“I was intrigued by the episode on street medicine with Jennifer Zamora. I had an interest in street medicine myself but was struggling to figure out how to start. Listening to the episode gave me hope that I could begin my own ministry. I am forever grateful for the connections made in the beginning, by way of the podcast and CMDA, that started the cascade of events that led me to where I am today.”

—Adrienne Abrenica, DNP

Those words from a listener stayed with me. Adrienne is not new to the faith or her profession; in fact, she’s a seasoned nurse practitioner. What followed was more than encouragement, it was a series of God-led connections. After reaching out, she spoke with Jennifer, received guidance and began involving her church’s outreach ministry while connecting with other healthcare professionals. That step of faith ultimately led to a new role: serving as a Christian healthcare professional at homeless shelters and on a mobile health van, sharing the love and compassion of Christ in tangible ways.

 

For me, it was a powerful reminder: this podcast isn’t just a project, and it’s becoming a lifeline of encouragement, calling and renewal.

 

The CMDA Matters podcast is continually building on its foundation and reaching even more hearts, all over the globe. It’s a space where Christian healthcare professionals can be recharged and strengthened through stories and topics that educate, inspire, challenge and draw us back to Christ, equipping us both professionally and spiritually.

 

As we step into this next season, I’m excited to share the motivation behind some recent changes, what you can look forward to in future episodes and how you can journey with us.

 

A New Name for a Deeper Calling

We’ve renamed the weekly program to Faith in Healthcare: The CMDA Matters Podcast, because that’s what it is at its core: conversations at the intersection of faith and healthcare.

 

This change reflects a growing vision—one that builds on the strong foundation of our CMDA members and listeners, while extending an invitation to our fellow Christian healthcare professionals everywhere, along with their friends and families, to join us in this meaningful journey.

 

Our goal is simple: to keep reminding Christian healthcare professionals their faith doesn’t just belong in their hearts and heads, but it belongs in every patient, staff, colleague interaction, as well as every ethical decision and how they educate and equip themselves.

As this community grows, our prayer is that more believers will be strengthened, encouraged and inspired to live out their faith with boldness wherever God has placed them, and that several will choose to walk alongside us by becoming part of the CMDA family because we are stronger together.

 

New Format, New Tools

To serve more people and engage more deeply, we’ve expanded the format of the podcast. Video episodes are now available on YouTube and CMDA.org. New, dedicated social media channels feature short-form clips, quotes and conversations from podcast episodes. There are more amazing guests and themes to speak to the real tensions our members face, covering topics like conscious freedom, burnout, marriage, missions, public faith and more. Additionally, improved production makes listening and sharing even easier!

 

These tools aren’t just for convenience, they’re for connection. Whether you’re listening on your commute or sharing an episode with a colleague, our prayer is that you feel supported and encouraged every single week!

 

Top Five Episodes from the Last Year

To share the essence of Faith in Healthcare: The CMDA Matters Podcast, here are five episodes that especially resonate with our audience and reflect the heart of the show:

 

Episode: “The Abortion Pill Harms Women: EPPC Experts Analyze Serious Adverse Events”

 

Guests: Ryan T. Anderson, Ph.D., and Jamie Bryan Hall

 

Theme: A data-driven look at the real risks of mifepristone and the urgent need for transparency in women’s healthcare.

 

Key Quote: “The FDA claims that less than half a percent of women who take mifepristone experience a serious adverse event…what we actually found was that 10.93 percent of women experienced a serious adverse event…things like infection, sepsis, hemorrhaging, the requirement for blood transfusions, hospitalizations, ER visits and so on down the list.”

 

Why It Matters: This conversation equips healthcare professionals to defend both women and unborn life by using critical data and exposing that real-world adverse events from mifepristone occur 22 times more often than FDA-reported rates, revealing the urgent need for truth and informed care.

 

Episode: “Responding to the Call: Emergency Medicine and Global Missions among the Most Unreached”

 

Guest: Dr. K

Theme: Exploring emergency medicine as a gateway to global missions and spiritual impact among the unreached.

 

Key Quote: “But more than all this trauma, these pressures, these anxieties and these stresses, is how do we encourage each other to fall more in love with Jesus? That’s the premise of this group…to display the heart of Christ for them, with them.”

Why It Matters: This episode calls Christians to see their training as a divine opportunity to bring healing, hope and the love of Christ to those in the greatest need, both physically and spiritually.

 

Episode: “Wrongly Terminated for Speaking Truth: Dr. Allan Josephson on the Science of Gender Dysphoria”

 

Guest: Dr. Allan Josephson

 

Theme: A courageous stand for evidence-based care, academic freedom and the protection of vulnerable children amid growing cultural pressures.

 

Key Quote: “Basically people were saying on the other side that how you felt determined your gender, your sex. So, it was not a fact of nature, it was how you felt. And I couldn’t believe that they were saying this, but they were. And the business about neglecting developmental needs, that ties into the issue of anxiety. Children that are prepared to meet developmental needs aren’t anxious. And as parents, we prepare them to learn how to grow up, if you will. But this wasn’t happening with transgender ideology.”

 

Why It Matters: Dr. Josephson’s story reminds us defending children with both scientific integrity and Christ-like truth and compassion may come at a cost, but it’s a calling worth answering. His insights challenge healthcare professionals to advocate boldly for truth, even in the face of intense opposition and harassment.

 

Episode: “USAID in Crisis: Challenges and Opportunities for Global Healthcare”

 

Guests: Echo VanderWal and Dr. Monique Chireau Wubbenhorst

 

Theme: A real-time look at how sudden shifts in U.S. foreign aid are affecting healthcare for the most vulnerable and how Christians in healthcare can respond.

Key Quote: “We don’t need some of the things maybe that were being provided for, but we do need to continue to put antiretrovirals and TB medications into the hands of people whose lives depend on it…I do believe it’s one of the reasons that God has blessed our nation. But obviously, compassion comes with accountability.”

 

Why It Matters: This episode is a call to discernment and action, urging healthcare professionals to advocate for the vulnerable with both wisdom and compassion, especially when aid is misallocated and trust is eroded.

 

Episode: “Called to Save Lives: Dr. Greg Sund on Faith, Anesthesia and Surgical Safety in Africa”

 

Guest: Dr. Greg Sund

 

Theme: Advancing anesthesia care and equipping the next generation of Christian anesthesia professionals through global missions, discipleship and surgical training in Sub-Saharan Africa.

 

Key Quote: “Over time, I really became convicted that if we were going to invest somewhere long-term, that I shouldn’t just be going somewhere and doing anesthesia, but I should be teaching and training and equipping others—and really working to replace myself.”

 

Why It Matters: Dr. Sund’s story reveals how God can use healthcare professionals to transform healthcare systems, disciple future leaders and bring compassionate, Christ-centered care to underserved communities—one surgery, one student and one step of obedience at a time.

What’s Coming Next

We’re excited about the conversations ahead, including episodes on:

 

• Fighting for Life and Equipping Believers to Defend the Unborn
• Living Boldly for Christ in Science and Healthcare
• Global Missions and Stories from Healthcare Professionals Serving Around the World
• Mentorship and Discipleship: Investing in the Next Generation
• Faith in Healthcare: Christian Ethics in a Secular Age

 

How to Listen, Follow and Share

We’d love for you to be part of this journey with us. Here’s how:

 

• Subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.
• Watch video episodes on YouTube or at CMDA.org.
• Follow us on social media: Instagram, Facebook and X.
• Use the podcast in your CMDA chapter, small group or mentoring relationships.
• Recommend an episode to a colleague, student or pastor.

 

Scan the QR code to listen, subscribe or follow us!

 

A Final Word from My Heart

This podcast exists because you matter as a Christian who has decided to please God as a healthcare professional, and the people you serve—your patients—matter deeply to God. Through Faith in Healthcare, we’re here to support CMDA’s mission: bringing the hope and healing of Christ to the world through faithful believers in healthcare.

 

Whether you’re just beginning medical, dental or other graduate healthcare training program or nearing retirement, whether you serve in a bustling hospital or a remote village clinic, your calling is sacred. In these challenging times, we all need reminders we’re not alone. God is still at work, and He is still with us.

 

That’s why Faith in Healthcare exists: to strengthen your heart, equip your mind and remind you that your work matters—not just professionally, but eternally.

 

Let’s keep pressing on, together.

 

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About The Author

Mike Chupp, MD, FACS, grew up in the suburbs of Indianapolis, Indiana. He graduated Summa Cum Laude with a pre-medical degree in chemistry from Taylor University in 1984 and then graduated as an AOA scholar with an MD degree from Indiana University in 1988. He completed a five-year general surgery residency at Methodist Hospital in 1993. From 1993 to 2016, Mike enjoyed nearly seven years of private general surgery practice as a missionary member of the Surgical Department of Southwestern Medical Clinic (a large Christian multi-specialty group) and Lakeland Regional Health System in St. Joseph, Michigan. Mike has been married to Pam for 34 years and they have four adult children and two grandchildren. In 2016, Mike completed 20 years of service as a career missionary with World Gospel Mission (WGM), serving at Tenwek Mission Hospital in Kenya. Dr. Chupp was appointed CEO by the CMDA Board in September 2019, as Dr. Stevens’ successor. With God’s help, CMDA has continued to advance and thrive under Dr. Chupp’s leadership, pursuing the vision of “Bringing the hope and healing of Christ to the world through healthcare professionals.”

 

To Learn More

Faith in Healthcare­­—The CMDA Matters Podcast, formerly known as CMDA Matters, is the premier audio resource for Christian healthcare professionals. This popular weekly podcast shares powerful stories and explores the issues that matter most to you, along with the latest news from CMDA and healthcare. To learn more about this weekly podcast, visit cmda.org/cmdamatters, or listen on your preferred platform.