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
- Wayfarer
“We Must Be Cautious” (CaD Nu 25)
As I think about entering another day of the journey in this fallen world, the sage voice of Obi-wan Kenobi just flit into my mind. A chapter-a-day podcast…
- Wayfarer
Our Tent is Full (CaD Nu 24)
Our tent is full of abundance of the things that matter most in life: Shalom. A chapter-a-day podcast from Numbers 24. The text version may always be found and…
- Wayfarer
Ancient and Irrevocable (CaD Nu 23)
I want to be a part of God’s irrevocable blessing and promise that even Balaam acknowledged in his oracle "cannot be changed." A chapter-a-day podcast from…
- Wayfarer
I’d Rather Be the Ass (CaD Nu 22)
The world has always had spiritual gurus willing to take your money in exchange for blessing you with their presence and insight as they bask in the wealth and…
- Wayfarer
Snake on a Stick (CaD Nu 21)
Wendy and finally returned last night from what was supposed to have been a six-day trip that began with a client event and ended with a visit to see our kids…
- Wayfarer
Miriam (CaD Nu 20)
I have been raised and rooted among strong, soulful women, and so I have an appreciation for what Miriam brought. I feel it in my bones. I’ve heard her song in…
- Wayfarer
The Mystery of the Red Heifer (CaD Nu 19)
Today on my chapter-a-day journey I come upon one of the most paradoxical and profound mysteries in the entire Great Story: the mystery of the red heifer. A…
- Wayfarer
An Everlasting Covenant of Salt (CaD Nu 18)
Salt was a prescribed by God as part of every sacrifice and offering. It was used in the making of the incense used at part of the rituals in the traveling…
- Wayfarer
I Choose (CaD Nu 17)
When God began talking to the Hebrews about His dwelling among them, He boiled things down into very simple terms: life and death. A chapter-a-day podcast from…
- Wayfarer
Systemic Dysfunction (CaD Nu 16)
In the quiet this morning, I can’t help but think about the businesses, organizations, and churches in which I’ve encountered the very same dysfunctions…
- Wayfarer
God’s Response (CaD Nu 15)
There is something telling about the way individuals respond to their circumstances in light of the words, actions, and/or behavior of others. A chapter-a-day…
- Wayfarer
The Divergent Paths of Fear and Faith (CaD Nu 14)
In the quiet this morning, I find God’s Spirit reminding me of all the ways that Jesus called me to live by faith, not fear. A chapter-a-day podcast from…
- Wayfarer
The Adopted One (CaD Nu 13)
In The Godfather it was an Irish orphan named Tom Hagen. In Yellowstone, it’s an orphan named Rip who becomes the right-hand man that John Dutton can depend on…
- Wayfarer
The Goal, the Role, and the Lessons (CaD Nu 12)
At the heart of the story in today’s chapter is the fact that we human beings can be envious, jealous, catty, and downright mean to one another. A…
- Wayfarer
The Shift (CaD Nu 11)
Along my life journey, I’ve come to observe that adults have similar emotional meltdowns as toddlers, we’re just more sophisticated at it. A chapter-a-day…
- Wayfarer
Trumpet Sound (CaD Nu 10)
There’s just something about the sound of a trumpet. A chapter-a-day podcast from Numbers 10. The text version may always be found and shared at…
- Wayfarer
The Flow (CaD Nu 9)
I’ve discovered across my entire life journey that being a disciple of Jesus means learning to perceive, discern, and follow God’s flow. A chapter-a-day…
- Wayfarer
Spiritual Toddlers in an Adult World (CaD Nu 8)
In the tradition I was raised, the Reverend of our church was treated as a special class of spiritual person. Everything in the pomp and pageantry of the “high…
- Wayfarer
The Text as a Tool (CaD Nu 7)
It’s chapters like today’s where many a New Year’s resolution to read the entire Bible hit the wall. A chapter-a-day podcast from Numbers 7. The text version…
- Wayfarer
Dedicated (CaD Nu 6)
Along this life journey I’ve learned that there are times to dedicate myself to taking things to another level. A chapter-a-day podcast from Numbers 6. The…
- Wayfarer
Maturing Takes Time (CaD Nu 5)
Milo is seven and is an explosive bundle of unbridled, kinetic, little-boy energy. Underneath the exterior of all that normal physical energy lies one of the…
- Wayfarer
Colors (CaD Nu 4)
What struck me as I read is that God designated different colors of cloth for different items of the Tabernacle. Why? Because colors have meaning. A…
- Wayfarer
Echoes in the Ancient (CaD Nu 3)
Despite the Hebrews of “Numbers" being a people and a time that is strange to me, I see echoes of my own stories and experiences on this life journey. That is…
- Wayfarer
Ordered Procession (CaD Nu 2)
I find it meaningful that the first thing we find God doing at the beginning of the Story is turning chaos to order. A chapter-a-day podcast from Numbers 2…
- Wayfarer
Preparations (CaD Nu 1)
We are wandering through a fallen world filled with evil, sin, and tragedy. Jesus guaranteed His followers that we would face many kinds of troubles. He said…
- Wayfarer
Words for "The Anxious Generation" (CaD Php 4)
I have so many young people in my life, my family, and my circles of influence whom I love deeply. My desire for them is not to be mired in anxiety, but to…
- Wayfarer
Time to Forget (CaD Php 3)
Over the past few years, Wendy and I have discovered a difference in the way we perceive and approach life. As we have dug into it, it’s allowed us to learn…
- Wayfarer
The Exodus Paradigm (CaD Php 2)
One of the things that I’ve experienced on this chapter-a-day journey, and through my perpetual meditations on the Great Story, is that I have come to realize…
- Wayfarer
Trauma Bragging and Paul’s Chains (CaD Php 1)
There has been a trend of late on social media. Generation Z has been “trauma bragging.” A chapter-a-day podcast from Philippians 1. The text version may…
- Wayfarer
"The Influencer” and The Choice (CaD Eph 6)
In today’s chapter, Paul reminds me that it is The Influencer, and the kingdoms of the world over which he currently has dominion, that I struggle with daily…
- Wayfarer
Conjunction Junction (CaD Eph 5)
The message from Paul’s perpetual crossing at Conjunction Junction is simple, yet profound. A chapter-a-day podcast from Ephesians 5. The text version may…
- Wayfarer
My Green Thumb Pursuit Continues! (CaD Eph 4)
It’s summer, and here at Vander Well Manor my annual pursuit to develop a green thumb is in full swing! A chapter-a-day podcast from Ephesians 4. The text…
- Wayfarer
Knowing, or Knowing? (CaD Eph 3)
It’s one thing to know Jesus as in having a basic understanding of who Jesus is, His teachings, and what is believed about Him. It is another thing to know the…
- Wayfarer
A Larger Reality (CaD Eph 2)
Paul tells the believers in Ephesus that they are part of a much larger Story than they ever realized. Just like Lucy hiding in an old wardrobe and suddenly…
- Wayfarer
To Know Better (CaD Eph 1)
There is always an opportunity to know one another better. A chapter-a-day podcast from Ephesians 1. The text version may always be found and shared at…
- Wayfarer
Uncomfortable History (CaD Col 4)
One of the things I’ve observed along my journey is that many people are wholly dismissive of the Great Story because its contents contain bits that are…
- Wayfarer
Dwell (CaD Col 3)
As Wendy and I have rediscovered the joy of truly dwelling at home, it provided a really powerful metaphor in the quiet this morning for what Paul is getting…
- Wayfarer
Decapitated Religion (CaD Col 2)
As a disciple of Jesus, I believe that if I diminish Jesus the Christ in any way, I’ve lost connection to the head and have become decapitated from the Truth…
- Wayfarer
Spiritual Health Assessment (CaD Col 1)
As I meditated on four things Paul mentions in today’s chapter, I thought to myself what a simple checklist they were to do my own spiritual health assessment…
- Wayfarer
The Way of Jesus Exemplified (CaD Phm 1)
The thing that I love about the story of Philemon is that it perfectly illustrates the way of Jesus. A chapter-a-day podcast from Philemon 1. The text version…
- Wayfarer
Condemnation by Accusation (CaD 2 Cor 13)
Did you know...?” The voice asked on the other end of the phone. Then spewed a long litany of salacious and slanderous allegations regarding someone on my…
- Wayfarer
Struggle Required (CaD 2 Cor 12)
Along my life journey I have observed that we humans beings are given to a desire for everything to be easy and pain-free. We want to be healthy and wealthy…
- Wayfarer
Boasting of My Weakness (CaD 2 Cor 11)
If I ever lose sight of this simple reality, then I’ve completely lost the thread of what it means to be His disciple. A chapter-a-day podcast from 2…
- Wayfarer
Paul’s Pissing Match (CaD 2 Cor 10)
Occasionally, I have found myself in old-fashioned pissing contests prompted by individuals who have questioned my motives, credentials, authority, and…
- Wayfarer
The Fruit of Generosity (CaD 2 Cor 9)
I have a tat on my right bicep referencing Psalm 112 because the right arm is a metaphor of blessing, and the bicep is a metaphor of strength. It reminds me…
- Wayfarer
I’ve Never Regretted Being Generous (CaD 2 Cor 8)
I confess that I was not a generous person as a young man. Generosity has been something that has grown within me as I have grown and matured in God’s Spirit…
- Wayfarer
The Good Form of Sorrow and Shame (CaD 2 Cor 7)
The world could use some sorrow that leads to positive change. A chapter-a-day podcast from 2 Corinthians 7. The text version may always be found and shared at…
- Wayfarer
Of Differences and Discernment (CaD 2 Cor 6)
My experiences and observations along this life journey are that there are sheep and goats in every denomination and every local church. A chapter-a-day…
- Wayfarer
Spiritual Senses (CaD 2 Cor 5)
I think it might be very possible that as my physical hearing dulls my spiritual hearing becomes more sharpened. A chapter-a-day podcast from 2 Corinthians 5…
- Wayfarer
Outward Appearances, Inward Realities (CaD 2 Cor 4)
Outwardly, it would appear that the emerging generation are outwardly blessed with affluence, education, technology, safety, security, and health in ways and…
- Wayfarer
People, not Policies (CaD 2 Cor 3)
In today’s chapter, Paul uses a simple but beautiful metaphor as he tells the believers in Corinth that they themselves are Paul’s “letter of recommendation.”…
- Wayfarer
One-Side Correspondence; Two-Sides Love (CaD 2 Cor 2)
As I read today’s chapter, I thought about my mother’s letters. It’s amazing to me that people forget that the “book” that we know as 2 Corinthians is not a…
- Wayfarer
Comforted to be a Comfort (CaD 2 Cor 1)
As I experience God’s grace, comfort, peace, joy, and faithfulness through difficult seasons, I am equipped and called to help others do the same. A…
- Wayfarer
The Choice and Outcome (CaD Matt 28)
I can’t help but to consider that Jesus told me that I have the same choice that He was given. A chapter-a-day podcast from Matthew 28. The text version may…
- Wayfarer
The Guilt of Innocent Blood (CaD Matt 27)
In my thoughts, words, actions, and relationships, I don’t want to mindlessly be just another example of how the world works. A chapter-a-day podcast from…
- Wayfarer
Humanity’s Spiritual Graduation (CaD Matt 26)
I think of Jesus’ death and resurrection much like graduation in our culture. It is a rite of passage out of childhood and into spiritual adulthood. A…
- Wayfarer
The Reckoning (CaD Matt 25)
In each of the three parables of today’s chapter, there is a final reckoning. A chapter-a-day podcast from Matthew 25. The text version may be found and shared…
- Wayfarer
My Desire (CaD Matt 24)
Just last week I celebrated my 59th birthday. That mean’s I’ve entered my 60th lap around the sun. And, that has me thinking about what’s out there on the…
- Wayfarer
Earthly Kingdoms (CaD Matt 23)
I don’t control large, complex human systems of government and religion, though I have tremendous influence on the small human systems of family, business, and…
- Wayfarer
The Microscope & the Wide-Angle Lens (CaD Matt 22)
For me, the most powerful spiritual lesson in today’s chapter is not under the microscope but in the wide-angle lens. A chapter-a-day podcast from Matthew 22…