Each week on the Praise Hands Podcast, join Robby Valderrama and learn from creative, cross-cultural solutionists at the American intersection of church, race, music, and economics.
“Praise Hands Podcast 50th Episode Party!” w/ Jackie The Educator, Barna Group’s Brooke Hempell, and more!
In honor of our 50th Episode, Robby chatted with past guests Jackie The Educator, DJ Chuang, Patrick Chappell, Lex The Advocate, Brooke Hempell, and Ricky Ortiz on a fun and laid-back Praise Hands Podcast 50th Episode Zoom Party, including a quick appearance from Robby’s wife Bria Jean Valderrama. Watch the Zoom on YouTube, or hear audio-only on your podcast app of choice.
“Christianity and the Corporatocracy” w/ Sherry Peel Jackson
“We have to get back to families supporting each other and not depending on government agencies.”
As a retired CPA, certified fraud examiner, and IRS agent who specialized in auditing pastors, Sherry Peel Jackson now helps churches and families achieve financial sustainability while preventing government overreach.
Tune in to hear Sherry discuss:
• Shocking revelations about the U.S. income tax code
• What churches and families can learn from President Trump’s alleged tax strategy
• How home-based businesses can turn your passion into profit
“How One Man Is Preventing Evictions In Boston” w/ Matt Pritchard
“Whether it’s material, spiritual, or emotional, everyone has experienced poverty.”
Amidst national conversations about eviction moratoriums, Matt Pritchard’s nonprofit HomeStart has saved 2,500 Boston-area households from eviction, with 95% of these households maintaining their housing long-term.
Lean in as Matt shares:
• What he learned by choosing to live in a shelter for a year
• How personal growth fuels organizational impact
• Why he avoids the term “Homeless People”
“Healthcare Economics and Christian Compassion” w/ Ben Walker
“We’ve moved compassion further and further down the list of priorities and moved safety, protection, and money up. I’m hoping we can use this crisis to re-evaluate this.” Ben Walker
From shortages of necessary equipment to inadequate staffing levels, COVID-19 is exposing the cracks in a healthcare system that many of us take for granted. In Part 2 of our conversation on the COVID-19 crisis and healthcare, Robby continues his conversation with healthcare insider Ben Walker as they discuss:
• How to equitably address rising healthcare costs
• Centralization and decentralization in church and state
• Christianity’s history of caring for the sick
“Innovation And Regulation In Time Of Crisis” w/ Ben Walker and Ian Patterson
“In a time of crisis, we start weighing the good of society versus the good of the person.” Ben Walker
In light of Covid-19, an important question is emerging: “what roles should individuals, businesses, and governments play in finding solutions for a global health crisis, and who should decide?” To help answer this question, Robby invited his old friends and healthcare insiders Ben Walker and Ian Patterson on the show.
In this timely episode, hear Ben and Ian discuss:
• Arguments for and against tighter government regulation
• How the FDA blocked initial testing for Covid-19
• Balancing consumer choice and human equality
“COVID-19: Four Questions Every Church Leader Must Ask” w/ Mark DeYmaz and Luke Dooley
“You can’t take a wait and see attitude with your church finances. The time to pivot is now.” Mark DeYmaz
Mark DeYmaz and Luke Dooley are the creators of the Church Economics Accelerator, which helps ministry leaders leverage church assets to bless their communities and generate sustainable income. They’ve been helping churches prepare for a scenario like COVID-19 for years, and you’ll want to share this episode with every church leader you know.
In this timely episode, hear Mark and Luke discuss how churches can:
• Reduce their tithe dependency through creative thinking
• Minimize job loss in their communities in light of COVID-19
• Position themselves to lead well in shifting economic landscapes
Best-selling author, speaker, and Ramsey Personality Anthony O'Neal grew up in a highly spiritual church and family environment. Yet a lack of financial education and bad mistakes as a college student left him homeless and hitting rock bottom at 19 years of age. As a result, he's now passionate about financial literacy, and is celebrating the release of his latest book “Debt-Free Degree: The Step by Step Guide to Getting Your Kid Through College Without Student Loans.”
During this episode, Anthony shares how he went from homeless to homeowner, and how ditching debt set him up for a lifestyle of generosity.
Hear Anthony touch on the following topics:
• The importance of knowing your "why" when getting out of debt
• Why the church should prioritize financial education
• How cross-cultural relationships promote creativity
Dr. Michael Schluter is the epitome of a creative, cross-cultural solutionist. He’s been honored by the Queen of England for his Biblically-derived social policy, and he's facilitated peacebuilding initiatives everywhere from Korea to Rwanda to South Africa during Apartheid.
Hear Dr. Schluter's eye-opening perspective on the following:
• How prioritizing relational health over economic growth can help transcend political divides
• Why Christians in particular should care about economics
• How Biblical teaching on relationships speaks to capitalist concepts like advertising, limited liability, and interest.
"I’m not defined by the one thing that happened to me fifteen years ago."
Lexie LaVallee is a survivor of child sex trafficking. Hear her share on the following topics (listener discretion advised):
• How to forgive someone who has taken advantage of you
• The connection between the entertainment industry, pornography, and sex trafficking
• How individuals and groups can make a real difference in the fight against human trafficking
Social entrepreneur Barrett Ward is a capitalist with a conscience. Through his lifestyle brand ABLE, he seeks to end generational poverty through providing economic opportunity for women and help businesses and consumers amplify their social impact.
Hear Barrett weigh in on the following topics:
• Money, technology, and collaboration in American fashion
• How consumers can research the ethics of their favorite brands
• How companies can build trust through financial transparency and measurable social benefit
