What is the good word? Welcome to a bonus episode of The Higher Call: The Christian Sports Fan Podcast — where faith and fandom meet!

Dan is joined by Joseph for a conversation that goes everywhere except where you might expect.

We start by getting to know Joseph — his faith, his work with high school students, and his sports fandom from Barcelona and Chelsea to the Cavaliers, Cowboys and Colts.

Then things get interesting.

🚩 90s Church Camp Red Flags — Dan tells the story of an old-school church camp tradition involving freezing Maine lake water, an “Early Dip Challenge,” an angry mob of teenagers and sleeping bags being thrown into the lake. Joseph, a current youth ministry leader, gets to decide what would absolutely not fly at church camp in 2026.

🙏 The Contribution Tray Wave — Dan has an idea for making that potentially awkward moment when the contribution tray reaches your row a little more friendly: smile and wave at the people across the aisle. Joseph has some thoughts.

🐱 The Hairless Cat Curveball — Dan encounters two hairless cats at the veterinarian and has some VERY strong opinions about their appearance.

🏆 Heaven’s Stats — If the Apostle Peter offered you a chance to see any statistics from your life before entering heaven, what would you want to know? Dan and Joseph come up with some surprisingly meaningful answers.

And, of course, there's plenty of sports, faith, church humor and completely unnecessary discussion along the way.

Thanks for listening to The Higher Call — where faith and fandom meet.

📧 Questions, hot takes, topic ideas or just want to connect?

highercallpod@gmail.com

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00:00 — Welcome to The Higher Call

00:56 — The Technicolor Dream Coat

01:56 — Why This Is a Bonus Episode

03:07 — Meet Joseph: Faith, Family & Ministry

03:39 — Joseph's Sports Teams: Barcelona, Chelsea, Cavs & Colts

05:17 — Lucas Oil Stadium & Taylor Swift

05:57 — 🚩 90s Church Camp Red Flags

07:45 — The Early Dip Challenge

09:13 — The Senior-Year Pressure to Win

10:36 — The Angry Mob Takes Over

11:45 — No Swim Test?!

12:15 — Sleeping Bags in the Lake

13:58 — The Good Old Days of Church Camp

15:22 — What Would a 2026 Camp Counselor Do?

16:39 — 🙏 The Contribution Tray Curveball

18:08 — Joseph's Tithing Song Idea

19:34 — Dan's Contribution Tray Wave

20:31 — "Is Something Wrong With the Tray?"

21:17 — Why People Might Feel Awkward

22:41 — Dan's Two-Penny Offering Idea

23:51 — 🐱 The Hairless Cat Curveball

24:21 — Meet Toby, the COVID Dog

26:15 — Dan vs. Hairless Cats

28:35 — Dog Person or Cat Person?

30:05 — 🏆 If Peter Showed You Your Life Stats

31:06 — What Impact Did You Have?

32:24 — Joseph's Stats: Evangelism, Pictures & Close Calls

34:21 — The Red Flag Over/Under Revealed

35:14 — Premier League, Blues & What's Next

35:28 — Final Thoughts: Every Person Is Made in God's Image

36:12 — Thanks for Listening to The Higher Call

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