Cultural Connections

She was 16 in a Denver apartment with no heat, no water, and two younger siblings to keep alive. Her dad was in prison. Her mom was in jail. Nobody came.

This is Brandy’s story, the first in our series This Is My Story. She had only told it to a couple of people. A pastor and a licensed counselor sit down with her as she tells the truth: addiction, abandonment, a studio apartment, and the unseen hand of God before she even knew His name.

In this conversation:
• Born into addiction, alcoholism, and days...

Have you been called a narcissist lately? The word is everywhere. Thanksgiving dinner, church, marriage, ministry. We throw it at anyone who seems proud or hard to deal with. That is not how this works.

Pastor Daniel Cox and his wife Marie (a licensed counselor) talk about what narcissism actually is, what it is not, and how Christians should handle it. They come at it from the pulpit and the counseling room. And they ask you to look in the mirror before you start labeling people.

In this episode we discuss: 

• NPD versus nar...

Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide and complicated grief. 

If you are struggling, please reach out for help.

If you or someone you know is in crisis:

Call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) free, confidential, 24/7 Or visit 988lifeline.org

In this episode of Cultural Connections, Pastor Daniel and Marie sit down with Addison for a raw and redemptive conversation about the suicide of her mother when she was 13. Addison shares the complicated grief, the guilt and shame that followed, the fear of closeness, and how God met her in t...

Your feelings are real… but they were never meant to become your identity.
Culture says “I feel it, therefore I am it.” 

The Bible says something very different. In this episode we expose the dangerous modern idea that emotions should define who you are and show why feelings make wonderful servants but terrible masters.
You’ll learn: 

• Why “I feel anxious” so easily becomes “I am an anxious person” 

• The difference between primary and secondary emotions 

• Why “when something is hysterical, it’s historical” 

• How Cain, Peter, and Jesus Himself handled intense e...

When leaders fall, the fallout reaches families, churches, and people who trusted them. In this episode of Cultural Connections, Pastor Daniel and Marie Cox open a hard, honest conversation about Christian leadership failure—why it hits so deep, what often leads there, and how followers of Jesus should respond.

This is not gossip. It’s a pastoral conversation about keeping our eyes on Christ when the people we respected fail.

In this episode we discuss:
• Why Christian leadership failures cut so deep
• Godly influence vs. hero worship
• Why we must never confuse the messag...

Family estrangement is becoming normal and a lot of believers don’t know what to do with it.

In this episode of Cultural Connections, Pastor Daniel Cox and Marie Cox talk honestly about the rise of family estrangement: why adult children go no contact, how the word “toxic” gets overused, when distance may be necessary, and how Christians pursue reconciliation without pretending abuse is okay.

If you’re estranged from a parent, child, sibling, or extended family, or you’re trying to help someone who is, this conversation is for you.

<...

In this episode of Cultural Connections, Pastor Daniel and Marie Cox have an honest conversation about the epidemic of busyness and burnout in our culture and how the Bible invites us into something much better: rhythms of rest and true shalom.

They talk about the sobering statistics on workplace stress, what burnout really looks like (even in ministry), the beautiful Hebrew idea of shalom, why Jesus was never in a hurry, and how our phones and constant notifications keep us stuck in survival mode. You’ll also hear practical rhythms you can build into your life to pr...

Are you happily married… or quietly believing some of the lies our culture tells about marriage?

In Episode 17 of Cultural Connections, Pastor Daniel Cox and his wife Marie sit down for an honest, Scripture packed conversation as they bust 12 common marriage myths. They share personal stories from their own marriage, laugh together, and point everything back to the covenant love and sanctification God designed for husbands and wives.

Myths they tackle include:
• If we were truly compatible, marriage would be easy
• Love is primarily a feeling
• I’m supposed to meet all their emot...

As America marks its 250th year, Pastor Daniel and Marie Cox talk about patriotism, parenting, immigration, social media, and how believers can love their country honestly, without ignoring hard truths, all through a biblical lens.

In this episode:
🔹 Why younger generations may feel less patriotic & what parents can do
🔹 Loving America while being honest about its flaws (immigration, history, gratitude)
🔹 Social media, algorithms, and what our kids are absorbing online
🔹 A theological frame for “the times of the Gentiles” and faithful citizenship
🔹 Celebrating America’s semiquincentennial (250th) with faith, not hype

⏱ Chapters:
0...

What if the key to sharing the gospel with a lonely neighbor has four legs and a wagging tail?

In this episode of Cultural Connections, we sit down with Lesley and Terri  from Doggie Disciples and the real star of the show, Cheyenne, to talk about how certified therapy dogs are being used to reach people in assisted living, memory care, hospitals, and more.

It started with a simple question at the Awakenings Conference: what is the greatest need in our community? The answer was loneliness. Doggie Disciples was born by pairing that need with s...

How do you parent an anxious child when their anxiety shows up as anger, stubbornness, or rebellion? In this honest conversation, we share real stories from the parenting trenches including a powerful moment when one of us realized we had been misreading our child’s anxiety for years.

We also tackle:
• What to do when parenting exposes your own sin and immaturity
• How much screen time is actually too much (and why rules should be different for each child)
• How to stop projecting your own fears onto your kids
• Why some children behave at church...

Grace-based parenting isn't soft parenting — it's parenting that starts with God's grace in you, then flows to your children through clear boundaries, open relationship, and redemptive discipline.

In this episode of Cultural Connections, we talk honestly about raising four kids (ages 15–21), what we've learned along the way, and how grace from Christ — not guilt or fear — should shape the way we parent.

Whether you're parenting toddlers, teens, or somewhere in between, this conversation is for parents who want to honor the Lord at home and lead with both truth and mercy.

🔹 In this episode:

We usually sit down with someone else and ask the questions. This time we turned the mic around.

This is the episode where we slow down — no guest, no headlines — and talk about our own lives: Florida roots, the churches and schools that shaped us, how we met at Crown College, what it looked like to say yes to ministry, and what God has done in the years since.

It’s personal. Some of it is hard. A lot of it is grateful. If you’ve ever wondered who’s behind Cultural Connections, or you’re wrestling...

Vietnam veteran Ray Kelly shares his powerful story of war, sacrifice, survival guilt, and finding redemption through Christ.

Ray served as a Marine machine gunner in Vietnam and was awarded the Silver Star for his actions in 1967 — but didn’t receive it until 51 years later. In this conversation, he opens up about the weight he carried for decades and how Jesus ultimately brought healing and purpose to his life.

Watch the full Silver Star ceremony honoring Ray here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTOOJotDnCE

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00:00 Intro
00:22 Welcome & Honoring Our...

Disclosure isn’t something that’s coming someday we’re already living in it.

In this deep and eye-opening conversation, Joel from The Soul Trap joins Cultural Connections to explain why what the world calls “disclosure” is actually a slow, deliberate conditioning of humanity. We explore the spiritual reality behind aliens, the Double Slit Experiment and the observer effect, the Garden of Eden, gateways, and why the Bible has been warning us about this deception from the beginning.

Joel breaks down how trauma, technology, and culture are being used to open doors to the spirit realm and...

In this powerful episode, Joy Lewis opens up about her journey through deep loss and unwavering faith. After losing her husband of 28 years, **Pastor Shane Lewis**, to leukemia in 2020, Joy shares how she and her family chose to trust God even in their darkest moments.

Shane was a beloved pastor and powerful preacher whose ministry was tremendously blessed by God. He had a special gift with people and was known for his deep integrity and genuine love for others. On Father’s Day morning in 2020, he went home to be with the Lord.

Joy also sh...

In this powerful episode of Cultural Connections, we tackle one of the most misunderstood and painful topics of our day: depression. With the World Health Organization reporting that 1 billion people worldwide are struggling with mental health challenges and 36.2% of young adults (18–25) reporting some form of mental illness we move beyond pop psychology and cultural slogans to examine what Scripture actually says about deep soul distress.

Join us as we explore:

In this powerful episode of Cultural Connections, we tackle one of the most pressing issues of our time: anxiety. From clinical definitions to spiritual roots, we unpack what anxiety really is, why it’s so common today, and most importantly how to find lasting peace through Christ.

What We Cover:

Join us for a special family conversation on Cultural Connections as we sit down with our 19-year-old son, Ethan Cox. Ethan shares his real-life experiences navigating Gen Z culture — from Christian school to public high school sports teams, building authentic relationships, witnessing to teammates, balancing friendships, mental health struggles, secret sins, and discovering what true servant leadership looks like in ministry.

This heartfelt episode is packed with practical wisdom for parents, teens, young adults, and anyone who wants to reach the next generation with the Gospel.

**Timestamps:**
- 00:00 - Welcome to Cultural Connections
...

In this powerful episode, Brian Buono shares his raw and transparent testimony of redemption — from a broken childhood as a latchkey kid and years of pride, ego, and exhausting control, to a life-changing encounter with Christ on a street corner just days after Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

Brian opens up about:
• Growing up in a fractured home after his parents’ divorce
• The heavy weight of “fake it till you make it” and the facade of success
• His breaking point with anxiety and health fears
• The simple “Repent” sign that led him to salvation in a Verizon parking l...

In this powerful episode of Cultural Connections, Pastor Daniel Cox and his wife Marie welcome special guest Sig Pell — deacon at Calvary Baptist Church — to share his remarkable true story of faith, resilience, and God’s grace through the immigrant experience.

Born in a refugee camp near Hamburg after World War II, Sig recounts how his Mennonite family fled their East German farm in the harsh winter of 1945. Traveling by horse-drawn wagon train, they faced destroyed bridges, thin river ice, advancing armies, thievery, and a stunning divine reunion with his father that can only be descri...

Dr. Jim Schettler joins Cultural Connections for an honest, hope-filled conversation about the spiritual temperature of today’s young people. With 48 years of ministry experience preaching in churches, youth camps, and colleges across the country, Dr. Schettler shares what he’s seeing firsthand: this generation is more receptive to the Gospel and hungrier for authentic Christianity than ever before. Yet many lack the grit and perseverance to stand when opposition hits.

The conversation dives into why passion alone isn’t enough, the crucial role of one-on-one mentoring, how COVID helped kill the “megachurch mentality,” and why relational disciplesh...

Join Pastor Cox and his wife Marie for real conversations about faith and everyday life.

In this episode they tackle one of the most controversial questions of our time: What is a woman? From Supreme Court hearings and dictionary changes to Genesis 1, they give a clear, biblical, and scientific answer that cuts through the confusion.

Simple. Honest. Always grounded in God's Word. 

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📌 CHAPTERS
0:00 Welcome Back to Cultural Connections
0:25 “What Is a Woman?” – The Question Everyo...

Join Pastor Daniel and Marie Cox on the pilot episode of the Cultural Connections Podcast! Here they discuss the intersection of Christ and the culture for real conversations about faith and everyday life.


After many years in ministry together, Marie returned to school and became a licensed counselor so they could better help people who are struggling. Now they explore how Jesus connects with culture, family, anxiety, trauma, and the challenges we all face.

Simple, honest, and always grounded in God's Word.

New episodes coming soon. Subscribe and share with a friend!<...