Caleb, Jordan, and Josh Ward, the brothers who make up Consumed By Fire, first played music together in 2006.  They hit the road with a heart to serve and tell people about the hope of Jesus through music.  For years they played and traveled, mostly for small crowds and small pay. They were living and working by faith- A way of life they had watched their parents model in a powerful way. But it’s tough to live a life of ministry on the road. They were burning out.  Despite a clear call from God, after 13 years of hard work, they decided to quit.  That’s when God gave them a song called “First Things First,” that changed everything. 

Show Notes:  

Website:   https://consumedbyfire.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/consumedbyfire/?hl=en 

Travis West knows what it feels like to run on empty. Early in his marriage he was working multiple jobs and caring for his wife Mariah through a long illness. A study trip to Jerusalem changed everything. When the city slowed to a standstill on Friday nights, Travis experienced Sabbath rest for the first time. In this episode he explains how that weekly pause brought new life to his family and why he believes Sabbath is a practical gift for anyone today. 

Book: The Sabbath Way: Making Room in Your Life for Rest, Connection, and Delight 

Sabbath resource: https://www.travis-west.com/practices 

Growing up on the south side of St. Petersburg, Florida, Kevin Burgess faced depression and a deep sense of hopelessness. After his parents’ divorce, he was uprooted from a safe environment and placed in a neighborhood where drugs and violence dominated daily life. Forgotten by society, he doubted he would live to see 30—until one day, someone handed him a Christian hip hop CD that changed everything. Today, Kevin Burgess—better known as KB—is a Christian hip hop artist, music executive, author of Dangerous Jesus, and a passionate voice for those searching for hope. In this episode, KB shares his powerful story of transformation and his mission to lead the lost and hurting to Jesus. 

Show Notes:  

Website: https://whoiskb.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kb_hga/ 

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Dangerous-Jesus-Thing-Risky-Getting/dp/1496459482 

“Your story saved my life…” begins letter after letter from readers who found courage in Bryan’s dark-to-light plotlines. One teen even pausing on the brink of self-harm to ask, “What would those characters do?”  

Bryan’s brand-new release, The Sacred Scales launches today, but today we step into the unfolding pages of his own journey: quitting a safe tech career, trusting God for a miracle fifty dollars, and watching fiction ignite faith in kids and families worldwide. 

**Content note: Because Bryan recounts a story involving self-harm, this episode is recommended for adult listeners first. 

Discover more about Bryan’s new book, The Sacred Scales. 

Dove Award-winning artist Ryan Stevenson is known for songs like Eye of the Storm and No Matter What—but behind the music is a story of identity, struggle, and relentless faith. For much of his early life, Ryan felt overlooked and forgotten. Poverty, bullying, and disappointment told him he wasn’t enough. But through it all, there was a still, small voice—the voice of God—whispering that he was loved, chosen, and made for more. In this episode of The Unfolding, Ryan talks about the years he spent waiting, doubting, and wrestling with God—even while working as a paramedic. It’s a deeply honest conversation about trusting God when your reality says otherwise, and daring to believe that the dreams He planted in your heart are there for a reason. 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryansmusic 

Ryan’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Eye-Storm-Experiencing-When-Cant/dp/0736979778 

“Listen a bit.”  A simple line spoken to a young Trevor Hudson during a leadership exercise became the compass for his life’s work. In this Unfolding Short Story, the South-African pastor and author of In Search of God’s Will: Discerning a Life of Faithfulness and Purpose shows how a modest talent, handed back to God, can grow into decades of counseling, retreats, and Spirit-led guidance. Trevor invites us to slow down and discover what God can do with the small gifts in our own hands. 

For nearly 40 years, Chris Hauser has been a trusted force behind the scenes in Contemporary Christian Music—promoting the work of artists like Amy Grant, Chris Tomlin, Lauren Daigle, and Russ Taff. Known for his humility, authenticity, and deep love for the Gospel, Chris has built a reputation not on self-promotion, but on service.  But behind that professional success was a personal story marked by struggle. For years, Chris admits he was a fast talker—someone who could charm his way out of tough situations, even with the people who mattered most: his wife and kids. He made promises he didn’t keep, avoided hard truths, and watched the people he loved most get hurt.  In this powerful episode of The Unfolding, Chris shares how everything changed when God lovingly confronted him at a pivotal moment during a retreat called Encounter. Through God's grace—and learning to love himself the way God does—Chris experienced radical transformation in his marriage, his family, and his faith. 

Chris’ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hauserpromo/ 

Encounter Training: https://encountertraining.com/ 

Chris’ speech at Judson University commencement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trVJOSmO5l0 

“Everywhere somebody was sick, Jesus was right there.” Those words became Keith’s anchor as burn-pit-linked melanoma spread through his 33-year-old body. In this Memorial Day Moment, Navy-veteran and hospice chaplain Walt recounts the young soldier’s journey of courage, grace, and a faith found at the finish line. 

When Zach Meerkreebs finished speaking at Asbury University’s chapel on February 8, 2023, he texted his wife, “That was a stinker.” He thought the message had flopped. But what happened next was anything but ordinary. Students stayed. More arrived. And over the next 16 days, more than 60,000 people from around the world came to Hughes Auditorium to experience what became known as the Asbury Outpouring.  Marked by a profound spirit of humility, this movement reflected the very heart of Jesus. And as it turns out, God had been preparing Zach through years of heartbreak and refining. In the crucible of personal loss, Zach had come to treasure one thing above all: friendship with Jesus.  In this episode, Zach shares how his journey shaped the moment that changed so many lives—and why true spiritual awakening begins with radical humility.  Zach is the author of Lower: Igniting Spiritual Awakening Through Radical Humility. Learn more at ZachMeerkreebs.com. 

Watch Zach’s Asbury Chapel Message here:  https://www.asbury.edu/about/revival-history/outpouring/ 

Page 151 of The Unfolding – Student Stories from Asbury 

https://www.myfaithpodcasts.com/podcasts/the-unfolding/page-151-stories-from-asbury-students-share-their-experiences-at-asbury-outpouring/ 

Page 152 of The Unfolding – Why So Many Traveled to Be There 

https://www.myfaithpodcasts.com/podcasts/the-unfolding/page-152-stories-from-asbury-why-so-many-traveled-to-be-there/ 

Resources focused on nurturing spiritual awakening in the body of Christ 

https://awakeninglibrary.com/ 

“We began to… say the Nicene Creed.” That decision changed everything for pastor and researcher Glenn Packiam, when a 2006 scandal rocked his Colorado Springs church. In this Unfolding Short Story, the Barna Group scholar and host of The Resilient Pastor podcast recounts how repeating the Creed each week knit a fractured congregation back together, and how its ancient words still steady believers facing today’s confusion and corruption.  

Want to dig deeper? Check out Glenn’s new book What’s a Christian, Anyway?: Finding Our Way in an Age of Confusion and Corruption.