Great Stories by Haven Today

It’s been eight months since the oil blockade in Cuba began. Today, much of the island is without electricity, and families are struggling to find food. Yet, even in the midst of this crisis, pastors are reporting a massive turning to Christ among the Cuban people.

Join David Wollen and special guest Danny Rojas this week on the Great Stories Podcast for a new episode exploring the unfolding crisis in Cuba and what God is doing in the midst of it. Danny shares firsthand stories of the Cuban church, the challenges facing families, and the ways the Gospel continues to be heard across the island.

“True contentment,” said one of the great Puritans, “is a rare jewel.” He was speaking to Christians. Why is contentment so valuable, yet so hard to find? Join David Wollen for a new episode of The Great Stories Podcast called “Finding Contentment That Lasts with David Wollen.”

These and other sayings come from a culture that often glorifies work, productivity, and the self-made person. Yet God’s Word tells us something quite different. This week on the Great Stories Podcast, David Wollen is joined by Brett McCracken to explore why sleep matters and what our need for rest reveals about God’s design for us in Brett McCracken on Why Sleep Matters.

As Anchor Devotional celebrates its 50th anniversary, David Wollen and Kathy Daane come together on this week’s Great Stories Podcast to look back on memorable stories and reflections from Anchor throughout the years.

It’s often said that what God desires for us is not our happiness, but our holiness. But what if, through making us holy, God is also changing what makes us happy?

Join David Wollen with special guest Andrew Wilson on a new episode of the Great Stories Podcast, Andrew Wilson on Finding Happiness in Christ, as they explore where true and lasting happiness is found and how our greatest joy is ultimately found in Christ.

This week on Great Stories Podcast, Dr. Thomas Kidd continues his conversation with David Wollen about George Whitefield and the lasting impact of the Great Awakening. They explore Whitefield’s surprising friendship with Benjamin Franklin, the flaws that shaped his life and ministry, and the story of his death. Dr. Kidd also explains how the seeds of the Great Awakening helped give rise to the evangelical movement and continue to shape the Church today. Listen to the new episode: Dr. Thomas Kidd and the Birth of the Great Awakening Part 2.

What happens when God raises up a preacher to proclaim the Gospel to a generation in desperate need of revival? This week on Great Stories Podcast, Dr. Thomas Kidd joins David Wollen to explore the beginnings of the Great Awakening, George Whitefield’s dramatic conversion, and the powerful preaching ministry God used to draw thousands to hear the message of the new birth. Listen to the new episode: Dr. Thomas Kidd and the Birth of the Great Awakening

God speaks powerfully through the books of the Bible. This is especially true in the Psalms. Not only does it include words to help us express our deepest thoughts and emotions to the Lord, it can also direct our worship and draw us nearer to Jesus.

On today's episode of the Great Stories podcast, David Wollen is joined by one of his good friends and mentors, Dr. David Sunday. After serving 30 years as a pastor, Dr. Sunday is now the president of WordPartners, a ministry that exists to train pastors to teach God’s Word with God’s heart.

In this conversation, Dr. Sunday shares how the Psalms teach us to lament, repent, praise, and thank—all while pointing to Jesus and giving us a path to flee to Him for refuge. 

How can all the Bible be all about Jesus when His name doesn't explicitly appear till the New Testament? From Genesis to Leviticus to Esther, it may be hard to see Jesus on the surface of every page, but he's there—in profound and subtle ways.

Dr. Dennis Johnson is a scholar and one of the founding faculty members of Westminster Seminary in California. Today, he joins David Wollen to discuss a christocentric approach to reading and studying God's Word.

If you are new to this way of reading the Bible, we encourage you to be patient. It may take some time to learn to see Jesus on every page, but it's important and worth the effort. Because this is not merely a hermeneutical trick of smoke and mirrors ... it's the way Jesus himself taught his disciples to study and teach the Scriptures. 

In 1962, Don and Carol Richardson, along with their seven-month-old baby, traveled to a remote tribe known for treachery, headhunting, and cannibalism. Eventually, after living among the people and learning their language, this tribe came to know Jesus. The dramatic story is captured in the classic "Peace Child" book and movie, but what was it like from the perspective of the Richardsons' child who saw it firsthand? 

On today's episode of the Great Stories podcast, Steve Richardson, the boy who grew up among the Sawi people, joins David Wollen to share the story behind the story, as well as what it's like among the Sawi people today—more than a half century later.