CIA: Contagious Influencers of America

Latest Episodes:

How a $20K Church Movie Sold 1.3 Million Copies | Alex Kendrick Oct 15, 2026

Show notes

With Flywheel: Ignition of the Soul opening in theaters October 16, we're revisiting one of our favorite conversations with director Alex Kendrick of the Kendrick Brothers ("War Room," "Courageous," "Overcomer").

Recorded ahead of the release of "The Forge," this sit-down with nine-time Emmy winner David Sams goes back to the beginning: how a $20,000 community film called "Flywheel," shown off a church projector in one local theater, sold 1.3 million DVDs and launched a filmmaking ministry. Alex also shares how prayer shapes every project, the discipleship that changed his own life, the mentoring he does with his sons and their friends, and why he believes men can be "chain breakers" for the next generation. This interview first aired August 2024.

Flywheel: Ignition of the Soul | Cast & Filmmakers

#AlexKendrick #Flywheel #IgnitionoftheSoul #movie #ChristianFilm #KeepTheFaith #DavidSams #ContagiousInfluencers

Carl & Laura Lentz: Overcoming Infidelity and the Betrayal That Ended a Megachurch Oct 08, 2026

Show notes

'If you're a pastor, you're choosing a pedestal.' Carl Lentz would know. But he still let it all come crashing down.

Carl Lentz built Hillsong NYC into one of the most famous churches on the planet and became the "rock star pastor" to the likes of Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Kevin Durant — until a months-long affair, admitted addiction, and a pattern he later called "not an isolated incident" got him fired, made international headlines, and inspired multiple documentaries picking apart the wreckage. When his wife Laura found out, their world fell apart in real time.

This week, Carl and Laura sit down with host David Sams for a conversation they didn't have to have. They talk about what actually happened behind the image — the double life, the lie of omission, the moment Laura saw a brokenness in Carl she'd never seen before and had to decide whether to stay. They get into the specific danger of putting pastors on a pedestal, why "celebrity pastor" culture made it easier to hide, and what accountability looks like when you can't control the narrative anymore.

Six years, hundreds of hours of therapy, and one brutal documentary cycle later, they're still married — and they've written the book they wish someone had handed them in the middle of the fire. "Overcoming Infidelity" lays out ten hard conversations couples need to survive betrayal: what to tell your kids, how to rebuild intimacy, how to handle triggers, and how the person who did the damage has to show up differently if there's any chance of healing.

This isn't a redemption tour. It's an unflinching look at what it costs to rebuild — and whether it's possible at all.

#CarlLentz #OvercomingInfidelity #Hillsong #CelebrityPastor #MarriageRecovery #LauraLentz #Infidelity #Betrayal #Marriage #KeepTheFaith #DavidSams #ContagiousInfluencers

Chonda Pierce: The Raw Pain Behind the Punchlines Oct 01, 2026

Show notes

Chonda Pierce has made a career out of turning heartache into laughter, but this time she's telling the parts of the story that were never funny. Nine-time Emmy winner David Sams sits down with the award-winning comedian, TV host, and actress for a candid conversation about the pain behind the punchlines. Chonda opens up about growing up with a bipolar father, losing two sisters and her husband, her stay in a psychiatric hospital, and the estrangement that kept her from her grandsons for over a decade, along with the unexpected reunion that finally happened at a Cracker Barrel. She also shares how Christian counseling, forgiveness, and a hard-won sense of humor helped her heal, and offers hope to anyone walking a similar road. Chonda's book, "Life Is Funny Until It's Not," is available now. This episode first aired in June 2024.

https://chonda.org/

#chondapierce #lifeisfunny #cleancomedy #comedian #queenofclean #davidsams #keepthefaith #contagiousinfluencers #contagiousencouragement #crackerbarrel

Born Without Limbs. Built Without Limits. | Nick Vujicic Interview Sep 23, 2026

Show notes

What does it look like to have every excuse to give up — and refuse every single one? Nick Vujicic was born without arms or legs, and has spent his life proving that the limits everyone expects don't have to be the ones you live by. Nine-time Emmy winner David Sams sits down with Nick for a wide-ranging conversation on faith, resilience, raising a family, and why he believes this generation is being called to something bigger than itself. It's the same spirit driving Nick's new film, No Limbs No Limits, his full story told for the first time with never-before-seen footage — in theaters nationwide September 25. Get your tickets now at nickvfilms.com. This episode first aired January 2024.

#nickvujicic #nolimbsnolimits #keepthefaith #contagiousinfluencer #davidsams #limitless #dreambig #lifewithoutlimbs #unstoppable

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# 288: A $500 Speeding Ticket in Reagan's Hometown Sets a Movie in Motion Igniting a Hollywood Story Sep 17, 2026

Show notes

Producer Mark Joseph joins host David Sams to talk about the theatrical re-release of Reagan, arriving in theaters September 25 as part of America's 250th anniversary celebrations. Joseph shares the story behind the director's cut — ten additional minutes restored, including an opening line about making America great again that traces back further than most viewers would guess with bipartisan history — and reflects on the winding, almost accidental path that led him to make the film in the first place, starting with a speeding ticket that stranded him overnight in Reagan's hometown of Dixon, Illinois.

As Joseph explains, politics happens to be Reagan's eventual occupation, but the movie is about the man: his setbacks, his comeback, and above all, a genuine love story between Ronald and Nancy Reagan that carries the film from beginning to end.

The conversation covers the film's origin story, including how the movie's memorable opening sequence came to Joseph in a dream; what made Dennis Quaid the right choice to play Reagan after years of development with other actors attached; the surprising real-life COVID transmission that happened on set during a pivotal hospital scene; and how AI is already reshaping — and could have reshaped — the filmmaking process. Joseph also discusses working with Mel Gibson on The Passion of the Christ, the making of The Chronicles of Narnia, the film's soundtrack featuring Bob Dylan, Clint Black, Gene Simmons, and Tanya Tucker, and the audience-versus-critics divide that has made Reagan a record-setting outlier on Rotten Tomatoes.

Learn more and find theater listings at reagan.movie.

#markjoseph #reagan #dennisquaid #ronaldreagan #keepthefaith #contagiousinfluencer

"Reagan" Returns: Dennis Quaid on Faith, Perseverance & the Man Behind the Presidency Sep 10, 2026

Show notes

The life of Ronald Reagan proves that setbacks are just the setup for what comes next. Now, the film "Reagan" is returning for a limited run on September 25 as a Director's Cut with 10 minutes of never-before-seen footage, timed to America's 250th anniversary.

Dennis Quaid stars as the 40th President in this movie that traces Reagan's path from a small Illinois town, through a Hollywood career that stalled out before it ever really took off, and finally into the White House. Nine-time Emmy winner David Sams sat down with Quaid at the Reagan Ranch itself — the Western White House from 1981 to 1989 — for a conversation that goes well beyond the usual press-junket beats.

In this encore episode, Quaid opens up about the nearly two years he spent preparing for the role, tracking down archival footage to nail Reagan's voice and mannerisms across four decades of his life. He talks candidly about his own four marriages and how that shaped his appreciation for the deep partnership between Ronald and Nancy Reagan, calls the film's closing scenes — built around Reagan's real 1994 Alzheimer's diagnosis letter to the American people — an act of real courage, and explains why he sees the movie less as a political statement than a story about faith, failure, and second chances. This episode first aired August 2024.

Watch and get tickets at reagan.movie.

# 287: There's No One More Free Than a Canceled Person - Tullian Tchividjian's Story Sep 03, 2026

Show notes

What happens when the church you built your whole identity around cancels you overnight — and you come out the other side more honest, more grounded, and more free than you've ever been?

In this episode, host David Sams sits down with pastor, author, and grandson of Billy Graham, Tullian Tchividjian, for a wide-ranging, unfiltered conversation about cancel culture inside Christianity, the pressure of growing up in a legacy family, surviving a very public fall from grace, and why he believes the church should be the safest place on earth for broken people — not the scariest. Tullian opens up about the therapy, self-awareness, and years of rebuilding that led him to plant The Sanctuary in Jupiter, Florida — a "recovery place masquerading as a church" — and to a life that's smaller, less polished, and infinitely more real.

The conversation is the perfect window into Tullian's brand-new book, Fragments of Freedom — a full-color, coffee-table-style memoir told in 40 short, diary-style entries, complete with custom photography and QR codes linking to the songs and playlists that shaped each page. It's not a devotional and it's not a typical chapter book — it's a raw, unedited look into Tullian's daily life, struggles, and the unexpected places he finds grace. As he puts it, "Grace does not erase the ruins. It meets you in the rubble."

🎧 Listen to the full episode above. 📖 Grab Fragments of Freedom directly from the publisher (cheaper than Amazon!) at fragmentsbook.com ⛪ Learn more about Tullian and The Sanctuary Jupiter at tullian.net

#TullianTchividjian #fragmentsbook #thesanctuary #keepthefaith #contagiousinfluencers

Danny Gokey Gets Real: Loss, Faith & Fighting for Others Aug 27, 2026

Show notes

American Idol Top 3 finalist and three-time Grammy nominee Danny Gokey joins nine-time Emmy winner David Sams back at the Contagious Influencers of America studio for a heart-to-heart that goes far beyond the music. Recorded just ahead of the release of his album "Sound of Heaven," Danny dives into the Latin culture that shaped his sound, the power of choice in overcoming hard seasons, and the growth of his non-profit "Better Than I Found It," which has rehabilitated homeless shelters and rebuilt lives across the country. He also shares a tender tribute to his friend and fellow Idol alum Mandisa, reflecting on the legacy she left behind.

Since this conversation, Gokey has signed with Jay DeMarcus's Red Street Records and released his second single of the year, "Jesus Over Everything" — a song born from the same conviction he talks about in this very interview: that the highs and lows of life only make sense when Jesus is at the center. Revisit this conversation to hear where that conviction started. This episode first aired in July 2024.

#dannygokey #jesusovereverything #soundofheaven #redstreetrecords #keepthefaith #davidsams #contagiousinfluencers

# 286: He Survived Iraq. Now He's Warning Us About AI | Ben Peterson Aug 19, 2026

Show notes

David Sams sits down with Army veteran and Engage Your Destiny founder Ben Peterson for a conversation that moves from the battlefields of Iraq to the front lines of the AI revolution. Ben opens up about the darkest chapter of his life serving as a Chaplain's Assistant — losing seven brothers-in-arms in his first week of deployment, and the years of guilt, addiction, and near-suicidal despair that followed — and how that pain became the foundation for a ministry that has now reached over 300,000 service members.

From there, the conversation turns to the topic driving Ben's urgent new book, When Intelligence Isn't Human: Navigating Your Faith in the Age of AI. Ben and David dig into what it means to live faithfully in a world where algorithms are shaping how young people think, feel, and even seek guidance — with sobering data on anxiety, isolation, and a generation increasingly turning to chatbots instead of community, mentors, or God. They talk candidly about the AI arms race with China, the explosion of data centers, the rise of AI companionship, and why Ben believes this moment calls for believers to root themselves deeper in Christ rather than retreat from technology altogether.

It's a raw, wide-ranging discussion of sacrifice, redemption, and what it takes to stay grounded when the world is moving faster than we can process. Pre-order Ben's book, When Intelligence Isn't Human.

#BenPeterson #WhenIntelligenceIsntHuman #army #ai #keepthefaith # contagiousinfluencer #davidsams #engageyourdestiny

From Sleeping on a Couch to 7-Figures: PATRICE WASHINGTON's Real Story on Loss, Faith & Comeback Aug 13, 2026

Show notes

Long before she became known as "America's Money Maven," Patrice Washington was a 25-year-old real estate broker with a seven-figure business, matching Range Rovers, and an 800 credit score — and then the 2008 recession took it all. She went from that seven-figure business to sleeping on a family member's couch, and it was in that collapse that she found the framework that would define her life's work: six pillars of true wealth that go far beyond money.

In this conversation from our archives with host 9-time Emmy winner David Sams and life coach to the stars Tim Storey, Patrice opens up about the losses that shaped her — including the heartbreaking story of losing her infant son — and how she rebuilt her life, her faith, and eventually her fortune from the ground up. She shares the six pillars that have made her Redefining Wealth Podcast one of the most downloaded shows in the personal-finance space, and explains why she believes real wealth starts on the inside.

Since this interview, Patrice's story has kept evolving. She's since divorced, has spoken openly about rebuilding her voice and identity afterward, and continues to co-parent the daughter she talks about in this episode — now a teenager. Her platform has grown into a global movement, with her podcast surpassing 15 million downloads and her teachings reaching audiences well beyond personal finance. This episode first aired August 2018.

Listen in for a raw, honest conversation about turning your greatest setback into your greatest comeback.

Learn more about Patrice at Home | Patrice Washington - Chase Purpose, Not Money.

#patricewashington #redefiningwealth #chasepurposenotmoney #timstorey #davidsams #keepthefaith #contagiousinfluencers

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