You may have never wondered where Panhandle, Texas, is located. If you wanted to find it on a map, think out the square top of Texas, and it’s right in the middle of that. J.D.’s guest on this episode is Brent Warren, pastor of The River in Panhandle. Running from an abusive father when Brent was three, his mom took him and his sister to live with his Godly grandparents. At an early age, he felt the call of God to serve as a pastor. Life challenges led to a failed church plant and a marriage that ended. Brent thought he was done with ministry. But as it usually goes, God was not done with him. He found a life partner in ministry, remarried, and returned to ministry. Eventually, he finds himself at The River church. Brent’s story will encourage you.

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J.D.'s guet on this episode is Tom Mercer. Odds are, if you have worked in ministry, you have probably read at least one of Tom's many books. He gew up in a Christain homa and his father was a pastor. Tom had always thought he would go into the “family” business of ministry. However, he witnessed the mistreatment of his father by the church he was serving in, and decided he wasn’t going to be a part of that. He left seminary and joined a friends marketing firm. It was a conversation with that Christian friend that finally made him realize he needed to get back to ministry. However, his time in marketing was not wasted. God has a way to make all things work together. Tom ultimately realized that the gospel needed to be represented (marketed) well “…conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ" (Phil 1:27). The rest is history. Tom has made his life’s work encouraging Christ followers to represent the Gospel in a manner that will honor Jesus Christ and demonstrate the care and compassion God has for this world. Listen and be encouraged.

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Sometimes, what makes you different makes you who you are. While that may seem obvious, that cannot be truer for Eric Gamero, the pastor of The Local Church in South Florida. Eric had a Cuban father and a Korean mother. The culture clash eventually led to his parent's separation. Spending weekends with his mom meant that he grew up in a Korean church. Accepting Christ at 12 while at a summer camp, he didn’t understand what that looked like until he was 15 and decided to commit his life to serving God. Being one of two Asian kids in his high school made him very aware of what it means to be on the “outside.” This understanding still feeds his desire today to find those in the world outside of the love of Jesus and to help them see it. Listen today and be inspired.

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Our guest today comes all the way from Holland. Not the land of Tulips, Holland, Michigan. Travis Rae is the Discipleship Pastor at Central Wesleyan Church and the Director of Waters Edge, a church building and planting organization. It truly is a miracle that you can hear from Travis today. His parents (mom pregnant with Travis) were traveling in Eastern Europe on April 26, 1986. The date may not ring a bell, but maybe the word Chornobyl sounds familiar. If not, the Chornobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine exploded. The accident caused the largest uncontrolled radioactive release into the environment ever recorded for any civilian operation. As a result, after returning to the United States, Travis was born with the extremely rare genetic disorder, C9 Immune Deficiency. We won’t spoil the story, but you will want to hear how this miracle led to a life committed to supporting church leaders and a passion for witnessing the baptism of new Christians.

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Jamal Jones knows he was fortunate to be raised in a Christian home with both of his parents. The youngest of five children, he learned early that he wanted to dedicate his life to serving the Lord. He wasn't sure what that would look like. A successful high school football experience led to a scholarship to play for the Fresno State Bulldogs. While at Fresno State, he became involved with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. His experience in FCA eventually led him to choose a career in Christian counseling, and now he has a practice in Fresno, CA. Listen to his story, and you will be inspired.

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J.D.'s guest today is Pastor Jeremy McGarity. Growing up in a non-Christian home, Jeremy loved sports, but mostly baseball. He was drafted out of high school into the Minor Leagues as a pitcher. On the team, Jeremy noticed that the third baseman handled life differently than all the other players. A conversation led to an invite to a Bible study. This led to Jeremy leading the study, and his ministry life just continued after that. His journey will inspire you, and you will not want to miss the rest of the story.

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Yes, it's true, J.D.'s guest today was in fact named after the Old Testament prophet Micah. It's in the Bible if you don't remember. It's that one, just past Jonah. As you hear Micah, the one from Fresno, CA, share his journey. You can see how God can take life's challenges and turn them around for his purpose. Growing up in and around ministry, Micah took on several challenges. Finally, it led him to a role where he now serves pastors through his own business called Dream Support. If you ever feel like you have too much on your plate, you can check them out at www.dreamsupport.club or contact Micah through his email. Listen today, be encouraged, and ask for help if you need it.

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In this episode, JD has a conversation with Dr. John Jackson. He is currently serving as the President of William Jessup University. In his ministry life, he has been a church pastor, a church planter, and a mission leader of a denomination. He has a passion for the local church and a passion for leadership. His ministry experience has taught him valuable lessons about himself and what is essential when someone is in that role. Don't miss this conversation; you will be encouraged and gain valuable leadership lessons.

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Some people have been in ministry for a long time and have been a part of some great movements, and then there is Jack Hamilton. He has done both and more. In today's conversation, you will hear Jack's story from the beginning and how God carried him through ministry and service to others ministering. You won't want to miss Jack's story. Listen, and you will truly be inspired.

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Joining the conversation today is no stranger to the Excel Network. Dave Bennet has raised more money for churches than most of us will earn in a lifetime. In today's podcast, Dave shares the life-altering moment when his doctor spoke two words, cancer and malignant. Initially feeling abandoned by God, Dave tells JD how he saw purpose through the challenge and how it has changed his life. Listen to his story today, and you will be encouraged.

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