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RUMORS OF DOING GOOD PODCAST

S05 E01

Counter | Presence

The Place We Find Ourselves In

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In this first episode of season five, I am joined by my friend and colleague Andrew Dungan as we reflect on the place we find ourselves in — culturally, spiritually, and personally. We talk honestly about the restlessness many of us feel and how that led us to discover and appreciate the Anabaptist tradition. This conversation is about naming where we are, not to despair, but to make space for something new to emerge — a way of life grounded in presence, hope, and shared humanity.

Many of us are living with a deep dissatisfaction — with organized religion as it’s been, with society as it is, and with the pace and patterns of life that leave us fragmented and exhausted.

Counter Presence: Dissatisfaction Rooted in Hope is a series of conversations born from that unrest, and from a longing to live more grounded, more human, and more faithful lives. Rooted in the conviction that the Anabaptist tradition offers a wealth of wisdom for these times, we take the time to explore what it means to cultivate a countercultural presence — one that is shaped by the life and teachings of Jesus, and formed through community, simplicity, mutuality, and hope.

Not as an escape, but as a faithful way of being in the world, together.

Intro/Outro music by Skinfiltr8r.

About Andrew:

Dr. Andrew S Dungan serves as pastor of Summit Street Church, a Mennonite Church USA affiliated congregation, located in Beatrice, Nebraska. Summit Street Church is Jesus-centered, others-focused, neighborhood church located in the very same neighborhood that Andrew grew up in. Andrew earned a Masters Degree in Christian Education from Bethel Seminary (St. Paul, MN) and a Doctorate in Leadership from Creighton University. Directly out of seminary Andrew served as Pastor of Ministry Development for a non-denominational church in Omaha, NE. That work was short-lived, however, as he exited the ministry (and “church“) dissatisfied, discouraged, disgruntled and disenfranchised, vowing that he’d “never do that (ministry) again.” God had other plans and Andrew has a new appreciation and compassion for those who “dig Jesus, but not the church.”


After leaving the ministry, Andrew worked the next 10 years in the nonprofit sector finding his niche in developing organizational systems and engaging volunteers. Andrew enjoys working through sticky organizational problems and finding places for people to get involved. Back in the pastorate, Andrew is a voice for new church possibilities and for Neighborhood-Narrative Theology – for a fresh praxis of actively re-contextualizating scripture in embodied ways with others in local neighborhoods. Andrew has been characterized as “angsty productive,” living with a creative dissatisfaction that fuels his imagination and his urgency. His Substack, “Wired for Urgency,” is a space intended to confront cliché and explore Jesus-centered faith for the disillusioned, the restless, and the called. He has a wife, Alicyn, and two children: Beckett and Emberly. 

Dive Deeper

If something in today’s episode stirred you, take a moment to reflect on where you find yourself in this season. Below are a few resources that have helped us wrestle with dissatisfaction and imagine a more faithful way forward.