In this episode of The In-Between, Evan sits down with Kirk Romberg—former pastor, certified coach, and co-founder of Bridge and Rhino, where he equips leaders toward healthier, values-based leadership.

Kirk shares his story of moving across states to be near family, stepping away from decades of full-time ministry, and starting a house painting business while quietly listening for what God had next. Along the way, he discovered the "right thing at the wrong time" often becomes the "right time" through discernment, confirmation, and the willingness to let go.

We talk about how to navigate transition when clarity isn’t immediate, how identity can become tangled with calling, and why values must outlast any job title. Kirk also shares why spiritual flourishing looks less like striving, and more like presence, healthy rhythms, and deepening relationships.

In this episode, we talk about:

📍 Why it's easy to over-identify with roles—and what anchors us when those change

📍 The quiet difference between reacting to discomfort and discerning with peace

📍 How clarity committees (inspired by Parker Palmer) can help us notice God's invitation

📍 Why living your values may be the most faithful measure of "success"

📍 What happens when the vision outruns the values—and how to realign

📍 Why liminal space can be a training ground, not a punishment

📍 What to do when God whispers not yet

📍 How healthy neighbor relationships became a surprising marker of flourishing

Takeaways:

👉 "The idea of coaching was the right thing. It just wasn't the right time. I knew it would come off the shelf one day."

👉 "We can make a step outside of God's plan, but we can't step out of His grace."

👉 "If you use only one intelligence center through transition, the other two haven't transitioned."

👉 "The stated values and the real values aren’t always the same. The more we close the gap, the more authentic we become."

👉 "Flourishing means enjoying my wife, showing up for our grandkids, laughing with our neighbors—and not needing productivity to define me."

👉 "God isn't 'I was' or 'I will be.' He is 'I AM.' And that means flourishing begins now."

This episode is for anyone who:

• Is in vocational limbo and wondering what comes next
• Has left (or is leaving) a role in ministry and unsure how to navigate identity
• Wants to lead with greater integrity by aligning action with values
• Needs permission to slow down, listen, and let the fog of transition lift with time
• Believes flourishing might look more like community than accomplishment