All Things New

Bob Thune and Bethany Gilbert talk with Ernest Richardson, principal conductor of the Omaha Symphony, about faith, vocation, and the power of music to shape a community. Ernest reflects on pursuing excellence without making success his identity, cultivating beauty as a way of loving our neighbors, and using our work to serve something greater than ourselves.

In this talk from the 2026 EFCA Theology Conference, Bob Thune explores "cultural apologetics" — how the Church can expose the idols of our cultural moment and make the case for Christ. He offers three practical exhortations for church leaders: confront dominant cultural narratives, make repentance and faith a lifestyle, and proclaim the hope of the resurrection and the world to come.

In this talk from the 2026 EFCA Theology Preconference, Bob Thune explores how conversion involves more than a profession of faith — it requires a gradual transformation of how we see the world. Drawing on Lesslie Newbigin, he explains how cultural apologetics helps the local church expose cultural idols and form people in the gospel’s way of seeing.

Bob Thune examines The Atlantic’s claim that America is becoming a post-literate society and considers what the decline of reading means for Christians. He explores the importance of reading, the transmission of wisdom between generations, and why the church should remain committed to the written word and the slow work of discipleship.

Bob Thune joins Dusty White from Oxford, UK to reflect on the history and present state of Christianity in England. From church planting and gospel partnership to the value of theological study, they discuss what American Christians can learn from a post-Christian context and how rest, scholarship, and global fellowship can renew our vision for the church.

On this Faith + Work episode, Bob Thune and Bethany Gilbert are joined by Andy Holz to discuss vocation, entrepreneurship, and the gospel at work. Andy shares his journey from teaching and mowing lawns to grain trading and starting his own company. They explore a theology of work, pursuing excellence, honesty in business, taking responsibility, loving your customers, and seeing ordinary work as a...

Bob Thune is joined by Tom Sommerville and Merlyn Klaus to tell the story of Sean Barrett, an Omaha man who was serving a 60-year sentence for murdering his wife. After coming to faith in Christ in jail, Sean spent the rest of his life growing in faith and serving as a missionary to other inmates at Tecumseh State Correctional Institution. As they reflect on Sean’s life and sudden death in 2026, B...

Bob Thune is joined by Will Walker to discuss Why Do Protestants Convert? by Brad Littlejohn and Chris Castaldo. Together they explore some of the psychological, theological, and sociological reasons behind the trend of Protestant conversion to Roman Catholicism or Eastern Orthodoxy. They discuss the weaknesses of modern American evangelicalism, the importance of recovering historic Protestantism,...

Bob Thune is joined by Hunter Beaumont and Kevin Cawley for a wide-ranging “Soul Brothers” conversation about some of the biggest shifts happening in the church and culture. They discuss the changing landscape of seminary education, including the decline of mainline seminaries and the rise of online learning and counseling programs. They also touch on "AI Twins," The Gospel Coalition’s decision to...

Dusty White rejoins Bob Thune to discuss Dusty’s recent sabbatical and the value of intentional rest and renewal in ministry. They explore the rhythms of rest, recalibration, and reentry, reflecting on what Dusty learned about prayer, dependence on God, family, ministry, and his own patterns of worry. Together, they lay out a vision for the purpose and significance of sabbaticals for pastors.

In this Faith + Work episode of All Things New, Bob Thune and Bethany Gilbert sit down with designer and entrepreneur Ben Lueders, founder of Fruitful Design. Ben shares his vocational journey, from discovering graphic design to starting out in the field to eventually launching and leading his own business. They discuss the challenges of being a Christian in the creative industry, the difference b...

Bob Thune is joined by Will Walker for another "Bob Reads Books" conversation, this time discussing Everything Is Never Enough: Ecclesiastes' Surprising Path to Resilient Happiness by Bobby Jamieson. Together they explore the wisdom of Ecclesiastes, reflecting on why knowledge, work, pleasure, money, and achievement can never fully satisfy — and how honesty about life's frustrations ultimately poi...

The era of the "ten blue links" is over. In May 2026, Google unveiled a massive redesign of their search algorithm that will forever change how we navigate the internet. In this episode, Bob Thune is joined by author, cultural analyst, and Keller Center program director Michael Graham to discuss the change. Bob and Mike discuss why trust and wisdom will be more valuable than knowledge alone, what...

In this episode, Bob Thune and Dusty White explore the concept of expressive individualism — the cultural belief that a person's core duty is to look inward, find their own unique identity or feelings, and express them outwardly to the world. Drawing on insights from works by Carl Trueman and Alan Noble, they trace the cultural roots of this worldview and discuss how it fuels anxiety, social media...

In this Faith + Work episode, Bob Thune and Bethany Gilbert sit down with architect, urban planner, and nonprofit leader Scott Dobbe to explore how Christians can pursue the common good through architecture, city planning, and real estate development. Together, they discuss beauty as a reflection of God's character, the importance of stewardship over ownership, the challenges of balancing idealism...

In this episode, Bob introduces the theology and worldview of Neo-Calvinism, a movement that stems from the work of Abraham Kuyper and Herman Bavinck. Bob explains how Neo-Calvinism offers a compelling Christian response to secular modernity by affirming Christ's lordship over every sphere of life, recognizing that every person is inherently religious, and embracing the truth that grace restores n...

In this episode, Bob Thune and Will Walker discuss Carl Trueman's recent book The Desecration of Man and its central claim that our modern crisis isn't one of disenchantment but of desecration. They explore how abandoning a biblical vision of humanity has led to the objectification of people, the loss of shared purpose, and a culture shaped by power rather than truth.

The Soul Brothers set the docket with three timely topics: reports of rising church attendance, Carl Trueman's insights on technology and expressive individualism, and the public witness of Ben Sasse as he faces terminal illness. Hunter Beaumont and Kevin Cawley join Bob Thune to discuss evangelism, discipleship, AI, consumerism, human finitude, and why embracing God-given limits is essential for...

Public education is often the subject of cultural consternation and controversy — so what does it look like to follow Jesus as a schoolteacher? In this episode, Bob Thune and Bethany Gilbert sit down with Courtney Tompkins, a high school math teacher, to discuss the joys and challenges of serving students in today's educational environment. Courtney shares how her faith shapes her work, the challe...

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, suffe...

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 — w...

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...

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....

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/val...