A Burden For The Times

Can you gamble and still love your neighbor? Is gambling fundamentally different from other financial risks? And where do we draw the line between personal liberty and biblical stewardship? In part two of our conversation on gambling, we continue wrestling with these questions as we explore the dangers of sports betting, the motives behind our financial decisions, and our responsibility to others....

From sports betting apps to lottery tickets and risky investments, gambling has become increasingly accessible and socially acceptable. But how should Christians think about these activities? In this episode, we explore the blurred lines between gambling, investing, and entertainment. Is there a difference between taking a financial risk and placing a bet? Does our motivation matter? And how shoul...

What does it look like to give your life to the Great Commission? Recorded in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Adrian sits down with veteran missionary Matt Allen to talk about more than 20 years of ministry in PNG. Matt shares the story of moving his family into a remote village, planting churches, raising his daughters on the mission field, navigating difficult and dangerous seasons, and eventual...

What are you listening to? In this episode, we’re turning the tables and talking about podcasts. We share some of our current favorites, from leadership and theology to philosophy, culture, old-time radio, and a few unexpected picks. But we also get into some hot takes. Which popular podcasts have we stopped listening to, and why? Along the way, we talk about what makes a podcast worth our time, t...

Where does secular music fit in the life of a Christian? In this episode, we continue our conversation about music by moving beyond the Christian label and asking how believers should think about the music of the broader culture. Is there a difference between "secular" and "worldly" music? Does the artist matter? And how much should we consider the messages we’re singing, even...

Christian music has changed a lot over the years, but the questions surrounding it haven’t completely gone away. In this episode, we’re talking about the music Christians listen to and the music we sing together in church. Is all Christian music worship music? What makes a song appropriate for corporate worship? Does genre matter? And how much should the quality of a church’s music influence our e...

What do The Spirit of the Disciplines , Leaders Eat Last , and The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife have in common? They’re all part of the conversation in this episode as we take a break from heavier topics and share what’s currently on our reading lists. From leadership and spiritual growth to philosophy and fiction, we discuss the books that have challenged our thinking, encouraged our faith, an...

Language shapes the way we think, communicate, and relate to one another. In this episode, we continue our conversation on the power of words by exploring how language has changed and what those changes mean for our relationships, culture, and faith. We discuss why Christians choose not to use profanity, how degrading language affects communication and public discourse, why shared definitions are...

Is language simply evolving, or is it actually deteriorating? In this episode, Adrian and Aaron are joined by special guest Joel Pace for the first installment of a thoughtful conversation about language, culture, and communication. From modern slang to ancient philosophy, they explore whether today’s words are becoming less meaningful or simply changing with the times. Together they discuss: Why...

Father’s Day brings celebration for some and sorrow for others. In this special episode, the brothers gather together just before their grandfather’s funeral to reflect on the men who helped shape their lives. From favorite TV dads to unforgettable family stories, they share laughter, lessons, and the lasting impact of faithful fathers. Along the way, they discuss what becoming a dad taught them a...

Faith and Fossils (Part 3): The Church and Creation In the final episode of the Faith and Fossils series, we shift the conversation from science and culture to the church itself. How do Christians view creation science? Is it still widely accepted among believers? And why do discussions about origins often seem absent from our churches? We explore whether creation is a divisive topic, why Genesis...

Faith & Fossils (Part 2): Creation, Science, and the Culture Conversation Can Christians trust creation science, or are faith and science always at odds? In this follow-up to the Faith & Fossils conversation, the guys move beyond the theories of origins and into the cultural tension surrounding them. Why are creationists often viewed as “anti-science”? Is the conflict really about evidence...

Faith & Fossils: Can Christians Disagree About Origins? Few conversations create more tension among Christians than the question of origins. Was creation six literal days? Are the “days” of Genesis longer periods of time? Can faith and science coexist without compromising Scripture? In this episode, we begin a thoughtful conversation around Young Earth Creationism, Old Earth Creationism, and E...

What do generations really want? In this episode, we revisit one of the biggest unresolved conversations from our recent generational discussions and ask a deeper question: Are people across generations actually pursuing the same things, or are our desires fundamentally different? From boomers and millennials to purpose, security, sacrifice, and happiness, this conversation moves beyond stereotype...

Critics vs. The Crowd… who should you trust? A movie gets trashed by critics but loved by audiences. A product has thousands of 5-star reviews… but something feels off. So what actually matters? In this episode, we dive into the tension between expert opinions and everyday voices. From movies to Amazon reviews to life decisions, we explore how review culture shapes the way we think, choose, and ev...

We’ve spent this series breaking down generations. Now we bring it home. In this episode, we look at what happens when those generations meet inside the church. From classic church kid memories to deeper conversations about culture, faith, and shifting values, this discussion turns meaningful quickly. Each generation has been shaped by something. Those moments did more than influence culture. They...

We continue our Generation Gap series by turning the focus to Millennials and Gen Z. What starts with nostalgia—Game Boys, Beanie Babies, and iPhones—quickly shifts into a deeper conversation:  Are younger generations actually lazy, or are they shaped by a different world? We explore generational tensions around work ethic, modern convenience, and the desire for meaningful work—while also asking a...

Generations and the Stories That Shape Them Every generation believes their experience is normal. But when we take a step back and listen to one another, we start to see just how much the time we were born into shapes the way we see the world. In this episode, we begin a new conversation about generations and the differences between them. From the Silent Generation to Generation X, we talk about t...

Black History Month continues, and this week we turn our attention to Black clergy whose voices shaped both the church and the culture. Before we dive into history, we start with a lighter question that takes us back to the preachers who influenced us growing up. Some answers may surprise you. Then we explore three powerful and very different figures. One saw the beauty of Christ in the middle of...

Every February, we pause our usual format to reflect, remember, and learn. In this Black History Month episode, the conversation takes a personal and thoughtful turn as the hosts explore the people who first shaped their understanding of Black history. From well-known names to voices that deserve more attention, this discussion highlights how curiosity, reading, and lived experience shape how we s...

What if the moments we barely noticed last year are the ones shaping everything ahead? As the year opens, the conversation goes deeper than resolutions and recaps. This episode looks back at the past year through a wider lens, asking which moments truly mattered, which ones slipped by unnoticed, and what they reveal about where we are headed next. From personal reflections to cultural and national...

We’re back. After a short break, A Burden for the Times returns with a fresh conversation to start 2026 the right way. This episode kicks off the new season by digging beneath the surface of New Year’s resolutions, not just what we want to change, but why change so often doesn’t stick. From lighthearted banter to honest reflection, we talk about habits, failure, accountability, and the difference...

In this bonus episode of A Burden for the Times , Aaron and his wife Erin Burden sit down at their kitchen table for a fun, honest, book-lover’s conversation. Together, they walk through ten questions about their 2025 reading year — with twenty very different answers . You’ll hear how many books each finished (spoiler: the numbers are wild), which stories made them laugh, what shaped them spiritua...

In this final part of our Charlie Kirk trilogy, the Burden brothers wrestle with the hardest question yet: Has his influence been better or worse for American society? After two episodes examining his rhetoric and platform, we now face the aftermath of his assassination. Did polarized political discourse create the conditions for this tragedy? What should the church's response have been? And...

In this second part of our Charlie Kirk conversation, the Burden brothers continue an unfiltered discussion about faith, conviction, and tone. Is “hard truth” automatically harsh? Can strength and gentleness coexist in public witness? And what happens when political identity gets tangled with Christian belief? Anton, Aaron, and Adrian unpack how conservative voices have shaped college campuses, wh...