Episodes

  • The Missing Father Crisis No One Wants to Talk About

    The Missing Father Crisis No One Wants to Talk About
    Jun 8 2026

    What if the biggest issue facing our prisons isn't crime... but fatherlessness?

    In this powerful episode of the Always Rising Podcast, Andrew Rosen and Nathan Curry sit down with Harry Booth and Richard Young, two men who have spent decades serving in prison ministry through Kairos Prison Ministry.

    From dramatic stories of life transformation behind bars to the impact of discipleship, small groups, and spiritual mentorship, this conversation reveals how God is changing lives in places most people never see.

    Whether you're interested in discipleship, ministry, fatherhood, prison outreach, or simply growing deeper in your walk with Christ, this conversation will encourage and challenge you.

    "Whenever you have done this for the least of mine, you have done it for me." – Matthew 25:40

    00:00 – Introduction & Meet Harry and Richard

    2:03 – Finding Faith Later in Life

    6:00 – The Prayer That Changed Everything

    8:55 – How Prison Ministry Became Their Calling

    15:25 – Inside Kairos Prison Ministry

    20:27 – Knowing About Jesus vs. Knowing Jesus

    25:58 – Surrendering Control to God

    30:25 – Can Anyone Join Kairos?

    34:39 – How Kairos Reduces Recidivism

    35:52 – Seeing Jesus Behind Prison Walls

    39:28 – Grace, Judgment & Life Transformation

    43:58 – Why Denominations Miss the Point

    44:42 – The Power of Small Groups & Discipleship

    50:46 – Success Stories From Inside Prison

    51:57 – Death Row, Redemption & Second Chances

    54:39 – The Greatest Commandments in Action

    55:48 – Fatherlessness and the Prison System

    58:35 – How Earthly Fathers Shape Our View of God

    59:49 – Final Thoughts & Closing Prayer

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    1 hr and 1 min
  • Why God Allows Suffering | A Father’s Story of Faith, Purpose & Trust

    Why God Allows Suffering | A Father’s Story of Faith, Purpose & Trust
    Jun 1 2026
    What happens when God completely changes your life overnight? In this powerful episode of the Always Rising Podcast, Andrew Rosen and Nathan Curry sit down with football coach, musician, father, and Ashes to Grace founder Joe Sturdivant. Joe shares his incredible testimony of how an unexpected curiosity about dragons in the Bible led him to a life-changing encounter with God. From that moment forward, he became consumed by Scripture, reading through the Bible cover to cover and discovering a relationship with Jesus that transformed every area of his life. 00:00 – A Life Changed Overnight 02:30 – Meet Joe Sturdivant & Ashes to Grace 06:00 – How God Saved Him Through an Unlikely Journey 12:00 – Why He Started Writing Christian Music 17:00 – His Son’s Battle with PANS/PANDAS 24:00 – Trusting God Through Suffering 30:00 – Job, Tribulation & God's Purpose 37:00 – Leading a Family Through Faith 43:00 – Following God's Open Doors 49:00 – Coaching, Mentorship & Discipleship 55:00 – Why You Need to Be in God's Word 1:02:00 – The Power of Christian Community 1:08:00 – Using Your Gifts for God's Glory 1:14:00 – Building Men Through Coaching 1:20:00 – Faith, Fatherhood & Legacy 1:25:00 – Final Encouragement & Prayer Whether you're facing hardship, searching for purpose, or simply looking to grow closer to Christ, this conversation is a powerful reminder that God is always working, even when we don't understand why. 📖 "All things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose." – Romans 8:28 #AlwaysRisingPodcast #ChristianPodcast #FaithOverFear #ChristianTestimony #TrustGod #Discipleship #BibleStudy #AshesToGrace #JesusChrist #ChristianLiving
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    1 hr and 12 mins
  • Why God Uses Trials to Transform Us

    Why God Uses Trials to Transform Us
    May 26 2026

    We sit down for a powerful conversation on faith, parenting, surrender, relationships, grace, and what it means to truly trust God through life’s hardest moments.

    From raising children and dealing with prodigal seasons to struggling with doubt, anxiety, and the weight of wanting loved ones to know Christ, this episode dives deep into the reality of walking with Jesus in a broken world.

    This conversation explores how God uses relationships, suffering, tests, and trials to transform our hearts and draw us closer to Him.

    ⏱ TIMESTAMPS

    00:00 Relationships, Parenting & Faith

    05:43 Rebuilding a Relationship After Years Apart

    12:54 Surrendering Your Children to God

    16:05 “The Burden Is Not On You”

    20:35 Wanting Loved Ones to Know Jesus

    25:04 Being Born Again & Spiritual Transformation

    31:16 Doubt, Faith & Trusting God

    42:14 Why Does God Allow Suffering?

    49:18 Why God Tests Us

    55:05 Grace, Forgiveness & Eternal Life

    1:00:02 Asking God “Why?”

    1:04:43 Why Relationships Matter Most

    1:07:27 Closing Prayer

    If this episode encouraged you, share it with someone who needs hope today and subscribe for more Christ-centered conversations seeking truth through Scripture.
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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • I Stopped Chasing My Plans… and Started Following God’s

    I Stopped Chasing My Plans… and Started Following God’s
    May 18 2026

    What happens when you stop chasing your own plans… and finally let God lead?

    In this episode of the Always Rising Podcast, AJ Alfonso Hicks shares how his life changed when he stopped living by timelines, goals, and personal ambition, and started waking up each day asking God what He wanted instead.

    This is a real conversation about surrender, obedience, faith, and learning to follow the Holy Spirit daily.

    If you’ve ever struggled with control, purpose, or trusting God’s direction, this episode is for you.

    ⏱ TIMESTAMPS

    00:00 Opening Prayer

    00:51 Welcome + Introducing AJ Alfonso Hicks

    02:00 AJ’s Story Begins

    06:40 From Goals & Hustle to Surrender

    12:15 Learning to Follow God Daily

    18:45 Obedience Over Personal Ambition

    25:10 Community, Brotherhood & Faith

    33:30 Identity Through Christ

    41:20 Final Thoughts + Encouragement
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    1 hr and 18 mins
  • Speaking the Truth in Love

    Speaking the Truth in Love
    May 18 2026

    What does it actually mean to speak the truth, and why does it sometimes hurt? In this episode, Andrew and Nathan dig into one of the most foundational and challenging topics in the Christian walk: truth. Not your truth, not my truth, but the Truth that was, is, and always will be. They talk about what it looks like to share the gospel without judgment, how to hold fast to your faith when the people around you aren't living it out, and why fellowship and community are essential, not optional. They also get honest about what happens when you stumble in front of the people you're trying to reach, the tension between planting seeds and needing to see results, and what it really means that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. If you've ever struggled with how to share your faith, felt like your mistakes disqualify you, or wondered why a loving God allows the consequences He does, this one's for you.
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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • Are You Doing Things FOR God or Actually KNOWING Him?

    Are You Doing Things FOR God or Actually KNOWING Him?
    May 4 2026
    What's the difference between doing things for God and actually knowing Him? In this episode, Andrew and Nathan explore that question through Acts 6, looking at the characteristics of Stephen and the seven and asking whether the church today holds the same standard. The conversation moves through Paul's radical encounter with Christ, the freedom found in grace, and what it really means to love your neighbor. Honest, unscripted, and grounded in Scripture. This is Always Rising. 0:00 – Welcome & Intro 0:13 – What We're Talking About Today 0:58 – Acts 6: The Choosing of the Seven 3:30 – Doing vs. Character: What Are We Really Looking For? 4:42 – The Tendency to Justify Ourselves 5:31 – Matthew 7 and "I Never Knew You" 7:26 – Paul's Transformation: From Pharisee to Follower 8:19 – Salvation vs. Sanctification: What's the Difference? 10:04 – Works and Faith: What Your Actions Actually Reflect 12:24 – Vetting Church Leaders and Discipleship Development 13:49 – When Faith and Politics Collide in the Church 15:44 – What Does It Actually Mean to Love Your Neighbor? 17:43 – Loving God First: Why the Order Matters 19:07 – The Beatitudes: Blessed Are Those Who Mourn 20:12 – Speaking Truth in Grace (Not Just Love) 22:00 – Truth Without Grace Glorifies You, Not God 27:25 – Sharing Your Faith Naturally Through Changed Character 29:21 – The Samaritan Woman and the Compulsion to Proclaim 31:55 – Closing Thoughts on Relationships and Next Week 32:52 – Closing Prayer #AlwaysRisingPodcast #Faith #ChristianPodcast #Discipleship #Acts6 #Salvation #Sanctification #LoveYourNeighbor #Beatitudes #SpeakingTruthInLove #ChristianLiving #FaithAndWorks #RelationshipWithGod #GraceAndTruth #BiblicalWisdom #ChurchLeadership #Andrew Rosen #NathanCurry
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    35 mins
  • God Used a Dog to Reach Broken People… I Wasn’t Ready for This

    God Used a Dog to Reach Broken People… I Wasn’t Ready for This
    Apr 28 2026

    What happens when you fully surrender your life to God?

    In this powerful episode of the Always Rising Podcast, we sit down with Tate Ledford to unpack a real, raw testimony of faith, obedience, and transformation. From a career in law enforcement to walking through fear, pride, loss, and ultimately surrender, Tate shares how God radically changed his life and began using something unexpected… a dog… to open doors for ministry, healing, and the Gospel.

    This conversation dives deep into:

    What it truly means to die to yourself

    How God uses pain to draw us closer to Him

    The power of obedience and stepping out in faith

    Real-life discipleship in everyday moments

    Why your personal relationship with Jesus matters more than knowledge
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    1 hr and 21 mins
  • Discipleship, Dying to Self, and What Faith Actually Looks Like at Home | Always Rising Podcast | S2 E2

    Discipleship, Dying to Self, and What Faith Actually Looks Like at Home | Always Rising Podcast | S2 E2
    Apr 20 2026
    Andrew and Nathan are back for episode 2, and this one gets personal. The conversation starts with Nathan's Friday morning discipleship sessions: men of different ages, all wrestling with the same questions about what it looks like to walk with God. That leads to a deeper discussion on what the church often gets wrong: equipping people to do things rather than helping them grow closer to the Lord. From there, Andrew and Nathan get into marriage, parenthood, and the moments that reframe everything. Andrew shares a story about telling his kids who he loves most, and what that honesty is meant to build in them. Nathan digs into what it means to truly decrease, to die to self daily, and why salvation rooted in what God did rather than what we do is the foundation everything else has to stand on. Honest. Grounded. Unscripted. That's our show. Subscribe and join the conversation each week.
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    58 mins