April 30, 2026

Finding Friends and Faith in Unlikely Places with Wayne Francis

34 minutes

Having grown up during hip-hop’s birth and early years in the Bronx, Wayne Francis is an unabashed fan of, and advocate for, all things New York. But the lessons he’s learned about faith and friendships will resonate with men in big cities and small towns alike, regardless of their race or background.

Wayne shares some of those lessons with Nate Dewberry this week, including the different “depths” of male friendships and why it’s good to have a variety of all of them in your life; the blessings that come from hard work and an entrepreneurial spirit; and the importance of having relationships with non-believers—as well as a plan for getting those relationships started without pressure or pretense.

Segments/chapters
0:00 Passing important values along to the next generation
4:13 The challenges and rewards of leading a diverse church congregation
8:42 Wayne’s thoughts and observations on male friendships
14:42 Engaging with those from a different faith, or no faith at all
20:20 Wayne’s upbringing as an immigrant in the Bronx
24:56 Grand Central Station and Wayne’s definition of redemption
27:32 A difficult season of life and how God guided Wayne through it

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The Redeemed is an organization giving men from all backgrounds a supportive, judgment-free environment, grounded in Christian love without demanding participation in any faith tradition, where they can open up about their challenges, worries, and failures—and celebrate their triumphs over those struggles.