Girls Gone Bible – George Janko's Journey with Jesus

Podcast: Girls Gone Bible
Hosts: Angela Halili and Arielle Reitsma
Guest: George Janko
Date: September 5, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode features George Janko, comedian, podcaster, and follower of Jesus, sharing his personal faith journey, lessons from his time in the entertainment industry, and candid reflections on marriage, humility, pride, accountability, and what it means to follow Jesus in real life. Hosts Angela and Arielle lead the conversation with honest questions about faith, growth, and surrender, creating a space for George's humor, vulnerability, and wisdom to come through. The episode explores themes like spiritual discipline, mentorship, navigating public mistakes, and the transformative power of authentic relationships with God and others.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Warm-Up & Setting the Tone

• [01:03] The trio opens with casual banter—discussing personal grooming (ear hair and eyebrows), hospitality, and the importance of feeling relaxed and at home. This informal start sets the tone for an authentic, vulnerable, and humorous conversation.
  • Notable quote:
    “This is the best start to a podcast ever.”
    — George Janko [02:19]

The Power of Prayer & Welcoming the Holy Spirit

• [04:24] Arielle leads prayer to invite the Holy Spirit, blessing George and asking for wisdom and joy for listeners and participants. They discuss the norm of prayer on their show and how guests respond.
  • Notable quote:
    “We invite you, Holy Spirit, to come and just… release wisdom, release anointing over this episode. …that breaks chains, that brings people to Jesus, and that just really exalts and glorifies your name, Jesus.”
    — Arielle Reitsma [04:29-04:55]

Navigating Comedy, Faith, and Influence

• [05:13] George talks about his experiences integrating faith and comedy, sharing that even in dark or secular environments, Jesus’ presence is undeniable and brings about conversation, positive or negative.
  • “Regardless, you cannot deny his presence. He’s the most famous man alive… comedy to them is their therapy. …Even if it makes you uncomfortable, something’s cooking.”
    — George Janko [05:37-05:57]

Public Life, Social Media & Authenticity

• [08:43] The group talks about pressures from social media, the value of taking breaks, and George’s unusual choice to use a flip phone.
• [18:09] Arielle and Angela praise George’s humility and public vulnerability—highlighting how he owns his mistakes, apologizes, and remains authentic.
  • “You’re so authentic… you’ll just speak your mind and potentially make a mistake or say something… and then you come the next week, open your podcast sometimes with an apology.”
    — Arielle Reitsma [18:20]
• [19:23] George shares hard-won wisdom:
  “My peace comes with not worrying about their noise and worrying about God’s. So, like, I just dance in front of the Lord, but with the whole world watching, and I just have my eyes on my dancing partner.”
  — George Janko

Pride, Humility & Overcoming Performance

• [20:55] George describes his struggle with seeking public approval vs. God’s approval, learning that fearing and worshiping God is central to finding wisdom and peace.
  • “Whatever you fear, you worship… If I fear the world, I start worshiping the world. …I have to really, really be focused… what are we actually catering to?”
    — George Janko
• [23:14] Conversation explores finding community, discipleship, and going deeper with Jesus, even when family or tradition creates division and tension.
  • “Our job is to plant the seed, not to grow it. …We get confused with doing God’s job sometimes because we get carried away.”
    — George Janko [26:48]

Navigating Mistakes & Spiritual Responsibility

• [32:01] George shares the fear of misleading people and emphasizes the humility necessary to admit past errors and keep seeking God’s guidance—especially with a large influence/platform.
• [33:11] He reflects on denominational debates, emphasizing unity and humility in dialoguing about faith differences:
  “How embarrassing is it that we’re sitting here arguing with each other and a Muslim walks by, a Jewish [person] walks by…and they’re like, look at these clowns.”

Repentance, Correction & Growth

• [36:53] George describes being corrected after a heated public debate, learning from painful fallout, and recognizing the weight and impact of wielding spiritual influence.
  • “I didn’t just burn myself. I burned my home. …When we wield the word in front of the world, we’re wielding a sword.”
    — George Janko

Living Out the Bible in Practice

• [46:48] The topic shifts to prayer life and priorities. George shares his evolving morning practice:
  • “Instead of getting up and getting on your iPhone and looking at the junk that the world is giving to you, why don’t you get up and see what God wants to give to you? …Start by giving your first fruits… of your day to the Lord.”
    — George Janko [60:20-61:22]

Surrender, Hardship & God’s Timing

• [52:43] George discusses the Abraham and Isaac story and the meaning of true surrender. He relates this to his own sacrifices and moments of tested faith, such as leaving his former podcast, impulsive.
  • “The sacrifice… is not a sacrifice anymore. …Pleasure is a joy. …If somebody’s going through their time right now, where they feel like God’s wronging them… keep letting him go. Don’t be the Jew in the wilderness wanting to go back to slavery.”
    — George Janko [53:10-53:51]

Receiving Grace and Overcoming Addiction

• [62:33] George candidly shares his journey with addiction (especially weed), learning the power of inviting God into his struggle rather than relying solely on willpower.
  • “I would just sit there praising him. Bro. Blasted out of my mind. But I stopped running away from him… I got tired of eating these [bad] fruits and I just wanted to eat [God’s] fruits… Those fruits I was trying to rip out… are drying up and dying themselves.”
    — George Janko [62:33-65:13]

Practical Steps for Spiritual Growth

• [67:47] Advice for new believers centers on time with Jesus, Bible reading, mentorship, and community.
  • “The currency is time… It’s literally just your time. …in the secret place when no one is watching is the key.”
    — Arielle Reitsma [68:56]

On Masculinity, Marriage & Sexuality

• [72:50] The last segment dives into the meaning of masculinity, leading in marriage, the pitfalls of “worldly” masculinity, and honoring women.
  • “Real men… sacrifice the same way that Christ did. That’s why he says, love your wife like your church. …There’s a lot of killing yourself to prosper her.”
    — George Janko [77:15]
• George shares how abstinence before marriage, honoring his wife, and learning from Godly mentors changed him. He provides candid, practical advice for young men about sex, relationships, and spiritual leadership.

Final Blessing & Outro

• [86:52] The episode closes with a joint blessing (Numbers 6), laughter, and encouragement to listeners.

  “May the Lord bless you and keep you… May He make His face shine upon you and be gracious towards you… And give you peace.”
  — Angela, Arielle, and George [86:53-87:19]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On staying close to God:
  “If it takes me one inch away from you, I don’t want it.”
  — George Janko [44:48]
• On platform and responsibility:
  “Much is given, much is tested.”
  — George Janko [33:11]
• On humility and authenticity:
  “There’s a humility in being like, ‘Alright God, as of right now, I believe this.’ But I can’t forget that the past 15 years of my life I did believe what my mom believed…”
  — George Janko [32:01]
• On addiction and grace:
  “Wherever sin abounds, grace abounds more.”
  — George Janko [85:00]
• On masculinity and marriage:
  “Real men… sacrifice the same way that Christ did.”
  — George Janko [77:15]
• On surrender and tough seasons:
  “Just take a breath, humble yourself, and remember that He could bring it to life if you want to.”
  — George Janko [54:59]
• On time with Jesus:
  “You don’t get it [spiritual growth] through watching a podcast, you don’t get it through going to a conference… the currency is time in the secret place.”
  — Arielle Reitsma [68:56]
• On unity among Christians:
  “How embarrassing is it that we’re sitting here arguing… and a Muslim walks by, a Jewish [person] walks by… and they’re like, look at these clowns.”
  — George Janko [33:11]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [01:03] Introduction & banter
• [04:24] Opening prayer
• [05:13] Comedy, faith, and influence
• [16:29] Married life & testimony
• [18:09] Public life, humility, authenticity
• [19:23] Discussion: seeking God’s approval vs. world’s
• [23:14] Faith journeys, mentorship, navigating tradition
• [32:01] Spiritual responsibility and humility
• [33:11] Denominations & Christian unity
• [36:53] Repentance, correction, and learning from mistakes
• [46:48] Prayer, priorities, and spiritual discipline (“first fruits”)
• [52:43] Abraham & Isaac—sacrifice, surrender, leaving “Impulsive”
• [62:33] Addiction, grace, and God’s work in struggles
• [67:47] Practical advice for new believers
• [72:50] Masculinity, marriage, and honoring women
• [86:52] Final blessing

Key Takeaways

• Humility is powerful. Public growth and repentance can free others to be honest about their own journeys.
• Authenticity over perfection. God's power shines through openness, not polished performance.
• Surrender brings joy. Letting go of worldly approval, and even desired gifts, allows deeper peace and fulfillment from God.
• Time with God is non-negotiable. True spiritual transformation comes through consistent, personal relationship and time in the Word, not just public ministry or performance.
• God uses everything for good. Even hard seasons, mistakes, and corrections can become opportunities for growth and greater intimacy with Jesus.
• Masculinity in Christ. True masculinity is marked by sacrifice, humility, and leadership modeled after Jesus, not culture’s shifting standards.

For more from George Janko:
Comedy & podcast tour tickets – TheGeorgeJankoShow.com
YouTube – George Janko Show

For Girls Gone Bible podcast, tour, resources, and devotionals:
GirlsGoneBible.com

Episode sponsored by:
IQ Bar, Thrive Market, Everyday Dose, NOCD, Glorify app, Ritual, and more (ads not summarized).

Shalom, shalom!