Pop Culture Pastor

What's similar when sharing good news about Jesus and good news about your new favorite band? Guests Roni Z and Anna Jane Perrey join the show to talk about the ups and downs of evangelism and share our testimonies about the gospel of BTS and K-Pop. Defining good news and evangelism. Worst evangelistic practices (Christian and pop culture). Resistance. Motivations. Trusting the messenger. The...

CCM Correspondent Grey Stepp rejoins the show to discuss Christian music that features Piece of $h!t Theology (or POST). William Paul Young, Augustine, and Calvin. 90s & 00s music. Caedmon's Call's "Thankful" - the most Calvinist song ever. Skillet's "Gasoline" - burning away the self. Paramore's "We Are Broken" - can we be fixed? Quick thoughts on...

The infernally excellent game Hades is about conquering death, a topic that resonates with the story of Christ. In this quick (speedrun?) Pop Culture Homily episode, Chris looks at different ways of making peace with the inevitable. Intro. Hades II Technical Test reactions. Hades in Scripture. Escaping death (or not). Happy Sisyphus. Christ's Harrowing of Hades. Pop Culture Consolations &...

Swiftie Supreme Kara Wiens helps kick off season 3 by comparing Taylor's eras when it comes to relationships and the up and down phases of faith. Intro (and apology). Guest intro. Talking TSwift in 2024. Tortured Poets Department first reactions. Our histories with Taylor. Simplistic divisions. Three eras for her and us: Order, Disorder, and Reorder. Loving the journey. Pop Culture Consolation...

A short Pop Culture Homily on the importance of awe and wonder in gaming and TV, as well as in the spiritual life. I take a quick look at how Moses' experience of God at the burning bush is similar to the best experiences in Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson . Come back for a full episode in two weeks, if the Lord wills it. Follow on the socials:...

Musician and former worship leader Grey Stepp joins the show to talk about his experiences in the worship music industry.  Guest intro. Brief history of popular Christian music. What makes music Christian? The shift to praise and worship. Grey’s story. Praise for profit. Performing artist vs. worship leader. How worship forms us. My weird tradition. Strengths of congregational singing. Pop culture...

Hello there! For May the Fourth, Joe Quigley joins the show to discuss The Mandalorian and how various characters' worldviews are shaped by fundamentalism. Is this the (only) way to be Mandalorian? Guest intro. Reactions to The Mandalorian season 3. Defining Fundamentalism. Strengths of Fundamentalism - identity and oppression. Mandalorian History. The Flaws of Fundamentalism - silly and exclusive...

Season 2 begins! Lent, Good Friday, and death. Personal experiences & processing with playlists. Sufjan Stevens “Fourth of July.” Ash Wednesday - we're all gonna die. The complicated emotions of grief. Jason Isbell “Elephant.” No one dies with dignity. Stevie Wonder "As." Love endures. Pop Culture Consolations & Desolations. Come to Jesus Moment. Outro. Remember You Are Beloved Dust playli...

Season 2 of Pop Culture Pastor starts in one week on April 6! Spread the good news!

Season 1 Finale! What pop culture was life-giving and life-taking in The Year of Our Lord 2022? Hear from me and from some listeners!

Elder Millennial Music Correspondent Blake Jackson joins the show again to discuss our favorite music of the year. How did our favorite artists turn to love, community, nature, and dance to find joy in these (still) difficult times? Artists mentioned : Jeff Parker. Alabaster Deplume. Alex G. The National. Animal Collective. Spoon. Taylor Swift. Harry Styles. Kendrick Lamar. Pusha T. Vince Staples....

Librarian extraordinaire Dara Tinius joins the show as we discuss our favorite books of the year, both what was new and what we rediscovered. No guilt trips or gatekeeping for liking what you like, but hopefully you find something new!

Neighbor-ino Ben Wigdahl joins the show to dissect "Homer the Heretic," a classic religious-themed episode of The Simpsons, and kicking off a potential new rewatch podcast!

Ser Jefferson of House Ferguson joins the show to talk House of the Dragon, Game of Thrones, and how religion and politics often get messy when mixed together (but only in fantasy worlds, not ours).

Who's worse - the supervillain who disintegrates half of sentient life or the God who drowns all but a few? Janet Ray discusses issues with the flood from a scientific perspective, while I look at the theological side.

Blake Jackson joins the show as we seek the spiritual in the seemingly secular music of The 1975.

Senior Tolkien Correspondent Dr. James Prather joins the show to discuss the nature of evil, power, and love in Lord of the Rings and Amazon's Rings of Power series.

Mrs. Pop Culture Pastor, Anna Jane Perrey, and I explore connections between pop songs and the spiciest book of Scripture.

Special crossover event! From the the How To Christian podcast comes a conversation with Kale Courtright about spiritual formation and pop culture.

Dr. Mason Lee joins the show to discuss the recent rise of "content creators" and its influence on both pop culture and the church.

Why is this episode only a minute long? Listen to hear about some changes to our schedule.

How is Beyoncé's album Lemonade doing the same thing as the Hebrew Prophets? What do they really want after unfaithfulness (from Israel and Jay-Z, respectively)?

A special throwback to my class on Breaking Bad from 2014. How are choice and confession important for morality, justice, and redemption?

More Thor and Gorr? Sure! Adam Byers joins the show to discuss Thor: Love and Thunder, and revisit theological ideas from the previous episode.

Tackling a simple question: What does it mean to call someone a god? What is the fundamental difference between the god of thunder and the God of the Bible (Thor and YHWH, respectively)?