Brian From opens with a real-life Parent Trap: two Montana teens, adopted as babies by different families, discovered they were biological sisters when a teammate noticed how much they looked alike on opposing softball teams. Brian connects their story to our adoption into God’s family. After a failed lethal injection made headlines, he walks through Dale Chamberlain’s Church Leaders article “How I Changed My Mind About Capital Punishment,” which questions the death penalty on practical, moral, and theological grounds, and explains why Brian leans against it while respecting Christians who disagree. He also covers a Milwaukee woman accused of posing as a substitute teacher to berate high school students, and a groom who said his bride’s sister’s name at the altar. Brian shares Russell Moore’s reflection on the Cornell Seven case and the danger of counterfeit brotherhood that values belonging over courage. He closes with a pastor’s guidance for Christian families trying to enjoy youth sports without letting them become an idol.

Brian From opens with a real-life Parent Trap: two Montana teens, adopted as babies by different families, discovered they were biological sisters when a teammate noticed how much they looked alike on opposing softball teams. Brian connects their story to our adoption into God&rsquo;s family. After a failed lethal injection made headlines, he walks through Dale Chamberlain&rsquo;s Church Leaders article &ldquo;How I Changed My Mind About Capital Punishment,&rdquo; which questions the death penalty on practical, moral, and theological grounds, and explains why Brian leans against it while respecting Christians who disagree. He also covers a Milwaukee woman accused of posing as a substitute teacher to berate high school students, and a groom who said his bride&rsquo;s sister&rsquo;s name at the altar. Brian shares Russell Moore&rsquo;s reflection on the Cornell Seven case and the danger of counterfeit brotherhood that values belonging over courage. He closes with a pastor&rsquo;s guidance for Christian families trying to enjoy youth sports without letting them become an idol.

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

Two Adopted Sisters Found Each Other on a Softball Field, and Brian From Weighs the Death Penalty

Brian From kicks off the weekend with a report that Halloween candy prices have jumped 71 percent in five years, along with near-$5 gas, and reminds listeners that contentment is found in Christ, not a bank account. He shares a study finding that sleeping with a dog doesn’t disrupt owners’ sleep, and Canada’s decision to exclude mental illness from its Medical Assistance in Dying program, which he sees as a good step within a troubling system. He discusses a Gospel Coalition piece arguing that greed, not just lust, drove former worship leader Caleb Flynn to murder his wife. He challenges listeners to “reject apathy” in their faith, marriages, and work, and looks at American Bible Society data showing most Americans still believe in God and the supernatural even as church attendance falls. Brian also responds to the Pentagon’s plan to livestream the firing-squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan, sharing Erick Erickson’s argument that public executions twist the soul. He closes with Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3 and a call to expect God to do more than we can ask or imagine.

Brian From kicks off the weekend with a report that Halloween candy prices have jumped 71 percent in five years, along with near-$5 gas, and reminds listeners that contentment is found in Christ, not a bank account. He shares a study finding that sleeping with a dog doesn&rsquo;t disrupt owners&rsquo; sleep, and Canada&rsquo;s decision to exclude mental illness from its Medical Assistance in Dying program, which he sees as a good step within a troubling system. He discusses a Gospel Coalition piece arguing that greed, not just lust, drove former worship leader Caleb Flynn to murder his wife. He challenges listeners to &ldquo;reject apathy&rdquo; in their faith, marriages, and work, and looks at American Bible Society data showing most Americans still believe in God and the supernatural even as church attendance falls. Brian also responds to the Pentagon&rsquo;s plan to livestream the firing-squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan, sharing Erick Erickson&rsquo;s argument that public executions twist the soul. He closes with Paul&rsquo;s prayer in Ephesians 3 and a call to expect God to do more than we can ask or imagine.

Halloween Candy Is the Latest Thing Priced Out of Reach, and Greed Is About More Than Money

Brian From talks with Tre Moore, who became senior pastor of Lakeland Church in Gurney, Illinois, a few months ago after years as a member and elder there. Tre tells how his predecessor asked him three times to consider succeeding him before he felt God’s call into ministry. He describes the best part of the job, a front-row seat to God changing lives, which he records on note cards to reread on hard days. He also describes the emotional whiplash of rejoicing and weeping with people in back-to-back meetings. Tre explains Lakeland’s mission to treasure Christ, value all people, and join God’s mission, and its focus on getting everyone into small groups and serving. About 70 percent of attenders are in a small group, and nearly a third began serving for the first time this year. He invites listeners to the church’s Fall Fest, and closes with encouragement from Jesus’ compassion for the grieving widow of Nain in Luke 7.

Brian From talks with Tre Moore, who became senior pastor of Lakeland Church in Gurney, Illinois, a few months ago after years as a member and elder there. Tre tells how his predecessor asked him three times to consider succeeding him before he felt God&rsquo;s call into ministry. He describes the best part of the job, a front-row seat to God changing lives, which he records on note cards to reread on hard days. He also describes the emotional whiplash of rejoicing and weeping with people in back-to-back meetings. Tre explains Lakeland&rsquo;s mission to treasure Christ, value all people, and join God&rsquo;s mission, and its focus on getting everyone into small groups and serving. About 70 percent of attenders are in a small group, and nearly a third began serving for the first time this year. He invites listeners to the church&rsquo;s Fall Fest, and closes with encouragement from Jesus&rsquo; compassion for the grieving widow of Nain in Luke 7.

New Senior Pastor Tre Moore Shares How Lakeland Church Moves People from Consuming to Contributing

Brian From talks with Dr. Deana Thayer, parenting and marriage specialist at Focus on the Family, about raising resilient kids. Deana argues that resilience isn’t bouncing back right away. It’s the ability to work through big feelings and come out more mature, even when that takes time. She explains why “snowplow parenting,” which clears every obstacle from a child’s path, works against resilience, and why modeling healthy ways to handle hard seasons matters. Deana lays out three steps for parenting with emotional intelligence: help children name their emotions, validate them, and give them appropriate ways to process those feelings, separating the feeling from the behavior. She describes what’s at stake when kids don’t learn this, from young adults who can’t handle setbacks to spouses who can’t manage conflict. She also offers guidance on when parents should step in or seek professional help, and reminds listeners that Jesus promised trouble in this world but also His presence through it.

Brian From talks with Dr. Deana Thayer, parenting and marriage specialist at Focus on the Family, about raising resilient kids. Deana argues that resilience isn&rsquo;t bouncing back right away. It&rsquo;s the ability to work through big feelings and come out more mature, even when that takes time. She explains why &ldquo;snowplow parenting,&rdquo; which clears every obstacle from a child&rsquo;s path, works against resilience, and why modeling healthy ways to handle hard seasons matters. Deana lays out three steps for parenting with emotional intelligence: help children name their emotions, validate them, and give them appropriate ways to process those feelings, separating the feeling from the behavior. She describes what&rsquo;s at stake when kids don&rsquo;t learn this, from young adults who can&rsquo;t handle setbacks to spouses who can&rsquo;t manage conflict. She also offers guidance on when parents should step in or seek professional help, and reminds listeners that Jesus promised trouble in this world but also His presence through it.

Two Adopted Sisters Found Each Other on a Softball Field, and Brian From Weighs the Death Penalty

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