Brian From sits down with longtime Focus on the Family counselor Rob Jackson to talk about why the Christmas season can intensify grief, loneliness, and emotional struggle for so many. Jackson offers practical wisdom on healthy coping, supporting loved ones, and dismantling unhelpful Christian stigmas around sadness, counseling, and mental health. Their conversation provides compassionate guidance—and a reminder that no one has to walk through a painful holiday season alone.

Brian From sits down with longtime Focus on the Family counselor Rob Jackson to talk about why the Christmas season can intensify grief, loneliness, and emotional struggle for so many. Jackson offers practical wisdom on healthy coping, supporting loved ones, and dismantling unhelpful Christian stigmas around sadness, counseling, and mental health. Their conversation provides compassionate guidance&mdash;and a reminder that no one has to walk through a painful holiday season alone.

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

When the Holidays Hurt: Rob Jackson on Grief, Mental Health, and Finding Hope

Brian discusses the disturbing new Netflix docuseries on the death of pastor's wife Mika Miller and the alleged abuse she suffered, pushing back hard against the narrative that her husband's horrific actions represent normative evangelical teaching on marriage. He shares a Nine Marks article on how pastors and church families can protect their kids from growing bitter toward the church even after painful experiences, drawing on his own story of being let go from the church he planted. Brian highlights a viral moment of poor sportsmanship backfiring when a Texas high school football team refused to shake hands before a game and lost 38-0 at halftime, and digs into a Detroit Public Schools program paying students up to $1,000 a year just for attendance amid a chronic absenteeism crisis. He shares a moving Christianity Today profile of former MLB star Daryl Strawberry, whose journey from addiction and prison to prison ministry now brings hope to society's most forgotten, plus a Gospel Coalition reflection on the surprising peace found in intentionally not knowing answers by blocking search engines, and closes with a Charles Stanley devotional on the practice of listening for God's voice.

Brian discusses the disturbing new Netflix docuseries on the death of pastor's wife Mika Miller and the alleged abuse she suffered, pushing back hard against the narrative that her husband's horrific actions represent normative evangelical teaching on marriage. He shares a Nine Marks article on how pastors and church families can protect their kids from growing bitter toward the church even after painful experiences, drawing on his own story of being let go from the church he planted. Brian highlights a viral moment of poor sportsmanship backfiring when a Texas high school football team refused to shake hands before a game and lost 38-0 at halftime, and digs into a Detroit Public Schools program paying students up to $1,000 a year just for attendance amid a chronic absenteeism crisis. He shares a moving Christianity Today profile of former MLB star Daryl Strawberry, whose journey from addiction and prison to prison ministry now brings hope to society's most forgotten, plus a Gospel Coalition reflection on the surprising peace found in intentionally not knowing answers by blocking search engines, and closes with a Charles Stanley devotional on the practice of listening for God's voice.

A Chilling Documentary, Sportsmanship That Shines, and Daryl Strawberry's Redemption

Brian defends a well-known pastor criticized for using AI as a research tool in sermon preparation, arguing it's no different than consulting commentaries as long as it stays in its proper place in the process. He shares a powerful Christianity Today testimony from David Washington, a former Chicago gang member who found faith after a Baptist church moved into his violent neighborhood, and who now pastors a church in that same community. Brian digs into Gavin Ortlund's Gospel Coalition piece on Old Testament messianic prophecy as an underappreciated argument for the truth of Christianity, and shares a feel-good story of a Wyoming pizzeria turning a costly prank order into a donation for hospital emergency room staff. He warns against trusting algorithm-curated news as much as professional editors, encourages listeners to read across the political spectrum, and shares a Relevant Magazine piece reassuring anyone who feels "behind in life" that comparison-driven timelines are largely a myth. Drawing from Nehemiah's heartbreak-fueled calling, Brian challenges listeners to identify both what breaks their heart and where they have unique access to do something about it, and closes with Ray Ortlund's case from Ecclesiastes for "bold enjoyment" as a legitimate, even wise, Christian way of life.

Brian defends a well-known pastor criticized for using AI as a research tool in sermon preparation, arguing it's no different than consulting commentaries as long as it stays in its proper place in the process. He shares a powerful Christianity Today testimony from David Washington, a former Chicago gang member who found faith after a Baptist church moved into his violent neighborhood, and who now pastors a church in that same community. Brian digs into Gavin Ortlund's Gospel Coalition piece on Old Testament messianic prophecy as an underappreciated argument for the truth of Christianity, and shares a feel-good story of a Wyoming pizzeria turning a costly prank order into a donation for hospital emergency room staff. He warns against trusting algorithm-curated news as much as professional editors, encourages listeners to read across the political spectrum, and shares a Relevant Magazine piece reassuring anyone who feels "behind in life" that comparison-driven timelines are largely a myth. Drawing from Nehemiah's heartbreak-fueled calling, Brian challenges listeners to identify both what breaks their heart and where they have unique access to do something about it, and closes with Ray Ortlund's case from Ecclesiastes for "bold enjoyment" as a legitimate, even wise, Christian way of life.

From Gang Member to Pastor, and God's Call to Bold Enjoyment

Brian talks with Jeremy Sims, professor of spiritual formation and author of The Way of the Spirit: Recognizing and Responding to God's Subtle Movements. Jeremy explains "attentiveness to the Spirit" — the practice of recognizing the Holy Spirit's quiet, often unspectacular work drawing us toward Jesus — and why the noise and distraction of modern life make that so difficult. He shares practical habits from his own life, including a disciplined morning routine and fifteen years of ongoing spiritual direction, and unpacks the book's framework of seven "waypoints," or seasons of life that open us to particular movements of the Spirit. Jeremy walks through the first waypoint, transition or "liminality," using Mary, the mother of Jesus, as an exemplar of "holy acquiescence" — releasing our own plans to embrace God's larger, unseen work in our lives.

Brian talks with Jeremy Sims, professor of spiritual formation and author of The Way of the Spirit: Recognizing and Responding to God's Subtle Movements. Jeremy explains "attentiveness to the Spirit" &mdash; the practice of recognizing the Holy Spirit's quiet, often unspectacular work drawing us toward Jesus &mdash; and why the noise and distraction of modern life make that so difficult. He shares practical habits from his own life, including a disciplined morning routine and fifteen years of ongoing spiritual direction, and unpacks the book's framework of seven "waypoints," or seasons of life that open us to particular movements of the Spirit. Jeremy walks through the first waypoint, transition or "liminality," using Mary, the mother of Jesus, as an exemplar of "holy acquiescence" &mdash; releasing our own plans to embrace God's larger, unseen work in our lives.

When the Holidays Hurt: Rob Jackson on Grief, Mental Health, and Finding Hope

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