Step into a powerful conversation with worship pastor, songwriter, and former Hollywood creative Jesse Pruett, whose journey from film sets to the Arizona desert reveals the faithfulness of God in every season. 🎵🔥 In this episode, Jesse shares the raw and redemptive story behind Faithful, CCG Worship’s debut album birthed in a community walking through healing, loss, and the wilderness. His transparency about addiction, restoration, and encountering God in unexpected places will deeply encourage any believer longing for hope. This episode reminds us that even in our deserts, God is shaping testimonies that will strengthen others.

Jesse Pruett is a worship pastor, songwriter, actor, and producer whose journey spans Hollywood film sets to leading worship at Calvary Baptist in Lake Havasu City, Arizona—one of the fastest-growing churches in the U.S. He directs CCG Worship and helped launch their debut album Faithful, a project shaped by real stories of healing and God’s transforming power. Jesse is passionate about authenticity, creative ministry, and helping people encounter Jesus through worship.

Reasons to Listen

1. Authentic Transparency — Jesse opens up about addiction, healing, and the power of honest community, offering hope for anyone walking through hardship.
2. Creative Inspiration — Listeners will hear how God used Jesse’s background in music and Hollywood to birth powerful worship and ministry opportunities.
3. Faith in the Wilderness — This episode encourages believers to trust God in difficult seasons and recognize His faithfulness even when life feels uncertain.

Big Takeaways

1. God Heals Deep Wounds — Jesse’s family story reminds us that no addiction, trauma, or struggle is beyond God’s restorative power.
2. Transparency Invites Freedom — When leaders are honest about their struggles, it creates a culture where others feel safe to seek healing too.
3. Community Matters Deeply — Breakthrough often happens when believers surround one another with prayer, accountability, and support.
4. Obedience Requires Courage — Whether turning down inappropriate film roles or sharing difficult truths publicly, choosing God’s way leads to lasting fruit.
5. Worship Flows From Real Stories — The album Faithful was forged from personal and communal battles, showing how God uses our experiences to minister to others.

Missional Challenges

1. Step Out in Honesty — Share one area of your life with a trusted believer where you need healing or accountability; transparency unlocks breakthrough.
2. Encourage Someone’s Calling — Identify a creative or gifted person in your church and affirm the ministry potential you see in them this week.
3. Serve Intentionally — Choose one act of service—at church, in your neighborhood, or at work—that reflects Christ’s love and opens doors for spiritual conversations.

Chapters (Timestamps Included)

00:00 – Welcome & Introduction

Dan and Amanda introduce Jesse Pruett and his journey from Hollywood to worship ministry.

01:00 – How the Album Faithful Was Born

Jesse shares the heart and church story behind creating CCG Worship’s debut album.

03:00 – Healing in the Desert

Jesse describes how God used Lake Havasu as an unexpected place of personal and family healing.

04:30 – Addiction, Recovery, and God’s Intervention

A...

💡 What if missionaries could hide entire Bibles inside everyday apps to bypass government surveillance? Eugene Bach, leading voice of the Back to Jerusalem movement, shares jaw-dropping stories of hackers using hologram Bibles, secret devices, and cutting-edge technology to smuggle God's Word into closed nations like China, North Korea, and Afghanistan. Learn how 170 million Chinese believers are meeting in factories, businesses, and homes right under the watchful eye of facial recognition cameras and super-app monitoring. This conversation will open your eyes to the creative ways God's Kingdom is advancing in the darkest places. 🌍📱

Eugene Bach is the leading voice in the Back to Jerusalem movement, author, strategist, and host of the Back to Jerusalem Podcast. For over 27 years, he has lived and worked in China, serving as a bridge between the underground Chinese house church and global partners while helping mobilize Chinese missionaries to reach unreached people groups across the 10/40 window. He is the author of multiple books including China and End Time Prophecy, I Stand With Christ, The Underground Church, and The Lame Shall Take The Prey, and annually hosts the Hackers Conference where tech experts create innovative tools to share the Gospel in closed nations.

1. Witness History Unfolding: You'll discover the untold story of the world's largest revival happening right now in China, where 28,000-30,000 people come to Christ every single day despite intense persecution. Eugene Bach provides firsthand accounts and statistics you won't hear anywhere else about 140-170 million Chinese believers living out radical faith.
2. Learn Underground Church Strategies: Eugene reveals how Chinese believers creatively share the Gospel using hidden Bible apps, hologram devices, and meeting in factories and businesses to outsmart government surveillance and facial recognition technology. These innovative ministry methods will challenge your own approach to sharing faith and overcoming obstacles.
3. Answer Your Mission Calling: Whether you're called to go, send, or support missionaries, this episode clarifies how Western Christians can actively partner with the Back to Jerusalem movement to reach the 9/10 unreached people groups between China and Jerusalem. You'll gain practical insights on representing Christ well in hostile environments and discover your role in completing the Great Commission.

1. Represent Christ Always: Even when you're being cheated, overcharged, or treated unfairly, you must reflect Christ's light rather than the darkness around you. People in darkness are drawn to Christian nations and communities not by accident—they recognize the transformative power of the Gospel in how believers live, even when it costs you personally.
2. Freedom of Speech Matters: The first thing the enemy does in every nation—whether communist, Islamic, Hindu, or Buddhist—is restrict freedom of speech because the Word must go forth to complete the Great Commission. Christians must vigilantly protect and use their freedom to speak truth, recognizing that silence, not lies, is the true enemy of truth.
3. You Can't Delegate Obedience: The Great Commission isn't a vision you can delegate to others—it's a command that has you, and you only have three choices: go, send, or disobey. Every believer must actively discern their unique calling in completing the Great Commission, whether that means going to the mission field, training and sending missionaries, or supporting those already serving.
4. Integrate Faith...

Ever wake up wondering if God was trying to tell you something through your dreams? 🌙✨ Join us for an inspiring conversation with Paige Collins, founder of Icon Media and author of the "Awaken Dream Journal," as she shares how one transformative dream in 2017 changed everything. Discover practical steps to record, interpret, and understand the spiritual meaning of your dreams through a biblical lens. Paige reveals why dreams are conversation starters with God and how Christian dreamers are rising up to change the world for the Kingdom.

Paige Collins is a lifelong dreamer, spiritual teacher, and the founding partner of Icon Media Group, a premier PR firm that has launched hundreds of New York Times bestselling books and led publicity for major faith-based films. Beyond her 20+ years in media strategy, Paige is also a screenwriter and producer, founding Honeybee Entertainment to develop inspirational content. Her passion for helping believers discern God's voice through dreams led her to create the "Awaken Dream Journal," a first-of-its-kind tool that equips Christians to record, interpret, and understand the spiritual meaning of their dreams through biblical principles and Holy Spirit guidance.

1. Learn the Biblical Foundation: Discover how dreams have been God's communication method throughout Scripture—from Joseph to the prophets—and why the promise in Joel that "your old men will dream dreams" applies to every believer today, not just Old Testament prophets.
2. Get Practical Dream Tools: Paige shares her proven framework of write-pray-wait for dream interpretation, including how to identify symbolism, recognize play on words, anchor dreams in Scripture, and distinguish between prophetic destiny dreams, processing dreams, and intercession dreams.
3. Overcome Fear and Doubt: Address common concerns about new age counterfeits, learn how to take authority over tormenting dreams, and understand why the Christian community needs to reclaim this sacred space where God speaks intimately to His people.

1. Stewardship Awakens Revelation: The simple act of noticing, writing down, or speaking your dreams out loud signals to God that you're ready to receive more—what you steward multiplies, and faithfulness in small things (even seemingly random dreams) opens the door to greater spiritual insight.
2. All Dreams Are Conversation Starters: Whether prophetic, warning, or processing dreams from your daily life, every dream is worthy of bringing to the Lord's feet as a conversation starter—He wants to be involved in every area of your life, including what surfaces while you sleep.
3. Symbolism Requires Context and Prayer: Biblical dream interpretation involves looking for symbols in Scripture first, considering play on words, asking the Holy Spirit for a scripture to anchor the dream, and unpacking each element layer by layer with the Lord as your primary teacher.
4. Multiple Dreams Can Say One Thing: Sometimes God will give you several completely different dreams with unique symbolism that, when interpreted, all communicate the same message—this repetition confirms what He's speaking and shows the depth of His desire to communicate with you.
5. Christian Dreamers Change the World: God is raising up a generation of kingdom-minded dreamers who will impact marketplace leadership, ministry, intercession, and cultural transformation—your willingness to lean into dreams positions you to partner with what God is doing in this hour.

1. Start a Dream Journal Tonight: Place a notebook and pen by your bedside, and when you wake from a dream,...

Are you sacrificing your relationship with God to serve God? 💭 Author and ministry leader Karolyne Roberts opens up about spending her entire twenties striving for approval—even in ministry—until exhaustion forced her into a year-long sabbatical that changed everything. Discover how to break free from performance-driven Christianity, navigate social media comparison culture, and embrace the powerful practice of abiding in Christ daily. This honest conversation includes game-changing insights on the Fruit Fast, counting the cost before saying yes, and why Jesus withdrew when crowds grew. Perfect for overwhelmed believers ready to trade striving for surrender. 🙏

Karolyne Roberts is the author of "The Beauty of Being: Strive Less and Live More With God as Your Guide" and founder of the women's ministry Dear Daddy, where she writes letters to God as her Father. After experiencing burnout from a decade of ministry service, she took a transformative year-long sabbatical that reshaped her understanding of identity and rest in Christ. Karolyne is passionate about helping Christians—especially women—break free from performance-driven faith and discover the freedom of abiding in God's presence, and she leads various discipleship initiatives including the Abide Journaling Challenge and Miss Eternity Christian mentorship program.

1. Break the Performance Trap: If you're exhausted from trying to earn God's love through ministry and good works, Karolyne's honest story of hitting rock bottom on her 30th birthday will show you how to shift from striving to resting in your identity as God's beloved daughter. You'll learn practical tools like the Fruit Fast and Abide Journaling Challenge to help you cultivate authentic intimacy with God instead of religious burnout.
2. Navigate Modern Comparison Culture: Discover biblical strategies for setting boundaries with social media, curating your feed intentionally, and measuring success by God's standards rather than likes, followers, or vanity metrics. Karolyne shares real-world wisdom on protecting your mental health in the digital age while still using platforms for kingdom purposes.
3. Master the Balance: Learn how to pursue God's calling with healthy ambition while avoiding the extremes of either burning out or becoming unfruitful. Karolyne reveals her monthly Plan & Pray approach, the power of counting the cost before decisions, and why leaving space for God to interrupt your plans leads to the most fruitful seasons of ministry and life.

1. Your Identity Over Activity: God's love for you isn't based on your performance, ministry achievements, or how much you serve—you're worthy simply because He chose you and sent Jesus to die for you. When you ground yourself in being God's daughter or son first, you can serve from a place of rest and freedom rather than striving for approval.
2. Stop Planning, Start Surrendering: Instead of mapping out your entire year with rigid goals and vision boards, try planning month-by-month while surrendering each plan to God in prayer. This approach leaves room for God to surprise you, redirect your steps, and prevent the pride that comes from thinking you control your future—a lesson Karolyne learned powerfully in 2020.
3. Community Prevents Burnout: You weren't designed to fulfill your purpose alone—God intentionally surrounds you with a community of believers who can pour into you, support you, and help carry the load. Before launching back into ministry, prioritize building authentic relationships and practice asking for help instead of trying to do everything yourself.
4. Curate Your Digital Diet: Just as you guard what you eat physically,...

What if every person in the world could walk to a healthy church in their community? In this episode of The Missional Life Podcast, Janice Rosser Allen, CEO of International Cooperating Ministries, shares how God is multiplying churches across the globe. With over 13,000 churches built and countless communities transformed, Janice reveals the power of partnerships and discipleship. You’ll hear inspiring stories from Rwanda, India, and beyond where hope replaced despair. Janice also opens up about her personal journey from oncology nurse to global ministry leader after walking through deep loss. Be encouraged that your “yes” to God can spark change far beyond what you imagine.

About the Guest

Janice Rosser Allen is the CEO and President of International Cooperating Ministries (ICM), a global ministry dedicated to equipping indigenous churches with permanent buildings and discipleship resources. With a background in oncology nursing and a personal story of perseverance through loss, Janice now leads ICM’s vision to see a healthy church within walking distance of every person worldwide. Her passion is to empower local leaders, multiply churches, and bring the hope of Christ to communities across the globe.

Reasons to Listen

Discover Global Impact – Learn how God is transforming entire communities through local partnerships, discipleship, and more than 13,000 churches planted worldwide.

Gain Practical Wisdom – Hear Janice share powerful insights on building healthy churches, choosing the right partners, and multiplying ministry that you can apply in your own faith journey.

Be Inspired by Hope – Encounter real-life stories of redemption, from rescued children to thriving villages, and be encouraged that your “yes” to God can spark lasting change.

Big Takeaways

Say Yes to God – Even small steps of obedience can open the door for God to multiply your impact far beyond what you imagine.

Value Healthy Churches – A thriving church isn’t just about numbers; it’s about discipleship, evangelism, and transformation that ripple through entire communities.

Power of Partnerships – Ministry is stronger when we collaborate; choosing the right partners ensures long-term fruit and sustainable kingdom growth.

Hope Transforms Lives – Introducing the hope of Christ can completely change individual lives and entire communities, even in the darkest situations.

Use What You Have – God often uses the least likely people and simple tools, like audio Bibles or small acts of faith, to accomplish extraordinary kingdom work.

Missional Challenges

Step Out in Faith – Identify one area in your life where God is nudging you to say “yes,” and take a small but intentional step of obedience this week.

Encourage Someone’s Potential – Look for a person in your church or community with untapped gifts and speak words of encouragement that affirm their calling and value.

Invest in Community Impact – Pray about how you can give—whether time, resources, or prayer support—to a ministry or local project that is transforming lives for Christ.

Timestamps

[00:00:00] Welcome & Guest Introduction – Meet Janice Rosser Allen, CEO of International Cooperating Ministries, and hear about ICM’s global mission.

[00:02:00] Building Healthy Churches – Defining what a healthy church looks like and why it matters for long-term transformation.

[00:04:00] Multiplication Through Partnerships – How ICM partners with local leaders to plant...

🔥 What does it really mean to be the salt of the earth? In this powerful episode, Christian rock artist Benny DiChiara of Empowered shares how God turned a canceled concert, a prophetic word, and a long season of waiting into a life-changing calling. Through his new EP Salt, Benny reveals lessons on spiritual endurance, divine timing, and standing firm in faith. You’ll be inspired to live boldly and step out in your God-given purpose—no matter how long the wait. 🌊💪 #Faith #ChristianRock

Benny DiChiara is the frontman of the Christian rock band Empowered, whose latest EP SALT calls believers to live as bold witnesses for Christ. After overcoming a traumatic brain injury and countless trials, Benny continues to use his platform to glorify Jesus and embolden others to live out their God-given purpose.

1. Discover the Heart Behind “SALT” - Hear the incredible story of how a divine word—Safety, Anointed, Legit, Timing—birthed a record that’s more than music; it’s a call to mission.
2. Be Encouraged in God’s Timing - Benny’s decades-long journey is a testimony that God’s promises are never late—they’re always right on time.
3. Learn to Fight from Victory, Not for It - From “Throat Punch the Devil” to lessons on spiritual warfare, Benny reminds us that believers aren’t called to play defense—we’re called to take territory for the Kingdom.

1. God’s timing is always perfect—your season will come when it aligns with His purpose.
2. “Salt” preserves and purifies; as believers, we’re called to bring truth that endures, not the “sugar” of comfort or compromise.
3. Feelings fade, but faith endures—don’t make decisions out of emotion, but out of obedience.
4. Spiritual warfare is real, but victory is already won through Jesus.
5. We don’t just need to know who we are—we must know whose we are.

1. Be the Salt in Your Sphere - Ask the Holy Spirit to show you one person or space where you can bring truth and encouragement this week. Whether that’s a co-worker who’s weary, a neighbor you’ve avoided, or a friend who’s struggling — step into that moment with love and authenticity. Let your words preserve, uplift, and point back to Jesus.
2. Trade Sugar for Salt - Reflect on areas in your life where you may have softened truth for the sake of comfort or approval. This week, choose to live with holy boldness. Speak truth in love, even when it’s uncomfortable. Let your faith have flavor — not the sweetness of compromise, but the purity of Christ’s love that endures and transforms.
3. Move in His Timing, Not Yours - If you’ve been waiting for breakthrough, take a moment to surrender your timeline back to God. Instead of asking “When, Lord?” ask “What are You teaching me in this season?” Pray over your calling and take one small step of obedience today — trusting that His timing is never delayed, only divine.

🎧 Listen to SALT by Empowered: rockin4jesus.com

📲 Follow Empowered on YouTube: EMPOWERED

#themissionallife #themissionallifepodcast #EmpoweredBand #BennyDiChiara #ChristianRock #FaithInAction #BeTheSalt...

🙋‍♀️ When Jesus asked His disciples, “What do you want?” He revealed that desire matters in the Kingdom. In this inspiring conversation with Tracey Gee, author of The Magic of Knowing What You Want, we uncover why listening to our longings isn’t selfish—it’s often the doorway to God’s best for us. Tracey shares how to move past fear, disappointment, and “shoulds,” and instead cultivate momentum by experimenting with faith-filled steps. This episode will equip you to embrace your God-given passions and integrate them into daily life with joy and purpose.

Tracey Gee is a certified leadership coach, facilitator, and author with over 20 years of experience serving leaders through InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and beyond. She has coached leaders from organizations like Amazon, Coca-Cola, UC Berkeley, and the Miami Heat, bringing a faith-informed perspective into diverse spaces. Her new book, 'The Magic of Knowing What You Want', helps Christians uncover their God-shaped desires, align with His purposes, and courageously step into His mission.

1. Discover God-Shaped Desires – Learn how to recognize the longings in your heart that God may be using to reveal His calling and direction for your life.
2. Overcome Fear and Doubt – Tracey Gee shares practical ways to move past fear-based questions and self-doubt so you can step boldly into obedience and mission.
3. Build Momentum with Faith – Gain tools for turning small acts of experimentation into meaningful steps of faith that integrate your passions with God’s purposes.

1. Follow Your Desires – Instead of dismissing what you want, recognize that God often speaks through your longings and passions to guide you into His mission.
2. Ask Better Questions – Replace fear-based or limiting questions with life-giving ones that open your imagination and help you discern God’s direction more clearly.
3. Start Small Steps – Don’t wait for the perfect plan—take small, practical actions of faith that build momentum and create space for God to move.
4. Learn From Disappointment – View setbacks not as failures but as opportunities to uncover deeper desires and recalibrate toward God’s true purpose for you.
5. Embrace Your Uniqueness – Celebrate how God has uniquely designed you, and lean into living out your calling in a way that reflects His creativity and love.

1. Identify a God-Shaped Desire – Take 10 minutes this week to prayerfully write down one desire on your heart and ask God how it might align with His purpose.
2. Take One Small Step – Choose a simple, doable action—like having a conversation, doing research, or serving in a small way—that moves you closer to living out that desire.
3. Reframe a Disappointment – Reflect on a recent setback and journal what deeper longing it revealed. Pray about how God might redirect you toward His plan through it.

00:00 – Introduction to Tracey Gee and her background in leadership coaching and ministry

02:00 – The connection between desires and God’s calling

06:00 – Common barriers that cause people to shut down their desires

10:00 –...

💡 What does it look like to live on mission as both a business leader and a musician? Chris Whittington joins us to share his powerful testimony of growing up in poverty, launching Whittington Steel, and writing songs that point people back to God’s Word. Hear the heart behind the 10th anniversary re-release of Bright Portal and why the new track “God Will Supply All Our Needs” is resonating globally. Whether you’re in business, ministry, or music, this episode will inspire you to see your work as part of God’s bigger mission. 🌍🎵

Chris Whittington is a musician, songwriter, and founder of Whittington Steel, whose journey from poverty in Houston to leading a thriving business is a powerful testimony of God’s provision. He recently released the 10th anniversary remastered edition of his album Bright Portal, featuring a new track rooted in Scripture that is impacting listeners around the world. Through both his music and his business, Chris seeks to glorify God and serve others with a family-centered, Kingdom-focused approach.

1. Faith in Hardship – Hear how Chris Whittington’s journey from poverty and brokenness to faith and success reveals God’s power to redeem every struggle. His story will inspire you to trust God in your own challenges.
2. Music with Scripture – Discover the heart behind Chris’s re-release of Bright Portal and why songs rooted in the Word of God continue to impact lives across the world. You’ll be encouraged to see how music can carry timeless truth.
3. Kingdom at Work – Learn how Chris built Whittington Steel on biblical principles, treating employees like family and meeting practical needs. His example will challenge you to live your faith boldly in your workplace and community.

1. God Redeems Struggles – Chris’s story shows that even painful seasons can shape us into who God has called us to be. Trust that your hardships can become a platform for God’s glory.
2. Scripture Transforms Art – Rooting songs and creativity in God’s Word gives them lasting power and eternal impact. Whatever your gifts, anchor them in Scripture to reach hearts for Christ.
3. Work as Worship – Running a business with integrity and compassion is part of living missionally. See your workplace as a place where you can reflect Christ and serve others.
4. Surround Yourself Well – Chris emphasizes the importance of partnering with people who sharpen your faith and excellence. Be intentional about building relationships that encourage growth and Kingdom impact.
5. Live the One Mission – Whether in music, business, or daily life, there is only one mission: making Jesus known. Let this truth guide your decisions and give purpose to every part of your life.

1. Trust God in Hardship – Think of one current struggle in your life and intentionally give it to God in prayer today, believing He can redeem it for your good and His glory.
2. Bring Scripture Into Your Gifts – Whether you write, sing, create, or serve, find a way to weave a verse or biblical truth into what you do this week and let God’s Word speak through your talents.
3. Love Others...