Crosswalk Talk: Celebrity Christian Interviews

Patrick Hill was a fullback at the University of Miami, had stints with the Titans, Broncos, and Texans, and when football doors stopped opening he asked God to lead him somewhere else. That somewhere else turned out to be a nursing program at UCLA, and eventually a career as an inpatient psychiatric nurse and orthopedic nurse practitioner. The transition made more sense than people might expect — a fullback's whole job is selfless service, blocking so someone else can score. Patrick just traded the field for the ward. True strength, Mercy Ships, and the devotional series that brought an NFL player and a Jacksonville Jaguar together: Patrick shares how nursing reshaped everything he thought he knew about strength — that the loudest victories at the bedside are often completely silent, that the most vulnerable patients carry the most unwavering faith, and that a smile from a dementia patient who remembers your name is one of the most powerful moments a human being can witness. He is part of Strength in Service, a 10-part devotional series on the Glorify app in partnership with Mercy Ships, and his message to every young athlete who thinks strength means never showing weakness is simple: be yourself, be rooted in Christ, and the sky is the limit. Highlights How a conversation with the dean of UCLA's nursing school during the NFL lockout changed the entire direction of his life Why the fullback position — the most selfless role on the field — prepared him perfectly for a life of service in healthcare What nursing taught him about strength that football never could, including the power of a hand on the back or a smile at the right moment Why he believes the strongest people he has ever met were patients at their most vulnerable How his faith shapes his approach to every patient, modeled after Jesus going after the sickest and most broken What Mercy Ships does and why its model of volunteer surgeons and free care in the world's most medically scarce regions moved him deeply His message to young Christian athletes: don't be afraid to be rooted in Christ and you will play more freely than you ever thought possible Why he believes God answered his high school prayers through a path that looked like disappointment before it looked like a blessing Resources / Links / CTA 🎧 Strength in Service devotional series 🌐 Mercy Ships: https://www.mercyships.org 🌐 Glorify app: https://www.glorify.global/app 🌐 Follow, share, and explore more of Crosswalk Talk 👉 Follow, share, and subscribe for more faith-driven conversations on Lifeaudio Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Darlene Zschech was singing commercial jingles to pay the bills, her husband's business was struggling, they had two small children, and the dream of full-time ministry felt impossibly far away. She sat down at her piano, opened her Bible, and prayed. Twenty minutes later she had Shout to the Lord, and she was so unsure of it that when she finally played it for her worship pastor, she made him turn around and face the wall so she wouldn't have to watch his reaction. Worship, revival, and a song that left her hands before she understood what it was: Darlene shares the story of Shout to the Lord and how God took it global before the internet existed, why she believes the early Hillsong era was a season of hiddenness where God let the roots go deep before anything grew tall, and what she thinks makes a true worship song as opposed to a song that merely expresses feelings. She is also part of The House of Worship, a new film bringing together 25 years of worship music's most influential artists to celebrate songs that have shaped generations — and she believes another revival is already beginning. Highlights Why Darlene made her worship pastor turn and face the wall while she played Shout to the Lord for the first time How the song went global before the internet existed and why she says none of them can take credit for it The first Sunday it was sung over an offering, everyone stood with their hands in the air, and a visiting minister said it would go around the world Why she calls the early Hillsong era a season where God hid them so the roots could go deep before the fruit came What real revival looked like in those days — altar calls where heaps of people would just get saved, week after week Her definition of a worship song: not one that expresses feelings but one that reveals Christ and exalts Jesus Why she believes the new song has always accompanied historical revivals and why she thinks we are there again What The House of Worship captures — 25 years of songs written for the local church by people within the local church Resources / Links / CTA 🌐 Darlene Zschech website: https://www.darlenezschech.com 📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlenezschech 🎬 The House of Worship: https://houseofworshipmusic.com 🌐 Follow, share, and explore more of Crosswalk Talk 👉 Follow, share, and subscribe for more faith-driven conversations on Lifeaudio Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

DOE, Grammy-winning singer and founding member of Forever Jones, has been leading worship her whole life. But her third solo album Shiloh, releasing August 28, is different from anything she has made before. Her mother is singing on it. Three of her siblings are in the videos. And the central conviction running through every song is one she has carried since long before she had a child of her own — someone had to make sure you knew who Jesus was, and it is your job to make sure the next generation knows too. Generational legacy, the gospel as the only lasting wealth, and a Grammy win discovered between frantic airport searches: DOE shares the heart behind Shiloh and the lead single Know Your Name, co-written with Anthony Brown and David Spencer as a declaration that if it is up to her, every generation will know the name of Jesus. She also opens up about writing Black Boy Joy for the men in her family before she was married or had a son, why she sang it at Carnegie Hall for Juneteenth, and what it felt like to find out she had won a Grammy while postpartum, running through an airport, and looking for her milk bag — holding what she calls her greatest accomplishment in her arms while receiving her greatest musical one. Highlights Why DOE says Shiloh is not just her most personal album — it is her life, her upbringing, and her mother singing beside her The central theme of the album: generational transfer of eternal wealth, the kind that can only be found through the gospel Know Your Name, co-written with Anthony Brown and David Spencer, as a declaration to pass the name of Jesus to every generation How becoming a mother sharpened her understanding of how God sees us when we are trying, striving, and not yet understanding The story behind Black Boy Joy, written for her father, brothers, uncles, and grandfathers before she had a husband or son Why she sang Black Boy Joy at Carnegie Hall for Juneteenth and what that celebration means to her as an American milestone Finding out she won a Grammy in an airport while postpartum, searching for her milk bag, and surrounded by a flood of missed calls Why she believes her next album may be entirely congregational worship and the prayer she takes into every writing session Resources / Links / CTA 🌐 DOE website: https://www.doejonesmusic.com 📱 DOE Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doejonesmusic 🎵 Album: Shiloh, releasing August 28 🎵 Single: Know Your Name 🌐 Follow, share, and explore more of Crosswalk Talk 👉 Follow, share, and subscribe for more faith-driven conversations on Lifeaudio Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Nick Skytland, Vice President of AI Research at GLOO, has been tracking how pastors use AI for a year through a joint research initiative with Barna. The headline finding will surprise people: 87% of pastors are using AI in some form. Only 13% say they do not use it at all. But how they are using it — and where the cautions lie — is where the conversation gets important. Brainstorming, biblical research, and the Friday sermon temptation: Nick walks through the data, including the 24% of pastors who now use AI to write or edit sermons, double last year's number, and why he believes the biggest risk is not that pastors are using it but that they stop thinking critically about what it gives back. AI is biased, not theologically neutral, and trained on secular pluralistic information — using it for spiritual formation without pastoral judgment, he says, is like turning to Reddit for marriage advice. He also shares what GLOO is building to address that gap and why he believes the church's mandate for human formation has never mattered more than it does in the age of AI. Highlights Why 87% of pastors are now using AI in some form and what that actually looks like in practice The top uses: brainstorming, idea generation, biblical research, small group questions, and administrative tasks Why 79% of pastors worry about AI replacing God and 63% worry about it replacing spiritual leaders entirely Why AI is not theologically neutral and defaults to secular pluralistic responses unless specifically prompted otherwise The Friday sermon temptation and why tired pastors need to be most on guard against outsourcing their judgment Why the church's core calling is formation, not information, and why friction in human relationships matters What GLOO is building to make AI values-aligned for faith communities and where to find the full research Resources / Links / CTA 🌐 GLOO Flourishing AI research: https://gloo.com 🌐 Barna State of the Church research: https://www.barna.com/stateofthechurch 🌐 Nick Skytland Twitter: https://x.com/skytland 🌐 Follow, share, and explore more of Crosswalk Talk 👉 Follow, share, and subscribe for more faith-driven conversations on Lifeaudio Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Nathan Gamble grew up in church. He knew the creed, got confirmed, got baptized as an infant, and showed up every Sunday. He knew every rhythm of the Christian life — and had nothing in his heart for any of it. Then at 18 he moved to LA by himself, worked a lot, had no friends, hit rock bottom, and considered ending his life. A few connections later, he found himself hanging out with broke Bible college students in Ventura, California who were inexplicably joyful, and he wanted whatever they had. Two weeks after enrolling, he got saved. Isolation, genuine joy, and a faith that finally moved from the head to the heart: Nathan shares how he went from playing Sawyer in Dolphin Tale and Commissioner Gordon's son in The Dark Knight to being all in for the kingdom, and why he believes the most powerful form of the Great Commission is simply loving people so well they start asking what you have. He also gives a preview of Bad Counselors, releasing July 22, a film following two frat brothers who pose as counselors at a Christian youth camp to fulfill court-ordered community service — and why he thinks it is one of the smartest faith films made in years because it puts the audience squarely on the side of the non-believer. Highlights Why Nathan says most of his career he was not a believer — he just knew all the rhythms and performed them for his parents Moving to LA at 18 alone, hitting rock bottom, considering ending his life, and how Bible college students changed everything The premise of Bad Counselors and why he thinks the script is a page turner that made him laugh out loud Why showing Bad Counselors to non-believing students at USC got a 90% approval rating His philosophy of being a light on secular sets without needing to identify every moment as a ministry opportunity His dad's three rules for success — show up early, memorize people's names, memorize your lines — and why they are all biblical His upcoming projects, Miracle on the Precipice with Sean Patrick Flanery and a show he co-created called Bible College Resources / Links / CTA 📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nathanleegamble 🎬 Bad Counselors: in theaters July 22–27 🌐 Follow, share, and explore more of Crosswalk Talk 👉 Follow, share, and subscribe for more faith-driven conversations on Lifeaudio Want more encouragement throughout your week? Subscribe to The Good Word, LifeAudio’s free weekly newsletter. Sign up at LifeAudio.com/thegoodword Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Alex Kendrick and his brother Stephen went to Brazil to train 65 young Christian filmmakers. They came home with a Sony-funded feature film shot in Portuguese in Rio de Janeiro, starring a husband and wife who got pregnant during production and welcomed their baby two weeks before this interview. The new film is Flywheel: Ignition of the Soul, a remake of the very first movie the Kendrick brothers ever made, updated for modern day Brazil and releasing in American theaters October 16. Lordship, the movie screen as a canvas for the human heart, and a God who put every piece in place: Alex shares how the trip to Brazil came together through a series of unlikely open doors — including an interpreter named Enrique from Orlando who walked up out of nowhere and asked if they needed help — and why the story of an unethical car salesman, his praying wife, and a pastor's prayer that God would treat him the way he treated others is just as powerful in Portuguese as it was in English 25 years ago. He also revisits the Facing the Giants PG controversy and why a rating that initially stung turned into $8 million worth of free publicity that launched their career. Highlights Why the Kendricks agreed to train 65 Brazilian filmmakers and how that trip became a Sony-funded feature film The interpreter named Enrique who walked up and offered to help the moment they needed one — and never left Why shooting Flywheel in Portuguese, in Rio de Janeiro, in Brazilian culture made it something no dubbed version could replicate The husband and wife lead actors who got pregnant during production and welcomed a baby two weeks ago How the original Flywheel sold over a million DVDs despite almost every production mistake imaginable The story behind Flywheel, a used car salesman whose pastor unknowingly prays that God treats him the way he treated others Why Alex says the movie screen is not the primary canvas — the human heart is The Facing the Giants PG controversy and why a rating over faith content turned into a career-launching media moment Resources / Links / CTA 🌐 Flywheel: Ignition of the Soul 📱 Instagram Alex Kendrick: https://www.instagram.com/the.alex.kendrick 🌐 Kendrick Brothers: https://kendrickbrothers.com 🌐 Follow, share, and explore more of Crosswalk Talk 👉 Follow, share, and subscribe for more faith-driven conversations on Lifeaudio Want more encouragement throughout your week? Subscribe to The Good Word, LifeAudio’s free weekly newsletter. Sign up at LifeAudio.com/thegoodword Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Bear Grylls has built a career taking people into the places where the real conversations happen — not the two-minute chat show slot where nobody asks about faith, but the mountaintop at sunset, the canyon at dusk, the forest trail where walls come down and people start talking about what actually matters. His new Prime Video series Chosen in the Wild takes the cast and crew of The Chosen into exactly those places, and Bear says what he has seen in these actors surprised him — many of them were not people of faith when they joined the show, and the transformation has been genuine. Faith kept simple, the wilderness as a place of encounter, and a show that has changed the people who made it: Bear shares why he keeps his own faith uncomplicated — say sorry, ask for help, say thank you — and why he believes there is a hunger for this kind of conversation everywhere he goes in the world. He also reflects on why sitting beside a river, walking through a forest, or watching a sunset with someone you love is just as sacred as anything that happens inside a building, and why he has learned long ago that a man is never as tall as when he kneels. Highlights Why Bear says he struggles more in normal everyday life than in the wilderness and what that reveals about how we are designed How the cast and crew of The Chosen arrived in the wild honest, open, and ready to talk about their real struggles Why many of the Chosen actors were not people of faith before the show and how that has changed Bear's simple daily prayer practice and why he keeps faith uncomplicated rather than formal Why climbing a mountain or sitting beside a river is just as much a spiritual encounter as anything in a church building His advice to young people who want to follow their hearts — fail a lot, build good people around you, and keep faith close Why he believes life will humble all of us eventually and why it is better to learn that lesson early The phrase that guides him: a man is never as tall as when he kneels Resources / Links / CTA 🌐 Bear Grylls website: https://www.beargrylls.com 📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beargrylls 📺 Chosen in the Wild with Bear Grylls 🌐 Follow, share, and explore more of Crosswalk Talk 👉 Follow, share, and subscribe for more faith-driven conversations on Lifeaudio Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Ben Peterson, founder of Engage Your Destiny and former military chaplain's assistant, has led more than 8,000 sailors, airmen, marines, and soldiers to Christ in the last three years. He works with the most faithless generation in American history — only 3% of Gen Z holds a fully biblical worldview — and he is watching them turn to AI chatbots for spiritual advice, emotional support, and the sense of belonging their brains are wired to crave. His new book When Intelligence Isn't Human: Navigating Your Faith in the Age of AI is his response. The Tower of Babel, the dopamine loop, and a generation being shaped by technology built by men who don't follow Christ: Ben walks through why he believes AI is the tool of the great deception described in Matthew 24, how the creators of the most powerful technology in human history are driven by evolutionary moral relativism and utopian promises that echo the language of Mao, Hitler, and Stalin, and why a 40% rise in Gen Z turning to AI chatbots as pastoral figures should alarm the church. He also shares why he is not anti-AI, where the line is between useful tool and dangerous dependence, and why he believes the same historical pattern that brought revival through World War Two, the Civil War, and the Great Awakening is building again right now. Highlights Why dopamine is a pursuit chemical, not a pleasure chemical, and how social media and AI have hacked that system in young people How 40% of Gen Z is now turning to AI chatbots in the same way they would turn to a pastor for spiritual guidance Why AI is not the issue — it is the originators and creators of AI who are building a world without Christ that is the danger The Tower of Babel parallel and why Genesis 11 warns about what happens when nothing is impossible for those who reject God Where Ben draws the line between AI as a tool and AI as a guide or relationship — and why it will never replace the Holy Spirit Why he is concerned about the 70% of military personnel who are Gen Z and what AI integration means for their spiritual lives The every-80-to-90-years revival pattern and why he believes the church is on the verge of the greatest move of God yet How every copy of his book sold funds putting a copy directly into the hands of a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine Resources / Links / CTA 🌐 Ben Peterson website: https://thebenpeterson.com 🌐 Book website: https://whenintelligenceisnthuman.com 📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebenpeterson 📖 Book: When Intelligence Isn't Human: Navigating Your Faith in the Age of AI by Ben Peterson 🌐 Follow, share, and explore more of Crosswalk Talk 👉 Follow, share, and subscribe for more faith-driven conversations on Lifeaudio Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

John James was the voice of Shine, Breakfast, Take Me to Your Leader, and Not Ashamed — the songs that defined the Newsboys' most creative era and introduced a generation to Christian music that was quirky, bold, and unlike anything else on the radio. He spent 16 years with the band. Then his world fell apart. He lost his marriage, his ministry, his career, and eventually flew back to Australia not to start over but, as he puts it plainly, to disappear and die. Brokenness, the lies that keep you silent, and the God who refuses to give up on his kids: John shares what it was like to hit rock bottom after leaving the Newsboys, why it took nearly 30 years before he could sing again, and how writing his new book Newsboy: My Story of Hope and Second Chances became the most healing and liberating experience of his life. He also reflects with grace on the recent Newsboys scandal, why he believes no one — not even the most broken person — is beyond the reach of God's redemption, and what the Christian music industry is missing by staying in one lane while an entire generation of young people has never heard of Bethel, Elevation, or Hillsong. Highlights Why John says he went back to Australia not for ministry but to disappear — and how God met him there How the slow erosion of his foundations, not a single dramatic fall, brought his house of cards down Why he refused to sing for nearly 30 years and the lies that kept him silent until God breathed on that area of his life again The process of losing 40 pounds, relearning to sing, and recording 11 new songs that sound like the follow-up to Shine Why he wanted the book to be a story of redemption, not a tell-all or a stone-throwing exercise His gracious and honest response to the recent Newsboys scandal and why redemption does not require our permission Why fast-tracking people in ministry based on gifting and charisma rather than character and biblical foundation is dangerous His urgent call for more Christian artists writing outside the worship lane to reach kids who have never heard of Christian music Resources / Links / CTA 🌐 John James website: https://www.ireachusa.com 📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnjosephjames_official 📖 Book: Newsboy: My Story of Hope and Second Chances 🎵 Album: God of the Second Chance 🌐 Follow, share, and explore more of Crosswalk Talk 👉 Follow, share, and subscribe for more faith-driven conversations on Lifeaudio Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Willie and Korie Robertson have been watching how entertainment shapes culture since Duck Dynasty first aired on cable. They have seen cable give way to streaming, watched the iPads appear in their grandchildren's hands, and decided that the answer to bad content is not just criticism — it is a better option. EKKL Entertainment is their answer: a faith and family streaming platform that also houses podcasts and devotionals, built for families who are tired of trying to figure out what is safe to watch. Faith families, Hollywood's blind spot, and a rock star who finds God in a hospital room: Willie and Korie share why they believe Hollywood does not overlook the faith and family audience so much as it simply does not understand it, why Duck Dynasty and God's Not Dead proved the appetite is real, and why the gatekeepers of traditional entertainment have kept too many good stories from reaching the people who need them. They also give a preview of Elijah Peele, releasing in theaters August 14, a gritty true story about a rock star whose life is falling apart who finds himself in a hospital room with a young girl and a chance at redemption — the kind of story, Willie says, where you do not realize it is a faith film until it has already gotten to you. Highlights Why Willie and Korie believe streaming is where culture is being shaped and why they wanted to be part of shaping it How watching their own kids and grandchildren consume content made the need for EKKL feel urgent and personal Why Hollywood does not overlook the faith and family audience — it just does not understand it How Duck Dynasty, God's Not Dead, and dozens of faith films proved the audience has always been there Why the gatekeepers of traditional entertainment are the problem and what EKKL offers as an alternative Elijah Peele, releasing August 14, a gritty true story about a rock star whose chase for everything leaves him with nothing Why Willie loves that Elijah Peele does not announce itself as a faith film in the first five minutes How EKKL goes beyond streaming to include podcasts and devotionals as a full trusted home for faith families Resources / Links / CTA 🌐 EKKL Entertainment: https://m.ekkl.com 📱 Instagram Korie Robertson: https://www.instagram.com/korie.robertson 🎬 Elijah Peele: in theaters August 14 🌐 Follow, share, and explore more of Crosswalk Talk 👉 Follow, share, and subscribe for more faith-driven conversations on Lifeaudio Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.