Just A Guy In The Pew Podcast

As a new year begins, it is easy to fall into the trap of resolutions rooted in self-reliance, perfectionism, and shame. In this episode, John and Victor talk honestly about why those approaches fail and why true renewal does not come from reinventing ourselves by our own effort, but from allowing God to convert and restore us to who we were created to be. Find a healthier way to approach 2026 by...

What does it actually mean to be a man of God today? In this episode of Just a Guy in the Pew, John Edwards sits down with Pete Burak, Vice President of Renewal Ministries and author of the brand new book, A Man on Purpose: 10 Rules of Life from a Faithful Father. They dive into the growing crisis of masculinity, the loss of identity and purpose for men, and the need for authentic Christian manhoo...

The week after Christmas can feel strangely heavy. The celebration is over, the quiet settles in, and the weight of a new year starts pressing in. In this episode, John reflects on the line from O Holy Night that hit him in a new way, “a thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,” and why this sacred pause between Christmas and New Year’s is meant for hope, not anxiety. He challenges listeners to m...

Christmas is not about having it all together. It is the reminder that God chose to come close precisely because we do not. In this episode, John reflects on what it means for Jesus to enter into the real pressures of Christmas week, including stress, regret, loneliness, family wounds, and the feeling of not being ready or worthy. Drawing from the Nativity, Scripture, and his own story of addictio...

We live in a culture that hates to wait. Lines, delays, silence, and stillness all feel like problems to solve instead of places to meet God. In this episode, John reflects on how Advent invites us to do the opposite: to slow down, to wait, and to let the Lord work beneath the surface of our busy lives, even in seasons of suffering like his father’s recent cancer diagnosis. Waiting exposes our fea...

Many men want to do better as husbands and fathers but feel lost on where to begin. In this episode, John welcomes back author and founder of the Fathers of St. Joseph, Devin Schadt, to talk about his new book The Rule, a practical guide for living the spirituality of St. Joseph in everyday life. Devin shares how the book was born out of his own discouragement and how men repeatedly asked for clea...

Advent is a season that invites every man to return home to the Father. In this episode, John sits down with his friend Paul George—speaker, author, and founder of The Art of Living—to talk about Paul’s new Advent devotional for men, Feast, and the parable at the heart of it: the Prodigal Son. John and Paul discuss why this story hits so deeply for men, how it mirrors our own patterns of pride, fa...

St Paul instructs us to give thanks in all that we do. But is that really possible? In this special Thanksgiving episode, Join us in the pew to reflect on how even during the times of pain and turmoil, we are called to give thanks. Gratitude is not just a feeling, it is a posture grounded in our identity as God’s beloved children. Even when life feels overwhelming, gratitude softens the heart, str...

So many men live with a quiet fear that who they really are will not be accepted. In this episode, John and Victor talk openly about how that fear shows up in two ways: changing ourselves to fit in, or pulling away so no one gets close enough to reject us. If you’ve ever felt pressure to be someone you’re not, this conversation will help you take the next steps towards remembering we are beloved c...

In this episode, John and Victor reflect on how our weaknesses, sins, and struggles reveal our shared humanity and the deep need we all have for mercy, healing, and community. Through Scripture and personal experience, they show how God can use even our lowest moments to restore us and draw us together. If you have ever felt unworthy or alone in your struggles, this conversation will remind you th...

Grace and hope have the power to change everything. Join us in the pew this week to reflect on personal growth, faith, and the everyday choice to be an agent of grace rather than destruction. When we choose kindness over judgment and presence over indifference, we allow God's love to work through us. Hope isn't just a feeling; it's a truth rooted in Christ's promises that gives strength in every s...

It's time to slow down and rediscover the sacred act of being present. In this part two of the Agents of Grace series, John and Victor reflect on the reality that grace isn’t only spoken through kind words, it’s lived out when we show up for one another with empathy and patience. In a culture that prizes efficiency and constant motion, choose connection over convenience, listening over fixing, and...

Words have the power to heal or to wound, to lift up or to tear down. In this episode, John and Victor reflect on how easily criticism can slip into our relationships and how speaking life and encouragement can completely change the atmosphere of a home, workplace or any environment. They discuss how men often crave affirmation but struggle to give it, and why choosing words of grace, kindness and...

St. Paul urges us to “compete well for the faith.” But what does that look like in everyday life, especially at home with the people who matter most? In this episode, John and Victor open up about how easy it is to pour yourself into work or ministry while giving your loved ones only the leftovers, and how the real measure of faith is not just in what we do publicly but in how we love privately. T...

What makes a life worth living? Fresh from leading a pilgrimage through Greece, John shares the impact of walking in the footsteps of St. Paul and how true discipleship means boldly proclaiming the Gospel no matter the cost. He and Victor reflect on courage, martyrdom, spiritual warfare, and the everyday call for Christians to live with conviction instead of comfort. If you’ve ever wondered what i...

Friendship is one of the greatest gifts God gives us, but too often men settle for surface-level relationships. In this episode, John welcomes one of his closest friends, Nick Roberts, for a candid conversation about faith, brotherhood, and the power of walking through life with a friend. God designed us to walk side by side. Whether it's men’s groups, accountability partners, recreational sports...

We live in a world of constant noise. Phones, notifications, schedules, and other distractions keep us running without rest. And yet, so many of us cry out, “Why can’t I hear God?” In this episode, John shares a personal reflection on how God speaks. Not through the noise, but in the silence, in the whisper. Drawing from Scripture, the saints, and his own story, he explains why we struggle to hear...

So much of our struggle in life comes down to one question: do we know who we are in God? In this episode, John welcomes Carrie Daunt—wife, mother of nine, and speaker with the John Paul II Healing Center—for a powerful conversation on identity and family life. Carrie shares how her newest book, Beloved Son, helps parents speak truth into their children’s hearts, and why reclaiming our identity as...

Why do so many men feel like nothing they do is ever good enough? Join us in the pew this week as John unpacks the crushing weight of perfectionism, the very thing that keeps men stuck in cycles of inadequacy and self-condemnation. God isn’t asking for perfection; He’s inviting you into greatness. When you show up to Mass distracted or spend an imperfect hour with your kids, He sees your heart and...

You check all the boxes—good job, nice house, family, success—but still wake up asking, "Is this all there is?" You're not alone. This week in the pew, John is joined by his longtime friend Bart Schuchts, founder of Church on Fire and ministry leader with the John Paul II Healing Center, for an honest conversation about finding your God-given purpose when life feels like you're just surviving inst...

Sometimes we get discouraged when our imperfect efforts fail our expectations, when in reality it is only God who can provide exactly what we need. Join us in the pew this week as John reflects on this truth through a story about his yard in the Memphis heat, and how one sudden downpour after weeks of drought became a powerful lesson in the way God intervenes with grace. Drawing from Psalm 63, he...

Who are men listening to in 2025? Join us in the pew this week for a conversation with longtime friend and guest Pete Burak, Vice President of Renewal Ministries. So many young men who desire discipleship are drawn to online influencers because they are validating that desire with a distorted version of masculinity. What they’re really longing for is the radical call of Jesus—the only One who can...

Is your life full of noise, stress, and spiritual disconnection? You’re not alone. Join us in the pew this week as John and Victor dive into the chaos that often fills our lives, and the despair that can follow. They unpack how addiction, stress, and misplaced priorities lead us away from peace and into deeper confusion. But there’s hope. Through honest reflection, spiritual discipline, and authen...

Join us in the pew this week as John and Victor reflect on their own seasons of hopelessness and what it means to feel stuck in patterns you can’t seem to break—whether it’s addiction, broken relationships, or the crushing belief that things will never get better. But despair isn't the end. They also discuss that with Christ, you can fight for hope, even when you can’t feel it. When you keep showi...

This week, John welcomes Catholic evangelist John Sablan for a powerful conversation about healing, discipleship, and what it truly means to live a Christlike life. Sablan shares his personal journey from a wounded and rebellious past to a life on fire for the Lord, revealing how the love of God—and hours spent in Eucharistic adoration—radically transformed him as a husband, father, and man. Toget...