An Open Letter

On this episode Dave and Carol interview their friend Tina Mallery. One of the reasons we started this podcast 2 and a half years ago was so that we could talk about things that the church wasn't talking about well or wasn't talking about at all.
Grief is one of those topics. Tina has had to deal with more than her fair share of grief in her life. We talk to her about what how she met her husband and what happened when she lost him over 3 years ago.

We welcome Tony Gebhard to the show! Tony is an amazing musician who also happens to be blind. Carol and I talk to Tony about his story and get an idea of what it is like to have a disability and how it doesn't slow him down! We laugh a lot during this episode and get some great insight of what it means to live life without a sense that most of us take for granted.

In this episode we dive back into Carol's life. We talk about her recovery from trauma in her life. She is going through EMDR which helps those who are suffering from PTSD. We dive into a little bit of the science and hear more of her story.

We welcome Paul back for this episode to continue his story. One of our main questions: how does a man get voted in as a pastor when "heroin addict" is on the resume??

On this episode we welcome Pastor Paul Hulford. He is a pastor, husband, father and...former heroin addict???
Paul has a fascinating, unique story.
This is part one of a two parter.

This is one of the hottest issues in our country right now- Should players kneel during the national anthem? What should we make of this controversy? Are these spoiled millionaires trying to draw attention to themselves or is this a peaceful protest trying to highlight a valid issue?
Or something in between?
Chad and I discuss this with a couple of call in guests- one is a former Marine and the other has years of coaching experience.
Join the discussion!

Craig Apel has been a pastor for over 40 years. He and I met while we were both in the play "The Great Divorce". He played George MacDonald and I played C.S. Lewis. We have maintained a friendship ever since. On this episode we discuss how patriotism and how that interacts with the Christian faith. Should we say the pledge of allegiance? Should we have 4th of July services at church?

Another old friend from Iowa episode!
Pastor Adam Smith joins us to talk about sex, dating, and relationships.
Adam is the campus pastor of South Hill church in Corona, CA. He is passionate, insightful and very funny.

We cover a lot of pretty serious topics on our podcast. Sometimes it's good to take a break from the heavy stuff- which leads us to our latest episode! We interview Jonathan Butrin, one of the founders of the website and podcast "Cinema Faith". We talk about why and how movies are important and how they can affect our faith.

This is the 3rd podcast focusing on Mike and Sharla Hintz's story. In this episode, Sharla tells the rest of her story and gives advice for those that are struggling in their marriages. She also talks about how to bounce back from life shattering events.

In our last episode, we heard how Sharla's husband Mike shattered their family. This is the first of a two part episode where we hear Sharla tell us in her honest, open way, what her reaction was to Mike's betrayal and how she survived this trauma.

Over 10 years ago, the Hintz's world imploded. Mike, father of 4 young children and a youth pastor at a large church in Des Moines, Iowa, confessed to a crime that shocked the church, his community and especially his wife Sharla. Mike had an inappropriate relationship with a girl in his youth group. No one saw this coming.
A mistake like this would have been the end of most marriages. Certainly an end to any future contributions to ministry. And yet, miraculously, Mike and Sharla are still married and doing great- over 10 years later.
This is Mike's story. In this interview, Mike is brutally honest about his sin, and the long, difficult road to recovery.

Part 2 with Leith McHugh.
I know. You cried during part one. And rightfully so. In this episode, we find out how the McHugh's rebooted their life.

I first heard of Leith McHugh on a different podcast. Her story soon had me in tears as I was trying to drive to work. Yes, her story is largely about grief- but it is so much more than that. In this special 2 part episode, we talk in depth about how Leith lost one of her children and how her family has not only survived, but even thrived after this devastating loss.

We brought the ghost hunters back in the studio for round two.
This time we got a lot more aggressive with our questions. We specifically talked about and addressed the issues we have with some of their practices. And to their credit, they responded very well and helped us understand why they do what they do. But, it sounds like that they are going to reassess some of their practices.

Do you believe in ghosts?
Our entire culture is obsessed with the supernatural. It's all fun and games, right? Just silly TV shows and movies? What if it's not? We talk to the Grand Rapids Ghost Hunters and hear their take on what it is they do- try and track down the supernatural.

The end of my story- well, not "the end" end, hopefully I will be around for awhile. This was a very emotional couple of episodes for us as we deal with some very personal issues in my (Dave's) life.
In the first episode you heard a lot of what I struggled with, in this episode we talk about how to deal with an addiction to pornography and give some tips that have helped me overcome it.

We have waited a year to do this 2 part episode. I have alluded to my own story numerous times in the podcast. Carol interviews me this time to talk about how devastating my addiction to pornography has been in my life. We also talk about how important it is to be open about things we currently struggle with instead of pretending we are all doing great.

I (Dave) had the privilege of preaching at my church the Sunday after the election. We can not ignore the uprising of hate in this country. We must stand with those hurting. We have to come together. If you voted for Trump, don't ignore those who are scared. Stop calling those in fear crybabies. And if you voted otherwise, please recognize that not all Trump voters are racist.

My friend Craig talks to us about his faith journey. It's not a journey that normally gets talked about on faith based media. Craig does not identify himself as a Christian. At one time in his life he would have, but different things brought him to a different place. We think his story is very important, especially for those who DO identify as followers of Christ. And for those of you who don't, you will relate to Craig's story.

My friend Mike Walton is on the show for the first time! Mike used to be a pastor at the church we attend, Solomon's Porch. Recently he decided to change careers and become a counselor. He now has his own business- Second Story Counseling. We talk about why he decided to switch careers and why so many of us need a good counselor to talk to! We also talk about the power of shame and how to cope with it.

JR Pittman invited Carol and I on his radio show on 9/11. We chat about Carol's experience in Nice, France when the attack took place. It's a great conversation! And we loved being on the show!

Our first LIVE episode! We journey downtown to interview one of the artists participating in Art Prize. What is Art Prize you may be asking? Why it's the largest art competition in the world! Right here in my home town of Grand Rapids, Mi. Joe Reid is the artist and his entry is a 17 foot high beer bottle. Yup. We are beer city USA after all.
With his entry he is calling attention to the problem of homelessness and addiction.

We welcome Jared Zimmerman to the podcast. We tackle a very challenging subject- suicide. Jared's brother took his life in the spring of 2014. Jared is very open and honest about the impact on himself and his family. A powerful listen.

We welcome to the studio JR Pittman, local pastor and radio show host!
In this episode, JR and I have a lively discussion on racism and what it means to be a black man in the US of A. It was difficult getting JR out of his shell, but I think I did it.

Carol was in Nice, France when the attack occurred. She was a part of a study abroad program for GVSU. She was there with 18 students and another professor. I was there as well (Me, Dave) but I left on July 3rd.
Thankfully she is ok, as are the students.
This podcast is actually from a radio show was on the day after the attack. She has also been on various other media publications.

Chad, Carol, Matt and I discuss and yes, argue, about the explosion of terms defining gender. We try and define some terms so we can bring understanding to a topic many are struggling to understand. We also discuss what the reaction of the church has been and what we feel it should be.

A timeless and insightful track that shows the power those editing the program have. A must listen

Collin returns and we talk more about being a funny person. We also explore what motivates someone to want to get other people to laugh. We also touch on important topics like insecurity and how everyone needs attention.

Collin Everett is a college student here in the Grand Rapids area. I met him when we were both actors for a sitcom being produced by Compass Arts, a college he attends here in Grand Rapids.
Collin is a very talented thoughtful young man. We cover a few different subjects including comedy and its link with depression.
Enjoy!

This is part two of our show focusing on David's House Ministries. Last time we heard Paul's story and what led him away from a good job to work for this company. On this episode we take a deeper look at what David's House does and the 5 stages that take place when you interact with those that have special needs.

This is part one of a two part episode featuring the David's House Ministries. My former coworker and friend- Paul Wiersma- is on the show to talk about his own journey and how his challenges and successes have led him to this awesome and needed ministry. David’s House Ministries provides quality care and facilities for the developmentally disabled and traumatic brain-injured adults.

On this episode you get to meet a good friend of mine, Daniel Koons! The bearded wonder! (not that you can tell by listening) We talk about politics- should Christians vote?- which kingdoms are we a part of and which kingdom should be the most important?

Nerdcast version dos! Josh is back and we talk about the video game "SUPERHOT" which he likes just a tiny bit. We also chat up Zootopia and the movie "Room".

In this episode we talk about the violence that seems to permeate our culture and the origins and current expressions of violence. As believers, what should our response be?

My son Josh is on the show for the first time! We discuss the entertainment we are currently enjoying. This is a more lighthearted episode of the show. We will have a NERDout podcast about once a month.

Part 2 of my interview with Carol. She explains what it is like to be in a bout of depression and we try and give practical help.

Carol is brave enough to let me interview her in regards to her struggle with depression.

On our very first episode we talk about why we are doing the podcast and discuss the principles that will be guiding us.