How People Grow: Finding Wisdom in Every Season

BONUS - David Achata: Was Bethlehem Strategic? Recovering the "Religion of Jesus" in an Age of Empire

In this bonus episode, David Achata challenges us to look at the Holiday Season as a time to remember "The Religion of Jesus" vs. "The Religion about Jesus." Who were the Magi that came from a distance of 1600 miles? Why did they go to Jerusalem? What do their beliefs about power, wisdom and authority show us for our time today in 2025? 
As we finish 2025 and look ahead to 2026 - here's a Christmas message to contemplate. 
If you'd like to read the substack blog that comes with this podcast, go click here.
To support this podcast you can do so at http://davidachata.substack.com/ 
To learn more about David's work see: https://jointherootedway.com/
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the How People Grow Podcast. 

Choosing a Deep Life: Parker Palmer on Finding Faithfulness Over Effectiveness

In our season finale, David Achata sits down with legendary author Parker Palmer to explore what it means to live a rooted life. Discover the wisdom of prioritizing faithfulness to your true values over the pressure of external effectiveness, and how integrity deepens as we grow old.
In this episode, Parker Palmer quotes a poem by William Stafford. 
A Ritual to Read to Each Other
If you don't know the kind of person I am
and I don't know the kind of person you are
a pattern that others made may prevail in the world
and following the wrong god home we may miss our star.
 
For there is many a small betrayal in the mind,
a shrug that lets the fragile sequence break
sending with shouts the horrible errors of childhood
storming out to play through the broken dike.
 
And as elephants parade holding each elephant's tail,
but if one wanders the circus won't find the park,
I call it cruel and maybe the root of all cruelty
to know what occurs but not recognize the fact.
 
And so I appeal to a voice, to something shadowy,
a remote important region in all who talk:
though we could fool each other, we should consider—
lest the parade of our mutual life get lost in the dark.
 
For it is important that awake people be awake,
or a breaking line may discourage them back to sleep;
the signals we give — yes or no, or maybe —
should be clear: the darkness around us is deep.
 
To read Parker's recent writing visit: https://parkerjpalmer.substack.com/
To learn more about the Center for Courage and Renewal: https://couragerenewal.org/
 
To support this podcast visit https//davidachata.substack.com/ 
 
To learn more about David's work see: https://jointherootedway.com/
 
If this interview was helpful to you, please leave us a postive review. 
 

Jeff Vanderstelt - Coming Home to Yourself

Jeff Vanderstelt is the Executive Director of http://saturatetheworld.com/ an organization committed to equipping the church to live out of its identity in every space and place. He also helped found the Soma Family of Churches and lives near Seattle, Washington with his wife Jayne, and their family. 
In this interview, Jeff shares his story of learning to be himself. After many years of personal work, Jeff reflects on his own life, changes, and his learning to be present to himself, to God and others. 
To support this podcast see http://davidachata.substack.com/
To learn more about David's work see: https://jointherootedway.com/
AND - don't forget to leave us a review. 
To connect with Jeff, listen for his email in the podcast. 

Tim Ross - Becoming a "Sticker," Investing in a Community

Tim Ross is a Cherokee teacher, retired pastor, missionary and current seminary teacher. In this episode Tim shares with us native ways of praying, as well as the concept of becoming a "Sticker" - meaning, someone who stays and invests in a community.
Tim's teaching work can be found at NAIITS, an an indigenous seminary. To learn more about Tim and his work, check out https://naiits.com/
If this podcast was helpful to you, please leave us a review by clicking here, scrolling to the bottom and leaving a rating and a note. 
To join an online conversation about this and other podcasts from this show support us at davidachata.substack.com - all the articles are free. For $8 monthly you can join the conversation. 

Lisa Sharon Harper - Cultivating a Very Good World

Lisa Sharon Harper is an author, theologan, teacher, and consultant. She is the founder of https://freedomroad.us/ and gives her life to helping others learn to do justice in just ways. 
This is Lisa's second appearance on this podcast. To listen to her first interview, go back to Season 2 and check out our season finale. 
In this episode, Lisa shares about a recent trip to Brazil to work with an influental church there, and talks with us about the importance of silence when cultivating a rooted life. 
Join Lisa's Substack page with nearly 10k others to track reguarly with her work: https://substack.com/@lisasharonharper
To support this podcast go on over to http://davidachata.substack.com/

Donna Burske - Though My Fathers and Mothers Left Me

Dr. Donna Burske serves as a Hospital Chaplain Manager in Orlando, Florida. She is a mother, teacher, contemplative, and a cancer survivor. In this episode Donna shares what it was like growing up adopted and eventually finding her biological family. 
She shares what it means to her to live a rooted life in this thought-provoking episode. To contact donna email her at dburske@gmail.com 
To support this podcast go to http://davidachata.substack.com/ 

Joe Steinke - Finding a Greater Grace From a Deeper Well

Joe Steinke is a Spiritual Director, a former pastor, lifelong musician and co-founder of 24/7 Prayer USA. In this interview he shares what it was like to grow up in community in the midst of the Jesus Movement of the 1970's. He also shares practices people can engage in to find their rooting. Joe shares what it means to be a mystic and encourages us to find a "greater grace from a deeper well." 
To find out more about Joe Steinke and connect with his work visit http://www.souloftheshepherd.org/ 
To support this podcast go to davidachata.substack.com 

Ron Pickell - The Kingdom Among Us

Ron Pickell is a retired pastor and chaplain. His most recent position was serving on the University Campus of UC Berkeley, California for 25 years. 
In this episode Ron talks with us about how being rooted means knowing what you’re about, where you’re going, and what’s most important. For Ron, that means understanding the presence and power of God among us right now. Ron shares his conversion story, his near death experience of a years ago and how that changed him.
As a special bonus, we’ve included a song of Ron’s from many years back called “The Wedding.” Stay till the end. 
To get into contact with Ron, check out his instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/rpig4wordoncampus/
To support his podcast go to davidachata.substack.com 

Season 5 Introduction - Living a Rooted Life With David Achata

What does it mean to be a rooted person in a world that leaves so many of us feeling lost? To be rooted is to be connected — to God, to others, and to the larger story we’re part of.
This season, David Achata, author, leadership consultant, coach, and former pastor, takes listeners on a journey of listening, learning, and connecting with mentors and community. In this episode, he draws from the wisdom of Parker Palmer, Richard Rohr, and John O’Donohue, as well as Scripture and Indigenous traditions. David explores how rootedness can transform pain, restore connection, and reveal a better way to live.
Podcast music provided by Aaron Roche.
Support this podcast at davidachata.substack.com 

Andrew Holley - The House Fire That Led to Rock n' Roll (UPDATED)

Andrew Holley was once a pastor and church planter. But then his house burned down. After picking up the pieces, he and his wife tried to keep going the way they always had, but something had changed. 
Some time later, at the urging of his friends, he entered a singer/songwriter contest. From there, he kept playing. Today, Andrew has embraced the music life and writes music that's full of soul, blues, and good ole' rock n' roll. 
He spoke on the How People Grow Podcast about this transition - listen and enjoy his wisdom about how important relationships are, life in community, and doing what you love. 
Hear his latest EP at https://onerpm.link/166172119066 
Find out more about Andrew at https://www.andrewholleymusic.com/ 
To support the podcast go to https://substack.com/@davidachata