The Influencers Podcast

Does fear impact your ability to function at times? Kristel Ward is an author, speaker, podcast host, and teacher who, having taught in some rough districts, felt she could handle the toughest situations. Then her youngest son began having daily seizures. Suddenly, Ward’s confidence was replaced with fear, and her hope dissolved. She was struck by how quickly she could spiral into that dark place...

How can one little strip of land be worth so much trouble and so many lives? Uri Steinberg is a ninth generation Israeli. He is also a father. His service for the government and work with the Israeli Ministry of Justice never prepared him for the injustice of October 7, 2023. For hundreds of Israeli children, Saturday morning cartoons became a real-life horror story played out as their parents, fr...

Culture has been stumped in its effort to define a woman, but can you define a Christian? Is it someone who goes to church and reads the Bible, one who accomplishes powerful things for the church and for God, or something else? Pastor of the 180 Church in Chicago, morning radio show host, and author, Karl Clauson is a consummate adventurer with amazing insights. Life has taken him from Alaska to A...

Desperate for a change in leadership? For someone you can trust? Someone with clarity, character and competence? What if the leader that needs changing is you? Leadership coach, speaker, and author Danita Bye is well-versed in leadership solutions. Leadership is a calling but not everyone is equipped, especially when leading millennials, the largest generation group. Bye’s insight reveals that bet...

You know that internal conversation wherein you process doubts and insecurities, and often wind up feeling insufficient or unaccomplished? Caitlyn Scaggs, author, entrepreneur, marketeer, and dynamic motivator shares how she learned to balance life by addressing God throughout her daily internal narrative. Police officer turned businesswoman, Scaggs found herself struggling to balance marriage and...

What do 30 hours on a bus, 400 pastors, and a duck call have in common? Willie Robertson from Duck Dynasty fame is happy to explain. The New York Times best-selling author, along with his COO, Jeffrey Kent, and the City Serve team journeyed to war-ravaged Ukraine. First, came the bus ride, then a pastoral conference with four hundred who safely traveled from their regions to meet with Robertson, s...

What do you share when you have nothing? Pastor Kawi Keahi, one of many Maui wildfire victims lost almost everything. His church was reduced to ashes, and he now owns a house of rubble. Yet this husband and father of two who barely escaped with his family is bringing hope and healing to his community. Working with King’s Cathedral, which opened its doors to provide his family and others safety, th...

Have you ever had an unsettling feeling about someone? Did it make you anxious? Dr. Wendy Patrick, a career Prosecuting Attorney with degrees in Psychology, Divinity, and a Doctorate in Theology, shares why you get those feelings. Author and media commentator, her most recent book,  Why Bad Looks Good , reveals some of the insight and wisdom that has made her a valued source for outlets such as Fo...

How do you shepherd those being discipled by social media? Chris Martin is a social media expert, raised by an Internet pioneer. Consultant and author of The Wolf in Their Pockets : 13 Ways the Social Internet Threatens the People You Lead, Martin noticed that what was trending wasn’t only gossip and conspiracy, but a destructive worldview. Personal time for God, and for the body of Christ was ecl...

What happens when an influencer is canceled and silenced in a world of technological communication? Actor, author, director, and producer, Kevin Sorbo has fought for his right to speak, both physically and on the world stage. Suffering four strokes while shooting television hit,  Hercules: The Legendary Journeys , Sorbo had to relearn how to talk and walk. It took incredible effort, yet after push...

Is there hope for America? Author of the book, Toward a More Perfect Union,  Tim Goeglein’s resume reads like a Who’s Who in American Politics and Faith. His position in the White House, work with presidents, comprehension of political architecture, and appreciation for American history make him a fascinating and influential man. In the cultural trenches, Goeglein understands the constitutional, c...

Is happiness possible in a marriage when there has been pornography and broken trust? Dannah Gresh has personal insight on the topic of “Happily  Even After.” Married 33 years, this bestselling author and podcast co-host spent 30 years studying sexual theology and sexual social science, but academia could not prepare her for discovering that her husband had relapsed into his decades-old pornograph...

Ever heard the phrase,  Sometimes the hardest part to starting something new is showing up ? Tony Phillips is a guy who showed up. A businessman between jobs, it was a need for volunteer help that captured Phillips’ attention. His love for people drew him to a community ministry ' that supports young kids. Even when his new job made volunteering difficult, he persevered, staying connected, showing...

A pot of coffee, a Facebook post, and a bulky Bible--how a movement started with military spouses. Megan B. Brown, a seasoned military spouse, bible teacher, and military missionary explains living out the Great Commission. As an atheist married to a military man, God gently led Brown to Himself, but growing in Christ was challenging. She found it hard to “fit in” at church, and not knowing how to...

Ever wonder why it is so hard to get along with someone you love? Dr. Gary Chapman, author of the New York Times Best Seller,  The 5 Love Languages , is a speaker, counselor, and syndicated radio host. The early years of his marriage brought conflict that led to the discovery that God had a different idea about love than he did. Through those difficulties God revealed to him that love is not based...

Challenges. We all have them, but what do you do when your challenge is beyond your control? Radio and TV personality, reporter, pastor, missionary, and motivational speaker, Steve Kramer knows what it’s like to live with challenges and the desire to be more than what others expect. Born prematurely and barely breathing, doctors had no hope for Kramer who they later diagnosed with cerebral palsy....

Have you ever been overcome by strong emotions while singing a worship song? How does the writer of “Coming Back to the Heart of Worship”, “Blessed Be Your Name”, “Our God” and “10,000 Promises” capture the longings of so many different hearts?  Songwriter, Author, and Grammy Award-Winning Worship Leader, Matt Redman answers those questions and more. A turbulent childhood led him to accept Jesus C...

 Can God use an introvert to change lives? Don Schoendorfer, author, MIT engineer, Ph. D., and successful inventor, experienced great professional success, but it took a personal crisis to expose his shortcomings. When skill and mathematics failed him, Schoendorfer had an encounter with God that helped him begin to understand what it meant to live a surrendered life. He confronted a 50-year strugg...

Would you rather look at a great design or spend personal time with the Creator? Steve DeWitt, pastor of 30 years, podcast host, and author shares how beauty creates wonder in us, sparks joy, and ultimately is meant to lead us back to the One who delights in sharing Himself. He believes as image bearers of Christ, we are created to respond to beauty, and as Christians, we are called to take that r...

Be it the concerns at the Mexican border, orphaned little ones and widowed women of Ukraine, or the reversal of Roe v. Wade , there is one constant: brokenness. Scripture says, “As you have done unto the least of these, you have done unto me.” (Matt. 25:40)  But what can be done, and how can we do it? America has long been the city on the hill, saving and intervening for those mistreated, yet ever...

What you have heard or seen in the media is not the full story. If you are fatigued by the constant reports of the attacks, casualties and destruction suffered by those in Ukraine, we have good news for you. There is an exciting movement gaining ground in the war-ravaged region. Spearheaded by Christian organizations such as CityServe International in partnership with churches in the US and Easter...

If you had it to do all over again, what would you do differently for the Kingdom in work and business? Skip Vaccarello, a Partner with  1Flourish Capital , a faith-based venture capital firm investing in technology-based, start-up companies, answers this question and more about living and working in Silicon Valley. Vaccarello shares his belief that there is a move of God taking place in Silicon V...

Do thoughts of your past fill you with regret or thankfulness? Aaron Tredway, pastor, author, speaker, athlete, and coach, reveals that we often feel dissatisfied because we’re aimed at the wrong target: success. As Christians, many of us say we are pursuing "something more," but we get stuck chasing our idea of success instead of true significance. Tredway reminds us we don’t have to be rich or f...

As New Year's Eve approaches and resolutions are made, it's important to remember that reflection builds anticipation. On the surface, 2022 can look like a difficult year with the war in Ukraine, natural disasters, and national division. But, this doesn't account for the amazing stories of God's healing and provision through the local Church. Something the news isn't talking about. Dave Donaldson...

Paige McMahon unexpectedly became a widow and single mom of three when her husband died in a plane crash. McMahon recalls how life was hazy in the early days and the weight of grief was unbearable as she wrestled with her faith and struggled to get through each day. But, out of her horrific experience, she has been able to help others walking through tragedy by sharing the "gift" that made all the...