Brian covers a lot of topics in this episode, moving from a solo reflection on God making broken things new, to interviews on generosity, suffering, biblical interpretation, mental health, midlife restlessness, and foster care. The throughline is clear: God meets people in practical, painful, and ordinary places and calls them toward faithfulness, integrity, and hope.

Brian covers a lot of topics in this episode, moving from a solo reflection on God making broken things new, to interviews on generosity, suffering, biblical interpretation, mental health, midlife restlessness, and foster care. The throughline is clear: God meets people in practical, painful, and ordinary places and calls them toward faithfulness, integrity, and hope.

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

The Bible Has More to Say About Trauma and Loneliness Than You Think

Brian processes two disturbing stories of Christian public figures — authors Heather and Seth Day and a Project Rescue director — facing serious abuse and prostitution allegations, wrestling with discouragement before turning to Alan Noble's case for why he hasn't abandoned the label "evangelical" despite these failures. He digs into a blog post on the danger of "checklist sanctification," arguing true spiritual growth flows from knowing and being in awe of Christ rather than completing a list of behaviors. Brian shares a striking data set showing a 70% decline in Americans hosting friends at home since 1975, reflecting on the broader collapse of in-person community and hospitality in American life. He closes the hour recapping a church book club discussion of C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity, sharing several of its most memorable lines, including Lewis's famous "liar, lunatic, or Lord" argument for the divinity of Christ.

Brian processes two disturbing stories of Christian public figures &mdash; authors Heather and Seth Day and a Project Rescue director &mdash; facing serious abuse and prostitution allegations, wrestling with discouragement before turning to Alan Noble's case for why he hasn't abandoned the label "evangelical" despite these failures. He digs into a blog post on the danger of "checklist sanctification," arguing true spiritual growth flows from knowing and being in awe of Christ rather than completing a list of behaviors. Brian shares a striking data set showing a 70% decline in Americans hosting friends at home since 1975, reflecting on the broader collapse of in-person community and hospitality in American life. He closes the hour recapping a church book club discussion of C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity, sharing several of its most memorable lines, including Lewis's famous "liar, lunatic, or Lord" argument for the divinity of Christ.

Ugly Headlines, Checklist Sanctification, and Why We've Stopped Hosting

Brian talks with Pastor Jeremiah Stingl of Living Water Community Church in Bolingbrook, Illinois, as the church approaches its 10-year anniversary with him as lead pastor and 53 years of ministry in the community. Jeremiah shares his testimony of being arrested for drug charges as a teenager and being court-ordered into the Teen Challenge rehab program, where he sensed God's call to ministry while reading 1 Corinthians 9. He explains how that background shapes his pastoral approach with compassion rather than shame toward people in difficult circumstances, describes his church's welcoming culture — complete with paninis and a coffee cafe — and its Assemblies of God emphasis on the active work of the Holy Spirit. Jeremiah discusses navigating income inequality and religious diversity in his community, casts a vision for expanding the church's 15-acre campus with a future daycare and school, and closes with an encouragement from Philippians 4:6-7 on presenting anxieties to God with thanksgiving.

Brian talks with Pastor Jeremiah Stingl of Living Water Community Church in Bolingbrook, Illinois, as the church approaches its 10-year anniversary with him as lead pastor and 53 years of ministry in the community. Jeremiah shares his testimony of being arrested for drug charges as a teenager and being court-ordered into the Teen Challenge rehab program, where he sensed God's call to ministry while reading 1 Corinthians 9. He explains how that background shapes his pastoral approach with compassion rather than shame toward people in difficult circumstances, describes his church's welcoming culture &mdash; complete with paninis and a coffee cafe &mdash; and its Assemblies of God emphasis on the active work of the Holy Spirit. Jeremiah discusses navigating income inequality and religious diversity in his community, casts a vision for expanding the church's 15-acre campus with a future daycare and school, and closes with an encouragement from Philippians 4:6-7 on presenting anxieties to God with thanksgiving.

From Rehab to the Pulpit: Pastor Jeremiah Stingl on 10 Years at Living Water

Brian shares the emotional moment of pitcher Justin Verlander's final game with the Detroit Tigers, when his daughter ran onto the field as he was pulled from the mound, reflecting on how a parent's priorities shift from personal ambition to family. He digs into a Gospel Coalition piece on "looks maxing," a toxic online trend among young men pursuing extreme body-altering beauty standards, calling the church to fill the discipleship gap with authentic mentorship. Brian discusses Tim Challies's explanation for why his church avoids singing songs associated with Bethel, Hillsong, and Elevation over theological and financial concerns tied to those ministries. He shares a fascinating trend piece on "sleep tourism" — people paying thousands for luxury hotel sleep retreats — arguing it's essentially commercialized Sabbath rest that Scripture offers for free, and a striking sociological finding that married couples who regularly attend church are the only demographic that has avoided the broader cultural "sex recession." He closes reflecting on Romans 8:28 and Ephesians 3:20, encouraging listeners to trust God's ability to work good even through present suffering.

Brian shares the emotional moment of pitcher Justin Verlander's final game with the Detroit Tigers, when his daughter ran onto the field as he was pulled from the mound, reflecting on how a parent's priorities shift from personal ambition to family. He digs into a Gospel Coalition piece on "looks maxing," a toxic online trend among young men pursuing extreme body-altering beauty standards, calling the church to fill the discipleship gap with authentic mentorship. Brian discusses Tim Challies's explanation for why his church avoids singing songs associated with Bethel, Hillsong, and Elevation over theological and financial concerns tied to those ministries. He shares a fascinating trend piece on "sleep tourism" &mdash; people paying thousands for luxury hotel sleep retreats &mdash; arguing it's essentially commercialized Sabbath rest that Scripture offers for free, and a striking sociological finding that married couples who regularly attend church are the only demographic that has avoided the broader cultural "sex recession." He closes reflecting on Romans 8:28 and Ephesians 3:20, encouraging listeners to trust God's ability to work good even through present suffering.

The Bible Has More to Say About Trauma and Loneliness Than You Think

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