The RELEVANT Podcast

Episodes

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  Episode 1326: ‘I Play Rocky' Star Anthony Ippolito, Druski's Netflix Pastor and Marty's Life Hacks 10.11.2026 59m

  'I Play Rocky' star Anthony Ippolito joins us as the movie about how a broke, unknown Sylvester Stallone got 'Rocky' made hits theaters this month. We talk about playing Stallone before he was Stallone, the audition tape nobody asked him for, what Stallone told him over Zoom and why the training montage was harder than the boxing.In Slices, Jesse brings 'Shelf Life,' a new comedy starring 'Parks and Recreation' favorite Jim O'Heir and Zachary Levi about a pastor who loses his pulpit and lands at a grocery store, and asks why church comedy is so hard to get right. Derek has the other side of it: Druski is turning his megachurch pastor sketch into a Netflix series, and Marty crowns Lauren Daigle the Christian Mariah Carey and kicks off the Christmas season early.Then Marty's Life Hack goes on trial. This week's hack isn’t up to par, so we hand him real life conundrums to solve on the spot.Our new game ‘Rocky or Apollo?’ closes it out. Scrappy underdog we're rooting for, or overhyped champ? Highlights:01:51 — Are we living in a Stallone renaissance? 04:59 — Ranking the '80s action heroes: Stallone, Schwarzenegger, Van Damme 10:11 — The one flaw in the original 'Rocky'14:33 — Slices: Jim O'Heir and Zachary Levi's pastor-at-the-grocery-store comedy 'Shelf Life' 16:15 — Why is church comedy so hard to get right? 19:01 — Druski's megachurch pastor is getting a Netflix series 20:30 — Derek's theory on who actually gets mad at church comedy 23:45 — Why Jesse has never been canceled 26:00 — Why Lauren Daigle is becoming the Christian Mariah Carey 29:56 — Marty's Life Hack: Cameron has seen enough 1:40 — Jesse vs. the TikTok appliance-moving straps 45:32 — Anthony Ippolito on becoming young Sylvester Stallone in 'I Play Rocky' 47:54 — The audition tape nobody asked for 48:28 — What Stallone told him over Zoom 49:44 — Why the training montage was harder than the fight 50:09 — What Stallone's "no" says to anyone who's been told no their whole life 51:37 — Our new game: Rocky or Apollo?
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  Episode 1325: for KING + COUNTRY’s Joel Smallbone on ‘Drummer Boy,’ Plus Dr. Derwin Gray on Healing 05.11.2026 57m

  Joel Smallbone of for KING + COUNTRY joins us as his Christmas musical 'Drummer Boy' heads to theaters. We talk about the eight years it took to get it made, why the best musicals don't sing the whole time and an offer to musical haters that we have never heard an artist make before.Then pastor and former NFL defensive back Dr. Derwin Gray gets honest about his new book, 'It's Time to Heal,' which sits right where faith and therapy meet. We talk about why depression isn't a sign you've sinned, why so many Christians spend years circling the same wound and the question from his son that helped him face his own childhood trauma.Jesse is back from jury duty, which he was promised would be over by lunch. It was not, and he ended up on a murder trial. In Slices, Jesse brings a new Pew study that finds a surprising faith gap between college-age people and young adults just a few years older. Derek makes the case for Kirk Franklin's new album 'I Am What I Am,' and we hear about the Thanksgiving guest Kirk still hasn't gotten over. And Marty wants to know why the whole world keeps searching the Bible app for the same Psalm.Then Marty's Life Hacks closes it out, and the hacks are starting to look a lot like signing up for things. Highlights: 01:07 — Jesse's back from jury duty (he thought he'd be out by lunch and got put on a murder trial) 10:08 — RELEVANT Recommends: Joel Smallbone of for KING + COUNTRY on his eight-year road to 'Drummer Boy' 12:46 — How 2020 turned 'Drummer Boy' into 'Unsung Hero' 15:44 — Joel's offer to anyone who hates musicals 16:06 — Derek and Jesse already have a plan for Joel's offer 17:35 — Slices: Pew finds 18-to-22-year-olds out-churching the rest of America 22:15 — Derek on Kirk Franklin's new album 'I Am What I Am' 26:57 — The Thanksgiving Kanye ate Kirk Franklin's leftovers 31:51 — Jesse's spirit tunnel strategy32:24 — Marty on the most searched term in the Bible app 38:40 — Dr. Derwin Gray on 'It's Time to Heal' and where faith and therapy meet 40:27 — When mourning stops being a season 42:03 — "Christ's behavioral therapy" 44:03 — "Depression is not a sign that you've sinned" 45:30 — Derwin's question for the "just pray it away" crowd 46:21 — Trauma isn't just something that happened to you 49:36 — Marty's Life Hack56:06 — Is Joel's offer legally binding?
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  Episode 1324: Franni Cash, Plus the Carl Lentz Backlash and an All Hip-Hop One Has to Go 27.10.2026 1h 14m

  Former We The Kingdom singer Franni Cash grew up inside a cult, and her debut solo album ‘Here I Am’ is about what came after. We talk about the diary she had to hide, the day her family walked out, what she found when she met the real Jesus and what she’d tell anyone in a controlling church right now.The crew also gets into the backlash to Carl and Laura Lentz’s latest round of interviews and what Christians actually expect from someone who is doing the work of repentance. In Slices, Derek takes us inside Peter Thiel’s leaked lectures on the Antichrist, where the people the billionaire says to watch are not who you’d guess. Marty brings good news for anyone who has paid an AirBnB cleaning fee and had to do the dishes anyway. Then Marty’s Life Hacks has a listener-submitted tip about your chips that the rest of us are still processing, and Derek gets some constructive feedback on the zipper location in his new music video.An all hip-hop One Has to Go closes it out, and with two rappers on the panel, somebody was always going to get flamed.Highlights:02:24 — Are rappers’ gold chains secretly smart investing? 03:48 — Jesse’s on a jury, and Cameron played every card to get out of his 09:19 — Do hard times make better art? The Gulf War brought us Chingy 10:44 — Jay-Z reportedly books himself for the Super Bowl (and our guest list) 13:00 — “Can you tell me about your cult, please?” 15:32 — Introducing Unedited, our new full-interview series 16:46 — The backlash to Carl and Laura Lentz’s interviews 27:03 — “You’re only canceled until your next hit” 28:11 — Derek on why powerful people never admit they were wrong 31:32 — Franni Cash on growing up inside a cult 33:42 — What happened to the diary she kept hidden 35:57 — The night the cult jokes stopped being funny 38:21 — The burned page behind ‘Here I Am’ 39:47 — Her message for anyone inside a controlling church 41:50 — Slices: Peter Thiel’s leaked lectures on the Antichrist 45:34 — Airbnb is ending checkout chores 49:53 — Marty’s Life Hacks: Should your chips live in the freezer? 54:22 — One Has to Go 58:53 — Marty’s case against Dr. Dre 1:00:53 — Marty braces to get flamed 1:08:03 — Marty’s new album gets a release date 1:10:36 — Derek’s ‘r n r’ video and some feedback on his hoodie zipper location
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  Episode 1323: Carl and Laura Lentz on Life After Infidelity, Plus Inside Greta Gerwig's Narnia 23.10.2026 1h 9m

  Former Hillsong NYC pastor Carl Lentz and his wife Laura stayed together, and now they've written the book on it, 'Overcoming Infidelity.' We talk about the small warning signs, when leaving is actually the right call, what they've told their kids and what Carl says to the skeptics calling this a comeback tour.Plus, Cameron is back from NYC, where Greta Gerwig previewed 'Narnia: The Magician's Nephew.’ He went in skeptical and tells us what he saw and heard. In Slices, Jesse makes the case for 'You Can See Everything,' the three-hour Elizabeth Holmes movie everyone is talking about and nobody is spoiling (we won't either). Derek tells us why Hulvey canceled his Amsterdam show, and Marty asks the crew to name their favorite sin, which turns into a real conversation about Philip Anthony Mitchell and what comes after the celebrity pastor era.Then Marty's Life Hacks closes it out with a tip so wholesome we're pretty sure city hall is paying him.Highlights:01:41 — Cameron's report from Greta Gerwig's Narnia preview event 06:44 — The Aslan question 10:06 — Derek's case against the Meryl Streep casting 17:14 — How 'Stairway to Heaven' ended up in Narnia 24:03 — Slices: The Elizabeth Holmes movie nobody is spoiling 34:59 — Hulvey cancels a sold-out show over what was on the venue walls 37:28 — Marty asks the crew to name their favorite sin 37:46 — Philip Anthony Mitchell gets honest on The Breakfast Club 40:29 — What comes after the celebrity pastor era? 48:18 — Derek makes room for pastors in Jordans 49:05 — Carl and Laura Lentz on 'Overcoming Infidelity' 52:12 — Carl on the secrets that come before the big one 54:13 — Laura on when leaving is the right call 56:08 — What they've told their kids (and the phone call Carl didn't see coming) 1:01:39 — Carl's answer for the skeptics1:06:47 — Marty's Life Hacks: Wait, the library has 3D printers?
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  Episode 1322: Jamie MacDonald, Instagram’s Creed Problem and Pope Leo vs. AI 15.10.2026 55m

  Jamie MacDonald, fresh off winning New Artist of the Year at the Dove Awards, joins us as her new deluxe album arrives this week. We talk about what it’s like to be the biggest thing in CCM right now, reliving her testimony on stage every night and the Alaska fudge shop that can’t stop playing her record.In RELEVANT Buzz, Instagram admits it’s been recommending Creed’s ‘Higher’ more than it should, and we think the algorithm might be trying to heal America. Drill rapper Fivio Foreign gets honest about the hardest part of his walk with Jesus, and Pope Leo says algorithms lack “the spark of humanity,” which has us asking where all the song bridges went.Plus, Marty’s new co-working space comes with an indoor mini golf course, and his family’s Halloween costume plan leaves the rest of us in a cold sweat. Then One Has to Go closes it out: Pastor Appreciation Month downsized to a week, one severed head too many and a turkey leg that turns grown men into cavemen.Highlights:01:09 — Marty’s co-working space comes with a mini golf course 08:37 — RELEVANT Buzz: Instagram can’t stop recommending Creed’s ‘Higher’ 10:26 — Jesse’s theory: The algorithm wants us back at Creed’s 2001 Thanksgiving halftime show 15:56 — Derek’s plan for the first Christian rap Super Bowl halftime 17:25 — Fivio Foreign goes from drill to praising Jesus (and gets honest about what’s hardest) 21:21 — Derek’s case for Fonzworth Bentley as hip-hop’s unsung hero 23:42 — Is AI art always a little cringe? Pope Leo weighs in 25:13 — Derek wants bridges and vamps back 29:21 — The architect who felt “God pushing my pencil” 32:53 — Jamie MacDonald on the long road to becoming Christian music’s biggest new name 35:37 — Why ‘Left It in the River’ hit so hard 38:29 — Playing the Ryman a mile from where she was born 40:21 — Is the pop culture Halloween costume dead? 41:07 — Marty’s family Halloween plan 45:37 — One Has to Go 47:05 — Derek on the Black church’s honor culture 50:39 — Derek has seen enough severed heads 52:26 — Seven-year-old Cameron explains street economics to his mom 54:34 — Where do the full-size candy bar houses actually live?
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  Episode 1321: Kingfishr, Billy Corgan Says 'I'm a Christian' and Our Annual Mascot Bracket 06.10.2026 56m

  Irish folk trio Kingfishr joins us right as everyone's playlist turns to fall vibes. We talk about how they went from a self-described rip-off band to leaning all the way into traditional Irish music, the old farmhouse with walls thick enough to start a band in and what's giving them hope right now.In Slices, Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan says plainly that Jesus is his Lord and Savior and that he doesn't care what it costs him. Derek brings a new study about the surprising group of married couples that are having the best intimacy, and Jesse checks into sleep tourism, where people are paying huge amounts for a hotel room whose main attraction is being unconscious.We also debut Marty’s Life Hack of the Week, and we bring back our annual Mascot Bracket Challenge!Highlights:00:52 — Diddy's prison perks and the only sneakers you can buy behind bars 04:47 — Derek's coffee-shop intervention for Cameron 06:02 — Marty's Life Hack of the Week: The accidental text on purpose 09:27 — Jesse, a leaking car and the cul-de-sac group text 10:37 — Derek explains who this will not work on 14:25 — Therapists, please diagnose Marty in the comments 15:33 — The steakhouse butter hack 18:50 — Slices: People are paying $1,700 a night just to sleep 23:53 — Aaron Rodgers and the darkness retreat 24:57 — Who's having the most sex? Derek has a study 27:01 — Wait, who paid for this survey? 29:06 — Are Billy Corgan and Bill Burr half-brothers? 31:50 — Billy Corgan calls Jesus his Lord and Savior 36:24 — Why our parents banned Smashing Pumpkins 37:45 — Kingfishr on trad Irish roots, the farmhouse and what's giving them hope 43:10 — The annual Mascot Bracket Challenge 45:36 — The spiritual round: Demon Deacon vs. Sun Devil 48:09 — We don't think about kangaroos enough 56:38 — The Final Four
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  Episode 1320: Orlando Magic's Jonathan Isaac on Faith Under the Spotlight, the NBA Season and UNITUS 29.09.2026 1h 11m

  Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac joins us as NBA teams kick off training camp this week. We talk about what happens when Christians put an athlete on a pedestal, the upcoming NBA season — his 10th — and how his faith-based athletic brand UNITUS has evolved over the last few years.In Slices, Jesse found the 26-cent coin that just sold for $17,000 and has a retirement plan for whoever works at the Mint. Derek brings the new study showing Gen Z and millennials are drinking less (while Gen X picks up the slack). And Marty explains why Gen Z is buying CDs again without owning a CD player (K-pop, mostly).Also, Marty keeps his raw denim in the freezer, started collecting Ralph Lauren stamps and is starting to worry about what California is doing to him. Derek has questions. Plus Jesse is going to a silent disco, Cameron debunks the Christopher Nolan Darth Vader rumor and we relitigate the time Derek wore a Rodman jersey in Cameron's courtside seats.Question of the Week: What's your creative, unexpected Halloween costume idea for 2026? Drop it in the comments and we'll read the best ones next week.Highlights:00:30 — Marty's "life hack" that is just backing up your phone 02:55 — Derek's NBA 2K theory of why people don't take responsibility 04:39 — Marty keeps his $400 jeans in the freezer and Derek has questions 10:44 — Why we're running the whole Jonathan Isaac conversation uncut 15:26 — Cameron apologizes to a Magic coach in a Vegas casino 17:09 — Derek wore a Rodman jersey in Cameron's courtside seats 18:28 — Does Cameron need a signature courtside look? 21:44 — Slices: A 26-cent coin sold for $17,000 and Jesse has a plan for the Mint 24:58 — Marty bought a Ralph Lauren stamp collection and is worried about himself 30:54 — Jesse is going to a silent disco 34:43 — Gen Z and millennials are drinking less. Gen X is drinking a lot more 42:20 — The Christopher Nolan Darth Vader movie is not real 44:11 — CD sales are up 59% and half the buyers don't own a CD player 48:16 — Question of the Week: Halloween costume ideas for 2026 49:34 — Jonathan Isaac on year 10, faith under the spotlight and UNITUS
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  Episode 1319: Meryl Streep as Aslan? Plus Christian Bale's Foster Village & the Case for Boredom 22.09.2026 1h

  This week, the crew gets philosophical fast. Jesse makes the case that cornhole can cure the loneliness epidemic, Derek wants to bring back boredom and we figure out how doing nothing on a flight became an achievement. Derek also plays his new single 'Lift Me Up' and explains why he built it on the old synths instead of the easy way.In RELEVANT Buzz, Greta Gerwig cast Meryl Streep as the voice of Aslan in the upcoming Narnia movie, and the comments did what the comments do. Jesse defends it, Derek explains it with potato salad and a text from someone who's actually seen the movie changes the conversation. Then Christian Bale opens a village so foster siblings don't get split up, which makes him the real Batman. Elevation Worship and Chandler Moore's 'God I'm Just Grateful' just did something a worship song hasn't done since 'Oceans.' And Jesse brings a CDC report that says most of us are exhausted, which turns into Bob Goff quitting something every Thursday and why no one ever preaches "pray for less." Then a new game, Take Sides, closes it out: Chick-fil-A vs. Raising Cane's, window vs. aisle, Waffle House as a life stage and Derek's very strong feelings about hot tubs.Highlights:01:28 — Jesse's plan to cure loneliness with cornhole 07:54 — Derek deleted social media. Bring back boredom 10:33 — Raw dogging a flight and the David Puddy origin story 17:22 — Derek's new single 'Lift Me Up' and curating Apple Music's Elevate playlist 24:09 — RELEVANT Buzz: The CDC says 3 in 4 Americans are exhausted (guess who's most tired) 29:35 — Bob Goff quits something every Thursday 32:15 — Why nobody preaches "pray for less" 34:14 — Warren Buffett hands Berkshire to his son 35:00 — The real Batman: Christian Bale's foster village opens 38:32 — Meryl Streep as Aslan? The Narnia fight 42:04 — Derek's potato salad theory of Narnia 48:34 — A text from inside the movie 50:51 — Elevation Worship & Chandler Moore crack the Hot 100 53:01 — Take Sides: Chick-fil-A vs. Raising Cane's, hot tub vs. pool
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  Episode 1318: Andrew Garfield, Claire Rosinkranz and the New Issue of RELEVANT 15.09.2026 27m

  It's a special (shorter) episode this week! Andrew Garfield joins us — we talk about his new Paul Greengrass film 'The Uprising,' why he keeps coming back to characters who are searching and what he thinks faith has to do with justice.Then pop artist Claire Rosinkranz talks with us backstage at Lollapalooza. She gets into the moment she says she heard God at 11 years old, what her therapist told her when she felt like she'd stopped hearing Him and why she grieves her younger self. (Plus some lighter stuff too.)And then Cameron briefly takes us through the new fall digital issue of RELEVANT, which is out this week. Make sure to check it out at RELEVANTmagazine.com!Highlights:02:41 — Andrew Garfield on 'The Uprising' 15:35 — Claire Rosinkranz 25:01 — Inside the new issue of RELEVANT
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  Episode 1317: Cory Asbury on His Return to Worship Music, Plus Zelda's Secret Christian Past 09.09.2026 52m

  This week Cory Asbury joins us. He walked away from worship music five years ago—we talk about what pulled him back and why it's different this time. His new worship record, Outsing the Angels, is out September 18.In Slices, Jesse brings up the Tesla Cyber Cab, which is now driving around Austin with no steering wheel, no rearview mirror and no brake pedal, and the federal government has questions. (He also has a theory about what’s actually driving them.) Derek tells us how Skilla Baby’s prayer took over The Breakfast Club this week, and Marty tells the story of the 1986 Zelda art where Link is kneeling in a church praying to Jesus.Also, water parks are the last lawless place in America, and somebody in Virginia Beach burned down a 50-foot gorilla named Hugh Mungus.Then One Has to Go closes it out: find out what slow jams, Good Charlotte, and Fast and Furious have in common.Highlights:03:00 — Water parks: the last lawless place in America06:22 — Hugh Mungus, the 50-foot gorilla an arsonist burned down11:17 — Slices: Tesla's Cyber Cab shipped without a brake pedal, and the feds noticed18:48 — Marty walks away from a Waymo wreck21:38 — Skilla Baby's prayer alarm goes off on The Breakfast Club26:06 — Link was praying to Jesus, and Nintendo of America took it out31:53 — Bible Adventures, bootleg cartridges and the Christian Marvel comics33:52 — Cory Asbury on leaving worship music and what brought him back42:39 — One Has to Go
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  Episode 1316: SEU Worship, Anna Faris on Her Son's Faith and Ella Langley Can't Stop Talking About God 01.09.2026 1h

  This week SEU Worship joins us — we talk about the SEU Outpouring and their new album 'Found in the Field.' In RELEVANT Buzz, 'Scary Movie' star Anna Faris opens up on Chelsea Handler's podcast about her 14-year-old son and the conversations he keeps having with her about Jesus. Then the biggest artist in music right now, Ella Langley, is rewriting the record books and getting bolder about God from the stage. We play what she said at a recent show. Then there's 'Death of the Pastor's Wife,' the new Netflix series about Mica Miller, the South Carolina pastor's wife whose death became a national story.In Slices, a 47-year-old Bay Area pastor made a college football roster and is now a defensive end at a community college. And scientists have worked out how to turn plastic bottles into protein cookies for disaster zones and deep space crews (nobody has actually eaten one yet). We close the show with a bracket game ranking five years of Emily’s time at RELEVANT: the Eras Tour, girl dinner, jalapeño poppers, a church prom photo. It's her last episode with us, and we send her off the right way.Coincidentally, we also let you know about some new job openings over at RELEVANTmediagroup.com. Highlights:02:24 — Derek on teenagers again04:52 — The lame duck era08:59 — Derek's Dell call center exit stories13:37 — Jesse quits Kmart17:06 — RELEVANT Buzz: Anna Faris on her son Jack's faith21:58 — Ella Langley's record-breaking run and her mini sermon26:26 — 'Death of the Pastor's Wife' on Netflix30:33 — SEU Worship on 'Found in the Field'38:34 — Slices: a 47-year-old pastor makes a college football roster44:09 — Slices: plastic bottles into protein cookies47:17 — The Emily Brown Bracket Challenge58:34 — Five years of Emily Brown59:37 — We're hiring
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  Michael Cochren, Columbia House Finally Dies & the New Church Abuse Database — Ep. 1315 27.08.2026 57m

  This week we're joined by Michael Cochren, the soul-and-blues frontman of Cochren & Co. He talks about the eight years he spent waiting on an answer from God and why he refuses to say God is good just because things finally worked out. We spotlight the band's new album, 'Runs in the Blood.'In RELEVANT Buzz, Cory Asbury posted and deleted a shirtless workout photo, apologized for it and then got roasted by every friend he has in Christian music. Also, survivors launched the first national database of Protestant leaders accused of abuse, years after the SBC voted to build one and then let it die. And The Promised Land, the Moses workplace mockumentary that started as a YouTube pilot, just signed Lionsgate and got a second season.In Slices, Columbia House is finally shutting down, which mostly raises the question of how it was still open, and one of us confesses to running a stack of accounts under slightly different names to get free CDs as a teenager. And a woman in New Zealand went into cardiac arrest in a supermarket parking lot, got revived by a stranger and then got a parking ticket for it. Also in here: a follow-up on the resting heart rate situation, a public service announcement about energy drinks, and the actual reason last week's episode showed up five days late.One Has to Go closes it out. And we're still taking answers to last week's question: What's something you wish you'd known going into your freshman year of college? Drop it in the comments or @ us. We're running your answers in a piece this week.Highlights:01:21 — Marty's new house and the California no-AC problem04:07 — Is the house haunted06:15 — The resting heart rate follow-up and a Celsius warning07:48 — C4, Sour Patch Kids flavor and two hours of pins and needles11:35 — David Blaine, stunt magic and the four kinds of magician19:15 — Emily is podcasting from what appears to be a TJ Maxx dressing room21:04 — Kohl's cash22:13 — RELEVANT Buzz: Cory Asbury takes down the shirtless photo and apologizes28:08 — Survivors launch the first national database of accused Protestant abusers30:09 — The Promised Land gets a second season and Lionsgate31:33 — Michael Cochren of Cochren & Co.39:12 — Slices: Columbia House is shutting down after 71 years43:34 — She died in a parking lot and still got a ticket48:34 — Why last week's episode was late50:05 — One Has to Go
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  Episode 1314: Montell Jordan, Ryan Ellis and 40,000 Pope Hats 24.08.2026 1h 4m

  This week, "This Is How We Do It" singer Montell Jordan joins us. He and his wife, Kristin, went from platinum records and world tours to planting a church, and they talk about what was missing in the middle of all that success. Also on the show, Ryan Ellis, who spent a decade writing worship music and now shows us what else he’s got. We spotlight his new album, ‘No Halo.’In RELEVANT Buzz, Saints quarterback Drew Brees went into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and built his speech around the day Christ changed his life. In other sports news, the Chicago White Sox handed out a record-breaking number of Pope hats. A new Harvard study suggests the loneliness epidemic may not be for the reasons we assume. And Stranger Things actor Caleb McLaughlin opens up about his faith journey.In Slices, the FAA solved its air traffic controller shortage by advertising the job to gamers, and a guy in San Francisco bought a billboard for an AI chatbot that turns out to be him. One Has to Go closes it out, and we tell you about four open positions we’ve posted at relevantmediagroup.com.Editorial Question of the Week: What's something you wish you knew before starting your freshman year? Drop it in the comments or on our socials. We'll read the best ones on next week's show and turn them into an article at relevantmagazine.com.Highlights:01:53 — Derek on teenage boys 04:15 — New York smells and we fix it08:36 — Cameron's resting heart rate becomes a group intervention 17:20 — RELEVANT Buzz: Drew Brees' Hall of Fame speech 19:03 — The time Oprah tried to wipe off Drew Brees' birthmark on live TV 23:11 — The White Sox gave away 40,000 Pope hats 26:02 — Harvard says loneliness tracks with income, not gender 31:05 — Caleb McLaughlin on the faith he found on his own 34:41 — Montell and Kristin Jordan 40:30 — Ryan Ellis 47:34 — Slices: The FAA recruited gamers to run air traffic control 51:26 — The San Francisco AI chatbot that is one guy typing 59:10 — Editorial Question of the Week 59:45 — One Has to Go
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  Episode 1313: Lily Hooten of Housefires, Mike Posner Gets Baptized & the Rise of Solo Maxxing 11.08.2026 55m

  This week we're joined by Lily Hooten of Housefires, the Atlanta worship collective, to talk about their new album House Church Vol. 001. She talks with Emily about how the record came together and where the collective is going from here.In RELEVANT Buzz, “I Took a Pill in Ibiza” singer Mike Posner is going public about finding faith, his baptism and laying out what he thinks being a Christian actually requires of him. We also get into a Gen Z trend that gives singleness a rebrand, plus the A-list artists selling mystery concert tickets for a low price to combat rising concert prices. In Slices, The Killers frontman Brandon Flowers says he's thinking about quitting music and points at his dad as the reason, and Cameron brings a story about maybe the real reason people are stealing those Flock surveillance cameras. Somewhere in there Jesse invents the meeting poncho, which he is convinced is a great idea. And Emily has a can’t-miss announcement at the end of the show.Editorial Question of the Week: What's a worship song lyric you can't unhear once you notice it? Drop your answer in the comments or @ us. We're reading them on next week's episode.Highlights:02:52 — Jesse's home alone and after 10 hours the house is already destroyed11:22 — The meeting shirt, and the case for a back flap16:07 — SkyMall is somehow still online18:19 — Sharper Image vs. Brookstone, peak capitalism22:27 — RELEVANT Buzz: Mike Posner gets baptized28:06 — Gen Z, dating apps and solo maxxing33:24 — Mystery concert tickets, with one catch36:15 — Lily Hooten of Housefires43:36 — Slices: Brandon Flowers on quitting music47:35 — Google's AI said Flock cameras are full of gold52:50 — Editorial Question of the Week53:43 — Emily has an announcement
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  Episode 1312: Bear Grylls Takes Jesus Into the Wild, Spider-Man Breaks Every Record and Our Lolla Recap 04.08.2026 51m

  This week, adventurer Bear Grylls joins us to tell us about The Chosen in the Wild, his new Prime Video series debuting Sunday. He takes the cast into Utah canyons and the Great Basin Desert, and tells us what Jonathan Roumie is actually like off camera.We also have Emily’s recap of a memorable Lollapalooza this past weekend, Spider-Man: Brand New Day making U.S. box office history, and movie theaters having a record-setting comeback. We also get into the professor who found a way to catch students using AI on exams, and Arizona State announcing a new degree that’s getting a lot of ridicule, but Jesse thinks is a great idea. And we tell the tale of Katy Perry getting stuck in a human-sized inflatable water bottle at a recent concert.This week’s question of the week: what's a random habit you picked up that's genuinely improved your life? Drop your answer in the comments or @ us. We're reading them on next week's episode.Highlights:01:25 — A father-sons weekend in New York03:22 — The Devil Wears Prada 2, reviewed from the runway05:44 — Lollapalooza recap: Grant Park is enormous07:15 — The case for wheels on your feet11:47 — Lorde, Olivia Dean and a very wet weekend14:54 — The rain delay, a canceled set and The Neighbourhood's missing instruments18:34 — Lolla fashion: vintage NBA jerseys and brat crop tops20:29 — Charli xcx, "Rock Music" and what artists owe their fans25:20 — Marty moves on up27:26 — Sitcom shared universes30:12 — RELEVANT Buzz: Spider-Man breaks the all-time box office record36:05 — The professor who caught 32 students using AI38:12 — Bear Grylls on The Chosen in the Wild42:02 — Slices: Arizona State's influencer degree46:49 — Slices: Katy Perry vs. a giant water bottle50:56 — Question of the Week
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  Episode 1311: Tim Tebow and Kirk Cousins on Human Trafficking, Plus Grace Runkle and Dr. Phil's UFO Thoughts 28.07.2026 53m

  This week we're joined by Tim Tebow and Kirk Cousins, two of the most recognizable quarterbacks in the game who have both spent years on the same fight. We talk about World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, which is this week — Tebow on what opened his eyes to the scale of it, Cousins on how his faith turned into two decades of advocacy.In RELEVANT Buzz, new research from the Billy Graham Center Research Institute found that 48% of Gen Z adults say Christians' support of Trump has made them less likely to go to church. In RELEVANT Recommends we spotlight Grace Runkle, who is about as inspired by Elevation Worship as she is by Japanese House.In Slices, the White House asked Dr. Phil to review the UFO files and gauge how the public would take the news, and he came away infuriated. And a woman in New York is suing McDonald's over fries that were too hot, which is either a legitimate grievance or the end of hot food as we know it.Then it's your worst Christian breakup lines. Brother in Christ. Personal Eve. Unequal yokes. Then a quick round of "One Has to Go" gets into golden retrievers, communion bread and Sunday naps. Then it's this week’s Question of the Week: what's your go-to struggle meal? Drop your answer in the comments or @ us, we're reading them on next week's episode.Highlights:00:00 — Intro / episode rundown02:40 — Black people love hibachi and Jesse's ban from the Mongolian barbecue buffet08:46 — RELEVANT Buzz: World Day Against Trafficking in Persons with Tim Tebow11:50 — Kirk Cousins on faith and advocacy14:05 — Cameras off, FaceTime etiquette and the unk defense17:48 — Cookout has the worst menu in fast food21:21 — RELEVANT Buzz: 48% of Gen Z avoids church because of Christian support for Trump24:50 — RELEVANT Recommends: Grace Runkle26:57 — Slices: Dr. Phil, the UFO files and soft disclosure38:33 — The McDonald's hot fries lawsuit41:45 — Your Feedback: Worst Christian breakup lines45:50 — "One Has to Go"49:34 — Question of the Week: What’s your go-to struggle meal?52:55 — Outro
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  Episode 1310: Elevation Rhythm, Plus Baker Mayfield's Faith & Sylvester Stallone on Skipping Church 21.07.2026 1h 4m

  This week, we're joined by Davide Mutendji of Elevation Rhythm, whose new album WASHED just dropped. He tells us about the heart behind the project and how Drake became a surprising inspiration for the worship group.In RELEVANT Buzz, the trailer for ‘I Play Rocky’ arrived, and it sent us down a rabbit hole into Sylvester Stallone's faith journey — including a conversation where he calls out Christians who think they can skip church. (Rocky would never!) We also dig into a new study finding only one in three young adults are dating even though nearly all of them want to get married (the reasons are bleak). And with the new season of ‘Quarterback’ out on Netflix, we look at Baker Mayfield's road from college wild child to a real-deal faith story.In Slices, a school district in New York is putting a humanoid robot named in classrooms, and Jesse loves it. And Derek shows us the clip of the grandpa getting flipped by a bison this week. Plus we settle once and for all whether Medusa is in ‘The Odyssey.’Then in feedback we have your rent-free reality TV moments, and we ask this week’s Question of the Week: what's the worst Christian breakup line of all time? Drop your answer in the comments — we're reading our favorites next week.Highlights:00:00 — Intro / Emily reviews The Odyssey 07:41 — RELEVANT Buzz: ‘I Play Rocky’ & Stallone's church call-out 26:14 — Why two-thirds of young adults aren't dating 33:32 — ‘Quarterback’ & Baker Mayfield's faith journey 41:25 — Davide Mutendji of Elevation Rhythm 50:04 — Slices: The robot teacher coming to New York classrooms 53:08 — Grandpa vs. bison 58:08 — Your feedback: Reality TV moments living rent-free
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  Episode 1309: KB, Emma Myers and the First Christian Song to Top a Billion Streams 14.07.2026 1h 7m

  This week, we're joined by rapper, apparel label owner and pastor KB, whose new album 'This Cannot Be Sold' is out this week. He talks about why he refuses to package Jesus for marketability and what staying loyal to Christ over politics and tribalism actually costs.In RELEVANT Buzz, ‘Wednesday’ star Emma Myers opens up about turning to God in the hardest season of her life, Lecrae admits he spent years treating John Piper's words like Scripture, and the crew unpacks what the Reformed era of Christian hip-hop got right and wrong. Plus, the first Christian song to top a billion streams on Spotify: you will not guess it in a million years.In Slices, Jesse investigates the disappearance of Pickles, a diaper-wearing mascot beloved by a Miami pickleball community. And Derek has news about the fresh ingredients Taco Bell is pulling off the menu, for a reason involving explosive diaherrea.Then your feedback closes it out: Monopoly trash talk, a three-minute breath hold, Team Canada horseshoes confidence and more.Highlights:00:00 — Intro and Can Christopher Nolan be trusted with The Odyssey? 22:48 — RELEVANT Buzz: Emma Myers opens up about finding God 31:25 — Lecrae says he made John Piper an idol. Derek was there for that era 39:32 — The first Christian song to a billion Spotify streams (you won't guess it) 46:04 — RELEVANT Conversation: KB on why Jesus isn't for sale 54:11 — Slices: Jesse on Pickles, the missing pickleball mascot 59:27 — Derek's bad news for Taco Bell fans 1:02:54 — Your feedback: competitions you're convinced you'd win 1:05:41 — Next week's question: reality TV moments living rent-free in your head
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  Episode 1308: Tori Kelly, Messi's Blessed Boots and Gen Z's Church Problem 07.07.2026 1h 3m

  This week, three-time Grammy winner Tori Kelly joins us to talk about her new album 'God Must Really Love Me,' written just weeks after she became a first-time mom. She tells us how it’s changed her approach to songwriting and her view of God.In RELEVANT Buzz, new research finds while Gen Z is the most church-engaged generation, it’s also the least likely to pray. What? We also take a lap around the World Cup's faith stories, and Forrest Frank now has the largest arena tour in the country.In Slices, Jesse tells us about a man who stole Smokey Bear signs and got arrested in the most humiliating way possible, and Derek has a Maryland guy who might have accidentally redefined Double Jeopardy.Plus, a report from 11 days of adventure in Alaska, a geography fact-off that spirals into pyramid conspiracies, and your feedback on childhood things that were secretly insane.Highlights:00:00 — Intro: Thriving for 11 days in Alaska (unlike the Into the Wild guy) 22:11 — The great Alaska fact-off: rainforests vs. secret pyramids 24:18 — RELEVANT Buzz: Faith all over the World Cup — including Messi's blessed boots 34:28 — Gen Z is in church, so why aren't they praying? 39:45 — Forrest Frank has a top 5 tour in America 41:00 — Tori Kelly on new motherhood and 'God Must Really Love Me' 50:02 — Slices: The Smokey Bear sign heist 57:16 — The worst possible time to call the police 59:52 — Your feedback: Childhood things that were secretly insane 1:02:32 — This week's question: What could you win a competition in? 
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  Episode 1307: Elevation Worship's Tiffany Hudson, Plus Rapper Parris Chariz 30.06.2026 52m

  This is the perfect episode for summer vacation season. First, Tiffany Hudson from Elevation Worship joins us to tell us about her new solo album ‘When You're in the Room,’ and the importance of “vertical” lyrics in worship music. Then rapper Parris Chariz joins us for the second half of the show. We talk about his new album ‘The World Is Watching,’ basketball and his unusual path to seminary.In Slices, Jesse gives us a look at his vision for the future of politics in America (it looks a lot like jury duty), and Derek takes us to the frontlines of a DoorDash robot crashing a SWAT standoff and refusing to leave.Then One Has to Go closes it out: croissants on trial, mashed potatoes with no defenders, and an unprovoked shot at the Eiffel Tower.Highlights:03:01 — Slices: the Long Island town that elected a mayor who didn't want the job 17:52 — Slices: a DoorDash robot crashes a SWAT standoff and refuses to leave 23:00 — RELEVANT Conversation: Tiffany Hudson on her solo album When You're in the Room 30:15 — RELEVANT Conversation: Parris Chariz on The World Is Watching, basketball and seminary 42:38 — One Has to Go: Paris things, Detroit things, comfort foods and more 51:35 — Outro