🎧Chasing Faith in Malibu 🌊

Guest: Pastor Chris Bennett (Malibu Vintage Church)
Hosts: Dorothy Lucey & Jason Ball
Theme: Hearing God, risking comfort, and forgiving for real 🙏

Episode Summary

Dorothy and Jason kick off Chasing Faith in Malibu with Pastor Chris Bennett, the Oklahoma pastor who chased a call all the way to the coast—through uncertainty, cancer battles, and 20 moves with four kids. We dig into what it really means to live by faith, why forgiveness isn’t “letting them off the hook,” and how a church without a building can still catch fire. 🏕️➡️🔥

What You’ll Hear

• 00:03 Meet Dorothy & Jason 🎙️
• 00:55 The Malibu Vintage story ⛪️
• 01:48 Romans 1:17, Reformation revelations 📖
• 03:18 A prayer that sets the tone 🙌
• 04:16 Dad jokes, faith, and joy 😂
• 05:27 “God’s got us”: waiting, trusting, moving ⏳
• 06:53 From Oklahoma to L.A. with nothing but a promise 🚚
• 08:50 Julie’s cancer, perseverance, and grace 💪
• 10:15 An Instagram DM that changed everything 📲
• 12:42 Recognizing God’s voice 🔔
• 14:35 Living by faith even when you’re only 50% sure 🧭
• 17:40 Church as family—what we’re all craving 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦
• 20:12 “You’re welcome here, no matter where you are.” 🤝
• 21:14 Real forgiveness vs. fake forgiveness 🫶
• 23:53 Letting go of bitterness and keeping your peace 🕊️
• 25:23 Hosea 3:1, a Bible miracle, and radical grace ✨
• 28:08 How to handle the liar (spoiler: say Jesus’ name) 🛡️
• 30:06 Psychics, prophecy & discernment 🕯️
• 31:14 Pastoral burnout, Psalm 23, and rest 🌿
• 36:04 Church on the move—literally 🚛
• 38:00 Worship, music, and showing up on time 🎶
• 39:05 Your favorite houses of worship 🏛️
• 40:20 Next week: The Dalai Lama, joy, and film 🎥

Scripture Spotlight

✝️ Romans 1:17 — “The righteous shall live by faith.”
🐑 John 10 — The Shepherd’s voice
🌾 Psalm 23 — Rest for the weary
🛡️ James 4:7 — Resist the devil and he’ll flee
🤍 Colossians 3:13 — Forgive as Christ forgave
🏠 Psalm 68:6 — God places the lonely in family

About Our Guest

Pastor Chris Bennett leads Malibu Vintage Church and co-authored Fighting for Family with his wife Julie, a powerful story of forgiveness, endurance, and redemption. 📚

Resources Mentioned

• Malibu Vintage Church (weekly services + messages online)
• Fighting for Family by Chris & Julie Bennett
• Dorothy’s favorite Bible app for daily verses 📲

Join the Conversation

Jason’s an architecture nerd and Dorothy’s trying to visit every church in Rome 😅.
📸 DM or tag us with your favorite houses of worship—we’ll feature them on Instagram! #HouseOfWorship

Call to Action

If this episode spoke to you:
👉 Follow/Subscribe to Chasing Faith in Malibu
👉 Rate & Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
👉 Share it with someone waiting on God or wrestling with forgiveness
👉 Send us your stories—what does “chasing faith” look like for you?

Hashtags

#ChasingFaithInMalibu #DorothyLucey #JasonBall #PastorChrisBennett #MalibuVintageChurch #FightingForFamily #FaithInRealLife #Romans117 #Forgiveness #HolySpirit #Malibu #PodcastLaunch #LiveByFaith

Next Week

🎬 Chasing Faith in Malibu welcomes Barbara Miller, the filmmaker who directed the Dalai Lama in a Netflix doc talking joy, laughter, and the art of radical kindness. ✨