Great Stories by Haven Today

#105: Tyler Van Halteren on the Little-Known Sequel to John Bunyan’s “The Pilgrim’s Progress”

You’ve probably heard of John Bunyan’s “The Pilgrim’s Progress.” After all, it’s one of the most significant works of literature ever published (aside from the Bible). But did you know this classic Christian allegory that’s endured for nearly 350 years has a sequel?

On today’s episode of the Great Stories Podcast, Charles Morris is joined by Tyler Van Halteren — author of the adapted children’s books Little Pilgrim’s Big Journey Vol. I & II — as they walk in the footsteps of John Bunyan where he grew up, preached, and spent time in jail. You’ll also hear Tyler discuss "Christiana’s Story," the little-known sequel that delves even deeper into the spiritual truths of John Bunyan’s magnum opus

Now, if you want to see some of the places mentioned in this episode — including the oak tree John Bunyan preached under because he wasn’t allowed to preach in a building — you can watch that on haventoday.org by following this link.

#104: Ukraine Revisited: How FEBC & Mission Eurasia are Sharing Christ Throughout the War

It’s been 8 months since Russia invaded Ukraine. And now, with more than 12 million refugees and another 7 million displaced within the country, the war shows no sign of letting up as soldiers begin to face long, harsh winter. What hope is there? 

On this week's episode, Charles Morris speaks with leaders from two organizations doing tireless work on the ground in and around Ukraine today. First, you'll hear from Sergey Rakhuba, President of Mission Eurasia, who shares some miraculous stories out of Ukraine on how the kingdom of God is advancing, even in the midst of war.

You'll also hear from Director of FEBC-Russia & Ukraine Dr. Victor Akhterov. He discusses how the Ukrainian government have given them radio stations, expanding the opportunity for FEBC to share the gospel throughout the war.

#103: Reformation 505 - Meet the Movement’s Most Influential Reformers

This month marks the 505th anniversary of the moment when a little-known monk named Martin Luther sparked the Protestant Reformation and changed the course of human history. It all began when Luther nailed his 95 theses on the door of the Wittenberg Chapel in Germany in October, 1517. 

But who is this man who challenged the highest authorities of his day so that the truth of the gospel could be known and preached? And who are some of the others who would impact the faith of millions for centuries to come? 

In today's episode of the Great Stories podcast, Charles Morris speaks with several scholars and historians to explore the lives of some of the Protestant Reformation's most influential leaders. You'll hear about Martin Luther, John Wycliffe, John Huss, Katharina Von Bora, Juan de Valdés, and Thomas Cranmer — all of them playing a substantial role in re-centering the church's teaching on Christ and Scripture. Wherever you are in your faith, these people have had a profound impact on the way we all see the gospel today. 

#102: Andy Erwin On Kurt Warner’s Faith in Christ

He’s a football hall-of-famer with two MVPs and a Super Bowl ring. But before Kurt Warner shot to fame, he had to put the idol of football behind him. On today’s episode of the Great Stories Podcast, Charles Morris shares his conversation with Christian filmmaker Andy Erwin (one-half of The Erwin Brothers who brought you films like I Can Only Imagine and I Still Believe) about their newest film American Underdog that tells the story of Kurt Warner’s rise to prominence in the NFL — as well as his unwavering faith in Christ.In this episode, you will also hear part of Kurt Warner’s testimony from a 1999 Billy Graham Crusade, which was recorded just after he won a Super Bowl championship.

#101: Robert Morgan no How to Get Through Hard Times

No matter how hard we try to avoid it, tragedy will strike us all. Even Christians are not immune to the trials and sufferings that life presents us. In fact, the Apostle Peter says we should expect it.

So what is a Christian to do when faced with tragedy and loss? 

On today’s episode of the Great Stories podcast, Charles Morris speaks with author and pastor Robert Morgan about the themes covered in his bestselling book The Red Sea Rules: 10 God-Given Strategies for Difficult Times. Using the Israelites' story in Exodus 14, as well as several real-life examples, Morgan shares how the Bible offers several effective strategies to help us go from fear to faith. 

It is our prayer that this episode will remind you that the same God who walks with you into hardship will also guide you out.

#100: Brother Andrew on How He Smuggled Bibles into Some of the Most Hostile Places on Earth

“There is really no Iron Curtain for the brave.” — Brother Andrew

Andrew van der Bijl, also known as Brother Andrew or "God’s Smuggler," spent his entire life ministering the gospel to hard-to-reach people in countries where being a Christian often meant persecution or even death. On September 27, Brother Andrew died and went home to be with the Lord at the age of 94.

In light of his passing, we thought this would be a good time to go deep into our archives and share the interview Andrew did with Charles Morris in 2004. For many years, Andrew took the Good News into the Soviet Union, China, and Czechoslovakia — this interview takes place long after that when he turned his attention to the Middle East and North Africa.

It's our prayer that this conversation will minister to you and inspire you to be a bold ambassador for Christ with your own life. 

#99: Jeremy Camp: The Story Behind “I Still Believe” (repost)

Jeremy Camp has sold over 4.5 million records with 37 No. 1 hit songs. But before all of this happened, he was a young man in love with a woman who had cancer. Hear him tell this dramatic story in his own words to Charles Morris. The events described here are the basis for the new movie I Still Believe.

#98: Charles Morris Explains the Bible in 18 Minutes or Less

How long would it take you to explain the whole Bible from start to finish? On today's episode of the Great Stories Podcast, Charles Morris sets out to tell the whole story of redemption from Genesis to Revelation in less than 18 minutes. 

Just as it’s good to zero in and study Scripture closely, it’s also good to zoom out for the big picture. The Bible is made up of 66 books written by 40 authors in three languages over 1500 years. That's a lot to wrap our minds around. And so it is our prayer that this episode will give you a starting point for your own study of God's Word. We encourage you to look up the passages you find interesting, and then consider them closely within the context of the whole story of redemption.

The results are life changing. 

 

#97: Catherine Butcher on the Life, Legacy, & Faith of Queen Elizabeth II

The year was 1953. Queen Elizabeth II had already succeeded her father, George VI, upon his death in February the year before. On May 1, almost exactly a month before her coronation, the Queen began praying every day and reading private devotions that were specifically written for her by the Archbishop of Canterbury to help her spiritually prepare to become the figurehead of the United Kingdom. 

On today’s episode, Charles Morris speaks with Catherine Butcher who literally wrote the book on the Queen’s faith in Jesus. Moments after the news of Elizabeth’s death broke, Charles Morris recorded this conversation with Catherine to talk about Her Majesty’s steadfast faith in Christ and the hope she clung to as she went home to be with the Lord.

As this second Elizabethan era draws to an end, we pray this conversation will give you insights on the faith of England’s longest reigning monarch, while also giving you a sense of hope in the knowledge that all believers can look forward to a time when we will reign forever with Christ. 

#96: Joseph Loconte on the Faith of J.R.R. Tolkien

A hundred years ago, no one had ever heard of a hobbit. But you would be hard-pressed today to find anyone who didn’t immediately recognize this short fictional creature with large fuzzy feet. Most amazing of all is the faith behind J.R.R. Tolkien, the man who created the myth behind The Lord of the Rings. 

As Amazon Studios launches the most expensive show in history based on the appendices of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, we thought now would be a good time to call professor and historian Dr. Joseph Loconte, author of the NYT bestselling A Hobbit, A Wardrobe, and A Great War, to talk about Tolkien’s faith, wartime experiences, and influence on the conversion of C.S. Lewis. On today’s episode, you’ll get to hear Loconte offer a unique perspective on how the first mechanized war in history affected Tolkien’s faith and led him to write one of the most revered stories of all time.