Brian From reflects on modern loneliness and cultural change, from a viral “Are You Dead?” app to the fading role of malls as community hubs, asking what real connection looks like today and where the church fits in. The episode also examines self-righteousness, political independence among younger Americans, and why an eternal perspective actually fuels meaningful engagement in the present world. Brian closes with sober but hopeful reflections on integrity, legacy, and what it means to live coram Deo—fully aware that our lives are lived before the face of God.

'Are You Dead' App Is a Smash Hit 

More Americans now identify as independents: Gallup polling | AP News 

Ed Stetzer on X: ""If you read history, you will find that Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next... Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at Earth and you will get neither." -C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity" / X 

The Sticky Sin of Always Being Right 

Don't Love a Good Thing Less - Eric Geiger – Eric Geiger, Author and Senior Pastor, Mariners Church 

Given the Choice, Science Says the Average Employee Would Choose a Fancy Job Title Over a Pay Raise? 

Are Never Attenders More Secular Today? - by Ryan Burge 

The Yancey We Never Knew: Living Coram Deo and in Gospel Community Helps Guard Our Hearts 

Daily Devotional | Ezra: Back to Basics | Today in the Word 

Brian From reflects on modern loneliness and cultural change, from a viral &ldquo;Are You Dead?&rdquo; app to the fading role of malls as community hubs, asking what real connection looks like today and where the church fits in. The episode also examines self-righteousness, political independence among younger Americans, and why an eternal perspective actually fuels meaningful engagement in the present world. Brian closes with sober but hopeful reflections on integrity, legacy, and what it means to live coram Deo&mdash;fully aware that our lives are lived before the face of God.
<a href="https://www.newser.com/story/381787/are-you-dead-app-is-a-smash-hit.html?utm_source=substack&amp;utm_medium=email">'Are You Dead' App Is a Smash Hit</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://apnews.com/article/poll-independents-moderates-republicans-democrats-trump-ba353eb6807fd854f5b6e6de52d152fa?utm_source=substack&amp;utm_medium=email">More Americans now identify as independents: Gallup polling | AP News</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://x.com/edstetzer/status/2010924789624451183">Ed Stetzer on X: ""If you read history, you will find that Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next... Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at Earth and you will get neither." -C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity" / X</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevin-wax/sticky-sin-always-right/">The Sticky Sin of Always Being Right</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://ericgeiger.com/2014/12/15/dont-love-good-thing-less/">Don't Love a Good Thing Less - Eric Geiger &ndash; Eric Geiger, Author and Senior Pastor, Mariners Church</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/given-the-choice-science-says-the-average-employee-would-choose-a-fancy-job-title-over-a-pay-raise/91286422?utm_source=substack&amp;utm_medium=email">Given the Choice, Science Says the Average Employee Would Choose a Fancy Job Title Over a Pay Raise?</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.graphsaboutreligion.com/p/are-never-attenders-more-secular">Are Never Attenders More Secular Today? - by Ryan Burge</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://churchleaders.com/voices/2211644-the-philip-yancey-we-never-knew.html">The Yancey We Never Knew: Living Coram Deo and in Gospel Community Helps Guard Our Hearts</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.todayintheword.org/daily-devotional/journey-through-the-old-testament/ezra-back-to-basics/">Daily Devotional | Ezra: Back to Basics | Today in the Word</a>&nbsp;

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.