Programs

RECENT Engaging Truth PROGRAMS

Programs from January 2019 to Current
 

• JOY: Joyfully serve the Lord; Openly confess the Gospel; Yearn to grow in God’s Work – March 22, 2020 - Debby Curry, LWML Texas District President, shares the mission of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League Texas District with Host Matt Popovits. LWML’s purpose is to equip all women of the Texas District through inspiration, education and discipleship, enabling them to reach others with the Gospel as they live in service to the Triune God.

• An Executioner's Redemption - From Prison to Pastor - March 15, 2020 - Join host Matt Popovits as he welcomes Pastor Tim Carter, author of "The Executioner’s Redemption", back to the Engaging Truth microphone. Follow Tim’s gripping story as he recounts his journey from prison guard to pastor.

• A Sound Mind - Working Through OCD – March 08, 2020 - Join Pastor Matt Popovitz as he welcomes Ronda Carroll of Eunoia 5 Ministries to the Engaging Truth microphone to discuss her battle with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Ronda reveals that a major symptom of OCD in Christians is religious scrupulosity. She relies on II Timothy 1:7 for her inspiration “... for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

• When I Go Into Prison, I See Freedom – March 01, 2020 - Join Pastor David Schultz as he welcomes legendary NFL tight end Mike Barber who for the past 34 years has dedicated his energies to changing lives among the incarcerated as the leader of Mike Barber Ministries. “We’re gold diggers,” Barber says. “We don’t see people’s dirt on the outside, we see the gold within. Jesus doesn’t just forgive our sin....He forgets as if it never even happened.” You will be uplifted and encouraged by this conversation.

• Cross-Cultural Ministry – February 02, 2020 - David Jung serves as a pastor in a cross-cultural ministry in the Houston area. His recent Christmas Eve service was conducted in English, Korean, and Spanish. Host Matt Popovits speaks with Pastor Jung about the joys and limits of this ministry, and the powerful impact it has as a glimpse of God’s Kingdom to come.

• Expanding the Great Commission – January 26, 2020 - Rev. Dave Welch, Founder and President of the U.S. Pastor Council, visits with host Matt Popovits to discuss whether the cultural engagement and the influencing of government is a legitimate part of the Great Commission. The U.S. Pastor Council was founded in 2003 by a group of thirteen pastors as an interdenominational, inter-racial coalition of senior pastors who came together to bring a united, Biblical voice to the city, state, and even the nation.

• Love God, Love People, Make Disciples – January 19, 2020 - Mark Pulliam, pastor of Lazarus Church, a new church plant in the Houston area, speaks with host Matt Popovits on the mission to connect people to Christ, His Church, and His Kingdom calling for their lives. The deeper purpose Jesus gives us as we walk with Him is the message Lazarus Church desires to share with their neighbors and the community.

• Starting From Scratch – January 12, 2020 - Host Matt Popovits welcomes church planter and DCE Laura Pulliam to discuss the challenges and rewards of building a church from the ground up, as she and her husband, Pastor Mark Pulliam, are doing at Lazarus Church in north Spring, TX.  Hear how God is working to build this church and how the Pulliams are “walking with people walking with Jesus".  

• Encouragement Out of Tragedy – January 05, 2020 - Join host Matt Popovits as he interviews Brian Foutz, founder of Hazak Ministries. Brian and his wife lost their daughter in a violent criminal act but were able to transform their lives and the lives of others through the profound message of God’s peace.

• Awaiting Christmas As Little Children – December 22, 2019 - Join Pastor Chris Singer of Trinity Lutheran Church as he discusses Advent, Christmas and the need for us to await the season in the spirit of little children. As adults, we often look at the star but miss the beauty of the light. Sometimes the simplest message is the best – God has blessed us by coming to us in human form as Jesus the Christ.

• Celebrating Christmas with a Ministry of Sight and Sound - December 15, 2019 - Join host Bill Prewitt as he welcomes N.J. Malenke, who each year prepares a dazzling display of Christmas lights and music to spread the Good News of Christ’s birth to the people of Northwest Houston during the holiday season.

• Using God’s Grace as a Gift to Others – December 1, 2019 - As a teenager and young adult, Paula Galvan underwent multiple surgeries for a brain condition. As prayer guided her healing, Paula studied to become a nurse and now works to help others find God’s healing power. Join Pastor David Schultz as he and Paula discuss her faith journey.

• The Future of the Church – November 17, 2019 - Are you worried about the future of the church? Is the church in the west aging and becoming obsolete? What can followers of Jesus do to help the church thrive again? Join Rev. Michael Newman, Texas District LCMS President, for a conversation about the future of the church and the great hope God’s people have for a vibrant Kingdom future. David Schultz hosts.

• Redirected but Still Serving the Lord – November 10, 2019 - Join Pastor Matt Popovits as he welcomes Mifflin Dove, a former Episcopal priest who left the ministry and became an accountant as the denomination veered leftward. Because of his faith and his understanding of nonprofit organizations, he now finds himself working alongside pastors and other church staffers as he serves the needs of their organizations in a new role.

• Ministering to the Deaf – November 3, 2019 - Join host David Schultz as he welcomes Becky Jungklaus and Joanie Murdoch. Becky and Joanie are working to expand a vibrant ministry to the deaf, who often struggle to find relevance in the Word that they can only read but not hear. Learn how the use of American Sign Language in both family and church settings helps bring the story of salvation to those unable to hear the message.

• A Conversion Conversation October 27, 2019 - From a blood thirsty young man bent on avenging his brother's death, to a few months later when he experienced soul-saving forgiveness, Pastor Hesham Shehab recounts his Christian conversion. In his youth, Hesham was recruited by the Muslim Brotherhood in Beirut, Lebanon (north of Israel) to be a gunman hunting Christians. But God had other things in mind for Hesham! Now a Lutheran pastor in Chicago, Hesham experienced Jesus' spiritual redirection of his life and purpose. Host Pastor John Cain will be talking with Hesham about his life and mission through Salam Christian Fellowship.

• Julie’s Intervarsity Challenge – October 20, 2019 - Not often do we just skip college and go directly to graduate school. Julie Meissner is doing just that. Not as a student, but as a Spiritual Director of InterVarsity Regional Ministries at Texas A&M. She is challenged and inspired by encouraging graduate students and faculty who follow the Lord Jesus to strengthen and share their walk in the message and ministry at A&M. Join Julie and Tim Phillips, Graduate and Faculty Ministries Camp Staff Minister of the University of Houston, and Leon Fillyaw, Associate Regional Ministries Director with InterVarsity USA, to hear how God works through this campus ministry. David Schultz hosts.

• Striking a Christian Balance Between Government & Religion – October 13, 2019 - Pastor David Schultz shares a lively discussion with LCMS Texas District President Michael Newman and Dr. Rev. Gregory Seltz, Executive Director of the Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty, on the role of religion in governance and support for those working to protect religious liberty.

• Brooklyn Tabernacle: Call Unto Me, and I Will Answer – September 29, 2019 - Heeding the words of Jeremiah 33:3, the Brooklyn Tabernacle has become a showpiece of prayer in the Christian world. Join host Matt Popovits, Trish DiClementi, and Sondra Garrett of St. John Lutheran Church Prayer Team as they discuss a recent visit to New York and the Tabernacle’s Tuesday Prayer Service.

• The Miraculous Work of Elijah Rising – September 22, 2019 - Join David Schultz as he welcomes Micah and David Gamboa from Elijah Rising. The group’s Christian-based Restoration Campus was created as a safe haven for survivors of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation. Here women can heal and develop the skills they will need to thrive as healthy, independent leaders in our communities. Also, hear of Elijah Rising’s upcoming gala on October 8 that promises to be a unique and moving experience. The A.D. Players, a local Christian theater company, will be performing a series of monologues based on real accounts of trafficking.

• What’s Next, God? – September 8, 2019 - Host Matt Popovits welcomes Frank Hart, musician and author of “Joyride”, to discuss changes in calling. Pastor Hart has ridden the roller coaster of Christian musical success and has often found himself waiting for God to show him what’s next. “God is always teaching us the Kung Fu we need for our next fight,” Hart says, “We just don’t know it at the time.”

• Do I Really Need the Holy Spirit for My Walk with Christ? – September 1, 2019 - Who is the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is our comforter, our teacher, and our advocate to the Father. The Holy Spirit also reminds of all of God’s promises. Host Pastor David Schultz will speak with Brian and Leah Foutz, authors of “Walking Through Grief: A Journey of Peace”, of learning to be led by the Holy Spirit, so our lives may glorify the Savior who sacrificed Himself for our forgiveness and our salvation.

• Standing in the Gap for God and Country- August 25, 2019 - The mission of the U.S. Pastor Council is to empower pastors and their congregations across racial and denominational lines to impact the culture and community through concerted prayer, to equip congregations for effective citizenship and to provide a unified voice on spiritual, cultural, social and moral issues from a Biblical perspective. Host David Schultz speaks with Rev. Dave Welch, Founder and President, U.S.P.C., on how pastors and churches can and must engage in godly citizenship.

• Christ In Culture – August 18, 2019 - Join hosts Matt Popovits and David Schultz as they discuss the challenge of keeping Christ at the forefront of a secular world. “We all worship something,” Matt said, “but a secular society takes the religious expression and makes it private. Telling people about Jesus is an exciting and challenging opportunity because there’s a growing group of people who are lacking an exposure to religion.” Be with us as the Engaging Truth hosts examine the difficulties of being a Christian in an increasingly materialistic world.

• The State of Christian Radio – August 11, 2019 - The world is changing and, as a result, so must Christian media. Christian music, television, and radio has enjoyed a large following in year’s past. But an increasingly secular world has meant that the audience for such programming is harder and harder to reach. Matt Popovits sits down with Ron Walters, Senior Vice President of Ministry Relations of Salem Media - one of the largest Christian broadcasters in the United States - to discuss the future of Christian media, and the challenge of communicating God’s unchanging truth to a quickly changing world.

• A Place of Refuge – August 4, 2019 - The mission of Abba’s House is to be a safe community of healing for refugee women and their children. Abba’s House seeks to provide a season of safety, healing, and stability that propels their guests forward to becoming productive members of society. By meeting their physical needs, modeling basic life skills, and making progress toward dealing with the trauma they have experienced, Abba’s House shows the love of Jesus. Join host Matt Popovits as he speaks with Michael Meissner, Executive Director of Abba’s House, and Christine, a refugee from Uganda.

• The Power of Forgiveness – July 28, 2019 - Chad Bird is a celebrated author (“Night Driving”, “Upside-Down Spirituality” and more) and Christian teacher. He’s also a full-time truck driver. After serving as a pastor and seminary professor, a season of sin and self-destruction caused him to lose everything. In the darkest moments Chad began driving a truck, seeking to rebuild his life and it was there, on the road, that Chad discovered the true depth of God’s love for sinful people. Join us for a discussion on sin, grace, and the power of the words, “you are forgiven."

• Bringing the Message of Salvation to India – July 21, 2019 - Join Pastor David Schultz as he welcomes Rushita Benjamin, who along with her husband Peter bring a message of hope to their non-Christian peers in Bangalore, India. Through their television and social media ministry they “live out a life for Jesus and the word of testimony” to a nation thirsting for God’s grace.

• Finding the Love of Jesus in an Unbelieving World – July 14, 2019 - Host David Schultz welcomes Rev. Srinivas Naik who grew up in a devoutly Hindu family in India but became a Christian as a young adult. Despite being scorned by his family and persecuted by people in his home district and state, his faithful witness has carried him and his wife through the tragic loss of their three children. He continues to carry the message of Christ’s love to all those he meets.

• LCMS Youth Gathering – Real.Present.God – July 07, 2019 - Join host Matt Popovits as he welcomes three on-stage participants for the upcoming LCMS National Youth Gathering in Minneapolis. Youth pastor Jake Allstaedt and former NYG attendees A.J. Vega and Emilie Stooksbury discuss the profound impact attendance at the event had on their spiritual lives as the eternal love of Jesus was proudly proclaimed among their peers.

• Capital Punishment: A Biblical Perspective – June 30, 2019 - Host David Schultz welcomes Pastor Tim Carter for a discussion of what the Bible says about capital punishment. Carter, currently an associate pastor at Salem Lutheran Church and author of “The Executioner’s Redemption”, is a former Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison guard who once served on the execution team at the Huntsville Prison.

• Breathing Life into Christian Leaders – June 23, 2019 - Join Pastor David Schultz as he welcomes Pastor Steve Wiechman of Breathe Life Ministries, a program designed to assist full-time pastors who find themselves in need of aid and comfort. Pastors who are relied on to provide strength and stability for their parishoners often find themselves without a single close friend to confide in or talk to. Breathe Life Ministries offers them a Christian setting in which they can be redirected, renewed and recharged.

• Father’s Day – June 16, 2019 - Join host Matt Popovits as he welcomes Pastor Jeff Doria with his reflections on being a Christian father in a rapidly changing world. He will focus on how to instill a strong faith, devotion to family, and good values in your children. The highest calling of fatherhood is following God and teaching your children to also follow Him.

• From Muslim to Christian – June 9, 2019 - Salim is the founder of Samuel Ministries, which seeks to equip churches in outreach to the Muslim community by teaching about Islam and offering tools and tips for sharing the Gospel. Raised in Pakistan, Salim himself is a convert to Christianity and shares his powerfu story of believing the Gospel and the cost he paid to follow Jesus. He offers insight on why outreach to Muslim neighbors can be difficult, as well as practical tips on how Christians can easily befriend and begin dialogue with the Muslim community. Matt Popovits hosts.

• The Attack on Mothers and Children of Rape Conception – June 2, 2019 - Juda Myers, Choices4Life, once again joins host David Schultz with her insightful and poignant points of view concerning children of rape conception. The barrage of attacks on mothers and children of rape conception, and the injustice and prejudice experienced by these mothers who chose life for their children is her calling and purpose. Restoring honor and dignity to mothers and children of rape conception is the mission of her organization. choices4life.org

• The Role of the Church in Governmental Affairs – May 26, 2019 - Join David Schultz as he hosts the Rev. Dr. Gregory Seltz, Director of the Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty. With a solid understanding of the Lutheran Church’s Two Kingdoms doctrine, Dr. Seltz is uniquely qualified to make the LCRL a permanent voice for confessional Lutheranism in Washington, D.C., and to ignite a uniquely Lutheran response to increasing intrusions, limitations, and challenges by the government in the life of the Church.

• Striking a Christian Balance Between Government & Religion – May 19, 2019 - Pastor David Schultz shares a lively discussion with LCMS Texas District President Michael Newman and Dr. Rev. Gregory Seltz, Executive Director, of the Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty on the role of religion in governance and support for those working to protect religious liberty.

• Mother’s Day – May 12, 2019 - Join Pastor Matt Popovits as he welcomes Diane Bahn and Maggie Doria for a discussion of the rewards and challenges of being a Christian Mom in our changing world. The world is full of hurts and hang-ups, but being anchored in Jesus helps us recognize that God’s message of love and forgiveness is life-changing. 

• Envy & Jealousy: Taming the Terrible Twins – May 5, 2019 - Do you know the difference between envy and jealousy? When you want something that someone else has and you covet after it, that’s envy. When you have something that you are fearful you might lose, that’s jealousy. Though common emotions to all, they can be equally damaging to us and our relationships. Join June Hunt, founder of Hope for the Heart, a Biblical counseling ministry, and host Matt Popovits to learn the underlying causes of envy and jealousy, and how to eliminate them as we discover how Christ alone is the source of true and lasting contentment. 

• Touch Me and See – April 28, 2019 - Host David Schultz welcomes Pastor Jeff Doria who emphasizes the reality of the resurrection. The risen Jesus came and stood among His disciples and urged them to experience this reality by touching and seeing that He was indeed alive. Through our faith, we can believe the words of St. Paul who wrote, “For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His.”

• Thirsting for the Souls of People – April 28, 2019 - Join Pastors David Schultz and David Leeland as they discuss the spiritual thirst of people today. “Everyone has a hole in their heart for God and they’re looking for what they need to make them complete. Jesus thirsts for you to experience Him and we need Him to offer God’s fullness.

• The Reality of the Resurrection – April 21, 2019 - David Bahn, Sr. Pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Cypress, TX, tells us that Jesus’ resurrection provides proof that Jesus is the Son of God and that his death is sufficient to cover the entire sin of the world. When the stone was rolled away from the empty tomb, it became clear that He was who He said He was: the resurrection and the life. 

• Save the Storks – April 14, 23019 - Victoria Robinson is Director of External Relations at Save the Storks. Save the Storks exists to revolutionize the meaning of pro-life by empowering and supporting Pregnancy Resource Centers through creative solutions. This ministry provides innovative, non-political, non-combative approaches that support PRCs across the United States, and equips them with powerful tools and training to more effectively connect with abortion-vulnerable women in their communities. Join host Dave Schultz for Victoria’s timely, thought-provoking and powerful message.

• Fine-Tuning the Church Culture – April 7, 2019 - Lutheran pastor and psychologist David S. Luecke, PhD, is the missions pastor of a large church in the Cleveland area, where he has served for 25 years. His earlier careers included teaching organizational behavior in business schools and church management at Fuller Theological Seminary. Currently, Dr. Luecke is identifying practices in vibrant, vital congregations to help determine effective church leadership in the next generation. John Cain hosts.

• LGBTQ---The Alphabet of Our Era – March 17, 2019 - LGBTQ, it's the alphabet of our era, but is it adequate to define the human person? If we added an "S" (for straight) or any additional letters to include every sexual persuasion, would it then be enough? Is identity founded on sexual behavior, sexual attraction, or gender identity? Where does Scripture point us? How does a robust theology of creation affect identity? Why should you care? Join Pastor Jonathan Conner and host Matt Popovits for these questions and many more.

• Mirror, Mirror – March 10, 2019 - Join Pastor David Schultz as he welcomes Kristin Martinez of Sarai's Mirror, encouraging and empowering women to discover their true sense of worth through a deeper understanding of God's grace, love and power. Learn how through workshops, speaking engagements, and personal coaching sessions, Kristin inspires women to accept themselves as wondrous creations of God. saraismirror.org

• Well Done, My Good and Faithful Servant – March 3, 2019 - Join host Pastor David Schultz as he interviews Ken Hennings, who recently completed 12 years of service as president of the LCMS Texas District. Pastor Hennings challenges us to ask ourselves daily, “How am I living out the faith that I have in Jesus Christ and how can the church continue to proclaim the Good News?”

• Teen Life Center on the Move – February 24, 2019 - Join Pastor David Schultz as he hosts Jennifer Simpson, Executive Director of the Teen Life Center, which has recently expanded to three locations in the Houston area: Brookshire, Klein, and Cypress. In its mission to bring Christian assistance to teen moms, TLC is motivated by the values of resisting judgment, being intentional, encouraging honesty and integrity, and breaking the cycle of teen pregnancy. theteenlifecenter.com

• Equipping Men for Victory – February 17, 2019 - After spending 34 years in education including 11 years of classroom teaching and coaching along with 23 years in administration, Jeff Springer founded the Suit Up Ministry. This ministry helps men redefine the meaning of being a man, building relationships and establishing foundation in the biblical sense of what it truly means to be called Dad. The ministry's foundational Bible verse is from Romans 13:12, "The night is almost over...the dawn is almost here...so put away the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light". Join host David Schultz and learn of the transformational principles of Suit Up.

• His Eye Is on the Sparrow – February 10, 2019 - Micah Gamboa, Executive Director of Elijah Rising and Kendleton Farms, is a modern-day abolitionist working to shift a hyper-sexualized culture. Elijah Rising and Kendleton Farms seeks to end sex trafficking through prayer, awareness, intervention, and restoration in Houston. Recently Micah experienced a medical emergency, but God in his grace restored Micah to continue to serve Him and care for her family. Join host David Schultz as we learn of Micah’s conviction to end sex trafficking and her confidence of God’s care in her life.

• From a Mess to a Message – February 3, 2019 - After an encounter with God, at the age of 30, author and speaker Denise Mountenay changed her life. She overcame her addictions and began to publicly share her passionate testimony from a MESS to a MESSAGE. Her mess included being raped at 13, teen pregnancy, abortions and substance abuse. Her message is bringing hope and healing to those hurt and broken. Join host David Schultz in this candid interview and learn how Denise took her deepest pain and is using it to help others.

• Salvation in a Notebook – January 27, 2019 - Randall Mooney and his wife have experienced the tragic loss of two sons in 18 years. But it did not launch them into times of depression, but rather, helped them find a place to serve the Lord in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Shortly after writing the book “The Homeless Church”, Randall decided to find a place that was desperate for the Word of God. He found it through a friend in Nigeria. God provided the message in the Gospel of John for Randall to put in the form of a notebook. He distributed 2,500 copies of the notebook, “Finding Hope in the Words of John”, in Nigeria. Join Randall and host Dave Schultz to hear of this amazing outreach of hope in Nigeria.

• Abortion - Denial of the Gospel? How So? – January 20, 2019 - Program Part A - / Program Part B. Science can't tell us where life comes from, why we're here, or what makes us special. We rely on God's word to tell us about the sanctity of human life. The church’s failure to oppose and end abortion is a denial of the Gospel of Christ. We've given in on sexual immorality, divorce, and “alternate” gender choices, etc. In a world where anything goes abortion will remain a practical necessity. How can the unbeliever accept the credibility of anything we profess if we remain conforming cowards? Join host Matt Popovits as we hear from Pastor Larry White in this special Sanctity of Life Sunday back-to-back programming of Engaging Truth.

• The Sanctity of Life – January 13, 2019 - Juda Myers, Founder of Choices4Life.org, joins Pastor David Schultz to talk about children conceived in rape and her fight to save the lives of these children and their mothers. The fundamental goal of Choices4Life is to educate the world about the value of every human life conceived.

• God's Hand Guiding the Darrington Seminary Junior Class – January 6, 2019 - Brian, Robert and Gy were all surprised when asked to consider seminary training at Darrington Prison. Gy didn’t know what it entailed but couldn’t wait when asked. He is thankful for the training in preaching, teaching and tier walking. Robert was overwhelmed at what he found at Darrington, a peaceful, God-influenced atmosphere where he could serve the Lord with his gifts. Brian is greatly affected by the thorough education he is getting and anxious to see where the Lord will use him next. One of their mentors, Roderick Sweet, supports their enthusiasm and joy in their seminary training. Host Bill Prewitt.