Win Today: Your Roadmap to Wholeness

There's a way to move through your forties that looks busy but stays small, a way to talk about calling while postponing obedience, and a way to live half-present in the present while telling yourself you're being "wise." This week on Win Today, Mark Batterson joins me to reclaim the middle decades as the beginning, not the end, and to confront why delayed obedience is still disobedience and why the slow, daily road of incremental growth produces what hurry never can. We'll name the subtle drift that fragments attention, why "later" sounds prudent but hollows character, and how gradual progress—received as a gift and practiced as a rhythm—forms a durable life. Guest Bio Mark Batterson is the lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D.C., and the New York Times–bestselling author of The Circle Maker and more than twenty books. He writes and teaches about courageous obedience, holy imagination, and the long game of spiritual formation. Today's conversation isn't about his résumé—it's about your next act: recovering presence, refusing delay, and embracing the slow, durable gains that shape a life. Show Partners SafeSleeve designs a phone case that blocks up to 99% of harmful EMF radiation—so I'm not carrying that kind of exposure next to my body all day. It's sleek, durable, and most importantly, lab-tested by third parties. The results aren't hidden—they're published right on their site. And that matters, because a lot of so-called EMF blockers on the market either don't work or can't prove they do. We protect our hearts and minds—why wouldn't we protect our bodies too? Head to safesleevecases.com and use the code WINTODAY10 for 10% off your order. Episode Links Show Notes Buy my NEW BOOK "Healing What You Can't Erase" here! Invite me to speak at your church or event. Connect with me @WINTODAYChris on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

This week on Win Today, esteemed restaurateur Kevin Boehm joins me to name the subtle drift from hope to heaviness: how fear hides under the guise of practicality, how the self‑help blueprint promises control but delivers unease, and why your plate of food may be less incidental than you think—it could be a peacemaker for your soul. We dismantle the lie that you must always surge forward; sometimes the bravest step is backward. We expose what happens when you stop lying to yourself and start living honestly. If you've ever felt stuck in performance, disguised your fear as "logic," or missed the meaning beneath the menu, this conversation will unsettle and re‑anchor you. Guest Bio Kevin Boehm is a restaurateur, author, and speaker whose work encompasses hospitality, culture, and the gospel of presence. As co‑founder of BOKA Restaurant Group and author of The Bottomless Cup, he has navigated the collision of excellence, exhaustion, fear, and hope, discovering that what feeds the body often reveals what starves the soul. Kevin's voice challenges the self‑help aesthetic and invites you into the broader story where life is for you, not to you. Show Partner SafeSleeve designs a phone case that blocks up to 99% of harmful EMF radiation—so I'm not carrying that kind of exposure next to my body all day. It's sleek, durable, and most importantly, lab-tested by third parties. The results aren't hidden—they're published right on their site. And that matters, because a lot of so-called EMF blockers on the market either don't work or can't prove they do. We protect our hearts and minds—why wouldn't we protect our bodies too? Head to safesleevecases.com and use the code WINTODAY10 for 10% off your order. Episode Links Show Notes Buy my NEW BOOK "Healing What You Can't Erase" here! Invite me to speak at your church or event. Connect with me @WINTODAYChris on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

There's a kind of faith that performs instead of worships, and eventually, that kind of faith breaks down. This week on Win Today, Paul and Hannah McClure from Bethel Music join me to talk about the slow drift from softness to cynicism in the life of a believer. We talk about the orphan spirit, fake faith that looks right but can't hold weight, and how disappointment left untreated eventually hardens into disconnection. We also confront the myth that faith equals certainty, and why true worship isn't just a song; it's surrender in the absence of clarity. For anyone who's battled disillusionment in church, questioned the language of worship, or wondered whether they're singing words they don't believe anymore, this conversation offers both confrontation and comfort. Paul and Hannah don't sugarcoat the road. But they do point to healing. This isn't about emotional hype. It's about reclaiming your heart before it turns cold. You'll learn: Why disappointment often precedes cynicism What the orphan spirit really is—and how it forms How fake faith is often learned, not chosen Why worship without surrender is just noise How to walk with God when certainty disappears Guest Bio Paul and Hannah McClure are worship leaders, songwriters, and pastors with Bethel Music. Known for their vulnerability, depth, and refusal to perform, their ministry helps people reconnect with a God who isn't afraid of pain. They've led a generation to encounter God through honesty, not hype. Their story is one of surrender, resilience, and the long journey back from burnout, cynicism, and emotional numbness. Episode Links Show Notes Buy my NEW BOOK "Healing What You Can't Erase" here! Invite me to speak at your church or event. Connect with me @WINTODAYChris on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Matt Chandler, a senior pastor and church planting leader, delves into the pitfalls of therapy culture in today's spiritual landscape. He discusses how curated identities lead to exhaustion and insecurity, and contrasts therapeutic approaches with Christ's promise of true renewal. Chandler warns against a diluted faith that confuses comfort for spiritual growth. He emphasizes the danger of sanitized Christianity and encourages a return to hunger for God’s presence. This powerful conversation challenges listeners to seek genuine spiritual transformation.

We want God to come through, but on our terms. We demand ease, favor, instant breakthrough, and validation, and when those expectations aren't met, we call it a trial. But what if the real trial is our refusal to lay down our entitlement? This week on Win Today, bestselling author Gary Thomas pulls no punches. He exposes the modern lie that faith means personal fulfillment, that comfort means favor, and that hardship means failure. And he shows how distraction is more than a bad habit—it's a spiritual breakdown. Because when the soul loses its focus, bitterness, offense, and relational dysfunction are not far behind. If you've ever felt spiritually entitled, subtly bitter, or confused about why you're still offended by things you "moved past," this conversation is for you. Episode Links Show Notes Buy my NEW BOOK "Healing What You Can't Erase" here! Invite me to speak at your church or event. Connect with me @WINTODAYChris on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

You think you're burned out, but what if you're actually just emotionally disconnected? What if your body is paying the price for unprocessed emotions you never gave yourself permission to feel? In today's episode of Win Today, married theologians and counselors Geoff and Cyd Holsclaw debunk the myths surrounding burnout, spiritual bypassing, and superficial healing. We're talking about what's really going on beneath the surface of emotional shutdown, how insecure attachment shows up in adult faith, and why your "soul senses" need to be reawakened if you want to actually experience wholeness. This isn't about self-help. This is about becoming whole—from the inside out. If you've ever been told to "just push through" or have spiritualized your pain away, this conversation is going to hit you like a defibrillator. Episode Links Show Notes Buy my NEW BOOK "Healing What You Can't Erase" here! Invite me to speak at your church or event. Connect with me @WINTODAYChris on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Evan Craft, an international recording artist and worship leader, dives deep into the struggles of faith in silence and the value of serving in anonymity. He discusses how wilderness experiences can transform us, revealing the necessity of spiritual desperation. Evan emphasizes questioning with healthy skepticism rather than cynicism, embracing the mystery of suffering, and the power of persistence. He confronts the hardest questions many avoid, all while encouraging a humble approach to spirituality that thrives in the dark nights of the soul.

Katie Davis Majors, founder of Amazima and author, discusses the pitfalls of seeking comfort over growth. She highlights how well-intentioned empathy can stunt spiritual development and how 'safe spaces' may hinder true transformation. Drawing from her experiences in Uganda, Katie emphasizes the need to navigate suffering with authenticity and faith. She advocates for embracing vulnerability within community to foster healing and personal growth, urging listeners to confront their discomfort for a deeper relationship with God.

We all want to overcome, but too often, we curate our pain out of view—tidy it up, slap a spiritual platitude on top, and hope time heals what we never confronted. This week on Win Today, ESPN's Lauren Sisler reveals what happened when her life fell apart at 18. She buried both of her parents just hours apart. And in the wake of that trauma, she didn't get a "hall pass" from grief. She didn't get a spiritual fast-forward button. She had to live every moment of it, raw and real. In this powerful conversation, we take on the lies of "rah-rah Christianity," the armor of image management, and the emotional expense of avoidance. If you've ever wondered why God didn't spare you from the pain… or why it still lingers even though you "moved on," this episode will meet you where you really live. Episode Links Show Notes Buy my NEW BOOK "Healing What You Can't Erase" here! Invite me to speak at your church or event. Connect with me @WINTODAYChris on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Tim Timberlake, a pastor and author of 'The Bumpy Road to Better', tackles modern life's challenges through a faith lens. He argues that chasing convenience often costs us more than it gives, revealing how rushing through grief fractures our future. Timberlake emphasizes the importance of embracing discomfort for genuine transformation and discerning true blessings from mere comfort. He encourages listeners to confront pain, stand firm in their faith, and cultivate deeper connections with God, highlighting that breakthroughs must be authentic to withstand life's tests.