🎙️ In this episode of The Stark Difference, we talk with Dr. Beth Allison Barr—James Vardaman Professor of History at Baylor University and best-selling author of Becoming the Pastor’s Wife.

Dr. Barr shares candid reflections on her calling to ministry and academia, the unspoken pressures on pastors’ wives, and how women in the church can—and should—set healthy boundaries.

🕓 Highlights

• 5:35 – Dr. Barr's call to ministry and graduate education

• 13:11 – Stories from life as a pastor’s wife

• 17:52 – A sneak peek into Becoming the Pastor’s Wife and how the role is historically recent

• 30:53 – Boundaries in ministry and how pastors' wives can (and must) say “no"

• 50:55 – A word to male pastors on how empowering women also lightens their load

• 53:02 – Why church history isn’t optional—and why your ministry depends on understanding it
  

In this episode of The Stark Difference, Cheryl Temple and Dr. Andres Garcia sit down with Darin Griffiths, Vice President of Counseling Ministries at South Texas Children’s Home (STCH) Ministries.

With humor, humility, and spiritual depth, Darin shares how God called him away from farming and into counseling—and how that call sustains him in the emotionally intense world of mental health ministry.

Key Moments:

• [9:14] – The moment God interrupted his farming plans and called him into ministry.

• [19:14] – Realizing clients aren’t “crazy”—they’re just like us, and they sit in our pews.

• [27:20] – When pastors should refer to counselors: protecting both the shepherd and the flock.

• [40:35] – What to do when you don’t know what to do.

• • [52:45] – How to discern a genuine call to counseling—and why not everyone is meant for it.

  
  

  To learn more about STCH Ministries, visit https://www.stchm.org/

In this episode of The Stark Difference, we sit down with Dr. Carmen Joy Imes, Associate Professor of Old Testament at Biola University's Talbot School of Theology.

Dr. Imes traces her journey from a missions-focused college student to her current role as an Old Testament professor and scholar. She also offers thoughtful guidance on engaging difficult Old Testament passages and reflects on the church’s call to live as a family.

Highlights:

• [7:00] Unexpected path from missionary work to Old Testament scholarship.

• [14:00] Wrestling with women’s roles in ministry and what changed her understanding of the topic.

• [30:00] How to engage hard biblical texts like Canaanite violence and divine justice.

• [46:00] Sneak peek into her upcoming book Becoming God’s Family: Why the Church Still Matters and why community is central to Christian identity.

In this episode of #thestarkdifference podcast, Cheryl Temple and Dr. Jena Dunn sit down with Dr. Lisa Beatty, Executive Director of the ABHE Commission on Accreditation, to discuss her unlikely path from music teacher to a leading voice in biblical higher education.

Dr. Beatty shares her personal testimony, reflects on God’s surprising call on her life, and offers wisdom for those discerning their own calling.

🕒 Highlights:

• [04:50] Dr. Beatty shares her salvation story, rooted in a faithful family.

• [13:21] She reflects on her early aspirations and how God used each step—even detours—to shape her calling.

• [25:01] Advice to ministers discerning their call: “Be faithful in the small things.”

• [38:59] Trends in biblical higher education.

• [43:34] Encouragement to Stark students: “Add to your faith knowledge” (2 Peter 1:5) and keep growing.

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In this episode, we sit down with Father Christopher Okoli, the Director of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at CHRISTUS Spohn Health System, to discuss hospital chaplaincy, the role of CPE, and how theological education shapes pastoral care.

Key topics covered:

• [04:29] - Father Chris' journey into ministry

• [10:53] - The role of chaplains: presence, advocacy, and spiritual care in hospitals

• [13:42] - Empathy in ministry and Jesus as our model

• [16:37] - Surprising lessons in chaplaincy

• [20:12] - Advice for students discerning a call to chaplaincy

• [27:17] - Why theological education matters for chaplaincy

• [36:19] - Future plans

At Stark, we’re committed to equipping those called to chaplaincy through our Master of Divinity (MDiv) program and our new MDiv in Chaplaincy track.

📌 Learn more:

• MDiv: stark.edu/academics/master-of-divinity/

• MDiv in Chaplaincy: stark.edu/academics/master-of-divinity-in-chaplaincy/

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In the season two premiere, we introduce our new podcast host, Cheryl Temple!

Cheryl has served at Stark College & Seminary for 10 years, and is currently the Senior Director of Communications and Financial Aid.

In the episode, she shares:

• [7:06] Her journey in ministry

• [15:02] Overcoming challenges and church hurt

• [21:28] Faithfulness in ministry

• [27:57] Looking ahead in season 2

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God calls all of his children to minister to the world in one way or another, and His call is beautiful in how it can mean different things to different people.

The same is true of our hosts, Dr. Tony Celelli and Rochelle Roots, who each had defining moments in which they felt God’s call to ministry tug at their hearts.

In celebration of our first season of The Stark Difference, Dr. Celelli and Rochelle reflect on their favorite moments from the show and how God brought them to Stark College & Seminary.

Join us as we discuss:

• [6:16] Answering the high and heavy call into ministry

• [19:39] How our hosts define God's calling

• [32:59] Celebrating the season’s guests and highlights
  

Want more great conversations like this? Subscribe to The Stark Difference: A Conversation About Calling on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.

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As the son of a Texas rancher, Pastor Pete Pawelek is used to tough work and getting his hands dirty. Yet when he heard God’s call to ministry at seventeen, he balked at the notion of shepherding his fellow Christ followers.

But after a dear college mentor emboldened him to pursue church leadership, he embraced the challenge to become the interim pastor of Cowboy Fellowship in Jourdanton, Texas.

Now, over 20 years later, Pastor Pete and his fellowship have helped plant hundreds of churches worldwide. He shares his remarkable story of how he finally gave in to God’s calling for his life and offers encouragement to other leaders dealing with today’s unique challenges.

Join us as we discuss:

• [1:43] Why church leaders need to prepare for rapid change

• [10:40] Three things that set apart each person’s calling

• [19:14] The biggest challenges for pastors in a secular society

• [27:08] Returning to the roots of the New Testament church

Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast:

Want more great conversations like this? Subscribe to The Stark Difference: A Conversation About Calling on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or here.

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