What does it look like to lead a ministry organization for decades and never lose sight of the fact that it belongs to God? That question sits at the heart of this conversation with Mark Taylor.

Dan Ehrman and Tyndale House Foundation's Caroline Curry sit down with Mark Taylor — former President and CEO of Tyndale House Publishers and longtime Chairman of Tyndale House Ministries — for a rich conversation spanning six decades of gospel-centered leadership, Christian publishing history, and sacrificial generosity. Mark shares the story behind the founding of the New Living Translation Bible, Tyndale House Foundation's global grant-making, and the stewardship convictions that shaped his entire career.

Key takeaways for church leaders:

• Stewardship over ownership — How Mark's father Ken Taylor modeled holding ministry resources with an open hand, and what that looks like in practice for pastors today
• Generosity as a leadership discipline — Why Tyndale House Foundation has given away over $150 million and why that commitment must be built into organizational leadership from the start
• Developing leaders patiently — The decade of formation Mark received before stepping into the CEO role, and why gradual leadership development matters in the local church

"Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce." — Proverbs 3:9 (NLT)

This episode is an encouragement for any pastor or ministry director navigating the tension between organizational success and faithful stewardship — and a reminder that God-honoring leadership leaves a legacy far beyond what any one generation can see.

Church Connect
Church Connect – Access trusted resources from leading Christian publishers to strengthen your church. Enjoy everyday bulk discounts of up to 45%, free shipping on orders over $50, and more. Every purchase supports the Tyndale Foundation, funding Christian ministries and global mission organizations.

More from The Church Around the World:
Get email updates: Sign up here
Listen to more episodes of The Church Around the World podcast: Listen now

What does it actually take to translate the Bible — and is the New Living Translation really just a paraphrase? If you've ever heard that criticism, this conversation is for you.

In this episode of Church Around the World, Dan Ehrman sits down with Dr. Andrew Abernethy — professor of Old Testament and assistant dean at Wheaton College's Divinity School, and a member of the New Living Translation Bible committee — to pull back the curtain on the NLT translation process and what it means to make Scripture genuinely accessible without sacrificing accuracy.

Three takeaways for church leaders:

• The NLT is not a paraphrase. It comes from a team of top evangelical scholars wrestling simultaneously with original-language accuracy and understandable English — a rigorous, two-stage process most readers never see.
• Translation is always interpretation. From the word "redeemer" in Ruth to a contested phrase in Matthew 1, every translation choice involves asking: what would this have meant then, and how do we communicate that clearly today?
• Scripture transforms whole families. Dr. Abernethy's own story — from a basketball family with no Bible background to an NLT committee member — is a reminder that God works powerfully through faithful engagement with His Word.

"Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path." — Psalm 119:105 (NLT)

This episode is a rich resource for any pastor or ministry leader who wants to understand — and confidently recommend — the New Living Translation Bible to their congregation.

Learn more about Dr. Abernethy and the NLT:
Dr. Andrew Abernethy - Wheaton College
New Living Translation
NLT Scholars
God's Messiah in the Old Testament
Andrew Abernethy - LinkedIn

Church Connect
Church Connect – Access trusted resources from leading Christian publishers to strengthen your church. Enjoy everyday bulk discounts of up to 45%, free shipping on orders over $50, and more. Every purchase supports the Tyndale Foundation, funding Christian ministries and global mission organizations.

More from The Church Around the World:
Get email updates: Sign up here
Listen to more episodes of The Church Around the World podcast: Listen now

What happens when the Church shows up—not just with programs, but with people—in the lives of children growing up in under-resourced neighborhoods?

This week, Dan is joined by guest co-host Caroline Curry (Development Specialist, Tyndale House Foundation) and two leaders from By the Hand Club for Kids: Peter Hanson, VP of Volunteer Development, and Stephen Fernandes, Chief Development Officer.

By the Hand Club for Kids has been walking alongside children in some of Chicago's most challenged communities for over two decades—offering not just after-school programming, but something rarer: the sustained presence of caring adults who refuse to let a child's zip code define their ceiling.

In this conversation, we explore:

• Why diverse social connections matter enormously for kids growing up in geographic and economic isolation
• The irreplaceable role of adult presence and attention in forming a child's sense of value and purpose—especially in our distracted, screen-saturated world
• How By the Hand helps students see their own neighborhoods through the lens of God's abundance rather than human scarcity
• What By the Hand's work says to the broader Church about what we truly value

Learn more about By the Hand Club for Kids:
By The Hand History and Stories
Giving to By The Hand
Volunteer Interest Form
ByTheHand.com
Facebook
LinkedIn

Church Connect
Church Connect – Access trusted resources from leading Christian publishers to strengthen your church. Enjoy everyday bulk discounts of up to 45%, free shipping on orders over $50, and more. Every purchase supports the Tyndale Foundation, funding Christian ministries and global mission organizations.

More from The Church Around the World:
Get email updates: Sign up here
Listen to more episodes of The Church Around the World podcast: Listen now