Ep 174: Pastors Conference Recharge

Ep 175: Gospel Work In Gang-Controlled Port-au-Prince

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2110391/fan_mail/new] "Amid Haiti’s gang violence and instability, missionary Brian McDaniel [https://crosstolight.com/about/our-team/] shares stories of gospel outreach, humanitarian aid, and disciple-making under pressure. How does faithful ministry in dangerous places challenge your understanding of trust and obedience?" (Please click on the underlined links throughout.) We talk with missionary pastor Brian McDaniel [https://crosstolight.com/about/our-team/] for a clear-eyed update from Port-au-Prince, where gangs, closed flights, and constant danger collide with relentless gospel work. We come away sobered by the reality on the ground and strengthened by how God keeps opening doors through prayer, protection, and bold church planting. • airport closures, restricted flights, and what it takes to get in safely • gang control in the capital and preaching anyway • the evangelism truck story and handing out 14,000 Gospel of John booklets • police protection forming around the Bible training center • spiritual warfare, voodoo influence, and why Bible-teaching churches matter • discipleship model that trains pastors for years then sends them out • urgent needs like port fees to release a donated food container • audio Bibles in Haitian Creole and why that changes whole neighborhoods • the personal cost of evacuating family and going back in go to https://crosstolight.com/news/sign-up/ [https://crosstolight.com/news/sign-up/] to get the newsletter prayer request Brian's original interview, EP 124 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2110391/episodes/17248105] Cross To Light Ministry - https://crosstolight.com [https://crosstolight.com/] | Brian and Sophia McDaniel [https://youtu.be/LBX6cv0x7qk?si=ioCPPTS8r7VTS7KE] Ministry Continues in Haiti Despite Rising Gang Violence - https://calvarychapelmagazine.org/articles/cross-to-light-in-haiti [https://calvarychapelmagazine.org/articles/cross-to-light-in-haiti] Pastor Brian McDaniel  [https://crosstolight.com/about/our-team/] If you enjoy Christian podcasts, Calvary Chapel stories, ministry behind-the-scenes moments, and biblical storytelling that sticks with you, hit play and come along. Subscribe and share this with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review so others can find the show. Review Us Here [https://playsonword.dm.networkforgood.com/forms/podcast-reviews]! Visit our website, where you can donate to help us out... If you want to do a one-time donation, or if you want to become a monthly partner - PLEASE DONATE HERE: https://playsonword.networkforgood.com/ [https://playsonword.networkforgood.com/] Please keep this ministry in prayer. This program was made possible by the Plays One Word family of supporters. To find out more, check out our NEW & IMPROVED Website at playsonword.org [https://playsonword.org/] Stay Up To Date with our: Plays On Word E-News Sign Up [https://playsonword.dm.networkforgood.com/forms/newsletter-sign-up] The Plays on Word Theater team is always setting up new performance dates! Want us to visit your church/venue/community? Please check out: Book It! [https://www.playsonword.org/book-it] To See the Vision Behind the Mission of Plays On Word Theater & Radio, please visit: https://www.playsonword.org/support [https://www.playsonword.org/support] Plays On Word website [https://www.playsonword.org/] Plays On Word YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA2ZPfcuGd8-rQp0knIPMyg] Plays On Word Facebook [http://fb.me/playsonword] Plays On Word Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/playsonword/?hl=en] Email us: team@playsonword.org

Ep 174: Pastors Conference Recharge

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2110391/fan_mail/new] "Today on Plays on Word Radio, we get a behind-the-scenes story from the Calvary Chapel East Coast Pastors conference [https://resources.ccphilly.org/topicdetail.asp?TopicID=210]in Philly. We also get a quick preview of a possible John the Baptist presentation that is currently downloading." (Please click on the underlined links throughout.) A nine-hour drive, a tight schedule, and one missing sermon upload set the stage for a chain of events we still can’t stop laughing about. We’re fresh back from the Calvary Chapel East Coast Pastors Conference [https://resources.ccphilly.org/topicdetail.asp?TopicID=210] in Philadelphia, and the encouragement was real: thousands of pastors worshiping hard, singing hymns and new songs, and getting poured into by seasoned Bible teachers. That kind of gathering doesn’t just inspire you for a day, it refuels you for the long haul of ministry leadership. But the funniest moment hits when we’re trying to solve a very practical problem: getting the Sunday message online while conference Wi-Fi crawls. A quick request for help turns into an unexpected walk through the back offices, a fast connection, and a conversation we never saw coming. Then the plot thickens when a true Calvary Chapel legend [https://resources.ccphilly.org/detail.asp?TopicID=210&Teaching=ECPC2610] sits down right next to us, and we’re doing everything we can to stay calm, keep it respectful, and not completely geek out. We also share why these conference relationships matter for church planting and for Plays On Word Theater [https://www.playsonword.org/]. They lead to real partnerships, prayer support, and invitations that open doors for gospel-centered creative work. To top it off, we preview what’s coming next: a 'PETE' presentation [https://calvaryclayton.com/marriageconference] and a new John the Baptist play idea that starts at the chopping block and digs into humility, bold truth-telling, prison, and the hard questions that surface when obedience costs you something. East Coast Pastors Conference / 2026 Resources [https://resources.ccphilly.org/topicdetail.asp?TopicID=210] (click this underlined link) If you enjoy Christian podcasts, Calvary Chapel stories, ministry behind-the-scenes moments, and biblical storytelling that sticks with you, hit play and come along. Subscribe and share this with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review so others can find the show. Review Us Here [https://playsonword.dm.networkforgood.com/forms/podcast-reviews]! Visit our website, where you can donate to help us out... If you want to do a one-time donation, or if you want to become a monthly partner - PLEASE DONATE HERE: https://playsonword.networkforgood.com/ [https://playsonword.networkforgood.com/] Please keep this ministry in prayer. This program was made possible by the Plays One Word family of supporters. To find out more, check out our NEW & IMPROVED Website at playsonword.org [https://playsonword.org/] Stay Up To Date with our: Plays On Word E-News Sign Up [https://playsonword.dm.networkforgood.com/forms/newsletter-sign-up] The Plays on Word Theater team is always setting up new performance dates! Want us to visit your church/venue/community? Please check out: Book It! [https://www.playsonword.org/book-it] To See the Vision Behind the Mission of Plays On Word Theater & Radio, please visit: https://www.playsonword.org/support [https://www.playsonword.org/support] Plays On Word website [https://www.playsonword.org/] Plays On Word YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA2ZPfcuGd8-rQp0knIPMyg] Plays On Word Facebook [http://fb.me/playsonword] Plays On Word Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/playsonword/?hl=en] Email us: team@playsonword.org

Ep 173: When Plans Fall Apart And God Still Shows Up

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2110391/fan_mail/new] "Elijah’s fire-from-heaven victory proved God’s power, yet fear and burnout followed fast. How does God’s “still small voice” sustain us when spiritual highs collapse into exhaustion and uncertainty?" We start with the fire on Mount Carmel and end with the quiet voice that finds Elijah after the crash. We talk prayer, leadership pressure, and what to do when a huge win is followed by fear, disappointment, and a sudden change of plans. • praying for the entire Plays on Word family through the night • keeping prayer lists with God and trusting Him to remember every name • a Lakewood, New Jersey story about feeling out of place and choosing peace • sharing the upcoming play in Clayton, North Carolina [https://calvaryclayton.com/] for a marriage conference [https://calvaryclayton.com/marriageconference] • honoring old churches and the long prayers of saints who went before us • learning to stay calm when plans fall apart and a door suddenly closes • walking through 1 Kings 18 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Kings%2018&version=ESV] and Elijah’s showdown with the prophets of Baal • seeing how Elijah goes from calling down fire to fearing Jezebel’s threat • holding on to God’s plan and listening for the still small voice  Please click on the underlined links throughout. Join Us at Calvary Chapel Clayton [https://calvaryclayton.com/] for "Choosing Redemption" Marriage Conference [https://calvaryclayton.com/marriageconference]. May 29–31, 2026 • Register until May 24th: https://subsplash.com/calvaryclayton/lb/ev/+nx6cn7r/register [https://subsplash.com/calvaryclayton/lb/ev/+nx6cn7r/register] Subscribe and share this with someone who needs hope, and leave a review so others can find it. Go to our website, you can donate, you can give, help us out... If you want to do a one-time donation, or if you want to become a monthly partner - PLEASE DONATE HERE: https://playsonword.networkforgood.com/ [https://playsonword.networkforgood.com/] Please keep this ministry in prayer. This program was made possible by the Plays One Word family of supporters. To find out more, check out our NEW & IMPROVED Website at playsonword.org [https://playsonword.org/] Stay Up To Date with our: Plays On Word E-News Sign Up [https://playsonword.dm.networkforgood.com/forms/newsletter-sign-up] The Plays on Word Theater team is always setting up new performance dates! Want us to visit your church/venue/community? Please check out: Book It! [https://www.playsonword.org/book-it] To See the Vision Behind the Mission of Plays On Word Theater & Radio, please visit: https://www.playsonword.org/support [https://www.playsonword.org/support] Plays On Word website [https://www.playsonword.org/] Plays On Word YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA2ZPfcuGd8-rQp0knIPMyg] Plays On Word Facebook [http://fb.me/playsonword] Plays On Word Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/playsonword/?hl=en] Email us: team@playsonword.org

EP 172: The Only Answer That Gets You In

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2110391/fan_mail/new] "Do you have true assurance of salvation? What would you tell God at heaven’s door, and would it be enough? This episode contrasts faith and works, showing salvation comes through Jesus alone, not a church, or tradition, or emotional altar-call moments." We come back from our New Jersey and New York run with stories from the road, laughs from an old church, and a sober question about what we would say if God asked why we should be let in. We draw a hard line between faith in Christ and trusting our own good works, then we explain why we keep giving a clear invitation to respond to the gospel. • stories from the tour and the joy of old saints and old churches • the “Rabbi Dave” moment and how the play connects to Scripture • why comfort complaints miss the bigger point of grit and worship • why we still give an invitation even when it feels like “the choir” • the danger of assuming everyone in a Christian room is saved • the muffler shop analogy and why church attendance can’t save • assurance of salvation and the only answer that gives access • prayer for salvation and prayer for restoring fellowship • the difference between relationship with God and broken fellowship Please click on the underlined links throughout. Subscribe and share this with someone who needs hope, and leave a review so others can find it. Go to our website, you can donate, you can give, help us out... If you want to do a one-time donation, or if you want to become a monthly partner - PLEASE DONATE HERE: https://playsonword.networkforgood.com/ [https://playsonword.networkforgood.com/] Please keep this ministry in prayer. This program was made possible by the Plays One Word family of supporters. To find out more, check out our NEW & IMPROVED Website at playsonword.org [https://playsonword.org/] Stay Up To Date with our: Plays On Word E-News Sign Up [https://playsonword.dm.networkforgood.com/forms/newsletter-sign-up] The Plays on Word Theater team is always setting up new performance dates! Want us to visit your church/venue/community? Please check out: Book It! [https://www.playsonword.org/book-it] To See the Vision Behind the Mission of Plays On Word Theater & Radio, please visit: https://www.playsonword.org/support [https://www.playsonword.org/support] Plays On Word website [https://www.playsonword.org/] Plays On Word YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA2ZPfcuGd8-rQp0knIPMyg] Plays On Word Facebook [http://fb.me/playsonword] Plays On Word Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/playsonword/?hl=en] Email us: team@playsonword.org

Ep 171: Lambertville Faith Stories From A Historic River Town

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2110391/fan_mail/new] "Today, we speak with Don and Desre Pidcock from Community Church of Lambertville [https://www.lambpres.org/]about the Shad Festival, a tornado-shaped faith journey, Scripture engagement, and outreach. Can you relate to a transformed faith from lukewarm belief to active service?" We sit down with Don and Desre Pidcock at Community Church of Lambertville/ First Presbyterian Church [https://www.lambpres.org/] and talk about a weekend of worship, Scripture, and surprising connections in a historic Delaware River town. From Shad Fest stories to a tornado that pushed one heart back toward the Word, we keep coming back to the same idea: God meets people through worship, community, and the Bible that's alive. • worship as joining what heaven is already doing • Lambertville’s history near Washington’s Crossing • Shad Fest origins and why shad divides opinion • Don’s faith turning point after the 1976 tornado • Revelation 3:16 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%203%3A16%20&version=ESV]and moving from lukewarm to committed • Friday morning Bible study at McDonald’s and public witness • why performing Scripture makes Bible stories feel present • music choices that energize worship and deepen attention • opening church space to the community through skating, groups, and meals  Please click on the underlined links throughout. Stop by the the church here, right in the center of town: Community Church of Lambertville/ First Presbyterian [https://www.lambpres.org/] Subscribe and share this with someone who needs hope, and leave a review so others can find it.  If you want to do a one-time donation, or if you want to become a monthly partner - PLEASE DONATE HERE: https://playsonword.networkforgood.com/ [https://playsonword.networkforgood.com/] Please keep this ministry in prayer. This program was made possible by the Plays One Word family of supporters. To find out more, check out our NEW & IMPROVED Website at playsonword.org [https://playsonword.org/] Stay Up To Date with our: Plays On Word E-News Sign Up [https://playsonword.dm.networkforgood.com/forms/newsletter-sign-up] The Plays on Word Theater team is always setting up new performance dates! Want us to visit your church/venue/community? Please check out: Book It! [https://www.playsonword.org/book-it] To See the Vision Behind the Mission of Plays On Word Theater & Radio, please visit: https://www.playsonword.org/support [https://www.playsonword.org/support] Plays On Word website [https://www.playsonword.org/] Plays On Word YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA2ZPfcuGd8-rQp0knIPMyg] Plays On Word Facebook [http://fb.me/playsonword] Plays On Word Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/playsonword/?hl=en] Email us: team@playsonword.org