Jerry Riendeau, staff member with Cru at James Madison University, joined Brian to chat about the ministry of Cru and his article, “Join a “hyper local” church.”     

Learn more about Cru at cru.org and connect with Jerry on Twitter at @jerryriii

Jerry Riendeau, staff member with <a href="https://www.jmucru.com/">Cru at James Madison University</a>, joined Brian to chat about <a href="https://www.cru.org/">the ministry of Cru</a> and his article, <a href="https://www.jmucru.com/2021/07/join-a-hyper-local-church/">&ldquo;Join a &ldquo;hyper local&rdquo; church.&rdquo;</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Learn more about Cru at <a href="https://www.cru.org/">cru.org</a> and connect with Jerry on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/jerryriii?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">@jerryriii</a>

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

Guest: Jerry Riendeau, staff member with Cru at James Madison University - Discussion on his article, “Join a “hyper local” church” - August 12, 2021

It's graduation season, and Brian From mines the best commencement wisdom making the rounds — Eric Church's six guitar strings as six pillars of life (and why faith is the low E that everything else depends on), Rick Warren's sobering reminder that nobody on their deathbed has ever asked for their trophies, and Admiral McRaven's legendary case for why making your bed every morning is actually about the trajectory of your entire day. Then: a genuinely important piece on why parents need to play too — not just schedule their kids' activities, but carve out hobbies, downtime, and unstructured joy for themselves. Research says peak wellbeing hits around $111,000 a year, relationships matter more than wealth, and time may be our greatest currency — but do we actually live like we believe any of that? A 72-year-old grandmother just graduated medical school and is starting her residency, which is either inspiring or convicting depending on where you are with your own dreams. Plus: a company that gave employees a goodie bag instead of a raise, Pizza Hut bringing back the red checkered tablecloths, and a beautiful meditation on why God loves to hear his children cry "help please, Dad."

It's graduation season, and Brian From mines the best commencement wisdom making the rounds &mdash; Eric Church's six guitar strings as six pillars of life (and why faith is the low E that everything else depends on), Rick Warren's sobering reminder that nobody on their deathbed has ever asked for their trophies, and Admiral McRaven's legendary case for why making your bed every morning is actually about the trajectory of your entire day. Then: a genuinely important piece on why parents need to play too &mdash; not just schedule their kids' activities, but carve out hobbies, downtime, and unstructured joy for themselves. Research says peak wellbeing hits around $111,000 a year, relationships matter more than wealth, and time may be our greatest currency &mdash; but do we actually live like we believe any of that? A 72-year-old grandmother just graduated medical school and is starting her residency, which is either inspiring or convicting depending on where you are with your own dreams. Plus: a company that gave employees a goodie bag instead of a raise, Pizza Hut bringing back the red checkered tablecloths, and a beautiful meditation on why God loves to hear his children cry "help please, Dad."

Commencement Season, Play, and What the Dying Never Ask For

What do non-denominational and Pentecostal churches have in common — and why are they the only two categories of American Christianity consistently growing right now? Brian From digs into new data that points to something deeper than style or structure: a widespread hunger for experiential, Spirit-filled faith in an age where everything feels artificial. Then: Christian nationalism is becoming a household term, and Brian makes the case that the real danger isn't patriotism — it's when Jesus gets used as a lever for political power rather than worshiped as King. A practical word on evangelism that might actually help: forget the clipboard approach and start asking better questions. Three lighter stories — a woman in Alabama who shot her husband for being annoying, a donor who paid off student loans at commencement, and data showing high-powered dads are finally spending more time with their kids. The doctrine of perseverance unpacked: why you'll still be a Christian tomorrow, and it has nothing to do with your strength. And a genuinely clarifying look at what "pray without ceasing" actually means — hint, it's less about bowing your head and more about living in constant communion. Happy birthday, Carrie.

What do non-denominational and Pentecostal churches have in common &mdash; and why are they the only two categories of American Christianity consistently growing right now? Brian From digs into new data that points to something deeper than style or structure: a widespread hunger for experiential, Spirit-filled faith in an age where everything feels artificial. Then: Christian nationalism is becoming a household term, and Brian makes the case that the real danger isn't patriotism &mdash; it's when Jesus gets used as a lever for political power rather than worshiped as King. A practical word on evangelism that might actually help: forget the clipboard approach and start asking better questions. Three lighter stories &mdash; a woman in Alabama who shot her husband for being annoying, a donor who paid off student loans at commencement, and data showing high-powered dads are finally spending more time with their kids. The doctrine of perseverance unpacked: why you'll still be a Christian tomorrow, and it has nothing to do with your strength. And a genuinely clarifying look at what "pray without ceasing" actually means &mdash; hint, it's less about bowing your head and more about living in constant communion. Happy birthday, Carrie.

Two Kinds of Churches Actually Growing in America

It's Friday, which means Adam Holtz from Plugged In is back to help you figure out what's actually worth watching — and what to skip. This week: Remarkably Bright Creatures, a quiet, thoughtful drama starring Sally Field as a grieving cleaning woman whose best confidant is a sentient, dying octopus named Marcellus. It's warm, it's mostly clean, and it is absolutely not a kids movie despite the talking sea creature. Then Adam breaks down In the Gray, the new Guy Ritchie thriller with Henry Cavill, Jake Gyllenhaal, and approximately 60 profanities — which prompts a genuinely useful conversation about how Plugged In thinks about relative versus absolute content standards, and why counting swear words actually matters. Plus a preview of what's coming to the big screen this summer, including the Mandalorian film on the horizon. Find full reviews and parental guides for everything at pluggedin.com.

It's Friday, which means Adam Holtz from Plugged In is back to help you figure out what's actually worth watching &mdash; and what to skip. This week: Remarkably Bright Creatures, a quiet, thoughtful drama starring Sally Field as a grieving cleaning woman whose best confidant is a sentient, dying octopus named Marcellus. It's warm, it's mostly clean, and it is absolutely not a kids movie despite the talking sea creature. Then Adam breaks down In the Gray, the new Guy Ritchie thriller with Henry Cavill, Jake Gyllenhaal, and approximately 60 profanities &mdash; which prompts a genuinely useful conversation about how Plugged In thinks about relative versus absolute content standards, and why counting swear words actually matters. Plus a preview of what's coming to the big screen this summer, including the Mandalorian film on the horizon. Find full reviews and parental guides for everything at pluggedin.com.

Guest: Jerry Riendeau, staff member with Cru at James Madison University - Discussion on his article, “Join a “hyper local” church” - August 12, 2021

The Common Good

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