Follower of One : Missions For The Rest Of Us

Hosted by Mike Henry Sr.

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Jun 2026

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Move from spectator to participant. Join Jesus as he works in our world. This is a show for marketplace Christians to energize and encourage you to live out your faith every day, right where you are. Begin your day with Christ-centered ideas to share your joy with those around you. Add in weekly interviews with other like-minded Christians so you can share in their joy and learn how they make Jesus visible in their workplace every day."

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June 10, 202643 min

From Ministry to Marketplace: Dawn Apuan's Faith Journey

Many Christians feel stuck in work that doesn't reflect who they are or what they're good at. If you've ever wondered whether your skills have a place outside of ministry or a traditional career path, this episode speaks directly to that tension. Dawn Apuan's story shows what it looks like to build a business grounded in faith, not hustle. What you'll hear in this episode: How Dawn moved from co-pastoring and nonprofit work into copywriting, and hit six figures within 11 months of starting Why she believes God gave her more impact through business than she had in a church of 30 to 40 people How she stayed grounded in her faith during a four-month stretch with no income while supporting her family The two questions she asks Jesus every morning that shape how she works and serves What Deuteronomy 8 has to do with staying humble about your own success Dawn Apuan is an expert copywriter and marketing strategist. Former pastor and non-profit Executive Director, her mission now is to help Christian business owners establish their authority and sell out even their most expensive offers with messaging that brilliantly captures their voice to attract dream clients, without costing them time and energy creating it. Her unique ability to craft words into wealth has helped hundreds of clients get results in 24 hours or less, and some clients make five figures overnight without sales calls! You can find Dawn Apuan here: Website: https://copyqueensink.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-apuan-copyqueen/ *Connect With Follower Of One* Join us over in our Online Community(http://community.followerofone.org) *Get social with us* https://www.facebook.com/followerofone https://instagram.com/followerofone1 https://twitter.com/followerofone1 https://www.linkedin.com/company/follower-of-one https://plinkhq.com/i/1482955686 ==== Episode Chapters 0:00 Intro 0:48 Introduction and Dawn's Background 5:01 From Passion for Writing to Professional Copywriter 7:55 Leaving Ministry and Starting a Business 9:28 Marketplace Impact vs. Church Ministry 11:14 Finding Your God-Given Skills in the Marketplace 18:48 Internal Voices, External Voices, and Why Mindset Blocks Most Christians 21:34 The Real Cost of Leaving a Controlled Ministry Environment 23:18 Living Small When You Serve an Infinite God 27:07 Success Is About Who You Become, Not What You Earn 29:34 How to Stay Grounded in Faith When Business Is Going Well 32:29 Why Inner Work Matters as Much as Marketplace Work 36:09 Deuteronomy 8 and the Daily Practice of Remembering God 37:18 Dawn's Encouragement for Employees, Leaders, and Entrepreneurs 39:58 Conclusion

June 3, 202654 min

Christian Leadership and Workplace Culture with Brandon West | Follower Of One

Most Christians in business feel the tension between running a profitable company and leading with faith. You want your work to mean something beyond revenue, but you are not sure how to build that into your team, your culture, or your goals. Brandon West has spent years figuring out exactly that. Key Discussion Points Why excellence in your work is the foundation of your gospel platform, and why it is not enough on its own How Brandon built a culture of care at Phos Creative, and why it spread without being mandated The polarity map exercise he used with his team to hold business and ministry in tension, rather than treating them as problems to solve How Phos went from a nine-page list of causes to funding 44 care centers across 18 countries serving over 7,000 women and children Four assets God gives faithful business owners: human flourishing, operational excellence, gospel platform, and kingdom capital About the Guest Brandon West is the founder of PHOS Creative, a strategy-first digital marketing agency recognized by Inc. 5000, Florida Trend Magazine, and the Best Christian Workplaces Institute, and the author of It Is Not Your Business to Succeed, with insights shared across 140 stages to more than 50,000 people. Under his leadership, PHOS has helped fund 42 care centers in 18 countries through their SAFE Global Fund, serving over 7,000 women and children impacted by extreme poverty and sex trafficking. A University of Florida 40 Under 40 honoree and Purpose Leadership Award recipient, Brandon lives in Florida with his wife, Shelley, and their two sons. Connect with Brandon Website: https://phoscreative.com/ Link: https://brandonmichaelwest.com/ *Connect With Follower Of One* Join us over in our Online Community(http://community.followerofone.org) *Get social with us* https://www.facebook.com/followerofone https://instagram.com/followerofone1 https://twitter.com/followerofone1 https://www.linkedin.com/company/follower-of-one https://plinkhq.com/i/1482955686

May 27, 202643 min

Being the Light in the Darkness: Jason Davis on Faith at Work | Follower Of One

Most Christians know they are called to love the people around them. Fewer think about what that means for the person who frustrates them in a meeting on Tuesday. Jason Davis stormed out of one of those meetings years ago, and what happened next reshaped how he shows up at work. This episode is for you if you want to bring your faith into daily workplace situations without preaching, burning out, or compartmentalizing it to Sunday mornings. What you will hear in this episode: Why prayer is not just a morning and evening habit. Jason walks through what it looks like to pray on demand throughout the workday, before a hard conversation, after a difficult meeting, and for the people around you. The real story behind his shift from complaining about a coworker to becoming an encourager. Including what happened years later when that same coworker asked about him. Why your coworkers qualify as neighbors in the biblical sense, and what that means for how you show up Monday through Friday. How to tell the difference between being led by God toward a decision and chasing the allure of entrepreneurship or a new opportunity on your own timeline. Why mentorship matters more than motivation if you are serious about growing in business or in your faith walk at work. Jason Davis(AKA Mr. Fortify) is a husband, author, speaker, teacher, encourager, and coach. Jason helps mission-driven people prioritize their faith in the marketplace by uniquely blending faith, business, and finance. Jason hosts a weekly podcast called The Fortified Life Podcast, helping people build a dependency on Jesus in the marketplace. Jason also hosts a weekly TV show called Fortified In Wisdom, helping people walk in the wisdom of God daily. Jason has helped lead people out of over $322,000 of debt (and counting) and set aside upward of $100,000 in savings (and counting). His impact extends to the organizational level, having trained thousands on the concepts of leadership development and teamwork. Jason is both a graduate of and a former NCAA Div I college football player at Georgia Tech. Jason is a Maxwell Leadership Certified Trainer and Coach, a graduate of Dave Ramsey's Financial Coach Master Training, a DISCflex Certified Coach, and a Certified Kanban expert. Find Jason at The Fortified Life Podcast. If this episode was useful to you, subscribe to Follower of One and share it with someone in your workplace. Learn more about the two-week marketplace mission trip at Follower of One. Connect with Jason Davis Here: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasondavismrfortify/ Website: https://www.jerichoforce.com/ Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@thefortifiedlife⁩ *Connect With Follower Of One* Join us over in our Online Community(http://community.followerofone.org) *Get social with us* https://www.facebook.com/followerofone https://instagram.com/followerofone1 https://twitter.com/followerofone1 https://www.linkedin.com/company/follower-of-one https://plinkhq.com/i/1482955686 ====

May 20, 202647 min

Faith at Work Starts With Identity, Not Purpose with Dan Pogue | Follower Of One

If you think your faith belongs at church and your work belongs at the office, you are already dividing something God never intended to split. The tension between belief and daily work is real, but it is not unsolvable. This episode gives you a practical framework for living your faith from Monday to Friday, beyond Sunday morning alone. Key Discussion Points The ART framework (Awareness, Responsibility, Tenacity): transformation requires action, not belief alone, because as Scripture says, faith without works is dead. Identity before purpose: God calls you to be someone before He calls you to do something, and getting that order wrong leads to drift. The 60-to-1 rule from aviation: one degree of course deviation compounds into a major miss over distance. Dan applies this to daily rhythms of faith, prayer, and strategic thinking at work. How to share your faith at work without being a theologian. Dan's simple framework: before Jesus, when Jesus happened, and after Jesus. Servant leadership in practice: what the Chick-fil-A inverted pyramid teaches about leading through serving, regardless of your title. Dan Pogue is an executive coach and leadership development expert who specializes in inspiring transformation in leaders and organizations. Drawing on over two decades of experience in the United States Air Force, corporate leadership, and roles as an ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC), Master Certified Financial Coach, and founder of Thriving Leaders Group, he equips clients with the emotional intelligence, strategic clarity, and business acumen needed for lasting change. Known for his work with Fortune 500 executives, high-growth leaders, and Chick-fil-A leadership programs, Dan helps clients unlock their potential, elevate performance, and create meaningful impact in their businesses and communities. Connect with Dan here. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danpogue1/ Website: https://www.thethrivingleader.net/ https://www.danpogue.com/ https://thrivingu.co/ https://www.johncmaxwellgroup.com/ *Connect With Follower Of One* Join us over in our Online Community(http://community.followerofone.org) *Get social with us* https://www.facebook.com/followerofone https://instagram.com/followerofone1 https://twitter.com/followerofone1 https://www.linkedin.com/company/follower-of-one https://plinkhq.com/i/1482955686 ====

May 13, 20261 hr 3 min

Running a Company for God: Rick Johnson and Bonnie Mock | Follower Of One

Most Christian business owners keep faith and work in separate boxes. Rick Johnson and Bonnie Mock show what happens when you refuse to do that. Rick runs RC Fasteners as a ministry disguised as a fastener company, and Bonnie coaches his employees through spiritual transformation while they're on the clock. In this episode, learn: How Rick transitioned from running the business in his own power to making God the actual CEO What Bonnie sees when she coaches employees at RC Fasteners and hears them say, "he saved my life" The practical reality of running Bible studies, offering coaching, and praying during work hours while still growing the business Why Rick hires people others won't hire, and what happens when broken employees encounter a culture built on love How both Rick and Bonnie use Follower of One virtual mission trips to stay intentional about faith at work About the Guests Rick Johnson is the founder and CEO of RC Fasteners and Components in Phoenix, Arizona. After 11 years of running the business in his own strength, he shifted to leading it as a steward under God's direction. The company now operates as a marketplace ministry. Bonnie Mock is the founder and CEO of The Crowning, a spiritual leadership coaching company. Certified through Blackaby Ministry, she coaches business owners and CEOs at a biblical level, helping them lead from a foundation of Scripture. She works directly with Rick's team at RC Fasteners. Both Rick and Bonnie lead a weekly marketplace ministry gathering and serve on the board of Follower of One. Connect with Rick and Bonnie here: Rick Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-johnson-04b99040/ Website: https://www.rcfastener.com/ Bonnie Mock: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-m-21ab0413b/ Website: https://thecrowningllc.com/ *Connect With Follower Of One* Join us over in our Online Community(http://community.followerofone.org) *Get social with us* https://www.facebook.com/followerofone https://instagram.com/followerofone1 https://twitter.com/followerofone1 https://www.linkedin.com/company/follower-of-one https://plinkhq.com/i/1482955686 ====

April 29, 202640 min

Nicole Haines on Prayer, Presence, and Pace in a Demanding Workplace | Follower Of One

Nicole Haines serves as Director of Operations at Original Form, a boutique creative and marketing agency in San Diego. In this episode, Nicole shares how she came to faith four years ago, how her leadership changed afterward, and the three Ps she leans on every day in fast paced agency work. You will hear a direct conversation about identity, work, prayer, and why slowing down protects your leadership inside fast moving organizations. Episode Highlights Nicole's career path from Pepsi sales to an agency front desk to Director of Operations across 11 years How reconnecting with her father during COVID led to both of them being saved and baptized in the hospital on Easter 2022 Why work was good in Genesis 1, before the fall, and what this means for your day to day The shift from performance driven leadership to becoming the leader God called her to be Why identity has to come before purpose if you want fulfillment outside one specific role Three ways to pray as a marketplace leader: for yourself, for your coworkers, and for the business you serve Why presence matters more than persuasion when sharing your faith at work The cost of pace and how slowing down protects your impact on the people around you Nicole leaves you with three Ps to carry into your week: prayer, presence, and pace. Her message is direct. You do not need a different role to live out your faith. You need to show up as who God called you to be in the role you have right now. Slow down. Pray for the people around you. Stay present in every meeting. Stay obedient to the season you are in. Outside of her work at Original Form, Nicole helps lead Neighbors, a Denver nonprofit serving the local community through monthly outreach. Last year, Neighbors served over 1,200 meals with the help of 300+ volunteers, and 40 to 50 volunteers now show up to every outreach. The nonprofit is growing past the houses it currently hosts in and is looking for donors and investors to help secure a permanent location this year. If you live in Denver, you can volunteer the second Saturday of every month. To volunteer, donate, or learn more about the vision, visit https://neighborsdenver.org/ Connect with Nicole Here: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehainescreative/ Website: https://www.originalform.com/ Personal: https://www.nicolehainescreative.com/ *Connect With Follower Of One* Join us over in our Online Community(http://community.followerofone.org) *Get social with us* https://www.facebook.com/followerofone https://instagram.com/followerofone1 https://twitter.com/followerofone1 https://www.linkedin.com/company/follower-of-one https://plinkhq.com/i/1482955686 ====

April 22, 202630 min

How Brenda Soto Found Her Identity in Christ After Losing Everything | Follower Of One

What do you do when the corporate ladder you worked 30 years to climb collapses beneath you? In this episode of Follower of One, host Addison Williams sits down with Brenda Soto, a human resources consultant, faith-based business coach, and founder of brendasoto.com. Brenda shares how burnout, divorce, and losing her international HR career became the exact ground where she met Jesus for the first time as a relationship instead of a religion. You will hear how she rebuilt her career from scratch, learned to use her gifts in the marketplace with faith the size of a mustard seed, and now coaches others to move from job to joy. Key Discussion Points Brenda's background in HR across Puerto Rico and the US, and the 24/7 international role that drained her health, marriage, and family The difference between religious routine and a personal relationship with Jesus, and what shifted for Brenda during her lowest season How one conversation and one business card opened the door to 15 years of teaching graduate students in HR Faith in action explained through the mustard seed principle from Matthew 17:20 Seeing every obstacle as a gift of opportunity and building an attitude of gratitude The "JOY" framework Brenda uses in coaching: Jesus Over Your work life, Unity, Optimism, Obedience Why your identity is not your job title, compensation, or what society says you should be Matthew 7:7-8 and Jeremiah 29:11-13 as anchors for seeking God with your whole heart Matthew 6:6 and the hidden place principle, doing excellent work when no one is watching Joseph's pit-to-palace story as a model for your current season, whatever it looks like Practical ways to serve others in the marketplace beyond tithing or church volunteering Why saying "yes, here I am" matters more than having every answer figured out Brenda's story is a reminder that you do not need a platform, a title, or perfect circumstances to live out your faith at work. You need obedience, a mustard seed of trust, and the willingness to serve the people in front of you today. Whether you are in a pit season like Joseph, rebuilding after loss like Brenda, or quietly doing excellent work in a hidden place, God sees you and has a plan to reward you in public at the right time. Connect with Brenda at brendasoto.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendasotocoach/ and join the free Follower of One virtual community to keep walking this out with other believers in the marketplace. *Connect With Follower Of One* Join us over in our Online Community(http://community.followerofone.org) *Get social with us* https://www.facebook.com/followerofone https://instagram.com/followerofone1 https://twitter.com/followerofone1 https://www.linkedin.com/company/follower-of-one https://plinkhq.com/i/1482955686 ====

April 15, 202638 min

Dale Young's Framework for Faith-Driven Entrepreneurs: Identity, Community, and Calling

Dale Young spent five decades in business before realizing his greatest work was helping others connect their professional identity with their identity in Christ. In this episode, Addison Williams sits down with Dale to talk about his upcoming book, The Power of Aligning Your Faith and Business, and the framework he developed through coaching over 70 entrepreneurs. Dale shares how he built a million-dollar managed services contract on biblical principles, why masks show up in the workplace, and what it looks like to slow down long enough to hear from God. Episode Highlights Dale accepted Christ in 1998 after two decades in business and immediately started integrating faith into his work, even when coworkers pushed back. He managed a client project for 15 years by leading with care for his team, honest communication, and follow-through, all rooted in biblical principles. Dale breaks down his Triad of Significant Impact framework: Identity (who you are), Community (where you belong), and Calling (why you are here). Masks in the workplace often come from old defensive patterns that no longer serve us. Dale walks clients through Clifton Strengths, values assessments, and spiritual gifts to help them see what they've been missing. Dale emphasizes slowing down, referencing Dallas Willard's advice to ""ruthlessly eliminate hurry"" and pointing out that Jesus moved at about three miles an hour. Sabbath is for relationship with Christ, not checking a rest box. Five intentional minutes with God beats a full day of distracted downtime. Dale draws a clear distinction between inheritance (what you leave to someone) and legacy (what you leave in someone) and challenges listeners to sit with that question for five minutes. At 72, Dale is launching his second career as an entrepreneur and coach because retirement is nowhere in scripture. He prefers the word ""refire."" Dale's message is simple: know who you are, find where you belong, and pursue the calling God wired into you. His book, The Power of Aligning Your Faith and Business, releases soon. Check the links below to connect with Dale, grab the book, and start building a legacy worth leaving. Purchase The Power of Aligning Your Faith and Business here: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Aligning-Your-Faith-Business/dp/B0GV829964 Website: https://coachdale.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachdale/ ==== *Connect With Follower Of One* Join us over in our Online Community(http://community.followerofone.org) *Get social with us* https://www.facebook.com/followerofone https://instagram.com/followerofone1 https://twitter.com/followerofone1 https://www.linkedin.com/company/follower-of-one https://plinkhq.com/i/1482955686 ====

April 1, 202642 min

Faith, Fitness, and the Marketplace: How Cole Permenter Lives on Mission Every Day | Follower Of One

Cole Permenter spent six years in MMA cages, 11 years pastoring a small-town Louisiana church, and built a fitness brand to keep ministers physically ready for the gospel. In this episode, Cole joins Addison Williams to talk about what it looks like to live on mission in a secular world, whether you work in a fab shop, run an HVAC business, or lead a congregation. Episode Highlights: What is Base 1520? Cole founded Base 1520 to help ministers, missionaries, and marketplace Christians become better stewards of their bodies. The name comes from Romans 15:20, where Paul describes his ambition to take the gospel to those who have never heard it. Cole asks a direct question: if a hundred-mile trek over a mountain range is what it takes to reach people, are we physically ready to go? Your workplace is your mission field. Cole shares two stories from his congregation. One man works in HVAC and has more gospel conversations each week than most pastors ever will. Another works in a fab shop and now leads a Sunday morning small group that functions as a full worship service. Cole's point is clear: God knows your address. Be faithful where you are. Know what you believe, and know why. Cole argues that theology drives behavior. If your view of God is wrong, your life will reflect it. He encourages anyone wrestling with faith to start with one question: did Christ resurrect? He tried to disprove Christianity in his twenties and could not. No one in 2,000 years has. The discipline of prayer. Cole draws a direct comparison between physical training and spiritual disciplines. Prayer is not about asking God for things. It is an expression of dependence. He recommends reading Scripture systematically and points listeners to the story of George Mueller, who ran an orphanage for 60 years by prayer alone, never once making a public financial appeal. Pushing past comfort. Cole trains for HYROX races, takes ice baths with his seven-year-old, and competed in MMA to build relationships with people who would never enter a church. His framework is simple: stress produces growth. That applies to your body, your faith, and your willingness to have hard conversations at work. Cole Permenter leaves marketplace believers with one practical question to carry into the week: how can I leverage my life, my job, my family, and my resources to make God known? The answer does not require a mission trip or a seminary degree. It starts with where you already are. Learn more about Base 1520 at https://www.base1520.com/ Connect with Cole Permenter here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cole-permenter-45a6962b7/ *Connect With Follower Of One* Join us over in our Online Community(http://community.followerofone.org) *Get social with us* https://www.facebook.com/followerofone https://instagram.com/followerofone1 https://twitter.com/followerofone1 https://www.linkedin.com/company/follower-of-one https://plinkhq.com/i/1482955686 ====

March 25, 202646 min

Let the Lord Lead Your Business. Rick Johnson Did and Everything Changed | Follower Of One

Rick Johnson started RC Fasteners and Components right after 9/11 with no money, no customers, and a word from God: "I won't let you fail." Twenty-four years later, his company sells aerospace and industrial fasteners, but Rick calls it "a ministry working undercover as a fastener company." In this episode, Rick shares how losing three family members in 11 months broke him down, led him to surrender everything to God, and transformed his business from the inside out. Episode Highlights Rick felt called to start a fastener company months after 9/11, when no planes were flying, and aerospace demand had collapsed. He and his wife had almost no money. That first year brought constant failure, but Rick held onto the promise he received in prayer. For the first 11 years, Rick ran the business his way. He worked 14 to 16-hour days, seven days a week, and put God on the shelf. Then in 2007, he lost his father, mother, and sister within 11 months. He went through three and a half years of severe mental health struggles before surrendering everything, the company, his family, his finances, back to God. After that surrender, everything shifted. Rick moved into a bigger building right after losing his second largest account. The building owner remodeled the entire space for free. Within four years, God paid off the building. Rick and his team began documenting answered prayers on six-foot rolls of craft paper and posting them on the warehouse walls. Eight or nine years later, they fill three aisles. Customers, vendors, and employees all see the evidence. RC Fasteners holds Bible studies on company time. Employees who initially opted out started showing up after hearing the joy and energy coming from those gatherings. Rick watched people transform, take that change home to their families, and restore broken relationships. Rick walked away from a half-million-dollar account because it was damaging his team's well-being and culture. When a separate client mistreated his staff, he pulled RC out of that contract too. One of those clients called them back to the table and committed to doing things differently. Rick hires based on who God leads him to, not always the most qualified candidate. One hire was a former pastor whose church had fallen apart. Over five years at RC, the man was restored, his children returned to faith, and he eventually went back into ministry. Rick has completed 25 Follower of One virtual mission trips. He credits the organization with helping him take workplace intentionality to another level and encourages anyone, not only business owners, to get involved. Rick Johnson's closing challenge to listeners: spend time with God daily. That is the most important appointment on your calendar. When you seek Him first and go after the root, loving God and loving people, He takes care of the fruit. Rick's team started with a Monday prayer meeting. Today, something is happening at RC Fasteners every single day. Connect with Rick Johnson LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-johnson-04b99040/ Website: www.rcfastener.com *Connect With Follower Of One* Join us over in our Online Community(http://community.followerofone.org) *Get social with us* https://www.facebook.com/followerofone https://instagram.com/followerofone1 https://twitter.com/followerofone1 https://www.linkedin.com/company/follower-of-one https://plinkhq.com/i/1482955686 ====