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Today we’re celebrating a very special return guest: author, speaker, and independent scholar Diana Butler Bass. If you’ve been with us before, you’ll remember our deep dive into her beautiful book Freeing Jesus. Today, Diana is back with a brand-new offering: A Beautiful Year: 52 Meditations on Faith, Wisdom, and Perseverance—a book designed to guide us through the seasons, the stories, and the spiritual rhythms that shape a life.

You’ve heard Diana’s Substack series, When? When? When? – Longing for the End of Empire. It resonated with me deeply—especially as I write in my own Substack, “When is this going to END?” It echoes Jesus’ ancient warning that even the most imposing empires—Herod’s Temple, Rome’s occupation—will crumble. Empires end, but the Kingdom of God endures. That tension—our longing for an end, and our anticipation of a new beginning—brings us right into Advent.

At seventy-seven, I’ve lived through a decade of Trump-era headlines that have stretched and wrinkled my sense of time. Diana helps us see that time is not just linear—it’s circular, liturgical, meaningful. Not the calendar I grew up with in my evangelical days, but one filled with story, metaphor, archetype, and hope. Advent reminds us: we wait for peace, for justice, for love. And when the signs appear, Jesus says, the time is near.

So join us. Diana’s spiritual kaleidoscope opens a winding, wonder-filled journey through darkness toward light. This conversation will move you—heart, mind, and spirit.

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This Thanksgiving week on Beach Talk, Betsey Newenhuyse and I pause to reflect on what keeps us grounded and grateful in turbulent times. Retirement gives us the space to see the big picture, and family, friends, and caring neighbors remind us we’re never alone. We’re grateful for like-minded resisters, meaningful conversations, and the freedom to speak up. Experience tells us storms pass, truth still matters, and a new generation is rising to shape what comes next. Acts of everyday kindness continue to defy the headlines. And through it all, hope endures—rooted in community, clarity, and the power we still hold together.

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Ken Fong and I sit down for one of our richest, most thought-provoking conversations yet.

We begin with the quietly powerful new film Rental Family, where Brendan Fraser’s lonely American actor in Tokyo becomes the “token white guy” in Japan’s unusual rental family industry. What begins as performance becomes something far deeper — and it opens the door for us to discuss honestly intercultural relationships, identity, belonging, and the longing for genuine connection in an era of isolation.

From there, we take a turn into the world of (now Candidate for Governor of California) Pastor Ché Ahn, the New Apostolic Reformation, and the legacy of C. Peter Wagner — a professor both of us once studied under. We revisit Wagner’s vision of ethnically centered churches, Ahn’s rise as an apostolic figure, and his influential role in the Seven Mountain Mandate and the MAGA movement. This isn’t a hit piece — it’s a candid, personal reckoning with the theological, cultural, and political forces reshaping evangelicalism.

We also dive into Jon M. Chu’s reflections on Wicked, A.I., and Asian representation; the latest Tuesday election results; the troubling Tucker Carlson–Nick Fuentes pipeline; And yes — we talk about the shutdown, the blame game, and why today’s GOP seems allergic to health care, border solutions, and the social safety net.

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Today, another Beach Talk with Betsey Newenhuyse — writer, thinker, and all-around truth-teller. Together, we dig into the week’s headlines with insight, humor, and a touch of coastal calm.

This week, we’re calling it “The Democrats’ Week” — because, let’s face it, it’s been a rough stretch for the President and his MAGA allies. Speaker Mike Johnson can’t get his team together, government shutdown threats kept swirling, and the so-called “Hate America Rally” has proven to be effective. The President’s ranting about Nancy Pelosi being “an evil person,” but the real story is how Democrats are quietly winning — big.

From Virginia to California, blue victories keep stacking up: Abigail Spanberger makes history, Mikie Sherrill and Zohran Mamdani extend a progressive streak, and Democrats hold the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Even in Mississippi and Georgia, new seats are flipping. And those Moms for Liberty losses? A huge crack in the MAGA culture war machine.

We’ll talk about the President’s latest distractions — from Mar-a-Lago’s Halloween bash to his strange foreign policy obsessions — and why Americans still clearly prefer democracy and a working economy over chaos and grievance.

Betsey brings reflections from her Substack. I’ll share a filmmaker’s angle from my current dive into Leni Riefenstahl and then the new film Nuremberg. Together, we connect the dots between history and today’s headlines.

More about Betsey Newenhuyse

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(REPRISE) Today, my guest is journalist and author Katherine Stewart. I had a compelling conversation with this highly sought-after writer, and we went deep. Known for The Power Worshippers, she’s back with Money, Lies, and God, exposing the dangerous alliance of Christian Nationalism and political power.

We dive into her journey from the Child Evangelism Fellowship to attending rallies and conferences of the religious right. Katherine reveals how dark money, misinformation, and groups like Project 2025, the Federalist Society, and the Claremont Institute are reshaping America.

We discuss Trump’s 2024 win, his first 100 days, and how Christian Nationalism impacts public education, gender issues, race, and democracy itself.

Most importantly, Katherine shares how we can resist and respond.

This is a conversation that matters — for faith, democracy, and our future.

Stewart began her journalism career working for investigative reporter Wayne Barrett at The Village Voice. Since 2011, she has contributed op-eds to The New York Times and written for various publications, including The Guardian, The American Prospect, The Nation, and The Atlantic. Her book was the basis of the documentary film by Rob Reiner, God and Country.

Originally aired May 15, 2025

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Today’s guest is one of those people you can’t help but love the more you get to know her — Lindy Boone-Michaelis.

You might recognize the name. Lindy is the daughter of legendary musician Pat Boone and Shirley Boone, and one of *The Boone Girls* who sang their way into the hearts of millions. But Lindy’s story is uniquely her own. She’s a musician, songwriter, poet, fitness instructor, advocate, and activist — and, I’m pleased to say, a faithful listener to my podcast.  

We talk about what it was like growing up *Boone*, about family, faith, and finding her own voice. We get personal - her life as mom to Jessie, Tyler, and Ryan, and how she turned unimaginable tragedy into a mission of hope. 

You’ll hear Ryan’s story — his Traumatic Brain Injury, the birth of *Ryan’s Reach*, and the community Lindy and her family have built for others living with (TBI).

And because music is in her DNA, Lindy shares the inspiration behind her latest work — songs like *Wordlayer* and *Not a Wasted Life*. You’ll feel her heart in every note.  

Join us — this one’s powerful, heartfelt, and deeply human. 

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My guest this week is Inés Velásquez-McBryde—pastor, preacher, reconciler, and *mujerista* theologian. She grew up in Nicaragua, came to the U.S. nearly three decades ago, and brings with her a deep love for story, justice, and community. She is deeply involved in the resistance to the invasion of Los Angeles by ICE agents, determined to deport masses of brown people, no matter their legal status.

Inés and I serve together on the board of the Center for Restorative Justice. I’ve witnessed her passion for lifting women’s voices, planting a multiethnic church, and calling the Church to racial reconciliation and full inclusion. In this episode, she shares her story—from her early dreams of America to her calling in ministry, to her fearless advocacy for immigrants, women, and justice.  

We talk about LA and ICE, the 2024 election, and what it means to follow Jesus in a world where power too often silences compassion. Inés is a voice of courage and grace in a time when we need both.

SHOW NOTES - Learn more about Inés Velásquez-McBryde

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My friend and podcast partner, Ken Fong is back from his honeymoon. We’re here for another lively edition of The Two Kens. This week, we’re unpacking the fallout from what some are calling a “Third Great Awakening,” sparked by the recent Charlie Kirk memorial and the movement he inspired.

We’ll dive into the headlines—from The Atlantic and Religion News Service to Mother Jones and Wired—and trace how faith, politics, and power are merging in America’s latest culture war. We’ll explore the New Apostolic Reformation’s push to “Christianize the Seven Mountains,” from Wall Street to Hollywood, and what CBS’s Andrew Ross Sorkin says about eerie echoes of 1929.

Satruday, October 18, I’m off to the NO KINGS protest.

Some say this movement is a revival. Others call it a takeover. We say—it’s time to talk about it. Join us for an honest, wide-ranging conversation that connects the dots between the headlines, history, and what’s happening right now in our churches, schools, and politics.

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I’m joined by my co-host, Betsey Newenhuyse. We take a fresh, thoughtful, and often provocative look at the week’s biggest stories — from politics and power to faith and the future of our democracy.

This week, there’s a storm brewing in Chicago: ICE agents and the National Guard are deployed in full force, and both Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson are saying enough is enough. Meanwhile, over 850 generals gathered to hear Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, but The Wall Street Journal’s Peggy Noonan had a few sharp words — calling his performance “embarrassing,” and the President’s even worse.

We’ll also unpack Russell Vought’s Project 2025 — the ideological blueprint dismantling the federal government in the name of “biblical Christianity” — and Stephen Miller’s aggressive new immigration push that’s turning cities into deportation zones. Add to that Kamala Harris’s new bestseller, 107 Days, Pope Leo’s surprising critique of U.S. immigration policy, and an update on Pete Buttigieg — and we’ve got plenty to talk about.

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Today I welcome back my guest, Grant Young, for a conversation that couldn’t be more timely—or more urgent. Together, we take a hard look at the impact of Charlie Kirk, both before and after his tragic death on a college campus, an event that has left people across the country divided, grieving, and searching for answers.

Charlie Kirk rose quickly to national prominence as a central figure in America’s culture wars. He brought politics into the sanctuary, blending evangelical worship with MAGA rallies and voter registration drives. His voice was amplified not only in churches and stadiums, but also in classrooms and legislatures, shaping policy and public perception. Statues in his honor now appear, intended to symbolize dialogue and civil discourse. But do they?

We dig into the contradictions: the image of Kirk as a promoter of “unity” versus the inflammatory rhetoric that too often marked his public statements—about race, religion, immigration, and political opponents. Were his words an expression of truth-telling conviction, or a rejection of the very ideals of mutual respect and dialogue?

Grant and I will explore what Kirk’s rise—and his sudden, violent end—means for the future of faith and politics in America, and what lessons higher education, the church, and all of us might learn in this moment.

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