Charisma Connection

Calvin Fanning, a former church-planting missionary, believes that committing one's self to helping sex trafficking victims by "planting" a shelter is just as big a commitment as going overseas as a missionary. But Fanning knows that, for those who are called, it's worth it. Now the director of shelter mentoring for The Samaritan Women's Institute for Shelter Care, he leads the three-year mentoring program for those who want to start residential programs for female sex trafficking victims who want to live a normal life. Listen to learn more as host Chris Johnson interviews Fanning, and find out how you can support this effort at sheltercareusa.org.

Victims of sexual exploitation are thought of as products, not people. But Jeanne Allert, founder and executive director of The Samaritan Women, wants to help these women turn their lives around. She finds her inspiration in John 4 and Jesus' encounter with the woman at the well. The Samaritan Women organization meets the sex-trafficked woman where she is in a nonjudgmental way and cares for her significant needs. Listen as host Chris Johnson interviews Allert in this fifth episode of the "Set the Captives Free" series.

The Holy Spirit is calling out spiritual SWAT teams in an army of intercessors to build God's kingdom. Dr. Brad Long, executive director of Presbyterian-Reformed Ministries International, and Rev. Martin Boardman, prayer mobilizer for PRMI, join host Chris Johnson for this episode to discuss how God's people are engaging in Spirit-led prayer together to pull down strongholds and advance God's kingdom. Join these intercessors at discernwith.us.

Leading the way to meet the needs of sex-trafficking victims, The Samaritan Women aims to restore survivors physically, emotionally and spiritually through its residential program. What Jeanne Allert, the organization's executive director, has found is just how great a need there is across the country for shelters and other services. Listen to this episode of the "Set the Captives Free" series as Allert shares with host Chris Johnson about the need and the church's involvement to meet them.

Children in the U.S. are being exposed to pornography when they are quite young. On average, boys are 7 and girls are 11 when they experience pornographic materials for the first time. Julie Haltom, education director at The Samaritan Women (sheltercareusa.org), speaks to the relationship between porn and sex trafficking in this episode with host Chris Johnson. Listen to learn how to prevent exposure to porn in your household and how to deal with it in your church.  

As a seminary student, Brad Long was turned off by the charismatic renewal movement. Today he is executive director of Presbyterian-Reformed Ministries International (PRMI, prmi.org), an interdenominational group associated with the worldwide movement of the Holy Spirit since 1966. He is joined by Rev. Martin Boardman, who serves as prayer mobilizer for PRMI (discernwith.us), in this episode with host Chris Johnson on what God is doing through this international ministry focused on following the Word and Spirit of God.

Sometimes adults forget how naive children are because they often seem so smart. But children do need parents, grandparents and other adults to protect them, especially when it comes to their boundaries as they seek attention and acceptance. Vulnerable children can get in trouble and even be wooed by those who would exploit them in the dark world of sex trafficking, says Julie Haltom, director of education at The Samaritan Women. Find out more in host Chris Johnson's interview with Haltom in our "Set the Captives Free" human trafficking series.

Sex trafficking victims often carry deep wounds from their childhood. Jeanne Allert, founder of The Samaritan Women, a nonprofit organization serving trafficking victims, shares in this episode that divorce, financial difficulties and fatherlessness are stress factors that can wound and lay the groundwork for a person to become a sex trafficking victim. Allert and Calvin Fanning, director of shelter mentoring at The Institute for Shelter Care, address these wounds in their work with trafficking survivors. Learn more in this interview with host Chris Johnson about how a person becomes a trafficking victim and how the church is rising up to help victims get free of the sex trade.

God is on the move through The Missionary Church International (TMCI). Bringing together pastors, chaplains and missionaries around the world, TMCI allows ministries to remain independent but be connected with each other under this umbrella organization. Bishop Bob Coulter shares with show host Chris Johnson that the ministries of TMCI have seen 47,000 salvations around the globe. Listen to learn more about what God is doing through The Missionary Church International.  

John Polis is a Vietnam veteran and a Purple Heart recipient, so he knows something about going into battle. But it's spiritual warfare that Dr. Polis is focused on in his book "Victorious" (johnpolis.com). In this episode with host Chris Johnson, he shares how going to war as a Marine helped him become a stronger Christian. He's learned how to do battle against enemies such as fear and illness, and he shares testimonies of miracles he and his family have experienced. Be instructed and inspired as you listen and move from faith to faith.

Bev Bradley of Remnant Ministries International believes we must know what the Word of God says about us as Christians. Seeing our lives and circumstances from God's perspective changes everything. Bradley, author of "If God Can Find David: Discovering Your Kingdom Destiny," shares with host Chris Johnson what it means to have a deeper relationship with Christ that impacts the believer's daily life.

During the Holocaust in World War II, Norman Frajman suffered in four concentration camps. He lost more than 100 members of his extended family. But he knows he is still here for a purpose, to share with young people the voices that have been silenced in this genocide. The 90-year-old survivor credits the grace and providence of God for his life. Listen as host Chris Johnson interviews Frajman for his powerful and personal perspective on the tragedy of the Holocaust that ended the lives of 6 million Jews.

Having ready access to clean water to meet daily needs can change a life. You can make a difference by hosting or participating in World Vision's Global 6K for Water (worldvision6k.org), held this year on May 16. It's easier than you might think to change the life of a woman or child who is responsible to get water for their family each day. Listen to this episode as host Chris Johnson interviews the race director, Ashley Colquitt, to find out how you can help.

Thousands of people who endured the Holocaust during World War II now suffer poverty in the U.S. Through the NOW for Holocaust Survivors initiative, Irv Geffen, senior vice president of MorseLife Foundation, calls Christians and Jews to work together and compassionately serve these survivors who have suffered their whole lives. Listen to this episode with host Chris Johnson to learn how you can help bless the Jewish people who lived through this genocide.  

Music was therapy for Reuwen "Ruby" Sosnowicz, a Jewish man living in Poland during the Holocaust in World War II. Later, he co-founded the New Holocaust Survivor Band (thenewholocaustsurvivorband.com) with another survivor. His daughter, Chana Rose, who is also in the band, says God had a beautiful purpose for it. Now in his later years, Mr. Ruby benefits from the NOW campaign, a partnership funded by Christian Women for Israel (christianwomenforisrael.org) and The Esther 414 Foundation (theesther414foundation.com). In this episode, host Chris Johnson talks with Chana Rose about being her father's caretaker. Find out how you can help these survivors, many who live in poverty, and hear Mr. Ruby's peace-filled message at the end of this episode.

Nancy Stafford is a staple on the small screen, having played a variety of roles on "Matlock" and "St. Elsewhere," in Hallmark movies and more. Before that, she was a successful model, and that's when she developed skin cancer that could have ended her career. Stafford shares with host Chris Johnson how God showed her that beauty is more than just skin deep and how she came to choose Jesus out of all of the world religions she had studied. She also shares about her new romantic comedy film, "First Lady," coming to theaters Valentine's Day, Feb. 14. Listen to this wide-ranging conversation with the former model, actress, author and speaker.

Former gang member and prisoner Darius Gover found Jesus in prison, but it wasn't just a born-again experience that means nothing after release to life outside. Thanks to the ministry of Jesus Inside Prison Ministry (jipm.org) and Jesus House in Indianapolis, Gover has a new life in mid-life. He runs a small business and shares some other exciting news in this show. Listen to hear the incredible story he shares with host Chris Johnson in this final "From Crime to Christ" episode.

Kevin King knows what it's like to live inside the four walls of a prison. From age 21, he was in and out of prison in a never-ending cycle. But today he is free in Jesus, thanks to the work of the Jesus Inside Prison Ministry (jipm.org) and Jesus House in Indianapolis. Listen to hear the incredible story he shares with host Chris Johnson in this second "From Crime to Christ" episode.

William Bumphus preaches in prisons all over the U.S., but years ago, he didn't even believe in Jesus or the Bible. A repeat offender, he was a thief and a burglar. He drank alcohol and did hard drugs. But when Bumphus was facing a 60-year prison sentence, God got a hold of his life and radically turned it around. Miraculously he was let out of prison after serving only 10 months of a four-year sentence. Today, he and his wife, evangelist Juanita Bumphus, run the Jesus Inside Prison Ministry (jipm.org) in Indianapolis. Listen to hear the incredible story he shared with host Chris Johnson in this first of three "From Crime to Christ" episodes.

In this episode of the "Remembering the Holocaust" series, Howard Shapiro, a rabbi, and Bill Callahan, a Christian advocate for the Jewish people, discuss with host Chris Johnson the importance of coming together now to meet the needs of Holocaust survivors with thousands of them living in poverty. Millions of Christians turned their backs on the Jewish people during World War II, Callahan points out, so now is the time to meet the needs of those who survived wartime persecution and death camps. Christians and Jews are now standing with each other in unity to help these survivors and to warn against antisemitism now on the rise in America. Listen to learn what you can do to bless the Jewish people and especially Holocaust survivors.