The RELEVANT Podcast (Subscriber Edition)

This week, "This Is How We Do It" singer Montell Jordan joins us. He and his wife, Kristin, went from platinum records and world tours to planting a church, and they talk about what was missing in the middle of all that success. Also on the show, Ryan Ellis, who spent a decade writing worship music and now shows us what else he’s got. We spotlight his new album, ‘No Halo.’

In RELEVANT Buzz, Saints quarterback Drew Brees went into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and built his speech around the day Christ changed his life. In other sports news, the Chicago White Sox handed out a record-breaking number of Pope hats. A new Harvard study suggests the loneliness epidemic may not be for the reasons we assume. And Stranger Things actor Caleb McLaughlin opens up about his faith journey.

In Slices, the FAA solved its air traffic controller shortage by advertising the job to gamers, and a guy in San Francisco bought a billboard for an AI chatbot that turns out to be him. One Has to Go closes it out, and we tell you about four open positions we’ve posted at relevantmediagroup.com.

Editorial Question of the Week: What's something you wish you knew before starting your freshman year? Drop it in the comments or on our socials. We'll read the best ones on next week's show and turn them into an article at relevantmagazine.com.

Highlights:

01:53 — Derek on teenage boys 

04:15 — New York smells and we fix it

08:36 — Cameron's resting heart rate becomes a group intervention 

17:20 — RELEVANT Buzz: Drew Brees' Hall of Fame speech 

19:03 — The time Oprah tried to wipe off Drew Brees' birthmark on live TV 

23:11 — The White Sox gave away 40,000 Pope hats 

26:02 — Harvard says loneliness tracks with income, not gender 

31:05 — Caleb McLaughlin on the faith he found on his own 

34:41 — Montell and Kristin Jordan 

40:30 — Ryan Ellis 

47:34 — Slices: The FAA recruited gamers to run air traffic control 

51:26 — The San Francisco AI chatbot that is one guy typing 

59:10 — Editorial Question of the Week 

59:45 — One Has to Go

This week we're joined by Lily Hooten of Housefires, the Atlanta worship collective, to talk about their new album House Church Vol. 001. She talks with Emily about  how the record came together and where the collective is going from here.

In RELEVANT Buzz, “I Took a Pill in Ibiza” singer Mike Posner is going public about finding faith, his baptism and laying out what he thinks being a Christian actually requires of him. We also get into a Gen Z trend that gives singleness a rebrand, plus the A-list artists selling mystery concert tickets for a low price to combat rising concert prices. 

In Slices, The Killers frontman Brandon Flowers says he's thinking about quitting music and points at his dad as the reason, and Cameron brings a story about maybe the real reason people are stealing those Flock surveillance cameras. Somewhere in there Jesse invents the meeting poncho, which he is convinced is a great idea. And Emily has a can’t-miss announcement at the end of the show.

Editorial Question of the Week: What's a worship song lyric you can't unhear once you notice it? Drop your answer in the comments or @ us. We're reading them on next week's episode.

Highlights:

02:52 — Jesse's home alone and after 10 hours the house is already destroyed

11:22 — The meeting shirt, and the case for a back flap

16:07 — SkyMall is somehow still online

18:19 — Sharper Image vs. Brookstone, peak capitalism

22:27 — RELEVANT Buzz: Mike Posner gets baptized

28:06 — Gen Z, dating apps and solo maxxing

33:24 — Mystery concert tickets, with one catch

36:15 — Lily Hooten of Housefires

43:36 — Slices: Brandon Flowers on quitting music

47:35 — Google's AI said Flock cameras are full of gold

52:50 — Editorial Question of the Week

53:43 — Emily has an announcement

This week, adventurer Bear Grylls joins us to tell us about The Chosen in the Wild, his new Prime Video series debuting Sunday. He takes the cast into Utah canyons and the Great Basin Desert, and tells us what Jonathan Roumie is actually like off camera.

We also have Emily’s recap of a memorable Lollapalooza this past weekend, Spider-Man: Brand New Day making U.S. box office history, and movie theaters having a record-setting comeback. We also get into the professor who found a way to catch students using AI on exams, and Arizona State announcing a new degree that’s getting a lot of ridicule, but Jesse thinks is a great idea. And we tell the tale of Katy Perry getting stuck in a human-sized inflatable water bottle at a recent concert.

This week’s question of the week: what's a random habit you picked up that's genuinely improved your life? Drop your answer in the comments or @ us. We're reading them on next week's episode.

Highlights:

01:25 — A father-sons weekend in New York

03:22 — The Devil Wears Prada 2, reviewed from the runway

05:44 — Lollapalooza recap: Grant Park is enormous

07:15 — The case for wheels on your feet

11:47 — Lorde, Olivia Dean and a very wet weekend

14:54 — The rain delay, a canceled set and The Neighbourhood's missing instruments

18:34 — Lolla fashion: vintage NBA jerseys and brat crop tops

20:29 — Charli xcx, "Rock Music" and what artists owe their fans

25:20 — Marty moves on up

27:26 — Sitcom shared universes

30:12 — RELEVANT Buzz: Spider-Man breaks the all-time box office record

36:05 — The professor who caught 32 students using AI

38:12 — Bear Grylls on The Chosen in the Wild

42:02 — Slices: Arizona State's influencer degree

46:49 — Slices: Katy Perry vs. a giant water bottle

50:56 — Question of the Week

This week we're joined by Tim Tebow and Kirk Cousins, two of the most recognizable quarterbacks in the game who have both spent years on the same fight. We talk about World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, which is this week — Tebow on what opened his eyes to the scale of it, Cousins on how his faith turned into two decades of advocacy.

In RELEVANT Buzz, new research from the Billy Graham Center Research Institute found that 48% of Gen Z adults say Christians' support of Trump has made them less likely to go to church. 

In RELEVANT Recommends we spotlight Grace Runkle, who is about as inspired by Elevation Worship as she is by Japanese House.

In Slices, the White House asked Dr. Phil to review the UFO files and gauge how the public would take the news, and he came away infuriated. And a woman in New York is suing McDonald's over fries that were too hot, which is either a legitimate grievance or the end of hot food as we know it.

Then it's your worst Christian breakup lines. Brother in Christ. Personal Eve. Unequal yokes. Then a quick round of "One Has to Go" gets into golden retrievers, communion bread and Sunday naps. 

Then it's this week’s Question of the Week: what's your go-to struggle meal? Drop your answer in the comments or @ us, we're reading them on next week's episode.

Highlights:

00:00 — Intro / episode rundown

02:40 — Black people love hibachi and Jesse's ban from the Mongolian barbecue buffet

08:46 — RELEVANT Buzz: World Day Against Trafficking in Persons with Tim Tebow

11:50 — Kirk Cousins on faith and advocacy

14:05 — Cameras off, FaceTime etiquette and the unk defense

17:48 — Cookout has the worst menu in fast food

21:21 — RELEVANT Buzz: 48% of Gen Z avoids church because of Christian support for Trump

24:50 — RELEVANT Recommends: Grace Runkle

26:57 — Slices: Dr. Phil, the UFO files and soft disclosure

38:33 — The McDonald's hot fries lawsuit

41:45 — Your Feedback: Worst Christian breakup lines

45:50 — "One Has to Go"

49:34 — Question of the Week: What’s your go-to struggle meal?

52:55 — Outro

This week, we're joined by Davide Mutendji of Elevation Rhythm, whose new album WASHED just dropped. He tells us about the heart behind the project and how Drake became a surprising inspiration for the worship group.

In RELEVANT Buzz, the trailer for ‘I Play Rocky’ arrived, and it sent us down a rabbit hole into Sylvester Stallone's faith journey — including a conversation where he calls out Christians who think they can skip church. (Rocky would never!) We also dig into a new study finding only one in three young adults are dating even though nearly all of them want to get married (the reasons are bleak). And with the new season of ‘Quarterback’ out on Netflix, we look at Baker Mayfield's road from college wild child to a real-deal faith story.

In Slices, a school district in New York is putting a humanoid robot named in classrooms, and Jesse loves it. And Derek shows us the clip of the grandpa getting flipped by a bison this week. Plus we settle once and for all whether Medusa is in ‘The Odyssey.’

Then in feedback we have your rent-free reality TV moments, and we ask this week’s Question of the Week: what's the worst Christian breakup line of all time? Drop your answer in the comments — we're reading our favorites next week.

Highlights:

00:00 — Intro / Emily reviews The Odyssey
 07:41 — RELEVANT Buzz: ‘I Play Rocky’ & Stallone's church call-out
 26:14 — Why two-thirds of young adults aren't dating
 33:32 — ‘Quarterback’ & Baker Mayfield's faith journey
 41:25 — Davide Mutendji of Elevation Rhythm
 50:04 — Slices: The robot teacher coming to New York classrooms
 53:08 — Grandpa vs. bison
 58:08 — Your feedback: Reality TV moments living rent-free

This week, we're joined by rapper, apparel label owner and pastor KB, whose new album 'This Cannot Be Sold' is out this week. He talks about why he refuses to package Jesus for marketability and what staying loyal to Christ over politics and tribalism actually costs.

In RELEVANT Buzz, ‘Wednesday’ star Emma Myers opens up about turning to God in the hardest season of her life, Lecrae admits he spent years treating John Piper's words like Scripture, and the crew unpacks what the Reformed era of Christian hip-hop got right and wrong. Plus, the first Christian song to top a billion streams on Spotify: you will not guess it in a million years.

In Slices, Jesse investigates the disappearance of Pickles, a diaper-wearing mascot beloved by a Miami pickleball community. And Derek has news about the fresh ingredients Taco Bell is pulling off the menu, for a reason involving explosive diaherrea.

Then your feedback closes it out: Monopoly trash talk, a three-minute breath hold, Team Canada horseshoes confidence and more.

Highlights:

00:00 — Intro and Can Christopher Nolan be trusted with The Odyssey? 

22:48 — RELEVANT Buzz: Emma Myers opens up about finding God 

31:25 — Lecrae says he made John Piper an idol. Derek was there for that era 

39:32 — The first Christian song to a billion Spotify streams (you won't guess it) 

46:04 — RELEVANT Conversation: KB on why Jesus isn't for sale 

54:11 — Slices: Jesse on Pickles, the missing pickleball mascot 

59:27 — Derek's bad news for Taco Bell fans 

1:02:54 — Your feedback: competitions you're convinced you'd win 

1:05:41 — Next week's question: reality TV moments living rent-free in your head

This week, three-time Grammy winner Tori Kelly joins us to talk about her new album 'God Must Really Love Me,' written just weeks after she became a first-time mom. She tells us how it’s changed her approach to songwriting and her view of God.

In RELEVANT Buzz, new research finds while Gen Z is the most church-engaged generation, it’s also the least likely to pray. What? We also take a lap around the World Cup's faith stories, and Forrest Frank now has the largest arena tour in the country.

In Slices, Jesse tells us about a man who stole Smokey Bear signs and got arrested in the most humiliating way possible, and Derek has a Maryland guy who might have accidentally redefined Double Jeopardy.

Plus, a report from 11 days of adventure in Alaska, a geography fact-off that spirals into pyramid conspiracies, and your feedback on childhood things that were secretly insane.

Highlights:

00:00 — Intro: Thriving for 11 days in Alaska (unlike the Into the Wild guy) 

22:11 — The great Alaska fact-off: rainforests vs. secret pyramids 

24:18 — RELEVANT Buzz: Faith all over the World Cup — including Messi's blessed boots 

34:28 — Gen Z is in church, so why aren't they praying? 

39:45 — Forrest Frank has a top 5 tour in America 

41:00 — Tori Kelly on new motherhood and 'God Must Really Love Me' 

50:02 — Slices: The Smokey Bear sign heist 

57:16 — The worst possible time to call the police 

59:52 — Your feedback: Childhood things that were secretly insane 

1:02:32 — This week's question: What could you win a competition in? 

This is the perfect episode for summer vacation season. First, Tiffany Hudson from Elevation Worship joins us to tell us about her new solo album ‘When You're in the Room,’ and the importance of “vertical” lyrics in worship music. Then rapper Parris Chariz joins us for the second half of the show. We talk about his new album ‘The World Is Watching,’ basketball and his unusual path to seminary.

In Slices, Jesse gives us a look at his vision for the future of politics in America (it looks a lot like jury duty), and Derek takes us to the frontlines of a DoorDash robot crashing a SWAT standoff and refusing to leave.

Then One Has to Go closes it out: croissants on trial, mashed potatoes with no defenders, and an unprovoked shot at the Eiffel Tower.

Highlights:

03:01 — Slices: the Long Island town that elected a mayor who didn't want the job 

17:52 — Slices: a DoorDash robot crashes a SWAT standoff and refuses to leave 

23:00 — RELEVANT Conversation: Tiffany Hudson on her solo album When You're in the Room 

30:15 — RELEVANT Conversation: Parris Chariz on The World Is Watching, basketball and seminary 

42:38 — One Has to Go: Paris things, Detroit things, comfort foods and more 

51:35 — Outro

This week — after the crew discusses summer vacations, cruise classes and the Jersey Shore — we talk to Jessica Koulianos, co-founder of Jesus Image, about what it actually looks like to go deeper with God instead of just consuming more church content.

In RELEVANT Buzz, Team USA has turned the World Cup into a faith story, and we get into Steven Spielberg's new film ‘Disclosure Day’ and the surprising amount of room it gives to faith. 

In RELEVANT Recommends, we talk to Christian R&B artist Sondae, whose new album is a must-listen.

In Slices, scientists are trying to find Noah’s Ark, and a pastor preached for 96 hours straight to chase a Guinness World Record. Then your feedback closes it out with the things everyone loves that you just don't get: matcha that tastes like grass, smash burgers, Hey Dudes and yes, we get distracted by your unusual usernames.

Highlights:

00:00 — Intro: Alaska cruises, classes and Jesse's classy Jersey Shore vacation

14:03 — RELEVANT Buzz: Team USA's faith goes viral at the World Cup

21:55 — ‘Disclosure Day’ and what aliens would do to Christian belief

30:31 — RELEVANT Recommends: Sondae on his vulnerable new album 'Boy'

36:23 — RELEVANT Conversation: Jessica Koulianos on real intimacy with Jesus

50:33 — Slices: Drilling for Noah's Ark near Mount Ararat

55:29 — The pastor who preached for 96 hours

59:02 — Your Feedback: Things everyone loves that you just don't get

1:07:14 — Outro

Andy Mineo and Wordsplayed are back as Magic and Bird, and tell us all about the sequel to their 2017 cult classic album. We also get into the state of Christian hip-hop, why nobody is vetted anymore, and spend a genuinely uncomfortable amount of time guessing Derek Minor's net worth to his face.

In RELEVANT Buzz, the SBC voted to ban women from the pulpit and it wasn't close. Victory Boyd forgave Travis Scott and ended up in the studio with him. And Pharrell started his Christian rap era with a Voices of Fire song called "The One."

In Slices, someone claimed a religious exemption from using AI at work, and Derek has decided it might be the greatest finesse in history. 

We also stop to mark World Refugee Day with an eye-opening conversation from the frontlines of Sudan about the world’s largest humanitarian crisis happening there. 

Then One Has to Go closes it out: a suspiciously cheap dollar slice, Rambo in 2026, and the case against Shaq.

Highlights:

00:00 — Intro / Derek’s frustrating tech updates 

10:42 — RELEVANT Buzz: Victory Boyd & Travis Scott go from lawsuit to collaborating

14:08 — The SBC votes to ban women in the pulpit 

17:23 — Pharrell's "The One" with Voices of Fire 

20:38 — World Refugee Day: the crisis in Sudan with World Vision’s Grace Mavhezha 

25:13 — Slices: A religious exemption to not use AI at work? 

29:36 — RELEVANT Conversation: Andy Mineo & Wordsplayed on Magic and Bird 2 

36:24 — The state of Christian hip-hop 

40:16 — Putting Derek Minor's net worth on blast 

51:51 — The five-week album rollout and why nothing breaks through anymore 

56:24 — One Has to Go

1:07:40 — Outro