The Common Good Podcast

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

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

Brian shares a comically frustrating weekend story — a single leaf clogging his garage drain and flooding his basement despite recent drainage work — and draws out the spiritual lesson that we're never as in control as we think, and the small "leaves" in our lives can throw everything off course. He pushes back on President Trump barring CNN, MS Now, and Politico reporters from the White House, arguing the move threatens press freedom regardless of one's opinion of those outlets. Brian shares Kathy Keller's reflections on how her late husband Tim Keller conducted funerals by pointing people to Jesus rather than eulogizing the deceased, and discusses a Christianity Today roundtable on rethinking retirement not as maximum leisure but as a continued season of Christian purpose and "becoming." He shares a study finding that group discussion, not solo reflection, is what actually helps people spot fake news — tying it to the power of Christian community and discipleship — and closes with Tim Challies's case for the underrated "ministry of presence," simply showing up faithfully to church.

Brian opens with a rich theological reflection on living coram Deo — before the face of God — arguing that God's presence isn't confined to two hours of Sunday worship but fills the other 166 hours of ordinary work and life. He calls out the cruelty he witnessed in Christian social media responses to a seminary student's video about pursuing a Master of Divinity, arguing online meanness reveals true character rather than excusing it. Brian reacts to reports the Trump administration is considering federal subsidies for stay-at-home parents, questioning the shift toward government handouts regardless of party. He shares a Christianity Today piece distinguishing "niceness" from biblical kindness, arguing Christians are called to speak hard truths without reveling in others' humiliation. Brian discusses a striking shift in global missions — the West now receiving as many missionaries as it sends — and plays a clip of JD Greer wrestling with the ethics of sports gambling ahead of football season. He closes with Greer's essay explaining why he rejects Christian nationalism, and a reflection on C.S. Lewis's Till We Have Faces and its answer to the problem of evil and divine silence.

Brian catches up with Adam Holz of Plugged In for a lighter Friday roundup. They discuss Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom, a Halloween-themed stop-motion comedy spoofing classic horror tropes when a hair-growth tonic turns a bald farmer into a mistaken "monster," with a same-gender couple briefly appearing and some content notes for younger or sensitive viewers. Adam also reviews Daniel and the Fiery Furnace, the latest in a wave of biblical dramas following the success of The Chosen, praising its effort to set up the broader biblical context before diving into Daniel's story in Babylon, while noting the usual minor artistic liberties common to the genre. They close with Adam's personal recommendation for a rainy day double feature: the World War II films Pressure and Nuremberg.

Brian talks with Paul Batura, VP of communications and chief editor of the Daily Citizen at Focus on the Family, about the disturbing public sympathy that emerged during the trial of Lindsey Clancy, who admitted to killing her children. Paul argues the case reveals a broader cultural inability to hold two truths at once — that someone can be mentally ill and still criminally responsible — pointing to a similar celebrity-like sympathy that surrounded the Luigi Mangione case. He connects the moral confusion to a broader cultural normalization of abortion, noting that Massachusetts expanded late-term abortion access around the same time as the trial, and argues that compromising on the value of life in one area makes it easier to rationalize elsewhere. Paul calls Christians to develop a biblical worldview through daily Scripture reading and prayer for wisdom as the antidote to being swept up by social media contagion and secular framing of such cases.

Brian talks with British pastor and Christianity Today columnist Andrew Wilson about his new book, Happiness: What It Is, Where to Find It, and How to Make It Last Forever. Andrew pushes back on the common church teaching that pits "holiness over happiness," arguing Scripture consistently uses joy and pleasure as near-synonymous terms — "in your presence is fullness of joy, at your right hand are pleasures forevermore" — and that separating the two leaves people confused or chasing happiness outside the faith instead of within it. He unpacks the book's structure around questions of what happiness is, how it shifts across the seasons of life per Ecclesiastes, and where it's found — arguing the holiest place in Scripture, wherever God dwells, is also the happiest. Andrew offers practical starting points for cultivating joy: coming to God through Christ, forming virtues like gratitude, compassion, and humility, and intentionally pursuing joy in prayer and Bible reading, while acknowledging that deeper love and joy also open us to deeper sorrow.

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

Brian talks with Blair Korschun, CEO of Adelphi Christian Banking, about his article "Radical Generosity Doesn't Need to Be Extreme." Blair makes the case that generosity isn't about giving everything away or waiting until you make more money — it's a daily mindset of giving whatever you have now, whether that's a few dollars, time, or a particular skill, to help a neighbor or support the church. He shares that his own growth in generosity has taught him that real joy comes not from possessions but from giving, especially when it's difficult. Blair closes by describing Adelphi Christian Banking's mission as the largest Christian-based banking institution in the country, dedicating more than half of its lending to Christian churches, schools, and ministries, and building giving into its everyday financial products.

In this special broadcast, Brian partners with Michael Woolworth of Bible League International for the ministry's annual fall fundraising drive, aiming to provide 2,000 Bibles to believers around the world who lack Scripture in their own language. Michael shares powerful stories from across the globe: a former radical Muslim in Albania whose conversion sparked 500 others to faith; new believers in Malawi's overcrowded Zaleka refugee camp; underground house churches surviving persecution in Communist China; a rickshaw driver in India secretly evangelizing despite anti-conversion laws; and a genocide survivor in Rwanda who found the grace to forgive after receiving her first Bible, sparking a third of her village to faith. Michael explains that a $5 gift provides one Bible, doubled through a matching campaign, and each Bible is estimated to reach a dozen people, inviting listeners to support the effort by phone or online.

Brian talks with Pastor Andrew Fetzer of Alpha Baptist Church in Livonia, Michigan, about his path from conversion at 18 through four years in the United States Marine Corps before entering pastoral ministry, training under faithful churches in the Detroit area and continuing his education at Moody Theological Seminary. Andrew reflects on how the Marine Corps' emphasis on stripping away personal identity for the sake of a larger mission became unexpected preparation for a life of gospel service. He describes the DNA of his congregation — marked by hospitality, humble service, and a hunger for God's Word — and walks through the church's ministries, including expository preaching through the Gospel of Mark, new small fellowship groups replacing traditional midweek Bible study, an engaged young adult ministry, and the Alpha Family and Foster Closet, which serves foster and families in need throughout western Wayne County.

Brian recaps a whirlwind weekend driving to visit his college freshman son, watching Sunday Night Football together, and reflects on how family time reorders priorities better than anything else in life. He digs into a Christianity Today piece pushing back on the popular but misattributed C.S. Lewis quote that humility is "thinking of yourself less," arguing true Christian humility is self-sacrificial love modeled on Christ rather than mere self-forgetfulness. Brian raises alarm over the growing "no contact" trend of adult children cutting off parents over relatively minor disagreements, drawing on a new book critiquing the ideology behind it and calling the church to model grace, forgiveness, and the hard work of reconciliation instead. He discusses a Tim Challies piece arguing the Bible's power isn't tied to any physical medium — book, scroll, or phone screen — and a related Christianity Today article on the return of hymnals, arguing the real question is theological substance, not format. He also reflects wryly on 1990s evangelical culture-war panics over Pokémon and Harry Potter as a caution against losing focus on the church's true calling, and closes with JD Greer's teaching on the warning signs of spiritual lukewarmness — prayerlessness, minimized sin, and a transactional relationship with God.

Brian talks with Dr. Margaret Diddams, former provost at Wheaton College and co-author with Shirley Mullen of the new book Tried and True: The Countercultural Virtues of Christian Leadership. Drawing on her background in organizational psychology and years consulting with senior pastors, Margaret describes what she calls the "four horsemen of self-deception" — exhaustion, isolation, defensiveness, and entitlement — that drive so much of the moral failure and burnout plaguing church leadership today. She diagnoses the root problem as an individualistic, strengths-based leadership model borrowed from the business world rather than one oriented toward God's kingdom, and uses the life of John Wesley as a case study in surrendered, God-facing leadership rather than self-reliant leadership. Margaret unpacks the book's framework of surrender, stewardship, and servanthood, connecting it to the biblical vision of the "common good" — humanity made in God's image to steward creation toward flourishing and shalom.

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

Ahead of Grandparents' Day on September 13, Brian talks with Dr. Joannie DeBrito, licensed marriage and family therapist with Focus on the Family, about the unique role grandparents play in discipling the next generation. Joannie describes grandparents as "secondary parents" whose greatest gift to their grandchildren is modeling respect for the children's own parents, even when navigating disagreements. She offers practical ideas for long-distance grandparents — weekly video calls, parallel neighborhood walks over the phone, and old-fashioned cards and care packages — and addresses the painful and increasingly common trend of estrangement between adult children and grandparents. Joannie encourages grandparents in that situation to keep communication open where possible, examine their own role honestly, and lean on prayer, sharing that reconciliation often comes when adult children realize the value of what their parents offered. She closes by pointing listeners to resources through Legacy Coalition, a ministry dedicated to helping Christian grandparents disciple their grandchildren.

On the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Brian catches up with Adam Holz of Plugged In to discuss the best films for remembering that day and passing its history on to a generation too young to have lived it, recommending Flight 93, World Trade Center, and Zero Dark Thirty. They reflect on how differently the tragedy would unfold in today's smartphone and social-media-saturated world compared to 2001. Adam also shares that Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ is returning to theaters for a limited one-week release through Fathom Events ahead of its upcoming sequels, The Resurrection of the Christ, and he and Brian wrestle candidly with the film's unmatched spiritual power alongside its brutally graphic depiction of the crucifixion. They close with Brian's own belated review of The Odyssey, which he finally saw in theaters.

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

Brian partners with Daniel Patino of Food for the Poor to raise awareness and support for families devastated by recent earthquakes in Colombia. Daniel, who is Colombian himself, describes the scale of the disaster — families living in tents beside piles of rubble, losing homes and belongings in seconds — and explains how Food for the Poor's decade-long local partnerships allow them to deliver food, hygiene supplies, and clean water directly to the hardest-hit communities even after the story has faded from the news cycle. He shares that a $30 gift provides a family with a week of urgent food, $75 covers hygiene kits for five families, and $120 feeds four families for a week, and makes a personal appeal for listeners to respond with compassion to a crisis still unfolding weeks after the earthquakes struck.

Brian talks with twin brothers Chad and James Hampton, pastors and co-founders of Hunt the Truth Ministries, about their new devotional, 100 Days of Strength for Hunters: Lessons from the Hunt That Lead to God's Greatest Harvest. They unpack the connection between hunting and the Christian life, noting that the Hebrew words for "hunt" and "seek" are essentially the same, framing pursuing God as life's most important hunt. Chad addresses common misconceptions about hunting, explaining their focus on wildlife management and their ministry's partnership providing processed venison to families in need, along with a new animal rescue division. They share the heart behind their devotional, aimed at giving hunters and non-hunters alike daily spiritual strength through Scripture, and describe one of their ministry's most meaningful efforts: a multi-year partnership with the U.S. Army at Fort Benning mentoring Gold Star children who lost their fathers in active duty through hunting trips.

Brian reflects personally on the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, sharing his own memory of that day and encouraging listeners not to let the tragedy fade from memory, while affirming that God remains good even amid national and personal cataclysmic events. He digs into a Crossway article outlining three marks of true repentance — clear-headed conviction, brokenhearted contrition, and open-handed confession — drawn from Psalm 51 and David's response to his sin with Bathsheba. Brian shares a Desiring God piece making the biblical case for church membership as a mutual, ongoing commitment between believer and local congregation, and discusses a Christianity Today article on North Carolina's growing school choice funding fueling enrollment surges at Christian schools, reflecting on his own family's choice to send his kids to a Christian high school out of opportunity rather than fear. He closes with a Charles Stanley devotional on Daniel's faithful, humble defiance of the king's food and the promise that God honors wholehearted devotion, plus an update on the show's Bible League International fundraising goal to provide Bibles to believers worldwide.