The Don’t Knock It Podcast

In this episode, I sit down with my friend Jonathan Maccarone to hear how the Lord captured his heart in the most unexpected way—through a youth group that, at first glance, wasn’t appealing at all. What drew him in wasn’t the games or the retreats, but the depth of Scripture in the lives of the students and the mentorship of his youth pastor, Joshua Camper.

Jonathan shares how picking up the cajon eventually led him to the drums, giving him his first opportunity to serve on the worship team. Along the way, he also talks about how being introduced to reformed theology challenged him to think deeply about God’s Word and reshaped his walk with Christ.

If you’ve ever doubted whether God can use simple things like retreats, youth leaders, or even a cajon to transform a life, Jonathan’s story will remind you of the power of Scripture and the faithfulness of God.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• ​How an unappealing youth group and its retreats became the place God drew Jonathan in
• ​The mentorship of Pastor Joshua Camper and the role it played in his spiritual growth
• ​How playing the cajon and drums became an on-ramp to worship ministry
• ​The introduction of reformed theology into his journey of faith

Links & Resources:

• ​Follow The Don’t Knock It Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
• ​Support the show for exclusive extended cuts and bonus episodes: Subscribe on Spotify ➡️ https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dontknockit/

In this encouraging conversation, I sit down with my friend Dario Gomez to talk about his journey of following Jesus as a young believer. From his high school days—where he faithfully and boldly invited his peers to youth group—to navigating the responsibilities of marriage at just 20 years old, Dario’s story is one marked by humility, courage, and God’s grace.

We discuss the challenges he’s faced in balancing school, work, and home life, and how making difficult decisions in those areas has shaped both his character and his faith. Along the way, we explore the gift of hospitality that seems to overflow naturally from his life and how the Lord continues to use him to serve others.

Whether you’re a student, newly married, or simply trying to discern God’s will in the midst of everyday decisions, Dario’s story will inspire you to be faithful right where you are.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• ​How Dario lived out his faith as a teenager and invited peers to encounter Jesus
• ​The joys and challenges of getting married young
• ​Lessons learned from juggling school, work, and family responsibilities
• ​The role of humility and hospitality in shaping his walk with Christ
• ​Why small, faithful decisions can have a big kingdom impact

Links & Resources:

• Follow The Don't Knock It Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts

• Support the show for exclusive bonus episodes:

Subscribe on Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dontknockit/subscribe

In this heartfelt conversation, I sit down with my wife Karalyn Ramirez to explore her unique journey growing up homeschooled, how that shaped her social world, and the unexpected ways it intersected with her passion for competitive ice skating. We talk about the challenges and blessings of navigating friendships in that season, the discipline and pressure of life on the rink, and how both worlds prepared her for deeper life lessons.

We also dive into her love for photography—not just as an art form, but as a spiritual crucible that tested, refined, and strengthened her faith. From moments of creative joy to seasons of doubt, she shares how seeing life through the lens helped her see God more clearly.

Whether you’ve experienced homeschooling, the competitive sports world, or the creative grind, you’ll find encouragement in her story and be reminded that God’s shaping work is often found in unexpected places.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• ​Growing up homeschooled: the blessings, the challenges, and the myths
• ​How ice skating shaped discipline, resilience, and identity
• ​Building social circles outside of traditional school settings
• ​Photography as a tool for both creative expression and spiritual refinement
• ​Lessons learned when faith is tried, tested, and ultimately deepened

Links & Resources:

• ​Follow The Don’t Knock It Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
• ​Support the show for exclusive bonus episodes: Subscribe on Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dontknockit/subscribe

In this episode, I sit down with my friend Dillon Pisciotti who shares how God’s love reached him in the middle of addiction, rebellion, and a six-month stay in juvenile hall.

From early exposure to drugs in middle school to a spiral of teenage rebellion, Dillon’s story is raw—but redemptive.

Now a tattoo artist who shares the hope of Christ with every client, Dillon opens up about the freedom he’s found, the girl who helped point him to Jesus, and what it means to follow Christ after only one year of being saved.

If you’ve ever wondered if God’s love could reach you… Dillon’s story is proof that no one is too far gone.

Rejoice with me as you listen to how another lost sheep was pursued and found by the Good Shepherd!

Extended Cut: Available exclusively to Spotify subscribers.

In this extended cut, Sarah and I talk about prayer through pain, the silence of God in suffering, and what it means to keep trusting when He feels distant, in addition to what we talked about in her episode that’s available to everyone!

In this episode, Sarah Terrazas shares how her journey from atheism to new age spirituality—and eventually to Christ—was shaped by mountains, a bear encounter, and now horses.

What started as spiritual curiosity turned into a story of surrender, as God used both beauty and brokenness to draw her in.

If you’ve ever felt disillusioned with religion or unsure what to believe, Sarah’s honest, unexpected testimony invites you to take a second look.

Before you knock it… take a listen.

This isn’t just a trailer, it’s a turning point.

In this episode, I share the new heartbeat behind The Don’t Knock It Podcast. While still addressing the misconceptions surrounding Jesus, His Church, and His Word, the podcast is now stepping deeper into real stories—trials that shape us, triumphs that inspire us, and testimonies that point us to the Savior.

If you’ve ever wrestled with hard questions, felt misunderstood by the Church, or wondered if the Gospel really changes anything… this season—and this direction—is for you.

We’re not here to escape the mess.

We’re here to meet Jesus in the middle of it.

Welcome to The Don’t Knock It Podcast!

Can the Gospel Transform…Middle Schoolers?

Middle school can feel like a war zone—awkward transitions, unspoken pressures, and a deep longing to belong. In this episode, I sit down with three honest, funny, and wise-beyond-their-years middle school guests (Berlyn Santiago, Sawyer Rawls, and Christian Espinoza) to explore a raw and rarely asked question: Can the gospel really transform this part of life?

From silent battles with anxiety to the struggle of being misunderstood by adults, from hallway drama to hope in Jesus, these students give us a front-row seat to what it’s like to live out the gospel in one of the most misunderstood seasons of life.

Together, we ask:

• ​What do middle schoolers wish adults really understood?
• ​Where do things feel too messy or broken for God to fix?
• ​What would it look like if Jesus showed up in their school?
• ​Is the Church missing something when it comes to reaching the next generation?

This episode isn’t about preaching at middle schoolers—it’s about listening to them. And through their words, we’re reminded that the gospel isn’t just good news for grown-ups—it’s good news for everyone. Even now. Even here. Even in middle school.

Welcome to Episode 6 of Season 6: Can the Gospel Transform?

Can the Gospel Transform Therapy?

In this episode of Don’t Knock It, I sit down to explore the intersection of faith and family dynamics. Can biblical wisdom and modern psychology work together to bring healing to relationships? Or are they, as many assume, in conflict with one another?

Our guest this week, Steven Hobbs, brings both professional expertise and a deep commitment to the Gospel into this discussion. As President of Thriving Families, with an MS in Counseling Psychology and an MA in Theology, Steven is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who has spent years helping individuals and families navigate relational challenges with both biblical truth and clinical wisdom.

Throughout this episode, Steven addresses common misconceptions about therapy within the Church, explains how faith and psychology can work together to bring lasting healing, and shares how a biblical understanding of grace, forgiveness, and emotional health can transform families and communities.

If you’ve ever wrestled with whether therapy is compatible with Christianity, or if you’ve wondered how biblical truth applies to emotional and relational struggles, this episode is for you.

Episode Highlights:

• ​The tension between faith and modern psychology
• ​Breaking the stigma around mental health in the Church
• ​How biblical principles and professional counseling complement one another
• ​Practical ways to apply Gospel truths in family relationships

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

📢 Connect with Us:

Twitter/X: @dkipodcast

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!

Can the Gospel Transform Science?

In this episode of Don’t Knock It, host Chris Ramirez sits down to explore the intersection of faith and science. Can a love for scientific discovery and a deep faith in God coexist? Or are they, as many assume, fundamentally opposed?

Our guest this week, Denise Hobbs, shares their journey of pursuing science while holding firm to their Christian faith, tackling questions about doubt, secular worldviews, and how the Gospel shapes the way we study the natural world.

Denise brings insightful answers to the following questions:

• ​How has faith been a driving force behind a love for science?
• ​Has studying science ever led to a crisis of faith?
• ​How should a Christian respond to the claim, “I don’t believe in God, I believe in science”?
• ​How does the Gospel transform our view of science?

If you’ve ever wrestled with how to reconcile Scripture with scientific discovery—or if you’ve wondered whether the Church and the lab can work together—this episode is for you.

Join us as we lean into hard conversations, resist the urge to dismiss difficult topics, and pursue Gospel-saturated, hope-filled answers.

Can the Gospel transform science? Let’s talk about it.

Episode Highlights:

• ​The misconception that faith and science are at odds
• ​How the pursuit of truth in science can deepen faith
• ​Responding to skepticism with both logic and love
• ​The role of the Gospel in reshaping how we approach scientific study

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

📢 Connect with Us:

Twitter: @dkipodcast

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!