Just A Guy In The Pew Podcast

Latest Episodes:

We're in This Together Jul 14, 2026

Show notes

The Christian life was never meant to be lived alone. In this heartfelt episode, John steps away from the plans and simply shares what's been on his heart after a powerful night of prayer and adoration. Reflecting on the countless emails, messages, and stories from listeners around the world, he reminds us that the mission of Just a Guy in the Pew has never been about one voice—it has always been about one family walking toward Christ together. Whether you're carrying addiction, loneliness, a struggling marriage, grief, or simply wondering if anyone sees you, this episode is a reminder that you are not alone. Together we'll explore: Why God saves us personally but sanctifies us together. How isolation is one of the enemy's greatest weapons. Why authentic Christian brotherhood changes lives. The beauty of carrying one another's burdens. How your prayers, encouragement, generosity, and witness are helping rescue souls every day. Why every believer has a place in God's mission. This is more than a thank-you. It's an invitation. To stop walking alone. To become part of someone else's story. To remember that the Church is a family—and that no one has to journey to Jesus by themselves. We're in this together. Follow this link to order your signed copy of our new book, Power Made Perfect: https://store.justaguyinthepew.com/ Learn more about our pilgrimage: Walk in the Footsteps of Pope St. John Paul II with John 👉https://selectinternationaltours.com/product/in-the-footsteps-of-st-john-paul-ii-pilgrimage-to-poland-with-john-edwards-and-fr-kacper-wojcieszko/ Launch a Life Changing Group for Men in Your Parish! ⛪️ http://www.justaguyinthepew.com Become a Partner in the Pew! 🤝 http://www.donorbox.org/pew DOWNLOADS📚 Get a copy of my new eBook, “12 Ways Guys Can Get Closer to Jesus”! http://JUSTAGUYINTHEPEW.COM/EBOOK

Claiming Victory in Christ Jul 07, 2026

Show notes

Most everyone has felt stuck, that your life would be so much better if everyone else just got on your level one way or another. We know that’s a distraction by the enemy to get you focusing on the speck in your brother’s eye while you walk around with a two-by-four hanging out of your own. But what do we do to finally overcome that? How do we fight against this and win? Long story short: we can’t on our own power. It’s only the power of Jesus Christ that can lead us to victory. And that starts with surrendering. It starts when we decide we’re sick and tired of being sick and tired, when we go to God and claim the victory that is ours because it was His, and it was His victory that He won with us in mind and for our sake. In today’s episode, we’ll talk about: 🔹What the enemy wants us to believe about ourselves 🔹The encouragement St. Paul gives us throughout his letters in the New Testament 🔹Some things that have helped me enter the truth of who I am more deeply that I hope will also ring true in you God is not somewhere out there. He dwells within you. His power is within you. His victory is your victory. If anything from this episode stays with you, I sincerely hope and pray it’s that, because that’s at the heart of who you are. Not your sins, not your mistakes, but the simple truth that you are the one for whom Jesus died, rose, and conquered the grave. Follow this link to order your signed copy of our new book, Power Made Perfect: https://store.justaguyinthepew.com/ Learn more about our pilgrimage: Walk in the Footsteps of Pope St. John Paul II with John 👉https://selectinternationaltours.com/product/in-the-footsteps-of-st-john-paul-ii-pilgrimage-to-poland-with-john-edwards-and-fr-kacper-wojcieszko/ Launch a Life Changing Group for Men in Your Parish! ⛪️ http://www.justaguyinthepew.com Become a Partner in the Pew! 🤝 http://www.donorbox.org/pew DOWNLOADS📚 Get a copy of my new eBook, “12 Ways Guys Can Get Closer to Jesus”! http://JUSTAGUYINTHEPEW.COM/EBOOK

Marriage, Family, and Men with Dr. Greg Popcak Jun 30, 2026

Show notes

Most of us were taught how to work hard, provide, and solve problems. But very few of us were ever taught how to truly love, communicate, or lead our families the way Christ calls us to. That leaves a lot of men frustrated. We work harder, say less, withdraw emotionally, and wonder why our marriages keep drifting further apart. This week, I sit down with Dr. Greg Popcak, the founder of CatholicCounselors.com and host of EWTN’s More2Life program, to have one of the most practical conversations we've ever had on marriage, fatherhood, communication, and authentic masculine leadership. In this episode we discuss: 🔹Why leadership and control are not the same thing. 🔹The biggest communication mistakes husbands make. 🔹Why your wife often wants your presence more than your solutions. 🔹How emotional shutdown slowly damages a marriage. 🔹What healthy Catholic counseling looks like. 🔹The surprising habits that help families pass on the faith. 🔹Why your children need to see you pray through life's struggles—not just solve them. 🔹How small daily acts of care can completely change the culture of your home. 🔹Why it's never too late to begin rebuilding trust. If you've ever felt like you're trying your best but nothing seems to change... or you've wondered how to become the husband and father God is calling you to be... I think this conversation will encourage you. Check out more of Dr. Popcak's work: https://catholiccounselors.com/ https://www.ewtn.com/radio/shows/more2life And follow him on social media: https://www.instagram.com/catholiccounselors https://x.com/DrGregandLisa https://www.facebook.com/DrGregandLisa Follow this link to order your signed copy of our new book, Power Made Perfect: https://store.justaguyinthepew.com/ Learn more about our pilgrimage: Walk in the Footsteps of Pope St. John Paul II with John 👉https://selectinternationaltours.com/product/in-the-footsteps-of-st-john-paul-ii-pilgrimage-to-poland-with-john-edwards-and-fr-kacper-wojcieszko/ Launch a Life Changing Group for Men in Your Parish! ⛪️ http://www.justaguyinthepew.com Become a Partner in the Pew! 🤝 http://www.donorbox.org/pew DOWNLOADS📚 Get a copy of my new eBook, “12 Ways Guys Can Get Closer to Jesus”! http://JUSTAGUYINTHEPEW.COM/EBOOK

Why You're Still Stuck Jun 23, 2026

Show notes

Tell me if you’ve ever said something like this before: “If my boss wasn’t such a jerk, I’d like my job.” “If my wife would just listen to me, we’d be able to be happy.” "If only my friends would stop doing x, y, or z, I’d be able to be myself.” This blame game is a favorite tool of the enemy going all the way back to Eden. As long as we’re focused on what other people aren’t doing right or how they’re hurting us and waiting on them to change, we’re not facing ourselves and becoming the saints we’re called to be. In this episode, we’re talking about why so many of us feel stuck. The simple answer is that we fall into this trap that says happiness and freedom depend on other people changing their behavior, and that’s not at all the case. We’ll get into: 🔹What stories we tell ourselves about the struggles we face 🔹The responsibility we have to choose our responses to the things that happen to us 🔹Where the search for freedom and happiness truly starts If we know something someone’s doing isn’t right, of course we hope and pray for a change. But whether or not they do is between them and God, and only God has the power to change their hearts. It does us no good to tie our happiness, our freedom, our calling to what they’re doing. That plays right into the enemy’s hands. If you find yourself in this place, I hope this episode encourages you to chase after the freedom God has for you, no matter what everyone else is doing. Follow this link to order your signed copy of our new book, Power Made Perfect: https://store.justaguyinthepew.com/ Learn more about our pilgrimage: Walk in the Footsteps of Pope St. John Paul II with John 👉https://selectinternationaltours.com/product/in-the-footsteps-of-st-john-paul-ii-pilgrimage-to-poland-with-john-edwards-and-fr-kacper-wojcieszko/ Launch a Life Changing Group for Men in Your Parish! ⛪️ http://www.justaguyinthepew.com Become a Partner in the Pew! 🤝 http://www.donorbox.org/pew DOWNLOADS📚 Get a copy of my new eBook, “12 Ways Guys Can Get Closer to Jesus”! http://JUSTAGUYINTHEPEW.COM/EBOOK

Understanding the Gift Jun 16, 2026

Show notes

How do you stay true to Christ? I hear this question so often. People are creatures of habit; when things get difficult, it’s easy for us to go back to our bad habits, our addictions, our sins. As the book of Proverbs says, we so often go back to our sins the way a dog goes back to its vomit. What I’ve discovered in my life is that the key to staying faithful to Christ is to understand the gift that He’s given you. That’s what we’re talking about in this episode. We’ll get into: 🔹The difference between knowing what the gift is and opening it 🔹The complimentary testimonies of the Apostles who lead the way in understanding the gift 🔹Practical steps to persevere in a transformed life We all know what it’s like to fail. We know that Jesus isn’t content to leave us in our failure. But growth and faithfulness really comes when we let that knowledge move from the head to the heart. St. John says that we only love because God loved us first. The first step to remaining faithful to Christ is also sometimes the hardest: letting it really sink in that you are His beloved son. Follow this link to order your signed copy of our new book, Power Made Perfect: https://store.justaguyinthepew.com/ Learn more about our pilgrimage: Walk in the Footsteps of Pope St. John Paul II with John 👉https://selectinternationaltours.com/product/in-the-footsteps-of-st-john-paul-ii-pilgrimage-to-poland-with-john-edwards-and-fr-kacper-wojcieszko/ Launch a Life Changing Group for Men in Your Parish! ⛪️ http://www.justaguyinthepew.com Become a Partner in the Pew! 🤝 http://www.donorbox.org/pew DOWNLOADS📚 Get a copy of my new eBook, “12 Ways Guys Can Get Closer to Jesus”! http://JUSTAGUYINTHEPEW.COM/EBOOK

Mary, Virtue, and Prayer with John Heinen Jun 09, 2026

Show notes

As Catholics, we treat Mary with a particular sense of reverence and honor. But sometimes it’s hard to know how to relate to her, and how to open ourselves up to a relationship with her without feeling like we’re somehow taking time away from her Son. The truth is that she always brings us closer to Jesus, so the time we spend with her is time spent with Him. That’s what my friend John Heinen, executive director of The Catholic Gentleman, joins us in the pew to talk about. Today, we’re going to talk about: 🔹Mary’s role in our growth in virtue 🔹How to build a deeper relationship to Jesus through Mary 🔹A few concrete things you can do right now to grow closer to Mary, and by necessity her Son. As John said, Jesus spent 30 years of His life on earth glorifying God through obedience to Mary and Joseph. If Mary is that important to Him, she ought to be for us as well. And if you're worried about giving her too much and God not enough, just remember that no matter how much you love Mary, you’ll never be able to love her more than Jesus does. And check out more of John's work: https://catholicgentleman.com/ Follow this link to order your signed copy of our new book, Power Made Perfect: https://store.justaguyinthepew.com/ Learn more about our pilgrimage: Walk in the Footsteps of Pope St. John Paul II with John 👉https://selectinternationaltours.com/product/in-the-footsteps-of-st-john-paul-ii-pilgrimage-to-poland-with-john-edwards-and-fr-kacper-wojcieszko/ Launch a Life Changing Group for Men in Your Parish! ⛪️ http://www.justaguyinthepew.com Become a Partner in the Pew! 🤝 http://www.donorbox.org/pew DOWNLOADS📚 Get a copy of my new eBook, “12 Ways Guys Can Get Closer to Jesus”! http://JUSTAGUYINTHEPEW.COM/EBOOK

Building Up Your Marriage with Paul George Jun 09, 2026

Show notes

God did not create us to have a mediocre marriage. My good friend Paul George, the author of Rethink Happiness and Holy Grit, joins us today to discuss common ways our marriages get put on the back burner and how to make sure that our union is treated like the sacrament that it is. In this episode we’re talking about: 🔹Different seasons of marriage 🔹How the fall of Adam and Eve contributed to our current relationship weaknesses 🔹How to model what marriage looks like to our kids. Paul also talks about the things he’s learned in his own marriage, and how he’s helping to build up marriages in his ministries. Whether you’ve been married for years or only a little while, or are in the discernment process, there’s some great wisdom in this episode you don’t want to miss out on. Follow this link to order your signed copy today: https://store.justaguyinthepew.com/ Learn more about our pilgrimage: Walk in the Footsteps of Pope St. John Paul II with John 👉https://selectinternationaltours.com/product/in-the-footsteps-of-st-john-paul-ii-pilgrimage-to-poland-with-john-edwards-and-fr-kacper-wojcieszko/ Launch a Life Changing Group for Men in Your Parish! ⛪️ http://www.justaguyinthepew.com Become a Partner in the Pew! 🤝 http://www.donorbox.org/pew DOWNLOADS📚 Get a copy of my new eBook, “12 Ways Guys Can Get Closer to Jesus”! http://JUSTAGUYINTHEPEW.COM/EBOOK

An Explosion of Faith with Fr. Jacob Dumont May 26, 2026

Show notes

"What happens when young Catholics stop sitting on the sidelines? Today Fr. Jacob Dumont, a local superior for the Legionaries of Christ in Cincinnati and my spiritual director, joins us in the pew to talk about the explosion of faith happening in the Church right now. This is happening in particular among younger people, and so many of them are searching for truth, purpose, and something real, and are finding it exactly where we’d hope: in the Catholic Church, which contains the fullness of truth. In this episode, we’re talking about: - Why young people are hungry for real faith and relationships - How accompaniment keeps people from falling away - What it means to trust God enough to step out of your comfort zone Fr. Jacob shares stories from campus ministry and from his own priesthood that show how powerful one “yes” can be. If you’ve been feeling called to go deeper or wondering where God is calling you, I hope this episode is a reminder that renewal starts with you." Many of us live in the past or in the future, and we’re not present to anything. The devil loves to use this tactic to rob us, to get us listening to the wrong voice and pulling us away from the one thing we can do something about: the present moment. We talked last week about some of those voices and who they’re coming from. Today Victor and I follow this theme some more and talk about what happens when we listen to those voices and focus on the things we can’t change. We can’t change the past, and the future is unknown. But to God, everything is present. He’s present. And with Him is where He wants you to be. So be present with us for a little while, and then go and be present with your friends, your family, and with God. “Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.” (Matthew 6:34) Check out the Legionaries of Christ: https://rcohiovalley.org/legionaries Follow this link to order your signed copy today: https://store.justaguyinthepew.com/ Learn more about our pilgrimage: Walk in the Footsteps of Pope St. John Paul II with John 👉https://selectinternationaltours.com/product/in-the-footsteps-of-st-john-paul-ii-pilgrimage-to-poland-with-john-edwards-and-fr-kacper-wojcieszko/ Launch a Life Changing Group for Men in Your Parish! ⛪️ http://www.justaguyinthepew.com Become a Partner in the Pew! 🤝 http://www.donorbox.org/pew DOWNLOADS📚 Get a copy of my new eBook, “12 Ways Guys Can Get Closer to Jesus”! http://JUSTAGUYINTHEPEW.COM/EBOOK

Power Made Perfect May 19, 2026

Show notes

Folks, today is a huge day for the ministry. My new book, Power Made Perfect: Finding True Strength in Christ launches today, and I am so excited for you to read it. This whole episode is dedicated to telling you what this book is about, how it came together, and how grateful I am that the Lord brought each one of you here - whether to the podcast, to a pilgrimage, to a mission, or anything else - so that He could make this happen. This book is all about power: - The power we lost in the Garden of Eden - The power we mistakenly chase in the world that leads us to feel powerless - The power of God made perfect in our weakness that is sufficient for us If you’ve ever felt like you had to go it alone, this is a book I really hope you’ll read. And if you get a copy through our store, I’ll sign your copy. Whether you’ve been with us in the pew for years or you just found us today, you’re not alone. Follow this link to order your signed copy today: https://store.justaguyinthepew.com/ Learn more about our pilgrimage: Walk in the Footsteps of Pope St. John Paul II with John 👉https://selectinternationaltours.com/product/in-the-footsteps-of-st-john-paul-ii-pilgrimage-to-poland-with-john-edwards-and-fr-kacper-wojcieszko/ Launch a Life Changing Group for Men in Your Parish! ⛪️ http://www.justaguyinthepew.com Become a Partner in the Pew! 🤝 http://www.donorbox.org/pew DOWNLOADS📚 Get a copy of my new eBook, “12 Ways Guys Can Get Closer to Jesus”! http://JUSTAGUYINTHEPEW.COM/EBOOK

The Neglected Moment May 12, 2026

Show notes

Many of us live in the past or in the future, and we’re not present to anything. The devil loves to use this tactic to rob us, to get us listening to the wrong voice and pulling us away from the one thing we can do something about: the present moment. We talked last week about some of those voices and who they’re coming from. Today Victor and I follow this theme some more and talk about what happens when we listen to those voices and focus on the things we can’t change. We can’t change the past, and the future is unknown. But to God, everything is present. He’s present. And with Him is where He wants you to be. So be present with us for a little while, and then go and be present with your friends, your family, and with God. “Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.” (Matthew 6:34) Follow this link to order your signed copy today: https://store.justaguyinthepew.com/ Learn more about our pilgrimage: Walk in the Footsteps of Pope St. John Paul II with John 👉https://selectinternationaltours.com/product/in-the-footsteps-of-st-john-paul-ii-pilgrimage-to-poland-with-john-edwards-and-fr-kacper-wojcieszko/ Launch a Life Changing Group for Men in Your Parish! ⛪️ http://www.justaguyinthepew.com Become a Partner in the Pew! 🤝 http://www.donorbox.org/pew DOWNLOADS📚 Get a copy of my new eBook, “12 Ways Guys Can Get Closer to Jesus”! http://JUSTAGUYINTHEPEW.COM/EBOOK