Culture Matters

The crew tackles heavy global headlines—from tensions involving Iran and U.S. military action to immigration debates and ICE-related unrest—while asking a deeper question: How should Christians respond when the world feels unstable and unclear?Rather than offering political prescriptions, the conversation centers on spiritual posture: lament, prayer, discernment, and faithful presence in everyday life. They wrestle honestly with information overload, mistrust in media, and the tension between civic responsibility and Christian identity.The episode closes on a lighter but still meaningful note, diving into books, films, and the Oscars—highlighting how art, storytelling, and theology shape our imagination and help us process grief, beauty, and truth.Resources & Mentions📖 BooksAwaiting the King — On Christian political theology and cultural formationJesus and the Disinherited — A profound look at Jesus’ message for the oppressedThe Cross of Christ — Deep theological reflection on the meaning of the crossChanged into His Likeness: A Theology of Change — Biblical framework for transformationThe Word in the Wilderness — Poetry and reflection for LentHere I Stand - Martin Luther Biography (Roland Bainton) — Insight into Luther’s life and struggle for grace🎬 Movies & MediaHamnet — Grief, art, and Shakespearean storytellingSentimental Value — Family, reconciliation, and lossSinners — Michael B. Jordan’s dual performance (notable acting craft)Project Hail Mary — Sci-fi story centered on friendship, hope, and collaborationKey TakeawaysClarity isn’t always available—but faithfulness is.Christians may disagree on policy, but not on how people are treated.Prayer, lament, and love are not passive—they are formative.You don’t need global influence to live faithfully—start local.Rejecting hatred is a radical, Kingdom-centered act.Art helps us process truth, grief, and beauty in ways arguments cannot.Thanks to our SponsorIn A Compelling Faith in a Compromising Culture, pastor and longtime NBA chaplain Mike Tatlock invites believers to cultivate a faith that isn’t loud or trendy—but holy, steady, and unmistakably different.To learn more about A Compelling Faith in a Compromising Culture, visit moodypublishers.com or find it wherever books are sold.Follow Us!InstagramYoutube-- Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co. If you would like to sponsor this show, email sponsor@thegoodpodcast.co

Chelsea sits down with Michael Bleecker and Ryanne Molinari, author of Spirit-Filled Singing: Bearing Fruit as We Worship Together, to explore how congregational singing is not just expressive—but formative. Rooted in passages like Ephesians 5, Colossians 3, and Galatians 5, Ryanne draws a compelling connection: singing together is one of the primary ways the Holy Spirit cultivates His fruit in us.If you’ve ever struggled with “not liking the music,” questioned excellence vs. authenticity, or wrestled with how to lead people into meaningful worship—this one will sharpen and ground you.Key TakeawaysSinging is formative: It doesn’t just express what we feel—it shapes who we become.Preference can be sanctified: Loving others through their songs grows unity.Participation fuels joy: Engagement often precedes emotion.Faithfulness > performance: Worship is about offering, not impressing.Patience builds people: Especially in volunteer-driven ministry.Worship is a lifestyle: Not a Sunday experience, but a daily rhythm.Guest ResourcesSpirit Filled Singing by Ryanne Molinariryannemolinari.com Follow RyanneThanks to our SponsorIn A Compelling Faith in a Compromising Culture, pastor and longtime NBA chaplain Mike Tatlock invites believers to cultivate a faith that isn’t loud or trendy—but holy, steady, and unmistakably different.To learn more about A Compelling Faith in a Compromising Culture, visit moodypublishers.com or find it wherever books are sold.Follow Us!InstagramYoutube-- Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co. If you would like to sponsor this show, email sponsor@thegoodpodcast.co

Adam, and special guests Jamin Roller, and Dr. Jonathan Pennington explore the connection between faith and work. They challenge the sacred-secular divide, reminding us that work is not a post-fall curse—but a pre-fall calling. From Genesis to the New Testament, Scripture affirms that all work—done with excellence, love, and integrity—is an act of worship.The conversation reframes vocation, not as a narrow “dot” to discover, but as a wide “circle” of God’s will in which believers are free to create, contribute, and flourish. Whether you love your job or dread it, this episode offers a compelling vision: God cares deeply about how you work, who you become through your work, and how your work serves others.Key TakeawaysWork is worship. Not just ministry jobs—all work done in faith honors God.You don’t need a perfect job to live a meaningful life. Meaning is found in how you work, not just what you do.Calling is broader than you think. God’s will is a circle of freedom, not a pinpoint target to stress over.Character > Career. Who you become at work matters more than what you accomplish.Struggle is formative. Difficult work often shapes the deepest growth.Look for beauty. A life of joy at work often comes down to attention, curiosity, and gratitude.Guest ResourcesTo learn more about Dr. Pennington, book him for speaking or to buy one of his books, check out www.jonathanpennington.comOther ResourcesEvery Good Endeavor – Timothy KellerWork: A Kingdom Perspective on Labor – Ben Witherington IIIGarden City – John Mark ComerThanks to our SponsorIn A Compelling Faith in a Compromising Culture, pastor and longtime NBA chaplain Mike Tatlock invites believers to cultivate a faith that isn’t loud or trendy—but holy, steady, and unmistakably different.To learn more about A Compelling Faith in a Compromising Culture, visit moodypublishers.com or find it wherever books are sold.Follow Us!InstagramYoutube-- Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co. If you would like to sponsor this show, email sponsor@thegoodpodcast.co

Adam Hawkins is joined by guests Michael Bleecker and Brenda Peitzman. Together they explore the powerful and often overlooked role grandparents play in passing down faith to the next generation.The conversation highlights the biblical vision of generational discipleship, the cultural challenges families face today, and the incredible opportunity grandparents have to shape identity, faith, and legacy. Whether you're a grandparent, parent, or church leader, this episode invites you to rethink how generations can and should partner together to pass the baton of faith.Key TakeawaysGrandparents have a biblical mandate to disciple not only their children but also their grandchildren (Deuteronomy 4:9).Many churches unintentionally overlook grandparents as a vital part of children’s and youth ministry.Cultural messages often encourage grandparents to step back, but Scripture calls them to run alongside the next generation.Grandparents can influence faith through everyday conversations, prayer, and presence.Resources MentionedLegacy Coalition — https://legacycoalition.comLegacy Coalition Summit — https://legacycoalition.com/summitThanks to our SponsorIn A Compelling Faith in a Compromising Culture, pastor and longtime NBA chaplain Mike Tatlock invites believers to cultivate a faith that isn’t loud or trendy—but holy, steady, and unmistakably different.To learn more about A Compelling Faith in a Compromising Culture, visit moodypublishers.com or find it wherever books are sold.Follow Us!InstagramYoutube-- Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co. If you would like to sponsor this show, email sponsor@thegoodpodcast.co

We’re joined (again!) by our friend, former host, and published author, Elizabeth Woodson, to celebrate the release of her new book, Habits of Resistance: Seven Ways You’re Being Formed by Culture and Gospel Practices to Help You Push Back.In this conversation, we explore the questionIf we’re all being discipled, who—or what—is shaping us?Elizabeth argues that the issue isn’t if we’re being formed, but by whom. In an age of expressive individualism, algorithm-driven identity, and spiritual confusion, many of us are chasing peace, control, belonging, and justice in ways that quietly deform us.But there is a better way.Through historic Christian practices—prayer, fasting, gathering, service, confession, and more—Liz invites us to resist cultural formation and recover the path to shalom: wholeness and delight in communion with God.Key TakeawaysYou Are Already Being FormedShalom Is the GoalBetter Doesn’t Mean EasierResistance Is Active, Not PassiveQuestions for ReflectionWhere am I being shaped more by cultural narratives (identity, success, control, visibility) than by the way of Jesus?When I long for peace, belonging, or control, where do I instinctively turn first?Which spiritual habit feels most neglected in my life right now—and what might that reveal about my formation?Do I define “better” as easier and more visible, or deeper and more faithful?What would it look like this week to practice one concrete act of resistance—intentionally choosing the way of Jesus over the way of the culture?Resources MentionedHabits of Resistance — Elizabeth WoodsonConnect with ElizabethInstagram: @elizabethwoodsonWebsite: www.thewoodsoninstitute.org/Thanks to our SponsorIn A Compelling Faith in a Compromising Culture, pastor and longtime NBA chaplain Mike Tatlock invites believers to cultivate a faith that isn’t loud or trendy—but holy, steady, and unmistakably different.To learn more about A Compelling Faith in a Compromising Culture, visit moodypublishers.com or find it wherever books are sold.Follow Us!InstagramYoutube-- Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co. If you would like to sponsor this show, email sponsor@thegoodpodcast.co

We’re kicking off a new season by asking a timely and necessary question: How do Christians navigate a world that feels increasingly chaotic, divided, and unstable?From political outrage cycles and media manipulation to cultural flashpoints and global conflict, it seems like everything is accelerating. Opinions form instantly. Narratives shift constantly. And Christians often find themselves pressured to pick a side before they’ve had time to pray.In this episode, Adam, Chelsea, and Tymarcus wrestle honestly with what it means to remain faithful—not reactive. Rather than offering hot takes, this conversation points us back to something sturdier: King Jesus. The Church has endured hostile empires, political instability, and cultural upheaval before—and flourished. Not by grasping for control, but by walking in peace, holiness, humility, and wide invitation.The world may be loud. But clarity still lives in what God has already made clear.Key TakeawaysThe shifting “Overton window” of what’s culturally acceptableThe exhausting pace of information in the digital ageThe temptation toward control, outrage, or apathyThe subtle ways cultural categories can replace biblical onesAnd the radical call to embody Christlikeness in the middle of it allQuestions for ReflectionAre my political and cultural reactions shaped more by Scripture or by my preferred media stream?Where have I allowed outrage to replace prayer?Who is one actual person in my life I can love more intentionally this week?What might it look like to embody peace in a room full of anxiety?What “money bag” do I need to leave behind to follow Jesus more fully?Resources MentionedThe Pour Over NewsFollow Us!InstagramYoutube-- Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co. If you would like to sponsor this show, email sponsor@thegoodpodcast.co

In the last of our Advent conversations, Adam Hawkins welcomes back Elizabeth Woodson and Tymarcus to unpack the biblical concept of peace (shalom)—especially what it means in a season that’s often chaotic, overwhelming, and culturally mischaracterized. Merry Christmas. We will see you in the new year.In This Episode01:00 — Life Lately with Elizabeth02:00 — Starting the Discussion: What Is Peace?03:55 — Peace in a Broken World04:42 — Ty’s Reflection on Isaiah & Peace07:00 — Relational Tension & True Peace09:00 — Peace Now vs. Peace Then12:00 — Peace Beyond “Be Nice”14:00 — The Reality of Brokenness18:00 — How to Cultivate Peace Today22:00 — Final Reflections28:00 — Close & Christmas BlessingKey TakeawaysTrue peace (shalom) is not just absence of conflict—but wholeness and restoration found only through life with God.We can experience real peace now through obedience, worship, and trust—even as we wait for its full realization in Christ.Peace confronts brokenness at the root—requiring more than proximity or niceness, but the transformative work of Jesus.Guest ResourcesLiz's new Podcast: ShalomiesFollow Us!InstagramYoutube-- Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co. If you would like to sponsor this show, email sponsor@thegoodpodcast.co

We continue our conversation with Caroline Smiley for a moving meditation on Love through the lens of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Tymarcus and Caroline reflect on Mary’s embodiment of sacrificial love at the manger and at the cross. This episode explores how Mary models a risky, selfless, participatory love—one that mirrors God's invitation for us to love as sons and daughters, not merely as servants.The conversation weaves from Hebrews to the manger, from John's Gospel to the Prodigal Son, connecting the bloodied straw of the birth with the suffering of the cross. Through Mary’s obedience and Christ’s incarnation, listeners are invited into the family of God—called to love deeply, suffer faithfully, and hope fiercely.In This Episode00:00 – Introduction: Mary, Love, and Advent03:00 – The Love of a Mother and the Love of God10:00 – Mary’s Participation in Redemption17:00 – Grieving the Cross: Mary and the Suffering of Love23:00 – From Servanthood to Sonship30:00 – Prodigal Sons and the Invitation to Come Home34:00 – Closing Reflections: Love that Bleeds, Love that WelcomesKey TakeawaysLove Begins with Incarnation, Not Just the CrossMary Models Risky, Participatory LoveWe’re Invited into God’s Family, Not Just His ServiceSuffering and Love Are IntertwinedFollow Us!InstagramYoutube-- Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co. If you would like to sponsor this show, email sponsor@thegoodpodcast.co

In this second Advent episode, Tymarcus and guest Caroline Smiley explore what it means to experience true joy during Advent — not the manufactured “cheer” of the holiday‑season spectacle, but a deep, scripturally rooted joy anchored in the arrival of Jesus Christ. They walk through how Mary’s song (the Magnificat) in the Gospel of Gospel of Luke isn’t just a moment of personal celebration, but a fulfillment of centuries of longing, pain, exile, and promise from the Old Testament. Through that lens, Advent becomes a sacred space for honest reflection, recognition of brokenness, and hope for what God has done — and is doing — in and through us.In This Episode02:00 – Holidays & Hardship: Joy in the Midst of Pain05:00 – The Power of Mary’s Story in Advent10:50 – Where Mary’s Song Sits in Luke’s Narrative11:10 – Daughter Zion: The Honest Backdrop to Mary’s Joy17:00 – Past Tense Praise: Why Mary Says “He Has Done”21:00 – The Magnificat: Mary’s Song Read Aloud23:00 – Defining “Good Things” Through God’s Eyes30:00 – Incarnation and Human Longing34:00 – Final Reflections & A Blessing for the ListenerKey TakeawaysAdvent isn’t about manufactured cheer. It’s about honest reflection — acknowledging our brokenness, recognizing the world’s pain, and yet hoping because God is entering that story.Mary connects us to the deep longing of God’s people. By framing Mary as “Daughter Zion,” we see that her joy isn’t merely personal or sentimental — it’s cosmic, spanning generations of suffering, exile, and promise.Joy precedes fulfillment. Mary sings in past tense because true joy is rooted not in what we see, but what God has already done and promised to do — God dwelling with us.Good things are deeper than comfort. For Christians, the “good” God promises isn’t just material blessing or comfort — it is Himself, righteousness, mercy, presence, and ultimate restoration.Incarnation anchors hope. The fact that Jesus became human assures us: God knows suffering, grief, exile, waiting — and in Him, even the most painful reality can be redeemed.Follow Us!InstagramYoutube-- Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co. If you would like to sponsor this show, email sponsor@thegoodpodcast.co

We're releasing a series of episodes centered around the Season of Advent. In this episode, Chelsea sits down with Lindsey Jackson by reflecting on Hope — not as wishful thinking, but as a firm trust in God's promises amid suffering. Lindsey shares the story of losing her infant daughter Hadley in 2017 to sudden unexplained infant death (SUID) and how her grief became a place where God reoriented her faith, built deeper endurance, and reshaped her understanding of biblical hope. Together, they discuss how lament differs from grief, why holidays can be hard, and how the church can show up for those in pain.In This Episode01:00 – Introducing the Advent series: Hope, Joy, Love, Peace03:00 – Lindsey’s story: marriage, motherhood, and baby Hadley05:00 – Hadley’s death and the immediate aftermath07:00 – “So much of me died when she died” — grief and resurrection10:00 – What helped: letters, meals, naps, presence12:00 – On studying grief and counseling at DTS14:00 – Hope and the discipline of remembering17:00 – Hebrews: endurance, lament, and anchoring in Christ20:00 – Longing in Advent: slow down, find wonder again24:00 – Misplaced hope vs. rooted hope27:00 – Lament is not passive grief — it holds expectation30:00 – Heaven: the promise of restoration33:00 – “Pre-Hadley” Lindsay vs. post-suffering hope36:00 – Endurance is a group projectKey TakeawaysHope is not optimism or emotional positivity — it's a discipline to root your mind in God's promises.Grief is the response to loss; lament is grief directed toward God, filled with trust and expectancy.Holidays can amplify sorrow — presence, not perfection, is what grieving people need most.Studying grief deepened Lindsey’s calling: to walk with others through loss as a biblical counselor.The resurrection reframes our pain — we grieve, but not without hope.Advent means coming — Christ came once, and He is coming again. This fuels our hope.Follow Us!InstagramYoutube-- Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co. If you would like to sponsor this show, email sponsor@thegoodpodcast.co