In this episode of 'The Biggest Table,' my conversation is with Reverend Nancy Neal, Minister for Spiritual Formation and Wellness at Bread for the World. We discuss Nancy's role in fostering a culture of prayer, worship, and racial equity within the organization, as well as her journey from waiting tables to advocating for social justice. Nancy shares her insights on the holiness of hospitality, her personal experiences with food and community, and the challenges of balancing service and advocacy. The conversation also delves into the importance of prayer, community action, and legislative advocacy to end hunger. Nancy provides practical information on how individuals and churches can participate in Bread for the World's initiatives to influence policy and support those in need.

Connect with Bread for the World: https://www.bread.org/

• Through action
• Through prayer
• Through letter writing
• Through Instagram
• Through Facebook

Rev. Nancy Neal is the minister for spiritual formation and wellness at Bread for the World. She leads an initiative to build a culture at Bread that is grounded in prayer and worship, biblical principles, core values, learning, and wellness. She has led the organizational efforts around diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, collaborating with organizations and consultants to train and coach staff and leadership in racial equity principles and practices that have impacted internal culture, policy analysis, organizing strategies, and resource development.

Throughout her career, Neal has sought to build bridges across cultures and contribute to repairing brokenness in our society and our institutions. Whether that’s working for anti-sweatshop or anti-hunger organizations, advocating for women in the Presbyterian Church (USA), implementing anti-racist/anti-oppression practices, bringing together young clergy across political divides, or even waiting tables.

Neal began at Bread in 2011 – serving in various positions in the former Church Relations Department including associate for denominational women’s organization relations, deputy director, interim director, and director.She is a minister member of National Capital Presbytery. She has served as parish associate and temporary supply pastor of churches in the greater Washington, D.C., metro area and currently serves on Leadership Council, Ministry Relations Team, and the board of the Washington, D.C., site of the Presbyterian Church (USA) Young Adult Volunteer in Mission program. Neal completed her undergraduate studies at Clemson University in South Carolina and earned her Master of Divinity at Union Theological Seminary in New York.

This episode of the Biggest Table is brought to you in part by Wild Goose Coffee. Since 2008, Wild Goose has sought to build better communities through coffee. For our listeners, Wild Goose is offering a special promotion of 20% off a one time order using the code TABLE at checkout. To learn more and to order coffee, please visit wildgoosecoffee.com.

In this episode of The Biggest Table, my guest is Dr. Jeremy Everett, founder and executive director of the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty. We explore Dr. Everett's calling towards eradicating hunger, his work with various organizations, and his personal experiences that shaped his career. The discussion includes Dr. Everett's efforts in creating initiatives like the Hunger-Free Communities model and Meals To You program, which have significantly impacted food insecurity in rural America. We also touch on the significance of solidarity, the intersection of political and spiritual issues in hunger, and strategies for effective community collaboration. Dr. Everett emphasizes the role of various sectors working together and the importance of relationships and policy advocacy in their ongoing efforts to end hunger.

Dr. Jeremy Everett is the founder and executive director of the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty. With nearly 100 staff, interns, and researchers, the Baylor Collaborative team has assisted community-based, state-based, and national efforts to increase hundreds of millions of additional meals through innovative, researched-based interventions. In Dr. Everett’s tenure with the Collaborative, he has raised more than 300 million dollars to support faculty research, public service, and policy analysis.

Dr. Everett earned a bachelor’s degree from Samford University, a Master of Divinity from Truett Seminary at Baylor University, and his Doctor of Ministry from Duke Divinity School at Duke University and was appointed by U.S. Congress in 2014 to serve on the National Commission on Hunger. He is the author of I Was Hungry: Cultivating Common Ground to End an American Crisis (Brazos Press, 2019), a contributing author to several other books including the recently published book What Justice Looks Like (Baylor Press, 2023).

Jeremy is married to Amy Miley Everett. They have three sons: Lucas, Sam, and Wyatt.

Learn more about Baylor's work to end hunger: Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty

This episode of the Biggest Table is brought to you in part by Wild Goose Coffee. Since 2008, Wild Goose has sought to build better communities through coffee. For our listeners, Wild Goose is offering a special promotion of 20% off a one time order using the code TABLE at checkout. To learn more and to order coffee, please visit wildgoosecoffee.com.

In this episode of 'The Biggest Table,' I interview Dave Zahl, founder of Mockingbird Ministries and author of several books, including 'Seculosity' and 'Low Anthropology.' We delve into Dave’s latest release, 'The Big Relief: The Urgency of Grace for a Worn-Out World,' discussing why grace remains a vital topic. Dave explains the continuous need for grace in a world that is often performance-driven and how his experiences and personal struggles informed his writings. The conversation touches on various aspects of grace, including its role in personal relationships, parenting, and religious life. Additionally, we explore the concepts of rest, play, and the stress induced by modern life's acceleration. The conversation concludes by discussing the joy and grace found in food, meals, and hospitality, reflecting on how shared meals and culinary experiences can bring grace and connection.

David Zahl is the founder and director of Mockingbird Ministries, editor-in-chief of the Mockingbird website (www.mbird.com), and co-host of both The Mockingcast and The Brothers Zahl podcasts. He and his wife Cate live in Charlottesville, Virginia, with their three sons, where he also serves on the staff of Christ Episcopal Church. Zahl is the author of Seculosity: How Career, Parenting, Technology, Food, Politics, and Romance Became Our New Religion and What To Do About It and Low Anthropology: The Unlikely Key to a Gracious View of Others (and Yourself). His latest book, The Big Relief: The Urgency of Grace for a Worn-Out World came out in April 2025 from Brazos Press. His writing has been featured in The Washington Post, Plough, Christianity Today, and The Guardian, among other venues.

Connect with Dave Zahl at:

• The Mockingbird Website
• The Mockingcast Podcast

This episode of the Biggest Table is brought to you in part by Wild Goose Coffee. Since 2008, Wild Goose has sought to build better communities through coffee. For our listeners, Wild Goose is offering a special promotion of 20% off a one time order using the code TABLE at checkout. To learn more and to order coffee, please visit wildgoosecoffee.com.