The Valiant Forge

Mark Osborne
  • 5.0 (19)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Weekly

A podcast for men who refuse to stay stuck.   The Valiant Forge is where Christian men come to be shaped — not by the patterns of this world, but by the renewing work of God. Hosted by Mark Osborne — husband, father, grandfather, and servant‑leader — this podcast speaks to men who are tired of drifting and ready to live with clarity, conviction, and purpose. Every episode is a steady, honest conversation about faith, fatherhood, failure, and the formation God works in the fire. No hype. No perfection. No pretending. Just real stories, biblical truth, and the kind of wisdom that sharpens iron. If you’re a man who wants to think differently, live differently, and lead differently — this is your forge. Step in. Be renewed. Walk away transformed! 

  1. 12h ago

    How Do You Become the Man God Called You to Be?

    “Become the man God has called you to be.” It’s a phrase we hear at men’s conferences, in church, and on Christian podcasts—but what does it actually mean? In this Valiant Monday, Mark breaks the phrase down piece by piece: become, the man, God, and called you to be. You are becoming someone whether you mean to or not. If you don’t allow God to define the man you are becoming, the world around you will. But becoming a man of God isn’t about building a platform, earning recognition, or accomplishing one enormous assignment. It begins by abiding in Christ and faithfully responding to what God has already placed in front of you. In this episode: • Why surrender to God isn’t the same as passivity • How Scripture defines a godly man • Why abiding in Christ comes before bearing fruit • The difference between your assignment and your destination • Why God calls ordinary men to faithfulness—not fame • How to identify your next faithful step The question isn’t whether you can see God’s entire plan. The question is: What is your next faithful step? Scriptures discussed: James 4:8; Galatians 6:9; Matthew 25:21; Philippians 1:6 and 2:12–13; Romans 12:2 and 8:29; Proverbs 3:5–6, 9:10, and 10:9; 2 Corinthians 10:5; John 15:4–5 and 15:8. The Valiant Forge Where God shapes ordinary men into faithful men. Join the brotherhood: https://www.skool.com/the-cave-of-adullum-1668/about

  2. 3d ago

    What’s Really Driving You? Fear, Lust, Anger & Pride | Dr. Dave Jones

    Fear, lust, anger, and pride can disguise themselves as ambition, strength, and success. Dr. Dave Jones explains how Christian men can identify these toxic motivators, build guardrails, develop genuine mental toughness, and pursue a vision grounded in God. What’s really driving you? Fear, lust, anger, and pride can look like ambition, strength, discipline, or success from the outside. But when these toxic motivators remain unrecognized, they can distort a man’s vision and keep him from becoming who God has called him to be. Mark sits down with Dr. Dave Jones—former professional hockey player, performance psychologist, author, and founder of M Is Good—to discuss success, fulfillment, identity, vision, temptation, and mental toughness. Dave shares why mental toughness isn’t ignoring your problems, how performance can become intertwined with identity, and why awareness is essential for managing the desires and behaviors that quietly control us. You’ll hear: • The difference between worldly success and genuine fulfillment • Why a man without vision loses motivation • How fear, lust, anger, and pride affect our decisions • Why guardrails are part of planning to win • How to identify pride in your own behavior • The difference between toughness and ignorance • How to define success across the different areas of your life • Why ministry events should lead to ongoing discipleship Resources: Take the free toxic-motivator and healthy-identity assessments and learn more about Plan to Win: https://plantowintoday.com Learn more about M Is Good: https://misgood.com Connect with The Valiant Forge: https://www.skool.com/the-cave-of-adullum-1668/about

  3. 5d ago

    He Had Been in Church for 18 Years—but Didn’t Know God-

    For years, Alex Horton described himself as a chameleon. He adapted to whoever was around him because he didn’t know who he really was. His earliest understanding of Christianity was rooted more in fear than love. He initially turned to Jesus for the wrong reasons, then walked away when those reasons disappeared. Meanwhile, isolation, bullying, depression, anxiety, and PTSD led Alex into several moments of suicidal desperation. In this deeply honest conversation, Alex shares what happened during one of his darkest nights, how a friend helped him receive the care he needed, and why Romans 5:8 finally helped him understand the love of Jesus. Now 21, Alex serves in youth and young-adult ministry, leads The Heart of What We Believe, hosts a podcast, and is pursuing a religious studies degree. His testimony is about moving from fear to love, from wandering to purpose, and from changing himself to fit every room toward discovering his identity in Christ. Connect with Alex: Website: https://www.theheartofwhatwebelieve.org/ Email: pastor_horton@outlook.com Book: From Wandering to Walking Content note: This episode includes a non-graphic discussion of suicidal thoughts and self-harm. In the United States, call or text 988 or visit https://988lifeline.org/ for immediate emotional support.

  4. Sep 14

    Take Responsibility. Surrender the Outcome. | Valiant Monday

    What does surrender actually look like? And what does biblical masculinity mean? Those are two questions I get asked regularly, and I’m beginning to think they may have the same answer: Take responsibility for what God has entrusted to you—and surrender the outcome to Him. In this Valiant Monday, I wrestle with the difference between surrender and passivity, responsibility and control, and why saying “God is in control” can either be an expression of deep faith—or an excuse for avoiding something we already know we need to do. From Israel being told to take possession of the land God had given them to James’ call to become doers of the Word, the question becomes deeply practical: What are you still asking God to do that may require an act of obedience from you? And on the other side: What outcome are you carrying that was never yours to control? Take responsibility for the obedience. Trust God with the outcome. The Valiant Forge — Where God shapes ordinary men into faithful men. Join The Brotherhood https://www.skool.com/the-cave-of-adullum-1668/about Email me: TheValiantForgePodcast@gmail.com

  5. Sep 11

    After 25 Years in Ministry, He Walked Away—But God Wasn’t Finished

    When Dustin Kleinschmidt could no longer see a path forward as a lead pastor, God gave him one clear instruction: “You serve and trust Me to provide.” After more than 25 years in vocational ministry, Dustin Kleinschmidt resigned as lead pastor without knowing what came next. In this honest conversation, Dustin shares how the wilderness stripped away performance, challenged his identity, and taught him to trust God without demanding a clear outcome. Mark and Dustin discuss pastoral burnout, surrender, feeling as though you missed your moment, the importance of trusted men, and the message behind Dustin’s book, The Wilderness Way. Connect with Dustin: https://www.dustinkleinschmidt.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@dustinkschmidt https://dustinkleinschmidt.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips Join the Cave of Adullam: https://www.skool.com/the-cave-of-adullum-1668/about

  6. Sep 9

    Why So Many Men Feel Lost—and How to Find the Path Back | David Savage

    Why are so many men confused about who they're supposed to be? David Savage joins Mark Osborne to talk about biblical manhood, pride, isolation, renewing the mind, mentorship, and finding your way back to God's path. Why do so many men feel lost? David Savage believes confusion is one of the biggest crises facing men today. Without a clear understanding of who they are, what they're responsible for, and where they're going, men can drift away from their commitments, relationships, community, and faith. David joins Mark Osborne to talk about The Savage Path—his backpacking-inspired metaphor for following God's will. They explore what happens when a man gets off the trail, why wounded men often isolate themselves, how pride prevents men from asking for help, and why Christian brotherhood matters. The conversation also explores renewing the mind, guarding what we allow into our thoughts, fatherhood, mentorship, intergenerational relationships, biblical manhood, and David's own experiences with divorce, failure, faith, and surrender. David eventually shares why he's walking away from another prestigious appointment and choosing instead to put his whole “chip pile” into ministry: “I'm all in, and I'm going to be obedient to God.” David is the author of The Savage Path: A Memoir of Modern Masculinity, host of Wrestling with the Inner Man, and founder of Savage Path Ministries. The Savage Path

  7. Sep 7

    What 250 Testimonies Revealed About God—and Obedience

    What can 250 personal testimonies teach us about the character of God—and what happens when obedience requires us to surrender something good? This week, Valiant Monday looks a little different. Mark is joined by returning guest and friend Jonnie Taverner, host and producer of Refuge Freedom Stories and author of ‘One Thing’ About God. Jonnie created the book from answers given by 250 podcast guests to one question: “What’s the one thing you would tell people about God?” Their answers reveal recurring truths about God’s love, relational nature, and trustworthiness. But this conversation goes beyond the book. Mark and Jonnie discuss calling, surrender, busyness, discerning God’s direction, and the danger of allowing ministry itself to become an idol. Jonnie also shares why he canceled 105 scheduled interviews after sensing God tell him to lay the podcast down. Mark opens up about his own struggle to Sabbath well while balancing podcasting, daily videos, church ministry, work, and family. If you have ever struggled to distinguish a good opportunity from God’s actual assignment, this conversation is for you. Connect with Jonnie Taverner Get ‘One Thing’ About God: https://bookshop.org/p/books/one-thing-about-god-individual-experiences-with-god-s-character-jonnie-taverner/4827bc4e61bd2454 Listen to Refuge Freedom Stories: https://refugeministriescanada.com/refuge-freedom-stories/ Follow From Glory to Glory: https://fromglorytoglory.substack.com/ Listen to Jonnie’s first appearance on The Valiant Forge: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-brokenness-to-boldness-a-journey-of/id1745019931?i=1000715413094 Scripture clarification: The proverb referenced during the conversation is Proverbs 11:25. The Valiant Forge: Where God shapes ordinary men into faithful men.

  8. Sep 4

    His Wife Died While Their Son Was in the NICU—Then a Nurse Said This | Weston Brandon

    At 23, Weston Brandon lost his wife while their premature son was still in the NICU. Weston shares how he wrestled with anger toward God, recognized his emotional distance from his son, and began rebuilding his life one committed step at a time. A NICU nurse’s simple challenge became a turning point: “Your son needs you, and you need your son.” In this conversation, Weston shares how that moment helped awaken him from emotional shutdown, why healing required intentional action, and how his experience now shapes his work with widowed fathers and men carrying struggles alone. We discuss: Losing his wife following the premature birth of their sonWrestling with faith and anger toward GodRecognizing his emotional distance from his babyChoosing to become a student of his sonWhy men need community rather than silent isolationRebuilding life one committed step at a timeThe message behind The Overhaul Weston Brandon is a keynote speaker, author, coach, and facilitator with the I Love You, Bro Project. Connect with Weston: https://westonbrandon.com Get The Overhaul: Fixing Your Mindset and Driving Success: https://www.amazon.com/Overhaul-Fixing-Mindset-Driving-Success/dp/B0FB9LRRLN Learn about the I Love You, Bro Project: https://www.iloveyoubroproject.org This episode contains discussion of sudden loss, traumatic grief, and medical crisis. A note from The Valiant Forge: Our guests come from different faith backgrounds, and their theological views may not always reflect those of the host or The Valiant Forge. We encourage listeners to examine every teaching in light of Scripture.

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About

A podcast for men who refuse to stay stuck.   The Valiant Forge is where Christian men come to be shaped — not by the patterns of this world, but by the renewing work of God. Hosted by Mark Osborne — husband, father, grandfather, and servant‑leader — this podcast speaks to men who are tired of drifting and ready to live with clarity, conviction, and purpose. Every episode is a steady, honest conversation about faith, fatherhood, failure, and the formation God works in the fire. No hype. No perfection. No pretending. Just real stories, biblical truth, and the kind of wisdom that sharpens iron. If you’re a man who wants to think differently, live differently, and lead differently — this is your forge. Step in. Be renewed. Walk away transformed! 

Information

  • Creator
    Mark Osborne
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    131
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Valiant Forge
  • Show Website
    The Valiant Forge