The Akkeri

Real Spirituality: A Conversation with Ex-Evangelical Pastor Brian Recker

Brian Recker is a former Marine Officer, the son of a Baptist preacher, and an alum of the fundamentalist Bob Jones University. Brian spent eight years as an evangelical pastor before deconstructing his faith to find a more inclusive spirituality. He now speaks about following Jesus without the fear of hell, and has written about this in his new book, HellBent: How the Fear of Hell Holds Christians Back from a Spirituality of Love. We talk about why he deconstructed his faith and what spirituality looks like to him now. He shares why he believes that hell isn’t real and that love should be radically inclusive, as demonstrated through the life and teachings of Jesus. The conversation also covers why men need an authentic spirituality, why the Western world has “an empathy problem”, why a spirituality of hell creates a divided self, and why the Sears catalogue made him question his faith as a teenager. As someone who also grew up in an evangelical church and used to be a pastor, I found this conversation–and Brian’s book, HellBent–to be a very refreshing and liberating take on what true spirituality is and what’s really important in this life, not just as a man, but as a society. FIND BRIAN RECKER & 'HELLBENT' HERE: Website: https://www.brianrecker.com/ [https://www.brianrecker.com/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/berecker [https://www.instagram.com/berecker] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@berecker87 [https://www.tiktok.com/@berecker87] FIND THE AKKERI HERE: Website: TheAkkeri.com [https://theakkeri.com/] Facebook: Facebook.com/theakkeri [https://facebook.com/theakkeri] Instagram: Instagram.com/the.akkeri [https://instagram.com/the.akkeri] YouTube: YouTube.com/theakkeri [https://youtube.com/@TheAkkeri]

From Bombs to Breathwork with Retired Navy Bomb Diver Brent Beshara

Brent Beshara spent 24 years in the Canadian military, mainly as a special forces Navy bomb disposal diver. In his words, when he retired on a Friday it was all “pats on the back” and “we’ll get together,” but when Monday came “it was tumbleweeds”. He had a great career, but the highly stressful and traumatic experiences had left a mark and now his mission was to heal. Through mindfulness, breath-work, and cold exposure - what he learned through his Wim Hof instructor training - he was able to heal himself; mind and body, and now focuses on passing on what he’s learned to others. Brent shares how his newfound routine enabled him to reverse his pre-diabetes condition, heal from what he calls a “mental meltdown”, and ultimately save his life. We talk about the physical impacts of this work and the potential societal impacts, which is what he is focused on now through HeadStart - a 2-minute breath-work program for students and staff - that is launching in several Canadian schools this Fall, 2025. FIND BRENT BESHARA HERE: Website: https://besh.ca [https://besh.ca] HeadStart: https://besh.ca/headstart [https://besh.ca/headstart] Newfoundland Winter Crew: https://www.facebook.com/groups/324829538112496/ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/324829538112496/] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@diverbrent [https://www.youtube.com/@diverbrent] FIND THE AKKERI HERE: Website: TheAkkeri.com [https://theakkeri.com/] Facebook: Facebook.com/theakkeri [https://facebook.com/theakkeri] Instagram: Instagram.com/the.akkeri [https://instagram.com/the.akkeri] YouTube: YouTube.com/theakkeri [https://youtube.com/@TheAkkeri]

Finding & Perfecting Your Craft with Jack Aldous

Finding a vocation (not a job) is one of the most important tasks for any man. We want work that makes us feel alive, provides for a strong financial foundation, and has a significant positive impact on the world. And we find that by pursuing our passions, practicing the discipline required to perfect our craft, and sharing that work with the world. Jack Aldous–my friend and solo artist–is doing that work right now as he has recently released his debut album, ‘Inertia’, under the artist name White Cricket. In this episode, Jack shares how he discovered his passion for music production and what producing his debut album, Inertia, has demanded of him. Jack talks about the vulnerability required for any creative endeavour and how he manages the self-doubt and self-criticism that often arise when we put something we’ve made out into the world. He also shares the story behind his choice of artist name, and it makes a lot of sense once you listen to his music. Jack’s music draws inspiration from artists such as Tycho, Com Truise, and Jon Hopkins, pairing psychedelic elements with warm, lush soundscapes that evoke a sense of calm as well as excitement. If you’re a musician or someone who wants to devote more time to a creative endeavour–or just someone who feels like you need to spend more time doing what lights you up–then this episode is for you. Like Jack, we all need to find those things that make us feel alive. In doing so, we learn about ourselves, we grow, and we make a positive contribution to the world. This is about having a vocation, not a job, and it’s one of the most important things for a man to figure out. FIND JACK & HIS MUSIC HERE: Bandcamp: https://whitecricketmusic.bandcamp.com/ [https://whitecricketmusic.bandcamp.com/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whitecricketmusic [https://www.facebook.com/whitecricketmusic] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whitecricketmusic [https://www.instagram.com/whitecricketmusic] Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0SciCwxk3brPpESFw8bJ8A?si=dAlgOX0YR56eqy_jYoENEA [https://open.spotify.com/artist/0SciCwxk3brPpESFw8bJ8A?si=dAlgOX0YR56eqy_jYoENEA] FIND THE AKKERI HERE: Website: TheAkkeri.com [https://theakkeri.com/] Facebook: Facebook.com/theakkeri [https://facebook.com/theakkeri] Instagram: Instagram.com/the.akkeri [https://instagram.com/the.akkeri] YouTube: YouTube.com/theakkeri [https://youtube.com/@TheAkkeri]

Becoming the Man, Partner, & Father You’ve Always Wanted to Be With Larry Hagner

This episode is a conversation with podcaster, coach, and author Larry Hagner. Over the past 10 years, Larry has spoken with hundreds of experts and worked with thousands of men through his podcast and programs at The Dad Edge. Now, he has distilled the essence of what makes legendary fathers different in his new book, The Pursuit of Legendary Fatherhood. We talk about how most men have a deep desire to show up intentionally in their lives but often find themselves subtly checking out as they realize that their expectations aren’t being met; a process that he calls ‘The Drift’. Larry talks about the symptoms of the drift, how men can navigate this experience and ultimately learn the skills needed to find their way out. Our conversation also covers the 3 things that women need from us and how we can build better relationships with them; why being better men is all about skills that any man can learn; how to practice those skills and envision a better life; and why an uncrusted peanut butter sandwich in the bathroom makes a great snack. FIND LARRY HAGNER HERE: Website: thedadedge.com [https://thedadedge.com/] Instagram: Instagram.com/thedadedge [https://www.instagram.com/thedadedge] Larry's Book: 'The Pursuit of Legendary Fatherhood: Break Old Patterns & Create an Epic Legacy as a Father & Husband: thedadedge.com/legendary-fatherhood-book/ [https://thedadedge.com/legendary-fatherhood-book/] FIND THE AKKERI HERE: Website: TheAkkeri.com [https://theakkeri.com/] Facebook: Facebook.com/theakkeri [https://facebook.com/theakkeri] Instagram: Instagram.com/the.akkeri [https://instagram.com/the.akkeri] YouTube: YouTube.com/theakkeri [https://youtube.com/@TheAkkeri]

‘The Newfie’: Scott Matchim’s Experience as a Newfoundlander Living Elsewhere

This episode is a conversation with content creator and fellow Newfoundlander, Scott Matchim. Since late 2023, Scott’s been creating short-form videos that showcase the many socio-cultural quirks that are distinct to Newfoundland and its people. Scott is a proud Newfoundlander with a knack for storytelling, a sharp sense of humour, and a deep love for the people and culture that shaped him, and through his videos, he shares his honest takes on life, poking fun at himself, or shining a light on what it means to come from the rock. We discuss his experience of sharing Newfoundland culture through video, what it's been like as a Newfoundlander living away, and he’s kind enough to provide a little interpretation of some Newfanese for the uninitiated. FIND SCOTT MATCHIM HERE: Facebook: Facebook.com/scott.matchim [https://facebook.com/scott.matchim] Instagram: Instagram.com/s.matchim [https://www.instagram.com/smatchim/] TikTok: TikTok.com/@scottieshow [https://tiktok.com@scottieshow] FIND THE AKKERI HERE: Website: TheAkkeri.com [https://theakkeri.com/] Facebook: Facebook.com/theakkeri [https://facebook.com/theakkeri] Instagram: Instagram.com/the.akkeri [https://instagram.com/the.akkeri] YouTube: YouTube.com/theakkeri [https://youtube.com/@TheAkkeri]