Restoring Our City

Is our identity as Christians wrapped up in our politics? If you haven't lived under a rock over the past several years, you can clearly see how our polarized country has done just that.    Christians are synonymous with a political party and some ideas, but should that be the case? How should our faith inform our politics? The guys discuss whether we should let our vote determine our identity.

With so many high profile examples of leaders who fall, the Christian community is becoming more known for their failures than any kind of love. The guys explore the reason why these issues of failure are troubling for our community, and how we should approach reshaping what we're known for.

Play by the rules or get your hands slapped. That's the culture a lot of us grew up in when it came to being a church goer. Unfortunately, that culture led to the perception of Christians as strict rule followers and excluding anyone who broke them.  The guys explore the skewed perceptions of Christianity, and how the rules and standards we claim to hold can have an adverse look on what it truly m...

How does the world see us as Christians?  Society might choose words like judgmental, critical, and unloving…and in some instances they might be right.  With so many polarizing examples in the news by people who claim to have faith, it can be hard to identify as a Christian without being viewed negatively. In this new series, we explore how the Christian community is perceived; both from an intern...

We've all heard them. We've probably used them. Father God. Traveling mercies. Bless your heart. All of the go to phrases in Christian jargon commonly known as "Christianese". How should we avoid empty phrases and fall out of the habit of talking in familiar terms, and start being more intentional with our words? Jeswin, Bijoy, and Jobbin talk through all the fun and familiar phrases we are all gu...

Why do we resonate with celebrities? Why do we feel a certain way when a beloved famous person dies? Chances are, you will see and hear people react with shock and sadness when someone they never met, passes away.  Bijoy, Jeswin, and Jobbin discuss celebrity deaths- the impact it has on our communities, and the lessons we should take away from the life and death of the rich and famous. Be sure to...

Chances are, you've attended church in your pajamas at least once over the past year and a half. But what if virtual church becomes the norm?  Jeswin, Bijoy, and Jobbin discuss their experiences with virtual church, and whether this model can be viable in the future. No avatars were used in the making of this episode...yet.    Be sure to check out the questions and poll to let us know your thought...

New Year, New You? What happens when the expectations we set for ourselves don't often align with God's plan for us? We kick off Season 4 with our sights set on what a whole new year and new season will bring. Speaking of new, we've got new co-hosts this year in Jeswin Thomas and Bijoy Samuel as they share some insights into waiting well, and setting the right expectations over resolutions in the...

Another season in the books! Jeswin and Jobbin recap the touchy subjects we've covered over the past season, along with addressing listener submitted questions! We also may have insulted the Cowboys. We loved hearing from our listeners, so please keep submitting those questions and we look forward to bringing you new content, great guests, and positive conversations to help Restore Our City next s...

Should we have stayed? Should we have left earlier? There are so many tough questions to answer when it comes to America's longest war and our presence in Afghanistan. In light of the recent events and exit from the country, what we have left is a nation with polarized opinions. More importantly, we have another nation in the midst of chaos.   Jeswin and Jobbin review the complicated issue of endi...

When it comes to polarizing topics, conversations revolving the COVID-19 vaccine might be at the top of most lists. With around 50% of the US population vaccinated at this point in August 2021, the country has clearly voiced several opinions on whether to take the shot or not.  In this episode, Jeswin Thomas and Jobbin Varghese critically think through the question of taking the vaccine, the assum...

Don't knock it till you've thought about it....critically.    In the South Asian culture, it's no secret how families love to set people up. This comes from the historical practice of arranged marriages. But with a generation living in a Western culture and very different relationship practices, the opinions on arranged marriage have been wide spread. Jeswin and Jobbin take a critically thoughtful...

In a polarizing world, it's easy to dismiss other views and demonize people who don't agree with you. That's why it's important to think critically on issues in society today. Not just to prove a point, but to be better unified as a community.  In this new series, Jeswin Thomas and Jobbin Varghese discuss a variety of topics that have multiple opinions, but try to approach them by thinking critica...

This year has been tough for the Asian American community with the recent uptick in attacks over the past year. Outside of just acts of violence, hurtful comments seem to be the norm when disparaging people within this culture. Alvin Mathew and Toby Kurian join us on this episode to review some of the insensitive comments made towards minorities, and how its relatable to the communities we grew up...

Imagine getting beat up, clawed at, kicked, and punched by someone half your size. Welcome to the world of being a dad. After celebrating another Father's Day, we are joined by 4 brown dads: Joel Varghese, Steve Chacko, Toby Kurian, and Jobbin Varghese to discuss Fatherhood- the best and toughest parts.    We also discuss the importance of the father figure role on society and how we as a communit...

We try really hard to avoid saying anything dumb on this episode in hopes that our future selves won’t get cancelled 🤷🏾‍♂️      But in today’s society, what we say and do, and even how we treat each other is so polarized that there is a culture that seeks to cancel differing opinions. Josh Kuruvilla and Alvin Mathew join Jobbin as we talk about how our community should navigate the tricky waters...

With so much going on in the world, the best way to make an impact as a community is through giving. This community approach to giving is the heart behind Piesa Giving , an innovative app developed by Joel Mathew and Prince Ittickathra. The app allows you to safely and securely give to churches, charities, and special causes you care about most! They also have a great podcast called Giving Connect...

This is part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Neil Shenvi: a South Asian convert to Christianity who became interested in the intersection between theology and social ideologies such as Critical Race Theory. This episode reviews the Q&A portion of the webinar, addressing submitted questions from our attendees.  Though we may have differing views on the subject, or have not formed an opinion on i...

While there is often a call to action in the face of the injustices we see in the world around us, seldom do we pause to consider the foundations of the frameworks the world uses to pursue peace. This episode is part 1 of a live webinar we hosted with Dr. Neil Shenvi: a South Asian convert to Christianity who became interested in the intersection between theology and social ideologies such as Crit...

If you haven't had your coffee yet, this episode is bound to wake you up. Our energetic and lively guest this week is Binoj Jacob, on-air personality with the show The Big Time out of Los Angeles. He joins the podcast to talk about the struggle before the success which is also the theme of his own podcast Never Overnight. We discuss his story of persistence in breaking into the industry and taking...

When we understand our identity, we can truly lead. In this episode, we are joined with Leadership Coach, Christine Thomas from Dallas, TX who talks about applying leadership principles with a Biblical focus in the workplace. Joined with our co-host Jamie John Kurian, we learn some powerful insights from both of these women on the challenges people face today, and how we are all called to lead. 

Leaders need to adapt and pivot to continue making an impact. Jacqueline Marciante has exhibited that and more with her role as Owner of Marciante and Co. As a leader and entrepreneur, Jacqueline shares her insight on what great leaders do and how success is perceived in today's context. Don't miss this great episode with a leader making an impact in our community! The latest episode is now stream...

What happens when leaders fall? What happens when our heroes commit acts so heinous that it shakes our faith to its very core? We discuss the recent investigations of sexual misconduct by the late notable Christian apologist, Ravi Zacharias and the questions arising from our community.  Warning: This episode contains sensitive topics that may not be suitable for all listeners.  If you or someone y...

A crisis can test us as leaders, but it can also create opportunities. Gina Cherian shares her experience as a lead pastor, on leading through challenging circumstances. Don't miss this insightful and practical conversation on how to discern the call into ministry along with helpful tips for leaders to continue growing.

Don't be afraid to dream big. In this episode, our special guest Maryanne George from Maverick City Music shares some empowering words on how we should refuse to place limits on our abilities and to be aware of who we are called to be. Joined with our special co-host Wesley Varughese, we explore the impact Maryanne is making in our community through her music. An inspiring conversation you do not...