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In this episode of The 5th Gospel Podcast, Anthony Serino, Pastor Sam Edwards, and Pastor Christian Edwards discuss why Christians should engage in voting—especially in local elections—and why political decisions must be grounded in truth rooted in Jesus rather than emotions, party identity, or cultural narratives.  They argue that belief systems inevitably shape politics and that Christians should pursue truth through Scripture, church teaching, reason, and the leading of the Holy Spirit, remaining willing to be changed when truth challenges personal views. They critique what biblical twisting and heresy, specifically with Texas Democrat Candidate James Talarico about worshiping Jesus, feminism, abortion, and religious pluralism, and contrasts “biblical justice” (equal standards) with “progressive justice” (equal outcomes). This November, please vote Wisely, vote Biblically, and vote Truthfully.

In this solo episode of The 5th Gospel Podcast, Pastor Sam Edwards unpacks the biblical meaning of “return,” explaining it as coming back not to a place or religion but to the identity God created us to live in, accessed through Jesus. Drawing from Malachi 3:7, he describes how Israel drifted from God by withholding their best because they shifted trust to other sources, mirroring how people today replace faith in God with other provisions.  In Isaiah 30, he recounts Judah’s choice to seek safety in Egypt instead of God and God’s warning that this misplaced trust would lead to defeat, highlighting Isaiah 30:15: “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and trust shall be your strength.”  He connects this to the prodigal son and emphasizes that we cannot earn our way back—return is a gift made possible by the cross alone.

In this episode of The 5th Gospel Podcast, Anthony Serino and Pastor Sam Edwards discuss how taking Christianity seriously can bring friction, ostracism, and persecution in family, friendships, and workplaces.  They explore why faith provokes opposition, tracing it to conviction and fear, and connecting persecution in Colossae to modern “little-g” idols people defend as identity. They describe cultural flashpoints and “flags,” tell a story about leaving a coffee shop in Asheville over political and pride signage, and emphasize that Christians should not treat people as the enemy but recognize spiritual forces at work.  They talk about boldness, discernment, boundaries, and hard cases like divided marriages, urging believers to show up in Christlike love while rooting out compromise. They address fear’s roots, practical ways to seek Jesus’ truth, and promote monthly Encounter Nights focused on encountering God, ending with prayer.

In this episode of The 5th Gospel Podcast, Pastor Sam Edwards explores what it truly means to guard your heart through Jesus and why our internal thoughts eventually shape our words, relationships, decisions, and actions. Using a personal story from his teenage years, Pastor Sam unpacks Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 12:34: “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” What we dwell on internally doesn’t stay hidden forever. Under pressure, what we've allowed to grow inside of us eventually comes out. The question becomes: Are you focusing on the truth of what Jesus says—or the “truth” your past has taught you to believe? He explains how past failures, broken relationships, fear, shame, and insecurity can become lenses through which we see ourselves and our future. Guard your heart. Examine your thoughts. Take them captive to Christ. And don't allow the lies of your past to speak louder than the truth of Jesus.

In this episode of The 5th Gospel Podcast, Anthony Serino sits down with Pastor Sam Edwards for a candid conversation about the biblical foundations of marriage, the responsibilities of husbands and wives, and why a healthy Christian marriage has to begin with your relationship with Jesus.  They explore that marriage is more than two people simply choosing to spend their lives together. From Genesis through the New Testament, they discuss marriage as a covenant in which two become one and as a picture of the relationship between Christ and His Church. For husbands, that creates a serious standard. Drawing from Ephesians 5, Anthony and Sam unpack the command for husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the Church—a sacrificial love that requires a man to lay down his own desires rather than making his love dependent upon his wife's behavior. They also get practical about the issues that can slowly break down a marriage: unspoken expectations, unresolved wounds, lack of transparency, finances, communication, intimacy, resentment, love and respect, accountability, and expecting your spouse to fix something only God can heal. Pastor Sam explains that when people enter marriage expecting another person to make them whole, those expectations can eventually produce disappointment and resentment. Anthony and Sam discuss why marriage isn't always 50/50, why husbands and wives must take responsibility for their own actions instead of withholding love or respect until their spouse "earns" it, and why becoming a better spouse starts with examining yourself first.

In this episode of The 5th Gospel Podcast, Anthony Serino sits down with Debora Manfre for a deeply personal conversation about marriage, spiritual warfare, healing, and restoration through Jesus Christ. Debora opens up about a season when her marriage reached the point of separation and her husband walked away. Instead of focusing solely on changing him, she describes how prayer, fasting, repentance, and surrender became catalysts for examining her own heart. She shares that the process revealed patterns of anger, pride, control, and emotional wounds she needed to confront—and how her faith reshaped the way she approached her husband and marriage. Subscribe to The 5th Gospel Podcast for more conversations about Jesus Christ, faith, healing, deliverance, relationships, and walking with the Holy Spirit.

On today's episode of The 5th Gospel Podcast, Pastor Sam Cabra joins Anthony & Pastor Sam Edwards to discuss practical spirituality, hearing God’s voice, and how to minister healing. One pastor shares his testimony of lifelong faith, 17 years pastoring in Hawaii, and sensing God’s “seasonal” leading to move to Columbus, Ohio through an inner knowing and multiple confirmations.  They explore discerning God’s guidance versus emotions, the need for maturity, prayer, time, and wise counsel, and addressing anxiety by turning to Scripture, especially Psalms. The conversation critiques “safe” church culture and emphasizes unity, responsibility, waiting on God, and making healing part of church practice. 00:00 Healing How To Setup 00:47 Sam’s Transition Story 03:31 Hearing God’s Voice 06:57 When To Move Or Stay 12:12 Testing Grace Vs Fear 19:12 Anxiety And The Psalms 22:15 Church And Supernatural Gifts 32:03 Healing Training Breakthrough 40:13 Stepping Out Of Safety 43:04 Pride and Risk 43:40 Deliver Healing Not Prayers 45:29 Short Specific Commands 46:19 ICU Healing Testimony 49:32 When Healing Doesnt Happen 52:01 Youth Camp Breakthrough 01:01:07 Gifts and Responsibility 01:04:15 Commanding vs Asking 01:10:03 Healing vs Miracle Timing 01:11:41 In Jesus Name Explained 01:17:05 Event Invite and Closing Prayer

In this episode of The 5th Gospel Podcast, Anthony and Pastor Sam discuss the growing overlap of politics and religion and ask why Christianity—rather than other faiths—should ground belief and public life, arguing the U.S. was founded on godly principles and that people often repeat viewpoints without studying truth for themselves.  They emphasize reading the Bible as God’s Word, a unified compilation of 66 books written across 1,600 years, and warn that misusing scripture distorts people’s view of God, citing historical and modern examples. 00:00 Church and State Tension 00:21 Why Christianity Matters 01:35 America and the Creator 02:27 Stop Repeating Talking Points 03:49 Why Read the Bible 05:39 Misusing Scripture Hurts 07:04 Jesus at the Center 07:55 Explaining the Trinity 11:12 Trinity in Isaiah 14:00 Truth Like Gravity 15:05 Creation and Design 17:36 Why Other Religions Fall Short 19:13 Why People Choose New Age 22:01 Finding Faith Personally 22:43 When God Feels Distant 25:43 Power of Gathering 28:50 Impartation and Preparation 32:01 Join a Local Church 32:22 Event Invite and Wrap Up

In this episode of The 5th Gospel Podcast, Anthony and Pastor Sam explore how many Christians fear money and slip into consumption, and uses Jesus’ Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25) to highlight stewardship, faithfulness, and action with whatever God entrusts—time, relationships, resources, and especially the gospel.  They discuss how seeing God wrongly fuels inadequacy, self-reliance, and improper money decisions, and argue that worship and obedience move believers from fear into faithful action.

In this episode of The 5th Gospel Podcast, Anthony shares a testimony of his grandmother’s sudden heart attack, ICU admission, pneumonia from intubation, and multi-organ failure, where doctors gave her a 1% chance to survive to surgery and later only a 40% chance to make it through surgery.  His grandmother ultimately undergoes valve-replacement surgery with no complications, is extubated unusually quickly, and continues recovering beyond expectations.  The conversation explores testimony as faith-building evidence, imperfect faith and obedience, praying from covenant rather than fear, the mystery of why not everyone is healed, and spiritual gifts of healing

Do you want to be healed—and what does it mean to contend for healing and deliverance in Jesus’ name? In this episode of The Fifth Gospel Podcast, the Sam Edwards and Anthony Serino explore how Christians should approach sickness, miracles, spiritual oppression and freedom through the authority of Jesus Christ. Beginning with Jesus’ question at the Pool of Bethesda—“Do you want to be healed?”—they examine how sickness can become connected to identity, belief systems and cycles of secondary gain. Pastor Sam shares his ongoing experience with type 1 diabetes and explains how he continues contending for healing without turning faith into a formula. The conversation addresses why healing may not happen when or how we expect, the different ways God can heal, and how hardship can mature our faith and bring relational or internal restoration. They explore biblical deliverance, demonic oppression and what it truly means to pray “in Jesus’ name.” They discuss consecration, repentance, forgiveness, spiritual authority and discipleship while warning against paywalled deliverance, demon-focused content and the tendency to over-spiritualize every emotional or mental struggle. This episode offers a balanced, Jesus-centered conversation about physical healing, inner transformation and spiritual freedom—without fear, formulas or obsession with darkness. If this conversation encouraged you, subscribe for more biblical discussions about healing, deliverance, discipleship, spiritual warfare and following Jesus in everyday life. Timestamps 00:00 Do You Want to Be Healed? 04:06 Why Healing May Be Delayed 09:02 Three Ways God Heals 13:37 Sam’s Type 1 Diabetes Story 18:18 What It Means to Contend 20:45 Declarations Versus Deeper Roots 24:20 Jesus at the Pool of Bethesda 27:50 When Sickness Becomes Your Identity 34:40 Understanding Secondary Gain 37:19 Conducting an Internal Audit 41:42 The Truth About Deliverance 41:54 Should Deliverance Be Paywalled? 43:01 What “In Jesus’ Name” Means 46:45 Consecration and Spiritual Authority 52:02 Deliverance Must Lead to Discipleship 58:52 Identity Over Demon Hunting 01:09:47 Recognizing Demonic Oppression 01:14:18 When Therapy Isn’t Enough 01:20:41 Unforgiveness and Spiritual Agreement 01:28:18 A Framework for Self-Deliverance 01:31:25 Repentance and Closing Occult Doors 01:35:26 Casting Out Demons With Authority 01:39:43 Manifestations and Fear Tactics 01:43:46 Jesus Is Sufficient 01:46:32 Prayer for Healing and Freedom

Do you feel too far gone for God—or afraid of what will happen if you return? In this episode, we unpack how we know with absolute faith that GOD WANTS YOU BACK. We explore God’s original design for an intimate relationship with humanity, how sin created separation, and how Jesus made forgiveness, salvation and restoration possible through His finished work on the cross.  This conversation addresses some of the biggest barriers that keep people from returning to God: shame over past mistakes, fear of punishment, trauma, unforgiveness, distraction and painful experiences with Christians or church leaders. No matter how far you believe you’ve wandered, God’s invitation is still open. Restoration is not earned through perfection or penance—it is received through faith in Jesus Christ. We also discuss why God can sometimes feel distant, how internal “blockages” may prevent us from recognizing His presence, and why Scripture, prayer and Christian community remain essential for knowing Jesus and growing in faith. In this episode: Why the Gospel still mattersGod’s original design for humanityWhether you can sin too much to be forgivenGrace versus punishment and penanceWhat the Gospel actually meansWhy Jesus pursues the lostHealing after church hurtShame, condemnation and fear of punishmentWhy God may feel distantHow trauma, unforgiveness and distraction affect faithStewarding spiritual giftsHow to repent and receive Jesus You’re also invited to the God Wants You Back event at The Gathering, Poughkeepsie on September 20, 2026 at 5:00 PM. Join us for a powerful evening of worship, redemption and your invitation to come home to Jesus. If this episode encouraged you, subscribe for more conversations about Jesus, salvation, biblical truth, spiritual growth and practical Christianity. Timestamps 00:00 Why the Gospel Matters  02:13 God’s Original Design  04:09 Taking Jesus Seriously  07:15 Have You Sinned Too Much?  09:07 Grace, Not Penance  11:48 What Is the Gospel?  15:44 The Gospel Is Personal  19:40 Jesus Pursues the Lost  22:04 Is It Ever Too Late to Return?  25:18 Healing From Church Hurt  31:57 Why God Feels Distant  33:03 Condemnation and Accusation  35:06 What Is Blocking God’s Presence?  37:52 The Danger of Distraction  42:52 Stewarding Spiritual Gifts  46:05 God Wants You Back Event  50:15 Overcoming Fear of Punishment  53:30 Prayer and Next Steps

What if YOU are the only gospel someone will ever experience? In this episode of The Fifth Gospel, Anthony Serino and Pastor Sam Edwards explore what biblical evangelism really looks like—and why it's far more natural than most Christians believe. Through real stories of praying for strangers, following Holy Spirit promptings, and overcoming fear, they unpack practical ways to share Jesus in everyday conversations without manipulation or pressure. They discuss the power of the Gospel, how spiritual gifts should always point people to Jesus, why community and accountability matter, and simple habits that help believers become bold witnesses wherever they go. If you've ever wanted to share your faith but didn't know where to start, this episode gives practical, biblical encouragement that anyone can apply. In this episode: * What "The Fifth Gospel" really means * How to evangelize naturally * Overcoming fear and rejection * Following Holy Spirit promptings * Practical prayer for strangers * Spiritual gifts with humility * Church hurt and sharing truth with grace * Simple ways to live on mission every day If this episode encouraged you, subscribe for more conversations on discipleship, spiritual growth, and practical Christianity. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 The Fifth Gospel Explained 03:19 Incredible Evangelism Stories 08:09 What Is the Gospel? 13:17 Is Covert Evangelism Biblical? 20:23 Sharing Jesus Without Pushing People Away 25:53 Healing Church Hurt 31:43 Following the Holy Spirit 34:07 Spiritual Gifts & Faith 37:46 Staying Humble 43:03 Community & Accountability 49:56 Practical Ways to Evangelize 01:00:01 Prayer for Boldness

The conversation nobody wants to have. In this episode of The Fifth Gospel Podcast, Anthony sits down with youth pastor Christian Edwards to explore why so many young men are returning to Christ across America and Europe. Is a spiritual revival beginning? We discuss the growing hunger for purpose, the collapse of identity in modern culture, biblical masculinity, and why more young men are finding stability in Christianity, Catholicism, and Orthodoxy. This conversation explores: • Why young men are searching for Jesus again • The modern meaning and identity crisis • Hookup culture, pornography, and false identity• Biblical masculinity vs. cultural stereotypes • God's design for men and women • Why tradition is attracting younger generations• Marriage, family, and protecting the next generation• How Christ restores identity and purpose Whether you're a believer, skeptic, or simply asking bigger questions about purpose, this episode is an invitation to think deeper about where our culture is headed—and where true hope is found. TIME STAMPS 00:00 – Men Reclaiming Purpose 00:42 – Revival Through History 04:38 – The Meaning Crisis 07:44 – Sexuality as False Identity 12:44 – Marriage and Identity Under Attack 13:21 – Finding Identity in God's Story 16:00 – Why Male Leadership Matters 19:22 – Culture Pushes Back 23:59 – Soft Men, Strong Faith 26:49 – Identity Beyond Labels 27:33 – Real Men Need Jesus 28:16 – Biblical Strength vs. Softness 29:08 – Health, Stress & Modern Men 31:25 – Christ Makes Us Whole 33:49 – Protecting Families and Children 36:37 – Strength Through Submission to Christ 37:10 – The Modern Meaning Crisis 41:58 – Why Young Men Are Seeking Tradition 46:57 – Discipleship and Transformation 49:30 – Closing Prayer

How do you know God's calling for your life? In this episode of The Fifth Gospel, we explore what it truly means to live as a witness for Jesus—understanding that many people will experience your life before they ever read the Bible. We discuss why every testimony matters, why comparison kills purpose, how God confirms calling through community, and why obedience always starts with the next faithful step—not a perfect five-year plan. Whether you're wondering if God has called you into ministry, business, family, or somewhere unexpected, this conversation offers practical biblical wisdom for walking in faith instead of fear. In this episode: * Why your testimony has incredible value * How to discover God's calling * Why obedience comes before clarity * Trusting God when you don't have all the answers * The danger of chasing platforms instead of purpose * Confirmation through biblical community * Faith over fear and overthinking * Entrepreneurship and the Kingdom of God * Marriage, calling, and living with eternal perspective If this conversation encourages you, subscribe and share it with someone seeking God's direction. Timestamps 00:00 Why Your Testimony Matters 00:57 What Is The Fifth Gospel? 03:19 Living as a Witness 08:41 From Deconstruction to Deeper Faith 16:10 Ministry, Calling & Ordination 20:39 Mystery vs Theology 32:33 When to Share What God Shows You 38:34 How to Know Your Calling 42:36 Trusting God's Timing 45:27 Business as Ministry 53:14 The Next Step of Obedience 01:01:07 Gideon & Overcoming Fear 01:11:09 Marriage, Faith & Unity 01:14:33 Closing Prayer