In this edition of Bob Reads Books, Bob Thune and Will Walker discuss Alan Noble’s book To Live Well: Practical Wisdom for Moving Through Chaotic Times. Framed around the seven classical virtues, the book offers a practical guide for navigating modern life with clarity. Bob and Will explore why virtue formation matters, how habits shape character, and what it looks like to choose decisively, suffer steadfastly, and live moderately in a culture that often pushes us in the opposite direction.

In this episode, Bob and the Soul Brothers (Hunter Beaumont and Kevin Cawley) explore five elements of good preaching: biblical exposition, theological coherence, rhetorical power, cultural insight, and unction. They discuss the difference between preaching and teaching, the challenges of developing young preachers, and why faithful preaching requires both biblical depth and real-world application.

When the Pope speaks, millions around the world listen. That’s why in this episode, Bob examines Pope Leo XIV’s newly released encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, an expansive document designed to help Christians think critically about AI. Bob highlights three key insights from the document — the moral nature of technology, the dangers of a technocratic paradigm, and the value of human personhood — while also offering Protestant critiques.

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College campuses are often places of identity exploration, cultural tension, and individual expression — so what does it look like to be a faithful Christian in the collegiate workplace? In this episode, Bob Thune and Bethany Gilbert sit down with Bailey Tupper, a university administrator, to discuss faith, higher education, and the quiet ministry of Christian hospitality. Bailey shares her story of coming to faith in college, navigating secular workplace culture, serving students with excellence, and learning how to relate to people with grace and truth.

What everyday habits are most important for Christian formation?

We all know that our habits form us, for better or for worse. But it can be overwhelming to confront our bad habits and consider the good habits we should be building. In this episode, Dusty White and Bob Thune commend three simple, basic practices for Christian formation: meditation on Scripture, self-denial, and embodied community. In an age dominated by distraction, consumerism, and digital immersion, these three practices are essential to counter-cultural discipleship — and to a slower, deeper, more relational way of following Jesus.

How does the gospel critique and confront modern Western culture?

Will Walker joins Bob Thune to introduce a new feature of the podcast called “Bob Reads Books." In this episode, Will talks with Bob about Lesslie Newbigin’s book “Foolishness to the Greeks.” Together they explore how Western culture has been shaped by secular assumptions about truth, freedom, and religion. They discuss the fact/value split, individualism, pluralism, the public truth of the gospel, and why the local church itself may be the church’s strongest apologetic in a post-Christian world.

What will shape the future of the church in America?

In a 2023 lecture and essay, Bob made the case that the future of the church is contested. But much has changed in the past three years. In this episode, Bob is joined by Kevin Cawley and Hunter Beaumont — two members of a long-standing pastoral cohort known as the “Soul Brothers.” Together, they reflect on their decade-long friendship and discuss the church’s contested future.

From rising costs to demanding schedules, the current state of youth sports often pressures families to sacrifice time, money, and agency. In this episode, Bob interviews Dusty about his experience starting a new youth baseball team — one that prioritizes character, family rhythms, and Sunday worship over performance and profit. Bob and Dusty also reflect on the challenges of navigating select sports, the importance of setting boundaries, and how Christians can creatively build alternatives that better align with their convictions.

Steph Juliot joins Bob and Bethany for the first Faith + Work episode to talk about her role as a writer for The Pour Over, a news platform helping Christians stay informed without becoming overwhelmed. We discuss faith and vocation, healthy news consumption, AI, media ethics, and how the gospel shapes the way Christians respond to current events.

Introducing All Things New — reflecting on faith, culture, and the human soul.

Welcome to All Things New, the newly reimagined midweek podcast from Coram Deo Church. In this episode, we share the vision for the podcast moving forward, including new formats, guest conversations, and recurring themes like faith and work, leadership, and spiritual formation.

We also explore three major cultural developments: the rise and fall of the metaverse, growing legal accountability for social media companies and their impact on mental health, and the reevaluation of the “quiet revival” narrative in the UK after flawed data was uncovered. Through these discussions, we invite Christians to think critically about technology, culture, and the ongoing work of renewal in the world.