Impactus podcast

A recent article in Relevant magazine explored the idea that God seems to be doing something new among young men in our midst. So what is He up to? Where is He doing it? And what should pastors and men's ministry leaders know about how to lean in to what He's doing? In this episode of our newly formatted Impactus podcast, Dean, Jordan, and Chris sit down for a fascinating conversation about this p...

On today's episode, Dean and Jordan share some exciting news. The Impactus Podcast is entering a new season, one that we believe will make an even greater impact on men's lives. Dean Brenton is joined by Jordan Harnum and Dr. Chris Walker as they come together to create a podcast that is practical, theologically grounded, and deeply relevant to the real questions men are asking today. We're also m...

Did you know nearly 1 in 3 Canadians are short of money each month? Or that if you're experiencing financial stress, you're twice as likely to report poor health; four times more likely to suffer from sleep issues, headaches, and other ailments, including heart disease, high blood pressure, depression, and anxiety; and you'll be more prone to relationship strain? If any of that resonates with you,...

No engaged or married couple enters their relationship intending to fail, but many start marriage without a strategy or understanding of what it takes for a marriage to succeed. Without that plan, marriages can struggle for years, with men never quite sure what to do to break out of the rut. George and Tondra Gregory have been married for 30 years through many ups and downs. They draw on their own...

More information is being created and shared today than ever before, leading to a vast, ever-expanding ocean of information and data. We are bombarded and shaped by voices from social media influencers, YouTubers, and podcast hosts. And yes, you're listening to a podcast today, so you can add Impactus into the mix of voices! But how can we be wise and discerning enough to audit and edit the voices...

Here at Impactus, we have just finished the run of our in-person conferences for this year, where we had the incredible opportunity to minister to over 2600 men across Canada! If you didn't make it to one of our events this conference season, we're delighted to have one of our keynote speakers, who spoke in Winnipeg on being "Rooted in Truth," join us for this podcast. The Rev. Dr. Andrew Stirling...

Opioids are claiming the lives of thousands of Canadians from all walks of life. With more than 44,000 opioid-related deaths since 2016, the overdose crisis is one of the most severe public health crises Canada has ever faced, and men are much more likely to be affected by addiction than women. There is hardly a day that passes when we do not hear of the fentanyl issue in geopolitical, provincial,...

Despite the rise of people identifying as "non-religious" in Canada and the growing trends of secularism in our post-Christian culture, there is good news on the horizon. Alpha Canada released a 2024 report that indicated signs of hope and opportunity. It revealed: Post-pandemic, church leaders in Canada are perceiving an inexplicable spiritual openness and curiosity in our communities. This "spir...

Former England superstar football captain David Beckham recalls being sent off the field in the 1998 World Cup Finals: "It was probably the longest walk in my life…looking back, I'm not sure what thoughts were going through my mind: it was a swirl of fear, guilt, anger, worry, and confusion. "My head was spinning…I walked into the dressing room. The rules stated that I had to stay in there for the...

When you hear the word "warrior," what comes to mind? Maybe the movie Gladiator ? The WWF's Ultimate Warrior ? The latest UFC champion? Now, when you hear the word "disciple," what do you think of? Something very different? Maybe something incompatible with the first word? But what if these two terms could fit together? Our guest on this episode believes the words "warrior disciple" go hand in han...

Some of you may be old enough to remember the sitcom Eight is Enough , about a family with eight children trying to get by. Well, for our guest in this podcast, it's not eight, but ten! Today, we're going to speak with Jason Weening, a dad of ten who has dedicated his life to fatherhood and helping other dads along the way. Jason and his wife, Alli, have been married for 20 years. He speaks to par...

If you're a Marvel movie fan, Iron Man is probably familiar to you. In this episode of the Impactus podcast, we are excited to talk with a real-life "Iron Man"—a humble businessman from Hamilton, Ontario, who was the first Canadian to run not one, not two, but three Ironman races in three consecutive days for over 45 hours of physical exertion. But he wasn't running for himself but for a greater c...

Is "Men's Ministry" still a thing? Is it still relevant? Do we even need it? Here at Impactus, we like referring to this area as "Ministry to Men," and that's more than just semantics. We need a new understanding that men need  ministry , not just programs, and that men are called to  do  ministry in their churches and communities. On this podcast, we're delighted to have one of the most recogniza...

Families are under attack. Culture seems to be encroaching on us. Pressure comes from all angles…education, ideology, politics, and sometimes even the Church. But maybe there's a much more sinister battle at work—in our minds, hearts, and homes. In this podcast, we'll discuss " Fighting for Family " with Chris Bennett, who recently released a book under this title. Chris is a pastor, storyteller,...

If you were to rate your current experience reading or listening to the Word of God, how would you fare? If you're like most guys, Bible engagement can be challenging. While some are very disciplined with their time in the Word, others struggle to prioritize and focus. Our most recent Spiritual Health of Men Survey found that you aren't alone. We saw some decline from the previous year in the numb...

The pandemic wreaked havoc on our world like nothing else in our lifetime. The fallout continues with polarization, division, depression, isolation, distraction, and the disappearance of many people from inside the walls of the Church. But what if the events of the past few years were not a problem but an opportunity? What if God was using this time in our history to awaken people to His Kingdom a...

How could a two-year-old orphan boy, taken out of his country by mistake in 1975 from halfway around the world, now impact the world as a grown man in 2024? In this month's podcast, you'll hear a story of just how that happened! Google " Orphan 32 ," and you will read how Thanh Campbell was taken from his war-torn country of Vietnam and came to Canada as part of the last flight out of Saigon in 19...

If you were to rate the health of your marriage or family today, how would you score? 10/10, living in bliss? 5/10, with some challenges and struggles? Lower?   Marriages and families go through different seasons, but the good news is that you don't have to go through them alone. There are supports to help you and your family: counsellors, pastors, churches, and ministry organizations who are ther...

If you're a football fan, you're going to love this conversation, and if you're not a football fan, you're still going to love this conversation! On January 8, the 15-0 undefeated Michigan Wolverines under coach Jim Harbaugh won the US National College Championship , beating No. 2 Washington Huskies 34-13 before a crowd of 72,808 at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX. What a game it was! In this podcast,...

Are you a man who lives your life with a sense of purpose and intentionality? We've heard it said that God "calls" people like pastors, teachers, and missionaries into ministry, but what about the rest of us? Do  we  have a "calling" on our lives? In this podcast, Dean sits down with Phil Wagler, who is certainly no stranger to Impactus! Phil lives in British Columbia with his family. He has recen...

If you were to rate your prayer life today on a scale of 1-10…how would you rate yourself? Of course, there is no easy rating scale for our relationship with God, but prayer is one of those areas of our spiritual lives that men consistently find difficult. At the start of this fresh new year, when topics around spiritual disciplines are common conversation, this is a great time to evaluate our pra...

Have you ever felt stressed, burdened, or overwhelmed by all the things you have to do? Then along comes the Church, and our relationship with God, and we look at all the things we "should" be doing, and we see more deficits and feel more guilt. Christians are called to live a life that glorifies God and blesses others. How do we do that when we're already feeling stretched to capacity? But what i...

Disclaimer: This conversation frankly discusses sensitive topics relating to sex and marriage that may not be age-appropriate for younger viewers/listeners. In this month's podcast, Dean sits down for a conversation with Sheila and Keith Gregoire. Sheila is no stranger to the  Impactus podcast, and we are happy to have her husband with us this time as well! Sheila is the face behind  Bare Marriage...

Disclaimer: This conversation discusses sensitive topics that may not be age-appropriate for younger viewers/listeners. In this podcast, Dean interviews Zachary Wagner, author of Non-Toxic Masculinity: Recovering Healthy Male Sexuality . Zachary hails from Chicago and currently lives in England as a PhD candidate at Oxford. He is also the editorial director of the Center for Pastoral Theologians ,...

In this episode, Impactus President Dean Brenton sits down with Men's Ministry legend Steve Sonderman! Steve is highly regarded as one of the pioneers of the Men's Ministry movement in America. He started one of the country's first Men's Ministries at Elmbrook Church in Brookfield, WI. He is the founder of No Regrets Men's Ministries , including the annual No Regrets Men's Conference, which draws...