One Degree Marriage: Christ-Centered Communication & Habits

When public scandals break—like the one that sparked conversation at a recent Coldplay concert—how should Christians respond?

In this episode, we talk about why our response to exposed sin should look different than the culture's. Not dismissive. Not self-righteous. But honest, humble, and reflective. We unpack why accountability matters, how easily we can grow desensitized to sin, and how these moments should turn our gaze inward before pointing fingers outward.

• 00:00 - Introduction: Welcome and overview of the episode.
• 02:15 - Viral Coldplay Concert Moment: Discussion on the viral kiss cam incident.
• 08:30 - Public Scandals and Personal Values: Exploring the impact on personal values.
• 15:45 - The Role of Accountability: Importance of accountability in relationships.
• 22:10 - Social Media's Influence: How social media affects our perception of morality.
• 30:00 - Christian Response to Scandals: Reflecting on a thoughtful and compassionate response.
• 38:20 - Closing Thoughts: Encouragement for reflection and personal growth.

  🔗 Resources

  • Marriage on Mission 7-Day Challenge ($10) — Includes daily prompts to walk you through crafting your mission statement, identifying your core values, and implementing them into your weekly rhythms. This one-week challenge will be a game-changer for your marriage!

  • Become a patron by subscribing to our Substack — get access to bonus podcast episodes, posts, and lots of behind-the-scenes lifestyle content (think: homeschooling, fitness, home-keeping, and more)
  
  

Mentioned in this episode:

March Marriage Challenge

https://onedegreemarriage.com/challenge?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=preroll

Download the FREE Weekly Marriage Meeting Template

Download the FREE Weekly Marriage Meeting Template at onedegreemarriage.com/meeting

If you and your spouse were asked, separately, what your family values most... would your answers match? And do your calendars, budgets, and habits reflect those values?

In this episode, we walk you through our six core family values—how we came up with them, how they've practically shaped our decisions, and how you can develop and implement your own.

Whether you're starting from scratch or refining old values, we'll show you why this "structured stuff" isn't stuffy... it's freeing.

(00:00) Why family values matter more than you think

(03:00) Three diagnostic questions to evaluate your current values

(06:00) Why having structure in your marriage brings freedom

(11:00) Our 6 family values and how we landed on them

(25:50) Our weakest value vs. hardest value to live out

(32:00) How our values shape our life today (especially in this busy season)

(36:20) The practical way we revisit our values weekly

(39:20) Your One Degree Shift + a shameless plug

🔗 Resources

• Marriage on Mission 7-Day Challenge ($10) — Includes daily prompts to walk you through crafting your mission statement, identifying your core values, and implementing them into your weekly rhythms. This one-week challenge will be a game-changer for your marriage!

Mentioned in this episode:

March Marriage Challenge

https://onedegreemarriage.com/challenge?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=preroll

Download the FREE Weekly Marriage Meeting Template

Download the FREE Weekly Marriage Meeting Template at onedegreemarriage.com/meeting

Conflict in marriage isn't just inevitable—it can actually be good… if you know how to handle it. In this episode, we (Nathaniel and Xan) share five unhelpful ways couples commonly navigate conflict (think: avoidance, blame-shifting, and yelling matches) and contrast them with the six simple steps we use when tension arises in our own marriage.

We talk about why a conflict resolution plan might sound stiff—but actually leads to deeper connection, better communication, and much less chaos.

Whether you're newly married or ten years in, this episode is packed with practical tools to help you stop fighting at each other and start fighting for your marriage.

One Degree Shift: Create a conflict plan that works for you and your spouse… or at least start the conversation.

Mentioned in this episode:

March Marriage Challenge

https://onedegreemarriage.com/challenge?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=preroll

Download the FREE Weekly Marriage Meeting Template

Download the FREE Weekly Marriage Meeting Template at onedegreemarriage.com/meeting

What if the biggest shift in your marriage isn't something dramatic—but something simple? In this episode, we're sharing the one habit that changed everything for us: weekly marriage meetings.

No, it's not glamorous. And yes, it felt a little awkward at first. But creating space each week to realign, communicate, and set shared goals helped us move from just coexisting to building something intentional together. We'll walk you through how it started, what our meetings look like now (with three kids in the mix), and how you can start your own rhythm—even if your spouse isn't totally bought in yet. Plus, we'll share the exact questions we ask each week and offer practical tips to get started.

👉 Ready to take it deeper? Grab our Marriage on Mission 7-Day Challenge—a step-by-step guide to help you reconnect, get on the same page, and start building a marriage with purpose that you're excited to come home to.

Mentioned in this episode:

March Marriage Challenge

https://onedegreemarriage.com/challenge?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=preroll

Download the FREE Weekly Marriage Meeting Template

Download the FREE Weekly Marriage Meeting Template at onedegreemarriage.com/meeting

We asked the One Degree IG community for their best random marriage advice... and yall delivered! We loved reading them, so we decided to do it live with our live raw responses and processing of each.

Enjoying your spot on the comfy, virtual couch? Help more couples find it by leaving a quick review and hitting "subscribe"! It means the world to us and helps us keep bringing gospel-centered, real-life marriage convos straight to your ears.

FOLLOW US ON IG

Mentioned in this episode:

March Marriage Challenge

https://onedegreemarriage.com/challenge?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=preroll

Download the FREE Weekly Marriage Meeting Template

Download the FREE Weekly Marriage Meeting Template at onedegreemarriage.com/meeting

In this episode we dive into the whole idea of date nights and whether they're really needed for a thriving marriage.

Come chill on the comfy couch while we chat about the rhetoric that regular date nights are a must, and look at how real connection and closeness can be built into everyday life without fancy outings.

Mentioned in this episode:

Download the FREE Weekly Marriage Meeting Template

Download the FREE Weekly Marriage Meeting Template at onedegreemarriage.com/meeting

March Marriage Challenge

https://onedegreemarriage.com/challenge?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=preroll

In this quick (for us) episode, we're sharing four simple things you can do every day to invest in your marriage. From high-low-buffalo check-ins to six-second hugs, serving each other, and praying together, these small habits add up big time. Plus, a funny story about our five-year-old future lawyer. Let's get intentional—without overcomplicating it!

Mentioned in this episode:

Download the FREE Weekly Marriage Meeting Template

Download the FREE Weekly Marriage Meeting Template at onedegreemarriage.com/meeting

March Marriage Challenge

https://onedegreemarriage.com/challenge?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=preroll

In this episode of the One Degree Podcast, we're talking about what it looks like to go from feeling like roommates in your marriage to actually thriving as a team. We're sharing honest convos, practical tips, and real-life stuff that's helped us stay connected and rooted in our faith—especially in the thick of busy, everyday life.

We'll chat about how easy it is to drift into that "just coexisting" phase and what you can do to get back on the same page. From simple daily check-ins and learning each other's love languages to setting shared goals and handling conflict like teammates instead of opponents—we cover a lot.

• 0:00:01 – Meet us, Nathaniel and Xan! We're kicking off this new video podcast journey and sharing what you can expect. • 0:03:13 – Why we're focusing on Christian marriage (spoiler: it started with a convo at Great Wolf Lodge). • 0:12:19 – What the "roommate stage" looks like and how to be more intentional. • 0:19:58 – How to build that teammate dynamic and prioritize time together. • 0:27:09 – The magic of small moments and why they matter so much. • 0:33:03 – Reigniting connection with love languages and fun little things. • 0:37:41 – Communication tips that actually help you feel like you're on the same side.

🎧 If this episode encouraged you, share it with your spouse, small group, or that friend who's in the trenches of marriage and needs some hope.

💌 And if you're not subscribed yet—what are you waiting for? Hit that follow/subscribe button so you don't miss future episodes that'll help your marriage grow in faith, fun, and intentionality.

Your support means the world to us. Leave a comment, send us a DM, or tag us when you share—we read every single one! Thanks for being part of the One Degree fam. Catch you next week! 🙌

Mentioned in this episode:

March Marriage Challenge

https://onedegreemarriage.com/challenge?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=preroll

Download the FREE Weekly Marriage Meeting Template

Download the FREE Weekly Marriage Meeting Template at onedegreemarriage.com/meeting

What if sharing your faith felt as natural as chatting with a coworker over lunch? In this episode of One Degree Podcast, we break down practical evangelism strategies—like the "Three Circles" and the "bridge" analogy—that make it easier to share the gospel in everyday conversations without feeling preachy.

We also dive into the church's role in equipping believers, looking at how the early church's personal, set-apart approach can inspire modern evangelism. Plus, we share a powerful story of door-to-door evangelism that highlights the impact of small acts of kindness and prayer.

Join the One Degree Fam in the conversation on Instagram—we'd love to hear your thoughts! Tune in and learn how to make evangelism a natural part of your daily life.

Mentioned in this episode:

March Marriage Challenge

https://onedegreemarriage.com/challenge?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=preroll

Download the FREE Weekly Marriage Meeting Template

Download the FREE Weekly Marriage Meeting Template at onedegreemarriage.com/meeting

If you're a Christian, you probably know you should share your faith—but actually doing it? That's a different story. Maybe you feel confident and wonder why others don't share the gospel more often. Maybe you've tried, but it felt awkward and forced. Or maybe you don't even know where to start and feel guilty every time you think about it.

Wherever you land, this episode is for you. Too often, Christians are told to evangelize but aren't taught how to do it in a sincere, authentic, and non-awkward way. That's what we're unpacking in this two-part series.

Nathaniel shares how his views on evangelism radically changed during seminary—going from adamantly opposed to door-to-door evangelism to leading groups in his own neighborhood. While the takeaway here isn't that you need to start knocking on doors, it is that sharing your faith is worth it and can be done naturally in everyday life.

In this episode, we cover the why and who of evangelism:

🔹 Why evangelism matters (hint: the Great Commission)

🔹 How our understanding of salvation fuels our desire to share

🔹 Who we should be sharing with (using the Oikos Map)

The One Degree Shift: Pray specifically for someone in your life who doesn't know Christ. Ask God to soften their heart, open their eyes, and give you natural opportunities to share the gospel.

Don't miss Part 2, where we'll tackle what to say and when to say it!

Mentioned in this episode:

Download the FREE Weekly Marriage Meeting Template

Download the FREE Weekly Marriage Meeting Template at onedegreemarriage.com/meeting

March Marriage Challenge

https://onedegreemarriage.com/challenge?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=preroll