Podcasts about The Gospel Coalition

Join us for a conversation with Michael Keller, Council member of The Gospel Coalition and author of several books, including 'The Stories We Live By: Seven Cultural Myths That Fail Us', 'Story That Never Will', and 'Talking to Kids About Hard Things'. The Stories We Live By: Seven Cultural Myths That Fail Us: https://a.co/d/07msP6Tp

Brian shares the emotional moment of pitcher Justin Verlander's final game with the Detroit Tigers, when his daughter ran onto the field as he was pulled from the mound, reflecting on how a parent's priorities shift from personal ambition to family. He digs into a Gospel Coalition piece on "looks maxing," a toxic online trend among young men pursuing extreme body-altering beauty standards, calling the church to fill the discipleship gap with authentic mentorship. Brian discusses Tim Challies's explanation for why his church avoids singing songs associated with Bethel, Hillsong, and Elevation over theological and financial concerns tied to those ministries. He shares a fascinating trend piece on "sleep tourism" — people paying thousands for luxury hotel sleep retreats — arguing it's essentially commercialized Sabbath rest that Scripture offers for free, and a striking sociological finding that married couples who regularly attend church are the only demographic that has avoided the broader cultural "sex recession." He closes reflecting on Romans 8:28 and Ephesians 3:20, encouraging listeners to trust God's ability to work good even through present suffering.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if the soundtrack of your life is telling you something about your story—and about God?In this conversation, Leslie Pair sits down with Dr. Eva Bleeker to explore the fascinating connection between music, story, silence, and faith.Eva unpacks how our brains process music and narrative, why we're drawn to rhythm, repetition, tension, and surprise, and how these same ideas can help us understand the stories we're living. Together, they dive into the book of Revelation—not simply through the lens of end-times questions, but through its soundtrack: the worship, voices, trumpets, prayers, and ultimately the dramatic silence in heaven in Revelation 8.What does that silence reveal about God? What happens when the story of our lives feels broken or impossible to understand? And what if the God who receives endless worship is also the God who quiets heaven to listen to the prayers of His hurting people?It's a conversation about narrative wreckage, worship, healing, prayer, and the unfathomable love of a God who listens.And yes… there's some classic rock, a little More Than a Feeling, plenty of laughter, and a whole lot of Jesus along the way.⁠Learn more about Dr. Eva Bleeker⁠⁠Learn more about FRLS271⁠Show Notes & Reference:Bibliography for Song Story and Silence:Alberhasky, M., & Durkee, P. K. (2024). Songs tell a story: The arc of narrative for music. PLOS ONE, 19(5), e0303188. ⁠https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0303188⁠Caldas, T. (2020, April 18). How music crafts a narrative. Everything Is Noise. ⁠https://everythingisnoise.net/features/how-music-crafts-a-narrative/⁠Eyre, L. (2007). The marriage of music and narrative: Explorations in art, therapy, and research.Voices: A World Forum for Music Therapy, 7(3), Article 3. ⁠https://doi.org/10.15845/voices.v7i3.549⁠Griffith, F. J., Wong, S., Dietrich, K. M., Exline, J. J., & Pargament, K. I. (2022). ‘The music was speaking to me': Using narrative inquiry to describe sacred moments with music. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 79, 101911. ⁠https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2022.101911⁠Intelliminds. (2024, August 2). What Is narrative momentum? Understanding its power. Greenlight Coverage. ⁠https://glcoverage.com/2024/08/02/narrative-momentum/⁠Levitin, D. J. (2024). I heard there was a secret chord: Music as medicine. Canada: Penguin Canada.Levitin, D. J. (2010). Why music moves us. Nature, 464(7290), 834–835. ⁠https://doi.org/10.1038/464834a⁠Mathewson, D. L. (2020). A companion to the book of Revelation. Wipf and Stock Publishers.McAuley, J. D., Wong, P. C. M., Bellaiche, L., & Margulis, E. H. (2021). What drives narrative engagement with music? Music Perception, 38(5), 509–521. ⁠https://doi.org/10.1525/mp.2021.38.5.509⁠Nguyen, M., Vanderwal, T., & Hasson, U. (2019). Shared understanding of narratives is correlated with shared neural responses. NeuroImage, 184, 161–170. ⁠https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.09.010⁠Songs of the seer: The purpose of Revelation's hymns. (n.d.). The Gospel Coalition. Retrieved April 26, 2025, from ⁠https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/article/songs-of-the-seer-the-purpose-of-revelations-hymns/⁠The narrative function of music in a contemporary society: Designing an empirical approach through dialogical and representational practices of the social self. (n.d.). ResearchGate. Retrieved April 26, 2025, from⁠https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343135825_THE_NARRATIVE_FUNCTION_OF_MUSIC_IN_A_CONTEMPORARY_SOCIETY_DESIGNING_AN_EMPIRICAL_APPROACH_THROUGH_DIALOGICAL_AND_REPRESENTATIONAL_PRACTICES_OF_THE_SOCIAL_SELF

Guest host Chris Martin talks with Kevin Burrell, author of "Considering Sparrows," about birds!  As we consider creation, how does it help us to know our God better?  Trevin Wax of the Gospel Coalition talks about what someone called the Noonday Demon of Midlife, that time of life where so much is behind you and future options seem to be shrinking.  How do you keep your hope in God?  He also talks about his forthcoming book of daily prayers called "The Lord is My Light."   The Reconnect with Carmen and all Faith Radio are made possible by your support. Give now: Click here!

Brian discusses a federal judge's ruling that President Trump's ban of CNN, MS Now, and Politico from the White House was likely unconstitutional, arguing press freedom must be protected regardless of political affiliation. He reflects on a poll showing young voters increasingly favorable toward socialism over capitalism, making the case that neither political-economic system is the ultimate answer — the way of Jesus, marked by generosity and love of neighbor, is. Brian digs into Brad East's Christianity Today essay arguing Christians should seriously consider deleting social media entirely, not because it's sinful but because it fails to build up the soul, and shares Trevin Wax's Gospel Coalition piece questioning whether evangelicals give too little attention to angels and the unseen spiritual realm described throughout Scripture. He discusses a new study linking loneliness to nearly six fewer years of mental health for men, and shares Tim Challies's critique of Greta Gerwig's upcoming Narnia adaptation, questioning whether reimagining Aslan as genderless and voiced by Meryl Streep constitutes a "death work" that mocks rather than honors C.S. Lewis's Christ figure. He closes with a Charles Stanley devotional on Romans 8:1 and the freedom of "no condemnation" in Christ, illustrated through Peter's restoration after denying Jesus.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Gospel Coalition's Collin Hansen, editor of "The AI Apocalypse," talks about how his organization is handling the balance of how to use AI while maintaining the creation of human content.  He also addresses how AI is affecting us, good and ill, and how we need to remember the human factor.  Doug Groothuis, author of "What if Jesus is Right?" talks about some of the come, but false views about Jesus, and what He said about Himself.  The Reconnect with Carmen and all Faith Radio are made possible by your support. Give now: Click here!

Today On The Eric Metaxas Show, Megan Basham joins Eric to discuss the growing battle over artificial intelligence, regulation, and the money being spent to influence the debate.Megan explains why she is skeptical when major AI companies ask the federal government to regulate them and discusses reporting that she says revealed funding flowing to journalists and Christian organizations, including The Gospel Coalition, for AI-related content. She argues that the central issue is not simply who received funding, but whether audiences were clearly told about it.Eric and Megan also discuss China, AI alarmism, the potential benefits of new technology, and the growing fight over Paramount, Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN, and whether one of Hollywood's biggest studios could leave California.⭐ ORDER NOW:Revolution: The Birth of the Greatest Nation in the History of the World

Join us for a conversation with Juan Sanchez, Council member of The Gospel Coalition and is cofounder and president of Coalicion por el Evangelio. He is the author of numerous books, including '1 Peter for You', 'Seven Dangers Facing Your Church', and 'The Leadership Formula'.

Brian reflects candidly on the small signs of getting older as he approaches 50, and pivots to processing his disappointment over New York Giants quarterback Jackson Dart's season-ending knee injury as a window into how we handle life's bigger disappointments — encouraging listeners to run toward God rather than away from Him in moments of hurt. He shares an uplifting story of a Melbourne landlord who gifted his longtime tenant her home before his death, contrasting it with the real financial pressure many listeners feel amid rising prices, and makes the case for contentment and generosity as the antidote to discontentment. Brian digs into a Gospel Coalition piece on how Jesus reads the book of Jonah as a type pointing to His own death and resurrection, and the call to be ambassadors of reconciliation rather than reluctant, self-protective messengers. He shares troubling survey data on rising stress and heavy drinking among adults ages 50-64, discusses practical missionary-style tips for workplace evangelism from Sam Chan, and closes with Max Lucado's six steps toward forgiveness, reflecting honestly on his own ongoing struggle to forgive after being let go from the church he planted.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In June, the FDA authorized the nicotine pouch brand Zyn to advertise themselves as a lower-risk option than cigarettes. With Zyn has been growing in popularity with younger folks, it threatens to become a gateway into nicotine addiction. Luke Simon joins Russell Moore and Clarissa Moll to discuss whether using Zyn is a sin, and how addiction to nicotine pouches can develop. Then, Phylicia Masonheimer shares about overcoming her addiction to erotic novels, and how “romantasy” books warp our sense of the good and beautiful. Finally, Yale psychiatrist James Kimmell Jr. shares about neuroscience research on revenge, and how it looks very similar to an addiction. REFERENCED IN THE SHOW: Have Mercy on Me, a Zynner - Luke Simon GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN: Join the conversation at our Substack. Find us on YouTube. Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice. ABOUT THE GUESTS: Luke Simon is a content strategist for The Crossing church in Columbia, Missouri, and a M.Div. student at Covenant Theological Seminary. He has written on Gen Z, technology, masculinity, and the church. His writing appears in Christianity Today, Mere Orthodoxy, and The Gospel Coalition. Phylicia Masonheimer is a bestselling author, Bible teacher, and host of the Verity podcast. She is the founder of Every Woman a Theologian, whose mission is to equip Christian women to know what they believe, why they believe it, and to communicate it graciously to the world. Phylicia ministers in Northern Michigan alongside her husband and team. James Kimmel Jr. is a violence researcher, psychiatry professor, and author who explores the science of revenge, addiction, forgiveness, and violence. He identified compulsive revenge seeking as an addiction, and founded Revenge Anonymous, a 12-step program for recovering from revenge addiction. He is most recently the author of The Science of Revenge: Understanding the World's Deadliest Addiction--and How to Overcome It. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian reflects on the recently resurfaced story of Max Lucado secretly battling alcohol at the height of his ministry success, drawing out lessons on the danger of hidden shame and the healing power of confession within real community. He processes the tragic deaths of three people, including a well-known reporter, in a Los Angeles news helicopter crash, using it as a reminder of life's brevity and the need to live with eternal urgency. Brian discusses a Gospel Coalition piece on reaching people who consider themselves "spiritual but not religious," offering practical ways the church can meet them in their isolation, and shares Ligon Duncan's case for the pastoral value of expository preaching working through hard topics organically rather than topically singling people out. He warns against emotionally "cold" and silent marriages using a marriage counselor's clip about a man who stopped pursuing intimacy with his wife for eight months without either partner addressing it, and closes with Tim Challies's thoughtful framework for deciding whether to keep reading books by pastors who have been morally disqualified from ministry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do you do when following Jesus feels hard?

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to encourage the Church in a time of change.  5 Reasons to Go to Prayer Meeting What good is prayer?  If you ask any christian whether prayer is important to the christian life, inevitably they will answer that it is.  If you followup and ask about their own prayer life, the confidence invariably drains from them.  How do we improve our prayer lives.  The answer, dear christian, does not simply lie in yet another redoubling of effort.  It may just lie behind the difficult doors of being honest about our own hearts and learning how to pray from other believers that God has so graciously placed around us.  We explore all these ideas and more in this podcast inspired by our experiences of prayer and this article by Jonathan Landry Cruse for the Gospel Coalition. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/reasons-prayer-meeting/ "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

In this episode, Brett McCracken author of The Wisdom of Sleep: How Rest Reveals God's Truth and Revives Weary Souls,discusses how sleep and rest are vital for living an attentive, undivided life. He explores the spiritual and practical benefits of rest, the importance of recognizing our limits, and how sleep impacts our relationships and spiritual well-being. Brett McCracken is a senior editor for The Gospel Coalition and a leading voice at the intersection of faith, culture, and the arts. For two decades he has written articles and books that have helped Christians love the church, understand cultural trends, and engage the arts with thoughtful appreciation and biblical discernment. In recent years his focus has been on how the digital age shapes souls and erodes wisdom. This emphasis began with his influential 2021 book, The Wisdom Pyramid, followed by a co-edited project in 2025, Scrolling Ourselves to Death. His newest book, The Wisdom of Sleep(Zondervan Reflective, 2026), doubles as a theological reflection on rest and a critique of our optimization-obsessed technological moment. Chapters 00:00 Introduction: The harmony of work and rest 02:14 The spiritual significance of gratitude and everyday moments 05:08 The wisdom of recognizing human limits and God's sovereignty 07:55 The biblical foundation for wisdom and humility 12:01 Sleep's impact on emotional health and relationships 15:05 Living undivided: Presence, attention, and community 17:46 The importance of margin and intentionality in life 22:03 Digital distraction, sleep, and the modern challenge 26:08 The beauty of uncontrollable moments and divine gifts 30:09 Practicing gratitude and trust in God's provision 33:53 Trusting God's sovereignty and living with limits 38:12 The power of small moments and everyday wonder 43:10 Parenthood, presence, and the gift of time 47:49 Seizing grace and living in the moment 51:46 The importance of rest for serving others 56:01 The harmony of work, rest, and divine design 59:00 Conclusion: Living an integrated, undivided life

We all desire the church to be a safe place, where people with trauma know what it is to love and be loved (Matt. 22). In this workshop, we will explore the need for our youth ministries to become trauma-informed so that we may disciple students holistically and prevent further harm. We will discuss what trauma is, how the hope we have in Jesus speaks directly to any past, and when to seek a counseling referral.Liz Edrington serves as the Associate Director of Care for McLean Presbyterian Church. She received her M.A. in Counseling from Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida, and she's taught as an adjunct professor in the psychology department at Covenant College. She is an emeritus member of the Rooted steering committee, and she's the author of Anxiety: Finding the Better Story (P&R Publishing, 2023), which won The Gospel Coalition 2023 Book Award for Bible Study & Devotional Literature. Pickled things delight her, as does her snuggle beast, Bella the Dog.Resources: Matthew 22Helping Teenagers Process Graphic Violence: An Interview with Counselors Rahab Marshall and Gordon Bals - Rooted Ministry On Handling Crisis in Your Youth Ministry - PodcastsCreating a Child Protection Policy for Your Church - Rooted Ministry Follow @therootedministry on Instagram for more updates. Register for the Rooted 2026 Conference in Nashville. Hosted by: Danny Kwon, author of Teenagers and Mental Health; Becca Heck, M. Div. from Reformed Theological Seminary; Isaiah Marshall, Rooted's Director of Ministry Development; and Josh Hussung, M. Div. in Pastor Studies from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Grant Clark continues the How to Build a Life series through Proverbs with a message on wisdom in parenting. Working from the ninth fatherly discourse in Proverbs 6:20-23, he argues that the goal of parenting is not the cultural scorecard of success but children who know God, walk in his wisdom, and follow Jesus, and he lays out four practices from Proverbs for getting there: delight, demonstrate, disciple, and discipline. The message is for everyone in the room, parents or not, both as children of the Father in heaven and as the aunts and uncles of the church's kids.Grant opens with a story from his own week and names the humility this topic requires: none of the four points is a magic bullet or a quick fix, all of them are processes repeated over years. He recalls the ten fatherly discourses of Proverbs 1-9, where Solomon sits his son down and passes on a whole way of life, what some commentators call a curriculum in wisdom, and offers hope to parents who never received that kind of training themselves. He reads Proverbs 6:20-23: a father and a mother working together to teach, command, guide, and correct their child, where a command is a lamp, teaching is a light, and corrective discipline is the way of life.The four D's:1) Delight in your Children2) Demonstrate How to Walk3) Disciple them in Wisdom4) Discipline them in Love## What is the Goal of Parenting?Before the four practices, Grant asks what parents are actually aiming for. Every parent wants healthy, secure, happy children, but Proverbs gives a larger vision than the Western one of a good school, a good job, and a home. The goal of the Scriptures is that our children would know God, walk in his ways and his Word, and follow Jesus, or in New Testament language, that they would live out the great commandment and the Great Commission. Parenting is not controlling external behavior; it is forming hearts and showing children how to live wisely in God's world. Solomon told his son plainly what his goal for his life was. Grant asks the parents in the room: if your kids were handed the mic this morning and asked what your biggest desire for their life is, what would they say?## 1. Delight in Your ChildrenProverbs 4:3-4. Solomon remembers not only what his parents taught him but how they made him feel: tender, precious, cherished, tenderly loved. Grant reads Tim Keller on this verse:"The verse literally says, "I was the only one in the sight of my mother." A child should feel they are the object of powerful, unconditional love from the parent." – Tim KellerSolomon's parents did not just love him, they enjoyed him, and he wants to pass on both the teaching and the feeling. Grant connects this to the Father's words over Jesus at his baptism in Matthew 3:17, three formative pillars of identity: you are my son, I love you, I am proud of you. He describes speaking those same words over his daughter at bedtime for six and a half years, so that when correction comes, her identity and his love are never in question.Practical ways to show delight: give focused attention and be present, play with them in ways that fit their stage of life, listen to their stories and ask questions, speak affirmation over the good you see in them rather than only calling out the bad, build family memories, and tell and show them often how valuable they are to you.## 2. Demonstrate How to Walk in WisdomProverbs 23:26: "My son, give me your heart and let your eyes observe my ways." The heart in Hebrew thinking is the control center of the person, desires, thinking, and decision making, not just feelings. In context the father is warning his son against envy, drunkenness, sexual sin, and foolish companions, all of them competing for the son's heart. The father is saying: entrust your inner life to my wisdom, let me shape what you love and how you live, and watch my life. Grant links this to Jesus in John 13:15, whose disciples watched him in every conceivable situation, the highs and the lows, and to Paul in Philippians 4:9, whose discipleship strategy was the same: do what you have learned, received, heard, and seen in me.Children learn from instruction and correction, but they are also formed by example. Our lives interpret our words. If we say prayer matters but they never see us pray, if we say church matters but treat it as an obligation, if we say apologizing matters but they never hear us say sorry, they learn from the disconnect. Our faith does not need to be perfect, but it does need to be real, and the most powerful thing a parent can do is be a real example and repent when they mess up. More is caught than taught.## 3. Disciple Them in WisdomGrant summarizes a Gospel Coalition article, "Raising Kids in the Faith is Simpler than you May Think" by Joe Carter, built on research from the Institute for Family Studies. The single strongest predictor of a child's adult faith is not the church, the youth group, or their peers. It is the parents. The behaviors that most strongly predict lasting faith are active and verbal: praying together, saying grace before meals, reading and discussing the Bible, and talking about Jesus regularly in daily life. The report also notes that a generation of parents reacting against purity culture has overcorrected toward a light touch, and that children read parental silence about faith not as respect for their autonomy but as evidence that it is not important. Biblical parenting is intentional.Deuteronomy 6:4-9, the Shema: love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength, and repeat these words to your children when you sit in your house, walk along the road, lie down, and get up. Grant quotes Mark and Jan Foreman:Parenting is "on-the-job training. We use the show-and-tell of everyday moments to transmit spiritual life." – Mark and Jan ForemanDeuteronomy 6 holds together the formal and the informal: a daily, age-appropriate rhythm of Scripture and prayer as a family, and the spontaneous moments through the week, discussing situations at school, processing friendship and disappointment, talking about the messages in what they watch, and sharing stories of answered prayer and God's faithfulness. The home is the primary place of discipleship, and parents are the most important disciple makers.One practical action step: Eat together. Sit at the table, talk about highs and lows, and hear their questions. Grant reads from Leonard Sax's book The Collapse of Parenting:"Every meal counts. In a survey of 26,078 adolescents from a wide range of backgrounds—urban and rural, affluent and low-income—researchers asked each kid, In the last seven days, how many days have you had a meal with a parent? Kids who had more meals with a parent were less likely to have "internalizing problems" such as feeling sad, anxious, or lonely. They were less likely to have "externalizing problems" such as fighting, skipping school, or stealing. They were more likely to help others and more likely to report being satisfied with their own life.""But just insisting that everybody eat together, while the TV is blaring and the kids are texting at the dinner table, probably won't accomplish much by itself. We actually have good evidence that when the TV is on during suppertime, many of the benefits of a family meal evaporate."Make intentional, undistracted time to sit and talk about the day together.## 4. Discipline Them in LoveGrant recalls a church visit where Hebrews 12:6, God disciplines those he loves, was the verse on the screen as everyone walked in. Because God loves us, he disciplines, forms, and shapes us. Proverbs has a realistic (not an idealistic) view of children: they are a gift from God, and they are not born wise. Proverbs 22:15 says foolishness is bound up in their hearts, and it is trained out through teaching, correcting, encouraging, and at times rebuking."The word discipline means to punish. While the primary goal of parents is to teach what is right in an environment of love and delight, one of the main ways to do that is to establish both boundaries and consistent consequences for trespassing those boundaries for your children. Why? There is a design in the world, and to go against it brings natural consequences. If parents do not bring carefully controlled, unpleasant consequences into the children's lives, they will go out into the world and bring far more painful and harmful results onto themselves later." - Tim KellerDiscipline prepares children for the real world. Grant points back to Jackie Rodgers' sermon on discipline from the Ephesians series and her ten-year rule: if this behavior is still there in ten years, will it still look cute?He then reads three verses he expects some will find hard, and asks the church not to bypass uncomfortable texts but to humbly study, reflect, and pray through them: Proverbs 13:24, Proverbs 22:15, and Proverbs 29:15. He acknowledges directly that some in the room were physically or verbally abused by enraged parents who twisted Scripture, that this was not love, and that faithful families land in different places on how they apply these verses. What matters is the heart of what the verses are saying."...the rod was literally used to punish criminals in ancient society, it came to be a symbol of authority and of discipline in general. So when Proverbs tells parents to use the rod, it does include the possibility of corporal punishment, but it means much more." - Tim KellerThree clarifications. First, the rod does not boil down to spanking; the biblical idea is parents lovingly exercising authority through clear boundaries and meaningful consequences, in a culture where the children often lead the home instead of the parents. Second, Proverbs does not treat the rod as a magic bullet; discipline is not the essence of child rearing and spanking is not the only tool, as "a rod and a reprimand" in Proverbs 29:15 shows. Third, the discipline must be unpleasant. Grant tells the story of taking away his daughter's TV for an afternoon, the tantrum that followed, and the different child at breakfast the next day."We have said that the rod of discipline is not necessarily corporal punishment, but it is punishment—real consequences with teeth in them. If sin and folly are deep in every child's heart, it will take more than words to root them out." - Tim KellerHebrews 12:11: no discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those trained by it, like exercise that feels awful in the moment and bears fruit later. Kids need corrective discipline to grow into healthy, godly adults, and parents are responsible to follow through.So, what does Healthy discipline look like?- Loving- Calm- Consistent- Corrective- Formative- Punishment and Reward- Age-appropriate- RestorativeLoving: it flows from commitment to the child's good, and Proverbs calls the easy path of not disciplining hate. Calm: never driven by uncontrolled anger or frustration, so watch what is going on inside you. Consistent: follow through on the boundaries and consequences you have named. Corrective: it teaches what went wrong and what wisdom looks like, never humiliation, intimidation, or aggression. Formative: it is for their future and who they are becoming, not for our convenience. Punishment and reward: it teaches responsibility for actions, words, and attitudes, with consequences good and bad. Age-appropriate: parenting must change as children mature. Restorative: it ends with reconciliation, prayer, and a hug, with no lingering cloud, followed by talking through what was happening in their heart, what wisdom would have looked like, and what to do next time.## There Are No Perfect ParentsThe goal is not perfection but being pointed to the perfect Father in heaven and learning from him. All four D's are true of God: he delights in his children and sings over them (Zephaniah 3:17), he demonstrates his character to us in Jesus, he disciples us through his Word and Spirit, and he disciplines those he loves for our good. A hard season does not mean you are under God's discipline. When parents fail, they can come to him for mercy and wisdom, and parents should be the lead repenters in the home, quick to apologize and to show their own need for grace so their kids know it is okay to need it too. We cannot control the choices our children will make. We delight in them, demonstrate God's ways, disciple them, and discipline them for their good, and then entrust them to the Father who loves them more than we do.Delight: How will I communicate enjoyment to my child this week?Demonstrate: What area of my life needs to align with what I teach?Disciple: What simple spiritual rhythm could we begin at home?Discipline: Where do I need to become calmer, clearer or more consistent?Through the cross we are adopted into God's family, and the words the Father speaks over Jesus he speaks over us: you are my son, you are my daughter, I love you, and I am proud of you.Verses referenced:Proverbs 6:20-23 (CSB)Proverbs 4:3-4 (CSB)Matthew 3:17 (CSB)Proverbs 23:26 (CSB)John 13:15 (CSB)Philippians 4:9 (CSB)Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (CSB)Hebrews 12:6 (CSB)Proverbs 22:15 (CSB)Proverbs 13:24 (CSB)Proverbs 29:15 (NIV)Hebrews 12:11 (CSB)Zephaniah 3:17 (CSB)

On the 25th anniversary of September 11th, Brian shares a deeply personal memory of Jerry Paskins, a kind, ordinary man from his home church in New Jersey who was killed in the North Tower while on a business trip, putting a face to the tragedy's staggering scale. He wrestles with Colin Hansen's Christianity Today piece on the problem of evil, affirming that evil is real, death is inevitable, God remains sovereign, and God remains good — even when we can't reconcile all three. Brian discusses a Gospel Coalition article revisiting theologian J. Gresham Machen's 93-year-old argument against teaching the Bible in public schools, applied to Texas's new mandated curriculum, making the case that Scripture belongs with parents and the church rather than the state. He closes the hour reading extensively from Tim Keller's sermon delivered at Redeemer Presbyterian Church just days after 9/11, "Truth, Tears, Anger, and Grace," reflecting on Jesus's example of entering into grief before offering resurrection hope.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the eve of the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Brian reflects on that day's lasting impact and shares the inspiring story of Wells Crowther, "the man in the red bandana," who saved up to 18 lives in the South Tower before losing his own. On the one-year anniversary of Charlie Kirk's assassination, Brian laments how quickly the killing of a young husband and father became politicized and memed rather than mourned as an act of senseless violence. He raises alarm over recent comments from a former Anthropic employee warning AI could threaten humanity within a decade, and calls for greater regulatory attention. Brian digs into a Gospel Coalition piece calling American Christians to reclaim the term "evangelical" from its political connotations and reconnect with the global evangelical movement, shares Paul Washer's reflection after a near-fatal heart attack on regretting not loving more rather than not working more, and discusses new Lifeway research showing church attendance growth concentrated in larger churches at the expense of shrinking smaller ones — a shift researchers attribute more to transfer growth than new conversions. He closes with a story about R.C. Sproul's humble response when pressed to say Billy Graham wouldn't be in heaven, modeling grace across theological disagreement.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we are pleased to share an audio essay written and read by Sharonda Cooper entitled "5 Things We Lose When We Subtract Evangelism from the Christian Life" Sharonda Cooper serves as content coordinator of women's initiatives for the Gospel Coalition. She is also the author of 'Evangelism,' which is part of the Disciplines of Devotion series from Crossway. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Read the essay here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Complete this survey for a free audiobook by Kevin DeYoung!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show!

Abby Perry is a writer, editor, researcher, and reporter based in Texas. She has collaborated with Bustle, Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, Sojourners, Christ and Pop Culture, and Common Good Magazine, among many other organizations. She is also a mom of two boys. And she was the lead writer and researcher for our new Parent's Guide to Betting Apps (coming soon), which we'll be talking about today.  → Click here for our Parent's Guide to Betting Apps → Click here to see Abby's work

When was a time in your life when you felt so anxious or afraid that you almost couldn't function? What did you do to overcome that feeling? Blair Linne battled anxiety after hitting a deer and totaling her car. The accident left her with a growing fear that wouldn't dissipate. As she worked through it, she realized that she'd been struggling with anxiety in different ways for most of her life. Join hosts Elisa Morgan and Eryn Eddy Adkins as they learn about Blair's journey with anxiety and her advice for someone else who is struggling. You don't want to miss this encouraging and insightful God Hears Her conversation.   Guest Bio: Blair Linne is the author of Finding My Father. She is a Bible teacher, actress, spoken word artist, and the creator of the podcast GLO with The Gospel Coalition. Blair has toured globally and is known as one of the originators of the Christian Spoken Word genre. Proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ through speaking and spoken word is her passion. She and her husband, Shai, live in Dallas, Texas, with their three children.  Notes and Quotes:  “I think there are multiple ways to run from God. Some people choose immorality where they run headfirst into sin and some of us choose morality where they just want to be ‘good.'” —Blair Linne  “I experienced so much shame and even condemnation because I thought that Christians shouldn't deal with anxiety and if they did, it was an issue with their faith.” —Blair Linne  “What we often do is pit religious fear against sinful fear.” —Blair Linne  “Not everyone has the same story or the same body or the same mind. We are in a fallen world with fallen bodies, and God in His mercy gives us spiritual helps and He also gives us natural helps.” —Blair Linne  “We're not just a soul, we also have a body. We're here as a complete person made in the image of God. If a person needs medication to help them, praise God that it exists! And now they can have a complete thought to trust God.” —Blair Linne  “We are not in control and often anxiety or a panic attack can expose that truth to us. It exposes the truth that we are but human and also that we have a God who says, ‘Do not fear, do not be worried, for I am with you.'” —Blair Linne  “Any concern, care, or worry that we have, any physical affliction or ailment that we have is an opportunity for us to see our dependence on God.” —Blair Linne  “You are worthy of being seen by Jesus in your weakness.” —Blair Linne  Verses:  2 Corinthians 12:9-10  Related Episodes:  GHH Ep 14 - Finding Peace: https://godhearsher.org/podcast/finding-peace/ GHH Ep 57 – Living with Depression with Sarah Robinson: https://godhearsher.org/podcast/living-with-depression/ GHH Ep 70 – Awkward Joy with Mary Jo Clark: https://godhearsher.org/podcast/awkward-joy/ Links:  God Hears Her website: https://go.odb.org/sign-up-ghh Subscribe to the God Hears Her YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GodHearsHerODBM Connect with Blair: https://www.instagram.com/blairlinne_/ Made to Tremble Book: https://www.amazon.com/Made-Tremble-Anxiety-Became-Happened/dp/1430096365 Yara the Brave and the Swirling Worry Children's Book:  https://a.co/d/0d38aqlJ  

How do you help your kids get the story of the Bible into their hearts and minds? With so many Bible translations, story Bibles, graphic novels, devotionals, and Christian books available, it can be hard to know what to choose—or how much to expect from your kids. Clayton and Chris talk through Bible translations, story-based resources, age-appropriate ways to engage with Scripture, Christian living books, and how parents can help their kids learn to discern what they hear from increasingly authoritative-sounding sources—including AI.TakeawaysChoose a Bible translation your child can actually understand and engage with—the “best” Bible is the one they will read.Story Bibles and creative retellings can help kids see the big story of Scripture and understand how the Bible's individual stories fit together.Give kids freedom to explore different kinds of Christian books while continuing to encourage regular exposure to Scripture.Bible reading doesn't have to feel like homework; the goal is to help kids develop a genuine love for God's Word.Kids need more than Bible knowledge—they need to understand the overarching story of Scripture and how it points to Jesus.As children increasingly turn to AI and technology for answers, parents can teach them to ask, “Who said this?” and “How do they know?” so they learn to evaluate sources and discern truth for themselves.Chapters 00:00 — Helping kids engage with the story of the Bible01:17 — An introduction to Chris Pappalardo04:40 — Bible translations: ESV, NIV, and beyond05:54 — Why every Bible translation involves interpretation07:17 — Finding the right Bible for your child's age and stage08:48 — Letting kids grow into deeper Bible reading10:11 — Story Bibles, Advent Blocks, and retelling Scripture12:20 — The Book of God and bringing biblical stories to life15:41 — Should Bible reading feel like devotional time or reading for fun?16:05 — Using graphic novels and other familiar formats to engage kids17:14 — Encouraging Bible reading without making it feel like homework18:43 — The role of regular exposure to Scripture19:27 — Learning the Bible through church, camps, sermons, and Christian books22:43 — Why story-based resources can help kids see the whole biblical narrative24:18 — Introducing kids to Christian living books25:35 — When should kids start reading Christian nonfiction?27:26 — How formative the college years can be for faith and learning28:19 — Helping kids discern what they hear from AI and other sources30:58 — Bible resources and books the guys recommend32:08 — Getting the greatest story ever into your kids' heartsResources Looking for some of the resources mentioned in this episode? Here are the books, Bibles, and teaching resources Clayton and Chris recommend:The Action Bible — Sergio Cariello's illustrated, graphic-novel-style Bible, recommended as an engaging option for kids who connect with visual storytelling.Kaleidoscope: Kids' Bibles Reimagined — Bible resources designed to make Scripture faithful, accessible, and engaging for kids.The Jesus Storybook Bible — Sally Lloyd-Jones's beloved story Bible that helps children see how every story in Scripture points to Jesus.The Book of God — Walter Wangerin Jr.'s novelized retelling of the Bible, offering a sweeping view of Scripture as one connected story.God's Word For You — The Good Book Company's accessible commentary series, walking through individual books of the Bible with biblical context and practical application.Tim Keller's Sermons — A collection of sermons and teaching from Tim Keller, available through The Gospel Coalition's sermon library.Gospel: Recovering the Power that Made Christianity Revolutionary — J.D. Greear's book exploring the centrality of the gospel and how it transforms the Christian life.

The Gospel Coalition's Brett McCracken, author of "The Wisdom of Sleep," reminds us that our need for sleep was part of God's design.  Are we resting in that truth? Kim Dolan Leto, author of "Fit God's Way," offers some fresh words of hope in a world obsessed with weight loss. God is calling you to something better!   The Reconnect with Carmen and all Faith Radio podcasts are made possible by your support. Give now: Click here!  

Frontporch Republic's Jeff Bilbro talks about the life, the writings, and the impact of Wendell Berry, who passed away at the age of 92.  The Gospel Coalition's Trevin Wax, co-author of "The Gospel Way Catechism of Kids," talk about ways of helping our children to not only understand at their level what the Bible teaches, but also how they can see the falsehoods the world teaches.   The Reconnect with Carmen and all Faith Radio podcasts are made possible by your support. Give now: Click here!

Every story is shaping us. Movies, television, books, music, and digital media do more than entertain. They work on our imaginations, stir our affections, and quietly influence what we love, admire, fear, and desire. So how can Christian parents help their children engage culture thoughtfully without falling into either fearful rejection or uncritical consumption? Brett McCracken, author and senior editor and director of communications at The Gospel Coalition, joins Davies Owens to explore what wise media consumption looks like for Christian families. Brett shares how his own love of both the church and the arts led him to spend decades thinking about Christianity and culture, and why discernment requires going deeper than simply checking a movie rating or counting objectionable content. Together, Brett and Davies discuss how stories form us, why even seemingly wholesome entertainment can communicate unhealthy ideas, the value of watching media in community, and practical questions parents can use to spark meaningful conversations with their children. They also use Project Hail Mary as a fascinating example of how Christians can identify themes of grace, sacrifice, virtue, and truth in a story that isn't explicitly Christian. The goal isn't to consume everything, nor is it to retreat from culture. It's to become people capable of recognizing what is true, beautiful, and good while also knowing when something simply isn't worth our attention. If you're raising children in a world overflowing with stories and screens, this conversation offers a thoughtful framework for helping them become wise viewers rather than passive consumers. Special Thanks to our partners who make BaseCamp Live possible: Wisdom and EloquenceThe Herzog FoundationLife ArchitectsWisephone by TechlessZipCast Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on classical Christian education, and join us next time on BaseCamp Live! Remember to subscribe, leave us a review, and reach out to us at info@basecamplive.comDon't forget to visit basecamplive.com for more info and past episodes.

Brian discusses the disturbing new Netflix docuseries on the death of pastor's wife Mika Miller and the alleged abuse she suffered, pushing back hard against the narrative that her husband's horrific actions represent normative evangelical teaching on marriage. He shares a Nine Marks article on how pastors and church families can protect their kids from growing bitter toward the church even after painful experiences, drawing on his own story of being let go from the church he planted. Brian highlights a viral moment of poor sportsmanship backfiring when a Texas high school football team refused to shake hands before a game and lost 38-0 at halftime, and digs into a Detroit Public Schools program paying students up to $1,000 a year just for attendance amid a chronic absenteeism crisis. He shares a moving Christianity Today profile of former MLB star Daryl Strawberry, whose journey from addiction and prison to prison ministry now brings hope to society's most forgotten, plus a Gospel Coalition reflection on the surprising peace found in intentionally not knowing answers by blocking search engines, and closes with a Charles Stanley devotional on the practice of listening for God's voice.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, W. David O. Taylor joins me to talk about To Set the World Aflame and the artist's calling to bear witness to the fullness of God's creation. Artists work with the sensory, the imaginative, the emotional, the metaphorical, the material stuff of the world, and in doing so they help the rest of us see what's actually there. We talk about what an artist really is, why belovedness comes before output, and how the calling has shifted across centuries without losing its center. We linger on abundance: seven thousand kinds of apples, more wine than anyone could drink, a God who delights in more than enough.W. David O. Taylor is Associate Professor of Theology & Culture at Fuller Theological Seminary and the author of ten books, including For the Beauty of the Church: Casting a Vision for the Arts and To Set the World Aflame: How Artists Bear Witness to the Fullness of God's Creation. An Anglican priest, he has written for The Washington Post, The Gospel Coalition, Religion News Service, and Christianity Today, among others, and has contributed scholarly essays to the T&T Clark Companion to Theology and the Arts, Theology, Modernity and the Visual Arts, and Contemporary Art and the Church. He served on the board of Christians in the Visual Arts and is part of a three-year scholarly project, "Theology and the Visual Arts," hosted by King's College London. He lives on twenty-one acres of land east of Austin with his artist wife (Phaedra) and children. He posts about art and faith on Substack (@wdavidotaylor) and Instagram (@davidtaylor_theologian).David's Book:To Set the World AflameConnect with Joshua: jjohnson@shiftingculturepodcast.comGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, Bluesky or YouTubeSupport the podcast and the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link below Support the show

Most guys know they probably need to sleep better—but few realize that sleep is far more than just a physical necessity. In this episode of the Impactus podcast, Chris sits down with author and Gospel Coalition journalist Brett McCracken to explore the deeper meaning behind one of God's most overlooked gifts. Drawing from his new book, The Wisdom of Sleep: How Rest Reveals God's Truth and Revives Weary Souls, Brett unpacks how sleep is not just a physical need but a powerful act that actually points to the grace, sovereignty, and wisdom of God. While science continues to discover the incredible benefits of sleep for our bodies, minds, and emotions, Scripture also reveals that sleep points us toward even deeper realities: our dependence on God, our need for rest in Him, and the Gospel hope of resurrection. Brett and Chris discuss why modern men struggle with rest in a culture shaped by technology, constant productivity, and the pressure to always achieve, and explore the danger of measuring our worth by our work, and how choosing rest can actually be an act of worship and trust in God's provision. The conversation also dives into the fascinating world of dreams—what science is learning about them, how God used dreams throughout Scripture, and what dreams reveal about the mystery of God's work in our lives. Whether you struggle with sleep or simply want to grow in your understanding of this intriguing topic, this fascinating conversation will challenge every man to view sleep differently. Copyright © 2026 Impactus. All rights reserved.

Brian defends a well-known pastor criticized for using AI as a research tool in sermon preparation, arguing it's no different than consulting commentaries as long as it stays in its proper place in the process. He shares a powerful Christianity Today testimony from David Washington, a former Chicago gang member who found faith after a Baptist church moved into his violent neighborhood, and who now pastors a church in that same community. Brian digs into Gavin Ortlund's Gospel Coalition piece on Old Testament messianic prophecy as an underappreciated argument for the truth of Christianity, and shares a feel-good story of a Wyoming pizzeria turning a costly prank order into a donation for hospital emergency room staff. He warns against trusting algorithm-curated news as much as professional editors, encourages listeners to read across the political spectrum, and shares a Relevant Magazine piece reassuring anyone who feels "behind in life" that comparison-driven timelines are largely a myth. Drawing from Nehemiah's heartbreak-fueled calling, Brian challenges listeners to identify both what breaks their heart and where they have unique access to do something about it, and closes with Ray Ortlund's case from Ecclesiastes for "bold enjoyment" as a legitimate, even wise, Christian way of life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brad Edwards is the Lead Pastor and Church Planter of The Table Church in Lafayette, Colorado, where he lives with his wife and their two sons. He is a regular contributor to Mere Orthodoxy and The Gospel Coalition, and cohosts the podcast PostEverything. For more faith-filled, Gospel-centered content, download the Pilgrim Radio app today on Google Play and Apple, or stream at PilgrimRadio.com. 

Family devotionals often begin with the best of intentions—but somewhere between busy schedules, distracted kids, and the pressures of everyday life, they can quickly feel overwhelming or inconsistent.    In this episode of the Raising Godly Girls Podcast, Melissa Bearden sits down with author, Bible teacher, and The Gospel Coalition leader Melissa Kruger to talk about what it really looks like to build lasting, grace-filled devotional rhythms at home. Together, they offer encouragement for parents who long to disciple their daughters in God's Word but feel stretched thin or unsure where to begin.    Melissa shares both personal and practical insight—from her own experiences growing up with family devotionals to leading them in her own home today. This conversation reminds us that spiritual growth doesn't require perfection or polished routines. In fact, some of the most meaningful moments of discipleship happen in the midst of interruptions, questions, and even the occasional "train wreck" devotional.    You'll also hear how to release the pressure to perform, redefine what success looks like in family discipleship, and create simple, sustainable rhythms that point your daughter to Jesus over time. Whether your family is just starting out or trying to reestablish consistency, this episode offers hope that God is faithfully at work through even the smallest efforts.    Because raising Godly girls isn't about doing everything perfectly—it's about faithfully planting seeds of truth and trusting God for the growth.    Scriptures Referenced in This Episode:    Deuteronomy 6:6–7  Proverbs 22:6  Isaiah 55:10–11  Galatians 6:9  Colossians 3:16  Psalm 119:105     To learn more about Melissa Kruger's work at The Gospel Coalition and to explore her books, visit melissabkruger.com     Visit raisinggodlygirls.com for more encouragement and faith-based parenting tools.         Learn how to find or start an American Heritage Girls Troop in your community at americanheritagegirls.org.      

What if your exhaustion is revealing something deeper about you? The Gospel Coalition's Brett McCracken joins Ellen Krause to offer a fresh perspective on why God created us to rest—and what our need for sleep can teach us about surrender, trust, and dependence on Him.You'll discover:Why sleep is a gift from God, not something to feel guilty aboutHow your need for rest can reveal your limits and desire for controlWhat science and Scripture teach us about dreamsHow sleep can become an act of trust and worshipWhat to do when exhaustion or sleeplessness is part of your current seasonHow our imperfect rest points us toward the perfect rest we have in ChristIf you've been running on empty or wondering, "why am I always tired?" this conversation will encourage you to see rest in a whole new way.Get your copy of Brett's new book, The Wisdom of Sleep, here!Win a free copy of Brett McCracken's new book! Enter by leaving a comment and your email address through this link.Scripture referenced:Psalm 127:1-2 | Psalm 121 | Hebrews 4:9 About Brett McCracken:BrettMcCracken.com | @bwmccracken | SubstackBrett's Bible study tools:NIV | Moleskine journal | ESV.org

Brian, a former youth pastor himself, talks with Sarah Zylstra of The Gospel Coalition about her article investigating why so many church youth pastor positions sit unfilled. Sarah traces youth ministry's evolution from the evangelistic, games-and-pizza model of the 80s and 90s through the seeker-sensitive movement, and explains why today's culture — phones, AI-mediated friendships, isolation, kids not driving, and packed extracurricular schedules — has made the job significantly harder, even as many youth pastors say the last five years have been the most rewarding of their careers. They discuss the shifting perception of youth ministry as "unserious," why some churches are restructuring the role into broader family-discipleship positions, and practical encouragement for pastors and churches trying to keep student ministry moving forward, including smaller group settings and empowering parent volunteers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ivan Mesa (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is editorial director for The Gospel Coalition, where he has served since 2014. He's the founder of Inkling Editing and editor of several books, including Scrolling Ourselves to Death and The Gospel After Christendom. He and his wife, Sarah, have four children, and they live in eastern Georgia. For more faith-filled, Gospel-centered content, download the Pilgrim Radio app today on Google Play and Apple, or stream at PilgrimRadio.com. 

Brian pays tribute to the passing of Dolly Parton at 80, reflecting on her decades-long marriage, her genuine kindness, and closing the hour with nine of her most striking public statements about prayer, faith, and heaven. He shares a bizarre and troubling story of four Georgia pastors publicly apologizing after sending anonymous packets falsely accusing another pastor of plagiarism, reflecting on the need for churches to hold themselves to a higher standard. Brian digs into John Piper's teaching on "the pleasure trap" — how earthly pleasures are meant to point our hearts toward God rather than become idols — and shares Alan Noble's Gospel Coalition piece arguing that a Christian's suffering, while mysterious, is never meaningless. He closes reflecting on financial anxiety and contentment after reading about a Michael Jordan jersey expected to sell for $10 million alongside rising healthcare cost anxiety among ordinary Americans, along with the surprising power of nostalgic worship music to remind us of God's faithfulness over time.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The differences between an adult Sunday school class and one for kids are quite striking. A class for toddlers and preschoolers is rarely organized around the logic of a Bible passage, or even a lesson outline. Instead, lessons are structured by the classroom schedule and environment—by a basic routine and activity centers that are designed for play, music, the Bible story, and other games or crafts. How do we prepare children's lessons that are Christ-centered, biblically faithful, engaging for kids, and oriented towards the distinct ways that kids learn? This workshop will help you learn how to do just that. Jared Kennedy serves as an editor for The Gospel Coalition. He is also co-founder of Gospel-Centered Family and the author of books for children and families like Faith-Builder Catechism (New Growth Press, 2023), Keeping Your Children's Ministry on Mission (Crossway, 2022), and The Beginner's Gospel Story Bible (New Growth, 2017). He, his wife Megan, and their three daughters live in Louisville, Kentucky, where they attend Sojourn Church Midtown. Announcing Rooted Children's Ministry Curriculum: Why and How to Use 'Gospel Basics' Building a Scope and Sequence for Biblical Literacy in Children's Ministry and Parents by Tara Davis and Cameron Cole Follow @therootedministry on Instagram for more updates.  Register for the Rooted 2026 Conference in Nashville. Hosted by: Danny Kwon, author of Teenagers and Mental Health; Becca Heck, M. Div. from Reformed Theological Seminary; Isaiah Marshall, Rooted's Director of Ministry Development; and Josh Hussung, M. Div. in Pastor Studies from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Brian shares an inspiring underdog story of an Alabama high school football team snapping a 101-game losing streak with a dramatic comeback win. He digs into a New York Magazine feature on the "pay-to-play childhood" of expensive, all-consuming travel youth sports, encouraging parents to weigh their own family's priorities rather than following outside pressure either way. Brian shares a Gospel Coalition piece on grieving well — honestly, patiently, in community, with gratitude and hope — from a pastor whose wife battled advanced cancer, and Randy Alcorn's reflection on investing in relational and eternal "riches" over earthly ones, illustrated by a powerful adoption story. He digs into Tim Challies's teaching on the discipline of good listening as an act of love and ministry, reflects on the danger of "performative" Christianity in a social-media-saturated culture, and closes with a story about Mike Pence's respectful treatment of a transgender former staffer as a model of holding convictions while extending genuine compassion.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brian opens with heavy hearts over the tragic death of a Wisconsin high school quarterback following a football injury, reflecting on the fragility and brevity of life. He shares insights from a sermon on what actually fuels a lifestyle of service — not guilt, but gratitude for what Christ has done. Brian discusses a Christianity Today review of the late Charlie Kirk's posthumous book on Sabbath-keeping, and its surprisingly countercultural call to unplug from the "endless noise" of modern life. He digs into a deeply personal Gospel Coalition article by a pastor with terminal brain cancer wrestling with the shame that can come when prayers for healing go unanswered, and a fascinating piece on why so few pastors quit ministry despite widespread burnout. Brian closes with Matt Redman's case for "vertical" worship songs that point to God rather than ourselves, and a Charles Stanley devotional on Jesus calming the storm as a picture of overcoming fear through God's presence.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

⁠⁠⁠This is a special and tender episode to close our month on what our spouses can and cannot carry for us, because some things, like grief, are simply too heavy for any one person to hold alone. Christa welcomes the award-winning writer and podcaster Clarissa Moll, who produces and moderates Christianity Today's flagship news podcast, The Bulletin, and who has become one of the most trusted voices on grief and hope. In 2019, Clarissa's husband Rob (type 9) died suddenly in a hiking accident at Mt. Rainier, leaving her to raise their four children as a widow, and out of that valley came her best-selling book, Beyond the Darkness: A Gentle Guide for Living with Grief and Thriving After Loss. Now a remarried widow (6-2 pairing) building a joyful blended family, Clarissa shares what it means to move through grief rather than around it, how a new marriage holds the memory of a former love, why no single person can be the whole of our healing, and where hope must take hold again after loss. No matter your loss, this conversation will meet you right where you are. Listen here! Watch on YouTube! Clarissa Moll is an award-winning writer and podcaster who helps bereaved people find flourishing after loss. Her writing (https://www.clarissamoll.com/writing) appears in Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, RELEVANT, Modern Loss, Grief Digest and more. She cohosted Christianity Today's [“Surprised by Grief”](https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/podcasts/surprised-by-grief/) podcast and am a frequent guest(https://www.clarissamoll.com/speaking) at events, on podcasts and radio shows. She also hangs out behind the microphone as the producer and moderator of Christianity Today's flagship news podcast, “The Bulletin.“(https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/podcasts/bulletin/) Get inside the Enneagram and Marriage Coaching and Masterclass classroom here⁠!⁠⁠ https://www.enneagramandmarriage.com/the-e-m-coaching-masterclass Use the code COACH for $250 off - or - use a payment plan!!Find more about your type, the pod, freebies, and SO much more at our website right here! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.EnneagramandMarriage.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Take the E + M Quiz at www.QuizforCouples.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Love what you're learning on E + M? Make sure you leave us a podcast review so others can find us, too⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ here!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get Christa's Best-Selling Book, The Enneagram in Marriage, here! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://a.co/d/df8SxVx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian dives into a wild Little League World Series scandal out of Oklahoma, where a dominant regional program appears to have committed years of eligibility fraud, prompting reflection on how adults ruin youth sports for kids. He shares Michael W. Smith's caution about celebrity culture and lost reverence in modern worship music, and a study showing couples who simply walk together report stronger marriages and better conflict resolution. Brian reflects on Seth Rogan's joking fear of "dying with too much money" as a window into deeper questions of legacy and significance rooted in identity in Christ rather than accomplishment. He digs into a Relevant Magazine piece on the growing gambling epidemic among young men fueled by prediction markets like Kalshi, shares a viral clip of a Little League coach reminding a struggling pitcher that "Jesus is still Lord" whether he strikes batters out or walks them, and closes with a Gospel Coalition piece making the case for reading the book of Revelation symbolically rather than strictly literally.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brian reflects on a heartbreaking update in the case of a drunk driver who killed a new bride, troubled by her father's response minimizing her responsibility, and reflects on the real consequences of our choices. He wrestles with a Religion News article on political campaigns branding opposing clergy candidates as "not real pastors," arguing it's not our place to make sweeping judgments about someone's faith from a political microphone. He shares Russell Moore's piece on the disturbing rise of interest in blasphemy laws among some Christian nationalists, and why external religious conformity was never Jesus's goal. Brian digs into a fascinating study finding improv theater classes uniquely help anxious teens build empathy and collaboration skills, reflects on a Gospel Coalition piece on staying rooted in Scripture amid cultural drift, laughs through a viral list of things considered normal parenting in the 1970s that would be unthinkable today, and shares a Christianity Today piece on the importance of letting kids take healthy risks. He closes with a Charles Stanley devotional on Jesus washing his disciples' feet as the ultimate picture of humility.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Sometimes I wonder if heaven will feel a bit like an afternoon nap," writes Brett McCracken in The Wisdom of Sleep. Maybe it's because naps are signpost of something far greater that we've not yet fully experienced. Maybe it's because even the most relaxing vacation, replenishing Sabbath, and restorative night's sleep are only teasers for the perfect rest we're wired to desire. Maybe there's more to sleep and rest than we think. Maybe in his mysterious sovereignty, God designed these things to be a sacred portal of sorts, a connective tissue between heaven and earth, between death and resurrection, between the God of rest and the restless souls who can't help but be magnetically tugged toward him. In this episode of the Influence Podcast, I talk to McCracken about these "maybes," what sleep reveals about God and us. I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host. Brett McCracken is a senior editor at The Gospel Coalition, where he writes on the intersection of faith and culture. He is also author of The Wisdom of Sleep: How Rest Reveals God's Truth and Revives Weary Souls, published by Zondervan Reflective. Sponsor AdThis episode of the Influence podcast is brought to you by Gospel Publishing House, distributors of Trusted with Treasureby Assemblies of God General Secretary Brad Kesler. Just as nautical charts and lighthouses guide captains safely past hazards, this handbook on ministerial ethics will help equip you to build healthy relationships, avoid unwise behaviors, and serve with integrity and the highest ethical standards. For more information about Trusted with Treasure visit GospelPublishingHouse.com. Show Notes 00:00 — Introduction and Sponsor Ad 02:08 — How does sleep speak gospel truth? 04:01 — What does sleep reveal about our limitations? 06:01 — What do you think of secular and religious attempts to transcend our limitations? 09:05 — What do science and the Bible say about the generative powers of sleep? 12:26 — What does the Bible say about supernatural dreams? 15:15 — The need for discernment in interpreting dreams 16:16 — How do we become a restful presence for others? 19:02 — What does rest reveal about God as an "intentional designer"? 21:54 — What do you mean when you write, "God creates a distinct people through rest"? 26:56 — How does sleep reveal God as "gracious and loving," and also as "sovereign and merciful"? 31:59 — What are you reading right now that is interesting, helpful, and/or personally challenging? 33:55 — Conclusion

Brian reflects on feeling politically homeless amid the rise of the Democratic Socialist movement and the MAGA movement pulling both parties toward the extremes, grounding his hope in Christ rather than any political tribe. He digs into pastor Josh Howerton's conversation on the Sean Ryan Show about the hard, practical steps of biblical forgiveness — including Howerton's own painful experience with leaked personal details from his church. Brian talks about what defines us apart from external metrics like job titles or church attendance numbers, pointing to identity as beloved children of God. He shares a Gospel Coalition piece on finding God's glory in birdwatching, calls out "clown Christianity" — the exhausting habit of painting over inner brokenness with a happy face — and pushes back on the viral "dump them" culture of cutting off relationships at the first sign of conflict. He also shares Randy Alcorn's reminder that every job, not just full-time ministry, is a platform to glorify God, illustrated by the story of insurance entrepreneur Art DeMoss. Brian closes with a rich meditation on "awe" as the fuel of faith and the antidote to spiritual apathy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brian opens reflecting on what to do when life doesn't unfold the way we hoped — leaning on God's unchanging faithfulness even amid disappointment and regret. He wades into WNBA guard Sophie Cunningham's comments on biological males in women's sports and the swift cultural backlash she received, lamenting the loss of civil disagreement in public discourse. A study claiming "true love" requires a six-figure salary gets pushback from Brian, who shares his own experience marrying young and broke. He shares a moving Gospel Coalition piece on the recently uncovered story of Charles Spurgeon's father's imprisonment for debt, and how God used that family failure to shape one of history's greatest preachers. Brian also digs into a fascinating trend piece on young adults ditching smartphones for "dumb phones" to reclaim their mental health and attention, a Relevant Magazine interview with Louis Giglio on how our earthly fathers shape our view of God, a simple "Bible before phone" spiritual discipline from Tyndale House, Tim Chalis on tasting heaven, and closes with a Charles Stanley devotional on the power of praise.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Important Links: Dad Tired Annual RetreatHost A Dad Tired Conference at your churchJoin the FREE Family Leadership ProgramShop the Dad Tired store for best-selling gearWhat if sleep isn't wasted time, weakness, or something to squeeze in after everything else is done? What if it is actually one of God's most practical invitations to trust Him?In this episode, Jerrad sits down with Brett McCracken, senior editor and director of communications at The Gospel Coalition and author of The Wisdom of Sleep: How Rest Reveals God's Truth and Revives Weary Souls.Together, they explore why God designed us to spend nearly a third of our lives asleep, how sleep reminds us that we are the creation—not the Creator—and why closing our eyes each night can become an act of surrender.A Prayer Before SleepFather,As I close my eyes tonight, I remember that I am not God.I have limits.You have none.I need rest.You neither slumber nor sleep.There are things I did not finish, problems I could not solve, and people I cannot protect on my own. I release them all into Your hands.Forgive me for believing that everything depends on me.Thank You for the gift of sleep; a grace I receive, not something I earn. As I lie down, remind me that Christ has finished the work I could never finish.Protect my home.Watch over my family.Quiet my mind.Restore my body and soul.As sleep resembles death, remind me that I have died with Christ. And if You wake me in the morning, let the rising sun remind me that I have also been raised with Him into new life.Tonight, I surrender control.You are awake, so I can sleep. You are sovereign, so I can rest. You are faithful, so I do not have to be afraid.Into Your hands I place this night.Amen.

This week on Conversations That Matter, Jon Harris examines the biggest stories shaping America, the church, and the wider world.Topics include:• The controversy surrounding The Odyssey and what it says about Western civilization. • Trump's response to the escalating conflict with Iran. • Claims about a U.S.-Israel military "merger" and why they are misleading. • The White House defending Christian athletes. • Jen Hatmaker's rejection of the doctrine of hell. • Michelle Leslie's critique of Jen Wilkin. • Steve Lawson, Justin Peters, and biblical discernment. • The Paige Patterson lawsuit update. • An extended analysis of the Rick Appleton case and what it could mean for conservative Presbyterianism.Join us each weekend as we review the biggest national, international, and evangelical stories from a distinctly Christian perspective.00:00 Introduction00:30 The Odyssey controversy and Western civilization03:30 The Federalist vs. Gospel Coalition on The Odyssey06:00 Data centers, AI, and conservative priorities09:40 Trump's Iran strategy and Middle East update13:10 Martin Skold interview preview15:00 Tucker Carlson and the U.S.-Israel military claim18:00 White House defends Christian WNBA player19:00 Jen Hatmaker rejects hell20:30 Michelle Leslie on Jen Wilkin23:00 Steve Lawson, Justin Peters, and James 127:30 Paige Patterson lawsuit resolved29:00 Rick Appleton case explained39:00 Social media, biblical patriarchy, and Presbyterian controversySupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/conversations-that-matter8971/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We're continuing our summer series with an episode about the state of the church, highlighting favorite conversations from The Bulletin archive. Daniel Silliman, Russell Moore, and Mike Cosper discuss trends in Americans' religiosity and spirituality from a 2025 Pew survey. Then, Beth Moore joins the show to talk about the importance of Sunday School for adults, and why small groups may not be meeting the same needs. Finally, church planter and author of the book The Reason for Church Brad Edwards sits down with Mike to talk about why he encouraged his congregation to briefly stop inviting others to church, the danger of viewing church as a vehicle for Christian self-actualization, and why physical participation in the gospel narrative is vital. REFERENCED IN THE SHOW: The Hartford Institute for Religion Research's report on congregational health since the pandemic. GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN: Join the conversation at our Substack. Find us on YouTube. Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice. ABOUT THE GUESTS: Daniel Silliman is a journalist and a historian. He is the news editor for Christianity Today, the author of a religious biography of Richard Nixon, and a teacher of humanities at Milligan University. Beth Moore is a dynamic teacher whose conferences take her across the globe. She has written numerous best-selling books and Bible studies. She is also the founder and visionary of Living Proof Ministries, based in Houston. Brad Edwards is the lead pastor and church planter of The Table Church in Lafayette, Colorado. He is a regular contributor to Mere Orthodoxy and The Gospel Coalition, and he cohosts the podcast PostEverything. He is Christianity Today's 2025 Book of the Year winner for his book The Reason for Church. ABOUT THE BULLETIN: The Bulletin is a twice-weekly news analysis podcast from Christianity Today, with editor-at-large Russell Moore. Each episode offers commentary on current events and headlining news with a roundtable of premier guests, and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more. “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today Host: Alexa Copeland Associate Producer: Alexa Copeland Editing and Mix: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps Executive Producer: Erik Petrik Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian opens reflecting on an upcoming family vacation and the bittersweet reality that change is the only constant, then turns to a Christianity Today piece on First Church in Charlestown — a 400-year-old congregation now down to two members — as a warning about what happens when a church drifts from the gospel. He talks candidly about feeling overwhelmed by life's decisions, leaning on 49ers linebacker Fred Warner's return from a gruesome injury to make the case for living fully in the present since nothing is guaranteed but Christ. Brian also touches on Gen Z's budget-friendly approach to dating, a bizarre AI deepfake video of former NYC mayor Eric Adams, and pushes back on podcaster Jennifer Welch's viral criticism of Christian homeschooling, encouraging listeners to choose what's best for their own family without shame. He closes with a rich double feature: John Stonestreet on how churches can unintentionally shrink the gospel into something private and small, and a Gospel Coalition piece on how God's best work is "cross-shaped" — using unlikely, ordinary people (fishermen, tax collectors, a table-busser named Stephen) to change the world, and using suffering as the soil for resurrection life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're tempted to take the doctrine of the Trinity for granted. But there is scarcely any belief unaffected when we get the Trinity wrong. So argue Don Carson, John Piper, and Tim Keller in this classic discussion recorded at a meeting of The Gospel Coalition's Council.  Pull the thread of the Trinity and the universe unravels. Without the Trinity, grace and glory disappear. So does church unity. And we lose a powerful opportunity to share with unbelievers how the Trinity distinguishes the gospel as the source of love for the world. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today, we are pleased to share an audio essay written and read by Megan Hill entitled "10 Things You Should Know about Corporate Prayer." Megan Hill serves as the managing editor for The Gospel Coalition. She is also the author of several books, including 'Praying Together: The Priority and Privilege of Prayer in Our Homes, Communities, and Churches' from Crossway. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Read the essay here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Complete this survey for a free audiobook by Kevin DeYoung!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show!