Just A Guy In The Pew Podcast
Welcome to the pew. The place where everyday catholic guys, talk about everyday catholic things, in front of the one person that can do something about it. Jesus Christ
Episodes
July 1, 2025 • 74 mins
In this week’s episode, John welcomes Dr. John Bergsma—convert, theologian, and professor at Franciscan University of Steubenville—for a rich conversation on faith, scripture, and the Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year.
Dr. Bergsma shares his journey from Protestant pastor to Catholic scholar, and how reading the Bible deeply led him not away from the Church, but straight into it. Together, he and John unpack the meaning of Jubilee, not a...
Mark as Played
June 24, 2025 • 42 mins
The Christian life was never meant to be lived alone.
In this episode, John and Victor talk about the deep need we all have for spiritual friendships—and why trying to follow Jesus without community leaves us vulnerable to isolation, temptation, and burnout.
They share personal stories of how God used brotherhood to strengthen them in their darkest moments, and how real transformation happens when we walk with others who know us,...
Mark as Played
June 17, 2025 • 37 mins
What’s missing when most Catholic's practice the faith? Care. Love begins with caring, and community begins with accompaniment. In this episode, John challenges us to stop going through the motions and start answering the call to care—for real people, in real tangible ways.
If you’ve ever felt unwanted—or if you’ve found yourself missing out on meaningful relationships because of work or technology—this one’s for you.
Launch a L...
Mark as Played
June 10, 2025 • 40 mins
What if the solution to parish decline isn’t another event, but a knock at the door?
In this week’s episode, John welcomes Austin Habash, founder of Think Catholic and Sent Evangelization, to share his powerful story—from agnosticism to the Carthusian monastery, and now to leading neighborhood evangelization across the country.
Austin explains why door-to-door ministry isn’t just possible for Catholics—it’s vital. And how real tr...
Mark as Played
June 3, 2025 • 37 mins
Struggle doesn’t disqualify you—it prepares you.
In this episode, John and Victor talk honestly about the shame men carry and the silent battles they face. Too many believe they’re alone. Too many believe they shouldn’t be struggling. But the truth is, you’re not broken beyond repair—and God is not surprised by your weakness.
This conversation is a reminder that you are not defined by your failures, rather by this: that God creat...
Mark as Played
May 27, 2025 • 44 mins
Many of us stay constantly busy—doing good things, even spiritual things—without asking whether our efforts are truly fruitful or aligned with God's will. Join John and Victor in the pew this week as they reflect on the difference between scattered effort and focused, Spirit-led action. No matter what stage of life you're in, it's time to move beyond spiritual autopilot.
Pause. Pray. And ask yourself honestly: What am I doing? Why...
Mark as Played
May 20, 2025 • 39 mins
We all deal with negative thoughts, but how we handle them makes all the difference.
Join John and Victor in the pew this week as they discuss the power of preaching truth to yourself during moments of doubt. When you face negative self-talk head-on and learn to parry those attacks, it can lead to true spiritual resilience. Life isn’t easy, but we are called to face each challenge with strength and trust in the Lord. Speak truth to...
Mark as Played
May 13, 2025 • 78 mins
Values in today’s culture are shifting dramatically. Education has replaced faith, financial success has replaced marriage, and comfort has replaced family. Marriage rates around the world are falling at an alarming pace—and this decline isn’t just a byproduct of cultural change; it’s the driving force behind it.
It’s a sobering outlook, but all hope is not lost. Rebuilding marriage starts in the home and in authentic, supportive ...
Mark as Played
May 6, 2025 • 37 mins
Whether it’s from past mistakes, broken relationships, or personal struggles, shame can leave us feeling unworthy, isolated, and stuck. But there’s hope.
By turning to humility and running toward Jesus—like Peter did after his denial—we can find healing, restoration, and peace.
Join John and Victor in the pew this week to unpack the difference between guilt and shame, and share how the Sacrament of Reconciliation, honest community...
Mark as Played
April 29, 2025 • 34 mins
Happy Easter!
During this time of joy and celebration, it’s all too easy to forget the intense period of reflection and prayer we just experienced during Lent. We might be tempted to return to the old habits or vices that we spent the last 40 days working to overcome.
Don’t let your life return to “normal.” Through daily prayer, fasting, and small everyday acts of self-giving love, continue allowing yourself to be transformed by t...
Mark as Played
April 22, 2025 • 80 mins
Men grow up hearing that they need to be as emotional as a rock—never letting their guard down, never baring their heart and soul. And while it’s true that we are called to be strong in our faith and brave in the face of danger, we are also called to show love, compassion, empathy, and even sorrow.
Join John and his guest, Jake Khym, for a vulnerable conversation about identity, surrender, and what it means to live as a beloved so...
Mark as Played
April 15, 2025 • 35 mins
Sometimes Holy Week can feel like an afterthought.
We spend all of Lent looking forward to Easter, just wanting to hurry through this final week to get to the “good stuff.” But we need to remember: there is no Easter without Good Friday. There is no resurrection without the suffering and death.
Take a moment to realize that Christ died for you. Even if you were the only person on the planet, He still would have embraced His cross....
Mark as Played
March 31, 2025 • 28 mins
What kind of man are you when no one is watching?
Do you fall to the temptations of sloth, gluttony, or lust? As Christians, we are called to be more like Christ—but sometimes we forget what that actually looks like.
A sure way to evaluate whether we are being Christlike is to ask: Am I the same man when I’m alone as I am at church, with my family, or at my men’s group?
Join us as we prepare for Holy Week, and challenge yourself ...
Mark as Played
March 23, 2025 • 48 mins
Who is the Holy Spirit? How can we get to know Him? We often find it easier to relate to Jesus and God the Father, having spoken directly in the Scriptures and displayed qualities we can understand. But the Holy Spirit often remains mysterious or distant. Join us in the pew as Fr. Dave Pivonka unpacks why that is—and how we can invite the Spirit into our lives in a real, transformative way.
This Lent, we have an opportunity not ju...
Mark as Played
March 17, 2025 • 32 mins
Sometimes we forget that Lent is more than a season of waiting for Easter—it's a chance to transform our lives.
Join us this week as we remember the power of humility and how what the world may call losing will actually bring us closer to true perfection. The cross didn’t look like winning to the Apostles, but through His death and resurrection, Christ won for us the greatest reward of all.
Fix your eyes on Christ and take the ti...
Mark as Played
March 8, 2025 • 35 mins
Lent is a journey filled with challenges, but what matters most is not perfection—it’s perseverance. Setbacks and failures are inevitable, but giving up is the easy way out, and you can’t expect to grow stronger by always taking the easy path. Whether through fasting, prayer, or simply showing up, Lent is an opportunity to repent and draw closer to the Lord.
Join us in the pew this week for a reminder that failure doesn’t have to ...
Mark as Played
March 2, 2025 • 95 mins
This week we welcome Devin Schadt into the pew to discuss the importance of authentic fatherhood, and how embracing the example of St. Joseph can and will transform your life.
Devin Schadt is the co-founder of The Fathers of St. Joseph, an apostolate dedicated to the renewal of authentic fatherhood. He is also a host on The Catholic Gentleman podcast. Devin reflects on his faith journey, describing his wayward youth and how God re...
Mark as Played
February 21, 2025 • 32 mins
Happy Fat Tuesday!
As we dive headfirst into Lent, take a moment to reflect on the things in our lives that we need to let go of. It could be a bad habit or addiction, a fear or grudge, or even our tendency to test God and demand signs and wonders to justify our belief.
Take time to consider what you prioritize over God in your life, then find ways to shift that focus. Lent is one of the many gifts the Holy Spirit and the Church ...
Mark as Played
February 18, 2025 • 56 mins
We know what the world considers greatness for men; if you’re rich, famous, piling up accolades and running your life on your terms, you’re great in the eyes of the world. As men, we have a deep desire for greatness, but at the end of the day, if we’re not careful, we can look at our lives and think, “Man, my life is kind of irrelevant.”
Now, God bless the guys who can achieve those things. But the Church looks at that and says, “...
Mark as Played
February 13, 2025 • 49 mins
Fr. David Aufiero grew up in a troubled home, and after losing his father and grandmother, he reluctantly met with a local priest to talk through his difficulties. That one conversation led him to become the man he is today.
Fr. David knows well the struggles that men face and that the only way to overcome them is to bring the things we hide in the dark into the light. But it’s hard for men to open up and be vulnerable. How do you...
Mark as Played
Popular Podcasts
United States of Kennedy is a podcast about our cultural fascination with the Kennedy dynasty. Every week, hosts Lyra Smith and George Civeris go into one aspect of the Kennedy story.
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.