“Backslider.” A catch-all too often used to describe those within the faith who ask hard questions. But why doesn’t the church have a more positive category for its members who begin to question their faith? Is the solution really to just come up with the right answers and shut them down? Or is there something deeper happening? Today’s podcast gues…

For many Christians, fitting into the current cultural moment just feels…hard! From 40 million people having left the church in the last 25 years to less than half of U.S. adults identifying as Protestants or church attendees, one thing is clear: Christians are outsiders. But is that such a bad thing? Should we fear missing out, or consider it a jo…

In what might be the biggest comeback in American politics, Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States this week, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris in a decisive victory. On today’s episode, we’re doing our best to break it down from a Christian perspective. First, Keith and Patrick share who they voted for, and whether o…

We’ve all heard the stats: Anxiety, depression, and loneliness are on the rise. Yet, therapies, medications, and other techniques for alleviating mental afflictions abound. What are we missing? Alan Noble, author of “On Getting Out of Bed,” joins us today to first normalize mental anguish as an everyday experience for the majority of people. His bo…

Sensational worship, but lacking in theological depth. Unnecessary titles. Too much politics in the pulpit. There are many misconceptions about the black church, and today’s guest is here to address them. Dr. Anthony Bradley is an author, a Professor of Religious Studies, and a Research Fellow at the Acton Institute. He joins Keith to set the recor…

Which came first: your political beliefs or the Bible’s stance on political issues? Too often, many Christians start with a political position and then go to the Bible seeking justification for their predetermined beliefs. But how can we truly know what the Bible says on specific political issues? And how involved should Christians be when it comes…

We’re officially less than a month out from Election Day 2024. In the last several weeks, we’ve had a number of Christians reach out asking a variety of questions: “Can I really support Donald Trump?” “Should I vote for Kamala Harris?” “Should I just vote for a third party, or is that throwing away my vote altogether?” We’ve been asking ourselves t…

How can we glorify God and bless others when we’re stretched to capacity? Are we really supposed to change the world when there’s work to be done, the house needs cleaning, and the kids are screaming? Today’s guest, Drew Dyck, is here to let us all in on a little secret: God doesn’t expect you to do everything! He wants you to be faithful, not famo…

Follower of Jesus. Leading scientist. Is it possible for those to describe the same person? Dr. Francis Collins joins us today to prove that he’s both. As the former director of the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Collins is a polarizing figure inside and outside the church. He starts by explaining how he approaches apparent conflicts between sc…

Everybody’s (still) talking about anxiety. We now know more about it, we’re more medicated for it, but it seems to be getting worse. Is there something about anxiety that we’re all missing? Steve Cuss, author, pastor, podcaster, and former chaplain, talks about anxiety in a way that few do. Today, he’s here to share some anxiety “secrets” from his …

Where were you on the morning of September 11, 2001? If you were old enough, you likely remember that day in great detail. Today, on the 23rd anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks, Keith and Patrick are sharing their own memories from that day, recounting the facts of this tragic event, and reflecting on how much the world has changed…

It’s finally football season! We’re kicking it off by sitting down with Mizzou head football coach, Eliah Drinkwitz. (M-I-Z, anyone?) Keith and Coach Drinkwitz start by tackling some deep questions about his success, whether or not he believes it’s the product of hard work or luck, and how he’s able to stay humble. He shares his story: how he grew …

Stuck. That’s how many conservative, evangelical Christians feel when election season comes around. Does anybody really want to be on “Team Lesser Evil” anyway? Is there another way to vote? Today, Nancy French, New York Times bestselling ghostwriter and author of “Ghosted,” joins Keith to share her story and offer advice for conservative Christian…

In recent years, there’s been a definitive uptick in tribalism, extremism, and extremist violence. But is the same true inside the church itself? Former counterterrorism official, Elizabeth Neumann, is back on the pod today to provide a fascinating look into the process of radicalization that has crept into evangelicalism. She starts by discussing …

“If today’s church were more like the early church, we wouldn’t have all of these problems.” Ever heard people talk like this? Many Christians today assume that the earliest Christ followers were zealous converts who were much more devoted to their faith than typical, modern-day church-goers. But today’s guest, Nadya Williams, is here to explain ho…

Are healthy disagreements even possible in today’s culture? John Inazu, author of “Learning to Disagree,” joins Patrick on the pod this week to share how his life experiences as a lawyer and religion professor have helped him learn to disagree well. He gives examples of some of the worst disagreements he’s seen, explains why the idea of fairness is…

Most Christians agree that they must be culturally engaged. But there’s less agreement on how affecting cultural change is best accomplished. Which approach do you take? Maybe you’re like an advisor who wants to make gradual strides from the top down. Or maybe you’re more like a prophet who isn’t afraid to call out injustice and demand immediate ch…

If you watched the Republican National Convention, you noticed several things that seemed… out of place. A Hindu prayer. Hulk Hogan. And a platform that’s strayed from conventional conservative values, including traditional marriage and the sanctity of life. It’s clear: The “new” Republican party is here. And its “Trumpublican” values seem to have …

On July 13, 2024, former President Donald Trump was almost assassinated at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. While it’s not our place to weigh in on many aspects of this horrific attack, we do want to focus on the church: How should Christians respond? On today’s episode, Keith and Patrick issue a call for Christians to think carefully and clearly, …

Life is hard. God is good. Let’s dance. That’s the mantra (and the book title) of today’s podcast guest, Brant Hansen. Brant is an award-winning author and radio show host whose life provides a tangible example of the joy often missing in Christianity today. But his joy doesn’t stem from ignorance or a life free of trauma. Hear him explain to Keith…

According to recent polls, 70%+ of Americans don’t want Donald Trump or Joe Biden running for President. So, how did we get here? This week, Keith and Patrick join up to discuss golf handicaps--uhh, wait, we mean the first Presidential debate of 2024. They dissect the ways that TV and social media have changed how we judge debates and made them far…

When you hear about someone in prison, what typically goes through your head? Maybe it’s, “Good, I’m sure they deserve it,” or maybe it’s more, “What if they’re unfairly there?” Or, maybe you make no assumptions at all. Which is the correct Christian perspective on criminal justice? That’s what we’re discussing today when Matt Martens joins Patrick…

Fewer Americans are getting married today than ever in our nation’s history. But why? And is it really that big of a deal? Today, Keith sits down with Brad Wilcox, Professor of Sociology and author of “Get Married,” to learn why society should care about preserving our country’s most fundamental institution. Brad shares some of the reasons that peo…

Is it appropriate to talk politics from the pulpit? Today, Keith sits down with pastor and author Chris Butler to discuss. Chris pastors a church in Chicago, cohosts the Church Politics podcast, and is a leader in the AND Campaign, which empowers Christians to practice politics faithfully. Hear Chris detail the differences between black and white c…

The 2024 election is fast approaching and many Christians are still left wondering whose policies best represent the Bible’s teachings. Today, we’re talking to theologian and author of “The Bible and the Ballot,” Tremper Longman, to learn how Christians can vote in a way that best reflects biblical values. First, Tremper tells us why he decided to …

Thankless. Exhausting. Lonely. That’s how many Millennial women view the prospect of motherhood. And the statistics bear this out: The global fertility rate is steadily dropping. So, how did we get here? Today, Keith is joined by Vox senior reporter, Rachel Cohen, to discuss. Hear Rachel share insights from her recent article, “How Millennials Lear…

Sadly, today’s episode will be the last episode of the Premier Christian Newscast. To wrap the show up, we looked back over the last two years at what stories and topics have come up the most. What has been making waves in church news? What issues are we unable to move on from? And what might this tell us about what is going to be hitting the headl…

How does a liberal living in one of the deepest blue counties in the country converse with her conservative, Mexican immigrant parents who voted for Donald Trump twice? We find out today when Monica Guzman joins us on the pod! Monica is on the national leadership team of Braver Angels, a “depolarization organization” designed to reduce partisan ani…

All of the UK will be going to the polls soon in a general election, which is expected at some point in the autumn. After a drubbing in the recent local elections, Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives are widely expected to be dumped out of office in Westminster too. And just as more and more Britons are abandoning the Tories, so too are Christians. This we…

If you grew up in the U.S., you’ve probably believed (and maybe you still do!) that advantage should be earned through ability and effort. You get ahead in this world based on your accomplishments. Right? Well, not so fast. What if this foundational American axiom is all a myth? Daniel Markovits, a professor at Yale and author of “The Meritocracy T…

If your faith was affected by the Left Behind series, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Not really, but can we talk about how many Americans have been impacted by the teachings of dispensationalism? That’s what happens today when Daniel Hummel, author of “The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism,” joins Keith on the pod! First, Daniel br…

The horrendous attack on a mother and her children by Abdul Ezedi, an Afghan asylum seeker, in Clapham earlier this year sparked a ferocious row. A string of politicians and right-wing media outlets accused churches of giving asylum seekers like Ezedi bogus baptisms after they had fraudulently converted to Christianity to boost their arguments to n…

What’s happening to Gen Z? Since 2010, this generation has seen a 150% increase in depression. One in four teen girls reports experiencing a major depressive disorder in the last year. 37% of college students report feeling anxious “all the time.” New research shows that social media is no longer just a correlation to this problem, but the root cau…

It’s not just British denominations which are splintering under the weight of their divisions. The United Methodist Church in the United States has also gone through a painful five years of divorce, with up to one in four congregations choosing to leave. The crisis was, inevitably, precipitated by deep disagreements over LGBT issues including same-…

There’s no doubt that abortion will take center stage in this year’s election. From Roe v. Wade’s overturning to IVF controversies to Trump’s recent abortion stance to surprising state laws surrounding the issue, abortion is all over the news right now and Josh Brahm joins us this week to discuss. But he’s not the stereotypical pro-lifer. In fact, …

It’s not just a toddler group. Emphasis on the ‘just’. That’s the title and message of a new report which urges churches to take their midweek parents and toddler groups more seriously. These groups are not just about toys on mats and beakers of juice for tired mums, but vital for children’s flourishing and also for drawing families into the wider …

Have you ever wished you could get inside the head of a Christian going through a deconstruction journey? Well, you’ve come to the right place! Today, we’re joined by Abigail Favale, a Professor of Women’s Studies and author of “Into the Deep: An Unlikely Catholic Conversion,” to hear how she went from an evangelical upbringing to postmodern femini…

It is not just the Church of England and the Catholic Church which has been wrestling with divisions over same-sex marriage in recent years. The Baptist Union is also split between those who believe God affirms gay marriage and those who hold to a traditional opposition to it. Yet unlike other denominations, the Baptists have come recently to an in…

Did you know that 40% of American children are born to unmarried parents? Contrast that with the 1960s when this overall rate was less than 10%. So, why such a dramatic increase? And what impact is this having on our society? Melissa Kearney, author of the controversial book, “The Two-Parent Privilege,” joins the podcast today to weigh in. Listen a…

Ecumenism. Even the word itself is probably putting some of you off right now. A tiresome bit of churchy jargon that has no relevance for your church or spiritual life, right? But working for unity across churches and denominations is for some a genuine passion, an urgent priority, even a lifetime’s ministry. Earlier this year, a group of Catholic …

Donald Trump. Christ is King. Candace Owens. Antisemitism. Buckle up! On this episode, we’re examining all sorts of current events to prove that commingling politics and faith compromises the Church’s witness. First, Keith and Patrick discuss the Trump-endorsed “God Bless the USA” Bible and how this mashup conflates our citizenship in heaven with o…

Sports used to unify us. But today? Politics has checked into the game. And in many ways, introducing controversial topics into the sports world has benched more frequent conversations surrounding faith. Today’s guest, Jason Romano, knows a thing or two about this after working for 17 years as a content creator and producer at ESPN. He joins Keith …

Many of England’s biggest football clubs – today some of the country’s largest entertainment businesses – were originally started by local churches 150 years ago. Fascinatingly, the connections between Christianity and football are not solely a historical quirk either. There are Christians playing the game at every level, managing teams and running…

The Gospel is more political than you may think. But how do we guard against our political ideologies turning into partisan idolatry? Today’s guest, Joshua Butler, joins Patrick to discuss further insights from his recent book, The Party Crasher: How Jesus Disrupts Politics as Usual and Redeems Our Partisan Divide. Hear him introduce four political…

Just before Christmas, the Catholic Church surprisingly announced priests could offer pastoral blessings to same-sex couples for the first time. The announcement has been a jolt of energy to the church, delighting liberals who have been quick to publicise their blessings, and equally infuriating conservatives. Why has the backlash been so vociferou…

Pledging allegiance to the American flag. Singing the national anthem. Voting. Being patriotic. Is there a place for these things in the Christian life? Buckle up because this one will probably offend everyone in some way (including Patrick!). In this episode, we welcome Preston Sprinkle back on the podcast to discuss his newest book, “Exiles: The …

Almost nobody has heard of Sir Paul Marshall until a few weeks ago. But, thanks to his Twitter account, the multi-millionaire hedge funder and media mogul has become briefly famous, or perhaps infamous. An investigation has revealed Marshall had a private Twitter account which had liked and re-posted dozens of hardline anti-Muslim and far-right twe…

Have you noticed this trend? People spend about 90% of their time diagnosing today’s problems and only 10% focusing on (typically weak) solutions. This is true of Christians, too. Why are we more known for what we’re against rather than what we’re for? Today, Keith and Patrick dissect this trend and confess how this podcast has even taken part. The…

Do you view your faith through the prism of politics? Or do you view politics through the prism of your faith? Today’s guest, Tim Alberta, believes that too many American evangelicals have lost their way, striving for political gains over furthering the Gospel. On this episode, he shares insights with Keith from his latest book, The Kingdom, The Po…

After the murder of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, the Church of England embarked on a racial reckoning just like so many institutions. This produced a landmark report and a new racial justice unit. But more than three years on, has any progress been made in dismantling prejudice and discrimination in the national church?…