Episodes

The things you've believed about yourself may describe your past or your circumstances—but they don't get the final word on your identity. In this Valiant Monday, Mark looks at Gideon, Matthew, faithfulness, and what happens when the identity we've built for ourselves collides with what God says is true. What has God put in front of you that you're not stepping into because of something you've believed about yourself? https://youtube.com/@thevaliantforge?si=XyfDCS65Nd0EOfV_

Torrence Rotering is the author of The Chronicles of Trinion, a ten-book Christian fantasy and science-fiction epic exploring faith, spiritual warfare, duty, legacy, eternity, artificial intelligence, and the battle between God and Satan. In this conversation, Torrence shares how an unfinished trilogy remained dormant for 15 years before growing into one vast, interconnected story. He also recounts the remarkable “God winks” surrounding the books—including repeated connections to John 3:16 that...

Recognizing an open door is only the beginning. At some point, faith must become courage, and a man must decide whether he will step forward or allow fear to keep him standing still. Scott Fehrenbacher shares how following unexpected opportunities led him into Christian media, Crosswalk.com, and Worship Road Radio. He reflects on leading Crosswalk during the fear and uncertainty of 9/11, challenges the Church to resist what he calls “virtuous mediocrity,” and explains why innovation does not ha...

Have you been waiting so long that you’ve started wondering whether God forgot about you? God isn’t late simply because He hasn’t revealed His timing. But waiting faithfully doesn’t mean sitting still—and not every delay means you’re supposed to keep waiting. In this Valiant Monday, Mark Osborne examines the difference between waiting, preparing, and moving. Sometimes we try to force open a door God hasn’t opened. Other times, God has already opened the door, but fear keeps us from walking thr...

Trauma can shape how a man sees himself without revealing who he truly is. Yusef Marshall—known publicly as MistaYu—grew up navigating violence, drugs, gangs and instability in New York. Those experiences produced a hardened identity built for survival. After an armed robber held a revolver inches from his head, MistaYu prayed and asked God to show him that He was real. Nearly ten years later, that prayer was answered through an encounter that changed the direction of his life. MistaYu joins ...

For 20 years, Wesley Farnsworth hid a pornography addiction while continuing to attend church, serve, and appear to have everything together. Growing up as a pastor’s kid taught Wesley how to become what he calls a “master chameleon”—someone capable of blending into nearly any environment while keeping his real struggle hidden. He tried to change on his own, but secrecy and isolation continued giving the addiction power. Everything shifted at Celebrate Recovery when another man stopped and ask...

You believe God forgives—but why do you keep returning to the same sin? In this Valiant Monday, Mark Osborne explores the cycle of temptation, guilt, repentance, and relapse. Through Peter’s denial and restoration, the difference between conviction and condemnation, and the practical LIGHT framework, this episode offers a path toward receiving Christ’s forgiveness and taking concrete steps out of bondage. Learn how to locate the pattern, invite someone into the struggle, guard the doorway, hea...

Moral injury is more than guilt over doing something wrong. It is the deep spiritual and emotional wound that can leave someone believing they are unlovable, irredeemable, and beyond forgiveness. Dr. Larry Brant—a Navy chaplain, combat veteran, former pastor, and board-certified chaplain—joins Mark to explain how moral injury differs from PTSD and why the Church may be overlooking it. Their conversation explores Dr. Brant’s experiences in Afghanistan and hospital ministry, his own diagnosis of ...

Why do grown men still throw tantrums, slam doors, withdraw, or make everyone around them feel their anger? Growing older happens automatically. Emotional maturity doesn’t. In this Valiant Monday episode, Mark Osborne examines why disrespect, correction, and disappointment can trigger such powerful reactions in men. Through the biblical account of Ahab and Naboth, his own failures, and practical teaching from Scripture, Mark reveals what may be hiding beneath our anger: an identity built on re...

Many Christian men struggle with anxiety, depression, grief, and emotional pain—but remain silent because they believe asking for help is a sign of weakness. Dr. Oluwole Babatunde is a psychiatrist, physician, author, and Christian who brings together professional experience in mental health with a deeply personal understanding of adversity. After losing his mother at age seven and his father six years later, he had to decide whether those losses would define his future or become part of a grea...

Sometimes we call ourselves stuck because it sounds better than admitting we’re avoiding the work. In this Valiant Monday, Mark honestly examines his struggle with fitness and the uncomfortable realization that knowledge isn’t always the problem. Fear, shame, uncertainty, and the desire for immediate rewards can keep us from doing what we already know needs to be done. Through Romans 7:15 and Romans 12:2, discover how renewing your mind changes your perspective on discomfort—and learn how to i...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a man loses everything... and discovers that the answer wasn't trying harder, but finally surrendering? In this episode of The Valiant Forge, Mark Osborne sits down with Joe Rooz for an honest conversation about faith, brokenness, and the journey from self-reliance to complete dependence on God. Joe shares how losing everything forced him to confront a difficult truth: he had spent years trying to fix his life on his own. From growing up in a religious home ...

Send us Fan Mail What if the most dangerous season of your life didn't look like failure—but success? In this deeply personal episode, Mark Osborne imagines sitting across from the version of himself from five years ago, just before everything changed. He had lost weight, become disciplined, run marathons, served in church, and looked like he had life figured out. But beneath the surface, he was quietly drifting from God. This isn't a story about fitness or self-improvement. It's about what h...

Send us Fan Mail How do you live out your faith at work without becoming "that guy" in the office? In this episode of The Valiant Forge Podcast, Mark Osborne sits down with Tom Peterson for a relaxed, honest conversation about one of the greatest mission fields many Christians overlook—the workplace. Together they discuss how to represent Christ in everyday situations, navigate difficult bosses and coworkers, extend grace when you fail, and discover that your greatest witness often comes thro...

Send us Fan Mail Most people think Jonah ran because he was afraid. He wasn't. Jonah knew exactly what God wanted him to do—he simply didn't want to do it. In this episode of The Valiant Forge, Mark Osborne explores one of the Bible's most misunderstood stories and reveals why our obedience is never just about us. Whether God is calling you to lead your family, forgive someone, start something new, or simply take the next faithful step, there are people on the other side of your obedience wai...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a man reaches the end of himself and cries out, "Jesus, if You're real..." David Ebel knows. Born with 21 birth defects, bullied throughout childhood, trapped in alcoholism, and after multiple suicide attempts, David had lost all hope. But one desperate prayer changed everything. In this episode of The Valiant Forge Podcast, David shares his remarkable testimony of God's grace, the moment Christ met him at his lowest, and how one encounter with Jesus complet...

Send us Fan Mail Everyone remembers David defeating Goliath. But what if his greatest battle came years later... after the victories... after he became king? In this episode of The Valiant Forge, Mark explores one of the most overlooked moments in David's life: the day he stayed home when kings were supposed to go to war. That single decision set off a chain of compromise that affected David, his family, and his kingdom for years. This isn't just a story about David. It's a warning for every ...

Send us Fan Mail Most Christians have prayed the Lord's Prayer hundreds of times. But have you ever stopped to consider what you're actually praying when you say, "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven"? In Part 2 of my conversation with Dr. David Chotka, we explore one of the most misunderstood phrases in Scripture. Dr. Chotka explains that praying for God's Kingdom is far more than asking for His blessing—it's an invitation to submit to the reign of King Jesus and...

Send us Fan Mail Most men don't wake up one morning intending to sabotage their lives. It happens one compromise at a time. In this episode of The Valiant Forge, we examine the life of Samson—not just as one of the strongest men in the Bible, but as a warning about the slow drift that can pull any of us away from God. Through Samson's victories, compromises, failures, and restoration, we discover that God's faithfulness is greater than our failures, and no one is beyond His grace. Key Takeawa...

Send us Fan Mail What if you've been praying the Lord's Prayer your entire life... but never stopped to consider what Jesus actually meant? In this episode of The Valiant Forge, I sit down with Dr. David Chotka—pastor, author, and founder of Spirit-Equip Ministries—for a conversation that begins with an extraordinary testimony and leads into a powerful discussion about prayer, spiritual warfare, distraction, and intimacy with God. Growing up surrounded by darkness, Dr. Chotka shares the...

Send us Fan Mail Why do so many Christian men struggle with feeling like they're not enough? In this episode of The Valiant Forge Podcast, we're continuing the Broken Men, Faithful God series by looking at the life of Gideon. Before Gideon ever led Israel to victory, he saw himself as the weakest man from the weakest family. But God saw something completely different. If you've ever felt unqualified, inexperienced, or like everyone else is more equipped than you, Gideon's story reminds us tha...

Send us Fan Mail What does it mean to build a life that lasts? In this episode, Mark Osborne welcomes author Maury Wood to discuss his new book, Built to Last. Their conversation explores the Armor of God, the importance of protecting your mind, servant leadership, biblical masculinity, and how God often uses disappointment to redirect us toward His greater purpose. Maury also shares moving stories about his family's faith journey, his stepfather's transformation, and why no Christian man i...

Send us Fan Mail Christian men, biblical masculinity, discipleship, spiritual growth, Christian leadership, faith, brotherhood, accountability, and iron sharpens iron. Am I becoming the man God wants me to be? It's a question many Christian men quietly ask themselves. Am I growing spiritually? Am I leading my family well? Am I doing enough? Am I becoming the man God has called me to be? In this episode of The Valiant Forge, we look at the story of Elijah after his greatest victory on Mo...

Send us Fan Mail What comes to mind when you think about God as Father? For some, it's love, protection, and guidance. For others, it's a much more complicated question. In this special 100th episode of The Valiant Forge, Mark Osborne explores the Father's heart, the meaning of "Abba," and the relationship that Jesus spent His entire ministry pointing us toward. Along the way, Mark shares the powerful story of his own father—a man who struggled with alcoholism for years before a life-changing...