Gary Wilkerson Podcast

Prayer is a central piece of the Christian life, but actually doing it challenges many believers. We often don’t pray when we have chances to do so. Not praying has been a common human issue for a very long time, but why does reaching out to God seem so hard sometimes? This week, Pastor Carter Conlon of Times Square Church talks about the incredible power of prayer, misconceptions about prayer, the strange difficulty and the true simplicity of prayer. View show notes Support this podcast

It’s easy to despair at the problems in the world, feel overwhelmed and ask, “Why doesn’t God save those poor people? Why doesn’t he do something?” Long-time ministry leader, John Bueno felt this way when faced with a seemingly overwhelming issue in El Salvador. The problem was so huge, devastating and pervasive that solving it appeared impossible. However, God led John to tackle this country-wide problem with small, simple steps and a faithful heart. This week, John joins us to share how God broke his heart and then opened an incredible opportunity for healing and redemption in this country he loves. Support this podcast

Evangelism taps into some Christians’ fears of not being knowledgeable enough or being shamed, but it also isn’t a priority for many others. The Bible, however, calls us to tell others the good news of Christ’s sacrifice. Every blessing God gives us and every trial he brings us through is a testament of his goodness not only to us but also to others. Once we begin to live in a rhythm of evangelism, we will see incredible blessings. View show notes Support this podcast

Deep down, every one of us wants to live a meaningful life, and we will feel truly alive when we are living out God’s Great Commission. Whether we bring God’s good news to our workplace or a distant mission field, this is our truest calling. This week Barry Meguiar joins Gary Wilkerson to talk about the joy of sharing our Christian faith with others. View show notes Support this podcast

Parents in the church can feel ashamed of having a prodigal child. They may have actually been condemned for their child’s suffering or wandering path. In this episode, Gary Wilkerson is joined by his wife, Kelly, and son, Evan, as they discuss how their family was ultimately able to draw closer to God as a result of Evan’s prodigal journey. While this time can be immensely painful for parents and families, God is always faithful. Gary, Kelly, and Evan talk about how God redeemed and healed their own relationships and lives through what seemed like a very dark period. View show notes Support this podcast

Doubt can feel like a dangerous fault line in the bedrock of our faith. This week, Gary Wilkerson takes a more measured look at doubt and its place in the Bible and our lives. How do we take care of our hearts so that when doubt springs up, it doesn’t hurt us? Is it possible to have healthy doubts and questions about our faith? Gary talks about how believers can use doubt as a tool to help our relationship with God grow.View show notes: worldchallenge.in/gwpod16bpb Support this podcast

Doubt can be hard for us to wrestle with, especially if we’re afraid that it means we’re losing our faith. If we open up to God about our fears, though, he won’t leave us to struggle alone. God promises to walk alongside us through every dark valley and give us a spirit of discernment as we examine our doubts. In this episode, Gary Wilkerson talks about how doubt can hurt Christians but also how it can be one of our most useful tools for understanding God better.View show notes: worldchallenge.in/gwpod16apb Support this podcast

Wellness is a huge part of how we evaluate ourselves. How happy are we? How healthy do we feel? How are the relationships in our lives? Many professionals and friends want to tell us what wellness should look like, but what does the Bible say? This week, Gary Wilkerson discusses how God designed us to need certain things in order to be healthy mentally, physically and spiritually.View show notes: worldchallenge.in/gwpod15bpb Support this podcast

Validation is an enormous part of our lives. It is an external recognition that the feelings we have or the actions we take are worthwhile. Community, as God intended it, often encourages people toward right living through validation. However, the desire for external validation can quickly become all-consuming and unhealthy. This week, Gary Wilkerson discusses how easily we slip into searching for worth in things other than God. Only God can validate our existence. Only he can give our lives real purpose and direction.View Show Notes Support this podcast

The Bible promises us abundant life, so how does this translate into everyday life? Does this promise mean that God will shower us with whatever we pray for and desire? Clearly, that’s not the case for quite a few, if not all, of us. In this episode of the Gary Wilkerson podcast, Gary talks about how our culture’s definition of abundance is crooked and sets us up for unhealthy expectations. God plans for much more in our lives with his definition of abundance. There may be struggles and hard times, but we are promised strength and the divine might of our heavenly Father going before us.View show notes: https://worldchallenge.in/gwpod14pb Support this podcast

We sometimes believe that we have to avoid having too much fun because it might be sinful. Or we might feel that there are more “holy” things we could be doing than spending time with friends and having fun. In this episode of the Gary Wilkerson Podcast, Gary points out that this “morbid holiness” is not really biblical. The abundant life God promises us allows us to celebrate the goodness of his blessings.View Show Notes - https://worldchallenge.in/gwpod13pb Support this podcast

Could the way in which we care for our bodies be affecting our spiritual lives as well? Could having healthier life practices, from the food we eat to the relationships we have, be a biblical concept? Gary Wilkerson discusses this topic and offers insights from the Bible and his personal experience to those looking for answers. View show notes: https://worldchallenge.in/gwpod12pb Support this podcast

In this episode of the Gary Wilkerson podcast, Nicky Cruz joins us to explore the topic of love when it comes to the people who can seem the farthest from that term: prisoners, gang members and drug addicts. Nicky recalls how Gary’s father helped bring him to Christ along with his own experiences ministering inside prisons and cities’ darkest alleys where only God can bring light. Support this podcast

In this episode of the Gary Wilkerson podcast, Nicky Cruz joins us to discuss the great importance of a father’s love. The impact of a parent’s love plus God’s love can create incredible healing and purpose in a child’s life. Support this podcast

This week on the Gary Wilkerson Podcast, Gary and guest Matt Tanner discuss a plane crash and an extraordinary miracle. If we look back at what God has done, opening our hearts to how he is meeting us in each moment, we may see how our Lord seeks to draw us into a unique and completely trusting relationship with him. Support this podcast

Victor Marx joins the Gary Wilkerson Podcast to discuss his experiences not only facing ISIS members who were hunting for him but also some of the darkest memories from his troubled childhood. He shares how God has overcome great fears in his own life and given him the strength to walk into places few would willingly go. Support this podcast

A study on depression published in The American Journal of Psychiatry made a remarkable discovery. People who had a relationship with God showed a 76 percent decrease in major depression when compared to their parents who had also struggled with mental illness. Certainly, this doesn’t mean that believers never struggle with clinical depression or dark nights of the soul, but it shows that Christ’s ongoing, redeeming work in our lives has a very tangible impact. For many Christians who do wrestle with mental illness, frustration and despair can easily overwhelm our sense of God’s presence in our lives. In this episode, Gary Wilkerson discusses Biblical ways that believers can seek healing and restoration from depression. Most importantly, he offers encouragement to those who may feel as if they are fighting alone. God is walking right alongside us, even in our darkest hours. Support this podcast

In this episode, Gary Wilkerson discusses depression and suicide even among believers who should live in the light of hope. He explores ways that believers can handle issues like mental illness and how to differentiate between spiritual despair and general life discouragement. Most importantly, he offers encouragement to those who may feel as if they are fighting alone. God is walking right alongside us, even in our darkest hours. Support this podcast

Victor Marx of All Things Possible Ministries joins us to share how God has used his painful past of abuse and rejection to prepare him for rescuing women and children traumatized by ISIS. Our brokenness doesn’t mean we are useless; rather it allows God to use us in his way, for his purposes. We can’t allow fear to hold us back from fulfilling God’s calling for our lives. Support this podcast

In the Western world, material wealth and influence can often distort our view of God’s blessings. While neither are bad things to have, Gary Wilkerson explores how mistaking these as God’s favor may lead to disillusion and frustration. Not asking God for certain things because they’re not “holy” enough is occasionally the reaction to this issue, but Gary talks about how this isn’t the answer when we want to experience God’s goodness in our lives. Support this podcast