“Backslider.” A catch-all too often used to describe those within the faith who ask hard questions. But why doesn’t the church have a more positive category for its members who begin to question their faith? Is the solution really to just come up with the right answers and shut them down? Or is there something deeper happening? Today’s podcast guest, Ian Harber, speaks from personal experience. He shares his own process of deconstruction and reconstruction, which has taken more than ten...

For many Christians, fitting into the current cultural moment just feels…hard! From 40 million people having left the church in the last 25 years to less than half of U.S. adults identifying as Protestants or church attendees, one thing is clear: Christians are outsiders. But is that such a bad thing? Should we fear missing out, or consider it a joy? On today’s episode, Keith and Patrick make a special announcement: They wrote another book! Coming in January 2025, Joyful Outsiders: 6 Ways to...

In what might be the biggest comeback in American politics, Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States this week, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris in a decisive victory. On today’s episode, we’re doing our best to break it down from a Christian perspective. First, Keith and Patrick share who they voted for, and whether or not the election results surprised them. They analyze some of the voter statistics, dissecting the demographic shifts in Trump’s favor and the...

We’ve all heard the stats: Anxiety, depression, and loneliness are on the rise. Yet, therapies, medications, and other techniques for alleviating mental afflictions abound. What are we missing? Alan Noble, author of “On Getting Out of Bed,” joins us today to first normalize mental anguish as an everyday experience for the majority of people. His book takes on the central challenge of life: Why is it worth living? And how do we survive all of this suffering? Alan and Patrick discuss how...

Sensational worship, but lacking in theological depth. Unnecessary titles. Too much politics in the pulpit. There are many misconceptions about the black church, and today’s guest is here to address them. Dr. Anthony Bradley is an author, a Professor of Religious Studies, and a Research Fellow at the Acton Institute. He joins Keith to set the record straight on several notable differences between black and white American churches today. The two also discuss problematic theologians and whether...

Which came first: your political beliefs or the Bible’s stance on political issues? Too often, many Christians start with a political position and then go to the Bible seeking justification for their predetermined beliefs. But how can we truly know what the Bible says on specific political issues? And how involved should Christians be when it comes to politics? This week, Michael Bird, a New Testament scholar, Anglican priest, and author of “Jesus and the Powers,” joins Patrick to share a...

We’re officially less than a month out from Election Day 2024. In the last several weeks, we’ve had a number of Christians reach out asking a variety of questions: “Can I really support Donald Trump?” “Should I vote for Kamala Harris?” “Should I just vote for a third party, or is that throwing away my vote altogether?” We’ve been asking ourselves these same questions. So today, we’re enlisting some help. We reached out to a few friends, all of whom are Christians and none of whom are voting...

How can we glorify God and bless others when we’re stretched to capacity? Are we really supposed to change the world when there’s work to be done, the house needs cleaning, and the kids are screaming? Today’s guest, Drew Dyck, is here to let us all in on a little secret: God doesn’t expect you to do everything! He wants you to be faithful, not famous, and just show up in your everyday, ordinary life. That’s actually how we change the world! Drew is a writer, speaker, and the author of the...

Follower of Jesus. Leading scientist. Is it possible for those to describe the same person? Dr. Francis Collins joins us today to prove that he’s both. As the former director of the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Collins is a polarizing figure inside and outside the church. He starts by explaining how he approaches apparent conflicts between science and the Bible, such as gene editing and studying the tissue of aborted fetuses. He expresses his disappointment in how politicized science...

Everybody’s (still) talking about anxiety. We now know more about it, we’re more medicated for it, but it seems to be getting worse. Is there something about anxiety that we’re all missing? Steve Cuss, author, pastor, podcaster, and former chaplain, talks about anxiety in a way that few do. Today, he’s here to share some anxiety “secrets” from his book, Managing Leadership Anxiety: Yours and Theirs. He starts by defining anxiety and explains how chronic anxiety is a different form that’s...

Where were you on the morning of September 11, 2001? If you were old enough, you likely remember that day in great detail. Today, on the 23rd anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks, Keith and Patrick are sharing their own memories from that day, recounting the facts of this tragic event, and reflecting on how much the world has changed since. What would it be like for such a grave national tragedy to happen in today’s world? How much would social media and smartphones change our...

It’s finally football season! We’re kicking it off by sitting down with Mizzou head football coach, Eliah Drinkwitz. (M-I-Z, anyone?) Keith and Coach Drinkwitz start by tackling some deep questions about his success, whether or not he believes it’s the product of hard work or luck, and how he’s able to stay humble. He shares his story: how he grew up in a Christian home, how he got into coaching, and how he makes time for his family as a husband and a girl dad of four. Then, he gets into some...

Stuck. That’s how many conservative, evangelical Christians feel when election season comes around. Does anybody really want to be on “Team Lesser Evil” anyway? Is there another way to vote? Today, Nancy French, New York Times bestselling ghostwriter and author of “Ghosted,” joins Keith to share her story and offer advice for conservative Christians this November. First, she explains how she got into ghostwriting and why she decided it was time to write her own book. She shares why she gave...

In recent years, there’s been a definitive uptick in tribalism, extremism, and extremist violence. But is the same true inside the church itself? Former counterterrorism official, Elizabeth Neumann, is back on the pod today to provide a fascinating look into the process of radicalization that has crept into evangelicalism. She starts by discussing “Trump loyalty tests” (a story worth the listen in and of itself!) and how Trump’s demeanor and rhetoric may have influenced violence and extremism...

“If today’s church were more like the early church, we wouldn’t have all of these problems.” Ever heard people talk like this? Many Christians today assume that the earliest Christ followers were zealous converts who were much more devoted to their faith than typical, modern-day church-goers. But today’s guest, Nadya Williams, is here to explain how cultural sins have always been a part of the church’s story. Nadya is a historian and the author of “Cultural Christians in the Early Church.”...

Are healthy disagreements even possible in today’s culture? John Inazu, author of “Learning to Disagree,” joins Patrick on the pod this week to share how his life experiences as a lawyer and religion professor have helped him learn to disagree well. He gives examples of some of the worst disagreements he’s seen, explains why the idea of fairness is so complicated, and breaks down the art of winning and losing graciously. He discusses disagreements over faith in the public square, the...

Most Christians agree that they must be culturally engaged. But there’s less agreement on how affecting cultural change is best accomplished. Which approach do you take? Maybe you’re like an advisor who wants to make gradual strides from the top down. Or maybe you’re more like a prophet who isn’t afraid to call out injustice and demand immediate change. Which is the right method? Both! Today, Keith and Patrick break down these two approaches to engaging with today’s culture, explaining how...

If you watched the Republican National Convention, you noticed several things that seemed… out of place. A Hindu prayer. Hulk Hogan. And a platform that’s strayed from conventional conservative values, including traditional marriage and the sanctity of life. It’s clear: The “new” Republican party is here. And its “Trumpublican” values seem to have sidelined social conservatives. So, what do Christians do now that there is no pro-life party? Will they stand for truth over tribal alliances?...

On July 13, 2024, former President Donald Trump was almost assassinated at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. While it’s not our place to weigh in on many aspects of this horrific attack, we do want to focus on the church: How should Christians respond? On today’s episode, Keith and Patrick issue a call for Christians to think carefully and clearly, put truth over tribe, and realize that our response can have the power to shape the future of the country. They examine how our political climate...

Life is hard. God is good. Let’s dance. That’s the mantra (and the book title) of today’s podcast guest, Brant Hansen. Brant is an award-winning author and radio show host whose life provides a tangible example of the joy often missing in Christianity today. But his joy doesn’t stem from ignorance or a life free of trauma. Hear him explain to Keith how even though he could have deconstructed his faith, he never could fathom deconstructing from Jesus himself. He uses his own “strange”...

According to recent polls, 70%+ of Americans don’t want Donald Trump or Joe Biden running for President. So, how did we get here? This week, Keith and Patrick join up to discuss golf handicaps--uhh, wait, we mean the first Presidential debate of 2024. They dissect the ways that TV and social media have changed how we judge debates and made them far less substantive overall. And why can’t Presidential candidates tell the truth? Does our tribalistic culture even care about truth anymore? Then...

When you hear about someone in prison, what typically goes through your head? Maybe it’s, “Good, I’m sure they deserve it,” or maybe it’s more, “What if they’re unfairly there?” Or, maybe you make no assumptions at all. Which is the correct Christian perspective on criminal justice? That’s what we’re discussing today when Matt Martens joins Patrick on the pod! Matt is a trial lawyer, a former federal prosecutor, a legal ethics professor, and an award-winning author of “Reforming Criminal...

Fewer Americans are getting married today than ever in our nation’s history. But why? And is it really that big of a deal? Today, Keith sits down with Brad Wilcox, Professor of Sociology and author of “Get Married,” to learn why society should care about preserving our country’s most fundamental institution. Brad shares some of the reasons that people are being influenced to stay single or to wait until later in life to marry. He introduces the “Masters of Marriage,” or the four groups who...

Is it appropriate to talk politics from the pulpit? Today, Keith sits down with pastor and author Chris Butler to discuss. Chris pastors a church in Chicago, cohosts the Church Politics podcast, and is a leader in the AND Campaign, which empowers Christians to practice politics faithfully. Hear Chris detail the differences between black and white churches, particularly when it comes to involving politics. He also details his experience running for Congress in Illinois and whether or not...