Send us a text Does God want you to be wealthy? If you are struggling financially, is that a sign that you are out of favor with God or lack sufficient faith in God? Or is being wealthy sinful? The writings of one of the richest men ever, Solomon, provide answers. This week’s Bible passage: Luke 12:13-21 Weekly Strength podcast resource: 52 Weeks of Strength for Men ( ebook , paperback , study guide ) Other resources: Chris Bolinger’s other devotional: Daily Strength for Men Mike Hatch’s book: M...
Sep 23, 2024•12 min•Ep. 207
Send us a text How important is it for a Christian to have sound theology? Isn’t it enough simply to demonstrate Christ-like love to others? This week’s Bible passage: 2 Timothy 3:12-17 Weekly Strength podcast resource: 52 Weeks of Strength for Men ( ebook , paperback , study guide ) Other resources: Chris Bolinger’s other devotional: Daily Strength for Men Mike Hatch’s book: Manhood: Empowered by the Light of the Gospel Relational men’s discipleship programs: CLC...
Sep 16, 2024•15 min•Ep. 206
Send us a text The term “social justice” has become a politically charged term that divides Christians, especially Protestants. Evangelicals accuse mainline Protestants of sacrificing bedrock biblical beliefs to achieve cultural goals; mainline Protestants respond that the best way to demonstrate Christ's love is to meet people’s physical and social needs. In the middle of this debate stands The Salvation Army. This week's Bible passage: Micah 6:6-8 video : "The Salvation Army: Then and Now" Wee...
Sep 09, 2024•14 min•Ep. 205
Send us a text In two years, he’s gone from virtual obscurity to having 450,000 followers, collaborating with major universities, and being featured on ESPN and CBS Sports. All because his videos – most of which poke fun at the college football powerhouses and their fanbases – make people laugh. Wanting to make people laugh is what persuaded Josh Mancuso to go from behind the camera to in front of it. He sees humor as a high calling, because God wants everyone to laugh . . . especially those who...
Sep 04, 2024•58 min•Ep. 204
Send us a text In the days of Jesus, Jews hated Samaritans. And the feeling was mutual. Animosity between the two groups had existed for centuries. But why? How did Jesus deal with it? And what does that mean for us today? This week's Bible passage: 1 Peter 2:4-12 Weekly Strength podcast resource: 52 Weeks of Strength for Men ( ebook , paperback , study guide ) Other resources: Chris Bolinger’s other devotional: Daily Strength for Men Mike Hatch’s book: Manhood: Empowered by the Light of the Gos...
Sep 02, 2024•15 min•Ep. 203
Send us a text Christian men of all ages are struggling, and fewer than 10 percent of American churches offer an effective ministry for their men. But a men’s discipleship ministry called CLC – Christ Led Communities – is thriving in churches across the U.S. and in pockets around the world, including China. What’s behind CLC’s success? Contact: Mike Hatch: [email protected] Chris Bolinger: [email protected] Resources: Mike's book: Manhood: Empowered by the Light of the Gospel ( paperback ...
Aug 28, 2024•49 min•Ep. 202
Send us a text Is pride good or bad? Many would argue that, pride – especially healthy pride – is good. In a radio address, C.S. Lewis expressed a different opinion. This week's Bible passage: Luke 18:9-14 Weekly Strength podcast resource: 52 Weeks of Strength for Men ( ebook , paperback , study guide ) Other resources: Chris Bolinger’s other devotional: Daily Strength for Men Mike Hatch’s book: Manhood: Empowered by the Light of the Gospel Relational men’s discipleship programs: CLC...
Aug 26, 2024•13 min•Ep. 201
Send us a text Effective men’s discipleship is critical to the health of every church, whatever its size. Travis Edgar leads a small, Free Methodist church in a rural Pennsylvania town. Ronnie Cordrey leads men’s ministry at one of the largest churches in America. While their approaches are very different, both men have learned that men’s discipleship goes nowhere without authentic brotherhood bonds between leaders and the men they are discipling. Their insights will inspire you to think differe...
Aug 21, 2024•50 min•Ep. 200
Send us a text To make the world a better place, many people turn to politics. That’s because the decisions and actions of government leaders can have a significant impact on some things that can improve the lives of some people. As Christians, however, we need to be careful that our political involvement does not overshadow our primary mission. This week's Bible passage: 1 Peter 2:9-17 Weekly Strength podcast resource: 52 Weeks of Strength for Men ( ebook , paperback , study guide ) Other resou...
Aug 19, 2024•12 min•Ep. 199
Send us a text Luke Broyles talks with me about the redemptive value of Bitcoin mining and the significance of self-custody through the Bitcoin Advisors. #BitcoinAdvisors: https://content.thebitcoinadviser.com/lukebroyles #BlockWare Solutions #BitcoinMining: https://www.blockwaresolutions.com/ Learn more about #RedemptiveEconomics here... https://redemptiveeconomics.com/ Contact: Mike Hatch: [email protected] Chris Bolinger: [email protected] Resources: Mike's book: Manhood: Empowered by ...
Aug 14, 2024•30 min•Season 3Ep. 198
Send us a text Jesus was not only the perfect man but also the perfect model of manhood. To translate the example of Jesus to their own lives, men need help from their Christian brothers. The problem is that most men don’t have any Christian brothers. Today’s Christian men are attempting to follow Jesus without a single man to walk beside them on the journey. This week’s Bible passage: Job 40:1-14 Weekly Strength podcast resource: 52 Weeks of Strength for Men ( ebook , paperback , study guide ) ...
Aug 12, 2024•13 min•Ep. 197
Send us a text I marvel at the integrity of the early Christians. But I also have good examples of integrity in my own life. One man who demonstrated integrity throughout his life was my dad. I learned many things from his example, including these two: (1) play by the rules and (2) honor your commitments. This week’s Bible passage: Proverbs 2:1-8 Weekly Strength podcast resource: 52 Weeks of Strength for Men ( ebook , paperback , study guide ) Other resources: Chris Bolinger’s other devotional: ...
Aug 05, 2024•15 min•Ep. 196
Send us a text Brett Baker was on a self-destructive path until he joined the military, which gave him discipline, structure, and goals. It wasn't until he was medically retired from the military, however, that Brett discovered his true purpose: serving others. In this interview, Brett explains how putting other people first and maximizing their success has had a tremendous positive impact on his business, his relationship with his wife, and his faith. With his wife Mary Elaine, Brett co-founded...
Jul 31, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 195
Send us a text Byner took a handoff, powered past the Broncos' line, and headed for the goal line to tie the game. But he was stripped of the ball at the two-yard line, and the Browns lost. Byner’s name is forever linked with that play, known simply as “The Fumble.” Browns fans couldn’t forgive Byner, and after one more season Cleveland traded him to Washington. But that’s not the end of Earnest Byner’s story. This week’s Bible passage: Psalm 73:21-28 Weekly Strength podcast resource: 52 Weeks o...
Jul 29, 2024•17 min•Ep. 194
Send us a text The Hebrew word "shalom" appears 237 times in the Old Testament. The usual translation is "peace", but the word also means completeness or wholeness. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament make it clear that true peace -- true wholeness -- comes only from God. In the second part of our two-part interview with Joel Hanson, he draws from the Bible and from his own experiences to explain how each of us can enjoy the wholeness that God offers. Joel is a singer, songwriter, and m...
Jul 24, 2024•48 min•Ep. 193
Send us a text In Jesus's time, there was no concept of equality in the Roman Empire or in Jewish society. So where did Jesus stand on the issue of equality? How did he instruct his followers? How do his words and actions apply to us today, nearly 2,000 years later? This week’s Bible passage: Galatians 3:26-29 Weekly Strength podcast resource: 52 Weeks of Strength for Men ( ebook , paperback , study guide ) Other resources: Chris Bolinger’s other devotional: Daily Strength for Men Mike Hatch’s b...
Jul 22, 2024•14 min•Ep. 192
Send us a text When a Christian leader sins, we expect him to step down and, essentially, disappear. In his letter to the Galatians, Paul instructs us to restore those caught in sin, using a spirit of gentleness. Does restoration mean restoring one to leadership? To the same leadership role? Joel Hanson experienced that type of restoration. Hear his amazing story in the first half of our interview with him. Joel is a singer, songwriter, and musician who has won a Dove Award and been nominated fo...
Jul 17, 2024•44 min•Ep. 191
Send us a text Most Christian churches face a shortage of men, with women accounting for 60 percent or more of typical worship attendance. So why do churches seem to go out of their way to alienate men who are divorced? Church leaders respond that they simply are following and applying biblical principles. But are they? This week’s Bible passage: Matthew 19:3-9 Weekly Strength podcast resource: 52 Weeks of Strength for Men ( ebook , paperback , study guide ) Other resources: Chris Bolinger’s oth...
Jul 15, 2024•12 min•Ep. 190
Send us a text After 17 years of successful youth ministry in Texas and South Carolina, Warren Mainard heard a call from God. His wife heard it, too. The call was to take their two children, move to Seattle, and plant a church there. It took Warren three years to get church attendance to 100. Then came 2016, and political turmoil tore apart the small church. Two years later, with his family suffering, Warren had to step away from the church that he had planted. Had God called Warren to Seattle t...
Jul 10, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 189
Send us a text Jesus knew that, in a few minutes, he was going to raise Lazarus from the dead. And yet, when Jesus saw Mary weeping for her dead brother, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And when he arrived at the tomb, he wept. Jesus wept. Why? Billy Graham had an answer. This week’s Bible passage: 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 Weekly Strength podcast resource: 52 Weeks of Strength for Men ( ebook , paperback , study guide ) Other...
Jul 08, 2024•13 min•Ep. 188
Send us a text In 1960, Martin Luther King, Jr. called 11 a.m. on Sunday morning the most segregated hour in Christian America. Today, the issue of race continues to polarize and divide American Christians. How is God calling us, as men, to engage with this issue? We sat down with David Bowens , an African-American worship leader at a predominantly white church in Pittsburgh, to get his take. Our conversation was on the heels of Bowens helping to lead two campuses of that church through a series...
Jul 03, 2024•50 min•Ep. 187
Send us a text Restore Addiction Recovery not only helps men defeat their addictions but also equips them for full-time employment and prepares them to thrive in the real world. That’s the world where they have failed so many times in the past. But then again, so have we. This week's Bible passage: Matthew 11:25-30 Weekly Strength podcast resource: 52 Weeks of Strength for Men ( ebook , paperback , study guide ) Other resources: Chris Bolinger’s other devotional: Daily Strength for Men Mike Hatc...
Jul 01, 2024•11 min•Ep. 186
Send us a text When a man goes through a divorce, it’s like a bomb has exploded in his life. Everything is affected, including his identity, his dreams and plans, his relationships, his finances, and his physical, emotional, and spiritual health. If he is a Christian, then he expects to find support and help from other men in his church. Instead, he often finds a cold shoulder. As a result, most Christian men who go through a divorce leave their church, and 30% of them walk away from their faith...
Jun 26, 2024•56 min•Ep. 185
Send us a text God is not bound by the constraints of time. But we are. We wish we weren't. That’s why manipulating time is a recurring theme in films. But our time on earth, as short as it may be, is just the beginning . . . because we live forever. This week's Bible passage: 2 Corinthians 4:13-18 Weekly Strength podcast resource: 52 Weeks of Strength for Men ( ebook , paperback , study guide ) Other resources: Chris Bolinger’s other devotional: Daily Strength for Men Mike Hatch’s book: Manhood...
Jun 24, 2024•12 min•Ep. 184
Send us a text He got his first job when he was 10. At 14, he took his 12-year-old brother to Beijing for six weeks to attend a conference. He graduated high school early, left home, and at age 17 started running a retail store. At 19, he went to Turkey to “find himself” and came back a Christian. Since then, he’s done restaurant management, started and run non-profits, served as a pastor, and helped The Bible Project ( website , YouTube channel ) reach people around the world. All while fightin...
Jun 19, 2024•37 min•Ep. 183
Send us a text In life, you often team up with your closest friends. In a crisis, however, a team may be formed from total strangers. When one of the Apollo 13 spacecraft’s oxygen tanks exploded, the lives of three astronauts suddenly were in the hands of their teammates: flight controllers and engineers 200,000 miles away. This week's Bible passage: 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 Weekly Strength podcast resource: 52 Weeks of Strength for Men ( ebook , paperback , study guide ) Other resources: Chris Bo...
Jun 17, 2024•14 min•Ep. 182
Send us a text A key part of Christian leadership is managing our finances in a way that honors God. But God calls us to more than just sound money management, says Mike Hatch. In fact, God challenges us to ensure that all our economic activities -- at work, at home, at the store, and everywhere else -- contribute to God's redemptive purposes. In this interview, Mike gives the whys and hows behind pursuing redemptive economic activities. For more information, check out the Mises Institute websit...
Jun 12, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 181
Send us a text Research shows that past adversity can help you persevere in the face of current stress. And that makes sense, because perseverance requires strength, and adversity makes you stronger. Just ask anyone who lifts weights. This week's Bible passage: Psalm 46 Weekly Strength podcast resource: 52 Weeks of Strength for Men ( ebook , paperback , study guide ) Other resources: Chris Bolinger’s other devotional: Daily Strength for Men Mike Hatch’s book: Manhood: Empowered by the Light of t...
Jun 10, 2024•13 min•Ep. 180
Send us a text Even if you're reading the Bible every day, you may be missing -- or misunderstanding -- some of what it says. Bible expert David Instone-Brewer recommends putting yourself in the place of the first Christians. By reading the Bible through the eyes of the people for whom it was first written, you'll better understand the meaning of the text. How do you do that? In highlights from this 2022 interview with David, he offers practical tips for mining more gold from the pages of God's ...
Jun 05, 2024•45 min•Ep. 179
Send us a text At the end of Field of Dreams , Ray finally loses his cool. He has sacrificed a great deal and wants to know how he'll be rewarded. Is it wrong for a Christian to ask about reward? You know that you'll have eternal life in heaven. But what about here on earth? How did Jesus answer that question? This week's Bible passage: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 Weekly Strength podcast resource: 52 Weeks of Strength for Men ( ebook , paperback , study guide ) Other resources: Chris Bolinger’s other d...
Jun 03, 2024•17 min•Ep. 178
