The Redeemed Man

“Life is like vapor.” Micah McElveen learned that the hard way at age 15, when a freak swimming accident left him clinically dead for five minutes—and potentially a paraplegic for life. As he fought to regain the use of his body, though, Micah also found a new sense of gratitude and focus that eventually led him to found Vapor Ministries, an organization offering food, health, and hope to thousands in some of the most impoverished places on earth. In this week’s episode, Micah talks to Nate Dewberry about that journey and the direct instructions from God that inspired it and sustain it today.

Segments/chapters

0:00 Intro/Opening questions

2:55 The near-death experience that catalyzed Micah’s spiritual life

10:03 Navigating a long recovery, and learning a new sense of gratitude

18:30 The people who encouraged and advised Micah along the way

23:52 What drew Micah to ministry and a life of caring for the poor

30:10 Micah expands his ministry to another continent

35:25 Micah’s partner in work, ministry, and life

40:28 Advice for men seeking to refocus their lives on serving those in need

47:11 Lessons and practices that help keep Micah focused and grateful

51:57 How you can participate in Vapor Ministries’ work/Closing thoughts

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The Redeemed is an organization giving men from all backgrounds a supportive, judgment-free environment, grounded in Christian love without demanding participation in any faith tradition, where they can open up about their challenges, worries, and failures—and celebrate their triumphs over those struggles.

• Starting Point: https://theredeemed.com/sp
• Join the Community: https://theredeemed.com/jointr
• Have a redemption story? Share your redemption story here.
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When you’re an athletic coach, you also function in some ways as a pastor; when you’re a pastor, you also take on the role of a coach. Wren Aaron, who spent 25 years as a coach and public school teacher, and another 17 in ministry, has plenty of experience with the ups and downs of both. Currently the regional director of the Nations of Coaches athletics ministry, Wren talks with Nate Dewberry this week about the lessons he’s learned in both roles. He shares not only the leadership principles that have become guiding lights in his life and career, but also his thoughts on marriage and fatherhood, as well as maintaining bonds with other men that matter, whether we realize it or not.

Segments/chapters

0:00 Intro/Wren’s résumé

4:22 Wren’s history with basketball

10:02 Difficult periods on Wren’s spiritual journey

15:56 When someone you’ve invested a lot in makes the wrong choice

18:23 Reflections on marriage and fatherhood

24:26 Wren’s guiding principles of coaching and leadership

30:11 Maintaining relationships and accountability across different seasons of life

39:21 Closing thoughts

Find community, deepen your faith, join the brotherhood for free today at theredeemed.com/join.

Visit The Redeemed's website for downloadable discussion question sets,  show notes, inspirational articles, more resources, or to share your testimony.
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The Redeemed is an organization giving men from all backgrounds a supportive, judgment-free environment, grounded in Christian love without demanding participation in any faith tradition, where they can open up about their challenges, worries, and failures—and celebrate their triumphs over those struggles.

• Starting Point: https://theredeemed.com/sp
• Join the Community: https://theredeemed.com/jointr
• Have a redemption story? Share your redemption story here.
• Interested in being a guest on our podcast?   Email [email protected]

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When we first welcomed Chris and Karla Hines to The Redeemed Man two years ago, Chris, a former pastor and businessman, had just founded the Marriage in Focus ministry in Auburn, Alabama. Since then, Marriage in Focus has grown by leaps and bounds, Karla has joined the ministry full time—and they’ve celebrated 30 years of marriage. Chris and Karla talk with Nate Dewberry this week about what they’ve learned from guiding dozens of marriage retreats and what they share with those couples about communicating openly, “fighting fairly,” encouraging vulnerability—and keeping God at the center of it all.

Segments/chapters

0:00 Intro/A little bit of Chris and Karla’s backstory

4:19 The mission of Marriage in Focus and recent developments in the ministry

11:08 What MIF’s premarital counseling entails

18:34 How their counseling work has helped Chris and Karla’s marriage grow

24:55 Tips on “fighting fairly” and communicating well

31:09 How men can better articulate their true emotions in times of conflict

39:53 How women can encourage their husbands to be honest and vulnerable

48:22 Every couple’s situation is different—but God’s love is universal

53:53 Finding hope on the other side of infidelity and betrayal

Find community, deepen your faith, join the brotherhood for free today at theredeemed.com/join.

Visit The Redeemed's website for downloadable discussion question sets,  show notes, inspirational articles, more resources, or to share your testimony.
Join our Exclusive Newsletter: Signup today and be the first to get notified on upcoming podcasts and new resources!

The Redeemed is an organization giving men from all backgrounds a supportive, judgment-free environment, grounded in Christian love without demanding participation in any faith tradition, where they can open up about their challenges, worries, and failures—and celebrate their triumphs over those struggles.

• Starting Point: https://theredeemed.com/sp
• Join the Community: https://theredeemed.com/jointr
• Have a redemption story? Share your redemption story here.
• Interested in being a guest on our podcast?   Email [email protected]

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As a teenager, Austin Milster remembers that his faith was mainly about following rules and checking boxes. But his time in the Army prompted him to re-evaluate his life and invest in the search for a more meaningful relationship with Christ. This week, Austin covers a variety of topics in conversation with Nate Dewberry, from how our own upbringing can echo in the way we guide, encourage, and discipline our kids to resisting the pressure to put work before family, and what he’s learned as a leader of The Redeemed’s small online groups.

Segments/chapters

0:00 Intro/What does redemption mean to you?

3:02 Austin’s faith journey

6:08 The regular disciplines that have helped Austin find a more meaningful faith

9:58 How athletic activity can help us become mentally and spiritually stronger

14:22 Fatherhood and what it teaches us about ourselves

21:33 Walking the line between encouragement and discipline

27:36 Guiding principles for balancing work, marriage, and parenthood

33:39 What Austin’s learned from leading small groups at The Redeemed

41:35 Creating an environment where men are willing to be vulnerable

45:20 Closing thoughts: Advice for guys who feel lost

Find community, deepen your faith, join the brotherhood for free today at theredeemed.com/join.

Visit The Redeemed's website for downloadable discussion question sets,  show notes, inspirational articles, more resources, or to share your testimony.
Join our Exclusive Newsletter: Signup today and be the first to get notified on upcoming podcasts and new resources!

The Redeemed is an organization giving men from all backgrounds a supportive, judgment-free environment, grounded in Christian love without demanding participation in any faith tradition, where they can open up about their challenges, worries, and failures—and celebrate their triumphs over those struggles.

• Starting Point: https://theredeemed.com/sp
• Join the Community: https://theredeemed.com/jointr
• Have a redemption story? Share your redemption story here.
• Interested in being a guest on our podcast?   Email [email protected]

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As president and CEO of Atlanta Mission, a shelter for people experiencing homelessness in Atlanta, Tensley Almand has gained firsthand perspective on why people find themselves without shelter and what we can do to help them secure stable lives and careers. In an eye-opening conversation with Nate Dewberry, Tensley shares some of the personal journey that took him from church pastor to head of the Southeast’s largest homeless ministry, and explains concepts such as “relational poverty” and “intact-family homelessness” that should make all of us realize just how thin a line there is between lives of abundance and lives on the edge.

Segments/chapters

0:00 Intro

1:34 “Like every good story, it involves a girl”: Tensley’s faith and family journey

9:37 Surviving the crucible of COVID as a church leader

15:44 The transition from Decatur City Church to Atlanta Mission

27:18 Atlanta Mission’s history and purpose

32:59 What people don’t realize about homelessness

42:38 How churchgoers and churches can make a bigger difference

47:00 Trends Tensley is seeing in the unhoused community

57:32 Closing thoughts on leadership and the obligations of love

Find community, deepen your faith, join the brotherhood for free today at theredeemed.com/join.

Visit The Redeemed's website for downloadable discussion question sets,  show notes, inspirational articles, more resources, or to share your testimony.
Join our Exclusive Newsletter: Signup today and be the first to get notified on upcoming podcasts and new resources!

The Redeemed is an organization giving men from all backgrounds a supportive, judgment-free environment, grounded in Christian love without demanding participation in any faith tradition, where they can open up about their challenges, worries, and failures—and celebrate their triumphs over those struggles.

• Starting Point: https://theredeemed.com/sp
• Join the Community: https://theredeemed.com/jointr
• Have a redemption story? Share your redemption story here.
• Interested in being a guest on our podcast?   Email [email protected]

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In February 2023, Zach Meerkreebs was simply serving as a guest pastor at one of Asbury University’s regularly scheduled chapel services when he told his audience, “Do not leave here until you experience the love of God so that you can pour it out.” Not only did students spontaneously decide to stick around, they did so for 16 days, with the crowd at times growing to more than 50,000 people. This week Zach talks with Nate Dewberry about both what he preached on at the revival and what he’s learned since, including new perspectives on admitting weakness and how we can be humble before the Lord without settling for mediocrity.

Segments/chapters

0:00 Intro/Meditations on our weakness vs. God’s strength

2:47 Why men find it especially difficult to confront and admit weakness

11:03 The 2023 Asbury revival and how it changed Zach’s life and perspectives

15:59 Being humble doesn’t require you to be meek or mediocre

22:31 Everyday practices for staying humble, mindful, and spiritually healthy

Find community, deepen your faith, join the brotherhood for free today at theredeemed.com/join.

Visit The Redeemed's website for downloadable discussion question sets,  show notes, inspirational articles, more resources, or to share your testimony.
Join our Exclusive Newsletter: Signup today and be the first to get notified on upcoming podcasts and new resources!

The Redeemed is an organization giving men from all backgrounds a supportive, judgment-free environment, grounded in Christian love without demanding participation in any faith tradition, where they can open up about their challenges, worries, and failures—and celebrate their triumphs over those struggles.

• Starting Point: https://theredeemed.com/sp
• Join the Community: https://theredeemed.com/jointr
• Have a redemption story? Share your redemption story here.
• Interested in being a guest on our podcast?   Email [email protected]

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Aaron Armstrong didn’t open the Bible looking for Jesus; he opened it to mess with a friend. What started as a joke in his 20s quickly became a confrontation with truth. The more he read, the more he realized Jesus was worth giving his whole life to. Now a writer in metro Nashville, Tennessee, Aaron has written a book, Faith Simplified, to help both new and seasoned Christ followers answer questions about their faith and find truly meaningful ways to express it. This week, he sits down with Nate Dewberry to talk about present and future writing projects, early conflicts and struggles on his spiritual journey, and how life is changing now that he’s sent the first of his three kids off to college.

Segments/chapters

0:00 Intro

1:37 How Aaron came to faith

11:26 Early struggles and conflicts on Aaron’s faith journey

16:44 Why Aaron has always felt drawn to the Psalms

19:53 What the church can do better—and how we can be better as Christ followers

29:06 Why Aaron wrote Faith Simplified, and who he wrote it for

37:59 Encouragement for men reluctant to become part of a community

42:57 Adjusting to life with a kid in college

Find community, deepen your faith, join the brotherhood for free today at theredeemed.com/join.

Visit The Redeemed's website for downloadable discussion question sets,  show notes, inspirational articles, more resources, or to share your testimony.
Join our Exclusive Newsletter: Signup today and be the first to get notified on upcoming podcasts and new resources!

The Redeemed is an organization giving men from all backgrounds a supportive, judgment-free environment, grounded in Christian love without demanding participation in any faith tradition, where they can open up about their challenges, worries, and failures—and celebrate their triumphs over those struggles.

• Starting Point: https://theredeemed.com/sp
• Join the Community: https://theredeemed.com/jointr
• Have a redemption story? Share your redemption story here.
• Interested in being a guest on our podcast?   Email [email protected]

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Luke Lezon’s ministry path hasn’t followed a straight line. Fresh out of college, he received several unique preaching opportunities – only to watch them quickly disappear.  Later, in the wake of a painful church split in Orlando, Luke was thrust into the lead pastor role at just twenty-nine years old. This week, he joins Nate Dewberry to talk candidly about seasons that tested his faith and leadership, and the lessons God used to shape him through it: learning humility, balancing work and family, and finding a renewed willingness  to understand and forgive others.

Segments/chapters

0:00 Intro/Luke’s upbringing and call to ministry

7:57 Humbled by the Lord in a season of youthful arrogance

12:40 Luke’s unusual path to his current role in ministry

21:08 Leading a church in a big city/Mentors and role models

30:28 Raising a family while running a church

34:54 What’s on Luke’s current reading list

39:52 Regular practices for spiritual growth

44:56 A key message to listeners: “Don’t be Peter Pan”

Find community, deepen your faith, join the brotherhood for free today at theredeemed.com/join.

Visit The Redeemed's website for downloadable discussion question sets,  show notes, inspirational articles, more resources, or to share your testimony.
Join our Exclusive Newsletter: Signup today and be the first to get notified on upcoming podcasts and new resources!

The Redeemed is an organization giving men from all backgrounds a supportive, judgment-free environment, grounded in Christian love without demanding participation in any faith tradition, where they can open up about their challenges, worries, and failures—and celebrate their triumphs over those struggles.

• Starting Point: https://theredeemed.com/sp
• Join the Community: https://theredeemed.com/jointr
• Have a redemption story? Share your redemption story here.
• Interested in being a guest on our podcast?   Email [email protected]

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As we ring in a new year, The Redeemed looks back on some of the guests, themes, and stories that made a big impact on our ministry and its members in 2025. 

It has been a remarkable season of witnessing God move—podcast downloads grew by 40%, small group participation surged by 125%, and our new Redeemed Community Network became a daily lifeline for connection and prayer. 

Throughout the year, we explored redemption and faithful leadership with guests like Ben Fuller, Edward Graham, and Mike Zigarelli, reminding us that true success is found in service. Whether it was Ryan Wekenman discussing the strength found in being known by God or Shane Pruitt reminding us that it’s okay to admit when we can't carry the weight alone, these voices emphasized that no man has to walk alone.

Which stories made the biggest impression on you this year—and what stories will you share to energize and inspire others?

Find community, deepen your faith, join the brotherhood for free today at theredeemed.com/join.

Visit The Redeemed's website for downloadable discussion question sets,  show notes, inspirational articles, more resources, or to share your testimony.
Join our Exclusive Newsletter: Signup today and be the first to get notified on upcoming podcasts and new resources!

The Redeemed is an organization giving men from all backgrounds a supportive, judgment-free environment, grounded in Christian love without demanding participation in any faith tradition, where they can open up about their challenges, worries, and failures—and celebrate their triumphs over those struggles.

• Starting Point: https://theredeemed.com/sp
• Join the Community: https://theredeemed.com/jointr
• Have a redemption story? Share your redemption story here.
• Interested in being a guest on our podcast?   Email [email protected]

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As a teenager, Jack Kehoe was so consumed by drugs and alcohol that he once boarded a mission-trip bus drunk and stoned. But by the end of that trip, he’d encountered God in a way that rerouted his entire life. This week, Jack sits down with Nate Dewberry to share where that new path has taken him — from a loving marriage that inspired the “Called for More” podcast to an unforgettable year-long mission trip in South America. Along the way, Jack has collected hard-won insights that speak directly to men, whether you’re navigating marriage or learning to lead yourself well in singlehood.

Segments/chapters

0:00 Opening prayer/Intro

1:59 What’s holding men back from going all in for God?

8:53 Jack’s journey out of addiction and into faith

18:38 Important people who helped Jack grow on his faith journey

24:21 Reflections on singlehood and marriage

35:42 Spending a year as a traveling missionary couple in South America

41:29 Overcoming a porn addiction with the help of other men

Find community, deepen your faith, join the brotherhood for free today at theredeemed.com/join.

Visit The Redeemed's website for downloadable discussion question sets,  show notes, inspirational articles, more resources, or to share your testimony.
Join our Exclusive Newsletter: Signup today and be the first to get notified on upcoming podcasts and new resources!

The Redeemed is an organization giving men from all backgrounds a supportive, judgment-free environment, grounded in Christian love without demanding participation in any faith tradition, where they can open up about their challenges, worries, and failures—and celebrate their triumphs over those struggles.

• Starting Point: https://theredeemed.com/sp
• Join the Community: https://theredeemed.com/jointr
• Have a redemption story? Share your redemption story here.
• Interested in being a guest on our podcast?   Email [email protected]

Follow The Redeemed on Social Media: 

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