Crusade with Me

Have you ever looked around at your life—even a good life—and quietly thought, there has to be more than this. You're not alone. In Part 1 of our new seven-part series, Attention , we begin exploring one of the most important questions of our time: What is capturing our attention, and where is it leading us? We chase success, entertainment, possessions, relationships, accomplishments, and endless...

As America celebrated its 250th birthday, it's worth asking a deeper question: What does true freedom really look like? In this special episode of Crusade With Me! , Dave and Kat reflect on the blessings of living in America, the sacrifices that have preserved our liberties, and the legacy we hope to leave for future generations. Together, they explore one of the most powerful chapters in Scriptur...

What does a lifetime of faithful ministry look like? In this special episode of Crusade With Me! , I sit down with Rev. Schumacher, a pastor whose life has been marked by humble service, deep theological conviction, and a genuine love for people. Our conversation spans decades of ministry—from serving as a missionary in Africa with his family, to his pioneering work with the deaf community through...

What if the greatest obstacle between you and God isn't your past—but your belief that you've gone too far? In this episode of Crusade With Me! , we explore two powerful passages of Scripture that reveal the very heart of God. In First Timothy 1:12–17, the Apostle Paul calls himself the "foremost of sinners," yet boldly proclaims the immeasurable grace of Christ. Then, in Gospel of Luke 1–10, Jesu...

The older I get, the less certain I become about many things. Twenty years ago, I thought I had most of life's answers figured out. Today, I realize that certainty is often easier than wisdom, and arrogance is far easier than humility. In this episode, I share why Crusade With Me! exists in the first place. This podcast was never created because I believed I had all the answers. It was created bec...

Most people don't reject God because they hate him. They reject Him because they're busy. Busy building careers. Busy chasing dreams. Busy paying bills. Busy scrolling phones. Busy entertaining themselves. And before long, the important gets crowded out by the urgent. Jesus tells the story about that. Luke3:13-18 John tells us what happens when we let God's love shape our lives. I John 14:16-24 To...

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Crusade With Me! Dave sits down with a lifelong friend — Pastor Mike Hesterman — to revisit a 30‑year friendship and a 50‑year faith journey. Pastor Mike opens up about his early life as a self‑described scoundrel , his years of rebellion, his time in the Army during a racially tense and dangerous season, and the night in 1975 when he was forced to c...

In a world fighting for your attention, Jesus asks a deeper question: What are you really looking at? In Episode 157, we explore how focus shapes formation — and how the things we continually behold begin to shape who we become. Drawing from Matthew 6:22–33 and Romans 5:1–10 , this episode dives into: Why attention is a spiritual battleground How divided allegiance fuels anxiety The subtle masters...

We all think we know how life is supposed to work. We make plans. We form opinions. We create expectations about what God should do, how He should do it, and when He should do it. But what happens when God's plans are different from ours? In this episode of Crusade with Me! Dave and Kathy explore the gap between what we think we know and the reality God reveals through Scripture. Abram thought he...

Crusade with Me! is back. After months away from the microphone, we're beginning a new chapter with a simple but life-changing question: What if the secret to peace, purpose, and growth is not becoming someone else—but becoming who God created you to be? A tree never struggles with its identity. An oak doesn't wish it were a maple. An apple tree doesn't envy an olive tree. A tree doesn't wake up o...

Our last time. Countdowns. Fireworks. Endless advice on how to reinvent yourself by midnight. As if life responds to pressure. As if becoming whole can be rushed. But tonight, we slow down. Because the dawn is not rushed. The sun has never forced its way into the sky. It has never strained to arrive. It simply rises, steady, patient, right on time. That is how real beginning work.

One more episode will follow—an episode of hope, prayer, and strength for the days ahead. But today… today is about grounding. What do we leave you with? What must remain when the music fades and the episodes stop coming? The answer is not a feeling. Not a memory. It is Truth .

And tonight… the wait is nearly over. For weeks we have watched. We have trained. We have waited in the long quiet of Advent. And now — the night has arrived. The night when angels sing. The night when eternity steps into time. The night when heaven bends low and the world is never the same again. This is Christmas Eve.

A quick chat with Ribeye (Grandson) with ten questions about Christmas. Ah, the Christmas spirit.

And today, we stand in a sacred in-between. This is our final episode of Advent. And there are only three episodes left in this entire journey. That is not coincidence. Because Advent has always been about living in the tension between what has already happened and what has not yet come. Christ has come. Christ is present. And Christ will come again. Advent does not ask us to rush forward. Nor doe...

One hundred and fifty episodes in a little less than a year. That number is not just impressive— It’s meaningful. Because Scripture gives us 150 Psalms . And the final Psalm—Psalm 150—doesn’t analyze, argue, or explain. It simply says: “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.” So today, Crusaders, this episode is a breath. And this breath is praise.

The first Christmas wasn’t shiny. It was dark, uncertain, and fragile. If you’ve lost your fa la la this year, this episode is for you.

This is Episode 148, and as this year draws to a close, so does this podcast. We’ve spent a year walking together—through Scripture, tradition, encouragement, and challenge. Our final episode will air on New Year’s Eve, and we hope this journey has brought you comfort, a deeper faith, and maybe even a little wisdom along the way. We’ve learned so much from this time we’ve shared together. Today, w...

This is Episode 147, and today we continue our Advent journey through the Nativity Fast. We’ll reflect on three powerful passages of Scripture—Psalm 82, Isaiah 8:9–9:7, and 1 Peter 4:1–19—and then we’ll turn to the Seventh and Eighth Commandments, explained in the great catechetical tradition of Martin Luther’s Large Catechism . This episode is about justice and truth: preparing our hearts to live...

This is Episode 146, and today we’re entering deeply into, the Nativity Fast, the season of Advent and the call to holiness that prepares us for the coming of Christ. We’ll be reflecting on three powerful passages of Scripture: - Psalm 102:13–17 - Isaiah 2:1–22 - 1 Peter 1:13–25 And then, we’ll spend time unpacking two of the Ten Commandments—the Fifth and the Sixth—as explained in the great catec...

Today we’ll talk about Advent as a season of holy waiting, the Nativity Fast as a discipline of simplicity, and then we’ll dive into the 3rd and 4th Commandments. And yes—we’ll wrestle with the hard question: how do we honor father and mother when those relationships were complicated.

Today’s episode is a journey through gratitude, discipline, and obedience. We’ll begin at the Thanksgiving table, praising God for His abundant gifts. Then we’ll step into the Nativity Fast, a season of preparation and watchfulness. And finally, we’ll begin our study of the Ten Commandments, focusing on the first two—commandments that strike at the very heart of our lives."

The Fast Before the Feast The world rushes toward Christmas with lights, sales, and sugar. But we are called to slow down. To prepare the way of the Lord—not with glitter, but with stillness. “Make ready the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight!” (Mark 1:3, NASB) This fast is not about punishment. It is about preparation. It is about clearing space in our lives to receive the Christ who comes.

💰 Financial pressure. 👨‍👩‍👧 Raising kids in chaos. 🏘️ Living among the godless. 🙏 Still called to obey. In a world that mocks reverence and rewards compromise, how do we stay faithful? This episode dives deep into the spiritual battle of everyday life—and the quiet power of obedience. 🕯️ Featuring timeless wisdom from Scripture and the stillness of the Jesus Prayer. 🎧 Listen now and join the...

💰 Financial pressure. 👨‍👩‍👧 Raising kids in chaos. 🏘️ Living among the godless. 🙏 Still called to obey. In a world that mocks reverence and rewards compromise, how do we stay faithful? This episode dives deep into the spiritual battle of everyday life—and the quiet power of obedience. 🕯️ Featuring timeless wisdom from Scripture and the stillness of the Jesus Prayer. 🎧 Listen now and join the...