Restoring the Soul with Michael John Cusick

“It was such a joy to discover in his deep heart, behind the scenes, Eugene was the man we thought he was.” - Winn CollierOn this edition of Restoring the Soul, Michael welcomes back Winn Collier. If you admire the life and writings of Eugene Peterson, you’re in for a real treat. As you will soon hear, Eugene Peterson was not only Winn’s pastor, he was his friend. So it made complete sense for Winn to take on the humbling task of writing the Authorized Biography of Eugene Peterson titled, “A Burning in My Bones”, which was released this past January.Winn is also the Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology and Christian Imagination at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan. He is the Director of the Eugene Peterson Center for Christian Imagination and the author of 5 books, including Eugene’s biography. You can discover even more about Winn on his website.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 think what we all need is a redemption story. That's basically what the human heart longs for.” - Dr. Rodney ReevesOn this episode, Michael welcomes Dr. Rodney Reeves, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Rodney is also the author of 6 books, including what he & Michael are going to be discussing today, “Spirituality According to John.” Through all of the Apostle John's works, a consistent message is woven: being a Christian is about abiding in Christ and in his words. The Gospel of John, the epistle of 1 John, and the book of Revelation all begin in the same way: by pointing to the importance of knowing the Word, both written and incarnate. Rodney combines exegesis with spiritual reflection to explore how the only biblical writer to employ three different genres presents a consistent vision of Christian spirituality.HELPFUL RESOURCES:Spirituality According to JohnSupport 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!

“Sometimes God cruelly puts me in places of exposure because He wants to bring healing to things that I have covered over.” - Brian BoeckerOn this episode, Michael welcomes another member of the Restoring the Soul team for an opportunity for you to get to know them better. Today, we welcome Brian Boecker. With over ten years of working with individuals and couples, Brian specializes in counseling pastors, missionaries, and other Christian leaders. For 27 years he served with CRU (Campus Crusade for Christ) in a variety of leadership capacities primarily throughout Southeast Asia. He has also served with multiple ministries and currently trains graduate students at Denver Seminary. In today’s conversation, Brian recounts the pivotal story in which a counselor exposed him to the reality of what was taking place in his marriage. As you will hear, this “awakening” reset the trajectory of his relationship with his wife and changed their lives forever. Consequently, learning and understanding his own story has served as the foundation of how he approaches his vocation as an Intensive Clinical Soul Care Specialist.Brian has a deep love of entering the stories of people in ways that move them toward restoration, healing, and wholeness.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!

“Evangelicals in America are one of the most unreached people groups.” - Tony AndersonOn this episode, Michael concludes his conversation with Tony Anderson. As the Executive Producer of the film, The Heart of Man, Tony was intimately involved with every facet of the movie. Tony and Michael continue their discussion about the film but also delve into topics like why African American women are so drawn to the movie, why millions in Saudi Arabia listen to his music, and what Tony’s personal relationship with the Lord looks like on a daily basis.The interview was conducted just before the 2017 release and I’d like to reiterate, The Heart of Man is a film we highly recommend - it can be found on multiple streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime. HELPFUL RESOURCES:The Heart of ManInto the Silent Land: A Guide to the Christian Practice of ContemplationSupport 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 only thing that translates to the world is raw experience with God.” - Tony AndersonOn this episode, Michael welcomes Tony Anderson to the podcast. Tony describes himself as a “sonic architect” who creates and composes music for film, television, and beyond and has been featured in promotions for National Geographic, GoPro, ESPN, Ford, and many more. Tony’s life has also been radically transformed by the power of the Gospel. As the Executive Producer of the film, The Heart of Man. This interview was conducted just before the 2017 release and in this conversation, he and Michael dig deep into what the movie is all about, how it came to be, and what the ultimate goal for the movie will be. This is a film we highly recommend to you and it can be found on multiple streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime.HELPFUL RESOURCES:The Heart of ManSupport 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!

“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!