The Common Good Podcast

Naghmeh Abedini Panahi advocated for her husband Saeed before on major news channels and before multiple governments while he was imprisoned in Iran for his Christianity. Unfortunately, after he was released, he abused her. Naghmeh's new book, I Didn’t Survive: Emerging Whole After Deception, Persecution, and Hidden Abuse , documents her early childhood in Iran in a Muslim family during the Irania...

8 in 10 men struggle with porn; one of three girls are sexually abused; one in five boys are sexually abused. The root level issues are the same in the church and outside of the church, according to Elizabeth Good, Founder of The Foundation United and author of " Speak the Unspeakable: Real Talk on Secrets, Sex, and Being Set Free: " the church is not talking about sexual sin.  We're too reluctant...

So much to catch up on. Aubrey launched her book and is already working on the next one, Brian got in a hit & run accident (he was not the runner), and couples should not sit on the same side of the table in restaurants. In addition, Brian has random news reports to read out--and Aubrey brings up an interview with a hospice nurse who walks with people through their last days. Follow The Common...

The U.S. doesn't have enough workers to let boomers retire yet--and yet, there are 100 million displaced people in the world right now, many of whom would love to resettle in the U.S. Jennie Murray, President and CEO of the National Immigration Forum , says that for her, protecting the right to legally immigrate to the U.S. is an issue of patriotism.  Follow The Common Good on Facebook , Twitter a...

The Washington Post is reporting on thousands of teen boys caught up in extortion scams, and Brian and Aubrey recall their conversation with Kori Hockett from the other day on social media use among teens. Then, a lot of people are convinced Jesus is coming back, Aubrey reflects on the Amplify conference that happened yesterday at Wheaton College, and what ChatGPT has to say about fall.  Follow Th...

The news out of Israel keeps getting worse , and is feeling heavier and heavier to process. Then, Aubrey and Brian react to fascinating research from a Harvard-trained parenting expert who studies successful kids, reflect on the best way to follow up with people who decide to lead your church, and wonder what we're actually expecting from our schools. Follow The Common Good on Facebook , Twitter a...

Wheaton Academy, a private high school in West Chicago, turns 170 this year (!) and Kori Hockett joins Aubrey and Brian in studio to talk about the latest research on phones and teenagers. She also provides tips for parents who want to start addressing phone use in the home. Learn more about the school at wheatonacademy.org. Follow The Common Good on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram Hosted by Aubr...

Dr. Terry Glaspey, professor at Northwin Semeinary and arts and spiritual formation and author, speaker, and artist, talks about how engaging with the arts can help us grow spiritually.   On Thursday, October 19 at 7:00pm at Glen Ellyn Covenant Church in Glen Ellyn, Dr. Glaspey will give a talk that's open to the public. Visit cslewisinstitute.org to register. Follow The Common Good on Facebook ,...

It's launch day for Aubrey! Be sure to grab a copy of Big Feelings Days: A Book about Hard Things, Heavy Emotions, and Jesus' Love --TODAY on Amazon, and then leave a review. Brian and Aubrey also chat with Jason Jimenez about parenting Gen Z, a new piece from Christianity Today ( The Obscenity of War in This Present Evil Age ), and a sermon clip from Louie Giglio that has them scratching their he...

Outlets like Christianity Today get a lot of flack for reporting on church abuse; is it warranted? And does it matter if reporters, at CT or otherwise, donate to politicians? We're also catching up on everyone's weekend--Brian went to western Michigan and Aubrey went to Maine!--along with travel woes, a great event hosted by AM1160 last week, and whether this should be a time of optimism for the c...

Did Jesus draw lines or circles? Then, a lively discussion about how a culture of evangelism takes root in a church, and more church (and celebrity) news before Brian and Aubrey's Top 5 Horror Movies. LINKS REFERNCED: Jesus Drew Circles and Lines: A Response to Andy Stanley (thegospelcoalition.org) 9Marks on X: "A culture of evangelism only takes root in a church when the pastor is willing to cele...

Josh Larsen, senior producer at Think Christian, joins to discuss this provoking question: is there anything we can appreciate about this genre? Josh released a book this year called Fear Not! A Christian Appreciation of Horror Movies .  Follow The Common Good on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram Hosted by Aubrey Sampson and Brian From Produced by Laura Finch and Keith Conrad See omnystudio.com/lis...

Lisa Anderson, Director of Young Adults at Focus on the Family, Host of The Boundless Show, and Author of The Dating Manifesto, has ministered to young adults for 25 years... meaning she has watched the ‘purity culture’ generation grow up. She talks about helping millennials and younger to navigate what’s right and wrong, and especially how the church can better serve younger people. Follow The Co...

Dr. Winfred Neely, Vice President and Academic Dean of Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School, describes how students entering the school are different from past generations: in the past students leaned heavily on truth in their theology, and now students tend to lean on grace. Neither are sufficient, but have to be understood together. Moody Theological Seminary is a presenting sponsor of...

Bestselling author Michelle McKinney Hammond joins for an extended interview to talk about her new book ( When Shift Happens: Say Yes to Your Next! ) and she's making Aubrey cry. (Some of Michelle's key advice: Make sure you’re getting advice from someone who is successful in what you want to do.) There are TWO upcoming opportunities to see Michelle in the Chicago area. The DIVA principal women’s...

Darcel Rockett, Senior Journalist with the Chicago Tribune, has created a map of Illinois Underground Railroad locations . She joins Aubrey and Brian to talk about why it's important to keep learning about the Underground Railroad and findings that surprised her. Follow The Common Good on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram Hosted by Aubrey Sampson and Brian From Produced by Laura Finch and Keith Con...

Former youth leader turned award winning movie director, Kyle Roberts, describes his new project dealing with themes of mental health and suicide:  What Rhymes with Reason . See it in theaters on October 10th (World Mental Health Day). Follow The Common Good on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram Hosted by Aubrey Sampson and Brian From Produced by Laura Finch and Keith Conrad See omnystudio.com/liste...

Jamie Aten, co-founder of Spiritual First Aid and the Humanitarian Disaster Institute and Wheaton College, talks about the stigma around mental health in the church. On October 10, World Mental Health Day, a free online event will be available to help equip care coordinators, pastors and directors. Learn more at www.churchmentalhealthsummit.com. Follow The Common Good on Facebook , Twitter and Ins...

Pastor Laura Tarro of Bethany Covenant Church in St. Charles talks about church planting in the western suburbs of Chicago, and why she's so glad to be sharing space (and synergy) with this local business. Learn more on instagram at @BethanyCovStC or #DonutChurch Follow The Common Good on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram Hosted by Aubrey Sampson and Brian From Produced by Laura Finch and Keith Con...

Aubrey and Brian talk about humility, fake apologies, and from the L.A. Times, the the nostalgia and power behind the smell of Disneyland. Follow The Common Good on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram Hosted by Aubrey Sampson and Brian From Produced by Laura Finch and Keith Conrad See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A recent New York Times  report  revealed that 22.3% of workers, around the age of 20, left their jobs after just a year or less. 83% of employed Gen Z are now referred to as perpetual job hoppers in a  new report from ResumeLab, and #JobHopping is even  trending on TikTok with 74.8 million views!  Rusty Chadwick of WinShape Teams shares with Brian and Aubrey about two things: What are people look...

Dr. Kelly Flanagan, the unofficial show therapist, commiserates with Brian and Aubrey about walking with teenagers towards their college decisions--plus, he has a special announcement about the Unhiding of Elijah Campbell! Follow The Common Good on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram Hosted by Aubrey Sampson and Brian From Produced by Laura Finch and Keith Conrad See omnystudio.com/listener for priva...

What does genuine Christian living look like in the 21st century, and how can we be motivated to live that way? The answer comes from Jesus’ sermon in Luke 6 (sometimes known as the Sermon on the Plain), which starts, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God,” and goes on to lay out God’s vision statement for the Christian life. It is a manifesto that has nothing to do with p...

... and it may surprise you that he said it on Malcolm Gladwell's podcast. In addition, Brian and Aubrey react to Andy Stanley not livestreaming his sermon last Sunday; how Jonathan Merritt (a progressive Christian) maintains a close relationship with his dad, a conservative; and the tweet from John Piper that is making coffee-loving Christians absolutely crazy. Follow The Common Good on Facebook...

Dr. Randy Newman is the Senior Fellow for Apologetics & Evangelism at the C.S. Lewis Institute. He's taught at several evangelical seminaries and, after serving for over 30 years with Cru, he established Connection Points, a ministry to help Christians engage people’s hearts the way Jesus did. On October 12, he'll speak in Chicago at a C.S. Lewis Institute event on “Explorations of Joy: The Wo...