When I embarked on my journey with the Dream Forum I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect. I did know that this would be a community of earnest seekers. And in some ways it was a tent pole in the ground for me to not lose sight of my dream in the midst of other demands from life. What I’ve learned through this process was at first subtle – but… Read More »The Real Surprise
Upon completion, the Dream Forum will have launched with a listening retreat, included monthly listening sessions with companions, and offered two separate 2 week “intrusive prayer” listening journeys. It’s safe to say a pillar of the Goldenwood Dream Forum is inviting its participants to a posture of listening. The intrusion of tuning my heart, mind, soul and spirit to God in work context stretched an under-worked muscle, resulting in creativity… Read More »Listening for Good
I entered the Dream Forum with no expectations other than a desire to hear God’s voice more clearly. I longed for clarity about my purpose as a storyteller, and I received more than I could have anticipated. God illuminated and refined my dream: to build a film ecosystem in Athens, Georgia, that produces and shares divinely inspired stories with the world. The listening prayer exercises became transformative moments for me.… Read More »Peaks and Valleys
In the sacred dance of life, we often find ourselves rushing, our minds cluttered, our hearts weighed by seemingly endless tasks. Yet, in this frenetic pace, we risk missing the divine whispers that call us to deeper connection and what it means to be divine image-bearers. As we stand at the threshold of a new technological era, I want to challenge our technological imaginations to expand how these advancements can… Read More »Imagining How AI Helps Us Become More Human
Goldenwood hosted its first Summer Intensive for a group of pastors, ministry leaders, and other professionals, who are passionate about breathing new life into their vision of work. Over the course of the three-days, each session was designed to create a transformative experience, blending theological reflection, practical applications, and experiential learning, and guiding the participants on a journey of spiritual formation that awakened their own imagination for what work could… Read More »Goldenwood Intensive, Highlights from Greenville
Highlights from Goldenwood’s Fallow Retreat in Cambridge, UK (May 2024) As forty-two individuals from cities across the globe gathered in a cozy meeting room each morning on the beautiful grounds of Jesus College Cambridge, a palpable sense of anticipation and openness filled the air. This was no ordinary conference or training event–it was an intentional invitation to step out of the frenetic pace of everyday life and enter into a… Read More »Slowing Down, Cultivating Community, Enlivening Work
I’m a regular listener to Ezra Klein’s podcast, but when Mako Fujimura emailed this episode to Amilee and me the day it came out, I knew it would be good. LISTEN TO: Your Mind is Being Fracked // Read Transcript Klein’s interview with D. Graham Burnett, a historian of science at Princeton University, offers a window into the deeper aspects of human consciousness and this thing we call “attention.”… Read More »Prayer as Attentiveness
This spring, Goldenwood co-founders David Kim and Amilee Watkins sat down for a conversation with our friend, Nate Mancini, to discuss spiritual formation for artists. This was a rich conversation that included a surprise visit from another long-time friend and talented artist, Andrew Nemr! We are grateful to Nate for inviting us into this conversation. Listen here. Nate talks to Goldenwood founders David Kim and Amilee Watkins about Spiritual Formation… Read More »Goldenwood on Forefront 360
There are plenty of good accelerator programs and incubators out there. But as far as we know, we’re one of the only “decelerators” helping people slow down and discern God’s voice in a noisy world. You might say, “Huh? Why run a program that deliberately decelerates developing ventures instead of speeding them up?” Hear what our Dreamers have to say about the unique space the Dream Forum creates: “The Dream… Read More »Why a Decelerator?
As another year comes to a close and a new one begins, it’s a natural time to reflect on our spiritual journeys and set intentions for growth in the year ahead. In the last few years, I’ve felt a growing inclination to rely more on discerning God’s voice over a dependence on the wisdom of others. I’ve discovered that listening for God’s voice makes all the difference, cultivating an intimate… Read More »The Allure of Counterfeit Spirituality