Bigger Than Belief

WCCO
  • 5.0 (111)
  • Religion
  • Updated Weekly

Bigger Than Belief is a weekly podcast exploring faith, belief, and religion – all through the stories of believers. With an emphasis on understanding belief through personal experience, we aim to create a conversation about faith that is fair, honest, and easy to understand - regardless of what you do (or don't) believe. We'll also take a journalistic approach to concepts and questions that are difficult to understand, while helping to make sense of current events impacting believers in our communities.

  1. 5d ago

    Waiting on a Diagnosis, Finding Faith: Najeeba Syeed on Peace, Prayer & Common Humanity

    Najeeba Syeed—peacebuilder, professor, author, and Executive Director of Interfaith at Augsburg University—has spent her life as a bridge-builder across religious, cultural, and political divides. Born in Kashmir and raised in Southern Indiana after immigrating to America at age three, Najeeba grew up learning that faith wasn't just about what you believe—it was about how you care for others. From her parents' intentional friendships across faith traditions to her mother's nightly questions about how she used her hands, heart, and feet to serve others, Najeeba developed a vision of faith rooted in action. Throughout the conversation, she challenges the idea that religious differences must divide us. Instead, she argues that authentic faith should expand our capacity to love our neighbors, engage conflict with courage, and build meaningful relationships with people who see the world differently. The conversation takes an unexpected and deeply personal turn when Najeeba reveals she is awaiting results from a biopsy and facing the possibility of a cancer diagnosis. In that vulnerable moment, she reflects on prayer, uncertainty, and the surprising people who have shown up for her—including friends and colleagues from different faith traditions. Her story becomes a powerful reminder that our deepest connections often emerge not from shared beliefs, but from shared humanity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    49 min

  2. Jun 18

    Addiction to Transformation: Tom Truszinski's Journey of Faith and Recovery

    A successful career in finance, a marriage, and a growing family. On the outside, Tom Truszinksi had it all together. On the inside, he was quietly falling apart. After years of addiction, arrests, and despair, he reached a breaking point. Convinced his family would be better off without him, Tom prepared to walk away from everything. Instead, a devastating motorcycle crash became the turning point that changed the course of his life. On this week’s episode of Bigger Than Belief, Tom shares the deeply personal story of growing up in a home marked by alcoholism, wrestling with questions about faith, surviving addiction, and ultimately finding hope through a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ. Today, Tom serves as CEO of Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge, one of the nation's largest faith-based recovery organizations. He also offers a firsthand perspective on the fentanyl crisis, addiction recovery, and why he believes true transformation requires more than sobriety alone. Learn more about Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge at mntc.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 6m

  3. Jun 11

    Sheletta Brundidge on Faith, Autism, Purpose, and Finding Home in Minnesota

    When Sheletta Brundidge arrived in Minnesota from Houston, Texas, she didn't know a single person. She wasn't planning to stay, and she certainly wasn't planning to build one of the Twin Cities' most recognizable media brands. On this episode of Bigger than Belief,  she shares the remarkable story of how a weekend visit turned into a career, a family, and a calling. From walking into a television station unannounced and leaving with a job, to raising three children diagnosed with autism, to becoming an Emmy Award-winning entrepreneur, author, speaker, and community leader, she reflects on the faith that has guided every step of her journey. Filled with laughter, powerful stories, and hard-earned wisdom, this episode explores what it means to trust God, serve your community, and remain obedient when life takes unexpected turns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    48 min

  4. Jun 4

    From Chapel to Brewery - a Minneapolis Church's Plan to Reach the Lonely

    For more than a century, Mt. Olivet Lutheran Church has worked to serve its community – South Minneapolis and beyond. ‘It’s kind of an ecosystem’, says Senior Pastor David Lose. The church has a number of affiliated ministries – but its latest venture could break boundaries. Lose and his team want to turn a shuttered church property, which once served as the original chapel, into a coffee shop and brewery combo – aimed to serve what Lose says is an increasingly lonely, isolated population. On this episode of Bigger Than Belief, he shares his heart for the project, and what could be next after gaining the support of Minneapolis City Council. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    34 min

  5. May 28

    How Lino Rulli Turned his Catholic Faith into a 20 Year XM Radio Career

    Lino Rulli’s Wikipedia page reads as almost if he’s trying to pull a prank on you. It’s fitting, given Rulli’s love and natural inclination towards comedy. A childhood spent in the circus? A chance encounter coaching a Caribbean soccer team? It’s all true – and then some. Rulli credit’s his life, and success, to his faith and belief in God’s plan. It’s what brought him to WCCO in the early 2000s, where he paved a way for faith reporting – and what led him eventually to Sirius XM in 2006 – where he was named the host of the Catholic Channel’s “Catholic Guy” show. In the 20 years since, he’s traveled the world, brushed shoulders with A-listers, and even started a family. He spares no detail in his open-ended conversation with Adam, and answers the burning question… is the Pope soft on crime? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    43 min

  6. May 21

    Billboard #1 Gospel Artist Jovonta Patton on Worship and Success

    Jovonta Patton has done what many thought would be improbable - if not impossible. He's topped the Billboard gospel charts more than a half dozen times - and done it without the help of a record label. Born and raised in the Twin Cities, he's taken a lifelong passion for music and turned it into a career -  singing with legends like Beyonce and Stevie Wonder. In 2016, he was even honored with his own day in Minnesota. On this episode of Bigger Than Belief, he shares with Adam how he's navigated an unconventional career while keeping his faith at the forefront. He also shares about a brand new song, and how he's working to build a growing faith community in Minneapolis.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    33 min

  7. May 14

    School Prayer Rooms, Foot Washing Stations, Draw National Outrage

    A Twin Cities’ School District’s Plans to include spaces for prayer and washing of feet in new construction and building upgrades has drawn national attention and outrage. The district insists these updates come at the urging of “user groups” – and that prayer space comes as a multipurpose room – that can be used for any number of activities.   The news, however, has drawn the attention of America’s top elected officials – who have compared the decision to Sharia Law, and slammed the decision as a double standard of how faith is perceived in schools. On this episode of Bigger Than Belief, Adam sits down with Imam Makram El-Amin, a Muslim leader with decades of experience serving the Twin Cities to understand the impact of this current conversation – as well as ask… are there double standards at play when it comes to faith in schools? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    37 min

  8. May 7

    Business Leaders Using their Faith to Create a New Generation of Nonprofits

    Layoffs, pinching pennies and the demand to do more with less – it’s what the business world can feel like in 2026. But one group is spurring business leaders to increase their generosity in the Twin Cities – by using faith as a common bond. Amplify Mission Network gathers hundreds of business leaders monthly to listen to the needs of non-profits – and brainstorm ways they can provide what’s missing. It’s led to buildings being donated, services given away for free, and lives being changed for the better. On this episode, Adam sits down with Amplify President Andrea McMaster – to figure out how Amplify has built a model for success – and why it seems to redefine what generosity, and working together, can look like.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    38 min
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Trailer

5
out of 5
111 Ratings

About

Bigger Than Belief is a weekly podcast exploring faith, belief, and religion – all through the stories of believers. With an emphasis on understanding belief through personal experience, we aim to create a conversation about faith that is fair, honest, and easy to understand - regardless of what you do (or don't) believe. We'll also take a journalistic approach to concepts and questions that are difficult to understand, while helping to make sense of current events impacting believers in our communities.

Information

  • Creator
    WCCO
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    32
  • Copyright
    © CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Portions Recorded.
  • Show Website
    Bigger Than Belief

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