Experience Emerge (ExEm)

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Experience Emerge Podcast, recorded live at a ministry convention in Orlando, we sit down with Pastor Don Miller, Superintendent of the Southern Missouri District of the Assemblies of God, for an honest conversation about the unique challenges of pastoral ministry. This conversation explores what it means to care well for those who spend their lives caring f...

Send us Fan Mail Is work simply a necessary burden, or is it something much more? In this episode, we sit down with Jeremy Pietrocini from RE CREATE to explore God’s design for work and why it matters more than we often realize. Many people view work as a consequence of the Fall, but Scripture tells a different story. Before sin entered the world, God gave humanity meaningful work in the Garden of...

Send us Fan Mail Parenting is one of the most meaningful — and challenging — responsibilities we will ever have. In this episode, Alexa Riemenschneider joins us for an honest and practical conversation from a therapist’s perspective on raising healthy, connected kids in today’s world. Together, we explore how parents can improve communication, strengthen emotional connection, and approach discipli...

Send us Fan Mail Samantha Vitarella joins the podcast to share a deeply personal story of loss, redemption, grief, faith, and the sustaining grace of God through unimaginable hardship. From growing up in a broken home marked by abuse and alcoholism, to becoming a teenage mother, Samantha opens up about the moments that shaped her life and ultimately drew her back to Christ. In this powerful conver...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when your child grows up and begins to walk a different path than the one you hoped for? In this deeply honest and needed conversation, we sit down with Lori Ross to talk about the reality of parenting prodigals—especially adult children. It’s a journey marked by love, grief, questions, and often… silence. Because the truth is, there aren’t many spaces where parents c...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we sit down with Rev. Christan Causey , an ordained minister and Director of Minister Health for the Southern New England Ministry Network. With a heart for soul care and a deep commitment to helping others live from a place of wholeness, Christan brings a unique blend of pastoral wisdom, counseling insight, and practical ministry experience. Holding a Master’s de...

Send us Fan Mail Grief is a universal part of the human experience, yet it’s something many of us feel unprepared to face. Loss touches every life, and navigating the emotions that come with it can be one of the most challenging journeys we walk. In this episode, we explore the reality of grief—how it affects us personally, spiritually, and within our communities. We also take a closer look at the...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful episode, we sit down with graphic designer and skateboard ministry leader Lawton Outlaw for an honest conversation about struggle, surrender, and redemption. Lawton shares his journey through personal battles, internal chaos, and the search for identity—opening up about the moments that nearly defined him and the faith that ultimately transformed him. What began a...

Send us Fan Mail In this important and nuanced conversation, we sit down with Dr. Denny King to tackle a question many parents, pastors, and Christian leaders are quietly wrestling with: When is too much medication a thing for kids… and when is too little actually the greater risk? From ADHD and anxiety to mood struggles and behavioral concerns, medication in children can feel confusing, emotional...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of the ExEm Podcast , we sit down with Dr. Jared Pingleton to talk about his latest book, Mental Health Ministry: The Struggle Is Real . Dr. Pingleton brings a refreshing, honest voice to the conversation around mental health and faith—naming the real struggles people face while offering practical wisdom for churches, leaders, and individuals who want to respond wi...

Send us Fan Mail Season seven of the ExEm Podcast launches with a powerful and timely conversation. In Episode 121, we're joined by the President of Emerge, Dr. Crosby, as we explore the idea of Generational Generativity—what it means to intentionally live as a catalyst for healing, growth, and legacy across generations. Together, we talk about breaking unhealthy generational chains, choosing...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we explore a powerful and practical truth: everyone needs a counselor, a coach, and a consultant. Whether you’re leading in ministry, business, or family life, no one thrives in isolation—and wisdom multiplies when we invite the right voices into our lives. Our guest is Pastor Jeremy Godwin , COO of Builders International , who brings a unique blend of pastoral in...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful episode of the ExEm Podcast, Matthew sits down with author Samantha Jones to talk about her deeply moving book, God and Trauma: The Lessons I’m Learning . Samantha is a wife, mom, and survivor of significant past trauma — and she’s courageously opening the pages of her healing journey for others to find hope. Together, we explore how God meets us in the darkest va...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we "Zoom" in with Paris Yanno is the Father's Heart Director at the Ohio Church Multiplication Network.  She is a wife, mom of three biological children, and a woman whose heart grew far beyond the walls of her own home. Paris and her husband felt called to open their lives to children in crisis, choosing to foster for an entire decade. Over those t...

Send us Fan Mail (This episode may not be appropriate for younger listeners) In this episode, Matthew Knabe sits down with Joshua Rowland from Pure Life Ministries to have an open and redemptive conversation about breaking free from the grip of sexual sin. Joshua shares his powerful story of healing and restoration after years of personal struggle, and how God’s transforming grace led him to freed...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the ExEm Podcast , we sit down with Dr. Aaron Santymire , missionary, author, and current Member Care Director for AG World Missions . Dr. Santymire shares his powerful story of life on the mission field: the incredible ways he’s seen God move across nations, as well as the deep challenges and personal adversities that come with serving in cross-cultural ministr...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, our host has a thoughtful conversation with Pastor Austin McCann about the diverse ways people encounter Christ and begin their faith journey. While some stories of salvation seem simple and clear, others are marked by struggle, questions, and even deep anxiety. Pastor Austin helps us unpack the reality that there is no single blueprint for coming to faith—God wor...

Send us Fan Mail What do you get when you run into a great friend at a convention in Orlando? A whole lot of laughs, a few life lessons, and one very traumatized mother-in-law. In this episode, our host sits down with Pastor Jason Burns to catch up on their friendship, hear about his annual Christmas tradition of tormenting his mother-in-law with outrageous gifts, and dive into something we all de...

Send us Fan Mail Who are we, really? In a world full of labels, expectations, and shifting definitions of self, it’s easy to lose sight of our true identity. In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Darla Rakes, a leader, educator, and woman of deep faith, to talk about what it means to anchor our identity in Christ. Together, we explore why our sense of self apart from Him will always feel incomplet...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Experience Emerge podcast, we converse with Tera Wages, CEO of The Connection Codes, to explore the art of emotional regulation—what it is, why it matters, and how it can transform your relationships and daily life. Tera shares practical tools from The Connection Codes framework to help you identify, name, and process emotions in real time so they don’t spir...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful episode of the ExEm Podcast, we welcome husband and wife duo Dr. Troy and Jana Jones, authors of The Mosaic Marriage: How Two Imperfect People Become One Masterpiece. Together, they share candid insights from their own journey—filled with broken pieces, grace, and redemption—and how God shaped their imperfections into something beautiful. With wisdom, vulnerabilit...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the ExEm Podcast , host Matthew Knabe sits down with guest Tony Galieti to discuss the profound connection between marriage and the gospel. Drawing from biblical wisdom and decades of pastoral and relational experience, Tony shares powerful insights on what makes a marriage thrive, not just survive. We explore the purpose of marriage through a gospel lens, exami...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful episode of the Experience Emerge (ExEm) podcast, our host, Matthew, sits down with Laura Howe, a Canadian mental health therapist and founder of Hope Made Strong. Based in Ontario, Laura is a passionate advocate for equipping churches and ministry leaders with practical tools to care for their communities, without burning out in the process. We delve into the cruc...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the ExEm Podcast, we’re joined by special guest Dan Owolabi—author, speaker, and passionate advocate for authentic leadership. Dan dives into the heart of what it means to lead with integrity, purpose, and faith in today’s world. Drawing from his impactful book, "Authentic Leadership," available now on Amazon, Dan shares practical insights on how leade...

Send us Fan Mail In this brief but impactful Mental Health Minute, Matthew Knabe, MA, LPCC, host of the Experience Emerge (ExEm) Podcast, shares practical insight on calm parenting . Learn how to respond—not react—in challenging moments, build emotional safety with your children, and model regulation that helps the whole family thrive. Parenting isn’t about perfection—it’s about presence.  A healt...