We’re revisiting one of our favorite conversations from The Greg Laurie Show, featuring acclaimed actor Dennis Quaid and his powerful story of faith, fame, addiction, and personal transformation. What drives a Hollywood legend to trade red carpets and fame for a deeper search for meaning?

From iconic roles in films like "The Big Easy" and "I Can Only Imagine," Dennis Quaid opens up about his unconventional spiritual journey—from his Baptist upbringing to exploring Eastern mysticism in India, and ultimately, a life-changing encounter with Jesus. The episode dives deep into the heart of Quaid’s story, revealing the turbulence behind the spotlight, his battles with addiction, and what finally brought him home to a living, personal faith.

Highlights include:

• A behind-the-scenes look at the making of faith-based films in Hollywood, including surprising moments from "I Can Only Imagine" and "Soul Surfer" that shaped the genre and broke box-office expectations.
• Thoughtful reflections on the role of shame, forgiveness, and the persistent hope found in Christ—no matter your past.
• Honest advice for anyone chasing success, struggling with temptation, or searching for something real in a world of quick fixes.

Woven throughout, Pastor Greg Laurie and Dennis Quaid share candid moments about life, lessons from legendary figures like Johnny Cash and Steve McQueen, and powerful truths for anyone standing at a crossroads.

If you’ve ever wondered whether God can bring beauty from ashes—or if you’re just curious what happens when a Hollywood star dares to get real about faith—you won’t want to miss this conversation.

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CHAPTERS:

00:07 Recording Johnny Cash at Home
01:12 Dennis Quaid Learns Guitar from Johnny Cash
03:36 Dylan’s Influence on The Beatles & Rock Legends
05:44 Movie Roles Dennis Quaid Regrets Turning Down
08:03 Not Getting Typecast: Dennis Quaid’s Career Philosophy
09:56 Jesus, Shame, and Freedom: Spiritual Reflections
11:30 Preparing for Doc Holliday: Physical & Emotional Toll
13:53 Ronald Reagan: Insecurity & Triumphs
16:17 Reagan’s Strategy with Gorbachev Explained
17:10 Behind the Scenes with President Trump
19:15 Staying at the White House: Clinton & Instant Coffee
20:43 The Political Divide: Common Sense vs. Extremes
22:03 Dennis Quaid’s "Seeker" Years & Spiritual Journey
26:55 The Power of Jesus’ Red Letters
28:22 "I Can Only Imagine": Shifting Faith Film Standards
31:54 Standing Up for Faith in “Soul Surfer”
33:31 Hollywood’s Spiritual Revolution

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Christine Caine on why the "victim narrative" is destroying a generation—and what the real gospel actually says.

In this conversation, Pastor Greg Laurie sits down with Christine Caine (founder of A21, evangelist, author) for a wide-ranging talk about faith, calling, and the fight against human trafficking.

What we cover:
• Finding out at 33 she was adopted—and how a decade of renewing her mind with Scripture prepared her for that moment
• Childhood abuse, shame, and why "despite" is the real language of the gospel
• Why she believes evangelism is the most unwanted job in the 21st-century church
• Running A21 across 22 countries and what she's learned on the front lines
• 30 years of marriage, 260+ hotel nights a year, and building a life around purpose
• The hardest prayer she's ever prayed
• Why Jesus is coming back—and what that should change about how we live today
• Numbering your days: the practice she started at 22 that still shapes her life

Two evangelists, one long conversation, plenty of laughter along the way.

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Timestamps

00:16 The one-night stand and the plan of God

01:54 A phone call reveals the family secret

06:29 Renewing the mind before the storm hits

10:14 Making pain a tool, not a prison

14:17 Redemption is "despite," not "if only"

18:44 Losing a son and the resurrection witness

22:53 What Jesus did is bigger than what was done to you

29:33 Preaching to the back row, not the front row

34:06 Why eschatology still matters

41:26 The hardest prayer: getting the "want" back

46:28 Marriage built on purpose and the fruit of the Spirit

01:07:12 J. John and the power of another cup of coffee

01:12:03 Numbering your days from age 22

01:17:15 Three questions from Eden for the unwanted

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Michael W. Smith almost died of a drug overdose at 17. He'd been a Jesus freak at 13, then lost his way. What brought him back was a night on the linoleum floor of a Nashville apartment, alone, sensing God next to him saying, "It's going to be okay."

In this conversation, Michael sits down with Greg Laurie to talk about the moments that shaped him — and the ones most people never hear about.
What we cover:
• Walking into a record store at 13 and finding Christian music for the first time
• The prodigal years from '75 to '79, and what pulled him back
• Late-night visits with Billy Graham in Montreat — and praying for Billy at the end
• Meeting Presidents Bush, Reagan, and playing tennis in Kennebunkport
• Rocketown, Nashville — why he built it and what's happening there now
• His goal of never being offended again
• Marriage, mentorship, and staying grounded after 43 years in the industry
• Johnny Cash, John Williams, and the perfect pizza

A conversation about faith that held, a father who never gave up, and a life still being written.

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Timestamps
00:19 Meeting Michael W. Smith
01:26 Discovering Jesus music at 13
03:24 Coming to Christ at age 10
04:26 The prodigal years and near-fatal overdose
06:16 Rock bottom and God's embrace
09:38 Breaking into music through Amy Grant
10:52 Working with Billy Graham
13:30 Personal visits with Billy at Montreat
17:07 Friendship with the Bush family
23:47 The Rick Rubin interview and Johnny Cash
27:13 State of Christian music today
29:22 Secrets to a lasting marriage
36:50 The origin of Rocketown
40:37 Rocketown's ongoing impact

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In part two of this conversation with Pastor Greg Laurie, Pastor Chuck Swindoll opens up about what he'd do differently across six decades of ministry—chief among them, saying yes sooner, affirming more, criticizing less, and bringing his wife Cynthia into full partnership years before he actually did.

He names the four temptations every pastor faces and explains why the last one never stops requiring vigilance. Pastor Greg asks what text Chuck would preach if he had one sermon left, and the answer will surprise you. Along the way: memorized hymns, mentors from Dallas Seminary, the rise of antisemitism, and a tender word about caring for Cynthia through dementia. This conversation closes with Chuck's prayer over Pastor Greg's family and ministry.

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Timestamps
00:33 Intro: one last sermon
01:03 Preaching after losing his son
02:38 Fearing for his other children
04:03 Preaching to himself through grief
05:35 Any regrets looking back?
07:06 Chuck: say yes sooner, affirm more
10:00 Nearly ruining his marriage with Cynthia
14:50 Loneliness in ministry
15:27 Four temptations: sloth, silver, self, sex
22:30 The final sermon: grace
24:35 Lightning round: food, movies, Lincoln
29:38 The rise of antisemitism
30:11 Hymns he sings while driving
32:36 Sitting under giants at Dallas Seminary
38:28 Cynthia's dementia and advice on marriage

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For generations, Pastor Chuck Swindoll has helped millions of people understand Scripture with wisdom, warmth, and clarity. In this special conversation, Pastor Greg Laurie sits down with one of his lifelong heroes—not simply to conduct an interview, but to learn from a pastor whose ministry, leadership, and integrity has shaped the church for decades.

Together they reflect on the experiences that form faithful servants of God. Pastor Greg shares his unlikely journey from a broken childhood to a lifetime of ministry, while Pastor Chuck offers a profound perspective on preaching, humility, suffering, leadership, and what it means to finish well.

More than an interview, this is a candid conversation between two preachers—one drawing out the hard-earned wisdom of another whose life has been marked by grace, endurance, and unwavering faithfulness.

In this interview you'll hear:

• How God prepared two very different men for ministry
• Chuck Swindoll's timeless wisdom on preaching and shepherding God's people
• Greg's testimony of coming to Christ during the Jesus Movement
• Lessons learned from Billy Graham and Chuck Smith
• Why suffering often produces deeper compassion in those God uses most
• A moving discussion about grief, faith, and finding hope in life's hardest moments

Don't miss Part 2 of this conversation next week!

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What if the biggest obstacle to evangelism isn't skill—it's fear of failure?

In this conversation, two pastors with decades of experience in evangelism discuss the questions pastors and everyday Christians ask most often about communicating the gospel.

Greg Laurie is joined by Pastor Bob Franquiz of Calvary Fellowship in Miramar, Florida, for a practical conversation on preaching, personal evangelism, and helping people take a genuine step toward Christ.

They cover:
• How Chuck Smith identified the gift of evangelism in Greg before he saw it himself
• The difference between evangelizing and being an evangelist
• Why Greg says "study to be simple"—advice he got from Billy Graham
• How to build an evangelistic culture in your church
• The mechanics of a clear gospel invitation (and why most fall apart at the landing)
• The role of music, storytelling, and cultural awareness in reaching people
• Why success in evangelism is faithfulness, not numbers

Whether you're a pastor looking to sharpen your calling or a believer wanting to share Christ more naturally, this conversation is honest, practical, and full of hard-won wisdom from five decades of ministry.

Subscribe for more conversations like this one.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Cold open: proclaim, leave results to God
01:19 Discovering the gift of evangelism
04:09 Accidental pastor, disciplined teacher
06:39 Adapting the gospel to shifting culture
09:24 Studying to be simple
13:08 Building an evangelistic culture in your church
20:21 Empowering others when you're not the evangelist
24:52 Preaching a text vs. preaching for a decision
29:29 The shift from teaching to preaching
33:58 Clarity is everything in the invitation
44:35 The role of music in the invitation
54:21 Getting out of the Christian bubble
01:01:15 Fanning your gift into full flame

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America is at a crossroads: judgment or revival. In this episode, Greg Laurie makes the case that our nation's future depends on a spiritual awakening — and that it starts with everyday Christians choosing to live differently.

Drawing from the Sermon on the Mount, Greg unpacks what Jesus meant when He called His followers "salt and light," and why isolation isn't the answer to a darkening culture. Instead, we're called to infiltrate — to influence the people around us with authenticity, truth, and the gospel.

In this episode:
- Why the breakdown of the family sits at the root of America's crisis
- The two Georges who shaped America (and why one is often forgotten)
- What salt actually did in the ancient world — and how that applies to us
- How AI, deception, and cultural drift echo the warnings of Scripture
- Four practical ways to influence the culture without being compromised by it
- A closing invitation to put your faith in Jesus Christ

If this message encouraged you, share it with a friend who needs hope for our nation.

YouTube timestamps
00:41 The genie and the impossible wish
02:18 America's moral and spiritual crisis
04:16 The Alaska wake-up call prank
05:47 Judgment or revival: two options
07:37 Salt and light in a dark world
09:34 AI and the illusion of progress
11:12 The Titanic and human pride
12:24 Infiltrate, don't isolate
14:24 America's Christian foundation and the two Georges
16:29 Speaking a language people understand
19:44 The gospel as a fragrance
21:47 What it means to be salt
25:31 The rapture and the removal of restraint
27:33 Stimulating spiritual thirst
30:52 The pepper flakes confession
33:34 Light exposes and shows the way
35:23 You alone represent Christ
36:11 Three things America needs

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What keeps you awake at night? In this exclusive bonus conversation, we dive deeper into what it means to experience true peace in the middle of uncertainty. Discover practical, faith filled insights on releasing anxiety, trusting God with tomorrow, and finding the kind of rest that isn't determined by your circumstances.

Whether you're struggling with stress, overthinking, or simply looking to strengthen your faith, this bonus episode offers encouragement and perspective to help you sleep without worry.

Be sure to subscribe so you never miss future bonus content and new episodes.

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