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In this episode, Steve Benham reflects on a lifelong journey of weaving music, faith, and service together through the work of Music in World Cultures. From the early days of the Ukraine Project to current outreach in Albania and beyond, Steve shares how music and missions can intersect to strengthen communities, encourage resilience, and provide hope in difficult places.

He explains the role of ethnomusicology in honoring local traditions of worship, and why empowering community leaders is central to lasting change. Along the way, Steve offers stories of faith, perseverance, and the ways music can bring healing where war and hardship have left deep scars.

Listeners will hear not only about the global reach of MIWC’s work, but also about the quiet, steady faithfulness that makes sustainable missions possible. This conversation is an invitation to consider how music, leadership, and support—whether through prayer, presence, or generosity—can transform lives and communities around the world.

Takeaways

• Music is a powerful tool for worship, healing, and outreach.
• Empowering local leaders is key to lasting impact in missions.
• Ethnomusicology helps honor and strengthen cultural identity in worship.
• Humanitarian aid meets both physical and spiritual needs.
• Faithfulness in missions often means perseverance through difficulty.
• Community support—through prayer, presence, and generosity—sustains the work.
• Stories from Ukraine, Albania, and beyond reveal resilience and transformation.

Get Involved

Serve on the Field: Consider joining MIWC on a short-term mission trip — as an intern, teacher, performer, or support team member — to work alongside local church leaders and communities, sharing your skills and heart for culturally-rooted worship.

Join the Prayer Team: Committed prayer is foundational to MIWC’s work. You can join a growing team of prayer partners who intercede regularly for mission efforts in regions such as Eastern Europe, Africa, South Asia, and more.

Communicate the Mission: Share the vision of MIWC by helping with communication—whether through storytelling, social media, or other channels—to raise awareness and support for culturally sensitive music ministries.

Subscribe & Stay Connected: By signing up for email updates, you’ll receive the latest stories, prayer requests, and opportunities to connect with project developments across MIWC’s global network.

Support Financially: Every gift matters. Whether supporting a regional project, an individual team member, or MIWC’s overall operations, your generosity helps bring culturally relevant worship and holistic care to communities worldwide.

About MIWC

Music in World Cultures (MIWC) is a Pennsylvania-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit equipping musicians, worship leaders, and pastors to strengthen local congregations and share the good news of Jesus through music. We believe music is one of the most powerful ways to communicate God’s love—breaking down barriers, building bridges, and giving people a voice to worship in their own cultural and musical “heart language.”

Through biblical training, leadership development, and the use of indigenous languages and art forms, MIWC partners with local churches and missionaries to support worship, church planting, discipleship, and humanitarian care. Our teams—teachers, musicians, ethnomusicologists, conductors, and pastors—serve across Europe, Africa, Asia, and beyond, preparing the next generation of leaders to carry God’s truth in their own voice and song.

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In this episode of The Grand Weaver, Eric sits down with Barry Meguiar, founder of Ignite America, to explore a powerful story of faith, purpose, and obedience. From growing up in a family deeply rooted in Christianity to leading a successful business in car care products, Barry’s journey reflects a life shaped by the voice of God and a calling greater than personal success.

Barry shares how his business became a pulpit for ministry, a platform to evangelize through everyday interactions. He explains the radical shift from entrepreneurship to nonprofit work, highlighting how obedience to God’s call—even when it disrupts comfort—can lead to eternal impact. Barry challenges listeners to see their own lives as ministry, where sharing faith isn’t just a role for pastors but a mission for all believers.

This conversation is a heartfelt call to love those both outside and inside the church, live boldly with purpose, and influence the next generation with the joy of redemption. With warmth and wisdom, Barry and Eric discuss the urgency of evangelism, the simplicity of sharing the gospel, and the lasting joy that comes from helping others move closer to Jesus.

Takeaways

• Obedience to God's calling can lead to unexpected paths.
• Love is a powerful tool in outreach and ministry.
• Every believer has a platform to share their faith.
• Sharing faith can happen in everyday conversations.
• Every moment is an opportunity to influence others for Christ.
• Engaging with young people can reignite joy and purpose.
• The urgency of sharing the gospel is greater than ever.
• Our influence on others has eternal significance.

How to Get Involved

If you’ve been inspired by Barry Maguire’s story on The Grand Weaver, there are simple, intentional ways you can partner with Ignite America to live out your faith in everyday life. Ignite America exists to help believers across the country—just like you—share their faith naturally and lovingly in daily conversations, workplaces, and communities. Whether you’re in business, ministry, or simply walking through life, Ignite America provides tools, encouragement, and a national movement that equips you to reach the unchurched with love and purpose. Visit igniteamerica.com to access free resources, stories of transformation, and practical next steps to start sharing your faith where God has placed you. Join the conversation and become a catalyst for redemption, joy, and influence—because every day is an opportunity, and you represent a Holy and Loving God!

About Ignite America

IgniteAmerica is a ministry founded by Barry Meguiar with a mission to “Move Everyone, Every Day, Closer to Jesus.” Through its comprehensive platform, IgniteAmerica.com, the organization offers a wealth of free resources—including podcasts, videos, Bible studies, and daily inspiration—to equip and mobilize everyday Christians to confidently share their faith in daily life. A ministry of Revival Outside the Walls (ROTW), IgniteAmerica provides tools like the Ignite Your Life Bible Study and the Ignite ePrayer app, all designed to make faith-sharing accessible and joyful. Whether you’re new to evangelism or seeking to deepen your outreach, IgniteAmerica invites you to join a growing community committed to sparking revival across the nation. Discover how you can be part of this movement.

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In this episode, we sit down with Kaycee, founder of The Reel Hope Project, to explore how one powerful idea—creating compelling video profiles of children in foster care—has transformed adoption narratives across the U.S. Starting with just three videos in its first year, the organization has grown to serve nearly 200 children annually across eight states, with a bold vision to reach 1,000 kids each year.

Kaycee shares how personal conviction led to the birth of the project, and how her own adoption journey with her husband fueled their mission. The episode highlights the challenges and nuances of the foster care system, the transformational power of storytelling, and the often overlooked need for adoptive families for teenagers.

Listeners will gain insight into how each “Reel” not only introduces a child to potential families but also doubles their chance of being adopted. Kaycee highlights the financial realities of running a national nonprofit—with each video costing approximately $3,000—and emphasizes the role of community engagement, corporate sponsorship, and volunteerism in sustaining their work. In addition, Kaycee offers actionable ways for individuals, churches, and organizations to join the movement, support foster care adoption, and reshape futures through forever families.

Takeaways

• The organization started with three videos in its first year and has grown significantly since then.
• They are now active in eight states and aim to serve 1,000 kids a year.
• The complexity of the foster care system varies significantly from state to state and even county to county.
• The Reels created have doubled the likelihood of teenagers finding forever families.
• Families often start the adoption process because of a Reel, even if the specific child is matched with another family.
• The cost to create a Reel is about $3,000, and they aim to serve 1,000 kids with a budget of $4 million.
• Community involvement is crucial, with opportunities for businesses and individuals to sponsor events or fund specific initiatives.
• There are 400,000 kids in foster care in the U.S., with many facing uncertain futures.
• Children who age out of foster care face significant challenges, including higher rates of incarceration and homelessness.
• Family support is essential for youth, even after they turn 18.
• Everyone can play a role in advocating for children in foster care, whether through financial support or sharing their stories.

Get Involved

Every child deserves a forever family. The Reel Hope Project creates short films (“Reels”) to help children in foster care find adoptive families. With more than 400,000 kids in foster care across the U.S., your involvement helps turn statistics into stories of family and hope.

We’ve already filmed hundreds of children, and many have found their forever families as a result. Each Reel costs about $3,000 to produce and can double a teenager’s chance of being adopted. Whether you give, adopt, or share a Reel, you’re helping change lives.

Ways You Can Help

• Adopt: Visit our Waiting Kids pages to meet children and sibling groups in need of families.
• Give: Make a one-time or monthly gift, or sponsor a Reel to directly fund filming and adoption recruitment.
• Volunteer & Advocate: Share Reels on social media, host a small info night, or join our newsletter for updates.
• Churches & Ministries: Invite our team to your service or leaders’ gathering to mobilize your community for foster care and adoption.
• Businesses & Sponsors: Partner with us through corporate gifts, event sponsorships, or in‑kind donations.
• Agencies & Social Workers: Refer c