Dr. Karen Swallow Prior, professor and author and monthly columnist of Religion News Service, just announced her resignation from the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. She joined Brian & Aubrey for the very first interview about her book coming out in August, The Evangelical Imagination: How Stories, Images & Metaphors Created a Culture in Crisis.

Then, Instagram sensation Natalie Runion talks about her book due out in July, Raised to Stay: Persevering in Ministry When You Have a Million Reasons to Walk Away.

And first and foremost: Aubrey gets mystery callers for her birthday! 

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Hosted by Aubrey Sampson and Brian From

Produced by Laura Finch and Keith Conrad

Dr. Karen Swallow Prior, professor and author and monthly columnist of Religion News Service, <a href="https://twitter.com/KSPrior/status/1637896705554149378">just announced her resignation</a> from the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. She joined Brian &amp; Aubrey for the very first interview about her book coming out in August, <a href="https://karenswallowprior.com/#purchase">The Evangelical Imagination</a>: <a href="https://karenswallowprior.com/#purchase">How Stories, Images &amp; Metaphors Created a Culture in Crisis.</a>
Then, Instagram sensation <a href="https://www.instagram.com/raisedtostay/">Natalie Runion</a> talks about her book due out in July, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Raised-Stay-Persevering-Ministry-Million-ebook/dp/B0BPKRDKLH">Raised to Stay: Persevering in Ministry When You Have a Million Reasons to Walk Away</a>.
And first and foremost: Aubrey gets mystery callers for her birthday! 
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.

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The Common Good

The Notorious KSP has just resigned. What's next for her?

Brian reflects personally on the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, sharing his own memory of that day and encouraging listeners not to let the tragedy fade from memory, while affirming that God remains good even amid national and personal cataclysmic events. He digs into a Crossway article outlining three marks of true repentance — clear-headed conviction, brokenhearted contrition, and open-handed confession — drawn from Psalm 51 and David's response to his sin with Bathsheba. Brian shares a Desiring God piece making the biblical case for church membership as a mutual, ongoing commitment between believer and local congregation, and discusses a Christianity Today article on North Carolina's growing school choice funding fueling enrollment surges at Christian schools, reflecting on his own family's choice to send his kids to a Christian high school out of opportunity rather than fear. He closes with a Charles Stanley devotional on Daniel's faithful, humble defiance of the king's food and the promise that God honors wholehearted devotion, plus an update on the show's Bible League International fundraising goal to provide Bibles to believers worldwide.

Brian reflects personally on the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, sharing his own memory of that day and encouraging listeners not to let the tragedy fade from memory, while affirming that God remains good even amid national and personal cataclysmic events. He digs into a Crossway article outlining three marks of true repentance &mdash; clear-headed conviction, brokenhearted contrition, and open-handed confession &mdash; drawn from Psalm 51 and David's response to his sin with Bathsheba. Brian shares a Desiring God piece making the biblical case for church membership as a mutual, ongoing commitment between believer and local congregation, and discusses a Christianity Today article on North Carolina's growing school choice funding fueling enrollment surges at Christian schools, reflecting on his own family's choice to send his kids to a Christian high school out of opportunity rather than fear. He closes with a Charles Stanley devotional on Daniel's faithful, humble defiance of the king's food and the promise that God honors wholehearted devotion, plus an update on the show's Bible League International fundraising goal to provide Bibles to believers worldwide.

Remembering 9/11 Twenty-Five Years Later, and What True Repentance Looks Like

In this episode of The Common Good, Brian From reflects on the tension between outward reputation and inward reality, beginning with JD Greer’s sobering warning from Revelation 3 about the church in Sardis: “You have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.” Brian unpacks the danger of spiritual hypocrisy, hidden compromise, and the gap between what people see and what Jesus sees.

He also shares a deeply personal and emotional story about dropping his daughter off for a Fulbright scholarship in Tunisia, reflecting on the mix of pride, joy, grief, and love that comes with parenting adult children. That moment leads into a broader conversation about how two things can be true at once: we can be excited for someone’s calling while also feeling the loss of their absence.

Later in the episode, Brian responds to a controversial report that MercyMe received millions of dollars through child sponsorship promotions over several years. He wrestles with questions of transparency, Christian celebrity, money, and whether a good cause is enough if the financial arrangement feels unclear or “icky.” The conversation raises larger concerns about the business side of Christian music and ministry.

Brian turns to a reflection on Wendell Berry and heaven, exploring the connection between creation, community, body and soul, and the hope of a restored world where heaven and earth meet. It’s a thoughtful, challenging, and personal episode that moves from conviction to family to faith to the beauty of God’s creation.

In this episode of The Common Good, Brian From reflects on the tension between outward reputation and inward reality, beginning with JD Greer&rsquo;s sobering warning from Revelation 3 about the church in Sardis: &ldquo;You have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.&rdquo; Brian unpacks the danger of spiritual hypocrisy, hidden compromise, and the gap between what people see and what Jesus sees.
He also shares a deeply personal and emotional story about dropping his daughter off for a Fulbright scholarship in Tunisia, reflecting on the mix of pride, joy, grief, and love that comes with parenting adult children. That moment leads into a broader conversation about how two things can be true at once: we can be excited for someone&rsquo;s calling while also feeling the loss of their absence.
Later in the episode, Brian responds to a controversial report that MercyMe received millions of dollars through child sponsorship promotions over several years. He wrestles with questions of transparency, Christian celebrity, money, and whether a good cause is enough if the financial arrangement feels unclear or &ldquo;icky.&rdquo; The conversation raises larger concerns about the business side of Christian music and ministry.
Brian turns to a reflection on Wendell Berry and heaven, exploring the connection between creation, community, body and soul, and the hope of a restored world where heaven and earth meet. It&rsquo;s a thoughtful, challenging, and personal episode that moves from conviction to family to faith to the beauty of God&rsquo;s creation.

When a Good Reputation Isn’t Enough

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 Notorious KSP has just resigned. What's next for her?

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