Do you ever feel shame for wanting to take a day off or go on a vacation?
    As pastors, the needs are great and time is limited. Sadly, for many this means neglecting the things that matter most: our relationship with God, family, and the health of our souls.
    In this episode, Mark Dance, Director of Pastoral Wellness for Guidestone Financial Resources, explains to Steve Carter that orienting our lives around the two greatest commandments一loving God and neighbor一can be a joyful, restful experience. To deny yourself, as Jesus commands, doesn’t mean you should neglect yourself.
    In his new book, Start to Finish, Mark explains how to reclaim the life God wants for you as a leader一a life defined by balance, peace, friendship, rest, and wisdom.
    Every dollar from book sales go to Mission:Dignity, an organization that honors retirement-age ministers, workers, and widows struggling to meet basic needs through advocacy and financial assistance.

    EPISODE LINKS
    Mark’s books: Start to Finish: The Pastor’s Guide to Leading a Resilient Life and Ministry
    Website: https://markdance.net
    Guidestone: https://www.guidestone.org/
    @markdance
    @steveryancarter
    @craft_character
    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    • 44 min

Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5
115 Ratings

115 Ratings

williamb1965 ,

Informative grace

As a new Pastor, I am intrigued and interested in this topic and this podcast gave me some insight as to my next steps. Also, as someone who practiced Islam for years and who witnessed my own father, take a pilgrimage to Mecca I know the importance of loving your neighbor, and strive to live it out. Grateful

Austinjwalker ,

So helpful and practical

I’ve been listening since the beginning and it continues to be an amazing resource with super practical tips and helpful new/different paradigms. It’s also helped build up the number of communicators I’m listening to and learning from month to month. If you preach with any regularity, make sure this podcast is in your rotation.

tayday.vca ,

Practical tips to grow in craft and character

I love this podcast! Steve does a great job of introducing me to new faithful men and women to follow that are excellent at their craft and have the character to back it up. Love it!

Top Podcasts In Religion & Spirituality

The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Ascension
The Bible Recap
Tara-Leigh Cobble
Follow Him: A Come, Follow Me Podcast
Hank Smith & John Bytheway
Joel Osteen Podcast
Joel Osteen, SiriusXM
The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Ascension
Girls Gone Bible
Girls Gone Bible

You Might Also Like

The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast
Art of Leadership Network
Theology in the Raw
Theology in the Raw
John Mark Comer Teachings
Practicing the Way
The Emotionally Healthy Leader Podcast
Pete Scazzero
Andy Stanley Leadership Podcast
Andy Stanley
The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast
ChurchLeaders