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PODCAST EPISODE
Grafted Together Ep 32: The Proper Care and Feeding of a Spiritual Life Director
February 5, 2026
What are common pitfalls for a spiritual life director, and how can they best care for themselves as they lead others? Greg Tonkinson has insights on this and more.
Greg Tonkinson is the Spiritual Life Director at Valley Christian Schools in Chandler, AZ, where he has served for 18 years. A Phoenix-area resident for nearly four decades, Greg is the author of Unwanted Fraternity and hosts Meliora The Podcast with the Herzog Foundation. He is also a TEDx speaker, former NPR guest with Guy Raz, and recently conducted a 45-minute interview with President George W. Bush. Greg holds a Master’s from Phoenix Seminary and a Doctorate from Talbot School of Theology. He and Jennifer have five children.
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Grafted Together
Grafted Together with ACSI Chief Ministry Officer Jerry Nelson examines how biblical worldview and spiritual formation should integrate in everyday Christian education. Jerry Nelson joined the ACSI family in 2020 as the Special Assistant to the President and currently serves as ACSI's Chief Ministry Officer. He previously spent 11 years as the Head of School at Northwest Christian Academy in Florida. While there, Nelson created a Teacher Development Program, a Student Leadership Development Program, and Parent Education Program, and wrote three books. He earned his master's degree in Educational Leadership from St. Thomas University.