The Common Good Podcast

The Knicks trailed by 22 points with seven minutes left and a 0.1% chance of winning. They won in overtime. Brian From takes that improbable comeback and turns it into the lesson we all need: don't quit until the final buzzer sounds, and remember that your God never gives up on you either. Then, three years after Tim Keller's death from pancreatic cancer, Brian revisits what may be his most powerful message — not one preached from a pulpit, but lived out loud as he faced death. Keller's words on resurrection hope, fighting sin rather than cancer, and why suffering strips away respectable illusions of piety are as gripping as anything he ever wrote. Randy Alcorn follows with eight myths about heaven that most Christians quietly believe — from spending eternity in clouds to heaven being boring to not recognizing the people we love. The biblical picture, it turns out, is far more concrete, physical, and extraordinary than most of us have been taught. Plus: discipleship starts with delight, not curriculum; why a master's degree isn't the job guarantee it used to be; and Brian gets personal about the wave of emotions that comes with kids leaving the nest.

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Mark Zuckerberg thinks AI companions can solve the loneliness crisis. Researchers say it may actually make it worse — and the church needs to pay attention, because a chatbot can simulate friendship but it can never become a neighbor. Brian From digs into what's really at stake when people outsource emotional connection to algorithms. Then: John Piper on resentment, and why expecting to be treated fairly might be the root of more anger than we realize. Brian gets personal about his own struggle to let go after a painful job loss, and Piper's challenge lands hard — why would you expect to be treated better than Jesus was? A piece on Gen Z anxiety that expands well beyond one generation: four commitments that can make anyone less anxious, starting with following the real Jesus and ending with self-denial. The forgotten figure of John the Baptist and his most important line — he must become greater, I must become less — and what it actually looks like to live as an ambassador of Christ. Plus: a 1,300-year-old sword found by a six-year-old on a school field trip, the OJ Simpson trial's Detective Mark Fuhrman passing away, and a closing devotion on what it means to plant your feet on a firm foundation when the storms come.

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It's graduation season, and Brian From mines the best commencement wisdom making the rounds — Eric Church's six guitar strings as six pillars of life (and why faith is the low E that everything else depends on), Rick Warren's sobering reminder that nobody on their deathbed has ever asked for their trophies, and Admiral McRaven's legendary case for why making your bed every morning is actually about the trajectory of your entire day. Then: a genuinely important piece on why parents need to play too — not just schedule their kids' activities, but carve out hobbies, downtime, and unstructured joy for themselves. Research says peak wellbeing hits around $111,000 a year, relationships matter more than wealth, and time may be our greatest currency — but do we actually live like we believe any of that? A 72-year-old grandmother just graduated medical school and is starting her residency, which is either inspiring or convicting depending on where you are with your own dreams. Plus: a company that gave employees a goodie bag instead of a raise, Pizza Hut bringing back the red checkered tablecloths, and a beautiful meditation on why God loves to hear his children cry "help please, Dad."

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What do non-denominational and Pentecostal churches have in common — and why are they the only two categories of American Christianity consistently growing right now? Brian From digs into new data that points to something deeper than style or structure: a widespread hunger for experiential, Spirit-filled faith in an age where everything feels artificial. Then: Christian nationalism is becoming a household term, and Brian makes the case that the real danger isn't patriotism — it's when Jesus gets used as a lever for political power rather than worshiped as King. A practical word on evangelism that might actually help: forget the clipboard approach and start asking better questions. Three lighter stories — a woman in Alabama who shot her husband for being annoying, a donor who paid off student loans at commencement, and data showing high-powered dads are finally spending more time with their kids. The doctrine of perseverance unpacked: why you'll still be a Christian tomorrow, and it has nothing to do with your strength. And a genuinely clarifying look at what "pray without ceasing" actually means — hint, it's less about bowing your head and more about living in constant communion. Happy birthday, Carrie.

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It's Friday, which means Adam Holtz from Plugged In is back to help you figure out what's actually worth watching — and what to skip. This week: Remarkably Bright Creatures, a quiet, thoughtful drama starring Sally Field as a grieving cleaning woman whose best confidant is a sentient, dying octopus named Marcellus. It's warm, it's mostly clean, and it is absolutely not a kids movie despite the talking sea creature. Then Adam breaks down In the Gray, the new Guy Ritchie thriller with Henry Cavill, Jake Gyllenhaal, and approximately 60 profanities — which prompts a genuinely useful conversation about how Plugged In thinks about relative versus absolute content standards, and why counting swear words actually matters. Plus a preview of what's coming to the big screen this summer, including the Mandalorian film on the horizon. Find full reviews and parental guides for everything at pluggedin.com.

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David Pollack was a first-round NFL draft pick living his childhood dream when a broken neck in his second season ended everything — and he says it was the best thing that ever happened to his faith. The forced stillness he'd never allowed himself finally let him hear from God. Then in 2025, his wife Lindsay was diagnosed with brain cancer, and Pollack discovered that watching someone you love suffer is a completely different test than suffering yourself. He joins Brian From to talk about his new book Every Day Counts, what football taught him about failing forward in faith, and the three R's — reflect, repent, repurpose — that transformed his prayer life from awkward obligation to actual conversation. He also makes a point that lands hard: you have to be selfish in the morning so you can be selfless the rest of the day. If God matters, get up earlier. Plus a college football bonus — David weighs in on Michigan, Illinois, Bryce Underwood, and what he's watching heading into the season. A genuinely fun, genuinely convicting hour.

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Over two-thirds of Netflix shows rated for young children contain LGBT characters, themes, or storylines — and the age rating system parents have trusted since 1996 was never designed to flag any of it. Emily Washburn, issues analyst and writer for The Daily Citizen at Focus on the Family, joins Brian From to break down what the FCC is currently investigating, why the board responsible for overseeing TV ratings is stacked almost exclusively with media industry insiders, and what parents can do right now to make their voices heard. The comment process is open, it's simple, and it matters. Emily also points parents toward Plugged In — the most-asked-about topic in their inbox is exactly this one — as a practical resource for navigating what's actually in the movies, shows, and games your kids are consuming. And her closing advice is surprisingly simple: go back to the shows you loved as a kid. They're all on streaming, and your kids might love them too. Visit thedailycitizen.org and fcc.gov to learn more.

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By age three, more than half of children are already attached to a screen. And if you're waiting for your kids to be the problem, Amy Lowe has some uncomfortable news: the research points back at us first. Amy, director of Wind Shape Camps for Girls and Families, joins Brian From for a candid conversation about what technology is actually doing to kids, why parents are often the ones driving the habit, and what happens when children spend a week unplugged in nature with counselors who model something different. Spoiler: parents keep saying the same thing when they pick their kids up — "I got my kid back." Amy breaks down the case for holding off on screens as long as possible, why giving kids real-world adventures matters more than we realize, and why being passive about technology means it wins by default. Plus a practical word for parents who are newer to this: you actually know more now than previous generations did, and that's an advantage worth using. Find Wind Shape Camps at windshapecamps.org.

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Most Christians would never fall for the health-and-wealth gospel. But what about the version that promises comfort instead of cash? Or the one that trades a fat bank account for a platform and an audience? Brian From digs into what Relevant Magazine is calling the new prosperity gospel — and it hits closer to home than a TV preacher ever could. Then: Philippians 4 and the peace that doesn't just reduce anxiety but surpasses understanding entirely — what that actually means and how to access it. Russell Moore on teaching the book of Hebrews 20 years apart and discovering the Bible hadn't changed, but he had — and why that's exactly how a living, active Word is supposed to work. Randy Alcorn on learning to hear God's still small voice, and why abiding matters more than straining. And JD Greear on why generosity isn't a financial test at all — it's a trust test. Three motivations from 2 Corinthians 8 that reframe giving entirely: grace, joy, and follow through.

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Who or what is forming you? That's the question at the center of this wide-ranging hour. Brian From starts with gas prices hitting $5 a gallon and what anxiety about money keeps pointing us back to, then moves into a fascinating piece on how Gen Z is asking a fundamentally different theological question than previous generations — not "why do bad things happen to good people," but "why don't bad things happen to bad people?" It's a shift that reveals a generation desensitized to sin but hungry for justice, and it has real implications for how the church disciples young people. Then: Ben Sasse is dying publicly and dying well, and Tim Challies makes the case that his greatest legacy may be his final one — while reminding us that faithfulness is faithfulness whether your audience is millions or three. A grieving dad completes the UK Three Peaks Challenge wearing a vest the weight of his late daughter, and Brian unpacks what carrying grief actually looks like. Plus: Chris Bryant, identity, and what happens when everything you thought defined you gets taken away. And a closing meditation on Peter letting down his nets one more time — tired, doubtful, and obedient anyway.

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