Michael W. Smith almost died of a drug overdose at 17. He'd been a Jesus freak at 13, then lost his way. What brought him back was a night on the linoleum floor of a Nashville apartment, alone, sensing God next to him saying, "It's going to be okay."


In this conversation, Michael sits down with Greg Laurie to talk about the moments that shaped him — and the ones most people never hear about.
What we cover:
• Walking into a record store at 13 and finding Christian music for the first time
• The prodigal years from '75 to '79, and what pulled him back
• Late-night visits with Billy Graham in Montreat — and praying for Billy at the end
• Meeting Presidents Bush, Reagan, and playing tennis in Kennebunkport
• Rocketown, Nashville — why he built it and what's happening there now
• His goal of never being offended again
• Marriage, mentorship, and staying grounded after 43 years in the industry
• Johnny Cash, John Williams, and the perfect pizza


A conversation about faith that held, a father who never gave up, and a life still being written.


Subscribe for more conversations like this.

Timestamps
00:19 Meeting Michael W. Smith
01:26 Discovering Jesus music at 13
03:24 Coming to Christ at age 10
04:26 The prodigal years and near-fatal overdose
06:16 Rock bottom and God's embrace
09:38 Breaking into music through Amy Grant
10:52 Working with Billy Graham
13:30 Personal visits with Billy at Montreat
17:07 Friendship with the Bush family
23:47 The Rick Rubin interview and Johnny Cash
27:13 State of Christian music today
29:22 Secrets to a lasting marriage
36:50 The origin of Rocketown
40:37 Rocketown's ongoing impact

Michael W. Smith almost died of a drug overdose at 17. He'd been a Jesus freak at 13, then lost his way. What brought him back was a night on the linoleum floor of a Nashville apartment, alone, sensing God next to him saying, "It's going to be okay."
 In this conversation, Michael sits down with Greg Laurie to talk about the moments that shaped him &mdash; and the ones most people never hear about. What we cover: &bull; Walking into a record store at 13 and finding Christian music for the first time &bull; The prodigal years from '75 to '79, and what pulled him back &bull; Late-night visits with Billy Graham in Montreat &mdash; and praying for Billy at the end &bull; Meeting Presidents Bush, Reagan, and playing tennis in Kennebunkport &bull; Rocketown, Nashville &mdash; why he built it and what's happening there now &bull; His goal of never being offended again &bull; Marriage, mentorship, and staying grounded after 43 years in the industry &bull; Johnny Cash, John Williams, and the perfect pizza
 A conversation about faith that held, a father who never gave up, and a life still being written.
 Subscribe for more conversations like this.
Timestamps 00:19 Meeting Michael W. Smith 01:26 Discovering Jesus music at 13 03:24 Coming to Christ at age 10 04:26 The prodigal years and near-fatal overdose 06:16 Rock bottom and God's embrace 09:38 Breaking into music through Amy Grant 10:52 Working with Billy Graham 13:30 Personal visits with Billy at Montreat 17:07 Friendship with the Bush family 23:47 The Rick Rubin interview and Johnny Cash 27:13 State of Christian music today 29:22 Secrets to a lasting marriage 36:50 The origin of Rocketown 40:37 Rocketown's ongoing impact

Everyone talks about life after death, but what about life during life? Do you wonder, 'Why am I here? How can I be truly happy? Does my life matter, or why do I feel empty inside?' And, 'What really happens when I die?' Pastor Greg Laurie has helped millions find profound hope through true faith.

On the "The Greg Laurie Show," Pastor Greg brings insight to Scripture, a deep dive into real cultural issues, and special guest interviews with trusted Christian voices with a variety of life experiences that will help you make sense of life. 

Want more from Greg Laurie? Visit https://harvest.org/. 
Find Pastor Greg on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greglaurie/ 

Everyone talks about life after death, but what about life during life? Do you wonder, 'Why am I here? How can I be truly happy? Does my life matter, or why do I feel empty inside?' And, 'What really happens when I die?' Pastor Greg Laurie has helped millions find profound hope through true faith.
On the "The Greg Laurie Show," Pastor Greg brings insight to Scripture, a deep dive into real cultural issues, and special guest interviews with trusted Christian voices with a variety of life experiences that will help you make sense of life.&nbsp;
Want more from Greg Laurie? Visit <a href="https://harvest.org/">https://harvest.org/.</a>&nbsp; Find Pastor Greg on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/greglaurie/">https://www.instagram.com/greglaurie/</a>&nbsp;

The Greg Laurie Show

Everyone talks about life after death, but what about life during life? Do you wonder, 'Why am I here? How can I be truly happy? Does my life matter, or why do I feel empty inside?' And, 'What really happens when I die?' Pastor Greg Laurie has helped millions find profound hope through true faith. On "The Greg Laurie Show," he transparently shares his own journey from hopelessness, addiction, and abuse to a spiritual revolution that transformed everything. Drawing on decades of impactful ministry, Greg tackles life's deepest questions, offering timeless biblical wisdom, practical guidance, and a compelling vision for a life radically transformed by Christ. Join Pastor Greg as he navigates today's cultural challenges, unpacks spiritual truths, and empowers listeners to discover lasting joy and meaning in a relationship with God."

Want more from Greg Laurie? Visit https://harvest.org/. 
Find Pastor Greg on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greglaurie/ 

Everyone talks about life after death, but what about life during life? Do you wonder, 'Why am I here? How can I be truly happy? Does my life matter, or why do I feel empty inside?' And, 'What really happens when I die?' Pastor Greg Laurie has helped millions find profound hope through true faith. On "The Greg Laurie Show," he transparently shares his own journey from hopelessness, addiction, and abuse to a spiritual revolution that transformed everything. Drawing on decades of impactful ministry, Greg tackles life's deepest questions, offering timeless biblical wisdom, practical guidance, and a compelling vision for a life radically transformed by Christ. Join Pastor Greg as he navigates today's cultural challenges, unpacks spiritual truths, and empowers listeners to discover lasting joy and meaning in a relationship with God."
Want more from Greg Laurie? Visit <a href="https://harvest.org/">https://harvest.org/.</a>&nbsp; Find Pastor Greg on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/greglaurie/">https://www.instagram.com/greglaurie/</a>&nbsp;

Michael W. Smith on the "Unusual" Album That Changed Everything for Him

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/284c6fb3-2724-498a-82c4-b49c0069114e/transcript