Adam Holtz is back from a 2,500-mile California-to-Colorado road trip and ready to talk summer movies. First up: Masters of the Universe, the new He-Man origin story that proves Gen X nostalgia is still driving Hollywood — but like the Transformers franchise before it, it's been dialed up with unnecessary profanity and violence that didn't need to be there. Then a Paul Rudd movie about a wedding band musician whose song gets stolen by a Jonas brother, which sounds charming and mostly is, except for the R-rated language count that pushes it out of range for a lot of viewers. Adam also breaks down why Backrooms — the low-budget YouTube horror film that's made over $100 million — might be the most interesting story of the summer, what it says about audience hunger for original storytelling, and why Spider-Man will probably still take the title. Find full reviews at pluggedin.com before you head to the theater this weekend.

Adam Holtz is back from a 2,500-mile California-to-Colorado road trip and ready to talk summer movies. First up: Masters of the Universe, the new He-Man origin story that proves Gen X nostalgia is still driving Hollywood &mdash; but like the Transformers franchise before it, it's been dialed up with unnecessary profanity and violence that didn't need to be there. Then a Paul Rudd movie about a wedding band musician whose song gets stolen by a Jonas brother, which sounds charming and mostly is, except for the R-rated language count that pushes it out of range for a lot of viewers. Adam also breaks down why Backrooms &mdash; the low-budget YouTube horror film that's made over $100 million &mdash; might be the most interesting story of the summer, what it says about audience hunger for original storytelling, and why Spider-Man will probably still take the title. Find full reviews at pluggedin.com before you head to the theater this weekend.

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

He-Man, Paul Rudd & the Summer Blockbuster Scorecard with Adam Holtz of Plugged In

Steven Spielberg has made five movies about aliens, and his newest — Disclosure Day — might be his most theologically provocative yet. Adam Holtz from Plugged In joins Brian From to break down a film where Emily Blunt plays a TV reporter chosen by extraterrestrials as their mouthpiece, a government whistleblower is on the run, and two nuns grapple with what alien contact would mean for their faith. Spielberg has been openly asking the question: if it were proven that aliens exist and the government has known, what would that do to your belief system? Adam also flags an interesting Gospel Coalition piece arguing the whole film tracks the Exodus narrative — Moses, Aaron, Pharaoh, parting of the Red Sea — which makes sense given Spielberg's Jewish faith. Then a quick look at Among Us, the popular video game now turned into an animated murder mystery on Paramount Plus starring Elijah Wood. Full reviews at pluggedin.com. Also: Adam and Brian discover they've officially become their parents, and somehow their small group conversations are now mostly about what hurts.

Steven Spielberg has made five movies about aliens, and his newest &mdash; Disclosure Day &mdash; might be his most theologically provocative yet. Adam Holtz from Plugged In joins Brian From to break down a film where Emily Blunt plays a TV reporter chosen by extraterrestrials as their mouthpiece, a government whistleblower is on the run, and two nuns grapple with what alien contact would mean for their faith. Spielberg has been openly asking the question: if it were proven that aliens exist and the government has known, what would that do to your belief system? Adam also flags an interesting Gospel Coalition piece arguing the whole film tracks the Exodus narrative &mdash; Moses, Aaron, Pharaoh, parting of the Red Sea &mdash; which makes sense given Spielberg's Jewish faith. Then a quick look at Among Us, the popular video game now turned into an animated murder mystery on Paramount Plus starring Elijah Wood. Full reviews at pluggedin.com. Also: Adam and Brian discover they've officially become their parents, and somehow their small group conversations are now mostly about what hurts.

Disclosure Day & Among Us with Adam Holtz of Plugged In

When someone you love is hurting, the worst thing you can do is blurt out the first thing that comes to mind. Brian From opens up about a well-meaning woman at church who told his grieving wife she'd forget their miscarriage once they had kids — and builds from there into four genuinely helpful ways to walk alongside a sufferer: be present, listen, weep, and encourage. Then: how accessible should your pastor actually be, and what does it mean when meeting with him is advertised as a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" for donors? Beth Moore admits her generation did the next one a disservice by making platform ministry look easy. Erwin McManus asks an uncomfortable question — what happens when the people trying to heal the world are quietly falling apart themselves? The "I am the resurrection and the life" declaration from John 11, and why Martha's confession in the middle of her grief is one of the most important moments in all of scripture. Why time seems to speed up as we get older, and what neuroscience suggests might slow it down. Paul Skines stopped his car at a Little League practice and stayed for two hours. And JD Greear on the Jesus most of us grew up with versus the one John saw in Revelation — and why suffering people don't need a warm blanket Jesus. They need the one who holds the stars.

When someone you love is hurting, the worst thing you can do is blurt out the first thing that comes to mind. Brian From opens up about a well-meaning woman at church who told his grieving wife she'd forget their miscarriage once they had kids &mdash; and builds from there into four genuinely helpful ways to walk alongside a sufferer: be present, listen, weep, and encourage. Then: how accessible should your pastor actually be, and what does it mean when meeting with him is advertised as a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" for donors? Beth Moore admits her generation did the next one a disservice by making platform ministry look easy. Erwin McManus asks an uncomfortable question &mdash; what happens when the people trying to heal the world are quietly falling apart themselves? The "I am the resurrection and the life" declaration from John 11, and why Martha's confession in the middle of her grief is one of the most important moments in all of scripture. Why time seems to speed up as we get older, and what neuroscience suggests might slow it down. Paul Skines stopped his car at a Little League practice and stayed for two hours. And JD Greear on the Jesus most of us grew up with versus the one John saw in Revelation &mdash; and why suffering people don't need a warm blanket Jesus. They need the one who holds the stars.

Four Ways to Actually Help Someone Who's Suffering

A CEO who interviews some of the world's most powerful people sat down with a Christian apologist and said something that stopped Brian From cold: "One of the most compelling arguments for God isn't anything you've written or said. It's actually you." That four-word sentence becomes the thread running through this entire hour. Russell Moore follows with a careful word on apologetics — we need debaters, yes, but winning arguments alone isn't the kingdom of God, and sometimes the most powerful witness is a fifth-grade preacher explaining grace. Then: I am the true vine — what Jesus means when he says remain in me, why abiding is not the same as striving, and why fruit flows from connection, not effort. A look at the Mormon/Latter-day Saint rebranding effort and why the Jesus they describe is not the biblical Jesus. Travel sports, church, and why the either-or framing isn't always honest or helpful. The sudden death of Bulls champion and beloved Chicago broadcaster Stacey King at 59. A study showing more than half of men feel they're failing at manhood because of financial pressure. And a piece that lands personally for Brian: your calling is a zigzag, your assignment changes with the seasons, and nothing — not even the parts that felt like detours — is wasted.

A CEO who interviews some of the world's most powerful people sat down with a Christian apologist and said something that stopped Brian From cold: "One of the most compelling arguments for God isn't anything you've written or said. It's actually you." That four-word sentence becomes the thread running through this entire hour. Russell Moore follows with a careful word on apologetics &mdash; we need debaters, yes, but winning arguments alone isn't the kingdom of God, and sometimes the most powerful witness is a fifth-grade preacher explaining grace. Then: I am the true vine &mdash; what Jesus means when he says remain in me, why abiding is not the same as striving, and why fruit flows from connection, not effort. A look at the Mormon/Latter-day Saint rebranding effort and why the Jesus they describe is not the biblical Jesus. Travel sports, church, and why the either-or framing isn't always honest or helpful. The sudden death of Bulls champion and beloved Chicago broadcaster Stacey King at 59. A study showing more than half of men feel they're failing at manhood because of financial pressure. And a piece that lands personally for Brian: your calling is a zigzag, your assignment changes with the seasons, and nothing &mdash; not even the parts that felt like detours &mdash; is wasted.

He-Man, Paul Rudd & the Summer Blockbuster Scorecard with Adam Holtz of Plugged In

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