Faithful Discourse with Chris Henry

Mo Merhoff—former president of One Zone Chamber, the joint Chamber of Carmel and Fishers—shares her stories of leadership from international rowing and the Olympics to making an impact in her own city. She encourages us to think bigger by working together across disparate viewpoints to create meaningful lives and thriving communities. 

Former Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb joins Chris for a look behind the curtain of public leadership. He shares his stories of being a voice of civility and bipartisan cooperation despite deep fractures in our state and nation, following the North Star of his faith in times of tension, violence, and darkness.

A Holy Week reflection with Rev. Chris Henry

Author and political scientist Ryan Burge joins Chris to discuss both transcendence and religious trends. As a data analyst and former pastor, Ryan shares what he has learned about the balance of head and heart knowledge, beyond the charts and numbers. 

Thoughtful, deliberate, brilliant, and grounded in faith are just a few of the words that describe 2025 Presidential Scholar Henry Joliet. Join Chris and Henry as they tell the stories of Henry growing up at Second Presbyterian Church and explore the intersection of faith, service, and curiosity. [This episode was recorded in December 2025] 

De’Amon Harges—founder of The Learning Tree and faculty member for the Asset-Based Community Development Institute—is nationally recognized as a social innovator and locally known as the roving listener. Join Chris and De’Amon for this conversation on joy, imagination, abundance, and paying attention to the sacred in our communities

Join us for this special episode with Noblesville’s mayor, Chris Jensen, recorded before a live audience on January 23, 2026. Mayor Jensen shares his stories of leadership, faith, speaking difficult truths, and living out his calling—all with his trademark positivity, humor, and genuine spirit. He distills his vocation down to this simple statement: “My job every day is to serve the public."

What if—despite good intentions—there are real barriers that keep us from loving our neighbors? And what if there are practices, grounded in scripture and science, that can help? Authors and scholars Katherine Douglass and Brittany Tausen join Chris to tackle this topic and share about their new book, Love Your Neighbor: How Psychology Can Enliven Faith and Transform Community.

Brenda Freije, President and CEO of the Rethink Coalition, devotes her professional life to naming, facing, and addressing some of the most complex social challenges in our city. Her current project is the collaborative reimagining of interstates, confronting the historic injustices of redlining, and shaping a better future for all. 

A Christmas Reflection with Rev. Chris Henry

Notre Dame’s Dr. Christian Smith, America’s preeminent sociologist of religion and author of Why Religion Went Obsolete, joins Chris to discuss some of the most pressing questions facing faith communities. How and why has religion’s place in American life changed so dramatically? What cultural forces have reshaped our expectations, institutions, and the way we imagine meaning? How can churches respond with grounded, thoughtful, faithful hope?

Greg Stowers, the Indianapolis City Council’s Chief Administrative Officer, navigates policy, politics, and the daily work of making a city function as he supports all 25 city councilors across political divides. He discusses the issues facing our city and his stories of serving in a political space in a non-partisan way, focusing on the work that impacts residents’ real lives. 

Former Indiana Governor and Presbyterian Elder Mitch Daniels tells his stories of a lifetime of faith and public service in roles including senior advisor to President Ronald Reagan, chief of staff to Senator Richard Lugar, and president of Purdue University. He and Chris discuss the principles that have guided his leadership and how his faith has kept him rooted through times of crisis and heavy responsibility. 

In this special celebratory episode, guest host Gracie Payne interviews Chris Henry about the show’s origins and vision, ministry in fractured times, and his leadership journey. 

Dr. Chelsea Haring-Cozzi, the CEO of CHIP (the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention & Prevention), joins Chris for a conversation about collective impact, collaboration, and the mobilization of faith communities to seek housing justice for our neighbors.

Dr. Patricia Payne, Director of the Indianapolis Public Schools Office of Racial Equity and Inclusion, has been a dedicated IPS educator for 63 years. She joins Chris to share how her faith sustains her persistence and advocacy. In her own words, “It doesn’t do any good to get mad unless you’re going to do something about it.”

Social worker Kate Booker joins Chris to tell her stories of finding joy in service to others. She shares how her role works at Second Presbyterian Church, the issues she encounters most, and the scripture that inspires her to address the physical needs of her clients. Her family’s motto accurately summarizes the message in this episode: “Your life is not your own. Serve God. Serve others.”

Ambassador Randall L. Tobias shares his stories from walking to church as a boy in small-town Indiana to leading multi-national corporations and leaving retirement when asked by President Bush to respond to a global health crisis. Join us for this conversation about leadership rooted in purpose, service, and conviction.

Join us for a special episode with Rev. Chris Henry, reflecting on his summer sabbatical.

Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness joins Chris to discuss leadership grounded in ethics, the importance of presence in the hardest moments, and building a team that gets the work done. From his childhood farm in North Dakota to managing a growing, innovative city, we get a peek behind the scenes at what keeps this leader humble, motivated, and effective.

Scott Davison—Chairman, President, and CEO of OneAmerica Financial—sits down with Chris to discuss leadership and the integral role of his faith, missional values, and relationships of mutual trust. How can leaders carry compassion, empathy, and humility into today’s corporate world? As Scott says, “If you really want to be an effective leader, it can’t be about you.”

Dr. Abbey Chambers is the Founder, President, and CEO of Justways Research. In her life and work, she is a consultant, researcher, and advocate who pursues fairness and justice for the people of Indianapolis, and it all started with curiosity. Why are things the way that they are? That question led to her study of economic policy, gentrification, and physical and cultural displacement. To understand how our policies drive inequality, we must start by listening to our neighbors.

Join Chris and recent North Central High School graduate Carter Klaus as they discuss balancing faith and ambition, the importance of family and mentors, and what it means to live out the values of service and purpose as a young leader. Be inspired by Carter’s infectiously positive outlook as he encourages everyone to find the joy and fun in everything—from the track to the classroom and beyond.

Licensed Clinical Social Worker Stephanie Bewley shares the story of her path to helping professions and what she has learned about holding space to listen, particularly in the most tender, beautiful, terrifying, and vulnerable moments. She debunks the idea that faith and mental health care are at odds with one another, highlighting how they intersect in her life and profession.

Joe Bowling, Executive Director of the Englewood Community Development Corporation, joins Chris to share his passion, experiences, and stories tied to Englewood CDC's five areas of focus: collective impact, affordable housing, economic development, neighboring, and congregational engagement. "The gifts you have been given are gifts for the common good. What can we do together?"

Vanessa Green Sinders, President and CEO of the Indiana Chamber, brings her infectious enthusiasm to this conversation about advocacy, policy, and leaps of faith. Her stories from Capitol Hill to the Hoosier heartland bring one central theme into focus: conviction and collaboration drive meaningful change.

Dennis Murphy, President and CEO for IU Health, lives his faith through empathy, service, and looking for daily miracles. He and Chris discuss how we can repair trust in healthcare institutions, work to alleviate social impediments to health, and seek holistic wellness of mind, body, and spirit in our communities.

A special Holy Week episode with Rev. Chris Henry

Jeffrey Harrison, President and CEO of Citizens Energy Group, a public charitable trust, shares the story of one person’s belief in his potential and how that belief transformed his life and leadership. Jeff and Chris delve into some of the unseen sides of utility leadership—conservation, sustainability, and care for our neighbors.

Mindful presence. Human connection. Finding space for the sacred and the ordinary. Rev. Sara Hayden joins Chris to give us a glimpse into their daily afternoon walks and her heart for tangible, embodied experiences. What begins as a conversation about how technology can erode community turns more hopeful—to the ways we can be present with God, ourselves, and our neighbors.

Dr. Clarence Moore—a masterful storyteller—joins Chris to discuss what it takes to be a spiritual and public leader in a time of urgency, turmoil, and tension. He has spent decades living out his message that there is a choice between silence and privilege or humility and proximity. Will we take the risk? Pastor Clarence urges us to put on our boots and get to work. 

Hunger activist David Miner joins Chris to share how one persistent question—How can we allow this?—has led to his work in legislative advocacy, documentary filmmaking, and fighting for change in our communities beyond providing for the caloric needs of our neighbors. 

“Flourishing comes from being connected.” Rev. Libby Davis Manning is the Director of the Wabash Pastoral Leadership Program, working with early-career clergy as they adapt and transform in a rapidly changing landscape. Listen in as she and Chris discuss the work of community well-being, the importance of collaboration, and the culture of care necessary to sustain ministry.  

Michael Wear, Founder of the Center for Christianity and Public Life and former White House staffer, joins Chris to talk about what it means to be faithful in an age of political sectarianism. He shares how spiritual formation is central to civic renewal and how politics can be a forum for loving our neighbors. “We are not saved by, and we are more than, our political opinions.”

Mark Crull and Chris Henry share more than the vocation of pastor. They are runners, parents, coaches, and community builders. Join them for this conversation about what can happen with an idea and an unused grassy field. Mark’s vision sparked the largest youth running program in Indiana – Pup Running – and has made an immeasurable impact on kids and the whole community.

An Advent reflection with Rev. Chris Henry

David Letterman joins Chris for a conversation about human connection and the art of asking questions. With his iconic wit and talent for drawing stories out of others, Dave tells the tales of his legendary career, his experiences with hands-on service, and his devotion to learning new things, finding our commonalities, and bettering the world.

Rev. Dr. Bill Enright, Senior Pastor Emeritus at Second Presbyterian Church, has spent his life building bridges and convening vitally important conversations. In his words, he fell in love with the parish—the very idea of being a pastor and a church for the good of the city. Join us for this journey through the stories of Dr. Enright’s remarkable life of influence, change-making, and pastoring of the people of Indianapolis.

A special election week episode on the role of faith in a time of political polarization.

Richard Propes is on a quest to raise one million dollars toward eliminating medical debt for fellow Hoosiers. He joins Chris to share his remarkable story – a story of deep suffering and unmatched determination and grit – and his experience traveling the roads of Indiana in his wheelchair on The Tenderness Tour.  Content Warning: This episode contains references to trauma, depression, suicide, domestic violence, child abuse, sexual abuse, and infant loss.  

School Social Worker Emily Yarger is on the front lines of the struggles so many children face. She is both a stable force and a flexible adapter, showing up each day to serve students, their families, and the community. She sits down with Chris to discuss the needs she observes every day and the hope and potential she sees in the next generation. Later in the episode, church member and school volunteer Jan Millholland joins the conversation to share how her personal faith compels her to collaborate with Emily as they work together toward a bright future.  

Too often in the faith community, we speak more about young people than we do to young people. In a world of loud opinions, isolation, pressures, and inflammatory clickbait, we invite you to listen to two leaders in our congregation—8th grader Mac and college freshman Maddie—who share how they broaden their perspectives, practice attention, integrate their faith and passions, and hold hope for the future.

From teenage participant to president of the organization, Dennis Bland has devoted his life to the mentorship programs and character cultivation of the Center for Leadership Development in Indianapolis. He sits down with Chris to discuss dedication, hard work, resiliency, and how we must leverage the nurturing we have received to enrich the lives of others.

President and COO of the Indiana Fever, Dr. Allison Barber, is a catalyst for positive change in Indianapolis and far beyond. Behind her persistently positive spirit and tenacious drive are the values of faith, hard work, boldness, and deep one-on-one relationships—always asking, “How can I help people live their best life? And how can that be used for good?” Join us for this fun and fascinating look into the life of one of our city’s great leaders.  

Addictive algorithms. Constant availability and intrusions. There are few—if any—guidelines for good digital citizenship and limits to our time spent on screens. Head of School, Dr. Leslie Hosey, and Director of Information Technology, Ellen Cone, share what they are doing at St. Richard’s Episcopal School in Indianapolis to limit screens (for children and adults) and the psychological and social benefits of rebuilding childhoods of wonder, joy, connection, and play.

Indianapolis City-County Council President Vop Osili shares his unique story and how his faith shapes his character, informs his actions, and reinvigorates his path. He and Chris discuss faith community and government collaboration, calls to collective action, and the role of listening in rebuilding trust in institutions.

From individual carts of groceries to macro solutions to the world’s biggest challenges, congregations play key roles in giving and advocacy. David King, the Karen Lake Buttrey Director of the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, joins Chris to discuss the shifting trends in generosity and giving, the powerful overlap between nonprofit, business, and government sectors, and how we can be philanthropists with local and global impact.

Bishop Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis, summarizes the work of the Church in this way: “There is a need. We want to meet it.” She brings her persistent lens of hopefulness to this discussion, sharing how we can leverage the resonant language of faith to dismantle oppressive systems and bring about transformative change.

Tony Mason, President and CEO of the Indianapolis Urban League, joins Chris for a candid conversation about our shared humanity, the rifts that threaten to divide us, and the power of building coalitions of servant leaders to address our neighbors’ needs.  “All of this comes down to us taking ownership, leaning on our faith, and working toward solutions.”

Innovation. Education. Conservation. Attorneys Anne Nobles and David Johnson have invested their lives in the City of Indianapolis since their days as a young married couple. Their careers have taken them into different but complementary worlds while drawing on their shared faith, interests, and convictions. The common thread through their extensive list of leadership roles has been their desire to be good citizens and use their voices to convene, protect, restore, and innovate.