Guys Like Us

The Guys Like Us Podcast is joined with Thane Marcus who is an entrepreneur, author, podcaster, and ex-pro golfer! Thane originates from Kansas but joins us from Los Angeles, California, fresh off releasing his latest book, “From Here to There: A Quarter-Life Perspective on the Path to Mastery.” Thane shares the origins of the book, and the unexpected place of revelation. We discuss the mental models of mastery and the how to view the development process. Thane harps on self-awareness to better understand yourself. Who are you created, equipped, and called to be? Thane speaks on purpose and how to think about your calling, one that builds over time. He’s been leaning in to the spirit-led life and elaborates on the both/and on God’s Word and God’s grace. We discuss the Up & Comers Podcast, a show geared toward millennials on learning on how to live a good life. We conclude with a heart-check, in the midst of culture we need to think about the cause, rather than the effect. Familiarity breeds complacency, Thane is man on the move, striving to give back and glorify God through it all. Stay committed! You can find Thane at thanemarcus.com

The Guys Like Us Podcast is joined with Andy Bannister who is an author, writer, photographer, adjunct speaker for RZIM, and Director for the Solas Centre for Public Christianity. Andy talks about his education in Islamic Studies and how he stepped into apologetics. Andy shares how we can live together, in the midst of our differences. It’s people who are equal, it’s ideas that are not. We must move away from thinking about Abrahamic faiths to bring together Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Let’s look at each religion as different, rather than assuming similarity. Andy speaks to university audiences across the world on relevant topics by meeting people where they are, “in the public square,” like the early Apostles in Ephesus. Andy dives into some common atheist arguments, the problems with the logic, and the solution found at the cross. Finally, we discuss public Christianity, taking the Gospel outside of the traditional church setting at both a communal and individual level. From head, to heart, to imagination, the Word connects through them all. You can find Andy and more about what he is doing by visiting him at solas-cpc.org.

The Guys Like Us is joined with Kenny Luck who is a pastor, author and founder of Every Man Ministries. Kenny shares more about how he backed-in to Every Man Ministries by working out how to be God’s man in the environment and the power he found in men’s community. He fired himself as the CEO of the company he was leading, and responded on God’s call to shift gears to a new path. We jump into one of his most recent books, “Dangerous Good: The Coming Revolution of Men Who Care” and what it means to be a healthy Christian man. We start back at the person of Christ, and the character he embodied in his life. He brought a whole new brand of masculinity. Relationships are foundational to character, and families are the breeding group for relationships. Kenny calls us to go back when we were little, wearing superman and spider-man pajamas, a guy delivering justice, countering evil, and defending the weak and thinking about this image as the path forward. Becoming a leader first requires a strong relationship with God and an authentic consistent community. Hear more about the mission and vision of Every Man Ministries and the immense impact they are having across the globe. Kenny speaks on the power of healthy men moving others to be who they are destined to be, and the light to shine in God’s image. You can find more at everymanministries.com.

The Guys Like Us is joined with Jay Stringer who is a therapist, author, and speaker. His latest book “Unwanted: How Sexual Brokenness Reveals Our Way to Healing.” We know that a lot of people are struggling with pornography and infidelity and many are not sure why this is happening and also what freedom from sexual brokenness looks like. Accountability is part of the equation, but is not the way the full way to healing. There is a dimension of everyone’s life that can find healing in sexual brokenness, wherever you find may yourself in this season. How are we posturing ourselves dealing with these challenges? What is the best way to improve our situation? Jay shares some background into his story and provides some good questions that can open up childhood experiences that may have impacted the present. Hear a few practical ways of how you can work through these dimensions of life to regulate and come to healing. Jay also discusses his latest video course, Journey into the Heart of Man, which helps get to the bottom of why they do what they do. Through using the arousal template and a self-assessment. What does it mean to listen to your lust? Jay invites us to go straight to the heart of the pain, the core of the cause. Find more about Jay and how you can get involved at jay-stringer.com and the self-paced course at heartofmanjourney.com

The Guys Like Us is joined with Andrew Bauman who is an author, speaker, mental health counselor, and psychotherapist. His latest book, “Stumbling Toward Wholeness: How the Love of God Changes Us” provides a psychological take on the prodigal son parable and its deeply personal nature. How can we become more like God the Father in our healing? Andrew talks through his childhood and some challenging deep issues that required Andrew to make sense of his faith and his family. We discuss some of the pressures being in positions with high expectations. For Andrew, the path forward was by “slowly dying.” The statistics behind pornography are staggering with evangelical men and pastors. However, there is an alternative and it takes losing yourself to come to wholeness. Andrew breaks down three roles; the runaway son, the elder brother, and God the Father. How do you get to the resurrection? Andrew invites us into a death, as the crucial process to get to the resurrection. Andrew writes about porn, grief, and healing and you can find his work at www.andrewjbauman.com

The Guys Like Us is joined with Dr.David Vanderpool who is a surgeon, missionary, and founder and CEO of Live Beyond. David joins us today from Haiti, but was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. David started in disaster relief assistance, through natural and man-made conflict and then shifted to become a development organization providing long-term care in infrastructure to administer basic needs in developing countries. Faith is the center of Live Beyond, and is the way that the organization moves forward on a day to day basis. People who are hungry are not going to here you preach until you feed them! Live Beyond engages those by listening to the people and their needs first. Haiti’s religious life is high in voodoos, which is the antithesis of Judeo-Christianity, yet a great opportunity for the Kingdom and for the health of the society with Live Beyond stepping in. Here more about the change happening through Christ in individuals lives in Haiti. You can find David at www.livebeyond.org

The Guys Like Us is joined with Mark Driscoll who is a pastor and author. We dig into the early days when God spoke to him and his ministry started, “Marry Grace, preach the Bible, train men, and plant churches.” We jump into his latest book “Spirit-Filled Jesus” and dive into the power the Spirit had on Jesus life. If the Holy Spirit is powerful in Jesus life, should it be in your life? Mark shares some examples of how the spirit must be looked at in the mundane as well as the in the heat of the moment. Hear a powerful story of how a young woman was able to forgive when all looked dark and sad. True hope can only come from one source. Remember Ephesians 4:32 to “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ God forgave you.” You are forgiven, your debt has been eradicated. Tune in to hear more about Mark’s story and recent work. Visit www.markdriscoll.org and where books can be found.

The Guys Like Us Podcast is joined with Jonathan “JP” Pokluda who is an author and pastor. We begin the show by diving into his latest book, “Welcome to Adulting: Navigating Faith, Friendship, Finances, and the Future.” Jonathan grew up outside of the faith, and did not have a relationship with Christ until he made some changes in his early 20’s. Are you coming to faith? Are you looking to get back into your faith? JP shares a multitude of ways to get involved and it starts with knowing what you believe. Staying on a path where you know the right source of knowledge, and recognizing that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” We bring it back to the beginning of all things, where does creation come from? We talk about JP’s personal experience facing pornography and how he’s been able to get out of this addiction. Many are struggling with pornography but the good news is that there is hope, and it’s available now. Finally, he shares the importance of being vulnerable, not only for your own deliverance, but to reach others and bring freedom to the world.

The Guys Like Us is joined with Ben Pierce who is an Author, Artist, Podcaster, Apologist, and a Disciple of Christ. In this episode you’ll hear about Ben’s back story growing up as a missionary kid and the roots of Steiger. Steiger is a mission’s organization that reaches people outside of the church. How can we reach a culture in crisis? Steiger aims to be new school mission in tools, and old school in their values. We discuss more about the current role of the Church, and the need to be more like Jesus! Ben’s latest book, “Jesus in the Secular World,” opens up the simple basics needed for God to move in power. He shares the model of Nehemiah in the way to go out and love the world. We need Him, we seek Him, and we take a step a faith. Ben shares a bit more about apologetics highlighting the importance of listening, as we often prefer to speak and profess. We are failing to contextualize the life of Christ in the world! Ben’s book releases on November 23rd and can be found at www.steiger.org/jsw . You can also tune in to his podcast, Provoke & Inspire.

The Guys Like Us is joined with Dick Foth, who is an author, storyteller, and speaker. Dick’s earliest memory at the early age of three in New York City, watching a parade for Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander coming back from Europe. From this moment, Dick explored the world, setting sail for India, where he’d spend some of his formative years. In this episode, you’ll see the bold curiosity and courageousness that Dick embodies. We discuss his time working with people in places of power in Washington, D.C. The Attorney General and the head of the Navy, became his two best friends! Dick details his passion for storytelling, and the place that he starts the conversation. His approach is much more conducive to developing a good relationship than bringing up divisive topics. Before we make a judgment, let’s get to know the other. How do we flourish our relationships? Hear how Dick has maintained and developed long relationships through the years. Finally, he explains the need for authentic and deep relationships, exploring how we are known, rather than what we are not. You can find his book, “Known: Finding Deep Friendships in a Shallow World,” on Amazon or at www.known.fm