Restoring the Soul with Michael John Cusick

“Only one side could be telling the truth and it's really disturbing either way.” - Laura BarringerOn this episode of Restoring the Soul, Michael welcomes Laura Barringer to the podcast. Over the past decade, we have seen incredible examples of toxic church culture that has upended congregations and has left thousands of church staff and congregants confused and shaken. In 2020 Laura co-authored a book with her father titled “A Church Called Tov: Forming a Goodness Culture That Resists Abuses of Power and Promotes Healing.” Together, they dedicated the book to “the wounded resisters” which provides a framework to create a “good” church culture rather than a toxic one in order to prevent further abuse.  As you’ll hear in her interview with Michael, Laura has firsthand experience of toxic church culture.Laura is a graduate of Wheaton College and makes her home in the Chicago suburbs with her husband and three beagles.   HELPFUL RESOURCES:A Church Called Tov: Forming a Goodness Culture That Resists Abuses of Power and Promotes HealingRiverside.fmSupport the showENGAGE THE RESTORING THE SOUL PODCAST:- Follow us on YouTube - Tweet us at @michaeljcusick and @PodcastRTS- Like us on Facebook- Follow us on Instagram & Twitter- Follow Michael on Twitter- Email us at info@restoringthesoul.com Thanks for listening!

“The greatest act of worship is to become who God says you are.” - Rev. Dr. Brenda Salter McNeilOn this episode of Restoring the Soul, Michael welcomes authors Rev. Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil and Rick Richardson to discuss their latest book, “The Heart of Racial Justice: How Soul Change Leads to Social Change.” In it, they recognize that racial and ethnic hostility is one of the most pervasive problems the church faces. In large part, because it is a spiritual battle. In this book and in conversation with Michael, Brenda and Rick provide a model of racial reconciliation, social justice, and spiritual healing that creates both individual and community transformation.Rick Richardson is director of the Billy Graham Center Institute and its Church Evangelism Initiative, and professor of evangelism and leadership at Wheaton College Graduate School. Rev. Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil is a dynamic speaker, an author, and a trailblazer with over thirty years of experience in the ministry of racial, ethnic, and gender reconciliation. She is an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Covenant Church and is on the pastoral staff of Quest Church in Seattle. HELPFUL RESOURCES:The Heart of Racial Justice: How Soul Change Leads to Social ChangeRiverside.fmSupport the showENGAGE THE RESTORING THE SOUL PODCAST:- Follow us on YouTube - Tweet us at @michaeljcusick and @PodcastRTS- Like us on Facebook- Follow us on Instagram & Twitter- Follow Michael on Twitter- Email us at info@restoringthesoul.com Thanks for listening!

“If you don’t have a narrative that you can share with yourself and others about who you think you are, you’re in trouble.” - Ian Morgan CronOn this episode of Restoring the Soul, Michael concludes his conversation with Ian Morgan Cron. They’re discussing Ian’s latest book, “The Story of You: An Enneagram Journey to Becoming Your True Self.” In today’s conversation, Ian delves into the SOAR process that helps men and women to rewrite their stories.SOAR stands for:See your origin storyOwn your shadow sideAwaken to your present momentRewrite your new storyHELPFUL RESOURCES:Ian Morgan Cron, The Story of You: An Enneagram Journey to Becoming Your True SelfRiverside.fmSupport the showENGAGE THE RESTORING THE SOUL PODCAST:- Follow us on YouTube - Tweet us at @michaeljcusick and @PodcastRTS- Like us on Facebook- Follow us on Instagram & Twitter- Follow Michael on Twitter- Email us at info@restoringthesoul.com Thanks for listening!

“All transformation begins with story transformation.” - Ian Morgan CronOn this episode of Restoring the Soul, Michael welcomes back our good friend, Ian Morgan Cron, to discuss Ian’s latest book, “The Story of You: An Enneagram Journey to Becoming Your True Self.” In today’s conversation, Ian reveals how each of us inhabits a broken story that runs counter to the Larger Story of divine grace and who we were created to be. He and Michael look at the book that maps out a guide for using Enneagram wisdom to reauthor your life and experience deep inner transformation, healing, and happiness.Not only is Ian a master teacher of the Enneagram, but he is also an accomplished author, an Episcopal priest, and a trained psychotherapist. He and his wife, Anne, live in Nashville, Tennessee.HELPFUL RESOURCES:Ian Morgan Cron, The Story of You: An Enneagram Journey to Becoming Your True SelfChristopher Booker, The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell StoriesSupport the showENGAGE THE RESTORING THE SOUL PODCAST:- Follow us on YouTube - Tweet us at @michaeljcusick and @PodcastRTS- Like us on Facebook- Follow us on Instagram & Twitter- Follow Michael on Twitter- Email us at info@restoringthesoul.com Thanks for listening!

“I think God is continually beckoning us into this space of intimacy and in order to get there, we oftentimes have to be devastated.” - Ryan TaylorOn this episode of Restoring the Soul, Ryan Taylor joins Michael to conclude their conversation about Ryan’s book Awkward Spirituality: The Divinity of Ordinary Life. In today’s conversation, Ryan candidly reflects about expectations in life and how they “are meant to be disrupted” in order for us to find enough spaciousness and humility to grow—and find the courage to sink into our truest self in hopes to find the spiritual in the ordinary.Ryan is a pastor at Urban Mercy Church and Chaplain of Network Coffee House, a hospitality house for Denver’s chronically unhoused. Ryan and his wife Angela have two boys, Josiah and Micah, and live in Denver, Colorado. Support the showENGAGE THE RESTORING THE SOUL PODCAST:- Follow us on YouTube - Tweet us at @michaeljcusick and @PodcastRTS- Like us on Facebook- Follow us on Instagram & Twitter- Follow Michael on Twitter- Email us at info@restoringthesoul.com Thanks for listening!

“We’re afraid to lose the control that we think we have over the life that we think that we’re living.” - Ryan TaylorOn the next two episodes of Restoring the Soul, Ryan Taylor joins Michael to talk about his book Awkward Spirituality: The Divinity of Ordinary Life. In today’s conversation, Ryan reflects on his spiritual journey that was awakened through joining recovery efforts in Post-Katrina New Orleans. He now ministers among those many may consider irrelevant, and has learned that “wasting time” with people is actually a worthwhile endeavor. Ryan is a pastor at Urban Mercy Church and Chaplain of Network Coffee House, a hospitality house for Denver’s chronically unhoused. Ryan and his wife Angela have two boys, Josiah and Micah, and live in Denver, Colorado. Support the showENGAGE THE RESTORING THE SOUL PODCAST:- Follow us on YouTube - Tweet us at @michaeljcusick and @PodcastRTS- Like us on Facebook- Follow us on Instagram & Twitter- Follow Michael on Twitter- Email us at info@restoringthesoul.com Thanks for listening!

“Everyone is invited into the experience of God.” - Brian ZahndOn this edition of Restoring the Soul, Michael concludes his conversation with Brian Zahnd. Brian is the founder and lead pastor of Word of Life Church in St. Joseph, Missouri. He’s also the author of several books, including Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God, A Farewell to Mars, and Beauty Will Save the World.On today’s podcast, Michael and Brian dive into part 2 of their discussion about Brian’s latest book, When Everything Is On Fire, which seeks to answer the question, “Is it possible to hold on to faith in an age of unbelief?” Today, they talk about how to experience God in your everyday life & the recent conversations about deconstructing one’s faith.Follow Brian Zahnd on his blog.Support the showENGAGE THE RESTORING THE SOUL PODCAST:- Follow us on YouTube - Tweet us at @michaeljcusick and @PodcastRTS- Like us on Facebook- Follow us on Instagram & Twitter- Follow Michael on Twitter- Email us at info@restoringthesoul.com Thanks for listening!

“Faith will not be sustained by some allegiance to a tradition but by one’s experience.” - Brian ZahndOn this edition of Restoring the Soul, Michael welcomes author and Pastor Brian Zahnd. Brian is the founder and lead pastor of Word of Life Church in St. Joseph, Missouri. Known for his theologically informed preaching and his embrace of the deep and long history of the church, he provides a forum for pastors to engage with leading theologians and is a frequent conference speaker. Brian is the author of several books, including Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God, A Farewell to Mars, and Beauty Will Save the World.On today’s podcast, Michael and Brian discuss his latest book, When Everything Is On Fire, which seeks to answer the question, “Is it possible to hold on to faith in an age of unbelief?” Various solutions exist―some people will double down on certainty, while others deconstruct their faith until there is nothing left at all. But Brian Zahnd offers a third way: he thinks that what is needed is not a demolition but instead a renovation of faith.Follow Brian on his blog.Support the showENGAGE THE RESTORING THE SOUL PODCAST:- Follow us on YouTube - Tweet us at @michaeljcusick and @PodcastRTS- Like us on Facebook- Follow us on Instagram & Twitter- Follow Michael on Twitter- Email us at info@restoringthesoul.com Thanks for listening!

“There’s no better freedom than being the person God created you to be.” - Kevin TriplettOn this edition of the podcast, Michael welcomes back Kevin Tripplett. Kevin was a guest in 2017 alongside Tony Anderson as they recounted their 2013 Restoring the Soul Men’s intensive weekend that served as the catalyst to their radical life change. They went on to also recount their stories in the incredible film, The Heart of Man.Since then, Kevin has had the opportunity to join Michael and the team at more weekend intensives. Today, he and Michael discuss the foundational importance of these gatherings.Restoring the Soul is hosting another Men’s Intensive Weekend in February of 2022 in Colorado Springs and invites you to take an important and courageous step with other men to get your true heart back. Registration opens December 5th and you can find complete details at Restoring the Soul.HELPFUL RESOURCES:Episode 54 - Tony Anderson & Kevin Triplett, "Surfing For God Weekend Intensive"Support the showENGAGE THE RESTORING THE SOUL PODCAST:- Follow us on YouTube - Tweet us at @michaeljcusick and @PodcastRTS- Like us on Facebook- Follow us on Instagram & Twitter- Follow Michael on Twitter- Email us at info@restoringthesoul.com Thanks for listening!

“I go after the core of the Gospel but I do it from the stance of a pilgrim kind of wandering around trying to figure it out.” - Philip YanceyOn this edition, Michael concludes his conversation with author Philip Yancey. They discuss the major themes of Philip’s latest book, his memoir titled, “Where the Light Fell”. At its heart, this is a book about the possibility of healing and the hope that nothing in a person’s life need go to waste. Click here to subscribe to Philip Yancey’s blog.HELPFUL RESOURCES:Episode 201 - Philip Yancey, "Where the Light Fell, Part 1"Episode 123 - Philip Yancey, "Easter and COVID-19"Episode 105 - Philip Yancey, "Amazing Grace, Part 2"Episode 104 - Philip Yancey, "Amazing Grace, Part 1"Support the showENGAGE THE RESTORING THE SOUL PODCAST:- Follow us on YouTube - Tweet us at @michaeljcusick and @PodcastRTS- Like us on Facebook- Follow us on Instagram & Twitter- Follow Michael on Twitter- Email us at info@restoringthesoul.com Thanks for listening!