Good Faith

From C.S. Lewis to Luka Dončić: Celebrating Joy in Unexpected Places   On this Christmas-season Good Faith episode, host Curtis Chang welcomes back "founding friend" David French to showcase how he can give thanks in all circumstances even amid a depressing news cycle. Through five surprising "gratitudes" (from Dune and Luka Dončić to family healing and C.S. Lewis), the conversation offers a timely guide to cultivating Christian joy, resilience, and hope in anxious times. French shares why his hope isn't rooted in a "five-point plan," but in the character of God and the "light and high beauty" that can break through dark moments—even illustrated by a powerful story of forgiveness after a Michigan church shooting.   (00:02:22) - Living with Tension: Blessings and Challenges (00:05:11) - Practicing Cheerfulness and Gratitude (00:08:52) - #5: Anticipating Dune Part Three & the importance of joy and fun. (00:18:22) - #4: Luka Doncic & appreciating greatness (00:26:50) - Transcendence, and the Need for Beauty in dark times. (00:27:55) - #3: Michigan Mormons' Response to Tragedy  (00:29:22) - The Power of Redemptive Acts  (00:33:35) - #2: Gratitude for his wife & granddaughter's health after medical challenges. (00:40:32) - #1: The Enduring Comfort of C.S. Lewis  (00:49:44) - The necessity of hope and joy, especially for young people.     Get your Good Faith mug by donating to the Good Faith podcast today!   Download World Relief's: "Let's Talk About It" conversation cards   Partner with World Relief in walking alongside families displaced by war, disaster and persecution — give today: World Relief Take our Climate Survey     Mentioned In This Episode: Trailer: Dune Part Three Trailer: Dune Part One Trailer: Dune Part Two Highlights: Luka Doncic Read/Watch: Victims raise money for Michigan Church shooter's family   Books Mentioned by C.S. Lewis Mere Christianity The Last Battle The Great Divorce The Screwtape Letters Space Trilogy Till We Have Faces     More From David French: David French's New York Times pieces HERE Follow David French on Threads     Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook   The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.  

What Do Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Johnny Cash Have in Common?   Singer-songwriter Sandra McCracken joins Good Faith for a short bonus episode on the Christmas songs that can hold joy and sorrow at the same time. Sandra explores the story behind "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day"—from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's grief to its enduring promise of peace in the midst of hardship. She also reflects on the influence of Johnny Cash's version and shares what it was like recording the song with Cindy Morgan. A warm, reflective listen for anyone heading into the season with hope and heaviness.   Get your Good Faith mug by donating to the Good Faith podcast today!   Mentioned In This Episode: Sandra McCracken's Christmas EP I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day Sandra McCracken's single I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day Johnny Cash's The Christmas Spirit album Johnny Cash's single I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day Leonard Cohen's Anthem More From Sandra McCracken: Sandra McCracken's website Sandra's first Christmas album Sandra McCracken Christmas (2020)   Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook     The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

Can We Welcome the Stranger and Uphold the Law?   How should Christians think about immigration, the border crisis, and refugees—without getting trapped in partisan talking points? In this Good Faith podcast episode, host Curtis Chang sits down with Jennie Murray, president of the National Immigration Forum, to explore a faith-informed approach to U.S. immigration policy. They explore why the U.S. immigration system is so broken and confusing, the tension between compassion and the rule of law, how immigration affects jobs, labor shortages, and the economy, all while debunking myths about crime, fentanyl, and "open borders." (02:34) - Christian first or American first? Identity and immigration (06:01) - Compassion vs rule of law? (10:36) - How the immigration system is failing (14:09) - What really drives migration (18:21) - Labor, talent, and the U.S. economy (22:12) - Who counts as "illegal" or "undocumented"? (31:27) - Law, grace, and the gospel (37:34) - Crime, fentanyl, and fear-based narratives (48:03) - What ordinary Christians can do   Episode Guide for Personal and Group Study   Download World Relief's: "Let's Talk About It" conversation cards   Partner with World Relief in walking alongside families displaced by war, disaster and persecution — give today: World Relief   Get your Good Faith mug by donating to the Good Faith podcast today! Take our Climate Survey     Mentioned In This Episode: TRAC: Immigration numbers and research  Refugee resettlement ceilings and numbers caps: Migration Policy Institute  A Turning Point for the Unauthorized Immigrant Population in the United States  Gallup Polling: Surge in U.S. Concern About Immigration Has Abated Pew Research Research: Majority of Americans to say immigrants strengthen the U.S. Pew Research: U.S. Unauthorized Immigrant Total Dips to Lowest Level in a Decade Lifeway/World Relief Research Study: Evangelical Views on Immigration Study Pew Research: Support for Legal Status for Immigrants Illegally Ariving as Children Bill Summary: Dream Act of 2025 CATO Institute: 72% Believe Immigrants Enter the U.S. for Jobs & to Improve Their Lives   Referenced Scripture: Leviticus 19:34 (ESV) - The foreigner residing among you Matthew 25:35-36 (ESV) - Treatment of the stranger   International Comparison Stories: Reuters, Nov 2022: Canada's immigration targets to fill workforce gaps/support economic growth DW News, June 2023: Germany aims to make it easier for non-nationals to work there The Guardian, April 2023): Australia targets skilled migrants to fill critical job vacancies BBC News, Dec 2023): "The UK government is responding to workforce shortages by expanding visa opportunities for foreign workers   More From Jennie Murray and National Immigration Forum: More about Jennie Murray Learn more about National Immigration Forum Engage with Resources from National Immigration Forum   Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook     The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

Christianity Isn't a Nation and The Church Isn't a National Movement   Host Curtis Chang sits down with N.T. Wright to explore the explosive themes of Ephesians, including what the Bible really says about the mission of the church—not as a lifeboat escaping to heaven, but a "small working model of new creation"—a multiethnic, multicultural community that stands against the powers and principalities of our age through truth, unity, and love. Wright discusses the church's mission in a divided world, and the rise of Christian nationalism. They address modern challenges such as misunderstandings of spiritual warfare, the communal nature of the armor of God, why the "belt of truth" matters today, and how Ephesians calls the church to resist counterfeit visions of power.   (06:12) - Has NT Wright changed his mind about the Biblical truths? (12:15) - What is Wright's "small working model of new creation"? (16:15) - The new community of Jesus Christ (22:51) - The problem of Christian nationalism  (28:16) - The Challenge of Christian Multiculturalism (29:39) - The Church's Role in Spiritual Warfare (36:56) - Is the Armor of God a communal thing? (43:05) - The biblical view of men and women is not antiquated (49:19) - A final word of encouragement from Ephesians   Join The After Party   Send Campfire Stories to: [email protected]   Donate to Good Faith   Mentioned In This Episode: N.T. Wright's The Vision of Ephesians: The Task of the Church and the Glory of God  N.T. Wright's forthcoming God's Homecoming: The Forgotten Promise of Future Renewal Lecture: How Paul Invented Christian Theology (N.T. Wright lecture)  What are the Five Elements of Christian Nationalism? Learn more: Desmond Tutu and the triumph against Apartheid  Watch: How Artistotle and the Greek philosophers influenced the idea of a soul (video) Read: How a Man Named Lesslie Changed the Way I Think   Scriptural Thoughts on Rest: Genesis 1-2 (ESV) - Male & female relationships and creation theology Ephesians 1:1-14 (ESV) - Revealing who Jesus is to the world Ephesians 2:10 (ESV) - Humankind's purpose Ephesians 6:10-20 (ESV) - The full armor of God 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 (ESV) -The guarantee of the resurrection Revelation 21-22 (ESV) - Vision of new creation   More From N.T. Wright: N.T. Wright Online N.T. Wright's Speaking engagements N.T. wright's books (Amazon)   Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook   The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

Can Sabbath Rest Be a Circuit Breaker for Idolatry?   Host Curtis Chang and Good Faith podcast regular Andy Crouch explore how practicing true Sabbath rest can help Christians break free from burnout, technology overload, and the constant pressure to produce. Andy explains the biblical vision of Sabbath, the difference between rest and leisure, and why so many people feel enslaved to email, phones, and digital noise. They offer practical tools for burnout recovery, Sabbath rest practices, and Christian digital detox, helping listeners rediscover rhythms of rest, contemplation, and spiritual formation. If you're searching for guidance on how to practice Sabbath, how to disconnect from technology, or how to recover from burnout as a Christian, this conversation with Andy Crouch provides a hopeful path to real rest.   (02:24) - The Value of Rest Modeled in Creation (13:04) - The Cycle of Rest, Contemplation, & Creation in Modern Work (21:31) - Is Ceasing Labor Different Than Resting From It? (28:49) - Breaking Free from the Labor Involved in Leisure (32:18) - True Rest Requires Spiritual Practices (37:44) - How Can We Rediscovering Sabbath Rest Together?   Drawing from a previous conversation with Andy Crouch, this episode examines how Sabbath rest revitalizes the inner life.   Join The After Party   Send Campfire Stories to: [email protected]   Donate to Redeeming Babel   Mentioned In This Episode: Abraham Joshua Heschel's The Sabbath: It's Meaning for Modern Man  Andy Crouch's The Tech-Wise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in Its Proper Place David Foster Wallace's A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again   Scriptural Thoughts on Rest: Genesis 1–3 (ESV) - Genesis and the Creation Story Exodus 20:8-11 (ESV) - The Sabbath commandment  Deuteronomy 5:12-15 (ESV) - Observance of the Sabbath Day   More From Andy Crouch: Interact with Andy's website Check out Andy's work at Praxis Read Andy's book: The Life We're Looking For Read Andy's book: The Tech-Wise Family   Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook   Sign up: Redeeming Babel Newsletter   The Good Faith Podcast is a production of Redeeming Babel, a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Redeeming Babel.