The Real Jesus Experience

Joseph Caillet always felt a pull toward something bigger than himself — a call to serve, to protect, to become the kind of man he'd only ever seen in other people's homes. But the faith he grew up with never felt personal, and no matter how hard he chased his purpose, the doors kept closing. In Part 1 of Joseph's testimony, he shares honestly about the fathers who shaped him — for bet...

Lindsay and Jared Angelo walked into the hardest week of their lives not knowing how much they would need what God was about to do in them. In Part 2 of Lindsay's testimony, she walks through the unthinkable — the decisions, the waiting, and the grief that followed. But woven through every moment is the unmistakable presence of a God who was never absent, even when He felt impossible to find....

In Episode 70 of The Real Jesus Experience, Chad sits down with Lindsay Angelo — PE teacher, wife, mother, and D1 walk-on athlete — for an honest, faith-filled conversation about what it looks like when the life you planned collides with the life God designed. Lindsay grew up steeped in faith at First Presbyterian Church of Houston, running track with her father, and feeling Jesus in her soul at a...

In Part 2 of Claudia Hensley’s Faith in Motion update, Claudia continues the story of walking through her husband Chris’s cancer battle and the many ways God provided, strengthened, and showed Himself faithful in the middle of it. From unexpected financial provision to the love of the church surrounding their family, Claudia reflects on how God met them one step at a time. As Chris’s healing journ...

In this Faith in Motion update, Claudia Hensley returns to share how God has continued working since her first testimony. From serving in prison and immigration ministry to walking through a frightening medical crisis with her husband, Chris, Claudia’s story reveals what it looks like when faith moves from words to daily surrender. As fear, uncertainty, and pressure closed in, Claudia found hersel...

In Part 2 of Ronnie Johnson’s testimony, Ronnie shares the painful season when his dad’s cancer, unanswered prayers, church disappointment, and broken relationships all seemed to collide at once. As his father’s health declined, Ronnie found himself angry, disoriented, and unsure what to do with a God who seemed silent while everyone was praying for healing. But in the middle of grief, Jesus met R...

Ronnie Johnson grew up in a Christian home where church was a constant part of life. From an early age, he knew the language, the expectations, and the rhythms of faith—but somewhere along the way, following God became wrapped up in performance, pressure, and desperately trying not to lose his salvation. In Part 1 of Ronnie’s testimony, he shares honestly about growing up in church, learning how t...

In Part 2 of Jeff Parker’s testimony, Jeff shares the moment his hidden gambling addiction crossed a line he never thought he would cross—and how that one compromise became the beginning of a seven-year spiral of secrecy, theft, shame, and spiritual decay. What started as a rush slowly became a prison, affecting his marriage, his work, his friendships, and his ability to fully live the life God ha...

In Part 1 of Jeff Parker’s testimony, Jeff shares how a childhood marked by family instability, the pressure to be the “good kid,” and an early encounter with Jesus slowly became a life of trying to perform faith instead of walking in freedom. From his parents’ separation to youth leaders who showed him the love of Christ, Jeff’s story begins with real pain, real grace, and a growing desire to fol...

In the final part of Brittiny and Kacie’s story, the conversation moves into the tender intersection of infertility, pregnancy, friendship, and adoption. Kacie shares the painful process of grieving the dream of having biological children, while also asking God to bring her and Ben to a place where adoption was not seen as “option B,” but as the family story He had been writing all along. This epi...

In Part 2 of Brittiny and Kacie’s story, the conversation moves into some of the painful places where faith can feel confusing: spiritual dryness, adult grief, divorce, cancer, caregiving, loneliness, and the heartbreak of infertility. Both women share honestly about wrestling with God’s goodness when life did not feel good, and how the Lord slowly met them through truth, counseling, marriage, chu...

Brittiny and Kacie were both saved young, but the years that followed shook them deeply. In Part 1, they share how family pain, pressure, grief, and unanswered questions shaped their early lives—and how God was still holding them through it all. This is a raw and hope-filled conversation about childhood faith, deep wounds, and the quiet faithfulness of Jesus in seasons that make no sense. If you’v...

In Part 2 of his testimony, Ralph Rodriguez shares what happened when the pain and darkness in his life reached a breaking point. After years of depression, hopelessness, and questioning whether God was even real, Ralph entered a season of spiritual warfare that left him desperate for answers. Then, at a youth camp altar, he prayed, “God, if You’re real, show Yourself to me.” That moment changed e...

In this first part of his testimony, Ralph Rodriguez sits down with Chad to share the painful beginnings of a story marked by fatherlessness, hidden trauma, deep emotional wounds, and a battle with depression. As Ralph reflects on those years, he speaks honestly about anger, insecurity, loneliness, and the pressure to hide pain behind humor, toughness, and trying to fit in. What looked normal on t...

Acts 27 is one of those chapters that reads like a travel log… until it doesn’t. As I sat focusing on my Bible study, something flickered in my mind: buried inside this storm-and-shipwreck story was a description of my own journey through the wall! My own season where the headwinds wouldn't stop, plans fall apart, and I realized I couldn't push my way forward anymore. The kind of pressure that exp...

Heads up, TRJE family—our next episode will be two weeks out. But it’s worth the wait. We’re trying something new: a conversation with two good friends whose stories intersect in a way we can’t wait for you to hear. Their testimonies come together in a powerful, God-sized way—and we believe it’s going to encourage a lot of people. Thank you for riding with us. Stay tuned! Listen NOW for new episod...

In Part 2 of Derek Mathews’ story, the Lord keeps pulling back the curtain on a lie Derek didn’t even realize was still running his spiritual life: the idea that God is distant—powerful, yes—but cold, static, and impressed only by performance. Derek shares how God began rewriting that image, not just with new information, but with a new experience—the kind that turns fear-driven striving into rest...

In today’s episode of The Real Jesus Experience, I’m joined by Derek Mathews—the founder and host of the Storyverse Podcast, and the founder of Storyverse Ministries. In Part 1, Derek takes us back to the early framework he had for God—distant and critical—and how that shaped a faith that felt more like work than relationship. Derek's vision of God was as though He was sitting in a swivel chair, t...

In Part 2 of Barko Engelbrecht’s testimony, Barko shares what it’s like to hit the “wall” seasons—those moments that don’t just test your faith in Christ, they strengthen the foundation of it. As he steps away from security to serve in ministry, you’ll hear a powerful story of trusting God’s plan and watching Him provide in ways only He can. From there, Barko and Chad get into bold obedience and r...

REWIND (Part 2) continues the highlight reel from the first 40 interviews on The Real Jesus Experience Podcast —more of the moments that hit you right in the heart and leave no room for “that was just coincidence.” In this second half, you’ll hear more of Chad’s favorite turning points: the raw honesty that brings freedom, the prayers that marked a before-and-after, the hard lessons God used to re...

REWIND is a two-part look back at the past year and a half since The Real Jesus Experience began recording testimonies. This collection features Chad’s favorite moments from the first 15 interviews—the turning points, the honest confessions, the “only God” breakthroughs, and the hope-filled reminders that Jesus still restores. The goal of REWIND is simple: to help you discover an episode that spea...

In today’s episode of The Real Jesus Experience, we’re sitting down with Barko Engelbrecht—a man whose identity was built on the rugby field… until life forced him to ask who he really was without it. Barko grew up in South Africa in a culture where rugby isn’t just a sport—it’s a proving ground. From a young age, he chased the next level, the next team, the next opportunity. And while there was a...

In the first half of Owen Gray’s story, we heard how everything he thought his life would be—basketball, dreams of playing at the next level, a clear path forward—was suddenly interrupted. A diagnosis, a surgery, and a hard reset on his future forced him to wrestle with who he really was apart from the game, and what it actually meant to know and follow Jesus. In this second half of the conversati...

In today’s episode of The Real Jesus Experience, we’re sitting down with Owen Gray—a young man whose entire future changed in a single moment. Owen grew up in church, with parents who genuinely loved Jesus and modeled what obedient Christian life looks like. He prayed the prayer, he believed in God, and he thought he knew Jesus. But like so many of us, there was something on the throne of his hear...

Welcome to a new kind of episode from The Real Jesus Experience. Because we know God doesn’t ever stop working on us, in us, or through us, we’re launching a new series called Faith in Motion: The Story Continues. On The Real Jesus Experience, we’ve heard powerful Christian testimonies—stories of how people encountered the real Jesus Christ, found redemption, healing, and hope in the middle of rea...