Background Check Podcast
Some episodes have profanity in them. All episodes have great stories though.
Episodes
EP 213 "Know Your Own Truth" A family separated by wrongful conviction, restored through exoneration. Ben and Deborah Spencer
EP 213 “Know Your Own Truth” Separated by Wrongful Conviction, Restored by Exoneration In 1987, just a few months after they were married, shortly before they had their son, the Spencer family was devastated and separated by our broken leg…
EP 212 "Skydiving, Advocacy, Overdosing, and Narcan" with Shannon Marshall and Ashleen Gaddy
Jessa and Jay Dan discuss everything from sports, to the ranch, to comedian Michael Jr, and North Dakota. Then we dive into a devotional about our vacuum cleaner. You gotta hear this. Oh yeah, we finally respond to Real Vida's last video ab…
Music Video Forgiven Felons: Our Why! Guard Towers in Lighthouses, written by Sgt. Jack Coppenger
OUR WHY  Please watch this short music video.  The lyrics to this song were written by a Sgt. at a correctional center. It's a song about reentry and they have a pretty good reentry program there.  I asked him if we could use the song t…
EP 211 "Driven" with Scott and Tabitha from Driven Re-Entry
EP 211 “Driven”  This episode is jammed packed with fun. We start off with announcements and we talk football and baseball. And yes, it’s fun because I’m a Steeler fan. I fixed some things Jessa messed up in the studio.  We show the reca…
EP 210 "Chainz 2 Changed" with Zach Schmidkunz and Antonio "Dread" Stridiron from inside North Dakota Prison
SPECIAL EPISODE We start with a long version of announcements and fun with Jay Dan and Jessa, including some questionable jokes from Jessa. We do some shout outs from men who have gotten out recently that watched the show from the inside. W…
EP 209 "Cornhole Cut-n-Run, July 4th Celebration, Beto Gathering, Alabama Trip"
In this episode, we respond, light-heartedly, to Real Vida’s corn hole challenge and subsequent no show. Jay Dan appears on a fake podcast called Tell the Truth Shame the Devil in episode one titled, “Cornhole Cut-n-run” talking with host E…
EP 208 "Habit Stacking and The Kindness Project" with Michael King
In this episode, Jessa and Jay Dan talk about the Guadalupe River crisis and pray for everyone involved. We shout out all the books that have been sent to us by inmates as well as books authored by our guests on the show. We talk about our…
EP 158 February Love Stories "He's Crazy, But Dang He's Cute" Jimmy and Beth Humphus, No Turning Back Ministries.
PRODUCTION NOTE: This is a re-airing of this episode, but with video this time. Jimmy and Beth have informed us that they are opening three more houses so they have more room.  In this episode we do announcements with Jessa including talk…
EP 207 "From Bars to Babe's" Gene McGuire, Chaplain for Babe's Chicken Dinner House
In this episode, Jay Dan and Jessa take their time with announcements and have some fun. They do shout outs, show baptisms pictures, talk about breakfast Bible study, the ranch, the new truck, the new grill, and we show a video of Shannon M…
EP 172 "The Power of a Father: Spiritual and Biological" with both Erick Wilsons
In this episode we sit down with the Erick Wilsons, One and Two. We talk about fatherhood, sports, and so many other things. Sponsors: Mention Forgiven Felons, Background Check, Jay Dan or Jessa when you contact them. They all donate to For…
EP 206 "Yoga Pants, Peanut Butter, Odinist, Salesman of the Year" with Ben Potter, Shout Outs
On this episode, Jay Dan and Jessa tell some jokes, do a small devotion, play a shout out from Angelo, talk about sports, and Forgiven Ranch. Ben's story intertwines with the previous week's guest, Kimberli Lemon. So many people's stories …
EP 205 "Are You Ready?" with Kimberli Lemon. Mother's Day Shout Outs from Alabama Prisons
In this episode, we air some Mother's Day shout outs from Alabama, we do a little devotional about having the keys, and we sit down with a mother. Kimberli Lemon, a sister of an incarcerated man in Texas, shares her story of incarceration …
Special Episode: Day at the Capitol with Epicenter Ministries
We hung out at the Texas State Capitol in Austin, TX with Deanna Luprete and the crew from Epicenter Ministries, in support for House Bill 200, aka the Second Look Bill.  We interviewed a couple of second lookers and the father of a second…
EP 204 "From Prison to Paid" Dr. Letitia Scott Jackson, Business, Nonprofits, and More.
During announcements Jay Dan and Jessa talk about Easter, shout outs, sports, 2nd Chance Month, and upcoming prison trips.  Round Two with Dr. Letitia Scott Jackson from Keeping Families Connected. Speaker, author, playwriter, and so muc…
EP 203 "Stolen Clippers from Minyards" with FresH the mobile barber
At 13 years of age, Fresh and his friend stole a pair of clippers from Minyards. The reason they stole them is because their families couldn’t afford a hair cut at the time. Fresh and his friend cut each other’s hair, but then started cutti…
Something Ain't Right EP 2 "Faith, Feuds, and Family" Tre9, Jessica, and Witeout
PRODUCTION NOTE: This podcast is friends with Background Check Podcast and we will air their episodes from time to time. While the mission and vision of both podcasts are the same, the methods and people may be different. As on our show, BC…
Bonus Episode: Something Ain't Right with Tre9, Jessica, and Witeout
PRODUCTION NOTE: This podcast is friends with Background Check Podcast and we will air their episodes from time to time. While the mission and vision of both podcasts are the same, the methods and people may be different. As on our show, BC…
EP 1 Something Ain't Right Tre9, Witeout, and Jessica
PRODUCTION NOTE: This podcast is friends with Background Check Podcast and we will air their episodes from time to time. While the mission and vision of both podcasts are the same, the methods and people may be different. As on our show, BC…
EP 202 "100% Blockage in Widowmaker" John Earle, Think Twice Ministries
This is the second time we've had John on the show and there are some life updates. On December 31, 2024, John started having a heart attack while walking his dog in his neighborhood. He called his wife and his so came to get him. When he …
EP 201 "Take Your Shots" Interview with Damon West
EP 201 “Take Your Shots”  In this episode we do some shout outs and show art. We pray over some units that were hit by tornadoes, and we honor Eve from Real Vida.  Then we sit down with Damon West and share all that’s happened since his l…
EP 179 "Faith, Family, Forgiveness, and Music" with Brian "Head" Welch from Korn
Our interview with Brian "Head" Welch, from Korn Also available on our YouTube channel https://youtu.be/IGE7x_OGkp8?si=UMeGMfu5t8NWRScW  Have a great week and don’t let your background hold you back, make it pay you back.  Sponsors: Men…
EP 202 ”What are you WEIGHTING for?” with Jay Dan Gumm
What are you weighting for? Are you carrying around weights you shouldn't be? Jay Dan talks about Hebrews 12:1 and laying down those weights that slow us down.  Sponsors: Mention Forgiven Felons, Background Check, Jay Dan or Jessa when …
EP 179 "Faith, Family, Forgiveness, and Music" Brian "Head" Welch
Our interview with Brian "Head" Welch from Korn  Sponsors: Mention Forgiven Felons, Background Check, Jay Dan or Jessa when you contact them. They all donate to Forgiven Felons when you do. First Option Mortgage Jessamy Gumm Loan Originato…
EP 187 ”Jesus Trumps Everything” James Cruz’s Presidential Commutation Story
This episode is optimized for video.  James was born and raised in Dallas, Texas and is the youngest of 8 children in his family. Despite both of his parents working, his family was always involved in illegal activity. At a very young a…
EP 183 ”From Drug Addicts to Jesus Addicts” The Dalton and Dakota Hackett Story
In this episode, Jay Dan and Jessa talk about the Ranger game they went to, do some shout outs, discuss FI-5’s in Texas, show off some drawings and do a devotion about not going back to the old you. Then we get to hear from Dalton and Dako…
EP 167”Taco Time, Black Sheep, and 2nd Chances” with Bryan Burns, Trinity West Roofing and Construction
In this episode, we sit down with Bryan Burns, from Trinity West Roofing and Construction to hear his story. We talk addiction, divorce of his parents, his love for the LA Dodgers, and who he thinks is the biggest crybaby in the NBA. We tal…
EP 166 ”Defining Moments” with Mark Cole, CEO- John Maxwell Enterprises, Jay Dan Gumm, Tuan Nguyen
To wrap up the Laws of Growth series, Jay Dan and Tuan traveled to Atlanta to interview Mark Cole in the Maxwell Leadership Podcast Studio. Mark talks about leadership, defining moments, which laws of growth are the most challenging for hi…
EP 165 ”He Tapped the Gavel” with Ron Adkins and Judge Robert Newsom
In this episode, Jay Dan and Jessa start things off with announcements including graduation celebrations at the Kyle, Hilltop, and O'Daniel units, jokes, prayer requests, prison recipes, and sports. Then we welcome Ron Adkins, from episode…
EP 164 ”Think Twice” with John Earle, Think Twice Ministries
We highlight some amazing murals done by four men at the Ellis unit and highlight a soccer game held at the Allred unit. Then we sit down with John Earle and talk about his days as a professional football player and how he got into prison …
EP 179 ”Faith, Family, Forgiveness, and Music” Brian Head Welch and Jay Dan Gumm
In this episode, after a quick devotion, Jay Dan sits down with the legend, Korn guitarist, Brian Welch. They talk addiction, religion, family, forgiveness, and more. You do not want to miss this episode. If you have a loved one in prison,…
”Law of the Rubberband” Tuan and Jay Dan, Law of Growth Series
Law of Growth Series for the inmates.  We put this series on our channel because some inmates want to continue the series when they get out. We talk about the Law of the Rubberband from John Maxwell's book 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth. J…
EP 163 ”Stick with the Plan” Richard and Ashanti Smith, Trinity Restoration Ministries
In this episode, Jessa nails the announcements, we do some shout outs to some ladies on life row in Florida, we talk sports, we read from mine and my mom's journals while I was in prison, and we do a devotional.   Then we get into Richa…
EP 162 ”Empowering Women Out of Prison” Pam Theroe, Executive Director of EWOP
Our interview with Pam Theroe from EWOP, Empowering Women Out of Prison.  You can watch this video on our youtube channel.  https://youtu.be/RlnutnIAVYs?si=cK0C6BEv-LpzFGqr  Â
Law of Growth Series ”Law of Reflection”
Tuan and Jay Dan continue their series from John Maxwell's book 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth
EP 161 ”I Just Wanted Something Different” KJ and Marcia Holland
Our interview with KJ and Marcia Holland.  You can watch this video on our YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@forgivenfelon?si=JtJ4BkH5UBeICUYh
EP 160 Marriage Miscarriage and Ministry Jay Dan and Jessamys story
Jay Dan and his wife tell their story of how they got engaged, what it was like going through 4 miscarraiges, and what it's like doing ministry together.Â
EP 159 ”My Heart is in Corrections” State Rep Carl O Sherman
My interview with State Rep Carl O Sherman including his journey to become a pastor and eventually in to politics.Â
EP 158 February Love Story: “He’s Crazy, But DANG, He’s Cute” Jimmy and Beth Humphus No Turning Back Ministries
In this episode we do announcements with Jessa including talking about the weekend we had at Breakfast Bible Study and church. We had two ladies drive from a Weatherford transitional house to go to  @SocialDallas with us. Two men from ano…
EP 157 ”We Are Kings” Erick Wilson JTC X-Change
Note: These episodes are optimized for video including pics and graphics. If you want to experience the in studio effect please watch on our youtube channel @forgivenfelon In this episode we begin with Jay Dan and Jessa doing the announcem…
Special Episode- 7 Part Series, Laws of Growth with Tuan and Jay Dan- ”Law of Intentionality”
This series is mainly for the men and women across the nation in jails and prisons watching and listening on their tablets, but we are making it available to everyone out here as well. You can also listen on all the podcast platforms but vi…