The RELEVANT Podcast

An actor discusses why the biblical story of David keeps drawing him back and how a new docu-drama approaches the material. A researcher examines whether recent outpourings and rising Bible sales actually amount to national revival. Conversation about Gen Z reviving DVDs and vinyl as collectible items. A segment on AI risks in operating rooms and a surprising statistic about cats and birds.

A look at a rising faith movement in pro sports and chaplains noticing more players attending chapel and sharing faith. A convo about why a major worship band took a year off and the sound of their new album. Quick culture bites: Gen Z sipping less and tanking the alcohol industry, a bizarre Waffle House bear-spray incident, and playful takes on celebrity games and TGIF sitcoms.

A musician recounts a van break-in that wiped their recordings and how fans rallied to help rebuild the album. Students at a Florida university have been in nonstop worship, prayer and confession for days. A viral claim about Christian hip hop on Spotify is debunked. A worship leader goes viral on a singing competition and odd pop-culture stories round out the show.

A candid chat about why a well-known actor chose to star in a faith-based biopic. A surprising Super Bowl story about a coach who quit corporate life for an unpaid internship and rose to the top. A heated take on a study claiming Gen Z scores lower on IQ tests. Plus live reactions to a movie trailer and quirky news bites like juggling unicyclists and after-hours pizza vendors.

This week, legendary Christian rapper Trip Lee tells us about his unexpected move into worship music with his new album. Before that, the crew swaps stories from last week's historic winter storm—Emily survived three days without power in freezing temps and Jesse narrowly avoided going to a fun Orlando Magic game with Cameron.In RELEVANT Buzz, we break down Jelly Roll's powerful Grammy acceptance moment, plus the youngest Grammy winner at just eight years old. We also dive into new research showing the vast majority of people want authentic faith representation in TV and movies, and then Emily previews two interesting new shows: Jury Duty Season 2's unexpected premise and Neighbors, HBO and A24's reality series about strangers forced to live together.Plus, Jesse announces his new podcast Target Intelligence: Psyop and Derek plugs his brand-new show, You Can't Say That in Church. Jesse of course brings his most rewatched video of the week: a Medieval Combat League warrior armed with a real axe who keeps targeting opponents from behind with hilarious headshots. Then in SLICES we cover Miami's iguana apocalypse—dinosaurs falling from trees as residents collect them by the armload (and definitely aren't disposing of them properly).And to close it out, it's Super Bowl week, so we're playing a special edition of "One Has to Go" covering everything from iconic Super Bowl commercials and halftime show moments to game-day snacks and controversial performances. Spoiler: mozzarella sticks do not survive Jesse's hot take.Highlights:00:00 — Intro & Winter Storm Survival Stories07:43 — RELEVANT Buzz08:00 — Jelly Roll's Powerful Grammy Acceptance Speech11:27 — Eight-Year-Old Becomes Youngest Grammy Winner in History12:33 — New Study: 92% of Viewers Want Authentic Faith in TV & Movies16:37 — Jury Duty Season 2 Preview: Hot Sauce Company Chaos18:00 — Neighbors: HBO and A24's New Reality Series24:00 — Medieval Combat League Axe Warrior Goes Viral31:09 — Trip Lee 32:00 — Why Trip Lee Made a Worship Album After Years in Hip-Hop35:00 — Trip Lee on Being a Teaching Pastor and Collaborating With Worship Leaders37:00 — SLICES: Miami's Iguana Apocalypse43:30 — Super Bowl Edition: "One Has to Go" Game45:53 — Iconic Super Bowl Commercials (Doritos, Tide, QR Code)46:21 — Controversial Super Bowl Ads (GoDaddy, Carl's Jr., Axe)47:04 — Super Bowl Snacks Face-Off (Doritos, Lay's, Pringles)47:30 — Soda Showdown (Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, Mountain Dew)48:00 — Jesse's Mozzarella Stick Hot Take Sparks Chaos49:31 — Halftime Show Showdown (Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Beyoncé)50:01 — Most Controversial Halftime Moments (Nipplegate, Dancing Sharks)50:52 — Halftime Props (JLo's Pole, Usher's Skates, Dr. Dre's Lowrider)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

A candid conversation about faith shaping career choices and using public platforms with intention. A cultural round-up explores Jelly Roll's gospel moment, whether popular music is getting sadder, and why Gen Z is unplugging from phones. Quick bites include AI fatigue, a bizarre Texas sovereignty stunt, a license plate kerfuffle, and a ketchup packet legal oddity.

This week, we sit down with Chelsea Smith to talk about dating wisely, building a resilient marriage and navigating seasons when love feels harder than usual. She shares practical advice for singles, couples and anyone wondering if what they’re experiencing is normal.In RELEVANT Buzz, we unpack the rise of political independents among Gen Z and millennials, Brandon Lake’s Good Morning America moment and why Christian hip-hop is showing up at Rolling Loud.Plus, the crew debates whether it’s easier to bowl a perfect game or hit a hole-in-one for a million dollars, discusses illegal monkeys in St. Louis and breaks down Gen Z’s newest solution to burnout: a “retirement home” in Malaysia.Highlights:06:30 – Million-dollar question: perfect bowling game or hole-in-one?16:05 – RELEVANT Buzz16:15 – Christian hip-hop at Rolling Loud18:10 – Brandon Lake on Good Morning America (and the Maury joke)20:45 – Gallup: Gen Z and millennials are going independent31:40 – Chelsea Smith on dating33:55 – What every healthy marriage needs35:30 – Advice for couples in hard seasons37:55 – Our new partnership with 316 Financial + Reset Series42:25 – Slices 42:45 – St. Louis offers amnesty for illegal monkey owners47:05 – A Gen Z “retirement home” opens in MalaysiaTo learn more about 316 Financial's $100 offer for RELEVANT listeners, check out https://www.Bank316.com/RELEVANT!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode of The RELEVANT Podcast, we break down a surprisingly faith-heavy week in pop culture.In RELEVANT Buzz, Khloé Kardashian opens up in depth about her faith and prayer life, Stranger Things star Caleb McLaughlin shares why he’s returning to faith after growing up as a pastor’s kid. Then we discuss news at the other end of the spectrum: Bestselling Christian author Philip Yancey stepping away from ministry after confessing to an eight-year extramarital affair and Christian pop singer Stacie Orrico’s lawsuit alleging childhood sexual abuse by her former manager. We wrap things on an up-note, highlighting Daniel Caesar’s spiritually charged Tiny Desk performance.Plus, the crew reacts to DMX’s posthumous ordination, Jesse spirals over the murder math of NCIS, shares a wild Lamar Odom encounter and we play another round of ‘Overrated, Underrated or Just Right.’Highlights:03:00 Jesse’s NCIS take and the Navy murder math spiral14:15 RELEVANT Buzz begins17:05 Khloé Kardashian opens up about her Christian faith28:15 Caleb McLaughlin talks faith, deconstruction and returning to God31:55 Philip Yancey steps away from ministry after affair confession34:35 Stacie Orrico files lawsuit alleging childhood sexual abuse37:50 Daniel Caesar’s Tiny Desk and his spiritual journey39:20 Slices: Lottery odds website exposes Powerball math44:10 DMX to be posthumously recognized as a minister46:05 Game: Overrated, Underrated or Just Right (Part 2)47:15 Mayonnaise, squats and Chris Hemsworth49:00 Pet fish, LaCroix and Philip Yancey books50:00 Air fryers, motorcycles and voice notesAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week, we tackle the biggest faith questions young adults are asking right now (according to the recent Passion Conference) — from evidence for God’s existence and the tension between free will and predestination, to suffering, salvation and thoughts on hell. It’s an honest conversation about doubt, belief and why curiosity might be essential to spiritual growth.From there, Emily sits down with CITIZENS frontman Zach Bolen to talk about the band’s new album Museum, being in the Christian music bubble while feeling like an outsider and why art doesn’t need to explain itself to be meaningful. Plus, Jesse has some thoughts over the increasingly unhinged Guinness World Records, from pigs on skateboards to LEGO-related pain tolerance, and the crew plays a round of “Overrated, Underrated or Just Right,” covering reboots, word-of-the-year culture and more!Highlights:3:10 New Year check-in4:20 The Crown5:25 Why New Year’s TV is terrible9:55 Fireworks gone wrong14:15 RELEVANT BUZZ17:05 The top faith questions young adults are asking at the Passion Conference31:00 Awards season highlights38:30 Zach Bolen of CITIZENS42:10 Faith, deconstruction, and the Nashville bubble46:20 Curiosity as a spiritual discipline50:10 SLICES50:14 Guinness World Records need a reboot56:20 OVERRATED, UNDERRATED, OR JUST RIGHT?Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We wrap up 2025 and kick off 2026 by catching up on everything from post-holiday chaos to the optimism that comes with starting a new year. Along the way, we touch on Justin Bieber’s recent reflections on faith, how people in 1998 predicted 2025, and surprising new archeological evidence that Noah's Ark was real. From there, the episode takes a turn into full chaos as Jesse introduces his own idea for the “Patriot Games”: teams of Americans competing using everyday life skills, jury duty-style. The episode then wraps with the cast predicting the trends of 2026 — all delivered with the usual mix of humor, honesty and side-tracking that makes the show what it is.Highlights:05:10 — Spring-free trampolines and modern parenting stress07:40 — Childhood injuries, backyard chaos and growing up feral12:30 — The unspoken pressure of being “the capable adult”13:33 — SLICES: Noah’s Ark evidence25:03 — 1998 predicts 202531:53 — Justin Bieber’s faith posts30:45 — WHAT'S JESSE THINKING? Jesse introduces his Patriot Games concept43:20 — IN OR OUT? Predicting 2026 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy