Mike Horn works in Atlanta, GA, handling air freight exports for a freight forwarding company. We first met Mike in 2011 at the Hinton Rural Life Center in Hayesville, NC, where he was working/serving as a summer staffer. Our friendship was fast and easy in a kindred spirit way. Since those early days, our lives have taken many twists and turns, yet we have managed to keep up with one another and maintain a solid friendship. Mike was raised in the Christian faith and still “identifies as Christi...
May 18, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Transcript available on Metacast Matt Simpson is a Project Manager for a major construction company in Atlanta, GA. A graduate of Georgia Tech with an engineering degree, Matt chose to pursue a profession that put him out in the field, working with people and problem-solving as issues arise to keep projects on time and moving forward. Always an introspective soul, Matt shares in this episode about his deep abiding faith in God and how it intersects with his disenchantment with the North American church. In our opinion, conversa...
May 11, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Transcript available on Metacast Steven Landreth is a Surface Warfare Officer in the United States Navy. In his own words, Steven "drives ships and fights ships." But before all that, he was our penguin hat-wearin',' Lil' Steve! Always down for some good, clean fun, Steven is one of the most relational people we've ever met, with a truly sweet heart. It won't take you long into this episode to realize Steven is the real deal. What you see is what you get, and this man is a sincere practitioner of the Christian faith. It was so ...
Apr 20, 2024•58 min•Transcript available on Metacast Caroline Davis is a force for good in this world. You know the saying, “Be the change you want to see?” Well, CB embodies that to a T! Truth is, she has since the day we met her. In addition, she’s the queen of cool. Always down for an adventure, Caroline has traveled all over the world, loving and serving people, while building authentic community along the way. Caroline is a speech therapist in Rome, GA, where she lives with her husband, Alex. We invite you to kick back, relax, and listen in o...
Apr 13, 2024•1 hr 21 min•Transcript available on Metacast Bryan Landreth has been a pivotal piece of the Simplify movement since before its inception. An ever-present force in our authentic community of faith, Bryan made our work together in Middle Georgia the centerpiece of his adolescent years. After high school graduation, Bryan joined the United States Coast Guard and quickly found himself in the Honor Guard. We tell people Bryan is our very own real-life Forrest Gump! He was assigned to serve at the White House, as well as Washington must-visits s...
Apr 06, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Transcript available on Metacast Matt Praiswater is a high-school agriculture educator. From visiting Supervised Agriculture Experience Programs at family farms to conducting greenhouse lessons or overseeing parliamentary procedures during FFA chapter meetings, Matt prioritizes authentic relationships. He is also a trained Financial Peace University facilitator who is passionate about helping families and individuals experience financial freedom. Matt and his wife, Alyssa, have three children and live in Middle Missouri. We inv...
Mar 16, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Transcript available on Metacast Amber Vroman is the Director of the BSN Program at the University of Missouri’s Sinclair School of Nursing. In addition, she and her husband, Chris, own and operate Foxtail Farms, Inc., in Higbee, Missouri. Amber is an incredible momma to four precious blonde-headed girls: Avery, Adalyn, Etta Jane, and Annie. If you haven’t figured it out by now, Amber is a superwoman; her superpower is taking great care of people and creation! In this episode, Amber shares her story and speaks about the importa...
Mar 09, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Transcript available on Metacast Alex Aken is such a gift to the world. Born and raised in South Florida, Alex first experienced God at 12 years old while watching a movie in public school, of all places. From that early age, Alex felt a call to ministry on his life. In this episode, Alex shares stories of the significant moments and influential people the Lord has placed in his life to encourage him along the path. Now living in Nashville, TN, with his wife, Dani, Alex is in residency as a hospital chaplain, a position that is...
Feb 24, 2024•1 hr 22 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ken Morgan is the epitome of a Christian leader. If ever there was a person who loves God and loves people, it is Ken! He has spent his entire adult life in the trenches of vocational ministry, establishing deep, long-lasting, authentic relationships in every local church and community along the way. Ken’s favorite mission field is the Walmart of any given town, and he has never met a Chick-fil-A he didn’t like. Ken currently serves as the Lead Pastor of Springfield Oaks Church in Springfield, G...
Feb 17, 2024•1 hr 25 min•Transcript available on Metacast Charles DiRico leads a movement of Fresh Expressions of Church that is known as Word on the Street. The four expressions that have emerged so far are dinner churches or open table meals. Three of those open tables are shared with persons who are experiencing homelessness in the Charlotte, NC, area, and the fourth is a bilingual open table that is shared in a local mobile home community. Charles is a graduate of Virginia Tech (BS) and Emory University’s Candler School of Theology (MDiv). He is cu...
Feb 03, 2024•1 hr 25 min•Transcript available on Metacast Alexandria Simonton is one big ol’ bundle of joy! Alex earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in early childhood education from Georgia Southern University before making a switch and answering a call to ministry. She is the Digital Media Coordinator and Photographer at Compassion Christian Church in Savannah, Georgia, and the Creative Director at Georgia Southern University's Wesley Foundation in Statesboro, Georgia. Our conversation is chock full of hope and expectation. We invite you to ki...
Jan 27, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Transcript available on Metacast Josiah Kee is a gifted creator and the owner of Launch AV, a video, audio, and drone production company based in Boonville, MO. Born and raised in a very close-knit family, Josiah and his siblings spent much of their formative years learning, growing, and exploring in the river bottoms of Middle Missouri. Josiah’s deep love for the Lord, his family, the outdoors is evident in his work. It is a real pleasure to catch up with him, to hear about all he’s been up to, and to listen to his hopes and d...
Jan 20, 2024•1 hr 21 min•Transcript available on Metacast When it comes to loving God and loving people, Johnny Bridges is quite the journeyman! Having come to a life of faith in Jesus as a sophomore in high-school, Johnny has spent the years since pursuing Jesus and serving the church. With a heart for music and student ministry, he has exercised his gifts in congregations across South Georgia. In addition, Johnny works alongside our very dear friend, Charity Lucas (ep. 5), at the Brookdale Resource Center in Macon, GA. We invite you to kick back, rel...
Jan 13, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Mindy Henderson has the biggest heart of any person we know! She loves Jesus, her husband, her baby girl, extended family and friends, and teaching middle-school. Easily the most organized person we’ve ever met, Mindy has a plan for everything and makes lists about her lists. When she is involved in anything, you never have to worry about even the smallest detail and she pours all of these gifts and graces into each and every relationship in her life. There are so many timeless stories in this e...
Jan 06, 2024•2 hr 31 min•Transcript available on Metacast Michael Meeks is a believer, husband, father to two boys, 1st grade teacher, and small business owner of MacArthur Woodworks. He is passionate about glorifying God through creativity, relationships, and discipleship. You can find his woodworking on Instagram, YouTube, or at www.macarthurwoodworks.com. We invite you to kick back, relax, and listen in on a conversation between friends! #livesimplylovemuch
Dec 30, 2023•2 hr 31 min•Transcript available on Metacast Will Cooper is a dedicated middle school world studies educator with a profound passion for being a voice for the voiceless. Combining his love for teaching with a deep commitment to social justice, Will strives to instill empathy and global awareness in his students. Beyond the classroom, he indulges his wanderlust, exploring diverse cultures and communities around the globe. Will believes that by fostering understanding and compassion, both in the classroom and through his travels, he can insp...
Dec 23, 2023•58 min•Transcript available on Metacast Travis Smith, a grief counselor and pastor, founded Blue Ridge Hope with a mission to connect individuals with resources that will help them be successful in attaining their emotional goals and reconciling personal loss. Travis is passionate about building community and works hard to help bring hope and healing to individuals who have dealt with hurt in the traditional church. In 2014, he founded “Sacred Ale,” which is Fresh Expression that meets in a local pub. Travis earned his bachelor's degr...
Dec 16, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Transcript available on Metacast Jared Middleton is one of the most authentic people we’ve ever met. He is also one of the few people who can embarrass nearly anyone in any environment. It’s like his superpower! Jared is a man of many talents: an avid outdoorsman, a coffee connoisseur, a stunt driver of church vans, and gives the best Captain Morgan poses in the world. On a more serious note, Jared has been a wildly successful youth pastor and lead pastor in local churches. He recently took a sabbatical from pulpit ministry and...
Dec 09, 2023•2 hr 40 min•Transcript available on Metacast Trevor Ward, or as we call him “Rev,” is one of the most fun people we know. Always down for an adventure and truly a kid at heart, Rev lights up any room he walks into. He is a man of many talents. From playing multiple instruments to teaching and preaching, from riding his Onewheel through cities to finding the best local joints to eat in every town, life with Rev is a gift. He has served in multiple ministry areas since he was in his mid-twenties, but none top his list of priorities more than...
Dec 02, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Transcript available on Metacast Cathy Atkins has consulted with and trained individuals and businesses of all sizes, local and nationally. She is a featured speaker and writer for numerous corporations, trade associations, blogs, and business journals, and manages Inbound Marketing with a local ad agency, fuze32 Marketing - a division of Zimmer Communications. Cathy served as a lay speaker for the United Methodist Church for over 20 years when she felt the call of God on her life to take a more specific role in ministry. In a ...
Nov 25, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Luke Edwards, author of Becoming Church: A Trail Guide for Starting Fresh Expressions, is a Pastor and the Associate Director of Church Development for the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church. Over the past six years, he has helped launch countless micro faith communities across western North Carolina and North America. Before that, he was the founding pastor of King Street Church, a network of fresh expressions in Boone, North Carolina. With a lot of training in soc...
Nov 18, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Transcript available on Metacast Corey Shores is one of the realest dudes we’ve ever met. For those of you who have been around a while, you will realize how big of a statement that is! Still, it is true. Always down for a good time, we’ve spent years making memories alongside Corey in many environments, and in every situation, he is the same. His love for God and people is apparent whether he is leading worship in a sanctuary or enjoying the Dave Matthews Band at Verizon. Our favorite thing about him is the way he is completel...
Nov 11, 2023•1 hr 28 min•Transcript available on Metacast Hayden Martin is a living, breathing inspiration to everyone he encounters. Diagnosed with Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) at six years old, Hayden did not begin to experience symptoms until he was twelve. While his body underwent significant change as a teen, his mind, soul, and spirit grew stronger. The phrase adapt and overcome has never been more appropriate to describe a human being. In this episode, Hayden opens up about the importance of authentic community in his life and e...
Nov 04, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Brooke Kitchens brings light and life to every environment she finds herself in. Without question, she is the consummate optimist, and our tribe is all the better because of her. She is the epitome of living simply and loving much. This year, Brooke celebrates a tenth anniversary of serving youth and college/career-aged young people at the same local church! That feat alone makes her a unicorn, which, if you know Brooke, is OK with her. Hang out with her long enough, and she will try to convince...
Oct 28, 2023•1 hr 23 min•Transcript available on Metacast Brandon Friebe is a husband, father, son, brother, friend, and pastor. Want to know the common thread that runs through all of those roles? The importance of authenticity in relationships! He and his family do incredible work encouraging people through their website, 3 Cord Crossing. We invite you to kick back, relax, and listen in on a conversation between friends! #livesimplylovemuch
Oct 21, 2023•1 hr 28 min•Transcript available on Metacast Charity Lucas is a long-time friend who has a heart to love her neighbors as herself. She currently serves as the Center Manager of the Brookdale Resource Center in Macon, GA. The amount of work Brookdale does to serve its local community is staggering. The best part is that you can repeat it in any city or town with an old vacant school building! We invite you to kick back, relax, and listen in on a conversation between friends! #livesimplylovemuch
Oct 14, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Transcript available on Metacast Gabe Barrett has been many things: an SEC college football player, a full-time innercity missional leader, a dual resident of both the US and Honduras (where he lived for 8 years in order to adopt two of his children), and most recently a highly successful board game creator. The one constant in all of those scenarios? Gabe's sincere pursuit of authenticity in his relationship with God and with people. We invite you to kick back, relax, and listen in on a conversation between friends!
Oct 07, 2023•2 hr 42 min•Transcript available on Metacast Sean King has been a prince and a pauper, experienced life in the penthouse and the outhouse, and come away from it all equipped to invest in authentic community in an extremely unique way. In this episode, Sean opens up about his experiences in a motorcycle club, welcoming men who were experiencing homelessness into his house and leading not one but two Celebrate Recovery ministries in Middle Georgia. We invite you to kick back, relax, and listen in on a conversation between friends! In Episode...
Sep 30, 2023•2 hr 36 min•Transcript available on Metacast Man, oh man, you don’t want to miss this conversation. David’s story is raw, real, cloaked with redemption, & drills deep into the importance of authentic community. We invite you to kick back, relax, and listen in on a conversation between friends! *WARNING: Our conversation includes the topic of suicide. If this is a trigger for you, it might be best to skip this episode.
Sep 23, 2023•2 hr 30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Connor Henderson has been a part of the movement from the very beginning. He was co-host of the first two seasons of The Simplify Podcast and has served as the lead counselor, consultant, and comedian of The Simplify Project Co. since its inception. With all of this in mind, it's only fitting that an unscripted conversation with Connor launch The Keep It Simple Podcast. We invite you to kick back, relax, and listen in on a conversation between friends!
Sep 16, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
