In this bonus podcast episode, D.J. is speaking with his friend, Josh Powell. As lifelong Southern Baptists, they both care deeply about the work of the Southern Baptist Convention. He is being nominated as president of the SBC, and in this episode, he shares about his journey, his motives, and what they are both most excited about in Baptist work.

Studies from the Barna Group and Lifeway Research show that 70–75% of Christian youth disengage from their faith and church after high school. In light of this, it feels like an important question to consider whether they will attend a college that will make living a life of faith easier or more challenging. Join Pastor D.J. Horton as he talks with Dr. Evans Whitaker, the twelfth president of Anderson University. Dr. Whitaker has a heart for Christian higher education, and he received the Order of the Palmetto from Governor Henry McMaster—South Carolina’s highest civilian honor, presented to those who demonstrate extraordinary life achievement, service, and contributions of national or statewide significance. Listen in as he shares why college is so much more than just producing graduates; it’s producing professionals of depth and great character.

What is true success in this life? If it’s something that forever feels just out of reach in your own life, don’t miss this conversation that Pastor D.J. Horton has with Clyde Christensen, the current associate head football coach at Appalachian State, who has also coached the likes of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, Marvin Harrison, and Jameis Winston during his nearly 50-year career. Adopted after being born to an unwed teen mom, Clyde would never say that he’s a man who has “made it” because he coached in the NFL. Success for him has always been connected to helping people grow, trusting the Lord, doing his best at his work, and finding joy wherever God leads him. Where God has you today matters. Are you making the most of it?

Knowing what to do after high school can feel overwhelming for young people as they try to figure out what’s next in life. Should they pursue a trade? Go to college? If so, what kind of college? Join Pastor D.J. Horton and Dr. Dondi Costin, President of Liberty University, for a conversation on the value and importance of Christian higher education. Dondi, a retired Major General whose military career culminated at the Pentagon, where he served as the eighteenth Air Force Chief of Chaplains, has long had a passion for helping young people discern their calling. College shapes our children physically, mentally, emotionally, and, most importantly, spiritually, so it’s vital to consider whether or not the college they attend will equip them to be stronger spiritually and more committed to a biblical worldview.

Government is a gift from God. Yet we live in challenging times when some would consider “politics” a bad word or a topic to be completely avoided. But we, as believers, need to be both politically informed and involved. Join Pastor D.J. Horton as he talks with Trey Gowdy—attorney, author, Fox News Host, and former congressman—about faith, serving in the public square, and what it means to leverage our lives, our gifts, our abilities, and even our citizenship for God’s glory. Because it is good for people of faith to care deeply about the civics of their nation, and we can be people who engage civilly and live authentically.

Scripture calls us to forgive, but what if your pain makes forgiveness seem impossible? Don’t miss Dr. D.J. Horton speaking with Reverend Anthony B. Thompson, a pastor who astounded the city of Charleston and our nation when he openly forgave the gunman who murdered his wife, Myra, in the 2015 Emanuel AME Church shooting. He went on to write the memoir, “Called to Forgive,” and almost 11 years after the incident, Rev. Thompson is on D.J.’s podcast sharing openly about his faith journey, his marriage to Myra, his wrestling with the Lord, and, ultimately, the undeniable power of forgiveness. His life is evidence that the difficult decision to forgive can become the key to radical change—in your life, in the lives of others, and even in a city.

There is a great deal of emphasis on helping young men and women start strong in their careers or ministry, but we must not forget the importance of calling and equipping them to finish strong. Leaders can also struggle with finding their identity in their ministry, leading them to stay too long instead of passing on the baton. Join Pastor D.J. Horton for a conversation on this topic with Dr. Danny Akin, President of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. Dr. Akin is set to retire from his presidency this year, a position he has held since 2004, and D.J. is quick to share that Danny is a man who began well, stayed faithful, and is finishing strong. In a world where we see people starting out with incredible gifts and abilities that lead to fruitful ministries, only to have their lives and ministries marred by scandal at the very end, this is a discussion every leader needs to hear.

The world’s greatest problem is lostness, and we as believers have the answer—the gospel. But how do we encourage more believers not only to go on short-term mission trips, but to dedicate seasons of their lives to living in places where the gospel has not yet penetrated the culture? Join Pastor D.J. Horton and Dr. Paul Chitwood, President of the International Mission Board, for a conversation about all that the IMB does to support missionaries, as well as how to stir people’s hearts for the nations. No follower of Jesus is excluded from the Great Commission, and we all have a part to play—from young men and women training to go on daring expeditions, to everyday people mobilizing trips through funding, to retirees leveraging seasons of their lives. 

Children are influenced by a wide range of people in their lives, such as pastors, teachers, coaches, camp counselors, and church ministry volunteers. But the most influential people in most children’s lives are their parents, and one of the greatest stewardships of a parent’s life is shaping the children God blesses them with. Join Pastor D.J. Horton and his wife, Laurel, as they talk about the joys and challenges of parenthood. With seven children of their own and 22 years of parenting experience, you don’t want to miss the wisdom they have to share or their honesty about their struggles. 

When it comes to helping people, one of the groups that can struggle the most is actually pastors. The burnout rate in pastoral ministry is extraordinarily high, and with the average age of pastors in North America being their late fifties, not only do we need more men entering pastoral ministry, but we need more pastors staying, thriving, and enjoying leading a local church. One of the keys to longevity is found in the power of pastoral friendships. Listen in as D.J. talks to four of his best friends in local ministry, Pastors Wayne Bray, Mike Harder, Cory Horton, and Josh Powell, all of whom lead churches in the upstate of South Carolina. Every pastor needs the camaraderie of brothers who understand the joys and struggles of being in the trenches of ministry, and that takes intentionality.