The Pulpit and Porch

What if we stopped trying to sound good when we pray? In this Pulpit & Porch Rewind, we sit down with author, storyteller, and longtime friend Steven James for a conversation about prayer, pain, vulnerability, and what it really means to know God. Steven is the author of  A Heart Exposed , a collection of honest, raw prayers written over decades. But this conversation quickly becomes about muc...

What happens when you sit down with someone you've never met and simply start asking questions? In this episode of The Pulpit & Porch, Tony Marr sits down with Neal Osborne, Vice Mayor of Bristol, Virginia, for a conversation that goes far beyond his public life. Neal has served on Bristol City Council since 2018 and has served as both mayor and vice mayor. He also works with United Way of...

What happens when the life you planned isn't the life God has planned for you? In this episode of The Pulpit & Porch, Tony Marr sits down with retired pastor David Clark for a deeply personal conversation about calling, faith, ministry, sacrifice, family, leadership, retirement, and learning to trust the life you've been given. David originally planned to become a lawyer. At 20 years o...

What if the very things that made you successful are also the things keeping you from the relationships, connection, and significance you really want? In this episode of The Pulpit & Porch, Tony Marr sits down with leadership coach, speaker, entrepreneur, and author Tyler Dickerhoof for a conversation about leadership, insecurity, success, vulnerability, faith, relationships, and the things we...

What does it really mean to live a life of service? In this episode of The Pulpit & Porch Podcast, Tony Marr sits down with Bryan for a conversation about service, purpose, leadership, and the decision to dedicate your life to something bigger than yourself. Bryan shares his personal story and the experiences that shaped the way he sees service, responsibility, and leadership. We talk about wh...

What Does It Actually Mean to Be a Man? Our culture has given men plenty of answers: be strong, provide, lead, don't show weakness, never cry. But what if we've been asking the wrong question? Anthony Curnutt has spent years helping men wrestle with what it means to be a husband, father, leader, and follower of Jesus. In this conversation, we talk about masculinity, loneliness, fatherhood,...

Who decides what becomes news? Why does it feel like half the country is living in a completely different reality than the other half? And what if the greatest influence on your faith isn't your church... but your phone? In this episode of The Pulpit & Porch, Tony Marr sits down with veteran religion journalist Terry Mattingly, founder of  GetReligion , creator of  Rational Sheep , syndica...

What if you've believed the wrong thing about God's love your entire life? For years, Pastor David Mullins has preached about grace, but in this conversation, he shares why grace isn't something we earn, deserve, or achieve. It's something we spend a lifetime discovering. In this deeply thoughtful episode of The Pulpit & Porch, Tony Marr sits down with David Mullins, Senior Pas...

Jason Frazier spent nearly twenty years chasing something he couldn't quite name. On the surface, it looked like addiction. But underneath the drugs, prison sentences, and broken relationships was something much deeper: a longing to belong. In this powerful conversation, Jason shares the story behind Surrender House Ministries, but more importantly, he shares the story behind the man who built...

Long before Tim Lowry became one of America's most respected storytellers, he was simply a curious young boy discovering the power of stories. In this episode of The Pulpit & Porch Podcast, Tony Marr sits down with Tim Lowry for a conversation that goes far beyond storytelling techniques. Together they explore the experiences, relationships, moments of faith, and life-changing events that...

The World Cup is the biggest sporting event on the planet, but what if it isn't really about soccer? In this episode of  The Pulpit & Porch , Tony Marr is joined by lifelong soccer fan Jono Dorsey for a conversation that goes far beyond goals, brackets, and championships. Together they explore what this year's World Cup revealed about humanity, community, national identity, hospitality...

Every generation has its stereotypes. But what if we stopped talking  about  Gen Z and actually started listening to them? In this episode of The Pulpit & Porch, Tony Marr and Robert Kell sit down with Ethan Kidwell, a college student, construction worker, basketball coach, and one of the funniest storytellers you’ll ever meet, for an honest conversation about what it’s really like to be 19 ye...

Every person has a story. Some chapters are filled with joy. Others are marked by pain, addiction, loss, failure, and the difficult road back. In this episode of  The Pulpit & Porch , Tony sits down with author and screenwriter Peter Colter for an honest conversation about storytelling, addiction, recovery, faith, and redemption. Peter shares how some of the darkest moments of his life ultimat...

Sometimes the best conversations are the ones you never planned. After both of our scheduled guests unexpectedly had to cancel, Robert and Tony decided to do something we’ve never done before: sit down without an outline, without a script, and simply have a conversation. From hilarious stories and unexpected questions to reflections on friendship, life, faith, and everything in between, this episo...

What does real leadership look like? In a culture obsessed with influence, titles, and recognition, Jake Holmes offers a different perspective: leadership is less about power and more about responsibility. In this episode of The Pulpit & Porch, Tony Marr and Robert Kell sit down with Jake Holmes, Mayor of Bristol, Virginia and External Affairs Manager for Appalachian Power, to explore leadersh...

What happens when you sit down with six incredible people and realize the conversations are connected in ways you never expected? In this special episode of The Pulpit & Porch, Tony and Robert return to the porch together to reflect on their recent conversations with Jody Powell, Jason Castleberry, Luc Johnson, Amanda Marr, Thomas Dismukes, and Trevor Wentt. Instead of simply looking back, the...

In this episode of  The Pulpit & Porch , Tony sits down with Jody Powell, host of  Falls Count Anywhere and  Men Like Us  on Abundant TV Network, for an honest conversation about masculinity, mental health, ministry, authenticity, and the struggles many men quietly carry. Jody shares his unique journey through professional wrestling, why unconventional ministry often reaches people traditional...

In this episode of  The Pulpit & Porch , Tony sits down with pastor and military veteran Jason Castleberry for a powerful conversation about war, trauma, PTSD, identity, faith, and redemption. Jason shares his journey from growing up in Texas to serving in the airborne infantry, completing 25 operational jumps, surviving a parachute malfunction that changed the trajectory of his life, and late...

In this episode of  The Pulpit & Porch , we sit down with mortgage lender Luc Johnson for a conversation about integrity, generosity, leadership, and what it means to genuinely put people before profit. Before this episode, we asked several people about Luc, and the response was remarkably consistent: “He’s one of the most trustworthy and selfless people I know.” In an industry often driven by...

In this episode of  The Pulpit & Porch , we sit down with Amanda Marr for one of the most honest and personal conversations we’ve had on the show. Amanda is a top-producing Realtor with Keller Williams, a member of the Agent Leadership Council (ALC), the newly elected Southeast Regional Director for KW Cares, and this year’s recipient of the prestigious Eagle Award, an honor given to just one...

Why would someone step into one of the most challenging and scrutinized arenas in our country? In this episode of  The Pulpit & Porch , we sit down with speaker, storyteller, and U.S. Senate candidate Thomas Dismukes for a real, thoughtful conversation about leadership, calling, and what it means to step into something bigger than yourself. Thomas shares his journey, where he came from, the ex...

What does it cost to be honest? In this episode of  The Pulpit & Porch , we sit down with artist and storyteller Trevor Wentt for one of our most powerful and personal conversations to date. Trevor opens up about his childhood growing up in Virginia Beach in a broken home, being raised by a hardworking single mom, and navigating the realities of poverty, all while holding onto a deep and genui...

The world feels uncertain right now… so how are you supposed to respond? In Part 2 of this two-part conversation, we move from confusion to clarity. After breaking down what’s happening and why it feels so heavy in Part 1, this episode is all about what actually matters next. How you live, think, and respond in the middle of uncertainty. Because while you can’t control global events… you can contr...

What’s actually happening in the world right now… and why does it feel so heavy? In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, we step into the tension so many people are feeling, but few know how to process. From rising oil prices and economic pressure to global conflict, uncertainty, and nonstop headlines, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, anxious, and unsure of what to believe. But instead of reacting…...

If you haven’t listened to Part 1 yet… go back. Seriously. Because in this episode, we’re not easing in, we’re going straight to the heart of it. We all say we feel “stuck.” Stuck in life. Stuck in our calling. Stuck in our habits. But what if that’s not actually true? What if the thing we’ve been calling “stuck”… is actually avoidance? In Part 2 of this conversation, we go deeper. This is where i...