Make It Simple

This week, we talk with Preston Sprinkle about Gender Identity. Preston will help us ponder sensitive questions surrounding transgender identities, and he will help us wrestle with how the local church can show love and compassion to its trans-identifying neighbors.

Dr. Sprinkle is a Biblical scholar, speaker, podcaster, the New York Times bestselling author of “Embodied", and the co-founder and president of The Center for Faith, Sexuality & Gender. Preston has written a dozen books including Erasing Hell (w/ Francis Chan), Nonviolence, Scandalous Grace, People to Be Loved, Living in a Gray World, and Embodied. Preston also hosts a popular bi-weekly podcast titled Theology in the Raw, where he engages in honest conversations with interesting people. 

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Love this podcast? Then check out What Matters Most, daily teachings from Matt Popovits, available wherever you get your podcasts.

For more information on MPM, head to mattpopovits.com

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This week, Rachel and Matt welcome Sarah Condon to the podcast to talk grief and faith.

Sarah is an Episcopal priest, an author, and a co-host of the popular Mockingcast.

Sarah will share her story of trauma and grief and help us grapple with the presence of God in times of unimaginable loss.

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Love this podcast? Then check out What Matters Most, daily teachings from Matt Popovits, available wherever you get your podcasts.

For more information on MPM, head to mattpopovits.com

Support the show (https://mpm.simpledonation.com)

Support the show (https://mpm.simpledonation.com)

Support the show

For more information on Make It Simple Ministries, head to https://makeitsimple.org/

To support Make It Simple, head here: Support the show

Buy your copy of Junk Drawer Jesus wherever books are sold.

Mary Van Geffen is an international parenting coach who helps moms and dads of “spicy” children stay calm, kind, and firm.

In this episode Mary will help Matt and Rachel understand what it means to parent in a gentle, respectful, and effective way—especially if you weren’t raised that way.

Love this podcast? Then check out What Matters Most, daily teachings from Matt Popovits, available wherever you get your podcasts.

For more information on MPM, head to mattpopovits.com

Support the show (https://mpm.simpledonation.com)

Support the show

For more information on Make It Simple Ministries, head to https://makeitsimple.org/

To support Make It Simple, head here: Support the show

Buy your copy of Junk Drawer Jesus wherever books are sold.

In this first episode of season three Matt and Rachel are joined by David Zahl to discuss, “performancism” and “seculosity.” David will help us see that we, as a culture, are not less religious as we are so often told. Instead, we have — according to Zahl — shifted our religious needs and impulses to other things, like performance and efficiency.

David Zahl is the founder and director of Mockingbird Ministries and co-host of The Mockingcast. He and his family live  in Charlottesville, Virginia. Zahl is the author of Seculosity: How Career, Parenting, Technlogy, Food, Politics, and Romance Became Our New
Religion and What To Do About It. His next book, Low Anthropology: The Unlikely Key to a Gracious View of Others (and Yourself) comes out Sept 2022 from Brazos Press. 

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Check out What Matters Most, daily teachings from Matt Popovits, available wherever you get your podcasts.

For more information on MPM, head to mattpopovits.com

Support the show

For more information on Make It Simple Ministries, head to https://makeitsimple.org/

To support Make It Simple, head here: Support the show

Buy your copy of Junk Drawer Jesus wherever books are sold.

For this final episode of Make It Simple season 2, Matt and Rachel are joined by actor Paul Walter Hauser for a fun conversation covering faith, celebrity, and the impact of practicing gratitude in all things.

Paul shares what it was like growing up in small town Michigan, to now quickly being recognized as one of the most talented actors up and coming.  With humility and lightheartedness, he reminds us of the power in being respectful to all and loving others well.

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Check out What Matters Most, daily teachings from Matt Popovits, available wherever you get your podcasts.

For more information on MPM, head to mattpopovits.com

Support the show (https://mpm.simpledonation.com)

Support the show

For more information on Make It Simple Ministries, head to https://makeitsimple.org/

To support Make It Simple, head here: Support the show

Buy your copy of Junk Drawer Jesus wherever books are sold.

In this episode, Jon Tyson joins the podcast to discuss intentional fatherhood, and how relationship shapes our parenting. He brings grace and insight into the truth that we don't have to "try harder, do more," but rather, it's the small moments that make big impacts.

Jon Tyson is a Pastor and Church Planter in New York City. Originally from Adelaide Australia, Jon moved to the United States twenty years ago with a passion to seek and cultivate renewal in the Western Church. He is the author of Rumors of God, Sacred Roots, A Creative Minority, The Burden is Light, Beautiful Resistance, and The Intentional Father. For the last 15 years Jon has lived in Manhattan with his family. He serves as the Lead Pastor of Church of the City New York.

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Check out What Matters Most, daily teachings from Matt Popovits, available wherever you get your podcasts.

For more information on MPM, head to mattpopovits.com

Support the show (https://mpm.simpledonation.com)

Support the show

For more information on Make It Simple Ministries, head to https://makeitsimple.org/

To support Make It Simple, head here: Support the show

Buy your copy of Junk Drawer Jesus wherever books are sold.

In this episode, Clarissa Moll joins Matt and Rachel to share her story with grief and loss. She discusses the different ways grief shows up in our lives and how grief can bring a deeper intimacy with God and those around us. 

Everyone experiences grief of all kinds, as the natural flow of this life. Clarissa brings wisdom and compassion to the conversation as she reflects on experiencing such grief with grace. Join us!

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To support Make It Simple, head to mpm.simple donation.com

Check out What Matters Most, daily teachings from Matt Popovits, available wherever you get your podcasts.

For more information on MPM, head to mattpopovits.com

Support the show (https://mpm.simpledonation.com)

Support the show

For more information on Make It Simple Ministries, head to https://makeitsimple.org/

To support Make It Simple, head here: Support the show

Buy your copy of Junk Drawer Jesus wherever books are sold.

In this episode, Sarah Salzberg joins Matt and Rachel to talk all about the Old Testament, and how significant it still is for people of faith today. She breaks down what the Old Testament is, and how to approach it with new eyes as we look to see what it reveals about God. Sarah brings a delightful perspective to a scholarly and heartfelt conversation.

Sarah Salzberg lives in Los Angeles, CA with her husband (Josh), son (Hosea) and daughter (Simone), traveling from one coffee shop to another trying as many cappuccinos and croissants as she can. When not hopped up on espresso, Sarah teaches Old Testament at Orange Lutheran High School in Orange County, CA. In addition, she has served as a planner and theological advisor for the LCMS Youth Gathering as well as a speaker for youth and women's retreats around the country. She earned her Masters in Theology from Concordia University in Irvine, but her pride and joy will always be Concordia Seward where she earned her Bachelors in Education. 
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To support Make It Simple, head to mpm.simple donation.com

Check out What Matters Most, daily teachings from Matt Popovits, available wherever you get your podcasts.

For more information on MPM, head to mattpopovits.com

Support the show (https://mpm.simpledonation.com)

Support the show

For more information on Make It Simple Ministries, head to https://makeitsimple.org/

To support Make It Simple, head here: Support the show

Buy your copy of Junk Drawer Jesus wherever books are sold.

In this episode, Jonathan Merritt joins Rachel and Matt to talk all about marijuana, and how a person of faith can wrestle with differing perspectives. Jonathan shares his personal experience and discusses his article, "A Christian Case for Marijuana."  They look at the history, criminalization, and research around marijuana, and share how we can take a position of mercy and justice no matter where we land on the issue. It's a beautiful conversation filled with compassion. You don't want to miss it!

Jonathan Merritt is one of America’s most popular writers on issues of faith and culture. He is author of several critically-acclaimed books, including Learning to Speak God from Scratch: Why Sacred Words are Vanishing and How We Can Revive Them, named “Book of the Year” by the Englewood Review of Books.

Jonathan is an award-winning contributor for The Atlantic, a contributing editor for The Week, and a regular columnist for Religion News Service. He has published more than 3000 articles in respected outlets such as The New York Times, USA Today, Buzzfeed, The Washington Post, The Daily Beast and Christianity Today.

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To support Make It Simple, head to mpm.simple donation.com

Check out What Matters Most, daily teachings from Matt Popovits, available wherever you get your podcasts.

For more information on MPM, head to mattpopovits.com

Support the show (https://mpm.simpledonation.com)

Support the show

For more information on Make It Simple Ministries, head to https://makeitsimple.org/

To support Make It Simple, head here: Support the show

Buy your copy of Junk Drawer Jesus wherever books are sold.

Kirsten shares all about her journey with grace, and what it looks like to treat others with humanity despite hurtful discourse. She breaks down how living a life of grace is more than just “being nice,” but rather leads to kindness and accountability. It’s a great conversation, and we’re so glad to share it with you!

Kirsten Powers is a senior political analyst at CNN and a NYT bestselling author. He latest book is "Saving Grace: Speak Your Truth, Stay Centered and Learn to Coexist with People Who Drive You Nuts." Kirsten formerly was a columnist for USA Today, The Daily Beast, the New York Post, and a political analyst on Fox News.

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To support Make It Simple, head to mpm.simple donation.com

Check out What Matters Most, daily teachings from Matt Popovits, available wherever you get your podcasts.

For more information on MPM, head to mattpopovits.com

Support the show (https://mpm.simpledonation.com)

Support the show

For more information on Make It Simple Ministries, head to https://makeitsimple.org/

To support Make It Simple, head here: Support the show

Buy your copy of Junk Drawer Jesus wherever books are sold.