Christian Nationalism? The Bible, America, and How They Go Together | #91

Christian Nationalism? The Bible, America, and How They Go Together | #91

What does Scripture have to do with politics, culture, America, and how we live in public? In this episode, Zach and Brandon pause before finishing the Gospel of Mark to discuss a timely and complicated question: How should Christians think about authority, culture, Christian nationalism, and the public witness of the church? The conversation begins with the authority of Scripture, and what happens when God’s Word confronts our assumptions, preferences, or cultural moment. From there, they unpack why Western civilization cannot be understood apart from the Bible, how Christian ideas shaped movements like abolition and public education, and why phrases like “Christian nationalism” often need careful definition before they can be meaningfully discussed.

Looking At Church Hurt For What It Actually Is and How To Process It | #90

Ashley joins the podcast for the first time, and the conversation turns toward something many people know too well: church hurt. But instead of using that phrase as a blanket accusation against the whole body of Christ, Zach, Jill, Brandon, and Ashley discuss what it really means to be hurt by broken people inside the church, and how Jesus can still heal what people damaged. They share pieces of their own stories: church planting, betrayal, firing, isolation, NDAs, spiritual confusion, and the temptation to “burn it all down.” But they also discuss the moment that changed everything: choosing silence instead of retaliation, prayer instead of accusation, and building a community for Jesus instead of against the people who hurt them.

Seeking The Lord In The Darkness: How To Manage Difficulty And Faith (Mark 15) | #89

We talk often about the death and resurrection of Jesus, but what about His burial? In this episode, Zach and Jill discuss why Jesus' burial is not just an “in-between” moment. It is part of the gospel itself: death, burial, and resurrection. Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council who was looking for the Kingdom of God, takes courage and asks Pilate for the body of Jesus. And the women, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Jesus, watch where He is laid, becoming key witnesses to what happens next.

Rushing Through Trials: You May Be Missing What God Is Saying (Mark 15) | #88

In this episode, Zach, Jill, and Brandon discuss why the cross is bigger than a one-time transaction. In Mark 15:21–39, Jesus is led to Golgotha, mocked by the crowd, crucified between two criminals, and abandoned in darkness. He cries out the opening line of Psalm 22: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And then, when He breathes His last, the curtain of the temple is torn from top to bottom. Yes, Jesus pours out His blood for the forgiveness of sins, but He is also opening the way back into the presence of God, fulfilling the temple, revealing the true King, and showing us the way of sacrificial love. The cross is where Jesus dies for us, dies ahead of us, and opens the way for us to participate in the life of God.

Finding Faith After Disaster: A Hurricane Helene Story | #87

Jackie and Cynthia survived one of the most devastating floods in recent memory. When Hurricane Helene tore through Western North Carolina, their home was destroyed, and they were swept away in raging floodwaters with only a mattress and their little dog, Romeo, keeping them alive. For three days they waited in the wreckage, praying for rescue and wondering if they would ever make it home. What happened next changed their lives forever. In this powerful conversation, Jackie and Cynthia share their incredible survival story, the kindness of strangers who stepped in to help, and how losing everything ultimately led them to a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. This is a story of faith, perseverance, and hope in the middle of unimaginable loss. Help Jackie & Cynthia Purchase a New Home After Hurricane Helene [https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/help-jackie-and-cynthia-purchase-a-new-home-after-hurricane-helene]