Eddiefied

What does it really mean to live on mission for Christ?

In this episode of the Eddiefied Podcast, Eddie sits down with David and Inna Donchenko to hear the story of how God led their family to leave the comforts of life in the United States and spend seven years serving in the country of Georgia.

David and Inna share their journey of faith, how the Lord led their family overseas, and what it looked like to help Pastor Dima and his family plant a Bible-based church in a region with very few evangelical believers.

But this conversation goes much deeper than overseas missions.

David and Inna open up about the realities of missionary life—the sacrifices, loneliness, raising children far from extended family, cultural differences, spiritual isolation, and the challenges that come with serving in a place where Christian fellowship can be difficult to find. They also share how God faithfully sustained their family through those seasons and the importance of encouragement, prayer, and support from the local church back home.

One of the central ideas of this conversation is simple:

The mission never changed—the location did.

You don't have to move across the world to live on mission. Every follower of Jesus has been called to make disciples, share the gospel, serve others, and faithfully represent Christ wherever God has placed them.

Your mission field may be another country—but it may also be your workplace, your neighborhood, your school, or your own home.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• David & Inna's testimonies and journey of faith
• God's call that led their family to Georgia
• Seven years of missionary life overseas
• Helping plant a Bible-based church in Georgia
• Raising children on the mission field
• Loneliness and spiritual isolation in ministry
• God's faithfulness through difficult seasons
• How churches can better support missionaries
• The importance of prayer and encouragement
• The Great Commission and making disciples
• Why missions should be a lifestyle, not simply an event
• Living faithfully wherever God has placed you

Whether God calls you across the world or simply across the street, the question remains:

Are you being faithful with the people and opportunities God has already placed in front of you?

Eddiefied is inspired by Hebrews 10:24:

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.”

Our hope is that this conversation encourages you to hold your comforts loosely, live intentionally for Christ, and be willing to say:

“Lord, wherever You place me, use me for Your glory.”

If this conversation encourages you, share it with someone who needs to hear it, subscribe to the Eddiefied Podcast, and join us as we continue stirring one another up toward love and good works.

What does it look like to raise children who don't just hear about what is looks like to follow Jesus, but actually see the Christian faith lived out?

In this episode of Eddiefied, I sit down with Aleks Kapelkin for a conversation about his testimony of faith, Christian parenting, discipleship, evangelism, and serving together as a family that is on mission.

Aleks is a husband, father, and regular member of his local church. He'd be the first to say that he doesn't have parenting, missions, or evangelism figured out. He simply considers himself a sinner saved by grace who loves Christ, His church, and the gospel.Aleks shares about his early upbringing, his testimony, and how the Lord has shaped his life since coming to faith in Christ. From there, the conversation turns toward one of the most important responsibilities God has given Christian parents: intentionally discipling our children.

By God's grace, Aleks and his family have had the opportunity to serve together on several mission trips to Greece. We talk about why he and his wife chose to bring their children with them, what their kids were able to experience firsthand, and the fruit Aleks has seen from allowing his children to participate in ministry alongside their parents.

This conversation goes beyond simply taking your children on an overseas mission trip. Not every Christian family will have that opportunity—and that's not the point.The bigger question is: Are our children only hearing us talk about following Jesus, or are we giving them opportunities to see what following Him looks like?

Whether that's serving someone in need, opening our homes, loving our neighbors, sharing the gospel, participating in local ministry, or traveling across the world on mission, there are opportunities all around us to bring our children alongside us as we seek to faithfully follow Christ.We also discuss the biblical responsibility parents have to disciple their children, why faith must be modeled as well as taught, the importance of exposing our kids to the needs of others, and what it means to make the gospel part of everyday family life.In this episode we go over the following:• Aleks Kapelkin's upbringing and testimony of faith• How Christ changed the direction of his life• Biblical fatherhood and intentional Christian parenting• Why Aleks brought his children on mission trips to Greece• The benefits of serving together as a family• Teaching children about missions and evangelism• Modeling the Christian faith instead of only talking about it• Family discipleship in everyday life• Raising children with an awareness of the needs of others• Practical ways families can serve without traveling overseas• What Scripture teaches about our responsibility as parents• The legacy Christian parents should desire to leave their childrenNot every parent is called to take their children to Greece, but every Christian parent has been given opportunities to faithfully point their children toward Christ.Our children are watching. May they see in us that following Jesus isn't simply something we do on Sunday—it's the life we've been called to live.

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works." — Hebrews 10:24If this conversation encourages you, share it with another parent, subscribe to Eddiefied, and join us as we continue having conversations that stir one another up to love and good works.

What happens when a Christian makes a decision she once believed she could never make?

In this episode of the Eddiefied Podcast, Eddie sits down with Brittany Mitchell for a deeply personal conversation about abortion, the sanctity of life, sin, repentance, forgiveness, and the transforming grace of Jesus Christ.

Brittany is a follower of Christ and a licensed marriage and family therapist who has personally experienced abortion. Today, she also has a heart for supporting others who have experienced abortion and walking alongside them as they process the grief, guilt, shame, and consequences that can follow.

Before her abortion, Brittany believed in the value of life and believed abortion was wrong. She was involved in church, reading Scripture, and considered herself a Christian. She also believed that abortion was something she would never personally choose.

Then she found herself facing an unexpected pregnancy.

Brittany opens up about the fear, spiritual immaturity, hidden sin, and desire for control that influenced her decision. She shares what happened after the abortion, the grief she experienced, the consequences that followed, and the spiritual questions that nearly caused her to run away from God altogether.

But her story didn't end with her abortion.

Brittany shares how the Lord met her in the aftermath—not by minimizing her sin, but by showing her the depth of His mercy through Jesus Christ. She describes discovering that God's grace meant more than forgiveness alone. Over time, the Lord also began healing wounds, restoring what had been broken, and using this painful part of her story to give her greater compassion for others.

Eddie and Brittany also discuss abortion from a Christian pro-life perspective, the biblical sanctity of human life, the danger of Christians underestimating their own capacity for sin, and why fear can lead us to make decisions we once believed we were incapable of making.

We also address an important question for the church: How can Christians remain uncompromising on the truth and value of human life while compassionately caring for women and men who have abortion in their past?

For the Christian silently carrying guilt or shame from a past abortion, Brittany's story offers an important reminder: your sin is serious, but it is not greater than the saving work of Jesus Christ.

And for the woman or couple currently considering abortion because it feels like the only way out, Brittany shares what she wishes people understood about the consequences on the other side of that decision—and why fear should never have the final word.

This is a political conversation about abortion. It is a conversation about the sanctity of life, the reality of sin, the consequences of our choices, repentance, forgiveness, healing, and the sufficiency of Christ.

Our prayer is that Brittany's testimony would encourage the church to hold firmly to biblical truth while becoming a place where hurting people can come into the light and be pointed toward the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ.

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.” — Hebrews 10:24

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If this conversation encouraged you, share it with someone who may need to hear Brittany's story, subscribe to the Eddiefied Podcast, and join us as we continue sharing testimonies and conversations that stir one another toward love and good works.

What does it look like when God takes a life once driven by acceptance, appearance, and the approval of others—and turns it into a life devoted to making Christ known?

In this episode of the Eddiefied Podcast, Eddie sits down with Gabriel Marquez, a husband, father, member of City Bible Church Sacramento, and passionate evangelist, for a powerful conversation about Christian testimony, redemption, evangelism, and the transforming grace of Jesus Christ.

Gabriel shares his journey from growing up with a nominal understanding of God to struggling with insecurity, bullying, people-pleasing, vanity, relationships, and a deep desire for acceptance. Although God repeatedly placed Christians in his life who shared the gospel with him, Gabriel continued resisting Christ and living life on his own terms.

Eventually, that changed.

Gabriel shares how God brought him to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ—and how the difficult years that followed would radically reshape his understanding of God, Scripture, identity, and grace.

His story includes painful consequences, exposure to false teaching, spiritual confusion, incarceration, physical scars, and seasons in which much of what he once found his identity in was stripped away. Yet through it all, Gabriel describes how God used those circumstances to deepen his faith, ground him in Scripture, and teach him that his worth was never meant to be found in appearance, approval, relationships, or accomplishments—but in Christ.

Today, Gabriel has a deep burden for biblical evangelism and reaching the lost with the gospel.

We talk about how Christians can start gospel conversations, overcome the fear of approaching strangers, ask meaningful questions, use Scripture in evangelism, and lovingly engage people from different religious and cultural backgrounds.

Gabriel has participated in evangelistic outreach in Old Sacramento, Downtown Sacramento, festivals, nursing homes, parades, Sacramento State, American River College, and other public settings. His approach often begins with a simple question carrying eternal implications:

“How do you get into a right relationship with God?”

From there, the goal isn't to win an argument. It's to listen, ask questions, open the Scriptures, faithfully communicate the gospel, and trust God with the outcome.

Whether you're passionate about evangelism or you're a Christian who has always wanted to share your faith but doesn't know where to begin, this conversation is an encouragement to remember that God can use your story, your scars, and your ordinary conversations for His purposes.

You don't have to have every answer.

You don't have to be a pastor.

You simply have to be willing to faithfully point people to Jesus Christ.

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.” — Hebrews 10:24

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If this conversation encouraged you, like, subscribe, share the episode, and send it to someone who needs to hear it.

And this week, consider asking someone one simple question:

How do you get into a right relationship with God?

What happens when following God means stepping away from something you once felt called to do?

In this episode of the Eddiefied Podcast, Eddie sits down with Dr. Paul Bugriyev for a conversation about faith, calling, pastoral ministry, family, identity in Christ, and learning to trust God when He leads us into an unexpected season.

Dr. Bugriyev is a husband, father, and follower of Jesus Christ who spent several years serving in full-time pastoral ministry. But eventually, he found himself in a season where he believed faithfully caring for his family meant stepping away from full-time pastoral ministry.

That decision wasn't necessarily understood by everyone—and that's part of what makes this conversation so important.

How do Christians discern between a biblical command and a personal conviction? What happens when God leads one believer differently than another? Does stepping away from a ministry position mean abandoning your calling? And how do we keep our identity rooted in Christ when a role that once defined a major part of our lives changes?

Dr. Bugriyev shares his testimony, his journey into pastoral ministry, the joys and unseen burdens of being a pastor, and what God taught him through the difficult decision to enter a different season of life and ministry.

We also discuss an important truth for every Christian: our vocation may change, but our identity in Christ does not.

Today, Paul continues to teach, preach, disciple believers, and serve the local church while working in the public sector as an IT leader. He also recently completed his Ph.D., with research exploring the relationship between church involvement, hope, meaning, social support, resilience, and stress following the pandemic.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• Dr. Bugriyev's testimony and Christian faith

• The journey into pastoral ministry

• The unseen pressures pastors and their families experience

• Why Paul stepped away from full-time pastoral ministry

• Balancing ministry and family responsibilities

• Discerning God's direction in different seasons

• Personal conviction versus biblical command

• Finding your identity in Christ rather than your vocation

• Serving God outside of full-time ministry

• The importance of the local church

• In-person church versus virtual church

• Church involvement, hope, resilience, and social support

• Remaining faithful when God changes the assignment

Whether you're a pastor, ministry leader, husband, father, or simply a Christian trying to discern what faithfulness looks like in your current season, we pray this conversation encourages you to trust Christ—even when His direction for your life looks different than you expected.

Your position can change.
Your career can change.
Your ministry can change.
Your season can change.

But your identity is not ultimately found in what you do. It's found in Jesus Christ.

If this episode encourages you, share it with someone who may be walking through a season of transition, subscribe to the Eddiefied Podcast, and join us as we seek to live out Hebrews 10:24:

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.”

🎙️ EDDIEFIED PODCAST
Conversations designed to encourage believers toward love, good works, and greater faithfulness to Jesus Christ.

Life doesn't always go according to plan. Relationships fall apart. Families experience brokenness. We face disappointment, loneliness, loss, and seasons where it feels like nothing makes sense.

So how do we continue trusting God when life takes unexpected turns?

In this episode of the Eddiefied Podcast, Eddie sits down with John V. —a father, entrepreneur, independent recording artist, and follower of Jesus Christ—to hear his powerful testimony of God's faithfulness through some of life's most difficult seasons.

John shares his journey growing up in a deeply dysfunctional home, experiencing broken family relationships, searching for fulfillment in all the wrong places, raising two daughters as a single father, and ultimately discovering that lasting peace is found only through faith in Jesus Christ.

The conversation also explores one of the greatest challenges every believer faces: learning to surrender control and trust God's plan even when we can't understand what He's doing.

Throughout this episode, John openly shares how God used pain, disappointment, and personal struggles to strengthen his faith and prepare him to encourage others who are walking through similar trials today.

Whether you're experiencing hardship, recovering from divorce, raising children on your own, struggling with loneliness, or simply wondering where God is in the middle of your circumstances, this conversation offers biblical encouragement and a reminder that God is faithful even when life feels uncertain.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Growing up in a dysfunctional family and overcoming generational brokenness

• Coming to genuine faith in Jesus Christ

• Raising children as a single father

• Divorce, healing, and learning to trust God again

• Why self-reliance ultimately fails

• Surrendering your plans to God's perfect timing

• Finding purpose through suffering

• Using your testimony to encourage others

• The role of prayer during life's darkest seasons

• Living with faith, perseverance, and hope

John also shares how music became an outlet for worship and healing, allowing him to express God's faithfulness through songwriting while pointing others toward Christ.

Our hope is that this episode reminds you that your past does not define your future. No matter what you've walked through, God is able to redeem every chapter of your story for His glory and for the good of those who love Him.

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose." — Romans 8:28

If this conversation encouraged you, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing this episode with someone who may need this reminder today.

Connect with John V.:

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@JohnVMuzic⁩ 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4OgV9kz3ZVHgJeOtv15pqk?si=fJGOVBzgQBu4pDGOSOEZsw

What does it look like to follow God into a ministry you never expected?

In this special collaboration episode of the Eddiefied Podcast, I sit down with a fellow Christian podcaster & content producer David Petrik who is also the co-host of the Recovery Addicts Podcast, for a unique conversation unlike any previous episode.

Instead of a traditional interview, we take turns interviewing one another—sharing their personal testimonies, how Jesus transformed our lives, and the journey that led each of us to Christian podcasting and content creation.

Together we discuss:• Our testimonies and how God radically changed our lives• Discovering God's calling and stepping out in faith• How Christian podcasting became a ministry• The spiritual warfare that often comes with serving publicly• Fear, self-doubt, and overcoming the fear of man• What happens behind the scenes of producing a podcast• Lessons learned from interviewing dozens of believers• The sanctifying work God has done through ministry• Balancing family, work, ministry, and content creation• Encouragement for anyone sensing God calling them to serve

David also shares his passion behind the Recovery Addicts Podcast and the other social media ministries he leads, all centered around pointing people to Jesus Christ and encouraging those who are searching for hope.

Whether you're involved in ministry, podcasting, content creation, or simply wondering what it looks like to faithfully follow God's leading, this conversation offers practical wisdom, biblical encouragement, and honest reflections from two believers learning to trust Christ one step at a time.

If this episode encouraged you, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with someone who could benefit from hearing these stories.

Connect with David Petrik• Recovery Addicts Podcast: www.youtube.com/@UCIfm-3eaw95MmVw_EPwNm-A • Bulletproof Kitchen: www.youtube.com/@UCZqqoIG7G_PCRdtBkKcHayg

What is biblical counseling, and how does it differ from psychology and modern therapy? Can the Bible really help someone struggling with anxiety, marriage problems, abuse, addiction, or overwhelming fear?

In this episode of the Eddiefied Podcast, I sit down with Suzzanne Bonn, Director of Biblical Counseling at Arcade Church's Biblical Counseling Certified Training Center in Sacramento, California. For nearly three decades, Suzzanne has faithfully counseled individuals and couples by pointing them not to self-help or temporary solutions, but to the transforming power of Jesus Christ and the sufficiency of God's Word.

Together we discuss why anxiety has become one of the most common struggles among Christians, why so many marriages are suffering today, and how biblical counseling seeks to address the heart—not just the symptoms.

One of the most powerful truths from this conversation is that God never promised us an anxiety-free life. Instead, He promises His presence through every trial. As believers, our hope isn't found in escaping suffering, but in trusting the God who walks with us through it.

Whether you're struggling personally, walking alongside someone who is hurting, or simply wanting to better understand biblical counseling, this conversation will encourage you to look beyond temporary relief and toward the lasting hope found in Christ.

In this episode we discuss:

• What biblical counseling is—and what it isn't
• Biblical counseling vs. psychology and psychotherapy
• Why anxiety is so prevalent today
• God's answer to fear and anxiety
• The root causes behind many marriage struggles
• Why circumstances often reveal deeper heart issues
• How Scripture provides lasting hope
• The role of the local church in caring for people
• Why the Gospel is every counselor's greatest message
• The sufficiency of Scripture for everyday life

Our prayer is that this conversation encourages you to trust God more deeply, cling to His Word more faithfully, and remember that no matter what you're facing today, Christ is sufficient.

If this episode encouraged you, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with someone who could benefit from this conversation.

Thank you for listening, and as always—

"...let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works." — Hebrews 10:24

What does it mean to be called by God?

For many Christians, the idea of "calling" is often connected to a career, ministry position, or life direction. But what if our understanding of calling starts in the wrong place?

In this episode of the Eddiefied Podcast, I sit down with Pastor Vincent Wong of City Bible Church to discuss one of the most important truths every believer needs to understand: our identity in Christ comes before our vocation, career, ministry, or title.

Together, we explore what Scripture teaches about the calling of every believer, why our identity must be rooted in Christ, and what it means to faithfully serve God regardless of our season of life. We also discuss the importance of the local church, biblical church membership, and what Pastor Vincent refers to as being a faithful "Churchman."

Pastor Vincent shares insights from his own journey through ministry, seasons outside vocational ministry, and how God used those experiences to deepen his understanding of faithful Christian living. Whether you're a pastor, business owner, stay-at-home parent, student, or someone simply trying to discern God's will for your life, this conversation offers practical biblical wisdom and encouragement.

Topics Covered:

• What is the calling of every believer?
• Identity in Christ vs. career identity
• The difference between calling and vocation
• Why church membership matters
• What it means to be a faithful Churchman
• Serving God in every season of life
• Biblical perspectives on leadership and church life
• Finding purpose beyond a job title
• Living faithfully in the local church
• Equipping the saints for ministry

Our hope is that this conversation encourages you to stop asking only, "What does God want me to do?" and begin asking, "Who has God called me to be?"

If this episode encouraged you, please consider liking, subscribing, sharing, and leaving a review. Your support helps us continue creating conversations that encourage believers to love God, love people, and live out their faith.

Connect with Eddiefied:

Instagram: @Eddiefied_Podcast

Hebrews 10:24
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works."

In this follow-up conversation with Christian Okeze, we movebeyond his powerful testimony of redemption and dive into a topic that impacts every believer: biblical authority, submission, discipleship, and the importance of the local church.

In Part 1, Christian shared how God rescued him fromaddiction, prison, homelessness, and a life of brokenness through the transforming power of the gospel. But after salvation came another important journey—learning what it means to live under God's authority and become rootedin a local church.

What does biblical submission actually look like?

Why do so many believers struggle with authority?

How does God use accountability, correction, discipleship,and church leadership for our good?

And what happens when we try to follow Christ apart from the local church?

Drawing from his own experiences at Union Gospel Mission and his growth as a follower of Jesus Christ, Christian shares how the Lord used godly authority, Christian community, and faithful discipleship to reshape his 0understanding of obedience, humility, and spiritual maturity.

Whether you're a new believer, someone wrestling with church hurt, or simply trying to understand God's design for the Christian life, this conversation offers biblical encouragement and practical wisdom.

In this episode we discuss:

- Biblical authority and submission

- Why believers struggle with authority

- The importance of accountability

- Why the local church matters

- Trusting God's design for leadership

- Walking in obedience to Christ

- Encouragement for believers who have been hurt byauthority

Christian's story reminds us that God's authority is notmeant to crush us—it is meant to guide us, protect us, and conform us into the image of Christ.

📖 "Obey your leadersand submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls..." — Hebrews 13:17

📖 "And let usconsider how to stir up one another to love and good works..." — Hebrews 10:24

If this episode encouraged you, please consider liking,subscribing, sharing, and leaving a review. It helps us continue reaching more people with stories of God's grace and faithfulness.