
No, really...don't...
Rev. Marc van Bulck is a minister in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Marc sits down with people he thinks are interesting, picks their brains about the creative process, learns about how artistic expression informs our values. He also regularly embarrasses himself on-air.
Get in touch...
Want to say hi? Contact the show at dontencouragethis@gmail.com.
Episodes
Episodes



Thursday May 21, 2026
Ep. 18 - Amy-Jill Levine
Thursday May 21, 2026
Thursday May 21, 2026
Dr. Amy-Jill Levine is one of the world’s leading Jewish biblical scholars. She is the author of Short Stories by Jesus: The Enigmatic Parables of a Controversial Rabbi, The Misunderstood Jew and her latest book, Jesus for Everyone: Not Just Christians, which was released in 2024 by HarperOne. She is the first Jewish scholar to teach New Testament at Rome's Pontifical Biblical Institute and has had three audiences with Pope Francis.
Dr. Levine joins the program to explore one of Jesus’ most famous parables from an interfaith perspective: how this beloved passage from Scripture has been interpreted through both a Christian and Jewish lens.



Monday Apr 06, 2026
Ep. 17 - Simon Bennett
Monday Apr 06, 2026
Monday Apr 06, 2026
Simon Bennett’s career spans theater and television on both sides of the globe. He spent nearly two decades shaping the iconic, long-running New Zealand–based soap Shortland Street as a director, producer and executive producer before becoming Head of Drama at South Pacific Pictures. He also served as showrunner and executive producer for Saban’s Power Rangers from 2019 to 2023, including the 30th anniversary special, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always.
Simon shares his journey growing up as the child of two mimes, his early experiments with light and sound and the path that led him to pioneer New Zealand’s landmark BATS Theatre. He gets candid about the joys and creative challenges of producing high-volume, long-running television and his creative ambitions from Shakespeare to spandex.



Monday Feb 23, 2026
Ep. 16 - Steve Lindsley
Monday Feb 23, 2026
Monday Feb 23, 2026
Steve Lindsley serves as the Executive Presbyter of the Providence Presbytery in South Carolina and is the Senior Ministry Strategist for Horizons Stewardship. He is also a musician and recording artist with eight albums and EP’s since 1997. His most recent album, “Back Again,” dropped in April of 2023.
Steve talks about the difference between good vs. bad Christian music, discusses some of the quirks of picking hymns on Sunday morning and shares valuable insights on fundraising and stewardship for churches.
Listen to Steve’s music here: https://stevelindsley.bandcamp.com/



Wednesday Jan 28, 2026
Ep. 15 - Dre Swain
Wednesday Jan 28, 2026
Wednesday Jan 28, 2026
Dre Swain has appeared regularly on Nickelodeon over the past two decades on shows like “Victorious,” “iCarly,” “Sam and Cat,” “The Fairly Oddparents,” “Henry Danger,” and several others. She has also appeared on shows like “Shameless” on Showtime, alongside William H. Macy and Emmy Rossum. Dre has acted in several critically acclaimed independent films in the festival circuit. Her indie film, “Brix and the B#&%!” is currently streaming at https://vimeo.com/203908421 Additionally, Dre is the founder of DreMadeDat.com. She shares some behind-the-scenes stories working on shows for Nickelodeon, gets very candid about some of the challenges and setbacks she has dealt with as a working actress and reflects honestly on how creative energy has helped her create her own opportunities.



Thursday Nov 06, 2025
Ep. 14 - Sarah Bracey White
Thursday Nov 06, 2025
Thursday Nov 06, 2025
Sarah Bracey White is the critically acclaimed author of Primary Lessons: A Memoir and The Wanderlust: A South Carolina Folktale. Set against the backdrop of the Jim Crow South, Primary Lessons tells the real-life story of Sarah’s growing-up years navigating her challenging relationship with her mother and seeking to reconcile her complex family systems with issues of racial and social justice.
Sarah shares how telling stories can lead to healing in our lives, whether through the discoveries we make about our parents or the act of caring for a child, spouse or an aging loved one. She discusses how her creative journey led to three published books, two theatrical stage productions and even an (almost) Netflix series!
Her latest book, A Walk Down Memory Lane: Short Stories for Seniors to Spark Joy and Stay Sharp, is available wherever books are sold on December 2, 2025.



Thursday Sep 18, 2025
Ep. 13 - Peggy Jean Craig
Thursday Sep 18, 2025
Thursday Sep 18, 2025
The Rev. Dr. Peggy Jean Craig currently serves as the Senior Pastor at the Covenant Presbyterian Church of Germantown in Germantown, Tennessee. In 2025, she was one of the headlining preachers at the Presbyterian Youth Triennium at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville, Kentucky. She joins me to discuss her experience preaching at Triennium and to explore the intersections between storytelling and advocacy.



Thursday Jul 24, 2025
Ep. 12 - David J. Fielding
Thursday Jul 24, 2025
Thursday Jul 24, 2025
David J. Fielding is an actor, writer, and voiceover artist best known for playing Zordon on the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers TV series that premiered in August 1993. Beyond his iconic role as the mentor to superheroic teenagers, David is a prolific novelist and author of short fiction. David holds a BFA from Texas State University and an MFA in Acting from the University of Pittsburgh.David discusses his experience in the theater and his most formative roles onstage, as well as his deep love of comic books and B-movies. David reveals some behind-the-scenes secrets from filming Power Rangers and how his childhood love of genre storytelling landed him an iconic role on the biggest children’s television show in the world…



Friday Jun 06, 2025
Ep. 11 - In Loving Memory of Walter Brueggemann
Friday Jun 06, 2025
Friday Jun 06, 2025
Walter Brueggemann
1933-2025








