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In this thought-provoking episode of The Reformed Brotherhood, Tony and Jesse explore the complex relationship between Christian vocation and professional ambition. Moving beyond the obvious prohibition of inherently sinful professions, they examine whether certain legitimate careers might still be inappropriate for Christians if they compromise our responsibilities to family and church. The hosts challenge the common assumption that Christians should seek maximum worldly influence, suggesting instead that faithfulness in our threefold calling—to work, family, and church—should guide our vocational choices. Drawing on Reformed theology's rich understanding of vocation, they offer practical wisdom for believers navigating career decisions and workplace responsibilities while maintaining spiritual priorities in a culture that often glorifies professional success at any cost. Key Takeaways Vocation is threefold: A proper understanding of Christian vocation includes responsibilities to our work, our families, and our church—not just our careers. Lord's Day conflicts: Professions that regularly prevent church attendance and Lord's Day observance may be inappropriate for Christians, regardless of their potential for influence or impact. Family obligations: Scripture teaches that Christians who neglect family responsibilities are "worse than unbelievers" (1 Tim. 5:8), suggesting that careers demanding excessive time away from family may be problematic. Christian influence vs. gospel proclamation: We must distinguish between transforming culture through worldly influence versus the actual proclamation of the gospel, which can happen at any level of employment. Sacrifice is expected: Following Christ often requires sacrificing career advancement, prestige, or financial gain to fulfill our primary callings. Priority check: When considering job opportunities, Christians should evaluate church options in a new location with the same care they give to schools, housing, and other community factors. God calls us to faithfulness: Our primary calling is to faithfulness in our responsibilities, not necessarily to positions of maximum influence or cultural power. Balancing the Threefold Calling The hosts challenge the idea that Christians should prioritize career advancement and influence above all else. They argue that vocation in the Reformed tradition encompasses more than just our paid work—it includes our responsibilities to family and church as well. This means that even if a career opportunity seems beneficial for "kingdom influence," we must evaluate whether it allows us to fulfill our other God-given duties. Tony points out that while some professions clearly contradict Christian ethics, others may subtly undermine our ability to be faithful in all areas of life. A high-powered executive role might provide platforms for influence but could require such time commitments that family relationships suffer or regular Lord's Day worship becomes impossible. As Jesse observes, "vocation is fundamentally God's doing," not simply about finding personal fulfillment or maximizing impact. This framework helps believers evaluate career choices more holistically. The Question of Christian Influence A central question emerges throughout the episode: Should Christians pursue positions of maximum influence to advance kingdom values? While this idea sounds appealing, the hosts suggest it often masks a "theology of glory" rather than embracing the "theology of the cross." Jesse notes that "God doesn't call us to necessarily have outside impact. What he's calling us to is faithfulness." They distinguish between the transformative power of the gospel—which can be proclaimed regardless of position—and other ways of transforming culture through worldly influence. Tony explains that "whether you're the janitor of the hospital or whether you're the CEO of the hospital, the gospel is the same and your role in proclaiming the gospel is the same." This perspective challenges Christians to reconsider whether pursuing leadership positions always aligns with God's calling, especially when such roles might compromise other spiritual obligations. The hosts argue that faithfulness in ordinary circumstances, not exceptional influence, should be our primary aim. Quotes "Would it be great if the CEO of a major Fortune 500 company could be a Christian? Yeah. That would be kind of cool. But if the trade-off is that person has to sacrifice their genuine Christian convictions, that's not worth it." - Tony Arsenal "I do think we have to sit back and ask, is that the calling? So that we're pursuing what is our vocation, not just our potential... I think there is a real temptation to somehow say like, what we need to do is to infiltrate in all the places. And I think what we mean by that is that things here will be better." - Jesse Schwamb "I think the Bible is clearer about a person who is taken away from their home more than is reasonable and more than is healthy for their family, or a Christian who never is able to worship on the Lord's day... than it is on something like identity politics and some of the tangential ways that might cause a person to need to compromise a little bit at a high level." - Tony Arsenal Practical Applications The hosts suggest several practical considerations for Christians evaluating career opportunities: Will this job regularly prevent Lord's Day worship? Does it require sacrificing time with family beyond what's reasonable? Could you negotiate Sabbath observance with potential employers? When relocating, evaluate church options with the same care given to schools and housing Consider whether a lower-paying job that allows faithfulness in all areas might be better than a higher-paying one that doesn't Full Transcript [00:00:00] Introduction and Episode Overview [00:00:08] Jesse Schwamb: Welcome to episode 458 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse. [00:00:16] Tony Arsenal: And I'm Tony. And this is the podcast where even your work is unto the glory of God. Hey brother. Hey [00:00:24] Jesse Schwamb: brother. You know that's right. It [00:00:26] Tony Arsenal: is. That's why I said it. [00:00:28] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, it was. That's a great way to open. We, I think from time to time come back to the topic of work and we've got a great, I think, conversation in the queue for this particular episode. [00:00:39] Jesse Schwamb: Now it's gonna sound maybe on the face. Right off the top here. Familiar. So of course, like we've talked before, how scripture makes it clear that Christians are to be salt and light in the world. And we've talked, I think, at length about, well, how exactly do we carry out that? And though we know that we're not saved by our good works. [00:00:57] Jesse Schwamb: Again, the Bible teaches very clearly that God expects good works from Christians, that that is in fact what he saves us to do. Again, we're not saved by those good works, but the question I think still remains, and we're gonna come to it in this conversation about what exactly does he want us to do and where does he want us to do it. [00:01:13] Jesse Schwamb: So in other words, we know that according to scripture, God providentially, governs and cares for his entire creation. So how does that play out in human society given the reality of sin? So we're gonna get to topics like. Well, should Christians be in every line of work? Is that the ideal? Are there jobs or positions or responsibilities that seemingly may not be obvious that Christians really shouldn't be a part of? [00:01:37] Jesse Schwamb: Because it takes them too far afield, maybe from the responsibilities that God gives us holistically to think of our calling is and our families and our churches in our work. So it's a bit more nuanced play of a conversation we had before, but hopefully something that's gonna have all kinds of practicality wrapped around it. [00:01:55] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. So that's what's coming. [00:01:56] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. I'm stoked. I think this is gonna be a good conversation and I think I, I think this is one of those topics where like there's a lot of different angles to come at it from, right? We talk about vocation and work, and we've had those conversations before, and I think other shows and other venues have had that conversation before. [00:02:15] Tony Arsenal: I don't think that I've encountered a conversation really to this like angle of it. So I'm looking forward to this. [00:02:23] Jesse Schwamb: Me too. It's gonna be great. And of course, before we get to all that goodness, all that greatness, which I'm sure is about to transpire shortly and will be of course the definitive conversation, the one to end all to, I guess both to your point, bring it into the world. [00:02:36] Jesse Schwamb: Then to shut it down because we'll have accomplished both ends in just a single hour. [00:02:41] Affirmations and Denials [00:02:41] Jesse Schwamb: Before we get to that, let's do some affirming or denying. This is the part of our conversation where you and I always pick one thing either that we're affirming with and kind of the tradition of the reformed faith, where we take something that's undervalued or something that excites us, we think has great merit or worth, and we put out into the world and say, we're standing behind this thing, or conversely, we deny against it in that same kind of tradition by saying, this thing is overvalued, not worth it. [00:03:05] Jesse Schwamb: Not our jam. So in our tradition, I ask you are you affirming with something or are you not against something? [00:03:11] Tony Arsenal: I'm affirming with something specific that will lead to something general. So, okay. [00:03:16] Exploring AI in Learning [00:03:16] Tony Arsenal: I mentioned a couple weeks ago that I've been playing around with Google Gemini, which is Google's AI platform. [00:03:22] Tony Arsenal: And uh, I've been using it in a sort of interesting way. So Google has, uh, Gemini has these things called gems, which are basically like predefined personalities or predefined. I dunno, like instructions. So they have one gem that is a learning guide where basically you can give it a topic and it will, it will deliver mini lectures, give you quizzes, you can prompt it. [00:03:46] Tony Arsenal: So like I can paste in, um, you know, I can take in Lagos, I can paste a copy of the Bible, like a chapter of the Bible into the learning guide. It'll summarize it, it'll ask me questions. It'll basically gimme many lectures on it. Um, that's the specific thing. This is such a cool technology. And in my mind, this is really where AI is strong, is that you can take large sections of text and it will summarize it and synthesize it into a very usable format. [00:04:14] Tony Arsenal: Um, so what I've been doing, like I said, is I'll read, I'll read a, a chunk of text from whatever it is I'm reading, and then I'll copy and paste that entire chunk of text if it's an electronic text into the learning. Learning guide module and ask it to act as like a seminary lecturer and quiz me on the content. [00:04:33] Tony Arsenal: Um, which really helps to solidify the content I'm reading rather than just passing my eyes over it. I'm actually, um, processing it and retaining it more. I think you could probably do something similar with just about any AI platform if you had the right kind of prompt, which is where the general one comes in. [00:04:50] Tony Arsenal: And I would encourage you, listener to think a little bit about how you might utilize this, because I think we all read lots and lots of things. Our, our, um, particular audience tends to be a little bookish, and so I'm sure we're all reading things as we go, but I'm not sure we're always processing things in the most effective way. [00:05:07] Tony Arsenal: So think a little bit about like how you might use something like chat, GPT, which is available for free, or Claude, which is available for free to do this kind of like. Almost like simulated classroom lecture. Um, and I know there are some questions about ai. Like I, I heard an argument that ai, when you're generating content is, is a sort of form of sophisticated, uh, plagiarism, which I'm not sure I buy it, but I understand the argument. [00:05:33] Tony Arsenal: This is something very different where you're really just using the, using the AI to synthesize and summarize text and sort of spit it back to you in a new format. Um, you're not trying to generate anything new. You're not trying to create anything. That you're gonna publish or anything like that. It's really just a, a form of synthesis. [00:05:49] Tony Arsenal: So I've really found this to be super beneficial. Um, I'm having a really great time at it. I'm, I'm using it for language studies, so I'm reading through mount's basics, biblical Greek. And I'll copy and paste the whole chapter in, ask it to act as a lecturer, and it will walk me through the chapter. It'll stop to do quizzes. [00:06:08] Tony Arsenal: It'll drill me on vocab as I'm going. And then when, when I up, the instruction I get is, don't move forward until you are convinced that I've mastered the content. And so when I get something wrong, it goes back and makes me redo it. So it continues to iterate until it's, until the AI has. Synthesize that I have mastered the content, and then it asks me to provide the next chapter. [00:06:30] Tony Arsenal: So it's a cool technology. It's a, it's a sort of novel use for the technology. Um, again, Google has built in modules that do this, but I think you could probably use chat, GPT or Claude or Orrock or whatever AI model you're using to accomplish the same goal. [00:06:45] Jesse Schwamb: There's no doubt that AI is great for like building study notes, helping you create space, repetition, all those like little hacks that we have long talked about. [00:06:53] Jesse Schwamb: And this provides it to you in a really bespoke course customized way, but it gets you involved. I'm with you if you wanna do this the old fashioned way. I'll go back to something I I've affirmed with before and that's this very famous book originally authored in the 1940s called How to Read a Book by Mor Mortimer, j Adler, and that is an exercise. [00:07:13] Jesse Schwamb: Helping you do some of that stuff in real time as well. Yeah, so I think there'd be a lovely compliment to say you're reading actively and then you get to test immediately that active reading by way of using ai. So even before, like, maybe even just jumping to like, well, let me read it, but I'm, I'm gonna trust that AI's gonna really kind of supplement me or fill in the gaps and just gimme what I need to know. [00:07:33] Jesse Schwamb: Trying to do that in real time. Pausing in your reading. Again, kind of studying as you go along, thinking out loud through what you've just read and then saying, alright, now test me is a great way to, 'cause who wants to like read stuff unless you can remember this stuff and then unless you can apply it, right? [00:07:48] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. So it's such a joy to be able to read things and then to remember. And if you haven't had that experience yet, I like your affirmation. I think this is a great way to test it out. [00:07:56] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, just to maybe flesh this out. So I, I asked it to, and I'm, I'm doing this sort of as an experiment just to see how it works, but also just 'cause it's, it's useful. [00:08:06] Tony Arsenal: I asked it to act as a seminary lecturer and I copied and paste the entire first chapter of the Westminster Confession. And rather than split it up by section and actually combined paragraphs that were. Um, related to each other. So it combined the list of Bible, uh, books, and then the chapter on apocrypha and gave me some like lectures. [00:08:25] Tony Arsenal: But here's what it said about, um, about chapter 10. It says, paragraph 10, declares the supreme judge can be no other than the Holy Spirit speaking scripture. This is the ultimate outworking of sola Scripture, means that every other authority is lesser authority that must submit to the judgment of the word of God. [00:08:42] Tony Arsenal: This includes decrees of church counsels. Opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, private spirits. It goes on for a little while longer. Then it says, I will give you a brief final quiz covering the whole of chapter one, and it asks questions like A historian makes the following claim. The Bible only has authority. [00:08:59] Tony Arsenal: It does because influential councils in the early church, like the Council of Carthage officially voted on which books would be included in the cannon. The church therefore gave the Bible its authority drawing from your knowledge of paragraphs three, uh, three, four, and five. Provide a two-part critique of the historian statement. [00:09:16] Tony Arsenal: Which then I had to type it out. It critiqued, um, it analyzed my answer. Um, I happened to get that question right. I did at one point think maybe this is actually just like finding a way to say everything that I say is right. So I purposely put a wrong answer in and it did identify that the answer was wrong, and then it made me go back and revisit that content. [00:09:35] Tony Arsenal: So it's very, it's a very cool use case. I'm glad that Google kind of built this in. They have all sorts of other gems. If you have, if you have a way to get access to Google Gemini, um. It's not the best AI for everything, but it's got, it's pretty versatile. It's got a lot of utility, so check it out. [00:09:53] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, that sounds great. [00:09:53] Jesse Schwamb: Again, there's all kinds of fun things I think we could be using AI for to help us be better learners or to really enjoy our interaction with data and information more. Yeah. It is a really great way to conversationally help you to learn something, and that's what makes it so much better. It stands way far apart from, again, just leading, just reading or just creating flashcards or even just, just creating study notes, but that back and forth to test you on something, even if it's just like casual knowledge that you can really want to internalize. [00:10:21] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. I found that to be super valuable. Again, like, man, if you're a learner, if you're a reader, if you're a human being, what an amazing time to live in the world where data is so prevalent, but it's increasingly being brought into a place where we can put our arms around it in a way in which we're trying to really understand it. [00:10:38] Jesse Schwamb: You know, I think about how we used to search for something, I mean. Used to like this that like, that wasn't like last year. You know what I mean? Like we just go on to our, your favorite search engine. Type in a topic or maybe type in even a specific question. And at best you'd have to sort through this litany, this plethora, this morass of all these links about articles that may pertain to what you asked. [00:10:58] Jesse Schwamb: Or maybe they pertain to it generally, but not really specifically. Yeah. The specificity with which you can have a conversational interaction that engenders knowledge is wild. I mean, I really think that is like the huge play of ai. Just lean into it and enjoy it. [00:11:12] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. Jesse, what are you affirming or denying tonight? [00:11:16] Nasal Spray Affirmation [00:11:16] Jesse Schwamb: I'm going a totally different direction. It's an affirmation, but I'm taking it from my ears, nose, nose, and throat doctor who affirmed this to me, so I might be totally late on this. There are very few things that I can say like somebody's recommended to me or affirm. It's been like absolute game changer, like just drop dead from the first moment I used it or employed the thing that it just changed everything. [00:11:38] Jesse Schwamb: This is one of those things. Which maybe I've just already oversold, but the affirmation is with something called it's, it's spelled X-L-E-A-R, I think it's still pronounced clear, but it's called literally phonetically XL nasal spray, and it's a. This doesn't sound very exciting, but bear with me everybody. [00:11:57] Jesse Schwamb: It's a natural, non-addictive saline nasal spray featuring Zi Atol as its primary active ingredient. So if you're not familiar with Zi Atol, which I wasn't until I went to my ENT by the way I've seen for many years and only just recommended this to me. So I had some words 'cause I was working, where's this been all my life. [00:12:14] Jesse Schwamb: But Zito is a naturally occurring alcohol sugar. It's found in like many fruits and vegetables, and it can be commercially produced from like birch wine or corn fiber. It looks and tastes similar to like table sugar, but it contains fewer calories, so it can be used and is often used as like a sweetener in sugar-free foods like chewing gum, mint candies, jam, stuff like that. [00:12:35] Jesse Schwamb: Here's one of the strange side effects. That they notice though about Zi atol, and that is it totally, uh, cleanses, moisturizes and soos nasal passages. And it gives you all kinds of relief from like common congestion stuff like colds, allergies, low humidity, humidity, science, pressure, stuff like that. What it does is it actually breaks down or lubricates your inner nasal passages, including like flushing out the mucus. like it works actually with your body. So what's amazing is it's, it's really great for, it's kinda like a soap for the nose. It clears up bacteria, pollens, dander, molds, like all kinds of irritants. [00:13:14] Jesse Schwamb: It also studies have shown blocks, adhesion of other pathogens like bacterial, fungal, viral to the mucosal tissues, helping the body to wash them away. So [00:13:23] Jesse Schwamb: this thing is absolutely. Wild. And I can say for certain that if you're the kind of person like me, where let's say like you're, you're hitting the Flonase hard at different seasons because you got those seasonal allergies because of the fall and because sin is real. I'm with you. That dries out your nose. [00:13:42] Jesse Schwamb: This thing is like a, a sauna or a spa for your nose, and then it literally like clears everything out. It's almost magical. I, I'm serious. It's so fantastic. So if you've been looking for something to really help with that and it, again, it's safe. There's no drug in it. It's not addictive, so you can use it all the time. [00:13:58] Jesse Schwamb: It's just saline and zi etol. It is phenomenal. So go get yourself, do yourself a favor. Do, do your, do your nose and your sinuses a solid and, and get the solids outta them by using. X clear. I feel like a bat just flew by your face or like a giant bird. [00:14:17] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. So, uh, first of all, that sounds like a really great thing to check out. [00:14:22] Tony Arsenal: Is this clear stuff? Um, I have had struggles with like sinus infections over the last couple years, so I'm gonna check this out when it gets to allergy season in the fall year. [00:14:32] Hummingbird Moth Encounter [00:14:32] Tony Arsenal: But yes, uh, one of the rare, uh, moths that I've learned lives near my house is called a, uh, what's it called? Uh. It commonly, it's called like a hummingbird moth. [00:14:44] Tony Arsenal: Have you heard of these things? Yeah. Oh yeah. Um, I've never seen them before, but the reason they're called hummingbird moths is 'cause they look like hummingbirds, but they're actually moths and I right now. Hopefully this will change eventually, but. It will have to, 'cause it gets cold here. Um, I'm recording outside and a hummingbird moth literally just flew between my computer and my face. [00:15:05] Tony Arsenal: Um, I wasn't talking at the time so you wouldn't be able to see it on the screen, which is too bad. Uh, but yeah, Jesse saw me freak out a little bit, which is uh, which is fine. [00:15:16] Jesse Schwamb: It happened the [00:15:16] Tony Arsenal: first time I saw one. I was like, is that a huge bee? No, it's just a hummingbird broth. [00:15:21] Jesse Schwamb: Somebody, everybody should look them up though, because they're kind of wild looking. [00:15:25] Jesse Schwamb: Like if you've seen it in real life, they have that hummingbird pose where the body, body is kind of laid back and the wings are going crazy. Like they literally do hover like that. Yeah. And they're, they're almost that big. The one that tried to attack you there was pretty large. [00:15:38] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. They don't, um, they, they. [00:15:41] Tony Arsenal: Move a little different than hummingbirds, which is why the first time that I saw one, I thought it was a bee. Um, because when they, when they land on a flower, they crawl inside the flower the same way that a, like a bee or a bumblebee will, um, they don't hover outside the flower like a hummingbird, but they do. [00:15:57] Tony Arsenal: They, their body is, I mean, their body is probably an, an inch and a half long like a hummingbird. Um, and it's thick like a hummingbird. They don't look like moths at all. So I'm not sure they must be part of the Moth family, I guess. Um, I'm trying to remember. It's. They have like a specific name, I wanna say Scarab, but that's not right. [00:16:14] Tony Arsenal: But it's something like that is the, the technical name of it. They're like a scarab moth or something like that. But [00:16:20] Jesse Schwamb: yeah, I've just come up. It's a wild name. [00:16:22] Tony Arsenal: This is your top 50 Entomology, uh, podcast apparently. As well as the top 50 health cath. We're gonna, we're gonna uh, com combine the two tonight, so yeah, I'm gonna check that out in the, the spring or in the fall here, Jesse. [00:16:34] Tony Arsenal: My, my allergies always go a little bit crazy when we get to September. Yeah. With all the, like leaves falling down and crumbling up and stuff, it just gets in the air, so I'll just, I'll spray some artificial sugar. It's not artificial. I'll spray some pseudo sugar in my nose and see what happens. [00:16:48] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. It does have the added benefit that because it is a naturally occurring. [00:16:53] Jesse Schwamb: Sugar, like it's a type of sugar alcohol that if it drips down the back of your throat, all you get is a little like, mm, sweet. [00:17:03] Tony Arsenal: I wanna know who the first guy who was like, let me put some of this fake sugar in my nose and see what happens was it's, [00:17:09] Jesse Schwamb: I'm telling you, it, it's better than any actual, like, prescribed nasal spray I've ever taken. [00:17:15] Jesse Schwamb: You can get it like just at your g it. Yeah. Or you can get it on Amazon. I, I will, I forgot about it for a while. I, maybe I use it daily now it's become my go-to. But I mean, I don't wanna make this weird or gross, but it's the kind of thing like if you wake up in the morning and you're stuffy and you, it feels like somebody parked like a bus way up in your sinus cavity. [00:17:32] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. And you're like, I can't even blow my nose. There's nothing there where, where's all this stuff? There's nothing there. If you use this, when I use this within two, two, I'd say like seven minutes, I can just. Drop a huge load of mucus right outta my face and you feel like a million bucks. I don't know how to describe it. [00:17:49] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, it's like better than like a sinus rinse or a netty pot. I know this sounds wild, like I'm way too excited about this stuff, but that clear spray is wild. And what I especially love is that it's all natural, that I'm not doing any harm to my nose or my face by using it. And that it, I just feel better afterwards because it's like moisturized everything. [00:18:08] Jesse Schwamb: So, and there's, there's, the debate is I think ongoing. There's a lot apparently, because I went down the rabbit trail and looked at all these scholarly studies and peer-reviewed journal papers, all this stuff. There's a lot, I guess, uh, still somewhat in debate about like its ability to really help prevent certain things like COVID, any kind of like nasal airborne kind of like, yeah, because it helps to flush and it prevents literally bacteria from sticking, uh, inside your nasal passages. [00:18:34] Jesse Schwamb: So that could be a benefit. I can't say anything about that. I'm not a doctor. What, [00:18:40] Tony Arsenal: what I would love is, uh, if you are a listener who has seasonal allergies or whatever, uh, if you would join our telegram chat at t.me/reform brotherhood. Well done. We have what's normally a tastings channel, which is like people get like new foods they wanna check out, or a beer they like or whatever, and they'll, uh, they'll do a little tasting and a review. [00:19:04] Tony Arsenal: I would love if some people would join the channel and do some, some clear, clear. We'll go clear, uh, a tasting of this nasal spray. Yeah, please don't show us. 'cause that's disgusting. Right. But, uh, let us know. Let us know what you think of it. I think that'd be great. So that's t me slash Reform Brotherhood. [00:19:21] Jesse Schwamb: There you go. Come hang out with us. It's a lot of fun. I see we've had some people join that group this week, so I see you out there, brother Sean. Crushing it, getting in the mix. Welcome everybody. Come again. Spend a little time in there. And there's, I love that the channel for like the conversation about our episodes is. [00:19:37] Jesse Schwamb: Hot. It's going strong. I love that. And we gave the call last week. You should listen to last week's episode when we were really speaking about, uh, God's faithfulness and a challenge of how we seek after piety, under the care and the direction, the kind direction and the convicting influence of the Holy Spirit. [00:19:55] Jesse Schwamb: So many good things were said there. I really loved reading all those. And it probably goes without saying, but I'm gonna mention it anyway. You and I read everything that pops in there. Yeah. For the most part. I mean, sometimes I look at it and there's 150 messages, right? And um, it got wild. But I go back through and always, always read those. [00:20:10] Jesse Schwamb: But I especially love like the conversation when we invite people to say, like, now it's, we'd love to hear from you. And so I think that's gonna be a large part of what we talk about. On this episode as well. [00:20:20] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. So, Jesse, why don't you lead us in here. This was the topic you brought up. I think it's a great one. [00:20:25] Tony Arsenal: I'd love to to dive into it here. [00:20:27] Christian Vocation and Work [00:20:27] Jesse Schwamb: I think one of the things that Christians always have to come to terms with at some point, every generation has to, but every person as well is, so where is my role as Christ child in something we might generally call like Christian activism? By which I mean like, of course, like Christians. [00:20:44] Jesse Schwamb: Attempt to improve or influence society through time, especially in our work. And as I was thinking about this recently, I think one of the hard things we have to measure out is well. Are there different places where we would, there's certainly jobs where we say Christians shouldn't hold that position because it contravenes God's law directly. [00:21:05] Jesse Schwamb: But what about these kind of, as we've talked about before, this threefold responsibility that we have in our callings, which you can go back to our previous catalog, which is all in the reform brotherhood.com, by the way. Listen to where we talked about this idea of like the vocation that happens in our work, in our households, in our church, and is it possible that in the work sphere that there are jobs that like Christians just shouldn't hold because it takes them too far away from their responsibilities in the other two spheres, which there are equally parts of their vocation, or if we want to put like a really fine point in it, and I don't really mean to derail the conversation with this question, but this would be exemplifying kind of what we're after here, which was like, should Christians be involved and. [00:21:47] Jesse Schwamb: In politics, are there other jobs like that where we'd say, listen, we, we tr we trust God in his sovereign superintendent will that he's always doing his good work. And you and I have talked at length about what it means to be living in the, under the normal principle of God using ordinary, normal means to do great and extraordinary things. [00:22:06] Jesse Schwamb: So how does all of that fit with our work? Are there lines to be drawn or. Does it not really matter? [00:22:15] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, I mean, I think for the sake of our conversation, we can just sort of take some professions off the table. Right? Of course, there are some professions of course, and calling them professions is probably even, probably even a misnomer. [00:22:27] Tony Arsenal: But there are some ways to earn money that are just intrinsically sinful that are outside of the scope of the conversation, right? You can't, uh, there's no argument for a Christian to become like. An assassin or like a drug dealer or a prostitute, like, there's no, there's no valid argument or discussion to be had around those. [00:22:45] Tony Arsenal: So we can just exclude those entirely. But I think for, for the sake of this conversation, we're talking about professions that do not involve, intrinsically involve sin, um, and, and may or may not have, um. Prudential reasons why they are not the best idea. Right. So I, I'm thinking like, the one that came to mind when you asked this was like, and it's funny because I, um, I mentioned the topic to my wife and, you know, she kind of joked, I was like, well, yeah, like Christians can't be. [00:23:15] Tony Arsenal: Can't like be porn stars, like that's not something you can do as a Christian. But then, then I, she said, well, what, what other professions would it be? I said, well, like, like a professional football player, right? And like the question is like, can a Christian be a professional football player? I think instinctively, right? [00:23:29] Tony Arsenal: We all say yes. But, but is that actually true? Right. And, and I would, I would make the argument that no, like a Christian can't be a professional football player or really, really any kind of professional sports, um, figure because it, it necessarily takes you away from the gathered fellowship of Christians on the Lord's day on far too often a basis. [00:23:47] Tony Arsenal: Right? I don't think you can make a good prudential argument to say like, well. It's fine for a Christian to be absent from the lord's uh, Lord's Day worship in his congregation of membership, you know, 60% of the time. Like, I just don't think you can make that argument. So I think in a lot of these cases, the immediate instinctive answer is yes. [00:24:07] Tony Arsenal: Uh. Christians can be part of any profession, and there's a certain, there's a certain way that that's true, but when we actually start to look at the way some professions actually play out, we have to analyze that a lot deeper. And this is actually not all that different than our conversation last week. [00:24:23] Tony Arsenal: Right. Involving like a. Pop culture and like media consumption is we have to look at what is actually, what the actual cost is. Uh, opportunity cost, I guess if we want to use like economic terms, what the actual opportunity cost is here of a particular profession in respect of. Our obligations and our commitments as a Christian and our obligation to the law of God, our obligation to our Christian brothers and sisters, all of that. [00:24:49] Tony Arsenal: So I think this is gonna be a great conversation. I'm excited to get into it. Um, but I do think it's one that we should think through a little bit more than just sort of like our gut reaction. Like we, of course, Christians can be involved in any profession. [00:25:00] Jesse Schwamb: Let me add to that. 'cause that's perfect. That's exactly, you're not on the same page as usual. [00:25:04] Jesse Schwamb: That's exactly where my mind was going. And what makes like this such a rich opportunity to really explore what the scripture has to say about this particular topic? I think you're right on that we need to weigh out, which we often just kind of glance over. What are the other responsibilities by taking on a particular line of work or job. [00:25:20] Jesse Schwamb: Does that necessarily mean that we must sacrifice and preclude these other areas? We should have direct or more intimate involvement because that is also part of vocation. Part of that, like we've talked about at length before, is responsibility in the Lord's day. So we might set that up as one particular test. [00:25:36] Jesse Schwamb: To that end, another one might be exactly what you were saying. So here's like the opposite of like the professional footballer or American football or whatever. Pick your, pick your sports. What about like high level? High responsibility, let's say leadership positions like in all kinds of areas of industry that would require the man or the woman to, let's say, like be on call continually, or maybe to sacrifice long hours at that job as part and parcel of what's required to do it effectively. [00:26:04] Jesse Schwamb: And that might mean that necessarily like not being very connected with family or having to be away from their family a lot of the time. I think what we often come to is this idea that, wouldn't it be great if Christians were just everywhere and were infiltrating all the things all the time at all the levels. [00:26:21] Jesse Schwamb: I think the question here that's under the surface is, is that what God assigns in a life of vocation? And maybe it's, it's of course more nuance than that and it could be for the person. Again, I wanna be clear that, like we said before, vocation is a very specific and narrow term in that we're talking about an actual calling being called out for a particular purpose. [00:26:42] Jesse Schwamb: And if we're using that in the right way, then it's possible that with the exception of some things like the Lord's Day, the other thing I just talked about, season of life. And your particular commitments or entanglements, they might be different from person to person. Therefore, allow for a direct call that God gives to a particular purpose at a particular time. [00:27:01] Jesse Schwamb: I think what I'm really kind of weighing out here is if we understand how the reformers viewed all of this. We have to come to this conclusion that God assigns us a life and then God calls us to that life. And that really is what vocation is all about. And notice in that there's nothing that's said about choosing a vocation or finding your true vocation or being fulfilled even in your vocation. [00:27:24] Jesse Schwamb: We may experience a struggle with all of that, but vocation is fundamentally God's doing. So what is. God doing in our society. And as you said, are there roles that he's, in a way not calling, let's say like the, the quintessential or the normative, I don't wanna say average 'cause that implies the weird thing, but Right. [00:27:44] Jesse Schwamb: Kind of Christian too. And I think. We've gotta, we've gotta wrestle with that because you're right. Like we too often just run to, we need Christians in all the places now let's get them everywhere. Doing all the things. Yeah. And that might be good from our perspective, because Christians should be the best workers as we said that we should. [00:28:01] Jesse Schwamb: The most kind. There is the salt in lights everywhere. However, it takes a Christian to do all those things. And can a Christian in certain roles have great fidelity to the threefold? [00:28:13] Exploring the Theology of Work and the Lord's Day [00:28:13] Jesse Schwamb: Calling and vocation of life while upholding certain jobs and responsibilities. [00:28:19] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. You know, I think, um, I think that may be like a little bit of progam is, is warranted here too. [00:28:26] Tony Arsenal: Like there, you know, there's the, the, the conversation at the top of like, some, some professions are just out of bounds. Yeah. Um, but there's also, you know, a pretty robust theology. And I think a lot of this is gonna center around. Uh, maybe just for simplicity's sake and for the fact that we have 30 minutes left of a conversation that probably could be multiple hours, um, there's a pretty robust apparatus in reform theology that is designed to help Christians understand whether or not, um. [00:28:57] Tony Arsenal: A particular activity is acceptable on the Lord's day. And we've, we've had conversations in the past about like, if, if all of your theology of the Lord's Day is about what you can and can't do, then you're missing the point entirely. [00:29:11] Jesse Schwamb: That's right. [00:29:11] Tony Arsenal: But there is an element of what you can and can't do in terms of understanding the Lord's day. [00:29:16] Tony Arsenal: Right. We're, we're not supposed to engage in worldly recreation or employment on the Lord's day. So we have to talk about what that means. And so I think. [00:29:24] Works of Necessity and Charity on the Lord's Day [00:29:24] Tony Arsenal: I think to start with, like there's categories, like works of necessity, works of charity, um, that, or, or like works of ministry, which would, would sort of be a third category that's not necessarily, um, not necessarily enumerated in many of the sources, but it's assumed that like pastors who are working on the Lord's day are not, they're not violating the Sabbath by doing the work on the Sabbath. [00:29:47] Tony Arsenal: Um, I think we have to have those categories. 'cause I think that helps us inform too, like. If you are the CEO of a major retailer, does that mean you have to work on Sunday, right? Well, probably it does. Like, it probably means that on a regular basis you're gonna be checking emails on your phone, you're gonna be taking phone calls. [00:30:05] Tony Arsenal: You've got, you might have partners in markets overseas where it, it's Sunday morning for you, but it's Monday afternoon or you know, Monday morning for them or something like that. Um. I think that the industry you're in largely is going to drive whether that's an acceptable or, or an appropriate role for you. [00:30:24] Tony Arsenal: So I could see a situation where you could make the argument that being the CEO of a of a major medical center, right. Where the work that's being done at the medical center falls easily within that sort of definition of, uh, works of necessity. A nurse who is working in the emergency room or a police officer or a firefighter or somebody who is fixing the power, like in our society, right? [00:30:47] Tony Arsenal: Electricity is, is not an option for most people. It's not a, it's not a luxury for most people. So those, those professions. It's acceptable to work on the Lord's Day when it's a work of necessity, and so the higher level leadership positions that make those possible and constrain them also, I think. Would fall under that same work of necessity. [00:31:06] Tony Arsenal: If the CEO of my hospital, I don't know if she's a Christian or not. I, I'm, I'm not speculating on that, but if, if the CEO of my hospital was a Christian or is a Christian and she has to take an important phone call on Sunday morning and miss the Lord's day because if she doesn't take care of that, the hospital's not gonna function correctly and people may not have emergency services. [00:31:26] Tony Arsenal: I don't think that's a violation of the south principle. If the same scenario is happening and it's the CEO of Best Buy and they need to take a phone call, otherwise people won't be able to buy widgets on Sunday afternoon, that's a different calculation. So I think like right off the bat, we have to start having those conversations about what's the nature of the work, what's the, what's the tell loss of the work or the end aim of the work. [00:31:46] Tony Arsenal: That's really important as well. [00:31:48] Balancing Professional Responsibilities and Christian Obligations [00:31:48] Jesse Schwamb: So it sounds like though what we're saying, both of us in a way, is that if you run that test, so to speak, like you go through that algorithm and you come out with this idea that you know, it's, you're saying your industry is more like Best Buy and less like your local hospital, then there might be significant and maybe insurmountable roadblocks to taking that position Should be as a c. [00:32:08] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, I mean, that's kinda what we're saying. [00:32:10] Tony Arsenal: Oh yeah, for sure. And you know, like this is a real world application I think for a lot of people. I remember when I was in college, um, I had the opportunity to take a promotion. I worked at Best Buy. I, I'm not using Best Buy as an example for any specific reason, but I worked at Best Buy. [00:32:23] Tony Arsenal: I worked in the Geek Squad area and I had the opportunity to take a promotion. Um, and the sort of the strings that came with the promotion is that I was expected to be available to work on Sundays. I didn't have a super robust doctrine of the Lord's Day at the time. Like I wasn't super theologically versed on Sabbath theology and stuff. [00:32:39] Tony Arsenal: Um, but it just didn't sit right with me. And so initially I didn't take the, I didn't take the, um, promotion because I didn't feel comfortable saying at the time, it was mostly about like, I'm not gonna miss the church service. I didn't feel comfortable saying I need to be available. And that might mean I Ms. [00:32:57] Tony Arsenal: Church to, to be able to take this shift. Um, eventually the management adapted and said, well, we'll just figure out something else. We really want you to take the position, but that's the kind of question we have to ask. And then that same question, as you move up in an organization, it expands and you're more likely to need to be drawn away from Lord State worship or just general. [00:33:19] Tony Arsenal: Obligations on the Lord's Day. [00:33:20] Personal Experiences and Real-World Applications [00:33:20] Tony Arsenal: And I don't wanna make this entirely about the Lord's Day 'cause there are other obligations that Christians have and it probably will be interesting to get to those. But I think, um, the, the other thing maybe that I wanna push back on a little bit too is I. I, I've never been a CEO. [00:33:34] Tony Arsenal: I probably never will be a CEO. You're far closer to a CEO than I ever will be. But I think a lot of times we assume those positions have no flexibility. Right. But in reality, some of those people are absolutely able to say, I'm gonna take, I'm gonna take Sunday, and just not. Yes, I'm not gonna do work on Sunday. [00:33:52] Tony Arsenal: I'm gonna delegate that. You know? And then this is a whole other question. I'm gonna delegate that to someone else. Well, there's a whole different question that comes with that, but saying like, I'm just not going to do work on Sunday is actually within the options for a lot of positions. So that's the other question is when we take a position, do we have the option to set aside the Lord's Day? [00:34:11] Tony Arsenal: Even if we might acknowledge that occasionally, that's not gonna work out. There are oftentimes in all of our lives that we're drawn away from being able to fulfill our ordinary obligation of the Lord's Day, and I don't think that that's intrinsically sinful. If on a rare occasion you're not able to attend the Lord's Day worship or something like that. [00:34:29] Tony Arsenal: So I think those are questions we have to ask. Then what? What kind of other Christian obligations do we have? And this is hypothetical, but you're welcome to answer if you've got one in mind. Like what other kinds of Christian obligations do we have that any particular vocation or particular job might make difficult or impossible to fulfill? [00:34:47] Tony Arsenal: I think those are questions we have to ask. [00:34:49] Jesse Schwamb: I'm with you. And that's actually more where my mind goes because again, we've talked before and for some Christians it's easier to identify the stuff that certainly explicitly contravenes the Lord's Day. And I think it's more difficult to say like we, again, I think we talked before about that threefold responsibility and the vocation that is to like work that is like our industry, so to speak, and then to our household, then to our church. [00:35:10] Jesse Schwamb: So the church often does. Again, in a very finely pointed way, connect very tightly with the Lord. Say what about that household stuff? Yeah. So what about these jobs that would just make you too busy? And I think like what's interesting to your point is I agree. Like I think part of this conversation is just a thoughtful assessment of what the job entails, and then even as like maybe you're taking a job or considering a job. [00:35:33] Jesse Schwamb: Having a conversation with your potential employer about what opportunity is there for flexibility given like certain convictions that you have? All of that could fall into place neatly and I think would still be within the bounds of yes, but I think part of this is if it's truly a calling that we, we have to be praying through it and assessing whether God is calling us through that. [00:35:50] Jesse Schwamb: Part of that is passing it through the sin of what the scriptures require in each of those threefold vocational responsibilities. So sometimes I hear there is like a pushback or counter, this argument says, but wouldn't it be better? [00:36:01] The Role of Christians in Leadership Positions [00:36:01] Jesse Schwamb: Wouldn't it be fantastic if you get a Christian as an opportunity to be a CEO? [00:36:05] Jesse Schwamb: Isn't it better for them to be a CEO and to be in that role, even if they're crazy busy, even if they're sacrificing so much for their family, for their household or for the church because they simply, they're gonna be a Christian and think of the role model and the emphasis and the impact they can have. [00:36:19] Jesse Schwamb: And to that, I would say we gotta be really careful with that loved ones because God, I don't think God's calling us to necessarily have outside impact. What he's calling us to is, is faithfulness. Invocation, invocation pulls us back into those three responsibilities, and we know the way in which God prefers to work His jam is these ordinary means, these natural ways of in the normative work of our lives and faithfulness showing that his power is demonstrated in this weakness. [00:36:44] Jesse Schwamb: Somehow we're back to the theology of. Glory and theology of cross. But you know, it's interesting to me that there are no calls like in the entire scriptures, of course, to withdraw into like a private ghetto or to take back the realms of cultural and political activity. And so I think we have to be really careful about even how we kind of pull that into then how. [00:37:03] Jesse Schwamb: Our jobs that like, shouldn't it be my goal as a Christian to get as most influence as possible? And I think I wanna push back on that and say like, you know, the, the church, the Christian exists within the world as a community of word and sacrament. But it doesn't always have to seek influence in larger society. [00:37:19] Jesse Schwamb: It can. It can. And when God provides the opportunity by way of clear calling, I think internal and external that is appropriate. However, often that calling is gonna come at a much more normative level, I think. And, and I do not believe that we are somehow compromising or sub-optimizing the work that God does in the world merely because we might have a Christian that says, I don't know if it's right for me to be in this leadership role, and therefore a unbeliever is going to vault above that person's speaker or take that role on that somehow. [00:37:51] Jesse Schwamb: Again, God's superintendent will, or his strong arm is, is somehow pulled aback from what he wants to do that we need like more Christian plumbing in the world. I do kind of bristle that idea a little bit. Specifically because I wonder if sometimes we go outside of that calling. [00:38:08] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, I, I'm picking up what you're putting down and I think, I think there's, um, it, it does all come back to theology, the cross theology of glory. [00:38:17] Tony Arsenal: And I'm glad that, that, that conversation happened before this. 'cause I think there's good framework there. I, I think, um, we, we as Christians can often confuse. The transformative power of the gospel with other ways of transforming culture. Yeah, that's good. Right. So, um, it is totally, um, I wanna be careful how I phrase this. [00:38:42] Tony Arsenal: I'm not post mill, I'm probably never gonna be post mill, but I'm okay with a kind of post mill theology that says that the gospel of Jesus Christ, as people become Christians, the culture will. Change along with that. And the gospel has a transformative power in that it changes individuals and individuals make up, make up the broader society. [00:39:05] Tony Arsenal: And so the society itself changes. Where I struggle with some flavors of postal theology, and this is where I think the theology of glory comes in, is there are some kinds of postal theology I'm thinking, I'm thinking, um, like Doug Wilson, they just, uh, opened A-C-R-A-C church in Washington, DC specifically with the goal of gaining influence with politicians. [00:39:26] Tony Arsenal: Right. I might be misconstruing that a little bit 'cause I haven't read all of it, but that's, that's the impression that I'm getting from some of their promotional material. I, I think we can, we can look at it and say the gospel can change culture as the gospel. And so where that. [00:39:43] Sacrifices and Priorities in Christian Vocation [00:39:43] Tony Arsenal: Levels of playing field is that whether you are, and this is where I think a genuine Protestant reform theology of vocation comes in, whether you're the janitor of the hospital or whether you're the CEO of the hospital, the gospel is the same and your role in proclaiming the gospel is the same. [00:39:58] Tony Arsenal: And you might have more people's ear as the CEO than you do as the janitor. Although I would maybe question that knowing how many people janitors interact with at the hospital, um, you may have more people's ears in a higher level position, but the message that you're proclaiming, the influence that you're wielding or you're using, I don't know what you wanna say. [00:40:18] Tony Arsenal: It's not different because it's still just the gospel. [00:40:21] Jesse Schwamb: That's good. [00:40:21] Tony Arsenal: Um. Where I think we can get confused is when we look at it and say, but we have these other opportunities to transfer, transform the culture by, um, for example, I, I'm the supervisor in my patient relations department. I'm making changes to the, to the policy and the way that we as a sort of service recovery resolution group, the way that we interact with patients, I'm making changes to that. [00:40:46] Tony Arsenal: I think those changes are consistent with the law of God as revealed in the light of nature, and I'm. I'm informed of those things and my whole outlook and ethos is shaped by the scriptures, but. I don't see the transformation of the way we interact with patients as somehow propagating the gospel, right? [00:41:05] Tony Arsenal: So we can, we can make transformation and make society better, right? If you're a politician, you can, you can legislate things that make society more outwardly in conformity with the law of God or more pleasant and more prosperous, and more flourishing, and those are all fine and well, but that's not. [00:41:21] Tony Arsenal: Building the kingdom of God in, in a strict sense. Right? And so I think what we're getting at is our, would it be great if, if, you know, the CEO of a major Fortune 500 company could be a Christian? Yeah. That would be kind of cool. Sure of That'd be nice, of course. And yeah, they could probably do a lot of good things and they could probably shape the way that that business runs and they could probably, um, have more opportunities to share the gospel. [00:41:42] Tony Arsenal: They could probably shape their business into a vehicle that, that moves forward. Missions, all those things are great, but. If the trade off is that that person has to sacrifice their genuine Christian convictions, right? That's not worth it. And I think we, we look at this and we might be able to identify certain. [00:42:00] Tony Arsenal: Obvious ways that we would say, no, it's not worth it. Right? If a CEO, uh, the CEO of a major retailer has to give way to all of the, um, transgender LGBT sexual, you know, identity politics has to give way to that in order to survive as CEO, I think we would all look at that and go, yeah, it's probably a hard sacrifice, but that's a sacrifice we would expect a genuine Christian to make at that level. [00:42:25] Tony Arsenal: Where we might not look at it is saying, well, I don't know. The Bible says that if you don't properly care for your family, then you're worse than an unbeliever. That's right. And so that CEO that is at the office for 70 hours a week and is never home, um, and their kids don't, you know, their kids don't have an opportunity to know their father or their mother because their. [00:42:44] Tony Arsenal: Constantly jet setting around the world. I don't know that we would as readily identify that as a sacrifice. I would actually argue that, that the Bible is probably clearer about that being a problem than it is about identity politics or other sort of, of social issues that, that, uh, a business person might have to. [00:43:04] Tony Arsenal: Hold their nose a little bit and, and, you know, sign off on a commercial or something that they don't necessarily want to, I'm not advocating that they should do that, but I think the Bible is clearer about a person who is taken away from their home more than is reasonable and more than is healthy for their family. [00:43:20] Tony Arsenal: Or a Christian who never is able to worship on the Lord's day, um, or, or something like that. I think the Bible is clearer about that than it is on. Something like identity politics and some of the tangential ways that, that might, might cause a person to need to compromise a little bit at a high level. [00:43:35] Tony Arsenal: So I, I think this is a, it's an interesting question that we probably don't think about it from the right angle most of the time. [00:43:41] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, it's just too easy to consider this in light of if we can get more responsibility, that should always be a good thing. And I think that proclivity is, is fine and maybe even noble, but sometimes I think we do get it twisted where we get this sense that we are trying to make the world into something moral like the church. [00:43:57] Jesse Schwamb: And if we could do that in our jobs and get the most influence in that greatest sphere of impact. We should always take on those additional responsibilities. And I do think we have to sit back and ask and say, is that the calling? So that we're pursuing what is our vocation, not just our potential. [00:44:13] Jesse Schwamb: There's a lot of brilliant, God has made all kinds of brilliant people. Many of them are his children, and as a result of that, we might say like we should always again be trying to move up. And this is not to say that we shouldn't take great initiative, that we shouldn't want to try to do more and be more productive. [00:44:27] Jesse Schwamb: You and I have always been outspoken about that kind of thing, but I think there is a real temptation. To somehow say like, what we need to do is like to infiltrate in all the places. And I think what we mean by that is that things will, like, whether we wanna admit it or not, that things here will be better. [00:44:41] Jesse Schwamb: And I, I don't know all the time that what we're saying is what you just said, which was that what we're really concerned with is that the gospel get proclaimed more forthrightly. More loudly, more specifically, more cogently in all places. But that if we just had good examples of moral behavior and good character, yes, those things are profitable in and of their own ways, but there's also a lot of common grace we see God bring about good leaders who are not a Christian at high level to do that kind of thing. [00:45:05] Jesse Schwamb: And sometimes I do wonder, just depending on the job, quite honestly, whether it's really possible for Christian to be successful in that job. [00:45:14] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. [00:45:14] Jesse Schwamb: As like the world or the industry or the company has defined it. I'm not sure that's the case, so I don't wanna put like too high a line on this. I think we're trying to just drop a bomb in some ways and say, I'm not gonna make it overly prescriptive and say like, as a Christian, you can't be a CEO. [00:45:29] Jesse Schwamb: Move on. That's not true at all. Of course, again, here are hopefully what we said about the particulars of that wrestling through it and again. Really sensing where there's an actual call on your life that God has given for that role in a particular time. But I do think we ought to question where there's always and everywhere appropriate for any Christian to take on, quite frankly, any job. [00:45:51] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. And so I'm with you. Sometimes it's super easy when I first start out in banking, when I was looking for my second banking job. I had a great interview. It was a very nice company. The bank actually doesn't exist anymore, but, uh, one of the things, one of their big, like, kind of gimmicks was they were open seven days a week. [00:46:09] Jesse Schwamb: And so I said to them, well. I attend church on Sundays. That's my day of rest and my high conviction on that. And I said, is there any flexibility with that? And they said, Nope. You would still have to be on the schedule. And though they very graciously offered me the job, I was thankfully in a place where I, I turned that down. [00:46:26] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. Actually I didn't have a job at the time, but I turned it down trusting. That God would provide. And this wasn't my great act of faith on my part. It was more of just, I think what you were saying, Tony, growing in our conviction that those things really do matter. Yes. And that it's sometimes just too easy to kind of push them aside and say, I, I know it's gonna be really stressful. [00:46:43] Jesse Schwamb: I know it might take much more of my time than I want to give. I know I might be at home a lot less. I know I might have less like attentional fortitude and space to think about my spouse or my children, but it's gonna be worth it because. I'll be able to like have this big influence. I do think sometimes madness lies that way. [00:47:02] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. Certainly a great deal of foolishness. This is just hopefully a call for all of us as God's children to, to think through that. I don't wanna discourage anybody from taking on bigger and bolder things for the kingdom of God. I think we all have to think about what it is that we're. Promulgating or proclaiming when we talk about the Kingdom of God coming and whether or not we're just trying to make the world a better place, so to speak. [00:47:26] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. By bringing our like quote unquote Christian influence into a setting where really that influence is now particularly strong and what it's actually compromising is the vocation that we're meant to undertake. [00:47:37] Concluding Thoughts and Future Discussions [00:47:37] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Are you ready to, for me to drop two bombs? Just, just straight up. You got, [00:47:41] Jesse Schwamb: you got two of them. [00:47:42] Jesse Schwamb: Let's do it. I, I've [00:47:43] Tony Arsenal: got 13 minutes or less left on this episode. There go. So I actually got into a pretty big, uh, like a pretty big dust up with someone way back in the day when I was in the reform hub over actually this topic. And I'm surprised I didn't think of it earlier in the evening. Um, we are using like CEOs as like kind of the proxy for this, but there's all sorts of jobs where, um, your, your job may be admirable and it may be. [00:48:06] Tony Arsenal: Right. Even something that's sort of quote unquote necessary for society. But I got into a big dust up with someone who was an overroad trucker, right? And they were constantly, um, posting in the pub at, at back in the day. They were constantly posting how discouraged they were and, and how difficult their faith was and how much of a challenge it was to just remain faithful as a Christian. [00:48:27] Tony Arsenal: And I. Originally, I kind of naively and, and I think innocently said like, well, you know, like, have you talked to your pastor about this? And the person said like, well, I don't have a regular church because I'm always on the road. And I said like, well, there's your problem. Like there's the first step is like, figure out your local church thing. [00:48:43] Tony Arsenal: He said, well, I can't do that

Go to Kindafunny.com/XREAL, Amazon, or Best Buy to grab yours now!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDPGHVCB?maas=maas_adg_94D809319DE2358E49DA54BC8B880A40_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com/product/xreal-one-pro-ar-glasses-w-x1-chip-171-fhd-120hz-display-w-sound-by-bose-for-iphone16-15-steam-rog-mac-pc-android-ios-57-66mm-ipd/CZTVG22GYF What's going on with Lost Soul Aside, Tim Sweeney's response to Unreal Engine 5 issues, and former Black Panther devs join a new studio! Thank you for the support! Run of Show - - Start - HousekeepingToday after, KFGD, you'll get:GAMESCAST - Greg played Pokemon Legends Z-AAfter Gamescast is Prey In ReviewThen the STREAM is AbyssusIf you're a Kinda Funny Member:.Thank you to our Patreon Producers: Karl Jacobs, OmegaBuster, & Delaney "The Somm" TwiningThe Roper Report   - - Early Lost Soul Aside PS5 Reviews Axed as 'Comprehensive' Day One Patch Is Announced - Robert Ramsey @ Push Square - Unreal Engine 5 performance issues are mainly due to devs not optimising properly, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney says - Chris Scullion @ VGC - Ad - Former Black Panther Developers Join Wizards of the Coast for New Game Project - Rebekah Valentine @ IGN - Alex Garland really wanted the Elden Ring movie to happen - Tyler Colp @ PC Gamer - Like A Dragon's developer is set to hold its next big reveal event ahead of Tokyo Game Show - Andy Robinson @ VGC - Elden Ring Nightreign is getting even harder in September - Andrew Webster @ The Verge - Crystal Dynamics has been hit with layoffs - a post on Linkedin - Mega Hawlucha announced for Pokémon Legends Z-A - Jordan Middler @ VGC - Wee News! - SuperChats & You‘re Wrong Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to Kindafunny.com/XREAL, Amazon, or Best Buy to grab yours now!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDPGHVCB?maas=maas_adg_94D809319DE2358E49DA54BC8B880A40_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com/product/xreal-one-pro-ar-glasses-w-x1-chip-171-fhd-120hz-display-w-sound-by-bose-for-iphone16-15-steam-rog-mac-pc-android-ios-57-66mm-ipd/CZTVG22GYF Thank you for the support! Run of Show - - Start - Housekeeping - Greg's Preview of Pokemon Legends Z-A - Greg's Team in Pokemon Violet - Mega Evolution Battle in Z-A - Ads - Pokemon Worlds Championships - Pokemon Taking Over Greg's Life - Pokemon Scarlet & Violet DLC Spoilers - Greg's First Pokemon Review - SuperChats Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to Kindafunny.com/XREAL, Amazon, or Best Buy to grab yours now!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDPGHVCB?maas=maas_adg_94D809319DE2358E49DA54BC8B880A40_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com/product/xreal-one-pro-ar-glasses-w-x1-chip-171-fhd-120hz-display-w-sound-by-bose-for-iphone16-15-steam-rog-mac-pc-android-ios-57-66mm-ipd/CZTVG22GYF Thank you for the support! Run of Show - - Start - Housekeeping - Greg's Preview of Pokemon Legends Z-A - Greg's Team in Pokemon Violet - Mega Evolution Battle in Z-A - Ads - Pokemon Worlds Championships - Pokemon Taking Over Greg's Life - Pokemon Scarlet & Violet DLC Spoilers - Greg's First Pokemon Review - SuperChats Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to Kindafunny.com/XREAL, Amazon, or Best Buy to grab yours now!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDPGHVCB?maas=maas_adg_94D809319DE2358E49DA54BC8B880A40_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com/product/xreal-one-pro-ar-glasses-w-x1-chip-171-fhd-120hz-display-w-sound-by-bose-for-iphone16-15-steam-rog-mac-pc-android-ios-57-66mm-ipd/CZTVG22GYF Thank you for the support! Run of Show - - Start - Housekeeping - Greg's Preview of Pokemon Legends Z-A - Greg's Team in Pokemon Violet - Mega Evolution Battle in Z-A - Ads - Pokemon Worlds Championships - Pokemon Taking Over Greg's Life - Pokemon Scarlet & Violet DLC Spoilers - Greg's First Pokemon Review - SuperChats Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to Kindafunny.com/XREAL, Amazon, or Best Buy to grab yours now!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDPGHVCB?maas=maas_adg_94D809319DE2358E49DA54BC8B880A40_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com/product/xreal-one-pro-ar-glasses-w-x1-chip-171-fhd-120hz-display-w-sound-by-bose-for-iphone16-15-steam-rog-mac-pc-android-ios-57-66mm-ipd/CZTVG22GYF Thank you for the support! Run of Show - - Start - Thoughts - ADS - Plot - RaGu BaGu - Rank Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stocks  heading into the fall with Nvidia earnings in the books, and the Fed's Jackson Hole conference in the rearview. So what's the next catalyst that will move markets? Our traders debate what they see in store for stocks. Plus Gap reporting results, with other big names like Dick's, Best Buy, and more delivering quarterly numbers. How the retail space is faring, and the names to watch.Fast Money Disclaimer

Carl Quintanilla, Jim Cramer and David Faber engaged in a wide-ranging conversation about Nvidia and what's next for the stock and the AI trade. The world's most valuable company posted a Q2 earnings beat, but the stock fell in reaction to lighter-than-expected data center revenue growth -- and a Q3 outlook that did not include H20 chip shipments to China. The anchors also discussed the lawsuit Fed governor Lisa Cook filed against the Trump Administration, contesting the president's move to fire her. Also in focus: The retail earnings parade led by Dollar General and Best Buy, Snowflake soars, upheaval at the CDC. Squawk on the Street Disclaimer

Go to Kindafunny.com/XREAL, Amazon, or Best Buy to grab yours now!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDPGHVCB?maas=maas_adg_94D809319DE2358E49DA54BC8B880A40_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com/product/xreal-one-pro-ar-glasses-w-x1-chip-171-fhd-120hz-display-w-sound-by-bose-for-iphone16-15-steam-rog-mac-pc-android-ios-57-66mm-ipd/CZTVG22GYF Thank you for the support! Run of Show - - Start - Housekeeping - Greg's Preview of Pokemon Legends Z-A - Greg's Team in Pokemon Violet - Mega Evolution Battle in Z-A - Ads - Pokemon Worlds Championships - Pokemon Taking Over Greg's Life - Pokemon Scarlet & Violet DLC Spoilers - Greg's First Pokemon Review - SuperChats Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to Kindafunny.com/XREAL, Amazon, or Best Buy to grab yours now!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDPGHVCB?maas=maas_adg_94D809319DE2358E49DA54BC8B880A40_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com/product/xreal-one-pro-ar-glasses-w-x1-chip-171-fhd-120hz-display-w-sound-by-bose-for-iphone16-15-steam-rog-mac-pc-android-ios-57-66mm-ipd/CZTVG22GYF Thank you for the support! Run of Show - - Start - Thoughts - ADS - Plot - RaGu BaGu - Rank Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to Kindafunny.com/XREAL, Amazon, or Best Buy to grab yours now!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDPGHVCB?maas=maas_adg_94D809319DE2358E49DA54BC8B880A40_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com/product/xreal-one-pro-ar-glasses-w-x1-chip-171-fhd-120hz-display-w-sound-by-bose-for-iphone16-15-steam-rog-mac-pc-android-ios-57-66mm-ipd/CZTVG22GYF Another Clair Obscur game is coming, Bethesda teases a new story DLC for Starfield, and Return to Silent Hill's first trailer has dropped. Thank you for the support! Run of Show - - Start - Housekeeping Today after, KFGD, you'll get: If you're a Kinda Funny Member: The Roper Report   - - Another Clair Obscur Game Is Coming - Starfield Developer Teases Story DLC, Space Gameplay Changes and New Systems - Ad - Return to Silent Hill's First Cinematic Trailer Has Completely Divided the Community - Nintendo Stars Is the Name of Nintendo's Freshly-Restructured Division Now Dedicated to Movies - Atari has acquired five Ubisoft games, including Child of Eden and Grow Home, and will re-release and ‘evolve' them - Wee News! - SuperChats & You‘re Wrong Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to Kindafunny.com/XREAL, Amazon, or Best Buy to grab yours now!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDPGHVCB?maas=maas_adg_94D809319DE2358E49DA54BC8B880A40_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com/product/xreal-one-pro-ar-glasses-w-x1-chip-171-fhd-120hz-display-w-sound-by-bose-for-iphone16-15-steam-rog-mac-pc-android-ios-57-66mm-ipd/CZTVG22GYF Thank you for the support! Run of Show - - Start - The Outer Worlds 2 Preview - Ads - Companions - Kirby and the Forgotten Land Switch 2 Review Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to Kindafunny.com/XREAL, Amazon, or Best Buy to grab yours now!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDPGHVCB?maas=maas_adg_94D809319DE2358E49DA54BC8B880A40_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com/product/xreal-one-pro-ar-glasses-w-x1-chip-171-fhd-120hz-display-w-sound-by-bose-for-iphone16-15-steam-rog-mac-pc-android-ios-57-66mm-ipd/CZTVG22GYF Thank you for the support! Run of Show - - Start - The Outer Worlds 2 Preview - Ads - Companions - Kirby and the Forgotten Land Switch 2 Review Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to Kindafunny.com/XREAL, Amazon, or Best Buy to grab yours now!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDPGHVCB?maas=maas_adg_94D809319DE2358E49DA54BC8B880A40_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com/product/xreal-one-pro-ar-glasses-w-x1-chip-171-fhd-120hz-display-w-sound-by-bose-for-iphone16-15-steam-rog-mac-pc-android-ios-57-66mm-ipd/CZTVG22GYF Thank you for the support! Run of Show - - Start - The Outer Worlds 2 Preview - Ads - Companions - Kirby and the Forgotten Land Switch 2 Review Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to Kindafunny.com/XREAL, Amazon, or Best Buy to grab yours now!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDPGHVCB?maas=maas_adg_94D809319DE2358E49DA54BC8B880A40_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com/product/xreal-one-pro-ar-glasses-w-x1-chip-171-fhd-120hz-display-w-sound-by-bose-for-iphone16-15-steam-rog-mac-pc-android-ios-57-66mm-ipd/CZTVG22GYF Thank you for the support! Run of Show - - Start - The Outer Worlds 2 Preview - Ads - Companions - Kirby and the Forgotten Land Switch 2 Review Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso, Shoptalk's Ben Miller joined Chris and Anne to discuss: Target's CEO Succession – Michael Fiddelke named as next CEO, sparking debate about internal vs. external leadership choices (Source) Hertz Car Sales on Amazon Autos – Fleet dealer partnership expands used car marketplace with thousands of pre-owned vehicles in major markets (Source) Best Buy's Third-Party Marketplace Launch – 500 vetted sellers bring tech accessories and seasonal items to expand product selection (Source) Walmart Canada BNPL with Klarna – Buy now, pay later comes to 400+ Canadian stores for purchases over $50 CAD (Source) Fabletics RFID Rollout – Gray Orange's G Store solution achieves 95-97% fill rates and 20% sales boost across 100+ locations (Source: Retail Touchpoints) And AWS's Daniele Stroppa also dropped by to help us hand hand August's award for Retail Startup of the Month to Vody for its AI-optimized e-commerce data solutions. There's all that, plus Ben Miller's Oasis concert review, Arsenal's 15-year-old phenom Max Dohman, and whether coffee should always be “small and purposeful.” P.S. Be sure to check out all our other podcasts from the past week here, too: https://omnitalk.blog/category/podcast/ P.P.S. Also be sure to check out our podcast rankings on Feedspot P.P.P.S. Get your discounted admission now with Omni Talk! Retailers and brands save 20% with codes: For Shoptalk Fall, use code RBOMNIT20 (Link: https://stfall25-registration.personatech.com/code?cId=cmJvbW5pdDIw) For Groceryshop, use code RBOMNIT510 (Link: https://gs25-registration.personatech.com/code?cId=cmJvbW5pdDUxMA==) Or save 20% off General Admission with codes: For Shoptalk Fall, use code GAOMNIT20 (Link: https://stfall25-registration.personatech.com/code?cId=Z2FvbW5pdDIw) For Groceryshop, use code GAOMNIT799 (Link: https://gs25-registration.personatech.com/code?cId=Z2FvbW5pdDc5OQ==) Music by hooksounds.com

Go to Kindafunny.com/XREAL, Amazon, or Best Buy to grab yours now!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDPGHVCB? maas=maas_adg_94D809319DE2358E49DA54BC8B880A40_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com/product/xreal-one-pro-ar-glasses-w-x1-chip-171-fhd-120hz-display-w-sound-by-bose-for-iphone16-15-steam-rog-mac-pc-android-ios-57-66mm-ipd/CZTVG22GYF A Nintendo Direct is reportedly coming in September, Skate's cover art has been revealed, and Ubisoft's CEO is going to court. Thank you for the support! Run of Show - - Start - Housekeeping Today after, KFGD, you'll get: GAMESCAST - Sonic Racing Crossworlds Preview Then the STREAM is Greg hanging out w/ Erika Ishii If you're a Kinda Funny Member: Thank you to our Patreon Producers: Karl Jacobs, OmegaBuster, & Delaney "The Somm" Twining The Roper Report   - - PlayStation Boss Says Company Now Does 'Much More Rigorous and More Frequent Testing' After Concord's Failure - Rebekah Valentine @ IGN - Sony finally makes the PlayStation refund process easier - Connor Makar @ Eurogamer - Skate's Early Access date has finally been confirmed - Chris SCullion @ VGC - Ad - Nintendo is reportedly telling would-be Switch 2 devs to release on Switch instead - Chris Scullion @ VGC - Baby Steps has been delayed because of Silksong - Press Release - Wee News! - SuperChats & You‘re Wrong Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to Kindafunny.com/XREAL, Amazon, or Best Buy to grab yours now!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDPGHVCB?maas=maas_adg_94D809319DE2358E49DA54BC8B880A40_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com/product/xreal-one-pro-ar-glasses-w-x1-chip-171-fhd-120hz-display-w-sound-by-bose-for-iphone16-15-steam-rog-mac-pc-android-ios-57-66mm-ipd/CZTVG22GYF Thank you for the support! Run of Show - - Start - Housekeeping - Erika Ishii's story - Ads - Becoming the ghost - What do you want gamers to know when they play Ghost of Yotei - we talk about worlds beyond numbers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to Kindafunny.com/XREAL, Amazon, or Best Buy to grab yours now!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDPGHVCB?maas=maas_adg_94D809319DE2358E49DA54BC8B880A40_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com/product/xreal-one-pro-ar-glasses-w-x1-chip-171-fhd-120hz-display-w-sound-by-bose-for-iphone16-15-steam-rog-mac-pc-android-ios-57-66mm-ipd/CZTVG22GYF Thank you for the support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to Kindafunny.com/XREAL, Amazon, or Best Buy to grab yours now!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDPGHVCB?maas=maas_adg_94D809319DE2358E49DA54BC8B880A40_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com/product/xreal-one-pro-ar-glasses-w-x1-chip-171-fhd-120hz-display-w-sound-by-bose-for-iphone16-15-steam-rog-mac-pc-android-ios-57-66mm-ipd/CZTVG22GYF Thank you for the support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to Kindafunny.com/XREAL, Amazon, or Best Buy to grab yours now!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDPGHVCB?maas=maas_adg_94D809319DE2358E49DA54BC8B880A40_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com/product/xreal-one-pro-ar-glasses-w-x1-chip-171-fhd-120hz-display-w-sound-by-bose-for-iphone16-15-steam-rog-mac-pc-android-ios-57-66mm-ipd/CZTVG22GYF Thank you for the support! Run of Show - - Start - Housekeeping - Erika Ishii's story - Ads - Becoming the ghost - What do you want gamers to know when they play Ghost of Yotei - we talk about worlds beyond numbers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to Kindafunny.com/XREAL, Amazon, or Best Buy to grab yours now!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDPGHVCB?maas=maas_adg_94D809319DE2358E49DA54BC8B880A40_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com/product/xreal-one-pro-ar-glasses-w-x1-chip-171-fhd-120hz-display-w-sound-by-bose-for-iphone16-15-steam-rog-mac-pc-android-ios-57-66mm-ipd/CZTVG22GYF Thank you for the support! Run of Show - - Start - Housekeeping - Erika Ishii's story - Ads - Becoming the ghost - What do you want gamers to know when they play Ghost of Yotei - we talk about worlds beyond numbers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to Kindafunny.com/XREAL, Amazon, or Best Buy to grab yours now!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDPGHVCB?maas=maas_adg_94D809319DE2358E49DA54BC8B880A40_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com/product/xreal-one-pro-ar-glasses-w-x1-chip-171-fhd-120hz-display-w-sound-by-bose-for-iphone16-15-steam-rog-mac-pc-android-ios-57-66mm-ipd/CZTVG22GYF Thank you for the support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to Kindafunny.com/XREAL, Amazon, or Best Buy to grab yours now!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDPGHVCB?maas=maas_adg_94D809319DE2358E49DA54BC8B880A40_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com/product/xreal-one-pro-ar-glasses-w-x1-chip-171-fhd-120hz-display-w-sound-by-bose-for-iphone16-15-steam-rog-mac-pc-android-ios-57-66mm-ipd/CZTVG22GYF Thank you for the support! Run of Show - - Start - Housekeeping - Erika Ishii's story - Ads - Becoming the ghost - What do you want gamers to know when they play Ghost of Yotei - we talk about worlds beyond numbers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to Kindafunny.com/XREAL, Amazon, or Best Buy to grab yours now!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDPGHVCB?maas=maas_adg_94D809319DE2358E49DA54BC8B880A40_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com/product/xreal-one-pro-ar-glasses-w-x1-chip-171-fhd-120hz-display-w-sound-by-bose-for-iphone16-15-steam-rog-mac-pc-android-ios-57-66mm-ipd/CZTVG22GYF Thank you for the support! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Team Chip Podcast, Chip Townsend dives into the power of bold questions. From turning $3,000 of gear at Best Buy into a $1,700 deal, to uncovering better systems in your school, Chip shows why you don't get what you don't ask for. Learn how confidence, persistence, and the right questions can lead to better deals, stronger teams, and smarter business decisions.

Go to Kindafunny.com/XREAL, Amazon, or Best Buy to grab yours now!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDPGHVCB?maas=maas_adg_94D809319DE2358E49DA54BC8B880A40_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com/product/xreal-one-pro-ar-glasses-w-x1-chip-171-fhd-120hz-display-w-sound-by-bose-for-iphone16-15-steam-rog-mac-pc-android-ios-57-66mm-ipd/CZTVG22GYF A Nintendo Direct is reportedly coming in September, Skate's cover art has been revealed, and Ubisoft's CEO is going to court. Thank you for the support! Run of Show - - Start - Housekeeping Today after, KFGD, you'll get: If you're a Kinda Funny Member: The Roper Report   - - A Nintendo Direct is reportedly planned for mid-September - Skate Cover Art revealed, Early Access release date is coming - Ad - Demon School Delayed to avoid Hollow Knight - Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot summoned to appear before French court in relation to harassment trial - REPLACED has been delayed to spring 2026 - Pokémon Go is Boosting the Level Cap and Rebalancing the Experience - Wee News! - SuperChats & You‘re Wrong Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to Kindafunny.com/XREAL, Amazon, or Best Buy to grab yours now!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDPGHVCB?maas=maas_adg_94D809319DE2358E49DA54BC8B880A40_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com/product/xreal-one-pro-ar-glasses-w-x1-chip-171-fhd-120hz-display-w-sound-by-bose-for-iphone16-15-steam-rog-mac-pc-android-ios-57-66mm-ipd/CZTVG22GYF Thank you for the support! Run of Show - - Start - Housekeeping - Shinobi: Art of Vengeance Review - Ads - Hollow Knight: Silksong - What Should Change? - SuperChats Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to ⁠Kindafunny.com/XREAL⁠, Amazon, or Best Buy to grab yours now! Amazon: ⁠https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDPGHVCB?maas=maas_adg_94D809319DE2358E49DA54BC8B880A40_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas⁠ Best Buy: ⁠https://www.bestbuy.com/product/xreal-one-pro-ar-glasses-w-x1-chip-171-fhd-120hz-display-w-sound-by-bose-for-iphone16-15-steam-rog-mac-pc-android-ios-57-66mm-ipd/CZTVG22GYF⁠ Enjoy this ad-free version! Thank you for the support! Run of Show - - Start - Nick is on vacation - The Madness begins - KPOP Demon Hunters - Halloween Costumes - ADS - Mike opens a bucket of smackings - Greg unboxes some ghostbuster stuff - Minecraft youtube video - tahoe plague - Tim needs a sherpa Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to Kindafunny.com/XREAL, Amazon, or Best Buy to grab yours now!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDPGHVCB?maas=maas_adg_94D809319DE2358E49DA54BC8B880A40_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com/product/xreal-one-pro-ar-glasses-w-x1-chip-171-fhd-120hz-display-w-sound-by-bose-for-iphone16-15-steam-rog-mac-pc-android-ios-57-66mm-ipd/CZTVG22GYF Thank you for the support! Run of Show - - Start - Housekeeping - Shinobi: Art of Vengeance Review - Ads - Hollow Knight: Silksong - What Should Change? - SuperChats Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to Kindafunny.com/XREAL, Amazon, or Best Buy to grab yours now!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDPGHVCB?maas=maas_adg_94D809319DE2358E49DA54BC8B880A40_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com/product/xreal-one-pro-ar-glasses-w-x1-chip-171-fhd-120hz-display-w-sound-by-bose-for-iphone16-15-steam-rog-mac-pc-android-ios-57-66mm-ipd/CZTVG22GYF Thank you for the support! Run of Show - - Start - Housekeeping - Shinobi: Art of Vengeance Review - Ads - Hollow Knight: Silksong - What Should Change? - SuperChats Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to Kindafunny.com/XREAL, Amazon, or Best Buy to grab yours now!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDPGHVCB?maas=maas_adg_94D809319DE2358E49DA54BC8B880A40_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas Best Buy: https://www.bestbuy.com/product/xreal-one-pro-ar-glasses-w-x1-chip-171-fhd-120hz-display-w-sound-by-bose-for-iphone16-15-steam-rog-mac-pc-android-ios-57-66mm-ipd/CZTVG22GYF Thank you for the support! Run of Show - - Start - Housekeeping - Shinobi: Art of Vengeance Review - Ads - Hollow Knight: Silksong - What Should Change? - SuperChats Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Russia launched a rare drone and missile attack on western Ukraine overnight, officials said Thursday, striking targets including an American-owned electronics plant and injecting further uncertainty into the U.S.-led efforts to end the 3-year-old war. For all his tough talk, US President Donald Trump has yet to issue a comment or reply to the attack by Putin.“There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.” Isaiah 57:21 (KJB)On this episode of the Prophecy News Podcast, the name of the company that operates the location in Ukraine that Putin ordered destroyed is Flex, and they are a billion dollar global technology company headquartered in Texas. With over 100 locations around the world totaling 48,000,000 square feet of office and factory space, Flex is a major player. When the media reported the strike yesterday, they called Flex an ‘electronics company' leading you to think of them like you would a Best Buy, but nothing could be further from the truth. They are much more like Blackrock than they are Best Buy. So what Putin did is huge, and for an ‘America First' president it's an act of war. Yet strangely, the White House is silent on X, Trump on Truth Social has no comment, and nowhere across any Trump social media is this event even mentioned. What on Earth is going on? You're being played. On today's Podcast, the Deep State is firmly in control of Washington DC, and the pieces on the chessboard continue thier forward march towards war.

IKEA is opening mini showrooms inside select Best Buy stores, focusing on kitchen and laundry products with IKEA designers on-site. Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso. Chris and Anne disagree on whether this partnership makes sense - is it smart space utilization or an over-engineered branding exercise? For the full episode head here: youtu.be/wKzV_5mqg64 Topics: IKEA Best Buy partnership, retail partnerships, home goods, appliances #IKEA #BestBuy #partnership #retail #homegoods #appliances

When I was growing up, radio was my solace. I loved it so much that I chose it for my career. I can remember being 10 years old with my transistor radio listening to 10Q and KHJ. Later, it was KLOS, KMET, KNAC and KROQ. The call letters were cool, the music and bands remain bookmarks in my life. I can pretty much tell you how old I was, where I was and what was going on by the songs. But my friends were the dj's. Jeff Goner, Steve Downs, Bob Coburn, Rita Wilde, Dangerous Darren, Richard Blade, Rodney on the Rock. It was the people who told the stories about the music, the bands and what was happening behind the scenes. Many of us love design and architecture in the same way. And on that rare occasion when there is a combination of the two, well that's special. And this months induction into the Convo By Design Icon Registry is one such individual. This person is truly special and I have had the good fortune to work with her on a number of occasions.  Designer Resources Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise. Design Hardware - A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home!  - Where service meets excellence TimberTech - Real wood beauty without the upkeep LOME-AI.com, simple, inexpensive, text to video harnessing the power of AI to grow your firm, beautifully. Frances Anderton describes herself, “I tell stories and distill ideas about design, architecture and the cityscape of Los Angeles through print, broadcast media, exhibitions and public events.” All true, and she has the street crew to back that up. What Frances didn't mention is that she herself is part of the zeitgeist of Los Angeles. Nor would she, that would be weird. But one of the most wonderful things about Frances is her willingness to get into a topic and chop it up, refine it, reorganize it and play with it until she has boiled it's very essence into something consumable by anyone who with a modicum of interest. That is special.  To celebrate Frances and her induction into the Convo By Design Icon Registry, I want to reshare her moderating a panel conversation that aired on Convo By Design in 2015. Frances was a fixture for the 2-years that the West Hollywood Design District produced a wonderful event called DIEM, which stands for design intersects everything made. The programs were curated by Mallory Roberts Morgan, another remarkable LA gem of an individual. You don't know this, but you will in a minute… Mallory and Frances were huge influences on me as I launched the show in 2013 and for the first few years. Quite simply, I wanted to make people think and question the way they did. To tap into curiosity the way they did. To come up with really interesting angles like Mallory and rip the niceties away so we could really chop it up the way Frances did and does. This panel from 2015 featured, Stephan Simpkowitz, Carolina Miranda and Steven Goldberg. As you listen to this conversation, notice a few things. First, the topic they were discussing a decade ago has since fully matured and blossomed as LA became the global art destination it always wanted to be. Notice too how Frances leverages the talents and skills of her guests in such an effortless way. Quite simply, due to the very nature of this topic, it could have gone a very different way. This conversation is as relevant today as it was then. And Frances is a treasure. The Convo By Design Icon Registry is presented by Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home, a Best Buy Company and best friend to designers and architects everywhere. The business has become more complicated and Pacific Sales reverses that, find out how by checking the links in the show notes. So there you go, our newly inducted icon and a fantastic conversation from 2015. Thank you Frances, for all you do and all you have given back.  Thank you to my partner sponsors, Design Hardware, TimberTech and Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home, a Best Buy company and friend to specifiers near and far.

Listen here meow, Super Troopers 3 is coming, but not right meow. Gamescom is in full swing, and opening night live did not disappoint. PlayStation is joining its rivals, in raising prices on its 5 year old console, but at least the ODSTs are dropping into Helldivers 2? Plus Casting news for Scary Movie 6, The Hunt for Gollum and Avengers Doomsday. That and more, come take a listen,

In this week's Omni Talk Retail Fast Five, sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso, Chris and Anne discussed: Amazon adding perishable foods to its same-day delivery offering across 1,000+ U.S. cities (Source) Starbucks abandoning its mobile order, pickup-only store format due to lack of “warmth and human connection” (Source) Warby Parker ending its home try-on program as most users live within 30 minutes of a store (Source) IKEA opening mini-showrooms inside select Best Buy locations in Florida and Texas (Source) The conclusion of Target and Ulta Beauty's shop-in-shop partnership in August 2026 (Source) Chris and Anne also handed out our monthly OmniStar award to Scott Casciato, VP of Global Logistics and Omnichannel Fulfillment at Dick's Sporting Goods, and Ben Miller from Shoptalk dropped by for 5 Insightful Minutes on what to expect at this year's Shoptalk Fall and Groceryshop conferences. There's all that, plus NFL Crocs, Harry Potter doughnuts, pawn shop back-to-school shopping, and whether Chris will ever upgrade from his OOFOS slides. P.S. Get your discounted admission now with Omni Talk! Retailers and brands save 20% with codes: - For Shoptalk Fall, use code RBOMNIT20 (Link: https://stfall25-registration.personatech.com/code?cId=cmJvbW5pdDIw) - For Groceryshop, use code RBOMNIT510 (Link: https://gs25-registration.personatech.com/code?cId=cmJvbW5pdDUxMA==) Or save 20% off General Admission with codes: - For Shoptalk Fall, use code GAOMNIT20 (Link: https://stfall25-registration.personatech.com/code?cId=Z2FvbW5pdDIw) - For Groceryshop, use code GAOMNIT799 (Link: https://gs25-registration.personatech.com/code?cId=Z2FvbW5pdDc5OQ==) Music by hooksounds.com #RetailNews #AmazonFresh #StarbucksStrategy #WarbyParker #IkeaBestBuy #TargetUlta #RetailPodcast #OmniTalk #SameDayDelivery #RetailInnovation #ShopInShop #RetailPartnerships

This was a fine Tuesday crossword by Eric Rollfing, marking his fourth overall in the NYTimes, and his Tuesday debut.There were a bevy of TWL (Today We Learned) clues in today's puzzle. Most notably, we had 7D, Color whose name comes from the Greek word for "cuttlefish", SEPIA; the interestingly named 36A, Reptile that can reach up to 10 feet in length, MONITORLIZARD; and finally we went with the only loch we knew in 65A, Largest loch in Scotland by volume, NESS.In other news, it's Triplet Tuesday™️, and today Jean's in the hot seat, so you'll definitely want to check that out!Show note imagery: The  el Museo del Prado, which at one point had the distinction of having "the largest concentration of masterpieces per square meter".

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by Mirakl. In today's Retail Daily Minute:Home Depot reports nearly 5% sales growth in Q2 but misses analyst expectations as consumers focus on smaller home improvement projects while pulling back from larger discretionary spending.Best Buy launches its third-party marketplace featuring 500 sellers, adding tech accessories and non-tech items as the electronics retailer seeks new revenue streams amid declining sales.Blue Yonder acquires returns management provider Optoro to strengthen capabilities in processing the $890 billion in annual e-commerce returns, marking the company's sixth acquisition in under two years.The Retail Daily Minute has been rocketing up the Feedspot charts, so stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights. Be careful out there!

CMO Confidential Interview with Tom Goodwin, author, speaker, and former innovation head at Publicis, Zenith, and Havas. Tom discusses his belief that today's CMO's are overly focused on efficiency versus marketing principles and that the contemporary playbook has been created by tech companies focused on performance metrics. Key topics include: an unhealthy focus on the speed of measurement and short-term results; marketers having a "feeling of vulnerability" if they haven't heard of new tech; and the fact that many of the hyped direct-to-consumer brands like Casper and Ridge Wallets aren't actually doing that well. Tune in to hear the underestimated impact of "beauty" and a story about being locked out of a self-driving car.

My creative experience building an AI podcast co-host says it all. Hear all about it on the next episode of the Psych Tech @ Work Podcast - coming soon!AI skills are essential but dauntingAI adoption is accelerating—over 70% of companies report they're actively integrating AI tools into their workflows. But for the people expected to use those tools, it's a different story.Most professionals say they feel unprepared or even anxious about using AI on the job. Traditional training often falls short with AI skills because it focuses on tools, not mindset.And the stakes are high: as AI becomes embedded in everyday work, careers will increasingly rely on comfort and expertise with AI.This gap and the demand for innovative strategies to close it has been top of mind for me. Good news - my fascination with AI led me to a solution! (more on this later)Creativity unlocks AI skillsI recently gave a talk at a meeting of the New Orleans AI Philosopher's group (AKA NOAI), on AI and the future of our local economy.At this event I saw a talk by Jimmy Lepore Hagan—an artist, designer and educator—who shared a fascinating approach to AI adoption that is fresh, unique, and noteworthy.Jimmy's talk was about the value of creativity in lowering fear of AI. He demonstrated some concepts from a workshop series he has developed featuring a series of low stakes, creative exercises grounded in design thinking to help people build comfort, confidence, and curiosity when working with AI.As a workplace psychologist I immediately saw the potential for a collaboration - applying Jimmy's hands-on educational model to my world to help people leaders solve a difficult problem.As someone who's spent decades applying psychological science to the development and measurement of human traits in the workplace, I have experience understanding the impact of creativity on outcomes that are directly related to work performance.As I processed this stuff- I took a step back and reviewed foundational research that shaped my earlier work—this time, through the lens of AI. The connections stood out immediately. Traits like divergent thinking, cognitive flexibility, and creative self-efficacy have long been linked to performance, but they also play a critical role in how people approach new, uncertain technologies. The evidence is clear: creativity and experiential learning do more than build skills—they tap into deeply human strengths that make people more open, adaptable, and ready to thrive in the face of change.My dance with AI says it allIt became pretty clear to me that a collaboration with Jimmy could really have some legs.To get the ball rolling I invited Jimmy to be a guest on my Podcast “Psych Tech @ Work”.To prepare I wanted to gain some first hand experience with using creativity to help me sharpen my AI skills.I suck at coding and the requirement to use Python for this definitely gave me some anxiety, but I knew ChatGPT could somehow have my back.Thus came the idea to challenge myself (and have some fun) building an AI podcast co-host, Mayda Tokens.Mapping out and executing a workflow to bring Mayda to life threw me plenty of curveballs. Some of ChatGPT's more noteworthy and frustrating shenanigans included:* Multiple times ChatGPT relentlessly tried, and continually failed, to solve technical issues; but would not give up until I suggested that we were going in circles in a blind alley and maybe we should explore alternative methods. This prompt led immediately to a set of viable alternatives that would never have been explored if I hadn't decided to pull the plug.* When I backed ChatGPT into a corner I was flabbergasted when, instead of hallucinating a solution or looking for another option, it simply refused to help me. This was a head scratching result that must have exposed a ghost in the machine because its prime directive is NEVER to say NO!* As I explored different options for Mayda's voice, my text to speech output randomly switched to Japanese and then to emoji* As we hit dead ends trying to figure out how to bring Mayda into my podcast studio, I stupidly followed its instructions to run to Best Buy and Guitar Center to buy unnecessary hardware that neither place actually sold.In the three weeks it took to bring Mayda to life, I became hyper-focused—borderline obsessed—with working through many obstacles. The dopamine hits I got each time we solved a challenge together reminds me that my brain chemistry is essential for accessing and applying uniquely human traits like creativity, critical thinking, resilience, and tolerance for ambiguity.The interplay between my human biology and psychology was essential for winning the day, and my experience building Mayda really hammered home the value of creative collaboration with AI.Our workshop is the gateway to fearless AI skillsLearn how we're helping companies build fearless, AI-ready teams.Viewing AI as a dance partner is the paradigm that serves as the foundation of our workshop. Instead of lectures, videos, and formulaic exercises; we use creative, hands-on activities that help people relate to AI in a way that feels playful, safe, and real.In our workshop participants explore AI through:* Improvised dialogue with generative models* Creative prompt challenges* Group problem-solving sprints* Human-AI art collaborations* Guided reflection and peer feedbackBy mapping each of these design thinking centric, hands-on exercises to psychological principles—like creative self-efficacy, openness to experience, and experiential learning—the workshop becomes more than fun. It becomes a stealth learning experience where participants not only gain essential AI skills, they undergo cognitive changes that empower them to believe in the value of partnering with AI.We believe our workshop can be a difference-maker for companies navigating AI transformation—and a real competitive advantage for those that are bold enough to think differently about AI adoption.To learn more about our workshop, the collaborative ideas behind it, and meet Mayda Tokens Visit our workshop page and be sure to listen to our conversation about it on the next edition of my Psych Tech @ Work podcast. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit charleshandler.substack.com

To update you guys on this situation, I did get my games but I will never buy a game digitally off of Best Buy again.

About our guest:Steven Gaffney is a leading expert on increasing business profit through change  management, honest communication, and high performing teams. An author, speaker, and trusted advisor, Steven works directly with top leaders from Fortune 500 companies like Amazon, Marriott, Allstate Insurance, and even the U.S. government and military. Steven has authored four ground-breaking books: Just Be Honest: Authentic Communication Strategies that Get Results and Last a Lifetime, Honesty Works! Real-World Solutions to Common Problems at Work and Home, Be A Change Champion, and co-author of Honesty Sells: How to Make More Money and Increase Business Profits. He is currently working on two books: Reboot: How to Create and Sustain High Performing Teams, and The 9 Pillars of Sustainable Profitable Business Growth. His latest release, Unconditional Power, is available everywhere.Steven helps leaders across many industries.  Some of his clients include: Amazon, Marriott, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, SAIC, Allstate  Insurance, BP, World Bank, Congressional Budget Office, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of the Navy, Citigroup, Texas Instruments, NASA,American Cancer Society, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers,  Best Buy, and Johns Hopkins University. Thank you for listening to "Can You Hear Me?". If you enjoyed our show, please consider subscribing and leaving a review on your favorite podcast platform.Stay connected with us:Follow us on LinkedIn!Follow our co-host Eileen Rochford on Linkedin!Follow our co-host Rob Johnson on Linkedin!

You might be able to find the perfect furniture to go with your new TV you buy at Best Buy! Join Intern John, Sos, and Rose as we talk about mini-IKEAs opening at Best Buys and more!Make sure to also keep up to date with ALL of our podcasts we do below that have new episodes every week: The Thought Shower Let's Get Weird Crisis on Infinite Podcasts

We're sending Kathy Griffin good vibes. Kim Kardashian went to Mexico for a new treatment. Does Kris Jenner have 6 toes? A photoshopping faux pas comes for the Kardashians again. Kourtney Kardashian took internet parenting criticism to heart. The most expensive coffee on the planet. Human connection to nature is lower than ever. IKEA is opening mini stores in Best Buys. Plus: The Labubu black market is open, and a crisis at Chuck E. Cheese.

COPCK: The David Bowie Edition! Also, Finneas talks about an awkward moment he had with Taylor Swift and IKEA is teaming up with Best Buy.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

MONDAY HR 3 Monster Sports - ORLANDO CITY SC WIN!! NFL Preseason games. NASCAR HDMI cables! Best Buy joining up with this popular store.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MONDAY HR 3 Monster Sports - ORLANDO CITY SC WIN!! NFL Preseason games. NASCAR HDMI cables! Best Buy joining up with this popular store.

It's the dawn of a new era... featuring a new host (this guy named TJ?) and a refreshing cast, most of whom we haven't seen in a minute! Mel joins us to begin breaking it all down as the drama and Best Buy gift cards keep us hooked from the first moments of this next season.This podcast covers episodes 1-6!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ALL our episodes available AD-FREE on Patreon! Plus WEEKLY bonus episodes, our group chat and community, suggest us shows to watch, and more!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow the podcast on BlueSky!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Scally⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on BlueSky!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow the podcast on Twitter!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Scally⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Twitter!Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Gauntlet 2 cast:Veterans:Ace AmersonAdam LarsonAneesa FerreiraBeth StolarczykBrad FiorenzaDavid BurnsDerrick KosinskiJisela DelgadoJulie StofferKatie DoyleMark LongMontana McGlynnRobin HibbardRuthie AlcaideSyrus YarbroughTimmy Beggy"Rookies":Adam KingAlton WilliamsCameran EubanksCara ZavaletaDanny DiasIbis NievesJamie MurrayJeremy BlossomJillian ZoboroskiJo RhodesJodi WeathertonKina DeanLandon LueckMJ GarrettRandy BarrySusie Meister

This week on the Modern Retail Podcast, senior reporters Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels chat about Ikea's new pilot partnership with Best Buy, and why the first-ever partnership with a a third party retailer could become a meaningful new acquisition channel. And they unpack how tween mall staple Claire's wound up filing for Chapter 11 for the second time in seven years -- and why they may be not be the last legacy retailer to get pushed over the edge by tariff policy. Later in the episode (14:50), Daniels is joined by reporter Julia Waldow to discuss her recent story on how some brands are readying themselves for a potential checkout tool native to ChatGPT. They get into how AI tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini and more are blowing up the traditional consumer funnel, and how brands are trying to get ahead of the curve.