Who is Dennis?
Dennis Shaw has spent his life in roles where people rely on each other.
Born in the West and raised in the South, he has been shaped by years of singing, listening, observing, and serving in communities across the United States and abroad, including formative seasons in Alaska, Korea, and Germany during his Army service.
He served more than twenty-three years on active duty in the U.S. Army, followed by six years as a defense contractor, and later spent two decades as a United Methodist pastor in Virginia, Colorado, and Utah.
Along the way, he studied music, quantitative analysis, divinity, leadership, and ministry. A lifelong athlete, he qualified for and ran the Boston Marathon.
These experiences became part of the long conversation about trust that led to Slow Work of Trust.
Dennis and his wife, Marilyn, now make their home in West Virginia, with regular excursions into Tennessee.
How Did Slow Work of Trust Emerge?
This book has been in germination for many years.
Over the years, Dennis’s work, relationships, and observations kept returning him to the same question: why do people trust some individuals but not others? That question gradually became more than a personal curiosity; it became the foundation for the Slow Work of Trust.
In the winter of 2025–26, Dennis began a series of SubStack articles on the topic of trust. He assumed four or five essays would capture all he had to say. Wrong. After about twenty articles, a friend sent Dennis a note saying, “There is a book in this.”
He reflected, thought it over, and concluded, “I think he is right.” He felt he had something to say on this topic, drawn from his personal observations, insights, and life experiences. From that, a book—a very personal book—emerged.
A mixture of pictures from the last forty years—glimpses of the ordinary days and turning points that have shaped me as Pastor, Runner, Husband, Grandfather, and more—each one a quiet reminder that trust is not built all at once, but formed slowly over time in the lives we share.
Blogs, Podcasts, and a little this & that
Dennis blogs as mantuan
Dennis has been writing and reflecting in written form on the human condition for many years. This is a primarily newsletter articles from his days in Utah (2012 to 2019) thought pieces since.
This work there can be found here.
Dennis as preacher and podcaster
Additionally, he has been and plans to return to being a podcaster (Mindful Leader). These podcasts are sermons and reflections on leadership. He is going to use the excuse of writing a book as a basis to get started again.
Shawisms
A compilation of things Dennis has or might have said.
podcasts i listen to
Pages under development.
foundational articles
Pages under development.
