In this episode of Leaders in the Arena, we sat down with Pat Raynor to explore leadership through a distinctly Christian lens—one rooted not in status or authority, but in calling, character, and responsibility. Pat shares his personal leadership journey, reflecting on the moments and mentors that shaped his approach to leading with humility and conviction.Together, we'll unpack the turning point when leadership became more than a title, but a responsibility to serve others well. Pat also walks us through a defining leadership moment where values, people, and outcomes were all at stake, offering an honest look at how faith impacts decision-making under pressure.We’ll also discuss how Pat’s faith and spiritual formation continues to shape his leadership today, and close with the guiding wisdom that anchors his work and influences how he leads others.Leaders in the Arena is a podcast from the Brock-Barnes Center for Leadership at Covenant College. Learn more at brockbarnes.covenant.edu.

A special pre-Brock forum episode with Newt Crenshaw, president of Young Life.

In this episode, Newt Crenshaw draws on decades of leadership experience across both corporate and ministry contexts, to examine the challenges and responsibilities of leading with integrity, humility, and courage in a rapidly changing world. He shares practical insights on authentic Christian leadership in practice, reflects on the realities of leading across generations—including lessons learned from working closely with Gen Z and Gen Alpha—and challenges listeners to think deeply about the stewardship of influence and responsibility.

At the heart of innovation and community growth lies a mindset: “Yes, And.” Rather than seeing constraints as limitations, “Yes, And” invites possibility, collaboration, and co-creation across sectors and perspectives. Under Bridgett Massengill’s direction, Thrive’s recent Tri-State Summit adopted “Yes, And” as its theme to unite business, civic, and community leaders toward shared progress. Thrive Regional Partnership

In this episode of ⁠⁠Leaders in the Arena⁠⁠, we explore how “Yes, And” thinking becomes more than a conference motif—it becomes a leadership posture, a tool for resilient communities, and a driver for inclusive growth. Bridgett shares stories and lessons from Thrive’s work in the Chattanooga / Tri-State region, and insights about how other leaders and communities can apply this mindset in their own contexts.

Key Topics:

• • “Yes, And” as a Leadership Mindset: The philosophy behind the phrase—how it shifts conversations from opposition to possibility, from either/or to both/and.
  • Bridging Differences to Build Community: Ways the “Yes, And” approach helps reconcile varied interests—economic development, environmental concerns, equity, infrastructure—into joint solutions.
• • Growth Through Generative Collaboration: How community and regional progress can emerge when stakeholders adopt “Yes, And” thinking—co-creating rather than competing.

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  Catch the next episode of Leaders in the Arena, and check out other exciting events on our website: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.bridgeinnovate.com/events⁠⁠Subscribe to the ⁠⁠⁠Bridge Innovate® newsletter⁠⁠⁠ to keep up with our latest programs and services: http://eepurl.com/gv3ST5