The Just Life with Benjamin Watson

In this powerful, partner-exclusive episode with the International Justice Mission (IJM), host Benjamin Watson sits down with his long-time friend, 18-year NFL veteran, and 3-time Pro Bowl quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. While Matt is widely celebrated for leading the Seattle Seahawks to their first Super Bowl appearance, this conversation pulls back the curtain on a different kind of legacy: one roo...

In this special episode of The Just Life, host Benjamin Watson sits down with fellow NFL tight end Juwan Johnson of the New Orleans Saints. Partnering with the International Justice Mission (IJM), Benjamin and Juwan dive deep into what it means to use an influential platform to combat modern-day slavery and human trafficking. Juwan shares his personal journey from blind spots to active advocacy, h...

What happens when the final whistle blows on a 13-year NFL career, but the passion for your community is just getting started? In this special episode of The Just Life, in partnership with the International Justice Mission (IJM), host Benjamin Watson sits down with his former New England Patriots teammate, Super Bowl champion, and current CBS/ESPN analyst Jason McCourty. Broadcasting live from the...

What happens when you trade standard Slack notifications and offseason relaxation for a deep-dive immersion into the front lines of human rights? In this special partnership episode with the International Justice Mission (IJM), Benjamin Watson sits down with nine-year NFL veteran, author, and ESPN analyst Sam Acho. Sam opens up about his unique childhood navigating spaces as the son of Nigerian im...

In this special episode of The Just Life, host Benjamin Watson sits down with 14-year NFL veteran, Bart Starr Award winner, and quarterback Kirk Cousins. Partnering with the International Justice Mission (IJM), Benjamin and Kirk explore what it means to live out biblical justice, the reality of spiritual warfare on the front lines, and how a prayer Kirk muttered as a 17-year-old high school studen...

What does nonviolence actually demand and who does it require us to become? Benjamin Watson welcomes Dr. Bernice King, CEO of The King Center and a leading global voice for social change, for a conversation that moves beyond legacy and into calling. Though many know her as the daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, this exchange reveals a fuller picture an athlete’s drive,...

In this episode of The Just Life, host Benjamin Watson sits down with Pro Football Hall of Famer and Super Bowl-winning coach, Tony Dungy. They explore the intersection of faith and justice, discussing Dungy’s controversial decision to speak at the March for Life, the legacy of his father, and the ongoing challenges regarding racial representation in NFL leadership. Key Takeaways:  - The Courage o...

In this episode of The Just Life, Benjamin Watson sits down with Super Bowl champion and three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Anquan Boldin. From his roots in the agricultural “Muck” of Palm Beach County to a standout NFL career, Boldin reflects on how football shaped his leadership and how personal tragedy reshaped his purpose. Boldin is the co-founder of the Players Coalition, a player-led organiza...

What does a just society owe the men and women it sends into harm's way? In this episode of The Just Life, Benjamin Watson sits down with Johnny Joey Jones, Marine Corps veteran, New York Times bestselling author, and FOX News co-host of The Big Weekend Show. In their conversation, Joey shares his journey from a small "one-horse town" in Georgia to serving as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) t...

For many, the tragedies occurring in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) feel distant - relegated to fleeting social media statistics or occasional news reports. But the reality is far closer to our everyday lives than most people realize. In this episode of The Just Life, Benjamin Watson sits down with Congolese native Michel Lusakueno to bridge that gap. Michel shares his unique perspecti...

In this episode of The Just Life, Benjamin Watson sits down with theologian, author, and pastor Dr. Eric Mason to dismantle the idea that justice is a "social elective" for the Christian. Dr. Mason explains how biblical justice is fundamentally rooted in "proper judgment" and spiritual maturity. They dive deep into the necessity of knowing our history, no matter how uncomfortable, to achieve true...

In this powerful episode of The Just Life, Benjamin Watson sits down with poet, author, and apologist Preston Perry. Preston shares his journey from the South Side of Chicago, where he witnessed the harsh realities of murder and systemic neglect, to becoming a leading voice in Christian apologetics. The conversation takes a deep dive into the necessity of empathy, the dangers of prioritizing polit...

What does it mean to live a just life in a society where the economic scales have been tipped for centuries? While protests, legislation, and boycotts are vital tools for justice, Dr. Boyce Watkins argues that there is another hammer we must pick up: Finance. In this episode, Benjamin Watson and Dr. Watkins move beyond the abstract and dive into the "science of wealth." From Dr. Watkins’ humble be...

In this episode of The Just Life, Leah Rothstein joins Benjamin Watson for a sobering and necessary conversation about the structural roots of racial segregation in America. Drawing from Just Action, the book she co-authored with her father, renowned academic Richard Rothstein, Leah challenges the popular belief that today’s segregated neighborhoods are simply the result of personal choice or mark...

In this episode of The Just Life, Benjamin Watson sits down with Gary Haugen, Founder and CEO of International Justice Mission (IJM). While many view poverty simply as a lack of resources, Gary argues that for the world’s poorest, the primary obstacle to survival is actually unchecked violence. From his upbringing in a "bubble" of affluence to investigating genocide in Rwanda, Gary shares his jour...

 In this episode of The Just Life, Benjamin sits down with historian, author, and speaker Dr. Jemar Tisby to discuss the inseparable link between faith and justice. Together, they dive deep into the American church's complicated history with racism and how understanding the past is essential for interpreting the present. Jemar challenges the traditional narrative of the Jim Crow era, reframing it...

In this powerful episode of The Just Life, Benjamin Watson sits down with Ruth Malhotra, a key whistleblower in the Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) scandal. Ruth’s journey is one of unexpected advocacy, sitting at the intersection of faith, justice, and public engagement. The conversation begins with Ruth’s early days at Georgia Tech, where she successfully sued the university for v...

Artist, author, and cultural commentator Sho Baraka joins Benjamin Watson to kick off Season 2 of The Just Life for a powerful conversation on faith, history, and justice. Drawing from his upbringing during the Rodney King era and his time at Tuskegee University, Sho shares how his understanding of injustice was formed. Together, they examine his Christianity Today article "The Broken Promise of 4...

Benjamin Watson sits down with Jasmine Crowe-Houston, social impact innovator, TED speaker, and founder/CEO of Goodr, to reframe hunger as a justice issue, not just charity. Jasmine breaks down why 42–47 million Americans live with food insecurity, how “food deserts” and “food swamps” drive inequity, and why the poorest often pay the most for food. She explains Goodr’s tech platform that rescues s...

Benjamin Watson and Geoff Duncan, former Georgia lieutenant governor, ex–pro baseball pitcher, entrepreneur, and author of GOP 2.0, talk about truth, courage, and leading with love. Geoff shares how his faith matured from “inherited” to personal, why he chose to call balls and strikes after 2020, and what it cost. They unpack his “honest umpire” approach, character in the Oval Office, rebuilding t...

In a time when politics feels like a tug-of-war for Christian allegiance, Benjamin Watson sits down with Justin Giboney, attorney, strategist, and president of the AND Campaign, to unpack how Christians can engage politics without losing their witness. Together they challenge partisanship and call for a faith that holds conviction and compassion in the same breath. From a whole-life ethic on abort...

Benjamin Watson sits down with Stephen Enada, president and co-founder of the International Committee on Nigeria, to unpack the crisis facing Nigeria’s persecuted church. They discuss undercounted death tolls, mass displacement, and why global and governmental inaction persists. Stephen challenges misleading “farmer–herder/climate” narratives, highlights corruption and terrorism, shares Leah Shari...

How Do Ordinary People Win Extraordinary Change? Organizer and strategist Tiffany Loftin unpacks student power, unionizing Delta flight attendants, abolishing the death penalty, and sustaining joy while fighting injustice. What began as a campaign to continue her own college education—and improve life for every student at UC Santa Cruz, has become a lifelong mission of advocacy. Tiffany shares pra...

Civil rights attorney and CNN analyst Bakari Sellers joins Benjamin to talk about growing up in South Carolina, what “hidden” injustices like heirs’ property reveal about policy, and why due process, health access, and strong local churches matter for real change. A thoughtful, nuanced convo on leading with empathy while pushing for reform. Check out the video version at https://www.youtube.com/@t...

Benjamin Watson sits down with Grammy-winning artist, author, and philanthropist Lecrae for a candid conversation on faith that acts, how the gospel grounds justice, why silence wounds, and what hopeful, everyday courage looks like. Lecrae opens up about suffering, healing, and practical ways to love neighbors with integrity at home, in church, and in public life. From a childhood influenced by th...