Spain wins the World Cup over Argentina in extra time — one goal over eight games of tournament play — and Brian From gives it its due before moving on to what's actually on his heart this Monday. He opens with a moment from Sunday morning worship at Compass Church's Hinsdale campus that stopped him cold: singing "Holy, Holy, Holy" in the middle of a set of newer songs, and the way that declaration of God's transcendence and otherness still cuts through everything else. From there, a reflection on three weeks of preaching and the particular pressure of standing behind a pulpit: it becomes very difficult to preach sermons you're ignoring in your own life. Brian shares his message on finishing well, drawn from Paul's words in 2 Timothy 4 — I have fought the good fight, finished the race, kept the faith — and applies it to the decisions we make today that shape who we'll be at the end. A practical, balanced piece on why people leave churches, why they shouldn't, and how to do it well if the time truly comes — including a direct challenge to have the difficult conversation with your pastor before you go. And a closing piece on theoretical Christian living: the evangelical allergy to the practical, the habit of burying every application in so many caveats it changes no one's life, and the call to a faith that doesn't just stay in the armchair but moves from the pew to the pavement.

<p>Spain wins the World Cup over Argentina in extra time &mdash; one goal over eight games of tournament play &mdash; and Brian From gives it its due before moving on to what's actually on his heart this Monday. He opens with a moment from Sunday morning worship at Compass Church's Hinsdale campus that stopped him cold: singing "Holy, Holy, Holy" in the middle of a set of newer songs, and the way that declaration of God's transcendence and otherness still cuts through everything else. From there, a reflection on three weeks of preaching and the particular pressure of standing behind a pulpit: it becomes very difficult to preach sermons you're ignoring in your own life. Brian shares his message on finishing well, drawn from Paul's words in 2 Timothy 4 &mdash; I have fought the good fight, finished the race, kept the faith &mdash; and applies it to the decisions we make today that shape who we'll be at the end. A practical, balanced piece on why people leave churches, why they shouldn't, and how to do it well if the time truly comes &mdash; including a direct challenge to have the difficult conversation with your pastor before you go. And a closing piece on theoretical Christian living: the evangelical allergy to the practical, the habit of burying every application in so many caveats it changes no one's life, and the call to a faith that doesn't just stay in the armchair but moves from the pew to the pavement.</p>

The idea of “the common good” has a rich history within the Christian church. It’s the notion that, as we pursue Jesus in our lives and in the lives of others, we are fulfilling God’s purposes for His creation. This pursuit can be messy. It means rolling up our sleeves and creating space for hard conversations about real issues that impact our lives. Things like parenting, marriage, finances, politics, art, and culture. On The Common Good, Brian From creates space to have these conversations, to sit with the big questions that we all have, to sometimes disagree, but to always look for the chance to create common good, by following after Jesus. Brian welcome listeners to join them in these conversations, to bring their own questions, hopes, and struggles, and to ultimately share in a journey to see God’s design for all of us fulfilled.

<p>The idea of &ldquo;the common good&rdquo; has a rich history within the Christian church. It&rsquo;s the notion that, as we pursue Jesus in our lives and in the lives of others, we are fulfilling God&rsquo;s purposes for His creation. This pursuit can be messy. It means rolling up our sleeves and creating space for hard conversations about real issues that impact our lives. Things like parenting, marriage, finances, politics, art, and culture. On The Common Good, Brian From creates space to have these conversations, to sit with the big questions that we all have, to sometimes disagree, but to always look for the chance to create common good, by following after Jesus. Brian welcome listeners to join them in these conversations, to bring their own questions, hopes, and struggles, and to ultimately share in a journey to see God&rsquo;s design for all of us fulfilled.</p>