Crusade with Me

We have thousands of followers, hundreds of contacts, and endless ways to communicate. Yet loneliness has quietly become one of the defining struggles of our time.

How did we become so connected... and so alone?

In this episode of Crusade With Me!, we explore the difference between communication and genuine relationship. Technology has made it easier than ever to reach one another, but true connection requires something far more valuable—our attention.

Together we'll ask:

• Have we mistaken contact for connection? • Why does presence matter more than proximity? • What can ancient wisdom teach us about friendship, community, and belonging? • And what simple practices can help us recover meaningful relationships in a distracted world?

Perhaps the opposite of loneliness isn't popularity.

Perhaps it's presence.

Join us as we continue the Attention Series and discover why giving someone your undivided attention may be one of the greatest acts of love we can offer.

When was the last time something truly left you speechless?

We carry supercomputers in our pockets, watch rockets land themselves, and can speak with someone on the other side of the world in an instant. Yet somehow, we've become harder to amaze than ever before.

Maybe the world hasn't become less extraordinary.

Maybe we've simply stopped paying attention.

In this episode of Crusade With Me!, Dave explores why wonder quietly disappears—not all at once, but beneath layers of busyness, distraction, certainty, and constant noise. Together we'll ask whether our loss of wonder has also become a loss of wisdom, gratitude, and our ability to recognize truth when it's standing right in front of us.

This isn't about becoming childish.

It's about recovering the childlike curiosity that once made every sunrise, every conversation, and every ordinary moment feel full of possibility.

What if the greatest discoveries of your life aren't waiting somewhere else...

What if they're waiting for you to slow down long enough to notice?

If you've felt distracted, restless, or like life has become something to manage instead of something to marvel at, this conversation is for you.

Because perhaps the most important question isn't what you've accomplished this week...

It's this:

What truly filled you with wonder?

Why is silence so uncomfortable?

Why do we instinctively reach for our phones, turn on the television, scroll social media, or fill every empty moment with noise?

Maybe the problem isn't that we've forgotten how to rest.

Maybe we're afraid of what we'll discover when everything finally becomes quiet.

In Part Two of the Attention series, we explore one of the defining struggles of modern life: our inability to simply be still. From endless distractions to relentless busyness, we've become experts at avoiding silence—even though silence has always been the place where wisdom, healing, and the voice of God are most often found.

Together we'll examine why our culture keeps us constantly occupied, what ancient Christian and timeless wisdom traditions have to teach us about stillness, and why recovering our attention may be the first step toward recovering our souls.

If you've ever felt exhausted despite never slowing down, restless even when life is going well, or strangely uncomfortable whenever everything finally becomes quiet... this episode is for you.

The greatest battle for your life may not be over your time.

It may be over your attention.

Have you ever looked around at your life—even a good life—and quietly thought, there has to be more than this.

You're not alone.

In Part 1 of our new seven-part series, Attention, we begin exploring one of the most important questions of our time: What is capturing our attention, and where is it leading us?

We chase success, entertainment, possessions, relationships, accomplishments, and endless distractions, hoping they'll satisfy the restless longing inside us. Yet no matter how much we consume, the feeling remains: there has to be more.

What if that longing isn't a flaw to overcome, but a compass pointing us toward something greater?

Drawing from Scripture, timeless wisdom, and honest life experience, we'll examine why the human heart is never fully satisfied by the temporary and how our attention shapes the people we become. Before we can discover what deserves our attention, we first have to recognize why we're so easily distracted.

This episode lays the foundation for the entire series and invites you to slow down, ask the deeper questions, and begin turning your attention toward what truly lasts.

Join Dave and Kat as we begin the journey.

Series: Attention (Part 1 of 7)

As America celebrated its 250th birthday, it's worth asking a deeper question: What does true freedom really look like?

In this special episode of Crusade With Me!, Dave and Kat reflect on the blessings of living in America, the sacrifices that have preserved our liberties, and the legacy we hope to leave for future generations. Together, they explore one of the most powerful chapters in Scripture—Romans 8—where the Apostle Paul reminds us that the greatest freedom isn't political or national, but spiritual.

America can protect many freedoms, but only Christ can set us free from sin, guilt, fear, and condemnation.

Join us as we celebrate our nation's past while fixing our eyes on an even greater Kingdom—one that cannot be shaken. Whether you're reflecting on America's history, your family's legacy, or your own walk with Christ, this conversation will challenge you to consider where your ultimate hope truly rests.

Featured Scripture: Romans 8

Questions we'll wrestle with:

• What are you most grateful for about America?
• What freedom has Jesus given you that no nation ever could?
• What legacy of faith will you leave for the next generation?

The question we hope every listener leaves asking:

If America became less free tomorrow, would Christ still be enough?

Thank you for walking this journey with us. May God continue to bless America—and may He first transform our hearts.

What does a lifetime of faithful ministry look like?

In this special episode of Crusade With Me!, I sit down with Rev. Schumacher, a pastor whose life has been marked by humble service, deep theological conviction, and a genuine love for people.

Our conversation spans decades of ministry—from serving as a missionary in Africa with his family, to his pioneering work with the deaf community through the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, where he helped develop sign language for use in the Church's liturgy. We discuss the importance of communicating the Gospel so that everyone can hear the Good News in a language they understand.

Rev. Schumacher also shares how meaningful relationships became the foundation of effective men's ministry and healthy congregational growth. His insights remind us that the Church is not built merely through programs, but through faithful people investing in one another.

Now retired from full-time ministry, his work continues in a different setting: a woodworking shop where neighborhood children gather to build wooden crosses, learn practical skills, and experience the love of Christ through the gift of time and mentorship.

Throughout our conversation, you'll hear the wisdom of a confessional Lutheran pastor who treasures the rich theology and traditions of the Christian faith, while also hearing the heart of a devoted husband, father, grandfather, teacher, and servant of Christ.

This wasn't simply an interview—it was time spent with a man whose life reminds us that faithfulness is measured not by recognition, but by a lifetime of pointing others to Jesus Christ.

I hope you'll enjoy this conversation as much as I did. It was truly a blessing to spend this time with Rev. Schumacher.

What if the greatest obstacle between you and God isn't your past—but your belief that you've gone too far?

In this episode of Crusade With Me!, we explore two powerful passages of Scripture that reveal the very heart of God. In First Timothy 1:12–17, the Apostle Paul calls himself the "foremost of sinners," yet boldly proclaims the immeasurable grace of Christ. Then, in Gospel of Luke 1–10, Jesus tells the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin, reminding us that God is not waiting for the lost to find Him—He is actively seeking them.

Together, these readings paint a beautiful picture of a God whose mercy is greater than our failures and whose joy is found in restoring what was lost.

In this episode, we'll explore:

• What these Scriptures meant to their original hearers.
• What they reveal about the character of God.
• How religion can distort our understanding of grace.
• How Jesus fulfills God's mission to seek and save the lost.
• Why the Cross is the ultimate expression of God's relentless love.
• How the Holy Spirit transforms forgiven sinners into people who reflect Christ's heart.
• And finally, in The Build, we'll discover how these truths shape the way we think, the way we treat others, and the way we participate in God's mission of seeking the lost.

No matter where you've been, no matter what you've done, this episode is a reminder that your story is never beyond the reach of God's grace.

Because the Good Shepherd is still searching.

And heaven still rejoices every time one lost soul is found.

The older I get, the less certain I become about many things.

Twenty years ago, I thought I had most of life's answers figured out. Today, I realize that certainty is often easier than wisdom, and arrogance is far easier than humility.

In this episode, I share why Crusade With Me! exists in the first place. This podcast was never created because I believed I had all the answers. It was created because I need the questions.

Together, we'll explore what it means to "connect the dots" in life. Sometimes we connect dots that have no business being connected. Other times, we fail to see the connections that are right in front of us. Our habits, relationships, health, faith, attention, and decisions are all intertwined in ways we often overlook.

As I reflect on our recent comeback episodes, I've come to recognize a common thread running through them all: the pursuit of wisdom. Not information. Not opinions. Wisdom.

The wisdom that comes from God.

If we want to become healthier, stronger, mentally sharper, spiritually deeper, and more faithful in our daily lives, we need more than knowledge. We need Divine Wisdom to help us understand which dots matter and which ones don't.

This isn't an episode about having answers.

It's an episode about seeking them.

So, grab a cup of coffee and join me as we explore the questions that shape our lives, the patterns we often miss, and the wisdom that can only be found by walking with God.

Because information fills the mind.

But Divine Wisdom transforms the soul.

Most people don't reject God because they hate him.

They reject Him because they're busy.

Busy building careers.

Busy chasing dreams.

Busy paying bills.

Busy scrolling phones.

Busy entertaining themselves.

And before long, the important gets crowded out by the urgent.

Jesus tells the story about that. Luke3:13-18

John tells us what happens when we let God's love shape our lives. I John 14:16-24

Together these readings challenge us to examine where our priorities truly are.

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Crusade With Me! Dave sits down with a lifelong friend — Pastor Mike Hesterman — to revisit a 30‑year friendship and a 50‑year faith journey.

Pastor Mike opens up about his early life as a self‑described scoundrel, his years of rebellion, his time in the Army during a racially tense and dangerous season, and the night in 1975 when he was forced to confront the question: “If I died tonight… where would I go?”

What follows is a raw, honest, and moving conversation about:

• Growing up between two strong traditions — Lutheran and Mennonite
• Wrestling with infant baptism, adult baptism, and what Scripture actually says
• The dangers of drugs, deception, and dabbling in darkness
• The moment in Germany that changed everything
• How identity, rebellion, and human nature haven’t changed in 6,000 years
• Why being made in the image of God still matters today
• The struggle to mature spiritually — and why some truths only hit us decades later

This episode is rich with wisdom, humility, humor, and the kind of honesty only two old friends can share. A must‑listen for anyone wrestling with faith, identity, or the long road of transformation.