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PODCAST

Design and Religion

Van Shea Sedita And Rev Dr. Nate Phillips

We envision a world where design and religion work together to spread love, empathy, and charity faster than divisiveness, selfishness, and hate. To achieve this, we aim to bring the stories of those driving this change—both big and small—into the spotlight, allowing ideas for positive transformation to spread quickly and reach those who need them most.

society & culture philosophy

All Episodes

54:13

Men's Health

Design and Religion ·

2025/11/02

In this candid conversation, Van Sedita, Nate Phillips, and John Molina-Moore take on men’s health through stories of stress, faith, and vulnerability. What starts with beard lotion jokes quickly opens into a serious and deeply honest exchange about how men process—or avoid processing—emotions. John shares how stress physically manifested as back pain despite being in the best shape of his life, revealing how the body often tells the truth before we do. Nate connects that experience to learne...

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45:14

Indelible Experiences

Design and Religion ·

2025/09/25

What makes an experience unforgettable—and how do we design for it? In our latest Design & Religion, Van and Pastor Nate sit down with UX legend Jared Spool to unpack “indelible experiences.” From Disney’s crisis-ready hospitality to tissues in the pew and playful product micro-moments, we explore how the best teams: Exceed expectations (the stuff people can’t stop talking about)Anticipate latent needs (needs users don’t know they have—yet)Eliminate burden (so meaning, not friction, takes...

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47:19

Artificial Intelligence

Design and Religion ·

2025/09/19

In this lively episode, Van and Pastor Nate dive into the hype and hope of AI—asking what it means for creativity, conscience, and the Church. From Black Mirror-style “hollow people” to very real ways AI can prep you for doctor visits, job interviews, and tough conversations, they wrestle with the promise and the peril: Can a tool that doesn’t “feel” still help us live better lives? Send us a text message letting us know what you think of this episode! We envision a world where design and rel...

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50:55

Endurance

Design and Religion ·

2025/09/12

Nate and Van are joined by design researcher Oxana Loseva to explore endurance—how we keep going without losing ourselves. They contrast resilience with endurance, and Nate shares how gratitude in pastoral work turns burden into privilege. Oxana reflects on stress, health, and identity, while Van reframes tough days as “things we get to do.” Together they discuss removing small choices to save energy, the limits of helping—especially in abusive situations—and Edwin Friedman’s “bridge” fable a...

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49:47

Technology

Design and Religion ·

2025/08/07

Nate and Van are joined by Charlie Hannagan, Tech Support Specialist about the role of technology in modern church services, particularly regarding live streaming and digital content creation. They talk about the balance between maintaining traditional church values while leveraging technology for outreach and pastoral care, with emphasis on avoiding over-reliance on digital presence at the expense of genuine human connection. Send us a text message letting us know what you think of thi...

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24:38

Information

Design and Religion ·

2025/07/23

Nate and Van engage in a wide-ranging conversation covering misinformation, and political discourse, while expressing concerns about leadership and the spread of false information on social media. They discussed personal experiences and shared perspectives on simple-living, sobriety, the importance of controlling what one can in challenging times, and the value of education and peaceful action over violence. Send us a text message letting us know what you think of this episode! We env...

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53:00

Memorials

Design and Religion ·

2025/07/10

Nate and Van interview Jeffrey Miller, a renowned church organist, about his career and experiences in church music and opera. They cover the planning and execution of memorial services, including the importance of music selection, personal preferences, and setting boundaries for family contributions. Finally, they explore the challenges of funeral attendance and community involvement, emphasizing the need for personal boundaries and policies in religious services. Send us a text message lett...

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25:56

Performance

Design and Religion ·

2025/06/12

Rachele Gilmore joins Nate and Van to discuss their personal experiences with performing and focus on the challenges and rewards of their respective careers. They also explored the psychological and therapeutic aspects of performing and leading worship services, emphasizing the importance of authenticity, subtlety, and interactivity. The conversation ended with a discussion on the significance of singing and prayer in personal and communal experiences, and the potential for finding joy and a ...

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53:35

Competition

Design and Religion ·

2025/05/29

Rev. Dr. Jason Santos joins to discuss popular media and social influencers on religious views, and the challenges of tribalism in communication. We also explore the potential for rethinking how the gospel is communicated and proclaimed in the worship service, the importance of engaging with the world beyond their religious community, and the need for a more nuanced approach to understanding and addressing varieties of social issues. The conversation also touched on the responsibility of reli...

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40:38

Pastor Perspective

Design and Religion ·

2025/05/15

Nate and Van discuss the importance of creativity, positive change, and inclusivity in their work. They explore various topics including community engagement, selflessness, and the potential impact of current events on people's well-being, while also touching on the influence of different voices and media on their congregation. The conversation concludes with reflections on personal beliefs, the value of diverse perspectives, and the importance of raw, unstructured conversations in challengin...

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53:45

Equity

Design and Religion ·

2025/05/08

Oxana Lesova, a User Researcher, joins Nate and Van to discuss her everyday work in diversity, equity, and inclusion, with individuals and communities with disabilities. The conversation concluded with reflections on the importance of allowing individuals to tell their own stories, the value of empathy in pastoral counseling, and the significance of unity and connection that comes when we invite everyone -their whole self "to the table". Send us a text message letting us know what you think o...

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49:47

Inclusion

Design and Religion ·

2025/05/01

David Franklin an Accessibility Expert, joins Nate and Van to discuss the importance of inclusivity and accessibility. They also explore the challenges of ensuring inclusivity in web design and the importance of receiving feedback from users and audience members in a church service. The conversation touches on the importance of understanding the context and potential biases in the Bible, the need for a two-way approach to inclusion, and the challenges of balancing change with tradition in chu...

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38:40

Diversity PT2

Design and Religion ·

2025/04/24

Edwin, Nate and Van continue the discussion with Edwin exploring the importance of diversity and authenticity in relationships, with Edwin sharing his experiences as a the first non-white senior pastor in his current church and the challenges of being an outsider in a predominantly white congregation. Send us a text message letting us know what you think of this episode! We envision a world where design and religion work together to spread love, empathy, and charity faster than divisive...

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51:20

Diversity PT1

Design and Religion ·

2025/04/09

In this part one, of two-part episode, Rev. Edwin Estevez, joins s Nate, and Van in his experiences growing up in diverse environments and discusses the cultural significance of sharing food, the impact of technology on human interaction, the importance of acknowledging the amygdala in understanding human behavior, and the challenges of navigating cultural differences in diverse communities. Lastly, they touch on the challenges churches face in adapting to changing neighborhoods, the importan...

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44:52

Activism

Design and Religion ·

2025/04/03

Rev. John Molina-Moore joins Nate and Van in discussing preaching and the finer points and pitfalls of encouraging action. The conversation explored the balance between comfort and challenge in sermons, the importance of addressing contemporary issues thoughtfully, and the role of activism and personal growth in social advocacy. Send us a text message letting us know what you think of this episode! We envision a world where design and religion work together to spread love, empathy, and ...

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23:05

Designer Perspective

Design and Religion ·

2025/03/27

Van and Nate discuss Van's perspective as a designer on the art of preaching, comparing it to trial lawyers' persuasive techniques. Van begins to share his thoughts on what he believes for both clergy and design perspectives, mentioning contrasting examples from the design world. Send us a text message letting us know what you think of this episode! We envision a world where design and religion work together to spread love, empathy, and charity faster than divisiveness, selfishness, and hate....

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59:10

Craft

Design and Religion ·

2025/03/20

Rev. Dr. Adam Hearlson joins Van, and Nate to discuss the craft and challenges of preaching, the importance of balancing responsibility and creative risk-taking, and the role of storytelling in conveying lessons. They cover the importance of equipping people with the necessary tools and motivation to understand and take positive actions in their life. Send us a text message letting us know what you think of this episode! We envision a world where design and religion work together to spread...

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39:42

Interpretation

Design and Religion ·

2025/03/13

How do listeners, participants, and colleagues receive the key points we need them to? Van wears the "participant hat" and gives feedback about what he experiences during many sermons. Nate and Van also explore the challenges of preparation, authenticity, and structured vulnerability in communication. Send us a text message letting us know what you think of this episode! We envision a world where design and religion work together to spread love, empathy, and charity faster than divisive...

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63:51

Fear

Design and Religion ·

2025/03/06

Nate and Van once again welcome Rev. Dr. Jason Santos to discuss their fears and experiences, dealing with anxiety, and the concept of safety as a tangible reality of needs. They also explore the idea of redesigning religion and the balance between responsibility and faith, touching on topics such as the fear of death, the role of faith in shaping one's perspective on death, and the importance of humility. Send us a text message letting us know what you think of this episode! We envisio...

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58:54

Faith

Design and Religion ·

2025/02/27

Jared Spool joins Nate and Van to share his preference for atheism and they pragmatically discuss how designers and clergy rely on faith to communicate, promise results, and persevere in the average day-to-day. Send us a text message letting us know what you think of this episode! We envision a world where design and religion work together to spread love, empathy, and charity faster than divisiveness, selfishness, and hate. To achieve this, we aim to bring the stories of those driving t...

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35 results

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