Dementia is a heartbreaking diagnosis to receive, and it starts a journey that should never be faced alone. In today’s episode, Pastor D.J. Horton and his guests, Chara Hosom and Tom Sinclair, members of his church and leaders in advocating for those with dementia, discuss both the challenging realities and the accompanying blessings of caring for those with dementia. Whether you are new to this journey or you’ve been struggling to care for a loved one for years, we hope you will listen in and be encouraged as they share openly and honestly from their own journeys, offering hard-won wisdom and lasting hope.

Are you making war on your sin, or are you being passive about it? Scripture says that in addition to receiving the love, grace, and forgiveness of Jesus, we must also purposefully and persistently battle our sin. This is the topic Pastor D.J. Horton and his three guests, Jared Hinkle, Alan Lachica, and Keith McKelvey, founders of MakeWar Ministries, are addressing on the latest podcast episode, specifically concerning men. It’s so easy to stand in church on a Sunday morning and fake your way through the service. It’s easy to fall into the trap of believing the crippling lie that you can never change or know victory over sin that has a vice grip on your life. But there is hope. Listen in to find out how, together, men can make war on sin and self so they can serve God and others well.

What’s the purpose of denominations? While denominationalism is a topic Christians may care about, many may not realize how much it impacts their personal lives. Join Pastor D.J. Horton and Clint Pressley, pastor of Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, as they discuss the future of denominationalism, common misconceptions surrounding it, and why churches need to be connected as a family. In a world that is becoming more and more cynical about institutions and denominations, Clint is the perfect person for this conversation as he serves his two-year term as the elected President of the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant Evangelical denomination in the world. Pastors can’t pastor alone, and churches can accomplish more together than they can apart.

The goal when it comes to marriage isn’t just to avoid divorce or keep from cheating on one another. God wants to enable us to have strong, healthy, anointed marriages. Marriages where couples are empowered to push back darkness and grow God’s Kingdom. Join Pastor D.J. Horton and Donna Ward, a  Christian counselor with 25 years of experience, as they discuss how to fight for the health and wholeness of the covenant of marriage. They share some common tactics of the enemy, practices that can help build strong marriages, as well as how to begin preparing our children for eventual marriage. God cares deeply about our marriages, and He is still in the business of healing, restoring, and reviving hearts and homes surrendered to Him.

All of creation declares God’s glory, and one of the ways we can experience His glory in nature is through deer hunting. Whether you’re connecting with God’s presence or making memories with friends and family, stealing away for time to hunt can be a gift. Join Pastor D.J. Horton and his guests, Kevin Drake, the Executive Director of Upward Sports, and Michael Lord of Michael Lord Sports, as they discuss their personal journeys with this pastime. From shooting your first deer to gospel opportunities and even the dangers that come from being too consumed with it, listen in as they unpack the intersection between being a hunter and a Christ-follower. 

When it comes to receiving counseling, there can be a stigma surrounding it. People often fear being judged or talked about. Sometimes feelings of pride and the fear of looking weak get in the way. It’s hard to ask for help, but the Lord has made it clear that godly counsel is something we need to seek—especially in those times when we are hurting or stuck in cycles of sin. Don’t miss this conversation between Pastor D.J. Horton, Becca Fisher, the Director of Biblical Counseling at Church at The Mill, and Tonya Jones, Director of the Biblical Counseling Training Center at Church at the Mill, as they talk about what biblical counseling is, why it’s so beneficial, and even how to become trained to be a counselor. Biblical counseling provides a beautiful opportunity for God to work, but it requires pressing past the resistance to even start.

The Lord has blessed us with incredible opportunities to enjoy outdoor sports like hunting and fishing, but what about when those things get in the way of Jesus being the main thing in our lives? Listen in to this honest and encouraging conversation between Pastor D.J. Horton and Hank Parker, professional bass fisherman & TV host, as they talk about how everyday men can become better ambassadors for Christ. Hank is a two-time Bassmaster Classic Champion and Bass Fishing Hall of Fame inductee, but he shares how the true legacy he wants to leave is that of being a man who loves Jesus and shares Him faithfully.

Do you ever struggle or feel discouraged when it comes to sharing your faith? As Christians, we know we are called to communicate the gospel, but when it comes to evangelism, so many say they just don’t know where to start. Join Pastor D.J. Horton and Pastor Brad Cooper, the lead pastor of Culture and Direction at New Spring Church, for a conversation on how to join with others in the work the Holy Spirit is already doing in the lives around us. Learn about leveraging your life right where you are - as a teacher, a coach, a plumber, a grandmother - as you let the pressure fall off and His light shine forth. Because people don’t need to see perfection, they need to see the reality of Jesus in our lives.

Christians committed to growing in Christ have non-negotiables in their lives, things like spending time in God’s Word, praying, and being an active part of a local church. But what about exercise? Does it matter how we care for our bodies? Join Pastor D.J. Horton and David Mathis, executive editor of Desiring God and author of A Little Theology of Exercise, for an encouraging and motivating conversation about how we treat our bodies and how deeply it impacts our spiritual lives. The world will tell you to exercise to be attractive, get a six-pack, and avoid any sign of aging, but we’ve got to find a better “why” for stewarding our bodies well.

There is a worldwide war on girls and their identity. The lies and darkness are coming at them at a speed and scale past generations didn’t face, like our young girls do now, through things like social media. That’s why D.J. invited Samantha Arp, the Girls’ Ministry and Curriculum Coordinator at Church at The Mill, to have a conversation about how we all - moms, dads, aunts, uncles, coaches, teachers, and pastors - can best help the young women in our lives know and grow in who they are in Christ. Listen in as Sam shares, with wisdom and sound theology, how we can build up this next generation of believers, not on shallow things, but to become women who hold unwaveringly to the Word and ways of God. Because we aren’t just raising women. We’re releasing warriors.