The Cross and The Crowd

In this first step through Wayne Grudem’s 20 Basics Every Christian Should Know , we begin where everything else begins — with the Bible itself. What exactly is this book that has shaped nations, comforted the broken, and revealed the heart of God? Is it truly the Word of God, or just another ancient collection of writings? In this episode, we uncover the historical reliability of Scripture, the m...

In a world where everyone has an opinion, most people have never stopped to ask the most important question of all: “Why do I believe what I believe?” This episode of The Cross and the Crowd cuts through cultural noise and church tradition to challenge believers to think deeply about their faith. Are you following Jesus because you’ve met Him personally—or because you inherited someone else’s reli...

“Never Stop Growing: Why Discipleship Still Matters” Somewhere along the way, too many believers stopped growing. We got busy, comfortable, or convinced we already knew enough. But discipleship was never meant to end after salvation — it’s the lifelong journey of becoming more like Jesus. In this episode, we talk about why so many Christians — even those in ministry — lose their hunger to grow, an...

Forgiveness sounds beautiful—until you have to do it. In this honest, heart-level conversation, we'll discuss what might be the hardest thing God ever asks of us: forgiving when it still hurts. Through real-life stories and Scripture, he explores what forgiveness really is (and isn’t), why it’s less about feelings and more about obedience, and how letting go opens the door to real healing. If...

In a world that has edited God down to fit our comfort zones, Mario Toscano takes a hard, honest look at the faith we’ve rebranded—and the God we’ve forgotten. This episode isn’t about religion or rules. It’s about rediscovering the holiness, love, and power of the real God — the One who still burns with compassion, still calls for surrender, and still refuses to be tamed by culture. With urgency...

When the World Turns Against Israel The rapture date came and went. Once again, prophecy “experts” were wrong. But while the world laughs, another headline just hit: the United Nations recognized a Palestinian state, and Israel said no. What does this mean? More than politics — it’s prophecy in motion. In this episode, Mario exposes why the land has always belonged to Israel, how Rome invented the...

Episode 8: Rapture Rumors and the Return of Christ This week on The Cross and the Crowd , we dive into the viral claims sweeping across social media — predictions that the Rapture will happen on September 23rd. A self-proclaimed prophet, Brother Joshua, says he heard directly from Jesus. But what does Scripture actually teach? Join us as we cut through the noise with God’s Word. We’ll look at the...

In the wake of tragedy, our nation is unraveling. A man’s life has been taken — a father, a husband, a son, a friend. Instead of mourning, the world points fingers, plays the blame game, and even celebrates the loss. But what does the Word of God say? In this special episode of The Cross and the Crowd , we confront the darkness of our time with the blazing light of the Gospel. This is more than po...

Episode 7 — When the Church Hurts What do you do when the place that was supposed to heal you is the place that hurt you? In this episode of The Cross and the Crowd, Mario talks straight about church hurt — from gossip and politics to betrayal and abuse — and how Jesus understands it all. With Scripture, real stories, and clear next steps, this message points to hope: your scars don’t have to defi...

Episode 6 – Love and Obedience: A Portrait of Revival In a world where faith often feels shallow or weighed down by rules, what does real Christianity look like? In this episode, we talk about the difference between religion and relationship, and why true revival is found when God’s people are rooted in His Word, walking in love, and living in obedience. If you’ve felt weary, burned out, or tired...

Episode 5 – What True Discipleship Looks Like It’s never been easier to look like a Christian without actually being one. In today’s church culture, we’ve confused church attendance, good intentions, and political loyalty with genuine discipleship. But Jesus never called us to be spectators — He called us to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him without compromise. In this episod...

Episode 4 – Revival Is Knocking: What If This Is the Beginning? Something remarkable is happening. Two churches—Shoreline Baptist and Branches of Huntington Beach—have come together, and in just weeks, the sanctuary is overflowing. But this isn’t about numbers. It’s about what those numbers represent. Could this unity be the spark of revival? In this episode of The Cross and the Crowd , we explore...

The Gospel Isn’t Complicated—We Are Why does following Jesus sometimes feel like carrying chains, when He promised freedom? Why do some churches make the road to Christ feel like a maze of rules, while others make it sound so easy that sin doesn’t even matter? In this episode, we get real about how we have complicated the Gospel. We’ll talk about the rise of the online “deconstruction” movement, w...

In this episode of  The Cross and the Crowd , we take you higher up the mountain — and deeper into the Word — to uncover what true worship really means. We’ve been taught to call the opening songs of a service “worship,” but what if Scripture paints a very different, much more costly picture? What if praise and worship are not the same — and by confusing them, we’ve missed the heart of both? This...

In this debut episode of The Cross and the Crowd , a bold and heartfelt wake-up call to the Church. With love, Scripture, and urgency, challenging listeners to ask: Are we so busy with ministry, performance, and tradition that we’ve forgotten Jesus altogether? Drawing from Amos, Revelation, and the words of Jesus Himself, this episode calls us back to the simplicity of the Gospel — to know Him, no...