The Crucible Project Podcast

Terry Gjeldum shares with podcast host James Damey how he believed he was "stupid" most of his life. His greatest fear was that someone would find out he was stupid, and he lived with a lack of assertiveness and fear. During his Crucible retreat, he experienced an exercise where he learned that God does not think he is stupid. His parenting was impacted for the better, and his relationsh...

Terrance Foster, church and Crucible leader, shares how he became the leader he has always wanted in his life as he is interviewed by leadership series podcast host Tim Rush. Terrance describes listening as the most important skill he has developed in his leadership and the importance of listening as he leads his community, family, church, and The Crucible. He also shares the impact of The Crucibl...

Host Joy Dunning interviews Kenton Larson and Joe Troupe about the remarkable relationship between the two children's father and stepfather. When Kenton, the stepfather, experienced a Crucible retreat, it impacted his parenting of his stepchildren and his relationship with his wife. He and his wife encouraged Joe, the father, to attend a Crucible retreat, which he did during a dark time in hi...

Author, coach, and leader Jason Wilson continues his interview with Andy Spell, challenging men to be strong and comprehensive. He shares how the Crucible weekend brought healing in the source of his anger and allowed him to find compassion, empathy, and patience to nurture and care for his mother through her dementia journey. Allowing access to empathy significantly impacted his relationship with...

Jason Wilson, author of Cry Like a Man and Battle Cry and founder of The Cave of Adullam, is interviewed by podcast host Andy Spell.  They discuss Jason's viral video , which has over 3.2 million views worldwide and is titled Overcoming Barriers . Jason shares that men’s ability to be like Christ is limited by our focus on the world’s definition of masculinity. Jesus wasn’t all lion and no la...

Warning: Podcast host James Damey interviews Sexual Addiction Recovery Coach Scott Cone about the impact of men’s formative years on unwanted sexual behaviors. Scott shares his testimonial and The Crucible’s impact on his recovery as a healing community of healthy men where shame is defeated. He states, “Sobriety is not the opposite of addiction. Connection is.” He reports that all sexual acting o...

Deb Gustafson shares with podcast host Joy Dunning about her journey through sexual and spiritual abuse that has driven her mission to create a world where every survivor is believed and supported for as long as it takes. Deb reports on Crucible’s impact on her healing journey and the power of soul work in recovery. She reports her desire for every pastor or church leader who notices abuse temptat...

Valerie Rausseo, LCPC, shares with host Joy Dunning about the power of shame and how it has impacted both her private counseling practice clients and her own life. After losing her mother to cancer at 17 and being abandoned by her dad,  shame became utterly debilitating as she tried to find her place in the world. Through sharing, risking vulnerability, and the support of a community of others, Va...

Australian Shea Adams is interviewed by podcast host Martin Brooker about the impact of Crucible retreat on his lifelong challenge with anxiety. Shea shares how a bullying incident as a boy drove him to high anxiety around large groups of people. Such incidents caused him to be physically sick. Not trusting these emotions from an early age, Shea’s inner-world was full of judgements of others and h...

Podcast host James Damey interviews Peter and Dawn Aldrich about the impact of their individual Crucible Retreats on their relationship. They moved from unfair arguments resulting in hurt feelings over their thirty-nine years of marriage to being able to speak cleanly to each other. As each continue their own personal work in separate groups, they report discovering how their individual wounds are...

Leadership Series Host Tim Rush interviews Crucible Women’s Ministry Leader, Lisa Modrzejewski, on leadership. Lisa frankly discusses her early leadership years and the development of her leadership through the challenges in her inner world. She shares her painful story and the journey of healing which unleashed her leadership. Here are some of the topics we cover in our podcast episodes: Radical...

Nate Larkin, author of Samson and the Pirate Monks, Founder of the Samson Society, and host of  the Pirate Monk Podcast is interviewed by host Andy Spell. Nate courageously shares about the struggle with pornography that led to sexual acting out that ended his church work as a minister. He openly discusses the situations in his life that led him slowly down the path toward sexual addiction and his...

Chicagoland Regional Leader and retired IT professional is interviewed by host James Damey honestly sharing his personal journey of growth. Bill shares his moral failing as a minister and the impact to his marriage and soul. The secrecy required by the church caused shame to grow so that he substituted iron man competitions for connecting with his wife. Friends at church recommended he attend a Cr...

Crucible Men’s Ministry Leader and Coach Byron Myers is interviewed by Leadership Series host Tim Rush about his transitioning from mimicking other leaders to modelling his true leadership gifts.  He references David rejecting Saul’s armor before fighting Goliath and shares that he tried to wear other’s armor before growing into his ability to lead authenticly.  Byron shares how the experience of...

Terrance Foster, Chicago Regional and Retreat Leader, shares the impact of Crucible on his personal journey with anger issues with podcast host Jay Mountjoy.  Terrance shares how being a secret child of his father’s grew anger within him that would pop out sideways on his wife and children.   He wrestled with God around the issue and came home different.  He shares the beginning of an effort speci...

Athol Prior, seventy-five year old Australian Crucible Elder and Leader, joyfully shares about his journey into eldering with podcast host Martin Brooker.  His welcoming of diminishing energy and movement has given him peace as he leaves behind striving for achievement and moves toward serving and giving his wisdom to others.  Athol shares the benefits of holding space and not offering unsolicited...

In this second part, Jay Mountjoy encourages Derek Gordon to share his journey since this weekend.  Working through the Brotherhood he found, God continues to show him that he is His chosen son. The radical honesty found in Crucible creates an opportunity to experience and receive radical grace that is difficult to find anywhere else. Derek challenges men to step into their authentic masculinity b...

Leadership series podcast host Tim Rush interviews Church and Crucible leader Brandon Brunson on leadership. Brandon shares how his first taste of leadership was coaching high school basketball. He shares his journey of leadership on a team of Elders that led a church from messy conflict to a healthy and growing church community.  His big leadership win was discovering that the complaint about the...

Host Jay Mountjoy interviews Colorado Crucible Leader Derek Gordon about how he discovered what was driving him at the Crucible Project.  He began a journey of healing from his adoption by an abusive family where he picked up a lie about himself  and God.  He experienced that the more truthful you are to a safe group of men, the more you feel God’s and their grace.  He left knowing that God is lov...

Host Martin Brooker interviews business leader and Convene chair Jeff Madsen about the role Crucible Project principles played in moving him from a focus on success to a focus on significance. His energy to always perform was affecting his relationship with his wife and others. His weekend shifted him from trying to gain approval and applause of others to an audience of one: God. He shares about h...

Retired Royal Australian Navy Commander Martin Brooker interviews Gys Seegers, Australian Defense Force Chaplain and longtime pastor about the impact of Crucible for active service members and veterans.  Gys shares about how Crucible has impacted his Chaplaincy and the church he pastored.  Both share about the impact of Cruciible weekend for veterans suffering from PTSD. Here are some of the topic...

Host Andy Spell interviews Chris Cleghorn, Crucible Leader and retired Crucible Executive Director, about Crucible’s impact to his grief journey.  Chris discovered his father dead when he was thirteen years old and openly discusses his relationship with sadness.  His lifetime career as a fund raising professional had his heart full of discontent which led to the most transformational weekend of hi...

Host James Damey interviews author of “Listening Helping Learning”, and longtime organizational development consultant, executive advisor, and principal at Design Group International, Mark Vincent, PhD, who shares about the impact of his Crucible experience for himself and his clients.  Mark’s journey through his wife’s cancer journey and passing resulted in PTSD.  He shares how he moved away from...

James Damey interviews veteran soul work leader Jamie Whyte about what soul work is and why it is so important.  Jamie shares his personal testimony and about his key role in taking Crucible to serve Rwandan men in Africa.  Jamie also shares that God has him facilitating people who want to finish life well by walking alongside their transition from full time to retirement. Here are some of the top...

Leadership Series: Host Tim Rush interviews Pastor and Crucible Leader John Owen who shares about his wake up call that led him to leading with integrity. John shares that every leader should continue to work on themselves as they lead others and that vulnerability – not knowing everything – is the key to authentic leadership. Here are some of the topics we cover in our podcast episodes: Radical h...