Podcasts · Religion & Spirituality

UNSHACKLED! Audio Dramas

UNSHACKLED! - Pacific Garden Mission

300 episodes

Real people, real stories, stirring dramatic accounts of hopelessness…and the hope that changes everything. These are UNSHACKLED! Audio Dramas, with the award-winning storytelling that's been unique to UNSHACKLED! Ministries for more than 70 years -- but this time, with a behind-the-scenes look. So join us as we dramatize true stories of transformation and share lesser-known details that have made us the longest running audio drama in history.

Episodes page 1 of 6

  1. 3954 Was Jesus a Socialist?

    · 33 min

    Was Jesus a socialist? A university professor says yes. A pastor is certain that Scripture says otherwise. But before this debate is over, the question becomes far more personal. Don’t miss this timely original drama……

  2. 3953 A Voice Above the Waters

    · 31 min

    On the night the Titanic sank, passengers cried out for rescue. But one Scottish preacher raised his voice above the waters with a greater message. Would it be enough? Hear the powerful true story of „John Harper, A…

  3. 3952 Stephen McPherson Part 2

    · 30 min

    He risked his life going to the jungles of New Guinea, but Stephen McPherson would do it again for the one who gave his life for him. Don’t miss the sequel to his true testimony—another dramatization coming soon on…

  4. 3951 Stephen McPherson Part 1

    · 29 min

    He ran for his life as a boy, and Stephen McPherson is still running … but for a different prize. Don’t miss the first of his two-part story, another true dramatization coming soon from the Classic files of Unshackled!

  5. 3950 "Nicky"

    · 29 min

    Nicky grew up with a mother struggling with mental illness, and a father with drug and alcohol issues. Talk about being set up to fail! But would it play out that way? Find out in this upcoming episode on the next…

  6. 3949 Paul Licciardi

    · 29 min

    Growing up without a father, Paul Licciardi turned to drugs and alcohol. He would have died a drunkard if Someone hadn’t interceded. Don’t miss his true and powerful testimony—another dramatization coming soon on…

  7. 3948 Fannie Beiler

    · 30 min

    She was trapped in a world that offered no way out… no hope, no escape. If you've ever felt imprisoned by abuse, addiction, or the darkness of sin, this is a story you need to hear. The story of Fannie Beiler—coming…

  8. 3947 Kim McGhee (PG)

    · 29 min

    Kim always knew she was different and didn't quite fit in. So being ushered into the world of LGBTQ made sense because, there, she thought she belonged. But was there more to life?And was there anyone who could fully…

  9. 3946 Leila Gabel Part 2

    · 29 min

    Leila Gabel is struggling in her marriage and hoping her next life will be better than this one. Is reincarnation the answer to her troubled life? Will the path she’s on lead her to heaven? Don’t miss the conclusion of…

  10. 3945 Leila Gabel Part 1

    · 31 min

    Leila Gabel is torn between two very different religions, the Jewish beliefs of her family and the Hindu beliefs of her favorite aunt. Is reincarnation the answer to her troubled life? Is there really a God who will…

  11. 3944 Byron Dotson Part 2 (PG)

    · 29 min

    Byron Dotson had been an alcoholic for 28 years and even tried suicide as a “cure”. Then he tried the cure that is guaranteed forever. Invite your friends to hear the conclusion of his gripping testimony, another true…

  12. 3943 Byron Dotson Part 1

    · 29 min

    How does a boy grow up in the shadow of a successful, domineering father? Byron Dotson learned by rebelling. Don’t miss the first of his two-part testimony, another true dramatization from the Classic files of…

  13. 3942 James Blair

    · 30 min

    If you could live to nearly a hundred, how would you spend your time? James Blair spent nearly 70 years helping others get ready for eternity. Don’t miss his unusual testimony, another true dramatization coming soon on…

  14. 3941 Mattie Rice Classic

    · 30 min

    Hers was a life of degradation and shame, shackled to a bottle. She lost her dearest possession but gained something priceless. Invite your friends to hear this compelling true story of Mattie Rice—all on the next…

  15. 3940 Serena Dyksen Part 2 (PG)

    · 32 min

    An abortion at thirteen filled Serena with guilt and feelings of uselessness. Now at sixteen she finds herself pregnant again. Will her boyfriend help her, or drag her deeper into the pit? Listen to her powerful true…

  16. 3939 Serena Dyksen Part 1 (PG)

    · 27 min

    Nobody ever had great expectations for Serena Dyksen. From an early age, others’ choices shaped a future she never wanted. Then, at sixteen, her world shifted overnight. Standing at the edge, would she give up—or…

  17. 3938 "Angela"

    · 30 min

    Drugs and alcohol made Angela feel invincible, but her life ends up a wreck – both physically and figuratively – what’s left for her? Hear all about it when you bring you this original story, coming soon on UNSHACKLED!

  18. 3937 Donna Bossert

    · 30 min

    How would you feel if your mother put you in one stranger’s home after another, strangers who mistreated you? Donna Bossert will give the answer in her true testimony coming soon on “Unshackled!”

  19. 3936 Ben-Hur Part 2

    · 32 min

    The arena is set. He will face his betrayer, Messala, in a chariot race where the prize is pride and the cost is death. But will his quest for revenge lead him to ruin, or to a life-changing encounter with the Prince…

  20. 3935 Ben-Hur Part 1

    · 30 min

    A young prince is stripped of his family, his freedom, and his name—and cast into chains by the power of Rome. Driven by injustice and fueled by hatred, Judah Ben-Hur fights to survive…unaware that a brief encounter…

  21. 3934 Miles Koberstein

    · 29 min

    One broken promise. One reckless spiral. And one decision that changed everything. When Miles Koberstein faced a quiet moral crossroads, he discovered a strength greater than his failure. Hear his unforgettable true…

  22. 3933 Bill & Barb Akright

    · 27 min

    Bill Akright followed a plan for his life until an accident nearly killed him. Then he met someone with a better plan. Invite others to hear this gripping dramatization, another true testimony coming soon on Unshackled!

  23. 3932 The Landmark (Memorial Day Classic)

    · 27 min

    On Memorial Day, we remember our ancestral roots. But what happens when roots are placed in shaky ground? Stay tuned as we bring you an original holiday special called “The Landmark,” coming soon, on Unshackled!

  24. 3931 Floyd Plumb Classic

    · 29 min

    He ran away from home at age five and again at 25. But the second time Floyd Plumb found what he was searching for. Don’t miss the insight of this unusual, true testimony coming soon—another dramatization from…

  25. 3930 Anne Martin (PG)

    · 29 min

    Anne Martin gave her heart to God when she was a little girl. But growing up in a home filled with abuse made her wonder if God had forgotten her. Would she ever be able to forgive her stepfather and experience peace…

  26. 3929 Curtis Farrar

    · 33 min

    He was making three-thousand dollars a day dealing in drugs. Curtis Farrar thought he was at the top of the world. But soon, he found he was at the end of himself. Don't miss this compelling true story, on the next…

  27. 3928 The Face of an Angel

    · 30 min

    He stood before the council with nothing to gain… and everything to lose. They tried to silence his faith with stones—but his courage sparked a fire that couldn’t be put out. Hear the true story of Stephen the Martyr—…

  28. 3927 Chuck Chavis

    · 31 min

    Chuck Chavis spent most of his teens and twenties in the community of criminals- both on the street, and behind bars. Will his running buddies be the end of him, or will he do it himself?. Don’t miss his true story on…

  29. 3926 Thomas Graumann Part 2

    · 32 min

    As a child, Thomas Graumann was put on a train to save his life. As a man, he was put on a mission to save other lives. Don’t miss the conclusion of his inspiring testimony, another true dramatization coming soon on…

  30. 3925 Thomas Graumann Part 1

    · 30 min

    As a boy, he escaped World War Two when he traveled by train to a strange country and never saw his parents again. Don’t miss the remarkable story of Tom Graumann, how his life was saved ... another true dramatization…

  31. 3924 The Stone Mason's Daughter

    · 30 min

    What happens when the most guarded grave in Jerusalem is suddenly vacant? Authorities demand silence. Witnesses refuse. And one young woman discovers the truth can’t be sealed in stone. Find out about that truth on the…

  32. 3923 Paul Gautschi

    · 29 min

    Paul Gautschi was one of the victims of the Vietnam War who made it home. Pessimism and betrayal drove him away from his upbringing, and a devastating discovery would either make him… or break him. Don’t miss his true…

  33. 3922 The Gambler

    · 27 min

    Sean is a struggling college student who spends more time betting on sports games than he does going to classes. Will his March Madness bets eliminate his debts, or will his bookie reveal his secrets? Find out what…

  34. 3921 David Hicks Part 2

    · 30 min

    When David Hicks left the Army as a sergeant, he had no idea that he would one day be a Major General. Don’t miss the conclusion of his remarkable testimony, another true dramatization coming soon on Unshackled!

  35. 3920 David Hicks Part 1

    · 31 min

    How does a young black man succeed in today’s world? You’ll hear the answer in the first part of David Hicks two-part testimony, a man who became a two-star general and Chief Chaplain of the U.S. Army. Don’t miss this…

  36. 3919 Lawrence Durfee Classic

    · 30 min

    Lawrence Durfee was fired up to be wealthy when he was set on fire for a different purpose. Don’t miss his compelling testimony, another true dramatization coming soon from the Classic files of Unshackled!

  37. 3918 Phillis DeWitt (PG)

    · 32 min

    Already scarred, Phillis Dewitt entered the foster care system as a teenager, where she encountered even more sexual abuse. Will she ever escape her predators? Will she ever be freed from the secrets she keeps? Don’t…

  38. 3917 Clinton Goodwin Classic

    · 30 min

    Why would a man go from toting a Bible to toting a gun? Clinton Goodwin will explain how he went to San Quentin for armed robbery. Don’t miss this true dramatization coming soon from the Classic files of “Unshackled!”

  39. 3916 Rigo Dominguez Part 2

    · 30 min

    Rigo Dominguez was abandoned by his father, and he tries to numb that trauma with drugs and alcohol, which lands him in jail after jail. Will his felony convictions haunt him forever, or is there a path to forgiveness?…

  40. 3915 Rigo Dominguez Part 1

    · 30 min

    Rigo Dominguez is abandoned by his biological father and struggles through life without a positive role model. His friends tell him that selling drugs is the only way to escape his Chicago neighborhood, while his…

  41. 3914 Ben Budde

    · 30 min

    Ben Budde dreams of becoming a rock star, and when he joins a band, he quickly falls into a lifestyle full of temptations. What will save him from his depression and addiction? Find out the answer on the next Unshackled!

  42. 3913 Shawn McGill Part 2

    · 30 min

    A wealthy drug dealer gave up everything he’d earned to follow the Lord. That was easy compared to the real challenge – teasing and threats from his old friends. How did he stay strong when everyone wanted him to fall?…

  43. 3912 Shawn McGill Part 1

    · 30 min

    A man from a broken home vowed to do whatever it took to get rich. Friends envied his sports cars and party lifestyle, but what he really wanted was peace. After years of living lavishly, how could he settle down? Stay…

  44. 3911 New Year’s Eve at the Lighthouse Classic

    · 30 min

    An Emergency Weather Alert is issued in this “New Year’s Eve at the Lighthouse” Classic. Come join us at our own Pacific Garden Mission on such a night and experience yourselves what occurs for our staff. Subzero…

  45. 3910 Boutique Noel (Santa's Toyshop Classic)

    · 30 min

    It was Christmas all year ‘round for the Snows, who dedicated their lives to running the festive Christmas shop. But were the “magical” trappings of the season keeping them from an even greater miracle? Find out on…

  46. 3909 The Innocents (Christmas Classic)

    · 30 min

    Holiday songs remind us that Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. However, for some, it’s also the most challenging, as they grapple with unexpected news and make difficult decisions. Find out what one…

  47. 3908 A Silent Night (Christmas Special)

    · 30 min

    On the frozen fields of Flanders, 1914, war’s brutality silenced hope—until a single carol broke through. On Christmas Day, enemies became brothers, sharing songs and peace in No Man’s Land. But could this fragile…

  48. 3907 75th Anniversary Special

    · 30 min

    Unshackled is the longest-running audio program ever produced, with nearly 4,000 true stories about people encountering God. Ever wonder why this audio drama has lasted so long when so many other radio dramas have…

  49. 3906 Thanks But No Thanks (Giving)

    · 30 min

    What really happened at the very first Thanksgiving? It wasn’t just corn and kindness — it was a battle of ideas about freedom, faith, and survival. This holiday, one family learns that history still speaks, as their…

  50. 3905 Rudy Peterson Classic

    · 30 min

    Rudy Peterson had a train run over his legs, but that was only the beginning of his remarkable story. Don’t miss the heartwarming testimony of how he helped others even so…another true dramatization coming soon from…

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