Control, Smoke & Shaquille O'Neal's Ecclesiastes Moment

Canadian wildfire smoke is still blanketing the Midwest, and Brian From opens with the theological thread underneath the inconvenience: control and comfort are the two great idols of American culture, and weather has a way of stripping both bare at once. On a happier note, his daughter is home from…

The Odyssey: Matt Damon, Casting Controversies & Why the R Rating Surprises with Adam Holtz

Everybody's talking about The Odyssey — Christopher Nolan's sweeping epic starring Matt Damon as Odysseus — and Adam Holtz from Plugged In joins Brian From to give the full breakdown. The film generated significant pre-release controversy over casting choices including a Black actress as Helen of T…

Inside Out, The Rookie & Lilo and Stitch with Bret Eckelberry

Family movie night sounds simple — but Bret Eckelberry, managing editor and movie reviewer at Plugged In, makes the case that it's one of the most powerful tools in a parent's toolbox. He joins Brian From to talk about why shared screen experiences matter, how to get resistant kids on board, and wh…

Wildfires, the ESPYs & Finishing the Race Well

Canadian wildfire smoke is blanketing Chicago and stretching all the way to New York, and Brian From turns the haze into a parable: the decisions we make set off domino effects that ripple far beyond us, affecting people we love and people we'll never meet. Then a personal update — his son's summer…

Summer Activities & Bible Translation with Melissa Paredes of Wycliffe

It's a hundred degrees outside and your kids are asking what's next — Melissa Paredes, Senior Director of Content Marketing at Wycliffe Bible Translators, has an answer that's actually good for them. She joins Brian From to talk about Kate and Mac, a free series of printable, downloadable resources…

Preaching, Apathy & the Heart of Ministry with Mike Bullmore

What does it mean for the gospel to be functionally central — not just theologically true in the abstract, but actually animating the way a pastor preaches, thinks, and lives? Mike Bullmore, author of The Heart of Preaching: The Functional Centrality of the Gospel in the Life and Work of the Preach…

Faith, Community & Small Class Sizes at St. Peter Lutheran School with Julie Messina

Back to school season is just around the corner, and Brian From sits down with Julie Messina, principal of St. Peter Lutheran School in Schaumburg, Illinois — a school that has been educating families for 189 years and sits on 30 acres in the middle of the suburbs. Julie talks about what makes a pr…

AI, Translation & The Chosen with Wendy Lord

The Chosen is being translated into 600 languages — and Wendy Lord, Vice President of Localization at Come and See Foundation, is overseeing the effort. She joins Brian From to talk about what that actually looks like on the ground: a theologian in India working through the Assamese translation who…

Lukewarm Churches, Renting Barbecue Friends & the Dark Night of the Soul

In Russia, you can now rent a barbecue companion for $15 to $65 a day — jokes and anecdotes included, no lasting friendship expected. Brian From opens with that story as a window into something both funny and genuinely heartbreaking about the loneliness epidemic. Then a personal story: getting pull…

Lindsey Graham, Ecclesiastes & What if You're Missing Your Life While You're Waiting for It?

Senator Lindsey Graham died over the weekend from what appears to be a tear in his aorta — and Brian From opens not with politics but with perspective. Graham was on the phone with President Trump Saturday night, had just returned from NATO and a meeting with Zelensky, and was at the very center of…