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Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show December 22, 2012

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT...


It's Our 10TH ANNIVERSARY CHRISTMAS SHOW!
This Saturday we're going to interview a Surprise Mystery Guest and catch up with our favorite Hollywood Corespondent, Kerri Pomarolli. We'll also be doing some Useless Christmas Trivia - AND speaking of useless - Tim The Tool & Drew, out of the goodness of their hearts/vanity, have volunteered to be this week's musical performers!

Then, to help motivate all of us to pay it forward this Christmas, we're going to interview about 10 charities (real quick interviews, like 4 minutes each, Fast Philanthropic Phone Calls or the Charity Cha Cha if you will) so that none of us have any excuses for NOT giving back!

And finally, as a thank you for putting up with Drew for 10 years, we're going to open up the phone lines and give away FREE ADVERTISING! So give us a call and tell the world about your company, product, charity or event!
MERRY CHRISTMAS YA'LL & HAPPY NEW(D) YEAR!
***AUDIO NOT AVAILABLE

NO SHOWS DECEMBER 29th & JANUARY 5th
WE'RE BACK LIVE ON JANUARY 12th @ 1:00 PM ET!

(Sorry Manny from Georgetown)

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show December 15, 2012

Special Guests

  • J. R. Martinez — Winner of Dancing With The Stars, Actor, Author, Motivational Speaker
    In March of 2003, J.R. was deployed to Iraq, and on April 5, less than a month into his deployment, he was serving as a driver of a Humvee in Karbala, when his left front tire hit a land-mine. Three other soldiers with J.R. were ejected from the burning vehicle, but Martinez was trapped inside. J.R. suffered smoke inhalation and severe burns to more than 34 percent of his body. J.R. spent 34 months in recovery and underwent 33 different surgeries including skin grafts and cosmetic surgery. Fast forward to today! J.R. has become a highly sought-after motivational speaker, traveling the country to spread his message of resilience and optimism, sharing the stage with the likes of global self-help guru Tony Robbins and Evangelist Dave Roever. In October 2008, J.R. stepped into another role, when he was cast as combat veteran Brot Monroe on ABC’ s Emmy® Award-winning daytime drama All My Children. Then, in 2011, J.R. was cast on Dancing With the Stars. Partnered with Karina Smirnoff, they became the early favorites en route to the Mirrorball Trophy, beating out Rob Kardashian. J.R. also a New York Times bestselling author of “Full of Heart,” his memoir. “I wouldn’t change anything…absolutely anything!” J.R. says. “I do believe everything happens for a reason, and I’m extremely grateful for that day because it led me into this life!” Martinez has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, PEOPLE magazine, the New York Times, and New York Daily News, has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, 60 Minutes, The View, CNN, Inside Edition, FOX News, Good Morning America, Dr. Oz and just this week, Ellen!

  • Nik Wallenda — Acrobat, Aerialist, Daredevil, High-Wire Artist & Multiple Guinness World Record Holder
    On June 15th, 2012 Nik Wallenda made history by being the first person to walk across Niagara Falls on a high-wire. The walk set television rating history in both the United States and Canada, aired on live television all over the world, and was in virtually every newspaper worldwide, seen by hundreds of millions of people. His inspirational message “Never Give Up” has resonated with viewers around the globe and today Nik shares some very timely encouragement - because not everyone is looking forward to Christmas this year!

  • For Whom THE BELL Tolls — An Exclusive LIVE Concert With Juno Award Winning Recording Artist, Steve Bell
    Born into a musical family, Steve Bell has been performing and touring since he was eight years old. As Steve’s father was a prison Chaplain, it was federal prisoners in Drumheller Penitentiary who taught the young boy to play guitar at an early age. Bell recounts fondly, “I now perform world-over because Canada’s most unwanted men invested in me when I was a boy.” Since his first solo release in 1989, Comfort My People, Bell has released 16 CDs, three concert videos and performed over 1500 concerts across Canada, the US, India, Thailand, the Philippines, Poland, Bulgaria, Ireland, and throughout the Caribbean. More recently, Steve has performed 26 concerts with Symphony orchestras across Canada and into the US. In December 2011 a capacity crowd gathered to take in his concert with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra at Massey Hall. In 1997, Steve was awarded his first JUNO for the category of Best Gospel Album. He has since received a second JUNO in 2000 and in the ensuing years has been awarded multiple Prairie Music, Western Canada Music and Covenant Awards. With the 2012 release of his 17th career CD, Keening for the Dawn - Christmastide, Steve displays a rare longevity and commitment to his vocation. For this commitment, along with his advocacy work for the less fortunate, Steve has been awarded the Queen Elizabeth 11 Diamond Jubilee Medal.
    "FINALLY! An album which viscerally captures the holy eeriness of what I ache for at Christmas - a magical yearning for the hope behind The Birth. (PS. Fireplace & wine, sadly, not included.)" ~Drew Marshall - Broadcaster, Autodidactic Iconoclast

  • Mike Yankoski — Author of Under the Overpass: A Journey Of Faith On The Streets Of America
    Ever wondered what it would be like to be homeless? Mike Yankoski experienced the struggles of being homeless first hand. In his book Under The Overpass, he shares his personal story as he went from upper-middle class plush to scum-of-the-earth repulsive overnight. “What if I stepped out of my comfortable life with nothing but God and put my faith to the test alongside of those who live with nothing every day?” With that thought came a major change in Mike’s life. With only a backpack, a sleeping bag and a guitar, Mike and his traveling companion, Sam, set out to experience life on the streets in six different cities—from Washington D.C. to San Diego— and they put themselves to the test. For six months they hung out with Drug addicts, alcoholics, and mental cases, knowing that they had the guts, but did they have the faith? Mike wanted to put his faith to the test, could he actually be the Christian he claimed to be with all the comforts he was used to stripped away? It was far from an easy journey, he and Sam experienced firsthand the extreme pains of hunger, the constant uncertainty and danger of living on the streets, exhaustion, depression, and social rejection. However, through it they discovered themselves and gained a new perspective.

God Blogger

  • Joining us today: Jeremy Stevens
    Using Biblical Strategic Forecasting, Jeremy is an “end-times” specialist and the author of So...What Happens Next? Exploring Biblical Prophecies to Make Sense of Today's Chaos. Today Jeremy joins us to discuss the impending Mayan Apocalypse. (We were going to book him NEXT Saturday but...)

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: A man has decided that until God becomes real, he's going to live life according to what “feels good”. And he actually wants people to talk him out of his upcoming “sinfest”!

    “I've been listening to Drew's show for a while now and find myself relating quite a bit to his spiritual struggles. I'm a single guy who has been trying to live my life according to the Biblical moral code, for what seems like forever. And like Drew, I have yet to encounter any tangible interaction or encounters with God. No miracles, no signs, no healings (for myself, nor for those I pray for), no answers to prayer, no messages, no angels, no voices, no “spiritual gifts”, no dreams, and no warm fuzzies! So I just made the decision to start living my life according to a new code – WHATEVER MAKES ME FEEL GOOD (yet doesn't harm others). Selfish right? I guess. But if there is no God, no afterlife, and I'm not hurting anyone, then doesn't it make sense to go through life trying to get the most out of it? If when we die, life is truly over, then shouldn't we try to enjoy as much of this life as possible? I realize that others will just see this as a selfish male attempt to justify an immoral sin-fest, but aside from moral judgementalism from those who believe there's a God, can anyone give me a good reason NOT to pursue my new hedonistic life? (Remember though, I'm not an ignorant teenage boy who doesn't know about birth control and STD's, and my new “code” still requires that I do what I can to not hurt others.) Basically, I'd like to try living for myself instead of an invisible being, at least until this invisible being reveals him/her/itself to me. Anyone want to give me a “heads up” on any potential pitfalls I might encounter? Anyone?”

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Manya Brachear - Religion Reporter at The Chicago Tribune

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show December 8, 2012

Special Guests

  • Pattie Mallette — Author of Nowhere But Up: The Story Of Justin Bieber's Mom
    In Nowhere But Up, Pattie Mallette shares for the first time in detail about the pain and abandonment she experienced as a child, the sexual abuse she suffered for years, the severe depression she wrestled with as a teen, the deep struggles she faced as a single mom, and the faith she's learned to cling to through dark times. With raw honesty, she spills the truth about a lifetime of moments that were punctuated by pain yet permeated with grace--and the journey that's brought her to where she is today. “It's not just teen moms who struggle or need to find hope. Whether you're a single mom, an addict, or a victim of abuse . . . whether you're on the verge of bankruptcy or the brink of divorce . . . whether you're in a dysfunctional family or the product of a broken home . . . whether you battle depression or struggle with anxiety . . . whether you live in fear or hide in shame . . . whether you've been abandoned, rejected, or ignored--there is hope. It doesn't matter where you find yourself today--broken, hurting, wounded, or shamed. If God can help me find my way up, I promise, He can do the same for you.”

  • Michelle Wright — Award Winning Country Recording Artist
    Since her 1988 debut CD on Savannah Records, Do Right By Me, Michelle Wright has been drawing rave reviews for her powerful voice and her distinctive style. Over the subsequent twenty-four years, she has sold nearly two million albums and graced the stage in North America, Europe, Africa, South America, Australia and Asia. Michelle has amassed a total of twenty-five Top Ten hits in her homeland of Canada and walked to podiums in music centers like Los Angeles and Toronto to accept more than forty major awards. She is the first Canadian-born artist in the modern era of country music to have a Top Ten hit in America (Take It Like A Man) and a Number One video on CMT-USA (Take It Like A Man), and to win a major U.S. music industry award (Academy of Country Music Top New Female Artist). In September, 2011, Michelle was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame.
    ** Michelle will be headlining the upcoming CTS Christmas television special, Christmas in the Square! Tickets are still available for this LIVE performance at 7:00 PM on Monday December 10th, which will be taped at the Crossroads Centre in Burlington, Ontario, and aired on CTS at 8pm ET on Friday, December 21. Along with a few other incredibly talented Canadian artists (Mark Masri, Jacob Moon, Tenore, Ali Matthews, Mike Jansen, and The Lovelocks), Michelle will perform a selection of Christmas classics. Hosting the evening will be radio and television personality Casey Clarke. A limited number of tickets are available to sit in the audience for this Christmas concert taping. Visit www.crossroads.ca for tickets.

  • Bif Naked — International Recording Artist, Speaker, Cancer Survivor, Advocate, Activist, Straight-Edge, Vegan, Trouble Maker
    Bif's sixth full-length disc entitled, Bif Naked Forever: Acoustic Hits & Other Delights is an intimate look into her life's journal, and the amazing journey she's had so far. Her career heights have taken her around the world on tour -- from Russia to Central America, from India to touring all over the U.K., Europe and North America -- for twenty years -- and into your homes via The Tonight Show and Buffy The Vampire Slayer, starring in feature films, and winning awards — from MuchMusic to West Coast Music Awards. Get ready to hear Bif Naked — unplugged, unshackled and unshakable — in a town, on the internet, and on the airwaves near you. She is a legend and an icon.

  • Trevor Howard — Recording Artist
    Trevor Howard is a singer/songwriter whose group, The Ghosts of Memphis, is releasing their debut album "The Devil and the Details" worldwide on December 18, 2012. Formerly a pentecostal minister, Howard's music has led him across Canada several times as well as the US and UK. Want to know more about the REAL Trevor Howard? “I don’t talk about myself in the third person. Trevor hates that. I love music. I hate silence. I write songs. Music writes me. I love my mom. She’s the bomb. My sister is better than yours. Period. I like to walk. I love to drive. I read good books. You can't read my poker face. 3 is my favourite number. I hate how we spell favourite. I wear makeup. You should too. I am high maintenance. I have low self esteem. I love New York. I dislike old socks. I am short. I am a tall glass of water. I love my guitars. I probably love yours more. I adore Chihuahuas. I can’t have one. I never go to the mailbox. I always check my email. I love black and white movies. I hate pink and red together. I love down duvets and pillows. I don’t like ducks. I love sushi. I don’t eat my vegetables. I love raw jalapenos. They don’t like me. I love my friends. I hate when I lose one. I love love. I hate hate. I love to cry. I hate to see you cry. I love heartbreak. I'd hate to break yours. I am sometimes shy. I am always changing. I am hard to figure out. I am easy to talk to.”

  • Jill Sobule — Iconoclastic Singer/Songwriter
    Jill Sobule belongs to a rare breed of artists. Her work is at once deeply personal and socially conscious, seriously funny and derisively tragic. Over five albums and a decade of recording, the Denver-born songwriter/guitarist/singer has tackled such topics as the death penalty, anorexia, shoplifting, reproduction, the French resistance movement, adolescence, and the Christian right. Did we mention love? Love found, love lost, love wished for and love taken away. But success did not knock on her door until Atlantic Records released her MTV staple and national top 20 hit, I Kissed A Girl. “That song was a double-edged sword for me,” Jill Says. “It was perceived as a novelty hit, but on the other hand it was the first song with an overtly gay topic to be aired on Top 40 radio. I am quite proud of that.” The self-titled album also yielded another hit song, Supermodel, included in the Clueless soundtrack. The song also jump-started her live music career in a big way, and since then she’s had the honor to induct Neil Diamond in the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, to share the stage with the likes of Neil Young (at his yearly Bridge School benefit concerts), fellow activists Billy Bragg & Steve Earle, and Waren Zevon. With Hanukkah just around the corner, Jill joins us to talk about her Jewish background and the various turns her spiritual life has taken throughout the years.

God Blogger

  • Joining us today: Nadia Bolz-Weber
    "Nadia Bolz-Weber has probably done more than any other pastor in recent times to poke therapeutic fun at the misdemeanors and flaws of overly-churched Christianity and Christians. The passion behind her words, however, is as deeply pastoral as it is God-drenched and liberating....thus the affection as well as the respect that attend her and her work wherever she goes." ~ Phylis Tickle author of "The Great Emergence: How Christianity is Changing and Why"
    www.nadiabolzweber.com

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: A man whose wife died just a few months ago, has been secretly dating a much younger woman and wants to know if he should invite her to the family Christmas dinner?

    "Right of the top, I'd like to admit that my choice to begin dating only a few months after my wife sadly passed away of Cancer, has not gone down well with almost everyone who knows. This is why I haven't told my kids. However, truth be told, I'm not sure if my friends who know about me dating, are bothered more by the fact that I'm dating or because the girl I'm dating is 20 years younger than I am. I realize that I just come off as cold by dating someone, let alone the fact that my girlfriend is much younger than I am. That being said, we have both found comfort in each others arms and besides, where is the rule book on how soon you can date after your spouse dies? Where is the rule book on how big the age gap can be? The only people I'm worried about hurting are my three kids (ages 17, 20 & 22). Which is why I haven't told them about her. However, with Christmas upon us, I'm thinking through whether or not to invite her along to our family dinner. Or, maybe just have her drop in afterwards. Christmas is a special time of the year and I'd really like the woman I love to be a part of it – with me – with my family. I'd like to hear some objective opinions from people who don't know me. How should I approach this with my kids?"

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Kim Lawton – Managing Editor/Corespondent at PBS Religion & Ethics News Weekly

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show December 1, 2012

Special Guests

  • George Canyon — CCMA & Juno Award Winning Country Recording Artist
    Multiple-award winning Canadian country music artist, actor and philanthropist, George Canyon, has just released Classics II - the highly anticipated follow-up to Canyon’s Gold certified 2007 album, Classics. This latest release will showcase country’s most recognized songs of the last 70 years. In support of the new album, the Classics II Tour will also turn back time to the ‘good old-time radio show days,’ similar to the Grand Ole Opry, with performances across Western Canada and Ontario. Classics II features a duet with Blue Rodeo’s Jim Cuddy and Canyon’s interpretation of Glen Campbell’s largest selling hit, “Rhinestone Cowboy,” which was debuted during Canyon’s performance at the 2012 CCMA Awards in Saskatoon. This album also pays homage to some of Country musics most notorious poets - Johnny Cash, Lefty Frizzell, Merle Haggard, and many others. Since appearing on USA Network’s Nashville Star, George Canyon has carved out a career punctuated with industry accolades, achievements and sustained success. His last album, Better Be Home Soon, became his fastest selling release to date and spawned 3 Top 10 hits including the title track, “Surrender” and “Sunshine”. The album went on to win Canyon and Richard Marx the 2011 CCMA Award for Record Producer of the Year. Outside of music, Canyon’s entertainment career includes acting in various films and television shows such as Heartland, A Mile In His Shoes, a 2013 major motion picture and Dawn Rider; a film with Donald Sutherland, Christian Slater and Jill Hennessy. *On December 3rd George Canyon and his band return to The Rose Theatre in Brampton to perform all their classic, country music favourites from his Classics II album!
    www.georgecanyon.com

  • Jonas Woods — Singer / Songwriter, Former Frontman for Farewell June
    Jonas has been involved in the music industry now for almost 10 years. He fronted the band Farewell June. (It was their song, Leanin' Heavy, which we played at the start of every show for years!) He's performed in front of hundreds of thousands of people and has toured with and shared the stage with artists like Audio Adrenaline, The Newsboys, PETRA, Bethany Dillon, FFH, Mute Math, Casting Crowns, Jars of Clay, Michael W. Smith, and Mercy Me. But the REAL reason Jonas joins us is because a few months ago, his wife Becky was diagnosed with lymphoma. Today we'll hear from Jonas and Becky about their battle with Cancer.
    www.jonaswoods.net

  • Dr. Mike Bechtle — Author Of People Can’t Drive You Crazy Unless You Give Them the Keys
    You don’t have to be controlled by difficult people! Strange as it may seem, other people are not nearly as committed to our happiness as we are. In fact, sometimes it seems like they’re on a mission to make us miserable! There’s always that one person. The one who hijacks our emotions. The one who seems to thrive on drama. If we could just “fix” that person, everything would be better. But we can’t fix other people. We can only make choices about ourselves. In this cut-to-the-chase book, communication expert Mike Bechtle shows you how to stop being a victim of other people’s craziness. With commonsense wisdom and proactive advice that you can put into practice immediately, Mike gives you a proven strategy to handle crazy people-and stay sane while doing it. There will always be difficult people. But this fresh perspective on dealing with them can change your life-starting today!

  • Bill Wood — Juno Nominated Recording Artist
    The former Juno-nominee and teen heartthrob from the Gold-selling 80's pop band Eye Eye has never stopped putting out music. Along the way, Eye Eye toured with Glass Tiger, Honeymoon Suite, Gowan, Images In Vogue, and arena act Platinum Blonde. After Eye Eye dissolved, Wood then took a journey into Christian music, after helping some young musicians in that vein. He formed the rootsy band Ghosttown, and released two albums. “I wasn’t religious. I have a simple faith and I wanted to try my hand at some spiritual-based music,” says Wood. Well, Bill Wood is still playing and joins us to perform LIVE in studio.

God Blogger

  • Joining us today: Chris Schryer
    In preperation of this festive season (“Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy” - Benjamin Franklin) we bring to you torontobeerblog.com - a resource for all things beer in the city of Toronto - reviews of beers and bars - news and events - and lots of other helpful information. “I regularly describe myself as an "ardent supporter of beer", which pretty well sums it up. While I'm not working or busy being a husband and dad (okay, honestly, sometimes while I'm doing those things), I am drinking beer, attending events, visiting pubs, and thinking about beer. I work at Castro's Lounge, my local bar in the Beach, where I host beer events and take part in most things beer-related.” Chris Schryer (For those with their panties in a wad – he's also a Jesus guy!)

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: A couple wants to know if they should end their friendship with another couple who are “super-religious, legalistic, judgmental jerks”.

    “We've been friends with another couple from our church for many years. Our kids are the same ages, play the same sports, and attend youth group together. Over the last couple of years though, our friends have really turned into “religious” people. By that we mean that they seem to always take whatever opportunity they can to turn any conversation into an issue. For example, one of our older kids decided to get a tattoo. Well our friends decided to pull us aside to express their 'concern' for our son and his 'walk with the Lord'. They saw a picture on my husband's Facebook page which showed him drinking a beer, so they messaged him and conveyed their concern for his 'witness' thinking that others might also see this pic and wonder if he was a 'real' Christian (something you talked about last week). They've made subtle little comments about a variety of things, including the kind of movies we watch in our home when their kids are over. Anyway, our question is... we're just wondering about ending our friendship with this couple. Should we be intentional about it and confront them with the reasons for our decision to stop being friends with them? Or should we just naturally let the friendship run it's course? It sort of seems that we might be making much ado about nothing, but to be honest, we are just so tired of their super-religious legalism. I guess we could maybe take the 'high' road and try to help them see what kind of judgmental jerks they're being, but to be honest... they'd never listen. Does anyone have some advice for what might be the 'right' way to handle this awkward situation?”

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Paul Brandeis Raushenbush - Senior Religion Editor for The AOL/Huffington Post Media Group

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show November 24, 2012

Special Guests

  • Kerri Pomarolli — Comedian, Actress, Author
    That's right folks! It's time for our monthly visit with our favorite (and only) Hollywood Correspon.... STOP THE PRESSES! Kerri Pomarolli will actually be joining us LIVE in studio and will co-host today's entire show! AND.... Kerri will be performing Saturday night at Kennedy Road Tabernacle in Brampton. Even though we'll be giving away a few tickets during our show, the rest of you NON cheapos can still BUY tickets! www.pinkchristmas.krt.org(And yes, even though it's a LADY'S event... Drew will be there as well. He'll be easy to spot so go up and say hi and make him feel even more awkward than he'll already be feeling!)

  • Jael (Ealey) Richardson — Author of The Stone Thrower
    At the age of thirty, Jael Ealey Richardson travelled with her father—former CFL quarterback Chuck Ealey—for the first time to a small town in southern Ohio for his fortieth high school reunion. Knowing very little about her father’s past, Richardson was searching for the story behind her father’s move from the projects of Portsmouth, Ohio to Canada’s professional football league in the early 1970s. At the railroad tracks where her father first learned to throw with stones, Jael begins an unexpected journey into her family’s past. In this engaging father-daughter memoir, Jael records some of her father’s never-before-told stories: his relationship with his absentee father, memories of his high school and college football victories – including a winning record that remains unbroken to this day – and his up-and-down relationship with the woman he would one day marry. As Jael begins unravelling the story of her father’s life, she begins to compare her own childhood growing up in Canada, with her father’s US civil rights era upbringing. Along the way, she also discovers the real reason—despite his athletic accomplishments—her father was never drafted into the National Football League. The Stone Thrower is a moving story about race and destiny written by a daughter looking for answers about her own black history. Using insightful interviews, archival records and her personal reflections, Jael's journey to learn about her father’s past leads her to her own important discoveries about herself, and what it really means to be black in Canada.

  • Chuck Ealey — All Star, MVP & Grey Cup Winning CFL Quarterback
    After completing an undefeated record in High School in Portsmouth Ohio, Chuck received a Football scholarship to University of Toledo. While getting his degree in Business Economics, Chuck, as Quarterback, led his UT Rockets to a record breaking 35—0 college record. He was 8th in the 1971 Heismann Trophy standings. Despite this record, Chuck was passed over by the NFL draft as Quarterback. Although offered other positions, Chuck remained committed to becoming a Professional Quarterback and chose to go to the CFL where the only thing that mattered was his ability. In 1972 he led the Hamilton Tigercats to a Grey Cup Championship, winning MVP as Quarterback. He also played for the Toronto Argonauts and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and played in the CFL for 7 years. Following his athletic career, Chuck has become a successful and well respected manager within the financial services industry. Currently he is the Regional Director of Investors Group Financial Services in Mississauga Central. Chuck can also be seen on CP24 speaking on related financial topics and heard daily on Wave Radio 94.7. He is frequently asked to be a keynote speaker at corporate functions and sports events around the GTA.

  • Joshua Grant Marshall — Not Really A Recording Artist, Son Of A... Legend!
    Like most 23 year olds, Josh Marshall is broke! So as a birthday present to his father (Nov 30th), Drew's son was manipulated into singing on his father's radio show in lieu of a REAL present! “Seriously though, he's pretty stinkin' good. And to be honest, this is the best present he could have given me!”

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: The mother of a young man wants to know what the difference is between a “real” Christian and a “fake” Christian, because her son's pastor just called him a fake Christian.

    A few weeks ago my son got pulled aside by his youth pastor and told that he's not a REAL Christian. The pastor went on to say that he thinks that my son is just playing games and is faking his Christianity. Not exactly what I was expecting to come out of my son's youth pastor's mouth. I guess I can see where he's coming from. He probably just wants my son to be a “better” Christian. But before I go and talk with the youth pastor, I thought I would get some opinions. What exactly is a REAL Christian? And how does one FAKE being a Christian? I understand that my son isn't exactly an angel, and that he doesn't live a lifestyle the pastor would encourage. But before I have a talk with this youth pastor, I would like to try and understand these terms.

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Eric Marrapodi - CNN Sr. Producer & CNN Belief Blog Co-Editor

  • Prank Calls!
    Since LA based comedian Kerri Pomarolli is co-hosting today's show, we thought it would be fun to prank call some of the celebrities in Drew's Rolodex. Listen in for something to go horribly wrong!

  • Useless TV Trivia
    It's a crowd favorite, people! We'll play the soundtrack from an old television show and if you're the first caller to guess which TV show it's from - YOU WIN ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show November 17, 2012

Special Guests

  • Mark Hebscher — Legendary Sportscaster, The Man Behind “The Hebsy's!”
    Mark stands out from the crowd with his provocative, no-nonsense broadcast style. He has interviewed some of the world's greats -- Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Donovan Bailey, Larry Bird, Joe Montana and many, many more. Working with such broadcasting legends as Pierre Berton, Charles Templeton, and Jim Hunt, Mark learned what it took to make listeners sit up and take notice. In 1984, he moved to Global TV as co-host of the groundbreaking show Sportsline. He was with the show for eleven years as it went from a cult following in the mid-80's to a big moneymaker for Global in the 90's. In 1995, Mark moved to AM640 and Q107 where he mixed morning radio with Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Argonauts play-by-play. However, after two years of spending more time away from his family than he wanted, Mark decided to get back into TV, and worked on the desk for both Sportsnet and "The Score". The infamous "Hebsy Awards", a collection of sports bloopers, helped earn him two Gemini Award nominations as Canada's best sportscaster. Mark joined CHCH TV in 2003 to co-host the current affairs show "Live@530" along with Donna Skelly. The program can be seen at 5:30 p.m. each weekday, with an encore presentation every night at 11:30 p.m. Mark joins us to talk about his Jewish background and personal spiritual journey.

  • Max Lucado — Author of Grace: More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine
    Grace. We talk as though we understand the term. The bank gives us a grace period. The seedy politician falls from grace. Musicians speak of a grace note. We describe an actress as gracious, a dancer as graceful. We use the word for hospitals, baby girls, kings, and pre-meal prayers. We talk as though we know what grace means. But do we really understand it? Have we settled for wimpy grace? It politely occupies a phrase in a hymn, fits nicely on a church sign. Never causes trouble or demands a response. When asked,“Do you believe in grace?” who could say no? Max Lucado asks a deeper question: Have you been changed by grace? Shaped by grace? Strengthened by grace? Emboldened by grace? Softened by grace? Snatched by the nape of your neck and shaken to your senses by grace? God’s grace has a drenching about it. A wildness about it. A white-water, riptide, turn-you-upside-downness about it. Grace comes after you. It rewires you. From insecure to God secure. From regret riddled to better-because-of-it. From afraid to die to ready to fly. According to Max, grace is the voice that calls us to change and then gives us the power to pull it off.

  • Ken Whiteley — Canadian Roots Master
    One of our favorites is back, AGAIN, performing LIVE and ready to tell us all about his popular Sunday afternoon gospel music series at Hugh's Room. Mark your calendars for the last Sunday in November (25th) when Ken will release his newest CD, The Light of Christmas. Joining him for the afternoon will be The Levy Sisters (Amoy & Ciceal), David Wall, Ben Whiteley and Bucky Berger, all of whom performed on the recording. This concert will be in support of the Daily Bread Food Bank; 10% of all CD sales will go to support their important work in Toronto and across the GTA. You are also welcome to bring non-perishable food items for the donation bin.
    www.kenwhiteley.com

  • TWO RABBIS WALK INTO A BAR — Starring Rabbi Jerry Steinberg & Rabbi Stephen Wise!
    Rabbi Jerry Steinberg - Psychotherapist, Poet & Author of Rogue Rabbi: A Spiritual Quest: From Seminary to Ashram and Beyond
    After a significant change of heart while he was studying to become a doctor, Rabbi Steinberg redirected his intense desire to heal others and made the decision to become a rabbi. Eschewing the orthodox practices that he grew up with, Steinberg embraced Reform Judaism, a more modern version of his faith. He still found that something was missing in his spiritual life, however, and he was determined to discover what it was. Over the course of many decades, Steinberg’s spiritual journey lead him to explore other faiths and psychic phenomena that exist outside of the conventional wisdom of mainstream Judaism, including hypnosis, past-­‐life regression therapy, celibacy, yoga, and meditation. He worked as a rabbi, taught courses at universities, and was even hired by the Trudeau administration as the “Government’s Yogi”. A compelling story of the personal and professional ups and downs that Steinberg faced while on his path to enlightenment, ROGUE RABBI is also a fascinating look at the Canadian Jewish experience, as well as the evolution of social and religious mores in Canada over the past eight decades.
    www.ecwpress.com/books/rogue-rabbi

    Rabbi Stephen Wise - Author of ISRAEL: Repairing The World Rabbi Stephen Wise is not quite what many might visualize when they think of a ‘typical’ Rabbi. Rabbi Wise is a youthful, energetic and clean-shaven father of three, author of the enlightening new book ISRAEL: Repairing the World, and an avid hockey player who’s even been profiled by the NHL’s LeafsTV, no less! Educated at the top institutions in Canada, the United States and Israel, at 38 years old, Rabbi Wise sits on the council of the Reform Rabbis of Greater Toronto, is the chair of the Interfaith Council of Halton, part of the Conference of North American Rabbis prayer book committee, and a member of the Halton Police Service multi-faith taskforce. Now, having long specialized in and enjoyed working with Jewish youth, Rabbi Wise aims to inspire today’s young people – Jewish and otherwise – to take pride in their selves, communities, cultures and futures by presenting them with the true story of how one of the world’s smallest countries – Israel – became a formidable global benefactor in virtually every domain. ISRAEL – Repairing the World is an introduction to Israel's achievements and their role in making this world a better place. The text of the book is accessible for younger readers with bolded words either explained in the text or defined in the glossary. Captioned illustrations add to the information in the text. The book provides a good starting point for students to do further research in this area.
    www.ma-tovu.ca

God Blogger

  • Joining us today: Kathy Escobar — Pastor, Writer, Advocate, Mommy, Rule-Breaker, Dreamer!
    A few of the things Kathy writes about: It’s easy to be against health care reform when you have insurance / 10 ways churches jack people up /"The kingdom of God isn’t going to just drop out of the sky” / Jesus school: not the most inspiring in town / Yep, i guess i’m a heretic / Pro-life, pro-choice: a painful paradox

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: A woman overheard her father talking about ending his own life when his Alzheimer’s starts to get bad and she wants to know if she should try and talk him out of assisted suicide?

    The other night there was a television special on about assisted suicide, especially in the case of those diagnosed with a terminal illness. I know this because I overheard my father tell his closest friend that he watched it and is going to order the book they were talking about on the program. The book is called 'Final Exit' and helps those wanting to end their life before life becomes unbearable, by providing helpful information and tips on various life-ending options. Part of me totally understands why my father has decided to choose to end his life before he has to endure what his sister had to endure. The hell of alzheimer's is just that – HELL! But I'm worried that God will see this as a sin. And since this sin will end his life, he won't have an opportunity to repent from it and ask for forgiveness. Therefore, I'm actually concerned that my father will end up in Hell because he killed himself. So I'm wondering if I should talk with my father about this and try and talk him out of it?

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Niraj Warikoo – Religion Reporter at the Detroit Free Press

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show November 10, 2012

Special Guests

  • Michelle Stewart & Linda Masson — 2 Mothers 2 Daughters 1 Disease
    Michelle recently got the news that her 15-year old daughter, Emma Grace, has Leukemia. For the last number of weeks, Michelle has been by her daughter's side at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto. During her time there, Michelle met Linda Masson, the mother of 12 year old Mackenzie, who had the same type of Leukemia as Emma. Sadly, Mackenzie passed away just a few weeks ago on October 16th, after an 18 month, courageous battle. Today, both mothers have graciously agreed to share their own journeys through one of life's seemingly unnatural injustices - helplessly watching their own child suffer beyond what any child should have to bear.
    Part 1

  • Part 2:

  • Hannah Chapplain — Recording Artist
    For a girl of 19, Hannah Chapplain’s voice is complex and mature. After posting several songs on MySpace in 2011, Producer Anthony Santonocito (Killingsworth Studio) invited Hannah to New York to record her debut album “Hannah Chapplain”. And then everything took off! She's opened the Boost for Kids Foundation fundraiser concert along with Blue Rodeo, performed at a benefit concert with Dan Hill where she also received a prestigious music scholarship, and opened for Canadian rock legend Kim Mitchell at the Canada 3.0 digital media conference where, as a budding entrepreneur, she also pitched her new music model to tech-savvy investors, raising $25k in seed funding. Two weeks later she opened for the Jim Cuddy Band at Illuminaqua. In August 2012 Hannah joined a superstar line-up of country and rock artists, including Paul Brandt, Sheryl Crow, Tim McGraw, Kid Rock and Carrie Underwood, at the Boots and Hearts 2012 music festival, performing tracks from her new EP“Country Girl Soul” produced by well known Executive Producer, Marc Ganetakos. Hannah is coached by Canadian Opera superstars David and Sandie Pomeroy, and has developed a powerful vocal style and a unique voice. Hannah is releasing three new EPs and two singles this fall in a variety of Rock-crossover styles which she will be market-testing with fans through social media channels before finalizing her next full album in 2013.

  • Randal Rauser — Author of The Swedish Atheist, the Scuba Diver, and Other Apologetic Rabbit Trails
    In the real world, we don't usually sit in lecture halls debating worldview issues in systematic arguments. Chances are that we're more likely to have haphazard, informal conversations over a latte in a coffee shop. Meet Randal Rauser (a Christian) and Sheridan (an atheist). Over the course of one caffeinated afternoon, they explore a range of honest questions and real objections to Christian faith. Do people hold to a particular religion just because of an accident of geography? Is believing in Jesus as arbitrary as believing in Zeus? Why would God order the slaughter of infants or send people to hell? How do you know you're really real, and not just a character in someone's book? Their extended conversation unfolds with all the rabbit trails, personal baggage and distractions that inevitably come in real-world encounters. Rauser provides substantive argument-based apologetics but also highlights the importance of apologetics as a narrative journey. As we get to know Sheridan, we better understand the personal history that drives his atheism and the issues that motivate his skepticism. This imaginative narrative is a model of the rigorous pursuit of truth in conversation. Apologetics is not just about winning arguments; it is a transformative apprenticeship where eternity touches down in everyday life. It's about the discovery of truth through winding, weaving, honest, aimless, pointless and completely purposeful conversations between people who desperately want to know the way things really are. Randal's work is described as progressively evangelical, generously orthodox, rigorously analytic, revolutionary Christian thinking!

  • Leslie J. Smith — Employment Lawyer
    Have you ever been treated unfairly at work? Do you have an employee you'd like to fire but want to make sure you're going about it the right way? Every once in a while we interview people who can give us practical advice in a variety of fields. As a member of The Drew Marshall Show's Legal Network, Leslie J. Smith has practiced law in a large firm in Hamilton, at the Information and Privacy Commissioner/Ontario, served as a Deputy Judge, Small Claims Court, and has begun her own practice in Oakville, earning a reputation as a trusted and straight-forward Employment Lawyer. Leslie writes a legal column for the Burlington Post and the Business Link Newspaper and has lectured at legal continuing education programs on a variety of topics. She is currently an active member of the Christian Legal Fellowship and has lectured at their Continuing Education forums. Leslie also offers legal services in the areas of Residential Real Estate and Estate Planning.

God Blogger

  • Joining us today: Malcolm Guite
    Malcolm Guite is a poet and singer-songwriter living in Cambridge. He's a priest, chaplain, teacher and author of various essays and articles, a book about contemporary Christianity, and a book on theology and imagination called Faith Hope and Poetry. He also plays in the Cambridge rock band Mystery Train, and lectures widely in England and USA on poetry and theology. “I should say at the outset that my blog consists largely of original poems, interspersed with some prose reflections, all intended to deepen spiritual life. My purpose as a writer, as I understand it, is to use my love of language and such gifts as I have with it, to kindle my own and other people's imaginations for Christ. So I'm not necessarily going for topical things, courting controversy or trying to get long conversations going in comments. I'm just offering something hopefully memorable, hopefully beautiful, that might crystalize an insight for my readers. The other thing that my blog sometimes sparks, which I love, is artistic collaboration. So for example, my advent sonnets ended up inspiring the excellent Canadian singer-songwriter Steve Bell for some songs. The result being that we have collaborated on his new Advent/Christmas album, which has been wonderful.”

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: Someone is angry that their church refuses to recognize Remembrance Day and wants to know if their church is wrong.

    I was raised with a grandfather who lived through both WWI & WWII, so Remembrance Day has always been something important to me because I sat at the feet of someone who lived through it and truly knew what was at stake. Over the past few years I've noted that my church has not acknowledged this special day. I asked why that was. It was explained to me that it's because Nov 11th did not fall on a Sunday. Well this year it does, so when I offered to help out with it, I was informed that it would still not be recognized. I pushed the issue and asked why and was told: 1) non-violence 2) separation of church and state. My response was 1) Remembrance Day was not about WAR. It's about remembering those who gave all so we could have the freedoms and privileges we enjoy here in Canada, and remembering to avoid war. 2) People didn't fight for the state. They fought for stuff beyond/outside of that. I was told that it was still not going to be a part of the Sunday service. I'm a little angry & confused. Am I way off on this? Should churches NOT take part in Remembrance Day?

  • W.here's T.he Faith?
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Abe Levy – Religion Reporter for The San Antonio Express-News

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show November 3, 2012

Special Guests

  • Tom Phillips — Ex Mormon
    Tom Phillips is a retired management consultant who was a lay minister with the Mormon Church for 33 years. Holding the same positions as Mitt Romney, Bishop and Stake President. He was one of relatively few Mormons who received a special, secret ordinance wherein he was ordained a King and to become a God and member of a Godhead. He has since left the Mormon Church and the only person to openly speak of this ordinance, which Mitt Romney has most probably had also. Tom's short animated video "Mitt Romney..the Man who would be God" and ebook "Romney's Religion" (Amazon) outlines Mormonism's true beliefs regarding men becoming polygamous gods, racism, anti Christianity and other offensive teachings, supported by Mormon scriptures.

  • Tal Bachman — Recording Artist, Ex-Mormon
    After many years of diligent research into why he believed what he believed, Tal came to the conclusion that the faith of his family was false. He was featured in Bill Maher's mocumentary, Religulous, as an ex-Mormon and now finds it hard to believe how anyone could go from "one set of lies to another". As the son of legendary guitarist Randy Bachman from The Guess Who and Bachman Turner Overdrive, "Takin' Care Of Business", Tal's self-titled debut scored a smash hit with "She's So High".

  • Tammy Trent — Christian Recording Artist
    Tammy's latest CD STRONGER is nothing short of her testimony. It’s her story. It’s both a peek into her personal journal, as well as a response to what women and girls all over the world have shared with her. Women who are in seemingly impossible situations—adultery, divorce, abuse, trying to start over, trying to conceive, trying to hold on to faith when God seems silent. Stronger is Tammy's way of speaking life, saying, “Hold on to the truth that God will see you through this circumstance. Embrace all the possibilities of tomorrow, today. I’ve lived through the darkest of hours. I know what the other side looks like. And you can take me at my word. It’s not perfect, but it can still be glorious.”
    *Tammy Trent will be performing LIVE on November 24th at Crosspoint Church in Burlington, ON at the Plan & Prepare Christmas Gala for single adults.
    www.planandprepare.org

  • Jamie Prokop — Singer/Songwriter, Arranger, Engineer, Producer
    From the moment Jamie was born, he was baptized into music. His father, Skip Prokop, had two internationally acclaimed bands – The Paupers & Lighthouse. Jamie grew up listening to Classic Rock, Motown, R&B, and Jazz. He began singing at a young age and even performed on cormercials for major toy manufacturers like Irwin. Performing LIVE in studio, Jamie will drop a few songs from his latest release entitled WA:KEup!

  • Rachel Held Evans — Author of A Year of Biblical Womanhood: How a Liberated Woman Found Herself Sitting on Her Roof, Covering Her Head, and Calling Her Husband Master
    Fresh off her appearance on ABC's The View, Rachel is back on TDMS to share her latest revelations about Biblical Womanhood. “I've long been frustrated by the inconsistencies with which ‘biblical womanhood’ is taught and applied in my evangelical Christian community. So, inspired by A.J. Jacobs’ ‘A Year of Living Biblically,’ I set out to follow all of the Bible’s instructions for women as literally as possible for a year to show that no woman, no matter how devout, is actually practicing biblical womanhood all the way. My hope is that the book will generate some laughs, as well as a fresh, honest dialog about common assumptions regarding women, the Church, and biblical interpretation.” Strong-willed and independent, Rachel Held Evans couldn’t sew a button on a blouse before she embarked on a radical life experiment—a year of “biblical womanhood.” Intrigued by the traditionalist resurgence that led many of her friends to abandon their careers to assume traditional gender roles in the home, Evans decided to try it for herself, vowing to take all of the Bible’s instructions for women as literally as possible for a year. Over 12 months, she: Wore a scarf over her head to pray / Called her husband “master” and stood on the roadside with a sign that said “Dan is awesome” / Adopted a computerized baby / Perched on the roof for an afternoon of penance for gossiping / Camped out in her front yard during her period / Visited an Amish schoolhouse, a pig farm in Bolivia, and a Benedictine monastery / Took up baking and knitting / Interviewed a polygamist, a Quiverfull daughter, and a courtship couple!

  • Kevin Belmonte — Author of Miraculous: A Fascinating History of Signs, Wonders, and Miracles
    Some see history as a succession of dates and wars and empires—an epic without glimpses of the eternal. But history is far more than this. It is a tapestry gilded by threads of redemption. To look upon them, to look upon miracles, is to be drawn to the place of faith—the realm of a great and mighty God. In his latest book, Miraculous, award-winning author Kevin Belmonte shares the wondrous things that have taken place throughout time and provides well-researched insight on the important history of miracles. Miraculous follows the flow of scripture and human history to help the reader understand how miracles have shaped stories of redemption, deliverance, and hope—from the miracle of creation in the Old Testament to the miracle of birth in Belmonte’s own son. This book helps people look beyond the business of life, realize that miracles aren’t a thing of the past and to start appreciating them—they are happening every day, right in front of us. An award-winning author and historian, Kevin Belmonte served for six years as the lead historical and script consultant for the major motion picture Amazing Grace. His biography of William Wilberforce has also been taught as part of a course on leadership and character formation at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and he is the author of Defiant Joy, a critically acclaimed literary biography of G. K. Chesterton. On several occasions he has served as a script consultant for the BBC, and also for PBS.

  • Kerri Pomarolli — Comedian, Actress, Author
    That's right folks! It's time for our monthly visit with our favorite (and only) Hollywood Correspondent!

God Blogger

  • Joining us today: Max Perry Mueller
    Associate Editor of www.religionandpolitics.org
    Max is currently a PhD candidate in theCommittee on the Study of Religion at Harvard University. His writing has appeared in The Journal of Mormon History, The Harvard Divinity School Bulletin, The New Republic, Slate and Religion Dispatches. He holds Bachelor of Arts from Carleton College, in addition to a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard University. Religion & Politics is an online news journal, dedicated to the two topics thought unfit for polite company. It is a project of the John C. Danforth Center on Religion & Politics at Washington University in St. Louis. “We feature articles from scholars and journalists who proceed from a single premise: that for better and for worse, religion and politics converge, clash, and shape public life. These intersections happen everywhere, from our homes to our courts, from the statehouse to the schoolhouse, in the lab and on the battlefield. We strive to publish a range of views, rather than promoting a specific political perspective. We honor frank and respectful debate. We inform these discussions by taking the long view, providing historical context, critical analysis, and thorough research with compelling writing.”

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: A husband and wife are actually fighting over who they're going to vote for during next week's Presidential election and would like to do a survey with the TDMS listeners on who they would vote for - “the wannabe celebrity, fake Christian/Muslim” or the “filthy rich guy who actually believes in Mormon teachings”!

    My wife and I have had some pretty heated arguments over the last few weeks, with regards to whom we will be voting for in our upcoming Presidential election. I honestly think that Obama has not done what he said he would do and genuinely fear for the future of America if he gets voted in for another four years. We need a strong, successful businessman with a track record of fiscal responsibility. My honest impression of him is that he is simply a wannabe celebrity who spends more time on the talk show circuit than doing his job. If anyone has shown that the role of President can easily just be the role of puppet, it's been Obama. I won't even get into the fact that he has tried to suck up to BOTH Christians & Muslims, which anyone who knows the foundational doctrines of both belief systems would know that it's impossible to be BOTH. Thus, I think he's a fake Christian/Muslim. My wife, on the other hand, is terrified that the next President could be a filthy rich man with a used car salesman smile and no real understanding of the common man's plight. She also fears that the most powerful man in the world might end up being a guy who wears magical underwear and believes that he and his wife are going to become gods and populate another planet after they die. So we thought we'd ask your Canadian listeners who they might vote for if they could. Obama or Romney?

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Paul Brandeis Raushenbush - Senior Religion Editor for The Huffington Post
    www.thehuffingtonpost.com/religion
    *Paul will also fill us in on what it's been like living without power in downtown New York city after hurricane sandy devastated so much of the city, including his offices at Huff Post/AOL.

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show October 27, 2012

HALLOWEEN SPECIAL!

Special Guests

  • Trevor Jones — Witch & Co-Owner of Britain's Most Famous Witchcraft Shop
    This past August, Drew traveled to the UK to visit places like Stonehenge, Iona, Holy Island and Glastonbury – the Mecca of Paganism. During his trip he sat down and had dinner with the owner of Britain’s most famous witchcraft shops and one of Britain's most notorious witches, Trevor Jones. Trevor joins us today to provide a firsthand explanation of what witchcraft is, and isn't.

  • Ivan McBeth — Founder Of The Megalithic Order of Druids & The Sacred Space School Of Shamanic Studies
    Ivan McBeth is a Druid in the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids. He is a Shamanic Healer and a Reiki Master, and has been a Vipassana Meditator for twenty-five years. He is a founder member of the Oak Dragon Project, where he learned his skills from the ground up, eventually becoming facilitator and workshop leader. He is a teacher for the Isle of Avalon Foundation, the Mid-Atlantic School of Geomancy, the Geomancy Group, and was the principal teacher for the Earth Healing School based in Nottingham, UK. He spent many years as a world traveler, spending large amounts of time in the Sinai, Egypt, America, India, Australia and South Africa. He practices spiritual techniques from many different cultures including Druid, Native American, Toltec, Buddhist and Hindu.

  • Mr. Bennett — Singer, Poet, Punk and Lyrical Mutineer
    Mr Bennett has spent the better part of his half century wandering and performing. Never a fan of change for the sake of it, he continues to do what he has always done, “I write things, then I sing it or say it, that’s all I do”. Though a glimpse through his travels and tales reveals living in more than a few countries and working more than “57” jobs at last count. So he has certainly kept himself busy on and off the stage. Bennett spent 18 years in the UK but recently returned to his hometown. With Leonard Cohen, Flannery O’Connor and Mississippi John Hurt as influences, Bennett has supported acts like The Fall, Ron Sexsmith, Jonathan Richman and garnered comparisons to other lyrical laureates like Bob Dylan, Lou Reed and William S. Burroughs. He’s played in a lingerie shop and The London Palladium. Camden Town and an Alabama house party for Satanists. When he wasn’t performing he was fueling busses, test driving cars, selling cheese, being a butcher, a barista, barman, and a roadie for several rock bands including Bloc Party … “they were great, Wembley Stadium was a big show but I met Eddie Izzard in the loo and that was better”.

  • Richard Crouse — Canada's Premier Film Critic, Author of Raising Hell: Ken Russell & The Unmaking Of The Devils
    Richard Crouse is the regular film critic for CTV's Canada AM and the 24 hour news source CTV’s News Channel. In 2011 he hosted In Short, a series of eight hour long show showcasing BravoFact's best short films. He was the host of Reel to Real, Canada’s longest running television show about movies, from 1998 to 2008 and is a frequent guest on many national Canadian radio and television shows. His syndicated Saturday afternoon radio show, Entertainment Extra, originated on News Talk 1010 in Toronto. He is also the author of six books on pop culture history including Who Wrote the Book of Love, the best-selling The 100 Best Movies You’ve Never Seen, its sequel The Son of the 100 Best Movies You’ve Never Seen and the newly released, Raising Hell: Ken Russell and the Unmaking of The Devils. He also writes two weekly columns for Metro newspaper.

  • What the Hell?
    Joining us to discuss whether or not there really is a Hell is:

    Frank Schaeffer - New York Times Best Selling Author, Recovering Evangelical Fundamentalist
    His books include Crazy for God: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of It Back. Frank is a survivor of both polio and an evangelical/fundamentalist childhood, an acclaimed novelist of 4 novels including Portofino, who overcame severe dyslexia, a home-schooled and self-taught documentary movie director, a feature film director and producer of four low budget Hollywood features Frank has described as "pretty terrible."
    www.frankschaeffer.com

    AND

    Jerry L. Walls - Professor of Philosophy, Noted Author on Hell
    With degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary, Yale Divinity School and a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Notre Dame, Jerry Walls has just finished his latest book Purgatory: The Logic of Total Transformation. This volume is the third in a trilogy of books on the afterlife, the first two of which are Hell: The Logic of Damnation and Heaven: The Logic of Eternal Joy. In addition to this trilogy, he has written some two dozen articles and reviews on hell and the afterlife.

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!


    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: Since it's our Halloween Special, Drew wants to take the COM this week and ask if people believe in a literal Hell where God will send people to be eternally tormented – or not. AND, if you don't believe in a literal place of eternal torment, does that mean you can't be a Christian?

    Over the last few weeks I've watched www.Hellboundthemovie.com a few times and I'm finding myself conflicted:

    Screenwriter Robert McKee (atheist) says in the movie, “If I believed in God again, I would have to believe in Hell. Because if damnation isn't eternal, that leads to junky logic. Because we'll all say, I'll take care of things tomorrow. But Hell eliminates tomorrow. The notion that there is no Hell is simply a wussy effort by certain people (Rob Bell) to make God a nice guy, because they can't deal with the dichotomy that God is both a protector, lover AND a punisher. 'Everyone goes to heaven' is no way to run a society. If there's no real consequences then choice has no meaning. And if choice has no meaning then life has no meaning. By eliminating hell, these people are sucking the meaning out of life.”
    AND
    Mark Driscoll pastor of Seattle's Mars Hill Church says that you're not a Christian if you don't believe in a literal Hell, where people are either condemned and punished for eternity or possibly, after a certain period of time, annihilated.
    YET
    There seems to be an abundance of scriptural references leading us to the possible conclusion that Hell is not actually a literal place. As well, doesn't the New Testament covenant/theology (post crucifixion) reveal that God IS Love and that NOTHING can separate us from His love? (“...neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8) As Sharon Baker states in the movie, “What brings more Glory to God? Two thirds of the world's population suffering in eternal punishment forever and ever OR the power of God, through Jesus Christ, working to love, to forgive, to reconcile, and to restore relationships of all people, for all time, no matter how wicked, not only to God, but to each other? Which is a more powerful God and which is more just?”
    So I'm not sure what to think – is there a literal place of eternal torment called Hell? And If I don't think there's adequate reasons to believe that the Bible teaches such a concept, does that automatically disqualify me as a possible Christ follower?
    (www.hellboundthemovie.com/theatre-locations/ will open on OCTOBER 26 in Toronto at the Cineplex Odeon Yonge & Dundas; in Oakville at the Cineplex Odeon Winston Churchill; and in Montreal at the Cineplex Odeon Forum. Filmmaker Kevin Miller will be in attendance for a Q & A after the following screenings: Toronto: Friday, Oct.26 at 7:30 PM – Cineplex Yonge & Dundas Oakville: Saturday, Oct. 27 at 7:00 PM at Cineplex Odeon Winston Churchill. The film is currently playing throughout the States as well as in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Saskatoon and Regina theaters.)

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Kevin Eckstrom - Editor-in-Chief of Religion News Service

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show October 20, 2012

Special Guests

  • Ted DiBiase — Wrestling's "Million Dollar Man"
    Ted DiBiase has held many wrestling titles over his expansive career of 20+ years including "The World Championship". After authoring a book about his life entitled Every Man Has His Price, Ted has been speaking to church congregations, youth groups, men's meetings, corporate businesses, and in public schools and universities around the world. The character of the "Million Dollar Man" was fulfilled by wealth and power and controlled by greed. In contrast, the real Ted DiBiase is fulfilled by his relationship with Jesus Christ, his family, and a controlling desire to do God's will in his life. A staunch Republican, Ted joins us to today to give us his take on the upcoming American election.

  • Ken Whiteley — Canadian Roots Master
    One of our favorites is back, performing LIVE and ready to tell us all about the return of his popular Sunday afternoon gospel music series at Hugh's Room. The 10th anniversary season kicks off with Maple Blues vocalist Shakura S’Aida, African a cappella group Soul Influence and Hammond B3 master Lance Anderson, and of course the inimitable Ben Whiteley will be holding down the bottom end with his big string bass. Whether you are coming for the terrific music, or to sing and clap along, or for the spiritual experience, this Gospel music series promises to be an accessible and exciting blend of musical styles that is appropriate for music lovers of all ages. Also mark your calendars for the last Sunday in November (25th) when Ken will release his newest CD, The Light of Christmas. Joining him for the afternoon will be The Levy Sisters (Amoy & Ciceal), David Wall, Ben Whiteley and Bucky Berger, all of whom performed on the recording. This concert will be in support of the Daily Bread Food Bank; 10% of all CD sales will go to support their important work in Toronto and across the GTA. You are also welcome to bring non-perishable food items for the donation bin.

  • Timothy Kurek — The Evangelical Who FAKED Being Gay For A Year & Author Of “The Cross In The Closet”
    Timothy Kurek, raised within the confines of a strict, conservative Christian denomination in the Bible Belt of Nashville, Tennessee, was taught the gospel of separation from a young age. But it wasn’t long before Timothy’s path and the outside world converged when a friend came out as a lesbian, and revealed she had been excommunicated by her family. Distraught and overcome with questions and doubts about his religious upbringing, Timothy decided the only way to empathize and understand her pain was to walk in the shoes of very people he had been taught to shun. He decided to come out as a gay man to everyone in his life, and to see for himself how the label of gay would impact his life. In the tradition of Black Like Me, The Cross In The Closet is a story about people, a story about faith, and about one man’s “abominable” quest to find Jesus in the margins.

  • Nick Kleckner — Today's “Forest Gump” Who Walked Across America
    According to a recent article in The Huffington Post, “He had a 'comfortable life' as an electrician, but one thing Nick Kleckner says he lacked was a higher purpose. So earlier this year, the 25-year-old decided to leave his job and all his possessions behind and walk across the United States from Florida to California. Nick, who later adopted the moniker "Hobo Nick," bought a one-way plane ticket to Jacksonville, Fla., where he began his journey April 5 with little else but a sleeping bag and a prayer. He had neither food nor money, and resolved to trek alone and on foot, without asking for food or money. After 178 days and 2,500 miles, Hobo Nick arrived in Huntington Beach, Calif., on Oct. 2, about 55 pounds leaner and a bit wiser. 'Since I have been homeless I have lived more in the moment and have really learned to be thankful,' Kleckner told GapYear.com.”

  • David Murrow — Author of What Your Husband Isn’t Telling You: A Guided Tour of a Man’s Body, Soul, and Spirit
    David Murrow, a sought-after men’s issues expert and the bestselling author ofWhy Men Hate Going to Church, presents an honest look at the inner world of men in his new book. This groundbreaking “tour” explores the deepest thoughts, feelings, and needs all men experience—and how they are taught by our culture to keep these things to themselves. David breaks the silence and reveals what every husband since Adam has felt but has been unwilling or unable to say. More than just a book about what men think,What Your Husband Isn’t Telling You explores the deep forces that determine what they say, do, and believe. Murrow offers women valuable insights that will help them better understand and communicate with the men in their lives, including the truth about: Men’s roles as providers and protectors / Men and their sex drive and how this generation of men is faced with an unprecedented level of sexual temptation / What men fear / Why men don’t share their feelings / The incredible power women have over their husbands and how they can use it in healthy and wise ways / And why men have a harder time doing spiritual stuff! David Murrow's been featured on PBS, NBC Nightly News, FOX News, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The New York Times and has a degree in anthropology.

God Blogger

  • Joining us today: Mark Scandrette
    According to Mark's site: “I am the founding director of ReIMAGINE, a collective that invites people into integrative spiritual experiments and practices, (with an emphasis on creativity, community building and social action). I am passionate and hopeful about this moment, and what it might me for us to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly amidst the complexities of the emerging world. Though I am a novice, I am deeply inspired by the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Each year I host a series of projects, retreats and workshops that explore and inhabit various core themes in the way of Jesus. I also write and travel to teach groups and mentor other leaders who aspire to live and teach an authentic and socially conscious spiritual path. I live with my wife and three high school aged children in an old Victorian in San Francisco’s Mission District. In my spare time I love to cook, travel, hike, taste wine, write poetry and throw parties– (though my family is quite embarrassed by my dancing).”

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: Someone wants to know if they should they should talk to their friend about God before or after they have a talk about them stopping their use of anti-anxiety pills.

    I have a friend who started a new job last year and they found it very stressful. They went to the doctor and started taking anti-anxiety pills and found that it made them far more relaxed. They only took them for work but you could see a difference in their personality, both for the good and, in my opinion, for the not so good. It seemed like they didn't care all that much about anything anymore. Anyway, time has passed and my friend told me they weren’t taking the pills. There was a good chunk of time where things were 'normal' for them and life seemed to be pretty good. But eventually, work became stressful again and they're back on the anti-anxiety pills. And once again, my friend has become like a different person with a totally different personality. They seem so relaxed, so in some sense, I guess it's good for them. But is it just me or is it totally strange that someone has to rely on medication just to feel okay? Especially considering the fact that my friend isn't the person I knew them to be! It really is like they're just not there. There is no true emotion. So I'm just wondering if I should say something? It doesn't seem right to medicate yourself just to be free of all your worries, but then loose who you really are. I know this is a bit controversial as many people take anti depressants and feel that this is the only way - and I'm not saying they shouldn't take medication – but it just seems like my friend is sort of avoiding the reality of life! If it's going to change your personality that much, why take them? I don't think that it's a 'chemical imbalance” issue since they're anxiety only becomes an issue when they're at work. So I'm just wondering if I should confront them and challenge them about taking these pills or should I just try to share God's love with them with the hopes that they might become a Christian and then maybe these issues could be resolved? Bottom line for me is that I really feel strongly that people are just medicating too much and too quick!

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Bob Smietana - Religion Writer for The Tennessean

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show October 13, 2012

Special Guests

God Blogger

  • Joining us today: Zack Hunt — The American Jesus
    While continuing his graduate studies at Yale Divinity School focusing on the history of Christianity, Zack blogs this kind of stuff in his spare time! “A certain fast food chain likes to say 'have it your way', and apparently so does the church. You can have the faith anyway you want it, or at least that seems to be the message we put out in America. This is NOT a political blog. It’s an only sometimes serious look at the phenomena of American Christianity. If I find a good video I’ll post it. If I read something that gets me going, I’ll rant about it. And if there’s a theological tangent I feel the need to discuss, I’ll write about it. Hopefully you will enjoy my musings, but if not……it’s probably because you’re probably a communist!”

  • Jamie Wright — The Very Worst Missionary
    Last time we spoke with Jamie she was indeed, the very worst missionary! However, there are reports that she is now The Very Worst Pastor's Wife! Jamie’s refreshing blog has been catching the attention of those of us who aren’t ultra-sensitive-conservative-fundamentalists. I mean, who wouldn’t want to read… “Inappropriate remarks, embarrassing antics, and generally lame observations about living life as a Christian missionary in Costa Rica” from a mother of three and wife of one?

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: A young girl wants to know if she should go to her aunt's “coming out” party or disobey her parents and not go.

    My aunt is having a party to celebrate coming out as a lesbian. My mom and dad want our entire family to go to it. I'm totally not comfortable with this because, although I love my aunt, I'm pretty sure (although not 100%) that homosexuality is a sin and I just don't feel comfortable going to a party to celebrate it. Besides, even if I did go, I'd probably just end up sitting off by myself and not really engaging with people. (Maybe because I'm also a girl with a “lesbian” haircut and I just don't want those who don't know me to think... never mind.) Then it would be obvious that something was “wrong” with me and then someone would ask and then I'd have to tell them that I just wasn't cool with being there. And that whole conversation would totally suck! However, as much as I want to honor what I think the Bible says about homosexuality, I also want to honor what it says about honoring and obeying my parents because God has put them in authority over me. SO... if I go to this “hey everyone I'm a lesbian and I'm proud of it” party, I'll be going against my conscience and against what I think God would want me to do – BUT I'll be dishonoring and disobeying my parents, which is also what God wants me to do. What should I do?

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Manya Brachear, Religion Reporter at The Chicago Tribune

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show October 6, 2012

Special Guests

  • Nicole Moore — Canadian Woman Attacked By Shark In Mexico
    “I was away in Cancun with a group of friends. On January 31st, I had just finished playing a game of beach volleyball when I went into the water to rinse off. A couple of Sea-Doers off in the distance were yelling at me in Spanish and waving me to shore. I was only waist high in the water so I couldn’t understand how I could be in their way or why they were so mad but turned to head into shore anyway. That is when I felt a bump and the sharks teeth sinking into my left leg. As my blood started to turn the water around me red, I knew what had happened the minute it happened. Everyone asks how I felt at that moment and the answer is scared sh*#less! But what I thought was that sharks like blood and that I had to get out of the water, so I continued heading to shore. Before I knew it, a shark, (same or a different one I don’t know) bit down on my left arm and it wouldn’t let me go. The shark was pulling me...” Nicole joins us today to share her renewed appreciation for life!
    mooretolife.ca

  • Samantha Martin — Canadian Recording Artists
    Back again on TDMS is one of the rising stars in Toronto’s roots-rock scene! Samantha and her band can be seen frequently on stage at The Dakota Tavern, Toronto's most respected Americana/Roots venue. With the release of their self titled debut album, Samantha Martin and The Haggard in March 2012, the band will be taking their music on the road far beyond Toronto with an album that boldly traverses deep southern soul, roots/reggae and 50's rock n roll. Tribute is paid to musical influences including Otis Redding, Robert Johnson, The Rolling Stones, The Staples Singers, CCR and Patsy Cline as well as Reggae artist Delroy Wilson; but the album is distinctly Samantha Martin and The Haggard.
    www.samanthamartin.ca

  • Margaret Terry — Author Of Dear Deb: A Woman with Cancer, a Friend with Secrets, and the Letters That Became Their Miracle
    Dear Deb is a collection of letters about living, to a dying friend. A search for love and how it’s found in the most surprising places. A book of short stories about past secrets, and the hopes and dreams of a messy, imperfect life. A memoir via email.“I never planned on writing this book. It started with a single letter. Deb asked for encouraging words and I thought it was something I could do for her. I began with short, hopeful notes like those plaques in stores that say ‘Believe’, ‘Hope’ or ‘Love Never Fails’ … but, when her health declined so fast, all those words felt hollow. I never dreamed I’d end up telling her stories about my life, but something in me changed when I thought about how frightened Deb must have been to be so sick. Her reality made me want to send letters about real things … painful things, big mistakes, things filled with wonder. About my dad coming in and out of our lives and my mom’s mental illness. About summers with my sons at a small lake cabin in Wisconsin. All I knew was that I had to write her something every day. And when Deb passed the letters on and they took flight, I felt I was playing a part in something bigger than myself … so I kept writing. Somehow, a part of me felt that as long as I kept writing, she would keep living.”

  • Kerri Pomarolli — Comedian, Actress, Author
    That's right folks! It's time for our monthly visit with our favorite (and only) Hollywood Correspondent!

  • TDMS Realtor Roundtable
    According to The National Post, “Toronto is on its way to becoming a buyers’ market for the first time since the slump.” Joining us to discuss the GTA housing market, and to help you navigate through one of the most stressful times in life – MOVING – are:

    George Kloet - Covering Oakville, Mississauga & Burlington - www.georgekloet.com
    Paula Mitchell - Covering Brampton, Caledon & Georgetown - www.paulamitchell.com
    Zsuzanna Porter -Covering Toronto & Durham Region - www.yourvestedrealtor.com

God Blogger

  • Joining us today: Leah Libresco
    “A Geeky Convert Picks Fights In Good Faith” (We tried to interview Leah a few months ago but due to an elctrical storm in her area, we weren't able to have a clear phone call. We'll try again today!) Leah was known as a prominent blogger for the Atheist porthole on Patheos.com. A few months ago, she announced that after years of debating "smart Christians,” she has decided to begin the process of becoming a Catholic. Thus, her blog has now been moved over to the Patheos Catholic channel. (patheos.com is a site for discussion on different faiths)

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: Last week on the Counsel of Many, a gentleman wanted to know how many people think God still regularly intervenes in our lives today – and how many people believe that God is pretty much “hands off” today! As it turns out, that man listened to the show and was so bugged by what our callers had to say that he's going to join us LIVE this week! This is a first – someone from the counsel of many appearing LIVE on our show. This outta be fun! (Click here to hear the response from callers to his questions below from last week. If you'd like to add to this discussion, go to our Facebook page and post a comment under the Counsel Of Many post.)

    Help me out with this. Just because God has intervened in humanity in the past, as testified in the Bible, and COULD intervene at any time, this does not necessarily mean that He IS intervening in our daily lives. I see people giving God credit for things which could easily have naturalistic explanations, and I see VERY few instances when the BEST explanation to explain an event's outcome is supernatural intervention. Some say God acts in our lives all the time by closing doors and opening windows. Others aren't so sure, because bad things happen to good people and in our 'moral economy' God 'should' have acted, so they deem God 'fickle' and are only mildly comforted with slogans like 'We can't know the mind of God", or "God has a plan", "all things work together..." etc. My question to your listeners: For the sake of argument, if we discount any intervention from God, pre-biblical canonization, to what extent do most of your listeners feel God is CURRENTLY intervening in their lives. I'd like this belief quantified on a scale, please: "1" represents NO intervention from God - i.e. God has set up the world with natural laws, defined elements, and free choice reigns; He'll intervene only at the end - but 'we're on our own'. "Pray as much as you want, I'm not stepping in until the end", He might say. "Free will reigns, people die of starvation due to drought, it's on you". "10" represents CONSTANT intervention - i.e. God is bringing people in our lives, causing successful surgeries, flat-screen TVs fortuitously on sale, and hurricanes to hit sin-filled New Orleans and earthquakes to hit Voodoo-honouring Haiti. To summarize - given that God has intervened in the past, and that He COULD intervene in our world at any time, DOES HE, and how much? 1-10 please.

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Eric Marrapodi - Sr. Producer & CNN Belief Blog Co-Editor

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show September 29, 2012

Special Guests

  • Scott Stapp — Grammy Winning Recording Artist, Frontman for CREED
    Scott Stapp is back on our show to tell us all about his first tell-all memoir, releasing next week! Recognized as one of the most accomplished artists of the modern rock era, Scott’s memoir Sinner’s Creed, unleashes behind the scene realities about his suicide attempts, alcohol-induced rampages and intimate details about his abusive childhood. Scott collaborated with David Ritz of Rolling Stone Magazine to write a compelling story of his life. (Ritz is a notable writer of biographies and has written memoirs for Janet Jackson and the best seller, “Divided Soul: The Life of Marvin Gaye”) During CREED’s decade of dominance and in the years following the band’s breakup, Stapp struggled with drugs and alcohol, which led to a much-publicized suicide attempt in 2006. Now clean, sober, and in the midst of a highly successful solo career, Scott has finally come full circle and is ready to open up and tell his story. He candidly shares his story—from his fundamentalist upbringing, the rise and fall of CREED, and his ongoing battle with addiction, to the rediscovery of his faith and the recent launch of his solo career. He also talks about, with great candor and humility, how his faith was formed, tested, matured, and solidified—complete with all of the slips and struggles he encountered along the way.

  • JUNIA — Canadian Recording Artists
    Junia is a four-piece rock band (rock used loosely with heavy Motown, funk, prog, soul, alt and pop influences). Junia is what happens when four people who don’t take themselves very seriously, find each other and can’t stop making music together. Formed in the Fall of 2011, the band features Amy Towers on lead vocals, Curtis Freeman on the bass guitar, Joel Wilson on drums and percussion and David Siekanowicz on guitar. Their strength does not lie in having a cohesive mindset and focused sound they can all agree on, but rather a shared vision of what they dislike about other music. It’s not that they know what they want their music to sound like, but they know exactly what they don’t want to sound like. “We've embarked on a journey trying to create music between work, play, life, death, love, loss and this mess we've made of our lives figuring out where we fit in this grand plan between the Creator and the rest of creation.” You can download a free copy of their digital EP from Noise Trade at:
    www.noisetrade.com/junia

  • Kevin Miller — Writer / Producer / Director of HELLBOUND? (In Theaters Now!)
    Hell. A shadowy abode choked with eggy, sulfurous fumes; the stench of blackened, bubbling flesh and screams of agony from souls trapped forever in a lake of fire. A vision made all the more terrifying by the fact that God–the only being who could possibly save us from such a fate–is the one who consigns us there instead. Such depictions of hell have gripped humanity for centuries. But the traditional view of hell also presents us with a dilemma. If God is our pure, all-loving Creator, can he really allow (presumably) billions of people to suffer in hell for eternity? To many people, it seems like we can have a good God or we can have the traditional view of hell, but we can’t have both. Some people simply resign themselves to the mystery, hoping the logic of damnation will be revealed in the life to come. Others suggest alternate views, such as Annihilationism (the souls of the damned are extinguished after the Day of Judgment) or Universalism (everyone is eventually reconciled to God). Still others become so frustrated that they finally walk away from Christianity altogether. Is it possible we’ve gotten hell wrong? Or are recent challenges to the traditional view a vain attempt to avoid the inevitable? Does hell exist? If so, who ends up there, and why? Featuring an eclectic group of authors, theologians, pastors, social commentators and musicians, “Hellbound?” is a provocative, feature-length documentary that will ensure you never look at hell the same way again!

  • Bruxy Cavey Stars In – ASK THE PASTOR! — Author of The End Of Religion & Teaching Pastor @ The Meeting House
    Bruxy’s engaging style, scholarly rigor, and refreshing honesty make him a popular guest on television, radio, and at university campuses around the world. So we figured it's about time that Drew had SOMEONE on his show who could actually provide intelligent answers from callers who have questions about spiritual stuff but were afraid to ask Drew!

  • Dr. James Beverly — Associate Director of the Institute for the Study of American Religion in Santa Barbara, Author of Nelson's Illustrated Guide to Religions, Columnist for Faith Today & Christianity Today
    Dr. Beverley joins us to discuss Drew's recent trip to the UK where he visited:
    Stonehenge www.stonehenge.co.uk
    Glastonbury www.wikipedia.org/wiki/glastonbury a Mecca for Pagans around the world
    lona www.wikipedia.org/wiki/lona
    Lindisfarne, Holy Island www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindisfarne (Both Islands notable for those on Christain pilgrimages.)
    AND to discuss Drew's meetings with two prominent witches from the Glastonbury community & Chief Grey Wolf, head of The British Druid Order www.druidry.co.uk

God Blogger

  • Joining us today: Mark Sandlin
    “We’re Christians. We’re Liberal. We make no apologies. In fact Jesus' ways are 'Liberal.' That’s why He was killed. The Pharisees and the Sadducees were the conservatives of their time. We’re not ‘New Age.’ We’re not waiting for some earthly leader to come and make everything alright - that man already came. We’re not ‘Communists’ or ‘Marxists’ either. We reject all such labels. We will not be profiled or pigeonholed and we will not ‘Be Quiet.’ We’re Christians. We’re Liberals. Please get used to it. 'The Christian Left' -- left hate behind; left prejudice; left callous attitudes; and followed Jesus as HE left the 99 in the fold, to go find the ones who were lost, ignored, excluded, overlooked, abandoned, uncared-for -- all 'the least of these.' We left hard-heartedness in order to be like the Samaritan who stopped to care for those in need.”

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: Someone wants to know how many people think God still regularly intervenes in our lives today – and how many people believe that God is pretty much “hands off” today!

    Help me out with this. Just because God has intervened in humanity in the past, as testified in the Bible, and COULD intervene at any time, this does not necessarily mean that He IS intervening in our daily lives. I see people giving God credit for things which could easily have naturalistic explanations, and I see VERY few instances when the BEST explanation to explain an event's outcome is supernatural intervention. Some say God acts in our lives all the time by closing doors and opening windows. Others aren't so sure, because bad things happen to good people and in our 'moral economy' God 'should' have acted, so they deem God 'fickle' and are only mildly comforted with slogans like 'We can't know the mind of God", or "God has a plan", "all things work together..." etc. My question to your listeners: For the sake of argument, if we discount any intervention from God, pre-biblical canonization, to what extent do most of your listeners feel God is CURRENTLY intervening in their lives. I'd like this belief quantified on a scale, please: "1" represents NO intervention from God - i.e. God has set up the world with natural laws, defined elements, and free choice reigns; He'll intervene only at the end - but 'we're on our own'. "Pray as much as you want, I'm not stepping in until the end", He might say. "Free will reigns, people die of starvation due to drought, it's on you". "10" represents CONSTANT intervention - i.e. God is bringing people in our lives, causing successful surgeries, flat-screen TVs fortuitously on sale, and hurricanes to hit sin-filled New Orleans and earthquakes to hit Voodoo-honouring Haiti. To summarize - given that God has intervened in the past, and that He COULD intervene in our world at any time, DOES HE, and how much? 1-10 please.

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Paul Brandeis Raushenbush - Senior Religion Editor for The Huffington Post

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show September 22, 2012

Special Guests

  • Karla Adolphe — Canadian Recording Artist
    Internationally acclaimed and award-winning singer songwriter, Karla Adolphe, has just released her latest album. Inspired by witnessing the death of a dear friend's daughter, Honeycomb Tombs is a collection of songs written for people in the midst of grief. Inspiration has also come by personal stories, poetry and memoirs obtained from audience members and those connected to Karla’s online community. Karla delivers a controlled, intimate vocal performance that is sure to secure her as one of Canada’s most versatile and beloved vocalists. AND she's giving away a FREE digital download of Honeycomb Tombs at www.karlaadolphe.ca! Karla is working hard to allow listeners to both access and share the music with friends and family who may be grieving. Numerous times throughout the creative, recording and promoting process Karla’s fans have communicated a thankfulness and need for the album in the midst of enduring their own tragedies and loss. “Along the pathways of grief we travel alongside regret, doubt, memory and metaphor.”

  • GIDEON BIBLE DEBATE
    Rene Chouinard (an atheist who launched a complaint with the Human Rights Tribunal about allowing Bibles to be handed out in public schools, but not atheist literature) & Charles McVety (a Canadian evangelical Christian leader who is the president of Canada Christian College and the Canada Family Action Coalition) will join us to discuss whether the Gideon Bible should still be distributed in public schools or not.

    According to a letter written by Rene, published in a local paper: “Our cultural and legal values do not allow one group to oppress others. We are a people who cherish freedom of, and yes, freedom from, religion. That doesn't mean that there is anything wrong with Christianity (although I no longer practice it), good Christians should be the first to respect other people's rights to beliefs. That means we either don't offer their kids Bibles, or we accept that they can also offer material to ours. The District School Board of Niagara -- I don't think they like me -- decided they didn't like my suggestion to leave religion to churches, and insisted on distributing materials; they also recognized that religious bias is illegal, so they changed their policy to be inclusive. Their procedure guiding that process has opened our schools to Islam, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, several denominations of Christians, Wiccans (i.e. witches), and many others (but not secular humanist?). It's a mess. It will eventually be sorted out. The Human Rights complaint I launched will in due course make it to a hearing and the policy will be thrown out -- and then we'll approach the Ministry of Education. But until then, you really don't want to open that can of worms! I urge concerned parents to contact your board and insist that you are quite capable of introducing your kids to whichever religious tradition you choose (I recommend none at all), and that they should concern themselves with education. There will be boisterous fringe groups speaking against you, so speak loudly and clearly. A note to the MOE wouldn't hurt either. It's not anti-religion; it's simply keeping religion where it belongs -- in homes and faith communities -- and not allowing fringe groups to access our kids through our public school system.”

  • Emily Wierenga — Author Of Chasing Silhouettes: How to Help a Loved One Battling an Eating Disorder
    She was a home-schooled pastor’s daughter who wasn’t allowed to play with Barbies or dance. Her mum made sure there would be nothing that could tempt her daughter to be vain, or to contract an eating disorder. So she went ahead and got one anyway. At the age of nine, Emily Wierenga began to restrict her food intake, and by the time she was 13, she was so severely anorexic, nurses were surprised she was still alive. Chasing Silhouettes is the story of a broken family that finds healing through an eating disorder. It’s the story of how even good Christians need redemption, and how eating disorders pervade all homes—even the seemingly perfect ones. A unique resource, it addresses the whole of the illness: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual, providing shocking insight into the disordered eater’s mind that no other book will offer. In addition to a stirring personal narrative, Chasing Silhouettes is comprised of advice from some of the nation’s top eating disorder experts, sample prayers for when yours run out, as well as stories of others who’ve battled—and overcome—eating disorders.

  • Ray Carroll — Author Of Fallen Pastor: Finding Restoration In A Broken World
    When Ray Carroll fell from the ministry due to adultery, he began reaching out to other fallen pastors for answers. He knew he had sinned, but was trying to make sense of how he had reached the point he had. His research ended with some startling discoveries that exposed weaknesses in both ministers and the church culture. In Fallen Pastor, Ray identifies the common decisions and cultural issues that continuously lead to the exact same outcome: a fallen pastor. Ray highlights issues like isolation, the church as mistress, judgmentalism, and idolatry. Ray offers no justification for what happened, instead seeking understanding that leads to a Biblical response of restoration. 1,500 pastors a month leave the ministry due to moral failure, conflict or burnout. 37% confess to having inappropriate sexual contact with someone at church. There is a serious systemic problem within the modern church and Fallen Pastor exposes and addresses these issues. Ray includes the story of his own fall as well as sharing the stories of twelve other pastors.

God Blogger

  • Joining us today: Dr. Timothy Dalrymple — Director of Content for Patheos.com & Managing Editor of their Evangelical Portal
    In all his work Timothy seeks a better understanding of why people do, and do not, come to faith, and researches and teaches in religion and science, faith and reason, faith and sports, theology and philosophy, the origins of atheism, Christology, and the religious transformations of suffering. The questions he asked has carried him on to a degree with majors in Philosophy and Religious Studies at Stanford University, an M.Div. at Princeton Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. in Religion at Harvard’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. He has also studied at Oxford and two universities in China, has won multiple fellowships and prizes for his essays and teaching, and has published in several international commentaries on Kierkegaard.

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: A wife is upset at her husband and her church for arranging this weekend's Toronto UFC match to be aired at the church! She feels that he's setting a bad example, considering the fact that he's one of the elders!

    Some have told me to submit to my husband's authority, as both the spiritual leader of my house and as an elder in our church, so I've decided to vent my frustration on your show. Our church will be airing the big UFC match this weekend with the hopes of turning it into an “outreach” event. Our elders approved it and feel that this is a great opportunity for the men in our church to invite their buddies out to a “real man's event”, but also provide a short Gospel message for their buddies to hear about Jesus. I can understand that this might be a good way to get some of these guys out of the local bar that night but I honestly don't think that the church should be used to promote such a violent sport. If some of the guys want to invite their buddies over to their own homes to watch this type of gratuitous violence, then fine. But for our church to hold the event – well let's just say that this move has caused quite a bit of division. There are more than a few who are upset with this move. And before you think that it's just the women who are bugged – it's not. Does anyone else agree with me that a church should definitely not promote extreme violence, and certainly not hold an event which televises it and then use that as an outreach ministry?

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Lorna Dueck – Host of CONTEXT with Lorna Dueck: Life Beyond The Headlines

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show September 15, 2012



Well we're back from our summer break - I was in the UK visiting Stonehenge and hanging out with witches and druids & pagans OH MY! I also went to Iona & Holy Island. Anyway, Saturday September 15th we celebrated the beginning of Season #10. Man! It's hard to believe that 10 years ago, having decided that I of all people shouldn't be a pastor anymore, walked into the studios of JOY 1250 and with absolutely zero radio experience, pitched the idea of hosting a talk show that was different. And I think we've succeeded. Because different is certainly one of many words that people have used to describe the show. This last decade has just flown by! But what a ride! Contests like Preacher Idol & So you think god wants you to sing / going blind for a week of lent / television shows like Journey To Christmas, and ummm 100 Huntley Street... and interviews with some of the biggest names in show business. It's been amazing. Anyway, look...Saturday my staff arranged a whole bunch of celebrity guests that joined us on this very special show - just a few of my favourite guests I've interviewed over the years. BUT... they kept who the guests were a complete secret from me! I didn't know who was going to be on the show until I was actually talking with them on air. So have a listen to our 10th anniversary special with this incredible line-up as well as the entire Drew Marshall show team who joined us to celebrate 10 years of Canada's most listened to spiritual talk show!

Special Guests

Talkback, etc.

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh My!

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show July 28, 2012

Special Guests

  • Amy Savin — Canadian Recording Artist
    Having JUST finished her European tour, Amy performs LIVE on our show! Amy Savin is a vibrant young Canadian singer/songstress who hails from Canada and her album Skylines brings back to Christian music a depth of lyric and intricate artistry slightly lost in recent years. The songs are a beautiful hybrid of haunting and striking melodies set to lyrics that are made for fun listening and personal growth. Mirroring the artistic rebirth of musical integrity by artists such as Esperanza Spalding and Adele; Amy Savin's approach is "less pitch correction and more singing". The winner of TDMS's "So You Think God Wants You To Sing", (celebrity judges include Radio Host "Delilah", Recording Artists Tal Bachman, Jennifer Paige, Laila Biali, and songwriting guru James Linderman) Amy has since picked up two spectacular nominations that included Best Pop Contemporary Album from the GMA Covenant Awards in 2011. Her voice and songwriting harkens back to the stylings of Nicole Nordeman with the addition of an understated falsetto range not attempted since the quiet ballads of Rachael Lampa. Amy's music is pleasantly unique thanks to her break-out vocal updrafts that pierce through tracks like "Hide Me", "Fly Robin", "Skylines", and the future Ed Cash smash "Hymn 177".

  • Kerri Pomarolli — Comedian, Actress, Author
    That's right folks! It's time for our monthly visit with our favorite (and only) Hollywood Correspondent!

  • Dr. Tony Evans — Pastor & Author of Divorce & Remarriage: What Couples Need To Know Before Calling It Quits
    The problem of divorce is a massive one. According to some statistics compiled over the last 50 years, the number of divorces has increased by 700%. In many parts of the country, 50% of all marriages end in divorce. Research shows that half of Americans endorse same-sex marriage, young people marry later and Baby Boomers divorce more often. The Pew Research Center last year released a study showing that 44% of Millennials 18 to 29year olds believe marriage is becoming obsolete. Additionally, by the year 2000, half of all American children will not have been raised in a traditional two-parent home. In the minority communities, they've already passed those milestones. All of this has been worsened by legislation allowing no- fault divorce. Even though divorce is always somebody's fault, in a no-fault divorce, the court doesn't concern itself with placing blame. So, a husband and wife divide their property and their children, pay their lawyers a nominal fee, file the papers and that's that. Divorce granted. Another till-death-do-us-part commitment bites the dust. In a society that has so cheapened the value of marriage, Dr. Evans thinks that it's vital that we re-examine this institution from a biblical perspective. Although God hates divorce, Dr. Evans makes it clear that God won't desert believers who divorce, and the church shouldn't either. There is hope for healing and new relationships.
    *Dr. Evans, the Senior Pastor of the 9,000-member Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, has written more than 50 books and booklets.

  • Joseph Loconte — Journalist, Researcher, Author of The Searchers: A Quest For Faith In The Valley Of Doubt
    In The Searchers: A Quest for Faith in the Valley of Doubt scholar Joseph Loconte examines one of the most remarkable passages in all of Scripture - an exchange in the gospel of Luke between two disciples of Jesus of Nazareth, uttered just days after his execution on the road to Emmaus. Appraising the role of religion in contemporary society against this exchange, Loconte - a journalist and Senior Research Fellow at The King's College in New York City - explains that every human heart has a natural longing for "home," and that these witnesses to the life and death of Jesus of Nazareth serve as a rich example of that universal yearning. Along the way, he scrutinizes not only the challenges posed by popular skeptics, but also those created by counterfeit religion. Whether Christian or Muslim, priestly sex scandals or Islamic "honor killings", Loconte takes a sober look at the failings of those who claim God is on their side, while never losing sight of the profound influence that an authentic relationship with Jesus Christ can have on individuals and society. Ultimately, readers will see how the human desire for meaning, purpose, and love can lead them to their true home.
    *Joseph Loconte, PhD, is an Associate Professor of History at The King's College in New York City, where he teaches Western Civilization and American Foreign Policy. Joseph previously served as a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the School of Public Policy at Pepperdine University, where he taught on religion and public policy. He was a Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C., and from 1999-2006 he held the first chair in religion as the William E. Simon Fellow at the Heritage Foundation.

  • Dr. Larry Taunton — Christian Apologist, Broadcaster, Author of The Grace Effect: How The Power Of One Life Can Reverse The Corruption Of Unbelief
    What does Christianity give us beyond televangelists, potlucks, and bad basketball league? Not much, according to the secular Left. The world, they say, would be a better place without it. Historian and Christian apologist Larry Taunton has spent much of his career refuting just this sort of thinking, but when he encounters Sasha, a golden-haired Ukranian orphan girl whose life has been shaped by atheistic theorists, he discovers an unlikely champion for the transforming power of grace. Through the narrative of Sasha's redemption, we see the false promises of socialis; the soul-destroying influence of unbelief; and how a society cultivates it's own demise when it rejects the ultimate source of grace. We see, in short, the kind of world the atheists would give us: a world without Christianity - cold, pitiless, and graceless. And yet, as Sasha shows us, it is a world that is not beyond the healing power of "the grace effect". Occasionally infuriating, often amusing, but always inspiring, The Grace Effect will have you cheering for the courageous little girl who shamed the academic elitists of our day. "In The Grace Effect -- Larry Taunton's deeply moving and personal story of how his family adopted a Ukranian girl -- we behold the staggering contrast between a culture suffused with Christian faith and one that has utterly rejected it. Atheists must assiduously avoid exposure to stories like this one. If you've ever been unsure of how much good Christianity does in the world, read this book." - Eric Metaxas, New York Times Best-selling author of Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy. *Larry has engaged and debated some of the world's most prominent intellectuals, from Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins to Dinesh D'Souza and Peter Kreeft. His articles have been featured in USA Today and CNN.com and he's been quoted by Rush Limbaugh, Time, The Chicago Tribune, The New York Times, and Vanity Fair. Peter has also appeared on CNN, Fox News, NPR, and the BBC.

God Blogger

  • Joining us today: Dr. John Stackhouse
    Educated at Queen's University (B.A., First Class Honours), Wheaton College Graduate School (M.A., with Highest Honors), and The University of Chicago (Ph.D.), John is currently the Chair of Theology and Culture at Regent College. He has also served also as Adjunct Professor of Religious Studies at McGill University and UBC, responsible for supervising Ph.D. Students. John is the author of seven books (his publishers include Oxford University Press, the University of Toronto Press, and Baker Academic); the editor of four volumes; and the author of more than 500 articles, book chapters, and reviews in leading academic journals, major newspapers, and magazines. His writings range over history, sociology, philosophy, theology, ethics, and comparative religion. And he has given lectures on dozens of campuses in North America and beyond, including those of Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and Queen's University in Edinburgh. John's commentary on religion and contemporary culture has appeared ABC News, NBC News, and PBS in the United States and by CBC TV and Radio, CTV News, and Global TV News in Canada. He has been reviewed or quoted in The Times Literary Supplement, The Atlantic Monthly, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Time, Reader's Digest, The Globe and Mail, The National Post, and Maclean's.

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: Since it's our last LIVE show of Season #9, we thought we'd do something we rarely do. The phone lines will be open for you to call in and ask our thousands of listeners for prayer!

    We figure that since there are thousands of people listening to TDMS each Saturday, people who have some interest in stoking the fires of their spiritual life, why not open the phone lines for those of you who could use the prayers of thousands! Whether for yourself and something you're going through or for a loved one, a friend or family member - we understand that it might be uncomfortable to call a radio show to ask people to pray for you - but if you feel prompted to call - then call!

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Today's God & Stuff guest: Melinda Estabrooks, Co-host of Television's FULL CIRCLE, Speaker, Socialite & Troublemaker!

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show July 21, 2012

Special Guests

  • Sarah Hiltz — Canadian Recording Artist
    Sarah Hiltz returns as a guest and performs LIVE in studio! This talented songwriter has a unique modern blend of two classic and very different genres, Jazz & Folk. Echoes of Billie Holiday, Joni Mitchell and Feist ring out faintly through the structure of Sarah's artistry. Sarah has been praised for her ability to tell a story through song. It is with this ability that she bridges the gap between folk and jazz, telling stories not just with her lyrics but also through wordless sound. In 2010 she was nominated for Best Folk Artist at the Toronto Independent Music Awards.

  • Steve Arterburn — Author of Is This The One?: Insightful Dates for Finding the Love of Your Life
    Is This The One? is a guidebook for helping single people be as certain as possible that they are, in fact, marrying Mr. or Ms. Right. It addresses the fact that the divorce rate in the United States, within both Christian and non-Christian couples, is too high. Is This The One? helps Christian singles through the process of getting to know potential mates in a way that makes them sure that they have indeed found the love of their life. Steve Arterburn, a leading relationship counselor and nationally syndicated radio host, put together a series of challenges for daters to accomplish before saying "I Do" when he saw his own daughter starting a serious relationship. Not a stranger to failed relationships, and understanding that successful relationships come when the participants have taken the time to know each other, he laid out the challenge in three phases - Taking a Break, Agenda and Holiday Dates, and Pre-Marital Counseling Dates. This plan forces the participants to take their time, know each other through the seasons and talk about their values. It is a book designed to help singles on the side where great marriages begin - before marriage!

  • Dr. Emerson Eggerichs -Author of Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires / The Respect He Desperately Needs
    Dr. Eggerichs is an internationally known public speaker on the topic of male-female relationships. Based on over three decades of counseling as well as scientific and biblical research, Dr. Eggerichs developed the Love and Respect Conference which he presents to live audiences around the country. Dr. Eggerichs has graduate degrees from Wheaton College and Dubuque Seminary and a Ph.D. in Child and Family Ecology from Michigan State University. He has authored several books, including the national bestseller Love and Respect, which is a Platinum and Book of the Year award winner, selling over a million copies.

  • Sheri Rose Shepherd — Author of Your Heart's Desire: 14 Truths That Will Forever Change The Way You Love And Are Loved
    Hope and healing for every woman who has ever loved a man! Bestselling author and Bible life coach Sheri Rose Shepherd shares 14 truths that will forever change the way you love and are loved. This book is written for the married woman who loves her man but struggles in her marriage. It's for the single woman who wants to find a godly man to love and for the divorced woman who believed in her marriage until her man walked out. Each chapter has life-challenging love stories, love coaching, powerful prayers, inspiring scriptural love letters, and a Transforming Truth. If you're ready for a refreshing perspective on love, men, and marriage, this book is for you. Sheri Rose Shepherd is a woman who can relate to almost any woman's battle. This former Mrs. United States grew up in a dysfunctional home and was severely overweight as a teen. As a young woman, she battled depression and an eating disorder. She understands the pain that comes from a broken home, and she knows what it means to fight for freedom from your past. Sheri Rose has become a bestselling author with more than one million books sold. Her latest book won the 2010 Retailer's Choice Non-Fiction Book of the Year. Sheri is currently on the Women of Joy Tour with Kay Arthur, Karen Kingsbury, Lysa TerKeurst, Shaunti Feldhahn, Thelma Wells, and artists Chris Tomlin, Michael W. Smith, Casting Crowns, and Brandon Heath.

Journey

  • Paul & Lori Byerlyuli
    Paul & Lori are behind the popular website www.themarriagebed.com which provides a Christian alternative for married and engaged couples seeking information about marital intimacy. "Whether you are just starting out, have some problems, or just want to improve an already good love life, we offer information and resources on many areas of sexuality and marriage enrichment." Paul & Lori have an interesting story themselves:

    We were both raised in middle-class homes by families that were far less dysfunctional than many, and we were both raised to believe in Jesus as our Lord and Savior. However, this does not mean we were raised without problems. Lori's "introduction to sex" occurred at about the age of three, when she was molested several times by more than one individual. Paul's "introduction to sex" occurred at the age of seven when he found pornography. These beginnings set into motion events for years to come - Lori was as non-sexual as possible growing up, barely aware of her transformation from girl to woman. Paul was overly aware of things sexual, began masturbating well before puberty, and developed a major pornography habit by junior high school. Lori's problems got worse when she went to college and lost her virginity to a "friend" who raped her. On the other hand, Paul's problems gradually got better all through high school as the Lord helped him escape pornography and begin cleaning up his mind.

God Blogger

  • Joining us today: Josh Weed
    Facts about The Weed (written by his wife, who has adopted the role as his publicist): He's a Marriage and Family Therapist. / He's an active Mormon / He's gay. / He's married to a woman (who is awesome!) / He's amazing. / He writes about ALL kinds of things. It will make you laugh. It will make you cry. It might even make you mad or offended. Give it a try.

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: A woman who has been married for over 20 years is frustrated with how boring her sex life has become and wants advice on how to get the spice back into her already struggling marriage.

    My husband and I have been married quite a while and our marriage seems to be flat. I know this is a common story but I'd like to hear you talk about this on your show, so I thought I'd offer our story. Besides, I hear that you have a "sex talk" lady on your show this week so maybe she could help us? Our kids have grown up and are off to college, my husband's libido seems to have faded, and to be honest, I've never been into sex all that much, ever. Seems over rated. Sorry - just being honest. However, I'm actually a bit worried that either something's wrong with me (because I'm just not sex crazy) or something's wrong with us - as a couple. I truly believe that sex is part of a healthy marriage. But sex with my husband is a/ infrequent (twice a month) b/ feels like a chore, and c/ is just flat out boring. The thrill is gone. And if I were to be brutally honest, there's a part of me that wonders that if my husband and I don't have sex more often, our marriage won't make it. It's sort of one of the last ties that bind us, especially now that our kids have gone. And truthfully, he very well might find interest somewhere else with someone else. So I'd like to get some advice from your guest, as well as any callers who might have some tips on how to resurrect a dismal sex life. I certainly won't hear any teaching about this in our church!

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Sheila Wray Gregoire - . Sheila Wray Gregoire is a syndicated parenting columnist and a popular speaker. The author of five books, including The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex, Sheila loves encouraging women to forget about the dust bunnies under their beds and focus on their marriages and what goes on IN the bed!

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show July 14, 2012

Special Guests

  • Joel Augé — Singer / Songwriter
    Canadian jack-of-all-trades musician/singer/songwriter/entrepreneur Joel Augé follows his acclaimed solo debutOn The Blue (for which he was awarded GMA Male Vocalist of the Year) withInvisible Things, an 11-track studio album produced by himself and young Canadian producers Nathan Finochio and David Kuwabara. Augé, who has been compared to everyone from Rufus Wainwright and Jason Mraz to Snow Patrol, is known for combining simple, profound lyrics with unusual and sometimes haunting instrumentation. His latest effort doesn’t disappoint. Invisible Things delivers all-new, worship-minded songs that capture the rawness of human emotion and chronicle a life of faith from “Here to Love,” a plea for purpose and a promise of service, to the tender “Addison,” a love song to his baby daughter.

  • Michael Jay Solomon — Founder & CEO of www.truli.net The World's Only Christian Social Community & Media Library
    Michael has more than 50 years in the worldwide media and content distribution business. He is the co-founder of Telepictures Corp, which grew to become the largest U.S. television syndication company and one of the largest international distribution companies. Telepictures became a public company (NASDAQ) after only 14 months under Michael’s leadership as Chairman and CEO. A landmark deal saw Telepictures merge with Lorimar to form Lorimar Telepictures Corp, where Michael became the new company's President and served on its Board of Directors, leading Lorimar Telepictures to become the largest television production and distribution company in the world. When Lorimar was acquired by Warner Bros., Michael became President of Warner Bros. International Television. In recent years, Solomon has spearheaded multiple industry advancements through his company, Solomon Entertainment Enterprises.

  • Christian Piatt — Author of Banned Questions About Jesus
    “Did Jesus ever have sex?” Ever get the feeling that you can't ask those kinds of questions at church? But if we can't ask the tough, keep-you-awake-at-night questions within our faith communities, then what good are those communities? Listen in as more than a dozen contributors (whose ranks include a lawyer, a recovering achiever/lapsed vegetarian, ministers (ordained and not ordained), discuss the questions your Sunday school teachers were afraid to answer. Real questions, real responses. Everything you wanted to know about Jesus but were afraid to ask. Christian Piatt is an author, editor, speaker, musician and spoken word artist. Christian is the creator and editor of the Banned Questions book series, which also includesBanned Questions About the Bible. Christian is a contributor to the Huffington Post, a blogger for Patheos, a contributor to Red Letter Christians, a contributor toThe Ooze, and a contributor to Burnside Writers Collective.

  • Andrea Palpant Dilley — Author of Faith and Other Flat Tires: Searching for God on the Rough Road of Doubt
    A story of crisis and redemption for anyone who’s ever struggled with spiritual doubt, Faith and Other Flat Tires presents the moving story of a former missionary kid whose questions about God lead her to abandon her faith and search for a way to believe again. As a teenager, Andrea Dilley started asking dark questions about God. At twenty-one, she stripped the Christian fish off her car bumper in a symbolic act of departure from her religious childhood. At twenty-three, she left the church and went searching for refuge in the company of men who left her lonely, and in the company of friends who pushed the boundaries of what she once held sacred. In this deeply personal memoir, Andrea navigates the universal doubts that plague nearly every believer and every skeptic alike: Doesn’t religion diminish God? Why is God so silent, distant, and uninvolved? Yet amid her skepticism, she begins to ask new questions: Could doubting be a form of faith? Might our doubts be a longing for God that leads to a faith we can ultimately live with? A story of crisis and redemption told with humor and refreshing candor, Faith and Other Flat Tires speaks to anyone driven to the margins of belief by skepticism and doubt.

  • Norm Allen — Author of Spiritual Friendship: The Art Of being Friends With God And A Few Others
    The idea of spiritual friendships is ancient. Yet for many modern Christians, the concept of being vulnerable and transparent with another pilgrim on the way is mysterious and new. Spiritual Friendship: The Art of Being Friends With God And a Few Others explores the spiritual and Biblical foundation for spiritual friendships. "The true inner journey can be lonely until we find authentic, transparent companions," writes Allen. "When we become intentional about our journey, those companions often pop up in surprising ways. This book will help you find your own." Norm Allen is founder of Touchstone Ministries, a loosely linked community of friends whose vocation places them in leadership in the business, political, arts and spiritual marketplaces across North America. Through Touchstone's work, leaders explore what it means to love God with heart, soul, mind and strength. Spiritual Friendship is a natural extension of the friendship ministry that Touchstone has begun in board rooms, offices, conference centers and retreats across the country for 28 years.

God Blogger

  • Joining us today: Jeff Cook
    Jeff lectures on Philosophy at The University of Northern Colorado. He pastors Atlas Church in Greeley, Colorado. He creates music-driven, teaching events with Tim Coons. He posts incendiary thoughts on Scot McKnight’s Jesus Creed Blog. He is working on a set of animation projects with the incomparable Shane White. And he aspires to front a funk band... again.

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: A single mom who is a phone sex operator, is having a hard time finding different work, and was given some pretty damming advice from a pastor. She wants to hear other's opinions on this pastor's advice.

    I'm a single mom and about four years ago I returned to my faith after trying to do life without God for about six years. Over the last few years, I have begun to pray and read my bible regularly again. God has worked miracles in my life over the last few months, and answed many prayers. I have been trying to look for an office job because I'm a phone sex operator and I have been convicted that it's time to stop doing that since I believe it's a sin. The Bible says that if you sin in your mind, you have sinned. The problem though is that I have been unable to find a job outside the house, even after three months of full time searching. I pray every night before I work and I seem to get more chit chat calls from lonely people. Here's where I'm torn. I'm bringing money to my family. I get to work when I want to. And the money is easy. I'm also better at this than I have been at anything else in my life. I have even trained others how to do it and designed simple web pages for them. Here's where I need advice and insight. I went to a women's retreat with my sister in law this last weekend and was very upset by a few things. The speaker said you can lose your salvation if you don't read your bible often, live a holy life, attend a church regularly, and do good deeds. I'm not sure I believe this. Then the pastor compared me to a prostitute when I told her what I did for a living. She said I had a hard heart and the devil has a hold of me. When I said I didn't think so, she said that was the devil talking. I told the pastor about my praying, going to church, and bible reading. When I told her about all of the good things God has done in my life, she said that God wasn't answering my prayers. She said that God was answering other's prayers for me. That made me doubt my relationship with God. She was basically telling me God doesn't hear my prayers even though I ask forgiveness for my sins each time I pray. The pastor also said that God wouldn't bring me another job until I quit my current job. The problem with that is that I couldn't pay the bills! Oh and the pastor said that the Devil is a deceiver and he could be doing good things in my life to lead me astray instead of God doing these things in my life. I was heartbroken. I couldn't sleep that night because I was hurting so bad, doubting my relationship with God. I've decided that at this point, I am going to work on my resume and will take up looking for a job full time while working part time at my current job. I just wanted to find a group of Christians who could give me some perspective. Please don't judge me or make assumptions about my job. Everyone in my life knows what I do for a living and instead of judging me, they accept me and where I'm at, like I think God does (as He works on me). It's only phone sex – not real sex. Still a sin but not as bad as the real thing. Here are my questions: Can you lose your salvation? If so how? Where does it talk about this in the bible? Do you think God is not listening to me because of my job? Any scriptures? What should I put down on my resume for the last 6 years without lying? Thanks for letting me share my messy life and thank you in advance for any advice you could give me.

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Bridget Antwi – Freelance Journalist / Television Producer / Former Co-Host of Television's Full Circle

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show July 7, 2012

Special Guests

  • Sam Turton — Canadian Roots/Blues/Gospel Recording Artist
    Awakened by the personal honesty of blues and the community soul of gospel, Sam Turton has delivered his heartfelt vocals and ringing slide guitar to stages and studios for over forty years. Sam's latest release returns to classic recording values, capturing the raw joy and energy of his band-of-friends performing together "AT HOME." The 15-song disk is a roots-blues-gospel gumbo packed with slide guitar, deep groove, emotive lyrics, and soul-fired harmony. Sam performs LIVE in studio!

  • Dr. Belden C. Lane — Author of The Solace of Fierce Landscapes: Exploring Desert and Mountain Spirituality
    As a Protestant member of a Roman Catholic faculty, Dr. Lane teaches in the areas of American religion, the history of spirituality, and the connections between geography and faith. The relationship of Christian spirituality to the wonder and beauty of the natural world is close to his heart, whether seen in the earth-sensitive practices of Celtic spirituality or Calvin and Edwards' perception of the world as a theater of God's glory in the Reformed tradition. His interests include wilderness backpacking in the Ozarks, the magic of storytelling, the history of Desert Spirituality, exposing students to urban poverty, and the poetry of Rumi and Wendell Berry. Drawn to sacred places around the world, his travels have involved camping in Egypt, Ireland and the Virgin Islands, hiking in Greece, Hawaii, and Australia, and studying in England, Israel and Mexico. Dr. Lane is a Presbyterian minister who teaches at a Roman Catholic university and tells Jewish stories. Nice!

  • Dr. Karl W. Giberson — Author Of The Wonder Of The Universe: Hints Of God In Our Fine Tuned World
    Karl Giberson is one of America’s leading scholars on the creation/evolution controversy. He has published over 200 articles, reviews, and essays, both technical and popular, and written 9 books, among them Oracles of Science: Celebrity Scientists Versus God and Religion with the late Mariano Artigas; Saving Darwin, which was a Washington Post “Best Book of 2008”; and The Language of Science & Faith (with Francis Collins). He blogs on the Huffington Post and is a contributing editor to Books & Culture. His work has appeared in the NY Times, the Guardian, USA Today, CNN.com and he been a guest on NPR's "Talk of the Nation." (Sounds like the perfect guest to ask about the apparent recent discovery of the infamous “God Particle.”)

  • Dr. David Capes — Thomas Nelson Research Professor
    STOP THE PRESSES - There's a new Bible translation! The Voice, completed this year after seven years of work, is the result of a unique collaboration among scholars, pastors, authors, poets, musicians, and other artists. The 120-member team strove to translate each word of Scripture into a story that is faithful to the original text, easier to understand today, and yet conveys the beauty and timelessness of Scripture. The Voice is published by Thomas Nelson, Inc., the world’s largest Christian publisher.

  • Ken Gire — Author of Relentless Pursuit: God's Love Of Outsiders (Including The Outsider In All Of Us)
    “The Marginalized and the Ostracized; the Sinner and the Loner; You, Me... and Jesus."
    We're all outsiders sometimes. Each of us has felt lonely in a crowd, or been passed over for a job opportunity, or been squeezed out by "friends." We've all spent time on the outside looking in. But take heart--Jesus will leave the ninety-nine just for you. Bestselling author Ken Gire weaves together stories from the Bible, history, and his own life to create a soul-lifting picture of a God who relentlessly pursues the outcast and disenfranchised--a God who became an outcast himself to bring his lost ones home. Let your eyes be opened to the one who will never fail to find you and embrace you as his child.

God Blogger

  • Joining us today: Dr. Karen Swallow Prior
    Karen Swallow Prior, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of English at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, where she also chairs the Department of English and Modern Languages. She writes regularly for Christianity Today's women's blog, Her.meneutics. Some of her blog posts include... Amazing Grace, How Slow the Work: Why We Still Have Slaves / Why 'Slut' Cuts to the Core--of All of Us / Why 'Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' Is Hurting Women / Tattooed Barbie: You’ve Come a Long Way! / Ben & Jerry’s ‘Schweddy Balls’ and Scatological Humor

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: A husband and wife are arguing about wether or not children & infants should be allowed in the church service or not, and would like some other opinions - especially about the mother in their church who lets her children run around and play during the sermon!

    My husband and I had a pretty strong argument the other day about whether children & babies should be allowed to stay in church, or kept in a separate program or nursery. I think that children and babies should remain with the rest of the congregation during church because church, at least to me, means FAMILY! When we have family reunions the children and babies sit at the table with the rest of the family. We don't ship them off to another room to eat. So why would we remove our children from our church family time? Besides, the mothers need to experience church family & the pastor's teaching as well don't you think? Okay my husband wants to say something... While I agree that children & infants should take part in church, if they're behaved, I strongly disagree with them being allowed to stay in the service during the sermon! Case in point; this woman in our church is one of those homeschooling hippies who let's her three kids run around the sanctuary barefoot and dirty throughout the entire service. Fine – during the singing, but when the pastor is trying to teach us? Come on! Really? Totally not okay with that! As a matter of fact, if anyone has any advice on how to go about telling this woman just how distracting her kids really are, I'm open to it. Oh and one more thing. Breastfeeding during church might be fine with women, but 99% of men have a serious problem with it... This is the wife again. I'm sorry for my husband!

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Ellen Graf-Martin - Managing Director of Graf-Martin Communications

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show June 30, 2012

Special Guests

  • BeBe Winans — Grammy Award Winning Gospel Recording Artist
    Critically acclaimed inspirational, R&B and gospel vocalist BeBe Winans is best known as part of the celebrated Winans family. Similar to the Jackson family’s impact on pop music, and the Carter and Cash families’ history with country, the Winans are are truly gospel music royalty. Also an award-winning songwriter and producer, BeBe Winans has achieved notoriety both as part of the hit-making duo BeBe & CeCe Winans as well as a solo artist. As a matter of fact, he and his sister CeCe were the first brother/sister duo to be awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He's also the recipient of SIX Grammy Awards, including a Grammy for co-producing the song “Jesus Loves Me” on Whitney Houston’s smash hit film soundtrack for her movie The Bodyguard. BeBe has now taken his artistic gifts to the next level with an uplifting new collection of patriotic songs on his latest CD entitled, AMERICA AMERICA.

  • Dr. Harville Hendrix — The Oprah Winfrey Show's “Marriage Whisperer”
    Harville Hendrix is a Clinical Pastoral Counselor who is known internationally for his work with couples. He and his wife Helen LaKelly Hunt, Ph.D. co-created Imago Relationship Therapy and developed the concept of “conscious partnership.” Their partnership and collaboration has resulted in nine books on intimate relationships and parenting. Harville holds a Ph.D. in Psychology and Theology from the University of Chicago and has appeared on many national television shows including seventeen guest appearances on the Oprah Winfrey show. One of his appearances won her an Emmy award for the "most socially redemptive" daytime talk shows and was included by Ms. Winfrey in her top twenty shows. In addition to many radio shows, Harville’s work has been written about in numerous newspapers and magazines internationally, including the November 2005 issue of The Oprah Magazine where he was referred to in an article as the “marriage whisperer.” Harville is the author of GETTING THE LOVE YOU WANT: A Guide for Couples and KEEPING THE LOVE YOU FIND: A Personal Guide, both New York Times best sellers. With Helen he co-authored GIVING THE LOVE THAT HEALS: A Guide for Parents, also a best seller, and RECEIVING LOVE: Transform Your Relationship by Letting Yourself Be Loved.

  • Dr. Gary Chapman — Author of The 5 Love Languages Of Children AND A Perfect Pet for Peyton
    Gary Chapman, PhD, is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling book The 5 Love Languages. With more than 40 years of counseling experience, he has the uncanny ability to hold a mirror up to human behavior, showing readers not just where they're misunderstanding themselves and those they love, but also how to grow and move forward. Over 7 million people around the world have discovered their own love language, but what about children? Surely they too must have their own unique love language that must be learned and understood. Now, in his first-ever children’s book, Dr. Chapman, along with co-author, Rick Osborne, spins a delightfully imaginative story. A Perfect Pet for Peyton (a wonderful compliment to his bestseller The 5 Love Languages of Children) helps parents teach their children to discover their own primary love language in a simple, fun and interactive way. Imagine what a difference learning and understanding how people communicate love could make in a child’s future?

Journey

  • Amy Harper
    Amy grew up in a family of missionaries. Living in that culture had it's blessings and curses. As she entered her teenage years, Amy felt that her family and community required her to be “perfect” instead of authentic. She tried hard to appear to not have any “issues,” even though she was hurting underneath. Eventually, the hiding led her into the world of cutting, in order to escape. Amy is now a professional makeup artist in the film & television industry and soon after moving to the city, discovered a conflict between her head and her heart – between what she'd been taught by her “tribe” and what she was experiencing within her new “tribe.” Half of her friends were now part of the GLBT community – a community typically condemned by her old “tribe.” Being forced to process this clash of cultures on a daily basis, drove Amy's spiritual life into the shadows. She had been raised to love those on the fringes of society, so how could she tell those whom she loved so much that they were "wrong” and going to Hell? Even though Amy recognizes that simply accepting everything is a byproduct of spiritual laziness, this missionary kid who grew up in a culture of certainty, still finds herself without the answers she “supposed” to have! She loves her parents – she loves the mission field – she loves Jesus – and she loves those celebrating Pride Week this week in Toronto!

God Blogger

  • Joining us today: Leah Libresco
    “A Geeky Convert Picks Fights In Good Faith”
    Leah was known as a prominent blogger for the Atheist porthole on Patheos.com. A couple of weeks ago, she announced that after years of debating “smart Christians,” she has decided to begin the process of becoming a Catholic. Thus, her blog has now been moved over to the Patheos Catholic channel. (patheos.com is a site for discussion on different faiths)

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: A couple's daughter is leaving her husband because she's gay and has asked her parents for a loan in order to get by. If they don't loan her the money, then she'll have to work and won't be able to hang around the people the parents feel have influenced this decision. They want to know if they should loan her the money or not.

    My husband and I were recently informed by our daughter that she is leaving her husband because she believes that she is gay. Nothing in her upbringing would have given us any clues that she was attracted to women. We are completely shocked and worried. We think she has been influenced by some of the other students at her university and that she has been brainwashed into this. We are very worried about her sinking into depression or harming herself in some way. To complicate things even more now that she has left her husband, she is in need of financial support to be able to stay in school and has asked us to support her. We are afraid that if we say "no" she'll just cut off all communication with us - and then we won't know if she's safe or not. But if we don't pay for her schooling then maybe she'll have to go get a job and will be away from the bad influence of the other students there. What should we do?

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Eric Marrapodi - Sr. Producer & CNN Belief Blog Co-Editor

  • Random Summer Ramblings
    It’s the end of the show folks and Tim the Tools last show for season 9 - so here’s your last chance until the fall to hear Drew & Tim ramble on...about nothing!

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show June 23, 2012

Special Guests

  • Travis Lofland — Deckhand on Discovery Channel's DEADLIEST CATCH
    Travis Lofland has just released a killer cookbook called Catch!: Dangerous Tales and Manly Recipes from the Bering Sea. Trav's passion for adventure and combat fishing started at a young age visiting his father and family in Alaska, fishing the Kenai river, getting tripped up by a salmon while in hip waters in Montana Creek and fishing for rainbows on Russian Lake. From crab fishing the Bering Sea to fishing the waters of the Pacific from California to Alaska, the Bering Sea and Hawaii, Travis has done it all. Harvesting everything from crab, shrimp, salmon, squid, halibut, black cod and tuna. He's worked on several boats--the 40'ft Zoe Rose, the 35' Chariot, the 58' Miss Roxanne, and since 2002 the 155 ft' fishing vessel Wizard (featured on Deadliest Catch). He just recently made the move to the Time Bandit, a storyline you can follow on this season’s Deadliest Catch, which made the biggest premiere this year with 10 million viewers for the first episode. Trav's been the cook on every boat he's ever worked on in addition to his other deckhand duties and taking a few summers off from life at sea to jump behind the bar as the self-proclaimed "ambassador of good times.”

  • Dr. Grant Mullen — M.D., Author, Speaker
    Dr. Grant Mullen specializes in treating depression, manic depression, anxiety disorders and other emotional and mental disorders. He believes that spiritual and emotional issues are major factors in causing illnesses, believing that doctors must look beyond just the medical and physical aspects and consider the spiritual element in their treatment as well. Depression has become so prevalent that it is known as the 'common cold of psychological disorder.' More and more people are suffering from depression, anxiety and panic attacks. Some accept medication for help. Others insist that taking pills indicates a lack of faith in a God who heals. How can we know what course of action to pursue? Rather than limit those who seek help, Dr. Grant Mullen advocates a more balanced and comprehensive approach.

Journey

  • Randy Roberts Potts — The Gay Grandson of Televangelist Oral Roberts
    Randy Roberts Potts has worked with juvenile delinquents on the East Coast, was a social worker in Oklahoma City, spent five years as a middle school English teacher, and is now a freelance writer for several publications including This Land Press, D Magazine, and The Washington Post. Randy wrote about his coming out experience as the grandson of televangelist Oral Roberts in the recent It Gets Better book, and spends his life trying to spread a message of hope to gay youth. Randy has recently launched a new project called "The Gay Agenda," a performance art piece, which is touring to conservative areas across the the States.

God Blogger

  • Joining us today: Lillian Daniel
    Lillian Daniel is a wife, mother, minister, author, and hosts the Chicago-based public television program, “30 Good Minutes”. Additionally, Lillian was recently featured on the PBS program, "Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly," and is editor at large for the Christian Century Magazine and a contributing editor at Leadership. Her work has also appeared in The Huffington Post, Christianity Today, Leadership Journal, Books and Culture, The Journal for Preachers and in the daily email devotionals available at ucc.org. She has taught preaching at Yale Divinity School, Chicago Theological Seminary and the University of Chicago Divinity School. She serves on the Board of Trustees of Chicago Theological Seminary and the Board of Advisors at Yale Divinity School. In October 2010 she received the distinguished alumni award from Yale Divinity School for “Distinction in Congregational MinistryLillian has preached at the National Cathedral, Duke Chapel, the Festival of Homiletics and has delivered preaching lectures to clergy at King's College, London and Queen’s College, Ontario.

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many:A mother is concerned that her teenage son's Pentecostal church is taking their son away from the family and turning him into a “street preacher” and wants to know if he should be allowed to go on a street preaching trip to Toronto.

    My son is really involved in his youth group at church. He happens to go to a different church than his father and I attend, and that's okay with us. We realize that our church is a bit too boring for him. However, lately we've been getting a bit concerned with the kind of things they're getting our son involved with. Grant it, we're not of the Pentecostal persuasion so we're not real comfortable with most of the things this church does. But we're still happy for him to be going to church SOMEWHERE. The other day we received permission forms for us to sign. The youth group is being taken down to Toronto to do “street preaching” by the Eaton's Centre. My husband and I were talking the other night about this and are debating whether or not to allow our son to take part in this field trip/inner city mission experience. For a couple of reasons. #1/ A few weeks ago there was a full blown shoot-out in the Eaton's Centre food court, so as parents we're wondering about the safety of our son. #2/ We really feel that “street preaching” actually keeps people from seriously considering their relationship with God, as it becomes more of a spectacle than a helpful “witnessing” tool. The problem is, if we decide to not allow our 15-year old son to go on this trip we know that this is going to cause a major issue. We already hardly ever see him because of how much he's involved in his church. Seriously... we only really spend a few hours a week with him because he's always involved with some ministry event. Don't get me wrong, we're thankful that he's involved with church stuff and not roaming the streets with a bad crowd. But we're not happy with how this church is seemingly taking our son away from us and turning him into a “street preacher.” Should we let him go preach on the streets of Toronto or not?

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Sarah Pulliam Bailey - Online Editor for

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show June 16, 2012

Special Guests

  • John Tesh — Grammy Nominated Recording Artist, Broadcaster
    John Tesh, two-time Grammy nominated, four-time Gold-selling artist and six-time Emmy Award winner has launched a three-fold campaign for the next phase in his musical career - the release of his “John Tesh: Big Band” album, national public television special (and DVD), and 2012 summer U.S. tour. The “John Tesh: Big Band” album will include tunes recorded in-studio of the songs featured on the live public television special. Tesh, whose 25-year career includes nine hit public television specials, a string of #1 radio hits, and his popular nationally syndicated radio show “Intelligence For Your Life” in which he has 14.5 million listeners, will be paying homage with his “Big Band Experience” to jazz, big band and swing music that shaped the world from the early to mid 20th Century. In addition to Tesh’s award-winning daily and weekly syndicated radio show, which airs on more than 350 stations across the U.S., Canada and the U.K., Tesh also has an advertising and marketing company, TeshMedia, which handles clients such as Fortune 500 companies, including General Motors, Home Depot, Macy’s, Kohl’s, Petsmart, Amway and Geico Insurance. Tesh’s book “Intelligence for Your Life: Powerful Lessons for Personal Growth”, has spent time on the New York Times, USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly, Wall Street Journal & Amazon.com best-seller lists. Tesh launched his career in entertainment in 1986 with a 10-year run as anchor on Entertainment Tonight.

  • Kerri Pomarolli — Comedian, Actress, Author
    That's right folks! It's time for our monthly visit with our favorite (and only) Hollywood Correspondent!

  • Douglas Wilson — Author of Father Hunger: Why God Calls Men to Love and Lead Their Families
    19.7 million children in the U.S. are growing up in single-mother homes. Children from fatherless homes are:
    • 5 times more likely to commit suicide
    • 32 times more likely to run away
    • 20 times more likely to have behavioral disorders
    • 9 times more likely to drop out of high school
    • 20 times more likely to end up in prison

    According to Douglas Wilson, “Fatherhood is a God assignment. It’s not some optional add-on extra, but rather is something central, not just to a well-adjusted suburban family with all the white picket fence trimmings, but to all things in heaven and on earth. Fathers really do matter." Douglas Wilson is a senior fellow of theology at New Saint Andrews College. He is the author of numerous books on education, theology, and culture.

Journey

  • Shannan Parker
    Shannan and her husband were members of a Gospel Trio. Her husband, Warren, was tragically killed when a driver hit him as he stood outside their tour bus in January 2006. Shannan has shared her story of grief and survival with us previously on our show. Today, she visits us in studio to share how life has continued in the midst of pain.

God Blogger

  • Joining us today: Samuel Adebiyi
    My name is Sammy and I was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria. Although I didn’t have lions and giraffes in my backyard like most people assume, I did own a pet monkey in high school. Rather than follow God's early call on my life, I decided I would rather be a superhero [true story], but my life took a big turn when my mom, apparently uninspired by my desire to wear tights and save the world, randomly came home with a plane ticket to the US. Within 48 hours, I went from eating potato chips on my couch in Nigeria to standing in New York city with $2000 in cash, an unlikely dream and an accent strong enough to give anyone a migraine. By fall of 1999, I gave up my quest to become a crime fighting machine, because if God is as great as the Bible says he is, then it changes everything. Everything! My goal is to creatively write posts that reflect glimpses of God's glory in ways that are tangible enough to spill out to your everyday life. If you love awe, wonder and stories mixed with humor, then this blog is for you. I hope to put my arm around you and make you laugh while I seriously challenge your views on God and life.

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many:A young man wants to know if it's really necessary for he and his girlfriend to be brought before the church and forced to step down from leading the high school ministry, because they're pregnant.

    My girlfriend and I are both in college and are both volunteer youth leaders at our church. We both come from Christian homes and met at the church we both grew up in. We've been dating for 3 years and planned on getting married right after we graduate. I say planned because, well, we just found out that my girlfriend is expecting. So now we're planning on moving our wedding up to this summer. Obviously our church has found out and because we're youth leaders we've been asked to go in front of the church and confess our sin, apologize, then officially step down from being youth leaders. This is going to be unbelievably embarrassing. I'm not actually sure why they have to do this and I'd like it if someone could explain it to me. We realize that sex before marriage is a sin. We've struggled with staying sexually pure before marriage, but the difference between us and the other single youth leaders is that we got caught. I'm not trying to go against the Bible and say that sex before marriage is right just because everyone does it. I'm just having a hard time with being “punished” by our church. Can someone please explain this to me? Is being brought before our church and shamed really necessary? Is stepping down as youth leaders really necessary?

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Manya Brachear, Religion Reporter at The Chicago Tribune

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show June 9, 2012

Special Guests

  • Fred Thompson — Former Senator, Presidential Candidate, TV (Law & Order) and Film Star
    Just released on DVD, The Genesis Code, explores three major issues facing Christians today. One issue is the alleged conflict between religious and scientific explanations for the beginning of the universe. The film also explores the often ignored story of discrimination against Christians on college campuses. In the film, Kelsey Sanders portrays a talented paleontology student who is pressured to conceal her faith in order to advance in the academic world. Finally, the film deals with end-of-life issues, as Logan Bartholomew’s character fights to prolong the life of his comatose mother when his grandparents attempt to remove her from life support against his wishes and despite the possibility of recovery. This 5 Million dollar production also features Academy Award Winners Ernest Borgnine and Louise Fletcher, as well as former TDMS guest, Catherine Hicks (7th Heaven). Fred's face is just one of those easily recognized, not only from his days on the hit TV show Law & Order, but also from a variety of films like Secretariat (Diane Lane), In The Line Of Fire (Clint Eastwood), Cape Fear (Robert De Niro), Die Hard 2 (Bruce Willis), and The Hunt For Red October (Sean Connery)

  • The Lovelocks — Country Recording Artists
    This hot new Canadian female country duo will perform LIVE in-studio! The Lovelocks (Zoe Neuman & Ali Raney) combine their individual talents on fiddle, mandolin, acoustic guitar and vocals - woven together with soaring harmonies and a desire to create music that gives voice to both the bitter and sweet in life.

  • T.M. Luhrman — Stanford Anthropologist & Author of When God Talks Back: Understanding The American Evangelical Relationship With God
    Experiencing God takes effort - plenty of effort - according to Stanford University anthropologist T.M. Luhrmann, who spent a decade studying how evangelical Christians hear from God. Luhrmann - who conducted hundreds of interviews with evangelicals, joined Bible studies, prayer circles, house groups and attended Vineyard churches in Chicago and California during her decade of research - explains that believers actually perceive reality differently from their non-believing friends. It’s how evangelicals train themselves to see life in spite of their doubts that sets them apart. They use practices like “pattern recognition,” Bible study, "pretend play,” a new “theory of mind,” various forms of prayer and other behaviors that allow evangelicals to understand and interpret the world differently. While Luhrmann doesn’t dismiss evolutionary psychology as a way of helping people understand the tendency to over-interpret signs and symbols, she argues that the conclusion of many evolutionary psychologists—that anyone with training in logic and a good education should be an atheist—is “blinkered.” Luhrmann says evolutionary psychology, “doesn’t explain how God remains real for modern doubters. This takes faith, which is often the outcome of great intellectual struggle.” Luhrmann never whitewashes the real doubts with which believers wrestle, or their attempts to distinguish God’s voice from their own selfish desires. It’s one of the many things that make this book a clear-eyed analysis of evangelical religious practice, and a work that affirms the dignity and sensibleness of religious belief. In the end, Luhrmann explores the distinctive practices that make evangelical Christians a unique people who are able to see and hear an invisible God.

God Blogger

  • Joining us today: J.R. Forasteros
    "I'd always consumed a lot of media: I read a lot of books and watched tons of movies. Now I'm learning to see the traces of redemption woven through the fabric of even the most unlikely stories. I write about all sorts of stories - biblical stories, movies, books, comics - and highlight the truth or engage the ugliness I find in them. We ought to be learning something from every story we hear. We're all ugly sometimes. But we all have the potential to be so beautiful. And that's worth talking about."

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: A young man wants to know if he should confront his pastor after he made his grandmother feel like she's going to Hell because she plays Bingo and buys lottery tickets.

    My pastor preached a message about the evils of betting, gambling, playing the lottery etc. He said that it was a sin to bet money on ANYTHING. He said that anyone from his church who has already made a bet on the upcoming Triple Crown race should cancel their bet and forfeit the money. He said that anyone from his church who has bought lottery tickets should go home and rip them up. I'm just wondering what other people think. Is it a sin to gamble or to bet? Is buying lottery tickets a sin? My grandmother, who has attended this church faithfully for years, was very upset about the pastor's message. Every week, one of the few things that gives her a bit of fun is going to Bingo and buying a lottery ticket. Now she thinks she's going to Hell because of it. I'm just wondering if I should go and talk with the pastor about this, or not. I'm just a young guy so what do I know. What should I do?

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Paul Brandeis Raushenbush - Senior Religion Editor for The Huffington Post

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show June 2, 2012

Special Guests

  • Donné Roberts — Singer Songwriter, Guitarist
    Donné came to wider recognition after he released his first album “Rhythm Was Born” and for his contribution as one of the members of the African Guitar Summit project, which won a JUNO in 2005. Donné was born in Madagascar, raised and educated in Moscow, and now lives in Toronto. In Moscow, he was the first black VJ on MTV Russia. He immerses himself in Egyptian, Nigerian, North American Aboriginal, Japanese, Russian and Celtic music. With friends and collaborators, he makes something entirely original and uniquely Canadian that is imbued with a Donné Roberts sound.

  • Alain de Botton — Author of Religion For Atheists: A Non-Believer's Guide to the Uses of Religion
    Alain de Botton was brought up in a committed atheistic household, and though he was powerfully swayed by his parents' views, he underwent, in his mid-twenties, a crisis of faithlessness. His feelings of doubt about atheism had their origins in listening to Bach's cantatas, were further developed in the presence of certain Bellini Madonnas, and became overwhelming with an introduction to Zen architecture. However, it was not until his father's death -- buried under a Hebrew headstone in a Jewish cemetery because he had intriguingly omitted to make more secular arrangements -- that Alain began to face the full degree of his ambivalence regarding the views of religion that he had dutifully accepted. Why are we presented with the curious choice between either committing to peculiar concepts about immaterial deities or letting go entirely of a host of consoling, subtle and effective rituals and practices for which there is no equivalent in secular society? Why do we bristle at the mention of the word "morality"? Flee from the idea that art should be uplifting, or have an ethical purpose? Why don't we build temples? What mechanisms do we have for expressing gratitude? The challenge that Alain addresses in his book: how to separate ideas and practices from the religious institutions that have laid claim to them. In Religion for Atheists is an argument to free our soul-related needs from the particular influence of religions, even if it is, paradoxically, the study of religion that will allow us to rediscover and re-articulate those needs.

  • Dr. Gary Habermas — Professor of Philosophy, Theologian, "Near Death Experience" Expert
    Dr. Gary Habermas is the author or co-author of over 30 books and 100 articles and reviews in journals and magazines. In the last 16 years he has given over 1500 lectures in about 100 universities, seminaries, and colleges. He holds a PhD in History and Philosophy of Religion from Michigan State University as well as an MA in Philosophical Theology from the University of Detroit. He currently acts as 'Distinguished Research Professor and Chair' in the Department of Philosophy and Theology at Liberty University, where he has taught for the past 30 years. His main areas of research include the philosophical study of miracles, near-death experiences, the historical Jesus, and the historicity of the resurrection of Jesus.

Journey

  • Michelle Gowland
    When she was 10, bullied throughout grade 8, became bitter, rebelled as a teenager with booze and drugs – parties & sex, then eventually turned to chemical drugs. However, while smoking a joint and reading the Bible something changed. As much as she didn't really want the “answer” to be Jesus, Michelle slowly began to surrender to this God who had been chasing her forever. Although she just celebrated 6 years of sobriety, (thanks to www.celebraterecovery.ca) where Michelle's story differs from the typical “I came to Jesus and now my life is peachy” story is that she still has a hard time understanding grace. She still finds it hard to accept that God loves her no matter what. Her mind still goes to dark places. Places she calls “crazy town.”

God Blogger

  • Joining us today: Tim Wolfe
    Tim describes himself as a gay, Pentecostal preacher's kid who gratefully managed to survive coming out of the closet with his faith intact. “Over the years, I've met dozens of other GLBT friends who were less fortunate. This blog is for them--and tens of thousands like them. I pray that something here will encourage all of us to renew or strengthen our commitment to Christ. This starts by looking to Him for acceptance, not those claiming to speak for Him. Instead of waiting for fellow Christians who reject us to become 'gay-friendly,' I hope and believe that we can overcome our issues by becoming 'straight-friendly'--loving them as Jesus told us to do.”

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: A man wants advice on how to help his wife “lighten up” about refusing to go to his sister's bachelorette party because a woman will be selling “sex toys” at it.

    My sister is getting married this summer and her maid of honor is throwing a bachelorette party for her. My wife is a bridesmaid and is of course “required” to be present at this party, but ever since she found out that there will be a woman selling sex toys at it, she is refusing to go. She was raised in a fairly conservative Christian home and really thinks that this sort of party is going to turn into something completely inappropriate. My sister isn't a Christian and neither are any of the other women who will be attending. So I guess I can see my wife's point of view, in that yes, the party may very well contain some R Rated conversation. But I think it would be fantastic for my wife to part of this special night for my sister. Her being there would really help my sister to see that Christians aren't all “protesting prudes”. But my wife really feels that she needs to take a stand and NOT go to the bachelorette party at all. Am I wrong for thinking that my wife needs to lighten up on this? Or should I just back off and let her actions further my family's poor outlook on Christians?

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Ann Rodgers – Religion Reporter with Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show May 26, 2012

Special Guests

  • Brian Houston — International Recording Artist
    Drew's description of Brian: If Ron Sexsmith and Elvis had a baby, then gave it to Bob Dylan to raise but then hired Van Morrison as a nanny, they'd name him Brian Houston!

    Brian's description of Brian: I write songs and make records, I play shows & people come...sometimes they buy records and dvds and then I go to the next town and do it again. People laugh and people cry...don't know why? It seems it touches their souls. More come the next time I play, especially in America and that's nice. I'll play more shows in Ireland, England, America and Canada, anywhere they speak English and can make me out. Life is rich when your songs are on the radio and people love you, I'm grateful for that. Hey, I even got a song on a record with Elvis Presley and Patty Griffin. Life is sweet when you're in the company of legends. I hope to be well known for my music across the world some day - I'm sure it will happen quite unexpectedly, just when I'm not looking. I'm looking forward to that...well, in a "I'm not looking" kinda way. Then I'll own a big fancy studio and have a big house and build a home for battered wives. "Its a good life after all", Justin Townes Earle said that. "I'm a lucky man and getting luckier" (I made that bit up myself). Oh - so you know this is what I'm not ....cool, trendy, shoe gazing, indie rock, diva, big hair, big voice, big assets, available for reality TV, games shows or star making programs. I write great tunes that mean something to real people.

  • Kay Warren — Author of Choose Joy: Because Happiness Isn’t Enough
    Everyone knows how to be joyful in the peaks of life. But what about the valleys? When nothing seems to go your way? When everything is falling apart? When God is silent, and you feel all alone? Where does joy fit into those moments? In Choose Joy, Kay Warren explains the path to experiencing soul-satisfying joy no matter what you’re going through. Joy is deeper than happiness, lasts longer than excitement, and is more satisfying than pleasure and thrills. Joy is richer. Fuller. And it’s far more accessible than you’ve thought. Joy comes from God . . . and it can be yours today! Kay Warren, cofounder of Saddleback Church with her husband, Rick, is an international speaker, best-selling author and Bible teacher who has a passion for inspiring and motivating others to make a difference with their lives. She is best known for her 10 years as a tireless advocate for those living with HIV and AIDS, and the orphaned and vulnerable children left behind. As an advocate, she has traveled to 19 countries, calling the faith community as well as the public and private sectors to respond with prevention, care, treatment and support of people living with the virus.

  • Sean Stephenson — Motivator!
    Expected to die at birth, Sean Stephenson has faced an army of reasons to give up and countless opportunities to embrace pity. He suffered more than 200 bone fractures by age 18, reached a height of only 3 feet, and is permanently confined to a wheelchair. Despite his challenges, he took a stand for a quality of life that has inspired millions of people around the world, including Richard Branson, President Clinton, and his Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. He has appeared in dozens of media outlets including: Oprah, CNN, The Discovery Health Channel, WGN, and CBS News, and in The New York Times. The Biography Channel did an entire feature on Sean called, "3 Foot Giant".

  • Eric Bargerhuff — Author of The Most Misused Verses in the Bible: Surprising Ways God's Word Is Misunderstood
    Are you sure you know what your favorite Bible verses mean?

    "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." --Philippians 4:13

    "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" --Jeremiah 29:11

    "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good." --Romans 8:28

    These and a surprising number of well-known Scripture passages are commonly misused or misunderstood. Even well-intentioned Christians take important verses out of context, and Eric J. Bargerhuff has seen the effects: confusion, poor decisions, and a distorted view of God's Word. In this concise yet thorough book, Bargerhuff helps all of us understand what these verses meant when they were written so we can apply them accurately today. Providing fascinating historical and scriptural insights, he shows how to read God's promises and instructions in context and appreciate even more the Bible's eternal message.

God Blogger

  • Joining us today: Jessica Harris
    Communicating God's grace to a generation of women trapped in sexual sin.

    “My name is Jessica Harris and I am addicted to pornography. I had gotten into this easily enough, why was it so hard to get out? I was exposed to pornography when I was thirteen. I had no intentions of looking for pornography; I was actually online researching a school project. I was looking through videos on an ‘educational video’ website, when the title of one video caught my eye. The preview thumbnail was dark and blurry. I clicked. That 3 minutes 23 seconds is forever etched in my mind. I gave my heart to pornography that day, and it would be years before I would have my heart back. For a while, porn was a hobby. Then it became a habit. Within a year or two of my first exposure, it was an addiction. It had become the most important thing in my life. It had become my identity. I knew it was destroying me, and I couldn’t stop it. I tried to quit on my own. I printed off pictures and lit them on fire. It wasn’t that I didn’t want help. I had no idea where to get it. I looked for help online, but resources out there were for men. My church did not talk about sex. My family did not talk about sex. I did not know who to turn to. Things looked hopeless. I got caught my first year of college and the dean of women said to me, “We know this wasn’t you; women just don’t have this problem.” I gave up.
    I figured there must be something intrinsically wrong with me for me to go against the unspoken “Code of Womanhood” and get involved in pornography. On top of being a porn addict, I felt I must have been bisexual, even though I did not want to be. I gave up on trying to fight, and, at the age of seventeen, began looking into joining the adult industry. I was done playing the game, done pretending like my life was OK. There was no way God could really love somebody like me. He was too late. He had tried to rescue me too late. There was no way I could ever be anything more than the freak I was. So when a man asked me for pictures, I sent them. I owned my sin and gave up on freedom. I had made my choices, and this was the only road left for me, whether I liked it or not. A year later, one sentence alone opened the door for freedom. At a new college, the Dean of Women stood in front of the entire female student body and said, “We know some of you struggle with pornography and masturbation, and we want to help you...”


Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: A guy wants to know if it's okay to try and steal another guy's girlfriend in order to get her out of an abusive relationship, even though he's not really interested in continuing the relationship with the girl.

    I have a life long friend who I've watched absolutely tank her life in the last year and I can't take it anymore. She hooked up with a guy who treats her like a piece of garbage. She's completely head over heals in love with this dirtbag. I have tried to stay out of it for a long time, but I found out that he's been smacking her around and now I just have to do something to break them up. I've tried talking to her. I've tried getting a bunch of people who love her to talk to her. I've prayed for her. I've tried ignoring it. The other day I came up with something that I know is sorta wrong, but it's all I can think of to literally save my friend's life. I know that she has had a crush on me for years and I'm thinking that if I kinda let her know that I'm interested in being with her, I know that she'll break it off with this d-bag and start dating me. The only problem is that I don't really want to be more than just friends and know that after a certain amount of time – after this guy is long gone and out of her life forever – that I'll end our relationship. I mean I really do love her and it's not like it would be an awful thing for us to date for like a year. But I also know that it feels a bit weird deceiving her like this. I just don't want her to keep getting beat up by this guy. She'll never call the cops on him. I'm legit scared that one day we'll find out that she's dead. I can't think of any other way to help her – to save her. I'm open to suggestions. But I'm pretty sure this is the only way to help my friend.

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Bob Smietana – Religion Reporter for The Tennessean

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show May 19, 2012

Special Guests

  • Michael Coren — Broadcaster, Columnist , Author of HERESY: Ten Lies They Spread About Christianity
    Bestselling author Michael Coren explodes popular myths about the history, beliefs, and culture of Christianity. Michael Coren explores why and how Christians and Christian ideas are caricatured in popular media as well as in sophisticated society. He takes on, and debunks, ten great myths about Christianity: that it supports slavery, is racist, sexist, homophobic, anti-intellectual, anti-Semitic, provokes war, resists progress, and is repressive and irrelevant. In a climate that is increasingly as ignorant of Christianity as it is good at condemning it, Coren gives historical background, provides examples of how these attacks are made, and explains the reality of the Christian response, outlining authentic Christian beliefs. Michael is the bestselling author of twelve books, including biographies of G.K. Chesterton, H.G. Wells, Arthur Conan Doyle, J.R.R. Tolkien, and C.S. Lewis. He is the host of the talk show "The Arena" on the SUN News Network. He also hosts a daily radio show and writes a syndicated column for ten daily newspapers. His most recent book, Why Catholics Are Right, was a national bestseller.
    Listen to Michael's previous interview. Click Here!

  • Bernie Finkelstein — Canadian Recording Industry Legend, Author of True North: A Life in the Music Business
    One of the all-time greats in Canadian music recounts his life and times in the business from the 1960s to the present. Whether acting as a producer, record label owner, or manager of great singer/songwriters and bands, Bernie Finkelstein, recipient of the 2006 Juno Special Achievement Award, has played a pivotal role in bringing great Canadian music to the rest of the world. Bernie has been a prominent figure in the Canadian music industry for nearly five decades. Now, a couple years after selling his beloved True North label (now Canada's oldest and longest running indie record label) and only recently stepping down from his role at MuchFACT, which has given out more than $63 million in grants to Grammy-winning acts like Sarah McLachlan, Nelly Furtado and Arcade Fire, Bernie is finally ready to talk. In his wildly entertaining and outspoken memoir, the producer, label owner, and artist manager opens up about his childhood, breaking into the Greenwich Village scene with The Paupers at age 19, discovering & managing Bruce Cockburn, producing the "loudest band in the world," Kensington Market, managing and producing Murray McLauchlan, Blackie & The Rodeo Kings, and Rough Trade, winning 40 Junos, and much more.

  • Kasey VanNorman — Author of Named By God: Overcoming your past, transforming your present, embracing your future!
    Kasey is up front about the permanent ink cut into her flesh – an intricate black cuff that wraps all the way around her wrist. “My tattoo says, ‘Redeemed,’ and that’s not something I chose lightly. I simply couldn’t think of a more appropriate and powerful word to look at on a daily basis. It is the one common denominator of my life that I need to be reminded of most often – that I have been redeemed by God, despite my sin or future failings.” Her history is anything but pretty, marked by the insecurity of a broken home, a horrifying date rape in her teens, and addictions to sex, eating disorders, and self-injury. In her memoir, Named by God, Kasey shares her remarkable story of personal transformation. “For us to truly experience a life worth living,” she writes, “we must take responsibility, not for what has been done to us, but for our reactions.…As long as I focused on what had been done to me, I could never see clearly enough to discover what God wanted to do within me: forgiveness, love, healing, redemption, and restoration of a life he still intends to make part of his masterpiece. With God’s help, we can overcome our past, transform our present, and embrace our future.” Kasey is a certified counselor with a masters degree in community counseling. She holds undergraduate degrees in both psychology and speech communication, and is currently earning a masters of religion in Biblical studies from Liberty University.

Journey

  • Peter Gladwin
    At 10 mths old Peter sustained burns to 75% of his body after the family home caught fire as a result of his mother's carelessness. Both of his feet and part of his left hand had to be amputated. Peter spent the majority of his formative years in and out of hospital having to endure numerous reconstructive surgeries. Subsequently he didn't start school until he was seven years old and when he did, the constant torment by the other kids was unbearable. However, not as unbearable as his home life. The anger – the fighting – the drunkenness was terrifying. “My mum felt guilty about my burns and expressed that by hitting me a lot. She barely looked at me. My dad spent time in prison. My siblings and I couldn’t look after ourselves so sometimes we lived in care homes.” From his teen years on, Peter's life consisted of drugs, crime, booze, gambling, prostitutes – all just ways to numb the pain of his past. Then, as if enough hadn't already happened in Peter's life, during a fight with boys from a rival neighborhood, Peter was beaten and stabbed so badly that he lost the use of his right arm. Then as a result of another altercation, he was intentionally run over by a Taxi driver and as a result of those injuries, should have died... again! Finally, after getting the news that his father had killed himself, Peter figured it was time for him to do the same thing. Lost, hooked on drugs, gambling, booze, unable to keep a job or a relationship, his life ruined, he planned to throw himself off a local bridge. “But then I spotted a light on in my mum’s flat, which was across the road. I thought that before I killed myself, I’d go and have a cup of tea with mum.” That cup of tea would change his life forever.

God Blogger

  • Joining us today: Greg West
    ThePoached Egg Christian Worldview and Apologetics Journal is a website founded and edited by Greg West. Greg is passionately committed to the cause of Christian apologetics; providing an adequate and reasonable defense of the Christian faith. The Poached Egg is a large and continually expanding virtual library of articles and essays compiled from all over the World Wide Web. Noted apologists, biblical scholars, philosophers, scientists, historians, students, and laymen all come together under this one site.

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: A mother's daughter is expecting her first child, but they just found out that the baby will be born severely disabled and IF it lives, it won't live very long and will suffer a great deal while it's alive. The doctors have suggested that an abortion would be the most humane thing to do but the soon to be grandmother, up until this point, has always felt that abortion is wrong no matter what. However, her daughter isn't sure what to do and is looking to her mom for advice. What should she tell her?

    In my life I never thought I would be forced to work out something so “grey”. My daughter is expecting her first child, my first grandchild, and our family is just thrilled. However, we just recently found out that her baby is in serious trouble. In short, the doctors have told us that the baby will be born severely disabled and the chances of it living past it's first birthday are almost zero. They also told us that even if it lives that it's life will be one filled with pain. The doctor has told my daughter that they are recommending an abortion. We have raised our family with the understanding that life begins at conception not birth, therefore abortion is murder. Up until now, this issue has been fairly black and white. However, my daughter is absolutely torn with this decision she is being asked to make. She is begging me to almost make the decision for her. For the first time in my life I find myself completely frozen by an inability to make a decision. This situation is so totally unfair! What does God expect of us? What should my daughter do? Trust that God will heal her baby and restore his body? Or use the cognitive reasoning abilities He has given us and have mercy on this child? What would your listeners do if they were in this situation? Any advice would be much appreciated. !)

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Terry Mattingly- Terry writes the nationally syndicated “On Religion” column for the Scripps Howard News Service in Washington, D.C., and is director of the Washington Journalism Center at the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities.

  • Useless Television Trivia!
    It’s a crowd favourite, people! We’ll play the soundtrack from an old television show and if you’re the first caller to guess which TV show it’s from - YOU WIN ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show May 12, 2012

MOTHER'S DAY SPECIAL

Special Guests

  • Jenna Lucado Bishop — Author of From Blah To Awe: Shaking Up a Boring Faith
    Author of best-selling teen book Redefining Beautiful, Jenna Lucado Bishop shares an exciting new message for girls in her new book, From Blah To Awe: Shaking Up a Boring Faith. With personal testimony and stories from other teens, Jenna shows girls that a relationship with God is not boring and blah-filled, but an incredible adventure. Jenna uses a conversational style in which teens are able to relate and as they read the book, they'll have multiple opportunities in each chapter to reflect on their own experiences and to discover that they actually play a very active role in God’s amazing story for their lives. Daughter of best-selling author Max Lucado, Jenna Lucado Bishop has realized that she has a passion for writing and speaking just like her dad. She is currently a part of the Revolve Tour, an inspirational event for teen girls.

  • Kerri Pomarolli — Comedian, Actress, Author
    That's right folks! It's time for our monthly visit with our favorite (and only) Hollywood Correspondent!

  • Tim Beattie — Finger-style Guitar Sensation
    We were told about a young guy who was a bit of a phenom on guitar, but who's never been interviewed or had the chance to perform on the radio yet! So knowing that this would be such a cool Mother's Day gift for his mom... we thought she should bring her son, Tim Beattie, on our show and let him show off! Happy Mother's Day Mrs. Beattie!
    to watch Tim on YouTube.

Journey

  • Jana Jackson
    A few weeks ago, Oprah taped one of her Lifeclass specials here in Toronto and broadcast from Canada for the first time ever. However for Drew, out of all of the lessons her Lifeclass teachers taught (Iyanla Vanzant, Tony Robbins, Bishop T.D. Jakes and Deepak Chopra) the teacher who stood out the most, was the woman they flew in to meet her Twitter pal, TD Jakes. Turns out that Jana Jackson has been inspiring and encouraging Bishop Jakes over Twitter for a while now, simply as a result of her ability to see life from a different perspective. Jana is blind.
    CLICK HERE to see some behind the scenes footage of Jana, Bishop Jakes & Oprah.

God Blogger

  • Ann Voscamp
    Ann joined us last year for our Mother's Day Special, but all she really did was read one of her blog posts about her somewhat unexplainable relationship with her own mother. Since then we've found out that Ann's blog and books have really taken off! Even Drew's friend Kathie Lee Gifford talked about one of Ann's books being one of her most favorite things! Not bad for a homeschooling mother of six who married a farmer!

  • Sheila Wray Gregoire
    Sheila Wray Gregoire is a syndicated parenting columnist and a popular speaker. The author of five books, including The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex, Sheila loves encouraging women to forget about the dust bunnies under their beds and focus on their marriages and what goes on IN the bed! She also has a passion for family, and together with her husband Keith speaks at Family Life marriage conferences around the nation. A few topics Sheila covers would be: Finding God After Pornography / Sex Shouldn’t Need Batteries / Help! My Husband Hates Kissing! / You Know You’re Middle Aged When… / Wifey Wednesday: Why Kindles Can Wreck Your Marriage / My 7 Pet Peeves about Worship Music in Church / My Husband Stays Up So Much Later than I do

  • Kristen Welch
    Kristen's blog is about family life and asks the question, "Are we normal?" The answer is, "Yes, you are more normal than you think." Some good clean fun, kind of like "The Family Circus" comic strip only with more trips to the emergency room. Here's a few things Kristen talks about: How to Really Love Yourself / Moms: You are Not Alone / Raising Kids with a Global Perspective / Finding God in the Storm / Making Your Marriage Rock / When Jesus Isn’t Enough / A Mom’s Guide to Changing the World

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many:A mother wants to know if it's okay for her to go through her rebellious teenage daughter's Facebook account and diary?

    I'm a single mother of three and my 14 year old daughter has given me more trouble than any of my children. I don't want to provide too many details for fear someone might figure out who we are, but at this point, let's just say I honestly fear for her safety. I wouldn't be surprised if she ends up pregnant or getting hooked on booze or drugs... that's how bad it is. I'm completely exhausted and do not have time for some kind of brilliant strategy that comes from some Christian parenting book. I know she's hiding stuff from me – dangerous stuff – and I need to know about these things in order to develop a strategy of some kind. So I'm now considering going into her Facebook account (a friend told me there's a way to break in without her knowing) and going through her room to find her diary. I was having lunch with a few girlfriends last week and they couldn't believe I was going to invade my daughter's privacy like that. They pretty much told me that there's no way I should ever risk breaking her trust by going behind her back and snooping through her private life. I told them that at this point, my 14 year old daughter's privacy takes a back seat to her safety. What should I do? Am I wrong to do this? Have any other mother's done anything like this before? How did it turn out for you?

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Kevin Eckstrom - Editor-in-Chief of Religion News Service

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show May 5, 2012

Special Guests

  • Eugenio Derbez — Latin Star of Film & Television
    Eugenio Derbez is unquestionably, one of Latin America's best-known actors and certainly one of the most recognized actors among the Spanish-speaking population in the United States. He stars in an inspiring film out in theatres now - “Girl In Progress” - the heart-warming, coming of age family drama starring Eva Mendes (The Other Guys, Hitch, Training Day), Cierra Ramirez, Matthew Modine (The Dark Knight Rises), Patricia Arquette (A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III; Medium) and Eugenio Derbez (Under the Same Moon, Rob!). This inspiring film reminds us to enjoy life in the moment, cherish our families, love our neighbours, respect ourselves and not take for granted what is right in front of you. Girl in Progress tells the story of Grace (Eva Mendes), a single mom who is too busy juggling work, bills and relationships, to give her daughter, Ansiedad (Cierra Ramirez) the attention she desperately needs. When Ansiedad's English teacher, Ms. Armstrong (Patricia Arquette), introduces her students to classic coming-of-age stories, Ansiedad is inspired to skip adolescence and jump-start her life without mom. While Grace becomes preoccupied with the increasing affections of her co-worker (Eugenio Derbez), Ansiedad enlists the help of her loyal friend, Tavita (Disney star Raini Rodriguez), to plot her shortcut to "adulthood.” But as her misguided plan unravels, Ansiedad and Grace must learn that sometimes growing-up means acting your age
    www.girlinprogressmovie.com

  • Mark Buchanan — Author of Your Church Is Too Safe
    If you find church boring or you believe something is missing from our churches today, you aren’t alone. Your Church is Too Safe is a biblical reflection and roadmap to making the earthly church more like the heavenly kingdom it's called to represent. Part celebration and part manifesto, this pull-no-punches book by award winning author Mark Buchanan is a plea for churches to return to their roots: to be both good news and bad news, an aroma and a stench: a healing, liberating power to those who seek the Kingdom of God and a disruptive force to whoever or whatever opposes it. Mark's other books include: Your God Is Too Safe, Things Unseen, The Holy Wild, The Rest of God, Hidden in Plain Sight, and Spiritual Rhythm.

  • Nicole Unice — Author of She's Got Issues: Seriously Good News for Stressed-out, Secretly Scared Control Freaks Like Us
    We’ve all got our issues! Maybe you feel like life just isn’t going your way, or you’re afraid that you don’t measure up to other people’s expectations. Perhaps you have a hard time managing your temper or have someone in your life you just can’t forgive. We deal with our “issues” every day in one form or another; the problem is, after a while, they start to feel . . . normal. Unchanging. Just part of who we are. And we forget that we have access to a power that can transform our everyday weaknesses into our greatest strengths and gifts. Nicole Unice is a fresh voice for the next generation. Part bible teacher, part community organizer, part busy mom – Nicole has the uncanny ability to relate to people in all ages and stages of life with her “keeping it real” approach to ordering a life around God’s word. As if her caffeine addiction wasn’t enough, Nicole has endless energy for digging deeply into Scripture and sharing truths that are both insightful and practical. Nicole received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from the College of William and Mary and her master’s degree in Christian Counselling from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. She’s Got Issues is Nicole’s first book, releasing in May from Tyndale House Publishers.

  • Les Kotzer — Wills & Estates Lawyer, Author
    Les has been a Wills & Estates lawyer since 1989 and focuses his practice on avoiding and resolving inheritance disputes. His books, provide insight and strategies to help you avoid disputes using plain language. Money and death can do strange things to families. Les has been a regular guest on TV and radio across North America including CNN, Fox & Friends and many others.


God Blogger

  • Joining us today: Father James Martin
    The Rev. James Martin, S.J. (A.K.A. The Colbert Report Chaplain) is a Jesuit priest, the culture editor of America magazine and author of numerous books, including The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything. He is also the author of My Life with the Saints, which Publishers Weekly named one of the Best Books of 2006. Father Martin is a frequent commentator in the national and international media, and has appeared in such diverse venues as NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross, Fox TV’s The O’Reilly Factor, PBS’s The Newshour with Jim Lehrer, Comedy Central’sThe Colbert Report, as well as in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Wall Street Journal, the History Channel, BBC and Vatican Radio.

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many:A couple who heard about a pastor telling fathers to literally beat any “effeminate” mannerisms out of their sons in order to stop them from growing up gay, are now arguing about what they should do with their OWN effeminate son.

    My husband and I were discussing the things a pastor said recently during a sermon. Here is the transcript:
    "So your little son starts to act a little girlish when he is four years old and instead of squashing that like a cockroach and saying, 'Man up, son, get that dress off you and get outside and dig a ditch, because that is what boys do,' you get out the camera and you start taking pictures of Johnny acting like a female and then you upload it to YouTube and everybody laughs about it and the next thing you know, this dude, this kid is acting out childhood fantasies that should have been squashed. Dads, the second you see your son dropping the limp wrist, you walk over there and crack that wrist. Man up. Give him a good punch. Ok? You are not going to act like that. You were made by God to be a male and you are going to be a male. And when your daughter starts acting too butch, you reign [sic] her in. And you say, 'Oh, no, sweetheart. You can play sports. Play them to the glory of God. But sometimes you are going to act like a girl and walk like a girl and talk like a girl and smell like a girl and that means you are going to be beautiful. You are going to be attractive. You are going to dress yourself up.'"
    The reason this interests us is because we have a son who my husband feels is “too effeminate” and while he doesn't agree with actually hitting our son in order to help him “man up” my husband does agree with this pastor and thinks that we should chastise and correct him when he's acting too “girly”. He thinks I mollycoddle him too much and that's one of the reasons he's not as manly as my husband thinks he should be. Just wondering if you're listeners have any advice for us? Is there anything wrong with having a son who is effeminate? Should we be helping him to be more of a man? Should I allow my husband to start making our son into more of a man?

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Abe Levy – Religion Reporter for The San Antonio Express-News

  • The Eyes of March
    Marcella Cross is my friend. We met when I first interviewed her in April of 2006. Back then she was a young woman in her twenties, struggling with MS. Today she's trapped in her bed, her heart broken with the frustration of a body unable to function. I went to visit her recently and noticed beside her bed was a stack of books. Her book! A book of poems she had written. Poems about her journey – the battle she's had to Endure. Some of the poems are beautifully inspirational, some are brutally honest, but all have come from a woman who desperately loves God, despite the fact that He hasn't healed her. The problem however, is that her books – ENDURED – are just sitting beside her bed! So I stole 20 and told March that I would sell them on my show. If you've ever wondered what the heart-cries of a young woman who, loves God, but has had to Endure a life inside a body slowly shutting down, sound like...

    Please send $20 ($25 if you live outside of Canada) and a return address to:

    ENDURED
    c/o The Drew Marshall Show
    284 Church St.
    Oakville, Ontario
    CANADA
    L6J 7N2


    Please make cheques payable to Marcella Cross

    *Every dime will go directly to Marcella Cross - to do with as she wants!


    Drew had Marcella back on the show last year to catch up and find out how things were going. Click here to listen

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show April 28, 2012

Special Guests

  • Sultans of String — International Recording Artists - PERFORMING LIVE IN STUDIO!
    From their debut CD, "Luna", and 2nd offering, "Yalla Yalla", both hitting #1 on world/international music charts in Canada, to their triple 2009 CFMA nomination winning Instrumental Group of the Year, these JUNO nominated gems are back on our show and performing LIVE. *Sultans of String will be performing on Thursday May 3rd @ 8:00 PM at the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts.
    www.sultansofstring.com

  • Bill Blaney — CEO & Executive Director of Global Aid Network (GAiN) Canada
    According to sources, climate scientists predict that the drought in southern Ethiopia is not over. Due to the severity of the situation, people continue to struggle and many are getting sick with dysentery because of the lack of clean drinking water. After six months of Global Aid Network providing monthly food rations to 2,500 Borana in southern Ethiopia, GAiN still needs your help. Having just returned from Ethiopia, Bill Blaney will share a first-hand account of the situation, provide an update on GAiN’s relief work among this group of people, and discuss how you can come alongside what GAiN is doing.

  • Richard Platt — Author of As One Devil to Another
    C. S. Lewis’s biographer and foremost Lewis authority Walter Hooper calls this book“a stunning achievement, the finest example of the genre of diabolical correspondence to appear since this genre was popularized by C. S. Lewis.” Enter into this chilling and diabolical tale, one that reveals the very tricks and strategies of Hell. Through a series of letters between devils created by Platt, senior devil Slashreap trains his young protégé, Scardagger, to win an individual soul away from Heaven and into their clutches. As the devils plot their way to triumph, they reveal the spiritual dangers and risks we face in today’s society. Their frighteningly accurate perspective on issues such as contemporary technology and sexual mores is interwoven with timeless matters like the power of prayer, the purpose of suffering, and the promises held out by Heaven . . . and Hell. Destined to become a modern classic, As One Devil to Another is a deeply unsettling perspective on twenty-first-century society . . . a glimpse of ourselves through the eyes of those who have embraced their under-worldly existence.

Journey

  • Dan Matwey – Recovering Alcoholic, Author of First I Got Sober, Then I Got Fired
    From teenage years to the age of 42, Dan was a full blown alcoholic. Knowing where this battle came from is hard to pin point – a broken family, his father and grandfather were alcoholics, both his brother and sister developed schizophrenia, he was involved in a motorcycle accident in which the passenger was killed. Dan entered a rehabilitation facility because he had a court case coming up for an impaired driving charge and his marriage was in shambles. Knowing how he began actually winning this battle, is even harder. His was not a “I came to Jesus and got sober” story. It was more of a hindsight awareness that God had begun to remove his addiction, so in return, he began to surrender his life to God. At some point, all Dan knew was that the God of his Catholic upbringing had something to do with the beginnings of a turnaround. However, he soon discovered that along with his newly found sobriety, also came an awakening. He got fired from his “meaningless” job (which he was able to do for the last 12 years because he drank) because the job became... meaningless. He continued to battle in life, not with alcoholism, but with being an employee. The repercussions of being sober and surrendered to God for the first time in 42 years, meant that life now had meaning and purpose and passion. Dan was now a horrible employee because he had a higher degree of integrity. Now, he wouldn't do the “unscrupulous” things his bosses wanted him to do. First he got sober, then he got fired!

God Blogger

  • Joining us today: Dilshad D. Ali
    Dilshad joined Patheos.com as Managing Editor of the Muslim Portal in May 2011, where she also serves as editor-in-chief of altmuslim at Patheos and writes the "Muslimah Next Door" blog. She has covered Muslims and Islam in America for more than 10 years for a variety of media outlets, and was one of the first Muslim-American journalists on site to cover the tragic events of 9/11. In her blog, Ms. Ali writes about about the challenges of parenting her eldest autistic son and two younger children, touching upon faith and parenting struggles. She is a first-generation Muslim-American who makes her home in Virginia with her family.

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: A woman has just found out that her fiance believes that spanking is appropriate discipline for their future children and she vehemently disagrees. Now she's wondering if this is a big enough issue to call off the wedding.

    I'll keep this short and to the point. My fiance and I have been engaged for about two years and the wedding is coming up this summer. During our pre-marriage counselling I discovered that my fiance believes in “corporal punishment” and that when we have children, he wants to use spanking as a corrective tool. I, however, absolutely disagree with hitting children, for any reason! After our counselling session with our pastor, we actually fought about this on the drive home. It's been a few weeks now and I just can't seem to get past this issue between us. I think that this might be a big enough reason to call off our wedding. I don't want the father of my children hitting them – PERIOD! I've been told I'm over-reacting and that things might change with one of us before we actually have kids. Well I know I won't be changing my point of view. And from everything I've seen and heard from my fiance, he won’t be changing his mind on this either. So I guess the question is, is this a big enough issue to call off the wedding? I'm so angry that something like this is about to break us up!!

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Peggy Fletcher Stack - Senior Religion Writer for The Salt Lake Tribune

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show April 21, 2012

Special Guests

  • Michael Damian — Soap Opera Star, Screenwriter, Director, Recording Artist
    From 18 years on the hit television show Young & The Restless and a recurring role for two seasons on NBC's The Facts of Life to landing the starring role in the Broadway production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Michael's career never seems to slow down. He's also had a number of top 40 hits including his #1 single Rock On, which earned him his first Gold Record. Michael's latest movie, "Flicka: Country Pride" is due for release on Blu Ray & DVD on May 1st and is currently available for pre-order exclusively at Walmart.com. The movie, which was directed by Michael, stars country music superstar Clint Black (Flicka 2), Lisa Hartman Black ("Knots Landing") and Kacey Rohl ("The Killing").

  • Jacob Moon — Recording Artist
    One of our favourite performers is back in studio to perform LIVE. Jacob will also be performing LIVE Saturday, April 21st - 8:30 PM at The Oakville Centre For The Performing Arts. Stylistically Jacob’s music fits into the roots category, with some eclectic twists. He has an incredible command of the guitar (often sounding like an entire orchestra), and his skill as a ‘live looper‘ is in a league of his own. His YouTube music videos gained attention on a national level when rock legends Rush asked Jacob to perform at the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala. Geddy, Neil and Alex insisted that Jacob be there to play Subdivisions, which he performed on a Hamilton rooftop in his 2008 video (now at 200,000 hits). His performance was immediately followed by the biggest response of the evening – a standing ovation.

  • Alysha Brillinger — Recording Artist
    Alysha Brillinger is a dynamic singer and songwriter. Her jazz and pop influences create a rich story in her music. This half Tanzanian / half Canadian beauty plays a number of instruments and performs on both guitar and piano. Alysha's music is organic and harkens back to a time when a memorable melody and clever lyric were what made music so rich. When not touring, she can be heard fronting “The Brilltones” at Toronto’s Premiere Jazz/Blues/Boogie Woogie venue, The Reservoir Lounge, every Thursday night. Also a resident on the airwaves of Showcase’s “King” television show, Brillinger is the the featured vocalist and her voice and songs are on every episode. Winner of the 2011 Leading Edge Arts Award, Alysha is releasing her first full length record THIS MONTH on her own record label, Sunny Jam Records. Drew accidentally discovered this unbelievable talent and basically, just wanted her to come on the show and perform LIVE!

  • Dawn Eden — Author of My Peace I Give You: Healing Sexual Wounds with the Help of the Saints
    Dawn Eden, who also wrote The Thrill of the Chaste, shows how the lives of the saints have given her hope and aided her journey of spiritual healing after childhood sexual abuse. One in four American women and one in six American men report having been sexually abused during childhood and My Peace I Give You: Healing Sexual Wounds with the Help of the Saintsprovides a much-needed resource for spiritual healing from the isolating effects of these wounds. Dawn uses her own story as a backdrop to introduce numerous holy people— like Laura Vicuña, Thomas Aquinas and Bernard of Clairvaux—who suffered sexual abuse or sexual inappropriateness, as well as saints such as Ignatius of Loyola who suffered other forms of mistreatment and abandonment. Readers seeking wholeness will discover saints with wounds like their own, whose stories bear witness to the transforming power of grace. Eden explores different dimensions of divine love—sheltering, compassionate, purifying, etc.—to help those sexually wounded in childhood understand their identity in the abiding love of Christ.
    www.dawneden.blogspot.com

God Blogger

  • Joining us today: Lisa Whittle
    Lisa is also the author of (W)hole: An honest look at the holes in your life – and how to let God fill them. How to get past whatever’s holding you back—and start living a whole new story. We all have holes in our lives—those things we lament about ourselves. Those things we allow to define us in ways we don’t like. Those things that keep us from living the life God wants for us. But what if you discovered that the holes in your life are really the things that will ultimately make you . . . well, whole? Lisa Whittle knows this all too well. When her world was rocked to the core in a very public way, her faith and whole reason for living were challenged like never before. In that moment, Lisa was confronted by the holes in her spiritual life. In (W)hole, Lisa calls you to take an honest look at your holes, discover how to fill them with God’s presence, and get to a real and vibrant place of wholeness instead. In her trademark bold, compassionate, and relatable voice, Lisa takes you on a transformational journey of understanding who you really are . . . and what you were born to be and do.

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many:Actually... last week we discussed the story of a man who has been battling addiction for most of his life and keeps falling back into it. He wanted to know if anyone has any advice he hasn't already heard – like just pray more, read your Bible more, obey God more and just STOP IT! Those haven't worked for him. This week, we think this discussion needs to continue. Mainly because we ran out of time last week but also... if Christians are supposed to be “different” then isn't “overcoming sin/temptation” one of the biggest ways to prove that God exists and that Jesus is who He said He was? And, if someone hasn't been able to overcome an addictive sin pattern in their life, can they really be a Christian?

    Last Week's Counsel Of Many - " I've been a Christian pretty much my entire life. I grew up in a Christian family, went to a Christian camp, went to a Christian school, and have attended church faithfully for decades. Also during most of my life I have struggled with an addiction. I really don't want to be specific about the addiction because I don't want the specifics about the addiction to take away from my question. (Usually people get more hung up on the addiction rather than just helping me with practical advice) Suffice it to say that I have tried every addiction beating method out there – both spiritual and practical – to no avail. Here I am now a middle aged man, still a Christian, still supposedly living a life victorious over sin, and yet still in bondage. I am completely broken by this, again, and find myself, again, reaching out for advice. Has anyone else found victory – 100% pure victory – over an addiction? Not victory over a sin, but victory over a long term addiction? Because I'm at the point now where I don't believe it's possible. I just keep falling back into my addiction time and time and time again. And all I usually get from well meaning but obviously delusional Christians is 'Just keep praying, God will show up.' 'Just bury yourself in The Word and God will break your chains.' 'Just obey and God will honour that.' THOSE DON'T WORK – at least not for me. Any other suggestions?"

  • Should exorcisms be banned in Canada?
    In response to a recent claim of demonic possession in Saskatoon, the Centre for Inquiry (CFI) - a national science advocacy organization - has called for a prohibition on exorcism. Apparently, Saskatoon Catholic Bishop Don Bolen has called for the need of a trained exorcist in their diocese after one of their priests came across a “possessed” man who had carved the word HELL into his chest and was talking in an evil voice. Joining us to discuss this situation is Justin Trottier from the Centre for Inquiry Canada and Matt Baglio, author of THE RITE: The Making Of A Modern Day Exorcist (The book on which the movie of the same name, starring Anthony Hopkins, was based upon)
    www.cficanada.ca

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Sarah Pulliam Bailey - Online Editor for

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show April 14, 2012

Special Guests

  • Bruce Cockburn — Juno Award Winning Recording Artist, Poet, Prophet
    On the heels of his 12th Juno Award (Best Roots and Traditional Album, "Small Source of Comfort"), VisionTV presents Pacing the Cage, an intimate look at the legendary Canadian songwriter and activist on Friday, May 4, 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT. In 2008, Canadian music icon Bruce Cockburn set out on tour to make a live solo album, “Slice 'o' Life". Cameras followed the man whose legacy includes songs like Wondering Where the Lions Are, If I Had a Rocket Launcher, and If A Tree Falls, as he performed to sold-out crowds in benefit concerts across North America. The filmmakers also followed Bruce to his home for candid conversations about his views on topics from religion to new parenthood. “If I try to understand what it means to be a Christian, I look at the two instructions that were given in the Bible that are paramount, and those are to love God with all your heart and mind, and to love your neighbour as yourself. That's it.” Pacing the Cage sheds new light on Bruce’s spirituality, and his thoughts on activism, politics, writing, and his life in the music industry. An Officer of the Order of Canada and Canadian Music Hall of Famer, Bruce Cockburn’s important lyrics and strong melodies have graced 31 albums. He is a Christian, but his spirituality is universal. For over 40 years, he has brought Canada’s attention to causes around the world. He was the recipient of the first ever Humanitarian Juno Award and continues to make music that matters.
    www.visiontv.ca

  • Damian O'Hara — Director of Allen Carr North America, Atheist, Really Nice Brit!
    A few weeks ago, Damian and Drew met while doing the www.humbleandfred.comshow. Humble & Fred thought it would be fun to have an atheist and a God guy go toe to toe. The problem is that Damian & Drew became fast friends. Drew of course, then asked Damian to come on his show and explain his journey into atheism. As well, Damian will also share the Allen Carr method of quitting smoking. Apparently it's worked for Lou Reed, Ellen deGeneres, Ashton Kutcher, Sir Anthony Hopkins, David Blaine and Sir Richard Branson. (You see, even atheists can teach us stuff! 🙂

  • David Mainse – Founder of Crossroads Television System (CTS) & 100 Huntley Street
    Rev. David Mainse founded Crossroads 50 years ago and in 1977 launched Canada’s longest running daily television show, 100 Huntley Street, which is still produced by Crossroads. Crossroads is celebrating its 50th Anniversary on June 2nd, 2012 and part of the celebration includes a special week of programming on 100 Huntley Street called “Founder’s Week,” which David plans to host. Over the past two years, David has crossed the country holding nightly meetings, thanking people for their prayers and support of Crossroads and encouraging many more to continue to support the on-going and new vision of the organization. Sadly, David was recently diagnosed with a blood condition called myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), also referred to as pre-leukemia. Now 75, David is facing this new health challenge with hope and optimism that an upcoming treatment plan will make him much stronger. He began his oncologist-recommended treatment on April 10th.

  • Matt Mikalatos — Author of My Imaginary Jesus
    Matt Mikalatos liked Jesus a lot. In fact, he couldn’t believe how much they had in common. They shared the same likes, dislikes, beliefs, and opinions. (Though Jesus did have better hair.) So imagine Matt’s astonishment when he finds out that the guy he knows as Jesus . . . isn’t. He’s an Imaginary Jesus: a comfortable, convenient imitation Matt has created in his own image. The real Jesus is still out there somewhere . . . and Matt is determined to find him. In this hilarious, fast-paced, sort-of-true story hailed as “Monty Python meets C. S. Lewis,” Matt embarks on an incredible chase to find the real Jesus and ask him the one question that his Imaginary Jesus has never been able to answer. It’s a wild spiritual adventure like nothing you’ve ever read before . . . and it might bring you face-to-face with an imposter in your own life. (Previously published as Imaginary Jesus, this new edition now contains a discussion guide, an interview with the author, and other bonus features.)
    www.mikalatos.com

  • Chantal Desloges — Immigration Lawyer
    Everyone’s favourite immigration lawyer is back! Chantal Desloges is not only a specialist in both immigration and refugee law and has helped thousands of people from all over the world to obtain legal status and make Canada their home – but she's also a hero to many! Many who have desperately needed her expertise in escaping horrific persecution in their homeland. Her firm advocates on behalf of international clients located in every corner of the world, as well as local clients who are already inside Canada and seeking to regularize their status. Chantal will share with us details about her latest rescue operations and will also provide expert immigration and refugee advice for those wanting to make Canada their home.
    www.chantaldesloges.ca

God Blogger

  • Joining us today:Jon Acuff
    Does the stuff we like ever get in the way of our relationship with the God we love? That’s the question Stuff Christians Like is all about. It’s also about booty! God booty. And surviving church as a single adult. And knowing how metrosexual your worship leader is. And how serious a serious Wednesday can be. And hilarious/insightful comments from readers around the world. And how laughter is a gift from God and when we refuse to accept it, it makes Him want to take it back. Like the unicorns. Stuff Christians Like is a blog about the funny things we Christians do. And what they just might reveal about our faith.

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many:A man who has been battling addiction for most of his life keeps falling back into it and wants to know if anyone has any advice he hasn't already heard – like pray, read your Bible, obey God, and just stop it!

    " I've been a Christian pretty much my entire life. I grew up in a Christian family, went to a Christian camp, went to a Christian school, and have attended church faithfully for decades. Also during most of my life I have struggled with an addiction. I really don't want to be specific about the addiction because I don't want the specifics about the addiction to take away from my question. (Usually people get more hung up on the addiction rather than just helping me with practical advice) Suffice it to say that I have tried every addiction beating method out there – both spiritual and practical – to no avail. Here I am now a middle aged man, still a Christian, still supposedly living a life victorious over sin, and yet still in bondage. I am completely broken by this, again, and find myself, again, reaching out for advice. Has anyone else found victory – 100% pure victory – over an addiction? Not victory over a sin, but victory over a long term addiction? Because I'm at the point now where I don't believe it's possible. I just keep falling back into my addiction time and time and time again. And all I usually get from well meaning but obviously delusional Christians is 'Just keep praying, God will show up.' 'Just bury yourself in The Word and God will break your chains.' 'Just obey and God will honour that.' THOSE DON'T WORK – at least not for me. Any other suggestions?"

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest:Eric Marrapodi - CNN Sr. Producer & CNN Belief Blog Co-Editor

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show April 7, 2012

Special Guests

  • Jane Seymour — Award Winning Actress, Artist, Philanthropist
    A multiple Emmy and Golden Globe winner, recipient of the Officer of the British Empire (OBE) in the year 2000, which was bestowed upon her by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace, Jane Seymour has proven her talents in virtually all media, the Broadway stage, motion pictures and television. From Bond Girl to Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman to Dancing With The Stars, Hollywood actress Jane Seymour is indeed a woman of many talents. As a noted philanthropist, Jane also serves on the board on The Open Hearts Foundation, a nonprofit charity established to bring the Open Heart Philosophy which stands for 'selfless giving even in the face of adversity' into communities worldwide. The 2nd annual Open Hearts celebration will be held in Malibu on Saturday, April 21, 2012 at the private residence of Jane and her husband, director, producer and writer, James Keach. At the event, the Open Hearts Foundation will recognize the achievements of various outstanding individuals, each with an inspiring story that exemplifies the Open Hearts Foundation,s mission. CNN's Christi Paul will serve as the evening's emcee and legendary country singer Glen Campbell & Olympic Gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi are among this year's honorees.

  • John Schneider — "Mr. Kent" from Smallville & "Bo Duke" from The Dukes of Hazzard
    He's back like a bad rash folks! Our good friend John Schneider will be performing along side his good ol' boy, Tom Wopat, at Fallsview Casino Resort. You know them best as Bo & Luke Duke from the legendary television series, The Dukes of Hazzard. Now, you can see John Schneider & Tom Wopat together again, live at Fallsview Casino Resort on April 12 & 13 - Tickets start at $25.
    www.ticketmaster.ca

  • Brian Presley — Hollywood Actor (Roles in Beverly Hills 90210, 7th Heaven)
    Brian Presley had a deep passion for acting and a dream to pursue a career as an actor. He felt called by God to start Freedom Films, a film company with a vision to develop movies with a family friendly message. As this mission grew, he soon lost sight of his true purpose and God's calling. He became fixated on the Hollywood spotlight and to focused on things 'of this world'. But soon Brian found himself in a flood of financial problems and while his career began to sink, so did his passion for life. He turned to alcohol and began to distance himself from God. Brian watched everything he had worked so hard for slip through his fingers. He felt alone, lost and hopeless, until he was presented an opportunity by God, to produce and act in an inspiring film called TOUCHBACK . A divinely appointed role that reminded him of his calling and changed his life forever. This unbelievably inspirational, sports-themed, family film, starring Brian Presley and Kurt Russell, tells a story of second chances; something we all need to be reminded of this Easter! (Opens in select theatres April 13th)

  • Dr. Walt — Award Winning Author & Family Physician
    Dr. Walt Larimore, is one of America's best-known family physicians and has been listed in the Guide to America's Top Family Doctors and the Best Doctors in America. He has been a family physician for nearly thirty years, written or co-written over twenty books, and has hosted nationally syndicated health features for radio and TV, including "Focus on the Family's Health." Dr. Walt has appeared in interviews for national news programs such as FOX News's Health Network, CNN and 'The Today Show', and notable publications like the Washington Times, Boston Globe and the New York Times. In his latest book, Dr. Walt answers tough questions boys have about their bodies, but don't want to ask. Using fun, humor and expert medical advice, THE ULTIMATE GUY'S BODY BOOK: Not-So-Stupid Questions About Your Body answers all the important questions boys have about puberty, but would rather not ask. Written especially for ages nine through 12, Dr. Walt writes with a Christian perspective, encouraging boys to consider their changing bodies as unique creations, and explains what it means to be a "real man of God." As seen on www.DiscoveryHealth.com, and "Focus on the Family's Health," Dr. Walt is relatable to both boys and their parents, offering great advice and information while providing communication starters to help parents connect with their sons
    www.DrWalt.com

  • Paul Baloche — Dove Award Winning Recording Artist, Worship Music Guru
    Paul Baloche, is recognized as one of the most prolific songwriters of the modern church era. His songs have consistently been sung by millions of church-goers each week around the world. On his latest release, Paul offers 10 fresh church anthems powered by the title track 'The Same Love.'
    www.leadworship.com

  • Simcha Jacobovici — Emmy Award Winning Filmmaker, Investigative Archeologist
    In 2007, three-time Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and investigative archeologist Simcha Jacobovici's documentary The Lost Tomb of Jesus created worldwide debate. Had he found the tombs belonging to the family of Jesus of Nazareth. Now, comes the follow-up film The Jesus Discovery. Simcha shakes up the archaeological world again with a stunning new find he claims revolutionizes our understanding of Jesus and the birth of Christianity. Has he discovered the earliest proof of Jesus' resurrection after death? Part archaeological adventure, part Biblical history, part forensic science, part theological controversy, VisionTV will be airing two versions of The Jesus Discovery, a 60-minute version on Thursday, April 12 at 10pm ET / 7pm PT and a 90-minute version with never-before-seen footage on Monday, April 16 at 9pm ET / 6pm PT.
    www.visiontv.ca

  • Dr. Craig Evans — Prof. New Testament, Acadia University.
    New Testament scholar, Craig Evans, is the Payzant Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Acadia Divinity College of Acadia University. Author and editor of more than sixty books and hundreds of articles and reviews, Professor Evans has given lectures at Cambridge, Oxford, Durham, Yale and countless others. Along with interviews on radio networks across Canada and the US, Evans has been seen on Dateline NBC, CBC, CTV, Day of Discovery, and many documentaries aired on BBC, The Discovery Channel, and the History Channel. He also has served as a consultant for the National Geographic Society. (Dr. Evans responded to the claims of Simcha Jacobovici)

God Blogger

  • Joining us today:God blogger (& Podcaster) — Ian Morgan Cron
    He's an author, speaker, Episcopal priest, psychotherapist, and retreat guide. Ian Cron wrote the critically acclaimed Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim's Tale and Jesus, My Father, the CIA and Me: A Memoir. . . of Sorts. He speaks to pilgrims in search of a spiritual homeland, exiles who love God but have given up on church, and to those looking for fresh ways of living the ancient Story.

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: A woman wants to know if marrying a Jew is really the end of the world.

    " Do you think there's anything wrong with a Christian marrying a Jew? I've been dating a man for the last two years, whose family is Jewish, and now we're talking about marriage. I'm a Christian and my parents just sat me down last week (now that they realize this is serious) in order to explain to me the ?pitfalls? of being married to someone who isn't a Christian. It's almost as though they feel that this is the beginning of the end or something. I see their point, I really do, that it would be ?easier? to marry someone within your own faith. It's just that my boyfriend has treated me nicer than any Christian I've dated. He respects the fact that I'm a Christian and I have a huge admiration of his Jewish heritage. As a matter of fact, I sort of envy it. I could see there being more of a problem with marrying a Muslim or an atheist or even someone who could care less about spiritual matters. But since I've fallen in love, isn't it better that I've fallen in love with a Jew who loves me for who I am and deeply respects me as a woman? Do you have any advice for me? I honestly don't think that we are going to break up over this, but how would you suggest I handle things with my parents? I don't want to hurt them over this, but right now, me marrying a Jew looks inevitable. Am I doomed?"

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Paul Brandeis Raushenbush -Senior Religion Editor for The Huffington Post

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show March 24, 2012

Well folks! Drew's back down in LA again so we thought we'd put together a few interviews from some previous guests we've had on the show. Three people that Christians have been pretty harsh with over the years. People we've demonized and ostracized and for the most part we've reacted pretty ignorantly to them because...well, we ARE ignorant about them! So this week we're replaying the interviews we did with John Allee, Former High Priest of The First Church of Satan, New Age Guru Deepak Chopra and Richard James, High Priest of the Wiccan Church of Canada. That's right! A Satanist, a New Ager and a Wiccan oh my! Now look, some of you still won't want to listen to why other people believe what they believe, but we believe that instead of only listening to what Christians have to say about Satanists, New Agers & Wiccans, that maybe we should ask the Satanists, the New Agers & the Wiccans what it is that they actually believe. And uh you know, just for the fun of it we left in the calls we took when these guys were on our show because...well, you'll see why. So don't be calling into the show this week - 'cause nobody's home!

Special Guests

  • John D. Allee (A.K.A Lord Egan) — Former High Preist of the First Church of Satan
    Originally Aired November 1, 2008

    The First Church of Satan, founded in October 1994, was the brainchild of John Allee, one of the early members of the Church of Satan founded by Anton LaVey in 1966. It was his feeling that the Church of Satan, in it's evolving stance of "stratification" and "elitism" had become the bane of those who enjoyed it for what it was originally, so he decided to use the name "First" Church of Satan. Rev. Allee was the first to coin the phrase, "Free Thought Satanism" and felt a Satanic organization should promote personal godhood while maintaining an attitude of sovereignty for all. He argued that "elitism" should be determined by nature, outside the framework of a political or religious institution.

  • Dr. Deepak Chopra — Physician, Philosopher & Author of The Third Jesus
    Originally Aired March 22, 2008

    The Third Jesus, best-selling author and spiritual leader Deepak Chopra provides an answer to this question that is both a challenge to current systems of belief and a fresh perspective on what Jesus can teach us all, regardless of our religious background. There is not one Jesus, Chopra writes, but three: 1/ The historical Jesus, the man who lived more than two thousand years ago and whose teachings are the foundation of Christian theology and thought. 2/ The Jesus the Son of God, who has come to embody an institutional religion with specific dogma, a priesthood, and devout believers. 3/ The cosmic Christ, the spiritual guide whose teaching embraces all humanity, not just the church built in his name. He speaks to the individual who wants to find God as a personal experience, to attain what some might call grace, or God-consciousness, or enlightenment.

  • Richard James — High Priest of The Wiccan Church of Canada
    Originally Aired October 28, 2006

    It seems to be more reputable and authentic to consider "primary source material" and actually ask a Wiccan about what Wiccans believe! Richard joins us to clear up any misunderstandings we might have about witchcraft, Wicca, white witches, dark witches... which witch is which!

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show March 17, 2012

ST. PATRICK'S DAY SPECIAL

Special Guests

  • Sinead O'Connor — Iconoclastic Recording Artist (And that's a good thing!)
    Irish multi-platinum selling artist, Sinead O’Connor has just released her ninth studio album entitled How About I Be Me (And You Be You)? Produced by long-term collaborator John Reynolds, it includes nine original songs that touch on love, loss, religion and hope, and one cover (John Grant’s “Queen of Denmark”). Sinead has been playing the new songs during a series of critically acclaimed live shows in the UK, and The Guardian writes “O’Connor sounds on form, focused and fervent again.” With a career spanning over 25 years and millions of albums sold worldwide, Sinead first rose to fame in the late 1980s with her debut album, The Lion And The Cobra and then received massive worldwide success with her follow up album, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got.

  • Robin Mark — Christian Recording Artist
    Robin Mark is a Northern Irish singer, songwriter, worship leader, and recording artist based in Belfast. He has written several songs sung throughout the world but is best known for "Days of Elijah", "Revival", "All for Jesus", "The Wonder of The Cross", and "Not by Might". He has published 13 albums in total with sales of over 2 million world wide and has won the GMA's international award.

  • Dr. Gareth Higgins — Writer, Film Critic, Executive Director of The Wild Goose Festival
    A graduate in sociology from Queen's University of Belfast (BA, PhD), Gareth is a writer involved in peace & justice, and art & spirituality (especially in cinema). He was a co-founder of the zero28 Project, a faith-based peace and justice initiative in Northern Ireland. He has written and spoken widely on religion and conflict, art & spirituality & film, with his work appearing in The Independent, The Irish Times, Sojourners, and Third Way Magazine, among others. He appears regularly on BBC Radio, and he and Jett Loe co-present a film review podcast called 'The Film Talk'.

God Blogger

  • Joining us today: Dr. Peter Rollins — Author, Philosopher, Theologian, Storyteller, Belfast Boy!
    Peter Rollins is a widely sought after writer, lecturer, storyteller and public speaker. He has earned degrees (with distinction) in Scholastic Philosophy, Political Theory and Post-Structural thought (PhD) and is currently a research associate with the Irish School of Ecumenics in Trinity College, Dublin. He's the author of How (Not) to Speak of God & The Orthodox Heretic and Other Impossible Tales and his most recent work is entitled Insurrection. Pete's mantra is about how to live a transformed life rather than a religious one and breaking free of the limiting, human confines mankind has placed on God.

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: A man whose business is having a tough year so far wants to know if we could have another FREE ADVERTISING segment on our show.

    JUST KIDDING! We just thought that with Saturday being St Patrick's Day, we knew Drew would be in a good mood so we're pretty sure he wouldn't mind letting the Counsel Of Many turn into Free Advertising For Many! Give us a call between 1:30 & 2:00 and tell us all about your business, ministry or event. (But keep it to 30 seconds in order to let others in on the deal as well!) And may the luck of the Irish be with you!

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest:Joe Little - Religious and Social Affairs Correspondent for RTÉ
    (Raidió Teilifís Éireann, Ireland's National Public Service Broadcaster)

  • Irish Stew
    Give us a call and answer correctly, any of our Useless Irish Trivia questions, and you'll win absolutely nothing!

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show March 10, 2012

Special Guests

  • Martin Himel — Veteran War Corespondent & Award Winning Filmmaker
    On March 14th at 10PM ET/7PM PT, VisionTV will broadcast the world premiere of Persecuted Christians, a provocative new documentary from award-winning filmmaker and veteran war correspondent Martin Himel. Along with Cairo-born Muslim-turned-Christian Rev. Majed El Shafie, Martin traveled to dangerous regions of Iraq and Egypt, typically inaccessible to western media, to expose the inhumanities that Christians currently face. Martin is no stranger to risky situations. As a journalist, he has covered the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, the US Marine Beirut battles, the Lebanese Civil War, the 1st and 2nd Palestinian Uprisings, the revolution to overthrow Communist Romanian President Ceaucescau, the Gulf War, the Northern Ireland sectarian attacks, the US NATO invasion of Serbia and Kosovo, the Israeli Invasion of the West Bank, the Lebanese Israel war, the Gaza- Israel war, and an exclusive and rare look at the North Korean military. And Rev. Majed El Shafie, a former TDMS guest, has an incredible story himself. Arrested, tortured and sentenced to die in Egypt because of his Christian faith, Rev. Majed El Shafie escaped and received political asylum in Canada. Today, he is the President and Founder of One Free World International, pressuring governments, and challenging world and spiritual leaders to fight religious persecution.
    www.onefreeworldinternational.org

  • Frank Pastore — Former Major League Pitcher, Talk Show Host, The Drew Marshall of America!
    Drew was a guest on the biggest Christian radio show in the Universe - The Frank Pastore Show on KKLA 99.5 in Los Angeles. Then Frank was a guest on Drew's show. Then Drew went down to LA and was a guest on Frank's show. Now Frank is coming back on Drew's show. This might be the first Christian radio bromance EVER!

  • Dinesh D'Souza — Christian Apologist & Author of God Forsaken: Bad things happen. Is there a God who cares?
    For a lot of people, the biggest question about God is not, surprisingly enough, whether he exists. Instead, it is about whether God is truly good. Dinesh D'Souza, in his debates with leading atheists, quickly realized that many of those debates revolved around the question of evil in this world—how God could create a world that allowed such suffering and evil. In God Forsaken, Dinesh D'Souza takes these questions head on: Does God act like a tyrant? Is God really responsible for the evil in this world? Why is there suffering in the world? For the first time ever, Dinesh D'Souza approaches this topic with historical and scientific proof and presents to the reader why God is truly worthy of our worship and love. Dinesh is the president of The King's College in New York City. A former policy analyst in the Reagan White House, D'Souza also served as the John M. Olin Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and as a Rishwain Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. He is the author of several New York Times bestsellers and his articles have appeared in major magazines and newspapers including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Atlantic Monthly, Vanity Fair, New Republic, National Review, and Forbes.

  • Stephen Mansfield — Author of Healing Your Church Hurt: What to do when you still love God but have been wounded by his people.
    During his 20 years as a pastor, Stephen learned how much a church can hurt. Healing Your Church Hurt shares his insider information on what he learned during his own “soul surgery” about digging out of the hurt, breaking through the bitterness, stopping the excuses, and getting back to cultivating thriving ministries. Drawing from his knowledge as a current history writer and biographer, Mansfield gives extensive examples of how great leaders of the past like Winston Churchill, John Wesley, Abraham Lincoln and St. Patrick all dealt with their own scandals and imperfections. When asked why an author of books on popes, presidents and prime ministers would write a book about getting over your church hurt, Mansfield replied, “The poisoning of souls through church hurts is killing us. The cause of Christ is hindered because the body of Christ is bruised. Most Christians I know either believe they’ve been wronged by a church or have friends who do, and some of these have been among those presidents and prime ministers I write about.”

God Blogger

  • Joining us today: Father Dwight Longenecker
    Fr. Longenecker is an American who has spent most of his life living and working in England. He was brought up in an Evangelical home in Pennsylvania. After graduating from the fundamentalist Bob Jones University, he went to study theology at Oxford University. He was eventually ordained as an Anglican Priest and served as a curate, a school chaplain in Cambridge, and a country parson on the Isle of Wight. Realizing that he and the Anglican Church were on divergent paths, in 1995 Fr. Dwight and his family were received into the Catholic Church. He spent the next ten years working as a freelance Catholic writer, contributing to over twenty-five magazines, papers and journals in Britain, Ireland and the USA. There's a bunch of other stuff that's kinda cool about this guy so check him out...

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: A young woman wants to know how to get her “super spiritual” mother to stop being so irritating!

    "My mom is spiritually insane. That's what I think anyway. Ever since we started going to this new church, she's been “super spiritual” and driving everyone nuts. I think that she comes across as super judgemental as well. For example, if somebody does something wrong right after church or after a bible study, she'll be like "didn't you just get out of church?" And every time someone acts in a way that she feels in inappropriate, she goes "you're not going to get the holy ghost acting that way". I'm sick of it. She claims that God tells her to be an exhorter because they need to be aware of how far they've strayed from what God would want, but isn't that God's job – to convict. We don't need her to tell us every time! So what am I supposed to do? How do you tell your own mother that you think she's gone a little too far with the God stuff? To be honest, I'm really bugged at my dad and the church. My dad– for not being the one to stop her from going off the deep end. Sure, my mom is spiritually nuts but my dad is a spiritual wimp. And the church – for breeding this kind of Christian insanity in the first place! Everything she says has to do with God. Everything she reads or listens to or watches has to do with God. It's like I've lost my mom. It's like she's married to Jesus. Am I being too judgemental? Should I just sit back and not say anything? It's at the the point where I don't want to be near her, I don't want to talk with her, I don't want to be seen with her, and I don't want to go to church anymore. Is there such a thing as being too spiritual? How do I get her to STOP!?"

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Manya Brachear, Religion Reporter at The Chicago Tribune

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show March 3, 2012

Special Guests

  • Natalie Grant — Grammy Nominated Recording Artist
    Recent Grammy nominated female vocalist and Dove Award forerunner, Natalie Grant was honored with five nominations for this year’s 43rd Annual GMA Dove Awards, including the prestigious “Female Vocalist of the Year,” a title she has been honored with four consecutive years in a row. A powerhouse vocalist, heart-gripping songwriter and charismatic performer, Natalie Grant has an unshakable determination to remind us of the simple significance of love, and the revolutionary power that it carries, as expressed on her latest project, Love Revolution. Released in August 2010, Love Revolution gave Natalie the highest-selling debut of her career. As a Grammy Nominee, multiple GMA Winner and the top-selling Adult Contemporary female solo artist in 2005, 2006 and 2008, Natalie is among a select number of artists to have achieved a formidable foothold at mainstream media and radio. Beyond her artistry, Grant remains an outspoken advocate for victims of human trafficking through Abolition International, which she created in 2005. She balances all of these endeavors with her greatest calling-as a wife, and mother of three.

  • Ralph Winter — Hollywood Producer, Member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
    Ralph Winter has proven himself to be one of Hollywood's most profitable assets, producing motion picture and television. While working for 20th Century Fox for the past 10 years, Ralph has been on some of the studio's biggest box office successes including the X-MEN Trilogy, Tim Burton's PLANET OF THE APES, and the FANTASTIC FOUR movies, which together have grossed nearly $2 billion. The latest movie is WOLVERINE, currently in release. Throughout his career, Ralph has produced or executive produced over 25 films (Mighty Joe Young, Captain Ron, Star Trek 3-6, Inspector Gadget, etc.) with various distributors. He has also produced and directed television for Steven Spielberg at DreamWorks. He is a founding partner in commercial production company, ThomasWinterCooke, where he and his partners have successfully pioneered branded entertainment with product integration ranging from global beverage brands to automobiles. Their award-winning directors regularly have spots in the Super Bowl and the Olympics.

  • Kim Gatlin — Author of Good Christian Bitches
    Kim joined us a year ago to chat about her controversial book, Good Christian Bitches, where Kim puts a voice to the downside of gossip in a light-hearted piece of fiction but with a message that she hopes will resonate with women everywhere. Her book has been turned into a new hit television series of the same name - sort of. From the creator of Sex & the City and the writer of Steel Magnolias, GCB premieres Sunday night March 4th! Starring former TDMS guest, Kristin Chenoweth, GCB has already caused quite the storm of controversy. Even though we all know those kind of women really do exist!
    Americans -www.abc.go.com/shows/gcb
    Canadians -

  • Kerri Pomarolli — Comedian, Actress, Author
    That's right folks! It's time for our monthly visit with our favourite (and only) Hollywood Correspondent!

Journey

  • Linda & Jennifer Barrick
    On the night of November 5, 2006, while coming home from church, the Barrick family van was struck head-on by a drunk driver going more than 80 miles an hour. The entire family was seriously hurt, but 15-year-old Jennifer's injuries were so devastating that paramedics thought she had no chance to live. As Jennifer lay in a coma for five weeks, her mother, Linda, prayed desperately for her full recovery, begging God to heal Jen from her severe brain trauma – to let her be “normal.” When she finally awoke, it became clear that normal would have to be redefined. Jen was virtually blind. She couldn’t add two plus two. She didn’t know her middle name or remember that she had a younger brother. And yet Jennifer Barrick seemed to have gained a new capability – a seemingly miraculous one – for connecting with God, and she emerged from her coma with an astonishing message. She knew every praise song and every scripture passage she had learned before the accident. And when she sang or prayed, Jen’s voice became clear and strong. “It was as if everything BUT her soul had been damaged in the accident,” comments Linda. “Jen had severe damage to her optical nerve and cortical blindness as well as the brain injury. She didn’t know I was her mother until she heard my voice. Jen couldn’t see things in the world the rest of us see, but God was revealing a miraculous world of His own to her day by day that she could see perfectly. She couldn’t see me, but she could see Him.” CT scans after the accident showed severe damage throughout nearly every area of Jen Barrick’s brain, and yet today she is designing jewelry, singing, and speaking to audiences nationwide. Jen's unbelievable story, A Miracle For Jen, has just been released!

God Blogger

  • Joining us today: Rachel Held Evans
    Rachel Held Evans is an award-winning author and unbelievably popular blogger. Her first book, Evolving in Monkey Town, explores the relationship between faith and doubt and recounts the challenges of asking tough questions about Christianity in the context of the Bible Belt. In October, Rachel finished a yearlong experiment in “biblical womanhood” in which she attempted to follow all of the Bible’s instructions for women as literally as possible. That experiment will be documented in a book published in 2012. She has also been featured in interviews on NPR, Slate, The BBC, The Washington Post, The Guardian (UK), The Times London, The Huffington Post, and Oprah.com. Rachel is a skeptic, a creative, and a follower of Jesus.

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: A mother who's daughter is having unprotected sex, wants to buy her the Plan B “morning after” pill, but isn't sure whether that's the right thing to do.

    "To be honest I'm a little bit ashamed and embarrassed to share this because I thought my husband and I raised our daughter to know better and to follow God's plan for her life. But ever since she turned 17 we have been shocked at her decisions. The bottom line though is that I found out recently that she is having unprotected sex. Not always, but not always is still enough to get pregnant. A friend told me about this Plan B pill which apparently makes sure that the woman doesn't get pregnant if taken within 72 hours after having unprotected sex. Although I know it would not be the end of the world if she got pregnant, I also know that her life would change forever, and not for the good at this point in her life. So as much as I don't want her having sex, which is why we haven't helped her get birth control, (because we feel that birth control just encourages kids to have sex) I have been wondering about getting her the Plan B pill. Does anyone have any advice for me about this pill? Is it safe? Is it right? Is it moral? Would God approve of me giving my young teenage daughter this pill?"

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Kate Shellnutt - Religion Reporter for The Houston Chronicle & Producer of

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show February 25, 2012

Special Guests

  • Karen Burke — Co-founder & Director of The Juno Award Winning Toronto Mass Choir
    Karen Burke joins us again, this time with her two daughters – Jenna & Tara Burke. The three of them will be performing LIVE on our show for the first time! Founded by Karen Burke in 1988, The Toronto Mass Choir continues to be on the cutting edge of the Canadian gospel music scene bringing their distinct gospel sound to the world stage. Karen also began the Power Up Gospel Music Workshop Weekend, as a way to inspire and help people grow their passion for gospel music. This year's Power Up Workshops are March 2 & 3 at York University and the free finale concert will be on Sunday, March 4, at 7 p.m. @ KRT in Brampton. The Sunday evening concert will feature the York University Gospel Choir, Toronto Mass Choir and the participants from the workshop in the Power Up Workshop Mass Choir!

Talkback, etc.

  • Dave Klassen — National Pro-Ministry Director of Athletes in Action
    As National Pro-Ministry Director, Dave Klassen brings faith to sport across the nation in the CFL, NHL, and NBA. He not only leads all the chaplains across Canada, but he is a chaplain himself for the BC Lions and the Vancouver Canucks. Why does Dave do it? "Because it’s awesome to minister through the elite, especially when the elite have faith and integrity". One of Dave’s best ministry events is the Grey Cup Breakfast, which will be held in Toronto this year. Dave will share the wins and losses of pro-ministry as well as the faith struggles he faced and now helps others with.
    www.athletesinaction.com

God Blogger

  • Tony Jones — God Blogger & Emergent Troublemaker!
    Tony Jones is the author of The Church Is Flat: The Relational Ecclesiology of the Emerging Church Movement and is theologian-in-residence at Solomon’s Porch in Minneapolis and an adjunct professor at Fuller Theological Seminary and at Andover Newton Theological School. Tony serves as a senior acquisitions editor at wearesparkhouse.org. Tony is the author of many books on Christian ministry and spirituality, including The New Christians: Dispatches from the Emergent Frontier and The Sacred Way: Spiritual Practices for Everyday Life, and he is a sought after speaker and consultant in the areas of emerging church, postmodernism, and Christian spirituality.
    www.tonyj.net

    AND

    Hemant Mehta - God Blogger - The Friendly Atheist!
    When Hemant Mehta was a teenager he stopped believing in God, but he never lost his interest in religion. Mehta is "the eBay atheist," the nonbeliever who auctioned off the opportunity for the winning bidder to send him to church. The auction winner was last week's guest, Jim Henderson. Since then, Mehta has visited a variety of church services-posting his insightful critiques on the Internet and spawning a positive, ongoing dialogue between atheists and believers. I Sold My Soul on eBay tells how and why Mehta became an atheist and features his latest church critiques, including descriptions of his visits to some of the best-known churches in the country.

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: A single mother wants advice on whether or not she should send her trouble making son to a private Christian school or a Catholic school?

    "My son has been giving me major problems over the last couple of years. He's been doing drugs, drinking, sleeping around, and has even had run-ins with the police. He's treated me like a piece of garbage and has been abusive to his siblings. He has been suspended from school a number of times for excessively being late and skipping classes altogether. Before he totally throws his education down the toilet I am considering sending him to another school, but I'm not sure if I should send him to a private Christian school (which I'm not even sure I can afford being a single mother) or a Catholic school. Has anyone had any experience with a troubled teenager who can give me some advice? And, which school do you think would be a better option for me?"

  • Funeral Songs
    Have you ever thought about what songs you’d like played at your funeral? What song will be the ‘Wind Beneath your Wings’, as you leave this ‘Wonderful World’ and climb the ‘Stairway to Heaven’ and begin ‘Knocking on Heaven’s Door’...we can ‘Only Imagine’!

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Paul Brandeis Raushenbush - Senior Religion Editor for The Huffington Post

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show February 18, 2012

Special Guests

  • Lex Luger — Westling Superstar
    Wrestling fans know him as “The Total Package” or “The Narcissist”. He spent 15 years in the ring and during that time won the World Heavyweight Championship belt three times. BUT – betrayal, sex, drugs, arrests, death, prison & paralysis almost destroyed him. Then, like so many others whose lives turn into a total train wreck, Lex Luger was forced to look up.

  • Lauren F. Winner — Author of STILL: Notes On A Mid-Faith Crisis
    In the critically acclaimed memoir Girl Meets God, Lauren F. Winner chronicled her sojourn from Judaism to Christianity. Now, in STILL: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis, Lauren describes how experiences of loss and failure unexpectedly slam her into a wall of doubt and spiritual despair: “My belief has faltered, my sense of God’s closeness has grown strained, my efforts at living in accord with what I take to be the call of the gospel have come undone.” Witty, relatable, and fiercely honest, Lauren lays bare her experience of what she calls the “middle” of the spiritual life, and explores why—in the midst of the overwhelming anxiety, loneliness, and boredom of her deepest questioning about where (or if) God is—the Christian story still explains who she is better than any other story she’s ever known. STILL is an absorbing meditation combining literary grace with spiritual wisdom. It is sure to resonate with anyone looking to sustain a spiritual life in the midst of real life.

  • Jim Henderson — Author of The Resignation Of Eve: What If Adam's Rib Is No Longer Willing To Be The Church's Backbone?
    In talking with women around the country, Jim Henderson has come to believe that there is an epidemic of quiet, even sad resignation among dedicated Christian women who are feeling overworked and undervalued in the church. As a result, many women are discouraged. Some, particularly young women, respond by leaving the organized church, or walking away from the faith altogether. Containing personal interviews with women and new research from George Barna, The Resignation of Eve is a field report on what women have to say about how they’ve been affected by their experiences within the church. It is crucially important because, across the board, the research shows that women are driving changes in the church, so what will happen if they resign? Inviting women to speak for themselves, The Resignation of Eve is a must-read, life-changing book for women who have been engaged in the Christian church as well as their pastors and ministry leaders.

  • TDMS Realtor Roundtable
    It's almost Spring, and that means the housing market is about to explode. Joining us to help you navigate through one of the most stressful times of in life – MOVING – are:

    George Kloet - Covering Oakville, Mississauga & Burlington
    www.georgekloet.com

    Paula Mitchell - Covering Brampton, Caledon & Georgetown
    www.paulamitchell.com

    Zsuzanna Porter -Covering Toronto & Durham Region

God Blogger

  • Amy Julia Becker — www.amyjuliabecker.com
    Her blog is called Thin Places (No it's not another Christian weight loss program!) – Faith, Family & Disability. AJ has also released a spiritual memoir; Top of her class at Princeton, Amy Julia Becker always imagined that her children would turn out just like her. So when her daughter Penny entered the world with Down syndrome, Becker had to rethink everything.

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: A woman who doesn't want to go to church but still wants to learn about the Christian faith, wants to know which television preacher to watch.

    I am kind of new to the Christian faith but I'm not interested in going to church at this point. Probably for a couple of main reasons – I'm shy and while I'm pretty sure that I'd like to follow the teachings of Jesus, I'm not so sure I want to hang around church people. A few of my friends have suggested that I watch a television ministry, but I'm not sure which one to watch. I know some of them have some pretty questionable motives ($$) so could you please suggest a “safe” one for me to learn from?

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Elizabeth Tenety - Editor for Washington Post's On Faith

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show February 11, 2012

Special Guests

  • Delilah — The Most Listened To Woman On Radio!
    Love Songs With Delilah or Delilah After Dark has become a safe haven for those wanting to process relationship issues or simply dedicate a song to a loved one. As host of a nationally syndicated nightly radio show with over 8 million listeners, Delilah is the perfect woman to ask about the condition of LOVE in this day and age.

  • Francine Rivers — Award Winning Romance Novelist
    Although raised in a religious home, Francine did not become a follower of Christ until later in life, when she was already a wife, mother of three, and an established romance novelist. Then in 1986, Francine wrote Redeeming Love as her statement of faith. Francine writes about far more than than just romance and has since published more than 20 novels - all bestsellers- and has continued to win both industry acclaim and reader loyalty around the globe. In 1997, after winning her third RITA award for Inspirational Fiction, Francine was inducted into the Romance Writers’ of America Hall of Fame. In 2007, the feature-length film version of her novel The Last Sin Eater was released in theaters by Fox Faith. In March 2010, Francine became a New York Times bestselling author, when Her Mother’s Hope debuted at #12 on the hardcover fiction bestsellers lists. The sequel, Her Daughter’s Dream, debuted at #12 on the same list just 6 months later. Francine’s novels have been translated into over twenty different languages and she also enjoys best-seller status in many foreign countries including Germany, The Netherlands, and South Africa.

  • Kelita — Canadian Recording Artist
    Five Juno Award Nominations (Canada’s equivalent of the Grammy) / CCMA’s Entertainer of the Year Nomination / CCMA’s Vista Rising Star of the Year Award / Appearances on The Tommy Hunter Show, Nashville Now, CMT and Much Music / She has shared stages with such notables as k.d. Lang, Reba McEntire and Jim Carrey / She gave a break to an aspiring 19-year-old from Timmins Ontario named Eileen (Shania) Twain who sang back up on Kelita’s hit Song “Too Hot to Handle”. From comic sketches delivered by a host of unique characters - boot kicking country music - to melodies that stir inner most emotions with lyrics that will make you swell tears, Kelita’s versatility and diversity allows her to captivate the hearts of her listeners and open their minds to messages with universal appeal.

  • Ashley Reccord — Manager at christianmingle.com
    More than 2 million singles joined ChristianMingle in 2011. Now, with over 5 million registered members, ChristianMingle is the largest and fastest growing online community for Christian singles. While many Christian singles say they find it challenging to meet people who share their commitment to Christ, living in the Digital Age has provided a way to transition into dating in a way that overcomes the traditional barriers associated with developing new relationships. ChristianMingle uses the tagline “find God’s match for you.” The issue of whether there is a soul mate for each person is one often debated in the Christian community. While the Bible is not clear about the issue, some hold to the conviction that God creates soul mates, while others say the belief itself can cause foundational issues in marriages today.

  • Lael Harrelson — Owner of Covenant Spice: Top Quality Christian Sexual Aids, Christian Lingerie & Christian Sex Toys For Couples!
    Some couples may feel as though it's taboo to shop for sexual aids; but in a committed, healthy, Christian marriage, sex is just one of the ways in which your love and connection can be expressed. Covenant Spice offers couples access to fun, high-quality sexual aids that will allow them to fully express their love and commitment. Covenant Spice considers themselves a powerful vehicle for better exploring Christian intimacy; providing couples with a resource for sex toys that are relationship focused so that you can better connect, better communicate and better enjoy lovemaking.

  • Steven James — Author of Flirting with the Forbidden: Finding Grace in a World of Temptation
    Temptation is normal. We run into it every day and we all are susceptible to falling victim to its enticements. We're tempted to cheat on our taxes, milk the clock at work, lust after someone other than our spouse, dishonor our parents, lie to our friends, covet our neighbor's trip to Europe. But just because we must live with temptation doesn't mean we have to let it master us. In Flirting With The Forbidden, bestselling author Steven James reminds readers that we are always just one step away from bowing to temptation, that we all share the same potential and propensity for evil. Combining powerful first-person narratives from Scripture with thought-provoking reflections on temptation, discipleship, and grace, Steven helps readers grow in discernment and reliance on the Holy Spirit and develop a deeper, more intimate walk with Christ.

God Blogger

  • Joining us today: Sheila Wray Gregoire
    Here are just a few of her more popular posts: Can Christians Use Sex Toys? / How to Deal with a Husband's Pornography Use / What to Do when a Friend's Marriage Falls Apart / Wifey Wednesday: Doormats or Wives

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: A husband wants to know if he should confess his multiple affairs to his wife now that he has turned over a new leaf and is doing everything he can to make the marriage work.

    I'd like to start by letting you know that I know I'm the villain in this story. But my reason for asking this question is that I don't want to play that role anymore. My wife and I have been married for 25 years and throughout our marriage I have been unfaithful at various times. There are lots of reasons and no excuses. I have had short sexual flings as well as longer emotional affairs. I could sit here and give you a number of reasons as to why and how I could let this sort of thing continue to occur in my life, but the bottom line is that I am in a very different space now. I've finally figured out that I don't want to loose my wife and end up throwing away what we have built over the years. Although she is emotionally incapable of loving me, I still want to finish life with her. About 15 years ago I decided to confess to my wife that I had been involved with another woman for a short time. That confession just about destroyed her and I really don't want to do that to her again. My pastor has told me that I need to confess EVERYTHING to my wife, but I'm just not so sure that this is the right thing to do. Sure, it might relieve my guilt, but I'm pretty sure it will decimate her! Now, to be fair, I'm also quite sure that she would end our marriage right then and there. I mean why would she forgive me for the same offense, TWICE? So obviously that terrifies me as well. But I'm also quite certain that telling her about all of my infidelities would only serve my purposes of starting with a “clean slate” and devastate the woman I care about. So what's your advice? Do I confess everything to her, to someone else, or just pack it all away and let bygones be bygones?

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my! Today is our VALENTINE'S DAY SPECIAL folks and we can’t leave this discussion up to the boys! So we’ve invited a special God & Stuff guest to join Drew & Tim The Tool as they discuss matters of LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS...and of course nothing says Happy Valentines Day more than - a playlist of the sappiest love songs ever!
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Delilah – The Most Listened To Woman On Radio!

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show February 4, 2012

Special Guests

  • Carla Collins — TV Host, Comedian, Actor, Writer
    Canadians would know Carla from her TV hosting gigs on CFTO's Eye On Toronto or CTV's Entertainment Now or The Weather Network. You might even remember her from an appearance on the hit TV show Degrassi: The Next Generation or from her time as a radio personality on Toronto's Mix 99.9! Americans might have seen her standup performances at the Hollywood Improv and The Comedy Store in Los Angeles. Carla currently lives in Malibu with her actor husband Tyrone Power - son of the great leading actor of the same name who played the lead in The Mark Of Zorro. Canada's "Tina Fey" is fitting right into the LA scene. Carla practices yoga, Kabbalah and consults with a psychic colon therapist. She is now officially one stint in rehab away from becoming a complete Hollywood cliché. A few weeks ago, Drew and Carla were both guests on the Humble & Fred Show here in Toronto. As usual, the discussion turned to God. After the show, knowing that Carla's views on God were interesting, hilarious, and sacrilegious, Drew decided to ask her to share her “spiritual story” on our show. Heck, she's written a book called Angels, Vampires & Douche Bags so she must be an expert!

  • Dr. John Schellenberg
    Dr. Schellenberg is presently Professor of Philosophy at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax. He earned his DPhil in Philosophy from Oxford in 1990, and in 1993 Cornell University Press published the book for which he's best known for: Divine Hiddenness and Human Reason. There's been lots of discussion of the 'hiddenness argument' for atheism developed in that book. He's also developed some other new arguments for atheism, including new versions of the argument from evil. But for the last ten years or so he's been thinking about matters of faith more generally, noticing and developing the possibility of a skeptical form of religion, which remains a live possibility even for an atheist -- at least for one who is willing to look “forward” when thinking about evolution and not just into the past. A philosophical trilogy emerged from this thinking, also published by Cornell: Prolegomena to a Philosophy of Religion (2005), The Wisdom to Doubt: A Justification of Religious Skepticism (2007), and The Will to Imagine: A Justification of Skeptical Religion (2009). The new perspective developed in these books is starting to get some serious attention in philosophy, with symposia devoted to his work at various conferences and a special issue of the Cambridge journal Religious Studies devoted to Dr. Schellenberg's work scheduled for 2013.

  • Tarek Fatah — Author, Broadcaster, Founder of The Muslim Canadian Congress
    Tarek joins us today to discuss the now infamous Shafia murders, which took place here in Southern Ontario. Earlier this week, Mohammad Shafia, his wife Tooba, and his 21 year old son, were found guilty of first degree murder in the deaths of the family's three daughters, aged 19, 17 & 13 and Mohammad's other wife. (Polygamist marriage.) The four women were found dead inside a car which had been dumped into the Rideau Canal. Their crime? Trying to fit into the culture in which they lived. Apparently too much to take for the patriarch of the family, who's “honour” was at stake.
    *Tarek describes himself as an Indian born in Pakistan; a Punjabi born in Islam; an immigrant in Canada with a Muslim consciousness, grounded in a Marxist youth. A journalist by profession, Tarek and his family moved to Canada in 1987 where he has been the public face of progressive, liberal and secular Muslims. In December 2001, in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, he founded the Muslim Canadian Congress to provide a voice for Muslims who wanted to stand up to the threat of Islamic extremism.

  • Kerri Pomarolli — Comedian, Actress, Author
    That's right folks! It's time for our monthly visit with our favourite (and only) Hollywood Correspondent!

God Blogger

  • David Hayward Graffiti artist on the walls of religion
    David Hayward was baptized Anglican as a baby, came to faith in a Baptist church when he was a teenager, changed to Pentecostal in his late teens, married another Pentecostal named Lisa, was ordained Presbyterian, pastored a Vineyard church, and planted others. He has a Masters in Theological Studies from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, as well as a Masters in Religious Studies and Ministry from McGill University in Montreal. But in 2010 David left the professional paid clergy. He is still passionate about how people can find and follow their own spiritual path with courage and joy, as well as how people can freely gather and form community in healthy ways. David started a blog called nakedpastor in 2006, and initiated his public analysis of religion, religious community and spirituality through his writings, art and cartoons. Thousands of people are challenged and entertained by nakedpastor every day. His art, cartoons, writings and book have found their way all around the world.

Journey

  • Catherine Serez
    We've all heard about people experiencing miracles, but not many of us have been healed of Cancer! “Two weeks after my daughter was born, a strange lump popped up on my left shoulder. I hadn't been feeling well throughout my pregnancy. My appetite had dropped severely. It was difficult to swallow. As a vocal instructor, I found it impossible to teach a lesson without coughing. What I saw in the x-ray shocked me, relieved me, and scared me all at the same time. My trachea, which should have gone in a straight vertical line, was pushed over toward my shoulder on a 35-degree angle. I knew then that the symptoms I had been having were more than pregnancy related. The diagnosis was that I had a 'super-rare' form on Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma called Lenert's Lymphoma. My oncologist told me that in his career he's seen over 25,000 patients and never once seen a case of Lenert's. The tumor had grown to be over half the size of a football. Fast forward – after being surrounded by prayer, I finally decided to ask for a follow up x-ray. I could hardly wait to hear the results so I phoned the doctor myself and asked him to look at the x-ray for me. As he looked he said, 'Hmmm, I don’t seem to see anything.' 'What do you mean?' I asked. 'There is nothing here.' He replied. 'Do you mean there is NO tumour?' I ventured. 'Nope, only scar tissue from what I can tell…' 'Well, is that good?' I asked. 'It’s tremendous…' he said, incredulously, '…I don’t know how to explain this.'”

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: A young man wants to know what he must do to get to heaven.

    I've been listening to this station for a while now, mainly because it's the only radio station my parents will allow to play in our house. I enjoy a lot of the music and have tried to listen to some of the preachers. Most of them just annoy me. They sound the same and talk about the same stuff that my pastor talks about. Most of which goes right over my head. So here's the thing. Even though I go to church with my family and live in a Christian family, I'm still not really sure what I have to do to get to Heaven after I die. I'm not even sure if I believe in God & Heaven. I'm not sure I believe all this Christian stuff, but I think it would help me if I finally understood what I need to do to get to Heaven. I have heard so many different answers to this question and you'd think that there would be a simple answer. So what is it? And please keep it simple!

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my! (Feel free to call in and join the discussion.)
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Kevin Eckstrom - Editor-in-Chief of Religion News Service

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show January 28, 2012

Special Guests

  • Dyan Cannon — Hollywood Actress
    How does one explain Dyan Cannon? How about, Judge Jennifer "Whipper" Cone on the hit TV show Ally McBeal? The love interest in the Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon movie Out to Sea? What about her Oscar nominated role in the 1969 pop-culture classic Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice or her Oscar nominated role in Heaven Can Wait? Any of those ring a bell? Maybe the best way to explain Dyan is “that gorgeous woman with the crazy laugh who used to be married to Hollywood legend Cary Grant but now she loves Jesus!” It's been a few years since we last spoke with Dyan so since she just celebrated her 75th birthday, we thought this might be a great time to catch up again!

  • Bruxy Cavey — Teaching Pastor Of The Meeting House
    “Bruxy To Spong” (Sounds like – actually we don't have a clue what that sounds like. All we know is that it doesn't sound like what it's going to sound like.) Last week, John Shelby Spong, one of the world's most controversial theologians, said some things that really freaked out some folks who listened to that interview. Stuff that made them wonder if they can ever trust the Bible as God's Word” again! This week, we thought it would be wise to provide some clarity as to what the heck Spong was talking about when he said stuff like... “Moses did not write the documents we call the “Books of Moses” or the Torah - The gospels were not written by eyewitnesses – Paul was not a Christian (and he might have been gay) - Miracles do not enter the Jesus story until the eighth decade -The virgin birth is a ninth-decade addition - The book of Revelation does not predict the end of the world or convey any hidden messages about modern day history – David did not write the Psalms”

  • Jacob Moon — Canadian Recording Artist
    One of our favourite performers is back in studio to perform LIVE. Jacob will also be performing LIVE this Sunday, January 29th at Hugh's Room in Toronto. Get ready for a great Sunday afternoon of Gospel music with Ken Whiteley and friends at one of our premier roots music venues. Making his first visit to the gospel music series is Hamilton singer/songwriter Jacob Moon. Stylistically Jacob’s music fits into the roots category, with some eclectic twists. He has an incredible command of the guitar (often sounding like an entire orchestra), and his skill as a ‘live looper‘ is in a league of his own. His YouTube music videos gained attention on a national level when rock legends Rush asked Jacob to perform at the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala. Geddy, Neil and Alex insisted that Jacob be there to play Subdivisions, which he performed on a Hamilton rooftop in his 2008 video (now at 200,000 hits). His performance was immediately followed by the biggest response of the evening – a standing ovation.
    www.jacobmoon.com

  • W. Scott Poole — Author of Monsters in America: Our Historical Obsession with the Hideous and the Haunting
    Historian W. Scott Poole channels the terrors that lurk in the dark places of American history in his new book, Monsters in America. From sea serpents to zombies, from witch trials to alien invasions, and from Dracula to Norman Bates, Scott uncovers the real horrors that lie beneath our fascination with monsters. Monsters reflect anxieties about political identities, religion, economic forces, race and gender dynamics, and societal changes. Through the ages, scary folk tales, witch hunts, legends of strange beasts, ghost stories, horror and sci-fi literature and movies, satanic panics, and urban legends reveal disturbing truths about American history. Scott blames repeated viewings of Shock Theatre at an impressionable age for his monster obsession. Associate Professor of History at the College of Charleston, he is also a prolific pop culture critic whose reviews and commentary can be found at www.Popmatters.com & www.ReligionDispatches.com, and other sites. One of his previous books was entitled Satan in America: The Devil We Know.

God Blogger

Journey

  • Jim Bremner
    Jim is a twenty-five year veteran of the Toronto Police Service who has served as a member of the Toronto Emergency Task Force and the Gun Gang Task Force. He was the tactical advisor to CTV/CBS's hit TV series "FLASHPOINT". In 2010, Jim released "Crack In The Armour", his true story of strength and courage as an officer who fought to overcome Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and won. "One night, when I was a young officer, I picked up a drunk off the street. He told me he used to be a fighter pilot. I thought, 'Look at you, what a mess.' Then one day I woke up in the gutter and the light went on. Now I understand. This is what happens to people who have been traumatized. But remember, there is life after PTSD. You are never alone. There is help and hope."

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many:A man has a problem with his pastor's wife getting plastic surgery and wants to know if he's being unreasonable to think that “preachers' wives” just shouldn't get “new boobs” or a “new face”.

    This might be more of an issue down here in the States than it is for you Canadians. It just seems that so many of our pastors' wives are getting “work done” and now the pandemic has hit a little too close to home. My wife came home the other day from a leadership meeting at our church and told me that some of the women have been discussing the fact that our senior pastor's wife's breasts are noticeably bigger. This just added fuel to the fire because everyone thinks she's had work done on her face as well. My first reaction to this was - who cares! I mean in my mind it was just a bunch of women being women and gossiping about women. But then the more I thought about it, the more I was bothered by it. First, is this where our offering money is going, to her boobs? Second, I'm not a spiritual giant or anything but the way I see it, shouldn't pastors be “above” vanity? I mean aren't they the ones who are supposed to look in the mirror the least? I understand that no one is perfect and that we should stay out of people's business, but something inside of me just can't let this one go. I don't think pastors' wives should have cosmetic surgery of any kind. Am I wrong on this? (Funny, as much as my wife and her friends seem to be bugged about this woman getting cosmetic surgery, when I told her my point of view, she told me “If a woman wants to spend a little money to make her feel better about herself - It's a woman's right!” Been married over 20 years and I still can't figure out women!!)

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my! (Feel free to call in and join the discussion.)
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Sarah Pulliam Bailey - Online Editor for and Contributor for Christianity Today

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show January 21, 2012

Special Guests

  • John Shelby Spong — Author of Re-Claiming the Bible for a Non-religious World
    According to retired Episcopal bishop and pioneer of progressive Christianity, John Shelby Spong, the claim that the Bible is the “Word of God” in any literal sense violates every rational faculty that human beings possess. “Irrational, and at least in scholarly circles, universally dismissed attitudes toward the Bible still have power today, and play a large role in America’s national life,” Spong says. In Re-Claiming the Bible for a Non-Religious World, he attempts to end the tyranny of “uninformed biblical nonsense.” “I am not the enemy of the Bible. I am the enemy of the way the Bible has been used,” Spong says. One of the world's most controversial theologians, Spong continues to fuel the fire by claiming in his latest book: Moses did not write the documents we call the “Books of Moses” or the Torah - The gospels were not written by eyewitnesses – Paul was not a Christian - Miracles do not enter the Jesus story until the eighth decade -The virgin birth is a ninth-decade addition - The book of Revelation does not predict the end of the world or convey any hidden messages about modern day history – David did not write the Psalms.
    *JOHN SHELBY SPONG is the author of more than twenty books that have sold over a million copies. He was an Episcopal bishop for more than 24 years. During his career he has lectured at more than four hundred colleges and universities around the world including Cambridge and Harvard. In 2010, his portrait was commissioned to hang in the Hall of Honor at the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College in Atlanta with other civil rights movement leaders for his work as a champion of justice.

  • Professor Tomáš Halik — Philosopher and Author of Night of the Confessor: Christian Faith in an Age of Uncertainty
    Tomáš Halík is a wise guide for the post-Christian era, and never more so than in his latest work, a thought-provoking and powerful reflection on the relationship between faith, paradox, change, and resurrection. As the challenges of cultural secularization and dwindling congregation size confront religious communities across North America and Europe, and the Catholic Church in particular, Tomáš Halík is a prophetic voice of hope. He has lived through the political oppression and intolerance of religion that defined Communist Czechoslovakia, and he draws from this experience to remind readers that not only does crisis lead to deeper understanding but also that any living religion is a changing religion. The central messages of Christianity have always seemed impossible, from peace and forgiveness in the face of a harsh world to love and self-sacrifice despite human selfishness to the victory of resurrection through the defeat of the cross. Acceptance of paradox therefore is the way forward, Halík explains. It is a difficult way that offers an unclear immediate future, but it is ultimately the only honest way.
    *TOMÁŠ HALÍK worked as a psychotherapist during the Communist regime in Czechoslovakia and at the same time was secretly ordained as a Catholic priest and active in the underground church. Since the fall of the regime, he has served as general secretary to the Czech Conference of Bishops and was an adviser to Václav Havel. He has lectured at many universities throughout the world and is currently a professor of philosophy and sociology at Charles University. His books, which are bestsellers in his own country, have been translated into many languages and have received several literary prizes.

  • Leonard Buhler — President of Power to Change, Canada (Formerly Campus Crusade for Christ)
    Innovative, entrepreneurial and adventurous – these words capture Leonard Buhler’s approach to leadership and Christian ministry. The President of Power to Change, Leonard oversees 550 staff-members in thirteen divisions throughout Canada and the world. Leonard’s passion is to unleash creative people, tools, and ideas so that millions of Canadians will discover Jesus and His power to change lives. Some might find “millions” to be an intimidating figure, but Buhler thrives on challenges. As he puts it, “leaders are people who eat problems for breakfast.” Leonard developed his talent for innovation through thirty years in business. Born in Manitoba, he began his career on the family farm, which he expanded into a commercial operation that specialized in growing potatoes for McCain Foods. 2004 saw Leonard leave his business to become the president of Campus Crusade for Christ Canada. Soon after, the organization adopted the name Power to Change so they could better engage Canada’s current spiritual reality.
    *Leonard Buhler will join us to discuss how important it is to balance loving people like Jesus and telling them about Jesus. He’ll explain the 35-Day Challenge, a web-based plan that will coach even the most shy, inexperienced Christian in telling three friends about Jesus over the course of five weeks. He will also unveil Power to Change’s vision for The Life, an enormous initiative to mobilize one million across Canada to make their lives count for Christ – anytime, anywhere, at any cost, to do anything.
    www.35daychallenge.ca
    www.powertochange.com

God Blogger

  • John Shore
    "John Shore is awesome. The minute I started reading his stuff, I knew he was a brother from another mother.” — Rob Bell, author of Love Wins, Sex God, and Velvet Elvis.

    “John Shore is funny as hell and smart as hell, which is good because I’ve heard that we’re both going to spend a long time there.” — Tony Jones, Theoblogy.

    “John Shore’s unique, honest, and passionate writings draw us to dig a little deeper, to listen with the intention of truly hearing and understanding each other. He gives voice to those without a platform; he puts into words our latent questions/observations about today’s topics that are begging to be addressed from the viewpoint of an informed Christian” – Spencer Burke, founder www.ofTheOOZE.com

    “Shore is a humorist whose work is more comedic than Donald Miller, and his appeal to Christians is more direct.” – Michael Spencer, a.k.a. The Internet Monk,author of the bestseller Mere Churchianity.

    “Shore is a madman and a genius.” — Eric Metaxas, author of bestsellers Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery, and,Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy, the Christian Booksellers Association 2011 Book of the Year.

    “John Shore is a genius.” — Stephen Arterburn, author of the bestselling Every Man’s Battle; host of the nationally syndicated radio program New Life Live.

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many:A white woman wants to know if she should stop going to her home group/Bible study because the leaders told her that it's unbiblical for her to be dating a black man.

    I go to a church that has a weekly home-group bible study and last week the leaders pulled me aside after our meeting and questioned me about my relationship with my boyfriend. Turns out that he and his wife feel that me dating a black man is apparently a sin. They feel that the bible says that God does not want Christians to marry unbelievers as well as people of other races. They say that it's not about one race being better than another, but it's about living according to God's “perfect will.” They say that “mixed” marriages in the Bible, more often than not, were followed by trouble. They feel that the greatest attack on Godly marriage today, other than homosexuality, is interracial relationships. Personally, I really don't see what they see. I have to admit, I don't know the Bible they way they do and I want to submit to my elders... but I'm not sure about this one. Part of me wonders if they're just not comfortable with a black man dating a white woman. If it was the other way around I wonder if they would still have the same problem? Maybe they think that because women are the “weaker” sex that I'm just getting taken advantage of? These are the scripture verses they keep quoting to me – Deuteronomy 7:3-4 / Deuteronomy 32:8 / Nehemiah 13:27 & Hosea 5:7. HELP!! I don't know enough about the Bible. Are they right? Should I break up with my boyfriend because he's black?

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my! (Feel free to call in and join the discussion.)
    Today's God & Stuff guest: Paul Brandeis Raushenbush - Senior Religion Editor of The Huffington Post.

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show January 14, 2012

Special Guests

  • Dr. Keith DeRose — Allison Foundation Professor of Philosophy, Yale University
    Dr. DeRose has been a member of the Yale Philosophy department since the fall of 1998. He did his undergraduate work at Calvin College, graduating with a major in philosophy, and did his graduate studies at UCLA, receiving his Ph.D. in philosophy. He then taught in the philosophy departments at New York University and at Rice University before coming to Yale. His primary areas of research and interest are epistemology (especially skepticism), philosophy of language (especially epistemological language and also conditionals), history of modern philosophy (especially Descartes, Berkeley, Hume, and Reid) and philosophy of religion (especially the problem of evil and religious epistemology).
    *Dr. DeRose will join us to discuss the problem of evil: How can it be that God, as traditionally conceived, exists given all the evil that there is in the world?

  • Dr. Gordon Graham — Henry Luce III Professor of Philosophy and the Arts, Princeton Theological Seminary
    Born in Ireland and educated in Ireland, Scotland and England, Dr. Graham taught philosophy in Scotland at the University of St Andrews from 1975-95, and at the University of Aberdeen from 1996-2006. He has published on a wide range of philosophical topics relating to art, education, ethics, politics, religion, and technology, and has a special interest in the Scottish philosophical tradition. In 1999 he was elected to a Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland's premier academy of science and letters. An Anglican priest ordained in the Scottish Episcopal Church, he currently holds a license in the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey. In 1990 he was Sheffer Visiting Professor of Religion at The Colorado College, and in 2005 Stanton Lecturer in Philosophy and Religion at the University of Cambridge.
    Dr. Graham joins us today to discuss what makes the Rwandan Genocide, the Jonestown Massacre, the Columbine shootings or even the recent shootings in Norway by a lone gunmen deemed sane by the courts... what makes these events great evils, and why do they occur? Dr. Graham argues that the inability of modernist thought to account satisfactorily for evil and its occurrence should not lead us to embrace an eclectic postmodernism, but to take seriously some unfashionable pre-modern conceptions - Satan, demonic possession, spiritual powers, cosmic battles.

  • Jana Riess — Author of Flunking Sainthood: A Year Of Breaking The Sabbath, Forgetting To Pray, And Still Loving My Neighbor
    Author and aspiring saint Jana Riess spent a year tackling twelve different spiritual practices in an effort to become more holy. Confident at the start—“Really, how hard could it be?”—she is dismayed as she flops at each one. Failure, however, is a valuable spiritual lesson, as she reveals in Flunking Sainthood. In her DIY holiness project, Jana attempts to master practices such as fixed-hour prayer, Sabbath-keeping, generosity, lectio divina, gratitude, and hospitality. Even the simplest one is a challenge. The Jesus Prayer, which is twelve words long and takes about four seconds to recite, prompts her to ask: “What kind of loser fails at the Jesus Prayer?”

God Blogger

  • Matthew Paul Turner from “Jesus Needs New PR” fame & Tim Challies from “Calvinist” fame
    Joining us today to talk about everything BUT doctrine, are two of the most popular Jesus bloggers on the internet
    www.matthewpaulturner.net

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: A woman who is considering leaving her husband because of his porm addiction, wants to know if his affair with fake women is grounds for divorce.

    My husband is a porn addict. I realize that this issue has been discussed at great length in the media, especially as to whether or not it's an “actual addiction" or not. Let me put it to you this way... my husband IS a porn addict. He has been for years. He kept it hidden from me for a long time, but over the last few years it has become something he has just blatantly embraced. He would say that this is just who he is, that he's never going to change, he sees nothing wrong with it, and that “it's better than having a real affair.” I've asked him to come with me to counselling because I think that his porn addiction is having a seriously negative impact on our marriage, but he has absolutely no interest in changing. When we actually do have sex, I can't help but feel insecure about him comparing me to his online women. Over the last year or so, he has wanted me to act out stuff or do stuff with him, which I know he has seen performed on the internet porn sites he visits. At times I just feel so used, and I guess I even feel like his sloppy seconds. The final straw for me was when I asked him not to look at porn while the kids are home, and he pretty much just ignored me. I'm thinking about leaving him because I really feel “cheated on” even though it's not with “real” women. I went to my pastor for advice and he told me that I should stay with my husband because he hasn't had a “real” affair. Some of my friends have encouraged me to leave because they feel that what he's doing IS actually cheating on me. I have prayed for him. I have been patient with him. I have tried pleasing him in ways I never imagined I would ever do. I have begged him to seek help. Now I'm at the point of giving up on our marriage. But I don't want to do what is wrong in the eyes of God. Just wondering if your listeners have any advice for me. Should I leave him or not?

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my! (Feel free to call in and join the discussion.)
    Today's God & Stuff guest:Manya Brachear, Religion Reporter at The Chicago Tribune

Right-click here to bookmark or copy a link to this show January 7, 2012

Special Guests

  • Joanne Cash — Country/Gospel Recording Artist
    As the younger sister of music legend Johnny Cash, Joanne continues to tour worldwide, with weekly appearances at the Nashville Cowboy Church, which she co-founded with her husband. Joanne has made numerous national television appearances, has been heard on a number of nationally syndicated radio programs and has been featured in dozens of magazines and newspapers. Joanne Cash has countless tales to tell. “I’m amazed that at my age I still want to sing, but it’s like therapy for me. I’d say 2003 was one of the hardest years of my life since we lost four family members - our oldest sister Louise, June, Johnny and June’s daughter Rosie- but singing is like a prayer that lifts me up and it rests me when I’m tired. Johnny always helped me remember that and he was constantly encouraging. But there was one short phrase from Johnny that’s always stuck with me and it’s one I’ll continue for as long as I’m here: ‘Baby, just keep on singing!’”

  • Leslie Wagner-Wilson — Survivor of the Jonestown Massacre
    On November 18, 1978 in a remote jungle settlement named Jonestown, 918 United States citizens died in a suicide-massacre. An estimated 93% of those who died were African American. It was the largest number of civilian lives lost in the United States. This included United States Congressman Leo Ryan and his entourage. His assassination marked the first and only death of a U.S. Congressman in the history of the United States. After surviving sixteen months in the armed jungle compound at the age of 21, on the morning of November 18, 1978, Leslie and nine others escaped Jonestown, walking thirty miles through the jungle. Strapped to her back was a 40-pound care package – her son, later to be known as the youngest survivor of Jonestown. Within the next two days she would learn that all of the residents of Jonestown had died, including her husband, mother, brother, sister, niece, nephew, sister in law, brother in law, and friends she had grown up with and loved since the age of 13. Years later, after Post Traumatic Stress, survivor’s guilt, drug addiction, and a family suicide, Leslie joins us to share her story.

  • Cathleen Falsani — Author of Belieber: Fame, Faith & The Heart of Justin Bieber
    The cover story of Rolling Stone in early 2011 featured an interview with Justin Bieber under the headline “Super Boy.” Undeniably, the 17-year-old Canadian pop star from Stratford, Ontario is one of the most famous people on the planet, with a devoted nation of rabid fans known as “Beliebers” who follow his every move and hang on his every word. But is there more to this everykid-turned-pop-idol’s startling success other than talent and luck? “The success I’ve achieved comes to me from God,” Bieber told Rolling Stone. “I feel I have an obligation to plant little seeds with my fans. I’m not going to tell them, ‘You need Jesus.’ but I will say at the end of my show, ‘God loves you.’” More than his legendary foppish hair and puppy-love lyrics, the bold-yet-humble faith that grounds Justin’s worldview may just be the key to his extraordinary appeal. He has nearly 13 million followers on Twitter and millions more fans worldwide, the third-largest grossing documentary film of all time and countless hit records. But behind the starlight is a teenage boy grounded by a humble faith in Jesus Christ. Listening to the voice of a generation, Belieber: Fame, Faith & the Heart of Justin Bieber explores the soul and soulful faith behind the famous hair and screaming fans. *The former longtime religion reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times and syndicated columnist, Cathleen Falsani is currently director of new media for the social justice organization Sojourners. She is best known for her personal interview profiles of President Barack Obama, Bono, Elie Wiesel, Melissa Etheridge, Studs Terkel, Annie Lennox and many other notables. Her previous books include The God Factor, Sin Boldly and The Dude Abides: The Gospel According to the Coen Brothers.

  • Kerri Pomarolli — Comedian, Actress, Author
    That's right folks! It's time for our semi-regular visit with our favourite (and only) Hollywood Correspondent!

God Blogger

  • Nicole Cottrell — The "Modern Reject"
    According to Nicole's controversial blog, “If you’re a truth-seeking, no B.S., Jesus-loving ninja, then hello, this blog is for you. If you desire freedom, like me, then this blog is for you. And let me just say, I’m glad you are here. I’m the Modern Reject and it’s nice to meet you. I don’t like mornings, but I love coffee. I don’t like arguments, but I love clarity. I don’t like religion, but I love Jesus. I don’t only believe in second chances, but I also believe in third and fourth and fifth chances. I don’t enjoy controversy for controversy’s sake, but I love the conversation it can create. I don’t have a white picket fence, but I do have one amazing husband and three amazing kids. I never planned on any of this, but I’m so thankful for each and every moment of my ordinary life because I serve an extraordinary God.” Today we'll chat with Nicole about some of her more controversial posts: God WILL Give You More Than You Can Handle / Have Sex, Even When You Don't Feel Like It / Top 10 Christian Phrases I Never Want to Hear Again / DON'T Be Yourself / Top 5 Lies Christians Believe.

Journey

  • Kristyn Wagner
    On May 5, 2009, the plastic lid of a plastic banana-berry smoothie bottle exploded off an unopened bottle and hit Kristyn in her right eye. The force of the impact lacerated her cornea and caused a hyphema. The next day Kristyn had surgery to re-attach her cornea. After seeing a retina specialist, it was determined that her retina was not damaged in the accident. Shortly after, Kristyn’s eye got worse. The infection and pain was severe. She was referred to a specialist at Toronto Western Hospital who performed an eye biopsy and it was determined that Kristyn had a deep fungal corneal ulcer with a hypopyon. She was told that she would probably need a corneal transplant and was put on a waiting list. Just a few months ago, after multiple surgeries and transplants since the initial trauma, Kristyn has regained the vision in her right eye and can now see 20/25! One day this typical high school student was doing life without a care in the world. Then in an instant, Kristyn was faced with the reality that she might not be able to play on any of the school's sports teams and have to begin a new life with some serious limitations.

Talkback, etc.

  • The Counsel Of Many!
    Need Help or Advice On An Issue In Your Life?
    Tell us your situation and Drew will ask the listeners of TDMS!

    This week on The Counsel Of Many: A man who believes in God, is having a hard time believing stories he's heard from people who have had supernatural phenomenon happen to them and wants to know if anyone else doubts that demons & angels & the Holy Spirit really interact with us.

    I believe there's a God but I'm having a really hard time believing in the “spiritual realm” if that makes any sense. To be more precise, I have a hard time believing people's “manifestation” stories. Whether it's shaking as a result of an encounter with the Holy Spirit or being pinned down in their bed in the middle of the night by a heavy “demonic” force. Lately, I've run into a number of people who have experienced some sort of demon or angel or Holy Spirit and to be honest, I secretly think to myself that they're all full of crap and are simply believing what they so desperately want to believe – have to believe – are taught to believe. Maybe it's because I'm just a skeptical male? I mean obviously I wasn't there so it's impossible for me to know whether or not what they said happened, actually happened, but every story I hear is incredibly easy to shoot holes through. Once again, I believe God exists, but I really doubt people's stories of experiencing supernatural phenomenon. I was wondering two things. A/ Am I alone in doubting everyone's WTF stories? B/ Do any of your listeners have a supernatural manifestation experience they would like to share. I'm honestly open to hearing any and all stories – furniture moving, waking up to the television being on when it was turned off before going to bed, hearing children running up and down the hallway, or any number of apparent manifestations “Holy Spirit” - I've already heard so feel free to share! I just don't think that demons or angels or the Holy Spirit or even JESUS interacts with us the way I've been hearing.

  • God & Stuff
    Join Drew & Tim The Tool as they catch up on current events and the week's happenings in the world of Religion & Faith & Cults – Oh My! Religion & Faith & Cults - Oh my! (Feel free to call in and join the discussion.)