In this deeply moving episode of the Bible Chat Podcast, host Alina Buzdugan sits down with Dan Christopulos, a lifelong servant of Christ with more than 40 years of ministry experience spanning parish life, global missions, humanitarian aid, and spiritual formation. From his early years as a college football standout to his calling as a priest, missionary, counselor, and development leader, Dan shares a powerful testimony of faith shaped by adversity, repentance, humility, and love in action. This conversation weaves together personal stories from the mission field, profound theological insight, and practical wisdom for living a Christ-centered life in today’s world. At the heart of the episode is a rich exploration of discipleship, apostleship, and theosis, not as abstract theology, but as a lived, ongoing journey from learning, to living, to becoming.

Episode Highlights

• Growing up Orthodox in Wyoming and the formative power of prayer and embodied faith
 • Lessons from sports on perseverance, focus, and facing adversity with Christ
 • Early signs of vocation and childhood evangelism
 • Ministry challenges, suffering, and the redemptive work of grace
 • Global humanitarian work with International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC)
• Missionary experiences in Kenya, Albania, Eastern Europe, and beyond
• Empowering local leadership through Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC)
• Sustainable mission models and faith rooted development
• A compelling explanation of discipleship, apostleship, and theosis
• Forgiveness, humility, spiritual warfare, and self-forgiveness
• What it truly means to leave a legacy of love and faith

Key Teaching Moment

Discipleship → Apostleship → Theosis

Dan beautifully connects these three movements of the Christian life:

• Discipleship (mathētēs): a lifelong posture of learning, listening, and being formed
• Apostleship (apostellō): being sent to share what we have received through love and service
• Theosis: the lifelong journey from image (ikona) to likeness (kath’ homoiōsin), becoming more like God through repentance, humility, and action

This is not a linear or perfect process. We fall. We repent. We get back up.
And we continue forward.

Episode Timestamps

00:00 Life lessons from sports and faith
04:16 Early life and spiritual foundations
06:23 Sports, adversity, and perseverance
11:58 Childhood evangelism
14:21 Ministry challenges and growth
19:12 Humanitarian work with IOCC
28:08 Missionary work and future vision
35:09 Albania and religious persecution
37:06 Sustainable projects in Nairobi
42:17 Discipleship, apostleship, and theosis
48:01 Forgiveness and humility
55:30 Legacy and wisdom for future generations
01:01:29 Closing prayer and reflections