Did you know there are 120 species of animals mentioned by name in the Bible? In this fascinating episode, Adam Hamilton explores what our four-legged friends can teach us about one of humanity's most universal experiences: fear. Drawing from neuroscience, personal stories, and ancient wisdom, Adam reveals how dogs offer surprising insights into overcoming the anxieties that paralyze us. This isn't your typical self-help approach to fear management. Instead, it's a thoughtful exploration of how understanding our hardwired responses can lead us toward genuine peace.
All Vertebrates Are Wired for Fear—Including You: Adam explains how the amygdala, those almond-shaped structures in our brains, bypass our rational thinking the moment we sense danger. Whether you're human, dog, or zebra, this ancient survival mechanism kicks in instantly, preparing us to fight, flee, or freeze. The problem? We often flinch at things that aren't actually threats.

The Turtle Incident: When Fear Creates Unnecessary Chaos: Through a humorous story about his dogs Mabel and Rocky encountering a harmless turtle, Adam illustrates how fear can create chaos when there's no real danger. The dogs barked frantically while the turtle retreated into its shell—a perfect metaphor for how our anxieties often spiral out of control over situations that pose no actual threat.

Rocky's Thunderstorm Wisdom: The Power of Proximity to Your Master: When a thunderstorm struck at 5 AM, Adam's dog Rocky didn't just hide. He crawled close to his sleeping owner's face. The moment Rocky could see Adam, he calmed down completely, even though the storm continued raging outside. This simple act reveals a profound truth about finding peace in the midst of life's storms.

King David's Fear Confession: "Whenever I'm Afraid": Adam unpacks Psalm 56, where David—captured by enemy Philistines—writes honestly about his fear. Notice David doesn't claim to never be afraid; instead, he says "whenever I'm afraid, I put my trust in you." This psalm became a song, something David could sing repeatedly until the truth settled into his heart and mind.

Singing Through Devastation: Real Stories of Faith in Crisis: From schoolgirls singing hymns while evacuating flood devastation at Camp Mystic to Haitian parents singing to God while standing outside a collapsed school building, Adam shares powerful examples of people finding peace through worship even in their darkest moments. These aren't stories of denial, but of choosing trust over terror.

Fear is part of being human… and that's actually okay. The question isn't whether you'll experience fear, but what you'll do when those inevitable storms hit. Will you let anxiety control your life, or will you learn from Rocky and King David about the transformative power of staying close to your Master? This episode offers both scientific insight and spiritual wisdom for anyone ready to move from panic to peace. Whether you're skeptical about faith or simply curious about practical approaches to fear, Adam's blend of humor, honesty, and hope provides a fresh perspective that doesn't require checking your brain at the door.

For anyone who has ever loved a pet deeply, the question "Will there be pets in heaven?" isn't silly—it's profoundly personal. In this episode of Making Sense of Faith, Adam Hamilton tackles this question with both theological depth and genuine emotion. Drawing from his own heartbreak over losing his beloved beagle Maggie, Adam guides listeners through a thoughtful exploration of what Scripture reveals about animals in God's eternal kingdom. This isn't about easy answers or theological certainty—it's about wrestling with hope, examining biblical evidence, and discovering how even our questions about beloved pets can deepen our understanding of God's character and our own faith journey.
Episode Highlights:
Biblical Evidence Points to Animals in Paradise - Adam reveals how Scripture consistently shows God's deep care for animals, from Genesis through Revelation, including the striking passage where "every creature" praises God in the heavenly realms.

The Garden Restoration Vision - Discover how the Jewish concept of "paradise" originally meant the king's garden—complete with animals—and how this shapes our understanding of heaven as Eden restored, where "the wolf will live with the lamb."

Animals May Have Souls - Through fascinating research on dog vocabulary (averaging 89 words!) and observable animal emotions, Adam explores the possibility that our pets possess some form of soul that could continue beyond death.

John Wesley's Radical Hope - Learn how the founder of Methodism believed animals would not only be restored in heaven but would have enhanced intelligence, possibly enabling true communication between humans and their beloved pets.

A Doctor's Beautiful Analogy - Adam shares a powerful turn-of-the-century story about a dying man, a faithful dog, and how our pets' trust in us mirrors our trust in God when facing the unknown.

Whether you're skeptical about faith, grieving a beloved pet, or simply curious about what lies beyond, this episode offers something profound. Adam doesn't claim to have all the answers, but he provides compelling reasons for hope while acknowledging the mystery. Don't miss this moving episode that reminds us why our questions matter and how they can actually strengthen rather than weaken our faith.

In this deeply personal episode of Making Sense of Faith, Adam Hamilton tackles one of life's most agonizing questions through the lens of a heartbreaking letter from a listener whose husband is suffering from Alzheimer's disease. With the compassion of a pastor who has walked alongside countless hurting families, Adam doesn't offer easy answers or platitudes. Instead, he provides a thoughtful, honest exploration of why suffering exists and challenges common assumptions about God's role in our pain. This isn't high-brow theology from an ivory tower. It's practical wisdom forged in the crucible of real human experience.
God Doesn't Cause Suffering: Adam boldly challenges the notion that God looks down and decides to give people diseases like Alzheimer's. He argues that if we truly believed God caused these conditions, we wouldn't invest in medical research—we'd simply accept it as divine will. Instead, our pursuit of cures reveals our deeper understanding that this isn't what God wants for humanity.

We Can Actually Understand Why Most Suffering Happens: Contrary to the common Christian response of "we can't understand God's ways," Adam contends that we actually do understand the mechanisms behind most suffering. From hurricanes to heart disease, from human cruelty to neurological conditions, science and experience give us insight into the "why" behind pain.

When Memory Fades, God Still Remembers: In perhaps the most tender moment of the episode, Adam offers profound hope to families watching their loved ones disappear to dementia. He reminds us that even when someone can no longer remember anything at all, God still remembers them completely—and that there's something preserved in their soul that will wake up fully restored.

It's Okay to Be Angry With God: Adam doesn't shy away from the raw emotions that accompany suffering. He acknowledges that if it were his own wife facing Alzheimer's, he'd likely feel angry with God too. This honest admission gives permission for listeners to bring their real feelings into their faith journey.

The Ultimate Response: Choosing Love in the Midst of Pain: Rather than demanding answers we may never fully receive, Adam suggests the most meaningful response is asking God for strength to love and care well for those who are suffering. It's a shift from demanding "why" to asking "how can I love better?"

This episode exemplifies why Making Sense of Faith resonates with thinking people who refuse to check their brains at the door. Adam doesn't minimize the reality of suffering or offer spiritual bypasses. Instead, he provides a framework for faith that acknowledges pain while pointing toward hope. Whether you're walking through your own valley of suffering or supporting someone who is, this episode offers both intellectual honesty and spiritual comfort. It's the kind of thoughtful exploration that can transform how you understand both God and your own capacity to love in the face of life's hardest moments.

Adam Hamilton tackles one of the most divisive questions in modern Christianity: Can you really separate faith from politics? Speaking from his peaceful retreat at the Lake of the Ozarks, Adam opens up about the intense reaction to his July 4th Facebook post discussing recent legislation and why he believes the church must speak when political decisions become moral issues. With over 600 comments flooding in—both supportive and critical—Adam uses this as a launching point to explore the biblical mandate for addressing issues that affect society's most vulnerable populations.

5 Key Insights From This Episode:

The Hebrew Prophets Were Political Activists: Adam walks through scripture to show how biblical prophets routinely spoke about what we'd call "political" issues today—from justice and oppression to care for widows, orphans, immigrants, and the poor. If the church doesn't shape our ethics around these issues, who will?

When Politics Becomes Morality, the Church Must Speak: Drawing from Micah 6:8 and Isaiah 1, Adam argues that when political decisions impact the marginalized and powerless, they transcend partisan politics and become moral imperatives that require a faithful response.

The Real-World Impact of Policy on People: Adam breaks down recent changes to SNAP (food stamps) and Medicaid, sharing sobering statistics about food insecurity affecting 13.5% of US households and explaining how policy changes will impact healthcare access for millions of Americans.

The Challenge of "Difficult to Employ" Populations: While supporting work requirements in principle, Adam raises concerns about people who struggle with mental health issues or other barriers that make traditional employment challenging—asking what happens to those who fall through the cracks.

Churches Need Both Republicans and Democrats: Adam shares how his congregation is roughly 40% Republican, 40% Democrat, and 20% independent, explaining his approach to honoring diverse political perspectives while still calling people to consider how their faith should inform their values.

This episode perfectly embodies what Making Sense of Faith is all about—wrestling with the hard questions that thinking people face rather than offering easy answers. Adam's honest reflection on the backlash he received shows the real cost of trying to build bridges in our polarized world, while his biblical grounding demonstrates why faith communities can't afford to stay silent on issues of justice. Whether you're skeptical about religion's role in public life or wrestling with how your beliefs should inform your political engagement, this conversation offers a thoughtful framework for navigating these complex intersections. Adam's genuine struggle with these questions—and his willingness to face criticism for raising them—makes this essential listening for anyone trying to make sense of faith in our complicated world.

In this captivating episode of Making Sense of Faith, Adam Hamilton sits down with 91-year-old Barnett Helzberg Jr., the legendary Kansas City entrepreneur who transformed a small family jewelry business into a national empire before selling it to Warren Buffett in one of the most remarkable chance encounters in business history. But this isn't just another success story - it's a profound exploration of how faith, love, and genuine care for people can shape both business and life in extraordinary ways.

Episode Highlights:

The Street Corner Deal That Made History - Discover how Barnett literally bumped into Warren Buffett on a New York street corner and turned a casual conversation into a multi-million dollar acquisition. This wasn't luck—it was the result of building a business with such integrity that no "gotchas" existed in the deal.

Why Employees Come Before Customers - Learn the counterintuitive leadership principle that revolutionized Helzberg's culture: "You're number one, not the customer." Barnett reveals how treating employees as family created a ripple effect that transformed customer experiences and drove unprecedented growth.

The Accidental Marketing Genius Behind "I Am Loved" - Go behind the scenes of how a stick-figure drawing almost thrown in the trash became a global phenomenon. Barnett shares the deeply personal story of how his own experience of feeling loved inspired a campaign that has touched millions of lives worldwide.

From Saloon to Success: Overcoming Discrimination with Grace - Hear how Barnett's grandfather, a Lithuanian immigrant who couldn't get hired due to anti-Semitic practices, started with a saloon he hated and built the foundation for a jewelry empire. This is a masterclass in perseverance and turning obstacles into opportunities.

Repairing the World Through Business and Philanthropy - Explore how the Jewish concept of "tikkun olam" (repairing the world) shaped Barnett's approach to philanthropy, including founding University Academy, a charter school that sends 100% of its graduates to college and takes underprivileged kids on life-changing international trips.

Whether you're leading a team, building a business, or simply trying to make sense of how success and faith intersect, this conversation offers profound wisdom wrapped in the warmth and authenticity that only comes from someone who has lived through both triumph and struggle. Adam masterfully draws out insights about leadership, love, and legacy that will challenge your assumptions about what really matters in life. Barnett's journey from a young man working in his family's store to becoming one of Kansas City's most respected philanthropists proves that when you lead with love and integrity, extraordinary things become possible. Don't miss this inspiring conversation that bridges the gap between the head and the heart.

In this deeply moving episode of Making Sense of Faith, Adam Hamilton sits down with Bob and Kelly Pascuzzi to explore one of life's most challenging questions: How do we forgive when someone we love does the unthinkable? Through their raw and honest conversation, Adam reveals why forgiveness isn't just a nice spiritual concept—it's the most essential life skill you'll ever learn. Drawing from decades of pastoral experience and his own struggles with forgiveness, Adam offers practical wisdom for anyone wrestling with hurt, betrayal, or the seemingly impossible task of letting go.

Five Key Insights You Don't Want to Miss:

The Six Words That Can Save Any Relationship Adam shares the two simple phrases that no successful relationship can survive without—and they're probably not what you think. These six words have the power to transform marriages, friendships, and family dynamics, yet most of us struggle to say them regularly.

Why Your Brain and Your Faith Should Work Together Forget the idea that faith requires checking your intellect at the door. Adam explains how critical thinking actually strengthens faith and why asking hard questions isn't the enemy of belief—it's often the pathway toward deeper understanding and authentic spirituality.

The Backpack Full of Rocks Metaphor That Changes Everything Discover Adam's powerful visualization for understanding forgiveness as a process of releasing the emotional weight we carry. From small pebbles of daily irritation to massive boulders of deep hurt, learn how to identify what you're carrying and why it's time to set it down.

What to Do When Someone Won't Stop Hurting You Through a personal story about a difficult parishioner, Adam reveals the surprising prayer strategy that transformed his heart over 18 months. This isn't about becoming a doormat—it's about finding freedom when you can't escape a toxic situation.

How Hurt People Really Do Hurt People Adam shares the breakthrough moment that helps unlock empathy for those who've wounded us: understanding their own pain. When we discover the trauma and wounds that shaped someone's behavior, forgiveness becomes possible without excusing what they did to us.

Whether you're struggling to forgive a spouse's betrayal, a parent's neglect, or facing an unthinkable tragedy like the Pascuzzis, this conversation offers hope without easy answers. Adam doesn't promise that forgiveness is simple or quick—sometimes it takes 18 months of daily prayer, sometimes it requires professional help, and sometimes we need to protect ourselves first. But he does promise this: learning the art of forgiveness will transform your life more than any other skill you could master.

Ready to discover how even the darkest moments can become doorways to freedom? This episode will challenge everything you thought you knew about forgiveness, faith, and what it means to truly let go.

What if the most important theological debate in Christian history happened because faithful people were simply trying to make sense of confusing ideas? In this fascinating episode, Adam Hamilton takes us back 1,700 years to explore the Council of Nicaea and the creation of the Nicene Creed—a document that emerged from one of Christianity's most heated controversies. Far from being a dry academic exercise, this ancient debate tackled the exact questions that keep thinking people up at night: Who is Jesus, really? If there's one God, how can Jesus also be God? And why does any of this matter for our daily lives? Adam reveals how a priest named Arius, genuinely trying to help his congregation understand their faith, sparked a theological firestorm that nearly split the early church. Through rich historical detail and accessible explanations, this episode shows how the church's most foundational beliefs weren't handed down from on high, but were hammered out through passionate debate, political intrigue, and the messy process of faithful people wrestling with life's biggest questions.

Highlights:
The Catchy Phrase That Nearly Destroyed Christianity - Arius created the memorable slogan "there was a time when he was not" to explain Jesus's relationship to God the Father, but this seemingly helpful teaching tool threatened to undermine the entire foundation of Christian faith.

When Being Wrong Could Get You Exiled - Adam reveals the high stakes of theological debate in the Roman Empire, where even bishops faced banishment for holding unpopular views, and how the champion of orthodoxy, Athanasius, was exiled five times for defending his beliefs.

The $10 Word That Changed Everything - The Greek term "homoousios" (of the same being) became the crucial phrase that defined Jesus as fully God, not just God-like, settling the debate about whether Jesus could truly save us or was merely a divine sidekick.

Why the Creed Became Illegal - In a stunning twist, the very term championed at Nicaea was later outlawed by the Roman Empire, showing how even "settled" theology continued to be contested for decades after the famous council.

This isn't just a history lesson—it's an invitation to understand why these ancient debates matter for anyone grappling with doubt, seeking authentic faith, or wondering how a 2,000-year-old story can transform modern life. Whether you're skeptical about Christianity or simply curious about how core beliefs developed, Adam's exploration of the Nicene Creed offers fresh insights into the faith that has shaped Western civilization and continues to offer hope to millions worldwide.

In this timely episode of Making Sense of Faith, Adam Hamilton tackles one of today's most challenging intersections: where faith meets politics, and where our deepest values collide with current events. Responding to the ICE raids and protests happening across California and other cities, Adam doesn't shy away from the hard questions that keep thinking people up at night. Instead, he offers a fresh perspective that bridges historical wisdom with present-day realities, showing how the very foundations of America—and the birth of our military 250 years ago—were rooted in the right to peaceful protest. This isn't your typical political commentary; it's a thoughtful exploration of what it means to live out faith authentically in a complex world.

Highlights:

America's Army Was Born from Protest - Adam reveals the surprising truth that our Continental Army was formed in 1775 precisely because American colonists were protesting their government. From the Boston Tea Party to the Stamp Act protests, our nation's military exists because people dared to speak up against injustice—making the right to peaceful protest fundamentally American.

The Golden Rule Test for Immigration Policy - What would immigration policy look like if we truly applied Jesus's teaching to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you"? Adam challenges listeners to consider this question honestly, especially since most American families immigrated here at some point—some legally, some not.

When Protest Goes Wrong (And Right) - Drawing from his own experience at George Floyd protests in Kansas City, Adam shares what he witnessed when peaceful demonstration devolved into name-calling and property destruction. He makes a compelling case for how we can speak up for justice without undermining our own moral authority.

Speaking Up for Those Who Cannot Speak - Referencing both Pentecost Sunday and Proverbs 31, Adam explains why people of faith are called to be bold advocates for the vulnerable and voiceless—especially when fear keeps others silent. It's about human dignity, not just policy positions.

The Surprising Deportation Statistics - Adam shares eye-opening numbers that challenge assumptions on all sides of the immigration debate, showing how facts can help us move beyond reactive anger toward more thoughtful solutions.

Whether you're skeptical about mixing faith and politics, curious about what Christianity really says about social justice, or wrestling with how to respond to the chaos in our news cycle, this episode offers something rare: a conversation that doesn't ask you to check your brain at the door. Adam's approach stands in the radical center, refusing easy answers while providing practical wisdom for navigating life's complexities through the lens of faith. This is what happens when ancient wisdom meets modern challenges—and the result might just transform how you think about both faith and citizenship.

What happens when three young pastors decide to build churches that challenge everything people expect from organized religion? In this compelling episode of Making Sense of Faith, Adam Hamilton sits down with three remarkable young clergy who are reshaping what it means to be a pastor in today's world. Fresh from a gathering of United Methodist pastors, these emerging leaders share their deeply personal call stories and their bold vision for creating faith communities that nobody thinks could exist—places where progressive values meet ancient traditions, where doubts are welcomed alongside belief, and where diversity isn't just tolerated but celebrated as a reflection of God's kingdom.

5 Key Highlights from This Conversation:

"God Made Me Different on Purpose" - Tyler shares his powerful childhood realization that God created diversity intentionally, leading him to embrace both his sexuality and his calling to ministry as gifts meant to work together, not compete.

The Church That Doesn't Exist Yet - Julia describes her dream of starting a faith community that confuses everyone because it's "unapologetically Jesus-centered" while being both evangelical and progressive.

From Crisis to Calling - Janelle reveals how her call to ministry came during a faith crisis after her grandmother's death, discovered while reading John Wesley's Covenant Prayer in a church member's basement during a social justice internship.

Why Young People Still Choose Ministry - Despite the United Methodist Church having only 400 clergy under age 40, these three pastors explain what draws them to serve communities hungry for authentic faith that doesn't require checking your brain at the door.

Building Bridges in Divided Times - Adam explores how recent changes in United Methodist policy have opened doors for LGBTQ+ clergy like Tyler, creating space for new kinds of inclusive faith communities that reflect the radical center.

This isn't your typical religious podcast episode—it's a glimpse into the future of faith itself. These young pastors aren't just starting churches; they're reimagining what spiritual community can look like when it embraces both the wisdom of 2,000-year-old traditions and the needs of people living in an increasingly complex world. Whether you're skeptical about organized religion, curious about progressive Christianity, or simply wondering if there's a place for thinking people in faith communities, this conversation offers hope that the church you've been looking for might just be getting started. Adam and his guests prove that sometimes the most revolutionary act is refusing to choose between heart and head, between ancient wisdom and modern understanding—and instead creating something beautifully, impossibly whole.

Adam Hamilton sits down with leadership expert and bestselling author Tommy Spaulding for an honest conversation that bridges the gap between faith and leadership. What starts as a discussion about servant leadership quickly becomes a vulnerable exploration of forgiveness, relationships, and what it really means to live like Jesus in our everyday interactions. Tommy's transparency about his own struggles with forgiveness—despite being a global leadership expert—creates space for the kind of real, authentic conversation that speaks to anyone wrestling with life's hardest questions.

The 80,000 Person Stadium: Your Life's True Measure
Tommy shares a stunning statistic: the average person influences 2.8 people per day, totaling 80,000 people in a lifetime. He challenges listeners to imagine all these people gathered in a stadium at the end of their life—will they be cheering, booing, or sitting in silence? This powerful metaphor reframes how we think about our daily interactions and the legacy we're building one conversation at a time.

"It's Not About You": The Leadership Tattoo Worth Getting
Despite not being a tattoo fan, Tommy reveals the four words he'd permanently ink on his body if he could: "It's not about you." Adam explores this counterintuitive leadership principle that echoes Jesus's example of washing his disciples' feet—true leadership means serving others first, not filling your own cup.

Running Toward Pain Instead of Celebration
While we're quick to send congratulations and birthday cards, Tommy argues we avoid the moments that matter most—showing up when people are going through divorce, loss, depression, or other hardships. He shares the story of supporting a friend whose son died by suicide, illustrating how presence during pain creates the deepest bonds.

The Forgiveness Audit: 35 People and Counting
In a moment of raw honesty, Tommy admits he has "35 people" he needs to forgive, from childhood teachers who called him stupid to more serious wounds. Adam explores how forgiveness isn't about saying harm didn't matter, but about choosing to release the rocks we carry in our hearts—because love truly "keeps no record of wrongs."

Jesus as Leadership Model, Not Just Savior 
Moving beyond seeing Jesus only as a spiritual figure, Tommy and Adam discuss embracing Christ as our leadership role model. This shift changes how we approach everything from marriage to politics to business, calling us to love and serve all people—even those who believe differently than we do.

Whether you're leading a team, navigating difficult relationships, or simply trying to figure out what it means to live with purpose, this honest exploration of faith-centered leadership will challenge you to think differently about influence, forgiveness, and what it really means to follow Jesus in today's polarized world.