Shows / Wayfarer
Wayfarer
Tom Vander Well is author of "This Call May Be Monitored (What Eavesdropping on Corporate America Taught Me About Business and Life)" A "wayfaring stranger" life's road. Husband, father, writer, CEO, actor, playwright, preacher, back porch musician, and follower of Jesus, he shares his thoughts and observations on the journey. Each weekday he offers 5-10 minute Chapter-a-Day (CaD) reflections on one chapter of the Bible, perfect for a daily commute. Longer reflections are on the Wayfarer…
Episodes
WayfarerPassing Notes (CaD Gen 10)
As I traverse this chapter-a-day journey, I'm reminded that every chapter holds meaning, even the seemingly meaningless ones. A chapter-a-day podcast from…
- Wayfarer
Blood and Covenant (CaD Gen 9)
In today's chapter, God establishes the sacredness of "life," "blood," and "covenant." A chapter-a-day podcast from Genesis 9. The text version of every…
- Wayfarer
The Inflection Point of Kindness (CaD Gen 8)
I'm reminded this morning of Romans 2:4 which says it is God's kindness that leads to repentance, not hatred, anger, judgment, condemnation, or damnation. A…
- Wayfarer
Destruction and Redemption (CaD Gen 7)
The water in today's chapter was an agent of divine judgment and it is transformed into an agent of divine redemption, and that is a beautiful picture of Great…
- Wayfarer
Order>Chaos>Reorder (CaD Gen 6)
Order, chaos, reorder, is the natural flow of life on earth between the fall of humanity in Genesis chapter three and the new creation of the last two chapters…
- Wayfarer
Beneath the Text (CaD Gen 5)
Today's chapter is more than genealogy. It is layered with numbers and patterns that metaphorically point to important lessons. A chapter-a-day podcast from…
- Wayfarer
In the Land of Nod (CaD Gen 4)
I walk with purpose. I have a fixed destination like the Wayfaring Stranger in the famous old folk tune. And yet, along the way I have observed many who appear…
- Wayfarer
Entering a World of Pain (CaD Gen 3)
The consequence of Adam and Eve's disobedience was immediate. God arrives and pronounces that they are entering a world of pain. A chapter-a-day podcast from…
- Wayfarer
Ezer Kenegdo (CaD Gen 2)
For whatever reason, God saw fit to surround me with women most of my entire life journey. Chapter-a-day podcast from Genesis 2. The text version of every…
- Wayfarer
And So it Begins... (CaD Gen 1)
As I read through the well-known account of creation, I found both my heart and mind struggling to distill my thoughts down to a simple, coherent thought to…
- Wayfarer
Is This the End?! (CaD 2 Pe 3)
In recent months, I've had multiple followers of Jesus who I know to be learned and wise ask me whether I believe the return of Christ will happen in our…
- Wayfarer
The Well-Worn Playbook (CaD 2 Pe 2)
The playbook is pretty basic: "Indulge your appetites and you will experience freedom." Yet, I've never found anything really free or good traveling down any…
- Wayfarer
On Being a "Member" (CaD 2 Pet 1)
In the opening of Peter's second letter to first-century followers of Jesus, he begins by identifying those who are legitimate followers of Jesus. You won't…
- Wayfarer
Kingdoms Fall (CaD Na 3)
And so I leave the words of ancient Nahum for now until the journey brings me back this way. Kingdoms and empires come and go on this earth as they have since…
- Wayfarer
Smack-Talk (CaD Na 2)
The sub-culture of smack-talk in sports came to mind this morning as I read today's chapter because Nahum's entire prophetic poem is an ancient version of…
- Wayfarer
Faith in Justice (CaD Na 1)
The Great Story is layered with recurring themes. Justice is definitely one of them. A chapter-a-day podcast from Nahum 1. The text version of every…
- Wayfarer
(WW) Interview with Dr. Bob Laurent
The night I made the life-changing decision to become a follower of Jesus, Dr. Bob Laurent was preaching. A bit further down the road, Dr. Bob was my…
- Wayfarer
Fullness (CaD Ruth 4)
Along my spiritual journey, I've learned that God sometimes gives a sign or a word and the fullness of its meaning is only understood further down life's road…
- Wayfarer
Proven Character (CaD Ruth 3)
difficulties, and suffering in life. Character is not a spiritual gift, nor is it cheaply acquired. A chapter-a-day podcast from Ruth 3. The text version of…
- Wayfarer
More than "Boy Meets Girl" (CaD Ruth 2)
But there's more going on under the surface of the "boy meets girl" romance in the story of Ruth. A chapter-a-day podcast from Ruth 2. The text version of…
- Wayfarer
Dealt a Bad Hand (CaD Ruth 1)
Bitter. What a great word for those times when I suddenly find myself playing a bad hand in life. A chapter-a-day podcast from Ruth 1. The text version of…
- Wayfarer
"What's it to You?" (CaD John 21)
Along my life journey, I've observed that we humans have a thing with equity and fairness. A chapter-a-day podcast from John 21. The text version of every…
- Wayfarer
Namesake (CaD John 20)
I'm not sure why my parents named me Thomas. A chapter-a-day podcast from John 20. The text version of every chapter-a-day podcast can be found and shared at…
- Wayfarer
"Taking the Bullet" (CaD John 19)
May I always be willing to "take the bullet" so to speak, and lay down my own life, time, energy, and resources, for my friends and their loved ones. A…
- Wayfarer
Contrasting Identity (CaD John 18)
How apt that the Divinely appointed human "leader" of Jesus' followers becomes the designated representative of human weakness. A chapter-a-day podcast from…
- Wayfarer
Me and Babel 2.0 (CaD John 17)
Jesus said His followers were "not of this world" but He says so immediately after praying that they remain in it. In the world, not of it. To quote Hamlet…
- Wayfarer
Trouble and Peace (CaD John 16)
What fascinated me as I read Jesus' words to His followers this morning was both the warning and the promise with which today's chapter is bookended. A…
- Wayfarer
"Friend" (CaD John 15)
The teacher's earthly mission is almost over. His followers' mission is just beginning, and they have no clue just how much things are about to change. A…
- Wayfarer
Peace Amidst Conflict (CaD John 14)
In the quiet this morning, I can't help but think about what chaotic times we live in. I can't help but think about the tremendous lack of peace I observe in…
- Wayfarer
A "New" Command (CaD John 13)
"Love" has been central to all of Jesus' teaching. So what's "new" about this command? A chapter-a-day podcast from John 13. The text version of every…
- Wayfarer
"All People" (CaD John 12)
In the quiet this morning, I'm feeling both inspired and challenged. I'm inspired by Jesus' example and His mission. At the same time, I am challenged to…
- Wayfarer
Motivation Revelation (CaD John 11)
In the previous chapter's podcast, I said: "Actions reveal identity." They do, but the identity doesn't lie in the actions themselves, but in the motivations…
- Wayfarer
Words and Works (CaD John 10)
Actions reveal identity. A chapter-a-day podcast from John 10. The text version can always be found and shared at tomvanderwell.com. Please feel free to "Like"…
- Wayfarer
Blinded by the Light (CaD John 9)
How fascinating, to think that the Light of the World causes some to see while causing others to be blind. A chapter-a-day podcast from John 9. The text…
- Wayfarer
Showdown! (CaD John 8)
Today's chapter is a showdown that has been building between Jesus and the religious institutional establishment, and it's an important one in the story. A…
- Wayfarer
Who is This Man? (CaD John 7)
Identity is a major theme that weaves its way through John's writing and the stories he chooses to share from the voluminous number of stories he could have…
- Wayfarer
#FreeFish4All (CaD John 6)
It appears to me that Jesus' motivation was to bring a Kingdom to this world that looks nothing like the kingdoms of this world. A chapter-a-day podcast from…
- Wayfarer
Stupid Question (or Not) (CaD John 5)
"Do you want to get well?" On the surface, it seems a stupid question to ask a paralyzed man, but maybe it's not stupid at all. A chapter-a-day podcast from…
- Wayfarer
Contrasts (CaD John 4)
As I look back on my journey as a follower of Jesus, I recognize that it has been a process of learning who I truly am in relationship to who Jesus truly is. A…
- Wayfarer
Birth, and Identity (CaD John 3)
Like U2 trying to steal "Helter Skelter" back from what Charles Manson made of it, I want to get back to the meaning of a simple word picture Jesus gave to a…
- Wayfarer
Two Sides of Jesus (CaD John 2)
In the quiet this morning I find myself desiring to embody two character qualities that John identifies in Jesus. A chapter-a-day podcast from John 2. The text…
- Wayfarer
Just Like My Ol' Man (CaD John 1)
Yesterday, I posted an old photo of my parents on social media. Friends were quick to comment how much I look like my father. A chapter-a-day podcast from John…
- Wayfarer
Road Trip (CaD Ex 13)
Road trips are good for the soul (in more ways than one). A chapter-a-day podcast from Exodus 13, originally published June 2, 2020, on the Wayfarer blog at…
- Wayfarer
Doing Something (CaD Ex 12)
I'm reminded this morning that Harriett Tubman led approximately 70 slaves to freedom on some 13 missions. Seventy out of some 6 million slaves. She…
- Wayfarer
Villains, Justice, Wrestling (CaD Ex 11)
Some mornings my soul is overwhelmed with questions. Like Jacob, I find myself wrestling with God. The Moses story will always be relevant in a fallen world…
- Wayfarer
God Revealing, Then and Now (CaD Ex 10)
An adult can't reason with a two-year-old by getting him or her to sit and listen to you read a psychology textbook that explains his or her need to modify…
- Wayfarer
Judgment and Judiciousness (CaD Ex 9)
Judgment and being judicious are two very different things. Jesus condemned the former and encouraged the latter. A chapter-a-day podcast from Exodus 9…
- Wayfarer
A Spiritual Contrast (CaD Ex 8)
Following Jesus is about following His example and humbly putting God and others ahead of myself. A chapter-a-day podcast from Exodus 8, originally published…
- Wayfarer
Being "Like God" or Being "Like God" (CaD Ex 7)
If I want to be "like God" by sitting on the throne of my own life looking out for numero uno, doing as I please, and determining my own way with every step…
- Wayfarer
Spiritual Hearing and Sight Impairment (CaD Ex 6)
Along the way, I've learned that if someone is spiritually deaf and blind, it simply means I need to keep speaking in love, listening patiently, acting kindly…
- Wayfarer
Seemingly Safe Assumptions (CaD Ex 5)
Wendy and I have, of late, participated in multiple conversations with others who are grieving. The grief being experienced is not the result of the death of a…
- Wayfarer
Divine Call, Human Reluctance (CaD Ex 4)
I can always find an excuse to not serve. There's always something that I can conjure up as an excuse that I am "lacking" (education, knowledge, experience…
- Wayfarer
The Call (CaD Ex 3)
Along the way, I observed something that was common to all of them. Within each of those tribes were individuals who were members of the church, and those who…
- Wayfarer
"Out of the Water" (CaD Ex 2)
Along the journey, I have often found that the profound things of God are often quite simple, and hidden in plain sight for "those who have eyes to see." This…
- Wayfarer
Of Tribe and Time (CaD Ex 1)
Today's chapter-a-day podcast from Exodus 1 was originally posted at tomvanderwell.com on May 12, 2020.
- Wayfarer
Give and Live (CaD James 5)
In the quiet this morning, I am reminded that the current chaotic times are a cakewalk compared to what it would have been like to be a poor day laborer in…
- Wayfarer
"Damned Spots" (CaD James 4)
Almost anyone who has committed awful acts can attest to the fact that a guilty conscience can really do a number on you. I know this because I write from…
- Wayfarer
Peeling the Onion (CaD James 3)
I have discovered along my spiritual journey that spiritual growth is a lot like peeling an onion. Every time I work to peel off a layer of pride and…
- Wayfarer
Counter-Cultural (CaD James 2)
In the quiet this morning, I'm reminded of the simple power that mercy, kindness, goodness, and gentleness can generate. A chapter-a-day podcast from James 2…
- Wayfarer
Not Without Struggle (CaD James 1)
On both my life journey and my spiritual journey, my progress is measured, not by distance, but by maturity, wisdom, and the yield of love produced in me. A…