The Common Good Podcast

As America's 250th birthday approaches, Brian From tackles a genuinely tricky question for pastors: how patriotic should a Sunday worship service actually be? Drawing on Russell Moore's guidance, Brian makes the case for a middle path — genuine thanksgiving for the blessings of being American, without confusing love of country with love of God or turning the worship service into a flag-waving rally. From there, a thoughtful look at the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela, with fears of up to 100,000 casualties, and what it means to live with urgency in a world where life can change in an instant. A reflection on essentials versus non-essentials in the faith — and the danger of turning secondary theological debates into faith-dividing issues. A candid, vulnerable moment where Brian admits his own struggle with envy and jealousy watching other people's vacations on social media, and why thankfulness is the real antidote. A Gospel Coalition piece reframing Christian identity around belonging rather than imitation — you're not just trying to be like Jesus, you belong to him. And a closing word from David Jeremiah on conquering worry by verbalizing it, remembering God's care, and bringing it to him in prayer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jeff Ford leads Man Up and Go, an organization dedicated to ending fatherlessness by championing healthy biblical masculinity — and his story starts with an adoption class he and his wife wandered into back in 2010. That decision led to adopting two kids from Ethiopia and China, a mission trip to Uganda that changed his life, and eventually a full-time calling to disciple men toward what he calls being a "Patros" — an ancient word meaning father, rooted in Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 4:15 about spiritual fathers who pass on wisdom to the next generation. Brian From talks with his old Wheaton College dormmate about his new book, The Way of the Patros, 74 short, three-minute chapters built for the average guy in any town to grow as a man of faith a few minutes at a time. Jeff doesn't shy away from hard data either — citing a stat that the average man has less than one close friend — and makes the case that healthy masculinity requires real vulnerability, brotherhood, and putting faith into action, not just talk. Learn more at manupandgo.org and patros.us, and find The Way of the Patros on Amazon, available for presale through July 28.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Judge not, lest ye be judged" might be the most misapplied verse in scripture. Brian From walks through Rachel Gilson's piece at the Gospel Coalition unpacking what Jesus actually meant in Matthew 7 — it's not a prohibition on moral discernment, but a call to humble self-examination before correcting others, with love as the motive, not arrogance. Then a sobering reflection on the consequences of sin, prompted by reports that a sports journalist lost an $800,000 job after an affair with a married NFL coach came to light — a reminder that sin entangles even when it's never publicly exposed. Four years after the Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade, Brian clarifies a common misunderstanding: abortion wasn't eliminated, it was returned to the states, and the pro-life cause remains fundamentally grassroots. A genuinely helpful piece from Relevant Magazine on feeling spiritually stuck even when you're doing everything "right" — and why dryness isn't a sign of failure but often where real growth quietly happens. A new study links anxiety and depression in young people to difficulty recalling positive memories, with real implications for parents about prioritizing shared experiences. And a closing reflection from Randy Alcorn on choosing daily to trust God's sovereignty — even when life is genuinely hard.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it actually mean to worship? Brian From makes the case from Romans 11 and 12 that worship is far bigger than singing or a Sunday gathering — it's offering your entire body and life as a living sacrifice, every day, in every decision. From there, a genuinely fun detour into Relevant Magazine's piece on the "gospel according to Pixar," tracing surprisingly biblical themes through Toy Story, The Incredibles, WALL-E, and Inside Out — including the case that real leadership looks less like a throne and more like a foot washing. Then Randy Alcorn tackles one of the hardest questions in the Christian life: why does God permit evil and suffering, and why do so many churches fail to prepare people for it before it hits? A viral story about a lawn-mowing YouTuber whose followers raised $685,000 for a grieving widow becomes a picture of internet generosity done right. A frustrating New York Times piece on rising "gray divorce" rates among couples married 25+ years gets a pointed response: marriages don't have to drift into apathy, but it takes ongoing work at every stage. Christian ministries are using the World Cup's massive audience as an unprecedented evangelism opportunity, prompting the question of what opportunities exist in your own life. And a closing reflection on play as a spiritual discipline — and why a Christian's inability to play might reveal a view of God that's too small.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two Father's Day moments from the US Open stick with Brian From — a 17-year-old amateur inviting his dad to caddy the final hole, and Wyndham Clark's father surprising him with a red-eye flight after the win. From there, a beautiful walk through John 21 and the restoration of Peter: how Jesus doesn't just forgive Peter's three denials but fully reinstates him with the same calling, three times — and how the church Peter goes on to lead in Acts doesn't happen without that moment on the beach. A genuinely practical conversation about raising resilient kids in an age of helicopter and snowplow parenting, built around the idea that struggle, not comfort, is what makes children strong — and a hopeful Gospel Coalition report showing that parents, not churches or youth groups, remain the single biggest predictor of whether kids keep the faith into adulthood. Reflections on reading through 2 Samuel and the life of David, and why the Bible's major figures almost never had it easy — a corrective to the idea that faithfulness should produce ease. Trust in the federal government hits an all-time low, and Brian asks the uncomfortable parallel question about trust in pastors and the church. Plus the true story behind the movie The Roof Man, and a closing devotion on doing everything — work, parenting, service — as unto the Lord.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Juneteenth, Brian From walks through the history behind the holiday — the more than two-year gap between the Emancipation Proclamation and the day Union troops finally reached Galveston, Texas to declare freedom for 250,000 enslaved Texans — and what it means for the church to commemorate and remember well. A Johnson & Johnson executive says a cure for certain cancers could realistically be within reach in the next decade, and Brian roots that hope in something deeper: our ultimate hope isn't the eradication of disease, but the eradication of sin and death through Christ. Ahead of Father's Day, a moving reflection on the "fathers in the faith" who shape us beyond our biological dads, paired with the extraordinary final words ever preached by Charles Spurgeon before his death. Three San Francisco Giants pitchers wrote a Bible verse about God's covenant on their caps during Pride Night, sparking backlash — Brian walks through what happened and why he thinks they handled a genuinely difficult moment with restraint. A look back at Matt Chandler's 2021 warning against churches becoming ideologically uniform rather than spiritually unified. The story of Jonah, reframed as a story about judgmentalism and the failure to recognize our own desperate need for grace. And a closing word from 1 Peter 5 on casting anxiety on a Father who genuinely cares for you.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

31 years after the original Toy Story changed animation forever, the franchise returns with a fifth installment that's better than the much-maligned fourth — and surprisingly timely. Adam Holtz from Plugged In joins Brian From to break down the plot: Woody is now part of a street toy gang after kids traded toys for screens, and the story leans hard into questions about childhood, isolation, and what happens when a tween's parents finally hand over a tablet. Then a hard pass: The Death of Robin Hood starring Hugh Jackman is a deeply cynical, blood-soaked reimagining where Robin Hood was never noble to begin with — "Graveheart" might be the more honest title. But there's a genuine recommendation in the mix: Young Washington from the Irwin brothers (the team behind Woodlawn and Jesus Revolution), a well-made historical drama about a young, unproven George Washington trying to earn the woman he loves and the respect of his country decades before the Revolution. Full reviews at pluggedin.com before you head to the theater this Fourth of July weekend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jermaine Wilson learned how to be a father in prison. Born into a generational cycle of incarceration — his mother was 15 when she had her first child, his father in and out of his life — Jermaine committed his first crime at 12 and was sentenced to three years for drug possession at 20, leaving behind an eight-month-old son. Ahead of Father's Day, he shares with Brian From how Prison Fellowship's discipleship program and Angel Tree gift initiative became the turning point: a single Christmas present, delivered on his behalf by a local church, reconnected him with his son after months of silence and reopened a relationship he thought might be lost for good. Jermaine talks candidly about learning to depend on his Heavenly Father in order to become a present, prayerful father himself, and about his current work as Mission Ambassador for Prison Fellowship, advocating for second chances and ministering to incarcerated men and women across the country. His message to any dad who feels like he's already failed: God doesn't make mistakes, He makes miracles — and as long as you have breath, it's not too late to show up.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Girls who were close to their dads at 16 or 17 had better mental health at age 33 — a finding from a 17-year longitudinal study. Boys with close relationships with their fathers are three times less likely to struggle with behavioral issues, anxiety, or depression. Ahead of Father's Day, Dr. Danny Huerta, VP of Parenting and Youth at Focus on the Family, joins Brian From to unpack what he calls "the dad effect" — and the research backing it up. Danny walks through what good fathering actually looks like in practice (hint: not perfection, but intentional presence, self-control, and consistent guidance), offers five mindsets dads can grow into, and gets personal about the hard transition of watching his own kids leave home and get married. He also has a direct word for dads who feel like they've already dropped the ball: you're not alone, and it's never too late to ask your kid the question, "What's one thing you wish I knew about you?" Find Focus on the Family's dad resources, including a parenting report card and a seven traits assessment, at focusonthefamily.com/dad.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tired of science fiction that leaves readers feeling cold, empty, and convinced the universe is indifferent to human life, Andrew Gillsmith set out to write something different. His new novel Our Lady of the Artilex — set 250 years in the future, where androids begin reporting apocalyptic religious visions and the Vatican sends a neuroscientist-turned-exorcist to investigate — is his attempt to bring genuine theological weight back into speculative fiction. Brian From talks with Andrew, a Catholic convert with a data science background, about the question behind the book: can AI imitate the soul? Andrew's answer is a clear no — AI isn't conscious, doesn't have a will, and isn't made in God's image — but he's careful to explain just how convincingly it can mimic those things, and why that mimicry is dangerous precisely because humans (and even birds, as one wild study shows) are biologically wired to respond to it. They also dig into Pope Leo's recent encyclical on AI, why the church shouldn't be afraid but should be discerning, and the looming push to merge AI with transhumanist ideas that reduce human consciousness to mere computation. Find the book at ourladyoftheartilex.com or wherever books are sold.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tornadoes hit southern Illinois and Wisconsin, flooding threatened the South and East Coast, and Brian From uses the chaos to name something most of us don't admit: control is one of the great idols of our day, and weather has a way of stripping it bare. From there, a candid look at a Relevant Magazine piece showing the gap between Black and white American Christians isn't closing — it's widening, both politically and in church attendance patterns — and why Jesus's prayer for unity in John 17 makes this an issue the church cannot shrug off as just "politics." A new study on what married couples actually have in common reveals it's narrower than people think — mostly shared values and moral foundations, not personality — and why that's exactly what makes marriage both fun and hard. JD Vance gets pressed on The View about what Christians are willing to excuse in their politicians, and Brian argues the question deserves an honest answer regardless of which side it's aimed at. The Knicks' championship parade becomes a meditation on celebration as a core posture of the church. McDonald's brings back fried apple pie for America's 250th birthday. And a closing reflection on prayer — not just praying ourselves, but modeling and teaching others how to pray, because the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"I'm bored" — two words every parent hears within days of summer break starting. Jesse Florea, editor-in-chief of Focus on the Family's magazines, joins Brian From to talk about why kids today struggle with boredom more than previous generations (hint: it's largely about how screens train the brain to crave constant stimulation), and what parents can actually do about it. Jesse shares Focus on the Family's summer challenge encouraging kids to serve others — five acts of service, memorizing scripture, donating outgrown clothes and toys, writing encouragement cards — and makes the case that some boredom is healthy, even necessary, for kids to develop problem-solving skills. He and Brian also dig into why neighborhood free play has all but disappeared, the role of technology in isolating families even when they're together, and why VBS, sports camps, and structured social time matter more now that "go outside and play" doesn't really work the way it used to. Jesse closes with a simple, practical tip: be like Jesus, and ask your bored kid good questions instead of just handing them a screen. Learn more about Clubhouse, Clubhouse Junior, Brio, and Focus on the Family magazine at focusonthefamily.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been 32 years since the OJ Simpson car chase captivated the nation, and Brian From takes a trip down memory lane while reflecting on how the moment became a cultural touchpoint for an entire generation. Then: a fascinating NPR piece on the more than half of parents who now track their 18-to-25-year-olds on their phones — is it healthy connection or a new kind of surveillance? A candid, personal segment on two sins Brian says don't get talked about enough: envy and bitterness, including his own recent struggle holding onto bitterness after being hurt by people he trusted. The Supreme Court halts the execution of a death row inmate who became a Christian ministry leader during 26 years of incarceration, raising hard questions about transformation, redemption, and the death penalty. A new flip phone blocks social media and browsers at the system level — and people are buying it. A study finds one in three young adults are heavy smartphone users driven by FOMO and low self-control. And Tim Challies offers a simple but convicting filter for everything you consume online: does this content exist to bless you, or does it exist to serve the one who made it?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nearly half of young men today say they feel like failures — and Pastor Russ Ewell of Bay Area Christian Church says the solution isn't complicated, but it does require intentionality. Brian From sits down with Russ ahead of Father's Day to talk about what's driving the crisis among young men, why mentorship has fallen off, and what fathers and churches can actually do about it. Russ draws from decades of working with young men ages 12 to 30 across nine church campuses in Silicon Valley, making the case that the questions young men are asking — Will I be loved? Who am I? What's my purpose? — aren't being answered well by social media, economics, or a culture that has quietly stopped investing in boys. A practical, honest conversation for dads, pastors, and anyone who cares about the next generation of men.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Words matter — and a post-fight interview at a White House UFC event where a fighter dropped F-bombs, thanked Jesus, and then spread a conspiracy theory about Michelle Obama is Exhibit A. Brian From doesn't let it slide, and his point isn't political: when you claim the name of Jesus publicly, how you speak and how you treat people reflects on Him. From there, a meditation on Ephesians 3:20 and the power of expectation — do you still believe God is doing immeasurably more than you could ask or imagine, or has your faith quietly settled into apathy? Brian makes the case that awe is the fuel of a growing faith, and walks through what that looks like from Moses at the burning bush to Peter at the miraculous catch of fish. A heartfelt reflection on two young Wheaton College alumni lost in a Lake Michigan drowning tragedy. And a closing devotion on the unconditional love of God — not just that He loves you, but that the unconditional part is the part most of us struggle to actually believe.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Only 38% of Gen Z can answer basic financial literacy questions — making them the least financially literate generation on record. And even baby boomers only clock in at 55%. Aaron Caid, Chief Marketing Officer of Adelfi, the largest Christian banking institution in the country, joins Brian From to talk about why that matters, what the Bible actually says about money (over 2,300 verses worth), and how generosity was never meant to be the last thing you do with what's left. It's the first. Adelfi was born nearly 70 years ago when a group of ministers discovered banks didn't understand them — so they pooled their resources to help each other — and now serves Christians in all 50 states across individuals, families, churches, and ministries. Aaron also makes a personal confession: he talked to his kids about money but never actually showed them how the family finances worked. And he argues that modeling is more powerful than instructing. A practical, grounded conversation about stewardship, generosity, and how to start the money conversation even when it's uncomfortable. Find Adelfi at https://www.adelfibanking.com/.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The top ten grossing movies of 2025 include four sequels, two reboots, and two live-action remakes. The only film with a genuinely original premise is Sinners. Brian From turns that observation into a deeper question: why is an entire generation — raised online, drowning in new content — desperately reaching backward toward Polaroid cameras, record players, VHS tapes, and music from eras they never lived? Kyle Burks at the Gospel Coalition says Gen Z is drunk on nostalgia, and Brian argues it's not just Gen Z. That longing for something simpler, something that lasts, something you can hold onto — it's not ultimately a longing for the past. It's a longing for the eternal. Then: celebrating as a spiritual discipline — why moving on too quickly to the next thing robs us of joy, and what Brian learned hosting his son's graduation party. The Knicks win their first championship in 53 years. A pastor's thread of ordinary life-change stories from his congregation that reads like a modern Acts 8. GLP-1 drugs and Christians — less a right-or-wrong question and more an identity question. And a top-ten list of 2000s worship songs that will immediately transport you back to every lock-in you ever attended.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Knicks came back from 29 down in the NBA Finals, and Brian From turns it into the question of the hour: how do you keep going when every circumstance is telling you to quit? That thread runs all the way to the close, where Relevant Magazine asks what to do when God feels like He's ignoring you — when the pregnancy announcement belongs to someone else, the promotion went to the person you're training, and the calling you've been waiting for landed on someone you discipled. God doesn't ignore His children. Delay isn't neglect. But that's easier to say than to hold. Then: Gen Z doesn't want to be called Protestant — they want to be called just Christian, and there's something worth affirming and something worth being cautious about in that shift. The Southern Baptist Convention's Truth and Unity Amendment passes with 74% of the vote, and what it says about the direction the denomination is heading. JD Greear weighs in on spontaneous baptisms — and makes the case that every single baptism in the New Testament was spontaneous. Does character still matter in our politicians? Brian says yes, and makes the uncomfortable point that it only counts if you apply the standard to your own party too. The historical evidence for Jesus outside the Bible is stronger than most Christians realize. And a word for anyone who's been quietly treating unanswered prayer as evidence of insufficient faith: that's not what the Bible teaches.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steven Spielberg has made five movies about aliens, and his newest — Disclosure Day — might be his most theologically provocative yet. Adam Holtz from Plugged In joins Brian From to break down a film where Emily Blunt plays a TV reporter chosen by extraterrestrials as their mouthpiece, a government whistleblower is on the run, and two nuns grapple with what alien contact would mean for their faith. Spielberg has been openly asking the question: if it were proven that aliens exist and the government has known, what would that do to your belief system? Adam also flags an interesting Gospel Coalition piece arguing the whole film tracks the Exodus narrative — Moses, Aaron, Pharaoh, parting of the Red Sea — which makes sense given Spielberg's Jewish faith. Then a quick look at Among Us, the popular video game now turned into an animated murder mystery on Paramount Plus starring Elijah Wood. Full reviews at pluggedin.com. Also: Adam and Brian discover they've officially become their parents, and somehow their small group conversations are now mostly about what hurts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When someone you love is hurting, the worst thing you can do is blurt out the first thing that comes to mind. Brian From opens up about a well-meaning woman at church who told his grieving wife she'd forget their miscarriage once they had kids — and builds from there into four genuinely helpful ways to walk alongside a sufferer: be present, listen, weep, and encourage. Then: how accessible should your pastor actually be, and what does it mean when meeting with him is advertised as a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" for donors? Beth Moore admits her generation did the next one a disservice by making platform ministry look easy. Erwin McManus asks an uncomfortable question — what happens when the people trying to heal the world are quietly falling apart themselves? The "I am the resurrection and the life" declaration from John 11, and why Martha's confession in the middle of her grief is one of the most important moments in all of scripture. Why time seems to speed up as we get older, and what neuroscience suggests might slow it down. Paul Skines stopped his car at a Little League practice and stayed for two hours. And JD Greear on the Jesus most of us grew up with versus the one John saw in Revelation — and why suffering people don't need a warm blanket Jesus. They need the one who holds the stars.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A CEO who interviews some of the world's most powerful people sat down with a Christian apologist and said something that stopped Brian From cold: "One of the most compelling arguments for God isn't anything you've written or said. It's actually you." That four-word sentence becomes the thread running through this entire hour. Russell Moore follows with a careful word on apologetics — we need debaters, yes, but winning arguments alone isn't the kingdom of God, and sometimes the most powerful witness is a fifth-grade preacher explaining grace. Then: I am the true vine — what Jesus means when he says remain in me, why abiding is not the same as striving, and why fruit flows from connection, not effort. A look at the Mormon/Latter-day Saint rebranding effort and why the Jesus they describe is not the biblical Jesus. Travel sports, church, and why the either-or framing isn't always honest or helpful. The sudden death of Bulls champion and beloved Chicago broadcaster Stacey King at 59. A study showing more than half of men feel they're failing at manhood because of financial pressure. And a piece that lands personally for Brian: your calling is a zigzag, your assignment changes with the seasons, and nothing — not even the parts that felt like detours — is wasted.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are now Christian energy drinks called Yahweh and Agape, and for $1.99 a minute you can pray with an AI avatar of Jesus. Brian From unpacks both as symptoms of the same disease: the commodification of faith that makes Christianity fast, convenient, and stripped of the transcendence people are actually searching for. The single most powerful thing parents can do to help their kids hold on to faith into adulthood? Show up to church — consistently, both parents, every week. The data is striking. Then a meditation on why celebration is not just fun but a genuine spiritual discipline, grounded in the Old Testament model of remembering God's faithfulness whether circumstances are good or bad. A viral social media post from a popular YouTuber who terminated a pregnancy after a Down syndrome diagnosis sparks a pointed conversation about what the abortion debate actually looks like in real life, not in policy terms. College professors at UC Berkeley are now reteaching middle school math because incoming students can't do it — AI is accelerating the crisis. Warren Buffett still lives in the same house he bought 76 years ago. And the remarkable true story of George Danzig, who accidentally solved two of the most famous unsolvable problems in mathematics because nobody told him they were unsolvable.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adam Holtz is back from a 2,500-mile California-to-Colorado road trip and ready to talk summer movies. First up: Masters of the Universe, the new He-Man origin story that proves Gen X nostalgia is still driving Hollywood — but like the Transformers franchise before it, it's been dialed up with unnecessary profanity and violence that didn't need to be there. Then a Paul Rudd movie about a wedding band musician whose song gets stolen by a Jonas brother, which sounds charming and mostly is, except for the R-rated language count that pushes it out of range for a lot of viewers. Adam also breaks down why Backrooms — the low-budget YouTube horror film that's made over $100 million — might be the most interesting story of the summer, what it says about audience hunger for original storytelling, and why Spider-Man will probably still take the title. Find full reviews at pluggedin.com before you head to the theater this weekend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Gen Z writer who describes herself as new to the Christian faith wrote something that should stop every church leader cold: "I worry we're not finding God. We're finding content about God." Brian From unpacks her piece on the commodification and gamification of Christianity — prayer streaks, Bible subscription apps, Sunday sermons on Spotify — and asks whether making faith frictionless is actually costing us the transcendence people are desperately searching for. Then: a North Carolina valedictorian who ditched her pre-approved speech to go off-script, and why being brave doesn't make breaking your agreement okay. The solitude influencer phenomenon — hundreds of thousands of followers, zero friends — and what the church can uniquely offer into a loneliness epidemic. A Christian baseball player allegedly sidelined by the Washington Nationals for his Catholic views during Pride Month, and what that tells us about the kind of quiet sidelining Christians should actually expect. Albert Moller shares a difficult health update. Shane Eidelman is battling head and neck cancer with a 30-50% five-year survival rate. The life and legacy of Dale Rotan, quiet co-founder of Operation Mobilization, who just passed at 88. And a reminder that Jesus wins — and therefore, your labor in the Lord is not in vain.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new Lifeway study finds that 76% of American Christians believe God wants them to prosper financially — and among younger churchgoers, that number climbs to 85%. The prosperity gospel didn't die with the TV preachers. It just got quieter, more therapeutic, and harder to recognize. Brian From unpacks why that matters and how to spot it. Then: June is Pride Month, and Brian pushes back on both the combative Christian response and the capitulating one — asking instead what it would look like for the church to be genuinely known as a friend of sinners, the way Jesus was. Should Christians flip tables like Jesus? A careful look at what scripture actually encourages us to imitate — and it isn't anger. A meditation on the "I am the Good Shepherd" declaration from John 10, and what it means that Jesus sleeps at the gate. A reflection on John James of the Newsboys and the message of his story for anyone who feels like they're on God's discard pile. Samaritan's Purse opening an Ebola field hospital in Congo. Church sign puns. And a closing word from Psalm 121: He who keeps you will not slumber.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christians have done plenty of thinking about faith and domestic politics — poverty, abortion, local justice. But almost no one has systematically asked what it looks like to follow Jesus in international relations. Robert Joustra, author of Christ and Covenant in Global Politics: A Christian Introduction to International Relations, joins Brian From to fill that gap. He tackles America First nationalism head-on, arguing that loving one's country is genuinely biblical — fifth commandment stuff — but that ordered love is very different from whitewashed love or willful blindness. He applies the just war tradition to the war in Iran, making the case that all war properly conceived is a form of neighbor love aimed at reconciliation. And he closes with a biographical story about his Dutch father, born under Nazi occupation in 1943, who got his first taste of chocolate from a Canadian soldier — a picture of what war at its most just can look like. A timely, unusual, and genuinely illuminating conversation for anyone trying to think Christianly about a complicated world. Robert is joining the faculty at Calvin University in Michigan.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He helped build one of the biggest Christian bands of the 1990s, toured America with a dream of using music to point people to Jesus — and at the height of it all, watched his marriage, his family, his ministry, and his life fall apart. John James, the original lead singer of Newsboys, joins Brian From to talk about his memoir Newsboy: My Story of Hope and Second Chances. He's honest about what fame actually does to a person over time — not overnight destruction, but a slow distortion of reality, a quiet disconnection from the vine, and the gradual exposure of whatever cracks were already in the foundation. He's also honest about what it took to come back: returning to Australia, bitter and broken, riddled with shame, going to church only out of obligation — until one day he encountered God in a way that changed everything. His message to anyone who feels too far gone to be reached: if God could find me in that mess, there is no one He can't reach. Find the book and connect with John at ireachusa.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brian From opens with a full report from one of the biggest weekends of his family's life — his son Jackson winning a regional baseball championship and graduating high school on the same weekend, capped off with a Head of School Award and all four family members under one roof. From there, a fascinating study: people consistently think their friends are less cynical than those friends actually are. Brian turns that into a challenge — of all people, Christians should be the least cynical, because we serve a God of redemption, transformation, and second chances. Then a meditation on one of Jesus' seven "I am" statements: I am the light of the world. What light actually does — reveals, convicts, purifies, connects — and why darkness always looks more comfortable until you've stood in the light long enough for your eyes to adjust. Two Relevant Magazine pieces that share the same root: the trad wife movement telling women this curated version of femininity will give them peace, and men silently battling body image issues they've never felt free to name. Both are identity crises in different packaging. And a closing word from JD Greear on suffering, pride, and why God sometimes leaves the thorn in place.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Pennsylvania man demolished his own house with an excavator after his wife said the marriage was over — which is a wild story, but also a useful case study in what not to do when you're angry. Jim Carrey showed up to a French awards ceremony looking unrecognizable, which opens a bigger conversation about image, aging, and why the only foundation for genuine self-acceptance is knowing you are created in the image of God, fearfully and wonderfully made. Carl Truman has coined a new term — Gig Eva — and it's more concerning than Big Eva: online evangelical influencers who are accountable to no one, may not even be real, and are quietly replacing the local church as the primary discipleship vehicle for millions. Mitt Romney told Harvard Business School graduates that the true measure of wealth is the people you love and your friends — which is either obvious or convicting depending on how you're actually spending your time. Nate Bargatze on why not cursing actually gives you more freedom as a comedian, and what that says about being distinctively different in your field. And a closing devotion from Charles Stanley on the stages of the Christian journey — recognizing where God is working right now, and why we all need people ahead of us, behind us, and alongside us in the race.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

184 trillion dollars is changing hands over the next two decades — and 70% of it is coming to women who, by and large, don't feel ready for it. The average age of a widow is 59. 95% of women will be the primary financial decision-maker for their household at some point. And yet most women are still sitting on the sidelines when it comes to money. Julie Wilson, president of Women Doing Well, joins Brian From to talk about what the data shows, why the real issue isn't financial literacy but values and purpose, and what actually happens when a woman engages in her family's finances — spoiler, her husband said he finally didn't feel so alone. Julie also challenges pastors directly: if your church doesn't have a strategy for women and wealth, your congregation will start suffering as women become the primary financial decision-makers — and they won't come to you for help if you haven't built the relationship first. A practical, grounded conversation about stewardship, marriage, and what it looks like to manage money in alignment with your faith. Learn more at womendoingwell.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adam Holtz is temporarily indisposed (Paul Asay's version of events involves a closet), so Paul steps in from the Plugged In team at Focus on the Family to run through what's worth watching this weekend. First up: The Breadwinner, a PG comedy starring Nate Bargatze about a dad who discovers he has no idea how to run his own household once his wife leaves for a month — sweet, clean, and a genuine rarity at the multiplex. Then a heads-up for parents of teenagers: Backrooms is getting buzz, teens are already emailing Plugged In asking when the review drops, and the R rating is earned. Finally, a World War II drama that tells a genuinely underreported story — the meteorologists whose weather forecast either made or broke the D-Day invasion. Brendan Fraser as Eisenhower takes some adjusting to, but the history is real and the story is worth knowing. All three are in theaters. Full reviews at pluggedin.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The lowest marriage rates, the lowest fertility rates, and more babies born to women in their 30s than their 20s — something is going on in America, and Timothy Goeglein thinks he knows what it is. A former eight-year special assistant to President George W. Bush and vice president of government and external relations at Focus on the Family, Goeglein joins Brian From to talk about his new book What Really Matters: Restoring a Legacy of Faith, Freedom, and Family. He makes the case that digital dislocation has built a brick wall between young men and women, that millions of men are checked out of school, work, and relationships entirely — and yet in that same demographic, something surprising is happening. Young men between 18 and 30 are returning to faith, going back to church, and saying they want marriage and fatherhood. By a factor of over 55%, more young men are now in church on Sundays than women. Goeglein calls it a quiet American revival, and he's optimistic — because despair, he says, is a sin that negates the hope of Jesus Christ.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1982, theologian John Stott predicted that as electronic networks made personal relationships "ever less necessary," the fellowship of the local church would become increasingly important — not less. Brian From reads that quote in 2026 and can barely believe how precisely it describes this moment. That thread runs through this entire hour. Pope Leo's new statement on AI warns that the real danger isn't machines becoming too human, but humans becoming more like machines — efficient, optimized, and stripped of transcendence, mystery, and community. Can we be friends across political lines? Jimmy Kimmel choking up at Adam Carolla's Walk of Fame ceremony suggests maybe yes. A sweet story about an eight-year-old girl who tossed a paper airplane over her fence asking her neighbor to play Taylor Swift — and Taylor Swift herself showing up with signed guitars. Brian's son's playoff baseball team hangs on for another game as graduation weekend approaches and the emotions start arriving. A practical look at what it actually means to flee from sin — and why the Bible makes it so active: be alert, avoid, strive, throw off, run. And a word for everyone navigating change: God is immutable, and that changes everything.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most Christians believe in evangelism. Very few actually do it — and the fear isn't hard to understand. Mark Teasdale, president of United Theological Seminary and author of Socially Awkward Evangelism: Overcoming Fear in Sharing the Gospel, joins Brian From to diagnose why the word alone makes so many believers anxious, and what to do about it. The short answer: we've been taught that evangelism requires confrontation, and almost nobody wants to bludgeon someone to Jesus. Mark unpacks what healthy evangelism actually looks like — relational, patient, non-judgmental, and built over time rather than executed in a single beach encounter. He also shares a fascinating finding about Gen Z: they're strongly in favor of evangelism as an idea, but terrified of coming across as one of those Christians. And his most practical starting point for anyone who wants to grow? If you're not ready to talk to another person about Jesus, start by talking to Jesus about another person. Free exercises from the book are available at the InterVarsity Press website — no purchase required.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Everything is shifting under our feet — social norms, acceptable speech, cultural standards — and the result is a generation drowning in anxiety and uncertainty. Alan Noble, professor of English at Oklahoma Baptist University and author of To Live Well: Practical Wisdom for Moving Through Chaotic Times, joins Brian From to make the case that the seven classical virtues offer a grounding that goes deeper and older than any TikTok life hack. He unpacks fortitude — why facing suffering for the sake of the good is one of the most countercultural things a person can do right now — and prudence, the practical wisdom that gets stuck not in the deliberating but in the failure to act resolutely. Alan also shares what he's seeing in his college students: plenty of faith, but a desperate hunger to know how that faith speaks into the actual struggles of daily life — choosing a career, asking someone out, managing social anxiety. They don't want abstract theology. They want to know if any of this is real enough to help them today. The answer, Alan says, is yes. Find To Live Well wherever books are sold.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new survey says 48% of Americans feel the fun has disappeared from their lives — and the number one thing they call "fun" is watching more TV. Brian From unpacks what that actually says about how we're living and what we're missing. Then: the Enhanced Games happened in Las Vegas, where athletes competed on cocktails of performance enhancing drugs for prize money up to a million dollars, and it raises some uncomfortable questions about human nature and the lengths we'll go to get ahead. A Wisconsin driver removed a road closed sign, drove into fresh concrete, and became an accidental parable. Daniel Darling's Christianity Today piece on whether Christians should smoke weed — and why most of the same arguments apply to alcohol. The story of missionary Davy Lloyd, who was kidnapped and beaten in Haiti, and still preached Christ's love and forgiveness to the men who would kill him. A deep dive into agentic AI and whether it could replace your pastor — spoiler: it already can write your sermons and call your congregation in your voice. And a closing challenge from Randy Alcorn and C.S. Lewis on the question that changes everything: who do you say Jesus is?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does a church with over 300 ministries actually look like — and how does one congregation build that kind of reach? Bishop Charles H. Ellis III, senior pastor of Greater Grace Temple in Detroit, joins Brian From for a conversation about third-generation Pentecostal ministry, a 20-acre campus built on the old Edgewater Amusement Park site, and a simple philosophy: ministries exist for needs, not for the church's own satisfaction. Bishop Ellis talks about taking Sunday services outside from Fourth of July to Labor Day, weekly outreach downtown to the poorest neighborhoods, the David Ellis Academy charter schools his father's vision made possible, and why the future of Detroit requires the church to partner with Fortune 500 companies, elected officials, and philanthropists — not just pass the offering plate. He also makes the case that Greater Grace, for all its size, has never lost its blue collar feel. A warm, energetic conversation about what it looks like when a church decides its impact should be felt far beyond its walls. Learn more at greatergrace.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you follow God because He's worthy of worship, or because of what He can give you? Brian From lands on that question after a Sunday sermon about Eli and Samuel — and it sticks. Is God a vending machine, a cosmic Santa Claus, or the one who is worthy of praise even when circumstances are bad? That's the challenge at the heart of this hour. First though: Memorial Day reflections on Dietrich Bonhoeffer's costly grace and what it actually means to be called to "come and die" — a word that cuts against a culture obsessed with comfort. A poignant piece called "Judson's Last Ride," a father's reflection on his autistic son's last school bus ride, and what every parent faces when their kids move into a new season. A study on pro chess players that becomes a personal confession about paralysis by analysis. The agonizing .02-second finish at the Indy 500 and what it means to get back in the car. Why youth group attendance is down and what youth ministers can actually do about it. Gas at $4.74 feeling like a victory. And a summer charge: be intentional, or it will pass you by before you know it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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What's actually standing between most people and a genuine relationship with God? Pastor Peter Philippi, author of You and God: How to Establish a Personal Relationship with God and a Clear Understanding of His Word, joins Brian From in studio to work through the objections, the confusion, and the keys that open up all of Scripture once you understand what God is actually doing. Peter breaks down why salvation has nothing to do with religion or works, what it means that we were once God's enemies and are now reconciled to him, and why every believer carries the identity of ambassador — whether they know it or not. He also makes a compelling case for the reliability of God's Word: of the 1,000 prophecies in the Bible, 500 have already been fulfilled exactly as written, which makes the remaining 500 a pretty safe bet. A practical, grounded conversation for seekers, new believers, and anyone who has picked up their Bible, put it back down, and wondered if they're missing something. Find the book and learn more at pbmusa.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Knicks trailed by 22 points with seven minutes left and a 0.1% chance of winning. They won in overtime. Brian From takes that improbable comeback and turns it into the lesson we all need: don't quit until the final buzzer sounds, and remember that your God never gives up on you either. Then, three years after Tim Keller's death from pancreatic cancer, Brian revisits what may be his most powerful message — not one preached from a pulpit, but lived out loud as he faced death. Keller's words on resurrection hope, fighting sin rather than cancer, and why suffering strips away respectable illusions of piety are as gripping as anything he ever wrote. Randy Alcorn follows with eight myths about heaven that most Christians quietly believe — from spending eternity in clouds to heaven being boring to not recognizing the people we love. The biblical picture, it turns out, is far more concrete, physical, and extraordinary than most of us have been taught. Plus: discipleship starts with delight, not curriculum; why a master's degree isn't the job guarantee it used to be; and Brian gets personal about the wave of emotions that comes with kids leaving the nest.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark Zuckerberg thinks AI companions can solve the loneliness crisis. Researchers say it may actually make it worse — and the church needs to pay attention, because a chatbot can simulate friendship but it can never become a neighbor. Brian From digs into what's really at stake when people outsource emotional connection to algorithms. Then: John Piper on resentment, and why expecting to be treated fairly might be the root of more anger than we realize. Brian gets personal about his own struggle to let go after a painful job loss, and Piper's challenge lands hard — why would you expect to be treated better than Jesus was? A piece on Gen Z anxiety that expands well beyond one generation: four commitments that can make anyone less anxious, starting with following the real Jesus and ending with self-denial. The forgotten figure of John the Baptist and his most important line — he must become greater, I must become less — and what it actually looks like to live as an ambassador of Christ. Plus: a 1,300-year-old sword found by a six-year-old on a school field trip, the OJ Simpson trial's Detective Mark Fuhrman passing away, and a closing devotion on what it means to plant your feet on a firm foundation when the storms come.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's graduation season, and Brian From mines the best commencement wisdom making the rounds — Eric Church's six guitar strings as six pillars of life (and why faith is the low E that everything else depends on), Rick Warren's sobering reminder that nobody on their deathbed has ever asked for their trophies, and Admiral McRaven's legendary case for why making your bed every morning is actually about the trajectory of your entire day. Then: a genuinely important piece on why parents need to play too — not just schedule their kids' activities, but carve out hobbies, downtime, and unstructured joy for themselves. Research says peak wellbeing hits around $111,000 a year, relationships matter more than wealth, and time may be our greatest currency — but do we actually live like we believe any of that? A 72-year-old grandmother just graduated medical school and is starting her residency, which is either inspiring or convicting depending on where you are with your own dreams. Plus: a company that gave employees a goodie bag instead of a raise, Pizza Hut bringing back the red checkered tablecloths, and a beautiful meditation on why God loves to hear his children cry "help please, Dad."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do non-denominational and Pentecostal churches have in common — and why are they the only two categories of American Christianity consistently growing right now? Brian From digs into new data that points to something deeper than style or structure: a widespread hunger for experiential, Spirit-filled faith in an age where everything feels artificial. Then: Christian nationalism is becoming a household term, and Brian makes the case that the real danger isn't patriotism — it's when Jesus gets used as a lever for political power rather than worshiped as King. A practical word on evangelism that might actually help: forget the clipboard approach and start asking better questions. Three lighter stories — a woman in Alabama who shot her husband for being annoying, a donor who paid off student loans at commencement, and data showing high-powered dads are finally spending more time with their kids. The doctrine of perseverance unpacked: why you'll still be a Christian tomorrow, and it has nothing to do with your strength. And a genuinely clarifying look at what "pray without ceasing" actually means — hint, it's less about bowing your head and more about living in constant communion. Happy birthday, Carrie.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Friday, which means Adam Holtz from Plugged In is back to help you figure out what's actually worth watching — and what to skip. This week: Remarkably Bright Creatures, a quiet, thoughtful drama starring Sally Field as a grieving cleaning woman whose best confidant is a sentient, dying octopus named Marcellus. It's warm, it's mostly clean, and it is absolutely not a kids movie despite the talking sea creature. Then Adam breaks down In the Gray, the new Guy Ritchie thriller with Henry Cavill, Jake Gyllenhaal, and approximately 60 profanities — which prompts a genuinely useful conversation about how Plugged In thinks about relative versus absolute content standards, and why counting swear words actually matters. Plus a preview of what's coming to the big screen this summer, including the Mandalorian film on the horizon. Find full reviews and parental guides for everything at pluggedin.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Pollack was a first-round NFL draft pick living his childhood dream when a broken neck in his second season ended everything — and he says it was the best thing that ever happened to his faith. The forced stillness he'd never allowed himself finally let him hear from God. Then in 2025, his wife Lindsay was diagnosed with brain cancer, and Pollack discovered that watching someone you love suffer is a completely different test than suffering yourself. He joins Brian From to talk about his new book Every Day Counts, what football taught him about failing forward in faith, and the three R's — reflect, repent, repurpose — that transformed his prayer life from awkward obligation to actual conversation. He also makes a point that lands hard: you have to be selfish in the morning so you can be selfless the rest of the day. If God matters, get up earlier. Plus a college football bonus — David weighs in on Michigan, Illinois, Bryce Underwood, and what he's watching heading into the season. A genuinely fun, genuinely convicting hour.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over two-thirds of Netflix shows rated for young children contain LGBT characters, themes, or storylines — and the age rating system parents have trusted since 1996 was never designed to flag any of it. Emily Washburn, issues analyst and writer for The Daily Citizen at Focus on the Family, joins Brian From to break down what the FCC is currently investigating, why the board responsible for overseeing TV ratings is stacked almost exclusively with media industry insiders, and what parents can do right now to make their voices heard. The comment process is open, it's simple, and it matters. Emily also points parents toward Plugged In — the most-asked-about topic in their inbox is exactly this one — as a practical resource for navigating what's actually in the movies, shows, and games your kids are consuming. And her closing advice is surprisingly simple: go back to the shows you loved as a kid. They're all on streaming, and your kids might love them too. Visit thedailycitizen.org and fcc.gov to learn more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

By age three, more than half of children are already attached to a screen. And if you're waiting for your kids to be the problem, Amy Lowe has some uncomfortable news: the research points back at us first. Amy, director of Wind Shape Camps for Girls and Families, joins Brian From for a candid conversation about what technology is actually doing to kids, why parents are often the ones driving the habit, and what happens when children spend a week unplugged in nature with counselors who model something different. Spoiler: parents keep saying the same thing when they pick their kids up — "I got my kid back." Amy breaks down the case for holding off on screens as long as possible, why giving kids real-world adventures matters more than we realize, and why being passive about technology means it wins by default. Plus a practical word for parents who are newer to this: you actually know more now than previous generations did, and that's an advantage worth using. Find Wind Shape Camps at windshapecamps.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most Christians would never fall for the health-and-wealth gospel. But what about the version that promises comfort instead of cash? Or the one that trades a fat bank account for a platform and an audience? Brian From digs into what Relevant Magazine is calling the new prosperity gospel — and it hits closer to home than a TV preacher ever could. Then: Philippians 4 and the peace that doesn't just reduce anxiety but surpasses understanding entirely — what that actually means and how to access it. Russell Moore on teaching the book of Hebrews 20 years apart and discovering the Bible hadn't changed, but he had — and why that's exactly how a living, active Word is supposed to work. Randy Alcorn on learning to hear God's still small voice, and why abiding matters more than straining. And JD Greear on why generosity isn't a financial test at all — it's a trust test. Three motivations from 2 Corinthians 8 that reframe giving entirely: grace, joy, and follow through.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who or what is forming you? That's the question at the center of this wide-ranging hour. Brian From starts with gas prices hitting $5 a gallon and what anxiety about money keeps pointing us back to, then moves into a fascinating piece on how Gen Z is asking a fundamentally different theological question than previous generations — not "why do bad things happen to good people," but "why don't bad things happen to bad people?" It's a shift that reveals a generation desensitized to sin but hungry for justice, and it has real implications for how the church disciples young people. Then: Ben Sasse is dying publicly and dying well, and Tim Challies makes the case that his greatest legacy may be his final one — while reminding us that faithfulness is faithfulness whether your audience is millions or three. A grieving dad completes the UK Three Peaks Challenge wearing a vest the weight of his late daughter, and Brian unpacks what carrying grief actually looks like. Plus: Chris Bryant, identity, and what happens when everything you thought defined you gets taken away. And a closing meditation on Peter letting down his nets one more time — tired, doubtful, and obedient anyway.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.