Brian talks with Gary Schneeberger, assistant to the president for media relations at Focus on the Family, about the ministry's search for a new president as Jim Daly, nearing 65, begins a planned transition after 20 years of leadership. Gary explains the search process — conducted with the help of a search firm over an expected 12 to 18 months, landing near the ministry's 50th anniversary in 2027 — and reflects on Daly's legacy of refocusing the organization on marriage, parenting, and walking out faith in the public square, following founder Dr. James Dobson's more prophetic, public-policy-driven era. Gary shares why Daly wants to model a healthy leadership handoff to a next-generation leader attuned to today's cultural challenges, and says the top qualification the board is seeking is unchanged biblical conviction consistent with the ministry's 50-year history.

Brian talks with Gary Schneeberger, assistant to the president for media relations at Focus on the Family, about the ministry's search for a new president as Jim Daly, nearing 65, begins a planned transition after 20 years of leadership. Gary explains the search process &mdash; conducted with the help of a search firm over an expected 12 to 18 months, landing near the ministry's 50th anniversary in 2027 &mdash; and reflects on Daly's legacy of refocusing the organization on marriage, parenting, and walking out faith in the public square, following founder Dr. James Dobson's more prophetic, public-policy-driven era. Gary shares why Daly wants to model a healthy leadership handoff to a next-generation leader attuned to today's cultural challenges, and says the top qualification the board is seeking is unchanged biblical conviction consistent with the ministry's 50-year history.

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.

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.

The Common Good Podcast

The Common Good

Focus on the Family Begins Search for Its Next President

Brian opens frustrated by what he sees as performative culture at every level — from politicians renaming Lake Ontario "Lake America" to grandstanding pastors — contrasting it with Jesus's call for authentic inner transformation over outward appearance. He shares a study linking over 150 minutes of daily social media use to rising rates of self-reported depression, and digs into a Christianity Today piece arguing that worship isn't meant to be primarily about how it makes us feel, but about giving God the glory He's due regardless of our emotions. Brian plays a clip from pastor Eric Reed making the case that saving faith isn't mere mental belief in Jesus but genuine submission to Him as Lord and King. He also shares a Relevant Magazine piece on shifting from a transactional relationship with God to a relational one, a wild follow-up story about a former Chick-fil-A employee's $80,000 mac-and-cheese fraud scheme, and closes with sobering research on the poor mental health of worship leaders and a broader reflection on the need for greater character and integrity among church leaders.

Brian opens frustrated by what he sees as performative culture at every level &mdash; from politicians renaming Lake Ontario "Lake America" to grandstanding pastors &mdash; contrasting it with Jesus's call for authentic inner transformation over outward appearance. He shares a study linking over 150 minutes of daily social media use to rising rates of self-reported depression, and digs into a Christianity Today piece arguing that worship isn't meant to be primarily about how it makes us feel, but about giving God the glory He's due regardless of our emotions. Brian plays a clip from pastor Eric Reed making the case that saving faith isn't mere mental belief in Jesus but genuine submission to Him as Lord and King. He also shares a Relevant Magazine piece on shifting from a transactional relationship with God to a relational one, a wild follow-up story about a former Chick-fil-A employee's $80,000 mac-and-cheese fraud scheme, and closes with sobering research on the poor mental health of worship leaders and a broader reflection on the need for greater character and integrity among church leaders.

Performative Politics, Worship Without Feelings, and Bending the Knee to Jesus

Filling in for Adam Holz once again, Plugged In's Paul Asay joins Brian for a fun Friday lineup. They dig into Coyote vs. Acme, the long-shelved live-action/animated hybrid where Wile E. Coyote finally sues Acme Corporation (run by Foghorn Leghorn) for decades of exploding gadgets, now getting a theatrical release after a distributor rescued it from Warner Brothers' tax write-off shelf. Paul highlights its nostalgic charm and message of persistence, alongside some mild language and cartoon violence parents should weigh. They also cover Beyond Belief, a Christian throwback film set in the 1980s Christian music scene featuring cameos from the actual band Petra, following a teen guitarist who takes a literal word from God — "run" — as a call to train for a marathon on the same day as his band's make-or-break battle of the bands.

Filling in for Adam Holz once again, Plugged In's Paul Asay joins Brian for a fun Friday lineup. They dig into Coyote vs. Acme, the long-shelved live-action/animated hybrid where Wile E. Coyote finally sues Acme Corporation (run by Foghorn Leghorn) for decades of exploding gadgets, now getting a theatrical release after a distributor rescued it from Warner Brothers' tax write-off shelf. Paul highlights its nostalgic charm and message of persistence, alongside some mild language and cartoon violence parents should weigh. They also cover Beyond Belief, a Christian throwback film set in the 1980s Christian music scene featuring cameos from the actual band Petra, following a teen guitarist who takes a literal word from God &mdash; "run" &mdash; as a call to train for a marathon on the same day as his band's make-or-break battle of the bands.

Coyote vs. Acme and a Petra-Fueled Christian Throwback with Paul Asay

Brian opens with a heavy reflection on catastrophic glacial flooding in Nepal, using the tragedy to talk about the fragility of life and living with urgency and eternal perspective. He calls out a Christian social media user who publicly declared Dolly Parton "likely in hell" within hours of her death, arguing that gentleness and humility should govern how believers speak about someone's eternal state. Brian shares a Wall Street Journal piece on the surprising mental health benefits of travel and disconnection, and a Russell Moore column praising Dolly Parton's self-respect and freedom from shame rather than shamelessness. He digs into Carl Vaters's list of assumptions big churches make that unintentionally harm small churches, and closes with a striking John Piper clip on "Christian hedonism" — the idea that sin is driven by desire for pleasure, and that the Christian life is won not through duty but through a superior joy found in Jesus.

Brian opens with a heavy reflection on catastrophic glacial flooding in Nepal, using the tragedy to talk about the fragility of life and living with urgency and eternal perspective. He calls out a Christian social media user who publicly declared Dolly Parton "likely in hell" within hours of her death, arguing that gentleness and humility should govern how believers speak about someone's eternal state. Brian shares a Wall Street Journal piece on the surprising mental health benefits of travel and disconnection, and a Russell Moore column praising Dolly Parton's self-respect and freedom from shame rather than shamelessness. He digs into Carl Vaters's list of assumptions big churches make that unintentionally harm small churches, and closes with a striking John Piper clip on "Christian hedonism" &mdash; the idea that sin is driven by desire for pleasure, and that the Christian life is won not through duty but through a superior joy found in Jesus.

Focus on the Family Begins Search for Its Next President

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