UPD Podcast

Untrained Philosophical Discussionists

UPD Podcast is a place to get real about life, faith, and following Jesus. No filters. No noise. Just real conversations that point you to the truth. Hosted by the Untrained Philosophical Discussionists, Andy Lamb and Jonny Hanson.

  1. 10 Sept

    The Garrett Gross Story: Addiction, Prison, MMA & Jesus

    Former professional MMA fighter Garrett Gross spent years fighting both inside and outside the cage.Before founding Operation 17:2 and dedicating his life to protecting vulnerable children, Garrett's own life was marked by fighting, alcohol, drugs, arrests, incarceration and a relentless pursuit of becoming a professional fighter.In Part 2 of Garrett's conversation with UPD Podcast, Garrett sits down with Andy Lamb and Jonny Hanson to tell the story behind the man.Garrett explains how a childhood love of fighting eventually led him into MMA, where he went 20-2 as an amateur with 17 knockouts before turning professional. But while his fighting career was growing, his personal life was unraveling.Garrett opens up about substance abuse, alcohol, selling drugs, repeated arrests, DUIs and eventually serving time in the Illinois Department of Corrections. It was inside prison, with little else to do, that Garrett first began seriously reading the Bible.But his transformation didn't happen overnight.After prison, Garrett moved to Florida and began trying to rebuild his life. Eventually, he found himself heading to South Florida with a motorcycle, a backpack and $300 to pursue his dream of training at American Top Team.Then his motorcycle broke down.What happened next became one of the defining moments of Garrett's life.After praying that God would put someone in his path who could keep him moving in the right direction, a stranger named Ryan showed up to help Garrett with his motorcycle. Garrett would soon discover that Ryan wasn't just another fighter. He became Garrett's pastor, boss, jiu-jitsu coach and Christian mentor.This conversation isn't just about addiction recovery or MMA.It's about Christian brotherhood, vulnerability, discipleship, shame, isolation, masculinity, addiction, prison, fighting and the slow process of becoming more like Jesus.Following Jesus didn't instantly make Garrett's life easy.It gave him a new reason to fight.If you're battling addiction, shame, isolation or the feeling that your past disqualifies you from being used by God, this conversation is for you.

  2. 8 Sept

    Former MMA Fighter Hunts Child Predators feat. Garrett Gross

    Garrett Gross hunts child predators.As the founder of Operation 17:2 Garrett and his team use adult decoys posing as minors online to identify adults who demonstrate sexual intent toward children, document the evidence, arrange confrontations, and work toward getting offenders into the hands of law enforcement.In this episode of UPD Podcast, Garrett Gross sits down with Andy Lamb and Jonny Hanson for an intense conversation about the reality of online child predators, protecting children, confronting evil, biblical masculinity, fatherhood, pornography and sexual addiction, and the Christian response to people who have committed horrific acts.Garrett also shares a disturbing story he says he has never told on another podcast about the experience that first opened his eyes to the reality of child sexual abuse and ultimately helped lead him toward this work.But one of the hardest questions in this conversation goes beyond catching predators:What does following Jesus require when you're standing face-to-face with someone you desperately want to hate?Garrett explains why he refuses to assault the men he confronts, why his goal is to see them arrested and removed from access to children, and why he still shares the Gospel with them after they're caught.The conversation also explores the isolation Garrett sees among many offenders, the effects of pornography and sexual brokenness, why men need genuine Christian community, raising children to know Jesus, protecting your family online, discipleship, mentorship, and the difference between biblical manhood and simply appearing tough.This is a difficult conversation, but an important one.Viewer discretion is strongly advised. This episode contains discussion of child sexual abuse, sexual predators, pornography, trafficking, and other disturbing subjects. It is not appropriate for children.Learn more about Operation 17:2:https://www.op17two.com/

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UPD Podcast is a place to get real about life, faith, and following Jesus. No filters. No noise. Just real conversations that point you to the truth. Hosted by the Untrained Philosophical Discussionists, Andy Lamb and Jonny Hanson.

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