Winsome Conviction

Coach and Dr. Ed Uszynski (Ph.D.) is back on the podcast to speak with Tim and Mike about the current state of things in youth sports, and they spotlight what’s going on with the parents. Why do parents get embarrassed when their child makes a mistake on the field? Is a parent justified in getting angry when a referee’s call doesn’t go their way? Can parents approach youth sports as an opportunity for spiritual formation and invite God into the game? Today’s conversation explores these questions and more, and they draw from Away Game, a book Ed co-authors with Brian Smith, to help foster a love for youth sports without getting swept into the insanity and incivility at youth sporting events.Show notes and a full transcript are available.

Is social media the new public square? If it is, when so much anger exists online and social media incentives bad behavior, is it possible to have civil discourse? And what does Christian witness look like when buttons get pushed and the discussion becomes divisive? Today’s guest knows a thing or two about these questions. Dr. Sean McDowell (Ph.D.) joins today’s podcast to speak with Tim and Rick about having public discourse online. Sean talks about his vision for his YouTube channel and how he sees his work online as a way to mentor the next generation.Show notes and a full transcript are available.

We long for a life characterized by goodness, beauty, and kindness, but the fractures and hostility in our world get in the way. What can we do? On today’s episode, pastor and author Rich Villodas speaks with Tim about some of these themes in his book, Good and Beautiful and Kind. They discuss the role of empathy and the slippery slope of emotional engagement, the danger of depersonalization and the reality of supernatural battle, recall how Jesus would meet people where they are when speaking about the good news.Show notes and a full transcript are available.

Mean-spiritedness and vitriol are contributing to the breakdown in our contemporary discourse, and tactics expressive of affective polarization, where disagreements on policies devolve into bitterness and hatred toward people with whom we disagree, are all too tempting for Christians. And yet, aren’t Christians called to a different way, a different manner of public engagement? On today’s episode, Steve Porter (Ph.D.) speaks with Rick on the role of spiritual formation for shaping how we work in public life.Show notes and a full transcript are available.

The crisis in higher education highlights the vital role of faith-based institutions within the broader educational landscape and the value these institutions provide to society at large. By integrating rigorous academics with religious identity, faith-based universities are poised to address a meaningful, purpose-driven education. Today’s episode is a live recording of a discussion that took place this past December at Biola University with Dr. Barry Corey (Ph.D.), President of Biola University, and Dr. Shane Reese (Ph.D.), President of Brigham Young University, on the impact of faith-based higher education, and this discussion was moderated by Tim.Show notes and a full transcript are available.

In the biblical wisdom literature, Proverbs 4:23 says, "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” This is sound wisdom, but this bit of advice can often seem irrelevant in matters of church quarreling and cultural rage. And yet, formation in civility, both for the health of the Church and for broader cultural engagement, is crucial. On today’s podcast, Rick and Tim speak with Rev. Dr. Todd Pickett (Ph.D.) on the role of spiritual formation in matters of civility and whether becoming formed to the likeness of Jesus is the highest priority for Christians. They discuss discipleship, the spiritual disciplines, the centrality of the heart, and the practice of attunement in pursuing a good life. Show notes and a full transcript are available.

Over the past decade, there have been rallying cries among supporters of youth sport “to fix” youth sports. One reason youth sports is not working so well is the apparent and increasing incivility at games and sporting events. Today’s guest thinks Christian parents can do better. Ed Uszynksi (Ph.D.) recently co-authored a book, Away Game: A Christian Parent’s Guide to Navigating Youth Sports, and it’s is sure to be a helpful resource for Christian parents who seek to demonstrate good sportsmanship and civility in today’s youth sports culture. Ed speaks with Tim and Mike on some of the key shifts that have occurred in youth sports in the last 50 years, the adult problem with youth sports, and the need to confront the truths and lies when being a supporter of youth sports.   Show notes and a full transcript are available.

The biblical call to “love your neighbor” is one of Christianity’s most profound and challenging practices, especially in today’s argument culture. On today’s episode, Tim speaks with professors Katherine Douglass (Ph.D.) and Brittany Tausen (Ph.D.) on their forthcoming book, Love Your Neighbor: How Psychology Can Enliven Faith and Transform Community (released on January 15, 2026), in which they wed insights from social psychology and practical theology to empower loving one’s neighbor. Drawing from evidence-based research, they discuss how to foster meaningful connections, and they share what they are doing with students to transform relationships with neighbors in Seattle, WA. Show notes and a full transcript are available.

The Christian faith should shape and enliven our ordinary, day-to-day activities. But it can be difficult to drum up things to do that are public, practical, and powerful. Tim speaks with J.D. Greear, pastor of Summit Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, and author of recently released, Everyday Revolutionary, on a theology of place. They look to the book of Acts and the ministry of Jesus to draw out some everyday activities Christians can take up to reclaim loving one’s neighbor in our current cultural moment.Show notes and a full transcript are available.

How do we transcend the culture war and transform the world with the good news of Jesus Christ? J.D. Greear, pastor of Summit Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, and author of recently released, Everyday Revolutionary, is on today’s episode to speak with Tim about this question. They draw from the biblical example of Daniel as a model for how we might think about Christian influence in our current cultural moment. J.D. spends time unpacking a call to “live quietly but testify loudly” and what this might look like when it comes to social issues, and they also discuss how the Church might engage culture with a faithful witness that is neither combative nor compromised.Show notes and a full transcript are available.