Good Faith

Joining David and Curtis this week are two of the most influential voices speaking to Christian faith in the public square, David Brooks and Peter Wehner. Both Peter and David recently wrote landmark pieces analyzing the current landscape of American evangelicalism. In this podcast, they discuss the signs of hope and restoration for the troubled movement. Also, in a bit of self-revelation, they share about the books that most influenced their own faith journeys.   Show Notes: -Peter Wehner: “The Evangelical Church is Breaking Apart” -David Brooks: “The Dissenters Trying to Save Evangelicalism From Itself” David Brooks’ Most Influential Books:  A Severe Mercy (Sheldon Vanauken) The Long Loneliness (Dorothy Day) The Confessions (St. Augustine) My Bright Abyss (Christian Wiman) Peter Wehner’s Most Influential Books: A Grief Observed (CS Lewis) The Resurrection of the Son of God (NT Wright)

David and Curtis are honored this week to share the microphone with Jonathan Tjarks, famed NBA beat writer and podcaster for The Ringer. Jonathan’s recent piece “Does My Son Know You?” was a rare moment of candid sharing and distilled wisdom in light of his recent cancer diagnosis. This is truly a must listen as Jonathan shares a poignant perspective on faith, family and the power of community. Be sure to stay tuned to the end where he also breaks down a potential Grizzlies-Warriors matchup in the NBA playoffs, leaving one of our hosts happy and one sad.   Show Notes: -Jonathan Tjarks: “Does My Son Know You?” -Jonathan Tjarks “Blogs About Books (Of The Bible)”

This week David and Curtis help us look at leadership and what it is about certain leaders that seems to resonate so deep in our souls. Why does President Zelensky’s stand in Kyiv inspire us? Is it possible that a man who claims no Christian identity can be bearing the image of God? How do we recognize these images while not falling for the temptation of idolatry and worship of leaders as false images? Join us for this fascinating and timely discussion of the spiritual power of leadership.   Show Notes: -French Press: “When the Man Meets the Moment” -Helen Lewis (The Atlantic): “The Twitching Generation”

David and Curtis talk to Tish Harrison Warren, an author, Anglican priest, and writer for The New York Times. Their conversation about prayer gets very real, as they first talk about prayer in wartime. Then they move back to the American cultural struggles, and discuss the disturbing tendency to compare peace to war and the toxic effect on our lives and hearts.   Show Notes: -Sign up for Tish Harrison Warren’s newsletter -And David’s French Press

On today’s podcast, David and Curtis tackle Christian nationalism. What is it? Is it an ideology? A theology? An emotional, visceral connection? Or some combination of all three? Then they talk about healthy patriotism and how to love your national home, warts and all.   Show Notes: -Thomas Kidd: “Christian Nationalism vs. Christian Patriotism” -Deseret News: “What the latest data tells us about Christian nationalism” -French Press: “Discerning the Difference Between Christian Nationalism and Christian Patriotism” -French Press: “The Seeds of Political Violence Are Being Sown in Church”

David and Curtis talk to Dr. Derwin Gray about his career path from college football to the NFL to seminary and, ultimately, to the founder and pastor of Transformation church, a multi-ethnic congregation in South Carolina. Dr. Gray talks about his new book, How to Heal Our Racial Divide and David and Curtis ask him about political and racial tensions in church, critical race theory, and how he proposes reaching a church that's polarized on political and racial grounds.   Show Notes: -How to Heal Our Racial Divide by Derwin Gray -Desert News: “Leaning on Jesus to heal America’s racial divide” -Follow Derwin Gray on Twitter -RedeemingBabel.org 20% discount for Good Faith listeners: GoodFaith20

How should we react when people say or do things we find offensive in public discourse? What is the role of forgiveness and grace in these contexts? How do we determine if apologies are sincere and the offending party is worthy of an opportunity for repentance and repair? Join David and Curtis as they discuss this timely topic and offer some guidance for how we can make some space for grace in our public discourse.   Show Notes: -David French (WaPo): “Here’s the difference between Colin Kaepernick and Roseanne Barr” -The French Press: “Cancel Culture, Conditioning Culture, and America’s Stun-Gun Style of Discourse” -Greg Lukianoff and Adam Goldstein - “Opinion: Please, Georgetown. Don’t fire an academic over tweets” -Les Miserable: “Back to God” -YouTube: Brandt Jean to Amber Guyger: ‘I forgive you’ -Charlestown Shooting Victims’ Families Forgive Accused Gunman -RedeemingBabel.org 20% discount for Good Faith listeners: GoodFaith20

David and Curtis are excited to welcome the inaugural guest of the Good Faith podcast, Mike Cosper. Mike is the Director of Podcasting for Christianity Today and is most well known as the producer and host of The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill. Join David, Curtis and Mike as they discuss some of the lessons Mike took away from the process of diving deep into such a painful story. As you will see, the lessons are sometimes hard (just like the gospel itself), but they are also surprisingly hopeful (just like the gospel itself).   Show Notes: -The Rise & Fall of Mars Hill -RedeemingBabel.org 20% discount for Good Faith listeners: GoodFaith20

Why are so many pastors considering leaving the ministry? Is it the pandemic? Is it the political and racial polarization? Is it something else? Join David and Curtis as they delve into the growing crisis of pastoral burnout, including a very personal story from Curtis about his own journey to becoming a “former senior pastor”.    Show Notes: -Barna Group - 38% of U.S. Pastors Have Thought About Quitting Full-Time Ministry in the Past Year -Michelle Boorstein - The first Christmas as a layperson: Burned out by the pandemic, many clergy quit in the past year -Kate Shellnutt - The Pastors Aren’t All Right: 38% Consider Leaving Ministry -Barna Group - The Mental & Emotional Health of Pastors and Their Congregants Amid COVID-19 -Wendy Wang and Alysse Elhage - Here’s Who Stopped Going to Church During the Pandemic -The French Press - The Crisis of Christian Celebrity -Cass Sunstein - The Law of Group Polarization

Conflict feels like it’s everywhere these days. Church communities, old friendships and even families are being pulled apart by tensions over politics, the pandemic, race and more. When should we stay in a church or relationship? When should we perhaps leave? Is there a biblical model to navigate these decisions and what comes in the aftermath? Join David and Curtis to discuss how we as Christians should approach these perplexing questions.   Show Notes: -The Russell Moore Show: Beth Moore Didn’t Expect Us to Be Us