Dan Bovey leads New Life Bilingual Church in West Chicago, and is also facing fines up to $20,000 from the city for building a greenhouse in his backyard.

He explains the situation, what it has been like to watch the court system work (for him and for other residents of West Chicago), and what it has been like to figure out how to be a witness for Christ in the middle of a controversy.

Follow The Common Good on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Hosted by Aubrey Sampson and Brian From

Produced by Laura Finch and Keith Conrad

Dan Bovey leads New Life Bilingual Church in West Chicago, and is also facing fines up to $20,000 from the city for building a greenhouse in his backyard.
He explains the situation, what it has been like to watch the court system work (for him and for other residents of West Chicago), and what it has been like to figure out how to be a witness for Christ in the middle of a controversy.
Follow The Common Good on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CommonGoodTalk">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/commongoodtalk">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/commongoodtalk/">Instagram</a>
Hosted by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aubsamp/">Aubrey Sampson</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/brianfrom7">Brian From</a>
Produced by <a href="https://twitter.com/laura_e_finch">Laura Finch</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/keithrconrad">Keith Conrad</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

Handling community controversy--when you're also a pastor

What would it look like if Christians didn't just believe the right things — but actually became like Jesus? Host Brian From sits down with Keas Keasler, associate professor of spiritual theology at Friends University and author of Kingdom Apprenticeship: Dallas Willard's Formational Theology and Missional Vision. Drawing on seven years of deep research — including time spent in the archives of Willard's unpublished papers — Kees brings fresh life to one of the most important Christian thinkers of the last century. Together, Brian and Kees explore what "intelligent mysticism" really means, why "apprenticeship" captures something "discipleship" has lost, and how Willard's vision of character formation might be exactly what the church needs to close the gap between what we profess and how we actually live.

What would it look like if Christians didn't just believe the right things &mdash; but actually became like Jesus? Host Brian From sits down with Keas Keasler, associate professor of spiritual theology at Friends University and author of&nbsp;Kingdom Apprenticeship: Dallas Willard's Formational Theology and Missional Vision. Drawing on seven years of deep research &mdash; including time spent in the archives of Willard's unpublished papers &mdash; Kees brings fresh life to one of the most important Christian thinkers of the last century. Together, Brian and Kees explore what "intelligent mysticism" really means, why "apprenticeship" captures something "discipleship" has lost, and how Willard's vision of character formation might be exactly what the church needs to close the gap between what we profess and how we actually live.

Keas Keasler on Knowing Christ from the Inside Out

It's one of those days — taxes are due, life feels heavy, and the news keeps coming. Host Brian From takes a look at the cultural and spiritual moments that have him thinking. He reflects on the trap of comparison after actor Rainn Wilson admitted he was miserable during the height of his fame on The Office. He digs into Joy Behar's surprising claim on The View that Jesus never actually said he was the Messiah — and why that moment reveals exactly where evangelism gets hard. He covers the rise of AI-generated actors after Val Kilmer's digital likeness appeared in a new film, and the ethical questions it opens up. And he shares a practical six-step framework for becoming evangelism-ready, even when fear and busyness get in the way. The hour closes with a beautiful reflection on the paradox of the brightening path — why the closer we get to God, the more clearly we see our own sin, and why that's actually a sign of growth.

It's one of those days &mdash; taxes are due, life feels heavy, and the news keeps coming. Host Brian From takes a look at the cultural and spiritual moments that have him thinking. He reflects on the trap of comparison after actor Rainn Wilson admitted he was miserable during the height of his fame on&nbsp;The Office. He digs into Joy Behar's surprising claim on The View that Jesus never actually said he was the Messiah &mdash; and why that moment reveals exactly where evangelism gets hard. He covers the rise of AI-generated actors after Val Kilmer's digital likeness appeared in a new film, and the ethical questions it opens up. And he shares a practical six-step framework for becoming evangelism-ready, even when fear and busyness get in the way. The hour closes with a beautiful reflection on the paradox of the brightening path &mdash; why the closer we get to God, the more clearly we see our own sin, and why that's actually a sign of growth.

Worn Out, Waking Up, and Watching the World Go By

When Chicago Bulls guard Jaden Ivey was released after speaking openly about his Christian faith and pushing back on the NBA's Pride Month celebrations, it sparked a conversation much bigger than basketball. Brian From sits down with Paul Batura — Vice President of Communications at Focus on the Family and Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Citizen — to unpack what the Ivey story reveals about religious freedom in America today. From the courtrooms of Colorado to the locker rooms of the NBA, Paul and Brian explore where Christians have room to speak, where the culture is pushing back, and how believers can navigate faith in the workplace with both boldness and wisdom.

When Chicago Bulls guard Jaden Ivey was released after speaking openly about his Christian faith and pushing back on the NBA's Pride Month celebrations, it sparked a conversation much bigger than basketball. Brian From sits down with Paul Batura &mdash; Vice President of Communications at Focus on the Family and Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Citizen &mdash; to unpack what the Ivey story reveals about religious freedom in America today. From the courtrooms of Colorado to the locker rooms of the NBA, Paul and Brian explore where Christians have room to speak, where the culture is pushing back, and how believers can navigate faith in the workplace with both boldness and wisdom.

Handling community controversy--when you're also a pastor

In 1 playlist(s)

The Common Good

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips