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Bigger Than Belief: Daily Summaries Delivered
by WCCO
Bigger Than Belief is a weekly podcast exploring faith, belief, and religion – all through the stories of believers. With an emphasis on understanding belief through personal experience, we aim to create a conversation about faith that is fair, honest, and easy to understand - regardless of what you do (or don't) believe. We'll also take a journalistic approach to concepts and questions that are difficult to understand, while helping to make sense of current events impacting believers in our communities.
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- 3 days ago57 min
A Twin Cities Church's Formula to Stopping Homelessness Before it Starts
What can a church do about homelessness in its own backyard? On this episode of Bigger Than Belief, Pastor Kyle Robinson of Wooddale Church joins to discuss Wooddale’s Brighter Futures initiative. It started with one simple question: What if we could help families before they became homeless? It also started with a realization - hundreds of students in Eden Prairie were homeless. In the years since, it’s led to an intervention program providing rental assistance, financial coaching and, perhaps most importantly, relationships. And best of all? It’s working. Three years. 30 families. 73 kids. Now, there’s a push to take the model statewide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 1 weeks ago46 min
From horror films to Rabbinical school, Rabbi Nolan's journey to finding purpose
Rabbi Nolan Lebovitz thought he knew what his life was supposed to look like. After film school at USC, he pursued a career in Hollywood, made a movie, sold television projects and was living the dream he had imagined for himself. But after becoming a father, one question wouldn't go away: “Was I put on earth to pitch horror films for the rest of my life?” That question sent him on an unexpected journey—from Hollywood back to Jewish tradition, from Los Angeles to rabbinical school and eventually to the pulpit of Valley Beth Shalom in Southern California – one of America’s largest conservative Synagogues. In this episode of Bigger Than Belief, Rabbi Lebovitz talks about the search for something deeper than professional success, why sacred texts can help us realize we're not alone in asking life's biggest questions, and what happens when faith and community become essential in a rapidly changing world. He also reflects on the profound impact of October 7, the rise of antisemitism, the loss of innocence among young Jewish people, the importance of interfaith allyship, and where he finds hope in a moment of profound division. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 2 weeks ago1h 4m
What You Think You Know About Muslim Women Might Be Wrong
What happens when we stop seeing people through labels? How would things change if we saw them as individuals, each with their own story and reason for being? On this week’s Bigger Than Belief, Adam sits down with Malika Dahir, executive director of Reviving Sisterhood (RISE), an organization dedicated to empowering and amplifying the voices of Muslim women through the Twin Cities and beyond. Ultimately, this episode is about something bigger than any one faith or community: how we bridge divides. Malika argues that the answer starts with something surprisingly simple—one-to-one conversations. Getting to know someone whose background, faith or identity is different from our own, listening to their story, and discovering the person behind the label. It's a conversation about faith, identity, prejudice, redemption, community and the power of simply getting to know your neighbor.About Bigger Than Belief: Bigger Than Belief is a weekly podcast exploring faith, belief, and religion – all through the stories of believers. With an emphasis on understanding belief through personal experience, we aim to create a conversation about faith that is fair, honest, and easy to understand - regardless of what you do (or don't) believe. We'll also take a journalistic approach to concepts and questions that are difficult to understand, while helping to make sense of current events impacting believers in our communities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- 3 weeks ago24 min
How faith has carried the Minnesota State Fair's longest-running food vendor
Hamline Church Dining Hall has been serving up at the Minnesota State Fair for more than 120 years. Host Adam Duxter spoke with Senior Pastor Mariah Tollgaard live at the Great Minnesota Get-Together to hear what it takes to be so successful. Is it having the best breakfast pancakes? Maybe it's the handmade fresh daily pies? Pastor Tollgaard says while faith drives them, it's certainly no requirement. More than 700 congregation members volunteer every year, but they don't spend their time ministering. They are simply there to serve up a nice meal. She says she's seen all kinds of people share a meal, maybe two people that would otherwise never share the same space. Their discussion also touches on Operation Metro Surge, and how the community continues to heal. From serious, to silly, and maybe a slice of pie, it's a fun conversation-- join us on Bigger Than Belief. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Sep 3, 202625 min
Candace Cameron Bure on Finding Your Identity Beyond the Spotlight
Candace Cameron Bure has spent most of her life in the spotlight—from Full House to movies, television, podcasting and now a live tour. But in this candid conversation, she opens up about something much deeper than her career: who she is when the cameras aren't rolling. Candace shares how becoming a wife and mother helped her discover an identity rooted not in her work, but in her relationship with God. She explains why she believes her faith isn't something she leaves at home, why she's willing to be vulnerable even when it means occasionally sharing too much, and how she has learned to draw boundaries while living a very public life. She also talks about mistakes, apologies, redemption and the pressure of knowing that millions of people may see when you get something wrong. It's a short but meaningful conversation about faith, identity, vulnerability and the reminder that what we do isn't necessarily who we are. Candace Cameron Bure is currently taking her live show on the road, including a stop in Minneapolis on September 12. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Aug 27, 202652 min
Remembering the Victims of the Annunciation Church Attack One Year Later
August 27, 2026, marks one year since a gunman shot into an early morning all-school mass at Annunciation Catholic Church - injuring dozens of students, teachers and parishioners - and killing 10-year-old Harper Moyski and 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel. On today's episode of Bigger Than Belief, Adam shares extended interview segments from WCCO-TV's on-air Annunciation special - along with personal interviews from three WCCO staff members who put those stories together. One year removed from one of the single greatest tragedies to take place in the Twin Cities, they share the impact still being felt. To Harper, Fletcher, your families, and your classmates - our hearts are with you. We will never forget you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Aug 20, 20261h 2m
From Comfort to Calling: Paul Hurckman on What Happens When You say “Yes”
“What happens when faith moves beyond something we believe and becomes something we actually live? This week on Bigger Than Belief, Paul Hurckman, executive director of Venture, joins us for a wide-ranging conversation about faith, courage, service, family, and the uncomfortable places where belief becomes action. Paul shares the story of the decision that changed his life: saying no to a cross-country bike trip — and living with that regret for years. Eventually, he learned to say yes to the unconventional, a journey that took him to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro and ultimately into leadership at Venture, a faith-based justice organization working in some of the world's most unsafe, unreached, and under resourced communities. We talk about the realities of refugee care, human trafficking, women's health and church planting, and why Paul believes the Gospel requires both proclaiming hope and responding to urgent human needs. But this conversation isn't only about global missions. Paul gets candid about the tension between doing meaningful work around the world and being present for his wife, his five children and his neighbors. He talks about resisting the temptation to be the "hero" of his own story, the importance of listening to your neighbors, and why sometimes faith asks us to step away from comfort. And in a particularly honest moment, Paul discusses what happens when he turns on the news and sees faith used to justify competing worldviews — and how those moments of doubt send him back to the foundations of what he believes. From seven marathons on seven continents to the simple act of helping a neighbor move a couch, this is a conversation about what it means to live a faith that shows up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Aug 13, 202655 min
The Day I Gave Up—and Got My Life Back – Nick Hanson’s Story of Finding Sobriety
For years, alcohol was simply part of life for Nick Hanson. What started as normal social drinking in college slowly became something much darker—an addiction that consumed his thoughts, relationships, and sense of self. On this week’s Episode of Bigger Than Belief, Nick shares his journey through more than two decades of alcohol use, the devastating impact addiction had on his life, and the moment he finally admitted he couldn't overcome it alone. What began as a search for sobriety ultimately became a deeper journey of faith, purpose, and personal transformation. Today, Nick is over three years sober, a published author, a father of three, and an advocate for others seeking recovery. His story is a powerful reminder that no matter how far someone has fallen, hope remains—and life on the other side can be better than they ever imagined. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
About Bigger Than Belief
Bigger Than Belief is a weekly podcast exploring faith, belief, and religion – all through the stories of believers. With an emphasis on understanding belief through personal experience, we aim to create a conversation about faith that is fair, honest, and easy to understand - regardless of what you do (or don't) believe. We'll also take a journalistic approach to concepts and questions that are difficult to understand, while helping to make sense of current events impacting believers in our communities.
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