The biggest movie in the world is also ripe with ethical dilemmas pertinent to the modern context. In this solo episode, Mike looks at both Top Gun movies through the lens of “Just War Theory” and Catholic teaching on war and peacemaking.

What can Christians learn from the sexiest show on Netflix? Mike’s wife, Maddy, and their good friend, Emily, talk about why they think Bridgerton is SO GOOD, but also kind of awful. This episode is all about sex and we talk openly and explicitly about a range of topics including:

- Foreplay & afterplay

- Oral sex & manual stimulation

- Forgiveness & healing

- Contraception & pulling out

- How much does sexual experience matter?

- Problems with sex & intimacy

- Why sex is awesome

- Why Jesus is awesome

In this follow-up episode, we continue our conversation about protest music with a focus on the debate over abortion. Again, we welcome Consistent Life Ethic activists Savannah & Ryan Ackermann as our guests.

We discuss:

- The plight of the mother in a crisis pregnancy

- Is abortion really as big of a deal as these other social justice issues?

- What now for the pro-life movement?

- And much more!

Green Day, Bob Dylan, 2Pac, Flobots, Marvin Gaye . . . What do all of these artists have in common? They all stood up against violence through their music. Consistent Life Ethic activists Savannah & Ryan Ackerman join us to talk about the great protest songs of history.

We discuss A LOT of hot button issues including:

- The death penalty

- Euthanasia

- Torture

- Abortion

- Racism

- War

- And much more!

In this special solo, Father’s Day episode, Mike shares what he admires about TV’s superdad, Jack Pearson from NBC’s “This is Us.” We discuss:

- What is masculinity? Is it toxic?

- Angry prayers

- Rising to the occasion

- How to find purpose in life

- Why a real man should be liturgical

Juneteenth is right around the corner so it’s the perfect time to talk about the music and message of Beyoncé. We welcome Vice President of New Wave Feminists, Marcia Lane-McGee to the show. So come get in formation as we discuss:

- Privilege, Color Blindness, & Anti-racism

- Art & Solidarity

- Feminism & Clericalism

- Hot sauce [swag]

- Black Lives Matter, Abortion, & the preferential option

- Body image

- and more!

Marshall Mathers is a force to be reckoned with. His talent is undeniable. His story: inspiring. His lyrics? Frequently reprehensible. Pop rap artist Jeremy Flick joins us to discuss the music and message of Slim Shady. We discuss:

-Why God (and we) love an underdog

-How to pursue your dreams, even with family responsibilities

-How to “make it” in music

-What is success?

-Perfectionism and what if I miss my shot?

-Who am I and how do I prove myself?

-Blessings, grace, and (of course) Jesus being awesome

- and more!

Follow us into the Upside Down as we ready ourselves for Season 4 of Stranger Things. Kaiser Johnson, who played the infamous Jazzercise Instructor/Evil Russian, joins us to share some of his journey and insight. We share what we love about the show and it brings up some pretty personal stuff as we discuss:

- the value of being a nerd

- Friendship: quality or quantity?

- Stories of annulments, divorce, & suffering

- How to ruin your life

- Dating tips (including physical boundaries)

- What if you’ve found “The One?”

- is it really worth it to be cool?

- the poison of envy

And much more

An old soul with a heavenly voice, Adele is the world's most widely celebrated musician. Nashville-based songwriter Dana Catherine joins us to talk about Adele's music and craft, as well as how to have God help navigate the twists and turns of young adulthood. We discuss:

- calling and how to know when to follow your heart

- is God calling me to make a change or are things just hard right now?

- marriage, dating, & break-ups

- do I need therapy or spiritual direction?

- Jesus being awesome

and watch to the end for a lil sumthin' extra :)

"We gon’ praise our way out the grave, dog!"

Hip Hop artist John Levi joins us to discuss the phenomenon that is Kanye West and his music. We hit some big topics

including:

-the key to real holiness

-the N-word & profanity

-doing stupid things

-failure

-materialism

-self-doubt and mental health

-the power of verbal confession and profession

-vulnerability

-being unashamed for Christ

-our true enemy

I first met Dan and his brother Alex when they were in seminary to become priests. But then they spent the next 15 years building Scythian from a pub band to one of the biggest festival acts in the country. Dan and I had a great time sharing some of our favorite folk songs. The conversation got deep pretty quickly as we talked about the relationships of fathers and sons, the violence in Ukraine (his parents are Ukrainian immigrants), and the power of music to change the course of our lives and of history.

The first live-action Star Wars show is arguably also the most compelling Star Wars story ever. We welcome Deacon, Professor, and Star Wars nerd-extrordianire Bob Rice to unpack the Mandoverse as we discuss:

- Fundamentalism

- the stories of 3 orphans

- religious deconstruction & reconstruction

- How to question God? Is there a value to doubt?

- Celibacy & detachment

- Do relationships make you soft and is that a bad thing?

The world's most beloved (and rebooted) super hero, Batman. We invite psychologist Jake Khym from the Restore the Glory podcast to unmask the caped crusader and see how we can face the fear and injustice in our own lives.

We discuss:

- Trauma

- When bad things happen to good people

- Mike’s issues

- Forgiveness

- healthy identity

- building resilience

- the Joker, Two-Face, Ras Al Gul, and more!

Are you ready for a controversial episode? Cuz we got one! We cover the beloved show Schitt’s Creek with Pieter Valk, licensed counselor, aspiring deacon in the Anglican Church, and founder of Equip Your Community, a ministry which helps churches to better love LGBTQ Christians. So come with an open heart and mind as we discuss:

- Using the term “Gay” vs “Same-Sex Attracted”

- Materialism & the American Dream

- How God uses our dark times

- Are same-sex sins worse?

- Is a happy celibate life possible?

- Intimacy & Belonging

- Where Churches fail gay people

- The cure for loneliness

- Can people be platonic friends if they are attracted to each other?

What if your favorite boy band could improve your love life? Regina Boyd, LMHC, and host of the “Connecting Out Loud” podcast, joins us to answer that question. We talk about One Direction, *NSYNC, BSB, BTS, Boyz II Men, and more. Along the way we chat about:

-Who is the best boy band?

-What if you and your partner aren’t compatible?

-How to fight with your partner

-The 4 things that kill love

-Seeing a priest vs seeing a counselor

-How do I know when to see a counselor?

-Hacks for fostering love

-Am I making him/her an idol?

-Sex, purity, & managing expectations

-How to move from infatuation to real love

ATLA may be the best animated show ever. The characters, the themes, the world building, the artistry . . . it’s just a really good show. Self-proclaimed super-nerd Luke Dimyan, (Judas Iscariot in The Chosen) joins us to celebrate the beauty that is this show. We focus specifically on the characters and their relationships including:

- Trauma

- Responsibility & mission

- Detachment

- Anger

- Repentance

- Parents & siblings

- Loss & grief

From Broadway to the Grammys to TV shows, is there anything Sara Bareilles can’t do? We welcome actress, writer, and director Kiersten Lyons from “Crushed The Podcast” to explore the music of Sara B.

Be warned! This episode gets pretty emotional as Kiersten brings A LOT of wisdom to the table and Mike weeps openly. Here’s some of what else you can expect:

- Moving on from crushed moments

- Being enough

- Facing rejection

- RomComs and the toxic fairytales we believe

- Adoption & foster care

- how Hollywood treats women

- a story Mike has never shared in public before

We’ve got a very special present for our listeners this Christmas ... the truth that will set you free!

Follow us down the rabbit hole as we red-pill The Matrix trilogy. Buckle your seat belts and get ready to party like it’s 1999, cuz we filmed late and we had some whiskey so you can expect:

- Bad impressions of Agent Smith

- A fight about the souls of artificial intelligence

- Gnostic allegory

- Festive attire & decor

- Are humans even worth it?

- Technologically augmented humans

- Life in a simulation

- Pro-life environmentalism

- Head banging Santa

And much more!

We’ve got a very special present for our listeners this Christmas ... the truth that will set you free!

Follow us down the rabbit hole as we red-pill The Matrix trilogy. Buckle your seat belts and get ready to party like it’s 1999, cuz we filmed late and we had some whiskey so you can expect:

- Bad impressions of Agent Smith

- A fight about the souls of artificial intelligence

- Gnostic allegory

- Festive attire & decor

- Are humans even worth it?

- Technologically augmented humans

- Life in a simulation

- Pro-life environmentalism

- Head banging Santa

And much more!

His hits keep coming and they don’t stop coming. Jack Antonoff is most known for his co-writing and producing the biggest names in music: Lorde, Lana, Taylor, Springsteen . . . But it’s with his own band, The Bleachers, where he shares his journey and crisis of faith. Ashley & Zac from the Jesuitical podcast join us to wax theological and personal on the music & lyrics of the world’s hottest music producer. On the journey we tackle:

- Grief and survivor’s guilt

- Do you want a big life or a secret life?

- What’s up with New Jersey anyway?

- Selling out

- Does the Church ask too much? Do I?

- Can the Church be trusted with my faith?

- Calling out your friends

- The gospel of attraction

- And only a teensy weensy bit of Taylor talk, I promise ;)