A special one-hour Christmas Day edition of Business Unconventional will air at 8 a.m. on Sunday, December 25, discussing the 'Business of Religion.'
The program will feature three dynamic Colorado congregational leaders: Reverend Bryan Wolfmueller, pastor of Hope Lutheran Church in Aurora; Rabbi Levi Brackman, head of Judaism in the Foothills in Evergreen; and Pastor Doug Newcomb, Associate Paster of Faith Bible Chapel International in Arvada.
While the goals of area churches and synagogues differ than those of for-profit businesses, B. Unconventional co-hosts David Biondo and Dean Rotbart note that religious institutions must nonetheless operate efficiently; market themselves effectively; recruit and maintain congregants; successfully raise funds; and manage employees diligently in order to empower themselves to pursue their higher callings.
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Here are brief biographies of each of the Business of Religion guests.
- Pastor Doug Newcomb, 54, (pictured above at left) is the multi-talented chief financial officer at Faith Bible Chapel International in Arvada. Pastor Newcomb has managed, through God’s kind blessings, to keep his congregation fiscally sound despite a turbulent economy. With 23-years of financial experience in the ministry and more than a decade of working as an account manager and financial analyst in the corporate world before that, Pastor Newcomb understands what it takes to faithfully serve the ministry of the Lord, and successfully address the bottom line at the same time. He and his congregation, which is led by Pastor George Morrison, are strong supporters of Israel and of many charitable causes both locally and globally. Pastor Newscomb is married to Jan, with whom he has three amazing children – Laura, Stephen, and Jonathan.
- Reverend Bryan Wolfmueller, 34, (pictured above at center) is the pastor at Hope Lutheran Church in Aurora. As the only full-time employee of the Church, the pastor spends much of his time working alongside his congregants, many of who volunteer to help keep operations running smoothly. When he isn’t preaching at the lectern, Reverend Wolfmueller co-hosts (along with Reverend Evan Goeglein) Table Talk Radio, an exciting program that engages its listeners as few Lutheran radio programs can. Reverend Wolfmueller is an innovator, constantly coming up with creative new ideas (including developing his own religious board game!) to help young Lutherans learn the catechism and stay connected to their faith. Reverend Wolfmueller, who received his Masters of Divinity degree from Concordia Theological Seminary (Fort Wayne, IN), is the husband of Keri – one of Denver’s finest piano teachers – and the father of four wonderful children: Hannah, Andrew, Daniel, and Isaac.
- Rabbi Levi Brackman, 33, a London-native, (pictured above at right) has been serving the Jewish community of Evergreen since 2005 with his dynamic congregation, Judaism in the Foothills. Rabbi Brackman has studied all around the world, learning at Yeshivot in three different countries (Israel, the US, and Canada), as well obtaining a master’s degree in Hebrew & Jewish Studies from University College London in the United Kingdom. A captivating and inspiring speaker, Rabbi Brackman has worked tirelessly to make the world a better place. He is the co-founder of Youth Directions, an organization devoted to helping adolescents identify and then pursue their life passions. Rabbi Brackman is the author of the very popular 2008 book Jewish Wisdom for Business Success: Lessons from the Torah, and a frequent contributor to newspapers from across the globe. He and his wife, Sheindy, are the proud parents of four children: Dovi, Benny, Shmulik, and Riki.
