What happens when you lose everything?In this powerful episode, Darryl Johnson shares the full story behind his new book It’s Only a Game, a journey through championship highs, federal indictment, public disgrace, financial collapse, and ultimately, spiritual redemption.From winning national titles to being cleared in a historic NCAA and federal case… from rock bottom on his knees in Houston to a 21-year NBA front office career… Darryl’s story is one of perseverance, faith, and surrender.We talk about:Coaching at Baylor and navigating the unprecedented NCAA investigationLosing his career, reputation, and familyThe moment he hit rock bottom and cried out to GodLanding an NBA role the very next dayDrafting future stars like Shai Gilgeous-AlexanderWhy true identity is not found in championships or failuresThe heart behind his book It’s Only a GameThis is not just a basketball story. It is a story about grace, humility, and what happens when a man finally surrenders his will to God’s plan.If you’ve ever faced failure, reputation damage, loss, or wondered whether God still has a plan for you, this conversation will encourage you deeply.

What happens when your calling is not to be the one in the spotlight, but to support the leaders who carry the vision?

In this episode of the True North Podcast, we sit down with a founder and nonprofit leader who shares the journey from serving behind the scenes to stepping fully into purpose. We talk about faith-driven business, supporting executives and ministry leaders, the lessons learned from endurance challenges like marathon training, and how doing hard things shapes character.

This conversation dives into nonprofit leadership, fundraising through creative avenues like golf tournaments, healing from father wounds, and building something that outlasts you. It is an honest look at servant leadership, mental toughness, and what it means to steward influence well in both business and ministry.

If you are building something, leading something, or quietly supporting someone who is, this episode will challenge and encourage you to stay faithful, stay disciplined, and stay aligned with what God is asking you to carry.

Listen now and discover how faith, endurance, and humility shape leaders who make lasting impact.

In this episode, we sit down with a longtime leader who has walked through seasons of striving, surrender, authority, and humility inside True North Ministries. From serving on the prayer team to years on the board, this conversation pulls back the curtain on what it really looks like to hear God, submit to authority, and stay faithful when your role changes.We talk openly about ambition, offense, spiritual warfare, suffering, and the hard lessons that come with leadership. You will hear powerful stories about learning when to speak, when to pray quietly, and how God uses humility to shape influence. This episode explores how prayer is not just something we do, but a way of living connected to God’s presence.If you have ever wrestled with wanting to matter, struggled with submission, or wondered why God calls you to step back instead of step up, this conversation will meet you right where you are. It is an honest look at leadership in the Kingdom and the freedom that comes from surrendering control.

In True North Podcast Ep 88, we explore what it looks like for men to move from quiet faith to courageous leadership by learning how to hear God, walk in truth, and lead from vulnerability instead of fear. This conversation dives into the often-unspoken realities of men’s emotional formation, spiritual resistance, and the internal barriers that keep many men passive, guarded, or disconnected.

This episode unpacks the power of prayer as conversation, not performance, and why spiritual maturity begins with honesty before God. We talk about identity, wounds, fear, and how God often works through the very places we try to hide. You will hear how community, discipleship, and shared stories create space for real transformation, and why leading with vulnerability opens the door for healing in families, marriages, and future generations.

We also discuss the importance of spiritual warfare, the role of prayer teams, and why men must learn to fight battles spiritually rather than relying on strength, performance, or isolation. This episode challenges men to stop compartmentalizing faith from vocation and instead live fully integrated lives where calling and daily work become one.

If you are longing for deeper purpose, clearer identity, stronger connection with God, or the courage to step into leadership without pretending you have it all together, this episode will help you understand how God meets men in truth and forms them through obedience, prayer, and brotherhood.

True North Podcast Ep 87 explores the cost and beauty of obedience when God asks you to release something you deeply love. This episode dives into the tension between calling and comfort, the pain of stepping away from familiar identity, and the faith required to trust God’s timing and multiplication.

We talk through the decision to step away from leadership, the fear of losing purpose, and the realization that sometimes God multiplies by dividing. This conversation unpacks how surrender creates space for new mission, deeper impact, and unexpected fruit. You will hear how obedience reshapes identity, how letting go strengthens faith, and how God uses seasons of transition to prepare us for what comes next.

This episode also dives into marriage healing, agreements and strongholds, spiritual and emotional health, and why transformation must begin internally before it can be lived out relationally. From choosing love as a decision, not a feeling, to breaking lies that sabotage intimacy, this conversation speaks directly to leaders, husbands, and men navigating transition, burnout, or uncertainty.

Listen to this episode if you are wrestling with a calling, facing a season of surrender, or wondering what God might be asking you to release so He can multiply your impact.

True North Podcast Ep 86 shares a powerful story of transformation shaped by brotherhood, healing, and the long road from spiritual uncertainty to a life of purpose. This episode explores how childhood wounds, identity struggles, and seasons of hardship become invitations to step into deeper intimacy with God and discover who you were created to be.

You will hear how attending Basecamp awakened a man to the voice of God, reshaped his view of himself, and began a journey of becoming a beloved warrior. We talk about the impact of ongoing discipleship, the role of advanced retreats like Ascent and Summit, and the importance of doing life with brothers who speak truth, call out strength, and walk with you into healing.

This conversation highlights the value of spiritual formation, the courage required to confront self-hatred and family wounds, and the breakthrough moments that reorder a man’s identity. It also reveals how service, leadership, and stepping into the mission of True North continue to shape character, purpose, and calling.

Listen to this episode and take your next step toward deeper healing, stronger brotherhood, and the warrior identity God placed within you.

In this episode of True North Podcast Ep 85, we explore a powerful story of transformation, healing, and redemption. From childhood wounds and broken family systems to years of carrying self-reliance and hidden pain, this conversation reveals how God meets a man right where he is and begins rebuilding everything from the inside out.We talk through the long journey of learning to trust again, the battle with posing and self-protection, and the freedom that comes through authentic brotherhood, spiritual formation, and ongoing discipleship. This episode highlights how retreat environments like Basecamp, Ascent, and Summit help men uncover the deeper layers of their story, hear God clearly, and begin a new chapter marked by courage, surrender, and purpose.You will hear about the role of community, the impact of father wounds, the importance of ongoing spiritual rhythms, and how God uses healing to shape a man into who he was always meant to become.Listen today and take your next step toward deeper healing, spiritual clarity, and the life of purpose God designed for you.

In True North Podcast Ep 84, we sit down for an authentic, wide-ranging conversation about marriage, parenting, missions, and what it means to fail forward in faith. From dating your spouse again and learning to communicate, to taking your daughter on a life-changing mission trip to Africa, this episode explores how God uses ordinary obedience to create extraordinary impact.We dive into:Restoring joy and connection in marriageOvercoming communication gaps and emotional wallsExperiencing God’s provision through missions and serviceWhy investing in True North changes generations of men and familiesThis is a story of humility, legacy, and transformation—the kind that starts at home, moves through brotherhood, and spreads to the world.🎧 Watch or listen to True North Podcast Ep 84 and be encouraged to lead with presence, give generously, and keep failing forward in pursuit of God’s purpose.

In True North Podcast Ep 83, we sit down for a deeply personal conversation about obedience, fatherhood, and the ripple effect of one man’s transformation. From hearing God’s voice for the first time to leading as president of the True North Board, this episode captures how faith, community, and courage change everything.You’ll hear stories of grief, obedience, and legacy—how a single act of surrender led to healing across generations, and how men can build a spiritual foundation that outlasts them.What you’ll learn:How to recognize and respond when God speaksThe power of brotherhood and small groups in healingWhy obedience leads to freedom, even through painHow True North helps men lead their homes, churches, and communitiesIf you’ve ever felt God stirring something deeper in you, this episode will remind you that His voice is worth following—and your obedience can change generations.🎧 Watch or listen to True North Podcast Ep 83 now to be encouraged, challenged, and equipped to lead with purpose.

Too many men feel stuck between exhaustion and apathy—drifting through work, marriage, and fatherhood without clear direction. In True North Podcast Ep 82, we unpack how to break that cycle and move from passivity to purpose.Michael Hayes and Josh King join James McKenzie to discuss what keeps men stuck, how compartmentalization destroys authenticity, and why true leadership begins with slowing down, engaging your family, and walking with God daily.You’ll learn:How to recognize and overcome spiritual passivityThe dangers of compartmentalizing work, home, and faithPractical ways to lead your family with courage and presenceWhy freedom, strength, and purpose are essential for every manIf you’ve ever felt disconnected, distracted, or unsure how to lead well, this conversation will help you rediscover your mission and step back into the life God designed you for.🎧 Watch or listen to True North Podcast Ep 82 to reignite your purpose and lead with strength, authenticity, and heart.