The RELEVANT Podcast

This week, adventurer Bear Grylls joins us to tell us about The Chosen in the Wild, his new Prime Video series debuting Sunday. He takes the cast into Utah canyons and the Great Basin Desert, and tells us what Jonathan Roumie is actually like off camera.
We also have Emily’s recap of a memorable Lollapalooza this past weekend, Spider-Man: Brand New Day making U.S. box office history, and movie theaters having a record-setting comeback. We also get into the professor who found a way to catch students using AI on exams, and Arizona State announcing a new degree that’s getting a lot of ridicule, but Jesse thinks is a great idea. And we tell the tale of Katy Perry getting stuck in a human-sized inflatable water bottle at a recent concert.
This week’s question of the week: what's a random habit you picked up that's genuinely improved your life? Drop your answer in the comments or @ us. We're reading them on next week's episode.
Highlights:
01:25 — A father-sons weekend in New York
03:22 — The Devil Wears Prada 2, reviewed from the runway
05:44 — Lollapalooza recap: Grant Park is enormous
07:15 — The case for wheels on your feet
11:47 — Lorde, Olivia Dean and a very wet weekend
14:54 — The rain delay, a canceled set and The Neighbourhood's missing instruments
18:34 — Lolla fashion: vintage NBA jerseys and brat crop tops
20:29 — Charli xcx, "Rock Music" and what artists owe their fans
25:20 — Marty moves on up
27:26 — Sitcom shared universes
30:12 — RELEVANT Buzz: Spider-Man breaks the all-time box office record
36:05 — The professor who caught 32 students using AI
38:12 — Bear Grylls on The Chosen in the Wild
42:02 — Slices: Arizona State's influencer degree
46:49 — Slices: Katy Perry vs. a giant water bottle
50:56 — Question of the Week

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This week we're joined by Tim Tebow and Kirk Cousins, two of the most recognizable quarterbacks in the game who have both spent years on the same fight. We talk about World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, which is this week — Tebow on what opened his eyes to the scale of it, Cousins on how his faith turned into two decades of advocacy.
In RELEVANT Buzz, new research from the Billy Graham Center Research Institute found that 48% of Gen Z adults say Christians' support of Trump has made them less likely to go to church. 
In RELEVANT Recommends we spotlight Grace Runkle, who is about as inspired by Elevation Worship as she is by Japanese House.
In Slices, the White House asked Dr. Phil to review the UFO files and gauge how the public would take the news, and he came away infuriated. And a woman in New York is suing McDonald's over fries that were too hot, which is either a legitimate grievance or the end of hot food as we know it.
Then it's your worst Christian breakup lines. Brother in Christ. Personal Eve. Unequal yokes. Then a quick round of "One Has to Go" gets into golden retrievers, communion bread and Sunday naps. 
Then it's this week’s Question of the Week: what's your go-to struggle meal? Drop your answer in the comments or @ us, we're reading them on next week's episode.
Highlights:
00:00 — Intro / episode rundown
02:40 — Black people love hibachi and Jesse's ban from the Mongolian barbecue buffet
08:46 — RELEVANT Buzz: World Day Against Trafficking in Persons with Tim Tebow
11:50 — Kirk Cousins on faith and advocacy
14:05 — Cameras off, FaceTime etiquette and the unk defense
17:48 — Cookout has the worst menu in fast food
21:21 — RELEVANT Buzz: 48% of Gen Z avoids church because of Christian support for Trump
24:50 — RELEVANT Recommends: Grace Runkle
26:57 — Slices: Dr. Phil, the UFO files and soft disclosure
38:33 — The McDonald's hot fries lawsuit
41:45 — Your Feedback: Worst Christian breakup lines
45:50 — "One Has to Go"
49:34 — Question of the Week: What’s your go-to struggle meal?
52:55 — Outro

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This week, we're joined by Davide Mutendji of Elevation Rhythm, whose new album WASHED just dropped. He tells us about the heart behind the project and how Drake became a surprising inspiration for the worship group.
In RELEVANT Buzz, the trailer for ‘I Play Rocky’ arrived, and it sent us down a rabbit hole into Sylvester Stallone's faith journey — including a conversation where he calls out Christians who think they can skip church. (Rocky would never!) We also dig into a new study finding only one in three young adults are dating even though nearly all of them want to get married (the reasons are bleak). And with the new season of ‘Quarterback’ out on Netflix, we look at Baker Mayfield's road from college wild child to a real-deal faith story.
In Slices, a school district in New York is putting a humanoid robot named in classrooms, and Jesse loves it. And Derek shows us the clip of the grandpa getting flipped by a bison this week. Plus we settle once and for all whether Medusa is in ‘The Odyssey.’
Then in feedback we have your rent-free reality TV moments, and we ask this week’s Question of the Week: what's the worst Christian breakup line of all time? Drop your answer in the comments — we're reading our favorites next week.
Highlights:
00:00 — Intro / Emily reviews The Odyssey
07:41 — RELEVANT Buzz: ‘I Play Rocky’ & Stallone's church call-out
26:14 — Why two-thirds of young adults aren't dating
33:32 — ‘Quarterback’ & Baker Mayfield's faith journey
41:25 — Davide Mutendji of Elevation Rhythm
50:04 — Slices: The robot teacher coming to New York classrooms
53:08 — Grandpa vs. bison
58:08 — Your feedback: Reality TV moments living rent-free

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This week, we're joined by rapper, apparel label owner and pastor KB, whose new album 'This Cannot Be Sold' is out this week. He talks about why he refuses to package Jesus for marketability and what staying loyal to Christ over politics and tribalism actually costs.
In RELEVANT Buzz, ‘Wednesday’ star Emma Myers opens up about turning to God in the hardest season of her life, Lecrae admits he spent years treating John Piper's words like Scripture, and the crew unpacks what the Reformed era of Christian hip-hop got right and wrong. Plus, the first Christian song to top a billion streams on Spotify: you will not guess it in a million years.
In Slices, Jesse investigates the disappearance of Pickles, a diaper-wearing mascot beloved by a Miami pickleball community. And Derek has news about the fresh ingredients Taco Bell is pulling off the menu, for a reason involving explosive diaherrea.
Then your feedback closes it out: Monopoly trash talk, a three-minute breath hold, Team Canada horseshoes confidence and more.
Highlights:
00:00 — Intro and Can Christopher Nolan be trusted with The Odyssey? 
22:48 — RELEVANT Buzz: Emma Myers opens up about finding God 
31:25 — Lecrae says he made John Piper an idol. Derek was there for that era 
39:32 — The first Christian song to a billion Spotify streams (you won't guess it) 
46:04 — RELEVANT Conversation: KB on why Jesus isn't for sale 
54:11 — Slices: Jesse on Pickles, the missing pickleball mascot 
59:27 — Derek's bad news for Taco Bell fans 
1:02:54 — Your feedback: competitions you're convinced you'd win 
1:05:41 — Next week's question: reality TV moments living rent-free in your head

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This week, three-time Grammy winner Tori Kelly joins us to talk about her new album 'God Must Really Love Me,' written just weeks after she became a first-time mom. She tells us how it’s changed her approach to songwriting and her view of God.
In RELEVANT Buzz, new research finds while Gen Z is the most church-engaged generation, it’s also the least likely to pray. What? We also take a lap around the World Cup's faith stories, and Forrest Frank now has the largest arena tour in the country.
In Slices, Jesse tells us about a man who stole Smokey Bear signs and got arrested in the most humiliating way possible, and Derek has a Maryland guy who might have accidentally redefined Double Jeopardy.
Plus, a report from 11 days of adventure in Alaska, a geography fact-off that spirals into pyramid conspiracies, and your feedback on childhood things that were secretly insane.
Highlights:
00:00 — Intro: Thriving for 11 days in Alaska (unlike the Into the Wild guy) 
22:11 — The great Alaska fact-off: rainforests vs. secret pyramids 
24:18 — RELEVANT Buzz: Faith all over the World Cup — including Messi's blessed boots 
34:28 — Gen Z is in church, so why aren't they praying? 
39:45 — Forrest Frank has a top 5 tour in America 
41:00 — Tori Kelly on new motherhood and 'God Must Really Love Me' 
50:02 — Slices: The Smokey Bear sign heist 
57:16 — The worst possible time to call the police 
59:52 — Your feedback: Childhood things that were secretly insane 
1:02:32 — This week's question: What could you win a competition in? 

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