The Confessionals

Can Christians have demons, or does salvation mean demonic influence is no longer possible? In this powerful conversation, Tony Merkel sits down with evangelist Ben Hughes to explore Christian deliverance, spiritual oppression, the Holy Spirit, and the supernatural power of God. Ben shares his dramatic conversion story, his first encounters with deliverance, and what he says he has witnessed after decades of ministry; including demons leaving Christians, miraculous healings, and lives radically transformed by Jesus.The conversation also tackles one of the biggest questions facing the modern Church: Does Jesus still heal today? Ben recounts stories of...

What could make a man abandon everything he believed and risk his life to follow Jesus? Tony Merkel sits down with Steve Kang to hear his incredible journey from a radical Buddhist upbringing to becoming a passionate follower of Christ. After a devastating spiral led to a life-threatening crisis, Steve says he experienced the terrifying reality of Hell before his life took a dramatic turn toward Jesus. His transformation would eventually take him into underground churches in China, where he witnessed Christians risking everything for their faith. This is a powerful story of redemption, radical faith, and what it...

In episode 678: The Dark Recruitment, Ross sits down in studio for a gripping conversation that will take you deep into the unsettling and mysterious realms beyond our everyday reality. Ross joined us in studio a month prior to this recording to share a battle he's had since he was merely 2 years old. His story was dark and full of very dramatic twists and turns, but things took a turn while discussing portals. Ross became visibly uncomfortable and made Tony aware that there was a dark entity attached to Ross that despised him. At that moment Tony shut off the...

Something strange is happening at the top of the AI industry.OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, and xAI’s Elon Musk are suddenly sounding similar warnings about the pace of advanced AI development. At the same time, former OpenAI and Anthropic employee Jacob Coxon is raising alarms about the race toward artificial superintelligence.In this episode of Slingshot Nation, Tony, Jack, and Derek break down the AI 2027 scenario, self-improving AI, the global race with China, government systems like Sentient, and the growing concern that AI may soon advance faster than anyone can cont...

Can something follow a family for generations without anyone fully understanding what it is? Tony Merkel sits down with Kathryn to unpack a disturbing encounter at her parents’ home that turned an ordinary night into a terrifying confrontation with something she couldn’t explain. What happened next forced her to confront the reality of spiritual warfare and ultimately discover the power and protection found in Jesus Christ. As they dig into her family’s history, the more it appears her encounter may not have started with her.If you’re able, consider helping the Merkel family with medical...

How deep can someone go into witchcraft before there seems to be no way back? Jenny Joy joins Tony Merkel to share a disturbing journey through childhood trauma, occult practices, demonic encounters, and an underground witchcraft temple that pulled her deeper into darkness. Even after coming to Jesus, Jenny says the spiritual battle was far from over, leading to a series of intense deliverance experiences that exposed just how much torment had followed her for years. Her story moves from terrifying encounters and spiritual bondage into a fight for freedom, healing, and a completely transformed life. This is a...

Nathaniel Gillis returns to the studio for a mind-bending conversation that tears apart the modern UFO narrative and reframes the phenomenon from the ground up. Drawing from occult history, demonology, biblical scholarship, and firsthand research, Nathaniel argues that what we are seeing may not be extraterrestrial at all, but something far older, capable of manipulating perception, projecting forms, and hiding behind masks humanity has mythologized for centuries. From orbs that shift into apparitions, to physiological “constructs,” to ancient necromancy and Ezekiel’s warning about those who “hunt the souls of men,” this discussion explores the possibility that disclosure is being care...

Is demonic possession becoming more visible in public? In this episode of Slingshot Nation, Tony, Jack, and Derek examine several disturbing recent stories, including Jonathan Cahn’s attack on an airplane, the Lindsay Clancy case, and the shocking Times Square stabbing in New York involving a woman armed with large knives who continued advancing after police deployed Tasers. The guys ask whether these incidents could point to something deeper happening spiritually or whether there are other explanations that need to be considered. The conversation will break down the signs of demonic possession, demonic influence, spiritual oppression, unusual behavior, hostility to...

What if the spiritual war around us is happening in a realm we can’t see? Tony Merkel revisits the incredible experiences of Hunter, Jade, and Caleb, three men whose encounters with the Second Heaven begin connecting in ways that are difficult to ignore. From Dogman and mysterious portals to direct encounters with spiritual warfare, their stories suggest that the supernatural world may be far more active—and much closer to our reality—than most people realize.As their experiences begin lining up, Tony explores what these encounters could reveal about the unseen battle taking place around us and wh...

Could the truth behind alien abductions be far more disturbing than the public has been led to believe? The Confessionals host Tony Merkel sits down with Karin Wilkinson, author of Stolen Seed, Evil Harvest, to hear her chilling testimony of a lifetime of encounters that began in childhood and eventually led her into what she describes as a hidden underground program. As her memories became clearer, Karin began questioning who these beings really were, what they wanted from humanity, and why she believes the truth is being hidden behind the growing UFO disclosure narrative. Her search for answers ultimately...

In episode 643: Quest For The Ancient Sundial, Brian Jeffrey, from Black Mass Paranormal, joins us in studio to dive into the mysterious and often eerie realm of the paranormal across East Tennessee. He explores unsettling missing person cases like that of Summer Wells and discusses bizarre phenomena such as potential portals and supernatural activities. Brian takes us through personal encounters with inexplicable sounds and sightings in mystifying locales like Black Mountain and Frozen Head. He shares chilling accounts of a shadowy figure, a witch-like presence, and ghostly translucent entities, reflecting on the challenges of documenting such elusive phenomena with...

What happens when entire islands appear, disappear, and leave behind no trace? Today on Slingshot Nation, Tony, Derek, Jack, and Brian (Tony & Jack’s dad) are diving into the mysteries of floating islands, the Philadelphia Experiment, MH370, UFOs, and the possibility that secret technology could be crossing the boundaries between worlds. They’ll also explore strange manuscripts, occult knowledge, supernatural encounters, and the idea that humanity may have gained access to things it was never meant to understand. Could these disappearances be connected, and are we seeing evidence of something moving through the veil?If you’re able...

Something is shifting, and what happened behind the scenes at The Confessionals has the team convinced the battle is becoming more real. After an intense Second Heaven roundtable, a violent storm moves in as disturbing dreams and unexplained experiences begin unfolding across multiple homes. The timing and similarities are difficult to ignore, leaving Tony and the team questioning just how much spiritual warfare is taking place beyond what we can see. But as the darkness becomes more tangible, so does their understanding of the authority and power found in Jesus Christ. This raw conversation pulls back the curtain on...

What is really lurking in the forests of Land Between the Lakes? Returning guest and retired sheriff Martin Groves joins Tony Merkel once again after sharing some of the most gripping and disturbing Dogman and Bigfoot encounters ever discussed on the show in Episode 514, “Terror In The LBL,” and Episode 538, “Dogman’s Trace Of Death.” Drawing from years of investigating the strange activity surrounding this mysterious wilderness, Martin recounts encounters that seem to blur the line between flesh-and-blood creatures and something far more supernatural. As the conversation goes deeper, an unsettling possibility begins to emerge: what witnesses are seeing in these f...

 episode 672: The Farm Of Terror, Eric Mintel, from Eric Mintel Investigates, shares his extraordinary journey from performing at the White House to exploring the mysteries of the supernatural. He explains the chilling encounters and eerie phenomena that he has documented, from ghostly apparitions and UFO sightings to cryptid investigations. In particular, Eric shares his experiences from his investigations on Lee Hample's property from episode 659: The Beast Of Bray Road, where Lee has encountered this cryptid creature countless times, and has been documenting it for several years. Eric's investigation stories aim to enthrall listeners with firsthand accounts of the paranormal, u...

In this Slingshot Nation, we’re diving into the mystery of what may be hiding beneath our feet. We’ll revisit the legend of Mel’s Hole and ask whether these strange pits could be more than abandoned wells or natural formations. Then we’ll head to Mount Shasta, where a man claims he was secretly hired to dig deep into the mountain without ever being told what his crew was actually searching for. As the stories unfold, we’ll explore whether hidden underground activity, government involvement, and something unexplained beneath the surface could all be connected.Take Contr...

How deeply have ancient occult practices shaped the strange phenomena people are still encountering today? Tony Merkel sits down with Isaac Weishaupt and Joel Thomas for a conversation that challenges the way we understand the entities operating beyond our everyday reality. They examine the possibility that modern encounters may be connected to spiritual forces and practices that have followed humanity for centuries. As the conversation goes deeper, the familiar idea of extraterrestrials begins to give way to something far stranger and potentially more dangerous. This episode asks a disturbing question: are we witnessing something new, or simply seeing an...

Could the growing UFO disclosure movement be infiltrating the Church with a spiritual deception hiding in plain sight? Tony Merkel sits down with Paul Bock for a powerful discussion about the growing UFO phenomenon and the belief system forming around non-human intelligence. Paul opens up about the controversial pastors meeting and explains the warning he believes the Church urgently needs to hear. The conversation examines whether modern encounters with NHI could connect to ancient spiritual realities and a much larger deception unfolding around disclosure. As interest in contact and UAPs continues to grow, Paul challenges Christians to test these...

On tonight's show, Jeremiah shares the ghostly interactions he has experienced over the last 10 to 15 years- all of which seem to have spawned from one initial event. If you’re able, consider helping the Merkel family with medical expenses by donating to Lindsay’s GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/b8f76890📕 Pre-order Tony's Book: https://a.co/d/0bJS3SaV📰 Subscribe to Our Newsletter: https://www.theconfessionalspodcast.com/newsletterBecome a member for ad-free listening, extra shows, and exclusive access to our social media app: theconfessionalspodcast.com/joinThe Confessionals Social Net...

A violent storm. A hotel-wide emergency broadcast. Contaminated water. A gate ripped from its entrance. And unexplained static erupting through the sound system just as Tony prepared to preach about supernatural warfare.Coincidence? Or was something pushing back?In this episode of Slingshot Nation, Tony, Derek and Jack unpack the bizarre string of events surrounding Remnant Rising and the moment Tony believes spiritual authority was handed off to him. From suspected spiritual opposition and strange technical interference to past moments when unexplained voices, knocks, and disruptions appeared during The Confessionals, the question becomes impossible to ignore...