Brave Men Podcast with Paul Louis Cole

Max Lucado has written a powerful new book that is a timely journey into God’s hope and grace. (I was so taken by the book I bought multiple copies for my family!) You’re going to be deeply blessed by our time together as we talk about “You Are Never Alone”. Max was born and raised in the oil-stained rugged country of West Texas. After a distinct commitment to follow Jesus in college at Abilene Christian University, Max headed into ministry in a small Florida church. There he met his wife Denalyn and after a couple years they moved to Brazil as missionaries. While in Brazil Max began to write journals which he fashioned into a book. Encouraged to publish his book he sent it to dozens of publishers, where they were all rejected. Finally a company published his first book, “On The Anvil.” That began the career of one of the world’s most respected and loved authors. Today his best-selling books have sold over 140 million copies across 54 languages worldwide. Every trade book Max Lucado has written during the last 30 years began as a sermon series for his home church Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas. Today we talk about his newest book, an inspirational and powerful journey of hope, “You Are Never Alone, Trust in the Miracle of God’s Presence and Power”.

John Bevere was a stuck young man. Life was good but he knew it had no purpose. Then in the swirling craziness of campus life as a successful college athlete he gave his life to Jesus Christ – and everything changed. Now, he was unstuck - he had his purpose and his mission in life. That tremendous sense of finding his purpose is what powers his life today, to help others find that same sense of a fulfilled calling in life. Do you ever feel stuck? Like you’re just a spectator in God’s kingdom? Perhaps you know there’s something you should be doing, but you just can’t pinpoint it. Most of us want to make a big impact with our lives, but struggle with questions like: • How can I be sure I’m not missing God’s will for me?
• What role do my unique gifts play in building God’s kingdom?
• How do I make sure I live up to my God-given potential? In this profound interview with our great friend best-selling author John Bevere we explore the truths behind his new best-selling book, “X, Multiply Your God-given Potential”. John relies on a careful exploration of Scripture and uses powerful stories to help us think differently about our calling and why it’s so important to God.  John and his wife Lisa are the founders of Messenger International, a global missions organization established to teach, reach, and rescue. Their resources have been translated into over 90 languages, and millions of copies have been given away to pastors and leaders worldwide. John is father to his four boys and adopted daughter-in-law and g-daddy to Asher, Sophia, Lizzy, and August. 

Clint Gresham is a Super Bowl champion, motivational speaker and entrepreneur. As a member of the NFL Seattle Seahawks he won one Super Bowl in 2014 and lost the next in 2015. For most of his life the final score in a football game was Clint’s only measure of who he was as a man. That changed when his life spiraled out of control as a talented college football player.   Growing up in the windy Texas coastal town of Corpus Christi, Clint seemed to have it all as a young man heading to a major university to play football. But, behind the bright lights of football his life was a darkening mess – filled with alcohol, partying and general mayhem.   One eventful day a friend told him about the reality of salvation through Jesus Christ. The words brought back powerful memories of church as a child, truths he couldn’t escape or drink away. He committed his life to Christ – and everything changed.   Now the question in his mind was, “What does a Christian man look like?” That’s when he discovered the book Maximized Manhood. Clint told me, “That’s when I discovered what true manhood looked like. I read that book more than once and made notes in it so it would get into my heart. Dr. Cole was mentoring me from the pages of a book. But, that changed my life – it gave me strength in the good times and the tough times.”   Recently Clint has been a keynote speaker for CMN at numerous events and carries a powerful inspiring message. He is married to Matti and they have daughter and a new baby on the way. Clint is traveling as a speaker and has written the best-selling book, “Becoming, Loving the Process to Wholeness.”

Dr. Warren Farrell is a friend who is one of the world’s leading authorities on all things masculine. His book, “The Boy Crisis” is one of the most powerful books ever written on fatherhood and the raising of boys. Warren was chosen by The Financial Times of London as one of the world’s top 100 thought leaders, and his books have been published in more than 50 countries, and in 19 languages. His most recent, The Boy Crisis, (co-author, John Gray), was a finalist for the Indie book publishing award. Dr. Farrell has taught at the university level in five disciplines, and appeared on more than 1,000 TV shows, being interviewed repeatedly by Oprah and Barbara Walters, as well as by Peter Jennings, Charlie Rose, and Larry King. He has been featured repeatedly in Forbes, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. His other books include The New York Times best seller, Why Men Are the Way They Are, plus the international best seller, The Myth of Male Power. A book on couples’ communication, Women Can’t Hear What Men Don’t Say, was a selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club. Dr. Farrell teaches couples’ communication courses around the country, and speaks internationally on the global boy crisis, its causes, and solutions.

Congressman Jody Hice was a pastor in Georgia for over twenty years when he mused out loud, “Someone who has Christian values needs to run for Congress!” After he looked around, it’s that old story … he was the only one standing. So Jody ran - and won! Today he’s a multi-term member of the United States House of Representatives. He is the ranking member of the Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on National Security and serves on the Subcommittee for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. He speaks often on the issues of secure energy, leadership integrity and religious freedom. On BraveMen today Representative Hice gives us an insight into the encroaching power of government, the need for men of faith to rise up and an inspiring word on being a change-agent in culture. Congressman Hice graduated from Asbury University, earned his D.Min. from Luther Rice College and Seminary. He hosts the well-received “Jody Hice Show” and lists his occupation as “ministry”. Jody and his wife Dee Dee have two daughters and four grandchildren. They reside in Greene County, Georgia.

Our great friend Ps. Jurgen Matthesius is one of the world’s leading communicators of the Gospel. In a powerful and revealing conversation on Brave Men, Jurgen inspires us with the courage to step out in extreme faith. In 2005 He and his wife Leanne left an extremely successful ministry in Australia and New Zealand to pioneer a church in San Diego. Today that church, Awaken Church San Diego, is one of the largest in America and their influence spans the nations. Renowned Pastor Mike Kai said, “There is no couple in ministry anywhere in the world doing it better than Jurgen and Leanne.” A Hillsong College graduate and then later mentored by the Christian statesman Dr. Phil Pringle, Jurgen brings a fresh vitality to the message of the Cross. Unabashedly a lover of their adopted nation, Jurgen and Leanne have become U.S. citizens. They have four children and two daughters-in-law.

Paul Coughlin wrote one of the best books on Christian masculinity ever written - “No More Christian Nice Guy”. Today on Brave Men we get inside the mind of a thought leader and cultural contributor. This will get you fired up about taking the Gospel to the culture we live in. Paul is also an expert witness regarding bullying and is a FoxNews contributor. He’s been a newspaper editor, conference speaker and a championship winning high school varsity soccer coach. Paul is the best-selling author of eight books, including the freedom-from-bullying parent and teacher resource Raising Bully-Proof Kids. He works with numerous professional organizations to diminish bullying, including the Baltimore Ravens. His anti-bullying curriculum is used throughout North America as well as in South Africa, Uganda, Australia, New Zealand and Brazil among other countries.

Today on Brave Men, you’ve got a friend that will help heal every relationship. Dr. Emerson Eggerichs is an internationally known public speaker on the topic of marriage, parenting, communication and more. After being a highly successful pastor for years Emerson wrote the book “Love and Respect”. The response was overwhelming, it became a New York Times bestseller and launched an international ministry helping couples build strong and loving marriages and healing family relationships on every level. Based on over three decades of counseling as well as scientific and biblical research, Dr. Eggerichs conducts the Love and Respect Marriage Conferences to sold-out crowds around the world. Millions have read his books and today on Brave Men Dr. Eggerichs reveals powerful tools to build strong marriages, deep relationships and restore friendships.

This is the craziest story anyone has ever heard. How the great, great grandson of slaves became a follower of Christ – inherited the massive soup kettle his ancestors prayed under – then met the great, great grandson of the plantation owners of his family. An inspirational and courageous word on racial harmony, the power of faith and how friendships are strengthened and maintained. Will Ford and Paul Cole met years ago when Paul became Will’s pastor. That friendship has strengthened over the years and today you’ll hear that. Will Ford  served as the Director of the Marketplace Leadership Major at Christ For The Nations Institute in Dallas, Texas. He is also the founder of Hilkiah Ministries and Co Founding Director of 818 The Sign.  Many know him internationally, however, for his family heirloom passed down through history, and its connection to slavery and prayer for freedom. As a leader in the prayer movement, Will uses this “prayer bowl” (Rev. 5:8) as a catalyst for mobilizing prayer and teaching on intercession, revival and societal transformation. He believes that it was the prayers of a godly remnant of all races—who were revivalists and abolitionists—that brought revival to America and ultimately ended slavery. Receiving their mantle from yesterday, Will is actively training a new generation to release justice to the most marginalized today.In addition to The Dream King, Will is co- author of History Makers: Your Prayers Have the Power to Heal the Past and Shape the Future with Dutch Sheets.Will is a father of four. He and his wife Dehavilland live in Dallas, Texas. Matt Lockett is the Executive Director of the Justice House of Prayer DC located right on Capitol Hill in Washington. From the governmental gate of the nation, Matt leads prayer and intercession that appeals to a holy hill that's higher than Capitol Hill—to a heavenly court that’s above the Supreme Court.Matt, along with his wife and four children, have served as full-time missionaries in the nation’s capital since just after the founding of JHOP DC in 2004. His passion is to help father a young, consecrated generation that will usher justice into the earth. Matt travels and speaks on the topics of prayer, fasting and governmental intercession. Matt also oversees Bound4LIFE International, a pro-life prayer movement universally recognized by the red tape worn over the mouth with the word “LIFE” handwritten on it. “It’s not a protest. It’s a prayer meeting.” In addition to The Dream King, Lockett is co- author of Prayer that Impacts the World: A Study Guide for Developing a Culture of Contending Prayer.

Jon Tyson is a global thought leader who courageously speaks into the lives of thousands of leaders across America and the world. In this enlightening conversation with Paul and his son Pastor Brandon Cole, Jon dives deep into the swirling convergence of faith and culture. A remarkable and vulnerable look at our world and its complexities. Jon is a noted author and the pastor of Church of the City New York. From Adelaide, Australia Jon and his wife came to America twenty years ago with a passion to seek and cultivate renewal in the Western Church. He is the author of Sacred Roots, A Creative Minority, The Burden is Light and his newest, Beautiful Resistance. Jon and his wife and family live in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of NYC.