The Normal Christian Life

14. "Jesus Didn't Die for a Powerless Church": Testimony by Mike Nolan

In the face of the world's challenges, we Christians sometimes feel helpless and settle for spiritual maintenance. But the cross of Jesus has obtained much more for us than just spiritual survival. In his life and ministry, Mike Nolan demonstrates that we can unleash the power of God's kingdom all around us, by simply choosing to receive what already belongs to us by divine inheritance.
A friend of our hosts, Mike Nolan is a husband and father of seven from South Bend, Indiana. Through his ministry, Shadow on the Water (https://shadowonthewater.com/), Mike heads pilgrimages, an online mentoring community, and many missionary ventures. In his lucid and deeply insightful testimony, Mike shares how he, in his late 40's, changed his approach from striving to be a "good enough" disciple to radically embracing his identity as a son of God and lover of Jesus; and how, by simply being himself with that understanding, Mike has been able to manifest God's glory and power in the context of his ministry.
 

13. Objections to the Charismatic Renewal, Part 2: Real Dangers

While the previous episode addressed some misconceptions regarding the charismatic renewal and gifts, this episode spells out some of the concerns and even dangers that our hosts have observed within the charismatic lifestyle. While fear is useless (Mark 5:36), prudence and sometimes caution are necessary in the spiritual journey. This frank discusssion will hopefully address some lingering objections listeners may have, as well as challenge current charismatics to not grow complacent.
Some concerns covered include:
Celebrity worship
Having "a direct pipeline to God"
Opening doors to evil spirits
Making spiritual experience a measure of authority
Abusing the spiritual gifts
Spiritual immaturity
Worldy aspects of "charismatic culture"

12. Objections to the Charismatic Renewal, Part 1: Common Misconceptions

Christians seeking to live their faith more radically encounter many roadblocks, especially as they develop an interest in the spiritual gifts. In this challenging episode, our hosts attempt to address some of the common misconceptions that needlessly discourage Catholics in particular from embracing the charismatic renewal and spiritual gifts. Some objections addressed here include:
It's just weird.
What if it's fake, and I get deceived?
What if it's dangerous or demonic?
The saints weren't charismatic, why should I be?
Isn't it prideful to ask for supernatural things or talk about them?
We're Catholic, and this stuff seems more Protestant/Pentecostal...
Charismatics are into progressive music (even "demonic rock music")
Don't charismatics believe in a prosperity gospel?
If all this crazy stuff is real, how come I haven't heard about it before?
 

11. God's Faithful Love: Testimony by Fr. Tony Cecil

Fr. Tony Cecil is a close friend of Fr. Chris who was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Louisville, Kentucky in 2019. In his disarming and powerful testimony, Fr. Tony describes his early years growing up with a single father who modeled God's faithfulness to him; his first year as a priest, when anxiety and suffering compelled him to seek inner healing; and finally, a miraculous physical healing and an encounter with Jesus that would redefine his sense of his priestly identity and transform his ministry.

10. New Wineskins: The Purpose of Fasting (Lenten Special)

Why do we fast, practice self-denial, and learn to say “no” to ourselves? This episode offers a perspective on asceticism that is challenging, yet also profoundly positive. We Christians are called to pursue a radical lifestyle of fasting and self-denial – not to punish ourselves or earn God’s love, but to be freed from earthly attachments and to become “new wineskins”, ready for an infilling of the new wine of the Holy Spirit.

9. Vocation: Calling, Not Identity (w/ Mary Bielski)

If you are struggling in the discernment and pursuit of your vocation, this episode is for you! Mary Bielski joins our hosts to address the difficulties that sincere Catholics, young and middle-aged, face today in pursuing or fully embracing God's calling. In particular, they discuss the discouragment and fear that arises when we conflate our baptismal identity with our vocation to a particular state in life. Finally, they offer encouragment through testimony and Scripture for the uplifting and renewal of our minds in this regard.

8. Purity of Heart w/ Mary Bielski

In our times of division and sifting, many Christians share the sense that God, far from abandoning his Church, is calling her members to a renewal of authentic purity of heart today. Mary Bielski (national Catholic speaker; founder, All4Him Ministries) shares her powerful testimony, and then joins our hosts to discuss purity of heart through both biblical and experiential lenses: its pivotal role in the spiritual life, and how it enables us to live the life of Heaven now.

7. Is Jesus Healing People Today? Physical Healing and the Gospel

What role - if any - should physical healing have in Christian life today? Using Scripture and personal testimony, our hosts explain why we should press in for physical healing in prayer: to manifest the compassion of Jesus and demonstrate the power of the Gospel to a world mired in skepticism and unbelief. Supernatural healing makes the Kingdom tangible! Additionally, our hosts address how an expectation for healing fits with a balanced theology of redemptive suffering.

6. Becoming the Beloved: Embracing Our Baptismal Identity

Should baptized people see themselves differently? At baptism, our identity is radically transformed from that of a loved creation of God, made in His image, to that of His own adopted son or daughter. But for many Christians, this does not translate to a radical awareness of their adoption by the Father. Our hosts share their insights on being a child of God (and how everything else in Christian life flows from this identity), and on becoming more deeply aware of the sonship/daughterhood we already possess.

5. Fear of Man w/ Laura Shoulders

One of the greatest snares set before us in our Christian journey is what Scripture calls "the fear of man". Laura Shoulders from Owensboro, KY shares her testimony of encountering God, before jumping into the topic with our hosts: what "fear of man" is, why it's so powerful, and the Lord's remedy which offers us true freedom.