198 | Shane Holden (Part 1): Called by God

Steve Freitag and Pastor Shane Holden have shared more than 25 years of friendship—raising families, serving in ministry, walking through seasons of blessing and heartbreak, and watching God faithfully lead each of them on different paths. Though they now serve in different parts of Wisconsin, they've remained close friends since the early days of CrossCounsel. Today, CrossCounsel's Onalaska office sits just across the street from First Free Church—an unplanned proximity that reflects a long-standing partnership. Over the years, many people from First Free have found healing through CrossCounsel, making the church one of our closest ministry relationships.In this conversation, Shane—whose church welcomed nearly 5,000 people over Easter weekend this year (2026) —shares the remarkable story of how God called him from a childhood marked by addiction, abuse, and brokenness into a life of faith, family, and ministry. It's a powerful reminder that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace and that God delights in writing stories no one could have imagined.CrossCounsel WebsiteCrossCounsel on Facebook