Project Sisterhood

Recorded live at the E21 Women’s Alliance NorCal event, Evie Rodriguez-Aleman sits down with Emma Pleune, Maddie Brown, and Dianna Nepstad for an honest conversation about what it actually takes to raise up the next generation of women. They talk about spiritual motherhood, finding mentors outside your own age group, why younger women need opportunities to lead before they feel completely ready, and the responsibility older generations have to intentionally pursue and invest in them. The conversation also gets real about marriage, motherhood, ministry, the cost of saying yes to your calling, and why sometimes healing between generations begins with something as simple—and difficult—as an apology. This is a conversation about making room for one another, giving the next generation real reps, and building relationships across generations that are rooted in honesty, forgiveness, and a shared desire to follow Jesus. (00:00) - Project Sisterhood (00:30) - Meet the Next Gen Panel (03:22) - Who Helped Shape You in Ministry? (04:59) - Stop Waiting for the Perfect Mentor (06:30) - The Women Who Pursued Emma (08:20) - How Older Women Can Reach the Next Generation (10:42) - Bridging the Generational Gap in Church (12:40) - Both Generations Have to Leave Their Comfort Zone (14:23) - Young Women Need More Than Their Peers (18:10) - Give Young Women Opportunities Before They’re Ready (19:09) - Why Young Women Can Be Hesitant to Lead (21:35) - Marriage, Motherhood and Calling (23:41) - The Real Cost of Motherhood and Ministry (28:43) - Apology, Forgiveness and Generational Healing (30:51) - The Apology That Changed Evie’s Perspective (32:24) - A Moment of Reconciliation

What does it actually mean to champion women in leadership, not just say that we do? In this Men of Faith and Project Sisterhood crossover, Chrissy Cole sits down with Caleb Cole, Tim Bittle, and Banning Liebscher for an honest conversation about men and women leading together in the church, ministry, and the marketplace. They unpack why women often enter leadership without the same years of experience or “reps” that men have been given, and why healthy leaders have to intentionally create opportunities for women to develop, fail, learn, and grow. Tim shares the moment his wife wanted to quit preaching after a difficult message and why he refused to let one failure become her off-ramp from leadership. Caleb challenges leaders to let obedience trump insecurity, trusting God with the results instead of allowing fear or criticism to determine whether they step into their calling. The conversation also gets into some of the harder tensions surrounding men and women working and being discipled together, healthy boundaries, cross-gender mentorship, equal authority in leadership, and the church culture many Christians are still having to unlearn. Rather than pretending those tensions do not exist, this conversation asks what it looks like to become healthy enough to navigate them while building churches and organizations where both men and women can fully lead. (00:00) - Why Male Voices Need to Champion Women (01:05) - Why This Conversation Needs Men and Women (03:36) - Women Already Leading at the Highest Levels (05:58) - Why Tim Wrote a Position on Women in Leadership (07:54) - Healthy Leaders Matter More Than Gender (09:40) - Choose the Best Person for the Job (11:13) - Women Need Reps to Grow as Leaders (14:18) - You Don’t Get to Quit After a Bad Sermon (16:19) - Leadership Requires Playing the Long Game (17:04) - Obedience Has to Trump Insecurity (19:34) - The Real Tension of Men and Women Leading Together (24:09) - Objectivity, Discernment, and Healthy Leadership (25:29) - Rethinking Cross-Gender Discipleship (30:09) - Equal Authority Means Releasing Control (32:37) - Unlearning a Male-Dominated Church Culture

Physical intimacy does not exist separately from the rest of a marriage. In Part 2 of this Men of Faith and Project Sisterhood crossover, Caleb and Chrissy Cole continue their conversation with Jason and Stephanie Caine about scheduling intimacy, emotional disconnection, marriage growth, and the deeper issues that can show up in a couple’s sex life. Caleb shares why he says sex saved their marriage during a difficult season, while the group explores pride, insecurity, therapy, blind spots, withholding affection, receiving feedback, and learning to keep growing together. (00:00) - The Red Bow Signal (01:03) - How Often Should Couples Have Sex? (03:00) - Why Scheduling Sex Can Be Healthy (05:52) - Sex Starts Outside the Bedroom (07:09) - When Sex Problems Reveal Deeper Issues (08:26) - Caleb and Chrissy’s Disconnected Season (09:46) - Sex Saved Our Marriage (11:11) - Marriage Requires Constant Growth (12:34) - When Your Spouse Grows Before You (14:20) - How to Share Hard Feedback With Love (16:06) - Do Not Withhold While You Wait for Change (17:49) - How Will Your Spouse Remember This Season? (19:26) - Dream About the Next Season Together (22:03) - Be Gentle With Your Spouse and Kids (26:34) - Measure Yourself Before Criticizing Others

Marriage can be full of love and still feel lonely. In this Men of Faith and Project Sisterhood crossover, Caleb and Chrissy Cole talk with Jason and Stephanie Caine about getting married quickly, raising twins, surviving the demanding early years of parenting, and learning how to reconnect when marriage starts feeling more like survival. They unpack the importance of community, dating your spouse even when you do not feel like it, naming loneliness and disconnection honestly, and choosing committed love before the feelings catch up. (00:00) - Why Marriage Gets Hard After Kids (01:19) - Meet Jason and Stephanie Caine (05:30) - Married After Only Three Months (06:31) - When Twins Changed Everything (08:49) - What Premarital Preparation Actually Helped (11:06) - Why the Early Parenting Years Are So Hard (12:18) - Stop Trying to Survive Alone (15:06) - Be Honest About the Hard Seasons (19:27) - How to Reconnect After Survival Mode (20:05) - Date Your Spouse Before You Feel Like It (21:14) - Love Is a Decision, Not Just a Feeling (23:01) - Marriage Was Made to Fight Loneliness (24:49) - Why Men Struggle to Admit Loneliness (28:27) - Vulnerability Can Deescalate Conflict (29:15) - Why Humor Matters in Family Life

In this Men of Faith and Project Sisterhood crossover, Caleb and Chrissy Cole join Joel and Kate VanZanten for an honest conversation about marriage, insecurity, spiritual leadership, and becoming one. Drawing from 14 months and nearly 18 years of marriage, they discuss how marriage exposes pride and fear, why passivity and independence weaken unity, and how intentional connection, vulnerability, prayer, and adaptability help couples grow together. They also explore the difference between supporting your spouse and expecting them to become the source of your security, with a clear reminder to take your needs and insecurities to Jesus first. (00:00) - The Hard Parts Don’t Outweigh the Good (01:11) - Men of Faith and Project Sisterhood Crossover (03:19) - Marriage After 14 Months and 18 Years (06:22) - Becoming One Changes Your Identity (08:26) - Marriage Exposes What You Hide (10:16) - Marriage Is a Refining Commitment (11:25) - Insecurity Can Distort Your Marriage (13:15) - When Insecurity Produces Passive Leadership (16:28) - Inviting Your Spouse Into Life With Jesus (20:07) - Leading Together Under Pressure (23:41) - Intentionality Prevents Emotional Drift (27:19) - Learning Emotional Connection (34:40) - Connection Must Adapt With Every Season (40:08) - Personal Faith and Spiritual Unity (45:06) - Lead, Share Your Needs, and Be Vulnerable