God's Men Of Influence Podcast

Dr. Fazale “Fuz” Rana became a Christian during graduate school while studying biochemistry at Ohio University. Having been raised by a Muslim father, this created a tense rift in their relationship and was unable to be mended even on his father’s dying day.  In this episode, you’ll hear our third guest from the organization, Reasons To Believe, takes a logical and scientific approach to demonstrating the truths of the Bible. He has authored several groundbreaking books, including Who Was Adam?, Creating Life in the Lab as well as recently released Dinosaur Blood and The Age of the Earth. Dr. Rana, Through research of the cell’s complexity, elegance and sophistication coupled with the inadequacy of evolutionary scenarios to account for life’s origin compelled him to conclude that life must stem from a creator. And since his father’s passing, he has dedicated himself Christian apologetics and the use of science as a tool to build bridges with nonbelievers. “Not to us, LORD, not to us but to your name be th

Philosopher and theologianKennethRichard Samples has a great passion to help people understandthe reasonableness and relevance of Christianity’s truth claims. Heis the senior research scholar at Reasons to Believe and the author ofseveral books, including Christian Endgame and 7Truths That Changed the World.Kenneth lost his brother tosuicide at a young age, which certainly reshaped his childhood, buthe believes that there was good that came from it. It was at thisdark time that he began to ask more spiritual questions that helpedhim become the Christian man that he is today.Kenneth is our second guest fromReasons to Believe, which educates people on the marriage betweenscience and Christianity. Kenneth encourages believers to develop alogically defensible faith and challenges skeptics to engageChristianity at a philosophical worldview level. “And we know that in all thingsGod works for the good of those who love him, who havebeen called according to his purpose.”Romans 8:28Recommended Book:Without a Doubt – K

“Confrontation of our own depravity teaches us compassion.” These are wise words spoken by our latest guest, Pastor Jack West. Jack specializes in Care and Recovery at the well-known Mariners Church in southern California. Jack is able to connect and help people struggling to overcome many forms of addiction. Having personally dealt with drug abuse and alcohol addiction, Jack utilizes not only his past experiences, but reaches people by demonstrating the power of the Lord’s will to love and heal us. Jack makes it a point to reference, “If you never get better, God still loves you,” and those words are as comforting as any. Listen to Jack’s story of how his faith in God brought him to a life of healing and helping people who struggle with many physical and psychological issues.   “Jesus wept” - John 11:35   Recommended Book: In the Grip of Grace – Max Lucado For past shows and to learn more about the God's Men of Influence community, check us out at www.godsmenofinfluence.org Join us on Facebook for our d

Astronomer and best-selling author Dr. Hugh Ross travels the globe speaking on the compatibility of advancing scientific discoveries with the timeless truths of Christianity. His organization, Reasons to Believe, is dedicated to demonstrating, via a variety of resources and events, that science and biblical faith are allies, not enemies. If you ask many people, you’ll find that there tends to be a divide in how they feel about this topic. Do you pick creation or evolution? Do you believe in a young earth or an old earth? Modern science has developed so many complexed discoveries, we almost have no choice on whether or not we compare them to what we’ve always known to be the biblical truth. Our ministry was blessed with the opportunity to speak with this world-renowned figure, and in this installment, you’ll hear answers to some of your most burning questions. 1 Peter 3:15-16 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope

  Mark Murray is a participant in various Christian organizations and ministries. His primary goal within these entities is to teach proper handling and understanding of money. In this installment, Mark makes it clear that it isn't people or governments who own our currency, but that God does.   With over 20 years of experience with Crown Financial Ministries, Mark has amassed a wealth of knowledge regarding our personal and business finances. For the last 5 years, he has spread the teachings of acclaimed author and motivational speaker, Dave Ramsey, and his renowned Financial Peace. He not only will show you how to budget correctly, but he will explain how this can positively affect your marriage, your business, as well as your relationship with God. Mark is a believer that integrity, honesty and reputation are values that a Christian businessman needs to live by.

  There's nothing better than knowing when you've turned someone's day around, or even better, turned their life around. This is what our guest, Wayne Tesch, has made of his legacy. Wayne was born into a Christian home where his father taught him strong moral values. Instead of taking his loving upbringing for granted, he put it to good use.    In 1990, Wayne and his wife, Diane, formed a non-profit organization that hosts distressed foster children for a week of fun at camp all over the country. Their organization, Royal Family Kids, is present in 48 states and 5 different countries, and is pieced together through a community of Christian churches that all have the same goal: Confront child abuse. Wayne, Diane and Royal Family Kids provide a Cathedral of the outdoors for many children around the world. In fact, over 7,700 foster children were able to be a part of this wonderful movement in 2015 alone.   "I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, ou

Ken Dirrim has lived a strong Christian life, but like many of us do, he’d come to a point in his life where he found himself focusing on other things and not giving his full attention to God. At times he battled himself on which path he would take: to feel success, or to be a man of God. It wasn’t until he came home from work and his eight year old daughter approached him and asked, “Is this my loving dad or his evil brother?” that he realized it was time to allow himself to be more attached to the Lord. Ken, a native of the United States, now lives with his wife in Athens, Greece. He is a servant of the Lord who spends his time there helping embattled individuals that risk their lives to escape the clutches of unjust persecution. God called upon Ken and asked him to take part in the Helping Hands ministry, where he helps these people get clean and fed while teaching and demonstrating the gospel. “When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be

Finishing well is better than starting fast.  That’s the mantra Jonathan Daugherty from Be Broken Ministries gave us on today’s show.  Jonathan’s biggest struggle in life has been with fear.  Fear had pulled him to secrecy and isolation after his exposure to pornography and sexual deviance led him toward darkness.  God’s strength has helped Jonathan to speak about his fear and help others with his story.  This is Jonathan’s testimony.“The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.” - Ecclesiastes 7:8 Recommended Books: Bondage Breaker by Neil Anderson Victory Over the Darkness by Neil Anderson For past shows and to learn more about the God's Men of Influence community, check us out at www.godsmenofinfluence.org Join us on Facebook for our daily devotionals and updates and please like our page www.facebook.com/GodsMenOfInfluence   Help us spread the Word and please rate our show on itunes and leave comments for us. Tell us what insights you took from this episode.  

Mark Martinez has struggled like many of the men that appear on our show. However, his problem was unlike most of the guests that we host on our podcast. Mark spent a large portion of his life with his faith and God on the backburner and essentially out of his life. It wasn’t until he was 26 years old when he realized that spirituality was what his life was lacking, and what was keeping his life from feeling complete. It was at that time that he sought after and studied various religions around the world and found his place in Christianity. His past feelings of displacement within his faith inspired him to do something truly unique for children going through a very vulnerable time in their lives. Mark, a father of two adolescent girls, founded CROP Ministries: A non-profit organization that pairs children with their parents during a highly transitional and impressionable period as they mature. CROP (Christian Right of Passage) provides Christian mentorship programs that help parents properly guide their chil

Dr. James Reeves was a child of neglect and abandonment. Born into a home with no parental supervision, he was able to come and go at will. If he didn’t want to go to school one day, no one would be there to stop him. He is the son of a drunk wanderer and over-worked mother, who were both unable to give him their love and attention. As a young man he found himself getting into drugs, alcohol and sex before going off to college where upon his return, his father soon passed away at the age of 41.It wasn’t until his mid thirties, after he’d earned his doctorate degree and become a pastor that he had realized that he was harboring resentful feelings towards his father. These hateful emotions were the roadblocks keeping him from being truly at peace with life, and finding the ability to trust in Jesus and forgive his father. It is only fitting that a 12-step graduate and new member of his church was able to guide him through a process with deep biblical roots that would finally allow him to let go. Dr. Reeves is t

James Knight is a full time staff member at City on a Hill church, Certified Peer Support Specialist, a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor Student and a devoted father and husband.  As a child, James made bad decisions forcing his parents to leave their church out of shame.  His biggest weakness is being judgemental as a Christian without knowing a person’s life story.  This frames many of his discussions as he mentors other Christians.  James teaches that there is good in everyone, but you must look to find it. After 30 years of bad choices, James looks back and reveals that at 12 he experimented with pot and alcohol, at 18 he shot up meth amphetamines and he spent the next 20 years pursuing a life of crime, sex and debauchery.  Among many other things James began manufacturing different drugs for consumption.  This is his testimony   “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” - Proverbs 22:6 For past shows and to learn more about the God's Men

Welcome to God’s Men of Influence 100th show.  This show is different from our typical show because it’s not a testimony, rather Dino asked Pastor Ryan Tirona listener questions and he gave us answers directly from the scriptures.  Dino and Ryan delve into questions about suicide & mental illness, the nature of how we’re saved, what happens when we die, who is Jesus, living without fear and much more.  Thank you for being part of our community. Enjoy our very special 100th show with special guest Pastor Ryan Tirona. For past shows and to learn more about the God's Men of Influence community, check us out atwww.godsmenofinfluence.org Join us on Facebook for our daily devotionals and updates and please like our page www.facebook.com/GodsMenOfInfluence   Help us spread the Word and please rate our show on itunes and leave comments for us. Tell us what insights you took from this episode.

James is a child of God, but he wasn’t always.  As a child he went to 4 hour services at church and because it was so interactive, it went by very quickly and was engaging.  He is very analytical in his approach to God and his beliefs and this analysis brought him from being a casual believer to a man of God.  At times he finds himself looking away from Jesus and he knows that these are the times he faces trouble in his life. This is why he makes prayer the center point of his family life. In college James questioned the foundation of his faith at his Christian college.  For a few years his faith took a back seat to the level that he lost the point of why he had faith at all.   The amount of information and change was a force that was difficult to handle and James was not actively involved in a church during this time.  During a trip across country, James was challenged to fast and pray about his faith.  When he got to D.C., he found a church and attended every event.  A member of the church said to him “let’

Brad is a 45 year old Father of 3 from Grand Rapids MI.  In August of 2014 he moved his family to Irvine, CA knowing no one.  Brad’s biggest weakness is based around trust.  Brad believes his trust as a child was broken due to abuse.  Luckily, he has in him a glass is 99% full attitude which leads him to want to inspire people.  At 28 years old, he allowed himself to get into a bad 10 year Real Estate deal that threatened his family’s security.  Now he realizes that it was his greed that led him down that path.  The healing is in the telling and when you bring it into the light, you should have men of God around to support you. In 2008, Brad read a story about a family who needed bikes.  He and his family took the afternoon, bought bikes and hunted down the family from the newspaper.  I Like Giving was born as a way for people to tell their inspiring stories of giving like Brad’s family. www.ilikegiving.com   “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compul

Mike Long is a Pastor and the Executive Director of “Voice of Refugees.”  He is the father of 8 children and teaches that there is a new love shared in God.  Sometimes he is too trusting and believes the best in other people, but he knows no other way to live in Christ.  The world doesn’t trust enough.  Pastor Mike had a grandchild in distress during birth and God’s sovereignty became very apparent.  He used to think that he would be a missionary traveling the world, but instead “Voice of Refugees” is Pastor Mike’s missionary work that comes to him.  Over 50% of people will never get out of Refugee camps.  The Church is the largest giver of relief to these camps. www.VORservices.org Recommended Book - “Seeking Allah Finding Jesus” - Nabeel Qureshi “A Wind in the House of Islam” - V. David Garrison   “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am

Specialist in child sex trafficking Opal Singleton started her work in Cambodia in 2008. What she discovered is that sex trafficking is now in the purview of gangs and drug cartels.   These organizations target the most vulnerable kids from foster care and those who have run away from home; however, these are not throwing targets.  Now that they can use technology and social media they could be coming after your children as well.   Human trafficking is a crime of psychology. Fathers are key in the fight against sex trafficking and must be involved in the solution.  Our children carry devices that allowed them to be in contact with over a million predators.  Opal has trained over 50,000 people about the dangers of human trafficking and understanding how and why it happens. http://www.millionkids.org/ For past shows and to learn more about the God's Men of Influence community, check us out atwww.godsmenofinfluence.org Join us on Facebook for our daily devotionals and updates and please like our page www.faceboo

Western Regional Director of Global Media Outreach (GMO) Gary Schneider tells the story of the Gospel to millions of people around the world online.  There are over 6000 missionaries online to disciple new converts from the previous day.   Today, Gary is a man of great faith who brings people to the Lord, but he never expected as a young man to follow this path. Gary grew up in a home with an alcoholic father.   When he was 14 his parents got divorced and from age 14 to 17 things were very dark. There were many accounts of Gary being a bully and even a time when he went to jail.   He had one friend from high school named Keith who had a transformation.   Gary went with him to a youth group and learned what it was that had changed him so dramatically.  Gary committed himself to God and started on his path to ministry.  This is Gary’s testimony. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,the new creation has come:The old has gone, the new is here!” - 2nd Corinthians 5:17 For past shows and to learn more about the God's

Married for 6 years and a father of 3 at age 28 Rob is living a truly fantastic life; however things were not always that way.  When Rob’s wife was pregnant with their second child the doctor revealed a cleft palate during a sonogram.  Fear struck Rob and his wife and they went to work immediately trying to figure out what to do next.  God always provides and began showing up in the form of friends donating time, support and information and a random act of monetary kindness from a stranger, but the struggle was just beginning. Rob’s son was born with a very dramatic version of a cleft palate.  He had no lip and one nostril missing.  Many tears were shed knowing that their child was going to have to suffer many years of surgery and procedures.  Rob believes that God is using his son’s condition as a way to bring other blessings and opportunities into their lives.  Although having a child with special needs can drive a wedge between a couple, they take it on as a team undivided.  This is Rob’s testimony. “I pra

Skip Lanfried's concern for people began with his relationship with the Lord.  He helped children because he was supposed to, but his true compassion was something that came to him much later.  His fight is against Human Trafficking the definition of which is holding anyone against their will and forcing them to do something against their will. This is slavery and today human slavery is at an all time high.  There are almost 30 million people in slavery around the world.   India is the center of all slavery where the most extreme poor are forced into servitude. Bonded servitude is forced labor and is a form of slavery as is child labor and sex slavery.  Approximately a million children go missing every year.  They are manipulated and forced into the slave trade.  Some children are purposely maimed and then told to beg.  This is Pastor Skip Lanfried's Fight against Human Trafficking. Recommended Book - “Seduced” by Opal Singleton www.millionkids.org , www.friends.church For past shows and to learn more about t

Skip is a champion for those who suffer injustice.  He demands honesty and integrity in his life, but mot of his young life he moved too fast and forgot that God is in charge. The first few years of his Christian Transformation turned him upside down.  5 years ago Skip suffered meningitis and was hospitalized for months.  It changed his ability to focus and therefore changed his relationship with God.  He was not willing to listen to what he needed and quickly discovered that he was not in control.  His world again was turned upside down. Through his faith Skip found the willingness to lean into what others are not willing to. His concern for people began with his relationship with the Lord.  This is Pastor Skip Lanfried's testimony. “And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard” - Acts 22: 14,15 Recommended Book - “Seduced” b