Alive! with Pastor Patina Ripkey

Send us Fan Mail Millions of Christians wrestle with doubts, questions, and challenges to their beliefs. For some, this process -- often called deconstruction -- leads to a deeper and more nuanced faith. For others, it results in leaving Christianity altogether. But why does this happen? What experiences, questions, or struggles drive people to reexamine the faith they once held? And do all who de...

Send us Fan Mail Are you vulnerable to a demonic attack? Have you fully stepped into your calling? As promised, here is the second interview with Tim Johnson (Pastor at Pfrimmer's Chapel and the co-founder of The Joshua Center)! For two hours we dig into the meaning of spiritual warfare, the spiritual realm, and what distracts us from following Jesus? I hope you enjoy this podcast!

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we sit down with a former FBI Forensic Examiner who was working on the front lines of the FBI, battling the darkest corners of child exploitation and terrorism. Her work was intense, heartbreaking, and deeply personal.  Fighting evil took a toll on her soul, but she eventually found restoration and faith in Christ. This is a raw, redemptive conversation about trau...

Send us Fan Mail Once a talented baseball player whose dreams were shattered by four knee surgeries, Garrett found himself battling painkiller addiction while navigating his parents' divorce. Though he occasionally attended church and considered himself a Christian, he later realized he was merely religious without having a genuine relationship with Jesus.

Send us Fan Mail Tim is the Pastor at Pfrimmer's Chapel and the co-founder of The Joshua Center. He is a a dynamic preacher and teacher and he ministers to people all over the world but Tim has not always been skilled at public speaking. Tim was born premature and had a severe speech impediment. It was so bad, his teachers believed he was mentally challenged. For years he was bullied, made fu...

Send us Fan Mail How does someone leave their lifelong dream of becoming an attorney, to respond to God’s call to become a Pastor?  Well, it doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t happen without a wrestling match with God. Jay finally relinquished control of his dreams to the Lord and found himself in some unexpected places along the way.  His journey has included many ups and downs, but he has...

Send us Fan Mail Jessica had a beautiful life: two wonderful children, a loving husband, a great job, and many friends and family. But in 2022 she was faced with a cancer diagnosis that rocked her world. Instead of allowing her circumstances to cause bitterness and anger, she will tell you that her suffering brought her closer to Jesus. She frequently says, “I can do hard things. I have God on my...

Send us Fan Mail This interview is part 2 of the interview with Tony Loefflin. Chip currently serves as the Sr. VP of International Solid Rock. He is passionate about evangelism and sharing the hope of Christ with those who have been incarcerated. As part of this ministry, he also disciples prisoners through the Church Behind Bars, teaching them how to be a fully functioning church inside the pris...

Send us Fan Mail Tony Loeffler grew up in a broken home with a lot of anger toward his absentee father. As a result of his pain he became addicted to drugs and was diagnosed with schizophrenia. He got involved in witchcraft, and read tarot cards for several months before he became homeless and eventually gave up on life. But on a very cold night in Chicago he had a miraculous encounter with Jesus...

Send us Fan Mail Does God approve of women who take on leadership roles in the church? Are women who lead in the church going against the will of God? Carolyn answers these questions about women with eloquence and grace. She also shares her insights into the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit in the Kingdom of God.

Send us Fan Mail Assel was born into a family of very talented musicians and began playing piano and organ in church at a very young age. He was hired as a church musician when he was a teenager. In this interview, Assel talks openly about the ups and downs of his faith journey. He also  answers some very challenging questions. How do we trust God enough to walk by faith? How can one trust God for...

Send us Fan Mail Brady Duke has always been known as someone who excels at whatever he does. His ability to think under pressure and to not allow pain to hinder progress has enabled him to excel as an athlete, a student, and as a Navy Seal. After marriage he went to church faithfully and led small groups and Bible studies with his wife. On the surface everything looked perfect, but there was somet...

Send us Fan Mail Mary Jane (MJ) grew up in a home where both parents were alcoholics. She did not hear the words “I love you” from her mother until she was an adult with children and never heard those words from her father. She spent her life in search of love, and finally found what she was looking for in Jesus. Now MJ says, “Jesus is everything.” 

Send us Fan Mail Our culture is sexually saturated with porn. It’s easily available and accessible to everyone and can be viewed anonymously. It has become an epidemic and is having a very negative affect on relationships and families. Today we have an honest conversation with Bruce Bailey who is the Director of SAFE in the Pandhandle and Pastor Brian James, who is Senior Pastor at First Church Ov...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever wanted more out of life, but weren’t sure where to turn? As a young child, Patti had a miraculous encounter with God. She spent much of her life trying to discover the nature of this God, who had been so kind to her. With little spiritual direction, she ended up researching many different religions and dabbling in New Age activities, until she finally found an incred...

Send us Fan Mail Patina Ripkey and Lanie James, two pastor's kids who are now in full-time ministry in the local church, share their thoughts on "church hurt." When the church is working, it is a joyful gathering that brings healing and restoration to so many people's lives. However, although the church was designed by God to be an incredible place of worship and spiritual tran...

Send us Fan Mail Suzanne spent about twenty years heavily immersed in the occult. She was a successful medium, wiccan, reiki healer, and tarot card reader. She helped build covens all over the country and organized major festivals in an attempt to make paganism an acceptable practice. However, her involvement in paganism and the occult left her empty. Then, on a rainy night, as she considered how...

Send us Fan Mail Marci had an accident while on a family vacation. She thought her recovery would only take a few weeks. Instead, it took 6 months before she would be able to walk again. As a very independent wife, mother, and business professional, she found herself bedridden and then confined to a wheelchair, unable to care for herself. In those moments she learned the blessing of depending upon...

Send us Fan Mail Megan grew up in a suburban, middle-class, two-parent household. On the outside, Megan appeared to be normal and well-adjusted, but on the inside, Megan was broken. Upon entering high school Megan began experimenting with drinking and drugs. Her addiction eventually landed her in Orlando, under the control of a pimp, where she was trafficked for five years. However, her story does...

Send us Fan Mail Doug grew up in a small rural community in central Ohio on his family's 500-acre farm. In high school, he was popular and succeeded in just about everything he did. He graduated high school in 1983, then about a year later in December of 1984, he had a tragic accident that changed the direction of his well-planned future. His journey to a relationship with Jesus took some une...

Send us Fan Mail What once seemed like a perfect life in an amazing community, suddenly turned into the darkest season Joanna would ever endure. In her mid-forties, as a single parent, she discovered that all three of her children were going through major personal struggles. She also found out her boyfriend of 4-1/2 years was a drug-addict. After leaving him, he stalked her, destroyed her vehicle,...

Send us Fan Mail Dionne (Dee) Coleman is the Executive Director of Samaritan Village in Orlando Florida. Samaritan Village is one of the only long-term residential programs for survivors of sex-trafficking in Central Florida. Although Dee is not a survivor of sex trafficking, she believes her personal experiences have helped her develop the empathy needed for the women she serves. 

Send us Fan Mail Larry Smith is a family man, a leader in his church, and the Owner of a successful Chick-fil-A Franchise in Orlando. A few months ago, Larry was hospitalized with a critical illness. While in the hospital, he heard God’s voice telling him to let go of all of life’s distractions. That changed Larry's life completely.  Since that day Larry is more passionate than ever about ser...

Send us Fan Mail How does one move from having a successful career as an attorney to becoming the President and CEO of the Orlando Union Rescue Mission? Well, for Freddy Clayton, it didn’t happen overnight. He began his career as an attorney and then worked in the business sector for several years. He moved to Orlando and eventually began volunteering at the mission. He was asked to serve on the B...

Send us Fan Mail Michael is a successful businessman, but for most of his life he struggled with uncontrollable anger, arising from childhood abuse, that eventually landed him in prison for domestic violence. He lost his wife and his children and finally lost his will to live. But at his lowest moment, with a gun in hand, God intervened and showered him with unconditional love. Michael still owns...