On the eve of the midterm elections, Brian From reminds listeners that Philippians 3 places our citizenship in heaven, so Christians can care about the results without losing their peace. He asks for prayer for Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell after a frightening neck injury, and plays Mike Leach’s famous rant about Halloween candy. Marking Reformation Day, he shares Mark Dever’s explanation of why the Reformation’s recovery of assurance of salvation set Europe on fire. He chuckles at a lawsuit claiming the McRib misleads customers, and shares a Gospel Coalition piece on praying Psalm 79 for the persecuted church with humility and hope. In the second hour, Brian plays a sermon clip on God as our strength, weighs a dietitian’s advice to let kids eat as much Halloween candy as they want, and reacts to a survey finding three in four European pilots admit to falling asleep in the cockpit. He addresses fears about a possible escalation of the war with Iran, shares Tim Challies’s tips for resolving conflict in marriage, and closes with five Latin phrases that capture Martin Luther’s life and theology.

On the eve of the midterm elections, Brian From reminds listeners that Philippians 3 places our citizenship in heaven, so Christians can care about the results without losing their peace. He asks for prayer for Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell after a frightening neck injury, and plays Mike Leach&rsquo;s famous rant about Halloween candy. Marking Reformation Day, he shares Mark Dever&rsquo;s explanation of why the Reformation&rsquo;s recovery of assurance of salvation set Europe on fire. He chuckles at a lawsuit claiming the McRib misleads customers, and shares a Gospel Coalition piece on praying Psalm 79 for the persecuted church with humility and hope. In the second hour, Brian plays a sermon clip on God as our strength, weighs a dietitian&rsquo;s advice to let kids eat as much Halloween candy as they want, and reacts to a survey finding three in four European pilots admit to falling asleep in the cockpit. He addresses fears about a possible escalation of the war with Iran, shares Tim Challies&rsquo;s tips for resolving conflict in marriage, and closes with five Latin phrases that capture Martin Luther&rsquo;s life and theology.

Our Citizenship Is in Heaven, Even on the Eve of the Midterms

Brian From welcomes fellow Chicago radio host and pastor Karl Clauson, co-host of Karl and Crew on Moody Radio and lead pastor of 180 Chicago Church, to discuss his new book, The Unstoppable Gospel: From Powerless Belief to a True Faith That Changes Everything. Karl describes a crisis inside the church: many people who have walked an aisle or prayed a prayer carry what he calls a “hallucination of salvation” without real repentance or surrender to Christ. He traces “decisionism” back to the well-intentioned altar calls of the Great Awakenings and contrasts it with the multiplying fruit of a truly changed life. Karl shares his own story of growing up in church before surrendering to Jesus at 23, and urges pastors to recover Jesus’ call to “repent and believe,” noting that many church leaders estimate a large share of their congregations may not personally know Christ. Brian also shares his own high school moment of realizing he knew a lot about God without truly knowing Him.

Brian From welcomes fellow Chicago radio host and pastor Karl Clauson, co-host of Karl and Crew on Moody Radio and lead pastor of 180 Chicago Church, to discuss his new book, The Unstoppable Gospel: From Powerless Belief to a True Faith That Changes Everything. Karl describes a crisis inside the church: many people who have walked an aisle or prayed a prayer carry what he calls a &ldquo;hallucination of salvation&rdquo; without real repentance or surrender to Christ. He traces &ldquo;decisionism&rdquo; back to the well-intentioned altar calls of the Great Awakenings and contrasts it with the multiplying fruit of a truly changed life. Karl shares his own story of growing up in church before surrendering to Jesus at 23, and urges pastors to recover Jesus&rsquo; call to &ldquo;repent and believe,&rdquo; noting that many church leaders estimate a large share of their congregations may not personally know Christ. Brian also shares his own high school moment of realizing he knew a lot about God without truly knowing Him.

Karl Clauson Warns of a ‘Hallucination of Salvation’ and Calls the Church Back to the Unstoppable Gospel

Brian From talks with Dr. Peter Larson, senior director of WinShape Marriage, about his Christian Post article on keeping marriages connected amid busy schedules, constant phone checking, and the new pull of AI. Drawing on 31 years of marriage, Peter offers four simple habits. First, greet each other like you mean it, to avoid the “roommate drift.” Second, say good things out loud, with phrases like “you’re my person” and “I’m on your team” that build up a couple’s relational bank account. Third, stay curious about who your spouse is becoming, since life’s joys and losses change us all. Fourth, protect time together through small, consistent rituals like a walk after dinner. For couples who feel they’re failing, he encourages starting with just one small step today. He also invites listeners to learn about WinShape’s Christ-centered marriage retreats at winshapemarriage.org.

Brian From talks with Dr. Peter Larson, senior director of WinShape Marriage, about his Christian Post article on keeping marriages connected amid busy schedules, constant phone checking, and the new pull of AI. Drawing on 31 years of marriage, Peter offers four simple habits. First, greet each other like you mean it, to avoid the &ldquo;roommate drift.&rdquo; Second, say good things out loud, with phrases like &ldquo;you&rsquo;re my person&rdquo; and &ldquo;I&rsquo;m on your team&rdquo; that build up a couple&rsquo;s relational bank account. Third, stay curious about who your spouse is becoming, since life&rsquo;s joys and losses change us all. Fourth, protect time together through small, consistent rituals like a walk after dinner. For couples who feel they&rsquo;re failing, he encourages starting with just one small step today. He also invites listeners to learn about WinShape&rsquo;s Christ-centered marriage retreats at winshapemarriage.org.

WinShape Marriage’s Dr. Peter Larson Shares Four Simple Ways to Stay Connected in a Distracted Age

Brian From starts the weekend hoarse after his daughter’s volleyball team came back from seven match points down to win a regional title, a reminder to persevere because of Christ’s victory. On Halloween weekend, he shares Jim Denison’s observation that a death-avoidant culture reveals its fascination with mortality this time of year, and encourages listeners to use the holiday to get to know their neighbors. He celebrates Cheerios finally adding resealable bags, then shares a moving Gospel Coalition story of two Christians imprisoned in Iran who asked for prayer that they wouldn’t be released until they finished discipling fellow inmates, ahead of the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Brian notes that Pope Leo cast a mail-in ballot in Illinois’s midterms, walks through a Christianity Today interview with conservative pastor Demetrius Minor on why he opposes the death penalty, and reads the Assemblies of God’s 1984 guidelines for Christian voters, which he finds strikingly relevant today. He closes with a Desiring God reflection on autumn, mortality, and how Jesus has conquered death.

Brian From starts the weekend hoarse after his daughter&rsquo;s volleyball team came back from seven match points down to win a regional title, a reminder to persevere because of Christ&rsquo;s victory. On Halloween weekend, he shares Jim Denison&rsquo;s observation that a death-avoidant culture reveals its fascination with mortality this time of year, and encourages listeners to use the holiday to get to know their neighbors. He celebrates Cheerios finally adding resealable bags, then shares a moving Gospel Coalition story of two Christians imprisoned in Iran who asked for prayer that they wouldn&rsquo;t be released until they finished discipling fellow inmates, ahead of the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Brian notes that Pope Leo cast a mail-in ballot in Illinois&rsquo;s midterms, walks through a Christianity Today interview with conservative pastor Demetrius Minor on why he opposes the death penalty, and reads the Assemblies of God&rsquo;s 1984 guidelines for Christian voters, which he finds strikingly relevant today. He closes with a Desiring God reflection on autumn, mortality, and how Jesus has conquered death.

Halloween Reveals Our Culture’s Fascination with Death, but Christ Has Conquered It

Brian From and Adam Holz of Plugged In turn from movies to video games this week, looking ahead to the release of Grand Theft Auto 6. Adam puts the franchise’s scale in perspective: the previous installment sold 230 million copies and earned $10 billion, far more than the biggest albums and movies of all time. He explains the M-rated series’ violent and sexual content, and the buzz that the new game will let players develop intimate relationships with characters, raising questions about digital infidelity that parallel growing concerns about AI companionship. Adam encourages parents of teenagers to steer clear. For young adults, he suggests asking thoughtful questions about how the game affects them rather than simply condemning it. For Halloween weekend, he recommends Joshua Live, a filmed version of Sight & Sound Theatres’ biblical stage musical, now in theaters.

Brian From and Adam Holz of Plugged In turn from movies to video games this week, looking ahead to the release of Grand Theft Auto 6. Adam puts the franchise&rsquo;s scale in perspective: the previous installment sold 230 million copies and earned $10 billion, far more than the biggest albums and movies of all time. He explains the M-rated series&rsquo; violent and sexual content, and the buzz that the new game will let players develop intimate relationships with characters, raising questions about digital infidelity that parallel growing concerns about AI companionship. Adam encourages parents of teenagers to steer clear. For young adults, he suggests asking thoughtful questions about how the game affects them rather than simply condemning it. For Halloween weekend, he recommends Joshua Live, a filmed version of Sight &amp; Sound Theatres&rsquo; biblical stage musical, now in theaters.

Grand Theft Auto 6 Is About to Become a Cultural Phenomenon, and Plugged In’s Adam Holz Says Parents Should Be Ready

With the midterm elections days away, Brian From talks with Zach Mettler, issues and policy analyst and writer for Focus on the Family’s Daily Citizen, about why Christians should vote. Zach points to Barna research estimating that 32 million churchgoing Christians didn’t plan to vote in 2024, while recent presidential elections were decided by tens of thousands of votes in a handful of states. He walks through what’s on the ballot: all 435 House seats, 35 Senate seats, and state ballot measures on abortion, marriage, transgender medical procedures for minors, girls’ sports, and locker room privacy in states including Virginia, Missouri, Colorado, and Arizona. He encourages listeners to research their ballots at Ballotpedia and register at vote.gov. For pastors balancing urgency and perspective, Zach affirms that Christians’ ultimate hope is in Christ’s return, while urging believers to let Scripture shape their consciences on moral issues and carry that into the voting booth.

With the midterm elections days away, Brian From talks with Zach Mettler, issues and policy analyst and writer for Focus on the Family&rsquo;s Daily Citizen, about why Christians should vote. Zach points to Barna research estimating that 32 million churchgoing Christians didn&rsquo;t plan to vote in 2024, while recent presidential elections were decided by tens of thousands of votes in a handful of states. He walks through what&rsquo;s on the ballot: all 435 House seats, 35 Senate seats, and state ballot measures on abortion, marriage, transgender medical procedures for minors, girls&rsquo; sports, and locker room privacy in states including Virginia, Missouri, Colorado, and Arizona. He encourages listeners to research their ballots at Ballotpedia and register at vote.gov. For pastors balancing urgency and perspective, Zach affirms that Christians&rsquo; ultimate hope is in Christ&rsquo;s return, while urging believers to let Scripture shape their consciences on moral issues and carry that into the voting booth.

Focus on the Family’s Zach Mettler Makes the Case for Informed Christian Voting in the Midterms

Brian From talks with author Brenda Knight about her memoir Faith Runner. Brenda, who was diagnosed with a visual impairment at age 12 and grew up with iron deficiency anemia, explains how God used those weaknesses to bring 2 Corinthians 12:9 to life: “My strength is made perfect in weakness.” After breaking her foot on a run years earlier, she felt God stirring her to run again after moving to Tulsa, and she describes training for and running marathons as a step of faith, including a fall she believes an angel kept her from. Drawing on Moses’ excuses in Exodus 4, she encourages listeners not to let their limitations become reasons to miss what God is calling them to do. She also shares how an older woman in her Baptist church once told her to listen when she prays, and why learning to hear God’s voice matters. She hopes readers will trust God with their weaknesses rather than be ashamed of them.

Brian From talks with author Brenda Knight about her memoir Faith Runner. Brenda, who was diagnosed with a visual impairment at age 12 and grew up with iron deficiency anemia, explains how God used those weaknesses to bring 2 Corinthians 12:9 to life: &ldquo;My strength is made perfect in weakness.&rdquo; After breaking her foot on a run years earlier, she felt God stirring her to run again after moving to Tulsa, and she describes training for and running marathons as a step of faith, including a fall she believes an angel kept her from. Drawing on Moses&rsquo; excuses in Exodus 4, she encourages listeners not to let their limitations become reasons to miss what God is calling them to do. She also shares how an older woman in her Baptist church once told her to listen when she prays, and why learning to hear God&rsquo;s voice matters. She hopes readers will trust God with their weaknesses rather than be ashamed of them.

Brenda Knight Shares How God Turned Her Weaknesses into a Story of Running by Faith

Brian From congratulates the Milwaukee Brewers on their first World Series title after years of playoff heartbreak, and draws a lesson about how we respond to disappointment. He gets a laugh out of a Boston protest against the Liberty Mutual mascot, then turns serious as the midterms approach, replaying Ernie Johnson’s reminder that no matter who wins, Christians know who is on the throne. He walks through Sarah Zylstra’s Gospel Coalition article on best practices for evangelistically effective churches: it starts with pastors who share their faith, then equips congregations through prayer, training, and storytelling. Brian shares favorite quotes from his church book club’s study of Tim Keller’s The Reason for God, and an essay by Michael Jensen on how beauty in nature and art can open conversations that lead to Jesus. He closes with former NBA star Paul Pierce’s claim that he is “drowning financially” despite earning nearly $200 million, as a warning against making money an idol and a call to budget wisely.

Brian From congratulates the Milwaukee Brewers on their first World Series title after years of playoff heartbreak, and draws a lesson about how we respond to disappointment. He gets a laugh out of a Boston protest against the Liberty Mutual mascot, then turns serious as the midterms approach, replaying Ernie Johnson&rsquo;s reminder that no matter who wins, Christians know who is on the throne. He walks through Sarah Zylstra&rsquo;s Gospel Coalition article on best practices for evangelistically effective churches: it starts with pastors who share their faith, then equips congregations through prayer, training, and storytelling. Brian shares favorite quotes from his church book club&rsquo;s study of Tim Keller&rsquo;s The Reason for God, and an essay by Michael Jensen on how beauty in nature and art can open conversations that lead to Jesus. He closes with former NBA star Paul Pierce&rsquo;s claim that he is &ldquo;drowning financially&rdquo; despite earning nearly $200 million, as a warning against making money an idol and a call to budget wisely.

Evangelistically Effective Churches Start with Leaders Who Share Their Faith

Brian From talks with Dr. Tanya Calendo, principal of Emmanuel Lutheran School in Palatine, who was recently named administrator of the year after a nomination from her own faculty and staff. Tanya traces the school’s roots to 1870, a year after its church was founded, reflecting the Lutheran conviction that churches should come alongside families to root children in the faith. She describes a play-based, technology-free early childhood program starting at age two and a half, new free programs for toddlers and their caregivers, and a middle school with subject-specialist teachers and small cohorts. She argues that the middle school years are just as formative as high school. Drawing on her experience as a mother of three grown sons, Tanya explains the value of Christian education: building identity in Christ, love of neighbor, and a community of families who share life together, including a new care ministry that supports families through births, illnesses, and loss.

Brian From talks with Dr. Tanya Calendo, principal of Emmanuel Lutheran School in Palatine, who was recently named administrator of the year after a nomination from her own faculty and staff. Tanya traces the school&rsquo;s roots to 1870, a year after its church was founded, reflecting the Lutheran conviction that churches should come alongside families to root children in the faith. She describes a play-based, technology-free early childhood program starting at age two and a half, new free programs for toddlers and their caregivers, and a middle school with subject-specialist teachers and small cohorts. She argues that the middle school years are just as formative as high school. Drawing on her experience as a mother of three grown sons, Tanya explains the value of Christian education: building identity in Christ, love of neighbor, and a community of families who share life together, including a new care ministry that supports families through births, illnesses, and loss.

Dr. Tanya Calendo Explains Why Emmanuel Lutheran School Is More Than a School

Brian From talks with Matt Blair, CEO and co-founder of The Well Resource Center, a Chicago nonprofit he and his wife started nearly nine years ago to support the mental health of first responders and their families. Matt explains how listening to neighbors on the city’s Northwest Side, where about 30 percent of Chicago’s protective services employees live, revealed a crisis: in 2018, the Chicago Police Department reported a suicide rate 60 percent higher than any other law enforcement agency in the country. He describes how first responders often keep the trauma they see bottled up to protect the people they love, and how isolation, long shifts, and missed holidays strain families. The Well offers free counseling funded entirely by private donors, alongside basketball, yoga, roll call visits, and couples retreats, all designed to build trust with a community that doesn’t give it easily. Matt invites listeners to the organization’s eighth annual gala on November 5 at Joe’s Live in Rosemont, and to learn more at thewellrc.org.

Brian From talks with Matt Blair, CEO and co-founder of The Well Resource Center, a Chicago nonprofit he and his wife started nearly nine years ago to support the mental health of first responders and their families. Matt explains how listening to neighbors on the city&rsquo;s Northwest Side, where about 30 percent of Chicago&rsquo;s protective services employees live, revealed a crisis: in 2018, the Chicago Police Department reported a suicide rate 60 percent higher than any other law enforcement agency in the country. He describes how first responders often keep the trauma they see bottled up to protect the people they love, and how isolation, long shifts, and missed holidays strain families. The Well offers free counseling funded entirely by private donors, alongside basketball, yoga, roll call visits, and couples retreats, all designed to build trust with a community that doesn&rsquo;t give it easily. Matt invites listeners to the organization&rsquo;s eighth annual gala on November 5 at Joe&rsquo;s Live in Rosemont, and to learn more at thewellrc.org.

The Well Resource Center Is Building Trust and Healing Among Chicago’s First Responders

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

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