Podcasts about viral jesus

I'm back from a summer break with a new series and today I'll tell you all about it. I hope the Grown-Up Catholicism series is a blessing to you! If you'd like to connect with me, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠find me on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠at my website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you'd like to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠help support this podcast financially⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, there's a way to do just that ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on my page at buymeacoffee.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Thanks for sharing, subscribing, rating, and reviewing, as this helps our community to grow. Thanks as always to my friend, Peter Vaughan-Vail, for providing the beautiful harp music you hear in this and every episode. Here are some resources I hope will help you to engage with this week's topic in a deeper way for yourself: 1. Podcast: The Examen with Fr. James Martin, SJ 2. Video: How to hear from God through His Word, with Priscilla Shirer 3. Audio Book: Adult Christianity and How to Get There, by Ronald Rohlheiser, OFM and Richard Rohr, OFM 4. Book: Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life, by Richard Rohr, OFM 5. Article and Podcast: God is Always Talking to Us, with Beth Moore on Viral Jesus with Heather Thompson Day 6. Article: Lectio Divina Beginner's Guide from Busted Halo

Today's episode is our last episode of Viral Jesus.  125 episodes, thousands and thousands of downloads, and three years have brought us to this necessary ending. Viral Jesus was created to help us remember the power of our social networks. In this last conversation, Heather wants to talk directly to you, the listener, and remind you that you have influence.  Create the podcast. Write the blog. Email the book agent. Don't stop creating. Someone is watching, listening, and learning from what you've experienced. Don't stop believing that your being faithful with what God has placed in your hand, truly matters. It's not about whether or not we finish our race first. It's about running in obedience and faithfulness to the race set before us. That's what we hope you take away from Viral Jesus. In this life, with your gifting, leave it all on the track. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Receive Heather's weekly inspirational email every Friday at 7pm EST; sign up at www.heatherthompsonday.com/links. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today's episode with Natalie Boonstra Lilly is such an empowering conversation. Natalie shares her heart behind her latest book Insecure: My Story. She opens up about her deformity, and how it impacted her childhood and self-esteem.  Heather and Natalie also discuss how you know when you are supposed to share your story, waiting on God to open doors, and why it is important to find safe spaces when sharing intimate experiences publicly for the first time.  Heather also adds a tool to your toolkit with the suggestion of adding Manychat to your platform. Guest Bio At ten years old, Natalie Lilly was diagnosed with the extremely rare Madelung's deformity and has grappled with insecurities throughout her life. But she knows God says she is fearfully and wonderfully made and strives to help others find the freedom she's found in who Jesus says she is. Natalie is a master's student, author, public speaker, and pastor's wife. She is the author of Insecure: My Story. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Receive Heather's weekly inspirational email every Friday at 7pm EST; sign up at www.heatherthompsonday.com/links. “Viral Jesus” is a production of Christianity Today  Executive Producer: Matt Stevens  Host: Heather Thompson Day  Producer: Loren Joseph  Associate Producer: McKenzie Hill  Director of Operations for CT Media: Matt Stevens  Audio Engineer: Loren Joseph Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today's episode is a must listen. Mary DeMuth is the author of We Too: How the Church can Respond Redemptively to Sexual Abuse, and spends the first half of this conversation walking Heather through her own story. Mary is committed to equipping churches with tools to be able to navigate these conversations with grace.  Mary and Heather also discuss how Scripture is a redemptive story that can encourage the most burdened, which is why Mary is so passionate about Bible reading.  Heather and Mary also navigate the importance of knowing the story of Scripture, which can help shape your own story in both grace and truth. Guest Bio Mary DeMuth is an international speaker, podcaster, and author of nearly 50 books, fiction and nonfiction, including We Too: How the Church can Respond Redemptively To The Sexual Abuse Crisis and her latest book, 90-Day Bible Reading Challenge. Mary lives in Texas with her husband of 33 years and is mom to three adult children. Learn more at marydemuth.com.  Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Receive Heather's weekly inspirational email every Friday at 7pm EST; sign up at www.heatherthompsonday.com/links. “Viral Jesus” is a production of Christianity Today  Executive Producer: Matt Stevens  Host: Heather Thompson Day  Producer: Loren Joseph  Associate Producer: McKenzie Hill  Director of Operations for CT Media: Matt Stevens  Audio Engineer: Loren Joseph Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today's episode highlights the work that is being done by Christians for the incarcerated. Heather sits down with the first female president of Prison Fellowship, Heather Rice Minus and discusses what work still needs to be done outside of prisons, and in our communities, to help incarcerated individuals transition after serving their sentence.  During today's episode Heather also provides an update on Viral Jesus and requests your prayer for the future of the show. Guest Bio Heather Rice Minus is the President and CEO of Prison Fellowship. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Receive Heather's weekly inspirational email every Friday at 7pm EST; sign up at www.heatherthompsonday.com/links. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today's episode is for the person navigating a season of loss or grief, and trying to figure out how long this ache will last.  JS Park is a chaplain who has served for nearly 10 years and has held pain for thousands of patients and their families. He believes that our need to rush past pain, only suffocates our grief, and that grief is a voice that needs to be heard.  During today's episode Heather also provides an update on her life ministry, and professional journey.  Guest Bio J.S. Park is a hospital chaplain, author, and online educator. For eight years he has been an interfaith chaplain at a thousand-plus-bed hospital that is designated a Level 1 Trauma Center. J.S. has an MDiv, completed in 2010, and a BA in Psychology. He also has a sixth-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. He is also the author of As Long As You Need. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Receive Heather's weekly inspirational email every Friday at 7pm EST; sign up at www.heatherthompsonday.com/links. “Viral Jesus” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Producer: Matt Stevens Host: Heather Thompson Day Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: McKenzie Hill Director of Operations for CT Media: Matt Stevens Audio engineering by Loren Joseph Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It is time for part two of our four part series, Advice from a Woman. Today Heather sits down with Kristen LaValley. Kristen explains the problem with formulaic Christianity. Eventually God allows something to enter our lives that we never saw coming, and can't put into a box. We have a choice in those experiences to either let our understanding of God crumble, or let go of all our preconceived formulas. Also, if you are an aspiring author, and wanting to know how important social media is to your book proposal, Heather has some advice for you on today's social toolkit. Guest Bio Kristen LaValley is a writer and storyteller whose words offer a refreshing perspective on faith and spirituality. She offers insights that intersect doubt and belief, hope and suffering, beauty and heartache. With a deep love for the Christian faith and willingness to explore its complexities, Kristen's writing offers nuanced conversations that challenge readers to think deeply and wrestle with important questions. Kristen lives in Massachusetts with her husband, Zach, and their five children. Her latest book is called Even If He Doesn't. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter, at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Get Heather's weekly inspirational email delivered to your inbox every Friday night at 7 p.m. EST. Sign up now at: www.heatherthompsonday.com/links. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In honor of Women's History Month, today we begin a new four-part series called “Advice from a Woman.” In each episode, Heather will speak to a different thought leader to get her best advice on how to keep growing, praying, and choosing God in our everyday faith journeys. On today's show Heather sits down with Jenn Schultz, the author of She's Not Your Enemy. Jenn says we lose something when, by default, we view other women as our competition. She walks us through strategies that will empower us to move beyond feelings of jealousy, insecurity, and self-protection. Her insights will help us reject unhealthy habits of comparison, as we pursue cultures of community and cooperation. Social Toolkit: Just Like That But first… Did you know that while 84 percent of all social media influencers are women, they are still making up to 30 percent less per post than men do, even when they have similar audience size and engagement rates? On today's Social Toolkit, Heather puts on her communication professor hat and shares with you a tool to help you with negotiation. It's called the power of likability. Guest Bio Jenn Schultz writes and speaks about messy faith, shaking off shame, and pursuing God's purpose confidently. She is a wife and mom who reads too many books at once and loves decaf coffee. Jenn's new book is She's Not Your Enemy: Conquering Our Insecurities So We Can Build God's Kingdom Together. Find her @jennschultzauthor on social media and at jennschultzauthor.com. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter, at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Get Heather's weekly inspirational email delivered to your inbox every Friday night at 7 p.m. EST. Sign up now at: www.heatherthompsonday.com/links. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

According to Charles Spurgeon, “Religion which costs a man nothing is usually worth nothing.” In her missionary and humanitarian ministry to Iran—including its persecuted Christians and scattered diaspora—Lana Silk has been learning the meaning of costly religion. This episode features Heather's inspiring conversation with Lana. Lana Silk, the daughter of Lazarus and Maggie, serves as the USA chief executive officer of Transform Iran. In this role, she actively seeks to bring freedom to the people of Iran, transforming the nation into one which bears the image of Christ. Through ministry and humanitarian aid, she hopes that Transform Iran will create divine change in the lives of the Iranian people. Lana was born and raised in Iran before emigrating to the UK where she completed her education at Imperial College, London, gaining an honors degree in computer engineering. She later did postgraduate studies in marketing communication strategy. With over 20 years marketing experience across all media, Lana has a passion to see small businesses and startups gain their voice in a competitive environment. She has also worked as a church minister, worship leader, and most recently a college chaplain, where she took further post-graduate studies in working with youth, with a focus on mental health and safeguarding. She is trilingual and considers it her life calling to represent and advocate for the people of Iran in the West. Lana currently makes the USA the base of operations for Transform Iran. She and her husband live in Ohio with their three children. About Transform Iran For more than 30 years, Transform Iran—formerly 222 Ministries—served on the front lines of the Iranian Diaspora, sharing the love of Christ, training leaders, and providing aid to the persecuted. God has given Transform Iran a unique position in the Middle East to meet the spiritual needs of many Iranians. In addition to spiritual support, Transform Iran provides humanitarian relief, including emergency food and shelter, medical care, and legal help for asylum, among other forms of practical aid to Iranians who have been forced to leave their country. For information, visit transformiran.com. Social Toolkit: Video Rules But before Heather sits down with Lana, it's time for Social Toolkit. This week Heather gives us a brief commentary on YouTube, Reels, and TikTok and the rise of video as a dominant medium for content. How's your video competence? With social media algorithms increasingly favoring video, Heather encourages creators in the Viral Jesus community to stay alert to trends and how they might ultimately affect their content creation and discovery. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter, at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Get Heather's weekly inspirational email delivered to your inbox every Friday night at 7 p.m. EST. Sign up now at: www.heatherthompsonday.com/links. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Heather is joined by journalist Paul Kix, whose bestselling book You Have to Be Prepared to Die Before You Can Begin to Live takes readers on a sweeping tour of the chaotic streets of Birmingham, Alabama, in the spring of 1963. It's the story of the pivotal ten-week campaign of marches, nonviolent resistance, and overnight jail stays that helped turn the tide on Jim Crow segregation. Who can forget the gut-wrenching photos and video clips from Birmingham during these days? The images of young Black students being assaulted by police dogs and water cannons went viral decades before the Internet was available to go viral on. Paul walks Heather through his research on Birmingham, on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and on King's Southern Christian Leadership Conference organization. He also calls attention to the important contributions of Civil Rights Movement leaders such as Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth (whose chracteristic maxim became the book's title) and Dr. King's chief of staff, Wyatt Tee Walker, who were often overshadowed by MLK's immense fame. Paul's book reveals how those ten weeks in Birmingham changed the trajectory of American politics, religion, and race relations.Sixty years later, the Birmingham story would also have a profound impact on Paul Kix's view of his marriage and family. As a white man, married to a Black woman, with a daughter and twin sons who identify as Black, he was deeply affected by the 2020 murder of George Floyd as well as other incidents that appeared to devalue the lives of Black people. Out of his personal wrestling with those events, and hard questions from his kids, Paul found himself called to remember Birmingham 1963. When Paul originally started digging into the work of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, he was not a practicing Christian. But the faith of the men who led during the Civil Rights Movement, didn't just inspire him intellectually, it also inspired him spiritually. This poignant interview sits at the intersection of faith and social justice. Heather also welcomes back our resident social media expert, Brady Shearer, to discuss another tool for your Social Toolkit. This week, Brady shares ideas for repurposing weekly sermons into condensed content for podcasts and YouTube. Guest Bio Paul Kix is a journalist and author whose last book was The Saboteur, a bestselling and critically acclaimed true story of the most daring man in World War II. His writing has also appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, GQ, and ESPN The Magazine, among other publications. His latest book , You Have to Be Prepared to Die Before You Can Begin to Live, is the subject of this episode of the podcast. He lives in Connecticut with his family. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter, at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Get Heather's weekly inspirational email delivered to your inbox every Friday night at 7 p.m. EST. Sign up now at: www.heatherthompsonday.com/links. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to the final episode of our three-part “Listening to Black Creators” series for Black History Month. On today's show, Heather gets to sit down with Kevin Olusola, a member of the three-time Grammy Award-winning vocal ensemble Pentatonix. Kevin shares his story, which he credits solely to God and his call to “radical reliance.” Oh, Kevin acknowledges that he had to do his part by putting in the work to become a masterful musician; however, it was God who ultimately opened doors and provided incredible coincidences of timing that really were not coincidences at all.In this episode you will learn how Kevin went from medical school at Yale, to performing cello beatboxing for Yo-Yo Ma, to creating a viral video that landed him on a reality television show and eventually led to him becoming the fifth member of Pentatonix. This story is so wild only God could have orchestrated it. But first, it's time for Social Toolkit. Heather continues walking us through some of the obstacles facing Black creators online. Today, she focuses on algorithm bias and pay discrepancies. Guest Bio Kevin Olusola is a member of the Grammy Award-winning musical group Pentatonix, grew up in the small town of Owensboro, Kentucky, the son of a Nigerian psychiatrist and a Grenadian nurse. At an early age, Kevin began learning piano, cello, and saxophone. He performed at Carnegie Hall twice as soloist on the cello and saxophone and has appeared on NPR's From the Top. Kevin enrolled at Yale University where he studied pre-med and East Asian Studies. He spent 18 months in Beijing becoming fluent in Chinese as a part of his Yale fellowship. While in college, Kevin began developing “cello boxing,” his innovative blending of intricate beatboxing with classical cello performances. And in 2009, he won second place in the “Celebrate and Collaborate with Yo-Yo Ma” international competition. Ma would call Kevin's cello-boxing version of “Dona Nobis Pacem” both “inventive and unexpected.” In 2011, Kevin's “Julie-O” cello boxing YouTube video was featured by CBS, AOL, Huffington Post, and the Washington Post, among others. Kevin was also named one of 100 “History Makers in the Making” by NBC's TheGrio and was hand-chosen by Quincy Jones to represent him in concert at the 2012 Montreux Jazz Festival alongside Bobby McFerrin and Chick Corea. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter, at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Get Heather's weekly inspirational email delivered to your inbox every Friday night at 7 p.m. EST. Sign up now at: www.heatherthompsonday.com/links. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today's episode Heather gets to sit down with author, speaker, and activist Ally Henny to discuss Ally's latest book, I Won't Shut Up: Finding Your Voice When the World Tries to Silence You. Citing studies and anecdotal experience, Ally explains that in our society Black women are often made to feel like their very existence is too loud. Ally then walks us through some of the societal ways in which women are silenced, invites us to think critically about the presentations of women in Scripture, and challenges us to find our voice when the world tries to squelch it. This episode is Part 2 of our three-part “Listening to Black Creators” series and speaking candidly to the Viral Jesus community in our Social Toolkit segment, Heather discusses the obstacles and injustices facing many Black creators on digital canvases such as TikTok and YouTube. From being cheated out of proper credit for their ideas to pay discrepancies in the field, Black creators are routinely dealing with the same systemic inequities that exist offline in their social networks. Heather challenges us to be mindful of “erasure.” Guest Bio Ally Henny is a writer, speaker, advocate-minister, and vice president of The Witness: A Black Christian Collective, an organization committed to encouraging, engaging, and empowering Black Christians toward liberation from racism. She completed her MDiv from Fuller Seminary with an emphasis in race, cultural identity, and reconciliation, and she hopes to lead a church someday. Ally has been leading conversations about race on her social media and blog, The Armchair Commentary, since 2014, and her posts reach millions each month. She is a proud Chicago Southsider. Also Mentioned in This Episode •Here's some backstory on how the Black teen creator of the Renegade dance was denied proper credit for her IP. •The Renegade dance scandal was first exposed by journalist Taylor Lorenz, who specializes in the digital culture and social media beats. She appeared on Viral Jesus last fall. •Check out Part 1 of the “Listening to Black Creators” series for Heather's conversation with K.A. Ellis. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter, at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Get Heather's weekly inspirational email delivered to your inbox every Friday night at 7 p.m. EST. Sign up now at: www.heatherthompsonday.com/links. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today's episode Heather visits with theologian and author K.A. Ellis—the initials stand for “Karen Angela”—to kick off our three-part series for February, “Listening to Black Creators.” Mrs. Ellis, who was 42 when she married her husband Carl, talks about the experiences of single women in the church, as well as the true meaning of the word widow (it's not just about the death of a spouse). She also offers practical wisdom for how to trust God's faithfulness and Christ's sufficiency when the way forward is anything but clear. K.A.'s latest book is called Fannie Lou Hamer: The Courageous Woman Who Marched for Dignity. The beautifully illustrated tome is ostensibly written to introduce children to the famed Civil Rights heroine, but older readers will also be captivated by this colorful retelling of Hamer's story. In just 24 pages, K.A. captures an indelible portrait of Hamer—the faithful Christian and defender of human dignity. And don't forget to check out the talk by K.A. that blew Heather away. Her message on “Loving the Widow” was given at The Gospel Coalition's 2018 Women's Pre-Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. In the message, K.A. references the book Spiritual Widowhood by Andy Mendonsa. Elsewhere in the show, Heather also checks in with our favorite social media wiz Brady Shearer to get more tools for our Social Toolkit. Brady is the CEO of Pro Church Tools. His company helps churches navigate the biggest communication shift in 500 years. Guest Bio K.A. Ellis (Karen Angela Ellis) specializes in topics centering around World Christianity and Ethics, and she's passionate about preparing the next generations to live faithfully under anti-Christian hostility. Mrs. Ellis teaches and disciples young people at her local church on Bible and Global Christianity, and is the Director of the Edmiston Center at Reformed Theological Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia. She is also the Robert Cannada Fellow in World Christianity at Reformed Theological Seminary. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter, at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Get Heather's weekly inspirational email delivered to your inbox every Friday night at 7 p.m. EST. Sign up now at: www.heatherthompsonday.com/links. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today's episode Heather is joined by Kat Armas. Kat is a Cuban American theologian and author who specializes in seeing Scripture in new ways. Her lens for engaging with the Bible reminds us that there is always so much more to Scripture than we notice at first glance. This week there's also more of our new segment Friends in the Kitchen, featuring celebrity chef Danielle Kartes. Today, Danielle is sharing her delicious Chicken Piccata recipe, which you can find on her blog here. Guest Bio Kat Armas is a Cuban American writer and podcaster from Miami, Florida. She holds a dual MDiv and MAT from Fuller Theological Seminary and is currently pursuing a ThM at Vanderbilt Divinity School. Her first book, Abuelita Faith: What Women on the Margins Teach Us About Wisdom, Persistence and Strength, sits at the intersection of women, de-colonialism, the Bible, and Cuban identity. She also explores these topics and more on her podcast, The Protagonistas, which centers the voices of Black, Indigenous, and other women of color in theological spaces. Kat is currently living outside of Nashville where she preaches regularly at Gracepointe church. Her second book, Sacred Belonging: A 40-day Devotional on the Liberating Heart of Scripture is available right now. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter, at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Get Heather's weekly inspirational email delivered to your inbox every Friday night at 7 p.m. EST. Sign up now at: www.heatherthompsonday.com/links. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today's episode Heather visits with researcher and licensed social worker Holly Oxhandler to discuss Holly's latest book, The Soul of the Helper, in which she encourages caregivers and caretakers (both professional and nonprofessional) to recognize their need for stillness, rest, and spiritual renewal. Holly says helpers are prone to trying do it all and are likely candidates for burnout. She identifies seven stages that can help us see the sacred within ourselves, and that once we can see the sacred within ourselves, we can better see it in others. Heather is also back with our new segment for January called Friends in the Kitchen, featuring celebrity chef Danielle Kartes. You may recognize Danielle from her regular appearances on The Kelly Clarkson Show. Food and foodies are popular subjects among the Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube creators and influencers, so get ready to take notes. And if you like this segment, make sure to email us at HellotoHeather@gmail.com and let us know. Danielle's latest cookbook is Butter, Flour, Sugar, Joy. And you can find her quesadilla recipe here: https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/podcasts/viral-jesus/holly-oxhandler-soul-of-helper.html Guest Bio Dr. Holly Oxhandler is the associate dean for research and faculty development and an associate professor at Baylor University's Diana R. Garland School of Social Work. Holly studies religion/spirituality, health and mental health, and is especially interested in whether and how mental and behavioral health therapists discuss their client's religious/spiritual beliefs in treatment. Her latest book is called The Soul of the Helper: Seven Stages to Seeing the Sacred Within Yourself So You Can See It in Others. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Receive Heather's weekly inspirational email every Friday at 7pm EST; sign up at www.heatherthompsonday.com/links. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today's episode Heather visits with Madison Prewett Troutt to discuss dating, waiting, and falling in love. You may recognize Madison from season 24 of The Bachelor, where she was a finalist. Madison made national news when she shared on the show that she was a virgin and saving herself for marriage. She later eliminated herself from the competition. Fans fell in love with Madison and her commitment to her Christian faith. Now she has written a book about dating and singleness to encourage other women. The Love Everybody Wants: What You're Looking For Is Already Yours is available wherever you buy Christian books. This week Heather also debuts a new segment that will run all month called Friends in the Kitchen, featuring celebrity chef Danielle Kartes. Heather and Danielle connected at a conference last year and became fast friends. You may recognize Danielle from her regular appearances on The Kelly Clarkson Show. If you do, you'll know why there's no one better to talk recipes, friendship, and current events with than this spirited woman. As for why she's doing a food segment on Viral Jesus? Heather says she started cooking regularly over the Christmas break and discovered how much she loves it. She also knows that food and food photography is a popular subject among the creators and influencers out here in the land of Instagram and TikTok. So get your taste buds ready! If you like this segment, make sure to email us at HellotoHeather@gmail.com and let us know you'd like us to bring you more recipes and more of Danielle. You can find Danielle's recipe and this episode's complete show notes here: https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/podcasts/viral-jesus/madison-prewett-troutt-love-everybody-wants.html Guest Bio Madison Prewett Troutt first stood out for her stance on relationships during her season on The Bachelor. Since completing the program, young women have continued to turn to Madi for relationship advice, which she talks about frequently on her social channels (3.2 million social followers). She was single as she started writing The Love Everybody Wants and married her husband Grant Troutt last fall as she finished the manuscript. Although she shares for the first time some of their love story, her book isn't a manual for how to get a boyfriend or a manifesto for getting married. It's about understanding the foundations of love and your self-worth. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'llSee You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Receive Heather's weekly inspirational email every Friday at 7pm EST; sign up at www.heatherthompsonday.com/links. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today's episode Heather sits down with Mike “Mikey” Planeta. You may recognize Mike as one of the contestants on season 17 of the ABC dating and relationship reality television series The Bachelorette featuring Katie Thurston. Mike was eliminated in week 6, right before the show's hometown dates. He made national news when he revealed on the show that he was a virgin and saving himself for marriage. His celibacy was rooted in his Christian faith, and was a startling departure from the typical storyline we seen on reality television. In this conversation Mike and Heather talk about his experience on The Bachelorette, how he stays grounded in his faith, and what the response was like to his appearance on the show. Heather also chats with our favorite social media expert, Brady Shearer, about the growing sentiment among many Christians that social media is inherently ill-equipped for doing good ministry. Brady's tips will help remind us that social media is simply a tool that could be used with equal effectiveness for truth or harm. Guest Bio Mike Planeta was a contestant on the 17th season of The Bachelorette, which aired during the summer of 2021. He had a successful run as a Major League Baseball player before retiring to open a San Diego-based gym and fitness center for high school athletes. He can be reached via Instagram @mikeyplaneta or email mikeplaneta@yahoo.com. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Get Heather's weekly inspirational email delivered to your inbox every Friday night at 7 PM EST. Sign up now at: www.heatherthompsonday.com/links. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is our 100th episode! Thank you so much for being a part of the Viral Jesus community. And a special thank you to those of you who have journeyed with us 100 times and back. In honor of episode 100, Heather shares a devotional thought about faith, consistency, and perseverance from Romans 4:19-22. This week, Heather also sits down with author Aaron Armstrong. Aaron's latest book is called I'm a Christian―Now What? A Guide to Your New Life with Christ. Heather and Aaron discuss Aaron's experience of converting to Christianity in adulthood, what a pastor did that helped Aaron feel a sense of psychological safety, and the questions Aaron thinks new believers may be asking. Guest Bio Aaron Armstrong is the author of several books for adults and children, a documentary screenwriter, ministry leader, and podcaster. A Canadian living in the United States, he serves at his local church as a community group leader and as a part of the preaching team. He and his wife, Emily, have three children: Abigail, Hannah, and Hudson. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Get Heather's weekly inspirational email delivered to your inbox every Friday night at 7 PM EST. Sign up now at: www.heatherthompsonday.com/links. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today Heather shares a devotional reminder of the power of gratitude. Did you know that gratitude and stress can't live in the brain at the same time? If all of our prayers are simply us recounting our worry, have we really worshiped God? Heather invites you to make a list of five things you are grateful for this holiday season. And she exhorts us to “never stop looking for spaces in your life to praise God,” even amid our worries and petitions. Today's Scripture can be found in Psalm 33:1-5 in the CSB: “Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous ones: praise from the upright is beautiful. Praise the Lord with the lyre; make music to him with a ten-stringed harp. Sing a new song to him; play skillfully on the strings, with a joyful shout. For the word of the Lord is right, and all his work is trustworthy. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the Lord's unfailing love.” Remember, Heather will be bringing you a meditation like this one every Monday for the rest of 2023. Thanksgiving blessings to you from the Viral Jesus team. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Get Heather's weekly inspirational email delivered to your inbox every Friday night at 7 PM EST. Sign up now at: www.heatherthompsonday.com/links. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Heather sits down with writer Dorcas Cheng-Tozun to discuss how to navigate matters of social justice when you're a reserved or highly sensitive person. Do you have to be an extrovert to inspire people to rally around community needs? Dorcas explains small, quiet ways you can make an impact. In this episode Heather also addresses National Adoption month with Herbie Newell, president and executive director of Lifeline Children's Services, the largest evangelical adoption agency in the country. Herbie has a special burden for vulnerable children, and he shares with us how Christians can obey God's call in James 1:27— “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (NIV). Guest Bio Dorcas Cheng-Tozun is an award-winning writer, editor, and speaker. She is a former Inc.com columnist whose work has also appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Christianity Today, Image Journal, the Unreasonable blog, The Entrepreneurial Leader, and dozens of other publications in the US and Asia. She currently serves as editorial director of the nonprofit Pax, which promotes peace and justice in the twenty-first century. Dorcas's work with various nonprofits, social enterprises, and faith-based organizations has given her opportunities to engage with a broad range of social issues toward solutions in the areas of homelessness, affordable housing, energy access, youth leadership, HIV/AIDS, and international development. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her social entrepreneur husband and two young sons. Her most recent book is Social Justice for the Sensitive Soul: How to Change the World in Quiet Ways. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Get Heather's weekly inspirational email delivered to your inbox every Friday night at 7 PM EST. Sign up now at: www.heatherthompsonday.com/links. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Heather sits down with Brady Shearer to talk about all the complexities of social media. Brady is a leader in the online ministry landscape, training churches on how to better navigate their social networks. Today he shares his best practices and tools for pastors, ministry leaders, and pretty much anyone hoping to grow their online presence. Brady, who lives and works in Canada, also shares his “origin story,” of how God redirected his steps and put him on the path to launching his own digital media company. In this episode Heather also shares a testimony from an incident she experienced last week when her friend Vimbo landed her dream job as the executive director of Kuda Vana, an outreach ministry serving an orphanage and school in Vimbo's native country of Zimbabwe. Learn more about Kuda Vana Partnership and make a donation here. Or contact the ministry's new director of development, Ms. Vimbo Watson, at vimbo@kudavana.org. Guest Bio Brady Shearer is the CEO of Pro Church Tools. His company helps churches navigate the biggest communication shift in 500 years. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Additional Links Get Heather's weekly inspirational email delivered to your inbox every Friday night at 7 PM EST. Sign up now at: www.heatherthompsonday.com/links. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Heather sits down with nationally renowned tech journalist Taylor Lorenz to discuss her bestselling book, Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet. Taylor, one of the earliest and most consequential reporters on the social media beat, catalogs the sociological story of the internet starting with how “mommy bloggers” changed the social landscape. Taylor helps us explore the world of content creation, how social power has usurped the gatekeepers, and why influencers are here to stay. She also shares a few of her favorite faith-based digital creators. In this episode Heather is also joined by her best friend and co-blogger, Scarlett Longstreet, for a spirited Safe Space conversation inspired by Taylor's book. Heather and Scarlett discuss why the term influencer has always made them feel uncomfortable. Is it about ego, or is it about misogyny? Guest Bio Taylor Lorenz is a technology columnist for The Washington Post's business section covering online culture and the content creator industry. She was previously a technology reporter for The New York Times business section, The Atlantic, and The Daily Beast. Her writing has appeared in New York Magazine, Rolling Stone, Outside, and more. She frequently appears on NBC, CNN, MSNBC, CBS, and the BBC. She was a 2019 Knight Visiting Nieman Fellow at Harvard University and is a former affiliate at Harvard's Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society. She lives in Los Angeles, and you can follow her @TaylorLorenz on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Extremely Online is Taylor's first book. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter, at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Additional Links Get Heather's weekly inspirational email delivered to your inbox every Friday night at 7 PM EST. Sign up now at: www.heatherthompsonday.com/links. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, theologian Scot McKnight walks Heather through what we may be misunderstanding about the Book of Revelation. McKnight, a professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary, tackles popular misconceptions about the mysterious final book of the Bible that both fascinates and frightens its readers. Drawing from his latest book, Revelation for the Rest of Us (written with Cody Matchett), McKnight shares what John means in his use of the images of dragons, lambs, and beasts; and how the symbolism of Revelation, which was so powerful in those ancient days of Rome, still speaks profoundly to the present day—though not necessarily in the way most of us think. This conversation between two energetic communicators will have your rapt attention from beginning to end. In fact, this interview is so rich and packed with insight on how to be a better interpreter of Scripture that you will probably want to listen to it on repeat. McKnight challenges us to view Revelation not just as a novel assortment of visions and prophecies, but as a guide for radical discipleship and nonconformity to the world. But there is good news, says Dr. McKnight: Despite facing beasts, in the end, the Lamb wins! In this episode Heather also shares what you, the Viral Jesus community, shared with her online. Testimonies are part of how we share our experiences and faith. They encourage others by sharing real-life examples of how we have experienced God. Thank you for sharing your testimonies with us. Guest Bio Scot McKnight (PhD, University of Nottingham) is a world-renowned speaker, writer, professor, and equipper of the church. He currently serves as professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary in suburban Chicago. He is a recognized authority on the historical Jesus, early Christianity, and the New Testament. His books have been translated into Chinese, Korean, Russian, and Portuguese. He is the author of The Jesus Creed, The Blue Parakeet, The King Jesus Gospel, Revelation for the Rest of Us, numerous commentaries, and is now writing a sixteen-volume series of reflections called The Everyday Bible Study. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter, at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Additional Links Get Heather's weekly inspirational email delivered to your inbox every Friday night at 7 PM EDT. Sign up now at: www.heatherthompsonday.com/links. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Heather sits down with Viral Jesus “honorary co-host” Karen Swallow Prior to discuss the origins of the evangelical movement's PR troubles. And few thought leaders are better qualified to put the issue into a hopeful perspective than Karen Swallow Prior. Fun Fact: This is Karen's third appearance on Viral Jesus, and the most of any of our guests so far. Karen's latest book, The Evangelical Imagination, is about how art, literature, and popular culture have helped push evangelicals into an existential crisis of sorts. And of course, social media, with its penchant for both joy and destruction, plays a role in this evangelical saga. In her wide-ranging conversation with Heather, Karen brings sociological context to the recent talk of evangelical deconstruction; she makes the case for a return to virtue; and she offers a postmortem on purity culture, showing how its roots can be spotted in the pages of classic literature. This crackling, high-energy chat will leave you ready to get your copy of Karen's book posthaste. In this episode Heather also spends some quality time with her best friend and co-blogger Scarlett Longstreet for this week's Safe Space segment. Today, Heather asks Scarlett, who is not a Christian, to share what she likes and dislikes about the Christian influencers that she follows. Guest Bio Karen Swallow Prior, PhD, is a reader, writer, and professor. She is the author of The Evangelical Imagination: How Stories, Images, and Metaphors Created a Culture in Crisis (Brazos, 2023). She has a monthly column for Religion News Service. Her writing has appeared at Christianity Today, The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, First Things, and Vox. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter, at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Additional Links Get Heather's weekly inspirational email delivered to your inbox every Friday night at 7 PM EDT. Sign up now at: www.heatherthompsonday.com/links. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Heather sits down with Viral Jesus Hall of Famer Esau McCaulley to discuss his powerful new book, How Far to The Promised Land? Esau explains why it is important to reexamine the idea of Black excellence, and he encourages us to remember that we are a part of a story that started long before us and will continue long after. In this episode Heather also taps into a lighter conversation with her best friend and co-blogger Scarlett Longstreet in Safe Space, a new segment in which Heather and Scarlett discuss social media, popular culture, and other random topics. Today they discuss what it's like to maintain a close friendship with someone who possesses different values.  Heather and Scarlett are very different. They don't share the same religion or ethnic background, but they've done a good job of creating a Safe Space for both meaningful and casual conversation.  Guest Bio Esau McCaulley is associate professor of New Testament at Wheaton College and theologian in residence at Progressive Baptist Church, a historically Black congregation in Chicago. His latest book, How Far to the Promised Land: One Black Family's Story of Hope and Survival in the American South, released in September 2023. He is also the author of the award-winning book Reading While Black and the children's book Josey Johnson's Hair and the Holy Spirit. He is a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times. His writings have also appeared in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and Christianity Today. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on X, the app formerly known as Twitter, at @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Additional Links Get Heather's weekly inspirational email delivered to your inbox every Friday night at 7 PM EDT. Sign up now at: www.heatherthompsonday.com/links. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today Heather sits down with José Bourget, assistant vice president for faith engagement at Andrews University, for an eye-opening conversation about the chills and spills of being diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as an adult. More than 8 million US adults are affected by the disorder. If you have ADHD, your brain doesn't work in the same way that a neurotypical brain may process the world. It's not all in your head. José has learned that an important part of living with ADHD is understanding what it is, and what it isn't. What is neurodivergence? What are “ADHD Monsters,” and why do ADHD brains create them? And what are the strategies neurodivergent people often employ to solve their problems? If you have been wondering what ADHD is, or how to better understand a loved one with ADHD, this episode is for you. José wants everyone with ADHD to remember, your brain is not broken. In today's episode Heather also welcomes back our favorite social media expert, Brady Shearer. In what may be a controversial opinion for some, Brady explains why congregations without access to good technology shouldn't livestream their services. Whether you agree or disagree with his take, Brady's tips will challenge you to think harder about your church's use of streaming technology. Guest Bio José Bourget is the Assistant Vice President for Faith Engagement at Andrews University in Michigan. He has served as a university chaplain and pastor for over ten years. Find José's sermon here. He recommends Your Brain's Not Broken: Strategies for Navigating Your Emotions and Life with ADHD by Tamara Rosier. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Sign up for Heather's encouraging devotional email, which goes out every Friday night at 7 p.m. EST, at www.heatherthompsonday.com/links. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to the final session of our three-part podclass “Disrupting American gods.” Today Heather sits down with hip-hop artist Kevin “KB” Burgess, as he unpacks the themes of his latest book Dangerous Jesus. KB wants us to meet a Jesus who questions the status quo, threatens those seeking to divide us, and teaches us radical love of others. This conversation also reveals how KB discovered his call to music and ministry. Plus, KB shares his perceptive analysis of how Christians are seen in today's popular culture. In this episode Heather also taps into a lighter conversation with her best friend and co-blogger Scarlett Longstreet in Safe Space, our new segment where Heather and Scarlett share their candid takes on social media, popular culture, much more. Today they discuss the ethics and economics of featuring family in social media. Should parents who have monetized their platform, and who rely on their children as a source of content, pay their children? Let's talk it out. Guest Bio Kevin “KB” Burgess is a Dove Award–winning rapper, speaker, and podcaster. With four full-length albums to his name—including 2020's His Glory Alone, for which he won the Dove Award for Rap/Hip-Hop Album of the Year—the multi-hyphenate artist is an inimitable force on today's scene. He has become a No. 1 hitmaker and has received critical acclaim for his studio releases with placement on Billboard's Top 200 Album Chart and top 5 on Billboard's Top Rap Album Chart. KB is cohost of the popular podcast Southside Rabbi. His latest book is called Dangerous Jesus. Furthermore, HGA—a movement he spearheaded made up of multiethnic urban men and women from all walks of life—has amassed a loyal following around the globe. Although KB wears many hats, his greatest joy is being a husband to Michelle and a father to their three children.  Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Sign up for Heather's encouraging devotional email, which goes out every Friday night at 7 p.m. EST, at www.heatherthompsonday.com/links.  Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Heather sits down with writer, speaker, and theologian Kaitlyn Schiess to discuss her latest book, The Ballot and the Bible: How Scripture Has Been Used and Abused in American Politics. Today's episode is part two of our three-part pod-class on “Disrupting American gods.” Kaitlyn will explain the history of using the Bible as a prop in American politics, and she'll also share her illuminating definition of “Christian nationalism,” a term we have heard a lot of in recent years.  In this episode Heather also taps into lighter subject matter with her best friend and co-blogger Scarlett Longstreet in this week's Safe Space convo. This go-round, Heather and Scarlett debate the pros and cons of unfollowing people online.   Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Sign up for Heather's encouraging devotional email, which goes out every Friday night at 7 p.m. EST, at www.heatherthompsonday.com/links.  Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today Heather sits down with Garrison Hayes, a content creator and former pastor, who has been called “TokTok's unofficial history professor and documentarian.” As a scholar of forgotten Black history, and a talented filmmaker to boot, Garrison has garnered millions of views for his videos, including his much-talked-about TikTok on the history of whiteness. In fact, when Heather saw Garrison's provocative overview of how white people became white people, she found it so fascinating that she asked him to come on the podcast to discuss it further. In their lively conversation, Garrison also reveals why he believes God designed the Sabbath to be an instrument of disruption. This week marks the kickoff of “Disrupting American gods,” our latest pod-class series. Over the next three episodes, Heather and her guests will explore America's uses and abuses of race, politics, and religion. This series will stretch your thinking and deepen your faith.  Elsewhere in this episode Heather also chats with her best friend and co-blogger Scarlett Longstreet in our new Safe Space segment, where Heather and Scarlett discuss social media, popular culture, and other topics of interest. Today they discuss a TikTok by Julia Mazur that went viral over the weekend after she shared what her Saturday looks like as a 29-year-old single woman. Guest Bio Garrison Hayes produces innovative short documentaries for his community of 300,000+ followers on TikTok. He also has a massive Instagram presence with over 100,000 followers there. He explores the hidden or forgotten corners of Black history, faith, and politics, as well as his love of books.  Additional Links Garrison's TikTok on the history of whiteness: https://www.tiktok.com/@garrisonhayes/video/7258002292928974122?lang=en Here is an article giving more context to this week's Safe Space conversation about a young woman's unexpectedly controversial viral video about the joys of singleness: https://www.eviemagazine.com/post/viral-29-and-single-tiktok-sparks-heated-debate-single-life-married-life Sign up for Heather's encouraging devotional email, which goes out every Friday night at 7 p.m. EST, at www.heatherthompsonday.com/links Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today Heather sits down with Jeffrey Harmon, the chief content officer of Angel Studios, to discuss the art, craft, and unconventional marketing strategies that have made both The Chosen television series and the film Sound of Freedom surprise hits in their respective mediums. Based on the true story of a US government agent who quits his job to devote his life to rescuing children from global child traffickers, Sound of Freedom stars Jim Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ) in the lead role of Tim Ballard. Jeffrey Harmon says a key goal of the film is to put a spotlight on the global movement to end the trafficking of minors by successfully distributing the film to a worldwide audience. But even as it outperforms erstwhile blockbusters like Indiana Jones and Mission: Impossible, controversy and skepticism have surrounded Sound of Freedom, with some leaders of anti-trafficking ministries and organizations leaders concerned that it overly sensationalizes the real work of battling traffickers and rescuing abducted children. Other critics allege that it's linked to the extreme-right QAnon conspiracy movement. Heather asks Jeffrey about the QAnon connections head-on. Tune in to hear his impassioned response to those questions and much more on how Angel Studios learned to make its projects go viral. In this episode Heather also talks with her best friend and co-blogger Scarlett Longstreet in Safe Space, a new segment in which Heather and Scarlett discuss social media and popular culture. Today, they talk about whether or not parents should take their kids to see Barbie. It was announced this week that the film became Warner Bros.' best-selling global release of all time reaching more than $1.2 billion in sales. Heather and Scarlett are totally different. They don't share the same religion or background, but they've done a good job of creating a Safe Space for both meaningful and casual conversation. Guest Bio Jeffrey Harmon is a cofounder and Chief Content Officer of Angel Studios. He's also a cofounder of the Harmon Brothers advertising agency, which has helped clients drive over $350 million in sales with over 1.3 billion online views. Based in Utah, Jeffrey hails from a Mormon family—another topic of ardent discussion over the years in the evangelicals spaces that he often occupies. Additional Links For a free ticket to Sound of Freedom, go to angel.com/freeticketsYou can sign up for Heather's encouraging email that goes out every Friday night at 7pm EST at www.heatherthompsonday.com/links Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome back Viral Jesus family! Many of you asked over the summer if you could have more mental health episodes so we wasted no time in giving you exactly what you wanted. Episode 1 of season 4 is here with an incredibly thoughtful and wise conversation with TikTok's favorite trauma therapist, Kobe Campbell.  *Trigger warning* Heather and Kobe do discuss mental health and trauma, and there is a point where Kobe discusses suicide. Heather also asks Kobe what her thoughts are on the dangers of TikTok therapy, and whether or not she thinks social media has created an oversimplification of therapy terminology that has been harmful to our generation. You will find this conversation incredibly insightful and we hope it also leaves you feeling hopeful about any trauma you've endured. In today's episode Heather introduces a new segment called Safe Space. This is where she sits down with her best friend and co-blogger Scarlett Longstreet to discuss social media and popular culture. Heather and Scarlett are totally different. They don't share the same religion or background, but as BFFs they've done a good job of creating a safe space for both meaningful and casual conversation. Guest Bio Kobe Campbell is an award-winning licensed trauma therapist, bestselling author and transformative leader. She uses TikTok to create posts (that often go viral) about teaching people real-life applications for her clinical study. Her latest book is called Why Am I Like This? How to Break Cycles, Heal from Trauma and Restore Your Faith.  Additional Links You can sign up for Heather's encouraging email that goes out every Friday night at 7pm EST at www.heatherthompsonday.com/links Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

EP.151: Heather Thompson Day is an interdenominational speaker, bestselling author, professor, and podcaster. She is the host of Viral Jesus, a new podcast with Christianity Today which charts in the top 200 of all Christian podcasts in the U.S. She is passionate about supporting women, and runs an online community called I'm That Wife which has over 270k followers. In this  compelling conversation with Heather, she graciously shares her her personal journey of faith, unpacks her powerful new book I'll See You Tomorrow, and offers insight on how to have relational resilience.

This is our last episode of season 3, and we are pulling out all the stops. If you are a parent trying to figure out how to raise your kids in the age of social media and nonstop technology access, this episode is a great place to start. Heather sits down with the award-winning author Mandy Majors to discuss three practical ideas for how to navigate the toils and snares of this digital age. Today's episode concludes our “3 Things That Could Change Your Life” series. If you're jumping into our “3 Things” pod-class series for the first time with this episode, we encourage you to also catch part 1 with pastor and author Mark Batterson and part 2  with humorist and speaking coach Mary R. Snyder. In today's episode Heather also chats with our favorite social media expert, Brady Shearer. Heather and Brady discuss why Facebook Reels may be the best-kept secret for reaching your audience and community. Guest Bio Mandy Majors is the author of the award-winning book, TALK, and Keeping Kids Safe in a Digital World. She is the co-host of the podcast nextTalk. She is also a speaker and the founder of nextTalk, a nonprofit organization passionate about creating a culture of honest conversation in homes, churches, and schools to keep kids safe in a digital world. Additional Links You can sign up for Heather's encouraging weekly email that goes out every Friday night at 7pm ET at www.heatherthompsonday.com/links. And remember to mark your calendar for season 4 of Viral Jesus, coming your way August 24. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Two communication questions Heather gets without fail every season are: How can I become a better public speaker? and How do I break into the Christian speaking circuit?  If one or both of these questions have ever crossed your mind, then this episode is for you. Today Heather sits down with speaking coach Mary R. Snyder to discuss everything about public speaking—from working a stage, to finding your passion, to negotiating your pay. As a Christian entrepreneur, Mary also challenges her students to grow in their relationship with Christ even as they hone their public-speaking craft. This episode is part two of our season-ending series, “Three Things That Could Change Your Life.” Last week pastor and best-selling author Mark Batterson gave us three words that have the power to transform our friends, enemies, and everyone in between. And today Mary Snyder shares her three tips for raising our public-speaking game. Heather also chats with our favorite social media expert, Brady Shearer, about the concept of feast or famine on social media. Brady's tips will help you add more tools to your Social Toolkit.  Guest Bio For over two decades, MaryR. Snyder has been paving the way in Christian event production. A speaker and coach herself, Mary is dedicated to helping others become successful public speakers through her podcast, Take the Stage, and course, Activate Your Speaking Career. Hear stories of influence from some of today's most talented voices while learning how you too can turn your passion into a career with help from the expert. Visit www.maryrsnyder.com for more information.   Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Heather Thompson Day is an interdenominational speaker and has been a contributor for Religion News Service, Christianity Today, Newsweek and the Barna Group. She is also the host of Viral Jesus, a podcast with Christianity Today, that is in the top 200 of all Christian podcasts in the country. Heather is an Associate Professor of Communication at Andrews University. She is passionate about supporting women, and runs an online community called I'm That Wife which has over 270k followers. She believes her calling is to stand in the gaps of our churches for young people. She is the author of 8 books; including It's Not Your Turn, and I'll See You Tomorrow. She resides in Michigan, with her husband, Seth Day, and their three children, London, Hudson, and Sawyer Day. LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE IF: You want to learn more about how to discover your calling You are interested in learning about Gen Z and what drives them You like thoughtful conversations about the role of faith in our lives You want to increase your influence and impact on others You want to discover why you matter You can learn more about Heather: Instagram: @heatherthompsonday Twitter: @HeatherTDay www.heatherthompsonday.com

Today we launch our final pod-class series of the season: “Three Things That Could Change Your Life.” In this three-part series, we speak with three Christian thought leaders about their three areas of expertise and ask them to share simple strategies that everyday people can implement in their daily lives. We are thrilled to open this series with Pastor Mark Batterson, the bestselling author of The Circle Maker. Mark tells Heather why three simple words—Please, Sorry, and Thanks—have the power to change the lives of those who love you, those who hate you, and everyone in between. Heather also chats with our favorite social media expert, Brady Shearer. Heather and Brady discuss why you should be making your online videos shorter. Brady's tips will add more tools to your Social Toolkit. Guest Bio Mark Batterson is the lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D.C. Mark holds a doctor of ministry degree from Regent University and is the New York Times bestselling author of 23 books, including Please, Sorry, Thanks: The Three Words That Change Everything and Win the Day: 7 Daily Habits to Help You Stress Less & Accomplish More, as well as several books for children, including The Best Worst Day Ever, written with his daughter Summer Batterson Dailey. Mark and his wife, Lora, live on Capitol Hill and have three children. Find him on social media @MarkBatterson. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is session 2 of our two-part pod-class series “I Think I Need a Therapist.” If you're a stickler for listening to podcasts in their sequential order and you missed last week's episode, you may want to hit pause and play session 1 first. But you'll find the conversations valuable in whichever order you listen to them. Today Heather sits down with family therapist Sarah Bontrager, a friend and former colleague from Heather's Colorado Christian University days. In their candid conversation, Sarah talks about her own experience in therapy after her son Ben's cancer diagnosis. Sarah also offers her perspective on how to know when you should see a therapist, the difference between clinical depression and situational depression, and navigating symptoms of anxiety. In this episode, Sarah also shares a deeply personal testimony of an encounter she had with Jesus. What if, in your life, Jesus turns out to be exactly who he said he is? Sarah's story will leave you with a deeper awareness of God's presence. Heather also chats with our favorite social media expert, Brady Shearer, about online trolling. What do we do when someone posts something about us that's insensitive or intentionally harsh? Brady's tips will help you add more tools to your Social Toolkit.  Guest Bio Sarah Bontrager is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, an assistant professor of psychology at Colorado Christian University, and a PhD student in Philosophy of Performance Psychology. She is a Colorado native and lives in Golden with her husband of 22 years, Dr. Jeff Bontrager, and their four children—Ethan (20), Sam (15), Benjamin (13), and Isabella (10). Sarah has been in private practice since 2008 and is passionate about engaging authentically with relevant, pressing mental health and faith issues with teens, athletes, families, couples, and children. Her specialties include working with depression and anxiety, life-stage adjustments, performance issues, faith questions, parenting, trauma, grief, and family relationships. Outside of work, Sarah loves to cook, lead worship, and spend time with her friends and family, skiing, hiking, camping, and traveling. Additional Links Join Heather and Beth Moore at the next Living Proof LIVE event at National Church of God in Washington, DC, June 9 and 10. Buy tickets at https://www.lproof.org/events. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome back! After a two-week break, Viral Jesus is back and ready to serve you in a variety of ways this summer. We are kicking off our first pod-class of summer today with the first episode of our new two-part series “I Think I Need a Therapist.” You will have plenty to chew on after listening to this episode. In the midst of what many are calling a national mental health crisis, young people are hurting, families are hurting, pastors and churches are hurting. Even some who once pooh-poohed therapists and psychology are recognizing their need for help. Today Heather sits down with critically acclaimed author and therapist Aundi Kolber to discuss strength, trauma, survival, and the slow miracle of being aligned with the Spirit of God. Also, for this week's Social Toolkit, Brady Shearer is back to give us the Three S's of meaningful social media posts. Guest Bio Aundi Kolber is a licensed professional counselor (MA, LPC) and author of the critically acclaimed Try Softer. Her latest book is Strong Like Water: Finding the Freedom, Safety, and Compassion to Move Through Hard Things—and Experience True Flourishing. Aundi has received additional training in her specialization of trauma- and body-centered therapies and is passionate about the integration of faith and psychology. Aundi regularly speaks at local and national events, and she has appeared on podcasts such as The Lazy Genius with Kendra Adachi, Typology, Go and Tell Gals, and The Next Right Thing with Emily P. Freeman. As a survivor of trauma, Aundi brings hard-won knowledge about the work of change, the power of redemption, and the beauty of experiencing God with us in our pain.  Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today's episode Heather borrows author Katherine May's metaphorical idea of “wintering” to describe the season of sadness that she's recently been navigating. Winters can be long and harsh, but they also can be vital to the healing and renewal of an environment. Our spiritual winters are no different. If this year has added pain and anxiety to your life, you will want to hear the encouragement in this episode, as Heather points us all toward spring. She also shares the important dates you'll need to know for the Viral Jesus summer series. For this week's Social Toolkit, Heather chats with digital creator Chaz Smith, who has amassed a massive social media presence with over 3.2 million followers across his YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok channels. Chaz will tell you about his latest project, an animated Bible series titled What Had Happened Was, and also share some helpful tips that will enhance your social toolkit. Remember, Viral Jesus is taking a two-week break. But Heather will be back on May 25 with our first summer pod-class titled “I Think I Need a Therapist.” Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today's episode Heather sits down with author Shannan Martin for the final installment in our four-part series “Who Is My Neighbor?” Shannan says don't wait for community to just happen. Instead, she encourages us to become the type of neighbor that creates and inspires community. Heather and Shannan discuss practical ways we can better live out our calling as Christ followers, right where we are. Heather also chats with our favorite social media expert, Brady Shearer, about Meta allowing us to buy blue check mark verification on Instagram and Facebook. Should we pay for verification? Will it help you or hurt you? Brady's tips will add more tools to your social toolkit. Guest Bio Shannan Martin is the author of The Ministry of Ordinary Places and her latest book, Start With Hello: (And Other Simple Ways to Live as Neighbors). Based in Indiana, she is a speaker and writer who works as a cook at The Window, a local nonprofit dedicated to feeding its community. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today's episode Heather shares part three of our “Who Is My Neighbor?” pod-class series. She is joined by QuaWanna Bannarbie and Bethany Rivera Molinar, two of the gifted contributors to Voices of Lament: Reflections on Brokenness and Hope in a World Longing for Justice, a new book inspired by Psalm 37. In their candid conversation with Heather, QuaWanna and Bethany invite us to lean into the spiritual practice of lament and reflect on its power for both personal and social transformation. If you missed it, please go back and listen to last week's episode with author Karen González on “Seeing Our Immigrant Neighbor.” This week Heather also chats with our favorite social media expert, Brady Shearer, as he shares his thoughts on how to use good storytelling to stop the scroll. Guest Bios QuaWanna Bannarbie and Bethany Rivera Molinar are two of 29 Christian women of color whose writing forms Voices of Lament: Reflections on Brokenness and Hope in a World Longing for Justice. Edited by Natasha Sistrunk Robinson and inspired by Psalm 37, with its outpouring of emotion about the human experience as an inspired starting place, these 29 women, representing an inclusive, intergenerational sisterhood of clergy, poets, entrepreneurs, creatives and more, make public their private stories. In so doing, they both model and offer a way to hold the tension of injustice and heartache with hope and love. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today's episode Heather sits down with Karen González for part two of our four-part pod-class titled “Who Is My Neighbor?” If you're joining us fresh, make sure to catch last week's episode where we opened the series with Native American Bible translator Terry Wildman. This week, Karen challenges us to question our positionality as we engage with the stories we love in Scripture. “We will discover that we're not Joseph; we're Egypt.” Heather also chats with our favorite social media expert, Brady Shearer, for this week's Social Toolkit. Brady explains why he believes social media is not just a tool for ministry; it is ministry. Guest Bio Karen González is the author of The God Who Sees. She is a speaker, writer, storyteller, and immigrant advocate, who herself immigrated from Guatemala as a child. Karen is a former public-school teacher and attended Fuller Theological Seminary, where she studied theology and missiology. For the last 13 years, she has been a non-profit professional, currently working for an organization based in Baltimore, MD, that serves refugees and other immigrants. Her latest book is called Beyond Welcome: Centering Immigrants in our Christian Response to Immigration. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today's episode is part one of “Who Is My Neighbor?,” our latest pod-class series on faithful discipleship and what it means to truly love our neighbor. And, in case you missed it, be sure to listen to last week's episode, where Heather revisits the parable of the Good Samaritan and explains why she chose “Who Is My Neighbor?” as this month's pod-class theme. This week, Heather is joined by minister and Bible translator Terry M. Wildman to discuss Terry's work on First Nations Version: An Indigenous Translation of the New Testament, as well as the inherent challenges of communicating Christianity's good news to a community of people who have been historically marginalized and abused by white Christian leaders. The First Nations Version is a retelling of the Creator's story—the Scriptures—following in the tradition of the storytellers of these oral cultures. Many First Nations tribes communicate with the cultural and linguistic thought patterns found in their original tongues. This way of speaking, with its striking beauty and rich cultural idioms, still resonates in the hearts of First Nations people. In his ministry, Terry demonstrates the power of understanding our neighbors' cultural contexts so that we can connect with them in more caring and authentic ways. But first, for this week's Social Toolkit, Heather chats with author and Bible teacher Alexandra V. Hoover about how to be faithful and effective stewards of our social platforms. Her latest book is the bestselling Eyes Up: How to Trust God's Heart by Tracing His Hand. Guest Bio Terry M. Wildman (Ojibwe and Taqui) is the lead translator, general editor, and project manager of the First Nations Version. He serves as the director of spiritual growth and leadership development for Native InterVarsity. He is also the founder of Rain Ministries, and has previously served as a pastor and worship leader. He and his wife Darlene, live in Arizona. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today's episode Heather explains why she chose “Who Is My Neighbor?” as the subject for our next four-part, pod-class series, which starts next week. To help set the tone, Heather walks us through the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Using Kenneth E. Bailey's book Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes as a framework, Heather challenges us to experience the explosive message of the parable in a way similar to how its first-century audience heard it. Also, for this week's Social Toolkit, Heather sits down with theologian Esau McCaulley to discuss the sensitive topic of gun reform in the wake of the Covenant School shooting in Nashville. How can Christians helpfully engage the topic? Esau contributed to the public conversation with his latest New York Times article: “How Can We Be a Country That Does This to Our Children?” Guest Bio Esau McCaulley is associate professor of New Testament at Wheaton College and is the author of Reading While Black. His latest book is a memoir titled How Far to the Promised Land, and it is available for preorder now. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

heather's website: https://www.heatherthompsonday.com/heather's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherthompsonday/heather's twitter: https://twitter.com/HeatherTDayheather's podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/viral-jesus/id1576591284to get the free training, send me an email at hello@digitalmissionspodcast.com

In today's episode Heather sits down with brothers Darin and Jordan Starks, hosts of The Just Different Podcast, to talk about how they built an engaged podcast community. Darin and Jordan speak transparently and wisely about topics such as love, sex, purpose, and shame. They also share their experience with mentorship, finding their “why,” and why they believe God doesn't need us to be perfect, just available. Heather also chats with our favorite social media expert, Brady Shearer,, about how to handle trolls and negative comments on your page. Brady offers the acrostic R.I.D. as a handy guide to his three recommended options: Respond, Ignore, or Delete. Guest Bio Darin and Jordan Starks are brothers and hosts of The Just Different Podcast, a weekly show that covers everything surrounding faith, life, and culture. Their conversations feature the perfect combination of biblical truth, personal experience, real-life issues, and humor. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today's episode Heather unpacks some of the key themes and learnings from the past four weeks of our “Lessons from My Mentor” pod-class series. She is joined by special guests Arleny Aquino and Xavier Thomas, two of her students at Andrews University, who share their reflections on mentorship and what they were most challenged and encouraged by in the Viral Jesus pod class. They also discuss what they believe college students and young professionals need most from older adults right now, and you may be surprised by what they have to say. If you missed any of the “Lessons from My Mentor” installments, you can listen to them here: Week 1 with José Rojas, Week 2 with Christine Caine, Week 3 with Jo Saxton, and of course last week's power-packed conversation with Beth Moore. And for this week's Social Toolkit segment, Heather sits down with author Chris Martin, whose new book, The Wolf in Their Pockets: 13 Ways the Social Internet Threatens the People You Lead, explores how social media is harming our mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. Martin is also editor of BibletoLife.com and content marketing editor at Moody Publishers. You can follow him on Twitter at @ChrisMartin17. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today's episode concludes our four-part, pod-class series on mentorship. And what better way to finish than with godly wisdom and inspiration from another one of Heather's favorite online mentors? We're thrilled to welcome Beth Moore to Viral Jesus. Last week, Jo Saxton guided us through practical tips on what mentoring is, and why we need to cultivate environments that allow us to use our gifts. This week, in often emotional chat, Beth helps us to decipher the voice of God and explains why Scripture is crucial to that process. She also encourages all of us to look for opportunities to be mentors, even if we've never had one ourselves. Heather also sits down with our favorite social media expert, Brady Shearer, to learn about the strategy of inspiration over information when it comes to posting online content. Brady is the director of Pro Church Tools and the church-software platform Nucleus. His work focuses on helping churches navigate the biggest communication shift in 500 years. Make sure to let us know your thoughts about this segment by typing in ViralJesusPod on Instagram or Twitter and including #ViralJesus with your comment. Guest Bio Author and speaker Beth Moore is a dynamic Bible teacher whose conferences take her around the globe. She has written numerous bestselling books and Bible studies. Her new memoir, All My Knotted-Up Life, debuted at No. 10 on The New York Times bestseller list. She is also the founder and visionary of Living Proof Ministries, based in Houston, Texas. Join Beth and Heather in person, June 9-10, at Living Proof Live in Fort Washington, Maryland. Get tickets at www.lproof.org/events. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today's episode we continue with part three of our four-part pod-class series on mentorship. If you missed it, please check out last week's episode with Christine Caine, where Christine cautioned us to not confuse platform with ministry. This week we sit down with Jo Saxton to gain some practical tips on what mentoring is, how we can get a mentor, and why we need to cultivate environments that let us use our gifts. Heather also sits down to discuss the latest research on mentoring with Dr. Meryl Herr, director of research and resources at Fuller Seminary's Max De Pree Center for Leadership. She earned her MDiv and PhD at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and resides in Watkinsville, Georgia, with her husband and two sons. Guest Bio Jo Saxton is an author, speaker, and leadership coach who has led ministries and non-profits, and pastored and planted churches. Jo is co-host of Lead Stories, a podcast that she does with her good friend Pastor Steph O'Brien. Jo and Steph share leadership stories and cover current issues with the aim of encouraging, equipping, and empowering leaders to discover all God has for them. She has written several books, including Ready to Rise and More Than Enchanting. Jo also has launched the digital program Leadership Coaching Community to help women develop their leadership skills and connect with other leaders around the world. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Director of CT Podcasts: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today's episode we present part two of “Lessons from My Mentor,” our four-part, pod-class series on mentorship. In part one, Heather introduced us to Pastor José Rojas, her personal mentor and a former White House advisor. This week we learn from author, activist, and evangelist Christine Caine in a power-packed conversation about what it means to trust God, pursue your calling, and lean into the development process of your own life rather than rush through it. Christine also tells us why she resists the concept of “influencers” and explains why a “platform” isn't necessarily a ministry. But first, Heather sits down with her friend Katlyn Giberson, director for digital marketing at the Christian and Missionary Alliance, to discuss Taylor Swift and whether fandom culture is a hashtag bless, or a hashtag mess. Make sure to let us know your thoughts about this segment by typing in ViralJesusPod on Instagram or Twitter and including #Blessed with your comment. Guest Bio Christine Caine is a speaker, author, and activist who has been serving the local church globally for over 30 years. She and her husband, Nick, founded the anti-human trafficking organization, The A21 Campaign, which works at the local, domestic, and international level to end modern-day slavery. They also founded Equip & Empower, a ministry that is mobilizing people everywhere to live on mission for Jesus. Propel Women is an initiative of the ministry dedicated to coming alongside women all over the globe to activate their God-given purpose. The ministry has also planted three life-giving Zoe Churches in Europe that are not only bringing the Gospel to the region, but also serve the most vulnerable through humanitarian outreach during times of crisis.Christine is the best-selling author of more than a dozen books and studies and you can tune into her weekly podcast or television program to be encouraged with the hope of Jesus wherever you are. Christine holds a Master's Degree in Evangelism and Leadership from Wheaton College. Host Bio Heather Thompson Day is an associate professor of communication at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She is the author of eight books, including I'll See You Tomorrow and It's Not Your Turn. Reach out to Heather on Twitter @HeatherTDay and on Instagram @heatherthompsonday. Viral Jesus is a production of Christianity Today Host and creator: Heather Thompson Day Executive Producer: Ed Gilbreath Producer: Loren Joseph Associate Producer: Azurae Phelps Mix Engineer: Alex Carter Senior Director of CT Media: Mike Cosper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices