The Grand Awakening Podcast

John "Barney" Barnes grew up in East Tennessee graduated from Carson-Newman University in 1968. Barney then joined the Navy as an Aviation Cadet earning his commission as a Naval Officer in April of 1969, earning his Navy "wings of gold" in April of 1970.   Barney fought in the Vietnam War, flying helicopters there in support of navy SEAL teams, Swift Boats, and other allied units. His squadron, k...

Randy Hekman currently directs The Grand Awakening, an organization seeking revival and spiritual awakening in West Michigan. Previously, he served 15 years as a Kent County Probate-Juvenile Court Judge and then directed a succession of Christian non-profits.   Randy's writing includes these books: Justice for the Unborn , Truth that Sets America Free, and Sweeter by the Dozen: Making Jesus the Lo...

James Kyle Sherbin is an attorney who is employed by the Van Den Heuvel Law Office here in Grand Rapids, Michigan. James was born in the state of Maryland. He attended college in North Carolina, earning his BA from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. He subsequently obtained his Juris Doctor (Law) degree from Cooley Law School, in Lansing, Michigan. For enjoyment, besides fellowshippin...

This is Part 2 of a podcast that is a bit different from most of those we have done in the past. As we did in Part 1, Marcia and I start with a brief introduction, talking about how we first met with Dr. James Dobson, the founder of Focus on the Family, and his wife Shirley back in February of 1990 at a conference in Phoenix, AZ. After a very warm and friendly breakfast together, Jim invited Marci...

This podcast is a bit different from most of those we have done in the past. Marcia and I start with a brief introduction, talking about how we first met with Dr. James Dobson, the founder of Focus on the Family, and his wife Shirley back in February of 1990 at a conference in Phoenix, AZ. At the time, I was a Probate-Juvenile Court Judge here in Kent County (greater Grand Rapids area) Michigan. H...

Dr. Emerson Eggerichs  is an internationally known public speaker on the topic of male-female relationships. Based on over three decades of counseling as well as scientific and biblical research, Dr. Eggerichs and his wife, Sarah, developed the Love and Respect Conference which they present to live audiences around the country. This dynamic and life-changing conference is impacting the world, resu...

Stephen Nylen is a fulltime Street Preacher of Frontline Street Ministry in Grand Rapids, Michigan, a street ministry he founded a decade ago. He is also the Veterans Chaplain for Equine Assisted Development of the Great Lakes. Stephen is sent out as an evangelist by the Reformed Evangelistic Fellowship and is a member of Harvest Orthodox Presbyterian Church.  Stephen is the joyful husband of the...

Jordan Sweezer married his dear wife Marie back in 2014. They have been blessed with four children Jordan (Jr), Caleb, Charles, and Calvin. Jordan started doing outreach in 2016, and has felt a strong conviction from the Lord to preach the gospel to the lost. By God's grace his heart has grown to have a deep love for Christ, for Christ's followers, and the sinners who don't yet know Christ Jesus a...

Dean Luurtsma is a lifelong resident of Ottawa County, Michigan.  He senses a call and equipping from the Lord to follow the Lord and love the Lord with all of his heart, soul, mind and strength.   Dean is a small businessman, father, and lay evangelist. When the baby body parts from abortions scandal broke in 2015, he believes he was awakened fully from his slumber to diligently try to let his li...

Pastor Arthur Guice received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior in 1980, while attending Elmhurst College, Elmhurst, IL. It was during this season in his life that Arthur sensed a call to ministry. As a result, he changed his major from Business Administration to Theology. In May of 1983 Pastor Guice received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Elmhurst College with a double major in Theology and Psyc...

Mark Schaap lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan and is currently the minister for College and Young Adults at Calvary Church. He is married to his college sweetheart Megan and together they have four awesome kids. He previously graduated from California Baptist University in Riverside, California with a major in Theology and then completed his Masters Degree at Bethel Seminary in St. Paul Minnesota. B...

As the Vice President of Presales for Global Accounts at AVEVA, an international information technology consulting company, Ganesh leads a team of high-performing professionals who deliver innovative solutions to the world's leading industrial and engineering companies. With over 20 years of experience in the simulation and training domain, he has a proven track record of growing internal business...

Lud Golz has been a pastor for over 50 years. Prior to that, he was a Bible teacher at Wheaton Academy where Randy Hekman was one of his students. He is now focusing his time on his daily radio program, "Getting God's Message" that is heard on hundreds of stations around the world.   Over the years, Lud has traveled extensively to many foreign countries on mission trips. The churches he pastored a...

Maranda (her stage name) is the WOTV 4 Women kids and family expert. She hosts a daily segment, "Where You Live" which features a combination of information, inspiration and insights for West Michigan parents. It's taped around West Michigan and is about real family life. "I love the new challenges everyday and connecting people with services they want and need," said Maranda. Maranda joined WOOD...

Rev. Bob Fu, Ph. D, was a former student leader during the Tiananmen Square democracy movement in 1989. In 1993, he graduated with a law degree on international relations from Renmin University of China in Beijing. He was a faculty member at the Beijing Party School of the Chinese Communist Party from 1993-1996.  He was also a house church leader in Beijing until he and his wife, Bochun "Heidi" Ca...

Mark Gottlieb is one amazing man! I will summarize some of the highlights of his life. While raised in a culturally Jewish, but spiritually atheistic home, Mark, later in life, came to genuine faith in Christ. Mark did his undergraduate studies at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. Then he earned two Masters Degrees in technical areas from Stanford University. From there, Mark mov...

Kelly Clark, age 32, grew up in a Christian home and always knew about God. But she would say that at age 15 she was rather lethargic in her walk with God. At the same time, from an early age Kelly demonstrated a great ability in the area of ballet. So much so that, in her teens, she was invited to study with the Kirov Academy and the Royal Ballet School (summer program) in London. However, a grow...

David Kallman has been a licensed attorney in the state of Michigan for the past 40 years. His law firm, the Kallman Legal Group, has clients with legal needs in a wide variety or areas, including business, probate and estate law, general litigation and education law. A number of years ago, in a landmark decision before the Michigan Supreme Court, David helped get home-schooling declared legal in...

Jonah Engle is a graduate of Spring Arbor University, and he now makes his home in the Grand Rapids area. About six years ago, God began to move deeply on Jonah's heart and he became, in his own words, "passionately in love with Jesus." This passion grew to the point where he knew he had to share this good news of Jesus with others. So together with some close friends who likewise loved Jesus, the...

Dr. Jerry R Kirk pastored three congregations and was Senior Pastor of the College Hill Presbyterian Church of Cincinnati, Ohio for eighteen years. Under Jerry's leadership, College Hill Church became an international equipping center for pastors and leaders. He also founded pureHOPE in 1983 and the Religious Alliance Against Pornography in 1986 to address the increasing sexualization of our cultu...

This year's National Day of Prayer event was held at Calvary Church in Grand Rapids at 7:00 pm. It was there that over 150 folks from a variety of West Michigan congregations heard from a number of community leaders briefly pray for various "Cultural Mountains" like government, business, education, media and family. Two of those leaders were Kentwood's Mayor Steve Kepley and WOOD Radio morning hos...

Ron Sandison works full time in the medical field and is a professor of theology at Destiny School of Ministry. He is an advisory board member of the Art of Autism and the Els Center of Excellence. Ron has a Master of Divinity from Oral Roberts University and is the author of A Parent's Guide to Autism: Practical Advice, Biblical Wisdom published by Charisma House, and Views from the Spectrum . Am...

Karl House grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He graduated with a Master of Divinity from Calvin Theological Seminary. Karl has planted a Christian Reformed Church near Toronto and a Vineyard Church in Tampa. He is back in Grand Rapids planting The Way MicroChurches—A new family of simple churches in Grand Rapids and beyond. Karl's passion is to pour into a new generation of disciples, leaders and...

Israel Wayne is a father of  eleven  who is passionate about defending the Christian faith and developing a Biblical worldview. He is the Director of Family Renewal, an international speaker, and author of the books  Questions God Asks  and  Questions Jesus Asks ,  among others .  More information may be found at  www.familyrenewal.org . In this podcast, we talk about the joy, and actual benefit,...