After more than a year of development, Sagebrush & Vine is beginning to see its Faith-Aligned Mindset™ program come to life. And if the response to its first two trainings is any indication, the work is striking a chord.
Following an inaugural training in Denver, the program reached the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa, on October 17, where 75 deacons and their spouses gathered for a retreat led by Sagebrush & Vine founder Christopher Scaffidi and Dr. Jake Finifrock.
Dr. Jake Finifrock supports participants during the Faith-Aligned Mindset experience for the deacons of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa
The response was remarkable. Of those surveyed, 98% rated the content very or extremely valuable. One participant called it “the best retreat information I have received in years—very relevant to what we are experiencing every day.”
At the heart of Faith-Aligned Mindset is a simple but consequential idea: lasting change begins with the way we think. Drawing on Scripture, cognitive science and practical reflection, the program helps participants recognize limiting thought patterns, challenge deeply held assumptions and develop new ways of thinking rooted in their faith.
What distinguished the Dubuque retreat was how readily participants connected the teaching to their own lives. Even spouses who had come primarily to support their deacon husbands found themselves personally engaged, discovering applications that extended well beyond ministry.
For Deacon Dan Rouse, that practical relevance was especially meaningful.
“What impressed me most was how immediately practical this was,” said Deacon Rouse. “This wasn’t simply formation to listen to and leave behind. It gave us tools for recognizing the patterns in our thinking, reframing them through our faith, and putting that into practice in our ministries, our marriages and our everyday lives. I would love to see this reach more deacons, priests and parish leaders.”
Sagebrush & Vine founder, Chris Scaffidi
Participants echoed that enthusiasm, expressing a desire for more time with the material and opportunities to continue the work. Many saw clear applications for other clergy, parish staff and lay ministers.
For Scaffidi, seeing the program resonate so deeply after a year of preparation has been particularly gratifying.
“To spend a year developing something you believe can make a difference is one thing. To sit in a room and watch people discover how it can change their own lives is something else entirely. We’re deeply grateful for the opportunity, and we’re excited about where this can go.”
With two early trainings now completed, Sagebrush & Vine has reason to be encouraged. The enthusiastic response in Dubuque suggests that Faith-Aligned Mindset is addressing a real need in Christian leadership formation: giving people practical tools to bring their faith more fully into the challenges, decisions and relationships of everyday life.
What began as a vision is finding its footing in the lives of the people it was designed to serve.
Beginning on November 17, Chris Scaffidi and Dr. Jake will offer the first-ever online cohort for the Faith-Aligned Mindset. Learn more and secure your registration to the November cohort today.