Crossmap Podcast

We have been hearing these terms a lot lately coming from the leadership of many public schools across the United States.

“It’s a Diversity initiative."

“We are doing this to provide more equity and inclusion for our students."

This all sounds great but the reality is our schools are training up a generation of students to view themselves as victims.

Sadly, many progressives today perpetuate the idea that we can fix our society by emphasizing opportunities and inherited guilt of people groups based on the color of their skin.

Leonydus Johnson has been heavily criticized by progressives as a traitor of his own race for his views on Critical Race Theory. As an African-American male, he has been vilified because he has focused on establishing color-based collectives rather than focusing on the merits of individuals.

In his latest book, “Raising Victims: The Pernicious Rise of Critical Race Theory", Johnson explores Critical Race Theory’s influence in education and the media, explaining how colorblindness is the only way to achieve the society that Martin Luther King, Jr. dreamed of … that we should be judged by the content of our character not the color of our skin.
 
Johnson joins us on the Crossmap Podcast to talk about why critical race theory contradicts itself. Listen as he shares how people can reasonably have belief in Christian principles and in CRT at the same time and how focusing on race can change our identity and isolate us.

Leonydus Johnson Links

• Leonydus Website
• Raising Victims: The Pernicious Rise of Critical Race Theory
• Twitter
• Instagram
• YouTube

Links to Crossmap

• Crossmap Website
• Crossmap Facebook

In June 1971, a headline on the cover of Time Magazine trumpeted “The Jesus Revolution". As readers dug into the inside pages of the cover story they found the following statement:

“Jesus is alive and well and living in the radical spiritual fervor of a growing number of young Americans who have proclaimed an extraordinary religious revolution in his name. Their message: the Bible is true, miracles happen, God really did so love the world that he gave it his only begotten son."

However, strangely enough, just five years earlier, the same magazine featured a cover shrouded in darkness that blurted out in bold red ink: “Is God Dead?"

Hmm. What happened during those five years to create such a cultural difference? Why such a seismic shift in the way people viewed Jesus Christ?

What took place was a revival, as young people far and wide, disillusioned by the Vietnam war, civil unrest, and the feeling of hopelessness, found a place of belonging, compassion, understanding, and empathy for people, all rooted in their love for Jesus Christ. This happening was called simply the “Jesus Movement".

What was happening in the late 1960s and the early 1970s is not a whole lot different from what we are experiencing today. People are still disillusioned by war and civil unrest, as well as cancel culture, gender issues, the right to life, wokeness, and on and on it goes. It would be easy to suggest another revival is desperately needed.

“Jesus Revolution" is a new movie from Kingdom Story Company that examines what exactly took place during those turbulent years of the late 1960s and early 1970s, and the hippie culture that was seemingly taking over the country at the time. It explores how the radical love of Jesus brought revival to a nation reeling from the wounds inflicted by mankind.

My guest today, Kevin Downes, has had a front row seat to the making of “Jesus Revolution". As a co-founder of Kingdom Story Company and a producer on the film, he has been able to help cultivate the film’s powerful message of hope and revival that will undoubtedly pierce the hearts of moviegoers near and far.

Kevin joins us on the Crossmap Podcast to talk about whether a revival of such epic proportions could happen today. Listen as he shares how this movie can serve as a kick-off of sorts to ushering in a new hunger for Jesus Christ that has not been seen in 50 years, and why right now is the right time for ’Jesus Revolution’.

Links to Kevin Downes

• Kingdom Story Company
• Kevin on Twitter
• Kevin on Instagram

Links to Crossmap

• Crossmap Website
• Crossmap Facebook

Building a lasting legacy has been a pursuit of Trudy Cathy White’s for her entire adult life. As the daughter of highly successful Chick-fil-a founder Truett Cathy, she knows first hand the meaningful impact that consistency and quality can have, not only in a business but also in one’s personal life.

In her latest book, A Legacy That Lasts: Preserving and Transferring Your Family Values, Trudy identifies the positive, bedrock qualities needed for a family to not only flourish in this generation but to solidify positive family values for the generations to come.

Focusing on faith, family, integrity, generosity, and gratitude, Trudy encourages readers to be intentional about discovering what is important to your family and to provide clarity on how to reclaim the values that will allow it to prosper.

Trudy joins us on the Crossmap Podcast to talk about why it is important for every family to have a set of enduring and indispensable values.Listen as she shares why being intentional about leaving a lasting legacy is of the utmost importance for a family’s future in this unforgiving world.

Links to Trudy

• Trudy's Website
• A Legacy that Lasts on Amazon
• Trudy on Instagram

Links to Crossmap

• Crossmap Website
• Crossmap Facebook

When presented with the topic of the Rapture or End Times, some people are absolutely fascinated and riveted by the thought of how the world will end from a theological standpoint. But most are frightened by the thought of everyday comforts being ripped away and replaced with the uncertainty of there being no future here on earth. Even Christians, galvanized by their faith in what lies ahead following the Rapture, sometimes stumble a bit in believing what they say they believe when it comes to eternity.

With the current political, social, and global climate creating a perfect storm of sorts, interest in what the Bible has to say about the End Times is increasing. That includes ancillary books and products that delve into this topic from the lens of faith.

Rooted in the success of the New York Times bestselling book series, “Left Behind", four movies have been released to date that chronicle the story of the End Times, a period leaving the world shattered and chaotic. Now comes a fifth.

Releasing in theaters on January 26th, “Left Behind: Rise of the Anti-Christ" delivers an updated storyline from the 2014 Left Behind movie starring Nicholas Cage. This sequel shows how today’s events set the stage for the return of Jesus Christ and the coming apocalypse.

My guest today, veteran Hollywood actor Kevin Sorbo, not only stars in this latest edition from the Tim Lahaye and Jerry Jenkins book series, but he also directs it.

Sorbo joins us on the Crossmap Podcast to talk about the importance of rebooting this movie franchise right now in the wake of the myriad of controversial issues currently swirling in the air. Listen as he shares why so many people become uncomfortable when it comes to the topic of the Rapture, even some Christians.

Links to Kevin Sorbo

• Kevin Sorbo on Twitter
• Kevin Sorbo on Instagram

Links to Crossmap

• Crossmap Website
• Crossmap Facebook

Have you ever felt like God was nudging you to do something?

The feelings and impulses you experience vary but some common threads include not being able to sleep at night, you keep seeing the same message being revealed to you at stoplights, messages on a car’s license plates, or someone mentions something to you out of the clear blue sky that can’t be anyone else but God speaking to you through them.

Phil Stevens has a tremendous story to share that checks all the aforementioned boxes mentioned above.

On staff at a large church in the Atlanta area, Phil was sitting in church just a year ago when God told him at a Sunday morning service, that he was to quit his job and form a movie production company and film his first movie in 2023. The Georgia-native began weeping, not out of pure joy, but out of fear for the magnitude of what was being presented to him in such an intimate way.

Not quite sure he was hearing from God, a complete stranger came up to Phil just ten minutes after the service concluded and told him that he had “been on his heart for weeks and whatever God told you this morning you need to go do it." 

A year has passed but he has been true to his calling. Missio Dei Films was formed in 2022 and Phil and his team are set to begin production on that first film later this month. 

Phil joins us on the Crossmap Podcast to talk about how God blessed his obedience by raising $25 million through crowdfunding. Listen as he shares how God has led him each and every step of the way and why it is of the utmost importance to listen to your calling when it is presented, no matter how shocking it might seem.

Links to Crossmap

• Crossmap Website
• Crossmap Facebook

If you’re tired of starting your diet over every Monday, if getting dressed stresses you out, if scrolling through your social media feed makes you feel insecure, this is not of God!

The way the world portrays health, fitness, and body confidence causes us to live in a thought cycle of “not good enough" and defeat, but in Christ we are free to live boldly as the best version of ourselves.

With 20 years in the fitness industry, Kim Dolan-Leto  has dedicated her life to teaching women to get fit and find confidence– God’s way. Her mission is to equip women through Word-based strategies, daily action steps, and the tools they need to achieve a faith-inspired transformation in their health and wholeness to live strong and confident.

In Kim’s latest book, “Fit God’s Way: Your Bible-Based Guide to Food, Fitness, and Wholeness", she encourages readers to trade relying on weak willpower for the Holy Spirit of self-control, lasting motivation found in your purpose, and confidence in seeing yourself through His eyes.

Kim joins us on the Crossmap Podcast to talk about the 7 W’s of getting fit God’s way. Listen as she shares how to best pursue fitness in community, and how to work more God-made foods into your daily diet.

Links to Kim

• Kim's Website
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Facebook

Links to Crossmap

• Crossmap Website
• Crossmap Facebook

There are certain moments in time and space that for whatever reason specific elements, themes, or ideas come together to form a winning combination.

From the culinary world to professional sports and back to the entertainment industry there is no shortage of winning combinations – a burger and fries, Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, Steve Martin and Martin Short.

Allow me to present you with yet another winning combination: Tammy Trent as a television talk show host.

Tammy has been a familiar voice on Christian radio since her music career began in the mid-1990s with songs such as “Your Love is 4 Always”, “Run to the Cross” and “Welcome Home”.

Following the tragic death of her husband in a scuba diving accident on September 11, 2001, Tammy became a popular speaker and performer at Women of Faith Conferences and The Revolve Tour for teen girls, by sharing her testimony of love, loss, and hope, a pursuit that she continues to this day.

But just last month, all of these experiences came full circle for her as Tammy became the new co-host on the daily Christian TV show LIFE Today, alongside veteran hosts James and Betty Robison and their son Randy Robison.
 
Tammy joins us on the Crossmap Podcast to talk about how her musical career and faith conference speaking work translates into hosting a daily television talk show. Listen as she shares the greatest piece of advice someone gave her leading up to her debut and how she continues to turn what the enemy intended for her ruin into an enduring testimony to God’s glory.

Links to Tammy Trent

• Tammy's Website
• YouTube Channel
• Facebook Page
• Instagram

Links to Crossmap

• Crossmap Website
• Crossmap Facebook

It is quite evident that the most successful crowdfunded series of all time, The Chosen has had a tremendous ministry impact through the 420 million episodes that have been streamed worldwide thus far.

In what has become a global phenomenon, the multi-episode television drama based on the life of Jesus, launched Season 3 in more than 2,000 theaters nationwide in mid-November. This limited theatrical run generated more than $14.4 million in box office revenue, making it the highest grossing event in Fathom Movie Events history.

Through the first two plus seasons, hearts have been pierced, lives have been saved, and all types of ministry has taken place.

One interesting outcome of the series that does not get discussed much though, is the life-changing impact the production has had on the cast.  My guest today is one of many cast members who have had transformational life experiences due to the awe-inspiring message derived from the life of Jesus.

In her role as Mother Mary, Vanessa Benavente has had a front row seat to witness God’s providence and transformational power working not only in the lives of those watching the series but also her peers working on the show.

Benavente joins us on the Crossmap Podcast to talk about the challenges of working with characters who are fictional while she portrays someone who is a historic figure. Listen as she shares what has been the most meaningful experience for her while working on the show and one thing she learned about Jesus that she never knew.

Links from the Show

• Vanessa on Instagram
• Crossmap Website
• Crossmap Facebook

Consider this premise. Angels are among us and God has sent them on a mission to intercede on behalf of whispered prayers. Every encounter presents a new opportunity to change your approach to life.

If we are all honest, everyone has considered the notion from time to time that there are no chance meetings or coincidences in life. Perhaps it is the friend who has an expertise in a certain area who has offered to help you with a very specific problem without being asked. Or maybe, you have been praying desperately for a serious situation to resolve itself when the solution suddenly reveals itself out of the blue. Or was it out of the blue?
 
There’s a lesson for everyone in the new Pure Flix television series “Saved by Grace", a program that explores different seasons of life and how our reactions and actions can ultimately change the path we are on.
 
Our guest today, Cameron Arnett, is the star of “Saved by Grace", and believes that we can heal from and overcome the past and that change in our hearts makes it possible to move forward.  He knows this first hand as he has encountered similar circumstances in his life where it was very clear that God’s providence had a hand in the outcome. In fact, he is a strong believer that day to day interactions can have a great impact on us, even if we don’t realize it.

Arnett joins us on the Crossmap Podcast to talk about the concept of there being no chance meetings or coincidences in life. Listen as he shares how our reactions and actions can ultimately change our outlook on life and how change in our heart fuels and makes it possible to move forward.

Links to Cameron Arnett

• Cameron's Website
• Cameron on Facebook

Links to Crossmap

• Crossmap Website
• Crossmap Facebook

Have you ever had a strong urge or impulse toward a particular course of action in your life especially when you feel driven by a strong conviction or divine influence?

Common sense tells us that when this sort of thing happens, we are being called to do something. And if it somehow relates to God this is called a ’divine calling’.

Unfortunately, our churches are currently being confronted by a leadership crisis as a record number of pastors are leaving vocational ministry. Why? Well, for lack of a better reason, these individuals believe they have lost their calling or never had one in the first place.

The statistics to support this are borderline staggering. Consider this, from 1992 to 2017, the percentage of pastors under the age of 55 dropped from 75% to 50%, and that continues to decline.

But herein lies the conundrum. God hasn’t stopped calling people into ministry. However, it seems that many churches have forgotten how to cultivate these divine urges of young men and women, leaving a rather significant void in raising up leaders for the next generation.
My guest today, Dr. Scott Pace, believes that the solution is rather simple. In fact, he wants to help church leaders invite and prepare those who believe they have been called by God into ministry. 

In his latest book authored with Shane Pruitt, “Calling Out the Called: Discipling Those Called to Ministry Leadership", Dr. Pace describes the Biblical concept of calling and highlights key steps to help prepare anyone who is considering pastoral ministry or missionary work.

Dr. Pace joins us on the Crossmap Podcast to talk about what a calling actually is and how to boost conversations about discipleship and the call to ministry. Listen as he shares how to empower people to live their calling, rather than ignoring or suppressing it due to a lack of understanding.

Links from the Show

• Calling Out the Called - Book
• Crossmap Website
• Crossmap Facebook