Welcome to People Watching!
My guest today is Rachel Hastings.
I've known Rachel for almost ten years now, ever since we started working together in 2015. Getting to know each other through different seasons has built a cherished friendship that continues to evolve.
In this first part of our conversation, we explore themes of self-awareness, motivation, and the complexities of navigating personal and professional lives within the context of ministry and evangelicalism. We also discuss the role of anger and grief in personal growth, the influence of money on ministry, and the need for integrity and congruity in leadership. Our conversation really dug into the importance of creating supportive environments that empower individuals to thrive while challenging the status quo.
Rachel holds two master's degrees, and has worked in professional Christian ministry and in higher education before transitioning into the publishing industry. She is now Assistant Academic Editorial Director for InterVarsity Press. She attempts to be a soccer mom to three kids, while also finding time to read, cook, walk her dog, and watch horror films.
As in every conversation I have with Rachel, we cover a lot of ground--from parenting to the American evangelical church to what it means to stay true to self even while inhabiting so many different roles in life.
The themes of self-awareness and self-interrogation came up over and over again throughout our conversation. I'm going to be thinking a lot about how that posture and practice shows up, not just in my own life, but in others' lives as well. I'm honestly super impressed that we managed to have this conversation with a lot less cursing than we normally do.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
Let’s be hopeful, creative, and wise—together.
Shalom,
Chapters
00:00 Intro
02:09 Welcome & Touchstones
04:00 Embracing Rejection, Finding Acceptance
08:56 Sources of Motivation & Building Back Doors
19:06 The Death of a Dream
25:17 Leaning Into Anger & Grief
28:13 The Quest for Congruity
32:53 Incentivizing Incongruity
38:43 Owning Limitations & Cultivating Wellness
42:46 Fear, Congruity & Counter-Models
51:00 Mixing Money & Ministry
56:17 Outro
Watch on YouTube!
Links Mentioned
* Scott Erickson art print: https://shorturl.at/j7mSD
* Consolations, by David Whyte: https://shorturl.at/moQJd
* Caesar & the Lamb, by George Kalantzis: https://shorturl.at/oQXJH
Other Places to Find Rachel
* Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/racheldhastings.bsky.social
* X https://x.com/rhastings1987?s=21
* Email rhastings@ivpress.com
Support the Podcast!
* Like this episode? Support the channel! https://buymeacoffee.com/r215coachim
